"A witch and a bitch always dress up for each other, because otherwise the witch would upstage the bitch, or the bitch would upstage the witch, and the result would be havoc." -Tennessee Williams
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Nikki Blonsky on the Red Carpet at "Doubt" premiere...
"Hairspray" star Nikki Blonsky looks good at the "Doubt" premiere at the Paris Theater in NYC.
Melinda Doolittle Set to release Album Debut in February 2009
Both my mom and I were wondering recently whatever happened to this chick:
Surely you remember Melinda Doolittle, the girl who seemed to have the top prize on American 
Idol's sixth season marked as all hers. The former back-up singer came on board and just blew us away, reducing everyone to just mesmerizing at her abilities—heck, even usually acerbic Simon Cowell couldn't do anything but praise her vocals. (But what's he got to complain about? Everybody seemed to agree with him; she was never in the bottom three.)And then, the surprise was pulled: on the week before the finale, she was eliminated, reducing her to third place—and to watching Jordin Sparks triumph over Blake Lewis.
Idol's sixth season marked as all hers. The former back-up singer came on board and just blew us away, reducing everyone to just mesmerizing at her abilities—heck, even usually acerbic Simon Cowell couldn't do anything but praise her vocals. (But what's he got to complain about? Everybody seemed to agree with him; she was never in the bottom three.)And then, the surprise was pulled: on the week before the finale, she was eliminated, reducing her to third place—and to watching Jordin Sparks triumph over Blake Lewis. But of course, losing out on the two top spots on Idol doesn't mean the end for a contestant, especially one who's come so close. We've seen it time and again—Kimberly Locke, Mario Vasquez, Elliott Yamin, and of course, Jennifer Hudson—so fans probably felt that Doolittle's time is just around. Indeed, she's been busy, performing in different parts of the country, and now, she's finally set to release her debut full-length album.
Thirteen songs form Coming Back to You, an album that continues to showcase Doolittle's
impressive talent and soulful voice. Recorded with a team of live musicians in both Nashville and New York, the album is a throwback to the old times—a familiar ‘70s swing with a modern jive. (That's no spin.) It features the single “It's Your Love”—a track that, personally speaking, captures in one song what we've seen from her for so many weeks on American Idol. I was listening to it on her e, she was eliminated, reducing her to third place—and t, and I found myself humming along. Rarely does that happen.“I'm so excited to be using live instruments and to be singing music that really paints a picture,” Doolittle said. “I knew my task was to just go in the studio and be me and the music would take care of the rest.”
Thirteen songs form Coming Back to You, an album that continues to showcase Doolittle's
impressive talent and soulful voice. Recorded with a team of live musicians in both Nashville and New York, the album is a throwback to the old times—a familiar ‘70s swing with a modern jive. (That's no spin.) It features the single “It's Your Love”—a track that, personally speaking, captures in one song what we've seen from her for so many weeks on American Idol. I was listening to it on her e, she was eliminated, reducing her to third place—and t, and I found myself humming along. Rarely does that happen.“I'm so excited to be using live instruments and to be singing music that really paints a picture,” Doolittle said. “I knew my task was to just go in the studio and be me and the music would take care of the rest.”From what I've heard, it's definitely a task that she's done very well. The album hits stores on February 3, 2009, and while I realize I'm going beyond with this, I'll personally recommend the album. Oh, the soul has indeed returned…
-Henrik Batallones, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Congrats Girlfriend!
"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me." -Erma Bombeck
Queen Latifah Robbed of $10000 Worth of Jewelry
Dang ya'll...if this is a forecast of things to come...it's gonna be crazy in 2009...folks are starving everywhere....
From US Weekly:
Over $10,000 worth of sentimental jewelry was stolen from Queen Latifah 's luxury villa in
Tobago, the Caribbean island's local newspaper reports.
Tobago police told Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday they believe a staff member of the $1,000-per-night Stone Haven Resort -- where the Oscar-nominated star had been vacationing over Christmas -- may have committed the crime.
Latifah, who checked in under the name Cynthia Hadden, reportedly returned from a barbecue brunch held in her honour by the establishment's management to discover a bracelet, two gold rings, a gold chain and a silver ring were missing. Police were called to the resort after staff security conducted a search of the estate.
"Several searches are being carried out and the police are trying to have the jewelry returned to Queen Latifah. Investigators said the larceny seems to be an inside job and efforts are being made round the clock to make a breakthrough," acting police commissioner James Philbert told the newspaper.
Latifah may offer a reward for the jewelry in order to have it returned before she heads home from her vacation Wednesday, the paper reported.
What a note to end the year on...eh?
From US Weekly:
Over $10,000 worth of sentimental jewelry was stolen from Queen Latifah 's luxury villa in
Tobago, the Caribbean island's local newspaper reports. Tobago police told Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday they believe a staff member of the $1,000-per-night Stone Haven Resort -- where the Oscar-nominated star had been vacationing over Christmas -- may have committed the crime.
Latifah, who checked in under the name Cynthia Hadden, reportedly returned from a barbecue brunch held in her honour by the establishment's management to discover a bracelet, two gold rings, a gold chain and a silver ring were missing. Police were called to the resort after staff security conducted a search of the estate.
"Several searches are being carried out and the police are trying to have the jewelry returned to Queen Latifah. Investigators said the larceny seems to be an inside job and efforts are being made round the clock to make a breakthrough," acting police commissioner James Philbert told the newspaper.
Latifah may offer a reward for the jewelry in order to have it returned before she heads home from her vacation Wednesday, the paper reported.
What a note to end the year on...eh?
"The only thing worth stealing is a kiss from a sleeping child."
Jay-Z's J Hotel on Hold - Financial troubles abound...
From Rhymes with Snitch...
Last January when Jay Z stepped down as president of Def Jam one of reasons he gave was that he wouldn't have time for the label between running his 40/40 clubs [the Las Vegas 40/40 closed, by the way] and developing his new boutique hotel 'The J'. Well scratch 'The J' off Jay's 'To Do' list. Jay's hotel plans have been put on hold because most of the financial backers had to step off, leaving Jay about $350 million dollars short.
Last January when Jay Z stepped down as president of Def Jam one of reasons he gave was that he wouldn't have time for the label between running his 40/40 clubs [the Las Vegas 40/40 closed, by the way] and developing his new boutique hotel 'The J'. Well scratch 'The J' off Jay's 'To Do' list. Jay's hotel plans have been put on hold because most of the financial backers had to step off, leaving Jay about $350 million dollars short.
"Fewcan believe that suffering, especially by others, is in vain. Anything that is disagreeable must surely have beneficial economic effects." -John Kenneth Galbraith
Block Behind Apollo Co-Named James Brown Way
From Daily Intel....
Papa's got a brand-new sign. The block behind the Apollo, where James Brown's early appearances spurred him to fame, has been co-named James Brown Way. It's part of a new law that will co-name streets around the city after great African-Americans, including Count Basie, Paul Robeson, and Marcus Garvey. And Billie Holiday and Shirley Chisholm, just in case you were thinking it's only a man's man's maaaaaaaaan's world. Well it's about time....James Brown was the Godfather of Soul and the King of Harlem!! I hope Sammy Davis Jr. finally gets his props as well. My boy Carlton often tells the story of how he lived on 145th Street and there is not a single monument to him anywhere...and that's a shame.
“May today mark the beginning of many new joys and accomplishments... and a continuation of all of the good things that you have already achieved.”
50's Reality Show Cancelled
From Rhymes With Snitch...
After a little more than a month on the air, MTV has canceled 50 Cent’s reality show, “50 Cent: The Money And The Power” due to low ratings.Yup. I watched this one too....it never really caught on with me either. Oh well.
"If you're not failing every now and again, it's a sign you're not doing anything very innovative."
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Even fashion giants Chanel and LVMH forced to economise
Hmmm....It appears that EVERYONE may be feeling the recession pinch....from the Times Online:
Chanel, one of the grandest French fashion names, is to lay off 200 Paris staff in an unmistakable sign that even the world's top luxury brands are feeling the pinch in the global recession.
Until recently, France's marques de grand luxe were claiming immunity from the slump.
Demand for the high end was holding up, driven by the luxury appetites of the nouveaux riches of Russia, China and other emerging powers, they said.
The denial has faded over the past month as Russians and Asians have been noticeably absent over Christmas from the boutiques in the Paris golden triangle off the Champs Élysées and their equivalents in London and New York. Business in Japan has slumped.
A week ago Chanel, privately owned and secretive about its affairs, called off a glitzy art show
as it was about to arrive in London from New York. Over the weekend trade unions reported that the fashion house was to lay off all of its 200 Paris staff who are on fixed-term or temporary contracts.
Sixteen of the employees work in the firm's historic home in the Rue Cambon where the late Coco Chanel dreamt up her little black dresses and No 5 perfume in the 1920s.
The company employs 16,000 people worldwide. “In the little world of luxury goods, the news has had the impact of a bombshell,” said Le Parisien newspaper. By coincidence, French television was showing the first part of an Italian-American mini-series on the life of Coco Chanel last night.
In addition, two new biopics about the pioneering Paris couturière - one starring Audrey Tatou - are to reach cinemas in the coming months. The trouble at Chanel is mirrored across a French-dominated luxury goods industry, which enjoyed an historic boom with sales growth of about 10 per cent a year since 2003.
In another sign of hard times, LVMH, the world's biggest luxury conglomerate, has cancelled a plan for a Louis Vuitton megastore in the Ginza district of Tokyo. Profits in the €170 billion
(£165 billion) global luxury market are still expected to be substantial this year, but LVMH has lost 44 per cent of its share value in 2008. Richemont, a Swiss company that owns Cartier and Montblanc, has suffered a similar share fall. Experts are predicting a 4 per cent decline in sales in 2009.
Not everyone is suffering to the same degree. Swiss watchmakers have been hardest hit but Hermès, the Paris leather goods and silk-square company, has seen its share price rise by nearly 16 per cent this year and expects its sales to grow by about 10 per cent.
Some in the trade believe they are facing a harsh future after a decade in which greed and easy money led to hubris. Alain Nemarq, the chairman of Mauboussin, the prestige jewellery firm, said that the world of luxury had gone wild in pursuit of the idea that nothing could be too expensive and no profit margin too exorbitant. “The pursuit of exclusive trophies ... is finished,” he wrote in Le Figaro last week. “We will now return to reason, decency and discretion.”
Essence of style
— Coco Chanel opened her first small shop in Paris in 1909, selling hats to actresses
— The first Chanel perfume, No 5, was created in 1921. La Société des Parfums Chanel was founded in 1924
— In 1928 Chanel introduced the little black dress, hailed by Vogue as the uniform of the modern woman
You know....I have never really understood why folks go absolutely bonkers for this stuff. My earliest memories of Louis Vuitton came from my "brother from another mother" Thomas Brock Jr. It was absolutely ridiculous the way he behaved about the new LV wallet he had just purchased. He waved that thing in my face so much that it became funny to me. I hated the fact that every thing had that logo all over it and his little wallet didn't look like much of anything to me. His mom accidentally turned me onto the Chanel fragrances. Someone had given her a bottle of Chanel #19 and I couldn't keep my hands off of it! My girl Angellika's signature fragrance is Chanel #5 (which I also love). When I traveled to Paris in 1996 with my friends Alex and Elaine....lol....it cracked me up to see Alex bowing at the "Temple of Chanel" in the Rue Cambon.
My most recent experience came this summer when I spent the day shopping with producer Harvey Star Washington, who is a self admitted "Louis Vuitton addict" with hundreds of bags & accessories to his credit ....I watched him with amazement as he sat there and dropped over $4000 in a matter of a few minutes. I remember thinking to myself "If I had $4000 of disposable income....I most certainly would not be in here blowing it on overpriced bags and funky ass service (another story for another day!)" I could pay a WHOLE lotta bills with 4 g's...ya know?
lol...although I will admit getting momentarily caught up several summers back buying the bootleg joints from the fashion district. I never gave a damn if anyone knew it was fake either. It was just a matter of plain ol' economics for me. $20 - $40 bucks was a lot easier for me to swallow than $2000 - $4000 bucks! After the novelty wore off....I gave every last one of those bags to my nieces and never looked back (although now that I think about it....I might still have a travel bag in my possession).
I mean...I love expensive things too..(I have a special place in my heart for Armani) but I ain't dropping my last dime to get it. It ain't that serious for me. I just never "got" the whole "label whore" thing....and I still don't.
Chanel, one of the grandest French fashion names, is to lay off 200 Paris staff in an unmistakable sign that even the world's top luxury brands are feeling the pinch in the global recession.
Until recently, France's marques de grand luxe were claiming immunity from the slump.
Demand for the high end was holding up, driven by the luxury appetites of the nouveaux riches of Russia, China and other emerging powers, they said.
The denial has faded over the past month as Russians and Asians have been noticeably absent over Christmas from the boutiques in the Paris golden triangle off the Champs Élysées and their equivalents in London and New York. Business in Japan has slumped.
A week ago Chanel, privately owned and secretive about its affairs, called off a glitzy art show
as it was about to arrive in London from New York. Over the weekend trade unions reported that the fashion house was to lay off all of its 200 Paris staff who are on fixed-term or temporary contracts.Sixteen of the employees work in the firm's historic home in the Rue Cambon where the late Coco Chanel dreamt up her little black dresses and No 5 perfume in the 1920s.
The company employs 16,000 people worldwide. “In the little world of luxury goods, the news has had the impact of a bombshell,” said Le Parisien newspaper. By coincidence, French television was showing the first part of an Italian-American mini-series on the life of Coco Chanel last night.
In addition, two new biopics about the pioneering Paris couturière - one starring Audrey Tatou - are to reach cinemas in the coming months. The trouble at Chanel is mirrored across a French-dominated luxury goods industry, which enjoyed an historic boom with sales growth of about 10 per cent a year since 2003.
In another sign of hard times, LVMH, the world's biggest luxury conglomerate, has cancelled a plan for a Louis Vuitton megastore in the Ginza district of Tokyo. Profits in the €170 billion
(£165 billion) global luxury market are still expected to be substantial this year, but LVMH has lost 44 per cent of its share value in 2008. Richemont, a Swiss company that owns Cartier and Montblanc, has suffered a similar share fall. Experts are predicting a 4 per cent decline in sales in 2009. Not everyone is suffering to the same degree. Swiss watchmakers have been hardest hit but Hermès, the Paris leather goods and silk-square company, has seen its share price rise by nearly 16 per cent this year and expects its sales to grow by about 10 per cent.
Some in the trade believe they are facing a harsh future after a decade in which greed and easy money led to hubris. Alain Nemarq, the chairman of Mauboussin, the prestige jewellery firm, said that the world of luxury had gone wild in pursuit of the idea that nothing could be too expensive and no profit margin too exorbitant. “The pursuit of exclusive trophies ... is finished,” he wrote in Le Figaro last week. “We will now return to reason, decency and discretion.”
Essence of style
— Coco Chanel opened her first small shop in Paris in 1909, selling hats to actresses
— The first Chanel perfume, No 5, was created in 1921. La Société des Parfums Chanel was founded in 1924
— In 1928 Chanel introduced the little black dress, hailed by Vogue as the uniform of the modern woman
You know....I have never really understood why folks go absolutely bonkers for this stuff. My earliest memories of Louis Vuitton came from my "brother from another mother" Thomas Brock Jr. It was absolutely ridiculous the way he behaved about the new LV wallet he had just purchased. He waved that thing in my face so much that it became funny to me. I hated the fact that every thing had that logo all over it and his little wallet didn't look like much of anything to me. His mom accidentally turned me onto the Chanel fragrances. Someone had given her a bottle of Chanel #19 and I couldn't keep my hands off of it! My girl Angellika's signature fragrance is Chanel #5 (which I also love). When I traveled to Paris in 1996 with my friends Alex and Elaine....lol....it cracked me up to see Alex bowing at the "Temple of Chanel" in the Rue Cambon.
My most recent experience came this summer when I spent the day shopping with producer Harvey Star Washington, who is a self admitted "Louis Vuitton addict" with hundreds of bags & accessories to his credit ....I watched him with amazement as he sat there and dropped over $4000 in a matter of a few minutes. I remember thinking to myself "If I had $4000 of disposable income....I most certainly would not be in here blowing it on overpriced bags and funky ass service (another story for another day!)" I could pay a WHOLE lotta bills with 4 g's...ya know?
lol...although I will admit getting momentarily caught up several summers back buying the bootleg joints from the fashion district. I never gave a damn if anyone knew it was fake either. It was just a matter of plain ol' economics for me. $20 - $40 bucks was a lot easier for me to swallow than $2000 - $4000 bucks! After the novelty wore off....I gave every last one of those bags to my nieces and never looked back (although now that I think about it....I might still have a travel bag in my possession).
I mean...I love expensive things too..(I have a special place in my heart for Armani) but I ain't dropping my last dime to get it. It ain't that serious for me. I just never "got" the whole "label whore" thing....and I still don't.
"Poverty wants some, luxury many, and avarice all things."
- Abraham Cowley
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Happy Birthday DJ Rockin' Rob!!!
Today is my good friend and favorite DJ.....DJ Rockin' Rob's birthday!
Rob and I go WAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY back to my days of hosting open mic's at Willie's Lounge in Harlem.
We hit it off instantly and have been the best of friends ever since. I attended his wedding this past summer and my family & I absolutely love him to death!!!!
Happy Birthday my friend....enjoy your most special day!!!!
Happy Birthday my friend....enjoy your most special day!!!!
"If there's something that you're dreaming of then may it all come true, because you deserve it all...HAPPY BIRTHDAY."
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Eartha Kitt Dies at 81
Sad news family....from Reuters:
Despite those accolades, Kitt may have been at her best in her nightclub act, which allowed her to use her feline, seductive manner to its fullest.
BLACKBALLED
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Eartha Kitt, who rose from the Southern cotton fields to captivate audiences around the world with sultry performances as a singer, dancer and actress, died on Thursday at the age of 81.
Kitt died of colon cancer for which she was recently treated at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York, said Andrew Freedman, a long-time friend and publicist.
The cancer was detected about two years ago and treated but recurred after a period of remission.
"She came back strongly. She had been performing until two months ago," Freedman told Reuters by telephone from Los Angles. "We had dates booked through 2009."
Slinky, sensuous and cat-like, Kitt described herself as a "sex kitten" and used her seductive purr to charm audiences across the world.
Actor-director Orson Welles once called Kitt "the most exciting woman alive" and, along with Lena Horne, she was one of the first African-American sex symbols.
Kitt picked up a string of awards during her long career, winning two Emmys and being nominated for a third, as well as a Grammy. She also had two Tony nominations.
Her hit songs included "C'est Si Bon," "Let's Do It" and "Just an Old Fashioned Girl." She also was widely associated with Christmas because of her hit "Santa Baby." The song, recorded in 1953, went gold this year and she received the gold record before she died, Freedman said.
Despite those accolades, Kitt may have been at her best in her nightclub act, which allowed her to use her feline, seductive manner to its fullest.
"She loved cabaret performances," Freedman said. "If there was ever an opportunity to do a small intimate venue with about 150 people, that was always her preference."
BLACKBALLED
Kitt was blackballed in America for speaking out against the Vietnam War in the 1960s -- most notoriously at a White House luncheon in the company of first lady Lady Bird Johnson. Kitt then began performing in Europe, where she had been popular early in her career, and eventually returned to the United States to great acclaim.
"She was never one to look back on her life," Freedman said. "She was a true individual who believed that if you had a true belief in yourself, your talent was authentic."
"My greatest challenge was to be able to survive in the business and to be able to survive according to what I was doing. Not what other people were doing," Kitt told Reuters in a 2005 television interview at the Newport, Rhode Island jazz festival.
"I just stuck to my own guns and I think that was one of the way's I have survived. The audience is not supposed to know that I'm scared, the shyest person in the world."
Kitt was born to a black-Indian mother and a white father on a plantation in South Carolina in 1927. She once described herself as "that little urchin cotton picker from the South, Eartha Mae" and often spoke of a tough childhood in the impoverished segregated South. She was often harassed for being light-skinned before being sent to live with an aunt in New York City.
But Kitt's life in New York also was marred by abuse and poverty until she got her start as a member of the Katherine Dunham Company and made her film debut in "Casbah" in 1948. On television she was perhaps best known for her role as the sexy Catwoman in the 1960s TV series "Batman."
In an interview with The Times of London in April Kitt described her approach to performing by saying: "I do not have an act. I just do Eartha Kitt ... I want to be whoever Eartha Kitt is until the gods take me wherever they take me."
She was married in the 1960s to real estate developer Bill McDonald and they had a daughter, named Kitt. She also was known for her relationships with Welles, cosmetics mogul Charles Revson and Arthur Leows Jr. of the U.S. movie theater chain.
Of course, I wouldn't be ME if I didn't have SOME sort of Eartha Kitt story....lol...well here goes...
In 1978, me, Tommy Brock, Reena Walker & her sister Edna all went to the Mark Hellinger Theater to see Geoffrey Holder & Eartha Kitt as "Sahleem-La-Lume" in the musical Timbuktu!
I remember it clearly because the play was just er....God Awful (FABULOUS costumes 
though....absolutely breathtaking) and we wound up watching parts of the play while trying to catch the season finale of SOAP on a tiny minature bw SONY tv...lol. Anyway, while the actual play was largely forgettable, what happened AFTER the show was awesome....
though....absolutely breathtaking) and we wound up watching parts of the play while trying to catch the season finale of SOAP on a tiny minature bw SONY tv...lol. Anyway, while the actual play was largely forgettable, what happened AFTER the show was awesome....So...broadway whores that we all were at the time....Reena & her sister managed to do some fast talking to the backstage security and we wound up getting backstage.
This was the first time that any of us had ever been on a real live theater set and the first thing that Tommy & I did was run straight for those costumes.....Giant antelope masks...etc...they were just phenomenal....after wandering around the set for a few moments we then managed to sneak upstairs to the dressing rooms and that's where we found Miss Kitt in her full glory!
I was amazed that someone with such a large presence could be such a tiny little woman....I was in awe just to be in the same room with her. We sat in her dressing room for a good long while (even as security finally caught us...lol....she simply smiled and instructed them that we were "okay") and talked with us until it was time for her to prepare to leave.
She was the nicest woman and I am glad that I have that memory of her to keep with me always. I only wish I'd had a camera to catch the moment on film.
“I maybe here for a shortwhile, gone tomorrow into oblivion or until the days come to take me away. But, in whatever part you play, be remembered as part of a legacy...of sharing dreams and changing humanity for the better. It's that legacy that never dies”
Happy Holidays from The Runway Diva!!!!
Happy Holidays From Me & My Family........
To You and Yours!
Wishing You All
Peace, Love & Prosperity
in the coming New Year!
Sharon
in the coming New Year!
Sharon
"I am sure that I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round...as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely."
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Companies that are predicted to vanish in 2009.....
Some end of the year news from Wallet Pop on AOL:
Vanishing Companies
A lot of fairly well-known public companies either disappeared or went bankrupt this year. 24/7 Wall St. looked at some of the largest and most well-known companies and picked ten that probably won't be around at the end of next year. Their brands may not disappear, but these companies will have been dissolved as the world knows them or will be working though the court system in the hopes of getting Chapter 11 protection and a chance at survival.
Vanishing Companies
A lot of fairly well-known public companies either disappeared or went bankrupt this year. 24/7 Wall St. looked at some of the largest and most well-known companies and picked ten that probably won't be around at the end of next year. Their brands may not disappear, but these companies will have been dissolved as the world knows them or will be working though the court system in the hopes of getting Chapter 11 protection and a chance at survival.
- Chrysler
It is unlikely that its largest shareholder, hedge fund Cerberus, is going to throw good money after bad in an economy where U.S. car sales are dropping 30% compared with 2007 figures. But, the Chrysler brand could be around. Chrysler still has some popular models including it 300 series cars and it created the minivan. Jeep is regarded as the grandfather of four-wheel drive. Watch Chrysler Motors LLC go away and some of its products move into other hands. - Sirius XM
There is a theory that falling car sales will undermine the sale of Sirius subscriptions. The company says that it does no better than breaking-even in the first year it gets a new customer though GM. But, a shrinking subscriber-base is not good news for the satellite radio company's future. Sirius will be out of business, perhaps before mid-year. Who picks up the pieces? The logical choices are a healthy car company like Toyota or a satellite firm like DirecTV. Hmmmm....does anyone REALLY listen to the radio like that anymore? - AIG
AIG may be the biggest mess of all the financial firms that the federal government has bailed out. Uncle Sam has given AIG $153 billion in loans. AIG shares trade at $1.73, down from a 52-week high of $60.04. Congress seems less and less enamored of having a lot of money sitting in troubled companies. Watch for the new administration to get frustrated quickly and appoint its own people to auction off AIG divisions. Okay so who DIDN'T see this one coming....Hmmph! they should be returning some money to us on the way out the door too! - Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are two for one. They are both penny stocks, reflecting the fact that the Treasury has essentially taken them over. Within a few months, the value of the common shares in the firms will be gone. The new administration may even decide that it does not need both companies. They can be replaced with some of their role going to the FDIC and the rest to one consolidated entity controlled by The Treasury Department which is already funding them. 
Rite-Aid
Rite Aid trades at $.47 down from at 52-week high of $4.16. The pharmacy company has over 5,000 stores and Wall St. does not expect it to be profitable in the foreseeable future. The chain is a roll-up of the original company and Brooks and Eckerd stores which it acquired. With a debt load of over $6 billion, the firm is likely to falter. Competitors CVS Caremark and Walgreen would be happy to pick up the pieces. Uh...FORTY SEVEN CENTS A SHARE??? This is one of my monster's favorite stores....I gotta pay closer attention to the circulars now....- The New York Times
The New York Times has to repay $400 million in debt in the first half of 2009. It plans to mortgage its headquarters, but what that will bring in an uncertain real estate market is unknown. The firm's 'Boston Globe' and regional newspaper operations lose money, so they will be hard to sell. Another big media operation, perhaps News Corp which owns 'The Wall Street Journal' and 'The New York Post,' will come in and auction off what it can and keep the flagship 'New York Times' newspaper and NYTimes.com website. Sigh...I will miss the "fashion of the times" and the style section when it goes...... - Nortel
Nortel, the huge telecom equipment company, has already been mentioned as a firm which could file for bankruptcy. That may be a game to get creditors to cut down their demands. It could be that a huge contraction in the industry which is also undermining the fortunes of competitor Alcatel-Lucent is pulling Nortel under. Nortel has a pension obligation which may approach $3 billion. Selling divisions in a poor credit market will be hard. A bankruptcy filing would let a court run an auction. 
Pier 1
Pier 1 trades down at $.45 from a 52-week high of $8.25. This holiday season will determine its fate. The retailer recently said that its same-store sales could fall as much as 18% during the current quarter. Long-term debt is $184 million. More losses mean debt service becomes a huge issue. No other retailer is likely to want the stores, so this is probably liquidation. I used to LOVE this store....they had the BEST candles and it broke my heart to have to give away my papasan chair (I still have the matching coffee table).- Charter Communications
Charter Communications has over $20 billion in debt. The cable business usually drives reasonable cash flow, but Charter has to upgrade its system to better compete with telecom companies. Debt service is overwhelming operating income. The stock is down to $.15. Eighteen months ago, it was close to $5. Billionaire Paul Allen will get out while he can and sell to one of the other large cable companies. Charter recently said it is "exploring financial alternatives." - Hovnanian
Hovnanian shares are down by 70% over the last year. Recently, the shares have been as low as $1.70, putting the company's market cap at $171 million. The housing downturn may actually get worse as unemployment and foreclosures rise. JMP Securities recently commented that HOV is a "bankruptcy risk" due to debt and exposure in the hardest hit real-estate markets. A liquidation with Hovnanian would probably be an auction of land and unsold homes. Never heard of em.....
“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed”
- Mahatma Ghandi
NPR Cancels Farai Chideya's News and Notes
Sigh...another curvy girl bites the dust....for now:In response to the dismal economic climate, NPR has announced the cancellation of two West Coast based shows. The end of one of those shows, "News and Notes," hosted by Farai Chideya, signals the loss of a show created to attract black listeners. 'News and Notes' also provided jobs for a number of black journalists and a high profile outlet for black bloggers to be heard:
"It's a very difficult time for us all, but NPR is not exempt, unfortunately, from the recession that has covered our country in the last several months," Dennis Haarsager, NPR's interim president and CEO, said at its corporate headquarters in Washington, D.C. "We simply must react to it in a responsible way - and that's what we've tried to do."The two shows will go off the air on March 20, and 22 journalists working for them will lose their jobs, including hosts Madeleine Brand and Farai Chideya.
The shows are both based in Culver City, Calif., at NPR West, a major satellite operation.Day to Day was designed as a midday complement to mainstays Morning Edition and All Things Considered, while News and Notes, a successor to The Tavis Smiley Show, was intended to draw more African-American listeners. Beyond the two shows, another 12 journalists will lose their jobs throughout NPR News.
"If I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying myfriend, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country."
Aretha Franklin to perform at The Inauguration
This one comes from Black Voices ya'll.....
There's a storm of controversy brewing about controversial clergyman Rick Warren being tapped to participate in Barack Obama's presidential inauguration on Jan. 20, but the real news – at least on the entertainment end – is that Aretha Franklin will do the honors of singing at the historic event.
There's a storm of controversy brewing about controversial clergyman Rick Warren being tapped to participate in Barack Obama's presidential inauguration on Jan. 20, but the real news – at least on the entertainment end – is that Aretha Franklin will do the honors of singing at the historic event. Upwards to four million visitors are expected to be on hand when the Chicago senator takes the noontime oath from Chief Justice John Roberts on the steps of the Capitol in Jan. 20.And "The Queen of Soul," a staunch supporter of Obama is elated.
"I feel great pride, respect and honor to have been invited to participate in this universal and global celebration for such a phenomenal man -- President-elect Barack Obama," she said in a statement released to BlackVoices.com this afternoon.
Though the 21 Grammy Award recipients performed for President Bill Clinton in 1993, this would be her first Inauguration. "...To participate in what promises to be one of the greatest moments in American history. I am so glad he came along in my lifetime," she added.Reportedly, there was heavy lobbying for the spot (with names of Academy Award and Grammy Award winners in the mix), But the 'Respect' singer and her illustrious near-50 year singing career prevailed.
It shouldn't come as much of a surprise though; during a Labor Day weekend rally in Detroit, Obama sang a bit of Franklin's 'Chain of Fools' to her.
"Given that he will be the leader of one of the grandest countries in the world, it is only fitting that our reigning "Queen of Soul" hold court," Dyana Williams, a radio personality at Philadelphia's WRNB-FM told BlackVoices.com. "While there will be other regal luminaries in DC during this historic inauguration, Ms. Aretha Franklin will enchant millions with her royal voice, as well as her majestic presence!"
The Diva has been real busy of late....she been performing for the troops as well.
I have heard enough of the "Hey Kool-Aid" jokes about this red dress....so I ain't saying nothing....gonna act like I don't even see it....lol.
Word on the street is that Jennifer Hudson was asked to perform....I am going to assume (since she cancelled her video shoot a few weeks ago) that she is not quite ready for a come back yet.
Totally understandable.
Take your time girlfriend.
"Music has that power because music is not like politicians. Music is always there. Politicians come in every four or five years, lie to the people, get what they want at that time, and disappear, but music is there every time. It can change the world."
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Marissa Jaret Winokur to host Dance Your Ass Off
Marissa Jaret Winokur has signed on to host a new show on TV's Oxygen network called Dance Your Ass Off. The Hairspray star, who will reprise her Tony Award-winning performance as Tracy Turnblad starting December 9, will oversee contestants who compete to lose the most weight by sweating it out on a dance floor.
Production for the show starts in L.A. after January 4, when Hairspray closes its run at Neil Simon Theatre, where it has played for over six years. According to Oxygen, Dance Your Ass Off will be the first reality dance competition to reward participants based on weight-loss, rather than just dance skills. The show is currently seeking ten men and women ages 21 and up to compete in the upcoming series.
Earlier this year, Winokur appeared on season six of Dancing with the Stars, coming in fourth place overall. In the summer, she and her husband, Judah Miller, welcomed their first son, Zev Isaac Miller.Dance Your Ass Off is expected to premiere in June.
"Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance."
- Dave Barry
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Happy Birthday Rocky!!
What's Up Family!
I know it's a few days late....but I wanted to send a very special birthday shout out to my girl, plus sized model Roslyn "Rocky" Grate, who celebrated her birthday on December 16th.
Forgive my Rocky, I HAD to put the baby pic in....it's SO very cute...I just couldn't resist!
I hope your day was a good one!
Love Ya!
I know it's a few days late....but I wanted to send a very special birthday shout out to my girl, plus sized model Roslyn "Rocky" Grate, who celebrated her birthday on December 16th.
Forgive my Rocky, I HAD to put the baby pic in....it's SO very cute...I just couldn't resist!
I hope your day was a good one!
Love Ya!
"We know we're getting old when the only thing we want for our birthday is not to be reminded of it."
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
The Real Housewives of Atlanta Renewed for 2nd Season
lol...you KNEW it was coming family....
The Real Housewives of Atlanta has been renewed for season TWO!
Hopefully we'll get the answers to the questions EVERYONE is asking:
It's no surprise, really, considering that the Atlanta edition of Real Housewives was the franchise's most successful. Far above and beyond the New York and franchise-original Orange County editions, The Real Housewives of Atlanta was the network's first docu-drama ever to crack 2 million viewers in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demo for one episode. Overall, the series averaged 1.5 million viewers, and the reunion special reached even higher heights, becoming the highest-rated Real Housewives telecast ever with 2.8 million viewers.
No word yet on when season 2 will premiere or if all five ladies will be returning, but i'll keep you posted with any details.....
The Real Housewives of Atlanta has been renewed for season TWO!
Hopefully we'll get the answers to the questions EVERYONE is asking:
- Where is NeNe living?
- Does Sheree get her seven-figure divorce settlement?
- Will Kim learn how to sing?
- Will Lisa be having a second baby?
- Will DeShaun earn her master's in divinity and learn how to throw a successful fundraiser?
- Is NeNe EVER gonna go out and get a proper brassiere?
- Is Dwight coming back for season 2?
Prepare for more drama between NeNe and Kim! Bravo just revealed to EW.com exclusively that the network has picked up season 2 of The Real Housewives of Atlanta.
It's no surprise, really, considering that the Atlanta edition of Real Housewives was the franchise's most successful. Far above and beyond the New York and franchise-original Orange County editions, The Real Housewives of Atlanta was the network's first docu-drama ever to crack 2 million viewers in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demo for one episode. Overall, the series averaged 1.5 million viewers, and the reunion special reached even higher heights, becoming the highest-rated Real Housewives telecast ever with 2.8 million viewers.No word yet on when season 2 will premiere or if all five ladies will be returning, but i'll keep you posted with any details.....
"People care more about being thought to have taste than about being thought either good, clever or amiable."
- Samuel Butler
Oprah Snags Development Deal with HBO
From EW.com:
Oprah to develop programs for HBO
Dec 16, 2008, 06:16 PM by Lynette Rice
Oprah Winfrey has a new home. The TV mogul announced today that she has entered into a multi-year deal to develop and produce scripted series, movies, and documentaries for HBO.
The deal signals the end of her long-term pact with ABC, which produced telepics like Oprah Winfrey Presents: Mitch Albom's For One More Day and the reality show Oprah's Big Give.
"HBO and Harpo Films are both committed to the highest standards in the entertainment industry, making this a great match," said Kate Forte, Harpo Films' president. "The format and creativity offered by HBO are unique in television, and the quality and range of their subjects are extraordinary. There is simply no other place like it. We look forward to doing great things together."
Oprah to develop programs for HBO
Dec 16, 2008, 06:16 PM by Lynette Rice
Oprah Winfrey has a new home. The TV mogul announced today that she has entered into a multi-year deal to develop and produce scripted series, movies, and documentaries for HBO.
The deal signals the end of her long-term pact with ABC, which produced telepics like Oprah Winfrey Presents: Mitch Albom's For One More Day and the reality show Oprah's Big Give. "HBO and Harpo Films are both committed to the highest standards in the entertainment industry, making this a great match," said Kate Forte, Harpo Films' president. "The format and creativity offered by HBO are unique in television, and the quality and range of their subjects are extraordinary. There is simply no other place like it. We look forward to doing great things together."
Winfrey's Harpo Inc. is also on schedule to kick off OWN, a new basic cable network that'll air unscripted programming coproduced with Discovery Communications. Harpo Prods also produces The Oprah Winfrey Show.
"The secret to my success is that I bit off more than I could chew and chewed as fast as I could."
- Paul Hogan
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Drama High on 20/20 last night...
By Nelson Pressley
Special to The Washington PostMonday, December 15, 2008; Page C02
It's easy to get into hot water doing a high school musical. Choosing "The Wiz" for a largely white student body is a textbook example.
Drama teacher Scott Pafumi dared to do that last year at Westfield High School in Chantilly, and everything from auditions to opening will air tonight on ABC in the two-hour "20/20" special, "Drama High: The Making of a High School Musical." 
"I know most of you are a bunch of white guys from Northern Virginia," Pafumi tells the kids before auditions. "So am I. But that doesn't mean I can't celebrate the style of the show."
The choice of this version of "The Wizard of Oz" -- a pop-soul-blues adaptation that starred Michael Jackson and Diana Ross when the Broadway show went Hollywood -- ruffled feathers, especially among the theater clique of white seniors disappointed to have a bit of expected limelight shifted toward the influx of minority students. But Pafumi says he wants to "break down walls," and that kicks up a bit of dust.
Not that "Drama High" is two hours of racial tension -- far from it. It's both surprising and reassuring how much of what the cameras catch is routine theater angst, from the pressure of auditions to the tears at not getting cast.
"I'm a poppy!" gushes a girl who's just glad to get a role. The young performers, who are all treated sympathetically in this piece, are incredibly self-aware; they know their own strengths and weaknesses quite well, the main variables being dramatic confidence and genuine vocal talent.
Or so they think. Race inevitably turns out to be a deciding factor when the leading roles are cast, which naturally goes down hard with the losers. One white student asks why Pafumi wasn't candid about his intentions before auditions, and that one-on-one conversation is one of the more uncomfortable moments in the piece.
Viewers lured by the prospect of eloquence on a thorny subject, though, will be disappointed. The documentary takes a fly-on-the-wall approach, offering no narration and little in the way of pointed questions.
"Drama High" tiptoes to the jagged edge of the issue and lets us watch everyone muddle against it. Mistakes are most definitely made, by students and adults alike: There's a culture clash over music in the dressing room, unnecessary humiliation in rehearsal, and Pafumi says a dumb thing that rankles some of the black girls for a while.
The drama of being a kid and of raising a kid is definitely part of the deal here, and this wouldn't be a proper documentary without the cameras pushing into family kitchens and bedrooms to gaze at private conflicts. Will Mom support the heavyset girl hoping to audition for Dorothy? Is the busy "theater kid" letting his grades slip?
"To talk about why I am overweight on national television is a little embarrassing," one winning young man gently suggests to his mother.
You can't have a high school musical without a happy ending, though, and everything -- or everything that we're shown -- ends in hugs. And what did we learn, people?
"I learned," says one of the enlightened students, in as sage a line as the piece ventures, "that the theater is full of surprises."
I have had musical theater running through my veins since high school ya'll!!! I gotta admit, as soon as I saw the fuller figured chick named Jade auditioning ....the first thing that came to mind was "She would make a GREAT Evillene!!!", her mother thought the same thing and said so...but imagine my surprise when she said she wanted to audition for the role of Dorothy.
And she called it, when questioned about her looks her response was priceless..."The script says that Dorothy has to be a teenager - 14 years old to be exact"....it doesn't say that she has to be skinny.....I thought that was a really interesting point she brought up (hmmmph...if DIANA ROSS can play the role as a 30 year old, GROWN ass teacher....how come they couldn't visualize the lil chubbster as Dorothy?)
My only wish was that she had posed that question to the producers during her audition....AFTER she NAILED her audition.
I was rooting for her but alas, I could tell early on that she didn't have the vocal chops to pull off the role. And you HAVE to be able to sing well to pull off that Dorothy role.
Btw...she ROCKED as Evillene....
I enjoyed the program.
"Look, I'm 40, I'm single, and I work in musical theater - you do the math!
-Nathan Lane
Qristyl Frazier Designs Holiday Sample Sale!!! THIS THURSDAY!!
Happy Holiday Family!!
Designer Qristyl Frazier (Rip The Runway) is holding a Holiday sale THIS Thursday at 6pm in lower Manhattan! No items are over $100 bucks....AND she's holding a Model Call for her Spring 2009 Collection...so bring your heels, a comp card and some coins to shop with!
Hope to see you there!
Make SURE you keep Miss Qristyl in your sights family....She's about to make a MAJOR announcement in the next few weeks!!
I'll keep you posted!
Designer Qristyl Frazier (Rip The Runway) is holding a Holiday sale THIS Thursday at 6pm in lower Manhattan! No items are over $100 bucks....AND she's holding a Model Call for her Spring 2009 Collection...so bring your heels, a comp card and some coins to shop with!
Hope to see you there!
Make SURE you keep Miss Qristyl in your sights family....She's about to make a MAJOR announcement in the next few weeks!!I'll keep you posted!
"There is no such thing as a 'self-made' man. We are made up of thousands of others.
Everyone who has ever done a kind deed for us, or spoken one word of encouragement to us, has entered into the make-up of our character and of our thoughts, as well as our success."
George Burton Adams
Monday, December 15, 2008
New York's Obesity Tax? Any Thoughts
ALBANY - A can of Coke could soon cost New Yorkers more than just calories.
Gov. Paterson, as part of a $121 billion budget to be unveiled Tuesday, will propose an "obesity tax" of about 15% on nondiet drinks.
This means a Diet Coke might sell for a $1 - even as the same size bottle of its calorie-rich alter ego would go for $1.15.
Paterson's budget also calls for a 3% cut in education spending, a $620-a-year tuition hike at SUNY and a $600 increase at CUNY - and about $3.5 billion in health care cuts, a source said.
The Democratic governor will not call for a broad-based income tax boost, but he will push to restore the sales tax on clothing and footwear.
The drastic belt-tightening comes as lawmakers struggle to close a $15 billion deficit this year and next.
"It's painful to make these decisions," Paterson said Sunday.
State employees again will be asked to forgo their 3% raises next year and defer five days' pay until they leave their jobs, the source said. In all, Paterson will propose about $9 billion in cuts, $4 billion in new taxes and fees, and $1.5 billion in nonrecurring revenue, a second source said.
The so-called obesity tax would generate an estimated $404 million a year. Milk, juice, diet soda and bottled water would be exempt from the tax.
"I'll just buy less," said Victor Lopez, 55, of Manhattan, as he drank a Coke at a midtown Subway store.
"I don't like to buy Diet Coke," said Amaury Garcia, 16, who works at a flower shop in Penn Station. "I'll just not buy any sodas if it goes up."
Public health advocates welcomed news of the tax, saying it would help the fight against childhood obesity.
"Raising the price of this liquid candy will put children and teens on a path to a healthier diet," said Elie Ward of the American Academy of Pediatrics of New York State.
The Paterson administration also announced steps yesterday to expand the state's social services net, including a 30% increase in welfare payments over three years starting January 2010, increased money for food banks and expanded access to the state's Family Health Plus program.
Paterson also hopes to make it easier for people to enroll in Medicaid by eliminating face-to-face interviews and fingerprinting requirements.
klovett@nydailynews.com
With Edgar Sandoval and Erica Pearson
Sigh...On one hand I DO think it's a good idea....I see parents buying their children friggin SODAS for BREAKFAST...all the time. On the other hand...I am not sure about penalizing folks for being addicted to something that you have readily fed to them for DECADES......
Hmmm....any thoughts family?
Gov. Paterson, as part of a $121 billion budget to be unveiled Tuesday, will propose an "obesity tax" of about 15% on nondiet drinks.
This means a Diet Coke might sell for a $1 - even as the same size bottle of its calorie-rich alter ego would go for $1.15.
Paterson's budget also calls for a 3% cut in education spending, a $620-a-year tuition hike at SUNY and a $600 increase at CUNY - and about $3.5 billion in health care cuts, a source said.
The Democratic governor will not call for a broad-based income tax boost, but he will push to restore the sales tax on clothing and footwear.
The drastic belt-tightening comes as lawmakers struggle to close a $15 billion deficit this year and next.
"It's painful to make these decisions," Paterson said Sunday.
State employees again will be asked to forgo their 3% raises next year and defer five days' pay until they leave their jobs, the source said. In all, Paterson will propose about $9 billion in cuts, $4 billion in new taxes and fees, and $1.5 billion in nonrecurring revenue, a second source said.
The so-called obesity tax would generate an estimated $404 million a year. Milk, juice, diet soda and bottled water would be exempt from the tax.
"I'll just buy less," said Victor Lopez, 55, of Manhattan, as he drank a Coke at a midtown Subway store.
"I don't like to buy Diet Coke," said Amaury Garcia, 16, who works at a flower shop in Penn Station. "I'll just not buy any sodas if it goes up."
Public health advocates welcomed news of the tax, saying it would help the fight against childhood obesity.
"Raising the price of this liquid candy will put children and teens on a path to a healthier diet," said Elie Ward of the American Academy of Pediatrics of New York State.
The Paterson administration also announced steps yesterday to expand the state's social services net, including a 30% increase in welfare payments over three years starting January 2010, increased money for food banks and expanded access to the state's Family Health Plus program.
Paterson also hopes to make it easier for people to enroll in Medicaid by eliminating face-to-face interviews and fingerprinting requirements.
klovett@nydailynews.com
With Edgar Sandoval and Erica Pearson
Sigh...On one hand I DO think it's a good idea....I see parents buying their children friggin SODAS for BREAKFAST...all the time. On the other hand...I am not sure about penalizing folks for being addicted to something that you have readily fed to them for DECADES......
Hmmm....any thoughts family?
"The best things in life are free, but sooner or later the government will find a way to tax them."
Author Unknown
Celebrities continue to lose homes to foreclosure....
WYCLEF JEAN LOSES MIAMI HOME TO FORECLOSURE
Singing star Wyclef Jean, former member of the Fugees and an independent artist, has had his
Miami home foreclosed upon. The home, under construction, has a 2.4 million loan due to Home Equity Mortgage Corp.
With the economic downturn, banks and lenders are not cutting any slack. Even celebrities which lenders in the past would give some leeway to are now being held to a higher standard.
The $2.4 million waterfront mansion on Pine Tree Drive is now owned by a bank.
The house is scheduled to be sold at the Miami-Dade Courthouse next month, along with a handful of liens by the construction crews, who never finished, and more than $100 thousand in unpaid taxes.
Neighbors were surprised by the news. “I really think he’s a great musician and he’s come a long way and gone through a lot in terms of his history and his life,” said neighbor Sara Poses. “I don’t know what the circumstances are but I feel bad for him.”
Miami home foreclosed upon. The home, under construction, has a 2.4 million loan due to Home Equity Mortgage Corp.With the economic downturn, banks and lenders are not cutting any slack. Even celebrities which lenders in the past would give some leeway to are now being held to a higher standard.
The $2.4 million waterfront mansion on Pine Tree Drive is now owned by a bank.
The house is scheduled to be sold at the Miami-Dade Courthouse next month, along with a handful of liens by the construction crews, who never finished, and more than $100 thousand in unpaid taxes.
Neighbors were surprised by the news. “I really think he’s a great musician and he’s come a long way and gone through a lot in terms of his history and his life,” said neighbor Sara Poses. “I don’t know what the circumstances are but I feel bad for him.”
T-BOZ OF RAP GROUP TLC LOSING ATLANTA HOME TO FORECLOSURE
It looks like another Atlanta Rap Star, T-Boz of the 90’s girls group TLC, is losing her home to foreclosure. The home valued at 1.5 million is being foreclosed over a 530,000 dollar loan. 
These times are hard for all I guess. She joins Evander Holyfield as famous Atlantan’s to face foreclosure.
One huge difference is that in Atlanta a million dollar plus home is huge, while on the coasts they are much smaller so the expenses are much higher on the Atlanta homes.
We’ve learned a five-bedroom, nearly 10,000-sq. ft. house owned by T-Boz (real name: Tionne Watkins-Rolison) is about to go on the auction block in January 2009.
According to public records, she’s defaulted on the original principal of her mortgage (around $530K), and so now the state is taking it. via TMZ.com.
These times are hard for all I guess. She joins Evander Holyfield as famous Atlantan’s to face foreclosure.
One huge difference is that in Atlanta a million dollar plus home is huge, while on the coasts they are much smaller so the expenses are much higher on the Atlanta homes.
We’ve learned a five-bedroom, nearly 10,000-sq. ft. house owned by T-Boz (real name: Tionne Watkins-Rolison) is about to go on the auction block in January 2009.
According to public records, she’s defaulted on the original principal of her mortgage (around $530K), and so now the state is taking it. via TMZ.com.
OLD SCHOOL RAPPER HAS NO SCRATCH
The Human Beat Box is taking a financial beating.
Rap icon Doug E. Fresh - best known for his '80s hit "The Show" - has been socked with three
foreclosure actions by banks looking to collect more than $3.5 million in unpaid mortgages on a trio of his Harlem homes.
The rapper, 46, also is being chased by American Express for nearly $60,000 in credit-card debt, and the IRS just slapped him with a $367,000 tax lien on top of more than $40,000 owed to the state tax collector, records show.
The golden-voiced rapper, whose real name is Douglas Davis, grew up in Harlem. After his skill at vocally imitating drumbeats and percussion sounds made him famous in the 1980s, he stayed in the neighborhood, investing in local real estate and raising five sons.
He fell behind in payments and, according to a foreclosure suit filed in Manhattan in late August, 2008, he now owes more than $1.73 million.
Davis is putting the finishing touches on Doug E's Chicken and Waffles, a new Harlem restaurant slated to open next month.
He declined to comment on his woes.
Rap icon Doug E. Fresh - best known for his '80s hit "The Show" - has been socked with three
foreclosure actions by banks looking to collect more than $3.5 million in unpaid mortgages on a trio of his Harlem homes.The rapper, 46, also is being chased by American Express for nearly $60,000 in credit-card debt, and the IRS just slapped him with a $367,000 tax lien on top of more than $40,000 owed to the state tax collector, records show.
The golden-voiced rapper, whose real name is Douglas Davis, grew up in Harlem. After his skill at vocally imitating drumbeats and percussion sounds made him famous in the 1980s, he stayed in the neighborhood, investing in local real estate and raising five sons.
He fell behind in payments and, according to a foreclosure suit filed in Manhattan in late August, 2008, he now owes more than $1.73 million.
Davis is putting the finishing touches on Doug E's Chicken and Waffles, a new Harlem restaurant slated to open next month.
He declined to comment on his woes.
“The strength of a nation is derived from the integrity of its homes"
Friday, December 12, 2008
Happy Birthday Luke Jones!!
Dang....December is a BUSY month for birthdays.....
I am sending out my most "special-ist" (yeah...I said it!) shout out to one of my favorite photographers....
I am sending out my most "special-ist" (yeah...I said it!) shout out to one of my favorite photographers....
Luke Jones (http://www.lucaspictures.net/) is celebrating his birthday today (I think...lol).
Make it a good one boo!
"We know we're getting old when the only thing we want for our birthday is not to be reminded of it."
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Happy Birthday Charlie!
Happy Birthday to my home girl, plus model/actress and FAT Chance roomie; Danielle "Charlie" Bye as she celebrates her special day today!
Love you chica! Enjoy your day!
Love you chica! Enjoy your day!
" Real birthdays are not annual affairs. Real birthdays are the days when we have a new birth"
Mo'Nique Turns The Big 4-0!!
Comedienne, Actress, Author, Producer and my girl Mo'Nique turns 40 today.....
Happy Birthday Girlfriend!!! There's only ONE way to bring in 40 and that's BIG!!!
I SO hope that that's exactly what you are doing mama! Enjoy the slice of cake & a cocktail!!!
Happy Birthday Girlfriend!!! There's only ONE way to bring in 40 and that's BIG!!!
I SO hope that that's exactly what you are doing mama! Enjoy the slice of cake & a cocktail!!!
"Thanks to modern medical advances such as antibiotics, nasal spray, and Diet Coke, it has become routine for people in the civilized world to pass the age of 40, sometimes more than once."
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
DeShawn Snow - The Real Housewives of Atlanta
Overdue congratulations go out to DeShawn Snow, 
the curvy "Real Housewife of Atlanta" who was the ONLY one to come out of this hot ass mess of a show...smelling like a rose; with her dignity and her image intact.
the curvy "Real Housewife of Atlanta" who was the ONLY one to come out of this hot ass mess of a show...smelling like a rose; with her dignity and her image intact. She absolutely refused to embarrass herself and her family by acting up for the cameras and I applaud her for her constant grace under pressure. I can see why her husband loves her so much. (Btw..is Eric Snow a nice guy or WHAT???)
Btw...I would have put Lisa Wu Hartwell (who I LOVE!!) on this blog for the same thing but I was dismayed to find out that SHE was the one who blabbed to Sheree about Nene's "Kim Song" in the limo. Not cool. Not at all. She lost many a cool point with me for that. She HAD to know that Sheree would RUN back and tell Kim. It was the straw that broke the camel's back.
Oh yeah...and I have much love for my OTHER curvy chick - Miss Nene - who keeps it real but makes me cringe every time I read something about or hear her talking...lol.
"Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people."
Looks like Janet Jackson really IS pregnant!
After a series of canceled concert dates, Janet Jackson finally pulled the plug on her Rock Witchu tour in early November, setting off a flurry of rumors about what could have gone wrong.
Now, an insider close to Janet tells Life & Style the real reason she needed to back out: She and longtime partner Jermaine Dupri, 36, are getting ready for a baby!
For more on Janet and Jermaine's great news, pick up the latest issue of Life & Style, on newsstands now!
Congrats to the happy couple!
"You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment."
Star Jones Engaged Again?
From The YBF Ya'll....
Semi-new divorcee’ Star Jones was spotted sporting a huge diamond ring while out in the NYC yesterday:
She had a long lunch with Ivana Trump at La Goulue on Madison Ave. And when the paps asked what they discussed, Star snapped: “None of your business!” Is someone hiding something?
After divorcing GAl Reynolds a while back, Star started dating well known chef Herb Wilson a few months ago. I honestly hope everything works out for her this time around if that is–in fact–an engagement ring. Good luck with that Ms. Jones. And that hair line.
Semi-new divorcee’ Star Jones was spotted sporting a huge diamond ring while out in the NYC yesterday:
She had a long lunch with Ivana Trump at La Goulue on Madison Ave. And when the paps asked what they discussed, Star snapped: “None of your business!” Is someone hiding something?
After divorcing GAl Reynolds a while back, Star started dating well known chef Herb Wilson a few months ago. I honestly hope everything works out for her this time around if that is–in fact–an engagement ring. Good luck with that Ms. Jones. And that hair line.
Hmmm...is it me or is Miss Star beginning to look a lil' thick around the middle again?
"Success in marriage does not come merely through finding the right mate, but through being the right mate."
Katt Williams Says Farewell To Comedy?
Hey Ya'll!!
Word on the street is that Comedian Katt Williams is quitting comedy.
No word yet on whether he'll keep pimpin'......
Word on the street is that Comedian Katt Williams is quitting comedy.
I guess a good nervous breakdown will do that to you. Best wishes on a speedy recovery.
No word yet on whether he'll keep pimpin'......
"Be careful what you wish for cuz' you just might get it."
Jennifer Hudson Gets Back To Business!!!
YAY!!! Great news family!!!
From AP:
The singer is set to begin filming a video next week for her single, "If This Isn't Love," according to her label, J Records.
Hudson was due to film the clip in Los Angeles when her mother, Darnell Hudson Donerson, and brother, Jason Hudson, were discovered shot to death in their Chicago home on the city's South Side on Oct. 24. The body of her nephew, 7-year-old Julian King, was found in a sport utility vehicle three days later.
Hudson's estranged brother-in-law, William Balfour, who is married to Hudson's sister Julia, has been charged in the slayings. Prosecutors have said Balfour was upset Julia had been dating another man.
Hudson has been in seclusion since the killings. However, she has thanked the public for their support since the tragedy, and last week issued a statement after she was nominated for four Grammy awards, including best R&B album for her self-titled debut.
"It's been a childhood dream of mine to release an album, so to receive four Grammy nominations is truly a blessing," she said. "I am extremely honored and humbled by the nominations."
Hudson — also an Academy Award-winning actress — was reaching a new career peak at the time of the killings. She had just released her first CD, and was also starring in the movie "The Secret Life of Bees." She was featured in the summer blockbuster "Sex and the City" and sang the national anthem the night President-Elect Barack Obama accepted the Democratic presidential nomination in Denver.
Watch her shine ya'll - Just watch!
From AP:
By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY – 20 hours ago
NEW YORK (AP) —
NEW YORK (AP) —
JENNIFER HUDSON TO BEGIN FILMING VIDEO NEXT WEEK.
Jennifer Hudson is getting back to work.
The singer is set to begin filming a video next week for her single, "If This Isn't Love," according to her label, J Records.
Hudson was due to film the clip in Los Angeles when her mother, Darnell Hudson Donerson, and brother, Jason Hudson, were discovered shot to death in their Chicago home on the city's South Side on Oct. 24. The body of her nephew, 7-year-old Julian King, was found in a sport utility vehicle three days later.
Hudson's estranged brother-in-law, William Balfour, who is married to Hudson's sister Julia, has been charged in the slayings. Prosecutors have said Balfour was upset Julia had been dating another man.
Hudson has been in seclusion since the killings. However, she has thanked the public for their support since the tragedy, and last week issued a statement after she was nominated for four Grammy awards, including best R&B album for her self-titled debut.
"It's been a childhood dream of mine to release an album, so to receive four Grammy nominations is truly a blessing," she said. "I am extremely honored and humbled by the nominations." Hudson — also an Academy Award-winning actress — was reaching a new career peak at the time of the killings. She had just released her first CD, and was also starring in the movie "The Secret Life of Bees." She was featured in the summer blockbuster "Sex and the City" and sang the national anthem the night President-Elect Barack Obama accepted the Democratic presidential nomination in Denver.
She has recently been featured in ads for the Gap, but those images were shot well before the murders.
For real family....Mark my words...Jennifer Hudson is about to be HUGE. Do you hear me? I mean in a MAJOR way....Whitney Houston huge....Beyonce huge (if not bigger)...how can she not be? Her story is a "Behind The Music", "Biography", "Barbara Walters Special" in the making.
She has the WHOLE WORLD behind her.....how can she lose?
Watch her shine ya'll - Just watch!
"One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possesses the only strength which can overcome adversity."
Stevie Wonder on Dancing With The Stars???? WTH???
Okay...I saw this on Media Takeout and I simply could resist reposting it (and the photo...which I thought was nothing short of hilarious) here:
December 10, 2008. Y'all ain't gonna believe this one. MediaTakeOut.com just got word that producers of the ABC hit series Dancing With The Stars have approached Stevie Wonder to be on next season's show.And according to a snitch close to Stevie - he's actually considering it. The insider told MediaTakeOut.com, "We're taking the offer seriously, but no one has agreed to do [the show] yet.
"EDITOR'S UPDATE - Stevie CONFIRMED this morning on Southern California's 104.3 MYfm Valentine in the Morning that he WAS approached by producers of the show Dancing With The Stars.
Okay, the folks at DWTS are REALLY reaching now...don'tcha think?
But I ain't gonna lie....I would watch...just to see if he could pull it off.
December 10, 2008. Y'all ain't gonna believe this one. MediaTakeOut.com just got word that producers of the ABC hit series Dancing With The Stars have approached Stevie Wonder to be on next season's show.And according to a snitch close to Stevie - he's actually considering it. The insider told MediaTakeOut.com, "We're taking the offer seriously, but no one has agreed to do [the show] yet.
"EDITOR'S UPDATE - Stevie CONFIRMED this morning on Southern California's 104.3 MYfm Valentine in the Morning that he WAS approached by producers of the show Dancing With The Stars.
Okay, the folks at DWTS are REALLY reaching now...don'tcha think?
But I ain't gonna lie....I would watch...just to see if he could pull it off.
“The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.”
DietTribe: New Weight Loss Reality Show On Lifetime
More weight loss shows on the horizon y'all.....
Brand New Reality Series Follows the Emotional Journey of Five Friends as They Attempt to Go From 'Fat' to 'Fit' on DietTribe
Premiering January 5th on Lifetime Television
Five Episode, Hour-Long Series Features Fitness Trainer JESSIE PAVELKA and Psychotherapist STACY KAISER
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 10 -- Lifetime Television kicks off 2009 with the all new reality series DietTribe, charting the journey of five best friends who have made a commitment to lose their unwanted pounds together. With the help of professional fitness trainer Jessie Pavelka and psychotherapist Stacy Kaiser, each woman will change her eating and exercise habits over the course of 3 months and confront the issues that caused her to gain weight initially. The five-episode, one hour-long series premieres on Monday, January 5 at 10:00pm ET/PTon Lifetime.
"The DietTribe concept is unique in that it explores how the very friendships that enable us to make poor eating and lifestyle choices can be the same friendships that encourage healthier ways of living," said JoAnn Alfano, Executive Vice President, Entertainment, Lifetime Networks. "The five ladies of DietTribe are relatable to our viewers because they continue to lead their real lives while at the same time supporting each other through a program of healthier eating, exercise and emotional well-being."
ABOUT DIETTRIBE
Close friends Anna Lloyd (30, Pasadena, CA), Lydia Moody (26, Los Angeles, CA), Megan Stewart (29, Anaheim, CA), Shawna McClellan (27, Anaheim, CA) and Morgan Lancaster (31, Monrovia, CA) have stuck together through thick and thin, sharing a strong bond that has lasted for many years.
In recent months, they have come face-to-face with an uncomfortable truth - that their lifestyles and their friendship have resulted in unhealthy weight gains. In DietTribe, each woman has her own reason for wanting to lose weight but all have one common goal - to look their very best at Anna's upcoming wedding.
Over the course of 90 days, Anna, Lydia, Megan, Shawna and Morgan will try to turn their poor habits into healthy choices by attempting to lose 30 pounds or more with the help of trainer Jessie Pavelka and therapist Stacy Kaiser. Through the course the series, cameras follow the tight-knit group as they deal with real life temptations, struggle to stay on track through the toughest work-outs of their lives and face the scale each week to see how far they have come both mentally and physically.
Check out the preview clip:
Brand New Reality Series Follows the Emotional Journey of Five Friends as They Attempt to Go From 'Fat' to 'Fit' on DietTribe
Premiering January 5th on Lifetime Television
Five Episode, Hour-Long Series Features Fitness Trainer JESSIE PAVELKA and Psychotherapist STACY KAISER
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 10 -- Lifetime Television kicks off 2009 with the all new reality series DietTribe, charting the journey of five best friends who have made a commitment to lose their unwanted pounds together. With the help of professional fitness trainer Jessie Pavelka and psychotherapist Stacy Kaiser, each woman will change her eating and exercise habits over the course of 3 months and confront the issues that caused her to gain weight initially. The five-episode, one hour-long series premieres on Monday, January 5 at 10:00pm ET/PTon Lifetime.
"The DietTribe concept is unique in that it explores how the very friendships that enable us to make poor eating and lifestyle choices can be the same friendships that encourage healthier ways of living," said JoAnn Alfano, Executive Vice President, Entertainment, Lifetime Networks. "The five ladies of DietTribe are relatable to our viewers because they continue to lead their real lives while at the same time supporting each other through a program of healthier eating, exercise and emotional well-being."
ABOUT DIETTRIBE
Close friends Anna Lloyd (30, Pasadena, CA), Lydia Moody (26, Los Angeles, CA), Megan Stewart (29, Anaheim, CA), Shawna McClellan (27, Anaheim, CA) and Morgan Lancaster (31, Monrovia, CA) have stuck together through thick and thin, sharing a strong bond that has lasted for many years.
In recent months, they have come face-to-face with an uncomfortable truth - that their lifestyles and their friendship have resulted in unhealthy weight gains. In DietTribe, each woman has her own reason for wanting to lose weight but all have one common goal - to look their very best at Anna's upcoming wedding.
Over the course of 90 days, Anna, Lydia, Megan, Shawna and Morgan will try to turn their poor habits into healthy choices by attempting to lose 30 pounds or more with the help of trainer Jessie Pavelka and therapist Stacy Kaiser. Through the course the series, cameras follow the tight-knit group as they deal with real life temptations, struggle to stay on track through the toughest work-outs of their lives and face the scale each week to see how far they have come both mentally and physically.
Check out the preview clip:
"Reality check: you can never, ever, use weight loss to solve problems that are not related to your weight. At your goal weight or not, you still have to live with yourself and deal with your problems. You will still have the same husband, the same job, the same kids, and the same life. Losing weight is not a cure for life."
UK Singing Sensation Adele Garners Four Grammy Nominations!!!
And the hits just keep on coming family......
20 year old, London born singer-songwriter Adele has received four Grammy Award
nominations in association with her XL/Columbia Records debut album 19. Adele has been nominated in the categories of Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year, Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
Released in the UK in January, 19 shot straight to #1 on the UK album sales charts. Adele received glowing reviews from the British press for her incredible songwriting and lush voice. The Observer Music Monthly section gave 19 a five star review exclaiming "Of all 2008's female vocalists, none is as great as this one." The British press further showed their adoration by endorsing Adele as the recipient of the Brit Awards newly inaugurated Critics Choice Award.
With a Brit Award and #1 Album at home, Adele set her sights on the America. 19 was released
stateside in June and instantly began receiving raves from the US press. People magazine exclaimed "Adele is Britain's best new singer" in their four star review. The Minneapolis Star Tribune challenged, "hyped as the next Amy Winehouse. That's underselling her. Adele could be the next Annie Lennox. Her voice is that big, that luxurious, that emotional, that versatile."
VH1 immediately dubbed Adele a "You Oughta Know Artist" and placed the video for her single "Chasing Pavements" in heavy rotation. "Chasing Pavements" remains the most played video on VH1 for 2008.
Adele made her US television debut on the Today Show, and went on to deliver incredible performances on The Late Show with David Letterman, The View, CBS Early Show, CBS News Sunday Morning, Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Late
Late Show with Craig Ferguson. 19 recently reached #11 on the Top 200 Album chart after groundbreaking performances on Saturday Night Live. Adele is set to perform on Ellen and Jimmy Kimmel Live on Wednesday December 10, 2008.
Touted as an amazing live performer, Adele is set to return to the US for a tour beginning January 14 in Sommerville, MA. The Washington Post proclaimed Adele's live performance as "endearing charm and powerhouse pipes of a bona fide star."
The US tour concludes on January 31, in San Diego, CA (see dates below).
20 year old, London born singer-songwriter Adele has received four Grammy Award
nominations in association with her XL/Columbia Records debut album 19. Adele has been nominated in the categories of Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year, Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Released in the UK in January, 19 shot straight to #1 on the UK album sales charts. Adele received glowing reviews from the British press for her incredible songwriting and lush voice. The Observer Music Monthly section gave 19 a five star review exclaiming "Of all 2008's female vocalists, none is as great as this one." The British press further showed their adoration by endorsing Adele as the recipient of the Brit Awards newly inaugurated Critics Choice Award.
With a Brit Award and #1 Album at home, Adele set her sights on the America. 19 was released
stateside in June and instantly began receiving raves from the US press. People magazine exclaimed "Adele is Britain's best new singer" in their four star review. The Minneapolis Star Tribune challenged, "hyped as the next Amy Winehouse. That's underselling her. Adele could be the next Annie Lennox. Her voice is that big, that luxurious, that emotional, that versatile."VH1 immediately dubbed Adele a "You Oughta Know Artist" and placed the video for her single "Chasing Pavements" in heavy rotation. "Chasing Pavements" remains the most played video on VH1 for 2008.
Adele made her US television debut on the Today Show, and went on to deliver incredible performances on The Late Show with David Letterman, The View, CBS Early Show, CBS News Sunday Morning, Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Late
Late Show with Craig Ferguson. 19 recently reached #11 on the Top 200 Album chart after groundbreaking performances on Saturday Night Live. Adele is set to perform on Ellen and Jimmy Kimmel Live on Wednesday December 10, 2008. Touted as an amazing live performer, Adele is set to return to the US for a tour beginning January 14 in Sommerville, MA. The Washington Post proclaimed Adele's live performance as "endearing charm and powerhouse pipes of a bona fide star."
The US tour concludes on January 31, in San Diego, CA (see dates below).
January 14, 2009 Somerville, MA Somerville Theatre
January 16, 2009 Philadelphia Theater of Living Arts
January 17, 2009 Washington 9:30 Club
January 19, 2009 Chicago Park West
January 20, 2009 Saint Paul Fitzgerald Theatre
January 22, 2009 Denver Bluebird Theater
January 23, 2009 Salt Lake City Murray Theatre
January 26, 2009 Seattle Neumos Crystal Ball Reading Room
January 27, 2009 Portland Wonder Ballroom
January 29, 2009 San Francisco The Warfield
January 30, 2009 Los Angeles The Wiltern
Are the Curvy Chicks doing it or WHAT???? Congrats Miss Adele....See you in February!!
"Success is that old ABC - ability, breaks, and courage."
Curvy Gals & Big Guys on The Food Network!!
Okay, so who DOESN'T know how much I love the Food Network by now (Bobby Flay RULES!!!)...lol...but is it me or are there a LOT of big beautiful people on this channel???
There's the beautiful Sunny Anderson
My Girl.... The Fabulous Butter loving Paula Deen!
Chef Jeff Henderson
Guy Fieri (Guy's Big Bite, Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives & Guy Off The Hook). He just had a christmas special on featuring his family and I just fell in love with his mother!!!
Tyler Florence (Tyler's Ultimate) Makes a chicken salad so damn good looking you wanna jump through the tv screen!
Michael Symon (Dinner Impossible, Iron Chef Ameica) hmmm....not really sure if he's a big boy or not but I think he is....
The "BAM" man Emeril Lagasse (Emeril Live!) I just wanna sit at his guest table (with my mom of course!) once before he goes off the air.....
Aaron McCargo Jr. (Big Daddy's House)...Aaron is the newest edition to the Food Network family. He won The Next Food Network Star competition this summer and got his own show! You GO Boy!
The Barefoot Contessa herself...Miss Ina Garten (I bought her Barefoot Contessa Cookbook and made my mom a mother's day feast and we have both been hooked on her ever since!) I just wanna be her friend so she can invite me to one of her parties or dinners....ALL of her food is good!
Mario Batali - The man with the orange clogs to match his hair! I met him at a Taste of NY festival and he was the nicest man! Personally fed me a piece of pie....for taking a stray piece of food off of his beard! LOVE him!
Masaharu Morimoto (Iron Chef America)....ooohh..SO Sexy...One day I WILL be able to afford to eat WHATEVER I WANT at Nobu....I will!!!
Pat & Gina Neely (Down Home With The Neely's & Road Tasted With The Neely's) - Black Love, Family & Food at it's best ya'll!
Rachel Ray (30 Minute Meals & Rachel's Tasty Travels) definitely "thick" gets an honorable mention because she has her occasional chunky days....lol...
And you know I couldn't NOT mention my love for Bobby Flay Throwdown With Bobby Flay, Grill It! With Bobby Flay & Boy Meets Grill) again (although he's not technically a big boy either...the body was looking REAL good when I worked with him on Throwdown With Bobby Flay).
I watch it every day and use their recipes frequently but it just occurred to me that there are quite a few plus sized people on this network and I needed to post about them....so if you don't know already meet the Curvaceous Women and Big Handsome Men of The Food Network:
There's the beautiful Sunny Anderson (Cooking For Real & How'd That Get On My Plate?)
Pictures don't do her any justice...she's GORGEOUS in person!
My Girl.... The Fabulous Butter loving Paula Deen! (Paula's Home Cooking, Paula's Party & Paula's Best Dishes)
Chef Jeff Henderson (The Chef Jeff Project)...okay....so Chef Jeff ain't that big...but he's a cutie....lol...so he STAYS!!!
Guy Fieri (Guy's Big Bite, Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives & Guy Off The Hook). He just had a christmas special on featuring his family and I just fell in love with his mother!!!
Tyler Florence (Tyler's Ultimate) Makes a chicken salad so damn good looking you wanna jump through the tv screen! 
Michael Symon (Dinner Impossible, Iron Chef Ameica) hmmm....not really sure if he's a big boy or not but I think he is....
The "BAM" man Emeril Lagasse (Emeril Live!) I just wanna sit at his guest table (with my mom of course!) once before he goes off the air.....
Duff Goldman (Ace of Cakes)
Most extraordinary cakes I have ever seen....I wonder what they taste like!!
Aaron McCargo Jr. (Big Daddy's House)...Aaron is the newest edition to the Food Network family. He won The Next Food Network Star competition this summer and got his own show! You GO Boy!
The Barefoot Contessa herself...Miss Ina Garten (I bought her Barefoot Contessa Cookbook and made my mom a mother's day feast and we have both been hooked on her ever since!) I just wanna be her friend so she can invite me to one of her parties or dinners....ALL of her food is good! 
Mario Batali - The man with the orange clogs to match his hair! I met him at a Taste of NY festival and he was the nicest man! Personally fed me a piece of pie....for taking a stray piece of food off of his beard! LOVE him!
Masaharu Morimoto (Iron Chef America)....ooohh..SO Sexy...One day I WILL be able to afford to eat WHATEVER I WANT at Nobu....I will!!!
Pat & Gina Neely (Down Home With The Neely's & Road Tasted With The Neely's) - Black Love, Family & Food at it's best ya'll!
Rachel Ray (30 Minute Meals & Rachel's Tasty Travels) definitely "thick" gets an honorable mention because she has her occasional chunky days....lol...
And you know I couldn't NOT mention my love for Bobby Flay Throwdown With Bobby Flay, Grill It! With Bobby Flay & Boy Meets Grill) again (although he's not technically a big boy either...the body was looking REAL good when I worked with him on Throwdown With Bobby Flay).Remember to celebrate and support our plus sized celebrities ya'll!!! They are paving the way for others to follow......
"There is no sincerer love than the love of food."
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