OPRAH, TIGER, JAY-Z AMONG HIGHEST PAID BLACK STARS: Forbes.com releases new list of the 10 richest.
*It's no surprise that Oprah Winfrey tops a new Forbes list that ranks the highest paid African American celebrities in the U.S.
The talk show host, whose overall net worth is $2.5 billion, pocketed $260 million between June 2006 and June 2007, according to the financial publication. Her revenues come from a number of successful enterprises, including her daytime talk show, magazine, satellite radio channel, Broadway show and newly-announced cable network slated to debut late next year.
Tiger Woods ranks second on the list with $100 million banked within the list's June 2006 to June 2007 time frame, which is more than any athlete in history. At the rate he's going, Forbes estimates that Woods will become the world's first sports billionaire within a decade.
Rounding out the top 10 are rap mogul Jay-Z with $83 million made between June 2006 and June 2007, rapper 50 Cent ($33 million), Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant ($33 million), Miami Heat center Shaquille O'Neal ($32 million), NBA legend Michael Jordan ($31 million), actor Will Smith ($31 million), singer Beyonce ($27 million) and Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James ($27 million).
KANYE ENTERS GOOGLE TERRITORY WITH NEW VENTURE: Rapper launches new Internet search engine that comes with goodies.
*Kanye West has teamed with Prodege LLC to launch www.searchwithkanyewest.com, a fan-oriented search engine that rewards users with artist merchandise and prizes.
The site is powered by Google and Ask, meaning users will continue to receive the same results they presently receive from other top search engines. Every search on Kanye's engine, however, comes with digital dollars called Swag Bucks which can be redeemed for Kanye prizes, including: autographed CDs, MP3 downloads, clothing, exclusive Kanye West merchandise and consumer electronics.
“Being one of the top music artists of his generation, Kanye has a large and dedicated fan base,” said Prodege VP of Marketing, Ron Leshem. “This is the perfect way for fans to support Kanye, while also earning a chance to win some amazing prizes for themselves.”
Fans can increase their likelihood of earning top prizes by downloading the Kanye West toolbar at: www.searchwithkanyewest.com
MIJAC'S GRAMMY STANDOFF?: Producers reportedly give in to singer's demands to appear on stage without performing.
*The New York Daily News is reporting that Michael Jackson will not participate in a planned Grammy performance that will include a number of artists featured on his revamped "Thriller" album, which drops two days after the Feb. 10 broadcast."
The medley number would include Will.i.am (on "The Girl Is Mine"), Fergie (on "Beat It"), and possibly Kanye West (on "Billie Jean") and Akon (on "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'").
But according to the paper's Rush & Malloy column, Grammy producer Ken Ehrlich said he'd only do the tribute if Jackson agreed to actually participate in the singing and dancing. Michael was unwilling to do so, a source told the column, stating: "He needs more time to rehearse new versions of the songs. And everything requires new choreography."
Rush & Malloy reported Tuesday: "Now, we hear, Ehrlich has agreed to having Jackson just appear onstage - apparently believing viewers will tune in just to see what Jacko looks like now. Grammy reps and Jackson spokeswoman Lois Najarian didn't get back to us. But word is Jackson is saving his moves for a show where he'll make some money - a 'Thriller' TV special and a series of concerts."
BRANDY'S MOM SUES KIM KARDASHIAN: Mama Norwood claims son's ex charged over $120,000 on her credit card without permission.
*Kim Kardashian may have thought she was done with the Norwoods after severing ties with ex-boyfriend Ray-J following their infamous sex tape. But the drama continues on with a lawsuit filed Monday against the socialite by Ray-J's mother.
Sonja Norwood is suing Kardashian and her siblings Khloe, Kourtney and Robert Jr. alleging they ran up more than $120,000 in charges on her American Express card in 2006 and 2007.
In the lawsuit, Norwood says Kardashian had only been authorized in
2004 to make one purchase on the card in Kim's then-capacity as a stylist for her daughter Brandy. Norwood claims Kardashian made extra unauthorized purchases and passed on the credit card number to her siblings, who also made unauthorized purchases – including items bought at their two family-owned clothing stores, Dash and Smooch.
The suit claims in 2006, the Kardashian siblings amassed $62,793.83 in unauthorized charges. And, in 2007, they spent another $57,841.82 on the card, totaling $120,635.65.
Meanwhile, Kim Kardashian has come forward to deny Norwood's allegations, telling People magazine that she and her family members made all of their purchases with Mrs. Norwood's permission.
"We have her signature on all items," Kardashian told the magazine.
Sonja Norwood's lawsuit seeks the return of the money plus 10 percent interest.
50 CENT DENIES CURSING OUT PARIS HILTON: Rapper's DJ says she was not kicked off the stage in tears as reported.
*A DJ for 50 Cent is denying reports that the rapper made Paris Hilton cry at a pre-Super Bowl concert last weekend by yelling at her to "get the f*** off the stage."
The New York Post's Page Six first reported that 50 gave the celebutante a shout out during his performance at a venue in Scottsdale. The column claimed she tried to jump on stage to dance when 50 Cent's reported response caused her to climb back down and shed tears.
50 Cent associate DJ Whoo Kid said the rapper did give Hilton a shout out, but the rest of the story is completely false.
"It's no way we would kick Paris Hilton off the stage on her birthday," Whoo Kid told MTV.com. "We ain't that heartless. I know 50 hates Ja Rule and Fat Joe, but he ain't that heartless to throw Paris Hilton ...off the stage. ... Somebody called me and asked me if Paris got kicked off. I was like, 'Huh?' She was dancing the whole time. She was having a good time. We hung with her afterwards. ... We kick her off her own stage and she's hanging with us? I guess people wanna hear, '50 threw Paris Hilton off the stage.'"
On Monday, video footage of 50 kicking somebody offstage during one of his shows surfaced on the Internet. The clip also shows a woman who appears to be Hilton in the front row of the concert partying at the time somebody is supposed to have gotten rudely dismissed, MTV reports.
That footage, according to Whoo Kid, was actually taken during the Sundance Film Festival, not Super Bowl weekend, and 50 booted a security guard from the stage during the performance.
"Paris was there too," Whoo Kid explained. "She was at the front of the stage also. But nah, we kicked a security ni**a off. That's some security guy that kept jumping on the stage, picking sh** up off the stage, pushing people back while we're performing. This di**head, we didn't even know him. Either he's security or works for the club, he keeps getting on the stage. ... But the video looks so generic, you can't tell. He got on the stage three, four times while we were performing. 50 got so pissed off, he said, 'Get the f*** off my stage.' Then I played 'Wanksta.'"
WMG OFFERS $25 MILLION FOR DEATH ROW: Warner Music Group hopes to purchase label's music-related assets.
*Warner Music Group may end up with rights to recordings from Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg if the company gets its wish to purchase music-related assets from Death Row Records.
WMG is offering a bid of $25 million for the assets, according to the Associated Press. The court-appointed administrators running the bankruptcy estates of Death Row and owner Marion "Suge" Knight have asked the U.S.
Bankruptcy Court in Los Angeles to approve the bidding procedures and leading bid at a Feb. 26 hearing.
The purchase "will result in the highest or best collective recovery for the estates," said R. Todd Neilson, the Chapter 11 trustee of Death Row Records' estate, in court documents filed Friday.
Neilson said he has spent more than a year analyzing the record company's financial information to determine whether it would be best to pursue a plan of reorganization or a sale of the company's assets. He said significant "gaps" in the company's financial and business records that remain have led him to decide in favor of a sale.
In addition to music rights, the assets for sale include videos, master copies of recordings, merchandising rights and inventory.
Neilson proposed that potential bidders submit their offers by April 11 for an April 24 auction. He asked that the court give final approval to the sale at a May 12 hearing. Competing bidders must initially exceed Warner's offer by at least $1 million, and subsequent bids must increase by
increments of at least $100,000, Neilson requested.
Neilson said he began meeting with potential buyers last spring, and that 18 parties have entered into confidentiality agreements to access company records and research a transaction, including companies with prior relationships to the record company or Knight, strategic buyers, major record labels and other entities in the music industry.
Death Row Records received bids from "several parties" last summer, according to Neilson, but Warner's bid was determined to be "the bid most likely to enable the estates to recover fair consideration for the acquired assets."
WMG already houses such record labels as Atlantic, Bad Boy, Elektra, Rhino and Warner Bros. According to the company's annual report, its earnings for the year ended Sept. 30 were $3.385 billion.
BARACK OBAMA HELPS REUNITE GRATEFUL DEAD: Surviving members say support of candidate was worth their first reunion in four years.
*Sixties counter-culture band Grateful Dead has joined Oprah Winfrey, Caroline Kennedy, Ted Kennedy, Maria Shriver, Toni Morrison, Robert DeNiro and others who have broken their own rules to offer a rare public endorsement for a presidential candidate.
Like the others, members of the Grateful Dead said Democratic hopeful Barack Obama fosters the type of political hope that America hasn't seen since the Kennedys in the 1960s. The group's three surviving members reunited on Monday for the first time in four years to back the Illinois senator in his run for the party's nomination.
"Every few generations a guy like this comes along," drummer Mickey Hart told a news conference a day before California's primary. "It seems like desperate times and we're desperate people."
Some 2,400 fans came out to Grateful Dead's concert in San Francisco, which was dubbed "Deadheads for Obama '08." Singer-guitarist Bob Weir, 60, said the band had never before performed on behalf of a presidential candidate, although they have often embraced liberal social causes.
"The last time hope was in the air, it was ended by a bullet," Weir said, referring to Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated on the night he won the California Democratic primary in 1968. "We've been reluctant to do political events all along."
Bassist Phil Lesh, 67, said he met Obama, who last year told him he has some Grateful Dead songs on his iPod.
RICKEY SMILEY RADIO SHOW SPREADS TO 9 MARKETS: Comedian syndicated through partnership between Radio One Inc. and REACH Media Inc.
*Syndication One, a joint relationship between Radio One Inc. and REACH Media Inc., has announced the launch of the nationally-syndicated Rickey Smiley Morning Show in nine new markets, including Oklahoma City; Flint, MI and Toledo, OH.
“I love being on the radio and I’m so excited about the launch of my morning show into all these new cities,” says Smiley. “This is the funniest morning show in the country because it’s a totally different kind of show. I’m enjoying being able to reach people every day on a real level so I know I’m going to be doing radio for a very long time.”
The program, which includes co-hosts Ebony Steele and “The Nutz” (Gary with the T, Headkrack, Sista Sondra, Rock T and Special K), already airs on KBFB-FM in Dallas, WHHL-FM in St. Louis, and WFXA-FM in Augusta.
In addition to his morning show, Smiley currently appears in the movie “First Sunday." Also this year, he plans to meet his radio listeners on the road while touring the country as the lead of a new stage play titled "Ain't Nobody Called and Told Me Nothing."
The Rickey Smiley Morning Show has launched in the following nine markets: Power 103 (KVSP-FM) in Oklahoma City, OK; 100.1 The Beat (KRVV-FM) in Monroe, LA; Soul 92 Jams (WRSV-FM) in Rocky Mount, NC; 98.9 (WOWE -FM) in Flint, MI; 105.7 The Beat (WJXM-FM) in Meridian, MS; 92.1 Jamz (WJJN-FM) in Dothan, AL; 102.3 Jamz (KBCE-FM) in Vicksburg, MS; Hot 97.3 (WJZE-FM) in Toledo, OH; and 92.1 (WMSU-FM) in Columbus, MS. Smiley's morning show already airs on KBFB-FM in Dallas, WHHL-FM in St. Louis, and WFXA-FM in Augusta.
DIDDY URGES YOUNG PEOPLE TO VOTE: Mogul continues effort he started in 2004.
*It has been four years since Sean "Diddy" Combs traveled around the country telling young people to "Vote or Die" under his nonpartisan Citizen Change campaign.
His new message for 2008? Just vote, period. [View Diddy's video plea here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z_RhPK4nQ8&eurl=http://www.people.com/people
/news/0,,,00.html]
"If we want to stop the war, if we want to get the economy better, I think that young people need to understand they have to take matters into their own hands," Combs, 38, told The Associated Press. "It is really like waking up a sleeping giant." Some political analysts believe the youth vote could be a key factor in this year's presidential election.
According to statistics, voter turnout among young people increased in 2004 – when Diddy's Citizen Change was launched to raise voting awareness among the youth – and also in 2006. Diddy believes the numbers will continue to grow.
"The seeds that we planted in '04 are now coming to fruition," he told the AP. "A lot of young people have decided that this is their future. This president is going to decide their future."
Diddy will not reveal who he supports in the race for president, hoping instead to keep the focus on getting young people to simply register and vote.
"I didn't really want to get in the political game but I wanted to see young people become empowered," he said. "That's where my attention is at."
Still, he said he finds this year's political contests to be "exciting."
"To have an African-American man and a woman in, it's going to go down in history as the most historical election," he said. "And I think that young people will have a hand in the result."
JAY-Z'S CRISTAL BOYCOTT STILL GOING: Rapper says his stand against the champagne has made an impact.
*In 2006, rapper Jay-Z launched a boycott against hip hop's biggest name-dropped bubbly, Cristal, after its association with the rap world was frowned upon in a magazine interview by an executive at champagne house Louis Roederer, which makes the expensive product.
When the newspaper asked Roederer's new managing director Frédéric Rouzaud whether he thought the rap connection would harm the brand, he replied, "That's a good question, but what can we do? We can't forbid people from buying it. I'm sure Dom Pérignon or Krug would be delighted to have their business."
A year and a half later, Jay-Z says his protest against the luxury brand not only continues, but has made progress in giving Rouzaud exactly what he wanted.
The rap mogul told Vegas Confidential on Sunday that Cristal's business in the rap and hip-hop community "is definitely not where it was. Drastically. They really don't want our business."
COMPANY SEEKS 'DEMAND' FOR 'GANGSTER' DVD: Venture allows purchase and viewing of Denzel flick via video-on-demand.
*New company Popcorn Home Entertainment is allowing people to purchase a physical DVD copy of "American Gangster" from home by accessing a video-on-demand channel and clicking on the title, reports Variety.
Digital-cable subscribers will not only receive the DVD disc in the mail within a few days, but can also begin watching the movie on their TV at any time during the following 24 hours.
This is a first for cable subscribers and an advantage for film buffs, because the average pay-per-view/video-on-demand movie offering doesn't become available to cable subscribers until 30-45 days after its debut at the local video store.
The test started last month on Cablevision Systems in greater New York, where about 2.6 million customers are now able to buy one of Popcorn's DVD movies for a retail price of $19.95.
According to Popcorn CEO Steve Brenner, the biggest percentage of each $19.95 purchase would go to the major studio. The cable operator would take the next biggest slice, and Popcorn would collect the balance.
One of Brenner's pitches to cable operators is that Popcorn is not offering the VOD movies to satellite distributors, whose technology is not friendly to PPV orders of this kind.
Both the Popcorn and street release date for the "American Gangster" DVD is Feb. 19.
GRAMMYS ADD PRESENTERS BROWN, SOLANGE AND LUDACRIS: Plus, John Legend to duet with Fergie; more special segments announced.
*The Recording Academy has added presenters and released more details about the special performances planned for Sunday's 50th Annual Grammy Award telecast at 9 p.m. on CBS.
Chris Brown, Miley Cyrus, Solange Knowles, George Lopez, Lyle Lovett, and Ludacris have been added to the presenter lineup, joining previously-announced stars Natalie Cole, Juanes, Cyndi Lauper, Bette Midler and Bonnie Raitt.
Newly-announced performances include Fergie and John Legend for a duet, Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban for a joint number, a "Cornerstones of Rock" segment featuring John Fogerty with Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard, and Herbie Hancock with Lang Lang in a special classical/jazz segment conducted by famed maestro John Mauceri.
Previously announced performers include Beyoncé; Feist; Foo Fighters (with special guest conductor John Paul Jones); Alicia Keys; Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood; 2008 MusiCares Person of the Year Aretha Franklin, Mary J. Blige, the Clark Sisters, Israel And New Breed, and Trin-I-Tee 5:7 in a special gospel segment; the casts of "The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil" and Across The Universe in a special Beatles segment; and Rihanna with a reunited the Time in a special 50th anniversary segment.
'MAKING THE BAND'S' DAY24 TO DROP ALBUM IN MARCH: Danity Kane and Donnie CDs to follow.
*On the heels of revealing that his newly-formed boy band is called Day26, Bad Boy's Sean "Diddy" Combs has announced that the group's first album will be released on March 11 with the Mario Winans-produced first single, "Got Me Going."
In addition to Winans, Day26's debut features production from The Runners (T.I., Chris Brown, Rick Ross), Jim Bean, Grammy Award-winner Adonis (Diddy, Usher, Danity Kane), and multiple Grammy Award-winner Bryan Michael Cox (Usher, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey), who was featured on "Making The Band" helming the quintet's debut single, "Exclusive (No Excuses)."
As previously reported, the name Day 26 refers to the 26th day of August last year, when Diddy publicly announced which singers had made the band.
Day26 members Brian Andrews, Mike McCluney, Qwanell Mosley (aka "Q"), Robert Curry, and Willie Taylor are currently starring in MTV's "Making The Band 4," Season 2 alongside previous "MTB" subjects Danity Kane and additional "MTB4" finalist Donnie Klang.
The new season finds all three acts living together as they work to complete new albums, which will then be released in the weeks following Day26's March 11th debut.
MUSIC EXEC RAINA SHAW AUTHORS NEW BOOK: 'Ridiculous Situations' helps women navigate through life's drama.
*Entertainment executive-turned-author Raina Shaw announces the release of her new book, “Ridiculous Situations,” described as a Bible of sorts for women who are having problems finding their way through complicated situations.
Believing that God has an “awesome plan for your life,” Shaw set out to write a book that would encourage women to put God first, have high self-esteem, pursue their passions and purpose in order to fulfill their destiny.
“Then they won’t have to search all the wrong places to find a man,” says Shaw. “The right man will find them.”
Along with encouraging women to find their paths in life through Jesus Christ, Shaw says the book should benefit men as well.
“The book is mainly for women but, I encourage the men that read it to not be offended by the content of the book, but to think about what they would want their daughters, sisters, aunts, mothers (all the women they care about), to be mindful of when they are dating,” she says.
The Los Angeles native has worked as a concert promoter with such artists as Bob Marley, L.A. Reid and Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds and Yolanda Adams. As a consultant she has worked for such labels as Airtight Entertainment and Anansi/JAD Records. As an author, Shaw hopes that her words will help her fulfill her “assignment in the body of Christ.”
“Because even with all the worldly accomplishments, I still suffered from low self esteem and was often operating outside of God’s will in many of my endeavors,” she says. “The Lord placed ‘Ridiculous Situations’ on my heart because a lot of the suffering amongst single believers stems from not putting God first and not being serious about our assignment in the body of Christ. I know that once we begin to put first things first that total fulfillment in every area of life will manifest. I hope my readers will start to take God at His word. Trust him totally.”
“Ridiculous Situations” is currently available at various bookstores, at www.myspace.com/ridiculoussituations and on Amazon.com.
ITTY BITTY BITS: Alba likes Obama; Griffin's 'Urban Justice'; Luciano in NY; Clive Davis guest list; Patriots player arrested.
*At the red carpet premiere of her new thriller "The Eye," pregnant actress Jessica Alba was asked by Fox News to reveal which presidential candidate has her vote. "I am leaning toward Obama," Alba said. "He is pretty incredible." As for political issues of most concern to the film star, Alba said: "The economy is huge — the fact that our dollar is so low is unbelievable. Health care is another big one and, obviously, the war in Iraq."
*Eddie Griffin and Steven Seagal star in "Urban Justice," premiering on on Spike TV Sunday, Feb. 24 from 9 p.m. - 11 p.m. under the "Spike Guy Movies" umbrella. The action film is about a father (Seagal) determined to avenge his son's violent death from a drive-by shooting. When the cops close the case due to lack of evidence, he moves into the worst part of town, where gang violence is rampant and he is confronted by two rival gangs, led by Armand (Griffin) and El Chivo (Danny Trejo). Both are surprised to find that the father not only has Special Forces training, but he has no fear and no mercy.
*Reggae star Luciano will headline the first annual Upstate Reggae on the River Eco Music Festival at Croton Point Park, Croton-on-Hudson, New York on Aug. 23. The all day family event will feature vendors selling food, arts and crafts, as well as environmentally educational booths. There will also be a children's area for poetry, dance, art and workshops focusing on healthy lifestyle alternatives. Other artists on the bill include Jah Messenger band and special guest Mikey General, Rootz Underground, actor/musician Leon and the People's band, and others. Early bird tickets are $39 at www.upstatereggaeontheriver.com.
*Veteran gossip columnist Liz Smith revealed the guest list for Clive Davis' annual pre-Grammy party scheduled for Saturday. It includes Josh Groban, Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys, Jessica Simpson, Josh Duhamel, Brett Ratner, Les Moonves, Ben Silverman, Bill Maher, Larry King, Gladys Knight, John Legend, Kanye West, Eva Longoria parker, Chaka Kahn, Missy Elliott, Foo Fighters and Velvet Revolver.
*Two days after his team lost to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl, New England Patriots defensive back Willie Andrews was arrested in Lowell, Mass. on charges of marijuana possession and driving an unregistered motor vehicle, reports TMZ. He was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon in Lowell District Court.
WOMAN TESTIFIES EX-COP DUMPED MURDER VICTIM: Key witness in Ohio case says she went with former officer to dispose of the body.
*A longtime friend of a former Ohio police officer charged with murder testified Tuesday that the defendant picked her up in his truck one morning and told her the body of his young son's pregnant mother was in the back, reports the Associated Press.
Myisha Ferrell said that she went with Bobby Cutts Jr. to a park where he dumped Jessie Marie Davis' body and that he coached her on what to tell investigators later. She testified Tuesday about what she saw as Cutts took out the body, which was wrapped in a blanket.
"Her feet," she said. "I didn't want to see nothing else."
Ferrell is a key witness against Cutts, who could face the death penalty if convicted of aggravated murder. Prosecutors say Cutts, pressured by his failing marriage, financial debt and supporting several children, strangled Davis in her home and disposed of her body with Ferrell. The 2-year-old son Cutts had with Davis was found home alone.
Cutts led investigators to Davis' body, but the defense says he had nothing to do with her death. The 30-year-old former Canton patrolman has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder, aggravated burglary and other charges in the death of Davis and her female fetus.
Ferrell was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to lying to authorities and complicity to gross abuse of a corpse.
JESSICA ALBA: The Eye Interview with Kam Williams
Alba's Core
*Though born in Pomona, California on April 28, 1981, Jessica Maria Alba moved to Biloxi, Mississippi while still an infant when her father was transferred by the military.
The peripatetic army brat came back to California with her family at the age of three, before relocating to Texas, and then finally settling in California at the age of nine.
Soon thereafter, Jessica exhibited a serious interest in acting, and landed her first screen role in a kiddie comedy called Camp Nowhere.
She next made a string of support appearances on TV and in movies till landing the breakout role as the Dark Angel on the Fox-TV series of the same name.
Since, she has starred in such films as Good Luck Chuck, Awake, Fantastic Four 1 & 2, Sin City, Honey, The Ten and Into the Blue.
Alba, an attractive blend of Latino, French and Danish, was named #1 on Maxim's Hot 100 List of 2001, #1 on Ask Men's 99 Most Desirable Women List of 2006, #6 on FHM's Sexiest Girls of 2002, #3 on E TV's 101 Sexiest Celebrity Bodies, of 2006, #4 on Empire Magazine's 100 Sexiest Movie Stars of 2007, #12 on Stuff Magazine's 102 Sexiest Women in the World List, Victoria Secret's Sexiest Woman Celebrity in 2007, etcetera.
Jessica's about to trade in that pinup image for mother and wife, because she's expecting and engaged to actor Cash Warren, son of UCLA basketball great Mike Warren. Here, she talks about her life, her career, and her new movie, The Eye, a horror flick where she plays a blind violinist haunted by frightening visions after her sight is restored by a double corneal transplant operation.
Kam Williams: Hi Jessica, congratulations on the baby.
Jessica Alba: Thank you.
KW: Have you picked out a name yet?
JA: I'm thinking of names.
KW: What are some of the ones you're considering?
JA: I would never share that.
KW: How do you think life will change after the baby is born?
JA: I have to believe that when you have a child and you have someone that needs you and needs your time, you kind of can't be self-interested anymore and you have to consider that any time you spend away from your child is invaluable. And so I think I'll just probably be a bit more choosy and not work for two years straight like I just did.
KW: You get a lot of attention because of your looks. Has that influenced how you pick parts?
JA: I never base anything on my appearance, to be honest with you. I don't think that people would hire me just because of that. There's so many much, much cuter girls in L.A. that would do just about anything to get roles. And
if it was just about looks they would be getting them. So I have to
believe that I bring more to the table than that. And whether it's likeability or an appeal or something more, I don't know.
KW: Do you think you'll find yourself gravitating towards different types of roles now?
JA: I think, initially, I'm going to probably do more character-driven roles, more indies, ensemble casts, smaller budget. Not necessarily the big, box-office, tent-pole movies. And then, I've always had my eye out for an action movie since I finished Dark Angel. It's been this long since I finished that and I still haven't found that good, female-driven, action flick I've been looking for. So, if you have any suggestions, send them my way.
KW: Will do. What sort of research did you do for this role where you had to play a blind person?
JA: I went to a blind orientation center in LA and one in New Mexico. And I lived among people who were learning to deal with blindness, particularly in New Mexico. And I learned how to read braille, how to label everything in the house, and to walk with my cane. I just sort of learned how to exist as someone with blindness.
KW: Which did you find more challenging? Playing the violin or playing blind?
JA: Violin was definitely more difficult, because I played a soloist, the best of the best. There are people who've been playing that instrument since they were three years-old and who practice eight hours a day who still don't become soloists. They're just in the orchestra. So, that was tough for me because I wanted to come off as realistic and as believable as possible in order for the audience to really take the journey with me in this movie.
KW: How is this version of The Eye different from the original?
JA: The Hong Kong version was more bitter than sweet in the end. And ours was definitely bittersweet, without giving anything away.
KW: Your previous picture was Awake, another thriller. How does that compare to The Eye?
JA: Wow, they don't compare at all. The Eye is way more scary. It's a horror movie, for sure. Awake is more a psychological thriller about someone who is dealing with a surgery and trust. And everyone in his life is sort of betraying him. The Eye's about a girl who has a corneal transplant. She gains the ability to see, she takes on psychic abilities of the girl, of the donor, and starts to see death before it happens, and she doesn't understand. She's literally seeing for the first time, taking in the world, and also seeing horrible things. So yeah, The Eye's definitely more scary.
KW: What's up next for you?
JA: I am coming out in a comedy with Mike Myers, The Love Guru, which is his first original character since Austin Powers. It's absolutely hilarious! To me, this was like a dream come true, because he is the Peter Sellers of our generation, I feel. He's a genius and he's primed in every phrase in pop culture. That was huge because I love comedy and, if you're going to work
with anybody in comedy, Mike is definitely someone to learn from.
KW: What's the movie about?
JA: I play the owner of a hockey team and he is a guru who fixes peoples, an all around guru. But it's mostly about love and loving yourself and fixing your love life. My key hockey player's love life is totally screwed up and our team is losing, and everyone thinks the team is cursed because of me.
So, I hire Mike Myers to fix my guy's love life and hopefully we can win the Stanley Cup. It's a very funny broad comedy.
KW: Do you have anything to say about the untimely death of Heath Ledger?
JA: Oh my God, it was. it's such a huge loss, and the most tragic, saddest thing ever. I can't imagine a more. it was just horrible. And I just feel for his family and his friends and everyone that's close to him. And I. I don't know. I guess I'm just sensitive to the fact that he is in the public eye and the fact that people can all have an opinion about him when I feel like he should just rest in peace and people should grieve without having this extra attention on how he passed. It's a huge loss for the acting community and really so, so shocking and so, so sad.
KW: Columbus Short gave me this question. Are you happy?
JA: [Sarcastically] You know what? I sound so bummed out right now. Of course,
I'm happy.
KW: Where in L.A. do you live?
JA: In L.A.
KW: Will you tell me the general neighborhood? Nosy Jimmy Bayan, realtor to the stars, wants to know.
JA: I live in L.A. in the hills. [Hollywood Hills]
KW: Is there a question you always want to be asked but no one ever asks you?
JA: Not really, reporters get pretty in there. They get right to just about everything.
KW: Well, best of luck with the baby and thanks for the time.
JA: No worries. Bye.
EUR FILM REVIEW: Live and Become (Va, Vis et Deviens)
Ethiopian Identity at Issue in Coming-of-Age Flick from Israel
Film Review by Kam Williams
*9 year-old Schlomo (Sirak Sabahat) ended up in Israel in 1985 as part of Operation Moses, a humanitarian airlift of about 8,000 Ethiopian Jews fleeing religious persecution in their native country.
The only thing wrong with this picture is that the little boy didn't deserve to exercise any right of return like his fellow refugees, given that he was actually a Christian whose starving mother had him take the place of a child who had died.
Nonetheless, upon his arrival in Tel Aviv, he is presumed to be a Jewish orphan by the couple who adopt him, Yoram (Roschdy Zem) and Yael Harrari (Yael Abecassis). While hiding the fact that he is neither Jewish nor orphaned, Schlomo does his best to adapt to the culture and customs of the Holy Land.
However, he soon finds that even if he were Jewish, most white Israelis seem to have a problem with his skin color, and don't real consider him one of the Chosen People. This proves particularly challenging when he hits puberty and takes an interest in girls, especially Sarah (Roni Hadar), whose racist father doesn't want his daughter dating a black kid.
These sort of fish-out-of-water scenarios abound in Live and Become, a coming-of-age, assimilation saga which covers 15 of Schlomo's formative years. Over that timespan, we see the lost lad grow into a man while grappling with assorted identity issues. To its credit, the film fleshes out his character, treating him not as a freak or a curiosity but as an ever-evolving human experiencing a full range of emotions.
Consequently both his enduring, if awkward relationship with Sarah and his barely-tolerated presence in Israel in general combine to create a complicated and compelling character study which ultimately tells us as much about Schlomo's tortured psyche as it does about an abundance of universal themes, from intolerance to abandonment to the need to belong. Brother from
another temple.
Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
In Amharic, Hebrew and French with subtitles.
Running time: 140 minutes
Studi Menemsha Films
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