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09-29-06 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE
AKINNUOYE-AGBAJE LOSES TRAFFIC CHARGES: ‘Lost’ star shows proof of license to Honolulu Court.
*Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje of the ABC series “Lost” had his traffic charges dismissed in Honolulu Wednesday after showing proof that he had a driver’s license, reports the Honolulu Star Bulletin.
The London-born actor was arrested Sept. 21 in Waikiki for disobeying a police officer and driving without a license. Known as Mr. Eko on the popular castaway drama, Akinnuoye-Agbaje was able to prove that he had a California driver’s license at the time of his arrest, said Jim Fulton, a spokesman for the city Prosecutor's Office.
The other charge was dropped because it could not be proven beyond a
reasonable doubt.
Akinnuoye-Agbaje is the latest in a long line of “Lost” cast members
to be cited for traffic violations, including Michelle Rodriguez and Cynthia
Watros in November 2004. Both pleaded guilty last year to charges of drunken
driving. Six other cast members have been stopped for traffic violations,
mostly for speeding, but were not arrested.
“Lost” begins its third season on Oct. 4.
DAMON DASH TO RELEASE NEW ODB ALBUM: ‘A Son Unique’ due Nov. 7 to mark second anniversary of rapper’s death.
*The last studio album from the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard will finally
see the light of day via Damon Dash Music Group, which has scheduled its
Nov. 7 release to coincide with the second anniversary of the rapper’s death
on Nov. 13, 2004.
Titled “A Son Unique,” the CD features Macy Gray, Missy Elliott,
RZA, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Method Man, Fame from M.O.P., N.O.R.E.,
Pharrell and others.
As one of the founding members of the Wu-Tang Clan, ODB has sold over
7 million albums and has gone by just as many aliases, including Osirus, Joe
Bananas, Dirt McGirt, Dirt Dog, Unique Ason and Big Baby Jesus.
After being released from prison in 2003, ODB signed with Damon
Dash's Roc-a-Fella Records. Work on "A Son Unique" began in 2004 with fellow
Wu-Tanger RZA behind the production boards.
FANTASIA’S GHOSTWRITER IS DISGRUNTLED: Writer feels left out after Lifetime ignores her contribution.
*A woman who says she was the ghostwriter of Fantasia Barrino’s
autobiography “Life is Not a Fairytale” has decided to stop being a ghost.
In an exclusive interview with Radar Online, writer Kim Green has
stepped out of the shadows in search of recognition for her work on the New
York Times bestseller, which she says was carried out despite the subject
being unable to read or write.
"I want people to know that I wrote that book," Green told Radar,
adding she found out about Fantasia’s illiteracy after the two had already
begun working on the project.
When Green gave the artist her finished chapters to review, "She'd
say, 'Oh, it's great, I'll read the rest later,'" Green recalls. After
Barrino finally admitted to her reading shortcomings, Green went directly to
publisher Simon & Schuster to suggest damage control. Though she had signed
on as a ghostwriter, Green suggested they list her as co-writer—to avoid the
inevitable questions about how someone who can’t read or write can author a
book.
"I went to them and said, 'I don't want credit, but I don't want
[Barrino] to look dumb, and I think strategically it's not going to be wise
for her to pretend to have written this book.'"
But the publisher refused. Green decided to take her $45,000 check
and keep quiet, even after the nondisclosure period mandated by her contract
expired.
"I didn't want to seem like a troublemaker, and didn't want to burn
any bridges of my own," she says.
But then Lifetime television entered the picture, and all bets were
off.
"Nobody even called me to say 'Do you have any insights? Do you want
to tell us some anecdotes?'" she says of the network, which adapted “Life is
Not a Fairytale” into a two-hour film that aired in August. "I found it to
be so appalling that nobody thought, 'Oh, we should call Kim Green.'"
While Green does not blame Barrino for keeping her out of the loop,
she does question whether the singer, who is reportedly receiving tutoring,
will ever actually read her own book.
"I'm really grateful for the experience, but I was a little soured by
the process," Green tells Radar. "Publishing is the last art form that
doesn't give credit to the people who do the work."
ANDRE 3000 BRINGS ‘CLASS’ TO CARTOON NETWORK: November debut of rapper’s series follows a ‘mocumentary’ setup.
*Cartoon Network is using the old Teena Marie phrase “sophisticated
funk” to describe the vibe of its latest offering, “Class of 3000,” the
animated half-hour series created, voiced and scored by Andre “3000”
Benjamin of OutKast.
The show centers on Sunny Bridges (Benjamin), a music superstar and
Nobel Peace Prize winner who gives up his glamorous life to teach a group of
gifted musical prodigies at his old Atlanta alma mater.
Before the show’s one-hour season premiere on Nov. 3 at 8 p.m.,
Cartoon Network will air the half-hour special “Sunny Bridges: From Bankhead
to Buckhead” on Friday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. The “mockumentary” chronicles the
life of the fictional superstar with interviews from the character's fans
and celebrity friends.
As previously reported, “Class of 3000” will feature a new song every
week from Benjamin within the context of a music video. Benjamin also wrote
and performed the series' theme song.
MOSLEY LIGHTS FIRE UNDER BUDDING NOVELISTS: Author’s upcoming book gives advice on penning a novel in 365 days.
*In his upcoming 100-page book “This Year You Write Your Novel,”
author Walter Mosley will attempt to guide budding writers through the
process of completing a book project within the span of a year.
"People always come to me and say that they really want to write a
novel,” Mosley said in an interview with Reuters. “Some want to do it
because they think it will make them rich, some think it will make them
famous, or become a movie. This (book) is for if you believe there is a
novel in you and you want to write that novel.
“It tells you how to write a novel in a year. I am not saying how
good the novel will be or that it will ever get published. All I am saying
is that you can write a novel. The activity of writing a novel is an
extraordinary thing. This can have a significant impact on your life. At the
end of the book I say congratulations -- and the next one will be better."
Best known for his crime novels starring private detective Easy
Rawlins, Mosley, 54, has written about 20 books throughout his career,
including his latest, “Fear of the Dark.” The story is set in black Los
Angeles in 1956 and is the third in a series starring Paris Minton, the
owner of a used bookstore, and his friend Fearless Jones. Mosley said his
two series of books running concurrently was not deliberate.
“Easy Rawlins is a drama verging on tragedy while Paris Minton is a
drama verging on comedy,” he explained to Reuters. “Inside writing, you know
it is an unconscious activity. It wasn't a deliberate decision to do this.
Easy Rawlins may come to an end. There will be one more book in this series.
It feels like it is final...but it is a hard thing to define."
Mosley had no trouble defining his next novel, “Killing Johnny Fry.”
“[It] has the subtitle ‘a sexistenial novel.’ It uses sex as the
medium for the transition of the character,” he explains. “It uses a lot of
sex. It is a new book for me and something different for me. I am very
excited about it and proud about it. I do something different every two or
three books. I like being able to write in so many different ways and
genres."
WU TANG CLAN TO RECORD ANOTHER ALBUM?: Members would have to set hangups aside to make it happen, says Ghostface.
*Will all nine surviving members of the Staten Island-based rap
outfit Wu-Tang Clan ever be able to share the same studio again and crank
out another album? Group member Ghostface Killah says it depends on the
maturity level of his fellow band mates.
"Certain members is comfortable, and certain members is not
comfortable" with the group dynamic, he told AP following a gig Wednesday
night in Amsterdam. "If we can really come together and ... put aside all
the differences that we had, then we could make a Wu-Tang album. We gotta
square up a lot."
A new studio album would mark the first from the group since 2001.
Meanwhile, the members have kept busy by putting out solo albums. Ghostface,
born Dennis Coles, is currently touring behind his latest effort
“Fishscale.” Long gone are the days when the rapper would don a white mask
on stage to go along with his Kung-Fu-inspired rap moniker.
He explains: "The reason I quit the mask thing, is, it was like,
when I was doing shows with the mask on, people couldn't really hear what I
was saying, you know what I mean?"
KAM'S KAPSULES: Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
For movies opening September 29, 2006
by Kam Williams
BIG BUDGET FILMS
The Guardian (PG-13 for profanity, sensuality, and intense action sequences)
Kevin Costner handles the title role as the veteran instructor of a Coast
Guard rescue course who takes a troubled student (Ashton Kutcher) under his
wing and to Alaska after graduation where the cocky kid learns a valuable
lesson in heroism.
Open Season (PG for off-color language, mild action and rude humor)
ASPCA-endorsed animated adventure about a domesticated grizzly bear (Martin
Lawrence), released in the wild, that forges an unlikely friendship with a
trash-talking deer (Ashton Kutcher) and other forest animals in order to
turn the tables on the humans during hunting season. Voicework provided by
Debra Messing, Jon Favreau, Gary Sinise and Jane Krakowski.
School for Scoundrels (PG-13 for sex, expletives, violence and crude humor)
Stateside remake of the 1960 British comedy stars John Heder as a loser in
love who in enrolls in a confidence-building course in order to summon up
the courage to approach the girl of his dreams (Jacinda Barrett) only to
discover that his unscrupulous teacher (Billy Bob Thornton) has eyes for
her, too. Supporting cast includes Michael Clarke Duncan, Ben Stiller,
Horation Sanz, Luiz Guzman, DeRay Davis,
INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS
Be With You (Unrated) Romantic fantasy about the reincarnation of a
recently-deceased woman (Yuko Takeuchi) who mysteriously appears out of
nowhere to reunite with her husband (Shido Nakamura) and six year-old son
(Akashi Takei) for the duration of the rainy season. (In Japanese with
subtitles)
Facing the Giants (PG for mature themes) Modern morality play, set at a
Christian high school, about a Job-like football coach (Alex Kendrick) whose
faith is tested by his winless team's record and his wife's (Shannen Fields)
till he learns to trust that, through God, all things are possible.
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (R for sex, expletives, violence and drug
use) Flashback flick, set in the summer of '86, revisits the coming-of-age
of a successful writer (Robert Downey, Jr.) who returns to the rough
neighborhood in Queens where he was raised in order to care for his ailing
father (Chazz Palminteri). Big name cast includes Rosario Dawson, Channing
Tatum, Dianne Wiest, Shia LaBeouf and Eric Roberts.
The Last King of Scotland (R for sex, expletives, graphic violence and
gruesome images) Forest Whitaker stars in the title role as Uganda's Idi
Amin in this docudrama revisiting the mercurial dictator's reign of terror
during the Seventies. Cast includes Kerry Washington, Gillian Anderson and
Colin McBurney.
Loud Quiet Loud (Unrated) Tribute rockumentary chronicles the 2004 reunion
tour of The Pixies, punk band formed in 1986 featuring Frank Black, Kim
Deal, David Lovering and Joey Santiago. Inspired performances offset by
offstage warts-and-all concessions to middle age.
The Queen (PG-13 for brief profanity) Helen Mirren handles the title role in
this biopic about the crisis which confronted the British royal family when
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and company were not inclined to mourn
publicly in the wake of the death of Princess Diana. With Michael Sheen as
Tony Blair, James Cromwell as Prince Philip, Sylvia Syms as the Queen Mum.
Wondrous Oblivion (Unrated) Set in London in the Sixties, this
cross-cultural drama revolves around the friendship of 11 year-old Jewish
boy (Sam Smith) who befriends his new next-door neighbor (Delroy Lindo) from
Jamaica in spite of the racist behavior of bigots on the block. (In English
and Hebrew with subtitles)
BRAXTON, WARWICK AMONG TRUMPET HONOREES: Ceremony set for Jan. 22 in Las Vegas.
*Toni Braxton, Dionne Warwick, Donnie McClurkin, CeCe Winans and
Michael Jordan are among the legends to be honored at the 15th Annual
Trumpet Awards, which salutes achievements of African-Americans in such
diverse fields as law, politics, medicine, business, sports and
entertainment.
The black tie ceremony will be held at the Bellagio Hotel in Las
Vegas, NV on Monday, Jan. 22, at 6 p.m., and broadcast for the third year on
TV One. Tapes of the ceremony are made available to schools throughout the
country to provide motivation and role-models to heighten the goals of young
people in many urban communities.
"The Trumpet Awards is not just an evening of glamour and glitz, even
though we look forward to the atmosphere that adds to the occasion," said
Ms. Clayton, Founder, Creator and Executive Producer of The Trumpet Awards.
"The Trumpet Awards sends a message across America and abroad that African
Americans are doing things second to none and that young Black students have
much to emulate and even more to be proud of."
The following is a complete list of the 2007 Trumpet Awards Honorees
and the awards they will be receiving:
* Toni Braxton – Entertainment
* Ed Dwight – The Arts
* Michael Jordan – Goodwill Ambassador
* Donnie McClurkin & CeCe Winans – Gospel Giants
* Justice Alan C. Page – Legal
* Percy E. Sutton – Business - The Pinnacle Award
* Tommie Smith & John Carlos – 1968 Olympic Track Stars
* Dionne Warwick – Living Legend Award
SPECIAL AWARDS
* Nancy G. Brinker – President’s Award
* Dr. Denzil L. Douglas – Global Award
* Prime Minister, St. Kitts and Nevis (British West Indies)
* Orok Duke – Young STAR
* Clint Eastwood – Social Justice
* Hill Harper – The Usher Raymond Altruism Award
* J. Terrence Lanni – Chairman’s Award
EUR BOOK REVIEW: The Confession
by Kam Williams
*"When I made up my mind to behave in public as though I were straight, I
nonetheless carried on sexually with men. Scores of men... [They] were
exclusively furtive encounters, mostly in seedy bookstores or public parks.
I was promiscuous and sexually active in ways I consider immoral and ugly.
And I justified this by telling myself that I had no other choice, that my
sexual urges were irrepressible..
I made a long list of everything I could recall about every sexual encounter
I'd had. I didn't know anybody's name, of course. "
-- McGreevey on his life in the closet
Jim McGreevey was elected Governor of New Jersey in November, 2001, close on the heels of the 9/11 attacks. The next month, his second wife, Dina, after
a very difficult pregnancy, gave birth to their daughter, Jacqueline via
C-section. What is mind-boggling is that McGreevey exhibited little concern
at the time either for his newborn baby or for the safety of the citizens of
his State, the blessed arrival of his little bundle of joy and the
nationwide panic about terrorism notwithstanding.
In "The Confession," an out-of-the-closet autobiography, the disgraced
governor has no regrets about the fact that while Dina was recovering in the
hospital he was busy seducing Golan Cipel, a poet he had fallen in love with
while on a political junket in Israel. Another loveless marriage had led the
philanderer to bring his handsome boy-toy back to the States with promises
of a plumb position in his new administration, squirreling the ex-sailor
away in an apartment nearby his own home.
With his spouse safely out of the house, Jim pounced on the chance to be
alone with "Gole." So finally, after months of shameless flirting and
canoodling which had already raised a few eyebrows, he invited the object of
his injection over for a late dinner. Then, with his N.J. State Trooper
bodyguards stationed right in front of the house, the couple consummated
their torrid affair during an evening of unparalleled passion.
As McGreevey recalls, "It was wrong to do. He was my employee, but I took
Golan by the hand and led him upstairs to my bed. We undressed and he kissed
me. It was the first time in my life that a kiss meant what it was supposed
to mean. It sent me through the roof. I pulled him to the bed and made love
like I'd always dreamed."
Soon thereafter, the governor-erect appointed his secret sweetheart as the
State of New Jersey's terrorism czar, a newly-created position with a
six-figure salary. He did this despite the fact that Cipel had no expertise
in the field, and, as a resident alien, was ineligible for FBI security
clearance.
"The Confession" is a self-serving tell-all which seeks to put a positive
spin on all of the above. In sometimes tasteful, sometimes graphic detail,
it revisits the rise and fall of a political hack, all against the backdrop
of repressed homosexuality periodically unleashed anonymously at truck
stops, in men's rooms, and outside a synagogue.
After finishing this book, I'm not exactly sure what Jim McGreevey was going
for here. But if the idea was to devote most of his memoir whining about the
rhyming gigolo who outed and sued him and ruined both his career and his
marriage, then I suppose he achieved his goal. But if that is the case, a
better title for this collection of just-jilted reflections would have been
simply "Seduced and Abandoned."
The Confession
by James E. McGreevey
Regan Books
Paperback, $26.95
400 pages, illustrated
ISBN: 0-06-089862-3
MUSIC BITS: Kid’s Rap Radio; Elton on the ‘WhitBy’ divorce; Neville’s
‘Classics.'
*Mathew Knowles’ Music World Entertainment has launched a new
children’s music series "Kid’s Rap Radio," which features child-friendly
lyrics and arrangement of popular rap and hip hop singles. "Kid’s Rap Radio,
Volume 1 & 2" will debut as a double-disc collection on Nov. 21 and includes
versions of "Lil Bit," "Go DJ," "Laffy Taffy" and "Touch It." Knowles said
in a statement: "This is the first-ever hip-hop compilation album geared
toward youth and it is being released on the Music World label. With the
hip-hop industry constantly being scrutinized for lyrical content, ‘Kid’s
Rap Radio’ allows young hip-hop fans to be positively influenced by
alternate, kid friendly lyrics of songs by today’s top rap stars.”
*In an interview with “Access Hollywood,” rock diva Elton John gave
his two cents about soul diva Whitney Houston and her divorce from Bobby
Brown after 14 years of marriage. "Bobby's not good for her, and because of
the addiction thing, she keeps going back,” John said. “The writing was on
the wall many, many years ago with that one."
*Aaron Neville makes history with his new Burgundy Records album
"Bring It On Home...The Soul Classics," which debuted at #37 on the
Billboard Top 200 Chart and sold 22,212 in its first week to become his
highest selling first-week ever. The album features a collection of
Neville's favorite soul songs, including Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The
Dock Of The Bay," Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come," Ben E. King's "Stand
By Me," Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" and the album's first single,
Curtis Mayfield's "It's All Right." Chris Botti, Chaka Khan, Dave Sanborn,
Mavis Staples and Art Neville also make guest appearances.
FILM/TV BITS: BET’s ‘Beef’; ‘Stomp the Yard Soundtrack Contest’; Winfrey,
Jones are trustworthy; Star still trying to sell triplex.
*BET will premiere its new documentary “Beef: The Series” on
Wednesday, Oct. 4 at 9 p.m. Produced by Quincy Jones’ son, documentary
filmmaker Quincy Jones III, the program picks up where his popular “Beef”
DVDs left off, exploring various rivalries in pop culture.
*To promote its upcoming film “Stomp the Yard” – starring Ne-Yo,
Chris Brown and Meagan Good in an urban dance/step extravaganza – Sony
Pictures is hosting a “Stomp the Yard Soundtrack Contest,” which seeks the
final song to be included on the film’s soundtrack. “If you have an original
song of less than four minutes which captures the excitement and passion of
Stomp the Yard, submit your MP3 recording on MySpace.com today.” Submissions
will be accepted through Oct. 9 at www.Myspace.com/StompTheYard. For more
information, please visit www.stomptheyard.com.
*Oprah Winfrey and James Earl Jones were voted the fourth and fifth
most trusted celebrities, respectively, on a list compiled by Forbes
magazine. Tom Hanks ranked No. 1, and Winfrey’s protégé Rachel Ray placed
second, followed by Michael J. Fox in third.
*Apparently no one has informed Star Jones Reynolds that the housing
bubble has burst. According to the New York Post, the former TV host has put
her Manhattan triplex apartment back on the market with the same asking
price of $2.5 million. The couple reportedly made some renovations after the
spot failed to sell the first time.
EVENT CALENDAR: ABFF On Tour; Salt at CCC’s Youth Ministry Service; Toccara at Crown Royal Barbershop; Cube in Bison country; Parker in wax.
*Film Life, Inc., announces the launch of ABFF ON TOUR, a multi-city
exhibition of award-winning films from the American Black Film Festival
(ABFF). Presented by Wal-Mart Voices of Color, the tour will visit Atlanta
and Chicago on October 21 - 22, and expand to four additional cities in
spring 2007. The tour will give a wide audience the opportunity to see films
once limited to the film festival circuit. Actress Elise Neal will serve as
the national spokesperson. For screening times and film information, visit
www.abff.com.
* Salt-N-Pepa’s Cheryl "Salt" James-Wray is scheduled to be a guest
speaker tonight at the C3 Youth Ministry Friday Night Service at New York
City's largest church, the Christian Cultural Center (CCC). According to
Allhiphop.com, the former rapper will host a dialogue titled "Let's Talk
About God" and discuss her experiences in the music industry, in life, and
within her spirituality. CCC is a non-denominational church located at 12020
Flatlands Ave. in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn. For more information,
visit http://www.cccinfo.org.
*“America’s Next Top Model” vet Toccara will be a special guest at
the latest Crown Royal Barbershop renovation in Los Angeles. The new and
improved Legends barbershop on 5320 Wilshire Blvd. (between La Brea and S.
Detroit) will unveil its Crown Royal makeover (including flat screen TVs and
custom barber chairs) on Tuesday Oct. 3 with an event from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
The Crown Royal Barbershop is a national program designed to spotlight the
entrepreneurial spirit of urban barbershop owners who have given back to
their communities. Crown Royal provides worthy businesses with significant
interior improvements, capped with month-long events at the participating
shops.
*Ice Cube will serve as Grand Marshall of Howard University’s annual
homecoming celebration, to be held Oct. 6-15, the school announced on
Friday. The rapper will also serve as a celebrity judge for the eighth
annual Chevy Showcase of Bands before he is scheduled to perform the coin
toss for the school’s game against Morgan State. Tyson Beckford will host
the Showcase, with additional judges Zoë Saldana, Rick Gonzalez, Ken L.,
Lil X, Bethann Hardison, Lil' Mo; Hassan Johnson, Brandon T. Jackson, Mobb
Deep; Roman Rivera and radio personality Steph Lova, a Howard alumna. For
more information, call 202-806-2664 or visit www.howarduhomecoming.com.
*A wax replica of Eva Longoria’s man, Tony Parker, will be unveiled
during a ceremony at the Grevin Wax Museum in his hometown of Paris, France
on Oct. 7. The San Antonio Spurs guard joins fellow wax figures Michael
Jackson, Elvis Presley and Gandhi.
ATLANTA COLLEGES STRENGTHEN LOCAL ECONOMY: Report being used to draw in new business.
*Colleges in the Atlanta area alone, including the historically
black institutions Spelman and Morehouse, have an annual economic impact of
more than $10.8 billion on the state of Georgia, around $1,200 for every
man, woman and child in the state, reports the Associated Press of a new
study released Wednesday.
Conducted by the Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education, the
study anchors a new initiative by state leaders to lure new businesses into
the Atlanta metro area.
“We are a university town, and that is a very, very helpful
marketing tool in attracting business to our area,” says Craig S. Lesser,
commissioner of the state’s Department of Economic Development. “They want
to know before they come here or invest millions of dollars” that they will
find a highly educated work force, he says.
Lesser and other officials unveiled the new study at the Atlantic
Station shopping and living area near the Georgia Institute of Technology in
Atlanta. ARCHE officials say they chose to hold the announcement at the
upscale Atlantic Station, which was once a polluted steel mill, because it
shows the impact colleges have on neighborhoods and cities. Atlantic Station
was developed by a Georgia Tech graduate student and is home to thousands of
college students who want private, off-campus housing.
The study included 49 separate degree-granting institutions, a
cluster of schools with a total enrollment of more than 200,000. They range
from two-year public schools to private, for-profit colleges. According to
the report, Atlanta ranks 6th among U.S. metro areas in producing college
and university graduates with at least a bachelor’s degree. The colleges
annually create nearly 130,000 new jobs statewide, the report says. The
campuses attract an estimated 5.7 million visits each year for campus tours,
commencement ceremonies and cultural and athletic events.
The colleges annually spend $740 million to erect new academic
buildings and dorms, creating more than 7,100 new construction-related jobs
statewide, the report says.
Included in the study were research powerhouses like the University
of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Georgia State University and Emory University;
historically Black colleges like Morehouse College and Spelman College; and
liberal arts institutions like Agnes Scott College and Oglethorpe
University.
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