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BEYONCE TO PLAY ETTA JAMES?: Co-star Ced the Entertainer may have spilled the beans.
*BlackFilm.com is reporting that Beyonce Knowles will play singing powerhouse Etta James in the upcoming film "Cadillac Records," which explores the black music scene during 1950s Chicago while telling the story of Chess Records founder, Leonard Chess.
Confirmed cast member Cedric the Entertainer mentioned that Beyonce had booked the role while promoting his upcoming film, "Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins."
As previously reported, Jeffrey Wright will play Muddy Waters, while Adrien Brody, Columbus Short, Emmanuelle Chriqui and Tammy Blanchard are also on board.
Filming will take place in New Jersey and Mississippi.
DIANA ROSS BOOED IN JAMAICA: Fans upset because she wouldn't allow cameras to film her for the large screens.
*Imagine being a life long Diana Ross fan and paying some 70 or 80 bucks to see her in concert, only to be so far away that you can't see any part of her, or even the stage itself.
This was a frustrating reality for many Jamaican fans at Saturday's Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival in Montego Bay. The event turned ugly when host Don Topping announced Ross' request that she not be filmed for large video screens that would allow everyone at the Acquaduct Rose Hall to see her performance.
Needless to say, her decisions caused many in the crowd of roughly 40,000 to boo and heckle The Boss throughout her hour-long performance, which went unseen by most audience members seated too far away.
Festival rep Carlette DeLeon released a statement admitting that "the much anticipated performance of Diana Ross on Saturday proved somewhat disappointing to many patrons who expected a very interactive set."
"Miss Ross' request to have a restricted display of her performance however, inconvenienced patrons who were left feeling distanced from the stage and her performance," she continued.
Jawn Murray of AOL Black Voices was on hand with a video camera and captured one round of booing after Topping announced there would be no videotaping of Ross' set. [See video here:
http://www.tmz.com/tmz_main_video?titleid=1395204461.]
According to local entertainment television correspondent Candice Buchanan, many fans had been looking forward to the performance for months, only to come away without actually seeing the Detroit native.
"[They were] saving up their moneys to make sure they wouldn't miss this once in a lifetime performance by their favorite star Diana Ross," said Buchanan. "Now for them to get there and be deprived of even a glimpse of Miss Ross was indeed a major blow. That coupled with the fact that her performance was low energy and filled with lip synching lead to the [reaction] she received. Apparently Jamaicans felt dissed by the diva and lost interest."
ESSENCE TO HONOR SAG AWARD WINNER RUBY DEE: Actress to be saluted during mag's first annual Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon.
*Forget "Juno's" Ellen Page. Ruby Dee is fast becoming the darling of this year's award season with an Oscar and NAACP Image Award nomination, as well as her upset supporting-actress win Sunday night over favorites Cate Blanchett and Amy Ryan at the 2008 Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Essence magazine will honor the Academy Award nominee next month at its first annual Essence Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon, to be held during Oscar Week on Thursday, Feb. 21, in Los Angeles at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
“Essence is thrilled to honor a living legend like Ruby Dee for her contributions not only to the Hollywood community but to the African-American community as well,” said the publication's editor-in-chief Angela Burt-Murray. “The Essence Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon will celebrate the ongoing legacy of Ms. Dee, who launched and sustained a phenomenal career when there were not a variety of well developed or diverse roles for African Americans. Because of Ruby Dee’s hard fought battles, our presence in Hollywood is much greater today and she continues with grace to inspire a new generation of black actresses and filmmakers.”
Dee, 81, will be one of four women honored by Essence during the event. Jada Pinkett Smith, producer Suzanne de Passe and young actress Jurnee Smollet will be recognized as well. Kerry Washington and Quincy Jones are among the celebs expected to attend the ceremony.
Dee won the supporting-actress SAG award for her role as Mama Lucas in the crime story "American Gangster." Her acceptance speech included a nod to her late husband and frequent acting partner, Ossie Davis, who died in 2005.
"I accept it also for my husband Ossie," Dee said, "because he's working on things up there."
Queen Latifah was a SAG winner in the category of best female actor in a TV movie or mini-series for her role in HBO's "Life Support," beating such veteran talent as Vanessa Redgrave, Gena Rowlands and Ellyn Burstyn.
SNIPES TRIAL TO BEGIN CLOSING ARGUMENTS TODAY: Defense rests in tax fraud and conspiracy case.
*The defense in the tax fraud and conspiracy trial of Wesley Snipes rested Monday without any of their announced celebrity witnesses taking the stand.
"We chose not to call witnesses because there was no need to. The government prosecutors have put on a case that simply does not come close to meeting the standard of its burden of proof," Snipes' attorney Daniel Meachum said in a statement.
Lawyers for Snipes were expected to call such stars as Sylvester Stallone, Muhammad Ali, Spike Lee and Tom Brokaw. All were former clients of the New York-based Starr and Co., which handled Snipes' taxes before his co-defendants allegedly persuaded him not to file.
"It was obvious after we went over the evidence the government presented that we could move on to closing arguments immediately and get a just acquittal for Wesley on all counts listed in the indictment," Meachum said.
Snipes, Eddie Ray Kahn and Douglas P. Rosile were named in an eight-count indictment for tax fraud and conspiracy, while the actor faces six additional charges of willful failure to file a tax return from 1999 to 2004.
The "Blade" star faces up to 16 years in prison, while Kahn and Rosile could get 10. Closing arguments are scheduled to begin today.
LUDACRIS SUED FOR COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT: Producers say rapper's 2004 track "Get Back" was stolen from their demo.
*Three producers from Chester, Pennsylvania are suing rapper Chris "Ludacris" Bridges for copyright infringement over a song from his 2004 album, "The Red Light District," reports Allhiphop.com
Damon “Damethegreat” Mayfield, Markus “Vincent” Vick and Anthony Turner of Boogiii Men Entertainment Group say they received a lukewarm reaction to their CD demo after sending it to Luda's Disturbing Tha Peace label in 2004.
However, the producers claim one of their beats sounds similar to the rapper's song "Get Back," from "The Red Light District." The Medicine Men and Tic Toc received official credit for producing the song.
Boogiii Men Entertainment Group, who has worked with such artists as Juelz Santana, Rampage of Flipmode Squad and Special Ed, filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia.
DIDDY SAYS 'WHAT NAME CHANGE?': Mogul's camp denies switch to 'Sean John.'
*Sean Combs says his nickname is still Diddy despite recent reports to the contrary.
The rap mogul and star of the upcoming ABC movie "A Raisin in the Sun" denied last week's New York Post item that suggested he wanted folks to drop "Diddy" and call him by his first and middle name, Sean John.
Page Six had quoted him saying that he was now "in Sean John mode,"
but his rep explained that he was referring to his state of mind leading up to Fashion Week next month.
"Recent reports of a name change are totally false, he is still Diddy," his rep said in a statement. "He is currently in 'Sean John' mode as the upcoming Sean John fashion show is scheduled for Feb. 8th in New York."
Diddy, himself, told the Post: "I'm not changing my name. I've been there, done that. My legal name is Sean Combs, [but] people call me Puffy, or Diddy or P. Diddy. It's just that my life is on blast, so people know about all my different names. If I change my name again, y'all can have me certified as crazy. Alright? But I'm not crazy, so I won't change my name."
TONI MORRISON ENDORSES BARACK OBAMA: Author who called Bill Clinton 'first black prez' says race has nothing to do with decision.
*The woman who first labeled Bill Clinton America's "first black president" has announced that she is endorsing presidential candidate Barack Obama, who stands to become the true "first black president" if elected in November.
Author Toni Morrison says her decision was influenced by Obama's personal gifts, not his race.
"In addition to keen intelligence, integrity and a rare authenticity, you exhibit something that has nothing to do with age, experience, race or gender and something I don't see in other candidates," Morrison wrote in a letter to the Illinois senator.
"That something is a creative imagination which coupled with brilliance equals wisdom. It is too bad if we associate it only with gray hair and old age. Or if we call searing vision naivete. Or if we believe cunning is insight. Or if we settle for finessing cures tailored for each ravaged tree in the forest while ignoring the poisonous landscape that feeds and surrounds it."
"Wisdom is a gift; you can't train for it, inherit it, learn it in a class, or earn it in the workplace — that access can foster the acquisition of knowledge, but not wisdom," Morrison wrote.
In response to Morrison's endorsement, Obama said in a statement:
"Toni Morrison has touched a nation with the grace and beauty of her words, and I was deeply moved and honored by the letter she wrote and the support she is giving our campaign.
TIGER TIES ARNOLD PALMER IN PGA WINS: Plus, Sunday's eight shot victory at Buick Invitational sets several records.
*With an eight-shot win at the Buick Invitational on Sunday, Tiger Woods stepped onto the same plane as golf legend Arnold Palmer, tying his record of 62 wins on the PGA Tour.
Woods was able to build an 11-shot lead Sunday before San Diego's cold weather and several bogeys on the back nine led to a 1 –under 71 for the day. His closest competitor at Torrey Pines was runner up Ryuji Imada, who matched the best score of the final round with a 67.
Sunday's finish of 19-under 269 is Woods' fourth straight win at the Buick Invitational, which also ties a record for consecutive wins in a single tournament. Woods is the only player to own such a streak at two events, having also won four in a row at Bay Hill.
The 71, however, ended Woods' streak of 14 consecutive rounds in the 60s, dating to the second round of the Deutsche Bank Championship. He has finished no worse than second since the British Open in July, when he tied for 12th at Carnoustie.
Next in line on the PGA career list is Ben Hogan with 64 victories, and each win moves Woods closer to the record 82 won by Sam Snead.
RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST RANDY MOSS EXTENDED: Woman had filed TRO earlier this month over incident at her Fla. home.
*A woman accusing New England Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss of battery will have her temporary restraining order against the athlete extended after both parties reached an agreement.
Rachelle Washington accused Moss of committing "battery causing serious injury" to her during an incident at her Florida home on Jan. 6. The temporary restraining order required Moss to stay at least 500 feet from Washington.
The NFL star, currently in Arizona for his team's Super Bowl showdown Sunday against the New York Giants, has not been criminally charged in the case. The two described each other in court papers as longtime friends.
"We have no contest over the restraining order given the current situation. He will stay completely away from her and has no desire to have contact with her," said Moss' attorney, Richard Sharpstein. "He's in Phoenix busy preparing to win the Super Bowl and on a day like today his mind is elsewhere."
JILL SCOTT ANNOUNCES MORE TOUR DATES: Plus, Raheem DeVaughn added as opening act.
*Jill Scott's upcoming tour behind Grammy-nominated album "The Real
Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3" has been padded with extra dates ahead of its scheduled Feb. 5 kickoff in Seattle.
Nearly a dozen more cities have been added to the previously-announced stops, including two-night stands in Baltimore, Chicago and Newark, NJ. Also, the Washington, D.C. date, has expanded to a
four-night stand.
R&B crooner Raheem DeVaughn, whose album "Love Behind the Melody"
debuted last week at No. 5 on the Billboard 200, will serve as Scott's supporting act throughout the trek.
On the tour's launch date, Scott will release "Jill Scott: Live In Paris +" on DVD. The set, which will be available in standard and deluxe editions, was recorded at the historic Elysee Montmartre and features bonus material including a documentary and four songs from a House of Blues concert.
As previously reported, Scott is starring in the upcoming film "No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency," directed by Oscar winner Anthony Minghella, and she has recently announced her first corporate venture: "The Butterfly Collection by Jill Scott."
She'll design a line of intimate apparel for plus-size women to be marketed through Ashley Stewart Stores nationwide to benefit Scott's "Blues Babe Foundation," which seeks to nurture college-bound students of color.
Here are Jill Scott's tour dates:
February 2008
5 - Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre
7-8 - Oakland, CA - Paramount Theatre
12 - Anaheim, CA - Grove of Anaheim
14 - Universal City, CA - Gibson Amphitheatre
16 - Phoenix, AZ - Dodge Theatre
19 - Grand Prairie, TX - Nokia Theatre at Grand Prairie 20 - Houston, TX - Verizon Wireless Theater
22-23 - Atlanta, GA - Fabulous Fox Theatre
26-27 - Baltimore, MD - Lyric Opera House
29 - Norfolk, VA - Chrysler Hall
March 2008
2 - Greensboro, NC - Greensboro Coliseum Complex
5-6 - Newark, NJ - New Jersey Performing Arts Center
7 - Philadelphia, PA - Liacouras Center Arena
9 - Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre
11-12, 14-15 - Washington, DC - Dar Constitution Hall
16 - Richmond, VA - Landmark Theater
19 - Pittsburgh, PA - Benedum Center
21 - Detroit, MI - Fox Theatre
22-23 - Chicago, IL - The Chicago Theatre
25 - Indianapolis, IN - Murat Theatre
26 - St. Louis, MO - Fox Theatre
28-29 - Memphis, TN - Orpheum Theatre
30 - Birmingham, AL - Boutwell Auditorium
HOLLYWOOD BLACK FILM FEST SEEKS ENTRIES: Ninth annual event to be held June 3-8 in Beverly Hills.
*The Hollywood Black Film Festival (HBFF) has announced the Call for Entries for its 9th annual competitive festival for black filmmakers.
The event will be accepting submissions through Feb. 15. Films must have been completed since Sept. 2006 and one of the film’s creative principals (director, writer or producer) must be black or of African heritage.
HBFF 2008, to be held June 3-8 in Beverly Hills, will feature narrative and documentary features, short and student films, music videos and animation in its competitive program. The festival also presents a separate Storyteller Competition for screenwriters.
The Hollywood Black Film Festival aims to enhance the careers of emerging and established Black North American filmmakers through a public exhibition and competition program, and bring independent works by black filmmakers to Southern California area audiences, thereby fostering a greater appreciation for black filmmaking.
For more information on HBFF 2008, phone (310) 407-3596, fax (310) 943-2326, e-mail: info@hbff.org, or visit the official festival Web site at http://www.hbff.org.
ITTY BITTY BITS: Blige on steroid claims; Whoopi, J-Lo in Disney promo; 50 Cent and 'Kill' co-stars; Essence pops question to TV One; E-Hud on Trumpet Awards.
*So what does Mary J. Blige have to say about her name popping up in a New York steroid probe, which claims the singer is among tens of thousands who have received prescribed shipments of human-growth hormone? The singer told MTV Base: "I really don't want to clear anything up, because I've been spoken about for so many years — rumors I'm pregnant, I'm a man, I'm this, I'm that, why? At the end of the day, I have nothing to prove to anyone. I am Mary and that's that."
*Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Whoopi Goldberg and Jessica Biel have participated in a new Disney promotional campaign shot by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz. In the images, the celebs are photographed as different Disney characters. The "Disney Dream Portrait Series" will be featured throughout the year at Disneyland in California and Disney World in Florida.
*Rapper-actor 50 Cent says his "Righteous Kill" co-stars Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino are so larger than life that being around them makes him feel like a regular Joe. He tells MTV.com: "I get a chance to feel normal when they're around. I watch people get intimidated by their celebrity opposed to mine at some points, and that's fun for me."
*In conjunction with the second edition of its “Will You Marry Me?” print and online feature, Essence magazine is bringing the love search to TV One via a one-hour television special to air Sunday, Feb. 3 from 8-9 p.m.
"Essence Magazine Presents: Will You Marry Me?" features six men from six different cities around the U.S. who will share their love with Essence readers and TV One viewers by providing their girlfriends with the wedding proposal of a lifetime. Fans can then vote for the best proposal on tvoneonline.com and essence.com, and help the winning couple score a dream destination wedding and honeymoon.
*Actor Ernie Hudson performed this month at the 2008 Trumpet Awards, accompanied by the music of six-time Grammy-nominated singer Melvin Williams. During the event, Hudson vocally acted out Scripture selections from Thomas Nelson, Inc.’s newly released The Word of Promise™ New Testament Audio Bible – a scripted dramatization of the New King James Version (NKJV) of the New Testament presented in a compelling, dramatic audio theater format.
EVENT CALENDAR: Lewis Super Kids Fitness Camp; Keys and Sparks at Super Bowl; Shepherd; MEAC Competition and Coronation.
*NFL star Ray Lewis is fighting youth obesity by hosting the free
2008 Ray Lewis Super Kids Fitness Camp at Arizona State University during Super Bowl weekend. On Feb. 2 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., 500 kids ages 8 to 14 and their parents will learn how to take control of their bodies, learn innovative and alternative exercises, and create fun healthy eating habits – all with the help of Lewis, local coaches and several of Lewis’ close NFL friends. Parents will be trained to recognize if their children are at risk for obesity and easy healthy cooking tips.
*Alicia Keys and Jordin Sparks will perform in the Super Bowl XLII Pregame Show on FOX at University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona on Sunday, Feb. 3. The Super Bowl XLII Pregame Show will be Keys’ second performance before a Super Bowl. She took the stage to sing “America the Beautiful” with 150 students from the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind prior to Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville on Feb. 6, 2005. As previously reported, Sparks will sing the National Anthem before the big game.
*"The View" co-host Sherri Shepherd will serve as keynote speaker for the second annual Miss MEAC Competition and Coronation, scheduled for Friday, March 14 at the Crabtree Marriott in Raleigh, NC beginning at 11 a.m. Contestants from MEAC member institutions will participate in the coronation, with one ultimately being crowned as Miss MEAC for the 2008 Basketball Tournament. All contestants are selected on the strength and depth of their community platform as well as their submitted essay entry. The coronation will be hosted by Geneen Anderson, weekend news anchor for WNCN-TV, NBC Raleigh. Tickets are $35 per person or $350 for a table of ten.
EUR DVD REVIEW: The Invasion
Remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers Released on DVD
DVD Review by Kam Williams
*The original Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), starring Kevin McCarthy, was based on The Body Snatchers, a serialized novel by Jack Finney published by Colliers Magazine.
That black and white, sci-fi classic was set in a California town where citizens were being murdered and mysteriously replaced by identical pod people.
The first remake was released in 1978, followed by another in 1993. This version stars Nicole Kidman as Dr. Carol Bennell, a psychiatrist living in Washington, DC, one of many cities where people have begun behaving strangely after the explosion of a Space Shuttle during reentry from outer space.
Seems that the debris has somehow contaminated the planet with an intelligent alien life force capable of reprogramming DNA.
Soon, this otherwordly catalyst starts turning people into polite automatons willing to sacrifice their individuality for the sake of a mind-numbing conformity. So, it falls to Dr. Bennell, her boyfriend, Dr. Driscoll (Daniel
Craig) and another colleague, Dr. Galeano (Jeffrey Wright), to figure out how to reverse the epidemic before everybody is turned into a sea of easily-managed, insufferably well-behaved robots.
The film features a silly subplot revolving around Carol’s frantically text-messaging her missing young son, Oliver (Jackson Bond), a spunky kid who had been left in the care of her possibly infected ex-husband (Jeremy Northam). While this sidebar might accurately illustrate the current fad in electronic communication, here, it proves to be more of an annoying distraction than a compelling cinematic device.
Not that the front story is any more credible. Can someone explain to me exactly how a horror flick about a scourge that’s making humanity more civilized is supposed to be scary? Intermittently amusing, tautly-edited and very well-acted, but hopelessly crippled ab initio by a fatally-flawed script.
An amusing diversion, but not exactly edge of your seat excitement.
Good (2 stars)
Rated PG-13 for violence, terror and disturbing images.
Running time: 96 minutes
Studi Warner Home Video
DVD Extras: A documentary and three featurettes.
EUR FILM REVIEW: Rambo
Stallone in Sixties and Still Saving the Day
Film Review by Kam Williams
*Sylvester Stallone may be in his sixties, but he hasn’t lost a step in terms of writing, directing or performing in balls-out, action movies.
He proved that a year ago with Rocky VI, which was essentially a remake of his Academy Award-winning Best Picture of 1976.
And now he proves it again in Rambo 4, a revival of the charismatic character he first introduced over a quarter century ago.
John Rambo is a Vietnam War hero from Texas whose post-traumatic stress disorder was compounded by the fact that vets of his era weren’t welcomed back to America with open arms.
As the latest installment opens, we find him living alone along the Salween River in northern Thailand. He seems finally to have made peace with his tortured past, dividing his time between fishing on his longboat and catching poisonous snakes in the jungle. Thus, despite the fact that a decades-old civil war is raging just across the border in Burma, Rambo has no interest in venturing anywhere near the conflict.
Everything changes the day missionaries from the Christ Church of Colorado arrive, announcing their plan to bring Bibles and much needed medical supplies to the victims of the ongoing ethnic cleansing. Having heard that Rambo is the best river guide in the region, these naïve volunteers ask him for a ride into Burma aboard his rickety longboat. After repeatedly telling them in no uncertain terms to “Go home!” and warning that “You’re not going to change anything,” he succumbs to the womanly wiles of Sarah Miller (Juli Benz) who wraps him around her little finger and gets him to ferry them into the war zone against his better judgment.
So, it’s no surprise a couple of weeks later, when a panicky Pastor Marks (Ken Howard) shows up saying that his parishioners have been taken hostage by the Burmese army and that the U.S. embassy has refused to get involved.
Fueled by a fear that some harm might come to Sarah, Rambo reluctantly picks up a gun again and leads a rag-tag team of mercenaries on a bloody, death-defying rescue mission.
At this juncture, the movie morphs into the familiar, testosterone-fueled fare associated with the high body-count Rambo franchise, replete with hand-to-hand combat, automatic weapons, and visually-captivating pyrotechnics. Critical to appreciating this revenge-driven flick fully is the dehumanization of the Asian bad guys into disposable sadists and godless rapists lusting over the only hot blonde to be found for miles around.
Not to worry, geriatric Rambo, AARP poster boy, still saves the day!
Very Good (3 stars)
Rated R profanity, sexual assaults, grisly images and graphic violence.
Running time: 95 minutes
Studi Warner Brothers
STEVEN IVORY: Old Fashioned Modern Man
*The twenty-something man installing my smoke detectors immediately stopped his casual patter and focused on the sight in my bedroom. “What is that?” he asked.
“It's called a television.”
“I know that. What's that on top of it?” He was serious. I explained that the antenna, a.k.a. rabbit ears, provides the television a viewing picture.
Struggling with this concept, he asked if the antenna allowed me to get more channels than a cable or satellite hook up. I told him the antenna only afforded me “regular TV”--local and network programming.
He finished his installation job in wary silence, wearing on his face the strategically composed expression you see on would-be victims in low budget horror flicks, feigning calm in the sinister shadow of an ax murderer.
The kid probably never met a person without cable, and thus never met someone who's never seen one episode of “The Sopranos;” who wouldn't recognize a single member of actor Adrian Grenier's “Entourage” and hadn't seen “Sex In The City” or “South Park” until the reruns came to “regular TV.”
Then again, he probably doesn't know anyone who's never owned a microwave oven, either--or an iPod, or anyone who has never texted a message or used a Blackberry.
But his age has little to do with it. Friends my age and older are astonished that I've never used an ATM and that I still pay my bills by so-called snail mail. My round, shiny chrome Toastmaster was already 30 years old when I found it at a West Hollywood yard sale 20 years ago. It's still toasting bread.
My new cell phone is only my third, ever. Clerks gathered around to gape at my retired flip model as if it were a relic from an Egyptian tomb. They said it was rare for a cell phone to last nearly ten years.
I told them that if you use a phone to make and receive phone calls--and not play games, watch TV, films and videos or hit people in the head with it--then it probably will last for a while. They were dismayed that I didn't want a phone that took pictures, but I needed a phone, not a camera.
Right about now you're probably thinking I churn my own butter. The truth is that I love technology. Inventions that make life easier are testament to man's vast ingenuity. I marvel at the computer age and bow down to the Internet, even if I genuflect via dial-up. I believe space travel is as important as the continued exploration and understanding of planet Earth itself.
However, the wholesale embrace of technology doesn't always serve us cerebrally. Our blind trust in engineering often equals to an increasing mistrust in ourselves.
Take the Pod Person on the news the other day whose automobile Global Positioning System (G.P.S.) instructed him to make a right turn. He did--even though he could clearly see he was heading onto railroad tracks that "weren't supposed to be there," complete with oncoming train. Bring back good ol' yesteryear, when real men drove the wrong way for days on an empty tank without stopping for directions.
Call me weird, but I enjoy standing in line at the post office and the bank. It is not a matter of pursuing more expedient ways to do these things; in addition to business, the Human Experience is why I go to these places: the sights, the sounds, my Latino brother selling 20 avocados for a dollar, etc.--PEOPLE!
Nothing against supermarket U-Scan machines, but if I must pay exorbitant prices for my nourishment, I will not deny myself the opportunity of brief engagement with a living, breathing check out person.
I'm not saying I couldn't find some measure of pleasure in walking around with two thousand songs strapped to my waist. But if, when out in the world, I nullify my senses with music, I miss what I can't get within my four walls or through a headset: the enchanting rhythms and nuances of this wonderful event called life.
Admittedly, none of this has anything to with cable TV--except that when I did subscribe to it, way back in the 90s, I somehow considered it an alternative to socializing. Sadly, for millions of us the Internet has become a chief source of that. The other day, when my online carrier had problems, I panicked: how would I communicate with the outside world? Meanwhile, the “outside world,” strolled past my window.
When was the last time you uttered a kind word to an absolute stranger (that you weren't trying to sleep with)? I say random, organic communication is a space age idea whose time has come!
Recently, someone familiar with my muted relationship with technology, reprimanded me. “You gonna look around and find that the world has passed you by,” he spat, standing under the annoyingly incessant blinking light on a little phone clipped to his ear like a fashion accessory.
At least when the world does clamber by, without anything stuffed in my ears, I'll be able to hear their footsteps. In that, I take a strange and unaccountable comfort.
Steven Ivory's book, FOOL IN LOVE (Touchstone/Simon & Schuster) is in stores now or at Amazon.com (www.Amazon.com) Respond to him via STEVRIVORY@AOL.COM or MYfeedback@eurweb.com
ASK ADVICE CHICK: Answers to YOUR Dating, Sex, Life, & Love Questions!
By - AdviceChick@ameritech.net
Straight, Gay, Bi, Tran, Woman, Man – Send your questions to AdviceChick@ameritech.net !
Dear Advice Chick,
*My best friend from high school and I are in are in our late twenties, we talk often, mainly about post college life/careers and the dating/relationship landscape. Within the last two years he has been successful in his career but was dealing with drama with his live in lover (the usual drama: bickering, staying out late, and etc). He eventually took a cross country promotion with his job which allowed him to get out of the situation he was in. I was all for him being open minded enough to start fresh somewhere else.
During the time of his relationship drama before he moved with this job he met a guy via the Internet and began to converse with this young man, the young man proved me to be an outlet to vent and became his listening ear regarding the drama that he faced in his relationship.
During a year's time from the time he got the job offer to move he and the "Internet Dude" began to talk more seriously, I was totally against this off the rebound relationship (as it appeared to be what it was developing into).
I advised my friend as the time came to move to the new city that he was relocating to get settled, focus on rediscovering himself since he had gone through so much in the situation he was getting out of. Against his better judgment he began to spend time with this young man which totally floored me because with the dynamics within the gay subculture you have men that identify as "top," "bottom," and "versatile" ... and as long as I have known my friend he has identified as being a "top" and this new guy was a "top" as well.
I am not one to say that ones sexual orientation or preference can not change to fit the dynamics within a relationship, what I took an issue with was that in every conversation with my best friend he would complain that this was a new frontier for him being a "top" and having to "bottom out" (pun intended) for the sake to satisfy "Internet Dude."
So fast forward to the new city that my best friend relocated to..."Internet Dude" was in tow and had just gotten out of the military with no financial plan lined up or job, he simply wanted to move in with my best friend and draw his veteran military benefits.
During a week when "Internet Dude" came to visit my best friend he called and complained to me about how untidy, lazy, and inconsiderate "Internet Dude" was. I simply advised him to dump the zero...time elapsed and he discovered that "Internet Dude" was meeting other guys on line and doing typical sleazy negro activities. Last month my best friend decided that it would be better to cut his losses and simply focus on his career, new home/city, and consider dating someone in the local area (that I had a job).
Well in the last week or so I've been calling my best friend and I finally got in touch with him I heard a voice in the background...that voice was "Internet Dude." I was simply floored and simply asked what "Internet Dude" was doing there since my best friend got on my last nerves talking about all the drama that this dude brought and I thought his decision to walk away from this last month was final.
My best friend stated that "Internet Dude" was there because he missed him (my best friend) and he missed him too and didn't want to be lonely. At that point I was speechless and said that I had to end the telephone call.
I guess ultimately my question that I need advice with is how do I deal with my friend when I know what he's gone through and the level that he has stooped to just to be with a loser? I can not promise that I won't say I told you so when his relationship fails and he ends up holding the bag.
Advice Chick replies,
You totally had me cracking up with the term, “Internet Dude.” I also know a bit about the gay subculture as I have two male gay friends. One is a top, the other is a bottom. Neither of them is versatile, which seems to be what your best friend is dabbling into or the sake of “Internet Dude.”
You said this guy is your best friend. Being a best friend is more than a title, it’s a responsibility. Seriously, you’ve done all you can do as your best friend is a grown man. He knows Internet Dude isn’t the man for him but he made the choice to put up with his foolishness because he is lonely. It’s not right, but it’s ok.
Your job as his best friend is to tell him how you feel about the situation and you did that. Now you have to respect his decision however bad it may seem. Finally, as his best friend you will have to be there for him (don’t say I told you so) when this mess explodes leaving him not only lonely, but also broken hearted – and quite possibly broke.
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Ask Advice Chick about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING related to dating, sex, love, and life! She is THE resident dating expert at EURweb.com, and calls on over 11 years of dating and relationship industry experience.
THE BRIDGE -- Man Up!
By Darryl James
*One of the most frustrating things to deal with as a Black man is listening to Black women talk about what a “real man” is supposed to be or do.
Typically, when those discussions come up, they begin with “If you were a REAL man…” and are in reference to things that the women want from the men, based purely on desire, not on anything real. And, those discussions are never based on anything that comes from men or discussions with men.
In fact, a group of us jokingly search for the “Book of Real Man” that these women must have read.
That having been said, there are in fact some things that progressive Black men discuss amongst themselves about what Black men need to do.
Let’s deal with some of them now.
Brothers, I know how hard it is to find a real lady who actually appreciates it when you hold the door open for her, but do it anyway. If she doesn’t appreciate it, then she’s not a lady and she’s not for you. Just man up and keep it moving, but let’s still be gentlemen.
Don’t ever complain about Golddiggers if you have been fertile digging ground. When you see the signs (and we ALL know the signs), keep moving. Just man up and tell her that you are not the bank and no matter how cute she is, you won’t be doling out the loot for her company or for sex. That’s what prostitutes are for, but real men don’t get down like that.
Don’t ever get mad when a woman talks about unfaithful men if you have cheated and weren’t even suave enough to avoid being caught. Women cheat, too, so don’t say it’s a man thing or that all men need more than one woman. If you really believe that you deserve and can handle more than one woman, be a man about it and let her know. It’s not cheating if you tell the truth, and if you do it that way, you are really the man.
You see, the whole “king needs more than one woman” piece only works if you keep home taken care of and never, ever get caught slipping. Otherwise, it works to just kick it with one woman. A player plays, but if you don’t know the game, just man up and play one on one.
Don’t ever place yourself in a position where a woman can say that you forced her to have sex with you. If have ANY doubt, or if she appears to be uncomfortable, just man up. Stop and leave. There is never a sexual encounter worth your freedom.
Be responsible and embrace safe sex. We already know that the lie is being spread that Black women are only getting HIV from Black men, but you can avoid that lie, other diseases and unwanted pregnancy by embracing safe sex or celibacy. Yes, I said it—celibacy. If you are with a woman who is too eager to have unprotected sex, think before you act. You really aren’t that special, this is probably how she is with every man. Those few moments of pleasure could garner you a lifetime of misery, child support and custody battles.
And brothers, if a woman does get pregnant, man up. If you think she’s shady, take the DNA test. If you are not excluded, then make your plans to be in that child’s life, even if you hate the woman you had sex with. Realize that she probably hates you, too, but before it goes there, refer to the paragraph above.
Don’t ever get caught up in fighting a woman. We already know that Black men are perceived as abusive, so we don’t need to add to the stereotype by placing ourselves in bad situations. Yes, we all know women who act like they like to fight--we call them “beat freaks.” But even if a woman postures like a man, it is never cool to get in this kind of situation, because it can easily go south and you can find yourself in handcuffs. You can’t change this kind of woman or keep the peace. She may be acting aggressively, but if you hit her, you will be called a thug and go to jail. When the situation begins to escalate, man up and LEAVE.
And speaking of that thug garbage, real men don’t keep it thuggish. Boys do. Men are men and thugs are thugs. Any questions? Any woman who says she wants a man with a little thug in him is not looking for a real man, she’s looking for someone to beat her and abuse her. That’s what thugs do. Man up and step away from her, so that she can find a thug to beat her and rob her.
Women have no business defining men as thugs and men have no business allowing women to define them as anything. No matter what those magazines say about us, we have to define ourselves and be men about rising to that definition. We have to talk to each other about what we should be and move forward with that program.
For all the talk about angry, bitter women, there are also men who become angry and bitter after having a series of painful experiences that are unresolved. I will say the same thing to men that I say to women: Let it go.
And, this one is perhaps the most important of all: Don’t ever say anything to a woman who thinks poorly of Black men unless you already know that you have done your best to be a man.
Are you a father to your children? Are you a good example to the females in your family? Are you available to your brothers and friends when they need you? Have you mentored a young Black man? How dare you say anything about the state of Black men unless you are being an upstanding Black man yourself?
Don’t talk about how bad “those folks in the hood” are unless you show up and let them see how much of a man you are. If you are afraid, admit it, and go with some brothers who aren’t. You don’t have to be hardcore to care. You just have to show up. If you spent more time studying than fighting, you are a soldier and we need you.
And if the things I wrote here make you mad, just man up and deal with it. Take inventory of yourself and if you find things that are not manly, delete, delete, delete.
That’s what men do.
Darryl James is an award-winning author who is now a filmmaker. He released his first mini-movie, “Crack,” and in Spring of this year, will release his first full-length documentary. James’ latest book, “Bridging The Black Gender Gap,” is the basis of his lectures and seminars. Previous installments of this column can now be viewed at www.bridgecolumn.com. James can be reached at djames@theblackgendergap.com.
THE JOURNAL OF STEFFANIE RIVERS: Who’s In Charge Here?
*When it comes to solving the worsening financial state of America, I’m convinced most of our political leaders are using fuzzy math. How else could they compute that passing out $600 tax rebate checks to 116 million Americans will solve this country’s economic crisis? It’s a prime example of feeding the masses for a day, instead of teaching them to fish for a lifetime. Then again you can’t teach what you don’t know.
No matter how you slice it there’s only so many pieces of the financial pie. And if everyday Americans are forced to spend more money on fuel, food, health and childcare - with the same amount of income that wasn’t enough in the first place - soon there won’t be any more money to go around. It’s simple math.
In case you haven’t heard about the proposed tax rebate let me break it down for you: If it’s approved by Congress, tax-paying Americans will get a rebate check from the federal government. Taxpayers who file individually will receive $600 while couples who file jointly will get $1,200. Retirees, who don’t pay federal income taxes, but pay social security taxes, would get $300 for individuals or $600 for couples. For every child claimed that person would receive extra $300. Only individuals who earn up to $75,000 or couples who earn up to $150,000 qualify for the rebate. Other sections of the proposed stimulus package will set aside money to help homeowners facing mortgage foreclosures, increase the amount of food stamps issued and extend unemployment checks.
What they don’t tell you is any amount of money taxpayers receive in a rebate check now will be deducted from future refund checks later. So they’re not doing you any favors. They’re taking from Peter to pay Paul and later they’ll take from Paul to pay Peter. This whole scenario confirms they have no idea what they’re doing.
Also, I can’t pass up the opportunity to tell you that any refund check you receive indicates that you have overpaid your income taxes throughout the year and in essence have given the federal government an interest free loan.
Even in the worst economic times, though, there are people who will get rich and people who will remain poor. The first step is to keep the money you already make by legally reducing your tax liability. Consult an accountant about the schedule c tax form or go to irs.gov to read it for yourself.
Even if congress approves the tax rebate check don’t get too excited. Remember it was already yours to begin with.
BETWEEN THE LINES: Letter To The Nationwide "Black Community:" This Is The Opportunity Our Forefathers Died For ... Now Is The Time To Maximize The Black Vote
Anthony Asadullah Samad
*On February 5th, Black America will have the opportunity that it has waited 140 years for (138 to be exact). Twenty-two states will pull the lever for their choice to be the Democratic nominee for President of the United States.
This is the opportunity to exercise true equality in the most significant race that African Americans have ever been represented in. This is the biggest payoff of the 1965 Civil Rights Act that gave Blacks federal protection against intimidation and harassment simply by trying to exercise our right to vote.
The original and most longstanding form of terrorism this country has ever known (and practiced), with vehement regularity, is voter disfranchisement and voter suppression. Many a black man (and black woman after 1920) died for simply trying to insist on their constitutional right to vote, a right many of us simply concede today.
Many black people, in their frustration tied to their quality of life, mistakenly withhold their vote as a form of protest or resignation-in a misguided perception that their vote won't matter. Your vote always matters, but what also matters is voter efficacy tied to representative accountability. The worse thing have we done, particularly in the last 40 years, is sit out critical elections.
A fifteen percent higher black voter turnout in 1968, 1988 and 2000 would have changed the outcome of national Presidential elections. The number of Blacks that didn't vote in 2004 in five states made the difference in John Kerry beating George W. Bush. The first sign of surrendering hope in our communities is usually demonstrated by the surrendering our vote. Not this time. Every black person that has a vote needs to exercise that vote in this election.
The black community has become known for its horrifically low voter turnouts. Conceding your vote is the ultimate surrender. But when the black community becomes highly engaged, through some salient issue or personality, it often represents either the margin of victory or the margin of defeat. We were the margin of victory for John F. Kennedy in 1960, Jimmy Carter in 1976 and Bill Clinton in 1992. We were the margin of defeat for former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley, when he ran for California Governor in 1986.
The number of votes Bradley needed was in his own backyard - in fact, in his old council district-but he took their votes for granted and they stayed home. They stayed home on Michael Dukakis in 1988 for ignoring the two million new voters Jesse Jackson brought to the process (this business about Jesse being a "black candidate" may have been true in 1984, but in 1988 Jesse registered as many poor white rural voters as he did poor urban black voters as "the rainbow" was in full effect at that time). And they stayed at home on John Kerry in 2004, after a record turnout for Al Gore in 2000, for failing to address issues important to the black community and for failing to campaign in the black community.
The black vote makes a difference, and is the reason Democrats spend so much time trying to get it (they can't win without it), and Republicans spend so much time trying to suppress it. The only real way you can be equal in American society is to exercise both social and political equality-that's why they were addressed in two different amendments in 1868 (Fourteenth) and 1870 (Fifteenth). Fulfilling one's individual potential requires the right to be educated, the right to provide for your family (right to work) and the right to universal suffrage (right to vote). African Americans have historically exercised only two (or one) of the three. But when you look at what has been the three things the dominate society has tried to prevent us from doing (being equal) is working, being educated and voting. That's the historical civil rights struggle in our nation. Fast forward to today.
We've spent our whole lives, in fact-ten generations of us have spent our lives, talking about how America would never elect a Black President. Well, guess what is on the verge of happening.in our lifetime? I'm not telling you who to vote for (but I am), just know this is not the election we should stand by and watch. This is not the time to rationalize why voting doesn't matter and why your vote won't make a difference. This is the culmination of the sacrifice that, as James Weldon Johnson said in Lift Every Voice And Sing, those "who come over a way of the tears that been watered" and those who come "treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered." There have been no more volatile periods in this nation's Post-Slavery history than the 19th Century "Redemption Period" and the 20th Century "Segregation Period." Both periods witnessed the retraction of both black civil rights and black voting rights. As a historical note, "Super Tuesday" used to be the first Tuesday in April when all the Southern States used to vote. It was the greatest single voter suppression, voter intimidation date for black voters. It was there the tears and the blood of our forefathers flowed, and it is their tears and blood that will be on the soles of our shoes as we tread to the polls next week, be it in rain, in snow, in trickeration (confusion around polling places), and in suppression (closing polls early or running out of ballots). It shouldn't matter what the condition. All that should matter is that in this time we've waited all our lives for, we vote.
The black community should have the highest voter turnout ever, on this "Super Duper" Tuesday, when a maximized black vote will send a signal to the nation that equality in America is real. This is the opportunity our forefathers wished they had. It's the opportunity they died for.
Anthony Asadullah Samad, Ph.D., is a national columnist, managing director of the Urban Issues Forum (www.urbanissuesforum.com) and author of the new book, Saving The Race: Empowerment Through Wisdom. He can be reached at www.AnthonySamad.com
THE WORLD IN KEY'S WORD: Me vs. Jay-Z?
By Keysha Whitaker / keysha@keyshawhitaker.com
*So on Friday, Jan. 18, I'm out promoting my first book in a series for teenage girls - Hickeys, Hiccups & Homework: A Teenage Girl's Guide, and at the end of the day, I end up in a fight with Jay-Z!
In the morning, I went to a lockdown facility for juvenile girls in Waterbury, Connecticut. After personalizing about 30 books for the girls, I talked for an hour about life, being a teen, and making choices that are going to benefit you in the future. Several girls volunteered to read poems from the book, and I gave some more advice and insight to their readings.
All in all - a great event!
After that, I decided to stop by the main branch of my hometown library in Bridgeport. I presented my book to the Young Adult Librarian. She was very receptive and said that they would order the book and are interested in having me come do a few workshops!
Great! Score two for Hickeys!
Next, I decided to swing by the Stratford Library, after speaking to the Young Adult librarian about a week before.
Well, Ms. Librarian told me that they're all booked up until the summer time and that there was no funding available for programs. (Even though I hadn't asked for any money, but whatever.)
"That's fine," I said, "Can you tell me what the process is to get the library to order the book?"
Ms. Librarian peered at me over her glasses.
"Well, I'll have to read the reviews and see if it's something that we even want on our shelves," said Ms. Librarian.
A bit taken aback, I politely said thank you and asked her to keep me posted. As I left the teen section, I walked by a row of CDs and noticed a Jay-Z album - his Hard Knock Life album - right there - ON THE SHELF.
Indignation! Why, I think my book is certainly a bit less abrasive than a JAY-Z CD?! Isn't it? The only curse word in the book is hell - and that's even debatable.
I mean - Hard Knock Life? Really? This was some of his early, grittier stuff too, before he went all executive.
I wanted to grab the CD; march back into her office and scream, "Lady! Are you kidding me?! - A JAY-Z CD?!"
I don't begrudge any man his success - Lord knows I'm aiming for the same caliber of success Jay-Z's achieved, if not higher - HOWEVER, at that moment staring at his Roc-A-Fella mug taking up my shelf-space in the teen section of the Stratford Library - at that moment I realized that it's ME vs. JAY-Z.
And "Jay-Z" is the metaphorical mainstream other product out there trying to get to teens just like I am; the gimmick TV shows that glorify fast sex and fast parties and the fashion images that keep girls in the bathroom sticking their fingers down their throats to be the new size 2 .
And ME - well I am anyone out there who feels like they have something to say - any writer, singer, and artist - anyone who is trying to break through to be heard, to make an impact, to win their space on the shelf.
Alright then "Jay". Let's go.
Round 1.
