WILL SMITH EYES PHAROAH ROLE: Columbia drama set in ancient Egypt; penned by 'Braveheart' writer.
*Will Smith has his sights set on the lead role in "The Last Pharoah," a Columbia drama to be penned by "Braveheart" writer Randall Wallace and produced by Smith's Overbrook Entertainment.
According to Variety, Smith will star as Taharqa, the pharaoh who battled Assyrian invaders in ancient Egypt. The story will focus on his battles with Assyrian leader Esarhaddon starting in 677 B.C.
Next up for Smith is Columbia's "Seven Pounds," a reteam with "Pursuit of Happyness" director Gabriele Muccino that Overbrook produced with Escape Artists.
THANDIE DETAILS CONDOLEEZZA EXPERIENCE: Actress describes preparations, makeup, false teeth and other tools used to nail character in "W."
*Just how did British actress Thandie Newton become convinced she could take on the role of American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in the film "W," Oliver Stone's upcoming biopic of George W. Bush?
"Oliver woke me up," she tells Britain's Times Online. Stone had an "absolute belief that I could play this character who was absolutely nothing like me. She didn't look like me; she's a couple of decades older than me.
And I'm English, for goodness' sake."
Newton, who appears opposite her "Crash" co-star Ludacris in the upcoming film "Rock n Rolla," says she didn't even know how to spell Condoleezza when she first discussed the role with Stone.
"I knew she was secretary of state and that was about it." But the script was on point, she said, which led her to accept the offer. "I decided to close my eyes and leap. I wanted to take the risk."
Newton said she immediately got to work studying Rice's every move. "That was when it got really f***ing fun," she says, rubbing her hands with glee. "It was like doing a really involved paper back at Cambridge and my paper was Condoleezza Rice."
She poured through biographies, articles, books on the Bush administration, on Cheney, on torture, Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo. "You name it, I read it," she says. "I had two things going on: reading about this young woman, and the incredible story of the Bush administration. This gigantic beast, this machine and how it was cranking toward war. I wanted to become drunk with knowledge."
By the time rehearsals began in Louisiana, Newton said she was beginning to have second thoughts. "I was thinking, 'F***, have I made a mistake?'" The make-up team told her that prosthetics were out of the question because they would melt in the heat. "That was a bit of a blow," she said. "They told me they would do a 'feel-alike' rather than a lookalike, and I knew that was going to be a real problem for me."
During the six week rehearsal period in Louisiana, Newton struggled to find a way to accurately portray Rice, finding inspiration in the way she used her own voice to conquer the challenges of playing the ghost-child in "Beloved" ten years ago.
"I suddenly realized that I had this weird, very deep voice that I could use," she said. "I remember Jonathan [Demme, the director]'s face when I started speaking. It was priceless. We didn't need the voiceover."
As for the physical transformation into Rice, she consulted with a close friend who happens to be a make-up artist. "I thought we could create something with some clever make-up and shading," said Newton. "We just hadn't got close to her in rehearsals and they were trusting me to come up with a character under my skin, but the truth is that I needed a lot on my skin. We spent the afternoon experimenting. By the time the kids came home from school I was all Condi'd up, complete with some fantastic false teeth. She nailed it for me. I was still terrified, but now I had the equipment."
JURY SELECTION BEGINS IN NEW O.J. TRIAL: Judge warns pool against using case to punish Juice for murder trial.
*Jury selection began yesterday in the Las Vegas robbery and kidnapping trial of O.J. Simpson with the judge asking prospective panelists to ignore the former NFL star's 1990s murder trial.
"If you think you are going to punish Mr. Simpson for what happened in L.A. ... this is not the case for you," Clark County District Judge Jackie Glass said as the case opened, according to the Los Angeles Times.
She added that she didn't want jurors who were "looking to become famous ... write a book or be on TV."
Simpson, 61, is currently accused of leading the 2007 robbery of his own sports memorabilia from a Las Vegas hotel room. He and a co-defendant, Clarence Stewart, could face life in prison if they are convicted on all the charges against him.
Four of Simpson's original co-defendants have pleaded guilty in the case and have cooperated with the prosecution.
OBAMA TO LUNCH WITH PRES. CLINTON IN HARLEM: Plus, senator to tape 'Letterman' Wed; appear with McCain Thurs at Ground Zero.
*Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton are scheduled to have a lunch meeting Thursday afternoon at Clinton's Harlem office, according to reports.
The pow-wow will be the first private meeting between the two Democrats since the hostile primary campaign. Clinton extended the invitation after learning Obama would be in town this week.
Obama is expected to appear on CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman" on Wednesday in New York. The following day, both Obama and Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain are scheduled to make a joint appearance at Ground Zero to mark the seventh anniversary of the terrorist attacks.
Both are also due to appear on a forum regarding 9/11 Thursday night on CNN.
JORDIN SPARKS DEFENDS PROMISE RINGS AT VMAs: Singer takes a moment to school host after numerous jokes.
*Before introducing T.I.'s performance at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards, Jordin Sparks took an unscripted moment to address host Russell Brand's numerous jokes about teen trio Jonas Brothers and their rings that symbolize virginity until marriage.
"I just have one thing to say about promise rings. It's not bad to wear a promise ring," Sparks, 18, told the crowd, "because not everybody - guy or girl - wants to be a slut."
During his opening monologue, Brand teased the Jonas Brothers, suggesting that they should be taking advantage of their celebrity status to score dates with women. Sparks, who also wears a promise ring, has been open in past interviews about her desire to hold onto her virginity.
Brand returned to the stage later in the ceremony and offered an apology of sorts.
"I didn't mean to take it lightly," the host said about promise rings. "I don't want to piss off teenage fans."
Still, Brand, whose apology soon morphed into a series of off-color jokes, said, "Promise rings, I'm well up for it. [But] a bit of sex, it never hurt anybody."
BERRY, HOUNSOU AT CALVIN KLEIN BASH: Sunday event marked label's 40th anniversary.
*Halle Berry, Djimon Hounsou and his girlfriend Kimora Lee Simmons were among the celebs attending Sunday's 40th anniversary celebration for the designer label Calvin Klein.
The event was held at the High Line, a former elevated rail line in New York that's been converted into a park on the city's west side, reports the Associated Press. Berry attended with her boyfriend Gabriel Aubrey.
Other famous faces at the event included Rosario Dawson, Naomi Watts, Martha Stewart, Cynthia Nixon, Brooke Shields and Vogue Editor-In-Chief Anna Wintour.
This is a New York moment right now," said Dawson, who wore a black-and-white patterned gown. "This is absolutely incredible."
CHRIS BROWN WRITING SONGS FOR BRITNEY: He hopes tunes will be included on pop star's upcoming album.
*Chris Brown, 19, says he's been busy writing material for pop star Britney Spears to consider using on her upcoming album.
"I actually wrote a couple songs for her now," Brown told the Associated Press, noting that Spears has yet to hear them. "We're on the same label, so all the executives heard the records and they love the records, so hopefully she'll cut it. But if she doesn't, oh well, we'll go back in the studio and still do some more records for her."
Brown, who won best male video for "With You" at Sunday night's MTV Video Music Awards, wrote "Disturbia," the current single from his rumored girlfriend Rihanna.
As a vocalist, Brown will appear on forthcoming tracks from rappers Nas and Ludacris.
CHAD JOHNSON'S "OCHO CINCO" DELAYED: It'll be a while before wide receiver's legal name change will appear on Bengals jersey.
*Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Johnson, who legally changed his last name to the Spanish spelling of his jersey number (85), will have to wait a while before he can sport "Ocho Cinco" on the back of his uniform.
According to the Associated Press, the NFL decided against allowing him to wear the name during games.
"While the NFL has recognized the legal name change of Chad Johnson to Chad Ocho Cinco, the league informed the Bengals today that certain issues remain to be resolved before Ocho Cinco will be permitted to wear his new surname on his jersey," the league said in a statement Sunday morning.
"He will wear the name Johnson on his jersey today and will be referred to as Chad Johnson on the official play-by-play sheet," the statement continued. "Further questions should be directed to the league office."
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told the AP: "He has a financial obligation to Reebok, which produces the jerseys available to fans. That has to be resolved before the on-field jersey can be changed. The same obligation exists for any player that changes his number or name."
Commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters that Chad's name change on the jersey would likely occur soon.
"He's legally changed his name, so we're willing to recognize that," Goodell said. "There's what I call a more administrative issue that has to be dealt with. There's a large inventory of jerseys that are out there with
85 Johnson. Any player that changes a number or changes his name has to address that so that our licensing is not stuck with a large inventory. That's just something we're dealing with. As far as we're concerned, if he changes his name legally, that's fine with us."
Ocho Cinco, meanwhile, put things in perspective when asked about the delay after his team's 17-10 loss to Baltimore. "I ain't worried about the name, man. We just lost the game," he said. "I ain't worried about that."
MICHELLE OBAMA DANCES WITH ELLEN: First Lady hopeful helps newly-married host kick off sixth season.
*Michelle Obama got her groove on with newlywed Ellen Degeneres during Monday's broadcast of the talk show host's sixth season premiere.
During her dance to the chair, the wife of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama broke into The Prep and Jay-Z's "Dirt Off Your Shoulders," which her husband did famously before a speech during the primaries.
Mrs. Obama agreed with Ellen that she has better dance moves than her husband, who cut a rug with the TV star when he appeared on "The Ellen Degeneres Show" in October.
THE GAME BEATS BOW WOW IN 'MADDEN 09': Chad Moss owes Compton rapper $100,000 after losing bet.
*Bow Wow owes The Game $100,000 after losing a bet over who is the best celebrity player of Madden NFL '09.
The Game had been claiming he was the Madden king, so Bow Wow challenged him to put his money where his mouth is.
At Friday's Konsole Kingz "Madden Showdown" in Los Angeles, The Game's New England Patriots were up 28 to nothing over Bow Wow's Cincinnati Bengals after only the first quarter. Bow Wow ended up losing 55 to 23.
"I'm the s**t, man. I don't know what else to say," The Game boasted afterwards.
Bow Wow jokingly blamed the videogame's weather conditions for his failure, saying: "I don't care what they say, it was in the snow, first of all. Second of all... nah, I'm just playing. We had a lot of fun doing it....Money going to charity. We both winners at the end of the day."
The full Madden Showdown Video is available for viewing here: www.konsolekingz.com/gamebowwow_video
DAMON DASH FILES MOTION OVER SON: Mogul says his baby mama is holding the boy 'hostage.'
*The legal drama between rap mogul Damon Dash and his son's mother Linda Williams continues on with a fresh filing this week.
According to TMZ.com, Dash is accusing Williams of holding his son "hostage" and refusing to bring him to court.
Dash has filed a motion hoping to force Williams to physically bring Damon Dash II to the hearing so he can see the boy.
Williams has accused Dash of failing to provide running water and electricity at his house during visits from their son, Damon Dash II, aka "Boogie." Damon's lawyer says Williams' claims are untrue.
LIL WAYNE MAKES NY COURT DATE: But 'scheduling conflict' kept rapper from Fashion Rocks taping; 'SNL' appearance set for this weekend.
*Lil Wayne made his scheduled court date in New York early Monday despite hitting MTV's Video Music Awards afterparty circuit in Los Angeles the night before following his performance.
The rapper was said to be "attentive" and "wide awake" during the hearing regarding his weapons possessions case, reports TMZ.
Meanwhile, Weezy was a no-show at this year's Fashion Rocks concert at Radio City Music Hall on Friday due to a "scheduling conflict." Allhiphop.com says he was scheduled to close the Fashion Week kick-off event, which will air in a two-hour special tomorrow night (9-11 p.m.) on CBS. But, his appearance was cancelled at the last minute due to a change in the show's line-up.
"They were looking for Wayne to appear earlier than he was set to perform," Young Money Entertainment rep Cortez Bryant told AllHipHop.com. "He was five blocks away, caught in traffic in the Lincoln Tunnel. They said they wouldn't hold the audience and they were cutting his show."
Hopefully he'll make it to "Saturday Night Live" this weekend, where he's been tapped as the musical guest for its season premiere.
CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS FEAR VOTER FRAUD IN NOV.: Justice Dept. promises to dispatch monitors to polls.
*The Associated Press is reporting of fears among civil rights groups that an unprecedented minority voter turnout for the November presidential election might be countered by efforts to intimidate or otherwise block people who seek to cast their ballots.
The Justice Department pledged Monday to send election monitors around the country to help ensure access to the polls in November, even while acknowledging its limited power to enforce election laws, according to the AP.
Attorney General Michael Mukasey and other Justice officials met about 35 representatives from voter access watchdogs, hoping to assure them that having a smooth Nov. 4 election is a priority.
"The Justice Department has a limited but extremely important role to play in ensuring elections are fair and just," acting Assistant Attorney General Grace Chung Becker told reporters after the closed-door meeting.
She said the Justice Department will deploy hundreds of federal monitors around the country to make sure voters aren't unfairly kept from the polls.
In 2004, long lines at minority-dominated voting precincts in Ohio led to widespread complaints and a Democratic Party lawsuit that the election process unfairly helped President Bush win the state. A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit nearly a year later.
EUR FILM REVIEW: Ping Pong Playa
Aspiring Hoop Star Turns to Table Tennis in Cross-Cultural Comedy
Film Review by Kam Williams
*C-Dub (Jimmy Tsai) is a teenager who has opted to put all of his eggs in one basket, namely, the pursuit of his dream of playing in the NBA. Suffering from delusions of grandeur, he's dropped out of school and fritters away his future playing street ball against younger kids in a local park, instead of concentrating on getting a good education or on pursuing a career.
He's even quit his minimum-wage job at the mall, basically because he sees menial work as being beneath him.
The slacker's story would probably sound unremarkable, if he were just another black kid inadvisedly trying to make it out of the ghetto via basketball alone.
But C-Dub's happens to be a Chinese-American who's real name is Christopher Wang, and he wasn't raised in the slums but in an upscale section of suburban Los Angeles.
Consequently, his frustrated parents can't comprehend how one of their sons could become a doctor (Roger Fan) while the other would be an irresponsible, Peter Pan with a basketball Jones.
For C-Dub is a trash-talking wannabe, who walks, talks and dresses like a hip-hop gangsta, even when he's away from the court. The question to be answered is whether he might mature and bring honor instead of disgrace on his very embarrassed relatives.
This is the prevailing theme of Ping Pong Playa, an engaging cross-cultural comedy which milks most of its humor by taking a lighthearted look at what it's like to be raised Asian in this country. For the picture's protagonist is as much running away from the pressure to overachieve academically in math, music and on the SAT as he is attracted to the more mellow alternatives he perceives in the African-American community.
The plot thickens when his mother (Elizabeth Sung) sprains both of her wrists, which means she temporarily can't give any lessons at the Wang family-owned business, the Ping Pong Palace. Chris dutifully fills in and takes to table tennis, a sport he's long shunned. And, soon he even decides to enter the 15th Annual Golden Cock Competition.
Of equal import, he finds himself falling for Jennifer (Smith Cho), the beautiful big sister of one of his students. However, because she's a Ph.D. student writing her dissertation on the objectification of Chinese women, he knows he'll have to clean up his act considerably to impress her. Can you see where this is all heading?
Yes, Ping Pong Playa is a transparent romance/sports flick whose parallel strands unfold exactly as expected, yet that predictability is easily trumped by the refreshingly appealing parade of well-developed, Asian-American characters who make the movie enjoyable by turning an array of common cinematic stereotypes on their heads.
Very Good (3 stars)
Rated PG-13 for profanity, sexual dialogue and drug references.
In English and Cantonese with subtitles.
Running time: 97 minutes
Studi IFC Films
To see a trailer of Ping Pong Playa, visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjHr25hhEpg
EUR DVD REVIEW: Jellyfish (Meduzot)
Serendipitous Feminist Adventure from Israel Released on DVD
DVD Review by Kam Williams
*Some of the most intriguing, feminist dramas continue to come from Israel, including this surreal adventure which whimsically intertwines the lives of several women whose paths crisscross in present-day Tel Aviv.
The fulcrum of the plot is provided by the plight of heartsick Batya (Sarah Adler), a waitress working at the wedding of Karen (Noa Knoller) and Michael (Gera Sandler).
Just past the point of departure, the couple's plans for a Caribbean honeymoon are ruined when the bride accidentally breaks her ankle. So, they opt to take a room right on the ground floor of the beachfront hotel hosting their reception.
Elsewhere, we find Joy (Ma-nenita De Latorre), a Filipino nurse missing her five year-old son she had to leave behind in Manila. It doesn't help any that although she asked for a childcare assignment, her agency hired her out to Malka (Zaharira Harifai), an elderly woman who is not only grouchy, but bigoted to boot. Despite Joy's exhibiting the patience of a saint, Malka would prefer to live with her daughter, an actress busily preparing to appear in a production of Hamlet directed by an Arab.
These assorted threads are woven together ever so subtly via the meanderings of Batya, a forlorn soul who besides being left by her boyfriend has had the rent recently raised on her dilapidated apartment. The carefree slacker reacts by drinking water dripping from a hole in the ceiling, and by adopting a naked, freckle-faced, five year-old (Nikol Leidman) she finds frolicking alone along the Mediterranean shore.
Always of more consequence here than the give-and-take of any of the superficial personal dramas are the complicated cultural and psychological issues simmering just under the surface. Like Amelie with an attitude, the sinister Jellyfish links strangers serendipitously, but with an almost
shocking absence of naivete.
Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
In Hebrew, French and English with subtitles.
Running time: 78 minutes
Studi Zeitgeist Films
DVD Extras: New anamorphic master enhanced for widescreen TVs, video interview with filmmakers Etgar Keret and Shira Geffen, filmmaker statement, plus the U.S. theatrical trailer.
To see a trailer for Jellyfish, visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auYqkwrnOho
Many of us began our day today taking our daily dose of vitamins, supplements or prescription medicines. Maybe even a combination of all three if life requires as such. In any event, all of us know that before the first time we ingested this pill or that supplement, we read the warning label. Meaning, although the pills are intended for better health or increased quality of life, if misused or abused their effects could be catastrophic. We’ll come back to this in a moment.
THE MO'KELLY REPORT: Diddy - The Political Dunce
*Meet Sean Combs.
Call him Puffy, Diddy, P. Diddy, Puff Daddy…whatever. He is an immensely popular and successful music mogul.
A few days ago in the blog version of The Mo‘Kelly Report, I broached the subject of Diddy’s recent video blogs which ostensibly touch upon “politics.” The email response was considerable, all in support of what Mo’Kelly had to say; which was a cue. Instead of doing a James Brown - hittin’ it and quittin’ it, Mo’Kelly needed to go back and go deeper into the topic.
And so, here we are…
Unless you’ve been under a rock you’ve seen the videos, heard the audio or read the more outlandish quotes courtesy of Sean Combs. From Diddy having to “fly commercial” because of the high gas prices or Diddy questioning John McCain’s judgment because “there is no Black people” (his bad grammar, not Mo’Kelly’s) or “crackheads” in Alaska.
Despite what Diddy might tell you, he’s not a comedian. He’s not even funny in passing. Despite what Diddy would also argue, he’s not even politically astute. He’s a grandmaster of self-promotion but politically astute, he is not.
What most artists and musicians fail to understand that there is a wide gulf in between politics and music. Music is art and an expression of one’s personal creativity. One honestly can’t “judge” art as it is akin to beauty, in the eye of the beholder. Political discourse requires and demands a bit more and is held to higher, different standards. Political discourse requires accurately informing oneself on present day issues as well as the historical context in which they fit. In short, it requires one to know what the hell he/she is talking about before they “step out there.”
Such is not required of music which specializes in yacht parties, hot tubs and video vixens. If African-Americans were ever in need of how to live a fruitless life of fleeting materialism, then Diddy should teach the class. If African-Americans should ever need advice on how to date a woman for 10 years, sire three children but fail to respect her enough to make her his wife…then by all means, call on Diddy.
But when it comes to informed political discussion…Diddy would do better to remain quiet.
And if Diddy can't...he should stay the hell out of Mo'Kelly's way. Diddy knows hip-hop and hot tubs...that's what Diddy does and does exceptionally well.
But political analysis…?
Stay in your lane Diddy and out of Mo'Kelly's way. Insightful political debate...that's Mo'Kelly's world. Step it up or step aside.
Just “having an opinion” isn’t enough and when you wield the level of visibility Diddy does and it’s woefully irresponsible when he repeatedly shares his uninformed one.
In this “free” country, Diddy is “free” to share any and all opinions which may come to mind. Conversely, Mo’Kelly is “free” to subsequently expose him for how ignorant they ultimately are. Don’t step up and grab the mic if you can’t rhyme and surely don’t grab this mic if you don’t know the time.
If someone wants to have a serious conversation about the economy and impact of gas prices; Diddy sharing how he’s been “forced” to fly commercial is a fool’s entry point to that discussion.
If someone wants to have a serious conversation about the qualifications of Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin, using the dearth of Black people and crackheads to support that thesis are tools of a fool.
Don’t get caught up in the supposed “benefit” of hip-hop moguls talking politics or encouraging young people to get involved and voting. It is a red-herring and young people need to more closely read the warning label on this prescribed medication.
Speaking of which, back to the pills we all took this morning.
When someone hands you a bunch of pills that ostensibly are for your benefit, yet give inaccurate and irresponsible instructions on how to use them; the consequences are tremendous.
Let Mo’Kelly say that again. Don’t gloss over it this time.
When someone hands you a bunch of pills that ostensibly are for your benefit, yet give inaccurate and irresponsible instructions on how to use them; the consequences are tremendous.
Telling someone to vote is bad and dangerous advice if you don’t also intelligently instruct someone how to go about making an informed voting decision. An uninformed voting decision is arguably worse than not voting at all. Hundreds of thousands of people will vote for John McCain November 4th simply because they wrongfully believe Senator Barack Obama is a Muslim terrorist sympathizer.
America would be better off if those individuals didn’t vote at all.
Telling someone to vote is bad and dangerous advice if as a hip-hop mogul you don’t also inform your fans that the lawless behavior (i.e. drug use) highlighted in hip-hop leads to voting (and civil) rights being taken away altogether.
In other words, you can’t wag the index finger of your right hand telling young people to “get involved” and “vote” while also holding a bottle of Ciroc Vodka and a blunt in the left. If Diddy is truly about the business of using his visibility and fandom to positively motivate the masses, he’ll have to do better.
Do better Diddy. Do much better.
And if you can't Diddy...stay the hell out of Mo'Kelly's way. Step it up or step aside. Hip hop is quick to check people having opinions about how hip-hop conducts its business or makes its music. So don’t get brand new now that Mo’Kelly is checking hip-hop on its supposed political consciousness.
Diddy’s video blogs have become fodder for unenlightened, ignorant political commentary across the web and televised media. The fact that he’s the poster boy for the so-called hip-hop political movement this election season is even more distasteful.
Sloganeering is often "cool," fashionable and marketable for artists these days. "Vote or Die" and other nonsense comes to mind. It's "cool" for musicians to align themselves with a political candidate or have something to say related to politics. But if the intelligence quotient isn't raised in the process, it's useless banter.
Diddy at this point is useless banter.
How about this slogan..."Respect and Protect African-American Women, or Die" Yeah, not quite as catchy or marketable. Yeah, it’s probably slightly problematic for Diddy to produce a video promoting the respect and protection of African-American women as long as Kim Porter also has internet access.
Honestly, Mo'Kelly would rather Diddy take a bit more of his free time trying to decrease the misogyny in his own art form instead of increasing voter rolls. The truth of the matter is that the excessive emphasis on this PRESIDENTIAL election for young people to become involved in is incredibly poor advice.
The local and state politicians, the bond measures and initiatives have a far more direct impact on our daily lives than simply who ascends to the oval office. Just weeks ago, Florida Governor Charlie Crist ordered the state’s parole agencies to better assist in restoring the voting rights of ex-convicts.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-felons2808aug28,0,5230407.story
How many African-American men might that impact?
Not surprisingly, Diddy omitted this important information from his “political commentary.”
And I guess Mo’Kelly also just missed the video blog where Diddy discussed the fight to improve the funding of Chicago public schools.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h25Dp22bLwMyo-g2MUiwq4f6qX0wD92V02NG0
How many African-American children might be impacted here? That’s just two issues. Give Mo’Kelly an hour and he’ll have 30 more.
Undeniably Diddy exerts more influence if not all-out control in the world of hip-hop REGARDING hip-hop than he does politics. If Diddy wants to make the greatest positive impact, cleaning his own house of hip-hop would be a perfect place to start.
When African-Americans need tips on hot tubs, vodka and video vixens, then by all means dial up Diddy. But outside of that, leave the political discussions and the other heavy lifting to the trained professionals.
So, for these pills Diddy…and in your own words…
“Take that, take that, take that.”
The Mo’Kelly Report is an entertainment journal with a political slant. It is meant to inform, infuse and incite meaningful discourse…as well as entertain. The Mo’Kelly Report is syndicated by Newstex and Blogburst. For more Mo’Kelly, http:/mokellyreport.blogspot.com. Morris W. O’Kelly can be reached at mokellyreport@sbcglobal.net and he welcomes all commentary.
THE JOURNAL OF STEFFANIE RIVERS: Political Circus
*Last week, the Republican National Convention seemed like an episode of Saturday Night Live. The audience clapped, booed and laughed on cue just like a heavily rehearsed script, except for John McCain who kept stumbling over his script.
And speaking of scripts, if Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin was hired to play the role of pit bull in a dress, she lived up to expectations. Her mockery of community activism - like a badly timed joke – has caused a backlash from disgruntled grassroots leaders around the country. Her verbal jabs might have been directed at Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, but she should have known her words would be an attack on millions of working class voters. Obviously she failed political science 101.
After listening to Palin’s speech, it didn’t take long to realize that (1) she didn’t write the speech, because it sounded too much like vintage angry white man speak. A Bush speechwriter wrote the speech for Palin. And (2) she and McCain stand apart on a few key issues.
In her RNC speech Palin touted her husband as a “proud member of the United Steel Workers Union.” But he better not try to take company management to task or – God forbid – strike for better pay, better benefits or a safer working environment. That’s because John McCain has spoken against the formation of unions. He also has supported legislation that would make it legal for business owners to hire permanent replacements for striking employees.
While McCain is okay with throwing millions of more dollars and more troops into the Iraq war despite that country’s monetary surplus, in a recent interview Palin said she favors an exit strategy.
“I heard on the news about the new deployments, and while I support our president, Condoleezza Rice and the administration, I want to know that we have an exit plan in place; I want assurances that we are doing all we can to keep our troops safe,” she told a reporter for the Alaska Business Monthly.
Although they both are against a woman’s right to choose whether to have an abortion, it’s funny (peculiar, not funny ha ha) how people who would require a woman to go through with an unwanted pregnancy are the same people who are against things like Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and other similar government programs meant to help needy families. But I digress.
I’m sure by now you’re aware of the misleading remarks spoken by a host of Republicans during the convention.
Just like at church when the pastor is preaching, a smart person checks what is said at the podium against what can be verified. Nothing should be taken at face value. So goes the same rule for politicians.
I know past performance is no guarantee of future returns, but I’m not willing to take the ten percent chance that McCain will change his spots and reverse his support of Bush initiatives that he supported 90 percent of the time in the last three years. And you shouldn’t either.
Steffanie Rivers is a free-lance journalist living in Dallas, Texas. For public speaking inquiries, comments or questions email her at teamtcbadvertising@hotmail.com.
TURNER’S TWO CENTS: RIGHT WING IS WRONG ON OPRAH AND MEDIA!
by Cameron Turner
*I am really tired of the conservatives whining about media coverage of the Presidential election. This time they’re fussing at Oprah. They say she’s being a hypocrite because she won’t book Republican Vice-Presidential nominee Gov. Sarah Palin on her show. Once again the self-pitying, media-bashing right wing is all wrong.
Oprah is doing the right thing by not using her top-rated TV talk show to spotlight any candidate. Everybody knows that she backs Barack Obama, but she has not used the considerable power of her daily show to promote his candidacy. Oprah endorsed Obama early in the primary season, hosted fundraisers for him and attended his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. But through all of this, the Queen of Daytime Talk has kept a low profile. No one would have known she was at the DNC if long-lens TV cameras had not spied on her, paparazzi style, behind the closed windows of her private stadium box.
Sen. Obama has been on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” twice, but those appearances were in 2005 and 2006, years before he announced his intention to run for President. Obama has not been a guest on “Oprah” since the campaign started. None of the candidates have been on the show so it’s silly for Gov. Palin’s supporters to expect her to get special treatment. Oprah explained all of this in a written statement saying, "There has been absolutely no discussion about having Sarah Palin on my show. At the beginning of the presidential campaign, when I decided that I was going to take my first public stance in support of a candidate, I made the decision not to use my show as a platform for any of the candidates. I agree that Sarah Palin would be a fantastic interview, and I would love to have her on after the campaign is over."
Obviously, that’s a fair policy. But a lot of conservative Republicans don’t like fairness. They want media outlets to kowtow to them like Fox News or the countless right wing radio call-in shows. When that doesn’t happen, conservatives puff up their faux outrage, saddle up their high horse (actually a make-believe steed rather like Henry Drummond’s “Golden Dancer” in the classic American play “Inherit the Wind”) and start spewing the worn-out, old poppycock about “Iiberal media bias.”
The latest round of conservative falsehoods started during last week’s Republican National Convention at which an endless succession of speakers issued groundless allegations about the media mistreating Gov. Palin. Failed Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee made the colorful but inaccurate complaint that reporting on Gov. Palin had been “as tacky as a costume change at a Madonna concert.” Sen. McCain’s wife, Cindy, went further telling ABC’s Diane Sawyer that the media was being sexist in its coverage of the GOP’s wannabe veep.
I’m sorry Mrs. McCain, but you’re wrong. Male candidates get scrutinized for family matters, all the time. The media had plenty of questions for former Sen. John Edwards when he continued to pursue the Democratic Presidential nomination after his wife developed cancer.
Gov. Palin has not been singled out for special scrutiny. The media have simply done their job, asking the kinds of questions that any candidate with Gov. Palin’s career history and personal circumstances would be asked.
Sarah Palin is the Vice-Presidential nominee for the party that has made personal morality and so-called “traditional family values” central to its politics for over 20 years. She’s a conservative Christian abstinence advocate whose 17-year-old daughter is five months pregnant. In previous elections that alone would have disqualified her from a place on the Republican ticket. So, naturally, reporters and the public want to know when and why the rules changed. Asking about that was not unfair, “tacky” or sexist. Neither was asking Gov. Palin how she planned to balance running for office with caring for her four-month-old Down Syndrome baby. Also valid were the questions about Gov. Palin’s resume and qualifications to hold the second highest office in the land: her very limited experience in state government (less than two years as governor of Alaska), total lack of experience in national government and the fact that she’s the subject of an ongoing state ethics investigation.
News agencies are duty-bound to investigate personal and professional matters that (a) could affect a candidate’s ability to serve and (b) seem to go against established norms and values of that candidate’s party. That’s what the media has done with Gov. Palin and they were right to do so. Thank goodness – and the Founding Fathers! – that we live in a nation where the public’s right to know is protected by a Constitution that guarantees freedom of expression. If the Republicans had their druthers, the whole media would sound like Fox News and Rush Limbaugh and we would be much more ignorant and weaker because of it.
Thanks for listening. I’m Cameron Turner and that’s my two cents.
THINK! IT AIN’T ILLEGAL…YET!
PEOPLE OF NOTE: Scott and Kim Rivers-Roberts: Trouble the Water
By Deardra Shuler
*If you haven’t had the opportunity to see “Trouble the Water” directed and produced by Tia Lessin and Carl Deal and executive produced by Danny Glover, please try and see this documentary which includes film footage by Kimberly and Scott Roberts, two survivors of the Katrina disaster in New Orleans.
This journalist had the opportunity to talk to Kim and Scott about their harrowing experience during Katrina. When all the fortunate people were leaving New Orleans days before Katrina hit, those left behind had no idea about the resulting high waters. “We were stuck and unable to leave, so we just felt we would deal with it. It was never my intention to make a documentary. I decided to tape so I had something to show my kids. I wasn’t thinking about making history or black history. It just turned out that way,” said Kim.
“Now everywhere I go, I tell people this is a God inspired movie,” commented Kim, who bought her camcorder a week before the storm. The aspiring rapper was uncertain how to operate it but did manage to tape before Katrina hit and while waiting out the storm in a small attic with 15-20 other people, watching the streets of New Orleans become a virtual ocean.
Kim’s uncle succumbed to Katrina, as did many of her neighbors. “The storm hit Sunday and Monday. My uncle died Friday because no one came to rescue him. In fact, there was no rescue for 4 to 5 days after the storm. People were left on their own,” recounted Roberts who recently disputed the statement of a National Guardsman who claimed he was saving people. “I said, ‘No, Sir. You were not. Not in my neighborhood or you would have saved my uncle. Lots of folks died in desperation. People shot at the news helicopters because they were seeking attention. Some felt they were being treated like animals. News crews were filming people, instead of helping people,” explained Kim.
“We left before rescuers came” said Scott. “We took matters into our own hands. I told Kim I was going to get a truck because I couldn’t wait on someone to help us. The water was everywhere and still high. When we got the truck we went to the No Flood Zone where the naval base was,” said Scott. “The pumps failed so the water was in New Orleans for 2 weeks,” added Kim.
Because desperate people were told during the midst of the storm people, no help was coming, folks who were already up to their necks in water, resigned to their impending death. According to the Roberts, the New Orleans officials failed the citizenry miserably. The city had no emergency plan, nor did they use the City buses, trains, ports, or airports to get the poor people out before Katrina. Nor did the mayor, governor, or president utilize the considerable resources and finances of New Orleans to rescue its poorest residents. They could have easily done that,” stated Scott.
“Officials referred people to the Superdome. I knew it would be overcrowded. The Superdome was right near the River and the roof had a hole in it so it got flooded. It was a deathtrap because officials locked the people in with no way out. Children were raped. People got shot and stabbed,” remarked Scott and Kim. “New Orleans poor were in survival mode before Katrina. The New Orlean’s educational system ranks #2 as the worst school system next to Arkansas. The City makes money off imprisoning us. You’re jailed even for misdemeanors, so there was little job training, only hopelessness,” said the founders of Born Hustler Records.
According to the Roberts, New Orleans officials didn’t do enough to inform its poor citizenry about the expected severity of Katrina. “I fault the government to some degree. The Local and State government should have insisted people leave or die. I feel Mayor Ray Nagin has the blood of all those people who died on his hands. Bush, Gov. Blanco, all of them got their hands bloody. While whites were able to rent cars, few blacks could. There was definitely discrimination,” said Kim.
“The naval base had over 500 rooms available yet pointed there guns at people who came to the base, ordering us off the property,” recounts Scott. “You don’t hear about the New Orleans Police Department killing people or that Marshall Law was declared. They killed all those people trapped on the bridge during the storm. 7 New Orleans police were brought to trial and then acquitted even though witnesses testified against them. What is most puzzling is that no one has been held accountable. I guess they think if they have to hold someone accountable, they would have to hold the Mayor, the Governor, President Bush and New Orleans politicians accountable. So they pretend they are punishing people, while actually brushing it under the rug. Although, since the Feds got involved, many of the corrupt politicians who were stealing money before Katrina (City Council on up), are being indicted and jailed, but not for Katrina, for corruption,” explained the couple.
Housing has skyrocketed in New Orleans with greedy realtors seizing property, changing former rents of $4-500 to $2K. According to the Roberts, all public housing has been abolished so families of 10-20 people are crowded into three bedroom housing or into FEMA trailers. “The homes of the rich were secured but poor homes were left to be vandalized. Watch Trouble the Water, you’ll see!” said the couple. “Katrina uncovered the real America. It exposed the hidden dirt.” FEMA money helps but it is not enough. Foreigners are taking over the construction jobs the citizens aren’t trained for. It’s like the poor have been forgotten. They have done little to reconstruct the 9th Ward, so the bad situation before Katrina has now become untenable,” said Scott who saved citizens during the storm alongside his neighbor Larry Simms.
Go see Trouble the Waters. To learn more visit BornHustlerrecords.com and/or http://www.zeitgeistfilms.com/film.php?directoryname=troublethewater&mode=downloads
HEALTHY YOU! Learn the importance of knowing your family health history.
By: Tibberly G. Rìchard
*Ever wonder why your health care provider asks so many questions about your family’s health history? The answer is very simple. Learning about your family health history is one of the keys to disease prevention and staying healthy longer. According to Medline Plus and the Center for Disease Control, your family history includes health information about you and your close relatives and is an important risk factor for problems like heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer. CDC explains a risk factor as anything that increases your chance of getting a disease.
Knowledge of family history can help predict risk because families share genes, as well as other factors that affect health, like environment, lifestyles and habits. Research shows that having a family member with a disease raises your risk, but it does not mean that you will definitely get the disease. Knowing that you are at risk gives you a chance to reduce that risk by following a healthier lifestyle and getting tested for specific diseases as needed. It is also recommended that you talk to relatives about their health background. Having copies of medical records and death certificates is also helpful.
The Department of Health and Human Services developed a list of questions and answers to help you get started. There are additional links at the end of these questions to further assist with your health research.
What is family health history?
Family health history refers to information about diseases and health conditions that affect you and your close blood relatives. Family health history is one of the most important risk factors for diseases like cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. (A risk factor is anything that increases your chance of getting a disease.) Family health history information can be collected and recorded to help determine your risk of developing certain diseases.
Why is it important to know my family health history?
Family members share their genes, as well as their environment, lifestyles and habits. A family health history helps identify people at increased risk for disease because it reflects both a person's genes and these other shared risk factors. Knowing your family health history can help your doctor or other health professional predict your risk for developing diseases and help you make changes to reduce your risk.
How can knowing my family health history help lower my risk of disease?
You can't change your genes, but you can change behaviors that affect your health, such as smoking, inactivity and poor eating habits. People with a personal or family history of chronic disease may have the most to gain from making lifestyle changes. In many cases, making healthy changes can reduce your risk of disease even if you have already had the disease or if the disease runs in your family.
Another change you can make is to participate in screening tests, such as mammograms and colorectal cancer screening, for early detection of disease. Screening tests can also detect disease risk factors like elevated cholesterol and blood pressure, which can be treated to reduce the chances of developing additional health problems. People who have a family history of a chronic disease may benefit the most from screening tests that look for risk factors or early signs of disease. Finding disease early, before symptoms appear, can mean better health in the long run.
What aspects of family health history affect my risk of disease?
Everyone's family history of disease is different. The key features of a family health history that increase risk are:
Diseases that occur at an earlier age than expected (10 to 20 years before most people get the disease).
Disease in more than one close relative.
Disease that does not usually affect a certain gender (for example, breast cancer in a male).
Certain combinations of diseases within a family (for example, breast and ovarian cancer, or heart disease and diabetes).
If a family has one or more of these features, then the family history is an important risk factor for disease.
Sometimes, a pattern of disease in a family may be a sign of an inherited form of disease that is passed on from generation to generation. In these families, the risk for disease may be very high and disease may occur at young ages. Often a specialist trained in genetics can help determine whether someone has an inherited form of disease. Genetic testing may also help identify which family members are at risk. These family members can get screening tests and take steps to reduce their risk.
If I don't have a family history of disease, does that mean I am not at risk?
Even if you don't have a history of a particular disease in your family, you could still be at risk for the following reasons:
Your lifestyle, personal health history and other factors also influence your chances of getting a disease.
Your family could have a history of disease that you don't know about.
Your family members may have died young, before they had a chance to develop chronic diseases.
My mother had breast cancer. Does this mean I will get cancer, too?
Having a family member with a disease suggests that you may have a higher chance of developing that disease than someone without a similar family health history. It does not mean that you will definitely develop the disease. Genes are one of many factors that contribute to disease. Other factors to consider include lifestyle habits, such as diet and physical activity.
If you are at risk for breast cancer, consider following recommendations for a healthy diet and regular exercise. It is also important to talk with your physician about your risk and follow recommendations for screening tests (such as mammograms) that may help to detect disease early, when it is most treatable.
Because both of my parents had heart disease, I know I have "bad" genes. Is there anything I can do to protect myself?
First of all, there are no "good" or "bad" genes. Most human diseases, especially common diseases such as heart disease, result from the interaction of genes with environmental and behavioral risk factors that can be changed. The best disease prevention strategy for anyone, especially for someone with a family health history, includes reducing risky behaviors (such as smoking) and increasing healthy behaviors (such as regular exercise).
How can I learn about my family health history?
The best way to learn about your family health history is to talk to your family. Ask questions, catch up at family gatherings, draw a family tree and record health information. If possible, look at death certificates and family medical records to confirm the information you have collected.
What information should I collect and record in my health family tree?
The type of information to collect includes:
Major medical conditions and causes of death.
Age of disease onset and age at death.
Ethnic background.
General lifestyle information like heavy drinking and smoking.
Who are the most important relatives to include in my family health history?
Collect information about you, your children, siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and nieces and nephews.
What if I am adopted and can't find information about my family health history?
Not everyone has access or knowledge about every member of their family's health history, so there may be blank areas. If you are adopted, the challenge may also include accessing family medical information from birth parents. The National Adoption Directory Search (http://www.childwelfare.gov/nad/) is a resource that may help with this process. It offers information about searching for birth parents.
What should I do with the family health information that I collect?
After you collect and record the information about your family health history, you should share it with your doctor or health professional. Remember to keep your information updated, share it with your siblings and children and pass it on to your children so that they too will have a family health history record.
What will my doctor or health care professional do with the information?
Your doctor or health professional will assess your risk of disease based on your family health history and other risk factors. Your health professional may also recommend things you can do to help prevent disease, such as exercising more, changing your diet or using screening tests to detect disease early.
Will sharing my family health history with my doctor or other health professional be used to discriminate against me?
The family health information you share with your doctor or other health professional will be treated like any other health information in your medical chart. There are laws that protect the privacy of medical records. Learn more about privacy and your health information. http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/consumer_summary.pdf (PDF)
Where can I find more information about family health history?
The following Web sites provide additional information on family health history:
The U.S. Surgeon General's Family History Initiative http://www.hhs.gov/familyhistory/
CDC's Family History Website for the Public http://www.cdc.gov/genomics/public/famhist.htm
EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE
"Your future is created by what you do today, not tomorrow" — Robert Kiyosaki
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Sept. 9: Singer Luther Simmons (The Main Ingredient) is 66. Singer Dee Dee Sharp is 63.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
Not just a bridal showcase, but www.BlackBridalGuide.com is a community where brides can chat with other brides about their pre and post-wedding experiences.
Submit your favorite Web site to us along with a 15-20 word (or less) description to info@eurweb.com.
BLACK HISTORY
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