and to add to that, see if you can find a sample recording contract and have them read it, then explain it. Or one of those looooong inserts you get with a credit card.

Fantasia's situation was a lot of work and a lucky break.

I heard Fantasia on Tom Joyner this morning, where she clarified some things. She said she can read and write, but has "never been a strong reader" and apparently struggles greatly. Thereafter, the interview focused on her overcoming her literary deficiences, whatever they are, and being an inspiration to others to step up and get help if they need it. But Fantasia set them straight right off the top that she can read/write.

She also said that she can read "some words" and when she mispronounced something, she would just play it off as being "country" and not that she couldn't read. I bet that is what she did witht he script.

Hmmm, I don't know if I believe this. She said in a previous interview that she was unable to read a book to her child. Children's books are not that complex since they are designed to help children learn to read, so I'm thinking that she is just a little uncomfortable with the widespread publicity that her illiteracy is getting. I can absolutely understand this, and I hope that she is able to overcome this. However, I think that her problem is/was severe.

See...now I feel like something else is going on. In the show she said she couldn't read a story to her child. So which is it?? You don't have to be Zora Neale to read a children's book.

TO the Epitome and Marie,

I think a lot of it may be Fantasia's comfort level. If she is not a "strong" reader, who is to say what that means? Who is to say what words she would stumble over? She was probably uncomfortable reading to her child because she did not want to stumble over words, mispronounce them, etc. I

From Yahoo News...Nipsey Russell's Passing (I didn't even know he was still alive)
 

2 hours, 19 minutes ago



NEW YORK - As the "poet laureate of television," actor and comedian Nipsey Russell delivered his signature four-line verse during frequent guest appearances on TV game shows and talk shows.

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His impromptu lines and witty quips quickly secured his place as one of the first blacks to be a regular panelist on the shows.

Russell died Sunday afternoon at Lenox Hill Hospital at age 80, said his longtime manager Joseph Rapp. He had been suffering from cancer.

Although widely known for his television career — including appearances on "The Dean Martin Show," "Hollywood Squares," "The $50,000 Pyramid," and "The Match Game" — Russell also received critical acclaim for his role as the Tin Man in the 1978 film version of "The Wiz."

Russell also appeared in the films "Nemo" in 1984, "Wildcats" in 1986 and "Posse" in 1993.

Born in Atlanta, he settled in New York after graduating from the University of Cincinnati and serving as an Army captain in Europe during World War II, Rapp said.

Russell launched his television career in 1961 as Officer Anderson in the television series "Car 54, Where are You?" He also appeared in the 1994 film version.

But his gift for gab and timely poetry made him a national television personality.

Russell told the Los Angeles Times in 1993 that writing poems "is very simple to do.... I start with the joke line and write backward."

One example: "The opposite of pro is con/ That fact is clearly seen/ If progress means move forward/ Then what does Congress mean?"

He also took his poetry on the road for readings and performances.

Russell left no immediate survivors; He never married.

"He always said, 'I have trouble living with myself, how could I live with anyone else,'" Rapp said. "But he was a wonderful guy, very quiet, never bragged."

There is a thread on this over on DST Boulevard.

G-g-g-g-nit!!! Fiddy Pennies distributes caysh
 

From a British Web site, Female First.

50 Cent's money mistake
October 4, 2005, 12:40:07 50 Cent threw £1000 to children on a New York street - by accident. .

The rapper reportedly planned to toss £100 to the youngsters but threw more bills than he meant to. He said: "They went mad".

Earlier this month, the 'In da club' singer threw money at fans to placate them after ignoring the crowd while shooting his new movie.

Thousands of fans were left fuming after the rap star blanked them because he was too busy filming 'Get Rich Or Die Tryin'' in New York.

50, who was banned from speaking to the fans by director Jim Sheridan, revealed: "The crew don't understand that in New York I am 50 regardless of whether I'm shooting a movie or not.

"During filming the fans started shouting my name and I felt bad ignoring them".

The hip-hop star decided to make up for ignoring the onlookers by showering them with money. He said: "The crew couldn't believe it because I threw money at the 200 people that were there"

What the ..???
 

Ok, So I was reading Bill Maher's Book called, "New Rules"....

and at the bottom of page 46........

WHY IN THE WORLD DO I SEE 7 PADDLES THAT BELONG TO MEMBERS OF THE DIVINE NINE???:eek:

Ok, I am trying not to freak out but I can't help it.

To make a long story short; One of the paddles was changed to read "G-A-Y" instead of "PBS" (Phi Beta Sigma). And the other paddles were referred to as being gay....

Granted I am a BM fan but I am pissed!!!!:mad: :mad:

If anyone has access to the book, look at it and judge for yourself. :confused: :eek: :mad: :rolleyes:

It could be easily stated that this man has no idea...yadda, yadda, yadda, and he probably has no clue...yadda, yadda. But come on!

Tyra out shopping
 

Her hair is a mess...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v9...ldpics/ty1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v9...ldpics/ty5.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v9...ldpics/ty6.jpg

Aww dayum Tyra!!! And they look old :(

From mtv.com...Mrs. Carter oops, Ms. Knowles
 

Beyonce Shoots Down Jay-Z Marriage Rumors In Vanity Fair Interview
10.04.2005 6:14 PM EDT

Singer tells mag she isn't engaged to Jay, either.
Beyoncé Knowles
Photo: Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images

Beyoncé and Jay-Z don't talk about their relationship a lot — they barely even acknowledge that it exists. But now the singer is letting a few little details dribble out in a cover story in the November issue of Vanity Fair. Amid the usual luxe photos comes a shoot down of a rumor that Beyoncé and Jay-Z are secretly married — they're not even engaged, she tells the magazine. She laughs that the rumors even coexist in the same mill: "I'm engaged and married at the same time?"

Having Jay in her life has changed a few of her attitudes about how men and women relate to one another too, she said, which helped her transition from writing songs like "Independent Women" and "Survivor" to man-tending anthems such as "Cater 2 U," in which she sings about bringing him slippers and drawing his bath.

"I grew up," Beyoncé says. "I feel it's still very strong, because in order to be a strong woman, you have to have a strong man. There's nothing wrong with women doing that for their man if their man deserves it and he does the same for you."

Asked if she wants kids, Beyoncé says yes, but not anytime soon. To explain, she describes the experience of babysitting her sister Solange's 1-year-old son, Daniel. "He's a good baby, and he's the cutest thing I've ever seen in my life, I love him to death," she says. "But yesterday I got up at four in the morning, I did the TV show, and I thought, since he's leaving tomorrow, I have to see him. So the time I should have been asleep, I was watching him. I played, I had the stroller, and I was like, 'I don't know how my sister does it.' "

When it comes time to have kids of her own, Beyoncé says she'd love to have a nanny, but just for help. "I want to be there for my kids," she tells the mag. "My mom was there for me."

Her mom, Tina Knowles, also had Beyoncé's back in shooting down other rumors, such as the one in which Beyoncé is supposedly firing her father as her manager, and that Jay-Z is angling for the job. "Jay doesn't want to manage her," Tina Knowles tells the mag. "All the rumors about how I'm getting a divorce and I'm going to manage her or Jay is going to manage her ... it's just crazy."

— Jennifer Vineyard

Tyra Banks looks a WORKING CLASS MESS!!!! :p

Re: G-g-g-g-nit!!! Fiddy Pennies distributes caysh
 

Maybe it's just me, but I always found the idea of someone throwing cash at me to be just a little bit insulting. It kinda reminds me of throwing scraps of food at a dog. It's not that I'm such a baller that I can't use a few extra dollars. However, at the same time I don't need to grovel at someone's feet just to get it.

Glory be Tyra :eek:

re: Tyra
 

Have ya'll watched her show?? She loves to talk about her "flaws" now.

Re: re: Tyra
 

Yep. It's been Tyra's "thing" for quite some time. She had a beauty book out a few years ago. It featured a split photo with an "unmade" Tyra (read: sans make-up) and a "made up" Tyra.

It was her way of showing how much make up artistry and retouching goes into making her look model ready.

Re: Tyra out shopping
 

She probably keeps her hair in those braids even when she wears those red wigs.

Now see, I thought it was nice to see her looking "regular." :p

Re: Tyra out shopping
 

What's wrong with it?

Y'all stop hatin on Tyra. She's just being one of the girls. :p

Re: Re: Tyra out shopping
 

thank you

I dont see what's the big deal. Her hair looks pretty healthy in those braids. It might be a few days old but I dont think it's a "mess" at all. sounds like good old hating to me

Do we have to? :p

Re: Re: Tyra out shopping
 

I'm not used to seeing her like that I guess. I've actually never seen her weaveless. The cornrows need to be redone b/c they sticking up. I don't like when women braid their real hair like that for some reason.

Re: Re: Re: Tyra out shopping
 

She is not weaveless in those photos either.

yeah sounds like good ole hating....i see absolutely nothing wrong wit da Hair, she looks very natural, and still FINE!!!!

Re: Re: Re: Re: Tyra out shopping
 

Shol' ain't. If you look close, you'll see the rows are a different color than the root. They don't look that bad but it looks like her auntie did them from her kitchen with Tyra sittin' in between her legs. :p

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes expecting...Gross!
 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Tyra out shopping
 

Lawd Jesa...you just took me back. I really had a flash back.

Re: Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes expecting...Gross!
 

OH GOD!!

http://www.siyclone.com/forum//style...fault/sick.gif

Re: Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes expecting...Gross!
 

Gross is right.

I can't believe that TomKat is expecting.:eek:

I thought Tom was infertile.:confused:

He probably had temporary infertility from looking at Botox Nicole. :o

It's probably a Michael Jackson stunt. It aint' really his, he just paying Katie to have it.

OMG!!!! I thought their relationship was just a stunt. :eek: :o

Actually, her hair looks like twists. If she takes it down (when it gets "old"), she will have a great "do". This is what I do to achieve the "curly" look, but I have rollers on my ends. :o
It's a great thing to do when you are in need of a relaxer.

My sister does that. She'll braid it and then take it down later, and she does have a nice hairdo.

I shared the same sentiment as lostnfound117...I've just never seen her like that and it was a shock. Now why I gotta be a hater? :p

Actually, that is how I wear my hair daily. I usually wash it on the weekends and twist it back wet in about 5 twists and put rollers (perm rods) on the end. But, I won't go out in public with my hair twisted like that if I dont' take it down. I will either put on a head wrap or a wig...

http://www.gawker.com/news/Cover%20%23557.jpg





This won’t be on the newsstands until 10 A.M. or so, but we don’t see why you should wait for the news: Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson, America’s Newlyweds, have called it quits. For those of you so self-loathing as to closely follow these things, you’ll recall that in May, E! online reported that the couple had filed for divorce, only to mysteriously retract the story an hour later. But you knew, right then, that this was coming, didn’t you?

The couple is waiting to make an official announcement later in the month (at the appropriate career opportunity, we’re sure), but according to Us Weekly’s scoop — kept so under wraps that employees were not allowed to receive their advance issues yesterday, presumably for fear that People might rape and pillage the story — the marriage has been dead for some time. Well, duh.

The article has a laundry list of contributions to the break-up (mostly blamed on Jessica), including creepy-dad Joe Simpson, Jessica’s “diva” behavior, and her fondness for whiskey on the rocks. One of those ubiquitous sources close to the couple says, “Jessica’s the problem. She’s not the girl America fell in love with anymore.” Oh, young America, were you ever really in love with her? Or were you just lusting? C’mon, be honest