Email to a friend | Print Friendly FRENCHIE ALLEGES RACISM ON ALASKA AIRLINES FLIGHT: It all started when boy says he doesn’t want to be near “big black person.” *Frenchie Davis says she was a victim of racism by a passenger and flight attendants on Alaska Air, and plans to discuss her ordeal in a press conference scheduled for this week in Los Angeles. Her rep, however, has already told EUR what went down.
Her account is as follows: The “American Idol” vet was seated by the window at 1:30 p.m. for a scheduled 1:55 p.
m. take off on Friday. A man and his son had the seats next to Frenchie, but the boy complained that he didn’t want to sit next to the “big black person,” Davis’ rep says.
The man asked Frenchie to put her armrest down between her and the boy, but Frenchie had already fallen asleep as the plane began to taxi down the runway. According to her rep, the man “stands up and shakes Frenchie violently saying wake up and put the armrest down right now. She tells him to take his hands off her.
” The man allegedly asked flight attendants to call security because this “big black woman is harassing him,” the rep recounts. She says two flight attendants respond, but don't bother to ask Frenchie to tell her side of the story. They just demand that she move.
Frenchie tells the attendants that she was attacked, the rep says. But the pilot somehow gets involved, turns the plane around and heads back to the gate, where Frenchie “winds up off the plane and misses her flight to her next professional singing performance,” the rep says. “A few witnesses give her their information and tell her if she needs a witness to call them.
” Los Angeles community activist Najee Ali is involved and will give remarks at the press conference, scheduled for Thursday morning at the Lucy Florence Coffeehouse in L.A. DIDDY AND SUGE SHARE SAME COUCH AT PRINCE GIG?
: LA Times review of concert mentions it in passing. *If we are to believe a report in Monday’s Los Angeles Times, Prince was able to facilitate the impossible during opening night of his seven-week gig at the Hollywood Roosevelt hotel: he had the most infamous of rap rivals actually seated together on one sofa. A review of the show by Times writer Ann Powers describes a couch in the room that included Bad Boy Records founder Sean “Diddy” Combs and Death Row Records founder Marion “Suge” Knight.
Could this be one of the “surprises” in store for tonight’s BET Awards? After all, their East Coast/West Coast rap rivalry allegedly led to the still-unsolved murders of Bad Boy artist Notorious B.I.
G. and Death Row star Tupac Shakur. No word if Diddy and Suge actually spoke to each other, but at one point in the evening, Prince approached the sofa – which also included Erykah Badu, Nas and others (must’ve been a huge couch) – and tried to have some of them sing (or rap).
Powers said Prince handed the mic to Nas, but “the rapper declined to ad-lib, simply muttering, ‘I love Prince,’ and handing back the hot potato. Prince then tried to work his charm on Badu; she gave up a half-hearted rhyme about sisterhood, but it fizzled out. About half of those seated on the couch then abruptly departed (although Nas and Badu both stayed).
” Power’s lengthy review of Prince’s opening night is available here: FOXY BROWN’S ALLEGED ATTACKER HAS A STORY: Roshawn Anthony’s mama says she’s a hooker who was always ‘on the wild side.’ *Roshawn Anthony, the 23-year-old woman charged with Saturday morning’s Foxy Brown beatdown, is a Belize-born prostitute who has a history of raising hell wherever she goes, her mother tells the New York Daily News. Anthony was one of four women who police say assaulted the Ill Na Na and took off with her Louis Vuitton purse, credit cards, $500 in cash, hearing aid and chunks of her weave.
As of press time, Anthony was still locked up in Rikers Island in lieu of $50,000 bail. She is described by her mother, Laverne Reyes, as a hooker who nearly died this year after a boyfriend beat her with a pipe. "He forced her to do things and beat her up if she didn't," Reyes, 48, told the Daily News.
"[She was] selling herself, her body." Foxy, whose real name is Inga Marchand, is still claiming that she was never attacked, even though police tell the Daily News that she came in shortly after the alleged incident and pointed out Anthony as her attacker. Anthony has denied the charges against her and is “getting squeezed by the police," her Legal Aid lawyer, Clinton Hughes, told the newspaper.
added: "[Brown] is a colorful character. She's bringing out a colorful story. But something much more realistic will come out at the grand jury.
" Saturday outside the Louis H. Pink Houses in the East New York section of Brooklyn, authorities say. The women are said to be “friends” of Brown’s ex-boyfriend, who orchestrated the attack after he was dumped by the rapper moments earlier.
Foxy tried to break things off after finding out that he was a pimp with a criminal record, police noted. Anthony, who stands 5-feet-2 and weighs 125 pounds, “was a little on the wild side" and began skipping class at Brooklyn's Tilden High School at age 14, her mother tells the Daily News. Reyes says her daughter promised she would leave her abusive boyfriend when she was hospitalized this year after being beaten with a metal pole.
Meanwhile, Fox Boogie reportedly cursed out the press that had gathered outside of her Brooklyn brownstone Sunday, “with her thick black weave - and attitude - apparently intact,” the Daily News noted. She is said to have jumped into her car and backed the wrong way down a one-way street before peeling off. FLAV ORDERED TO PAY 1.
8 MIL FOR DECADE-OLD CASE: Reality star allegedly shot a man in Bronx apartment building. *Lawyers for Flavor Flav have said they will appeal a judge’s decision ordering the rapper to pay $1.8 million to a neighbor he allegedly shot at 10 years ago in their Bronx apartment building.
According to the New York Post, the appeal is based on allegations that the judge in the case, Dianne Renwick, has a conflict of interest because she’s married to Bronx DA Robert Johnson, who tried and failed to convict Flav of the shooting in the early 90s. "Her actions were retaliatory because her husband lost a series of cases to Flav," said attorney Charles Johnson, who happens to be godfather to two of Flav's kids and is not related to the current Bronx DA, the Post reports. Flav, whose real name is William Drayton, allegedly fired shots at Thelouizs English at Executive Towers, the Bronx apartment building where both lived in 1993.
The Public Enemy rapper faced attempted-murder and other charges. He was convicted in 1995 of criminal possession of a weapon and sentenced to two months in jail and three years of probation, court documents show. English, a social worker, filed an assault-and-battery civil suit against Flav.
A process server dropped the papers off with a doorman of their building. Flav never responded, later claiming he hadn't received the papers. A default judgment of $850,000 was issued against him in 1997 for civil assault and battery - $350,000 in compensatory damages and $500,000 in punitive damages.
With interest accumulating over 10 years, lawyers for English say the amount has risen to $1.8 million. Flav's lawyer estimates the sum to be $1.
4 million. TANK JOHNSON DROPPED BY ‘DA BEARS’: Latest legal drama just too much for the NFC champs. *It’s all over for Tank Johnson in Chicago.
The suspended defensive tackle was released Monday by the Chicago Bears, who are "embarrassed" by his numerous legal troubles and say he "compromised the credibility" of the team. As previously reported, Johnson was pulled over Friday by Arizona police for driving 40 mph in a 25 mph zone at 3:30 a.m.
The officer made observations that led him to believe the athlete was impaired. Johnson was arrested for "DUI Impaired to the Slightest Degree" but was released without being booked or charged. He was taken to the Gilbert police station, where officials drew blood for a blood-alcohol content test before his release.
Test results aren't expected for up to two weeks, and they would be sent to Gilbert town prosecutors for consideration of any charges. "We are upset and embarrassed by Tank's actions last week," general manager Jerry Angelo said in a statement. "He compromised the credibility of our organization.
We made it clear to him that he had no room for error. Our goal was to help someone through a difficult period in his life, but the effort needs to come from both sides. It didn't, and we have decided to move on.
" The NFL had suspended Johnson for the first eight games of the 2007 season for violating probation on a gun charge. He spent two months in jail and was released in May. Last December, police raided the 300-pound player’s suburban Chicago home and found six unregistered firearms which violated his probation on an earlier gun charge.
That earlier charge stemmed from Johnson's 2005 arrest after a Chicago nightclub valet reported seeing him with a handgun in his SUV. He subsequently pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge. SURVIVOR’S DREAMZ SUED BY BABY MAMA: Woman says their seven-month-old is owed child support, medical expenses and insurance.
*He swore on his son’s life not to break a promise during a critical moment of last season’s CBS reality show, “Survivor.” Fans of the series already know that the gesture from contestant Andria “Dreamz” Herd turned out to be worthless, as he went back on a promise to the eventual fourth place winner, Yaoman. The mother of another baby fathered by Dreamz may not be so surprised by his decision to betray his son-linked word, judging from her lawsuit filed against him nine days after the season finale.
Young says Dreamz owes her child support, medical expenses and insurance for their seven-month-old baby Luca Finley. (Herd has another son, the 2-year-old he mentioned on “Survivor,” by another mother.) But Wilmington Star-News reports that Herd wasn't listed as the father on the birth certificate filed by Young, and no other documents supporting her paternity claims were filed.
During the course of “Survivor,” Dreamz pocketed $100,000 for placing second and scored a $60,000 truck, thanks to the deal made with Yaoman that he did not honor. Ironically, the betrayal and the bad taste it left among members of the jury may have contributed to his loss of the million dollar prize to Earl Cole. KEYSHIA COLE, FABOLOUS IN NEW ‘HOOD’ FILM: Executive producer is fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld.
Yes, you read right. *Blackfilm.com is reporting that Keyshia Cole and Fabolous will star in a new feature film to be executive produced by Karl Lagerfeld, the iconic fashion designer best known for his dark shades and constant toting of an Oriental fan.
Titled “Only the Hood Dies Young,” the story follows a young brother, Jeffrey Green (Fabolous), who gets caught up in the drug game. His love interest will be portrayed by Cole. ”It's a cautionary tale and depicts a generation that's lost,” “We'll start shooting in the middle of October in South Jamaica, Queens.
” Wright also says it was a “blessing” to get Lagerfeld on board. “He loved the story. He said the drug problem is global, and that it's not limited,” says Wright.
“In writing the story, I created a situation that explains the behavior as opposed to just the behavior itself. I wanted to explain the behavior of disadvantaged youth.” ANIKA NONI ROSE JOINS JILL SCOTT IN ‘AGENCY’: Dreamgirl added to film based on Alexander McCall Smith’s popular novel.
*The cast of "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" continues to fill out with the latest addition, Anika Noni Rose, as Precious Ramotswe’s secretary/assistant, Grace Makutsi. As previously reported, Jill Scott won the role of Ramotswe, the proud, heavyset owner of a Botswana-based detective agency run by women.
Lucian Msamati was also newly-cast as Ramotswe's fianc e in the film. The Anthony Minghella-directed film is based on the popular Alexander McCall Smith novel of the same name. The movie is being produced by the Weinstein Co.
and Mirage Prods., the production company run by Minghella and Sydney Pollack. Minghella also co-wrote the script with Richard Curtis.
The film may launch a television series based on the book, but no deals are in place, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Rose currently stars in USA Network's limited series "The Starter Wife" and next appears in the film "One Part Sugar" opposite Danny DeVito. The 2004 Tony winner for the Broadway musical “Caroline or Change” also recently signed on to voice Princess Tiana in the Walt Disney Co.
's musical animated feature "The Princess and the Frog." SELITA EBANKS IN MIDST OF WEDDING PLANS: Model says big day won’t be for another year and a half – at least. *Selita Ebanks says she and her fianc e Nick Cannon have different ideas about their upcoming nuptials, which she says will go down in either late 2008 or mid-2009.
"As you can tell by the ring, he's all about the bling and having a big wedding. Me? I'm all about the courthouse," she tells People magazine.
If you recall, Cannon made a production out of the proposal last May by popping the question on MTV’s Times Square jumbotron while placing a 12-carat diamond ring on her finger. The 24-year-old Victoria’s Secret model says they plan to have their respective families play a huge role in the wedding celebration. In fact, her future in-laws have already given her nicknames.
"His grandfather calls me Toledo,” Ebanks said. “I don't know where he got it from. I think he heard wrong when Nick told him my name.
But I love him to death, he's so sweet." 7 ceremony in Vegas. Run from the groundbreaking rap group Run-DMC and MTV’s “Run’s House” will be honored as a BMI Icon at the performing right organization’s 7th Annual Urban Awards, to be held Sept.
7 at The New York New York hotel in Las Vegas. The Icon designation is given to BMI songwriters and artists who have had “a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers.” Rev Run will be saluted with an all-star musical tribute during the ceremony.
He joins past Icon honorees James Brown, Isaac Hayes, Al Green, Charlie Wilson and The Gap Band, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and last year’s honorees, Antonio “L.A.” Reid and Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds.
The invitation-only gala, which will also recognize the past year’s most-performed BMI urban songs, will be held in tandem with the MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. Hosted by BMI President/CEO Del Bryant and Atlanta Writer/Publisher VP Catherine Brewton, the 7th Annual BMI Urban Awards will recognize the songwriters, publishers and producers of the top BMI urban songs played on American radio and television. An Urban Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Publisher of the Year and Producer of the Year will be named during the ceremony.
In addition, the writers of the songs that reached the No. 1 spots on Billboard’s Hot R B/Hip-Hop and Hot Rap Tracks charts will also be honored. CW’S ‘CHRIS’ IN A RACE AGAINST PUBERTY: Series forced to shoot next season now before star’s voice gets too deep for his TV age.
*You can’t help but think of the “Brady Bunch” episode when Peter’s puberty issues conflicted with an important family concert, forcing Greg to write a song that embraced his brother’s deepening voice, “When It’s Time To Change (You’ve Got to Rearrange).” Such is the dilemma facing producers of the CW comedy “Everybody Hates Chris,” which stars 14-year-old actor, Tyler James Williams, who’s getting taller by the second and whose voice continues to fill with bass. Because of his rapidly emerging adolescence, the entire cast and crew had to cut their summer hiatus short and begin work on their third season right now.
This is all my fault. All my fault," Williams tells the Associated Press during a recent break in filming. But that’s not quite true.
Williams’ co-stars Vincent Martella (who plays Chris's best friend, Greg) and Tequan Richmond (Chris's younger brother, Drew), both 14, are also going through changes. "We knew if we kept feeding them, they would keep growing and the hormonal changes would kick in," said series co-creator and co-executive producer Ali LeRoi. In fact, the series based on Chris Rock’s teen years received an early pickup from the network “so we could get more of them young as opposed to old," LeRoi explains.
"There's a cute factor that people kind of like to hold on to. So being able to shoot a bit early, I think, helps us." DAMON DASH, WIFE IN ‘SCREAMING MATCH’: Public spat went down at NY hotspot Socialista.
*Rap mogul Damon Dash and his fashion designer wife, Rachel Roy, reportedly got loud with each other in public. According to the New York Post’s Page Six, the couple was spotted Wednesday night arguing at NY club Socialista, which the former Roc-A-Fella impresario co-owns. "They got into a screaming match," a witness told the column.
Dash was seen at Cipriani Downtown before attending an after-party at Socialista around midnight for jeweler-to-the-stars, Lorraine Schwartz. "He was in an altered state," a witness told the Post of Dash. "Rachel was curled up on a couch with another guy, and when he saw her he flipped and stormed out.
" Roy reportedly stayed at Socialista for the afterparty of Schwartz’s Diamond Monkey collection launch, while Dash headed back to Cipriani. A rep for Dash, however, insists, "There's no trouble." SPIKE LEE TO EXEC PRODUCE FILM FROM ONLINE GROUP: Director to oversee making of ‘LiveMansion: The Movie.
’ *Spike Lee will executive produce Ckrush Entertainment's groundbreaking "LiveMansion: The Movie," the first feature film to be produced by an online community (Ckrush's LiveMansion.com). As an executive producer, Lee will help guide the key creative and production elements of the film.
He previously served as a judge in the selection process for the film's director and hosted a screening of the director finalists' shorts at Tribeca Cinemas in New York City. "Having Spike Lee contribute to the making of 'LiveMansion: The Movie’ is phenomenal on many levels" said Ckrush, Inc. "Firstly, Spike's involvement in any film is an incredible asset to that film.
For Spike to lend his expertise to such a groundbreaking project is both a strong endorsement for the vision Ckrush has and a tremendous plus to the making of what we hope will be a great film.” “LiveMansion.com continues to give filmmakers, actors and people who love film incredible opportunities.
The chance to work with Spike Lee is the opportunity of a lifetime. We are very grateful to be working with Spike and think the thousands of people who have participated in the making of film through LiveMansion.com will be very excited that Spike Lee is on their team.
” FILM/TV/MUSIC BITS: Ne-Yo’s baby mama?; Lil Fizz’s ‘PayDay’; OK! nabs Parker/Longoria wedding pics; Gotti kid to drop rap CD.
*A woman claiming to have birthed a child by singer Ne-Yo has written a song about her experience and posted it on her myspace page. Model Jessica White (not the famous one of Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition fame) gets her vent on in the track “Not Anymore.” Listen to the song here: http://www.
myspace.com/jessecawhite. *Lil Fizz of the multi-platinum group B2K is set to release his debut album “PayDay” on July 17 via Fo' Reel Entertainment.
The first single, “Beds,” features Ray J and is already in regular rotation on urban radio. Fizz also loves the track “Car Wash,” about L.A.
’s car culture. “On Friday and Saturday, it's a ritual for everyone to go and get their car washed and make it look sharp,” he explains. The music is bumping, the cars are all shiny and everybody's flossin' on Slauson.
” *British-based gossip rag OK! has landed exclusive rights to photos from Eva Longoria and Tony Parker's July 7 wedding, reports Page Six. Sources say OK!
paid more than $2 million to win the opportunity over other bidders, including People magazine, reports the New York Post’s Page Six. "People editors broke the story of their wedding and were working hard with Eva's reps [to secure the picture rights]," said a source close to the talks. "They were upset about losing the photos.
" *John Gotti’s kid Carmine is releasing a rap album under the moniker C. The star of reality show “Growing Up Gotti” has a record deal with Ruff Ryders.
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