A Southern Laydee's Journey in the 21st Century
High School All American and UCLA Recruit Justin Combs… (This photo does not belong to this site.)
All week media outlets from the Today Show to ESPN have covered the “story of Sean “Diddy” Combs eldest child Justin Combs being awarded a full ride to UCLA for to play football. Sure the senior Combs is a multi-million dollar entertainer and business mogul, but he’s not the one who’s headed to college this fall. Besides, Diddy attended Howard University over 20 years ago… Continue here
Hometown Comedian Raises Awareness for Lupus with Comedy Show
On Friday April 13, 2012, comedian Jermaine “Funnymaine” Johnson will host a comedy show in the name of Lupus awareness and research. The show will take place at The Worship Center Christian Church in Birmingham, Alabama.
T-Shirts that read “Fight Lupus” will be available on Johnson’s website, and at both TWC locations for a donation of $15, and will serve as admission into the show. Proceeds from the show will go to the Lupus Foundation of America.
Johnson’s mother lost a battle with Lupus in April of 1988. Since then, Johnson has been committed to raising awareness about the disease that affects close to 1.5 million Americans in hopes of finding a cure.
“Lupus may not affect a large number of people in comparison to other diseases, but if we’re talking numbers then ‘One’ is I all need to get active. That’s the number of mothers I’ve had, and she was taken away by lupus.”
Johnson, a well known comedian, had the idea to use his talents and star power to create a show that is entertaining and informative. The show will feature performances by other comedians and musical guests, as well as videos and testimonials regarding the disease.
“I can promise that everyone who attends the show will laugh from start to finish at some good, clean comedy and leave more informed about lupus. And, long after the show is over, I hope that the ‘Fight Lupus’ t-shirts will continue to spread the message. ”
T-Shirts of all sizes for the show are available. Online donors can also choose to pick up their shirts at the event.
For more information and to make donations to the Lupus Foundation, visit http://www.FunnymaineComedy.com
Antonia “RED” Bennett
**This image does not belong to this site. This image was captured from Google.**
WHO IS RED?
Antonia “RED” Bennett is a senior at Florida A&M University hailing from Lakeland, FL. Red has been recently selected to participate in the 2012 WNBA Combine which will be held in Denver, CO in one week, March 30 – April 1, 2012.
ON THE COURT
Red, a forward averages 18 points a game, 9.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists. She is the 2012 MEAC Player of the Year. She was selected as a part of the first team all conference, MEAC tournament team, and a nominee for the Pan-American game team captain just to name a few of her most recent accomplishments.
OFF THE COURT
Red is a 22 year old criminal justice major who has led the Lady Rattlers not just with her statistical accomplishments on the court but also by being success in the classroom. Red regularly mentors youth through a juvenile justice program in Tallahassee. She has also worked in numerous summer camps for youth.
Due to NCAA rules and regulations, FAMU is unable to assist with any expenses which amount to about $1800. The expenses include but are not limited to (flight, hotel, travel, food, etc.) Red has been able to raise about $700 thus far, but time is ticking.
HOW CAN YOU HELP
Your financial support, resources, contacts, etc.) will help this dynamic young lady fulfill her life long dream of playing professional basketball. So here’s what I need you to do… Please make a donation to help this young lady get to Denver and then ask your friends to do so as well. My goal is to see her have that $1800 by the time North Carolina takes to the court on Sunday night (Yea I’m a Tarheel).
As the first women’s basketball player from FAMU to be selected to participate in this event, with your help she will be able to represent the RATTLER NATION and bring exposure to HBCU women’s basketball programs.
Her mother, Iris Hinson has created a PayPal account to help get her babygirl to Denver…. We hope you will send a donation.
You can call Karen Riggien at 850-599-3264 or …
Click here to donate: https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=7VCyzfbfRou90I1cWvcZ6DR41LXi8tulJTVmUfDKYq1jrH61w9CA9bJ-3v8&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8dcbcd55a50598f04d927139403713ca13
It’s been a month since she passed away, yet it seems like only yesterday.
Whitney Elizabeth Houston, August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012… The Voice.
I have attempted to write this post several times since the passing of “Auntie Whitney” but I couldn’t. I know she wasn’t a friend, a relative or an associate however she was very much a part of my life.
My earliest memory of her took place on a weekend trip with my mother and sister from our home in central Florida to Jacksonville, Florida. I was belting out every word of “Greatest Love of All” and my older sister turned around and stared at me in backseat of my mothers 78 Thunderbird and said “how do you know all the words?” and then she laughed. I remember thinking to myself as I sang the rest of the song, “God is love, and he’s in me.”
Clearly this wasn’t a “gospel/religious” song however God is too big to fit in a simple “musical genre”, and Whitney’s voice was too big to not be an instrument specifically designed by God to touch lives.
Through the years I’d ask for or buy every album Whitney made including her movie soundtracks. No other artists’ voice could make me cry and feel the way Whitney’s did… NONE! Her voice made me believe in myself, in love, in overcoming, in sisterhood and more.
So Why Is She Auntie Whitney?
Aunties are the women we emulate, rely on, seek out, adore and believe in. Aunties are almost like superheroes to little girls. Even your “bad” Auntie probably had/has some “superpower” that made you love her stronger or harder despite her pitfalls.
For Auntie Whitney, her superpowers were her tenacity and her voice.
She never blamed others for her drug use, she owned it as did she with her battles. Despite her chemical demons she still believed in something greater than herself and when she spoke of that greater being, it’s almost as if you could see the sound of one of her beautiful “hmmm’s” in the smiles of her eyes… (you may have to read that aloud to understand what I’m saying)
I don’t know, maybe you’ve never had a loved one with an addiction or condition… But I have and despite the ugliness that comes with that, there’s still this glimmer of hope that resonates from them… It’s love.
But She’s A Stranger
When iconic figures pass, people often ask why do strangers grieve the way they do… I’ll attempt to explain.
People say music is an universal language which unites all nations, tribes and races. If this is true, and I believe it is; perhaps that explains why God chose the skinny and shy young girl from Newark to blow the world away with songs of hope, faith and love.
This isn’t really coming together the way I want it to, probably because I want to believe that this is all just a bad dream although I know it is very much real.
Lastly, before I go I’d like to leave you with a post I wrote here on TSS February 13, 2011, “When The Pipes Go Out”.
“The world can chip away at you, I mean the world can really attack and try to steal you from you but GOD said… “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Sometimes we get so busy with life and living we lose track of how to live. I’m a living testament of this, as are many who will read and share this post. The beauty of all this is GOD loves us despite us. It’s easy to see people in the spot light living their lives and see them rise and fall through the years. As we watch them, we shake our heads often in disappointment and with doubtful thoughts that they will ever rise again… But GOD!
Anyone who knows me knows that I love Whitney Houston. And anyone who has ever heard her voice can probably understand why. I look at her as an example of God at work loving us in spite of us.
This morning my pastor shared the story about a virtuoso who played the organ. He was loved around the world. Sold out performances with standing ovations and cheers for encores at every show. The organ he played was very special. It was the kind of organ that required air to be blown into the pipes.
After one of his performances, a brother covered in sweat and exhaustion said to him, “we did great tonight didn’t we.” The virtuoso said, “I did great.” The virtuoso went on and on about how awesome he was and how the people all loved him. The brother was a bit hurt by this, afterall he had nearly blown his lungs out to give air to those pipes. As they stood behind the stage, the audience began to cheer for an encore. They wanted more of the virtuoso and so he returned to the stage, sat as his organ and began to play the organ but there was no sound. The audience grew silent, he touched the key’s again. Still no sound…
At that moment, he stood up and called the brother out and shared that they both were responsible for the beautiful music. He realized he had to give credit where credit was due, for without the air being blown by the brother, there would be no music!
That’s how life is for many of us. We build up these great positions, roles, accomplishments, careers, families, ventures and lives but we forget from which all of it comes. But God…
When we get so great that we forget, ignore and/or fail to recognize the GREAT I AM because we are so busy saying I am Great, we lose our air.
Whitney Houston became great. She rose to the top and none has ever gone higher than her. No one compares Whitney to anyone, but we all compare other’s to Whitney. When she hit rock bottom, it was as if she lost her air. She was a lot like the virtuoso, basking in the glory of herself and being the greatest. Just like the virtuoso, she lost her air. But GOD…
Sure, Whitney Houston of 2011 is nothing like the Whitney of 1986 when we first heard her sing THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL. Her voice isn’t as strong as it was then, but to hear her voice today is to see God blowing air into the organ… Its a sweet sound to hear God’s love pour through her voice. The cracks or slight distorted notes serve as a reminder, that although life may batter us, God keeps us from being broken.
I don’t know if Whitney will ever get back the air she had, but the air that she has today shows me that with God and through God, all things are possible. He has plans for us, each of us…”
SMARTPHONES: Everyone has one, or at least they should… shouldn’t they? Here’s a QUIZ which reveals what some folks really think about the most popular smartphones and their users. Identify the smartphones and then tell us which one you own and which one best describes you as an owner:
(a) is silly and are used by adults who are more childish than they are professional
(b) is arrogant and are used typically by people who are flashy or by those who are simply addicted to apples
(c) is slick and savvy similar to their users. They demand attention & ordinarily its deserved & earned and they are the perfect fit
(d) is similar to their fruit namesake, they are a healthy choice, not too pricey their users are generally modest & loyal who pride themselves in making sound, reliable investments.
HOUSTON, TX – April 2nd-4th
Are you MAD about the brackets for the 2011 NCAA National Championship Tournament? I am, matter of fact I’m excitedly mad (LOL)! My team did not make it to March MADness last year, but we’re in it this year and of course my money is on them!!!
Of all the four regional brackets, I find the Southwest Bracket to be the most likely to have HUGE upsets and surprises . If you’ve never completed a bracket before, I’d suggest you don’t make the common beginners mistake of selecting the four No.1 seeds for the Final Four. Its a cute notion, but not very realistic.
As usual I’m hoping that Gonzanga does something spectacularly amazing this year. I’ve had a strange little crush on them since 2001, not sure what it is but I like them. They are the team I “crush” on every season. We’ll see.
President Obama (my homie) correctly predicted that my UNC Tarheels would win the 2009 NCAA Championship. But this year, I’m going to have to go against him. I predict that highly favored Ohio State will not make it to the FINAL FOUR. Of Obama’s four picks, I had 3 last year. We both failed last year at picking the winner!
This year we only agree about Duke. My bracket is full of suspected upsets. Each of my Final Four picks have all been to the big dance and won at least twice.
Obama’s Picks: Duke, Kansas, Ohio State and Pittsburgh
Southern Socialite’s Picks: North Carolina, Duke, Florida and Louisville
The Hottest Song… YES THE HOTTEST!
It’s sweet, its sexy and its SNOOP! Yes, Snoop Dogg has outdone himself with his newest release, NEW YEARS EVE
This is a celebration of love. What bigger celebration annually is it than New Year’s Eve! New Opportunities, New Love, New Commitment… (you get the point) Celebrate ya Love with The 2011 version of Here & Now (Yea’ I can forsee this at a few weddings). So here it is… GROWN FOLKS STYLE
**Thanks Banks**
So for months I’ve been counting down the return of The Game. All day today, I’ve been counting down the hours until the show made its return premiere to cable tv… OH MY GOODNESS
Google images
Mr. Grammer,
Millions of Americans (specifically African Americans) have waited for this show to return. We’ve waited with high hopes of good entertainment; great story-lines filled with comedy and drama; but tonight I see we’ll have to wait some more!
Tonight’s episode was disappointing with its overly blatant stereotypes and bland moments of nothingness. Please don’t bother bringing back Girlfriends and or a new season of The Game if it’s going to be filled with these sad stereotypes and foolery. I’m not saying that you should produce a show which mirrors The Cosby Show or its spinoff, but it wouldn’t hurt to emulate what Cosby did in showing the GREAT things that black families and people achieve and do. Sure there are downfalls, but com’on we deserve better!
We gave you what you wanted tonight, HIGH NUMBERS for your premiere so give us what we deserve… A show that we can be proud of!
Thanks in advance for your cooperation and support in this matter.
Sincerely,
THE SOUTHERN SOCIALITE & FRIENDS!
Cameron Jerrell Newton was this years most valuable, unstoppable, odds defying player in college football! Oh and lets not forget he is quite easy on the eyes (Okay!!)
From his arrest while at the University of Florida to his mid season media crisis followed by his amazing victory against in-state rival, the University Alabama and ultimately to his SEC Championship win against South Carolina, Cam has shown that dignity and grace are necessary tools to success even when you’re going through hell personally in a very public way (media crisis).
Congratulations to the very handsome, undeniably talented Cam Newton the 2010 Heisman Trophy Winner!
**Photos from Google**
5:30 a.m.
Daily my alarm clock blasts the sounds of the local R&B/Soul station here in the heart of Dixie. During the work week the sounds of The Steve Harvey Morning Show dominates the 450 sq. ft I call home. The soundtrack on my ride into downtown is always The Steve Harvey Morning Show. Most folks know (or think that) Steve Harvey is a new age relationship guru/expert (or at least think that he thinks he is). Nonetheless, his show is filled with conversations about building relationships, recognizing negative relationships and how to overcome them, steps to maintaining relationships and of course marriage. Steve makes everything seem possible when it comes to love if certain basic steps are followed (of course you can get them at a nominal fee if you purchase his book(s)). Nonetheless, Steve is pretty positive about Black love, or love in general.
4:30 p.m.
The soundtrack of my commute from downtown to class is the total opposite to my morning trek. Enter Micheal Baisden. Rarely if ever do or will you hear stories of successful love stories being discussed by Baisden or on his show. There is the regular reference to his co-host George Wilburn and his marriage, but ordinarily that seems to be the extent of it. I don’t think Baisden is against love or loving, but sometimes I wonder if the brother needs a hug!
Now don’t get me wrong, I realize that life isn’t peaches and cream but I do believe in love and success. I understand the points both brothers are making and that we need variations in conversations, but something about the extreme oppositeness of their tones doesn’t sit quite well with me.
Perhaps the contrast between the love/loving/lovers aspect of these two shows boils down to simply what they think their listeners expect of them. The only problem with that idea though is quite often they share the same exact listeners. *Socialite Shrug*
My question for my reading audience (all 250 of my subscribers) and sporadic readers, LOL…
What implications if any do we face as a community from these radio personalities conversations regarding love in the black community, is it healthy, confusing, irrelevant or all of the above?
