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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (March 2, 1989)
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ BEHIND THE Ì SCENES Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem IbtJUJNlJ * * 1CCÍPCICT * * hv L isa Collins. W here Did Todd Bridges Go W rong: His mon says it was the drugs and Todd is now a different person, but those who have been close to Todd say it was partly his arrogance and partly a recklessness that fostered his drug habit. Nonetheless, on February 17, former actor, Todd Bridges, who co-starred in the N BC hit series ‘ ‘D if f rent Strokes’ ’, will have to tell it to the judge when he answ ers charges of attem pted murder, at a prelim inary hearing. The charges stem from an incident at a Los Angeles “ ro ck ” house, in which a man shot five tim es, fingered Bridges as his assailant. Bridges, who pleaded not guilty, was declared a danger to the community and is being held w ithout bond. If convicted, he could face as severe a p e n a lty as life- im prisonm ent....M eanw hile D itfre n t Strokes Star Gary Colem an Filed Suit Against His Parents: Last Tuesday, in Santa Monica Superior Court, actor Gary Coleman charged that his parents (W.G. and Edm onia Colem an) and a former business adviser, Anita DeThomas, “ improperly profited” from the monies he earned during his TV success, diverting the funds to themselves. The suit also alleges the the trio invested unwisely and m ism anaged his assets. The law suit did not specify what Colem an, who turned 21 ju st last week, will seek in dam ages, but did say that the actor felt his parents to have been duly influenced by DeThomas. Coleman, w ho’s been acting since he was five, cam e to prom inence in 1978 as Arnold Jackson on “ D iff rent Strokes” , a series that had been designed ju st for him. Cam paigning For Best Actor: W arner Bros is putting a great deal behind its thrust to have Forest W hitaker taken into consideration for an Oscar. W h itak er, w ho gave a b rillia n t perform ance in the movie “ B ird’ .also already received a Golden Glove nom ination for best actor. It was the first lead role for the 27-year old actor Order Black Achiever» Activities Books for Children, Grades K-8th. who portrayed jazz altosaxophonist fey These books pinpoint Black inven tors through astronauts. Garland Lee Thompson Charlie “ Y ardbird” Parker. Ironically, * W hitaker claimed to have know n very little about Parker before taking the role smokey Bares All In New Book: It is * ■ billed as Smokey’s own story and details * his record successes and personal failures, including the cocaine abuse that * threatened his life and career. The * book, slated to be released next month, * and retailing for S 18.95, also tells the * real story behind his wife’s tragic attempts ______ * to have a child and their ultimate success with “ adoption” using a newly < introduced technology for surrogacy, * the reasons for his break from the * M iracles, and about the other women in * his life and how they affected his * m arriage....But, Smokey isn ’t the only R&B star who is putting his life to * paper. Gladys Knight is putting the * final touches on the autobiography she’s * doing for New American Library, called * “ Contrary To Popular O pinion” . Once * finished, she will team up with Dionne * W arwick and Patti LaBelle for a * “ Sisters” tour. Short Takes: Heads turned when * superstars Lionel Richie and Michael * Jackson turned up to dine and no doubt, * talk business at Ma M aison Restaurant * in Beverly Hills.. ..Sad to report of A nita Baker’s recent m iscarriage. It would * have been the first child for Baker who * was married on Christmas Eve. Marilyn * M cCoo has been meeting to discuss the * possibility of a co-starring spot in an * all-black version of the Broadway hit— “ 42nd Street” , which is being planned * for a spring opening..Ben Vereen, who * is the celebrity spokesman for Drug- * Free America, will be honored at a * congressional reception on March 7th, * hosted by Senators Ted Kennedy and Orrin Hatch, for his work in advising * youngsters through-out the country of * Grades $6.95 ca. ___ K-4Vol. II Inventors ____ ___ 5-8V ol. Ill In Space ____ ___ 5-8 Yol. IV Women Maya Angelou sales. M otow n/Solar M erger—On Again, O ff A gain? It was alm ost official or so everyone thought until last week talks between Motown and Solar ceased. And while, there is no official word yet as to the status o f the deal, it appears that talks may once again be underway after is was reported that some irreconcilable differences betw een Dick Griffey and Motown had caused negotiations to sour. A Hollywood trade reported last week that the deal, which has been in negotiation now since October, had fallen through due to the inflexibility o f Solar Records chief Dick Griffey. W ord is G riffey, who ju st recently settled out- o f-c o u rt a b re a c h o f c o n tra c t/ discrim ination suit h e’d filed against W arner Com m unications, Inc., is said to be in a financial bind. M odel Black Businessman Sued For M isuse O f Funds In N ation’s Second Biggest Credit Union Failure On Record: A federal grand jury is now looking into th e N a tio n a l C re d it U n io n A dm inistration’s charges o f fraud and m isuse o f funds against businessm an Law rence King, 44, in the failure of Franklin Com m unity Federal Credit Union, in O m aha, Neb. The institution ____ _ Add $.25 per book for postage THE QUEEN OF “ THE to w riie a rtid e s .s h o n s m c s a n d p o c m s for national periodicals. She currently BLACKS” G R A C E S“ OCR is a Reynolds Professor o f American Studies at W ake Forest University in TOW N” WITH POETRY W inston-Salem , North Carolina, where AND WIT I plan to see her again at National Black W ednesday afternoon, February 23rd. Theatre Conference this sum m er of It was lunch at the Heathman Hotel, August, 1989. PORTLAND ARTS & “ the watering hole” ol Portland literary LECTURES PRESENTS and art circles, after our (IFCC) matinee Maya Angelou returns to town, after o f “ The C olored M useum ” (as three years, during Black History, ’89, dram aturg/production stage manger, at the invitation of the Portland Arts & currently running at the W inningstad Lectures Series. Under producers, Julie Theatre). I joined my fellow journalist, Mancini and Phil O tum , a sellout crowd Stephen M cPherson, seating with our dear friend and artist, Maya Angelou, gathered at First Congregational Church the original “ Q ueen” of Jean G enet s last Thursday night, February 23rd, to great tragic-farce, “ the Blacks.” She see and hear Angelou present her poetry, was and is still “ The Q ueen” of “ The storytelling, the poems o f Langston Blacks,” theatrically speaking and Hughes, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Edna St. V incent Malay, Ann Spencer (19th perhaps in other dimensions as well. the dangers o f drugs and alcohol....N ext * century black poet), Mari Evans (current W hile recalling the opening of that New week: A report on the star;studded Los * black woman poet, living in Indiana) York, East Village theatre production Angeles prem iere of “ I’m Gonna G et (then the longest running O ff Broadway and many others. * , . - . » < • - » » » l • - _- You Sucka” . dramatic play), “ Her M ajesty,” Maya Dressed in an elegant black sequin- * Angelou, “ held court” Throughtout topped gown, she turned pages slowly * the afternoon, sipping her white wine, as she moved sm oothly from side to * light lunch and letting me nibble at her side and wiped her brow gently as she * whole w heat bread and butter, she sat eased carefully through her poem s of * regally weaving her powerful personal self-love, that stated: “ If I have the tales and m oments of the history o f her luck to be Black on a Saturday night” * experience as an actress with the super and “ Poem for old Black m en.” (A was closed down by federal regulators * hit Jean New York and gave a host of good actress can get aw ay with alm ost in November o f last year, after some $37 million in funds was discovered * great and near great Black actors, such anything.) I rem em ber great lines that missing. King, who had been praised * as James Earl Jones, Cecily Tyson, rocked the SRO (standing room only), for his community work and positive * Roscoe Lee Browne, Helen Martin, mainly white house, learning about Black role model im age, is now being cast as * Godfrey Cam bridge, etc., some much History, such as the one from the poem needed work exposure and training. a man who used the institution’s funds of M ari Evans, “ W here have you gone * Later, after I came to New York with with the rent rqoney.” She gave us Paul to finance a lavish lifestyle that included limousines, excessive personal charges, * the Charlc G ordone [play, “ No Place Laurence Dunbar’s “ Little Brown Baby To Be Somebody (he originally played with sparkling eyes,” “ M asks,” Ann and a high-political profile. (In ’84, the Valet in “ The B lacks” . , I worked Spencer’s “ Letter to my sister” and King threw a party for several hundred Republican conventiongoers at D allas’ with her as a stage m anager when she Langston H uges’ poem, describing the Southfork Ranch). Already, the empire received a Tony nomination for her rich tapestry of people o f color in, King built, is crum bling, as he’s had to T? performance in 1973 for her Broadway “ H arlem ’s Sugar H ill.’ ’ Miss Angelou, sell off some personal holdings to pay * debut in Jerome K ilty’s play, ‘ Look as she insisted to called (when a young legal fees that are expected — -------- r ---------- to reach A w ay.” The piece was about Mary W hite woman questioner addressed her $500,000. His wife, Alice, was also Todd Lincoln and her Black seamtress/ from the floor as “ M aya’ ’), gave us one nam ed in the suit. According to one confidantc, Elizabeth Kecklcy, starring of my favorite poets, Edna St. V incent Om aha insider, the black com m unity is with G eraldine Page at the 48th Street M alay’s poem, stating “ That is all I being very hush-hush about the matter. C Playhouse with Rip Tom directing. will do for death WRITING BROUGHT HER “ It’s a touchy subject. H e’s helped a * “ R everend” Angelou, who was raised lot of people. No one really knows RELIEF FROM THE (3 -1 3 yrs) in Stamp, Arkansas, standing w hat to believe.” +C PROBLEMS OF LIVING in the pulpit, delivered her “ serm on” Dwight Gooden becomes highest salaried Maya Angelou has written three in rhyme, song and moving stories, as pitcher in baseball history: NY Mets C aut^biographical novels, “ I Know Why she “ preached” of love, great Black pitcher, Dwight Gooden, 24, became The Caged Bird Sings” (1970): “ Gather and W hite poetry and carried on the highest salaried M et when he signed £ Together in My N am e” (1974); and som ething fiece, while slowly pulling a three-year, $6.7 million pact that could “ Singin’ and Swingin’ and Gettin’ Merry the audience in and releasing us with actually net him more than $7.8 million. Like C hristm as” (1976). Earlier in such soulful mom ents as the piece about Terms of the agreement call for a $500.00 1971, She published a collection of 39 the man, who said: ‘ ‘The woman I love signing bonus; $2.25 m illion sa la ry - poems, “ Just G ive Me a Cool Drink of is fat, and chocolate to the bone. And 1989; $1.7 m illion-1990; and $2.25 W ater ‘Fore I d iiie ,” which earned her every time she shakes. Some skinny million in 1991. Among other provisions , a nomination for a Pulitzer Prize. Other woman loses her hom e.” m in a m Gooden o o u e u v could u u iu receive jw v i.v books by Ms. Angelou include: “ Oh in tne the pact are that $100,000 if voted W orld Series MVP; pray My W ings are G onnaFit Me Well; N o w Isay .co m eb ack .M s.M ay a.co m e $50,000 if voted a playoff MVP; still I Rise; “ The Heart of A back, A n g elo u ,‘cause we love to have $100,000 for a Cy Young Award, and W oman; “ Shaker, W hy Don’t you you for “ tea and d o ,” at the Heathman $25,000 if he is selected for an all-star Sing?;” ’ “ All G od’s Children Need too. W rite on, to “ the a T rained” lady r Traveling Shoes;” and “ Now Sheba M aya, Queen of “ The Blacks” and game. do,” and a lot of lovin’ W hite folks Sucker Deal Pays Off: The gamble has P Sings the Song. ___ too! “ Jum p back, like she say in the paid off for United Artists in its funding A COLLEGE PROFESSOR poem , jum p back!” And I say, "w rite o f “ I’m Gonna G it You Sucka” -3 0 - +C NOW Ar In the past, she had edited a ncwsweekly on, with ya “ jum p back” self! “ Jump year old Keenen Ivory W ayans parody published in C airo, Egypt andcontinues b a c k " real soon, y ’all hen-0-------------- of the 70’ sblaxploitation films, starring * W ayans, Jim Brown. Dawnn Lewis, Isaac Hayes and Bem ie Casey. United * Artists advanced W ayans $3 million to * do the film. By last w eekend, “ Sucka’ * which only this week prem iered in Los * Heating Oils Angeles, had already grossed over $8 * million. Next week: W ill Em erge, the 1 0 4 N .E . R u s s e ll S t. m agazine targeting buppics, ever truly * * P o r t la n d , O R 9 7 2 1 2 em erge. Find out next week Amt K-4Vol. I Inventors ____ Mail to: Mills Enterprises P. O. Box 11072 Portland, Oregon, Oregon 97211 Telephone (503) 681-0874 PIZZA HUT ALL-STAR SOFTBALL CLASSIC RAISES $50,000 FOR THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR SICKLE CELL DISEASE ON THE MONEY CC1 Hopes For Out-Of-Court Settlement W ith Dick Gregory: Last October, Com edian Dick Gregory filed a federal lawsuit, accusing the directors o f the nutrition com pany he f o u n d e d - Correction Connection, Inc. o f trying to force him to sell his stock. The company’s director, in turn countercharged that the com edian had incurred over $160,000 in questionable American Express charges. Ju st last week, a company spokesm an said that they are working tow ards an out-of-court settlement. At the request o f G regory’s legal counsel, a prior court date had been pushed back. Recently, G regory, who remains on the board o f directors, but is not active in the com pany’s day-to-day operations, was cited in violation o f an court order that prohibits him from distributing the product, other than through mail order Qty 4 2589 lebnu-y 5 1989 ofiaÉB P NM ioiìa Associ •pii pISe.,se| $ ¡50000 00 fifty Thousand ami ------------- DOLLARS u&uueat '■ ifls&3teo A I r7 ' -K T -K -X W ICHITA, KS, February 23, 1989 - The sixth Annual Pizza H ut A ll-Star Softball Classic held on Sunday, February 5th and televised live by NBC Sports W orld, raised $50,000 for the National Association for Sickle Cell D isease (N ASCD). The funds will be used for research to help bring about a cure for the deadly disease which affects more than two million Black Americans. (Pictured left to right) Dr. Nelson McGhee, immediate past chairm an o f the Board for NASCD; Ms. Zem ona Clayton, Chairman o f the Board for NASCD; Antoine M ilton, National Poster Child for Sickle Cell Disease; Ms. Dorothye Boswell, Executive Director for NASCD and Steven S. Reinem und, President and C hief Executive O fficer of Pizza Hut, Inc., gather around the check presented to the N ASCD following the game. The Pizza Hut Annual Softball Classic pits professional baseball stars from the N ational and American Leagues in a 7-inning gam e o f slow-pitch softball. This year’s gam e, played at the Boardwalk & Baseball am usem ent park in O rlando, Florida, was won by the National League 20 to 14. Andre Dawson of the Chicago Cubs was the Most Valuable Player o f the game. 1- MRS C’S WIGS W H O L E S A L E & R E T A IL i “And •k T H U N D R E D S O F W IG S FOR YOUR EVERCHANGING LFESTYLES i l . 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