Bring That Week Back: Week of Jan.25, 2010
Actor/singer Tyrese is set to play Teddy Pendergrass on the big screen. More top stories!
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Pink Disses Beyoncé - While performing in England, pop star Pink mocked R&B singer Beyoncé by wearing a blond wig and gyrating on stage while performing “Stupid Ladies,” a spoof of Bey's hit “Single Ladies.” According to media reports, Pink does not like Jay-Z's better half because the award-winning actress and singer wears fur.
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Tiger and Wife Reconcile? - Perhaps Tiger Woods is forgiven. According to several media reports, Elin Nordegren visited the Mississippi clinic where Woods is receiving treatment for sexual addiction. Elin appeared more “upbeat” about their relationship after meeting and has renewed hope the marriage can be saved, according to one report.
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Alicia Keys Reportedly Engaged - Can you be engaged to a man that's already married? According to the rumor mill, Alicia Keys is. The music superstar is reportedly wearing an engagement ring given to her by music producer Swizz Beatz as the couple vacationed in Hawaii. Problem is, Swizz is still legally married to R&B singer Mashonda. We’ll keep watching this one.
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Gary Coleman Jailed, then Bailed - Former “Diff'rent Strokes” star Gary Coleman was arrested in Utah for failing to appear in court for a domestic violence incident. Police arrived at Coleman's home last weekend responding to an altercation between Coleman and his wife. As Coleman sat in jail unable to post bail, Jarrod Clarke, a Utah businessman and fan of Coleman, arranged the troubled actor's release.
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Trina Considering Adopting Haitian Child - Wanting to do more than donate money and send supplies to Haiti, rap star Trina wants to adopt a Haitian child. In a statement through her publicist, Trina said she is financially able and in the right frame of mind to provide a stable and loving home for an orphaned child. “I have always admired other individuals for adopting children; not so much for their celebrity status, but more so because of the nurturing and invaluable change and joy it will bring to a child’s life.”
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Tyrese to Play Teddy Pendergrass - R&B crooner Tyrese said he is ready to resurrect music icon Teddy Pendergrass on the big screen. Tyrese and the legendary singer had become close after he traveled to Philadelphia to research his life. “He was like my step-pops,” said Tyrese, who was also a pallbearer at Teddy P.'s funeral last week.
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Jamie Foxx Could Replace Cowell on "American Idol" - Rumors continue to swirl that Academy Award-winning actor and singer Jamie Foxx will replace Simon Cowell on “American Idol.” Cowell announced he is leaving the show after this season to work on his next music talent show, “X Factor.”
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Tyra Banks Announces Plus-Size Teen Model Search - Tyra Banks announced plans to air another model search -- this time for plus-size teens. Girls ages 13 through 19 -- wearing sizes between 12 and 20 -- and are 5'9" to 6'1" tall are eligible to enter. The finalists will appear on “The Tyra Banks Show” on March 2. The winner will be announced the following day.
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Diddy Gives Son Justin a Maybach - Happy Birthday! Sean “Diddy” Combs bought his son Justin a $360,000 Maybach sedan. The car was part of a birthday celebration at M2 Ultralounge in New York. The event will air on MTV's “My Sweet 16” series.
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Mo’Nique Wins Screen Actors Guild Award - The accolades continue to come in for BET late-night host Mo'Nique, who won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Precious.” Mo'Nique has won every major acting award this season and will go for a sweep during the 2010 Academy Awards in March.
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Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Charged with Hazing - New Jersey police charged six members of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority at Rutgers University with aggravated hazing for allegedly hitting several women with paddles. According to investigators, one aspiring member was hit on the buttocks with a paddle more than 200 times. Rutgers University has suspended the sorority pending an investigation.
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Chris Matthews: "I Forgot Obama was Black" - MSNBC commentator Chris Matthews was so enthralled with President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address that he forgot the President was Black. Matthews said his questionable comments were meant to be a compliment, but instead sparked a reaction of surprise and disbelief, especially among Black viewers and fans.
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T.I. Accused of Copyright Infringement - A hip-hop artist has filed a federal lawsuit that accuses rap superstar T.I. with copyright infringement. In the lawsuit filed with a California court, Nathan Filby, (rap name: “Motoe Blizzid,”) claimed a “substantial portion” of his 2004 song, “Reverence” was lifted to create T.I.'s 2006 hit, “What You Know.” A court date has not been announced.
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ESPN Blogger Fired for Haiti Comments - ESPN fired former NBA player Paul Shirley from his position as a sports blogger for an entry he posted on another Web site criticizing Haiti relief efforts and blasting the victims of the Jan. 12 earthquake. “I don’t think the guy with the sign that reads ‘Need Your Help’ is going to do anything constructive with the dollar I might give him. If I use history as my guide, I don’t think the people of Haiti will do much with my money either,” wrote Shirley.
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Conservative Group Arrested for Taping Senator - The group responsible for organizing several amateur sting operations against ACORN last summer is now in trouble with federal authorities for attempting to wiretap the phone lines of a U.S. Senator. James O’Keefe, of BigGovernment.com, along with three associates, was arrested in Louisiana for allegedly attempting to listen in on the phone conversations of Sen. Mary Landrieu’s New Orleans area office. Landrieu is a Democrat. O’Keefe is a staunch Conservative.
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Greg Oden Apologizes for Naked Photos - Greg Oden, the talented yet injury-prone center for the Portland Trailblazers, apologized to teammates, coaches and fans for using poor judgment after an ex-girlfriend posted naked pictures of the basketball star on the internet. The photos were taken by Oden and sent through text messages.
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S.C. Lt. Gov. Compares Poor People to Animals - South Carolina Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer caused a firestorm when he compared people in his state on government assistance programs to stray animals. He said the more you feed them, the more they will breed. Bauer has since admitted he used a poor analogy but the elected official is standing his ground. Government assistance such as welfare and food-stamp programs, he believes, force the poor to become overly reliant on the government.
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PETA Calls Out Kanye West, Amber Rose - The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), on its blog, referred to music star Kanye West as “pathetic” and his girlfriend Amber Rose as “sleazy” for their decision to wear head-to-toe fur coats during last week’s Paris Men's Fashion Week event. PETA named West its Worst Dressed Celebrity in 2009.
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Obama State of the Union - Creating jobs and curtailing America's growing debt were the focus of President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address on Wednesday. Obama said he made unpopular decisions last year to bring the economy back from the brink of a depression and now the country is ready to move forward. During his address to Congress and the nation, the President renewed a call for a federal spending freeze on all domestic programs with the exception of Defense, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid.
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Suspended for the Season - Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton have played their last games in the 2009-10 NBA season. NBA commissioner David Stern suspended both players for gun possession. Arenas and Crittenton both brandished guns after an argument about a gambling debt inside a locker room at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. Arenas still faces criminal charges while Crittenton accepted a plea deal and will not serve jail time.
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Report: 150,000 Haitians Dead - Haitian government officials estimate more than 150,000 Haitian citizens have died as a result of the devastating Jan.12 earthquake. Hundreds of thousands of survivors have been displaced and forced to live in tent cities.
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50 Cent to Begin International Tour - 50 Cent announced his 2010 international tour schedule. The rapper, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, will begin his tour in Berlin, Germany on Feb. 23 and conclude April 5 in Russia.
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Rapper Apache Dies - The hip-hop community mourned the death of Apache, a rapper who is best known for his controversial song, “Gangsta B----.” A member of Queen Latifah's Flavor Unit, Apache died of unknown causes.
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Usher's Album Set for March Release - The highly anticipated new album from R&B star Usher, “Raymond vs. Raymond,” will hit shelves --and digital music stores -- March 30. The album features songs produced by Jermaine Dupri, The Neptunes and T-Pain, and is expected to make more than a few references to his highly publicized divorce from Tameka Foster.
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Favre Ponders Retirement - After a heartbreaking loss to the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship game Sunday, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre is pondering retirement. Favre, who also threatened to throw in the towel before this past season began, is expected to take several weeks to kick the possibility around before going public with a decision.
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Lakers Visit White House - President Barack Obama welcomed Kobe Bryant and the NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers to the White House on Tuesday. Obama said he was especially happy to have Coach Phil Jackson at the Executive Mansion for a chance to reminisce about the six NBA titles he won with his hometown Chicago Bulls.
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Stars Show Up to Sundance - Kerry Washington and Samuel Jackson as well as Terrell Owens, Nas, Kelis, Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon are some of the stars who spent their weekend in Utah for the annual Sundance Film Festival. The festival brings together the best independent filmmakers to showcase their documentaries, short stories and full-feature films.
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Black Males Face Jobless Crisis - The unemployment rate among African Americans is more than double that of their White counterparts, according to national statistics in federal unemployment figures. The study suggests that poor education and past criminal activity are some of contributing factors for the employment gap.
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Apple Debuts iPad - If you know how to navigate an iPhone, you know how to navigate an iPad, said Apple programmers who unveiled their anticipated super-gadget on Wednesday. The lightweight device, featuring a 9.7-inch LED touch screen with backlit display, comes WiFi capable. It also has a keyboard connection and has applications for all major social networking sites. Oh, the price tag is $499.
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Obama Slams Supreme Court - President Obama pulled no punches with the Supreme Court on Wednesday during the State of the Union Address when he told the judicial body their decision to allow corporations and businesses to give as much money to a political candidate as they desire without restrictions was wrong and a threat to American democracy. Last week, the court ruled 5-4 that limits on corporations to give campaign contributions is unconstitutional. Detractors believe, with the new law, candidates will become more
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Howard Zinn Dies - Liberal activist Howard Zinn, most famous for his 1980 book, “A People's History of the United States” died of a heart attack on Wednesday while traveling in California. Zinn is also known for his vocal anti-war stances, including criticizing the 9-11-inspired U.S. War on Terror.
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Game: School is a Way for Feds to Keep Track of Us - West Coast hip-hop star The Game got real … hmm, let’s say anti-intellectual … this week. He said the American education system is more about keeping tabs on society than educating its children. Game said after a child learns to read and add, “what else did we need school for that we use in everyday life as an adult?" He shared this interesting take on education with his followers on Twitter.
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"Ugly Betty" Gets Canceled - After four seasons, the ABC hit show, “Ugly Betty” will go off the air this April. “Betty,” the story about an awkward girl who becomes a big-time Manhattan fashionista, fell victim to an unsuccessful time slot change and the declining viewership that followed that move.
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Author J.D. Salinger Dies - Reclusive but brilliant author J.D. Salinger, who wrote the literary classic, “The Catcher and the Rye” (you probably did at least one book report on it) died of natural causes at his New Hampshire home on Wednesday. Salinger, who also served in World War II, published dozens of short stories and essays.
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Ciara Booed for Arriving Late at Givenchy Show - Not even R&B star Ciara can show up late to a French fashion show and get away with it. Riccardo Tisci, the artistic director of the Givenchy Fashion Show, held his production for more than 40 minutes waiting for Ciara to arrive. Once she did, the audience loudly booed the music star until she sat down in the first row.
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Scott Brown: Sometimes I'll Side with Democrats - The Senate's newest member said he will not be a rubber stamp for the Republicans. In an interview with the Boston Herald, Scott Brown said he told Republicans that he expects to vote with Democrats if he believes they are right on an issue.