Listen Up, Kevin Speaks: October 2015

Saturday, October 31, 2015

Friday, October 30, 2015

Countess Danielle Vaughn was born August 8, 1978. She is an American actress and singer. Vaughn is best known for her role as Kimberly Ann Parker on the UPN sitcoms Moesha (1996–1999) and its spin-offThe Parkers (1999–2004).

Vaughn was born in Idabel, Oklahoma to Sandra and Leo Vaughn. She began her performing career at the age of three in 1981 singing at church. At age nine in 1988, she sang "I'll Be There" to win the Star Search junior vocalist champion and overall junior champion. Following that success, she was cast Alexandria DeWitt on the fourth season of NBC sitcom, 227.

In 1990s, Vaughn guest starred on Thea, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, and Roc. Outside of television, she performed in the off-Broadway musical Mama, I Want to Sing! Part 3. In 1992, Vaughn released her first album, Countess, featuring a variety of songs, including dance music and R&B. The album's lead single, a cover of James Brown's "It's A Man's, Man's, Man's World", charted in the top-100 of the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart; the album itself sold a mere 3,000 copies.

Vaughn is best known for her role as Kimberly Ann Parker in the UPN sitcom Moesha. She starred on show from 1996 to 1999. In 1998, Vaughn was honored with an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Seriesfor her performance in Moesha. She starred in (and also sang the theme song for) the its spin-off, The Parkers, opposite Mo'Nique. The series aired from 1999 until 2004. In film, she co-starred in Trippin(1999). In later years she guest starred on Cuts and Let's Stay Together

TGIF

Hard times are real times, the breakthrough awaits, To waver isn't an option. TGIF

Happy (45) Birthday Nia ...

45 - Happy Birthday Nia Long.

Born Nitara Carlynn "Nia" Long on October 30, 1970. She is our 'national' treasure. Long charmed her way into our hearts over 25 years ago. She is best known for her roles in the television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Third Watch, and the films In Too Deep, Boyz n the Hood, Friday, Boiler Room, Soul Food, Love Jones, The Best Man, Big Momma's House, and the sequels to the latter two films.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Bobby STILL being Bobby!!!

R&B singer Bobby Brown arrested for DUI in Los Angeles… According to reports Bobby Brown was pulled over for talking on his cell phone on Monday when officers detected the smell of alcohol.

Bobby failed his field sobriety test and was charged with DUI and driving with a suspended license.

November 20th ... Don't miss!!

'Yo Mama' host Suicide is no Joke ...

It’s with a heavy heart that I report supermodel and actor Sam Sarpong has died of an apparent suicide.

Ed Winter, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, said Sarpong was found shortly after 3 p.m. Monday below the Colorado Street Bridge, known as a “suicide bridge.” He was 40.

Sarpong, who lived in Pasadena, was born in London and moved to the USA with his Ghana-born father when he was 11.

He appeared as an actor in scores of films, such as Anchor Baby and Love Don’t Cost a Thing, and also scores of TV series, such as Bones, 24, Cold Case, NCIS and ER.

His IMDb page reports he was filming a role in the upcoming FX series, American Crime Story, scheduled to air in 2016.

As a model for Tommy Hilfiger, he was the face of the brand for several years. He also modeled for designers such as Versace, Donna Karan, Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana.

He may have been best known as a co-host on MTV’s Yo Momma for three seasons alongside Wilmer Valderrama.

He won the MAA Fashion Award for Male Model of the Year, and twice was named by Today’s Black Woman magazine on their “Fifty Most Beautiful People” list.

Below is a statement from Sam’s publicist:

It is with great sadness that the family of Samuel Sarpong, Jr. must share the news that Sam has passed away. The circumstances surrounding his death are currently under investigation and no additional details are known at this time. Information about final arrangements will be forthcoming. The family appreciates the thoughts prayers and other expressions of sympathy, and request their privacy be respected at this extremely difficult time.

Flava Pennetta sad to see U go

One of my favorite player Flavia Pennetta retired from of the world of Tennis today.

SINGAPORE - For Maria Sharapova, Thursday's victory meant she'll live to fight another day at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. But for Flavia Pennetta, the defeat meant she won't be moving on to the semifinals - and that her long, illustrious career has come to an end.

For after winning her first Grand Slam title at the US Open last month, Pennetta announced she would be retiring from professional tennis at the end of the season - and this was her last tournament.

**Here's some of the many highlights from Pennetta's illustrious career.
- She played the first tournaments of her career on the ITF Women's Circuit in Italy in 1997 (and at her very first tournament, in Galatina, she played doubles with Vinci)
- She turned pro on her 18th birthday on February 25, 2000
- She won 11 WTA titles (Sopot in 2004, Bogotá & Acapulco in 2005, Bangkok in 2007, Viña del Mar & Acapulco in 2008, Palermo & LA in 2009, Marbella in 2010, Indian Wells in 2014, US Open in 2015)
- She became the first Italian woman to break the Top 10 on August 17, 2009 (after a 15-match winning streak that brought her titles at Palermo and LA and took her to the semifinals of Cincinnati)
- She also won 17 WTA doubles titles (the two biggest being the WTA Finals in 2010 and Australian Open in 2011, both with Dulko) and rose to No.1 in doubles on February 28, 2011 (becoming the first Italian player, male or female, to reach No.1 in either discipline in tennis, singles or doubles)
- She pulled off a rare singles-doubles feat on Friday, October 7, 2011, beating Wozniacki in singles and Huber/Raymond in doubles - at the time, Wozniacki was No.1 in singles and Huber was No.1 in doubles, making Pennetta just the second player ever to beat both singles and doubles No.1s on the same day (Graf was the only other woman to achieve the feat on Monday, May 19, 1986 in Berlin)
- She reached the quarterfinals seven times at Grand Slams, six times at the US Open (Won in 2015, SFs in 2013, QFs in 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2014) and once at the Australian Open (QFs in 2014)
By winning the 2015 US Open, she became the oldest first-time Grand Slam champion in the Open Era (at 33 years and 6 months - no one else even won their first Grand Slam title in their 30s), she had the longest wait for a first Grand Slam title in the Open Era (it was her 49th Grand Slam main draw) and she was also just the second Italian woman to win a Grand Slam title (after Schiavone)
The WTA Finals in Singapore in 2015 was the last tournament of Pennetta's career

It's a new day for China ...

Hurray for babies! China has officially decided to end its decades-long one-child policy. The country’s officials have opted to change the extremely controversial policy and allow two children per family now. Such amazing news!

In a massive landmark move, China decided on Oct. 29 to scrap their three decade long one-child policy and allow families two children. The policy, which was first implemented in 1979, came with disgusting punishments for those families who did not obey the strict law — like forced abortions.

Shoulders of Greatness ...

Stature - Actor, Producer, Humanitarian Mr. Harry Belafonte, Singer, Songwriter, Producer Usher, Mogul, Hip Hop Pioneer, Poet, Writer, Producer Shawn Carter ALL Bosses. This picture shows history on so many levels STILL much work is needed. All gentleman know a thing about racism, even for the 'privilege' Black person.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

NOT enough PUNISHMENTS

The video didn't shock me. Everytime racism wreaks it's ugly head, America Pretends to be shocked and moralistic ...it's a smoke screen. RACISM LIVES!

Sicko deserves LIFE ...

The latest news in the Jared Fogle is absolutely sickening. A former journalist allegedly recorded conversations she had with the former face of Subway, in which he reportedly describes his attraction to and sexual encounters with young boys and girls, and the audio will be played during the journalist’s interview with Dr. Phil on Oct. 28. Get a first listen here.

“I had a little boy *********,” Jared allegedly says on the tape. “It just felt so good. I mean, it felt — it felt so good.” The journalist, Rochelle Herman-Walrond, met Jared in 2006 when he did an interview on her radio show, and when he reportedly made a comment about middle school girls she found strange, the Florida native worked on investigating further by befriending him and secretly recording their conversations.

Rochelle plays these alleged recordings for Dr. Phil during their interview Thursday, and explains, “I felt like I was so dirty. My soul was dirty.” The preview also includes part of another alleged interview with Jared, in which Rochelle asks, “What turns you on most…the young girls or the young boys?” His alleged response: “Both of them do. Both of them.”

The journalist turned her tapes over to the FBI over the summer, and in July, investigators conducted a thorough search of Jared’s home. Fogle reached a deal with federal prosecutors in Aug., agreeing to plead guilty to child pornography charges just one day before it was reported he’d also solicited minors for sex. Jared has paid $1 million in restitution to 10 of his 14 victims, and is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 19. As an agreement from his plea deal, Jared faces a minimum five years in prison, and prosecutors have agreed not to seek more than 12 and a half years, although this term is not binding for a judge.

Rochelle’s full interview airs on Dr. Phil’s talk show Oct. 28 and 29. Scary world that we live in.

The Innocence of a Child ...

Adults corrupt the innocence of a child.

Shanice Williams is 'Dorothy'

'Don't you carry nothing, that might be a load' ... Ready to ease on down the road! NBC announced on Wednesday, Aug. 5, that the coveted role of Dorothy has been filled for the network's upcoming production of The Wiz Live!

Newcomer Shanice Williams will take on the storied traveler who finds her way to the Emerald City. The 18-year-old New Jersey native will make her television debut when the live show hits airwaves on Dec. 3. Williams appeared on the Today show on Wednesday morning, shedding a few tears as she met the famed anchors and talked about the huge opportunity ahead of her.

"This is always what I've wanted to do," Williams said of the gig. "So I guess I'm ready! I'm ready now."

The rising star will be filling some huge shoes in the coming months. Stephanie Mills originally played Dorothy on Broadway's 1970s The Wiz, dusting off her silver slippers once more for the 1980s revival, while Diana Ross took on the role in the 1978 big-screen adaptation.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Classic Cinema ... Mahogany

'Something is nothing, without someone that you love, to share it with'

Diana Ross and Billy Dee Williams

Support the Indie Artist ...

Singer,Songrwriter,Composer and Producer Frank McComb has been in the music business for over twenty years, still gigging STILL inspired. That's the life of a true artist, not in it for the glitter and the fame, but for the LOVE of his artistry.

(http://youtu.be/xUz6-3bWtJg)

(http://youtu.be/CocoZhYhYXw)

(http://youtu.be/YpdJv9XpQzY)

Humph ...

The bigger question, is can a Black person receive a fair trial with an ALL white jury? Sounds likes an oxymoron to me.

Judge Olu Stevens dismissed an entire jury for a drug case because they were all white.

The state supreme court is going to look at the issue and see if Stevens has the authority to dismiss jury panels because of a lack of minorities.
WDRB reported:

"Unhappy with the number of potential black jurors called to his court last week, Jefferson Circuit Court Judge Olu Stevens halted a drug trial and dismissed the entire jury panel, asking for a new group to be sent up.

“The concern is that the panel is not representative of the community,” said Stevens, who brought in a new group of jurors despite objections from both the defense and prosecutor.

And this wasn’t the first time Stevens, who is black, has dismissed a jury because he felt it was lacking enough minorities. Now the state Supreme Court is going to determine whether the judge is abusing his power.

On Nov. 18, after a 13-member jury chosen for a theft trial ended up with no black jurors, Stevens found it “troublesome” and dismissed the panel at the request of a defense attorney.

“There is not a single African-American on this jury and (the defendant) is an African-American man,” Stevens said, according to a video of the trial. “I cannot in good conscious go forward with this jury.”

A new jury panel was called up the next day.

After that, the Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office and Attorney General asked the Kentucky Supreme Court to look at the issue and see if Stevens has the authority to dismiss jury panels because of a lack of minorities. And last month, the high court agreed to hear arguments.

Philip Winchester of 'The Player'

Actor Philip Winchester was born on March 24, 1981 in Montana, USA as Philip C. Winchester. He is an actor, known for Strike Back (2010), Flyboys (2006) and In My Sleep (2010). He has been married to Megan Marie Coughlin since December 2008.

Winchester graduated from Belgrade High School in Belgrade, Montana in 1999. He then lived and worked in London, England (his mother's native country), attending the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Working consistently since 2010 he has played the role of Frank Stanton, parallel universe fiance of Olivia Dunham, in the Fox series Fringe. From 2011, he has appeared as Leontes in the Starz series Camelot. Other credits include the second, third, fourth and fifth seasons of Strike Back, which aired on Sky1 in the UK and Cinemax in the US. The series follows the adventures of two Section 20 agents, Sgt. Michael Stonebridge (Winchester) and American former Delta Force officer Damien Scott (Sullivan Stapleton). He currently stars with Wesley Snipes and Charity Wakefield in the NBC drama The Player.

Proud Papa ....

Late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel poses with daughter Jane.

That Gorgeous Face ...

Supermodel/Actress/Business Woman Noami Campbell is one of the five 'original' SUPERMODELS she was born in London and caught her break when she was 15 years old. She has graced the covers of more than 500 magazines during her career, and has been featured in campaigns for Versace, Burberry, Prada, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent,Valentino and so many others.

She was the first black model to appear on the cover of TIME magazine,

French Vogue and Russian Vogue as well as the first British black model to appear on the cover of British Vogue. The runway was her domain as she showcased the collections of top designers, including Chanel, Azzedine Alaia, Christian Dior and Versace.

Most recently for the world under 25 years of age, has come to know her as 'Camilla' on the FOX hit show EMPIRE!

At 45 years of age Campbell is 'still' sought out and contending on the Catwalk and shows no signs of slowing done.

Renee' Neufville of Zhane returns

Renee Neufville of the beloved R&B duo Zhané is rocking it solo with her new single “Watching Me,” groovy, jazzy offering harkening back to the feel-good vibes of the group’s tunes of the 90s.

Written and produced by Neufville, the song is a flirty tune that has the singer egging on a crush to approach her. “I feel you watching me, come on baby, come on baby,” she dares.

Neufville says the goal of “Watching Me” was “to capture the soulful, yet sleek essence of the very music that shaped me.” *Im loving this (http://youtu.be/PaxdtWG4FPc) song, it picks right up where Zhane' left off, almost twenty years ago. Welcome back Renee'. **KK

Monday, October 26, 2015

Leah is setting her Soul Free

Setting the story STRAIGHT!!! Actress Leah Remini isn't just taking on Scientology, she's going squarely after Tom Cruise in a new interview about her departure from the church.

Leah sat down with "20/20" and revealed her fears about taking on Scientology, saying ... "Being critical of Tom Cruise is being critical of Scientolgy itself. You are evil."

She also says it's "giving up everything you've worked for your whole life" -- if you decide to leave Scientology. Remini's been very vocal about her issues with the church since leaving in 2013. She's said she left because she didn't want to raise her daughter as a Scientologist.

ABC has only released a short clip of the bombshell interview, but it's clear she'll be talking specifically about Cruise's role in Scientology. I can not wait for this interview. Let's hope she survives to tell her story. Scientology in NO joke.

SWV's 'STILL' ... Jan 15 - 2016

SWV 'Still' new release date 1/15/16

Feed your Mind ...

A library is a place for free travel, it honors the imagination is us all. BOOKS are the perfect escape. Immerse yourself in the world of reading and educate yourself and enlighten others. In Honor of Authors and Librarians everywhere ... I THANK YOU!

Emilia Clarke 'Game of Thrones'

Emilia Clarke

A True Hollywood Pioneer ...

Loonnnng before 'Caitlyn' came along, Flip Wilson's 'Geraldine' tickled the funny bones of many hearts all over the world. Wilson was a true Hollywood PIONEER. Flip Wilson was born December 8, 1933 – November 25, 1998. He was an African American comedian and actor. In the early 1970s, Wilson hosted his own weekly variety series, The Flip Wilson Show. The series earned Wilson a Golden Globe and two Emmy Awards.

As a troubled teenager going foster hike to foster home to reform school, Wilson found his outlet and survival in comedy. During the 1960s, Wilson became a regular at the Apollo Theater in Harlem and was a favorite guest on The Tonight Show, Laugh-In, and The Ed Sullivan Show. In 1970, Wilson won a Grammy Award for his comedy album The Devil Made Me Buy This Dress. He was also regular cast member on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.

In January 1972, Time magazine featured Wilson's image on their cover and named him "TV's first black superstar". Though his show only lasted four years, his groundbreaking appeal, is forever etched in the history books, and he is regarded as a true Comedic genius, paving the way for Richard Pryor(both Sagittarius) Eddie Murphy, Whoopi Goldberg, Martin Lawrence, Jamie Foxx, Kevin Hart and countless others.

On November 25, 1998, Wilson died of liver cancer in Malibu, California, aged 64.

Justin Bieber 'I Don't Get It' ...

A few weeks ago Justin Bieber leaks nude pictures of his little 'dong' colors his hair bleach blonde 'ALL' for attention. My thing is sell your 'talent' if you really have any. Apparently I'm in the minority, as the EMA's said differently last night. Appearing slightly injured Justin Bieber performed on the 2015 MTV EMA stage in Milan. Winning six awards for Biggest Fans, Best Male, Best Collaboration (with Jack U), Best Canadian Act, Worldwide Act: North America and Best Look.

Bieber had a broken ear drum (due to a wake boarding accident) when he showed up on Sunday night (Oct. 25), but, equipped with an ear plug to block out the screams, Bieber went full force into his performance of “What Do You Mean?” — yes, the same song he performed at the VMAs that made him break down in tears.