Friday, February 27, 2015

OUT 186-- SPOT BITZ (FEB 27-MAR 5)

HEY OUTSTAGRS!

ITS THAT TIME AGAIN!!

TIME TO GET ON STAGE!!!




This year this blog  will be celebrating a milestone this year as this blogspot will turn 10 years old!  Its hard to believe but it has come a long way from small paragraphs journal entries, to a mini news letter to  entertainment highlighter to what it is today. The commemorative date is July 5.  To reminisce we will do  weekly RETRO BITZ of some of the highlights from this blogspot (SEE BELOW)


All this month OUTSTAGN will highlight African Americans from the ILLI-MO area based in the arts and entertainment fields who became "firsts" their respective fields. 



Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks (June 7, 1917 – December 3, 2000) was an African-American poet raised in Chicago.. She was the first African American to win a Pulitzer prize winning the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1950 and was appointed Poet Laurete of Illinois  in 1968 and Poet Laurete Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress  in 1985




Maatology is still looking for gents with style and a great personality  for the Seventh Annual Mista Couture Charity Style Contest (slated for August 23 in Atlanta) is posted. WE'VE EXTENDED THE  Deadline to submit to online poll is now MARCH 1, 2015. Go tohttp://outstagin.blogspot.com/2014/10/seventh-annual-mista-couture-style.html

WE HAVE THE LIST OF CONTESTANTS SO FAR WHO ARE COMPETING. TO VOTE GO TO 


IF YOU WANT TO DONATE TO THE MISTA COUTURE FUND  go to 


Maatology is also looking for gents of color for its 2016 OBSDN Men of Color 
Calendar. Must be comfortable in front of the camera and doing artistic nude poses.
If  interested in shooting, the shoots are ONE DAY shoots THRU  June 2015 . The shoots will be in St Louis, Mo.   All models will receive a share of the sales and an opp to sale it as well. A small stipend will be given for travel. If interested email snaphoney2011@gmail.com with a selfie pic showing your chest and abs. To see video of 2015 calendar go to  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXOCifGU-lY

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THE TOP ILLI MO STORY THIS WEEK IS


The ILLI MO rooted Oscar winners who made political statements during their speeches last Sunday and the flack from some social media people.


The first is Chicago native actress Patricia Arquette who got everyone’s attention Sunday when she used her Best Supporting Actress acceptance speech for her role in "Boyhood" at the Oscars to demand a solution. 

Arquette issued a rousing speech as she accepted her

 award, calling for equal pay for women in America, saying

 that older women were often overlooked and

 underpaid. Meryl Streep, who was in competition with

 Arquette for the award, stood up from the audience to

 applaud her.

However, talking backstage, Arquette reportedly  appeared to

 urge oppressed groups to fight the corner of older women

 being underpaid

.
"It's time for all the women in America and all the men who

 love women and all the gay people and all the people of

 colour that we’ve fought for, to fight for us now," Arquette

 said off-stage.

Well her comments didnt go over well by some groups. Some

 feminist, LGBT and racism activists reportedly criticised

 Arquette's off-stage speech. 

Feminist Roxane Gay led the charge
.
I like when people teach me about my communities.


roxane gay (@rgay) February 23, 2015

The idea that queers & POC have had their time in the

 struggle spotlight long enough. Eek. Ma'am. Congrats on yr

 Oscar tho. You are talented

roxane gay (@rgay) February 23, 2015

On Wednesday, Arquette fought her corner, saying that the

 struggle she encountered as a young woman meant she

 was qualified to talk about poverty.

Don't talk to me about privilege. As a kid I lived well below

 the poverty line. No matter where I am I won't forget

 women's struggle
.
Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) February 24, 2015

I was a working single mom at 20. I know how hard it is to

 pay for diapers and food .Explain why women should be

 paid less?

Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) February 24, 2015

The working poor women of this country have been asking

 for help for decades. If I have "privilege" or a voice I will 

shine a light on them
.
Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) February 24, 2015

A lot of activists shook their heads and said yeah#Equalpay 

. Yeah, that sucks. No. It's devastating 2 poor women. It is

 DISCRIMINATION

.
Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) February 24, 2015


Our only problem with her speech on stage was when she said that people are focusing on equal rights of others but should now focus on women's equal pay. We gathered she meant the whole Black Lives Matter protests that were heightened after the Ferguson death of Mike Brown and the jury verdict.  We think she should have said maybe we shouldnt forget womens rights instead of making it seem as though other peoples rights seemed unimportant. We just sayin.



The second was Chicago native Lonnie Lynn aka Common

 who shared the stage with John Stephens (aka Legend)

 during their Oscar speech after winning Best Original Song

 for "Glory"  the film, "Selma." 

After ascending the stage to receive the Oscar  was

 dedicated to marches on Selma’s Edmund Pettus bridge; the

 “spirit of that bridge,” Common told assembled guests at

 the Feb. 22 awards ceremony in Los Angeles, “connects the

 kid from the south side of Chicago dreaming of a better life,

 to those in France standing up for their freedom of 

expression, to the people in Hong Kong protesting for

 democracy.”'

Residents in the former British colony of Hong Kong were
 reportedly listening, as were their neighbors in mainland 
China, which now exerts sovereignty over the city.
On Weibo, a major social media platform in mainland
 China, criticism of Common’s speech has been fierce. “You
 sing some crappy song and then think you stand at the
 moral heights and understand everything,” one popular
 comment read. Another user wrote, “His supporting Hong
 Kong occupiers is free speech, and my calling him an idiot is
 also free speech.” Curse words and racial epithets were also
 in plentiful supply, prompting several to express disgust with
 what one called the lack of “public wisdom” online.

Wow, we dont think Common and John Legend was trying to take the moral high road of what was said (Legend said that their were more black men in prison in 2015 than during post slavery), he was mostly tying in how people of color's struggle for equal rights is worldwide. Of course the struggle isnt the same, but the tactic of pursuing freedom from oppressors is. 



In unrelated "Glory" newz, the Oscar-winning song
 "Glory" from the filmSelma garnered 28,000 downloads to
 notch its best sales week to date after Oscar night. The
 spike anchored a massive 184 percent sales gain for all
 music featured on the87th Academy Awards for the week
 ending the day of the awards (February 22nd), according 
to The Hollywood Reporter. These already impressive
 numbers are expected to rise even more in the first post-
Oscars sales week ending March 1st.



Michael Sam
Mizzou alum Michael Sam, will participate in the 20th season of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars”. After the roster of constestants was announced on “Good Morning America” on Tuesday, Sam expressed his enthusiasm via Twitter and made it clear that he is still actively pursuing an NFL career.
Very excited to be a part of @DancingABC. Football remains my unquestioned number 1 priority, however, while I continue to train and (1/4)
— Michael Sam (@MichaelSamNFL) February 24, 2015
stay ready, I am ecstatic to participate in a fun, athletic competition like so many players before me have done. Filming this (2/4)
— Michael Sam (@MichaelSamNFL) February 24, 2015
offseason is very flexible and allows me to be part of the veterans combine 3/22 if accepted or any other workouts. (3/4)
— Michael Sam (@MichaelSamNFL) February 24, 2015
I?m looking forward to getting started with @PetaMurgatroyd and winning! Thanks for the support! #TeamSambatroyd (4/4)
— Michael Sam (@MichaelSamNFL) February 24, 2015
In unrelated Sam newz, Outsports.com reported earlier this month that the Arizona Cardinals would be “looking at” the free agent during the offseason. In an interview with The MMQB, Sam acknowledged he might have to play a season or two in the Canadian Football League to attempt to raise his stock among NFL teams.





Kanye has been in the news this week. The latest was Thursday when he  publicly apologizing to Beck for rushing the stagewhen the indie-rock star was awarded the Grammy for Album of the Year over Kanye pal Beyoncé earlier this month. Kanye later said backstage that Beck should have given up the award to "respect artistry."
Kanye later admitted that he hadn't actually even heard Beck's album before making such a claim. He took to Twitter  to extend an olive branch to Beck... and then to Bruno Mars, whom Kanye also has beefed with.

The tweets came after Kanye sat down for a tearful interview with England's BBC Radio 1. While discussing his fashion mentor, the late Louise Wilson, West became so distraught that the host called a temporary time-out on the interview, offering the rapper a few minutes to regain his composure before things proceeded.



In more Ye newz, he performed a new track, "All Day," at the Brit Awards, the British equivalent to the Grammys, on Wednesday. The broadcast was available to live stream in the U.S. via YouTube and you can watch the whole thing below.
A few hours before the show, rumors spread that West would debut a new song off his upcoming album, and he delivered with a surprise performance. "All Day" has been circulating for months and a rough bootleg appeared online as early as last April, but this was the first time West performed the track in full for a live audience. 

As far as the performance, the star studded audience at Brit Awards were left shocked after West dropped the N-word during his foul mouthed performance.

Although producers reportedly attempted to mute his song, which he famously said was inspired by the London riots, they couldn't hide the faces of the audience.

Taylor Swift and Lionel Richie reportedly  looked dumbfounded at Kanye's expletive-ridden lyrics and weren't quite sure how to behave in front of the cameras.



Speaking of Taylor Swift, she and Kanye West have reconciled, and  the two have reportedly hit the studio together. According to Noise 11 (through HipHop-N-More), the first collaboration was rumored to be remix of Taylor Swift's 1989 song, "Bad Blood," produced by former The Hippos lead singer and guitarist Ariel Rechtshaid. 
Two days after the 2015 Grammys on Feb. 8, West told Ryan Seacrest that Swift and him would be "going into the studio together."
The original version of "Bad Blood" is widely assumed to be about Katy Perry. Kanye and Katy both went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2011 with their "E.T." collaboration.
Representatives for Taylor Swift, Kanye West and Ariel Rechtshaid did not respond to a request to comment at time of press.
Swift owes her superstardom to Ye after he Kaynyed her a few years back.



And lastly, BET Honors award show was aired this week and one of the honorees was Ye.  He received the Visionary Award. Damon Dash introduced West with a speech about West's courage. Then, a video was shown outlining why West was among the night's honorees. It included interviews with West, Jay Z, Kendrick Lamar, Common, and others.
"Well seeing that, I think for maybe one of the first times in my life I understand how it is to feel humble," he said following the video. Throughout his speech, he talked about success, his family, racism, and much more. Watch it all below.

To see the speech go to 
http://pitchfork.com/news/58593-kanye-west-honored-at-bet-honors-2015/


\






The No. 1 show on broadcast TV, "Empire,"  was on top of the TV ratings again, with "Empire" continuing its growth streak for the seventh week in a row.
Fox's freshman series, which premiered on Jan. 7, was No. 1 on Wednesday night with 13.8-million viewers and a rating of 5.3 in the key 18-to-49-year-old demographic, according to Nielsen ratings. 

The show has climbed 39% in viewers since its premiere, more than any other new broadcast drama since "House" in 2004


The show now also has the highest average number of tweets per episode during its live airings of any broadcast drama this season, according to Nielsen Social Guide and Twitter metrics. To date, "Empire" has averaged 381,770 tweets per episode, surpassing the roughly 355,012 tweet average for "Scandal."

In unrelated Empire newz, Chitown's Jennifer Hudson will appear in the last three episodes as a music therapist who interacts with Andre (played by Trai Byers). 

This show has become a phenomenon and it was unexpected. Its always good that Hollywood gets a curve ball every now and then so they can see that the usual, planned TV fare is not where its at these days. But our thing is after mid -March, the show's initial season will be over until next Fall. UGH!!


Kansas City, Mo native Columbus Short has joined the cast of the TV ONE original horror film Fear Files, which co-stars Robin Givens and Clifton Powell and premieres March 13th.


on
Oprah Winfrey Network will serve up new episodes of the NAACP Image Award-winning docu-series “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s” based out of St. Louis, Mo on Saturday February 28.  “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s,” starring acclaimed soul food chef and Sweetie Pie’s restaurant owner Miss Robbie Montgomery will air
on an all-new season of “Welcome To Sweetie Pie’s,” viewers will rejoin the “first family of soul food,” following Miss Robbie and her son Tim through the ups and downs of running their rapidly expanding soul food empire, along with a few new faces getting schooled in the art of soul food.  

With the fate of the Beale Street restaurant still undecided, Tim hustles to open the family’s first drive-thru location in St. Louis.  Seeking to right a past wrong, Miss Robbie heads back in the studio to record a song she was forbidden to sing back in the ‘60s.  Later, in an Unforgettable episode, the family faces the civil unrest in Ferguson following the shooting of Michael Brown, and Tim plays a key role in bringing the community together. 



Missouri reality show
A new show set in Missouri is offering a glimpse into the struggle between cops and crooks.  WGN America premiered  ‘Outlaw Country’ this past Tuesday . The unscripted series is described as.. “a real life ride-along with a street crew and the cops sworn to bring them down. When bad blood threatens a good town… whose side are you on?”The show is set in Buckner, Missouri.  Chief of Police Mike Cook and his brother Steve suspect that siblings John and Josh Monk are responsible for a surge in crime. They give show producers complete access to the police force and the “outlaws.” This presents an unblemished view from both sides of the law.





Adam 
The big STL story this week is St Louis Cards pitcher Adam Wainwright left spring training this week and traveled to St. Louis to have an abdominal injury examined by a specialist and today general manager John Mozeliak told reporters the result is the “best news we could have gotten.”
Wainwright has been diagnosed with an abdominal strain and has been told to rest for a couple weeks, leaving him plenty of time to get ready for Opening Day.
He can continue to do some throwing, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post Dispatch, but he’ll certainly be limited overall as Wainwright tries to show that he’s healthy following elbow surgery.

St L
ouis to
Selma
KTVI (Channel 2) aired a half-hour special, “St. Louis to Selma,” this week.
"Nearly 50 years ago, demonstrators left Selma, Ala., headed for the state capital of Montgomery, 54 miles away," the station says. "Their cause was clear; bring an end to the roadblocks that made voter registration almost impossible for African Americans living in the Deep South in 1965."
Reporter Paul Schankman traveled to Selma for the special, reported along with Shirley Washington.
He  packed up a video camera and drove to that small Alabama town to talk with people who participated in the civil rights movement then. He wants to know what they think Ferguson might mean to the civil rights movement now.


As we celebrate 10 years of blogging on July 5 we will highlight some of the stories reported and covered over the years each week.


THIS WEEK FEB 2006
I started off my travels last Friday when I attended the Happy Hour at Formula Nightclub on Washington in downtown ST. Louis. This was my first time checking it out. I had promised manager Miss Kay that I was going to check it out, but never had the energy after hustling and grinding trying to make a dolalr to even go. But I made an effort to go this time and I liked it. I went at about 7 ish (It started around 6) Although it wasnt a lot of people there, it was still a nice hang out to wind down, They had free food there (chicken, meatballs, dirty rice, fruit), $2 beer and two for one specials. Well, you all know me, I had to par-take in what was offered. I chilled a little bit with Post Pop Critic Kevin Johnson who was on his way to see comedian David Alan Grier at Touhill. We chatted a bit and he was about to give me the scoop about some hot R&B singer that is suppose to be blazin throgh teh Lou in two months. He was tight lipped about it and said he would let me know before it hits the streets


THIS WEEK FEB 2007
STL-TIDBITZ...Funeral services for Spc. Ryan C. Garbs, 20, are going to be held from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday in the Morris University Center's Meridian Ballroom at SIU-Edwradsville. Garbs was a member of Company B, 3rd Battalion in the 75th Ranger Regiment stationed at Fort Benning, Ga. Garbs was serving in Afghanistan when he was killed in a helicopter crash in Feb................. Theres rumors that STL -bred mdoel mogul Kimora Lee Simmons is dating Oscar nominated actor/model DJIMON Hounsou. Accrdoing to PAge Six of the New York Post, is Last week, the "Blood Diamond" star was all over Cameron Diaz. This week, he turned his attention on Kimora Lee Simmons. Hounsou and Simmons made out all night at Boulevard 3 in L.A. Tuesday during a Dom Perignon dinner for Forest Whitaker. The two, there to help celebrate Whitaker's Oscar win, ignored Oprah Winfrey, Mary J. Blige, Chris Tucker and Quincy Jones to grope each other, and left together.................Whats this I hear that Kevin Johnson and Jeff Small are going to become Zoolanbder models on MArch 16?...............The MaTiff Dancers are going to New York's Legendary Apollo Theater!!!!!!MaTiff Dancers were chosen out of 180 acts that auditioned for the show. The taping of Showtime at the Apollo will take place March 2-5, 2007.All donations made payable to the West End Community Conference c/o MaTiff Dance Program. Feel free to contact them directly regarding additional information at (314) 249 1194 or email at matiffdance@gmail.com.....Happy B-Day Mocha!......If you wanna hear a radio interveiw of the book Hoodlum Preacher, go tohttp://www.kobaltbooks.com/BurtonInterview1_102FM.mp3....On a regional level, Chicago native Jennifer Hudson has another accolade to add to her Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Governor Rod Blagojevich proclaimed today "Jennifer Hudson Day" in Illinois. Blagojevich says Hudson's win is a testament to her "amazing talent and determination." He says all of Illinois is proud to honor the 25-year-old's achievements.....

http://outtown.blogspot.com/2007/02/out-160-regular-post.html



THIS WEEK FEB 2008
Speaking of STL native athletes, Cory Spinks will fight in front of a hometown crowd again when he defends his IBF junior middleweight title on March 27 at Scottrade Center. The fight is Spinks' mandatory defense against the IBF's top challenger, Verno Phillips, a 38-year-old journeyman from Belize who now fights out of Denver. Phillips has a record of 41-10-1, with 21 knockouts. Spinks is 36-4-0, with 11 knockouts. This will be Spinks' third fight in St. Louis in his past five, but his first since July 8, 2006, when he won his IBF title by decision from Roman Karmazin.



THIS WEEK FEB 2009
Tony Scott of the Tony Scott Show celebrated his 20th anniversary at Clear Channel last Friday. As a surprise, his former radio colleague and friend Marc Clark—who was a co-host with Scott from 1992 to 1999-- flew in from Baltimore(where he held down the morning show , Big Phat Morning Show” at Radio One's until late 2008) to be a guest on his afternoon show to celebrate with Scott and his co-host Tammie Holland (who gave OUTTOWN the heads up 2 weeks ago). On his first day back in St. Louis, Clarke said, “ I got lost downtown. It has changed so much here. The Airport lost my luggage. I’m glad Levine’s (clothing) still here. They had 6 X jeans. I’m just 3 X. On air he also told the famous Uncle earl death rattle story among others reminisced. He also mentioned that he was currently unemployed (radio One let him go November 2008)Former colleagues also called in to wish Scott well including personalities JoJo and Eric Mychaels.



THIS WEEK FEB 2010
Facebook fans of Oak Park, Ill, native Emmy Award winning actress Betty White may get their wish to see the 88 year old host this season on "Saturday Night Live." According to reports, as of Tuesday, over 450, 000 people had become fans of the Betty White to Host SNL (please?)! Facebook fan page. The bid for Betty's hosting gig appears to be working. Ew.com reported that White, is in talks with "Saturday Night Live" to co-host an episode of the NBC late-night show in a special "Women of Comedy" episode alongside some of her younger contemporaries.



THIS WEEK FEB 2011
Why did the Oprah and Iyanla Van Zandt chew fest seem a bit staged? And why did it take now on Oprah;s last season for them to reconcile? Why did radio host Rush Limbaugh say that First Lady Michelle Obama's health programs are a joke? Why are those Beyonce blackface pics causung so much of a stir? Why is Halle Berry's half sis doggin her out for shunning the "black" side of the family? Why is the Las vegas senator Harry Reid wants to ban prostitution in the city? Why did rapper Foxy Brown show up at New York Fashion Week drunk and toe up? Why was there a fight that broke out between Janie Foxx's male friend and his ex-manager at Ushers Grammy party in Los Angeles? Why are half of Detroit schools closing? Why were St Lousians caught off guard with black ice that fell Wedensday morning? Why was Dr. Maya Angelou wearing shades during her Medal of Freedom awards at the White House? Why did Justin Bieber cut off his famous hair? why were media outlets joanin on Drake's leopard print shirt he wore with a suit recently? Why is Stevie Wonder's hairline so far back on his head these days? Why did Keyshia Cole take nude pics that were sent and leaked online? Why was J Anthony Brown of the Tom Joyner Show absent for two days this week on the show? and Why was BET Honors recipient Cicely Tyson overacting her speech?


THIS WEEK FEB 2012
The Homegoing Celebration of pop icon Whitney Houston which had taken place last Saturday morning at New Hope Baptist Church in New Jersey, the church where she was raised. The four hour funeral was presided by her cousin Dionne Warwick and was webcast online where The Associated Press screened the funeral online and said it had nearly two million unique viewers.
 Of the hundreds among hundreds of family, friends and celebrities who attended several ILLIMOIans were spotted. Chicagoan singer R Kelly was one of the noted speakers who also performed at the pulpit his rendition of "I Look to You" that he penned for the late singer.



THIS WEEK FEB 2013
This week it was reported that St Louis Rams wide
receiver Steven Jackson will void the final year of his

contract with the Rams, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

reported. The 29-year-old Jackson said back in January

that he would consider retirement this offseason. He will

reportedly be the top free agent running back available

come March.Jackson has played his entire nine-year

career with St. Louis, topping 1,000 yards rushing in

each of the past eight seasons. He did so again in 2012

(1,042 yards).


THIS WEEK FEB 2014

Two Chicago native film stars and recent Image Award nominees will be in two anticipated TV projects. First is Keke Palmer who was nominated for her role in CrazySexyCool:The TLC Story,  stars in a movie called “The Trip To Bountiful” based on the Broadway show by the same name. The movie, set in the 1940s, tells the story of an elderly woman,  who wants to return home to the small town where she grew up, but is frequently stopped from leaving Houston, Texas by her daughter-in-law and an overprotective son who will not let her travel alone. The film is premiering on Lifetime on March 8....Next is double Image Award award nominee Terrence Howard, who starred in an d was nominated for  The Butler and The Best man Holiday, landed the starring role in Empire, a family drama set in the world of a hip-hop empire.
Howard will play Lucious Lyon, the head of a record label, in the drama from The Butler's Lee Daniels. No date has been set on its premiere but it will air on Fox TV.


FIT BITZ
We are now debuting a segment called FIT BITZ where women and men (mainly in the ILLI MO area) who are extremely fit, have fitness model quality and have post their fitness pics  on social media.

This week we feature St Louis based fitness trainers Shonda Bush and Fred Williams. Both of these them stay fit in the gym, have great bodies and have also the look to be fitness models. 








This week we feature award winning singer/actress Jennifer Hudson who looked spectacular in this yellow Romona Keveza dress on the red carpet at the Oscars last Sunday. 




OSCAR WHYZ 
Why was Neil Patrick Harris chosen to host?  Why was Terrence Howard's presentation of some of the movies nominated for Best Picture so dramatic? Why was John Travolta touching on Idina Menzil's face? Why was Joan Rivers not added to the Memoriam? Why does the Oscars have be so long in time (almost four hours)?


 OVERALL WHYZ
Why did Kanye go on the Breakfast Club radio show to go in about Amber Rose? Why did Guiliana Rancic say on Fashion Police that Zandaya's locked hair looked like it smelled like weed?  Why did that lady anchor on Cleveland news show say that Lady Gaga usually sings under jigaboo music? And why didnt her co-anchor, who is a black guy, say anything when she said it? Why did Canada ban Chris Brown from coming to the country? Why did someone steal Lupita Nyguo'o's Oscar dress from her hotel room? Why is Donald Trump still trying to run for President?  And why are most TV shows only have about 13 episodes these days?


If you have any feedback, scoop, or fashion/fitness pics to be featured  email to snaphoney2011@gmail.com or comment below!
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