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12-15-06 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE
JENNIFER HUDSON GOLDEN GLOBE EXCLUSIVE: Actress talks to EUR about nomination; plus, Smith, Whitaker, Murphy, Beyonce and Ejiofor score.
*You know what they say…Golden Globe nominations are good indications as to who will receive Oscar nominations several weeks down the road. If so, we may be in store for the most African American Academy Award wins since the 2002 double dose of Denzel and Halle.
Forest Whitaker, Will Smith and Chiwetel Ejiofor received well-deserved recognition in the acting categories, but it was the film “Dreamgirls” that stole the show with a total of five nominations: Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical, Best Actress for Beyonce Knowles, Best Original Song for “Listen,” and Best Supporting Actor and Actress for Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson, respectively.
“I’m just trying to breathe right now, I’m so excited,” Hudson told EUR’s Lee Bailey via phone after the nominations were announced Thursday morning in Beverly Hills.
Hudson – who beat 782 other hopefuls to earn the coveted role of Effie White and has wowed critics with her performance of the character’s signature song, “And I’m Telling You, I’m Not Going” – was in the dressing room of NBC’s “Today Show” early Thursday morning watching the Golden Globe announcements live when she heard her name called.
“All they said was ‘Jen’ and we were screaming and crying and just jumping around excited,” Hudson said. “Then I had to run out there on stage and do my interview and hop on stage and sing, and I didn’t even know what I was doing or what was happening because it was so overwhelming. I’ve never experienced that many emotions in one minute…a second…a moment.”
Hudson said her head is hurting from trying to grasp the enormity of what has happened to her since auditioning for the 2004 season of “American Idol.”
“I’m just grateful that I’m here, because out of all the ‘Idols,’
over 70,000 people that auditioned, three, four or five different seasons of ‘American Idol,’ 782 Effies, what were the odds of me being here right now and to receive such an honor as to be a Golden Globe nominee? Even if I don’t get it, just to be able to consider that is enough for me, really.”
The Chicago-native was also happy for the Golden Globe love given to her co-stars Beyonce and Murphy.
“I’m so proud and so happy for them because they deserved it so much,” she said. “It’s a tribute to the ensemble and the director who put this together. It just goes to show how great of a job he did as well. I can’t wait to call them and tell them congratulations.”
For the Chicago folk who plan to see “Dreamgirls” in a local theater, don’t be surprised if you look up and see Hudson in the next row.
“I want to be in a theater– near anybody, watching it with the people,” she says of her plans on opening day. “Hopefully it will be in Chicago, I don’t know about what theater or where. I don’t even know if it’ll be the day it opens – because it is Christmas, and I want to be home with my family on Christmas. But the 26th or 27th, I’ll be in the theater near somebody watching the movie with everybody else.”
Meanwhile, Forest Whitaker continues to be recognized for his role as Idi Amin in “The Last King of Scotland.” The critics’ favorite was nominated for a Golden Globe alongside “The Pursuit of Happyness” star Will Smith in the Best Actor category. Chewitel Ojiofor was given a Best Supporting Actor nod for his role in the independent film “Kinky Boots.”
The Golden Globe awards are given out each year by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, but Hudson said the annual Hollywood spectacle is lost on her family back in the Windy City.
“I talked to my mom, of course she’s the first person I called,”
Hudson told EUR. “And she was like, ‘Oh my God, I’m so happy! I’m so excited!’ Then she said, ‘Okay, baby, what exactly is the Golden Globes?’”
***Hear Lee Bailey's interview with Jennifer Hudson here:
***Read the entire list of 2007 Golden Globe nominees at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Web site: http://www.hfpa.org/news/id/42
*** Golden Globe winners will be announced in a ceremony in Beverly Hills on January 15.
POSTHUMOUS PROOF LP TO DROP NEXT YEAR: ‘Time Will Tell’ to include 18 songs written by rapper in 24 hours.
*A new album featuring 18 songs written and recorded by late D12 rapper Proof during a 24-hour period in January will be released next year by the artist’s label, Iron Fist Records.
The concept of the album was inspired by Proof’s friend Julius Myers, a.k.a. DJ Jewels Baby, who challenged the Detroit M.C. to write and record an entire album in a single day, AP reports.
"It shows how serious Proof was about recording," Myers told The Detroit News.
Proof, whose real name was Deshaun Holton, was shot and killed during a dispute at an after-hours club last April 11. He was 32.
KATT WILLIAMS SENTENCED TO PROBATION: Pimp comedian pleads no contest to concealed firearm misdemeanor.
*Comedian Katt Williams was sentenced to three years' probation in Los Angeles Thursday after pleading no contest to the misdemeanor charge of carrying a concealed firearm.
The 35-year-old comedic actor, whose real name is Micah S. Katt Williams, was arrested Nov. 6 at Los Angeles International Airport after screeners found a gun in his briefcase.
He spent three days in jail before being allowed to leave the state and travel to Atlanta to host the BET Hip Hop Awards.
A judge on Thursday ordered Williams to pay restitution, and gave the silky-haired pimp comic credit for the three days he spent in jail, Jane Robison, a district attorney spokeswoman, said.
MISS USA CROWN MAY GO TO BLACK RUNNER UP: Miss Cali, Tamiko Nash, would assume title if current holder is tossed for ‘behavior problems.’
*Something has gone horribly wrong with the reign of current Miss USA Tara Conner. Pageant officials are keeping quiet about the details, but should the 5-foot-5 blonde be forced to give up her crown, African American runner up Tamiko Nash is next in line for the title.
Presently Miss California, Nash would assume the duties currently carried out by Conner, a 20-year-old Kentucky native who has some "behavioral and personal issues" that have apparently upset Miss USA organizers and Donald Trump, who co-owns the Miss Universe Organization with NBC.
TMZ.com reported that the Donald’s staff and NBC met Tuesday to discuss Conner's alleged bad behavior, "including her conduct at New York City bars."
According to Nash’s Web site bio, she is the 3rd African-American to hold the Miss California title in its history. She won the crown on September 11, 2005 in Palm Springs, California at the Riviera Resort and Racquet Club.
She earned her B.S. in Child and Family Development from San Diego State University. Upon graduation, she served as an elementary school teacher at Birdrock Elementary in La Jolla, California.
Nash is a native of Los Angeles and currently works for The Recording Academy known worldwide for its Grammy Awards. As Miss California, her platform was to raise awareness on behalf of The Beauty of California, a state initiative inaugurated by K2 Productions, Inc. that recognizes the diversity and spirit of California.
JENNIFER HUDSON: The Dreamgirls Interview with Kam Williams
Hudson Has Arrived!
*Born in Chicago on September 12, 1981, Jennifer Hudson began singing in her church choir at the age of seven. Throughout her school years, she continued to hone her voice by performing at various venues around the Windy City.
In 2002, she and 70,000 other hopefuls auditioned for American Idol during the hit TV show’s third season.
Though she was a finalist and wowed the judges, Jennifer only came in seventh. Her early departure prompted Elton John to state publicly that he believed racism played a part in the voting.
Hudson’s singing career has blossomed nonetheless, and she is currently putting the finishing touches on her first CD. Perhaps more importantly, she is making quite a splash with her feature film debut in Dreamgirls, garnering universal critical acclaim for her spellbinding performance as Effie Melody White which has established her as the early favorite for an Academy Award.
Ironically, the emerging ingénue had to compete again against American Idol-winner Fantasia for the role. So, it makes sense that Jennifer would see some similarities between herself and the character she’s portraying on screen.
Kam Williams: Why did you pursue this role?
Jennifer Hudson: Because Effie’s story is similar to my story. We’ve kinda’ had the same path. Maybe not as dramatic or drastic as hers, but it’s very similar. I felt like nobody could tell her story better than I could, and that’s why I really wanted Effie.
KW: Why is Effie so crushed when she’s demoted to back-up singer?
JH: She feels so backed against the wall, feels so lost, and definitely hurt, because come to find out, her brother knew about it. Basically, this is her family, Lorrell [Anika noni Rose], Deena [Beyonce’], Curtis [Jamie Foxx] is her boyfriend, and then her brother, her real brother, flesh and blood, C.C. [Keith Robinson], is sitting right there. He knows about it. And it seems like everyone knows about it but her.
KW: How would you describe your show-stopping song, And I’m Telling You?
JH: It’s about Effie’s heart and soul being laid out on the line. Her true emotions… Her true feelings... It’s basically about her getting kicked out of the group and then just being rejected by her family, because that’s what they are.
KW: What was the biggest challenge in taking on this role?
JH: Singing And I’m Telling You. That was the biggest challenge. Finding the emotion… Where to pull it out of myself... And to be able to deliver it and to show you her pain and living Effie’s journey is just challenging.
KW: How’d you like working opposite Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx?
JH: You definitely get a whole other Jamie Foxx packaging in this because he gets to display even more of his talent. What can’t he do? Jamie can sing, Jamie can act, Jamie’s a comedian. Jamie can play the piano. So, he brings a voice, again, to the movie. And of course, he brings this unbelievable acting ability. And he dances too.
KW: And how was it working with Beyonce’?
JH: I loved working with Beyonce’. It was amazing to watch this huge star being able to transform herself into Deena, who starts out this kinda’ timid and shy, young little girl in the background. For her to be able to flip into that was amazing.
KW: Is there any truth to the rumors that there was tension between the two of you on the set?
JH: No. I feel that anytime something good is going on, somebody’s going to find something to throw in, even if it’s true or not.
KW: Has the relationship remained good even though you’re getting all the Oscar buzz?
JH: Beyonce’ and I still support each other, the same way we did when we first started on this project. Anything that comes in is for the good of all of us. We all worked for this.
KW: What message do you think the movie is delivering about chasing your dream?
JH: If you have a dream, you can achieve that dream, you can achieve that goal. You just gotta go for it. But it also lets you know, that there is a price to pay.
KW: Do you credit American Idol at all for your success, given that you were voted off the show unfairly?
JH: I do give American Idol some credit because if it hadn’t been for American Idol, then they wouldn’t have ever known about Jennifer Hudson to pick up the phone and call. So, I am definitely grateful to them for that, for giving me the opportunity to be on the show and to be seen.
KW: How do you feel about the fact that the critics are all talking about your performance?
JH: The one thing I think about is my blessings. And the fact that I’m in a movie with all of these stars, and I get the biggest stage. I’m a baby, so that alone makes me emotional. Also, getting connected to the source of Effie, which is Florence Ballard [original member of The Supremes]. Reading her story, I got angry for her. I feel like Effie was her voice, and that there were things she wanted to say. And things that her fans wanted her to do. I feel that Effie is their way of getting Florence Ballard justice. So, I got angry, and I lived in the moment, as if it was really happening to me. What if my sisters, who I’ve been with all this time, betrayed me? Or if my boyfriend dumped me for someone else, how would I feel? Everybody’s been rejected, and I tried to take from whatever was most close to me to make it that much more real.
KW: What’s your acting background?
JH: Well… I don’t have any… This is it. The only thing I’ve done is worked for Disney on a cruise ship doing Hercules the musical, where I narrated the show and sang. And I worked in a Marriott on the outskirts of Chicago in a production of Big River, but I didn’t have any lines in that. It was basically all singing, but that’s my only acting experience.
KW: What does it mean to you then to go from doing a Disney cruise to possibly winning an Oscar?
JH: I can’t even believe it. To hear that is overwhelming. It brings tears to my eyes to see people receive it this way, when I think back to last year at this time when all I wanted was the part. And when I got it, all I could think about was not letting the people who gave me this opportunity down. It was something I took extremely seriously, and I just knew that I had to really put myself into it.
KW: What’s up with your debut CD?
JH: I did just sign my record deal with Clive Davis and Arista Records. We have not had that creative meeting to decide what direction we’re going to go in. all I can guarantee is a lot of soul, and that it will be out in June of 2007.
KW: Good luck with everything, Jennifer!
JH: Thank you.
DIDDY, SNOOP TEAM FOR EUROPEAN TOUR: Rap stars to support new albums overseas.
*Somewhere, Biggie and Tupac are smiling. Could they have ever imagined that their respective cohorts - Bad Boy’s Sean “Diddy” Combs and Death Row-turned-Doggystyle rapper Snoop Dogg – would one day come together for a co-headlining tour?
The two superstar rappers will head overseas in the Spring for an 18-city tour through Europe. It’s scheduled to kick off March 12 in Oslo,
Norway and wrap on April 2 in Nottingham, England.
Diddy will be promoting his new album "Press Play," while Snoop will support his new Doggystyle/Geffen effort "The Blue Carpet Treatment." Snoop will be backed on stage by his band the Snoopadelics.
Here are the Diddy/Snoop tour dates:
March 12: Oslo (Spektrum)
March 13: Copenhagen (Forum) March 14: Berlin (Max Schmelling Halle) March 15: Stuttgart, Germany (Schleyerhalle) March 16: Hamburg (Sporthalle) March 17: Frankfurt (Festhalle) March 18: Munich (Olympiahalle) March 19: Zurich (Hallenstadion) March 21-22: Paris (Bercy) March 23: Dusseldorf, Germany (Philipshalle) March 24: Brussels (Forest National) March 25: Amsterdam (Heineken Music Hall) March 27: London (Wembley Arena) March 28: Cardiff, Wales (International Arena) March 29: Manchester, England (Evening News Arena) March 30: Glasgow (SECC) March 31, April 1: Dublin (the Point) April 2: Nottingham, England (Arena)
CIARA’S ‘EVOLUTION’ TOPS BILLBOARD: No. 1 debut gives singer her best charting position and sales week ever.
*Preceded by a steamy music video for first single “Promise,” the new CD “Ciara: The Evolution” has sold 338,000 copies during its first week in the U.S. to earn a No. 1 bow on The Billboard 200 album chart.
The LaFace set, according to Nielsen SoundScan, is Ciara’s highest charting position and has given her the best-selling first week of her young career. The singer’s 2004 debut album "Goodies" entered at No. 3 on sales of 125,000 and has sold 2.63 million to date.
The Shady/Aftermath/Interscope compilation "Eminem Presents: The Re-Up" lands at No. 2 with 309,000, while Gwen Stefani enters the chart one notch higher than her 2004 solo debut "Love.Angel.Music.Baby" with "The Sweet Escape," which debuts at No. 3 with 243,000. Its predecessor opened at No. 7 but eventually climbed to No. 5.
Following a Dec. 6 performance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” sales of Il Divo’s “Siempre” exploded 128% to push it from 16-6 on the Billboard 200.
Elsewhere on the chart, the soundtrack to "Dreamgirls," the single-disc "highlights" version," bows at No. 20 with 92,000. The longer two-disc version enters at No. 132. Other big debuts this week include Lil Scrappy's "Bred 2 Die -- Born 2 Live" (BME) at No. 24 with 82,000 units and R&B veteran Brian McKnight's "Ten" (Warner Bros.) at No. 32 with 63,000.
STAR JONES REYNOLDS HAS A NEW TEMP JOB: Former ‘View’ co-host to pinch hit for Radio One’s Michael Eric Dyson.
*It’s been a minute since Star Jones Reynolds has been in front of a live microphone. The former prosecutor and host of “The View” hopes to turn the tide with a temporary gig as substitute host for Radio One’s "The Michael Eric Dyson Show."
"This is a new chapter, a new beginning. ... Absolute new Star," she said Wednesday in a phone interview with The Associated Press. "(A) very happy, healthy Star whose connection is through her family, through her community and completely in touch with what matters in life."
Reynolds, who famously announced her departure from “The View” last June during a live broadcast, will host Dyson’s syndicated radio show on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, according to the AP. Despite her vast television experience, which included an analyst gig at Court TV, she’s still has a few butterflies about tackling live radio.
"I'll try not to be nervous," she said. "I'll try not to let my voice squeak. …I'm just like the rest of you and everybody else. That is the dirty little secret. ... I want people to know that I'm connected at the hip, right with them."
Reynolds says she plans to discuss "real life issues" during her run on Dyson's three-hour show, which airs at 10 a.m. EST. She’s also going to feature an "Ask the Lawyer" segment.
"This is the very first time that I am going to be hosting a radio show all on my own, not as a guest," she says. "And you know the old saying — just because you make a good guest, doesn't mean you'd make a great host.
So this is a really wonderful opportunity for me to just talk to people about things that matter in their lives. For the first time, people will be able to just get to me directly, and let's just go for it."
As previously reported, Reynolds is also producing a "year-end review of 2006" special for TV One. Because of her schedule, the wife of Al Reynolds says she is too busy to sneak a peak at the new Rosie O’Donnell-enhanced “View,” or even her girl Meredith Viera on the “Today Show.”
"You have to forgive me," she says. "I'm not watching television!
Right now, I'm working my rear end off."
BILL CONDON, ANIKA NONI ROSE: ‘DREAMGIRLS’ CAST CASTS DREAM
Cast and crew excited about Christmas release.
By Kenya M Yarbrough
*“Dreamgirls” is on its way to theaters this holiday, but the buzz on the star-studded flick started weeks ago. Still, “Dreamgirls” screenwriter Bill Condon won’t brag too much about the film until moviegoers cast their votes at the box office. However, all signs point to this being a major hit.
Making a musical hit in the new millennium is something rather old hat for the scribe. Condon was the man responsible for bringing another Broadway boom to the big screen, “Chicago,” in 2002. That film snagged no less than ten Oscar nominations including Best Screenplay, and Best Picture for which it won.
“I think the hardest part is making a musical that would relate to contemporary audiences and for me, more important than anything else, that means keeping the story going through the songs. I think for people that don’t like musicals, the worst thing that can happen is that when the music starts they think, ‘Oh God, now I have to wait for two minutes for the song to end and the story picks up again.’ That was something I was really intent on not doing in this movie,” Condon said of the secret of his success.
The director is hopeful, and prepared, for audiences and critics to respond as well to his latest project. And with a cast that includes Oscar winner Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, and the very popular Beyonce Knowles the film is poised to be a hit. But the writer says that there were some casting concerns early on, particularly of super pop star Beyonce.
“I was just not sure in the very beginning,” he confessed. “I had two concerns and one of them was that when someone has a strong stage persona that they’ve developed over years, often that’s what they do and it’s hard for them to shift gears, and in this case she had to become something so completely different.”
Condon explained that, for example, Beyonce’s stage presence is quite contrary to that of Deena, the character she plays in the film.
“The way she presents herself sexually on the stage now in such a strong and aggressive way, that’s [nothing like] the performances in the 1960s. So that was the first thing. I wanted to see if she could really shed all the Beyonce mannerisms and become this different person. Secondly,” he continued, “[the film] demanded a level of acting that she’s never had to do on screen before. I suspected she could do it, but I needed to make sure. So she agreed to do the screen test in New York. It was great. It was really brilliant.”
According to Condon, brilliance radiates from the film. He talked just as fondly about performances by newcomer Jennifer Hudson. The former “American Idol” contestant and new starlet was drawn from more than 700 hopefuls for the role of Effie.
“That was a long process,” Condon described, “only because casting Effie is, in a way, the most important decision in this movie. You have to climb Mt. Everest with that part, you have to kill on that song (‘And I am Telling You’) – that was the most famous moment in the show, and of course she had big shoes to fill – a legendary performance by Jennifer Holiday. So I felt we had to see everyone around the world who thought they might have an ‘Effie’ inside them. Some of them were really wonderful, but Jennifer had that right combination of qualities.”
And the third of the Dreamgirls trio had quite the right combination for the part and cast, too. Tony Award winner Anika Noni Rose plays the role of Lorell in the film, and makes up the final powerhouse of the group. As quite an accomplished actress on the stage, rose said that she used the same acting skills that she uses on stage for the film. After all, it earned her a Tony.
“I treat it the same way I treat the stage,” she said of filming. “I don’t change my style of acting for screen. I’m a very intimate actor. I think that even when you have a 1200-seat house, you don’t have to be huge.”
And she said that it was quite helpful to work with such a cast, particularly Eddie Murphy.
“He’s a comedian and yet when he’s on the set and when he’s with you, he’s very contained,” she said of the actor’s demeanor. “The persona that we see is really not his person. I felt really honored that I was allowed to see this part of him. What he does as an actor, when you’re working across from him, is he gives you 100%, and I think he was respectful of what I was bringing. One thing that’s fabulous are the moments when he’s still and the moments that he has nothing to say, what he does with his face and his eyes are just phenomenal. I think that’s the surprising part. That’s not the way the world is used to seeing him – in those still moments.”
Furthermore, Rose added that even with all the potential egos and award clashing that could have gone on on the set, there was absolutely none. Frankly, Rose explained that even with the different levels and disparity of experience in the cast, Rose explained that it wasn’t even a factor.
“I think that it’s a tribute to the script that everybody gets time to shine and be seen,” she said. “I think that the story is really an ensemble. If you take a puzzle piece out, you cannot see the picture anymore. And because of that, and you have Bill understanding the Broadway world and Hollywood, there was the ability to go in and mesh. I didn’t go in thinking about people and their stardom. Ultimately that has no bearing on the job that I do. It doesn’t matter to me who’s standing across from me and what their credits are. If you get caught up on the titles behind people and the awards that come with them, you lose sight of the fact that you have a job to do. We had three women from different walks of life and different strengths, and we just came together and we were just three women.”
“Dreamgirls” hits theaters Christmas Day. In the meantime, keep checking with EUR for our lead up to the film and for more on the film, cast, and crew, go to www.dreamgirlsmovie.com.
‘AKEELAH’ STAR IN SAMUEL L. JACKSON FILM: Keke Palmer to play actor’s daughter in crime thriller, ‘The Cleaner.’
*Keke Palmer, the 13-year-old headliner of last summer’s critically-acclaimed film “Akeelah and the Bee,” will next star alongside Samuel L. Jackson in “The Cleaner,” for Millennium Films.
The crime thriller stars Jackson as a man who specializes in cleaning up crime scenes and is drawn into a mystery when he cleans up the evidence at a murder before the killing is reported.
Palmer will play Jackson’s daughter in the film. Actor Ed Harris, also newly cast, will play Jackson's former partner.
Jackson is also producing the picture, which is scheduled to begin shooting next month in Shreveport, La for a 2008 release. Renny Harlin will direct a script from Matthew Aldrich.
Palmer, meanwhile, will next appear in the Disney Channel telefilm "Jump In!" and has an overall deal at Atlantic Records. Her album is due in the spring.
RICK JAMES BIOPIC, B!@^H!: ‘Longest Yard’ screenwriter to pen ‘Super Freak,’ about life of the late funkateer.
*Looks like the long-planned biopic about late funk pioneer Rick James is finally becoming a reality. A Texas-based businessman is financing the project, and screenwriter Sheldon Turner (“The Longest Yard”) has signed on to pen the script, reports Variety.
The project has no studio attached, but Texas-based entrepreneur John Farbes will serve as an executive producer, alongside Turner and Mark Gill. Jennifer Klein will produce through her Apartment 3B Productions Banner with Patrick Aluise of Aluise Entertainment.
Klein and Turner have been trying to get James’ story in theaters since a Warner Independent Pictures executive gave them 400 pages of a memoir that James wrote before his death in 2004. When Gill left WIP, the studio lost interest in the project. But Klein and Turner were still looking to take it on.
They worked with James’ estate to secure a rights package that includes that unpublished manuscript and a catalog of his hit songs, including "Super Freak" and "Give It to Me Baby."
Turner has no intention of writing the typical rags-to-riches-to-drugs music biopic. The James estate wasn’t interested in that type of story either, which ultimately halted a proposed Paramount project several years ago that reportedly piqued the interest of Dave Chappelle.
Turner said James' memoir (the estate would like to get the book published when the movie's made) was rich with the story of a gifted musician who married funk, rock and sex and partied with just about everyone, "from Jim Morrison to princes to Prince, another singer he feuded with because Rick felt he'd ripped off his act," Turner said.
USHER’S WINE BAR OPENS IN THE ATL: The Grape is the first of a chain he hopes to open in NY, L.A. and Vegas.
*The grand opening of a new wine bar owned by Usher was scheduled to take place last night in Atlanta.
The Grape, located in Inman Park (two miles east of downtown Atlanta), opened its doors for a newspaper reporter earlier in the week as construction workers and employees were hustling to get things ready for its scheduled Thursday debut.
According to John Kessler of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Usher was also on hand for the private preview – dressed in a purple velour blazer over a purple shirt – and “hoisted aloft a glass of deep purple pinot noir called Credo.”
"This is my favorite wine," Usher said, according to the newspaper.
"But I also like Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru," naming a storied French vineyard. "If you're gonna call yourself a wine drinker, you've gotta have at least a burgundy in your stash."
A Grape in New York is scheduled to follow in late 2007, and will reportedly coincide with the release of his new album. After Grape conquers the Big Apple, there are plans for its expansion out west into Los Angeles, and Las Vegas.
Grape CEO Jack Mazur and business manager Solomon Smallwood also see Grapes growing in Chicago, South America, Shanghai and Tokyo.
Mazur and his partners decided to capitalize on the growing interest of wine among younger drinkers and came up with the concept for Grape. All the wines poured in the bar are available for sale in the attached store.
BRAT PACK 2006 CAUSES CONCERN: Seacrest troubled over Richie’s behavior; Mary J. Blige vexed by Britney.
*Is it any surprise that close friends of 25-year-old “Simple Life”
star Nicole Richie are worried that the girl will end up seriously injured, or in an even worse state, if she keeps on her current path?
Following her recent DUI arrest after driving the wrong way on a California freeway, Richie’s buddy Ryan Seacrest had this to say to People
magazine:
“I think that anytime you're in a situation like that and it's dangerous, you're worried for the person in that situation and you're also worried for the people around that person. The most frightening thing about it is that she was in great danger as well as people on the freeway that night and anytime you see something like that that could result in a massive catastrophe, you worry for anybody that's involved.”
Another Hollywood wild child, Britney Spears, has come to the attention of a concerned Mary J. Blige. The Queen of Hip Hop Soul, herself a reformed alcoholic and drug abuser, was asked to comment on Britney’s recent social missteps, including her recent no-panty photos in the tabloids and successive nights on the town away from her two young children since divorcing husband Kevin Federline.
"I know that at some point in our lives we've had a situation like Britney's, meaning that we all were with someone we thought loved us and actually didn't,” Blige told Ireland Online. “We make mistakes. I am looking at Britney as a human being just like myself. I messed up big time in my life. I love Britney and I send out all of my prayers and all great energy to her because she's young and she is going through it. She is going to get through. She is going to come out on the other side real nice I think."
OPENING THIS WEEK: Kam's Kapsules: Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun For movies opening December 15,
by Kam Williams
BIG BUDGET FILMS
Dreamgirls (PG-13 for sex, expletives, and drug use) American Idol also-ran Jennifer Hudson brings down the house in this adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical which opened on Broadway 25 years ago about the trials and tribulations of a Sixties R&B trio similar to The Supremes. Cast also includes Beyonce', Anika Noni Rose, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, Danny Glover, John Lithgow, Bobby Slayton, Jaleel "Urkel" White, and Loretta Devine, who starred in the original stage production.
Eragon (PG for frightening images, intense battle sequences, and fantasy violence) Dungeons and Dragons-style sci-fi about a dragon-riding orphan (Edward Speelers) who enlists the assistance of an elderly talespinner (jeremy Irons) to avenge the murder of his uncle on the orders of a monomaniacal monarch (John Malkovich). With Djimon Hounsou, Sieena Guillory and Rachel Weisz.
Home of the Brave (R for profanity and violence) Samuel L. Jackson grudgingly co-stars with gangsta' rapper 50 Cent in this post-traumatic stress disorder drama chronicling the efforts of Iraq War veterans to readjust to civil life after being traumatized by battle duty. Cast includes Jessica Biel, Victoria Rowell and Christina Ricci.
The Pursuit of Happyness (PG-13 for profanity) Will Smith stars in this uplifting bio-pic based on actual events in the life of Christopher Gardner, a homeless single-father in San Francisco who overcame the odds by becoming a successful stockbroker. Supporting cast includes Thandie Newton, Jaden Smith (Will's son) and Dan Castellaneta, best known as the voice of Homer Simpson. D'oh!
INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS
Arthur and the Invisibles (Unrated) Luc Besson wrote and directed this animated adventure about a ten year-old boy (Freddie Highmore) who ventures to a parallel universe inhabited by tiny creatures to find a fabled treasure in order to save his grandfather's home from being demolished by greedy real estate developers. Voice cast includes Madonna, Snoop Dogg, David Bowie and Mia Farrow.
Reminiscing in Tempo (Unrated) Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (1899-1974) eulogized in this reverential bio-pic cobbled primarily from footage shot at annual birthday party thrown in the classy jazz legend's honor by his eccentric, younger sister Ruth, even posthumously. Also features tender reflections by friends Bobby Short, Billy Taylor, Al Hibbler, Ira Gitler, Dan Morgenstern and others interspersed with archival concert clips of the Ellington Orchestra.
The Secret Life of Words (Unrated) Romantic drama about the unusual relationship which evolves between a temporarily-blinded man (Tim Robbins) and the hearing-impaired woman (Sarah Polley) who mysteriously boards his oil rig bobbing in the middle of the sea in order to nurse him back to health. Cast includes Julie Christie and Javier Camara.
Venus (R for sex, expletives, and brief nudity) February-December romance drama about a couple of washed-up actors still on stage during their decidedly unglamorous golden years whose lives are turned upside down when one (Peter O'Toole) of them falls head over heels for the other's (Leslie Phillips) teenage grand-niece (Jodie Whittaker).
THEATER BITS: ‘Two Trains’ to keep on running; Porter, Rubin-Vega at ‘Rockers on Broadway.’
*Off-Brodway’s Signature Theatre Company has announced a third and final two-week extension for its off-Broadway revival of August Wilson's “Two Trains Running,” through Jan 28, 2007, reports Broadway.com. Set in
1969 Pittsburgh, Two Trains Running introduces the regulars at a popular local diner, grinding out an existence against the backdrop of a turbulent world and rapidly changing city. Directed by Lou Bellamy, the production began previews on November 7 at Signature's Peter Norton Space. The final production in Signature's August Wilson series will be King Hedley II, scheduled to run February 20-April 15, 2007.
*Billy Porter (Smokey Joe’s Café) and Daphne Rubin-Vega (Les\Misérables) will join other Broadway stars to perform at “Rockers On Broadway: Jersey Style” on Jan. 29, 2007, at BB King Blues Club & Grill in Manhattan (237 West 42nd St.). The event is a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and Wingspan Arts, Inc., presented by Donnie Kehr, Cori Gardner and Good To Go Entertainment. For more information visit www.rockersonbroadway.com.
EVENT CALENDAR: Nehemiah Project; ‘Rock the Bells’ in L.A.; ‘Rockin’ Eve’; Cuyahoga College’s King event; ‘Requiem for Darfur,’ BMI honors Adams, Hammond.
*The Los Angeles Nehemiah Project, the inner-city arm of The Lutheran Church, will host a city-wide Toy Give-away on Saturday (Dec. 16) from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church (936 W. Vernon Ave.) The Nehemiah Project is a joint ministry coalition of the Lutheran Church, representing 11 churches in the Southern California region. The primary goal of the Nehemiah Project is to see changed lives through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Nehemiah Project offers community outreach, youth programs, educational training and other social services for those in need.
Additionally, toys will be distributed at three other Nehemiah Project Lutheran Church sites: Hope Memorial Lutheran Church in Los Angeles, St. Phillip Lutheran Church in Compton, and Historic First Lutheran Church in Pasadena.
*The annual “Rock The Bells” Holiday Party, co-sponsored by Tony Rock and Ed Hardy, will take place in Los Angeles on Tuesday (Dec. 19) at 9 p.m. at Level 3 (6801 Hollywood Blvd.). A portion of the proceeds will benefit the YMCA Wellness and Aquatic Center in Los Angeles. Also on the guest list are Duane Martin, Tisha Campbell-Martin and LisaRaye Misick. BET’s Black Carpet will also be on hand. VIP admission and general admission should RSVP to rsvp.rockthebells@gmail.com.
*“Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2007,” airing Sunday, Dec. 31 on ABC will, include artists Rihanna, Ludacris and KT Tunstall among the 19 performers scheduled for the program. Other talent includes Christina Aguilera, Rascal Flatts, Natasha Bedingfield, Meat Loaf, Latin group RBD and Broadway’s “Jersey Boys” performing from the show’s exclusive stage at Military Island in Times Square. Fergie will also perform, as well as host the Hollywood party. The three and one-half hours of special programming will be hosted by Dick Clark and Ryan Seacrest with New York street coverage from Marysol Castro, "Good Morning America Weekend's" weather and features correspondent.
*Cuyahoga Community College will celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the College's 30th annual observance of his birthday. This year's program theme, "Celebrate the Dream of a King," will feature a free concert with the renowned musical group Take 6 and the Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra on Sunday, January 14, 2007, at 3:00 p.m. in the Metropolitan Campus Auditorium (2900 Community College Avenue). Wayne Dawson, co-anchor of FOX 8 news in the morning, will serve as Master of Ceremonies. In addition, three Cleveland public school graduates will receive recognition and scholarships during the program. Due to limited seating, tickets are required for this free event. Call 216-987-4805 to reserve your tickets today.
*Responding to the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, a specially-assembled orchestra of instrumental luminaries from around the globe, four distinguished soloists and a chorus of 150 will join Singaporean-born Indian conductor George Mathew in a singular performance of Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem. Presented by the Democracy Council, Requiem for Darfur takes the stage at Carnegie Hall on January 22, 2007. Benefiting relief efforts and advocacy for the almost 4 million people in Darfur and Chad acutely affected by the conflict, Requiem for Darfur is Artistic Director Mathew's brainchild. "We envisage an historic musical event that will serve as a memorial for the countless people who have lost their lives, raise funds and highlight the plight of the victims, while aiding the efforts to alleviate their suffering," said Mathew.
*Gospel greats Yolanda Adams and Fred Hammond will be honored by U.S. performing rights organization BMI at its 8th Annual Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards Luncheon on Friday, Jan. 12, 2007. The ceremony will take place at Rocketown (401 6th Avenue South) in Nashville. Held in conjunction with and prior to the Stellar Awards, the invitation-only celebration will host gospel music's premier songwriters, recording artists and music industry executives, as well as the genre's legends. The 22nd Annual Stellar Awards, celebrating the year in gospel music, will be held on Saturday, Jan. 13 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.
ITTY BITTY BITS: 'Nelson' DVD; 'Gangster' runs iTunes; Dash's new ventures; 'Hip Hop Essentials'; GSN's O.J. game; new 'Essence'; 'Gritz n' Gravy.'
*The film “Half Nelson,” co-starring Shareeka Epps in an award-winning performance, will arrive on DVD Feb. 13. The film stars Ryan Gosling as a young teacher leading a double life. By day, Dan Dunne (Gosling) struggles to reach the underprivileged, predominantly African-American students in his Brooklyn classroom. By night, he struggles with alcoholism and drug addiction. When the walls between those two lives crumble and a troubled student (Epps) discovers his secret, the two form an unlikely friendship that could have potentially life-altering consequences for them both.
*BET's original series “American Gangster” has become a big hit on iTunes. The documentary series is one of the ten most-downloaded cable TV shows at the Web site’s music store, the Viacom-owned cable network announced Tuesday. In a statement, BET Networks Chairman and CEO Debra Lee said, "As the world's most popular digital download store, iTunes is a key platform for serving our existing audience of African-American media super-consumers, and for introducing our breakthrough programming franchises to other audiences."
*Rap mogul Damon Dash is launching a new clothing line called CEO and a new social networking site under the name “BlockSavvy.com, reports Allhiphop.com. "This is our version of a Myspace, but I don't want to say urban Myspace...it's like a social networking system," Dash told the Web site of BlockSavvy. "It's got a lot of interactive components and the technology is off the hook. As for his high-end fashion line CEO, Dash says: "I'm an old school dude, not very trendy. So, if people are not dressed the way I'm dressed, I'm going to make clothes that reflect that," Dash told AllHipHop.com. "I've always been an oak, and I say that to say that the same thing that I'm wearing now, I could have been wearing in '85 and '95."
*Marking its 25th anniversary, Tommy Boy announces the release of the limited edition “Hip Hop Essentials” box set. Spanning the years of 1979 through 1991, this foundational 12 volume CD collection features 144 tracks which have contributed to the groundwork of classic hip hop music. Purchase the box set online through www.TommyBoy.com. All Hip Hop Essentials volumes are also available separately. Each set is numbered and features black velvet and gold foil stamp packaging.
*In response to O.J. Simpson’s ill-conceived book “If I Did It,” the Game Show Network (GSN) has launched an online game called “Throw the Book at O.J.,” which allows players to throw books at a constantly moving Simpson target. When Simpson is hit by the books, the user receives points as Simpson suffers bumps and bruises. Simpson also goes after the player by spiraling footballs at them. If Simpson is successful at striking the user with three footballs, the game is over. Players can earn extra points if they intercept valuable cartoon items that fall out of Simpson’s jacket
pockets: bundles of money, a trophy and a glove. The game is located at http://www.gsn.com.
*Patti LaBelle, Vanessa Williams, Nancy Wilson, Kelly Rowland and Wendy Raquel Robinson are featured in the new January 2007 issue of Essence magazine in the cover story “Ageless Beauties: Part I.” From Patti’s beauty regimen and Kelly’s mane taming technique to Vanessa’s fitness plan, these stunning women reveal how they achieve their ageless states of mind, body and soul. Also in the new issue are reflections on the 30th anniversary of the mini-series “Roots” from the late Ed Bradley, and the story of a Baltimore mother whose decision to tell the truth about a violent shoot-out she witnessed has chilling consequences. “The Pursuit of Happyness” stars Will and Jaden Smith, and hip hop tell-all author Carmen Bryan are also featured in the issue, on newsstands now.
*Maximum Overtime Media LLC, a company composed of black professionals from the comics, illustration, and digital design fields, is releasing Gritz n' Gravy, a quarterly illustrated adult urban fantasy and popular culture national magazine. "I believe the time is now for this type of magazine," says Publisher Paris Cullins. "An eclectic jam of articles, interviews, and stories portraying urban popular culture through illustration, text, and sequential art." The premiere issue features interviews with “Underworld” creator Kevin Grievoux, filmmaker M. Asli Dukan about her upcoming documentary "Invisible Universe: Blacks in Speculative Fiction" and more. Gritz n' Gravy Magazine will be a 200 page quarterly publication with a suggested retail price of $9.95. It is made for adults 18 and over.
EUR MOTIVATIONAL GURU WILLIE JOLLEY HELPS FORD: Workers accept buyout at record numbers after hearing him speak.
*In an effort to jumpstart a stalled buyout offer, Ford Motor Company sought the services of world-renowned speaker and author Willie Jolley to speak to their plant employees nation-wide.
Ford Motor Company has been going through a major industry shift and
needed to reduce their labor force by 10%. Even though Ford had offered a
very generous package, very few workers were signing up for the buyout offer.
One of Ford's executives had heard Willie Jolley speak and recommended that Ford bring him in to motivate employees and encourage them to take
advantage of one of Ford's special packages.
The Ford / Willie Jolley Opportunity Tour began in mid October and had to be completed by Thanksgiving, in order for the workers to meet the critical November 27th deadline. Each day Willie Jolley visited different plants around the country, many times speaking at two facilities a day. The tour concluded the night before Thanksgiving in Detroit, MI.
Ford workers were energized by Willie Jolley's message and his personal story of turning setbacks into comebacks! Ford's goal was to get 25,000 workers to take advantage of the buyout opportunity. We are excited the week after the tour, Ford announced that over 38,000 workers had taken advantage of the buyout! Willie Jolley was able to help Ford exceed their goal by over 50%!
For more information on Willie Jolley and his powerful programs visit www.williejolley.com.
EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE
The Willie Jolley 12 Days of Christmas!
The Fourth Day of Christmas – “Share The Gift of Hope!”
By Willie Jolley, Host of the “Willie Jolley Motivational Minute” syndicated radio show
The writer wrote, “The true measure of a person is not how did they die but how did they live, not what did they gain, but what did they give. These are the units to measure the worth of a person regardless of birth. These are the questions of which words should devote, these are the answers where you will find hope!” During this time of celebration share the gift of hope. No matter what is going on in your life, you can make it as long as you have hope! Nothing is more pitiful than a person without any hope. This Christmas share the gift of hope!
To order the CD version of “The Willie Jolley 12 Days of Christmas” read by Willie Jolley, or to give other “Gifts of Success” this Christmas, visit www.williejolley.com or call 800-487-8899 to order books, tapes and other products to help you you’re your Success!
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Dec. 15: Singer Cindy Birdsong of The Supremes is 67. Actor George O. Gore II ("My Wife and Kids") is 25.
Dec. 16: Singer Michael McCary of Boyz II Men is 35.
Dec. 17: Keyboardist-singer Art Neville of the Neville Brothers is 69.
R&B singer Wanda Hutchinson (The Emotions) is 56. Actor Sean Patrick Thomas is 37.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
The Adams Report provides women with lifestyle features and exclusive celebrity audio interviews each week on TALK! With AUDREY. Get it here:
(www.TheAdamsReport.com)
Submit your favorite website to us along with a 15-20 word (or less) description to info@eurweb.com.
BLACK HISTORY
Dec. 15, 1896: Julia Terry Hammonds invented the apparatus for holding yarn skeins.
Dec. 16, 1875: Alabama A&M College, Knoxville College and Lane College established.
Dec. 17, 1991: Michael Jordan is named 1991 Sports Illustrated
Sportsman of the Year. (Source: www.BlackFacts.com)
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