Good day folks. The end of another week has arrived and we
got through it in one piece, despite gas prices going down, Obama and McCain
going at each other again in their last debate and the Phillies making it to
the World Series for the first time in 15 years (shout out to them).
Congratulations to actress Lisa Bonet, who is expecting her
third child. Shout out to Joe the Plumber for being the real winner in
Thursday’s debate and the sounding boards for making sure I stick around for
another 24.
And so we have…The Last Word for the week ending Oct. 17,
2008.
1. Janet
Jackson Solves Mystery Behind Illness
After a gang of cancellations from Janet Jackson’s latest
tour, the mystery illness behind the stoppage has been revealed. According to
People.com, the singer was suffering from vestibular migraines, a condition
that results in imbalance or the illusion of movement. Jackson’s rep released a
statement Wednesday (Oct. 15) saying the condition was unusual in that it
creates the sensation of vertigo.
Fortunately, Janet is getting treatment and resumed the tour
on Wednesday with a stop at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.
“[Janet is] a world-class entertainer and needs to be at the
top of her game to give her fans the show they expect,” manager Kenneth Crear
stated. “She’s feeling much better and is ready to hit the road again.”
Those with tickets to Jackson’s Madison Square Garden show,
which was originally scheduled for Thursday (Oct. 16), can now catch the
songstress on Nov. 1. With this, people should hold onto their tickets as new
dates are being worked out and will be announced in the coming days.
2. Terrence Howard Turns Iron Man Role Over to Don Cheadle
So much for maintaining the same formula in a film. Money
may be the root of all evil, but you can also say that it is the root of not
making more money. Especially with the upcoming Iron Man sequel.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Terrence Howard’s loss is Don Cheadle’s gain as
Howard’s character, Jim Rhodes, will now be played by Cheadle. The reason for
Howard’s departure stems from failed negotiations between the actor and Marvel
Studios or as the official reason points out, “financial differences” between
both parties.
Nevertheless, Marvel is moving forward to “take the role in
another direction” with Cheadle. For those of us who enjoyed Iron Man, this comes as a shock. Especially since Howard was
looking forward to working on the sequel with Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth
Paltrow. The buzz on the flick points towards Rhodes having a bigger role in
the film with the possibility of him putting on his own suit of armor as the
popular hero War Machine.
While I do not know the whole story behind Terrence turning
down the sequel, it seems crazy that he would turn down a guaranteed payday and
potential lead role in a spin-off.
Iron Man is certified box office
gold. Nevertheless, something tells me Cheadle will do more than enough to put
his own stamp on the role and make War Machine and Rhodes a character to watch.
With the economy the way it is, it could be very hard out
here for an Oscar-nominated pimp if he doesn’t strike gold again.
3. The-Dream Wrestles With Love vs. Money
The-Dream is looking to continue riding the wave of hits his
debut album produced by gearing up for the project’s follow-up, Love vs.
Money
. Although a first single hasn’t beenpicked, the singer looks to give fans something deeper this next go ‘round.
“In the beginning I was just having fun. I didn’t want
people thinking too hard, I just wanted them to gravitate toward my lyrics,”
the-Dream told Billboard.com. “But this time my vocals are different. I’ve
definitely grown in my singing.”
Fans will be able to hear the growth on the ‘60s inspired
“You Ain’t Sh*t” as well as “Fancy,” “Right Side of My Brain,” “Make Love to
Me,” and “Kelly’s 12 Play,” which was inspired by R. Kelly’s solo debut album.
Guests on the project include Mariah Carey, who appears on “My Love.”
In the meanwhile, listeners can look forward to hearing
another chapter to The-Dream’s song “Nikki” which appeared on his first album.
According to the crooner, his third album will continue the saga with a song in
the same vein as he told Billboard that
he hopes to release a full album of the Nikki chronicles at some point.
Love vs. Money is
slated to hit stores Dec. 16. In addition, while details were limited,
The-Dream is in talks with MTV to star in his own reality show. According to
reports, the show will feature The-Dream searching for talent. Just what we
need. Another show where ordinary people look extraordinarily foolish as they
become the next big thing. You gotta love it.
4. Samuel L. Jackson Gets Two Swords and a Blessing for
New Film
Samuel L. Jackson has a good feeling that his plans to
transform the animated TV series Afro Samurai into a live action film will follow the same path has his past movie
successes.
Why, you ask? Because Jackson was blessed by real Samurai
historians during an ancient ceremony, he took part in after meeting with anime
experts in Tokyo to discuss the film. From the looks of it, Sam really got into
the spirit of the occasion as he told WENN:
“We had a big ceremony where we blessed the project. We all
dressed as Samurai and went to a traditional wooden structure where even the
nails were wood,” he said. “We went over in rickshaws and it was a big deal.
They had the oldest Geisha women in Japan perform that night. They actually
gave me two swords which I have at home for good luck.”
Afro Samurai was
pretty good as an animated film, so I’m sure the live action version will be
better. If not, then I’m not trying to see what Sam will do with those two
swords. He is a bad motherf****r, after all.
5. Cash Money Goes R&B Again with UK Indian Singer
Jay Sean
Fresh off striking platinum with Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter
III, Cash Money Records is adding to its
list of achievements for this year with UK R&B star Jay Sean. The crooner,
who announced his signing to the label Thursday (Oct. 14) at the Music of Black
Origin (MOBO) Awards, has already amassed a large following among fans
overseas.
With the signing, Sean is already utilizing his new
resources as he revealed that he is currently in the studio with Lil Wayne and
has tapped the rapper for a remix to his upcoming single, “Tonight.”
The song will be featured on a repackaged version of Jay
Sean’s#### album My Own Way, which is
slated to hit stores in the Spring of 2009. In addition to “Tonight,” the album
includes the hits “Ride It” and “Maybe.” News of the Cash Money signing is the
latest in a string of accomplishments for the British Southeast Asian, who has
worked with Timbaland and counts Sean “Diddy” Combs among his fans.
The repackaged version of My Own Way, along with future albums from Jay Sean, will be
released on Cash Money.
6. Mel B Rejects Playboy; Displays Exhibitionist Side
If you’re holding out for Mel B’s Playboy pictorial, think again. The former Spice Girl and
Ultimo lingerie model has turned down an offer to pose nude for the magazine as
she told Access Hollywood that
she would never go au natural for Playboy in light of the fact that she wants to restrict her nakedness just for
the bedroom.
“No, I’m not
going to do it,” said Mel B, who revealed that her husband Stephen Belafonte is
the only person who will enjoy her naked body in the privacy of their home.
“There is (an exhibitionist side to me) – in my bedroom, late at night
for hours on end!”
Lucky guy. I guess that’s the way it’s supposed to be. Leave
it all up to our imagination. Damn.
In Other Words…
* Justin Timberlake loves the game of golf and is not
ashamed to admit it. The singer, who is featured on the cover of the October Golf
Digest, connected golf to music as he
explained that, “The golf swing is very, very rhythmic. There’s a certain tempo
to it, just like in music.” See the connection?
* Add Forest Whitaker to the list of entertainers that will
portray a music icon. WENN reports, the Oscar winner has been given the green
light to play the late Louis Armstrong in a new biopic after receiving approval
from the famed jazz musician’s estate.
“Armstrong left a monumental mark on our lives and our
culture,” said Whitaker, who will also direct the feature. “He lived an amazing
life and, through his art, shifted the way music was played and would be heard
after him, not just here in the US but all over the world.”
News of the film comes more than 30 years after Armstrong
died of a heart attack in 1971.
* While fans wait for Brandy’s album Human to hit stores
Nov. 11, the songbird is already plotting her next project. Media sources state
that Brandy will team with her brother Ray J for a collaborative album called R&B. The project’s title represents Brandy and Ray J’s
initials as well as the type of music they do.
* Former After 7 founder/leader singer Kevon Edmonds is
gearing up for the release of his upcoming sophomore album. The singer hopes to
“bridge the gap between good old R&B and R&B of today” with the as-yet
untitled solo project, which hits stores in March 2009.
* Actor Columbus Short is reportedly in talks to join the
fifth installment of the Lethal Weapon
film franchise. According to IGN, the actor says he may be signing on to play
the son of Danny Glover’s character Roger Murtaugh. It was reported in August
that screenwriter Shane Black and producer Joel Silver were working on Lethal
Weapon 5, which will see Mel Gibson’s
character, Martin Riggs, on the verge of retirement when he pulls Murtaugh back
into active duty for one final case.