Entertainment
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HALLE BERRY: Not Afraid Of Her Own Light
It is said that it is our light, not our darkness that frighten us most- Indeed, August 14, 1966 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, was a day of light and joy for the parents of baby Halle Berry-who was born from African American father ( Jerome Berry) and Caucasian mother (Judith Berry). In the process of becoming, questions such as who am I to be brilliant... Read more...
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DISASTER MOVIE: No More Parodies
Proving that one can beat a dead horse well beyond the butyric fermentation stage of decomposition, Lions Gate has released a trailer for the newest entry in their inane and disturbingly popular “Movie” parody series. This time out, the ever-insightful lampooning duo of Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer take aim at disaster movies with the cleverly... Read more...
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SPIKE LEE GOES TO WAR
If it’s true that there’s no such thing as bad publicity, then Spike Lee is providing a textbook example this summer. The 51-year-old director recently took aim at Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood, telling reporters at the Cannes Film Festival that Eastwood’s World War II movie, Flags of Our Fathers, is historically lacking in its portrayal of the... Read more...
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ANGELA BASSETT: A Class Act
Angela Bassett is one of those few celebrities who doesn't come in the spotlight too often, and who we hear something from only when it's genuine. You will only come by an interview of Angie B. once in a blue moon, and even then it seems as if she answers every question very calmly. She always has something philosophical and enlightening to say if she... Read more...
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ROBERT DOWNEY JR: The Comeback Kid
Behind every successful man is a good woman….and an iron suit.
In the past decade, when people heard the name Robert Downey Jr., it had been synonymous with Hollywood actor turned drugged-out celebrity. A 180-degree turn to success did not seem to be in the cards for Downey after nine stints in rehab, numerous legal troubles and jail time. But to... Read more...
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MOVIE MAGIC: The Power Of Will Smith
Will Smith gets to celebrate his 40th birthday this year in style, with the recent release of yet another summer blockbuster in his superhero movie Hancock. It raises the question: when is Will Smith not in a summer blockbuster movie? Starting with Bad Boys in 1995, Will Smith has in essence been a forerunner in drawing more people to the movie... Read more...
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THE ART OF WAR; By Sun-Tzu
As an overachieving man, it is likely you have read this book, and because you are an overachieving man, while you read The Art of War, you may have thought, “Yeah, I’ve been saying that for years,” or “This guy is brilliant, he thinks like me, simple and profound.” Like famous generals throughout history such as Alexander, Caesar, and Patton... Read more...
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A LIL' WAYNE STATE OF MIND
For the better part of 2007, Hip Hop was at an unusual and seemingly unfamiliar place. Selling a million records was unlikely, unless the label bought a couple hundred thousand copies or you knew how to beef with another big name artist to boost album hype. Al Sharpton went from waging war against the racist antics of Don Imus, to waging war against rap... Read more...
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A REBEL'S RANGE: Shia LaBeouf Is The Future Hanks
Shia LaBeouf turned 22 years old recently (June 11th), but he probably didn’t celebrate like the vision of a typical young movie star you have wrapped neatly away in the area of your brain reserved for preconceptions about celebrities and their lifestyles. On a scale of 1-10 for birthday parties (1 being a quiet night alone in bed with a Dostoevsky... Read more...
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Grammy Award Winners: THE FOO FIGHTERS
The uphill path to success isn't always paved with gold. In the case of The Foo Fighters, it's paved with platinum. Riding high off of the success of their latest album Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (which is just shy of the million sold mark) and currently touring the world, it's almost hard to believe that this band started from songs lead... Read more...
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Film Review: My Kid Could Paint That
I'm not a huge fan of documentaries. I often find them to be biased or lacking a complete vision. The whole reason for most documentaries even coming into existence is to portray an opinion as though they are reporting facts while telling an entertaining story. People who make them are motivated by their own desire to show others "the truth," but it's... Read more...
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SCARLETT JOHANSSON: A Mark of Beauty in two Realms
I wonder what the world would be like with no moon in our space. Ponder that for a moment. Just for a moment. Often times the Discovery Channel airs shows of unimaginable destruction and inadaptable living environments should that actually occur. Even in the face of that hell I’d have a shadow of optimism to go forth with. I’m naturally optimistic... Read more...
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ACADEMY AWARD WINNER; FOREST WHITAKER
Forest Whitaker has come quite a long way in his life to achieve his dream. Long before he accepted the most prestigious award in Hollywood, and hearing the roar of cheers from the millions of fans that follow him, Forest Whitaker had very humble beginnings. Born in Longview, Texas to two middle class working parents, Forest Whitaker... Read more...
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STEVE HARVEY: Does It On Stage & On Air
What is the definition of a man? One who is responsible? One who carries himself with respect? Perhaps it's someone who stands in the face of adversity and his personal fears, but yet still manages to overcome his obstacles, or at least stand up to them. Long time stand up comic, television and radio personality, Steve Harvey has managed to encompass... Read more...
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Houston Rap Artist: LIL FLIP
Rap. I can rap too. My friend can rap, and so can his friends and friends of theirs. Saying I can rap at this point is pretty much a prerequisite, I know. So if everyone can rap, who is truly a Rapper? Everybody? I think not. The playing field upon which these questions of non-demo worthy Rappers and those of the higher echelon are answered are far... Read more...
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LOU MEYERS; ACTOR
Many of us, including myself, run around so much day to day that we can easily forget about the little things. When I say little things I mean things such as taking long walks to absolutely nowhere, just to enjoy the day, and taking out the time to acknowledge what we do have in life, instead of worrying about what we don’t. Another thing that... Read more...
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REAP: Defining Art Artistically
One question you ask every “artist”, in every genre, is how do you define Art? No matter how each artist expresses such, you will undoubtedly hear a varying degree of responses on the subject. Some artists choose to let there work answer that all important inquiry. In that regard, I understand and respect the answer of our featured artist. “Art is... Read more...
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Bushwick Bill: What The World Needs Now!
Fifty/Fifty is a representation of an unbalanced balance. A digit higher or lower is a flaw as well; an imperfection, and some how you must correct that imbalance. This imbalance is a blatant reflection of life as a whole. It is imperative our complete balance levels out to 100% before our journey concludes. How? Well, I would have an IQ north of... Read more...
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Rising Star: Javier Bardem
Word is spreading fast about the formidable talents of Spanish actor Javier Bardem. Bursting onto the Hollywood mainstream in 2000 with a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his passionate turn in “Before Night Falls,” Bardem struck an immediate chord with audiences around the globe as an actor we could trust. His honest and vivid characterizations... Read more...
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American Gangster: Film Review
So what happens when you take two powerful Oscar winning actors, a three-time Oscar nominated director and make a film about one of the biggest drug dealers of the 20th Century? You come out with a flick like “American Gangster”, based on real life Harlem drug dealer Frank Lucas. But, is it as good as well all hope? When Denzel Washington won his... Read more... -
Desi Adorn: Focused Photographer
Emerging from her hometown in the Bronx, photographer Desi Adorn born Isa Reyes has been taking pictures for the past 6 1/2 yrs. As a Fine Art graduate from Fashion Industries H.S. and Lehman College specializing in photography she wanted to make sure that she would begin making her mark in NYC. As an emerging artist, many of her inspirations are from... Read more...
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Justin Timberlake: FutureSex/LoveShow - Live Concert Review
An unbelievable energy unlike any other is the only way to describe Justin Timberlake fans. So many girls all over the place trying to impress Justin by dressing up in either dresses and heels, or tight skimpy outfits. For every 10 girls there was 1 guy, but needless to say all full of excitement just to see their favorite artist. I would say the age... Read more...
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Evanescence: Exceeding Rock & Roll Normalcy
It’s ironic that Evanescence would name themselves after an action representing fading out of sight because their unique talent causes the exact opposite effect. Their sound is an intriguing mixture of Heavy Metal, soothing piano, and intoxicating vocals. Combined with their Gothic image, the band has harmonized many oxymoronic elements. Thriving within... Read more...
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Lupe Fiasco: Restoring the “Good” in Hip-Hop Music
We live in a time where legitimate hip-hop music is slowly being devoured by a commercialized industry pedaling jewelry, fancy cars, and the inconsequential. Yet fear not true hip-hop enthusiasts! Despite all of the audio and ocular dysentery that the radio and television unleashes upon us, there stands a hip-hop artist who still upholds the original... Read more...
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MUSE: THE BEST BAND YOU NEVER HEARD
The latest album from the British trio Muse, 2006’s “Black Holes and Revelations” is a testament to where music is going in the future. Beginning with the opening track ‘Take a Bow’, the record takes you on a journey that is so hard to find with music these days. The track builds for 2:30 until it reaches its climax, at which point you are so... Read more...
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“Trust Marc in Music”
I conducted an interview recently (check Mysterious piece) of an artist I believe will have some good music upon completion of her album. During the opening of my interview I wrote to the reader that they should like what I like –musically- because I know music. I KNOW MUSIC! To date I have at least 2,300 songs and counting in my I-pod. It would be... Read more...
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TESLA?
Love Song? Signs? Modern Day Cowboy? What You Give? Little Suzie? The list goes on and on!
Once in a while a group of guys come along that somehow create a new dimension of expression. Tesla is exactly this - perhaps one of the most underrated, yet talented and influential bands of our time. Still, many common people do not know who they are... Read more...
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Black Label Society? Shot To Hell
I have been following Black Label Society or (BLS), as their fans know them, for quite some time now. Not just because of the awesome music they continually put out, but also because this band is really revolutionizing this industry and taking the word ?fan? to the next level. Their fan base is littered with some really cool people (and... Read more...
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Hairspray
In 1988 I saw "Hairspray" by underground filmmaker John Waters. Having read about but not having seen his infamous "Pink Flamingos, considered by many to be the most tasteless movie ever made, I was pleasantly surprised. Although there was a little icky business at the end, "Hairspray" was basically a sweet and very hip ode to Baltimore in the... Read more...
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A JOYFUL NOISE OF COLOR: Richard Hayne's work reflects the power of the positive
Richard Haynes Jr. made friends with light decades ago. The fine-art photographer that began budding inside him before he was 10 years old had learned to wait it out with the patience required to spot quarry too shy to show itself. Because Haynes meets light on its own terms, the result is two-dimensional photographic images that a viewer can "walk... Read more...
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'SICKO' Movie Review
About a month or so ago, a woman died while waiting in the ER room for treatment. Did she die with a crowd of doctors and nurses around her fighting to save her life? No. She died because no one helped her. What!! No one helped her in the emergency room in a hospital? Yes, in the greatest country in the world, a woman died in the ER because no one... Read more...
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TRANSFORMERS
When it comes to ridiculously large budget movies with lots of explosions and action scenes, Transformers director Michael Bay is the go-to guy. His movies (Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, Bad Boys II) have been major crowd pleasers, but is Transformers his best work yet or just another over-hyped summer flick?
Michael Bay certainly delivers with this one... Read more...
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Ricky Martin: Less can be more in his music
Pop star Ricky Martin says that there are times in music, when less can be more. Case in point, Martin's latest CD/DVD, Ricky Martin: MTV Unplugged. According to Martin, he was more than ready to go unplugged. I believe that at this point of my life, it's exactly what I needed. This is my gratification, he said in a recent... Read more...
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FOR ME?
This must be the thousandth time, I have rode
home on this crowded musty bus
and this is the first time, I believe, I ever noticed
the agony of despair and the desolation
of loneliness plastered on the nameless faces,
I scarcely take notice of.I am barely breathing among them,
living a... Read more... -
ZACH BRAFF: COMEDIAN; GREAT EXPECTATIONS
Not since the arrival of Dustin Hoffman has a young actor done so much to demonstrate his immense versatility on the big screen, while totally re-inventing himself behind the camera and upon the written page. Whether it's busting and repairing guts as Dr. John Dorian on NBC's most audacious comedy series, Srcubs, breaking hearts and... Read more...
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Against The Wind
Although it thrust against me, attempting to push me opposite my direction, I press strongly forward still, in spite of it's oppression, Born through the womb of a woman my same complexion, Into this judgemental world of immediate rejection, I emerge still, out the deepest pits of pain and ainguish, Only those from the same place understand my... Read more...
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Good Laugh: Tracy Morgan
As a cast member of long time legendary sitcom 'Saturday Night Live' since 1996, Tracy Morgan has made his mark in the entertainment history. Born and raised in New York City, Tracy has stood through the test of time and achieved success in what has become known as the hardest profession in the world. As a stand up comedian and sketch comedy player... Read more...
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Good Music: Neyo
In this era of controversial music, leaving many women feeling disrespected and slighted by hip hop recording artists, it's good to know that there are a few artists out there that just want to make good clean music. Born Shaffer C. Smith into a family of musicians out of Arkansas, 22 year old Neyo has always been far beyond his years in talent and... Read more...
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Good Guy: Gary Sturgis
Upon meeting actor Gary Sturgis, right away you get the feeling that you’re speaking to someone who may one day run for President, or at least Mayor. Very charismatic, articulate and opinionated in his views on life, this New Orleans native has a lot on his mind he needs to express. Before this interview, I found myself in an open candid... Read more...
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Good Choice: Jazsmin Lewis
Beauty is only skin deep. Brains and beauty go down to the bone. But brains, beauty & talent…that’s the stuff that dreams are made of. In this case, the woman of our dreams is Jazsmin Lewis. This Cleveland born bombshell has been a working actress in Hollywood for years, but it wasn’t until she appeared alongside Ice Cube in the hit... Read more...
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Poetry: Quality of Life - Photo by Zahir Basir
Quality values, Quality smooth,
Quality man with Quality tools,
Life is a gamble, so play by the rules,
In a world where there's a few wise men, surrounded by fools,
Either by working or going to school, we all have to pay our dues,
Paying our dues is not all bad it's mostly good,
Some do, some don't, some... Read more...