EUR: "Clockers", 2 "Too Wong Foo" Stars Duke It Out, MTV:TLC Wins
AfrinetEUR
September 8, 1995
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In This Issue:
*SPIKE LEE'S "CLOCKERS"
*"FIRST TIME OUT" MAKES TV HISTORY
*TWO "TO WONG FOO" STARS DUKE IT OUT
*ON THE BOOKSHELF: BARACK OBAMA
*TLC WINS BIG AT THE MTV VIDEO AWARDS
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"CLOCKERS"
Following the "Clockers" commentary in the EUR, next week (Sept. 13)
you'll be able to see the film and judge for yourself -- so please email
us
with your thoughts. Although certain film critics are raving, the buzz we
get
in our informal poll of those who got an advance peek, is "Clockers" is
not
happening. When the EUR/RadioScope recently interviewed Spike Lee and the
"Clockers" cast in New York a common theme emerged. This is a 'hood film,
but
it's a 'hood film with a message -- and that's the only reason Lee says he
agreed to take on the project after Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro
passed.
"I felt I could make it different...show that there is hope. A lot of
these
other films don't provide that -- if you're in the 'hood you're going to
be
stuck there forever and the only options are selling drugs or becoming a
rapper. I think that's too limited a view to have on life."
We'll have much more on "Clockers" in next week's EUR. You can HEAR
the
rest of this story on this weekend's hour long RadioScope.
IN A THEATER NEAR YOU...
"To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything Julie Newmar" opens in theaters
today. And we've told you how the film's stars, after having to dress in
drag, became very sympathetic to women. Apparently, wearing corsets and
high
heels all day is enough to make any woman or man edgy. Stuff "Too Wong
Foo"
stars Patrick Swayze and John Leguizamo into a bra and tights and you've
got a
fight on your hands. "It was the fourth month of shooting and me and
Patrick
were about to do a scene together early in the morning," says Leguizamo.
"And
I was telling Patrick how do the part and he was like, `No it goes like
this.'
Then all of a sudden it was like, `I'm gonna kick your ass.' I'm wearing
hot
pants and high heel pumps and he's in an Audrey Hepburn dress. We looked
at
each other and said this is ridiculous. Then we hugged and made up. We
were
nice girlfriends after that."
Wesley Snipes also stars in "Too Wong Foo."
"FIRST TIME OUT"
This Sunday, comedienne Jackie Guerra makes television history.
She's
the first Latina to have her own prime time sitcom, "First Time Out" --
about
a bunch of twentysomethings -- on the WB network.
"We have developed a show that is really inclusive," says Guerra.
"It's
a show told through the eyes of my character who is Latina, who's Mexican
American, but the show includes people of all races, of all cultures,
genders...there's only two genders as far as I know but, both of them are
on
there."
"First Time Out is followed by "Cleghorne," which stars former
"Saturday
Night Live"" cast member Ellen Cleghorne. Check your local listings for
show
times.
MTV AWARDS: DID YOU HEAR WHAT THEY SAID?
At last night's MTV Video Music Awards, TLC won big with 4 trophies
including video of the year for the F Gary Gray directed "Waterfalls". In
accepting the first award Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes dropped the "n-word" while
thanking her friends and fans. And speaking of unspeakable words, Miss
Jackson wanted us all to know that "My wonderful brother Mike..in that
opening, he kicked ass!"
However, Madonna outswore Janet(no surprise there) while defending
rap music from conservative voices condemning gangsta lyrics especially
Kansas senator and Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole. Before
presenting the best rap video award to Dr. Dre for "Keep Their Heads
Ringin", she said "Bob Dole is sorry he can't be here tonight to give out
the award for best rap video. Rap has proven itself a force to be reckoned
with. Either listen up or get the F---k out of the way."
But the EUR wants to know what you think of the ladie's (and host
Dennis Miller's) use of salty language and in particular, Left Eye's use
of the "n-word".
ON THE BOOKSHELF: BARACK OBAMA
What does it mean to be black in America? Chicago civil rights
attorney
Barack Obama has been asking himself the question his whole life. Obama
is
the product of a multi-racial, multi-cultural union -- his father is an
African from Kenya; his mother, a white American from Kansas. It's this
mixed bag of racial and cultural diversity that spawned Obama's quest to
understand his two cultures and his own identity in black America -- which
is
also the subject of his first book "Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race
and
Inheritance."
"A lot of the struggles I had were similar to those that young
African
Americans face, " says Obama. "My struggles were also different in the
sense
that having come from a multi-cultural family, I also had to deal with
racial
suspicion within my own family. I talk about a story in the book where my
grandmother indicates that she's fearful about a black pan handler and the
conversations I have to have about how that makes me feel (as a black
man).
Those are the kinds of issues that I had to face and continue to have to
face."
As the first black president of Harvard Law School's prestigious
journal, the "Harvard Law Revue," Obama practiced his open door policy --
working with whites and conservatives as well as blacks and liberals. But
the
results were not as positive as he'd planned. White students criticized
Obama
for courting media attention to advance his own progressive social agenda,
while blacks believed he was selling out.
"At Harvard, as is true in a lot of college campuses, some black
folks
were of the view that any communication with white conservatives was a
betrayal of the cause," he says. But, "it doesn't benefit us to cut off
communications from the larger society. We may not agree with them, but
we
don't need to demonize them, in fact I think trying to demonize them ends
up
being counter productive, because they definitely are going to shut off
their
ears and not listen to our legitimate grievances."
Obama, who does extensive voter registration work and campaigns to
improve Chicago's public schools, says one day he'd like to run for public
office.
NEWSBITS
*We've had several requests to print the address of the "New York
Undercover" Talent Contest. Please print *it out -- this is your last
chance
to get it! You can send your 3-minute VHS videotape to: "New York
Undercover"
Talent Contest c/o TLG, 230 Park Ave., Suite 550, NY, NY 10169-0550. The
deadline is September 15.
*Yet another En Vogue update: Group member Terry Ellis is going to
release her solo album, "Southern Gal" in October on Elektra Records.
It's
produced by En Vogue founders Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy. Ellis has
co-
written most of the songs along with her producers. We're told Maxine
Jones
is studying acting, Dawn Robinson has a production company "Break of
Dawn",
and Cindy Herron is spending time with her husband and baby.
*Johnny Cochran and Robert Shapiro's cars didn't draw much money at
a
Labor Day auction. The "Dream Team's" cars barely fetched $11,000 dollars
in
bids, so the auctioneers pulled them out. (Someone had traced "O.J. Did
It" in
dust on the hood of Shapiro's 1983 Mercedes 380 SEL.) In contrast Lorena
Bobbitt's 1993 Capri sold for $8,500.
*You may have heard Vanessa Williams is set to co-star opposite
Ahhhr-nold Schwarzenegger's in "Eraser," but did you know she had to
cancel
her up coming tour do it? We guess when Ahhhr-nold calls...
*Former "Different World" star, Charnele Brown, is set to produce
"Coffee Clutch." Brown wrote the film about some women friends, one of
whom is
facing a medical crisis. The film will star Brown and Jasmine Guy, Lou
Meyers, Tommy Ford, Phyllis Yvonne Stickney, and T.C. Carson.
*Is David Alan Grier's "The Preston Episodes" already in trouble?
The
Fox-TV series, which premieres this Saturday, is undergoing some last
minute
adjustments. Grier told "The Los Angeles Daily News" two cast members
have
been cut and one role has been recast, however "it is not a sinking ship
thing."
STREETWATCH
Quotes of the Week:
1. "Pull up to a red light beside a car-load of head-boppers blasting
one
of those new rap songs, and before the light turns green, you've
heard
talk of five sex acts, four murders, three rapes, two drug sales and
one
slap across the face of a 'ho-bitch' who gets 'outta line.'"
- How the September issue of Ebony begins an article on "gangsta
rap."
Talk about exaggeration.
2. "As a black man, I have to respect myself and have nice things." -
Snoop
Doggy Dogg, explaining why he was a high school crack dealer in an
upcoming October issue of Playboy magazine.
3. "If you had him once, you can have him." - Video Soul host Sherry
Carter
before introducing Mokenstef's remix video for "He's Mine."
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HOW CAN I BE DOWN
If you are a talented singer or rapper and want to get signed to a
label, display your talent at this year's "How Can I Be Down Hip Hop Power
Summit" in South Beach, Miami, Florida October 5-9, 1995. This year's
summit
includes info on management, labels, publishing and distribution, and
several
unsigned artist showcases. Also on hand: Notorious B.I.G., Naughty By
Nature, Adina Howard and many others performing live. Call (212) 229-5273
for
registration and more info. Or call our new Infotainment 800 number at
1-800-
731-4463.
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CONTACT US
We love to get your comments and questions -- and you could receive
a
prize! E-mail us at E...@afrinet.net. If we use your e-mail message
you'll be
in our weekly drawing for an EUR Gift Pack. But you must include your full
name, address and telephone number. E-mail us at E...@afrinet.net Sorry,
but
because of the large volume of mail we receive we can't personally answer
all
our e-mail. But keep your eye on the EUR -- you never know when your
comment
or question will turn up.
In response to the 9/6 "Streetwatch" many of you wrote in with your
thoughts on just who that brother is on "Soul Train"
Joann McIntyre, Vestavia Hills, Alabama writes:
"For as far back as I can remember (I'm 30 now), in 5 different
states
everyone I know has been calling this guy LURCH, after old boy on the
"Addams
Family'. He has been WAY too cool for us. Maybe you've touched on the
black
Kato. Good luck in your search."
BG from Fort Washington, MD says:
"Well guys, the answer to your question about ol' boy from 'Soul
Train'
(you forgot to mention that he ALWAYS had on that Crazy lookin' leather
jacket
with the fur around the collar; I guess I look at too much 'Soul Train')
and
the old NE videos is this;
1) He has a job; bein' in everybody's videos until the fox around
his
collar jumps off of him and leaves him; 2) Whoever's video he's in next
pays
the rent; and finally, 3) his name is LOUIE. LOUIE. What kind of name is
Louie for a guy that all of us watching Soul Train have grown to know and
love? It should be somethin' like JAKE, OR TONY, you know, somethin' that
suits him. One of my girlfriends just mentioned that his name should be
"Cool Jerk" -- oh well....."
Jennifer Grady wants to know:
"Let me begin by saying I really like EUR. In just about every
recent
Black movie I have seen, Robi Reed-Hume is the casting agent. How did she
corner the market on EVERY Black production, or is she the leader of a
team?
Does she have any competition? Can you tell me about her path to
success?"
Robi Reed-Hume is one of the very FEW black casting agents in
entertainment industry. She began her career, after graduating from
Hampton
University, working as an intern for Reuben Cannon. Cannon, who is black,
is
one of the most successful casting agents in Hollywood. After her
internship
with Cannon, Reed-Hume worked in film production which led her to a series
of
casting jobs. At one job, for the HBO series, "First and Ten" she met
Spike
Lee who hired her to cast "School Daze" and the rest, as they say, is
history.
TW writes:
"I have a question from the story of LL Cool J's recent marriage.
The
press had been reporting that he was dating Quincy Jones' daughter. There
were even reports that the two were engaged. Your report said that he
married
his 'longtime girlfriend.' Any clarification?"
We don't know how to make it any clearer. LL's been a busy boy.
Yes,
he did go with Quincy Jones daughter Kidada, but they were never engaged.
They broke up last year. Prior to Kidada, he had 2 children with his
"longtime
girlfriend" Simone Johnson, who's expecting their third.
We always want to hear what you have to say -- so write!
The winners of this week's prize drawing are:
Joy Flemming, Washington, D.C.
Joanne McIntyre, Vestavia Hills, Alabama
You'll receive a RadioScope/EUR Gift Pack in 4 to 6 weeks.
HITS
Here's next week top 10 according to "Hits" Magazine's Jamz Singles
Chart.
1. Michael Jackson "You Are Not Alone"
2. Coolio "Gangsta's Paradise"
3. Faith "You Used To..."
4. Pure Soul "We Must Be"
5. Shaggy "Boombastic"
6. After 7 "'Til You Do Me Right"
7. Brian McKnight "On the Down Low"
8. Brandy "Broken-Hearted"
9. Groove Theory "Tell Me"
10. Montell Jordan "Somethin' 4 Da Honeyz"
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EUR IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY "RADIOSCOPE: THE ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE
OF THE AIR"
This weekend on RadioScope Regina Belle reaches back, Spike Lee goes
clockin', Wesley Snipes takes a ride on the wild side and we'll take a
look at
this year's fall TV line-up. Call your favorite station for show times.
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must be credited to the Electronic Urban Report.
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MILLION MAN MARCH
For the latest information on the Million Man March -- October 16,
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