ESPN AIRS RAGS-TO-RICHES STORY
OF SEBASTIAN TELFAIR: NBA star's
journey unfolds in award-winning
documentary airing Sunday.
*On Sunday (March 12) at 8 p.m.,
ESPN will premiere the film "Through
the Fire," a documentary that follows
high school basketball sensation
Sebastian Telfair through his
tumultuous senior year
in high school.
The Brooklyn-born cousin of
NBA star Stephon Marbury, Telfair
is shown in the film trying to lead his
Coney Island high school team to the
championship while deciding whether
to attend college at the University of
Louisville under famed coach Rick
Pitino; or go pro, secure an
endorsement deal and move
his family out of the projects.
The youngster was all set to
attend college, but the shocking murder
of two former teammates in the hallway
outside of his family's apartment
changed his mind. Telfair, all of
five-foot-ten, would be the first player
under six feet to attempt a jump from
high school to the pros.
The 92-minute documentary,
directed by Emmy award-winning
producer and director Jonathan Hock, came
about after HBO had asked the filmmaker to
shoot a piece about a subject that would
air on Bob Costas' program the night
LeBron James was drafted in 2003.
"I said I know of a kid in Coney
Island who they are talking about as
maybe the next one. So I went out and
hunted him down," Hock told us.
"After spending two days with [Telfair]
shooting a short, I learned about
his older brother, I learned about his
mother, I learned about the family
and what was really riding on him."
Hock sensed a story much
bigger than a film short after learning
of the family's previous NBA-related
letdown involving Sebastian's older
brother.
"Their mother wouldn't have
anything to do with anything that
hypedher son for basketball because
Sebastian's older brother, her older son,
was supposed to be a first-round draft pick
in the NBA and was not selected. And
it kind of broke everyone in the family's
heart, especially her's."
As Hock was filming the Telfair
brothers, he suggested the idea to
turn the piece into a movie, and
requested to follow them around for
a year to capture the life of a young,
African American basketball star on
the verge of sure NBA superstardom.
Hock recalled: "Sebastian just
kind of looked at his big brother, and
his big brother said, let's make a movie.
So we shook hands, and for the
next 15 months we followed Sebastian
through one of the most remarkable
emotional years that I've ever witnessed
in the world of sports."
With only a three-man crew,
Hock began filming without any
distributor or financial backing.
"We just committed to making
this movie, really, just the three of
us, going out to Coney Island every
day," said Hock. And to have the
opportunity now to see it air three
years, almost, from that date, on this
network that's going to reach more
sports fans than anyone in the world,
it's really a thrill."
Today, the 20-year-old Telfair,
now six-feet tall, is a point guard
for the Portland Trailblazers averaging
8.7 points per game. He was selected
in the first round of the 2004 draft.
"Through the Fire" - a 2005
"Audience Favorite Award" winner at the
American Film Institute Film Festival
and 2005 "Best Documentary Award
winner at the 9th Annual Urbanworld
Film Festival - will be available on
DVD Tuesday (March 14).
THE PARTY'S OVER AT MIJAC'S
NEVERLAND: Singer ordered to shut
down ranch by California State Labor
Commissioner.
*Michael Jackson was ordered to
shut down his Neverland Valley Ranch
on Thursday by California authorities
who have slapped the singer with a
$169,000 fine for failure to pay his
employees or maintain proper
insurance.
An agent of the State Labor
Commissioner closed the property in
the central California foothills, at least
temporarily, after the office found
out that his worker's compensation
policy had run out in January.
"We went out there this morning
and issued a stop order to the
security guard at the front gate," state
Department of Industrial Relations
spokesman Dean Fryer told Reuters.
"We asked to be escorted in to meet
management, but we were refused and
turned away, so we gave the order to
(the guard)."
The order prohibits Jackson from
hiring anyone else at the 2,800-acre
ranch until the insurance issues are
resolved, Fryer said. "So it looks like
this would mean for Neverland Valley
Ranch that they would be closed down."
Fryer said local animal welfare
officials had been asked to take care
of Neverland's zoo inhabitants. Jackson
can reopen the ranch if he gets
workers compensation insurance but
may face legal action by the state if he
fails to pay the back wages.
On Thursday, Jackson was fined
$69,000, or $1,000 per employee, for
not renewing his insurance. Earlier this
week, authorities cited him for
violating state labor law by failing to
pay at least 30 employees since
December of 2005. A letter for that
citation imposes a $100,000 fine and
demands that he make good on $306,000
in unpaid wages, reports Reuters.
Fryer said his office found out about
the workers compensation issue
after a Neverland employee filing an
unpaid-wage claim mentioned that a
co-worker had been injured on the job
and was uncertain about filing a claim
due to the lapsed insurance.
Jackson, meanwhile, was not at
Neverland when authorities arrived. He
has been living in Bahrain since being
acquitted last June of criminal
charges that he sexually abused a
young boy.
BUSTA RHYMES VISITS BET’S ‘106
& PARK’: Rapper addresses video shooting
in first TV appearance since incident.
*"Everything is good except for
what's going on," Busta Rhymes said
after taking a seat on BET’s “106 &
Park” Tuesday (March 7).
The rapper was on hand to
premiere his new “Touch It” remix video.
Last month’s filming of the clip turned
violent when Busta’s bodyguard,
Israel Ramirez, was shot and killed
following an altercation on the set that
spilled outside.
"I want to start this show off by
sending a big shout-out to the
children of Israel Ramirez. I want to
give a big shout-out to his wife,”
said Busta, who stressed that the
concept of the video is meant to promote
unity in hip hop. “I want people to
really understand that the focus
primarily on shooting this video was
to present the balance. For a while it
has just been a whole lot of extra
unnecessary beef. I'm about
feel-good energy in music."
The clip, which includes guests
stars Lloyd Banks, DMX, Missy
Elliott, Mary J. Blige and others,
begins with a special dedication to
Ramirez. Rhymes decided it was
important to put out the video as an
honor to his late friend.
"It was a beautiful day. I felt
it would be an injustice in the
demise of my good friend if we didn't
show the world that what we was doing
in no way shape or form was advocating
violence," he said.
Meanwhile, the murder investigation
continues. Police are still hoping to talk
to Rhymes about the shooting, but the
rapper has been uncooperative. As
previously reported, a tape surfaced
last week that allegedly captured an
argument on set between the G-Unit's
Tony Yayo and Swizz Beatz and members
of the Ruff Ryders camp. Police have not
announced any suspects in the case.
DC FOLKS AREN’T TRYING TO
HEAR STEVE HARVEY: Fans of WHUR’s
homegrown morning team threaten
boycott over Harvey’s arrival.
*Loyal listeners of WHUR’s
"The Real D.C. Morning Show" in
Washington D.C. tuned in Monday
morning to find their beloved jocks – Tony
Richards, Sharon "TC" Pitt, George
Willborn and Herman Washington – fired
and replaced by the distinct drawl of
Steve Harvey and his Clear
Channel-syndicated program,
“The Steve Harvey Show.”
To put it mildly, fans are not happy.
Since the switch on March 6, the Howard
University-owned station has been flooded
with hundreds of angrycomplaints, and
even calls to launch a boycott.
Much of the backlash is over the
loss of WHUR’s hometown flavor
present among the “Real D.C.”
personalities, an aspect rendered impossible
with Harvey’s New York-based show.
The home grown sentiment was echoed in
the station's promos, which bragged
that the show was "not live via
satellite, but live."
Tonya Brewington, a fan of the “Real
D.C.” program, called WHUR's decision
to cancel the show "jarring" because
of the change in tone -- Harvey's show
is a little edgier than "Real D.C.'s"
more laid-back style.
"I think it's a very bad choice,"
Brewington, a Web designer, told
the Washington Post. "I think the
people who listen to [the program] are
not the same audience for Steve Harvey
. . . . It was more of a community show.
You're not going to find out what happened
in D.C. the night before by listening to
a show out of New York. It's a sad
commentary for a radio station that's
associated with a prestigious university."
SOPHIE OKONEDO, MOS DEF LINE
UP BLACK PANTHER PIC: Actors in final
negotiations for ‘Stringbean and Marcus.’
*Mos Def and Sophie Okonedo are
in final talks to topline the independent
drama "Stringbean and Marcus," a story
written and directed by first-time feature
helmer Tanya Hamilton.
Mos Def and Okonedo will play
two former Black Panther members
dealing with a broken love affair in
1978. The story unfolds through the
eyes of an adolescent girl.
"It's not so much about the
idea of race," Hamilton told the
Hollywood Reporter. "I just wanted
to show this world of ordinary people
living under extraordinary circumstances,
trying to outrun this past they
all have."
Shooting is scheduled to begin in
July in Philadelphia. Mos Def and
Okonedo, have not officially signed on
the dotted line, but "they've committed
to the project," says one of the
producers, Sean Costello.
Contracts are not likely to
be finalized until June, he added.
TYRA’S ‘TOP MODEL’ NOW A
‘TRUE HOLLYWOOD STORY’:
E! spotlights all the behind-the-scenes
drama in a special premiering March 26.
*E! has dug up all the dirt for a
new “True Hollywood Story” expose
on the UPN reality series “America’s
Next Top Model,” created and hosted by
retired supermodel Tyra Banks.
The 90-minute special, airing
March 26 at 8 p.m., includes exclusive
interviews with "Top Model" judges Nigel
Barker, Janice Dickinson, Nole Marin,
Jay Manuel and J. Alexander. Also in
the line up are interviews with19
contestants, including past winners
Adrienne Curry, Eva Pigford and
Naima Mora.
During the program, runway coach
Jay Alexander said of cycle 3 winner
Pigford: "When she came in and said,
'I am not like everybody else,' she
made it very, very clear, 'I'm about me
and it's all about me and it's going
to be me.'"
Cycle 3 contestant Toccara
Jones spoke about the beauty of being
a plus size model, stating: "I never really
looked at is as being like, you
know, plus size or me competing against
you know skinny girls. I'm a woman.
I'm a model. That's my occupation. And
I'm normal. I represent the majority
of the women in America, and I'm
comfortable with me. I love me. I'm
comfortable in my skin."
Banks even had some words
about former judge – and “world’s first
supermodel” Janice Dickinson, saying:
"I had no idea she was going to be as
honest, and as tell it like it is, as she is,
but you know, it works for
television, and with me being a producer
I had to have her because people
love to hate Janice. And some people
love everything that comes out of her
mouth."
Banks also commented on the
pressures of elimination day: "They
all love me when I'm saying you know,
you're going to be the 14. And then when
I send them home, they start hating me."
“Top Model” premiered its sixth
season on Wednesday (Mar 8) with
biracial contestant Jade a frontrunner
to be the season’s love-to-hate star.
Her boastful demeanor gives “American
Idol’s” ousted hopeful Brenna a run
for her money.
BILLBOARD’S HOT 100 CATCHES
NE-YO’S SICKNESS: Hot single follows
album’s trip to No. 1
*One day after Ne-Yo’s Def Jam
album “In My Own Words” debuted atop
The Billboard 200 album chart, the
set’s first single, “So Sick,” jumped
eight spots to takeover the No. 1 spot
on the Billboard Hot 100 singles
chart this week.
James Blunt's "You're Beautiful,"
which the singer performed on “The
Oprah Winfrey Show” this week, falls
to No. 3 after spending just one week
ruling the Hot 100. Sean Paul's "Temperature,"
the Hot 100's greatest airplay gainer for a third
week in a row, rises 3-2 as Mary J. Blige's
"Be Without You" ascends 4-5 and
scores an 11th week atop the R&B/
Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Elsewhere in the Hot 100 Top
Ten, Beyoncé's "Check on It" featuring
Slim Thug falls 2-5, T-Pain's "I'm N
Luv (Wit a Stripper)" featuring Mike
Jones remains at No. 6 and Nelly's
"Grillz" featuring Paul Wall, Ali & Gipp
loses its shine, dropping 4-7.
Chris Brown's "Yo (Excuse
Me Miss)" drops 7-8, Dem Franchize Boyz'
"Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It" featuring Lil
Peanut & Charlay jumps 11-9 and
Natasha Bedingfield's "Unwritten," belted
unsuccessfully by Ayla Brown this week
on "American Idol," falls 8-10.
New to the Hot 100 are T.I.'s "What
You Know" (No. 83), Anthony Hamilton's
"Can't Let Go" (No. 93), Paul Wall's "Girl"
(No. 95) and Ne-Yo's "When You're Mad"
(No. 99).
FISHBURNE TO BE HONORED BY
SHOWEST: Actor to receive ‘Distinguished
Decade of Achievement’ award at annual
exhibitor’s convention.
*Laurence Fishburne has been
selected to receive the Distinguished
Decade of Achievement in Film Award
at the annual ShoWest exhibitors
convention, which begins its run
Monday (March 13) in Las Vegas.
The actor, who will next appear
in the Lionsgate film “Akeelah and
the Bee,” is to be given the honor
during ShoWest’s closing-night
ceremony Thursday at Bally's
and Paris Las Vegas hotels.
"Laurence Fishburne is an
outstanding actor with the ability to
captivate audiences and display great
depth in his portrayal of confident
and powerful characters, earning his
performances long-standing critical
acclaim and his movies boxoffice success,"
said Mitch Neuhauser, co-managing
director of the event.
Fishburne’s film credits include
"Apocalypse Now," "The Color
Purple," "Boyz N the Hood," "What's
Love Got to Do With It," "Mystic River"
and the "Matrix" trilogy. He will also
be seen in the upcoming "Mission:
Impossible 3."
"Akeelah and the Bee," co-starring
Angela Bassett and Keke Palmer,
will screen at ShoWest and is due
in theaters on April 28 by Lionsgate in
partnership with Starbucks Entertainment
and 2929 Prods.
‘CRASH’ LANDING GIVES LUDACRIS
MUCH ‘GAME’: Rapper tapped to narrate
documentary about high school basketball
squad.
*Still basking in the afterglow
of a best picture Academy Award for
“Crash,” the film’s co-star, Chris
“Ludacris” Bridges, has signed on to lend
his voice to a new documentary about
a Seattle high school girls’ basketball team.
“Heart of the Game,” due in June,
tells the story of the Roosevelt
Roughriders, and one teammate’s
struggle to maintain her eligibility.
"My stock has definitely gone up,"
Ludacris told AllHipHop.com of his
post-Oscar film prospects "People can
get used to seeing me on the big
screen more in the future [as I] continue
to choose projects that I feel
will change people's lives."
The Atlanta rapper-turned-actor
has also scored a role in NBC’s “Law
& Order: Special Victims Unit.” Luda
will appear in several episodes
beginning in May. Meanwhile, his new
album, “Release Therapy,” is due this
summer.
CAM’RON HIRES ‘JJ’ TO SPOOF
JAY-Z IN NEW VIDEO: Jimmy Walker
stars as Hov in ‘Lick It or Not’/‘Wet
Wipes’ clip.
*While Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter is
busy running Def Jam Records and
making business moves throughout
Asia, rapper Cam’ron is still trying to
keep a feud going with the rap mogul
via his latest video.
Cam’s clip for “Lick It or Not”/
“Wet Wipes” features Jimmie Walker,
a.k.a. J.J. from “Good Times,” in an
obvious attempt to appear as Jay-Z,
although the retired rapper’s name is
never spoken.
"I showed up, I was there for a
couple shots and I was done," Walker
told MTV.com Monday (March 6) via
phone from his Las Vegas home. "They
just called me up. I'm never hiding.”
In the video, Walker, like Jay-Z,
sports a gold Roc-A-Fella chain,
buttoned shirt and blue New York
Yankees hat. One scene has Walker
even stepping out of a Maybach wearing
sandals and jeans — a fashion faux pas,
according to Cam.
When asked to describe the
video, the 58-year-old replied: "I don't
really know, to tell you the honest-to-
goodness truth. …Cam'ron took some
girls from me. I gave my look, my thing
I do. There was a little upsetness.
He had his posse with him. I didn't have
a posse so his posse out-dueled my
posse, but that's it."
Both “Lick It or Not” and “Wet
Wipes” will be featured on Cam's
“Killa Season,” due May 9.
BILL COSBY HELPS RAISE MONEY
FOR KIDS CAMPAIGN: MaliVai
Washington’s foundation nets
1.4 million for youth.
*A March 2 performance by
comedian Bill Cosby helped to raise $1.4
million in campaign pledges, sponsorships
and ticket sales for the Jacksonville-based
MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation,
launched by the former Wimbledon
finalist to introduce tennis as a tool to
develop positive life skills and encourage
academic achievement in youth.
The foundation runs a five-day-a-
week after-school program in Durkeeville
and has introduced tennis to
more than 14,000 local children,
reports the Jacksonville Business Journal.
The youth tennis and education
complex, to serve as headquarters for
all foundation programs when it opens
this fall, will have nine tennis
courts and additional recreational facilities.
A 9,200-square-foot academic
and enrichment building will include four
classrooms, a multi-media center
(including computer lab and lending library),
multipurpose room, kitchen,
teen room, fitness room, and locker rooms.
"I could not be more pleased that
Mr. Cosby would take the time out
to recognize our efforts to support the
youth in our community," Washington
said. "We really appreciate him donating
his time and talents to our cause.
We could not have asked for a better
event."
NELLY, DADDY YANKEE INTRODUCE
REEBOK LINES: Rappers join company’s
roster of rap mouthpieces.
*Reebok has enlisted rapper Nelly
and reggaeton star Daddy Yankee to
join Lil' Wayne, Lupe Fiasco and Mike
Jones in its “I Am What I Am” ad
campaign.
Nelly's Derrty One line, to include
sneakers, T-shirts and hats, will
arrive in stores this April with a price tag
of about $75. Daddy Yankee’s
new line of $80 sneakers will debut
May 23 with other Yankee branded
apparel and accessories.
"We're bringing together the power
of all of our assets," Que Gaskins, Reebok
lifestyle and entertainment marketing chief
told New York's Daily News. "Nelly's shoe
will have a clean, inner-city, urban style.
Daddy Yankee's will have more of
a soccer flavor."
Reebok hopes the addition of Nelly
and Daddy Yankee to its $50 million
campaign will appeal to the youth
market.
STARZ INBLACK TO HONOR GORDON
PARKS: Network will rerun ‘Unstoppable’
special featuring discussion with filmmaker.
*Starz InBlack pays tribute to
internationally acclaimed filmmaker,
photojournalist, novelist and composer
Gordon Parks with a special
presentation of its original production
"Unstoppable: A Conversation with
Melvin Van Peebles, Gordon Parks
and Ossie Davis." The documentary
airs this afternoon (March 10) at 6:50 p.m.
ET/PT.
The special provides a candid and
revealing look at the first
African Americans to direct Hollywood
features -- Melvin Van Peebles ("Sweet
Sweetbacks' Baadasssss Song," "Classified
X"), Gordon Parks ("The Learning
Tree," "Shaft") and Ossie Davis ("Cotton
Comes to Harlem").
The three filmmakers discuss a
myriad of issues surrounding their
distinguished careers, including their
struggles and triumphs.
"Gordon Parks was one of the
20th-century's most prolific and diverse
artists," said Stephan Shelanski, senior
vice president of acquisitions for
Starz Entertainment Group. "He was a
legend and a preeminent figure in
American culture and we our deeply
saddened by his death. We are grateful
for the opportunity to have worked with
him to record his thoughts and
memories about his career."
FILM BITS: ‘Brave’ Rowell; MTV
Movie Awards; ‘Tut’ film; Diesel’s ‘Riddick
2’; New Line’s ‘Voice’; ‘Awesome’ Beasties.
*“Young and the Restless” star
Victoria Rowell officially joins 50
Cent and Samuel L. Jackson on the
cast of the Iraqi war film, “Home of the
Brave.” As previously reported, the
soap opera star had been in talks to
join the indie film that follows three
soldiers who struggle to readjust to
home life after returning from the
Iraqi war.
*The MTV Movie Awards have
been set for June 3 at the Sony Pictures
Studios in Culver City, the network
announced Wednesday. The 15th annual
ceremony will be televised June 8.
Nominees are chosen by a national poll of
MTV and MTV2 viewers.
*Paramount Pictures has signed
on to produce “King Tut,” a film
described as an action-adventure/
romance picture, loosely based on Howard
Carter's discovery of King Tut's
treasures in 1922 Egypt. The film was
pitched by its writer Neil Crawford
for the Paramount-based Lorenzo di
Bonaventura to produce.
*Vin Diesel says that a sequel to
“The Chronicles of Riddick” is in
the works. He tells ComingSoon.com:
“When I was in the process of creating
this mythology for 'Chronicles of Riddick,'
the idea was to create a story,
a trilogy, that would start at the end of
‘Pitch Black’ in the same way that
‘Lord of the Rings’ is a trilogy that
starts at the end, essentially, of
‘The Hobbit.’ So I wanted 'Pitch Black'
to be 'The Hobbit' to 'The
Chronicles of Riddick.' I wrote a
storyline, essentially, that covered three
pictures, so where Riddick goes in
the next two pictures is already mapped
out. It's not in script form, but it is
being all developed, and it is going
to surface when you least expect it."
*New Line has acquired the film
“Lift Every Voice,” which is set in
the world of gospel choir competitions.
The story follows a young minister
who returns to the streets of Camden,
N.J. and creates a gospel choir to
keep the neighborhood kids out of
trouble. The group begins to win gospel
competitions, culminating in the
national championship. Usher’s manager
Holly Davis-Carter of Los Angeles-based
Releve Entertainment is behind the
project. She served as an executive
producer on “In the Mix” and “The
Gospel.”
*The Beastie Boys concert film
shot entirely by fans will be screened
across the country Thursday (March 23)
in an exclusive one-night only Big
Screen Concerts presentation by THINKFilm
and National CineMedia. “Awesome,
I…Shot That!” will be shown on nearly
200 screens at 8 p.m. local time at
movie theaters across the country. For
Tickets are currently on sale at
participating Regal, United Artists,
The film will be released in select
cities on March 31.
TV BITS: ‘Unit’ ratings; Jarvis on CNBC;
Martin’s ‘Readings’; Smithsonian &
Showtime; black history in France;
CoLoursTV’s ‘Take 3.’
*CBS’ new drama “The Unit,”
starring Dennis Haysbert and Regina
Taylor, beat ABC’s heavily-promoted
premiere of “Sons & Daughters” on
Tuesday. The military series from
playwright and screenwriter David Mamet
pulled an average audience of nearly
18.2 million viewers to the nearly 8
million who tuned in for “Sons.” Also,
“Unit’s” ratings grew from the first
half hour to the second. The solid ratings
have prompted CBS to air a rerun
of the show this Saturday. Both “The
Unit” and “Sons & Daughters” lost on
the night to Fox’s one-two punch,
“American Idol” (28.2 million) and “House”
(20.6 million).
*Rebecca Jarvis, the woman who
lost to Randal “This-Show-Isn’t-Called-
The-Apprenti” Pinkett on NBC’s “The
Apprentice” last season, has landed a
job as an associate reporter for CNBC.
The 24-year-old worked as a “financial
journalist” before her reality show run.
For her new gig, Jarvis will be tasked
with reporting her own stories and helping
out on the assignment desk.
*“Law & Order” star Jesse L.
Martin will appear in "First Readings:
A Benefit For Studio Dante" on March
20 at the Dahesh Museum of Art. Martin
– along with "The Sopranos" stars
Michael Imperioli, Steve Buscemi, Edie
Falco, Julianna Margulies, Steve
Schirripa and Annabella Sciorra – will read
two short plays during the benefit
evening, which begins at 6:30 p.m. with
cocktails, a light supper and silent
auction. The performance begins at 7:45
p.m. and is hosted by Imperioli's
company Studio Dante. For more
information, visit www.studiodante.com.
*The Smithsonian Institution has
signed a deal with Showtime Networks
to create an on-demand service for
cable operators. SOD (Smithsonian On
Demand) will be available in December
with a menu of about 40 hours of
all-original programming - spanning
"major scientific, cultural and
historical events of the day," all told
from a nonfiction perspective.
Children's programming will show
up in the mix, plus, as SOD explains,
"programs on space, science and
nature, history, popular culture, art and
design, sports and music."
*For the first time in the history
of France, a black journalist has
been chosen as an anchor for one of
the country’s most popular TV news
broadcasts. Harry Roselmack, 32,
will become the first non-white person to
present a prime-time mainstream TV
news program on the TF1 network when he
takes over in July. The hiring comes
after President Jacques Chirac urged
the media to hire more ethnic minority
journalists following riots by Arab
youths. Roselmack, who is from the
French Caribbean island of Martinique,
will replace star presenter Patrick
Poivre d'Arvor while he is on his summer
vacation.
*CoLoursTV, a multicultural
television channel on the Dish TV
Network, will begin featuring the
series “Take 3,” a half hour show that
takes an in-depth look at the diverse
works of independent filmmakers of
color. Each episode showcases new
films from three established filmmakers of
color and introduces one new filmmaker
at the close of each show. “Take 3”
is scheduled to begin on May 1.
*Kinnik Sky and Gideon McKinney
failed to make the final group of
Top 12 on Fox's "American Idol." The
two were voted out Thursday night
(March 9) along with fellow contestants
Ayla Brown and Will Makar.
MUSIC BITS: Koopsta arrested; Spears
and Quincy?; Diddy’s women; Peas bits;
Savoy celebrates; Ice T’s Rodedawg;
Zingy & Biggie.
*Rapper Koopsta Knicc, a former
member of the (gasp) Oscar-winning
group Three 6 Mafia, was thrown behind
bars in Memphis Thursday, accused of
forcing his way into a house and robbing
three people at gunpoint.
Authorities charged him with aggravated
robbery and aggravated assault for
allegedly taking off with more than
$7,000, a diamond ring, leather jacket
and cell phone. Born Robert Phillips,
the 30-year-old has a long rap sheet
that includes aggravated burglary,
domestic violence assault, and
convictions for burglary, assault and
reckless driving. He was arrested
three different times in 2005 and
earlier this year he was charged with
writing a $650 bad check to a friend.
*Britney Spears is reportedly
seeking the help of Quincy Jones to
hook up tracks for her next album.
The pop star, rumored to be pregnant
with her second child, hopes Q can
help her adopt a “funkier, more mature”
sound, according to the New York Post.
*Sean “Diddy” Combs announced
Tuesday that he will roll out a new
sportswear line for young women. His
Sean John clothing line will join
forces with G-Ill Apparel Group to
distribute the contemporary collection,
set to debut in spring 2007 as an
addition to his Sean John sportswear for
men.
*The Black Eyed Peas have
been added to the line-up of performers at
this year's Juno Awards, Canada’s
version of the Grammys to be held in
Halifax on April 2nd. BEP's album
“Monkey Business” is nominated in the
International Album category. Meanwhile,
the group’s single “My Humps” has
passed the two million mark in sales of
Master Tones (an excerpt of the
actual master recording rather than a
synthesized ringtone), which makes the
song the top selling Master Tone of
all time. Also, the trio will release an
8-song EP titled “Renegotiations: The
Remixes” on March 21 via iTunes and
March 28 exclusively at Best Buy. As
previously reported, the Peas are also
scheduled to headline the two-month
Honda Civic Tour, opening March 23 in
Fresno with The Pussycat Dolls and
Flipsyde. For tour info, go to
www.hondacivictour.com and
www.blackeyedpeas.com.
*Harlem’s famous Savoy Ballroom
will celebrate its 80th anniversary
this weekend with a dinner-dance
fundraiser for the Jackie Robinson
Scholars, which has helped 1,100 students
since 1973. The day starts at noon
with the rededication of a plaque on the
site of the original Savoy – Lenox
Ave. between 140th and 141st Streets –
and continues with panel discussions
at the Alhambra with dance historian Sally
Sommer and Savoy historian Terry
Monaghan. Tickets are $45 for the dinner-
dance at the Alhambra Ballroom
(Powell Blvd. and 125th St.) from
6:30 p.m. to midnight. For more
information, call the New York Swing
Dance Society at (212) 696-9737.
*“Law & Order: SVU” star and
former rapper Ice T is endorsing a new
off-road vehicle designed to compete
with the Hummer. The Rodedawg, a
Chinese military vehicle to be promoted
by Ice, is priced at half the cost
of a Hummer ($49,500) and, unlike its
competition, is also amphibious. "I
thought it was the wildest thing on four
wheels, and I know it will appeal
to people who like to live on the edge,"
said Ice T. "This truck will turn
heads."
Mobile media company Zingy has
reached an exclusive licensing deal
with the estate of hip-hip legend Notorious
B.I.G. for the worldwide rights
to develop, publish, and distribute a full
range of mobile content featuring
the late rapper’s likeness. Under the
deal, Zingy will offer voicetones,
wallpapers, and videos, as well as a
series of original mobile games
starring Biggie. Fans can get their
download on at www.zingy.com.
*The release date for Rihanna’s
upcoming sophomore album, "A Girl
Like Me," has been pushed back
two weeks to April 25. Def Jam is also
releasing a limited edition of the
project in a special digipak featuring
five collectible postcards and album
covers. The disc’s lead single, "SOS,"
was released exclusively last month
through Nikewomen.com and is featured in
a Nike ad campaign. Other songs expected
to appear on the album are "Dem
Haters," "No Looking Back," "Don't Lie"
and "Selfish Girl." Rihanna's
labelmate, singer/songwriter Ne-Yo,
penned the second single, "Unfaithful."
SPORTS BITS: Selig on Bonds drama;
Culpepper wants out; March Madness
online; Woods in Men’s Vogue; Earl
the Pearl restaurant.
*Baseball commissioner Bud Selig
said he’ll read the new book about
Barry Bonds and his alleged steroid use
before making any decisions on the
fate of the San Francisco Giants slugger.
"The book itself doesn't come out
until the end of the month," he said. "But
we will review everything there
is to look at and at some appropriate
time I'll have further comment."
Sports Illustrated this week ran excerpts
from "Game of Shadows," written by
two San Francisco Chronicle reporters
who detail the alleged steroid use by
the athlete. Bonds, who has repeatedly
denied using performance-enhancing
drugs, posted a note on his Web site
thanking fans for their support without
mentioning the newest allegations.
*Minnesota Vikings quarterback
Daunte Culpepper has asked the team to
either trade him or release him from his
contract. "Two days ago I got an
e-mail from management that confirmed
for me that they did not see me as the
player or person that I see myself,"
Culpepper told ESPN. "I was shocked. It
pushed me to this point. …If a trade
does not happen, then I am asking the
Vikings to terminate my contract as
soon as possible." The player’s
relationship with the front office began
to sour when he suffered a
season-ending knee injury in October.
The team is scheduled to pay Culpepper
a $6 million roster bonus this month,
the Star-Tribune of Minneapolis
reported, but the athlete says he’d
rather cut his losses and move on.
*March Madness fans will be
able to watch early-round games of the
NCAA basketball tournament on CBS’
Web site www.cbssportsline.com beginning
March 16. The match-ups will be
commercial free and free of charge, but the
limitations of broadband streaming
allows only a few hundred thousand
viewers at a time. Those unable to
sign on will be placed in a "waiting
room" showing a scoreboard and an
estimate of how long they'll have to wait.
*Golf phenomenon Tiger Woods
graces the new cover of Men’s Vogue and
appears in a series of photos inside
taken by Annie Leibovitz. In a rare
interview, Woods discusses giving up
his favorite Starbucks decaf hazelnut
lattes until the Masters if his friends
will give up french fries, ice cream
and sodas. The athlete, who has won
four of his last six tournaments, also
reveals the secret behind his ability
to hit shots at the most crucial time.
Leibovitz’s pictures include Tiger on
a Jet Ski wearing a business suit, and
relaxing at home.
*NBA legend Earl "The Pearl"
Monroe has pulled out of the New York
restaurant that bears his name on West
145th Street after only four months.
According to the New York Post, the
famous Knicks star from the 1973
championship team would not say why
he pulled out, citing a nondisclosure
agreement, but his exit is said to have
come as a surprise to his partners.
They’ll continue to operate the restaurant
under a new name. The
restaurant's opening night last Halloween
was attended by Spike Lee, Rep.
Charles Rangel and Walt "Clyde" Frazier.
NUMBER OF BLACK ARMY RECRUITS
DECLINE: Researchers say views on Iraq
war may be reason behind the drop.
*A new study by the Defense
Department shows that the number of black
active-duty enlisted personnel has
dropped 14 percent since 2000, a decline
that may come from the racial disparity
in views of the Iraq war.
.
The survey, conducted between
March 31 and April 18, 2004, found that
71 percent of whites with military ties
believed the Iraq war was worth
fighting, compared to only 21 percent
of blacks with military ties.
North Carolina’s Fayetteville
Observer newspaper commissioned a poll
of Cumberland County residents last
year; the results showed that 69 percent
of whites said the war in Iraq was worth
the costs. Only 19 percent of
blacks agreed.
“Why are we fighting?” asked
Kashonda Leycock, a 17-year-old daughter
of a soldier and Junior ROTC member
at Westover High School in N.C. She
tells the Army Times: “Nobody has
really said why the war is still going on.
I don’t think it should be going on
because it’s not solving anything. ...
None of my people want to go there.”
The number of black enlisted
soldiers has dropped by 19 percent and
the number of black enlisted Marines
has fallen by 26 percent since 2000.
Despite the declines, the
percentage of blacks in the military
continues to exceed the percentage
in the U.S. population. According to
Army Times, 19 percent of the military’s
active-duty enlisted force is black,
compared to 13 percent of the
country’s population.
EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE
-- by Jewel Diamond Taylor
"I never thought of losing, but
now that it's happened, the only thing is
to do it right. That's my obligation to
all the people who believe in me. We
all have to take defeats in life." --
Muhammad Ali statement after losing
his first fight to Ken Norton, March
31, 1973
"Once you have learned to read,
you will be forever free." -- Frederick
Douglass
"I used to want the words "She tried"
on my tombstone. Now I want "She did
it.""
-- Katherine Dunham
"Greatness occurs when your children
love you, when your critics respect you
and when you have peace of mind. " --
Quincy Jones
"I have learned over the years
that when one's mind is made up, this
diminishes fear." -- Rosa Parks
"The color of racism is fear." ---
Jewel Diamond Taylor
There are circumstances in life we
may never ask for, feel prepared for or
sign up for...yet Martin L. King, Jr's
widow, Coretta Scott King – a woman
of great dignity, beauty, grace, faith
and vision – became a symbol, in her
own right, of her husband's struggle
for peace and brotherhood. Presiding
with a quiet, steady, stoic presence
over seminars and conferences on global
issues, she was devoted to her
children and considered them her first
responsibility. But she also wrote a
book, "My Life With Martin Luther King
Jr.," and in 1969, founded the multimillion-
dollar Martin Luther King Jr.
Center for Nonviolent Social Change.
"I think you rise to the occasion in a
crisis," she once said. "I think the Lord
gives you strength when you need
it. God was using us -- and now he's
using me, too."
• Save the date --- invite your circle
of friends. Jewel Diamond Taylor will
be speaking in Oakland, March 11,
2006. Register today by clicking on the
picture to reserve your seat.
• Save the date - invite your circle
of friends. Click on the picture to
learn about the upcoming Women
on the Grow Day with Jewel Diamond
Taylor in Silver Spring, MD - Saturday,
March 25, 2006.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
March 10: Singer Bunny DeBarge
is 51. Actress Jasmine Guy ("A
Different World") is 44. Singer/rapper
Neneh Cherry is 42. Rapper-producer
Timbaland (Tim Mosley) is 34.
March 11: Singer/songwriter Bobby
McFerrin is 56. Singer Cheryl Lynn
is 49. Actor Terrence Howard ("Crash,"
"Hustle and Flow") is 37. Former
Destiny’s Child member LeToya
Luckett is 25.
March 12: Andrew Young Jr.
(former Mayor of Atlanta and U.S.
ambassador) is 74. Jazz singer Al
Jarreau is 66. Singer Marlon Jackson is
49. Actor Courtney B. Vance (“Law
& Order: Criminal Intent) is 46. Darryl
Strawberry (former New York Mets
and Yankee outfielder) is 44. Singer Tony
Terry is 42.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
Wanna know what the No. 1 song
was in the U.S.A. the day you were
born? The day you graduated from
high school? The day you were married?
Josh Hosler's site can tell you:
along with a 15-20 word (or less)
description to info@eurweb.com.
BLACK HISTORY
Mar. 10, 1969: James Earl Ray
pleaded guilty in a Memphis court to
charges of killing Martin Luther King
Jr. He was sentenced to 99 years in
prison.
Mar. 11, 1874: Frederick Douglass
named president of the failing
Freedmen's Bank.
Mar. 12, 1791: Benjamin Banneker
and Pierre Charles L'Enfant, are
commissioned to lay out the District of
========================
EUR FEEDBACK (
MYfeedback@eurweb.com)
*Jason, Los Angeles, CA:
"I hear ya Rochelle (03-09-06) about the
lack of weight Oscar seems to carry for Black
Actors. But before you analyze the Oscar
caliber roles you should check out the
choices some of these folks made
post-Oscar win.
Cuba: 'As Good As it Gets' (great
supporting role as gay neighbor to Jack
Nicholson), 'What Dreams May Come'
(supporting role to Robin Williams), then
the horrible 'Chilli Factor' with Ben Affleck
... those movies were okay but those are
the choices he made. The roles he took
and the last two movies, especially 'C/F,'
were bad. And I didn't even mention How
good 'Men of Honor' was with Robert DeNiro.
If you haven't seen it you don't know what
you're talking about.
Halle on the other hand made terrible
choices. All you have to say is CATWOMAN!
And Denzel, well he's been making top notch
movies for decades now and he's just barely
getting his due as well as Morgan Freeman.
It has a lot to do with the choices these
actors make. Denzel is a $10-20 million dollar
man and doesn't have to stop working on great
films unless he wants to. Just look who he's
working with in his next few films, Jodie
Foster (Oscar winner), Russell Crow
(Oscar nominee). He doesn't do as
many movies now because he spends
more time with his kids who are
getting older."
*Carolyn Baker, LA, CA:
"Thank you Paul Porter (03-09-06)! I loved
'It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp' and I loved the
movie 'Hustle and Flow' ... it brought me back
to the 60s in Boston and the guys who drove
around in pimped out Pink Broughams ... they
hung out with the ballplayers, numbers guys,
community activist pimps and others who
had money and nice cars. They would call
me the 'schoolteacher' and give me rides and
tell me their dreams ... their women would tell
me why they gave their money to daddy and
I could see the love ... the family and the
hopelessness of their dreams. This movie
was right on it ... but that was the 60s. And
when I came to California in the 70s I use to
scream with laughter at the dudes who
called themselves 'pimps.'
You are so right however ... out of context,
the song is just leaves a visual image that negates
the soul and celebrates the constant conspiracy
of the degradation of Black Folks. 'He who
controls the media controls the people' was
one of Bob Pittman's (who formed and
captained the MTV ship's favorite) quotes.
Major thanks for the Denzel and Halle
statements. I thought I was crazy with my fury
at the Academy Awards for creating a 'Black
Night' and awarding 2 of our talented ones for
the least of their accomplishments (and in
Halle's case, I wept at the degradation of
'Monster's Ball' for her and for Black women.
Furthermore, who the f--- is her agent?!).
Denzel's body of work is rich with magnificent
acting and I raged that he would be lumped
in a gratuitous salute to the Black actor.
Sidney was celebrated that night and
I remembered how angry I once was at the
castration parts that he was allowed to play ... but
I also remember sitting in a movie theatre in Atlanta
and leaping out of my chair and shouting when he
slapped that white man 'In the Heat of the Night'
[the white row in front of me quietly moved
their seats :) ]
Ahh, the bullsh*t continues and I am
grateful for writers like you, Paul and artists
like Kanye West who risk it all to state the
truth! I am too Blessed to be stressed."
