• According to a very odd scientific study, straight gets more tangled than curly hair. I believe if I had participated in the trials the results would have skewed far in the other direction.
• A new outlines all the reasons that contribute to the relatively low life expectancy of African Americans.
• Primary biliary cirrhosis, among other things, could be a contributing factor to the whole life expectancy thing.
• So that Beyonce Lemonade diet wasn’t healthy? I never would have guessed.
• A piece of a meteorite that’s sacred to an Oklahoma Native American tribe is being sold to the highest bidder. Shockingly, people are about that.
Dear J. Reed Walters,
Can I call you J.? I know that you’re kind of a big deal in the minuscule corner of the world where you live, and you probably expect the courtesy of Mr. Walters. Or maybe District Attorney Walters. But not only do I feel you to be totally undeserving of that level of courtesy from me or anyone else, I think J is kind of a cool letter. It’s the opener for a lot of interesting words.
1. Justice.
2. Jail.
3. Juveniles.
4. Jena.
Being the district attorney of LaSalle Parish, where the infamous town of Jena is located, you should be well-acquainted with those four words, although you have an infirm grasp of the meaning of the first one, a flippant view of the second, a disbelief that there is such a thing as being tried as the third if the youths in question are black, and a complete and total lack of respect for the denizens of the fourth. Because before you decided to charge the six black boys who participated in a school yard brawl with attempted murder, as adults no less, no one had heard of Jena or you. And by that I mean, no one would know what a back woods, fucked-up town Jena, La. is, and no one would know what a racist, mentally unqualified embarrassment you are.
CONTINUED »
• These are the kinds of things we do at Jossip after hours. Thankfully for me (and too bad for Cord from Mollygood), seeing a woman dressed up as a man is far less exciting. [QT]
• No matter how famous you get, somebody will always mistake you for a drug dealer. [SP]
• Trina, a role model for all the kids out there who aspire to be strippers-turned-hyper sexual rappers. [C&D]
• Barnes & Noble bestseller, maybe, but you won’t see If I Did It with an Oprah’s Book Club seal. [SP]
• Mindy McCready, country music’s Foxy Brown. [PH]
Prince is not known for being the most down to earth of living music legends, and his recent assault on YouTube comes as no surprise. But seriously, why deprive people who could never afford or have the opportunity of seeing you in concert a little bit of live Prince?
The Web-savvy artist, who was one of the first major recording stars to utilize the Internet to release new tunes and interact with fans, is planning to sue Google Inc.-owned YouTube, as well as alleged piracy-encouraging sites eBay and Pirate Bay, for copyright violation.
“Very few artists have ever taken this kind of action over their rights,” the singer’s spokesperson said. “Yet Prince has shown time and time again he is ready to challenge the system in new ways to put artists and music first.”
So, I’m guessing Prince probably wouldn’t be too happy about this. Or this.
[E!]
Condoleezza Rice, being inarguably black and arguably gay, has really sold a part of her soul to become part of the Bush administration. But really, you can say the same about all of them, even the whitest and straightest. Still, her highly suspicious best friend/roommate situation aside, she won’t be pulling a Larry Craig any time soon. Her not-so-secret secret is safe with moi.
To begin with, the vague story about OJ Simpson being questioned for a possible burglary at a casino made no sense. Now that more details are out, it makes even less. According to Simpson, he didn’t steal anything, he was conducting a “sting operation” to take back football memorabilia he said had been stolen from him. Sting operation? Someone has seen Ocean’s 11 one too many times.
Thomas Riccio told CNN affiliate Fox5 News (KVVU) television in Las Vegas that he witnessed what sparked the allegations at the Palace Station Hotel and Casino.
Riccio said Simpson was taking back items that he said had been stolen from him, the station reported.
Riccio said he received a call about a month ago from someone who wanted to auction some of Simpson’s personal possessions by placing them on consignment. Riccio said he called Simpson, with whom he had done business in the past, and the former football player told him the items had been stolen from him, the station said.
Riccio said that as he was being shown the items in a hotel room, Simpson entered and seized them, according to the station. Riccio said there was no break-in, and no gun was used, the station said.
So far, there’s no verification that any of this is true. But I can see OJ trying to take matters into his own hands if something was stolen from him. Police probably give him the shivers.
[CNN]
It’s really bad enough that Kanye West is on Jimmy Kimmel wearing dark sunglasses and a scarf artfully draped across his neck and shoulders, but it’s even worse that he’s literally pouting and near-tears about MTV and negative reviews of his album at the end of what is arguably one of the greatest weeks of his career. Even Kimmel seems fed up. Part 2, after the jump.
CONTINUED »
Broadway just got a little blacker. Well, maybe not black enough. As further proof that entertainers have a definite affinity for the Illinois senator, some of NYC’s famous stage actors will be on hand for a special performance called “Barack On Broadway.” Seriously.
From the press release:
During this special evening, billed BARACK ON BROADWAY, Obama will speak and a constellation of Broadway stars will perform, including Christine Ebersole, Marcia Gay Harden, Ruben Santiago Hudson, Kristen Johnson, Phylicia Rashad, Jeffrey Wright, and the Broadway Inspirational Voices. The event will be Directed by multi-Tony Award winner, George C. Wolfe, and feature readings from the works of some of America’s greatest playwrights, compiled by John Lahr, Marsha Norman and Jack Viertel. Senator Obama’s words will, of course, be his own.
Barack Obama now has the approval of both Oprah Winfrey and Claire Huxtable. Could a black man really ask for anything more?
Oh, right. The presidential nomination.
Quote of the Week
Foxy Brown on her year-long jail sentence:
“This is just a temporary situation.” says Foxy. “I made my bed and have no problem lying in it. My will is steady. What doesn’t kill me will only make me stronger. I think there are greater injustices in America that require our immediate attention, like what’s going on in Jena, Louisiana. I will not surrender, I’m fine, free Jena Six!”
Tyra knows that if one of the contestants on America’s Next Top Model posed like this in a photo, she, Twiggy, Nigel Barker, noted fashion photographer, and Miss Jay would be ready with all sorts of faux-witty disparaging comments. But I suppose she operates under different modeling rules — one of which is that its okay to pose like you’re squatting on the toilet as long as you look fierce doing it!
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