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The late night wars have continued on and off over a period of at least two decades with each talented MC vying for the top spot in the late night ratings war. Now at long last Jay Leno is set to again "retire" from his post as host of the Tonight Show and the more youthful late late night fave TV Personality Jimmy Fallon is set to take the reigns. David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel look out! Click here for more.
Is it true? TV Host Chris Harrison of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette fame is going to design a mne's clothing line? Click here for the full story.
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The long awaited wedding of actor turned ubiquitous TV Host Mario Lopez (EXTRA, X Factor etc.) finally took place this past weekend, Saturday December 1st. Photos from Lopez's Punta Maria, Mexico wedding to the stunning Broadway talent Courtney Mazza's nuptials are seen TODAY on People.com. Lopez's wedding, which included his two-year old daughter with Mazza, Gia Francesca, was attended by celebs like Eva Longoria, a close friend, and others. Click here for more.
*photo by Fameflynet
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The Food Allergy Initiative 13th Annual Spring Luncheon was an afternoon of perfection on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at Cipriani 42nd Street with an estimated 550 supporters coming out for event. The fundraiser, a popular much anticipated annual, raised $784,000 to date. Proceeds will benefit the Food Allergy Initiative’s research, education, and advocacy programs aimed at finding a cure and raising awareness of life-threatening food allergies.
WABC-TV Eyewitness News Anchor Lori Stokes Stokes has been involved with Food Allergy Initiative for 10 years, hosting the luncheon for 6 years. Stokes herself a sufferer of tree nut allergies has a daughter that also shares her malady. Stokes (pictured at far left with Blogger Tia Walker) happily informed us that allergy-free foods has been a much improved field over the years, "There's so many new products that are on the market that either gluten-free or tree nut free or if you something with eggs...whatever it is, that's a beautiful thing when you can actually find something that tastes good."
2012 Co-Chairs Abbey Braverman, Roxanne Palin, and Stephanie Winston Wolkoff. Melissa Rosenbloom served as the Event Advisory Chair. Jessica Mukasey Barkoff, Elizabeth Hecker, Jamie Lichtenberg, and Lana Platin were the Goodie Bag Co-Chairs. Liana Silverstein Backal, Nicole Lenner, Melissa Meyers, and Jennifer Fisherman Ruff were the Raffle Co-Chairs. This year’s guest speaker was Dr. Hugh Sampson, an internationally known researcher and Director of the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Lori Stokes, Anchor, WABC-TV, was the Mistress of Ceremonies.
Support levels were as follows: Tables were available for $15,000, $10,000 and $7,500, and individual tickets were available for $2,000, $1,000, and $50
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According to our best sources, it is with sadnees that we report, American TV host and MC legend Dick Clark has died at the age if 82 in Los Angeles. Clark an American icon, whose career spanned 50+ years in the media, first in radio and later and most notably television was the long time "go to" man for the latest pop hits via his creation American Bandstand. Clark is also best remembered for Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve where he again was a fixture in much of the country's homes annually, as he counted down the ball drop in New York City's Times Square.
Clark battled Type 2 Diabetes since 1994 and had been the survivor of a stroke in 2004. Clark has 3 children and his survived by his current wife Kari Wigton.
*photo courtesy of Photo Archives/ABC via Getty Images
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Don Cornelius, creator of the long-running television dance show Soul Train, shot himself to death Wednesday morning, February 1st at his Los Angeles home. According to our best source, Cornelius, 75 had been wrought with health problems in later years and fell prey to accusations of spousal abuse.
Ironically, this first day of Black History Month in the US, Cornelius' passing is one that will be long reflected upon. Cornelius a true African-American pioneer, is credited with Civil Rights support during his early years as a journalist and later creating the nationally loved syndicated hit Soul Train, an influential urban dance/music phenom which offered performances from everyone to James Brown to Michael Jackson and even included the occasional non-white performer--such as Elton John and others.
*photo courtesy of Kevin Winter/Getty Images North America
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Wyatt Cenac, celebrated comic and correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, steps into a new role this January as host of the fourth season of AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange. The funnyman will present AfroPoP, a series that shines a light on stories from diverse corners of the African Diaspora, as it returns to the public television channel WORLD on Sunday, January 22, at 9 pm (ET & PT). AfroPoP is produced by the National Black Programming Consortium (NBPC) and distributed by American Public Television (APT).
We'll be watching....
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On a recent crisp Saturday afternoon in New York City, select members of the town's African-American media and cultural elite headed to Chef Marcus Samuelsson's Harlem newcomer Red Rooster to toast CNN's Don Lemon. Belvedere's Bloody Mary Brunch hosted by Bevy Smith, afforded attendees the opportunity to enjoy Belvedere's first vodka made to a drink--the brands 5th maceration.
***-Bloody Mary is distilled with seven exceptional fresh ingredients: tomatoes, vinegar and lemon distillate, black, red and chili peppers and horseradish. All the ingredients were individually distilled and then added to belvedere pure. To create a classic Bloody Mary using Belvedere Bloody Mary, just add tomato juice and a dash of lemon
*photos courtesy of The Chamber Group
Hi,
CNN News Anchor Don Lemon has made an official statement to the media as of Monday,May 16th, that he is gay. Ascot Media and Aston Publicity Groups' innovative annoncement tool, In My Own Words, was the vehicle used in which to speak out and put an end to the speculation surrounding him. To follow is Lemon's statement.
“Today I chose to step out on faith and begin openly living my own truth. And let me say right up front that I hope many of you will be inspired to do the same thing in your daily lives. Some of the things I’ve chosen to reveal in my bookTransparent were very difficult to share with even those closest to me.
There was a time when I was terrified of revealing these things to the person I love most in this world - my own mother. But when I finally mustered the courage to tell her that I had been molested as a child and that I was born gay, my life began to change in positive ways that I never imagined possible. Yet I still chose to keep those secrets hidden from the world. I, like most gay people, lived a life of fear. Fear that if some employers, co-workers, friends, neighbors and family members learned of my sexuality, I would be shunned, mocked and ostracized. It is a burden that millions of people carry with them every single day. And sadly, while the mockery and ostracizing are realized by millions of people every day, I truly believe it doesn’t have to happen and that’s why I feel compelled to share what I’ve written in Transparent.
As a journalist I believe that part of my mission is to shed light onto dark places. So, the disclosure of this information does not inhibit in any way my ability to be the professional, fair and objective journalist I have always been.
My book is dedicated to the memory of Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi, who jumped to his death from a bridge after his dorm mates streamed his private business over the Internet for the world to see. Tyler might still be with us today if more gay men and women had chosen to live proudly and openly. It is also dedicated to the millions of young, gay people who believe they are alone when dealing with their own sexual identities. You are not alone! There are people, like me and many others, who are thriving in their personal and professional lives and although we sometimes have a hard time with it ourselves, we are here to show you by example that you too can overcome any obstacle as long as you stay strong and, most of all, stay alive.”
With love and honesty,
Don Lemon
May 16, 2011
