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05-05-08 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE
WITNESS ADMITS THREESOME WITH R. KELLY AND VICTIM: Woman to testify in upcoming trial. Plus, Najee Ali plans protest Friday at courthouse.
*The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that a witness in R. Kelly's upcoming child pornography trial will testify that she had a three way sexual encounter with the singer and the allegedly underage girl depicted in a sex tape.
The 41-year-old R&B superstar has pleaded not guilty to charges that he videotaped himself having sex with a girl thought to be 13 or 14. As part of the case, prosecutors claim to have identified the girl, who is now in her 20s.
Kelly’s lawyers plan to argue — and the alleged victim will reportedly testify — that she is not the girl in the tape. But the prosecution’s new witness is expected to not only identify the girl in the tape, but testify that she was indeed underage at the time of the recording.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin at Chicago's Cook County Courthouse on Friday. Civil rights activist Najee Ali of Project Hope will lead a protest against Kelly at 8 a.m. Friday outside of the building, located at 2650 S California Ave.
MARIAH MARRIAGE CAUSES VARIED REACTIONS: Plus, singer cancels 'View' taping that was scheduled for this morning.
*Co-hosts on "The View" will not get a chance to grill Mariah Carey on her reported marriage to Nick Cannon last week. Her rep confirmed that she has pulled out of her scheduled taping this morning that was due to air on Friday (May 9).
Carey and Cannon may not be talking, but friends and associates of the apparent newlyweds are speaking out about the rushed nuptials, which reportedly took place last week on Eleuthera, a Caribbean island next to Windermere, where Carey reportedly owns a home.
"I'm shell shocked," a source in Carey's camp tells People. "As far as I know, they are happy together."
Music mogul Russell Simmons said he didn't know about the nuptials ahead of time, but sees why the pairing works. "Whatever makes them happy,"
he said Friday. "They have a lot in common and should have a lot of fun together."
Cannon's brother, Gabriel, tells People: "It's crazy right! We're definitely happy. Well wishes! I'm trying to be like him and I love him very much."
Another insider says the couple didn't even know each other before Carey's video shoot for her song "Bye, Bye" in the Caribbean on March 26.
"Nick was cast as the romantic lead and was flown to Antigua where they met so basically their [romance] started during the shoot," the insider says, adding, "She's very into religion and Nick is very into religion. That's something they bonded on."
People tracked down Bishop Clifford Petty of the National Church of God in Eleuthera's Governor's Harbour, who claims to have performed the ceremony. Petty provided no details except to confirm that he did not give a sermon.
Jacob "the Jeweler" Arabo, who reportedly made Carey's wedding ring, also confirmed the marriage to People. Additionally, the magazine cited an unnamed source as saying that Carey obtained a marriage license in Eleuthera, although a representative at the island's register's office told MTV News on Friday that she has no record of a license in Carey's or Cannon's names.
However, Monique Gomez, a Bahamian attorney in Nassau who specializes in family law, told People.com: "The minister would make sure [the license] goes into the registry. It's still a valid marriage even if it's not filed.
Anywhere in the world."
There have been additional rumors that Cannon was used as a cover for Carey's real marriage to Mark Sudack, a member of her management team whom she has long been rumored to be dating. But TMZ.com claimed on Friday that those reports are untrue.
DIDDY GETS HIS HOLLYWOOD STAR: Mogul becomes fixture on Walk of Fame; then heads to afterparty.
*Sean "Diddy" Combs made his Hollywood Walk of Fame induction ceremony an event on Friday, complete with fans courted by an online video, advance interviews with the press and, of course, a Beverly Hills after party.
"It's also like my coming-out party here in Hollywood," Combs told AP before the affair in front of the Hollywood-Highland complex. "I don't have nothing to hide about that. If I'm going to come someplace, I'm going to make some noise, and you're going to know I'm here."
Oscar winner Jamie Foxx led fans in a chant of "Diddy! Diddy!
Diddy!," and recited popular lines from his songs before officially introducing him to the crowd.
In his acceptance speech, Diddy proclaimed: "Today is proof that if you believe, all your dreams can come true. I've gone from Harlem to Hollywood."
Friday night, the celebration moved to billionaire Ron Burkle's sprawling Beverly Hills estate. Calling it an "intimate 250-person party"
with "just very very close friends and family and people that I know throughout the industry," the event reportedly cost $4 million.
Combs is house-hunting in Los Angeles now, and plans to split his time between here and New York to pursue his acting career. To that end, he's looking through scripts in search of the next role.
JAY-Z TO SET UP TRUST FOR SEAN BELL'S KIDS: Plus, mogul's Live Nation deal closed.
*Allhiphop.com is reporting that Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter is in the process of setting up an educational trust for the children of Sean Bell, the unarmed African American man who was shot and killed by police hours before his wedding.
The Web site says sources have confirmed that the mogul is working with Nicole Paultre Bell, Sean Bell's widow, to establish stock-based trust funds for both of their children.
Nicole Bell was featured in an ad for Jay-Z’s Rocawear "I Will Not Lose" advertising campaign.
Meanwhile, Billboard Biz is reporting that Jay-Z's $150 million deal with Live Nation closed on Wednesday night.
The company filed a Form-8K with the SEC which states that the artist is getting 775,434 Live Nation shares, plus an option on an additional 500,000 with the exercise price of $13.73. The shares go to Marcy Media, the company affiliated with Jay-Z in connection with the formation of Roc Nation LLC, a joint entertainment venture between Live Nation and Jay-Z.
As previously reported, the Live Nation pact includes Roc Nation, as well as the rapper's own recordings and tours for the next 10 years. Live Nation will reportedly contribute $5 million each year in overhead for five years and offer $25 million to finance Jay-Z's external acquisitions and investments, plus $10 million per album for a minimum of three album within the deal's term.
Jay-Z will also receive another $20 million for other rights including publishing and licensing. Live Nation is already producing the current Jay-Z/Mary J. Blige tour, which is putting up sellout numbers.
GARY DOURDAN SAYS HE'S 'EMBARRASSED': Plus, actor texts friend Shaun Robinson about events leading up to drug arrest.
*Gary Dourdan spoke to People magazine about his arrest last week after being found in possession of suspected cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and prescription pills, reports the Associated Press.
"Obviously I am embarrassed to find myself in this situation, and I am profoundly grateful to everyone for their support," the "CSI" star said in a statement to the magazine. "I have complete confidence in and respect for the justice system and will cooperate fully with any investigation."
The actor posted $5,000 bail and was released following his arrest early Monday in Palm Springs, Calif.
Meanwhile, his camp responded over the weekend to the publication of a personal text Dourdan sent to Access Hollywood host Shaun Robinson, who posted it on the show's Web site. A spokesman for Dourdan tells People:
"This was a personal text to a friend taken completely out of context." The exchange was not intended for air or publication.
In the e-mail to Robinson, Dourdan, 41, explained the circumstances that led police to discover him asleep in his car, which was parked on the wrong side of the road.
“Obviously I certainly wish I hadn’t been responsible for so many people getting to the festival’s VIP area,” Dourdan wrote, referring to the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. “And the after party, it ran me ragged, but I’m glad pulling over did prevent a DUI.”
He also goes on to say, “I am blessed that the Sgt. realized that the luggage carrying whatever they found was not mine and that my tests have been coming back negative.”
Dourdan, who has not been formally charged, returned to work on "CSI"
shortly after his arrest. His arraignment is set for May 28.
U.K. GOV. TRIES AGAIN TO BLOCK SNOOP: Border Agency says an 'error' was made in recent decision to overturn ban.
*The British Government is not finished with Snoop Dogg.
Although a decision to ban the rapper from the U.K. was recently overturned by a judge, the U.K. Border Agency has appealed, citing "a material error in law" made during an immigration hearing in January, reports BBC News.
Following the appeal, the Court Of Appeal will now make a decision about whether Snoop's case should be heard again.
The rapper had his visa snatched due to his involvement in an April 2006 brawl at London's Heathrow Airport. However, Judge Neha Bird overturned the decision earlier this month, concluding that Snoop, born Calvin Broadus, had been peaceful and not reacted to provocation from officials, including police officers.
A rep for the U.K. Border Agency said: "There has been no change in the facts that led to Mr. Broadus being denied a visa. We stand by that initial decision. We will continue to oppose the entry to the U.K. of individuals where we believe there may be a risk to the public."
KANYE WEST GOES OFF ON ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Rapper didn’t appreciate B+ review of his Seattle tour stop.
*Kanye West has blown a gasket over a B+ review of his Glow in the Dark tour in the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly.
At his Web site, the rapper posts a screen shot of the review by writer Chris Willman, then writes an expletive-filled rant protesting the review, the grade, the writer and the entire publication.
In the EW review of West's tour launch in Seattle, [read entire article here http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20197288,00.html], Willman wrote that he "takes fans on a galactic voyage, folding his hits into a wacked-out space opera that's the ultimate ego trip. Normally, that'd be an insult, but with West, who's made an art form out of dramatizing both humility and hubris, it's mission accomplished."
Willman also reviewed opening acts Lupe Fiasco, N.E.R.D. and Rihanna.
He wrote: "Lupe Fiasco has the material to make good on his 'next Kanye' status, though he suffered from rapping to studio tracks (and 'Kick, Push' deserves more than a reduced medley slot). By contrast, N.E.R.D. rocked out with their full-band set; Pharrell Williams is no great singer, but he's a great party starter. The glam Rihanna provided respite from all this testosterone and packed an undeniable string of hits into her half hour, moving smoothly through light choreography. But her should-be slam dunk, 'Umbrella,' felt off, with the rain-gear-wielding backup dancers working harder to sell the smash than she did."
In a posting on his Web site, West fired back with the following:
Yo, anybody that's not a fan; don't come to my show. For what?! To try and throw ya'll two cents in? Ya'll rated my album s**tty and now ya'll come to the show and give it a B+. What's a B+ mean? I'm an extremist. It's either pass or fail! A+ or F-! You know what, f**k you and the whole f**king staff!!! I know I shouldn't dignify this with a comment, but the reviewer threw a jab at all the artists. I just wanna know when was the last time you enjoyed yourself. If you can't have fun and lose yourself at this tour it's a good chance you're a very miserable person. I actually feel sorry for you guys. Your job forces you to not have fun anymore. Grab a drink, holla at some nice girls, and party b**ch!! You don't know sh*t about passion and art. You'll never gain credibility at this rate. You're fucking trash! I make art. You can't rate this. I'm a real person. I'm not a pop star. I don't care about anything but making great art. Never come 2 one of my shows ever again, you're not invited and if you see me...BOW!! This is not pop, it's pop art!
In other Kanye news, the "pop artist" reportedly stormed off stage during a show in Houston after a technical glitch threatened his performance.
According to celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, Ye was performing at the city's Woodlands Pavilion on Friday (May 2) when side screens at the venue, which were supposed to show West, stopped working.
Mid-performance, he shouted, "Turn the f**king screens off," before stopping the show and exclaiming, "If the s**t's not working just turn it off," and storming off. However West then re-emerged and finished his set.
TRINITY REP DENIES WRIGHT/REYNOLDS DINNER: Daily News item also had Wright 'huddled in a corner' with organizer of Press Club appearance.
*A rep for Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ has written EURweb to deny a New York Daily News story regarding its former pastor Jeremiah Wright and Barbara Reynolds, a minister who organized his recent headline-making appearance at the National Press Club in Washington D.C.
The paper's Rush & Malloy column on May 1st stated: "Reynolds and Wright couldn't have looked chummier on Tuesday night when they met at D.C.'s Mayflower Hotel. 'They shared a hug and a kiss and then huddled in a corner,' says our spy. 'Then they went off to dinner.'"
According to Trinity United Church of Christ's media coordinator Donna Hammond-Miller, "Dr. Wright did not have dinner with Dr. Reynolds at any time while in D.C."
Reynolds, a supporter of Hillary Clinton, has been the target of conspiracy theorists who suggest she may have arranged Rev. Wright's appearance to embarrass the campaign of Barack Obama.
USHER REFUSES TO 'PIMP OUT' KID PHOTOS: Singer says upcoming Essence cover with son was done for free.
*Usher says he would never sell pictures of his five-month-old son to magazines for a profit like some of his entertainment colleagues have done, including Brangelina, Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera and Nicole Richie.
"In no way would I ever pimp out my child for money," the "Love in this Club" singer tells the New York Post's Page Six, denying rumors he was trying to go the fast-cash route.
Ursh said his upcoming Father's Day cover of Essence magazine, which features him posing with little Usher Raymond V and wife Tameka Foster, was done free of charge.
"I am livid that people talk about my child," Usher said. "What makes you a man more than being a father to your child?"
HENDRIX ESTATE QUESTIONS SEX TAPE: Authenticity of footage obtained by porn company disputed.
*The estate of Jimi Hendrix says it has doubts about the validity of a sex tape released this week that allegedly stars the late rock star, reports the AP.
"We strongly dispute the claimed authenticity and affirmatively state that Experience Hendrix is neither involved in, nor have we authorized the distribution of this film," Experience Hendrix, the company that controls the rights to Hendrix's music and likeness, said in a statement released Thursday.
Experience Hendrix called the distribution of the tape a "callous attempt to trade on the image and reputation of a deceased artist who is unable to defend himself against such an outrageous and baseless assertion.
We are highly offended by the disgraceful portrayal."
In response, Vivid Entertainment co-chairman Steven Hirsch released a statement saying Experience Hendrix's statement "is not in any way a refutation of the authenticity of 'Jimi Hendrix the Sex Tape.' Vivid took considerable time and spent a substantial sum of money to authenticate the footage and we are very comfortable that this is the real thing."
According to reports, the 11-minute tape was reportedly shot in a hotel room about 40 years ago and features a man who appears to be Hendrix engaged in various sexual acts with two women. Vivid released the footage online and on a 45-minute DVD, which also features interviews with women who claimed to personally know Hendrix.
KOBE BRYANT IS THE NBA'S NEW MVP: Los Angeles Lakers guard to be presented trophy this week.
*After 12 seasons in the NBA, Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant has won his first ever Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, the Los Angeles Times reported on Saturday ahead of an official announcement.
The 29-year-old led the Lakers to the number one spot in the Western Conference, and on Sunday began a Western Conference semi-final playoff series against the Utah Jazz.
The All Star averaged 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists and
1.84 steals during the regular season. He also averaged 33.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists in leading the Lakers to a first round sweep over the Denver Nuggets.
Bryant helped the Lakers win three consecutive championships between 2000 and 2002. He is hoping to help his team get to its first NBA finals appearance in four years.
The closest Bryant had previously come to the MVP award was third place after the 2002-03 season and again last year. He would be the fourth Laker to win the award, following Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Shaquille O'Neal.
D-WADE SAYS STAR JONES IS A 'FRIEND': Miami Heat guard denies rumors of anything more with former 'View' co-host.
*NBA's Dwyane Wade was grilled by his Fave 5 friend Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith of TNT's "Inside the NBA" about his relationship with Star Jones in light of recent rumors that they might be dating.
"Star is an unbelievable woman. We have a great, great relationship.
As friends," Wade said Thursday. "We're friends, just like a lot of celebrities."
The rumors were started after Wade, 28, and Jones, 46, were spotted attending a tennis match together days after her announced divorce from husband Al Reynolds.
"Are y'all close friends? ... Are you the kind of friends that drink out of one cup with two straws?" Smith asked. "Those kind of friends?"
"We are friends. That's all," repeated Wade, who is married to his high school sweetheart. The couple has two sons.
BEYONCE BACK IN THE RECORDING STUDIO: Singer reportedly laying down three to four songs a day.
*New wife Beyonce is back making music again following months spent on a movie set and preparing to marry her longtime boyfriend Jay-Z in a hush-hush wedding.
People magazine is reporting that the 26-year-old is working on new material under production duo Chris "Tricky" Stewart and Kuk Harrell.
"She's a professional," Tricky tells People. "She loves what she does and works her [butt] off. Right now she's basically doing three to four songs a day and that's unheard of."
Tricky, who worked with Rihanna and Jay-Z on "Umbrella" and Mariah Carey on "Touch My Body,” said Beyonce's husband has yet to visit the studio, but a collaboration between the two could materialize.
"It’s always a possibility," Tricky said of a future Beyoncé and Jay-Z musical pairing. "They worked together before, so it may be just a matter of getting the right record."
DENZEL WANTS NY KIDS INVOLVED IN SCIENCE: Actor and his wife visit high school to deliver message.
*Denzel Washington stressed the importance of science to high school students in his hometown Friday, and urged the kids to apply for his annual scholarships for neuroscience research.
The Academy Award-winning actor and his wife Pauletta visited Mount Vernon High School in suburban Westchester County to speak about the value of a career in the science field.
He said actors, rappers and basketball stars get more recognition, but someone in a hospital bed is more impressed by a good doctor. He said inner-city students might not be aware of all the opportunities available, and he urged the Mount Vernon kids to apply for his scholarships, reports the Associated Press.
JAMES BROWN, YOU ARE THE FATHER: DNA reportedly proves 6-year-old boy is late entertainer's son.
*An attorney for 6-year-old James Brown II says a DNA test taken in April has confirmed that he is the biological son of the late Godfather of Soul, report the Associated Press.
Peter Shahid, an attorney for James Brown II, said Friday that the boy was tested in April before a South Carolina judge ordered a paternity test. The results of the court-ordered test have not yet been released, according to the AP.
Tomi Rae Hynie, the boy's mother and James Brown's former backup singer, claimed to be the entertainer's wife when he died on Christmas Day 2006.
Trustees handling Brown's estate had claimed that her boy is not his son, and that she and Brown were never legally married. Neither the boy nor his mother were mentioned in Brown's will.
50 CENT TO SELL HIS OWN MEMORABILIA: Rapper launches line of concert-worn apparel, autographed merch and more.
*50 Cent has inked a new deal to sell a line of his own memorabilia that will include concert worn-apparel, autograph signings, autographed photos, movie products and other 50 Cent branded merchandise, reports the New York Post.
The multi-year deal with Steiner Sports is tapped to push the 50 Cent brand into new territories throughout the world, a rep told the newspaper.
"He's an authentic guy who gets the business portion of his career,"
said Robert Vazquez, the director of talent procurement. "We have access to [in-flight magazine] SkyMall, to Neiman-Marcus and to corporate clients that might not be familiar with 50 Cent."
Steiner Sports was founded in 1987. Famous sports clients include Sandy Koufax, Miguel Cotto, Lou Gehrig, Tony Hawk and numerous others.
ITTY BITTY BITS: Obama wins Guam; 'Iron Man' rules; Sparks says Do Something; NJ picks Morrison; Kodjoe leaves Broadway; BE's 'Leading Doctors.'
*Sen. Barack Obama won Guam's Democratic presidential caucuses Saturday by just seven votes, according to a Guam election official. With all 21 precincts reporting, Obama finished with 2,264 votes, or 50.1 percent. Sen. Hillary Clinton got 2,257 votes, or 49.9 percent. Each candidate picked up two delegates. Also on the ballot Saturday was the race for chairman and vice chairman of the U.S. territory's Democratic Party. The winners of that race will serve as superdelegates. According to the election official, the slate of Pilar Lujan and Jaime Paulino leads the slate of Joseph Artero Cameron and Arlen Bordallo. Lujan remains uncommitted in the race for president, but running mate Paulino has endorsed Obama.
*"Iron Man" earned $100.7 million during its opening weekend and
$104.2 million since debuting Thursday night, the second-best premiere ever for a nonsequel, according to studio estimates Sunday. The movie, distributed by Paramount, is the first release by Marvel Studios, which has begun financing its own productions after such studio-backed hits as the "Spider-Man," "X-Men" and "Fantastic Four." The critically-acclaimed film stars Robert Downey Jr. as billionaire arms designer Tony Stark, a boozy womanizer who builds a high-tech suit and becomes a superhero, mending his ways after he's taken captive and sees firsthand the devastation his weapons cause. The film is directed by Jon Favreau, and also stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges and Terrence Howard.
*"American Idol" winner Jordin Sparks has teamed with Do Something.org, a non-profit organization that empowers teens to take action in their communities, and Staples, Inc. in a public service announcement to ask teens to make a difference this summer. As part of Do Something 101, (www.dosomething101.com), Sparks encourages teens to collect school supplies and drop them off at their nearest Staples store, from July through August, to ensure they get into the hands of thousands of deserving kids in time to head back to school. Sparks is currently sidelined from her opening spot on the Alicia Keys tour due to an acute vocal cord hemorrhage.
*Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison and Underground Railroad pioneer Harriet Tubman were among the first 15 people to be inducted Sunday into New Jersey's new Hall of Fame. The honor exists only as a virtual entity now, but officials are raising money to build a permanent museum. The first class was chosen through an online vote after 25 finalists were announced in 2006. All inductees must have lived in the state for at least five years, though organizers made an exception to that rule for Tubman, who used Cape May as a base to move slaves toward freedom. Other inductees include Albert Einstein, Bruce Springsteen and Meryl Streep.
*Boris Kodjoe's run on Broadway ended yesterday (May 4) with his final performance as Brick in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Kodjoe was filling in for Terrence Howard, who took a break from the Debbie Allen-directed musical to promote his new film "Iron Man." Howard returns to the show tomorrow (May 6). The limited-run production at the Broadhurst Theatre featuring an all-black cast will close as scheduled on June 22. For tickets, visit www.telecharge.com or by call (212) 239-6200. For more information, visit www.Cat2008onBroadway.com.
*The May issue of Black Enterprise (BE) unveils its 2008 report on the best and brightest in medicine. In "America's Leading Doctors," BE names 140 top-notch physicians responsible for saving millions of lives through the revolutionary treatment of diseases, from cancer and diabetes to heart attacks and HIV/AIDS. Many of these doctors have been responsible for major medical breakthroughs and have participated in the creation of drugs that have vastly improved the quality of life for patients.
SPORTS BITS: Sprewell sued; Rodman's girlfriend; Forbes loses; Harrison questioned; Perrilloux tossed.
*Latrell Sprewell and his company, Sprewell Motorsports, have been sued by City National Bank for failing to pay credit card bills since September 29, 2007, reports TMZ.com. The retired NBA star reportedly owes $23,600.12, plus interest and late fees. Spre's credit card application stated that the former athlete had a monthly salary of $1.2 million. Earlier this year, his Milwaukee home went into foreclosure and his yacht was sold at auction to help pay off the $1.3 million he still owed on it.
*Gina "Gigi" Peterson, the girlfriend Dennis Rodman allegedly stuck on Wednesday night, is the ex-wife of George Peterson from Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Orange County." Gina and George separated in '02 and officially divorced in April of 2004, reports TMZ.com. But he now has a restraining order against her that was filed six weeks ago that forces her to stay away from him, his new wife Lauri Waring of the Bravo reality show and her two kids for five years.
*Oscar De La Hoya earned a unanimous decision victory over Steve Forbes in a non-title bout Saturday at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles.
Two judges gave De La Hoya the fight by 119 points to 109 with the other giving him the verdict 120-108. De La Hoya, 35, viewed the bout as a tune-up for his rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in September. "It's great to be able to fight here in Los Angeles," De La Hoya said in a ringside interview in front of a crowd of 27,000 that included Sylvester Stallone and Eddie Murphy and boxers Bernard Hopkins and Sugar Ray Leonard. "I knew it was going to be a tough fight and I was hoping I'd stop him or knock him out but that didn't happen."
*Indianapolis Colts star receiver Marvin Harrison was interviewed by police about a shooting near his North Philadelphia car wash this week. Lt.
Frank Vanore stressed that Harrison has not been arrested or charged, and the investigation of Tuesday's shooting was continuing. Earlier, radio station WIP, citing unidentified sources, reported the alleged shooting victim argued with Harrison at Playmakers bar. The victim left and headed to his car, Harrison followed and gunfire broke out, the station reported. The alleged victim was shot in the hand and did not identify the shooter, according to the radio station. Varone also said a child was hit in the eyes by broken glass, but was treated and released from a hospital.
*LSU quarterback Ryan Perrilloux was kicked off of his defending national championship team Friday after a college career marked by legal and disciplinary problems. Perrilloux "didn't fulfill his obligation as an LSU student-athlete," head coach Les Miles said in a statement. "Ryan was given every opportunity to be a part of this football team." Miles did not attribute his decision to any specific recent violation. He was suspended last summer in connection with a counterfeiting investigation and was caught trying to enter a Baton Rouge casino with false identification. He was involved in a nightclub fight in November, but later cleared of wrongdoing.
In mid-February, Miles suspended him for missing a team meeting, skipping some classes and being late for conditioning workouts.
SHARPTON TO LEAD 'PRAY-IN' PROTEST FOR SEAN BELL: Participants plan to be arrested for civil disobedience.
*Demonstrators plan to pray on their knees and be arrested for civil disobedience to protest the acquittals of three police officers in the death of an unarmed man shot on his wedding day in New York, the Rev. Al Sharpton said Saturday.
The civil rights activist, who has vowed to "close this city down" to protest last month's verdict, said protesters would stage a "pray-in"
Wednesday at half a dozen places in the city, including the police headquarters.
Sharpton said participants would gather at 3 p.m. in at least six places around the city and then fan out to undisclosed locations.
"Where we go from there is anybody's guess," Rachel Noerdlinger, Sharpton's spokeswoman, said later, adding that wherever protesters end up, "they'll be arrested praying."
The "pray-in" is only the start of whatever actions are necessary to oppose the verdict. "It's going to be a long struggle, but the race isn't given to the swift or the strong, but to those who endure," Sharpton said.
Hundreds of protesters marched through Harlem a day after the officers were cleared in the November 2006 death of Sean Bell, 23. Two friends were wounded in the barrage of 50 shots fired by the undercover officers and two colleagues outside a night club where Bell had just left his bachelor party.
The death of Bell, an African American, rekindled long-standing tensions over alleged racism and excessive force by police, even though two of the officers charged are also black.
EUR FILM REVIEW: Iron Man
Downey Delivers as Cerebral Superhero in "Marvel"-ous Adaptation of Classic Comic Book Series
Film Review by Kam Williams
*Created by Stan Lee in April of 1963, Iron Man was first introduced in Marvel Comics' "Tales of Suspense" (issue #39).
By the legendary animator's own admission, his crime-fighting superhero's alter ego, wealthy industrialist/ inventor Tony Stark, was partially inspired by eccentric millionaire playboy Howard Hughes.
The character proved popular enough to warrant spin-offs not only into his own comic book series but into a TV cartoon as well.
Now, with Iron Man, the movie, the product line benefits from a further extension into the realm of cinema.
This live-action adventure features Robert Downey, Jr. in the title role, with the oft-troubled star exhibiting an impressive range in an endearing performance guaranteed to resuscitate a career once on life support.
For Downey manages to humanize Iron Man to a degree rarely, if at all, previously witnessed in such adaptations of macho superheroes to the big screen. Considerable credit in this regard must go to unheralded director Jon Favreau whose kiddie sci-fi, Zathura, was likewise sophisticated enough to engage the imaginations of children and adults.
Iron Man unfolds very much like the first installment in a pre-planned franchise, taking its own sweet time to acquaint us with the protagonist's background rather than rush headlong into elaborate fight sequences. Along the way, a few subtle hints are also dropped about what might be in store in
IM2 and beyond. More significantly, it makes powerful
It is established at the outset that Tony Stark, the CEO of Stark Industries, is a filthy rich, womanizing genius. For he is conspicuously absent from the festivities at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas where he was supposed to be receiving an award for his company's service to the Military-Industrial Complex as the country's leading weapons manufacturer.
But the AWOL bon vivant was more interested in impressing and seducing an attractive reporter (Leslie Bibb) at his sprawling, oceanfront Malibu estate. Fortunately, his faithful, frustrated womanservant and secret admirer, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), is always around to get her boss'
nose back to the grindstone.
The plot thickens soon after he lands in Afghanistan to demonstrate his latest invention, the Jericho Missile, for the benefit of the U.S. military brass. En route, the Humvee in which he's riding is hit by a roadside bomb, and he ends up in a cave controlled by terrorists. Tony can't help but notice that his captors are already somehow wielding weaponry produced by his company. And worse, they now want him to put his brain to work on their behalf to build the next generation missile.
What the insurgents don't know is that Stark's more worried about the life-threatening shrapnel permanently imbedded in his chest. So, instead of working for them, he secretly uses the next few months to build himself a suit of armor containing a mammoth electromagnet to prevent any metal fragments from reaching his heart. Eventually, he uses this outfit to morph into Iron Man, escape, and return to the States where he makes the shocking announcement that Stark Industries will be shutting down its munitions manufacturing division.
This decision doesn't sit with his possibly double-dealing, right hand-man, Obadiah Stone (Jeff Bridges), and it also strains his longtime liaison with Lieutenant Jim Rhodes (Terrence Howard) from the Department of Defense. But Stark remains resolute and determined to learn exactly how his guns landed in the hands of the enemy, even if that means he must reluctantly don that Iron Man suit one more time to kill in the name of peace.
A 'Marvel'-ously cerebral superhero with a functioning conscience.
Excellent (4 stars)
Rated PG-13 for intense sci-fi violence and brief suggestive content.
Running time: 126 minutes
Studi Paramount Pictures
EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE
"We must walk consciously only part way toward our goal and then leap in the dark to our success." — Henry David Thoreau
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
May 5: Singer Craig David is 27. Singer Chris Brown is 19.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
This blog is the home of entertainment writer and author Shelia M.
Goss. It's a blog with a flair for the dramatic (www.sheliagoss.com/blog).
Submit your favorite Web site to us along with a 15-20 word (or less) description to info@eurweb.com.
BLACK HISTORY
May 5, 1969: Moneta Sleet becomes the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize for his photograph of Mrs. Martin Luther King, Jr. and her daughter at her husband's funeral. (Source: www.BlackFacts.com)
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