ob'nox'ious adj. in your face, thought-provoking expression that is undeniable; a person, object, or topic so objectionably hot that it must be called out or examined through popular eyes; a captivating description that always verifies the true essence of style, class, and intelligence.

OBNOXIOUS 10, 2006

William G. McCray, III -
MrMcCray@Obnoxious.tv

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Executive Clothiers

October 5, 2006

Terrell Owens has been stirring things up for years, from edgy touchdown celebrations to mean-spirited comments about his quarterbacks and cries of being underpaid.  Yet Terrell's drama was always about football, never matters of life or death.    Then came the news that T.O. was taken in an ambulance to an emergency room.  Details from the police report that came out included breathtaking words like suicide, overdose, and depression.  Hindsight is always 20/20 and within hours Terrell insisted it was all a huge misunderstanding--and began to talk about a subject he knows best, football.  The world was still unsure about what actually happened on the near fatal night when T.O. checked out of the hospital and made his way to Dallas Cowboys headquarters in time to catch some passes the following afternoon, then showed up to a packed news conference wearing workout gear and his huge smile.  Owens seemed more amused then peeved.  He apologized for being a

distraction, thanked his friends for worrying about him and said he felt so good that he expected to play--regardless of the broken hand that led to the pain pills which, in turn, led to his latest saga.  "It was just and allergic reaction," Owens said.  "It's very unfortunate for the reports to go from an allergic reaction to a definite suicide attempt."

Owens was hospitalized for what his publicist, Kim Etheredge, called an allergic reaction to medicine he was taking for his broken hand.  Then the story erupted when WFAA-TV in   Dallas reported details of the police report it obtained.    The document stated that a friend, later identified as Etheredge, called 911 about a suicide attempt; that she told paramedics Owens was depressed; that his bottle of painkillers was empty; and that Owens said he was trying to harm himself.  "The rumor of me taking 35 pills, I think is absurd," Owens said.  "I don't think I would be here if I had taken 35 pills."  He explained that the bottle of hydrocodone, a generic form of Vicodin, was indeed empty, but the extra pills were in a drawer.  Why in the hell is a multi-millionaire taking generic drug?  Moving right along--he had taken two or three along with some all-natural supplements, and he believes the combination made him groggy.    Kim saw how he was acting, noticed the empty bottle and called for help.  Later Kim Etheredge denied taking anything out of T.O.'s mouth and was equally adamant that she told anyone that he was depressed. 

T.O. has always been an attention magnet during his 11-year NFL career, from his touchdown dancing celebrations to his public treatment of his quarterbacks--even to a risqué promotional stunt with one of the ABC's " Desperate Housewives " before a Monday night game against Dallas in 2004 that prompted an apology from the network.  Terrell has 25 million reasons why he should be alive, is what Kim Etheredge said in her attempt to back peddle out of previous statements.  Seems the police just make up anything these days to include in their reports.  In most cases of emergency people are honest and tell the truth as they know it and then later try to cover up actions and unfavorable truths.  It has been my pleasure to meet the football star on several occasions and he always seemed to be a great guy.  However, a number of insiders had shared that T.O. does in fact suffer with depression, which contributes to his over the top behavior.  Kim may have gotten one thing right about money and that is it can quickly get you out of trouble and allow you the opportunity to paint the world a picture you want them to believe.  If T.O. really has a problem with depression, bipolar, or anything else for that matter the world will probably never know, but one thing is for sure--a business person is always going to protect their investment, even if it means covering up an attempted suicide. 

For the past five years Mary J. Blige and her husband Kendu Isaacs have been the happiest couple in Hip Hop.    But all good things come to an end and now it seems that all the happiness has ended.  Purportedly,   Mary and Kendu are on the verge of divorce.  A close friend of the couple has informed Obnoxious that Mary suspects that her husband is not faithful to her.  According to our source, Mary caught him doing something that he should not have been and she is mad as hell.  The source added that for Mary there is nothing worse than being betrayed and for that reason the marriage is probably over. 

A break up could not be possibly happening at a worse time for the Queen of Hip Hop .  The word is that Mary has wanted to have a child and has really been looking forward to being a mother now those things are better in her life.  Well, to hell with that now.  Hopefully Mary will not go on a downward spiral.  She has worked so hard to get herself together and on the right track after a life full of pain, heartache, and disappointments.  The last thing she needs is this to conflict with her progress.  In many of Mary's interviews she stated that she was able to become a whole person due to the love of this man, her husband, which is alarming.  Motivation has to come from within and have no attachment to someone or something other than you.  Now that the man may not have lived up to all that she thought he was or wanted him to be.  Poor Mary , she seemed to have been on top of the world with her new album and new found self. 

Mary has not been such a sweet and innocent little girl in this equation.  It has been reported that Kendu Isaacs has three children with his ex-wife that are approximately five, six, and eighteen years old.  Which means that his ex-wife was either pregnant or had just given birth when he and Mary began dating in 2000 and caused him to turn is attention from his wife and children to her.  Actually, rumors say that Mary might have been the reason that Kendu has an ex-wife in the first place.  So the Hip Hop Queen might be getting a good taste of karma.  Mary surely you did not expect to hook up with a man that was cheating on his pregnant wife and not expect him to slip up on you?  In the worlds of the late legend, Ray Charles, " Hit the Road Jack "!

Philadelphia rapper Cassidy was in critical condition from severe injuries suffered in a car accident in New Jersey.  The artist, born Barry Reese , was in the passenger seat of an SUV en route to a Yonkers, New York recording studio when it was struck in the side by a U-Haul truck that had swerved into oncoming traffic.  Cassidy was taken to the hospital with a fractured skull and several broken bones in the left side of his face.  The rapper's label head and producer Swizz Beatz broke the news during an interview on Los Angeles radio station Power 106.  Swizz asked that listeners say prayers for the MC.  As you may recall Cassidy was released from jail back in March after serving eight months for involuntary manslaughter.  He paid his debt to society in Philadelphia's Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility for the fatal shooting of 22-year-old Desmond Hawkins, as well as two counts of aggravated assault and possession of an instrument of crime.  Cassidy turned himself in during June of 2005 just as his second album, " I'm A Hustla ," was being released-- Cassidy was working on his third album, which was set to be released through Swizz Beatz' Full Surface label on J Records. 
One of the blaxploitation era's biggest stars and best known for her crime-fighting role as Cleopatra Jones in two 70s films, actress Tamara Dobson died due to complications from pneumonia and multiple sclerosis at Keseick Multi-Care Center in Baltimore, where she had lived for the past two years, she was 59.  The 6-foot-2 star appeared in several projects in the 70s and 80s, including films " Come Back, Charleston Blue ," " Murder at the World Series ," and " Chained Heat "; as well as television shows " Jason of Star Command " and " Buck Rogers in the 25th Century ."  But it was her role as a kung-fu fighting government agent in the 1973's " Cleopatra Jones " and the 1975 sequel " Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold " that made her an Icon and one of several indelible characters to come out of the blaxploitation period, along with " Superfly's " Priest ( Ron O'Neal ) and " Shaft's " John Shaft ( Richard Roundtree ).  Dobson's Cleopatra Jones inspired the creation of other tough, black female leads such as Pam Grier in the films " Coffey " and " Foxy Brown ," and Teresa Graves in " Get Christie Love ."  " Cleopatra Jones " was also parodied in " Austin Powers in Goldmember " (2002), which starred Mike Myers and   Beyonce Knowles as Foxxy Cleopatra.
Christopher Bridges , as he likes to be called when referring to his acting career has been cast as an angry elf in the upcoming Christmas comedy, " Fred Claus ," which stars Vince Vaughn as Santa's loser brother living in New York.  Vaughn's tilt character returns home to the North Pole and almost ruins Christmas, according to a synopsis.  The Warner Brothers project also stars   Paul Giamatti , Kevin Spacey , John Michael Higgins , and Elizabeth Banks .  The film was directed by David Dobkin , who previously worked with Vaughn in " The Wedding Crashers ."  Ludacris sold 309,00 copies of his new album " Release Therapy ," which was on the Billboard 200 album chart at Number 1.    The rapper turning actor has the critically-acclaimed " Crash " and " Hustle and Flow " forever imprinted on his resume. 
They say that Emmitt Smith was the winner of this season's " Dancing With the Stars ," but I have not watched the show since Vivica A. Fox took her final bow gracefully.    Jerry Springer and Sara Evans were piss poor dancers and lasted far too long.  Despite receiving strong marks from the judges, the voting public saw things differently, allegedly.  Fox ended up with the least amount of votes and was sent home.  Well, the show is either fixed or really a popularity contest to have Emmitt as the final winner and to have sent Vivica home so early in the season.  "No tears.  No tears," she said just moments after her name was called.  Later, she told People Magazine :  "I don't feel I've lost out at all.  There's no tears necessary."  It is obvious that due to Vivica having not starred in a recent feature or seen on television in a trashy talk show every day that her fan base may not have been as great in number to call in a vote for the dancing beauty.  This reality television has got on my last nerve and I am putting " Dancing With the Stars " in the same pitiful category as " American Idol ."  These shows should just go away. 
Drug Dealers and Killers Strike Again ...A man calling himself a musician's mentor is suing R. Kelly over claims that the singer/producer whipped his ass and reneged on payment of songwriting royalties for the hit " Step in the Name of Love ."  In his lawsuit filed in Chicago, Henry "Love" Vaughn--who describes himself as Kelly's longtime mentor and guide--says he came up with the concept for the 2003 song, but had yet to receive his portion of royalties he deserves, reported the Chicago Sun Times .  Vaughn is also claiming that Kelly and unnamed men dragged him into the basement of R. Kelly's mansion in Olympia Fields, Illinois on February 19, 2006, and beat him up over the dispute--that famous basement, seems Kelly would have gotten enough of taking folks down there--as you know it is in the basement of the same house that   Robert Kelly allegedly had sex with an under aged girl.  Kelly , according to the lawsuit repeatedly struck Vaughn about the face and body with his fists.  Vaughn's suit also claims that Kelly got the "concept" for " Step in the Name of Love ," after suggesting that they create a song based on   Chicago's steppin' dance style.  Vaughn alleges that Kelly later reneged on an oral agreement to pay him one-half of the money he earned from the song.  The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for assault, false imprisonment, breach of contract and other claims.  Seems that we will have to wait and see what becomes of this legal action.    Robert Kelly may not be the creative genius that many think he is after all. 

According to my " Street Committee "...Maybe he finds it easier to write in prison.  The former editor-in-chief of The Source Magazine , David Blanks has been arrested again.  Blanks , who uses the nom de plume " Dasun Allah ," was jailed after he allegedly assaulted three strangers in Harlem.    Authorities say Blanks   knocked down a man on West 125th Street, then pushed a 36-year-old woman to the ground and punched her, breaking her arm.  He strolled two blocks away and hit another man before finally being arrested.    Blanks was let go from The Source in January after serving just a few months as editor.  He worked as a writer there and at the   Village Voice for years.  He was jailed for four months in May after hitting two other random strangers in Harlem, and had been arrested last October for defacing a Jehovah's Witness temple.  Clearly, he is crazy as hell and needs some help.    According to rumors he is on medication and has episodes when he does not take his much needed daily dose.  A number of creative people and extremely talented people suffer with disorders in other areas of their life.  David was lucky to have not gotten his ass kicked or killed by another deranged New Yorker.  Guess " Dasun Allah " knew just who to hit. 

Take it easy on Daddy Bush President George W. Bush along with rapper Fab Five Freddy went to   New Orleans to catch the Saints play the Atlanta Falcons at the Superdome with ex-Viacom CEO Tom Freston, Viacom's John Sykes, and MTV head Judy McGrath.  Daddy Bush walked by while U2 and Green Day were performing when the rapper yelled, "We need to bring the troops home!"  Well, he under estimated Daddy Bush and was shocked as hell when   Daddy Bush yelled back, "We must win this war.  Secret Service quickly got the former President Bush out of the area.  But not with out him saying "I do not really have anything to do with it."  The entire game was an emotional roller coaster with the memory of the devastation and all the lives lost.  However it was nice to see the Saints win the game.  Spike Lee discussed his documentary while millions watched at home with the Monday Night Football commentators.

Terrell is working out of his state of depression now with actress Kenya Moore .  Seems that the guy with the big simile has a number of ladies coming to his rescue and attempting to give him more than just $25 million reasons to live; the pair was recently spotted at an ESPN affair looking like a close couple.  Speaking of couples I only could sit through a portion of the reality show " Flavor of Love ."  It seems that the contestants have rather loose backgrounds and if the clips that I was sent are real some of the women did a lot more than stripping.  Nibblez and Buckeey also shed more than her clothing prior to the show.  Born Shay Johnson , she is not very shy when it comes to the camera.  Wonder what that nasty Flava Flav is doing off the camera with these women. 

According to rumors Russell Simmons Music Group has left the house that Russ built, also known as, Def Jam, and moved to So So Def/Virgin.  It has been a great deal of talk about Russell's departure, but who knows for sure.  In more Hip Hop mogul news,   Diddy might be in the final stages of a huge ad campaign with Burger King.    Not sure if this rumor is true or not, due to the ads allegedly to start around the time the new album dropped. 

Keyshia Cole is from my hometown, Oakland, California, but that does not mean that she is a thug.  Cole might be a little rough, but no gangster girl.  Rumors say the red head was recently arrested.  No reason for the arrest and no record of her being processed and booked in any of the major U.S. cites jails, so if the rumor is true the arrest must have been in a small town or outside of the country and we may have to wait and see if the silver bracelets were put on my home girl's carpus of her forearm (wrist).  However, Keyshia does have a sister that is a Ride or Die chick that gets drunk and loves to fight--it is safe to assume that it may have been her sister, who was detained by the authorities.