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02-28-08 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE
REP. JOHN LEWIS DROPS CLINTON FOR OBAMA: Civil rights icon said this
decision was harder than the Bloody Sunday march in Selma.
*Georgia Congressman John Lewis had been a steadfast supporter of
Sen. Hillary Clinton and enthusiastically announced his endorsement of her
presidential run in October. But that backing officially ended Wednesday
with the announcement that he has switched his support to her Democratic
rival, Sen. Barack Obama.
Lewis told NBC News that his decision to end his support for Sen.
Clinton was "tougher" than leading the 1965 "Bloody Sunday" march from Selma
to Montgomery, when police nearly beat him to death on the Edmund Pettus
Bridge.
In a written statement, Lewis said Obama's campaign "represents the
beginning of a new movement in American political history" and that he wants
"to be on the side of the people."
Lewis, a superdelegate who gets a vote at this summer's national
convention in Denver, faced tremendous pressure to back Obama after his
constituents supported the Illinois senator roughly 3-to-1 in Georgia's Feb.
5 primary, and about 90 percent of black voters statewide voted for Obama,
according to exit polls.
"After taking some time for serious reflection on this issue, I have
decided that when I cast my vote as a superdelegate at the Democratic
convention, it is my duty ... to express the will of the people," Lewis'
statement said.
"John Lewis is an American hero and a giant of the civil rights
movement, and I am deeply honored to have his support," Obama said in a
statement.
Clinton, questioned about Lewis during a satellite interview with
Houston television station KTRK, said: "I understand he's been under
tremendous pressure. He's been my friend. He will always be my friend. At
the end of the day it's not about who is supporting us, it's about what
we're presenting, what our positions are, what our experiences and
qualifications are and I think that's voters are going to decide."
ABC'S 'RAISIN' SCORES HIGH RATINGS: Viewers give network best Monday numbers since November.
*More than 12 million viewers turned in to watch Sean "Diddy" Combs,
Phylicia Rashad, Audra McDonald and Sanaa Lathan star in the three-hour
telefilm "A Raisin in the Sun," giving ABC a Monday night victory, reports
the Associated Press.
The Sony Pictures Television picture, which in January became the
first broadcast network film to be screened at the Sundance Film Festival,
drew 12.69 million viewers overall from 8 to 11 p.m., according to national
estimates from Nielsen that include same-night DVR playback.
It placed second in its opening hour and then led from 9 to 11 in
18-49, 25-54 and total viewers. In women 18-49, the film had the highest
ratings for an original movie on television in about two years (since ABC's
premiere of a new take on "The Ten Commandments" in April 2006).
Combs, who executive produced the film, also saw his 10 p.m. Monday
episode of MTV's "Making the Band 4" (which he executive produces) become
the cable's top show in the 10 p.m. hour among adults 18-34.
Diddy, Rashad, McDonald and Lathan originated their roles on Broadway
during its successful revival. The film, in January, became the first
broadcast network film to be screened at the Sundance Film Festival.
BOBBY BROWN GETS COMMUNITY SERVICE: Judge would like for him to mentor young people.
*Young people in Brockton, Mass. beware. A judge has given Bobby
Brown community service in his cocaine possession case and has recommended
that he volunteer to mentor area youth.
According to the Associated Press, Brown, 39, will not face criminal
charges in the case, which stems from a Dec. 1 arrest at a Brockton hotel.
Police said they were responding to a disturbance call at the hotel and
found him sitting in an SUV in the parking lot with a small amount of
cocaine in his possession.
Brown's attorney said Tuesday a Brockton District Court clerk
magistrate found no probable cause to issue a criminal complaint, but
recommended that Brown volunteer to mentor young people, which is what he
wanted to do all along.
Brown agreed to a year's community service and his attorney said if
no other issues arise over the next year, the matter will be struck from the
docket.
TYRA, ASHTON TEAM FOR REALITY SHOW: Former model and 'Punk'd' creator join forces for new ABC project.
*Mix the beauty business represented by former model Tyra Banks and
the unpredictable nature of Ashton Kutcher and what do you get? A new
reality series about a beauty pageant with a twist.
That's all ABC would say about its new as-yet-untitled unscripted
series from the duo's respective production companies, according to the
Hollywood Reporter. The network has ordered eight episodes of the project
and production is scheduled to begin in the coming months.
Kutcher is behind MTV's celebrity prank series "Punk'd" and the CW's
"Beauty and the Geek," while Banks executive produces the CW's top-rated
"America's Next Top Model" as well as an upcoming CW project in which
contestants compete to become assistant editors at a fashion magazine.
WHOOPI GETS HER APOLOGY FROM OSCAR PRODUCER: Gil Cates said her omission from montage was 'an oversight, pure and simple.'
*Some 24 hours after four-time Oscar host Whoopi Goldberg expressed
disappointment over being left out of an Academy Award montage on Sunday's
broadcast, the show's producer has offered the actress an apology.
"Gil Cates called me yesterday," Goldberg said during ABC's "The
View" Wednesday morning. "He made an oversight, pure and simple."
On Monday's "View," Whoopi became emotional when her co-hosts
mentioned the snub during the "Hot Topics" segment. By Tuesday, Cates was
explaining the omission to People magazine, stating: "It was an absolute
oversight" to leave out Goldberg, an Oscar winner and nominee who had hosted
telecasts that Cates himself produced." He added: "No harm was intended, and
I feel very, very badly that she was left out. I'm going to call her and
tell her that."
Goldberg confirmed Wednesday that Cates reached out to her by phone.
She quoted him as telling her: "You know I love you ... It was a mistake,
and I'm sorry I didn't catch it." Added Goldberg: "I know him as a great
gentleman."
Whoopi said she accepted the apology and they have both moved on.
THE ROCK TO PLAY 'TOOTH FAIRY': Dwayne Johnson continues to get his family films on with new 20th Century Fox project.
*Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has been cast in the title role of 20th
Century Fox's "The Tooth Fairy," a comedy scheduled to begin production in
August.
According to Variety, Johnson will play an ordinary man who's
brought in to try to save the tooth fairy kingdom.
Michael Lembeck, who helmed the second and third installments of
"The Santa Clause," will direct the project from a script by Lowell Ganz &
Babaloo Mandel and Joshua Sternin & Jeffrey Ventimilia.
Johnson, a former pro-wrestler, is currently starring in Disney's
"Witch Mountain," and he will be seen starring this summer opposite Steve
Carell in the Warner Bros. comedy "Get Smart."
FRENCHIE DAVIS: From 'Idol' to hardly idle, singer/actress stays busy
-- by Kenya M Yarbrough
*While singer/actress Frenchie Davis gained fame as the "American Idol" contestant from season two who was disqualified for appearing in topless photos on the Internet, the powerhouse has maintained her fame on the stage.
But quite soon after her departure from the television talent competition in 2003, she joined the cast of "Rent," then did a turn as Effie in "Dreamgirls" before returning to the "Rent" cast through 2007, at which time she took on the one-woman gospel show of "Mahalia."
This year, Davis is already packing her schedule with performances as she prepares to head out on tour with "American Idol" Ruben Studdard in the fall for the 30th anniversary national tour of musical review "Ain't Misbehavin" which appeared on Broadway in 1978.
"In the fall I'm doing a tour of 'Ain't Misbehavin' with Ruben Studdard," she announced. "Then before I start that, I'm in the all-black cast of 'The Vagina Monologues.'"
The black-centric version of Eve Ensler's award winning play featuring various women sharing their views about their vaginas, hit three cities beginning in Washington, DC, on February 16th and then to Nashville on March, and culminates in Detroit, where Davis will be performing, on March 8.
"Each woman has a monologue about her experience with her sexuality or her vagina. There are not so fun things that are talked about in the show. There are some hilarious things. There are things that all women will be able to relate to," Davis, described.
The powerful singer said that she's looking forward to doing the "Monologues" professionally since she performed it in college.
"I'm excited about it," she said.
The performances assemble notables such as Vanessa Williams, Terri J. Vaughn, Dawnn Lewis, Gloria Mayfield Banks, Ella Joyce, and singer Coko for the tri-city V-Day 2008 tour.
"V-Day is the first week of March," Davis explained. "It's a day to bring awareness of violence against women."
In fact, "The Vagina Monologues" originated in downtown New York City in 1996 in celebration of V-Day, an international mission to stop violence against women. Proceeds from this production of 'The Vagina Monologues' will benefit Butterflies Fly Free, Inc. For more information, log onto www.vdaytour.com.
Up to that date, Davis is keeping busy traveling and doing her cabaret show. When she took time out to talk with EUR's Lee Bailey, she was headed to Brazil to perform in Rio for Carnival.
"I'm really excited about that. It's going to be real fun for me," she said.
Davis said that she is going to take a little time to rest up before heading back out with her "A.I" buddy Studdard, but is already looking forward to her next project after that.
"A couple of theaters have expressed interest in the gospel musical "Mahalia," Davis said about the opportunity to reprise her role.
"That was an amazing experience. That was probably one of the most challenging things I've ever done as a singer and as an actress," she said, explaining "I usually don't sing that low, and I'm not really a gospel singer. I'm totally a theater girl, so it was challenging to sing for that show. It was a 90-minute show with no intermission. So I had to keep 'em entertained. But if it's not challenging, it's boring. I welcome challenge."
For the many who moaned, complained or even sobbed when the news came that Davis would not proceed on "American Idol," don't worry about her.
"I'm really excited to all the opportunities that have presented themselves. I'm looking forward to seeing Ruben again and working with him. I'm really looking forward to 'The Vagina Monologues.' It's going to be really fun to share the stage with all those fabulous women," she said. "I'm excited about my future."
Cities are presently being booked for "Ain't Misbehavin'" with plans for the show should run through at least May 2009.
NAS ALBUM REVIEWED BEFORE IT'S FINISHED: Maxim magazine apologizes; rapper says publication isn't important anyway.
*Nas is still in the studio working on his upcoming album "N**ger,"
yet Maxim magazine has given the disc a 2 ½ star review out of 5 in its
latest issue. How did this happen?
Earlier this week, the magazine got in trouble for reviewing the
upcoming Black Crowes album "War Paint" without listening to it in its
entirety. The publication issued an apology this week to both the Black
Crowes and Nas, but the rapper is still trying to figure out how it got hold
of his unfinished disc, then had the nerve to review it.
"I'm finishing the album now, and it will be out April 22," Nas told
the New York Post's Page Six. "I'd prefer [a review from] Playboy," he
added. "That kind of stuff doesn't reach my radar or effect anybody around
me. I don't know what a music rating from Maxim is . . . I don't know what
it even means really."
Maxim editorial director James Kaminsky issued a statement earlier
Tuesday apologizing to readers for the "Warpaint" review in its March issue.
The writer gave the album 2 ½ stars as well, but the group had only
officially released one single from the effort and advance copies were not
made available.
JA RULE'S BAIL FOR CO-DEFENDANTS DENIED: Judge says money could 'control outcome of the case.'
*A New York judge has prevented Ja Rule from posting bail for his two
co-defendants in a gun possession case stemming from an arrest in July.
State Supreme Court Justice Micki Scherer ruled Wednesday that Ja's
bail money would "put himself in the position of perhaps controlling the
outcome of the case," reports the Associated Press.
"I think the potential for it is a big problem," Scherer said.
After co-defendants Dennis Cherry and Mohamed Gamal were ordered to
post thousands of dollars in bail with their own money, Ja's lawyer said the
defense will come up with separate bail packages to set them free until
their next court date on March 20.
JANET JACKSON COVERS VIBE'S FIRST 'PHOTO ISSUE': Singer's photo spread shot by Michelangelo di Battista.
*Janet Jackson graces the cover of Vibe magazine's first-ever Photo
Issue, which will feature the work of nearly 100 photographers exploring the
different eras in photography.
Shot in January by renowned fashion photographer Michelangelo di
Battista at New York City's Milk Studios, the magazine's exclusive photos
show Janet in Balenciaga, Vera Wang, and Dolce & Gabanna.
Due March 4, Vibe's Photo Issue will run the gamut - from Polaroids
to digital cameras - offering a journey through hip hop as seen through the
camera's lens.
In this month's cover story, Janet speaks one-on-one with
Editor-in-Chief Danyel Smith about her new album "Discipline," her
influences growing up and her relationship with super-producer Jermaine
Dupri.
"We worked together and became friends," she says of her longtime
love. "Aside from being amazing, it was the things he'd shared with me. The
kinds of things I'd never share with anyone ... Not bad -- just so far
left."
More excerpts from the interview are listed below:
o Janet discusses her musical influences: "My influence came from my family.
And I used to listen to ... all the classics. But was there a major
influence, someone whom I studied? No."
o She also talks about working with a new group of producers on her latest
project: "I listened to the songs and I immediately fell in love with them.
This sounds like something Jimmy and I would do ... this sounds like
something from a past album, so it's still me."
o Regarding her early years in the Jackson household, Janet said: "I
remember being a kid and they'd come over ... you take so much for
granted.... you're not thinking about the fact that it's Marvin Gaye over
all the time, or Diane or Smokey."
o Janet expresses her feelings about Jermaine Dupri: "Married or not, it's
not important ... I feel like it's it .... It's been about eight years. He's
just a sweetheart. Truly a good-hearted person."
o Janet on being a responsible child in the entertainment business: "One of
the major things was my work ethic, since I was a kid ... I never had my
mother wake me up ... I'd get myself up everyday. It never struck me ...
that's a lot of difficulty for a 10-year-old ... I don't know if it's
something in the genes, or from watching my brothers, seeing them working
hard."
o Janet's answer when asked 'if everything was more fun when she was
younger': "No ... It's still fun."
MICHAEL ERIC DYSON TO ANSWER COSBY'S RAP ALBUM: Scholar says he's interested to see what Cosby has up his sleeve.
*Michael Eric Dyson has said he will come out with his own rap album
in response to a reported hip hop disc being recorded by Bill Cosby.
"There's nothing worse than a comedian that's trying to be serious on
a certain level. That could be hazardous to your career. And to your
health," Dyson, 49, told AllHipHop.com.
Dyson has been a vocal critic of Cosby's stand against the negative
elements present in hip hop, including misogyny and use of the N-word.
In his 2006 book "Is Bill Cosby Right?: Or Has the Black Middle Class
Lost Its Mind?" Dyson responds to Cosby's views, which he considers an
"assault on the black poor."
"Bill Cosby's made some great albums. Some of the stuff he's done in
jazz pioneering has been incredible," admitted Dyson, who further stated
he's looking forward to seeing what Cosby will rap about in his planned
album, "State of Emergency."
"I actually am interested in hearing what he's got to say, if he is
rapping himself or does he have guest rappers or if he's going to do his
thing…because he's a funny dude," Dyson said.
MINT CONDITION READIES ALBUM FOR SPRING: Band to release first project since 2005.
*Mint Condition returns this spring with "e-Life," the Minneapolis-based band's first new album since 2005's "Living the Luxury Brown."
The group, whose string of hits during the 90s included "Breakin' My
Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)" and "What Kind of Man Would I Be," is releasing
the project on May 6 via a joint venture between the group's own label,
CagedBird Records, and Image Entertainment, reports Billboard.com.
"e-Life" sports collaborations with Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Phonte from
Lil Brother and Anthony Hamilton, who is featured first single "Baby Boy,
Baby Girl. Other tracks include "Why Do We Try," the mid-tempo "Golddigger"
and "Nothing Left To Say," about a failed relationship.
Mint Condition is organizing a spring U.S. promo tour as well as
jaunts to Europe and Japan in the coming months. In addition, band members
are looking for artists to join their label, including an experimental jazz
combo in which they will appear.
ITTY BITTY BITS: Marc Anthony's ex writing book; Universal Motown promo;
Cheri Dennis plugs album; Kecia Lewis-Evans joins Broadway's Chicago.
*Dayanara Torres, the former wife of singer Marc Anthony, is
reportedly venting about her rocky marriage to the entertainer in a book to
be called "Married to Me: How Committing to Myself Led to Triumph After
Divorce." According to the New York Post, the book will detail how she got
over her painful union with Anthony, and how she eventually found true
happiness.
*Universal Motown and Hearst Magazines Digital Media present "The
Ultimate Prom," a multi-platform, interactive promotion for artists Jojo,
Drake Bell, Lloyd, Suai and Jada. The artists will perform at the first
"Ultimate Prom" for the senior class of St. Francis Preparatory School in
Queens, N.Y., reports Billboard.biz. The affair is being staged May 30 at
the Grand Hyatt in Manhattan. Webisodes chronicling the St. Francis Prep
seniors -- accompanied by the artists -- as they shop for formal wear, among
other activities, will appear on www.MyPromStyle.com/theultimateprom as well
as on each artist's official site and Universal Motown's site.
*Bad Boy recording artist Cheri Dennis will be pretty much everywhere
in the coming weeks to promote her new album, "In and Out of Love," released
this week exclusively on iTunes. She's got radio and press appearances
scheduled through early March in New Orleans, Memphis, Dallas, Atlanta, New
York, Philadelphia and Cleveland. Today, she's in Detroit to visit a high
school and make an appearance at Derrick Coleman's SNYX Sneaker Studio (8961
Linwood Ave.).
*Kecia Lewis-Evans, who originated the role of Trix in The Drowsy
Chaperone, will join the Broadway company of Chicago next month, reports
Playbill News. Beginning March 18, Lewis-Evans will portray Matron "Mama"
Morton in the Tony-winning revival of the Kander and Ebb musical at the
Ambassador Theatre (215 West 49th St.). The singing actress will play an
11-week run through June 1. Lewis-Evans has also been signed to play The
Dragon in the Broadway-bound Shrek the Musical. For more information, visit
www.ChicagoTheMusical.com.
WE REMEMBER: Buddy Miles, drummer/singer, dead at 60.
*Buddy Miles, who adeptly sang while he ferociously played drums, has died. He was 60. Miles was known for his stints as a drummer with Jimi Hendrix' short-lived back up band called Band of Gypsys and as the lead voice of the California Raisins, the animated clay figures that became an advertising phenomenon in the late 1980s.
An announcement on his website said the musician died Tuesday of congestive heart failure at his home in Austin, Texas.
On their own, Band of Gypsys, who were all black, made just one album, a live set recorded on New Year's Eve in 1969-70, and two of his songs, "Them Changes" and "We Got to Live Together," were included on the album.
In a 1988 interview with the LA Times, Miles told the paper that the Band of Gypsys association with Hendrix was brief and stormy. He said that Hendrix's management, not the guitarist himself, fired him within a month of the New Year's concert. He thought Hendrix's managers were leery of continuing with an all-black group.
"It had to be a racial thing," Miles told The Times. "I think it had to scare them because of the political aspect at the time."
For whatever reason by the late 70s, it seemed to be all over for Miles' music career and he ended up on the wrong side of the law. He had numerous convictions for grand theft and auto theft. He served time in the California Institution for Men at Chino and at San Quentin State Prison. He was incarcerated until 1985 and formed bands at both prisons.
The LA Times says that after he was released, he sang with Santana and got the raisin gig while working on an album with the guitarist. The popular television commercials for the California Raisin Advisory Board featured a quartet of singing and dancing Claymation figures with Miles, as Buddy Raisin, doing the lead singing covering Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine."
WE REMEMBER: Producer/composer Teo Macero died Feb. 19; Blackground Music producer/writer Stephen "Static" Garrett died Monday.
*Teo Macero, a record producer and composer who produced several
notable albums for Miles Davis, died Feb. 19 in Riverhead, N.Y. at the age
of 82.
Macero started working with Charles Mingus in the Jazz Composers
Workshop and made records for Mingus and Max Roach's Debut Records. He also
worked as a tenor saxophonist, playing with Mingus, Teddy Charles, the
Sandole Brothers and others.
He joined Columbia Records in 1957 as an editor and then a producer,
working with artists including J.J. Johnson, Mahalia Jackson, Johnny Mathis,
Thelonious Monk and Dave Brubeck and producing Broadway cast albums like "A
Chorus Line" and film soundtracks.
He is survived by his wife, Jeanne; a sister and a stepdaughter,
reports Variety.
*Stephen "Static" Garrett, a producer and writer under Blackground
Music, died Monday in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky at age 33.
According to Blackground, Static joined the label in the late 90s and
is best known for writing and producing songs for Jay-Z, Pretty Ricky,
Ginuwine and the late Aaliyah.
Blackground Records founder, Barry Hankerson, not only considered
Static an invaluable asset to the company but also a friend.
"It has been a pleasure to work and develop his career as a
songwriter and producer. His talent was only surpassed by his loyalty and
dedication," Hankerson says. "It made me so happy to share with him the
wealth of the music industry as well as one of the most personal
relationships I have ever had in my 40 year career. I truly loved him, and I
still do. We will now transfer our love and attention to his family during
this difficult time."
Label mate and R&B singer Tank said: "We've lost one of the great
song writers of our time but more than that we've lost a son, a brother, a
husband, and a father."
EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE
"Thought is the blossom; language the bud; action the fruit behind it." - Ralph Waldo Emerson: Was an essayist, poet, philosopher
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Feb. 28: Actress Rae Dawn Chong is 47. Actor Bobb'e J. Thompson ("The Tracy Morgan Show") is 12.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
Jamati Online is a place to get all information about African music, film, style, sports. It is also the place to see what African celebrities are up to (http://www.jamati.com).
Submit your favorite Web site to us along with a 15-20 word (or less) description to info@eurweb.com.
BLACK HISTORY
Feb. 28, 1984: Musician and entertainer Michael Jackson wins eight Grammy Awards. His album, "Thriller," broke all sales records to-date and remains one of the top-grossing albums of all time. (Source:
www.BlackFacts.com)
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