Dwight Howard and His Ex-Wife Royce Remind Us of the Ugliness of Relationships

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University 

One of my favorite films of all-time was "War of the Roses," starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. In the film, a divorced couple starts down a dangerous and hilarious path of mutual destruction, where the goal of each is to make the other person's life miserable. At the end of the movie, both parties find that while it was their goal to destroy the other person, they actually ended up destroying themselves. Just for the record, each character dies at the end.

I think about "War of the Roses" when I see the custody battle between NBA star Dwight Howard and his ex-wife, Royce Reed. Of course I don't expect anyone to end up dead, but it's already clear that Royce and Dwight have made each other's lives as miserable as possible. Royce recently called the cops after Dwight picked up her son from daycare at a time when he was not scheduled to do so. Before that, Dwight had filed a lawsuit against Royce for referring to him as a "douchebag" on the TV show, "Basketball Wives.

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Dr. Boyce Watkins Says Black Athletes Should Boycott the Heisman Trophy

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

 

When I read about the possibility that Reggie Bush may have his Heisman Trophy taken, I became irritated beyond imagination.  ”Here we go again,” I thought.  “Another self-righteous group of hoity-toity NCAA administrators making value judgments about the character of black male athletes.”
If they can’t defeat them on the field, the game is then to create artificially contrived mechanisms for evaluating the worth of the athlete from a morality standpoint.  The problem for the NCAA, however, is that when it comes to ethics, they have no room to claim the moral high ground.  In fact, you might say they are crooks.

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Dr. Boyce: Why Regina King Is Right About Hollywood Racism

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

I recently read an open letter written by Regina King, the famous actress who seems to be in every major black film and TV show I can think of. Ms. King is a black female version of Harrison Ford, the kind of actress who has been in more movies than we can name, yet unappreciated for the magnitude of her gifts to the industry.
Regina King's recent challenge to those who hand out little meaningless trophies called Emmy Awards was a very telling reminder that racism knows no boundaries. The Hollywood streets and screens that have been traditionally denied to us as a people continue to be granted to others who have exclusive racial access. Just like during the days of slavery, we do much of the work, but get very little credit.

 

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Regina King’s Open Letter to the Emmys about Racism

Since the Emmy ceremony, I have been going back and forth about whether or not I should compose this letter. I try hard in my daily life not to engage in uncomfortable situations regarding race. But sometimes it's very difficult to find other reasons that better explain why certain events play out the way they do. It is impossible for me to ignore the published statistics regarding the number of people of color mentioned, celebrated or honored in the history of the televised Emmys. Up to and including this year, there have been only 53 non-white actorsnominated for Emmys out of nearly 1,000 possible nominations in the top four acting categories for drama and comedy.

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NFL Announcer Makes Terrible Comments about Hurricane Katrina

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

NFL Hall of Famer Dan Hampton has a great deal to apologize for this week. During a broadcast of an NFL game between the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints, Hampton thought it would be funny to bring up that little thing called Hurricane Katrina. Making reference to the fact that the Vikings needed to show up with their A-game, Hampton said, "The Vikings need to go down there and hit that town like Katrina."
Bad move buddy, bad move.
There isn't much to say about Dan Hampton other than the obvious. It didn't take him long to realize that it might be inappropriate to make jokes about an event that led to the death and displacement of tens of thousands of people. Hurricane Katrina affected real lives in a very real way, and Hampton needs to understand that. Additionally, invoking Katrina into the fantasy world of professional football is only productive to the extent that the success of the Saints has helped to heal the hearts of New Orleans residents who've lost everything. So, if you can't bring Hurricane Katrina up in a positive and uplifting way, please don't bring it up as a joke.

 

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No, Wyclef Was Not Stealing Your Money

As musician Wyclef Jean tearfully denied recent allegations that he misappropriated funds from his Yele Haiti charity, experts on non-profits said they couldn't find serious wrongdoing, except for a lapse of discipline in filing his taxes.

"Did I ever use Yele money for personal benefits? Absolutely not," Jean said Monday at a press conference in Manhattan. "Yele's books are open and transparent, and we have a clean bill of health by an external auditor every year since we started."

The tears began as Jean addressed his fellow Haitians in his native Creole. "I do not cry for myself; I cry for them," he explained, translating for the English-speaking members of the audience. "I tell them, just permit us a little time."

The charges of misappropriated funds emerged over the last several days, as Jean was in Port-au-Prince assisting with relief efforts following last week's earthquake. Donations have poured in during that time, totaling "several million dollars," Hugh Locke, president of Yele Haiti, said at the press conference.

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Sinbad is Broke

 

Turns out that the actor/comedian Sinbad is broke.  According to federal documents, he owes $8.15M in taxes, and has just declared bankruptcy with $10 - $50M in debts and only $50,000 in assets.  Sad.

Tamala Jones Doesn’t Like her “Tig Oh bitties”

'Castle' star Tamala Jones is featured on the cover of Heart & Soul magazine.

In addition to talking about past relationships with rappers Nate Dogg and Big Gipp of Goodie Mobb, Jones also discusses how she nearly died from a brain aneurysm, how her home went up in flames and the reasons she regrets getting breast implants.

"I was coming out of a relationship, and I felt that I needed something new," the actress told writer Pamela K. Johnson about her initial decision to have her breasts augmented.

The 34-year-old actress, who has starred in films like 'Daddy Day Camp,' 'The Wood' and 'Booty Call,' wants to have her implants removed.

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Tavis Smiley Gets Named Taken Off Building

A long-simmering disagreement between broadcaster Tavis Smiley and Texas Southern University ended Friday when the university's governing board agreed to strip Smiley's name from its communication school.

Smiley promised in 2004 to donate $1 million and to raise another $1 million for TSU. The school later created the Tavis Smiley School of Communication in his honor.

In return, Smiley made one $50,000 donation in mid-2005 and raised $250,000 from three corporate donors.

But he said Friday that he had intended to fulfill his personal $1 million pledge.

“Any institution that turns away a $1 million gift in this economy, I think ought to have good reason for doing that,” he said in a telephone interview.

He also said former university President Priscilla Slade offered to name the school for him before he pledged any money.

“I even made a joke, how much is this decision going to cost me?” he said. “She said, ‘This decision has already been made.'”

“It doesn't feel good,” he said of the board's decision. “My intentions were to help the students.”

 

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Ice Cube’s New Movie Turns into Marketing Garbage

This past weekend, when folks were flocking to theaters to see 'Where the Wild Things Are,' 'Law Abiding Citizen' and 'Black Dynamite,' one film that was released without much fanfare was Ice Cube's latest, 'Janky Promoters.'

No trailer, one poster and no marketing spells disaster. 'Janky' isn't even listed in this week's top 125 films.

Initially set to be released last March by the Weinstein Co., the film was dropped down to its DVD division company, Third Rail Releasing. It was released in just 22 theaters, where it grossed a dismal $5,300. It averaged $240 per theater.

'Janky' follows the shenanigans of a pair of shady concert promoters (Cube and Mike Epps), who get in over their heads when they get a shot at booking a big-name hip-hop act (Young Jeezy). Complications come in the form of a pot-growing neighborhood nemesis named Mondo and Cube's character's son (Nickelodeon star Little JJ), who is under contract with the old man.

Also starring in the film are Terry Crews, Glenn Plummer and Tamala Jones.

In a call this week to the only theater in New York City where the film is playing, the operator stated that no one had bought tickets for the first two showings.

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What’s Cracking at TheGrio – 10/7/09

 

• Serena reclaims No. 1 rank
• Tyler Perry reveals abused childhood
• Browns' Edwards involved in alleged fight with LeBron's friend
• Method Man arrested for not paying taxes
• Rumors of Maya Angelou's death greatly exaggerated
• 'Housewives' cast member's ex-fiance dies in fight

News: Shyne Won’t Be Shining for a Minute

It looks like Shyne's homecoming is on hold for the moment.

The former Bad Boy rapper (born Jamal Barrow) was scheduled to be released from prison Tuesday (October 6) after serving more than nine years of a 10-year sentence in connection with the 2001 Club New York shooting involving Diddy and Jennifer Lopez.

But his release is now under review, as representatives for the rapper revealed to MTV News that the Brooklyn MC is being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at an unspecified facility in Western New York State. Officials are determining whether or not to deport the rapper, who was born in Belize, a rep explained.

 

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News: Remember Lisa Nicole Carson?

Finally out on DVD is the first season of 'Ally McBeal,' which ran on the FOX network from 1997 to 2002. The series starred Calista Flockhart in the title role as a young lawyer working in a fictional Boston law firm with other young lawyers whose lives and loves were eccentric, humorous and dramatic.

Among the supporting cast were Greg Germann, Jane Krakowski, Peter MacNicol,Vonda Shepard, and Lisa Nicole Carson.

Carson was a rising starlet in the mid-'90s, appearing in 'Jason's Lyric,' 'Devil in a Blue Dress' and 'Love Jones' before settling in on two highly successful television shows.

The Brooklyn native played Ally's friend and fellow defense attorney Renée Raddick from 1997 to 2002 (seasons 1–4) and made a guest appearance in the series finale. She also played Carla Reece, the on-again-off-again girlfriend of Eriq La Salle's Dr. Peter Benton, in NBC's 'ER' between 1996 and 2001.

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News: Real Housewives Fiance Killed in a Strip Club Brawl!

Kandi Burruss, the newest cast member of the hit reality show, “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” is coping with the tragic death of her fiancé, Ashley “A.J.” Jewell, who appeared regularly on the show.

Burruss' publicist, Lisa Nelson, confirmed to WSBTV.com reporter Brian Johnson that the incident has left the Atlanta "housewife" stunned and speechless. Burruss posted a message on her Twitter page Saturday expressing how the incident has left her devasated.

"I could never in a million years imagine this happening. Please pray for A.J.'s children ... that's who i'm the most concerned for. I'm about to give my swollen eyes some rest now. I just wanted to say thanks two everyone for their prayers," said Burruss.

 

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YouTube’s Greatest Hits – Hilarious!!!!!!

 

Click here to watch the funniest video you’ve ever seen!

Hollywood Director Arrested for Drugging and Raping a 13-year Old Girl

Filmmaker Roman Polanski has been arrested on an arrest warrant stemming from a decades-old sex charge, Swiss police said Sunday.

Roman Polanski attends a film premiere in Paris, France, in June 2009.

The Academy Award-winning director pleaded guilty in 1977 to a single count of having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, acknowledging he had sex with a 13-year-old girl, but fled the United States before he could be sentenced. U.S. authorities issued a warrant for his arrest in 1978.

He was taken into custody trying to enter Switzerland on Saturday, Zurich police said.

Polanski, 76, has lived in France for decades to avoid being arrested if he enters the U.S. He declined to collect his Academy Award for Best Director in person when he won it for "The Pianist" in 2003.

He was en route to the Zurich Film Festival, which is holding a tribute to him, when he was arrested by Swiss authorities, the festival said.

Polanski was nominated for best director Oscars for "Tess" and "Chinatown," and for best writing for "Rosemary's Baby," which he also directed.

"Roman Polanski, who is one of the greatest film directors of all time, would have been honored for his life's work in Zurich today," the film festival said in a statement.

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Nicole Spence: He Went Limp Noodle!

So a good friend of mine recently started digging in the crates, and began messing with an old flame!
These 2 dated years ago pretty heavy actually, ish happened and they parted ways. But now he's back! The sex that she remembers was pretty fiery! Although she does recall having to initiate some of their sexual encounters. But it was still pretty Calente!
He's about 8years older than her, so she was looking forward to the whole " daddy" experience. Unfortunately things "down south" haven't been quite the way she remembers, while talking over Patron shots, she asked me if she should give him the ol Heave hoe!
Here's the skinny!

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Nicole Spence on Swingers Clubs

by Nicole Spence , Your Black World 

S

So I was on the way to school talking on the phone with one of my girlfriends. I brought up a previous conversation that I had with my friend Jack. Just recently Jack invited me to go with him to check out this Sex club in Brooklyn. Jack knows damn well that I won’t be partaking in any of the reckless behavior, but we both figured it would be juicy material for me to write about, if I wasn’t such a damn fraidy cat, and I actually had the balls to enter such a place. 
The crazy shit is nasty people are everywhere, as I’m walking and chit chatting to my surprise this clean cut black guy over hears my conversation. As I attempt to cross the street he stops me. Now I’m thinking “ Oh you want my number?” But No! He tells me “ I didn’t mean to over hear your conversation, but I did. My girlfriend and I are looking for a new Sex club, can you tell me the name of the one you were just speaking about?” Get the fuck outta here! You swing? He begins to ask if I’m apart of the “community” I say, "No" followed by a very loud weird laugh. Lol 

 

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Barack Obama Calls Kanye West a Jackass

Are you serious?  Newsweek and other media outlets are reporting that during an off the record remark to an ABC reporter, Obama called Kanye West a Jackass for his attacks on Taylor Swift. 

Well, was he lying?  I think the world is getting tired of Kanye West.

Should we be shocked by this video?

Click here to watch the most shocking thing you’ve ever seen. In this video, children as young as 3 years old are being taught to grind with each other by adults teaching them how to dance. How much is too much?