VANESSA WILLIAMS GETS HOLLYWOOD STAR: Actress attends ceremony with support from 'Ugly Betty' co-stars.
*Actress-singer Vanessa Williams became the 2,331st recipient of a Hollywood Star on the Walk of Fame Monday, and appeared at the unveiling ceremony supported by several of her co-stars from the ABC hit comedy "Ugly Betty."
"We were so happy to get Vanessa," said Salma Hayek, the show's executive producer, who attended the ceremony. "She is brilliant because she is so nasty on the show, but in reality she is the sweetest person."
The Walk of Fame honor is particularly meaningful in light of the scandal that forced her to give up the Miss America crown in 1984. That year, Penthouse magazine published nude, sexually explicit photographs of her taken several years earlier.
In the decades since, she has starred on Broadway, released Grammy-nominated albums and appeared in feature films. On Monday, she thanked fellow "Betty" cast members for attending the ceremony on their day off.
"I love working with these people," she said. "I also want to thank my family for allowing me to live my dreams. The sun didn't shine today, but my heart is shining."
HALLE STILL VOWS NEVER TO MARRY AGAIN: Actress tells In Style she's content to have a relationship without the ring.
*Nothing has changed for Halle Berry since appearing on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in 2004, fresh from the philandering of husband Eric Benet and boldly proclaiming that she will never, never get married again.
"I will never, never get married again," Berry said for the bajillionth time in the new April issue of InStyle magazine. "Actually it's just that now I've come to a place where I think two people can share their lives without the ring, without the piece of paper."
The 40-year-old Oscar winner is sure to be asked the question several more times in current interviews leading up to the April 13 release of her new film, 'Perfect Stranger," opposite Bruce Willis.
Berry's union with Benet ended in 2005, nine years after she divorced her first husband, Atlanta Braves player David Justice, following a four-year marriage. The actress has been dating 31-year-old Canadian model Gabriel Aubry since Nov. 2005, when the two met while shooting an ad for Versace.
"After my last relationship [with actor Michael Ealy] broke up I was feeling like, well, it wasn't that I didn't want to be in a relationship, it's just that I thought it would be okay to be on my own," she tells InStyle. "But [Aubry] was disarmingly sweet and caring and different. In the past I've been attracted to big personalities. Gabriel was shy. He hardly talked to me at first."
But Berry found his hard-to-get approach a turn-on.
"I had to work at this a little," she says. "It wasn't a slam dunk; it wasn't the guy just showering affection on me. It made it more interesting. We were equally matched - put it that way."
As for that other question Berry is asked ad nauseam, she tells the magazine: "I definitely want children. Very much."
And when that day comes, she hopes to pass on some important values.
"I want my kids to realize it's only through hard work that any success or real joy comes," she says. "It's not about money; it's the intangible rewards - having integrity and doing what you say you're going to do."
BERNIE MAC TO QUIT STAND-UP: Comedian tells Letterman he'll retire from the mic this fall.
*After 30 years spent working comedy clubs while building a successful film and television career, Bernie Mac has announced that he will retire from the circuit after wrapping his next stand-up film this fall.
"I'm going to still do my producing, my films, but I want to enjoy my life a little bit," Mac, 49, said on CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman" Monday night. "I missed a lot of things, you know. I was a street performer for two years. I went into clubs in 1977."
"It's a great way to make a living but it also, it takes a toll, doesn't it? It's tough," Letterman said.
"Oh, man, you miss out on so much, you know, and you live in all these hotels - I was on the road 47 weeks out of the year," said Mac, who arrives in theaters Friday in the film "Pride."
Letterman said: "So, one last film record of your work."
Mac replied: "That's right. ... Comedy has been so good to me. And that's all I ever wanted, watching you guys. I had great mentors - Jackie Gleason, Flip (Wilson), Redd Foxx, Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby, Buddy Hackett. I had so many people to watch, that today you don't have that anymore."
His final stand-up film will be called, "The Whole Truth, Nothing but the Truth, So Help Me Mac."
EUR FILM REVIEW: I Think I Love My Wife
Man's Marriage Vows Tested by Temptress in Remake of French Morality Play
Film Review by Kam Williams
*On the surface, it sure looks like Richard Cooper (Chris Rock) is living the American Dream. By day, he has a great job as an investment banker in midtown Manhattan where he enjoys a corner office with a breathtaking view. Evenings, he retreats to his spacious home in the suburbs where he is welcomed by his beautiful wife, Brenda (Gina Torres), and a couple of adorable, well-behaved young children.
So, what's wrong with this picture? Nothing, except that, despite all of the trappings of success, the pizzazz has gone out of the Coopers' marriage. The problem is that both of them have demanding careers and, between work and caring for the kids, they haven't made love in ages.
This asexual state of affairs seems to suit Brenda just fine, but it's been driving Richard up a wall. He finds himself with an ever-wandering eye, and fantasizing about every attractive woman who crosses his path.
Finally, an opportunity presents itself in Nikki Tru (Kerry Washington), an old acquaintance who has suddenly resurfaced after eight years. She used to date his buddy, Nelson (Orlando Jones), but they broke up ages ago. Now, Nikki says she'd like to be friends with Richard, and against his better judgment, he agrees.
Their daytime liaisons start off innocently enough, but lunch escalates to lust soon after she asks a very personal question, namely, whether or not he and his wife are still intimate. Richard's admission that they aren't only encourages Nikki to confess that she has designs on him.
Will the availability of an irresistible temptress lead Richard to break his marriage vows? This is the driving question behind I Think I Love My Wife, a romantic comedy very-loosely based on Chloe in the Afternoon (1972), Eric Rohmer's relatively-cerebral morality play exploring the meaning of infidelity.
This Americanized adaptation was directed by and stars Chris Rock, who also overhauled the script into a barely-recognizable, formulaic sitcom. And forget about the palpable tension created in the original by the protagonist's predicament. This transparent tale takes his cues from its spoiler of a title, so everybody knows from the beginning which of the ladies in this love triangle will ultimately be the loser.
Worse is the fact that the picture isn't funny. It essentially consists of a series of vaguely-familiar skits ostensibly lifted from a variety of other cinematic adventures. For instance, there's the bit where Viagra triggers a painful case of priapism, ala Scary Movie 4 (2006) and a host of other teensploits. Then, there's the ubiquitous drug store scene where a guy's plan to purchase condoms secretly is turned into a source of embarrassment by an insensitive clerk. This ripoff even has the nerve to recreate the seduction scenario from The Graduate (1967), complete with the famous silhouette of the raised leg featured in that classic's poster.
You are also likely to find the dialogue equally disappointing, unless you enjoy an endless indulgence in profanity and the N-word entertaining. In the process, Rock has squandered the services of a very talented cast, which included co-stars Kerry Washington and Gina Torres, veteran character actors Steve Buscemi and Edward Herrmann, and the decidedly unremarkable screen debut of the otherwise very colorful Stephen A. Smith of ESPN.
An uncreative, unoriginal exercise in the obvious. Richard may think he loves his wife, but I think I hated this movie.
Poor (0 stars)
Rated R for sexuality, ethnic slurs, and pervasive profanity.
Running time: 90 minutes
Studi Fox Searchlight
FAMILIES OF O.J.'S VICTIMS IN DISAGREEMENT: Sister of Nicole Brown frowns upon recent court activity of Ron Goldman's family.
*Denise Brown, the sister of murder victim Nicole Brown Simpson, is putting the family of slain man Ron Goldman on blast for their victorious court battle to receive any profits from O.J. Simpson's scrapped book, "If I Did It," which hypothetically describes how he would have committed both murders.
Last week, a Los Angeles judge ordered the book manuscript to be auctioned off, with proceeds, and any other money generated from the book, if ever published, directed toward the $33.5 million Simpson owes to both families following a 1997 wrongful death civil case.
Denise Brown, however, would rather the manuscript be kept off the auction block, because profiting from their deaths would be "immoral," she tells the New York Daily News.
"This overzealous pursuit to collect on the judgment does not morally justify a means to an end," she told the newspaper. "Everybody knows Simpson did it; we don't need his written confession. The Goldmans' sudden reversal of positions is transparent to their true motive which is to collect money."
Simpson was acquitted of the murders in 1995.
MORGAN FREEMAN, ANGELINA JOLIE ARE 'WANTED': Stars join new film based on graphic novel about assassins.
*While in Vietnam obtaining a visa to bring home her third adopted child, Angelina Jolie has signed on to star opposite Morgan Freeman in the upcoming Universal Pictures release "Wanted," an action film based on a graphic novel about assassins.
James McAvoy, last seen in "The Last King of Scotland," will play Wesley Gibson, a young man who discovers that his father is an assassin, only to learn shortly thereafter that his dad has been murdered. After following in his father's footsteps, he receives expert assassin training from veterans played by Freeman and Jolie.
Freeman's character, Sloan, was the partner of Gibson's father.
Gibson's training will be used to eventually hunt down the party responsible for his father's murder. Production is slated to begin in Eastern Europe in May.
Jolie agreed to join the project only after a rewrite of the script by Dean Georgaris ("Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life") to tailor the character for her. The film is based on the comic book miniseries "Wanted," by Mark Millar.
CODEBLACK FINDS 'GOOD MAN' FOR FOXFAITH: Golden Brooks, Deborah Cox, Hill Harper star in adaptation of popular 1990s gospel play.
*The Rev. David Payton stage play "A Good Man is Hard to Find," seen by more than 1,500 audiences during the 1990s, will be adapted into a feature film by Codeblack Entertainment under its deal with 20th Century Fox's new faith-based label, FoxFaith.
The film, already in production in Baton Rouge, La, follows three women who each deal with spiritual challenges and drama in their love lives.
Golden Brooks ("Girlfriends"), R&B singer Deborah Cox and Melissa De Sousa ("One on One") will star in the movie opposite Darrin Dewitt Henson ("Stomp the Yard") and Hill Harper ("CSI: NY").
Codeblack president Jeff Clanagan and Holly Davis-Carter are serving as producers.
"This material is a bulls-eye for the faith-based African-American market, and it comes with the bonus of having a built-in audience after its tremendous success as a stage play," Clanagan told Variety.
FoxFaith hopes to put "Good Man" in theaters in January 2008. The imprint aims to release up to a dozen films per year targeting the growing Christian marketplace.
DIDDY'S 'MAKING THE BAND' AUDITIONS EXTENDED: Dates added in NY, Birmingham, Memphis and Norfolk.
*Sean "Diddy" Combs has tacked on extra audition dates for the fourth season of his MTV series "Making The Band 4," which will focus on the creation of an urban-flavored boy band.
New dates have been set up for New York City and Birmingham, AL on Saturday (3/24); and Memphis and Norfolk, VA on the following Saturday, March 31. See details below:
NEW YORK, NY
DATE: March 24
TIME: Line forms at 7am, open call begins promptly at 10am
LOCATION: REBEL
251 West 30th Street
Between 7th & 8th
New York, NY 10001
BIRMINGHAM, AL
DATE: Saturday 3/24
TIME: Line forms at 7am, open call begins promptly at 10am
LOCATION: CLUB RED
2015 Highland Ave S.
Birmingham, AL 35205
MEMPHIS, TN
DATE: Saturday 3/31
TIME: Line forms at 7am, open call begins promptly at 10am
LOCATION: PLUSH
380 Beale St
Memphis, TN 38103
NORFOLK, VA
DATE: Saturday 3/31
TIME: Line forms at 7am, Open call begins promptly at 10am
LOCATION: THE GRANBY THEATER
421 Granby St.
Norfolk, VA 23510
HBO TO EXPLORE LIFE OF BLUESMAN ROBERT JOHNSON: Film to be penned by 'Ray' writer James L. White.
*HBO Films has tapped "Ray" screenwriter James L. White to pen the screenplay for a movie that will detail the life of blues legend Robert Johnson.
The as-yet-untitled film will explore Johnson's life as seen through the eyes of his son Claud, reports Variety. Raised by his religious grandfather, Claud Johnson was taught that his father's music came from the devil. For years, he fought court battles to be acknowledged as the musician's son.
Claud Johnson will serve as a consultant on the HBO film. Sources tell the trade that the project will have a structure similar to "Citizen Kane," depicting the life and times of the musician through his eyes and those of others.
HBO Films hasn't yet decided whether it would release the Johnson movie theatrically or on the pay network.
Born in Mississippi, Robert Johnson was known as King of the Delta Blues for his innovative guitar playing and vocal phrasing. He died in 1938 at the age of 27 and has been posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and recognized as the grandfather of many musical genres.
'LAST DANCE' SCRIBE TO PEN FILM FOR FOX ATOMIC: Duane Adler hired to write music-driven tale of forbidden teen romance.
*Duane Adler knows his urban teen angst.
The screenwriter behind 2001's "Save the Last Dance" and last year's "Step Up" is now in talks to write a similarly-themed film for 20th Century Fox's teen-oriented label, Fox Atomic.
The studio is looking to fast track the untitled feature from producer Mike Karz ("First Daughter"). Adler's spec script, a music-driven tale of a forbidden teen romance, was among the first purchased by Atomic president of production, Debbie Liebling, who joined the company in January.
Atomic opens "The Hills Have Eyes II" on Friday. Other upcoming releases include "28 Weeks Later" (Harold Perrineau, Idris Elba) and "The Comeback."
WE REMEMBER LUTHER INGRAM: Singer of 'If Loving You is Wrong' died Monday at age 69.
*Luther Ingram, best known for his 1973 R&B classic "(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right," has died in St. Louis following years of kidney trouble. He was 69.
Ingram, born Nov. 30, 1937 in Jackson, Tenn., also co-wrote the Staples Singers' 1971 smash "Respect Yourself." His music career began on Koko Records, a tiny label owned by his manager/producer, Johnny Baylor, and distributed by Memphis-based Stax Records.
His signature song "If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don't Want to Be Right)," written by Homer Banks, Carl Hampton and Raymond Jackson, reached No. 1 on Billboard's R&B chart and No. 3 on the Hot 100.
Ingram's other singles include "Ain't That Loving You (For More Reasons Than One)" and "I'll Be Your Shelter."
Fox411 columnist Roger Friedman wrote in his Tuesday column: "Ingram was a sweet man with a wide smile and a cherubic face. He raised a good family including a son, Eric, who devoted all his time to his dad in the last decade. Eric Ingram has a script and music rights for a cool movie about his dad's era, and hopefully he'll get it made."
DIRECTOR CATCHES HEAT OVER NEW SLAVE TRADE FILM: 'Amazing Grace' said to ignore role of blacks in abolitionist movement.
*Black leaders are upset with director Michael Apted over his new film "Amazing Grace," which tells the story of British abolitionist William Wilberforce and his fight to have the slave trade banned by parliament, which finally happened in 1807.
Apted is being criticized for "writing blacks out of history" by choosing to focus solely on Wilberforce's efforts while ignoring the role slaves played in their own emancipation.
"I think that has been one of the things that have exorcised many black people, people I'm aware of, who have said it writes them out of history," said Richard Reddie, a director of "set all free," a Christian group set up to mark the 200th anniversary of Britain's abolition of the slave trade. "The most important thing is this notion that black people played a role in their freedom," he told Reuters.
"That's vitally important. There's always been a misconception that they were waiting for William Wilberforce and other people in Europe to free them and that clearly wasn't the case. Resistance against enslavement began in Africa."
The film stars one African. Senegalese musician Youssou N'Dour plays Olaudah Equiano, a slave who wrote about his experiences in captivity before joining the anti-slavery movement. However, the movie only mentions in passing the important Haitian slave rebellion.
At the British premiere of "Amazing Grace" on Monday, Apted said some of the criticism was justified in that the film did not seek to deal with all issues of slavery.
"This was one battle, this was a parliamentary battle," he told Reuters. "But it was a major step forward because it started the whole thing in process and my film was always going to be about the political angle.
It's not about the plantations, it's not about the high seas. There are other works, other films about that. It is a fresh and unique look at what was going on in the political world ... and that's what I focused on."
Lola Young, a black member of the House of Lords, commented: "It is important ... to recognize how easy it is to come to the view that some lives are more important than others and for us to be complicit in perpetuating new varieties of discrimination."
The film opens in Britain on March 23. It premiered in limited release on Sept. 16 in the U.S. and opened wide here on Feb. 23.
AKON, PRETTY RICKY, MIMS TO ROCK BET'S 'SPRING BLING': Annual event to tape March 23-25 in West Palm Beach, Fla.
*Performers have been announced for BET's "Spring Bling 07," which arrives on the network April 5-8 with the tag line, "This is Why We're Hot."
Among the artists scheduled to take the stage at Florida's Riviera Beach are Akon, Omarion, Young Jeezy, Ne-Yo, Remy Ma, Pretty Ricky, Mike Jones, Cherish, UNK, Marques Houston, Bobby Valentino, DJ Khaled and MIMS, the rapper whose current single "This Is Why I'm Hot" inspired the "Spring Bling" theme.
"Spring Bling" episodes include fan favorites like Revamp (groups from across the country reenact their favorite videos, adding their own flair in a cut-throat competition in front of celebrity judges); Beach Towel Throwdown (back-to-back hip-hop and R&B performances); Freestyle (the ultimate battle of the mics -- mc's showcase their lyrical prowess to win the title of Spring Bling '07 Champion); 21 Questions (a hilarious comedian takes to the beach asking spring breakers 21 of the most outrageous questions); Get To Steppin' (a national step competition) and Rides, Rims, and Runway (featuring the most tricked out celebrity rides, sexy fashion models and music performances to hit the beach).
BET will also feature new Spring Bling shows: Irreplaceable (Spring Bling version of the dating game); Sibling Rivalries (two celebrity sets of siblings battle it out on how well they know each other and work as a team); Cheers, Jeers and Tears (Spring Bling's version of the gong show) and Jump off (the ultimate dance party).
The Spring Bling '07 show tapings will be held from March 23 - 25 and are open to the public. There will be contests and gift giveaways for event attendees.
DOLPHINS' PORTER VS. BENGALS' JONES: NFL rivals get violent at a blackjack table in Las Vegas.
*Las Vegas police issued a summons to new Miami Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter after he allegedly punched Cincinnati Bengals lineman Levi Jones in the face while at a blackjack table.
According to a police report, Porter was cited for misdemeanor battery Sunday after his heated argument with Jones escalated into a scuffle at the Palms hotel.
"Apparently these two have a history with each other, a history of trash talking on the field," Las Vegas police Lt. Kevin McMahill told the Review-Journal newspaper.
Their beef goes back to Porter's days with the Pittsburgh Steelers, an AFC North rival of the Bengals. Earlier this month, Porter left Pittsburgh to sign a five-year, $32 million contract with Miami.
MICHAEL JORDAN FINED BY THE NBA: Bobcats owner broke league rule by talking about underclassman.
*The NBA has slapped a $15,000 fine on basketball legend and Charlotte Bobcats co-owner Michael Jordan for discussing a freshman phenom during an interview last week.
The league does not allow team owners or executives to discuss underclassmen who have yet to declare for the NBA draft. Last Tuesday, Jordan slipped up and mentioned his interest in Texas freshman Kevin Durant during an interview with the Charlotte Observer.
While discussing his desire for versatile players, Jordan told the paper: "The kid who may present that is the kid in Texas. (He) may have that because he has all the right signs."
This is the second NBA fine to involve Durant, the Longhorns standout whose team was bounced out of the NCAA Tournament last weekend by Southern Cal. The Boston Celtics were fined $30,000 after general manager Danny Ainge sat next to Durant's mother during the Big 12 tournament.
ITTY BITTY BITS: BeyonJay's Mexican getaway; LaChanze, Rubin-Vega at CUNY; Wade, Kanye, J-Hud at pep rally; Super Fly 70's Fashion Show in ATL.
*The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that Beyonce took her boyfreind Jay-Z on a quick Mexican getaway to see one of his favorite groups, Coldplay, perform live in Mexico City. The couple reportedly stayed at an exclusive $11,000-a-night villa in Punta de Mita. "They were constantly hugging, smiling and looking very in love," reports the paper's Web site. "They laid low in the villa, swam in the pool and hung out on the beach."
*CUNY-TV's "Women in Theatre" season, hosted by Newsday theatre critic Linda Winer, will feature among its 13 interview subjects Daphne Rubin-Vega (May 4 and 6) and LaChanze (June 29 and July 1). Winer said in a statement: "The fifth season of the acclaimed half-hour series includes revealing conversations with famous women you may only think you know and unsung women whose theatrical contributions are more celebrated than their names. Daphne Rubin-Vega talks about the thrill of creating the first Mimi in Rent and LaChanze, the development of her Tony Award performance in The Color Purple. Each interview will be offered several times on CUNY-TV Channel 75: Fridays at 10 AM, 3 PM and 8:30 PM and Sundays at noon.
*On Monday, Dwyane Wade and T-Mobile Sidekick hosted a pep rally for the students of H.L. Richards High School in Oaklawn, Ill. to announce the upcoming remodel of the school's gymnasium. The exclusive event for the school's 1,700 students of was capped by a live performance by Kanye West, a graduate from the same school district, and featured a special appearance by fellow Chicago native Jennifer Hudson. Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade, who attended live via satellite, honored his high school alma mater by giving back to the place where he honed his basketball skills.
*The Super Fly 70's Full Figure Fashion Show Extravaganza is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 14, at The Georgia World Congress Center (285 Andrew Young Blvd., Atlanta) by presenters VDinx Designs Atlanta, Taurus Entertainment and Mystic RuBoie International. The event will spotlight a series of designs that cater to the voluptuous woman. The collections will be presented in a chic throw back to the 70's motif. Doors will open at 6 p.m. Tickets may be purchased online at:
www.ticketweb.com/t3/event/EventListings?orgId=12239
EUR DVD REVIEW: Trudell
DVD Biography Revisits Revolutionary Native-American Activist
DVD Review by Kam Williams
*Born in 1946 on an Indian reservation in Omaha, Nebraska, John Trudell took an unorthodox route to becoming a revolutionary. Before he became Chairman of the American Indian Movement in the Sixties, he did two tours of duty in Vietnam. But the vet soured on the U.S. and returned to lead a red people's takeover of Alcatraz Island outside of San Francisco.
This bio-pic takes an essentially uncritical look at the life of this charismatic activist, relying both on archival footage and on glowing accolades contained in present-day interviews by the likes of Robert Redford, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Val Kilmer, and the Indigo Girls. You are likely to enjoy this inflammatory documentary to the extent that you are inclined to indict this country for the miserable plight of most Native-Americans.
Its subject exhibits a quiet confidence and clarity of thought as he indicts this country at every turn. "The great lie is that America represents civilization, and that it is good for us," he argues at one point, adding, "If this is the land of the free, where all men are created equal, then we want to know why that doesn't apply to us."
He also criticizes Western culture for "taking more from the Earth than you need," and compares expecting Native-Americans to celebrate Columbus Day to expecting white people to celebrate 9-11. To this day, Trudell remains faithful to his radical philosophy, despite the fact that so many of his radical comrades, even his pregnant wife and three children, died under suspicious circumstances during the FBI COINTELPRO program's reign of terror.
He refuses to capitulate, defiantly asserting that "Military and economic systems are systems of authority, not power. Power is really about our relationship to life." A bittersweet bio-pic which presents an articulate, defiant and sensitive soul who promises to remain committed to resistance till he draws his last breath.
Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 78 minutes
Studi Passion River
DVD Extras: Interviews with John Trudell.
TUSKEGEE AIRMEN TO BE HONORED BY U.S.: WWII pioneers will receive Congressional Medal of Honor on March 29.
*The Tuskegee Airmen, the elite crew of World War II pilots who destroyed more than 400 enemy aircraft while protecting the American and Allied bombers they escorted on missions, will finally receive recognition from the country they served with honor and distinction.
On March 29, the United States will honor the Tuskegee Airmen with the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor, the highest civilian award bestowed by the federal legislature. Equivalent to the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the gold medal is awarded to individuals or groups for singular acts of exceptional service and for lifetime achievement.
About 300 airmen, out of the nearly 1,000 trained at Tuskegee, will attend the ceremony in the Capitol's rotunda, along with their families.
"It's sort of an open validation of the Tuskegee Airmen, that we fought stereotypes, overcame them and prevailed," said Roscoe Brown, an 85-year-old Riverdale, N.Y., resident who graduated from the Tuskegee program in 1944. "This is the ultimate when your nation recognizes you."
The Tuskegee fliers will join a distinguished group of recipients that includes George Washington, Winston Churchill, Rosa Parks, the Wright brothers and former Secretary of State Colin Powell.
Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., and Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., introduced identical bills in the House of Representatives and the Senate in
2005 to give the airmen the congressional medal. The Senate bill passed in October 2005 and the House followed in February 2006. President Bush signed the bill into law last April.
EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE
"We are at our very best, and we are happiest, when we are fully engaged in work we enjoy on the journey toward the goal we've established for ourselves. It gives meaning to our time off and comfort to our sleep. It makes everything else in life so wonderful, so worthwhile." — Earl Nightingale
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
March 21: Actor Al Freeman Jr. is 73. Singer Solomon Burke is 67.
Singer-keyboardist Rose Stone of Sly and the Family Stone is 62. Singer Russell Thompkins Jr. of the Stylistics is 56. Actress Sabrina LeBeauf ("The Cosby Show") is 49. MC Maxim of Prodigy is 40. DJ Premier of Gang Starr is 38.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
Fox Attacks (http://foxattacks.com/) uses a video presentation that highlights the Fox News Channel's "awful record of airing bigoted views and highly problematic framing around race issues." Definitely worth watching.
Submit your favorite Web site to us along with a 15-20 word (or less) description to info@eurweb.com.
BLACK HISTORY
Mar. 21, 1947: James Baskett (1904-1948) was given a special Academy Award for his part in Disney's "Song Of The South." He was the second American of African decent to receive an Oscar. (Source: www.BlackFacts.com)