12-08-09 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE
S.AFRICAN ACTORS AGAINST HUDSON AS WINNIE: Union group says Mandela's ex-wife should be played by a native actress.
*A union group in South Africa is protesting the casting of Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson as Winnie Mandela in an upcoming biography about the ex-wife of former South African president Nelson Mandela.
The Creative Workers Union of South Africa said using foreign actors to tell the country's stories undermined efforts to develop the national film industry, according to the AFP.
"It can't happen that we want to develop our own Hollywood and yet bring in imports," the union's president Mabutho Sithole said in The Citizen newspaper.
"This decision must be reversed, it must be stopped now," union secretary general Oupa Lebogo said in The Times. "If the matter doesn't come up for discussion, we will push for a moratorium to be placed on the film."
J-Hud landed the role of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela last month. As previously reported, the film will be directed by South African film-maker Darrell J. Roodt, whose films include "Cry, The Beloved Country" and "Sarafina."
The criticism comes just days before the opening of the Clint Eastwood film "Invictus," which stars American Oscar winner Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela in the story of South Africa's 1995 rugby World Cup victory which united the nation. Matt Damon plays the rugby team captain.
EX-REF SAYS NBA REFS TARGETED IVERSON: 'We felt like we would teach him a lesson,' convicted Tim Donaghy tells '60 Minutes.'
*On the eve of Allen Iverson's first game back with the Philadelphia 76ers, a "60 Minutes" piece revealed what many fans of the player have been shouting from the rooftops for years.
Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy, who admitted betting on league games for about four years, said in his first major television interview since serving a prison sentence that Iverson was targeted by NBA refs after the guard was fined $25,000 for threatening officials during the 2006-07 season.
"We felt as a group that he should have been suspended, and because he wasn't, we felt like we would teach him a lesson," Donaghy said.
Iverson's previous team, the Denver Nuggets, lost a Jan. 6, 2007 game in which Donaghy was part of the crew, with the guard getting called for a discontinued dribble, which is rarely called. While the official line shows Iverson called for only two fouls in the game, Donaghy said the crew didn't blow the whistle on several plays where Iverson was fouled.
Donaghy, 42, said a referee supervisor laughed about the treatment of Iverson midway through the game with the crew.
Donaghy also lent credence to a widely-held suspicion that the league is overly interested in its star player, Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers. He said the Lakers once sent the NBA videotape showing a number of missed calls on Bryant, prompting a league memo mentioning the mistakes. Donaghy said it was a given that at least for a little while officials who worked Lakers games were going to be overly judicious in their treatment of the star player and his team.
Watch the two-part "60 Minutes" interview with Donaghy here:
http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/60minutes/main3415.shtml
NINE WOMEN NOW ALLEGEDLY IN TIGER'S DEN: New York Post adds a porn star, British TV host and an anonymous Florida "cougar."
*At press time, the amount of women rumored to have had affairs with Tiger Woods had grown to nine, according to a British tabloid, TMZ.com, and New York's Post and Daily News publications.
One is rumored to be Holly Sampson, described by People as "a porn star with titles like 'Cheating Housewives 6' and 'OMG, Stop Tickling Me' to her name." She has yet to confirm or deny the rumors, according to Britain's Sun tabloid.
The Sun also claims that Woods dated an unidentified British television hostess who's now married but was single during their relationship.
The third woman - again, according to the Sun- is an unidentified wealthy older woman who supposedly hooked up with him in his office. They reportedly met at the Blue Martini bar in Orlando, a location mentioned in accounts of his other alleged affairs. In fact, TMZ.com reported that the Orlando nightclub 23 has nicknamed a private VIP area "The Tiger's Room" for him because he's such a frequent guest.
The aforementioned trio joins previously alleged mistresses Rachel Uchitel (NY club hostess), Jaimee Grubbs (San Diego cocktail waitress); Kalika Moquin (Las Vegas nightclub marketing manager); Jamie Junger (Las Vegas cocktail waitress); Mindy Lawton (Orlando waitress near Woods's home) and Cori Rist (random woman at Manhattan club Butter).
Woods's camp has not commented specifically on any of the alleged women, and has asked for privacy.
VH1 TO AIR SHAUNIE'S 'BASKETBALL WIVES' REALITY SHOW: Network to premiere the series in March.
*VH1 has announced it will tip off its upcoming reality series "Basketball Wives" on March 15.
Shaquille O'Neal's estranged wife Shaunie is an executive producer and will also be featured, along with Eric Williams' wife, Jennifer, and Mesha O'Neal, married to Jermaine O'Neal.
VHI executive Jeff Olde said Monday that "Basketball Wives" will show the upside of the women's lives - big homes, designer clothes and jewelry - and the drawbacks, including worries about whether their husbands are being faithful on roadtrips.
The announcement comes as Tiger Woods' wife is in the spotlight over the golfer's alleged extramarital affairs.
KATT WILLIAMS EXPLAINS WALMART DRAMA: 'It's getting to the point where I feel like I'm being persecuted because this don't make no sense.'
*Katt Williams now has his suspicions about law enforcement in Georgia following his latest run-in with authorities in a Walmart parking lot.
Initial reports suggested Williams and members of his entourage were involved in an incident with another crew outside the discount store in Newnan, Georgia, during which a shotgun was pulled.
Two people - a man and a woman - were arrested while Williams was only questioned at the scene, subsequent reports revealed. Investigators have since revealed the drama occurred after Williams and the arrested man got into an argument over a woman.
Williams has now spoken out about the incident. He tells Action News 2: "This guy's saying he's her boyfriend and he's brought his family with him. Now one of them has a holster and a pocket full of bullets and a pistol. So I tell them, 'Let's step outside.'
"Once they get me outside and there's six of them and one of me. Then all of a sudden, they calling the sheriff to tell the sheriff I got guns and I'm the problem."
The comedian, who was arrested last month and accused of breaking into music mogul Barry Hankerson's Georgia home, is adamant he is being "persecuted" by police.
"This is a witch hunt, it's getting to the point where I feel like I'm being persecuted because this don't make no sense," he said. "You can't act like I'm a troublemaker, I been here for two months, I ain't been to a club yet."
Williams posted $40,000 bail in relation to the burglary allegations and has denied reports he stole jewelry and collectible coins from his friend's rural mansion. Williams said Hankerson invited him to stay in his guest house while he is in town to shoot a film.
TIMBERLAKE - 'I WISH I HAD SUPPORTED JANET MORE': Singer has second thoughts about distancing himself from 'wardrobe malfunction.'
*Justin Timberlake apparently has regrets over his treatment of Janet Jackson in the wake of their 2004 Super Bowl debacle.
At the end of the duo's half time performance, JT ripped open her jacket to reveal Jackson's naked breast. Jackson called it a "wardrobe malfunction" at the time. Nevertheless, the brief nipple flash was seen by an estimated 140 million viewers of the CBS event.
Timberlake said at the time that he had no idea that Jackson was topless and quickly distanced himself from Nipplegate.
Nearly six years later, the 28-year-old tells Entertainment Weekly that he regrets the way that he handled the situation.
"I wish I had supported Janet more. I am not sorry I apologized, but I wish I had been there more for Janet," he said.
KEKE PALMER ALL ABOUT HER BRAND: Nickelodeon star, at age 16, knows what it takes to market herself.
*Keke Palmer, the 16-year-old star of Nickelodeon's No. 2 show "True Jackson, VP," says a lot of thought has been put into the direction of her exploding career.
When the network offered her the series, which is second only to "iCarly," Palmer was already a respected film actress, having starred in the critically-acclaimed "Akeelah and the Bee" and Tyler Perry's "Madea's Family Reunion." Still, the youngster questioned whether her own TV show was the right move.
"I didn't want to make it seem like I was less serious about movies, but I'm about to do an album with Interscope and my parents thought it would be good to broaden my audience with kids. I am now so glad I did it," she tells Variety. "Execs watch the show with their kids and think of me for projects. They see I have a big fanbase, and it opens doors."
This year, Palmer launched her TV character's fashion line Mad Styles at Wal-mart -- yet another upward step in her career -- though the mogul-in-the-making insists her true goal is just to leave a lasting impression.
"I would hope that I'd inspired young girls, that I'd changed music in some way, put a name for myself in the acting world," says Palmer, who ultimately wants people to think, "Wow, she can do this, she can do that, and she has a really good head on her shoulders."
"The sky is the limit," Palmer says of her career, "but I'm not up to the sky yet."
OBAMA SALUTES KENNEDY CENTER HONOREES: President says Brubeck was his first jazz concert. Tells crowd 'I'm the president, but Springsteen's The Boss.'
*President Obama greeted this year's crop of Kenendy Center Honors recipients at a special White House reception on Sunday.
Jazz great Dave Brubeck, rocker Bruce Springsteen, actor Robert De Niro, comic genius Mel Brooks and opera singer Grace Bumbry were lauded in the East Room of the White House by the president, first lady and about 300 guests, including Jack Black, Edward Norton, Matthew Broderick, Ben Stiller, Martin Scorsese and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Obama told the story of how his Kenyan father took him to his first jazz concert nearly 40 years ago during a visit to Hawaii. The performer was Brubeck.
"I've been a jazz fan ever since," said President Obama, crediting the pianist and composer with bringing jazz into the mainstream and transforming it with new rhythms. "The world that he opened up for a 10-year-old boy was spectacular."
Guest Aretha Franklin recounted highlights from Bumbry's career. As a 25-year-old singer, Bumbry broke racial barriers in 1961 when she was invited to perform in a production of Wagner's "Tannhauser." She would be the first black opera singer to appear at Germany's Bayreuth, a shine to the composer's work. Many conservative opera-goers were infuriated. But by the end of the performance, the audience applauded for 30 minutes and drew 42 curtain calls. Later, Jacqueline Kennedy invited Bumbry to sing at the White House.
Bumbry, 72, said returning to meet Obama for the award was the highest honor she has received.
"It tops all of them," she said. "First of all it's my country, and secondly it's the greatest award we have in this country for the arts."
The Kennedy Center Honors ceremony took place following the White House reception. The show will air nationwide Dec. 29 on CBS.
TIGER THANKS FANS, FOLKS AT CHEVRON CHALLENGE: New statement posted Sunday on his Web site. Plus, watch Tiger's ' Voicemail Slow Jam Remix.'
*As Tiger Woods continues to lay low amid allegations of at least nine affairs, the golfer posted a statement on his Web site Sunday, thanking fans and sponsors for attending a recent tournament that supports his foundation.
"As the final round of the Chevron World Challenge begins, I would like to extend my heartfelt thank you to everyone affiliated with the event, especially our amazing title sponsor, Chevron," writes Woods, 33, who withdrew from the event in the wake of his Nov. 27 car accident outside his home in Florida. "They've been title sponsor for the last two years and have a vision and passion for creating real opportunities for my Foundation. I thank them for their ongoing commitment."
He continues:
I'd also like to thank all of our supporting sponsors and my tireless, dedicated staff, board and volunteers who collectively produce this first-class golf tournament. I am so grateful to them for their efforts, and I am sincerely sorry I was unable to fulfill my duties as host and player in this important event.
There are also 18 outstanding pros in the field, and I thank them for providing us all with some excellent competition this week.
"Lastly, I'd like to thank our fans for continuing to support us.
Like them, I am extremely dedicated to this tournament, to my Foundation and the millions of young lives we serve. Thank you all for your support.
Meanwhile, the latest YouTube spoof of Tiger's troubles comes in the form of an R&B slow jam remix of his infamous voicemail message to the second alleged mistress to emerge, Jaimee Grubbs. It's titled, "Take Your Name Off Your Phone." Watch here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEkomaBTppY&feature=player_embedded
MAYA RUDOLPH GIVES BIRTH TO A GIRL: Former 'SNL' comic has second child with director Paul Thomas Anderson.
*Actress Maya Rudolph gave birth on Nov. 6 to a daughter, Lucille. It's her second child with director Paul Thomas Anderson, reports People.com. The baby joins big sister Pearl, 4.
As with their first child, Maya and Paul, 39, chose not to find out the sex of the baby prior to delivery.
"We didn't find out with [Pearl] which was kind of fun," Maya, 37, told David Letterman. "Because when you're ready to throw in the towel and you've got nothing positive to think about or feel, because you're so heavy and you want to float in a pool of salt water to be buoyant, it was nice to have something to look forward to."
The couple announced the pregnancy in May.
SALAHIS STIR AA FEAR OVER OBAMA'S SAFETY: Polls showed blacks were already concerned over protection of first African American president.
*Los Angeles Times writer Kathleen Hennessey reports of the underlying dread that exists in the African American community about the protection of President Obama, a concern that has flared considerably in the wake of the Salahi incident.
Hennessey writes:
Last week's congressional hearing over the security mistakes that allowed a publicity-hungry Virginia couple into a White House dinner has put a spotlight on persistent fears among African Americans for President Obama's safety.
"The African American community is watching this president like a hawk," Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) said after sitting through the House Homeland Security Committee hearing. "We've lost the great nonviolent heroes of the 20th century, and there is a sense of dread always in the African American community about this president."
That was a subtext at the hearing called by Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the first black chairman of the committee. No one brought up directly how Obama's distinction as the nation's first black president could make him a bigger target. But Thompson acknowledged that he'd sensed a particular concern among African Americans. He warned against trivializing the action of Michaele and Tareq Salahi, reality TV hopefuls.
"This hearing is not about crashing a party at the White House.
Neither is it about wannabe celebrities or reality television. On the contrary, this hearing is about real-world threats to the nation," Thompson said in his opening remarks.
Fears over Obama's safety came to the fore during the campaign, when polling showed that blacks were more likely to be concerned that someone might try to harm him. Some blacks talked openly about not voting for Obama out of fear for his life. He was put under Secret Service protection earlier than any presidential candidate in history.
At the time, Thompson issued a plea for vigilance in a letter to then-Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.
"As an African American who was witness to some of the nation's most shameful days during the civil rights movement, I know personally that the hatred of some of our fellow citizens can lead to heinous act of violence,"
he wrote. "We need only to look at the assassinations of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and 1968 presidential candidate Robert Kennedy as examples."
The gate-crashing affair shows that such fears have followed Obama into the White House, even though Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan seemed to suggest last week that they were unfounded.
Reports of security lapses at the inauguration, images of armed protesters at healthcare town halls and reports of rising threats against the president have only heightened anxiety, said Joe Madison, known as the Black Eagle on his national talk-radio show.
For most of last week, Madison took calls on the White House party incident. He said callers were overwhelmingly critical of the president's security and wanted the agents who let in the Salahis to be fired.
"The fact is that people are very concerned that the Secret Service has been lax and that they've put the first African American president in harm's way," he said.
Charles Henry, a professor of African American studies at UC Berkeley, said he saw a strong "sense of ownership" toward the president in the attitudes of many blacks.
"There's a protective instinct there," he said.
At Thursday's hearing, Sullivan tried to reassure lawmakers, emphasizing that the Salahis had gone through the proper security checks, even though their names were not on the guest list.
He said that a review of the inaugural security found that reports of lapses were unfounded and that the number of threats against the president had not increased.
"The threats right now and the inappropriate interest that we are seeing," Sullivan said, "is the same level as it has been for the previous two presidents at this point in."
. Kathleen Hennessey can be reached at kathleen.hennessey@latimes.com.
SADE'S NEW SINGLE DROPS TODAY: 'Soldier of Love' to premiere at 7 a.m. on her Web site.
*"Soldier of Love," the first single from Sade in nearly a decade, will have its world premiere at 7 a.m. EST this morning on her Web site www.sade.com.
The track, from the group's forthcoming album of the same name, was co-produced by Sade with Mike Pela, and was co-written by Sade along with longtime collaborators Andrew Hale, Stuart Matthewman and Paul Spencer Denman.
The track, according to Epic Records, features "a pulsating and anthemic drum beat along with haunting vocals that Sade is known for."
"Soldier of Love," the album, is due Feb.
SEAN KINGSTON PREPS FOR NEW YEAR'S EVE GIG: Teen singer part of lineup for Billboard's special.
*Reggae/pop singer Sean Kingston, 19, will join "American Idol" season eight winner Kris Allen and "Idol" finalist Allison Iraheta for Billboard's New Year's Eve Live special airing Dec. 31 from 11 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Fox.
Carmen Electra has been tapped to host the event, which will broadcast live from Las Vegas and Times Square in New York.
The special will showcase some of the most memorable moments from the Billboard Music Awards, and will count down the top 5 of the year in music, movies and television.
DRAKE ALBUM PUSHED BACK AGAIN: Plus, rapper hopes to get the notoriously reclusive Sade on a track.
*Rapper Drake says fans will have to wait a while longer for the release of his new album "Thank Me Later."
The set has been pushed back yet again after previous announced dates of January 2010 and February 14 were scrapped. A new release date has not been announced.
"I'm making great progress on it. I'm hoping for March now," the Canadian rapper/actor told MTV News. "It's just pulling everybody together."
The album already features Jay-Z, Kanye West and Lil Wayne, but Drake hopes to add another huge name before the set arrives in stores.
"I had a wish list for my managers of everybody I wanted involved that stem beyond hip-hop. I'm trying to pull it all together. I'm really trying to work with Sade," Drake said.
TAVIS SMILEY TO HOST PRIMETIME SPECIALS: PBS to air series of four hour-long programs throughout 2010.
*Tavis Smiley and PBS will expand their relationship next year with the January premiere of "The Tavis Smiley Report," a series of four hour-long primetime specials that will air throughout 2010.
Smiley will leave his studio chair in Los Angeles and go on the road to examine some of the country's defining moments through those who have helped to shape history - from going behind the scenes with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to the streets of New Orleans with director Jonathan Demme to mark Hurricane Katrina's 5th anniversary.
"The Report" will take a look at the country's most important people and recent events, from perspectives that are rarely portrayed," says Smiley. "I will be talking to the people and traveling to the places that have transformed us as a nation, often in ways we don't even realize."
The first special, premiering Wednesday, Jan. 27, at 8 p.m. ET/PT, focuses on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as she completes her first year as America's chief diplomat and looks ahead to the challenges of the next three years.
The second "Report," premiering Wednesday, March 31, at 8 p.m., will delve into one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s greatest speeches, "Beyond
Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence," which Dr. King delivered on April 4, 1967, at Riverside Church in New York City. The speech, delivered exactly one-year prior to the date of his assassination, is considered pivotal but often under-appreciated.
For the third "Report," Smiley will team with Academy Award-winning director Jonathan Demme to revisit New Orleans on the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. This special will offer a uniquely personal look at the resilience of the citizens of the Ninth Ward through their efforts to rebuild their lives.
The topic of the fourth "Report" will be announced later in 2010.
Meanwhile, Smiley returns for a seventh season of his late-night PBS talk show, "Tavis Smiley," on Jan, 11.
AL ROKER HEADED TO AFGHANISTAN: 'Today' weatherman and host Matt Lauer to anchor show today and Wednesday from war zone.
*NBC's "Today" show will broadcast from Afghanistan today and tomorrow with Matt Lauer and Al Roker in the anchor chairs, the network announced.
The pair's presence in the war-torn country comes in the wake of President Barack Obama's announcement last week that he's sending 30,000 more troops there.
Lauer and Roker will spend time on the ground and in the air reporting on U.S. forces. It's the first time TV's top-rated morning news show has originated a broadcast from the country, the AP reported.
NBC will broadcast from the capital city of Kabul.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE GROUP MAD AT 'SNL'S TIGER BIT: Activist says skit suggesting Tiger was beaten by wife 'made such a mockery of abuse.' (video)
*A "Saturday Night Live" skit about Tiger Woods being beaten by his wife Elin drew huge laughs from the studio audience, but was not funny to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
TMZ.com spoke with the organization's Executive Director Rita Smith, who said she was "horrified" that SNL "made such a mockery of abuse."
During the sketch, Woods -- played by Kenan Thompson -- is visibly battered and holding up signs warning that Elin -- played by guest host Blake Lively -- has beaten him.
"There's nothing funny about this story, particularly if violence was part of the events that took place," Smith told TMZ. "I hope that 'SNL'
refrains from using this kind of skit in the future as it diminishes people's support for victims of domestic violence."
Watch the skit here:
http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/clips/tiger-woods-accident/1182
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EVENT CALENDAR: DeSean Jackson Show honors coaches in Philly; Simmons family hosts Youth Holiday Party in NY.
*Calling all coaches--- Little League, Pop Warner, Police Athletic League, college, professional, football, soccer, hockey, baseball, current or past ---you're invited to join Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson for the Dec. 21 of his ESPN broadcast The DeSean Jackson Show, beginning at 7 p.m. live from the aloft Philadelphia Airport Hotel. Tight end Brent Celek will join the event to sign autographs and mingle with the crowd at the aloft's wxyz Bar. Admission is $10 and includes food and fun with Jackson and Celek. Proceeds will be donated to PAL to fund health education for disadvantaged inner-city youth, directly impacting the lives of Philly's future athletes. To reserve a spot for the event, RSVP by Dec.
18 to (215) 884-6499 or e-mail Nicole@comsolutionsgroup.com.
*Russell Simmons and his brothers Danny and Joseph "Rev. Run" and their families host the 10th Annual Youth Holiday Party at the Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza on Dec. 10. MTV's Sway will once again join in the celebration as Master of Ceremonies with Hot97's DJ ENVY providing the tunes. This annual holiday event is held in celebration of the creative energy of New York City youth and brings together over 400 underserved New York City youths affiliated with the 50 youth arts organizations Rush Philanthropic supports. The celebration allows young people to meet one another and get some well-deserved recognition for their hard work. Ranging from ages 6 to 18, the kids also get their chance to shine and have the opportunity to showcase their talents through spoken word, rap, dance and exhibiting artwork.
Fears of the Dark (Peurs du Noir)
Animated Feature Exploring Everyday Phobias Available on DVD
DVD Review by Kam Williams
*In 2007, a French film named Paris, je t'aime proved that 20 directors (including the Coen Brothers, Wes Craven, Gus Van Sant and Alfonso Cuaron) could successfully collaborate on one movie.
That picture was comprised of 18 independently-produced, loosely-linked five minute-long shorts, each of which related a brief tale set somewhere in the City of Paris.
Here, 10 graphic artists have pooled their talents to make an animated feature highlighting a variety of everyday phobias ranging from a fear of spiders to dogs to an empty house to things that go bump in the night.
Fears of the Dark, also coming courtesy of France, is not a cartoon aimed at kids, but rather a half-dozen relatively-sophisticated vignettes for grownups, as it includes a little nudity, sexuality, bestiality and other
adult-oriented fare.
Shot in stark black & white, the movie makes effective use of shadows and angles to add to the overall impending sense of dread.
The stories ostensibly reflect the worst nightmares of their creators (Charles Burns, Marie Caillou, Romain Slocombe, Richard McGuire, Michel Pirus, Blutch, Lorenzo Mattotti, Jerry Kramsky, Pierre di Sciullo and artistic director Etienne Robial), whose efforts add up to an innovative flick which figures to delight fans of the genre rather easily.
An arresting array of chilling images worth a watch for its scary visual effects alone.
Excellent (3.5 stars)
Unrated
In French with subtitles.
In black & white
Running time: 80 minutes
Studi IFC Films
To order a copy of Fears of the Dark, on DVD, visit:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002JTMO04?ie=UTF8&tag=thslfofire-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002JTMO04
To see a trailer for Fears of the Dark, visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYfhpPEzQjs
EUR DVD REVIEW: Terminator Salvation
Schwarzenegger Cameo Couldn't Save Salvation Sequel
DVD Review by Kam Williams
*When you decide to shoot a Terminator sequel sans Schwarzenegger (sorry, a cameo of Arnold's head atop a body double doesn't count), and with an entirely new cast, you might want to consider devoting some quality time to character development in order to give your audience a chance to become familiar with and, thus, reason to care about the protagonists.
Otherwise you'll probably end up with a superficial, sci-fi saga like Terminator Salvation (T-4), a special effects indulgence in fight sequences, chase scenes, pyrotechnics and techno wizardry at the expense of emotional depth.
This post-apocalyptic adventure is as soulless as the defoliated expanse of barren landscape on which it unfolds. What's worse, the movie abandons the franchise's carefully-cultivated trademarks in favor of a lot of nondescript CGI action sequences which feel interchangeable with similar flicks like Transformers and Doomsday.
T-4 takes place in a flattened California in 2018 where we find the few folks still alive cowering in caves and makeshift shelters. That's because a swarm of invading terminators, Skynet's T-600s, have practically decimated humanity.
With less than four days until total annihilation, it falls to a chivalrous army vet named John Connor (Christian Bale) to organize a resistance movement. Its goal is to get close enough to the cyborgs to shut down their computers by jamming their radio frequency with the help of a top secret weapon provided by General Ashdown (Michael Ironside).
Of course, this is easier said than done, especially since the aliens have a decided military advantage and a "take no prisoners" policy. But Conner is both desperate and game and enlists the assistance of a motley crew in his heroic endeavor. His impromptu posse includes his pregnant wife, Kate (Bryce Dallas Howard), a downed fighter pilot (Moon Bloodgood), his right-hand man, Barnes (Common), a teenage soldier (Anton Yelchin), a mute toddler
(Jadagrace) and Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), a very mysterious stranger whom Connor has good reason not to trust.
But keeping the motivations of the various players on the scorecard straight is never as important as simply sitting back and appreciating all the fireworks which ensue. What we have here, to quote the Bard of Avon, is essentially "A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."
Mind under matter.
Fair (1 star)
Rated PG-13 for profanity and intense violence.
Running time: 115 minutes
Studi Warner Home Video
DVD Extras: Digital copy of the film.
To order a copy of Terminator Salvation, visit:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FB55HQ?ie=UTF8&tag=thslfofire-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FB55HQ
To see a trailer for Terminator Salvation, visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYXVchS6WXY
THE BRIDGE: The Roots of Christmas & Jesus, Part 1
By Darryl James
*It’s December, and once again, the holiday season is upon us.
For most of the Free World, Christmas is a holiday season celebrated more for its shopping, overeating and gift giving than the actual religious significance it once contained.
The season is represented by silver and gold adorned trees, as well as colorful twinkling lights spilling over homes, churches and businesses.
Family and friends exchange gifts, kiss under mistletoe, burn Yule logs and yet, sadly, most people have no idea where the Christmas holiday traditions come from, but they swear that it is all about Jesus.
The Christmas holiday as we know it is really an aggregation of a bunch of mythology and customs that were actually around before the birth of Jesus. And, the actual birth of Jesus has been placed somewhere around September.
While some Christians may not want to hear it, even the story of a god’s rebirth into a new being predates Jesus.
December 25th as a commemorative date was a Roman celebration of Saturn, who was the rebirth of the Sun God. According to the Romans, the Sun God was resurrected three days after his death. This resurrection caused the Romans to celebrate with gift giving and processions of celebration featuring priests carrying wreaths of Evergreen boughs.
So, how did the pagan traditions become merged with Christian traditions?
If we take a look at the history of the Roman Catholic Church, we see that the church repeatedly absorbed the traditions of as many groups as possible in order to increase its dominion.
We know that Martin Luther initiated the Reformation in 1517 and when the pagans came into the Christian church, they brought their pagan celebration of Christmas with them.
In 1611, when King James made his version of the Bible available to all people in England, other versions also became conspicuous and the roots of Christmas were revealed
Jeremiah 10:2-4 states: "Thus saith the Lord, learn not the
way of the heathen; and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven. For the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain. For one cutteth a tree out of the forest. The work of the hands of the workman with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold. They fasten it with nails and with hammers that it move not."
Eventually, the celebration of Christmas was outlawed as witchcraft.
However, as other versions of the Bible kept creeping up, so did the celebration of Christmas. The goal was to keep as many people under the Christian umbrella as possible, and allowing them to hold on to their traditions was a good way to continue the “Reformation.”
The very word “Christmas” combines “Christ” and “Mass.”
“Mass” literally means death and the ritual of Mass, once incorporated into Christianity referred to the death of Christ and the “Host,” which is Latin for victim.
As for the actual Christmas tree, the Germans used the Evergreen tree to worship the Yule God. Sound familiar? Of course—Yuletide greetings…Yule logs…”Yuletide carols being sung by the choir…” The Germans also had a tradition of giving gifts as a part of the Yule celebration.
A Winter Solstice celebration, Yule was Christianized as Christmas and imbued with the birth of Jesus story. The Romans incorporated this and a number of other pagan celebrations starting when Constantine recreated, rewrote and consolidated Christianity and the Bible in 432 AD.
And finally, the German Yule celebration included hanging mistletoe and holly. How “Christian” are these symbols? Let’s see…going back to the Sun God, worshippers believed that the white berries on the mistletoe represented the Sun God’s semen, while the red holly was held by witches to represent the menstrual blood of heaven’s queen, Diana.
There are also other fertility references, including the evergreen tree, which was regarded as a symbol of the essence of life and was used as a phallic symbol in the rituals of fertility worship.
Of course, since many Christians never really read the Bible or study history, I will be seen as evil and a hater of Christians, which is okay, because those who will label me as such are stupid anyway.
But, let’s take a look at who believes in God.
According to a survey conducted by Harris Interactive, ten per cent of Protestants, twenty-one per cent of Roman Catholics and fifty-two per cent of Jews do not believe in God. Surprised? Well, there’s more that may also shock you.
Eighty-four per cent of women believe in God, while only seventy-three per cent of men do.
In terms of education and faith, eighty-two per cent of those with no college education believe in God, while only seventy-three per cent of those who went to college have faith.
Eighty-seven per cent of Republicans believe, while seventy-eight per cent of Democrats and seventy-five per cent of Independents have faith.
When it comes to race, guess who has the greatest faith? African Americans lead the faithful at ninety-one per cent, while eighty-one per cent of Hispanics and only seventy-eight per cent of whites have faith.
That brings us back to the holiday season. Many people do not believe in God and yet they celebrate Christmas. Still, others believe in God, but do not believe in Jesus Christ and yet, they too, celebrate Christmas.
The season has come to symbolize much more than the Christian holiday it originally was designed to be. It is now a season—a season of love and giving, a season of understanding and a season of peace and kindness.
Such a powerful season should have a powerful impact on people, particularly men and women who claim to love and believe in Jesus Christ, who, incidentally, was not a Christian.
I’ll deal with that in depth next week.
Darryl James is an award-winning author of the powerful new anthology “Notes From The Edge.” Now, listen to Darryl live on BlogTalkRadio.com/DarrylJames every Monday from 7-9pm, PST. View previous installments of this column at www.bridgecolumn.proboards36.com. Reach James at djames@theblackgendergap.com.
THE JOURNAL OF STEFFANIE RIVERS: The Lesser of Two Evils
*I wrote a check to somebody the other day assuming he would deposit the check into his bank account. But an hour later he called me from a check cashing store to say the cashier needed me to verify information about the check before she would cash it.
As I wrote the check to the guy something told me to ask him if he had a bank account to deposit the check into. But I didn’t. I didn’t want him to think that I thought all Latinos didn’t have checking accounts.
After the phone call I wished I would have asked him. I could have saved him the check cashing fee by handling our transaction another way.
Coincidentally the next morning a radio report stated that nearly fifty percent of African-American and Latino households in the United States don’t have bank accounts. That’s compared to less than two percent of White households that also opererate without bank accounts.
While conventional wisdom tends to support the idea that every family should have a least one bank account, the more I know about the American banking system the more I realize it’s really a choice between the lesser of two evils.
In the radio report I heard, one official said gone are the days where you can walk into a bank with $100, deposit the cash and walk out with an account. Now some banks do credit checks to determine if someone will be allowed to open an account.
That, in addition to the banking industry’s practice of charging exhorbitant over-draft and minimum balance fees would make anyone question whether opening a bank account is worth the trouble. Statistics show bank policies favor account holders with larger sums of money in their accounts and penalize those with smaller account balances and less discipline when it comes to keeping track of their balances.
On the other hand, alternative service centers such as pay day loan, check cashing and pawn shops are closer than the nearest bank in most minority neighborhoods. And while most of those have higher service fees than banks, the frequency with which banks charge account holders for everything from bounced checks to ATM usuage often amount to more money being sucked out of one’s account.
Bank account advocates argue that having an account increases the chances of getting personal or mortgage loans. But most banks aren’t approving loans these days anyway. Older generations have conducted busines without the benefit of banks for decades. And they owned more property and were more debt free than most Americans until this recent economic free fall.
So the banks want us to stand in line to get qualified to put our money in a low-interest bearing account that the banks intend to use for their own purposes, one of which is to issue double-digit interest bearing credit cards that keep us in debt. After we make the money, it seems we have to work just as hard to keep the money from being absorbed by bank service fees and other charges.
No, the choice to do business at the local check cashing store has little to do with the criminal element who tries to hide money from prying government eyes, despite what some think. It has more to do with the lesser of two evils. And for some people the check cashing store wins out.
Send questions, comments or requests for speaking engagements to Steffanie Rivers at teamtcbadvertising@hotmail.com. And see the video version of her journal at youtube.com/steffanierivers.
THE SOCIALIST’S JOURNAL: A Breakdown of Democracy
*The defining quality of the democratic process is the fact that a vote takes place and a person or persons with the most support carry the day. But a very important and overlooked aspect of democracy is that those officials who get elected perceive themselves as representatives for those who voted for them as well as those who did not. That is, while politicians will acknowledge a core constituency, they will also claim to work on behalf of the population at large.
In the East Ramapo school district, located in Rockland County, New York, this second aspect of democracy is not being upheld. A group of Hasidic and orthodox Jews has gained control of the school board. In doing so, the Jewish community has taken advantage of the democratic process and their greater population and begun to implement changes that unduly benefit the Hasidic and orthodox community while taking resources away from the public schools. In doing so the school board, more specifically the Jewish members of the school board, has given up all pretenses of operating for all children in the district.
In a recent action, in a move the superintendent took issue with, the board decided to change attorneys for the district which prompted a lawsuit against the board questioning their use of public funds. Furthermore, the threat of violence via a heated verbal exchange outside of a board meeting has become a factor.
The Hasidic and orthodox members who control the school board are well within their authority to implement policies to benefit their base. Nevertheless in ignoring issues important to others, while using their tax dollars, the school board is going down a road that leads to conflict and prompted one individual to describe their actions as a declaration of war.
Democracy cannot work unless those in authority operate in the best interests of all. If this isn’t the case a revolution is on the horizon.
Trevor Brookins is a free lance writer in Rockland County, New York. He is currently working on a book about American culture during the Cold War and he maintains a blog called This Seems Familiar. You can reach him at thesocialistsjournal@yahoo.com
TURNER’S TWO CENTS: “PRINCESS AND THE FROG” PAYS PROPS TO BLACK HERITAGE!
By Cameron Turner
*Moviegoers everywhere will love Disney’s delightful and exciting animated adventure, “The Princess and the Frog.” But this groundbreaking film will find a special place in the hearts of African-Americans because of its beautiful homage to black families and to the values which have empowered our people to soar through generations of adversity. Set in 1920s New Orleans, “The Princess and the Frog” is Disney’s first feature length cartoon with a black lead, and it celebrates African-American culture as it tells the universal story of a young black woman named Tiana (the Tony-winning co-star of “Dreamgirls” and “The Number One Ladies’ Detective Agency”) who is trying to reverse the spell that turned her and a vain prince into frogs.
The authentic look of New Orleans is reflected not only in the artists’ renderings of architecture and nature (their depiction of the bayou is truly enchanting) but, more importantly, in the spectrum of skin tones and facial features given to the characters. New Orleans’ characteristic sounds are portrayed through the speech patterns, accents and slang spoken by the characters (especially Jim Cummings’ hilarious and tender turn as a Cajun firefly named Ray) and also through Randy Newman’s brilliant songs which alternate between old time jazz, blues, Dixieland, zydeco and traditional black gospel. (Newman got an assist from versatile trumpeter Terrence Blanchard [who also scored several of Spike Lee’s movies], zydeco great Terrance Simien and New Orleans icon Dr. John.) Even the film’s depiction of Southern folk religion rings true. The villainous Dr. Facilier (voiced with beguiling menace by Keith David) and the wise, countrified Mama Odie (perpetual scene stealer Jenifer Lewis) embody the sinister and benevolent sides of African-based voodoo and hoodoo.
But nowhere is blackness honored more lovingly than in “The Princess and the Frog’s” treatment of Tiana and her family. As the movie opens Tiana is a little girl and has accompanied her mother Eudora (voiced by Oprah Winfrey) to her job as nanny and housekeeper to a wealthy white family. Like so many great black women of yesteryear, Eudora performs what could be considered menial work with a grace and warmth that wins the admiration of her daughter. And like many of our mothers, grandmothers and aunties, Eudora is also an entrepreneur; she supplements her earnings by designing and sewing glittery gowns for her employer’s spoiled but sweet child, Charlotte.
It’s obvious that Tiana has been raised with a sense of pride because she displays no envy toward Charlotte. Neither is she ashamed as the segregated streetcar she rides with her mom rolls out of the palatial Garden District and into the unpaved neighborhood of small, shotgun houses where Tiana’s family lives among other working class black folks.
Tiana’s dad, James (Terrence Howard supplies the voice), is an archetypal black man: a strong and loving husband and father who, despite working himself to exhaustion on double shifts, is eager to share laughter-filled times with his wife and child. James’ teaches Tiana to make gumbo then tells her to invite the neighbors over to share the meal. That touching scene reminds us of the traditional warmth and inter-dependence that kept black communities strong, safe and happy in the past and which needs to be recaptured today.
Tiana’s dad inspires her with his dream of opening an elegant soul food restaurant named in her honor. He also teaches her the crucial fact that we’ve got to support our dreams with a lot of hard work if we want them to come true. That lesson motivates the grown-up Tiana as she works endless hours as a waitress, saving her wages and tips (in tin cans!) for the day when she will finally be able to buy and renovate an empty mill that her dad picked out as the site for his eatery.
Such diligence and commitment to a dream have been cornerstones of African-American success throughout our nation’s troubled history. Black folks’ willingness to sweat and strain, to endure the degradation of racism and discrimination, to persevere through poverty and to rely on ourselves and each other are the reasons our people have been able to make a way out of no way, over and over again, from the nightmare time of slavery on up to the present day with its unprecedented level of opportunity. “The Princess and the Frog” is by no means heavy-handed about delivering these themes but, like a secret spice that that gives a good pot of gumbo that extra-special savor, it’s in there and it kicks this new Disney classic up a real big notch!
“The Princess and the Frog” hops into the multiplexes this Friday (December 11). So, you know where you need to be this weekend, right?
Thanks for listening! I’m Cameron Turner and that’s my Two Cents.
THINK! IT AIN’T ILLEGAL…YET
AUDREY’S SOCIETY WHIRL: Scores of black-tie guests attend opening night performance of Dreamgirls at legendary Apollo Theater
*From the time the curtain rose on the Apollo Theater Foundation, Inc. and John Breglio Opening Night performance of the award winning musical Dreamgirls --produced by Breglio for Vienna Waits Productions in association with Chunsoo Shin, Jake Productions & Broadway Across America/TBS -- the audience went tweetlistic!
I haven’t seen this much unbridled fervor at this legendary theater since a surprise visit by Prince at a Foundation event earlier this year. The stellar crowd was fired up and ready to go! Many of the early arrivals got a head start tweeting at a pre-cocktail reception in the beauteous lobby of the theater, spilling over into the red hot venue.
The tweet crowd got the word out conveying how the night brimmed over with excitement. Pumped up with passion guests tweeted about how this beautiful cast of Black actors kept Michael Bennett’s pulsating dream alive!
Dreamgirls, which is a major highlight of the Apollo Theater’s 75th Anniversary, had its official star-studded Opening Night at the historic theater on Sunday, November 22, 2009 after having played previews from Saturday, November 7, 2009 for a limited four week engagement to Sunday, December 6, 2009.
The performance kicked off the national tour of the Henry Kreiger-Tom Eyen Motown musical. The demand for tickets was so great that the play has been extended to run through Saturday, December 12, 2009.
But then the award-winning musical with vivacious direction and choreography by Robert Longbottom and co-choreography by Shan Sparks must be on its merry way spreading dream-like joy all over the land.
Dreamgirls tells the rags-to-riches story of an up-and-coming 1960’s girl group from Chicago, and the triumphs and tribulations that come with fame and fortune. This extraordinarily electrifying version of Bennett’s play was as good as it gets with Moya Angela stepping into the role of Effie White and not disappointing anyone with her provocative performance as the down on her luck lead singer of The Dreams.
Angela’s stunning performance of the play’s signature song “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” brought the audience to their feet in riotous applause. And although this energizing cast kept the audience in a euphoric state of mind – breaking up with thunderous applause after many show-stopping numbers -- special standout kudos to Chester Gregory as James “Thunder” Early who captivated the audience with over-the-top humor and song.
The award-winning musical consists of 26 exceptionally nimble performers and features, as The Dreams, Syesha Mercado as Deena Jones, Adrienne Warren as Lorrell Robinson, and Margaret Hoffman as Michelle Morris. With Chaz Lamar Shepherd as Curtis Taylor, Jr., Trevon Davis as C.C. White, and Milton Craig Nealy as Marty Madison.
The inimitable cast also features Felicia Boswell, Tallia Brinson, Patrice Covington, Ronald Duncan, Talitha Farrow, Brittney Griffin, James Harkness, Robert Hartwell, Eric Jackson, Chauncey Jenkins, Jared Joseph, Nikki Kimbrough, Brittany Lewis, Douglas Lyons, Kimberly Marable, Jarran Muse, Amaker Smith and Marc Spaulding.
Rounding out Dreamgirls’ peerless production team are: Robin Wagner (scenic design); William Ivey Long (costume design); Paul Huntley (hair design); Ken Billington (lighting design); Acme Sound Partners (sound design); Howard Werner for Lightswitch (media design); Sam Davis,(music direction); Harold Wheeler (orchestrations); and David Chase & Cleavant Derricks (vocal arrangements).
"The opening scene in Dreamgirls takes place in the legendary Apollo Theater, so it is only fitting that we are launching the national tour at this historic venue," conveyed producer Breglio in a statement. "The prospect that we may discover the new Dreams at the Apollo, where so many stars were discovered, just adds to our excitement in bringing this great musical back to the stage.”
Dreamgirls features music by Academy Award nominee Henry Krieger and book and lyrics by Tony and Grammy-Award winner Tom Eyen. The original Broadway production was directed by Michael Bennett and choreographed by Bennett and Michael Peters. Dreamgirls was adapted into a motion picture by DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures, and opened in December 2006.
Following the Apollo Theater engagement, the national tour of Dreamgirls will play Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Chicago, Boston, Columbus, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, Costa Mesa, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Dallas, Kansas City and more. For more information, please visit www.dreamgirlsonstage.com.
After a fabulous Opening Night curtain including numerous thunderous curtain calls, guests filed out of the Apollo Theatre and boarded buses that whisked them over to the Riverside Church for a dreamy post party that was so hot that it even got HIS approval.
After deafening curtain calls guests filed out of the Apollo Theatre and boarded special Dreamgirls double deck tourist buses that whisked them over to the Riverside Church for a dreamy post party which was so bumpin’ that it even got HIS approval of the thumping secular music spun by DJ Mitch "The People Pleezer" provided by the Apollo’s 75th Anniversary radio partner, WBLS. (Photos by Wilson Morales)
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: Breaking the Mental Barriers
Re-program your mind to go beyond what you think you can do and do the impossible. If you reprogram your mind to see that things are possible, then your mind will respond to the new information and go about making those dreams come true. Then in 1954 a young man named Roger Bannister ignored the common belief and believed that it was possible. He prepared himself and eventually he ran the mile in 3 minutes 59 seconds. He broke the time barrier as well as the mental barrier. In 1964 a young high school runner named Jim Ryun ran it in less than four minutes, and now lots of people are able to run four-minute miles and the record continues to be broken. Why?
Because people realize that it is possible; it can be done. They have a new mind-set and their mind is now able to go after what was thought to be impossible. If you think you can or think you cant . . . you are probably right! Reprogram your mind and go after your dreams and I know that you will start to break some barriers in your life. Have a great day!
Visit my website at www.williejolley.com free motivation and make every minute count!
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Dec. 8: Rapper Bushwick Bill of Geto Boys is 43.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
MopTop, the Hip Hop Scientists, is a different twist on the usual black history Web site concept. Here the emphasis is on African Americans in the sciences. (www.moptopshop.com).
Submit your favorite Web site to us along with a 15-20 word (or less) description to info@eurweb.com.
BLACK HISTORY
Dec. 8, 1936: NAACP filed first suit to equalize the salaries of black and white teachers. (Source: www.BlackFacts.com)
