i think that he looks good either way but the hair cut make he look very grown and sexy
MICHELLE OBAMA TO OPEN CONVENTION: Wife of Democratic candidate to speak on first night August 13, 2008
The first night of the Democratic National Convention in Denver will be highlighted by the wife of the party’s presumptive nominee, Sen. Barack Obama.
It was announced this week that Michelle Obama will speak on Aug. 25, paving the way for the convention’s other headline speakers – Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on Tuesday, Obama’s vice presidential choice on Wednesday, and Obama on Thursday, reports the Washington Post.
For Obama’s speech, the convention swings over to Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium, where the Illinois senator will officially accept the party’s nomination before a crowd expected to reach 75,000. The day also marks the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
Sen. Clinton’s address will fall on the 88th anniversary of women receiving the right to vote. Her husband, former president Bill Clinton is scheduled to address the delegates on Wednesday night.
In an email to supporters, Obama’s campaign manager David Plouffe announced that Sen. Obama’s choice for vice president will be revealed via email and text messages.
“Barack Obama is about to make one of the most important decisions of this campaign — choosing a running mate,” read the e-mail. “You have helped build this movement from the bottom up, and Barack wants you to be the first to know his choice.”
KELLY ROWLAND AND HER WALLET OUT OF CONTROL: St. Tropez bar tab nearly reaches 400 grand August 13, 2008
Showbiz Spy is reporting that Kelly Rowland racked up a $372,000 bar tab while partying with friends – and U2 singer Bono – in St. Tropez, France.
Friday’s pricey 10-hour bender took place at Amika’s Weekend Takeover and reportedly included 50 bottles of vintage Dom Perignon, 24 bottles of Patron tequila and 10 bottles of Louis XIII cognac.
“Kelly was the ultimate host and even when the bar bill began to spiral out of control, she refused to close the tab,” a source is quoted as saying. “She had 30 very thirsty pals, so it was always going to be a pretty big night.
“At one point, Kelly started dancing wildly and put on a silly Viking hat, much to the hilarity of everyone.”
“Bono arrived quite late and Kelly told him to order whatever he liked. A good night was had by all,” the source added.
DMX’s bench warrant; Obama fundraiser; Blonsky’s dad; Kim K’s ex-husband; Cheetahs on tour August 13, 2008
A bench warrant has been issued for jail-prone rapper DMX in Phoenix. According to TMZ.com, the rapper failed to appear at a hearing Tuesday morning for his felony drug charge case. He was given until 4 p.m. pacific standard time to show up, or else he’ll be arrested.
*Fox.com columnist Roger Friedman is hearing rumors about an Obama fundraiser being organized this weekend at the Martha’s Vineyard home of Caroline Kennedy’s late mother. “Expect the Vineyard royalty such as Carly Simon, Mike Wallace, Walter Cronkite and Joanna Simon, Rose Styron, Spike Lee, etc,” wrote Friedman in Tuesday’s column. “Look for a possible Oprah appearance, too, since many famous African-Americans have homes in bucolic Oak Bluffs, by the landmark Flying Tigers carousel.”
*Nikki Blonsky’s dad paid $3,000 to finally bail himself out of a Turks and Caicos jail, but he’s still stuck on the island until the start on his trial on Aug. 19. Carl Blonsky is charged with assault in his family’s airport brawl with “America’s Next Top Model” alum Bianca Golden and her fam.
*Kim Kardashian’s ex-husband, Damon Thomas, was sued by a car leasing company that claims he defaulted on payments for a 2002 Ferrari 360 Spyder, a 2005 Bentley GT coupe and a 2005 Lamborghini Murcielago roadster, reports TMZ.com. In the lawsuit, filed Friday in L.A. County Superior Court, Elegante Leasing Ltd. says Thomas owes roughly $465,000 for unpaid bills in April and June of this year. Thomas, a music producer on “Dreamgirls,” was married to Kim K. for four years.
*The Cheetah Girls are preparing for their 50-date North American tour in support of “The Cheetah Girls One World” soundtrack for the group’s third movie on the Disney Channel. The trek kicks off Oct. 8 at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas, and wraps Dec. 21 at the San Diego Sports Arena in San Diego. Tickets go on sale Aug. 23 via Ticketmaster and AEGLive.com. The soundtrack drops Aug. 19 via Walt Disney Records.
NICK AND MARIAH ATTEND WEDDING PARTY IN HAMPTONS: LA Reid opens house for celeb-studded shindig August 13, 2008
Samuel L. Jackson, Mary J. Blige and Star Jones were on hand at the Hamptons home of Def Jam chairman Antonio “L.A.” Reid Saturday night to toast the 4-month-old marriage of L.A.” Reid and Nick Cannon.
Reid “did it up,” a witness told the New York Post. So much so, that neighbors reportedly called police at midnight to complain about the noise.
Fox.com columnist Roger Freidman described the gathering as “the most elegant, laid-back event of the Hamptons season so far.”
Freidman wrote Tuesday: “I was talking to Mariah and Nick when the music got fired up, prompting Mariah to declare, ‘I’m going to dance up a storm. It’s the one thing I do really well!’
“And Mariah did, indeed, dance to DJ Cassidy. She twirled and dipped and had a fine time. Meanwhile, the Reids’ guests chowed down at various stations set up all over their backyard — on four different kinds of gourmet pizza, the best fried chicken and mac-and-cheese I’ve ever tasted and a selection of Greek treats.”
Other guests included Carey’s manager, Benny Medina, Russell Simmons, Gayle King, Jessica Seinfeld, Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa, opera great Kathleen Battle, producer-director Lee Daniels; Universal Music Chief Doug Morris, Kerzner Resorts’ Jerry Inzerillo, and Gwyneth Paltrow.
The newlyweds are spending the rest of the week at a farm in East Hampton they rented for $125,000, reports Page Six.
YUNG BERG FACES DRUG, MENACING CHARGES: Rapper arrested after limo driver called authorities August 13, 2008
Rapper Yung Berg was arrested in New York last Saturday after his limo drive called 911 to report a dispute with the artist and another passenger.
According to Billboard, cops responded and found two bags of weed on Berg, and a .45 caliber pistol on the other passenger, Cornell Whitfield.
Yung Berg, born Christian Ward, was charged with menacing in the 2nd degree and unlawful possession of marijuana, while Whitfield was charged with criminal possession of a weapon in the 2nd degree and two counts of menacing in the 2nd degree, according to Jennifer Kushner, spokeswoman for the District Attorney’s office.
Bail was set at $2,000 for Ward and $2,500 for Whitfield. The rapper, who appears in Ray-J’s hit single “Sexy Can I,” is due back in court tomorrow.
Ward’s attorney, Robert Kalina, says “a number of media reports have been inaccurate” about the arrest, but declined to reveal specifics other than to say, “this unfortunate incident is now a legal matter being clarified and resolved by the authorities.”
Yung Berg’s new Epic album, “Look What You Made Me Do,” hit stores yesterday.
SEAN PAUL ARRESTED NEAR STOCKHOLM: Reggae star allegedly caught with weed during raid at music festival August 13, 2008
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Reggae sensation Sean Paul got arrested on suspicion of marijuana possession last weekend after cops raided a music festival in Sweden.
The singer was part of Friday’s annual Uppsala Reggae Festival near Stockholm when cops stormed the grounds and took some 200-300 people into custody, including 10 performers, reports TMZ.com.
Police continue to investigate the case after questioning the folks in custody and collecting evidence at the scene.
BRANDON T. JACKSON: ‘ TROPIC THUNDER’ CAT: Young comedic actor stars in new film August 13, 2008
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Young actor Brandon T. Jackson stars in the big screen comedy “Tropic Thunder” alongside film funnymen Ben Stiller and Jack Black, and not to mention Oscar winner Robert Downey Jr.
But the Hollywood newbie, a PK (preacher’s kid), had a pretty big name on his side that he believes played a big part in him scoring the big part.
“I auditioned like 15 times. I didn’t even know I had the part,” Jackson said of the casting project for the film. “Two months after that they cast someone else, but then I got a call. I’m in Ralph’s [supermarket], buying Ramen Noodles, looking at gas prices going up – so broke and I get a call from Ben Stiller and he’s like, ‘You want to come do ‘Tropic Thunder?’ Some changes have been made and we’d love for you to come down to Hawaii and shoot the film.’ I was on my knees in Ralph’s, saying ‘Yes.’ People thought I was crazy.”
“It was something that was divinely inspired,” he told EUR’s Lee Bailey. “The idea I had for the role was very different from the other actors. When Ben saw me … at first he said, ‘He’s too young’, but then he just said, ‘We gotta have this kid.’”
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Brandon T. Jackson, Ben Stiller & Robert Downey Jr. star in ‘Tropic Thunder’
In the film, Jackson plays the role of rapper-actor Alpa Chino – a play on the rap games’ obsession with gangster imagery. Cast in a big-budget soldier film, Chino and his cast mates are accidentally forced to become the war heroes they are portraying. And although the film has its share of foul language, Jackson explained that his PK background has not interfered with his career.
“What I believe in my personal life is definitely my personal life and what I do as a career is definitely different. But at the same time, it’s a battle because you’re dealing with the church and people there that you knew and you grew up with, but you have a responsibility as an actor to play a role; you have a responsibility to do what you’re paid to do,” he said and protested that the moniker ‘Christian comedian’ doesn’t really make sense.
“I’ve never seen people at McDonald’s saying, ‘I’m a Christian burger flipper,’” he said and then explained that at the “Tropic Thunder” premiere, he watched his parents (both are ministers) rather closely because of the swearing in the film.
“I look over and I see them and they’re proud of what I do, but there’s still that line,” he noted. “But I have fun. I try to keep myself balanced.”
The “Roll Bounce” star was raised in Detroit, the 5th of seven siblings. He grew up in the church and that’s where he credits his showbiz start.
“Kind of like the Temptations and all the singers that started singing in church,” Jackson paralleled as his launch into entertainment. “That was the platform. I started in church. I would do some comedy or I would have people laughing in church all the time. Then I would do little shows in Detroit. And then when I was 17, I flew out here on my spring break, my senior year and did my three minutes at the Laugh Factory and got discovered. That was my humble beginning.”
From that “humble beginning” to sharing the screen with some major Hollywood heavy hitters, Jackson was anxious and excited about working on the film.
“It was definitely a breakthrough,” he said. “At first the role was just a rapper. But I brought in my props. I come from a sketch comedy, too. I just brought more layers to the role. The [other] guy wasn’t going to that level.”
Apparently, Jackson snagged the role from a well-known rapper-actor, though he wouldn’t tell who.
“I don’t feel like I beat him out,” he said modestly. “I feel like some people are just right for certain roles and it was just meant to happen. I was already done with it. I just thought, ‘Oh, I’m not in the movie. I guess I’d better try to get a job.’”
But fortunately that phone call came while he perused the noodle aisle. And then he found himself faced with work and a challenge.
“The challenge was really going toe-to-toe with all these big stars. The challenge was knowing that these guys are veterans,” Jackson said of stepping onto the set. “But it really did start to flow. You start learning.”
“Tropic Thunder” opens Friday in theaters in North America. For more on the film, check out www.tropicthunder.com.
ISAAC HAYES ‘APPARENTLY DIED OF STROKE’: Plus, family releases statement; memorial service set; Richard Roundtree reflects August 13, 2008
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An autopsy has yet to be completed on Isaac Hayes, but authorities in Memphis said Tuesday that the soul legend apparently died of a stroke.
Sheriff’s spokesman Steve Shular said that paperwork filed by Hayes’ family physician, Dr. David Kraus, lists the cause of death as a stroke, reports The Associated Press.
No official determination has been released by the medical examiner’s office or filed with the Memphis health department, which issues death certificates.
On Sunday, family members found Hayes laying unconscious on the floor of his Memphis home beside a treadmill that was still running. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital an hour later.
Relatives said Hayes was under a doctor’s care but did not provide further details.
The family issued the following statement: “We are overwhelmed with the outpouring of support and love from Isaac’s dear friends, colleagues and fans from every corner of the world, and we thank each and every one of them for their kind thoughts and prayers. While he was an iconic figure to many, to us he was husband, father and friend. We will ever miss his love, wisdom, humor and the familiar comfort of his voice.”
Isaac Hayes is survived by his wife of three years Adjowa Hayes, and their 2-year-old son Kwadjo Hayes; ten children, Jacqueline Fields, Felecia Hayes Fisher, Veronica Hayes, Vincent Hayes, Melanie Hayes, Nikki McGhee, Heather Hayes, Isaac Hayes III, Darius Caston and Lillian Bryant; 14 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held in Cordova, Tennessee on Monday at Hope Presbyterian Church (8500 Walnut Grove) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
To celebrate Hayes constant support of the Stax Music Academy and his Stax Records Legacy, the Hayes family, in lieu of flowers, requests that donations be sent to the Stax Music Academy in Memphis, made out to Soulsville, 926 E. McLemore Avenue, Memphis, TN 38106. (Please specify “In memory of Isaac Hayes.”) Condolences may be sent to the family at message@isaachayes.com.
Ashanti, whose hit “Rain on Me” sampled Hayes’ 1970 hit “The Look of Love,” spoke to People magazine about his influence on her generation of singers.
“Isaac Hayes helped pave the way for so many artists like myself,” said the singer. “I also had the honor of meeting him several times – he was always so sweet like an older uncle.”
Also commenting on Hayes’ passing is Richard Roundtree, who played the title character of the 1971 movie, “Shaft,” for which Hayes’s movie theme song won both an Oscar and a Grammy.
“He was a warm, gentle soul,” Roundtree told People magazine. “During those special times when you were with someone that you fancied, if you put on Isaac Hayes, it set a really romantic mood. You’d put on Isaac Hayes and follow it with Barry White, and it was a special evening.”
BERNIE MAC’S TV NIECE REFLECTS: In EUR exclusive, Camille Winbush says news of comedian’s death still ‘hasn’t quite set in’ August 13, 2008
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Camille Winbush, the actress who played Bernie Mac’s niece on his Fox television series for five seasons, says his TV family is still trying to cope with the sudden loss of their patriarch.
“The entire cast and I are still somewhat in shock about the whole thing,” she said. “It hasn’t quite set in for me that he’s not with us anymore. But his spirit lives on through us, through the show and all of his work.”
The 18-year-old actress said she was at home in Los Angeles with her family when she learned of his passing on Aug. 9 from pneumonia. The call came the night before an official announcement was made to the media.
“I was speechless, at the time, and I still sort of am,” she said. “It hasn’t hit me completely.”
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Bernie Mac & Camille Winbush
Winbush, who was just 11-years-old when she was cast in “The Bernie Mac Show,” remembers her late co-star as having one of the biggest hearts around.
“He was so down to earth, considering who he is, and who he’s worked with, and the amount of work he’s done,” said Winbush. “You’d think he’d be the typical Hollywood star, but he wasn’t. He’d have lunch with you, would call on birthdays and remember all that kind of stuff. I appreciated that about him – that I could talk to him about anything and felt comfortable around him. He was like another uncle to me.”
Mac, who suffered from the inflammatory lung disease sarcoidosis, had been sick for a while during the five-year run of his television show, but had made a recovery. His condition reportedly went into remission in 2005.
Winbush said she last saw him about a month-and-a-half ago on the set of his upcoming sitcom that was tentatively-titled “Starting Under.” As previously reported, Mac starred as a large, opinionated guy who winds up divorced and living with (and working for) his introverted twenty-something son.
“He invited me down to check it out,” said Winbush of the budding Fox comedy. “I’m not sure what happened with it, but that was the last time I saw him.”
A public memorial will be held for Bernie Mac this weekend at House of Hope in Chicago. A private funeral has been scheduled for Friday, Aug. 15, at an undisclosed location. Winbush said the cast of “The Bernie Mac Show” will attend both services.
Winbush, currently starring in the new ABC Family drama “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” asks fans to continue praying for Mac’s family.
“My heart goes out to them, and friends of him, everyone that knew him,” she said. “He will be missed.”
