Saturday, November 29, 2008

Winona Ryder Busted Shoplifting AGAIN???

Guess Miss Winona ain't learn nothing the first time around.....

From The NY Daily News:

Convicted shoplifter Winona Ryder is caught in the middle of an alleged jewelry theft.

The "Reality Bites" actress has been accused of swiping more than $124,000 worth of Bulgari jewels she borrowed for a Nov. 20 event sponsored by Marie Claire magazine in Madrid, according to TMZ.com.

Ryder, who was caught stealing from a Saks Fifth Avenue store in 2001, reported the diamond-encrusted bracelet and ring missing sometime after she left them in her hotel room to be picked up by someone from Marie Claire, the site says.

But according to French celebrity magazine Voici, Ryder says she left the jewels at the hotel's front desk for safekeeping. Hotel management , meanwhile, claims they never received the jewels, insisting that they have no surveillance footage showing Ryder handing over the diamonds.

The jewels are reportedly still M.I.A.

This is the second time Ryder has made headlines in recent weeks. The 37-year-old developed a mystery illness while flying to London earlier this month, causing the plane to make a special landing. She was hospitalized and later released.

Ryder served three years of probation and 480 hours of community service after her 2001 shoplifting incident.

"I didn't have this tremendous sense of guilt, because I hadn't hurt anyone," she later told Vogue of the "embarrassing" incident.

"Had I physically harmed someone or caused harm to a human being, I think it would have been an entirely different experience."

Reps for Bulgari and Ryder could not be reached for comment on Saturday.

Lol...she needs to get herself some help before it's too late.

A Pennsylvania woman convicted for shoplifting was sentenced to wear a badge that reads "Convicted Shoplifter." However, her lawyers hope to plea bargain down to a bumper sticker reading "I'd Rather Be Stealing!"

Friday, November 28, 2008

My Thanksgiving was the BOMB!! How was yours?

Yesterday was Thanksgiving and I had the pleasure of spending it with my family this year! We had a "Soul Food" dinner and it was awesome!! Everyone pitched in different dishes and we all gathered at my mom's house this year.

My baby sis and I did the bulk of the cooking with me handling the potato salad, sauteed string beans, pickled veggies, Cole slaw, banana pudding (with a little help from my niece Jennifer & my nephews) & sweet potato pie and my sister handled the greens, mac & cheese, yams, shrimps & rice & her specialty.....honey BBQ wings!!! (my sis can THROW DOWN on those BBQ wings y'all!!!). My mom made the Turkey and some slamming BBQ Ribs.
The grandchildren made the desserts of freshly baked cakes & cheesecakes. My cousin Christina made her first ever attempt at making greens too (not bad Heavy, just don't mix the pork & turkey and always add a little vinegar to the greens)

There was more food than we knew what to do with and NOBODY left my mama's house hungry....

There were a WHOLE LOTTA folks in my mama's house that day, my parents, aunties, uncles, my siblings, my nieces & nephews, cousins, grand kids, great grand kids...and friends as well...etc...four generations to be exact and it was wonderful...we have lots of new editions to our family and I saw relatives that I hadn't seen since they were teenagers and now they are all grown up with families of their own. My sister bought a case of wine (we like Riesling in the Boogie Down Y'all!!) and I kid you not...we must have finished off half the case by the time the day was over. Neighbors dropped by to bring plates of food to my mom and to wish her a happy Thanksgiving as well. Of course it wouldn't be Thanksgiving unless we could finish the day off with The Electric Slide and a dance battle in the hallway...lol.
It was an awesome day family....and I hope that you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving Day as much as I enjoyed mine.

"Families are like fudge... mostly sweet with a few nuts."

Black Friday - Is It REALLY that serious ya'll???

Um....Tis' the season to be JOLLY???

Just one question family....

Has America lost its collective minds??? Now folks are dying and killing folks to catch a GREAT SALE???? WTF?

These headlines greeted me this morning when I turned on my computer:

From the East Coast:

POLICE EYE SHOPPERS IN WAL-MART TRAMPLING DEATH

NEW YORK (Nov. 29) - Police were reviewing video from surveillance cameras in an attempt to identify who trampled to death a Wal-Mart worker after a crowd of post-Thanksgiving shoppers burst through the doors at a suburban store and knocked him down.

Other workers were trampled as they tried to rescue the man, and customers stepped over him and became irate when officials said the store was closing because of the death, police and witnesses said.

At least four other people, including a woman who was eight months pregnant, were taken to hospitals for observation or minor injuries. The store in Valley Stream on Long Island closed for several hours before reopening.

Police said about 2,000 people were gathered outside the Wal-Mart doors before its 5 a.m. opening at a mall about 20 miles east of Manhattan. The impatient crowd knocked the employee, identified by police as Jdimytai Damour, to the ground as he opened the doors, leaving a metal portion of the frame crumpled like an accordion.

"This crowd was out of control," Fleming said. He described the scene as "utter chaos," and said the store didn't have enough security.

Dozens of store employees trying to fight their way out to help Damour were also getting trampled by the crowd, Fleming said. Shoppers stepped over the man on the ground and streamed into the store.

A 28-year-old pregnant woman was taken to a hospital, where she and the baby were reported to be OK, said police Sgt. Anthony Repalone.

Kimberly Cribbs, who witnessed the stampede, said shoppers were acting like "savages."

"When they were saying they had to leave, that an employee got killed, people were yelling `I've been on line since yesterday morning,'" she said. "They kept shopping."

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., based in Bentonville, Ark., called the incident a "tragic situation" and said the employee came from a temporary agency and was doing maintenance work at the store. It said it tried to prepare for the crowd by adding staffers and outside security workers, putting up barricades and consulting police.

"Despite all of our precautions, this unfortunate event occurred," senior Vice President Hank Mullany said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those impacted."

A woman reported being trampled by overeager customers at a Wal-Mart opening Friday in Farmingdale, about 15 miles east of Valley Stream, Suffolk County police said. She suffered minor injuries, but finished shopping before filling the report, police said.

Shoppers around the country line up early outside stores on the day after Thanksgiving in the annual bargain-hunting ritual known as Black Friday. It got that name because it has historically been the day when stores broke into profitability for the full year.

Items on sale at the Valley Stream Wal-Mart included a Samsung 50-inch Plasma HDTV for $798, a Bissel Compact Upright Vacuum for $28, a Samsung 10.2 megapixel digital camera for $69 and DVDs such as "The Incredible Hulk" for $9.

But it wasn't just us - The folks on the West Coast were losing their damn minds too....

TWO DEAD IN SHOOTING AT TOYS R US!!!

PALM DESERT, Calif. (Nov. 28) - The shooting occurred in a crowded toy store on the traditional start of the holiday shopping season, but authorities say it wasn't related to the bargain-hunting frenzy. Instead, two men pulled guns and killed each other after the women with them erupted into a bloody brawl, witnesses said.

Authorities released few details about the mayhem that broke out at the Toys "R'' Us store around 11:30 a.m. Friday, sending scared shoppers fleeing. Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez said the fight was not over a toy and that handguns were found by the men's bodies. He refused to say whether the shooting was gang-related.

The victims were identified as Alejandro Moreno, 39, of Desert Hot Springs, and Juan Meza, 28, of Cathedral City. No one else was hurt.

Witnesses Scott and Joan Barrick said they were checking out of the store when the brawl began between two women, each with a man. The women were near the checkout area, but the Barricks did not think the women had purchases.

One woman suddenly started punching the other woman, who fought back as blood flowed from her nose, said Scott Barrick, 41. The man who was with the woman being punched pulled a gun halfway out of his pocket, then shoved it back in, he said.

"He pulled his gun right next to me. I turned to look for my wife, and she was already hiding," Scott Barrick said.

"I was scared," said Joan Barrick, 40. "I didn't want to die today. I really didn't want to die today, and I think that's what we were all thinking."

The other man pulled a gun and pointed it at the first man but forgot to cock it, Scott Barrick said. The first man tried to run but was blocked by the line of people, then ran back toward the store's electronics section as the other man fired his gun, he said.

The first man reached a dead-end in electronics, turned around and ran toward an exit, pulling his gun and firing back, Scott Barrick said.

"He went up to the cash register, he went to put his hand on the thing and he just went phoomp," he said, indicating the man fell.

He said he did not see what happened to the other man.

Palm Desert Councilman Jim Ferguson said police told him two men with handguns shot and killed each other.

"I think the obvious question everyone has is who takes loaded weapons into a Toys "R'' Us?" he said. "I doubt it was the casual holiday shopper."

Ray Turner, 20, said he was two aisles away when two women began shouting and screaming at each other and he had a clear view of the fight until a crowd clustered around them. Both women had children, he said.

"We thought it was just a fight and then someone yelled: 'He's got a gun! He's got a gun!' You really couldn't see nothing because there was a crowd," Turner said.

Rafael Gomez, 11, said he and his father had been in the store about 20 minutes before the shooting but were in a nearby Pizza Hut when they saw people pouring out of the store screaming.

"We just saw them running and crying. I was kind of scared," Rafael said. "We got lucky."
Toys "R'' Us issued a statement expressing outrage over the violence.

"We are working closely with local law enforcement officials to determine the specific details of what occurred," the statement said. "Our understanding is that this act seems to have been the result of a personal dispute between the individuals involved. Therefore, it would be inaccurate to associate the events of today with Black Friday."

Palm Desert is a resort town about 120 miles east of Los Angeles.

I don't know...is it me family? Folks are toting GUNS to go Christmas SHOPPING??? What happened to "Peace on Earth & Good Will Towards Men??? Or God Bless Us Everyone??? After my Black Friday experience last year (5 HOURS of sitting in traffic!) I made a vow that I would NEVER be that foolish and that greedy again.

It is SO not that serious for me. Is it for YOU?
"There must be more to life than having everything!"

Thursday, November 27, 2008

NY Times review of Rosie Live


Wow...this is the NY Times review of Rosie Live! Special that aired last night......

Hokey Comedy With An Enemy List

By ALESSANDRA STANLEY
Published: November 27, 2008

Rosie O'Donnell's Wednesday night special on NBC, "Rosie Live," was supposed to be a tribute to the variety shows of the 1970s, but she added a Nixonian twist: Christmas songs, tap-dancing twins and an enemies list.

In between skits, celebrity cameos and hokey novelty acts, the legendarily thin-skinned Ms. O'Donnell found time to take potshots at some of her favorite targets, including Donald Trump, Nancy Grace and Bill O'Reilly. She left out Barbara Walters, with whom Ms. O'Donnell has been feuding ever since Ms. O'Donnell left "The View," perhaps reluctant to draw attention to Ms. Walters's interview with Barack and Michelle Obama on ABC the same night. (Even that Barbara Walters special had a '70s feel, as Ms. Walters reprised her famous interview with Jimmy Carter, asking President-elect Obama if he intended to personally turn off the lights in the White House to conserve energy.)

Ms. O'Donnell's self-referential swats at detractors were light, but they clashed with the context, lending a hard, contemporary edge to what was intended to be a corny, heartfelt homage to variety shows of yesteryear, like "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour" and "The Carol Burnett Show." So did her bizarre product-placement duet with Jane Krakowski, a star of the NBC comedy "30 Rock," who performed a sultry striptease in front of a giant monitor flashing images of White Castle hamburgers, BlackBerrys and Crest Whitestrips.

Nostalgia was also pushed hard. After her monologue, Ms. O'Donnell sang a duet of "City Lights" alongside a sequined, slightly tremulous Liza Minnelli, who rose out of a trap door to join the host on stage. Ms. O'Donnell beamed at Harry Connick Jr. as he channeled Perry Como, crooning "Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas" while wearing a Santa hat.

Alec Baldwin hit Conan O'Brian in the face with a pie, spinning cowboys danced with ropes (albeit in tune to a 1980s hit by Dead or Alive, "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)"), and Alanis Morissette sang a sad ballad in long dark hair and thick bangs, like Cher.

Ms. O'Donnell is usually pretty good at borrowing from the past. Her talk show, which ran from 1996 to 2002, was a hit, mainly because Ms. O'Donnell sought to recreate the kindly, good-humored sensibility of "The Mike Douglas Show." (She asked celebrity guests softball questions and tossed soft squishy balls at her audience.) Ellen DeGeneres picked up that baton and made her own talk show a hit. Ms. O'Donnell went on "The View" and took that show hostage, stoking ratings -- and her own reputation for erratic rage -- by feuding with the likes of Mr. Trump and even her co-hosts. (She and Ms. Walters had a bitter, highly public spat, collateral damage from the Trump war.)

Ms. O'Donnell can be very funny, but she didn't try very hard Wednesday night. Her opening monologue was a riff about her weight, focused on her Spanx support garments, which she described as "onesies for chubby fortysomethings." But Spanx underwear is an overused joke. As she did on "The View," Ms. O'Donnell brought up that she was gay but added a coy comedy bit that didn't really match her usual outspokenness.

Clay Aiken, the "American Idol" star who is appearing on Broadway in "Spamalot" and recently announced that he was gay, made a brief appearance in his costume from that show. He and Ms. O'Donnell named things they have in common, including a son named Parker, then pretended to be stumped about the other trait they share. " Oh, I remember," Ms. O'Donnell said. "We're both Gay ... briel Byrne fans."

The usually funny comedian Kathy Griffin was stuck in one of the show's least amusing skits, appearing on stage in a short blond wing to do a wilted impersonation of Nancy Grace, another O'Donnell bĂȘte noire.

Lame jokes are part of the holiday variety genre, along with campy production numbers featuring sexy dancers and cute little children. Celebrity score-settling, on the other hand, belongs to the self-obsessed blogging Facebook generation. Ms. O'Donnell, who frequently takes out her frustrations in a video diary on her Web site, would have been better served leaving herself behind and sticking to the classics.

Whoa....well this review doesn't sound to good. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see the show because I was busy watching Michelle & Barack Obama being interviewed by Barbara Walters. (Which I thoroughly enjoyed...sorry Rosie...)

Did anyone happen to catch Rosie Live? Please leave a comment and let me know what you thought...

"The price we pay when pursuing any art or calling, is an intimate knowledge of its ugly side."

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Happy Turkey Day Family!!



It is 3:31am and I am still up baking sweet potatoe pies.....I am so tired I can barely think...wait! I think I smell my pie....be right back!

Okay....so it's now 3:36 am and I have just put my last pie in the oven....I have about another 40 minutes and then I can take a nap so I can be refreshed when it's time to roast my cornish hens...finish up my string beans and put the mac & cheese in the oven.

Anyway family, have a wonderful, safe & blessed holiday!!!

And if anyone..and I mean ANYONE is cooking Pernil (with loads of garlic and crunchy skin!!!).....please save a sista a few slices!

Muah!


"When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light, for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food, and the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies with yourself.”

Jill Scott Pregnant?

Ooohhh Family.....I just got through reading The BV Buzz this morning and.......

Word on the street (although it hasn't been confirmed yet) is that Curvalicious Diva Jill Scott is expecting her first child.

The father-to-be is her fiance'; drummer Lil' John Roberts, who she announced her engagement to on June 20th.

The Philly-bred, Grammy Award winning singer is currently taping her HBO movie series in Africa right now.

I'm so glad that mama Jill seems to be really happy now!

Congrats to you both!

"We know that birth takes a woman from one place in her life to another. The birth of a child certainly does change her viewpoint of herself and I believe her viewpoint of the world."

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Plus Size In The City Holiday Meet & Greet 2008



Last night I attended a holiday meet & greet hosted by Keir Walker and his Plus Size in the City group. The party was held at Jay-Z's 40/40 Club in Manhattan. It was an after work event that was scheduled to begin at 6pm. I arrived a little after 8pm and there was a nice little group of ladies already in attendance. I checked in with the hostesses at the door; who quickly bestowed me with an official Barack Obama t-Shirt (I was giddy at the thought of getting one because I'd been coveting them since BEFORE election night!) and a raffle ticket for the drawing later on.

I made my way over to Keir and he walked me around the room and made introductions. I spotted my publicist, Mary Moore sitting across the room and hightailed it over in her direction. I took off my coat and sat down and immediately began catching her up with all that I've been up to. As we talked, the room began to fill up with familiar faces; Catherine Schuller (Divabetic), Theresa Randolph (JT Productions), designer Qristyl Frazier (who gave me some wonderful news that I am not allowed to talk about yet), Plus models Chanel, Christina Mendez & Tiffany Braxton. I had a long talk with Keya Odom, the publisher of Solid Woman's Magazine.

I stepped outside for a moment and was chatting with a friend; when a brother (a little drunk) decided to serenade us with his own personal version of Ain't Nothing But A G Thin....lol...he ran us back inside quickly.

At 9pm, Keir took the floor and began introducing some of the Plus Size in the City Models and his staff to the crowd. Then he raffled off some great prizes (including a trip) and thanked everyone for coming. Mary's husband Syncere was on hand to photograph the event and the picture taking began..lol...it was crazy for a moment.

I knew I had to get home to begin prepping my food for the holiday, so I wrapped up things with Mary and headed towards the door. I said goodbye to the cutie at the door and hopped on a train back up town.

I was so tired when I got back home that I forgot all about prepping my food and went right to bed.

Nice Party Keir, thanks for inviting me!

"I have always thought of Christmas as a good time; a kind, forgiving, generous, pleasant time; a time when men and women seem to open their hearts freely, and so I say, God bless Christmas!"

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

John Forte Receives Presidential Pardon


This is so weird to me, yesterday, I was sitting at a friend's house listening to the TWC music channel, when Wyclef's "We Tryin' To Stay Alive" came on and I began talking about what became of the featured rapper on this song - John Forte. I knew he had gotten arrested on drug charges at the height of his career and as far as I had heard....that was pretty much it. Until now....

Now I know:

From MSNBC:

"Bush also commuted the prison sentences of John Edward Forte of North Brunswick, N.J., and James Russell Harris of Detroit, Mich. Both were convicted of cocaine offenses.

Forte, a well-known hip hop artist, worked with the Fugees, Wyclef Jean and Herbie Hancock.

Pardon orders never give a reason, but NBC News' Pete Williams reported that in Forte's case, it is likely the mandatory minimum sentences required in drug cases. Here's how fans of Forte's put it on a Web site dedicated to him:

"John Forte's life was forever changed in July of 2000. He agreed to transport a package, and in turn was arrested on a drug trafficking charge. He did not accept the plea bargain offered him, as he maintained that he was innocent of the charges against him.

"In 2001, John FortĂ© stood trial in a Texas court and was convicted of this non-violent crime. It was his first offense. Due to the outdated mandatory minimum sentencing laws currently in place, he received the only prison term available for the judge to hand down — 14 years in a federal penitentiary. John is not eligible to be released until he is at least 38 years old."

Under the Constitution, the president’s power to issue pardons is absolute and cannot be overruled."
Welcome Home Bro.
"When I left prison, I had to figure out how to embrace my past."

'Tyra Banks Show' Loses Syndication

Reuters

(Nov.24) -- Daytime talker "The Tyra Banks Show" is moving to the CW's afternoon block in September, after airing in syndication for four seasons.
Economics played a role in its move out of syndication as stations are forced to make budget cuts amid the economic downturn. To cut costs, "Tyra's" production schedule will be cut to 26 weeks from 34, with an episode from the first four seasons airing at 3 p.m. and a new installment airing at 4 p.m. "Tyra" repeats also will continue to air in late-night on women's cable channel Oxygen.
Meanwhile, the CW is close to renewing Banks' "America's Next Top Model" for a 13th cycle.

"In journalistic terms, syndication is equivalent to ascending to heaven on a pillar of cloud."

Monday, November 24, 2008

Jordin Sparks Wins an American Music Award!



Congratulations to Curvy Girl Jordin Sparks on her American Music Award for Best Adult Contemporary Artist!

You GO Girl!!!! Represent!




Also check out the clip of Curvy Chicks Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys and Classical Diva Kathleen Battle performing "Superwoman" at the awards!





"You must love yourself before you love another. By accepting yourself and fully being what you are, your simple presence can make others happy."

Rosie O'Donnell Debuts "Rosie Live" on Wednesday

From the NY Times..

Ruby Washington/The New York Times

Rosie O’Donnell and cast members rehearsing “Rosie Live,” to be broadcast on Wednesday.

Ruby Washington/The New York Times

Rosie O’Donnell and Denis Jones, her choreographer, at work.

The Thanksgiving-eve audience will see an attempted revival of the variety show format, a staple of television in the 1960s and ’70s. Taking pages from Carol Burnett, Ed Sullivan and Sonny and Cher, the show will serve up Broadway dancers, celebrity appearances, musical acts and comedy sketches. Rosie O’Donnell, an executive producer and the host, sees a template for a weekly series.

“For about the past five years I’ve been pitching this exact show,” she said last week, taking a break from rehearsals at the Ripley-Grier Studios on Eighth Avenue, in Midtown Manhattan. “I’ve done it a million times in my head already.”

Ms. O’Donnell isn’t the only variety host in waiting. The broadcast networks are making expensive bets that the format is finally ready for an encore.

“The entire industry has been trying to figure out a way to bring back variety in some way,” Mike Darnell, the president of alternative programming for Fox, said in an interview last summer, when the network signed Ozzy Osbourne’s family to star in a variety show. The untitled Osbournes show does not have a premiere date.

Competitors will be watching to see whether the NBC special succeeds. The singer John Mayer is reportedly in talks to host a variety show for CBS, although the network has not confirmed that the show is in development.

Against a bleak economic backdrop that reminds some of the ’70s, television executives said they were hoping that families would gather in the living room for an upbeat hour of comedians, musicians and surprises.

“I think it’s fun, it’s celebratory, it’s light and breezy, and it’s a good showcase,” said Ben Silverman, the co-chairman of NBC Entertainment, who accepted Ms. O’Donnell’s pitch for “Rosie Live” earlier in the year.

What Mr. Silverman didn’t say was that given the sorry state of NBC’s prime-time schedule, “Rosie Live” could be a desperately needed shot in the arm. Promotions for the show remind viewers that “anything can happen”; in a decade of time-shifting and fast-forwarding, “live” is an important sales pitch.

It’s not only “American Idol,” the nation’s most-watched show, that proves the point: NBC’s only show among broadcast’s Top 20 for the week ending on Nov. 16 was Sunday’s live N.F.L. game. And the network’s most storied franchise, “Saturday Night Live,” has had a robust year.

While “Rosie Live” commercials have run frequently on NBC, the show’s host is herself a walking, talking promotion. When Ms. O’Donnell says that the show will consist of “no politics, no feuds, no fighting, just one hour of entertainment,” every celebrity magazine reader knows she is referring to the year she spent on “The View” and the animosities that may or may not remain.

The supposed feud between Ms. O’Donnell and Barbara Walters, one of the other “View” hosts, re-emerged in a conference call last Wednesday when a reporter asked Ms. O’Donnell about her opinion of the program. Ms. O’Donnell’s comment about a lack of camaraderie among the current hosts prompted Ms. Walters to spend a minute on Thursday’s show chastising “ladies” who criticize “The View.”

The spat was good for scores of press mentions, conveniently published days before Ms. O’Donnell’s show. (The two women share a publicist.)

On Friday morning Ms. O’Donnell waltzed into the rehearsal room, donned a black top hat and recounted her most recent exchange with Ms. Walters for her group of dancers. “Call me ‘lady’ from now on,” she joked.

After switching from boots to high heels, she practiced the show’s opener, a rendition of “City Lights” from the 1977 Broadway musical “The Act,” with its original star, Liza Minnelli. After about 10 rehearsals, the scene seemed stage-ready.

“I did it, Denis,” Ms. O’Donnell exclaimed to her choreographer, Denis Jones. “I didn’t think I could do it.”

The one-hour special amounts to a re-emergence for Ms. O’Donnell, who hosted a daytime talk show from 1996 to 2002. On Wednesday she will deliver a monologue, introduce musical performances by Alanis Morissette and Ne-Yo and chat up the “30 Rock” cast members Alec Baldwin and Jane Krakowski.

Surprise guests, comedic skits and a pair of tap dancers will lead up to a finale by the singer Gloria Estefan. The show’s other executive producer, David Friedman, calls it “very old-school variety.”

“There really isn’t anything like it on TV,” he said.

Wednesday night will test whether viewers want to watch. Series like “The Carol Burnett Show” and “The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour” were ratings hits in the three-network era. But by 1980 they had all but vanished from television.

“I think partly they died because they were sort of stuck” in the past, Mr. Darnell said. “If you look back at them, they look very much of the era. They don’t translate well. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a new way to present them.”

Ms. Burnett, for one, is ready for their return. “I’m happy that the V word isn’t so nasty anymore,” she said in a telephone interview on Monday. “It’s a genre that I think is sorely missed.”

Ms. Burnett’s show ended in 1978, but it remained popular in syndication, on VHS and DVD and more recently on YouTube. A retrospective that CBS showed in November 2001 drew almost 30 million viewers.

A number of producers have tried to bring the variety format back, often with a sketch comedy bent, with little success. But the format is evident in “American Idol,” “Dancing With the Stars” and other reality hits. The talent competitions are variety shows, Ms. O’Donnell observed, “only without a lot of variety.”

Ms. O’Donnell said she believed the timing was right for a variety revival, partly for practical reasons. “It’s a lot less costly than a one-hour drama, people are getting fed up with reality, and sitcoms don’t seem to be working,” she said.

The one-hour special is being produced with an eye toward a regular series run. Ms. O’Donnell’s contract calls for episodes to be ordered in batches of six. Mr. Silverman isn’t ready to commit yet, but he said, “Hopefully, the audience will be as excited as we are.”

Broadway — Ms. O’Donnell calls herself its “ultimate fan” — will surely be watching. As Ms. O’Donnell sat on a bench outside the rehearsal hall and reminisced about previous variety shows, a dancer interrupted and said, “Thanks for bringing it back.”

Ms. O’Donnell smiled and answered, “I’m trying.”

"Comedy is tragedy plus time."

Loving Me Some Warren Sapp!!


It's official!

The Quarterback Killer has just slayed me! I just finished watching Dancing With The Stars and he is just the cutest thing!!!!!

I just wanna bite him!



If the popular vote counts for anything....he might actually win!


"I never expect to lose. Even when I am the underdog, I still prepare a victory speech."

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Alyson Williams To Perform A Tribute To Phyllis Hyman

Curvy Singer Alyson Williams is performing in a musical tribute to the late Phyllis Hyman at The Triad Theater in Manhattan. The show dates are Saturday, Dec 20th & Sunday, December 21st.




Miss Alyson can BLOW!!! This show is a definite "must-see"!!

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue
them."

Chrisette Michele Comes To The Apollo Dec 5th

Live Nation
Presents
Chrisette Michele
With special guest Ryan Leslie
Friday December 5, 2008


Michelle's sound is a mix of jazz and gospel reminiscent
of
Macy Gray, Jill Scott and Erykah Badu.
Tickets on sale tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. $60. $50. $40.

To purchase tickets: http://www.apollotheater.org/box_office.html

Wow...$60.00 is a whole lotta money for a concert ticket....
"The key to happiness and success is to have a dream."

Hundreds line up at the Apollo Theater for Dreamgirls Auditions

From The NY Times....

At the Apollo, a Role in ‘Dreamgirls’ Draws Hundreds of Hopefuls

By WINTER MILLER
Published: November 22, 2008


Blame two Jennifers — a generation apart — for the long line of young women outside the Apollo Theater in Harlem on Saturday morning, waiting hours in chilly weather for their chance to audition for a national tour of the musical “Dreamgirls.”

The first Jennifer, Ms. Holiday, was a telephone operator who was discovered at an open call and who won raves, and the Tony for best actress, in 1982 in her Broadway debut as Effie White, the character whose sound and figure were deemed by her manager (and lover) as too big and too black to make it in a group modeled after
the Supremes.

The second Jennifer, Ms. Hudson, an
“American Idol” contestant, played Effie to Oscar and Golden Globe wins for Best Supporting Actress in the 2006 movie.

Hoping that life imitates life imitating art and mints a third enchanted Effie, 414 shivering hopefuls from across the country started gathering outside the Apollo at 4:30 a.m. Saturday.
Third in line was Lorena Deamer, 23, who had flown from Baton Rouge, La., with her mother, Betty, 63, arriving in New York at 1 a.m. “If I was in Antarctica, I would have flown all the way from Antarctica,” said Ms. Deamer, a secretary who figured she spent about $1,800 on the trip.


Martina Bruno, 27, sings classical music in the subway under a banner that reads “The Angel of New York.” She lives with her parents in Queens and has been singing she was 4. “I’d take any part, but it’s important to get Effie,” she said. “I’ve been doing this for so long, I really gotta show something for it.”


The producer of the show, John Breglio, an entertainment lawyer with ties to the original Broadway production, said the location of the audition was particularly noteworthy. “We’re hoping to find the next Effie, Deena and Lorrell,” he said. “If we can find them in Harlem, that would be my dream.”


Mr. Breglio chose the Apollo to kick off the national tour next year to coincide with the theater’s 75th anniversary and for dramatic reasons: the show’s opening scene is set at the Apollo. Jay Binder, the casting director who selected Ms. Hudson during an open call, reached out to local gospel choirs, as well as churches in Atlanta and Detroit, to attract singers.

Virlinda R. Stanton, from Tyler, Tex., cut costs by spending Friday night at La Guardia Airport after her flight arrived. Ms. Stanton, who said she was 24 and a licensed funeral director and embalmer, sings at casinos and parties. Her mother was baby-sitting her 9-year-old daughter. If she were to get the role of Effie, she said, three generations would share a room on tour.

“There’s an outrageous, unreasonable expectation for what this young woman needs to do for us,” said Robert Longbottom, the show’s director, who said he was holding out for an unknown, hoping to mold his own legend. “I want my Effie,” he said.

Inside, singers were herded into holding rooms. They applied lipstick, slipped on heels and steadied their nerves amid a muffled din of hums and warm-up scales. One by one, they entered from stage right, rubbed the stub of the Apollo’s Tree of Hope that amateur night hopefuls — including
Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown and Michael Jackson — have been touching since 1934.

Standing on a yellow X, each singer faced the row of blank faces of those who would decide if their allotted 16 bars merited a second audition. Behind the judges, 1,500 empty red seats offered the first glimpse of what could be a packed house a year from now, and perhaps the beginning of the next Effie-to-riches fairy tale.

Ms. Bruno stepped up and belted gospel. After, stepping into the sunlight, she mused, “I tried my best, got here at 5:30.”

The next Effie is still weeks or months from being crowned. There are more auditions, then callbacks, as the search could go on as long as May or June.

"Set out each day believing in your dreams. Know without a doubt that you were made for amazing things."

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Danielle Gets The Boot From Stylista

So last night I tuned in once again to catch curvy chick Danielle do her thing on Stylista on The CW network last night. They had two tasks to complete in this episode...

First up the "Assistant" Task: The challenge is to purchase a thank you gift for Anne Slowey to give to Amy Sacco, a nightclub owner. They divide themselves in to two man teams: Danielle & Ashlie, Megan & Johanna and Kate & A Very Unhappy Dyshaun.

Danielle and Ashlie put together a travel survival kit, grabbing anything and everything in budget. It's pretty hard to imagine that what they got cost $250, and Slowey very shadily tells them that a "goody bag" is probably not a good choice for jet setters.

Megan and Johanna also go the travel route, buying a cashmere throw blanket. Slowey's not in love with the quality. Dyshaun and Kate stick with the classics: a vintage Chanel brooch. Kate tries to relate it to art in front of Slowey, but when pressed can't name any art that it reminds her of.

Megan and Johanna win the challenge.

The "Editorial" Task: Next, they're all headed to a party at Bungalow 8, where they'll help Slowey meet, greet, and identify all the guests. Then they'll create a party page for Elle, including photos, fashion highlights, and a unifying theme. Johanna and Megan, as winners, are rival team captains.

Johanna uses her first pick to choose drama queen Kate, which surprises everyone. Johanna says that Kate has an amazing memory. She also selects Danielle. Megan gets Dyshaun and Ashlie, who is the last one picked.

Slowey then tells them that as an added bonus they can select an outfit for the party from Elle's fashion closet (anyone else see what's coming here...?)

As everyone's going crazy picking outfits from the Elle closet, Danielle runs to a closet crying and terrified that nothing will fit her. Finally, she pulls herself together and finds an outfit, though she's not in love with it and winds up wearing her own dress. Of course we NEVER get to see her try on said outfit but it was clear to me that the pink top she selected was never going to fit her.

Cut to dinner time where Danielle is telling everyone that she knows it doesn't SEEM like it but she really doesn't eat a lot of food....and then proceeds to stuff her face with several slices of pizza while simultaneously proclaiming "I really can't eat another bite..I'm stuffed!"....to which her table mates reply "So stop eating then". (I will admit....I would have been unable to refrain from responding as well).

Afterwards, Danielle continues to push the issue and asks Johanna and Ashlie what they think of her size. Um, REALLY bad idea. Johanna is honest, and says that high fashion clothes look better on tall, thin women, and that's who she finds to be more attractive. At some point folks began making rather rude comments regarding "the big pink elephant" in the room.

It is at this point that I feel that Danielle removed herself from the competition (at least mentally). The MINUTE she began tripping and asking folks about how they felt about her size...I knew she had lost and would be eliminated that evening....if I didn't know better....I'd swear I smelled a rat here. They dangled the bait in front of her and she took it....

By taking on the task of TYPING captions and not really inputting anything into the project, she was able to literally hide herself away in a corner and be invisible. Never a good thing on a reality competition. The judges call her out and of course she gets the boot. No big surprise here.

But this is what REALLY gets my goat about Danielle....

She HAD to know going into this competition, that there would probably be an issue with clothing for her. (Girlfriend, you're from New York...you already KNOW the deal!) She also knew that by being on this show she would be mingling with all sorts of folks from the fashion industry....so as someone who was ALREADY working in fashion...why would you NOT put a few fabulous items/outfits in your suitcase as a back up??? Better yet, you're a visual merchandiser...you must have SOME contacts in the industry....why not let your "connects" help you put together a fabu wardrobe to wear on the show???

Why run off into hysterics, when the closet was opened?....c'mon girl...it's ELLE!!! You read that magazine. You KNEW there'd be nothing for your curves in that closet. Why not go bonkers on accessories & shoes and create a great outfit using what you had in your suitcase? Why would you come apart at the seams over something like this? I just don't get it. I'll be honest....I was completely disappointed in her behavior & performance on this episode.

It just looked to me like she didn't fight hard enough to stay. Trying to beat ignorant people over the head about your "normalcy" is like talking to a brick wall. You can't TALK about it....you have to SHOW them that the little roadblocks and obstacles (designed to make you stumble) won't affect you. You just keep rolling with the punches and surprising them at every turn. THAT'S how you stand out and win a competition! She began to doubt her abilities and then she quit. And that bothers me....a lot. She says she is (was) quite content with herself but maybe it's just me....I didn't believe that at all. If you are truly comfortable in your own skin, then nothing as trivial as a fashion closet should have gotten to you.

Perhaps she was tired of it all....I don't know family.... (but you're like 22...how tired could you be?)

By the way, I heard the promos for this episode were down right insulting....I'm glad I didn't get to see them.

Anyway, the downside of this is that I never really got to see her talent...and the upside is....

I no longer have to watch this show. Whew.

“Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit.”

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

**Gift Card Alert!!!***

Tis' the season to be jolly......or not.

Sigh....a sign of the times I suppose.....

Holiday shoppers take note:


** IMPORTANT **
Watch those store money cards, gift cards and credit slips! Here is a list of stores that informed the Security & Exchange Commission of closing plans between October 2008 and January 2009.

PLEASE ALERT YOUR FAMILY & FRIENDS!!!
Circuit City stores... most recent (? how many)
Ann Taylor- 117 stores nationwide are to be shuttered
Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug and Catherine's to close 150 store nationwide
Eddie Bauer to close stores 27 stores and more after January
Cache will close all stores
Talbots closing down all stores
J. Jill closing all stores
GAP closing 85 stores
Footlocker closing 140 stores more to close after January
Wickes Furniture closing down
Levitz closing down remaining stores
Bombay closing remaining stores
Zales closing down 82 stores and 105 after January.
Whitehall closing all stores
Piercing Pagoda closing all stores
Disney closing 98 stores and will close more after January.
Home Depot closing 15 stores 1 in NJ (New Brunswick)
Macys to close 9 stores after January
Linens and Things closing all stores
Movie Galley Closing all stores
Pacific Sunware closing stores
Pep Boys Closing 33 stores
Sprint/ Nextel closing 133 stores
JC Penney closing a number of stores after January
Ethan Allen closing down 12 stores.
Wilson Leather closing down all stores
Sharper Image closing down all stores
K B Toys closing 356 stores
Loews to close down some stores
Dillard's to close some stores.
Wow. Sh*t is getting critical family....
“Bankruptcy stared me in the face, but one thought kept me calm; soon I'd be too poor to need an anti-theft alarm.”

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Update on Charlemagne's departure from WBLS


Word on the street is that the REAL REASON that Wendy Williams' side kick Charlemagne got the boot (along with a few other folks) was a part of the fallout from that sexual harrassment lawsuit that Wendy's former intern Nicole Spence filed against Wendy's hubby Kevin.

Word is although Inner City Broadcasting (parent company of WBLS) paid her off to keep it out of court...the powers that be felt that all of those let go were a liability because they behave the way that they do. Of COURSE cutbacks probably had a little bit to do with it but you gotta know that the feed back from that lawsuit bumped them up to the top of the list!

"Life is like a boomerang. Our thoughts, deeds and words return to us sooner or later, with astounding accuracy. "

Queen Latifah Pressured to Come Out at the People's Choice Awards?

Now, I am not really one who believes everything I read and/or hear....but Media Takeout has been on a hot streak of late....so my interest is definitely piqued for this one:
Could there be a surprise in store for the millions of People's Choice viewers on January 7th???

MediaTakeOut.com just caught wind of a potentially EXPLOSIVE piece of information. A prominent Hollywood actress, who spoke to MediaTakeOut.com on the condition of anonymity, claims that a number of prominent gay groups are PRESSURING actress Queen Latifah to come out in support of overturning the controversial Proposition 8 - which prohibits same sex marriage in California. As we reported yesterday, comedian Wanda Sykes has already come out of the closet publicly as a lesbian. But according to our insider, a popular pro-gay organization is looking for even more celebrity support. And that support, tells our snitch, is not being requested - it's BEING DEMANDED!! She explained, "[The organization] is threatening to boycott [Queen Latifah] if she doesn't come out of the closet ...
And they want her to do it during the People's Choice Awards. She's under a lot of pressure right now.

"Developing...

Interesting....I personally don't think that folks should be forced into revealing anything personal about them that they are not ready to reveal. But what's more interesting to me is the horrible picture that accompanied this story...I decided to use another....forgive me...I couldn't look at that "communion wine colored" outfit not one second longer....

“Courage is the discovery that you may not win, and trying when you know you can lose.”

Lean Cuisine recalls 900,000 pounds worth of meals

USDA Confirms One Injury and Several Reports of Blue Plastic Found in the Frozen Food Brand

By LAUREN COX
ABC News Medical Unit
Nov. 18, 2008

Reports of small chunks of blue plastic in Lean Cuisine brand frozen chicken dinners have led Nestle Prepared Foods Co. to recall 900,000 pounds worth of meals.

Nestlé Prepared Foods Company has recalled three brands of frozen LEAN CUISINE dinners found to have hard plastic blue chunks in the meal.

The frozen dinners were distributed nationwide, and at least one person has reported an injury, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service. No other details of the reported injury have been released by the USDA.

However, Roz O'Hearn, spokeswoman for the Nestle Prepared Foods, told ABCNews.com in an e-mail that "there have been no reports of any injuries requiring medical attention."

So far, the blue plastic has been found in three specific Lean Cuisine dinners -- Cafe Classics Pesto Chicken with Bow Tie Pasta, Spa Cuisine Chicken Mediterranean and Dinnertime Selects Chicken Tuscan. O'Hearn said the company has received seven consumer complaints, "with one report that a consumer bit into it."

The USDA considered the blue plastic a potential health threat and has ranked the recall as Class I -- a "health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death."

"It could cause injury -- a piece of plastic could cut your mouth, it could scratch your throat," said Amanda Eamich, spokesperson for the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.
Eamich said the USDA knew the recalled dinners were distributed nationwide, but it would take time to track precisely which regions, states and cities received the contaminated shipments.
O'Hearn said Nestle traced the blue plastic to a single lot of raw ingredients shipped to a Lean Cuisine facility.
"We are requesting that you return recalled items directly to your supermarket for a full refund," said O'Hearn.

According to the USDA, the contaminated dinners were produced between Aug. 18 and Oct. 27 of this year. To determine whether a dinner in your freezer is contaminated, O'Hearn said consumers can call 800-227-6188 to check the production codes on the side of Lean Cuisine packages.

The USDA has also provided a list of production codes so consumers can check to see if their dinners have been recalled. The following products are subject to recall:

9.5-ounce packages of Cafe Classics Pesto Chicken with Bow Tie Pasta brand frozen meals. Printed on the side of each package is a production code of 8280595912 as well as a use-by date of "Best Before May 2010."
"Who bothers to cook TV dinners? I suck them frozen."

KDAY (93.5 The Beat) Drops Mo'Nique's Radio Show?


I just picked this up from EURweb ya'll.....

*AllAccess.com is reporting that Los Angeles urban station KDAY (93.5 The Beat) has dropped Syndication One's "Mo'Nique Show," which had been airing in the extended midday time slot from 1-4 p.m. Until a permanent replacement has been determined, the station has gone local and music-intensive in middays.
Anybody know what went down here? We don't get this station here in NYC but I was a guest on her show back in June; and I thought it was pretty good. I didn't hear a peep about this....that's too bad.
An update: Apparently the station is moving to a more music-intensive approach and has even adopted the new moniker "The Heart and Soul of L.A." KDAY has dropped the syndicated Mo'Nique and Wendy Williams shows to focus on music, but holds on to anchor shows Steve Harvey in mornings and Michael Baisden in afternoons.

"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence."

The Real Housewives of Atlanta - Reunion Preview

Okay, so I have been quietly watching this mess from the beginning and I will definitely watch the finale tonight but I HEAR that the REUNION show (which airs next Tuesday) is gonna definitely be "Must See TV).

One question though....Don't these broads know that the country is in a recession??? WTF? These chicks spend money like they have endless supplies of it....I simply don't get it. Lisa Wu Hartwell is the only one that seems to have a good head for business ("If it doesn't make money....I don't do it!") although I did like Nene's ("I don't keep up with the Joneses, I AM the Joneses?") idea for the "Twisted Hearts" foundation. But it appears that Miss Lisa is gonna lose her cool next Tuesday....

Check out this footage from the reunion show (to air next week on Bravo)



Paula Deen & RuPaul on Paula's Party

Check out legendary diva RuPaul teaching Paula how to "Sashay Shante" on Paula's Party last week.....




I caught the tail end of this particular episode last week and it was a beautiful thing to hear Paula say how much she loves her self and her juicy body!



You GO Girl!!!

"To wish you were someone else is to waste the person you are."

Justin Timberlake & Beyonce on Saturday Night Live!

OMIGOD!!! This is the funniest parody ever.....almost makes me wish I watched SNL....

Justin Timberlake is HILARIOUS!!!



They're BAAAAAAACCCCCCKKKKKK!!!!

Between this and the blockbuster Sarah Palin spoofs....Saturday Night Live is on a straight up roll!!!

Better watch it now before NBC snatches it down.

Enjoy!


“I wonder if illiterate people get the full effect of alphabet soup?'”

Monday, November 17, 2008

Loving Me Some Curtis Jackson right now....


Hey Family!

Did anyone else happen to catch 50 Cent on The Tyra Banks show the other day? I have some new found admiration for ol' Curtis Jackson. The flirting between him and Tyra aside (SO obvious); when she tried to press him about the whole mess between him and his son Marquis' mama....he responded with "Whoo...I gotta be real careful about what I say here.."

When she pressed further he responded "Because....you know...my son...that's his MOTHER."

I was so impressed by his answer....because most of the current crop of rap celebs would have jumped all over that question - and probably dogged the baby mama out for the world to see...and take pleasure in doing it.

But he thought of his child first.

Mad cool....you definitely went up a couple of notches in my eyes "Fitty."

"Until you have a son of your own... you will never know the joy, the love beyond feeling that resonates in the heart of a father as he looks upon his son. You will never know the sense of honor that makes a man want to be more than he is and to pass something good and hopeful into the hands of his son. And you will never know the heartbreak of the fathers who are haunted by the personal demons that keep them from being the men they want their sons to be."

Wanda Sykes Is Out and Proud

From Popeater...... Nov. 16) --

Comedian Wanda Sykes is openly gay, but was content to keep discussions of her sexual orientation private - until Proposition 8 passed in California. Sykes surprised organizers of a Las Vegas rally for gay rights with an unscheduled appearance on Saturday,
and told the crowd, "You know, I don't really talk about my sexual orientation... I was just living my life, not necessarily in the closet, but I was living my life. Everybody that knows me personally they know I'm gay. But that's the way people should be able to live their lives." She explained that the passage of Prop 8 felt like an attack on her lifestyle. "Now, I gotta get in their face," she said. "I'm proud to be a woman. I'm proud to be a black woman, and I'm proud to be gay."

The proposition to adopt a constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex marriage - overturning the earlier state Supreme Court decision giving gay couples the right to wed - passed with approval by 52% of California voters. Not surprisingly, a number of gay and straight celebrities are airing their disappointment.

Uh....who didn't know this already? lol....

“It's a lot easier being black than gay. At least if you're black you don't have to tell your parents.”

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Tears of a Clown - My Chef Jeff Experience

Okay, so WHY was I sitting in my living room absolutely BOO-HOO-ing over The Chef Jeff Project on The Food Network the other night?  I have been watching this show since its beginning and have had a mixed bag of emotions run through me each time I watch it.  From my admiration of Shante; for calming down a potentially explosive situation involving Adam in the first episode; to the love I feel for Maria with each accomplishment she makes; back to my disgust as I watched Shante be dishonest about the damage to her car and filing a police report.  I might have even gotten a little misty eyed a few times, but I never shed a tear.....

Until the last Sunday night.

When the Chef takes the young'uns home to meet his family and everyone gets a chance to speak....

The first sign of distress comes as Chef Jeff breaks down in tears thanking his mama for never giving up on him (my chest started heaving right about here...) and then Adam breaking down and crying and thanking him for changing his life.... at that point I began sobbing uncontrollably...tears running down my face....lol....it was absolutely ridiculous.

My mom called, she was watching and now was an absolute mess as well.

Tonight is the finale episode and I am totally amped up for it.  I am rooting for them all but I have special places in my heart for Maria, Adam & Alonzo....my mom and I both agree that the jury's still out on Miss Shante......she's a curvy girl tho' so I kinda gotta root for her (lol).

The Chef Jeff Project airs on The Food Network Sundays at 10:00pm (TWC channel 50)
"The first and most important step toward success is the feeling that we can succeed."

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Commerce Bank is now TD Bank.....I wonder....

You know family, I was thinking....now that Commerce Bank is TD Bank, do you think those old blue & red free Commerce pens will be considered collectors items now?

Hmmmmm.
“Remember when $25, 000 was a success? Now it is a garbage collector.”

Jennifer Hudson in the new Gap Holiday ads!

Hey Family!

Check out the preview of Jennifer Hudson's new holiday ad for The Gap.


She shot these ads back in July before the tragic murders of her family.

All the best girl......we're rooting for you!

"If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere."

Curvy Girls in Print!

Congratulations to Plus Models Ashia & Shanta (IPM Models) & Miss Jordan Tesfay! Who all appear in the November 2008 issue of Essence Magazine.
You can find them all on page 58 in the "Perfect Fit" edit.


Congrats to Plus Model Veronica (Goddess) who's featured in Dr. Ian Smith's (Celebrity Fit Club) 50 Million Pound Challenge ad campaign! You GO Girl!!

And to Anansa Johnson who appears on the back inside cover in The Curvation ad.
And one last congratulatory shout out to former curvy girl Star Jones who (retouching aside...lol) look fabulous in the photo accompanying her in her "Starting Over" interview 0n page 155.See ya'll? Curvy girls ARE influencing the world!!!!

Mad props to Curvy Chicks Queen Latifah,



Journalist Gwen Ifill


Political Strategist Donna Brazile


Multimedia Journalist Farai Chideya



and Radio Host Bev Smith


For all topping Essence Magazine's 25 Most Influential African Americans list!
Continued Success Ladies!

"Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things and move forward with your life. Remember that fear always lurks behind perfectionism. Confronting your fears and allowing yourself the right to be human can, paradoxically, make yourself a happier and more productive person."