Urban Lifestyle

*It’s not like all LA Lakers fans are clamoring for Dwight Howard to resign with the team, but his coming back may not be a lock either. With the Lakers being in bind somewhat, like the prospect of some lean years ahead without a superstar to put butts in the seats, they are hoping that Howard will let them know ASAP if he is or if he isn’t. Well, it looks like the All-Star center is in no rush and on top of that, he’s privately indicated he plans to give strong consideration to multiple teams, league sources told CBSSports.com. Though Howard is adamant his free agency not be marred by the circus-like environment that surrounded his departure from Orlando last summer, word already has spread to multiple levels of his support staff that Howard re-signing with the Lakers is far from a done deal. With six weeks to go before Howard becomes an unrestricted free agent, the team that is said to intrigue him the most is the Houston Rockets, according to multiple people briefed on internal conversations surrounding Howard’s free-agent decision. The Rockets have a young star, James Harden, who has proved himself worthy of playing the leading role for the franchise; a budding 3-point shooting threat in Chandler Parsons; a defensive-minded coach in Kevin McHale; and Omer Asik, the kind of 7-footer Howard is believed to want next to him in the frontcourt. You can get the full story at CBS Sports.

*Dang, Sinbad says he’s broke again. Sinbad filed for bankruptcy for the second time since 2009. Poor guy. Last month he filed chapter 13 bankruptcy. The comedian whose real name is David Adkins, says he owes $10,991,715 in debt … and only has $131,000 in assets. Specifically, according to TMZ, he owes $374,979 to American Express, $32,199 to Bank of America, and $2.3 million to the CA Franchise Tax Board. He also claims he owes $8.3 million to the IRS for taxes from 1998-2006, and admits he owes both state and federal taxes from 2009-2012. According to the bankruptcy docs, Sinbad earns only $16,000 per month and can’t afford to pay his bills. But the bright side, he’s still got some possessions — a 2007 BMW 750i, a 2006 VW Beetle, a 2010 Ford F150, a 2010 Lincoln Navigator, $5,000 in home office equipment … and 200 copies of “Sinbad’s Guide to Life” currently for sale on Amazon for $6.25 each. As we said, Sinbad filed for bankruptcy once before in 2009. However, the case was dismissed because he didn’t file the right documents. So far, as of this posting, there has been response from Sinbad.

*BIRMINGHAM, AL – Wells Fargo today announced its support of a wide variety of programs and events as part of Birmingham’s 50th anniversary celebration of the Civil Rights movement, “50 Years Forward.” Throughout 2013, as part of the year-long celebration, Wells Fargo will provide financial support for the following organizations and programs. Birmingham Civil Rights Institute –Wells Fargo is supporting educational programs for the special exhibition, “Marching On: The Children’s Movement @ 50,” which will be on display until Nov. 30. Wells Fargo is also sponsoring the exhibition and related programs for “Remembering 4 Little Girls: A Gallery of Creative Expressions,” which will be on display at BCRI in the David Vann Community Gallery from Aug. 27 to Dec. 8, 2013. In addition, the bank is supporting educational outreach and tours for 4th graders across Birmingham, as well as after-school initiatives for middle school students on a variety of topics, including financial education. And, Wells Fargo is the presenting sponsor for Juneteenth Culture Fest on June 1, a free annual family festival hosted by the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.  Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. *Alabama School of Fine Arts – Visual Arts student Kristalyn Robinson was selected to create a large depiction of the four young girls killed in the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing in 1963.  Wells Fargo is sponsoring the painting, which will be housed at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute until it is unveiled later this year at its permanent home at Birmingham City Hall. *Community Policing & Revitalization – Wells Fargo is the title sponsor of the 2013 Recognition of Excellence Awards Banquet on July 13.  This year, the theme is “Champions of Progress: Celebrating our Legacy and Empowering our Communities,” which is focused on remembering the heroes of the Civil Rights movement.  The guest speaker will be Dr. Joseph Lowery, a legendary leader of the Civil Rights movement. *Sixteenth Street Baptist Church Foundation – Wells Fargo’s support will provide college scholarships through the church’s college scholarship program. *Red Mountain Theatre Company and the THE MLK PROJECT – Wells Fargo sponsored the play, “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” based on a letter written by Martin Luther King, Jr.  The play took place in April.  Wells Fargo’s support also includes outreach to Birmingham area schools and RMTC’s performance at the dedication of the City Jail Historical marker. *A.G. Gaston Boys & Girls Club – Wells Fargo helped sponsor the reprint of “Green Power,” a book written by AG Gaston on entrepreneurship. *Alabama Public Television – Wells Fargo is sponsoring “Project C: Lessons from the      American Civil Rights Movement,” a Web-interactive field trip featuring      Birmingham Civil Rights events for teaching citizenship and civic      engagement. The field trip, which will be three live webcasts throughout      the school year, will be available free to every middle and high school      student in every Alabama classroom during the 2013-2014 school year. “We are proud to show our support of the ‘50 Years Forward’ celebration, which honors such a rich part of Birmingham’s history,” said Leigh Collier, Mid-South region president.  “We are proud to come together with the City of Birmingham and other organizations and businesses across Birmingham to honor the strength and courage of so many people who paved the way for us today.” “We are excited to have another corporate partner as we commemorate ‘50 Years Forward’ in Birmingham,” said Mayor William Bell.  “Our thanks goes out to Wells Fargo for supporting this important year as we pay tribute to those who sacrificed so much.” For more information on the 50th Anniversary plans, see www.50yearsforward.com. About Wells Fargo Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services c

Singer-actress Naturi Naughton (3LW) is 29 *Just like the headline says, this page/board is where you can discuss the stuff that we didn’t cover in today’s issue. (It’s sort of like feedback with a twist) Remember, NO name calling, racial taunting, graphic sex talk and vulgarity in general, PLEASE. ——– EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE Don’t agonize, organize. – Florynce Kennedy CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS  May 20: Rapper Busta Rhymes is 41. Singer-actress Naturi Naughton (3LW) is 29. BLACK HISTORY May 20, 1961: Mob attacked Freedom Riders in Montgomery. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy dispatched four hundred U.S. marshals to Montgomery to keep order in Freedom Rider controversy. (Source: www.BlackFacts.com)

Keith Washington stars as the post Motown Marvin Gaye in My Brother Marvin *Thursday, May 23rd, 2013 the curtains will rise at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles for the highly anticipated stage play “My Brother Marvin” written by renown director and producer Angela Dunlap, and inspired entirely by Zeola Gaye, sister to the late music icon Marvin Gaye.Once more Zeola Gaye gave a candid interview to The Electronic Urban Report publisher Lee Bailey. She told him how the tour had gone so far, and what Los Angeles theater goers can expect. “The tour has been off the chain and everything is going well, I’m getting great reviews and I’m also helping people and that’s my main goal, is to help somebody out there by presenting my story, my family story.” Marvin Gaye’s vocal style helped define the Motown era of music that prevailed in the 1960’s and into the 1970’s.  His first number one hit was in 1968  “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” while “Let’s Get It On” became his second number one hit in 1973.  Among many other hits “Sexual Healing” established Marvin’s biggest post Motown hit on the Columbia label.  The three previously mentioned songs made it on the Rolling Stone list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time“. (As cited in Wikepedia.) The Grammy winning Marvin Gaye died on April 1, 1984, just one day prior to his 45th birthday after a brawl with his father ended tragically.  Though Marvin’s music lives on, for years there has been a looming curiosity over what really happened on that fateful day.  Despite Marvin’s obvious musical talents and personal demons, the long stewing undercurrent of family dysfunction, steeped in addiction, depression and denial was the culprit that silenced Marvin’s voice forever.  Zeola Gaye originally documented her in the book My Brother Marvin, published in 2011 and now thanks to her collaboration with urban theater’s leading lady Angela Dunlap, Zeola courageously brings Marvin Gaye’s family matters to life on stage in the hope of demystifying and de-stigmatizing these types of issues for other families who might be in need of help. Now that Zeola has faced and successfully recovered from her own addictions, she tell EURweb’s Lee Bailey candid details of the Marvin Gaye family trauma, the drama between her and Marvin’s ex-wife Janis Hunter (who was married to Gaye from 1977-1981), and her subsequent triumph over tragedy.  https://soundcloud.com/eurnews/eurweb-exclusive-zeola-gaye-on My Brother Marvin stars three leading men as Marvin at various stages of his life and career.  According to Zeola, it took three men to portray him because that’s how complicated her brother was.  Harvier Hill-Roller plays young Marvin, while Anthony Grant plays Marvin, the Motown legend, and Keith Washington plays the latter Marvin who dazzled a new generation with his recording of “Sexual Healing” in 1982.  Emmy Award-winning Lynn Whitfield plays Marvin’s mother and Clifton Powell plays Marvin Gaye, Sr. Lynn Whitfield and Clifton Powell play Marvin Gaye’s parents in “My Brother Marvin” The Los Angeles, CA performance schedule for My Brother Marvin is as follows: Thursday, May 23rd at 8 PM, Friday, May 24th at 8 PM, Saturday, May 25th at 3 PM and 8 PM at the Pantages Theatre 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028.  Tickets can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com, by calling 1-800-745-3000, and at the Pantages Theatre Box Office (Opens daily at 10AM). For more information on My Brother Marvin, log onto www.detroittouringco.com Follow My Brother Marvin on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MyBrotherMarvin. My Brother Marvin made its’ off Broadway theatrical premiere in Detroit, Michigan in 2006 during the Christmas Holiday. It received rave reviews and would go on to play a limited engagement tour in theatres in Philly, Chicago, Oakland, Memphis, Oklahoma, Kansas City and Little Rock. During the 2006-2007 season, the play’s storyline was told

*Last week Sean “Diddy” Combs caused quite the stir when he tweeted that he was joining the cast of “Downton Abbey.” Of course a lot of folks weren’t quite sure what to make of it because, let’s face it, the Diddy Man isn’t exactly “Downton Abbey” material as an actor. But on the other hand, he’s been quite adept at getting pretty much all or most of what he wants. But when a rep from the PBS show itself refuted Combs’ tweet, we knew the story was bogus. However, he wasn’t completely wrong. Are you ready for “Downton Diddy?” Yeah, he’s the character Funny or Die introduced as its latest online spoof of the beloved “Downton Abbey” series. Here’s how Diddy introduces the sketch: “Last week it was reported that they have cast the first black cast member (Gary Carr) … the only problem with this is I already broke down that barrier. I’m the first black cast member … and I got the scenes to prove it.” In the skit, Diddy plays the role of Lord Wolcott, who keeps confusing “Downton Abbey” with “Downtown Abbey.” Honestly we thought it was going to be another Funny or Die yawner, but we have to say Diddy pulled it off and it’s quite hysterical. Check it out (be warned there’s some strong language): Downton Diddy from Sean Combs