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02-15-08 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE
GEORGE DANIELS CONFIRMS R. KELLY RUMORS: Chicago music veteran says singer 'crossed the line' with daughter.
*Chicago-based music industry veteran George Daniels has confirmed rumors that he and his wife, Regina Daniels, have severed all ties with R.
Kelly because of a sexual relationship the singer had with their 21-year-old daughter.
Regina Daniels, the singer's longtime publicist, released a statement in November announcing she had quit her post with the R&B crooner, explaining only that a line had been crossed. Now, music retailer George Daniels is speaking out about the situation, confirming rumors about what led to the severed ties.
"He crossed the line with my daughter," Daniels said during an interview with Los Angeles radio station KJLH. "It didn't get to the extreme of that [sex tape] video or else I wouldn't be here, if you know what I'm talking about."
Daniels' daughter, who was 21 when the relationship occurred, is still in college and "doing very well," he tells KJLH's Guy Black. Though his daughter was of legal age, Daniels says Kelly still took advantage of her.
He explained: "When you're 21, and if you've been there already like I've been many years ago, you're still 15 to 16 mentally. You're vulnerable"
Daniels said he and his wife would hear rumors about her daughter and Kelly having relations, and it took a while for his daughter to come clean and admit it. When she finally did, Daniels said he immediately confronted Kelly.
"He denied it. He lied to me to my face," Daniels said.
"The reason that I'm talking abut this, it's not just for me, it's not for my wife, it's not for my daughter, but it's for the public, "Daniels added. "It's for other fathers and mothers because it doesn't have to be a superstar, it could be the dude on the corner. There are guys who sit around and give your child a couple of bucks to go to school and then wait until they get a little older, then they set that trap. See, so I'm doing this really for everyone."
'DEBATORS' CLEANS UP AT IMAGE AWARDS: Top honors divvied up between film's lead and supporting actors.
*Denzel Washington's "The Great Debaters" stole the spotlight at the 39th Annual NAACP Image Awards Thursday night (hosted by comedian D.L. Hughley), winning for outstanding motion picture and top acting honors for some of its lead and supporting cast.
The film's star and director, Denzel Washington, was named best actor, while Jurnee Smollett, starring as one of the movie's lead debators, was named best actress. Denzel Whitaker, the young actor uncannily bearing a hybrid of Washington and Forest Whitaker's name, took home the award for outstanding supporting actor.
Also making an impressive showing was Tyler Perry, with his project "Why Did I Get Married?" garnering Janet Jackson the award for outstanding supporting actress, while his venture with TBS, "House of Payne," won outstanding comedy series. Payne" earned actor LaVan Davis the outstanding actor in a comedy series honor, while Lance Gross was crowned outstanding supporting actor for his portrayal of the immature son of Curtis and Ella Payne.
ABC's "Ugly Betty" and "Grey's Anatomy" and HBO's "Life Support" were other big winners in the television category.
America Ferrera won for best actress in a comedy series for "Betty," while co-star Vanessa Williams took home the outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series award. "Anatomy" won for outstanding drama series, and the show's Chandra Wilson was honored as outstanding supporting actress in a drama series.
Queen Latifah and Wendell Pierce were voted outstanding actress and actor in a television movie, miniseries or dramatic special for "Support," which also won for outstanding TV movie, miniseries or dramatic special.
Alicia Keys cleaned up in the musical categories, winning four awards including: outstanding music video, song and album and the outstanding female artist award.
Focus Features' "Talk To Me" garnered awards for Kasi Lemmons, outstanding directing in a motion picture, and for Seith Mann, outstanding directing in a dramatic series for his work on NBC's "Friday Night Lights."
The organization doled out special honors to Aretha Franklin, who received the Vanguard Award, and Stevie Wonder, who was inducted into the Image Awards' Hall of Fame. Actress/producer/author and recent SAG winner Ruby Dee was honored with the event's annual Chairman's Award.
Complete winners list:
Television categories
Comedy series
"Tyler Perry's House of Payne" (TBS)
Actor in a comedy series
LaVan Davis, "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" (TBS)
Actress in a comedy series
America Ferrera, "Ugly Betty" (ABC)
Supporting actor in a comedy series
Lance Gross, "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" (TBS)
Supporting actress in a comedy series
Vanessa L. Williams, "Ugly Betty" (ABC)
Drama series
"Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
Actor in a drama series
Hill Harper, "CSI: NY" (CBS)
Actress in a drama series
Regina Taylor, "The Unit" (CBS)
Supporting actor in a drama series
Omar Epps, "House" (Fox)
Supporting Actress in a drama series
Chandra Wilson, "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
Television movie, miniseries or dramatic special
"Life Support" (HBO)
Actor in a television movie, miniseries or dramatic special
Wendell Pierce, "Life Support" (HBO)
Actress in a television movie, miniseries or dramatic special
Queen Latifah, "Life Support" (HBO)
Actor in a daytime drama series
Kristoff St. John, "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)
Actress in a daytime drama series
Christel Khalil, "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)
News/information (series or special)
"In Conversation: The Senator Barack Obama Interview" (TVOne)
Talk (series)
"Tavis Smiley," "Crisis in Darfur" (PBS)
Reality (series)
"Run's House 4" (MTV)
Variety (series or special)
"Celebration of Gospel '07" (BET)
Children's program
"That's So Raven" (Disney Channel)
Performance in a youth/children's program (series or special)
Raven-Symone, "That's So Raven" (Disney Channel)
Recording categories
New artist
Jordin Sparks (Jive/Zomba)
Male artist
Chris Brown (Jive)
Female artist
Alicia Keys (J Records)
Duo or group
Eddie & Gerald Levert (Atlantic)
Jazz artist
Herbie Hancock (Verve)
Gospel artist (traditional or contemporary)
Kirk Franklin (Gospocentric)
World music album
Angelique Kidjo, "Djin Djin" (Razor & Tie)
Music video
Alicia Keys, "Like You'll Never See Me Again" (J Records)
Song
Alicia Keys, "Like You'll Never See Me Again" (J Records)
Album
Alicia Keys, "As I Am" (J Records)
Literature categories
Literary work, fiction
Walter Mosley, "Blonde Faith" (Little, Brown & Company)
Literary work, nonfiction
Don Cheadle, John Prendergast, "Not on Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond" (Hyperion)
Literary work, debut author
Victoria Rowell, "The Women Who Raised Me: A Memoir" (Harper Collins)
Literary Work, biography/autobiography
David Mendell, "Obama: From Promise to Power" (Harper Collins/Amistad)
Literary work, instructional
Tavis Smiley, "The Covenant in Action" (Smiley Books)
Literary work, poetry
Nikki Giovanni, "Acolytes: Poems" (Harper Collins/William Morrow)
Literary work, children
Sue Stauffacher, author; Greg Couch, illustrator; "Nothing but Trouble: The Story of Althea Gibson" (Random House)
Literary work, youth/teens
Charles B. Schooler, author; Gary Young, illustrator; "More Than Entertainers: An Inspirational Black Career Guide" (Zenith Publishing)
Motion picture categories
Actor in a motion picture
Denzel Washington, "The Great Debaters" (The Weinstein Co.)
Actress in a motion picture
Jurnee Smollett - "The Great Debaters" (The Weinstein Co.)
Supporting actor in a motion picture
Denzel Whitaker, "The Great Debaters" (The Weinstein Co.)
Supporting actress in a motion picture
Janet Jackson, "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?" (Lionsgate Films)
Motion picture
"The Great Debaters" (The Weinstein Co.)
Independent or foreign film
"Honeydripper" (Emerging Pictures)
Documentary
"Darfur Now" (Warner Independent Pictures)
Writing categories
Writing in a comedy series
Ali LeRoi, "Everybody Hates Chris," episode "Everybody Hates Guidance Counselor" (CW)
Writing in a dramatic series
Shonda Rhimes and Krista Vernoff, "Grey's Anatomy," episode "A Change Is Gonna Come" (ABC)
Writing in a motion picture (theatrical or television)
Michael Genet and Rick Famuyiwa, "Talk to Me" (Focus Features)
Directing categories
Directing in a comedy series
Ken Whittingham, "The Office," episode "Phyllis' Wedding" (NBC)
Directing in a dramatic series
Seith Mann, "Friday Night Lights," episode "Are You Ready for Friday Night?" (NBC)
Directing in a motion picture (theatrical or television)
Kasi Lemmons, "Talk to Me" (Focus Features)
TAVIS ACCUSED OF BARACK-BASHING: Obama unable to make 'State of Black Union' appearance and Smiley is not smiling.
*Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama turned down an invitation from Tavis Smiley to attend his "State of the Black Union 2008"
conference on Feb. 23 in New Orleans - and all hell has broken loose.
The controversy was been played yesterday across black radio, with Smiley's regular appearance on "The Tom Joyner Morning Show" directly addressing the situation, and Michelle Obama's response coming later on "The Michael Baisden Show."
It all started when sent Sen. Obama sent a letter to Smiley explaining that his hectic campaign schedule in advance of critical primaries in the coming weeks will not allow him to make the annual conference, but Michelle Obama would attend in his place.
Smiley wasn't having that.
"I believe this is a critical miscalculation and a missed opportunity," Smiley reiterated Thursday on "The Tom Joyner Morning Show."
Furthermore, Smiley says he was never contacted by the Obama camp with an offer to send Michelle Obama to the conference.
"It never happened," Smiley said. "No letter, no fax, no e-mail, no phone call, no document whatsoever to my office ever regarding Michelle Obama. She was never offered, it was never discussed."
Smiley said he would've respectfully declined the Michelle Obama offer anyway, "just as we would have declined had Hillary Clinton offered Bill Clinton, had John McCain offered Cindy McCain, had Mike Huckabee suggested Janet Huckabee," Smiley said.
Meanwhile, Michelle Obama appeared on the "Michael Baisden Show" to address Smiley's comments and explain her husband's decision to remain on the campaign trail.
"We believe in what Tavis has been doing and are obviously supportive, but as people know, we're at a critical juncture in this bid for Barack to become the next President of the United States. He's in a position that no one could've ever anticipated. But it's not over, and every single vote and every delegate is going to count. That's why Barack has made the decision to spend every minute that he has trying to reach voters who don't know him in states that have still remaining primaries."
As for Smiley's decision to turn down Michelle Obama's offer to stand in for her husband at the conference, she says: "All I can do is respect his decision not to accept my participation, but I think that Barack can do far more in moving the principals of the covenant forward by becoming the next President of the United States."
Out of all the presidential candidates, including Republicans Sen. John McCain and Mike Huckabee, only Sen. Hillary Clinton has accepted Smiley's invitation to appear.
. Listen to Tavis Smiley's full commentary here:
. Listen to Michelle Obama's full response here:
http://www.zshare.net/audio/7550880511202f/
. Read CNN political analyst Roland Martin's column "Why Obama should skip Tavis Smiley's State of the Black Union" here:
http://essence.typepad.com/news/2008/02/roland-s-mart-6.html
MATHEW KNOWLES FIRES BACK AT ARETHA: Beyonce's daddy says Franklin's 'queen' complaint is 'ridiculous, childish and unprofessional.'
*Mathew Knowles is a little upset over Aretha Franklin taking offense to his daughter Beyonce using the word "queen" during her Grammy performance with Tina Turner.
In a statement released Wednesday, Papa Knowles said he will not allow Beyonce to even comment about the uproar.
"As a manager I am not taking something this ridiculous to Beyonce," Knowles stated. "Beyonce referred to Tina Turner as a 'queen.' Not queen of gospel, queen of soul, queen of blues, Queen of England. I consider my wife a queen and sometimes call her that. Does Aretha have a problem with that?"
As previously reported, Franklin – known as the Queen of Soul – released a statement earlier this week addressing Beyonce's introduction of Turner during their duet Sunday night. With Franklin seated in the front row, Beyonce told the audience: "Stand on your feet and give it up for the queen."
Aretha later stated: "I am not sure of whose toes I may have stepped on or whose ego I may have bruised between the Grammy writers and Beyonce.
However, I dismissed it as a cheap shot for controversy."
In his statement, Mathew Knowles said: "Something this ridiculous – it's childish, it's unprofessional. And it's a sad day when egos get bruised because somebody used the word king, queen, prince or princess."
TONY YAYO'S TEEN SLAPPING CHARGES DISMISSED: Rapper pleads guilty to lesser charge; mother of teen responds.
*Criminal charges against rapper Tony Yayo were dismissed yesterday (Feb. 14) in a case involving an assault against the teen son of a hip hop rival.
The artist, whose real name is Marvin Bernard, was alleged to have smacked 14-year-old James Rosemond for wearing a t-shirt with the words Czar Entertainment, which is the company owned by rival The Game's manager, Jimmy "Henchmen" Rosemond.
Charges of misdemeanor assault, harassment and endangering the welfare of a child were dismissed as part of a plea deal to a lesser, noncriminal harassment charge and 10 days of community service.
Yayo's attorney Scott Leemon said the G-Unit rapper took the plea deal to avoid the "unnecessary hardships" of a trial.
Leemon had previously told MTV News that Yayo's acquaintance Lowell "Lodi Mack" Fletcher had admitted to police in an unrelated jailhouse interview that he was the one who actually slapped the teen. In 2007, Yayo pleaded not guilty to the charges and claimed that he had tried to pull Fletcher away from the teen during the incident.
"As I told you from the beginning, Tony Yayo did not hit anyone and would never do anything to harm a child," Leemon said in a statement. "This fact was confirmed by Mr. Fletcher when he told members of the notorious hip-hop police in August that he did this on his own. The hip-hop police buried this helpful information, and the charges against Tony Yayo proceeded until today. Without a doubt, today's proceedings have validated Mr. Bernard's claims he was falsely accused. ... All that Tony Yayo admitted to doing was getting out of the car and glaring at the victim. Once he realized what Fletcher was doing, he went and grabbed Fletcher to pull him away from the victim."
Fletcher pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of endangering the welfare of a child and was sentenced to nine months in prison, to run concurrently with the state prison sentence he's now serving on a narcotics charge.
Cynthia Reed, the mother of the teen involved in the case, issued a statement Thursday following the dismissal of the charges.
“As much as Marvin Bernard tried to wiggle his way out of his role in assaulting my son, who is a minor, he had to accept responsibility to accept a plea deal," Reed stated. "He couldn't hide behind 50 cent, G-unit, Violator Management or his co-defendant. This malicious crime against a child is despicable and any industry sponsor or company that supports individuals like Tony Yayo should remove themselves from a relationship with him and his affiliated entities. Crimes against children should never be legitimized just because a person is an entertainer. A public apology is appropriate at this time, not only from Tony Yayo but from 50 Cent for denying this event ever happened--- as if my son was lying when all along they knew this assault had taken place."
MIJAC OFFERED $30 MILLION FOR LONDON GIGS?: Rumored AEG Live offer would give singer $1 million-a-night.
*Michael Jackson has reportedly been offered a chance to pocket at least $30 million to perform up to 30 nights at London's Millennium Dome for $1 million per show.
Fox.com columnist Roger Friedman says AEG Live has offered Jackson a deal that would begin with a $10 million guarantee for 10 nights, with a maximum of 30 nights adding up to $30 million.
"It’s not a hard show to do, either," Friedman wrote in his Thursday column. "The proposal, as I’ve been told, is for Jackson to stage his bestselling album 'Thriller' from beginning to end at each show. Then, for encores, he would add in several hits from 'Off the Wall' and other albums.
"The catch: These shows must be completed by the end of 2008, to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the album. The promoters originally thought it could happen this spring, but they’ve revised their plans to the fall."
According to Friedman, the folks at AEG were really pushing for Jackson to appear at the Grammy's last Sunday to create buzz for the Millennium Dome shows. But, he never appeared as rumored because "he was too scared," a source told Friedman. "He was nervous about tripping or doing something wrong. He’s paranoid. He’s got to get over it."
JAIL POSTPONED AGAIN FOR AILING PRODIGY: Rapper's sickle cell causes severe lung pain and hip problems.
*Mobb Deep rapper Prodigy's 3 ½ year prison sentence for gun possession was supposed to begin Wednesday, but was again delayed due to complications from his sickle cell anemia.
The artist, born Albert Johnson, was due to turn himself in on Wednesday, but his potentially fatal blood disorder sent him to the hospital with severe lung pain. His lawyer, Irving Cohen, said Prod may also need another hip replacement.
Prodigy had his first hip-replacement surgery during one of three anemia-related hospital stays last year, Cohen said.
"Everybody wants to get this done," the lawyer said of the sentencing. "But this is a crisis situation."
Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Edward McLaughlin asked Cohen to return Wednesday with an update from Montefiore Hospital in The Bronx, where Prodigy had been taken. "It could be he will have to have the operation in the state prison system," the judge said.
The rapper pleaded guilty in October to having a loaded, unregistered .22-caliber weapon in the center console of his bulletproof Chevy Suburban when he was stopped for an illegal U-turn in Chelsea in 2006.
DAMON WAYANS INVADES YOUTUBE: Comic uses Web site to house his new sketch comedy channel.
*Damon Wayans has teamed with YouTube for the launch of his new sketch comedy channel WayOutTV (www.youtube.com/wayouttv).
The outlet aims to serve as a creative haven for up-and-coming writers, directors, producers, actors and musical talent by showcasing sketch videos and allowing undiscovered talent and fans to respond directly.
"We are eager to bring our funniest comedy to the YouTube community and watch how they react -- it's like 'In Living Color 2.0,'" said Wayans. "For too long, comedy has been a one way dialogue, with comedians talking to an audience rather than with an audience. My entire goal is to make people laugh and at the same time find a way to be creative and collaborative with people who want to be a part of the process."
WayOutTV channel will showcase fresh sketch comedy videos produced by Wayans featuring aspiring young comedians handpicked by the "In Living Color" star. He'll also serve as the guest editor of the YouTube home page tomorrow Feb. 16 at 12 PT, which means he'll handpick all of the featured videos on display.
CHILD SUPPORT HACKED FOR 50 CENT'S EX: Shaniqua's asked for $50,000 per month but ended up with much less.
*50 Cent says he was not trying to pay the monthly $50,000 in child support payments requested by the mother of his 10-year-old son, Marquis Jackson.
Instead, the rapper decided to take his ex-girlfriend Shaniqua Tomkins to court so that a judge could decide the proper amount.
Tomkins was originally granted $25,000 a month while the court took time to go through her expenses with a fine tooth comb. Once everything was examined earlier this week, the judge amended the award and ruled that Tomkins will receive $6,700 a month from 50 Cent.
"My client and I are very happy with the ruling," the rapper's lawyer, Brett Kimmel, told the New York Post.
RASHIDA JONES BOOKS TWO NEW FILM ROLES: Actress in 'Love' with DreamWorks; hits 'Miami' with Zellweger.
*Rashida Jones has scored the female lead in the upcoming DreamWorks comedy "I Love You, Man," and has also picked up a supporting role opposite Renee Zellweger in the forthcoming feature, "Chilled in Miami."
In "I Love You, Man," Jones, the daughter of music mogul Quincy Jones, will star as the fiancée of a man who seeks out a stranger to be the best man at their wedding. Paul Rudd will play the groom in the John Hamburg-directed comedy, which is scheduled to begin shooting in early April.
In "Chilled," Jones will play the best friend of Zellweger's character, a Miami businesswoman who is transferred to rural Minnesota and re-evaluates her big-city values. The film also stars singer Harry Connick Jr.
On the small screen, Jones will star on Fox's upcoming half-hour comedy "Unhitched," from the Farrelly brothers. She was previously seen on the NBC comedy "The Office."
OPRAH RULES THE 'EARTH': Fans by the thousands sign up for Winfrey's free online seminar on this month's book club selection.
*It appears as if everyone and their mama will take part in Oprah Winfrey's upcoming Internet seminar in support of her February book club selection, "A New Earth," by renowned spiritual leader Eckhart Tolle.
At last count, more than 250,000 people have signed up for the free Web class, which will feature Winfrey and Tolle teaching live interactive "webinars" for 10 weeks beginning next month exclusively on Oprah.com.
Each weekly class will correspond to a chapter from "A New Earth," with the discussion focusing on the chapter's themes.
In the book, Tolle describes in detail how our current ego-based state of consciousness operates. Then he suggests for readers a new consciousness in which one's ego must be stripped completely to accept a path towards awakened living.
The 10 weekly sessions will be webcast every Monday night from March 3 through May 5, at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. To register, log onto www.oprah.com/anewearth.
MCCAIN ADVISOR WILL NOT CAMPAIGN AGAINST OBAMA: Republican says he would feel 'uncomfortable' attacking the Illinois senator.
*Mark McKinnon, a senior campaign adviser to Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, said he would resign from his post if Sen. Barack Obama became the Democratic presidential nominee.
He explained his position in an interview aired by National Public Radio, where Michele Norris interviewed him for All Things Considered:
"You told Cox Newspapers last summer – and you repeated this in a new Texas Monthly interview published soon – that you would, quote,' not work in the general election' if Barack Obama is the opponent. Why?' Norris asked.
"That’s referring to a confidential communication that I had with the McCain campaign when I came aboard, and I don’t really want to say much more than that, except to say that under any circumstances, depending on who the nominee is, I will be supporting 100 percent John McCain,' McKinnon said.
"But I just want to clarify... that you wouldn’t work in the general election, you’d be supporting him on the sidelines?' Norris asked.
'I will be supporting from the sidelines,' McKinnon said.
"Why... sit this out if you have such strong feelings for John McCain, if Barack Obama is the opponent. What is it you’re concerned about?' he was asked.
"I met Barack Obama, I read his book, I like him a great deal,' McKinnon said. "I disagree with him on very fundamental issues. But I think, as I said, I think it would be a great race for the country, and I would simply be uncomfortable being in a campaign that would be inevitably attacking Barack Obama. I think it would be uncomfortable for me, and I think it would be bad for the McCain campaign."
'IDOL'S' ASIA'H, JOANNE, SYESHA AND CHIKEZIE MAKE TOP 24: Contestants talk about experience so far; expectations for coming weeks.
"American Idol" has trimmed the fat and stripped down to its top 24 contestants who will face elimination from the public each week by viewer votes.
Among the finalists was Asia'h Epperson, the 19-year-old from Joplin, MO whose father passed away while she was driving to auditions in Atlanta. Asia'h says she hopes to show off her country side during the season.
"My heart is really in R&B music," she says. "I love rhythm and blues but I sing everything. I’m from the country, small town. I’m a country girl. I grew up singing country songs. I auditioned with country songs. So, it’s nothing. Like I love it and I’m so excited to be able just to show my versatility. It’s very important.”
Epperson will face competition from 21-year-old Sarasota, FL resident Syesha Mercado, who anticipates a difficult road in the coming months.
“The talent is amazing," she says. "I’m happy to be amongst talented people actually and I really don’t see myself competing against them. It’s just me competing against myself because, you always want to be the very best that you can be when you’re on stage. I look forward to the experience and singing with everybody.”
Finalist Joanne Borgella has already experienced a taste of the nerve-wracking tension expected in the months ahead. On Wednesday's show, she was the last female contestant to be chosen for the Top 24. The 25-year-old from Hoboken, N.J. said her audition in Philadelphia was just as frightening.
“I went the night before and my brother and I, my sister we were all there," Borgella said. "We packed up in a car and we drove there because it’s not too far from New Jersey and there were about 200 people already outside sitting in the stadium. So we looked at each other, my sister and I, and we were just like we know what we have to do and we got out of the car and we had absolutely nothing and we slept outside, which was crazy. I never thought I’d ever sleep outside on pavement.”
Chikezie Eze, 22, of Inglewood, CA, earned his first trip to the final 24 after auditioning four times and making it to the Hollywood round twice before.
“Hollywood week was, like nothing before," Eze explained. "They totally changed the format, which really took me by surprise. I mean, almost everything was different, and I came into it, you know, a seasoned pro. This is good, though. You know, I appreciate it because it made for a better group.”
Next Tuesday, the top 12 male singers are in the hot seat on the Fox talent contest, and, on Wednesday, the women follow.
• Male Finalists: Archuleta, 17, Murray, Utah; Colton Berry, 18, Staunton, Va.; Robbie Carrico, 26, Melbourne, Fla.; Jason Castro, 20, Rockwall, Texas; David Cook, 25, Tulsa, Okla.; Chikezie Eze, 22, Inglewood, Calif.; Garrett Haley, 17, Elida, Ohio; David Hernandez, 24, Glendale, Ariz.; Luke Menard, 29, Crawfordsville, Ind.; Danny Noriega, 18, Azusa, Calif.; Jason Yeager, 28, Branson, Mo., and Michael Johns, 29, Los Angeles by way of Australia • Female Finalists: Overmyer, 23, Mulberry, Ind.; White, 24, Van Nuys, Calif.; Joanne Borgella, 25, Hoboken, N.J.; Kristy Lee Cook, 24, Selma, Ore.; Amy Davis, 25, Cedar Lake, Ind.; Asia'h Epperson, 19, Joplin, Mo.; Alexandrea Lushington, 17, Douglasville, Ga.; Kady Malloy, 18, Houston; Ramiele Malubay, 20, Miramar, Fla.; Syesha Mercado, 21, Miami; Alaina Whitaker, 16, Tulsa, Okla., and Carly Smithson, San Diego by way of Dublin, Ireland.
HDNET MAKES STAX CONCERT CRYSTAL CLEAR: High Def channel to premiere Memphis event on Sunday.
*HDNet will broadcast the premiere of "Stax Records 50th Anniversary Concert" from the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis at 8:30 p.m. ET this Sunday (Feb. 17).
The show, hosted by Public Enemy's Chuck D and Randy Jackson of "American Idol," features an all-star lineup that includes Angie Stone, the Reddings, Booker T. and the MGs, Mavis Staples, Isaac Hayes, and more.
During the broadcast, Eddie Floyd sings "I've Never Found a Girl"
and "Knock on Wood," Lalah Hathaway belts "Try a Little Tenderness," and Booker T. and the MGs perform their classics "Green Onions" and "Time is Tight."
Click here: http://www.hd.net/watch_at_home.html to find out if HDNet is available in your area.
STATE FARM TEAMS WITH LEBRON TO HELP KIDS: Effort to promote insurance policies to young adults.
*State Farm and NBA star LeBron James have joined forces in an effort to provide children and young adults with safer, stronger, and better-educated communities – and also promote State Farm insurance policies to the youth market.
"LeBron's brand resonates with young people and we are pleased to enter into this relationship with him," said Pam El, State Farm marketing vice president. "Our relationship will be focused on helping connect our State Farm brand and products -- particularly our auto and renters insurance
-- to a young audience in new and relevant ways."
James, a State Farm customer since 2004, was scheduled to announce his partnership with the company during a playground ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday (Feb. 14) in New Orleans.
The playground is at the St. Bernard Recreation Center in New Orleans, which was ruined by Hurricane Katrina and rebuilt in September 2006. State Farm sponsored the project, which is the first installation of the LeBron James Family Foundation's national playground initiative.
RUTHLESS RECORDS REVAMPS ROSTER: Label celebrates 20th anniversary with new talent for 2008.
*Ruthless Records, founded 20 years ago by the late Eric "Eazy-E" Wright, celebrates two decades in the game with a lineup of new talent to be unleashed in the coming months.
The new face of Ruthless Records includes a Latin pop singer Agina, R&B singer Nashay, hip-hop lyricist Hopsin, mid-western rapper Stevie Stone and rap group Street Runnaz Click from Atlanta," the company said in a press release.
Eazy E launched Ruthless Records in late 1987 with $7,000 of his own money, 5,000 copies of his 12" single "Boyz N The Hood," and a maverick spirit. The 23-year-old sold more than 500,000 copies of the record throughout South Central Los Angeles by word of mouth alone.
After twenty years, Ruthless Records President & CEO Tomica Woods-Wright is confident about the future.
"It's about one thing right now, the artists -- what their contributions will be and the next layers they will add to the legacy of the label," said Woods-Wright. "With a rich heritage already established, Ruthless Records has no choice but to continue to rise to the top."
COMMON HOSTS LYRIC-WRITING CONTEST: Effort aims to promote HIV testing among young people.
*Rapper Common visited MTV's "TRL" yesterday to launch a new contest designed to encourage young people to get tested for HIV.
Titled "A Minute," the contest allows participants to submit lyrics or poems addressing the importance of getting an HIV test. The winner will have his or her work performed by Common in a Public Service Announcement (PSA) scheduled to premiere on National HIV Testing Day, which is June 27.
"It's important to know your status by getting tested because HIV/AIDS is taking a lot of lives in our community and around the world," said Common. "I had an uncle succumb to HIV, so I've personally felt the impact of the disease. Your lyrics can really have an affect on people's lives and I've seen it happen."
The PSAs are being produced in conjunction with the Kaiser Family Foundation and MTV, and the Common Ground Foundation and Youth Speaks, a leading nonprofit that presents spoken word performances and education and youth development programs throughout the country.
Entries must be submitted by March 27 and can be submitted in text, audio or video form. For more information visit: www.aminutecontest.com or www.itsyoursexlife.com.
MISSING BASQUIAT WORK FOUND IN MANHATTAN: $8 million painting apparently smuggled out of Brazil.
*An $8 million Jean-Michel Basquiat painting that had been in Brazil turned up last November in a warehouse on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, the Associated Press reports.
The 1982 painting, called "Hannibal," had apparently been smuggled out of the South American country, where its last known owner was Edemar Ced Ferreira, the former owner of Banco Santos and one of the country's largest art collectors.
Ferreira was convicted in Brazil on charges including money laundering and bank fraud. He was ordered to begin serving a 21-year sentence in December 2006. A Brazilian court ordered the seizure of $20 million to $30 million worth of art, saying Ferreira and his relatives and associates had purchased the works with dirty money, according to U.S.
prosecutors. But "Hannibal" — described as an acrylic, oil stick and paper collage on canvas — was missing.
A courier had brought the painting from London into the U.S. via New York's Kennedy Airport in August. No mention of the Basquiat painting was made and the work was valued at merely $100 on customs declaration forms, prosecutors said.
U.S. prosecutors filed papers Wednesday seeking to seize the painting in an effort to help Brazilian authorities claim it.
FORMER 'MONTEL WILLIAMS' STAFFER SUES: Woman says she was fired after suffering a brain aneurysm.
*A former producer for the "Montel Williams" show has filed a lawsuit claiming her dismissal was "a clear violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, New York State and New York City law," the suit states.
According to TMZ.com, Erin Primmer began working for Williams in August 2005. While working on set March 29, 2007, she suffered an aneurysm and was rushed to a hospital.
Doctors had eventually cleared her for work with no restrictions, but when she returned to her $110,000 a year job, the executive producer informed her that her contract would not be renewed, explaining: "CBS needed someone capable of handling the pressure, and that the coming year was going to be worse."
CBS has yet to comment on the legal action.
DATES SET FOR KANYE'S SPRING TOUR: Plus, Absolut Vodka to sponsor North American trek, beginning in April.
*Kanye West will kick off the North American leg of his Glow in the Dark tour in Seattle on April 16 with supporting acts Lupe Fiasco, N*E*R*D and, on most dates, Rihanna, reports Billboard.
A full itinerary was released Thursday (scroll down to view dates) along with news that Absolut 100 Vodka has signed on as the jaunt's official sponsor. Thus, the outing has been renamed, "The Glow in the Dark Tour Ignited by Absolut 100."
"This is a brand that has worked with the pre-eminent artists of the 20th century -- Tom Ford, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Helmut Newton," West says in a statement. "These are individuals who have inspired me in my work, and I feel honored to be a part of this legacy."
Absolut will sponsor after-parties in each tour city, where the venues will become an extension of the stage design West unveiled during his Grammy performance last weekend.
Here is the itinerary for West's "Glow in the Dark Tour Ignited by Absolut 100":
April 16: Seattle (Key Arena)
April 18: Sacramento, Calif. (ARCO Arena) April 19: San Jose, Calif. (HP Pavilion) April 20: San Diego (Sports Arena) April 21: Los Angeles (Nokia Theatre) April 24: Tucson, Ariz. (McKale Auditorium) April 25: Las Vegas (Red Rocks Casino) April 26: Albuquerque, N.M. (Journal Pavilion) April 27: Denver (Pepsi Center) April 28: Oklahoma City (Ford Center) April 30: Austin, Texas (Frank Irwin Center) May 1: Dallas (Superpages.com center) May 2: Houston (Mitchell Pavilion) May 4: Atlanta (Gwinette Arena) May 5: Tampa, Fla. (Ford Amphitheatre) May 6: West Palm Beach, Fla. (Cruzan Amphitheatre) May 8: Charlotte, N.C. (Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre) May 9: Raleigh, N.C. (Walnut Creek) May 10: Bristow, Va. (Nissan Pavilion) May 11: Virginia Beach, Va. (Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre) May 13: New York (Madison Square Garden) May 15: Mansfield, Mass. (Tweeter Center) May 16: Hartford, Conn. (North East Dodge Music Center) May 17: Philadelphia (Susquehana Bank Center) May 18: Scranton, Pa. (Toyota Pavilion) May 20: Montreal (Bell Centre) May 21: Toronto (Molson Centre May 22: Auburn Hills, Mich. (Palace of Auburn Hills) May 23: Chicago (United Center) May 24: Minneapolis (Target Center) May 27: Saskatoon, Sask. (Credit Union Centre) May 29: Edmonton, Alberta (Rexall Palace) May 30: Calgary, Alberta (Saddledome)
ROCKWILDER RETURNS TO HIS CHURCH ROOTS: Producer shelves secular rap in favor of Christian hip hop.
*Grammy-winning hip hop producer Rockwilder, who has worked with Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, Erykah Badu, Janet Jackson and Destiny's Child, has decided to leave secular music behind and focus his attention on Christian hip hop.
“It’s a new movement going on. And it’s a situation whereas hip hop has reached a level to where it’s boring," Rockwilder told Movement TV. "[I don’t] really want to glorify the violent aspects of it," he added. "Right now, I’m pretty much doing a 360-degree [change] and bringing it back to the essence when I was first raised on Christian music.”
Rockwilder, born Dana Stinson, gained early fame as a producer for longtime friend Redman, highlighted by their 1999 collaboration "Da Rockwilder" with Method Man. He most recently worked with Brandy and Beanie Sigel. In 2001, he won a Grammy for a remake of Labelle's "Lady Marmalade"
with Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mýa, and Pink for the film "Moulin Rouge!"
Rockwilder said his work in secular music is pretty much done, although he wouldn't rule out working with Redman or Method Man sometime in the future.
“You know, I’m still who I am, but I know my focus and my drive is going to be towards Christian music. I like the message, I like the music, I like the way it is received,” he explained. “We’re in a generation where we are killing each other rapidly and a lot of kids ain’t learning…so they are gonna learn from the streets. Basically the music is gonna raise some of these kids and I don’t want to be apart of that. I’m just for the Kingdom.”
ITTY BITTY BITS: Rihanna's b'day; Carey's video; will.i.am with Radar; O.J.'s girlfriend; Prince & Ne-Yo; Gnarls CD.
*A food fight broke out at Rihanna's 20th birthday bash at Les Deux in Hollywood Wednesday night. According to several reports, Kanye West and Wilmer Valderrama were among the guests who began pelting people with cupcakes. "There was frosting all over Rihanna's face and the group was hysterically laughing to the point of almost tears," a witness told People magazine. Later, Rihanna's rumored boyfriend Chris Brown sang an a cappella version of "Happy Birthday."
*A photo taken from the video shoot for Mariah Carey's new single "Touch My Body" indicates that at least one of the co-stars is actor Jack McBrayer, who plays the cheerful NBC page Kenneth on "30 Rock." The clip is directed by Brett Ratner, who also helmed Carey's videos for "Heartbreaker"
and "We Belong Together."
*Tiny Pictures, Inc has named will.i.am a special advisor to Radar, a service that allows the real-time sharing of cameraphone pictures and videos. Under his title, the Black Eyed Peas front man will collaborate closely with Tiny Pictures to promote his projects through the Radar Gallery, which offers subscription-based content in-line with Radar users'
personal content streams. Also fans will be able to view and engage with exclusive mobile photos and videos posted by will.i.am, the Black Eyed Peas and others.
*The National Enquirer reported that O.J. Simpson was being investigated after his girlfriend Christie Prody was hospitalized in Miami Monday for what police are calling a "severe head injury." But Miami authorities quickly came forward to say Simpson had nothing to do with the incident. Cops told TMZ.com that her injuries are "consistent" with a fall she took at a gas station and Simpson was never a suspect. Prody had been "intoxicated and always falling down" during a trip this month to San Antonio, a witness told police, according to the report.
*Prince is apparently a fan of R&B singer/songwriter Ne-Yo. According to the New York Daily News, witnesses at a Microsoft Zune pre-Grammy bash said the Purple One approached the "Because of You" singer and said:
"Congratulations on your five noms. I have a good feeling you'll be taking one home." Turns out Prince was right; Ne-Yo won for Best Contemporary R&B Album.
*Gnarls Barkley will release their sophomore album, "The Odd Couple,"
on April 8 via Downtown/Atlantic, reports Billboard.com. The first single, "Run," is starting to heat up radio after it leaked two weeks ago. A video is reportedly in the works from "the filmmaking team known as Happy,"
according to Atlantic. Chris Milk will direct a video for the second single, "Who's Gonna Save My Soul." The album will be supported by a summer tour, including a July 27 show at Los Angeles' Hollywood Bowl and both U.S. and European festivals.
EVENT CALENDAR: Khan, Michele in the Gardens; Colored Troops symposium in NC; Snoop at HSAN award ceremony.
*Grammy winner Chaka Khan and nominee Chrisette Michele will headline the third annual Jazz in the Gardens music festival on Saturday, March 15 and Sunday, March 16 at Dolphin Stadium. They will be joined by George Benson, the O'Jays, Wyclef Jean, Nancy Wilson, KEM, George Duke, Stanley Clarke, Mike Phillips and Anthony David, among others. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster or at the Dolphin Stadium Box Office. For general information visit www.jazzinthegardens.com or call the event hotline at 305 622-8043.
*"Earning the Right to Citizenship - IV," a symposium about the role of the U.S. Colored Troops in the Civil War, will be held Feb. 22-24 at the Cameron Art Museum (CAM) in Wilmington, NC. The event will feature presentations and exhibits from historians, storytellers, Civil War scholars, the Forks Road Re-enactment, troop encampment, and living history cultural interpreters. USCT Symposium, Teachers Workshop and re-enactments are free. Award Banquet tickets are $50 in advance, $55 at door. To register, call 252-522-4660 or go to www.uscoloredtroops.org.
*Snoop Dogg, Ciara, Doug E. Fresh, Jim Jones and others will be honored for their community service by Russell Simmons' Hip-Hop Summit Action Network. The fifth annual award ceremony fundraiser will be held Feb.
25 at Capitale in New York.
FEMA TRAILERS FOUND TO BE POISONOUS: Private tests uncover dangerous levels of formaldehyde; residents report illnesses.
*As if Hurricane Katrina victims didn't have enough to deal with, new FEMA trailers housing thousands of displaced residents in the Gulf Coast were found to be toxic with unsafe levels of formaldehyde.
A version of the chemical was present in composite wood and plywood panels used in thousands of travel trailers that the Federal Emergency Management Agency purchased after Katrina to house hurricane victims.
Formaldehyde is considered a human carcinogen, or cancer-causing substance, by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
Air quality tests of 44 FEMA trailers since April by the environmental group Sierra Club show formaldehyde concentrations as high as
0.34 parts per million – a level nearly equal to what a professional embalmer would be exposed to on the job, according to one study of the chemical’s workplace effects.
And all but four of the trailers have tested higher than the 0.1 parts per million that the EPA considers to be an “elevated level” capable of causing watery eyes, burning in the eyes and throat, nausea, and respiratory distress in some people.
Dr. Scott Needle, a pediatrician in Bay St. Louis, said he noticed some unusual and persistent health problems among his patients living in the trailers well before the possible link to formaldehyde exposure surfaced.
“I was seeing kids coming in with respiratory complaints – colds and sinus infections – and they were getting them over and over again,” he told the Associted Press. “…Almost invariably, these families were staying in the FEMA trailers.”
As a result of its testing and such accounts, the Sierra Club is pushing for a congressional investigation of the potential health hazards posed by the trailers.
“It’s simply wrong that the government would spend billions of dollars to poison people in these toxic tin cans,” said Becky Gillette, co-chair of the Sierra Club's Mississippi chapter.
A class-action lawsuit also has been filed in Louisiana, naming the federal government and trailer manufacturers as defendants and alleging that “the temporary housing is unsafe and presents a clear and present danger to the health and well-being of plaintiffs and their families.”
BRET ERNST: The Wild West Comedy Show Interview with Kam Williams
Aspiring Comic Talks about His Big Break
*Born in Princeton, NJ, Bret Ernst spent nine years paying dues on the comedy circuit after college before landing his big break.
That arrived in 2005 when actor Vince Vaughn tapped him along with three other up-and-coming comedians to perform in the Wild West Comedy Show.
Now, the concert film of their barnstorming tour of 30 cities in 30 days has arrived in theaters, giving Bret a shot at national fame, as the movie will undoubtedly familiarize audiences all across the country with his face and name.
Here, he talks about Vince and his co-stars, about making the movie and about his hopes for his career.
Kam Williams: Hi Bret. I heard you’re from my hometown, Princeton.
Bret Ernst: Well, I was born there, it’s on my birth certificate, but I was a baby when we moved to Passaic. It sucks being born in Princeton, and then ending up in community college. It set the bar pretty high for me.
KW: In the movie, I found it touching when you spoke backstage about your older brother dying from AIDS. Is that part of your act, too?
BE: In my act, I talk about him in the present tense, just because I don’t want the crowd to feel uncomfortable. The gift of being a comic is being as open and truthful as possible. I had also lost my father as well while growing up. I was talking about it one night, and it was weird because my father took his own life.
I was joking about it, and there was a lady in the crowd whose son had committed suicide, By no means do I like talking about it, if it’s going to make people uncomfortable, but at the same time, it is my life. Afterwards, she came up to me, crying, and said that it was the anniversary of her son’s death, and that it made her feel better. The point I’m making is that when you’re open about yourself, you expose yourself to people. And the gift that I have is that I know everybody is the same. Everybody has the same wants and the same fears.
KW: I liked that you guys took a break from the tour to visit Katrina victims, too. The movie wasn’t just comedy, but it had a heart as well.
BE: Well, thank you. You have to credit Vince and the filmmakers for that.
KW: Are you still friends with the other three comedians in the movie, John “Cap” Caparulo, Sebastian Maniscalco and Ahmed Ahmed?
BE: Oh, yeah, of course. In fact, Sebastian, was just now calling me while I was talking to you. We’re all close. We had years in the trenches together even before this movie. We knew each other’s families, watched Super Bowls together, hung out and did stuff together.
KW: In the film, you’re shown as being very hard on yourself after one performance, even though the crowd was raving about you. Why was that?
BE: You know, man, I’m sure you’re the same way. I’m always trying to outdo my last performance. That’s the only way you get better. You have to challenge yourself and be honest with yourself. That night, I stumbled over some of my words, so I just wasn’t happy with my performance, even though the crowd liked it.
KW: How did you decide to try standup comedy in the first place?
BE: I always wanted to do it. But my first dream had actually been to play in the NFL. I played football in college, but in the back of my mind I knew I was good at making people laugh. I was always the class clown. I went to some rough schools growing up, where I became good at “Yo’ Momma” jokes.
KW: Was this a black neighborhood?
BE: Yeah, predominantly black. That’s really how I got into it. And playing sports, I was always in the locker room, ranking on people, going for the jugular. So, it was always something I wanted to do professionally. To make a long story boring, I would do open mic nights, and then I had a hi-hop show in college where people would call in to try to get me with their ”Yo’ Momma” jokes, and I would get them back. That became my thing. That’s kinda’ how I got my start. So, I knew I could write radio scripts. And once I graduated from college, I knew this was what I wanted to do. I just started going and going and going and going, and haven’t stopped since.
KW: Jimmy Bayan, realtor to the stars, is curious about where in Los Angeles you live?
BE: I live in North Hollywood.
KW: The Columbus Short question: Would you describe yourself as happy?
BE: Yeah, man, I’m happy. You have your bumps and bruises, but you can’t dwell on that. I’m definitely happy. I like that: Are you happy? That’s a good question.
KW: The Chip and Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read?
BE: I’m reading it right now, actually, Freakonomics.
KW: Oh, yeah, that’s excellent. I reviewed that.
BE: And I also actually just finished the Steve Martin autobiography, Born Standing Up.
KW: How is it? I want to read that.
BE: It’s very good, but it’s not like Pryor Convictions, though. I’d read that one first, because Richard [Pryor], just like he was with his standup, was very open in his book. I love reading biographies, people’s journeys. Like, if you look at how Malcolm X started, and that whole journey from being a criminal to becoming a preacher to becoming an activist to, at the very end, understanding where he was wrong.
KW: How do you expect this movie to change your life?
BE: I don’t know, dude, there’s no way to gauge that. This is a tough business. I expect something to happen, but I don’t know whether it’ll be great, or something minor. But I’m very excited, and very thankful. You hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. I don’t know what else to do.
KW: Another moving moment was at the end of the tour when Sebastian started crying, thanking Vince, and saying no one had ever given him a break before.
BE: You know, I got upset, too, but I ran behind the curtain. I wasn’t man enough to let anybody see me cry. I told the cameraman I’d break his camera if he filmed me. At least Sebastian was man enough to cry on camera. We were all pretty affected by it. Once he started, everybody else followed suit. It was a very moving moment.
KW: Vince Vaughn seems like a really nice guy from all the backstage footage.
BE: I always ask this about somebody. First of all, is he still friends with the kids he grew up with? Second of all, when somebody leaves the room, does he start talking about him? That’s a quality of a dude I don’t want to be around. If you ain’t friends with the people you came up with, that means there’s something wrong with you. And if you’re going to talk about somebody when they leave, that means you’re going to talk about me, too. Vince is friends with everybody he came up with. He’s a loyal guy. Look at what he did for us, putting his stamp on four guys nobody knew. He liked us from seeing us in the comedy clubs. That’s a testament to who he is. What you see is what you get with him, and that’s really rare in Hollywood.
KW: Is there anywhere that fans can reach you?
BE: Yeah at www.breternstlive.com/.
KW: Well, thanks for the time, Bret, and best of luck with your career.
BE: Anytime. Take care, man.
OPENING THIS WEEK: Kam's Kapsules: Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
For movies opening February 15, 2008
by Kam Williams
BIG BUDGET FILMS
Definitely, Maybe (PG-13 for profanity, sexuality, smoking and frank
dialogue) Flashback flick revolving around a Manhattanite (Ryan Reynolds) in the midst of a messy divorce who decides to reminisce about the three loves of his life so that his curious 11 year-old daughter (Abigail Breslin) can guess which was with her mother. Was she his college sweetheart (Elizabeth Banks), his best friend and confidante (Isla Fisher) or the tough-to-tame free spirit (Rachel Weisz)? Cast includes Derek Luke and Liane Balaban.
Jumper (PG-13 for intense violence, brief sexuality and some profanity) Time-travel sci-fi thriller, based on the Steven Gould novel of the same name, about a genetic anomaly (Hayden Christensen) able to teleport himself anywhere who finds himself embroiled in a war that has been raging for eons between “Jumpers” and their sworn enemies, the Paladins. With Samuel L. Jackson, Jamie Bell, Diane Lane, Tom Hulce and AnnaSophia Robb.
The Spiderwick Chronicles (PG for peril, mature themes, frightening images and action violence) Escapist fantasy about twin brothers (Freddie Highmore) who, along with their sister (Sarah Bolger), discover a magical world filled with fairies and scary creatures soon after moving with their mother (Mary-Louise Parker) from New York City to their great, great Uncle Arthur’s (David Strathairn) secluded, rundown country estate.
Step Up 2 the Streets (PG-13 for profanity, suggestive material and brief violence) Foot-stomping sequel features Briana Evigan as an orphaned street-dancer who falls in love with a classmate (Robert Hoffman) from the other side of the tracks at the prestigious Maryland School for the Arts.
With only a cameo by the star of the original, Channing Tatum.
INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS
David & Layla (Unrated) Cross-cultural romantic comedy, set in NYC, about a Jewish relationship advice guru (David Moscow) who dumps his kickboxer fiancée (Callie Thorne) for the sensual Muslim dancer (Shiva Rose) he falls in lust with at first sight.
Diary of the Dead (R for pervasive profanity, gore and graphic violence) Latest George Romero screamfest features a motley crew of film students freaked out by real-life zombies while making a low-budget horror flick in rural Pennsylvania.
Cast includes Joshua Close and Michelle Morgan, with audio cameos by Quentin Tarantino, Simon Pegg and Guillermo del Toro..
Ezra (Unrated) Sierra Leone saga about the attempt of a former child soldier (Mamoudu Turay Kamara) to return to life following the civil war which had devastated his country.
EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE
"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience." — Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, French Jesuit, scientist, and philosopher
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Feb. 15: Songwriter Brian Holland (Holland-Dozier-Holland) is 67.
Bassist Mikey Craig of Culture Club is 48.
Feb. 16: Actor LeVar Burton is 51. Rapper-actor Ice-T is 50. Rapper Lupe Fiasco is 26.
Feb. 17: Singer Chante Moore is 41.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
A lively interactive site and a top-notch resource for women of color who are pla
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