July 2009 – Suite 411

Gabrielle Union stars in new TV drama series FlashForward

Gabrielle Union will be back on the small screen this fall. She will star in ABC’s new fall drama,”FlashForward,” which focuses on how mankind responds when they are able to see their future. Union will play criminal defense attorney, Zoey.

“We’re thrilled that Gabrielle is joining our cast,” executive producer David S. Goyer said in a statement. “When we met with her, we immediately knew she was our Zoey. She’s witty, soulful and beautiful. I’ve been wanting to work with her for a long time.”

The hour-long series premieres Thursday, Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. central time.

Jennifer Lopez celebrates 40th birthday

Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez’s husband, threw the 40-year-old singer a birthday bash Saturday in New York. “An Evening with Lola,” Anthony’s nickname for his wife, was attended by family and friends, including Liza Minnelli, “The King of Queens” star Leah Remini, L.A. Reid, Ricky Martin and Gayle King.

Author E. Lynn Harris Dies

The man who first let African American women know about the “down low” brother died Thursday at age 54 while on a book tour in Los Angeles. E. Lynn Harris first jumped onto the literary scene in 1994 with his debut fiction novel, “Invisible Life.”

Born in 1955, Harris was raised in Little Rock, Ark. A journalism honors graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, he was the school’s first black yearbook editor, the first black male Razorbacks cheerleader and president of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, reports the Associated Press.

Released in January, the author’s latest book, “Basketball Jones,” is about the gay lover of a NBA star.

Tisha Campbell-Martin expecting baby boy

Actress Tisha Campbell-Martin and her husband Duane are expecting a baby boy this fall. The couple held a Cirque du Bebe-themed shower Saturday with guests including: Samuel L. Jackson, Cedric the Entertainer, Holly Robinson Peete, Eriq La Salle, Niecy Nash and Pauletta Washington. The couple have a seven-year-old son, Xen.

Obama says “mom jeans” are comfortable

In a “Today Show” interview, President Barack Obama responded to critics who called his choice of denim worn while throwing out the first pitch at the All-Star game in St. Louis last week “mom jeans.” Obama said the jeans were comfortable.

“Michelle she looks fabulous,” Obama said. “I’m a little frumpy. Up until a few years ago I only had four suits. She used to tease me… I hate to shop.”

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Chris Brown apologizes

Chris Brown issues an official apology.

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New reality series ‘Shaq Vs.’

Cleveland Cavaliers center, Shaquille O’Neal, begins filming his new reality series,”Shaq Vs.” in Pittsburgh Wednesday. The show will feature the NBA star competing against athletes such as tennis star Serena Williams, retired boxer Oscar De La Hoya and Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps.

O’Neal created the show as a way for him to train for the NBA season and thought sports fans “would really want to see an athlete play another sport,” reports USA Today. The new series premieres Aug. 18.

Kanye inspired Jay-Z’s new song ‘D.O.A.’

Fans can thank Kanye West for the creation of Jay-Z’s new single, “D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-tune),” off of his new album, “The Blueprint 3,” being released in September.

“He actually sparked the idea,” Jay-Z told Billboard. “When he heard the beat he said, ‘Man, this is just so hard! This has to be against everything — no auto-tune, none of that type of stuff!’ He didn’t know what I was going to do or where I was going to take it, but it was actually his fault.

“In hip-hop, our job is once a trend becomes a gimmick, to get rid of it. We’ve done that since the beginning of time,” Jay-Z explains. “Now people are using Auto-tune even in Wendy’s commercials, and it’s like, ‘Oh no! That’s has to go!’ It’s become part of main culture. It’s the same thing like when the old lady in Oregon starts saying, ‘bling, bling.’ It’s like, ‘I’m never saying that again.'”

Beyonce helps fight hunger

Before her concert in Chicago Friday night, Beyonce participated with the Show Your Helping Hand Campaign to help fight hunger. The entertainer is working to deliver more than $3.5 million meals to food banks around the country.

ESPY Awards

The ESPY awards were held Wednesday in Los Angeles. Samuel Jackson hosted the event, which honors athletes. ESPN will telecast the ceremony July 19.

Serena and Venus Williams were also there looking classy and picture perfect.