12-31-08 EUR: Blago Chooses Roland Burris For Obama's Senate Seat

EUR Headlines - December 31, 2008

ROLAND BURRIS CHOSEN FOR OBAMA'S SENATE SEAT: However, Senate Dems say they'll refuse any Blago pick.
*Troubled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Tuesday defied fellow Democrats and named a successor to fill Barack Obama's open Senate seat -- a seat the governor is charged with trying to sell to the highest bidder. Read Full Story

GOP SPLIT ON 'MAGIC NEGRO' FLAP: Some have rallied around Saltsman and blame 'liberal media' for hype.
*Former Tennessee GOP chairman Chip Saltsman's decision to send Republican National Committee members a CD that included the song "Barack the Magic Negro" may have inadvertently helped his bid to become RNC chair, reports Politico.com. Read Full Story

JENA SIX TEEN SHOOTS HIMSELF IN THE CHEST: Cops believe Mychal Bell was upset over coverage of his shoplifting charge.
*One of the teenagers arrested in the "Jena Six" case has been hospitalized after shooting himself in the chest, reports the Associated Press. Read Full Story

NATURI NAUGHTON: The 'Notorious' Interview with Kam Williams
*Naturi Cora Maria Naughton was born on May 20, 1984 in East Orange, New Jersey where she started singing in the choir at New Hope Baptist Church at just 5 years of age. Read Full Story

TIMBALAND SUED BY MIAMI BEACH FLORIST: Producer accused of skipping out on payment for Xmas decorations.
*Timbaland is being sued by a florist in Miami Beach, Fla for the balance of a holiday shopping spree. Read Full Story

WILLIAM BALFOUR MAKES COURT APPEARANCE: Murder indictment issued Tuesday against man charged with J-Hud family killings.
*A murder indictment was handed down Tuesday against William Balfour, the man charged with killing the mother, brother and nephew of Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson, reports the Associated Press. Read Full Story

GARY COLEMAN ON UTAH COPS' LAST NERVE: Actor reportedly calls police for every little thing.
*The Associated Press has revealed public records that show a pattern of police involvement into the personal life of Gary Coleman in Utah, where he chose to relocate hoping to escape the public eye. Read Full Story

E-40'S REP COMMENTS ON DENVER SHOOTING: Rapper's manager says he was not in the club when gunfire erupted outside.
*E-40's camp is speaking out about a shooting that took place last weekend following his concert at a Denver nightclub. Read Full Story

MCKINNEY ON BOAT HIT BY ISRAELI FORCES: Former congresswoman was part of effort to deliver medical supplies to Gaza Strip.
*CNN is reporting that former U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney was on a boat carrying medical volunteers and supplies to the embattled Gaza Strip early Tuesday when it was rammed by an Israeli patrol boat in the Mediterranean Sea. Read Full Story

BAILEY BROADCASTING'S NEW OBAMA RADIO SPECIAL: 'Hail The Chief, The Dream Comes To Life' ready for Inaugration Day
*Not since we produced the iconic, award-winning "King: From Atlanta to the Mountaintop" have we been more excited about bringing an educational and entertaining biographic profile to the airwaves. Read Full Story

DMX TAKES PLEA DEAL ON DRUG/THEFT CHARGES: Guilty plea entered on all counts; sentencing scheduled in Jan.
*Under a prosecution deal, DMX pleaded guilty in Arizona Tuesday to one count of animal cruelty, one count of theft, and one count each of felony possession of marijuana and a narcotic drug, reports the Associated Press. Read Full Story

SIMMONS GIRLS READY 'RUN'S HOUSE' SPINOFF: MTV unveils new trailer for 'Daddy's Girls.'
*After months of filming, MTV is finally ready to premiere "Daddy's Girls," a spinoff of "Run's House" built around Rev. Run's entrepreneurial daughters, Vanessa and Angela. Read Full Story

INAUGURATION COMMITTEE HOLDS ESSAY CONTEST: Winners will get tickets to swearing-in, Inaugural Parade and one of the 'official' balls.
*The Presidential Inaugural Committee has announced an essay contest that offers participants a chance to witness President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration in person, reports the Associated Press. Read Full Story

DIDDY OFFERS FREE NEW YEAR'S EVE CAB RIDES: Yet another Ciroc promotion has mogul offering drunk revelers chance to get home safely.
*Sean "Diddy" Combs and Ciroc premium vodka have announced a partnership with the New York City's Taxi & Limousine Commission to offer free cab rides to tipsy revelers throughout New Year's Eve. Read Full Story

NEW DOCUMENTARY DISHES ROC-A-FELLA DIRT: Former employee details unraveling of Jay-Z/Damon Dash business and friendship.
*A former employee of Roc-A-Fella records is coming out with a tell-all documentary about the downfall of the label, reports Sohh.com. Read Full Story

MARIAH CAREY STILL EYES THEATER DEBUT: Singer says starring in stage version of 'Prince and the Showgirl' depends on schedule.
*Mariah Carey says she is still hoping to star in a stage version of "The Prince and the Showgirl" in London, but the commitment would require her to put her film and music career on hold. Read Full Story

ANDRE RISON ARRESTED IN SAN ANTONIO: Ex-NFL star was reportedly sloppy drunk and causing a scene outside the Crown Plaza.
*Former NFL star Andre Rison was arrested in San Antonio Tuesday morning for public intoxication, according to TMZ.com. Read Full Story

ITTY BITTY BITS: Will, Alicia, Gabrielle on vacay; Ludacris saves Xmas.
*So where have the "starrahs" chosen to vacation this holiday season? Will Smith and his family escaped to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico for the weekend, where the "Seven Pounds" actor has been working on his golf game. Read Full Story

THE EURweb FREE-4-ALL PAGE/BOARD: Talk about the stories we didn't cover in this issue.
Just like the headline says, this page/board is where you can discuss the stuff that we didn't cover in today's issue. (It's sort of like feedback with a twist) Remember, NO name calling, racial taunting, graphic sex talk and vulgarity in general, PLEASE. Read Full Story

NATURI NAUGHTON: The Notorious Interview with Kam Williams
*Naturi Cora Maria Naughton was born on May 20, 1984 in East Orange, New Jersey where she started singing in the choir at New Hope Baptist Church at just 5 years of age. Read Full Story

12-31-08 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE
EUR all ONE page! Read Full Story

12-30-08 EURxtra: 'Puff The Magic Dragon' Writer Not Down With Spoof

December 30, 2008

'MAGIC DRAGON' WRITER ON 'MAGIC NEGRO' SPOOF: Peter Yarrow says it's 'not only offensive, it is shocking and saddening.'
*Peter Yarrow, the co-writer of the 1963 children's song "Puff the Magic Dragon," says he is disappointed with the recent spoof of his tune that targets President-elect Barack Obama. Read Full Story

MORE CELEBS PAY $50Gs FOR INAUGURATION TIX: Surprisingly, Oprah Winfrey's not one of them…at least not yet.
*Fox411 columnist Roger Friedman gives an update on the celebrities who have paid big money to attend Barack Obama's inauguration ceremony next month. Read Full Story

BET SETS INAUGURATION DAY SCHEDULE: Network plans extensive coverage of historic swearing in.
*BET will offer extensive live coverage of Inauguration Day next month, bearing witness to the swearing in of the nation's first black president, Barack Obama. Read Full Story

TV ONE PLANS FULL DAY OF INAUGURATION COVERAGE: Network to follow event for 21 straight hours.
*TV One will mix live footage and taped specials in its full day of inauguration coverage to celebrate the swearing in of Barack Obama, the nation's first African American president. Read Full Story

NEW AT 'EUR THIS N THAT' BLOG: Dishin’ Dirt on Beyonce, Ciara, Buffy the Body and NFLer Byron Westbrook ...
*As we move forward into the new year, in anticipation of a new president, we're bringing you something new as well. Presenting the EURthisNthat blog. Read Full Story

BASSETT, HANCOCK RSVP FOR 'PURPLE BALL': Inauguration party to honor troops, war vets and bipartisanship.
*Angela Bassett and Herbie Hancock are among the celebs set to attend "The Inaugural Purple Ball," one of 10 official balls scheduled for inauguration night, and an evening intended to celebrate "the spirit of bipartisanship and diversity." Read Full Story

EVA MARCILLE AND LANCE GROSS ENGAGED: 'House of Payne' actor got on bended knee at family's Christmas Eve celebration.
*"America's Next Top Model" winner Eva Marcille is engaged to her boyfriend, "House of Payne" star Lance Gross, following a proposal that took place in front of their families on Christmas Eve. Read Full Story

BAD ECONOMY STALLS JAY-Z'S PLANNED HOTEL: Real estate project on hold while partners try to raise more cash.
*The New York Times is reporting that the development of a hotel backed by rap mogul Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter has been put on hold due to the ailing economy. Read Full Story

JAIMEE FOXWORTH EXPECTING FIRST CHILD: Plus, 'Family Matters' star says she's been sober since completing 'Celebrity Rehab.'
*Actress Jaimee Foxworth, best known for her role as Judy Winslow on "Family Matters" until a drug habit landed her on VH1's "Celebrity Rehab," has announced that she is five months pregnant by her longtime boyfriend. Read Full Story

BAILEY BROADCASTING'S NEW OBAMA RADIO SPECIAL: 'Hail The Chief, The Dream Comes To Life' ready for Inaugration Day
*Not since we produced the iconic, award-winning "King: From Atlanta to the Mountaintop" have we been more excited about bringing an educational and entertaining biographic profile to the airwaves. Read Full Story

DALLAS COWBOY VS. DISGRUNTLED FAN: Linebacker Bradie James roughs up protester picketing team and coach following Sunday's debacle.
*Compounding a season-ending loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys were met with angry fans outside the team's training facility, and at least one armed with a picket sign that apparently went too far. Read Full Story

SINGLETARY MADE PERMANENT 49ER COACH: Team announces move Sunday following comeback win over Redskins.
*The San Francisco 49ers announced Sunday that Mike Singletary, who has served as the team's interim coach since Oct. 21, will return next year as head coach under a four-year deal. Read Full Story

'GULLY CREEPA' DANCE CREATOR KILLED: Ice, a.k.a. David Alexander Smith, was behind move done by Usain Bolt at Olympics.
*David Alexander Smith, the Jamaican entertainer who created the dance performed by Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt to celebrate his Olympic victories, was shot to death at a Kingston bar, reported Radio Jamaica. Read Full Story

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER MARIAH BABY RUMOR: Plus, mathematician upset over her explanation of album title 'E=MC2.'
*Fox411 columnist Roger Freidman says a source in Mariah Carey's camp assures him that the singer is not pregnant, despite numerous tabloid reports to the contrary. Read Full Story

REV. FRED SHUTTLESWORTH HOSPITALIZED: Civil Rights leader being treated for pneumonia and dehydration.
*Civil rights icon Fred Shuttlesworth has been moved from a nursing home to the intensive care unit at St. Vincent's Hospital in Birmingham to be treated for pneumonia and dehydration, his family tells local Fox news affiliate WBRC. Read Full Story

WE REMEMBER JAZZ GREAT FREDDIE HUBBARD: Influential trumpet player died Monday at age 70.
*Jazz great Freddie Hubbard, a Grammy-winning trumpet player who collaborated with such musicians as Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins, died Monday, a month after suffering a heart attack. He was 70. Read Full Story

CIVIL RIGHTS ICONS TO GRACE 2009 STAMPS: Terrell, Spingarn, Evers, Hamer among pioneers to be introduced in Feb.
*A dozen pioneers of the civil rights movement will be honored with stamps scheduled for release Feb. 21 in New York, the postal service announced Monday. Read Full Story

ITTY BITTY BITS: Globes tap Fishburne; Stedman flies coach; Murphy's night out; Bristol Palin gives birth.
*New "CSI" star Laurence Fishburne has been added to the list of presenters for next month's 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards. Read Full Story

EUR FILM REVIEW: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
By Kam Williams
*Very loosely based on the classic tale of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a melancholy meditation on love, mortality and loneliness revolving around a baby (Brad Pitt) born old who grows younger over the course of his life. Read Full Story

EUR DVD REVIEW: Battle for Haditha
By Kam Williams
*Remember when your mother warned that playing all those gruesome video games would desensitize you to violence? Now witness Exhibit A: Battle for Haditha, showcasing Generation Kill's all volunteer army in all its glory. Read Full Story

THE EURweb FREE-4-ALL PAGE/BOARD: Talk about the stories we didn't cover in this issue.
Just like the headline says, this page/board is where you can discuss the stuff that we didn't cover in today's issue. (It's sort of like feedback with a twist) Remember, NO name calling, racial taunting, graphic sex talk and vulgarity in general, PLEASE. Read Full Story

12-30-08 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE
EUR all on ONE page! Read Full Story

12-29-08 EUR: E-40 Concert Violence / Katt Williams-Steve Harvey Beef

EUR Headlines - December 29, 2008

FIVE INJURED AFTER E-40 CONCERT IN DENVER: Shootout follows rapper's show at downtown nightclub.
*An early morning shootout in Denver following a concert by rapper E-40 has left five people injured, according to local reports. Read Full Story

KATT WILLIAMS VS. STEVE HARVEY: Beef hyped on Jamie Foxx's satellite radio show.
*A new standup comic beef has emerged between Katt Williams and Steve Harvey – mostly on Williams' part – that is expected to be settled during a head-to-head battle on New Year's Eve in Detroit. Read Full Story

OPRAH-PRAISED 'LOVE STORY' RULED A FAKE: Herman Rosenblat claimed to have found/married long-lost concentration camp crush.
*Another so-called "true story" embraced by Oprah Winfrey has been exposed as a fraud. Read Full Story

SHEILA ELDRIDGE IS 'MILES AHEAD': PR and marketing guru talks about company projects
By Kenya M Yarbrough
*Cross-promotion specialist Sheila Eldridge knows a lot about communications and that’s because she never stops learning. The principal of boutique public relations and marketing agency Miles Ahead Entertainment, Eldridge has brought business savvy and ambition to the promotions game for more than 20 years. Read Full Story

'BARACK THE MAGIC NEGRO' SONG WON'T DIE: RNC chair candidate puts offensive tune on CD and distributes to committee members for Xmas.
*A candidate for the Republican National Committee chairmanship is trying to explain why he included a song titled "Barack the Magic Negro" on a CD that he sent to committee members as a Christmas gift. Read Full Story

OBAMA NOT COMFORTABLE IN BUBBLE: President-elect seems to be struggling with non-stop attention from traveling press.
*The media glare, the constant security appendage and the sheer production that has become a morning jog or a hankering for an ice cream cone – it’s been closing in on Barack Obama for some time. Read Full Story

BAILEY BROADCASTING'S NEW OBAMA RADIO SPECIAL: 'Hail The Chief, The Dream Comes To Life' ready for Inaugration Day
*Not since we produced the iconic, award-winning "King: From Atlanta to the Mountaintop" have we been more excited about bringing an educational and entertaining biographic profile to the airwaves. Read Full Story

DIDDY OFFERS $1 MILL TO CHANGE TIMES SQUARE BALL: Mogul and Ciroc say they'll donate money to charity for chance to turn ball 'Ciroc blue.'
*Sean "Diddy" Combs' latest publicity stunt with Ciroc Vodka is a $1 million offer to the city of New York to redesign the annual New Year's Eve ball that drops in Times Square. Read Full Story

BEYONCE OWNS CHRISTMAS BILLBOARD: 'Single Ladies' remains No. 1 on Hot 100 and R&B charts.
*Billboard has given Beyonce two gifts for Christmas – a third week at No. 1 on its Hot 100 chart and a sixth week atop the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for her song "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)." Read Full Story

NEW AT 'EUR THIS N THAT' BLOG: Dishin’ Dirt on Beyonce, DeVyne Stephens and Michael Jordan ...
*As we move forward into the new year, in anticipation of a new president, we're bringing you something new as well. Presenting the EURthisNthat blog. Read Full Story

MORE MARIAH PREGNANCY RUMORS: Singer cuts back on exercise regimen and described by NY Post as "zaftig."
*The New York Post quotes a source on St. Barts who claims Mariah Carey "is definitely pregnant." Read Full Story

JOHN LEGEND BOWLED OVER FOR 30th B'DAY: Singer's party invitation mentions Lucky Strike pit stop before club.
*John Legend sent out invites for his 30th birthday party Saturday night via e-mail, indicating a night of both bowling and dancing to mark the occasion. Read Full Story

OBAMA, HILLARY CLINTON 'MOST ADMIRED' AMERICANS: New poll also has Oprah ranked behind Sarah Palin.
*President-elect Barack Obama is the most admired man in the world, according to a USA Today/Gallup poll published Friday. Read Full Story

BET ANNOUNCES NEW YEAR'S EVE LINEUP: 'Notarized' looks back at 2008; '106 & Party' to feature Brandy, Sullivan, Brutha and more.
*On Wednesday, Dec. 31 from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., BET will roll out a special day of New Year's Eve programming beginning with its year-end countdown "Notarized," from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and ending with "106 & Party" bringing in the new year. Read Full Story

ITTY BITTY BITS: 'Killing of Wendy' DVD; Diddy, Roots host New Year's Eve gigs.
*Johannesburg-based Brainstorm Entertainment releases the film "Killing of Wendy" on DVD. Read Full Story

EUR FILM REVIEW: Seven Pounds
By Kam Williams
*This time of the year is the perfect time to release a relentlessly-depressing drama about a suicidal widower wracked with guilt over killing his wife in a car accident in which he was fiddling with his Blackberry while driving. Not. Read Full Story

THE EURweb FREE-4-ALL PAGE/BOARD: Talk about the stories we didn't cover in this issue.
Just like the headline says, this page/board is where you can discuss the stuff that we didn't cover in today's issue. (It's sort of like feedback with a twist) Remember, NO name calling, racial taunting, graphic sex talk and vulgarity in general, PLEASE. Read Full Story

12-29-08 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE
EUR all on ONE page! Read Full Story