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Iesha Pompey

Valerie Harper goes to see The Doctors

Valerie Harper will appear on The Doctors on March 11.

Valerie Harper is shining a light on brain cancer as she goes through her own diagnosis and news of her three to six month life time expectancy. The Emmy award winning actress is set to appear on The Doctors show on March 11.

The media has been reporting Valerie Harper’s terminal brain cancer diagnosis for the past week, featuring video footage from her friends and former cast mates sending their condolences. The 73-year-old actress most known for her roles on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and its spinoff, Rhoda.

As the rest of the world mourns her, while she’s still alive, Valerie Harper plans to stay optimistic while spending this time with her family. Dr Travis Stock, of The Doctors show, will be addressing Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis and why it is untreatable when Valarie Harper appears on the show.

Her sit down with husband, Tony Cacciotti, and Mary Tyler Moore co-stars, Ed Asner and Cloris Leachman is set to appear on Monday.

Valerie Harper survived lung cancer in 2009, while in Broadway show “Looped” (which she didn’t reveal until recently). That may have something to do with why her husband initially decided to hide the recent diagnosis from her. In her first on-camera interview since going public with her diagnosis, Valerie Harper reveals on the show that he waited to tell her because he was “bereft”, according to hollywoodreporter.com.

The diagnosis was given to Valerie Harper on January 15. Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis is a rare and incurable form of cancer in which cancer cells spread into the membrane. A team from the Los Angeles’ Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is said to be treating Valerie Harper’s brain cancer.

An outpour of love and support from the likes of Larry King, Hoda Kotb, and Wendy Williams has been sent via Twitter, according to latimes.com. Valerie Harper appeared on Good Morning America days before receiving the diagnosis. During that interview she described symptoms of the diagnosis she was still waiting for. She appeared on the show to promote her memoir, “I, Rhoda”.

“I don’t think of dying,” Valerie Harper told People, “I think of being here now.”
 

Number 23 says "I do"

Michael Jordan and Yvette Prieto file for a marriage license. The wedding is set for April 27th.

Michael Jordan is making headlines again. But this time it’s not about bashing Lebron James, shooting holes with Tiger Woods, or his possible lovechild. He and his longtime fiancée, Yvette Prieto, filed for a marriage license on Thursday at the Palm Beach County courthouse.

Yvette Prieto, 32, and Michael Jordan, 50, have been dating for over a year. The two announced their engagement in December 2011. The license is valid until May, but it’s uncertain whether or not the two will have a ceremony by then. Some rumors hint toward the couple planning an April wedding (27th).

Much like his basketball career, it’ll be Michael Jordan’s second turn at marriage. He was previously wedded to Juanita Vanoy from 1989-2006. He has three children from his previous marriage.

Unfortunately for the Cuban-American model, Yvette Prieto, the news of Michael Jordan’s current paternity suit, filled by Pamela Y. Smith, will overshadow her great news.

Pamela Y. Smith, 48, says Michael Jordan is the father of her 16-year-old son who goes by the name of Taj Jordan (better known as Grant Pierce Jay Jordan Reynolds).

The 16-year-old made a video of himself confessing to be Michael Jordan’s secret son and fourth child. His mother, Smith, says she filed the suit at the request of her son who desperately wants his alleged father to be more involved in his life. Michael Jordan denies the allegation, which would also prove an affair during his first marriage according to bleacherreport.com.

“If you’ve been hearing any rumors about I’m Michael Jordan’s son on [various media], it’s true… He knows I’m his son. I met him. We talked. Follow me on Twitter,” is the jest of what Taj Jordan had to say in his December 2012 Youtube video.

Yvette Prieto has been dating the five-time MVP since 2008. The two have been reportedly living together in Kendall, Florida since 2009. The former business management student is said to have filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2002.

Perhaps the next line of Jordan’s will feature the logo-sized Jordan dunking a bedazzled veil. And hopefully, his second marriage won’t be like his time playing for the Wizards after retiring from the Chicago Bulls.

International Women's Day

Feminist and non-feminist bond in light of women’s history.

Today is International Women’s Day, a day when feminist and anti-feminist make peace in the celebration of the advancement and current progress of women in politics, education and employment.

The first International Women’s Day (previously International Working Women’s Day) was celebrated on February 28, 1909, brought about by the achievement of women’s activist and their hope to improve poor labor conditions among seamstress and other garment and factory workers.

Many of the women who were treated unfairly, discriminated against, and/or abused during that time were immigrants. International Women’s Day is celebrated worldwide and is notably popular in Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, and Germany.

International Women’s Day is a day to remember how far women have come and how far women still have to go. Women can vote, but the number of women voted into politics is still grim. Women can work, but the number of employers willing to provide maternity leave or insurance that covers birth control and other female-only related issues are also grim, even though women are likely to pay more for insurance because they are women.

Women still make about 80 cents to their male co-workers dollar and many rallies and demonstrations are still being held worldwide to end sex trafficking, end domestic abuse and fight for reproductive rights.

International Women’s Day is a great day to engage in conversation with feminist and learn the history of The Women’s Movement or read Betty Friedan’s “The Feminine Mystique” and Bell Hooks’ “Ain’t I A Woman”. It’s a day of celebration and conversation about what must be done to further the progress of even the women who are comfortable with the current inequality and second-class citizen positions.

International Women’s Day is a great day for male feminist and other men to talk to one another (and the women in their lives) about the benefit of women’s progression and/or express their concerns about equality and how they feel it might hurt them.

International Women’s Day comes once a year but many organizations are celebrating and discussing women’s issues year round. The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (#CSW57) is in its 57th year and recently took on issues of violence against women and girls at its New York headquarters.

Lauren Silberman kicks for the NFL

Lauren Silberman is the first woman to try out for the NFL

Lauren Silberman, 28, is making news after failing to impress the dozens of media who gathered to watch the first woman to participate in the NFL regional scouting combine tryout on Sunday.

“I’m working hard to prepare but I’m also realistic about my chances. I hope my willingness to put myself out there inspires others to seize opportunities and challenges. The support from around the world has been so heartening,” Lauren Silberman told the The Associated Press before the event that now has NFL fans wondering how true that might have been.

Lauren Silberman never mentioned her best kicking distance. She only posted footage of her training and said that she hoped to make “perfect 60 yard field goals” during the day of tryouts.

She couldn’t have been any further from meeting her goals on Sunday.

Lauren Silberman was one of 39 kickers in the NY Jets training facility. Unfortunately for her, if any of her male counterparts did perform poorly it was overshadowed by the only woman on the field.

What should have been the best kick of her life turned into another excuse for female sports not to be taken seriously or be remotely compared to the ability of their male counterparts who have the advantage of being able to play college football before going to the NFL.

The former University of Wisconsin soccer player and MIT graduate had recently suffered a quadricep injury that may or may not have something to do with the kicks that landed no further than the 14 and 16 yard lines.

According to some, Lauren Silberman did not take time to practice her kicks beforehand and asked some of her competitors for tips before she approached the ball at six yards, four yards in front of the standard start line. She also struggled to place the ball on the tee.

Whether or not Lauren Silberman was a serious contender for the NFL or used as a promotion for the event is a serious question for NFL fans, especially some female athletes who now feel Silberman is now the set back of professional female athletes.

Jamie Lynn Spears is getting married

Jamie and Jamie are getting married

Jamie Lynn Spears’ engagement couldn’t come a better time than just a few weeks after her big sister “Brittney Bitch” aka Brittney Spears called off her engagement to Jason Trawick. But big sister Brittney isn’t bitter about it, she sent her love and blessings via Twitter Monday morning by posting “So excited and happy for my sister, congrats @jamielynnspears — love you.”
 
It was a response to Jamie Lynn Spears’ photo of her and her new fiancé, Jamie Watson, on Twitter. She also posted a close up of her ring, giving her approval of the sparkly rock by adding hashtag “Hedidgood”.
 
Jamie Lynn Spears responded to big sis Brittney, “ Loves you– Thanks!!”
 
Jamie Lynn Spears tweeted that she had the stomach flu and posted a photo of her sleeping with her daughter’s stuffed animal, “beary” a week before the announcement.
 
The couple have been dating off and on for three years. Jamie Watson, 30, mentioned the possibility of proposing to Jamie Lynn Spears, 21, in January during an interview with Page Six. He also cleared up rumors about the ring Jamie Lynn Spears had already been wearing on her ring finger for quite some time saying it was a gift and not a promise ring, according to nypost.com.
 
Jamie and Jamie, the “businessman” and aspiring country music artist, are known for their on again off again relationship. But the two have “been back together for a while now” said Jamie Watson. The Louisiana native is the owner of LA based company Advance Media Partners, which provides televisions and other high-end electronics to corporations, according to wetpaint.com.
 
The Nickelodeon child star (Jamie Lynn Spears) has been taking her time while working on her country music album in Nashville.
 
Jamie Lynn Spears was previously engaged to Casey Aldridge, the father of her four-year-old daughter, Maddie Briann Aldridge.
 
Brittney Spears and her fiancé called it quits after their four year relationship. The two had a “friendly” breakup and hope to remain friends. It is rumored that the mother of two from a previous marriage (to Kevin Federline) returned her $90,000 engagement ring.

Miami Heat does the Harlem Shake

Lebron the king and Dwyane the bear show us their dance skills in new Harlem Skake video.

The Miami Heat has joined in on the Harlem Shake dance craze. The viral video dance has become one of the most popular Youtube trends and is getting lots of attention from the media.

The Harlem Shake looks nothing like it did in the 90s. The once hardcore shoulder shimmy is now full on hip thrusting, arm flailing costume party. Universities, businesses and sports teams are all getting in on the fun.

The Miami Heat put on their best gear for the Harlem Shake. In the video, Lebron James is a twerk king, Dwyane Wade is a fancy disco bear, Chris Bosh is a dirty cowboy with a boom box, Mario Chalmers is Super Mario (doing a cross between gang signs and sign language. I’m not quite sure.), and Chris Andersen is a… mohawk eagle? It wasn’t serious enough for him to go bald.

The popular dance video usually starts with a loner dancing by themselves or a room full of people going about their normal lives for the first twenty seconds or so. Then, the beat (and video) fade out only to return full force with a crowd gone wild in costume, or lack there of, to music producer Baaur’s “Harlem Shake” song.

Many commentators are upset about the name of the dance, particularly the “Harlem”. Another video, “Harlems reaction to the Harlem Shake”, shows Harlem natives being upset and expressing feelings of being mocked by white society.

Lighten up ladies and gentlemen. It’s just dancing. And not everyone has enough rhythm to do the dance with one name but two styles. Perhaps one day, the two will forge into a new dance altogether. But for now, the less structured, less complicated, version is working for (almost) everyone except well, Psy. You know, that Gangnan Style  pistachio guy.
 

The Onion vs Quvenzhané Wallis

The Onion says sorry. But the writer responsible for the tweet remains silent.

The Onion isn’t sorry. And until the writer who is responsible for calling nine-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis a cunt gives his (or her) own personal apology to the young actress, the entire staff needs to be held accountable.

I’d like to speak for the black female demographic when I say that word was very painful to read and was directed towards us all. Calling a defenseless black female child out of her beautiful name is something to be angry about and it is never a laughing matter.

I have so many questions for the person who thought it was okay to call a child a cunt.

For a satire magazine that goes against conventionalism and pretends to not care about what others think, they clearly tried to lighten the blow by asking followers to agree with them, “right?”

Their poor rationalization of what every one else is thinking (“Every one else seems afraid to say it, but…”) didn’t work either. Who is everyone? I’m sure it’s not the black girls who’ve been sexually abused and called equally degrading names during the act. I’m also sure it’s not the black women who are still afraid to tell their own mothers, let alone law enforcement, about their childhood sexual abuse due to victim shaming.

I’m taking a wild guess here, but it’s probably not the black girls who are or have been victims of child prostitution either. Hell, it’s not even the black actresses who can’t get past being typecast as drug abusers, adult entertainers and mammys.

The “everyone” is The Onion, and only the onion- an office that probably consists of writers who know nothing about being black or female and fears the potential of a young black girl who isn’t afraid to correct the mispronunciation of her name.

Women and children of color are sexualized enough without the help of the media.

“You deserve better,” was the best part of Steve Hannah’s apology and the only part worthy of reading. Quvenzhané Wallis deserved to enjoy her night as an Oscar nominee and to be remembered for her graceful smile, muscle flexing and puppy purse. She did not deserve to have her big night ruined. She did not deserve to be remembered (or introduced) as being the girl The Onion called a cunt.

Revision: “Everyone else seems afraid to say it, but The Onion is kind of a chauvinistic misogynist publication that verbally abuses children who lack the vocabulary and media outlet to defend themselves, right? #Oscars2013”

Pet Food Stamps

Marc Okon, program founder and executive director of Pet Food Stamps, helps pet owners in need

Have you ever tried to pet a hungry chihuahua? It aint nothing pretty.

Pet food stamps may sound like a laughing matter but Marc Okon, program founder and executive director, is taking his initiative to aid pet owners who are on food stamp assistance very seriously. According to Today.com, there are more than 46 million Americans on food stamp assistance.

A large percentage of families who are dealing with unemployment, foreclosures and other financial hardships own cats, dogs, and other pets. Unfortunately, many pet owners have to decide between feeding themselves, feeding their pet, or finding a mutual alternative, like tuna, that may eventually leave them both malnourished.

Pet Food Stamps will use their donation based funds to help more families keep bacon on the table and Beggin Strips in the dog bowl. The program is also planning to assist families with free or heavily discounted veterinary visits later this year.

Pet Food Stamps hopes to prevent families from taking their pets to shelters, that may eventually put the animals to sleep, by giving qualified families a six month supply of pet food through a monthly allowance towards PetFoodDirect.com, an online pet food store that is not affiliated with the program.

Many families are already submitting their applications on the Pet Food Stamp programs website, PetFoodStamps.org. The site recently crashed several times after receiving 50,000 viewers per minute on Monday, according to AnimalTracks.Today.com.

Similar services can also be found at many local pet food banks. But those services are temporary and for those in dire need. Pet Food Stamps may be the first to supply long term care for pets of low income families. The New York based program is available nationwide.

Janet Jackson's wedding is so last year

Janet Jackson had yet another wedding and forgot to invite the media. Wissam Al Mana is one lucky guy.

Janet Jackson is married. Why this is anyone’s business but hers and her husband, Wissam Al Mana, is beyond me. But the media feels entitled to celebrity’s personal lives, especially that of the Jackson family. Be it in entertainment or local Chicago politics, Jackson is a hot name.

And if any female Jackson has the audacity to change that, she should at least phone the New York Times for permission. There’s no telling which rumor prompted the newlyweds to tell Entertainment  Tonight and later write a statement on Janet Jackson’s website on Tuesday. But the two said:

“Last year we were married in a quiet, private, and beautiful ceremony…”

In their announcement, Janet Jackson, 46, and Wissam Al Mana, 37, asked that their privacy is respected during their time of continued “celebration and joy”. The two dispelled all rumors of an elaborate extravagant ceremony by adding that their wedding gifts to one another were donations to each others favorite children’s charity.

The entertainment world is two steps behind with all the recent rumors about Wissam Al Mana flying Janet Jackson’s family to Qatar for a million dollar ceremony. The couple say’s it’s simply “not true”. The rumors are highly based off of Wissam Al Mana’s $1 billion net worth gained through his luxury fashion empire in the Middle East.

In 2011, VMAN magazine asked Wissam Al Mana about his dream woman. He answered:

“I think a man’s dream woman changes as he goes through different stages in his life. I’m fortunate to be dating my dream woman now.”

The couple began dating in 2010 but Janet Jackson was not mentioned in the interview.

This is Janet Jackson’s third marriage and the second marriage that she decided to keep private. Her first marriage was annulled three months in and the second lasted for eight years. According to ABCNews.go.com, her second marriage wasn’t announced until the divorce in 2000.

Chris Culliver says "no homo"

Chris Culliver, another homophobic athlete, apologizes for being homophobic in public.

Chris Culliver is under fire for telling a radio host that there are no gay players on his team. The 49er’s player apologized PR style soon after saying his previous statement is not what’s in his heart.

The NFL released a statement reminding fans that they support the LGBT community but no consequences have been brought upon the cornerback who says NFL players should wait 10 years after retiring from football to come out of the closet. Chris Culliver also said it would be inappropriate for a gay player to be in the locker room, assuming that any gay man would find him handsome enough to sexually harass.

Chris is quoted saying, “I don’t do the gay guys, man. I don’t do that… Ain’t got no gay people on the team. They gotta get up outta here if they do. Can’t be with that sweet stuff.”

I thought this was a story until I read the actual quote. Then I realized it was just another ignorant illiterate overpaid athlete using his freedom of speech prior to taking a speech course. His ideas of homosexuality are very juvenile, “sweet stuff”? seriously?

I’ve never seen a statistic but I’m pretty sure there are a great number of gay men who are much more masculine than Chris Culliver. Considering the recent story of former 49er Kwame Harris, I’m also pretty sure that Chris Culliver’s allegations of being on an all hetero team is inaccurate. But it probably helps him sleep better at night knowing that he has skipped around and played towel ass au naturel in a locker room full of naked men.

Hopefully the NFL does a bit more than apologize by putting a rainbow in their super bowl advertisement. We’ll know how they really feel if Chris Culliver plays in this Sundays game.

“Sweet stuff”… What a tart idiot.