Bring That Week Back: Week of Aug. 2
Obama goes to a Mystics game with Sasha; then travels to Atlanta. Get more Obama news!
1 / 31
Wyclef Jean Announces Candidacy - In front of a roaring crowd of supporters in Haiti Thursday, Wyclef Jean officially announced his bid to become the nation's next president. 'Clef, who was born in Haiti but raised in Brooklyn, NY, still has to be approved as a candidate by an eight-member board.
2 / 31
Laurence Fishburne’s Daughter’s Sex Tape - “CSI” actor Laurence Fishburne is reportedly “very upset” that his 19-year-old daughter, Montana Fishburne, will be starring in a porn movie later this year. Montana is working with Vivid Entertainment, the same film distributor responsible for celebrity sex tapes featuring Playboy’s Kendra Wilkinson and Kim Kardashian, to make her debut. “I view making this movie as an important first step in my career,” says the wannabe actress who is not on speaking terms with her father.
3 / 31
Gay Marriage Ban Ruled Unconstitutional - On Wednesday, Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker overturned California’s gay marriage ban (known as Proposition 8). In his ruling, Walker declared that such a ban is based in “unfounded stereotypes and prejudices.” An activist coalition in support of the ban, though, plans to appeal the ruling, which would halt gay weddings from resuming.
4 / 31
Alicia Keys Marries Swizz Beatz - In Vera Wang and with a bouquet of calla lilies in hand, Alicia Keys said “I do” to Kasseem “Swizz Beatz” Dean on the Mediterranean Sea last weekend. The couple announced their engagement and pregnancy in May. The ceremony was presided over by Deepak Chopra, and Queen Latifah and U2’s main vocalist Bono were among the attendees.
5 / 31
Michelle Obama, Sasha Arrive in Spain - On Wednesday, First Lady Michelle Obama and youngest daughter Sasha arrived in Spain where they’ll spend some time for a private vacation along with longtime family friends. Obama, who celebrated his birthday that day in Chicago, and daughter Malia (who is attending summer camp) didn’t travel with them.
ADVERTISEMENT
6 / 31
Haynesworth to Have MRI - Redskins’ defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, who has yet to pass the team’s mandatory conditioning tests, will have an MRI on his sore left knee. Head coach Mike Shanahan is calling the test a “preventative measure.” Unhappy with the team’s new defense, Haynesworth, entering the second year of a seven-year, $100 million contract, skipped all of the team’s offseason workouts. He was in practice Thursday, though, watching drills and attending meetings. He also was practicing on his own, after th
7 / 31
Naomi Takes the Stand - On Thursday, supermodel Naomi Campbell took the stand in a war crimes trial in the Netherlands. During her testimony, she confirmed that she received “dirty-looking stones” following a dinner with former Liberian President Charles Taylor, who stands accused of trading guns to neighboring Sierra Leone rebels in exchange for uncut diamonds — sometimes known as "blood diamonds.”
8 / 31
Maia Campbell in Jail - An unsettling video of former “In the House” star Maia Campbell has made its way to the press. The video of Campbell displays her reckless and erratic behavior as she babbles about a man with whom she has a baby. Campbell was recently arrested on drug charges and is still in custody pending a $40,100 bail. In addition to her jail time, Campbell is also doing a stint in rehab at Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, Calif.
9 / 31
Obama Meets with Young Leaders of Africa - President Obama met with 115 representatives from 46 sub-Saharan African nations in the East Room of the White House this week. Giving his opinion on HIV, corruption and economic development, the president also adorned the leaders with support, telling them, “We are rooting for your successes.”
10 / 31
6 Louisiana Teens Drown in River - What began as a family banquet on the sandy shore, ended with seven teens attempting to fend off the tides and rapids of Louisiana’s Red River near Shreveport, and only one of those seven surviving. Parents watched helplessly on the shore as none of the adults could swim. A recent study found that 69% percent of African Americans have minimal or no swimming capabilities.
ADVERTISEMENT
11 / 31
Shaq Inks Deal with Boston Celtics - 7-foot-1, 325-pound NBA star Shaquille O’Neal signed a two-year contract with the Boston Celtics worth about $3 million. Shaq, holding four NBA titles of his own, will be joining Boston’s “Big Three” of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, potentially increasing the team’s chances of winning the 2011 championship title.
12 / 31
Spike Lee Oil Spill Documentary - Spike Lee screened some of his HBO documentary on the Oil Spill at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention in San Diego. Titled “If God is Willing and If Da Creek Don’t Rise,” the four-hour film chronicles the impact of April’s Gulf oil spill on the people who have yet to recover from 2005’s Hurricane Katrina. When asked by reporters, Lee admitted that “nobody was speaking to me from BP.”
13 / 31
Baker's Album to be Released in Nov. - It’s been over four years since Anita Baker’s last album, but the soul songstress is back with a 10-track disc entitled “21st Century Love.” Set for release on November 9, the project will feature a collaboration with Tyrese as well as a cover of Curtis Mayfield’s “Give Me Your Love” with Snoop Dogg. Baker is set to perform at the DTE Music Theatre in Michigan on August 28.
14 / 31
New Constitution for Kenya - Almost 70 percent of Kenyans voted in favor of a new constitution that would replace a British colonial-era draft that inflated the powers of the president, according to results released Thursday.
15 / 31
Wisconsin: Highest Rate of Black Obesity - Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report revealing Wisconsin’s African- American adult obesity rate has reached 44 percent. Obese citizens are spending, on average, $1,429 more than those of normal weight, according to the study.
ADVERTISEMENT
16 / 31
Aretha Franklin Fractures Ribs - After a bad bathtub fall, leaving her with broken ribs, Aretha Franklin was forced to cancel two free August concerts in Brooklyn. The Queen of Soul apologized and released a statement to reschedule the concerts for a later date in August as she was “looking forward to being in Brooklyn and having a foot-long hot dog on Coney Island,” she said in a statement.
17 / 31
Mary J. Blige Exceeds HSN Records - With her new fragrance, “My Life,” selling over 60,000 boxes within a six-hour period on air, Blige has broken Home Shopping Network records. As an apparently profitable sales approach, the singer-songwriter gave HSN viewers more details about her life story than the product she was selling. Oprah Winfrey called in to the program to show support for Blige.
18 / 31
Jennifer Hudson Slims Down - Starting at a size 16, Jennifer Hudson is now a size 6. The “American Idol” alumna can be found flaunting her petite figure on the cover of the August InStyle issue, set to be released on Friday, August 6. The Academy Award-winning actress tells the magazine, “I think this is a good, natural size for me,” and claims she will not aim to get any “skinner.”
19 / 31
Big Boi Scores His Own Shoe Deal - It has been announced that Converse will partner up with rapper-songwriter Big Boi to release a limited edition shoe in honor of his new album, “Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty,” released in July. The Outkast member explained, “It means a lot to me to give back to the fans that support my music, and as long as I can remember music and Converse have gone hand in hand, so partnering up with them was a no-brainer.”
20 / 31
Black Gunman Goes on Shooting Rampage - At a beer distribution warehouse in Manchester, Conn., former warehouse driver Omar Thornton, 34, lashed out against what he described as a racist work environment. After his bosses confronted him with a tape that they say shows him stealing beer from the company’s supply, Thornton went on a shooting rampage inside the Hartford Distribution Warehouse, killing nine people including himself.
ADVERTISEMENT
21 / 31
The End of the Kilpatrick Dynasty - Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick lost the Democratic primary on Tuesday to State Senator Hansen Clarke of Detroit. With only 41 percent of the vote, Kilpatrick was unable to keep a grip on the congressional seat she has held for over a decade. Her son, former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, is currently behind bars for probation violation after a scandal that brought down the Kilpatrick family political dynasty.
22 / 31
Senate Confirms Kagan - On Thursday, the Senate confirmed Elena Kagan as the Supreme Court's 112th justice and the fourth woman in its history. The appointment of Kagan, who previously served as Solicitor General under President Obama, marks the first time three women have served on the court at the same time.
23 / 31
Bill Cosby: 'I Am Not Dead' - As the rumor of his death began to trend on Twitter on Monday, Bill Cosby intervened. The comedian said the false “Bill Cosby died” posting left a close friend of his in tears. Cosby called into “Larry King Live” and posted on his own Twitter as proof that he is in fact still alive.
24 / 31
Tamera Mowry ‘Excited’ About Upcoming Wedding - It has only been days since her engagement, but actress Tamera Mowry is already spewing details about her upcoming wedding set for May 2011. Engaged to Fox News correspondent Adam Housley, the former “Sister, Sister” star has already set a location – an estate near Housley’s family winery in California – found a Vera Wang dress, and decided on a guest list of about 400 people. Twin sister Tia Mowry will be the maid of honor and brother Tahj will be a groomsman.
25 / 31
Dennis Rodman Unhurt After SUV Crash - Dennis Rodman was in an SUV that toppled across Interstate 95 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., due to tire problems. The former NBA star and another passenger were not hurt. Rodman told his agent, “I’m still living brother. They can’t get rid of me.”
ADVERTISEMENT
26 / 31
Goldberg, Salahi Clash on ‘The View’ - White House party crasher and star of Bravo’s “Real Housewives of DC,” Michaele Salahi, made an appearance on “The View” this week, which ended in a “heated exchange.” During the show, as Salahi digressed off the topic of last year’s fiasco at the White House State Dinner, co-host Whoopi Goldberg walked on set and brushed her back, urging the housewife to open up. After the show, Goldberg became enraged when she found that Salahi had accused Goldberg of hitting her.
27 / 31
Ice-T Poses Lawsuit Against DMV - After being taken into custody on what he called unwarranted claims, rapper/actor Ice-T is taking his revenge against the DMV. The NYPD officers who took him in last week after catching him driving without a seatbelt, had reportedly found an insurance lapse in their computers from 2008. The DMV admitted that it was an administration error.
28 / 31
Tiger Woods Forfeits House in Divorce - Tiger Woods and soon-to-be ex-wife Elin agreed that she would take their multi-million-dollar Orlando home, and Woods would take their nearly-finished home in Jupiter, Fla. According to sources, both Tiger and Elin have been agreeable on most of the settlement terms.
29 / 31
Price Reduced on King of Pop’s LA Mansion - Put on the market in 2008 for $38 million, the 17,171-square foot Holmby Hills home is now going for $28 million. With seven bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, and a 7-car garage, the LA mansion failed to receive any credible buyers at the former asking price. As the site of Michael Jackson’s death, many fans have expressed interest as an attempt to get a glimpse of the interior, but the owners have required an “extensive pre-qualifying check.”
30 / 31
Black Tea Party Members Contest Racist Charges - African-American members of the Tea Party Movement have been disputing claims of their racist sentiments against President Obama. “These people do not oppose Barack Obama because of his skin color. They oppose him because of his policies,” said a representative of the party. Members claim that racist charges have been given to the movement in an attempt to detract from their morals and beliefs.