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08-18-08 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE
LISARAYE'S PUBLICIST SETS RECORD STRAIGHT': Lynn Jeter claims client's run-in with husband was not as violent as reported.
*LisaRaye McCoy Misick and her publicist, Lynn Jeter, had a busy weekend dealing with the aftermath of the actress' fight with her husband, Turks and Caicos Islands Premier Michael Misick.
On Friday, Jeter called EUR's Lee Bailey to discuss all of the drama so far, and to separate fact from fiction, including reports of a violent altercation that sent both spouses to the hospital. Jeter, who says she was not with LisaRaye when the alleged violence erupted, denied that a "fight" even took place.
"There was no pushing, there was no slugging, there was no swinging of arms, there was no tussle, nothing like that," says Jeter. However, her account of the incident – as told to her by LisaRaye and LisaRaye's cousin Phillip Travis – corroborates much of what has already been reported; that LisaRaye and Travis went into the house against Misick's will, pushing and shoving took place between the two, Misick's sister became involved and LisaRaye was bitten (and bit someone) at some point during the altercation.
Jeter gave EUR the blow-by-blow account of what went down Thursday after LisaRaye drove her white jeep up to the palace gate.
"Her personal security (Travis) was driving, [LisaRaye] was in the back seat, I was in the passenger side of the jeep," Jeter begins. "We pulled up to her home. We had been to the grocery store. She'd bought food to make tacos. So we had groceries in the back of the car.
"We got up to the house, the guards spoke to her and then proceeded to pick up the phone. [LisaRaye] said, 'Oh you don't have to pick up the phone to announce me.' But he proceeded to do so and closed the door to the guard shack with LisaRaye standing there. …He caught her between the door and him. Her security (Travis) then got out of the car and pulled the door so [the guard] would not hurt her."
Jeter affirms: "[Travis] never touched the security guard at all. LisaRaye then walked through the guard house into the property of her home. [Travis] was behind her, and I was sitting in the truck on the passenger side. I then got behind the driver's seat and backed the truck up" to park it in the front of the house and call LisaRaye's lawyer, believing he might be needed.
Contrary to Michael Misick's earlier statement claiming that Jeter accompanied LisaRaye and Travis into the home, Jeter says she was not with the cousins when they walked inside.
"But what I've been told by [LisaRaye] and [Travis is that] there was no belligerence," says Jeter. "When they arrived, Michael was having a meeting with some of his ministers on the patio."
Caribbean Net News reported last week that TCI's Minister for Health and Education, Lillian Been-Boyce, was among them and witnessed the incident. But Jeter denies the outlet's claim that things became violent.
"I was told [LisaRaye] came in, she waved. Two of the people on the patio saw her. But she didn't see Michael. Michael, then, all of a sudden appeared and started walking up the walk toward the house," Jeter recounts.
"[LisaRaye] was walking toward their library study, and Michael said, 'You should not be here. What are you doing here?' She said, What are you talking about Michael, this is my home.' They went into the library. And one of Michael's security guards grabbed First Lady's hand and snatched a recorder she had in her hand."
Jeter, who earlier stated there was no pushing during the confrontation, says one of Misick's security guards then "pushed LisaRaye and her guard out the front door of the house."
She says LisaRaye re-entered the home and ended up in the kitchen area, standing physically between Michael and his sister – with the sister behind the actress and Misick in front of her. Jeter says the siblings began moving their bodies into LisaRaye's path to block her from stepping past them and into other rooms of the mansion.
"Then someone bit her on her shoulder," Jeter says. "And then she bit someone back."
By the time LisaRaye's attorney (reached by Jeter via cell phone from the parked jeep) had arrived at the mansion, police were on the scene and Travis was in a squad car. He was eventually allowed to leave without being arrested.
According to Jeter, Michael and his entourage then drove to the hospital to treat his bite wounds. Meanwhile, a police officer approached LisaRaye at the mansion and said her husband has offered to pay for her to stay at a local beach resort to avoid any more altercations. LisaRaye accepted the offer and with Jeter and Travis drove to the emergency room to treat her bite marks.
"She was treated, and then after her treatment, she went to the police department and we filed an initial complaint. …She was there for 6 ½ hours."
Jeter goes on to say that LisaRaye had stayed at the palace as usual on Aug. 5, 6 and 7 before leaving Friday, Aug. 8, for the states. She appeared at the Bud Biliken parade in Chicago on Saturday and at another event on Sunday, Aug. 10. It was during this time that Jeter sent out her initial press release accusing Misick of cheating with BET VJ Rocsi.
LisaRaye flew back to TCI Sunday night, at Michael's request, to meet with lawyers to discuss their plans to separate, as well as her financial support leading up to the actual divorce, says Jeter. Two days later, on Aug. 12, Misick officially announced that he and his wife were separating.
There were questions surrounding the decision on both parties to separate instead of divorce. Jeter says TCI law requires that a couple be married three years before a divorce can be filed. LisaRaye and Michael have only been married for two years.
"The original reason we came, and were meeting with Michael at Michael's request, is to come up with a settlement as far as temporary support until there is a decree and finally divorce, Jeter told us. "So just like any woman from the States, if you separate, then there's spousal support until you get a final decree. And then the final decree determines what the terms of the divorce will be, whether there's property settlement or whatever it may be."
For more of Jeter's interview, click here to listen to this week's EURcast.
P. MILLER TO CHALLENGE BET WITH NEW NETWORK: Rap mogul announces 2009 launch of family-friendly Better Black Television.
*On the heels of dropping his rap moniker Master P, Percy Miller – now known as P. Miller – has announced that he is launching a new cable network that will provide African American-themed fare for the entire family.
Better Black Television, set to begin in 2009, will provide "positive content for a black and brown culture," according to a company statement, and unofficially compete with Black Entertainment Television for viewers.
Miller assured Reuters that he still has "a great relationship with BET and MTV" and that he and his son, Lil' Romeo, "will continue to do work with them and support their networks." He also gave props to BET founder Bob Johnson.
"I remember him telling me back in the day that if you wanted to know real estate, you've got to hang out with real estate investors. If you wanted to know sports, you've got to hang out with athletes. I wanted to know TV, so I hung out with Bob and learned the TV game from one of the best in the business."
Content on Miller's BBTV will include a wide range of scripted, unscripted and news programming, including drama and comedy series, movies, animation, reality, politics, sports and entertainment news, children's educational and teen programming, as well as "responsible hip-hop music and videos." [Scroll down view list of shows so far.]
"I believe that there is a market in our community for a new diverse network that provides a new brand of superior programming that caters to all aspects of television, from reality to original programming," he said.
The network's advisory board includes Oscar winner Denzel Washington; Vault Load Films president Jim Finkl; NAACP executive director Vicangelo Bullock; NBA player Derek Anderson; cable industry veteran Prof. Sal Martino; hip-hop pioneer DJ Kool Herc; entrepreneur Olatokunbo Betiku; and real estate mogul Curtis Oakes.
The cable channel is in the process of purchasing local cable channel affiliates across the country. Production on BBTV's programs has begun in California, New York, Louisiana and Florida.
BBTV's programming in the works:
* "Sunset and Vine": Video show hosted by Vyshonn Miller and Brittany Phillips that will showcase the top hip-hop and R&B acts as well as play classic videos.
* "One Shot Comedy Show": Comedy show hosted by Gary Johnson (a.k.a.
G-Thing) featuring established and upcoming comedians.
* "Gee Gee the Giraffe": Children's educational show (will air Saturday morning on BBTV Kids).
* "Manage Your Money": Featuring financially successful people lending tips to promote financial literacy.
* "Close to the Starz": A behind-the-scenes show that takes the viewers up close and personal to their favorite celebrities.
* "Karma TV Show": Bilingual soap opera with an African-American and Latino cast.
* "What's Cooking TV Show": Talk show that covers wide aspects of entertainment and current events while cooking healthy, budget-conscious meals.
* "The Black List Movies": Film showcase featuring classic and contemporary movies, as well as original BBTV productions.
* "Hip-Hop Garage Show": Saturday show that will play new and upcoming music.
SHAQ & SHAUNIE PUMP BREAKS ON DIVORCE: Wife claims marriage is on the mend.
*Nearly one year after Shaquille O'Neal filed for divorce, his wife Shaunie says the proceedings will be halted in the coming days and the couple will continue to try and work things out.
"Neither one of us could probably answer why we were getting one in the first place," Shaunie O'Neal told the Associated Press Thursday at the launch of her new video-sharing Web site.
"Things have been going so great, that someone actually had to remind us that 'Hey, you do remember those papers are still there.' Literally, it was days ago," said Shaunie. "So, we've agreed that before we leave Florida in a few days we'll make sure that that's gone away."
Shaquille O'Neal filed for divorce in Miami-Dade Circuit Court on Sept. 4, 2007, after nearly five years of marriage. The petition stated: "The marriage between the parties is irretrievably broken" and Shaunie was "secretive about her assets ... particularly with respect to certain properties owned or titled in either [her] name alone or in other entities."
He requested that the court require Shaunie to give a "correct accounting of all money, funds, stocks, bonds, and other securities (including bearer securities)."
Shaunie told the AP: "The kids and I kind of learned about the divorce at the same time. So that was hard. That was probably the worst part of the whole thing, was being able to deal with how hurt the whole kids were."
Shaq's divorce attorney, Ira Elegant, did not return a call to Reuters before press time.
Meanwhile, Shaunie's new video-sharing Web site, launching Sept. 1, is geared to showcase children and their talents in a kid-friendly, safe arena. The entrepreneur said she developed the idea because she wanted to be able to share her own children's activities with her family members.
"I get the complaint of 'Oh, I wish I could see that,'" she said.
"There was nowhere I could find that was just safe, where maybe a slip of the finger would take us somewhere where I don't want the kids to see or hear."
SCIENTOLOGY SHUNNED AT ISSAC HAYES MEMORIAL?: Critics of late singer's faith don't want followers at Presbyterian Church service.
*Today's scheduled memorial for Isaac Hayes has the unfortunate making of an ugly showdown between members of Hayes' Scientology faith, and Christian members of Hope Presbyterian Church in Memphis, where the service is to be held.
According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, critics of Scientology bombarded the newspaper with "scathing e-mails and phone calls" to protest an article mentioning the appearance of a Scientology minister at the memorial.
Hayes was an outspoken Scientologist and helped found the Memphis Church of Scientology. However, many of the angry letters described Scientology as a cult that has no business inside of a church.
Responding to the outcry, Hope Presbyterian and Hayes' family issued statements describing the event as a tribute rather than a memorial, saying it was intended as an homage to the soul legend, who died Sunday at 65, and not a religious service.
"Friends of many faiths and traditions will join the family to pay tribute to the music legend and reflect upon his life through speeches, musical performances, photos and video clips." said a statement released by the family.
Craig Strickland, senior pastor of Hope Presbyterian in Cordova, said today's event at 11 a.m. will not include a casket or remains and a separate funeral is being planned at an undisclosed location.
DMX ARRESTED IN MIAMI: Rapper picked up on Arizona warrant; held behind bars until October hearing.
*Another day, another arrest for DMX. The rapper was handcuffed outside of a Wall-Mart store in suburban Miami Thursday on a bench warrant issued Tuesday in Phoenix when he failed to appear at a court hearing.
The rapper's lawyer, Charles Kozelka, says his client checked into a Miami hospital the day he was to appear in Phoenix and was planning on entering a rehab facility afterward. Kozelka says the warrant stopped those plans, and that he had been trying to arrange for DMX to turn himself in at the airport.
According to TMZ.com, DMX's Florida lawyer, Brad Cohen, tried to bail him out on Friday, but was unable to because Arizona courts list him as having a no bail hold. X was formerly listed as having $25,000 cash bond, but somehow it's changed, the Web site stated, leaving the rapper behind bars in Miami until his October 2 court hearing for a possession charge he has in Miami.
Thursday's arrest warrant was issued by a Phoenix judge after the artist, born Earl Simmons, skipped a pretrial conference on four counts of possessing drug paraphernalia and one count of possession of marijuana.
The case is one of several Simmons is facing in Phoenix, including several animal cruelty and drug possession counts.
ESSENCE TALKS TO JESSE ABOUT OBAMA REMARKS: Rev. Jackson opens up about backlash; maintains he is still relevant.
*Essence magazine editors Tatsha Robertson and Cynthia Gordy sat down with the Rev. Jesse Jackson to discuss the fallout over accusing Senator Barack Obama of “talking down to black people” and “telling n****s how to behave.”
The comments, picked up by a microphone during a break for a Fox News interview, prompted critics to dismiss the civil rights activist and two-time U.S. presidential candidate as a relic from the past.
In the interview, Jackson responds to the backlash and explains why he thinks he’s just as relevant as ever. Excerpts are listed below. The entire interview is available at essence.com (http://www.essence.com/essence/lifestyle/voices/0,16109,1832452,00.html).
ESSENCE.COM: Will we see you at the Democratic National Convention?
JACKSON: Absolutely.
ESSENCE.COM: Will you be playing any role at the convention?
JACKSON: No, not any particular role. I’ll be there as an Obama supporter. I have spoken at the last six Democratic conventions, so I wanted to certainly make room for more speakers and broader participation.
ESSENCE.COM: We’ve seen you champion African-American issues and fight against injustice. Many people simply want to know, when you mentioned the N-word in your off-air remarks about Obama last month—why? They want you to tell them, as an African-American, why did that happen?
JACKSON: It should not have happened. What was private talk became public controversy, and I am embarrassed by that. There is no virtue in that kind of talk, and it should always be discouraged. My appeal even then was that responsibility is a significant message, but our needs require real government intervention and private sector incentives to address the issues of unemployment, building affordable housing and making education more affordable, which really was my point. It was a very painful period for me to have gone through that. The good news is that it’s behind us now.
ESSENCE.COM: Have you talked to Obama about it?
JACKSON: Yes. As a matter of fact, he sent me a welcome to the convention and made credentials available to me. We’ve gone on to the next stage.
ESSENCE.COM: Your son disagreed with you (on the off-air comments). What do you think about your son’s comments? Is it further evidence of you not reaching a new generation?
JACKSON: Well, Jesse’s a co-chair of the campaign, and he’s also a congressman. He felt that pain of that too. He’s free to express himself, and it does not bother our relationship as father and son at all. He was taught to give his opinion in our household, and he did it in love. He’s tough, he’s smart. He has a future in politics. He didn’t want the impression to be that my faux pas was his faux pas, because it was not. I respect his right to express himself.
ESSENCE.COM: In Senator Obama’s speech that he gave at a Chicago church this past Father's Day, he urged more Black fathers to be involved in their children’s lives. He received backlash for that—
JACKSON: Well, the message of responsibility should be broadly applied and not appear to be just directed to Blacks. Black men need to be responsible—they also need to be employed.
ESSENCE.COM: So would you say that children without fathers in the home is not that critical an issue in the Black community?
JACKSON: Men across the board must be more responsible. But again, in the context of the Black situation, we have a requirement for governmental intervention. You’ve got a million blacks in jail with three or four kids apiece; that’s a state of emergency. I think that responsibility was always embraced. But we’ve got some real structural inequality and exploitation that must also be addressed; that’s all.
ESSENCE.COM: As Senator Obama moves forward in the campaign, do you have any words of advice for him?
JACKSON: I think we have an outstanding candidate. We have the burden now to fully register and vote. There are still maybe 6 to 8 million Blacks unregistered who should not miss this hour, this opportunity. Now that we have a who, let’s focus on the what. What is an urban policy that can begin a renewed commitment to educate our children and to employ adults and provide public health care? These are the issues he has embraced. We have a candidate who has a good grasp of the issues that matter. But the burden is upon us now to maximize registration and output.
BAD DAY AT THE 'OFFICE' FOR CRAIG ROBINSON: Actor arrested on suspicion of drug possession.
*Actor Craig Phillip Robinson, best known as stock room worker Darryl Philbin on NBC's "The Office," was arrested in June for suspicion of possessing MDMA, also known as ecstasy, and methamphetamine.
According to the Associated Press, cops in Culver City, Calif found the drugs inside of his car on June 29 after pulling him over for speeding.
The 36-year-old was taken into custody and charged with two felony counts of drug possession and one count of being under the influence of cocaine, amphetamines and cannabinoids.
The TV star, who also appears in the current film "Pineapple Express," was released the same day of his arrest after posting bail. He is due back in court on Aug. 21.
THOUSANDS MOURN BERNIE MAC AT MEMORIAL: Ced the Entertainer said he's 'still the hottest ticket in town.'
*More than 6,000 fans, friends, family members and famous colleagues of comedian Bernie Mac gathered at Chicago's House of Hope megachurch Saturday to mourn his passing.
With traffic outside of the South Side venue tied up for blocks, and vendors on hand selling memorial T-shirts for $10 a pop outside, fellow comedian Cedric the Entertainer cracked that Mac was "still the hottest ticket in town."
The service included the reading of condolence letters from children; from Democratic presidential candidate and Illinois senator Barack Obama; and from Mac's hometown White Sox baseball team. Also, Mac's comedy bits were played on large video screens with off-color words bleeped out, reports the Associated Press.
Mayor Richard Daley said Mac had visited his office recently inquiring about ways to help curb violence in the city.
"He wanted to help get children away from a life of crime and violence," Daley said during the service. "That's why he's the king of
comedy. He never lost his soul in Chicago."
Samuel L. Jackson, who co-stars with Mac in the upcoming movie "Soul Men," spoke at the service, saying he knew Mac "was having some health issues, but he always said to me every morning that he was always good."
Jackson also said Mac always made time for his fans. "He never turned that kid down for an autograph," Jackson said. "He always had time to shake a hand. He was always that kid from Chicago who wanted to make everybody happy and everybody laugh."
The music of Isaac Hayes, who died the day after Mac, and co-starred in "Soul Men," played during the service.
Cedric The Entertainer, Steve Harvey and D.L. Hughley, co-stars with Mac in the documentary "The Original Kings of Comedy," took the stage together to remember their fellow comic. Hughley told the crowd that he and others always looked forward to seeing Mac's stage attire each night during the famed comedy tour. He said: "Bernie would wear colors that crayons hadn't even thought of yet."
Mac died Aug. 9 at age 50 of what his publicist said were complications from pneumonia. He had been at Chicago's Northwestern Memorial Hospital since the middle of July.
NICOLE RICHIE TO HELP MOTHERS IN NEED: New Web site aims to get baby products to financially-strapped families.
*Nicole Richie is behind a new online gift registry that will provide baby products to moms in need, reports People.com.
Due to launch this fall, the service allows families to sign up through local social service agencies. A list of baby products they need – such as cribs, strollers or blankets – will be posted on the Web site.
Donors can view the wish-lists and choose what to contribute (much like a wedding or baby gift registry).
"We take for granted the basic necessities. For some families, it's a serious struggle," Richie tells People. "This is one way to ease the financial burden, and help new babies have a good start in life. We are only working with companies and products that Joel and I would use. We're checking every product out for safety – and all products are BPA-free."
The Web site will launch through her Richie-Madden Children's Foundation, the charity she and boyfriend Joel Madden started last winter when she was pregnant with daughter Harlow. The registry will start off helping families in the Los Angeles and New York areas before expanding throughout the country and internationally.
"Nicole saw that even a clean blanket was out of reach for some of these new moms so she wanted to figure out an efficient way to connect them with companies and individuals who want to help," foundation advisor Bruce Richman tells People.com.
WE REMEMBER JERRY WEXLER: Famed Atlantic producer worked with Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Picket.
*Jerry Wexler, the man who first used the term rhythm and blues to describe popular music from black artists, died on Friday of congestive heart failure at his home in Sarasota, Fla. He was 91.
As a reporter for Billboard in the late 1940s, Wexler coined the name R&B and went on to become a record producer who helped lead the genre to mainstream popularity.
In the early 50s, he left the magazine and became a partner at Atlantic Records, overseeing over the 1954 recording session of Ray Charles's breakout hit, "I Got a Woman." While working as a producer for the label, he went on to shape the careers of such artists as Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett and Aretha Franklin.
“Jerry was one of the last great and real record men of the ‘Boomer Age’ and prior to, who represented himself with real class and integrity," Franklin said in a statement. "He was particularly a very conscientious producer who knew how to mix fun with business. He was real and I valued that highly. I spoke with him a few months ago and he said that he was not feeling very well but his voice and spirit were still very strong and in tact. God bless him for the huge contribution he made to my career and I will remember his tender loving care.”
Wexler and Franklin teamed for 14 albums in the late 1960s and '70s under Atlantic, and produced some of her biggest hit singles, including "Respect," "Dr. Feelgood" and "Chain of Fools."
During a recording session with Pickett in the mid-1960s, Wexler was trying to describe a certain backbeat he wanted in the song "In the Midnight Hour" but couldn't explain the rhythm in words. He illustrated it by doing a new dance, the jerk.
“Jerry Wexler was a true music-making pioneer whose work at Atlantic Records created an amazing legacy of R&B, pop and rock," said Recording Academy President/CEO, Neil Portnow. "His life and work have left an indelible mark on the music industry. A three-time Grammy winner who helped shape the careers of iconic R&B legends — Ray Charles and our 2008 MusiCares Person of the Year Aretha Franklin — among others, Wexler’s contributions to our music culture have been immense and immeasurable. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family, friends, and all who were moved by his work.”
JACKSON BROWNE 'RUNNING' TO SUE MCCAIN: Liberal rocker sues presidential candidate for using his song without permission.
*Rock veteran Jackson Browne filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Republican presidential candidate John McCain for using his 1977 song "Running on Empty" in a campaign ad without permission.
The spot features the song while a narrator mocks Democratic candidate Barack Obama's comment about the need for people to check their tire pressure as part of an overall effort to conserve gas.
Browne's lawyer, Lawrence Iser, said his client is "a well-known, lifelong liberal activist and supporter of Democratic candidates, and use of his song and his voice in a commercial bashing Barack Obama is anathema to Jackson."
The suit, filed on Thursday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, also names the Republican National Committee and the Ohio Republican Party as defendants. It seeks a permanent injunction against further use of Browne's music and at least $75,000 in damages.
McCain's campaign, meanwhile, says the Ohio Republican Party is solely responsible for the creation and distribution of the ad, and the Arizona senator and his campaign had nothing to with it.
There was no immediate comment from the RNC or Ohio Republican Party representatives. The ad, which aired on television in Ohio and Pennsylvania, was removed from the Internet last week by the Ohio Republican Party in response to a cease-and-desist demand from Browne.
B.B. KING CONTINUES ROAD WORK: Blues musician begins fall tour in September.
*At 82-years-old, B.B. King is showing no signs of slowing down. The blues legend, who just wrapped up a coast-to-coast summer tour, is about to hit the road again next month for a string of U.S. shows that stretches into December, reports Live Daily.
The trek is scheduled to begin Sept. 6 in Laughlin, NV, and visit a mix of clubs, theaters and casinos across the country through Dec. 1, including a two-night stand in Houston.
Meanwhile, King is getting ready to release a new album, "One Kind Favor," which features covers of old blues songs that inspired him as a young man. Produced by T Bone Burnett (Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Roy Orbison), the record was made to sound like it was recorded in the '50s. Players include Dr. John on piano, Nathan East on standup bass and Jim Keltner on drums. The set is scheduled to be released Aug. 26 on Geffen Records.
Below is the itinerary for B.B. King's fall tour:
September 2008
6 - Laughlin, NV - Harrah's Laughlin Rio Vista Amphitheatre
7 - Phoenix, AZ - Celebrity Theater
18 - Bossier City, LA - CenturyTel Center
19 - Biloxi, MS - Beau Rivage Resort & Casino 20 - Choctaw, MS - Pearl River Resort
21 - Huntsville, AL - Von Braun Center
25 - Bridgeport, CT - Klein Memorial Auditorium
26 - Hartford, CT - The Bushnell Center for Performing Arts
27 - Reading, PA - Sovereign Performing Arts Center
28 - Peekskill, NY - Paramount Center for the Arts 30 - Detroit, MI - MGM Grand Detroit Casino
October 2008
2 - Toledo, OH - Stranahan Theater
3 - Joliet, IL - Rialto Square Theatre
4 - Carbondale, IL - Southern Illinois University Arena
5 - Branson, MO - Welk Resort Theatre
7 - Wichita, KS - Century II Performing Arts & Convention Center
17 - Albuquerque, NM - Route 66 Casino
23 - Mescalero, NM - Inn of the Mountain Gods Casino
25 - Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater
31 - Milwaukee, WI - The Riverside Theatre
November 2008
14 - Norman, OK - Riverwind Casino
15 - Thackerville, OK - Winstar Casino
16 - Dallas, TX - Meyerson Symphony Center
21-22 - Houston, TX - House of Blues
24 - Atlanta, GA - The Tabernacle
26 - Alexandria, VA - Birchmere
28 - Beverly, MA - North Shore Music Theatre
29 - Atlantic City, NJ - House of Blues
30 - Durham, NC - Durham Performing Arts Center
December 2008
1 - Hagerstown, MD - Maryland Theatre
NEW BRANDY ALBUM DUE IN NOVEMBER: Singer calls effort her 'most personal album to date.'
*Brandy's upcoming album "Human," due Nov. 11 via Epic Records, is her first since 2004's Grammy-nominated "Afrodisiac" and is said to reflect her evolution as both a musician and an individual.
"'Human' is my most personal album to date," said Brandy. "I have grown so much since my last album. Being able to express myself and my journey through my music is a feeling I can't describe. With this new chapter of my life it feels good to have Rodney ["Darkchild" Jerkins], a familiar face, by my side again. He brings out emotions in me like nobody else."
Jerkins, who first collaborated with Brandy on her 1998 multi-platinum-selling collection "Never Say Never," says "Human" is the most emotionally resonant album of Brandy's career with songs and performances reflecting the truth and complexity of her experiences.
"It feels good to be back in the lab with Brandy again," said Jerkins. "We've always made great records and I'm humbled and honored to be continuing our legacy. The sound might be new, bigger, and more uplifting but we've kept our musical promise by making great songs and great music once again. There is no musical combination like ours.
"The album's title is a real life mirror of Brandy as a woman, an artist, a musician and a performer, communicating what it means to be fully 'Human': strong yet vulnerable, candid and triumphant, in love with life and in touch with the things of the spirit."
"Right Here (Departed)," the first single from "Human," leaked online last week and will impact pop radio on Sept. 16. The single and ringtone are scheduled to be released on Aug. 26, with a digital pre-order for the album slated the same day.
Other key tracks on "Human" include "Fall," which Brandy co-wrote with the chart-topping British dance/pop singer/songwriter Natasha Bedingfield, as well as the new songs "Long Distance," "Piano Man," and "Torn Down."
Brandy's other musical collaborators on Human include Brian Kennedy (Rihanna/"Disturbia"), emerging production whiz RedOne (Kat DeLuna, 2006 World Cup Official Single "Hips Don't Lie" with Shakira & Wyclef Jean), and James Fauntleroy (Jordin Sparks/"No Air").
OLYMPICS ROUNDUP: Usain Bolt sets record; Venus and Serena earn gold; James Blake bounced; USA basketball dominates.
*Jamaica’s Usain Bolt snatched a gold medal and the title of World's Fastest Man Saturday night after smoking competition in the 100-meter dash, including his teammate and former Fastest Man, Asafa Powell. Bolt ran 100 meters in a staggering 9.69 seconds, even as he eased up near the finish line to raise his arms and pound his chest. He bested his own world record mark of 9.72 seconds, which he set in New York just two months ago. Earlier in the night, the race lost some competitive heat when Tyson Gay failed to qualify after a disappointing semifinal. USA's Walter Dix of Tallahassee, Fla., won bronze with a personal best of 9.91 seconds. Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago came in second.
*Venus and Serena Williams won the Olympic gold medal in women’s doubles on Sunday, beating Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual, 6-2, 6-0 in the final round. Seeded second, the sisters improved their Olympic record to 10-0 and earned their second gold medal. The Williamses won the doubles event at the Sydney Games but didn’t play Athens because Serena was hurt.
*James Blake lost a controversial semi-final match to Chile's Frenando Gonzalez Friday 4-6, 7-5, 11-9. Blake accused his competitor of failing to admit that he touched a ball that had gone out of bounds. With Gonzalez serving at 8-9 in the final set, Blake hit a backhand passing shot long but contended the ball ticked Gonzalez's racket before landing, as TV replays confirmed. Blake appealed in vain to the chair umpire, and said Gonzalez should have conceded the point. Blake went on to lose the game to make it 9-all. Gonzalez said he was uncertain whether the ball hit his racket. "I didn't feel anything," Gonzalez said. "I mean, it's just one point. There is an umpire. If I'm 100 percent sure about it, I mean, I will give it. But I'm not sure."
*The USA men's and women's basketball teams each cruised to victory over the weekend in preliminary round games. The men beat Spain 119-82 Saturday night in its widest margin of victory yet, while the ladies rocked New Zealand 96-60 on Sunday night at Wukesong Arena in Beijing. The victory gave the men's team a No. 1 seed in Group A for the medal round quarterfinals, regardless of the outcome of today's final preliminary game against Germany at 8 p.m. (8 a.m. EDT this morning on USA, USA HD). The women emerged from Group B with the No. 1 seed, and opens medal round quarterfinal play tomorrow (Aug. 19) at 8:00 p.m. (8:00 a.m. EDT on USA, USA HD) against South Korea (2-3), the No. 4 seed from Group A.
ITTY BITTY BITS: Isaiah's auction; dictionary 'malfunction'; Taylor murder trial delayed; Madonna not adopting; Radio One sales; Undergear model search.
*Isaiah Washington is auctioning off a framed autographed cast photo of ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" on eBay to support the Gondobay Manga Foundation's Reach One Million Campaign, an organization aimed at improving the lives of one million children in Sierra Leone, West Africa. The auction will run through Aug. 23 on eBay. "This auction is a wonderful chance for people not only to bid on once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, but to also help save a child's life in Sierra Leone," said Washington, a former "Grey's Anatomy" cast member. Other items up for bid include autographed scripts from "Grey's Anatomy's" first, second and third seasons; and other memorabilia from Washington's personal collection.
*The term "wardrobe malfunction," first used in a 2004 statement from Janet Jackson to explain her brief breast-flash during a Super Bowl performance with Justin Timberlake, has been entered into the latest Chambers English Dictionary – with the definition "the exposure of an intimate part or parts of the body due to a defect in an article." Chambers Editor Mary O'Neill said the phrase was deemed relevant enough to be included because it helps to "paint a vivid picture of current interests and concerns."
*The trial of four men accused of murdering Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor has been delayed until next year, reports the Associated Press. A judge on Friday moved the start date from later this month to March 3, 2009. Prosecutors say the suspects shot Taylor in November during a robbery attempt at his Miami-area home. Taylor was unexpectedly home because of a knee injury. Venjah Hunte, 20, pleaded guilty in May under a deal that calls for him to serve 29 years in prison. The remaining four men have pleaded not guilty and are being held without bail. They face possible life in prison if convicted.
*A rep for Madonna has denied reports that she is planning to adopt another child from Malawi. The pop icon, who adopted her son David Banda from the country in 2006, was rumored to be planning the adoption of a 2-year-old Malawian girl. But Madonna's publicist Liz Rosenberg tells Usmagazine.com: "Madonna has not made an attempt to adopt this baby earlier this year or now."
*The Baltimore Business Journal reports that Radio One Inc. reported a net loss of $11.7 million, or 12 cents per share, for the quarter, compared to a net loss of $5.1 million, or 5 cents per share, in the same period last year. Revenue was $83.4 million, a 1 percent increase from the same period in 2007. During the quarter, the company bought online social networking company Community Connect Inc. for $38 million in cash. The company generated more than $3.7 million in revenue from the acquisition, in addition to revenue from other internally launched sites. Radio One owns more than 50 radio stations in 16 urban markets, as well as Silver Spring-based cable network TV One.
*Undergear, one of the nation’s leading catalog and online providers of men’s underwear, workout wear, swimwear and fashion, teams with Instinct Magazine, the leading independent gay national print publication, to search for the next hottest model to represent the Undergear brand in the “Undergear Model Star” search. The Undergear and Instinct teams will host open call events for Model Star wannabes in Los Angeles (August 21); Chicago (September 12); and Miami (September 20 or 27). One winner will be selected in each market and earn the opportunity to attend the New York City finale on Oct. 10. Contestants can also enter to win online by visiting the Undergear Web site (www.undergear.com) and completing the simple entry form including current photo or video. An online winner will join the four regional finalists in Manhattan at the finale.
OBAMA BITS: Democrats pass on Kilpatrick; Obama's Reggie Love on ESPN; Convention Green Room celebs; Fathead conducts poll.
*A spokesman for Democratic candidate Barack Obama said that Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick – currently facing eight felony charges in a perjury case and two felony charges in an assault case – would be a distraction if he goes to the convention as a superdelegate. A Michigan judge told Kilpatrick on Thursday that he could attend the convention. But according to the Associated Press, Obama spokesman Brent Colburn said in an e-mail that the focus of the convention should be on Obama and not on what Colburn called "the troubles of one individual."
*Tomorrow night at 7 p.m. (Aug 19), ESPN’s primetime newsmagazine "E:60" will profile the unique route former Duke University football and basketball player Reggie Love took to become Senator Barack Obama’s personal assistant. Love tried to make it in the National Football League. But after unsuccessful tryouts with the Packers and Cowboys in 2004 and 2005, Love landed a job on Obama’s staff, starting in the mailroom and rising to his current position as "body man' in less than two years. E:60 cameras and correspondent Rachel Nichols get an all-access pass, and multiple interviews with Love and Obama on the campaign trail, to tell of Love’s position, and the bond that’s formed between him and the Illinois senator.
*Kerry Washington, will.i.am and Hill Harper are among the stars who will take part in events at the Starz Green Room at the Democratic National Convention Aug. 25-28, reports Variety. Across from convention venue the Pepsi Center, the Starz Green Room will feature screenings of politically oriented films, panel discussions and an online film competition, among other events geared to convention attendees. Other expected celebs include Charlize Theron, Ben Affleck, Josh Brolin, Daryl Hannah, Rosario Dawson, Kal Penn and Stuart Townsend. Many of the panel discussions and events will be webcast at www.Starzgreenroom.com.
*Wall graphics company Fathead has released likenesses of Obama and his Republican rival John McCain for a real-time poll at www.fathead.com/presidential-playoffs asking "who should be on the wall at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in November." “The race between McCain and Obama has been so zealous and the coverage so intense Fathead just had to throw ourselves into the fray,” said Brock Weatherup, CEO, Fathead. “Our ‘Fathead Nation’ is so passionate about sports and entertainment, we just knew they would want one of the presidential candidate images."
PRISON FOR TEEN WITH NOOSES IN TRUCK: Feds said 19-year-old used intimidation during civil rights march in Jena.
*A Louisiana teenager was sentenced to four months in prison Friday for using nooses to intimidate a group of black civil rights demonstrators protesting the Jena 6 court case, reports the Associated Press.
Federal prosecutors said 19-year-old Jeremiah Munsen, of Colfax, had nooses hanging from the back of his truck when he drove past a crowd of people who had attended a massive civil rights march in Jena.
Munsen had faced up to one year in prison after he pleaded guilty in April to a misdemeanor charge of interfering with the marchers' federally protected right to travel.
His victims were waiting in Alexandria for a bus home to Tennessee after protesting the criminal cases against six black teenagers charged with beating a white student at Jena High School.
EUR FILM REVIEW: Tropic Thunder
Controversial action comedy is Ben Stiller's brainchild
Kam Williams
*You know you're asking for trouble when you make a movie with a white actor in blackface wearing a lower lip extension who's always talking jive jibberish, and with a mentally-challenged character who's repeatedly teased about his disability.
After all, in these more-enlightened times, it's not exactly politically-correct to refer to a dimwitted boy as "the dumbest [expletive] that ever lived" or to have a modern-day minstrel mimicking African-American street vernacular.
Consequently, it's no surprise that all the advance buzz for Tropic Thunder, written and directed by Ben Stiller, has focused on picket lines and boycotts, instead of on the basic question of whether or not the film is otherwise worthwhile.
Regrettably, the teen demographic which finds such crass fare so irresistible probably could care less about the picture's mean-spiritedness provided it keeps them in stitches. Therefore, at the end of the weekend, Tropic Thunder's take at the box-office is likely to depend more on the degree to which kids enjoy its irreverent brand of humor than on if its redeeming qualities outweigh any insensitivity in its depiction of minorities.
Superficially, the storyline sounds innocuous enough. It revolves around a Vietnam War buddy flick being shot on location. Early on, we learn that each of the film's five co-stars has his own selfish reason for participating in the project. Tugg Speedman (Stiller) is trying to rebound from a poorly-received outing as the intellectually-stunted Simple Jack. Heroin-addicted Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black) wants to overhaul his image after a kiddie hit filled with fat and fart jokes.
Australian Oscar-winner Kirk (Robert Downey, Jr.) likes the challenge of playing an African-American, while Alpa Chino (Brandon T. Jackson) is a hot hip-hop artist out to parlay his musical success into a screen career. Finally, there's Kevin Sandusky (Jay Baruchel), a virtual unknown who's just happy to get his big break in a summer blockbuster.
However, disaster strikes soon after their arrival in Southeast Asia, when the director (Steve Coogan) is blown to bits by a land mine. It turns out that they've been mistaken as enemy invaders by bloodthirsty guerillas running a drug-smuggling operation. So suddenly, these clueless, pampered Hollywood actors suddenly have to fend for themselves in the jungle.
This, of course, proves to be easier said than done and, more importantly, provides plenty of fodder for a surprisingly clever satire of the war movie genre. For the aforementioned actor archetypes replace such classic army flick staples as the sage sergeant, the gung-ho grizzled veteran, the nerdy medic and the frightened raw recruit.
Yes, Tropic Thunder is an intelligent and frequently funny film with some profound points to make about the shallowness of the movie industry. Unfortunately, those relatively-subtle insights are destined to be lost on audiences too busy laughing at all the slapstick and cruel humor coming at the expense of minorities to bother appreciate any deeper message.
Next time, maybe Ben Stiller won't feel a need to pander to the lowest common denominator by resorting to a profusion of profanity and the "R" and "N" words.
Very Good (3 stars)
Rated R for violence, drug use, sexual references, ethnic slurs, coarse humor and pervasive profanity.
Running time: 107 minutes
Studi Paramount Pictures
EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE
"Mistakes are merely steps up the ladder…" — Paul J. Meyer
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Aug. 18: Singer Sarah Dash of LaBelle is 65. Rapper Masta Killa of Wu-Tang Clan is 39. Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner is 38.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
AABoomers.com is for and about the savvy African-African Baby Boomer. It focuses on specific issues facing African-American Baby Boomers today, as well as celebrates their accomplishments (www.AABoomers.com).
Submit your favorite Web site to us along with a 15-20 word (or less) description to info@eurweb.com.
BLACK HISTORY
Aug. 18, 1964: South Africa was banned from the Olympic Games because of its apartheid policies. (Source: www.BlackFacts.com)
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