11-12-09 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE
WHITNEY TO PERFORM AT AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS: Singer slated to sing 'I Didn't
Know My Own Strength.'
*The American Music Awards has booked Whitney Houston to both
perform and receive the honorary International Artist Award during the
ceremony airing Nov. 22 on ABC.
Houston will sing "I Didn't Know My Own Strength" from her latest
album, "I Look to You." The performance will be her first time singing at
the awards show in a decade.
"We're honored to have Whitney Houston back on the AMA stage after
ten years," producer Larry Klein says. "She has won the most AMAs of any
female artist in history and is without a doubt an international superstar."
The International Artist Award has been given out sporadically in the
36-year history of the awards and recognizes artists who "have gone beyond
the borders of their own country to be acknowledged for their superstar
status around the globe."
Past recipients include Michael Jackson, Led Zeppelin, Rod Stewart,
the Bee Gees, Madonna, Beyonce and Aerosmith.
JACKSON BURIAL COST ABOUT $1 MIL: Janet pitched in $49,000; funeral home and
Glendale police threatened to cancel service if pre-payment wasn't made.
*Court documents released Tuesday show that Michael Jackson's private
family funeral on Sept. 3 cost roughly $1 million, and that Janet Jackson
gave the funeral home an advance payment of $49,000, reports the Associated
Press.
Legal requests for payments filed with estate administrators by
attorneys for Michael's mother only three days before the scheduled burial
noted that if payment was not received by the funeral home and the Glendale
Police Department by Sept. 1, "the funeral will not proceed."
The lawyers warned that such a development would cause Katherine
Jackson and the family "public embarrassment and added grief, along with the
daunting task of having to make new arrangements."
The administrators approved payment of all expenses as well as the
reimbursement of Janet for the advance payment. The final tally of costs
included $855,730 to Forest Lawn for cemetery and funeral charges including
the purchase of other plots within the same mausoleum that houses Jackson's
body.
Also listed were: $35,000 for burial garments; $1,975 for wardrobe
for the family; $2,000 for usher costumes; $3,682 for framing of a
photograph of Jackson next to the casket; $959 for embroidery; $11,716 for
invitations and programs; $16,000 for flowers; $30,000 for cars and
security; and $15,000 for a funeral designer. There was also a charge of
$21,455 for the "funeral repast" at a restaurant after the ceremony.
The family was also charged $5,000 to hold Jackson's remains in a
temporary vault until the funeral ceremony.
The documents showed that his mother, brother Randy and sister Janet
were involved in the planning and were mindful that the media would be
covering the funeral, although media were not allowed inside the ceremony.
"Mrs. Jackson and her family wish to honor her son by a funeral that
seeks to offer solace to his multitude of fans and by which the family also
may be comforted," the attorneys said. The costs were substantial but
"entirely commensurate with the decedent's worldwide status as an
entertainer and the world's grief over his death."
Mrs. Jackson's attorneys were granted the request for $1 million. The
administrators noted this was in addition to the costs of the Staples Center
tribute, which was approved by the court as part of the agreement with
entertainment group AEG.
Outside court on Tuesday, lawyer Howard Weitzman, who represents the
administrators, said: "I would have done it less expensively. But it was
Michael Jackson, who was larger than life. There's no reason he should not
have a funeral that's larger than life."
RIHANNA FLIES FAMILY IN FOR GLAMOUR AWARD: The Fentys take Manhattan -
except for dad.
*Rihanna's recent Woman of the Year Award from Glamour magazine meant
so much to her that she spent more than $50,000 to fly family members to New
York for the emotional ceremony at Carnegie Hall Monday night.
According to the New York Post, she flew in her mom, Monica Fenty,
plus her brothers and aunts from her native Barbados as a way to thank them
for standing by her in recent months.
During her tearful acceptance speech, Rihanna said, "I really look up
to my gran and my mom. They are my two women of the year . . . Without their
unconditional love and guidance, I wouldn't be here."
Afterward, the singer introduced her family to Iman, Serena Williams,
Tyra Banks and fashion designer Stella McCartney. The Fentys then went to
dinner at South Gate in the Essex House, where one Rihanna relative was
spotted helping America's UN ambassador and fellow Woman of the Year, Susan
Rice, pull down the lining of her gown in the ladies' room.
Missing from the Fenty reunion was Rihanna's father Ronald Fenty. The
pop star told Diane Sawyer last week that he'd abused her mother when she
was a child.
The singer and her family are expected to leave New York by the time
Chris Brown arrives to appear on Wendy Williams' show Friday.
SAMMY SOSA SAYS HE'S NOT TRYING TO BE MJ: Suddenly-white skinned Dominican
slugger still blaming it on a European cream.
*Sammy Sosa continues to call his sudden loss of melanin a byproduct
of the new European cream he's using for his skin.
In a Spanish interview Tuesday with Univision reporter Tony
Dandrades, Sosa was asked if he's trying to be like Michael Jackson, who
suffered from the skin condition vitiligo.
"Not at all, I respect him very much," said Sosa, who gave the
interview at his Miami penthouse apartment on Monday. "I'm not a racist. I'm
not like that. I'm just a happy person."
Photographs of the 1998 NL MVP during a recent appearance at the
Latin Grammys in Las Vegas showed his facial skin tone to be almost white.
Sosa reiterated that his new skin regimen caused his pigment to lighten.
"I use a cream to keep my skin smooth and soft. I apply it before I
go to bed. When I was playing for Chicago all those years, I was in the sun
a lot for 1 o'clock games," said Sosa, who turns 41 today. "The flashes
(from the cameras) also made my skin look lighter. I'm surprised with the
controversy this has caused."
Sosa, who would not tell Dandrades the name of the cream he uses, did
say that it is European and that he is in negotiations to market the
product. He added that he wears colored contact lenses because he wanted to
"try something different. I'm not trying to be superficial."
WILL SMITH PICKS 'FLOWERS': Actor reportedly taking on adaptation of 1959
'Flowers for Algernon.' Plus, planned 'Oldboy' remake has stalled.
*Will Smith has reportedly signed on to star in and produce an
adaptation of Daniel Keyes' classic 1959 novel "Flowers for Algernon" for
his own Sony-based Overbrook Entertainment production company, reports
Pajiba.
The story centers on a mentally disabled man who is the first to
undergo a surgery that is said to raise intelligence. While the operation is
successful, and his IQ raises from 68 to 185, the side effects include
social setbacks where he feels ostracized from society.
No writer or director has yet been set though Gabriele Muccino ("The
Pursuit of Happyness," "Seven Pounds") has been mentioned.
Cliff Robertson won an Oscar for starring in the previous film
adaptation "Charly" in 1968.
In other Will Smith news, his planned remake of Chan-wook Park's
acclaimed cult revenge thriller "Oldboy" with Steven Spielberg has been
scrapped.
According to Latino Review, DreamWorks and Mandate were in the
process of obtaining the rights to the original Japanese manga on which the
film was going to be based. However the companies couldn't come to an
agreement and DreamWorks has walked away. And as a result, so did Smith and
Spielberg.
MICHAEL STEELE SCARES WHITE REPUBLICANS: RNC chairman tells Roland Martin,
'I've been in the room and they've been scared of me.'
*Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele said Sunday
that some white Republicans are "scared" of him.
Responding during an interview to TV One's Roland Martin, who said
that "white Republicans have been scared of black folks," Steele responded:
"You're absolutely right."
"I've been in the room and they've been scared of me," said Steele,
the first African-American RNC chairman. "I'm like, 'I'm on your side.'"
Asked how Republicans can attract more black voters, Steele said the
party should emphasize "education and the economy" and credited
Governors-elect Chris Christie in New Jersey and Bob McDonnell in Virginia
for running a message that could appeal to black voters.
"You saw in Christie and you saw in McDonnell a door open because
they went in and engaged," he said. "McDonnell was very deliberate about
spending."
Steele mentioned McDonnell's endorsement from BET founder (and
Democrat) Sheila Johnson early in his run and used her as one of his top
surrogates on the campaign trail. Both GOP candidates, however, lost the
black vote by landslide margins according to exit polls.
"Sheila Johnson was on his team. I mean, that was a big deal," Steele
said. "He engaged her and she helped navigate him through that
relationship."
MORGAN FREEMAN TO GET PALM SPRINGS HONOR: Film Fest salutes Oscar winner
with Career Achievement Award.
*Morgan Freeman will receive the Career Achievement Award for acting
from the Palm Springs Film Fest on Jan. 5, Variety reports.
The ceremony, hosted by Mary Hart of "Entertainment Tonight," will
serve as a kickoff to the annual festival that runs through Jan. 18.
Freeman will next be seen in Clint Eastwood's "Invictus," premiering
Dec. 11. The film star plays President Nelson Mandela in South Africa's era
of apartheid.
Based on a true story, the film follows Mandela as he works with the
country's rugby team captain (Matt Damon) to unite the racially and
economically divided country and to bring the team to the 1995 World Cup
match.
MCNAIR WIDOW CAN SELL HIS RESTAURANT: Court gives Mechelle McNair authority
to unload venue opened shortly before husband's death.
*The widow of retired NFL player Steve McNair has been cleared to
sell the Nashville restaurant opened by her late husband shortly before he
was shot and killed by his mistress.
Probate Court Judge Randy Kennedy this week authorized Mechelle
McNair to sell Gridiron9 to a potential buyer that has come forward, reports
the Associated Press. The judge denied an appeal by one of Steve McNair's
business partners.
The quarterback who spent most of his career with the Tennessee
Titans was shot to death July 4 by a young woman who then killed herself.
Earlier, a Nashville condominium complex trying to collect rent
dropped its claim against the estate. McNair was a co-signer on the lease of
a condo for his cousin.
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL WANTS MICHAEL JACKSON: Vegas act courting estate for
Vegas-style show like its Beatles-driven 'Love.'
*Cirque du Soleil is reportedly circling Michael Jackson's estate
with plans to produce a Las Vegas-style show featuring the late
entertainer's music.
"The Canadian-based company is said to be working hard to convince
all the parties that they can do for Michael what they did for the Beatles
with the "Love" show at the Mirage Hotel," The Hollywood Reporter's Roger
Friedman wrote Wednesday.
"Right now, Cirque du Soleil is prepping an Elvis Presley show, 'Viva
Elvis,' which will start performances next month at the ARIA Hotel in Las
Vegas," he added. "Once that show is off the ground, the Jackson estate will
confer with the Cirque folks."
'OPRAH,' 'TYRA,' 'BROTHERS' AMONG PEOPLE'S CHOICE NOMS: Latifah set to host
January ceremony from Los Angeles.
*Although vampires dominate the nominations for this year's People's
Choice Awards, talk shows from Tyra Banks and Oprah Winfrey managed to pick
up nods, as well as new shows featuring LL Cool J and Michael Strahan.
"The Oprah Winfrey Show" and "The Tyra Banks Show" will face off for
favorite TV talk show against "Chelsea Lately," "Live with Regis & Kelly"
and "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."
Also, CBS's new "NCIS: Los Angeles," starring LL, will compete in the
New TV drama category against the newly-cancelled "Eastwick,"
"FlashForward," "Melrose Place," "Mercy," "The Forgotten," "The Good Wife,"
"The Vampire Diaries," "Three Rivers" and "V."
Fox's "Brothers," starring Michael Strahan and Darryl "Chill"
Mitchell, will go against fellow Fox comedy "The Cleveland Show" in the New
TV comedy category, which also includes "Accidentally on Purpose,"
"Community," "Cougar Town," "Glee," "Hank," "The Middle" and "Modern Family"
Queen Latifah is set to host the People's Choice Awards at the Nokia
Theatre. The ceremony will be broadcast live on CBS on Jan. 6, 2010.
Below, the complete list of nominees:
. TV drama: "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "Grey's Anatomy," "House,"
"Lost," "NCIS"
. TV comedy: "Desperate Housewives," "How I Met Your Mother," "The Big Bang
Theory," "The Office," "Two and a Half Men"
. TV drama actor: Hugh Laurie, Kiefer Sutherland, Mark Harmon, Matthew Fox,
Patrick Dempsey
. TV drama actress: Anna Paquin, Blake Lively, Jennifer Love Hewitt,
Katherine Heigl, Mariska Hargitay
. TV comedy actor: Alex Baldwin, Charlie Sheen, Jim Parsons, Neil Patrick
Harris, Steve Carell
. TV comedy actress: Alyson Hannigan, America Ferrera, Amy Poehler, Eva
Longoria Parker, Tina Fey
. TV obsession: "Dexter," "Gossip Girl," "The Hills," "The Secret Life of
the American Teenager," "True Blood"
. TV talk show: "Chelsea Lately," "Live with Regis & Kelly," "The Ellen
DeGeneres Show," "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "The Tyra Banks Show"
. TV sci-fi/fantasy: "Heroes," "Lost," "Supernatural," "The Vampire
Diaries," "True Blood"
. TV competition show: "American Idol," "Dancing With the Stars," "Project
Runway," "So You Think You Can Dance," "Survivor: Samoa"
. Animal show: "Animal Cops," "DogTown," "Dog Whisperer," "It's Me or the
Dog," "Rescue Ink"
. New TV drama: "Eastwick," "FlashForward," "Melrose Place," "Mercy," "The
Forgotten," "The Good Wife," "The Vampire Diaries," "Three Rivers," "NCIS:
Los Angeles," "V"
. New TV comedy: "Accidentally on Purpose," "Brothers," "Community," "Cougar
Town," "Glee," "Hank," "The Cleveland Show," "The Middle," "Modern Family"
LIL BOOSIE BACK IN JAIL FOR PROBATION VIOLATION: Rapper's ankle monitor
went off multiple times.
*A judge in Baton Rouge, La. sentenced Lil' Boosie to four years in
prison on Monday for violating his probation, according to the city's CBS
affiliate WAFB.
The rapper, born Torrence Hatch, was convicted of drug and gun
charges in September and placed under house arrest with an ankle monitor.
But the monitor indicated that he violated the terms of his release on more
than one occasion, reports Billboard.
U.S. District Court Judge Chip Moore revoked Hatch's probation, and
sent him straight to jail for four years, twice as long as his original
sentence. He is expected to serve a maximum of two years now.
Hatch, 26, took a plea deal to a third-offense marijuana-possession
charge in September in connection with an October 2008 arrest when police
found a bag of marijuana, a blunt and a gun in a vehicle he was driving. The
drug charge alone would have landed him in prison for 20 years, with a
mandatory minimum of five years for the gun charge.
After the plea, Moore ordered Hatch to be electronically monitored
and to clear all concert dates with the court while awaiting sentencing.
BEST BUY COURTS DJS WIH NEW SECTION: Retailer teams with Monster Cable and
Beats by Dr. Dre to launch in-store 'Club Beats' area.
*Best Buy is looking to be the new one-stop-shop for DJs.
A partnership with accessories firm Monster Cable and headphones
specialist Beats by Dr. Dre has birthed "Club Beats," a new in-store area
where shoppers can sample the latest audio, music, entertainment and
technology products, including DJ equipment, mixing software, turntables,
headphones and laptops.
"It may not be simple to find these products in a mainstream
environment -- either you have to know what you need, or you have to talk to
someone who is in the industry," said Wendy Fritz, senior VP of
merchandising for mobility for Best Buy. "What we're trying to say is, 'Hey!
You can do this,' and when they come into the store our Blue Shirts can say,
'These are the three or four products you need to get started.'"
To help promote Club Beats, Best Buy will host a series of events
featuring appearances from artists including Lady Gaga, Will.i.am and Dr.
Dre, co-founder of Beats by Dr. Dre, reports the Associated Press.
Seven stores will feature a full "experiential" Club Beats area, with
a spectrum of products while 300 stores will feature an "interactive" area,
with similar options but slightly fewer products to try out. All remaining
stores will include a "core" Club Beats area, with a product selection,
merchandising signage and customer service assistance but less of a focus on
interactivity.
ITTY BITTY BITS: Beyonce's ABC special; another Warhol MJ; Papa Joe denied;
2010 Essence Fest tickets; RuPaul's new book.
*More details were announced about Beyonce's upcoming Thanksgiving
special for ABC. The hour-long program will air Thanksgiving night at 9 p.m.
and feature the singer in a concert that was taped in Las Vegas over the
summer. The show will be followed at 10 by a Paul McCartney special that
includes highlights from his July concert at Citi Field in New York City.
Both specials will offer interviews and personal glimpses of the stars.
*An anonymous private collector based in New York paid $812,500 for a
"Thriller"-era silk-screened portrait of Michael Jackson created by Andy
Warhol and auctioned at Christie's in New York City Tuesday evening. The
1984 portrait, which Christie's estimated would sell for $500,000 to
$700,000, depicts a smiling Jackson in a jacket with squiggles of red and
yellow in his hair.
*On Tuesday, Judge Mitchell Beckloff denied Joseph Jackson's bid to
block the appointment of attorney John Branca and music exec John McClain to
the position of co-executors of Michael Jackson's estate, saying that the
family patriarch had no standing on the matter because he was not named a
beneficiary in his son's will. Joe had objected to their appointment as
executors, filing court papers on Monday claiming that Michael believed
Branca and McClain were defrauding him, according to the Los Angeles Times.
But, despite Joseph's claims, Beckloff has officially named Branca and
McClain as co-executors.
*Tickets are on sale for the 2010 Essence Music Festival, which
returns to New Orleans July 2, 3 and 4. Special weekend ticket packages are
available ranging from $159-$3000 to commemorate the magazine's 40th
anniversary. For additional information about ticket sales, accommodations
and the latest news about the Essence Music Festival, visit www.essence.com.
*RuPaul's new book "Workin' It! RuPaul's Guide to Life, Liberty, and
the Pursuit of Style!" is due Feb. 2 from It Books. The publisher describes
it as "part style guide, part confidence manifesto." The release is timed to
coincide with the second season premiere of Ru's LOGO series "RuPaul's Drag
Race."
VERONICA'S VIEW:Looking Beyond the Tragedy at Gramercy Place
Veronica Hendrix
*No one knows what demons 26-year-old La’Tonya Dixon wrestled with during her short and troubled life.
But what we do know is that on the morning of Saturday, October 17, 2009 she succumbed to them and did the unthinkable.
If you recall her story, she called 911 and reported that she had just killed her two sons. When the police arrived at her apartment on Gramercy Place in South Los Angeles, they found her 5-year-old son dead; her 16-month-old was clinging to life after being shot multiple times.
Police also found a distraught and suicidal La’Tonya scaling the balcony rail of the building she lived in, wielding a gun she had allegedly shot her children with. She reportedly told police to shoot her and screamed, “I have wasted my life.” At one point police thought that she would jump from the balcony.
According to police accounts, she finally put the gun down and was arrested without injury. Her 16-month-old son was taken to the hospital but he died a few days later. La’Tonya now faces capital murder charges.
This is indeed a tragic and distributing story that still haunts me long after the story has lost it legs in the media. And I cannot stop thinking about this young woman and what circumstances in life delivered her to this ill-fated moment. After all, she is only 26-years-old. Her life was just beginning. She apparently didn’t feel that way and brutally killed two innocent children, who looked to her to protect them and to provide for them.
It’s a sobering and heart wrenching thought – a mother looking into the eyes of her children and deliberately ending their lives when she is the giver of life. How could she have extinguished their bright lights, denying them the opportunity to live out and up to their human potential? As a mother of two sons whom I love dearly I cannot fathom how the deep and hallowed bond we ascribe to” motherhood” was severed. Yet in La’Tonya’s case it seems to have snapped. According to stories I’ve read, those who knew her were taken aback at what happened citing that from what they saw she was a wonderful and caring mother.
I don’t know her situation or claim to know the intimate details of her life. The snippets I’ve pieced together from what I’ve read and heard point to a young woman who was distressed and overwhelmed by the challenges of being a single parent raising two small children in the inner-city with limited resources during the worse economy of her life.
I remember being 26-years-old and how difficult it was being a parent of a toddler while trying to make ends meet and trying to deal with the challenges of a relationship that tested my resolve at every possible turn. But the foundation that was instilled in me as a child from my parents and the support of my family and friends combined with my sheer will to make it are what kept me going and gave me hope. I saw a future beyond the morass that surrounded me and I waded through it until I got to the other side.
Somehow I think La’Tonya didn’t see a future in the morass that encompassed her. Instead, it consumed her. Her statement, “I’ve wasted my life,” signals that.
I recently interviewed Miriam Long for another project I was working on. Miriam spent 13 years as a Senior Deputy for former Los Angeles County Supervisor Yvonne B. Burke before she he became Deputy Mayor for Education, Youth and Families for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. She said something that hints at what happened to La’Tonya.
“During my tenure with Supervisor Burke I saw firsthand the stresses of poverty,” explained Miriam. “Poor families felt isolated and what they sorely needed was support.”
So you have to wonder if anyone knew the private hell La”Tonya was living in and how far her perception of reality was morphing into something so unspeakable. Did she have family members, friends, or social workers who intersected her life yet never saw the signals she made at various turns during her journey, warning that something was dreadfully wrong? I wonder and find myself deeply troubled about what has occurred because it happened to one of our own in our neighborhood on our collective watch.
I’ve read numerous comments and blogs from people around the country who have weighed in on this tragedy. Many have been unmerciful, harsh, damming, brutal and unforgiving.
Perhaps this is a wakeup call for us all. Instead of condemning what happened, perhaps we need to open our eyes and see the La’Tonya’s in our community because they do exist and they do live among us. We have to do what we can to stop tragedies like this from happening. Turning a blind eye and a closed ear is not an option. (If you have comments about Veronica’s View, email them to vsview@yahoo.com.)###
BETWEEN THE LINES: The Black Men's New "Little Black Book:" Courtesy of the Barbershop Health Initiative
Anthony Asadullah Samad
*If you want to hear some of the most asinine responses to health care you ever want to hear (besides in Congress), ask a black man when's the last time he's been to the doctor. "Never" is a common response for many men in their 40s and 50s.
Black male nutrition provides just as ridiculous responses, stuff like never having a piece of fruit. You can't make this stuff up. But ask a black man, any black man, any man-period, where his "little black book" is--and trust me, he not only knows where it is, he can tell you the last time he saw it-though he may never admit what's in it. It's more sacred than his life itself. But somehow, he never sees his own life (and health) with the same sacredness as he sees that little black book.
The nurturing of a black man's health never seems to have the same priority as nurturing a black man's "manhood." He'll probably take a bite out of his little black book (especially if his woman catches him with it) before he'll take a bite out of an apple. It is the reality of many black men's health status in America. You may never see a black man go to the doctor (on his own). If you ask most black men, "Who their doctor is," or "where their doctor is," you get that dazed looked like when your woman calls your name after she's caught you not listening to her and she asks you, "What I just say?" Same look.
You may not know the last time your man went to the doctor, but you know where to find him, on the regular when it comes to his "do." The barbershop, where men talk about any and everything that has to do with politics, relationships, reality and of course, themselves. Thanks to diabetes specialist, Dr. Bill Releford, one topic has been added to the barbershop conversation: health. Dr. Releford has established the Black Men's Barbershop Health Initiative, a national program where doctors and other health specialists go to hundreds of barbershops and black men for hypertension, diabetes and other chronic diseases that disproporationately impact black men. At first glance, you wouldn't think that treating black men wherever they are was such a complexed proposition-but it is.
Changing the mindset of black men going to the doctor is a difficult one. Fear of doctors is tied to a vestige of slavery where black male illness was totally ignored. Distrusting doctors has a long history, even before the Tuskeegee experiment. Anyone over 60 will tell you that most black men they know used to stay away from doctors and hospitals, particualrly in the South, because they felt that if you went in, you never came out. The fears were associated with misdiagnosis and mistreatment of blacks, particularly those without health care insurance or family doctors. Health care in America is truly a privilege when it should be a right. Whatever the reasons for past fears, life expectancy of the society in general has gotten shorter as black men's have gotten shorter. Certainly environment and stress play large in undiagnosed illnesses, but access to care and quality care for those who desire it is no longer an issue. But that hasn't caused black men to seek out regular health treatment. You have to admit, it's cultural. Black men live without health care until they die, most times in poor health, and more often than not prematurely.
The Black Men's Barbershop Health Initiative seeks out black men where they are. If you ever try to find black men "where they are," one place you know for sure you'll find black men, every day of the week, is in barbershops. That's also cultural. Black men bond at barbershops. They find a level of comfort and trust, yes-trust, that they rarely find anywhere in American society outside their homes (and sometimes, not even there). So, when Dr. Releford and his doctors began showing up at barbershops and asking simple questions, like "When's the last time you've been to the doctor?" or "When's the last time you ate a salad?" or "Do you know your numbers?" You know when you mention "numbers" to a black man, you thinks you're talking about his numbers in the lotto, or the ones he gives his bookee for the numbers rackets (formerly the poor people's jackpot before lotteries were legalized). And if you asked for his little black book, you are asking for his "secret stash" of confidential contacts (isn't that a diplomatic way of putting it) that he generally took to his grave.
You know black men are not big on talking about themselves (beyond their conquests) and certainly not big on giving up information. If you get their real name, or even their first name--you got TMI (too much information). However, all that's changed. Dr. Releford's health initiative now takes away every excuse that black men have for not getting treated. They got to them where they are. Black men are getting tested, and getting treated for chronic illnesses on the spot. And when black men are told to go to the doctor, and they say they don't have one or don't know how to find one (most black men are not going to tell you that they don't have one), they are given "a little black book" of doctors in their area that will treat them for the illnesses they have and will nurse them back to health. A little black book that will keep them from the grave, and one they can share with other black men that suffer in illness and ignorance about thier health status. A novel idea that plays to black male machismo in a way that saves his life.
The Black Men's Barbershop Initiative turns two taboos, black men going to the doctor and black male's liaison directories, into preventative measures for extending black male life expectancy. Finding black men where they frequent and frequenting black men with books where they are likely to carry just found a new spin. One that will save their lives and creates a new pathway to the doctors office. Who says that black male health care can't be reformed in this time of health care reform. Dr. Releford has proved that time and place for black male health care counts as much as knowledge and education. It's an impressive outreach that should be supported by men, women and children. The next time your man (or father, brother or uncle) says he's going to the barbershop, know there's more there than just some conversation. The trip to the barbershop has taken on a whole new experience--one that does more for black men than a cut or a trim. The barbershop is now a lifesaving experience.
Anthony Asadullah Samad, Ph.D., is a national columnist, managing director of the Urban Issues Forum (www.urbanissuesforum.com) and author of the upcoming book, REAL EYEZ: Race, Reality and Politics in 21 Century Politics. He can be reached at www.AnthonySamad.com
GLENN'S STRATEGIES FOR WELL-BEING: ANTIBIOTIC “SEASON”
*Yes, it’s that time of year when we begin to see the return of cold and flu. What better time to visit the issue of ANTIBIOTICS.
As many of us prepare to bombard our doctors for a prescription of antibiotics to deal with colds and flu, let’s make sure we understand a little more about antibiotics and the way they work in our bodies.
Antibiotics are responsible for saving millions of lives; there’s no question about it. Many of us have had illnesses in the course of our lives where without the use of an antibiotic therapy, we would not still be here!
Before the introduction of antibiotics (penicillin was discovered in 1928), infection was the leading cause of death in America. Once they hit the scene, they were deemed so miraculous, doctors and patients alike saw them as a cure for every condition, serious or not.
However, there is a dark side to these “wonder drugs”. As a result of being misused, new generations of disease strains resistant to antibiotic attack have emerged. If this trend continues, we will find ourselves back in the days when even the simplest infection could kill.
Just today, a colleague approached and said she was not feeling well. Sore throat, headache, the works. She was rushing to a quickly scheduled doctor’s appointment. Jokingly, I told her that I would “doctor’ her up. She looked me in the eye and said, “don’t you think I need an antibiotic?”
Immediately, I asked her if she had a bacterial or viral infection. She wondered why I asked such a question. I informed her that if it was a viral infection, an antibiotic would be useless. “ Oh, I guess I need to find that out first before I conclude that I need an antibiotic”, she said.
Here you have a classic example of the attitude of many of us, which has led to a serious problem in our world.
I mean it’s crazy!
Have a sore throat? Take penicillin.
Does the baby have an ear infection? Give her amoxicillin.
Do you have a nasty cough and/or cold? Take erythromycin.
We have grown so accustomed to taking antibiotics that we demand them whether our condition would actually respond to antibiotic therapy or not. All of the “old-fashioned” cures for colds – bed rest, warm drinks, good nutrition, and other tried and true home remedies – are now considered out of style. It doesn’t matter that antibiotics are useless (and even harmful) against viruses. As patients we beg for them, and many doctors give in.
To meet this insatiable demand, pharmaceutical companies responded by flooding the market with new and stronger antibiotics.
We thought we had won the war on infection. We had driven those bugs and germs into full retreat. But they were not to be defeated!
Just a guerilla army that grows more fearsome after it is driven into the hills, the bugs come back. In true military fashion, they test the antibiotics and find their weak points. The bugs developed new and more powerful weapons, now it is us who are truly on the defensive.
How did all this come to be?
When we use antibiotics to treat low-grade infections it is like using a nuclear warhead to squash the schoolyard bully. It is overkill to the nth degree, yet it doesn’t get rid of the problem. Just like another bully hiding around the corner, there’s always another strain of bacteria ready to pounce when we least expect.
Antibiotics are not foolproof- they kill most but not all of the offending bacteria. The strongest of the bacteria survive and reproduce at exponential proportions, and soon, “smart” strains of bacteria immune to the antibiotic are flourishing. The stronger the antibiotic, the stronger the surviving bacteria. To make matters worse, countless numbers of Americans have misused antibiotics by not taking the full course, stopping their medication as soon as they feel better. In so doing, they helped create new and more powerful superbugs. Americans also use – or rather overuse – antibacterial soaps and skin products, going so far as to put antibacterial soaps and skin products, going so far as to antibacterial additives in children’s toys!
All we are doing is making sure that the strongest and most resistant of the deadly bacteria survive and thrive.
What’s even deeper is that, even if you take them only when needed and never abuse them, you may be taking antibiotics without even knowing it.
Around 30% of the antibiotics sold in the United States are fed to livestock, and find their way into the meat and dairy products we eat, as well as water and soil we depend on. Just think about it, every time you eat a piece of meat or drink a glass of milk, you could be consuming minute amounts of antibiotic residue. If scientist tried to intentionally create the “ultimate germ”, they couldn’t do a better job.
I’m not trying to scare you. The risk of being wiped out by a virulent infection is slight, and the chance that you’ll die of an antibiotic-resistant strain of bacteria is slim. Nevertheless, there are some serious costs to the overuse of antibiotics that affect us all.
Have you ever noticed how you often relapse into an illness immediately after taking an antibiotic? It’s not your imagination. Antibiotics can actually weaken your immune system, leaving you more vulnerable to the next “bug” that comes your way.
Taking an antibiotic for common ailments that can heal on their own is particularly bad for children. (for example, the common cold has an average life of 3-5 days, the standard course of antibiotics is 5-7 days) What many parents may not realize is that the immune system learns through experience. Each encounter with a virus or bacteria teaches immune cells valuable lessons that will be used the next time they meet up with the same “bug”. So when children are given antibiotics for every sniffle, they may be robbed of their ability to effectively fight infection on their own. Yes, it may take a day or two longer for children to beat an infection without an antibiotic, but in the long run, it may be far better for the child.
Antibiotics weaken our immune system in another important way that affects both children and adults: These powerful drugs don’t just kill the bad bacteria that make us sick, they also affect the billions of “friendly” bacteria that keeps us well. Without these friendly bacteria, we can’t digest our food properly or keep our other systems running well. The side effects of antibiotics are limited to a little indigestion. Antibiotics wipe out the good bacteria that keep us from getting overwhelmed by harmful E. coli infections, salmonella, and staph. Overuse of antibiotics has resulted in an epidemic of yeast infections in women. Many strains of yeast are now drug resistant, too!
The overuse of antibiotics has created a new breed of smarter and more virulent bacteria that are practically indestructible. For example, Streptococcus pneumoniae – the most common cause of bacterial ear infections in young children – has grown resistant to standard doses of amoxicillin, the first line of treatment. Drug-resistant staph infections – once easily cured with penicillin- run rampant throughout the nation’s hospitals. What I find even more frightening is the recent discovery of staph bacteria that are resistant to vancomycin, the most powerful antibiotic on the planet!
All of this is more reason to take care of your immune system. When your immune system functions well, it can usually take care of little problems before they become big ones.
Afterall, a little tolerance can go a log way in dealing with colds, which tend to run their course in 3-5 days, or the flu which generally is history after 7-10 days. A good diet, plenty of rest, and lots of fluids can, in many cases make the process more bearable.
This column is for informational purposes, and should not take the place of proper medical advice from your doctor.
Remember, I’m not a doctor. I just sound like one.
Take good care of yourself and live the best life possible!
Glenn Ellis, author of Which Doctor?, is a syndicated health columnist and radio commentator who lectures around the country on health issues.
E-mail me at glenn@glennellis.com
For more good health information, visit: www.glennellis.com
AUDREY'S SOCIETY WHIRL: THE BLACK RETAIL ACTION GROUP INC. (BRAG) CELEBRATES 39TH ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP AND AWARDS DINNER GALA
Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Best Buy recipients of BRAG’s high honors
By Audrey J. Bernard, Lifestyles/Society Editor
*President Obama’s message of “change” is still in style! And was it ever present at this year’s extraordinarily stylish Black Retail Action Group Inc. (BRAG) 39th annual scholarship and awards dinner gala on Friday, October 23, 2009 at Cipriani Wall Street, from 6 to 10pm.
However, one thing that has not changed is BRAG’s reputation as being one of the few organizations of its kind to recognize the achievements of African American’s and others in retail and retail related industries. Another thing that did not change was the elegant caliber of the stellar honorees and it’s dressed to the nines guests.
Actress Malinda Williams, best known for her role as “Bird” on the long running Showtime series Soul Food, served as Mistress of Ceremonies at the event that attracted some 500 retailers and fashion insiders.
This year’s theme -- The Power of Change -- recognized that the world at large -- including the retail and fashion industries -- is on the cusp of a significant transformation. During his captivating welcoming remarks BRAG’s polished president, Gary L. Lampley, applauded the contributions of the evening’s honorees.
“The leadership exemplified by each of the honorees and their methods of effecting change have challenged industry standards to ensure that all people of color are embraced, mentored and given opportunities,” stated Lampley.
Following an exceptionally enthralling reception that included a silent auction, a delectable dinner and dessert, NBA all star, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and president and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises, Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson, was presented with the BRAG special recognition award.
Other deserving award recipients included: Richard Dent, senior vice president, COO and co-leader of Victoria’s Secret, PINK; Shawn Outler, group vice president, multicultural merchandising and vendor development, Macy’s Inc.; Stephen Sadove, president and CEO, Saks Fifth Avenue, Inc.; and Constance White, style director and fashion spokesperson for eBay. Best Buy, nationally recognized for its diversity initiatives, received the BRAG corporate award.
Latisha and Colin Daring, co-owners of the Brooklyn based boutique Pieces, were presented with the distinguished JJ Thomas Business Innovators Award. The coveted award is named after Mr. JJ Thomas, a founding member of BRAG and role model to many in the retail industry. Thomas served as BRAG’s illustrious president for nearly two decades.
“We are thrilled to have such a stellar group of honorees again this year,” stated Lampley. “Each of them was selected because they all understand that change equals diversity and diversity equals dollars and sense.”
It takes a village to pull off an event of this magnitude. This year, BRAG wishes to thank all of its sponsors and supporters for their valuable contributions such as Best Buy, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s Inc, Lord& Taylor, Bloomingdale’s, and Footlocker; and for providing financial scholarships that evening to deserving high school and college students.
This annual fundraiser supports such efforts as the industry acclaimed BRAG summer internship program; the BRAG executive development series; and the initiation of new BRAG student clubs at colleges and universities nationwide. In the last two years BRAG has opened college chapters at schools such as Ohio State University, Howard University, the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising and Morehouse College.
To date, BRAG, whose mission is to be the leading provider of resources and development support that empowers African Americans to reach their highest professional potential in retail and related industries, has been able to award over 350 scholarships totaling more than $300,000 to students who have achieved academic success and who exhibit financial need. Remarkably, over 800 students nationwide have participated in the industry acclaimed summer internship program.
DJ Beverly Bond -- who has captivated jet-setters, style-breakers, and baggy-panted beat makers with her ingenious mixes -- provided dynamic music that kept the luminous crowd dancing all evening long. A former fashion model, Bond is the founder of Black Girls Rock, Inc., a mentoring program for at risk teenage women of color.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that BRAG gives as good as it receives and hopes to see many fashionistas at its popular annual holiday toy drive that is being held on Friday, December 4, 2009 from 6-10pm at the New York City Center, 131 West 55th Street. This year’s event will celebrate Judith Jamison’s 25th anniversary with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
The $125 -- with a toy -- ticket price includes the performance and a pre-performance reception with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the Mezzanine Lobby at the City Center. All toys will be donated to local charities, Hale House, Harlem Dowling and the Harlem Children’s Zone. (Photos by Terrence Jennings and Ronnie Wright)
Audrey J. Bernard is an established chronicler of Black society and Urban happenings based in the New York City area.
EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE
Today’s ‘Live Better With Willie Jolley’ Tip: It Doesn’t Matter
Wally Amos, the famous cookie man and friend, shared with me the fact that
far too many people major in the minors and minor in the majors. They
concentrate on things that really don’t matter. He pointed out the fact that
when you look at a newspaper obituary, you see the year a person was born
and the year they died. And it will be separated by a dash, i.e. 1900–1996.
Most people will concentrate on when the person was born or when they died.
But that is not nearly as important as what they did in between the dash!
What’s in the dash? Friends, it’s doesn’t matter how much money you have. It
doesn’t matter your gender or your color of skin. Because in the end, it’s
your attitude that lets you win! You can if you think you can! What will go
between your dash?
Visit my website at www.williejolley.com free motivation and make every
minute count!
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Nov. 12: Organist Booker T. Jones of Booker T. and the MG's is 65.
Actress Tamala Jones ("The Brothers") is 35. Singer Tevin Campbell is 33.
Singer Omarion (B2K) is 25.
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. 12, 1941: Opera singer, Madame Lillian Evanti, founds the
National Negro Opera Company. (Source: www.BlackFacts.com)
