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09-19-07 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE
THE DAILY O.J. ROUNDUP: Goldmans want ‘stolen’ memorabilia; ‘If I Did It’
gets second printing; co-defendant calls incident ‘a set up’; victim hospitalized, more.
*O.J. Simpson is scheduled to go before a judge in Las Vegas today in connection with his Operation Memorabilia Recovery case.
He’s been held without bail since Sunday afternoon on six felony charges – including two counts of robbery with use of a deadly weapon – stemming from an alleged armed break-in of a hotel room to retrieve items he claims were stolen from him.
Cops arrested the former NFL star after a sports memorabilia dealer claimed he was threatened when Simpson and a group of armed men charged into his Las Vegas hotel room demanding a return of his collectibles. A recording of the incident was made and leaked to the Web site, TMZ.com.
One of the men arrested with Simpson, Walter Alexander, said Tuesday that Simpson seemed to have been set up, because another memorabilia dealer who tipped off the former running back was the person who recorded everything on tape.
According to TMZ, that dealer is auctioneer Thomas Riccio, who reportedly recorded a total of 20 hours of tape, “including conversations with Simpson, as well as interviews with cops after the incident.”
As of press time, Riccio was in the process of negotiating immunity with the Las Vegas District Attorney before handing over the tape for their investigation. According to TMZ, Riccio’s lawyer wanted to make sure his client would not be prosecuted as part of the team that allegedly robbed the two memorabilia dealers - Alfred Beardsley and Bruce Fromong.
Fromong, meanwhile, was taken to the hospital Monday with chest pains and transferred to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, a staff member at Century City Doctors Hospital said Tuesday. CBS Radio reported Fromong's condition was much worse, and that his heart had stopped and had to be restarted.
A third man who participated in the alleged break-in turned himself in to Las Vegas Metro Police on Monday.
Clarence Stewart, 53, is being held on two felony counts of robbery with a deadly weapon, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, burglary with a deadly weapon, and conspiracy. Police say he has surrendered some of the missing memorabilia, including autographed footballs.
A fourth man, Tom Scotto, was questioned and cleared of suspicion after police concluded he was not in the room, reducing the number of outstanding suspects to two, police said. Both were apparently seeking attorneys and preparing to surrender, police said.
Elsewhere in O.J.’s world, the publisher of O.J. Simpson’s book “If I Did It” has commissioned an additional 50,000 copies to satisfy popular demand. The book, which came out last week and on Tuesday ranked No. 2 on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com, now has 200,000 copies in print, according to publisher Beaufort Books. "The arrest brought the whole question of O.J. and the law back into everybody's consciousness," Beaufort owner Eric Kampmann told The Associated Press.
Although Simpson was acquitted of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman in 1994, a civil jury ordered the Heisman trophy winner to pay a judgment of $33.5 million – which Simpson has largely ignored.
In an ongoing attempt to collect, a lawyer for Ron Goldman’s father, Fred Goldman, filed a motion seeking the seized memorabilia as well as items spotted in Simpson’s possession during the current media firestorm – including a Rolex watch, reports TMZ.com.
A judge ruled Tuesday that that Goldman is entitled to the Rolex. The judge also ruled that Goldman's effort to recover the seized memorabilia must be requested individually and he will rule accordingly in a hearing set for next Tuesday -- possibly sooner. Meanwhile, Goldman’s attorney can go to Las Vegas and receive the watch, get an appraisal, and the judge will hear findings on October 16.
50 CENT CLAIMS KANYE’S LABEL IS ‘RIGGING SALES’: Rapper accuses Def Jam of being funny with the figures.
*In an interview with UK music magazine Uncut, 50 Cent says his dramatic loss to Kanye West in a sales race involving their new albums is due to some shady math at West’s label, Def Jam.
"He's never had a fraction of the sales 50 Cent has," the rapper told the magazine. "They could have only one scan and have it count four times.
West's entire career hasn't sold half what I sold on my first album."
According to figures compiled by several music industry trade publications, including Billboard and Hits Magazine, West's album, "Graduation," is tipped to debut at No.1 this week with sales of more than 800,000 units. 50's "Curtis," meanwhile, is slated to enter at No. 2 on sales of around 600,000.
As previously reported, 50 Cent has cancelled a string of dates in Europe, including the Music of Black Origin Awards and the Live Music Awards. Both events take place in London, where West’s album debuted at No.
1 this week.
"50 Cent is very sad to confirm that due to a last minute, unforeseen and unanticipated change in his schedule, he will have to postpone his European promotion trip from September 18-25," his Interscope label said in a statement released Monday.
ISIAH THOMAS SPLITS HAIRS OVER THE B-WORD: Knicks coach says it’s more acceptable when it’s coming from a black man.
*According to New York Knicks coach Isiah Washington, there is a difference between a white man calling a black woman a “bitch,” and a black man doing the same.
Thomas explained his distinction in a videotaped deposition played for the jury at fired Knicks exec Anucha Browne Sanders' sexual harassment trial in New York, reports the New York Daily News.
Asked if he was bothered by a black male calling a black female "bitch," Thomas said: "Not as much. I'm sorry to say, I do make a distinction.
"A white male calling a black female a bitch is highly offensive,"
Thomas said. "That would have violated my code of conduct. Maybe I shouldn't go there. ... A white male calling a black female, that is wrong with me.
I'm not taking that. I'm not accepting that. ... That's a problem for me."
The subject came up during claims that both Thomas and Knicks star guard Stephon Marbury used the B-word to describe Anucha Browne, who filed a $10 million suit against Thomas and Madison Square Garden after the Knicks fired her in December 2005.
"Now, have I ever used curse words around her? Yes, but at her? No,"
Thomas said on the video, which was projected on a big screen in the courtroom.
As he left court Monday, Thomas made the statement: "Please don't mischaracterize the videotape shown in court today," insisting, "I don't think it's right for any man to call a woman a 'bitch.'"
Marbury, meanwhile, has admitted calling Browne Sanders a bitch but denied calling her a "black bitch."
BISHOP WEEKS HOLDS PRESS CONFERENCE: Juanita Bynum’s husband maintains there are ‘two sides to every story.’
*Bishop Thomas W. Weeks, the man accused of beating, choking and stomping his evangelist wife Juanita Bynum in a hotel parking lot, held a press conference Friday at his Duluth Church to defend his reputation.
"I want to be clear in saying I do not condone in any way, shape or form violence of any kind towards women," said Weeks in a conference room at Global Destiny Church of Duluth, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "My role has always been to operate as a protector and not as an aggressor. I have walked away from many situations between the two of us, just like I walked away that night."
Weeks, 40, claims he was attempting to reconcile with Bynum on the night before the alleged incident. The couple had separated in June.
"I was with my wife the entire night and felt that our love for each other was going to get us through these hard times," Weeks said, claiming he went to the hotel restaurant on the day in question because his wife had asked for his help in raising money for her mentorship classes.
"She shared her urgency that we meet that night because she needed to solidify the location to make her commercials," he said, according to AJC.
Weeks is looking forward to clearing his name when facts of the criminal case emerge in due time, he said. The Bishop also expressed his desire to avoid a divorce.
"In the last five years, I have always loved my wife and have been nothing but faithful to her," he said. "I understand that my silence to date has given me the perception of guilt, but understand that it was because my belief in the sacredness of marriage and hopes of true and full reconciliation as to why I kept silent."
Weeks was charged with felony aggravated assault, felony terroristic threats and two counts of simple battery in connection with the Aug. 21 incident. He faces up to 27 years in jail if convicted.
As previously reported, Bynum has filed for divorce and recently announced that she was "the new face of domestic violence."
KANYE WEST VS. MTV – ROUND TWO: Was rapper dropped from network’s voter awareness event after acting like a diva?
*The New York Daily News is reporting that Kanye West has worn out his welcome at MTV following his infamous backstage rant at the Video Music Awards over going home with zero-out-of-five trophies.
"They have decided he is just too difficult to deal with," the newspaper quotes a source as saying.
Another source claims West’s rant also had to do with Justin Timberlake having a bigger suite than he did — one that had its own basketball court.
In his latest drama with the music channel, West was reportedly booked to participate in an MTV-sponsored voter awareness event that also features Bill Clinton, but those plans have fallen through.
"Clinton sent him a letter asking him to participate, but he said he also wanted a personal phone call from the [former] President," explains the source. Needless to say, MTV booked Alicia Keys in his place.
A rep for MTV confirmed West is not participating in the event but
added: "Saying MTV does not wish to work with him would be inaccurate. ...
He has been the one who has been vocal about saying he will never work with us again."
BRITISH VOGUE SAYS NAOMI CAMPBELL IS TRIPPIN’: Model said magazine was racist for denying her covers; publication has proof she’s done 8.
*Naomi Campbell went off on the publishers of British Vogue recently, labeling them racist because they have constantly denied her opportunities to grace their covers.
"I've never been on the cover of British Vogue, and I've asked a million times and they've always refused me," she said during a panel held at the recent Blacks in Fashion conference. "[They] wouldn't put me on once in my own country."
Apparently she has a very short memory.
"We're rather confused by this comment," Condé Nast UK rep Nicky Eaton told the New York Daily News. The publisher says it has proof that Campbell has graced the cover of Italian Vogue eight times – and all of the photos are archived on the magazine’s Web site, vogue.co.uk.
Meanwhile, Campbell is in final negotiations to join the cast of Spike Lee’s upcoming film, “Miracle at St. Anna,” a $45 million WWII film about black soldiers fighting in Italy.
"It's a very, very small role, but it involves subject matter that I'm really passionate about," she said.
NEW VENTURES FOR PATTI LABELLE AND NATALIE COLE: Pat pushes hot sauce; Nat sells shoes.
*Veteran R&B singers Patti Labelle and Natalie Cole are each embarking on new side hustles to satisfy their passions while augmenting their incomes.
Labelle, who famously carries a bottle of Louisiana Hot Sauce in her purse at all times, is about to launch a line of her own hot sauces and relishes.
Available later this year, the five available flavors will include Sweet Hot Jalapeno, Rich Red Blended Cayenne, and Hot Flash Blended Habanero & Jalapeno sauce, reports TMZ.com.
Cole, meanwhile, is set to launch her own line of high-end footwear in 2008, reports WENN.
"It should be very exciting. I have been a shoe freak all my life,”
says Cole. "It'll be a bit conservative at first and then we'll be expanding to different colors. It's all about comfort - no very high heels for me."
REMY MA DENIES ASSAULTING WITNESS: Plus, victim details his alleged beatdown.
*Remy Ma is insisting that she did not have male members of her crew beat up a witness involved in her shooting case. Meanwhile, the victim has gone public with details of his alleged assault at the hands of several men.
A rep for the rapper says the assault accusations are false and simply intended to turn the public against her.
"To clarify, the assaulted male is not a witness in this case,” said Remy’s publicist Duran Brown in a statement to TMZ.com. “To sway public opinion the most recent indictment or 'accusation' has been released to the public in faith that it causes doubt of Remy Ma's innocence, rather then highlighting the fact that this case has now turned into an assault plea.
"Remy Ma maintains her innocence of all charges and will continue to do her best as an entertainer, mother, friend, and entrepreneur for the betterment of her continually successful career."
Meanwhile, the victim, Syndey Holmes, has gone to the New York Daily News with details of his assault.
"I was fighting seven dudes by myself. I was just defending myself,”
he said. “Now my jaw is broken in two places and I have a plate in my chin for the rest of my life.
"I have nothing against Remy but I just want justice to be done. How can they break my jaw and still be walking the streets?"
Smith is due back in court tomorrow (Sept. 20) on charges of witness tampering and gang assault, as well as original charges of assault following the shooting of 23-year-old Makeda Barnes-Joseph outside a New York City nightclub in July. An original attempted murder charge was downgraded after it was determined that the shooting was accidental.
ZOE SALDANA IN TALKS TO PLAY ‘STAR TREK’S’ UHURA: Actress to step into shoes created by Nichelle Nichols.
*Zoe Saldana, whose breakout role was opposite Britney Spears in the film “Crossroads,” is in final negotiations to play the iconic role of Uhura in the 11th installment of Paramount’s “Star Trek” film franchise.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, producers are keeping plot details on the low, but Saldana will join actor Anton Yelchin as a young Chekov, the Russian-born navigator of the USS Enterprise. Zachary Quinto is on board as a young Spock. Leonard Nimoy, who originated the role of Spock, is on board as well.
The role of Uhura, the chief communications officer on the USS Enterprise, was originated in the television series and subsequent films by Nichelle Nichols.
The new film will be directed by J.J. Abrams, the mastermind behind TV’s “Alias” and “Lost.”
Saldana is one of the stars of James Cameron's sci-fi epic "Avatar,"
which is currently filming. She will next be seen in "Vantage Point" with Matthew Fox, Dennis Quaid and Forest Whitaker.
ROSIE O’DONNELL SAYS NO TO OPRAH: Ro already promised the first interview to someone else.
*Stop the presses. Someone has turned down Oprah.
According to the New York Post, Rosie O’Donnell has denied an invitation to plug her new controversial book “Celebrity Detox” on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” because she already promised ABC’s Diane Sawyer first dibs.
Cindi Berger, O'Donnell's rep, told the paper: "Rosie has always been booked with Diane. We gracefully declined Oprah's offer. I'm sure Rosie will do Oprah's show another time."
The book has already made headlines for several passages, including revelations that suggest she may have been the victim of sexual abuse as a child.
O’Donnell also had a lot to say about her stint on “The View,”
including a suggestion that executive producer and co-host Barbara Walters was jealous of her fame.
STEPHEN A. SMITH TAKES RADIO GIG NATIONWIDE: Plus, ESPN’s NBA guru still having issues at the Philadelphia Inquirer.
*ESPN’s NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith will move his daily New York radio show on 1050 ESPN from noon-2 to the 2-4 p.m. slot, with the final hour available nationwide on ESPN Radio.
"I'm elated for this tremendous opportunity and I appreciate the faith ESPN has shown in me," Smith said in a release. "New York listeners and NBA fans have gotten a taste of my no-holds-barred mentality, and now the rest of the country is about to find out as well."
Meanwhile, Smith continues to battle his other employer, the Philadelphia Inquirer, for shifting him from sports columnist to a general sports reporter. According to Richard Prince’s Journal-Isms column, Inquirer Editor William K. Marimow told readers on Aug. 22: "Stephen A. Smith is an excellent reporter. He's got a huge reservoir of sources in the sports world, and we want him to return to reporting."
However, Smith believes there are deeper issues involved in his reassignment. The Newspaper Guild of Greater Philadelphia filed a formal protest with the Inquirer on Smith's behalf.
"This is the first step in the process. We first have to see if we can resolve the issue informally, which is often possible. If not, we have to develop an understanding of why management is taking the action and develop a response based on what the contract provides," Guild president Henry Holcomb said then.
The Philadelphia Daily News reported Monday that Smith was due to return to the Inquirer on Friday, but had extended his leave.
‘APPRENTICE’ WINNER RANDAL IS A DADDY: Firstborn child born Aug. 8 in New Jersey.
*Dr. Randal D. Pinkett, winner of “The Apprentice” season four, is the proud father of firstborn child Amira Leslie, his rep tells EUR.
Randal’s wife Zahara Pinkett gave birth on August 8 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Born at 6:47 p.m., she weighed six pounds and nine ounces and was nineteen and a half inches.
Amira, which is Arabic for princess, takes her middle name from Randal’s late father, Leslie Pinkett.
In addition to winning “The Apprentice,” Randal Pinkett, Ph.D., M.B.A.
is the author of Campus CEO, and Chairman and C.E.O. of BCT Partners. He was the first African-American Rhodes Scholar at Rutgers University and has also earned degrees from Oxford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
ITTY BITTY BITS: Mijac posing for ‘Italian Vogue?’; ‘Weeds’ star adopts African baby; J.Lo surprises hubby.
*Word has it that Michael Jackson is in New York this week to shoot a cover spread for Italian Vogue. The New York Post’s Page Six claims the singer “sat for three hours in the stylist's chair until they perfected his freaky coif. The insider said Jackson has been holed up in a fancy Midtown hotel since Thursday afternoon ‘with an enormous entourage’ and left only once, at 5 a.m., to take part in the 10-hour shoot for the fashion magazine.”
*Mary-Louise Parker, the Emmy-nominated star of Showtime’s “Weeds,”
has adopted a baby girl from Africa, her reps confirmed exclusively to People magazine. The actress, 43, was spotted with her new daughter over the weekend as they traveled to the Emmy Awards on Sunday. Parker also has a 3-year-old son, Will, with actor Billy Crudup. The couple went their separate ways before Will was born.
*Jennifer Lopez pulled off a massive surprise party for her husband, Marc Anthony Sunday night. As Page Six tells it, she first took her better half “to a birthday dinner at the Water Club. As they finished eating, a sleek yacht pulled up in front of the East River eatery full of his friends singing ‘Happy Birthday, Marc!’ A stunned Anthony looked at them through the window. The yacht then picked the couple up at the dock, and the party continued afloat.”
*Suspended defensive tackle Tank Johnson, who played the last three seasons for the Chicago Bears, signed a two-year contract Tuesday with the Dallas Cowboys, reports AP. Johnson is not allowed to take the field and will not be paid until he completes his eight-game NFL suspension for violating probation on a gun charge. He has served the first two games of that suspension and will still have to apply for reinstatement. He will make about $255,000 this season, the prorated portion of a minimum contract.
*The Atlanta Falcons signed former Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich on Tuesday in the wake of Michael Vick’s suspension from the NFL for illegal dogfighting. The 27-year-old is due to join the Falcons for today’s practice, and is a potential contender for the starting job against current QB, Joey Harrington. "First of all, I'm a football player and the last couple of weeks have been tough on me," said Leftwich, who was cut the week before the season by the Jaguars. "I appreciate the opportunity and I look forward to doing whatever I can to help our team." Leftwich's agent, Tom Condon, said the former first-round draft pick passed a physical, worked out for the team and signed a two-year, $7 million deal.
JENA 6 CENTRAL: Find the latest news, quotes, bus info, airports, directions and other particulars regarding the rally scheduled for Thursday.
*Thousands of protesters from across the country are making plans to attend a rally in Jena, Louisiana Thursday to voice outrage against the treatment of six black students by the town’s judicial system.
In December, the six teens – known as the Jena 6 – were accused of attempted murder for assaulting a white classmate who had taunted them with racial epithets. The victim was knocked unconscious and hospitalized, but attended a party the same evening. The local district attorney, Lee Walters, argued the six attacked the boy with a deadly weapon - their shoes.
The incident followed months of racial tensions in town, sparked by white students at the high school hanging nooses on a tree after black students had recently sat underneath. The school board briefly suspended the students who hung the nooses, but many black families felt the punishment was not severe enough. Police were called to the school because of racially-motivated fights.
Last Friday a state appeals court threw out the conviction against one of the six, Mychal Bell, stating he shouldn't have been tried as an adult.
However, he is still behind bars and protesters for the "Jena 6" say the punishment is too harsh and racially motivated. The rally and march is still scheduled for tomorrow and is expected to draw more than 40,000 protesters.
For those flying in, the closest airports to Jena are Alexandria (45 minute drive) and Monroe (1.5 hour drive). You can also fly to Lafayette
(2.25 hour drive), Shreveport (2.75 hour drive), Baton Rouge (3 hour drive), New Orleans (4.25 hour drive), or Houston (about a 5 hour drive). The closest hotels are in Pineville and Alexandria. [Info about bus trips to Jena are listed below.]
Radio host Michael Baisden is asking people to wear black in solidarity with the Jena 6 and is scheduled to do his show live from Jena. His web site
(http://www.minglecity.com/forum/index.php) has extensive information on buses to Jena from Atlanta, Smyrna, GA; Birmingham, Montgomery, AL; Jacksonville, FL; Tallahassee, FL; Orlando, FL; Tuscaloosa, AL; Chattanooga, Nashville, Memphis, TN; Morehouse and Spelman Colleges; Fort Worth/Dallas; Charlotte, Durham, NC; Detroit, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Philadelphia; Indiana/Chicago (Hammond, IN / Halsted St., Chicago); Maryland/Virgina/Washington, DC Area (Glenn Dale, MD); Baton Rouge, LA… and more.
OTHER JENA 6 ANNOUNCEMENTS:
• The Southern Christian Leadership Conference plans to establish a
temporary conflict resolution center in Jena. Spokeswoman Keisha Ray said
the Atlanta SCLC presence in Jena will focus on nonviolent protest training.
• The NAACP is pleased to report that rock legend and entertainment icon
David Bowie has come forward to lend his support by making a $10,000
donation to the Jena 6 Legal Defense Fund.
• Alpha Kappa Alpha's international president Barbara A. McKinzie urges the
sorority’s 200,000 members--and all fair-minded citizens--to fire off
letters to Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco and Attorney General Charles
Foti and demand that they wield their constitutional power to call for a new
trial. McKinzie said that on behalf of the membership, she is sending a
letter to the U.S. Department of Justice asking that federal officials
intervene and investigate this issue to make sure the Constitutional rights
of these young men are protected. She also asked all members to wear black
on Thursday, September 20 -the day of unity set aside to show support for
the Jena 6.
KAM WILLIAMS INTERVIEWS COLUMBUS SHORT: Discovering Columbus
Actor/dancer speaks on his time with Britney Spears
Born in Kansas City, Missouri on September 19, 1982, Columbus Keith Short, Jr. started entertaining at the age of three by putting on shows for his folks’ enjoyment.
Whether impersonating relatives, dancing or just making people laugh, everyone sensed something special about the boy.
Fortunately, his family later relocated to Los Angeles where, by his early teens, Columbus had landed work in such television commercial campaigns as Mountain Dew, Denny’s Restaurant, NIKE and Pizza Hut, to name a few.
As a senior in high school, he was offered an opportunity to graduate two months early in order to see the world with the traveling production of the Broadway show STOMP! And after a couple of years on the road with that famed dance troop, he would parlay his professional success into a stint as the choreographer of Britney Spears’ In the Zone tour.
However, when rumors of his conducting a clandestine affair with the pop icon surfaced, the tabloids were quick to make much of the illicit liaison. For, by then, Columbus was not only married but his wife was expecting. This didn’t sit well with Britney’s mother who didn’t like her daughter being labeled a home-wrecker. So, mom dealt with the case of Jungle Fever by firing him and finding another dancer.
Though a very versatile Renaissance Man who is also a writer, musician and director, Columbus came off the road to pursue his primary passion, namely, acting. His motion picture credits include You Got Served, War of the Worlds and, Save the Last Dance 2. In addition, he has guest-starred on TV shows like “ER,” “Judging Amy,” and “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.”
But his big break arrived earlier this year when he played the lead role of “DJ” in Stomp the Yard which was #1 at the box office two weeks in a row and grossed over 73.4 million dollars. Now one of the most sought emerging talents in Hollywood, Columbus can next be seen in a lead role alongside Lauren London and Mekhi Phifer in a holiday film called This Christmas.
Furthermore, he recently wrapped a starring role in the Warner Brothers thriller Whiteout opposite Kate Beckinsale.
When not working, Columbus loves football, basketball and snowboarding. Here, he discusses all of the above, and Britney’s lackluster performance at the MTV Awards.
KW: Thanks for the time, Columbus. What have you been up to?
CS: I’m writing a pilot for a TV show that I’m trying to get off the ground. I’ve been diligently working on that about 12 hours a day for the past couple of weeks.
KW: Are you going to star in it?
CS: No, no, I’m really keen on producing, and doing projects with my company. And this is one that I really wanted to create.
KW: You act, dance, choreograph, write, play music, etcetera. How do you decide what to focus on when you’ve been blessed with so many talents?
CS: I’ve learned that I can’t do it all at once. So, you have to figure out your angle of attack. Coming in on the acting front, acting is a passion of mine. It’s a true love. Dancing, I kind of just fell into. Choreographing, the same thing. But making films, producing and directing, that’s the heartbeat of my existence.
KW: How did you come to choreograph Britney Spears?
CS: Honestly, I don’t know, Kam. It’s just one of those things in my life like, “How did that happen?” First, I got hired as a dancer for her by another choreographer who was later let go, and one thing led to another.
Here I was 20 years-old, and I was running the tour for the biggest pop artist at the time. Jumping into that was overwhelming, but I learned so much, and it was great to have that experience. I’ll never forget it.
KW: What did you think of Britney’s recent performance at the MTV Awards? Judging from her performance, it looks like she could use your help again as a choreographer.
CS: Oh man, I felt bad.
KW: Who’s to blame for such a disaster?
CS: In terms of that, it’s not the choreographer’s fault. It’s not the label’s… It’s not her management’s… It’s not her team’s… I guess MTV can take part of the blame for exploiting her like that, but it’s basically Britney’s fault. She knows the drama that would be surrounding a highly-anticipated, return performance in front of the masses. Yet, she
wasn’t ready to do her job. So, I blame no one, because there’s no one else to blame. I say my prayers for her, and hope that she can pull it together.
KW: Yeah, it seems like she’s been spiraling out-of-control for a couple of years now. From not putting her kid in a car seat to divorcing her husband to not wearing panties in public to substance abuse to attacking the paparazzi to shaving her head impulsively to having to re-enter rehab.
CS: All I can say is, this business is tough, Kam. You never know who or what’s real. That’s why you’ve seen it with everybody. It’s tough when you get in this business, if you have no grounded foundation other than Hollywood, because this business isn’t real. We’re getting paid to do what we love, but it isn’t real. If everybody could remember that, they might not take it for granted, and hold strong.
KW: What was it like for you when you were in the tabloids and romantically linked to Britney?
CS: At first, I thought that was the dream, to be chased by paparazzi. I thought that was the life, to be jet-setting around the world with a pop star. But once I was immersed in it, I honestly didn’t have a moment of happiness, Kam. I don’t think I was happy even one day when I worked for Britney, simply because it was all too much. It was my family calling me, editors calling my family members and friends I hadn’t talked to in years. It was so much, it almost completely broke me.
KW: How did you get involved in the first place?
CS: The scandal was manufactured by these magazine publications that have to make money, so I can’t be mad at them.
KW: But I remember seeing photos of the two of you kissing.
CS: I don’t know why they singled me out, because all the dancers were giving her hugs after rehearsals. And there were ten other dancers. So, when that first photo came out, it made me laugh, because they made it look like we were kissing. But there’s no way that would be happening during a rehearsal. Then, it kind of spiraled out of control from there, because I was hanging out with her all the time. I didn’t realize that it was going to be scandalous when you hang out with someone who’s followed by thousands of cameramen, especially when, my friend, you’re a black man, and she’s the hot blonde princess. It was a recipe for $50,000 photos. That’s all that was. I kind of laugh at it now.
KW: How do you feel about her today?
CS: I’m so far removed from that past, that I look at Britney like everyone else does. I don’t know her.
KW: How has the experience change you?
CS: Going through that thing with Britney showed me what’s real. But it was tough. I won’t even lie. Now, I’m just interested in doing good work, and in earning the respect of my peers.
KW: Did your marriage survive the controversy and constant exposure?
CS: No, my marriage was already finished before that.
KW: How’s your relationship with your son?
CS: My son’s four now, and my relationship with him is what keeps me grounded.
KW: Jimmy Bayan reminded me to ask you where in L.A. you live now.
CS: I live in the Valley, but after that triple-digit heat wave this summer, I’m out of here. I think I’m going to moving to Santa Monica, and maybe get a place in New York.
KW: How’s your upcoming release, This Christmas?
CS: It’s a great movie. It’s one of those classy, black family films we haven’t had in a long while. It’s the embodiment of class. Remember what the Cosby Show was like back in the day? It makes you feel good to see an affluent African-American couple doing well and having regular problems.
KW: Tell me a little about your character, Claude.
CS: Claude, I hate that name. I’m actually playing a marine who goes AWOL from the Coast Guard just because they weren’t going to let me go home for Christmas which is my family’s tradition. The story unfolds when I arrive home with a little surprise. And each character in the film has so many layers that it makes for a rich, wonderful experience.
KW: What do you think of your co-star Lauren London? I thought she was marvelous in ATL.
CS: She’s so beautiful and so talented, I could talk about her all day. I think she’s the future of African-American leading ladies. She’s a raw talent and someone to keep your eye on. Mark my words.
KW: Well, tell her I’d love to interview her.
CS: She’s a close, dear friend of mine, so I can hook you up.
KW: I’d appreciate that. What was it like for you starring in Stomp the Yard and having it hit #1 at the box office last January?
CS: It was really shocking. I mean, I knew it was going to do well, but it was still, A, overwhelming, and B, life-changing. Man, my life changed after January 12th. The response has been overwhelming how people embraced it.
KW: Are you ever in fear of being typecast as a dancer?
CS: Yep, and I’m fighting against it with the fervor of a thousand-man army, my friend. Kam, it’s so hard in this business to convince studio heads to give me a chance to show my other abilities.
KW: Is this due to racism?
CS: No, this is not a race card at all.
KW: In your case, it’s a dance card.
CS: Exactly. It’s hard for minorities, not because studios don’t want to give African-Americans a chance, but because they’re making movies for the masses, and it’s kind of hard to change that mold.
KW: Do you think Hollywood’s getting close to adopting colorblind casting?
CS: I think that the landscape is changing, but they only let a few of us in at a time. Good talent can’t be kept a secret for very long, and eventually it’ll break through. So, it is still a fight, and it can be disheartening, at times. However, if we want complete freedom to play any role, then we have to be prepared to afford the same option to other actors, like what happened with Angelina Jolie playing Mariane Pearl in A Mighty Heart.
KW: John Singleton told me you signed on to make the movie Tulia with Halle Berry.
CS: Yeah, when that goes forward, because Halle’s pregnant. Congratulations to her.
KW: Has that picture been shelved?
CS: No. We were supposed to start in October, and now we’re going to shooting in the Spring, so I’m trying to line up a couple of other things. And the delay also gives me enough time to focus on this TV show I’m trying to get off the ground.
KW: What do you do to unwind?
CS: I just can’t relax. That’s my problem. Everybody who knows me is like, “Dude, you’ve got to chill out.” I can’t not work, given where I want to be. I can never settle. I have the mentality of a great athlete. I have to train harder, get up before everyone, and stay up later. And that’s going to be my attitude towards this business, till I win.
KW: Is there any question you always wish somebody would ask, but they never ask you?
CS: You know what I really never hear anyone ask is, “Are you happy?”
KW: Are you happy?
CS: I can say with full sincerity that I am happy. I’m happy because I’m doing what I love and I’m not selling out. And I can sleep at night because I’m at peace with it.
KW: That’s a great question. I think I’m going to start using that one with everybody for now on. Thanks, Columbus. And thanks for the interview.
CS: Anytime. Cool, man.
EUR DVD REVIEW: Beyond the Gates
DVD Revisits Genocide in Rwanda from Paternalistic Perspective
DVD Review by Kam Williams
*First, Hotel Rwanda chronicled the role that a hotel manager played back in
1994 by saving a thousand refugees from the senseless slaughter of a million of their fellow Tutsis unfolding outside the compound. Then, Sometime in April covered the same civil war only with a wider angle of the genocide.
Now, Beyond the Gates revisits the tragedy again, but from the perspective of a trio of well-intentioned Europeans: a Catholic priest (John Hurt), an idealistic English teacher (Hugh Dancy), and a BBC reporter (Nicola Walker).
If you haven’t seen either of the earlier offerings, this bio-pic based on actual events will serve as an excellent introduction to the blow-by-blow, pardon the expression.
However, those already familiar with the either of the previous pictures are likely to suffer from a slight sense of déjà vu while watching the ethnic cleansing all over again.
Besides the hordes of Hutus in overkill mode, all there is to focus on, here, is the hand-wringing of the aforementioned whites who were apparently frustrated at every turn in their efforts to get the U.N. soldiers on hand to intervene.
Beyond the Gates struck this critic as slightly insensitive because of its subtle suggestion, at every turn, that the Caucasians were civilized and above the fray, while the indigenous peoples were out of control, bloodthirsty savages.
Unfortunately, there’s only one well-developed and fully fleshed-out, African character, Marie, the beloved student the protagonists promise not to abandon, portrayed by Claire Hope-Ashitey (Children of Men).
A tad too pat in its paternalistic, post-colonial point-of-view for my taste, Beyond the Gates is a relentlessly-grim reminder of how the rest of the world simply watched when it would have been so easy to put an end to the madness.
Good (2 stars)
Rated R for sexuality, partial nudity, and mature themes.
Running time: 112 minutes
Studi 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment DVD Extras: Director’s, producer and screenwriter’s commentaries, “The Making of” featurette, and an update about ways to get involved with the Rwandan relief effort.
EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE
"Life is not merely to be alive, but to be well." - Marcus Valerius Martial
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Sept. 19: Singer Freda Payne is 62. Guitarist-producer Nile Rodgers of Chic is 55. Director Kevin Hooks is 49. News anchor Soledad O'Brien is 41. Rapper Eamon is 24.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
If you want to know where your favorite soul artist is performing live, check out www.4dasoul.com/tour.php for all the tour listings and to submit your listings.
Submit your favorite Web site to us along with a 15-20 word (or less) description to info@eurweb.com.
BLACK HISTORY
Sept. 19, 1881: Booker T. Washington opens Tuskegee Institute in
Alabama. (Source: www.BlackFacts.com)
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