OS 54 --STAGE BITZ (THE TOP 10 MOST VIEWED POSTS ON OUTTOWN/OUTSTAGN 2012 JAN 3

HEY OUTSTAGRS!

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND WE ARE BACK ON STAGE!!

To start off the new year, we are counting down the TOP TEN most viewed blog posts from OUTTOWN and OUTSTAGN of 2012.  

10.OUT 1142--ILLI MO BITZ (JUNE 7-13)

On this post, the big national news story was that President Barack Obama (PICTURED) was on the cover of the July issue of Essence magazine. At the same time,First Lady Michelle Obama  (PICTURED)was on her Healthy Living tour speaking at various events. We also posted that media mogul Oprah Winfrey was getting fired from OWN was losing her power at her OWN cable network and Kennett, Mo native and Grammy award winning singer Sheryl Crow revealed that she had a benign brain tumor. In the STL, the big news story was the back and forth going on with the The St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission and Rams owner Stan Kroenke on a mutual agreement on the future of The Rams pending on renovations on its home game facility Edward Jones Dome.

To see the post go to http://maatology.blogspot.com/2012/06/out-1142-illi-mo-bitz-june-7-13.html

9.OS 11-STAGE BITZ (AUG 2-8) 

The most viewed post on the OUTSTAGN blog that debuted in July was our promotion of the 4th Annual Mista Couture Charity Style Contest in August. Featured was a mention that the judges of the event were playwright Chrys Yvette, photojournalist Wiley Price and fashion/entertainment consultant Tan Hollywood (PICTURED) To see the post go to http://outstagin.blogspot.com/2012/08/os-11-stage-bitz-aug-2-8.html

8.OUT 1115-ILLI MO BITZ (MARCH 29-APRIL 4)

One of the big news story on this post were that media mogul Oprah Winfrey debuted her Lifeclass Tour in St Louis at the Peabody Opera House for two live shows that aired on OWN March 26 with TD Jakes  and Iyanla Van Zandt business catalyst Tony Robbins, and spiritualist Deepak Chopra. It also was featured on the OWN reality show "Welcome To Sweetie Pies." Another big story was Grammy Award winning Chicago native singer Chaka Khan sat down with Piers Morgan to bring more attention to the Trayvon Martin case. Khan had strong feelings about the case and the way missing or murdered children are covered in the media.  The big STL story was Oprah Winfrey's Lifeclass Tour in St Louis. According to reports, crowds, largely female, jammed the streets around the Peabody Opera House to see the tapings. 
To see the post go to http://maatology.blogspot.com/2012/03/hey-outtowners-its-that-time-again-time.html 

7.OUT 1137 (May 17-23)

The big news story was President Barack Obama made headlines when Newsweek published the controversial cover of POTUS under a rainbow halo with the tagline "The First Gay President." aka Galo. Another big story was Chicagonative singer/actress Jennifer Hudson wept in a Chicago courtroom after her former brother-in-law was found guilty of killing three members of the Oscar winner’s family in a Chicago courtroom. In the STL, the big story was The St Louis Rams contract to the St Louis Convention and Visitors Commission went public and the main portion of it were the renovations of the Edward Jones Dome.

According to reports, the Rams’ proposal would cost more than $700 million, compared to the CVC’s $124 million proposal

To see the post go to http://maatology.blogspot.com/2012/05/out-1137-illi-mo-bitz-may-17-23.html

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6.OUT 1103--ILLI MO BITZ (FEB. 23-29)

The big story of this post was The Homegoing Celebration of pop icon Whitney Houston at New Hope Baptist Church in New Jersey, the church where she was raised. The Associated Press screened the funeral online and said it had nearly two million unique viewers. One of the featured guests was Chicago native singer R Kelly who performed, "I Look to you" a song he penned for the late singer.  Anither big story was the event The White House Blues All-Stars hosted by The Obamas who took the mic from invited entertainer Mick Jagger and sang a few bars of "Sweet HomeChicago". The event was televised on PBS  at the White House for the PBS in celebration of Black History Month. In the STL, the CVC and Ramscame to an agreement  for the St Louis Rams to play one of its home games in London’s Wembley Stadium in October during the 2012 season. 

To see post go to http://maatology.blogspot.com/2012/02/out-1103-illi-mo-bitz-feb-23-29.html

5.OUT 1121--ILLI MO BITZ (APRIL 12-18)

The big story this post from on a national level was the First Family hosting the 134^th annual White House Easter Egg Roll where more than 35,000 people joined them on the South Lawn for games, stories, and the traditional egg roll on the Lawn. Another big story was the jury selection w for the trial of William Balfour, accused of murdering Oscar winner  and Chicagoan Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother and nephew. On a local level, the big news story was when the city of East St Louis got a shout out indirectly on the show, “Saturday Night Live” when it spoofed the mayor, Alvin Parks (played by Keenan Thompson at the city's city hall. In the opener, the mayor  labeled his city "a hellhole."

To see the post go to http://maatology.blogspot.com/2012/04/out-1121-illi-mo-bitz-april-12-18.html

4.OUT 1119--ILLI MO BITZ (APRIL 5-11)

The big story we posted was about the Twitpic of President Obama posing with Robbins, Ill. native and Star Trek actress Nichelle Nichols in the Oval Office of the White House going viral. Another big story was that media mogul Oprah Winfrey  was a guest on CBS This Morning  in NYC where her BFF Gayle King was a co-anchor. There were also two big STL stories that were happening. One was former St. Louis Rams player Torry Holt signed a one-day contract so he could retire with the Rams, where he was a key part of a 1999 Super Bowl champion and the Greatest Show on Turf. The other was The Bank of America was suing St Louis based developers Michael and Steven Roberts for more than $34 million, alleging the brothers were in default on a loan connected to several hotels they own outside of Missouri. To see the post go to http://maatology.blogspot.com/2012/04/out-1119-illi-mo-bitz.html

3.OUT 1134--ILLI MO BITZ (MAY 10-16)

One of the big stories posted was about media mogul Oprah Winfrey’s network OWN's continued to struggle with ratings,  hindering its ability to attract advertisers and make money. Bloomberg Businessweek reports the network may have lost up to $330 million since its inception. Another big story was Grammy Award winning singer Chaka Khan throwing her hat in the ring to snag one of two vacant spots on Simon Cowell's hit talent show, “The Z Factor.” and her losing  pounds.Another story was a Utah judge has decided whether the late   Zion, Ill native child star Gary Coleman's ex-wife or an ex-girlfriend was entitled to his estate.  To see the post go to 

http://maatology.blogspot.com/2012/05/out-1134-illi-mo.html

2.JULY 9, 2012

On this post many of our OUTTOWN readers inquired about our new blog OUTSTAGN and info about it. 

To see the post go to 

http://maatology.blogspot.com/2012/07/blog-post.html

AND THE NUMBER ONE POST OF 2012 IS:

1.MEET THE FIRST ROUND CONTESTANTS:MEET THE FIRST ROUND CONTESTANTS FOR THE 4th ANNUAL MISTA COUTURE CHARITY STYLE CONTEST! JULY 2012

 This was our  most viewed post in the blog's history of over 7,000 hits where people when on the site to vote who they wanted to win the Popular Vote in the 4th Annual Mista Couture Charity Style Contest in August. Of the 20 or so who entered, the winner was Chicagoan TC Cantley (TOP LEFT). The final contestants were (TOP LEFT) Cantley, Branden Cartwright, Brandon Chisom (BOTTOM LEFT) Mr Couture winner Karras Jordan, Santana and Ricky Worley.

To see the post go to http://maatology.blogspot.com/2012/07/meet-first-round-contestants-for-4th.html