WHILE 'CAT'S' HOWARD IS AWAY, KODJOE WILL PLAY: Boris to pinch hit for Terrence on Broadway from April 15 through May 22.
*Boris Kodjoe will join the cast of Broadway's "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" to replace Terrence Howard while he takes a previously-arranged leave of absence to film a movie, reports Playbill News.
Kodjoe, best known for his stint on TV's "Soul Food," will play the role of Brick from April 15 through May 22. Howard will return to the production on May 23.
The revival of the 1955 Tennessee Williams classic at the Broadhurst Theatre marks the first time the play has been seen on Broadway with an African-American cast.
Debbie Allen is directing the production, which is currently in previews toward an official opening on March 6.
The cast includes James Earl Jones, Anika Noni Rose, Phylicia Rashad, Giancarlo Esposito and Lisa Arrindell-Anderson.
RITA G TRIES TO EXPLAIN KANYE VIDEO: Model in new clip says it 'will go over a lot of people's heads – and it's supposed to.'
*Kanye West's new video for his single "Flashing Lights" has left some folks scratching their heads, and that's exactly what the artist wants, according to his co-star, Rita G.
The Playboy Playmate from Houston stars in the short clip, which is co-directed by Spike Jonze and is generating a lot of buzz since leaking online earlier this month.
The slow-motion footage begins with Rita parking in the Nevada desert, exiting her car, dropping her fur coat and lighting it on fire.
(PETA will be pleased.) She walks back to the car and pops the trunk to expose a bound and gagged Kanye. She caresses his face before taking a shovel and bashing him – his body out of view – as he's curled up in the trunk. The video then pulls a "Sopranos" and abruptly cuts to black. [View video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEccxPPwXmI]
"It's so funny," Rita G told MTV News about the clip. "This video will go over a lot of people's heads — and it's supposed to. I think it's great that it does. Because Kanye is just on another level; he's ahead of his time, in a sense.
"So all the third-graders who come home from school and want to watch videos and snap their fingers and all that, they're probably gonna think, 'That video is whack, but that chick got a fat a**.' And that's fine. But people in higher positions, they're gonna see something different. They're gonna get it, people who are thinkers."
EMINEM'S REP CLEARS UP MEMOIR TALK: Rapper's publicist disputes Oct. release date announced by publisher.
*Eminem's publicist is disputing an announcement from UK-based Orion Publishing Group this week that the rapper's forthcoming memoir, "The Way I Am," has a firm release date of Oct. 16.
"While there is a book in the works from Eminem in which he details certain aspects of his personal and professional life, the book is still in the process of being written and edited," Em's rep Dennis Dennehy told AllHipHop.com in a statement. "There is no firm release date scheduled, although it is anticipated to arrive in the latter part of this year."
The memoir will reportedly include never-before-seen photographs of Eminem as well as hand-drawn art, sketches for lyrics and notes from journals. The Detroit entertainer will also pen the book's introduction and provide a present-day narrative.
Dennehy said Orion was fuzzy about the release date because the publisher "is not involved in the day-to-day editing or creation of the book."
"It's unfortunate that someone who does not have intimate knowledge of the book felt compelled to jump the gun on announcing it by delivering partial and inaccurate information," Dennehy said.
JESSE JACKSON'S DAUGHTER SUSPENDED AT WVON: Midday host Santita Jackson yanked with no explanation to listeners.
*A dispute over the recording of Black History Month vignettes at Chicago radio station WVON-AM (1690) has reportedly led to the sudden suspension of midday host Santita Jackson, the eldest daughter of the Rev.
Jesse Jackson.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Jackson, 44, has been absent from her 9 a.m.-to-noon weekday program on the African-American news/talk station since Friday with no explanation to listeners.
Melody Spann Cooper, general manager of the Midway Broadcasting station, would confirm only that Jackson was off for the rest of the month. "I respect Santita, I love Santita, and I look forward to her coming back on March 1," Cooper said.
Insiders tell the Sun-Times that Jackson's suspension is rooted in long-simmering tension at the station. Things bubbled over, sources said, when Jackson was asked to record a series of biographical vignettes for Black History Month. She agreed to do so, but when she asked that they air only on WVON, a heated exchange with Cooper ensued.
Jackson, who joined WVON in 2006 after producing television and radio shows for her father, declined to comment on details of the incident, saying: "I have the highest regard for the management of the station and the legacy of WVON. I look forward to returning to the air at the beginning of March."
In Jackson's absence, middays are being hosted by the evening duo of Matt McGill and Perri Small.
MIJAC'S 'THRILLER 25' STUCK ON CATALOGUE CHART: Sony is furious, even though new album debuts there at No. 1.
*Michael Jackson's augmented 25th anniversary reissue of "Thriller" debuted at No. 1 on multiple charts around the world in its first week of release, but Sony has a serious bone to pick with the singer's reign on one such chart in the U.S.
"Thriller" entered the Billboard catalogue chart at No. 1 here in the States, however, the label believes reworked tracks on the album should make it eligible for Billboard's Top 200 albums list.
"It has six new songs. Michael went into the studio and recorded with Kanye West, Fergie, Akon, Will.i.Am - and there's a brand-new song from Michael, and videos," a source told Fox411's Roger Freidman.
"Thriller" sold 167,000 copies in its first week of release, which would make it the second biggest seller of the week that ended Sunday.
"It beat Grammy winners Amy Winehouse and Herbie Hancock, with 167,000 crossing the counter. Yet for reasons unfathomable to folks in the music industry, Billboard has decided to relegate it to the catalogue chart," said the source. "Catalogue makes it look like same ol' same ol', but with a new cover. Michael expected it to be on the Top 200 chart."
Billboard Director of Charts Geoff Mayfield tells Freidman: "We were approached by Sony and Sony BMG to consider 'Thriller 25' as a current album. But we had to be consistent with hundreds, if not thousands, of reissues that have come to the market. There have actually been new issues of classic albums that include even more new material. We didn't just make the decision on our own. We contacted major retailers [like Wal-Mart and Best Buy], and that was the consensus."
"I always understand when people are disappointed when they don't show as high up on the chart, or on the chart they wanted." But Jackson should be happy, Mayfield added: "It's the largest sum for an album on the catalogue chart to be sold in 10 years."
Elsewhere in the world, "Thriller" was classified as a new release and scored a No. 1 debut on Billboard's European Top 100 Albums chart. The album also debuted at No. 1 in France, and rose to No. 1 in Belgium.
It's at No. 2 in Germany, Switzerland, Holland and Norway; No. 3 in the United Kingdom (on sales of 41,000), Portugal and Denmark; No. 4 in Spain; No. 5 in Austria and Ireland and No. 6 in Italy.
PAULA ABDUL DOESN'T LIKE HER NEW VIDEO?: 'Idol' judge 'trying to pretend like it didn't happen.'
*Paula Abdul's big music comeback is off to a shaky start with news of her reported "disappointment" in the video for her new single, "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow."
The song appears on "Randy Jackson's Music Club Vol. 1," the upcoming album from her fellow "American Idol" judge. It will also be available on Abdul's own forthcoming album.
While the track has received warm reviews, the video made its official premiere yesterday and reportedly has Paula very upset.
“She doesn’t think it’s Heidi Montag-bad, but she’s still trying to pretend like it didn’t happen," a source close to the entertainer tells MSNBC.com. "If Randy (Jackson) wasn’t involved, she’d be more vocal about it, but she does appreciate the fact that he was involved.”
Abdul, a former choreographer and L.A. Laker Girl, is seen in the video performing the song in a sound stage surrounded by dancers working 1980s-style moves. Jackson plays bass in the band, also featured in the video, and "Idol's" Ryan Seacrest and Simon Cowell make cameos at the end.
OPRAH'S XM CHANNEL WINS GRACIE AWARDS: American Women in Radio & Television honors three programs for Outstanding Achievement.
*American Women in Radio and Television (AWRT) has honored XM Radio's exclusive "Oprah & Friends" channel with three national Gracie Awards, it was announced by Harpo Radio and XM Thursday.
On-air hosts Dr. Maya Angelou, "The Gayle King Show" and "Oprah & Friends" producer Annette Flournoy were named among the recipients of the 33rd Annual Gracie Awards, which recognize exemplary programming created for women, by women and about women in all facets of electronic media, as well as individuals who have made contributions to the industry.
"On behalf of everyone at Harpo Radio, I congratulate Dr. Angelou, Gayle and 'The Gayle King Show' staff, and Annette for this special honor. These talented individuals have helped make the programming on 'Oprah & Friends' some of the best in radio," said John Gehron, General Manager, Harpo Radio. "We're especially proud that this is the second year in a row that 'Oprah & Friends' is being honored with multiple Gracie Awards."
Angelou has been recognized with the "Individual Achievement Award for Outstanding Host (Information)" for her weekly XM program, "The Dr. Maya Angelou Show." King and the production staff for her program, "The Gayle King Show," have received the award for "Outstanding Talk Show." Harpo Radio producer Annette Flournoy was given the "Individual Achievement Award for Outstanding Producer (News Series of Special)" for her work on the "Oprah & Friends" channel.
The 33rd Annual Gracie Award winners will be presented on May 28, in New York, NY.
WOODS CHOOSES VAN HALEN FOR 'TIGER JAM XI': Plus, golfer mounts another comeback in latest tournament win.
*The Tiger Woods Foundation announced that Tiger Jam XI, presented by AT&T, will take place this year on Saturday, April 19, at The Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas with Van Halen as the featured entertainment.
"Tiger Jam XI will be incredible with Van Halen," Woods said. "I'm thrilled to have this amazing group of diverse musical talent coming together for such a great cause. Van Halen is one of my favorite bands, and I can't wait to see them perform on the Tiger Jam stage."
Tiger Jam XI is held annually to raise funds for the Tiger Woods Foundation and select Las Vegas-based charities. Saturday evening's highlights will include epicurean fare and exclusive live and silent auctions featuring unique items.
Following the dinner and auctions, the celebration will progress to the Mandalay Bay Events Center stage, where Woods will introduce Eddie Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Alex Van Halen, and Wolfgang Van Halen for a concert.
Tickets are currently on sale at the Mandalay Bay Events Center box office and at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (Smith's Food and Drug Centers, Macy's stores and Ritmo Latino). Individual ticket prices start at $125.
Meanwhile, just north of Tucson, Ariz., Tiger orchestrated a comeback in the final five holes of the Accenture Match Play Championship Wednesday to take home another tournament victory.
Woods fell behind J.B. Holmes on the first hole when his tee shot sailed into the desert and out of play, and he was three holes down with five to play after taking another penalty shot from the desert. But he turned it around quickly, winning the next four holes, capped by a 35-foot eagle putt on the 17th. He escaped with a 1-up victory on the 18th when Holmes missed an 8-foot birdie putt.
TOM JOYNER & SOUTHWEST AIRLINES ARE IN 'LUV': Parties partner again for promotional goodies.
*Continuing their ten year relationship, The Tom Joyner Morning Show and Southwest Airlines announced the launch of their new “LUV and Money Travel Club,” which gives its members elite advantages through the discount airline.
Throughout the year, members will receive unique offers and opportunities to win trips to Tom Joyner signature events including the Fantastic Voyage, Tom Joyner’s Family Reunion, Mistletoe Jam, and the LUV and Money Conference to be held in 2009 in Las Vegas.
Also, club members will receive special discounts when moving about the country to connect with the Tom Joyner Morning Show crew and Southwest Airlines at special local market events all year long.
“Southwest and I have teamed up again to help me do something I love…travel,” says “Fly Jock” Tom Joyner, whose radio show airs in over 115 markets throughout the country. “Now listeners will be able to fly on Southwest Airlines to join me all around the country so no matter where I go, I’ll have my listener family with me.”
To enroll in the “LUV and Money Travel Club”, listeners should go to www.BlackAmericaWeb.com. After entering their Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards number and registering for the travel club, members will receive a monthly newsletter along with special gifts and other incentives.
STRAHAN/MURPHY LOVE FEST CONTINUES: Super Bowl champ is latest to gush about their relationship.
*Days after Nicole Murphy professed her love for New York Giants star Michael Strahan in an interview with People magazine, the defensive end does the same in an exchange with Palm Beach Post columnist Jose Lambiet when asked if he believes in love.
"Believe me, there was a time I didn't," he said, as Murphy looked on. "But I've got a great lady now."
Asked if wedding bells are in the future, Strahan had flashbacks of his previous attempt at marriage, which ended with a nasty public divorce from his wife Jean and cost him $15.3 million.
"I've been down that road before," Strahan said, referring to the Jean debacle. "We [he and Nicole] love each other. We enjoy each other.
We'll leave it at that."
When asked if marriage is completely out of the question, Strahan
said: "I would not shy away from that. But you still have to ask, and they have to say 'yes.' I don't even know if she loves me that much."
ITTY BITTY BITS: Janet wedding rumors; Andre 3000 house hunting; Badu to plug fragrance; 'Married' DVD; Dee at pre-Oscar toast; Justin's new film.
*The New York Post's Page Six is reporting that Janet Jackson is suddenly calling up fashion designers, such as Badgley Mischka, asking for bridal gown samples. Needless to say, the news has stirred up rumors that the singer is close to marrying her longtime boyfriend Jermaine Dupri. "She's preparing for her private nuptials," one source told the column.
*Andre 3000 of Outkast is said to be looking for a new home in New York City that can fit him and his 10-year-old son, Seven. Page Six says the rapper, born Andre Benjamin, toured a multimillion-dollar penthouse loft on West 13th St. earlier this week.
*Speaking of Seven, Vogue.co.uk is reporting that his mother, singer Erykah Badu, has been hired by designer Tom Ford to become the face of his new fragrance, which has yet to be named. In the meantime, Badu's new album "New Amerykah," arrives in stores on Tuesday (Feb. 26) powered by the first single, "Honey."
*"Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married" debuted at number one on the North American DVD charts this past week with over two million units sold. The accompanying DVD release of his stage play "What's Done in the Dark," also debuted in the top 10. Special features on the "Married" DVD include the featurettes "Janet Jackson: Return of an Icon," "Reflections on Getting 'Married'" and "The Music of 'Married'."
*Academy Award nominee Ruby Dee is confirmed to attend gossip guru Flo Anthony’s pre-Oscar toast to Steven Marcano, CEO of My Lil Star Diapers, tonight at the Hyatt West Hollywood Hotel in Hollywood. My Lil Star Diapers is the only minority owned diaper company in the U.S. Vivica A. Fox will host the event, which has a guest list that includes Kim Kardashian, Kevin Federline, Keith Robinson, Fredro Starr, Kelita Smith, Omar Epps, Mark Wahlberg, Tatiana Ali, Salli Richardson, Dondre Whitfield, Kim Coles, Columbus Short and Omarosa. Gift bags will be provided by Alize.
* Justin Timberlake will play a minor league baseball star in the upcoming film "The Open Road," reports the Associated Press. The 27-year-old actor-singer will suit up as Carlton Garrett, a standout on the fictional Corpus Christi Hooks. The film will center on Garrett's attempt to reconnect with his father – a legendary athlete played by Jeff Bridges – as he struggles to get home to his ailing mother. Shooting on the movie began Tuesday in Hammond, La.
ANOTHER SETBACK IN MUMIA ABU-JAMAL CASE: Former Black Panther loses bid for hearing.
*Pennsylvania's highest appeals court turned down a request by convicted killer Mumia Abu-Jamal for a hearing into his claims that witnesses in his case perjured themselves.
According to the Associated Press, the state Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a unanimous ruling saying the former Black Panther and radio reporter waited too long to file a post-conviction appeal in the matter.
Abu-Jamal was convicted of shooting to death Philadelphia Police Officer Daniel Faulkner in 1981. A federal judge in 2001 overturned Abu-Jamal's death sentence but upheld his conviction.
A separate appeal in the case, regarding claims of racial bias and faulty jury instructions, is pending before the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
BRET ERNST: The Wild West Comedy Show Interview with Kam Williams
Headline: Aspiring Comic Talks about His Big Break
Born in Princeton, NJ, Bret Ernst spent nine years paying dues on the comedy circuit after college before landing his big break.
That arrived in 2005 when actor Vince Vaughn tapped him along with three other up-and-coming comedians to perform in the Wild West Comedy Show.
Now, the concert film of their barnstorming tour of 30 cities in 30 days has arrived in theaters, giving Bret a shot at national fame, as the movie will undoubtedly familiarize audiences all across the country with his face and name.
Here, he talks about Vince and his co-stars, about making the movie and about his hopes for his career.
Kam Williams: Hi Bret. I heard you’re from my hometown, Princeton.
Bret Ernst: Well, I was born there, it’s on my birth certificate, but I was a baby when we moved to Passaic. It sucks being born in Princeton, and then ending up in community college. It set the bar pretty high for me.
KW: In the movie, I found it touching when you spoke backstage about your older brother dying from AIDS. Is that part of your act, too?
BE: In my act, I talk about him in the present tense, just because I don’t want the crowd to feel uncomfortable. The gift of being a comic is being as open and truthful as possible. I had also lost my father as well while growing up. I was talking about it one night, and it was weird because my father took his own life.
I was joking about it, and there was a lady in the crowd whose son had committed suicide, By no means do I like talking about it, if it’s going to make people uncomfortable, but at the same time, it is my life. Afterwards, she came up to me, crying, and said that it was the anniversary of her son’s death, and that it made her feel better. The point I’m making is that when you’re open about yourself, you expose yourself to people. And the gift that I have is that I know everybody is the same. Everybody has the same wants and the same fears.
KW: I liked that you guys took a break from the tour to visit Katrina victims, too. The movie wasn’t just comedy, but it had a heart as well.
BE: Well, thank you. You have to credit Vince and the filmmakers for that.
KW: Are you still friends with the other three comedians in the movie, John “Cap” Caparulo, Sebastian Maniscalco and Ahmed Ahmed?
BE: Oh, yeah, of course. In fact, Sebastian, was just now calling me while I was talking to you. We’re all close. We had years in the trenches together even before this movie. We knew each other’s families, watched Super Bowls together, hung out and did stuff together.
KW: In the film, you’re shown as being very hard on yourself after one performance, even though the crowd was raving about you. Why was that?
BE: You know, man, I’m sure you’re the same way. I’m always trying to outdo my last performance. That’s the only way you get better. You have to challenge yourself and be honest with yourself. That night, I stumbled over some of my words, so I just wasn’t happy with my performance, even though the crowd liked it.
KW: How did you decide to try standup comedy in the first place?
BE: I always wanted to do it. But my first dream had actually been to play in the NFL. I played football in college, but in the back of my mind I knew I was good at making people laugh. I was always the class clown. I went to some rough schools growing up, where I became good at “Yo’ Momma” jokes.
KW: Was this a black neighborhood?
BE: Yeah, predominantly black. That’s really how I got into it. And playing sports, I was always in the locker room, ranking on people, going for the jugular. So, it was always something I wanted to do professionally. To make a long story boring, I would do open mic nights, and then I had a hi-hop show in college where people would call in to try to get me with their ”Yo’
Momma” jokes, and I would get them back. That became my thing. That’s kinda’
how I got my start. So, I knew I could write radio scripts. And once I graduated from college, I knew this was what I wanted to do. I just started going and going and going and going, and haven’t stopped since.
KW: Jimmy Bayan, realtor to the stars, is curious about where in Los Angeles you live?
BE: I live in North Hollywood.
KW: The Columbus Short question: Would you describe yourself as happy?
BE: Yeah, man, I’m happy. You have your bumps and bruises, but you can’t dwell on that. I’m definitely happy. I like that: Are you happy? That’s a good question.
KW: The Chip and Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read?
BE: I’m reading it right now, actually, Freakonomics.
KW: Oh, yeah, that’s excellent. I reviewed that.
BE: And I also actually just finished the Steve Martin autobiography, Born Standing Up.
KW: How is it? I want to read that.
BE: It’s very good, but it’s not like Pryor Convictions, though. I’d read that one first, because Richard [Pryor], just like he was with his standup, was very open in his book. I love reading biographies, people’s journeys.
Like, if you look at how Malcolm X started, and that whole journey from being a criminal to becoming a preacher to becoming an activist to, at the very end, understanding where he was wrong.
KW: How do you expect this movie to change your life?
BE: I don’t know, dude, there’s no way to gauge that. This is a tough business. I expect something to happen, but I don’t know whether it’ll be great, or something minor. But I’m very excited, and very thankful. You hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. I don’t know what else to do.
KW: Another moving moment was at the end of the tour when Sebastian started crying, thanking Vince, and saying no one had ever given him a break before.
BE: You know, I got upset, too, but I ran behind the curtain. I wasn’t man enough to let anybody see me cry. I told the cameraman I’d break his camera if he filmed me. At least Sebastian was man enough to cry on camera. We were all pretty affected by it. Once he started, everybody else followed suit. It was a very moving moment.
KW: Vince Vaughn seems like a really nice guy from all the backstage footage.
BE: I always ask this about somebody. First of all, is he still friends with the kids he grew up with? Second of all, when somebody leaves the room, does he start talking about him? That’s a quality of a dude I don’t want to be around. If you ain’t friends with the people you came up with, that means there’s something wrong with you. And if you’re going to talk about somebody when they leave, that means you’re going to talk about me, too. Vince is friends with everybody he came up with. He’s a loyal guy. Look at what he did for us, putting his stamp on four guys nobody knew. He liked us from seeing us in the comedy clubs. That’s a testament to who he is. What you see is what you get with him, and that’s really rare in Hollywood.
KW: Is there anywhere that fans can reach you?
BE: Yeah at www.breternstlive.com/.
KW: Well, thanks for the time, Bret, and best of luck with your career.
BE: Anytime. Take care, man.
OPENING THIS WEEK: Kam's Kapsules: Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
For movies opening February 15, 2008
by Kam Williams
BIG BUDGET FILMS
Definitely, Maybe (PG-13 for profanity, sexuality, smoking and frank
dialogue) Flashback flick revolving around a Manhattanite (Ryan Reynolds) in the midst of a messy divorce who decides to reminisce about the three loves of his life so that his curious 11 year-old daughter (Abigail Breslin) can guess which was with her mother. Was she his college sweetheart (Elizabeth Banks), his best friend and confidante (Isla Fisher) or the tough-to-tame free spirit (Rachel Weisz)? Cast includes Derek Luke and Liane Balaban.
Jumper (PG-13 for intense violence, brief sexuality and some profanity) Time-travel sci-fi thriller, based on the Steven Gould novel of the same name, about a genetic anomaly (Hayden Christensen) able to teleport himself anywhere who finds himself embroiled in a war that has been raging for eons between “Jumpers” and their sworn enemies, the Paladins. With Samuel L. Jackson, Jamie Bell, Diane Lane, Tom Hulce and AnnaSophia Robb.
The Spiderwick Chronicles (PG for peril, mature themes, frightening images and action violence) Escapist fantasy about twin brothers (Freddie Highmore) who, along with their sister (Sarah Bolger), discover a magical world filled with fairies and scary creatures soon after moving with their mother (Mary-Louise Parker) from New York City to their great, great Uncle Arthur’s (David Strathairn) secluded, rundown country estate.
Step Up 2 the Streets (PG-13 for profanity, suggestive material and brief violence) Foot-stomping sequel features Briana Evigan as an orphaned street-dancer who falls in love with a classmate (Robert Hoffman) from the other side of the tracks at the prestigious Maryland School for the Arts. With only a cameo by the star of the original, Channing Tatum.
INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS
David & Layla (Unrated) Cross-cultural romantic comedy, set in NYC, about a Jewish relationship advice guru (David Moscow) who dumps his kickboxer fiancée (Callie Thorne) for the sensual Muslim dancer (Shiva Rose) he falls in lust with at first sight.
Diary of the Dead (R for pervasive profanity, gore and graphic violence) Latest George Romero screamfest features a motley crew of film students freaked out by real-life zombies while making a low-budget horror flick in rural Pennsylvania.
Cast includes Joshua Close and Michelle Morgan, with audio cameos by Quentin Tarantino, Simon Pegg and Guillermo del Toro..
Ezra (Unrated) Sierra Leone saga about the attempt of a former child soldier (Mamoudu Turay Kamara) to return to life following the civil war which had devastated his country.
EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE
“Success is never final and failure never fatal. It's courage that counts.” by George F. Tiltonood
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Feb. 22: Actor Daniel E. Smith ("John Q.") is 18.
Feb. 23: NFL Hall of Famer Ed "Too Tall" Jones is 58. Former supermodel Veronica Webb is 43.
Feb. 24: R&B singer Brandon Brown of Mista is 25.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
This site is dedicated to Hip-Hop's love for mobile gadgets and reports on news and trends in digital technology as well as Entertainment (www.HiTechPimpin.com).
Submit your favorite Web site to us along with a 15-20 word (or less) description to info@eurweb.com.
BLACK HISTORY
Feb. 22, 1989: DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince win the first rap Grammy for the hit single "Parents Just Don't Understand."
Feb. 23, 1979: Frank E. Peterson Jr. named the first black general in the Marine Corps.
Feb. 24, 1864: Rebecca Lee Crumpler becomes the first black woman to receive an M.D. degree. She graduated from the New England Female Medical College. (Source: www.BlackFacts.com)