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Teen Saved Twin Brothers From Sickle-Cell

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Arizona teen Jonathan Buchanan deserves the little brother of the year award two times over.  He donated his bone marrow to his older, identical twin brothers Josh and Jordan to cure them of sickle-cell anemia.

Sickle-cell anemia is a painful, hereditary disease that attacks the body’s red blood cells. Remarkably, Jonathan was a perfect match for his brothers. According to BeTheMatch.org, siblings are only 25 percent likely to be donor matches, so the fact that Jonathan was able to save his two brothers is truly amazing.

Jordan donated to Josh last year and he is now completely cured. Jordan underwent the procedure Wednesday and is expected to be cured, as well.

“When he was younger, he used to have this stuffed animal, a dog, and he would bandage the tail and patch the eye and take care of it,” said the boys’ mother Katherine Buchanan to The Arizona Republic. “I used to joke that he’d be a doctor. He would say he was going to find a cure for sickle-cell anemia.

“Now he is the cure.”

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Keri Hilson Ready To Move On

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Keri HilsonKeri Hilson is a changed woman.  She’s found God, she’s found love with NBA baller Serge Ibaka and she’s found a new talent in acting.  However she hasn’t abandoned her music and she can’t seem to shake those nagging Beyonce beef rumors.

The 30 year-old singer is looking much happier these days. In an interview with Global Grind, she said:

I hear that I’m glowing. That’s the word that I hear most often, for the past six months of my life, that I’m glowing. I don’t know what’s changed. I’ve been in a relationship for a year, I rededicated my life to Christ in April 2012, I came out of a really dark depression.

I am happy and I’m glad people can see when you are genuinely happy. For years I was smiling for pictures and I’m doing the same, but I think people can tell the difference. That’s just been a testament to the fact that people can really see your aura.

She recently played a small role in the #1 film Riddick with Vin Diesel.  It’s a part she almost didn’t get, but Diesel ensured that she got a chance to debut those acting chops:

 What’s special about the part is that I wasn’t initially in the movie, but they did not want to lose me, so they wrote me in. Vin told me he was written in as well in his very first small role. It was the same idea. They loved his audition so much and they went with someone else for the role, but they did not want to lose him as an actor and that’s what he did for me.

In a sense, I’m really indebted to him for allowing me to play, allowing me to be a student again, allowing me to exercise a different muscle in a similar art form. That made it even more special for me. As small as it was, it really didn’t matter. He’s become sort of a mentor for me.

She also mentions in the interview that she is currently working on new music with longtime collaborator Timbaland. Everything would appear to be coming up roses for her.

Then, of course, the Queen Bey controversy comes to rear its ugly head. For those who don’t know, Hilson has long been reported to have a beef with Beyonce. It started in 2008 with her lyrics on the remix to “Turnin’ Me On” which insinuated that Bey needed to take a break from music to have some babies because Hilson had been writing her material. Hilson denies these allegations, but stoked the fire when she refused to hold up a magazine with Beyonce on the cover during a red carpet interview.  Needless to say, she’s incited a relentless attack from the Beyhive. In March, she broke down on Twitter:

  It’s TOO much!! Please! Is everything I tweet gonna be “intentionally misinterpreted” as a statement about someone/drama I know nothing about? You have no idea what your hateful words could do to someone’s spirit. Years of verbal abuse from strangers all day long. Enough is enough!

So on her forthcoming album, she has a song titled “I’m Sorry”, which Timbaland insinuated was an apology to Beyonce.  Again, Hilson is denying this:

 There’s really nothing more to tell about that song. There’s really nothing to be said about it. What I will say, is the way Tim represented my verse is a little off. It’s not something I want to talk about right now. It’s not important to me. I’m not even sure if that song will be on the album. It’s not what he made it seem, I will say that.

Hence the messy cycle seems to be beginning again. It would seem that whenever she means to address the issue, she finds a circular way to speak about it that can be seen as a little hollow and shady. She needs to speak on the issue directly and with nothing held back and maybe then the madness will finally end.

Either way we hope Ms. Keri Baby can move beyond the drama once and for all and just enjoy her life—and her sexy boo.

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Obama’s Incredibly Unnecessary Syria Speech

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obama syria speechTo postpone a Congressional vote on Syria or not to postpone was the big Beltway question prior to President Obama’s highly anticipated speech on the subject Tuesday night.  But after a bit less than 20 minutes of muted and atypically slim delivery, a much more crucial question needed answering: was that speech even all that necessary? Watch for yourself

It’s one of the most vexing questions of the week, a query that posed itself a day into new diplomatic developments and after another excruciating round of presidential overkill on the media circuit.  If average folks weren’t plugged into – at the very least – the fundamental basics of U.S. foreign policy in Syria, by Monday it really should not have been worth White House time and energy.  Those comfortably lost in the mass media isolation cell of football and reality show season openers didn’t deserve the extra step of presidential attention – if that was the point of Tuesday night’s speech.

Because, seriously, what did he say that we didn’t already know?  What differentiated this speech from six network interviews and what changed the Main Street polling equation in any significant way?  What was all that headline-grabbing to justify another rotation of the usual pundits saying the usual things? Why go through all the trouble of using that room? And if you have to talk about it that bad, why not just call a gaggle of reporters into the briefing room and give us a break on the red carpet ambiance?

True: Obama’s clever political navigation through the Syria crisis offers an intriguing glimpse into the truly accidental and fluid nature of diplomacy.  There are no real formulas or templates, no predictable plays you can simply snap into the situation.  Knowing this, the president appeared to manipulate what he could by a classic run on the clock.  It was a glib mix of light intervention, casually pushing military assets into position and keeping his intentions ambiguous.  Even when criticized for being too open about the “limited” scope of any forthcoming strike, we never got a real specific sense of what limited meant.  There was a lot of bait and switch, a lot of filibustering and a lot of deliberate incoherence.  Just talk more, do less.  Disarm the opposition with flowery dissertations and testimony about the threat of chemical warfare unhinged, but make as few physical moves as possible unless you really have to.

We have a president that wouldn’t fare too well playing speed chess with the table top hustlers in Lafayette Park (just across the street from the White House for those going ‘huh?’).  Instead, he prefers the slow game after dinner and cocktails, examining the pros and cons of every move.  By the time he’s made the next move, the opponent is nodding off to sleep. He seems indecisive because he really doesn’t want to make that decision in the first place.  The speech, an exercise in futility, not really futile since it was an extension of a more acceptable plan of inaction.

The pure emptiness of it is still, however, part of the strategy.  Many of us are lightly irritated because it appeared, at the very least, somewhat boastful and, at most, a real waste of East Wing room electricity. But, for multiple reasons, it served purpose to prop the illusion of “problem solved.”  It’s what we’ve come to accept as signature transactional Obama when it comes to the more difficult, seemingly Mission Impossible issues: I’m not breaking it, but I’m not fixing it.  He’s like the brother who steps in dog shit on the sidewalk, whispers an indiscernible obscenity and then stealthily finds a patch of grass to scrape his shoe on.

While we shouldn’t underestimate the capacity of this president to use military force, we should recognize that he’s still that candidate who rode to historic victory on an anti-war platform.  There’s something very Woodrow Wilsonian in this philosophy and approach.  In the case of foreign policy and use of force, he’s not going in unless he sees a clear exit or goal: we might discover from the upcoming Tom Hanks’ Somali pirate hijack thriller Captain Phillips that the president probably didn’t act until he knew for sure Navy SEAL snipers had a clear shot; he didn’t eliminate Osama bin Laden until he knew, for sure, the team he was sending in would get it done and could get out; he wouldn’t go into Libya unless he felt comfortable enough that it would be a clean campaign.  While there are always unknowns at work on the battlefield, this particular class of president is not moving in unless he knows the odds favor him.  Endless nights of poker as an Illinois state legislator prepared him for that moment.

Moving slow and quietly finding the patch of grass has, however, put the president in a politically advantageous position on his normal quest for win-win.  It’s his usual M.O. where nobody really wins, nobody really loses, but everyone is all pissed off: he passed health care reform in a bid to keep his promise, keep his base intact and the opposition fired up enough to recapture the House – even though he struck back with a second term.  In the end, he got to pass it, warts and all.

With Syria, he wins because he gets to make a global platitude against chemical weapons – more legacy for the history books.  But, he’s also in a position where he won’t use the force he didn’t really want to use in the first place because smart, reasoned defense experts have explained to him that “Syria, Mr. President sir, is just all f****d up.”  He made up his mind a while back that he didn’t want to own Syria, but he did want to own a statement on just and unjust wars.  And, so, in some ways the “red line” may not have been a mistake.  Maybe, after all those long moves and after we all dozed off, he put everything in place to get to this very point.

Sure: some of us could be drinking the Kool Aid or giving Obama too much benefit of the doubt.  But, think about it: he ended up not waging a war that he never really wanted in the first place.  He says he wouldn’t meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the Edward Snowden scuffle, appeasing grumpy lawmakers who hated getting our nose rubbed in it – but, look what happened: when no one was watching, he ended up meeting with dude anyway.  Russia might look like good global Samaritan for the moment, but the White House still gets to say that it was because we made a big fuss over it.  Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad gets to carry on his war against determined rebels and Islamic militants – but how helpful is that if he can’t use his last-resort weapons when these cats are right on his doorstep?  Last we checked, they were still on the outskirts of Damascus.  And while Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) is hot that he won’t get another chance to overcompensate for getting shot down as a young Vietnam War fighter pilot, the president puts just enough assets in the region to keep the old man noisy and non-threatening.

Politically, it doesn’t get any better than that.  Obama gets to do what he’s always wanted: channel his inner-Kennedy, crisis averted.  Still, in the midst of scraping that shit off his shoe, he could’ve spared us the speech.

CHARLES D. ELLISON is a veteran political strategist and Chief Political Correspondent for UPTOWN Magazine.  He is the Washington Correspondent for the Philadelphia Tribune and frequently heard on SiriusXM.  Reach him via Twitter @charlesdellison.

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Lost & Found: Three Ways To Get Your Fashion Mojo Back

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While Olivia Pope’s faithful Gladiators await her return to televisions next month for third season of “Scandal,” Kerry Washington is enjoying her role as cover girl du jour – this year alone, she’s been featured on the covers of magazines like Elle, Ebony, Flare, Vanity Fair, and our very own UPTOWN.

Glamour‘s October 2013 issue also finds Washington on the cover and in its pages, discussing love, career, and fashion – and that latter topic is quite the timely one. The fall season is regarded as the apex of the year in fashion, and Washington rocks the latest designer offerings flawlessly. However, an interesting quote of hers struck me:

“OK, I’m going to admit this: There were a couple of actresses whom I felt were having the upper hand career-wise—because they knew how to work that red carpet. I was like, ‘I’m missing a really important tool. If I am the CEO of the Kerry Washington Corporation, my marketing department is really lax.’ So I sort of developed a new character: Red-Carpet Kerry … And I researched her like any other character. I actually called Tracee Ellis Ross [the actress and Diana Ross’ daughter], who’s a good friend, and literally asked, ‘How do you pronounce Hermès?’ Red-Carpet Kerry needed to know … The professor’s daughter kicked in. I was doing library hours on fashion. And then it happened — I was in love.”

-via Necole Bitchie

I read her quote, looked down at the basic loafer/jeans/sweater outfit I had on that day, and realized that my own marketing department was clearly out on the picket line. Somewhere along the way, my fashion choices stopped becoming a representation of who I was – a fun, flirty, creative woman – and regressed into something rote, drab, and downright basic. If I was supposed to be the CEO of the Bee Quammie Corporation, I was advertising an empire that was pretty damn blah.

It wasn’t always like this.

[Image: Shutterstock]

UPTOWN_happy_shopperGoing to a gifted arts elementary school ignited my obsession with all things artistic and glamorous. Every Sunday I’d watch a show called “Fashion Television,” which featured weekly updates on fashion designers, shows, and supermodels, and would plot out my outfits for school that week. Fashion was something fun, something mine  – until I allowed work dress codes and grown-up financial obligations to usurp all the personality out of my personal style.

So, how am I going to get my fashion mojo back this fall and get my marketing department back on payroll?

1. Vintage/Thrift Shopping

I’ve typically played it safe with my purchases. Brick and mortar malls and boutiques were always my go-tos for shopping, and once I started trusting the system, I expanded with online shopping. One medium I never really dabbled in was the vintage shopping and thrifting arena. After seeing some of the unique (and cheap!) finds that other friends have gotten, I’m down for afternoons spent digging for hidden gems in local vintage stores. Being one-of-a-kind is the fun thing about fashion, and vintage shopping gives that edge.

2. Keeping Color

A bad habit I have during the summer-to-fall transition is letting the color drain all the way out of my wardrobe. Fall is a wonderful time for earth tones and neutrals, but keeping color is key. Dyed jeans and bright coats are at the top of my hit list, and I’m also going to indulge more in prints and textured fabrics to keep things jazzy.

[Image: Shutterstock]

UPTOWN_fashion_media3. Indulge in Fashion Media

As I mentioned before, I used to spend Sunday evenings watching “Fashion Television” – trying to take lessons from Naomi Campbell and Gianni Versace on how to craft outfits and walk like a supermodel. I also used to pour over issues of Seventeen, Suede, Vogue and InStyle to indulge my fashionista spirit. These days, fashion blogs have become my go-to for haute couture happenings and real street style. I love The Fashion Bomb, Style Pantry, and Ring My Bell – these sites (and their off-shoot Twitter and Instagram accounts) allow me to see how others embrace their love of fashion, and inspire me to try something new or revisit something old.

These three points are sure to rev up my style mojo and get me ready for the best that autumn fashion has to offer – and if things go well, my Bee Quammie Corporation marketing department might just be back to work. Their goal for this quarter? To ensure that the inner-fly goddess is reflected appropriately on the outside – she’s been hiding long enough.

Do a quick self-assessment: Is your marketing department working the way it should? What are you looking forward to adding to your wardrobe this fall?

[Image: Shutterstock]

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Event Planner David Tutera Dishes on Bridal No Nos & Why He Loves Tami Roman

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UPTOWN_david_tuteraCourtesy of CocoaFab

You know him as the magic maker behind gorgeous and over-the-top weddings on WeTV’s “My Fair Wedding”. But this Saturday, Sept. 7, David Tutera premieres his new show “David Tutera Unveiled” where he not only takes on bridezillas but the needy and hopeful clients planning Bat Mitzvahs, Super 17 parties, and vow renewals.

And let’s just say, the families and the teens can been even more difficult than the brides!

CocoaFab caught up with David while he was running errands in LA and juggling daddy duties. In addition to dishing on the new season, which features Basketball Wives star Tami Roman and her daughter Jazz, David reveals why black girls love him so much.

Keep reading

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Medical Examiner in Zimmerman Trial Preparing $100M Lawsuit

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UPTOWN_shiping_baoCourtesy of The Root

Shiping Bao, a former associate medical examiner in Florida’s Volusia County who testified at George Zimmerman‘s second-degree-murder trial in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, plans to file a $100 million lawsuit in the case, according to WFTV 9.

He reportedly will allege that the medical examiner, the state attorney’s office and Sanford Police Department were all biased against Trayvon. Bao was fired last week for undisclosed reasons.

Keep reading

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The 10 Sexiest Black Men with Natural Hair Styles

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UPTOWN_lenny_kravitzCourtesy of Ebony.com

It’s time to show Black men and their hair some love. It’s all accidental, but men with natural hair styles seem to be left out of the equation. But trust us, when they wear it, they wear it well. From braids, Afros, dreadlocks, and amazing curl patterns, we’ve compiled a list of men whose natural hair has made us want more over the years. It doesn’t hurt either that they’re all a bit easy on the eyes. Take a look at our 10 sexiest natural men.

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Tia Mowry-Hardrict, La La Anthony Share Dating Dealbreakers

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UPTOWN_tia_mowry_hardict_lala_anthonyCourtesy of Sister 2 Sister

Even though they’re happily married ladies, Tia Mowry-Hardrict and La La Anthony know what they wouldn’t put up with if they were single.

Tia and La La weren’t always living happily ever after with their hubbies. They had to kiss their fair share of frogs before finding The One, but Tia admits that she didn’t have to do a whole lot of searching.

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Chicago Woman Accused Of Raping Man

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UPTOWN_cierra_ross_rapistPolice arrested Cierra Ross, 25, for allegedly raping and robbing an unidentified 33-year-old man at gunpoint.

According to reports, Ross and an unidentified female friend offered the victim a ride, back in July. When he entered the car, Ross ordered him to sit in the backseat of the car with her friend. She forced him, at gunpoint, to put his hands on the friend’s breasts and buttocks during a sexual assault. After the incident, Ross and her accomplice robbed the victim of his iPhone, credit cards, and $200.

Police charged Ross, a mother of two, with aggravated criminal sexual abuse and armed robbery. It’s unknown whether charges will be filed against her unidentified friend. Ross’ bail is set at $75,000.

Source

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The Smaller The Balls, The Better The Father

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UPTOWN_golf_ballsCourtesy of The Frisky

A a new study conducted by anthropologists at Emory University set out to determine why some fathers take to the job more than others. Naturally, they decided to study their balls. The study looked at 70 biological fathers who had a child between the ages of one and two, and who were living with the child and its biological mother. Researchers looked at the fathers’ parenting habits, their testosterone levels, their brains functions when shown pictures of their children and the size of their testes and found that the men with lower testosterone levels and smaller balls were better dads.

Keep reading

[Image: Shutterstock]

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AIQ…Charlie Wilson, A$AP Rocky, Nicki Minaj & more…

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celebrity quotes charlie wilson asap rocky nicki minajNo tea, no shade! All tea, all shade! This week in celebrity quotes, Charlie Wilson would have whooped Miley Cyrus’ ass had she been his daughter twerking on MTV, A$AP Rocky gives Jason Collins the biggest and gayest side eye in history, and Nicki Minaj is disgusted at everything Gucci Mane! Plus, Kanye calls out Ray-J on live television. And Dennis Rodman said what?! AND I QUOTE

charlie-wilson-bet-awards-2013-press-conference-03“If she would’ve been my daughter, I would’ve tore her a** up. Straight out.”

Uncle Charlie Wilson revealing what he would have done if Miley Cyrus was his daughter, twerking at this year’s MTV VMAs, in an interview with Madame Noire. 

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KMichelle2013“You keep throwing rocks at me and then u run and hide behind Vince’s man boobs! U not above getting checked shady boots!”

K. Michelle lashing out at her arch nemesis Tamar Braxton, who claims to still be the victim of the “Love & Hip Hop Atlanta” star’s bullying , via Twitter.

KanyeWest2013“Brandy’s little sister lame, man, he know it now/When a real brother hold you down you supposed to drown.”

Kanye West dissing his baby’s mother ex Ray-J during a performance of the new track “Bound 2”, on “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.”

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NickiMinaj2013“May God strike me dead if I ever had sex wit that man. Lmfaoooooooooo. N-gga da way ya #ugliness is set up #BubbaGump #crackhead…Gucci look like a upset stomach”

Nicki Minaj responding to troubled rapper Gucci Mane’s allegations that they once dated and  engaged in various sexual activities, via Twitter.

 

a$aprocky2013“I don’t give a f–k if you gay or you not, I just found it odd that MTV wanted to stand me next to this n—a when they are talking about gay people, that’s all. You know what I’m saying?”

A$AP Rocky responding to the supposed side eye he gave former NBA player Jason Collins while they presented at MTV VMAs , via The Stashed.

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DennisRodman2013“It is not my job to talk about Kenneth Bae. Ask Obama about that, ask Hillary Clinton about that! Ask those —holes.”

Dennis Rodman, the former NBA star who has become a toy for North Korea, speaking on imprisoned American Kenneth Bae, upon his arrival into Beijing, via CNN. 

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AzealiaBanks2013“I THINK: If Obama invades Syria, America will never have another black president.”

Azealia Banks going on a rant about a possible military presence in Syria due to their usage of chemical weapons on citizens, via Twitter.

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Q&A: Alexandra Dilworth of ‘The New Atlanta’

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UPTOWN_alexandra_dixonMeet Alexandra Dilworth of “The New Atlanta,” a self-proclaimed “daddy’s girl” who is taking on reality TV. In this Bravo docu-series, we follow Alex and her fellow cast mates on their journeys to find love, career success, and resolve past heartbreaks, while making a name for themselves among Atlanta’s elite. Having recently graduated college, Alex is a talent in Atlanta’s electronic music scene, and she talks to us about her aspirations and desire to become a “trophy wife”…

UPTOWN: How did you become involved with “The New Atlanta”?
Alex: Actually my whole life people would tell me I was a character and that I should be on TV. Reality TV became more popular and I felt this is for me and something I should be a part of. I am very excited about the show!

UPTOWN_alexandra_dixon2UPTOWN: In viewing a sneak preview of the show, you made a statement about wanting to be a “trophy wife” explain what you meant by that.
Alex: What is a trophy? It’s something that is beautiful and shiny, something that celebrates your accomplishments. When people think of a “trophy wife,” they think it’s someone who sits on their butt all day and doesn’t do anything, and just shops. What I am saying is that a trophy is not meant to just sit on a shelf, where it collects dust; they are to be polished and adored. When I say polished I mean that a woman is supposed to constantly be trying to improve herself. Polishing who you are, and being able to adapt to any situation and your surroundings. I think by doing that people will naturally adore you!

UPTOWN: Usually when people here the term “trophy wife,” we automatically correlate that with something negative. How do you view the term?
Alex: So, when I say “trophy wife” I mean a woman who is there for her husband. There for her family, very dedicated, and they come first, but at the same time being a philanthropist who has hobbies. She makes her husband a better him and makes her family a better family. Her family is her first priority she’s not necessarily worried about climbing the corporate ladder. Although that is something that is fantastic and a lot of women do. I understand not all families are able to have one-person stay at home, but at the same time I just feel that the people that do have the option of either staying home or working … I’m saying it’s OK to want to be at home, and just take care of your family, and making that your primary goal!

UPTOWN_alexandra_dixon3UPTOWN: It looks as if there is some drama between you and your cast mate Africa Miranda over your other cast mate Jevon Sims. Is there a love connection with you and Jevon, are you two an item?
Alex: I am very fond of Jevon … and that’s how I will put it!

UPTOWN: What are you hoping to achieve from being on “The New Atlanta”?
Alex: I want to stand up for women and give the women who are for “traditional households” a voice. My main thing I want to get across is that it’s OK to say it! I will take all of the backlash for it, but hopefully I will be able to change what the term [trophy wife] means, and that other women won’t have to take that entire backlash as well. I am pro-people in general and you being who you are. If you want to climb the corporate ladder do it, but if you want to be something different … be that.

Follow Alexandra Dilworth on Twitter and Instagram. And keep checking back over the next four days for UPTOWN’s exclusive interviews with the other four cast members of “The New Atlanta,” which premieres September 17 at 10 p.m. EST on Bravo.

 

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Q&A: Africa Miranda of ‘The New Atlanta’

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Meet Africa Miranda of “The New Atlanta.” Along with being one of the newest members to join the Bravo reality series family, Africa is also a performer in all genres: acting, modeling, theater and dance. She is the face of several hair campaigns and co-creator of her own live concept show. Africa sits down with UPTOWN to discuss her Broadway dreams, love triangle with cast members Jevon Sims and Alexandra Dilworth, and how she is not representative of “every brown girl around the world” …

UPTOWN: Africa it’s great to meet you! You’re a beautiful woman, and that hair is to die for! (We will get to that later!) What led you to joining “The New Atlanta” cast?
Africa: Thank you! Well it was actually a case of somebody who knew somebody, who knew somebody that approached me about doing the show. It felt like a perfect situation.

[Images: Bravo]

UPTOWN_africa_miranda2UPTOWN: On the series you come across as a woman who has a strong personality, and of course with reality shows there is backlash against that at times, as not only being a woman with a strong personality, but being a black woman with a strong personality. How do you feel about how people will interpret that?
Africa: On one hand I like to tell people I’d rather have someone absolutely love me or absolutely hate me. What you don’t want is the indifference, like, “Oh, she’s cool.” If I’m at least getting extremes, I know I’m having an impact. You do think of your responsibility as an African-American woman. On one hand, I don’t want to have to feel like every time I do something I’m representing every brown girl of the world. At the same time, while it may not always be there, if you are given an opportunity and a platform you do have to think about that … I am definitely aware of the choices I make and how I carry myself. I am very much, just, showing my life and life is well put together, and sometimes, it’s a mess. I don’t claim to have all the answers, I’m just trying to show how I get through each day; trying to find love, trying to move forward in my career and find balance. It’s a challenge but I’ve never been one to back down from a challenge.

UPTOWN: What are your aspirations and goals?
Africa: I grew up in theater and have been playing violin since I was three years old. I’ve always been very creative and am at a point in my life where I can say I make a living as a performer. By no means am I Mariah Carey, but I am proud to say that I make a living doing what I do, and hope that from this show people can see that. If I could end up on Broadway touring with my show I would be the happiest girl in the world. The stage is my happy place. I guest-starred on “The Game” last season, I have a vocal coach, and I’m absolutely working on my craft and would love to do everything.

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UPTOWN: You know I have to ask you about the footage that I have seen! There seems to be a major storyline revolved around you and your cast mates Alexandra Dilworth and Jevon “Vawn” Sims. Almost a love and war type of relationship, so was there a winner in this war? Are you and Jevon together?
Africa: I can tell you that Vawn is amazing and we knew each other already socially, and kind of professionally but never had the chance to get to know each other on a personal level. The connection we had was a wonderful surprise on both ends. You do get to see that develop and I’m sure a man as charming and magnetic as Vawn … Well, I’m not the only one who thinks that is the case. I’m very open about what I want in love. As far as Alexandra … The king and queen always has to have a court jester, so there’s always entertainment right there.

UPTOWN: What is it that you want to come across about you from being on “The New Atlanta”?
Africa: Just that this is my real life. I love glamour and I love drama but at the end of the day I am the same brown girl from Montgomery, Alabama … there is a dirt road at the end of my street. I feel that while there are a lot of us on these shows – and I’m a reality show junkie – I felt that I never saw a version of myself and my friends. A different side of what it is to be a Black girl, and just be living and going through life … It’s my real life, my real house, my real friends. You know the real things that are happening to me. Sometimes it’s my real hair, sometimes it’s not! We [Black women] can be sexy, fun, and quirky, we can be a lot of things and I wanted a chance to show a different side of who we are.

UPTOWN: Lastly, we have to talk about the beautiful hair! Give us some tips … What do you use and what is your hair care regimen?
Africa: A few things … I tried transitioning to Team Natural a few times before and totally transitioned around 2007. Coconut oil is our friend; deep conditioning is a must, and so is trimming your hair. I am not opposed to wearing a sew-in or having custom pieces made to wear to prevent damaging my hair when I am working. You will also get to see that on the show as well. Wearing a sew-in or wig if you’re not ready to big chop is OK!

Follow Africa Miranda on Twitter. Find out what cast mate Alexandra Dilworth had to say about Africa here. And keep checking back over the next three days for UPTOWN’s exclusive interviews with the other three cast members of “The New Atlanta,” which premieres September 17 at 10 p.m. EST on Bravo.

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Snoop Lion Donates To Girl’s Funeral After ‘Heartbreaking’ Killing

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Courtesy of the Los Angeles Times

Special Screening Of DreamWorks Animation "TURBO"

Long Beach rapper-turned-reggae artist Snoop Lion (formerly known as Snoop Dogg) is the latest high-profile artist to contribute money toward the funeral of a 6-year-old girl shot in Moreno Valley last weekend, his representatives told The Times.

Snoop has donated an undisclosed amount of money to Tiana Ricks’ family, his representatives confirmed. In a statement, Snoop called the girl’s death “heartbreaking.”

“Little 6-year-old girls are not supposed to die from a gunshot. But it keeps happening,” Snoop said. “From the mass shootings in Aurora and Newtown, to gang violence in the streets and murders in our own backyards, too many tears are being shed, too many young lives are being cut short. We need to come together to change this.”

“Beautiful Tiana loved to play the piano — she had a whole life ahead of her which she should have been filled with love and music,” Snoop added.

Tiana and her father, Tyrell Ricks Jr., 26, were shot Sunday as they stood in a driveway of a Moreno Valley home, witnesses told KTLA-TV. Two men walked up to the father and daughter, confronted them and opened fire.

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Special Screening Of DreamWorks Animation "TURBO"

34 Injured In Ohio Bus Accident

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Ohio Bus Accident

Thirty-four people were injured after a Greyhound bus overturned on an interstate in southwestern Ohio early Saturday morning.

According to officials, the bus was heading northbound on Interstate 75 in Butler County, Ohio carrying 52 people when it overturned about 26 miles north of Cincinnati shortly after 4 a.m. Six people were reportedly taken from the scene by helicopters and the other 28 were taken to local hospitals by ambulance.

“As we arrived, the injured and walking wounded were walking up the hill, seeking attention and we set up triage areas,” said Fire Chief Paul Stump of Liberty Township.

Officials also noted that none of the injuries sustained in the accident appeared to be life threatening.

The company dispatched an additional bus to transport the uninjured passengers.

The cause of the accident has not been determined.

Ohio Bus Accident

Kanye West Charged With Battery, Attempted Grand Theft In Paparazzi Incident

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Kanye WestKanye, Kanye, Kanye…

The “Black Skinhead” rapper has officially been charged with misdemeanor battery and attempted grand theft for a July 19 incident with a celebrity photographer as Los Angeles International Airport. Daniel Ramos alleges West punched him during an unprovoked scuffle and wrestled his camera to the ground.

City attorney’s spokesman Frank Mateljan said West was charged on Friday. His arraignment has been set for Oct. 10, but isn’t required to appear if he has an attorney. That will likely be the case with a newborn at home and a new tour on the horizon.

Each charge carries a penalty of up to six months in jail or a $1,000 fine.

 

Kanye West

Q&A: Jevon “Vawn” Sims Of ‘The New Atlanta’

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Jevon “Vawn” Sims of ”The New Atlanta” has already made a name for himself in the Atlanta music scene, finding new talent and developing artists. But he also has other passions and has written a book on his theories, experiences, and guy code secrets regarding love and romance. Sims talks with UPTOWN about finding love, raising his son, and cast fights …

UPTOWN: From the sneak peeks it seems as if there is a lot of drama going on with you on the show …
Vawn: (Laughing) Yeah, yeah there’s drama here and there, you know how that goes!

[Images: Bravo]

UPTOWN_jevon_sims2UPTOWN: How did you end up as a cast member on “The New Atlanta”?
Vawn: I heard about it through a friend and once I heard Mona [Scott-Young] was involved – who I’ve known for a while – and found out what the show was about … I was in.

UPTOWN: How do you feel “The New Atlanta” differentiates from the other reality shows in rotation?
Vawn: Well, I think – and not to say that the other shows don’t – but I think we have more about Atlanta, and what we are going through in our careers. Sometimes people on the [other reality] shows have different angles, and we have a different view of what Atlanta is, and how we are going about getting what we want; good, bad, drama, pain, love, family, and everything you can imagine. Most of the people are singles and not in a relationship or marriage and I think it makes it more interesting. Everybody on this show is really going after what they want and that’s what I love about this show.

UPTOWN: What is it that you are going after?
Vawn: I wrote a book that is inspired by my mom and I want to get it out there. It’s therapeutic and I want to show a man trying to be a great father, being honest about who he is, where he is going and his immaturity. These are things I couldn’t do before. Talking with my mother about her relationship with my father inspired me like, “Hey I can do this!” I can talk about it … how to obtain love and understand what love is … how to love myself and be honest about what I am good and not good at.

UPTOWN: Also, in the sneak preview of the show it looked as though you and Africa Miranda made a love connection …
Vawn: Oooooohhhhh … who?! (Laughing) You know there are so many connections on the show that you just have to watch it to see how it pans out and who we love.

UPTOWN_jevon_sims3

UPTOWN: I also saw drama with your fellow cast mate Tribble Reese. You two came to blows!
Vawn: Oh man, I think we really came close to [Floyd] Mayweather and [Oscar] De La Hoya, I think I heard the bell and that Don King was in the building turnt up! You have to watch the show … Did we fight? I don’t remember … You have to watch the show!

UPTOWN: It seems people have a love/hate relationship with reality shows and the cast members. They love you or hate you, are you prepared for what comes with that?
Vawn: Absolutely I’m prepared. I’ve been prepared for a long time. Once, you figure out where everything derives from, who is doing the talking, why they are doing the talking, put God first in your life, and figure out who you are and where you are going … all of that doesn’t even matter anymore. You’re right, they have a love or hate attitude but what I want to do is embrace them both and maybe I can turn some of the haters into love. If not that’s OK. I’m ready.

UPTOWN: Are you single, dating, what’s going on in your love life?
Vawn: I’m single and I’m OK with that. At night sometimes you really want to have that companion and someone you can share with, and it’s crazy for me to even say that, because I was never open to that … to love and doing all that. Now as I’m growing as a person, it will happen. I will make sure I’m the greatest like my father.

UPTOWN: For my ladies … what type of qualities do you look for in a woman?
Vawn: It’s all about values first. I’m attracted to an intelligent woman. Honesty, regardless of what it is, give me your honest opinion that I can value. Spirituality, she has to be spiritual. I love a woman who can uplift me when I’m not uplifted because that is my thing. Beauty, which comes in different packages, and I like a beautiful smile, nice feet, lips … I should enjoy rubbing your feet as much as you enjoy your feet being rubbed!

Follow Jevon “Vawn” Sims on Twitter and check out his website JevonSims.com. If you want a little more tea on Sims’ love triangle with cast mates Alexandra Dilworth and Africa Miranda, then read their interviews here and here. Keep checking back over the next two days for UPTOWN’s exclusive interviews with the other two cast members of “The New Atlanta,” which premieres September 17 at 10 p.m. EST on Bravo.

 

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Shonda Rhimes To Develop Dramedy Based On ‘Scandal’ Star’s Book

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Shonda RhimesShonda Rhimes is keeping the ball rolling with the development of yet another series for ABC under her Shondaland production banner, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Show & Tell will grab inspiration from the best-selling book Does This Baby Make Me Look Straight by Scandal actor Dan Bucatinsky, who plays the recurring character James Novak on the hit political series.

The show is being described as “a fast-paced hour-long dramedy about the lives, loves and scandalous secrets of a group of parents whose kids attend the same school.”

Rhimes is working alongside producer Betsy Beers and Bucatinsky, who will serve as writer and executive producer of the series.

Up next, Rhimes will gear up for season ten of Grey’s Anatomy and season three of Scandal– airing Sept. 26 and Oct. 3, respectively.

Shonda Rhimes

Columbus Short’s Wife Files for Divorce

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Courtesy of Madame Noire

Columbus ShortSomebody hand me a late pass because I had no idea that Columbus Short was married. But according to RadarOnline, not for too much longer. The “Scandal” actor’s wife, Tuere (who also goes by Tanee McCall-Short), allegedly filed for divorce on September 11 in Los Angeles.

She is seeking sole custody of their 19 month old daughter Ayala, spousal support and is asking that Short pay her legal fees.

According to court documents, the couple married in 2005 and the date of separation is listed as September 9, 2013.

Apparently, this will be Columbus Short’s second divorce.

He was married to another woman named Brandi but Columbus admitted that his fling with Britney Spears (yes, ya’ll the Britney Spears) led to the demise of his first marriage to a woman named Brandi. Columbus served as Spears’ backup dancer at the time.

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Columbus Short

John Legend & Chrissy Teigen Tie The Knot In Italy

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John Legend, Chrissy Teigen

We’re happy to cross yet another couple off our 2013 “Nuptials & Nurseries” list with the union of John Legend and Chrissy Teigen!

According to PEOPLE, the couple tied the knot Saturday (Sept. 14) in Lake Como, Italy in front of a crowd of close friends and family. Legend and Teigen dated for more than seven years before getting engaged in 2011 while vacationing together in the Maldives.

The Sports Illustrated swimsuit model donned a strapless ivory Vera Wang gown with an open back, lifted tulle skirt and hand-cut petal embroidered details. And the icing on the wedding cake? Teigen changed into two other Vera Wang creations for the reception and after party.

Earlier this year, Legend told UPTOWN, “I am looking forward to having kids and growing old together. That’s why we are doing it, because we intend to stay together forever. We have already been together for quite some time. It’s been great. I have learned a lot about myself, and hopefully we will continue to grow. [...] She is beautiful, smart, and hilarious. She has a great heart and we have great chemistry.”

Legend reportedly serenaded his bride with his new song “All Of Me,” written for Teigen and featured on his latest album Love In The Future.

“He writes a lot of love songs, but this one is specifically about me so it makes it more special,” she told PEOPLE. “My Dad even cries when I play it for him in the car.”

The pair will return back to the Maldives for their honeymoon.

Congratulations to the couple!

John Legend, Chrissy Teigen
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