Under the Dryer

Star Jones Admits: I Earned 'Diva' Image | Star Jones : People.com

2006-12-19T18:07:00.000-05:00

Willi Ninja Day Today - 6PM Moment of Silence

2006-12-06T12:46:00.000-05:00

Picked this up from Andrew Der at Cognitive Percolations. Great idea. New York City, or the borough of Queens, are you going to do the same?

Cognitive Percolations: "Apparently today (December 6th) is Willi Ninja Day in the city of Newark, NJ. We haven't really planned a formal celebration for today. Instead, the House of Ninja is asking everyone who knew Willi to take a moment around 6pm today to reflect on his memory and the impact he had on your life.

It was exactly a year ago today that a benefit was held for him. Here is a clip from the benefit (I can only assume):"

Gerald Levert dead at 40

2006-11-10T16:16:00.000-05:00

Ah this is sad to write. I had the honor of meeting Gerald Levert on the Tom Joyner cruise in '03. He is so young. RIP and my sincere prayers to the Levert family and his children.

Gerald Levert dead at 40: "Entertainer Gerald Levert has died at his home in Newbury, Ohio, according to WKYC-TV, and NBC station in Ohio.

His family tells Channel 3 News it appears died in his sleep, possibly of a heart attack. He was 40 years old.

Gerald was the son of Eddie Levert, a founder and lead singer of the O'Jays. The family has a street named after them in their native Canton.

Gerald and Eddie collaborated many times, recording an album called Father and Son together. He also sang with his brother Sean and Marc Gordon in the R & B Trio LeVert."

CBS News Correspondent Ed Bradley Dies of Leukemia at 65 - washingtonpost.com

2006-11-09T12:39:00.000-05:00

CBS News Correspondent Ed Bradley Dies of Leukemia at 65 - washingtonpost.com

Condolences to the family and friends of Ed Bradley, who passed today after a battle with leukemia at age 65, according to the Washington Post. He was a true journalistic pioneer, and ever so cool with that earring. Rest in Peace.

If My People: Comedian Busted for Stolen Concealed Weapon - TMZ.com

2006-11-07T12:48:00.000-05:00

Katt......baby....listen to me now.

Being that:

1. You and Snoop are colleagues.
2. Snoop just got arrested for weapons possession.
3. We are already advertising for an assistant for Snoop on Under the Dryer to prevent future arrests.

Why did you take a gun to the airport? A stolen gun. And have 3 more pieces in your luggage? What the WORLD?

Blogger prayer circle tonight 6pm. In the NAME....

Comedian Busted for Stolen Concealed Weapon - TMZ.com: "Katt Williams was arrested Monday at Los Angeles International Airport for allegedly carrying a stolen concealed weapon.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ the arrest occurred at 3 p.m. in Terminal 5. Williams, a popular comedian who recently starred in his own HBO stand-up comedy special, was stopped at the security checkpoint. Security officers found a concealed weapon in his carry-on luggage. One law enforcement source described it as a 'cheap, Saturday night special.' The LAPD was called and Williams, who stars alongside Nick Canon on the popular MTV show 'Wild 'N Out,' was arrested. Cops determined the concealed weapon was stolen. They also found three additional weapons in luggage that Williams had already checked in.

Williams, who is scheduled to host BET's first ever Hip-Hop Awards later this month, was booked on felony charges of carrying a concealed weapon and several other offenses. Sources say Williams is also wanted in connection with an outstanding warrant in Kalamazoo, Mich"

VH1 Announces 'Flavor Of Love' Spinoff

2006-11-02T15:50:00.000-05:00

Sisters are making me earn my money AND driving me to double-martinis this week...
first Brandy and the Holy Ghost beatdown, now this....Mo'Nique ain't exactly Angela Bassett
nah'mean? Does she think we forgot about that stunt she pulled on the airplane over her hairdryer in the overhead bin? Shaken not stirred, Ketel One, please. Father, I stretch...

Celebrity Week - Where Hollywood Meets the Las Vegas Strip - VH1 Announces 'Flavor Of Love' Spinoff: "Flavor Flav kicked them to the curb, but that doesn't mean his Flavor of Love castoffs are gone for good. Now, 13 favorites from seasons one and two are ready to trade in their booty shaking and cat fighting ways for a little poise and grace.

Mo'Nique is set to host the latest in VH1's celebrity reality series with Charm School. The Parkers star will put these girls to the ultimate etiquette test as they compete for a cash prize and the title 'Charm School Queen.'

“These girls are outspoken and outrageous, but they need some focus and direction,” Mo’Nique says. “I’m just the woman to give it to them. You will see a metamorphosis in these girls, I promise!”"

If My People: Brandy Buckin in Bible Study

2006-10-31T18:46:00.000-05:00

Here in the shop we begin a recurring series "If My People", devoted to when we stunt in public (stuntin' like my daddy). The Scripture tells us "If My people, which are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray..." and I always say stop right there cause we can't even do that. Buckin' in Bible study! What, someone dissed Tom Cruise? Come ON Brandy.

Crunk + Disorderly: "Things got ugly when Brandy showed up with two of her friends (one a Scientologist, one not) to bible study at First A.M.E. (FAME) in Los Angeles last week.

Apparently the group of friends had just come from a Scientology meeting and had a bunch of questions challenging Christian principles being taught at the bible study. While Brandy asked a question regarding lust, her friends got into a brawl with members of the church in the back of the sanctuary. Chairs were flying, cuss words were being tossed! Not your typical Wednesday night bible study scene at all.

Members of the congregation had to break the fight up. It is also reported that Brandy knocked over some chairs on her way out of the building.

And get this, she isn't even a member of the church! Just ignorant.

Sonia, come get your child."

Job Posting: Weed and Heater Holder for Calvin Broadus aka Snoop Dogg

2006-10-27T16:41:00.000-04:00

Under the Dryer's employment agency is posting a 'Weed and Heater Carrier' (WAHC) position, reporting to Snoop Dogg. This position is open due to the employer's(Snoop's) inability to understand airports are federally regulated and you can't take indo and pistols in there, nor on planes. Given Mr. Broadus' well publicized relationship with and affection for weed, including appearing on the seminal album "The Chronic", to lyrics such as "rollin' down the street smokin indo...", to most recently appearing on the hit Showtime drama called, you guessed it, WEEDS, he's made himself an easy target for arrest.

Qualifications include: security skills, ability to be inconspicuous, trustworthiness with contraband, firearm experience, ability to travel independently from Mr. Broadus so he does not get pinched, and past track and field experience, especially sprint events. Salary commensurate with experience. References required.

On the rizzle Snoop, how many times we gonna go through this bruh? You can't get caught holdin', period.

Snoop Dogg Arrested at Burbank Airport | Snoop Dogg : People.com

Scoot Over Naomi Campbell: Ill Na Na Sentenced to Three Years' Probation

2006-10-25T09:33:00.000-04:00

"Fox Boogie's" reputation preceeds her; I never have forgotten that
spitting on the hotel desk clerk stunt she pulled in Raleigh NC a few
years ago because there was no iron in her room. Yeah. Trust me
she would have caught my left hook while the spittle was still airborne
if I had been the hotel clerk. I had hopes her diversion into ragga while
dating Spragga Benz would have brought more peace into her life, but
"nah gal still fi rowin' so." -- Thanks again to Fresh over at C+D for putting
this so humorously (Noxema Jackson ROFL!)--AE

Outside court, Brown said that she would still beat the charges.
"I'm a fighter," she said." I have an impressible spirit and an abiding
faith in God. I believe that I will walk free." Outside court,
Brown said that she would still beat the charges.

EDITOR's NOTE: Not to disparage anyone's testimony, but
1)I think it's irrepressible, not impressible there, Inga.
2) You are on trial for smacking an nail tech, not capital murder, baby,
fall back a little. Bless God anyhow.
Pray much for the Ill Na Na and she'll do the same for you. --AE

rt, Brown said that she would still beat the charges.

"I'm a fighter," she said." I have an impressible spirit and an abiding faith in God. I believe that I will walk free."

Addendum to AE's Online Dating Tips: Lose the Man-Purse

2006-10-23T17:43:00.000-04:00

Much respect to Fresh over at Crunk n Disorderly for this public service announcement. Granted, these particular "murses"(man-purses) are more streamlined than those triangular Gap man-bag/backpack numbers the children wore out back in the 90s, but the same rule applies: N-O. There are certain things as a female I take exclusive liscense with, fellas. I do it, you don't. This includes:

Brow waxing
Nail polish
Skinny Jeans
Lip Gloss

No exceptions. That said I have a couple of PSAs to add of my own:

Kanye to-da: Put that Murakami Louis Vuitton wristlet back in your fiance's Speedy bag, never to be removed again.

Terrance: You played a pimp w/a perm (which 2 years later you are still gettin' touched up I see) so I will cut you a little slack but...

Crunk + Disorderly: "

10.23.2006

Star Tracks: The Murse

Jamie Foxx, Kanye West, The Rock, and the artist formerly known as Slickback have all been seen sporting a man bag, or 'murse', in the past year. People.com has a poll up right now about the trend. I'm not sure what I think about it. The only man I know who carries a handbag is my cousin Nate who also wears skinny jeans and raspberry lip gloss. Now Nate you know I love you ('cause you are probably going to curse me out later on tonight) but I'm just saying. What do you think of it?"

Aunt Esther's Online Dating Tips for the Fellas

2006-10-22T19:51:00.001-04:00

Took a web surf through some online dating services this weekend. I'll get right to the point: Fellas, a lot of your profiles are STRUGGLING. You will never attract a woman with some of these sorry postings I saw. Thus, I give you Aunt Esther's Online Dating Tips for the Fellas:

NO PICS W/YOUR GIRL CUT OUT OF IT. Quit bein' a cheap-ass and take a new picture!We can see ol girl's head on your shoulder, arm around you, whatever, very easily. Nobody takes a picture w/their head leaned over unless they are posed with someone or their neck hurts. It is obvious and taaaaaa-cky!
TYPOS AND MISSPELLINGS GET YOU AN IMMEDIATE JEOPARDY BUZZER.Have someone proofread ya stuff or spell-check it before you post it. One guy was an aspiring poet or writer, no joke, and wrote "I am poet looking for a brake (immediately clicks to the next guy.)
NO IDIOT PHOTOS. What do I mean? For his main photo, one fool had a picture of him with his buddies standing under a sign that read "Huge Ass Beers for Sale Here." This ties with the guy who had a photographwith the bikini-clad Bud Light girls for his main photo. I rest my case.
IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN 2 KIDS AND HAVE NEVER BEEN MARRIED, YOU MIGHT WANT TO GO ANOTHER ROUTE FOR DATING. I saw a "more than 4 kids, never been married" in a guy's profile. In my mind I'm going "Okay that's potentially 4 sets of baby's-mama and baby's-mama's-mama drama, 4 visitations, 4 child support payments/periodic court appearances. Next Why didn't you just put "I'm a Playa" in the headline, I'm wondering?
IF YOUR PROFILE IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLY IS. You have to like/love someone warts and all, so show all your cards up front guys. NOTE: This also goes for you 'holy players', haw-lay-looooooooooo-yah. No brother in 2006 who is saved has ANY trouble meeting women @ church. The odds are still in your favor Yeah I see ya, been there done that bought the t-shirt, try again.

There it is, a few minor adjustments, and your inbox should be full of prospects, some for the first time ;-)

Shop's Back Open from Vacation

2006-10-09T13:35:00.000-04:00

Hi all....the shop is officially back open after taking a much-needed week in the Caribbean.
Missed y'all . BTW October is a great time to go to 'the islands' as 'we' often refer to the Caribbean or West Indies; cheap, good weather, and not crowded at all.

Our Condolences to Reverend Run Simmons Family

2006-09-27T21:53:00.000-04:00

Our sincere condolences and prayers go out to Rev. Run and Justine Simmons, and children Angela, Vanessa, Daniel, and Russell II. The Simmons' baby daughter, whom they named Victoria Anne, died shortly after being born prematurely.
Justine's pregnancy was featured in the second season of the family's MTV reality series "Run's House."
May the Simmons family feel the presence,love, and compassion of the Lord at this tragic time.

"The Lord is nigh unto those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the tribulations of the righteous, but the Lord delivers them out of them all."

Story continues below from People magazine:

Reverend Run's Baby Dies at Birth : People.com: "The baby daughter of rap legend Reverend Run and his wife Justine died at birth.

Run (real name: Joseph Simmons) issued the following statement on Wednesday through MTV: 'On September 26, 2006, Victoria Anne Simmons for some unknown reason chose to come early and unfortunately did not survive.

'We must accept whatever is there and once you accept unconditionally, then everything is beautiful. Every pain has a purifying effect.'

The baby was delivered Tuesday at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, N.J., the Associated Press reports. Justine Simmons is fine.

Run, a founding member of the seminal rap group Run-D.M.C., and his wife married in 1994, and have two sons Daniel (Diggy) and Russell II (Russy). Run's three older children, Vanessa, Angela and Joseph Jr., are from a previous relationship.

The family stars in the MTV reality series Run's House, which follows the minister and his wife as they raise their five children. The show was picked up for a second season, which began airing in June. Rev. Run was ordained a minister by the nondenominational New York City church Zoe Ministries in Aug. 1995."

Fantasia's Claymation-Inspired Look

2006-09-26T14:37:00.000-04:00

Remember the Claymation Christmas movie, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer? There was the one little elf named Hermy(far right), who wanted to be a dentist instead of build toys? Well apparently this was Fantasia's(right) inspiration for this glued-in disaster. With that I will issue an Under the Dryer PSA: ATTENTION CELEBRITIES AND GOSPEL ARTISTS(see Yolanda Adams): QUIT LETTING YOUR COUSIN TWINKIE OR TAY-TAY BE YOUR STYLISTS! YOUR FANS CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!

I know I'm going to "h!@# on a scholarship" for this, but it's the first thing that popped in my head when I saw it on Crunk n Disorderly. 'Tasia I wouldn't try to help you if I didn't love ya girl.

EXCLUSIVE! Under the Dryer Makes La Dolce Musto by Michael Musto

2006-09-23T08:48:00.000-04:00

Well if we aren't blushing and and fanning our faces! Thanks to legendary Def Poet Emanuel Xavier, (left)the shop has been written up by the infamous columnist Michael Musto in the also-legendary Village Voice.!!!! Needless to say we are honored, humbled, and grateful! (though we know it will wreak pure havoc with the appointment book.) Mr. Musto cited my recent post taking Madonna to task, saying that she should do a benefit concert in memory of the late Willi Ninja to help defray medical bills and his elderly mother's
continued care. (Willi passed away due to complications from AIDS on September 2, 2006.) My biggest hope is not to be famous, but that someone in Madonna's camp reads this, communicates it to her, and she takes me up on my suggestion.

Emanuel, you have a standing appointment on this site, love! Love to have you guest-blog sometime. (*bows down to the 'row*)

village voice > nyclife > La Dolce Musto by Michael Musto: "Before spraying one's hair, any he-man must go Under the Dryer�the name of a pesky blog which provocatively says MADONNA should pay for the expenses of late voguer Ann Richards, I mean Willi Ninja. As was just vented there, 'Madonna owes the voguing community a huge debt and the least she could do is step up and pay Willi's remaining medical bills and see to his mother's continued care.' It says she 'pimped her way' to stardom 'on the backs of African American, Latino, and gay cultures . . . She would have nothing including LOURDES without black and brown people. (Madonna was quite public about seeking out a Latino to father her first child.)' There are several intellectual leaps in this argument that I'm not taking�not without liquids�but it's food for thought, and at least it ends with the more realistic suggestion that Madge can maybe just do a benefit concert."

Little Things Make Me Happy: Vitamin Water by the Case!

2006-09-18T11:16:00.000-04:00

My prayer has been answered! Vitamin Water is available by the case @ BJ's Wholesale!!!

Madonna Should Pay Willi Ninja's Medical Bills

2006-09-13T19:14:00.000-04:00

"Pay us like you owe us for all the years you ho'ed us/
Mo' money, but money talks so talk mo' bucks" -- Jay-Z

Jigga used this lyric in reference to the many years hip-hop artists did not get paid properly by their record companies. I believe the same thing applies to Willi Ninja's untimely death. Madonna owes the vogue community a huge debt; the least she could do is step up and pay Willi Ninja's remaining medical bills, and see to his mother's continued care. Let me keep it real here: The Material Girl pimped her way to multi-millionaire superstar status on the backs of African-American, Latino, and gay cultures, period. She would have nothing, including her firstborn daughter Lourdes(yeah I said it), without black and brown people. (Madonna was quite public about seeking out a Latino to father her first child.)

Now that one of the most influential muses of her career has fallen, the least she could do is show the financial support in his death that she clearly didn't show in life. From what I know of this AIDS pandemic, it would appear Willi did not have access to the proper medical care. Or, if ol'Madge doesn't want to come out of pocket ,for what amounts to a rounding error for her I'm sure, how about a benefit concert? As the late vogue legend Pepper Labeija said in the documentary Paris is Burning, the vogue community is comprised of persons who"don't have two of anything." Why should they have to scrap pocket lint together to try to cover what to them is surely an impossible amount of debt?

Lately Madge has been in the news ,because during her current concert tour she hangs on a cross. How about emulating Christ in a less controversial, more impactful way Madonna, who said "if you have done it unto the least of these, My brethren, you've done it unto Me?"

Shut Up! Whitney Houston files for divorce - Sep 13, 2006

2006-09-13T16:37:00.000-04:00

CNN.com - Whitney Houston files for divorce - Sep 13, 2006

In a related story, Cissy Houston, Whitney's mother, was heard getting her sho' nuff shout ON at their New Jersey home, and found 'slain in the spirit' in the driveway. :-) As Aunt Esther would say Ha' Glorayyyyyyyyyy!

Tyra Banks Heard My Cry

2006-09-12T08:55:00.000-04:00

"Praise-a-llujah!" as my friend V would say! On this morning's Today show, Tyra Banks told Matt Lauer she'd been working on her broadcast journalism skills over the summer. One of the things she didn't realize, (but I sure did) was when she'd get excited about something, her pitch would go way up. I deemed it her "13 year old girl at a slumber party" voice. Like you figure d garage doors all over Southern California raised up en masse when she started that shrill squealing. Or, maybe she said to herself, "Oh Lord Aunt Esther talked about me like a dog on Crunk n Disorderly, let me tighten it up on the vocal tip.
Apparently Tyra worked with a voice coach over the summer and learned speak in her lower register. Tyra's new season jumps off today. *Stands up slowly clapping in the back of the room to give it up for the lower register.*

Willi Ninja Tribute Video- An icon, legend and friend

2006-09-08T20:42:00.000-04:00

YouTube - Willi Ninja - An icon, legend and friend

This is embedded in my tribute post here, but I wanted to pull it out in case you miss it. Seems to go from early to recent, since you will hear Willi say he 'just turned 45' in the last segment. Well done, RIP baby.

Heaven's Got a Fierce Praise Dancer Now: Willi Ninja Passes at Age 45

2006-09-07T12:15:00.000-04:00

The shop flies it's flag at half-staff this week for a true legend-icon-diva, Willi Ninja, who died of AIDS-related illnesses Saturday at age 45. Sadly, yet another black genius is taken from us by this pandemic.

First time I saw Willi work ever was as with many folks in the vogue documentary "Paris Is Burning" at the Fine Arts Theater in downtown Chicago. It stands out in my mind because my boyfriend at the time was rendered somewhat paralyzed by the local voguers,etc, in line and in attendance. (Guys are so squeamish over nothing!) I mean if you are born and raised in Chicago or any major city, seeing the 'children' doing their 'act' should not even phase you. But I digress. Myself being a house music fiend, this was a way to see the two underground genres melded together on screen.

Willi was a true artistic innovator. It is so admirable to me how geniuses like him have the courage to break through in the often fickle and elitist dance world at with something that up until then was 100% underground. Every krumper, popper, breaker, or freestyler owes this man and this genre their respect and homage.

Furthermore,I feel Madonna owes millions in royalties to him for her song "Vogue" and taking this art form mainstream. I'll even go so far as to say she should pay for the man's funeral services AND attend out of respect. I doubt he ever earned enough to cover the expensive medical treatment he's undergone, and nowhere in the same stratosphere as "Madge." Same for little Ms. Paris Hilton, whom he taught how to work the red carpet.

One thing I know for sure, heaven now has one FIERCE praise dancer honey! Workfor eternity, love. Here is a tribute clip of the Diva in action: click here; he mentions in the last part that he'd just turned 45, so obviously not too long before he passed. God rest your soul Willi.

P.S. Props to the NY Times for giving him a proper obituary.(below)

Willi Ninja, 45, Self-Created Star Who Made Vogueing Into an Art, Dies - New York Times: "Willi Ninja, known as the Grandfather of Vogue, a dance form that he helped move from the New York club scene of the 1980’s to the concert stage, died on Saturday in Queens. He was 45.

The cause was AIDS-related heart failure, said Archie Burnett, a close friend.

Vogueing — with its angular body movements, exaggerated model poses and intricate mimelike choreography — and the colorful characters who populated Willi Ninja’s world were introduced to the public at large by “Paris Is Burning,” the award-winning 1990 documentary about New York’s drag vogue-ball scene. Later in his career, Willi Ninja also performed in works by postmodern choreographers including Doug Elkins, David Neuman and Karole Armitage.

Vogueing had been around for years, but Willi Ninja brought it to a level of visibility and perfection in performance that no one had ever reached before, said Sally Sommer, a professor of dance at Florida State University.

“He was tall man, about 6-3,” she said, “and God gave him the biggest, broadest dance shoulders in the world, so when he would do those things with his arms it was just so impressive.”

Willi Ninja is featured in Ms. Sommer’s documentary, “Check Your Body at the Door,” now in production.

William R. Leake was born in Queens on April 12, 1961, and grew up in Flushing. He began dancing at 7. By the early 1980’s he was vogueing in Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village and at drag balls throughout Harlem. He prided himself on being a clean, sharp dancer, with swiftly moving arms and hands, and he was deeply inspired by the martial arts — hence his adopted name, Ninja.

As the “mother” of the House of Ninja — part dance troupe, part surrogate family — he became a New York celebrity, known as much for his quick wit and sharp tongue as for his darting limbs. His ensembles — a coat made of braided synthetic hair, a suit jacket with a skirt and Doc Marten boots — also turned heads wherever he went: “severe” is the word.

An androgynous, self-described “butch queen,” Willi Ninja taught vogueing throughout Europe and Japan, modeled in runway shows for the fashion designers Jean Paul Gaultier and Thierry Mugler and danced in music videos.

He also taught models how to strut, giving stars like Naomi Campbell pointers early in their careers. Most recently, he worked with the socialite Paris Hilton, whose red carpet sashay has since become her signature.

In 2004, he opened a modeling agency, EON (Elements of Ninja), but he never gave up dancing, appearing on televisions series like “America’s Next Top Model” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” and dropping in at local clubs.

“If he saw someone doing something on the dance floor that he loved, he’d walk up to them and say, ‘Oooh, child, you are fierce,’ ” his friend Mr. Burnett recalled. “That was one of his highest compliments.”

Willi Ninja is survived by his mother, Esther Leake of Queens.

iPod Moment: Cheers 2 U by Playa

2006-08-18T12:09:00.000-04:00

Aunt Esther got her hand in the air testiFYING y'all..HA'gloray!...the shuffle feature on the iPod is a beautiful thing...does the digging in the crates for you. Cheers 2 U...an oldie but goodie, cult classic, one hit wonder by the group Playa. Produced by Timbaland in his early days, this was a slow jam in the tradition of true classic slow jams, complete with a breakdown. Holla if ya hear me!

My Dog is a Fan of 'The Game'

2006-08-04T21:45:00.000-04:00

Okay swear I just watched my dog make a mad dash to the TV and sit in rapt attention while the commercial for The Game's new sneaker by 310 motoring was on.

Get prayed up y'all...get right...the end must be near!

Thank You JESUS! Ben Wallace leaving Pistons to sign with Bulls

2006-07-04T14:22:00.000-04:00

ESPN.com - NBA - Ben Wallace leaving Pistons to sign with Bulls

For a long suffering Bulls fan such as Aunt Esther, who endured Jerry Krause's "little fat kid who didn't get picked for kickball" stunt of dismantling one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history, THIS is yet another ray of hope. I am shoutin on my good leg yet again! Gloray!!!!!!

Yeah Kim!

2006-07-03T11:53:00.000-04:00

Cheers Greet Lil' Kim's Prison Release | Lil' Kim : People.com

Weave don't look too bad....hit a wax on them brows and you in the mix GURL!!!! And go 'head leavin the block in a silver Rolls mami. The shop is "shoutin on it's good leg" for you girl! *air kisses*

What's Missing from the Black Blogosphere?

2006-06-30T19:16:00.000-04:00

As I was doing my daily cruise 'round the black blogosphere, I was trying to think of what 'frontiers' we have yet to cover. Clearly we have the celebrity gossip and photo market on LOCK via crunk n disorderly, cake and ice cream, YBF et al. I think black feminists have a corner on their market well established ex. blackademic and Having Read the Fine Print.... Hip-hop blogs, both with gossip, playlists, and reviews are plentiful. The 'diva-esque' I think Afro-Netizen and Mark Anthony Neal's Barbershop Notebooks, Humanity Critic , blackprof, and Keith Boykin are good examples of social/political commentary. And last but not least Negrophile is the patriarch of the black blog world. And Butta On ....well my girl is in a class all by herself, and a terrific one at that!

That said, what are we missing in your view? Is black blog content played out in your opinion? I'm wrestling with going in a different direction here or something totally fresh and new. Where is your head at on this? Holla....

Pharrell for Louis Vuitton.....Slave to the Rhythm Edtion

2006-06-20T22:54:00.000-04:00

Cake and Ice Cream: Pharrell for Louis Vuitton...

So here we have Pharrell as Grace Jones circa 1981. $5 he has a Carl Lewis box fade under that hood. And I concur w/my girl over at Cake and Ice Cream, homey has on pink lipstick AND blush. Hands lotioned to perfection.....hmmm shaky if ya asked me. Louis coulda just hired the original Grace and saved a ton on the ad budget.

So what's up w/him and A Bathing Ape then? Big ups to Cake and Ice Cream for hippin' us to this one.

Caption This: Corey,Vivica, and Miguel at VEX Night Club Opening

2006-06-13T20:54:00.000-04:00

crunk + disorderly: it is what it is
Vivica...I lift my hands up and ask ya WHY LORD!!!!!?????!!! Honey I knew SixxNine was a card carryin member of the 'Velvet Mafia' back in '96 at the Cancun Jazz Fest when you brought him with you...just cause it took a few years for you to hear the clue phone don't spiral THIS far down!

Big up to Fresh over at crunk n disorderly for this "begging to be captioned" photo from the Harrah's Casino Hotel Grand Opening of VEX Nightclub. Apparently Omarosa was among the has-been luminaries in attendance, but I didn't have the strength to post her photo on my blog.

Aight 'shop...caption it...go.

PISTOL PACKIN' MAMA: Now, How Hood Are You When Ya Mama Has to Return Fire?

2006-06-01T15:41:00.000-04:00

As much trash as these cats talk, mama has to pull out the strap to keep peace at a birthday party like he's FIVE. Let the dis records begin. If I were a recording artist I would wear this OUT do you hear me? I mean how'd this go?

like:
he run under her apron cryin and snottin' "Mama (lip quiverin hyperventilating gasps) they-tryin-to-fight-me-mama."
Mama: "Hold on Young Dime Yayo, let me turn his slab of ribs..hand mama her pocketbook out the car and she'll get her Tech9 out."
*flip sizzle kaKOW!! kaKow!! kaKOW!!!

Hope Tyler Perry is paying attention this is CLASSIC Madea material for his next film!

PISTOL PACKIN' MAMA By LORENA MONGELLI, STEFANIE COHEN and LARRY CELONA - New York Post Online Edition: News: "May 30, 2006 -- The correction-officer mom of a G-Unit rapper whipped out her pistol and started shooting during a wild gunfight at a Queens barbecue that left an innocent bystander paralyzed, law-enforcement sources said yesterday.

The officer wasn't charged in the frenzied fracas early Sunday outside a St. Albans home. Officials said she was using a licensed weapon to return fire at people who shot at guests at the party, among them G-Unit rapper Lloyd Banks."

The Duke Case's Cruel Truth

2006-05-25T16:14:00.000-04:00

EDITOR'S NOTE: I'll say it again, there are broader issues here than "did they or didn't they sexually assault this woman? 400 years is long enough...

The Duke Case's Cruel Truth: "By Lynne Duke
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 24, 2006; Page C01

She was black, they were white, and race and sex were in the air.

But whatever actually happened that March 13 night at Duke University -- both the reported rape and its surrounding details are hotly disputed -- it appears at least that the disturbing historic script of the sexual abuse of black women was playing out inside that lacrosse team house party.

Two black women performed an exotic dance. The white men in their audience shouted racial epithets, one of the women has said. Things got rough. Someone in the crowd held a broomstick aloft and shouted 'I'm gonna shove this up you,' the other woman told police when she reported being raped. As the women fled the house, a neighbor reporte"

Does Desparate Houswives' "Black" Storyline Bother You?

2006-05-22T16:45:00.000-04:00

This has bugged me for a minute, so I'm gonna pick my 'fro out for May on this one. Why, when Wisteria Lane gets a black family,the Applewhites, does it play into every stereotype of black folks since "Birth of a Nation"? Betty Applewhite (by the brilliant Alfre Woodard) has two grown sons, Caleb and Matthew. Caleb is mentally challenged, and evidently tried to rape Matthew's ex-girlfriend, which caused them to flee from Chicago. Betty keeps him locked in the basement and chained up where he acts like a man-child basically. In the finale we learn that Matthew,not Caleb, actually killed his ex-girlfriend by beating her down with a 2X4. He also coerces Caleb into attempting to rape his current white girlfriend in a scheme to buy some time alone. So here we go: violent black male, sexual predator black male, single parent household (yeah Susan's divorced with a child but her daddy is around....very much so ;-)), hysterical black female, crazy black female, asexual black mammy, black entertainer of white folks (plays the piano for the cast on request)

I realize yes we rarely if ever get 'regular' roles, but DH's openly gay creator/ executive producer Marc Cherry wouldn't put swishy finger-snapping queens on Wisteria Lane ala Wayland Flowers, so why do it to black folks? He needs to take a page from his Sunday night neighbor's (Grey's Anatomy executive producer and black woman Shonda Rhimes) book and cast a show with characters who just 'happen' to be black. His characterization goes beyond the shows's delightful camp to being downright offensive. I'd rather see Omarosa give Edie a run for her money (hey!) than an actress of Alfre's caliber stoop to such a storyline.

Today in Stunt History: Remembering "Wu-Tang is For the Children"

2006-05-19T22:23:00.000-04:00

This clip needs no introduction...I concluded that night that someone had, as Kat Williams so aptly put it, "some weed with a nickname" backstage. In addition to ODB's epistle, Erykah Badu turned around to see who was coming behind her, and her eyes caught up with her head about 3 days later AND she couldn't get the words right to whateve she and Clef were singin....So without further adieu we give you our first installation of "Today in Stunt History"

Sista-Pass of the Month Winner: Karen Walker of "Will and Grace"

2006-05-18T14:06:00.000-04:00

Oh this is just tearing my heart out here at the shop. Tonight being the last night ever of "Will and Grace", I felt it was more than appropriate to award Ms.Karen Walker, played by Meagan Mulally, with Under the Dryer's "Sista-Pass of the Month" award. Karen's been putting it down fierce and fabulous since we were first introduced to her in 1998. She i s paid, can play the dozens with the best of them, has one gay male best friend that adores her, always dressed fly, hair and nails fierce at all times, funny, and knows the value of a good martini. For all this and making us roll for the last 8 years, Ms.Karen you are awarded the 'Sista-Pass' with all the rights, priveleges, and attitude thereof.

Under the Dryer Congratulates DANIELLE, America's Next Top Model! WORK Gurrrrl!!!

2006-05-17T21:04:00.000-04:00

Under the Dryer congratulates Ms.Danielle for WORKING that Thai fashion show and owning America's Next Top Model. (And getting Evilene, ghetto-fabulous-personified Jade the heck up outta there. Stop on by the shop Ms. Danielle and get your air-kisses!!!!!

Allegedly Forced To Strip, Male Strippers Sue Police

2006-05-17T20:33:00.000-04:00

NBC 17 - Local News - Allegedly Forced To Strip, Strippers Sue Police

Sometimes black folks make it just TOO easy for me to blog....material just generates itself and all we have to do is hit that orange button. I mean how in the world did THIS happen?
Evidently male strippers "Pain" "Total Package" and "The Sexecutioner" got pulled over for speeding and allege the officers forced them to strip and took pictures. THE quote from this article:
"That's not part of their regular policy and procedures, that's not how it's done," said Jimmy Bell, the dancers' attorney. What they supposed to tuck a buck first? *dead*...read on.

Celebrity Travel: Jay-Z and Beyonce Holiday 24/7

2006-05-13T23:35:00.000-04:00

crunk + disorderly: because other pop culture sites do not care about black people

Fresh over at the delightful crunk-n-disorderly gives us this bit about the Jigga man and Beyonce's seemingly perpetual vacationing....(Memo to Fresh: they're in love, leave the two crazy kids alone willya? ;-) ) Jet-Setta for one ain't mad at 'em. If you were Jay, who'd you rather look in the face, Beyonce' or Fame and Billy Danze of MOP? -You make the call

But What Will They Find in His Brain? Keith Richards undergoes surgery after fall

2006-05-08T15:56:00.000-04:00

Keith Richards undergoes surgery after fall

Now I love the Stones; funky all day right? However, Brother Richards here looks like that rag that fell behind the washer that you used to wipe the wax off your car and dried up. As they say down South, he's "rode a hard horse". So readers, what do you think they'll find in there when ol Keith goes under the knife? Put it down here...

Arrangements for Mr. Earl Woods, father of Tiger Woods

2006-05-04T23:43:00.000-04:00

I mean no harm but...isn't this has to be the fastest funeral of a negro in the history of the U.S.... the man passed on yesterday and his funeral is tommorow. Even if his son is a multi-millionaire, you KNOW we usually take a good week for everybody to get here/get off work/get leave from the military.

Wanna Feel Really Old? Take a Look at the Dancer Below...

2006-05-02T15:15:00.000-04:00

Hot Feet - Review - Theater - New York Times

Take a close look at the lead dancer,Vivian Nixon(far left in blue top), in 'Hot Feet', a broadway musical that opened this week. Look familiar? Look again...yeah took me a minute to realize that this is Debbie Allen and Norm Nixon's "little girl" Vivian. Remember in the 80s when all things Cosby-related represented 'buppiedom' at it's finest? We grinned as if they were our big cousins when Phylicia and Amad Rashad got engaged during over broadcast of the Macy's Thanksgiving parade. When Debbie married FINE Norm Nixon, choreographed the Oscars, did anything. For me, growing up somewhat "culturally deprived" in a small town, they gave me a window into the world of the black elite, who had gone to HBCU's like Howard for generations and that I'd never heard of but seemed like a young black paradise. (FYI there are no HBCUs in the midwest.)

*ding* Okay I'm back from memory lane...must be Ms.Janet's new single that has me all nostalgic for the 80s. Still, when I read and reread and told myself "Vivian Nixon, I know that name!", once it finally hit me I could feel the gray hairs multiply on my head.

Janet Jackson Remakes 80s Electro Classic "Lookout Weekend"

2006-05-02T13:10:00.000-04:00

jumpin mu-sic!/slick DJs!/fog machines and....

.....if you just sang 'laser rays!' without thinking about it, you'll be happy to know Miss Janet has remade "Lookout Weekend" by Debby Deb and is making it available on the internet. Oh we are awash in 80s nostalgia and excitement at the shop ya'll over this here. For a midday break, I recommend you go over to Janet's site, click on the 'gift from Janet link' and flash on back to your acid denim skirt and big hair days, and get ya wop on. Janet never met a good sample she didn't like, and apparently her relationship with Jermaine Dupri hasn't changed that sentiment. (JD being the master of the 80s remake.)

And for anyone who paid $15 for a cheap plastic Rhythm Nation1814 Concert pin to go on your jean jacket, like I did? You know the words 'free' and 'Janet Jackson' seldom appear in the same sentence, so y'all need to jump on it before she starts chargin'.

Shout out and good lookin out to Keith Boykin at the fine blog keithboykin.com for putting us on to this momentous event here at the shop.

Shop Crushes....NFL Draft "Fine Enough for a Sista" Edition

2006-04-29T12:46:00.000-04:00

From time to time the shop gets a little harmless crush....today in honor of the draft, we have one of many from the NFL Draft. I'm searching for a picture of Reggie Bush online that does him justice...but until then...
In the "Fine Enough for a Sista" category, we have Matt Leinart. IF ya gonna cross to the other side sistas, I say make it worth ya trip. Ham mercy....quarterback....6 foot 5 inches too? Shoot...tell me you wouldn't STEP up in a party with that on ya arm and be Ms.Pimpin? Say what...

Stuck on Stupid: Essence Magazine Online Family Defends Daughter's Painful Past

2006-04-27T21:04:00.000-04:00

Justice 4 Two Sisters: Stuck on Stupid: Essence Magazine Online Family Defends Daughter's Painful Past

Song4assata over at Justice4 Two Sisters has me picking out my 'fro again tonight, (and I go for a trim tomorrow too, dag!) WHY did Essence report this story? I'd beat both of those sistas with a pressing comb if I wasn't scared of them. From what I read, Dr. Kristal Brent Zook is a contributing writer and journalism professor, not an investigative reporter. Or, as my late great-grandmother used to say, "Just because somebody's got 'book learnin'' doesn't mean they got 'horse sense'." Know your spiritual gifts baby, or you'll do more harm than good.

From the "Chuch" to the Ice Rink: Hockey has It's First Official PIMP

2006-04-26T16:49:00.000-04:00

newsobserver.com | Canes' style star shines
Now let me say up front, I'm not an avid hockey fan, mainly because I don't know the rules. However,when I saw the image of Carolina Hurricane Mike Commodore on the news in a white terrycloth bathrobe, personalized with his number 22 and team logo on it, with matching white Crocs sandals and a 'Fro, I said "hold up, the pimp game has met the ice game!" Culture cross-pollination has certainly occured HERE. Understand, not only is this dude's locker room attire, according to the local news, he also has a lifesize cardboard cutout at the RBC Center Arena where they SELL these "Pimpin On Ice" robes! THAT is big pimpin y'all. So I was compelled to ring up the biggest Caniac(Hurricanes fan) that I know for an explaination...who is this cat?, is he mixed? (you know how we do don't trip),what is UP? They directed me to the article linked above, however let me cut to the chase and give you the excerpt.

Commodore has created a fashion buzz at games and on Hurricane fan Web blogs with a new white terry bathrobe and matching Croc shoes that he wears around the locker room before games. The robe was a Christmas gift from the team, one that he picked out of a catalog. When it arrived a few weeks ago, he had his number sewn onto the right chest.

The team's savvy marketing folks saw potential. Now there are full-size cardboard cutouts of Commodore in his robe and Crocs strategically placed around the Canes retail store at the RBC Center. "Mimic me," they scream.
And fans have. Some showed up at Saturday's game wearing white terry robes. Even more wore exaggerated red afros.
Phillip Poole drove up from Fayetteville on Friday afternoon to get his robe on sale for $50 at the RBC Center. He already had a red wig. His next mission was to find someone to sew No. 22 on the right chest of the robe.

Now, to Mr. Commodore aka "Bishop Mike Ice" as I'll now refer to him, baby you need to roll over to Capital Blvd. and have the sisters at African World of Braids braid that 'fro down to fit in your helmet. (Mr. Commodore stated in the article he has to wet his hair down a lot to get it to fit in the helmet.)

Personally, I think Bishop Don Magic Juan need to be nervous; this is a whole new market for the pimp game that is untapped.

R.I.P. Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopes May 27, 1971-April 25, 2002

2006-04-25T21:17:00.000-04:00

Dag I miss Left-Eye. When she left us, TLC left us basically, one of the most innovative groups of the 90s. They epitomized that whole AU Complex,bourgie-meets-krunk-meets-alternative vibe that comes uniquely from Atlanta. We won't see another like her, or them, in this life. I recall when she passed, Newsweek said "she was more alive than most of us will ever be" and it's true. I was blessed to attend TLC's last concert tour, for the Fanmail album, had 2nd row seats AND backstage passes. Unfortunately they were having that

I took this photo before security threatened to take my camera. In a way it's haunting to me now, with her image on the large screen behind her. At the same time, I felt it was an appropriate tribute to share with the 'sphere. Rest easy girl; we love you. I'll close with her
verse from 'Waterfalls' by TLC.

I seen a rainbow yesterday
But too many storms have come and gone
Leavin’ a trace of not one God given ray
You say because my life is ten shades of grey
I prey all ten fade away
Seldom praise him for the sunny days

And like his promise is true
Only my faith can undo
The many chances I blew
To bring my life to anew
Clear blue and unconditional skies
Have dried the tears from my eyes
No more lonely cries

My only bleedin’ hope
Is for the folk who can’t cope
Wit such an endurin’ pain
That it keeps ’em in the puourin’ rain
Who’s to blame
For tootin’ caine in your own vein
What a shame
You shoot and aim for someone else’s brain
You claim the insane
And name this day and time
For fallin’ prey to crime
I say the system got you victim to your own mind
Dreams are hopeless aspirations
In hopes of comin’ true
Believe in yourself
The rest is up to me and you

Butta On...: Butta On...Don't Cha Wish Your Barbie Was A Freak Like Me

2006-04-25T11:30:00.000-04:00

Butta On...: Butta On...Don't Cha Wish Your Barbie Was A Freak Like Me

Butta is one of my new fave sista-bloggers....her missive on the upcoming line
of dolls based on the group the 'Pussycat Dolls' is hysterical! Butta I wanna be
like you when I grow up girl!

Tales from the REAL Shop....BBQ Wings and Microbraids

2006-04-23T17:30:00.000-04:00

I just LOVE my beauty shop....It is truly a perm-and-burning-metal-scented country club, sorority, group therapy, prayer meeting, and comedy club rolled into one, and my stylist, whom I'll call Vy, is the pastor, so to speak. Consider this little drama which played out on my last trip:

My appointment is at 12:15pm,and I arrive to see a woman eating KFC honey BBQ wings, fries, and a Pepsi in the waiting area. (I've learned you NEVER get surprised by what you walk in on in any beauty shop.) My first thought is "now I'm on time so she better not be the head my stylist ain't got to yet." To my delight my stylist says "Aunt Esther, come on!" and fluffs out my cape in welcome as I triumphantly walk to the chair. So fast forward and as I come out from Under the Dryer, Ms.Honey BBQ wings is still there, bones and all. Vy leans in and whispers to me that she is waiting on the "braider." Braider? Clutch the pearls! For the 10+ years I've been a patron, the rule has been "we don't braid here." Evidently this rule got rescinded. So this chick has been waiting TWO HOURS for a procedure that takes at least THREE!!! Vy reasons out loud to me that "That's $200! I'd be turning backflips to get in here for $200!" So to top it off about that time the missing microbraider's car enters the lot, and HoneyBBQ yells, "there she comes in the red Lexus", to wit Vy,too outdone by this latest announcement, goes "Lexus? I need to be raising the booth rent! I'm the proprietor and I'm driving a Ford!"

Girl you couldn't make this stuff up if you wanted to....

Eva Longoria: I'll Be with Tony 'Forever'. (Not If You Don;t Shut Up Girl You Won't!)

2006-04-17T21:47:00.000-04:00

Eva Longoria: I'll Be with Tony 'Forever' | Eva Longoria : People.com

I know every sister with half an ounce of relationship savvy cringes every time Eva Longoria starts yammering about her fine, talented, fine,french,fine...okay I'll stop fawning...fine man Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs. Black women the world over scream "Girl shut UP! Are you CRAZY?" every time she's on Entertainment Tonight (which seems to be every day) or wearing her "I love Tony" rhinestone encrusted jeans at the NBA All-Star Game. Why you ask? Well it's not because we are hating; Eva we ain't mad ATCHA! However.....

Rule #1 in the sister's relationship code is "if you got a good man/relationship, do not talk about it until you are planning your wedding. Not even with your mama, best friend,cousin, whoever." As many money-hound women as their are circling the NBA arenas of America like so many weaved,boot cut jean-wearing, stilleto- sporting mako sharks? If not to get him to try to say, in the words of the great girl-group, Salt n Pepa "I'll Take Your MAN!!!" Girl Eva the sisters love you, we love ya show, are glad you are happy with your "so fine you wanna drink his bathwater" Tony Parker. And because we love you, we have one word for you: "Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Bucky Booted from Idol, But Why Didn't We Get Paris' Weave Contract?

2006-04-13T10:26:00.000-04:00

Bucky Booted from Idol | American Idol : People.com

Bucky, (pictured above).......okay that was straigth up ugly I know, that's the little boy from
Deliverance....anyway,

I guess there's not a lot of Queen fans in far Rockingham NC?
We have been wondering at the shop how he got into the top 12 in the first place?? And we went to our secret closet in the back and got "prayed up" when he butchered "Superstition" on Stevie Wonder night because we were sure the "end" was near; but God is GOOD isn't He?

And how come "Under the Dryer" didn't get Paris Bennett's weave contract? Miss Anne Nesby must spend a mint on bags of hair each week for that child....and outfits...and jewelry! We are not mad atcha Miss Paris... WORK honey!...And didn't she look like Lil Kim in the "All About the Benjamins" rock remix video this week for her Queen song? Simon is crazy that performance was hot and uniuque.

Nelly Grillz (Asset Seizure Mix) Let Me See Ya Grill - Ya Under Arrest

2006-04-10T14:36:00.000-04:00

Prosecutors Want Dental Jewelry, but Defendants Are Spared - New York Times

"...rob my jewelry store and tell em make me a grill
gotta whole top diamond and da bottom rose gold..." "Grillz" by Nelly feat Paul Wall, Ali, and Big Gipp

This is the best case of hip-hop imitating life I've seen in quite some time. Apparently these two street enterpreneurs were discovered to have 'dental jewelry' (only white folks would come up with that one), which is what we know as grills or fronts. For the uninitiated, a 'grill' is a covering molded to fit or bonded permanently to, the owner's teeth, made out of usually gold or platinum.They are commonly embedded with any number of precious stones, especially diamonds. Gleaming in front of the mouth like a grill on a car, hence the name. The prosecutors, thinking these were the take in and out kind, like retainers, demanded they turn them over as part of the seizure of their assets. However, upon learning these are permanently bonded to these two gentlemen's teeth, they withdrew their petition.

The story...

Prosecutors Want Dental Jewelry, but Defendants Are Spared
By ADAM LIPTAK
Published: April 8, 2006

Federal prosecutors in Washington State tried to remove elaborate customized dental jewelry bonded to the teeth of two accused drug dealers, saying the jewelry was bought with drug money and should be forfeited to the government.

The men were on their way to a dental clinic Tuesday morning when their lawyers learned of the effort, rushed to court and persuaded a judge to halt it.

The prosecutors had been granted permission to remove the jewelry in a secret proceeding in the federal court in Tacoma. In a sworn statement dated March 29 and unsealed this week, a federal agent, Brice P. McCracken, told a judge that the two men, Donald L. Lewis and Flenard T. Neal Jr., had used money from selling marijuana and cocaine to buy dental "status symbols which drug traffickers purchase to portray their status in the criminal community."

Mr. Lewis and Mr. Neal are awaiting trial in Tacoma on drug and gun charges. They have pleaded not guilty.

The dental jewelry, known as grills, cost "from $1,000 to anywhere in excess of $25,000," Special Agent McCracken wrote, saying he based his assessment in part on research he had conducted on a Web site called gangstagold.com.

Zenon P. Olbertz, a lawyer for Mr. Lewis, said he was troubled by both the prosecutors' secrecy and their zeal.

"The government has a legal right to take property, in general, that was obtained though illegal acts," Mr. Olbertz said. "But the process of covertly maneuvering to go essentially into someone's body to remove things that have been attached is frightening."

After Mr. Olbertz rushed to court Tuesday morning, Magistrate Judge J. Kelley Arnold, in a document captioned "In the Matter of the Seizure of Removable Dental Appliances Commonly Known as 'Grills,' " forbade the removal of the jewelry on the ground that it could "unduly compromise" the two men's "dental health."

Jeff Sullivan, the chief of the criminal division of the United States attorney's office in Seattle, said prosecutors had not known that the grills were bonded to the defendants' teeth.

"We believed that these were easily removable jewelry," Mr. Sullivan said, "like taking out a diamond earring."

Given the intrusiveness of the procedure, he added, the defendants' lawyers should have been contacted.

"We should have done it better," Mr. Sullivan said. "We don't intend to pursue this matter any longer."

Paula Abdul Files Assault Charge | Paula Abdul : People.com

2006-04-07T15:02:00.000-04:00

Paula Abdul Files Assault Charge | Paula Abdul : People.com

Sistas and violence....this is the third incident in a week, although it seems Paula was on the receiving end this go-round, unlike the sista-bullpen duo of Naomi Campbell and Cynthia McKinney.
Hope it wasn't that "fine-ness" she's been seen with recently...
Holla if you know more. You know the shop will be on it.

The Independent: Columns: Carl Kenney: 'Now we lay this burden down'

2006-04-07T11:05:00.000-04:00

The Independent: Columns: Carl Kenney: 'Now we lay this burden down'

Terrific editorial by pastor, author, editorialist, and activist Rev.Carl Kenney.

APRIL 5, 2006
'Now we lay this burden down'

BY CARL KENNEY

A group of angry African-American women gathered at 610 North Buchanan Blvd. They stood in silence as they reflected on their own pain, and how the word of a gang rape stirred so many emotions.

Most of those who gathered were survivors of sexual assault. Each person had a story to tell. For some it was the memory of a grandmother's pain. Most had their own history of agony. Nancy Wilson, one of the participants, screamed in the middle of the silence. It's all she knew to do. It was a sound they all knew too well.

"This whole thing has me and many survivors reliving our own abuse," Wilson said afterward. "It's exhausting. We can't sleep, or eat, and we don't cry for fear we will fall apart."

They left a message in the front yard--a toilet painted red. The red reminded me of blood. The toilet symbolized confusion. Michele Lanier, the organizer of the event, said it was a case of mistaken identity. "They thought she was a toilet," she said. The words 'You may not use us like a toilet' were written on the inside.

"Now we lay this burden down," said Lanier, a spoken word artist, reading her new twist on the black spiritual "We Gonna Lay Down This Burden." "We have heard women outside our windows. We ride our rage above this ground as we lay our burden down."

The women embraced and cried together. "The tears you witnessed on Friday were not just for the victim," Wilson said. "We were also forced to confront our abusers again as well. I've been raped and strangled by a white man, and believe me when I say that carries with it a huge layer of shame. You can hear other black people's thoughts. Thinking you deserved it for messing with them."

Old wounds are hard to overcome. Some of the burden is the reminder of what happened to their ancestors. They were kidnapped, raped, delivered the children of their oppressors, and had their offspring taken away to be sold. Each rape is a reminder of that struggle. It doesn't go away, those memories, because of the pain they endure today. It doesn't go away because of the way they are perceived by many who regard them as no more than the object of their gratification.

Other wounds also have been opened. "What [she says] they did was about hate," said Fayne Upshurn as he was getting his hair cut at the Sincerely Yours Salon on Guess Road in Durham. He was the only male customer. "Rape is not about sex, it's about power. They looked at her as a thing. It was about hate and it was wrong, and it will scar her for life."

"Young black people have lost contact with their past," said Glenda Jones, owner of the salon. "There was a time when my being called nigger was like being called a female." Jones graduated from Durham High School in the '70s. She spoke of a time when protest was the norm for black people.

The people in the salon see the incident as a reminder that you can't trust white people.

"They don't give a damn about you," said Ashica Tyler. Tyler lives in Raleigh. She is the only black person in her neighborhood. "I see racism all the time."

We talked about interracial dating. I asked if any of them would date a white man. "My grandma said if you can't use their comb, don't bring them home," joked Monique Gentry.

"I'm scared he might just call me a nigger," Zhathkya "Missy" Tyler said.

"And it would be over," Gentry quietly chimed in.

Most of the women were open to dating white men. Despite all that pain, they are willing to give a white man a chance--to look past his skin, to take the risk of being rejected by those within and outside the race. They were willing to give love a chance.

Maybe forgiveness is the black woman's burden. "I've spoken with women who say they were raped 10, 20, 30 years ago and they never told," Wilson said. "Woman seldom do, and black women, we just go on, and we suffer in silence. This ugliness has made us raw again with a pain that has never healed.

"You know they will be harder on you than white people, who definitely believe you did something to deserve it," she said. "I mean, why would their men want you unless you were casting some seductive spell on them that they couldn't resist?"

They cry in silence. They hold the pain inside out of fear they won't be heard. Who will believe their story? They take the risk of being blamed for what happened.

"It's sad that they would make remarks about her because of her race but would take advantage of her sexually," Tyler said. "They said, 'Thank your granddaddy for this shirt.' I wouldn't think you'd be aroused by me since you think I'm a monkey."

It's part of the burden that black women carry. The women at the salon talked about it being a carry-over from slavery. In their opinion, black women are the object of white men's fantasies but are regarded as sluts and whores.

Like their great grandmothers in slavery, they are good enough to abuse sexually, but once the deed is done, they are expected to go back to their appointed place, say nothing, and accept their plight as the object of white men's pleasure.

That's a lot of pain to carry. Black women have been raped historically, and many continue to feel the anguish of those memories. It's hard to move forward when the past follows you. Black women wonder about what's really on the mind of the man who says hello. Is he interested in a relationship, or does he only want to take a walk on the wild side?

Despite these thoughts, the women at the salon were willing to move forward. They carry scars, but forgiveness is their burden. They have learned to give people a chance. "I can't judge a person by their color," Tyler said. She talked about the Bible and how God wants us to love all people despite their race, and what others within their race may do.

Black women carry so much. I left loving black women more than before. They have so much love to give. They have been strong enough to hold their pain and to grow from the experience. "Women applaud this sister's courage, and she has our gratitude for coming forward," Wilson said of the victim. "No matter what the outcome, because we know how often justice isn't served, she should know how many people have been empowered by her strength."

Mia Jackson stood Monday night before the mass of supporters at N.C. Central University. She asked for a volunteer to share their story of rape. She knew someone in the crowd had a story. You could tell by the tears and screams.

"I'm a lesbian and I'm a survivor of rape," Satima Mann spoke up. Someone needed to hear what she had to say. "He's well known. He mentors. He gets mentors. People like him. No one would think he would do something like that. I never said anything."

Her boldness helped. She released the burden by giving others a chance to tell the truth. It wasn't her fault. She was surrounded by a wave of support. Male students from NCCU were there. Female students were there, and students from Duke were there to say no to the pain.

"No means no," a male student said. "There is no other way to interpret no."

The crowd held lights and bowed in silence. Jackson, Theresa Garrett, Abosede Copeland, Lareisa Stone, Khari Jackson and Sasha Vann, the organizers of the event, wore blue bandanas around their right wrist. They raised their fist reminiscent of the black power salute. The salute took on new meaning. This one was for all the survivors of rape.

It's easier to fight when you don't have to stand alone. The burden becomes much lighter when you know it's not your fault, you didn't deserve what happened to you, and there are others who have experienced your pain.

Lanier held a pot in her hand. "This is Grandma Ann's pot," she said. "She is a survivor of sexual assault. I beat this pot for her." The women at 610 N. Buchanan made noise in protest. They beat pots and other tools of the burden they carry.

I closed my eyes. "Get in that kitchen and cook my dinner, woman." More of the burden they carry. I watched the women beat their burden away and stepped away to give them the space they needed to heal from the pain. I touched the house and prayed for healing. Not just for the victim, but for all the black women who carry the burden of forgiveness.

"Now I lay this burden down. Now I lay this burden down. Now I lay this burden down," Lanier said. That's a lot to carry alone.

blackprof.com: Barry Bonds, Cynthia McKinney, and the Unnamed Duke Lacrosse Team Rape Victim

2006-04-07T10:54:00.000-04:00

blackprof.com: Barry Bonds, Cynthia McKinney, and the Unnamed Duke Lacrosse Team Rape Victim

by Katheryn Russell-Brown at blackprof.com

Props to Dr. Marc Lamont Hill at Barbershop Notebooks for putting this up first and making us aware of it. I think Ms. Russell-Brown points us to the same mentality of 'black protectionism' we saw during the Clarence Thomas trial, and that we see to a large extent in the black church when our clergy step out of line. The line of reason seems to be "they(black mean) have it so tough out there, can't you let this transgression slide in here?"

Afro-Netizen™: Re: Cynthia McKinney

2006-04-07T10:34:00.000-04:00

Afro-Netizen™: Re: Cynthia McKinney

Chris in a rare moment of humor on my girl...well said bruh!

abc11tv.com: NAACP Weighs In on Duke Lacrosse Investigation

2006-04-06T14:18:00.000-04:00

abc11tv.com: NAACP Weighs In on Duke Lacrosse Investigation

MANDIVA aka Mandisa Cut From Idol | American Idol : People.com

2006-04-06T09:19:00.000-04:00

Mandisa Cut From Idol | American Idol : People.com

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"ManDIVA" aka Mandisa, we at Under the Dryer love you, love the way you stand up for the Lord, and love your versatile, God-given voice. Baby they may mean it for evil, but God meant it for good. BIG HUG and AIR KISS to you baby and stop in to visit us at the 'Shop hear?

Meanwhile Bucky and Kelly stay alive in the competition another week. Get prayed up y'all, the end is near. Mercy...

Justice 4 Two Sisters: Less Than an Hour After Alleged Rape, Player Sent eMail About Hiring,Killing Strippers

2006-04-05T13:24:00.000-04:00

Justice 4 Two Sisters: Less Than an Hour After Alleged Rape, Player Sent eMail About Hiring,Killing Strippers

I declare these guys are going to keep my 'fro picked out the rest of the year...no matter...if it raises awareness and brings justice, I say pick on. Seriously this gets more gruesome by the day; as one of my friends said to me on IM, this sounds like something out of Silence of the Lambs, not a prestigious university.

Authorities Reveal eMail Message

By Benjamin Niolet, staff writer
DURHAM -- Less than an hour after a woman said she was raped at a Duke University lacrosse party, authorities say one of the team's players sent an e-mail message in which he talked about hiring strippers and killing them.

The text of the e-mail was included in a search warrant application investigators used to search the dorm room and apartment of team member Ryan McFadyen, a sophomore defenseman on the team.

According to the warrant, which was unsealed today, a confidential source sent investigators a copy of the e-mail, which they believe originated from McFadyen's Duke University e-mail address. It was sent at 1:58 a.m. on March 14, about a half hour after the woman, an employee of an escort service, told police she had been raped at the party where she had been hired to perform.

"Tomorrow night, after tonights show, ive decided to have some strippers over," the message read. "However there will be no nudity. i plan on killing bitches as soon as the walk in and proceeding to cut their skin off."

The message goes on to read that he would find the act sexually gratifying.

Investigators used the warrant to search McFadyen's dorm room and car. Investigators seized posters, cash, computers, memory cards and a hard drive, papers and drawings and a disposable camera.

McKinney: Race(or that shot-up hair) sparked tiff with police

2006-04-03T22:19:00.000-04:00

No, we are convinced it was that "somebody shot my braids with a shotgun hair!" Baby girl what IS it???? A man? Crack? Cynthia looks like she need to be sittin at the kitchen table on Friday night with a bottle of Crown Royal and a cigarette playin' solitaire with "I'm Catchin Hell" by Natalie Cole playin' on the "hi-fi"(shout out if you know what a hi-fi is). We here at the Shop weren't ever big fans of them Colonial Williamsburg Slave Actress braids either, but as my good friend A would say, "Good LAWD! What 'the WORLD?"

Cynthia stop by Under the Dryer dahlin....touch up is on us. Meanwhile, just to reminisce, here's the lyrics to that brown-liqour classic...Cynthia this goes out to you sweetie.:

I'm Catchin' Hell by Natalie Cole

Written by chuck jackson and marvin yancy

Tonight, i, I just want to talk to the ladies, oh fellows you're cool but girls

If you've got a good man, you'd better keep him,

Oh I know you're saying right now, what does she know?

Who is she to tell me about my situation?, well, I don't know your situation

But whatever it is, you should try to stay together

You know that big argument that you had the other night, remember?

Well, today it's not nothing, just don't let him leave you honey

Cause then you'll find out that it wasn't those real big things you loved about him

It was the real small things, go on and laugh but it's true

You know, things that you've seen a thousand times around the house

But never paid any attention to, like helping with the groceries

And helping in the yard and painting and repairing and huh, paying the bills

But you know now, all I have is memories and regrets

I could have given our love a chance to grow but no

I had to challenge it and be heard (oh), let me tell you something

That female liberation stuff, I don't know, sometimes I don't think it's worth it

And I'm really feeling, feeling kind of bad y'all, I'm catching hell living here alone

Hmm, I never realized, oh Lord, that you mean so much to me

I'm catching hell living here alone, I want you to come back baby

Come back cause here's where you belong, oh yeah

If I could replay, if I could replay that whole scene again, oh well

You know that I would never, never say it again, that our love, our love is at it's end

And oh, you know that I would kind of ease on back, yes I would

And let confusion pass on by, I took moves well, oh yeah

Without one good reason why, I'm catching hell, catching hell

Lord I'm living, living, living here alone, alone, lone, I didn't believe it could be

You know all the pressure on me, all the time, oh, I'm catching hell, well, well

Living here alone, lone, lone, lone, lone, lone, lone, to tell you the truth

To tell you the truth I'm going out of my mind---, yeah, oh do you hear me tonight

I don't have too (this is my story) much more to say except

Somebody (hey, this is my song) told me that if you've got something

That's good to you and you don't use it (sad, sad) you might lose it (sad, song)

(song, so sad) so girls hold on to your good thing (oh), (you gotta hold on a little bit now)

And don't let go, oh---do you hear me tonight, it's so sad living alone

Living alone (hmm), hold on to your good thing, hold on, (well, well) oh yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah---oh, oh, oh, lordy, lordy do you know what it's like

Catching hell, (somebody turn up the microphone, oh---), oh, no, no, no, no, no, no

Pour Out a Little Liquor for Cynthia McKinney - Wonkette

2006-04-03T22:13:00.000-04:00

Pour Out a Little Liquor for Cynthia McKinney - Wonkette

I'm sorry this is just STRAIGHT funny...for the "I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto" bill alone. Wonkette must have African-American writers on staff.

Naomi Campbell Should Throw Out First Pitch on MLB Opening Day

2006-04-03T11:27:00.000-04:00

Naomi Campbell Is Accused of Assaulting Housekeeper - New York Times

I mean if Naomi has the guns to throw a cell phone hard enough to cut her housekeeper's head "till the white meat show", she might have a 2nd careeer as an MLB pitcher. My beloved, injury-laden Chicago Cubs bullpen might wanna take a look at her, for real. I saw Bush step down and let Naomi chuck the first pitch 'cross the plate.

Seriously sistas, we knew from when this story first broke Friday her housekeeper was not a sister. If she'd had ....oh...Quita lets say? You know it woulda been vaseline on the face, hold my earrings, weave snatched, all OUT project-whoopin down Naomi's steps and out into the street. Over some jeans.

Come on Naomi, like you couldn't call down to Macy's and have someone bring you over another pair of Seven for All Mankinds?
Girl please.

We will be adding a 'ghetto fab stunt' section to the sidebar soon in honor of this momentous occasion.

Russell, Kimora Lee Simmons Split | Russell Simmons, Kimora Lee Simmons, Divorced : People.com

2006-03-31T15:56:00.000-05:00

Russell, Kimora Lee Simmons Split | Russell Simmons, Kimora Lee Simmons, Divorced : People.com

Aw c'mon y'all....this is the first bourgie hip-hop couple...the inventors of the ghetto fabulous lifestyle! From Hollis to Hatha Yoga, what's UP? Did Russell finally tell Kimora that Baby Phat gear is TA-CKY and she put him out?

Daily Views, Pop Culture, Rants, and News: My Feelings on a certain Lacrosse team in North Carolina

2006-03-30T14:48:00.000-05:00

Daily Views, Pop Culture, Rants, and News: My Feelings on a certain Lacrosse team in North Carolina

Next shape up is on the shop, Humanity Critic. Love ya for this one my brother. Much respect.

Patti Labelle "I'm Tired, But I'm FIERCE" Refutes "Breakdown Onstage" Reports

2006-03-30T12:05:00.000-05:00

Singer Patti LaBelle Weeps on Stage

*all together in your Charlie Murphy voices* "Wrong!... WRONG!"

"I'm tired but I'm fierce!" is what Miss Patti Labelle says she told a Delray Beach, FL concert crowd, in an interview broadcast today on the Tom Joyner Morning Show radio program today. In the telephone interview Miss Patti stressed she did not have a breakdown on stage. She said the show was running 3 hours behind, and she was the headliner, so she felt she owed it to the crowd who'd stayed on for her to 'go on with the show.' "I'd worn this little mini dress tryin' to be cute", she stated, but what the news reports neglected to mention was it was also raining buckets at the outdoor concert, thus it had become quite cold by the time she went on around midnight. And, demonstrating she has what may be the most fiercely loyal and loving fan base in music, Miss Patti said no less than 7 fans peeled off various articles of clothing to give her to put on to keep warm, including one man's pair of pants.

Miss Patti stated that her well-known diabetes and heart murmur are both in check and she is doing fine. Miss Labelle shows no signs of slowing down however, as she gave the phone interview on the way to the airport to catch a plane to Germany, to promote her HSN Patti Labelle clothing line. Work Miss Patti! We wanna be like you when we are 62.

"Under the Dryer" was worried to death about you Ms. Girl; we are happy for your success and glad you are ok! *Big hug and diva air kisses* You are welcome here anytime! And we are adding you to Under the Dryer's "Don't Go There List" immediately.

(EDITOR's NOTE: Any black woman's shop worth it's salt should know that goes without saying, but just in case...)

The Black Church's Response to this Hate Crime? (Queue the Crickets)

2006-03-29T21:32:00.000-05:00

NOTE: This was also posted at the watchdog site for this case: Justice 4 Two Sisters.
Angela Davis , one of my (s)heroes, said, "If they come for me in the morning, they'll come for you in the afternoon." Where did I learn this powerful saying? In a sermon by the great Rev.Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright,Jr., pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago IL. Yeah that's right, a black revolutionary, exegeted by a black theologian. The black church and civil/human rights have been galvanized since emancipation and before. Historically the black church has as a whole never backed down from attacks on our community or our people. When did this shift occur? Time was, the first entity in the black community who would have weighed in on the rape,brutalization, and racial terrorization of 2 African-American women by 3 white members of the Duke University Men's Lacrosse team would have been the black church, no question.

The church has been our country club, our fraternity,sorority, alma mater, citizens action committee, finishing school, mission,homeless shelter, soup kitchen, et al since forever. No member of the black community could matriculate where we do, work where we do, eat where we do, walk where we do, or live where we do, if it were not for the black church...if not for preachers and mothers of the church, for protest marches and prayer meetings. Where is the black church on this issue?

Now, let me be real. I know who we will not hear from. We will not hear from the so-called prosperity or 'word' church leaders who run the Sunday Morning Church Amusement Parks around the country that are focused on sowing seeds made of paper currency so they can reap a Gulfstream Jet or Rolls for themselves Haw-Lay-LOOOO-Yuh. We will not hear from empty-suit preachers like Rev. Patrick Wooden of Upper Room Church of God in Christ, in Raleigh NC, headline seekers who pop up at the holidays to denounce businesses who use Xmas in their advertising. Let's see ...sexual assault and hate crime VS. Xmas...which one do you think the Almighty is most grieved over? "Straining out gnats and swallowing camels" is what Jesus called this backward value system in the Gospel of Matthew. But I digress...

Black church we need to hear from you and see you. Trust and believe if this was a Jewish girl who'd been brutalized, our brothers and sisters in the Jewish community, rabbis and members of synagogues around the area would converge on the Duke campus and let it be known this act of violence will not be tolerated. I beseech you to replace thesilence with the voice of the Black church. Our ancestors are waiting on you. If we don't, rest assured they will "come for you in the afternoon" as Sister Angela so eloquently aid.

Justice 4 Two Sisters: Where is the Duke Men's Lacrosse Team Coach Mike Pressler?

2006-03-28T14:13:00.000-05:00

Justice 4 Two Sisters: Where is the Duke Men's Lacrosse Team Coach Mike Pressler?
As I've watched this nightmare unfold on the alleged rape,sodomy, and racial terrization of 2 African-American women by 3 white members of the Duke University Lacrosse Team, I can't help but wonder: Where is the coach? According to the web, the head coach is Mike Pressler. Can you imagine if this happened to be the Duke University men's basketball team, and we'd not heard or seen Coack K? It's unfathomable right? Clearly someone has told the team, coach included to, in the words of TV crime dramas "lawyer up." Where is the leadership, discipline, and ethics here Coach Pressler? It is not a stretch to imagine if the Duke Men's Basketball team stood accused of violent assault and a hate crime on two women they'd hired to dance at a party, Coach K and staff would have them holed up in a room until this very minute and not come out until somebody's memory got better and told what they knew. I 'd also suspect scholarships would start getting taken away one by one if the former tactic didn't serve to jog somebody's memory.

But more than that, we would have seen and heard from Coach K before now, I suspect the same day. At the college level, unlike the pros, there is, or should, be more than athletic coaching going on. These are still young kids, and they need guidance in all areas of their life, not just on the court or field. Who is going to provide it if their coach doesn't?

Coach Presseler, acccording to a Duke website photo, you have a family and two young daughters.

If 46 men stood accused of assaulting and terrorizing your daughters in this way what would you do?

These young men need to see you stand up and do the right thing, not cover your own behind Coach.

Click to email Coach Pressler

SI.com - NFL - Eagles' Jones arrested for dancing in street - Monday March 27, 2006 4:15PM

2006-03-27T19:33:00.000-05:00

SI.com - NFL - Eagles' Jones arrested for dancing in street - Monday March 27, 2006 4:15PM

I mean what kind of a world do we live in when you can't stretch out and getcha groove on in the street without getting arrested? In South Beach, Miami, no less? If you've never been, imagine someone took LA and New Orleans, shook them together and poured the resulting mixture out on Ocean Drive in Miami. The place is one big outdoor/indoor party. Most clubs don't even have walls in the front on them for goodness' sake. One could easily dance on out in the street and not even realize you've left the confines of Club Liquid or Crowbar. And the music? I DEFY you to stay still be it house, hip-hop, techno, or reggaeton.

Now to the 'perpetrator'..... for the uninitiated, Dhani Jones is one of the most intellectual renassaince men to play in the NFL since Alan Page. In other words, he and TO are basically polar opposites. He's been a guest symphony conductor on numerous occasions with the Philadelphia Pops, and hires a classical pianist play classical music for him to unwind after games. Has his own silk bow tie company, 5 Star Ties. He paints, writes poetry, travels extensively. That and being fetchingly handsome in the Shop's opinion (winks). As far as I'm concerned, anybody who put up with TO for any season desereves to cut loose.

So in the words of that great philospher, Busta Rhymes. "Get Low Dhani!" we ain't mad atcha sugar.

Dr. Marc Lamont Hill » Black woman gang raped by Duke athletes!!

2006-03-27T13:13:00.000-05:00

Dr. Marc Lamont Hill » Black woman gang raped by Duke athletes!!

Big hug and respect to Marc Lamont Hill at Barbershop Notebooks Blog for linking,posting and writing about this tragedy. You are welcome at 'The Shop' anytime love! Thanks for committing to keep the heat on and noise level high.

Team's silence is sickening by Ruth Sheehan

2006-03-27T10:08:00.000-05:00

newsobserver.com | Local & State

Ruth Sheehan, Staff Writer

Members of the Duke men's lacrosse team: You know.

We know you know.

Whatever happened in the bathroom at the stripper party gone terribly terribly bad, you know who was involved. Every one of you does.

And one of you needs to come forward and tell the police.

Do not be afraid of retribution on the team. Do not be persuaded that somehow this "happened" to one or more "good guys."

If what the strippers say is true -- that one of them was raped, sodomized, beaten and strangled -- the guys responsible are not "good."

This seems an elementary statement, I know.

But I can see loyal team members sitting around convincing themselves that it would be disloyal to turn on their teammates -- why, the guys who were involved were just a little "over the top." In real life, they're funny. They call their mothers once a week. They share class notes with friends. They attend church.

On this night, they were just a little too drunk, a little too "worked up." It was a scene straight out of "I am Charlotte Simmons" by Tom Wolfe. Indicative of the times.

The alleged racial epithets slung at the strippers, who were black? Those were just ... jokes. Ditto for the ugly remarks overheard by a neighbor: "Thank your grandpa for my cotton shirt." Har, har.

After all, these guys are not just Duke students, but student athletes. The collegiate dream.

And the women? They were... strippers, for Pete's sake.

I can see the team going down this path, justifying its silence. And it makes me sick.

Because, of all the occupational hazards that must come with stripping, one of them should not be rape. And no, forced sex by a hunky prep student doesn't make it better.

Unfortunately, because the team members are students at such a fine university, there is a tendency to presume that this was an aberration. That these players are "good guys."

I see it in the references to the "Animal House" atmosphere allowed to flourish at the team captains' house.

I sense it in the "dismay" expressed by athletics director Joe Alleva over the "situation" -- the hiring of the strippers and the (shocking!) serving of alcohol to underage teammates.

But drunken parties are one thing. The implication that this event, if true, is somehow a bash that "got out of hand" is just plain wrong.

Rape is not part of a spectrum of behavior, the regrettable end game when testosterone and beer are ignited by a shaking booty and fanned into flames by the larger team's permission.

No. Rape is a crime. A very serious one.

Those who commit it are criminals, not "good guys."

I don't know what happened in that house, and in that bathroom, over in Durham. Ultimately, that will be a matter for the court system to decide. But who was in that room is something the police need to know. Now.

They shouldn't have to wait for 46 DNA samples to be returned.

Every member of the men's lacrosse team knows who was involved, whether it was gang rape or not.

Until the team members come forward with that information, forfeiting games isn't enough.

Shut down the team.

Ruth Sheehan can be reached at 829-4828 or rsheehan@newsobserver.com.

Two Black Women Raped and Beaten by White Male Duke Lacrosse Team

2006-03-25T13:08:00.000-05:00

I'm going to have to "Pick My Fro Out" again this week regarding a tragedy that just has the shop outraged this morning. Two African-American women, hired by the Duke University Lacrosse Team to dance at a party were allegedly raped, beaten, sodomized, and yes I'll say it because it is true, racially terrorized by at least 3 white members of the Duke University Lacrosse Team. Click Here for story from Raleigh News and Observer According to one of the victims, who remains hospitalized, one of the Duke University Lacrosse Team members yelled out to her "thank your grandpa for the cotton in my shirt!", and that is just one of the myriad of racial slurs shouted at these young sisters. There were allegedly 46 Duke University Lacrosse Team members in attendance at the house where this party was held, and only one of the 46 is black. I have 3 points I would like to make.

1. First to my two beautiful young African-American sisters who were brutalized: Babies, I want you to know God loves you, your brothers and sisters love you, I love you, and I am so terribly sorry about this senseless tragedy. No one deserves to have this happen to them,ever.

2. To Devon Sherwood, the lone African-American player on the Duke University Men's Lacrosse Team. (this is listed on Duke University Athletics public website www.goduke.com) I know you are a freshman, you are probably on scholarship, you are the only brother on this team. I'd be scared to death in some ways if I were you. Despite all this, I am appealing to you young soldier to come forward and tell what you know and or saw and see that these your sisters receive the justice they deserve. This could have been your mother, your sister, your cousin, your girlfriend,your classmate. They are college students just like you, one is a mother, trying to support her children and make a better life. What are you going to do? The activist Angela Davis said "If they come for me in the morning, they will come for you in the afternoon." Don't think you can't or won't be racially terrorized my brother. You OWE all the hundreds of thousands of our forbearer whose backs YOU stand on, who suffered, worked, protested,marched, sat-in, bled, and died so that you could go to an institution who historically did not always admit African-Americans to be educated or play organized sports. YOU OWE THEM DEVON. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? HOW LONG WILL YOU SIT AND LET THESE SISTERS SUFFER?

3. I am reaching out to all my brothers and sisters in the African-American community, especially in the blogging community, to link to this story and raise it to the global level. If you do not have a blog, email it to your distribution list.

Of course I like to have fun with my blog like anyone, but if we are serious about what we do as blog journalists, THIS is where we can truly make an impact. I have launched a 'sub-blog' specifically on this issue: Justice4TwoSisters and will not rest until these sisters receive the vindication they deserver. Through this 'sub-blog' I'll reach out to anyone who I think will listen and make an impact. We must make sure this hate crime and brutalization does not get swept under the rug and excused away because of a "that's what they get" mentality. This heinous behavior has gone on for over 400 years, from the plantation to Duke University and we as a people must stand up and say "No More!". You and I can trust and believe right now if this were 2 white strippers brutalized by a majority black athletic team, it would be a "whole 'nother kinda party" right now. Please inbox or email me if you have any additional ideas. Thank you.

The Barbershop Notebooks Blog

2006-03-24T16:18:00.000-05:00

Dr. Marc Lamont Hill

Uh Oh Uh Oh! MC Hammer Blog

2006-03-24T15:13:00.000-05:00

MC Hammer Blog

Really well done site...makes heavy use of mobile blogging with his sidekick.

Afro-Netizen™: Clooney's looney for citing 'Mammy'

2006-03-23T16:44:00.000-05:00

On the regular, I will have to "Pick My 'Fro Out" on topics relative to the edification of the African-American community. These will be found in the category of the same name (Pick Out My 'Fro) in the sidebar.

Look, Under the Dryer is an intelligent blog beauty shop too now; if you came for hair-n-fingernails-type conversation only, hit the 'Next Blog' button up top.

Afro-Netizen™: Clooney's looney for citing 'Mammy'

"We gave Hattie McDaniel an Oscar in 1939 when blacks were still sitting in the backs of theaters. I'm proud to be part of this Academy. I'm proud to be part of this community."--George Clooney aka Danny Ocean in the films Ocean's 11 and 12

Chris Rabb, editor of the finest news blog in the 'sphere IMO, Afro-Netizen, is on it once again with this intelligent missive aimed at the short-sighted ignorant statement from ol' Danny Ocean himself. If the public forgot Clooney hails from Louisville, KY originally, he just refreshed our memory by taking us back to his ol' Kentucky home with this one.

First let me level set: We could not sit in the back of the theater or anywhere on the first level in 1939 IF we could go at all. If allowed admittance, we were seated in the balcony,which became known as 'black man's heaven' for it's proximity to Glory, so to speak. If George Jefferson Clooney was up on his movie history, he'd know during this same era most of Lena Horne's movie parts were shot of her singing alone, so that the scene could be edited out for distribution to the segregated South. She was never part of the plot. So, with that said, you can imagine what we think of that little statue huh?

Clooney seems here to be trying to "raise his game" from hunk to mogul/politico in Hollywood, but he can't seem to avoid getting his zapato stuck in his mouth on the way up . Further, unlike the authentic mogul/politicos in Tinsel Town, such as Martin Sheen, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins, Denzel Washington, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee et al, he seems to fail to realize you need to have some sense and class to go along with the little gold statue.

Now, if Mr. Clooney had said "We gave Hattie McDaniel an Oscar in 1939 and have only awarded two more (to Whoopi Goldberg and Halle Berry ,for those playing along on the home version) to a black woman in the 57 years since, and I'm ashamed to stand here and accept this.", shoot I'd have given him Under the Dryer's "Sista-Pass of the Week" Award just on GP. But since he didn't, I can't...BUT I do have a solution to get Mr. Clooney on the proverbial Straight Street.

I say let Mr. Clooney guest star on an episode of the new FX network reality series "Black and White." The premise is one white family and one black family "switch races" via the magic of Hollywood makeup artists. So, I make Mr. Clooney up as an African-American male actor for a week and follow him with the camera as he attempts to go on casting calls for movie roles other than buddy boys, pimps, hustlers, rapists, or what Spike Lee calls "the magical mystical negro"role, a'la Bagger Vance. Then come back and tell us Danny-boy how proud you are to be a member of The Academy.

Sista-Pass of the Month: Miss J. Alexander

2006-03-22T21:26:00.000-05:00

UPN

Normally this is awarded to non-African-American women who display that 'sista-swagger', but this week we had to make an exception. (This IS a beauty shop after all.) Miss J. is the runway coach/sycophant/semi-drag queen/judge on Tyra Banks' America's Next Top Model. Miss J. has legs like no man I've ever seen, and better than MOST women, so the shop is not mad atcha. While it's a bit hard to stomach him criticizing the girls' looks when his head looks like the mop woman some days(*MEMO TO MISS J.; STOP BY UNDERTHEDRYER LOVE AND WE'LL GET THAT WASH AND SET HOOKED!),
fierce must recognize fierce.

Sista-Pass of the Week Winner: Miss J.Alexander. Work boyfriend, you are just OVAH!

Star Jones: Plastic Surgery Scare : People.com

2006-03-22T20:40:00.000-05:00

Star Jones: Plastic Surgery Scare : People.com

Very strange that Al had an accident the same day Starr had surgery. Boyfriend gets ghost a lot huh? hmmmmm

Paging Dave ChappelleExtreme Makeover: Prince Edition - March 20, 2006

2006-03-21T13:21:00.000-05:00

Extreme Makeover: Prince Edition - March 20, 2006 *Editor's Note: the Under the Dryer Standard font has been changed to purple in honor of Prince for this post only. He will be added to the 'don't go there list' immediately. Please follow suit on any replies.*

This will top the 'Playing Basketball with Prince" sketch on Chapelle's show by a mile.....Carlos Boozer doesn't seem like the most....how to put this politely?.... streetwise brother in the world... but baby what did you expect? Did you know who you were renting to? He wasn't gonna install Corian countertops and hang curtains.

According to the suit filed by Boozer, Prince violated his lease by"painting the exterior of the [house] with purple striping, 'prince' symbol, and numbers 3121. Plus, he installed (I am not making this up) a hair salon down in the downstairs bedroom and ran pipes for the water for the shampoo bowls. I mean who knew Prince was a 'kitchen beautician"? This is not unusual in a black neighborhood, however I doubt Beverly Hills is zoned for that. Seriously sisters, this should not be a surprise, because we know short or long, Prince has rocked a "2-hours-under-the-dryer" wash-n-set since his zebra-Speedo-and-thigh-high-boots days. Got to keep ya wig tight, and I'm sure it's hard to get an appointment in that town for a touch-up.

I chuckle at the thought of Prince coming home from the studio,little boots clicking down the walk, and there's a memo with a rubber band stapled to it, hanging from the doorknob of the mansion. (whoever invented that shoulda patented it, B.I.D.)

Dear Mr. Rogers Nelson: You have 3 days to paint the walls back like they were when you moved in, or else you have to move. For real man. I'm not kidding buster. I can get Cherokee Parks, Shane Battier, and Christian Laettner to toss your short behind in a dumptster. You will need to obtain a cashier's check or money order to pay your $70,000 month rent.
Signed, Carlos Boozer of C Booz LLC

**queue the hammond b3 organ intro to "Let's Go Crazy"**

This kinda puts losing your security depost for not filling in the nail holes in the wall in perspective heh?

I Ain't Sayin She a Golddigga....And We Have Eddie Murphy to Thank

2006-03-20T16:16:00.000-05:00

Inspired by Human Critic's muse on "What I'd Do If I Won the Lotto" on his fine blog http://nappydiatribe.blogspot.com I posted the following comment.

Can you explain the 'Mike Jones' phenomena among the brothers lately ie "back then ho's didn't want me/now I'm hot ho's all on me".?..(and I'm having a post brainstorm as I type this), but, I believe it started with Eddie Murphy's 2nd concert film. His monologue about "half" was like the shot heard round the black man's world.

It launched the worst male self-preservation obsession since Fatal Attraction. It was as if Eddie was transformed into Sun Myung Moon in a leather suit with a texturizer...I was in college when that came out, and I never heard more "on-GSL-and-Pell-Grant-ain't- got-$2-to-get-in-to-the-Qs-party" brothers crying like Hari Krishnas "half! all y'all sistas want half my money! Eddie said so! (ok I added in that last part but you get the gist...

2 Things I'll say and then I'll let it alone.

1. Act right,treat ya lady right, and this all becomes a non-issue, however...

2. Sistas are like the mafia, we'll come after what you love if you cross us. If you love your money or your car,(rappers take heed) guess what's getting taken or keyed when you screw up?

On The Eve of a Potential Layoff...

2006-03-19T22:53:00.000-05:00

Well not to bring the 'shop down, but I'm sitting here on the eve of what could be a layoff for me on the j-o-b y'all....I've by the grace of God managed to 'dodge the bullet' for ten-plus years, but this stuff is pure torture no matter how many times you go through it...and while you get used to it, you don't. I'd feel much better if they wouldn't put all the 'fluff' around it, but no the powers that be manage to make you life more of a real-life Dilbert cartoon than it already is for a week to ten days. "We don't know anything" means "we can't tell you yet" ....Do they really expect us to believe they crafted a charge-off of hundreds of millions of dollars in 48 hours? It feels like when someone breaks up with you and says "Its not you, its me....but I still want to be friends." That 'yeah right' that pops up in the speech bubble on top of your head? Same thing...

So 'watch this space' y'all...

American Idol Finals Week 1: Steve Wonder Night

2006-03-15T13:38:00.000-05:00

Personally, after last night's Stevie Wonder night on AI, I am sure Stevie knocked back a few shots of some type of brown liquor having to hear some of the AI-ites butcher his songs.
Here's Under the Dryer's conclusions after week 1:

1. That little child that slam forgot the words to "Lately" makes me think AI should be performed at gunpoint. How in the WORLD? I thought she was speaking in tounges or something. Your game should be tight enought to sing your song with the judges holdin heat on you, or else risk getting some shots fired over your head.

Secondly I think Randy and Simon must've taken some of Paula's pain pills from a few seasons ago for telling her that was her BEST performance.

2. It should be a Felony for Bucky Covington and Kelly Pickler to ever sing a Stevie Wonder song in public again.

3. MEMO to Paris Bennett: Honey we love ya here at the Shop, and we know your "Mee-Maw Ann Nesby has long money BUT, baby pick a weave and a style and stay with it.

4. Loved Mandisa's "Jill Scott move" taking her heels off before she sang because her dogs were botherin' her..You know how Jilly throws a shoe when she sings "Long Walk".....real sista all day...she has a career in recording and theater in my opinion.

5. Elliot, with an image makeover, is going to be a star. UD says a good fade, lighten the hair one shade all over, teeth whitener, and a goatee...boom!

6. Taylor Hicks, or Tay-Tay as I call him, is just so off the hook! Its like Ray Charles, Joe Cocker, and Michael McDonald had a love child,but they don't know who the father is. And for the saved folks out there, you will see like me that Taylor sings himself happy most of the time. That is a "Bapti-costal" 'Heyyyyyyyyyyyyy" he lets out when he finishes singin there.

Definition of a Butt-Whoopin: 13 Year-Old NJ Girl Lied About Abduction

2006-03-11T12:51:00.000-05:00

FIRST LET ME SAY: I in no way condone adults having sexual contact with minors, teen or not, consensual or not. THAT SAID....from under the dryer, Miss Natasha would have the whoopin of her life for having me as her mother frightened out of her mind because SHE wanted to go get with some 19 year-old boy AND skip school. There would be no tearful welcome home, except the tears she felt when my hand tagged her behind. There are far TOO many children of color who go legitimately missing to tie up resources on a 13-year-old who wants to be grown. Speak on it....

Man Arrested for Sexual Contact With Girl Who Ran Away - New York Times

The Celebrity "Don't Go There" List

2006-03-11T11:46:00.000-05:00

Everybody has one. Everybody's mama has one. This is the (usually) musical artist that you coudn't talk when their record was on when you were younger, lest you get popped. As well as the artist you cannot say anything bad about, again lest you get popped.

For my mama, it is Whitney Houston.
To her, Whitney is still the "One Moment In Time" Whitney, not the "Hell to the naw Bobb-ay!" Whitney. Whitney's never used drugs, she's "always sweat like that/been hyper like that/been skinny like that." Period. I almost stomped a friend of mine's foot into a pulp when she blabbed the rumor that was out several years ago about Whitney being gay. I thought we would have to give my aunt and mama oxygen on the spot "Wha'....what? I mean is this something she just started..."

Just to show you I'm not immune to this line of thinking....here is my official "don't go there list" Jone-ing on any of those listed below will get you put out and deleted. ;-)

Sista-Pass of the Month: The Gotti Women

2006-03-07T10:49:00.000-05:00

In Break From Code, Gotti Women Soak Up Trial Spotlight - New York Times

Funny how Victoria is clearly her father's daughter in terms of her fashion sense AND her lack of shyness for the cameras. If you recall, part of La Cosa Nostra's beef with Gotti was that he was so very public and in the media. If you had a chance to catch Victoria and family's reality series "Growing Up Gotti" you know that they are 'hood rich' but nevertheless PAID. And as you'll see in this article, John's widow. "big Victoria" Gotti has no problem going off in court at her son's trial (gotta love it!). Under the Dryer's 'Sister-Pass' of the week goes to... the Gotti Women.

My Favorite Cafeteria Chronicles

2006-03-05T16:45:00.000-05:00

This place is a continual source of humor for me. Reason being, if you try to deviate in the slightest from the 'norm' in terms of ordering, requests,etc...it generally sends the whole place into a tailspin. I therefore decided to create a post category dedicated to my K&S experiences. Here are some from the archives:

The sign says they close at 8:30pm. However, if you arrive after 8pm, don't expect to get served for carry-out, well at least not at the carry-out counter (more on that later). I walked into this unaware one Sunday night and was told "Well....well you have to just go down the line and tell us what you want." (To myself: WHAT?) When I passed part of the staff stacked up in the doorway with their purse under their arm at 7:45, that should have been a clue huh?
Once when I ate in, the cashier beat on the bell with a STAPLER like she was trying to kill a roach. This was to tell the attendant to take a tray out to an elderly person. Why the bell was not within arms' length, I do not know.

Ordering a vegetable plate is like the space shuttle countdown. Now apparently you get 4 sides, but they don't tell you this. So you tell them what you want, and apparently there is a silent countdown going on in the server's head simlutaneously that you are not aware of. So it goes something like:
"I want corn (server 4), green beans (server 3), peas (server - 2), and mashed potatos (server 1 and liftoff) to wit they immediately launch your plate down the metal shelf like a game of culinary shuffleboard. No "is that all" no "would you like something else?" just 4,3,2,1...NEXT!

If they are out of something, they are out. Do not ask if more is coming out unless you want to be dogged out to the chef by the server, and loudly. This is proceeded by an attitude fueled stop to the metal swinging doors to the kitchen, followed by hand on hip "You gon' have anymore turkey and dressing? I TOOOOLD her we ain't got no more she shoulda got here at 12."

The Black Superbowl

2006-03-05T11:13:00.000-05:00

This is just a riot...if you've ever wanted to attend all the 'festivities' around the NBA All-Star Game, this is a 'fly on the wall' essay. More later...

ESPN.com: Page 2 : Welcome to the Super Bowl

2006-03-02T21:32:00.000-05:00

Under the Dryer Awards for the Week

Late-Pass(issued to me): The Black-Eyed Peas...HOW did I sleep on them? I just heard the NBA jingle and the radio cuts which I thought were lame, and that joint with Justin Timberlake ugh! Listening to the whole body of their work they've created, they are amazing. They seem to fill the void left by The Fugees.

Sista-Pass: Gwen Stefani. Gwen's just got flavor for days.

Others to be given at my whim...

2006-03-01T14:16:00.000-05:00

Southern Culture Shock...

...not being a native Southerner, I am continually amused, delighted, and tickled by some of the cultural difference I've encountered in my years here....here is one. I've noticed that older southern black women often refer to/call their husbands by their last names. I am curious as to the origin of this really....many times I'll hear "Well I told Fitzgerald we need to go on vacation" or "Me and Fitzgerald went to the store", Fitzgerald obviously being the last name. I think it is so cute, but have no clue where this comes from.

2006-02-28T12:50:00.000-05:00

Idle hands......lead to a blog!

After enduring 10 weeks in 3 different casts due to breaking my ankle and more sitting time than I've had in my life, I have a lot to say I suppose. Seeing the world from a wheelchair or crutches has opened my eyes to a lot of things. I also have some suggestions/observations for the able-bodied (including myself) to adhere to in the future.

Please don't say "Well you look fine to me!" to someone with a broken bone, unless you want to risk catching a crutch tip to the head. I don't have malaria, I shattered a bone. I've discovered something about having an injury brings out the "shade tree physician" in strangers and acquaintences alike for some reason....refrain if you can.

Please don't refer to the recovery time as a "vacation"; this could get you clocked upside the head with the actual fiberglass cast instead of the cane tip.

If you feel the urge to say "Well that's nothing..." bubbling up inside you, (followed by an anecdotal story of your or someone else's injury or elective surgery) bite your tounge, say a mantra,light a candle, whatever you have to do, but don't let it cross your lips.... It does not take the pain away or make me feel better. I had an accident...I was going to get the paper in my PJs and slippers and next thing you know I'm strapped on a gurney going to the ER with my ankle bulged out like an anaconda that just ate a small animal. If you just listen and empathize, you will endear yourself to that person for the rest of your life.

What is it about being out of commission that causes people to talk to you like you are a) 5 years old or b) Comatose and can't answer for yourself? (Vows to self never to do this to another person.)

Now to the (relatively) lighter side...
Best electric scooter chairs: BJs Wholesale Club ....you can fly around the store like you are on a Vespa scooter! A total blast!

Worst electric scooters: Harris Teeter...I guess they are afraid you'll rev up and take out the fresh peaches in the produce section or something? I could crawl faster.
It is a hoot to have the neighborhood kids fighting over who is going to go get your mail for you.

Sitting down to cook is actually a great technique. You don't get nearly as fatigued and if your chair has wheels on it you can whip around the kitchen faster than Emeril or G.Garvin.
Supporting your body weight solely with your arms and upper body is exhausting, but gives you the Angela-Bassett-as-Tina-Turner arms every sister has secretly wished for. Can't wait to go back to yoga and not quiver doing down-dog! *queue vengeful pirate laugh*

Under the Dryer

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If My People: Comedian Busted for Stolen Concealed Weapon - TMZ.com

VH1 Announces 'Flavor Of Love' Spinoff

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Addendum to AE's Online Dating Tips: Lose the Man-Purse

Aunt Esther's Online Dating Tips for the Fellas

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Our Condolences to Reverend Run Simmons Family

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Little Things Make Me Happy: Vitamin Water by the Case!

Madonna Should Pay Willi Ninja's Medical Bills

Shut Up! Whitney Houston files for divorce - Sep 13, 2006

Tyra Banks Heard My Cry

Willi Ninja Tribute Video- An icon, legend and friend

Heaven's Got a Fierce Praise Dancer Now: Willi Ninja Passes at Age 45

iPod Moment: Cheers 2 U by Playa

My Dog is a Fan of 'The Game'

Thank You JESUS! Ben Wallace leaving Pistons to sign with Bulls

Yeah Kim!

What's Missing from the Black Blogosphere?

Pharrell for Louis Vuitton.....Slave to the Rhythm Edtion

Caption This: Corey,Vivica, and Miguel at VEX Night Club Opening

PISTOL PACKIN' MAMA: Now, How Hood Are You When Ya Mama Has to Return Fire?

The Duke Case's Cruel Truth

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Today in Stunt History: Remembering "Wu-Tang is For the Children"

Sista-Pass of the Month Winner: Karen Walker of "Will and Grace"

Under the Dryer Congratulates DANIELLE, America's Next Top Model! WORK Gurrrrl!!!

Allegedly Forced To Strip, Male Strippers Sue Police

Celebrity Travel: Jay-Z and Beyonce Holiday 24/7

But What Will They Find in His Brain? Keith Richards undergoes surgery after fall

Arrangements for Mr. Earl Woods, father of Tiger Woods

Wanna Feel Really Old? Take a Look at the Dancer Below...

Janet Jackson Remakes 80s Electro Classic "Lookout Weekend"

Shop Crushes....NFL Draft "Fine Enough for a Sista" Edition

Stuck on Stupid: Essence Magazine Online Family Defends Daughter's Painful Past

From the "Chuch" to the Ice Rink: Hockey has It's First Official PIMP

R.I.P. Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopes May 27, 1971-April 25, 2002

Butta On...: Butta On...Don't Cha Wish Your Barbie Was A Freak Like Me

Tales from the REAL Shop....BBQ Wings and Microbraids

Eva Longoria: I'll Be with Tony 'Forever'. (Not If You Don;t Shut Up Girl You Won't!)

Bucky Booted from Idol, But Why Didn't We Get Paris' Weave Contract?

Nelly Grillz (Asset Seizure Mix) Let Me See Ya Grill - Ya Under Arrest

Paula Abdul Files Assault Charge | Paula Abdul : People.com

The Independent: Columns: Carl Kenney: 'Now we lay this burden down'

blackprof.com: Barry Bonds, Cynthia McKinney, and the Unnamed Duke Lacrosse Team Rape Victim

Afro-Netizen™: Re: Cynthia McKinney

abc11tv.com: NAACP Weighs In on Duke Lacrosse Investigation

MANDIVA aka Mandisa Cut From Idol | American Idol : People.com

Justice 4 Two Sisters: Less Than an Hour After Alleged Rape, Player Sent eMail About Hiring,Killing Strippers

McKinney: Race(or that shot-up hair) sparked tiff with police

I'm Catchin' Hell by Natalie Cole

Pour Out a Little Liquor for Cynthia McKinney - Wonkette

Naomi Campbell Should Throw Out First Pitch on MLB Opening Day

Russell, Kimora Lee Simmons Split | Russell Simmons, Kimora Lee Simmons, Divorced : People.com

Daily Views, Pop Culture, Rants, and News: My Feelings on a certain Lacrosse team in North Carolina

Patti Labelle "I'm Tired, But I'm FIERCE" Refutes "Breakdown Onstage" Reports

The Black Church's Response to this Hate Crime? (Queue the Crickets)

Justice 4 Two Sisters: Where is the Duke Men's Lacrosse Team Coach Mike Pressler?

SI.com - NFL - Eagles' Jones arrested for dancing in street - Monday March 27, 2006 4:15PM

Dr. Marc Lamont Hill » Black woman gang raped by Duke athletes!!

Team's silence is sickening by Ruth Sheehan

Two Black Women Raped and Beaten by White Male Duke Lacrosse Team

The Barbershop Notebooks Blog

Uh Oh Uh Oh! MC Hammer Blog

Afro-Netizen™: Clooney's looney for citing 'Mammy'

Sista-Pass of the Month: Miss J. Alexander

Star Jones: Plastic Surgery Scare : People.com

*Paging Dave Chappelle*Extreme Makeover: Prince Edition - March 20, 2006

I Ain't Sayin She a Golddigga....And We Have Eddie Murphy to Thank

On The Eve of a Potential Layoff...

American Idol Finals Week 1: Steve Wonder Night

Definition of a Butt-Whoopin: 13 Year-Old NJ Girl Lied About Abduction

Paging Dave ChappelleExtreme Makeover: Prince Edition - March 20, 2006