Yesterday brought more tragic news for the comedy world, as it suffered the loss of yet another talented comedian and actor, Patrice Oneal. Oneal is perhaps best known for his stand-up, as well as his appearances on Chappelle’s Show, The Office and the Opie and Anthony radio show. Most recently, he delivered a side-busting critique of “The Warlock” himself on Comedy Central’s Roast of Charlie Sheen.
Oneal performing on Comedy Central's Roast of Charlie Sheen
The show aired on September 12, a little over a month before Oneal suffered his ultimately life-threatening stroke.
Matt Frost, Oneal’s long-time rep, officially announced to TMZ that the star died 7:00 A.M. Tuesday morning from complications of a stroke he suffered in October. Frost also told the celebrity news outlet that Oneal’s mother and best friend, Georgia, was at his side when he passed.
Continue reading ‘Comedian Patrice Oneal has Died’
In light of recent violent attacks by authorities against peaceful Occupy Wall Street protestors around the country, one of the nation’s largest cities has perhaps set the stage for appropriate police-protestor interaction. Early this morning, the Los Angeles County Police Department served an eviction notice against Occupy Los Angeles, whose camp is located on the lawn of City Hall. The LAPD announced this weekend that it wanted protestors to clear out of the camp by 12:01 A.M. Monday morning.
Occupy LA protestors facing eviction Monday morning
In response, hundreds of additional people came down to show their support for the movement. Roughly 1,000 protestors converged on the streets around City Hall, and police made it verbally clear that arrests would be made if people continued to block traffic. Rather than violently attacking and arresting the resilient protestors, however, the LAPD instead closed down the impacted streets and extended the arrest deadline to 4:30 A.M. Shortly after 5:00, police ordered demonstrators to disperse. Most complied, and the few who did not were willingly and nonviolently arrested. The city’s mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa, praised both Occupy LA protestors and the LAPD for the peaceful confrontation. While he says he is “empathetic” to the movement’s concerns, he stated that the city still intends to evict the Occupy LA camp. He would not say when, but only that it would happen “when it is safe for the officers.”
Continue reading ‘LAPD’s Attempt at Evicting Occupy LA Ends Peacefully’
If I was so inclined, I could list a myriad of reasons why Thanksgiving is my least favorite holiday. Genocide and gluttony aside, I have one of the least diverse palates you’ll ever find on a grown woman. I don’t eat stuffing or the myriad of different oven-baked casseroles, and if it wasn’t for the fact that a majority of fast food restaurants are closed on this holiday, I wouldn’t even eat the turkey or the mashed potatoes.
Does your Thanksgiving look like a Normal Rockwell painting? Yeah, me neither.
Moreover, I have worked retail for the past six years, meaning that every Thanksgiving Day is spent prepping for the advent of Black Friday. Because of this, coping with uncomfortable and obnoxious familial habits becomes difficult; unlike most, I must suffer through the pain without the aid of alcohol.
Despite these drawbacks, the Thanksgiving holiday in and of itself provides the type of reflection that is otherwise impossible in the normal hustle and bustle of everyday life. It is the one day a year that Americans are forced to consider their overwhelming luck, to look at what they have rather than what they do not, to stop taking things for granted and to simply be thankful.
Continue reading ‘Hidden in Plain Sight: The True Meaning of Thanksgiving’
By:
alex.chrum,
November 21, 2011 in
Celebrities, Education and News.
Tags: Farrow, Mia Farrow, Oxford, Oxford University, Rhodes, Rhodes Scholar, Rhodes Scholarship, Ronan Farrow, Woody Allen.
Despite my own accomplishments, the perfectionist in me has always been jealous of those uber-smart, ridiculously talented, full-ride-to-Harvard-at-age-12 type of people. Ronan Farrow, the son of Woody Allen and actress Mia Farrow, is one of the most famous of these so-called child prodigies. Perhaps due to his luck-of-the-draw genetics, he has accomplished quite a bit both intellectually and in the social sector. Farrow graduated from Bard College at a remarkable 15 years of age, and then went on to earn his law degree from Yale. He also presently serves as a special adviser to Secretary of State Hilary Clinton for global youth issues.
Ronan and Mia Farrow with activist Majora Carter at a recent awards ceremony
Yesterday, my envy and respect for Ronan Farrow surmounted what I even thought possible. At 23 years old, he has been awarded the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford University in the U.K. The Rhodes Scholarship is considered to be the most prestigious scholarship in the world, and famous former recipients include Rachel Maddow, Bill Clinton, Naomi Wolf, and Bill Bradley. The intellectual and activist responded on his Twitter page with an enthusiastic and admirable statement. “Rhodes,” he said, “is a great honor and opportunity. But for now very focused on fostering youth jobs and voices.”
Continue reading ‘Ronan Farrow Named 2012 Rhodes Scholar’
Yesterday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department made quite an unexpected announcement. After 30 years, it has decided to reopen its investigation into the 1981 death of Hollywood starlet Natalie Wood. Authorities say they have received new information about the case, and have consequently decided on a cold case review of the actress’s death.
Wood passed away 30 years ago this month
Wood, who was married to actor
Robert Wagner, drowned off the coast of Catalina Island 30 years ago this month. The incident was originally ruled an accidental death.
She is best known for her performances in “West Side Story,” “Gypsy,” and, as a child, “Miracle on 34th Street.” She also received Academy Award nominations for the films “Rebel Without a Cause,” “Splendor in the Grass” and “Love with the Proper Stranger.” The daughter of Russian immigrants, she was a stunning beauty and a remarkably talented actress whose unexpected death came entirely too soon.
Continue reading ‘Authorities Reopen Investigation Into Death of Actress Natalie Wood’
My feminist knickers are in quite a remarkable twist today after hearing of an exchange between two of my least favorite woman-haters of all time. Bill Maher, the notorious liberal, loud-mouth comedian, made an appearance yesterday on the all-female talk show “The View.” Maher is making the media rounds promoting his new book, ironically yet somehow appropriately titled, The New New Rules: A Funny Look at How Everybody but Me Has Their Head up Their Ass. During his visit, host Elisabeth Hasselbeck, the equally woman-hating yet ultra-conservative former “Survivor” star, called Maher out for comments he made about trading her to Egypt after his last appearance on the show. Needless to say, Maher showed little remorse.
Maher and Hasselbeck facing off on "The View"
During the interview, the left-wing political commentator also criticized the Republican Presidential candidates, apparently irritating the right-wing Hasselbeck. “Wow,” she said, “I actually feel smarter sitting next to you.” (I can imagine that’s a new feeling for her.) Maher didn’t back down, retorting, “Really? I feel like I’m in high school sitting next to you.” Oh, the public bickering of two ignorant grown adults!
Continue reading ‘Maher and Hasselbeck Face Off in a Battle of (No) Wits’
While I held somewhat of a grudge against Justin Timberlake when I was younger (I was a diehard Backstreet Boys fan—‘N Sync was the enemy), the 30-year-old artist continues to win my love and admiration. Not only has he grown into an extremely handsome man, but the former heartthrob is also a talented dancer, singer, producer, writer, and actor. He has a remarkable sense of humor, making somewhat regular and hilarious appearances on Saturday Night Live. He has won six Grammy awards and four Emmys, being the only member of a “boy band” to actually gain more notoriety, fame and respect with age.
Timberlake with Cpl. de Santis at the 236th Marine Corps Birthday Ball
This past weekend, Timberlake gave me yet another reason to betray my BSB alliances and fall in love with him all over again. In July, Corporal Kelsey de Santis made a YouTube video asking the star to be her date for the 236th Marine Corps Birthday Ball in Richmond, Virginia. Timberlake said he would be happy to attend, as long as his schedule allowed it. Somewhat surprisingly, he kept his word, and went on to write about the moving experience in a post on his website.
Continue reading ‘Justin Timberlake Holds True to Promise, Attends Marine Corps Ball’
The infamous Duggar family, from the TLC reality series “19 Kids and Counting,” made a big announcement yesterday morning on The Today Show. Parents Jim Bob and Michelle, along with all 19 of their children and their two grandchildren, visited the set Tuesday to reveal to America that they are expecting child number 20.
The Duggars pose for a picture in front of their family home
All 25 Duggars (including Jim Bob and Michelle, their grandchildren, daughter-in-law and the baby on the way), spend a significant amount of time in the family home. They reside in the small town of Tonitown, Arkansas, in a debt-free house they built themselves. In that home, they both school their children and hold non-denominational Christian worship services.
Continue reading ‘Duggar Family Keeps Counting’
I was only eight years old when Princess Diana died, but the event is forever engrained in my memory. Unfortunate as it is, more than her remarkable life, I remember her tragic death. After a sleepover at a friend’s house, I came home early the next morning to crawl into bed with my mother and watch the coverage of her funeral. I remember the thousands and thousands of people, the procession through the streets of London, and Elton John singing “Candle in the Wind.” I remember feeling exceptionally sad, especially at my age, for a woman whom I never knew.
Chastain is slated to play Diana in "Caught in Flight"
Princess Diana was undoubtedly one of the most beloved royal figures in history. A new film, “Caught in Flight,” will bring the tale of her highly discreet two-year affair with Pakistani surgeon Dr. Hasnat Khan to the big screen. Actress Jessica Chastain, who recently starred in “The Help,” is reportedly slated to play Diana, a role that will undoubtedly change her career forever.
Continue reading ‘Actress Jessica Chastain to Play Princess Diana’
It’s a tragic day in the heavy metal music world, as it has unexpectedly lost one of its most talented musicians. Cory Smoot, lead guitarist of the notoriously grotesque band GWAR, was mysteriously found dead in the band’s tour bus yesterday morning. GWAR, a Richmond, Virginia-based metal band, have been playing with a rotating line-up since 1985. They are currently on Metal Blade Records, and have released 12 full-length albums to date. Their sci-fi/horror film-inspired costumes and perverse lyrics have made them a staple in the metal world, and their live performances are infamous for their morally and politically taboo themes.
"Flattus Maximus" performs on stage with GWAR
Smoot, whose stage name was “Flattus Maximus,” joined the band in in the early 2000’s. As all members keep a majority of their personal lives secret, no one is sure exactly how old he was when he passed. The cause of his death is also unclear, and funeral arrangements have yet to be made. Lead singer Dave Brockie, otherwise known as “Oderus Urungus,” released a statement saying that “at this point we are just dealing with the loss of our dear friend and brother.” He asked the public for privacy, while the group mourns the loss of “one of the most talented guitar players in metal today.” Smoot’s body was found as the band was getting ready to cross the border into Canada for the second part of their North American tour. They had just performed in St. Louis this past Tuesday.
Encyclopedia & Reference Resource