Black Entertainment USA - Celebrity / Entertainment News - African American view

Ft. Hood - Maj. Hasan: 12 dead, 31 injured, no answers yet

2009-11-05T23:40:00.004-05:00

I know that some of my readers may be wondering why I have not covered the news of the Ft. Hood shooting before now on VASS or Black Entertainment USA. The only reason I can give is that I was confused.For hours there has been swirling reports, rumours, and imprecise information. Even at this late hour information is just being learned. So I will mention what is clear at this time.There appears

Video Game Review: Dragon Age:Origins

2009-11-05T16:32:00.002-05:00

I've been feeling a bit down the last couple of days, likely getting a cold, so I decided to pickup the new Dragon Age: Origins game. The version I got was for the PC, though versions for Xbox and PS3 are available.So far the reviews for the game have been excellent. Which both made me interested, but also cautious. Either this was fantastic or there was just way too much hype. Though the

Television Review: V - the 2009 series

2009-11-03T21:12:00.005-05:00

Well I just finished watching the new V television series on ABC. It does lead one to have several thoughts.When I watch a sci-fi show, I generally keep an eye out for the 8 critical factors all good sci-fi must have. They are:OriginalityObey RulesWritingSpecial effectsPlotActingVisualsSoundWhen all of these elements exist and are done well you get Star Wars (episode 4), Star Trek (the original),

The Doctor...I mean lawyer is in

2009-11-03T18:39:00.004-05:00

What if The Doctor was American? I know, many of my readers don't get the reference. I'm talking about Doctor Who. Specifically, the man who was the latest Doctor and one of the most popular in the 46 year history of the television program. David Tennant.Tenant is not a big name in the U.S., outside of sci-fi geeks and those that watch BBC America. But in Britain he is huge. Because playing the

Owen Wilson is a dog - Marmaduke to be exact

2009-11-03T17:34:00.001-05:00

Another guy that no one has heard much about of late is Owen Wilson. Although he has been in 3 films, and voice acted for another, since 2007 you really haven't heard much about the man. And again there seems to be a great reason.Wilson tried to commit suicide back in 2007. He was suffering from depression, and it was obviously far worse than anyone suspected at the time. But since then he has

Morgan Freeman is back in the saddle

2009-11-03T16:29:00.003-05:00

You know who I haven't heard a lot about in a while? Morgan Freeman. The voice of gravitas in our current age of instant stardom and minor talent.Part of the reason the 73 year old actor has been a bit quiet is obviously due to the car accident he had in 2008. That left him with a broken elbow, shoulder and other damage. For a man of his age, it was a potentially deadly accident, but he has

Men In Black 3 - can Will Smith do it again?

2009-11-03T07:24:00.003-05:00

Can there ever be too much of a good thing? Can fans of Will Smith ever not want to see him in a movie? These are a few of the questions facing the potential deal on Men In Black 3.Yes, MIB 3. They are planning to do it again. Maybe.The questions floating out there are if Will Smith will return as the ever hyper yet funny J. So far it seems that he has some interest, but no deal has been made.

Sir Anthony Hopkins is Odin

2009-11-03T06:41:00.002-05:00

I've been neglecting my movie news for a bit. There hasn't been much worth of reviewing lately, so I kind of put it on a back burner. But there has been a bit of news about films that will be starting production soon.Anthony Hopkins has another role set up for himself. Like in the Wolfman he will again be involved with a bit of mythology. But this time the myth is more modern. In fact its a comic

The Halloween costumes of the rich and famous

2009-11-03T04:15:00.004-05:00

Since I was showing off my Halloween costume earlier, I thought I'd take a look at what some celebrities and entertainers decided to wear as well. My thought was that with all the money and access to professional make-up and sci-fi people, some of the costumes they could get must be fantastic.That was the idea. But it seems that wealth, fame, and opportunity is not enough for some. A few examples

V - the 2009 television series

2009-11-02T18:19:00.002-05:00

Last night I had the chance to watch the original V series. I remember the television miniseries from back in the 80's when it was originally shown. It was a moving work of television at its best back then, and now.But in watching the original, which was promoting the upcoming "revisioned" television series, I thought about what we know is different now in the coming premiere on ABC on Tuesday.

Halloween - not just kid fun

2009-11-02T17:24:00.003-05:00

So I hope everyone had a good time over Halloween. I had some fun myself. As the following video will show, adults enjoy dressing up as much as anyone else.The best part for me was once I was fully transformed into the Ghoul, I had to go out for cigarettes. I ran into several people that I know, and none of them recognized me. It took one person more than 5 minutes of me speaking to finally place

Tyler Perry Responds to Spike Lee

2009-10-30T13:04:00.006-04:00

Recently I provided video from Black Enterprise of Ed Gordon interviewing Spike Lee. In that video Spike Lee was asked about the state of Black culture and coverage in movies and television. The response was very critical.Specifically, without directly naming him, Spike called the work of Tyler Perry "coonery and buffonery". He found it akin to Amos 'n Andy. I essentially took it that he found

Michael Jackson can win the Oscar

2009-10-29T18:30:00.000-04:00

MJ win and Oscar? But he's dead. That might be one of the first thoughts some might have. Another could be that he doesn't have a film - but he does.This Is It, is the documentary styled film created from over 100 hours of video during the preparations and practice for the planned world tour by Michael Jackson. The tour as we all know was heralded to be his comeback, and by all estimates it seems

Pay for the dead

2009-10-29T16:15:00.003-04:00

Ok, here is a question for the fanatics out there. Think of every celebrity that has died, ever. Now tell me which one made the most money last year.Yes, believe it or not someone actually cares about this. And they keep records of this over at Forbes. They have an annual list of who is the top dead celeb. I have to imagine the economy, and dwindling circulation in the industry, is seriously

Family Guy breaks Windows

2009-10-29T14:49:00.004-04:00

If you have seen the show Family Guy, and at this point that would be most anyone from age 45 and down, you know what you are going to get. The jokes are hardly tame, the show is about as close to All in the Family as Archie was open-minded. But there is no question that this is all a given.That's why advertisers love this show. Most of the time. Because they can reach their target audience, plus

APA 8-ball featuring Greg Cordero

2009-10-29T11:32:00.003-04:00

As I have mentioned before, I am a member of the Guys & Dolls APA 8-ball and 9-ball pool teams. Since I joined the teams we have won every season (except 1), and qualified to go to Las Vegas for the national competition. But that is because of the team effort.While I have plenty of videos showing how I play pool, and explaining defensive shots, I am continuing to detail the other players on each

Spike Lee talks with Ed Gordon about Tyler Perry and "post-racial" America

2009-10-28T15:49:00.004-04:00

I received an interesting email earlier today. It was from Black Entertprise, a company that I respect and occasionally hear from. The subject was an interview with Spike Lee by Ed Gordon back in May 2009 that I think few have seen before.I found the interview to be interesting and yet another facet of Spike Lee that is often overlooked by the major media's rush to paint him as simply "

Bill Cosby given the Mark Twain Prize

2009-10-27T14:52:00.004-04:00

There are but a few comedians that have had the ability to entertain the masses for more than just a moment. They are people whose names can be remembered by gerations, across the globe. To these few, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor is given.Bill Cosby recieved this honor yesterday, at an event filled with stars and fans. Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Sinbad, Malcolm Jamal-Warner, Phylicia

Video Game Review: Tropico 3

2009-10-27T11:47:00.000-04:00

From the onset, Tropico 3 looks just like it is. This is a sim(ulation) game. It's pretty straightforward on that as well. The concept of the game is what might catch the attention of those who love games like SimCity and other games in that genre. If you like The Sims, this is not for you.The scenario of this game is pretty unique. Like in the other versions (which I have not played) you are the

Movie Preview: Not Evil Just Wrong

2009-10-23T15:48:00.000-04:00

Remember when a regular guy stepped up and took on the mega-corporations in a movie. There was no end to coverage in the media and support for the film created a career for Michael Moore. Since that time he has jumped up and down on the Conservatives of the nation, and most recently hypocritically denounced capitalism as he reaped rewards from it. All to acclaim from the media and

gooaall! - the hard way

2009-10-23T14:52:00.002-04:00

Soccer is a sport that is growing in the U.S. But often there are some that think the game just doesn't have interesting moments. While fans of futbol know this to be untrue, here is something that might help prove the point.Southern Methodist University was playing No. 16 Tulsa. A frshman named Ryan Rosenbaum, who is a defensive player, kicked the ball to clear it from his teams side of the

Lil Wayne - justice at last

2009-10-22T14:22:00.003-04:00

So it has finally happened. An entertainer, caught red-handed with drugs and illegal weapons, has been convicted of the crimes. You would think that such an occurence was what should be expected in the legal system, but then again that would be forgetting the key word - entertainer.I personally could care less about Lil Wayne, Dwayne Michael Carter Jr, as a person. I don't know him, nor do I have

The Hot d'Or is back

2009-10-22T10:04:00.005-04:00

I realize that it's winter and cold in most place across the U.S. Thus few people are thinking about movie awards, except Hollywood executives planing for the Oscars next year. But there is good news to be had, and it happened in France - of course.After a 9 year hiatus, the Hot d'Or Awards are back. You might have heard of it by its other title, the Golden Hots Awards. Still scratching your head

Tiger Woods beat by a kid

2009-10-21T13:22:00.003-04:00

So let's say that you are at the opening of the first Tiger Woods designed golf course in the U.S. Let's say that to officially open the course, Tiger hits a drive from the first tee. Then he hits another since the first went to the trees. Now Tiger turns to you and says "you want to give it a try?"What do you do?Well if you are over the age of 12, you stand there dumbfounded with a mixture of

Dr. Marc Lamont Hill - at Fox News no more

2009-10-20T14:39:00.008-04:00

Well I missed some rather upsetting news the other day. If you have ever watched Bill O'Reilly on Fox News, whether you would admit it or not in public, you probably have seen Dr. Marc Lamont Hill. He was a Liberal speaker on the show. I say was, because Dr. Hill is no longer employed by Fox News. Which is what I find upsetting and surprising that I missed.The earliest news of this change was on

Links for 2009-10-16 [Digg]

2009-10-17T00:00:00-07:00

Mayor Matt Ryan Interviewed by Michael Vass
"It may not be the big headline, or ratings grab, but I feel that especially in the wake of such events the nation and the world should be reminded that it is those good people that should be the mark of any place. The media should always emphasize the positive in cities like Binghamton rather than cash in and sully their name."
15 minutes with Mayor Matt Ryan of Binghamton NY
Part 1 of Michael Vass interview with Mayor Matt Ryan Of Binghamton New York about the Civic Center shooting, the changes in the city, and more. See commentary and press release at www.mvass.com

Links for 2009-10-13 [Digg]

2009-10-14T00:00:00-07:00

M V Consulting, Inc. Announces the Creation of 2 New ...
“This has been a trying year for all companies and individuals around the globe. But in these times of struggle it is my firm belief that diversifying and growing the services and products we provide to clients and consumers is critical to continued exponential growth.”

Links for 2009-10-09 [Digg]

2009-10-10T00:00:00-07:00

It’s great to be a rockstar politician
If the world is not on the road to hell, we can sure see it from here.
Australia - A great country if you are White
"I have known many Australians. They were good people. I'm sure there are many in Australia right now. But there is no question that the racial attitudes of the nation is more akin with 1950's America that the 21st century."

Links for 2009-10-08 [Digg]

2009-10-09T00:00:00-07:00

I'm so genteel if I weren't Black I'd be Southern
Inspiration for my latest t-shirt design literally came out of a comment I made with several friends at a party not long ago...
CBO confirms the problems with Health Care Reform
It’s a victory, if you are a Democrat. Then again, the Democrat-led Congress has yet to read any of the Bills being voted out of Congress since the Obama Administration took over. So I doubt they really know what the CBO has just said.
Wet T-shirt car wash
I mentioned at www.blackentertainmentblog.com that 2 teams went to the APA Las Vegas National Tournament. But I didn't mention that one of the teams decided to raise a bit of extra cash with a wet T-shirt car wash before the trip to Vegas. As you might imagine, they made money. But you might not guess that ...

Links for 2009-10-04 [Digg]

2009-10-05T00:00:00-07:00

Alchemy at World of Vass
A quick introduction to the items of Alchemy of England that are available at http://alchemy.vassconsult.com Please take a moment to see our selection, there is something for everyone.

Links for 2009-09-30 [Digg]

2009-10-01T00:00:00-07:00

M V Consulting presents Alchemy of England - the exotic,
You don't have to be Goth to like these earrings, bracelets, rings, goblets, pendants and more. Plus more products are being added on a regular basis. Direct shipping from England. Check it out for yourself.

Links for 2009-09-17 [Digg]

2009-09-18T00:00:00-07:00

Michael Vass thoughts on Sen. Gillibrand response
Well in a mere 36 days since I first contacted Senator Gillibrand, I have now received a response. Like Senator Schumer, Sen. Gillibrand has chosen to give a boiler plate response. I am left with even more questions than what I started with...