- Created on 17 May 2013
Candice Glover Wins 12th Season Of ‘American Idol’
(AP) — The third time’s the charm for Candice Glover on “American Idol.”
The booming 23-year-old R&B vocalist from St. Helena Island, S.C., won the Fox singing competition after auditioning a trio of times and making it to the finals this year. Glover looked stunned when “Idol” host Ryan Seacrest announced she bested soulful 22-
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- Created on 16 May 2013
'Virtual' Eazy-E and ODB to Perform at Rock the Bells
(CNN) -- As Ol' Dirty Bastard rhymes in "Brooklyn Zoo II," "When you take north, east, west, south/and put it all together and it spell newwwwws!"
Know what else spell(s) news? A star-powered hip-hop festival announcing that two rap legends - not figurative legends, mind you; one's been dead eight years, the other 18 - will perform this fall.
Rock the Bells announced Wednesday that Ol' Dirty Bastard and Eazy-E (aka Russell Jones and Eric Wright) will take the stage during the festival's 10th anniversary performances.
ODB will perform with his former group, Wu-Tang Clan, while Eazy-E will join his old pals from Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.
How, you're asking, might Ol' Dirty shimmy shimmy ya onto the stage when he died of a drug reaction in a New York recording studio in 2004? And didn't Eazy die of AIDS complications in 1995?
Indeed, but there won't be any seances. The two will appear as virtual images - not holograms. It will be more along the lines of Tupac Shakur's performance last year at Coachella, and less like Obi-Wan or Jessica Yellin.
The latter, of course, were holograms, while 'Pac appeared on stage with Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre via a stage technique called Pepper's Ghost that dates to the 16th century. (Ars Technica explains how the optical illusion works.)
Guerilla Union founder Chang Weisberg, whose organization pulls together Rock the Bells, explained to Vibe magazine that the Tupac performance was the inspiration for this year's resurrection of Eazy and Dirt McGirt.
Weisberg told Vibe that when 'Pac began performing "Hail Mary" at Coachella, he was entranced.
Likewise, ODB's mom, Cherry Jones, told Rolling Stone that she was amazed to see her son brought back to life, so to speak.
"Last night was the first time I saw it, and to me, it was so wonderful to stand by him again," she told the magazine. "I don't know how I'm going to react - they'll have to carry me off, but I think it's amazing. I want to sing with it."
She added, "This keeps the artists alive. Dirty was a great artist onstage. This is going to be something else, because he was really great onstage. ... I just want to see the look on his sister and brother's face, his children, grandchildren."
Eazy's widow, Tomica Wright, was similarly excited, telling the magazine, "To have old generations, new generations be able to experience that chemistry between ODB and Eazy and Bones -- you see it on video, you see it on the Internet, but to feel it and have that sense of presence is a great experience."
Rock the Bells has four shows slated for the tour thus far, beginning in September with a stop in San Bernardino, California. The festival, known for drawing a broad range of hip-hop acts, will also include performances by Black Hippy, Common, E-40 & Too Short, Tyler the Creator, Jurassic 5, Rakim and Talib Kweli.
It's safe to assume none of them wants to follow ODB.
- Created on 14 May 2013
Rob Jackson Presents ‘Rebirth! The Musical’
Rob Jackson Presents has announced the world premiere of the company's newest musical stage play, "Rebirth! The Musical," to be performed on May 30 at the Fox Theater. The show stars Thomas Miles (Nephew Tommy from the Steve Harvey Morning Show); Lynn Whitfield of stage, screen and television; Quinnes "Q" Parker of the R&B group 112; and contemporary R&B singer Algebra.
"Rebirth!" is a compelling story of faith that will uplift your spirits, refresh your relationships, and strengthen your conviction in freedom of choice," said Jackson who is the producer, writer and director of the play.
The play is set in the year 2156, in a post-apocalyptic California town called Bethel. The people toil under the oppressive leadership of a mysterious entity called, "Mia, the Mother of Earth." A young man, Jonathan, receives an ancient book on his birthday, which inspires him to spread the good news of true faith to anyone who will listen. Now the people must choose between defying death to follow the music in their hearts that Jonathan's message has inspired or continue blindly following Mia, who is clearly not what she seems.
"We hope everyone will join us for Rebirth!," Jackson said. "It's an uplifting musical experience for the entire family." Rebirth! will run from May 30 to June 2. Tickets are on sale through the Fox Theater.
(Photo: The musical's Lynn Whitfield)
- Created on 14 May 2013
ABC-TV’s Robin Roberts Ranked Most Trusted TV Host in Poll
“Good Morning America” host Robin Roberts has been named the most trusted woman in television, according to a new Reader’s Digest survey released this week.
Reader’s Digest teamed up with The Wagner Group, a research firm, and polled more than 1,000 Americans to discover which 200 public figures inspire the most confidence. Roberts came in at No. 12 on the list, making her the most trusted television host on the list.
The publication defined a trustworthy person as “somebody possessing integrity and character, exceptional talent and a drive for personal excellence, a strong internal moral compass, a consistent message, honesty, and leadership.” And 56 percent of Americans believed that Roberts exemplified those qualities.
“I wish my mom and dad were here to see this,” Roberts said in an interview with Liz Vaccariello, editor-in-chief of Reader’s Digest. “It would mean so much to them because all they wanted was for us to grow up to be good people.
“They didn’t care that sister is a social worker and brother is a teacher and that two of us are on TV,” she added. “All they wanted was for us to be trustworthy citizens. And there’s a responsibility that goes with that, and it’s not something I take lightly.”
Roberts started gaining national attention as an on-air personality on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” in 1990, winning over fans and also critics with her signature catch phrase, “Go on with your bad self!”, and capturing three Emmy Awards.
In May 2005, the journalist joined Diane Sawyer as co-anchor of ABC’s “Good Moring America.”
Later that year, her professional and personal worlds collided when Hurricane Katrina tore through the Mississippi Gulf Coast, her home, and Roberts traveled to the devastated area and did a series of emotional reports. In 2009 she teamed up with George Stephanopoulos, and the pair catapulted GMA to the No. 1 morning show in April 2012 for the first time in almost two decades.
But it is, perhaps, the resilience, strength and grace Roberts displayed during her public battle with cancer that has endeared so many Americans to the television host.
On the same day in April 2012 when Roberts received the news of her professional accomplishment as part of GMA’s number one ranking, she learned that although she had prevailed against her breast cancer, after being diagnosed in June 2007, the treatment had caused another serious medical problem, myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).
“I’ve always been a fighter, and with all of your prayers and support, a winner,” Roberts told her viewers at the time, and her determination inspired many others to join the fight against MDS, a disease of the blood and bone marrow.
On the day she went public with the announcement, Be the Match Registry, the national marrow donor program, experienced an 1,800 percent spike in bone marrow donors.
In her interview with Reader’s Digest, Roberts talked about this influence she has on the public—the inner light that shines out on the world.
“Every day before I leave my apartment—after I say my prayer of protection—I ask God, ‘Please let your light shine through me.,’” she said. “And I am lucky to have the resources to shine it—be it love, unity, or resilience—onto others.”
- Created on 13 May 2013
Rohan Marley Says He'll Take Care of Kids While Lauryn Hill Is In Jail
Rohan Marley is a stand-up guy.
The father of five of Lauryn Hill's six children says he plans to step up his parenting during her 3-month federal prison stint stemming from tax evasion.
According to TMZ:
"I will be there for my kids."
Rohan tells us he's always been involved in his children's lives ... but says, "I will be there even more while she is dealing with this … to make sure that everything is fine.”
We're told ... Lauryn and Rohan agreed that the kids will primarily stay with family members, with Rohan getting involved as much as he can.
They've had their differences in the past, so it's good that Rohan is still able to be cordial and take care of business. Shout out to all the parents playing mommy and daddy!
