Wednesday, December 31, 2008

celebrity report....12-29-08

Did Beyonce really say that? Beyonce graces the cover of the new issue of Elle magazine. She talks about her life growing up, and she takes time to diss the first family of music, the Jacksons. Beyonce talked about her upper middle class upbringing and compared her family, the Knowles led by patriarch Matthew Knowles, to the famed Jacksons. Beyonce basically accused Joe and Katherine Jackson of using their children for their own good. The hissing you hear is probably Janet and Michael saying WTH! How dare she?!! Why did Beyonce go there? Doesn't she realize how bad she dissed the Jacksons? This is not a good time for the family. Janet's publicity stunts are becoming a bad joke, and she is starting to gain weight again. Michael keeps pretending he's sick. He's really just broke. As for the other family members, they are trying to find their way. Maybe this is "Sasha Fierce" talking and not Beyonce. In other Beyonce news, she desperately wants to be added to the ticket for the Obama Inaugural Ball. Aretha Franklin is performing. Rihanna is performing, but as of press time, no Beyonce. Beyonce and her people can't believe it. She is the hottest chick in the game. Where is her invite? Beyonce is pulling out all the tricks, including recording a song called Proud To Be An American. In the promo shot, she had her face painted red white and blue. Will this get her an invite to the inauguration?

Jennifer Hudson will be making her first public appearance in February after the tragic murders of her family. Hudson will be performing at a music event honoring the legendary Singer/Songwriter Neil Diamond. The festivities are happening during Grammy week. Hudson is up for four Grammy Awards. The 51st Annual Grammy Awards air on February 8th.

Is she or isn't she? What's up with Mariah Carey? Is she pregnant by her hubby Nick Cannon? Her spokespeople say no, but she is trying to get pregnant and have a baby next year.

Will Ashanti take it all off? Playboy magazine is offering "Thick Ums" thousands of dollars to pose nude, and she says she is thinking about it.

Since the tragic death earlier this year involving Singer Sean Levert, a new policy has been put in place allowing more flexibility in giving out anti-anxiety medicine. Inmates in Ohio will now be able to get their medication when they need it. Levert's widow, Angela Lowe, has filed a federal wrongful death suit accusing county officials of neglecting her husband's medical needs.

After a quiet 2008, Fantasia is looking to get her career back on track. Fantasia has enlisted Singer/Producer Raphael Saadiq to help her with her next album. Saadiq says he wants to give Fantasia an updated, fresh and soulful sound.

The new T.D. Jakes movie, Not Easily Broken, opens in theatres on January 9th. The movie stars Morris Chestnut, Taraji P. Henson, Kevin Hart and Wood Harris. Acclaimed Director Bill Duke (Cover, Rage In Harlem, Hoodlum) helmed the movie.

Who knew these two were married?!!! Darryl M. Bell ("Ron" from A Different World) and Tempest Bledsoe ("Vanessa" from The Cosby Show). Bell and Bledsoe have signed on for the new reality show Hollywood Husbands. The show is about men who marry successful women.

Oprah Winfrey is poo pooing reports that she wants to move to Washington, D.C. to be closer to America's new first family, The Obamas. It was reported that Winfrey was looking to buy a $50 million mansion in D.C. Spokespeople for Winfrey say "The Mighty O" is staying in Chicago.

The Disney movie Old Dogs will feature the final screen appearance of Actor/Comedian Bernie Mac. Mac filmed the movie with John Travolta and Robin Williams before he became sick. The movie will be released in 2009.

The entertainment world lost a legend on Christmas Day with the passing of Earth Kitt. Kitt, 81, died from colon cancer. The Emmy Award-winning actress, singer and dancer led an incredible life that was filled with many highs and lows. She was sexy, sensual and scandalous. Kitt was an outspoken advocate for peace, and she was against the Vietnam War. Some of her most notable work included the Christmas classic Santa Baby, her role as "Catwoman" in the 60's TV series Batman and a comeback in the 90's calling Eddie Murphy "Marcus darling" in Boomerang.

Bobby Brown has signed on for another reality show. Brown will be joining the cast of the U.K. show Celebrity Big Brother.

Montel Williams is back on TV. Williams is hosting the infomercial Living Well with Montel. Williams is promoting better health through his topics, books and products.

Congrats to Eva Marcille and Actor Lance Gross. They got engaged over the holidays. Marcille was known as Eva Pigford when she won America's Next Top Model. She is currently starring in the soap opera The Young And The Restless. Gross stars on the Tyler Perry TV show The House Of Payne.
Now speaking of Tyler Perry, his new TV show, Meet The Browns, debuts Wednesday, January 7th 10pm on the TBS Network. And, Dr. Phil makes a cameo in his new movie Madea Goes To Jail, opening in February.

Eddie Murphy is on the prowl again. It was just a year ago, when he made headlines with Producer Tracey Edmonds. Their marriage lasted for 17 days. Now, Murphy is back on the prowl hooking up for Arsenio Hall looking for the ladies.

Two music projects to look forward to next year include a Gospel CD from Singer Heather Headley. The project, Audience Of One, is due in January. India.Arie will also be releasing a new CD. Her project, Love And Politics, is coming out in February. The first single is Chocolate High featuring Musiq.

Congrats to basketball Legend Dr. J. The Doctor got married a few months ago to Dorys Erving. Word has it the Doc's young wife may be joining the new season and cast of The Real Housewives Of Atlanta.

Steve Harvey will be back hosting BET's Celebration of Gospel. The show will air on BET January 25th.

The 15th Annual Essence Music Festival is set for July 3rd, 4th and 5th in New Orleans. Beyonce is the first musical guest announced. There will also be seminars featuring Prophetess Juanita Bynum and Roland Martin. Plus, there'll be an all star tribute to Bishop T.D. Jakes.

Queen Latifah will be hosting the 35th Annual People's Choice Awards to be held January 7th on CBS.

The movie, Notorious, based on the life of Rapper Biggie Smalls, a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G., is gearing up for its release, which is scheduled for January 16th, 2009. Angela Bassett will be playing Biggie's mom, Volletta Wallace.

Sinbad and Yolanda Adams will be hosting the 21st Annual Stellar Awards. Gospel Sensation Marvin Sapp is leading the pack with nine nominations, including song and male vocal. The show is taking place January 17th.

WHAT'S THE UNDERGROUND BUZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He's one of the most eligible bachelors in the world. He's fine, rich and a sports legend. He's set to get remarried. Hope he checks his lady's past. She's been round the block a couple of times. Hope he gets a prenup.
These two celebrities make a nice looking couple. Despite their looks, marriage and babies, they are a boring couple. To revive interest in their careers, they are leaking stories about problems in their relationship to get headlines. Let's hope their publicity stunt doesn't backfire.

celebrity report....12-15-08

The Bravo network has announced there will be a new season of The Real Housewives Of Atlanta. Season number 2 will start filming next year, and new episodes will probably be ready by late spring. Now the big question is: will all the ladies be back, even the ones who were exposed as frauds? Hmmmmmmmmmm!

Rapper Doug E. Fresh is the latest celebrity facing hone foreclosure. The popular rapper has three homes in Harlem facing foreclosure. He owes over $3.5 million in unpaid mortgages, $400,000 to the I.R.S. and $60,000 to American Express. Apparently, Fresh's financial woes are not stopping him from opening a new chicken and waffle restaurant in Harlem.

Speaking of money problems, T-Boz from TLC went on record last week revealing her financial woes. T-Boz says a home listed in her name is in foreclosure, but she does not live in that home and is in no danger of being homeless. T-Boz says during her recent divorce, she had to clean up a lot of things that were left in her name. T-Boz will be appearing next year on the new season of Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice. She says she is very happy raising her daughter and enjoying the new man in her life, Takeo Spikes a linebacker with the San Francisco 49ers.

She tried to go back to work, but at the last minute, she decided she couldn't do it. Jennifer Hudson is trying to put the pieces of her life back together after the tragic murders of her family. Since the death of her mother, brother and seven-year old nephew, Jennifer has tried to remain strong, but her spirit is broken. Family members are urging her to seek counseling to deal with her grief. Hudson has various projects coming up. She tried to throw herself into work to forget her pain, but she needs help from a professional level. Hudson's family meant the world to her, and the violent way they were murdered has left her wounded. How could this happen? One minute, she's on top of the world. An Oscar winning-actress with a hot album and a slew of movies under her belt and then everything came crashing down. Her former brother-in-law has been charged with the murders, but she wonders how she'll be able to go on with her life and resume her career.

Congratulations to Usher and his wife, Tameka Foster. They are the proud parents of another baby boy, who will join his year-old big brother.
All of the original members of The Time are reuniting for another album. Producer Jimmy Jam says the guys who brought us Jungle Love, 777-9311, Jerk Out, Cool and The Bird will be back with another smash in the '09.

Oprah Winfrey has just a new exclusive deal with HBO. Oprah will be developing movies and miniseries for the cable network.

The CBS Network is loving Actor Laurence Fishburne. In addition to his new role on C.S.I., he will be developing projects for the network.

Congratulations to Actor Blair Underwood. He's been nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his work on the HBO series In Treatment. The Golden Globes air next month.

The new season of American Idol kicks off on January 13th. Look for changes this season including more contestants. 36 singers will be competing for the top spot, and season 8 will focus less on the bad singers. Also, the charity Idol Gives Back will not be held this year. And, despite her complaining and threats, Idol Judge Paula Abdul will be back probably as wacky as ever.

Everyone's favorite TV mom Phylicia Rashad will be the new spokesperson for Jenny Craig. Rashad's new commercials for the diet chain will debut early next year. Rashad is best known for her role as "Claire Huxtable" on The Cosby Show.

Halle Berry and Tyler Perry will be hosting The 40th Annual NAACP Image Awards. The show will air on Fox February 12th. This is the 100th anniversary of the NAACP.

Speaking of Tyler Perry, he'll be one of the honorees at the Second Annual BET Honors February 9th on BET. Along with Perry, Mary J. Blige, Home and Style Maven B. Smith, Dancer/Choreographer Judith Jamison and Magic Johnson will also be honored.

Singer Brian McKnight will be unveiling his one hour weekly syndicated TV variety show next year. Look for The Brian McKnight Show to debut next fall.

Chris Rock has decided he wants his daughters to be playmates with Sasha and Malia Obama. Rock says his children are eager to get to know the girls, and he hopes they can strike up a friendship.

What has happened to Boxer Mike Tyson? The former heavy weight champ has gained an alarming 50 pounds, and he appears sloppy and out of shape. Sources say he has turned away from drugs and now finds comfort in food.

Lionel Richie, Ne-Yo, Robin Thicke and The Jonas Brothers are just some of the musical talent lined up for 37th annual edition of Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve.

Steve Harvey will be back hosting BET's Celebration of Gospel. The show will air on BET January 25th.

The 15th Annual Essence Music Festival is set for July 3rd, 4th and 5th in New Orleans. Beyonce is the first musical guest announced. There will also be seminars featuring Prophetess Juanita Bynum and Roland Martin. Plus, there'll be an all star tribute to Bishop T.D. Jakes.

Queen Latifah will be hosting the 35th Annual People's Choice Awards to be held January 7th on CBS.

At the movies this week, Lee Daniels' film Tennessee with Mariah Carey.

Sinbad and Yolanda Adams will be hosting the 21st Annual Stellar Awards. Gospel Sensation Marvin Sapp is leading the pack with nine nominations including song and male vocal. The show is taking place January 17th.

The movie, Notorious, based on the life of Rapper Biggie Smalls, a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G., is gearing up for its release, which is scheduled for January 16th, 2009. Angela Bassett will be playing Biggie's mom, Volletta Wallace.

WHAT'S THE UNDERGROUND BUZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's Oscar winners versus Oscar nominees. First the ladies: this Winner and this Nominee filmed a classic movie together, but haven't spoken in more than a decade. The Winner takes this feud so seriously, she won't even speak the Nominee's name. In this corner, the men: this Winner is angry that this Nominee took a jab at his second career. The Nominee is trying to launch his own second career at the expense of the Winner.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Blagojevich names Roland Burris to Obama's Senate seat

BURRIS FACES A FIGHT | US Senate Dems, Ill. secretary of state plan to block Blago's choice

December 30, 2008
BY DAVE McKINNEY Springfield Bureau Chief

Ignoring threats from the U.S. Senate Democratic leadership to block his pick, Gov. Blagojevich this afternoon said he's appointing Roland Burris to President-elect Barack Obama's vacant U.S. Senate seat.




"The people of Illinois are entitled to have two U.S. Senators," said Blagojevich, whose arrest on corruption charges earlier this month places Burris' appointment under a cloud. "If I don't make this appointment then the people of Illinois will be deprived."

During a downtown news conference, Blagojevich called Burris, 71, an individual with "unquestioned integrity" and a "senior statesman of Illinois."

Later, Blagojevich said, "Please don't let the allegations against me taint this good and honest man."

In his remarks, Burris didn't rule out trying to seek re-election in 2010 should he somehow make his way into the Senate seat. He also gave no idea what his strategy might be to avoid his appointment being blocked by Senate leadership.

"I have faith in the record I have accomplished in the past four decades," Burris said. "I am humbled to have this opportunity. I will uphold the integrity of this office."

Burris and his lobbying/consulting firm have donated about $15,000 to the governor's campaign fund. His firm has done work for the Illinois Department of Transportation under Blagojevich, and a law-firm to which he is "of counsel" has been a recipient of state bond business.

Burris, however, ridiculed reporters who asked questions about whether his relationship with the Blagojevich administration might have played a role in the governor appointing him. Burris said the two talked about the appointment Sunday night.

Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) made a surprise appearance at the press conference to give Burris a vote of confidence and urge the U.S. Senate not to stand in Burris' way.

It is imperative the Senate have an African-American replace Obama, Rush said.

"Separate, if you will, the appointee from the appointer," said Rush. "Roland Burris is worthy. He is the only one that can stand in the gap during these tumultuous times and reestablish the confidence of the people of the state of Illinois."

Before the Blagojevich and Burris news conference, which was aired live on multiple national news channels, Democratic leaders in the Senate issued a statement saying any Blagojevich appointee would not be seated. And the leaders urged Blagojevich to resign.

"It is truly regrettable that despite warning from all 50 Democratic senators and public officials throughout Illinois, Gov. Blagojevich would take the imprudent step of appointing someone to the United States Senate who would serve under a shadow and be plagued by questions of impropriety," the statement read.

"We say this without prejudice toward Roland Burris's ability, and we respect his years of public service. But this is not about Mr. Burris; it is about the integrity of a governor accused of attempting to sell this United States Senate seat. Under these circumstances, anyone appointed by Gov. Blagojevich cannot be an effective representative of the people of Illinois and, as we have said, will not be seated by the Democratic Caucus."

The statement said the Senate is preparing to embark on "one of the most important debates of the year outlining an economic recovery plan to create jobs and invest in America" ‹ and Illinois needs two sitting senators "without delay."

"We again urge Gov. Blagojevich to not make this appointment," the Democratic leadership said. "It is unfair to Mr. Burris, it is unfair to the people of Illinois and it will ultimately not stand. The governor must put the interests of the people of Illinois and all Americans first by stepping aside now and letting his successor appoint someone who we will seat.

Now that Burris has accepted the appointment, he faces the likelihood of becoming entangled in Blagojevich's unfolding impeachment drama and, in a political sense, would be viewed heading into the 2010 election as a placeholder because of his age.

The ranking Republican on the House impeachment panel, Rep. Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs), told the Chicago Sun-Times he'll urge Burris to turn down the job and, if he accepts it, "to make himself available" as a witness before the committee.

"I think that Mr. Burris should really think long and hard about accepting this under the circumstances when this very process he's part of is subject to a federal investigation and an impeachment inquiry by the House," Durkin said.

Adding to Tuesday's drama, Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White said he would not certify the appointment -- although White's spokesman acknowledged there is not specific law requirement White's approval.

"I have previously stated publicly I cannot cosign a document that certifies any appointment by Rod Blagojevich for the vacant United States Senate seat in Illinois," White said. "Although I have respect for former Attorney General Roland Burris, because of the current cloud of controversy surrounding the governor, I cannot accept the document."

White spokesman David Druker acknowledged there is no constitutional or statutory requirement that the secretary of state sign off on a gubernatorial appointment to the U.S. Senate ‹ only longstanding precedent.

In 1969, then-Secretary of State Paul Powell signed off on then-Gov. Richard Ogilvie's appointment of Ralph Smith to succeed U.S. Sen. Everett Dirksen (R-Ill.) after he'd died, Druker said.

Burris, who did not immediately return phone calls, was state comptroller from 1979 to 1991, then served one term as the state's attorney general.

Burris ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Chicago in 1995 and was a loser in gubernatorial bids in 1994, 1998 and 2002. In that 2002 race, Burris got 363,591 votes but finished last in a three-way primary that Blagojevich won and that propelled the now-indicted governor into the state's highest office.

In 2002, Burris became a lobbyist and has had a portfolio that has included Commonwealth Edison, Comcast and the state's funeral home industry. His lobbying firm -- Burris & Lebed Consulting, of Chicago -- also has snared $294,545 in state contracts under Blagojevich since 2004, state records show.

He, his lobbying firm and his law firm -- Burris Wright Slaughter & Tom -- have contributed $20,296 in cash and services to Blagojevich's campaign fund since 2002. The most-recent contribution, $1,000, came last June. It was already widely known at the time that Blagojevich was a target of federal investigators.

Burris didn't appear to be among the candidates under consideration for the post before the governor's Dec. 9 arrest. But Burris did indicate to attendees at the City Club Christmas Party earlier this month that he thought he was in the running, along with U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.), U.S. Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.), Chicago Urban League chief Cheryle Jackson and Valerie Jarrett, a confidante of Obama who took herself out of the running.

Contributing: Abdon Pallasch, Natasha Korecki

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Saturday, December 13, 2008

celebrity report.....12-8-08

Paula Abdul is lashing out against American Idol. The upcoming 8th season will probably be her last. A new female judge is being brought in and Abdul is not happy. In a recent interview with Barbara Walters, Abdul says the Fox network, the American Idol producers and Simon Cowell are trying to ruin her career. She cited numerous incidents, including the recent stalker who killed herself in front on Abdul's house. Abdul says the woman appeared on the show years ago, and the American Idol camp knew she was being stalked by this woman. Abdul has been hinting around that she is unhappy, and that she wants to do her own show. Abdul regularly makes headlines because of her loopy behavior. Many times when watching the show, I have wondered what was going on. Is she high? What is she drinking in that cup? Is she on meds? On numerous occasions, she has appeared incoherent and out of it. Inside sources say the producers and Simon Cowell have gone overboard to protect her image when she starts acting wacky. Now that she is biting the hands that feed her, the gloves are off and this will probably be her last go round with Idol. The new season kicks off in mid January.

Who is the real Nene Leakes? She became a star because of the Bravo reality show The Real Housewives Of Atlanta. But, in a recent television expose, Nene Leakes is a woman who is living a big lie. During the show, she was living the high life with her real estate investor husband and buying $42,000 trucks, buying her son $8,000 suits, living lavishly and spending money on clothes and jewelry. According to the TV expose, the real Nene Leakes was evicted from her Atlanta home for not paying rent. Her husband Greg Leakes, who recently lost his real estate license, owes hundreds of thousand of dollars in tax liens and to creditors. People have come forward describing the couple as phony and misleading. In a recent statement from the Bravo network, they stressed that the show, The Real Housewives Of Atlanta, is a reality show not to be taken seriously. What will happen in season two? Nene Leakes and her family are currently in hiding. She has a lot of questions to answer, including where is the money from her charity? Was Nene just frontin'? Will she back for season number two, which will air next year?

Oprah has regained her weight, and she is not happy. In the new issue of O magazine, Winfrey addresses her weight issues. The 54-year old TV titan admits gaining over 60 pounds during the past few years. She says her outlook for the new year will be on health, strength and fitness.

Congrats to Singer Jill Scott. In addition to a new HBO series, she will be giving birth to her first child next year.

Is Michael Jackson broke? An upcoming auction is taking place where over 2,000 personal items will be sold, including the famed Billie Jean glove from the legendary music video.

Everybody's is talking about Stevie Wonder. The week started off with problems at his California home. Apparently, Wonder has been having issues with family members who have been showing up and leaving things on his property. Wonder told police it was a private family matter that he can handle himself. Wonder's wife, Fashion Designer Kai Miller, is just one of the many designers who are submitting ideas for future First Lady Michelle Obama. Mrs. Obama is a big fan of Miller's designs, but she has not decided who will design her inaugural gown. In more Wonder news, will he be on the new season on Dancing With The Stars? Producers of the show love big gets, and they have reportedly reached out to Stevie Wonder and the Reverend Al Sharpton.

Don Cornelius has pleaded not guilty to assaulting his wife. A few weeks ago, the Soul Train founder was arrested and charged with 3 counts of spousal battery, one count of dissuading a witness from filing a police report and assault with a deadly weapon. The 72-year old Cornelius is due in court on January 9th. Since the arrest Cornelius's young Russian wife has filed two retraining orders against him.

It was another health scare for Singer Toni Braxton. Braxton was absent from the taping of the finale of Dancing With The Stars. She says it was because she was recovering from surgery after having a benign tumor removed from her breast. She says she thanks God it was not cancerous. She says she'll take time during the holidays to recover from her surgery. Then she will gear up to hit the road to travel with the Dancing With The Stars touring company. The past year has been filled with medical drama for Braxton. She had to cancel her Las Vegas show because of an on going heart condition.

Bobby Brown has many regrets, and one of them is spilling the beans about his life with Whitney Houston in a new book. At the time the book was being written, he needed money and he had an ax to grind. But, Bobby had a change of heart and decided not to go ahead with the book. His co-author, Derrick Handspike, felt otherwise, and he says this book had to be published. The unauthorized biography is full of shocking details like his time with Janet Jackson. The book claims Janet's family didn't want her with Bobby because they didn't want her to be with a black man, and that Janet turned Bobby into an alcoholic. The book goes into detail about the Brown-Houston marriage, and that both got married for the wrong reasons. According to the book, Whitney married Bobby to clean up her image, and he married to love and have children. The book also revealed Bobby turned to crack and cocaine after hooking up with Whitney.

Jamie Foxx will be filming the movie Law Abiding Citizen. The movie will also star Actor Gerard Butler, and F. Gary Gray is directing. The movie shoot will take place from January to March.

Is Fantasia having money problems? The American Idol winner is in danger of losing her North Carolina house. A family spokesperson says it's all a big misunderstanding, but her home is due up for auction. Fantasia has been laying low in recent months. Her last big gig was earlier this year when she starred on Broadway in The Color Purple. What is Fantasia going to do now, and can she save her home?
From reports she is losing her house because of nonpayment of HOA dues. In NC they don't play that.

Wesley Snipes continues to appeal his three-year prison sentence for tax evasion. Snipes is working a new angle. He wants to be recognized as a national hero because he has been teaching airline flight crews martial arts lessons following the 9-11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Snipes is determined to stay out of jail for not paying his taxes.

Entertainment Weekly has named their 25 smartest people in TV. Whoopi Goldberg, Tyra Banks, Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry made the list because they are driving today's smartest shows and deals.

Lionel Richie, Ne-Yo, Robin Thicke and The Jonas Brothers are just some of the musical talent lined up for 37th annual edition of Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve.

Steve Harvey will be back hosting BET's Celebration of Gospel. The show will air on BET January 25th.

Will the former Mr. Star Jones be the next big reality star? Al Reynolds is just the latest pseudo celebrity who is looking for love via TV. Reynolds loves the limelight, and he is looking for love. Maybe a reality show will do the trick.

Singer D'Angelo is making plans for a comeback next year, but he will not be signing to Bad Boy Records. D'Angelo has been plotting his next moves and working on new material. The past ten years have seen him in trouble with the law numerous times. He has been in rehab for alcohol and drugs. With the help of a personal trainer, he is looking to get his weight back to fighting form. There is a lot of buzz surrounding his comeback and his new music. Look for the new project early next year.

Chris Rock wants to know about your hair. Rock has just completed a new documentary called Good Hair. It's all about black hair, whether you wear it natural, relaxed, weaved or wigged. Rock even traveled to India to see the people who give up their hair for weaves. Look for the documentary next year.

Tyler Perry got some good news this week. A jury found him not guilty of stealing a woman's idea for his mega hit Diary Of A Mad Black Woman. The woman claimed Perry stole her idea, and she was seeking monetary damages. A jury said there was not enough evidence to fault Perry. Perry latest movie, The Family That Preys with Sanaa Lathan, is getting ready to come out on DVD. And, get ready for Madea's Goes To Jail which opens in theatres February 20th, 2009.

Despite the lackluster performance of her movie Cadillac Records, Beyonce wants to roll on with her movie career. She is pitching herself to star in a remake of the Barbara Streisand classic A Star Is Born.

Jennifer Hudson is set to return to work this week. Since the tragic murders of her family, Hudson has been in seclusion. But, she is scheduled to start 0filming her new music video for her song, If It Isn't Love. Last week brought the Oscar winner some much needed good news. She has been nominated for 4 Grammy awards. In a statement, Hudson says this is like a dream come true since this is her first album.
These are either a well staged publicity stunts, or a pop diva or two will have a baby next year. According to published reports, it's Janet Jackson with longtime boyfriend Jermaine Dupri, but their camp is denying these reports (remember, Janet has a habit of lying). Other published reports claim Mariah Carey was seen clutching test results (a sonogram) after leaving a doctors office. Which pop diva is having a baby and which one is just looking for publicity?
I guess the underground buzz from last week could possible be either one of these entertainers.

The 15th Annual Essence Music Festival is set for July 3rd, 4th and 5th in New Orleans. Beyonce is the first musical guest announced. There will also be seminars featuring Prophetess Juanita Bynum and Roland Martin. Plus, there'll be an all star tribute to Bishop T.D. Jakes.

The new season of American Idol: Season Number 8 kicks off January 13-14th.

For its 50th anniversary, Motown Records is releasing a new box set of songs that the fans have picked. The box set is due December 9th. The 10 disc CD will feature 191 songs from your favorite Motown stars including Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells and Martha & The Vandellas, to name a few.

Queen Latifah will be hosting the 35th Annual People's Choice Awards to be held January 7th on CBS.

The 40th Annual NAACP Image Awards will take place on February 12th.

Lee Daniels latest movie with Mariah Carey, Tennessee, opens in theatres December 19th

Sinbad and Yolanda Adams will be hosting the 21st Annual Stellar Awards. Gospel Sensation Marvin Sapp is leading the pack with nine nominations including song and male vocal. The show is taking place January 17th.

The movie, Notorious, based on the life of Rapper Biggie Smalls, a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G., is gearing up for its release, which is scheduled for January 16th, 2009. Angela Bassett will be playing Biggie's mom, Volletta Wallace.

WHAT'S THE UNDERGROUND BUZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This Hip Hop Superstar is the go to guy for quick money. Ladies know if you get pregnant by him, it will be a quick pay day because he pays you to keep quiet.

She's rich, beautiful and talented, but she needs speech lessons. She wants to be an award winning actress, but she needs to get an acting coach who can help her achieve her goal.

Despite her numerous awards and critical acclaim for her career, this Celebrity has often been overlooked. She is not known for her looks or style of dress, but she is enjoying tremendous success with her recent TV gig. She has been credited with the show's recent success, but she is getting a big head and she won't stop talking about it.

Friday, December 12, 2008

List of Golden Globe nominations....

(CNN) -- The nominations for the 66th annual Golden Globes were announced Thursday morning. They are:

Drama:

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Frost/Nixon," "The Reader," "Revolutionary Road" and "Slumdog Millionaire."

Comedy or musical: "Burn After Reading," "Happy-Go-Lucky," "In Bruges," "Mamma Mia!" and "Vicky Christina Barcelona."

Director: Danny Boyle ("Slumdog Millionaire"), Stephen Daldry ("The Reader"), David Fincher ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"), Ron Howard ("Frost/Nixon") and Sam Mendes ("Revolutionary Road").

Actor in a drama: Leonardo DiCaprio ("Revolutionary Road"), Frank Langella ("Frost/Nixon"), Sean Penn ("Milk"), Brad Pitt ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") and Mickey Rourke ("The Wrestler").

Actress in a drama: Anne Hathaway ("Rachel Getting Married"), Angelina Jolie ("Changeling"), Meryl Streep ("Doubt"), Kristin Scott Thomas ("I've Loved You Too Long") and Kate Winslet ("Revolutionary Road").

Actor in a comedy or musical: Javier Bardem ("Vicky Christina Barcelona"), Colin Farrell ("In Bruges"), James Franco ("Pineapple Express"), Brendan Gleeson ("In Bruges") and Dustin Hoffman ("Last Chance Harvey").

Actress in a comedy or musical: Rebecca Hall ("Vicky Christina Barcelona"), Sally Hawkins ("Happy-Go-Lucky"), Frances McDormand ("Burn After Reading"), Meryl Streep ("Mamma Mia!") and Emma Thompson ("Last Chance Harvey").

Supporting actor: Tom Cruise ("Tropic Thunder"), Robert Downey Jr. ("Tropic Thunder"), Ralph Fiennes ("The Duchess"), Philip Seymour Hoffman ("Doubt") and Heath Ledger ("The Dark Knight").

Supporting actress: Amy Adams ("Doubt"), Penelope Cruz ("Vicky Christina Barcelona"), Viola Davis ("Doubt"), Marisa Tomei ("The Wrestler") and Kate Winslet ("The Reader").

Animated film: "Bolt," "Kung Fu Panda" and "Wall-E."

Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy ("Slumdog Millionaire"), David Hare ("The Reader"), Peter Morgan ("Frost/Nixon"), Eric Roth ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") and John Patrick Shanley ("Doubt").

Foreign-language film: "Gomorrah," "I've Loved You So Long," "Waltz with Bashir," "The Baader Meinhof Complex,: and "Everlasting Moments."

Original score: James Newton Howard ("Defiance"), Alexandre Desplat ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"), A. R. Rahman ("Slumdog Millionaire"), Hans Zimmer ("Frost/Nixon") and Clint Eastwood ("Changeling").

Original song: "Down to Earth" from "Wall-E," "Gran Torino" from "Gran Torino," "I Thought I'd Lost You" from "Bolt," "Once in a Lifetime" from "Cadillac Records" and "The Wrestler" from "The Wrestler."

Television

Best TV comedy series: "30 Rock," "Californication," "Entourage," "The Office" and "Weeds."

Best TV drama series: "Dexter," "House," "In Treatment," "Mad Men" and "True Blood."


Commentary: Let Michelle Obama's real self shine

By Angela Burt-Murray
Special to CNN
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Editor's Note: Angela Burt-Murray is the editor-in-chief of Essence magazine. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and two sons. Read veteran journalist Gwen Ifill's interview with Michelle Obama on Essence.com

Angela Burt-Murray says Michelle Obama shouldn't be pressured to hide her considerable ability.

Angela Burt-Murray says Michelle Obama shouldn't be pressured to hide her considerable ability.

NEW YORK (CNN) -- She's been clear about her priorities.

The self-professed Mom-in-Chief is focused on getting her family settled into a new home at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, buying a puppy, and enrolling daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, in their elite new private school.

Admirable concerns and certainly ones that every mother, or father, would consider in the face of any move -- let alone a move to the most famous address in the world. But when you're discussing a woman as accomplished as Michelle Obama, you can't help but wonder: Can't there be more?

Perhaps, but for the nation's first black first lady, it won't be easy.

When black women initially met the statuesque double Ivy League-degreed hospital exec with coiffed hair and smart outfits, it was love at first sight: supportive spouse, loving mother -- the total package.

On the campaign trail, many journalists noted she was a gifted speaker, pulling in large crowds at solo events, capturing the attention of audiences for 40 minutes and more, without notes, even holding her own while sharing the stage with megawatt personalities like Oprah Winfrey and Maria Shriver.

For us she was instantly recognizable. She was a self-made six-figure sister who was like so many women in our communities -- leading church boards, chairing neighborhood programs, running the show at work -- as well as a reflection of the women we saw in our own mirrors. But for some whites, she was different, a bit unsettling. Not what they were used to. And then she made that infamous comment:

"For the first time in my adult life, I'm really proud of my country."

You could practically hear white folks saying, "Aha!" The sound bite heard around the world would be impossible for her to fully recover from, at least during the campaign. She was vilified -- labeled Mrs. Grievance and Angry Black Woman.

Like Michelle, Hillary Clinton was attacked for everything from her cookie-baking and Tammy Wynette comments to the national health care debacle she led during her husband's administration. The attacks on Michelle, though, were rooted in racist stereotypes.

There was the Fox News producer who dubbed her Obama's Baby Mama; the incendiary New Yorker magazine cover that featured an Afro-wearing, fist-bumping, Uzi-toting Michelle; the hunt for a videotaped panel that didn't exist, in which Michelle Obama was allegedly featured with controversial Minister Louis Farrakhan, talking about "Whitey" as if channeling 1970s TV character George Jefferson.

The Huffingtonpost.com ran a piece called "Why Do We White People Dislike Michelle Obama?" It was based on a New York Times/CBS News poll showing that 24 percent of white Americans had an unfavorable opinion of her.

Huffingtonpost.com later pointed out that they omitted the number of people who said they were "Undecided" (17 percent) or "Haven't Heard Enough" (37 percent) about Michelle Obama, but the negative perception had by then been encoded.

More recently, there was the misguided Salon.com essay by African-American journalist Erin Aubrey Kaplan about Mrs. Obama's behind, a piece that harkened scarily back to the story of Saarjite Baartman, the young South African woman who was brought to Europe in 1810 by an English surgeon so fascinated by her large bottom that he changed her name to Venus Hottentot and displayed her naked in cages in museums for more than five years. Seriously, people?

The attacks got so bad at one point that blogger Gina McCauley of Whataboutourdaughters.com said Michelle was becoming a "verbal punching bag." So she launched a Web site called MichelleObamawatch.com to keep track of every article, video clip and interview to mobilize her visitors to voice their concerns.

"Whether you support her husband or not," McCauley wrote on the site last July, "Let's be clear, any and every black woman who walks in her footsteps can expect the same treatment, so we might as well pull a Gandalf, draw a line in the sand and yell, 'Thou shall not pass!' "

White America may be trying to relax -- after all they really like her husband. Yet even after Barack Obama's decisive victory, it still seems that Michelle's team wants to dial down her fabulousness. And black women know why.

Allison Samuel's recent Newsweek cover story "What Michelle Means to Us" clearly articulates the double-edged sword she faces: "While every first lady -- and plenty of professional women -- walk the line between being confident and seeming like a bitch, African-American women are especially wary that being called 'strong' is just another word for 'angry.' "

It's the thing that many black woman face at their jobs -- the appearance of confidence and ability can be threatening to people. And so Michelle's smart outfits were replaced with sensible sweater sets. Her focus became military families and photo-ops of her packing supplies.

There's certainly value in Michelle Obama playing the traditional first lady role as she greets heads of state, travels the world meeting with foreign dignitaries, and continues her important work with military families.

But lest everyone decide that Mom-in-Chief is enough to keep her busy for the next four to eight years, Michelle has said in interviews that she and her family always try to get involved in the communities in which they live.

In Washington, which has some of the nation's worst high school graduation rates, and HIV/AIDS infection rates that rival African countries, there will be no shortage of issues for the new first lady to tackle.

Perhaps her team could take a bit of inspiration from the hit NBC series The West Wing. During the fictitious first term of President Jed Bartlett, played brilliantly by Martin Sheen, his administration is unable to achieve any of its goals because it tries to manage to the middle and not upset anyone. Ultimately, they decide to create the sort of change they campaigned on by letting "Bartlett be Bartlett."

Like most black women, I look forward to watching Michelle be Michelle, no matter what form that takes.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Angela Burt-Murray.

Fort Worth woman loses suit over copyright infringement

Posted on Tue, Dec. 09, 2008
The Associated Press

MARSHALL -- A Fort Worth woman who accused actor-screenwriter Tyler Perry of stealing material from her play for his blockbuster movie Diary of a Mad Black Woman lost her federal lawsuit against the entertainer on Tuesday.

Jurors found Tuesday that Donna West did not present evidence that supported her claim of copyright infringement.

In the lawsuit filed in May 2007, West argued that Perry lifted material from a script she wrote titled Fantasy of a Black Woman. The play was performed three times in 1991 in Dallas and West contended Perry could have gained access to the script in 1998 when he presented his plays at the Dallas Black Academy of Arts and Letters.

Perry, who testified during the trial, insisted that his screenplay is an original work.

"We are very pleased that the jurors understood that Tyler Perry is an incredibly talented person who has no need to copy the work of others," attorney Veronica Lewis said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

Jurors began deliberating after noon on Tuesday and returned with a verdict about 2:30 p.m., The Marshall News Messenger reported in its online edition.

Aside from Perry, West sued the actor's company, Tyler Perry Inc., because it sells the movie online and by mail. West also filed suit against Lions Gate Entertainment, Inc., which funded and distributed the film.

She asked for damages and profits made from Perry's 2005 film, which earned some $50 million.

Attorneys for West did not immediately return a request for comment Tuesday.

For the world’s ‘oldest mother’, Omkari Panwar, a son at last — and a daughter

Omkari Panwar and her twins

Omkari Panwar and her twins

An Indian grandmother who claims to be 70 yesterday showed off her new twins to the world. Omkari Panwar, who lives in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, has no birth certificate, but if her age was confirmed, the feat would make her the world’s oldest mother.

“I am very happy,” said her husband, Charam Singh Panwar, a retired farmer who is thought to be in his mid-seventies.

The couple, who already had two daughters in their thirties, were so desperate for a male heir that they spent their life savings and took out a bank loan to pay for IVF treatment.

“The desire for a male child has always been there, but God did not bless us with a male child. Now, we are very grateful to God, who has answered our prayers.”

The twins, a boy and girl both weighing about 2lbs, were delivered one month early by Caesarean section last month. Despite concerns over their low birth weights, doctors say they are doing well.

Mrs Panwar’s age has been deduced through her reminiscences of the last days of the British Raj. The grandmother of five, maintains that she was a child of nine years old when the British quit India in 1947.

This would make her the world’s oldest mother by some margin. In December 2006, a 67-year-old Spanish woman gave birth to twins in Barcelona. A woman thought to be about 65 gave birth to a boy in the state of Orissa, in the east of India, in 2003.

Mr Singh has admitted that he feared his wife would not survive her pregnancy and that his neighbours do not entirely approve of his decision to father a child as a septuagenarian. It is understood that his wife was confined to bed for eight months of her pregnancy and suffered chronic back pain throughout. The elderly couple also sold their buffalo to afford the treatment, which cost about £4,400. They now rely on charity from friends to make ends meet.

“It is a miracle,” he said. “Now, my wife is very happy.” The birth of the twins is likely to further raise concerns over the liberal use of fertility treatments in India, a country that has become the world leader in commercial surrogacy. Cheap medical care and medicines have made the subcontinent the destination of choice for foreigners who can not afford costly fertility treatments at home.

Male children are especially prized among India’s Hindus. Only a male heir can carry out funeral rites and female infanticide remains a chronic problem, largely because the dowry system, though banned, is commonly practiced.

Mrs Panwar said: “We paid all this money to the doctors for a son, but now we have the extra burden of another daughter as well.” Mr Singh, meanwhile, is realistic that his son is unlikely to ever be in a position to support his parents – he said he wanted a boy to carry on the family name and to inherit the family plot of land.

Doctor Nisha Malik, who performed Mrs Panwar’s emergency caesarean section, said that she was shocked to learn of her patient’s claimed age.

She had thought that the mother-to-be was, at most, 65.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

GSU Tiger Marching Band invited to perform in 56th presidential inaugural parade

Staff report • December 5, 2008

The Presidential Inaugural Committee announced today it has invited the Grambling State University Tiger Marching Band to Perform in 56th Inaugural Parade.

The world famous Grambling State University Tiger Marching Band will join representatives from across the country and the Armed Forces in the historic parade down Pennsylvania Avenue following President-elect Barack Obama’s swearing-in ceremony on the steps of the Capitol.

“I am honored to invite these talented groups and individuals to participate in the Inaugural Parade,” Obama is quoted as saying in a news release.

“These organizations embody the best of our nation’s history, diversity and commitment to service. Vice President-elect (Joe) Biden and I are proud to have them join us in the parade.”

Organizations wishing to participate in the parade submitted an application to the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee (AFIC), which then assisted the Presidential Inaugural Committee in reviewing all of the groups’ applications.

All told, 1,382 organizations applied to participate, setting a new standard for interest in marching in the parade.

The Presidential Inaugural Committee was assisted in its selection process by a group of experienced military musicians, who utilized their expertise to help assess the presentation skills of marching bands, musical acts and drill teams.

The Grambling Tiger Marching Band’s reach has grown worldwide, having played in a number of countries, including Africa, Korea and Cuba. The band has become a staple at major sporting events and parades.

All participants in the Inaugural Parade are responsible for paying for their own lodging and transportation to and from Washington, D.C.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

SCOTUS rejects appeal questioning Obama's citizenship

December 8, 2008

WASHINGTON (CNN) — The Supreme Court has rejected an emergency appeal from a retired lawyer in New Jersey who questioned Barack Obama's eligibility to be president, because he had dual British-American citizenship at birth.

The justices without comment on Monday refused to intervene in the November 4 presidential election, dismissing the claims of Leo Donofrio, a resident of East Brunswick, New Jersey.


In his appeal, Donofrio claims that because Obama's father was a Kenyan-born British subject, the president-elect does meet the Constitution's requirement that the president be a "natural born citizen" of the United States. Obama was born in Hawaii in 1961. His mother was a U.S. citizen, born in the United States.

Many legal analysts questioned Donofrio's argument.

"The law has always been understood to be, if you are born here, you're a natural born citizen," said Thomas Goldstein, founder of the Scotusblog.com Web site, and a lawyer who has argued numerous cases before the high court. "And that is particularly true in this case, when you have a U.S. citizen parent like Barack Obama's mother."

In another lawsuit making its way through the courts, Philip Berg of Pennsylvania alleges the president-elect was actually born in Kenya. Berg claims Hawaii officials will not let him see Obama's original birth certificate, although the campaign posted a copy of it online this summer, following numerous blog postings over the citizenship question. That case had previously been dismissed by lower federal courts.

The appeal rejected Monday is Donofrio v. Wells (08A407).

Obama Says He Had No Contact With Blagojevich on Senate Seat

By Kim Chipman

Dec. 9 (Bloomberg) -- President-elect Barack Obama said he was unaware of the criminal investigation into an alleged attempt by Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich to trade an appointment for Obama’s Senate seat for financial gain.

“I had no contact with the governor or his office and so I was not aware of what was happening, ” Obama told reporters today in Chicago. “It’s a sad day for Illinois. Beyond that, I don’t think it’s appropriate to comment.”

Blagojevich, a Democrat, was arrested by federal agents today and charged with plotting to sell the Senate seat that was vacated by Obama after his election as president, according to a criminal complaint filed by federal prosecutors in Chicago.

Federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald said there is “no allegation” that Obama was aware of Blagojevich’s attempt to extract benefits from his authority to appoint Obama’s successor.

Blagojevich, 51, was elected in 2002 on a promise to clean up state government. His predecessor, Republican Governor George Ryan, was the subject of a corruption investigation and is serving a six-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2006 on fraud and racketeering charges. Fitzgerald also prosecuted that case.

To contact the reporter on this story: Kim Chipman in Chicago at kchipman@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: December 9, 2008 15:11 EST

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Senate seat for Caroline Kennedy would extend legacy

(CNN) -- Caroline Kennedy, who spent most of her life looking to steer clear of the spotlight, is capping off a year of unusually public -- and political -- activity with interest in the Senate seat that would be vacated by Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton.

And her interest in that seat could mean the continuation of a Kennedy legacy in the Senate that began 56 years ago with the election of her father, John F. Kennedy, as the junior senator from Massachusetts.

Her uncle Edward has represented Massachusetts in the Senate for more than four decades. Her uncle Robert served as junior senator from New York from 1965 until he was assassinated in 1968.

"Remember, [Clinton's] seat in the Senate was once held by Robert Kennedy," CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider said Saturday. "Her other uncle, Ted Kennedy, is ill right now. If [New York Gov. David] Paterson appoints Caroline Kennedy to the Senate, it means there could be a Kennedy staying in the Senate for quite a long time."

And a Senate appointment for Caroline Kennedy would mark a change for the woman who has rarely run into the glare of political attention.

"Apparently, she has acquired a taste for politics, having endorsed Barack Obama early this year," Schneider said. "She wants to be part of this new regime in America, clearly playing a key role in the Senate if she gets that appointment."

Widely described as extraordinarily shy, self-deprecating and down-to-earth, Kennedy has tended to limit her forays into the public sphere to nonpartisan activity, penning books on civil liberties and serving as the de facto guardian of her father's legacy.

But in January, she backed a political candidate for the first time, announcing her endorsement of Obama during the Democratic primary season with an opinion piece in the New York Times that drew days of the kind of media attention she has spent her life avoiding.

"I have never had a president who inspired me the way people tell me that my father inspired them," she wrote. "But for the first time, I believe I have found the man who could be that president -- not just for me, but for a new generation of Americans."

Kennedy willingly lingered in the spotlight, serving on Obama's vice presidential search team, speaking at the Democratic National Convention and stumping for him through the primary and general election seasons.

In a campaign ad that featured video images of her father followed by images of Obama, Kennedy said, "People always tell me how my father inspired them. I feel that same excitement now."

There are a slew of high-profile candidates for Clinton's Senate seat -- including Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, whose last name carries some star power of its own in the Empire State -- but their odds grew just a bit steeper when stacked against the wattage of a storied Democratic dynasty.

Robert Kennedy was elected to the Senate with few ties to his adopted home state, but his niece's New York roots run deep.

Jacqueline Kennedy relocated to New York City after her husband's assassination in 1963, with children Caroline and John F. Kennedy Jr.


Caroline Kennedy has spent most of her life in the city, working there after graduating from Harvard, meeting her husband, Edwin Schlossberg, on the job at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and attending Columbia Law School there.

Her most prominent public roles to date involved overseeing her father's presidential library and presenting the annual Profiles in Courage Award.

She's also edited several books, from a volume of children's poetry and an updated edition of her father's book "Profiles in Courage" to a collection of patriotic verse ("A Patriot's Handbook: Songs, Poems, Stories, and Speeches Celebrating the Land We Love.")

Most of her leadership positions have been based in the arts: hosting the annual nationally televised Kennedy Center Honors in Washington and serving as the honorary chairwoman of the American Ballet Theatre, as her mother had.

Still, in late spring and early summer, she was whispered as a possible vice presidential candidate -- and more recently as a contender for secretary of education in an Obama Cabinet -- but elected office would mark a major shift for Kennedy.

Her history of avoiding partisan efforts, her limited policy track record and the lingering legacy of her father's presidency translated into a far less brutal Republican criticism than that experienced by the other members of Obama's vice presidential search committee, and there was a widespread continuing sense that she would not want to put herself in line for the tough criticism aimed at elected officials.

"I don't think she'd go that far," Kennedy White House speechwriter Theodore Sorenson told USA Today this summer after being asked whether he thought Kennedy wanted to hold office herself.

In his memoir, "Counselor," he quoted Jacqueline Kennedy saying her daughter had "gotten her horror of the press from me" and said the younger Caroline Kennedy used to hide her face when she spotted a cameraman.

But in a 2002 Time magazine interview promoting the updated "Profiles in Courage," Kennedy would not rule out the possibility of a run for public office.

"I don't have any plans to do that right now," she said. "I don't plan ahead. My kids are young, and I'm really happy to be able to be around. But I do care about issues, and I'm interested in them. So I don't see that now, but you know, I have a long life ahead of me."

The 51-year-old mother of three has still not spoken publicly about her interest in the job -- or whether, after months of campaign-trail conditioning, she might be comfortable with the idea of seeking election in her own right when Clinton's term ends.

CNN's Rebecca Sinderbrand and Monte Plott contributed to this story.

Friday, December 5, 2008

The Benefactor of the Ball

Va. Man Spends $1 Million on Inaugural Package for Disadvantaged


By Michael E. Ruane
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, December 4, 2008; Page A01

WASHINGTON - It was billed as the biggest, most eye-popping of the inauguration hotel packages: the JW Marriott's $1 million "build-your-own-ball" offer. You get 300 rooms, four suites, $200,000 worth of food and drink, and a primo site overlooking the Pennsylvania Avenue parade route.

And it was snapped up within hours of Barack Obama's election as president by a customer the hotel declined to identify.

This morning, the Marriott is scheduled to announce that the buyer is a Virginia businessman who wants to bring to the inauguration disadvantaged people, terminally ill patients, wounded soldiers and others down on their luck.

Earl W. Stafford, 60, of Fairfax County, the founder of a Centreville technology company who grew up as one of 12 children of a Baptist minister, said he will provide his guests lodging, food and special access, as well as beauticians, gowns and tuxedos, if necessary.

Stafford has paid the $1 million, a spokesman said, and is prepared to spend $600,000 more for a breakfast, a luncheon and two balls at the hotel. Stafford said he hopes to recoup some of the $600,000 from other sponsors, yet to be recruited.

"We wanted to . . . bless those who otherwise wouldn't have an opportunity to be a part of the great celebration, the inauguration and the festivities," he said in an interview yesterday. "Our objective is to bring in a cross-section of society -- those who are distressed, those who are terminally ill, those who are socially and economically disadvantaged, those veterans who are wounded and served our country."

Stafford said the idea was inspired by his deep religious faith and the good fortune that has come his way. The inauguration is an opportunity to remember the less fortunate and remind the country of its traditions of benevolence, he said.

"We've gotten away from those core values that made America great," he said yesterday at the headquarters of his company, Unitech, which provides weapons simulation systems to the military. "We just need to get back to caring about one another."

No charge for guests

The initiative, in its early stages, comes amid hard economic times, when many in the Washington region are seeking ways to make money on the inauguration -- be it hotels charging sky-high rates or residents renting out homes and apartments.

Stafford said his guests, yet to be chosen, will come from across the country. They can watch the parade from a heated tent atop the Marriott's terrace, with terrific views and every comfort available.

"We're not charging a dime," Stafford said.

"The People's Inauguration," as Stafford calls it, is scheduled to unfold Jan. 18, 19 and 20, with lodging all three nights. He said the initiative will be funded through the family's nonprofit Stafford Foundation, created in 2002; this will be its first major enterprise.

In addition to providing the hotel, at Pennsylvania Avenue and 14th Street NW, Stafford plans a prayer breakfast there the morning of the 19th -- Martin Luther King Jr. Day -- and a luncheon that day.

The next day, Inauguration Day, a youth ball is planned at the hotel, as well as a "People's Inaugural Ball."

Stafford said he wants at least 30 percent of those staying in his rooms and participating in the events to be disadvantaged or needy in some way. The remaining participants could be people from sponsoring foundations, contributing companies or volunteers.

He said he began thinking about the project in March. He voted for Obama, and records show he contributed $4,600 to his campaign. Stafford, a retired Air Force officer, noted that he does not agree with all of Obama's positions.

Still, he concluded that Obama could win the election and realized that the inauguration would be "a transition in history, if you will . . . and everyone should be included."

Stafford, who is black, said he views the election of the nation's first African American president as a moment that promises a renewed emphasis on the needs of people.

He said he is working with the National Urban League and the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, the country's premier black-oriented think tank, and will talk to the military services to help select the people to invite.

"We intend to reach out to some of the hospitals, some of the homeless shelters, some of the other social agencies who then will host these individuals, be responsible for these individuals coming in," he said.

"We'll provide the venue. We'll provide all the amenities and those type of things," he said. The partnering organizations, such as the Urban League, will be allocated a certain number of rooms for people they help select. "The Urban League will be responsible for their safety, their security, for bringing them in to Washington," he said.

"There will be those who are distressed and underserved mingling with people who aren't so," he said. The needy will be "our honored guests. That's who inspire us."

He wants gowns and tuxedos to be provided, and has hired beauticians "to make it special for these people coming in," he said.

Complex undertaking

Stafford grew up in Mount Holly, N.J., across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, where his father was a minister at the Second Baptist Church. He served for many years in the Air Force, where he was an air traffic controller, and said he gets chills when he hears the national anthem.

His company, which has been through hard times and good times, has 475 employees and expected revenue of $150 million this year, he said. Stafford founded it in the late 1980s. The firm did an array of work for the likes of NASA, almost went bust in the 1990s, recovered and began specializing in training and weapons simulation devices for the military. It now provides systems that use lasers to simulate the effects of gunfire during exercises and recently supplied the military with simulated makeshift bombs that soldiers can use to train.

Stafford is a tall man with graying hair who wears cuff links, peers over gold-rimmed glasses and still recalls the kindness of a tough high school homeroom teacher who once took him home for dinner. "He invested in me," he said.

Stafford attends Alexandria's Alfred Street Baptist Church, one of the oldest African American churches in the country.

His undertaking will be complex.

"It will definitely be a challenge," Ralph B. Everett, president of the D.C.-based Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, said in an e-mail. "But if anyone can make this happen, it's Earl Stafford. . . . We are determined to do everything possible to help Earl achieve his vision."

Stafford said he began shopping around for a suitable inauguration venue months ago. He tried the Newseum and the Willard Hotel, and was considering a smaller suite at the Hay Adams Hotel when he read a newspaper story about the Marriott's package. "The price tag was pretty stiff, but we felt that that's what the Lord would have us to do," he said.

"There's a saying in the Bible," he said. "To whom much is given, much is required."

Method to Thomas Madness on Obama Birth Certificate

The harebrained lawsuit demanding disclosure whether President elect Barack Obama is a U.S. citizen or not was laughed out of New Jersey courts in October. A few weeks later Supreme Court Justice David Souter gave it just as short shrift. He denied a stay to get Obama removed from the ballot in that state. But that didn't end the matter. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas saw to that. He took the almost never heard of step of reopening the issue by agreeing to put the matter to a conference vote. Thomas's ridiculous lone wolf effort to arm twist the justices to examine the birth certificate issue made no sense to most legal experts. Obama was born in Hawaii. And he has produced more than enough evidence to back that up.

But Thomas's legal meddle on the Obama birth certificate non-issue fits perfectly in with his jaundiced interpretation of law and its practice and his private vow to get revenge on his liberal tormentors. Obama is the latest would be victim. He almost certainly stirred Thomas's personal ire back in August. Obama was asked at a joint church gathering with Republican rival John McCain at the mega Saddleback church in Lake Forest, California which justice he wouldn't have nominated to the Supreme Court. He didn't hesitate. He named Thomas. And he told why.

"I don't think that he was a strong enough jurist or legal thinker at the time, for that elevation, setting aside the fact that I profoundly disagree with his interpretations of a lot of the constitution."
Even if Obama hadn't zinged Thomas publicly he still would have been in his sights. He is the polar opposite of Thomas. He's a moderate Democrat, a former civil rights attorney, and community organizer. He backs expanded government, affirmative action, abortion rights, a severely restricted use of the death penalty, and to the absolute horror of Thomas and hard line conservatives, he backs a broader interpretation of legal precepts.

Obama almost certainly would have joined the swollen chorus of civil rights and civil liberties groups that pounded Thomas during his High Court confirmation fight in 1991 for his anti-affirmative action, anti-abortion, and anti-prisoner rights views. The Senate confirmed him by the narrowest vote of any high court judge in recent confirmation history. The rebuke stung deeply, and Thomas didn't forget or forgive. In an American Enterprise Institute lecture in 2001, he wrapped himself in the martyr's garment and said that he expected to be treated badly for challenging liberal opinion.
When asked how long he'd stay on the court, he reportedly said that he'd stay there for next 43 years of his life. He was 43 at the time. In a more revealing aside, he supposedly quipped to friends that it would take him that long to get even. Whether that was hyperbole or an apocryphal tale, it hasn't taken him 43 years to wreak his revenge.

He has been a one man wrecking crew to expunge race from law and public policy decisions. But this is not simply one man's personal bitterness over his alleged mistreatment by liberals and civil rights leaders. Nor is it a case of Thomas digging his heels in to push his retrograde view on legal matters. He wants more judges to think and act like him on the bench. Obama has made it clear not only that he would not appoint another Thomas to the High Court but that the type of judges he'd appoint will be the diametric opposite of him. There's a good chance that he will have that chance, maybe two possibly three chances.

The court's liberals, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, John Paul Stevens, and Stephen Breyer, and the moderate to conservative Anthony Kennedy are in their seventies. Obama will likely pick likeminded judicially philosophical judges to replace one or more of them. This will decisively thwart Thomas and the conservative's on the court's counter revolution. A McCain win would have insured that there would be even more justices who would likely see eye to eye with Thomas on abortion, affirmative action, the death penalty, prisoner rights, and Bush's war on terrorism orders.

That didn't happen. But federal appeals courts in future years will still deal with the sensitive issues of abortion rights, minimum mandatory sentencing, DNA testing in capital cases, the search and seizure laws, and racial profiling. Those cases will ultimately wind there way up to the Supreme Court. The High Court's rulings and dissents in these cases can permanently reshape America's legal landscape, for good or bad.

Thomas' votes on these cases are predictable. Obama's White house win insures that there won't be other justices whose votes are just as predictable and in agreement with his. Thomas butt in in the Obama birth certificate non-issue is simply a thumb nose at Obama. There is method to madness.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. His forthcoming book is How Obama Won (Middle Passage Press, January 2009)

Oprah to Host Show in Washington During Inauguration Week

Originally posted Thursday December 04, 2008 03:30 PM EST



Oprah Winfrey has found a new – but temporary – home for her talk show.

The Chicago-based Oprah Winfrey Show will move to Washington, D.C., where Winfrey will host at least two episodes during Inauguration Week, Harpo Productions announced Thursday.

The talk show queen, 54, plans to air a live episode from the Kennedy Center Opera House the day before Barack Obama is sworn in as president. A second taping is scheduled for Wednesday Jan. 21 after the inauguration ceremony.

Information about ticketing will be posted next week on Oprah.com.

Winfrey, who has supported Obama, tells Extra, "There's always an open invitation for the President-elect and First Lady" to be guests on the show.

As for rumors that she never invited Sarah Palin, Winfrey reiterated that she said she "would be happy to talk to [her] when the election was over."

"I went and tried to talk to Sarah Palin and instead she talked to Greta Van Susteren," she says. "She talked to Matt Lauer. She talked to Larry King, but she didn't talk to me. But maybe she'll talk to me now that she has a book deal."

Controversy Over Obama's Eligibility For President Heats Up

POSTED: NOVEMBER 21, 2008 Cynthia Gordy

Photo Credits: AP

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The growing legal battle against President-elect Barack Obama's presidency is heading to the U.S. Supreme Court this week. The justices will decide whether or not to look into a lawsuit challenging Obama's citizenship. While the lawsuit is a continuation of a New Jersey case, the citizenship question has sparked a number of lawsuits from Obama's opponents.

Among those who have filed lawsuits is Alan Keyes, who ran an unsuccessful race against Barack Obama in 2004 for the Illinois Senate. Now, U.S. Associate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has taken an interest in the legal question and asked the rest of the bench to look into the case. Obama received dual citizenship since his father was a Kenyan-born national, which arguably doesn't qualify him as a "natural born citizen" as required by the U.S. Constitution.

A petition to stop the Electoral College from confirming Obama as the forty-fourth President of the United States on December 15 has already been rejected by Justice David Souter, but in a rare move, Thomas has stepped in and granted the case time before the high court in a conference scheduled for Friday.

ESSENCE.com spoke to Keyes about why he's challenging Obama's citizenship and if this whole lawsuit is just an overblown case of sour grapes.

ESSENCE.COM: What exactly do you want to accomplish with this lawsuit?
ALAN KEYES: I had read a little bit about the issues that were being raised about Obama back during the primary season. At first I thought, like a lot of people, "There's nothing to this. It's just a matter of fact. You can establish what the facts are." The Constitution specifies that a citizen who is naturalized, rather than born into the status of being an American citizen, cannot be president. That was done in the beginning because people feared a foreign takeover of the United States government by the process of immigration. Staid as it is, we again are in a situation where a lot of foreign entities have influence or control over U.S. policy.

The reason an issue has been raised about Obama is because of the simple question, which can be answered with a birth certificate that shows he was born in the United States, or born to parents who had the capacity to transmit U.S. citizenship. When the question was asked, he danced around it. If the most important office of the federal government can be occupied by someone who is not qualified under the United States Constitution, that destroys the authority of the Constitution. I think it's something that needs to be dealt with in a clear, straightforward way. Eventually the case will get to the Supreme Court, establish the facts, and clear the air. It's really all very simple.

ESSENCE.COM: The Obama campaign responded to these questions months ago by posting a birth certificate on his campaign Web site, showing that he was born in Hawaii.
KEYES:
A lot of questions have been raised about what they posted. It has to be established by a matter of fact, not by some Web site. The state of Hawaii needs to share the birth certificate with the Supreme Court, so they can take a look at it. When I went into the government as part of the United States foreign service, you had to submit an original copy of your birth certificate. People have been dancing around Obama's certification instead of going straight to the answer.

ESSENCE.COM: What's wrong with the birth certificate on his Web site?
KEYES:
Part of the problem is, at the time he was born, the state of Hawaii was issuing certificates of live birth. That's what he has on the Web site. They would issue that certificate verifying you were born, but not necessarily in the United States. And there is question that, at the time that he was born, his mother was not yet of age to transmit citizenship. You had to be 19, I think. If he was born in Hawaii, then he is a natural born citizen. If he was born somewhere else-and a question has been raised if his birth was in Kenya-then his mother would not have transmitted citizenship. One needs to verify that the certificate verifies the birthplace.

ESSENCE.COM: State officials from the health department of Hawaii have verified that they have Obama's birth records, and that he was indeed born in Hawaii. Do you think they're lying?
KEYES:
I don't think anything. Just let it be verified. This is not something that should be taken on hearsay. This is the most important office. Everything should be done without controversy, in such a way that the Constitutional requirements are met. If something is contrary to the Constitutional requirement, then you have to do away with that. It's not on Obama to do this. The folks with whom this burden presently rests are the officials who are now responsible for the process, who sit on the Supreme Court and other areas. They have to abide by their oaths to preserve and defend the Constitution, and not have him entering into office with a question they refuse to resolve.

ESSENCE.COM: Why didn't you bring this up earlier, during the campaign? Why wait until two months before the inauguration?
KEYES:
The election is the time when the people make the judgment, not government officials. The problem in this case is, Obama was not properly vetted-by the media, or other individuals-during the campaign. They refused to look at it. People went to the polls with the issue unresolved. Once the electoral process is done, then the responsibility for certifying the results and making sure it's all according to the Constitution rests on the officials. So we're at a different stage of the process. I don't believe it would be a good idea to turn to the government to establish the qualifications of people who are running for office. That could be abused to limit the options of the people. If people are behaving with integrity, these facts would come out and then people would be able to make their judgment. This didn't happen.

ESSENCE.COM: To a lot of people, your lawsuit looks like a case of sour grapes because you lost. Your response?
KEYES:
I think politics is irrelevant to this, actually. I don't see how it is showing fondness for Barack Obama to let him enter into office with a question that could be raised. He should not have to operate under that burden. I think the officials need to clear the air for his sake. From my point of view, it is a bad idea to have a president of the United States enter office with a cloud hanging over his head, where every time he tries to do something, he would end up frittering away time because of that objection. So let's get it over with. Let's resolve it and move forward with a clear an undisturbed mandate for the new president.

ESSENCE.COM: For argument's sake, let's say Obama is only a naturalized citizen, and was raised by Americans and grew up in the United States. What difference does that make to you?
KEYES:
It makes a difference to the Constitution. The Constitution has to be obeyed. If we get into a position where it is somehow regarded as dispensable then this country will fall apart. Black people should be the first folks to remember that. Without adherence to the Constitution our battles would have never been won. I don't want to live in a country where we are suddenly back in a world where the force of majority rules. I don't think any of us do.

ESSENCE.COM: Would you be in support of amending that section of the Constitution?
KEYES:
No, I would most certainly not. Today we are in more danger as a people of being subverted by foreign powers than we were when it was founded. It is possible, under our present rules in America, for folks from another country to come visit America, to have a child here, to take that child back to wherever, raise that child there, and that child would be an American citizen. Do we really think it would be right to have a person who has not lived in America, does not identify with our people, to run here as president of the United States?

ESSENCE.COM: That's a different situation from what's being questioned about Barack Obama.
KEYES:
Rules have to be written in general. You can't write a rule in every particular case. The rules established in the Constitution are general rules that have been abided by people throughout the history of this country. People have been excluded from running for president, people like Arnold Schwarzenegger. One has to think of the common good. This isn't a question of individuals anymore. The key thing about the presidency, in my opinion, is that the person above all takes responsibility for the common good of the country. Our public officials do not swear allegiance to a country; they swear an oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. That's something to be taken very seriously. Those are the rules.

celebrity report.....12-1-08

When the new season of Bravo's Real Housewives Of Atlanta returns, will it be renamed The BROKE Housewives Of Atlanta? Two of the stars are having serious financial problems. Nene Leakes the breakout star was recently evicted from her 5,000 square-foot, five-bedroom home. The Leakes family had to leave after owing $6,240 in back rent. Dang, I thought they owned the house! With all the fancy designer handbags and bling jewelry, they were renters? Aw dang! Nene is married to a real estate investor, and apparently they rented their home through a corporate deal that went south. So where is Nene living? She won't say. Maybe these questions will be answered next year during the new season of Atlanta Housewives. Sheree Whitfield, the mean, selfish housewife, is reportedly selling her mansion. She didn't get as much as she thought in her divorce settlement. Word has it she has also pulled her children out of their private schools. As much as I enjoyed this show, it makes me wonder were these women just frontin'? Tell me what you think.

What a year it has been for Oscar Winner Morgan Freeman. Later this month, he's getting honored along with Barbra Streisand as part of the Kennedy Center Honors. He's also getting a divorce from his wife of 24 years. Earlier this year, Freeman almost lost his life when he was involved in a car crash with a woman who wasn't his wife. The Freeman marriage has been troubled for a while. Morgan has reportedly moved in with another woman who was friends with his wife. Myrna Freeman decided she had had enough: Morgan, Keep Your Blonde! Just Show Me The Money! Myrna Freeman stands to get up to $170 million in a divorce settlement. Freeman has property around the world, and that's where his wealth derives. If this divorce costs as much as this, guess who'll be driving miss daisy now?

Speaking of the Kennedy Center Honors, Ne-Yo, Beyonce and Queen Latifah are all scheduled to take part in the festivities, which will air on CBS December 30th.

The hottest actress of the moment has to be Taraji P. Henson. She's co starring in the Brad Pitt movie The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button. The movie opens in theatres on Christmas Day. Henson plays his mom. Henson is also starring in the new Jamie Foxx-T.I. video Just Like Me. Henson is hysterical and she shows off her comedic skills. In addition to these projects, Henson is starring in the new T.D. Jakes' movie Not Easily Broken with Morris Chestnut and Jennifer Lewis. And, her latest Tyler Perry movie, The Family That Preys, is scheduled for DVD released in early 2009. I had a chance to talk to the beautiful actress, and she was a delight. Her first starring role was in the John Singleton movie Baby Boy, and she says her career has been on a role ever since. Henson is also best known for her role opposite Terrence Howard in the Oscar-nominated film Hustle And Flow.

Chicago police have officially charged William Balfour with the murders of Jennifer Hudson's family members. Balfour was the estranged husband of Jennifer's sister Julia. Balfour has been in custody since the night after the bodies of Hudson's mother and brother were found. A couple of days later, the 7-year old nephew was found murdered. Did Balfour confess to being at the scene of the crime to his current pregnant girlfriend? Did Balfour have an accomplice? He faces life imprisonment if convicted. In the meantime, the sisters are at odds on what to do with the house where the family was murdered. Jennifer wants the house torn down, but her sister Julia wants to continue living there.

Soul Train Founder Don Cornelius is in a lot of trouble for assaulting his wife, and he could windup in jail. Who is this woman? Friends say the trouble for Cornelius started when he married Viktoria Chapman-Cornelius, a Russian model who is much younger than him. Chapman loves to party, and she and Cornelius hosted wild private parties. What provoked the attack? Cornelius has been ordered to stay away from his young wife. Will the couple divorce? Will she get his money if he goes to jail? Cornelius faces up to five years in jail for assaulting his wife. He also had to turn in his massive gun collection.

The Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin is teaming up with Sean "Diddy" Combs for a new talent show. The Queen and the hip hop mogul will be searching the country for talented R&B and hip hop stars. Unlike most competitions where an audience decides the winner, Franklin and Diddy will pick the winners. Now speaking of the man formerly known as "Puffy," he wants to be the first black James Bond. He has reportedly spent thousands on an audition tape showing him in exotic locales surrounded by beautiful women.

This was not a good week for Cedric The Entertainer. His first attempt at Broadway failed. His stage play with John Leguizamo, American Buffalo, opened and closed the same week. In a weak The weak economy, Broadway's box office has been hit hard.

Gabrielle Union has just signed a TV deal with NBC. Union is in a development deal to play a detective. She is no stranger to TV despite her big screen success. Back in 2005, she co-starred in the ABC Nightstalker show and last year she was in Ugly Betty. Union is best known for her big screen movies including Bring It On, Daddy's Little Girls, Deliver Us From Eva and Bad Boys II.

Speaking of our girl Gabby and the movies, this week, she and Beyonce team up with Oscar Winner Adrian Brody and Jeffrey Wright for the movie Cadillac Records. Beyonce is playing the Legendary Etta James.

Actor Courtney B. Vance has also signed a TV deal but with ABC for the new series Flash Forward. Vance was recently on the hit NBC show ER with his wife Angela Bassett.

Mike Tyson in trouble again? YES! Tyson ran his car into a friend's gate on Thanksgiving. Tyson's Escalade tore the gate down in Las Vegas. He got a ticket from police. What a way to greet guests for the holidays.

The January editions of Essence and Ebony magazines will be collectors' editions. President Elect Barack Obama will be on the cover of Ebony. This is his first print interview since being elected as the first African American President Of The United States. This issue will also feature never before seen photos. Michelle Obama graces the new issue of Essence. Our future first lady looks fabulous. These issues are on newsstands this week.

Tyler Perry has given up his fighting with the unions. He will now be employing union workers. Perry caught a lot of flak after he fired several non union workers. The situation actually got messy with protests and picketing outside his Atlanta studios. Perry recently signed deals with various unions including Writers Guild (WGA), Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Teamsters unions.

After 29 years, get ready for more FAME. The 1980 hit movie with Irene Cara is being remade with Debbie Allen, who will act as the principal of the performing arts school. The cast will also include Actors Charles S. Dutton and Kelsey Grammer. The movie is due out next September.

Another familiar story returning to the big screen in the form of a sequel is Beverly Hills Cop IV. Director Brett Ratner says his version, with Eddie Murphy investigating the death of his partner, will open in theatres in 2010.

Is singer Ciara set to become a Victoria Secret model? The popular singer is being courted to become the newest spokesperson.

Congrats to the McNabb family. Eagles Quarterback Donovan McNabb and his wife Roxie are the proud parents of twins. The boy and girl were born this week. The McNabbs also have a four year-old daughter.

The 15th Annual Essence Music Festival is set for July 3rd, 4th and 5th in New Orleans. Beyonce is the first musical guest announced. There will also be seminars featuring Prophetess Juanita Bynum and Roland Martin. Plus, there'll be an all star tribute to Bishop T.D. Jakes.

Will Smith has been named one of the Most Fascinating People Of 2008. The Barbara Walters Special airs December 4th on ABC. Tom Cruise, Miley Cyrus, Tina Fey, and Michael Phelps are also featured.

Toni Braxton will continue with Dancing With The Stars, but not on the small screen. Braxton has joined the touring company, and their Philadelphia stop will be in February.

The new season of American Idol: Season Number 8 kicks off January 13-14th.

For its 50th anniversary, Motown Records is releasing a new box set of songs that the fans have picked. The box set is due December 9th. The 10 disc CD will feature 191 songs from your favorite Motown stars including Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells and Martha & The Vandellas, to name a few.

Queen Latifah will be hosting the 35th Annual People's Choice Awards to be held January 7th on CBS.

The 40th Annual NAACP Image Awards will take place on February 12th.

Lionel Richie is getting ready to release his new CD next year. Richie will be teaming up with Singer/Songwriter Ne-Yo for his next CD entitled Just Go.

Musiq (Soulchild) returns with his latest CD, On My Radio, on December 9th. The CD features his hit duet with Mary J. Blige, If U Leave.

Lee Daniels latest movie with Mariah Carey, Tennessee, opens in theatres December 19th

Sinbad and Yolanda Adams will be hosting the 21st Annual Stellar Awards. Gospel Sensation Marvin Sapp is leading the pack with nine nominations including song and male vocal. The show is taking place January 17th.

The movie, Notorious, based on the life of Rapper Biggie Smalls, a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G., is gearing up for its release, which is scheduled for January 16th, 2009. Angela Bassett will be playing Biggie's mom, Volletta Wallace.

The Whispers are coming out with a holiday DVD. The famed singing group has been performing for over 45 years. Christmas With The Whispers features holiday classic and interviews.

WHAT'S THE UNDERGROUND BUZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He's an NBA Superstar who most likely will never win a championship. Now that he's in a new city, he's back to his old bad habits of missing practice and cheating on his wife.
?????
Is this Pop Diva really pregnant, or is this just another publicity stunt for her stalled career? P.S. …..if she really is pregnant, this won't be her first child. Hmmmmmmm!
??????
This woman is so desperate to hang on to a faded Singer that she will go along with his lame publicity stunts. This Singer is still in love with his ex-wife, and needs her to help his stalled career. At the moment, he is using his current girlfriend to help him get back with his ex.
?????
Also no one guessed the ones from last week so here they are again....
WHAT'S THE UNDERGROUND BUZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He is one of the biggest stars of the moment, but his private life is catching up to him. He has to be careful about how he treats people because those same people are ready to cash in on what they know about him and tell the truth for money.
??????

This guy is a Hollywood heartthrob, but he's having a hard time with the ladies. Apparently, his reputation is caching up to him. He's a jerk who loves them and leaves them broke.
??????