Ludacris Looks For Unsigned MC To Guest On “Undisputed” November 7, 2008

You could end up on a track with Ludacris.The Atlanta MC has just launched (11/05) “The Undisputed Open Mic Throwdown,” a nationwide MC Competition via his new social networking web site wemix.com. Competing MCs will get the chance to land a guest verse on the official remix to “Undisputed,” Luda’s first single off his forthcoming Theater Of The Mind.

Each contestants must record a 16-Bar verse to enter the competition. Luda will handpick five finalists while the prize winner will be selected by the wemix.com community. The winner will be revealed in early December.

“I just want artists to be themselves and try not to sound how they think I want them to on the track,” Luda said in a statement. “Just be natural and deliver your absolute best.”

The winner will also take home a Sony Acid Pro 7 music production software package with 10 loop packs. The runners-up will receive the Sony Acid Music Studio package with one loop pack.

Luda’s Theater Of The Mind is set to hit stores November 25th.

Photo of the Day November 7, 2008

Tommy Sanders Male 25 years old  New York, United States

MM URL: http://www.modelmayhem.com/ts480

5 Signs That You’ve Been Single For Too Long November 7, 2008

 

By The Fly Guy

You can always tell when a wild animal has been held in captivity for too long. They possess this glazed over look in their eyes—it’s unmistakable. The same can be said for those who have been single for an unbearably long period of time. Now I’m not talking about a couple of months either. Let’s just say this person hasn’t had a real date since Bobby Brown could actually afford his child support payments.

What’s most unfortunate in many of these cases is the person is unaware that they’ve even reached this point in their life. So to serve as an official wake up call, I’ve decided to share 5 Signs That You Have Been Single For Too Long.

#1- You’ve Become Out Of Touch
Much like Spanish, French, or even a Dikembe Mutombo press conference, dating feels like a foreign language to you. You try your best to understand and adapt to it, but when you try it just feels awkward, which makes you decide against it. Whoever told you that dating was like riding a bicycle was obviously a liar. At least that’s what you think.

#2- Desperation Sets In
This occurs when your dating standards drop to an embarrassingly low level. There once was a time when you held out for a Halle Berry or Denzel Washington-type mate. Now you’re content to settle for Bookman from “Good Times.” Not to say there’s anything wrong with dating a rotund janitor, but the fact still remains that you are now willing to settle for anyone or anything just to avoid being alone.

#3- You Start Overreacting 
When desperation sets in, it’s very easy to overreact. Suddenly, you find yourself reading too deeply into the actions of others in hopes that they may in fact be interested in you. This can range from your restaurant server smiling when she asks if you’d like cheese on your Whopper, to your coworker holding the door for you while saying “have a nice day.” While these may only be random acts of kindness, you trick yourself into believing that a love connection is right around the corner.

#4- You’ve Become Bitter
Suddenly your views on dating are like listening to Lauryn Hill’s MTV Unplugged album, as both are filled with endless amounts of bitterness. Perhaps it’s the past hurt you’ve endured that’s hardened you. Whatever the case, it’s become apparent to all that you despise the idea of love. You even try to talk others out of being happy, which makes you the official poster child for the phrase “misery loves company.”

#5- You’ve Become Too Picky
The greatest indicator that you’ve been single for too long is the exact opposite of being desperate. Instead of settling for anyone, you actually find fault in everyone. In doing so, you sabotage any legitimate shot at finding happiness. Remember that one guy who was really nice, but you didn’t like him because his right ear lobe hung a bit lower than the left? Or what about the woman you shunned because you said she had unusually long elbows? The bottom line is that everyone has faults, but you can’t use them as an excuse to stop trying altogether.

The Fly Conclusion- Throughout my travels, I’ve come across some amazingly beautiful people who are single, and have been for quite some time. Many of them have deliberately chosen this path in order to focus on their own journey of self-discovery. This article was not directed towards them.

However, there are many others who lack a clear understanding of exactly why they’re alone…which kind of reminds me of how Sisqo must have felt at his album release party. But unlike Sisqo’s singing career, all is not lost for you. By addressing the signs and maintaining a positive outlook, your dating drought will eventually end. I’m sure of it.

NIA LONG CO-HOSTS BET J’s ‘Virtual Awards’ November 7, 2008

 

BET J bridges the worlds of music and virtual reality to bring viewers its first ever awards show, the BET J Virtual Awards, slated to premiere on BET J on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 8:30 p.m. ET.       

       Hosted by actress Nia Long and comedian Chris Spencer, the “virtual” broadcast honors today’s best in music and entertainment. The show will feature performances from Washington, D.C., New York and Atlanta hotspots – “all from a stunning, ground-breaking virtual environment,” the network stated.       

       BET J also gives viewers an opportunity to showcase their own musical talent by performing their own rendition of one of the five nominated songs in the special user-generated “My Time Online” category.       

       Through Wednesday, Nov. 12, viewers can log onto www.bet.com/betjvirtualawards to upload their videos which will be judged by a celebrity panel of judges. The winner will be presented with their own BET J Virtual Awards statuette and have their acceptance speech air during the awards show.

LISA BONET STRUGGLED WITH TV RETURN November 7, 2008

 

Former Cosby kid Lisa Bonet says her decision to return to television – in a recurring role on the ABC cop drama “Life on Mars” – was not an easy one.

 

       “To have my face reinstated in minds and homes once a week was an intense decision,” says the notoriously press-shy actress and mother of 19-year-old Zoe and 16-month-old Lola with boyfriend, actor Jason Momoa. The couple is expecting their second child in January.      

       Bonet, 41, says she has a hard enough time just dealing with the paparazzi every day.       

       “It feels like you’re being stalked,” she says. “As a shy person, that type of attention coming at me violates something. I don’t like that it’s expected to come with the territory.”      

       As for why she decided to sign on for a the new role, despite some reservations about the attention she’d be getting, she tells People.com, “You know, I guess it all has to do with the stars lining up and it being the right time and the right project.”       

       A happy love life also helped. “Having a mate has given me that feeling of safety,” she adds.

 

       Although she’s uncomfortable around the press, Bonet takes full advantage of the People interview to squash a widespread rumor that she also has a son.       

       “I don’t have three children already,” she says. “I always hear that I do … Apparently, there’s some young child locked in a basement,” she quips. “I don’t dwell on that stuff, but that comes to mind.”

‘Mr. Man’; Curtis Scoon script; Anna Deavere Smith play; Claudia Jordan sues; Kravitz cancels Canadian tour November 7, 2008

 

Oprah Winfrey told her audience Wednesday that she had no idea whose shoulders she was resting on when cameras caught her bawling during Barack Obama’s speech Tuesday night in Chicago’s Grant Park. The media, however, has identified him as an Obama campaign worker from California. Co-worker Karen Wark says the man in pictures is Sam Perry, who worked at the Silicon Valley for Obama office. Wark couldn’t give other details about Perry or his trip to Chicago. Oprah thanked the guy she called “Mr. Man” for letting her cry on his shoulder.

 

       *The New York Post is reporting that Curtis Scoon, once a suspect in the 2002 murder of rap legend Jam Master Jay, is shopping a screenplay about another infamous Queens slaying. Scoon, who was never arrested in connection with Jay’s killing, tells Page Six he’s pitching a story based on Police Officer Edward Byrne’s 1988 shooting death in the line of duty. Scoon has recently worked as a co-producer on BET’s “American Gangster.”

 

       *Award-winning playwright and performer Anna Deavere Smith concludes a 3-day run of her new one-woman play, The Arizona Project, exploring “women’s relationships to justice and the law,” tomorrow (Nov. in Phoenix, AZ. The play was commissioned by Bruce Ferguson, director of Future Arts Research (F.A.R.), a new artist-driven research program at Arizona State University. According to a statement, it “was inspired by an ongoing series of initiatives of the advocacy group Arizona Lawyers Honoring Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.” Smith presents “several interwoven monologues in this one-woman performance, drawing verbatim from a series of interviews she conducted over the course of three weeks in 2008.”

 

       *TMZ.com is reporting that “Deal or No Deal” models Claudia Jordan, Aubrie Lemon and Lauren Shiohama have sued Nervous Tattoos photo agency claiming it hired them for an Ed Hardy billboard but were never paid the promised $600 for the one day shoot. In the lawsuit filed Wednesday in L.A. County Superior Court, the three suitcase holders are also seeking $54,000 in penalties.       

       *Lenny Kravitz has cancelled the Canadian leg of his current tour due to illness, reports Live Daily. “Following rave reviews and record attendances across Canada it is with great regret that Lenny Kravitz has had to cancel the remainder of his Canadian tour,” reads an announcement posted at Kravitz’s MySpace page, “Lenny is suffering from severe throat problems that have resulted in him not being able to sing or even talk.” The announcement goes on to say that “2009 will be a huge year for Lenny with a world tour that will play heavily in the US and Canada. Lenny looks forward to seeing all of his Canadian fans again at this time and once again apologizes for the very unforeseen cancellation.”

DANITY’S DAWN DENIES DEPARTURE November 7, 2008

 

Danity Kane singer Dawn Richard is side-stepping rumors that her attempts to go solo caused the pop outfit to fall apart.

 

       The group, put together by rap mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs for his reality TV series “Making The Band,” was reportedly left with only two remaining members after Shannon Bex left and singers Aubrey O’Day and D. Woods were fired.      

       Reports have swirled of Diddy’s plans for a solo run with 23-year-old Richard, which allegedly added to tensions in the former five-piece.      

       But Richards insists it was her former bandmates who caused the rift. She tells WENN, “The reality is that we were in a group and everyone got to do the individual. I was pro Danity Kane. Aubrey went to Broadway, D. Woods had her own side hustle: a group. Everyone had their own opportunity to do things and no one ever had anything to say about it, it was totally fine.      

       “It’s interesting that Puff just had me on a couple of references (song parts) and my name is in it like I did something wrong. It’s interesting how tables turn. All of a sudden when someone has a belief in me, people say I’m doing something side.”

ANDERSON COOPER LOVES HIM SOME NENE November 7, 2008

 

CNN anchor Anderson Cooper has professed his love for Bravo’s reality show “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” and his favorite housewife, NeNe Leakes, on two separate talk shows within one week.        

       While sitting in for Regis Philbin on “Live with Regis and Kelly,” the newsman dished about how much he loves the series, and described in particular his affection for  its most ample-bosomed cast member, NeNe.      

       Several days later, Cooper was a guest on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” appearing via satellite from his CNN headquarters. Somehow, he got on the subject of NeNe, but Ellen had yet to see the show.      

        “Honey,” the CNN veteran said, “I don’t even know where to begin with NeNe.” Alluding to Leakes’ bust, Cooper held his hands out from his chest and said, “You have to sort of watch to enjoy the fullness of NeNe.”     

NeNe Leakes

       In an interview with E! Online, Leakes said her phone didn’t stop ringing and the text messages didn’t stop coming from friends and family who were watching “Ellen” at the time.       

       “I told my husband, ‘You know Anderson Cooper? He spoke about me,’” Leakes said. “And he said, ‘Anderson Cooper? The guy with the white hair? No, he didn’t!’ We think it’s great. We love it.”      

       As for DeGeneres not being a viewer? “I need to update Ellen,” Leakes said. “The girl is lost, and she needs to call me so I can let her know what ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ is all about.”      

       Leakes forgives Cooper for mispronouncing her name (it’s NeeNee, not NayNay), and has now begun imagining the fun times she thinks she could have with the silver-haired anchor.       

        “I would just talk to him and keep it real,” she said, adding, “Let’s just get down and dirty and talk about whatever. I’d wear a nice little top, since he’s talking about my chest. I don’t know if he’s had any brown sugar.”

PANEL DISCUSSES POLITICAL COMEDY IN OBAMA ERA November 7, 2008

 

How much political humor can be squeezed out of a Barack Obama presidency without being politically incorrect, or insensitive to race?

 

      The issue was brought before a panel of experts Wednesday night under the title “We Have a Winner,” which took place at 92nd Street Y on Manhattan’s Upper East Side as part of the New York Comedy Festival.

 

       “The Daily Show” co-creator and political humorist Lizz Winstead, who hosted the debate, shrugged off the suggestion that the president-elect was too tough a target for real punchlines, according to the Hollywood Reporter. She said likely jokes about Obama in the White House would revolve around how he handles power.      

       Roseanne Barr argued that the level of comedic sophistication will rise compared with the Bush era. “Obama is going to raise the level of intelligence (of jokes),” she said.       

       Cartoonist Ted Rall even predicted the age of Obama would be similar to the presidency of John F. Kennedy. “JFK was a good time for comedy,” he said. “Obama is so stuffed and uptight. Maybe he is asking for it.”      

       Conservative commentator Monica Crowley, however, said she has generally heard from comedians that they find little fun in Obama. She can’t wait to see how things will work out once Obama moves into the White House, she added.      

       Baratunde Thurston from “The Onion” and conservative blogger and pundit Robert A. George also participated in the post-election debate.

MORE CELEB OBAMA CELEBRATIONS November 7, 2008

 

Michael Jordan, Russell Simmons, Wesley Snipes, Bob Johnson and Butch Lewis were at Diddy’s big birthday bash/Obama watch party Tuesday night at a club in New York when the Illinois democrat was elected president.

 

       According to Page Six, “A huge roar shook the dining room” where they had all gathered to watch the returns. Jordan and Snipes later partied at Tenjune with fellow Chicagoan Larenz Tate, Knicks Jared Jeffries and Jerome James, and “Last Comic Standing” host Bill Bellamy, the surprise emcee for the night who shouted with excitement: “We are officially a country of change.”

 

       Meanwhile, Forrest and Keisha Whitaker, Common, will.i.am, Star Jones, Hill Harper and Kevin Liles (Warner Music VP) celebrated Barack Obama’s victory until 4 a.m. at The Underground in Chicago, Page Six reported.      

       Television cameras captured Oprah Winfrey watching Obama’s victory speech in Chicago’s Grant Park, but Brad Pitt – also at Grant Park – managed to escape the night undetected by media, as well as Oprah.      

       “I was looking for you and would have invited you down to sit with the rest of us,” Oprah told the actor during a taping of her talk show that will air later this month.      

       “You mean the non-VIP area?” Brad joked, before assuring his host that he took public transportation to be at the rally “just like everyone else.”      

       The show, on which Brad will promote his movie “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” alongside co-star Cate Blanchett, is due to air on Nov 17, according to Star magazine.

 

       In Los Angeles, Kim Kardashian and her boyfriend Reggie Bush, both Obama supporters, ended up in a heated argument over some of his policies following his announcement as president.       

       “Reggie and I had this two-hour long conversation at the end of the night,” Kardashian told People. “We got so carried away that we had to call his mom. We had to call my mom, it ended up in this huge conference call.”      

       And, even after the outcome was clear, “We were going off on tangents about politics, different theories, the Bible,” Kardashian admitted. “It was pretty intense, but then we passed out.”