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‘R&B Divas’: Syleena’s Breaking Point [VIDEO]

Deborah Bennett, Senior Editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:00:52 +0000

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Can Diva Syleena help her mother in her time of need or has she reached her breaking point? Catch a sneak peek now and tune in Wednesday at 10/9c for an all-new episode of R&B Divas: Atlanta.

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Idris Elba’s Mandela Pic to Open Thanksgiving Weekend

EURweb.com — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:12:12 +0000

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom,” starring Idris Elba and Naomie Harris, has finally gotten itself a U.S. distributor.

At the Cannes Film Festival in France over the weekend, the film’s production companies Pathe International and Distant Horizon struck a deal with The Weinstein Company for distribution throughout North America, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Distribution was also picked up for France, Germany, Brazil and Australia, among others.

“Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” is based on Mandela’s autobiography. It traces the freedom fighter’s journey from childhood to his election as president of South Africa. “It explores the Mandela unknown to most of the world — the lover of fast cars and women, the boxing enthusiast and playboy, the skillful lawyer and the gun-toting freedom fighter,” according to a description of the film.

At an event in Cannes this weekend, The Weinstein Company announced a Thanksgiving weekend release for the movie in the U.S.

Latest sales will bring the film to the U.K. and France via Pathe, Germany (Senator), Australia (Village Roadshow), Scandinavia (Scanbox), the Benelux countries (Paradiso), Brazil (Vinny Films), Hong Kong (Golden Scene), Israel (Shani), the Middle East (Gulf Films) and Singapore (Shaw). Deals with several additional territories are currently being negotiated.

Said producer Anant Singh: “We are thrilled that distributors around the world have responded so positively to the film and to its commercial and creative potential. The journey to getting the film made has been a long and exciting one, and we are delighted to have found so many partners who share our passion for the little known story of how Mandela became an icon for the world. Made with Mandela’s blessing, the film is an apt tribute to a great man who celebrates his 95th birthday this year.”

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Jacoby Jones’ Mom Says It Takes A Village to Raise A Son

Tonya Pendleton, BlackAmericaWeb.com — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:17:27 +0000

Baltimore Raven Jacoby Jones may not have gone home with another shiny trophy this year but one thing he always can count on is the support of his mother, Emily London Jones. Throughout his weeks on “Dancing With the Stars,” which was ultimately won by “American Idol” singer Kellie Pickler and her partner Derek Hough, Jones was there, whether she was calling the judges “haters” or waving her own bling-festooned paddle. Jones, a New Orleans native, is well known by her son’s teammates for her Cajun cooking, but this season on “DWTS” she was almost as popular as he was. Despite the loss, Jones is happy with her son’s Top 3 finish.

“I’m well. I’m happy after packing all of Jacoby’s things to get him back to Baltimore,” Jones told The Tom Joyner Morning Show. “I was surprised. I really thought he would take it all. At the end of the day it’s bitter and sweet but Jacoby had a good time and I did too - of course you all saw that.”

Jacoby, 27, told “Dancing With the Stars” host Brooke Burke-Chavet that his dance training was as tough, if not tougher, than football.

“Well, out of all my trainers that I’ve had, I’ve never had a woman that’s pushed me like she did,” Jones said of his partner, Karina Smirnoff.

“So, when I go back (to the NFL), all this gracefulness, footwork, everything…I’ll be catching the ball like this,” he said, showing off his newly-found pirouette skills.

Meet Keenen Ivory Wayans’ Ex-Wife Daphne, Newest Cast Member On VH1’s “Hollywood Exes”

Myeisha Essex — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:22:14 +0000

Daphne Wayans, the former wife of comedian and actor Keenen Ivory Wayans, is coming to VH1. After a 15-year relationship and five children, the new realty star is ready to tell her story on “Hollywood Exes.”

The show just wrapped its second season and Daphne caught up with Madame Noire to discuss her experience with the project.

“The producers and some of the other stars are very old friends of mine. Sheree and Nicole are very old friends, a couple of decades old. This show peaked my interest because my friends were involved, and I was a part of the original pitching cast so I pitched the show to all of the original networks with them,” she revealed. “I had been asked so often to write about my experience and my journey, from divorce to now. So I thought I could share that, my experiences, broadly.”

MUST READ: Keenan Ivory Wayans’ Ex: “I’m a ‘Hollywood Ex’ Too!”

She went on to say that her children will be appearing on the series. “No, they will not,” she said. “This is kind of new, that their mom is on television. Reality TV has its reputation, so we’re all treading lightly. It was their decision.”

When asked about her past relationship with Keenen, she had a mouthful to say about their split and unique way of co-parenting.

There’s not any one reason why we decided. When I do these interviews people go, “what happened?,” as if I’m going to say he kicked me. So, I don’t like to call it a split or divorce because we were still together in so many ways. It was more of a shift, a change in structure. We live five houses from each other. We still operate as a family we’re not husband and wife for sure, but we’re definitely parents to our children. I think I can speak for him to say it’s our greatest creation in our lives. So you don’t separate so easy. In the legal world, the paper seals the deal, but in the real world there’s still a lot there. A marriage is maybe one quarter business and three quarters your heart, your emotion, and your life.

I would say that from a technical standpoint, I am a single mother. I’m not married to the father of my children and we don’t live in the same house. I tell people all the time don’t let me be the symbol of your divorce because people would be wanting to get divorced. I mean he has them one week and I have them the next. My children like it very well because they are very clear on who brings what. Often times you get this immersion of parents, and I don’t mean to say that that’s bad, but it’s more clear now. There’s times that we have to come together and make a decision as a family. It’s made us have mutual regard for each other, and I see that the roles exist for a reason.

In conclusion, Daphne said she’s not worried about editing because “they can only edit from what you give them.”

Kirk Franklin: “Sometimes People Need A Hug, Not A Scripture”

Tonya Pendleton, BlackAmericaWeb.com — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:25:55 +0000

Though Kirk Franklin appeared on the Tom Joyner Morning Show to talk about his role on the GSN’s “The American Bible Challenge” (and to defend himself against short jokes) he provided a little encouragement to people struggling to handle the problems in the world. Franklin, who is the musical co-host for “The American Bible Challenge” with host Jeff Foxworthy, says he’s been gratified by his participation on the show.

“It’s a really inspirational show. They contacted me last December to ask wanting to know if I would consider being a part of it. I didn’t think I could add nothing to it, because they have Jeff Foxworthy hosting it and I didn’t really know if there was anything I could bring to the show. That’s like their number one rated show. They have a lot of viewers. So I thought about it and said maybe if we try this and try that….I really enjoyed it. I really enjoyed working with Jeff Foxworthy . It’s a fun show, it’s really inspirational, you would never think that a game should could find that perfect ingredient to inspire people with the Bible and entertainment at the same time. They do a really good job of it and I’m glad to be a part of it.”

This season finale encore airs on Thursday at 9 p.m. EST. The show, which allows teams to compete for cash prizes, features musical guests like Mary Mary and a Bible study guide on the GSN website. While it does reward contestants for their knowledge of Biblical scriptures and stories, Franklin cautions that in times of struggle, people require more than just a restatement of the Word.

“I don’t think it should be a show that tries to be prophetic or tries to be too biblical because I think it’s entertainment and it’s inspiring. I don’t think that right now we ought to be trying to be all deep and super spiritual. People are hurting and you know the Bible says ‘Let’s weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice.’ Sometimes, with what people are going through, they just need a hug. One preacher said ‘Preach the word and use words when necessary.’ Sometimes just being quiet and shutting up and opening up your arms is the best sermon you can give people.”

Franklin says that the challenges of the world are difficult for everyone. When tragedies like the bombings in Boston or the devastating tornados in Oklahoma happen, or even when people are faced with personal strife, they often have more questions than answers. Franklin says these kinds of questions can be met with compassion for those who are suffering.

Dennis Rodman Doing Way Too Much at ‘Apprentice’ Finale

EURweb.com — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:13:34 +0000

This is how Dennis Rodman showed up to last night’s live season finale of “All-Star Celebrity Apprentice.”

The former NBA player, 52, was only a spectator at the event, after exiting the contest in April.

In true drag queen fashion, boyfriend made sure he grabbed the attention last night, sporting full make-up, massive eyelash extensions, a bleached blond mohawk – and a palm tree-covered jacket.

(Photo: Retna)

The Apprentice ‘Celebrity & All-Stars’ A Look Back at Who Represented

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Did You Know Gabrielle Union Auditioned For ‘Scandal?’ + 8 Other Stars Who Didn’t Land Possible Life-Changing Roles

Myeisha Essex — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:40:59 +0000

In the world of Hollywood, leading roles for Black actresses come a dime a dozen. So, when the role Olivia Pope began available, A-listers, D-listers and everyone in between came out for the opportunity.

In a recent interview with CocoaFab, starlet Gabrielle Union revealed that she too auctioned for the career-changing part.

“There’s the whole group of us who auditioned for “Scandal” that, not just fell in love with that project and Shonda (Rhimes), but the process, the level of respect that we were given even in the audition process,” she said. “It was like, is there ever gonna be another situation for you like that? “

MUST READ: Stop Putting ‘Scandal’ On Hiatus + 4 Other Ridiculous Change.Org Petitions

Although she’s not able to call herself a “gladiator in a suit,” the Being Mary Jane actress said she couldn’t be happier for Kerry Washington’s success.

“Kerry with “Scandal” and “Django” and the whole world is like, Gladiator!” she said. “Now you hope that the time of the black man is coming. You want them to have their “Scandal” and their “Deception” and their “Being Mary Jane” and you can see black love and black dysfunction.”

Click through the slides to see 8 other Hollywood stars who were either turned down or rejected roles.

Tamar Changes Her Mind About Having A Baby ‘Braxton Family Values’ [RECAP]

Sharde Gillam — Mon, 20 May 2013 19:06:46 +0000

The latest episode of “Braxton Family Values” showed just how strong and united the Braxton family is. Trina enlisted her sisters Towanda and Tracito help sing back up for her performance at Toni’s upcoming showcase, Momma Braxton tried to help Tamar get used to the idea of being pregnant and after meeting with the doula, Tamar changed her mind about wanting to have a baby for fear of her “favorite purse” being stretched out and ruined for life! Gotta love Tamar! Find out what happened below:

Tamar Changes Her Mind About Having A Baby

Lucky for Tamar, Mommy was in Los Angeles spending time with her during her pregnancy and by spending time I mean cooking, cooking and more cooking. It looked like Tamar was getting used to the idea of being pregnant and coming to terms with the fact that she would soon be someone’s mom. One thing she couldn’t get used to was the fact that her “favorite purse” would be stretched out and ruined, forever!

After a long day of shopping and eating, the sister’s and Mommy decided to go to a parenting class with Tamar so she could learn a thing or two about being someone’s parent. Tamar didn’t see the purpose, especially since she had 13 nieces and nephews and her mom had 13,000 kids (Tamar’s words, not mine). When the doula began explaining all of the pain that Tamar would have to go through while in labor and how wide her cervix would stretch during childbirth, Tamar was immediately grossed out and turned to her mom and whispered that she changed her mind! Girl, bye!

Prince Performs at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards [WATCH]

Blackamericaweb.com — Mon, 20 May 2013 10:15:53 +0000

Sunday night the Billboard Music Awards honored the “Purple One” with a title many of us have already known he has been for years: an icon.

After receiving the award, Prince performed his 1984 hit “Let’s Go Crazy,” then transitioned into his new jam, “FIXURLIFEUP.”

What did you think of the performance?

SWIRLED: Our Favorite Black & White Celebs

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Michael B. Jordan Finally Front and Center in ‘Fruitvale’

JAKE COYLE,AP Entertainment Writer — Sun, 19 May 2013 15:46:15 +0000

CANNES, France (AP) — Before “Fruitvale Station,” Michael B. Jordan was glimpsed sporadically in supporting roles on TV shows like “The Wire” and “Friday Night Lights,” and in films like “Chronicle” and “Red Tails.”

That changes emphatically with “Fruitvale Station,” a Sundance hit that premiered Thursday night at the Cannes Film Festival. In the film, he plays Oscar Grant, the 22-year-old victim of the infamous 2009 police shooting on the Oakland, California, transit system.

To humanize Grant, first-time filmmaker Ryan Coogler fashioned the movie around his last day: Jordan hardly leaves the frame.

“When I first saw it, I was like, ‘Man, can we cut to something else? I’m tired of looking at myself right now,’” Jordan said in an interview by the beach off the Croisette. “That’s when it really sunk in that this is sink or swim. Sink or swim. Hope I’m swimming.”

Not only is the 26-year-old Jordan swimming, he might as well be doing swan dives along the Riviera. He utterly commands “Fruitvale Station” with star-quality charisma and an honest naturalism.

“I wanted to show that I could carry a movie,” he says. “That’s the next step. I want to do films. I want to be a leading man. A lot was riding on this.”

“Fruitvale Station,” which was simply called “Fruitvale” before the Weinstein Co. picked up the film for release July 16, won both the Grand Jury prize and the Audience Award for a drama at Sundance. Cannes has a tradition of cherry-picking the best of Sundance. Much as “Beasts of the Southern Wild” did last year, “Fruitvale Station” is playing in this year’s Un Certain Regard section.

Jordan, who says he was merely hoping the film would make it into Sundance, was excitedly enjoying himself at Cannes on Thursday. He’s planning to stay at the festival a few days longer than necessary, “to drink a little more, stay up a little later.”

“It’s electric,” says Jordan. “It’s like March Madness. It’s that time of year where everyone’s just in it, talking about movies.”

But he’s also trying not to get ahead of himself.

“I don’t want to be that ignorant American who comes over here and expects everyone to love it: ‘Oh, you got to love it because it’s hot over there,’” he says. “I want people to be excited about it because it really affects them.”

“Fruitvale Station” has certainly been doing that, with raves for the film continuing at Cannes. Its power owes much to Jordan’s performance, as he slowly — through a routine day of running errands, fighting to keep a job, trying to live down an earlier stint in prison, and caring for his daughter — fleshes out Grant beyond the simple posthumous photo in a newspaper.

“Something me and Ryan really wanted to show is spontaneity,” he says. “It’s about the humanity. It’s about how people treat each other, regardless if they’re black, white, orange, from wherever, whatever social background, how much money you got — it doesn’t matter.”