Carmen Ejogo shines in Sparkle

I saw Sparkle yesterday and I was impressed by the performance of Carmen Ejogo. Yes this is Jordin Sparks coming out party, and yes this is Whitney Houston’s last performance, but Ejogo steals the show. Her performance is captivating. I remember seeing Dreamgirls a few years ago and Beyonce was supposed to be the star, but Jennifer Hudson clearly stole that movie. Ejogo did a Jennifer in Sparkle and her performance is worth the price of admission. Mike Epps also shows he is more than a funny man. Don’t get me wrong Sparks was good, and Whitney Houston was outstanding, but this movie belonged to Ejogo.

Joan Rivers has Whitney Houston joke in her new book: did she go too far?

Joan Rivers has written a new book: “I Hate Everyone…Starting with Me”. In it she includes a joke about the late Whitney Houston. Houston died in February. She was in LA and she planned to attend a pre-Grammy party and the Grammys. She died the day of the pre-Grammy party. Here is the joke:
“I hate Houston. it’s crawling with bugs…Oh wait that’s Whitney Houston: I’m sorry, my bad. (Can I just mention Whitney looked fabulous at the Grammys. She was in mahogany from head to toe. ) Is this too soon for this kind of joke or is this simply not appropriate? Do comediannes have the right to joke about everything? Share your thoughts.

Bobby Brown’s sister takes center stage

I remember when my mother died a friend of mine said “death brings out the best in people or the worst.” It is interesting to see Bobby Brown’s sister, Leolah is now out spinning conspiracy theories regarding the death of Whitney Houston. She said under the advice of her lawyer she could not go into details. Well, then why talk at all? Houston lived her life in the public eye and it just seems now people are coming out of the woodwork with their own tales of their lives with the superstar, but are we that desparate to be entertained that we are reduced to listening to the unsubstantiated claims of a former in-law? Tell me what you think.

National Enquirer Posts Whitney Houston open casket on front page

You won’t find the picture here because I think to post Whitney Houston’s casket photo is as the old folks used to say a “shame and a disgrace”. This woman lived her life out loud and on public display for the last 25 years. We have seen pictures of the young Whitney, the beautiful Whitney, Whitney in disarray, but we have no right to see the dead Whitney. This exploits her death in a brutal way. She can not even have privacy in death and that is sad.

Whitney Houston’s family is selling video of the funeral…bad taste or good business?

Whitney Houston’s family is said to be selling the video of her funeral. On Saturday the Associated Press was the one camera allowed in the ceremony. Networks have been allowed to use footage for 24 hours after the funeral but after that the Houston estate will determine the circulation and the fees associated with it. Is this poor taste or good business? Tell me what you think.

http://music.msn.com/music/article.aspx?news=705658

Yolanda Adams Image Award tribute to Whitney Houston

This past week we have mourned the loss of Whitney Houston. We have heard that her roots were in gospel, but we have not heard a lot of the gospel songs that she recorded. Last night on the televised NAACP image awards gospel great Yolanda Adams sang the Houston song I Love the Lord, this song was featured in the movie, The Preacher’s Wife, which featured Whitney Houston, Denzel Washington and Courtney Vance. Adams performance was spirit filled and left the crowd on their feet. Adams knows how to sing a song in a way that can pierce your very soul.

Nancy Grace on Good Morning America defends her controversial Whitney Houston comments

A few nights ago attention getting, headline wanting Nancy Grace asked who pushed Whitney Houston underwater? Grace insinuated that Houston had been murdered. She has no facts to back up her contention, but this woman will say anything in search of ratings. This morning she appeared on Good Morning America and doubled down on her baseless statements. Grace is a dangerous person. She is not a journalist so she is not bound by a code of ethics. She is just a ratings hound that is in pursuit of the next story that will help her in her ultimate pursuit…justice…no ratings.

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/nancy-grace-and-dan-abrams-spar-over-graces-controversial-whitney-houston-comments/

LA Radio Hosts calling Whitney Houston a “Crack Ho”

There used to be a truce with the media. They used to at least wait until the celebrity was buried before they let loose with their vicious remarks, but the attack dogs are running wild on Whitney Houston. Radio hosts in LA refered to Whitney Houston as a “crack hoe, a bag lady and a crackhead”. This is beyond disrespect. No one is denying Houston was a drug addict, but to call her a crack hoe is just a lie. It is beyond the pale and one wonders who would find this kind of banter humorous? Houston’s death is sad and it is even sadder to see her pain is being exploited for cheap laughs.

http://realdealtalk.com/2012/02/15/the-late-whitney-houston-called-crack-ho-on-kfi-los-angeles/

UPDATE:
Radio hosts have been suspended for the offensive remarks:

http://www.sgvtribune.com/news/ci_19980046

Fox News Host says Maxine Waters “needs to step away from the crack pipe”, but he was just kidding

FROM POLITICO-Fox News commentator Eric Bolling insisted he was just joking Thursday after saying that Rep. Maxine Waters should “step away from the crack pipe.” “What is going on in California? How’s this? Congresswoman, you saw what happened to Whitney Houston. Step away from the crack pipe, step away from the Xanax, step away from the Lorazepam because it’s going to get you in trouble.” Bolling said about Waters on “Fox and Friends.” “How else do you explain those comments?” The comment elicited nervous laughter from Bolling’s co-host, Gretchen Carlson. Bolling was reacting to comments Waters had made in a speech Wednesday, in which she had called Republicans “demons.” “We have got to take back the House. I saw pictures of Boehner and Cantor on our screen [at the California state Democratic convention]. Don’t ever let me see again in life those Republicans in our hall on our screen talking about anything. These are demons,” Waters said in a video clip played on Fox. She didn’t appear on the Fox morning show. Immediately after the commercial break, Bolling walked back his comments.” so what do you think is it alright to joke about a veteran congresswoman being on crack? Is the apology enough? Tell me what you think.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0212/72964.html

Bill O’Reilly’s take on Whitney Houston’s Death

Whitney Houston died Saturday and she will be buried later this week. Usually people reserve their true crticism until a person is buried, but Fox News Bill O’Reilly made his feelings known last night. Watch the clip and tell me what you think.