ALFONSO RIBEIRO FILES FOR DIVORCE: Actor also prepares for new Fox reality series "Celebrity Duets."

      *Alfonso Ribeiro, the original Tap Dance Kid and star of such sitcoms
as "Silver Spoons" and "Fresh Prince of Bel Air," has reportedly filed for
divorce from his wife Robin after four years of marriage.
      
      According to TMZ.com, Wednesday's filing cited irreconcilable
differences as the reason for the split. The couple got married in January
2002 and have one child together, 3-year-old Sienna.
      
      According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Ribeiro is seeking
joint legal custody of Sienna, while physical custody will remain with his
wife. The documents also outline the couple's visitation plans; alternate
weekends and Wednesday afternoons.
      
      As Ribeiro's marriage comes to an end, his professional career may or
may not get a jolt with the Aug. 29 premiere of "Celebrity Duets," a new
reality show from FOX that pairs real singing stars with non-singing
celebrities in a talent competition.
      
      Ribeiro was revealed in a recent promo as one of the non-singers to
be paired with a veteran. Smokey Robinson, Patti Labelle, Chaka Khan, Dionne
Warwick, Macy Gray, Aaron Neville and Brian McKnight are among the
previously announced professionals to take part in the show.

      Each week, the celebrities will be paired with a different recording
artist. The show will follow the pros' mentoring of the stars each week as
they choose songs and perform popular duets live in front of a panel of
judges, a studio audience and television viewers.
      
      As previously reported, the series will premiere with a two-hour
episode Tuesday, Aug. 29 (8:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT) on FOX (encoring Thursday,
Aug. 31 8 to 10 p.m. ET/PT on FOX). Beginning Thursday, Sept. 7 (9-10 p.m.)
"Celebrity Duets" will air live in its regular Thursday night time slot.
 

MTV STANDS BY TOON SHOWING BLACK WOMEN ON LEASHES: Network president says it's called satire.

      *MTV president Christina Norman is responding to anger within the
African American community over an aired cartoon that depicts black women
being led around on leashes as dogs.

      As previously reported, MTV2's half-hour animated series "Where My
Dogs At," which pokes fun at pop culture and celebrity, aired an episode
last month in which a Snoop Dogg character leads two bikini-clad women
around on leashes.  The women squat down on their hands and knees, scratch
themselves and defecate on the floor. At the end of the episode, the Snoop
character curbs his women with a rubber glove.

      With exception to the pooping, Norman, an African American, said the
July 1 episode was meant to satirize an actual appearance the rapper made,
flanked by two women on leashes.
      
      "We certainly do not condone Snoop's actions and the goal was to take
aim at that incident for its insensitivity and outrageousness," MTV
spokesman Jeff Castaneda said in a statement Wednesday. "Even one of the
dogs, a main character on the show, states, 'I find that degrading and I am
a dog.'"
      
      Critics, however, aren't buying the satire explanation. New York
Daily News columnist Stanley Crouch said the episode was dehumanizing, and
questioned the show's depiction of such behavior as "real" black culture.

      Meanwhile, the network said it had not decided whether it will ban
the episode from ever airing on the channel again; nor has MTV announced
whether the series will return for a second season.

ERNIE HUDSON MASTERS HOLLYWOOD GRIND: Actor stars in TNT movie Sunday, Snoop film in Nov. and ABC's 'Housewives' in the fall.

      *Know this, we'll be seeing a whole bunch of Ernie Hudson before the
year comes to an end.

       The Benton Harbor, Michigan native keeps his Hollywood hustle tight
with a number of high profile roles on the big and small screen, including a
plush recurring role on the upcoming third season of ABC's "Desperate
Housewives."

      "I'm playing a detective who's trying to investigate a series of
murders," Hudson told EUR's Lee Bailey of his role. "We shot the first
episode that I'm involved with [within the past two weeks], and I'm still
waiting to see how many [episodes]. I know it will run pretty much
throughout the season."

      Also in the fall, Hudson will appear in Snoop Dogg's "Hood of
Horror," a feature film in a style echoing "Tales from the Crypt."

      Hudson, who admittedly took the gig with some hesitations, said the
finished product "actually turned out not bad for a horror movie."
      
      Due in theaters Nov. 4, the hip hop horror anthology features three
tales narrated by Snoop Dogg, who goes by the tag Hound of Hell.
      
      Hudson explains: "It's Snoop Dogg who goes to hell and he comes back
to do...I don't know, do something. Anyway, he has a hood, and in the hood
these awful things happen. And I star in the second episode with some
Vietnam vets."
      
      Despite his initial reservations, Hudson said he had a good time
during the shoot and felt that the finished product was quite entertaining.
      
      "I saw it at the L.A. Film Festival and the audience really responded
well, so people like it," he said. "And I must say I really enjoyed working
with Snoop, too. I wasn't sure what to expect, but he turned out to be
pretty dedicated to what he was doing, certainly very professional and a
very nice young man."
      
      Hudson had similar compliments for actor Matthew Perry, his co-star
in Sunday's TNT original movie, "The Ron Clark Story." Perry takes the title
role as a remarkable 6th grade teacher who leaves behind a productive run in
his native North Carolina for the challenge of teaching in Harlem, NY -
enough said.

      The class, predictably, is filled with a bunch of disrespectful,
unruly 11 and 12-year-olds when Clark first encounters them, but throughout
the course of the school year, he takes personal interest in the students,
and soon they are shaped and molded into a tight outfit of obedient
individuals and academic marvels. 

      Have we seen this before? Many times. Hudson thought so, too, when
he first started reading the script. But the 60-year-old actor was swayed to
participate in the project by the fact that it is based on the experiences
of a real teacher.

       "I get that whole Tarzan syndrome, you know, he goes in the jungle
and cleans up the natives. But then when you start to get into the story,
and once I realized who it was and read a couple of his books, you see that
here's a guy who really has made a difference," Hudson says of Perry's
character. "Also, the good thing is there are actually people who go out
there to make a difference and at some point so much help is needed, you
kind of go, 'I don't care who does it, as long as somebody does something.'"

      In the film, Hudson plays Principal Turner, a strict administrator
who runs the Harlem school with a hardened weariness rooted in years and
years of witnessing kids fall by the wayside. When Clark begs for the chance
to take over a class vacated by another teacher who buckled under the
pressure, Turner reluctantly gives in, but keeps a close eye on the new
blood and his unorthodox methods.

       "He's tough, and he's also up against a lot," Hudson explains.
"He's dealing with what his idea of reality is. ...We've gotten to a place
in our society where unfortunately we see that a lot, where people just
figure they've figured it out and they don't wanna hear it. Even though
somebody comes along and says, 'Hey, we can do this different,' it's like,
'Nothing works, I know it and don't even.' So unfortunately, that's a lot of
what goes on. A lot of things get overlooked because people don't want to
risk stepping out there and taking a chance."

      Hudson made certain that his character didn't fall into a Hollywood
version of the hard-nosed principal who runs things with neither heart nor
reason. "I knew that I just didn't want him to be the evil principal all the
way through," he said, noting that Turner softens up a bit toward the end.
      
      Another convention of the so-called "white savior" genre that birthed
such films as "Dangerous Minds" and "Mississippi Burning" is the diminished
role that African Americans often play in their own stories. Hudson says his
experience was just the opposite in "The Ron Clark Story."
      
      "I'm glad, being a black male figure, to have been a part of this,
because sometimes we get left out of those stories," he said. "I'm really
glad I found this project, because once we get past all the stereotypes and
our own biases, it's a wonderful story about a guy who's still out there
making a difference, and that's really important."

SWIZZ BEATZ TO PRODUCE SONG FOR GLOBAL PEACE: Track to debut during Intl. Day of Peace Concert in September.

      *Swizz Beatz has signed on to produce a new track aimed at promoting
peace efforts around the globe. The song is to have its world premiere
during the International Day of Peace Concert on Sept. 21.

      The famed rap producer, who has collaborated with such artists as
Mary J. Blige, Busta Rhymes, Whitney Houston and Beyonce, will shuffle
through his Rolodex to assemble multiple acts for the as-yet-untitled
project.

      "Swizz Beatz is a perfect example of the caliber of artists who will
be participating in the International Peace Concert," stated the concert's
producer Rick Garson of Garson Entertainment. "This is a global opportunity
for celebrities, musicians and world leaders to reach out and communicate to
the rest of world how we can all join together in the road towards peace."
      
      The concert, to be taped for a two-hour television special, will
feature live acts on a main stage, and videotaped performances from around
the world on a second stage. All proceeds will be donated toward a peace
initiative.
      
      For more information on the International Day of Peace Concert please
visit www.Internationaldayofpeaceconcert.com.

GOAPELE TO BE HONORED FOR HER ACTIVISM: Bay Area based Ella Baker Center to give singer Human Rights award.

      *Neo Soul star and political activist Goapele will be honored with
the first ever Human Rights Cultural Hero Award on Sept. 14 by the Bay Area
based Ella Baker Center during its 10th Anniversary celebration, "Tribute to
a Dream."
 
      "It is truly an honor to be honored by members of the community that
have worked tirelessly for over a decade to build a future that we can
actually look forward to," said the artist, a native of Oakland, CA.
      
      Born Goapele Mohlabane to an exiled South African political activist
father and New York-born Jewish mother, the singer began her career
performing at rallies and demonstrations in the Bay Area.
      
      Goapele (which means "to go forward" in Setswana, the South African
language of her grandmother) has launched a new Web site to go along with
her new album "Change It All" on Skyblaze/Columbia. The Internet spot,
www.changeitall.org, provides a place to network and get inspired by those
who are making innovative moves in arts, business and activism nationwide.

FERGIE BUILDS 'BRIDGE' TO NO. 1: Furtado falls to No. 3; 'Shoulder Lean'
tops R&B/Hip Hop Chart.

      *Since its release on July 17th, Fergie's single "London Bridge" has
had a historic three week run - rocketing from No. 84 to No. 1 to achieve
the chart's second biggest leap in Billboard Hot 100 history.
 
      The Black Eyed Peas (BEP) member ends the six-week reign of Nelly
Furtado and Timberland's "Promiscuous," which falls to No. 3 this week
behind Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" at No. 2.

      Fergie, currently on a North American tour with BEP, will drop her
debut solo album "The Dutchess" on Sept. 19 via BEP member will.i.am's
imprint, will.i.am Music Group/A&M Records.

      Elsewhere on the chart, Cassie's "Me & U" falls 3-4, the Pussycat
Dolls' "Buttons" featuring Snoop Dogg scoots up 6-5 and Beyonce's "Deja Vu"
featuring Jay-Z slides 4-6. Sean Paul's "(When You Gonna) Give It Up to Me"
featuring Keyshia climbs 12-7 and is the Hot 100's greatest airplay gainer.
      
      Christina Aguilera's "Ain't No Other Man" ranks No. 8 spot, Yung
Joc's "It's Goin' Down" drops 7-9 and Panic! At The Disco's "I Write Sins
Not Tragedies" rises 15-10.
      
      Elsewhere on the chart, Brooke Hogan's "About Us" featuring Paul Wall
scores this week's top debut at No. 53. Also new are Jibbs' "Chain Hang Low"
(No. 69) and Monica's "Everytime Tha Beat Drop" featuring Dem Franchize Boyz
(No. 94).

HOWARD HEWETT BACK WITH NEW STUDIO ALBUM: Twelve year absence to be bridged by romance-heavy LP.

      *There must be something in the air over former members of Shalamar.
On Tuesday, Jody Watley released her solo album "The Makeover," ending a
three year absence from the music scene. Days later, her Shalamar band mate,
Howard Hewett, announced that he will have a new pop/R&B album in stores for
the first time since 1994.

      Known for such solo hits as "I'm For Real," "Stay" and "Show Me,"
Hewett is currently writing and recording the as-yet-untitled album for
Groove Records, the Legacy Label division of multi-media entertainment
company The Machine Productions.
 
      "We are so happy to complete this deal with Howard. He is a personal
favorite of mine and we are privileged to have him on board as the anchor to
our legacy catalogue of artists," says The Machine's Director of Business
Development Ralph Johnson, a founding member of Earth, Wind & Fire.
 
      "He is the rightful heir to the throne left empty by the likes of
Luther Vandross and Marvin Gaye, and this album will be proof positive that
Howard is back as an R&B icon," Johnson said in a statement.

      In the 12 years since his last R&B studio LP "It's Time," Hewett has
been busing touring the world. In 2003, he released an inspirational album
titled "The Journey." He has also recorded over the years with Babyface and
jazz stars George Duke, Brian Culbertson, Joe Sample and The Rippingtons

CASSIE EMBARRASED BY OLD VIDEO: Plus, singer dishes on Omarion, Bow Wow and reveals crush on Pharrell.

      *Within hours of Cassie's performance of "Me & U" on BET's "106 &
Park" Tuesday, the footage was up on You Tube and being passed around the
Internet with folks adding comments about her vocal challenges - to put it
nicely. (View clip below.)

      The 19-year-old former model, who celebrated this week's release of
her self-titled Bad Boy album with a bash at Marquee in New York City
Wednesday night, is in the midst of a promo tour that also took her to New
York radio station Hot 97 earlier in the day.

       According to Vibe.com, the singer was put in the hot seat about
gentlemen callers who have come a'knockin' since her arrival on the music
scene. Host Angie Martinez asked if anyone in the industry had tried to get
at her yet. To Martinez, and later to host Funk Master Flex, she revealed
that Omarion and rapper Bow Wow have both used second parties to get her
attention.

      Omarion "didn't do it himself. His little brother came over and gave
me his number," she told Flex during his show. "Bow Wow sent his info
through somebody too."

      A New London, Connecticut native of Filipino, Mexican, West Indian
and black heritage, Cassie also dismissed comparisons to Ciara, stating,
"I'm nothing like her," but later clarifying to a caller that she is "a fan
of hers."

      The Web site also reports that Cassie revealed a little crush on
Pharrell when asked who, of anyone in the industry, could "get it." Flex
also asked her to rate several industry dudes on a scale of 1 to 10, 10
being the best.
      
      Here were her responses: Ne-Y 7; Omarion: 7; Flava Flav: 2; Bow
Wow: 8; Derek Jeter: 5; Jay-Z: 7; Justin Timberlake: 7; Juelz Santana: 6;
Dwayne Wade: "I don't know who that is." Yung Joc: 7. "That's because I know
him." Young Jeezy: 5; T.I.: 10! "He definitely gets a 10. But, for the
record, I exchanged info with his girl. I'm not that type of chick."

      In closing, Cassie told Flex that she was extremely embarrassed by
the first video shot for "Me & U," which features a more sexually explicit
depiction of the song and has also popped up on the Internet.

OPENING THIS WEEK: Kam's Kapsules -- Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
For movies opening August 11, 2006
By Kam Williams

BIG BUDGET FILMS

Pulse (R for violent and disturbing images) Fright maven Wes Craven wrote the script for this horror flick about an evil computer virus which proceeds to terrorize some cute college coeds after the suspicious suicide of their hacker pal (Jonathan Tucker) who might have warned the world about this impending wireless menace.

Step Up (PG-13 for mature themes, brief violence and sexual innuendo) Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan co-star in this love across the tracks romance about a prima ballerina from a privileged suburban background who finds the perfect partner in a break-dancer who perfected his moves on the mean streets of Baltimore. Supporting cast includes Oscar-nominee Rachel Griffiths, rapper Heavy D (sans "The Boyz").

World Trade Center (PG-13 for profanity, disturbing images, and intense and emotional content) Oliver Stone's take on 9-11 approaches the terrorist attacks from the perspective of the two NYC transit police (Nicolas Cage and Michael Pena) who were the last people pulled alive from the wreckage at Ground Zero. Cast includes Maggie Gyllenhaal, Stephen Dorff, Maria Bello, William Mapother and Nicholas Turturro.

Zoom (PG for brief rude humor, mild epithets and acton) Tim Allen stars in this family comedy as a retired superhero coaxed out of retirement to train a ragtag team of private school kids as the next generation of intrepid crusaders. With Chevy Chase, Courteney Cox, Rip Torn and Cornelia Guest.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

Conversations with Other Women (R for sex and expletives) Second chance drama about ex-lovers (Aaron Eckhart and Helena Bonham Carter) reunited by chance after 20 years at a wedding reception where their flirtatious behavior leads to a night of play, passion and reflection in a hotel room, despite the fact that she's married and he's currently in a relationship.

Half Nelson (R for sex, expletives and drug use) Inner city drama chronicles the unlikely friendship forged between a crack-addicted, white school teacher (Ryan Gosling) and one of his students (Shareeka Epps), a precocious13 year-old who is aware of his problem. Cast includes Anthony Mackie as a dirty drug pusher.

Hamilton (Unrated) Slice-of-life drama, set in Baltimore, examines 48 hours in the troubled relationship of a teen mom (Stephanie Lizzi) and the 20 year-old (Christopher Myers) who accidentally impregnated her.

House of Sand (R for graphic sexuality) Three generation drama, opening in Brazil in 1910, traces the ordeal of a woman (FernandaTorres) dragged to a barren desert by an abusive husband who promptly dies, leaving his wife behind to spend the next 60 years trying to escape a dreary existence amidst the dunes. With Fernanda Montenegro as the widow's mother. (In Portuguese with subtitles)

The Ordeal (Unrated) Belgian horror flick about an itinerant saloon singer (Laurent Lucas) whose car breaks down in the woods where he finds shelter at a secluded inn run by a psycho (Jackie Berroyer) intent on subjecting his guest to a series of unspeakable horrors. (In French with subtitles)

Satellite (Unrated) Modern fable, set in New York City, about the whirlwind romance of two strangers (Stephanie Szostak and Karl Geary) who meet on the street in midtown Manhattan and fall so in love over the course of a weekend that they impulsively to quit their jobs, sell all their possessions, and promise to never lie to each other. Trouble is they soon need to steal to survive, plus she's hiding a big secret which could wreck the relationship.

The Trouble with Men and Women (Unrated) Battle-of-the-sexes melodrama revolves around the recovery of a young guy (Joseph McFadden) just dumped by his girlfriend (Neve McIntosh) who dates a lot of losers till his best friend's (Matthew Delamere) girl (Kate Ashfield) drops a hint that she's looking for someone more romantic.

KATRINA BITS: McConaughey's car helps Oprah charity; Dr. Phil films in N.O.;
Mayor Nagin criticized for wanting anniversary fireworks.

      *Oprah Winfrey's Angel Network will receive $61,600 toward its
Hurricane Katrina and Rita recovery efforts thanks to actor Matthew
McConaughey, who earned the amount by auctioning off his 1971 Corvette
Stingray on eBay. As previously reported, the Texas-born actor announced
that he would auction his beloved automobile with profits earmarked for
hurricane relief efforts through Oprah's charity. The Web site indicated
that 72 bids were received, but did not immediately reveal the winning
bidder's identity.

       *Dr. Phil headed back to New Orleans this week to film episodes of
his daytime talk show, which are scheduled to air in the coming weeks. The
TV psychologist, whose real name is Phil McGraw, took his show to New
Orleans a year ago when much of the region was still under water following
Katrina's Aug. 29 impact.  Dr. Phil was also expected to host a benefit
concert last night for first-responders and their families. R&B singer Brian
McKnight, jazz pianist Allen Toussaint, comedian Jeff Foxworthy and country
music duo Brooks & Dunn were scheduled to perform at the New Orleans Arena.
This week, McGraw revisited many of the people and places he saw in the days
following the storm.

      *New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin announced a number of events Wednesday
to mark the storm's one-year anniversary. A jazz funeral-style parade,
including a march starting in the hard hit Lower Ninth Ward, was announced
as part of the program. Also planned is a pre-anniversary human chain around
the Superdome, where many were trapped for days in unspeakable conditions
during the storm. Also, bells are scheduled to ring at 9:38 a.m., when the
first levee was breached on Aug. 29.
      
      Many citizens were angered at news of Nagin's initial plan to have
fireworks commemorate the disaster, which killed 1,339 people in the region,
according to the National Hurricane Center. Nagin, whose wife, Seletha, is a
chair of the city planning committee, said the city had not been the
organizer of the fireworks. Still, some residents expressed outrage.
      
      "This man wanted to have a celebration. What are we supposed to
celebrate? That we lost everything?" asked jazz station WWOZ disc jockey Bob
French, who criticized festive plans and Nagin on his morning show this
week. "We should line up that day, get about 10 black caskets or more, put
'em on the street, get about eight or nine jazz bands, and do a funeral,"
French told Reuters. "If we keep going in the direction we are going in, we
will be dead and buried."

MUSIC BITS: DMX No. 2; Young City arrested; Big Boi wants Kate; Arie goes
gold.

      *DMX's new album "Year of the Dog ... Again" entered the Billboard
200 album chart this week at No. 2, ending a streak of five No. 1 debuts for
the artist. The Sony Urban release sold 126,000 copies, not enough to
dethrone the compilation album "Now 22" at No. 1, but enough to claim the
top spot on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums tally for a sixth time. However, this
is the lowest opening week sales tally of DMX's career.

      *Former Da Band member Young City, a.k.a. Chopper from MTV's "Making
the Band 2," was arrested on July 31 after being pulled over for speeding.
The rapper, whose real name is Rodney Hill, was detained after authorities
discovered that he had an outstanding warrant in Baltimore on an armed
robbery charge. According to his spokesperson, Hill is being held without
bond in a Gwinnett County, Georgia jail while he awaits extradition to
Maryland.

      *OutKast member Big Boi is reportedly seeking the production talents
of British artist Kate Bush for his upcoming solo album. "She actually
emailed me. I want her to produce two or three songs on my solo record," the
rapper, born Antwan Patton, was quoted as saying by Contact Music. "She
said, 'Whenever you come to England, you can come stay with me and camp out
and we can make it happen.'" Famous for her idiosyncratic literary lyrics,
and meticulous musical and production style, Bush debuted in 1978 with the
hit single "Wuthering Heights."
      
      *India.Arie's new album, "Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship,"
has been certified gold with sales of over 500,000 units in the U.S. Her new
single, a cover of the Don Henley classic "Heart of the Matter," ships to
radio this week. The artist will also head to Europe this month before
launching a national tour in the U.S. beginning in late September. As a U.S.
Ambassador for UNICEF, she will embark on another goodwill trip to Africa in
the fall.

FILM/TV BITS: 'Dreamgirls' footage; Whitaker's Amin film at London Film
Fest; 'Big Black Comedy'; 'Devil' disses UN.

      *DreamWorks is offering video content from its upcoming movie musical
"Dreamgirls" at the film's official Web site www.dreamgirls.dreamworks.com.
Footage includes a "Making Of" featurette containing interviews with
co-stars Beyonce and Jennifer Hudson, as well as an interview with
director-screenwriter Bill Condon. The film adaptation of the Tony-winning
Broadway play also stars Eddie Murphy, Jamie Foxx and Danny Glover in the
story of a girl group and its troubled rise to fame. The "Teaser Trailer" is
also available for viewing on the Web site.

       *"The Last King of Scotland," which stars Forest Whitaker as Ugandan
dictator Idi Amin, will open the London Film Festival on Oct. 18, organizers
said Wednesday. With "Last King," Oscar-winning documentary director Kevin
Macdonald helms his first feature, which details the story of a Scottish
doctor who winds up as chief physician to the Ugandan tyrant. The cast also
includes James McAvoy and Gillian Anderson.

      *"The Big Black Comedy Show Box Set," a DVD boxed set featuring such
comedians as Mo'Nique, Michael Colyar, John Witherspoon and Joe Torry, will
be released on Oct. 17 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. The
five-disc collector's set is highlighted by the never-before-released Volume
5, which includes comedians Yvette Wilson, Wanda Smith, Scruncho and Tony
Tone.

       *A new film about Rwanda's 1994 genocide puts the United Nations on
blast for not doing enough in the early stages of the conflict. "Shake Hands
with the Devil" is based on the book by Romeo Dallaire, the former Canadian
general in command of U.N. forces in Rwanda at the time who was so
traumatized by his failure to stop the massacres he later tried to kill
himself. "It is really about the bigger issue of what the U.N. role is in
situations like these," director Roger Spottiswoode told Reuters.
Spottiswoode said the film was particularly timely given the calls on the
U.N. to intervene to end the war in Lebanon, and the ongoing efforts to send
a U.N. force to address Sudan's troubled Darfur region.

EVENT CALENDAR: True Worship Retreat; Judge Mathis' Detroit Expo; UNCF
honors Rawls; Freeman, Cheadle flicks at Toronto Film Fest.

      *Lance Williams and True Worship Ministries presents the True Worship
Retreat, billed as an outing to help "further equip and educate the Body of
Christ in the area of worship." The event is scheduled to take place from
Sept. 7-9 in Rahway, New Jersey at the Agape Family Worship Center (501 E.
Hazelwood Ave.). An estimated 3,000 men, women and young adults will be in
attendance, as will several vendors and other corporate sponsors. Among the
notables scheduled to attend are Richard Smallwood, Donald Lawrence, Walter
Hawkins, Tye Tribbett and Kim Burrell. A portion of the proceeds will be
donated to the Make a Wish Foundation. For more information and
registration, call 732-545-9301 or visit www.trueworship.org. 

      *TV's Judge Mathis will host the 5th Annual Detroit Youth &
Education Expo, to be held Saturday, Aug. 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the
Wayne County Community College, the Downtown Detroit Campus (1001 Fort
Street). The Expo is free to the public. The Youth & Education Expo is a
non-profit event created by the former inner-city street youth-turned-judge
as part of his ongoing effort to empower the community. Judge Mathis will
share his own personal insights on how to overcome life's challenges and
obstacles.

      *The Sept. 8 and 9 taping of "An Evening of Stars Tribute to Aretha
Franklin," benefiting the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), will be the
first time in 28 years that the UNCF's annual TV special will be produced
without legendary performer Lou Rawls, who died in January at the age of 72.
But Rawls, who is credited with originating the idea for the event in 1979
and helping the UNCF to raise over $200 million for minority scholarships,
will be remembered on the 28th anniversary of the program with a special
award bearing his name. The Lou Rawls-UNCF Award will be given to an artist
whose career exemplifies Rawls' passion for ensuring that minority youth
receive a quality college education. The first recipient of the accolade
will be announced Sept. 8 during the taping at the Kodak Theatre in
Hollywood.
      
      *Films starring Morgan Freeman, Don Cheadle and others have been
added to the roster of screenings scheduled for the Toronto International
Film Festival, to take place Sept. 7 through 16.  Among the world premieres
announced Tuesday are "The Dog Problem," described as a "shaggy dog story"
starring Cheadle, Mena Suvari and Giovanni Ribisi; and "10 Items or Less,"
starring Freeman as an aging Hollywood icon who falls for a young female
checkout clerk.

SPORTS BITS: Thomas denies harassment; E. Johnson denied bail; Serena wins
in Cali; Alonzo honored for service.

      *New York Knicks coach Isiah Thomas filed a 12-page court document
Wednesday denying that he sexually harassed a former team executive, the New
York Daily News reported Thursday. Anucha Browne Sanders, the Knicks' former
senior vice president of marketing and business operations, claims she was
fired in January "for telling the truth" while alerting team execs of the
alleged harassment. She has accused Thomas of telling her he was "very
attracted" to her, "in love" with her and trying to kiss her. In Thomas'
court filing, he acknowledged that he once touched Sanders on the shoulder,
and may have even tried to kiss her on the cheek. But he insisted he did
nothing wrong.

      *NBA veteran Eddie Johnson, 51, was denied bail Wednesday in Ocala,
Fl. on charges of sexually assaulting an 8-year-old girl. Johnson requested
to represent himself, but Marion County Judge John Futch assigned him a
public defender. The former guard from Auburn, who played with the Atlanta
Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Seattle SuperSonics, is accused of entering
the apartment where the young victim was staying while her mother was out.
The girl told detectives Johnson ordered her into a bedroom, where he
sexually assaulted her, according to the police report. He then told her
"not to tell anyone about what just happened," and tried to kiss her before
leaving, the report stated. He was charged Tuesday with sexual battery on a
child under the age of 12 and residential burglary. He has also been charged
with sexual battery and burglary in the rape of a 25-year-old woman Aug. 6
at an Ocala motel room. Johnson, (not to be confused with the Eddie Johnson
who is now a television analyst with his former team, the Phoenix Suns), was
being held at the Marion County jail.

      *Serena Williams is on a tear at the JPMorgan Chase Open in Carson,
CA. The tennis star, ranked 110th, advanced Wednesday by beating Ashley
Harkleroad 6-3, 6-2 in a second-round match. She ousted 11th seeded Maria
Kirilenko of Russia in Tuesday's first round, and her next opponent will be
seventh-seeded Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia. Williams lost to Hantuchova
in the Australian Open in January, and then didn't play again until
Cincinnati last month. "I'm a much better player than I was in Australia,"
Williams said. "I'm much more fit, I'm much more ready. I'm in a better
place."

      *Alonzo Mourning of the Miami Heat was named recipient of the NBA
Community Assist Award for the month of July for his flagship charitable
event, "Zo's Summer Groove." In its 10th year of existence, "Zo's Summer
Groove" benefits Alonzo Mourning Charities' network of organizations which
include 100 Black Men of South Florida, Children's Home Society of Florida,
Honey Shine Mentoring program and the Overtown Youth Center, and has raised
over $6 million. Mourning is the fourth Heat player to win the award,
joining Lamar Odom (May 2004), Dwyane Wade (August 2004) and Shaquille
O'Neal (December 2004).
 

PHILLY PULLS CONTROVERSIAL HIV ADS: PSAs urging HIV testing depict young black men in a gun's crosshairs.

      *A Philadelphia-based marketing campaign thought it was making a
bold statement about the importance of HIV testing by developing ads
depicting young black men in the crosshairs of a gun.

      It may have served as a political statement for rap group Public
Enemy, who adopted a similar image as its logo, but the concept did not go
over well for the HIV awareness campaign, which has since been pulled amidst
outrage by a gay advocacy group, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer.

      "Putting the face of a black man in the crosshairs of a gun paints a
damaging message about violence and black men," wrote Lee Carson, chairman
of the Black Gay Men's Leadership Council, in a letter to the city's interim
health commissioner Carmen Paris. "Given the violence perpetrated against
gay men, it is not farfetched to see how this campaign fosters violence."

      The $236,000 campaign, geared at gay and bisexual men, included the
tagline, "Have YOU been hit?"

      According to the newspaper, Paris said that she "inherited" the
campaign and only recently saw the ads. She added, "The right thing to do,
of course, is not to promote any message that could be perceived as
promoting violence."
      
      The campaign premiered May 19 with ads on buses, television,
postcards and a Web site, http://www.dontguess.org. The ads were taken down
from the Web site earlier this week. 
      
      Zigzag Net Inc., the marketing company behind the campaign, said the
idea for the campaign followed months of research involving two focus
groups, which helped to evaluate the most effective themes.
      
      "We are aware of objections to the campaign," project manager Aaron
McLean said. "However, we acted under the explicit direction of the city
Health Department. The response in the focus groups was very positive."
      
      Philadelphia is one of many cities struggling with an increase in gun
violence: 238 people had been murdered in the city through Sunday, compared
with 215 at the same time last year.