The Last Word: Winehouse Intervention, Bobby and Whitney Duke It Out, and Chris Brown Says No To Ciara!

What’s goin’ on people? It’s good to be back in the land of the free and the home of the brave after making a memory or three in Canada last week. This week proved to be an active one as Owen Wilson became hospitalized after an apparent suicide attempt, Michael Vick found Jesus and apologized […]

What’s goin’ on people? It’s good to be back in the land of the free

and the home of the brave after making a memory or three in Canada last

week. This week proved to be an active one as Owen Wilson became

hospitalized after an apparent suicide attempt, Michael Vick found

Jesus and apologized for his dogfighting error, Sen. Larry Craig denied

being gay amid heat from the Republican Party, and frustration still

remains as we mark two years since Hurricane Katrina.

 

Crazy shout outs to Kathy for being kind enough to keep the Word alive

during my intermission and Illseed for being the sounding board on

duty. Shouts also go out to Joan, the Isenbergs (Charlotte and Steven),

Becky, Erica and Giancarlo and last but definitely not least, the T-dot

superstar and Q.O.N. (Queen of the Night) Stevie Nicks for helping me to cherish old friends and appreciate new allies in my adventures up North.

 

And as always, recognition to my sounding boards for doing what they do

best, which is keep me grounded no matter what location I lay my head at.

 

Now that I’ve gotten my two cents in, here we go….the Last Word for the week ending Aug. 31, 2007.

1. Chris Brown Chooses Regular Girl Over Ciara

 

Ciara may catch the eye of a lot of guys, but don’t count Chris Brown

among her admirers. The singer revealed that he’s in the market for an

ordinary Jane during an interview for the upcoming issuing of Vibe

magazine, which noted that Brown’s face “curls up as if he’d just

noticed a foul odor,” when he was asked about the Crunk-n-B Queen.

 

“I don’t want Ciara,” said Brown, who graces the cover of the new issue

when it hits newsstands on Sept. 11. “I don’t want any industry girl.”

 

Although he prefers a “regular girl” — that is, provided she’s also “a

model,” the crooner admitted that he isn’t in a position to be tied

down to one lady.

“I’ve had girlfriends, but it’s different,” Brown told Vibe. “Not

jumpoffs! Like, you don’t be like, ‘That’s my girl,’ but you know when

you hang with her, it’s like…friends with benefits. If I’m singling

out one girl, think about all the other girls who are falling in love

with me in that club. What they gon’ think? So it’s like, I have a

relationship with every girl. It’s like every girl is my girlfriend.”

 

While it’s good that he’s spreading the love around, all you really

need is one girl. Is that so hard? For us average Joes, an “industry

girl” would be just fine. No need to say good bye at all.

2. Scared Straight: The Winehouse Edition

 

First it was her mother-in-law. This week Amy Winehouse’s father-in-law

weighed in on the singer’s recent troubles Tuesday (Aug. 28) on British

Broadcasting Corp. radio. Giles Fielder-Civil is spearheading efforts

to administer some tough love to Winehouse by urging fans to quit

investing in her music.

According to him, the songbird and his son Blake Fielder-Civil, had

used cocaine, crack, and heroin and were in “abject denial”

about their problem.

 

“Perhaps it is time to stop buying records,” said Fielder-Civil, who

thinks fans should send a message to Winehouse “that her addiction and

her behavior are not acceptable.” “It’s a possibility, to send that

message.”

 

And what message would that be? Just say no…no…no! 

3. John Singleton Earns Responsible Driver Badge

 

Despite being involved in a fatal car wreck last week, director John

Singleton can take comfort in knowing that he has been cleared of any

charges related to the fatality. According to reports, Singleton struck

and killed Constance Russell after she stepped into the path of the

film maker’s Lexus SUV.

 

Singleton remained on the scene as he waited for police and paramedics

to arrive and transport Russell to a nearby hospital, where she was

pronounced dead.

“This is being treated as an unfortunate accident,” said LAPD spokesman

Jason Lee. “There will be no criminal charges. Mr. Singleton stopped

and identified himself as required by law and was not under the

influence of drugs and alcohol. He was questioned and released.”

Case closed.

 

4. President Carter Makes Rihanna an Offer She Couldn’t Refuse

 

With another summer anthem and a hit album on her hands, life is

looking pretty good for Rihanna. Nevertheless, all the fame would not

have been possible had it not been for some creative deal making with

Def Jam president Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter.

 

“The audition definitely went well,” the songstress told

FemaleFirst.com about negotiations for her record deal. “[Def Jam]

locked me into the office – till 3a.m. And Jay-Z said, ‘There’s only

two ways out. Out the door after you sign this deal. Or through this

window…’ and we were on the 29th floor. Very flattering.”

 

A message to any aspiring Def Jam artist: Don’t forget your parachute.

 

5. Bobby and Whitney Engage in Kiddie Combat

 

Divorced and still making news together. Bobby Brown and Whitney

Houston are going head to head over the custody of their 14-year-old

daughter Bobbi Kristina.

People.com reports that the battle has reached a new level, as Brown claims he hasn’t spoken to the teen since June.

 

“Since Whitney has been awarded sole legal and physical custody of

Bobbi Kris, she has attempted to eliminate me from Bobbi Kris’ life,”

according to newly released legal papers filed last month and obtained

by People.com. “I did all I could to see my daughter…I also paid

approximately $10,000 for Whitney and Bobbi Kris to live in a nice

hotel while Whitney was going through rehab…I basically lived out

of my car,” Brown states.

 

As if Brown’s side of the story isn’t heart-wrenching enough, Houston

counters his argument by saying her ex has been “almost totally

uninvolved in taking care of Bobbi Kristina” and warns, “Bobby is going

to try to get child or spousal support from me…Bobby is fully

capable of working and earning substantial sums of money if he would

control his personal behavior.”

 

Wasn’t this the same couple that was getting along so well over dinner recently and even posing for pictures with fans? So much for having something in common. Why can’t they just get along?

After all, the children are our future. Teach them well and let the

lead them way.  

6. Keyshia Cole Gears Up for National Anthem, Lands in the BDS Books

 

Congratulations go out to Keyshia Cole for becoming the first female in

the history of the Nielsen BDS-based Urban chart to have three

consecutive number one singles as a lead artist. The singer achieved

the feat with her new Missy Elliott and Lil’ Kim-featured single “Let

It Go.” The song, which rose from number three to number one, follows

Cole’s 2006 chart topper “Love” and her 2005 number one “I Should Have

Cheated.”  

As if that wasn’t enough, fans can catch the diva when she performs the

national anthem Sept. 6 before the Indianapolis Colts take on the New

Orleans Saints.  

7. Jordin Sparks Follows Jessica Simpson’s Lead

 

American Idol winner Jordin Sparks is taking a page out of Jessica

Simpson’s book by promising to abstain from sex until her wedding

night. The vow was made when the 17-year-old singer was 13, years

before she belted her first tune for Simon Cowell.

 

“My parents gave me a purity ring and talked to me about waiting until

I’m married to have sex,” Sparks revealed to the World Entertainment

News Network (WENN). “It wasn’t forced; it just made perfect sense.

It’s going to be awesome to say to my husband that I waited my whole

life for him.”

 

Sounds like a good deal for whoever the lucky guy will be.  

8. Jamie Foxx Comes to Michael Vick’s Defense

 

Michael Vick may have outraged pet lovers with his dogfighting

operation, but the Atlanta Falcons quarterback has found a sympathetic

observer in Jamie Foxx.

 

The Oscar winner came to Vick’s defense as he told Access Hollywood,

“It’s a cultural thing… I used to see dogs fighting in the

neighborhood all the time… Mike probably just didn’t read his

handbook on what not to do as a Black star. I know that cruelty to

animals is bad, but sometimes people shoot people and kill people and

don’t get time…I give Mike the benefit of the doubt.”

 

Needless to say the folks at PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of

Animals) weren’t too happy with Foxx. “It is cheap and dirty and wrong

to call this a cultural thing, unless Foxx believes that cruelty is a Black thing – when it isn’t. It may be his thing, but it is not a Black

thing,” said the animal rights organization’s president Ingrid Newkirk. 

With Vick facing time in prison for his mistake, it may be best for

Foxx to let it go and not let his stock go down. What do you think? Are

two celebrities taking heat better than one?