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by Lisa Collins
Star-studded Premiere For “ i ’m Going
To Get You Sucka” :
Keenan Ivory W ayans was beaming the
other night at the star-studded Los Angeles
prem iere o f his first film, “ I’m Gonna
G et You Sucka” . Among those on hand
were fellow “ black pack” member and
superstar Eddie Murphy with his band of
m ightym en bodyguards, Jim Brown,
B em ie Casey, N ia Peeples, Anne Marie
Johnson, Byron A llen jan et DuBois
(escorted by her handsome son), Kadeem
H ardison, Dawnn Lewis, and castmate
C ham elle Brown. After the showing of
the film, the guests made their way to
“ H ollyw ood L ive” , an LA nitery, for a
festive after party .where perhaps most
eyes were focused on the actions of
Eddie Murphy, who held court in a comer,
surrounded by his bodyguards, until his
sw ift departure some forty-or so minutes
later.
H ardison Makes Film Bow: One of the
funniest roles in the "S u c k a ” spoof was
that o f Kadeem Hardison, who bowed in
as one o f the film ’s bad guys. Hardison,
w ho wants to do more film, is pleased
with the role, which is a far cry from his
Dwayne Wayne character-(“ A Different
W orld’s ” would-be ladies man). But
fact is, Hardison, a self-professed
hom ebody, who likes alot o f time to
him self, finds all the female attention he
gets as part o f the fall-out from the
success o f a hit TV series, amusing. “ I
didn’t even see m yself as good-looking
until I was 16,” said the 23-year old
actor. “ It’s kind o f funny. All o f a
sudden, you get respect, but hey,i’ll take
it’...Team ed up with Kadeem H ardison
as a bad guy was 28-year old, Damon
W ayans, who says it was “ a thrill o f the
lifetim e’ ’, to work w ith his older brother,
Keenan, (the film ’s writer, director and
star). W ayans, whose role in the film is
impressive, said “ i’m only in show
business to work with my brother. It’s
funny, the characters we did in this movie,
were characters that we used to do way
back when we were growing up in New
Y ork.”
Bonet W ill Sit O ut The Season: Actress
L isa B onet has decided that for the time
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being she’s better suited for the role of
mother and wife, and probably w on’t be
returning to work for a while. At least
that’s the word from Cosby Show/
Different W orld co-executive producer
Marcy Carsey, who said that Bonet ‘ ‘wants
to spend time
,with her child and
husband” . Carsey did, however, express
hope that Bonet could be back on one of
the shows this fall. But, according to
insiders, Bonet is hardly missed on either
show.
Eddie Gives Arsenio A Boost: It seems
when Eddie Murphy guests on the Arsenio
Hall show , ratings go right through the
roof. At least,that’s what happened last
week when Eddie’s visit on the show
resulted in A rsenio’s highest ratings yet.
In fact, in most o f the markets surveyed,
his ratings were double that o f CBS ’ Pat
Sajak Show and N B C ’s Late Night with
D avid Letterman.
Looking Back: 78-year old Butterfly
McQueen, the first black to be nominated
for an academy aw ard (in the category of
supporting actress for her role in ‘ ‘Gone
W ith The W ind” ), said she w asn’t too
thrilled about the role. “ Prissy was
stupid and backw ard and lazy ” .
M cQueen, on hand for the 50th
anniversary celebration o f the film at the
Los angeles County Museum o f Art,
received a standing ovation as she was
introduced. (Just 10 members o f the
original cast are still alive). Incidentally,
M cQueen will make her return to the
silver screen sometime this year in a film
which will co-star Phyllis Diller and
Gladys Knight.
Short Takes: A ctor Tim Reid not moping
about the cancellation of ‘ ‘Frank’s Place’ ’.
Instead, he’s busy developing two other
projects for CBS and he’s nabbed some
guest stints on “ W iseguy” ...A meeting
between “ D ifferent W orld” director
Debbie Allen and the Rev. Jesse Jackson
could mean an upcoming guest appearance
for Jackson on the series...A1 B. Sure
departs the ‘ ‘ Heartbreak ” tour th is week
to begin work in his first acting role in a
film titled” Go B everly” .
Next week: find out what went on
backstage at this year’s Grammy Awards.
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D iana Ross M oves Back To Motown--
Lock, Stock & Equity Owner:
M otown Records has announced that
Diana Ross is returning to the label both
as an artist and equity owner. Ross, 44,
who originally left Motown in 1980. was
signed to MCA when it joined forces
with Boston Ventures to purchase the
label from Berry Gordy last June for $61
million. As part of this new agreement.
Ross has invested an undisclosed amount
into the label. In return, Ross will receive
part of the 20% minority ownership stake
that Gordy made a condition o f the sale.
In her partnership role, Ross will sit in on
M otow n’s Advisory com m ittee,and will
also play a part in bringing new talent
aboard. According to Motown president
Jheryl Busby,’’sh e’s already come up
with some great ideas and concepts.” In
a prepared statement, Ross proclaimed
delight with her new association with
M otown, adding that she was "looking
forward to assuming a partnership position
as well as an artistic role in M otow n.”
Ross will release an album for the label
A 1989 world tour will
in May.
follow...M eanwhile, talks with Solar
Records chief, Dick Griffey, have been
suspended. M otown has slated a press
conference, presumably to address both
the dissolution of M otown/Solar talks,
as well as the Diana Ross announcement.
(W e,11 have the details in next w eek’s
colum n edition).
W ill Emerge ever truly emerge: W ell,
according to its the m agazine’s New
York staff, the answer. The publication
is now slated to hit the stands sometime
this fall, with the original investors still
in tow. If you’ll recall, it was just three
weeks before it’s first scheduled launch,
last Septem ber, Tim e Inc. backed out
when Syndicated Com m unications, the
m agazine's prim ary investor failed to
com e up with all o f their share. Time
Inc., however, has kept their word to go
ahead with the project once the additional
backing was found. Ames, however, is
still working toclosc deals with potential
investors that will seal a more solid
financial outlook for the magazine, which
is targeting upscale, professional blacks
as it’s core reading audience.
Poitier Showcases 21st Century House
With $3 Million Price-tag: Sidney Poitier
will co-host a party (with actor Robert
W agner) this weekend to showcase to
the design/art/business community “ the
first house of the 21st C entury” . The
h o u se ,d u b b e d “ the C h a rle sto n
E state” .because of its blend o f 21st-
Century technology with a “ 20’s like
feeling o f a stately m anor” , is expected
to sell for between $3 and 4.5 million,
for such features as voice-controlled
com puters that operate fiber-optic and
laser lights, along with its collectors-
item, sculptures and murals.
M otown Productions Scores Big: The
eight-hour, $20 m illion production of
“ Lonesom e D ove” took center stage in
over 23.6 million American households,
and marked the debut o f Motown
Productions as a viable, new star in the
Hollywood business community. The
adaptation of the best-selling novel, which
could prove to be the season’s most
watched mini-series, was the brainchild
o f M otow n’s other w onder-Suzanne
Dcpasse. There was at first major concern
that “ Dove” couldn’t deliver the ratings.
Berry Gordy had his own doubts. But
according to CBS, the numbers for
“ D ove” make it the 14th highest-rated
m iniseries in TV history. (“ R oots”
rem ains num ber one).
M otow n,
guaranteed a tidy $1 m illion profit, is
now set to split distribution revenues to
come.
Looks Can Be Deceiving: While it appears
that blacks are gaining acceptance in
advertising, a recent Screen Actor’s Guild
report indicates that just 11.93 o f all TV
advertising roles in 1987 were filled by
minority actors. W hat’s more, it was
revealed that Proctor & G am ble, the
nation’s biggest advertiser, spent only
$2.5 million on advertising in black media
annually, com pared to $20 million in
Latino advertising.
"A society is what tie teach our children ML must
teach them that they can learn, succeed, achieve
no matter the homes, neighborhoods, or schools
they come from'
Marva Collins
The mind is a wonderful thing If you want to achieve
something, and you re willing to work hard at it, you
can move in the right direction '1
Reginald F. Lewis
"Service is what life is all about It never occurred to me
not to be involved in the community"
Marion Wright Edelman
Black History Is Alive
History is more than something that
happened years a g o -it is measured through
excellence in commitment, service, achieve­
ment, and communication History is created
every day by saying, "I care and I can"
When Marva C ollins founded Chicago's
Westside Preparatory School in 1975, she also
revolutionized education She embraces the
' unteachable" and the forgotten by fighting
labels and giving her students goals, discipline
and confidence "Can't" is just another four-
letter word, and her students excel She has
won awards and recognition from presidents,
universities, and citize n s-b u t none equal
her satisfaction in giving children the tools
and the desire to learn, grow, and contribute
to society
When Reginald F. Lewis bought the giant,
$2.5 billion Beatrice International Foods Corp
in 1987, he also took a giant step on a lifelong
path o f achievement The 1968 Harvard Law
School graduate "fell in love at first sight"
w ith economics and finance as an undergrad
He is known as "a problem solver who
shows others what is possible if they spend a
little more energy" And, as head of the
nation's largest Black-owned corporation,
Reginald F Lewis has shown m illions o f
business p e o p le -m in o rity and non-m inority
alike - exactly w hat is possible if you
w ork for it.
M arion W rig h t Edelman never gives up
on our future Called "one o f our most power
ful lobbyists’,' she founded the Children's
Defense Fund in 1973 to speak for a neglected
m aioritv the nation's children CDF lobbies
tirelessly on issues like Head Start, education
for the handicapped, foster care, and health
and nutrition programs Edelman's goal is to
provide "positive life options for our young
and our poor" She is a master strategist
and team builder, a woman w ho believes
a solution exists for every problem
U S WEST is proud to salute these modern-
day history makers Not only do they achieve
success, but they communicate it to others-
and communication is something U S WEST
knows all about They are living proof that
Black History is alive and well and happening
right now
UW/VEST
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