EURweb |
05-12-08 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE
R. KELLY TRIAL ACTUALLY BEGINS: Singer in court Friday for jury selection.
Plus, was 'three way' witness paid off?
*After six years of numerous delays, jury selection is finally underway in Chicago for the child pornography case against Robert "R" Kelly.
Dressed in a suit and sporting cornrows, the singer arrived at the Cook County Criminal Courthouse Friday to both cheers and jeers, including protesters calling him a pedophile.
In the courtroom, Judge Vincent Gaughan began by introducing Kelly to the 150-member jury pool. According to Reuters, he bowed his head slightly, smiled and said, "Hello."
Gaughan next read the 14-count indictment against the music star. He has been charged with videotaping himself having sex with an underage girl.
Prosecutors argue he knew, or should have known, the girl was a teenaged minor, at least 13- or 14-years-old.
According to the Associated Press, "the initial session with potential jurors in Gaughan's stately, colonnade courtroom lasted only about 30 minutes, and reporters were not allowed in; one court official said there weren't enough seats.
"Some of the potential jurors looked uncomfortable, and at least a few placed their hands over their eyes as the judge read some of the more graphic sections of the indictments, said Verna Sadock, a sketch artist who was in the room.
"The potential jurors — some carrying bags and coats, many looking serious and even glum — later filed out of the fifth-floor courtroom to fill out questionnaires for the next stage of jury selection. The questionnaires were not made public."
Kelly, 41, faces 15 years in prison if convicted of all charges.
Before jury selection began Friday, Gaughan rejected a defense motion to again postpone the trial because of intense publicity surrounding the case.
Defense attorney Marc Martin said the jury pool had been "irrevocably poisoned" by a front-page story in Friday's Chicago Sun-Times that cited unnamed sources talking about a potential witness. Many of the potential jurors would have read the article on the way to the courthouse, Martin said.
Gaughan, however, accepted the prosecution's argument that jury selection could weed out any tainted jurors.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Friday that the potential witness referred to by the defense – an Atlanta woman who will reportedly testify that she engaged in a ménage a trois with Kelly and the alleged underage girl – was paid off by one of the singer's aides to return an incriminating sex tape to the R&B star.
According to the newspaper, Judge Vincent Gaughan was informed of the development during four closed-door hearings last month. It is not clear how much Kelly's aide allegedly paid the woman, who is described by a source as having been in love with the singer.
The woman has received immunity from state and federal prosecution in exchange for her testimony, sources said. Federal immunity was necessary to protect her from charges of transporting child pornography across state lines.
During the April hearings, Gaughan was told that the Kelly aide offered the Atlanta woman money for a sex tape featuring Kelly. At one point, the aide arranged for her to take a polygraph test to determine whether she was telling the truth about having the tape, sources said.
Eventually, the woman received money and arranged for the tape to be sent to Kelly's aide, who is not an attorney, sources said. It is not clear whether Kelly knew about the alleged deal.
TONI BRAXTON VEGAS SHOW CLOSED TILL JUNE: Singer's rep still won't comment on medical condition.
*Toni Braxton's return to the Las Vegas stage has been delayed again. She'll remain sidelined from her headlining show for at least another month, reports the Associated Press.
Harrah's Entertainment announced Friday that it now expects to resume "Toni Braxton: Revealed" at the Flamingo Las Vegas hotel on June 6.
The show has been dark since the singer was hospitalized overnight for chest pain on April 7. The Harrah's spokeswoman says she can't comment about Braxton's medical condition.
Braxton, 40, has been treated in the past for pericarditis, a viral inflammation of the heart.
Braxton's two-year run at the Flamingo Las Vegas is scheduled to end in August.
DMX ARRESTED FOR DRUGS, ANIMAL CRUELTY: Rapper tried to barricade himself in bedroom until SWAT showed up.
*When it rains, it pours for DMX. After months of inactivity in his camp, a sudden double-dose of headline-making events has the rapper back in serious legal trouble.
Three days after he was arrested and released on bail for a January speeding ticket, the artist was arrested again Friday on drug and animal-cruelty charges following an overnight raid at his Cave Creek home north of Phoenix.
The 37-year-old, born Earl Simmons, had tried to barricade himself in his bedroom during the 3 a.m. raid, but came out with his hands up when a SWAT team arrived, sheriff's spokesman Capt. Paul Chagolla told the AP.
The arrest and search warrants stemmed from indictments for felony drug possession and misdemeanor animal cruelty charges. During an August raid of his home, detectives seized 12 pit bull dogs, dug up remains of three others and found marijuana on the property. The MC made an initial court appearance Friday where bail was set at $7,500.
As previously reported, DMX was arrested Tuesday by the Arizona Department of Public Safety after speed-enforcement cameras captured him going 114 mph on a suburban Phoenix freeway.
MIJAC'S NEVERLAND AUCTION CANCELED: Fox411 columnist says sale was called off five days before bidding was to begin.
*Fox411 columnist Roger Friedman is reporting that the public auction of Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch has been canceled – just five days before it was set to go to the highest bidder.
"No word yet on what's happened, although the likelihood is that Jackson has reached a refinancing agreement with Fortress Investments, the loan holder," wrote Friedman over the weekend. "They currently hold a $23.5 million note on the property."
Friedman says Jackson's camp has been "working with a number of friends including financier Ron Burkle, who's lent his support but not his money in trying to help Jackson out of this predicament."
The auction was previously scheduled to take place on May 14 on the steps of the Santa Barbara County Courthouse.
NICK AND MARIAH OUT AND ABOUT: Couple hits Manhattan in first public outing together since Caribbean wedding.
*Mariah Carey and her husband Nick Cannon made their first public appearance as a married couple Thursday night in New York. The newlyweds attended the party for Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World.
Both entertainers showed up to the Lincoln Center around 9:30 p.m.
and bypassed the red carpet press, instead heading straight inside to allow Carey adequate prep time for her 10:30 p.m. performance, reports E! Online.
Carey, 38, wore a silver minidress on stage. Afterwards, she donned a strapless black dress accessorized with her 17-carat wedding ring before she and her husband hit hotspot The Waverly Inn.
Today, Mimi is scheduled to tape an appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," which will mark her first television interview as Mrs. Nick Cannon. The episode will air tomorrow.
JUDGE REINSTATES B.I.G. FAMILY'S LAWSUIT: Earlier decision to dismiss the wrongful death case against L.A. is reversed.
*A previously-dismissed wrongful-death lawsuit filed against the city of Los Angeles by the family of Notorious B.I.G. was reinstated Friday by U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper, according to reports.
Cooper initially threw out the lawsuit March 21 after the family missed a state deadline for bringing a claim against the city and two former police officers. The lawsuit was originally filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, then moved to federal court.
The family appealed, and the judge reversed her decision after finding federal claims in the case can proceed, according to court papers obtained Thursday by the Associated Press.
The family was given a 20-day deadline to file a new lawsuit and drop the state claims.
Two wrongful death lawsuits were filed against the city on behalf of the rapper's widow, mother and two children. The first lawsuit, filed in 2002, alleges wrongful death and civil rights violations. It ended in a mistrial in 2005. The case remains active, with the judge allowing the family to amend the lawsuit because of newly discovered evidence.
Cooper's recent ruling involved the secondary lawsuit, which contends that rogue police officers were behind the killing of Wallace and that the Police Department covered up their involvement.
B.I.G., whose real name was Christopher Wallace, was gunned down March 9, 1997, while leaving a party at a Los Angeles museum. The 24-year-old performer's killing remains unsolved.
MAN CLAIMS O.J. CONFESSED TO DOUBLE MURDER: New book from memorabilia dealer says Simpson spilled beans while high on weed.
*A memorabilia dealer has written a book that claims O.J. Simpson confessed to killing his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman on June 12, 1994, according to the Associated Press.
In "How I Helped O.J. Get Away With Murder: The Shocking Inside Story of Violence, Loyalty, Regret and Remorse," due in stores today, author Mike Gilbert says O.J. had smoked weed, took a sleeping pill and was drinking beer when Simpson told him he didn't bring a knife to his ex-wife's condo on the night in question -- and that, "If she hadn't opened that door with a knife in her hand ... she'd still be alive."
"Nothing more needed to be said," Gilbert writes. "O.J. had confessed to me. There's no doubt in my mind."
Gilbert also claims he helped Simpson avoid the murder charges by telling him how to bloat his hands so they wouldn't fit in the infamous Isotoners gloves, according to the AP.
Simpson's current lawyer Yale Galanter said that all of Gilbert's claims are bogus and that he is "a delusional drug addict who needs money.
He's fallen on very hard times. He is in trouble with the IRS."
"I've talked to O.J. about it," said Galanter, who refused to allow Simpson to comment directly because of his upcoming robbery trial in Las Vegas. "This stuff not only didn't occur but it's not factually supported by the evidence."
BARBARA WALTERS VS. STAR JONES – ROUND 3: Barbara says she's not trying to go back and forth in the press with former 'View' co-host.
*Barbara Walters' new memoir "Audition" and its section on Star Jones has stirred up another hornets nest of drama that the veteran journalist hopes to squash once and for all.
Walters said she will not engage in a debate with Jones, who accused her of revealing a past affair with an African American senator just to sell books. Walters said despite the public rift, she prefers to remember the good times the former co-hosts shared on "The View."
"Star is going through a very difficult time right now, and I'm going to have very happy memories of how wonderful she was on the program,"
Walters told AP Radio on Friday. "I don't want to add to her difficulties."
Jones, who is currently divorcing her husband of four years, Al Reynolds, fired back at Walters after the television news vet wrote in "Audition" that the women of "The View" were forced to cover up Jones'
gastric bypass surgery as she swiftly lost weight ahead of her wedding.
Jones maintained at the time that she was eating less and doing Pilates.
"We lied for Star," Walters told AP Radio. "She was our colleague.
She didn't want to discuss it, we didn't force her to. Was that a mistake? I don't know. ... It was Star's decision."
Earlier this week, Jones criticized her former boss for writing about her, and for including revelations of an affair with former U.S. Senator Edward Brooke in the 1970s.
"It is a sad day when an icon like Barbara Walters, in the sunset of her life, is reduced to publicly branding herself as an adulterer, humiliating an innocent family with accounts of her illicit affair and speaking negatively against me all for the sake of selling a book. It speaks to her true character," Jones told Us Weekly magazine.
SAMUEL L. JACKSON DOES THE 'UNTHINKABLE': Actor to play black-ops interrogator in suspense thriller.
*Actor Samuel L. Jackson has been cast in the upcoming suspense thriller "Unthinkable," according to the Hollywood Reporter.
In the story, the U.S. faces a major threat from three nuclear devices, whose locations are known to one suspect. With only two days before they are deployed, a black-ops interrogator (Jackson) and a female FBI agent have to decide how far they will go to find the weapons.
Gregor Jordon is slated to direct the production for Senator Entertainment.
Next up for Jackson will be Frank Miller's comic-book adaptation "The Spirit."
TINA TURNER TOUR DETAILS UNVEILED: Singer comes out of retirement this fall in Kansas City.
*Tina Turner will hit 17 cities across the U.S. and Canada this fall in her first concert tour in eight years.
The 68-year-old music legend will start things off Oct. 1st at Sprint Center in Kansas City, MO and work her way throughout North America before wrapping Dec. 8 at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
The brand new stage show is being produced by AEG Live and will feature hits spanning Turner’s entire career.
“After performing with Beyonce at The Grammy Awards, the response was overwhelming,” said Turner in a statement. “Everywhere I went people were asking me when I was going back on tour. So after a lot of thought and planning, I can answer the only way I know how …. See you in Kansas City where we’ll kick the tour off!”
Tina Turner 2008 North American Tour itinerary is as follows:
October 2008
1 Kansas City, MO; Sprint Center
3 Chicago, IL; United Center
6 Chicago, IL; Allstate Arena
13 Los Angeles, CA; STAPLES Center
14 Anaheim, CA; Honda Center
19 San Jose, CA; HP Pavilion
22 Sacramento, CA; ARCO Arena
24 Phoenix, AZ; Jobing.com Arena
30 Miami, FL; American Airlines Arena
November 2008
2 Fort Lauderdale; BankAtlantic Center
5 Orlando, FL; Amway Arena
9 Atlanta, GA; Philips Arena
13 Toronto, ON; Air Canada Centre
16 Boston, MA; TD Banknorth Garden
23 Washington, DC; Verizon Center
26 Newark, NJ; Prudential Center
December 2008
3 Uniondale, NY; Nassau Coliseum
8 Montreal, QB; Bell Centre
VANESSA WILLIAMS FINALLY A COLLEGE GRADUATE: Entertainer receives BA degree and delivers address to fellow Orangemen.
*Vanessa Williams received her bachelor of fine arts degree from Syracuse University Saturday and also delivered the convocation address to graduates of Syracuse's College of Visual and Performing Arts, according to reports.
The 45-year-old actress-singer, who dropped out of Syracuse nearly 25 years ago to become the first black Miss America, encouraged her fellow graduates to "treasure this moment."
"These days are irreplaceable and are the beginning of the rest of your life," she said, according to The Syracuse Post-Standard.
Upon receiving her diploma, Williams raised it to show her mother and children.
She attended Syracuse's drama department as a musical theater major from 1981-1983. She earned the remaining credits for her degree through industry experience and performances on stage and screen.
FOX PICKS UP NIECY NASH PILOT: 'The Inn' is a go for the fall.
*Comedy Central and Style Network queen Niecy Nash is now an official member of the FOX clan with the network's series pickup of her pilot "The Inn."
As previously reported, the show has been described as "Upstairs/Downstairs" set at a hip New York hotel.
Nash will star opposite Jerry O'Connell in the series, which is written and executive produced by Abraham Higginbotham ("Arrested Development").
The comedic actress is best known as Deputy Raineesha Williams from the "Reno 911!" TV series on Comedy Central and the "Reno 911!: Miami"
feature film. She was also the host of Style Network’s home-makeover series "Clean House."
EDDIE GRIFFIN STARS IN NEW VH1 REALITY SHOW: Actor 'goes for broke' in series chronicling his personal life.
*Eddie Griffin's personal life will be on full display this winter in VH1's "Eddie Griffin Going for Broke," a new reality show that will focus on how he juggles being both a player and a family man.
The network has given an eight-episode order to the tentatively-titled project. Casting will begin in the coming weeks for a scheduled winter 2009 premiere.
The series is produced by the Grief Co., which was also behind A&E's "Gene Simmons: Family Jewels."
Griffin's film credits include "Undercover Brother" and "Norbit."
His television resume is highlighted by the sitcom "Malcolm & Eddie."
SUGE KNIGHT GETS KNOCKED OUT AT THE CLUB: TMZ claims former Death Row mogul lost a fight Saturday night in Hollywood.
*TMZ.com says one of its spies witnessed Death Row co-founder Suge Knight getting knocked out Saturday night during a fight at Shag nightclub in Hollywood.
The Web site's account is as follows:
A source witnessed Suge talking to a guy -- and the convo was friendly enough at first. Then it turned. Suge shouted, "I want my money!"
Suge then rushed the guy with the help of his posse, and began hitting and kicking him. Get this -- during the fight, Suge put a random guy in a headlock, demanding his cellphone.
People outside the club broke up the fight, and as the beatee got up, he landed a right hook to Suge's face, knocking him out cold. We're told Knight was out for nearly three minutes. His peeps then rushed him into a nearby SUV.
BTW, after Suge woke up, he began yelling for the phone he had just taken from the random guy.
USHER BRINGS HIS FOUNDATION TO WNBA: Singer teams with Atlanta Dream to expose kids to careers in sports and entertainment.
*Usher has linked with his hometown WNBA team the Atlanta Dream to house an internship program for his New Look Foundation, established to give underserved youth the necessary skills to enter careers in the sports and entertainment industry.
"I'm extremely excited about Camp New Look's partnership with the Atlanta Dream, and look forward to witnessing how this new partnership motivates our young people to even greater heights," says Usher. "We wanted to do something extra special for our students, and I'm happy that the Atlanta Dream has provided an avenue for our young entrepreneurs to attain real life experience."
Now in its fourth year, New Look has served over 1,300 teens from across the country through Camp New Look in Atlanta and mini-camps in New York, Los Angeles, Cleveland, and Milwaukee.
In 2008 New Look expanded its youth services by creating a true career track for those participants who want to continue to develop their understanding and pursuit of a career in the sports and entertainment industries by launching the New Look Internship program previously with the NHL, and now the WNBA team the Atlanta Dream.
"The Atlanta Dream shares Usher's commitment to inspiring young men and women to reach for their dreams," says Atlanta Dream President & COO Bill Bolen. "We are excited to partner with Usher's New Look Foundation and look forward to the New Look youth participating with us this season."
TIGER TROUBLE ON RICK ROSS VIDEO SET: Animal trainer attacked during shoot for 'Here I Am."
*A Rick Ross video shoot turned into "When Animals Attack" recently when a white tiger went nuts on an animal trainer, reports Miami's WVSN Channel 7’s Deco Drive.
The animal was being used in a video for Ross' song "Here I Am"
featuring Nelly. Reportedly agitated from being in chains all day, the tiger bit the trainer's leg as he tried to remove it from its cage.
"The trainer went and tried to help him, but he grabbed him by the tail and the tiger didn’t like it so, he turned around and bit the trainers leg," said cast member Cesar Chacon. "There was some action right there.
We’ve never seen stuff like that before."
The incident took place before rapper Nelly arrived on the set. The trainer managed to get the tiger back into its cage, before he was treated on the set by paramedics.
BLACK ENTERPRISE CROWNS OPRAH'S HARPO: Mag names it 'Company of the Year' and features mogul on June cover.
*Black Enterprise will name Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Inc. its 2008 BE100s Company of the Year on Friday (May 16) during its Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Winfrey gives an exclusive interview to BE Editorial Director Sonia Alleyne in the upcoming June 2008 issue, due on newsstands June 3.
In the feature “Oprah Means Business,” Winfrey talks about the winning formula that has taken Harpo Inc. from a five-person production company to a 430-employee multimedia conglomerate that grossed $345 million in 2007. Today, she is one of a handful of black billionaires across the globe; her net worth estimated at $2.5 billion.
“I haven’t planned one thing—ever. I have just been led by a strong instinct, and I have made choices based on what was right for me at the time,” she says in the article.
Winfrey admits to learning some hard lessons as a result of her nontraditional approach to business. Starting with just five employees, she got along for years without management controls or development programs to grow talent as she grew the business.
Winfrey’s brand of leadership demands that nothing be taken for granted. “I don’t yell at people, I don’t mistreat people, I don’t talk down to people. So no one else in this building, in this vicinity, has the right to do it,” she states emphatically. “Treating people with respect is the most important thing to me. It’s not just talk.”
The complete interview with Winfrey can be found in BE's June 2008 issue. For inclusive coverage of the largest black-owned businesses of 2008, log on to www.blackenterprise.com.
ITTY BITTY BITS: Archuleta's dad; Whitney gig; Jenifer Lewis & Suri; Clooney & Gayle; Dr. Mathew Knowles; Justin's 'Phone'.
*"American Idol" heartthrob David Archuleta decided Tuesday night to add a quick line from Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girls" to his rendition of "Stand By Me" and all hell has broken loose. According to TMZ.com, the idea came from the 17-year-old's father Jeff Archuleta and has now cost him his backstage pass. The show was not licensed to play Kingston's 2007 hit and therefore caused "American Idol" to incur additional fees. Producers have now banned Mr. Archuleta from attending rehearsals or any other backstage activity, TMZ reported.
*Whitney Houston received much better reviews for her recent concert in London than for her previous gig in Tobago. The singer performed Thursday at the Caudwell Children Legends Ball at Battersea Park and, according to one guest, "both looked and sounded amazing. She was fantastic," reports People. "The hour-long set included her biggest hits, including "I Wanna Dance with Somebody," "I Will Always Love You," "The Greatest Love of All,"
and "Saving All My Love for You."
*Jenifer Lewis returned to her dressing room after Friday's performance of Motormouth Maybelle in Broadway's "Hairspray" to find Tom Cruise, his wife Katie and their baby Suri standing in the doorway. "I turned, and there was Tom Cruise saying to me, 'Oh my God, you're wonderful!'" Lewis tells the New York Daily News. TomKat brought Suri to the play because "Hairspray" is her favorite video. Says Lewis: "Suri was so sweet in her little velvet and taffeta dress."
*Viewers of Oprah Winfrey's talk show Thursday saw her best friend Gayle King leave a live Hot Topics episode so that she could dance with George Clooney for a photo shoot. She gushes about the moment to People.com, stating: "I'm still smiling." The two danced in the lobby of the Hearst building lobby where the actor was shooting an Esquire magazine spread. King is the editor-at-large for O Magazine headquartered in the Hearst building. "It was [to] Frank Sinatra," King said of the dance. "I just followed George ... and he's really good." When asked if she had enjoyed herself, King said, "You can see all 106 teeth, can't you? He's my idea of Mr. Dreamy."
*Beyonce's father Mathew Knowles, President and CEO of Music World Entertainment, was given a Doctor of Humane Letters from his alma mater Fisk University at their 2008 Commencement Ceremony.
*Justin Timberlake is executive producing a new MTV series called "The Phone." Based on a Dutch reality show format, each episode begins with two hidden cell phones ringing at opposite ends of a major city. Contestants who answer the phones will have five seconds to decide if they want to play along for a cash prize, and a guide on the other end of the line then gives contestants a mission to complete before time runs out.
As they race through the city on their adventure, a helicopter tracks their every move. The show, which will be produced by FremantleMedia North America and begin airing in this coming fall.
SPORTS BITS: Vick must pay; LeBron's tip drama; McGinest preps for retirement.
*A federal judge ordered imprisoned quarterback Michael Vick to repay more than $2.4 million to The Royal Bank of Canada for defaulting on a loan. The bank sued Vick in September, arguing his guilty plea to a federal dogfighting charge — and the resulting impact on his career — prevented him from repaying the loan. According to the suit filed in U.S. District Court in Newport News, the loan's terms specify that any employment change negatively impacting Vick's income constitutes a default on the loan. Vick is serving a 23-month prison sentence at the U.S. penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan., after pleading guilty last year to financing a dogfighting ring. The order Wednesday from U.S. Magistrate F. Bradford Stillman requires Vick to pay $2.4 million, plus $499 in interest per day, starting Sept. 19, 2007, and the bank's attorneys' fees and costs of $11,950 plus interest.
*Multi-millionaire LeBron James was branded a cheapskate last week after a newspaper claimed he left a $10 tip on an $800 meal. The Cleveland Scene reported that the NBA star and a few friends racked up the bill at Cleveland's XO Prime Steaks while dining until nearly 4 a.m. The restaurant however said it was all a misunderstanding. "Upon completion of his meal, Mr. James paid his bill with a credit card. Our waiter mistakenly read the receipt, inferring that Mr. James had left him only a $10 tip," read a statement. "To clear up the misunderstanding, Mr. James arranged for an appropriate tip to be delivered to the restaurant for the waiter."
*NFL linebacker Willie McGinest told SI.com that he will retire from football following the 2008/09 season. "This will be it," said the former USC star. "This will be my 15th season. I've worked hard; I think I've done everything I set out to accomplish." McGinest, who played 12 seasons and won three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots, signed a three-year, $12 million contract with the Browns in 2006. He had 78 sacks with New England, set the record for most postseason sacks with 16 and the single-game playoff record with 4.5 in a 2006 wild-card win over Jacksonville. "I have no regrets or no qualms about my career," McGinest said. "I've done everything a football player can do and I've done it more than once."
EVENT CALENDAR: Hines Ward's Charity Weekend; James Reynolds' Celebrity Basketball Game.
*Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward of the Pittsburgh Steelers is scheduled to host his Celebrity Charity Weekend in Atlanta this month to benefit the Hines Ward MVP86 “Helping Hands Foundation,” which provides educational programs to help children build confidence and maintain a good work ethic.
The event will kick off Thursday, May 29 and continue through the Memorial Day weekend until May 31. A Celebrity Charity Gold Classic, Fashion Showcase and Celebrity Bowling Tournament will take place on May 30, while a MVP Youth Fitness Clinic will take place on May 31. Ray Lewis, Osi Umenyiora, Jerome Bettis, Champ Bailey and Takeo Spikes are expected to attend. For ticket information, contact Sharon Turner at Sharon@viplifestylein.com
*The James Reynolds 19th Annual “Days of our Lives” Celebrity Basketball Game, to benefit the South Pasadena High School Boys Basketball Program and the Fremont Centre Theatre, will be held Friday, May 30 at 7:30 p.m. Alison Sweeney, Bryan Dattilo and Stephen Nichols are among the “Days”
stars expected to participate in the event at South Pasadena High School’s Main Gym (1401 Diamond Ave. in South Pasadena, one block behind the school). Doors will open at 7 p.m. and there will be a raffle as well as a silent auction. General Admission tickets are $15. VIP tickets are $165, which includes backstage access at the game, a team jersey, a photo with the teams, a gift basket and special seating. For more information, call
323-993-3376 or e-mail DaysGame2008@gmail.com
SHARPTON OWES TAX MAN OVER 1.5 MILLION: Plus, activist wants Sen. Clinton to 'leave the stage.'
*Government records obtained by The Associated Press indicate that the Rev. Al Sharpton and his various businesses owe Uncle Sam nearly $1.5 million in overdue taxes and associated penalties.
Sharpton's own tax debts include $365,558 owed in New York City and $931,397 to federal, according to a lien filed by the Internal Revenue Service last spring. His for-profit company, Rev. Al Communications, owes the state another $175,962 in delinquent taxes.
As previously reported, the U.S. attorney is also currently investigating his nonprofit group National Action Network. Over the past year, Sharpton's lawyers and the staff have been negotiating with the federal government over the size of his debt, which they dispute. The group has also been trying to pay off tens of thousands of dollars it owes for failing to properly maintain workers compensation and unemployment insurance.
Charlie King, the organization's interim executive director, said Sharpton has started paying it off but contends that poor record-keeping by the National Action Network led the government to overestimate his tax liability. King said both Sharpton and the group weren't ready for their sudden rise in stature in recent years and had trouble dealing with big jumps in donations and income.
"The infrastructure was trying to keep up with that pace, and it was not a perfect fit," King told the AP on Friday. "The National Action Network may not have been perfect, but nothing was going on that was untoward."
He said the organization has new accountants and a new administrative team, and the group recently finally filed long-overdue tax returns.
Meanwhile, Sharpton continues to brush off the federal investigations as the kind of annoyance that civil rights figures have come to expect from the government.
"Whatever retaliation they do on me, we never stop," he told the AP. "I think that that is why they try to intimidate us."
Speaking of never stopping, Sharpton doesn’t' quite share the same never-say-die attitude when it comes to Sen. Hillary Clinton and her decision to stay in the race to become the Democratic Party's presidential nominee.
“Not dropping out would mean ruining the party,” he told New York 1 television on Thursday night. “I think Barack Obama’s the nominee. I think he’s won. The majority of Democrats have already decided.”
“As you know, I’ve been in the ministry of civil rights all my life, but had dealings with entertainers because of James Brown,” continued Sharpton, who has yet to announce his endorsement. “The worst thing in the world is when an entertainer doesn’t know when the show is over. The audience is gone, the lights are down, you’re getting ready to cut the mics off and you are still on the stage singing. It’s over, it’s all right, it’s over. Come sing another day, but this show is over for Sen. Clinton.”
EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE
"People with goals succeed because they know where they are going...
It's as simple as that." — Earl Nightingale
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
May 12: Actor Ving Rhames is 49. Actress Kim Fields is 39. Actor Malcolm David Kelley ("Lost") is 16.
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 12, 1967: H. Rap Brown replaced Stokely Carmichael as chairman of Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. (Source: www.BlackFacts.com)
Share and Bookmark |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
