NAACP Image Awards TONIGHT

[CrimsonTide4]

No image problem for Barbershop at the Image Awards.

The cutting comedy, called out by activist Jesse Jackson because of a certain expletive-undeleted line of dialogue that called out Jesse Jackson, scored five nods as nominations were announced Thursday for the 34th annual NAACP Image Awards.

Brown Sugar, the romantic comedy steeped in hip-hop history, was tops among the movies, earning seven nominations, including one for Outstanding Motion Picture. The film, starring Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan (acting nominees both), will vie for top honors against Barbershop, John Q., and the not-yet-released dramas Antwone Fisher and Drumline.

The Image Awards, honoring film, TV, music and books that promote "positive images of people of color," are scheduled to be presented March 8 in Los Angeles.

Big names who just may stop by to see if they're worthy of trophies include: Denzel Washington, a double nominee for John Q. (Best Actor, Film) and Antwone Fisher (Best Supporting Actor, Film), which he also directed; Halle Berry, a supporting actress contender in the film race for her Bond girl turn in Die Another Day; and Jennifer Lopez, a Best Actress nominee for her upcoming comedy, Maid in Manhattan.

Like Washington, Cedric the Entertainer, Angela Bassett, Charles S. Dutton and Ving Rhames nabbed two nominations each. Cedric the Entertainer, the Barbershop instigator who spouted the offending lines about civil-rights leaders Jackson, Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr., brought home a Best Supporting Film Actor nod for the controversial role. He also was singled out for his Fox series, Cedric the Entertainer Presents, with a Best Actor in a Comedy Series nomination.

Bassett also scored in film and TV--a nominee for the indie drama Sunshine State (Best Actress), and the CBS biopic, The Rosa Parks Story (Best Actress, TV Movie, Miniseries or Special).

Dutton earned nods for CBS' Without a Trace (Best Supporting Actor, Drama) and Showtime's 10,000 Black Men Named George (Best Actor, TV Movie, Miniseries or Special).

Rhames was a two-timer for FX's Sins of the Father (Best Actor, TV Movie, Miniseries or Special) and the Disney Channel's The Proud Family (Best Supporting Actor, Comedy Series).

Among TV nominees, Showtime's Soul Food spiced things up with seven nominations, tops for a drama series; Fox's The Bernie Mac Show managed six nods, tops for a comedy series.

Other notable TV-land nominees: blaxploitation legend Pam Grier, a Best Supporting Drama Actress hopeful for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; and, grownup Cosby Show kid Keshia Knight Pulliam, now 23, cited for her work on the UPN kids' special What About Your Friends.

In the music division, soul queens India.Arie and Erykah Badu earned four nominations each, including ones for Outstanding Female Artist.

MOTION PICTURE

Outstanding Motion Picture: Barbershop, Brown Sugar, Antwone Fisher, John Q., Drumline

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture: Denzel Washington, John Q; Ice Cube, Barbershop; Samuel L. Jackson, Changing Lanes; Taye Diggs, Brown Sugar; Morgan Freeman, High Crimes

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Sanaa Lathan, Brown Sugar; Angela Basset, Sunshine State; Jennifer Lopez, Maid in Manhattan; Thandie Newton, The Truth About Charlie; Vivica A. Fox, Juwanna Man

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture: Cedric the Entertainer, Barbershop; Denzel Washington, Antwone Fisher; Mos Def, Brown Sugar; Anthony Anderson, Barbershop; Boris Kodjoe, Brown Sugar

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Halle Berry, Die Another Day; Queen Latifah, Brown Sugar; Nicole Ari Parker, Brown Sugar; Eve Jihan Jeffers, Barbershop; Kimberly Elise, John Q

TELEVISION

Outstanding Comedy Series: The Bernie Mac Show; My Wife and Kids; Girlfriends; One On One; The Parkers

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series: Bernie Mac, The Bernie Mac Show; Damon Wayans, My Wife and Kids; Cedric the Entertainer, Cedric the Entertainer Presents; Flex Alexander, One on One; D.L.Hughley, The Hughleys

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series: Tisha Campbell-Martin, My Wife and Kids; Tracee Ellis Ross, Girlfriends; Mo'nique, The Parkers ; Kellita Smith, The Bernie Mac Show; Golden Brooks, Girlfriends

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Cedric the Entertainer, The Proud Family; Jeremy Suarez, The Bernie Mac Show; Michael Boatman, Arli$$; David Alan Grier, Life with Bonnie; Ving Rhames, The Proud Family

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Camille Winbush, The Bernie Mac Show; Wendy Raquel Robinson, Cedric the Entertainer Presents; Dee Dee Davis, The Bernie Mac Show; Terri J. Vaughn, The Steve Harvey Show; Regina Hall, Ally McBeal

Outstanding Drama Series: Soul Food; Boston Public; 24; The Wire; Six Feet Under

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series: Dennis Haysbert, 24; Michael Beach, Third Watch; Mykelti Williamson, Boomtown; Andre Braugher, Hack; Bill Bellamy, Fastlane

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series: Nicole Ari Parker, Soul Food; Vanessa Williams, Soul Food; Malinda Williams, Soulfood; Lorraine Toussaint, Any Day Now; CCH Pounder, The Shield

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Boris Kodjoe, Soul Food; Aaron Meeks, Soul Food; Charles S. Dutton, Without a Trace; Mekhi Phifer, ER; Gary Dourdan, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Loretta Devine, Boston Public; Pam Grier, Law & Order: SVU; Kimberly Elise, Soul Food; Anna Deavere Smith, The West Wing; Rita Moreno, Oz

Outstanding Television Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special: 10,000 Black Men Named George; The Rosa Parks Story; Keep the Faith, Baby; The Middle Passage; Whitewash: The Clarence Brandley Story

Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special: Charles S. Dutton, 10,000 Black Men Named George; Andre Braugher, 10,000 Black Men Named George; Ving Rhames, Sins of the Father; Omar Epps, Conviction; Harry Lennix, Keep the Faith, Baby

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special: Angela Bassett, The Rosa Parks Story; Vanessa L. Williams, Keep the Faith, Baby; Gloria Reuben, Little John; N'Bushe Wright, Widows; Jackie Richardson, Sins of the Father

Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series: Kristoff St. John, The Young and the Restless; Darnell Williams, All My Children; Paul Taylor, As the World Turns; Nathan Purdee, One Life to Live; Peter Parros, As the World Turns

Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series: Victoria Rowell, The Young and the Restless; Tonya Lee Williams, The Young and the Restless; Tracey Ross, Passions; Tamara Tunie, As the World Turns; Eva La Rue, All My Children

Outstanding News, Talk or Information, Series or Special: ABC News Nightline Up Close: Dr. Ben Carson; Biography: Johnnie Cochran--The Best Defense; 60 Minutes II: A Nation Divided; The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow: Episode I, Promises Betrayed 1865-1896; BET Tonight with Ed Gordon: R. Kelly (Part I)

Outstanding Variety, Series or Special: Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry Jam, Cedric the Entertainer Presents, The 2002 Essence Awards, BET's 8th Annual Walk of Fame: A Tribute to Stevie Wonder, Behind the Music: Bob Marley

Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Series or Special: Kyla Pratt, The Proud Family; Tommy Davidson, The Proud Family; Jo Marie Payton, The Proud Family; Levar Burton, Reading Rainbow; Keshia Knight Pulliam, What About Your Friends

RECORDING

Outstanding Album: Voyage to India, India.Arie; Nellyville, Nelly; Juslisen, Musiq; The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin, Kirk Franklin; Brown Sugar Soundtrack, various

Outstanding Song: "No More Drama" (songwriters: James Harris, Terry Lewis, Barry Devorzan and Perry Botkin Jr.; artist: Mary J. Blige); "Little Things" (songwriters: D. Wolinski, A. Fischer, I. Simpson, S. Sanders, A. Robertson; artist: India.Arie); "Love of My Life" (songwriters: Erykah Badu and Lonnie Lynn; artist: Erykah Badu feat. Common); "Brighter Day" (songwriter/artist: Kirk Franklin); "Work It" (songwriters: Missy Elliott and Timbaland Mosley; artist: Missy Elliott)

Outstanding Duo or Group: India.Arie & Stevie Wonder, Mary Mary, TLC, Erykah Badu feat. Common, The Roots

Outstanding New Artist: Ashanti, Kelly Rowland, Tweet, Floetry, Amerie

Outstanding Female Artist: India.Arie, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott, Erykah Badu, Ashanti

Outstanding Male Artist: Musiq, Nelly, Mos Def, LL Cool J, Carlos Santana

Outstanding Jazz Artist: Al Jarreau, Will Downing, Natalie Cole, Branford Marsalis, Joshua Redman

Outstanding Gospel Artist: Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary, Fred Hammond, BeBe Winans, Blind Boys of Alabama

Outstanding Music Video: India.Arie, "Little Things" (directed by Sanaa Hamri); Erykah Badu feat. Common, "Love of My Life" (directed by Chris Robinson); Usher, "You Don't Have to Call" (directed by Little X); Mary J. Blige, "No More Drama" (directed by Sanjii); LL Cool J, "Luv U Better" (directed by Benny Boom)

LITERATURE:

Outstanding Literary Work, Fiction: A Love of My Own, E. Lynn Harris; Quilting the Black-Eyed Pea, Nikki Giovanni; The Emperor of Ocean Park, Stephen L. Carter; Thieves' Paradise, Eric Jerome Dickey; The Bondswoman's Narrative, Hannah Crafts; Henry Louis Gates, editor

Outstanding Literary Work, Nonfiction: A Song Flung Up to Heaven, Maya Angelou; Keeping the Faith, Tavis Smiley; Bill Clinton and Black America, DeWayne Wickham; Growing Up X, Ilyasah Shabazz; Zora Neale Hurston: A Life in Letters, CarlaKaplan, editor

Outstanding Literary Work, Children's: Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales, Nelson Mandela, editor; Hip Kid Hop: And the Winner Is, LL Cool J; Please, Baby, Please, Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee; When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson: The Voice of a Century, Pam Munoz Ryan, Brian Selznick; A Rainbow All Around Me, Sandra Pinkney