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It is no secret that I love Oprah Winfrey, she has to be one of the most outstanding persons on the planet. Words cannot articulate the history making three days of activities honoring twenty-five outstanding African American women that contributed significantly to the world. A trailblazer is not always aware they are making history during their career. It is 2006 and African Americans still have a number of people living among us that have been the pioneers in many areas--what an unfortunate reality to still have blacks as the first to make an accomplishment in today’s society. Dr. Maya Angelou said, “There is no greater words that can be expressed than ‘Thank You’, it is what you say to God.” Oprah took her time and personal money to thank remarkable women, but she was not selfish, she allowed others to participate in her gratitude. No corporate sponsors overshadowed the weekend with an effort to promote their products. Oprah bankrolled the entire event, and after all she did it still was not enough according to the “ Queen of Talk. ” |
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 Why
people cannot understand there is more to life than money?
Dave Chappelle has shown us that he has a great
deal more on his mind than how much he can bank when getting a laugh.
Although, it is still not clear why Dave
declined $50 million from Comedy Central , many
people cannot understand the great self-respect, integrity, and
morals it takes to walk away from that kind of money. It is
still unclear why Dave walked on the deal, but
it has been said that he was not going to wear a dress for a laugh.
Seems his wife still has a problem with her husband taking
a stand not compromising for money. “My wife is still
a little salty with me,” Chappelle joked
on NBC’s “ Late Night With Conan O’Brien
.” Chappelle added, “She’s
not mad at me, but do not think you can walk away from $50 million
and your wife is just going to be cool with it.” Chappelle
said that his concern with the way racial elements in
his show were being received became too overwhelming. It was
almost as if Chappelle was being rewarded with
hunks and chucks of money to exploit African Americans. The
comedian abruptly left the series in the midst of filming the third
season. Chappelle left behind a new $50
million contract with Comedy Central .
Which was interpreted as crazy, Chappelle
had to be crazy to walk away from such a large sum of money as his
reward for playing a modern day “ Sambo ”.
The network recently fashioned together several new episodes
of “ Chappelle’s Show ”
from sketches filmed before he took off last year. Chappelle
took a trip to Africa in an attempt to reconnect himself
with his culture and a part of himself that had been lost while
taping his show. Chappelle’s show
had been reduced to nothing more than 2006 form of “ Black
Face .” The 32-year-old stated, “When
you go to Africa, especially your first time, you have this overwhelming
feeling like you are home. I think I felt that way because
there was a McDonald’s in the airport.” Merely
joking, Chappelle did become reconnected with
his race as a result of his trip and affirmed his decision. |
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Comedian
Chris Tucker will have $25 million added to
his back account for New Line Cinema to star in the upcoming “
Rush Hour 3 ,” whether the film
is made or not. According to sources close to Tucker
, he has a “pay or play” clause in his contract
that mean he will still receive the paycheck, which is $5 million
more than previously announced, even if the film never goes into
production. Chris is not the only one
wanted back on the big screen. Jackie Chan ,
will receive $15 million under a pay or play deal, and director
Brett Ratner will be paid $8 million for his efforts. All
actors will receive some kind of advance before cameras begin
rolling in late August in New York. Tucker
is getting a drop in the bucket from New Line in comparison to
the $600 million made worldwide from “ Rush
Hour 2 ,” the highest grossing comedy of all
time. The other Chris will have an opportunity
to show off his directing skills in is next film, “ I
Think I Love My Wife ,” a comedy that will
star Chris Rock alongside Kerry Washington
and Gina Torres . The film is
actually a remake of Eric Rohmer’s 1972
French comedy “ Chloe In The Afternoon ,”
the film centers on Richard Cooper ( Rock ),
a professional who is married to Brenda ( Gina Torres
), with whom he has a young daughter. When his
old girlfriend ( Kerry Washington ) enters the
picture, Cooper soon discovers he is in way over his head.
Rock penned the scrip with longtime collaborator
Louis C.K . and replaces director Charles
Stone from “ Mr . 3000
”, who recently dropped out of the Fox Searchlight
project. “ I Think I Love My Wife ”
marks the second time Rock has directed a film,
following 2003’s “ Head of State ,”
in which he co-starred with Bernie Mac .
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 There
was nothing funny about many of the remarks that Bill Cosby
made during his speech to the graduating class of Spelman
College, he told the women they will have to see themselves in front
leading and no longer behind or beside a man because most black
men are in prison. Well, I guess Cosby had
forgotten that prison is where he was headed about a year ago when
he was accused and admitted to a sexual misconduct charge. The
hard hitting comedian has been extremely critical of Hip Hop and
African American males when he admitted to giving a young woman
a sedative and having sex with her while his wife was in the house.
Cosby is the ideal person to speak on trifling
men since he has been exposed as one himself. Believe it or
not he will be a part of the 20th Anniversary of the 100 Black Men
of America Celebration. It remains to be seen what he will
say to the room full of successful African American Men that have
defied many of the odds he speaks about. |
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 Ali
Shaheed of A Tribe Called Quest told
MTV that the group has planned a reunion tour
to kick off sometime in the fall. “We’re looking
at October or Novermber,” Shaheed told the
Web site. “ Q-Tip is working on his
next solo record; Phife is doing the same thing.
I am working on my second solo album. I know people
are like, ‘Enough with the solos. Can we get a tribe
joint?’ For us, that kind of love makes us feel really good.”
The group severed ties in 1998 following their 1998 album,
“ The Love Movement .” Q-Tip
and Phife Dawg launched solo careers,
while Muhammad founded the R&B group Lucy
Pearl with Tony, Toni, Tone! front man
Rafael Saddiq and former En Vouge
singer Dawn Robinson . However, many people
never let go of the possibility that the group would eventually
reunite. “We never knew that all these years, people
would be interested,” said Muhammad . “When
we left, we meant it to be. When we disbanded, we never had
any intentions of coming back.” According to Muhammad
, it is likely that the group will avoid recording new
material for fear it would spoil their well-established place in
Hip Hop history. He added, “As far as doing any albums,
there’s still a question mark on that. We’re not
that far along yet. We’re going to take these shows
and see how it goes.” |
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 Drug
Dealers and Killers Strike Again … DJ Star
was fired and arrested for making disparaging on-air comments
about a rival DJ, and his wife and four-year-old daughter. DJ
Star was released on bail after being charged with endangering
the welfare of a child. He has been replaced with BET’s
Big Tigger and Egypt . Born Troi
Torain , shocked listeners of his syndicated Star
& Buckwild Morning Show by calling out DJ Envy of
New York’s Hot 97 including making racial comments about his
Asian wife and threatening to sexually abuse their 4-year-old daughter.
Seems that Clear Channel will not have to pay Star
the remaining amount of his $5 million contract due to
his comments, which is a breach of Star’s
end of the bargain. T.I. has suffered a
great loss and even cancelled a 10 day promotional tour through
Japan after Florida officials accused him of failing to perform
community service for a 2003 arrest. Clifford Harris
pleaded guilty last year to battery on a law enforcement
officer, trespassing and disorderly conduct in a 2003 incident at
a mall in Tampa. He was sentenced to 18 months’ probation
and 75 hours of community service. T.I.
admitted to violating his probation by driving on a suspended license.
The “ King ” has been
dethroned, how bad can it get for T.I ? Best
friend killed, sexual scandal, and probation violation all might
boost the sales of his new album. DMX was
arrested again for being belligerent to a flight crew on his way
to London. The rapper-actor refused to fasten his seat belt
as the plane made its final approach and then he went off.
Earl Simmons was arrested once the plane landed
and the 35-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of being verbally
abusive to cabin crew. DMX is currently
filming a reality TV show for BET and his camera
crew got the entire episode on camera, which leads me to believe
it was all planned. |
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 Everything
is going down but the word of God …I
have to respond to all the e-mails and calls that I have received
about a friend of mine that has been recently arrested. It
hurts me to have to report that all the rumors are true; B.
Chase Williams is in prison. Born Brian
Chase Williams , the Steller Award winner will be away
for at least 4 more months on two counts of forgery. According
to my research these are old charges prior to Chase
giving his life to the Lord and forming his choir Shabach. However,
you can click here to see for yourself.Dorinda Clark Cole , another friend of mine, has been traveling around the country with a convicted sex offender. Ryan Baker, dancer and choreographer was convicted of sexual misconduct with a 14 year old boy. Although, he did not go to prison he was ordered to stay away from children and to not leave the state of Michigan. Ryan did not seem to pay much attention or did not care due to his continually dancing and even teaching dance to children and as recently as Easter traveled out of the state of Michigan to dance for Dorinda , a Gospel Singer and member of the famous group The Clark Sisters , who has remained quite about the scandal. However, Supt. J. Drew Sheard , Pastor of Greater Emmanuel Institutional   Church
Of God In Christ, where Dorinda
is a member told Steve Wilson , a Detroit
News Reporter that Ryan did not dance at his church after he became
aware of Ryan’s conviction. Sheard
did not make it clear if Ryan traveled with his sister-in-law  after
such time or not. Ryan Baker served a 30 day jail sentence
for traveling to California to perform with Dorinda
at the Soul Train Music Awards and most recently
as this past Easter. The pedophile accompanied her in Connecticut
at Bishop Kenneth Moles church according to the
fist lady Peggy Moles . It is hard to believe
that Dorinda was unaware someone that works so
closely with her could go to jail for a month and she did not know
where Ryan was. “As far as I am concerned the Ryan is
a dead issue,” Dorinda said in a recent
conversation. Clearly ignorance is not bliss and background
checks are the order of the day. Norris Gray, the adjunct to Bishop Gilbert Earl Patterson , Presiding Bishop of the Church Of God In Christ, was arrested for soliciting a male prostitute in Memphis, Tennessee. According to the reports at approximately 4:00 am Norris Gray left is loftily wedded wife in bed to go out and prowl for a man. Allegedly Gray stopped a man that was an undercover cop in area of Memphis known for male prostitution. Elder Norris Gray was referred to as a John--not the John in the Bible--when he approached the African American Police officer for sex. It is rumored that Gray refused to see Bishop Patterson without his attorney present. The former adjunct is no longer seen in the pulpit of the Bountiful Blessings television broadcast. |
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| According to my “ Street Committee ”…Hats off to Rebecca Franklin , publisher of Women Looking Ahead Magazine , which recently celebrated its 16th Year Anniversary. Blair Underwood was the keynote speaker at the magazine’s award luncheon honoring the publisher’s success. Underwood gave a decent speech saluting women and their accomplishments. Towards the end of his speech Blair shared a touching story of how his mother’s health had declined in recent years, but she was still a strong woman. While at the event celebrating the magazine I encountered Wendy Welch, the former not so nice Wendy Hawkins, who has taken after her obese ex-husband convicted felony LaVan Hawkins and packed on the pounds. In a dated St. John that hugged all of the wrong curves, the fallen Buckhead Diva still has a not so nice personality. Welch, I am told actually secured Blair Underwood as the speaker for the event. Ladies do not wear a St. John if you do not have the right curves. Just because it is knit and stretches with you when you gain weight they are not one size fit all suits. | |||
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A
dancer by the name of Nate in the upcoming movie “ Steppin
,” starring Megan Good ,
Ne-Yo , Columbus Short , Darrin
Henson , and others seems to have made his acting debut
in a television series that he is not proud of. Nate
appeared in the very first episode of Noah’s
Arc , a black gay “ Sex In The City
,” type of series on Logo. Nate
in the episode tongue kisses one of the co-stars directly
in the mouth and appears to have sex with him. While on
the set I asked Nate about the show, it was
obvious by his response he regretted his performance and was not
very
happy about my mentioning it. A source very close to the
dancer shared with me that he advised him not to do it and said
Nate never thought the show would gain the notoriety
it has and is very self conscious about his appearance.
