*In a new interview with People, Usher opens up about his failed marriage to Tameka Foster However, he doesn’t regret the union, despite the fact it ended in divorce.
“I appreciate the relationship for what it was. Even though it didn’t work out, I’m glad we got together. I love her as the mother of my children; we just couldn’t be married,” he told the magazine.
*When the whistle blew and the opening kickoff sailed through the air on a beautiful late-summer night, Natalie Randolph could finally take a deep breath and focus on the thing she wants to do most – coach football.
After months in the media spotlight, Randolph made her debut Friday night leading the Colts of Coolidge Senior High School. She is believed to be the nation’s only female head coach of a high school varsity team.
*If you ever wanted to know how the infamous Brian Pumper would hold up after getting clowned by Jamie Foxx and his Foxxhole crew on their SiriusXM Radio show, well, you just got your wish.
The dude who smashed Laurence Fishburne’s daughter, Montana, for the world to see, sat in the hot seat and hilarity and mischief was on and poppin’. Trust us, they go in HARD on homeboy regarding Miss Chippy D and his fledgling rap career.
Madonna is disputing claims from a man who says he is the biological father of her adopted Malawian daughter Mercy; and has squashed his attempts to meet with the child face-to-face.
James Kambewa, 26, was pressing for a sit down with the 4-year-old he says is his daughter, but the validity of his claims is not just questioned by the Material Girl.
*The Rev. Jeremiah Wright is back in the headlines. In his sermon Sunday at New Millennium Church in Little Rock, President Barack Obama’s controversial former pastor accused people who wrongly believe Obama is Muslim.
Wright was defending the church’s pastor, former state Court of Appeals Judge Wendell Griffen, for speaking out against the Iraq War when he began comparing Griffen’s opponents to those who incorrectly think Obama is Muslim.
*Did you know that Drake and Nicki Minaj are now divorced? Did you know they had even gotten married?
C’mon, where have you been?
They announced their union and subsequent separation on Twitter over the weekend.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins – Scholarship in Action
Jordan Miles is a black teenager in the city of Pittsburgh. Miles also attends one of the city's most prestigious performing arts schools. On a cold winter night earlier this year, Miles claims he was assaulted by three plain clothes police officers. According to the lawsuit Miles' attorneys have filed against the city, the officers assumed that Miles was a drug dealer and conspired to file false charges against him to create a story to cover up their actions.
Miles says that he was walking to his grandmother's house when officers Michael Saldutte, David Sisak and Richard Ewing approached him. Miles claims that the officers proceeded to chase him, kick him and beat his face into the ground. The damage to Miles' face was extensive, and the officers allegedly pulled one of his dreadlocks from his head.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
I recently read a very interesting story about how so many black athletes are being hammered by the financial devastation of child support. Their paychecks are getting zapped to nothing, only to buy Coach purses and hair weaves for the women who’ve had their children. Perhaps the sex was good enough to justify the misery, but I’ve never had sex that good.
New York Jets running back Antonio Cromartie is one famous case of “I’m Bound to be Broke-itis.” Cromartie, who is 26-years old, has eight children with six women in five different states. In fact, the Jets had to front Cromartie $500,000 to settle his paternity situation before he even started playing for the team. There are quite a few other cases worth mentioning, but I won’t waste time laying out the issues.
What I will lay out is an added perspective that might help brothers realize the utter stupidity of putting themselves in situations that will keep their pockets empty, kill their ability to support a family down the road and possibly lead to incarceration. Getting caught under the neck of the merciless child support system is an absolutely horrible feeling. Children are a beautiful gift from God, and we can all appreciate a pretty woman, but if you let this stuff get the best of you, you’re begging for a life of misery.
*MTV Video Music Awards has a dynamic line up of performers this year, including Usher, Kanye West, Eminem, Justin Bieber, B.o.B. and Drake.
“It is an honor to once again be a part of the MTV Video Music Awards,” Usher said, announcing his first VMA performance since he sang his hit single ‘Yeah’ back in 2004.
*But not too much. The bigger than life singer has been slowly cracking open the door to her personal life, letting her fans know a bit more info here an there about life beyond the music.
For the promotional video for the 2010 MTV VMAs, Drake left his sneaks, stylish jackets, and jeans at home. Instead, he threw on a suave suit.
The video starts with the rapper in the dressing room preparing for a live performance.
Oprah Winfrey reportedly wants to host the final episode of her long-running show in a football stadium.
She’s planning a star-studded finale in September, 2011 when “The Oprah Winfrey Show” will end its 25 years run.
According to the AP, the scary movie “The Last Exorcism” and the heist thriller “Takers” are in a photo finish for the top spot at the weekend box office.
A love of HIp-Hop music always rumbles just beneath my surface. I truly have love for all music of the
African Diaspora, but good Hip-Hop music has had such an impact on my life that, when I hear subpar offerings on the radio, I become physically ill.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University, Scholarship in Action
One of the most magnificent voices in all of music is owned by Fantasia Barrino, the singer out of North Carolina. Most of us know that Fantasia attempted suicide recently. Of course the suicide attempt led to instant national media attention, and she was all over the news telling her story. Her management team, understanding the value the incident could have for her brand, pushed out the Vh-1 special before you could say the words "publicity stunt."
Now, I'm not here to say that I know what happened to Fantasia or whether the suicide attempt was genuine. But one thing that remains fundamentally true is that she'd been highly upset over the decline of her career. Also, we know that the television specials and additional PR from the incident have put Fantasia in the limelight in a way that far exceeds what she had access to last month. The final thing we know is that Fantasia is working furiously in the studio to get an album out in order to profit from the re-establishment of her celebrity status. Unfortunately, her team may be looking to replicate the experience of Jennifer Hudson after her difficult experience last year.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University
A South African girl who survived a criminal attack that shocked the nation was among those killed when a train hit a school van this week, a family spokesman said Friday.
Liesel Augis was only six years old when she was raped, beaten unconscious with a brick and thrown into a fire by a family friend in 2006. She survived and became known as “Little Rock” because of her strength and resilience.
On Wednesday, Liesel’s bus driver went around a closed railroad crossing gate and the van was hit by a train. Nine children died at the scene in Cape Town, and a 10th died Friday. Only the driver and four children survived.
Family spokesman Malvern de Bruyn said that Liesel had a zest for life, and the accident has left a deep scar in the family and the nation.
“We could see she was someone who wanted to defy anything that would cut her life,” de Bruyn said.
Liesel’s 2006 attacker, Abraham James, was sentenced to 28 years in jail without parole.
Ne-Yo and his booking agent have been ordered to pay more than $156,000 in damages for bailing on a scheduled 2008 New Year’s Eve concert in Washington state.
A judge in Anne Arundel County, Maryland ordered the payment Tuesday following a four-day trial in late July and early August.
Kobe Bryant is developing a Web series about Filipino kids who get to learn lessons on and off the court from the Lakers star.
“Dream Makers: Kobe Bryant,” set at the Kobe Bryant Basketball Academy, has landed an eight-webisode run in the Philippines and will culminate in a one-hour TV special, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Nadja Benaissa in a Darmstadt, Germany courtroom, Thursday Aug. 26, 2010.
*After a nearly two-week trial, the German girl-band singer accused of having unprotected sex with her ex-boyfriend despite knowing she was infected with HIV has been found guilty.
So Wesley Snipes said he ain’t going to jail for owing Uncle Sam a dime. He believes he wasn’t given a fair trial and is now filing new documents requesting a new one.
The actor was originally sentenced to serve three years in prison, but he said that something wasn’t right about his trial. He said there was some “jury misconduct” going down and supposedly has the emails to prove it.
As previously reported, conservative radio host and Fox News commentator Glenn Beck is hosting a rally in Washington, D.C., Saturday on the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech — but he says the date was not chosen intentionally.
“Whites don’t own Abraham Lincoln,” Beck said in a recent broadcast of his Fox News show.
In a column on the Huffington Post blog, Sean Penn explains in further detail his much-publicized opposition to Wyclef Jean’s presidential bid in Haiti, which was rejected last week by the electoral commission.
Titled “Third Person Once Removed,” Penn – who relocated to Haiti two months after the January earthquake to assist relief efforts – also pushes back against another HuffPo blog written by Wyclef’s publicist Marian Salzman. Her column defended Wyclef’s credentials to run for president and characterized Penn’s opposition as a “celebrity feud.”
Mariah Carey has responded to today’s headlines suggesting she is four months pregnant.
Through a statement released today by her publicist Cindi Berger, she states: “I appreciate everyone’s well wishes. But I am very superstitious. When the time is right, everyone will know–even Cindi Berger.”
S. Tia Brown is a sassy, intelligent woman with a lot of interesting opinions. We also tend to ...
If you want to know who my favorite spoken word artist happens to be, its Madam Prezident out of ...
I had a chance to sit down with award-winning filmmaker Dorian Chandler and radio show host Keisha ...
As most of you know from my book 'Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about College,' I am a strong ...
I have recently had the distinct pleasure of sitting down with two women who really have it going ...
I like Sherri Shepherd very much. No, really I do. Unlike some of the less desirable creatures I've ...
The topic of illegal immigration is a hot-button issue these days. African Americans are being ...
Faye Anderson is not just a Stanford-educated attorney; she is also a social activist who has the ...
One of my very best friends in the world is Dr. Marc Lamont Hill at Columbia University. I truly ...
In this episode of 'Dr Boyce Watkins on AOL Black Voices,' we discuss black single mothers ...
Danielle Douglas is not your typical businesswoman. She has climbed the corporate ladder, with ...
I have a great deal of respect for Lady Drama, aka Ebony Garris. Lady Drama, in case you don't ...
Let's start from the beginning. Soulja Boy is a rapper. Some think that he's not a very good ...
I don't dislike T-Pain, but I can say that I dislike his music. At that the same time, I can't ...
Today I had the opportunity to speak with four interesting and empowered black women: Michaela ...
RadarOnline recently reported that Oprah is attempting to bring Paula Cook on her show to talk about how Fantasia Barrino stole her man. However, no word yet on what she is going to do. In the meantime, Mo’Nique is also hoping to get Cook on her show as well.
She has taken a leave of absence from her teaching job to contemplate all of her options.
They’ve been spotted together on several outings, and just days ago made headlines during a restaurant date at a Waffle House in Tennessee – but are Shaquille O’Neal and Nicole “Hoopz” Alexander really a couple?
The new rumor is that the two are not just dating, but on the verge of holy matrimony.
This Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Steve Harvey will host the 8th Annual Ford Hoodie Awards. Although there will be no television broadcast, the show will air live on www.SteveHarvey.com, the first ever live broadcast.
*Ron Artest took to Twitter to come back at Celtics coach Doc Rivers’ recent comments about how Boston’s starting five never has lost to the Lakers’ starting five.
“Our starting five against the Lakers starting five has a ring,” Rivers said.
The mother of Oprah Winfrey’s longtime boyfriend Stedman Graham has died — just days before she was to turn 86.
Stedman, Oprah and her best friend Gayle King were taking a private yacht tour of the Greek islands with friends when Graham learned that his mother, Mary Graham, had died at her home in Whitesboro, N.J., on Aug. 10, according to reports.
Tyler Perry has been officially cleared of any plagiarism claims. On Monday, Aug. 23 at the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the judge ruled against a woman, Donna West, who claimed Perry stole her idea for a movie – “The Diary of a Mad Black Woman.”
However, the judge ruled that no improper conduct occurred on the account of the filmmaker.
In a radio interview with Ryan Seacrest this morning, Timbaland discussed the events leading up to his family calling authorities after believing he was suicidal.
As reported earlier, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department put out a “possible suicide attempt” APB on the rapper-producer just before 5 p.m. Tuesday after his family feared he would harm himself over the theft of a $2 million piece of jewelry.
Jeffrey (L) and Marcus Jordan
*Looks like Michael Jordan’s sons made it rain all over Las Vegas last weekend before returning to college at the University of Central Florida.
Jeffrey, 21, and Marcus, 20, were in Sin City to take part in their dad’s fantasy basketball camp, which took place at the pricey Mirage Resort Casino.
This is from Sports Illustrated:
Nov. 25: The National Enquirer announces that it is about to break a story that Tiger Woods had an affair.
Nov. 27: Tiger Woods gets in a one-car accident. Details are sketchy.
Nov. 29: Tiger Woods releases his first statement taking responsibility for accident and asks for privacy.
Dec. 1: A woman — not the same as the National Enquirer woman — comes forward to say that she has had a longstanding affair with Tiger. A panicked voicemail with Tiger Woods' voice is released to U.S. Weekly.
Dec. 1: Tiger Woods releases his second statement, taking more responsibility, asking for more privacy.
Dec. 3: TMZ reports that another woman — third woman so far — had an affair with Tiger Woods.
Dec. 6: Radar Online reports that a fourth woman had an affair with Tiger Woods.
Dec. 6: The New York Daily News reports that a fifth woman had an affair with Tiger Woods.
Dec. 6: The News of the World reports that a sixth woman had an affair with Tiger Woods.
Dec. 7: A porn star announces that she is the seventh woman to have had an affair with Tiger Woods.
Dec. 8: A second porn star announces that she is the eighth woman to have had an affair with Tiger Woods.
Dec. 11: Tiger Woods releases his third statement, taking more responsibility. He says he will step away from golf to "focus my attention on being a better husband, father and person."
Dec. 13: The first company — Accenture — drops Tiger Woods as spokesman. It will not be the last.
Feb. 19: After a two-month absence — during which rumors continue to fly and Woods is photographed at a sex treatment facility — Tiger Woods speaks publicly. He again takes responsibility and says he doesn't know when he will return to golf.
March 16: Woods announces that he will play at the Masters.
March 17: A porn star releases text messages that she claims were from Tiger Woods.
March 21: Woods gives his first interviews — to the Golf Channel and ESPN — and says he's done some pretty disgusting things.
April 5: Woods does his first full-fledged press conference, leading up to the Masters.
Read more: http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/article/0,28136,2013625-2,00.html?eref=sihp#ixzz0xhVcYjtS
Dear friends,
Many of us already know that Fox News is biased -- but it's actually much worse than that. For years they have used lies, distortions, and race-baiting to divide this country. Recently, it's gotten downright dangerous. Earlier this summer, a heavily armed man got into a gun fight with police after he was pulled over on his way to kill people at the Tides Foundation[1] -- an obscure non-profit that Glenn Beck regularly demonizes on his Fox News TV show.[2]
Fox News is bad news for America -- and it spreads, and is legitimized, partly through TVs in public places.
That's why I've joined the TurnOffFox campaign -- the first part of a larger campaign to diminish the influence of Fox. It's about educating people about Fox and getting it turned off in stores, restaurants, and other public places.
Will you join me? It takes just a moment to declare your own household "Fox free", and at the same time appeal to public establishments in your community to stop playing Fox. And you'll get a FREE Turn Off Fox sticker when you do. Click here:
http://colorofchange.org/turnofffox/?id=1870-1096688
No other news organization that's considered legitimate consistently wages smear campaigns based on lies and race-baiting. But for years Fox News has done exactly that, and the pattern has only gotten worse since Barack Obama entered national politics.
Here are just a few examples:
-- A frequent Fox guest, Jesse Lee Peterson, said that the majority of Black people have poor moral character, and cited "what they did to the dome" after Hurricane Katrina as evidence.[3] Peterson has also used his platform on Fox to claim that 90% of Black people are racists -- against Whites.[4]
-- In a case of naked race-baiting, Fox host Glenn Beck called President Obama a "racist" who had a "deep-seated hatred for White people or the White culture."[5] Earlier that week, Beck claimed that the President's health insurance reform proposals were a form of "reparations" designed to "settle old racial scores."[6]
-- Fox host John Stossel argued that the public accommodations section of the Civil Rights Act -- which prevents businesses from discriminating based on race, sex, and other factors -- should be repealed.[7]
-- Fox News hosts Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity were the first to air deceptively edited and incomplete video of Shirley Sherrod's remarks to the NAACP.[8] The video made it seem like Sherrod was confessing to using her position at the USDA to discriminate against White farmers, when she was really talking about the importance of overcoming prejudice. Sherrod lost her job over this misrepresentation, which Fox enthusiastically repeated without seeking the facts. Fox has since tried to pretend it had nothing to do with this smear -- but Fox is the number one reason these kinds of distortions and smears have any part in our national dialogue.
The examples above aren't even a tenth of Fox's vicious lies and smears, and over the years they've just gotten more brazen.
The goal of Turn Off Fox is to reduce the number of public TVs showing Fox News, while spreading the word about Fox's poison (and how it works) to those who don't know.
Signing up for the campaign is just the first step. We make it easy for you to tell us about businesses playing Fox. If you're willing to talk with them, we'll provide you with straightforward materials that explain why they shouldn't be a party to what Fox is doing. And if there are businesses you know that want to tell the world they would never play Fox, you can help them declare themselves a "Fox-free zone."
As businesses Turn off Fox and stand up as Fox Free, and as we encourage our friends and family to do the same, we'll help make clear, to people across the country, what Fox is about. And we'll reduce their ability to do harm.
Please join me in signing up for the TurnOffFox campaign:
http://colorofchange.org/turnofffox/?id=1870-1096688
Thanks.
References
1. http://bit.ly/a5F7kW
2. http://mediamatters.org/research/201007290032
3. http://mediamatters.org/research/200510030005
4. http://bit.ly/c060C0
5. http://mediamatters.org/research/200907300019
6. http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/200907230040
7. http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201005200033
8. http://mediamatters.org/blog/201007200060
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Scholarship in Action
It is being reported that law enforcement officials in Washington DC plan to use a new computer program that claims to be able to predict which citizens are most likely to commit crime. The concept conjures up images of the Tom Cruise film, "Minority Report," in which agents were able to predict "pre-crime": Crime that hasn't happened yet, and is set to occur. But far from science fiction, this program is based on reality.
The program was developed by Richard Berk, a professor at The University of Pennsylvania. The first version of the program was used to predict future murders among parolees, but it is being argued that the software can be used for all kinds of crime.
"When a person goes on probation or parole they are supervised by an officer. The question that officer has to answer is 'what level of supervision do you provide?'" Berk told ABC News.
The program could have real implications, including determining the amount of a person's bail or how long they are to remain in a halfway house upon their release from prison. The program works by using a large database of crimes and other factors, including geographic location, age, prior offenses and the criminal record of the person being considered.
