05-07-09 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE

RAYMONE BAIN SUES MIJAC OVER UNPAID FEES: Singer's former rep seeks $44 million, only 'after numerous attempts to resolve matter amicably.'

 *Raymone K. Bain, the famous former publicist for Michael Jackson who became widely known during the singer's child molestation trial, has filed a lawsuit against the King of Pop for failing to pay her fee.

 In the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ.com, Bain is seeking $44 million from the entertainer. She claims to have overseen every aspect of Jackson's life, including arranging his housing, paying his bills, running his companies and helping to save him from foreclosure, among other things.

       The Washington D.C.-based lawyer sent us the following statement
regarding her lawsuit: 
 
        “It is with deep regret that I find myself at this place, having to file a lawsuit against my longtime employer, and someone whom I have greatly admired and respected, Michael Jackson.
 
       “Mr. Jackson and I have had a long, productive and mutually beneficial business relationship. 
      
       “Unfortunately, Mr. Jackson has elected not to honor the financial obligations of our contractual relationship, despite my numerous attempts to amicably resolve this matter.  I am sincerely disappointed in Mr. Jackson’s failure to honor his obligations.
      
       “This lawsuit will result in some discussion about the relationship between Mr. Jackson and me.  Hypothetical theories, accusations and rumors, if gauging from the past, will be many.  However, all of these will be replaced in court with the truth.
      
       “On a personal note, I would like to thank all of the individuals who have given so much of their time and effort to assist me throughout the Jackson years.  I thank you for your support and prayers.  To the Jackson fans who have written letters to me, thank you, and I wish you all the best.
      
       “Despite the action I have been compelled to take for professional and business reasons, when looking back, I have no regrets.  Michael Jackson, in my opinion, is the ‘King of Pop,’ and I wish him, and his family, only the best.”
 
       For video statement, go to www.raymonebain.com.

PROMOTER OF FAKE TONI BRAXTON SHOW ARRESTED: Impersonator, however, still in Suriname jail awaiting May 26 trial.

       *The promoter who allegedly tried to pull off a Toni Braxton concert in Suriname with an impersonator was finally arrested Monday after months on the lam with the scammed money.
      
   As previously reported, authorities arrested Trina Johnson-Finn on claims that she knowingly attempted to pass herself off as the six-time Grammy winner at a much-hyped show more than two months ago. Her husband said she wasn't trying to fool anyone and was duped by the promoter, who scammed people into paying up to $53 thinking they would hear the famous singer.
      
       The case heads to court May 26, when Johnson-Finn, 40, is scheduled to go on trial, charged with defrauding the people who bought tickets.
      
       "She deliberately presented herself as being Toni Braxton during the concert," prosecutor Duncan Nanhoe alleged Tuesday.
      
       But Trina's husband, Raymond Finn, says his wife has augmented her 20-year singing career by impersonating various stars as a "tribute artist"
and was told by promoter Angel Ventura that she was being advertised as such for the Suriname concert.
      
       In an interview with the Associated Press, Raymond Finn blamed Angel Ventura of Events for Suriname, who could not be found after the concert. He was arrested Monday in a bar in Paramaribo, the capital of this small South American country
      
       Police said Ventura, who authorities previously asserted had fled the country, was not cooperating with the fraud investigation.
      
       "I'm relieved he's in custody," Finn said. "I'm outraged that he's apparently been in Suriname the entire time."
      
       Kathleen Brandon, Johnson-Finn's Surinamese lawyer, said the woman has been unjustly jailed. "She has done no wrong, so it is difficult for her to spend so much time in jail to await the start of the trial."
      
       Supporters in Las Vegas have come to her defense, waging an Internet campaign on her behalf.

ALLEGED TYLER PERRY STALKER INDICTED: Dawne Wilson allegedly disguised herself as a movie extra to infiltrate Atlanta studio.

 *The woman accused of stalking filmmaker Tyler Perry was indicted on Wednesday by a Fulton County grand jury in Atlanta, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

 Dawne Wilson, 35, of Marietta, was arrested on April 15 after allegedly disguising herself as an “extra” during a movie casting call to get on the grounds of Tyler Perry Studios. Once inside, she was able to introduce herself to Perry.

 Her actions violated a previous protective order issued in Cobb County, barring her from Perry’s home and business. The actor had reported Wilson sent him several inappropriate e-mails and had come on his property.

 Wilson's April 15 arrest was on felony aggravated stalking charges.
After her arrest, V-103’s Miss Sophia reported that Perry thought Wilson had been sleeping in the woods of his Buckhead estate. Also, Perry told a “Frank and Wanda Morning Show” reporter Wilson talked about her plans to marry him.

MICHELLE OBAMA ROCKS NEW YORK: Plus, Leibovitz talks about shooting her Vogue cover; First Lady announces money for nonprofits.

 *Oprah Winfrey, the Twitter creators and all five co-hosts of "The View" were in attendance at Time magazine's annual event to honor its 100 "Most Influential People," but the hands-down main attraction of the evening was none other than Michelle Obama.

 She and her husband were also on the Time 100 list, as well as 98 other movers and shakers in the worlds of politics, technology, business, fashion, science, television, film and music.

       Wearing a long black gown with a corset bodice and jet beads draped around her neck, the First Lady attended the ceremony following a visit to the U.S. Mission to the United Nations and an appearance on "Sesame Street."

 Addressing the black tie crowd, she introduced the administration's proposal to give $50 million to help promote national service and advise nonprofit groups. The money would be startup capital for the new Social Innovation Fund, she said, designed to help nonprofits think about service in new ways and approved by Congress as part of a national service law.

       "The idea is simple: Find the most effective programs out there and then provide the capital needed to replicate their success in communities around the country," said Mrs. Obama. "By focusing on high-impact, results-oriented nonprofits, we will ensure that government dollars are spent in a way that is effective, accountable and worthy of the public trust."
      
       Earlier Tuesday, Mrs. Obama addressed diplomats and staff members at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, thanking them for promoting her husband's new foreign policy of global engagement.

 In other Michelle Obama news, the woman who photographed her March Vogue cover says the shoot was one of her most memorable so far.

       "The most extraordinary thing that she does is she lets you be yourself," world famous photographer Annie Leibovitz told Usmagazine.com at the Kennedy Center Spring Gala in Washington, D.C., on Sunday. "She wants you to be yourself, and there's no airs. It's great -- she's smart, she's beautiful."
      
       She added: "I've known them since the beginning -- when [President Barack Obama] was still running for senate. What's so great is ... we've worked with these people for a period of time, so it's almost like you feel more comfortable with them."
      
       Mrs. Obama was interviewed for the fashion magazine by editor-at-large Andre Leon Talley, and Leibovitz gave him credit for taking the reins during the photo shoot.
      
       "[Talley] said it better than I could ever say it," she told Us. "I pretty much let him do all the talking because he really did such a beautiful job. I was just pulled along. 

50 CENT CLEARED OF ARSON SUSPICION: Statement posted on rapper's official Web site.

 *A statement posted on 50 Cent's official Web site claims he has been officially cleared of having any involvement with a fire that broke out last year at his Long Island home, where his ex-girlfriend was living at the time with their son.

       The home, purchased for Shaniqua Tompkins, caught on fire in May 2008. Tompkins had stated publically that she believes 50, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, masterminded the blaze in an attempt to get her out of the $1.4 million home.
      
       According to the statement on thisis50.com, “The police department and insurance investigators ruled that there is absolutely no proof or evidence suggesting that Curtis Jackson or any affiliated parties were involved. Curtis Jackson has just been cleared of all the accusations. The investigation will continue until the guilty party is found.” 

DETROIT ELECTS NBA LEGEND AS MAYOR: Dave Bing replaces Kwame Kilpatrick as leader of troubled city.

 *Former Detroit Pistons star Dave Bing is now the new mayor of Detroit.

 The 65-year-old replaces disgraced former mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who was forced to leave office and serve a brief jail term after a perjury conviction.

 Bing, who began his NBA playing career in 1966, ran as a change agent and nonpolitician. He worked to convince voters that he would bring his business sensibilities to city government.

 "I don't intend to lose. We're winning," Bing said.

 Despite some hiccups along the way -- he refused to name a 25-person transition team, battled allegations of being an outsider and lied about having a master's degree -- Bing handily convinced voters he was the best man to bring the city out of crisis.

BEYONCE TALKS ABOUT SINGING FOR OBAMAS: Entertainer said she had to calm herself down seconds before belting 'At Last.'

 *Beyonce said she had to give herself a pep talk to end all pep talks before belting "At Last" for Barack and Michelle Obama's first dance as President and First Lady in January.

       "I had to tell myself, 'They asked you to do this. You have to do a great job. This is their history. Calm down. Calm down,'" she admits in the June issue of Marie Claire. "I barely made it. Literally seconds before the song started, I was crying like a 5-year-old."
      
       But she remains proud of that moment – and all of her accomplishments so far. "Fifteen years from now, I want to be able to look back and say 'Wow.' That's where I was at 27. That was my best."
      
       Beyonce also talks to Marie Claire about balancing her busy career with being a wife.
      
       "We try to sync our calendars," Knowles says of hubby Jay-Z. "I started working on my tour a year ago just to make sure that I had time at home. But you know, that's part of it. Any other woman who has to go to work and pick up the kids and make dinner – that's way harder than what I have to do. At least I can say I'm taking two weeks off and really take two weeks off."

SERENA WILLIAMS LOSES IN ROME: But her jewelry and accessories line wins big on HGN.

       *Less than 24 hours after proclaiming she is the true No. 1-ranked women's tennis player, world number two Serena Williams was knocked out the second round of Tuesday's WTA Rome claycourt International by No. 20 Patty Schnyder 6-2, 2-6, 6-1.
       According to AFP, "the game did not finish until 1 a.m. local time and there was a strange and subdued atmosphere, although Schnyder at least managed to lift herself enough to see off her poor opponent."
      
       Perhaps Williams was still distracted from the successful launch of her fashion, accessories and jewelry line on HSN and www.hsn.com, with 25,000 pieces selling out after just 3 hours of air time during HSN's primetime debut (Thursday-Saturday morning) April 30 - May 2.
      
       Serena Williams Signature Statement is a complete accessories collection including handbags, jewelry and apparel that ranges from $16.50 for the Signature Statement Rings of Bling Drop Earrings up to $99.95 for the Signature Statement Flowing Floral Reversible Maxi Dress.
      
       During the launch, Serena modeled her collection, told anecdotes about the inspiration behind each piece and took calls from elated fans from around the country. One of the most popular pieces was the famous Lucky Ring Serena wears during each of her winning matches. Additionally, nearly every handbag and fashion jewelry piece was spoken for by the end of her last show on Saturday morning.
      
       "I love to make a statement both on and off the court. Passion, drive and hard work have taken me down this and many other creative paths throughout my life," said Williams. "As with tennis, it takes a lot of discipline and precision to make beautiful things come to life. This is a dream come true for me to share truly gorgeous things that I love with the world on HSN."

HBO SLOTS NEW ORLEANS DRAMA 'TREME': Wendell Pierce and Khandi Alexander among cast of post-Katrina-themed series.

  *HBO announced the addition of "Treme" to its fall schedule, the lone drama amid previously-announced comedies "Hung," "Bored to Death" and "How to Make It in America."

       "Treme," from David Simon ("The Wire," "Generation Kill"), chronicles the rebuilding of New Orleans through the eyes of local musicians. The cast includes Wendell Pierce, Clarke Peters, Khandi Alexander, Steve Zahn, Kim Dickens and Bob Brown.
      
       The number of episodes is still being determined, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
      
       The network has one more possible contender on the drama side in the Martin Scorsese-directed pilot "Boardwalk Empire," which has not been completed.

NICKELODEON RENEWS 'TRUE JACKSON': Network orders 20 more episodes of Keke Palmer's live-action comedy.

 *The Nickelodeon live-action series "True Jackson, VP" has just received the green light for a second season.

       The kid-targeted cable channel ordered a 20-episode pickup of the series that stars Keke Palmer as a 15-year-old who runs the youth division of a major fashion label.
      
       The November premiere of "True Jackson" nabbed Nick's largest audience ever among kids 6-11, tweens and total viewers for a live-action series debut. The series ranks as the No. 2 show for kids and tweens on Saturday nights.

       Additionally, its Web page on Nick.com has received more than 1.7 million visits and 3.6 million page views since its launch in October.
      
       "True Jackson, VP" airs at 8:30 p.m. Saturdays.

EDDIE GRIFFIN SUED OVER BOUNCED CHARITY CHECK: Money was supposed to pay for black college grads on 'career-building trip' to Jamaica.

       *Eddie Griffin is embroiled in a lawsuit in which he is accused of swindling one of the recipients of a career-building program for college graduates.
      
       According to TMZ.com, it all started with a $150,000 gift Griffin presented to the "Jamaica 360" program -- which sends 100 African American college grads on a career building vacation to Jamaica.
      
       The lawsuit, filed by a man who went on the trip, claims the check bounced.
      
       The man, Samir Sayegh, claims he was then duped into lending Griffin his credit card to cover a hotel bill while they were in Jamaica -- but according to the suit, Griffin took the card and secretly made a $150,000 charge to the main developer of J-360. Two weeks later, Samir got a bill from American Express with the six-figure charge.
      
       AmEx is now suing Samir for the $150,000 charge, and Samir is suing Eddie and all the event developers to make them foot the bill.

MICHELLE WILLIAMS JOINS LONDON'S 'CHICAGO': Singer to play Roxie Hart in West End production this summer.

 *Michael Jackson won't be the only American singer setting up shop in London this summer. Former Destiny's Child member Michelle Williams is reportedly set to star as Roxie Hart in a West End run of Chicago, according to AOL blogger Jawn Murray.

       Like Jackson's 50-night run at London's O2 Arena, Williams will also begin her engagement in July – at the Cambridge Theatre.
      
       "Chicago" will mark Williams' stage debut in London. Her theater experience in America includes stints in Broadway's Aida and the touring production of The Color Purple as Suge Avery.

JAY-Z/KELLY CLARKSON CONCERT A BUST: Arizona organizers blame recession for lack of ticket sales.

 *An Arizona concert featuring Jay-Z and Kelly Clarkson was a financial failure, according to organizers.

       The Associated Students of the University of Arizona (ASUA), who put on the concert, paid Jay-Z $750,000 to co-headline the event with pop star Kelly Clarkson. While Jigga praised the odd pairing, telling MTV it reaffirms that "good music" is neither black nor white, it wasn't enough to sell tickets.
      
       According to estimates listed in the Arizona Daily Star, the student union gave away over 4000 tickets to the Last Smash Platinum Bash in hopes of securing marketing deals with newspapers and radio stations. However, the show still posted a loss of $917,000.
      
       The event cost a total of $1,420,000, but tickets and merchandise purchases only yielded $503,502. The loss forced the ASUA to empty its $350,000 cash reserve to cover the debt.

       According to the Arizona Daily Star, the university bookstore said it will assist the ASUA in paying off the debt through another established emergency fund.  As a consequence, the UA Bookstore organization will also lower its contributions to the student group by $570,000 over the next five years.

       ASUA president Tommy Bruce blamed the concert's failure on the Recession, telling the Arizona Daily Star: “Nobody predicted the economy would be the way it is now last May."
      
       Arizona Stadium, which is known for football, had not hosted a concert in 32 years.

TYRA 'OBSESSED' OVER JULIA ROBERTS: Former model issues public plea for actress to visit her talk show.
      
       *Tyra Banks has let it be known that she is "obsessed" with landing movie star Julia Roberts as a guest on her daytime talk show.
      
       "I would love Julia Roberts to come on the talk show. I'm obsessed.
... She's just real and from Savannah, Ga., and super famous and still normal and I like that," the former model told TV chef Rachael Ray on Tuesday.
      
       Banks also admitted that she tried to look like Roberts at one point in her career, stating, "Julia, I love you so much and I wish I could smile like you. ... I even had a red weave trying to look like her one time."

JASMINE GUY'S 'SKY' OPENS IN ATLANTA: Actress stars in Pearl Cleage's Depression-era play at Southwest Arts Center.

       *Jasmine Guy stars as torch singer Angel Allen in the True Colors Theatre presentation of Blues for an Alabama Sky, currently running through May 31 at the Southwest Arts Center.
      
       According to press notes for Pearl Cleage's Depression-era play:
"It's 1930 Harlem, and torch singer Angel Allen's auditions and dreams are fading as quickly as the bright lights and creative euphoria of the Harlem Renaissance, giving way to the harsh realities of the Great Depression.
      
       "Tired of 'Negro Dreams,' she thinks safety lies on the broad back of the new stranger in town. But people are starting to get mean and the Harlem night is no place for a southern boy with romantic notions of 'Alabama skies where the stars are so thick it's bright as day.'"
      
       Andrea Frye directs a cast that also includes Eric Ware as Guy, Cynthia D. Barker as Delia, Joel Ishman as Sam and Benjamin Brown as Leland.

      
       For tickets phone (404) 588-0308 or visit TrueColorsTheatreCompany.
The Southwest Arts Center is located at 915 New Hope Road in Atlanta, GA.
      
WILL.I.AM PRAISES MIJAC'S SINGING VOICE: Peas singer insists it still has 'perfect pitch.'

 *Will.i.am, one of the producers working with Michael Jackson on an upcoming album, is attempting to silence critics who believe the King of Pop is way past his prime.

       The Black Eyed Peas frontman recently recorded new material with Jackson and claims the pop legend – who begins a 50-date stand in London this summer – can still belt tunes at age 50 the way he could in his 20s and 30s. His secret? A three-hour vocal warm-up.
      
        "He's just 'mi mi mi mi mi mi'. He's doing voice testing just to sing for five minutes," will.i.am told Starpulse. "He's testing his voice for three hours to sing for five minutes. (Bandmate) Fergie don't do that s**t. Usher don't do that s**t. None of the people that you think still got it do that. I've seen it, in my house.
      
       "That's because he's a perfectionist and he just likes testing his voice. I've seen it... Perfect pitch."

JEN AND KISHA EXPLAIN ILL-TIMED POTTY BREAK: 'Amazing Race' team out of competition because of a full bladder.
 
       *Certainly, thousands of viewers pulling for the "Amazing Race" team of Jen and Kisha were screaming at the television Sunday when seconds from reaching the pit stop, Jen just had to stop and relieve her bladder.
      
       Because of her decision, another team battling the duo for the third and final spot in Sunday's season finale was able to rush to the pit stop first – leaving Jennifer Hoffman and her sister LaKisha "the last team to arrive."
      
       In an interview with TVGuide.com, the sisters swear their last place finish was not as dramatic as it was edited to appear. In fact, they question Phil's contention that the potty break was even a factor in their loss.  They discuss the entire pee drama below, as well as their thoughts on being U-Turned and their take of the infamous Pit-fight with Margie and Luke.

TVGuide.com: So the big question is — did the pee break cost you a spot in the final 3?
Jen: No, it did not! [Laughs] We really don't know how far behind we were, but it wasn't seconds like Phil said. It wasn't hours either. There's no real concept of time when you're racing, so we have no clue. ... It didn't take me five minutes to pee, but the Bird's Nest is pretty big, so being dropped on the other side of it, it'll take a while, especially when all the tourists are there still trying to see the Olympic center. Things happen for a reason and we don't regret anything that we did.
Kisha: We're going to say minutes, but he made it seem closer. There were a couple different factors [that caused us to lose]: Jaime and Cara's cab driver driving extremely fast and dropping them off at the correct location.
Ours drove slow and dropped us further away. It wasn't just the pee break that cost us the spot.
TVGuide.com: Did you think about holding it in or peeing in your pants?
Jen: No, because it became painful at that point, to hold it.
Kisha: In hindsight, you can say, "Oh, she should've peed in her pants." But when you're caught up in the moment, that's what happens.
TVGuide.com: Were you surprised it was Tammy and Victor who U-Turned you?
Kisha: No, because it's a strategic move. You never know what people are going to do. If we were first, we wouldn't have U-Turned anyone — we didn't U-Turn anyone at the blind U-Turn — but if we were in third place, then we probably would've, but not in a first-place position.
TVGuide.com: Not even for Margie and Luke?
Kisha: Well, I wasn't thinking about that! [Laughs] We ran a very classy race. We wouldn't U-Turn someone because they didn't like us. That wasn't part of our strategy. If we were going to U-Turn someone, it would've been to put us in a better position or to gain us some time.
TVGuide.com: This brings us to the fight at the Pit Stop a few weeks ago —
Jen: [Laughs] It was blown out of proportion on their part. You're put in those situations and you don't know how people are going to react. I took full responsibility — heat of the moment, body check, what have you. I think the disability card was pulled at that point with her saying, "He's lived with this his whole life." There are stressors I'm sure she was going through from the race that built up and we just got the backlash of that — that's my assumption. Her reaction to that was completely unwarranted and unnecessary.
TVGuide.com: Did you talk about it afterward?
Kisha: We were over it. It was over, said and done. I've been disappointed watching the show because it seems they still hold a grudge toward us. We didn't. We haven't talked to them [one-on-one] since the show ended.
TVGuide.com: Let's talk about last week with your fear of the pool, Jen. Was your meltdown exaggerated in any way?
Jen: I say this with all sincerity — what everyone saw on television was progress. [Laughs] People were surprised I did the dive, let alone swim, and my thinking was that it was a shorter distance to go from the dive to the edge of the pool than to go the length of an Olympic-sized swimming pool twice. Either way, it was going to take time!
TVGuide.com: What was it like eating those bugs?
Jen: They were absolutely disgusting! Note that there aren't any crickets or starfish on menus in the U.S. I didn't unhinge my jaw like Cara seemed to have done and swallowed them whole. It still amazes me that she ate that so fast. I was like, "You have no taste buds! You have no gag reflex!" I couldn't do it. I threw up a couple times.
TVGuide.com: How do you even eat a starfish?
Jen: Apparently, you open the legs and dig out their guts. You can't necessarily eat their shell. I ate some of the shell and they said, "No, just eat the guts." "Awesome, thank you." It was going down hard and sometimes certain things you eat, you have the automatic reflex to upchuck it. That's what was happening at a certain point.
TVGuide.com: Who did you cheer for after you were eliminated?
Kisha: Even though they U-Turned us, we were still rooting for Tammy and Victor. They ran a similar race to ours and weren't malicious or anything.

EUR FILM REVIEW: Oblivion (El Ovido)
Peruvian Panhandlers Find 15 Minutes of Fame in Offbeat Documentary
 Film Review by Kam Williams

      *Remember what New York was like before Mayor Giuliani cleaned up the streets?

      Driving into the city back in the pre-Rudy days, I would invariably be besieged by beggars offering to wash the windows of my car, and on the return trip in the evenings my car would often be approached by topless prostitutes everyone referred to as tunnel bunnies.

      And in between, during the day, I would encounter all manner of panhandlers hustling in a variety of ways just to survive.            

      Anybody nostalgic for that sort of scary, local color might like to check out Oblivion, a picture directed by Heddy Honigmann about the bleak environs to be found around her beloved hometown of Lima, Peru.

      The film plays like a Spanish language version of American Idol on the first two days of a new season, when the show focuses mostly on pathetic also-rans who don't stand a chance like William Hung.

      Here, we have a smorgasbord of the world's worst performers attempting to do everything from breakdancing to juggling to gymnastics to singing while scraping an afro-pick on the side of a tin can to balancing balls on their noses like seals to flag-waving, which I never knew was a form of entertainment. I am not making this up.

      Besides these wannabe stars of tomorrow, the picture focuses on folks resigned to their miserable lot in life, such as 14 year-old Henry, an undeucated shoeshine boy with no education who when prompted by Ms.
Honigmann admits that he has no dreams, and no nice memories. I think what the director is going for in this scene is a class-conscious contrast of the rich and poor, for sitting right next to Henry are some decadent, rich kids equipped with modern technology we take for granted like cell phones and iPods.

      Slumming, South American-style.

Very Good (3 stars)
Unrated   
In Spanish with subtitles.
Running time: 93 minutes
Studi Icarus Films

To see a trailer for Oblivion, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvXvO7oD4ZU               

EUR DVD REVIEW: Last Chance Harvey
Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson's Romantic Romp Released on DVD
DVD Review by Kam Williams

      *When you're working with a script as superficial as this love story's, you're lucky to land actors of the caliber of Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson.

      So, director Joel Hopkins owes a debt of gratitude to these talented Oscar-winners for generating the requisite chemistry to imbue what would have otherwise merely been a readily-forgettable sitcom with enough gravitas to make it actually worth watching.

      Hoffman handles the title role here as Harvey Shine, an aging New Yorker facing last chances at love, career and fatherhood. As the story opens, we find him having a hard time holding on to his day gig as a TV-jingle writer.

      Despite a stern warning from his boss (Richard Schiff) that his job is in jeopardy, he flies to London for the impending wedding of his estranged daughter, Susan (Liane Balaban), to a chap named Scott (Daniel Lapaine).

      Harvey soon comes to regret his decision to attend when, shortly before the ceremony, she informs him that she's already asked her step-dad (James Brolin) to walk her down the aisle. Devastated by the snub, he rushes back to Heathrow but arrives too late to catch a flight back in time to prevent his being fired.

      Next, he dejectedly drags himself into a pub where, while crying in his beer, he becomes instantly smitten with Kate (Emma Thompson), a shy and retiring spinster. She's also down-in-the-dumps. between blind dates from hell and the constant smothering from her hovering helicopter mom (Eileen Atkins).

      It is therefore no surprise when sparks start to fly between these two sad sacks, and Kate grudgingly agrees to accompany Harvey to his daughter's wedding. After the reception, Harvey puts his plans to return to the States on hold indefinitely to pursue the whirlwind romance which ensues.

      Will the affair blossom into full-blown love? That is the unanswered question at the center of the Last Chance Harvey, an emotionally-restrained adventure which conveniently devotes more attention to shooting its cuddly protagonists against a variety of spectacular London backdrops than to having them explore their feelings in any meaningful depth. Don't expect anything more than a pleasant, if predictable, deliberately-paced diversion of this lonely hearts saga, and you won't be disappointed. 

      Worth it just to watch Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson effortlessly weave movie magic via vintage screen performances.

Very Good (3 stars)
Rated PG-13 for brief profanity. 
Running time: 93 minutes
Studi Anchor Bay Entertainment

2-Disc DVD Extras: Audio commentary by director Joel Hopkins and co-stars Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson, "The Making of" featurette, and the theatrical trailer.

To see a trailer for Last Chance Harvey, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNT2MFVYARE

JOSEPH C. PHILLIPS: Keeping our Eyes on the Prize

      *This week I had the honor of participating in a panel discussion on Civil Rights in the Age of Obama sponsored by the Milken Institute.  Appearing with me on the panel were Ben Jealous, current President of the NAACP, Wade Henderson, President of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and Myrlie Evers-Williams, Civil Rights Icon and former President of the NAACP.  The panel was moderated by Dr. Beverly Tatum, President of Spelman College.  I was, as my father used to say, “Steppin’ in some pretty high cotton.”

      I can think of no better proof of the victory of the traditional civil rights movement than that these distinguished individuals (and myself) were gathered together under the auspices of the Milken Institute to ponder what to do next.  The battles of the civil rights movement so hard fought have been won.  To those heroes, on whose shoulders my generation stands I say, “job well-done.”  That is not to say that we need not be jealous of our civil rights. It is to say that it is time to shift our focus toward those things that will best guard our victories and secure those blessings for future generations. 

      Malcolm X described education as the passport to the future, a sentiment that found general agreement among the panelists.  All of us seemed to agree that the current public school system was failing our children – not just black children, but all of our children – and that there was a role for civil rights organizations to play in improving public education. The panel was split, however, on exactly what that role should be.  Henderson for example argued for dismantling the state run school system and massive injections of federal dollars and oversight, an approach that I see as gulping down more of the poison that is killing us, while others decried the lack of diversity. 

      Unfortunately, in spite of all the flying rhetoric there was reluctance to amend the notion of government run schools and embrace the idea of publicly funded education.

      For 40 years we have poured money into government run schools and yet math and reading scores have remained flat. Class size has been reduced and yet achievement gaps persist. If education funded from the top down is not delivering the results we want, perhaps we need to consider funding education from the bottom up – that is empowering the consumers of public education by allowing the public dollars to follow the students.  Those of us concerned with civil rights in the age of Obama should be in the forefront of the fight for school choice, fighting for charter schools and vouchers, fighting against the legal challenges to homeschooling and demanding greater autonomy for principals in choosing staff and curriculum. There is nothing partisan about fighting for the health of public education and against the sovereignty of government schools.

     My suspicion is that once parents have choice- schools will be integrated.  More importantly the schools will be effectively educating our young people, preparing them to be contributing members of our society. 

     Civil rights in the 21st century must finally and unashamedly admit that there is a moral component to the enterprise. There was much back and forth among the panelists about the disparate impact of this or that policy, but we as a community are being dishonest if we do not recognize that very often disparate outcomes are the result of disparate behavior, difference of choices and differences in the values one holds and the traditions and institutions one chooses to recognize and support. We can convene a hundred conferences on education or jobs, but so long as marriage rates are down and illegitimacy is up, so long as we continue to entertain attacks on religious principles in public life, so long as objective notions of right and wrong are looked upon as the province of bigoted unsophisticates we will find ourselves powerless and continually engaged in gum flapping.

     Civil rights has always meant the requirement that this nation live up to the “true meaning of her creed” and secure the inalienable rights to life, liberty and private property for all citizens regardless of race.  The victories of the modern civil rights movement were achieved because they were built upon this moral terra firma. Until and unless we regain that footing, civil rights organizations will continue to fight for relevance and we will find further victories few and far between.
 

Joseph C. Phillips is the author of “He Talk Like A White Boy” available wherever books are sold.

ROBERTSON TREATMENT SYNDICATED COLUMN (RISC) – America’s Premiere Urban Lifestyle Column: Volume 14, Edition 5: FUNNY MAN MIKE EPPS

      *I am convinced that everybody loves Mike Epps.  A naturally funny guy, Epps, 38 has spent the better part of the decade honing his skills as a comedian-actor on the road and in front of the camera. With film credits that include films like “The Honeymooners,” “Something New” and “Talk to Me,” the Indianapolis native may finally be on the precipice of success with his upcoming role in the film “Next Day Air”. Starring as a petty criminal who hits the big time opposite his partner, Guch (Wood Harris), Epps another signature hilarious performance that is bound to generate laughs and get him closer to mainstream success. The Robertson Treatment recently caught up with the actor to catch his vibe on his career past and present. 

Robertson Treatment: How did you get involved with “Next Day Air”? 

Mike Epps: The script was written by a guy named Butter Combs who told me that he had a script he wanted me to read. Now everybody has a script in this business but I guess he did his homework because it was actually really good. He also did his part in getting other talent attached to it like Wood Harris and Mos Def and stuff, which automatically made me want to be in it. 

RT: What did you like about the character? 

ME: What I liked about the character is that he’s so different from what the roles I usually play. I’m usually in movies that are all slap stick comedy the whole time. In this film I like the fact that even though he was a bad guy he had a slight bit of innocence to him too. You feel sorry for him because he’s desperate and a little naive. 

RT: What was the chemistry between you and Wood Harris? 

ME: Wood and I knew each other from around town, so there we shared a familiarity with our talent and what we would bring to the parts. We are also both from the same region of the United States and that’s what really helped. We both had the same vision on how those characters are. 

RT: Do you have a dream role? 

ME: I would have loved to play Richard Pryor but the politics on that got screwed up. Right now I’m playing the role that I want to play and that’s my character in “Next Day Air.” 

RT: What’s the boldest move you’ve made in your career so far? 

ME: Leaving my hometown and committing to making it in this career on faith, not money, not ego. I knew I had to try. I knew that I had something to offer this industry, so I placed all bets on me to succeed. I’m truly blessed to be one of the diamonds in the rough who was able to come up out of the ghetto. It takes more than just talent to make it. It’s like a million things working at once thing that helps you get to the top. When you’re coming from nothing, you don’t have anything, you don’t have mommas and daddies with money to send you to Hollywood, you don’t have family in Hollywood, you don’t know anybody in Hollywood, you don’t even know anybody in the city of Los Angeles, so to get up and move from Indiana to New York, the same place you don’t know, with maybe $1500, that’s a lot of heart. I had to say that to myself because you can run up in a Pizza Hut with some duct tape and tie everybody up. That’s a lot of heart too but that’s negative energy. Take that same energy and run up in Hollywood and duct tape the business. – Gil L. Robertson IV 

BEST BETS – BOOKS

The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation by John F. Baker Jr.

      Baker taps into a treasure trove of African American history with this comprehensive text that thoroughly explores his family’s story “up from slavery”. Distant cousins of America’s first president (yes, George Washington), this book is an uplifting story of survival and family that gives fresh insight into the institution of slavery and its ongoing legacy today. It’s simply spellbinding.

Grade A+

AUTOMOTIVE SPIN

2009 GT COUPE FORD MUSTANG

      The 2009 GT Coupe impressed me from the moment I saw it parked in my drive way. Strong, powerful and sexy, the GT Coupe offers eye-popping appeal, which it backs up with an almost Batmobile like performance. I knew that it was going to provide me with an interesting driving experience. 

Wow Factor:  With its classic muscle car power and looks the 2009 Mustang packs plenty of wow. I drove a V8-powered GT model that boasts 300 horsepower and offered acceleration that is capable of going from zero to 60 mph in a little over 5 seconds. In addition to its V8 engine, the GT Coupe includes 17” alloy wheels that adds to its flashy appeal.

Ride:  In terms of performance and reliability, the GT Coupe scores high marks handling well on a variety of road condition and more than exceeding my performance expectations. It’s rear-wheel drive and 5-speed manual transmission added to my driving experience maneuvering through Atlanta’s congested highways.

Comfort: The interior on the GT Coupe offers comfortable seating and adequate space for a family of four. The controls are simple and easily accessible, which makes for safer handling on the road. As an added plus, my ride also featured ambient lighting and a real cool Shaker 500 audio system. 

Spin Control: With its potent performance and timeless styling, the 2009 GT Coupe totally delivers on it iconic reputation. Offering decent fuel economy (15mpg city/23mpg hwy), and affordably priced, (base sticker begins around $29,000). I predict that this car will really move off the lots. It’s nearly the perfect driving machine.       

Grade: A 

Visit: www.robertsontreatment.com

Copyright 2009, Robertson Treatment, LLC

GLENN'S STRATEGIES FOR WELL-BEING: Tips for Women's Health

      *Would you like to feel better during the menstrual cycle? Worry less about getting sick because you have a family to care for? Have enough energy to hold down a career, with some leftover for physical fitness and a vital sex life? Prevent common women’s aging ailments like osteoporosis?

      Although sickness may come at some time or another, there is a way to feel confident that you’ve done all you can for your bodies’ through proper daily nutrition and lifestyle for continued good health. Here are some keys to good women’s health:

-- Get educated and educate your daughters early about the fact the daily nutrition and women’s health issues that differ from men. Take preventive and proactive women’s health measures to reduce incidents of sickness and suddenly needed medicine.
-- Train yourself to eat healthy foods and get exercise.
-- Take supplements – Food doesn’t give us all the daily nutrition we need. Natural multivitamin/mineral formulas are important, but even this plus food isn’t the end-all to supporting women’s health – unless you pull everything straight out of your garden, eat five bunches of vegetables a day, and never, ever touch sweets, coffee or soda!

Here are some of the best supplements for complete daily nutrition to enhance women’s health:

Essential Fatty Acids: (EFA’s) – Essential fatty acids are just that – essential to women’s health, and should be included in our daily nutrition. EFA’s are the “good” oils, called Omega’s 3-6-9. They can be found in foods such as fish - salmon, tuna, mackerel and swordfish; nuts like almonds and sunflower seeds; avocados, flax, and olive oils.  EFA’s are also important to our heart, circulatory and brain functions. Women’s bodies manufacture and synthesize some, but supplemental EFA’s can help girls and women who may have these symptoms, or help to prevent them:

-- Eczema/dermatitis, rashes, early aging signs on facial skin
-- Dry, irritated eyes and itchy skin around eyes
-- Joint aches, inflammations, allergies, low immunities
-- Fatigue, mood swings, irritability (even ADD/ADHD)
-- Intense menstrual cramps
-- Symptoms of menopause like hot flashes and vaginal dryness

Other points to consider are:

Calcium, but not by itself: Females need at least 1,000 mg’s of calcium per day. Past the teen years, women stop naturally absorbing enough through food nutrition. Although the best-absorbed form is Calcium Citrate, calcium needs help reaching the bones. Using heartburn tablets for calcium is a myth. The best combination is Calcium Citrate with Vitamin D and Magnesium.

Preventive Measures against Infection: “Probiotics”, the good bacteria we all need in our Immune Systems, are important to women’s health and young girls as well. Probiotics live in the intestines and are vital for good digestion. A healthy “gut” is a key to good bodily functions.

      Everyone has some good and bad bacteria, but females are more prone to urinary tract and yeast infections which can occur when good bacteria is depleted. Any lowering of your Immune System can set this off – antibiotics, a sugary diet, intestinal ailments or continued feminine moistness from poorly structured underwear, water athletics, or even intercourse.

      What are the most important supplements a woman should consider taking?

      If you are of child-bearing age and thinking about having kids, it's time to get serious about folic acid. A multivitamin with 400 micrograms of folic acid or a customized folic acid supplement will likely do the trick … but don't wait until you get pregnant. Women of child-bearing age should be taking folic acid before conception to prevent certain birth defects like spina bifida. Women capable of pregnancy should also consider an iron supplement. Others to consider with your healthcare professional include B Complex, Vitamin C and Vitamin K as well as some botanical supplements like soy, green tea and black cohosh.

      Women's fitness becomes more important as you get older. It can help you look younger and have a more appealing body. Women tend to gain weight as they get older because metabolism slows down. Your bones can become more brittle and you can develop serious health issues. Physical fitness can reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes. It can also help regulate your period and reduce the effects of PMS, both mentally and physically. Some women find staying fit helps them get through menopause easier as well. If you only take time to do one thing for yourself this is it, women's fitness will benefit you now and in the future.

      When women diet to lose weight, especially after menopause, they will not be able to continue losing weight unless they also exercise. This is because exercise prevents the decrease in metabolism that occurs when women diet without exercising. Exercise also prevents loss of muscle. If you diet without exercising, you lose muscle along with the fat, which is not healthy.

     Exercise for weight loss does not have to involve working out in the gym. Actually, the "right" exercise is simply the one you will actually do.

      Clearly, men and women tend to deal with stress in very different ways -- but why?  One of the most important reasons why men and women react differently to stress is hormones. Three play a crucial role: cortisol, epinephrine, and oxytocin.

      When stress strikes, hormones called cortisol and epinephrine together raise a person's blood pressure and circulating blood sugar level, and cortisol alone lowers the effectiveness of the immune system.

      In women, when cortisol and epinephrine rush through the bloodstream in a stressful situation, oxytocin comes into play. It is released from the brain, countering the production of cortisol and epinephrine, and promoting nurturing and relaxing emotions.

      Eat a balanced, nutritious diet. Eating well, getting enough sleep, and avoiding alcohol, caffeine, tobacco and junk food can help strengthen your immune system and your stress resistance.

      Not every women needs to do all of these things. Some approaches may work for some people and others for other people. The key is to use the ones that work for you, and keep in mind that some of these become more effective with practice. Also, if stress starts making you feel especially overwhelmed and unable to cope, seek help from a professional trained to help.

Remember, I’m not a doctor. I just sound like one.

Take good care of yourself and live the best life possible!

Glenn Ellis lectures, and is an active media contributor nationally and internationally on health related topics, including health education and health promotion. He is the author of, “Which Doctor?”.

For more good health information, visit: www.glennellis.com

THE PULSE OF ENTERTAINMENT: PJ Morton on tour promoting his 'PJ Morton Live in LA' release on 2PM Music and Pop singer/songwriter Sariah to release debut CD on Rock Ridge Music

The Pulse of Entertainment

By Eunice Moseley

PJ Morton is on tour promoting, ‘PJ Morton Live from LA,’ on 2PM Music

      *You have probably heard his name and sang his songs because not only is PJ Morton a talented musician and vocalist, but he is also a talented songwriter. Morton and his band (Jesse Bond on lead/acoustic; Brian Cockerham and Calvin Parmer on bass; Ed Clark on drums; James Jay and Dwayne on horns; Stephanie Matthews and Shelby Latin on violin, and Colle Latin on Cello) are currently on tour promoting their CD release “PJ Morton Live in LA” on 2PM Music.

      “It was a natural progression,” PJ Morton said about recording an album live. “People always asked if they can take a live performance home with them.”

      Morton - and me included - feels that this CD captures the energy that was at the show in Los Angeles. He said because he doesn’t get to Los Angeles that often the crowd was hungry for it and that is evident on the CD as you hear the crowd encouraging the performances and singing along to the songs.

      Morton’s sound is a Neosoul/Pop combination that is comfortable fitting into the R&B, and Inspirational genres of the music industry. Morton has worked as a musician for such artists as Monica (“Making of Me” bonus track); he has worked as musical director for such notables as Fred Hammond; he was vocal arranger for Musiq (“On My Radio”), and has toured with Erykah Badu and Jermaine Dupri.

      “I have written for a number of people,” Morton points out. “That’s what I was doing first…it allows you to be different people”

      PJ’s big break came when he wrote a song for India.Arie and it garnered a Grammy Award.

      “We met first in college…we were 20 years-old at the time the album won a Grammy Award,” Morton said.

      A native of New Orleans, PJ first released his own album in 2004 titled “Emotions,” which gave us the song most associated with him “No Ordinary Love.” In 2007 he released “Perfect Song” and this year he plans to release yet another CD, “Son of a Preacher Man.”

      “I have a song on the new Musiq album,” he said about new projects. “I also did a song with Ruben Studdard (for his up-coming CD).”

      “PJ Morton Live in LA” offers his fans and fans of Neosoul 20 selections, that’s right, 20 songs performed live in Los Angeles. “No Ordinary Love” is on the album along with some other PJ Morton hits like “Blah Blah Blah.” The concert lasts about an hour and a half.

      Morton plans to get into acting and said that it is not much stopping him now, he is just enjoying the journey and the experiences.

      You can learn more on PJ Morton at www.myspace.com/PJMorton or www.PJMortonOnline.com. 

New Pop sensation Sariah to release debut album on Rock Ridge Music

      “Performing is what caught me…I love performing on stage,” said twenty-two year-old Pop singer/songwriter Sariah who is on the Rock Ridge Music label. “Feeding off the audience… I also love to dance…it's so much fun!”

      The Brookline, Massachusetts native was raised in Boston and started performing at an early age.

      “I was in music theatre when I was little, five years-old,” Sariah points out about her musical background. “Voice lessons started (early) and I just progressed from cover songs to my own.”

   Sariah describes her music as Urban/Pop, but the truth is the selections on the self titled CD ranges from Pop/R&B, Pop/Jazz, Pop/Urban to Pop/Hip-Hop. My favorite cuts from the Sariah CD includes “Climb,” a love song that has a touch of Jazz influence; “Lethal,” an Urban/Pop cut; “Hypnotic,” is the single and it has an India music track influence, and “Watchin’ Me,” a nice club song that’s good for dancing.

   You can get a short version of the CD at iTunes now and the complete CD will be released at the end of this summer.

   “I want to be on tour,” Sariah said excitedly. “I love event appearances! Performing is what I want to do.”

   Sariah is also working on her own clothing line. She says her style is edgy with a touch of class and will have the ability to fit all different sizes. She wants to create two lines, one that is affordable and one of a higher quality. She hopes to also have her own label so that she can one day find and help other talented artists.

   You can hear Sariah and learn more about her at www.myspace.com/sariahmusicnow.

BETWEEN THE LINES: The President’s American Recovery & Reinvestment Act: What We Don’t Know, Can Hurt Us

Anthony Asadullah Samad

      *One of the first things President Barack Obama did as Chief Executive of our nation was to urge Congress to pass, then sign, the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA), better known as the nation’s “economic stimulus” package. The $787 billion dollar bill, the largest taxpayer footed bill ever passed, was viewed as the primary vehicle to stop the free fall of the economy. What many people don’t know is this money is already on the street as states and local communities line up to be the first to stimulate their state and local economies. Budget shortfalls for state and local governments are real and most are looking to the federal government in ways that they never have before. California and Los Angeles has already received the first hits (installments) of stimulus money for what are called “shovel ready” projects. However, if you don’t know how to access these projects, you will be waiting for a shovel that never comes your way. Like Reaganomics’ and its “trickle down” theory, the folks most in need of economic stimulation may never taste the trickle. Same case here. There’s a saying what you don’t know, can’t hurt you. That’s just not the case when it comes to emergency economic relief and economic stimulus projects. Don’t sleep on this.

      Shovel ready projects are building, highways and other infra-structure systems that are ready to break ground and start immediately. Construction projects tend to have to jump under this shovel ready definition. But what people don’t know, is because of the urgency in getting people back to work and getting the money in the economy—most of the contracts for projects built from stimulus money will be “no-bid” contracts and short bid contracts, meaning selection will be quick and limited. As a point of reference, just think “Haliburton” and you get the picture. Haliburton, the company Dick Cheney ran and held significant stock in, before and during his Vice Presidency, got almost all of the infra-structure security and rebuilding contracts for the Iraqi war, estimated in the hundreds of billions of dollars. Barack Obama serves in five simultaneous roles as President of the United States, each with a distinctly powerful influence on how government operates. Of course, we’re most familiar with “Commander in Chief,” which heads our armed forces but also determines where we deploy troops and resources. As Chief Diplomat, he determines what countries we recognize (diplomatic recognition gives Americans rights to travel abroad with diplomatic immunity protection and establishes trade policies with countries given recognition). As Head of State, President Obama is the face of the nation in times of accomplishment and tragedy as the country looks to the President for direction. As Chief Legislator, the President influences what legislation is of priority to his administration, and Mr. Obama has proven effective in his power of presidential persuasion. But as Chief Executive, he runs the government on a day to day basis, he appoints people to oversee his executive prio