OS 59--STAGE BITZ (FEB 7-13)

HEY OUTSTAGRS!

ITS THAT TIME AGAIN!!

TIME TO GET ON STAGE!!!

BLACK HISTORY BITZ

This week we feature the beginnings of the dance show, SOUL TRAIN 

The origins of Soul Train can be traced to 1965 when WCIU-TV, an upstart UHF station in Chicago, began airing two youth-oriented dance programs:Kiddie-a-Go-Go and Red Hot and Blues. These programs—specifically the latter, which featured a predominantly African American group of in-studio dancers—would set the stage for what was to come to the station several years later. Don Cornelius, a news reader and backup disc jockey at Chicago radio station WVON, was hired by WCIU in 1967 as a news and sports reporter. Cornelius also was promoting and emceeing a touring series of concerts featuring local talent (sometimes called "record hops") at Chicago-area high schools, calling his traveling caravan of shows "The Soul Train." WCIU-TV took notice of Cornelius's outside work and in 1970, allowed him the opportunity to bring his road show to television.

After securing a sponsorship deal with the Chicago-based retailer Sears, Roebuck & Co., Soul Train premiered on WCIU-TV on August 17, 1970, as a live show airing weekday afternoons. The first episode of the program featured Jerry Butler, the Chi-Lites, and the Emotions as guests. Cornelius was assisted by Clinton Ghent, a local professional dancer who appeared on early episodes before moving behind the scenes as a producer and secondary host.^[1]

Its immediate success attracted the attention of another locally based firm—the Johnson Products Company (manufacturers of the Afro Sheen line of hair-care products)—and they later agreed to co-sponsor the program's expansion into national syndication. Cornelius and Soul Train's syndicator targeted 24 markets outside of Chicago to carry the show, but stations in only seven other cities—Atlanta, Cleveland, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles,Philadelphia, and San Francisco—purchased the program, which began airing on a weekly basis on October 2, 1971. By the end of the first season,Soul Train was on in the other seventeen markets.^[2] When the program moved into syndication, its home base was also shifted to Los Angeles, where it remained for the duration of its run. Soul Train was part of a national trend toward syndicated music-oriented programs targeted at niche audiences; two other network series (Hee Haw for country music, and The Lawrence Welk Show for traditional music) also entered syndication in 1971 and would go on to have long runs.

Though Don Cornelius moved his operations west, Soul Train continued in Chicago as a local program. Cornelius hosted the local Chicago and Los Angeles–based national programs simultaneously, but soon focused his attention solely on the national edition. He continued to oversee production in Chicago, where Clinton Ghent hosted episodes on WCIU-TV until 1976, followed by three years of once-weekly reruns.^[3] The syndicated version was picked up in Chicago by CBS-owned WBBM-TV at its launch; the program moved to WGN-TV in 1977 and remained there for the balance of its run.

In 1985 Chicago-based Tribune Entertainment (WGN's syndication wing) took over Soul Train's syndication contract; the series would continue distribution through Tribune for the rest of its original run.\

Don Cornelius ended his run as host at the end of the show's 22nd season on
MAAT BITZ

HEY OUTSTAGRS YOURS TRULY (right) and 2013 MISTA COUTURE POPULAR VOTE WINNER TC Cantley will make an appearance at fashionista Ola Hawatmeh's bday party at her new studio in Clayton tonite!

THE 2013 OBSDN MEN OF COLOR CALENDAR IS OUT NOW FOR PURCHASE. TO ORDER YOUR COPY, EMAIL SNAPHONEY2011@GMAIL.COM.  YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE CALENDAR MODELS AT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMqITMzhDSg

BELOW ARE THE FEATURED CALENDAR MODELS (NOTE: PICS ARE PROMOTIONAL ONLY AND NOT PART OF THE ACTUAL CALENDAR)

    BRANDON INGRAM (MR JANUARY)


      KOURI FLYE (MR FEBRUARY)



BRANDEN CARTWRIGHT (MR MARCH)

SESAMIR YEARBY (MR APRIL)

PJ MOTON (MR MAY)

   ADAM FLOWERS (MR JUNE)

JOHN NEEDEM II (MR JULY)

ABRAM PRUITT, JR (MR AUGUST)

RA'DRIC (MR SEPTEMBER)

\

JARRED MOORE (MR OCTOBER)

GQ (MR NOVEMBER)

BRANDON CHISOM (MR DECEMBER)

UPCOMING WILL BE A MEET AND GREET OF THE CALENDAR MODELS AND BOOK SIGNING MARCH 3 (LOCATION TBA SOON!)

COMING IN MAY IS THE MUSICAL STAGEPLAY "LIPS UNSTUCK" CHRONICLING THE HISTORY OF THE BLACK EXPERIENCE. STAYED EYED FOR MORE DETAILS.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE AN AUDITION, SEND A HEADSHOT AND RESUME TO SNAPHONEY2011@GMAIL.COM







Plainfield, Illinois native and Emmy Award winning actress Melissa McCarthy stars in the 

comedy Identity Thief that deals with Mild-

mannered businessman Sandy Patterson 


(played by  Jason Bateman) who travels from 


Denver to 

Miami to confront the deceptively harmless-

looking woman (McCarthy) who has been 

living it up after stealing Sandy's identity. It 


also stars Kansas City, Kansas native Eric


 Stonetsreet. The film opens in theatres 

nationwide today!

ST. Louis native Ellie Kemper has landed her post-Office gig.

The sitcom star has been tapped to star in NBC’s Brenda Forever, a comedy centered on stories from Brenda Miller’s past and present, which are interwoven to give a unique portrait of how a chubby, awkward, but incredibly confident 13-year-old grew up to be a 31-year-old woman who still marches to the beat of her own drum.

David Lampson and Andrew Leeds, who co-wrote NBC’s Rex is Not Your Lawyer pilot in 2010, are set to write and executive produce the pilot, which is based on a spec script that the network nabbed following a bidding war with Fox. Rescue Me’s Peter Tolan and Michael Wimer (2012) will join them as EPs on the single-camera effort from Sony Pictures TV and Tolan and Wimer’s Fedora Entertainment.

Kemper, who appeared in a string of recent movies from 21 Jump Street to Bridesmaids, has been among this season’s more coveted actresses

TWO ILLI MOIANS were recently lauded NAACP Image Awards that were held last Friday in Hollywood.

FIRST WAS KNASAS CITY, MO NATIVE DON CHEADLE WON BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY FOR HIS ROLE IN THE SHOWTIME SERIES, "HOUSE OF LIES."





THE SECOND WAS THE  ST LOUIS BASED REALITY SHOW, "WELCOME TO SWEETIE PIES "THAT WON BEST REALITY SERIES.


ST LOUIS NATIVE RAPPER TIFFANY FOXX (RIGHT) WHO CURRENTLY LIVES IN THE ATL WAS TALKED ABOUT RECENTLY ON THE WENDY WILLIAMS SHOW ALONG WITH SINGER MYLIE CYRUS (CENTER) AND LIL KIM (LEFT). CYRUS WAS ON SET WITH FOXX AND LIL KIM WHO WERE FILMING  THE  MUSIC VIDEO, "TWISTED". THE TALK WAS ABOUT CYRUS TRYING TO CHANGE HER IMAGE AND LIL KIM CHANGING HER LOOKS.

IN THE STL

From reports Chris Carpenter is unlikely to pitch during the 2013 season, the Cardinals announced at a Tuesday afternoon news conference. General manager John Mozeliak made the announcement, citing continued issues with the health of Carpenter's right shoulder, neck and arm.

Retirement was not mentioned specifically, but it's obviously on the table because Mozeliak mentioned that Carpenter was worried about having a "normal after-career." Judging from the demeanor of Mozeliak, manager Mike Matheny and the words they used during the press conference, it was pretty clear both may believe Carpenter has thrown his last pitch in the majors.

"We're comfortable with what we have," Mozeliak said when asked if the Cardinals would revisit signing free agent Kyle Lohse.

Without Carpenter, the Cardinals have Adam Wainwright and Jake Westbrook definitely in the rotation. Jaime Garcia is recovering from a shoulder injury, Lance Lynn could be a starter or used in the bullpen, and youngsters Shelby Miller, Joe Kelly and Trevor Rosenthal could also figure in the mix.

Carpenter, 37, has had a great career, though serious injuries have continually prevented him from reaching even bigger heights. Through his career, he suffered a torn shoulder labrum, a torn ulnar-collateral ligament (which needs Tommy John surgery to repair), and thoracic outlet syndrome (which stemmed from nerve issues in his shoulder and neck area). All of those issues caused Carpenter to essentially miss entire seasons, as he made only seven starts in 2003, 2007, 2008 and 2012 combined. He also was only able to make 13 starts in 2002.

Soulful singer and STL native Curtis Finch Jr. survived two cuts on "American Idol" 

Wednesday. Taking charge of his group in the second round during group rounds.

\

This week we feature two STL personalities who were spotted on the Internet in their eye catching  fashion flair. First is rapper Tiffany Foxx  who is rockin a sexy silver one piece  with killer pumps and blonde mohawk with braid. She is also part of the rap trio June Fifth. The other is model Branden Cartwright who is spotted in a black shirt  with black and white checkered tie ith nerd glasses . He is one of the models  in the new OBSDN Men of Color Calendar (ABOVE).

BLIND DISH

Which STL native comic will be  starring in the STL based movie about the murder of two white girls on the Chain of Rocks Bridge? He is a major movie star  who can currently be seen on the small screen in a sitcom that was almost cancelled until fans brought it back. Who is this comedian?

W

Which 

WORDZ

TO

THE

Z

AT THE NAACP AWARDS: Why were the camera people cutting off people;s acceptance speeches? Why was Samuel Jackson mean muggin Harry Belfontae during his acceptance speech? Why didnt they show Quvenzhané Wallis accepting Viola Davis' award? Why did they error on saying the last drama that starred a black woman was Diahann Carroll in "Julia" (Julia was a comedy)? Why did they actor who plays Fitz on Scandal get his kiss and feel on winner Kerry Washington when she accepted her award for Best Actress? And Why werent any of the music categories  televised? 

AT SUPER BOWL: Why are they trying to blame Beyonce's half time show as th ereason for the lights going out at the Superdome? And why did the Ravens become  passive after Halftime? Why were the commercials not as creative? And why was Psy of Gangham Style on a commercial?

OTHER STUFF: Why didnt Frank Ocean file any charges to Chris Brown? And Why was there a big deal over the Monopoly cat?

A ST. LOUIS PREMIERE PLAY PRESENTED BY THE BLACK REP

The Mountaintop

JUST BACK FROM BROADWAY, THE MOUNTAINTOP IS A SURREAL, FICTIONALIZED ACCOUNT OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING’S LAST NIGHT ON EARTH

BY KATORI HALL

FEBRUARY 13^TH – MARCH 9^TH THE MOUNTAINTOP CONTINUES THE BLACK REP’S 36^THSEASON, NEW TICKET SPECIALS AVAILABLE!      

WHO/WHAT: THE MOUNTAINTOP by Katori Hall

WHEN: Feb. 13^th-March 9th; Thursdays at 7 p.m., Fridays-Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m. Saturday Matinee March 9^th at 2pm.

WHERE: Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square, 63108

TICKETS: $20-$47, special student matinee, group prices, http://theblackrep.org

           





ONGOING BITZ

LooseCannon presents BIKINI BOXING every Wednesday at The City, 1917 Washington in Midtown St Louis.  Doors at 10p.m. For free RSVP call 314-4-9917

Check out the web series UNDER THE CHERRY TREEproduced by Kobalt Books. Go to http://www.youtube.com/user/kobaltbooks

 

\

Check out Paris Caldwell's weekly podcast GOIN BACK TO INDIANA playing all Jacksons music every Thursday at TEN PM CST at http://www.mixlr.com/mytalknation

+++++++

If you would like to featured on OUTSTAGN email us at maatspear@yahoo.com

-30-