Black Man Black Woman

Tag: film

  • Chris Rock Gets Real Sensitive About AOL and Good Hair

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    Maybe everybody hates Chris, but I don’t hate him at all. Most of us know Chris Rock for the genius that he is, and the way he intelligently and hilariously describes the world around us. So, you can imagine my dismay when I got a call from Charlamagne Tha God, morning host for 100.3 “The Beat” in Philadelphia, who told me that Chris Rock had some choice words for AOL Black Voices and the criticism he has received for his film, “Good Hair.”

    Chris seemed to feel that those claiming that the movie bombed at the box office were incorrect, since the film was only released in a few theaters. He even (accurately) explains that saying his film bombed is like “comparing the movie ‘He Got Game’ to ‘Star Wars’.” Good point. Here are some other issues that Chris brought up and how some of these issues relate to wealth, power and ownership.

    Chris discusses how difficult it is to do shows, commentary and films for a black audience. This is true, given that African American audiences are not as large as non-black and global audiences. In fact, when Ice Cube (my favorite rapper) released “Janky Promoters,” one of the statements made by an executive at the studio was that black movies have almost no global sales market. I am not sure if this was a racist fact or not, but it certainly is a fact.

    Chris’ interview (below) was quite intriguing for a number of reasons:

    1) He was criticized for saying that Oprah looks like a slave in one of her pictures. He says that he wasn’t saying that she looks like a slave (Oprah is one of his wealthy and powerful friends, he wouldn’t be that stupid – I learned firsthand about the backlash you can get from criticizing Oprah); he was saying that the picture was so old that it looked like a slave picture.

    2) Chris seemed incredibly emotional and highly flustered in the interview. I am not sure if this is an act, but I certainly hope it is. Chris Rock is a vet in the game, and I’d be shocked that he would be so sensitive about criticism for his film. Chris sounds like he needs a hug from his mama. If his mama is not available, he can borrow mine.

    3) Chris mentions in film that black men can be portrayed any old way, while people seem very sensitive to any portrayals of black women that are in the least bit critical. I actually agree with Chris when he says that anyone who criticizes his film needs to see it first. Also, being critical of black women is not exactly a popular thing to do – I find it interesting that all the problems of the black family and black relationships mentioned in Essence Magazine tend to be blamed almost entirely on men. The truth is that in a community, it takes two genders to Tango.

    4) Chris is a businessman: He mentioned that he would not release a film about black women if black women didn’t like it. During survey testing, he claims that 99 out of 100 black women like the film. The lesson here is that most products are not released to the public unless they are fully market tested. Also, the size and scope of the African American market makes room for a small number of films. At the same time, it is my hope that Chris Rock and others will take ownership of the film making process to ensure that more movies are made for black audiences, using appropriate images. Anyone who saw the “ghetto girl” in the cinematic flop “Couples Retreat” knows what I’m talking about.

    5) He seems to have a bit of a beef with AOL Black Voices. When asked about critical comments that Chris received in AOL BV, the entertainer went back into “Need-a-hug-from-mama” mode. I have two things to say to Chris: First, AOL Black Voices is PLURAL, implying that there is no one voice, but many who represent a variety of viewpoints. I, for one, think that Chris Rock’s work is outstanding, but I don’t represent all opinions on this site. Secondly, if Chris has a concern with comments that have been made, he should do what he did today – stand up for himself!

    In China, they have a saying, “The fattest pig will always get slaughtered.” Chris my man, you’re the fat pig – so don’t be surprised when the haters come out to turn you into pork chops. But make sure you also remember that everybody doesn’t hate Chris, a lot of people think you’re pretty cool.

    Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University and author of the forthcoming book, “Black American Money.” To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.

     

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  • Lee Naijar: ‘Real Housewives’ Mysterious "Big Poppa" Reportedly Selling Atlanta Mansion

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    Real HousewivesThe palatial Atlanta mansion of Lee Najjar, the alleged boyfriend of ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ star Kim Zolciak, is on the market for $25 million.

    BV Newswire previously reported that Zolciak and her on-again-off-again wealthy boyfriend (pictured left with music/film producer Dallas Austin) had split. The hit Bravo reality series has recently centered on the couple’s relationship despite Najjar being legally married.

    His children, Katelin and Jamen, were featured on the MTV series ‘Teen Cribs’ earlier this year, where they let MTV cameras in on their luxurious digs. Earlier this year, portions of the film ‘Zombieland‘ were reportedly shot on-location at Najjar’s home.

    According to Buckhead.net, the home, which was built as a summer cottage in 1914, sold in 2004 for $2.74 million.

    Rodney Ho, of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper’s Radio and TV Talk blog, reports that the home is being marketed through Christie’s and other high-end magazines to attract a foreign buyer. The nine-bedroom estate, which boasts a movie theater, music studio, beauty salon, game room, basketball court and countless other amenities, would be the first home to sell in the Atlanta secondary market for more than $10 million.

    As for his relationship with Zolciak, although the mother of two told Usmagazine.com that they had split on Oct. 14. She went on to tell other media: “We are on and off…very tricky right now.”

    The ‘Tardy for the Party’ singer has also been recently spotted wearing the engagement ring that the real estate mogul gave her — on her right hand.

    There is no word on whether Najjar and his wife – whose name is coincidentally Kimberly – are still married.

     

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  • Zoe "Everyone Else Can Go F–k Themselves"

    Posted by: BlogXilla

    Zoe Saldana grabs onto Aussie co-star Sam Worthington at the premiere of their new James Cameron-director film Avatar in Tokyo on Saturday (October 17).

    Zoe recently told Esquire, “Sam is very manly. There’s something about Aussies. They’re potent and intense but also very giving. Australian men remind me of Dominican men, I guess. They come here and all they have is the shirt on their back and passion, and it’s like everyone else can go f–k themselves. I love that.”

    Click Here For more pics & Full Story

  • Taimak: ‘Last Dragon’ Star Talks About Life After Defining Role

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    The Last Dragon Star Taimak Guarriello Then & Now Whatever Happened To Taimak Eboyne Jackson Interviews Taimak
    Almost 25 years after ‘The Last Dragon’ was released in theaters, a remake (starring Samuel L. Jackson) is in the works. But people often wonder whatever happened to the heartthrob who played Bruce Leroy. Taimak Guarriello, who portrayed the young, gorgeous, soft-spoken marital arts genius, is still alive and kicking (literally). He’s still very much the handsome brother who made many women swoon in the Berry Gordy-produced cult classic, which also starred Vanity.

    Guarriello is the subject of TV One’s new docu-series ‘Life After,’ which premieres Oct. 4 at 10 p.m. BV Newswire caught up with the would-be Hollywood superstar to find out what he’s been up to.


    The Last Dragon

    Tell us about landing the role of Bruce Leroy.

    I was a young guy living in New York, and I was in a place where I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I was kickboxing, and there really was no money in it. I was searching. I always had a dream of being an action star, and then this movie came up, and they were looking for people all over the country. Thousands of people came out to the auditions. It was a big deal, very much like the remake now. When they started casting it, there were thousands of guys wanting to be Bruce Leroy, and I was one of them.

    You had to audition twice for the role. Did you bomb the first time?

    It really was a funny story! It was my first audition, and I didn’t have experience as a professional actor. I didn’t know how to prepare for an audition. It was a lot different from doing school plays. So when I went in there, I was totally unprepared, and I was stiff. They gave me a piece of the script and said, “Okay, let’s go.” I had no concept of giving a cold reading. The casting person said, “You look the role, but you need to work on it.” I could hear the cynicism in his voice, like “he’ll never be back.” In the interim, they were still looking for their ideal Bruce Leroy, and they hadn’t had any success. I was always the type of guy that would never quit until the end. I choose when the end is right. So I began to work on it, with the support of my father and my best friend at that time. They instilled this belief in me that was so profound. I was at this crossroads in my life, and there was no doubt in my mind that this role was made for me. When I went in and knocked on the door again, the casting director was taken aback, and when I started reading, immediately his eyes started getting big. Then he had me meet with the rest of the cast, and then eventually, I met with Berry Gordy. When he saw me, he fell in love with me right away.

    What was your life like after ‘The Last Dragon’?

    There were the pros and cons, and then there was the reality. It was 1985, and the problem was there was an expectation. It was one of the biggest movies in the country, and there were no big actors in it. I was naive to the ways Hollywood represented black men. And I thought that because you star in a movie that does well that there would be another opportunity. Hollywood didn’t have a structure for someone like me to step into.

    So you didn’t have any mentors, there was no one in the industry who saw your potential and decided to take you under their wing?

    Berry Gordy, at that time, was going through a transition with Motown. He had a desire to help me, but there were some issues he was dealing with within his own label. Berry Gordy was a great influence on me. He told me that there were only a few people that he thought had what I had — Michael Jackson and a few others, you know. But it was very different back then. There were musicians like Michael Jackson, but there weren’t many young men of color, few that you could think of, that were playing a leading male movie role. Berry Gordy was basically being my mentor. But even though I loved him, I was too young to really make a quick decision on how to sustain my career.

    Do you feel like your reservations earlier on might have affected your career?

    Berry Gordy and I were developing our relationship to do future work. He wanted to make a huge impact in the film world when no other black company was doing that. I, as well as Hollywood, wasn’t moving as quickly as Berry Gordy’s vision. And because of that, he decided to step away from the film world and focus on other things with his company. And, honestly, at that point, that was the last big real attempt to bring black actors in film, and, at that time, he was the one who had that power. But it wasn’t enough unfortunately. He is an extraordinary man, a visionary. Hollywood just wasn’t ready to embrace the vision he had at the time. He needed Hollywood to be behind him in order for him to do what he needed to do.

    What was it that got you through that difficult periods in your life?

    After ‘The Last Dragon,’ after having so many years of Hollywood, after people — black and white — were not there for me as I thought they would be, I basically looked within and found my own drive, my own survival instincts, that told me if there is anything that I want out of life, then it’s up to me to create it.

    Do you still keep in touch with Berry Gordy or any of the other cast members of ‘The Last Dragon’?

    Yes, Berry Gordy and his family have reached out to me about the remake of ‘The Last Dragon,’ so we’ve been in touch in regard to that. I haven’t been in touch with Denise Matthews, who played Vanity, in about five years. I was in touch with Julius Carry up until he died, and since then, I have been in touch with his mother. She contacted me an hour after he died. It was very touching. There was definitely a connection between Julius and me, in the sense that we both had broken into Hollywood with one film in a big way.

    Are you going to appear in ‘The Last Dragon ‘ remake?

    I can’t give all the details, but I do know what role I am playing. I can say that it will be a surprise. Samuel L. Jackson is already signed to play Sho’nuff. The story isn’t going to be as comical as it was in the first one, but it will be very exciting. I am looking to read the rewrite of the script next month. I know that Devon Franklin, over at Sony, and Kerry Gordy really want to do a great job, so they’re really focusing in on the story.

    Are there any other projects that you are pursuing right now?

    Throughout the years, I have continued to perfect my craft and do theater whenever I can. I had an opportunity to work with a great director who has a big name out here in New York. We did a play that broke him out in a big way, and it’s called ‘Road House,’ which was a comedy rendition of Patrick Swayze’s movie. It was so hilarious, and I had so much fun doing it. And I told the director, Timothy Haskell, that I always wanted to work with him again. So he called me this summer, and he told me about a project he is working on with Eric Saunders, and he wants me to star in it along with these wonderful actors. The play is called ‘Last Life’ and will debut in December at a film festival. I am also looking to direct a one-act play that will open in the first week of November.

    What do you find most fulfilling about inspiring young adults to dream bigger through marital arts?

    What I am about is achieving happiness. I have found that gratitude is the key to everything. I realized that in order for me to be happy, to be fit mentally, spiritually, physically, I have to give my heart to young people and inspire them to win in life. It’s my integrity to be able to make a difference, to make them see that they can have anything that they want out of life. Right now, when I look at my life, I see that I have a beautiful apartment here in New York City. I have a great family, and I have great fans. I have the ability to do anything.

    BlackVoices.com‘s Top 30 Sexiest Black Film Actors Of All Time. Check out how they ranked.

    Mel B Pictures

      In this photo provided by Kraft Foods, Spice Girl “Mel B” poses for a photo wearing a T-shirt she designed based on the classic pink ribbon used for breast cancer awareness, after a fashion show and launch of “Pose for the Cure” web site to help Kraft Foods raise money for the ‘Susan G. Komen for the Cure’ fight against breast cancer in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2008. The shirt is for sale on the web site and the net proceeds will benefit the foundation. (AP Photo/Kraft Foods, Ray Stubblebine) **NO SALES**

      AP

      In this photo provided by Kraft Foods, Spice Girl “Mel B” poses for a photo wearing a T-shirt she designed based on the classic pink ribbon used for breast cancer awareness, after a fashion show and launch of “Pose for the Cure” web site to help Kraft Foods raise money for the ‘Susan G. Komen for the Cure’ fight against breast cancer in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2008. The shirt is for sale on the web site and the net proceeds will benefit the foundation. (AP Photo/Kraft Foods, Ray Stubblebine) **NO SALES**

      AP

      In this undated image released by Oxfam Tuesday Sept. 23, 2008, British singer Mel B participates in the ‘In My Name’ global campaign calling for action against poverty and demanding world leaders keep their promises on millennium development goals. (AP Photo/Oxfam, HO) ** NO SALES **

      AP

      In this photo provided by Kraft Foods, Spice Girl Mel B, left, serves as the emcee at a fashion show and launch of “Pose for the Cure” web site to help Kraft Foods raise money for the ‘Susan G. Komen for the Cure’ fight against breast cancer in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2008. Mel B wears a T-shirt she designed based on the classic pink ribbon used for breast cancer awareness. The shirt is for sale on the web site and the net proceeds will benefit the foundation. The woman at right is unidentified. (AP Photo/Kraft Foods, Ray Stubblebine) **NO SALES**

      AP

      NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 09: TV personality and designer Khloe Kardashian and Olympic-level swimmer and model Amanda Beard (R) pose backstage at the Mel B With Ultimo Spring 2009 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at the Metropolitan Pavilion on September 9, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images )

      Getty Images

      NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 09: Ultimo Scottish designer lingerie brand founder Michelle Mone (L) and pop singer Melanie Brown pose backstage at the Mel B With Ultimo Spring 2009 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at the Metropolitan Pavilion on September 9, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images )

      Getty Images

      NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 09: Pop singer Melanie Brown poses backstage at the Mel B With Ultimo Spring 2009 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at the Metropolitan Pavilion on September 9, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images )

      Getty Images

      NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 09: Pop singer Melanie Brown and Olympic-level swimmer and model Amanda Beard (R) pose backstage at the Mel B With Ultimo Spring 2009 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at the Metropolitan Pavilion on September 9, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images )

      Getty Images

      NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 09: Pop singer Melanie Brown and singer Aubrey O’Day (R) poses backstage at the Mel B With Ultimo Spring 2009 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at the Metropolitan Pavilion on September 9, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images )

      Getty Images

      NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 09: Pop singer Melanie Brown, Olympic-level swimmer and model Amanda Beard, singer Aubrey O’Day and TV personality and designer Khloe Kardashian pose backstage at the Mel B With Ultimo Spring 2009 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at the Metropolitan Pavilion on September 9, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images )

      Getty Images

     

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  • Girl, You Got Some “Good Hair”, Is It Yours?

    Posted by: Melyssa S. Ford

    In late 2007, I was asked by my good friend Nelson George to be a part of a documentary he and Chris Rock were co-producing about black women and their hair. The idea originated from Chris’ curiosity about the concept of “good hair” after one of his adorable daughters came home and asked, “Daddy, why don’t I have good hair?” This began a year and a half long journey that led Chris all over America, through barbershops and hair salons, interviewing the every man and every woman, celebrities and hair care experts; a visit to the great Bronner Brother’s Annual Hair Show in Atlanta and eventually to India, where a significant portion of weaving hair originates from. Although I thought the idea was ‘cute’, I didn’t put that much stock into the film or its concept and quickly forgot about my appearance in it as other projects came up and demanded my attention.  Fast forward to the present, late 2009 where the documentary has been completed and is blowing people’s minds at every single screening it is shown at.  Film festival audiences and guests at special screenings are leaving the film finding themselves thoroughly entertained and also more informed than ever on the relationship between a women, more specifically black women, and their hair.

    After seeing the film myself, I couldn’t help but reflect back on the first time I got a relaxer.  I was 11 years old, about to enter the seventh grade and my hair was completely virgin hair; a big huge Afro that was the result of re-growth from previous years of my disasterous Jheri curl phase.  From the moment my hairdresser spun me around to look at my reflection after the process was complete, I became a certified addict to the “Creamy Crack”.  That is what most of us refer to as relaxer, and its effects usually lead to a lifetime dependence.  To have edges that lay flat, to have our roots straightened out, to have our hair actually move by the whisper of a slight breeze keeps us in the salon chair every 6 to 10 weeks, getting our regular touch ups.  Never mind that most of us, at some point, have suffered excruciating pain at having been burnt by the chemical process being left on too long; forget the fact that the main ingredient in relaxer is sodium glygoglate, which can completely erode and dissolve aluminum and other metal materials; and let us not even consider that once we’ve put this chemical on our hair, we not only alter and damage the composition of our hair, we seemingly buy into the idea that the natural structure and texture of our own hair is substandard to our female counterparts of other races and nationalities.

    “Good Hair” is more than just a film about our concept of what “good hair” actually is; it’s a journey into the $9 billion dollar black hair care industry of which we only own and operate a small, insignificant percentage of.  For an industry that is so specific to the black race’s needs and for us to not completely dominate it from a manufacturing and retail standpoint shows a lot about our perception of freedom and the reality of modern day oppression.  The notion that we, as black women indulge in our choices to wear our hair in so many different ways and styles depending on the type of hair we purchase or the chemical process we undergo, the film will have you second guessing as to whether it’s a choice at all, or a form of voluntary slavery that is both economic and psychological.

    I encourage all of you, both men and women of all races and nationalities, to see the film when it hits theaters on October 9th and keep the debate going here on Global Grind.

     

    Thank you for reading.

     

     

     

  • The Week That Was: Mo’Nique Moves on, Roxanne Shante Rings Alarm

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    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.

    http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=725061&pid=725060&uts=1253285733
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    Party Hearty: Mo’Nique at The Sugar Bar
    Mo’Nique getting her groove on.
    Wilson Morales
    BlackVoices.com

    Black Filmmakers

      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

    *****

    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!”

    *****

    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.

    *****

    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 native stars 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.

     

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