2009 Person of the Year: Michael Jackson

CLEVELAND - With just a few hours left in 2009, it's time to remember and analyze the people and events that defined it. For me personally, it was an absolute no-brainer. Michael Jackson owned this year simply because his stunning departure made his superlative legacy blindingly obvious to many who'd disowned him.

He was and will forever be a treasure.

That tragic and nearly unspeakable early summer day in June took Michael from us physically, but his soul is heavily attached to each and every one of his artistic endeavors. So many idiots in the media questioned why a pop star received such massive attention on television and in print. The reason why these "intellects" didn't understand is because Michael wasn't simply a "pop star" to begin with. Justin Timberlake is a pop star. So are Usher and Chris Brown. Michael Jackson is a seminal figure in history who's responsible for redefining music, dance, showmanship, entertainment and fashion. By being the first African-American in history with epic levels of crossover mainstream popularity and success, he was the ultimate game changer. Rev. Al Sharpton wasn't just throwing inane hyperbole out there when he said that Michael paved the way for Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and Barack Obama to become as widely accepted across all races and creeds as they are.

Michael Jackson made the black megastar "safe to adulate."

Michael Jackson wasn't just a record-breaking musician with scintillating dance moves and mind blowing creativity. He was a gentle soul that genuinely cared about making this world a better place. With the litany of charities he supported and donated untold multi-millions of dollars to, his selflessness was nothing short of legendary. He didn't just entertain, he used his art and colossal talent to heal, influence and bring people together. In short, he was the ultimate humanitarian and gave countless hours of his own time to those less fortunate than he.

Michael was far beyond being a "pop star."

Of course Michael's personal demons are a part of his legacy. The frightening allegations and human imperfections that dogged him for decades certainly came with the package. But as I have asked before, who among us isn't incredibly flawed? And anyone that made fun of him for his ever-changing face, they should be ashamed. Not one of us knows what wars he waged within himself about his look. We already know that he was hopelessly self-conscious, so why should he just accept his given face when he didn't have to? Mocking someone for their face is no different than mocking a person with Down's Syndrome. They can't help their condition, but neither could Michael.

Think about it.

When I attended a theatrical showing of the film Michael Jackson's This Is It, I was awestruck and astonished. I've always known of Michael's dazzling talent, but I never actually witness the intricate process that he used to refine and polish the final product that we all saw. It was a symphony of sacredness to see such a master construct his art precisely and brilliantly. As a result, the documentary/musical is a very worthy and final representation of Michael Jackson's genius.

So there he is, my 2009 Person of the Year. He can teach us all how to try a little harder, love a little more and use our gifts to bring happiness and improvement to the world and everyone in it.

Thank God for creating Michael Jackson.

LeBron at 25: The World In His Palm

CLEVELAND - He went from being a national unknown when the decade began in 2000 to being a national phenomenon in 2002. A year later, he was one of the most amazing NBA rookies ever. And now? Well, let's just say that LeBron James is a man with such an amazing present, that his future is a guaranteed success.

No joke.

Today is LeBron's 25th birthday and also serves as sort of a benchmark in his meteoric rise to global icon. In his 7 years in the national spotlight, he has defied all expectations placed upon him as a prep school wunderkind. Then, he redefined the small forward position in pro basketball and created another layer to what a hoops megastar could be capable of. He's the first player in history to combine brute strength and bulldozing power with dizzying balance, athleticism and scintillating speed. He's also the first NBA player to possess the skill of scoring 30 points per game effortlessly without scoring being his number one talent. Indeed, what truly makes James a maestro on the hardwood is his indigenous and pinpoint playmaking. His command of the entire court is stunning when taken in tandem with his unstoppable offense.

And he's just 25!

LeBron's legend may have begun on the basketball court, but it certainly doesn't end there. He's positioned himself as a revolutionary businessman with several risky-but-informed decisions that have ultimately worked like a charm. As a product endorser, he insists on forming partnerships with corporations that he can immerse himself in and not just be a face selling a product. He wants a significant stake in these companies because it's his image that will augment profits, so why shouldn't he be more entrenched?

Undoubtedly, LeBron's affiliation and friendship with hip-hop legend cum tycoon Jay-Z has helped his business acumen and decision making. So too has his "friendship" with financial expert and billionaire Warren Buffet. Under the tutelage of such esteemed and savvy power brokers, how can one go wrong?

Especially when your own name is worth at least a billion dollars.

LeBron shares a birthday with golf legend Tiger Woods. But even though Woods is said to be the first athlete to amass a billion dollar fortune, James still has an edge. Not only is his reputation untainted (unlike Woods, who has experienced an enormous plunge in popularity in the past month after a salacious sex scandal broke), but basketball is a far more universally adored sport than golf. That means that LeBron will resonate with more people globally and bring them into his capitalistic world, fan or no fan. Woods has brought legions of people to golf, but at the end of the day...golf remains more hobby than sport for everyday people.

LeBron's much discussed free agency next summer will be yet another pivotal time in his awesome career. But whether he chooses to remain with the Cleveland Cavaliers or bolt to another team, LeBron James Inc. will continue to flourish with an unprecedented ferocity.

Happy Birthday, Mr. James.

2009 In Review: The Day Michael Stopped Earth

CLEVELAND - I had written an article on June 24 about the death of Ed McMahon, who'd died the previous day at age 86. A day later on Thursday, June 25, there was news of another pending celebrity death.

Farrah Fawcett.

It seemed inevitable that Fawcett was near death, she had been seriously ill for quite some time. But when I watched "The View" that morning, I was a bit saddened to hear Barbara Walters announce that the iconic Charlie's Angels alumni would be dying any minute now. This was early in the 11AM EST hour, and just before 12:30PM EST, news came down that Fawcett had indeed died. It was sobering to hear the finality and was a major blow to her many admirers, including myself. I began thinking of an article idea celebrating her legacy that I would write and publish at www.deanteyoung.com the following day. I was never a Farrah follower or even an actual fan. However, I was aware of and understood her celebrity as well as her contribution to pop culture. Plus, I felt that she was a knockout and that's always a good thing.

Anyways, I knew that my June 25 article was going to be about the Cleveland Cavaliers, who came to contract terms with ancient-but-still-useful center Shaquille O'Neal, and word had come down the previous evening. They had scheduled a press conference for that afternoon to formally announce the move, but I had started writing my article before that.

Sometime around 2:30PM EST, a power outage suddenly knocked out the electricity on my street and of course, in my home. I continued trying to get my thoughts together to finish the article on Shaq, but I had to get ready to do a little shopping with my girl for my daughter's 6th birthday party, which was two weeks away. Her parties are never "just" parties. They are the de facto bash of the summer for my family, friends and colleagues. The power stayed out for a little over an hour, but came back on before we left. On the drive to Sam's Club, I mentioned Farrah's death and tried to convey her impact on culture to my girl, since she amazingly didn't know who Farrah was.

Once we got to Sam's Club, we scouted different items that could potentially be put on the party menu. A few we bought. Once we went through the checkout line, my daughter asked if we could go over to the snack counter and get some food there. It has become something of a tradition to get a Sam's Club hotdog when we go there. We got food and sat down to eat. Shortly before we finished, I received a phone call from a female friend of mine. Normally, I would've just ignored the call in that situation, but for whatever reason, I answered.

It was the worst phone call ever.

Essentially what she said to me was "I just wanted to call you and tell you I'm sorry about Michael Jackson." Of course, I had no idea what the heck she was talking about, so I sought out an explanation. "What 'chu mean," I asked. She was surprised that I hadn't heard the news.

"They said on the news that Michael Jackson was rushed to the hospital in cardiac arrest and he might not make it," she said.

My immediate thought was "yeah right, whatever." But there was also an instant nervousness and uneasiness inside me at that moment. Somehow, I rushed her off the phone because I had to somehow get verification on this from a more reputable source. It's worth mentioning that it was this same friend that informed me of rap legend Tupac Shakur's death in 1996. In other words, she's the bearer of bad news.

I hung up the phone with a sheepish and uneasy smirk on my face and mumbled something to my girl who was, of course sitting with me and my daughter at the food court. The weird smirk and half smile that I had on my face was an example of me not really knowing how to act or what to think. I said to my girl that my friend just told me that Michael Jackson was rushed to the hospital and he might not make it. Since I didn't have a sophisticated, Internet-style phone, I couldn't find out any info on it so I knew I had to get home.

We had a couple more stops to make before going home, but my girl knew me all too well. She knew that my participation in any and all plans were put on hold until I could find out what was going on with Michael. I refused to actually call anyone to find out, I would have felt too vulnerable. Instead, as my legs shook and wobbled while walking out of the store and to the car, I felt numb, terrified and very detached. We got in the car and headed home.

Once we were on the freeway, my phone rang again and it was my friend that broke the awful (rumor) news to me. She wanted to know why I hung up on her and I immediately rushed her off the phone again. I did not want to talk to anyone, until I could find out what was going on with Michael.

The drive home was very short in distance, but in my mind at that time, it felt like it took forever. Once we got off the freeway, there was an unusual amount of traffic semi backed up on the road leading to my house. I was growing impatient and more nervous every moment. I didn't want the car radio to be on because I didn't want to hear anything awful on this topic. My best friend texted me as we were in the scrum of traffic. His message read, "they just said Michael Jackson just died." I nearly choked on my own breath, but I still refused to believe something so...cruel.

Thank God I wasn't driving.

We finally pulled into the driveway of our house and before the car came to a stop, I had my door open and my leg about ready to step out and run into the house. There was food and other items in the trunk that we'd just bought, but I was in no shape to stop and get any of it out. I felt like I was about to collapse, but somehow I managed to limp up the steps to the door. My girl knew not to say much to me...I soon got another text, this one from my mother saying, "He's going to be okay. Just pray."

Already was.

I got into the house and immediately marched to the living room. I turned on the television, terrified at what I might see or hear once it came on. I flipped to CNN where Wolf Blitzer was talking about Michael being rushed to the hospital. Indeed, the caption across the bottom of the screen read, "MICHAEL JACKSON HOSPITALIZED." Amazingly, I felt a little relief because my best friend told me that he'd died. I wasn't going to accept that at all. I got on my computer and browsed every website I could think of...and they all had conflicting reports. TMZ was reporting that MJ died, while many others simply said he had been taken to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center after suffering cardiac arrest in his rented mansion.

By now, my girl unloaded the trunk, grabbed my daughter and left to finish up the errands. She messaged me several minutes after leaving to inform me that traffic was at a standstill. She also wanted to know what else I'd heard about Michael. Minutes later, she messaged me with this strangely hopeful text; "the radio says coma." I was relentlessly perusing the Internet and flipping through TV channels to compare stories and hopefully hear someone say that Michael was okay. I crossed all of my fingers.

I paced.

I sat.

I stood.

Butterflies were in my stomach by the truckload. I was shaking and breathing very erratically. I got another text from my best friend simply saying, "I'm sorry. I know you're hurting." I was so worried and scared that I didn't know what to do. I was stunned and baffled. I couldn't understand how we went from the Farrah tragedy to this in just a few hours. Soon, word came down from the L.A. Times that Michael had officially died. CNN was hesitant to report that since they didn't have any way of confirming it. They were my saving grace. Other news channels reported it though with the horrible awful caption "Michael Jackson 1958-2009."

That was unacceptable.

My mom had continued to text me with words of encouragement, insisting that he was going to be okay. Countless people called me, texted me, e-mailed me. Understand something, ever since I was 5 years old, any and everyone who has ever met me has know without a doubt that I was and always have been a gigantic Michael Jackson fanatic. In fact, that fanaticism actually made the man a member of my family. I cared about him and loved him just as one would a relative. And that's even an understatement. Some people even told me that anytime they think of Michael, it reminds them of me.

Too high an honor.

Confirmation finally came down that he had in fact died. I was crushed. Destroyed. I cried. I began to despise and detest the world. I wanted revenge. I didn't want to continue on. My heart began racing and I felt as though I was going to be sick. I knew myself well enough to know that I was headed towards major internal harm...not to mention psychological. I knew that if I didn't get some kind of a grip that I would be in the hospital myself. I was sooo hurt. Motionless...then fidgety. Texts and calls kept pouring in and I ignored every one of them. I was incapable of speaking to anyone.

Massive tributes began immediately on television, online and radio for Michael. But I didn't care. It was even reported that the sudden and stunning nature of the story caused much of the Internet to "collapse" for a short time. People all over the world were beyond grief-stricken and millions wept uncontrollably in the streets. Some even committed suicide.

Once my girl and daughter returned home, my daughter came to check on me as gingerly as she could. She tiptoed into the living room where I sat, deflated and without expression. She went back into the kitchen and whispered to her mother that I was "okay."

I was not.

She asked if I needed anything. She asked if I was going to be okay. Messages continued coming in. I asked her for a couple of dollars so I could go to the store. She tried to give me a ten dollar bill, which annoyed me fiercely. I almost took it and tore it into a trillion pieces!  

Hate was strong.

I went to the store, first shutting off my car radio. I grabbed a couple beers and came back. A girl whom I had been friends with for 14 years tried to talk to me, but I kept walking to my porch and ignored her. I felt like I would literally choke her if I spoke.

For the next several hours, I sat alone in front of the television watching the terrible and depressing images on the screen. Life was sure to be different for me forever. I cried and reflected on my lost loved one.

Michael, I miss you so much.

2000's In Review: 5 Celebrity Stories That Demanded Attention

CLEVELAND - We are just 5 days away from a brand new decade, so now is a perfect time to recap 5 major events in pop culture that demanded widespread attention during the 2000's. Of course, this is just according to me.

As always.

1. The Death of Anna Nicole Smith/February 8, 2007: I had been an Anna Nicole fan in one form or another for years. First in the 1990's, I admired her beauty and delicious curves. Then in 2002, her preposterously irrelevant E! television series tickled my fancy. But when she stunningly died at just 39 years of age, still blonde and beautiful, I was baffled. She had become increasingly strange and loopy in the last few years of her life, but she never seemed to be at risk of dying. The wall-to-wall media coverage of her mysterious death was both surprising given the fact that she wasn't a legend, and expected given the fact that the details of her final months and death had a tabloid salaciousness to them.
2. Aaliyah Dies In Bahamas Plane Crash/August 25, 2001: I fell in love with her singing voice as soon as I heard her 1994 hit "At Your Best" on the radio. And by the summer of 2001, singer Aaliyah seemed to be rapidly ascending towards her "best" work. She was so talented, so seemingly sweet and stunningly beautiful that her shocking and tragic demise at just 22 years old seemed unfair and cruel on those reasons alone. The news was beyond comprehension, and the music video that she was in the Bahamas to film that fateful weekend ended up being one sad and final reminder of what we lost.
3. O.J. Simpson Found Guilty/October 3, 2008: I was so emotionally invested in Simpson's historic 1994-95 murder trial that even when the fascination faded, he still was able to catch my attention. O.J.'s epic arrogance and idiocy reached a new low in 2007. That's when he masterminded an armed robbery and kidnapping plot to retrieve, by force, many of his belongings stripped of him by the courts to help satisfy the infamous civil judgments against him. This reckless event eventually led to his arrest and another criminal trial. After the way he shockingly evaded prison in 1995 on double murder charges, one would think that O.J. would've lived like a saint for the rest of his life. It never happened. On the 13th anniversary of his legendary acquittal, O.J. was sentenced to prison for between nine and 33 years. I was once again hoping for the man to beat the charges, but his luck finally ran out.
4. Janet Jackson Super Bowl Debacle/February 1, 2004: Just two weeks after her iconic brother Michael was arraigned on charges of child molestation, Janet stole his negative media press. Performing with singer Justin Timberlake during a Super Bowl halftime show, Jackson crooned and sauntered her way back and forth across the stage as she and Timberlake sang. Towards the end of "Rock Your Body," Timberlake snatched away part of her shirt which was allegedly supposed to reveal something other than what it did. As it were, Jackson's right breast was briefly exposed on national television which set off a firestorm of controversy. Janet was investigated. The FCC handed down heavy fines and censorship hasn't been the same since. Inescapable was the noticeable difference in public sentiment towards Timberlake as opposed to Jackson.
5. Kobe Bryant Charged With Rape/June 30, 2003: It seems silly now, but it was a major shock in the summer of '03 that a star pro athlete with a squeaky clean reputation could commit a major misstep. Such was the case with Bryant, who at the time was viewed as a wholesome and happily married young man and basketball superstar. When he had an ill-fated sexual encounter with a Colorado hotel clerk, his image soon absorbed a catastrophic blow. Days later, the woman went to the media and claimed that Bryant raped her. Within weeks, the Lakers star was forced to publicly admit that he committed adultery, but he maintained that the sex was totally consensual. Court proceedings ensued, but Bryant ultimately escaped with his freedom. Nowadays, the dark episode is little more than a blip on his still ascending legacy.

2009 In Review: 10 Events That Caught My Attention

CLEVELAND - I've been reviewing many top moments of the past decade recently, but today I'm going to recap a few stand out moments from 2009 that caught my attention. These moments are a further reminder of how and why celebrity is so intriguing.

Here goes everything!

1. The Michael Jackson Odyssey, March-December: Since Michael was acquitted of child molestation charges in June 2005, he'd been in heavy seclusion from the public. On March 6, 2009, he resurfaced in London, England to announce a return to live touring. The disgraced icon hadn't toured in a dozen years and news of his planned residency at the famous O2 Arena was to span several months, beginning in July and running until the following Spring. Tickets for the event sold out in rapid fashion, earning about $85 million. Shockingly, Jackson died on June 25, just three weeks prior to the start date for the concerts. His death shook the planet and resulted in global tributes and appraisals of his legendary career and complicated legacy. Of course, it shook me to my core as did his widely telecast memorial service on July 7 in L.A. From there, the media attention continued relentlessly, especially with regard to Jackson's doctor, who administered the deadly drug that killed him. On August 29, many of Jackson's fans across the world held celebrations to honor his would-be 51st birthday. I personally donned a few of his trademark accouterments, played his music videos and songs and had a cake made with his name on it. I also sang happy birthday to him and had several emotional moments that day. Five days later, he was finally buried a full 70 days after his death and I proclaimed he'd "never be buried to me." A hastily pieced together "new" song of his was released on October 12 using decades old vocals, but I felt that it was bland and not at all something he would've put out himself. Two weeks later on October 28, his final artistic work was released to movie theaters all over the world. That work, a pseudo documentary musical film entitled Michael Jackson's This Is It was an assembly of Jackson's private rehearsals for his never-to-be concert tours. I was blown away at his highly detailed creative process, and the film itself garnered massive critical acclaim. It eventually earned more than $250 million worldwide and broke many box office records. In November, Michael was honored posthumously with four American Music Awards, which I felt was "an appreciation too late." Last week, many FBI files were released revealing the agencies' 13-year investigation of the megastar. As it turned out, nothing was ever found that would substantiate allegations of child sex abuse at his hands. In other words, he was essentially cleared of any wrongdoing. AGAIN. One sinister thing did crop up in the FBI report; some nutjob threatened to kill Michael and then-President Bush in 1992. The would-be assassin was trying to get Michael's sister Janet (whom he was obsessed with) to notice him, but was soon sent to prison.
2. Barack Obama Sworn In As 44th U.S. President, January 20: It was a truly transcendent moment in American history and felt like it as it unfolded. Obama greatly impressed me throughout his awesome campaign in 2008, so I was glued to the television when he was set to be inaugurated. With grace, class and endless intelligence, Obama made me proud to be an American. This was an amazing day from start to finish, and what a treat it was watching Obama and wife Michelle attend 10 different inaugural balls that night together and share a ceremonial dance at each one without the tired, stiff and bland monotony of past presidential couples.
3. Tiger Woods Sex Scandal, November-December: When someone is the most accomplished, transformative, iconic and wealthy figure in the history of their profession, it is only fitting that that person's private life would be of great national interest. That is why the stupefying fall from grace of Tiger Woods has been so riveting and garnered the relentless media attention that it has. Yes, I have been amazed at the number of mistresses that Woods has apparently been having sex with. But I have also come to the man's defense. Just because he is an ingenious golf legend worth hundreds of millions of dollars, doesn't mean he is immune from normal human behavior and insusceptible from making common mistakes. In any event though, this story will always be a colossal attention grabber.
4. Michael Jordan's Hall of Fame Speech, September 11: Jordan is the most iconic and well known brand in the history of basketball. He is also widely considered to be the greatest hoopster in league history which would seem to place a ton of pressure on the man to be humble. Judging from his Hall of Fame induction speech, he is a man who feels no need for humility. During MJ's speech, he recapped the past 30 years of his life, half of them spent as an NBA deity. He spoke of searing rivalries he's had with people since his high school years, both in his mind and outwardly. It was his insistence to prove his doubters wrong that birthed his legendary drive and work ethic. The way he seemed to gloat at his endless parade of triumphs at the expense of many ended up alienating many people that heard his vitriolic lecture. They wondered why a man as revered as Jordan was apparently so petty and punitive, even after he'd won basically everything possible in basketball. They wondered why the man is still holding grudges that are decades old. They rolled their eyes at his arrogance and elitist attitude and castigated him for not being more like fellow inductees John Stockton, David Robinson and coach Jerry Sloan. In other words, full of bland and humble effusion. What those critics never seemed to understand and apparently never will is obvious. Michael Jordan became and remained as great, accomplished and iconic as he was and is solely because of his uncompromised mentality. Period. If anyone has a problem with that, then they should really have a problem with people who never fulfill their promise or potential.
5. Kanye West Disrespects Taylor Swift, September 13: For all of West's prodigious talents as a record producer and recording artist, he has chosen to display a severe lack of tact, grace and humility quite often throughout his short but illustrious career. He took those deficiencies to another low level at the MTV Video Music Awards on September 13. As young country sensation Taylor Swift began her acceptance speech after winning an award, West stormed the stage and soiled her moment with a selfish rant about how he felt that fellow nominee Beyonce Knowles should have won instead of Swift. The unbelievable moment was met with immediate shock and booing and earned West an ejection from the building. In the days that followed, West's deplorable behavior ignited a national backlash against him and continues to be lampooned on television and radio. For me, it was classless, tasteless and should never happen between artists, especially when they all understand the artistic investment that they all make in creating their craft.
6. David Letterman Extortion Scandal Breaks, October 1: When Letterman used a pre-emptive strike to reveal a growing extortion attempt against him, America was stunned. What I admired so much about his disclosure was the way he encased it in heavy self-deprecation. Not to mention the fact that he blamed no one but himself for his ill-advised dalliances with female staffers on his venerable late night talk show. Letterman's accountability and contrition were amazing and refreshing, regardless of why they existed, but one other thing impressed me as well. The man never stopped telling jokes (while noting the similarities) about other high-profile men in similar situations as his. It is always awesome to be able to laugh and poke fun at yourself.
7. Chris Brown/Rihanna Domestic Abuse Story, February-December: I always marvel at the hypocrisy of people when it comes to almost any and everything. So when many people in the general public condemned singer Chris Brown for bruising up then-girlfriend and fellow singer Rihanna's face, I wasn't the least bit surprised. Of course, I'm not saying that it was okay or justified for Brown to hit her. I am really saying two things actually. One; no one except those two people know exactly what the exact circumstances of that incident was, so none of us should ever pretend to understand why things happened the way they did. Secondly, none of us are even remotely perfect and have certainly done ill-advised things ourselves. I'll bet anything that many of the same police officers that arrest and imprison domestic abusers are unconvicted and possibly undetected abusers themselves. It sickened me to hear people paint Rihanna as a beautiful and victimized angel when none of us know what she's like as a girlfriend. Suppose Rihanna, in the privacy of Brown's vehicle told him that she'd known that she was HIV-positive long before they became sexually involved. Is that not something that, in the heat of the moment could trigger an infuriated person to lose control? What if she had been pregnant with his child and he saw her snorting cocaine or smoking crack, he yells at her to stop for the sake of the unborn child, but she scoffs and refuses. Is that not a reason to lose control and wail on her? Now, neither of those things probably happened but the point is simple. Never judge a situation or circumstance until having knowledge of all the details. And never pretend that we aren't as imperfect as those whom we criticize.
8. The Sarah Palin/Levi Johnston Sideshow, January-December: When Sen. John McCain lost the 2008 election to Barack Obama, I thought America had seen the last of these two "characters" for at least a couple years or so. Boy was I wrong. From the outset of '09, we were besieged with reports of Palin's unwed-with-child daughter Bristol. Then we had to hear about Bristol's now ex-boyfriend Levi becoming a shameless media whore and peddling salacious stories about the Palins to every media outlet that he could find. Then there was Palin's overexposed mini-feud with David Letterman over a "tasteless" joke he told about one of her underage daughters. There was Levi posing in army fatigues armed with a rifle. There was Palin walking away from her job as Alaska's governor 18 months early. There was Johnston being offered to pose nude in Playgirl magazine. There was the Palin book and accompanying book tour. There was Levi getting a Hollywood makeover and doing pointless and contrived commercials. Then Palin's "legendary" sit-down with Oprah Winfrey! Enough of these desperate losers. Stay far away from our pop culture in 2010! 
9. Roman Polanski Captured, September 26: That filmmaker Roman Polanski was able to successfully avoid being arrested for 32 years on statutory rape charges is nothing short of a major miracle. The elusive auteur finally saw his legendary luck run out when Swiss law enforcement arrested him September 26 in conjunction with his infamous 1977 sex crime against a then-13-year old girl. While many in the media felt that Polanski, now aged 76 should still be forced to pay for his ancient crimes, I felt as though it was a done and over with story. Polanski's victim, now aged 45 has constantly asked the courts to basically act like it never happened and her wishes should hold some weight. The man has lived in a self-imposed exile for decades and has had to look over his shoulder at every turn. Not to mention the fact that he supposedly paid a financial sum to the victim (although that has been debated). All in all, this stunning tale has held my attention for years, but it is time to let it and Polanski go. Nothing can be gained or accomplished at this point.
10. Bruno Defaces Eminem, May 31: This was an event that upset me greatly when it happened. Whack job actor Sacha Baron Cohen made his entrance into the MTV Movie Awards clad in a slinky, flamboyant and winged costume and suspended high above the crowd by wires and pulleys affixed to the ceiling. As he babbled a series of ridiculous lines, he was lowered into the transfixed audience and ultimately landed bare-bottomed on hip-hop megastar Eminem. Making matters worse, Baron Cohen's bare backside ended up only a few inches from Eminem's face which caused the incensed icon to unload a series of expletives at the androgynous freak. Em, famously labeled homophobic for nearly a decade, demanded his coterie of rap artists to "get this motherf***er off [him]." Once the moron was pushed away, Eminem stormed angrily toward the building's exit with his crew following while the celebrity studded crowd sat in jaw-dropping astonishment. In the coming days, it was reported to have been a staged and flawlessly executed stunt with Eminem himself in on the "joke."

Bryant v.s. James: The Ultimate Christmas Gift

CLEVELAND - With today being Christmas, I felt it fitting to remind the world to be grateful for the gifts we've been given all year. Loved ones. Health. Strength. But there's another gift that today will bring; Kobe Bryant and LeBron James will go head-to-head in Hollywood.

Merry Christmas.

Most pro hoops fans are keenly aware of the famous rivalry between these two brilliant athletes. Bryant is in his 14th NBA season and has amassed an awesome career highlighted by 4 NBA titles. James has only been around for half as long, but has possessed the best combination of size, speed and skill of anyone in the game for years. So today might be a Cleveland Cavaliers-L.A Lakers matchup, but the delicious star quality of Bryant and James is what's actually gift wrapped inside of it. LeBron is the reigning league MVP. Kobe is the reigning Finals MVP. Both men possess the ethereal powers to bend a game, series or season in their favor.

And we get to see the awesome performance front and center on television without the hassle of trillion dollar tickets and endless lines of people. Forget the Cavs' record. Forget the Lakers' record. This is sure to be a treat and should only be appreciated for what it is.

The greatest show on Earth.

2000's In Review: My Favorite Albums

CLEVELAND - My taste in music has always been very diverse. From rap and hip-hop to country and pop, I love it all. So, with the end of the decade near, I am submitting a list of my favorite albums of the 2000's. But ironically, that list isn't very diverse at all.

It's almost all rap.

Don't let this list fool you. I am not one-sided like it will lead you to believe. It's just that I only buy rap albums, but I actually love individual songs of all genres. One day soon, I will start buying the entire albums of the eclectic blend of artists that I enjoy.

Here goes the list.

1. The Blueprint/Jay-Z, 2001: This album was such a huge deal to me, that when it was released on September 11, 2001, I practically ignored the horrific terrorist attacks on America. Instead, I focused heavily on getting this record, which to me is the best work of Jay-Z's career. Eschewing a typical rap album style, this opus showcased a remarkable soul and old-school flavor infused with twinges of modern pop and R&B. In the middle of it all was Jay-Z's incredible lyricism, all of which produced several stupendous tracks. His famous collab with Eminem on "Renegade" is present here, and helps to elevate this record to the upper echelon of the most classic hip-hop albums in history.
2. The Eminem Show/Eminem, 2002: Most critics place The Marshall Mathers LP as Eminem's best album, but this record to me was better. Released three weeks before summer 2002, The Eminem Show was Marshall's 3rd solo album and wowed me endlessly. His epic lyrical dexterity, coupled with his outrageous humor and wit made this a masterful effort. When it hit the shelves, I was amazed at how many young black men in urban neighborhoods had the CD booming through their car speakers. The surprise was in Eminem's pervasive appeal in spite of his race and often unconventional subject matter. Somehow, he crafted a superlative record that showcased a burgeoning legend at his maniacal best.
3. The Best of Both Worlds/Jay-Z & R.Kelly, 2002: Such a shame that this album never had a chance to flourish the way it should have. With the historic collaboration of the best rap artist on the planet and the best R&B artist on the planet, this album was beyond excellent. However, due to the child sex scandal of R. Kelly that surfaced at the same time as this album's release, The Best of Both Worlds was barely promoted. All music videos were canceled and Jay-Z began to distance himself from being associated with this masterpiece. Every single track was outstanding and the production was flawless. Jay-Z would later call the album "a wasted opportunity." I wholeheartedly agree.
4. The Marshall Mathers LP/Eminem, 2000: After his breathtaking debut the previous year, rap music's angriest and most vitriolic man returned better than ever. Eminem's brilliant sophomore effort was met with extensive critical acclaim, but also repudiation from America's conservatives. In any event, his rhymes were more intricate, precise and menacing. Dr. Dre's production was perfectly crafted and his beats fit Marshall's lyrics like a glove. Songs like "Stan" and "The Way I Am" gave Mathers a formidable reputation as a master lyricist. But the way he conveyed intense personal turmoil and channeled it into polished art was what really made the man an acclaimed genius.
5. Graduation/Kanye West, 2007: Each one of Kanye's first three albums could be considered his best. That's how good this guy is and he displays that brilliance in spades on Graduation. Nearly every song on here is single-worthy and practically was. For me personally, I get chills every time I hear "Can't Tell Me Nothin'" both because of its brazen honesty and sonic appeal. By now, West was flying high as an A-list record producer and hip-hop artist hyphenate and with good reason. Despite his seeming arrogance, the man is one of the most important figures in not just music today, but rap music history as well.
6. The Documentary/The Game, 2005: The first time I heard this rookie effort from The Game, I was instantly awestruck. It was obvious to me that the man is a pure student of hip-hop music and has studied the giants of the genre meticulously. What results on this record is absolute perfection in spite of Game's obsession with name dropping rap legends early and often. The man was able to craft a record so good, that he could legitimately say that he was better than his label superior at the time 50 Cent. Of course, the belligerent 50 would never have allowed that which is one reason why The Game hasn't been this good since then. 50 Cent sabotaged him. Even still, The Documentary is a smooth and delightful listen.
7. The Black Album/Jay-Z, 2003: By 2003, Jay-Z was considered a demigod in the world of rap music. With the release of The Black Album, that status was elevated even more. With Jay set to retire after its November 14th release, this record took on an even greater significance. But the bottom line is simple; this is a classic album from start to finish. Initially, I was unimpressed with the tracks which is nearly unthinkable now. But once I continued to listen closely, I was blown away. Amongst my favorite moments; "What More Can I Say?," "Moment of Clarity," "Threat," "PSA," and "1st Song." Jay-Z proved he was every bit as legendary as he told us he was on nearly every song. Thank God his retirement lasted just three years.
8. Get Rich or Die Tryin'/50 Cent, 2003: I had begun hearing murmurs in the summer of '02 about this mixtape hotshot named 50 Cent. After hearing him on the 8 Mile Soundtrack that autumn, I was unimpressed. The hype it seemed, was grossly overblown. Then came February 6, 2003 and I changed my tune quickly. I was living in a semi-rural area at the time and it was stunning to see long lines of country teens in FYE waiting to buy 50's debut record. When I copped it and took it home to listen, I was hooked. In spite of the sprawling 20 track playlist, this album was simply awesome. The cadence of his voice, his cockiness, his tales of street violence were all outstanding. I must admit that the song "Patiently Waiting" featuring Eminem was a major influence on why I loved the record. Now almost 7 years later, 50 Cent still hasn't approached the raw brilliance of his debut.
9. Chicken-N- Beer/Ludacris, 2003: What I loved instantly about Ludacris the first time I heard him was his enormous wit and sense of humor. This 2003 classic featured both of those attributes as well as a litany of excellent songs. From the rapid fire delivery of the record's intro and through hit songs such as "Splash Waterfalls" and "P-Poppin," this was the best album of Ludacris' decade long career. And let's not forgot the two hilarious tracks, "Hip Hop Quotables" and "Hoes In My Room." The latter features Snoop Dogg at his laid back lyrical and humorous best. Who could forget terms like "tupperware titties" and "booga bears?" Like I said. Classic.
10. Invincible/Michael Jackson, 2001: There may have been other albums that were better, but for me, Michael Jackson's return to recording after several long years away was an important moment. Not only was it a comeback of sorts, but the music itself was pure ecstasy. I love the self assuredness and palpable confidence that Michael displayed on the opening song "Unbreakable." The first half of the record was filled with first-rate lush ballads including my favorite "Heaven Can Wait" which I dedicated to my girl. The music video for "You Rock My World" sadly ended up being, for all intents and purposes, Jackson's final short film. The only reason I didn't rank this album higher is because the second half of it isn't nearly as awesome as the first half. It also suffers from what I feel was Michael's obsession to top his own un-toppable legacy. In any event, this record will always hold the distinction of being his final studio LP. That fact alone makes it a worthy addition to my favorite albums of this decade.
    

2000's In Review: Top 10 Movies According To Me

CLEVELAND - As the first decade of the 21st century draws to a close, I am looking back on the best and worst, the highs and lows and everything in between. Today, I'm naming my favorite movies of the decade.

Just my opinion, folks.

1. Training Day, 2001: When it was in theaters, I had the most difficult time trying to see it. One thing after another kept occurring which prevented my viewing of the flick. But when I finally saw it on DVD, I was blown away. Denzel Washington's unbelievable and Oscar winning portrayal of L.A. narcotics detective Alonzo Harris was both intimidating and hilarious. Every line he spoke in the film was either legendary or just plain funny. In any event, me and several of my friends consistently imitated his lines...and the cadence of his voice: "You've been smokin' PCP all day," Harris said to his understudy Jake Hoyt after forcing him to do the illegal narcotic, to which a mortified Hoyt responded: "You've been planning this all day?" Washington's Harris snapped back with an ominous and arrogant flair: "I've been planning it all week, son. You talk that crazy s**t, I'll make sure your blood gets back to the lab." As always, Denzel Washington was the quintessential master of cinematic excellence. 
2. Deja Vu, 2006: Once again, Denzel Washington delivered an ingenious performance, this time as an ATF agent who must travel four days back in time to prevent a terrorist attack on a ferry in New Orleans. Along the way, he also decides to save a murdered woman whom he falls in love with. This film wowed me greatly with its complex plot and storyline, especially the way it was intricately laced and woven through events early in the film and at its climax and denouement. In the middle of it all was Washington, who mastered the science fiction element of the film as expertly as a Steven Spielberg disciple.
3. Unfaithful, 2002: I never knew Diane Lane was such a hottie. This is the film that proved that for me beyond a shadow of a doubt. With her wayward portrayal as [Richard Gere's] adulterous wife, Lane was delicious in her deceit and stunning in her brazen audacity which was sparked by nothing that Gere as her husband did or didn't do. Erotic scenes and imagery aside, the cautionary tale about the impossibly tragic consequences that infidelity can bring to a relationship was both resonant and compelling.
4. 8 Mile, 2002: At the height of his glittering music career, Eminem was also a movie star. This film, loosely based on his pre-fame struggle to become a rap star was for me, much deeper than just a simple movie about rappers. It told a subtle story of being aware of how others view you and how those negative stereotypes can be used as a major advantage. This was evident throughout the film, but most notably in the climactic rap battle sequence. All in all, a very underrated movie with many great performances by its cast.
5. The Pursuit of Happyness, 2006: This film, arguably star Will Smith's most inspirational is based on the real life rags-to-riches story of Chris Gardner. Smith's nuanced and emotional portrayal was first rate and the underlying moral of "never give up on your dream" made for a truly indelible flick.
6. Hustle and Flow, 2005: This is when I became a Terrance Howard fan. Similar to 8 Mile in the sense that its urban musical elements obscured its true inspirational personality, this movie was a surprise hit and told the story of DJay, a small-time pimp who aspires to be a rap musician. Through many setbacks and false starts, his steely determination to realize his goal resonated with me greatly.
7. Seven Pounds, 2008: The great Will Smith continued to show his evolution as an actor in this film. Even though it wasn't as commercially successful as many of his films, the story was original and delivered in a very intricate way. Smith, as IRS agent Tim Thomas made a very careless and tragic mistake in his recent past and through intense guilt, sought major redemption. This set his unique yet vague-to-the-audience plan in motion and through it all, ended in a major tearjerker conclusion. I felt that Smith had grown and diversified as an actor, and this flick illustrates that.
8. American Pie 2, 2001: The original film in the trilogy was very popular with me. When the sequel came out in the summer of '01, I was over eager to see it. The plot follows Jim, Kevin, Finch, Oz and of course Stifler on their summer vacation from their first year in college. With all of its usual sexual themes and the crude humor of Seann Willian Scott's Stifler, this was a delightful and fun movie for me. Of course, the "kissing lesbians" set-piece was very well written and acted and made this installment better than Part 3, and nearly equal to the original.
9. White Chicks, 2004: The Wayans family have been a comedic powerhouse for 20 years and this film once again showcases that. With Marlon and Shawn at the controls, this film soars into uproariously funny territory. They are FBI agents who get extensively transformed to become white women in order to solve a crime. The writing is trademark Wayans, but the awesome Terry Crews steals the show with his laugh-out-loud portrayal of obsessed-with-white-women football star Latrell Spencer. At one point, I watched this movie three times a day.
10. Gran Torino, 2008: I never knew Clint Eastwood was so awesome and believable as a tough guy, but this movie made me a late arriving fan of the man. His gruff, raspy voiced and subtly racist portrayal of Walt Kowalski was genius. His habit of drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, sitting on his front porch armed with a shotgun and his trademark sneering at anyone he felt like sneering at were things that I enjoyed and soon imitated. In short, Eastwood was freaking awesome, even at age 78. The utterly unexpected conclusion upset me, especially in light of his tough guy claim in the film that "Me, I finish things."

2000's In Review: Top 10 Moments According To Me

CLEVELAND - Hard as it is to believe, we are on the cusp of yet another decade which means an evaluation of the outgoing one. So since there are just 10 days left in Year 10 of the 2000's, I will issue the top 10 moments of the decade as they were to me.

Just my opinion, folks.

1. June 25, 2009/The Death Of Michael Jackson: This event took place nine and a half years into the decade, but was nevertheless the biggest moment for me by far. I never knew that I was capable of crying so many billions of tears, but I did. Michael was more than a megastar, icon or figure on television to me. He was my father, brother, cousin, inspiration and mentor. The unbelievable and impossible horror and shock of that day still screws with my mind, but his indelible style, philosophy and unique genius will always pervade my own sensibilities and personality.

     2.  November 4, 2008/The Election of Barack Obama: I never thought it would happen in this century, 

          but it did; a Black man having a legitimate shot at the presidency and then actually winning it. I first  

          became aware of Barack Obama in 2006 when I curiously stared at him and his name of the cover of a 

          magazine. But it wasn't until 2008 that his formidable intelligence and steely ambition became evident 

          to me and he began his historic assault on U.S. history. I followed Obama's masterfully executed 

          campaign religiously, but I was totally unprepared for the tears I shed the night he earned the White 

          House. Even though I never experienced the Civil Rights Era or slavery, it was as if I had the same 

          sort of historical perspective as any 70 or 80 year old African-American. His acceptance speech was

          as transcendent as it was inspirational.

     3. September 11, 2001/Terrorists Attack America: It didn't matter to me much when it actually

         happened, but as the tragedy continued to unfold that morning, I became more and more nervous about

         what else might be on the horizon. In spite of my preoccupation with going to buy Jay-Z's released-that-

         day album The Blueprint, I fully understood that a major and horribly awful thing had been inflicted 

         upon our country. It was a day wrought with intense paranoia and epic sorrow for the thousands of 

         innocent people that died simply because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. One that I 

         will always look back on with more and more sadness every time.

     4. July 10, 2003/The Birth of My Second Daughter: The world didn't know about it, but it was a 

         major moment for me personally. My oldest daughter was 4 and a half years old at the time, but even

         though I'd experienced childbirth first-hand before, this was still a huge event. I attended every

         doctor's appointment with her mom for about eight months and that was enough to build major 

         anticipation for her summer arrival. When my child, Desiree Young entered the world at 6:24AM that

         morning, I promptly introduced my self to her by grabbing her tiny, clammy palm and saying to the 

         2-minute old squirmer, "it's nice to meet you." And it truly was.

    5.  October 30, 2001/Both MJ's Return To Their Stage: I called it "National Michael Day." It was the

         best of times for me that autumn day. My two all-time favorite legends returned to the public after years

         away. Michael Jordan, who retired  in January 1999 after a stunning pro basketball career returned to

         the court for his first game with the lowly Washington Wizards. Though he was very much past his      

         prime at nearly 39 years old, it was awesome to see the man back in his element. Michael Jackson

         hadn't made a brand new album in 10 years and his double CD from 1995 was half greatest hits. On

         this day, the greatest entertainer in history released what would come to be his final record, Invincible.

         Though many critics panned it, Jackson's brilliance was on full display on this album and even though it

         was an uneven performance, it was still a certified legend doing his thing. That made me happy.

     6. June 13, 2005/Michael Jackson Acquitted: I was so much on pins and needles when Santa Maria

         jurors began deliberating to determine whether Michael Jackson was going to prison for accusations of

         molesting a 13-year old boy. On this day, once the verdicts of "not guilty" of all ten counts came down,

         I cried uncontrollable tears of joy. I never believed Michael was guilty, but I know how vicious the

         media could be, especially with him since he'd been the tabloid's favorite target for nearly 20 years. This

         I felt would negatively influence the judge and jury and send him away for many years. Thankfully, he

         was exonerated but was never redeemed in the court of public opinion. But for me, Michael was

         exactly where he belonged; out of harm's way.

    7.  June 23, 2007/The Woman I Loved Said She Never Loved Me: I had been through many trying

         times with my fiancee and vice-versa. In spite of that, we always managed to emerge from each 

         challenge stronger than ever. On this day however, it seemed as if we had reached the point of no 

         return. After a disheartening and stunning metamorphosis by my girl, she capped off several months of

        shocking disrespect and callous behavior towards me by telling me on this day that she she "never loved"

        me as anything more than a friend. This was unfathomable given the fact that we'd been together for

        nearly six years of highs and lows. The next day, after having much time to think and reconsider, she still

        held firm to what she'd said. That was incredibly earth shattering for me and when she told me months

        later that she didn't mean it, it felt contrived. The damaged had already been done.

   8.   October 31, 2002/My Fiancee Leaves Me: I've had bad experiences with women and awesome  

         ones with women. But on this Halloween Day, the woman whom I was madly in love with and had       

         become engaged to just 8 and a half months earlier ditched me for reasons that made no logical sense. 

         Making matters worse, she shockingly cheated on me three weeks before -- all behavior that was   

         impossible to foreshadow given her seemingly angelic perfection and bucolic upbringing. In any event,

         it reduced me to a bumbling, depressed mountain of tears. The love of my life had left me. But she came

         back.  

   9.  April 16, 2003/Jordan Flies Away Forever: Michael Jordan has been one of my biggest heroes for 

        many years, so each time he retired, a bucket of my tears followed him off the court. When he played

        the Wizards' final game of the 2002-03 season in Philadelphia, his groundbreaking pro career flashed

        before my eyes on top of the tears. Hit with the realization that MJ would never again grace pro 

        basketball with his iconic presence, I was inconsolable for awhile after he waved goodbye to the game

        that made him world famous and insanely wealthy.

 10.  March 24, 2009/My Childhood Home Is Tore Down: This was unforeseen and very sad. The 

        extensively dilapitaded house that I was conceived in and lived in until I was 18 years of age was 

        demolished due to its very poor condition. It was truly the end of an era for me since that is the location

        in which that I learned to talk, walk, create and entertain. I fell in love with Michael Jackson in that house

       and watched the "Thriller" video for the first time ever in that house. I watched him dominate the 1984

       Grammy Awards in that house. Even though I moved out in the summer of 1995, my grandfather 

       continued to live there for another 12 years. During that time, I frequently visited the house either to see

       him or to just sit on the steps as though I was still a resident. Even during the final year and a half of its

       existence when it was abandoned, I still sat on its porch in spite of the boarded up windows and 

       overgrown grass. That house and I still had a connection.

Brittany Murphy Had Both Beauty and Talent

CLEVELAND - I'm no different than most everyone else when they learned of Brittany Murphy's sudden death yesterday at the far-too-young age of 32. I'm saddened, shocked and finally reflective. That young woman brought a whole lot of wonderful to the table.

And she will be missed dearly.

Murphy, a Hollywood actress for nearly two decades was far from being A-list. But in spite of that, she played several memorable roles in film and even some unsung ones on television. I wasn't exactly a fan of hers in the purest sense, but I was aware of her work and I admired and respected it. In the 1995 film Clueless, it was nearly impossible for me to take my eyes off the alluring Alicia Silverstone, yet Murphy was certainly memorable in her "frumpy rawness." Her mystery and humility was even more noticeable when juxtaposed with Silverstone's brazen superficiality in that flick. Seven years later, she apparently shed her dowdy appearance and had blossomed into a real beauty, next getting my (this time) undivided attention in the film 8 Mile. Her scenes with Marshall Mathers were enticing as she masterfully portrayed young vixen Alex with a luscious flair. 

Who could forget their sex scene?

Murphy did other, less-known films over the years and should be applauded for her work in those too. All I know is, for me to not be a big fan of hers...she certainly was on my mental radar when I got the tragic news. That's because she was anything but obscure; just ask the folks in Hollywood and they'll say the same thing I would.

Brittany Murphy left an awesome impression.

Woods Scandal Exposes Blacks As True Racists

CLEVELAND - I've always been very proud of being an African-American, but that doesn't mean that I will ignore it when my fellow Blacks show their racial ignorance. The Tiger Woods sex scandal has brought out the very worse in my people and it is quite frankly, an embarrassment.

Seriously.

Woods, the legendary golfer and multi-millionaire product endorser has been in hiding during the past three weeks after a mysterious car crash morphed into a full expose of his habitual adultery. With the national media ripping his once squeaky clean public image to shreds, Woods has become persona non-grata for many Americans but remains a deity to many others. In no way will this setback taint his colossal legacy in the long run, but for now Woods is taking some very hard hits.

Many Blacks, especially women have vilified Woods because of his marriage to a white woman. Indeed, Elin Nordegren is a blonde beauty and has children with Woods, who himself is part Asian, Native American, Dutch and Black. To those in the black community, Woods is a black man plain and simple. As a result of this thinking, they have often expressed disdain at Woods for referring to himself as "Cablinasian," a term he coined to describe his entire ethnicity. Add in the facts of the ongoing sex scandal, which has revealed that each of the many mistresses that Woods has cheated on his wife with have all been pale faced white women, many with blonde hair and you get a nation of black women wanting to all but assassinate Woods.

Ignorant.

What I've read in the past few weeks from esteemed blacks is that Woods should be with a black woman. I've also read that many black women are infuriated that wealthy and famous black men seem to purposely seek out white women to have as wives, girlfriends etc. instead of "their own kind." They cite pro athletes such as O.J. Simpson, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and Woods as being major offenders. Journalist Bryant Gumbel, mogul Russell Simmons and musician Seal are on the list as well for being "sell outs." No one ever mentions that Jordan was married to a black woman for 17 years and had three children with her. They also never mention that his new girlfriend isn't white, she's Cuban. Not that it matters. Or that Simpson had three children with his first wife, who happened to be black. All that gets talked about is how these super successful black men choose a white woman at some point in their life and how that is akin to committing a crime.

Yeah okay.

I even read a quote from a scholarly black woman who said she's happy that President Obama is married to a black woman and that if he'd married a white woman, then she would have thought twice about voting for him. That is one of the most ignorant things I've ever heard anyone say. Obama is bi-racial. His black father abandoned him as a child and he was raised by his white mother and white grandparents. That is where his intelligence and confidence developed; in a loving white upbringing. Yet, it would have made him less appealing to many black voters if he had married a white women, even though that was probably the most likely thing to happen given his upbringing and who showed him the most love as a child and adolescent.

People are stupid.

Obama is thought of and packaged as our first black president, so therefore many blacks choose to only see him as black. In truth, he has as much right being with a white woman as anyone else has. Same with Woods. His mother is Chinese, Thai and Dutch...but according to the idiots, the small part of black in him is what he should focus on more. Whatever. It sickens me to say this, but black folks that have these opinions only want to be able to lay claim to the black people that have done extraordinarily well for themselves. That's why they claim bi-racial stars like Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey and Halle Berry as being singularly black when they aren't. If a bi-racial person did something horrible and criminal, would these black people claim them as readily?

Doubtful.

During the slave days and the segregated era of the first sixty plus years of the 20th century, black people were angered at the double standard that existed in this country. The White man treated us unfairly solely because of our race and nothing else. Equality didn't exist, which is exactly what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. fought so hard for. We still don't have it all the way, but things are much better. So when Blacks are being just as bad as Whites have been (stick with your own kind, Boy), it makes us all look bad.

Get a clue my Black people.

Without MJ, Jackson Brothers Bland And Boring

CLEVELAND - Watching "The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty" on television last night began as a curiosity, then descended into intense boredom and ultimately embarrassment. Featuring brothers Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon and Tito, this shameless "reality show" ignored its most glaring reality.

Without Michael Jackson, the other brothers suck.

I hate to say it, but that has been fact for 40 years now. The fact that these four non-descript middle aged men are appearing in their own "mini-series" on A&E less than six months after Michael's death feels curiously and suspiciously suspect and opportunistic. But I won't venture into that territory. Instead, I want to condemn this farce as arguably the most worthless piece of trash in the history of American television. Its only appeal is in examining what the brothers were feeling after that horrible news came to the world on June 25, 2009.

Because of the white-hot luminosity of Michael's mega stardom, the other brothers never had a chance of being worthwhile. That was obvious even in 1969, when an 11-year old Michael enraptured the crowd and television audiences on The Ed Sullivan Show with his singing and awesome stage presence. The other brothers were in the background for a reason and should never have been allowed on center stage. It's not that they're completely terrible or totally untalented, it's just that they can't be evaluated without being compared to Michael's stunning brilliance and groundbreaking career. It was very telling when, during a scene in the debut episode the brothers arrived at a dance studio to work on some moves. While we are being forced to try and look at these guys on their own merits, their 1978 hit "Shake Ya Body (Down to the Ground)" blares over the speakers with Michael's indelible and magnificent voice filling the room singing the lead vocals. At that moment, it is shown very subtly that Michael Jackson was overqualified to even be a member of the Jackson family.

I'm just sayin'.

Of course, there was the usual bickering and petty disagreements between the brothers and too many seemingly fake moments, but what was most appalling is how every time an interviewer asked the brothers if they were financially capitalizing on Michael's death, they issued truly inane rejoinders that went something like "how can we capitalize off something we created together?" In other words, these delusional wiseguys feel as though they were all equal to Michael, you know the man that authored a litany of legendary albums and music videos and became the most iconic and popular entertainer in history.

Um, yeah.

There was another moment in the show where Jackie, Marlon and Tito visited a record store. As they perused the CD section marked "Jackson," they ran across a multitude of family hits. There were several classics from Michael and a few from his fellow family icon Janet and maybe two or three Jackson 5 records. Marlon marveled at the expansive collection that his family had at the store and mumbled to Tito proudly, "we need our own division." I couldn't help but shake my head in disbelief. Will these guys ever understand that "we" is far too strong a word for what the legendary Michael Jackson accomplished on his own? That Janet Jackson accomplished on her own? Beyond those two seminal figures, the Jackson clan is far from being a dynasty.

Delusional and irrelevant is more like it.

Tiger Woods Is Latest Victim Of Public Hypocrisy

CLEVELAND - Tiger Woods is one of the wealthiest, widely admired and highly accomplished pro athletes in history. His skills on the golf course are nonpareil and his focus is stunning. But in spite of all that uncommonality with the average human being, he is and was always just a human being.

Imagine that.

This past week has been one nightmare after another for the world's number one golfer. After a mysterious minor accident on Thanksgiving night, his perfectly cultivated public image and brand have sustained major damage. With several women claiming to have been sexually involved with the married Woods during the past few years, his sterling reputation has come under fire and his moral character ripped to shreds by the national media and the general public.

Quite simply, folks have labeled Woods a loser and a jerk for "destroying the sanctity" of his marriage. I have been appalled to hear people also say that Woods should never again be considered a role model because of the "transgressions" (as he put it in a statement on his blog) he committed against his family.

Yeah, okay.

Hey, I'm not advocating or endorsing Woods' behavior. I just think it's crazy that people, especially the media have spent the past 12 years building him up to all but be deified and in the process, they forgot that he was still just a person despite his colossal achievements in his sport. Sure, he's worth hundreds of millions of dollars and his career has been both groundbreaking and breathtaking. But he's still a person that made a mistake and guess what? Us humans tend to make mistakes, often the same mistakes over and over.

Woods has been deliberately vague as to what he actually and specifically did wrong. As a result, we've had to receive the sordid details through others, including a mistress that he met in 2007 who this week released a voice mail of Woods calling her to "cover his tracks." As bad as this will sound, global fame and fortune doesn't erase the fact that Woods is still just a male with sexual urges. Yes he's married, but men and women have been known to stray for obvious reasons as well as clandestine ones.

Tiger Woods is a human being.

As for the people that say he should never again be seen as a role model, I challenge them to look in the mirror and think back on their own mistakes and bad judgments. If firefighters and doctors have an indiscretion or two, does that erase the role model type good that they do everytime they save a person's life? Since we all know that humans are not infallible, why do we act as though the people that we idolize and canonize are perfect? From priests to schoolteachers, everyone has had their screw ups. So since Woods is being persecuted for his, shouldn't all of us get the same treatment? Just because he's a public figure, those rules don't change. Each one of us are "public figures" to our children and spouses and friends when we fail at being perfect so we should strip ourselves of any role model worthiness as well.

I'm just sayin'.

Jay-Z At 40: Celebrating His Impossible Reality

CLEVELAND - Jay-Z once rapped in a song: "difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week." Today, as the legendary hip-hop artist/tycoon turns 40 years of age, I think it's worth celebrating the man's obvious belief in those words. And that's why he is one of the greatest inspirations in history.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Carter.

Mr. Carter, as in Shawn Corey Carter (Jay-Z's birth name) is nothing short of amazing. Most talk nowadays by his naysayers and critics centers on his age, which is considered ancient in the young dumb and full of cum world of rap and hip-hop. But the truth is, Jay-Z has excelled so well at his craft, that it has become merely one of his considerable attributes as he's parlayed his prodigious prowess on the mic into a half billion dollar empire. In other words, no one in hip-hop even touches his legacy, nor his smooth command of the music. But man, these young dudes try to make their listeners think and believe that he's an antiquated relic, when in reality he's the best in the business.

Even at 40.

What amazes me about Jay-Z is how transcendent he is. The man was born into poverty in the oft-mentioned Marcy Housing Projects in NYC. Without the benefit of having his father around, he became a street kid turned drug dealer in the mid-1980's. A few years later, he turned his circumstances around and began building his lyrical legend in the early '90's. By the end of that decade, he'd become the hottest superstar in rap and the owner of his own record label.

Fast forward to right now and the man's story gets even more stunning. Married to super beauty Beyonce Knowles. Friends with the president of the United States. Owner of a successful clothing line. I'm in awe of Jay's crossover appeal; holding company with Oprah Winfrey and President Obama with an elegant and dignified flair, while "chillin" with LeBron James and Young Jeezy in all of his "hood nigga" turned executive posturing. As further proof of his adaptability, throughout his illustrious career, Jay has performed with such contrary music acts as Linkin Park and Bono, played smooth in duets with Mary J. Blige and Alicia Keys then brought it hard and heavy in collaborations with the Notorious B.I.G., Kanye West and friend turned foe Beanie Sigel.

The king of versatility.

Though guys like 50 Cent have mocked Jay for being accepted into the upper crust society that embraces Oprah while trying to maintain a street edginess and credibility, I feel that Jay's success in doing that only expands his legend. Indeed, Jay has done what was actually nearly impossible; a poor black kid who turned to a life of drug dealing became a wealthy mogul with Madison Ave. appeal and a resonance across both impoverished and privileged communities.

At 40, that's the deck of cards Jay-Z is playing with. Who else can say that?

Influence Of Jackson's Thriller Video Still Amazing

CLEVELAND - I'll never forget how I felt the first time I watched "Michael Jackson's Thriller" video because even though I was just six years old, I knew that is was a masterpiece of originality and brilliance.

I'm not kidding.

It was 26 years ago today that the groundbreaking music video premiered on MTV after a much ballyhooed promo campaign in the weeks leading up to its release. Even though it was officially a music video for the title track of Michael's unstoppable album, it was ostensibly a short film musical complete with a storyline, horror film motifs and expensive special effects. Jackson had already wowed the world with his creativity in music videos with the early 1983 clips for "Billie Jean" and "Beat It." But "Thriller" was a far more ambitious endeavor as Jackson treated it like a feature length film from the start. The 25-year old megastar eschewed traditional music video protocol and instead enlisted film director John Landis to helm the project.

It had never been done before.

MJ also brought in acclaimed film make-up artist Rick Baker to make the gore of the flick as realistic as possible. In other words, he went all out and spared no expense to craft a stunning film that would amaze its viewers and acquire a lasting legacy. As a result, the budget was outlandishly high for '83 and nearly derailed the film's production.

Nearly.

Looking back, it stuns and amazes me when I think of how ahead of his time Michael was. Nothing about the "Thriller" video was standard or commonplace and its tour-de-force nature inspired artists then and since then to up their game and their creativity. While it is very true that the "scary" nature of the video terrorized countless children nationwide, the true scariness was in just how brilliant Jackson's mind was. He trumped every one of his peers, not just because he outworked them, but because his outside-the-box thinking was fourth dimensional.

If anyone wants to know how enormous of an impact "Michael Jackson's Thriller" still has, take one look at the recently completed worldwide "Thriller dance" in which prisoners and scores of individuals from foreign countries get together in their streets and re-create the famous, synchronized choreography of the video. Take a look at any contemporary music video and notice the "story" as well as the costumery and how slick the production is. Those characteristics derived from the ultimate game changer; "Thriller" and today's artists readily admit its influence on them.

Just one more reason why Michael Jackson is the greatest entertainer in history.

Pryor's Influence Extended Beyond Fellow Comics

CLEVELAND - Richard Pryor was once very flatteringly called "The Picasso of [comedy]." Bob Newhart once labeled him "the seminal comedian of the last 50 years." Very effusive praise for a man as tortured and flawed as Pryor, but millions the world over agreed with those sentiments.

Including me.

Today is the 69th anniversary of Pryor's birth. Since he sadly died nine days after his birthday in 2005, I'm simply calling it an anniversary as opposed to an actual birthday. In any event, Pryor's physical absence on Earth pales in comparison to his very pervasive presence and enormous influence over the world of comedy, even nowadays. Scores of comedians were influenced by Pryor and became comics themselves. His frank observations on race, social issues and sex were fascinating. His unadulterated style of delivering those observations was riveting and wholly groundbreaking. Where his critics saw filth, his fans saw uncompromised honesty. He wasn't so much vulgar and obscene as much as he was perfectly plugged into the hidden psyches of the common man.

It served him quite well.

As a child, I was enamored with Eddie Murphy's comedic style. Later, I discovered that Murphy himself was essentially a disciple of Pryor and shamelessly (and secretly) emulated him as an adolescent living on Long Island in the mid-1970's. So as it turns out, the man I grew up idolizing was actually infusing me with Pryor-inspired doctrines and attitudes with a little of his own interpretations thrown in. It's no wonder that, when my step father would send me out of the room so that he could listen to one of Pryor's groundbreaking comedy albums, that I would chuckle hysterically in the next room after overhearing it through the walls.

It is a well known fact that Pryor has long been canonized in the world of comedy. Luminaries such as Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, Jerry Seinfeld, Bill Cosby, Steve Harvey, Dick Gregory, Chris Rock and Jamie Foxx have all issued very glittering praise for the man and extolled his massive legacy. What I'm more interested in is how he impacted me and my sensibilities as an entertainer and comic. Because of Pryor, I am always unafraid to push the envelope or make a blunt observation of an inconvenient truth. Though I hated Pryor's often masochistic and self-loathing tendencies, I realize that those exact qualities birthed his incredible gifts and talent.

Long live Richard Pryor.

27 Years Ago Today: Jackson Redefined Music

CLEVELAND - Michael Jackson came to the world's attention as a blindingly gifted child star in the late 1960's. A decade later, he morphed into an adult superstar with the 1979 release of Off the Wall. But the most important day of Jackson's career didn't take place until November 30, 1982.

At the time, it felt like just another day.

Today marks the 27th anniversary of the release of the historic Thriller album. Released on Epic Records, it was Michael's sixth solo album and his second straight collaboration with super producer Quincy Jones. At the time, Jackson's status in the music industry had not yet become ethereal. It was merely outstanding thanks to the chart topping success of Off the Wall. He was seen as an incredible vocalist who possessed a huge repertoire of dance moves and at age 24, he was a burgeoning superstar. The Thriller album was met with mild kudos, not universally effusive praise when it hit record stores. Some critics even issued negative reviews of the album, especially after the tepid yet fun lead single (a duet with Paul McCartney) called, "The Girl Is Mine" hit radio five weeks before the entire album debuted.

It wasn't until the first couple months of 1983 that the album became a runaway freight train of unparalleled success. Jackson crafted a cutting edge music video for the song "Billie Jean" which infused the record with a huge jolt of electricity. The music video for "Beat It" was issued in early spring and became another massive hit with its amazing merging of rock, pop and heavy metal. By now, it was becoming very clear that Michael was the biggest star in music and his popularity was greatly augmented by his visual style.

With his show-stopping performance of "Billie Jean" on the televised "Motown 25" special, Michael had officially ascended to legend status and had become a veritable pop culture phenomenon. His singing, dancing, wardrobe and command of the stage were as awesome, precise and singularly brilliant as anyone in the history of show business. During the next several months, he released more "low-key" singles from Thriller, all the while planning his most ambitious project yet.

The film for the album's title track.

Released on December 2, 1983, "Michael Jackson's Thriller" took amazing to another level. Filmed and produced as though it were a feature length film, the 14-minute opus firmly entrenched the 25-year old Jackson into the ranks of only the most accomplished pioneers in entertainment history. The groundbreaking flick caused the one year old album to once again scale the music charts and sell an astonishing one million copies per week after nearly 55 weeks in release. This ushered Jackson into 1984 on an historic streak of unfettered success, popularity and achievement. It was no surprise that the supernova earned 16 awards in less than six weeks for the superlative album.

Sheesh.

By now, sales of Michael Jackson apparel and other accouterments were in the tens of millions. "Making Michael Jackson's Thriller" became the biggest selling home video in history and his signature Jheri-curled hair was a mainstay as was his single, white glittery glove. It was ironic that Jackson was such an original figure given the fact that he was an amalgamation of many showbiz legends from Charlie Chaplin and Fred Astaire to Sammie Davis, Jr. and James Brown. The degree of idolatry that engulfed his very being was on par with Elvis Presley and even The Beatles. Thriller, the album went on to become the biggest seller in history with some estimates set at an absolutely staggering 104 million copies sold globally!

I believe that the true legacy of Thriller lies in the fact that it changed the way the music business handled and promoted new music. The crossover hits on the record, the shattering of racial barriers, the numerous songs released as singles, the revolutionary nature of the music videos that created even greater fanaticism with the album, Jackson's singular and imitable style and the sheer perfection in every facet of the production and performing of the music. In short, Thriller birthed the music industry as we know it today.

We all owe a debt of gratitude to the great Michael Jackson for blessing us with that indelible masterpiece 27 years ago today.