Happy Monday Kiddies, I know it has been a week since my last update, but I am quite busy ya know. And away I go.
You all know I hate to start the day off with sad news, but, comedian and actor Bernie Mac, who starred in one of U.S. TV’s few black sitcoms and appeared in the “Ocean’s 11″ movies, died in Chicago on Saturday after a bout with pneumonia. He was 50. Publicist Danica Smith confirmed the death in a statement but gave no further details. “We ask that his family’s privacy continues to be respected,” she said. His hospitalization was announced on August 1. At the time, his publicist said his illness was unrelated to a chronic tissue inflammation called sarcoidosis, which had been in remission since 2005. The Chicago-born comedian, whose real name was Bernard Jeffrey McCullough, starred in “The Bernie Mac Show,” which ran for five seasons until 2006 and lives on in syndication. Wow, my condolences to the entire team.
And now some more sad news to report, Isaac Hayes who, along with Al Green, James Brown and Stevie Wonder, was one of the dominant black artists in the early 1970s, died in Memphis on Sunday, his friend and former manager, Onzie Horne, said. Hayes was 65. Horne told Reuters that he had spoken to Hayes’ wife, who confirmed that Hayes was found unconscious at his home, and rushed to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Hayes, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, would have turned 66 on August 20. The deep-voiced performer reached his commercial peak in 1972 when he won an Academy Award for his No. 1 hit “Theme from ‘Shaft,’” an irresistibly urgent mix of wah-wah guitars and hi-hat cymbals spiced by the famous line, “They say this cat Shaft is a bad mother-/Shut your mouth!” Oh man, and don’t they always say death happens in 3’s.
The American Idol and his longtime friend, producer Jaymes Foster welcomed a son in North Carolina on Friday, Usmagazine.com reports. Parker Foster Aiken weighed 6 pounds, 2 ounces and was 19 inched long. The baby reportedly has dark hair. Foster was artificially inseminated and the two plan on raising the baby together. The proud new papa writes on his Web site, “HE’S HERE! My dear friend, Jaymes, and I are so excited to announce the birth of Parker Foster Aiken (No hyphens. One first name. One middle name. One last name.” He also writes his son is healthy and happy. “Wow … 8:08 … 08/08/08. The little man is healthy, happy, and as loud as his daddy. Mama Jaymes is doing quite well also.” You know something is wrong in the world when that Big Mary Clay becomes a daddy before I do.
TMZ.com reports that Nikki Blonsky’s dad will remain at the Providenciales Magistrates’ Court until August 19, a judge ruled Friday. Carl Blonsky was jailed July 30 after being slapped with a felony charge of grievous bodily harm following an airport brawl with American’s Next Top Model contestant Bianca Golden and her mother Elaine. Nikki, who was charged with actual bodily harm, is scheduled to appear in court in December. She was not present at Friday’s hearing. Bianca was also charged with actual bodily harm and is scheduled to appear in court on September 16. Both young women are free on bail. Yeah, the Beat Down Pop is going to rot in jail.
Britney Spears has refuted reports she has accepted a role in Quentin Tarantino’s next project as a “murderous lesbian stripper”. British newspaper the Daily Mirror claims Spears was set to play exotic dancer Varla in a remake of the 1965 movie Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! But a spokesman for Spears denies she is working with Tarantino. The representative says, “Though she definitely intends to explore acting roles down the road, right now she’s concentrating on recording her next album.” What? I was getting excited for it. Nothing like a lesbian pop-tart! But in all reality we still do have Lindsay.
To commemorate the end of the Police’s reunion tour, Sting shaved off his tour beard in front of the sold out Madison Square Garden show Thursday. After an hour of performing, Sting and band mates Andy Summer and Stewart Copeland, left the stage. The crowd was treated to a video screen with a bare-chested Sting backstage on a makeup chair, allowing two women to shave his facial hair. Wow, must have been a slow news week, if Sting shaving his beard is making headlines.
And finally, Jewel’s publicist says the singer-songwriter has married rodeo star Ty Murray. Jewel and Murray, who never formally announced their engagement, eloped to the Bahamas and wed in a private ceremony Thursday night, her representative told People magazine exclusively. ”She wore a traditional wedding gown, while Ty wore his favorite blue jeans, white shirt and cowboy hat,” the publicist said. “The couple is very happy and look forward to enjoying their honeymoon.” People said the newlyweds have been together for a decade and share a 2,200-acre ranch in Texas. Murray was the host of “Ty Murray’s Celebrity Bull-Riding Challenge” on CMT last year, while Jewel was recently a celebrity judge on NBC’s “Nashville Star.” Jewel has also acted in the 1999 film “Ride with the Devil.” Yeah, the stars of the 90’s that get married always are important to me. When is Gerardo going to get married?
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