Showing posts with label african american entertainment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label african american entertainment. Show all posts

Friday, July 9, 2010

Dr. Boyce: Why Would the Cavs Owner Call LeBron a Coward?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

The world stopped spinning for just a few minutes last night, as it was announced that LeBron James will now become a member of the Miami Heat. The move didn't surprise hardly anyone, but everyone seemed to keep hope that perhaps he might choose their city. I am sure James lost sleep over this move, as the humble athlete seems like the kind of guy who remains very loyal to his friends. The problem is that some seem to mistake his kindness for weakness.
In an open letter about the signing, Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert calls LeBron James' move "a shocking act of disloyalty." He even goes further to say that LeBron's decision to move to Miami was "the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn."
Gilbert, give me a break. Are you a businessman who understands how this all works, or are you a whining three-year old who gets angry because he doesn't get his own way? The truth is that LeBron had to make a business decision, and you are showing your own immaturity and lack of loyalty by bashing a guy who gave you seven years of his life. He should never have been in your city in the first place, since we all knew that LeBron's talent has always been meant for a bigger stage. In fact, LeBron gave up at least $100 million dollars in endorsement deals by staying in the city of Cleveland.

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Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Why Lebron James Needs to Go to Miami

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

I wanted to make a quick note on why LeBron James should and probably will end up playing for the Miami Heat.  Now that his homeboys Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade have decided to play together, LeBron has a choice of either joining the club or fighting it.  While Chicago, New York and New Jersey provide viable options for James, the truth is that James probably sees the kind of empire he could build in Miami with two great players who are equally committed to winning. 

Chris Bosh reportedly gave up $30 million to play in Miami, which argues that he is a man of principle.  Wade is also a proven winner, known for going above and beyond when necessary to find a way to win.  These are the guys that LeBron would want to play with, and these are NOT the guys he'd like to play against.

My prediction?  LeBron ends up in Miami and a dynasty begins.

Here are a couple of other possibilities:

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Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Son of Dallas Police Chief Allegedly Kills a Cop

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Suge Knight, Kanye West: Lawsuit, Guns and Money

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How Love and Money Mix and How You Can Do it the Right Way

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Black Single Mothers and Dating: What's It Really Like?

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Should Facebook Be Held Accountable for Murders by Members?

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Rev. Al Sharpton and Dr. Boyce Discuss the Plight of the Black Male

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Obama's Fatherhood.gov Commercial: Too Feminine for Black Men?

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BP Chooses a Black Man to Head its Claims Process

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Son of Dallas Police Chief Suspected in Killing a Cop




Monday, June 21, 2010

Rapper Fat Joe Detained for Alleged Sexual Assault

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, AOL Black Voices

The rapper Fat Joe was detained by police Sunday night after he and his entourage were accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Madison, Wisconsin. According to TMZ, the woman is 33-years old and claims the assault occurred in a Cadillac Limousine after a concert at the Orpheum Theater.


Fat Joe (a.k.a.Joseph Antonio Cartagena) and his entourage were held for questioning, but he was released and not arrested. The details of the case are still being sorted out in the investigation. Relative to most artists, Fat Joe doesn't get into very much trouble. The 39-year old married father of two has not, to my knowledge been accused of any sexual assault, so I'd be surprised if he waited this long to get started. He has been arrested in some of the typical rapper non-sense in the past: In 1998, he and the deceased rapper Big Pun were arrested for assaulting a man with a baseball bat and stealing his gold chain. I'm not even going to try to explain that one.

 

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Saturday, June 19, 2010

Dr. Boyce Watkins argues for NCAA Reform

Dr. Boyce Watkins - The Institute of Black Public Policy

I wrote about a new book regarding the NCAA’s alleged exploitation of black athletes, written by University of Georgia Professor Billy Hawkins. In his recently-released book, “The New Plantation,” Hawkins goes out of his way to help us understand that the method by which the NCAA does business is not much different from the mindset of plantation owners of the old south.

The analogies used by Professor Hawkins are thought-provoking and appear to be alarmist at first glance. After all, citizens are commonly comparing nearly every modern-day injustice to slavery in order to make a dramatic point. But in this case, the analogies are appropriate, in large part because slavery is not a dichotomy. Instead, it is actually a continuum, with complete freedom on one end and total servitude on the other. One could even argue that slaves themselves were not completely devoid of freedom, since they could have always chosen to run away, buy their freedom, maim themselves or even commit suicide as a way to escape their condition. The point of this very grim example is not to say that slavery was not entirely horrific; rather, it is to say that something does not have to be entirely horrific to be compared to slavery.

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Sunday, June 13, 2010

Slim Thug Attempts to Defend His Comments about Black Women

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, AOL Black Voices

Many of you may already know about the "interesting" comments made by the rapperSlim Thug, and his frustration about the lack of loyalty among black women. His comments were met with resistance by myself and Dr. Marc Lamont Hill from Columbia University, who gave him the stable advice to keep his mouth shut. I say that "Slim Thugga" needs to be quiet, not because he's wrong, but because this is a battle he can't win and still sell records. Getting every black woman in America to hate you is simply not good for business. Even Talib Kweli, a fellow hip hop artist, had something to say about Slim Thug's remarks.

On his twitter page, Slim Thug went out of his way to try to protect his image in the face of all the backlash:

Click to read




Saturday, June 12, 2010

Singer Brian McKnight Ruled to Pay $341,000 in Child Support

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

It appears that the singer Brian McKnight is now a not-so-proud father. Well, the child isn't exactly a baby either. According to TMZ, the child is a 14-year old that Brian hasn't exactly claimed to be his own. Well, whether McKnight chooses to address the child as his own or not, a Florida judge has ruled that Brian must now take financial responsibility for the child. The amount owed? $341,640, which comes out to just over $2,000 per month for every month since the child was born.


The mother of the child, Miriam Lee, took Brian McKnight to court to establish paternity last year. Why she waited so long to do so is not clear. From this point on, the singer is responsible for making child support payments in the amount of $11,388 per month. The ruling was a default judgment, since McKnight was not in court and didn't respond to the woman's claim of paternity.

Click to read




The Latest from Dr Boyce Watkins on AOL - 6/12/10

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NBA Gets High Marks for Diversity in Annual Report Card

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Obama's "Angry Black Man" Criticism: Isn't He Also Half White?

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CNN Asks Why Black Men Are Not Graduating From College

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Dwyane Wade Given Temporary Custody of His Sons

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Could LeBron James' Mother Rumors Push Him Out of Cleveland?

 

Slim Thug and his comments about black women continue to get the artist into trouble.  Is he going to lose big money because of this?




News: NBA Gets a Good Diversity Report Card

 

To view the entire report card for the NBA on race and gender, Please click here

 

Highlights from the Report (released by the press representative for the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport):

 

· In the NBA, 82 percent of the players were people of color, remaining constant from last year’s totals. This ties the highest percentage of players of color since the 1994-95 season. The percentage of African-American players also remained constant from last year’s report at 77 percent. The percentage of Latinos and Asians remained constant, at three and one percent respectively. The percentage of international players stayed steady as well at 18 percent.

Click to read

 

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Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Your News: Rapper Slim Thug Gets Public Lashing by Black Scholar

Marc Lamont Hill Responds to Slim Thug's Take on Black Women

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University

When I recently read the open letter to the rapper Slim Thug(pictured above), written by Columbia Professor Marc Lamont Hill (pictured below), I was concerned. I love "Slim Thugger" and his musical brilliance, but putting him in an intellectual toe-to-toe with one of the most brilliant young scholars in America is like puttingLennox Lewis in a boxing match with Beyonce. Marc is my boy, and incredibly sharp, and I would encourage him to pick on someone his own intellectual size. Simultaneously, I encourage Slim Thug to quietly walk away and shut up. He needs to stay in the booth and use his intellect for something other than ridiculous social commentary.
But Slim Thug asked for his public butt whooping, after engaging in one of the most feeble and misguided critiques of the African-American woman that I’ve heard in quite a while. Even for a rapper, he sounded as if he needed to be educated on what black women are all about. Here are Slim’s words, "straight out of the negro’s mouth":

Click to read




Monday, May 31, 2010

Boris Kodjoe's New Show: "Undercovers"

Boris Kodjoe will be back on TV this fall in the new show "Undercovers".  He stars alongside Gugu Mbatha-Raw "in a one-hour drama that proves marriage between two ex-agents is still the world's most dangerous partnership." 


Info from NBC.com regarding the show:

From acclaimed filmmaker J.J. Abrams (Star Trek, Fringe, Lost, Alias) and Executive Producer Josh Reims (Brothers and Sisters) comes a one-hour spy drama that proves marriage is still the world's most dangerous partnership. 

To put the spark back in their marriage, some couples take a tropical vacation. Not Steven and Samantha. They rejoin the CIA. Now they're discovering things about each other they never knew. Like which lock-picking technique each prefers, and who killed who, and how well they work together in a hostile environment.

With their day jobs and lives in the balance, date night is about to get a lot more exciting.

Looking forward to this show!  Glad to see Boris back on TV.  The show will air on Wednesdays at 8pm.
You can watch clips of the upcoming show at this LINK

Ali "Ollie" Woodson Passes

"According to Billy Wilson, Pres. And founder of the Motown Alumni Association, former lead singer of the Temptations, Ali “Ollie” Woodson, died Sunday of cancer (leukemia) in California. He was 58." 


We're learning more and more daily, that life is truly short.  I recently saw Ollie in the stage play, "The Clean-Up Woman".  He was awesome!!!  What a great loss.

Read more HERE on Ollie.

Monday, May 24, 2010

The Latest News from AOL Black Voices - 5/24/10

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Financial Lovemaking: Does Tiger's Wife Deserve $750 Million?

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Lil Kim Reportedly Signs With Jay-Z: Top Black Business Links

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VIDEO -- Wiz Khalifa 'Kid Frankie'

  • Hey Wiz Khalifa, that sure is a big lighter you've there. What else would we expect from the ... Read More
  • By BVX Staff on May 24th 2010 3:45PM | Comments (0)

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Vivica A. Fox and Mike Epps Headline 'Love Chronicles' Sequel

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Black and Missing: Have You Seen This Person?

  • Latoya Renea Grissom Case Type: Endangered Date of Birth: February 6, 1982 Missing Date: ... Read More
  • By Jeff Mays on May 24th 2010 2:19PM | Comments (1)

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Lena Horne's Style Legacy and How to Recreate it Yourself

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6 Steps to (Help) Win Your Discrimination Lawsuit

  • If U.S. Senate hopeful Rand Paul has doubts about the federal government's responsibility to ... Read More
  • By R.L. Nave on May 24th 2010 1:30PM | Comments (1)

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The BV Cannes Film Festival Best Dressed List

  • Over the last two weeks, every major fashion house and the Hollywood starlets they love to dress ... Read More
  • By Qianna Smith on May 24th 2010 1:23PM | Comments (1)

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Mother Who Beat, Bound and Gagged Babies Arrested

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Has Reality TV Become Black Women's Enemy?

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Michael Jackson Fans to Spend Night With Possessions‎

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'Memphis,' 'Fences,' Viola Davis, Montego Glover Win Drama Desk Awards

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Legend of the Fall-Offs -- 10 Washed-Up Black Actors

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Is Chris Brown Color Struck?

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Jamaica News: Kingston Under Siege, Extradition Warrant Signed for Christopher 'Dudus' Coke




Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Teacher Uses Obama Assassination as Geometry Example

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University

A teacher in Alabama apparently takes his geometry lessons a little too seriously. A high school math teacher was teaching his students about angles and used the assassination of President Barack Obama as his teaching example.
The Secret Service was alerted and the teacher was questioned by federal agents. He was not taken in to custody or charged with a crime.
"We did not find a credible threat," said Roy Sex ton, special agent in charge of Birmingham's Secret Service office. As far as the Secret Service is concerned, we looked in to it, we talked to the gentleman and we have closed our investigation."
The teacher was explaining the use of angles by describing where you would stand if you wanted to aim and shoot Obama.

 

Click to read




Sunday, May 16, 2010

What? Did Matt Lauer Have an Affair with Whitney Houston's Sister?

Matt Lauer cheats on wife with whiney houston's half-sister alexis

Popular 'Today' show host Matt Lauer and his wife of 12 years, Annette, have split. Word on the street is that when Lauer was in Vancouver covering the Winter Olympics, he allegedly "bumped Uggs" with Whitney Houston's half-sister, Alexis Houston.

Houston, who also dabbles in music as a singer/songwriter/producer, met Lauer on the set of his show back in 2007. She accompanied Dionne Warwick, who had sung one of her hits for a segment on marriage. Reportedly, Warwick and the show's producers had some friction before the segment aired, and Houston squashed it. Lauer was apparently impressed with how Houston handled her cousin, sources toldHollyscoop.

Click to read




Thursday, April 29, 2010

Bob Johnson's Wife is Ashamed of BET

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

Thirty years ago, with $15,000 dollars in seed money and another $500,000 in bank loans, Sheila Crump Johnson and her ex-husband, Bob Johnson founded Black Entertainment Television. Since that time, the couple has earned over $1 billion dollars from their tiny investment, and BET is a household name. They sold the company to Viacom in 2000 for $1.3 billion, making them richer than Oprah Winfrey.

Now, the 60-year old woman who founded the company with her husband says that she is ashamed of the channel:
"Don't even get me started," says Mrs. Johnson. "I don't watch it. I suggest to my kids that they don't watch it... I'm ashamed of it, if you want to know the truth."

Johnson goes on to admit that BET may be contributing to the spread of AIDS in the black community by promoting raunchy, unprotected sex in rap music videos.
"When we started BET, it was going to be the Ebony magazine on television," Johnson told The Daily Beast. "We had public affairs programming. We had news... I had a show called Teen Summit, we had a large variety of programming, but the problem is that then the video revolution started up... And then something started happening, and I didn't like it at all. And I remember during those days we would sit up and watch these videos and decide which ones were going on and which ones were not. We got a lot of backlash from recording artists...and we had to start showing them. I didn't like the way women were being portrayed in these videos."

 

Click to read




Saturday, April 24, 2010

Dr. Boyce on ABC News: Financial Questions You Should Ask Your Partner

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Finance Professor - Syracuse University

As a Finance Professor, I find it incredibly ironic that many people get married without talking about money. They talk about every kind of compatibility from emotional, to spiritual, sexual, and professional, but they seldom take the time necessary to ensure that they can tolerate the idea of sharing their financial life with a person who may not be on the same page. This problem is compounded in black relationships, where many women describe economic hurdles as one of the reasons that black women have trouble finding the right mate.

 

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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Jill Scott and Essence

Not only will we see the beautiful Jill Scott in Tyler Perry's upcoming Why Did I Get Married, Too?, but she'll be gracing the cover of Essence Magazine's May issue!

From Essence.com:

"Ever since I had my son, I feel like there's a stitch of lava in my spine. I feel like I can do anything."--Jill Scott

With a string of lead movie roles under her belt and on the eve of a new album, the inimitable Jill Scott covers ESSENCE's May issue--looking and feeling better than ever! In "And Baby Makes 2," Jill is photographed at home with her 9-month-old son Jett, as she opens up about the difficult road that led her to single motherhood, the sister circle that helps her get by, and the perfect life she enjoys today.

Can't wait for the issue!  Jill will also begin her upcoming tour with Maxwell on May 21, 2010.  More info on the tour can be found here

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Tiger Makes His First TV Appearance

Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University


Tiger Woods
chose ESPN and the Golf Channel as the venues for his first interviews, since his sex scandal began four months ago. He gave the interviews with the requirement that they be only five minutes long.
"If you limit it to five minutes, when you account for structure, there's not much time to get into anything, which is probably best," said Syracuse University professor and pop culture expert Robert Thompson.
Woods had to be careful to ensure that the interviews were done in a such a way that they did not overshadow the PGA event being played this weekend. Woods has been able to transcend the game of golf in ways that no player in history has been able to accomplish. His presence (or lack thereof) can make or break a golf tournament's financial outcome.
"We really had two main things that were most important," said an ESPN spokesman. "No. 1, no restrictions on questions, and No. 2, we chose the interviewer."

 

Click to Read