Stars flock to Shrine for 41st Annual NAACP Awards

Numerous famous African-American actors, authors, directors, and recording artists will descend upon the Shine Auditorium this Friday evening for the 41st Annual NAACP Image Awards show. Each year the NAACP celebrates the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color in the arts (motion picture, television, recording and literature).

This year, notable award nominees and attendees include Gabourey Sidibe (Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture), Jamie Foxx (Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture), Anika Noni Rose (Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture), Sandra Bullock (Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture), Taraji P. Henson (Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture), Monique’ (Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture), Mariah Carey (Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture), and Zoe Saldana (Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture). Tyler Perry, will receive the NAACP Chairman’s Award. Several other celebs will be in attendance including Will Smith, Alicia Keys, Beyonce’ and Jennifer Hudson.

We’re wondering if Lil’Wayne will be able to make it before his jail time?

The awards show will be broadcast from the historic Shrine Auditorium this Friday, Feb. 26 at 10 p.m. PST on FOX. Though the show will not be broadcast live on the West Coast, you can still gather at 4 p.m. across Jefferson Street on USC campus to see the stars arrive for the red carpet.

Shutter Island brings home weekend No. 1

They’re back! Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio’s newest film, Shutter Island, was the number one movie at the box office this weekend. The movie made an impressive $40.2 million at the end of Sunday evening. Though it didn’t beat the $54 million that Valentine’s Day made last weekend, it did get close to Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail for the second largest February opening in three years.

The Departed, the movie that marked Scorsese and DiCaprio’s best collaboration, earned only $26 million in its opening weekend.

You would think that this would not have been DiCaprio’s biggest opening. Up until this month he was in the number one highest grossing movie of all time, Titanic, until it was replaced by James Cameron’s Avatar.

There was speculation about Paramount Pictures moving the release date from October to February. Critics wondered if it the push back was a sign that the movie was not going to do well, but it’s looking good right now!

Who’s Threatening Fantasia?

American Idol winner, Fantasia Barrio, has a stalker! Barrino, who is currently staring in hit musical The Color Purple, came across a death-threat letter while going through her fan mail after her performance on Thursday night. It all happened here in Los Angeles at the Pantages Theatre where the show is scheduled to be until the end of this week. The letter was loaded with racial slurs, the N-word, and a line that read, “go back to where you came from and die.” Also in the letter, the person claims to have worked for her security while being a contestant on American Idol.

Fantasia’s team has heightened security around her and around the venue. Fantasia told TMZ,

“I will not be defeated by one isolated person’s hatred.”

You go girl!

The Color Purple will be at the Pantages Theatre until Feb. 28. Tickets are $25 – $85.

Idol Controversy? Of Course.

The ‘Top 24’ was revealed last Wednesday night on American Idol. This week the show will resume with all of those 24 – except one. Contestant Chris Golightly, who was announced in the 24 last Wednesday, was replaced last minute by Contestant Tim Urban (no connection to Keith, that we can find). According to a press release from FOX last week, it was determined that Golightly was ineligible to continue in the competition. He was the contestant who touched hearts with his back-story of being in foster care.

Fellow contestant Samantha Musa said she talked to Golightly and said he was disqualified yesterday, “after already being told he was in the top 24, over some bogus old contract.” FOX didn’t mention any specific details about why Golightly was let go in their press release on the issue.

Nationwide controversy surrounded last week’s episode of Idol when many heart-touching contestants were let go. Many questioned why some people who violated contest rules were allowed to stay, while others like three-time contestant Angela Martin did not.

You may remember Martin from the previous two seasons. The first time she made it to Hollywood week, her father was murdered and she had to leave the contest. The second time, Idol officials had to let her go because a warrant from unpaid parking tickets. This season was her last shot before becoming too old to participate next year. News of her being let go was not made better by hearing that her mother has been missing since December.

What is your take on the ‘Top 24’?