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WANDA SYKES GOT MARRIED UNDER PROP 8: Comedian says recent overturn led her to finally speak publically about being gay.
*Organizers of a Las Vegas rally against California's ban on same-sex marriages got a surprise appearance from comedian Wanda Sykes, who happened to be in town performing at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.
"You know, I don't really talk about my sexual orientation. I didn't feel like I had to. I was just living my life, not necessarily in the closet, but I was living my life," Sykes told folks at the rally, hosted by the LGBT Center of Southern Nevada.
"Everybody that knows me personally they know I'm gay. But that's the way people should be able to live their lives," said the actress, who disclosed to the crowd that she married her partner on Oct. 25.
However, the passage of California's Proposition 8, which bans same-sex marriage, made her feel like she was "attacked."
"Now, I gotta get in their face," she said. "I'm proud to be a woman.
I'm proud to be a black woman, and I'm proud to be gay."
Wanda Sykes Says "I'm Proud to be Gay": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRyVH-1zadg
Wanda Sykes talks Prop 8 on 'Ellen's' Halloween Show http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5M3iS2O0Es
KATT WILLIAMS REPORTEDLY UNDERGOES PSYCH EVAL: Family members persuade him to take tests following erratic behavior.
*South Carolina's The Item.com news site is reporting that comedian Katt Williams underwent a psychiatric evaluation over the weekend at the insistence of his family members.
After a string of erratic behavior over the past several weeks, including a Nov. 4 no-show on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and an arrest in New York on weapons charges, the comic had run-ins with both city and county law enforcement in Sumter – resulting in an alleged mental evaluation for a possible hospital commitment, at the urging of local family members, the Web site reported.
Sumter Police Department Maj. Perry Herod said officers responded to a suspicious behavior call from the Mount Vernon Inn Friday at 8:30 a.m. in reference to Williams, 35. He "was trying to buy a room while dressed in a bathrobe and a towel wrapped around his head," said Sumter Police Chief Patty Patterson. After determining no criminal activity was taking place, officers left.
Attorney Garryl Deas said Williams then visited his office at 201 N.
Main St. at around 9 a.m. asking for help. Deas said Williams told him he felt the police were "attempting to violate his rights." Williams also went on to talk about his entertainment career and revealed there were people who thought he was missing because he had failed to report to some engagements, Deas said. The actor said there were even rumors he had died in a plane crash.
Deas said Williams agreed to wait for him to return from a 9:30 a.m.
scheduled court appearance. When Deas came back at 10:30 a.m., Williams was waiting for him, but his behavior had changed. "His demeanor was a little troubled," Deas said, adding the actor seemed "disoriented."
About that time, family or close friends of Williams arrived and tried to take him to the hospital for mental evaluation, Deas said. He said the family was seeking to have the actor committed. He was under the impression the family members were a teenaged daughter and the daughter's mother. Williams, however, was against the hospital visit.
"He just said that he doesn't trust anyone anymore," Deas said.
Williams said he thought "everyone has turned against him. He wasn't really coherent."
Deas said the family was seeking an order to force him to be seen for a mental evaluation. Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis said the call came in around noon and deputies arrived to transport Williams to the hospital. Though he was vocal in his desire not to go, Williams was not physically aggressive.
"Officers did talk with him, and then my understanding is he went on his own to Tuomey Hospital," said Sumter Police Department Maj. Perry Herod.
Meanwhile, Williams is scheduled to appear Nov. 20 at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas and on Dec. 31 in Detroit with comedian Steve Harvey. Williams has reportedly said the Dec. 31 gig will be his last stand-up show.
KANYE TELLS HIS SIDE OF THE ARREST STORY: Rapper, photographer give accounts of Friday morning incident in England.
*Kanye West has a few choice words for the paparazzi after his second photographer-related arrest in three months took place early Friday morning at a club in Northern England.
As previously reported, the 31-year-old rapper was briefly detained and released without charge following the incident with freelance photographer Terry Blackburn outside the Tup Tup Palace in Newcastle.
"[West] had four women around him," Blackburn explained to BBC 1Xtra on Friday. "As I approached the car which he was getting into, he ran around the back and I ran around the front to try and meet him around the side. Just as soon as I put my camera up to my face, that was it - he just pushed it in my face."
Blackburn claimed the incident left him with his nose "cut open."
Kanye, meanwhile, used his blog to post his side of the story.
(http://www.kanyeuniversecity.com/blog/?em3106=213537_-1__0_~0_-1_11_2008_0_
0&em3281=&em3161=) He wrote on Saturday: "When I left the club, I was encountered by a thirsty paparazzi as usual. He felt he had more rights to my space than me, so I put my hand up to prevent him from taking my image.
"I didn't assault him, merely putting my hand up to cover his lens. My security yelled, 'Get the camera off him.' I guess in all the commotion the camera scraped his nose."
West was later arrested by officers at his hotel in Gateshead, and taken to a police station.
"The cops were very cordial but told me they had to arrest me because a complaint was filed," he said. "That was the bogus part. They still had to go through the motions.
"When I got back to the hotel there were paparazzi hanging above the bridge above the hotel trying to get a shot of me getting out of the police van. Even though I wasn't charged, the damage was done."
West added: "Let us not forget that the paps killed Princess Diana.
When will there be a law passed... that someone has to ask to take a photograph of you? That would seem like common courtesy. What should be illegal is pictures taken with the intent to sell - like drugs with the intent to sell."
"I am not a celebrity," he continued. "I am a normal person that's just famous. I refuse to sneak in and out of back doors and kitchens of hotels."
"Right now, the paps are above the law and the people who they shoot are below it."
West, whose UK tour ends in Manchester on Monday, was also involved in a scuffle with a photographer at a Los Angeles airport in September.
J-HUD THANKS FANS IN MYSPACE POSTING: Plus, Gap talks about getting Oscar winner's blessing to move forward with ads.
*In her first public statement since the funerals of her mother, brother and nephew last week, Jennifer Hudson used her MySpace page to thank fans for their encouragement and support following the tragedy.
"I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time," the 27-year-old Oscar-winner said in a posting Thursday evening. "My sister and I take great comfort and strength from your love and concern."
As previously reported, The Gap had considered removing Hudson from its new holiday ads following the murders, but decided to keep the artist after Hudson gave her approval.
"We felt that it was really important first and foremost to respect what she wanted to do, so as long as she felt comfortable with her campaign being out there, we felt comfortable," Olivia Doyne, director of engagement marketing and public relations for Gap, told the Associated Press.
The company's new print, store and billboard ads were unveiled Thursday and also feature Mary-Louise Parker, Jason Bateman, Rainn Wilson, Ashanti and Seth Myers.
Hudson's photos for the campaign were taken in July, some three months before the Oct. 24 shooting deaths of her 57-year-old mother, Darnell Donerson; her brother, 29-year-old Jason Hudson; and her 7-year-old nephew Julian King.
"The minute we heard about the tragedy, we actually contacted her management team to ask if she wanted to participate or if she wanted us to pull her out of it," said Doyne. "They checked in with her and said that she still wanted to participate. It was definitely our first thought."
Doyne said Gap Inc. wasn't concerned that Hudson's presence in the ads would register sadness instead of holiday cheer.
"Her pictures are absolutely gorgeous. She just looks incredible and she's got such this big, beautiful personality and I think (it) came through on the photos really well," said Doyne. "So I really hope that despite all the heartbreak that's been happening, she'll still bring a smile to people's faces."
SEAN LEVERT MAY HAVE SURVIVED OTHER OHIO JAILS: Officials at two facilities say their policy would've allowed his Xanax.
*The Cleveland Plain Dealer is reporting that Sean Levert's death in Ohio's Cuyahoga County jail in March may have been avoided had he been incarcerated in either of Ohio's two other major urban-county jails.
Officials at the Franklin and Hamilton county jails said their facilities have policies that would not have denied the R&B singer his doctor-prescribed anxiety medication, as staff at the Cuyahoga County Jail did during what became the last six days of life.
A county coroner's report concluded that Levert's withdrawal symptoms from the drug Xanax contributed to the complications that stopped his heart on March 30. Levert was waiting for a doctor's evaluation to decide if he should be allowed the medicine. The visit was scheduled for April 8.
"If he had been in our jail and Xanax was on the formulary - if it was a standard-issue drug - he would have seen a doctor who would prescribe it," said Mark Barrett, chief deputy for jail administration in the Franklin County Sheriff's Office.
50 CENT'S ALBUM RELEASE PUSHED BACK: Dec 16th due date scrapped; new date yet to be determined.
*Billboard.com is reporting that 50 Cent's new album, "Before I Self Destruct," has been pushed back from its original Dec. 16 release date to an unspecified date in early 2009.
Interscope says the artist was "rushing" to meet the December date but "with the deadline to secure advertising and retail placement for the album imminent," the rapper opted to wait until next year.
"Before I Self Destruct" will be packaged with a full-length feature film of the same name, in which 50 plays a budding basketball star who becomes a criminal after his mother's murder.
Early pressings of the album will also include a second DVD with the documentary "Two Turntables And A Microphone: The Life And Death Of Jam Master Jay," which 50 Cent executive produced.
OBAMA'S PUTS WEEKLY ADDRESSES ON YOUTUBE: Policy advisers, other officials will also appear in videos.
*President-elect Barack Obama says his weekly radio addresses, a tradition initiated by Ronald Reagan, will also be available for Internet users via YouTube.
Obama's four-minute address Friday at his transition office in Chicago was posted Saturday through a YouTube link on his transition Web site, http://www.change.gov. And he will continue to do the videos when he takes office on Jan. 20, reports the Associated Press.
Transition leaders and policy advisers will also appear in videos on a regular basis, Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. Other officials, such as Cabinet members, could also take part.
A two-minute video of Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett is already on the Web page. In it, Jarrett discusses recent staff decisions and the ethics policy in place for the transition. "We'll be back frequently to give you updates," she tells viewers.
ESSENCE ANNOUNCES '25 MOST INFLUENTIAL': A certain president-elect tops list; Ifill, Brazile, Perry, Smith also ranked.
*Essence magazine has chosen Barack Obama as its most influential person of the year in a special year-end issue, which recognizes the 25 most distinguished African-Americans who have made a difference.
"President-elect Barack Obama's historic win was the pinnacle of an amazing year in African-American achievement," says the magazine's editor-in-chief Angela Burt-Murray. "Essence is so proud to acknowledge the top 25 African-Americans who followed suit with extraordinary steps in news, music, film, politics, activism and fashion and emerged as the game changers of 2008."
December's Most Influential List also features newsmakers like Gwen Ifill and Donna Brazile who helped shape this year's news and captured the attention of millions while making a powerful impact on the media landscape.
Celebrities who raised the bar and achieved enormous success are saluted as well, like Tyler Perry who became the first African-American to own a major television and movie studio and Will Smith who broke barriers at the box office.
Following the pattern of historical moments in African-American history, New York Governor, David Paterson makes the list as the first black governor of New York and the first blind governor of any state.
In a special tribute to African-American women in radio, the list boasts Michel Martin, Adaora Udoji, Michele Norris, Bev Smith and Farai Chideya.
Below is Essence magazine's 25 Most Influential List:
Barack Obama - President-elect
Donna Brazile - Political Strategist, Commentator
Gwen Ifill - Journalist
Valerie Jarrett - President and CEO, The Habitat Company, Adviser
to Barack Obama
Queen Latifah - Singer, Actress, Jenny Craig Spokesperson
Will Smith - Box Office Titan
Wyclef Jean - Musician, Activist
Kanye West - Hip-Hop Artist, Producer
will.i.am - Musician, Activist
Tyler Perry - Writer, Actor, Director, Producer, Studio Owner
Michel Martin - Tell Me More, Host
Adaora Udoji - The Take Away, Host
Michele Norris - All Things Considered, Host
Bev Smith - The Bev Smith Show, Host
Farai Chideya - News & Notes, Host
Van Jones - Founder and President, Green For All
Ian Smith, M.D. - Diet Expert, Author, Television Host
David Paterson - Governor, New York
Bethann Hardison - Advocate for Black Models
Phill Wilson - CEO, Black Aids Institute
Reverend Leah Daughtry - CEO, Democratic National Convention
Mark Whitaker - Washington Bureau Chief, NBC News
Candace Parker - WNBA Star
Patrick Robinson - Lead Fashion Designer, GAP
James Rucker - Internet Civil Rights Activist
SUGE TO BE CHARGED IN VEGAS INCIDENT: One-time rap mogul to receive felony battery and drug possession charges today.
*Death Row co-founder Suge Knight will today be charged with battery and two counts of possession of a controlled substance in connection with his Aug. 27 arrest in Las Vegas for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend, reports Allhiphop.com.
Knight was discovered by police wielding a knife and punching a naked Melissa Isaac in a parking lot off the Las Vegas Strip. He was arrested for felony assault, misdemeanor domestic violence, and for possession of the illegal drugs Ecstasy and hydrocodone (a codeine-based pain reliever).
"It took a while for the lab to analyze the substances, which caused a delay in filing the charges," explained district attorney David Roger.
"Considering Mr. Knight's notoriety, these are serious charges."
Suge's battery charge remains in jeopardy, as the alleged victim Isaac has gone missing since the incident. At the time of her disappearance, Isaac was scheduled to testify against the former rap mogul in court.
Even without Isaac, Roger's prosecution team has vowed to move forward with the case, as two arresting officers were witness to the assault.
SPIKE LEE'S LA RIOTS FILM ON HORIZON: Project may come before sequel to 'Inside Man.'
*Spike Lee may be close to filming his movie about the 1992 Los Angeles riots with producer Brian Grazer, who tells ComingSoon.net that it might hit theaters before their sequel to "Inside Man."
Grazer, the founder of Imagine Entertainment with filmmaker/partner Ron Howard, said the L.A. riots film would be a "360 degree view of what that is, an autopsy of how a riot works."
Like Spike, Grazer has been trying to get the project made for a long time.
"'Cause I grew up in Los Angeles, and I was six or seven miles from this riot," said Grazer. "It was a fascination. It was threatening and a fascination, both. I've always wanted to make a war movie, I haven't done that. The visuals of that would be interesting and this is a way of doing a war movie in a modern environment and one that I know really well."
TERRENCE HOWARD GRIEVES MOM'S PASSING: Actor says he's 'slowly pulling it together' following death two months ago.
*Terrence Howard posted a message on his MySpace blog about mourning the death of his mother, who lost her battle with cancer in September.
"I know that I have been quiet but I had a lot going on," writes the 39-year-old actor. "But I am slowly pulling it together."
The Oscar-nominated star of "Hustle & Flow" made an appearance Saturday at an FYE electronics store in Miami – "the furthest that I have gone from home since my mom's funeral last month," he writes.
"It's weird that in your mind you separate all things into places and people you knew before your mom passed and the people you meet and places you go after mom passed," he writes. "I wonder when that stops."
'ATL HOUSEWIVES' UPDATE – KIM VS. LISA: Root of Lisa Wu Hartwell's anger revealed; Kim allegedly called her a 'crack whore.'
*Lisa Wu Hartwell from Bravo's "Real Housewives of Atlanta" is the latest to speak out in her ongoing post-season feud with cast member Kim Zolciak.
Last we heard, Lisa left a threatening voicemail on Kim's cell phone regarding some drama that jumped off between the two of them at the reunion show. Lisa said in the message, "I am not the one -- you need to call me. I might just be coming to your house."
Kim responded by giving an interview alongside her lawyer to TMZ.com, warning of a lawsuit should Lisa make good on her threats.
Over the weekend, TMZ reported that Lisa is all fired up because Kim called her a "crack whore" behind her back and insulted her children. The Web site also says that Lisa believes Kim is using the reunion show fallout to extend her 15 minutes of fame.
LEDISI TO SPEND HOLIDAY ON THE ROAD: Singer/songwriter to plug new Christmas album during 10-city trek next month.
*Grammy-nominated R&B singer/songwriter Ledisi will hit the road next month to promote her new album "It's Christmas," a pop, R&B, soul and gospel infused interpretation of holiday standards, plus four original songs co-written by the singer.
The CD includes versions of "What a Wonderful World" featuring trumpeter Christian Scott, "Please Come Home for Christmas" with modern bluesman Keb' Mo', and "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" with the Perri Sisters. One of the original tracks, "Be There for Christmas," is streaming at Ledisi's MySpace page.
The 10-city trek is scheduled to launch Dec. 4 in Durham, NC, and visit U.S. clubs and theaters from coast to coast through Dec. 23, reports Billboard.com. Stops include a four-night stand in San Francisco and a two-night finale in Annapolis, MD.
Ledisi has also started making plans for next year, with Jan. 19-20 performances booked in Alexandria, VA. Her full itinerary is included below.
December 2008
4 - Durham, NC - Carolina Theater
5 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
7 - New Orleans, LA - Dillard University 10 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre
11-14 - San Francisco, CA - Yoshi's
16 - Chicago, IL - Dedry Experience
18 - Detroit, MI - The Fillmore
19 - New York, NY - B.B. King's
20 - Glenside, PA - Keswick Theatre
22, 23 - Annapolis, MD - Rams Head
January 2009
19, 20 - Alexandria, VA – Birchmere
PAULA ABDUL FAN SENT FLOWERS BEFORE SUICIDE: Also, 'American Idol' reportedly tells staff not to mention incident.
*Police say troubled Paula Abdul fan Paula Goodspeed sent the "American Idol" judge flowers just days before committing suicide outside of the star's Sherman Oaks, Calif. mansion.
According to reports, the bouquet came with a note that read: "Here's my new cell number." Abdul originally thought the bouquet was from ex-boyfriend J.T. Torregiani, a source said the New York Daily News, but it quickly became clear Goodspeed was involved.
"When they contacted the number, the person asked 'Is this Paula?' and they recognized her," the source said. "They put two and two together."
Meanwhile, TMZ.com is reporting that during filming of "American Idol" at Kodak Theater this week, all contestants, families and staff are being told "not to mention anything about the suicide that occurred in front of Paula's home saying, 'It would put Paula in a bad mood and not be good for camera.' … The rule is said to continue throughout the season."
CHILLI DENIES 'HOMEWRECKER' RUMORS: Essence.com asks about her relationship with CNN's T.J. Holmes.
*In a very candid Q&A with Essence.com, TLC's Chilli sets the record straight about a number of issues, including her "brief" relationship with CNN anchor T.J. Holmes.
Rumor had it that he was still married when the two began dating in Atlanta.
"No, let's clear this up right now," Chilli tells writer Kenya N.
Byrd. "T.J. Holmes was divorced and had been divorced. It wasn't a situation where he was going through a divorce and still married. I would never date a man that is legally separated or tied to another woman.
"We dated, but it was brief. I'm a godly person and try to do all the things that God wants me to do. I have a conscience; I could never do that. Besides, I want to get married and present a healthy wonderful relationship for myself and my 11-year-old son."
Chilli also discusses her new handbag collection (Bags by Chilli), her new business ventures, and her relationship with Usher and his wife Tameka in the Essence.com interview here:
http://www.essence.com/news_entertainment/entertainment/articles/chilli.
MICHAEL BAISDEN STRETCHES ABC RADIO DEAL: Syndicated radio show gets multi-year extension.
*ABC Radio Networks has locked in a multi-year deal with Michael Baisden for his nationally-syndicated The Michael Baisden Show, currently the top-ranked Urban afternoon program in the country.
“Michael’s show has developed one of the most loyal audiences in radio today and his consistently strong ratings have made him a brand of choice for key advertisers,” said Jim Robinson, President of ABC Radio Networks. “Renewing our original agreement was a priority and positions us for substantial success in the years ahead.”
Baisden broadcast his show live from two of the presidential debates and President-elect Obama became a regular guest of the program through the primary season and months leading up to the general election. Baisden’s election results broadcast in Miami drew a live audience of more than 5,000 Florida voters and the show’s guests included Donna Brazile, Forrest Whittaker, Denzel Washington, Michelle Obama, Will Smith, Gayle King and Spike Lee.
“Our show has come so far in such a brief period of time yet I know the best days are still ahead of us,” said Baisden. “Connecting with my listeners and providing them a forum is what drives me each and every day. I’m thrilled to know I’ll be taking the program to the next level and reaching even more listeners with the same phenomenal team.”
The Michael Baisden Show launched in syndication with ABC in 2005 and has grown to 68 affiliates. It holds the number one position in its slot in key markets such as New York, Philadelphia, Detroit and Washington, D.C.
MIRIAM MAKEBA REMEMBERED AT PUBLIC MEMORIAL: Hundreds pay last respects on Saturday in Johannesburg.
*Hundreds of mourners attended a public memorial held Saturday in Johannesburg for music legend and anti-apartheid activist Miriam Makeba, reports AFP.
Some of South Africa's most prominent politicians, musicians and artists gathered at a concert hall to celebrate her life through song and poetry.
South African jazz great Hugh Masekela performed a mournful solo of one her songs, with the audience clapping along softly, while poet Maishe Maponya read a poem that praised Makeba for "engendering fresh hope for the future."
Former president Thabo Mbeki, the current deputy president Baleka Mbete, and foreign minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma were among the politicians who attended the service, where video montages of her life filled jumbo screens next to the stage.
President Kgalema Motlanthe, who was in Washington for the G20 financial summit, paid tribute to Makeba in a video message.
"Let us say it loud and clear, Miriam Makeba was not affectionately called Mama Africa for nothing," he said.
The Grammy-winning singer collapsed after a performance last Sunday in Italy and died of a heart attack a short while later in hospital. She was 76.
"When she passed away, she was doing what she did best. In her own words, she loved music more than anything else, and she was always happy when she was on stage performing," said arts minister Pallo Jordan.
He praised Makeba as "a woman whose name became synonymous with the worldwide struggle for freedom in South Africa, a woman who for more than three decades through her music projected the struggle of people."
The mourners recognized the troubles that Makeba had in finding the same success at home that she enjoyed overseas.
"Maybe we have done a lot of wrong as musicians," said promoter Sam Mhangwani. "Maybe if we had had enough shows in South Africa, she wouldn't have died in Italy."
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE IS…SASHA FIERCE ON 'SNL': Plus, JT's restaurant accused of cheating staff out of tips and overtime pay.
*Justin Timberlake donned a tight black leotard and black pumps to become a background dancer for Beyonce's video "Single Ladies" in a skit for "Saturday Night Live."
Timberlake and two other male dancers – "SNL's" Andy Samberg and Bobby Moynihan – dress exactly like the female background dancers for Beyonce's real "Single Ladies" video. In the bit, "SNL" host Paul Rudd plays the video's director, who eventually admits that the three dancers are his stepsons. [View the skit below/here:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7f5zf_justin-timberlake-beyonce-parodie-s_
music
Meanwhile, Reuters is reporting that Justin Timberlake's New York restaurant is the subject of a class action lawsuit over claims it has cheated staff out of tips, proper pay and overtime.
A busboy who worked at the restaurant for a year from June 2007 filed the suit in Manhattan federal court Friday on behalf of 50 other employees.
It accuses Timberlake, two of his business partners (Eytan Sugarman and Trace Ayala) and managers of Southern Hospitality BBQ restaurant in Manhattan of stealing tips and not paying the minimum wage or overtime. The suit seeks unspecified damages.
BERNIE MAC'S FAMILY COPING WITH DEATH: Daughter talks to People.com about life without their 'protector.'
*Je'Niece Childress, the daughter of late comedian Bernie Mac, says she still feels her father's presence at their family home in suburban Chicago home following his death four months ago from heart failure.
"That was his primary focus. Everything he did, he did with family in mind," Childress tells People of her father, whose last film "Soul Men" is in theaters now. "If he got a new offer for a movie, he'd say, 'I need to negotiate so I can take care of you and your mother.'"
Recently divorced, Childress, 30, and her 2-year-old daughter Jasmine now live with her mother, Rhonda McCullough.
"My mom and I were always close. Now we feel we're all we have left,"
she says. "We tend to tag team. When she's having a moment, she'll lean on me and when I'm having a moment, I lean on her ... If I need to cry, she lets me go cry on her lap like I'm 2 years old again."
The women – who both now head up the Bernie Mac Foundation for Sarcoidosis – still feel the comedian's presence at home.
"When I turn a corner, I'm still thinking, 'I'm going to see him,'"
Childress says. "I've had moments where I've woken up and I've sworn I could feel him smacking me on the back of the leg. I'll say, 'That hurts. I told you to stop. You're still so heavy-handed, even on the other side.'"
Those moments are "very comforting," she says.
"He was my dad, my first guy I ever fell in love with, my protector.
He was the one I laughed with," she says. "It's going to be very hard to live without that."
MUSIC BITS: Roots to join 'Late Night'; UMA brawl; Madonna's school; Wu-Tang boots; Natalie Cole reschedules.
*Hip Hop collective The Roots have been named the new house band for NBC's "Late Night" when former "Saturday Night Live" actor Jimmy Fallon replaces Conan O'Brien as host in March 2009, reports allhiphop.com. O’Brien will be moved to "The Tonight Show," where he will replace Jay Leno. Last week, Fallon and The Roots shot a "Late Night" promo clip at the Kung Fu Necktie in Philadelphia’s Fishtown section.
*A man is in critical condition after being stabbed during a brawl at the 6th annual Urban Music Awards, which took place Saturday at London's O2 Arena. One other person was treated at a local hospital for minor wounds, reports the Associated Press. Witnesses said chairs and champagne bottles were tossed around during the melee. Estelle, Adele, Leona Lewis, Dizzee Rascal and Duffy were among the performers nominated for awards, but organizers called off the ceremony after the violence.
*Madonna is following in the footsteps of Oprah Winfrey in attempting to build a school for underprivileged girls in Africa. The pop icon wants fans to donate money for a school in Malawi, where she adopted her son David Banda in May. "There are very few girls in Africa in general who are encouraged or allowed to go to secondary school, so after spending a lot of time there I realized that one of the ways I could help is to build a girls' school," Madonna said in a video on her Web site (http://www.madonna.com/raisingmalawi/). "I would really be grateful if you would get involved and help me in any way that you can, with donations, spreading the word, visiting my Web site, reading about the progress that we've made so far."
*Fila and The Wu-Tang Brand, Ltd. announce their latest product collaboration: the Wu-Tang Weathertech boot, inspired by the classic Fila boot silhouette. The winter boot features an oiled suede upper, molded rubberized vamp, d-ring lacing system and padded ankle collars. It's emblazoned with the legendary group's insignia on both the side and the heel tab as well as with signature Wu-Tang yellow highlights. The Wu-Tang boot retails for $100. For a list of retailers, please visit www.fila.com/wutang.
In 2007, Fila and the Wu-Tang Brand, Ltd. released a special edition of Fila's classic Original Tennis Shoe entitled the "C.R.E.A.M."
*Natalie Cole's scheduled concert at Spotlight 29 Casino has been moved up one week earlier than previously announced. The concert will now be staged on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009. Tickets purchased for the previous date will be honored for the new date. Cole is back on the road in support of her September release, "Still Unforgettable." Tickets are available at www.Spotlight29.com, at the Spotlight 29 Casino Gift Shop or by calling Star Tickets at (800) 585-3737. Show time is 8 p.m.
FILM/TV BITS: Walters' 'Most Fascinating'; Fishburne's 'CSI' gig; TomKat hearts Jada.
*Will Smith lands a spot on Barbara Walters' new "10 Most Fascinating People" list, alongside his homie Tom Cruise, Tina Fey, Miley Cyrus, Michael Phelps and actor Frank Langella. Walters' pick for the Most Fascinating Person of the year will be revealed when her annual special airs Dec. 4 on ABC.
*"CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" tops the must-see fall television shows for Americans, but more than a third of viewers said they would no longer watch after the departure of star William Petersen, according to the AOL television poll. "CSI" now in its eighth year, is currently the top-rated drama on U.S. TV with a weekly average 21 million viewers. But 37 percent said they would not watch once Petersen, who plays night shift supervisor Gil Grissom, leaves midway through the season. Another 41 percent said it depended how good Petersen's replacement Laurence Fishburne proved.
*Katie Holmes says she looks up to her good friend Jada Pinket-Smith as a role model for successfully juggling a movie career, motherhood, and marriage to a superstar. "Jada is so strong," Holmes tells People.com. "She is a rare woman – a phenomenal friend, mother, wife. She inspires me." Adds Katie's husband, Tom Cruise: "Jada tells it like it is. She creates art in her life ... She's effortless. She just has such class. She is an extraordinary woman and an amazing mother. She's constantly wanting to improve herself and her family." Agrees Holmes: "She's just a powerhouse."
SPORTS BITS: OJ Mayo no-show?; Michael Vick's dogs get their own wines.
*NBA rookie OJ Mayo is being accused of pocketing an appearance fee from an Arizona club and never showing up as promised. Multiple sources in Tempe, Ariz. tell TMZ.com Mayo took more than a grand from local promoters, promising he'd appear at the Cherry Lounge for his birthday bash after his game on Monday. But at 1 a.m., Mayo's manager told the club OJ was in bed and wouldn't be coming out. A rep for his team, the Memphis Grizzlies, says the whole thing is a lil' fishy, because OJ was on the team plane back to Memphis ... right after the game.
*The 22 canines rescued from Michael Vick's dog fighting enterprise grace the labels of their own brand of wine: The Vicktory Dogs Wine Collection, reports TMZ.com. A brief bio about the life of each dog appears on the back of their individual labels and 10% of the proceeds will go to the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in southern Utah, where the dogs currently resign.
FEDERAL AUDIT SHOWS SHARPTON OWES $500G: Illegal donations and other financial misdeeds discovered during 2004 presidential campaign.
*The Associated Press is reporting that federal auditors have concluded the Rev. Al Sharpton's 2004 campaign owes the government nearly $500,000 for illegal donations and other financial improprieties.
Sharpton has been feuding with the Federal Election Commission for years over his accounting in his failed run for president, for which he received $100,000 in so-called government matching funds that authorities later concluded he did not deserve because he hadn't followed campaign laws.
The auditors have now determined that Sharpton owes $486,803 to the U.S. Treasury because of his campaign's taking improper donations, largely from the National Action Network, a not-for-profit corporation that Sharpton leads but is separate from his campaign committee.
Sharpton will appeal the finding, aides said Friday, which would extend an already years-long fight with the government over how he raised and spent money to run for president.
The audit report is "a gross violation of Reverend Al Sharpton's right to perform his paid duties as president of the National Action Network, a traveling minister, lecturer, and an author who was promoting a book during the time period being audited," said his spokeswoman, Rachel Noerdlinger.
Sharpton's campaign finances came under scrutiny as he campaigned, speaking at churches where he collected "love offerings" that are common to traveling preachers.
At the same time, he was campaigning for president, and paying for much of it with his personal American Express card. Some of the costs were paid by the National Action Network, some by a different company called Rev-Als Production Inc.
"Virtually no effort appears to have been made by Sharpton 2004, the candidate, NAN, or Rev-Als. Production Inc. to keep any sort of detailed records demonstrating what payments paid for which travel," the report found, noting what it called the campaign's "nearly complete failure to produce any information on this subject in the course of the audit."
EUR FILM REVIEW: Quantum of Solace
Daniel Craig Back for Second Go as 007 in Revenge-Fueled Thriller
Film Review by Kam Williams
*Beyond the blond hair, there's something decidedly un-Bond-like about Daniel Craig as
007.
Perhaps it has to do with how his unassuming earthiness contrasts with the relatively
-patrician pretensions of such predecessors as Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan and especially
Sean Connery.
Be that as it may, Craig is back for an action-oriented, globe-trotting adventure apt
to disappoint fans anticipating the suave spy's sophisticated airs and other staples of the
storied franchise.
For instance, instead of the peripatetic playboy's trademark parade of a bevy of
beauties, this flick finds him fairly obsessed with understanding why he had been betrayed
in Casino Royale by Vesper (Eva Green), his late love interest from that picture.
In fact, Bond becomes so desperate in this endeavor that he roughs up as many good
guys as bad.
This development frustrates the director of the British Secret Service, M (Dame Judi
Dench), who suggests "I think you're so blinded by inconsolable rage that you don't care who
you hurt." Then, when James continues to behave irresponsibly, his boss cancels his passport
and credit cards, strips him of his license to kill and summarily calls him in from the
proverbial cold, because, "When you can't tell your friends from your enemies, it's time to
go."
As a result, this version of Bond is a rogue agent who operates sans the futuristic
firearms, armored sports car and other state-of-the-art accoutrements ordinarily equipped by
M16's genius inventor, Q, a beloved character conspicuous in his absence here. Nevertheless,
Quantum of Solace does offer about double the amount of gun play, fisticuffs, foot chases
and pyrotechnics, plus all the automobile, motorcycle, airplane and speedboat derring-do of
the typical 007 installment. The problem is that the movie no longer feels like a Bond film
when stripped of its eagerly-anticipated earmarks, but looks suspiciously similar to a high
-octane Jason Bourne affair in terms of non-stop stunts and its unflappable protagonist's
inscrutable demeanor.
What does remain intact is Bond's familiar mission to save the world from a diabolical
villain bent on world domination. In this case, the creep is Dominic Greene (Mathieu
Amalric) whose benignly-named Greene Planet Corporation has for some reason been quietly
acquiring ecological preserves around the planet by any means necessary.
007 discovers that Greene is a member of Quantum, the shadowy brotherhood of thieves
implicated in the death of Vesper. Thus, the solution to her suicide conveniently dovetails
with cracking the case. Along the way to finding answers, Bond encounters a couple of
fetching temptresses in Strawberry Fields (Gemma Arterton) and Camille (Olga Kurylenko), a
disenchanted gun moll of Mr. Greene. But he's far too consumed withy kicking butt from
start-to-finish to pause for anything more than a perfunctory appreciation of their
pulchritude.
Unfortunately, Bond the bon vivant and charming ladies man who would flirt with Ms.
Moneypenny and anything in a skirt is nowhere to be found. Woefully underdeveloped except
for the array of exotic backdrops and the display of fighting skills, this incarnation of
007 is too busy taking on wave after wave of equally-impersonal adversaries for romance or
the subtleties of espionage.
A hyperactive James Bond whose attention-deficit antics ought to resonate
with the restlessness of the Joystick Generation.
Good (2 stars)
PG-13 for sexuality, violence, and intense action sequences.
Running time: 106 minutes
Studi Columbia Pictures
To see a trailer for Quantum of Solace, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iklZGuiLJVo
EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE
"Think of yourself as on the threshold of unparalleled success. A whole clear, glorious life lies before you. Achieve! Achieve! " — Andrew Carnegie
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Nov. 17: Entertainer RuPaul is 48. Singer Ronnie DeVoe of New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoe is 41. Musician Jeff Allen of Mint Condition is 40.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
Body Talk is a new outfit that promotes exotic dancing and working the pole as way for women to get in shape (www.bodytalkllc.com).
Submit your favorite Web site to us along with a 15-20 word (or less) description to info@eurweb.com.
BLACK HISTORY
Nov. 17, 1972: Barbara Jordan of Houston and Andrew Young of Atlanta become the first African Americans from the South elected to Congress since Reconstruction. (Source: www.BlackFacts.com)
