Source: AP

Now if you saw Kelly Rowland’s stunning dress at the Oscar’s this February, you’d fully expect plenty of men to have pushed up on the lovely singer. But what surprised most of us was the man who got his flirt on with the former Destiny’s Child member on camera: Jamie Foxx.

While Kelly was working the red carpet as a correspondent, Jamie basically…well, he did this:

Awkward, right?

Naturally, after that, people started wondering if something more was going on between the two. But now, nearly two months later Kelly finally addressed the speculation, telling radio station Shade 45:

“That was very weird. That’s my buddy. I love Jamie. We’re actually going to do a film together. That’s actually what he was getting at – the film.”

Oh, sweet innocent Kelly. She might have been thinking film, Jamie, on the other hand, probably had another type of film in mind…ya’ll know how he gets down. What you think?

Source: WENN

On Oscar night Chris Brown revealed to Page Six during Elton John’s HIV Foundation party that he and Rihanna have rekindled their romance and that they have officially entered into an exclusive relationship with one another.

“We are really happy. We are back together. She is the most beautiful girl in the world. But I’m sad she couldn’t be here tonight; she is rehearsing for her tour,” Brown said to Page Six.

Not that anyone with two eyes and an internet connection was unaware of this, but its cool to see him gush and actually admit it. Rihanna also discussed her relationship with Brown in an interview late last month.

“He doesn’t have the luxury of f***ing up again. That’s just not an option. I can’t say that nothing else will ever go wrong. But I’m pretty solid in the knowing that he’s disgusted by that. And I wouldn’t have gone this far if I ever thought that was a possibility. He made a mistake, and he’s paid his dues. He’s paid so much. And I know that’s not a place he would ever want to go back to. And sometimes people need support and encouragement, instead of ridicule and criticism and bashing,” she said of the 2009 assault that ended their relationship.

Brown described the incident as his “biggest mistake” in an interview with The Mirror.

“That night was the deepest regret of my life, the biggest mistake. But she loves me – what can I say? I’m forgiven… but, yes, I worked hard for it.”

Chris went on to dish on the bond that he’s formed with Elton John, who he says has shown him tons of support regarding his reunion with Rih Rih.

 “I met Elton about a year ago, and he’s been a good friend to me. So it is great to be here tonight to support him,” he said to Page Six.

Chris also expressed his desire to work on a musical collaboration with John someday.

 “Music is music. It transcends everything, so I would love it if we could work together,” the singer revealed.

Despite Chris and Rihanna’s tumultuous past, it is nice to see how happy they are with one another. As for that Elton John-Chris Brown collaboration, that could be interesting.

What are your thoughts on Chris and Rihanna’s reunion?

Oscar winners Daniel Day-Lewis, Jennifer Lawrence, Anne Hathaway, and Christoph Waltz. Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP

There was lots of controversy, but it looks like it paid off. The ratings are in and the Oscars reached 40.3 million total viewers, the highest number since 2010. The broadcast also saw an increase in the number of people in the all-important 18-to-49 age bracket who tuned in, and a 20 percent increase in viewers ages 18 to 34.

TheWrap gives credit to the host, Seth MacFarlane, who took a lot of flack for the length of the opening number and jokes that were seen by many as chauvinistic. Even an Academy member told The New York Times that he “winced” at some of the jokes. (Jewish viewers and family organizations weren’t too happy with some of the jokes either.) MacFarlane says he has no intentions of a repeat performance.

It also helped that many of the films that were nominated are doing well at the box office, with six of nine earning more than $100 million. The Los Angeles Times breaks down the top films: Lincoln ($176.8 million);  Django Unchained ($158.8 million); Les Miserables ($146.7 million) and Best Picture winner Argo ($129.8 million). And the money keeps rolling in. While the comedy Identity Thief might be on top of the box office this week, Argo and Silver Linings Playbook showed staying power. New York magazine’s The Cut says the Best Picture nominees are on the path to $1 billion.

In general, people expect the Oscars to be a bore, but if you can hang throughout the entire three-and-a-half hour movie spectacle, you might just see some cool things. We imagine you might have tapped out a few times during last night’s 2013 Academy Awards, and if that’s the case, you probably missed more than a few of  the highlights from the 85th annual celebration of cinema excellence. But don’t worry, we captured all the parts that really mattered all in one place, so go ahead and check out the best moments from last night’s Oscar ceremony.

Source: AP Images

There are some things that humor just doesn’t cover. Hopefully, the people behind satirical publication The Onion realized this yesterday evening. During the airing of last night’s 85^th Oscar celebration, The Onion called 9 year old Quvenzhane Wallis one of the most derogatory terms associated with women.

We can’t even type it on the site, so I’ll allow you to read it for yourself:

Source: Twitter

The tweet was deleted shortly after. But with the internet, once you press send, it’s out there forever.

Now, we all understand satire. And I’m sure The Onion thought this might be a cute way to say something so outrageous and so untrue that people would just have to love it. But this is completely disrespectful and utterly unacceptable. First, children should just be left out of these types of vulgar jokes one because this word is too charged, too painful, too disgusting and offensive to be used in any type of cheap joke. Furthermore, should 9 year old Quvenzhane stumble upon this little “joke” on the internet, is she even old enough to process it yet?

Usually, I appreciate The Onion’s humor but they’ve gone too far with this one. And hopefully, they’ll issue a sincere, well thought out apology to that effect.

The Wire and Treme actor Wendell Pierce had this to say about the offense:

“Identify the writer. Let him defend that abhorrent verbal attack of a child. You call it humor I call it horrendous.”

Pretty much.

The sickest part of this whole incident is that The Onion’s use of this sexually suggestive word further sexualizes the image of black women, except this time taking it a step further in applying it to a child who likely hasn’t even hit puberty yet. I’m sure there will be plenty of people to argue that this “joke” has nothing to do with race. I’ll argue that maybe that wasn’t the conscious intent behind it; but what I will say is there is too much history of black women being viewed as nothing but sexual objects to not question the motives behind this despicable tweet.

Prison Culture, an organization dedicated to eradicating youth incarceration, appropriately and accurately summed up the bigger issue behind The Onion’s tweet.

Source: Twitter

This is bigger than a joke. The social and historical implications behind this tweet, whether they were intended or not, are hurtful to the psyche. The sentiment represented in that tweet show up in other areas in the lives of black women. It shouldn’t be taken lightly.

For now, what’s done is done. In addition to the sincere apology I hope The Onion releases, I also pray that Quvenzhane doesn’t happen to stumble upon this news and her parents don’t have to endure the daunting task of explaining satire, bad humor and what the c-word means to their 9 year old daughter.

This morning on their Facebook page, The Onion apologized for the offensive Tweet.

Source; Facebook

Theo Wargo/Getty Images for IFP

As we know, the Oscars are tonight and 9 year old Quvenzhane Wallis is nominated for Best Actress in her role as Hushpuppy in Beats of the Southern Wild. She is the youngest nominee in the category and regardless if she wins or not, Quvenzhane has certainly been the belle of the ball to this point.

But, here we go. Someone is finally showing their cards.

Well, sort of.

The Hollywood Reporter spoke with an anonymous Oscar voter who gave a very honest opinion on just about every category but was particularly blunt when it came to categories regarding actual talent. But when he got to the Best Actress role, instead of being professional in regards to his opinion of Wallis’ performance, he began by taken the low road:

“…I also don’t vote for anyone whose name I can’t pronounce. Quvez—? Quzen—? Quyzenay? Her parents really put her in a hole by giving her that name — Alphabet Wallis. The truth is, it’s a very sweet but immature performance from a 9-year-old. I’ve directed children. They probably did a thousand takes and put the best ones together.”

Now, many people have made fun of Wallis’ first name and even those who haven’t have had a hard time pronouncing it. However, that has not stopped people from being objective – and respectful – when it comes to her work.  This anonymous voter and director, though honest, sounds like he’s been stuck in his ways for many years and could possibly miss out on rewarding a young lady who has potential to be a megastar.

Here’s the even bigger question: Do you think he’s the only one who matters in the voting process who feels this way?  Much like we talk about everyday people – black people, in particular – who have unique names and may be weeded out when it comes to job searches, could Wallis be treated the same way?

What do you think about this?

Rex Features via AP Images

This year’s Oscar nominations feature a diverse showing of nominees compared to the whitewash of years past. One of the most interesting stories of the award season is a small film’s journey to becoming the most unlikely of Oscar juggernauts. “Beasts of the Southern Wild” grabbed four Oscar nods – including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actress for Quvenzhané Wallis.

The indie film’s micro budget wasn’t the only thing that made its success at film festivals and the industry’s top award show a pleasant surprise. A collective of artists and filmmakers produced and built its sets by hand with found artifacts around the Louisiana coastline. The film’s stars, including Wallis, who was six years old at the time of shooting, are all first-time actors.

For first-time feature filmmaker Benh Zeitlin, Beasts is a passion project that paid off big time.

The Problem With Pursuing Profits

Americans’ devotion to capitalism has allowed them to buy into the belief that success means making money. Many start projects with the sole motivation of generating profits. But, research shows this approach is a mistake.

In his popular TED talk, “The puzzle of motivation,” career analyst Dan Pink presents evidence that pursuing monetary rewards dulls thinking and blocks creativity. Monetary rewards work best for straightforward problems that require a narrow focus. But today’s business world, where most problems require creative thinking, demands a different type of motivation.

“The new operating system of our business revolves around three elements: autonomy, mastery, and purpose,” Pink says. “Autonomy: the urge to direct our own lives. Mastery: the desire to get better and better at something that matters. Purpose: the yearning to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves.”

Changing Your View of Success

Somewhere along the way we changed the definition of success. We associate it with larges amounts of wealth or a high level of fame. In reality, success is simply accomplishing what you set out to do.

Zeitlin set out to explore how the old folk tales and myths he grew up reading intersected with modern life. He tells the New York Times that his goal in making Beasts was to capture emotional facts that hurricane damage alone doesn’t convey. “What is the feeling of going through this loss of a place or of a parent or of a culture?” he asked. “How does that feel, and how do you respond emotionally to survive that?”

The result was a haunting film that blurs the line between fantasy and reality. It is different from anything else in the theaters. Imagine how his final product would have looked if he set out to make commercial film about land loss following a hurricane.

Success is a Side Effect of Creativity

The uniqueness of Beasts has critics heralding it as the best picture to come out of the film festival circuit in decades, and President Obama dubbing it his favorite film of 2012.

This supports Dan Pink’s theory that if you remove money as the incentive, you give your brain permission to think outside the box. Relieving yourself of the pressure to be profitable gives you the freedom to create unique solutions that grab attention, and generate income.

That’s not to say you should ignore monetary issues like budgeting constraints. Businesses survive off making more than they spend. The lesson here is that it is a mistake to make money your sole motivator. Working toward something bigger than monetary gains makes it much easier to be successful.

C. Cleveland is a freelance writer and content strategist in New York City, perfecting living the fierce life at The Red Read. She is at your service on Twitter (@CleveInTheCity) and Facebook (/MyReadIsRed).

Source: WENN

Django Unchained stars Kerry Washington and Jamie Foxx recently sat down with The Grio‘s Chris Witherspoon to discuss their new film, which follows the story of a slave who frees himself from slavery and then goes back to rescue his wife. The two A-listers opened up to Chris about some touchy subjects including Kerry not being Emmy-nominated for her outstanding work in Scandal as well as the common belief that Black actors are frequently overlooked when it comes to award nominations in Hollywood. Check out some of the interview’s highlights.

On Kerry not getting the recognition she deserves:

Kerry: I feel really grateful to have a job and to be able to do what I love for a living and to work with people who I respect and admire. I do this because I love to do it, not because I have a desire to have attention.

Jamie: Well, I think she should be nominiated. I think it’s right to feel that way.Because sometimes you look at people that do get nominated and you go [makes confused face]… but I tell people, Kerry Washington has yet begun to fight.

On if they’d be opposed to getting an Oscar nomination for playing slaves:

Kerry: I don’t think you can ever control how people respond to the work. I’ve never had shame in playing somebody who is a slave or a prostitute, or anybody who may be looked down upon in society. I think we all deserve to have our stories told no matter who we are. And if I’m proud of playing a woman who is handling a crises, I’m gonna be proud of playing a woman who is a maid. My story doesn’t deserve to be told more than my grandmother’s story. My grandmother did clean houses. My great great grandmother was a slave. Everybody deserves to have their story told. There’s no shame in who we are or who we’ve been.

Jamie: A lot of times we’re not nominated when we do honorable work. Because with the slave she [Washington] plays there is dignity in everything she played. It wasn’t subservient; she wasn’t giving up to anything. So a lot of times they do overlook that, they may not want to reward that.

Check out the interview on the next page. How do you feel about Hollywood’s tendency to overlook Black actors?

It’s been a good year for Black women on film, so the Oscars would have you believe. Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer received well-deserved nominations, and Spencer joined the exclusive club of Academy Award-winning Black actresses. But, let’s not forget she is only the sixth Black woman to be recognized with this honor. The last African-American to take home the award for Best Actress in a Leading Role still struggles to find work and saw her latest performance go straight to DVD.

Black women may have been top of mind this awards season, but for the most part they remain invisible on-screen. A recent study by the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism found that 32.6 percent of speaking characters from 2007 to 2010 were female, which translates into an on-screen ration of 2.1 males to every one female. Black actors accounted for 11.6 percent of speaking roles.

Who’s Telling Our Story?

There is an old industry adage in Hollywood – “write what you know.” Best Picture-nominated films with one or more female screenwriters show a higher percentage of female characters than films written solely by men. Only 14.3 percent of directors from 2007 to 2010 were female. The stories of Black women aren’t being told because Black women aren’t doing the telling. Furthermore, they aren’t the ones deciding which stories are told. As chief executive and chief creative officer of OWN, Oprah Winfrey is arguably the only Black woman in television or film with the power to control the images that are presented.

The old guard of Hollywood is still very much in place. It is one where a select group of decision-makers, largely non-minority males, pander to the lowest common denominator of audiences. They subscribe to ideals like films and television shows with Black leads aren’t successful domestically or abroad. Waiting to Exhale, The Cosby Show, and Will Smith are all flukes.

The media is a notoriously monopolized industry. Through a history of mergers and acquisitions, massive corporations; namely General Electric, Walt Disney, News Corp, Time Warner, Viacom, and CBS; now dominate the U.S. media. With everyone reporting to the same boss, it’s no wonder entertainment looks like one big homogenized, whitewashed mess.  But, a shift in the tide is brewing.

Jennifer Lopez is no stranger to her fashion choices causing a stir (remember the green Versace dress at the Grammys?) and that’s exactly what she did at this year’s Oscars.  The deep V-neckline of her sheer-striped Zuhair Murad red carpet gown was so revealing she had the world wondering if we saw a Wardrobe Malfunction as she presented on stage or if it was just a shadow.  The general consensus is no, though one male attendee was quoted in the Huffington Post saying, “Oh yeah.  Edge of the areola.”  And J. Lo’s Areola now even has a Twitter account!

But the show stopping dress wasn’t the only one that was causing a lot of chatter, there was another one that showed even more skin.

See the other dress at StyleBlazer.com.

What do you think about this risky style? Which dress did you like better?

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