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TRUMP HOSTING J-HUD/RELATIVES FOR FREE: The Donald says 'We're protecting them well.' Plus, Balfour planned escape to Mississippi?
*Thanks to Donald Trump, Jennifer Hudson and several of her relatives have been staying at the Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago free of charge following the murders of her mother, brother and nephew.
"She's a great girl. And we're protecting them well," Trump told People.com at a benefit honoring Australia director Baz Luhrman at the Museum of Modern Art Monday night. "They are very safe."
Hudson has reportedly been staying at the hotel since the Oct. 24 murders. Police are currently questioning her estranged brother-in-law William Balfour, who has been detained at Stateville Correctional Center outside Joliet since Oct. 26 for violating parole – stemming from a 1999 attempted murder conviction. He has not been charged in the case.
The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that Mississippi college student Rashia Whitlock told investigators that Balfour called her at 4 a.m. the day of the murders and told her he and his "boys" were "getting ready for something real big that's going to go down tomorrow." Balfour then asked if they could come visit her, says Whitlock, which she refused.
Whitlock also said Balfour asked her whether she knew Jennifer Hudson and, more ominously, if Whitlock could be "loyal." She said she had met Balfour on MySpace.
'ATLANTA HOUSEWIVES' REUNION DRAMA: Lisa and Kim throw down on Bravo's reunion special airing Nov. 25.
*So far, Lisa Wu Hartwell has steered clear of any drama on Bravo's reality show "The Real Housewives of Atlanta," but the mother of three says she was pushed past her limit by costar Kim Zolciak during the recent taping of the reunion show.
“I’ve been extremely diplomatic and there are horrible things I could have said but I have chosen not to and still do,” Wu Hartwell tells Essence.com. “When you come after my integrity or my family, then you’re going to see a different person.”
Lisa says viewers will likely be taken aback by her sudden unleash of emotion on the reunion show, which is scheduled to air Nov. 25.
“People will be surprised because I was surprised and somewhat embarrassed myself,” she says. “But I’m human and you have to let people know that they can’t just say whatever they want to you.”
Wu Hartwell says the season – also featuring co-stars Sheree, NeNe and DeShawn, was a true eye-opener.
“I was naïve coming in and I’ve learned some people just have ill intentions,” she says, “so I will deal with each individual accordingly. But people need to know that yes, I’m a businesswoman but I’m also a sparring woman!”
And she’s not kidding. “I have a brown belt, one belt away from a black belt in Kajukenbo,” she adds. “That’s a combination of Karate, Judo, Kimbo, Chinese boxing and Kung Fu.”
JAMES BROWN'S SON-IN-LAW KILLED: Family believes shooting death was a hit.
*Atlanta's CBS46.com is reporting that the son-in-law of the late singer James Brown was shot to death Wednesday night in the garage of his Buckhead home. Relatives of Darren “Chip” Lumar told the news station they believe the killing was a hit.
Investigators said the shooter was waiting for Lumar. “When he drove up to park his car in the garage, he was confronted. An altercation of some sort took place. That’s when the victim was shot multiple times,” said Atlanta police Officer Eric Schwartz.
The neighborhood where Lumar lived is a gated community. “I think it was somebody that knew him,” Schwartz said.
Witnesses said after the gunman shot Lumar, it appeared the perpetrator was side-stepping away, as if he was looking to see if anyone was watching him. The witnesses said he then rounded a corner, possibly jumping a fence, and got into a car that was waiting for him.
The witnesses said Lumar then got into a car and drove four miles to Northside Hospital, where he died.
Lumar was married to Brown's daughter, Yamma Brown Lumar, who had recently divorced him. Sources close to the family and the case told CBS 46 that when Lumar arrived at the hospital, he had $4,000 in cash in his pocket.
Police said Monday they have not made any arrests and they don't have a motive.
KERRY WASHINGTON WITH OBAMAS TUESDAY NIGHT: 'I couldn't stop giggling backstage with Michelle,' actress said.
*Actress Kerry Washington, a tireless campaigner for Barack Obama during the campaign, tells People.com of her experience with the Democrat's family last Tuesday night as he was elected the 44th president of the United States.
"I was in Chicago last week and I couldn't stop giggling backstage with Michelle," she said at the L'Oreal Legends Gala in New York Monday, an event to raise funds for ovarian cancer research. "After the big speech, they had tents backstage and we were all toasting and celebrating."
"They are both absolutely amazing," Washington continued. "We are so lucky to have such a cool couple ... in the White House. Not only are they brilliant and gorgeous but they are just cool, down-to-earth people."
Meanwhile, the President-elect promised daughters Malia and Sasha a new puppy in his acceptance speech. He has said the "dog must be hypoallergenic" and that he'd prefer a "shelter dog."
"My dog is hypoallergenic, and I've told them all about her," said Washington, the proud owner of a Shorkie named Josephine Baker. "They are loving dogs and great for the girls. So we'll see what they will choose."
WILL & JADA ON ESSENCE COVER: Couple talks about black love in new December issue.
*Will and Jada Pinkett Smith grace the cover of December's Essence magazine and dish about a number of topics in the cover article, "The Story of Us."
The couple talks about starting an independent school near their California home, raising their blended family and strengthening their 11-year marriage.
Also, Essence listens in as Mr. and Mrs. Smith interview each other and talk about how they make it all work. Log-on now to Essence.com for exclusive photos of the power couple’s romantic photo spread.
The magazine also lists its second annual Essence 25 Most Influential of 2008, which presents 25 African Americans who had the greatest impact this year—from politicians, actors, educators, entrepreneurs, entertainers and more. Plus, President-elect Barack Obama is the Readers’ Choice African-American of the Year.
OBAMA SISTERS INVITED TO 'HANNAH MONTANA?': Star's dad says yes, Obama camp says no.
*Usmagazine.com reported Tuesday that a source within the Barack Obama camp claimed the president-elect's two daughters had yet to receive the widely-reported request to appear on Disney's "Hannah Montana."
Billy Ray Cyrus -- the father of Hannah Montana singer Miley Cyrus -- told Access Hollywood Monday that Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, have been invited to guest star on the show and "probably will" appear. "The invitation is there," he said. "You know the 'Hannah Montana' film comes out in April. Maybe something might happen around then."
But the unnamed Obama source tells Usmagazine.com, "Folks within Obama-land know of no such request."
"Hannah Montana" stars Miley Cyrus as a school girl with a secret life as a pop star. Miley, who turns 16 later this month, told Access Hollywood she did not know for certain if the offer had gone out, but she added: "I think that would be really cool and if anything, have them visit the set."
BEYONCE 'AMAZED' AT OFFERS FOR WEDDING PICS: Singer said the amount of money on the table was 'just ridiculous.'
*Beyonce says she was offered a ton of money by magazines looking for exclusive rights to photos from her not-so-secret April wedding in New York City.
"Now, they offer crazy money that's just ridiculous," she said in an interview with the Associated Press. "But in the end…it's so not worth it. If anything, if you wanna put something out, then put it out, not for (money)."
The singer and rap star Jay-Z exchanged vows in an intimate ceremony that they refused to admit publically for months afterward.
"We worked really hard at keeping it private," she said. "I've always been this way, and he's always been this way, so that's why we complement each other. We always knew that it would be private and quiet, for all the right reasons."
Beyonce's new album, "I Am … Sasha Fierce," is due Tuesday (Nov. 18). All 16 tracks from the double album are streaming right now on the singer's official MySpace page.
"I am happy that my fans will get to listen to my new album first at MySpace," Beyoncé says in a statement. "I have put my heart and soul into 'I Am … Sasha Fierce' and cannot wait to hear the feedback from the fans."
In other Beyonce news, the artist has weighed in on the controversy surrounding Jay-Z's booking to play the annual U.K. music festival Glastonbury. The traditional rock event was criticized for featuring a rap act as a headliner, but the hip hop star silenced critics by performing a rousing, crowd-pleasing set. Beyonce watched the performance from backstage and was stunned by the atmosphere.
"I was there to experience the energy, it was like something I have never experienced before, she tells Britain's Sky News."I thought it was brilliant. Jay had all the controversy - but he came out and he did good."
When asked whether she would consider performing at the festival, Knowles adds, "It would be really amazing... I would love to do it."
JAY-Z LEAKS 'BLUEPRINT 3' TRACK TO SALUTE OBAMA: Kanye-produced 'History' hits Internet.
*In honor of President Elect Barack Obama, Jay-Z has leaked a track called "History" from his upcoming album "The Blueprint 3," reports music Web site NME.
Produced by Kanye West, the synth-driven song popped up online in the wake of Tuesday's historic election of the first African American president.
It features singer Tony Williams singing and Jay-Z rapping: "Where are you victory? I need you desperately/Not just for the moment, to make history," before celebrating in the final verse that "Long after I'm gone, long after I breathe/I leave all I am in the hands of history."
Click here to listen to "We Made History." http://www.zshare.net/audio/511249566c9f0551/
JADEN SMITH IS THE NEW 'KARATE KID': After months of rumors, Columbia Pictures finally makes it official.
*Columbia Pictures has announced that Jaden Smith, the son of Hollywood titan Will Smith, will star in an all-new version of "The Karate Kid," based on the 1984 hit film led by Ralph Macchio.
The movie will be produced by Jerry Weintraub (who launched the original franchise) and Will Smith's Overbrook Entertainment, along with his partners James Lassiter and Ken Stovitz, reports Variety.
The project, written by Chris Murphy, will begin shooting next year in Beijing and other cities. While the new film will be set in that exotic locale, it will borrow elements of the original plot, wherein a bullied youth learns to stand up for himself with the help of an eccentric mentor.
Jaden Smith, who next stars in "The Day the Earth Stood Still," practices martial arts as a hobby.
QUEEN LATIFAH TO HOST PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS: Entertainer also up for favorite leading lady; Will Smith earns multiple nods.
*Queen Latifah has been tapped as host of the 35th Annual People's Choice Awards, airing live, Jan. 7 on CBS on.
The rapper-turned-actress, and star of "The Secret Life of Bees," is up for favorite leading lady against Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway.
Will Smith, meanwhile, earns nods for favorite action star and favorite male movie star.
"The Dark Knight" goes up against "Iron Man" and "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" for favorite movie. "Mamma Mia!" has been nominated for movie comedy as well as "Get Smart" and "27 Dresses."
In the TV categories, the drama field consists of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "Grey's Anatomy" and "House." Vying for top comedy series honors are "Two and a Half Men," "Ugly Betty" and "Samantha Who?"
Patrick Dempsey ("Grey's"), "House" star Hugh Laurie and Charlie Sheen ("Two and a Half Men") are up for favorite male TV star, while "Samantha Who?" lead Christina Applegate will vie with Sally Field of "Brothers and Sisters" and Mariska Hargitay of "Law & Order: SVU" for female TV star honors.
To celebrate its 35 years of publication, People Magazine will present the first People's Choice Award for favorite star under 35. Other new categories include superhero, movie cast and TV drama diva.
The People's Choice Awards honor fan favorites in television, movies and music. Awards will be presented at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
ARETHA FRANKLIN RANKED 'GREATEST SINGER': Soul icon tops Rolling Stone poll; Ray Charles, Sam Cooke also in top 5.
*The Queen of Soul has just become the Queen of Rock in a new poll of the rock era's 100 greatest singers, conducted by Rolling Stone magazine and due on newsstands Friday with four different covers.
Aretha Franklin, 66, tops a list that includes Ray Charles at No. 2, Elvis Presley at No. 3, Sam Cooke at No. 4 and John Lennon at No. 5, according to the magazine's survey of 179 musicians, producers, Rolling Stone editors, and other music-industry insiders.
The list also comes with testimonials from musicians. R&B singer Mary J. Blige, for example, writes that Franklin is "the reason why women want to sing." Former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant, who was No. 15 on the list, describes Presley's voice as "confident, insinuating and taking no prisoners."
Besides Franklin, the only other living people in the top 10 were Bob Dylan at No. 7 and Stevie Wonder at No. 9. Marvin Gaye was No. 6, Otis Redding No. 8, and James Brown No. 10.
Other notables included Paul McCartney at No. 11, one place ahead of his idol, Little Richard; and Mick Jagger at No. 16, also one ahead of a key influence, Tina Turner. Among the top 25, 50-year-old Michael Jackson was the youngest, coming in at No. 25.
'CADILLAC RECORDS' SOUNDTRACK DUE DEC 2: Beyonce, Mos Def, Jeffrey Wright, Raphael Saadiq cover Chess Records classics.
*Beyonce's cover of Etta James' "At Last" will lead the soundtrack for "Cadillac Records," due Dec. 2 from Columbia, reports Billboard.com. Beyonce plays James in the film, which chronicles the rise and fall of iconic label Chess Records.
The soundtrack will be available in both single- and double-disc editions, and also includes tracks from Mos Def (portraying Chuck Berry), Jeffrey Wright (as Muddy Waters), Columbus Short (as Little Walter) and Eamonn Walker (as Howlin' Wolf).
Raphael Saadiq, Beyonce's sister Solange, Mary Mary, Nas, Buddy Guy and Elvis Presley also contribute songs on the album. [Scroll down to view complete track list.]
"Cadillac Records" opens Dec. 5 in U.S. theaters. "People will be most surprised that the glamorous Beyonce allowed herself to be seen in the desperate straits that Etta went through, including her heroin addiction," says Sony BMG Music Entertainment chairman Andrew Lack, who produced "Cadillac Records" with Sony BMG Films executive VP Sophia Sondervan.
"That's a Beyonce I don't think anyone's seen yet."
Here is the track list for "Cadillac Records":
Disc one:
"I'm a Man," Jeffrey Wright
"At Last," Beyonce
"No Particular Place To Go," Mos Def
"I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man," Jeffrey Wright "Once in a Lifetime," Beyonce "Let's Talk a Walk," Raphael Saadiq
"6 O'Clock Blues," Solange
"Nadine," Mos Def
"The Sound," Mary Mary
"Last Night," Little Walter
"I'd Rather Go Blind," Beyonce
"My Babe," Columbus Short
"Bridging the Gap," Nas featuring Olu Dara
Disc tw
"Maybellene," Mos Def
"Forty Days and Forty Nights," Buddy Guy "Trust in Me," Beyonce "Juke," Kim Wilson "Smokestack Lightnin'," Eamonn Walker "Promised Land," Mos Def "All I Could Do Was Cry," Beyonce "My Babe," Elvis Presley "I Can't Be Satisfied," Jeffrey Wright "Come On," Mos Def "Country Blues," Jeffrey Wright "Evolution of a Man," Q-Tip and Al Kapone "Radio Station," Terence Blanchard
WHOOPI MAKES A NEW DISCOVERY: 'View' co-host inks development deal to create programming for the network.
*Whoopi Goldberg, a co-host on ABC's "The View," has signed a development deal with Discovery Emerging Networks to develop shows for Investigation Discovery and Science Channel with partner Tom Leonardis.
According to Variety, the programming will be presented under her production shingle Whoop Inc. The pact includes a proviso that at least one of Goldberg and Leonardis' ideas be greenlit.
"Since I'm really curious about the world, what better place for Tom and me to exercise this interest than at Discovery?" Goldberg said.
In addition to Goldberg's short-lived, self-titled 2003-04 NBC sitcom, Whoop Inc. has produced the Lifetime series "Strong Medicine"; telepics "Ruby's Bucket of Blood" and "Call Me Claus"; and feature "The Piano Man's Daughter."
FOX DELAYS 'CLEVELAND SHOW' PREMIERE: 'Family Guy' spinoff pushed back from spring to fall 09.
*Fox announced that the release date for its "Family Guy" spinoff "The Cleveland Show" has been pushed back to fall 2009, reports Variety.
The series, based on the Cleveland Brown character, had been announced at Fox's upfront as a late spring premiere for this season. But according to Variety, that was mostly for PR value and to get advertisers excited about Fox's schedule.
Internally, there was little doubt among Fox brass that the animated series would need more time for development and production and was highly unlikely to debut this season, the trade reported.
At the same time it confirmed the delay, Fox said it has ordered another nine episodes of "Cleveland," giving the 20th Century Fox TV production a full 22-episode order for the 2009-10 season.
In addition, pundit and Huffington Post editor-in-chief Arianna Huffington has joined the show's voice cast in a recurring role.
FILM FOLLOWS TRACY MCGRADY IN AFRICA: Cameras followed Houston Rockets star during 2007 trip to Darfur refugee camps.
*NBA star Tracy McGrady recently attended a private screening of his film "3 Points," a documentary of his personal transformation during a 2007 visit to the Darfur refugee camps in Chad.
The film traces McGrady's beginnings in his hometown of Auburndale, Fla., to his luxurious life in Sugar Land and on to the refugee camps where he learns of the horrific atrocities suffered in the Darfur region of the Sudan.
Cameras were able to capture McGrady evolving from naïve and privileged at the start to educated and driven as he visits with the refugees from the mass five-year genocide.
McGrady, along with his longtime friend Ira Seright, his manager and film executive producer Elissa Grabow and activists Omer Ismail and John Prendergast made the trip in August 2007. Filmmaker Josh Rothstein and cameraman Brian Jackson documented their six days of travel and in the camps, filming as elders, women and children tell stories of the unthinkable acts they encountered while fleeing from Darfur to the camps in Djabal, Koloma and Koubigou.
"The most important thing is the message," McGrady told the San Francisco Chronicle. "That all we want from this film, to get the message out and get people to want to get involved."
Talks are ongoing with several groups, including CAA, to distribute the film to cable television outlets and film festivals. In conjunction with the completion of the film, McGrady and Lakers guard Derek Fisher are recruiting NBA players for the "Darfur Dream Team Sister School Program" to raise money for schools in the refugee camps.
The film ends with McGrady telling students at his high school in Auburndale, the first of the sister schools, about his trip and all he learned.
MARIAH CAREY SHOVED INTO 'PUSH': Plus, singer's expenses during World Music Awards detailed by London paper.
*Mariah Carey is reportedly set to play a small role opposite Dakota Fanning in the upcoming film "Push," reports WENN.
The entertainer says she'll play a dowdy New York social worker in the sci-fi thriller, which follows a group of young American ex-pats with telekinetic and clairvoyant abilities who are hiding from a clandestine U.S. government agency. They must utilize their different talents and band together for a final job enabling them to escape the agency forever.
"I'm not going to be a pretty picture. The role's a supporting part - a little scene - but it's a very important scene," Carey says of her role. "I don't want to reveal what happens, but my character is important because things are revealed through her."
Djimon Hounsou and Camilla Belle also star in the film, which is due in Feb. 2009.
In other Mariah news, London's Daily Mail detailed every penny of the expenses needed to transport and house Carey for Monday's World Music Awards in Monte Carlo.
The paper reported: The singer's extraordinary demands included a £100,000 private jet transport to the ceremony in Monte Carlo and a £10,000-a-night penthouse suite at the exclusive Hotel de Paris for two nights. Never one to travel light, she also asked for similar VIP treatment at the hotel for her 15-strong entourage of stylists and personal assistants.
And when she felt a little peckish, she decided that the five-star hotel just wasn't quite up to standard. Instead she had renowned Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse brought to her hotel to cook her a private dinner. Seemingly impressed with the results, she then asked if he could stay and teach her how to cook the clam linguine for her new husband Nick Cannon.
Never mind that the 38-year-old was appearing for only 15 minutes on the night. After collecting her Special Achievement award, she made a short speech before being escorted immediately home.
During her stay in London, Carey appeared on the TV competition show "X Factor," where she sang her latest single "I Stay In Love" before joining the show's finalists on stage to sing her hit "Hero."
Similar to her appearance on "American Idol," Carey's "X Factor" face time included mentoring sessions and each contestant performing a Mariah ballad.
NAACP SETS A DATE FOR IMAGE AWARDS: Nominees to be announced in January; ceremony to be held following month.
*The 40th NAACP Image Awards will broadcast live from Los Angeles' historic Shrine Auditorium on Thursday, Feb. 12 (8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET/PT) on Fox.
Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Former Vice President Al Gore and Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai will be awarded the NAACP Chairman's Award during the special. The Chairman's Award, chosen by NAACP Board Chairman Julian Bond, is bestowed in recognition of special achievement and distinguished public service.
"I am very proud to recognize Former Vice President Gore and Dr. Maathai for their substantial efforts in environmental awareness, sustainable development and peace," said Bond. "Their courageous and historic accomplishments have benefited not only current but future generations, and they clearly reflect the values that we have so valiantly fought for over the past century."
Nominations for the annual award show that recognizes the artistic achievements of people of color and honors projects and individuals that promote diversity in the arts will be announced Wednesday, Jan. 7 in Los Angeles. Hosts, performers and presenters will be announced shortly.
The star-studded broadcast will coincide with the NAACP's 100th anniversary.
CORBIN BLEU BUSTS A 'FREE STYLE': 'HSM' actor pirouettes into motocross film.
*"High School Musical" star Corbin Bleu is trading his dancing shoes for a motorbike to star in the upcoming film "Free Style."
The actor plays a young man determined to win a spot on the Grand National motocross racing team with the support of his mother (Penelope Ann Miller), little sister (Madison Pettis) and new girlfriend (Sandra Echeverria).
Bleu's real-life father, David Reivers, and 2007 U.S. Open Supercross Champion, Grant Langston, also star.
Samuel Goldwyn Films and Fox Home Entertainment have nabbed U.S. theatrical and home video rights, respectively, to "Free Style" from Rigel Entertainment. A February theatrical release is planned.
ITTY BITTY BITS: Makeba returns home; Legend on Latin Grammys; N. Richie hosts Lighting ceremony; civil rights DVD; Flo Rida in Gap ad; Van Peebles on panel; Lohan praises first 'colored' prez.
*The body of singing legend and activist Miriam Makeba, also known as "Mama Africa," will return home to South Africa sometime today, per the wishes of her family. The widely-respected artist will have a funeral service and cremation, according to foreign affairs spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa.
*Five-time Grammy winner John Legend and 12-time Latin Grammy winner Juanes will team for a performance on the 9th Annual Latin Grammy Awards telecast, set for tomorrow (Nov. 13) at the Toyota Center in Houston and broadcast live on the Univision Network from 8 - 11 p.m. ET/PT. Tickets are available at the Toyota Center Box Office at www.toyotacentertix.com, or by dialing 1.866.4HOUTIX (1.866.446.8849).
*The U.S. Fund for UNICEF announced that Nicole Richie and her husband, UNICEF Ambassador Joel Madden, will host UNICEF's 2008 Beverly Hills Snowflake Lighting ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 22 at the intersection of Rodeo Drive and Wilshire Blvd. The ceremony highlights the City of Beverly Hills' "Light the Night" annual holiday event where the UNICEF Snowflake and the 20 Baccarat chandeliers that grace Rodeo Drive are illuminated to kick off the holiday season. Festivities begin at 3 p.m. with the official lighting at 6 p.m.
*"Dare Not Walk Alone," a feature-length documentary about little-known events in America's civil rights struggle, is now available on DVD from Brooklyn-based artist and director Jeremy Dean. While documenting Dr. King's heroic campaign to end segregation, the film also paints a disturbing portrait of lingering inequality, some 40 years later, in one community where that campaign was waged. The "Dare Not Walk Alone" trailer can be seen at the film's Web site: http://darenotwalkalone.com.
*The Gap has recruited rapper Flo Rida and singers Trey Songz and Janelle Monae for its new "Merry Mix It" ad campaign. The clip features a "street smart rendition" of "Jingle Bells" that will be used in select store-video displays, as well as online and in movie theaters beginning tomorrow (Nov. 13).
*IFP will present conversations with Melvin Van Peebles, as well as Gus Van Sant and HBO's Sheila Nevins at the Gotham Independent Film Awards Series. The program will include panels featuring breakthrough director and actor nominees from the 18th annual Gothams, as well as Museum of Modern Art screenings of "Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You" award contenders. The series runs Nov. 20 to Dec. 6 at venues in Manhattan and Brooklyn. A complete schedule and lineup of participants is available here (http://gotham.ifp.org/).
*Lindsay Lohan, a supporter of Barack Obama for president, actually used the term "colored" when discussing her joy over the Election Night results. In an interview with "Access Hollywood's" Maria Menounos that aired Monday night, Lohan said of Obama: "It's so amazing. It's our first colored president. So that's like - I'm so thrilled to be a part of the country while that's going on." View clip here: http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=40e7b247-ced5-40d2-ac2a-6bc67592a854
RACIAL GAP IN BLOOD PRESSURES STUDIED: Researchers find startling number disparity between level of deaths.
*The Associated Press reports of a new study that suggests the lives of nearly 8,000 black Americans could be saved each year if doctors could figure out a way to bring their average blood pressure down to the average level of whites.
The gap between the races in controlling blood pressure is well-known, but the resulting number of lives lost startled some scientists.
"We expected it to be big, but it was even larger than we anticipated," said the lead author, Dr. Kevin Fiscella of the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry.
The study, released Monday in the Annals of Family Medicine, is being called the first to calculate the lives lost due to racial disparities in blood pressure control. Fiscella said he believes steps can be taken to erase that gap. But a second article in the same journal found that racial differences in blood pressure treatment persisted in England despite a national health system that provides equal access to care.
High blood pressure — often called the "silent killer" because it has no symptoms — increases a person's chances for heart disease, stroke and other serious problems. But it's easy to check for and usually can be controlled through exercise, diet and medicine. For decades, doctors have noted that a higher percentage of black Americans have high blood pressure than whites. The reasons for that include poverty and cultural habits. Both can prevent people from exercising, eating healthy foods and getting in to see a good doctor.
The study suggesting 8,000 black lives are lost due to uncontrolled blood pressure is based on earlier research that finds that about 40 percent of black adults have high blood pressure, compared with about 30 percent of whites.
Fiscella and his colleague, Kathleen Holt, made a series of calculations. They took estimates of how each point of increased blood pressure affects the likelihood of death, and put it in a formula that included the difference in black and white blood pressure readings. Those differences caused about 5,500 extra deaths from heart disease and about 2,200 deaths from stroke each year.
The second study, done in England, looked at the electronic medical records of about 8,900 patients in southwest London, who are covered by that country's national health insurance system. Researchers found black patients with high blood pressure had significantly higher readings than white or Asian patients, even though blacks were prescribed more medications.
The researchers also looked at patients who were sick with one or more conditions like heart disease, kidney disease and diabetes. They found that blood pressure control was much worse in blacks than whites.
Patients' failure to regularly take their medicine may be one factor. Another may be that certain medications work better for blacks, but some doctors may be overlooking that difference, said Millett, a consultant in public health for Imperial College.
Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher said changes need to be made to make sure minority patients can get good medical care when they need it. But there also needs to be more done to make sure patients understand medical directions and feel comfortable asking questions when they don't.
"It's very clear we need to target our efforts to differences in" how well patients follow medical advice, said Satcher, who is now an administrator at Atlanta's Morehouse School of Medicine.
EUR FILM REVIEW: Pride and Glory
Honest Cop Tested by Blue Wall of Silence in Gritty NYC Crime Saga Film Review by Kam Williams
*The Tierneys are a tight-knit Irish-American clan with a long history of service in the NYPD. Family patriarch Francis (Jon Voight) is a highly-regarded, retired police chief who has preserved his connections to the upper echelons of the department.
Frank, Jr. (Noah Emmerich), is an equally-respected precinct commander in Manhattan, while his younger brother Ray (Edward Norton) is a former narc relegated to an inconsequential desk job since an incident in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx that not only stalled his career but cost him his marriage.
Their brother-in-law, Jimmy Egan (Colin Farrell), is a covertly-crooked patrolman working under Frank, Jr. whose unlawful ways are about to catch up with him, big time.
Just past the point of departure, the festive Christmas season is abruptly spoiled when four officers are murdered during a drug bust gone bad inside a seedy Washington Heights apartment. Frank, Sr. immediately urges Ray to return to the streets to join the special task force being formed to search for the cop killers, since the men who died were all under his big brother’s command.
Ray does so reluctantly, though reasonably expecting the trail to lead to some sleazy street punks. But when it instead implicates fellow officers including his own brother and brother-in-law, he finds himself facing a crisis in conscience. For the last time he was in a similar situation, he had compromised his moral code by lying under oath to protect a cop on the take. That’s why he lost the respect of his wife (Carmen Ejogo) and now lives alone on a leaky houseboat.
This go-round, the stakes are even higher, for he uncovers a widespread pattern of corruption indicating that the entire precinct might be in cahoots with the mobsters wreaking havoc on the local neighborhood.
Then, when he tries to bring the facts to the attention of the department brass, he’s met with the subtle suggestion that they’d prefer for him not to break the Blue Wall of Silence.
So, will Ray play ball and participate in another cover-up, or will he testify truthfully, and thereby risk ripping both his family and the precinct apart? That is the question waiting to be addressed in Pride and Glory, a gritty, inner-city saga directed by Gavin O’Connor (Miracle). This high body-count affair begs to be compared with The Departed but is simply too formulaic and cliché-ridden to measure up favorably with that Oscar-winning Best Picture.
Nonetheless, Pride and Glory was fortunate enough to be blessed with a talented cast, including Noah Emmerich, Colin Farrell, Jon Voight, Rick Gonzalez and Wayne Duvall, that managed to elevate its paint-by-numbers script to an acceptable level. However, Edward Norton is the standout here, turning in yet another inspired performance as the anguished Ray, a complicated soul in search of redemption, and as ready to mix it up with bad guys as to beg his estranged ex for a second chance.
Serpico joins the Fight Club.
Very Good (2.5 stars)
Rated R for pervasive profanity, graphic violence and brief drug use.
Running time: 129 minutes
Studi New Line Cinema
To see a trailer for Pride and Glory, visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2Qu80hRoh4
EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE
“It’s not what you are that holds you back, it’s what you think you are not.” by Denis Waitley
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Nov. 12: Organist Booker T. Jones of Booker T. and the MG's is 64. Actress Tamala Jones ("The Brothers") is 34. Singer Tevin Campbell is 32. Singer Omarion is 24.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
D. Gulley's The Discount Trendsetter is designed to teach you how to save money in a trendy way (www.discounttrendsetter.com).
Submit your favorite Web site to us along with a 15-20 word (or less) description to info@eurweb.com.
BLACK HISTORY
Nov. 12, 1941: Opera singer, Madame Lillian Evanti, founds the National Negro Opera Company. (Source: www.BlackFacts.com)
