The November elections just got a little sexier! America’s most wanted couple, Eva Marcille and Lance Gross pose in the latest Barack The Vote campaign ad! And I must say, they have inspired me to go out and…go to the gym!! What, did you think two gorgeous people with great bodies and killer looks would actually inspire me to vote?

Ha!

Eddie Murphy talks movie retirement on Today show interview.

The BLACKARAZZI TEAM caught up with gospel singer Kirk and Tammy Franklin at the happening Beverly Hills spot ‘Crustacean’ and he spoke his mind about the recent Kobe Bryant diss from Shaq.

Tennis may not have been the only thing on Serena Williams‘ mind at Wimbledon.

Her maybe-boyfriend Common was in London in the days leading up to the match against her sister, Venus, according to a source.

“Common flew over to London to hang with Serena,” the source reports. “He was running around with the Williams entourage.”

I’m told Serena rented a house in the London-area, while the Wanted star had a room at a hotel.

The two were spotted leaving a group dinner together on Thursday night. Common apparently left the next morning for a concert gig in Germany.

Common’s rep said, “I know he’s over there for some tour dates, so he could have gone to Wimbledon.” Williams’ rep did not comment.

Reports of a possible romance first surfaced late last year, but the two have never confirmed anything. “I think he’s a great guy,” Serena told Ebony magazine earlier this summer. “He’s obviously a great artist who is timeless and classic. You can’t beat that. But I have to focus on tennis, because that’s my goal in life.”

UPDATE: Although Serena may have Common flying over to London, according to this interview, ex Jackie Long won’t even watch Wimbledon!

SOURCE

MIAMI — Alex Rodriguez’s wife will file for divorce Monday, according to media reports.

Cynthia Rodriguez, who married the New York Yankees star in 2002, says the marriage is over because of the All-Star third baseman’s extramarital affairs, according to reports that appeared Sunday on the Web sites of Houston television station KTRK and The Miami Herald.

The reports come just days after Alex Rodriguez was linked to Madonna in various media outlets and Cynthia Rodriguez’s subsequent visit to the Paris home of rocker Lenny Kravitz, who said she came to France to escape the media frenzy in New York and denied that anything improper had happened.

Houston attorney Earle Lilly, who said he was hired by Cynthia Rodriguez last week to launch the divorce case, told KTRK the star’s “relationship with Madonna was the final straw for Mrs. Rodriguez.”

Rodriguez’s wife also is represented by attorneys Maurice Kutner and Anthony Sabatino, both of Miami, and John Van Ness of Houston, the Herald reported.

“She feels that she has exhausted every opportunity to salvage the marriage, and that Alex has emotionally abandoned her and the children and has left her with no choice but to divorce him,” Kutner told the newspaper.

The former Cynthia Scurtis and Rodriguez were married Nov. 2, 2002, in Dallas. They have two children, Natasha Alexander and Ella Alexander, who was born April 21.

The suit is expected to be filed early Monday in Dade County Family Court.

Lilly did not immediately return a phone call from The Associated Press.

Alex Rodriguez has refused to comment on his relationship with Madonna, who denied any romantic involvement with the slugger in a statement posted Sunday on people.com.

“I know Alex Rodriguez through Guy Oseary, who manages both of us,” Madonna said. “I brought my kids to a Yankee game. I am not romantically involved in any way with Alex Rodriguez. I have nothing to do with the state of his marriage or what spiritual path he may choose to study.”

Will Smith did Hancock a solid.

Smith has star-powered the poorly reviewed superhero hybrid to a $66 million opening weekend, and a No. 1 finish, according to Exhibitor Relations estimates today.

WALL-E, last weekend’s champ, stayed strong, grossing another $33.4 million, but finished a distant second.
Hancock goes down as Smith’s seventh straight movie to open No. 1. If you count Shark Tale, the 2004 animated comedy, as a Smith movie, his streak stands at eight straight.
Overall, Hancock has grossed $107.3 million since “previewing” on Tuesday night and “opening” on Wednesday.

On closing night of the COGIC AIM CONFERENCE, Bishop Blake, pastor of West Angeles Church in Los Angeles, CA, was impressed by the Holy Spirit to pray for attendees of the Detroit conference, especially those that traveled from other states. According to an eyewitness, Blake was very concerned about safety, believing something tragic might happen to someone at the Conference.

That night, according to a NY TIMES article, a Brooklyn pastor and acclaimed gospel singer was critically injured and his wife was killed when their vehicle was hit head-on by a car that was headed the wrong way on a Pennsylvania highway, the authorities said.

The Rev. Timothy Wright, 61, founder and pastor of Grace Tabernacle Christian Center in Crown Heights, was in critical condition late Saturday at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pa., a hospital spokesman said.

His wife, Betty Wright, 58, the church’s co-pastor, died in the accident, the police said. The couple’s grandson, D. J. Wright, 14, who was the only other passenger in the vehicle, was in the intensive care unit at Geisinger Medical Center late Saturday.

Pastor Wright has recorded more than 10 albums of gospel music and been nominated for several Grammy Awards.

The accident occurred about 10:30 p.m. on Friday on Interstate 80 in Greene Township in north central Pennsylvania, about 200 miles west of New York City, the Pennsylvania State Police said.

Pastor Wright and his family had been returning from a church conference in Detroit, said a man who identified himself as a trustee at Grace Tabernacle on Saturday night.

Pastor Wright’s vehicle, which was traveling in the interstate’s eastbound lanes, was struck head-on by a car that was headed west, the police said.

The driver of that car also was killed. He was identified by the police as John Pick, 44, of Lewisburg, Pa.

After the collision, the pastor’s vehicle was struck again from behind, the police said.

Pastor Wright, who has collaborated with a number of traditional and contemporary gospel performers and choirs, began composing songs as a teenager.

In 1976, he started his own choir, and he has had a series of gospel hits, including, “Troubles Don’t Last Always,” “Who’s on the Lord’s Side?” and, most recently, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.”

A touring schedule on his MySpace page lists performances that were to have started on Wednesday in Jasper, Tex.

Word on the street is Alicia Keys married longtime partner Kerry “Krucial” Brothers Jr. on the 4th of July. Not sure if this is true yet, but last time we caught up with Mr. Brothers he mentioned he was going to be in the lab while Alicia went on tour?! Hmmmm…we’ll keep you updated!

Melyssa Ford, in all her glory, stepped out to Beverly Hills hot spot ‘Crustacean’ during the 2008 BET AWARDS weekend in Los Angeles!

The stunner had all the paps going ga-ga, but she only talked to the BLACKARAZZI about her future plans! Check it out!

It’s good to be a Williams. Finally.

And not just because the family will deposit up to $2.710 million in winnings following a very productive fortnight at Wimbledon.

It’s been 14 years since Venus turned pro, setting the table for little sister to arrive shortly thereafter. In the decade since, the sport of tennis - from its governing bodies to the establishment elite to sponsors and fans in the cheap sets - has been, let’s face it, ambivalent about them.

Sometimes they were cheered. Often they were booed.

They were sometimes hailed as “faces” of the sport. More often they were kept at racket’s length by a sport that didn’t know what to do with the braided girls from Compton and their father, Richard.

They were criticized for being less focused than we wanted them to be. Criticized for wanting to have well-rounded lives filled with goals beyond tennis. How dare they?! 

And on Madison Avenue, they were never Maria Shaparova.

Their matches against each other were diced and dissected like none other, and the family battles never lived up to expectations. To hopes.

Until Saturday.

Venus’ 7-5, 6-4 victory over Serena in the Wimbledon women’s singles final was not particularly brilliant, which would have been difficult given the windy conditions. But it was dramatic. It was intriguing. It was filled with twists and turns.

And in the end “the best Williams won,” as Venus had said going into the final. More important, neither Williams lost. Fittingly, it moved their head-to-head record to 8-8.

Venus simply proved to be the better Williams on the surface where she has now won five championships. And sister Serena had nothing to be ashamed of.

And it seemed that on the sport’s greatest stage, with two of the game’s icons - Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova - cheering from the royal box, the Williamses were finally loved.

They saved the fortnight, just as they’ve largely carried women’s tennis for the last decade. And for once it seemed as if those who watched didn’t act as if they were let  down or disappointed that a) the Williamses were facing each other in the final, or b) how it played out.

The Williamses have been through much as we watched them grow. Injuries crippled them. Family strife (their parents’ divorce) pained them. Tragedy (the murder of their sister) broke their hearts.

And each time they played each other it seemed as if it was the last place either of them wanted to be - because, like loving siblings, neither wanted to cause the other to feel the pain of defeat

They’re now 28 and 26, respectively, still Big Sister and Little Sister, but full-blown women back at the peak of their games. And mature enough to compete with each other without reservation.

So now maybe tennis is finally ready to enjoy and appreciate them, finally ready to give the Williams sisters their long overdue respect.

The 2008 BET AWARDS brought out all the stars to Hollywood, including our favorite “it” boy, Mr. Jackie Long, who was happy to update the world on his upcoming projects, but shut down when asked about Wimbledon. (For the record, we ain’t even mention Serena!).

Will Smith and David Letterman kiss. The gays have hope!

Oh to be in love! America’s Next Top Model alum, Eva “Pigford” Marcille, appeared in Hollywood last night with her beau Lance Gross (House of Payne) for a BET AWARDS 2008 pre-party. The gorgeous model turned actress discussed her new acting gig, and her one year romance with the real McChocolate! Damn Henry Simmons, you gave that up?!

The event was at the Hollywood Billiards and was hosted by Dwayne Wade, where each celebrity raised money for charity.

The BLACKARAZZI TEAM caught up with Common last night at Boost Mobile’s free concert, Rock Corps, where young people were able to see a free concert after doing four hours of community service. The sexy “WANTED” star discusses everything with us - from his new movie, album, and what we can expect from him in the future.

Then he goes on stage to perfrom, passing a by a very scorned looking Jackie Long. Thank God Serena is at Wimbeldon!

Ice-T responds back to Souljah Boy’s response video. Phew. This is getting complicated! But truthfully, if this was coming from Ice Cube, then maybe he’d have a point, but ICE-T? Wasn’t he a corny ass nigga back then, just like he’s claiming Souljah Boy to be? Weren’t hip hop heads saying gangsta rap was killing hip hop back then? Didn’t people say Cop Killer was garbage?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about the internet beef between SOULJAH BOY AND ICE-T (LINK).

But the biggest name is hip hop is coming out to defend Souljah boy on Ice-T’s allegations that Souljah boy single handedly killed hip hop! (And Ice-T you need to single-handedly kill the perm!) Come on Ice, I bet you still know how to do the dance. Lighten up. Ohhhhhhh!

So which big name rapper defended Souljah Boy?

KANYE BLOGS: Soulja boy is fresh ass hell and is actually the true meaning of what hip hop is sposed to be. He came from the hood, made his own beats, made up a new saying, new sound and a new dance with one song. He had all of America rapping this summer. If that ain’t helping Hip Hop then what is? A bunch of wannabe keep it real rappers that ain’t even relevant, recycling samples trying to act like it’s 96 again and all they do is hate on new shit? Niggas always talk about the golden age but for a 13 year old kid, this is the golden age!!! That song was so dope cause everything he said had a hidden meaning… that’s Nas level shit… he just put it over some steel drums which is also some Nas shit if you had the 2nd album cassette with the bonus track “Silent Murder” on it. In closing… new niggas get ya money$$$$$$$$$$$ Keep this shit fresh and original…. ain’t no fuckin’ rules to this shit and that’s what real hip hop is to me.

We agree with ya Kanye.

This is the most exciting news I’ve heard all week! Alicia Keyes is set to perform with En Vogue at the BET AWARDS this Tuesday. But the big mystery is, will estranged member Dawn Robinson appear on the show, or is she still too “diva” to reunite with the funky divas!

It seems like everytime 50 Cent has an album coming out, he gets into beef with someone (i.e. Young Buck, The Game, and his Baby Mama). But he’s taken his manufactured beefs to the KINGS of manufactured beef, TACO BELL!

The fast food chain has challenged the rapper to change his name from 50–to 79, 89, or 99 Cent in connection with its new “Why Pay More” value menu for one day this summer.

Also part of the deal– “Fiddy” (a.k.a. Curtis Jackson) must stop by any Taco Bell restaurant of his choosing and rap his order at the drive-thru using his new moniker.

If he completes his mission, Taco Bell has vowed to donate $10,000 to a charity of the rapper’s choice. In addition, it will feed all of the guests at the Taco Bell location that 50 Cent ends up choosing.

In a letter to 50 Cent obtained on Wednesday by OK!, Taco Bell President and CEO Greg Creed writes, “We know that you adopted the name 50 Cent years ago as a metaphor for change. We at Taco Bell are also huge advocates for change… We encourage you to ‘Think Outside the Bun’ and hope you accept our offer.”

That’s no chump change!

50 Cent reacted angrily, “When my legal team is finished with them, Taco Bell is going to have a new corporate slogan: ‘We messed with the bull and got the horns!’”, said Fiddy. Meanwhile, a spokesman for the hip hop icon called the plan “disingenuous” and “a sleazy and ill-conceived publicity stunt”.

OKAY MAGAZINE

Last night a reporter from The New York Observer ran into Gossip Girl’s Nicole Fiscella at the Simon Wiesenthal Tribute Dinner at the Plaza honoring Whoopi Goldberg. Ms. Fiscella, 28, wearing a belted, coral-colored sheer dress with patent leather chunky heels, was excited to talk about her life outside of the show (the girl is getting her masters!) and what it’s like playing a high-school girl 10 years younger than herself.

She’s Amazing! Read below…

We heard you’re enrolled at University of Bridgeport?

Yeah, I’m getting my master’s in nutrition.

Nutrition? How did you get into that?

Both of my parents are doctors, so we were always the health-nut family. I think I always wanted to do something in the medical field a little bit, but not as far as being a doctor, so this is a good median.

Will you pursue that after your acting career?

Absolutely. I’m hopefully going to pursue everything at the same time. I’m on my summer break right now, but while I’m filming, I’m studying. I’m getting my masters online, so there’s a lot of work. I don’t get to be as fun as everybody else, and I have to work on Saturdays and Sundays, but it’s good and I want to do it. I have a really good in right now because I’m sort of in that world of people who need a lot of nutrition expertise — you know all the celebrities, actors, always needing that kind of stuff. And you know I’ve been a model forever, so I know a lot of girls that, you know, need help.

Were you pressured to lose 10 pounds while you were modeling?

No, never, never. I think I’m naturally really thin. Also, my mom’s really little, so I didn’t have any problems with that. I know girls that have, and it’s really tough for them because they go into starvation mode. I’ve been lucky though and I work out a lot.

How did you prepare for playing someone a few years younger than you?

A lot of years younger. Yeah, you know, it’s fun. I think I get some inspiration from my younger brother, who’s 19, so it’s around that age, and he’ll tell me what all his little girls say and everything like that. So that helps. It’s fun. I like it, and hell, if I can live young forever, why not?

The Game to 50: “Hoe as N*gga don’t respect nothing but a d*ck!”

From HUFFINGTON POST:

The rap blogs are abuzz today about rap superstar 50 Cent, but it’s not because of a hot new song or a premature leak of his new record Terminate On Sight. No, if the blogs are in a frenzy it must mean only one thing: beef.

Beef (friction or hostility between two rappers or camps) fuels the hip-hop world, via DVDs, YouTube missives and almost instantaneous volleys issued via impromptu songs. What was once a carefully plotted war of words between two adversaries is now more akin to a slap fight, with artists utilizing Web 2.0 platforms such as social networking sites and video streaming to respond to any real (or perceived) threats or disrespectful diatribes mere hours after they’ve been issued.

50 is no stranger to the process, nor does he fare poorly when it comes to defending his hip-hop honor. A beef with multi-platinum artist Ja Rule in the early part of the decade effectively shut down the latter’s career; since then the artist formerly known as Curtis Jackson has put many others in his sights, including longtime Bronx rapper Fat Joe and prodigal son The Game, who was kicked out of Jackson’s G Unit stable of artists for perceived disloyalty. The Game responded with a torrent of responses to the taunts and put-downs of 50 but to no avail; in the eyes of rap fans he was marginalized to a caricature of the artist whose silver spoon has been snatched away.

In this most recent episode, another of G Unit’s members has become the latest to feel the wrath of the millionaire rapper’s disdain. Young Buck, a Nashville rapper known for his lackadaisical drawl and Deep South roots had complained in the past months to various media sources about the poor financial handling of his recording budget and publishing royalties. While no actual shots were fired in Jackson’s direction, it was clear enough to most fans that Buck was unhappy with his mentor; this titillated fans — even the most subtle of criticism could lead Jackson to the equivalent of the nuclear option, one of his trademark “diss” records, complete with a rambling rant against the offender over a menacing, looping beat.

Buck’s displeasure with his boss eventually boiled over into his publicly denouncing Jackson and G-Unit on a video quickly and widely distributed throughout the web. Within hours, Jackson had retaliated, and what a retaliation it was: instead of heading to the studio to record a quick response via lyrics, Jackson (or a member of his entourage) released a recorded telephone conversation between himself and Buck where the latter is pleading for some sort of forgiveness and help with his financial situation. Eventually Buck breaks down and begins audibly sobbing as Jackson consoles and reassures him. The taped phone call spread like wildfire via popular hip-hop blogs.

The fans had a field day, of course. Many pointed out their pleasure in the hypocrisy of a rapper with a stone-cold, hyper-violent facade being exposed as a sort of sniveling supplicant. Others praised Jackson’s business prowess and noted that he had supposedly given Buck the support for a lucrative career, having been forced to release the audio only after Buck bit at the hand that fed him. Many more, however, questioned the moral and ethical implications of the phone call’s release. When does the fantasy world of rap music end and real life begin? Is it acceptable to bring a human being’s obviously honest distress into a world of pseudo-tough-guy confrontation?

I remember in the 90s when Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. were at the height of their beef, which eventually lead to an all-out East Coast versus West Coast rivalry. The tracks aimed at each opponent were invigorating and virtuoso in their barbed precision. But then I remember when the words actually lead to bullets, and I remember watching the news soberly after each of those rappers were brutally gunned down. It gave us all pause to wonder whether the lines had been blurred, whether life had somehow become too involved with the art that attempted to imitate it.

So this newest (and possibly most brutal) incident of beef worries me. This is certainly the stuff that destroys careers. But it’s also the type of action that drives someone over the edge. What do you think? Is all fair in rap and war? Or has 50 Cent just taken rap music and its intrinsically divisive nature into a dangerous place?

SOURCE

Racial prejudice in the fashion industry has long persisted because of tokenism and lookism. “We already have our black girl,” says a designer to a fashion-show casting agent, declining to see others. Or: “She doesn’t have the right look.” Laziness, paranoia and pedantry may also have something to do with the failure to hire black models for shows and magazine features in any meaningful number, but, hey, that’s just a guess.

A decade ago the thing to deplore was the stereotyping of black models by dressing them in African-inspired clothes (or the Asian girls in kimonos). This at least gave work to minority models, but it also encouraged a Western view of African culture of the many-bangles-many-beads variety.

O.K., so fashion ain’t deep. It looks into a mirror and sees … itself. The irony in fashion is that it loves change but it can’t actually change anything. It can only reflect a change in the air. But what changes fashion? What would finally move American designers to include more black models on their runways? That 30 percent of the country is nonwhite? That black women spend $20 billion a year on clothes? That an African-American is the presumptive presidential nominee of the Democratic Party?

The answer is the individual eye.

In fashion, one of the most influential eyes belongs to the photographer Steven Meisel. His pictures have caught an America basking in the earnest, self-reflected glow of celebrity and money. He has taken innumerable risks, especially with “Sex,” the 1992 volume he did with Madonna, that have paid off with a career that allows him to do whatever he wants.

And he has almost lovingly photographed some of the world’s beautiful women, tapping into their psyches, connecting with them on a human level, while transforming them into fashion deities.

As the model Veronica Webb, who first worked with Mr. Meisel 20 years ago, said: “Steven knows every single tic, every talent that every girl has. He just pulls it out of them.”

For the July issue of Italian Vogue, Mr. Meisel has photographed only black models. In a reverse of the general pattern of fashion magazines, all the faces are black, and all the feature topics are related to black women in the arts and entertainment. Mr. Meisel was given roughly 100 pages for his pictures. The issue will be on European newsstands next Thursday and in the United States soon after.

Under its editor, Franca Sozzani, Italian Vogue has gained a reputation for being more about art and ideas than commerce. Ms. Sozzani also doesn’t mind controversy.

She said that, as an Italian, she has been intrigued by the American presidential race and Mr. Obama, which was one source of inspiration when she and Mr. Meisel began discussing, in February, the idea of an all-black issue. Also, she was aware of the lack of diversity on the runways in recent years and the debate it fueled last fall in New York, where Bethann Hardison, a former model who ran a successful agency, held two panel discussions on the topic.

Ms. Sozzani said the issue was not a response to criticism that she, too, has under-represented blacks or portrayed them as stereotypes.

“Mine is not a magazine that can be accused of not using black girls,” said Ms. Sozzani, noting that Naomi Campbell has had several covers, and that Liya Kebede and Alek Wek have also had covers.

Having worked at one time with nearly all the models he chose for the black issue — Iman, Ms. Campbell, Tyra Banks, Jourdan Dunn, Ms. Kebede, Ms. Wek, Pat Cleveland, Karen Alexander — Mr. Meisel had his own feelings. “I thought, it’s ridiculous, this discrimination,” said Mr. Meisel, speaking by phone from his home in Los Angeles. “It’s so crazy to live in such a narrow, narrow place. Age, weight, sexuality, race — every kind of prejudice.”

He began casting in March. “I love the history of fashion, obviously, and I love old, and I tried to get as many of the older girls as I could,” he said.

Over Ms. Sozzani’s initial objections, he also hired Toccara Jones, a full-figure model, who became known from “America’s Next Top Model.” “I wanted to say something about weight, and I’m never allowed to do that,” he said. “I met Toccara and thought, she’s beautiful. What’s the deal with her? She’s great and she’s sexy.”

If these pictures have a heightened sense of glamour, it probably has something to do with the atmosphere of a Meisel shoot. According to Ms. Webb, “it’s the darkest studio, like a studio at MGM.”

There are fans and reflectors; many assistants. An area is marked “Hair” and another “Makeup.” (Pat McGrath did all the makeup for the issue, and Guido Palau did the hair.) A mirror is placed behind Mr. Meisel, so the model can see herself.

“It’s a dark world,” Ms. Webb said, “and you’re in the spotlight.”

The four pictures that Ms. Campbell was supposed to make turned into 20. She also appears on the fold-out cover, along with Ms. Kebede, Sessilee Lopez and Ms. Dunn. “Franca doesn’t realize what she’s done for people of color,” Ms. Campbell said the other day. “It reminds me of Yves using all the black models.” She was referring to Yves Saint Laurent, who, like Gianni Versace and a handful of other designers, routinely cast minorities.

Mr. Meisel has his own theories about why black models, save for the token few, have disappeared from runways. “Perhaps the designers, perhaps the magazine editors,” he said. “They are the powerful people. And the advertisers. I have asked my advertising clients so many times, ‘Can we use a black girl?’ They say no.” The concern is that consumers will resist the product, he said. “It all comes down to money.”

Ashley Brokaw, an independent casting agent in New York, believes that designers want more diversity in their casts but, she said, “what they want and what the reality is are two different things.” She thinks that agencies don’t spend enough time to groom new models for the catwalk, making it easy for designers to reject them, and then the cycle of new faces is spinning faster and faster.

But it’s also true that designers, in spite of their creative powers, yearn for the approval of insiders. “They are looking around, over their shoulders, asking, ‘Is that cool?’ ” Mr. Meisel said. He agreed that it’s a crazy kind of paranoia. Whether it’s a new model or hip style, he said with a laugh, “It can only be stated by a certain five people and then they go with it.”

What is striking about Mr. Meisel’s pictures, especially a portrait of Ms. Banks in a soft head-wrap and one of Ms. Lopez in a neat brocade turban, is how much beauty and life he was able to extract from them, so that you almost feel you are seeing these women for the first time.

Ms. Hardison hopes that the Italian Vogue issue (to which she contributed) will open people’s eyes in the industry. “They need to see what they’re missing out there,” she said. This week, in its July issue, American Vogue will have an article about the dearth of black models.

Perhaps no individual, though, will know what it means to be included more than Ms. Lopez. Last year, she barely worked. Ms. Brokaw predicts that after insiders see Mr. Meisel’s pictures, she will have a terrific season.
This kind of perplexes and delights Mr. Meisel.

“Here’s this exquisite girl,” he said, addressing no one in particular. “What don’t you get? She’s a beautiful woman. There was no trick to it.”

Queen Latifah showed her face, and now she wants to be shown the money.

According to E! Online, the Oscar-nominated actress (Chicago) has sued a small production company for allegedly failing to compensate her after she made a cameo as “Mrs. Christmas” in a 2007 indie film.

According to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, California-based financier Perfect Christmas Productions agreed to pay Latifah $275,000 for her role in the family comedy The Perfect Holiday (not to be confused with Last Holiday, in which she starred as a mousy office worker who finds out that she only has weeks to live).

The film, which also starred Terrence Howard and Gabrielle Union, only grossed $5.8 million last year. Maybe she should just ask for producer credit!

The PUSSYCAT DOLLS have been good to member Melody Thornton. But sometimes playing background ain’t enough. Check out Melody’s vocals and give me one reason why she isn’t the lead pussycat!

CHECK OUT VIDEO BELOW!

CSI star Gary Dourdan is joining the troubled stars on the second season of hard-hitting reality show “Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew,” according to reports.

The actor was arrested in California in April after police found drugs in his car. He agreed a deal in court requiring him pay a $4,500 fine and to complete a 16-class drug program.

According to the National Enquirer, producers of the show approached Dourdan shortly after the plea bargain and asked him to take part in the series - and he agreed.

A source tells the tabloid, “Gary knows he screwed up, but he wants to stay in the public eye. He didn’t think twice about doing the show. He’s used to being on TV.”

A spokesperson for the show refused to confirm Dourdan’s involvement. It is rumored he will join Rod Stewart’s son Sean, singer Tawny Kitaen, Grease star Jeff Conaway and rocker Steve Adler in rehab.

The 21-day program, lead by Dr. Drew Pinsky, will air in October. Filming began on Monday.

Young Buck responds to 50’s recent released conversation between the two, where Buck basically begs 50 to keep him in the crew! A year later, Buck sings a different tune, and he cuts deep! If this is manufactured beef or not, it’s still juicy!

How can you not love her? But wait there’s more!

The High Court in South Africa has ruled that Chinese South Africans are to be reclassified as black people.

What????!!!!

The High Court in South Africa has ruled that Chinese South Africans are to be reclassified as black people.

It made the order so that ethnic Chinese can benefit from government policies aimed at ending white domination in the private sector.

The Chinese Association of South Africa took the government to court, saying its members had been discriminated against.

An estimated 200,000 ethnic Chinese live in South Africa.

The association said their members often failed to qualify for business contracts and job promotions because they were regarded as whites.

The association said Chinese South Africans had faced widespread discrimination during the years of apartheid when they had been classified as people of mixed race.

The BBC’s Mpho Lakaje in Johannesburg says the Broad-Based Economic Empowerment and the Employment Equity Acts were designed to eradicate the legacy of apartheid which left many black people impoverished.

The laws give people classed as blacks, Indians and coloureds (mixed-race) employment and other economic benefits over other racial groups.

The Black Economic Employment concept was initiated by the governing ANC to help previously disadvantaged individuals - to start their own businesses or become part of existing companies - thus redressing the country’s historic inequalities.

Whites still on top

Our correspondent says the ruling provides clarity for corporations in South Africa on the rights of their Chinese staff - who were declared “coloured” under apartheid but are generally regarded as white today.

An example cited in court papers includes an oil company that disqualified Chinese citizens from getting a slice of its biggest empowerment transaction to date.

The company says the group is not catered for in the Black Economic Empowerment codes.

Another example includes a Chinese national who was refused an opportunity to buy shares from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange two years ago.

None of the three government departments cited as respondents in the court case opposed the application.

A study released last month revealed that white South Africans still earn around 450% more than their black counterparts, 14 years after the end of apartheid.

SOURCE: BBC

Former Destiny Child member, Michelle Williams, goes gay in Los Angeles this Wednesday at Club Metro to perform her single, “We Break the Dawn!”

Ivan Daniels Productions is bringing the former gospel chanteuse to Club Metro, - ever since Beyonce snapped for the kids female R&B acts have been clamouring for the black gay dollars (even though Janet has the “kids” on lock!). Like Ciara’s upcoming Fantasy Ride, which is set to include a track called “Work,” which is an homage to voguing. We hope this boost both of their careers, I mean Michelle had to backslide from her gospel roots and everything!

This phone call was intense. I actually feel sorry for Young Buck, but daymn that “F*ck 50 Cent” video he shouted out could hurt him bad. Will 50 cent let back on the roster even after he weeps in front of 50?

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Barack and Michelle Obama appear on the cover of the Us Weekly hitting newsstands later this week, further establishing their crossover appeal as both political and entertainment figures.

The magazine will feature a six-page article on the Obamas’ love story as well as an album of family photos. The cover is headlined “Michelle Obama: Why Barack Loves Her” and teases, “She shops at Target, loved ‘Sex and the City’ and never misses the girls’ recitals. The untold romance between a down-to-earth mom and the man who calls her ‘my rock.’”

In February, Barack Obama sat down with Us for a Q&A (where he notoriously refused to answer the boxers-or-briefs question). That article, combined with Hillary Clinton’s “My Worst Outfits Ever” spread critiquing poor past fashion choices, helped establish political figures’ appeal to celebrity magazines, one of the new trends emerging from this campaign season.

An excerpt of the Obamas’ love story is to be posted on UsMagazine.com Wednesday morning. For the full story, pick up a copy of the magazine, which hits newsstands nationwide on Friday (Wednesday in New York and Los Angeles).

P.Diddy has decided to take a chance on Hollywood renting a $5.5
million dollar house in the Hollywood Hills!

The king of the Hampton’s annual white party who is just back from yachting in Cannes, Diddy of course did not rent any house. His four bedroom rental has a white marble kitchen, private screening room, infinity pool with jacuzzi and private cabana, and a deck which runs the
length of the house with sweeping views of Hollywood. The open design floor plan will allow Diddy to look down on Hollywood from practically every room in the house. The house also comes with lush
gardens, waterfall, and outdoor fireplaces. Beauty like this does not come cheap and Diddy will fork over $29,000 a month for this pad.

The gated compound of the house will afford Diddy to maintain complete security on his temporary home. The house is on the market so if Diddy really enjoys himself, he could make his Hollywood move permanent!

No, you aren’t seeing things. That really is a giant-sized replica of EDDIE MURPHY’s head! Actress GABRIELLE UNION is explaining the story behind it to ET’s KEVIN FRAZIER, and she’s even taking Kevin on a tour inside Eddie’s head!

It’s all for their new movie, ‘Meet Dave,’ Gabrielle explains!

“We play two-inch-tall people who have arrived to Earth in a vessel shaped as our captain, played by Eddie Murphy,” Gabrielle says. “So, there’s us little people inside a big Eddie.”

In ‘Meet Dave,’ which opens on July 11, Dave Ming Chang (Eddie) is a newcomer to New York City who doesn’t quite fit in — the main reason being that “Dave” is actually a ship made in the image of its miniature captain!

If you want to ‘Meet Dave,’ you can check out the traveling head yourself as it makes its way around the United States, ending up in Times Square for 4th of July weekend!

The uber-fabulous first family of Hollywood, The Smiths, stepped out in Hollywood for the premeire of daughter Willow’s new film American Girl. Are they not the most beautiful family ever!

Ever!

EVER!

EVERRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

Barack Obama and his family celebrated Father’s Day by attending Sunday services at the Apostolic Church of God on Chicago’s South Side, where Obama gave a speech highly critical of absent black fathers. He urged them to remember their filial responsibilities and be more engaged in raising their children. Obama reminded the congregation of his own experience growing up without a father, saying that if he could be anything in life, he would be a good father to his daughters.

Read Obama’s speech below.

Good morning. It’s good to be home on this Father’s Day with my girls, and it’s an honor to spend some time with all of you today in the house of our Lord.

At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus closes by saying, “Whoever hears these words of mine, and does them, shall be likened to a wise man who built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock.” [Matthew 7: 24-25]

Here at Apostolic, you are blessed to worship in a house that has been founded on the rock of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. But it is also built on another rock, another foundation - and that rock is Bishop Arthur Brazier. In forty-eight years, he has built this congregation from just a few hundred to more than 20,000 strong - a congregation that, because of his leadership, has braved the fierce winds and heavy rains of violence and poverty; joblessness and hopelessness. Because of his work and his ministry, there are more graduates and fewer gang members in the neighborhoods surrounding this church. There are more homes and fewer homeless. There is more community and less chaos because Bishop Brazier continued the march for justice that he began by Dr. King’s side all those years ago. He is the reason this house has stood tall for half a century. And on this Father’s Day, it must make him proud to know that the man now charged with keeping its foundation strong is his son and your new pastor, Reverend Byron Brazier.

Of all the rocks upon which we build our lives, we are reminded today that family is the most important. And we are called to recognize and honor how critical every father is to that foundation. They are teachers and coaches. They are mentors and role models. They are examples of success and the men who constantly push us toward it.

But if we are honest with ourselves, we’ll admit that what too many fathers also are is missing - missing from too many lives and too many homes. They have abandoned their responsibilities, acting like boys instead of men. And the foundations of our families are weaker because of it.

You and I know how true this is in the African-American community. We know that more than half of all black children live in single-parent households, a number that has doubled - doubled - since we were children. We know the statistics - that children who grow up without a father are five times more likely to live in poverty and commit crime; nine times more likely to drop out of schools and twenty times more likely to end up in prison. They are more likely to have behavioral problems, or run away from home, or become teenage parents themselves. And the foundations of our community are weaker because of it.

How many times in the last year has this city lost a child at the hands of another child? How many times have our hearts stopped in the middle of the night with the sound of a gunshot or a siren? How many teenagers have we seen hanging around on street corners when they should be sitting in a classroom? How many are sitting in prison when they should be working, or at least looking for a job? How many in this generation are we willing to lose to poverty or violence or addiction? How many?

Yes, we need more cops on the street. Yes, we need fewer guns in the hands of people who shouldn’t have them. Yes, we need more money for our schools, and more outstanding teachers in the classroom, and more afterschool programs for our children. Yes, we need more jobs and more job training and more opportunity in our communities.

But we also need families to raise our children. We need fathers to realize that responsibility does not end at conception. We need them to realize that what makes you a man is not the ability to have a child - it’s the courage to raise one.

We need to help all the mothers out there who are raising these kids by themselves; the mothers who drop them off at school, go to work, pick up them up in the afternoon, work another shift, get dinner, make lunches, pay the bills, fix the house, and all the other things it takes both parents to do. So many of these women are doing a heroic job, but they need support. They need another parent. Their children need another parent. That’s what keeps their foundation strong. It’s what keeps the foundation of our country strong.

I know what it means to have an absent father, although my circumstances weren’t as tough as they are for many young people today. Even though my father left us when I was two years old, and I only knew him from the letters he wrote and the stories that my family told, I was luckier than most. I grew up in Hawaii, and had two wonderful grandparents from Kansas who poured everything they had into helping my mother raise my sister and me - who worked with her to teach us about love and respect and the obligations we have to one another. I screwed up more often than I should’ve, but I got plenty of second chances. And even though we didn’t have a lot of money, scholarships gave me the opportunity to go to some of the best schools in the country. A lot of kids don’t get these chances today. There is no margin for error in their lives. So my own story is different in that way.

Still, I know the toll that being a single parent took on my mother - how she struggled at times to the pay bills; to give us the things that other kids had; to play all the roles that both parents are supposed to play. And I know the toll it took on me. So I resolved many years ago that it was my obligation to break the cycle - that if I could be anything in life, I would be a good father to my girls; that if I could give them anything, I would give them that rock - that foundation - on which to build their lives. And that would be the greatest gift I could offer.

I say this knowing that I have been an imperfect father - knowing that I have made mistakes and will continue to make more; wishing that I could be home for my girls and my wife more than I am right now. I say this knowing all of these things because even as we are imperfect, even as we face difficult circumstances, there are still certain lessons we must strive to live and learn as fathers - whether we are black or white; rich or poor; from the South Side or the wealthiest suburb.

The first is setting an example of excellence for our children - because if we want to set high expectations for them, we’ve got to set high expectations for ourselves. It’s great if you have a job; it’s even better if you have a college degree. It’s a wonderful thing if you are married and living in a home with your children, but don’t just sit in the house and watch “SportsCenter” all weekend long. That’s why so many children are growing up in front of the television. As fathers and parents, we’ve got to spend more time with them, and help them with their homework, and replace the video game or the remote control with a book once in awhile. That’s how we build that foundation.

We know that education is everything to our children’s future. We know that they will no longer just compete for good jobs with children from Indiana, but children from India and China and all over the world. We know the work and the studying and the level of education that requires.

You know, sometimes I’ll go to an eighth-grade graduation and there’s all that pomp and circumstance and gowns and flowers. And I think to myself, it’s just eighth grade. To really compete, they need to graduate high school, and then they need to graduate college, and they probably need a graduate degree too. An eighth-grade education doesn’t cut it today. Let’s give them a handshake and tell them to get their butts back in the library!

It’s up to us - as fathers and parents - to instill this ethic of excellence in our children. It’s up to us to say to our daughters, don’t ever let images on TV tell you what you are worth, because I expect you to dream without limit and reach for those goals. It’s up to us to tell our sons, those songs on the radio may glorify violence, but in my house we live glory to achievement, self respect, and hard work. It’s up to us to set these high expectations. And that means meeting those expectations ourselves. That means setting examples of excellence in our own lives.

The second thing we need to do as fathers is pass along the value of empathy to our children. Not sympathy, but empathy - the ability to stand in somebody else’s shoes; to look at the world through their eyes. Sometimes it’s so easy to get caught up in “us,” that we forget about our obligations to one another. There’s a culture in our society that says remembering these obligations is somehow soft - that we can’t show weakness, and so therefore we can’t show kindness.

But our young boys and girls see that. They see when you are ignoring or mistreating your wife. They see when you are inconsiderate at home; or when you are distant; or when you are thinking only of yourself. And so it’s no surprise when we see that behavior in our schools or on our streets. That’s why we pass on the values of empathy and kindness to our children by living them. We need to show our kids that you’re not strong by putting other people down - you’re strong by lifting them up. That’s our responsibility as fathers.

And by the way - it’s a responsibility that also extends to Washington. Because if fathers are doing their part; if they’re taking our responsibilities seriously to be there for their children, and set high expectations for them, and instill in them a sense of excellence and empathy, then our government should meet them halfway.

We should be making it easier for fathers who make responsible choices and harder for those who avoid them. We should get rid of the financial penalties we impose on married couples right now, and start making sure that every dime of child support goes directly to helping children instead of some bureaucrat. We should reward fathers who pay that child support with job training and job opportunities and a larger Earned Income Tax Credit that can help them pay the bills. We should expand programs where registered nurses visit expectant and new mothers and help them learn how to care for themselves before the baby is born and what to do after - programs that have helped increase father involvement, women’s employment, and children’s readiness for school. We should help these new families care for their children by expanding maternity and paternity leave, and we should guarantee every worker more paid sick leave so they can stay home to take care of their child without losing their income.

We should take all of these steps to build a strong foundation for our children. But we should also know that even if we do; even if we meet our obligations as fathers and parents; even if Washington does its part too, we will still face difficult challenges in our lives. There will still be days of struggle and heartache. The rains will still come and the winds will still blow.

And that is why the final lesson we must learn as fathers is also the greatest gift we can pass on to our children - and that is the gift of hope.

I’m not talking about an idle hope that’s little more than blind optimism or willful ignorance of the problems we face. I’m talking about hope as that spirit inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better is waiting for us if we’re willing to work for it and fight for it. If we are willing to believe.

I was answering questions at a town hall meeting in Wisconsin the other day and a young man raised his hand, and I figured he’d ask about college tuition or energy or maybe the war in Iraq. But instead he looked at me very seriously and he asked, “What does life mean to you?”

Now, I have to admit that I wasn’t quite prepared for that one. I think I stammered for a little bit, but then I stopped and gave it some thought, and I said this:

When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me - how do I make my way in the world, and how do I become successful and how do I get the things that I want.

But now, my life revolves around my two little girls. And what I think about is what kind of world I’m leaving them. Are they living in a county where there’s a huge gap between a few who are wealthy and a whole bunch of people who are struggling every day? Are they living in a county that is still divided by race? A country where, because they’re girls, they don’t have as much opportunity as boys do? Are they living in a country where we are hated around the world because we don’t cooperate effectively with other nations? Are they living a world that is in grave danger because of what we’ve done to its climate?

And what I’ve realized is that life doesn’t count for much unless you’re willing to do your small part to leave our children - all of our children - a better world. Even if it’s difficult. Even if the work seems great. Even if we don’t get very far in our lifetime.

That is our ultimate responsibility as fathers and parents. We try. We hope. We do what we can to build our house upon the sturdiest rock. And when the winds come, and the rains fall, and they beat upon that house, we keep faith that our Father will be there to guide us, and watch over us, and protect us, and lead His children through the darkest of storms into light of a better day. That is my prayer for all of us on this Father’s Day, and that is my hope for this country in the years ahead. May God Bless you and your children. Thank you.

Nicole Scherzinger crawls back to The Pussycat Dolls after her solo debut flopped, and comes out with this mediocre shiznit! If only Robin would have switched our girl Melody Thornton to lead instead of relegating her to background, we’d sympathize!

Also…

Cars. Jewelry. Mansion party. Girls. Snoooze…I remember the days when the name WILL.I.AM meant something to hip-hop!

Snoop continues to keep puttin’ out jams, but this time he goes country! Nothing like my jam Sexual Seduction, but it’s still a little fun!

CHICAGO - A jury acquitted R. Kelly on all counts of child pornography after less than a day of deliberations Friday, ending an ordeal for the R&B superstar that began when he was charged six years ago.

The Grammy award-winning singer dabbed his face with a handkerchief and hugged each of his four attorneys after the verdict was read. The singer had faced 15 years in prison if convicted.faced 15 years in prison if convicted.

Prosecutors had argued that a graphic sex tape showed Kelly having sex with a girl as young as 13 at the time. Both Kelly, 41, and the now 23-year-old alleged victim had denied they were on the tape. Neither testified during the trial.

The prosecution’s star witness was a woman who said she engaged in three-way sex with Kelly and the alleged victim. Defense attorneys argued the man on the tape didn’t have a large mole on his back; Kelly has such a mole.

The monthlong trial centered on whether Kelly was the man who appears on a sexually graphic, 27-minute videotape at the heart of the case, and whether a female who also appears on it was underage.

Over seven days presenting their case, prosecutors called 22 witnesses, including several childhood friends of the alleged victim and four of her relatives who identified her as the female on the video.

In just two days, Kelly’s lawyers called 12 witnesses. They included three relatives of the alleged victim who testified they did not recognize her as the female on the tape.

Kelly’s hits include “I Believe I Can Fly,” “Bump N’ Grind” and “Ignition.”

LINK

By Jennifer Armstrong, Margeaux Watson

Cleveland Brown favors gentle words, and few words at that. He likes yellow T-shirts and baths. He is also fiercely proud of his African-American heritage, as evidenced by his ”Two Decades of Dignity” board game and that nice talk he had with a racist cop about how a black bowling ball might feel when surrounded by white pins. It’s a good thing, too, because Cleveland Brown is shaping up as network television’s great black hope for the 2008-09 season — he’s the only minority character anchoring a new series on the Big Five networks. Granted, his Family Guy spin-off, The Cleveland Show, didn’t even make it onto the fall schedule (it’s slated for midseason). Yes, Cleveland himself is merely a figment of animation. And true, the person who provides his voice, Mike Henry, is actually white. But hey, it’s a start, right?

These days, the networks need to ensure that even their cartoons of color count. After a period of making a public effort to focus on diversity in their casting — kickstarted by an NAACP outcry over the white TV landscape in 1999 — the networks have clearly started to lose that focus, and not just when it comes to African-Americans. Today the current prime-time lineup, including fall’s 14 new scripted shows, is looking alarmingly pale. According to an Entertainment Weekly study of scripted-programming casts for the upcoming fall 2008 season, each of the five major broadcast networks is whiter than the Caucasian percentage (66.2 percent) of the United States population, as per the 2007 census estimate. And all of the networks are representing considerably lower than the Latino population percentage of 15.2 percent, with The CW — whose only lead Latina star, JoAnna Garcia, will be playing a white character named Megan Smith on Surviving the Filthy Rich — registering just 3.8 percent. After the quiet and unceremonious departure this winter of eight-season hit Girlfriends (the No. 15 show in all prime time among African-American audiences), The CW’s black comedy block (inherited from predecessor UPN) has shrunk to just two sitcoms: critical darling Everybody Hates Chris (No. 29 among African-Americans) and The Game (No. 7 among African-Americans), which have both been relegated to the dead zone known as Friday nights this fall. And with very few exceptions (like black actress Niecy Nash, who costars with Jerry O’Connell in Fox’s hotel sitcom Do Not Disturb), spring’s annual presentation of the new lineups looked largely like a parade of Caucasian stars. When CBS, for example, introduced the main actors from their new series to the advertising community in May, it went something like this: Kyle Bornheimer — white. Simon Baker — white. Jay Mohr — white. Rufus Sewell — white. Elizabeth Reaser — white.

The NAACP has taken notice: It will release a new study later this month titled ”Out of Focus, Out of Sync — Take 4,” which calls for diversity not only on screen but also behind the scenes, where decisions are made and story lines are hatched. ”1 out of every 3 persons in the United States is a minority,” reads the report, an advance excerpt of which was provided to EW. ”One could argue that a third of all those working in Hollywood should be a minority. However…their presence is not accurately represented on-air and for the most part, their stories are secondary or non-existent. Behind the camera, the challenges facing minorities have been even greater and traditionally more difficult to overcome…. It is unconscionable and unacceptable that there is no new African American sitcom, or family drama for that matter, currently in the fall line up on any of the major broadcast networks.” Vicangelo Bulluck, executive director of the NAACP’s Hollywood bureau, says plainly, ”The trend definitely seems to be going in the wrong direction.”

The few minority showrunners agree that more work needs to be done, not just in hiring actors of color but in hiring them for the right roles. ”There’s a saying that when America gets a cold, African-Americans and other minorities get the flu,” says Girlfriends creator Mara Brock Akil. ”Television is certainly having a cold right now, and everybody is losing out.” Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes sees progress in her diverse cast and those of other established hits — namely Lost and Heroes. But she still cites room for improvement: ”Do I want to see any more shows where someone has a sassy black friend? No, because I’m nobody’s sassy black friend. I just want to see shows in which people get to be people and that look like the world we live in. The world is changing, and television will have to follow.” True enough: It feels downright regressive to have to point out that minorities can be stars too, at a time when Will Smith continues to dominate box offices, Oprah is the most powerful woman on television, and Barack Obama is running for the ultimate leading role (you know, of the free world). ”We should put them on a show and watch the wackiness ensue,” jokes Chris exec producer Ali LeRoi. ”He’s a movie star! She’s a talk-show host! And he’s the president! It could be like the new Three’s Company.”

There was a time when diversity seemed to come naturally to prime time. The social consciousness of the ’70s spawned successful sitcoms like The Jeffersons, Good Times, and Sanford and Son; the ’80s brought living-in-harmony comedy Diff’rent Strokes and the ultimate breakthrough TV family on The Cosby Show. But a long fallow period (dominated by Cheers, Seinfeld, and Friends) followed until 1999, when the networks announced another particularly white fall lineup (The West Wing, Freaks and Geeks, Once and Again) — and minority groups revolted. Prompted by then-NAACP president Kweisi Mfume’s remark that TV was a ”virtual whitewash in programming,” groups representing African-Americans, Latinos, Asian-Americans, and Native Americans banded together to push for diversity — calling for sweeping boycotts if immediate progress wasn’t made. In the end, it was: Minority actors were hastily added to shows (congratulations, Dulé Hill, you now work for President Bartlet!), and the networks agreed to measures meant to foster diverse talent behind the scenes as well — most notably by hiring designated senior executives to monitor the situation. ”They’ve got VPs of diversity because we forced them onto them,” says Alex Nogales, president and CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition. ”We said, ‘We need someone to be the point person for you, Mr. President of Entertainment. And we need that person to report directly to you.”’

The result, nearly a decade later: Every major network now has a high-level VP whose entire job description boils down to lobbying fellow executives and producers to keep minorities in the game. ”It will really make our shows more relevant,” says Mitsy Wilson, who oversees diversity development for Fox and parent company News Corp. Sitting in her Fox-lot office, flanked by a Waiting to Exhale poster and a Policía de Nueva York (NYPD Blue) poster, a head shot of an Asian-American actor on her coffee table, Wilson (herself African-American) explains that she and her second-in-command, Ron Taylor (also African-American), monitor the entire network. They work to promote diversity from the assistant level to the executive ranks, and among those who work either behind the camera or in front of it (the network requires at least one minority writer per show and one minority director per quarter). Wilson and Taylor help match diverse candidates with open positions and casting calls, scour the company’s lower ranks for minorities with potential to be promoted, and meet with producers regularly to monitor progress.

It’s a job that wins them varying receptions, given that they’re asking many producers to hire from outside their regular circles. ”You have showrunners who understand that it actually makes business sense,” Wilson says. ”A lot of it has to do with their frame of reference, which at some times is limited. If it is limited, they’re more likely to say, ‘I don’t want to take that leap of faith.”’ ‘Til Death executive producer Tim Hobert, for one, says he uses the diversity office’s resources to find new writers for his struggling sitcom — and, in fact, didn’t mind that during the writers’ strike, the network decided to add comic J.B. Smoove as a black foil to Brad Garrett’s bumbling lead character. ”For me, the goal would be to tell interesting stories,” says Hobert. ”I don’t think it’s good if you’re like, ‘Oh, let’s just put on a black character so people will be quiet.”’

Fox and other networks have also been sponsoring writing workshops, talent showcases, and other outreach programs since the 1999 dustup. And the last decade has yielded some high-profile gains: Rhimes’ Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice; Dennis Haysbert, who played the president on 24 and now anchors network TV’s sole African-American-led drama, CBS’ The Unit; and Ugly Betty (exec-produced by Salma Hayek), currently network TV’s only series centered on a Latino character. Network execs swear such success stories really are their goal: ”When people tune in to Grey’s Anatomy, they see a cast that is what you would see if you walked into a hospital in any major city,” says ABC president of entertainment Stephen McPherson. ”It adds realism to the show.” There have also been some noble failures, such as CBS’ Latino family soap Cane, which floundered last year despite the star power of Jimmy Smits (who recently joined Showtime’s Dexter) — a particular disappointment when Hispanic characters are so scarce in proportion to their American presence. Says CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler, a Latina who trumpeted the series last season with pride: ”[Its failure] wasn’t because it was a Latin show, it was just because the narrative found its footing too late.”

Meanwhile, network execs insist this coming season isn’t a lost cause just yet. ”The thought and energy that goes into these kinds of things was a little topsy-turvy,” Tassler explains of this pilot season, which was stunted due to the writers’ strike. ”As we go into adding new cast members, there’s a huge emphasis on diversity.” Casts on fall shows are still being filled out — some have room left for minority casting, while others, such as CBS’ The Mentalist and NBC’s Knight Rider, already include secondary characters of color. But there’s that word again: secondary. After nearly 10 years of working with diversity reps and outreach programs, the networks still primarily solve the problem by sprinkling nonwhite actors into white-led shows — often as a comedic sidekick or in guy-who-helps-the-main-guy-solve-a-crime roles. Brock Akil calls the solution ”very transparent. I think the audience can see right through that. If it’s not organic, people are going to be like, ‘Oh, you’re just pandering to me.”’ Instead of pumping up their percentages with supporting characters, shouldn’t the networks be presenting more minority ”face of the show” leads? It certainly worked out well with Ugly Betty Emmy winner America Ferrera. ”That never really came up: Would less people watch because we weren’t telling the story of a white heroine?” says Betty exec producer Silvio Horta. ”It doesn’t really make a difference. It just has to be a really great story and a really great actress.” Nogales worries that the networks have all but forgotten about their pledge of 1999. ”They haven’t abandoned it,” says Nogales. ”But they’re not moving as fast as we would like.”

Why not? Well, for one thing, there have been no smash-hit series starring a predominantly minority cast since The Cosby Show — which pulled 63 million viewers at its peak — left the air in 1992. ”The networks would love nothing better than to have a wildly successful minority show,” says Bernie Mac Show creator and Daily Show correspondent Larry Wilmore (who al