MOVIE THEATERS TO BROADCAST INAUGURATION: MSNBC deal places coverage in 27 U.S. locations.
*Tuesday's historic inauguration of Barack Obama will be broadcast in 27 movie theaters around the country under a new deal between MSNBC and advertising company Screenvision.
Free tickets are being handed out via MSNBC.com to see the inauguration and parade from 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. ET at the 27 theaters run by
11 exhibitor partners in 21 markets.
Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow, Chris Matthews and other MSNBC and NBC personalities will play the big movie screen in addition to the usual MSNBC cable and satellite stream. High-definition won't kick in until the second quarter, but both the channel and Screenvision say the quality will still be high.
"It'll look great," MSNBC president Phil Griffin said. "We're thrilled about it."
'NOTORIOUS' SCREENWRITER VS. LIL KIM: Reggie Rock Bythewood responds to rapper's aversion to screenplay and film; Kim releases statement.
*The screenwriter for the Biggie biopic "Notorious" is firing back at allegations made by Lil Kim that "most of the story is bullsh--" and that the actress who portrays her on screen never reached out to her.
As previously reported, Lil Kim told Hip-Hop Weekly that she has not seen the film, and believed Biggie's wife, Faith Evans, and his mother, Voletta Wallace, were responsible for pushing her out of the project.
Evans denied that accusation, saying the movie was adapted from the book, "Unbelievable: The Life, Death and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.,"
by Cheo Hedari Coker (although the film is actually an original story written by Coker and Reggie Rock Bythewood).
Now, one of the writers of the screenplay, Bythewood, is speaking out in defense of Kim's presence in the film.
"When I was brought onto the project, I requested to speak with Kim,"
Bythewood told MTV News on Saturday via e-mail. "Once I was granted access, I was blown away by the two-hour phone interview [we had]. She is a complex person. She is a sister with a lot of vulnerability and a lot of strength.
Much of what she told me went directly into my next draft. Unfortunately, she was slipped a draft that was written before our conversation. She was angry at the producers and I did not get to speak with her again."
Kim told Hip-Hop Weekly that she received a copy of the script and also viewed the audition reel of Naturi Naughton, who ended up playing Kim after auditioning several times. According to Kim, though, the former 3LW singer was the worst of the potential crop to play her.
Coker told MTV News on Monday (January 12) that the copy of the script obtained by Kim was a draft that leaked at the time, and said he believes that once Kim sees the completed project, she'll be satisfied with the account of events. He also went on to say that the fans will have the opportunity to see a sympathetic side of Kim in "Notorious" that they may not have been exposed to for quite some time.
Bythewood also defended the final script, despite it not including every detail.
"Some of what I wrote about Kim did not make it in the final version of the script," he wrote. "Those decisions were made not just by me but by the studio, director and producers. In a film like this, it is hard to put everything in. However, my aim was to present a real-life human being beyond the icon we know. Biggie did right by her at times. He also did her wrong at times. In spite of that, there was deep love and caring between them. Though Lil Kim has been victimized at times, she has never remained a victim. I think director George Tillman and Naturi Naughton, who plays Lil Kim, did a great job revealing that."
Lil Kim released a statement on Tuesday clearing up her stance on the movie. She said: "The film studio and producers involved were more concerned about painting me as a 'character' to create a more interesting story line instead of a person with talent, self-respect and who was able to achieve her own career success through hard work."
She added: "Even though my relationship with Big was at times very difficult and complicated (as with most relationships we have all experienced at one time or another), it was also genuine and built on great admiration and love for each other. Regardless of the many lies in the movie and false portrayal of me to help carry a story line through, I will still continue to carry his legacy through my hard work and music."
CHRIS ROCK TO WRITE ANOTHER BOOK: Untitled project to be filled with 'comedic observations.'
*Comedian Chris Rock, 43, has been tapped by Grand Central Publishing to write a new book tentatively scheduled for release next year, reports the Associated Press.
The as-yet-untitled tome, the first since his 1997 book "Rock This,"
will reportedly be full of "comedic observations."
"We are so excited to be publishing Chris Rock, especially because he hasn't published a book in many years so this one will be highly anticipated," said Deb Futter, vice president and editor-in-chief of hardcovers at Grand Central Publishing.
Other comedic authors with book projects under Grand Central include Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.
KANYE UPSET OVER VIBE COVER: Singer wonders why photo shows him with grey hairs in his beard.
*Kanye West took to his blog recently to rail against his photo on the cover of Vibe magazine.
The picture appears to show specks of grey hair in his beard – something the artist says came out of nowhere and reminds him of Brad Pitt's character who ages backwards in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."
"I DON'T HAVE GREY IN MY BEARD IN REAL LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
West wrote on his blog. "I'M ALL DOWN WITH BEING IN MY 30'S BUT DAAAAAAAAMN!!!! THIS IS SOME BENJAMIN BUTTON'S SH*T!"
Meanwhile, West is set to weigh in on another type of design when he serves as judge of Wallpaper's Design Awards, reports NME.
BIZZY BONE BEATEN AND ROBBED: Rapper's bling taken during incident last week at Los Angeles hotel.
*Bizzy Bone of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony was beaten and robbed of his jewelry Friday at the Universal Hilton Hotel, which has been hosting the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour since Wednesday.
While journalists were inside being introduced to a new crop of cable programming, cops were outside arresting 30-year-old Marlo "Bow Wow" Jones, a contract worker for local anti-gang organization United One. He is currently behind bars with bail set at $1.1 million, reports E! Online.
Bizzy, whose real name is Bryon McCane, cofounded Bone Thugs-N-Harmony in the early 1990s with Krayzie Bone, Layzie Bone and Wish Bone, and hit No. 1 with "Tha Crossroads."
A reunion of all the members, including onetime fifth member Flesh-N-Bone, is said to be in the works.
SIRIUS XM TO COVER INAUGURATION ACROSS 17 CHANNELS: 'Oprah & Friends,' 'Foxxhole' among outlets.
*SIRIUS XM Radio will offer extensive uninterrupted coverage of the inauguration ceremony as well as special broadcasts with commentary and interviews across 17 channels.
The participating channels are dedicated to liberal, conservative, independent, African American and LGBT communities. SIRIUS XM Radio will also simulcast on CNN, CNN En Espanol and Fox News Network, and will offer a channel dedicated to Washington, D.C. area traffic and weather.
Gayle King will devote several broadcasts to the inauguration on the Oprah & Friends channel from Washington, including a special two-hour live post-inauguration broadcast with special guests from the SIRIUS XM Radio studios near the Capitol.
Jamie Foxx and The Foxxhole, his exclusive 24/7 SIRIUS XM channel, will also broadcast live from Washington with co-hosts Claudia Jordan and Speedy Caldwell.
Below are additional details of SIRIUS XM Radio's Inauguration Day
coverage:
OPRAH & FRIENDS
• Gayle King continues her in-depth coverage and celebration of Obama's journey to Washington on The Gayle King Show, her exclusive daily show. The Gayle King Show will air January 19th and January 20th from 8 am - 9am ET.
The Inauguration Day show will feature a special interview with Inaugural Poet Elizabeth Alexander - the fourth poet in American history invited to recite a composition at a presidential inauguration. On January 21st at 1 pm ET, King will host a live two-hour post-inaugural special from the SIRIUS XM Radio studios near the US Capitol in Washington, DC. King and a wide variety of notable guests will explore this history-making event from every angle and take calls from around the country.
• On January 20th at 10 am ET Dr. Maya Angelou will examine what it means to be American today and the notion that we are more alike than not during this historic time on The Dr. Maya Angelou Show. Dr. Angelou will be joined by Americans from all walks of life, including people from mixed race families, and people representing the political spectrum. Korean violinist Sonia Lee will also perform the version of the national anthem she will play at the inauguration.
JAMIE FOXX'S THE FOXXHOLE
• Jamie Foxx's The Foxxhole will continue its unprecedented coverage of Barack Obama's ascendance to the White House. On Inauguration Day, January 20th, Jamie Foxx and Foxxhole radio hosts Claudia Jordan and Speedy Caldwell will be live from Washington, DC to cover the historic event. The Foxxhole - SIRIUS channel 106 and XM channel 149 - is Jamie Foxx's exclusive 24/7 comedy and entertainment SIRIUS XM radio channel. Foxx serves as executive producer of the channel and hosts a live, weekly show.
THE POWER
• The Power, the nation's only 24/7 radio channel exclusively dedicated to African-American talk programming, will begin its inaugural coverage at 6 am ET on XM channel 169 with host Joe Madison, "The Black Eagle," live from Capitol Hill. The channel's coverage will continue with Joe Madison's live broadcast from the rooftop of the Comcast building overlooking the inaugural ceremony and parade.
• At 1 pm ET, Reverend Al Sharpton will take to the air with his coverage of the inauguration as he follows the parade through the streets of Washington, DC.
• The Power host Armstrong Williams will pick up the coverage at 9 pm ET with interviews from celebrities, entertainers, sports stars and elected officials from several balls and the inaugural ceremony earlier in the day.
Armstrong Williams' guests will include Dr. Maya Angelou, Mary J. Blige, Kevin Liles, Actor Robert Davi, Shirley Caesar, Senator John McCain, Senator Lindsey Graham, Dr. Ben Carson, and Dr. Dorothy Height.
'WENDY WILLIAMS SHOW' TO RETURN IN JULY: Syndicated talker cleared in more than 70 percent of U.S., including all top 20 markets.
*"The Wendy Williams Show," which enjoyed a successful trial run last summer in limited markets, has been cleared in more than 70 percent of the United States for a nationally-syndicated debut in July.
Debmar-Mercury has given a firm production commitment to the talk show, which will premiere in all of the top 20 markets and 45 of the top 50.
Fox, CBS, NBC, Local TV, Tribune, Lin, Cox, Raycom, Meredith and New Vision, will carry the program, which will be taped live daily in New York City.
The syndicator has also concluded a multi-year deal with All Mobile Video, which will house the show in the facility that served as the long-term home of "The Montel Williams Show."
"Rather than commit to an untested show based on the premise of a five-minute sales tape, stations across the country have eagerly sought out 'The Wendy Williams Show' because they know it works extraordinarily well, based on the stellar ratings and tremendous buzz it generated last summer during an unprecedented six-week preview on Fox's New York, Los Angeles, Dallas and Detroit stations," Debmar-Mercury Co-President Mort Marcus said.
Fox committed to "The Wendy Williams Show" after seeing ratings increases in key demographics versus the May sweeps, including every key demo in New York and Los Angeles. The 30 preview episodes were spearheaded by Emmy-winning talk show veteran Rob Dauber, formerly co-executive producer of Martha and supervising producer of "Oprah Winfrey" and "Rosie O'Donnell."
'ATL HOUSEWIFE' SHEREE DROPS DIVORCE APPEAL: Reality show star says her ex is broke anyway, so what's the use.
*The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is reporting that Sheree Whitfield of "Real Housewives of Atlanta" has dismissed her divorce appeal after considering the dismal financial state of her ex-husband, former Atlanta Falcons player Bob Whitfield.
The one-time athlete has squandered his fortune and failed to pay child support for his two children for 15 months, Sheree's lawyer, Michael Weinstock, said Monday.
“The man hasn’t paid a dime” in child support, Weinstock said. “Mr.
Whitfield’s going to have to figure out how to pay the money.”
Weinstock made the claims during arguments before the Georgia Supreme Court in which he and Bob Whitfield’s lawyer, Christopher Olmstead, leveled accusations at one another. Olmstead argued that Sheree, 38, or her lawyers, should fork over $2,500 in penalties for bringing a frivolous appeal.
“This is an affront to the court,” Olmstead said. “The icing on the cake, the cherry on the sundae” arrived Monday morning when Sheree Whitfield’s lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the appeal, he said.
Weinstock countered that the appeal was filed for legitimate reasons but the issue is now moot because Whitfield is broke.
USHER'S WINE BAR CLOSES SHOP: Grape franchise opened three years ago in Inman Park.
*The Inman Park franchise of the Grape opened by Usher in late 2006 has closed, according to its parent company.
The wine bar, bistro and wine retailer, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, did not reopen once the New Year rolled around and did not renew its liquor license with the Georgia Department of Revenue.
Currently, three local branches of the Grape remain: in the Vinings Jubilee shopping center, Phipps Plaza and Atlantic Station. The Atlanta-based Grape Enterprise Group Inc., which both owns and franchises shops mostly throughout the Southeast, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November.
When Usher first met with reporters at the opening of the Inman Park branch wearing a cabernet-purple blazer, his plan was to start franchises in locales as far flung as Shanghai and South America. Those plans never came to fruition.
ANGELOU CONTENT TO WATCH INAUGURATION AT HOME: Poet who recited work at Clinton's first swearing-in will remain in Winston-Salem.
*Poet Maya Angelou, who recited one of her works at Bill Clinton's first inauguration, said she'll be at her home in Winston-Salem, N.C. on Jan. 20, watching – with pride – Barack Obama's ceremonies on television.
"I shall enjoy those and not miss one flicker of the camera. Not one flick," the 80-year-old writer told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. "I shall be somewhere between crying and praying and being grateful and laughing when I see faces I know."'
For Clinton's inauguration in 1993, Angelou wrote and read her original composition, "On the Pulse of Morning." She was the first poet to read at an inauguration since Robert Frost did so for John F. Kennedy in 1961.
As previously reported, Angelou said she didn't expect to be called upon again and was eager to hear poet Elizabeth Alexander, whom Obama chose to be a part of his ceremony.
"It gives another person a chance to stand in that light, to have that kind of exposure, and she's a fine poet," Angelou said. "... I just know it's going to be great."
TONY DUNGY'S EMOTIONAL FAREWELL: NFL coach announces retirement; looks forward to more time with family.
*With tears in his eyes and a catch in his throat, Tony Dungy announced his retirement from the NFL on Monday, leaving his Indianapolis Colts to chase another Super Bowl title under his successor, Jim Caldwell.
"Don't shed any tears for me," Dungy said at the press conference.
"I've gotten to live a dream that most people don't get to live. What phase two will be, we'll find out. But phase one has been awfully special."
The 31-year NFL veteran informed the assistant coaches of his decision in the morning, met with some players throughout the day and concluded by trading hugs and tears with team owner Jim Irsay and team president Bill Polian.
Dungy said he is looking forward to spending his days away from football with his family and on volunteer work.
"I want to do something more with my family and something that would connect more with my goals," he said. "Where my heart is, is really with our young men right now. We have so many guys that didn't grow up like me, didn't have their dad there and that's something I'm very, very interested in."
Dungy became the first black coach to win a Super Bowl, the first to make 10 straight playoff appearances, the first to win 12 games in six straight seasons. His regular-season winning percentage of .668 is fifth all-time among coaches with at least 100 wins and his 10.7 regular-season wins per year is the best among that group, too.
Dungy was the Tampa Bay head coach for six seasons, exiting as that franchise's career leader in victories (54). Now seven years later, he leaves Indianapolis as its franchise leader (85). In 13 seasons, Dungy went 148-79, won six division titles and appeared in three conference championship games — one in the NFC and two in the AFC.
He entered the league as an assistant in 1981 when there were few black coaches in the NFL. In 1996, Dungy finally got his first head coaching job in Tampa and used the opportunity to help open doors for young coaches and minority candidates.
Graduates from his Buccaneers staff include Kansas City coach Herm Edwards, Pittsburgh's Mike Tomlin, Chicago's Lovie Smith and former Detroit coach Rod Marinelli. And now Caldwell.
BYRON PITTS CEMENTS '60 MINUTES' SPOT: Journalist hired as contributing correspondent, becoming lone African American contributor.
*CBS News correspondent Byron Pitts will be joining the Sunday news magazine "60 Minutes" as a contributing correspondent, according to the National Association of Black Journalists.
A longtime and committed member of NABJ, Pitts will become the program's only African-American contributor, following the footsteps of the late Ed Bradley. Pitts also has been promoted by CBS News as its chief national correspondent.
"Byron Pitts brings the kind of humanity to his reporting that inspires and challenges the viewer to not only watch but get involved in the world around them; this will bring a new and improved layer to the already thought-provoking content of '60 Minutes,'" said Barbara Ciara, NABJ President and UNITY: Journalists of Color Vice President. "At a time when diversity in content and people is more important than ever, 60 Minutes has made a wise choice - one that enhances the program and provides an example of excellence in journalism."
Before being named national correspondent in 2006, Pitts served as a regional correspondent at CBS News bureaus in Miami and Atlanta before moving to New York City in 2001. The Emmy Award-winning Pitts received the NABJ Journalist of the Year Award in 2002 for his coverage of the 9/11 attacks.
UNRELEASED TRACKS FORM NEW LEFT EYE CD: Missy Elliott, Lil Mama, Bobby Valentino and TLC members make guest appearances.
*Never-before-heard material from late TLC member Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes will be released on a new album titled "Eye Legacy," due Jan 27.
The first single, "Lets Just Do It," features Missy Elliot, and her former TLC cohorts T-Boz and Chilli. Other artists appearing on the album include Lil Mama and Bobby Valentino.
"Eye Legacy" is the first solo album from Left Eye to be released in the U.S. It contains never before heard tracks and some remixes from her International album "Supernova."
The disc also contains a DVD of never-before-seen footage of Lisa in Honduras, where the artist was vacationing when she was killed in a car accident.
DOC CHANNEL MARKS BLACK HISTORY MONTH: African American-themed films to also be streamed online.
*The Documentary Channel (DOC) will celebrate Black History Month every Wednesday at 8 p.m. in February by airing documentaries related to African American history.
DOC will begin its tribute by presenting the 1968 Oscar nominated “A Time For Burning” on Feb. 4, followed by “No Short Climb: Race Workers & America's Defense Technology” on Feb. 11, “Have You Seen Drum Recently” on Feb. 18, and “New York Noir: The History of Black New York” on Feb. 25.
The Black History Month telecasts will also be made available in their entirety through live streaming on the network’s YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/documentarychannel).
“We are honored to telecast special programming in honor of Black History Month by premiering these thought-provoking documentaries to both television and online audiences for the first time,” says Tom Neff, CEO and founder of The Documentary Channel, launched in January 2006. “We have ambitious plans in 2009 to offer unprecedented documentary content through our new broadband capabilities, and February is a great opportunity for DOC to help viewers and online visitors become more familiar with our network’s new channel on YouTube.com.”
OBAMA CHOOSES FCC CHAIRMAN: President-elect picks former Harvard law classmate as nominee.
*President-elect Barack Obama has chosen his former Harvard Law classmate Julian Genachoswski as nominee for chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, according to reports.
Genachowski, who has served as Obama's technology advisor, has held several posts at Barry Diller's Internet media business IACI and has previously been a chief counsel for former FCC Chairman Reed Hundt, chairman under former President Bill Clinton.
The nominee is expected to face two big upcoming Internet-related issues. The first is Obama's ambitious plan to invest in broadband technology expansion as part of his economic stimulus package.
The second more challenging issue is Net neutrality, the idea of an open and level Internet for all players regardless of their size. The FCC chair will attempt to manage the expectations of Internet service providers, content companies and everyday consumers.
But the first order of business for Genachowski, should he secure the post, will be ensuring the congressionally mandated conversion to digital television on Feb. 17 goes smoothly. Obama aides have backed an idea to delay the planned transition to avoid millions of televisions going blank.
EDDY CURRY SUED BY FORMER CHAUFFEUR: Driver says NBA star wanted him to touch his genitals.
*New York Knicks center Eddy Curry, whose played a total of two minutes this year, is being sued by his ex-chauffeur for trying to get the driver to touch his genitals, reports TMZ.com.
David Kuchinsky's lawsuit alleges the baller repeatedly tried to make him handle his genitals while nude, saying, "Look at me, Dave, look" and "Come and touch it, Dave."
He's also alleged to have called Kuchinsky "a cracker" and "white devil" and "grandmaster of the KKK." Curry is also accused of pointing a fully loaded gun at the driver.
The NBA star denies the charges, telling the Web site: "It's false, and everyone who knows me knows I'm not a racist. I've never made a comment like that, playing, or nothing ... That's incredible, man."
FAITH EVANS EXPLAINS ATTRACTION TO B.I.G.: 'He always said the right thing and always made you laugh,' she tells Essence.com
*Essence.com sat down with Faith Evans to discuss her initial attraction and marriage to Christopher "Notorious B.I.G." Wallace in advance of Friday's release of his biopic "Notorious."
In the piece, titled Holding Her Own, the late rapper's ex-wife and mother of their 12-year-old son came clean about watching her tumultuous marriage unfold on the big screen, allowing her son to play the dad he never knew, and why she and everyone else loved Big Poppa.
Here is an excerpt from the Q&A...
ESSENCE.COM: Overall, are you content with the film?
EVANS: I am happy. I can't say there aren't some discrepancies within the film because it's not like I was a creative partner in the film. Of course, there are things that I know aren't correct. For instance, a particular song might not have been out when a certain incident occurred. The people who are watching won't know but those of us who lived it will. A perfect example is the one scene in the studio with me, Lil' Kim and Biggie—I don't remember that happening and it might have been tension between them that I was unaware of, and it happened when we were separated. I didn't know that happened before. No matter what your walk in life is, you get to know B.I.G.
through his words. The footage from the day of the funeral was one of my favorite scenes because I was right there in the limo, and although there is no footage of Ms. Wallace inside the car, Angela Bassett captured her exact look. It was powerful. Seeing all those people who were out there for Biggie that day made it more of a celebration. It was a perfect ending to that day.
ESSENCE.COM: What did you think of your son's acting debut?
EVANS: No, actually Wayne Barrow [one of the producers ] called when they finally got the deal and said, "I'm thinking it would really be dope if he auditioned and was able to get the part." So we had an acting coach work with him two times, and after he auditioned, we said let's wait and see. At first I was against it because I didn't want to disrupt his school, because it was his first year in junior high. He was the last kid to audition and they said he nailed it. He is so shy I was shocked. He really impressed the [casting director]. One woman said, "Oh, no wonder, he's his son!" But I'm like, No, he didn't get this role as a courtesy; he was the last kid to audition and got it. I was so proud of him. I was the momager on set with him and all I kept thinking was, This is CJ, saying his lines on cue! He's even more reserved and laidback than his dad, so it was interesting to watch him. If it wasn't this project, I wouldn't have let him do it, but this is a special project and I believe it was meant for him to do it because he didn't know B.I.G., and he learned a lot about his dad from this film. He was nervous when he found out he had to curse in the film and asked if I was okay with it. And he hated the tutor, and I had to give him my Debbie Allen speech like, "You want fame? Well fame cost, baby!" (Laughs.)
ESSENCE.COM: Do you think the film provided an accurate portrayal of you and Biggie's whirlwind romance and volatile marriage?
EVANS: Well, they changed some things. For example, we were together for two months before we married, not nine days. And again, the scene with Lil' Kim, Biggie and me in the studio—I wasn't aware of what was going on, but I would say overall they did a great job.
ESSENCE.COM: Folk often speculated that your shotgun wedding was to help jumpstart your career, but you were working behind the scenes before B.I.G.
ever came along. Will you please clear the air about that?
EVANS: Yes, I had a career before I met B.I.G. He wasn't popular like that when we met. I never paid that much mind. We both came out the gate on Bad Boy and God aligned it that way. If we weren't making hot records, I don't think that would even be a discussion. People often asked me what attracted me to B.I.G and I tell them he had a certain charm that was his little activation switch to turn people on to him. He always said the right thing and always made you laugh.
Read the entire Essence.com interview with Faith Evans here: http://www.essence.com/news_entertainment/entertainment/articles/faith_evans_notorious
STUDENTS SHOT AT J-HUD'S OLD HIGH SCHOOL: Three males in serious condition; two in critical from shootout at Dunbar.
*Five students at Jennifer Hudson's former high school in Chicago were shot Friday in what police are calling a possible gang-related drive-by following a school basketball game, reports the Associated Press.
Five males - three in serious condition and two in critical - were rushed to the hospital from Paul Laurence Dunbar Vocational Career Academy around 8 p.m., said Chicago Fire Department spokeswoman Eve Rodriguez. Hospital spokespeople said later that at least three were expected to be treated and released.
The basketball game was in overtime and some students began to leave the building when a vehicle drove up and a person or people inside began firing into the crowd, said Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis.
At press time, no suspect had been found, but the shooting was “isolated” and possibly gang-related, Weis said. Two hundred officers were in the area looking for suspects, he said.
Andres Durbak, director of the city schools’ Office of Safety and Security, said video taken in and around the school has been handed over to authorities. Police spokeswoman Monique Bond declined to characterize the victims beyond gender and would not say whether they had attended the basketball game. She added that they were “not necessarily students.”
INAUGURATION DAY TO BE A LOGISITCAL NIGHTMARE: Even members of Congress will go through hoops just getting to the ceremony.
*Fox411's Roger Friedman has posted a memo sent to his column on Monday regarding logistics and security for the Obama Inauguration. Here it is – in its entirety:
RE: Logistics and Security for the Presidential Inauguration
All gates for the entrance to the Swearing-In Ceremony will open at 8 a.m.
All Swearing-In Tickets will be color-coded. Ticket-holders much enter through the coordinating color entrance for access to their standing/sitting area. EVERYONE will need to go through a line.
Your House ID will NOT grant you access to the U.S. Capitol. It will be closed to everyone but Members wearing their pins and spouses wearing their pins. Members and their Spouses will be requested to enter the Capitol through the Rayburn or Cannon Tunnels or by the South doors of the Capitol.
Again, it was emphasized that they wear their pins for entry.
The music will start at 9:45 a.m.
10:00 a.m. Members will assemble in the House Chamber.
10:20 a.m. Members will depart the House Chamber for the Platform.
10:30 a.m. Members will arrive at the Platform.
10:00 a.m. Spouses will assemble at H-324 of the Capitol.
10:15 a.m. Spouses will be escorted to the seated section FOUR on the lawn.
An Inaugural Lunch will be served for members and spouses only.
A Charter Bus will transport members and spouses to the parade after the Swearing-In. NO ONE ELSE CAN RIDE THE SHUTTLE.
All major roadways may close early on January 19. They are still formalizing these plans.
The following entrances for driving into the Capitol Compound will be open for Members and Congressional Staff with ID to park their autos (if they normally drive and park): Second and C Streets, SE; First and D Streets, SE, New Jersey and D Streets, SE.
People with disabilities will be allowed special access at South Capitol Street and E and North Capitol Street and E. Their requests must be made ahead of time by calling 202-224-4048.
The US Capitol will be closed to tours from 5:00pm on Saturday, 17 January until 9:00am on Wednesday, January 21, 2009. As you can imagine, Wednesday, January 21 will be very crowded in the US Capitol, so please plan accordingly.
All the regional balls will have staggered start times and the times below are when the doors open:
5 p.m. Home States Ball (HI/IL & DE/PA) at Washington Convention Center
5 p.m. Mid-Atlantic Ball at Washington Convention Center
5 p.m. Mid-West Ball at Washington Convention Center
5 p.m. Western Ball at Washington Convention Center
6 p.m. Military Ball for all service/military both reserved and active duty at the National Building Museum
7 p.m. Youth Ball at the Washington Hilton for those who are 18 to 35 years old
8 p.m. Eastern Ball at Union Station
8 p.m. Southern Ball at the Armory
There will be a National Prayer Service at the National Cathedral at 11:30 a.m.
TOM JOYNER ANNOUNCES INAUGURATION COVERAGE: Morning show will broadcast live from D.C. Jan. 19 through 21.
*The Tom Joyner Morning Show will be in Washington D.C. covering the historic inauguration of our first black president with live broadcasts, special guests and exclusive programming from Jan. 19 – 21.
The radio show will offer unprecedented coverage of the historical occasion, including exclusive interviews, surprise guests and award-winning commentary on the official and unofficial events of the week. Additional coverage, information, and exclusive content will be available on BlackAmericaWeb.com.
Airing live each day from 6 to 10 a.m., Joyner, together with co-hosts Sybil Wilkes and J Anthony Brown, will be live from one of D.C.’s most celebrated neighborhood restaurants, Ben’s Chili Bowl, in a broadcast to commemorate the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, Monday, Jan. 19.
The show that day will feature special on-air guests to help observe the holiday as well as the show’s regular weekly contributors, including Roland Martin, Jacque Reid, D.L. Hughley and others.
The TJMS will have a history-making “party with a purpose” on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, when the crew will spread out around the city to keep listeners informed of every activity of the day, including broadcast spots on Constitution Ave, Pennsylvania Ave and the U.S. Capitol. Plus, listeners can join in the “BlackAmericaWeb.com Blog Party” as well for “man on the street” insights from special news correspondents.
TYSON, LA SALLE NO 'STRANGER' TO HALLMARK: Actors to appear in family drama premiering in March.
*Cicely Tyson, Michael Michele, Eriq La Salle and Michael Beach star in the upcoming Hallmark Channel Original Movie “Relative Stranger,” a family drama premiering Saturday, March 14 (9/8c).
After learning of the death of his overbearing father, former football hero Walter Clemons (La Salle) comes home to Los Angeles to claim his share of the estate. Having abandoned his family six years earlier, Walter is in for a tough trip – a visit which involves dealing with the hurts he inflicted on his wife, Charlotte (Michele), their children, Denise (Davis) and Andy (McCullers) and his own brother, James (Beach), who has become a surrogate father to the kids.
Can he count on his mother (Tyson) to help him through this emotional obstacle course, or is it best for all that he return to the empty life from which he came?
While Andy was too young to remember his father – or his leaving - the wounds are still far too fresh for teenager Denise, herself a young athlete, who has no interest in seeing her father return to cause more harm.
His estranged wife and brother have each moved on in their own way, challenging Walter’s relationships with both. His elderly mother, wise with age, tries to guide the family through their struggles with one another – but will Walter, a recovering alcoholic, be able to survive the emotional onslaught his family brings to the table, as well as his own?
IT'S OFFICIAL – NO MORE 'PRISON BREAK': Wentworth Miller's four-year run comes to an end this season.
*After four seasons, the cell door has slammed shut for good on Fox's "Prison Break."
The show, starring Wentworth Miller as an escaped convict on the lam, "had a hell of a run, but the run has ended," Fox president Kevin Reilly told reporters Tuesday at the TV Critics Press Tour. "This will be the last year of the show."
According to Reilly, the decision to axe the drama was made from a creative standpoint. "The show has just played out. You get to a point creatively where you feel all the stories have been told, and you want to end strong and not gimp out in the end of the season," said Reilly.
Fox will air the four remaining episodes, and are contemplating a "couple more" hours to complete the series – possibly to be presented as a TV movie, which Fox did with "24" earlier in the season as "24: Redemption."
"They have a really cool ending, actually," said Reilly. "I know where they end, and it's a hell of an idea."
HIDDEN BEACH TO RELEASE 'OBAMA SOUNDTRACK': Wonder, Kravitz, will.i.am, Bebe, Common among featured artists.
*Hidden Beach Records head Steve McKeever and movie music supervisor Bonnie Greenberg have been assembling a special CD tied to Barack Obama’s inauguration, reports Fox411 columnist Roger Friedman.
The “Obama Soundtrack,” due in stores on Inauguration Day (Jan. 20), was finished this past weekend and features a dozen stars, including Stevie Wonder, who contributed an original track called “All About the Love Again.”
Friedman writes: "The single, destined to be Wonder’s biggest hit in more than a decade, is a sizzling fresh slice of R&B, very updated and ready to embrace in remixes, etc."
Other artists on the album include Maroon 5 with their own new track, “Pure Imagination (2009),” plus will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas, Sheryl Crow, Lenny Kravitz, India.Arie, Melissa Etheridge, Usher, James Taylor, Jennifer Hudson, Death Cab for Cutie, Ozomatli, Robin Thicke, The Tony Rich Project, Wilco, Bebe Winans, rapper Common, Lionel Richie, and Melissa Etheridge.
The album includes a DVD containing several speech clips from the president-elect. The CD also intersperses pieces of Obama speeches throughout the new songs.
"McKeever and Greenberg, with an even bigger committee, worked tirelessly to put together a combination of artists and songs based on the songs’ themes and lyrics, too," Friedman wrote. "Unlike most compilation CDs, the 'Obama Soundtrack' is full of new, catchy very hot material — no retreads or musty pieces from the vaults.
"All the artists, I am told by sources, were paid on the same level no matter how big or small they considered themselves. And that, I’ve heard in the music industry, caused a little problem as the always charming Warner M.
Group refused to make deals for any of their artists including anything from the Atlantic vaults. I’m sure, in fact, that Aretha Franklin has no idea that requests for a couple of her classic tracks like 'A Change is Gonna Come'—were declined. The M in WMG now stands for Miserly."
MICHELLE OBAMA TO CO-HOST KIDS' INAUGURAL: Sasha and Malia's favorite group – the Jonas Bros – just added as headliners.
*Soon-to-be First Lady Michelle Obama will co-host the Kids' Inaugural: We Are the Future concert, which just added the Jonas Bros. as headliners, the Presidential Inaugural Committee announced Tuesday.
The pop-rock trio, a favorite of First Daughters Malia and Sasha Obama, will headline the kid-friendly event on Jan. 19 at the Verizon Center.
Other performers on the bill include Miley Cyrus and her dad Billy Ray, rapper Bow-Wow and Demi Lovato. Dr. Jill Biden will co-host the concert along with Mrs. Obama, and Rihanna, Usher and Shaquille O'Neal will make special appearances.
The concert honors military families and will air on the Disney Channel at 8 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 19.
ITTY BITTY BITS: 'Broken' numbers; First Dog search; BlackGirlTravel; Compton High's celebrity b-ball game; Gabriela Montero; SCLC King event.
*"Not Easily Broken," the Bill Duke-directed film starring Taraji P. Henson and Morris Chestnut, opened in ninth place over the weekend and played mostly to an audience of mature women. Based on a novel by Bishop T.D. Jakes, the drama is the latest faith-based film to break into the box office top ten, grossing $5.6 million in just 724 theaters across the nation for a strong $7,735 per screen average. The other movies in the top 10 averaged about 2,950 theaters each.
*The great search for First Dog has been narrowed down to two hypoallergenic breeds: Portuguese water hound and Labradoodle. President-elect Barack Obama promised daughters Malia, 10 – who has pet allergies – and Sasha, 7, that he would buy them a dog if he won the election. Though great with children, the Portuguese water hounds don't like to be left alone for long periods of time. Labradoodles, on the other hand, make ideal family dogs with sweet dispositions and are happy to live a low-key lifestyle, according to People.com.
*BlackGirlTravel is looking for two interns to "travel the world on our dime while writing about your adventures from the black perspective. Your ultimate goal will be to inspire others to travel the world." The internship includes creating content, marketing, research and event coordination for the online travel site. Interested applicants must have excellent writing and communication skills, and a genuine interest in learning about the travel industry. Basic knowledge of HTML would be nice, but not required. Interns must work a mininum of 200 hours to qualify for free international travel. Please email resume, cover letter and one sample of your writing to BlackGirlTravel@yahoo.com.
*Compton High School in Los Angeles (601 South Acacia Ave.) will host a celebrity basketball game on Jan. 17 at 4 p.m. to include Lisa Leslie of the Sparks, Trevor Ariza of the Lakers, and rappers Snoop Dogg, Warren G. and Lil Eazy. The celebs will join coach Michael Cooper in the special fundraising event for Compton Youth Center. Other participants include Brian McKnight, Allen Payne, Arlen Escarpeta, Khalid Reeves, Pooh Richardson and Byron Russell. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased the day of or by phone at (877) 689-7717.
*Venezuelan pianist Gabriela Montero is preparing to perform a special tribute composed by John Williams at the Jan. 20 inauguration, along with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Itzhak Perlman and clarinetist Anthony McGill. "I'm very excited to be part of this great day," said Montero, 38. "It's going to be a great moment for the entire world." The Venezuelan-born pianist, who also is a naturalized U.S. citizen, expects to be the sole Latin American musician performing in the inauguration ceremony. She believes Obama will "bring about a very important and very positive transition" in the United States. Others scheduled to take the stage include soul legend Aretha Franklin.
*The Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Los Angeles (SCLC) will host its 32nd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration tomorrow (Jan. 15) at 6:30 p.m. at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel (506 South Grand Avenue Los Angeles). Honorees this year include P. Miller (Social Justice Entertainer of the Year Award), Bishop Noel Jones of City of Refuge Ministries (Thomas Kilgore Prophetic Witness Award), NAACP board member Willis Edwards (President’s Award), Verizon (Corporate Responsibility Award), SEIU SOULA Local 2006 President Faith D. Culbreath (Rosa Parks Award), and attorney Ricky Ivie (Drum Major Award). TV news anchors Marc Brown and Michelle Tuzee from ABC 7 will serve as the event’s emcees and Mark Allen Felton and Mr. Quick will be the featured entertainment. Other attendees include various federal, state, and local elected officials, celebrities, sports athletes, and community advocates.
JUSTICE DEPT. TO INVESTIGATE BART SHOOTING: Mediators arrive in Oakland to address shooting of unarmed black man by white cop.
*The U.S. Justice Department has sent mediators to Oakland, Calif., to help resolve tensions arising from the fatal New Year's Day shooting of an unarmed black man by a white transit police officer.
The officials are from the department's Community Relations Service, which was created by the 1964 Civil Rights Act to help resolve and prevent racial and ethnic conflict and violence.
DOJ notified California's U.S. senators and Rep. Barbara Lee on Thursday of the deployment, according to a department memo obtained Monday by The Associated Press. The memo says Justice officials will "meet with law enforcement officials and African American community leaders in response to community racial tension."
The officials will conduct an assessment and provide needed follow-up.
EUR FILM REVIEW: Gran Torino
Motor-Mouthed Geezer Befriends Troubled Teen in Motor City Melodrama
Film Review by Kam Williams
*Recently-widowed Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) has a big set of gonads for a grizzled geezer who’s the last white guy still living in a Detroit ‘hood overrun with Asians, Latinos and blacks.
After all, he’s in mourning and emotionally-estranged from his sons, Mitch (Brian Haley) and Steve (Brian Howe), who would like to relocate their dad to a retirement community.
Nonetheless, Walt wants to remain in the rapidly-changing, increasingly-lawless community. But rather than make the acquaintance of any of his neighbors, the gun-toting Korean War vet would rather roam around town like a geriatric Dirty Harry, daring troublemaking knuckleheads to make his day.
For he loves to talk trash, being especially fond of hurling expletives and ethnic slurs at members of every minority group.
He proves to be particularly imaginative when it comes to epithets for the Hmong family who moved in next-door, referring to them as everything from “gooks” to “zipperheads” to “rice niggers” to “chinks” to “nips” to “eggrolls” to “barbarians” to “fish heads” to “swamp rats” to “slope heads.” A friendly female (Ahney Her) invites him over in spite of all the insults, making a peace offering by saying, “I wish our father had been more like you.” Who knows why? Yet, the creepy bigot coarsely responds to the compliment with, “Get me another beer, dragon lady.”
Needless to say, Walt is utterly unlikable, at least until the fateful day that a budding juvenile delinquent (Bee Vang) tries to steal his Gran Torino muscle car as part of a gang initiation. Instead of shooting the thief with his trusty M-1 rifle when he catches him in the act, Walt decides to take pity on the kid after learning that the boy is in dire need of intervention.
Unfortunately, the transition Walt then makes from racist misanthrope into an altruistic father figure focused on his Asian-American protégé as a pet reclamation project is simply unconvincing. That’s not good news for this Motor City melodrama, since it specifically relies upon the chemistry supposedly generated as a friendship is forged between the pair.
Gran Torino is recommended only if you want to see Clint Eastwood uttering a profusion of offensive and profane language, like a senile old coot suffering from adult onset Tourette’s Syndrome. Otherwise, this cross of 8-Mile and Death Wish looks terribly dated, like the desperate last gasp of pre-Obama Era intolerance.
Fair (1 star)
Rated R for pervasive profanity, ethnic slurs and violence.
Running time: 116 minutes
Studi Warner Brothers
To see a trailer for Gran Torino, visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9dy5yCUxOg
EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE
"The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind." — William James
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Jan. 14: Blues singer Clarence Carter is 73. Singer-songwriter Allen Toussaint is 71. Actor Carl Weathers is 61. Rapper Slick Rick is 44. Rapper LL Cool J is 41.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
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of students at predominantly black colleges (www.blackcollegewire.org).
Submit your favorite Web site to us along with a 15-20 word (or
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BLACK HISTORY
Jan. 14, 1895: Blacks organized the National Steamboat Company in Washington, D.C. The company sailed a steamboat, the "George Leary," between D.C. and Norfolk, Virginia. (Source: www.BlackFacts.com)