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11-03-08 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE
DEF JAM VP SHAKIR STEWART COMMITS SUICIDE: Exec was Jay-Z's replacement; signed Rick Ross and Young Jeezy.
*Billboard.com is reporting that Def Jam executive VP Shakir Stewart has committed suicide in Atlanta. No other details were available at press time.
Stewart was named to the post in June following the resignation of Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter. He also retained his duties as senior VP of A&R at Island Def Jam. In his role, he oversaw the development of new talent, managed producers and guided the label's vision.
"L.A. Reid and all of us at Island Def Jam Music Group are deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend and colleague Shakir Stewart," read a statement from the label. "Shakir was an amazing man in every sense of the word. A truly incredible friend and father who was an inspiration to not only our artists and employees, but to his family and the many people that had the privilege of counting him as a friend. Our hearts and prayers go out to his family at this very difficult time."
Before succeeding Jay-Z, Shakir signed such artists as Rick Ross, Young Jeezy and newcomer Karina Pasian to the label. The Oakland, Calif., native traveled between Atlanta and New York for his job, and was a graduate of Morehouse College, where he gained a reputation for promoting rap concerts.
Stewart got a jump start in the industry as a music executive at Hitco Music Publishing, where he was creative director and later senior VP of creative/GM and signed Beyonce Knowles.
BET ROLLS OUT ELECTION DAY SCHEDULE: Network to spend today through Wednesday with specials and live coverage of polling returns.
*BET News will be provide extensive on-air and online coverage throughout Election Day tomorrow, the final day of Senator Barack Obama's historic run as the country's first African-American candidate for the presidency.
The network will offer live coverage, news specials, news briefs and on-air crawls throughout the day along with result updates.
On Wednesday, BET News will continue its celebration of Obama's historic race for the White House -- no matter what the outcome. In an unprecedented move, BET will suspend all regular programming and fill its schedule with inspirational Obama speeches, live news coverage, viewer call-ins, celebrity drop-ins, and more.
Here is BET's schedule for today through Wednesday:
Monday, Nov. 3
6:00-7:30 p.m. 106 & PARK
• Kirk Clay, Director of National Civic Engagement for the NAACP, will visit the show and advise viewers on voter rules and what to do if they have a problem at the polls.
10:00-11:00 p.m. THE FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT!?: WHAT OBAMA MEANS TO AMERICA • This special asks the question on the minds of many viewers: What will an Obama victory mean for us? Gathering a wide range of voices -- from entertainers to political players -- this one-hour special explores African-American expectations of an Obama presidency, his race and the forces that have brought him to history's door.
Encore presentations: 11:00 a.m.*, 8:00 p.m.* and 11:00 p.m.* on Wednesday.
Tuesday, Nov. 4
[Live Election coverage throughout the day] 11:00-11:30 p.m.: RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT (Obama's June 2008 speech when he became the presumptive Democratic nominee) 11:30 PM-12:00 a.m.: YES WE CAN (Obama's speech after the New Hampshire
primary)
12:00-1:00 a.m.: A MORE PERFECT UNION (Obama's speech on race) 1:00-2:00 a.m.: I ACCEPT (Obama's DNC 2008 speech) 2:00-2:30 a.m.: JOURNEY TO THE WHITE HOUSE (BET News special) 2:30-3:00 a.m.: DREAM: 45 YEARS LATER (BET News special) 3:00-3:30 a.m.: OBAMA AND THE BLACK VOTE (BET News special)
Wednesday, Nov. 5
11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.: THE FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT!?
12:00-12:30 p.m.: JOURNEY TO THE WHITE HOUSE 12:30-1:00 p.m.: DREAMS: 45 YEARS LATER 1:00-1:30 p.m.: RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT 1:30-2:00 p.m.: YES WE CAN 2:00-3:00 p.m.: OBAMA'S ELECTION NIGHT SPEECH 3:00-3:30 p.m.: FIRST LADY SPEECH (Michelle Obama's DNC 2008 speech) 3:30-4:00 p.m.: DNC 2004 SPEECH 4:00-5:00 p.m.: I ACCEPT 5:00-6:00 p.m.: OBAMA'S ELECTION NIGHT SPEECH 6:00-8:00 p.m.: 106 & PARK ELECTION COVERAGE 8:00-9:00 p.m.: THE FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT!?
9:00-10:00 p.m.: OBAMA'S ELECTION NIGHT SPEECH 10:00-11:00 p.m.: A MORE PERFECT UNION 11:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m.: THE FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT!?
12:00-1:00 a.m.: OBAMA'S ELECTION NIGHT SPEECH 1:00-3:00 a.m.: BET NEWS: SALUTE TO OBAMA 3:00-3:30 a.m.: FIRST LADY SPEECH 3:30-4:00 a.m.: DNC 2004 SPEECH
TV ONE ANNOUNCES ELECTION COVERAGE: Reid, Fennell and Madison return for live broadcast.
*TV One will offer comprehensive coverage of the Presidential election returns tomorrow beginning at 7 p.m. ET, with "Election Night 08: A Vote for Change," the network announced.
The broadcast will be anchored by team members from its Democratic convention coverage in August, including Arthur Fennell, Joe Madison and Jacque Reid.
TV One plans to utilize the resources of the Associated Press, and offer live coverage throughout the night from seven different locations, including Obama and McCain election night headquarters, the TV One Election Newsroom, and the AP’s national vote tally center.
The anchor team will be joined by a group of experts including pollster Shawnta Walcott, who will analyze the votes and exit polling. A panel of African-American commentators, including Michael Eric Dyson and Tom Joyner, will be providing commentary and perspective throughout the night.
In addition, TV One Commentator Roland Martin, who is also a CNN analyst, will be reporting live from CNN Election Headquarters in New York.
TV One also plans to offer remote broadcasts from two historically black colleges & universities in battleground states: Florida A&M and North Carolina A&T, to hear and see first hand how these youth are responding to the election.
TV One also will explore the impact that use of the Internet has had on this election night with a dedicated correspondent in the Election Newsroom reporting in real time on what’s happening online with the election.
“Election night 2008 will be a historic night for African Americans, under any circumstances,” said TV One President and CEO Johnathan Rodgers. “And we received such an overwhelmingly positive response from viewers about TV One’s convention coverage, we are excited to bring our viewers an African American cultural perspective on the final chapter of this most historic election campaign.”
'ELECTION PROTECTION' TO OFFER VOTER ASSISTANCE: Call 1-866-Our-Vote should shenanigans jump off at your polling place.
*The non-partisan campaign "Election Protection," at 1-866-OUR-VOTE, is a volunteer effort dedicated to offering voter assistance on Election Day.
Specifically, 10,000 lawyers and law students will man phones tomorrow to ensure any obstacles to voting will be overcome. From names erroneously left off voter logs to ensuring that polls stay open later to accommodate long lines, this group is the support network for voters in need on election day.
A purely non-partisan effort, this is about protecting the right to vote, not encouraging a vote for a specific candidate.
Ashanti, Samuel L Jackson, Whoopi Goldberg, Vanessa Williams and Ana Ortiz are among the celebrities who have filmed PSAs for the effort.
The basic message is: "When you go to vote if you have any problems or questions at the polls call 866-OUR-VOTE (that¹s 1-866-687-8683), or visit 866ourvote.org. They hear you, and they're here to help."
SHARPTON TO LEAD ELECTION 'WATCH NIGHT' IN ATL: Candlelight vigil at Dr. King's grave to precede event.
*Rev. Al Sharpton will lead an historic "Watch Night" tomorrow in Atlanta to view the election returns at Ebenezer Baptist Church in the pulpit of the Heritage Sanctuary, where Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preached his ministry of non violence.
The Watch Night participants will hold a candlelight vigil at 7:30 p.m. at the crypt where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is buried, and then view the returns from Ebenezer (407 Auburn Ave.) beginning at 8 p.m.
"As we await the outcome of the most important election of our lifetimes, and whatever the outcome will be, it will be the realization of part of the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King," said Rev. Sharpton.
"There is no more appropriate place to be than in his church across the street from his crypt to receive the returns," he added. "It is not just a political moment it is a sacred and historical moment and we should be on the grounds to thank the dreamer as we see part of the dream become a reality and be in a position to make the other parts of the dream closer to
fruition."
Rev. Sharpton's nationally-syndicated radio show today through Wednesday will cover the election from 1-4 p.m. EST (www.sharptontalk.net and the radio show will be streamed live on NAN's Web site www.nationalactionnetwork.net).
• The original concept of "Watch Night" in the African-American community derived from a time when African-Americans watched for the strike of 12 (Midnight) on New Year's Eve as that was the time the Emancipation Proclamation became official and Blacks could march to freedom. NAN's Election Night Watch Night will find African-Americans from across the country watching the election results in anticipation of the first black
President of the United States.
OBAMA, MCCAIN 'READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!': Presidential candidates to appear during tonight's Steelers/Redskins halftime.
*On the eve of the presidential election, tonight's Monday Night Football game on ESPn will originate from the nation’s capital when the Pittsburgh Steelers meet the Washington Redskins.
ESPN’s audience will hear from the candidates when Chris Berman interviews both major party presidential nominees, Republican Senator John McCain and Democratic Senator Barack Obama, during halftime.
The candidates will be on the campaign trail and have agreed to participate one-on-one, pending last-minute schedule changes, via satellite with Berman from the ESPN studios in Bristol, Conn. The conversations will be taped earlier in the day and will air at approximately 10:15 p.m. ET.
The Steelers-Redskins game will kickoff at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN and ESPN HD with the Spanish-language telecast on ESPN Deportes.
“We worked with our partners at the NFL to schedule a Monday Night Football game in Washington on this special night, and this presents a unique opportunity for John McCain and Barack Obama to reflect upon the last few months and address a large primetime audience on the final day of the campaigns,” said Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president, production.
RECOVERED GUN USED IN HUDSON KILLINGS: Police say the .45 caliber firearm was 'positively identified through forensic exam.'
*Chicago police confirmed Friday that the gun found Wednesday in a vacant lot on the West Side was the firearm used in the murders of Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother and nephew.
"The weapon has been positively identified through forensic examination as the weapon that was used in the homicides," said police Superintendent Jody Weis, according to the Associated Press.
Police were "extraordinarily pleased and satisfied" the weapon had been identified, but much work remained in the case, Weis said.
The .45-caliber gun was discovered in the same neighborhood where the body of Hudson's 7-year-old nephew Julian King was found a few days earlier inside an SUV. The bodies of Hudson's 57-year-old mother Darnell Donerson and her 29-year-old brother Jason Hudson were discovered in the family's home last Friday.
A police official has said detectives believe Julian King was alive when he left the house where his relatives were killed and likely was shot in the SUV where his body was found. The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that King's body was covered by a curtain which may explain why it took three days to locate his body.
The SUV, a white Chevrolet Suburban, was registered to Jason Hudson.
Sources told the Sun-Times that Jason had a gunshot wound in his leg that he suffered before he was slain. Investigators are trying to determine how he got that wound and whether the circumstances of that shooting figure into his murder.
Nobody has been charged in the killings, but 27-year-old William Balfour, the estranged husband of Hudson's sister, is in custody on a parole violation. Police have called him a "person of interest."
A public memorial for the three victims was held Sunday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Pleasant Gift Missionary Baptist Church, where Hudson's sister Julia made an emotional plea for her son Julian's return the day after he disappeared. Jennifer and Julia not attend the community memorial.
Private funeral services for Hudson's mother, brother and nephew are to be held this afternoon at Apostolic Church of God on Chicago's South Side from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. before being open to the public.
To help other victims of violent crime, the Hudson sisters have established the Hudson-King Foundation.
"The specific purpose of the Foundation is to care for the needs of families who have lost relatives to a violent crime," the family says in a statement. "This encompasses their basic needs of food, clothing and shelter as well as grief counseling."
Donations to the Hudson-King Foundation can be sent:
c/o Abrams Garfinkel Margolis Bergson, LLP
Attn: William L. Abrams, Esq.
237 West 35th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10001
MIJAC DENIES INVOLVEMENT WITH JACKSON 5 TOUR: Turns out Jermaine spoke too soon.
*One day after Jermaine Jackson told reporters that his brother Michael would participate in a planned Jackson 5 reunion tour, Michael released a statement basically saying, uh…no.
"My brothers and sisters have my full love and support, and we've certainly shared many great experiences, but at this time I have no plans to record or tour with them," said the King of Pop, in a statement released by his publicist, Larry Solters.
Jackson, 50, said he was in the studio working on "new and exciting projects." But Jermaine Jackson, 53, said in Australia on Wednesday that his siblings were working on the music and logistics for a tour to begin next year.
"It is going to be more like a family affair," he was quoted as saying by the Australian Associated Press. "(Younger sister) Janet's going to open and, of course, the original Jackson 5 ... Michael, Randy and the whole family. ... We're in the studio, we're planning on being out there next year."
Perhaps an early indicator of Michael's intention not to tour was his glaring no-show to collect a lifetime achievement award in Los Angeles alongside his brothers in September.
OBAMA'S KENYAN AUNT TURNS UP IN BOSTON - ILLEGALLY: AP being investigated by Homeland Security for violating privacy laws.
*Barack Obama's long lost "Aunti Zeituni" from Kenya was discovered by the Associated Press to be living illegally in the United States after an immigration judge rejected her request for asylum four years ago.
But the Sunday's Washington Post reported that the AP – which cited two unnamed sources, identifying one as a federal law enforcement official – is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security for possible violation of its privacy policy.
Zeituni Onyango, the 56-year-old half-sister of Obama's late father, has been living quietly in a Boston housing project. She was mentioned in the Democratic presidential candidate's memoir but is not a relative whom Obama has discussed in campaign appearances.
Federal privacy law restricts U.S. immigration agencies from disclosing information about citizens and permanent residents, and DHS policy similarly limits disclosures about the status of legal and illegal immigrants. Asylum-seekers are granted greater protection, because of the sensitive nature of their claims and the risks of retaliation.
In a statement, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the matter has been referred to the agency's Office of Professional Responsibility and its parent department's inspector general.
Onyango's refusal to leave the country would represent an administrative, noncriminal violation of immigration law, meaning such cases are handled outside the criminal court system.
According to Federal Election Commission documents filed by the Obama campaign, Onyango has contributed $260 to Obama over a period of time. Under federal election law, only U.S. citizens or green-card holders are legally permitted to give money to campaigns.
Onyango, who listed her employer as the Boston Housing Authority, gave in small increments to the Obama campaign. Her latest contribution was $5 on Sept. 19.
"Given the information that has been brought to our attention, the contributions are being refunded," said Ben LaBolt, an Obama campaign spokesman. "Senator Obama has no knowledge of her status but obviously believes that any and all appropriate laws be followed."
CODEBLACK PREMIERES OBAMA FILM COLLECTION: Broadband network began free 24-hour streaming of short film series this morning.
*In celebration of Election Day 2008, Codeblack Interactive will premiere the short film series, “The Inspiration of Barack Obama,” as a complimentary streaming download on its exclusive on-demand broadband network, Codeblack TV (www.codeblacktv.com).
The narrative film collection, directed by award-winning African-American filmmaker Qasim Basir, chronicles the difficulties of seven Americans who have ultimately been uplifted by the message of Senator Barack Obama.
Codeblack Interactive will make the shorts series available for free streaming for 24 hours beginning Monday, today at 1 a.m. EST.
Basir wrote and directed the seven short films to educate Americans about the Democratic Presidential candidate’s dynamic message of hope and political change. The films, which explore stories of diverse Americans grappling with adversity and hardship, are entitled: Vote, Housing, Immigration, College, War, Economy and Family. At some point, each main character is inspired by Senator Obama’s mantra of self-determination and transformation, and takes the step toward personal change.
“We are pleased to present this inspirational film series by such a bright young African-American filmmaker to raise awareness before the vital election and further establish CodeblackTV as the go-to platform for black cinema,” said Quincy Newell, President, Codeblack Interactive. “These short tales tap into the popularity of Senator Obama and the revitalizing impact he has had on the lives of so many Americans. As our goal is to cater to the underserved black audience, these films are a perfect match.”
ISIAH THOMAS 'NOT BREATHING' WHEN COPS ARRIVED: Police reports say ex Knicks prez had oxygen administered following Lunesta overdose.
*The New York Daily News is citing an incident report that shows former Knicks president, Isiah Thomas, was not breathing when Harrison police arrived at his Purchase home in response to a recent 911 call.
Chief David Hall would not identify the victim but said he was a 46-year-old man who had consumed 10 Lunesta sleeping pills. Thomas is 47 years old.
After reports surfaced that he was hospitalized for an overdose, Thomas said it was not him, but rather his 17-year-old daughter Lauren who needed urgent care. The statement offended police officials, who accused Thomas of trying to "cover up" the truth.
The incident report, which the Daily News obtained Thursday after filing a Freedom of Information Act, says the man was found by police "sprawled on the kitchen floor" and had to have oxygen administered until medics arrived. He was then taken to White Plains Hospital Center for further medical treatment. Thomas' name and other personal information were redacted from the report.
"We closed this investigation Friday," Hall said Thursday. "We deemed it an accidental overdose of sleeping pills. There is absolutely no indication that he tried to kill himself. It was a standard call."
T.D. JAKES TALK SHOW TO DEBUT FALL 2009: Tribune Broadcasting just inked deal with CBS Television Distribution.
*Variety is reporting that the daytime television debut of Bishop T.D. Jakes will take place in fall 2009 following a deal signed between Tribune Broadcasting and CBS Television Distribution.
The talk show is being developed by producer Jay McGraw, who is the executive producer of CBS TV Distribution's fledging daytime strip "The Doctors." The deal gives Jakes' show a station home in all of Tribune's 19 markets, including the key markets of New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
CBS TV Distribution has yet formally to greenlight the show for next year, Variety reports, but the Tribune deal goes a long way toward pushing it to the finish line.
Jakes is an author and well-traveled motivational speaker who heads the Dallas-based mega-church Potter's House.
PHARRELL, DAVID BANNER HELP REMIX MAROON 5: Swizz Beatz, ?uestlove, Just Blaze also join group's 'Call & Response' project.
*Pharrell Williams and David Banner are among the big names joining pop group Maroon 5 for its upcoming remix album "Call & Response," Billboard reports.
Due Dec. 9 via A&M/Octone, the album also features new versions of the group's songs from Swizz Beatz, Mark Ronson, the Roots' Questlove, Cut Copy, Just Blaze, Paul Oakenfold and Tiesto among others.
"I've always found it really interesting that a group of people looking at the same painting can all see different things," says Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine. "That was the idea behind this record-to take a few of our songs and have them interpreted by some of our favorite artists. We were really blown away by what they came up with."
Maroon 5 began a South American tour Sunday (Nov. 2) in Monterrey, Mexico. In December, the band will play shows in Dubai and South Africa. Here is the track list for "Call & Response":
"If I Never See Your Face Again" -- Swizz Beats "Wake Up Call" feat. Mary J Blige -- Mark Ronson "Sunday Morning" -- Questlove "Makes Me Wonder" -- Just Blaze "This Love" -- Tricky Stewart "She Will Be Loved" -- Pharrell Williams "Shiver" -- DJ Quik "Wake Up Call" -- David Banner "Harder to Breathe" -- Cool Kids "Little Of Your Time" -- Bloodshy and Avant "Little Of Your Time" -- Of Montreal "Goodnight Goodnight" -- Deerhoof "Not Falling Apart" -- Tiesto "Better That We Break" -- Ali Shaheed Muhammad "Secret" -- DJ Premier "Woman" -- Sam Farrar of Phantom Planet "This Love" -- Cut Copy "If I Never See Your Face Again" feat. Rihanna -- Paul Oakenfold
ABC APOLOGIZES FOR USE OF DEAD BOY'S PIC: Billy Dee Williams' character in 'GH: Night Shift' holds prop photo of Christopher Barrios.
*Billy Dee Williams was unwittingly caught up in a public relations nightmare regarding use of a photo prop on his Soap Net soap opera, "General Hospital: Night Shift."
In a recent episode, his character, a hospital worker, looks at a picture of the son he abandoned long ago. The photo, it turns out, is of a real life boy named Christopher Barrios, who was brutally murdered last year in Georgia.
His grandmother, Sue Rodriquez, expressed shock during an interview with local news channel KRXI. “They have no right doing that — not a bit of right,” she said.
ABC has issued the following apology:
“While the production team would never have knowingly chosen this particular photo, its use was a terrible error. We offer our deepest condolences to the Barrios family for their loss and our sincerest apologies for any pain caused by our mistake. In the coming weeks, SOAPnet will air a series of public service announcements in Christopher’s honor, to raise awareness of missing and exploited children. Meanwhile, the episode is being edited to permanently remove the photo, and we have taken steps, including reviewing internal processes to determine how it happened in hopes of preventing this type of mistake from occurring again.”
LL, P.E. INDUCTED INTO L.I. MUSIC HALL: Rap acts go in with other Long Island products Pat Benatar, and Marvin Hamlisch.
*LL Cool J and Public Enemy were among a number of artists from Long Island who were inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame Thursday night during a star-studded gala at the Garden City Hotel.
Recalling his Long Island roots, LL Cool J said: "When I was a little kid in North Babylon, on Lakeway Drive, just dreaming of being a part of hip hop - I never dreamed that I would be in a position to actually be looking at a wonderful room full of people who are actually honoring and celebrating the art that I created."
Chuck D of Public Enemy pointed out that L.I. united musicians of all types.
"That this music can sit side-by-side with other great offerings of music is a true pleasure," he said, later adding "Music is a universal language, and Long Island you are No. 1."
The diverse group of inductees included Marvin Hamlisch, Blue öyster Cult, Jean Ritchie, The Tokens, and The Ramones.
Q-TIP TAKES COMMAND OF VH1'S 'SOUL STAGE': Rapper mixes new tracks with Tribe classics in performance premiering tonight.
*Former A Tribe Called Quest front man, Q-Tip, recently taped an episode of VH1 Soul's "Soulstage" that will premiere tonight at 9.
"Soulstage: Q-Tip presented by Infiniti" was shot in front of a live studio audience and includes world premiere performances of songs from Q-Tip's new album, "Renaissance," due for release tomorrow.
Accompanied by a three-piece band, Q-Tip ripped through "Move," "Getting Up" and "Fever," and also performed classic Tribe and solo hits "Vivrant Thing," "Check The Rhyme" and "Bonita Applebaum"
Q-Tip joked with the crowd for most of the night but became emotional when he talked about one song from his new album which includes a clip from one of presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama's campaign speeches.
ANGIE STONE TO HELP GET ELDERLY TO THE POLLS: Singer to drive seniors from apartment complex in Austell, GA.
*Angie Stone has decided to spend her Election Day taking seniors who reside at the Summer Hill Senior Apartments in Austell, Georgia to the voting polls.
“I feel it is my civic duty to help those who are less fortunate or don’t have the resources to get to the polls…I am trying to aid them in having a voice on one of the most historical election days ever,” says Stone in a statement to EUR.
“I implore others to do the same…we can change our communities one block at a time,” she says.
One of Stone's partners is Abundance Luxury Limousine Company headquartered in Marietta, Georgia, who will be sponsoring the transportation.
SURPRISE – TYRA ENDORSES OBAMA: Talk show host says Illinois senator will 'uplift all Americans during these critical times.'
*After months of praising Sen. Barack Obama, Tyra Banks has finally given her official endorsement of the Democratic presidential nominee.
The creator of "America's Next Top Model" and host of "The Tyra Banks Show" released a statement over the weekend supporting Obams's run for the White House.
"Throughout this historic presidential campaign, I have been inspired by Senator Barack Obama and his message of change," she said. "I believe he will uplift all Americans during these critical times. I will be voting for Obama because I feel America is not only ready for this change, we are in need of it."
In September, Tyra was featured in Harper's Bazaar posing as Michelle Obama with a Barack look-a-like in the Oval Office.
EX-SOURCE EDITOR OSORIO RELEASES TELL-ALL: Author tells of harassment in workplace; 'intimate relationships' with artists she covered.
*In her new tell-all memoir "Straight from the Source," Kim Osorio describes the sexual harassment she encountered as the first female editor of The Source magazine.
The book also details the historic court case that netted her a million dollar judgment and the music industry a legal precedent for gender discrimination, defamation and retaliation in the workplace.
A press release states: "From her corner office, Kim got the goods on hip-hop's hottest names: Jay-Z, Nas, 50 Cent, Lil' Kim and more. She developed close -- and sometimes intimate relationships with the artists she worked with.
"But behind the scenes; the magazine's volatile owners would puppeteer every issue. The Source even declared war on hip-hop's highest selling artist Eminem and began the notorious assault that would send the magazine into swift decline.
"After it all came to a head, Osorio was fired, but resurfaced in 2006, filing a sexual harassment, gender discrimination, defamation and retaliation lawsuit against the Source. She details the drama in this tell-all, and provides the context for a lawsuit that has shaken up the entire music industry."
JAY-Z HONORED FOR GLASTONBURY GIG: U.K. Festival Awards salutes rapper with year's Most Memorable Moment.
*Rap mogul Jay-Z has been honored for his headline-making performance at this summer's legendary British music festival Glastonbury.
Judges at the U.K. Festival Awards bestowed upon him the Most Memorable Moment prize at a ceremony held Thursday in London, reports WENN.
Jay-Z's lead-up to the Glastonbury gig was marked with criticism from Oasis rocker Noel Gallagher, who said in interviews that hip hop has no place at the festival known for its rock roots.
But Jay-Z defied his critics by delivering a rousing, crowd-pleasing set - complete with an acoustic rendition of Oasis' Wonderwall to mock Gallagher's comments.
SOULJA BOY APPRECIATIVE OF SLAVE MASTERS: Rapper says 'without them we'd still be in Africa.'
*Rapper Soulja Boy, the teen behind the song "Crank That Soulja Boy" and its dance craze, actually gave a shout out to "slave masters" during a recent exchange on BET.
Network personality Toure blogged about interviewing the 18-year-old rapper on BET's "The Black Carpet." He said the artist appeared to be taken off guard when asked which historical figure he hates most.
Toure said he tried to help him out be mentioning some previous answers, which included Hitler, Bin Laden, and slave masters.
Soulja Boy, according to Toure, responded: "Oh wait! Hold up! Shout out to the slave masters! Without them we'd still be in Africa. We wouldn't be here to get this ice and tattoos."
SPORTS BITS: Hopkins sued by masseuse; Culpepper to sign with Lions; NFL suspends Larry Johnson.
*A massage therapist claims middleweight fighter Bernard Hopkins Jr. skipped out on a bill for more than $35,000 for four months work, according to Philadelphia's Courthouse News Service. Michael Marzulli says Hopkins promised to pay him after he fought Winky Wright in July 2007, but Hopkins fired him after the fight and never paid a dime. Marzulli says Hopkins owes him $35,227.50, plus interest and costs.
*Veteran quarterback Daunte Culpepper has agreed to a two-year contract with the Detroit Lions. Saturday's ESPN.com broke the news without citing a source, and team spokesman Bill Keenist says the Lions have no comment. The 31-year-old will reportedly sign the contract today, returning to the NFL after announcing plans to retire in September because he was frustrated over not finding work. He was a three-time Pro Bowler for the Minnesota Vikings, but a knee injury limited his effectiveness with the Miami Dolphins in 2006 and Oakland Raiders in 2007.
*Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson has been suspended for one game by the NFL for violating the league's personal conduct policy, the team announced Friday. Johnson will miss Kansas City's game at San Diego on Nov. 9. The 28-year-old has been deactivated by the Chiefs for the last two weeks while the league investigated a nightclub incident that resulted in Johnson being charged with assault. The athlete will also miss Sunday's game against Tampa Bay and last played against the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 5.
ITTY BITTY BITS: Morgan's drunk days; Zoe Kravitz's new man; Gossett Jr. moved by Mandela; Mary Mary's 'Sound'; Grace Jones' fit.
*Tracy Morgan continues to work on his sobriety, but recently told Complex magazine about a time during his drinking days when he stayed way past his welcome during a recent jam at Prince's house. "I got kicked out of Prince's house," the "30 Rock" star said. "The last time he won a Grammy, we went to [his] party. Free booze all night. Prince had his band in the living room. Everybody left the house except for me and my boy. It was 6 o'clock, 7 o'clock in the morning, the sun was coming up, and we were still drinking. And Prince and his wife were at the door in their pajamas and said, 'Come on, Tracy, you've got to go.'"
*Speaking of Prince, Lenny Kravitz's 19-year-old daughter, Zoe showed up to his recent Gansevoort Hotel rooftop gig with her new boyfriend of two weeks, MGMT frontman Andrew VanWyngarden. The New York Post's Page Six says they are "inseparable." VanWyngarden was most recently linked with Kirsten Dunst.
*Lou Gossett Jr. was making a movie in South Africa when, after years of anger over racism and becoming an alcoholic like his father, he had an epiphany. "I was looking out at Robben Island, where Mandela spent 27 years in prison, and I burst into tears," Gossett tells the New York Daily News, "because there is absolutely nothing that ever happened in my life to compare to what that man went through and what his people went through. I said, 'What the hell am I doing?' I did worse to myself than any person, white or black, did to me."
*R&B/gospel duo Mary Mary is riding high on the Billboard charts this week with their critically-acclaimed new album "The Sound," heralded as "Praiseworthy" by People magazine. Released on Oct. 21, "The Sound" is currently the nation's No. 1 Gospel album as it makes its "Hot Shot" debut on Billboard's Top Christian Albums chart and the Top Christian & Gospel charts at No. 1 while becoming this week's "Greatest Gainer" rocketing from No. 22 to No. 1 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart.
*Former Bond girl Grace Jones reportedly had a fit Wednesday when a partygoer accidentally stepped on her fur coat at the London shindig for new 007 movie "Quantum of Solace." A witness tells Britain's Daily Mirror: "The guy looked totally freaked out. He accidentally brushed past Grace and stepped on her fur coat which didn't go down well. He didn't know where to put himself when she started yelling. Grace can be quite scary. He just kept apologizing and then ran as soon as her friends stepped in."
VANDALS RIP DOWN EMMETT TILL SIGN: Marker where boy's body was found was pulled Saturday.
*A sign marking the site where Emmett Till's battered body was pulled from a river in 1955 has been ripped down by vandals, the Associated Press reported.
The sign posted on a road near the Tallahatchie River was among eight that were erected after the county adopted a resolution last year apologizing to Till's family because an all-white jury acquitted two white men of murdering Till for whistling at a white woman.
Tallahatchie County Sheriff William Brewer Jr. said his office is investigating the incident, which authorities believed occurred Saturday night.
"We're not going to tolerate them tearing down anything that's marking Emmett Till's murder," Board of Supervisors President Jerome G. Little said Monday. "I want to send a message: Every time they take it down, we're going to put it back up."
Till, who was from Chicago, had come to Mississippi in August 1955 to visit his uncle. J.W. Milam and Roy Bryant, the husband of the woman Till whistled at, snatched Till from his bed one night at the family's home. The 14-year-old's body was found in the river three days later, a cotton gin fan was tied around his neck with barbed wire. His left eye was missing, as were most of his teeth; his nose was crushed, and there was a hole in his right temple.
His slaying shocked the nation, and nearly 100,000 people visited his open casket during a four-day public viewing in Chicago. A graphic photo of his face appeared in Jet magazine, and the images fueled national outrage and helped galvanize the civil rights movement.
Bryant and Milam were acquitted in 1955. They confessed to the killing in a 1956 Look magazine article.
EUR FILM REVIEW: Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Not Much to Recommend about Raunchy Kevin Smith Sitcom
Film Review by Kam Williams
*Between its titillating theme and the omnipresence of current comedy rage Seth Rogen, Zack and Miri Make a Porno is all but assured of being a critic-proof hit with its targeted raging-hormones demographic.
Nonetheless, this raunchy sitcom pales in comparison to a couple of other recently-released teensploits, namely, Sex Drive and Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.
The picture was written and directed by Kevin Smith, a reliable purveyor of bottom-feeding fare, and he definitely does not disappoint his rabid fans here in that regard.
From an N-word laced opening sequence to a steady diet of profanity to its graphic dialogue to gratuitous frontal nudity to its much-anticipated sex scenes, Zack and Miri Make a Porno leaves even less to the imagination than its suggestive, testosterone-teasing title.
More shocking than funny, the film revolves around a couple of lifelong platonic friends who have been roommates since graduating from high school. Both of these slackers are stuck in minimum wage jobs which pay so little they can barely pay their rent or utility bills.
At their 10th high school reunion, Miri (Elizabeth Banks) puts the moves on Bobby Long (Brandon Routh), a handsome hunk she always had a crush on. But he has no interest in the nerdy girl everybody used to refer to as “Stinky Linky” even though she’s since blossomed into a ravishing beauty. When she practically throws herself at Bobby, he admits to being a gay porn actor and introduces her to his flamboyant life mate (Justin Long).
Fast-forward a bit and we find our title characters with their electricity and water services turned off due to lack of payment. Inspired by their classmate’s success in the adult film industry, they seize on the bright idea of co-starring in their own xxx-rated film. They agree to mate onscreen, but with mutual promises not to let the momentary intimacy change their otherwise non-physical relationship.
Meanwhile, Zack (Rogen), who works at a deli called Bean-B-Gone, talks his gullible, co-worker, Delaney (Craig Robinson), into underwriting the operation with promises that the unhappily-married man can audition a parade of naked women for the supporting cast. Delaney puts up the wad of cash he was planning to purchase a flat screen TV with, since he’s fed up with his insufferable wife (Tisha Campbell), a stereotypical sassy sister who nags him mercilessly.
Next, they decide to shoot the skin flick right in the coffee shop after hours, and to rely on the store’s surveillance camera. All goes well on the set until Zack and Miri’s erotic scene during which, to their surprise but not the audience’s, they discover they do have deep feelings for each other after all.
This less than convincing, last minute development makes for a pat Hollywood ending, but is sort of beside the point since the basic idea of the movie is to pile on as much t&a as possible. Why else would you have an actual former porn star (Traci Lords) play a porn star whose specialty is blowing bubbles from a certain part of her anatomy?
Never amusing, exciting or even funny, but a pathetic attempt to pass off as mainstream entertainment shallow smut that the censors just a generation ago would certainly have rated NC-17. What changed? Have our standards sunk this low?
Fair (1 star)
Rated R for graphic nudity, pervasive profanity, ethnic slurs, explicit sexuality and crude humor.
Running time: 101 minutes
Studi The Weinstein Company
To see a trailer of Zack and Miri Make a Porno, visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OssgMY_mkMc
EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE
"There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen." — Wayne Dyer
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Nov. 3: Actor Mike Evans ("The Jeffersons") is 58.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
Ladies, do you need another pair of shoes? If so, here's a site with shoes in all colors and styles (www.headoverheelzonline.net/).
Submit your favorite Web site to us along with a 15-20 word (or less) description to info@eurweb.com.
BLACK HISTORY
Nov. 3, 1896: JH Hunter puts patents on the portable weighing scales. (Source: www.BlackFacts.com)
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