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WE REMEMBER IKE TURNER: Musician and rock pioneer dies at his home near San Diego.
*Musician Ike Turner, the legendary rock-n-roll pioneer whose contributions to the genre were overshadowed by his abuse of ex-wife Tina Turner, has died at age 76, a statement from his management company confirms.
"Ike Turner passed away this morning. He was at his home," in San Marcos, California, outside San Diego, said Scott Hanover of Thrill Entertainment. No further information was given as of press time. However, TMZ.com reported Wednesday that Turner may have died in his sleep.
Born November 5, 1931 in Clarksdale, Miss., Turner was on the ground level of rock-n-roll with the launch of his band The Kings of Rhythm in 1951 and their single "Rocket 88." The Chess Records release is considered by many rock historians as one of the genre's first songs.
While contemporaries such as Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Bo Diddley crossed over to white audiences, Ike Turner never was never able to make the jump and was confined to the less-lucrative R&B category.
As a guitarist and pianist, Turner played behind B.B. King, Howlin'
Wolf, Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon in the 1950s. He married Annie Mae Bullock in 1958, she changed her name to Tina, and they enjoyed such hits as "River Deep, Mountain High," "Proud Mary" and "Nutbush City Limits."
The pair won a Grammy in 1972 for "Proud Mary," and earlier this year Ike Turner was awarded again with the record industry's top honor for his traditional blues album, "Risin' with the Blues."
After the couple divorced in 1976, Ike Turner's career spiraled downward due to a cocaine addiction, while Tina Turner would enjoy a huge comeback in the 1980s. At the time, she wrote an autobiography that chronicled the years of brutal abuse suffered at the hands of Ike Turner during their marriage.
Her ordeal was documented in the 1993 film "What's Love Got to Do With It," which was based on Tina Turner's autobiography "I Tina" and starred Lawrence Fishburne as Ike Turner.
In a 2001 interview with The Associated Press, Turner denied his ex-wife's claims of abuse and expressed frustration that he had been demonized in the media while his historic role in rock's beginnings had been ignored.
"You can go ask Snoop Dogg or Eminem, you can ask the Rolling Stones or (Eric) Clapton, or you can ask anybody — anybody, they all know my contribution to music, but it hasn't been in print about what I've done or what I've contributed until now," he said.
Music promoter Paulette DeSuzia, who worked his 2001 comeback album "Here and Now," called the project "one of the best musical compositions I have ever heard …. All instrumental … It went without notice. How unfortunate for (urban) radio who could not get past the Tina stories and deal with the genius of his music. I will miss him.”
BOW WOW'S HOSPITALIZATION STORY CHANGES AGAIN: Rapper says he cut his finger during a hissy fit and passed out from the bleeding.
*It started out as "stress and exhaustion." Then it was an "infected appendix" that handlers for rapper Bow Wow said led to his sudden hospitalization Thursday following a Cincinnati tour stop.
On Monday, Bow Wow himself spoke to MTV News and explained exactly what happened. According to the artist, he had thrown a fit in his dressing room and suffered a nasty gash on his finger in the process. The wound continued to bleed during his concert performance, which caused him to become woozy and pass out.
"I got stitches in my finger," he told MTV. "It ain't nothing, man.
Stress? Yeah, of course, that's normal. But right now, no, I'm not [exhausted]. I just went to the hospital for medical issues. I fainted, fell out."
While at the hospital, the doctors felt it necessary to examine his appendix. It was only then that an infection was discovered.
"Hopefully everything will get right. I'm taking my medication, everything is gonna be cool," said Bow Wow. "We'll see if I have to have surgery as of right now, [but] I'm feeling fine. I'll probably wind up getting further tested after the tour wraps up. I don't want to get surgery right now if that's not [necessary]."
"The official medical reason is I lost a lot of blood in my hand,"
the rapper clarified. "I hit something and cut my hand. It would not stop bleeding. I lost a lot of blood, went onstage, put out a lot of energy, came off, got light-headed. I fainted, went to the hospital, threw up and then they told me my white blood cells were higher than what they're supposed to be.
"They were looking at my appendix. I've always had stomach issues.
I've always had stomach problems. But like I said, we're gonna see if it's that serious that I have to take that surgery. If that's what I gotta do, that's what I gotta do. The appendix is a life- threatening thing."
So what caused Bow Wow to flip out backstage? The tantrum jumped off when he realized that several props for his show were not at the arena.
"I was bummed out because a lot of the stuff that I had as part of my show wasn't there," he said. "Things that were promised were not there. It's nobody's fault; if it's anybody's fault, it's my team. I was upset nobody made me aware of it, and I threw a tantrum. That's what it is. That's the real reason. It's not because I'm beefing with anybody on the tour, that's not the case. It's not because of exhaustion, either. That's B.S."
IS MIJAC PLANNING A TOUR TO PAY BILLS?: Fox 411's Roger Friedman gives us the latest.
*Fox.com columnist Roger Friedman heard that Michael Jackson is in talks with AEG Live's Randy Phillips to mount a three-month tour next year – from March through May – with proceeds going toward his massive debt.
"He is so deeply in debt and at such a crisis point in his finances that he and [publicist Raymone] Bain may be using potential proceeds from a tour as leverage for refinancing his $325 million in loans," Friedman wrote in Wednesday's column.
"The refinancing was due on Dec. 1. Not only did it not happen, but Jackson is now in default on $300 million secured by his Neverland Ranch.
"But this also begs the question about to whom Jackson is already promised for tours. German promoter Marcel Avram won a legal case against Jackson in 2005 and since claims to hold the rights to any world tours.
Prince Abdulla of Bahrain is suing Jackson for $7 million and may also stake a claim against proceeds from a tour."
MARION JONES' MEDALS OFFICIALLY SNATCHED: IOC lowers the final hammer on track star following steroid admission.
*Marion Jones was officially stripped of her five Olympic medals Wednesday by The International Olympic Committee following her admission that she lied about using performance enhancing drugs.
The IOC also banned the former track star from attending next year's Beijing Olympics in any capacity and said it could bar her from all future games. Last month, the International Association of Athletics Federations erased all of Jones' results dating to September 2000, but it was up to the IOC to formally disqualify her and erase her Olympic medals.
Jones won gold medals in the 100 meters, 200 meters and 1,600-meter relay in Sydney, and bronze in the long jump and 100-meter relay. She was the first female track and field athlete to win five medals at a single Olympics.
In addition to the Olympic medals, the IOC also disqualified Jones from her 7th-place finish in the long jump at the 2004 Athens Olympics. As previously reported, Jones had already handed back the three gold medals and two bronze she won at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
The IOC postponed a decision on redistributing her medals, including whether to strip her American relay teammates and whether to upgrade doping-tainted Greek sprinter Katerina Thanou to gold in the 100. The reshuffling of Jones' medals could affect the medal status of more than three dozen other athletes.
OPRAH HAS NO REGRETS ABOUT S.A. SCHOOL: Talk show host says abuse scandal was devastating, but her academy will endure.
*The students at Oprah Winfrey's Leadership Academy for Girls are off on summer break following a first year marred by allegations of sexual abuse. But looking back on the semester, Winfrey says "I don’t' regret"
opening the school.
"From the very first half hour, after I was able to pull myself together, I knew that this too shall pass," Winfrey told People at the premiere of "The Great Debaters," a film she produced starring Denzel Washington. "Just work on it, focus on the girls, focus on the girls, focus on the girls. And the girls are now fine."
After a student went public in September with claims of abuse, an investigation was launched and a dorm matron was suspended and arrested.
Winfrey, devastated,n issued an immediate public apology to the families of the students, saying, "I've disappointed you. I'm so sorry."
"I think that all crisis is there to teach you about your life,"
Winfrey said at the Tuesday night event in Los Angeles. The biggest lesson
learned: "You have to be far more careful in choosing people to stand in the gap for you. You have to stay on it."
Looking forward to the next semester, Winfrey said: "The school is going to be better because that happened. We're going to come back and have the best year ever."
RACE MAKES NEWS AT FALCONS CAMP: Team hires its first black coach; but it's overshadowed by owner's 'fried chicken' quip regarding Vick.
*The Atlanta Falcons has its first black coach in team history with Wednesday's promotion of assistant coach Emmitt Thomas, but with one step forward comes what many see as two steps back, thanks to team owner Arthur Blank and his comments during ESPN's "Monday Night Football."
Blank was asked if he'd consider bringing Vick back to the squad following his 23-month prison sentence for dog fighting.
Stating he would never say never, Blank told "MNF" co-host Tony
Kornheiser: "There's a lot of roadblocks to Michael coming back and even playing in the National Football League, Tony. Let's assume he's out for three seasons, 07, 08 and 09. If he doesn't watch himself and eats a lot of fried chicken and fries in prison, come out 215 pounds he's not going to be the same athlete he was." (See clip here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fF4EzdenSMU&feature=related)
The fried chicken reference didn't go over well, to say the least.
Author and political analyst Earl Ofari Hutchinson has called on Blank to apologize for the comment, stating in a recent blog: "Blank's remarks continues a recent and deeply troubling pattern in which leading media and public figures from Don Imus to Dog the Bounty Hunter have routinely demeaned African-Americans with wise cracks, slips, gaffes and off-color jokes."
The Falcons' PR office issued a statement Wednesday that said Blank's use of "fried chicken" was not meant to be racist, and he was only trying to state that Vick should watch his weight in prison to facilitate a more speedy return to the gridiron.
Meanwhile, with three games to go in the regular season, former Falcons coach Bobby Petrino quit his post to become the coach at Arkansas.
One day after coaching the team on Monday Night Football, he was being introduced as the new Razorback coach at a press conference. The move didn't sit well with many Falcons players, who saw his exit as a betrayal.
"He obviously had ulterior motives," said Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall in an interview with ESPN. "He came to the Atlanta Falcons, this great franchise, as a stepping stool to get where he wanted to be, and that's a better college job." [See Hall's entire interview here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23iNWGimoEE&eurl=]
Petrino's replacement, 64-year-old Emmitt Thomas, was an assistant with the Falcons since 2002 and has no previous experience as a head coach; but he has 28 years in coaching. Thomas has worked under head coaches Dan Reeves, Jim Mora and Petrino in Atlanta.
VIOLA DAVIS HAS 'DOUBT': Actress to star in film version of popular Broadway production.
*Viola Davis has scored the role of Mrs. Muller in Miramax's big screen adaptation of the Tony-winning play "Doubt," according to Reuters.
The actress will star as the mother of a young male student who has piqued what Sister Aloysius, the Mother Superior of the school played by Meryl Streep, sees as the improper interest of Father Flynn, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Amy Adams, currently winning over critics as the star of "Enchanted,"
is in negotiations to play Sister James, the young nun who has been an indirect witness to the dealings between Flynn and Muller's son.
Production on "Doubt" began last week in New York.
SINGLETON TO UPDATE 'A-TEAM' FOR BIG SCREEN: Film based on Mr. T series will lose corniness and replace Vietnam setting.
*Latino Review is reporting that John Singleton has signed on to direct a feature film adaptation of "The A-Team" for Fox Studios.
The original television show, which co-starred Mr. T and ran on NBC from 1983-86, centered around a group of US Army Special Forces veterans who fought in Vietnam and help innocent folks in need, despite being hunted by the military for a crime they didn't commit.
The new "A-Team" will be updated from the Vietnam era and reflect contemporary issues and politics. The tone is said to be less camp and more action oriented – in the vein of "Die Hard" and "Lethal Weapon."
"Not to denigrate the TV show, but nobody ever died," said show creator Stephen J. Cannell. "We drove cars off cliffs and people got out and walked away. We're not going to do that (in the movie)."
'VOICES' SING PRAISES FOR MLK: New book/CD honors civil rights pioneer through words and song.
*Some 40 years after his death, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is being honored through words and song in a special book and CD set from Dalmatian Press and The Choral Arts Society of Washington.
Voices: Reflections on an American Icon Through Words and Song comprises 96 pages of remembrances as well as music inspired by the Civil Rights movement. Both will be featured at a concert on Jan. 13, 2008, in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
The book offers reflections from foot soldiers who marched alongside Dr. King, contemporary observers, and distinguished witnesses to history, such as Julian Bond, U.S. Rep. John Lewis, and Harris Wofford. Also included are writers, like the spirited poet Nikki Giovanni, Pulitzer Prize-winner Gene Patterson, and journalist John Seigenthaler.
In addition, Nobel Peace Prize- winners Jimmy Carter and Archbishop Desmond Tutu added their thoughts on King, who "believed in the power of love over hate, the power of nonviolence over violence, and the power of peace over war," said Congressman Lewis.
Voices box sets are $24.99, and the combination book and CD is $18.99. Both will be available in December.
ASHFORD & SIMPSON – RARE AND REMIXED: R&B duo gets a Rhino Records upgrade.
*Fans of Ashford & Simpson might wanna sit down. Rhino Records has put together the ultimate two-disc compilation of the group's biggest-selling singles, 12-inch remixes and tracks that have long been out-of-print.
"The Warner Bros. Years: Hits, Remixes & Rarities," due in February, features tracks from their nine albums recorded at Warner Bros. from 1973-1982. In addition, the package includes a disc of Ashford & Simpson songs from that same era that have been recently remixed by some of dance music's current top remixers including Tom Moulton, Joey Claussell, Joey Negro and Dimitri From Paris.
Disc One contains their original remixes of their Warner Bros. hits, including "Don't Cost You Nothing" and "Found A Cure." Also included are six songs originally released as promo-only 12" remixes.
Some of these tracks are out-of-print or available for over $2000 on music sites. Other Ashford & Simpson remixes include their fan favorites "Nobody Knows," "Tried, Tested And Found True" and "Love Don't Always Make It Right."
Featuring more than an hour of remixes, the second disc spotlights nine tracks by some of the world's most respected remixers.
"These remixers did an incredible job breathing new life into our songs while maintaining the integrity of them," noted Valerie Simpson.
"When Valerie and I listened to the final remixes, we wondered why we hadn't thought of some of these ideas," stated Ashford.
BLACK NONPROFIT HOSTS 'DOG' CHAPMAN EVENT: Org. says bounty hunter wants to make amends and deserves second chance.
*Unlike "Seinfeld" star Michael Richards, who went into hiding following a talk show apology tour addressing his racist statements, Duane "Dog "Chapman seems to be doing just the opposite.
Less than two months after his N-word-laced phone conversation was leaked in the National Enquirer, he was photographed with the Four Tops
(http://www.tmz.com/tmz_main_video?titleid=1342089359) on Tuesday while backstage at their concert in Honolulu; and on Saturday (Dec. 15) he'll sign copies of his book at an event hosted by the African American group, Brotherhood Organization of a New Destiny (BOND).
The book-signing for Chapman's "You Can Run But You Can't Hide," to be held at BOND's Los Angeles headquarters (6146 West Pico Blvd.), will double as a Christmas toy giveaway – with proceeds benefiting the BOND Home for Boys.
BOND founder and President Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson says he began working with Dog after his A&E show "Dog The Bounty Hunter" was suspended in the wake of his leaked phone conversation.
"We don't condone racial slurs, but upon hearing Dog's apology and after meeting with him and his family, we don't believe he's a racist,"
Peterson said in a statement. "We also believe that Duane 'Dog' Chapman sincerely wants to make amends to the black community, and deserves a second chance."
JAY-Z DISCUSSES HIS CONTRACT RENEWAL RUMORS: Def Jam pres says money is not the problem.
*In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Def Jam president Jay-Z clears up misinformation that has been reported about his contract renewal talks being stalled over money.
"It's not about money," he said. "That's really the last thing. Of course, as a person that does these type of things and puts his heart and soul into it -- and it's effective, as the Grammy's would indicate -- you want to be compensated for what you do. But it's really not about money.
"It's really about the future of the music business, and not wasting anyone's time. I don't ever want to sit in a seat just to sit in a seat. I could be off doing something else that's beneficial to the future of the music business as well as myself. So it's not about money. I mean, you couldn't pay me enough."
Jay-Z was responding to a recent article in the New York Daily News that said his contract negotiations had hit a brick wall because of impossible money demands. While Jigga denies that salary is a factor, the mogul does admit uncertainty about retaining his Def Jam title next year.
"Yeah, I think -- I don't know. Let me not even say that. I don't know. We'll see how it goes," he admitted.
The full interview can be read at EW.com.
LENNY KRAVITZ' GASSES UP THE 'BUS': Rocker's 10-city US tour begins next month.
*Lenny Kravitz has announced the dates for his two-week "Get on the Bus with the Love Revolution Tour," which will run from Jan. 17 through Feb.
1st and is expected to roll through 10 cities across the US before the release of his new album, "It Is Time For a Love Revolution."
Dates so far have been confirmed in San Francisco, Las Vegas, Philadelphia and Maplewood, MN, reports Live Daily. Those shows go on sale Saturday (12/15). Other gigs are expected in Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago and Detroit.
Winners of a contest at Kravitz's MySpace page will get to join him on the tour, riding in their own specially designed tour bus and receiving full backstage access.
Before the year is up, the rock-and-soul singer/multi-instrumentalist will appear at radio-sponsored Christmas shows in Phoenix and Sacramento, CA, and perform at New York City's Times Square for NBC-TV's "New Years Eve with Carson Daly."
"Love Revolution," his eighth studio album, has already spawned radio singles "Bring It On" and "I'll Be Waiting," both of which are streaming at his MySpace page. Kravitz says he's planning a more extensive tour following the album's Feb. 5 release.
VIEW IMAN'S NEW GLOBAL CHIC COLLECTION: Accessories line to launch this weekend on HSN.
*International model icon Iman, CEO of Iman Cosmetics, is announcing the launch of Iman's Global Chic Collection, an accessories line launching exclusively on HSN and hsn.com beginning Saturday (Dec.15) at 8 p.m. EST'; and Sunday at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. EST.
The 52-year-old wife and mother of two includes in the collection a replica of her anniversary ring and the vintage engagement ring, both given to her by her rock star husband David Bowie. Also available are premier handbags, offered in three different styles - her signature handbag, an oversized tote, and a leopard printed evening bag.
“Whether I am off to a business meeting, the PTA, a romantic night out with my husband, or at a red carpet, high-voltage event, I rely on stunning jewelry and accessories to give me fashion ‘extras’ to highlight my looks," says Iman. "It is important to know fashionable accessory trends, but it is more important to know how to properly incorporate them into your world and your lifestyle. You are never fully dressed without them.”
The Global Chic Collection offers jewelry and fashion accessories ranging in price from $19.95 to $129.95.
Click here to view the collection:
http://www.ambermag.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=465&Itemid
=104&limit=1&limitstart=4
SPORTS BITS: Raptors' Ford out of hospital; Tiger is a 'Player'; T.O. vs.
Keyshawn.
*Toronto Raptors guard T.J. Ford has been released from an Atlanta hospital and has returned to Toronto after suffering a serious injury Tuesday night when his head hit the floor hard during a win against the Hawks. Results of an MRI, CT scan and X-rays taken in Atlanta were negative, reports ESPN. He will be further evaluated when he arrives in Toronto. The Raptors guard, who missed the 2004-05 season following neck surgery, was headed toward a breakaway basket when Atlanta rookie Al Horford hit the guard's face with his hand, sending him hard to the floor.
*Tiger Woods has won another Player of the Year award on Tuesday, giving him the PGA Tour title for the third straight season and the ninth time in his 11 years since he turned pro. Tiger had seven victories and another major championship in 2007. "I had a great chance to win three of the four majors this year," Woods said. "I finished second in two of them. I was just a few shots away from basically doing what I did in 2000."
*Former NFL receiver-turned-ESPN analyst Keyshawn Johnson struck a nerve with Dallas Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens. Last weekend on "Sunday NFL Countdown, Johnson said he believed former Cowboys coach Bill Parcells
-- now also an analyst with ESPN -- deserves credit for what the Dallas team looks like now, with a 12-1 record. Owens said he was offended by Johnson's defense of Parcells, saying, "I challenge him to come down here and take my job. ESPN producers, let him go. …I'm probably the reason he's in the booth now. He's going to be a hater and throw me under the bus because he has to defend Bill. He won a Super Bowl and all, but you'd have to check the roster to know he was even on the team. We came out in the same year. He was a first-rounder and I was a third. Go compare our stats. He couldn't come down here now and be a third or fourth receiver on this team. Just compare our stats."
ITTY BITTY BITS: Will's 'Karate Kid' remake and 'Monster Hunter' horror flick; Keyshia Cole goes platinum.
*While trying to convince Chinese film officials to green light his new film "I Am Legend" (despite the country's temporary embargo on American movies), Will Smith confirmed rumors that he is behind a planned remake of "The Karate Kid," telling the film board that he hopes to film the movie in China. According to Web site Asian Popcorn, the project is close to signing martial arts magnate Stephen Chow to play Mr. Miyagi. The new title is rumored to be "The Kung Fu Kid."
*Smith is also said to be producing a horror feature for Sony Pictures, titled "Monster Hunter." The storyline, according to the Web site Bloody Disgusting, follows a child psychologist who can actually see the monsters that torment kids from closets and under beds. He uses that skill to vanquish the beasts until he meets his match. The child psychologist will be played by Smith's "Hitch" co-star, Kevin James.
*The sun continues to shine on Keyshia Cole. On the heels of her two Grammy nominations, the singer/reality show star just had her sophomore CD "Just Like You" certified platinum for selling over one million copies. As previously reported, the album's first single "Let It Go" is Grammy nominated in the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration category, while the album itself received a nomination for Best Contemporary R&B Album.
EUR FILM REVIEW: The Kite Runner
Afghani Coming-of-Age Best Seller Adapted as Sentimental Buddy Flick
Film Review by Kam Williams
*Published by Khaled Hosseini in 2003, The Kite Runner is an endearing account of the childhood friendship of two young Afghani boys which unfolds against the backdrop of their country's political turmoil, ranging from the fall of the monarchy to the war with the U.S.S.R. to the rise of the Taliban.
Brought to the big screen by German director Marc Foster (Monster's Ball), the book has been adapted as a relatively-simplistic, safely sanitized tale of camaraderie and betrayal leading to overwhelming regret and, ultimately, a chance at redemption.
This flashback flick is mostly set in Kabul, but opens in post-millennial San Francisco, which is where we meet Amir (played as an adult by Khalid Abdalla), a recently-published author, about to return to his native Afghanistan. The movie then immediately shifts to 1978 to an adolescent Amir (Zekeria Abrahimi) flying kites with Hassan (Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada), the son of his father's live-in servant.
Initially, the carefree children are depicted as inseparable playmates. They generally enjoy each other's company and forge a powerful bond, despite their class differences. However, this all changes forever the day that Hassan is beaten and raped by a gang of older bullies.
For, the traumatic incident was secretly witnessed by a fear-gripped Amir who failed to come to his buddy's assistance or to run for help. That event permanently alters the boys' relationship, and before Amir is mature enough to explain his inappropriate response or to understand his subsequent inappropriate behavior, he is whisked off by his father to the United States to escape the impending Soviet invasion.
Half a world away, the lad at first focused on assimilating in America without wondering much about the welfare of his old pal. But as his guilt gradually grew over the next 20 years, he came to be haunted by his past betrayal and to yearn for a chance to express his remorse.
That, in a nutshell is the arc of The Kite Runner, a picture which, unfortunately, fails to engage the audience on a visceral level, in spite of its earnest endeavor to tug on one's heartstrings. Other than the colorful capture of the faux Afghani settings (actually shot in China), there's not much to get excited about here.
The screenplay emotionally-eviscerates before fairly faithfully following the source material's essential plot points. By the time the closing curtain comes down, the supposedly touching resolution comes off only as an anticlimactic afterthought, rather than as the moving moment anticipated, a surprising rabbit out of the hat reveal notwithstanding.
Read the novel. Or better yet, go fly a kite!
Fair (1.5 stars)
Rated PG-13 for violence, brief profanity, child rape and mature themes.
In Dari, Pashtu, Urdu, Russian and English with subtitles.
Running time: 128 minutes
Studi Paramount Vantage
2007 NYFCO MOVIE AWARDS: 'There Will Be Blood' Dominates Annual Awards
By Kam Williams
*The New York Film Critics Online (NYFCO) announced its movie awards for 2007, considered an early indicator of Oscar potential, at its annual luncheon at O'Neals' Restaurant in Manhattan on Sunday, December 9th.
'There Will Be Blood' emerged as the day's big winner, netting five awards overall, including Best Picture, which it shared with 'The Divine Bell and the Butterfly.'
Daniel Day-Lewis was named Best Actor for his role as a voraciously greedy oil tycoon in 'There Will Be Blood' while Julie Christie received Best Actress honors as an aging, married woman slowly losing her battle with Alzheimer's in 'Away From Her.'
The honor for Best Director went to Paul Thomas Anderson, also for 'There Will Be Blood,' and the organization picked Michael Moore's 'Sicko,' a scathing indictment of America's health care system, in the Best Documentary catergory. 'The Lives of Others' and 'Persepolis' tied as the Best Foreign Picture.
NYFCO is a New York-based group whose membership is composed of 24 web-based reviewers and 3 print critics with a strong online presence, including the author of this article.
The Complete List:
BEST PICTURE
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (tie)
There Will Be Blood (tie)
BEST DIRECTOR
Paul Thomas Anderson - There Will Be Blood
BEST ACTOR
Daniel Day-Lewis - There Will Be Blood
BEST ACTRESS
Julie Christie - Away From Her
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett - I'm Not There
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
There Will Be Blood - Robert Elswit
BEST SCREENPLAY
The Darjeeling Limited - Wes Anderson, Jason Schwartzman, Roman Coppola
BEST FOREIGN PICTURE
The Lives of Others (tie)
Persepolis (tie)
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Sicko
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Persepolis
BEST MUSIC/SCORE
There Will Be Blood - Jonny Greenwood
BEST BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE
Ellen Page - Juno
BEST DEBUT AS DIRECTOR
Sarah Polley - Away From Her
BEST ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
BEST PICTURES (alphabeticall
Atonement (Focus Features)
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (THINKFilm) The Darjeeling Limited (Fox Searchlight) The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Miramax) I'm Not There (The Weinstein Company) Juno (Fox Searchlight) Michael Clayton (Warner Bros.) No Country for Old Men (Miramax) Persepolis (Sony Pictures Classics) Sweeney Todd (DreamWorks) There Will Be Blood (Paramount Vantage)
JOSEPH C. PHILLIPS: Hard Headed Hip-hop
*It is often jarring when the cleanliness of theory meets the messiness of reality. Such was the source of the recent smack in the face I received when I purchased one of my sons a MP3 player for his birthday. All of my neat theories about keeping the evil rap music at bay ran head first into the hard reality that this is the music of young people and my son is, well, young. The very first songs he asked to download onto his music player were from someone calling himself Mims, who like so many of these young men has a penchant for grabbing his crotch and another character calling himself Soulja Boy.
I know. Hip-hop is the great cultural unifier bringing all nations together under one groove. From France to Timbuktu, kids are waving their hands up high and wearing their pants down low; they are keeping it real and speaking the language of Rap, the vernacular of the streets. “Look out whitey! Hip-hop gonna get your momma!” What more proof do you need than the fact that the movement has swept into white middle class homes?
Hurrah for hip-hop!
An associate of mine was visiting American troops in Bosnia. As he walked down the street, a young Yugoslav boy greeted him with a jolly, ”what up my N---?”.
As Flip Wilson might have remarked: “So after the fight…”
In all fairness, no cultural movement is perfect. Still one has to wonder if a movement whose greatest claim to fame is baggy pants and teaching the world to use a pejorative term with such nonchalance ought not pause to reconsider the values it is espousing.
But the cleanliness of theory is no match for messy reality. This is the music young people are listening to; it is the language of “what’s happenin’ now.” And as much as I may dislike it, many of the movement’s ambassadors are characters like Mims grabbing his crotch and bragging: “this is why I’m hot. This is why you’re not!” And Soulja Boy imploring us to watch him “superman dat #@.” (What is happening now indeed! As opposed to what was happening then, you know like singing “everybody join hands and start a love train.” Or sporting Afros and declaring, “Say it loud, I’m Black and I’m proud.”) It is of little use to wonder about what should be. The reality is that as a parent, I must face head on the world as it is.
Alas for me. Either his mother or I must now approve all of the music that goes onto his device, which means we must listen to it first. It may be a sign of my old age, (although I think of it as evidence of my good taste in music) but after a few minutes of listening to this stuff, I am ready to pull my hair out one gray strand at a time. Hip-hop has clearly been a boon to a lot of marginally talented people. In the spirit of keeping it real, stardom is no longer reserved for those that can sing, play an instrument, read and write music or those that have something interesting to say. Apparently, a penchant for shucking and jiving is the only requirement.
I remain hopeful, however. I am of the opinion that there is no amount of minstrelsy that cannot be cured by a healthy dose of the Isley Brothers. With that in mind, my wife and I have loaded our son’s player with old school R&B. When he scrolls through his play list, in addition to the Isleys, there is Earth Wind and Fire, the O’Jays, Harold Melvin and a little Carlos Santana for flavor. We slipped in some Jackie Wilson, Marvin Gaye and no collection would be complete without the godfather himself, James Brown, who said, “Open up the window y’all. Let out some. Too funky in he’e!”
Joseph C. Phillips is the author of “He Talk Like A White Boy” available wherever books are sold.
Reggae Updates from Jamaica
By Kevin Jackson
• House of Wax produces hot bed of talent in St. Lucia
*The island of St Lucia is now going through a musical renaissance with hit tracks emerging from one particular group of performers who all work with producer Sherwinn “Dupes” Brice of The House of Wax studio. Rhythm and blues singer Shayne Ross, dancehall artiste Cherry L and rapper Kayo have been making strides working with producer Brice.
Davina Lee, film and television producer/director is the studio’s resident video director and she has released unplugged performances from the performers.
Shayne Ross released a music video for his popular song Take You Home. The video, directed by Lee has been airing on television channels including BETJ, Tempo and Caribvision. Ross later followed up with the single Bad Girl which is still in heavy rotation.
On the heels of Ross’s release, another singer in Brice’s camp, Cherry L, came through with the track Friday which highlights the exciting party atmosphere of any Friday night anywhere in the world. A recent addition, to the House of Wax, rapper Kayo is getting ready to release the track Cheers.
In a recent interview published in the November/December issue of SHE Caribbean magazine, Brice said that the music industry in St Lucia is now at an important stage and poised to take off. “The industry is now at a place I never thought I would see. It is finally at a point where the flower is getting ready to bloom. It’s going to blow up and a select few are about to blaze a path that will change the music industry forever,” said Brice.
Brice says that his inspiration comes from life and the relationships that he has. He admitted that a lot of his early music was inspired by his wife, Genele Brice, who is the cause of a lot of the sweet music that he produces. Brice’s ultimate goal in life is to “make my mark and to know that I was responsible for some of the best music the world has and will ever hear.”
Vybz Kartel to perform alongside Sean Kingston
Vybz Kartel has confirmed his appearance at the Grammy Christmas stage show, which will be held on December 25 in Ocho Rios. Billboard chart topping singer Sean Kingston will headline the concert. Kartel has been making some inroads lately with songs including My Scheme, Any Man, and his latest single We Nuh Beg Fren which is featured on producer Scatta Burrell’s Sting 93 riddim.
Duane Stephenson on top of the charts in British Virgin Islands
Singer Duane Stephenson has released one of the year’s best albums, From August Town. The album which was released on VP Records, was produced by Dean Frazer for Cannon Productions. Stephenson’s latest single August Town is number one on the charts in the British Virgin Islands for the 4th week running.
Just in case you didn’t know, Stephenson is a former member of the boy group To Isis.
Charlie Blacks hit bound with sexually charged dancehall hit
Charlie Blacks has one of the hottest songs currently creating havoc among dancehall fans. The song B Inna P has taken the dancehall by storm.
Blacks is a sound system selector with the Bass Odyssey sound system. Reports are that VP Records is interested in licensing the single by Charlie Blacks.
Sound Fest 2007 set for Club Inferno in Montego Bay
Its not a sound clash however it will feature lots of sound systems and popular turntable spinners. The event is called Sound Fest 2007 and it will take place on December 29 at the Club Inferno in Rose Hall, Montego Bay.
Dubbed as Jamaica’s Winter Party, the event will see performances from the likes of Christopher Martin and Digicel Rising Stars 2007 finalist Lenya Wilks.
Changes within the New York Entertainment Movement label
New York Entertainment Movement’s Changes riddim is the latest project from the New York based record label. The Changes riddim was released on December 1 and it features songs from the likes of Jah Mason, Turbulence, Shane O, Natural Black, Antonio West, Kasha, Stikky Suddenly and many others.
Former Surface lead singer goes reggae
Bernard Jackson the former lead singer of the R&B group Surface, is breaking new ground these days. He has released an uptempo reggae version of Surface’s 1989 hit single Happy. Additionally, Jackson is working with reggae label Wagon Music Works to release his first reggae album next year.
While a member of Surface, Jackson sang lead on the group’s big hits including Shower Me With Your Love, Closer Than Just Friends and The First Time.
Natural Bridge label’s Cranberry rhythm set to ignite dancefloors
After scoring big with the Gully Slime riddim, the Natural Bridge label is back in action but this time with the Cranberry riddim. Featured on the Cranberry riddim are Mr. Peppa, Conscience, G Maffia, Tony Curtis, Deh Deh, Tifa and Timberlee, Aisha, Spice, Khristopher, Delly Ranx, Elephant Man, Money Gad, Mr. Lexx and others.
The Gully Slime riddim reeled out two major hits Goodas Fi Dem by Tony Matterhorn and Ready Fi di Video by Elephant Man.
Bounty Killer joins the lineup for Magnum GT Taylor Christmas Extravaganza
Bounty Killer has joined the lineup for the 8th staging of Magnum GT Taylor Christmas Extravaganza stage show. The event will be held on December 25 at the Independence Park, Black River, St. Elizabeth. This will be the first time that Bounty will be performing at this event.
Among the other acts billed to perform are Beenie Man, Capleton, Ninja Man, Freddie McGregor, Jah Cure, Munga, Mavado, Tarrus Riley, Chuck Fenda, Macka Diamond, Richie Spice, Lutan Fyah and Alaine among others.
Unity Splash adds Etana, Freddie McGregor and Lutan Fyah
Richie Stephens’ Unity Splash stage show will see its 16th staging take place on January 1, 2008 at the Landillo Cultural Centre in Savanna La Mar. The lineup is a strong one and features the recently added Etana, Freddie McGregor and Lutan Fyah.
Previously billed acts include Junior Reid, Jah Cure, Busy Signal, Munga, Bounty Killer, Tarrus Riley, Mavado, Elephant Man, Richie Stephens, Jimmy Riley, Ninja Man, Sugar Minnott, Queen Ifrica, Wayne Marshall, Pressure, Demarco, TOK, Bugle and RDX among many others.
Great food, and great vibes are expected from this Wright Image Entertainment produced event.
MADISON CHASE FITNESS: 10 Tips To Help You Reach Your Fitness Goals
1. Take notes of how you feel before you eat.
What are you experiencing in your life that may be causing stress. If you are in the midst of a big project or preparing for an important presentation or audition, take a mental note of what your emotional response is. After taking mental note determine how you respond to the stress. Do you turn to chocolate or fried foods?
2. After you determine what you are linking and associating with food, determine if the thoughts are positive or negative.
If you are sad or lonely and you have decided in your mind that a brownie fudge sundae is more comforting, you must change that association. Decide that the brownie fudge sundae can lead to diabetes or high cholesterol. I am not implying that you cannot ever treat yourself, but if are more than 50-80 pounds overweight you are potentially facing diseases like diabetes. There is power in the tongue. What you eat can sometimes be a matter of life or death. You decide.
3. Set yourself up to win.
Living a healthy life takes preparation. For a job interview there are certain things you do to win the job. You come prepared in a business suit and at least two copies of your resume. To win the job you have researched the company and have at least two questions prepared for the interviewer. That same preparation needs to take place before you start a training program. You must plan your meals, or if you run out of time have several healthy alternatives at your desk or in your car. Know the basic dining out weight loss secrets. No fried foods, start with a salad with low fat cheese or no cheese and low fat dressing, no refined sugar desserts.
4. Find a positive partner or mentor
Often times training alone can be difficult. If you need additional motivation find a positive partner or mentor that will continue to encourage you. Your positive partner can be your best friend, spouse, cousin, aunt, uncle or husband. This is an integral part to your success if have never reached your fitness goals alone. Your partner will be the person who will motivate you when you don’t feel like working out. Trust me I have those days when I have been in the gym all day and the last thing I want to see is another gym to train myself. A mentor can be a friend who has reached their fitness goals. Talk to them to see if you are on the right track of reaching your goals.
5. Set your Goals
Setting realistic goals can the difference between success and failure. If you set goals that are so unrealistic and you continue to work out and by the end of the month you have not lost the 30 pounds you thought would melt away, you quit. If you gained 40-50 pounds over a year, how realistic is it to think that you can loose that weight in 2 months. Set yourself up to win by setting realistic goals. 2 pounds per week is safe. If your goals are higher than 2 pounds per week re-evaluate your goals.
6. Post your motivation
Motivation can be a picture of how you use to look or how you would like to look. When I am preparing for a competition my room and refrigerator look like I’m in school. There are pictures of old competition photos and quotes in my room, bathroom, kitchen and car. Everyday I visualize what I want my physique to look like. Find whatever motivates you to succeed and post those reminders in places that you frequent.
7. Get Started
Don’t wait till the time is right to get started. Every day you don’t start, takes you further away from reaching your goals. Procrastination is an assassination to your destination. If you are a constant procrastinator, ask yourself what other areas in your life have you been failing in because you are afraid to move forward? If you are afraid to fail and you procrastinate by not trying you are only cheating yourself of your true potential. Everyday will not be perfect, but if you keep reaching and striving to lead a healthier life every single day, it will eventually become a habit.
8. Be Patient
Being patient is a virtue. We have heard it said so many times. But patience is something you have to practice in all areas of your life. 80% of your results will be determined by what you eat. The most difficult part in any lifestyle programming is reprogramming what you eat. We are often comfortable in our choices and habits and changing can make us uncomfortable. But every day you have a chance to improve what you did the day before.
9. Find time to take care of your body
We often find time for sporting events, entertainment, parties and work. But we often put taking care of our bodies at the bottom of the totem pole. Your body is very smart. Our father created a perfect machine that will run exactly how we fuel it. If you have no energy or feel pooped in the middle of the day what you digest can be the culprit. But if you eat a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner your body will feel energized.
10. Give the gift of a healthy life to someone you care about You are a reflection of your friends and family. Eating right and taking care of your body will eventually spill over to every area in your life. Your healthy eating habits will give you more energy and make you more productive. If you begin to practice the discipline you will achieve in changing your eating habits you can use that same discipline to your relationships, career, and goals.
Madison Chase is a certified personal life fitness and health coach. Her background in fitness began with classical ballet at Julliard, School of American Ballet, Houston Ballet, and Fort Worth Ballet. She has a marketing degree from the University of Oklahoma and many personal training certifications, and is currently working on her Masters in Kinesiology with a focus on Sports Psychology. This former NBC Fitness Expert and 3- Time ESPN fitness champion has worked with some of the best in the business. Her clients include celebrities from Jada and Will Smith hit show “All of US,” and professional athletes with many NFL teams including the Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs. She currently resides in Los Angeles and believes that everyday you should strive to be your best. For additional information on Madison, you may visit:
GLENN’S STRATEGIES FOR WELL-BEING: What you need to know about Kidney Problems
The kidneys are the body's natural filtration system. They perform the critical task of processing approximately 200 quarts of fluid in the bloodstream every 24 hours. Waste products like urea and toxins, along with excess fluids, are removed from the bloodstream in the form of urine. Kidney (or renal) failure occurs when kidney functioning becomes impaired. Fluids and toxins begin to accumulate in the bloodstream. As fluids build up in the bloodstream, the patient with acute kidney failure may become puffy and swollen (edematous) in the face, hands, and feet. Their blood pressure typically begins to rise, and they may experience fatigue and nausea.
End-stage kidney disease occurs when the kidneys are no longer able to function at a level that is necessary for day to day life. It usually occurs as chronic renal failure worsens to the point where kidney function is less than 10% of normal.
At this point, the kidney function is so low that without dialysis or kidney transplantation, complications are multiple and severe, and death will occur from accumulation of fluids and waste products in the body.
In the U.S., more than 400,000 people are on long-term dialysis and more than 20,000 have a functioning transplanted kidney. The most common cause of ESRD in the U.S. is diabetes. ESRD almost always follows chronic kidney failure, which may exist for 10-20 years or more before progressing to become ESRD.
Estimated Kidney Function % What this means to you:
Over 75 Normal kidney function. There could be some kidney disease present, but at the present time there is no serious damage to the kidneys
40-75 Kidney function may be slightly reduced. Though many apparently fit and healthy elderly people have levels of 40-75. This level of kidney function will not cause any symptoms.
15-40 Reduced kidney function, tests to determine the exact nature of the problem with the kidneys are required. This level of kidney function, unless it improves rapidly, will be called ‘chronic kidney failure’ by the medical team. The individual, though, generally feels well in themselves.
Less than 15 The level of kidney function is dangerously low, and dialysis may be required. There may be symptoms such as tiredness or sickness or itching. Urgent assessment by a kidney specialist is recommended if the individual has not previously been seen.
The kidneys perform many functions that are vital to good health. It is not unusual, however, to have only one kidney to do the work that two kidneys ordinarily do.
Many people are born with a single kidney. This occurs in about one out of 750 people. Being born with a single kidney is more common in males, and the left kidney is the one more often absent.
In other cases, one kidney may need to be surgically removed, leaving a single remaining kidney. A kidney may need to be removed because of an anatomic abnormality such as obstruction, or because of a tumor, or from a severe traumatic injury after an accident. One kidney may be donated to a loved one with kidney failure.
The single normal kidney will grow faster and get larger than a normally paired kidney. For this reason, the single kidney is larger and heavier than normal, and it is, therefore, more vulnerable to injury. It is important to be aware of the increased risk for injury with certain heavy contact sports, so that careful decisions may be made regarding participation in various physical activities. The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians and the Medical Society of Sports Medicine have suggested that people with one kidney avoid sports that involve higher risks of heavy contact or collision.
In general, most people with a single normal kidney have few or no problems, particularly in the first few years. However, some longer term problems have been recognized. Most doctors believe that people with a single kidney, particularly from birth or during early childhood should be followed more closely than people with two normal kidneys. Children who have had a kidney surgically removed may have a slightly increased chance of developing abnormal amounts of protein in the urine and some abnormality in kidney function by 25 years later. In addition, there is greater chance of developing high blood pressure. The decrease in kidney function is usually mild, and life span is normal.
Careful testing has shown that a transplanted kidney can increase its function as in other situations resulting in a single kidney, reaching a level of function that is about 40 percent greater than a normal level for a single kidney.
What counts is how well your kidney or kidneys function to make urine and clean the blood of waste. It turns out that the kidneys have a great deal of reserve and one kidney can easily do the work of two as long as that one kidney is healthy. Actually, most people can have near normal kidney function with even just part of one kidney, something which is important for those few with tumors in both kidneys.
For almost all, living with one kidney is almost exactly like living with two, only with fewer kidneys! Again, losing a kidney does not mean you will need a special diet or that you will have other special restrictions. In general, special diets are not needed by individuals who have one healthy kidney. Speak to your doctor or a registered dietitian if you have questions about the basic ingredients of a healthy diet.
Remember, I’m not a doctor. I just sound like one.
Take good care of yourself and live the best life possible!
Glenn Ellis, author of Which Doctor?, is a Health Advocacy Communications Specialist. He is a national health columnist and radio commentator who lectures on health related topics For more good health information, visit: www.glennellis.com
VERONICA’S VIEW: Veronica’s Favorite Things.
Veronica Hendrix
*Every year Oprah releases her “Favorite Things” list for the holiday season. I’ve often thought of it as a “wish list” because many times it contains items that most of us could only afford in our dreams.
But over the years, I have to admit she’s gotten more reasonable in her selections. Maybe she has taken a cue from my unrelenting and shameless emulation of her list that is inherently more reasonable and affordable.
This is my 5th Annual Veronica’s Favorite Holiday Things. This year’s list is no less than stellar. All of the recommendations I have personally tried and tested. As you plan your holiday gift giving, I hope you will give this list of offerings a try. I am sure you will find something on my list to either suit yourself (because you have to take care of numero uno first), that special someone, the pernickety peeps in your life, or the folks who have everything. All are less than $300.00. Some can be purchased on line. Happy holidays and happy shopping!
The Body Clinic Holiday Ladies Spa Retreat Pamper Package – Imagine a perfect spa day, with a Swedish massage of aromatic essential oils, slowly easing away muscle aches and dissolving the nagging tension that lingers in your neck, shoulders and back. Next imagine the warm and luxurious sensation of having your hands and feet enveloped in soothing paraffin wax, hydrating and nourishing even the toughest surfaces you thought would never be smooth. And finally, imagine a European-style facial with essential oils and specialized serums that revitalize the skin while a restorative masque, refreshing toner and moisturizer complete the treatment, leaving your face radiant. Ahh... this is the life. And you can have it all for by calling (310) 636-0101 or visiting www.the-body-clinic.com. This is a must for the weary, holiday shopper. And it makes a great gift too. They are conveniently located in the Penthouse at 11825 Major Street in, Playa Vista, California. Send me an email after your treatment and let’s compare notes. Cost: $200 (includes gratuity).
Oneshare.com – This one made the list last year and it’s a winner. I think there is no better gift to give your children than the gift of stock ownership. This web site allows you to purchase an individual gift share in more than 130 of America's favorite companies and personalize the real stock certificate with a special engraved message that is beautifully framed for Christmas, birthdays, graduations, baptisms, Kwanzaa, births or any
