By Chris Richburg
What’s going on news makers? Another week has past and the world keeps spinning with the DC sniper, John Allen Muhammad getting executed, NBA legend Kareem Abdul Jabar revealing his battle with chronic myeloid leukemia nearly a year after being diagnosed and Taylor Swift winning big at this year’s CMAs.
Shout out to all the soldiers and vets! AllHipHop honors you! Shout out to former Hootie and the Blowfish frontman Darius Rucker, who made history at the CMAs by becoming the first black performer to win the New Artist of the Year award, the cast and characters from Sesame Street, who celebrated the show’s 40th birthday on Tuesday (Nov. 10) and the sounding boards for always maintaining their hustle.
Ladies and gents, here is … the Last Word for the week ending Nov. 13, 2009.
1. Jamie Foxx and Martin Lawrence Prepare Sheneneh and Wanda for their Big Screen Close-Up
If you liked seeing Jamie Foxx and Martin Lawrence as Wanda and Sheneneh at the BET Awards, then you’ll get a kick out of this. Variety reveals the popular characters will get the big screen treatment in their own full-length film.
Foxx will write the script for the feature, titled Sheneneh and Wanda. The seeds for the Screen Gems comedy were laid after Foxx and Lawrence made a parody of a movie trailer for a film called Skank Robbers for the BET Awards. The reaction for the segment was strong enough that the funnymen decided to turn the concept into a real film.
The Sheneneh and Wanda movie features Sheneneh and Wanda as modern-day independent women trying to make it on their own, one bank robbery at a time.
Just the thought of a movie about Wanda and Sheneneh could be very interesting and funny, if done right. And if you add Madea to the mix, you could end up with today’s version of Three the Hard Way. Complete with a cameo from Frankie and Neffie. I’m sure all of them got you. And they will definitely be “red to go.”
2. NCFM Challenges Rihanna to “Woman Up” on Domestic Violence
With the Chris Brown/Rihanna domestic abuse saga being one of the biggest stories of the year, many people have spoke their peace on the topic as well as taken sides in regards to who is the real victim. I think Illseed said it best, there are three sides to the story: his side, her side and the truth.
Well, it looks like the National Coalition For Men (NCFM) is throwing making itself known by lending its support to Brown. The organization is taking it a step further by giving RiRi the chance to fess up to her exact role in the ordeal while addressing the violence she doled out on Brown on that fateful night.
"According to court records and other sources, Rihanna struck Brown in the face 'numerous times' before Brown assaulted her, the NCFM stated in a press release. “ NCFM purports although that would not justify his more severe assault, her violence should not be ignored, and if she does not 'woman up' to it then her message will be the usual one-sided double standards that leave female perpetration covered up."
While the R&B/pop diva received more support than her former boyfriend did, information from the press release provides insight into domestic violence caused by females, while touching on its effect on children and the need to stop the “cycle” by addressing the issue honestly.
“Over 200 studies now confirm the same thing, that "women are as physically aggressive, or more aggressive, than men in their relationships with their spouses or male partners," as California State University Professor Martin Fiebert shows in his online bibliography. This data is more reliable than criminal justice data because men are less likely to report the violence or to respond positively to crime surveys because society still does not consider female violence as much of a crime."
Although Rihanna’s revelations in her interviews were geared towards speaking out against domestic violence, the NCFM feels the singer is doing a greater disservice to the cause if she isn’t forthcoming about her violent habits.
3. T-Boz Becomes the Latest Swine Flu Victim
In Last week’s Word, I told you about the swine flu hitting Boyz II Men’s Shawn Stockman. Now we can add T-Boz to the list of stricken celebs as the TLC member revealed she was battling the H1N1 virus after being diagnosed with the condition. The diagnosis came after the entertainer and her daughter saw an ear, nose and throat specialist for chronic sore throats both of them had.
“I was like, ‘This is unbelievable.’ I made arrangements right away for my daughter to stay with my mom," T-Boz shared with Life & Style while adding that her doctor prescribed “antibiotics and antiviral medications like Tamiflu and Levaquin, as well as a low dose of steroids” for her. “I had to stay in the house and away from everyone.”
Despite the diagnosis and other worries, T-Boz remained calm.
“I never felt like I was going to die, but I was really concerned that I couldn’t breathe," the singer said. "The doctors checked my vitals and my oxygen and told me my heartbeat was strong. Then they gave me some fluids and told me the flu was just running its course."
Many hopes and prayers for a speedy recovery.
4. Tracy Morgan Gives Carnegie Hall Audience the Dirty Version
If you plan on seeing Tracy Morgan do his live stand up act, don’t expect the entertainer to be like his 30 Rock character, Tracy Jordan.
Apparently, the folks who attended Morgan’s show at Carnegie Hall didn’t get the memo. The folks at the NY Daily News say many of the people at the comedy show walked out after getting a taste of the not ready for network TV language the author used while providing his humorous take on homosexuality, drugs, pornography and what he calls “politricks.”
Even the First Family wasn’t immune to Morgan, who made a unique impression on middle-aged women the audience. A source with the Daily News says the comedian shocked the women when he “started mimicking explicit sex acts on stage.”
As for the First Family, Tracy seemed to be in rare form when talking about Washington DC’s most famous residents.
“Obama is really changing the White House, because he and Michelle will have the first presidential sex tape out,” he told a stunned crowd.
And while boos may have been expected after Tracy finished, he ended up with a standing ovation from a few famous people in the audience. Namely, Spike Lee, John Singleton and his 30 Rock co-star Jane Krakowski.
5. Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Expected to Bring Beyonce to Court
Fresh from ticking off the Muslim Brotherhood for bringing her sexy show to Egypt, Beyonce now finds herself on the verge of putting a Chicago courtroom on her list of tour stops. According to reports, the songstress is expected to appear in court soon to respond to a copyright infringement lawsuit filed by a songwriter who claims she stole the title, lyrics and overall theme of the song, “Cater 2 U.”
According to the suit, Rickey Allen copyrighted his “Cater 2 U” in the mid-1990s. The songwriter/performer, who updated his copyright three times, claims he delivered a copy of the tune to Maurice Joshua, a producer Allen planned on working with on a demo. Although he later recorded a song with Destiny’s Child, Joshua claims he never had a copy of Allen’s tune.
AOL Black Voices reports that enough evidence exists for Allen to take his case to a Chicago federal court jury. The judge in the case references Joshua as a plausible link between Allen and Beyonce, who claims to have been the source for Destiny Child’s “Cater 2 U. Hence the reason for Bey taking the stand.
Nevertheless, the case has had some trouble getting heard with it being delayed because of conflicts with Beyonce’s schedule. As a result, the case is set to be heard on Dec. 10.
Not making any predictions, but Bey should come out of this OK, considering the fact that she’s a survivor. But if her schedule keeps getting in the way, she may end catering to the guy with a financial solution.
6. Laurence Fishburne Gracefully Bows Out Of Pulp Fiction Opportunity
Isn’t it funny how the ‘what if’s’ come out when a movie is critically-acclaimed, makes a ton of money at the box office or both? In the case of Pulp Fiction, the what if’s take the form of Laurence Fishburne, who decided to pass on playing hitman Jules Winnfield.
According to WENN, the film’s director, Quentin Tarantino, offered the part as well as the chance to star alongside John Travolta in the 1994 feature to Fishburne. After the CSI star passed, the role ultimately went to Samuel L. Jackson, who picked up an Oscar nomination for his work on Pulp Fiction.
Think Laurence is kicking himself over missing out on playing Jules? Not so, says the actor, who feels Jackson was the perfect person to make the character one of the standouts in the hit film.
"I decided not to do it, because I couldn't respond to the part. As a whole piece, it didn't speak to me. It didn't feel like something I needed to do. It's the part that Sam Jackson wound up doing brilliantly,” Fishburne explained to WENN. "I'm glad I didn't do it, because Sam is a bada**.'"
Not to be anal, Mr. Fishburne, but I think the correct description is “bad mother f****r.” Just check the wallet.
In Other Words…
Four years after playing Brutus in a theatrical version of Julius Caesar, Denzel Washington is gearing up for a return to Broadway in a revival of the Pulitzer Prize-winning August Wilson play Fences. Variety reports Washington will play Maxson family patriarch Troy Maxson, a role originated by James Earl Jones. The Oscar winner is set to begin rehearing for Fences in February. The play, will open in April, beginning a 14-week run through mid-July.
Fans of R&B/pop singer Seal will have something new to add to their music collection. The hitmaker will release Hits, a compilation of his best work over the past 20 years, on Dec. 8. The offering, which will include a concert DVD and a CD, will feature Seal classics such as “Kiss From a Rose,” “Fly Like An Eagle,” “Waiting For You” and “Crazy.”
Terrence J is ready for his big screen close up. BV Buzz reports the 106 & Park co-host will make his movie debut in the sequel to Stomp the Yard. The HBCU graduate and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity member is the latest entertainer to join the film. Other castmembers include rappers David Banner and Teyana Taylor; The Game’s Pooch Hall, who plays Dane, one of the fraternity step masters; Collins Pennie ('Fame') who will play a character named Chance; and So You Think You Can Dance season four runner-up Stephen "tWitch" Boss, who will play the antagonist Taz.
Terrence J will play a character named Ty, who is a key lineman in Chance's fraternity. Stomp the Yard 2: The Homecoming is currently in production in Atlanta.
Halle Berry will move from the big screen to the small screen as the host of upcoming PBS show For Love of Liberty: The Story of America's Black Patriots. According to Variety, the special, which will be introduced by Colin Powell and narrated by Avery Brooks, will highlight African-American veterans as while utilizing primary source material such as letters, diaries, speeches and military records to document African-American battlefield accomplishments dating back to the Revolutionary War and its first casualty, Crispus Attucks.
Actors lending their voice to the show include Morgan Freeman, Mel Gibson, Susan Sarandon, Robert Duvall, Danny Glover, Jeffrey Wright, Sam Elliot and John Amos. For Love of Liberty will air on PBS in February. That same month, the show will be released on DVD.