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11-09-09 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE
RIHANNA'S '20/20' INTERVIEW A RATINGS WINNER: Appearance gives ABC news program a season high.
*Rihanna's "20/20" interview about the night she was beaten by ex-boyfriend Chris Brown has given the ABC news program a ratings win for Friday night and a record for the season.
Diane Sawyer's exclusive interview with the singer drew 8.2 million viewers among adults 18-49. It also drew the show's best 18-34 number in three years.
That was enough for ABC to tie usual Friday winner CBS in the adult demo, though CBS still won among total viewers.
During the interview, Rihanna described the horror she felt as her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown was biting and punching her during a violent argument in February, saying she saw "no soul in his eyes."
"There was no person when I looked at him," said the 21-year-old artist. "He had no soul in his eyes. Just blank."
'PRECIOUS SETS RECORD,' MJ FILM AN OVERSEAS HIT: 'Precious' on path to indie success; 'This is It' crosses $100 mil in foreign box office.
*Lionsgate's "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" set a new record for films opening in limited release.
The indie movie's Friday take of $585,000 from just 18 theaters is the best gross ever for a film opening in fewer than 100 theaters, reports Variety. Last year, by comparison, Focus Features' "Milk" grossed $268,487 from 34 theaters on its first Friday.
Meanwhile, Sony's Michael Jackson documentary "This Is It" jumped the $100 million mark at the foreign box office Thursday, earning more than double the film's domestic haul of $43.8 million.
That put "This Is It's" worldwide total at nearly $144 million as the film headed into its second weekend of play, Variety reported.
The foreign box office is led by Japan, where "This Is It" has grossed $18.2 million. That's followed by the U.K. at $11.1 million, Germany at $8.9 million and France at $8.7 million.
Sony paid AEG Entertainment $60 million for worldwide distribution rights.
CHRIS BROWN RELEASES STATEMENT AFTER '20/20': Singer feels details of Rihanna beating 'should remain a private matter between us.'
*Chris Brown released a statement in response to Rihanna's appearance on ABC's "20/20," where she discussed their violent encounter that led to his assault charges.
'I maintain my position that all of the details should remain a private matter between us," he said in the statement to MTV. "I do appreciate her support and wish her the best."
In the 20/20 interview Friday, Rihanna offers a graphic account of the Feb. 7 fight with her then-boyfriend Brown, describing what she calls the terrifying blankness that seemed to come over him as he assaulted her.
"He was clearly blacked-out," she says. "There was no person when I looked at him."
Although Brown declined to respond to her specific comments, he again took responsibility.
"I am extremely sorry for what I did, and I accept accountability for my actions," he tells MTV. "At this point, I am taking the proper steps to learn about me and grow from my mistakes. I only hope that others in similar situations can learn from our experience as well. Abuse of any kind is always wrong. The rest I leave it to God."
A&E SETS A DATE FOR JACKSONS REALITY SHOW: Network announces premiere and explains focus of new series.
*A&E has finally announced plans for its new reality series "The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty," starring the brothers of late pop icon Michael Jackson.
The one-hour show will premiere on Dec. 13 and run for six episodes, the network said Friday. Cameras follow Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon Jackson as they deal with the death of their brother, and rehearse for an upcoming concert celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Jackson Five.
The brothers will also be shown recording a song for the soundtrack of Jackson's movie "This Is It," and attending a premiere for the film.
USHER'S DIVORCE IS A DONE DEAL: Court in Atlanta issued final decree on Wednesday.
*The marriage of Usher and Tameka Raymond is officially over.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Bensonetta Tipton Lane issued a final decree in the divorce case Wednesday, according to court documents reported by The Associated Press.
Usher, 31, filed for divorce on June 12 – claiming at the time that he and Tameka had been separated since July 2008. He said there was "no reasonable hope of reconciliation" and the marriage was "irretrievably broken."
Tameka, however, disputed Usher's claim that the couple had been separated since July 2008. She said in court documents filed June 29 that she "had every reason to believe her marriage was intact" and that the two were "intimately together as husband and wife as recently as June 6."
The couple has two young sons, Usher Raymond V, who will turn 2 on Nov. 26, and Naviyd Ely Raymond, who will be 1 on Dec. 11. When he filed for divorce, Usher was seeking joint custody of the boys. No custody arrangement was detailed in the divorce decree.
DEBRA WINANS SATISFIED WITH OPRAH'S BEBE BAN: 'She's willing to take the steps necessary to defend the defenseless,' said singer's ex-wife.
*The ex-wife of gospel singer BeBe Winans says she's pleased with the decision of Oprah Winfrey to remove him from her "Karaoke Challenge" until his domestic violence case is resolved.
Debra Winans made headlines last week when she questioned Winfrey's stance against domestic violence in light of her ex-husband's continued appearances on her talk show despite his domestic abuse case.
In February, BeBe was arrested for allegedly shoving Debra to the pavement outside of her home. He is due back in court on Jan. 20.
Earlier in the year, Winfrey devoted an entire hour to domestic violence after Rihanna was beaten by Chris Brown. In response to Winfrey's decision late last week to drop BeBe, Debra gave the following statement to TMZ.com:
"It further demonstrates the fact that Oprah continues to be a strong voice against domestic violence and that she's willing to take the steps necessary to defend the defenseless."
PAPA JOE SEEKS ALLOWANCE FROM MJ ESTATE: Joe Jackson asking court for at least $15,000 a month from late son.
*Despite being left out of Michael Jackson's 2002 will, his father Joe Jackson is seeking a stipend from the singer's estate to help cover his $15,000 monthly expenses, according to court documents filed Friday.
The request seeking an unspecified amount was filed by lawyer Brian Oxman, who said there was no apparent reason for the administrators of the estate to not seek an allowance for the Jackson family patriarch, reports the AP.
The singer's private trust currently calls for money to be paid to his mother, Katherine, his three young children, and various charities. A judge has approved more than $26,000 in payments to Katherine Jackson each month, and a $60,000 monthly payment for the care of the children. There was no mention of his father in the will.
The latest court documents said Joe Jackson receives a $1,700 monthly Social Security payment and had relied on his son for support for many years.
"He does not have a regular or steady source of income, and he was dependent upon the money provided by his son, Michael Jackson, through his wife, Katherine Jackson, for his support," the filing stated.
"It was quite surprising to learn of the request," Howard Weitzman, an attorney for the administrators of Jackson's estate, said in a statement. "Mr. Jackson's petition will be considered as are all requests for money from Michael's estate."
According to the filing, Joe Jackson suffers from diabetes and had a stroke in 1998. He has been married to Katherine Jackson for 50 years, but he lists his home in Las Vegas. She lives at the family home in Encino, north of Los Angeles.
The filings are inconsistent in several places, listing Joe Jackson's age as 80 in one place and 81 in another. A declaration states his monthly expenses exceed $20,000 a month, but an itemized list only includes slightly more than $15,000. That list includes $1,200 a month on rent for his Las Vegas home; $2,500 to eat out; $1,000 on entertainment, gifts and vacations; $2,000 on air travel and $3,000 on hotels.
A judge on Friday denied Joe Jackson's petition for an expedited hearing on the matter. The next hearing is scheduled for early 2010, at which time the payments to Katherine Jackson may be re-evaluated.
In other Papa Joe news, the family patriarch is accused of harassing a former associate who is trying to prove Michael Jackson had an illegitimate son.
TMZ has obtained a request for a restraining order filed last week against Joe and his son Randy Jackson in San Francisco County Superior Court. In the docs, a man named Ronnie Newt claims he was threatened by Joe's henchmen after he approached Joe with information that he believed proved Michael is the father of a 12-year-old boy named Prince Michael Malachi Jet Jackson.
According to the documents, Newt claims "I was told to stay out of the M.J. love child story. That some one could get kill [sic] for that kind of money."
Newt also warns that if he turns up dead in the near future, authorities should suspect foul play. He's demanding the Jackson's and their associates stay 50 yards away from him at all times.
Joe Jackson denies Newt's death threat allegations, telling TMZ, "I haven't even seen this guy since the '80s."
MORGAN FREEMAN SETTLES CRASH LAWSUIT: Oscar winner was sued by passenger claiming her injuries left her unable to work.
*Morgan Freeman has settled a lawsuit involving a female passenger traveling in his car when it crashed last year, the woman's lawyer confirmed Friday.
Demaris Meyer had sued Freeman in the US District Court in Mississippi for compensation, saying the injuries and trauma she sustained in the crash left her unable to work.
Freeman, 72, suffered a broken arm, elbow and minor shoulder damage when his car veered off the road in a late-night single vehicle crash near Ruleville, Mississippi in August 2008.
Meyer, who had to be cut out of wreckage of the vehicle by responders, suffered broken bones and head injuries which had left her with cognitive difficulties and short term memory loss, according to earlier statements.
The case has now been dismissed after both parties agreed an out-of-court settlement, Meyer's lawyer Gloria Allred said Friday. Terms were undisclosed.
"Ms Meyer is pleased that the matter is resolved and the case is settled," Allred said in an email to AFP.
Meanwhile, Freeman will next be seen in "Invictus." Due Dec. 11, the film is based on the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Freeman portrays former South African president Nelson Mandela.
BEYONCE GIG TARGETED BY EGYPTIAN MUSLIM GROUP: Protesters wanted to know 'who agreed to these blatant sex parties.'
*Beyonce's world tour has run into more Islamic resistance.
After canceling a stop in Malaysia following Muslim outrage over her "gyrating moves" and "sexy outfits," a Muslim group in Egypt voiced similar concern before her gig Friday at the Red Sea resort of Port Ghalib.
Hamdi Hassan, a lawmaker from the Muslim Brotherhood, wrote to the speaker of the house and the interior minister labeling the show a "sex party" and demanding to know why she was allowed to perform.
He said the concert advertisement, in which the singer sports a leotard fitted with motorbike handlebars extending from her crotch and a headlight nestled in her cleavage, "threatens social peace and security."
"I do not know who agreed to this sinful, unacceptable advertisement, or indeed who agreed to these blatant sex parties," Hassan wrote, accusing the government of encouraging "sin and debauchery."
Meanwhile, a Facebook group opposing her concert has attracted nearly 10,000 members. One poster displayed on the site, showing the silhouette of a curvacious woman with a diagonal red line through it, was entitled "This is not Egypt."
Last month, Beyonce postponed a concert outside Kuala Lumpur after an official of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic party expressed sharp disapproval.
"We are not against entertainment, but it's the way she performs -- her gyrating moves on stage and her sexy outfits. It will erode the moral values of our young people," PAS youth chief Nasruddin Hassan Tantawi told AFP.
The banned party Muslim Brotherhood is effectively Egypt's main opposition party and is widely popular for its social work. It runs candidates as independents in parliamentary elections to get around the ban. The party, which calls for the establishment of an Islamic state by peaceful means, normally focuses its flak on government corruption and foreign policy but has campaigned against what it considers prurient literature and art.
OPRAH STILL UNDECIDED ABOUT CABLE MOVE: Harpo responds to Internet report that she'll bring talk show to her OWN channel in 2011.
*Oprah Winfrey has yet to decide on a possible move of her syndicated talk show to cable's forthcoming Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), her production company said Thursday.
Responding to a report that "The Oprah Winfrey Show" would move from syndicated television to OWN in mid-2011, Winfrey's production company Harpo Inc. said the TV star would make an announcement by the end of the year.
"She has not made a decision yet. As she has previously stated, she'll be making an announcement before the end of the year," Harpo spokesman Don Halcombe said.
As previously reported, entertainment blogger Nikki Finke wrote in a report on Thursday that Winfrey would end the Chicago-based talk show when her current syndication deal runs out at the end of the 2010-11 TV season, and move it to Los Angeles-based OWN as soon as mid 2011.
Such a move would hit CBS Corp's CBS Television Distribution arm, which syndicates the show, and Walt Disney Co's ABC's owned and operated TV stations which broadcast the daytime program.
"We're obviously in constant conversation with Oprah. She's a legend and one of the great assets we have," CBS CEO Les Moonves told reporters in an earnings conference call, adding that CBS was hopeful of keeping her.
CBS released a statement saying that nothing had changed. "The decision is Oprah's to make. As we have stated repeatedly, we love Oprah and if she wants to continue her show then we want to continue to be in business with her."
STEVIE, ARETHA, TEMPS TO CELEBRATE MOTOWN'S 50TH: Acts to perform at two-night event this month in Detroit.
*Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, the Temptations and others will appear at Motown's 50th anniversary event, titled "Live It Again!," scheduled for Nov. 20 and 21 in Detroit, reports Billboard.
The show will benefit the Motown Historical Museum, which is located in the company's original Hitsville U.S.A. headquarters in Detroit's midtown section.
The weekend starts off at the Roostertail, a nightclub that hosted many Motown performances and parties, with a program honoring Motown alumni followed by an autograph session with members of the Contours and Miracles, among others. A "Bop to the Ballroom" dance party will follow.
On Nov. 21, the Temptations and Franklin will headline a black-tie gala at Detroit's GM Renaissance Center, while Stevie Wonder will offer "a special tribute performance" to Motown Founder Berry Gordy, Jr., and his sister, Esther Gordy Edwards, a Motown vice-president who founded the Motown museum.
Actor/comedian Sinbad will host, and the evening will also include memorial tributes to Michael Jackson, the Four Tops' Levi Stubbs and producer/songwriter Norman Whitefield, and honors for Motown's "First Five" -- Smokey Robinson, Brian Holland, Robert Bateman, Janie Bradford and Raynoma Singleton.
Tickets for the Nov. 20 Roostertail party are $50, while the Nov. 21 gala runs $350. Tickets can be purchased by calling (313) 875-2264 or visiting www.motownmuseum.com.
Motown's 50th anniversary will also be recognized during halftime of the Detroit Lions' annual Thanksgiving day football game. "A Motown 50th Anniversary Tribute" will feature current Motown stars -- including KEM, Melanie Fiona and Shontelle -- performing some of the label's biggest hits. The segment will be televised by Fox, and fans will be able to download a recording of the medley online at www.nfl.com/thanksgiving, with proceeds going to benefit the United Way.
BEYONCE WINS BIG AT MTV EMA'S: Plus, Jay-Z performs with U2 at the Brandenburg Gate.
*Beyonce was the big winner at the 16th MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) at Berlin's O2 World Arena, which also celebrated the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
A standing ovation from the roughly 9,000 in attendance met Beyoncé when she emerged from a gigantic red box wearing a scarlet bodice replete with red suspenders. She then went on to receive three awards, best singer, best song for "Halo" and best video for "Single Ladies."
She thanked her husband saying "there's only one person I want to thank and that's Jay-Z, who put a ring on my finger."
Jay-Z appeared as a surprise guest of rock band U2 during their performance in front of the Brandenburg Gate. The rapper won the award for best urban act, to which he responded: "I am looking forward to the time when all the walls fall and it's all only about music."
The show lasted over two hours and provided a spectacular prelude to the celebrations marking the anniversary of German reunification.
METHOD MAN TO STAR IN '3D' DRAMA: Rapper joins cast of psychological thriller.
*Method Man will star in the upcoming film "The Mortician 3D," a redemption tale described by filmmakers as "a gritty, urban drama."
The film is based on one man's struggle through the violence and corruption of a dying inner city. The Mortician processes corpses with a steely regard and as a borderline autistic, he is alienated. Through his emotionless and unsympathetic actions he spreads his coldness to all he encounters.
The $6 million production is set to begin this month in Louisiana, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Angelic Zambrana, currently starring in "Precious," has also joined the cast, while Tom Hardy ("Bronson") and Edward Furlong ("American History X") are in talks.
JAY-Z MAPS OUT 2010 'BLUEPRINT 3' TOUR: New winter/spring leg added to current outing.
*Jay-Z has extended the current tour behind his latest album, "The Blueprint 3," adding a new late winter/early spring leg to the mix.
The rap mogul is on the road with N.E.R.D. for the fall installment of his BP3 tour, which continues Nov. 7 in Fresno, CA. The new dates kick off Feb. 22 in Houston, and will run through a March 26 appearance in Los Angeles. Details are shown below.
Young Jeezy will serve as opening act for the new dates, which go on sale beginning Nov. 13 at "select outlets," according to a press release. More information is available at Jay-Z's Web site www.jay-z.com.
View Jay-Z's revised tour schedule below:
November 2009
10 - Austin, TX - Frank Erwin Center @ University of Texas
12 - Champaign, IL - University of Illinois - Assembly Hall
19 - Albuquerque, NM - Tingley Coliseum
20 - El Paso, TX - Don Haskins Center
21 - Lubbock, TX - United Spirit Arena
22 - Austin, TX - Frank Erwin Center Arena
February 2010
22 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center
23 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center
25 - New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Arena
27 - Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena
28 - Greensboro, NC - Greensboro Coliseum Complex
March 2010
3 - Washington, DC - Verizon Center
7 - Norfolk, VA - Scope Arena
11 - Boston, MA - TD Banknorth Garden
16 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mellon Arena
19 - St. Louis, MO - Scottrade Center
20 - Indianapolis, IN - Conseco Fieldhouse
22 - Denver, CO - Pepsi Center
24 - San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion
26 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples CenterNovember 2009
7 - Fresno, CA - Save Mart Center
8 - Los Angeles, CA - Pauley Pavilion @ UCLA 10 - Austin, TX - Frank Erwin Center @ University of Texas
12 - Champaign, IL - University of Illinois - Assembly Hall
19 - Albuquerque, NM - Tingley Coliseum
20 - El Paso, TX - Don Haskins Center
21 - Lubbock, TX - United Spirit Arena
22 - Austin, TX - Frank Erwin Center Arena
February 2010
22 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center
23 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center
25 - New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Arena
27 - Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena
28 - Greensboro, NC - Greensboro Coliseum Complex
March 2010
3 - Washington, DC - Verizon Center
7 - Norfolk, VA - Scope Arena
11 - Boston, MA - TD Banknorth Garden
16 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mellon Arena
19 - St. Louis, MO - Scottrade Center
20 - Indianapolis, IN - Conseco Fieldhouse
22 - Denver, CO - Pepsi Center
24 - San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion
26 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
JLO FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST EX-HUSBAND: Singer/actress still trying to stop Ojani Noa from releasing tell-all film.
*Jennifer Lopez has filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against ex-husband Ojani Noa over a tell-all movie and intimate home videos.
In the lawsuit, filed Friday in L.A. County Superior Court, JLo claims Ojani is planning to release a movie called "How I Married Jennifer Lopez: The JLo and Ojani Noa Story" -- which Lopez says violates a confidentiality agreement they signed several years ago.
Lopez also claims Noa intends to market "11+ hours of previously unseen home video footage" of the two -- which she says is also in violation of their agreement, reports TMZ.com. Lopez was told the footage depicted her "in a revealing lack of clothing, and in sexual situations, especially in the hotel room from [her and Noa's] honeymoon."
In the documents, Lopez's attorney claims he got a letter from a producer working with Noa -- who stated that he had "entered into a contractual agreement" with TMZ for the "exclusive rights to the ... home movies." The producer's claims are patently false -- there was never any such agreement, the Web site reported.
Lopez is suing Noa for breach of contract and invading her privacy -- and she wants no less than $10,000,000. Lopez also wants a judge to order Noa to stop any plans to move forward with the movie or release the footage.
ITTY BITTY BITS: Fourth charge in Chicago beating death; Rihanna returns champagne, 'NCIS: LA' in syndication;
*A fourth teen is facing murder charges in the beating death of a Chicago high school honor student last month. The 14-year-old, whose name is not being released, was charged Thursday as a juvenile and appeared Friday before a judge, reports the AP. Prosecutors allege the teen delivered the punch that knocked the 16-year-old Derrion Albert briefly unconscious. Three other teens have been indicted on murder charges in Albert's Sept. 24 beating, which was caught on a cell phone camera. The footage shows him being hit with boards and kicked as he lay on a sidewalk.
*Rihanna refused to accept a $10,000 bottle of champagne that was sent to her table at a Vegas nightclub recently because she didn't recognize the name of the person who made the gesture. The New York Post's Page Six reported that the singer was hanging out at The Bank inside of Bellagio when the bottle of bubbly was sent over by New York Jets receiver Braylon Edwards and several of his teammates at a nearby table. But according to a partygoer, "She didn't know who they were, so she sent it back." Edwards' rep says Braylon later introduced himself and all was well.
*After only seven weeks on the air, CBS's freshman drama "NCIS: Los Angeles," co-starring LL Cool J, has its cable syndication rights sewn up via a deal with the USA Network. CBS TV Distribution licensed the show to the cable network, which has already enjoyed great success with the off-network run of franchise flagship "NCIS."
The spinoff's sale price is said to be in the same $2.2 million-$2.3 million per episode range that CBS' sophomore drama "The Mentalist" landed at TNT. USA will have the right to air the show weekly beginning in September 2011 and will start stripping it in fall 2013.
*After rushing toward the altar following a month-long courtship, newlyweds Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian may soon show similar warp speed in starting a family. Appearing on E!'s "Chelsea Lately," Kardashian, 25, was asked by host Chelsea Handler if she was pregnant yet, like sister Kourtney. Odom answered: "Soon." When pressed further about baby plans, Odom said he wants to have a baby right away. Khloe answered, "Okay."
HISTORY LESSON USED BLACK STUDENTS AS SLAVES: North Carolina plantation accused of going too far during school field trip.
*Parents and teachers at a North Carolina school are protesting a history lesson in which African-American students visiting a plantation with their class were told to pretend they were slaves as their white classmates looked on.
Teachers at Rea View Elementary in Waxhaw said they are planning to write officials at the Latta Plantation about a lesson during a Wednesday field trip in which an African-American tour guide chose three black students to wear bags used to gather cotton while mimicking cotton picking, WSOC-TV Charlotte, reported Friday..
"I am very enthusiastic about getting kids to think about how people did things in 1860, 1861 -- even before that period," said tour guide Ian Campbell, who added he has been a historian for 15 years. "I was trying to be historically correct not politically correct," he said.
Kojo Nantambu, president of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, criticized the lesson.
"There is a lingering pain, a lingering bitterness, a lingering insecurity and a lingering sense of inhumanity since slavery. Because that's still there, you want to be more sensitive than politically correct or historically correct," he said.
EUR FILM REVIEW: Precious
Lee Daniels' Long-Anticipated Sundance-Winner Lives up to the Buzz.
Film Review by Kam Williams
*Precious is finally arriving in theaters after being the beneficiary of practically a year's worth of buzz since winning a trio of trophies at Sundance, including that prestigious film festival's equivalent of Best Picture.
I'm happy to be the bearer of the good news that the movie more than lives up to the critical acclaim.
Based on the novel "Push" by Sapphire, that relentlessly-raw best seller has been faithfully adapted by Lee Daniels, the producer of Monster's Ball, the flick for which Halle Berry won her Academy Award in 2002.
There's a good chance that Daniels is about to repeat that historic feat, for he has coaxed an Oscar-quality performance out of comedienne-turned-actress Mo'Nique, who is riveting here as one of the most monstrous screen villains in memory.
Set in Harlem in 1987, this remarkably-realistic tale of woe is narrated by Clareece "Precious" Jones (Gabby Sidibe), an overweight and illiterate, 16 year-old still in junior high. She claims to enjoy Math class because, instead of opening her textbook, she simply sits there fantasizing about sleeping with her teacher, Mr. Wicher (Ean Sheehy). However, as the film further unfolds, being behind a few grades turns out to be the least of the portly pepperpot's problems.
Over the protests, "I do my work," and "My grades is good," Precious is suspended from school for being pregnant. We also learn that she is not only expecting, but already has a daughter with Down Syndrome. So, between the absentee-father who impregnated her, and the relentlessly-abusive mother
(Mo'Nique) who insists she'll never amount to anything, it's no surprise that Precious frequently escapes into a parallel universe where she daydreams about being rescued from her nightmarish existence by "a light-skinned boyfriend with good hair."
But while desperately awaiting that proverbial "knight in shining armor" to materialize, Precious finds herself repeatedly slapped in the face, whether literally, by her mom, or figuratively, by a social service bureaucracy way too willing to let her slip through the cracks. The all but lost teen is shuttled back and forth between well-meaning, if ineffective lifelines, like her clueless welfare case-worker (Mariah Carey) and a kindly nurse (Lenny Kravitz).
Tragically, no one seems to have any answers until Precious' goes back to school where her compassionate GED teacher (Paula Patton) takes a special interest in her well-being. Nonetheless, nurturing the self-esteem of a life-long doormat calls for a Herculean effort that might prove beyond the resources of resolute Ms Rain.
As poignant as it is shocking, Precious stands as an undeniably authentic contrast to those ghetto fabulous adventures celebrating macho, misogynistic, malevolent and misanthropic behavior presumably of no emotional consequence. A searing, inner-city saga of transformation and triumph, and a masterpiece not to be forgotten during awards season.
Excellent (4 stars)
Rated R for child abuse, sexual assault, violence, pervasive profanity, ethnic slurs and mature themes.
Running time:110 minutes
Studi Lionsgate Films
To order a copy of "Push," the novel on which Precious is based, visit:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307474844?ie=UTF8&tag=thslfofire-20&linkCo
de=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0307474844
To see a trailer for Precious, visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5FYahzVU44
FT. HOOD GUNMAN CONFLICTED OVER RELIGION: New Assignment might have been more than he could bear.
*The man police say went on a shooting rampage that left 13 people dead at Ft. Hood, Texas last Thursday was harassed because of his Muslim faith. Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan had been giving away his belongings and cleaned out his apartment telling friends and neighbors he was being deployed to Iraq. But according to officials, the 39-year-old Army psychiatrist has emerged as a study in contradictions: a polite man who stewed with discontent, a counselor who needed to be counseled himself.
According to the AP Wire, a recent classmate said Hasan once gave a jarring presentation to students in which he argued the war on terrorism was a war against Islam, and "made himself a lightning rod for things" when he felt his religious beliefs were challenged. Soldiers reported that the gunman shouted "Allahu Akbar!" — an Arabic phrase for "God is great!" — before opening fire, said Lt. Gen. Robert Cone, the base commander. Now base officials worry about a backlash against the thousands of Muslim soldiers serving dutifully in uniform.
Born in Arlington, VA., Hasan entered a psychiatry residency program at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, which he completed in 2007. He had completed a disaster and military psychiatry fellowship in 2007. Phase one of that the fellowship is earning a master of public health degree, which he completed in 2008. He completed the fellowship program in June. A month later, Hasan reported for duty at Fort Hood.
CHRIST IS A ‘HE’ WHO WANTS TO BECOME A ‘SHE’: Sexually confused Jesus sparks protest.
*A theatrical play where Jesus was portrayed as a transsexual woman has residents in Glasgow, Scotland protesting. More than 300 demonstrators waved placards and sang gospel songs during a two hour candlelight vigil outside the Tron Theatre where the play Queen of Heaven will run through next weekend. The play presents Christ as a man who wants to become a woman, according to the Scotland Herald.
"We are here to protest against the blasphemy of this play," said Jack Bell a church pastor.
Another demonstrator, Peter Campbell of St Andrew’s Roman Catholic Church in Greenock, said: "I am here to say enough is enough. I feel I have to do something because I don’t feel this is right and I have to stand up for the cause of Jesus."
The Christian Institute, which is opposed to equality for gay people, has said the festival is "further proof of an agenda to use taxpayers’ money to fund assaults on Christian values."
BISHOP SENTENCED TO PROBATION: Ringing church bells called a disturbance.
*A church leader in Arizona has been sentenced for disturbing the peace for playing a very loud recording of ringing church bells. The presiding judge sided with neighborhood residents who said the ringing bells were a rude shock regardless of how it was meant.
Bishop Rick Painter, rector of the Cathedral of Christ the King was given a 10-day jail sentence, which was suspended, and three years probation -- a misdemeanor. Painter started to play the recording of church bells every half hour every day since March 2008 on Palm Sunday.
"To me, it is one of the ways that we express
praise and worship to God. And it is also one of the ways that God speaks out and says to the community that there is somebody here that cares," Painter told the Associated Press. But neighbors said it became unbearable.
"I had no idea what it was. And then they were playing every half hour, so it woke me up and I came out into the back yard and then I heard them again every half hour all day long -- 31 times that day," said resident Sam Jensen. Al Brooks, another resident, added "We all celebrate God, but we don't disturb our neighbors doing it."
The church is allowed to play the ringing bells only on Sundays and church holidays.
AMISH LEADERS CHARGED WITH WITHOLDING INFORMATION: Community justice not good enough.
*A group of Amish leaders in Missouri who knew one of their community residents was possibly a child molester has been charged with failing to report the alleged abuse to local law enforcement. The four men told prosecutors they administered their own community justice to the suspect and thought that was good enough, according to the AP Wire.
It happened in Webster County, Missouri where state law mandates that people with the responsibility for the care of children are required to report suspected child abuse. Examples of mandatory reporters under the statute are doctors, nurses, social workers and teachers and ministers who are not engaged in a "privileged communication."
"They make the religious argument that they've punished (him)," Sheriff Roye Cole said. "They're shunned, and if they confessed their sins and ask forgiveness, they have no moral authority to report it to the law. They feel they cannot report a brother that has been forgiven of their sins," he added.
MAGAZINE FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY: Dissolves distribution partnership.
*Pastor Rick Warren, the famous author of the book The Purpose Driven Life, has severed his joint publishing deal with Readers’ Digest magazine less than one year after it was announced with much fanfare, according to the AP Wire.
Warren said the multimedia project, called the Purpose Driven Connection, will be distributed through a website operated solely by Warren’s Saddleback Church starting next spring. And the quarterly print magazine will cease publication some time this month.
In August Reader’s Digest Association, Inc filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection due to declining print subscriptions and looming debt.
EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE
Today’s ‘Live Better With Willie Jolley’ Tip: Make It A Winning Life
Every day is a great day, and even if it doesn’t feel like a great day you can make it one! My friend Dr. Wolf Rinke, author of Make It a Winning Life, says that life is essentially what you make it and that you must make things happen for yourself. You make every day a great day by programming your mind that it is a great day. Psychiatrists state that most illnesses are psychosomatic, which means that your mind creates them. We all know people who, no matter what kind of illness you might mention, have either had that condition or are having it right then!
There is a definite relationship between the psyche, which is your mind, and the soma, which is your body. Just as your mind creates the illness in your body, studies show that if you program your mind with positive rather than negative information, the mind can create an exhilarating and exceptional day-every day. Every day can be a great day and your life can be a winning life. You have to be willing to make it that way! Think great thoughts, do great things, and make it a winning day!
Visit my website at www.williejolley.com free motivation and make every minute count!
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Nov. 9: Actor Charlie Robinson ("Night Court") is 64. Rapper Pepa of Salt-N-Pepa is 40. Rapper Scarface of Geto Boys is 39. Singer Sisqo (Dru Hill) is 31.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
AMBERmag is the ultimate online destination for multicultural women who are seeking specific cosmetics, hair, and skincare truths. (www.AMBERmag.com).
Submit your favorite Web site to us along with a 15-20 word (or less) description to info@eurweb.com.
BLACK HISTORY
Nov. 9, 1922: Dorothy Dandridge was born on this day in Cleveland, Ohio. She became the first black woman to be nominated for an Oscar for the role of Carmen in “Carmen Jones.” (Source: www.BlackFacts.com)
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