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MARY J. BLIGE ENJOYS GRAMMY ‘BREAKTHROUGH’: Singer leads all nominees with eight; Prince, Beyonce, T.I. earn multiple nods.
*The sun continues to shine on Mary J. Blige this award season. On the heels of her leading nine wins at the Billboard Music Awards this week, the Brooklyn-born singer has earned eight Grammy Award nominations to lead the pack for the 49th annual ceremony in February.
The Red Hot Chilli Peppers earned the second most nominations with six. Prince, will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, producer Rick Rubin and Gnarls Barkley D.J. Danger Mouse were among the acts who earned five nods apiece, while Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, producer Bryan Michael Cox, gospel artist Israel Houghton, and rapper T.I. each pocketed four.
The Peppers’ album, “Stadium Arcadium,” will compete for Album of the Year against Timberlake ("FutureSex/LoveSounds”), the Dixie Chicks ("Taking the Long Way"), John Mayer ("Continuum"), and Gnarls Barkley ("St.
Elsewhere").
Blige’s track “Be Without You,” from her critically-acclaimed album “The Breakthrough,” received recognition in the categories of song and record of the year, as well as female R&B vocal performance. In the latter category, she’ll go against Beyonce’s “Ring the Alarm,” Natalie Cole’s “Daydreaming,” India Arie’s “I Am Not My Hair” and Mariah Carey’s “Don’t Forget About Us.”
Blige and Bono earn a pop collaboration nod for their duet “One,”
while Blige and Raphael Saadiq turn up in the best traditional R&B vocal performance for their duet, “I Found My Everything.”
Prince’s track “Black Sweat” from his album “3121” picks up an R&B male performance nod, along with Ne-Yo’s “So Sick,” Lionel Richie’s “I Call it Love,” John Legend’s “Heaven” and Luther Vandross’ “I Got You Home.”
Prince and his protégé Tamar face the union of Blige and Jamie Foxx in the Best Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals category. Prince’s track “3121” earned a nomination for Best Urban/Alternative Performance against Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” and Outkast’s “Idlewild Blue (Don't Chu Worry 'Bout Me).”
Chris Brown and British R&B star Corrine Bailey Rae will compete in the best new artist category.
The 49th annual Grammy Awards will take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Feb. 11. The event is organized by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
For a full list of Grammy nominations, click here:
http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/49th_Show/list.aspx
EDDIE MURPHY – YOU ARE THE FATHER: Mel B. outraged over actor’s paternity questions; she found out they were broken up on Monday.
*The headline from London’s The Sun newspaper read “Shell Shocked.”
The Mirror titled its account “I’m Beyond Gutted,” while the less sensational People magazine simply wrote, “Eddie Is the Father.”
All are quotes from Melanie Brown, a.k.a. Scary Spice of the Spice Girls, who responded in a statement to the recent behavior of her ex-boyfriend, Eddie Murphy.
Not only did he parade new girlfriend Tracey Edmonds before the red carpet press at Monday’s “Dreamgirls” premiere in New York, but he is openly questioning the paternity of Brown’s unborn child, which was reportedly conceived during her summer-long relationship with Murphy.
"I am obviously upset and distressed at some of the comments made by Eddie Murphy to the media," Brown, who is in the second trimester of her pregnancy, said in the statement, per People magazine. "I have no idea why anybody would want to conduct themselves in this kind of manner about such a personal matter in such a public way.”
"My main concern is for the well being of my (seven-year-old) daughter Phoenix and of course the baby. I was astonished at what Eddie said – there is absolutely no question that Eddie is the father."
According to a source quoted by People, Brown didn’t even know that Murphy had broken up with her until she landed in Los Angeles from England on Monday and retrieved a flurry of voicemails about the actor’s interview on Dutch TV show “RTL Boulevard.”
When Murphy was asked if he was happy about his baby with Mel B., the “Shrek” star said: "We're not together anymore. And I don't know whose child that is, until it comes out and has a blood test. You shouldn't jump to conclusions, sir."
As for Edmonds’ declaration to People that she and Murphy had been dating for “about a month and a half” and are “very happy,” a friend of Brown tells People: "This was extraordinarily brazen what he did. If he had fallen in love with somebody else, that would have been pretty bad anyway, but to then wheel her out in public for a deliberate photo op, when Melanie's pregnant! That's a rat, frankly."
The friend adds, "Melanie insists there is absolutely no question whose baby this is. And she resents the inference that she wouldn't know whose baby it was. It's fairly simple. She hasn't slept with anyone else."
Despite her outrage, Mel B. has agreed to take a paternity test, the friend says.
"Melanie's gone through shock, pain, anger, the whole range of emotions," the friend continues. "A lot of women or men in this situation would go to ground but she wants to take it head on."
BOW WOW SAYS ‘OZONE INTERVIEW’ IS FAKE: Rapper’s rep releases a statement declaring the outlandish interview a fraud.
*Rapper Bow Wow says he is the victim of the latest Internet scam, this time in the form of a false interview in which he says some ill comments about his ex-girlfriend Ciara, rap mogul Jay-Z, Jermaine Dupri, Janet Jackson and others.
The black blogosphere was rife with quotes from an alleged interview that Bow Wow gave to Ozone magazine in which he question’s Jay-Z’s declaration as the best rapper alive and writes off his new album “Kingdom Come” as garbage. The article also quotes him as saying Ciara has an uncontrollable bladder problem, and once messed up his mother’s rug. The fabricated article also has Bow Wow attacking his longtime producer Jermaine Dupri, claiming he’s gone soft because of his relationship with Janet Jackson.
“Contrary to rampant rumors appearing on the internet, a purported interview between Bow Wow and Ozone magazine never happened,” read a statement from his publicist sent to EUR Thursday. “The alleged interview is a fantasy created by persons unknown.”
The first blatant indication that the interview is fake appears at the outset, when Bow Wow says the name of his new album is “Pooper Scooper.”
The rapper has already announced that his CD, due Dec. 19, is titled “The Price of Fame.”
“Neither Bow Wow nor Ozone magazine had anything to do with generating the fake interview,” the rapper’s statement continued. “One can only assume the alleged interview is either a misguided attempt at humor or a horrible prank.”
Bow Wow says of the trickery: "When you gain success and are doing something positive, there's always someone out there that wants to see you fail. I wonder what they'll come up with next? My fans know that I would never say anything like what's in that interview.”
Read the false interview here at MediaTakeOut.com:
(http://mediatakeout.com/Exclusives/Bowwow_Blast.html)
LISARAYE DISPELLS DIVORCE RUMORS: Actress says her fairytale is far from over.
by Kenya M Yarbrough
*Just months into her new marriage LisaRaye had to start dodging rumors about her wedded bliss. The actress and First Lady of the Turks and Ciacos Islands, is taking the negative attention in stride and chalking it up to celebrity, all while denying the rumors the she and new hubby, the Honorable Michael Misick, are having trouble.
Rumors recently surfaced last month that the starlet and the Premiere were headed toward splitsville, built on the grumblings that Misick had fathered a child of a Miami woman and that the people of the islands were not particularly fond of their new First Lady LisaRaye. But the actress says it's all false.
"There were some rumors going around that Michael and I were getting a divorce and that the Islanders were saying they don't see me down there a lot," she reviewed. "I don't really know how these accusations came out that Michael and I are getting a divorce. Especially when I am still in my honeymoon stages right now. It's just not true. I've had a good handful of people calling me.
Being in the business, I've grown to have a thick skin. And I know that when you're hot, people want to talk about you - so I take it and reverse it and say, 'Ok, if you think that my life is that interesting, that you want to talk about it or start gossip, then go ahead."
LisaRaye told EUR's Lee Bailey that perhaps people just don't believe that the two could be so in love so fast, but whatever the reason, she ensured that there is absolutely no trouble in paradise for the newlyweds. She reiterated that the two are quite happy with their lives as a couple and with their careers apart.
"It's a wonderful relationship as far as being bi-coastal so to speak,"
she said. "It allows me to be able to have my career. I want to keep that and hold that. That is who I am and that is who I was when he met me. So he has no qualms about me staying here and fulfilling my contract and obligations and my goals - and supporting me in that. And I don't have a problem with him staying down there and running his country. He respects his people and he loves his island. Through that love and passion, he has opened up a new world for me. So I have the best of both worlds. I get to work in L.A. and then I get to go down and be the First Lady and stand by his side."
And as for the Islanders not liking her? Lisa Raye said she was quite surprised to hear that rumor.
"I make sure that I don't have the celebrity type unapproachable personality when I am there. The people there are so loving and so welcoming to me. When I am there, I'm home. I've never found anyone there that has said anything about me or looked at me differently. They've accepted me with open arms and I appreciate that."
The actress said that she supposes it all comes with the celebrity territory and has chosen to mostly disregard any rumors or accusations swirling around as she is quite sure of what's going on in her own life.
"You can't listen to it all," she advised. "You kind of keep yourself in the know of things, but you cannot let it run your life. I have so much on my plate right now; I can't cloud my mind with that junk."
When the actress/First Lady says she has a lot on her plate, she really means it. In addition to her current TV gig as Neesee James on the CW comedy "All of Us," LisaRaye recently launched and oversees two fashion lines in 2005 called Luxe & Romance, a lingerie line and Xraye, her new jeans line for women. but that's not all.
"I have teen pageants that I'm starting," she added. "I have a Lady Raye Foundation, which is a non-profit organization that holds the body of the Radiant Jewels Teen Pageant that I am starting in March in North Carolina. This pageant is to elevate young ladies in talent. And I just broke ground on a movie theater in the Turks and Caicos. A month ago, they didn't have a theater there. I thought it was perfect for their First Lady, who happens to be an actress, to build a cinema there. It's called the L Raye Theater and it opens in about a month."
In dabbling in fashion, the non-profit arena, pageantry, and theater ownership, LisaRaye is still working in Hollywood on the sitcom that she says keeps her grounded.
"The show keeps me seeing the lighter side of life and keeps me sane,"
she said. "I'm doing something that I've always wanted to do and I'm getting paid for it. I'm allowing myself to be LisaRaye the actress, and then I fly across the country and I'm the First Lady of Turks and Ciacos. That's a wonderful life. That's a fairy tale."
SPIKE LEE TO DIRECT ‘L.A. RIOTS.’: John Ridley will pen script about 1992 chaos following Rodney King verdicts.
*Spike Lee will turn his lens toward the violent race-based eruption in Los Angles following the 1992 “not guilty” verdicts of four white officers who were videotaped beating motorist Rodney King.
“L.A. Riots” is set up at Brian Grazer’s Imagine Entertainment under Universal Pictures. John Ridley (“Barbershop: The Series,” “Three Kings”) will write the screenplay, tapped to take on a straight-forward approach in dramatizing the events.
"This isn't about some cavalcade of stars, but rather a truthful and realistic examination of what happened, what the ramifications were and where we are now, in hopes that something like this doesn't happen again,"
Lee told Variety.
Grazer said the subject matter was "the best way to use Spike's power as a filmmaker, to tell an even-handed story that gets beyond the iconic pictures that we all remember. I was most interested in looking at the idea of universal group dynamics that manifest themselves under the highest amount of stress and to get all these points of view as they converge into each other and ignite in flames."
According to Variety, the goal is for Ridley to have a script before president Donna Langley before the business closes for the holidays.
Lee, meanwhile, remembers exactly where he was when the verdicts were announced on April 28, 1992.
"The day the riot happened was the very first time that Terry Semel and Bob Daly saw 'Malcolm X,' when they were running Warner Bros.," Lee told Variety. "All the things Malcolm X was talking about were happening. Assistants were running into the room, passing them notes. 'Do you want us to order a helicopter to come into the studio to get you home?' You could see it in their faces, watching this movie, wondering if L.A. was burning down, and if the world was coming to an end.
"I have to give credit to Bob and Terry, because I know they wanted to leave but they stayed and saw my first cut, which was about three hours and
45 minutes," Lee said. "I don't know how they got home, whether it was by helicopter or by car, but they ran out of the screening room. It was very scary."
Lee was also shaken by the events going on in the city.
"I went straight to LAX, and my ass was on the red eye," he said.
“L.A. Riots” follows Lee’s HBO documentary "When the Levees Broke,"
about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The filmmaker is also developing a sequel for “Inside Man” with Grazer’s Imagine and Universal.
LA TOYA JACKSON STARS IN CBS REALITY SHOW: ‘Armed and Famous’ has ‘celebs’
working as reserve police officers in Muncie, IN.
*Michael Jackson’s big sister La Toya will soon be a fixture on prime time TV after agreeing to star in CBS’ “Armed and Famous,” a reality show that features celebrities as real reserve officers for the police department in Muncie, Indiana.
The show is currently in production with “stars” Erik Estrada from the 1970s show “CHiPs,” Ozzy Osbourne’s son Jack Osbourne, Wee Man of “Jackass” fame and professional wrestler Trish Stratus.
On Tuesday, the motley crew appeared before about 200 people at a Muncie City Hall auditorium for their swearing in ceremony. According to the Associated Press, A producer coaxed the crowd into cheering loudly for the camera, and parts of the ceremony had to be repeated several times for the TV cameras.
"Roll call is at 6 o'clock," Muncie Police Chief Joe Winkle told the celebrities in multiple takes. "Do not be late."
"Armed and Famous," is being filmed in this east-central Indiana city, population 66,000, and will follow the celebrities as they enforce the laws alongside city police officers.
HUDSON, WHITAKER, HOUNSOU RUN THE ‘BOARD’: Trio wins acting awards at National Board of Review of Motion Pictures awards.
*Jennifer Hudson has already won her first award of the season for “Dreamgirls.” The “American Idol” finalist who stars as Effie White in the Broadway musical’s big screen adaptation, shares a breakthrough performance award at this year’s National Board of Review of Motion Pictures awards.
Hudson, who has received a mountain of positive reaction over her role, was an NBR winner along with “Babel” newcomer Rinko Kikuchi.
Forrest Whitaker won NBR’s best actor award for his portrayal of Idi Amin in "Last King Of Scotland," while Djimon Hounsou earned a best supporting actor trophy for his role in “Blood Diamond,” opening today.
The 2006 NBR Awards will be presented with Bvlgari at the annual gala on Jan. 9, 2007 at Cipriani's 42nd St in New York. Below is a full list of the awards given by the National Board of Review:
Best film: "Letters From Iwo Jima"
Best director: Martin Scorsese, "The Departed"
Best actor: Forest Whitaker, The "Last King Of Scotland"
Best actress: Helen Mirren, "The Queen"
Best supporting actor: Djimon Hounsou, "Blood Diamond"
Best supporting actress: Catherine O'Hara, "For Your Consideration"
Best foreign film: "Volver"
Best documentary: "An Inconvenient Truth"
Best animated feature: "Cars"
Best ensemble cast: "The Departed"
Breakthrough performance by an actor: Ryan Gosling, "Half Nelson"
Breakthrough performance by an actress: (2) Jennifer Hudson, "Dreamgirls" and Rinko Kikuchi, "Babel"
Best directorial debut: Jason Reitman, "Thank You For Smoking"
Best original screenplay: Zach Helm, "Stranger Than Fiction"
Best adapted screenplay: Ron Nyswaner, "The Painted Veil"
Top 10 films:
"Letters From Iwo Jima"
(and, in alphabetical order)
"Babel"
"Blood Diamond"
"The Departed"
"The Devil Wears Prada"
"Flags Of Our Fathers"
"The History Boys"
"Little Miss Sunshine"
"Notes On A Scandal"
"The Painted Veil"
Top 5 foreign films:
"Volver"
(and, in alphabetical order)
"Curse Of The Golden Flower"
"Days Of Glory"
"Pan's Labyrinth"
"Water"
Top 5 documentary films
"An Inconvenient Truth"
" (and, in alphabetical order)
"51 Birch Street"
"Iraq In Fragments"
"Shut Up & Sing"
"Wordplay"
Top independent films
(in alphabetical order)
Akeelah And The Bee
Bobby
Catch A Fire
Copying Beethoven
A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints
Half Nelson
The Illusionist
Lonesome Jim
Sherrybaby
10 items or less
Thank You For Smoking
Career achievement: Eli Wallach
Billy Wilder award for excellence in directing: Jonathan Demme Career achievement in producing: Irwin Winkler William K. Everson film history award: Donald Krim The Bvlgari award for freedom of expression: "Water" and "World Trade Center"
OPENING THIS WEEK: Kam's Kapsules: Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun For movies opening December 8, 2006
by Kam Williams
BIG BUDGET FILMS
*Apocalypto (R for graphic violence and disturbing images) Mel Gibson directs this adrenaline-charged, mythical melodrama set during the decline of the Mayan civilization. Rudy Youngblood stars as a young tribesman designated to serve as a sacrifice to the gods atop a great pyramid, who flees the kingdom to avoid his fate only to return, ultimately, to exact retribution and to find his family.
Blood Diamond (R for profanity and graphic violence) Historical drama, set in Sierra Leone in the Nineties during a civil war, follows the efforts of a fisherman (Djimon Hounsou) and a mercenary (Leonardo DiCaprio) who join forces to recover a priceless diamond and to secret it out of the country with the help of an American journalist (Jennifer Connelly).
DOA: Dead or Alive (PG-13 for nudity, sexuality, and pervasive martial arts action) Adaptation of the best-selling video game unfolds as a high-stakes, martial arts test of survival in which four, scantily-clad, voluptuous vixens (Devon Aoki, Sarah Carter, Natassia Malthe and Jamie Pressley) square-off in a fighting tournament staged on an exotic island.
The Holiday (PG-13 for sex and expletives) Christmas comedy about a California girl (Cameron Diaz) and a British bird (Kate Winslet) both in need of a break from a bad relationship who meet online and decide to swap lives for two weeks only to find true love with guys (Jude Law and Jack Black, respectively) they meet in their new locales. With Edward Burns, Rufus Sewell and Eli Wallach.
Unaccompanied Minors (PG for crude humor and coarse language) Holiday comedy about the misadventures of a motley crew of kids stranded by a snowstorm in a Chicago airport where they spend Christmas Eve without adult supervision except for the uptight passenger relations manager (Lewis Black) and his assistant (Wilmer Valderrama) who they promptly proceed to drive crazy.
INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS
Breaking and Entering (R for sex and expletives) Cross-cultural drama, written and directed by Anthony Minghella, about a London architect (Jude Law) in a listless relationship who reevaluates his life after embarking on a lusty liaison with the Muslim mother (Juliette Binoche) of a petty thief (Rafi Gavron). With Robin Wright Penn and Vera Farmiga.
Days of Glory (R for profanity and violence) WWII flick chronicles the contributions made to the Allied effort in 1944-45 by 130,000 Africans who helped liberate Europe after enlisting in the French army. (In French and Arabic with subtitles)
Family Law (Unrated) Dysfunctional family drama about a lawyer (Ariel
Perelman) plunged into an identity crisis when he is forced to mature after inheriting the business from his father/mentor (Arturo Goetz) who has died unexpectedly. (In Spanish with subtitles)
Forgiveness (In English and Afrikaans with subtitles) Post-apartheid South African drama about a guilt-ridden, retired police officer (Arnold Vosloo), haunted by memories of atrocities he committed, who visits the hometown of one of his victims in search of a catharsis, oblivious to the fact that some of the young man's friends might still want revenge.
Hermanas (Unrated) Skeletons out of the closet drama about two Argentinian sisters (Ingrid Rubio and Valeria Bertuccelli), reunited in Texas after being separated for nine years, forced to face the facts about some troubling memories when they start reading an unpublished, semi-autobiographical novel by their late father. (In Spanish with subtitles)
Inland Empire (R for nudity, profanity, sexuality and violence) David Lynch directs this mind-bending thriller about an actress (Laura Dern) who lands a role in a remake of movie that was never finished because the original actors were murdered under mysterious circumstances. With Justin Theroux as her co-star and Jeremy Irons as her director. Cast also includes Diane Ladd, Harry Dean Stanton, Terry Crews, Natassja Kinski, Laura Harring, Naomi Watts, William H. Macy and Mary Steenburgen.
Off the Black (R for a crude sexual remark) Nick Nolte stars in this buddy flick about the unlikely friendship forged between an alcoholic, high school baseball umpire and a teenager (Trevor Morgan) dealing with an emotionally-distant father (Timothy Hutton).
SNIPES TAX DRAMA SPARKED BY RAID FOUR YEARS AGO: Documents found in man’s home had ties to ‘Blade’ star.
*A 2002 IRS raid of a Pennsylvania man set led directly to the recent indictment of actor Wesley Snipes of tax fraud, an IRS agent testified according to AP.
Special Agent James Morris, speaking in court Wednesday, said agents came across documents in the home of Arthur Farnsworth, who was accused of tax evasion and is currently on trial. Those documents led to a nationwide investigation into fraudulent trust funds, one of which was owned by Snipes, another witness said during the trial.
Among Farnsworth’s bogus trusts was one designed to hide money and assets to avoid payment of federal income taxes. Snipes owned a similar trust, according to testimony by Wayne Rebuck, a former director at the company that sold the trusts. He also told the court that he pleaded guilty to a conspiracy count in return for his testimony against Farnsworth.
Snipes, star of the "Blade" trilogy, "Jungle Fever" and "White Men Can't Jump," was indicted in October on eight counts of tax fraud. He was accused of trying to cheat the government out of nearly $12 million in false refund claims and not filing returns for six years.
B.B. KING, BUCK O’NEIL TO GET ‘FREEDOM’ MEDAL: White House announces selection of musician and Major League pioneer on Thursday.
*Blues icon B.B.King and the late Major League Baseball pioneer John “Buck” O’Neil have been named among this year's Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients, the White House announced Thursday.
"For more than half a century, the 'King of the Blues' and his guitar 'Lucille' have thrilled audiences, influenced generations of guitarists, and helped give the blues its special place in the American musical tradition," Bush said of Riley "B.B." King in his proclamation.
“It's been a long journey, but I've enjoyed every minute of it, bringing the blues to so many enthusiastic audiences around the world," said the 81-year-old musician.
O'Neil, who died in October at the age of 94, was a player and manager in the Negro Leagues before becoming Major League Baseball's first African-American coach, when he joined the coaching staff of the Chicago Cubs in 1962.
When he died, Bush, a former owner of baseball's Texas Rangers, said O'Neil "represented the best of America's national pastime. …He devoted his long and full life to baseball, and refused to allow injustice and discrimination to diminish his love of the game and his joyous, generous spirit."
Other announced recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honor, include historian and author David McCullough and ex-Soviet dissident and human rights activist Natan Sharansky.
The recipients will be honored at the White House on Dec. 15.
BEYONCE SENDS AKON ‘TO THE LEFT’: ‘Irreplaceable’ replaces ‘I Wanna Love You’ atop Hot 100; becomes her fourth No. 1 as a solo artist.
*Beyonce’s new single “Irreplaceable” has apparently struck a chord with music-buyers. The third single from her album “B’Day” has taken over the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100, ending the two-week reign of Akon’s “I Wanna Love You” feat. Snoop Dogg.
"Irreplaceable" also remains the week's greatest airplay gainer for a fifth straight week, while also dominating the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for a third week.
"I Wanna Love You," featuring Snoop Dogg, falls to No. 2 on the Hot 100, while another Akon song, "Smack That" featuring Eminem, hangs on to No.
3 for a second week. Fergie's "Fergalicious" follows with a 10-4 jump, "My Love" by Justin Timberlake featuring T.I. slips 4-5 and Gwen Stefani's "Wind It Up" moves up 7-6.
Also on the Hot 100, Bow Wow's "Shortie Like Mine" featuring Chris Brown and Johnta Austin moves up 11-9, while Jim Jones' "We Fly High" anthem moves up two to crack the top 10.
Elsewhere on the chart, Young Jeezy's "I Luv It" leaps 84-39, as the track became available in the digital track market well in advance of Young Jeezy's album release in January. Other songs to debut this week include Lil' Boosie's "Zoom" featuring Yung Joc (No. 78), Omarion's "Ice Box" (No.
81) Chris Brown's "Poppin'" featuring Jay Biz (No. 82), and Ying Yang Twins'
"Dangerous" featuring Wyclef (No. 85).
GAY WEB SITE INTERVIEWS JENNIFER HUDSON: They didn’t appreciate her views of homosexuality as a sin.
*A Web site that caters to the gay and lesbian community in Dallas claims that “Dreamgirls” sensation Jennifer Hudson believes homosexuality is a sin.
During a roundtable interview for “Dreamgirls” in the Texas city, the singer was asked by a reporter at DallasVoice.com if she has reconciled her spiritual beliefs and her gay fan base and if she supports same-sex marriage.
Hudson, a proud Baptist from Chicago, answered: “Everybody sins. No sin is greater or different than the other. To each his own. If it don’t bother Jennifer, then Jennifer don’t mind. I don’t really even think about it because I don’t believe in judging people for what they do.”
When pressed further about calling homosexuality a sin, Hudson
responded: “According to the way we’re taught, and what it says in the Bible — it is.” She then added: “I have plenty of gay friends.”
Hudson also graces the cover of gay magazine The Advocate this month.
Read the entire DallasVoice.com article here:
http://www.dallasvoice.com/artman/publish/article_4105.php
CANADA LOVES ITS SEAN JEAN – EVEN IF IT’S FAKE: Diddy launches campaign to address counterfeit problem north of the border.
*Sean “Diddy” Combs is making an effort to eliminate knockoff versions of his Sean John Canada clothing line.
On Tuesday, the Bad Boy mogul launched "Don't Buy a Lie," an anti-counterfeit campaign that aims to alert consumers about the country's counterfeiting problem via partnerships with Canadian media, celebrities, retailers and consumers.
Bogus Sean John gear had flooded Canadian flea markets, street corners, retail stores and Internet sites, according to Allhiphop.com. As a result, the line’s Canadian distributor Multigroup dispatched legal and investigative services to deal with the issue. The action resulted in the seizure of thousands of pieces of Sean John clothing by local authorities.
To combat the counterfeit problem, the “Don’t Buy a Lie” campaign will include exclusive hang tags color-coded by season, counter cards at cash registers and stickers in storefronts at authorized dealers. The tag colors, which will change seasonally with shipments, can be verified online at www.dontbuyalie.com.
CHAKA KHAN FOUNDATION TO HOST CHARITY EVENT: Effort responds to call by activists and leaders to end violence during the holiday season.
*The Chaka Khan Foundation, in collaboration with Los Angeles County Supervisor Yvonne B. Burke, will host “Chaka Khan Promotes Peace,” a forum bringing together thousands of at-risk youth in Los Angeles for an afternoon of fellowship and dialogue to steer them clear of gangs, drugs and other negative activities.
The event will take place on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 4 p.m. Faithful Central Bible Church Tabernacle, 321 N. Eucalyptus Avenue, Inglewood, CA.
The program will include words of encouragement by Tavis Smiley, Public Radio International talk show host; Taylor James, who plays Chris on KTLA 5’s ‘Everybody Hates Chris”; Los Angeles County Sheriff Leroy Baca; Faithful Central Bible Church senior pastor, Bishop Kenneth C. Ulmer; gang Intervention specialists and Unity One executive Director, Bo Taylor; and Vicky Lindsey, executive director, Parents of Murdered Children and ex-gang members. Also on hand will be Sean Porter and Malcolm Moore, the real-life L.A. County Probation officers whose story as coaches of the Camp Kilpatrick Mustang football team was told in the recent Sony Pictures feature film “Gridiron Gang.”
The winning entry of a $1,000 essay contest with the topic: “How Violence Has Affected My Life,” will be read on stage during the program. As part of the prize, the winning student and their parents will also have the opportunity to meet and dine with eight-time Grammy-winner Chaka Khan.
The Chaka Khan Foundation, established by Khan to serve at-risk women and children, was born out of Khan’s own experiences with personal adversity. Chaka Khan Promotes Peace is an extension of the “Chaka Believes – Going On To College” program, one of the foundation’s core education-related initiatives.
Outreach for the event was conducted at local middle schools, Boys & Girls Clubs and to the general public via radio announcements. Participating students have each been asked to pledge t “Take full advantage of becoming an educated, empowered and productive citizen; to show love and respect for my God, my family, myself, my community and others; to be non-violent, to use words that show respect, not hatred; to stand firm and honor that which I have pledged.”
For more information, log on to www.chakakhanpromotespeace.com www.chakakhanfoundation.org.
EUR FILM REVIEW: Blood Diamond
High-Impact African Action Flick a Flawed Gem
By Kam Williams
*Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio), a soldier of fortune from Zimbabwe, is in destabilized Sierra Leone to exchange arms for diamonds with the highest bidder, whether that be the government or the rebel led Revolutionary United Front (RUF).
You see, this white Rhodesian is bitter about the loss of a birthplace he still refers to by its colonial name. So, he could careless how much blood is shed during Sierra Leone's interminable civil war, so long as the violence is basically black versus black, and he is able to profit from the incessant slaughter.
By contrast, Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou) is a local fisherman from the Mende tribe who would like nothing more than to leave his homeland, but first he has to find his family which has vanished amidst the chaos, and he has no idea whether they're dead or alive. Luckily, Solomon had the good fortune to find a priceless stone while being forced to dig for diamonds at gunpoint by the outlawed RUF. The problem is that he had to bury the gem on the mining site, because he would have been executed on the spot, if caught stealing.
Meanwhile, Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly), an intrepid American journalist, is in the country doing research for an expose' she wants to write on the role that the diamond industry plays in the continuing controversy by its unethical emphasis on profits over principles. It's hard to see how the fates of these three strangers, Danny, Solomon and Maddy, might become intertwined, but that is exactly what transpires in Blood Diamond, a taut, if simplistically drawn thriller directed by Edward Zwick (Glory).
Set in Sierra Leone in 1999, the movie is essentially a high body-count, action adventure despite its political potboiler pretensions. Fortunately, those interested in a more cerebral examination of the subject matter need look no further than the informative documentary Empire in Africa, also currently in theaters.
Though filmed in Mozambique and South Africa, Blood Diamond is pure Hollywood, a hair-raising roller coaster ride rife with gunplay and pyrotechnics. Plus, it comes multi-layered with sentimental subplots at every turn, from the unlikely-buddy relationship between Danny and Solomon to a budding romance between Maddy and Danny to Maddy's maternalistic concern for the whereabouts of Solomon's kin.
Turns out his wife (Benu Mabhena) and children are in a refugee camp except for one son (Caruso Kaypers) who has been kidnapped and brainwashed by the rebels. Seemingly impervious to bullets, again and again, our heroes manage to emerge unscathed from dire scenarios where everyone else is dropping like flies.
DiCaprio, Hounsou and Connelly turn in decent performances, even if in service of a flick where they're upstaged by ubiquitous savagery. Ultimately, all the loose ends of this well-meaning fairy tale are tied together nicely, albeit a tad too sappily for those who know what a hellhole of ethnic cleansing Sierra Leone was really like.
Good (2 stars)
Rated R for expletives, ethnic slurs, and graphic violence.
Running time: 138 minutes
Studi Warner Brothers
FILM/TV TV BITS: ‘Top Model’ finale; TV One growing; “Whatchoo talkin'
'bout, Willis?” TomKat stiffs Oprah…again;
*Wednesday’s season finale of “America’s Next Top Model,” which saw the crowning of CariDee, gave the CW its highest-rated night to date.
Overall from 8 to 10, CW drew 6.5 million viewers to lead all networks in adults 18-34, notching the best nightly average in the network’s first 80 days on the air, according to preliminary Nielsen ratings.
*TV One is approaching the year end with strong growth in distribution, ratings, and online traffic. TV One grew its subscriber base by 39% in 2006, the largest percentage growth of any cable network, according to Nielsen Media Research universe estimates. The not-quite-three-year-old network targeting African American adults added more than 9.5 million households from December 2005 to December 2006, growing from 24.3 million to more than 33.8 million households. By year end, TV One will be carried in 45 of the top 50 Nielsen-ranked African American markets.
*“Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, Willis?” was the 8th greatest TV Quote and Catchphrase according to TV Land’s countdown of the top 100, which will air over five consecutive nights beginning Monday, Dec. 11 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The next highest ranking from an African American character was “Dynomite!”
(J.J., “Good Times”) at No. 12, “Hey, hey, hey!” (Fat Albert, “Fat Albert”) at No. 17, “Whassup?” (Budweiser ad) at No. 25, “Homey don't play that!”
(Homey the Clown, “In Living Color”)” at No. 33, “What you see is what you get!” (Geraldine, “The Flip Wilson Show”) at No. 52, Hey, hey, hey! (Dwayne Nelson, “What's Happening!!”) at No. 55 ,“Elizabeth, I'm coming! (Fred Sanford, “Sanford and Son”) at No. 58 and 77 “I'm Rick James, b*tch!” (Dave Chappelle as Rick James, “Chappelle's Show”). The full list is available at http://www.tvland.com.
*Once again, Oprah Winfrey has been left off the guest list for a TomKat event. The newly-married couple is throwing a party in Los Angeles Saturday that will include "friends (who) were not able attend the wedding in Italy," Tom Cruise’s rep Arnold Robinson confirmed to Us Weekly. But Winfrey, who invited Cruise and Katie Holmes to an event during her big Legends Ball weekend, was still not invited.
ITTY BITTY BITS: “N-Athon,” Paramount vs. Holliday; Will Smith in Ebony; Nike’s Air Force 1 turns 25.
*According to the New York Post, a comedy club in Los Angeles will host an “all-black comedian” “N-Athon,” presumably to create an environment in which the N-word can be used without fear of being fined or banned. The event comes in the wake of its ban from the Laugh Factory following the racist rant of Michael Richards. Damon Wayans has already been fined for using the term at the club. He was also banned from performing there for three months, according to “Inside Edition.” The N-Athon” will reportedly be hosted by Rodney Perry and feature comedian Tony Rock among the lineup.
*Word has it that Paramount is upset with original “Dreamgirls” star Jennifer Holliday because she has refused to take part in promotional activities surrounding the Dec. 25 release of its film adaptation. According to Liz Smith’s Page Six column in the New York Post, Holliday is being “uncooperative and not helpful in publicizing the movie. Word came down to omit any photo of her from the publicity for the movie version.”
*The January issue of Ebony magazine, on newsstands Dec. 11, will feature Will Smith talking about his new role in “The Pursuit of Happyness”
and a “For Brothers Only” piece written by Blair Underwood called, “Man Up.”
An actor, husband and father, Underwood speaks to the black man about the importance of taking responsibility for himself, his family and his community. AIDS in Africa is explored in the January issue through the eyes of “20/20” newsmagazine correspondent Deborah Roberts, and the Rev. Al Sharpton is interviewed in the article: “Is America Ready for a Black President?"
*Kanye West, Nas, Rakim and KRS-One will attend an invitation-only event in New York this weekend to celebrate the 25th birthday of Nike’s Air Force 1 sneaker. During the affair, the rappers will perform a new Rick Rubin-produced ode to the classic footwear. Rubin’s previous production experience in the shoe arena was 1986’s “My Adidas” for Run DMC. Guests expected to attend include Dave Chappelle, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Rihanna, Queen Latifah, Spike Lee, Moses Malone, Usher, Snoop Dogg, LL Cool J and others.
ANITA BAKER PLAYS THE GIBSON AMPHITHEATER IN LOS ANGELES: Songtress still ‘giving you the best that she’s got.’
By Gerald D. Yates
*When one thinks of smooth R&B and jazz, what artists come to mind? Well being an eighties baby, one name resonates with me: Anita Baker…the sultry songstress of jazz. Last Friday, she performed at the Gibson Amphitheater at Universal City Walk in Los Angeles and captivated the audience with her extraordinary repertoire of classics.
To many of us eighties babies, Anita was our only connection to jazz. I can remember her voice while riding to school with my mother in the morning, and while I knew little of what being “caught up in the rapture of love” was, I did know that her voice always put me in a relaxing mood.
Even though I always listened to Anita, at that age I could never quite hear what she was saying; I just liked the way her voice moved the song. It wasn’t until recently, when a special friend of mine played her music, that I actually realized the significance of the words she sings.
The ultimate appreciation for her, though, came from experiencing the live performance. It was as if Anita was born to sing those songs of love. As she was singing the favorites such as "Lead Me Into Love," "You Bring Me Joy," and "No One In The World," I realized that some supernatural power had blessed her soul with the gift of song. Her voice impacted everyone in the audience. What was especially phenomenal was the fact that she hit every note that she sang on the original recordings - from ten to twenty years ago - without missing a beat or being off key. She kept saying, “some of these songs are over twenty years old,” but she sang them as if they were in the number one spot on today’s Billboard charts.
Of course, Anita always manages to make the crowd feel at home, supported by the sporadic bursts of “that’s my girl” resonating throughout the amphitheater. She even interrupted her performance, at times, to accept gifts of gratitude from her loyal fans, as well as to sing songs acappella, such as “sometimes you win,” that were not on her predetermined song list but were shouted requests from the dense crowd. Each note seemed to touch hearts and souls and ignite an unquenchable flame that soared through the auditorium.
Bottom Line: Anita Baker is a spectacular performer and truly in a class of her own. Her music speaks the universal language of love, which defies all age and class barriers.
SHELL OIL TAPS AFRICAN AMERICAN AS SPOKESMAN: Kimanti Rawlins hopes to encourage minorities to stop buying cheap gas.
*Kimatni D. Rawlins, founder and president of Automotive Rhythms Communications, LLC, has been selected as a spokesperson for Shell Oil Products US as they reach out to the African-American and Hispanic urban consumer about the importance of using quality gasoline in their vehicles, reports BlackNews.com.
"Shell is pleased to work with Kimatni D. Rawlins as part of our continuous efforts to provide consumers with information to help them make more knowledgeable decisions when purchasing gasoline for their cars," said Karen Wildman, Shell Oil Products US brand manager. "His in-depth experience with customization trends among urban consumers as well as auto care and maintenance will help him provide African-American and Hispanic drivers with helpful information."
Rawlins, founder of a media and marketing company focusing on The Urban Automotive Experience, will use his expertise to spread awareness of the latest Shell survey results, which indicate African American drivers send mixed messages when it comes to car care.
On one hand, African-American drivers agree that keeping their engines clean and running well is their top priority, with 68.1% of African-American youth between the ages of 18-24 and 78.3% of African-American adults identifying engine maintenance as being a priority. Yet, the same survey results show that more than half of African Americans surveyed admitted to choosing gasoline based on cost rather than quality.
African-American youth lead adults in purchasing the least expensive gasoline available by 54.9% to 50.9%. These numbers reflect a continued consumer misconception of gasolines, so Shell Oil Products US is reaching out to African-Americans to explain that all gas is not the same.
"As an auto enthusiast, I see the amount of time and money that owners spend on adding upgrades to boost their vehicle's image, performance and personal style," said Rawlins. "There are certain exterior upgrades I recommend to really personalize your ride such as stylish rims, custom grilles, chrome exhausts, a little tint and minor paint projects. But I also tell them the most important upgrade to any vehicle is a high-quality gasoline because it can help you get the most out of your vehicle's everyday performance. Quality gasolines like Shell gasoline help vehicles perform the way the manufacturer intended, which is just as important as how it looks."
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