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JOAN RIVERS: A STAR IS GONE

In News on September 23, 2014 at 6:19 pm

wpid zzz005827 pp JOAN RIVERS: A STAR IS GONE

Badass comedian and serial plastic surgery patient Joan Rivers is dead. The trailblazing entertainer lived to see the ripe old age of 81 despite her early struggles to make a big splash in a man’s world.
Once Rivers reached the top, however, she did everything in her power to stay there as well as relevant: producing a YouTube show where she interviewed friends on a mattress and going under the knife multiple times to list two.
“I’ve had so much plastic surgery, when I die they will donate my body to Tupperware,” she cracked to the New York Times in 2008.
Her vitriol knew no bounds, anyone and anything was game including superstar celebrities  like Tom Cruise. “He’s been in the closet so long, I’m going to take him to Goodwill.”
A tour-de-force, there was no stopping Joan once she got revved up, soaring then looping high no matter how hard hecklers and detractors tried to clip her wings. Case in point: A few years ago Rivers took on a heckler who objected to her jokes about Helen Keller. Turned out the man had a son was deaf.
“Oh, you stupid ass,” Joan said, according to Gawker.com. “Let me tell you what comedy is about. Oh please, you are so stupid. Comedy is to make everybody laugh at everything and deal with things, you idiot. My mother is deaf, you stupid son of a bitch. Don’t tell me.”
The scene Gawker froze and zoomed in on was from Ricki Stern and Anne Sunberg’s 2010 documentary “Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work,” which you can stream on Netfix this weekend.
Joan Rivers was abrasive, mean, funny and truthful and clever. She was also very active with the Girl Scouts of America, the Terrence Higgins Trust, Habitat For Humanity, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. She was a classic New Yorker who lived by her wits, not her tits.

A star is gone.

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Frank Sinatra’s First New Jersey License up For Auction (DETAILS)

In News on June 24, 2014 at 10:57 pm

wpid 200 Frank Sinatras First New Jersey License up For Auction (DETAILS)

Frank Sinatra’s first drivers license is on the auction block, The Star Ledger reports.

Sinatra, who was 19 in 1934 when he received his first New Jersey license, is part of a Hollywood Memorabilia Auction by RR Auction based in Boston. Items belonging to Marilyn Monroe are also up for grabs on Thursday when initial bidding ends.

Sinatra’s license was mailed to 841 Garden Street in Hoboken, an attached brickhouse as thin as teenage Frank if you believe Google Maps.

Zoom in on the paper and text license and you’ll also see Old Blue Eyes eyes were really blue, and that his name, Mr. Sintra, was mispelled.
wpid 111529 2 Frank Sinatras First New Jersey License up For Auction (DETAILS)

Sinatra was struggling to make it as big as his idol Bing Crosby then. In 1935, thanks to pressure from his mother who had power around Hoboken, Sinatra would get one step closer to his dream after Mama Sinatra talked to the mother of one of The Hoboken Three, a local music group. Sinatra lasted a year with the group. He quit after numerous beatings and jealousy over women he pulled.

The ‘a’ dropped from Sinatra’s name on his license was the one Mr Sinatra added to the word class. Or so they say. wpid 111531 2 Frank Sinatras First New Jersey License up For Auction (DETAILS)

Bidding on the license and a letter from a lawyer calling for Sinatra to have his driving privileges revoked ends on Thursday.

wpid 111530 2 Frank Sinatras First New Jersey License up For Auction (DETAILS)

Below, listen to Sinatra with The Hoboken Four

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THE POWERPUFF GIRLS ARE BACK! (🙌🙌🙌)

In News on June 17, 2014 at 2:40 am

wpid powerpuff girls dance pantsed THE POWERPUFF GIRLS ARE BACK! (🙌🙌🙌)

Thanks to Powerpuff Girls, 1998 was an awesome year for the Cartoon Network and budding feminists. There I said it.

“The original ‘Powerpuff Girls’ was a franchise phenomenon for Cartoon Network, paving the way for a new generation of innovative storytellers and enthusiastic fans worldwide,” said Rob Sorcher, chief content officer, Cartoon Network. “We are calling these girls back into action based upon an overwhelming demand for sugar, spice and Chemical X.”

And girl power. Don’t forget girl power.

“As the original ambassador of girl power, ‘The Powerpuff Girls’ brand continues to resonate with people of all ages and there is tremendous excitement around introducing Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup to a new generation,” said Pete Yoder, vice president of consumer products for North America, Cartoon Network Enterprises. “With proven success and great content plans in place, there’s so much potential that we’re looking forward to explore with our licensing partners in the coming weeks.”

Buttercup was my fave.

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X-MEN: APOCALYPSE TO TAKE PLACE IN 1983 (DETAILS)

In News on June 16, 2014 at 9:12 pm

wpid apocalypse 612x380 X MEN: APOCALYPSE TO TAKE PLACE IN 1983 (DETAILS)

The next X-MEN film, slated for a 2014 release, will focus on Apocalypse,  the first mutant ever to walk Earth. The story will take place in 1983, 10 years after Days of Future Past, according writer/producer Simon Kinberg who spoke to Comic Book Movie’s Jeff Goldsmith.

Jean Grey, Cyclops, Storm and other notable mutants were all flocking to Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters around that time period, and presumably part of the plot of the new movie will have them enrolling and learning how to hone their powers. There are some other elements to think about, however…

I want Storm to make an appearance with her Mohawk and to be played by Lupita. 

Jus saying.

Read more at CBM

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PRESIDENT OBAMA VISIT S INDIAN COUNTRY (PHOTOS)

In News on June 13, 2014 at 7:48 pm

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Above: A First Nation member and dancer takes a selfies with President Obama,  only the third of 44 US presidents to visit Native Americans.

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IDRIS ELBA IS A DADDY AGAIN (DETAILS)

In News on April 18, 2014 at 10:17 am

wpid df018007654fe3dac3562a27e051a2c5 1080 IDRIS ELBA IS A DADDY AGAIN (DETAILS)

British actor and every Black Twitter account users crush object is a dad, y’all!  The handsome actor and DJ broke the news on Twitter, writing, “My Son Winston Elba was born yesterday..Truly Amazing :+”

A photo, above,  accompanied his announcement.

wpid article 0 1937c30b00000578 335 634x926 IDRIS ELBA IS A DADDY AGAIN (DETAILS)

This is Elba’s first child. Previously, he disclosed that a child he thought was his was infact, not. This child, a boy, is with his girlfriend and make up artist Naiyana Garth, seen above at Glamor Magazine’s Women of The Year Awards earlier this year.

Congratulations,  Idris!

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DESIGNER L’WREN SCOTT HANGS HERSELF IN NYC APARTMENT (DETAILS)

In News on March 17, 2014 at 12:44 pm

wpid lwrenlead DESIGNER LWREN SCOTT HANGS HERSELF IN NYC APARTMENT (DETAILS)

Noted designer and girlfriend of Mick Jagger, L’wren Scott was found dead by suicide this morning in her NY apartment, reports multiple sources. One of Scott ‘ s assistants found the designer hanging by a scarf around 10 am today. Police do not suspect foul play.

Scott, born Luann Bambrough, was raised by adoptive parents in the US state of Utah.

She began her career as a model in Paris, then moved to Los Angeles to become a fashion stylist, according to a biography on her company’s website.

She and Sir Mick, the singer of the Rolling Stones, began dating in 2001.

More to come.

NYDN

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2 DEAD, 20 INJURED IN HARLEM BUILDING EXPLOSION (PHOTOS)

In News on March 12, 2014 at 2:55 pm

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Below are photos from Twitter which shows the aftermath of the apartment building collapse brought on by a gas leak this morning.

Residents of the two buildings, a piano store and a church with over two dozen apartments above them, said they smelled gas the previous evening but could not identify where it came from.

Read the rest of this entry »

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HISTORY: JASON COLLINS FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER SIGNED BY BKLYN NETS (DETAILS)

In LGBT, News on February 23, 2014 at 3:32 pm

wpid 130429024012 jason collins profile single image cut HISTORY: JASON COLLINS FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER SIGNED BY BKLYN NETS (DETAILS)

Via AP:

The Brooklyn Nets have signed center Jason Collins to a 10-day contract, making him the first openly gay player in the NBA.

The Nets play the Lakers in Los Angeles on Sunday night. Collins revealed at the end of last season he is gay, but he was a free agent and has remained unsigned.

“Hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday. Today should be a pretty cool day!” Collins’ twin brother, Jarron, tweeted.

Read the rest of this entry »

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BLACK HISTORY RECAP: NEGROS CORRUPT WHITE YOUTUBE (PHOTOS)

In News on February 10, 2014 at 12:00 pm

For your convenience and education.

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PHILLIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN DEAD FROM HEROIN OVERDOPE (DETAILS)

In News on February 2, 2014 at 6:02 pm

VIA AFP:

Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead in his New York apartment of a suspected drug overdose on Sunday, law enforcement officials said. He was 46.
The enigmatic star, who was hailed as the finest character actor of his generation, won an Oscar in 2006 as best actor for “Capote” and was nominated for three further Academy Awards.
A substance thought to be heroin was found at the scene when police responded to the actor’s home in Manhattan’s West Village after receiving a call from one of his friends.
“It appears to be an alleged overdose,” one police official told AFP. The actor was found on the bathroom floor with a syringe in his arm, wearing shorts and a T-shirt, the officer added.
“Two glassine envelopes contained alleged heroin,” another officer told AFP. There were no pills and no sign that the actor had been drinking, the first officer had said earlier.
Law enforcement officials refused to comment further until after the arrival and report of the medical examiner.
Hoffman, whose two-decade career made him one of the most liked and respected actors in Hollywood, leaves behind his partner, costume designer Mimi O’Donnell, and three children.
His family released a brief statement through the media saying they were devastated, thanking people for their love and support.
“This is a tragic and sudden loss and we ask that you respect our privacy during this time of grieving. Please keep Phil in your thoughts and prayers,” the statement added.
New York detectives and officers secured the street outside the actor’s home, and were seen entering and exiting the red brick, six-floor apartment building, an AFP reporter said.
A crowd of journalists and neighbors gathered, and a red rose and a bouquet of white roses were laid at the entrance.
One neighbor who gave her name as Janine, said she was accustomed to seeing the actor and his family out and about.
“They were always in the ‘hood,” she told AFP. “My husband saw him last week… They were a part of the community here.”
Tributes quickly poured in from fellow celebrities and actors, who took to twitter to express their sorrow.
“A truly kind, wonderful man and one of our greatest actors – ever,” wrote Mia Farrow.
Born Philip Hoffman in July 1967 in New York state, he was the third of four children of a Xerox executive and a feminist housewife who divorced when he was nine.
He earned a drama degree from New York University in 1989, though he fell into alcohol and drug abuse for a while.
Incorporating his grandfather’s name, Seymour, between his given names, he made his big screen debut in a 1991 independent film called “Triple Bogey on a Par Five Hole.”
In 1997, he made waves as a closeted gay crew member in Paul Thomas Anderson’s porn industry tale “Boogie Nights,” followed by a quirky turn in the Coen brothers’ “The Big Lebowski” (1998).
In Anthony Minghella’s crime thriller “The Talented Mr Ripley,” he stole the show from co-stars Matt Damon, Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow with his supporting role as slippery and duplicitous preppie Freddie Miles.
The late Minghella once said that Hoffman was an extraordinary actor “cursed, sometimes, by his own gnawing intelligence, his own discomfort with acting”.
“There are few actors more demanding in front of camera, less demanding away from it.”
But, for all his success, Hoffman was a reluctant occupant of the limelight and in an interview with the Guardian published in October 2011 said he thought everyone struggles with self-love.
“I think that’s pretty much the human condition, you know, waking up and trying to live your day in a way that you can go to sleep and feel OK about yourself,” he was quoted as saying.
After his Oscar-winning turn in “Capote”, Hoffman had three more Oscar nominations as a supporting actor in “Charlie Wilson’s War” in 2008, “Doubt” in 2009 and “The Master” in 2013.

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POLO’S TEAM USA WINTER OLYMPICS UNIFORMS ARE SO HIP-HOP (PHOTOS)

In Lifestyle, News on January 23, 2014 at 1:40 pm

Images of Team USA’s Sochi Winter Olympics uniforms were released this morning and fashion heads are divided. High fashion folks are calling the wool cardigans grotesque while hip hop fashion heads are trumpeting the designs. I’m in the latter camp. Read the rest of this entry »

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