Slavery To The RhythmDanny Glover stars as Wilhelm – a “Number 2: a talking (n-word)”— in
Lars van Trier’s latest film
’Manderlay,’ which opens today. The sparsely-shot project, which made a roar at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, tells the story of Manderlay; a plantation in 1933 Alabama where residents live in slavery 70 years after abolition.
Bryce Dallas Howard 'The Village') plays a privileged white woman, who, against her father’s will, makes a life out of exposing the ‘slaves’ to a whole new world. “Sometimes you have to talk about the issue of memory,” Glover told Black Voices. “And I think [‘Manderlay’ is] important when we talk about the idea of ideas because slavery was simply used as a metaphor to some degree for the issues around democracy, dominance, etc.”
Glover, 59, is currently juggling two film projects: the
Beyonce Knowles-fronted musical ‘Dreamgirls’ and the animated
'Barnyard'. The San Francisco native says a fondness of the renowned Dutch director drew him to ‘Manderlay,’ which also stars
Willem Dafoe, Chloe Sevigny, Lauren Bacall and
Isaach De Bankole. The historical context of the film also drew him in. “I think the film in itself [gives] greater value by not looking at the vantage point of this system of slavery, but from looking at it from a larger framework about issues around democracy, around issues around the idea of dominance, the idea of exploitation, etc,” he added. “I don’t pre-suppose that the audience will take something away from it but it’s kind of an interesting thoughtful film.”
Beat Marches On For ‘The Boondocks’ Earlier this week
Rev. Al Sharpton issued a statement threatening a boycott of the Cartoon Network for “desecrating the name of
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the Jan. 16 episode of Aaron McGruder’s wildly popular
'Boondocks'. Although the network sent out a statement defending the ‘controversy,’ plans were revealed on Jan. 25 for an order of 20 new episodes of the series, produced by McGruder's Rebel Base, in association with Sony. “Thank God for ‘The Boondocks’ and Aaron McGruder,” the network’s Senior Vice President of Programming and Production
Mike Lazzo said in a statement.
Black History Month -- BET Style Paul Mooney will host BET’s ‘Top 25 Most @#%* Moments’ on Jan 31 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. The one-hour special features a list of journalists, opinion-leaders, trend-setters and comedians in what production notes refer to as “a countdown to calamity.”
Terrell Owens, Clarence Thomas, the East Coast/West Coast rap wars and
Kobe Bryant will be examined, in a comical tone. Weighing in will be actor/comedian
Guy Torrey; celebrity publicist
Marvet Britto; Black Voices columnist
Roy S. Johnson; fashion stylist
Misa Hylton-Brim; pop culture critic
Nelson George; ‘Associated Press’ reporter
Nekesa Mumbi Moody; former 'Vibe' editor
Emil Wilbekin; pro boxer
Zab Juda; notorious New York radio personality
Miss Jones; and comedians
Donnell Rawlings, John Lassiter, Mugga, and
Nikki Carr.
Trumpet TootingStevie Wonder,
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears and
Usher were honored during the ‘2006 Trumpet Awards,’ held Jan. 24 at Atlanta’s World Congress Center. Hosted by Chris Tucker and LisaRay McCoy with special performances by
Kirk Franklin, Najee, Jeff Majors, Wonder, Aretha Franklin and
Doug E. Fresh, the festivities will air on the TV One network Match 12, starting at 8 p.m. ET/PT. A special ‘Salute to Black Colleges’ was bestowed upon Morehouse and Spelman Colleges. Other honorees included
Dr. Keith Black (medicine),
Lorenzo Creighton (business),
Dr. Bobby Jones (television),
Rev. C. T. Vivian (civil rights),
Vivica A. Fox (film),
Danny Bakewell, Sr. (the president’s award) and Higher M-Pact (community spirit award)
Queen Latifah, Magic Johnson To ‘Boost’ All Star WeekendQueen Latifah will host a celebrity pool tournament for All-Star weekend in Houston on Feb. 16. Boost Mobile will present the event, billed as ‘Zo & Magic’s 8-Ball Challenge,’ in conjunction with
Alonzo Mourning of the Miami Heat and NBA legend,
Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson. NBA players
Dwayne Wade (Miami Heat),
Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets), rap superstars
Ludacris and
Nelly, and actor
Dean Cain are confirmed to participate for the public event, competing for luxury gift items courtesy of the Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board, Boost Mobile and Tiffany & Co. Proceeds from the event, to be held at Jillian’s of Houston, will benefit Alonzo Mourning Charities and The Magic Johnson Foundation
‘Stepin’ It UpThis weekend, the Black Hollywood Education and Resource Center will host “Stepin Fetchit: Reexamining the Black Media Image,” showcasing the life and controversial career of
Lincoln Perry, Hollywood’s first black movie star. Events will kick off with a panel discussion at UCLA’s Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies, moderated by director,
Dr. Darnel Hunt. Actor
Wren T. Brown, entertainment historian
Miles Kreuger, actor
Roscoe Orman and author
Mel Watkins (‘Stepin Fetchit: The Life and Times of Lincoln Perry and On the Real Side: A History of African American Comedy’) will be featured on the panel. The weekend will also showcase performances of 'The Confessions of Stepin Fetchit' — a one-man play written by the late producer and writer
Max Robinson. Mr. Robinson’s daughter, actress
Holly Robinson Peete is slated to host the closing night’s festivities.
