Hey young world. The weekend is calling and I’m answering the phone. It’s been the usual five days with conversation ranging from the end of the Cash for Clunkers program to students going back into study mode with the start of another school year to death of Senate fixture Ted Kennedy.
Thoughts and prayers go out to the Kennedy family and anybody who was affected by the work done by the liberal lion during his more than 40 years in the Senate. Shout out to Venus and Serena Williams, who became the first female African-Americans to hold an ownership stake in a NFL franchise when they became part owners of the Miami Dolphins and the sounding boards, who always seem to know where to find a good deal.
So let’s get down to business with … the Last Word for the week ending August 28, 2009.
1. Beyonce, Rihanna and Kim Kardashian Become the Most Dangerous Celebs in Cyberspace
Beyonce Knowles may be set to be honored as Billboard’s Woman of the Year in October, but it may surprise people to know that she is a dangerous person. A simple statement, but is it true? If you answered ‘Yes’ then you are correct. According to McAfee, Inc. Knowles is the second most dangerous celebrity on the web. So much so that inputting “Beyonce ringtones” into a search engine can result in finding a dangerous web site that links to an adware and spyware distributor.
And Bey’s not the only one. Rihanna and Kim Kardashian also made the McAfee report, coming in at 13 and 15, respectively. So if Mrs. Carter, Rihanna and Kim didn’t top the list, who did?
And the most dangerous celebrity on the Net is … Jessica Biel. McAfee says that searches for the actress result in a one-in-five chance of ending up at a site that houses spyware, adware, spam, phishing, viruses and other malware. Others who made the third annual dangerous list include Jennifer Aniston, Tom Brady and Jessica Simpson. President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama were among the safest celebs as they came in at no. 34 and no. 39, respectively.
So now we got celebrities that can cause problems to your computer if you’re too into them? This gives a whole new meaning to getting burned huh! What’s next? I guess depending on the site, you get syphilis, crabs or, in the extreme cases, HIV or AIDS that results in a complete system shut down. Need a new computer?
2. Brian J. White Campaigns for Luke Cage Close-Up
We all know that black superheroes are a rarity in comic books. And even more scarce in movies. So even the hint of a black superhero film can bring out those who may not fit the usual Hollywood Super Friend mold.
Which seems to be the case with the talked about plans to bring Marvel Comics hero Luke Cage to the big screen. John Singleton has been loosely attached to direct Cage’s big screen debut, which has seen Tyrese Gibson’s name thrown into the pot as a favorite to star.
Despite this, there have been no solid plans regarding the project. Which opens the door for Stomp the Yard’s Brian J. White to score the role. In White’s eyes, he is the perfect choice to bring Cage to life. To hear him tell it, he’s been campaigning for the role for years
“I’ve been saying it over-and-over again in the press for years! Those are the roles – Green Lantern, Green Hornet, Luke Cage. There’s some other graphic novels – some horror ones – that I also like, but I really would love to do Luke Cage,” Whit told Moviehole.net, while mentioning how he has the physical and acting skills to command the screen as a potential new member of the cinematic Marvel Universe.
“I think I have the skill-set” fit for a superhero movie,” he said. “Like Iron Man, you have to be able to handle drama and comedy; you have to have the physique to be able to take off your shirt; you have to have a certain statue – if you’re 5’8 it doesn’t really work so well, unless it’s a small superhero – and you have to have a certain athletic ability. That’s what I’m angling towards. These are $150 million-dollar movies, so I’m trying to pay my dues, and do the work, so that I might get a look-in.”
All this effort for a film that may or may not even come out. Well, I guess it’s nice to see Mr. Lee putting his bid in early. In this day and time, it never hurts to overextend yourself in the name of job security. And if they finally start work on this film (which I hope they do), the question is will Luke Cage stomp the yard like a true super hero or will he simply be a baby boy? Who would you pick to play the guy?
3. Sly Stone Documentary Details Singer’s Current Plight and Alliance with Michael Jackson
Famed singer/songwriter Sly Stone has become the latest victim of shady dealings. In a new documentary on the entertainer titled Coming Back for More, Stone’s current state is anything but pleasant has it details the aftermath of a relationship gone sour between Stone and his former manager, Jerry Goldstein.
In his first filmed interview in more than 20 years, the singer admitted to making the mistake of turning over all of his musical rights to Goldstein at the end of the 1980s. The manager was under contractual obligation to pay out an allowance to Stone as an agreement was reached that Goldstein was responsible for payment of fixed expenses and costs. The move proved disastrous as Goldstein ended up cutting off the payments. Despite having a legit case against Goldstein, Stone cannot afford a lawyer to fight on his behalf.
In fact, the Family Stone front man, who has shunned TV interviews for more than 20 years, has been living in campers and cheap hotels while living off his social security. An end to Stone’s financial plight was almost a reality via an agreement he reached with Michael Jackson, who had bought u the rights to many of Stone’s royalties. The music icons were working together as Jackson recruited Stone to write songs for his new album and convince the reclusive vocalist to tour again.
Despite the progress, the alliance fell apart with Jackson died in June. Coming Back for More featuring Sly Stone is slated a September release.
4. Next Destination for Soul Train: The Big Screen
Somehow, I should not be surprised at this, what with all the movie treatment given to old shows. But I’m curious as to how they are actually going to turn Soul Train into a full-length feature film.
Variety reports that the long-running show’s host and producer, Don Cornelius, will serve as a co-producer on the project with Darryl Porter and Aaron Geller of Porter/Geller Productions.
The Soul Train movie will reportedly be set in the 1980s and center around a gifted “popper” named Protag who wants to be a part of the Soul Train tour. The movie’s plot came about after Cornelius told the film’s writer, Malcolm Spellman, that he’d always wanted to do a tour with bands and dancers.
“Writing with Don involved is quite an experience,” Spellman told Variety. “He’s still the godfather of cool.”
It will definitely be interesting to see what they come up with. Let’s hope the Soul Train line will get in there in some way. But really, how much of Soul Train can you stretch into a film? And who will they get to portray Don Cornelius with his stiff neck? Maybe Orlando Jones? Can you see him with a super afro acting like the godfather of cool? Sounds like a comedy in the making. Stay tuned.
5. A Word or Two About Aaliyah
This week marks eight years since we lost Aaliyah Haughton. I don’t know about you, but I still miss her. There was no denying that she had a presence about her.
Just check out one of her classic videos or hear any of her collaborations and it’s plain to see how unique she was in a music scene full of clones. There’s definitely too many classic hits. It would be hard for me to pick out one song as my favorite. She had too many. “Back and Forth,” “Hot Like Fire,” “Come Back in One Piece” with DMX, “Are You That Somebody” (original and remix), “One in a Million,” “4 Page Letter,” “The One I Gave My Heart To,” “More Than a Woman,” “Rock the Boat.” And those are just the original tunes. The remakes she did (The Isley Bros.’ “At Your Best (You Are Love) and “Choosey Lover”, Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give It Up” with Slick Rick) stood out on their own as well.
I can only imagine what she would be doing now if she were alive today. Ask yourself this. Would any of today’s songbirds be making music the way they do if Miss Haughton were still doing her thing in the studio?
Then there are the movie roles. Rome Must Die still gets play on the DVD player and will probably get another spin sometime this weekend. That performance at the Oscars could’ve been a preview for an awards speech somewhere down the road. So much potential, so much of an impact in her short time here. Like Michael Jackson, Aaliyah left us way too soon.
We miss you baby girl. Wish you were still here to bless us with a smile, a song or simply grace us with your presence onscreen. No matter what, we’ll continue to keep your memory alive and cherish the time you made our lives and music something to hear and value. Both now and forevermore.
In Other Words…
There may still be life left in The Game. According to The Hollywood Reporter, BET is in talks with CBS TV Studio to bring back the recently cancelled Girlfriends spin-off. The network, which already airs repeats of The Game and Girlfriends, began preliminary talks about acquiring The Game with a string of original episodes. The Game aired on the CW network for three seasons before its cancellation in May
Phylicia Rashad is looking a little slimmer nowadays. The 61-year-old Cosby Show star, who has logged in 8 months as a Jenny Craig spokesperson, has shed met her weight loss goal by losing 35 pounds. Rashad did the deed by meeting with a consultant about her program, which was based on a 1,200-calorie a day diet and 30-45 minutes of activity up to four times a week. Activities included a variety of floor exercises, light strength training and the use of a recumbent bike.
And Rashad couldn’t be better as admitted to feeling “so much lighter” after reaching her goal weight. “There’s just an overall sense of well-being,” the actress said in a statement. “And there’s the increased energy as well, too. It’s nice to have people say you look nice.”
You can see the results for yourself when Rashad unveils her new figure in a commercial that will debut Saturday (Aug. 29).
The Michael Jackson honoring continues as the Apollo Theater posthumously inducts the singer into its Apollo Legends Hall of Fame. In to receiving the theater’s highest honor, Jackson will receive a spot on the Apollo’s Walk of Fame, and a plaque memorializing him. According to reports, the Walk of Fame is scheduled to be constructed this fall. The Michael Jackson plaque is set to be installed next spring.
