I had a lot of fun watching the new Vh-1 show, “Going for Broke,” starring comedian Eddie Griffin. Griffin is one of the funniest comics in America, the comedian that Chris Tucker could have been (if he would simply stop disappearing between Jackie Chan movies).
On the show, Griffin gives insight into his personal life, which is both intriguing and disturbing. The show is called “Going for Broke” for a reason, because Eddie just might actually get there. Here are some reasons that Eddie Griffin might actually become the broke celebrity that he is trying to become:
1) He spends like a damn fool. One of the easiest traps for an entertainer to fall into is the “infinite money trap.” That’s when the person thinks that they’ve got an endless supply of cash, giving them ability to spend whatever they want on whatever they want. Apparently Eddie may have fallen into this trap, since his Bentley was being repossessed in an early episode of the show. Eddie’s conversation with his accountant was also revealing, as the words “all the accounts are empty” seemed to strike him hard. With all the success that Eddie Griffin has had, it is difficult to imagine that he would be completely broke. But the truth is that this kind of thing happens all the time.
2) Can you say “8 kids and 4 baby’s mamas”? Eddie’s mother was right when she mentioned that any new potential “baby mamas” were looking to “get on the “Eddie Griffin financial plan.” What Eddie also seems to forget is that even if you are well to do, child support is a horrible financial burden. There are ways to be involved in the lives of children without giving up all your money in order to do so.
3) He seems to put himself into bad situations. The first episode I saw showed scenes of Eddie going to a plastic surgeon after having a champagne glass smashed against his face by a “fan.” I’ve honestly got a few fans, but I don’t think any of them would want to slam a glass against my face. Maybe he should change the word “fan” to “hater,” “enemy,” or “potential threat.” Either way, Eddie seemed to feel that his life was somehow cursed with bad energy. Instead, he might take a second to realize that his personal choices might be the reasons he is being put into such peculiar situations.
When it comes to Eddie Griffin and his new show, the bottom line is this: If you think that Eddie is now doing fine because he has a new Vh-1 show, think again. The networks don’t pay the entertainers much to do these shows, and the shows don’t usually last for a very long time. Also, unless you’re Bill Gates, you can’t presume that you’ve got a seemingly endless supply of disposable income. The fact that Eddie didn’t know he was out of money implies that he probably doesn’t keep a budget, which is one of the first paths toward financial ruin. Given that one of Eddie’s predecessors, Red Foxx, died deeply in debt to the IRS, one would hope that Eddie doesn’t endure that same fate. Eddie’s my man, funny as hell, but he’s really got to get it together.
She may have been a no-show at the Toronto International Festival earlier this week, but Mo’Nique partied it up with the likes of Vogue Editor-at-Large Andre Leon Talley at the Sugar Bar last night. The incredibly shrinking funnywoman dined on buttery shrimp, sidestepped to the live music (with a bodyguard standing shielding her = insane to observe), cut up on the microphone and welcomed the black media with open arms at an exclusive soiree celebrating her upcoming BET late-night talk show, which premieres Oct. 5.
Aside from the new show, which we hear may draw comparisons to Arsenio Hall’s groundbreaking 1990s chat fest, the former star of ‘The Parkers’ is looking forward to a busy season. Her performance in the Oprah Winfrey/Tyler Perry-produced drama ‘Precious: Based on the Novel Push’ has garnered early Oscar buzz. It has also brought a tinge of scandal, too. This week, a source told Roger Friedman of the Hollywood Reporter that the 41-year-old actress asked for $100,000 at one point to show up to the festival with the rest of the cast. Of course, a rep for Lionsgate (the studio will release the film on Nov. 6) downplayed that tidbit with talk of “scheduling conflicts.” Hmmm. Winfrey, Perry and the diva Mariah Carey all showed up. And no one could possibly be busier than those three. They were all in New York City last night, too, but were nowhere near the Sugar Bar. When probed about the movie’s shining star, the film’s director told a room full of Toronto Festival journalists, “She’s at home eating some potato chips with her kids.” Ummmmm. Okay.
Last night, however, Mo’Nique seemed to be in her own mode at the Ashford & Simpson-owned hot spot. She wasn’t talking about Toronto drama. Actually, come to think of it, she didn’t say much at all in the watering hole’s tight quarters. The ‘Original Queen of Comedy’ did commend ‘Precious’ filmmakers for believing in her, along with BET honchos Debra Lee, Stephen Hill and Loretha Jones.
Spike Lee Besides Woody Allen, no other filmmaker has had more films on the big screen in the last 20 years than Lee. From ‘She’s Gotta Have It’ to ‘Jungle Fever’ to the critically acclaimed and Oscar-nominated ‘Do The Right Thing,’ Lee’s production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced more than 35 films since 1983. In 2008, the Atlanta native released his latest film, ‘Miracle at St. Anna,’ a story about blacks fighting in WWII that stars Derek Luke and Michael Ealy.
Oscar Micheaux As the pioneer of Black filmmakers, this Metropolis, Illinois, native revolutionized the film industry when he formed his own movie production company and, in 1919, became the first Black to make a film. He wrote, directed and produced the silent motion picture ‘The Homesteader’ and then introduced the film world to Paul Robeson in ‘Body and Soul.’ In 1986, the Directors Guild of America honored Micheaux with a Golden Jubilee Special Award, and today the Oscar Micheaux Award is presented each year by the Producers Guild.
Robert Townsend Primarily known as a comedian, this Chicago native established himself when he wrote, directed, produced and starred in the comedy ‘Hollywood Shuffle,’ his 1987 film about struggling black actors. He also created and produced the CableACE award-winning ‘Robert Townsend and His Partners in Crime’ for HBO. His best film to date is the 1991 musical ‘The Five Heartbeats.’ Townsend recently directed the documentary ‘Why We Laugh,’ a story on black comedians and their impact in America.
Bill Duke Known for his imposing 6-foot-6-inch figure and action films such as 1987’s ‘Predator,’ the Poughkeepsie, New York, native began directing feature-length films in the 1990s with the crime dramas ‘A Rage in Harlem,’ ‘Deep Cover’ and ‘Hoodlum.’ In 2007, Duke directed ‘Cover,’ which starred Vivica A. Fox, and most recently ‘Not Easily Broken,’ which is based on a T.D Jakes novel and stars Morris Chestnut and Taraji P. Henson.
Ossie Davis As a pioneer in the film business and a legend in the Black community, Davis was an actor, director, poet, playwright, writer and social activist whose career spanned nearly 50 years. Davis directed numerous films during the blaxploitation era, including 1970’s ‘Cotton Comes to Harlem’ and 1973’s ‘Gordon’s War.’ Along with wife Ruby Dee, the Georgia native starred in many movies, including several of director Spike Lee’s films such as ‘Do The Right Thing,’ ‘Jungle Fever’ and ‘She Hate Me.’
Melvin Van Peebles This Chicago actor, director, screenwriter, playwright, novelist and composer is most famously known for his contribution to the blaxploitation era with the independently financed and critically acclaimed film ‘Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song.’ The 1971 film was written, produced, scored, directed by and starred Van Peebles and tells the story of a deprived Black man on his escape from the white authority. The father of actor/ director Mario, in 2008, Melvin completed the film ‘Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha,’ which played at various film festivals.
Julie Dash In 1991, this Queens, New York, native’s film ‘Daughters of the Dust,’ which tells the story of three generations of Gullah women at the turn of the 20th century, was the first full-length film with general theatrical release in the United States by an Black woman. In 2004, the film was included in the National Film Registry.
F. Gary Gray Having directed more than 30 music videos for artists such as Ice Cube, Queen Latifah, TLC, Dr. Dre and Mary J. Blige, and winning several awards for his work, the New York native moved into the film world with the cult favorite ‘Friday,’ starring Ice Cube and Chris Tucker. He then followed that film with another fan favorite, ‘Set It Off,’ with Queen Latifah, Vivica A. Fox and Jada Pinkett Smith, before moving on to big budgeted films such as ‘The Negotiator,’ ‘The Italian Job’ and ‘Be Cool.’ His next feature is slated to be ‘Marvin: The Life Story of Marvin Gaye.’
Forest Whitaker An Academy Award winner for his performance as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the 2006 film ‘The Last King of Scotland’, the Longview, Texas, native has directed many films, including the fan favorite 1995’s ‘Waiting to Exhale,’ based on the Terry McMillan novel of the same name. Other directorial films from Whitaker include ‘Hope Floats’ and ‘First Daughter.’
Lee Daniels Beginning his career in entertainment as a casting director and manager, the Philadelphia native worked on projects such as ‘Under the Cherry Moon’ and ‘Purple Rain,’ both of which starred Prince, before hitting the jackpot with his production of ‘Monster’s Ball’ in 2001. That film garnered Halle Berry a best actress Oscar, making her the first Black woman to do so. In 2006, Daniels made his directorial debut with ‘Shadowboxer,’ which starred Oscar winners Cuba Gooding, Jr., and Helen Mirren. Just recently, in January 2009, his latest directing gig, ‘Push,’ won three awards at the Sundance Film Festival, including best film.
Mo’Nique
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Everyone and their mother (and even the P.O.T.U.S.) seemed to have some sideways comment about Kanye West’s messy spectacle at the MTV Video Music Awards — as if he was videotaped urinating on underage girls; as if he was accused of sexual assault by a Colorado hotel employee; as if he lumped up his beautiful Cover Girl model girlfriend on the streets of Los Angeles … but I digress.
Joining in the fray is Angelo Ellerbee, an esteemed public relations veteran.
In an eyebrow-raising interview with Out magazine, the New Jersey native – who has worked with virtually everyone in black entertainment from, Dionne Warwick to DMX, spoke his piece about the highly publicized debacle: “This is a problem! You can talk about how it’s liquor, but liquor just makes you do what you want to do. It’s an excuse. His mother dying, the liquor — they’re all excuses. You need to go and get some help. You need to come to me for a week. That’s what you need to do!”
Another nugget from Ellerbee, who has garnered praise for media coaching and teaching celebrities proper etiquette: “It angers me to think that we’ve come so far and then our black president is shouted at and called a liar and nobody wants to do anything because no one wants to ruffle any feathers. You know what? I’ve got nothing but feathers to ruffle. I’m tired of this. When I worked with Mary J. Blige, people said it was the hardest thing to do and it would never happen. But life is not a cup of instant coffee. It’s brewed coffee. It’s brewed over time. Look where she’s at today!”
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Before Wanda Sykes starts hosting her late-night show on FOX this fall, audiences will get to see her on HBO. The Emmy Award-winning comedienne returns to the network for her second solo special, ‘Wanda Sykes: I’m a Be Me,’ debuting Oct. 10 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Taped last month before a live audience at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C., the special will feature the brazen funnywoman performing material featured in her national stand-up tour. She addresses such topics as having a new “cool” black president, coming out as a lesbian, the real Michelle Obama, being a new mom, getting her first bikini wax, health care town halls, pirates and working as an entertainer on a gay cruise. Named one of Entertainment Weekly’s “25 Funniest People in America,” the ‘New Adventures of Old Christine’ star recently hosted the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
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Grammy-Award winning neo-soul powerhouse Jill Scott, Obie Award-winning actress Yvette Freeman and Emmy Award-winning producer Shonda Rimes have some irons in the fire. Scott has been cast as the lead in Lifetime Television’s telefilm ‘Sins of the Mother,’ about a grad student who returns home to face her abusive, alcoholic mother. Scott, who recently helmed the critically acclaimed HBO series ‘Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency’ (now on DVD), will play the mother. According to ‘Variety,’ production began this week, and a 2010 premiere is slated.
She played nurse Haleh for 15 years on the TV drama ‘ER,’ but Freeman is a master at theater. This week, the Obie Award-winning Delaware nativestars in McCarter Theatre Center‘s production of Emily Mann’s ‘Having Our Say,’ based on the memoir about civil rights pioneers Sadie and Bessie Delany. The multiple-award-winning play officially opened Sept. 17 and will continue at the Princeton University venue through Oct. 18.
‘Grey’s Anatomy’ creator Rimes will produce a Miramax Films project adapted from journalist Helena Andrews‘ upcoming memoir ‘Bitch is the New Black,’ a satirical look at the new generation of young, successful black women in Washington, D.C. Andrews, a culture columnist for TheRoot.com, has been tapped to pen the screenplay.
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Roxanne Shante, who was recently embroiled in a sordid scandal about whether Warner Bros. Records financed her alleged college education, sounded an alarm about a serious women’s health issue earlier this week. Via her Facebook page, the Queens, N.Y., native wrote: “Sisters, it is very important that you get mammograms. I am not going to put my personal business out here. But just know I am speaking from a place and situation that I don’t want to see any of you in. If anyone here is a breast cancer survivor I would love to hear from you. Life Begins at 40.”
When reached for comment, the former Cold Chillin’ Records rap diva (nee Lolita Gooden), who many consider the “First Lady of Rap,” did not respond. But today, she wrote: “Okay, let me explain. I wanted to share my situation because someone reading this needs to know they are not alone. Or they need to go and get a mammogram. We always put ourselves on the back burner for family, work, friends, etc. Put your health 1st today. As for me, I will be fine. God is good and has given me a guarantee. Plus, to worry is a sin, and I have committed enough of those so I don’t worry. Lol.” Her 40th birthday is Nov. 9.