Page 4 Portland Observer JULY 20,1989
Lisa Collins
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ENTERTAINMENT
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BEHIND THE
SCENES
Everyone Ls talking about excerpts from the book, “ Fire & Fear: The
inside Story Of Mike Tyson,' ’ which is due out this month. The book, which
is written by Jose Torres, a former boxer and Tyson confidante, details just
some of what went on in the now celebrated marriage of Tyson to actress
Robin Givens, while providing some insight into the psyche of heavyweight
champ, Mike Tyson. In the book Tyson says, “ The best punch I ever threw
was at Robin Givens. Man, I’ll never forget that punch. She really olfended
me and I went bam. She flew backward, hitting every....,wall in the
apartment.’’ In another excerpt Tyson is quoted as saying, “ I like to hurt
women when 1 make love to lhem....it gives me pleasure.” According to a
Tyson insider, the book doesn’t even touch the real insanity of Ty son.Givens
is not talking much these days to the press, especially with regards to her ex­
hubby, even though she was quoted as saying she was still in love with the
champ...Speaking of ex-wives, Richard Pryor’s ex (and the mother of two
of his children) has decided to pursue a recording career on “ DelSlamin
Records You’ll be able to judge for yourself just how talented she is with
her soon-to-be-released LP, “ In Like Flynn,” The upcoming single off the
LP is ironically enough entitled “ Hollywood Faker.”
S in b a d -T h e Gift T hat M akes Him Special: “ When they first put me
on the show (“ A Different W orld” ), to be honest I thought they were going
to let me play a crazy character...so when I got on and I was like the straight
man, I was dying inside. 1 said, ‘oh God, they could have gotten a real actor
to do this. But the second year, Debbie Allen and Bill Cosby said, let him
go and they let me do my thing and I thank them so much. They are the
reason that my character has evolved.” Today, oilers for the 6 5 , 32-year
old comic are plentiful. He’s touring this summer and entertaining the idea
of doing a role in a film based on the life of Jimi Hendrix, but he is not
switching gears.Said Sinbad “ I’ll be acomic for the restof my life. I’ll never
give that up. That’s the gift that makes you special. I would love to do a
variety show like Carol Burnett or the Flip Wilson Show. Thai’s my goal.
Perhaps the most refreshing part of Sinbad’s comedy is that he s managed
to steer clear of the obscenities that all too often color today s comedians.
“ My mama would hurt me,” he laughs, and then pauses. ‘ ‘ Some people like
to hear that and that’s okay. But, I also want as many people as possible to
come to my shows. And the challenge is to keep it clean. I’m just being who
I am. Plus I have two kids and I don’t want them repeating what I say if I said
stuff like that.”
On the home front, recording artist Vannessa Williams recently gave
birth to a baby girl, Jillian It is the second child for Williams and hubby
Ramone Hervey...Elsewhere on the home front, James Pulliam, lather of
Keshia Knight Pulliam, the 10- year old “ Cosby Show” co-star, is asking
that the writers tone down her character.While admitting that his daughter
is precocious, he feels that in the last season the character has gone beyond
what is appropriate for a little girl. Said Pulliam: when you see Rudy, this
adorable little girl, using words like “ lie” and having these grown-up
conversations about babies and love, it makes me wonder.” S hort Takes:
Blair Underwwood has been signed to star in an NBC-TV movie based on
the incident that sparked the controversial film, Mississippi Burning.” The
telepic will coincide with the 25th anniversary of the now infamous
“ freedom summer” of 1964. Filming is slated to begin this summer....NBC’s
“ Generations,” the first soap opera to feature blacks in prominent leads, is
a bonafide hit in the eyes of network execs, who say it has done better in the
ratings than they had forecast it would...Next week:Find out whatever
happened to “ F lashdance” sensation, Jennifer Beals.
IBCHJMD
ICEIPCICT
by Garland Thompson
FIRST SOUTH AFRICAN
PLAY READ AT PORTLAND
CIVIC THEATRE
The Portland Civic Theatre, Port­
land’s oldest community theatre,
presented a reading on Monday eve­
ning, July 10, 1989, of a new play,
“ Young Diplomats,” by South Afri­
can playwright, Selaelo Mardedi (the
author of “ Homeland,” a play re­
cently presented at the IFCC The­
atre). It marks the first presentation
of a play (in the theatre’s Blue Room)
by a Black playwright in the history
of Portland Civic Theatre. The spe­
cial reading and critique of the play
was sponsored through the Civic
Theatre’s children School.
SOUTH AFRICAN PLAY­
WRIGHT’S LATEST PLAY
The author, who is now in Port­
land, after working and touring
throughout the United States (From
New York to Los Angeles and San
Francisco), has joined the new North­
west African American Writers Work­
shop at the Portland Urban League,
founded by Useni Perkins, and plans
to present his new work, “ Young
Diplomats,” and other plays of his,
here in the community. A larger turn­
out of interested Portland theatre art­
ists were on hand to hear Maredi’s
new work and join in the critique
analysis and discussion of the play,
that was read by a group of young
Black and White actors, who are
connected to the Theatre’s children
School.
A CHILDREN THEATRE
PROJECT OF THE PLAY IN
THE WORKS
The playwright indicated that the
management and staff of the Port­
land Civic Theatre’s Children School,
has the new piece under considera­
tion for a special children’s theatre
project at the theatre, w ith the date of
the pending production to be an­
the Right Thing,” have received tram
critics,such as Abiola Sinclair of the
New York Amsterdam News, and
moviegoers, it is comparable to the
enthusiastic reception he and his crew
got while they were on location mak­
ing the film.
“ No matter what anyone says about
him. Spike’s hero to us because he
works and lives with us.” says a
young 18-year old black man
ofBrooklyn, New York’s Bedford-
Stuyvesant neighborhood. Some of
the story of Brooklyn’s experience
and reaction to being part of “ Do
The Right Thing,” filming, was,
according to an local resident, whose
house was used as the central head­
quarters for a short while during pre-
production activities for the Spike
Lee film: “ a learning experience for
nn the block We see how
effectively things can get worked out
with the City Council, the police and
fire department, property owners, city
agencies and merchants when all
concerned are interested in “ Doing
The Right Thing, the resident further
concluded.”
With the help of neighborhood
residents like that woman, sorting
out “ block” logistics was no prob­
lem for this new B lack movie-maker
of the eighties.
Lee filmed thorough September
12th, in record-breaking temperatures
and met the very real challenge of
providing adequate security on the
set, by hiring the Fruit of Islam of the
Black Muslin Nation of Islam.They
were on the job for 24 hours a day for
the duration of the shooting sched­
ule. “ The brothers, dressed in suits
and ties, commanded respect and
offered it to all, from neighborhood
residents to cast members, according
to all reports from neighbors and
business people. Also, when the Fruit
of Islam people moved in, crack and
drug dealers took their business else­
where, without fanfare or fight (Deep,
and did you hear that, Black United
Front!). Says Lee, ‘ ‘people knew we
meant business.” (I Love it and his
name is Lee, also.)
Even the NYPD officers assigned
to cover the filming were impressed,
said one, “ I feel as though I’m doing
absolutely nothing.”
AFRICAN AMERICAN URBAN
LIVING
A wonderful thing happens on the
way to the end of “ Do The Right
Thing.” Lee transforms African
American urban living, the humor,
the rhythms, the vibrant sounds, the
rich (saffron-sienna-blooded) colors,
the relationships - into one huge
moving provocative mural. “ Do The
Right Thing ,” is about a lot of
things, tragic-comic - that could and
have happened on many blocks in
cities across this country of America
and such places as the Caribbean (Ja­
maica and the Bahamas)-. Spike Lee
continues to enjoy success among
the people whose portraits he depicts
and “ paints” because he is faithful
to his vision as well as his commu­
nity and old neighborhood. Write on.
Spike. Sec “ Doing The Right Thing,”
currently running at the Guild The­
atre “ right” here in our City of Port­
land, who is experiencing its own
• ‘ urban problem s.testsw iththedrug
and gang warfare. Check it out film
& theatre fans. Write on.
nounced. The Portland Civic The­
atre has never in its long history, ever
presented a new play by an African
or an American Black writer, which
will mark this project and event, the
first in its forty plus year history of
producing local theatre in the City of
Portland. Write on.
Black Investors Buy Denver Nuggets: Black businessman and finan­
“ DO THE RIGHT THING,”
cier Bertram Lee and Chicago businessman C.B. Bynoe, led a group of
SAYS
BLACK FILM-MAKER,
black investors in the purchase of the Denver Nuggets, making it the first
SPIKE LEE
minority -owned major league professional sports franchise. The group paid
The
“
hottest”
new Black film­
S65 million for their team, in what Lee termed a “ non-subsidized business
maker on “ the movie scene,” today
transaction” , Said Bynoe: “ we think this, for us, is an opportunity, a
is Spike Lee ( “ School Daze” ), who
business opportunity .If other issues evolve out of that process, if we become
hand-carried his first super hit film,
role models for other people, if we set a standard for excellence and profes­
“ She’s Got To Have It,” to the Cannes
sionalism, then w e’re very proud and happy with that. For Lee, who serves
Film Festival in the south of France.
as chairman of Boston-based BML Associates, Inc. as well as the Boston
It “ blew the elite film and french
Bank of Commerce: “ the buy was good for the psyche of African-
folk away,’ ’ a couple of seasons ago,
Americans” , while stressing in one interview the fact that blacks owned
and now he was back there with his
most of the teams in the segregated Negro baseball leagues that flourished
latest film, “ Do The Right Thing,”
before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947... Meanwhile Lee and
doing “ the Cannes thing” again and
his Boston investment firm—B.M.L. Associates, have taken the lead in the
getting over’ ’ even more than he had
pending takeover of M&M Products. M&M, which posted $20 million in
done with his premiere piece. Lee
1988 sales, ranks 36th among the nation’s largest black-owned firms. The
was one of the American hits and
firm, which was founded in 1973 by Cornell McBride, specializes in the
leaders of the “ new wave” of young,
manufacture and distribution of hair care products-it’s hottest seller being
dynamic film-directors that took “ the
Stay Soft Fro. According to a company spokesman, “ it is not a hostile
super spa movie jetset, out to lunch,’ ’
takeover and is due to go through at anytime. And while it is a total takeover,
and packed them to see him, his new
there won’t be any major changes with regards to the name, or the location.”
product and “ masterpiece.”
However, the spokesman declined to cite any specifics with regards to what
SPIKE LEE’S A HERO TO
was behind the takeover.
KIDS
AND BLACK FOLKS OF
C ham pions Forever: Black and white consumers alike will be privy to
BEDFORD-STUYVESANT
the “ most massive marketing and publicity campaign ever launched for an
With the rave and attention that
original video” , claims Los Angeles-based, J2 Communications, the mak­
Spike
Lee and his latest film, “ Do
ers of “ Champions Forever” . The video details the personal recollections
as well as vintage clips of five world heavy weight champions-M uhammad
Ali, Ken Norton, Joe Frazier, Larry Homes, and George Forman, who is this
The Portland Trail Blazers and 5:00 PM QUARTERFLASH (First
year attempting a comeback. Scheduled for a September release, it will
Portland performance in
Seafirst Bank are joining forces to
retail for $29.95. For their part in the video, the ex-champs who came
three years)
present “ SLAM N JAM ’89": an en­
together last November in Las Vegas, will receive an undisclosed sum,
6:00
PM
BLAZER ROOKIE
tertainment packed summer event for
while a percentage of the proceeds will go to the establishment of a
GAME
all ages:Saturday, August 5th, at Civic
Champions Forever Foundation to help underprivileged children.
Stadium. Doors open at 2:30 PM. 7:30 PM SKY DUNK COMPE-
The best business bets for 1990: Thinking of becoming your own boss?
8:30 PM NU SHOOZ (Grammy
The event schedule includes:
Well, before you do anything, you might want to know that according to
nominee for Best New
3:30-6:30 PM BLAZERS CHOICE
experts, the best bets for business startups arc prone to be service oriented.
Artist)
BARBECUE (chicken,
Industry analysts point to health maintenance, business and personal serv­
chili, German sausage,
9:45 PM JAY LENO (America’s
ices as the areas with the most growth. Experts advise against the restaurant
potato salad, pickles and
hottest comedian and
industry, where larger costs continue to rise and the abundance of eating
a soft drink plus a free
guest
host of the “ To­
establishments are crowding out high profits; and retail outlets, that are all
sports bottle for $6.50 -
night Show” )
proceeds go to the Co­
too often chasing too few dollars.
For the record, ((and while on the subject of good bets), the lottery is the
A free shuttle service to Civic
lumbia Pacific Council
worst form of gamble. No other segment of gambling returns less to those
of the Boy Scouts of Stadium will be available from the
bold enough to wager. W hat’s more, for those who do beat the 500,000-to-
south Coliseum parking lot and Good
America)
one- odds, the size of the lottery jackpots is commonly overstated, and
3:30 PM BODY AND SOUL Samaritan Hospital between 2 and
generally return as prizes only 50% of money b e t The percentages typically
(Form erly “ Salmon 11:30 PM. Tickets are available at
returned in other legal games are as follows: football-90% ; slots/casino
Dave” , Portland’s best G.L Joes’s Ticket Master outlets and
gam es-85% ;dog racing-80% ; and horse racing-80% ...In Short: Chrysler
through Memorial Coliseum, Civic
Motown sound)
Corporation became the 62nd company to join the NAACP to double the
4:30 PM MILLER LITE SIX Auditorium, Civic Stadium and the
number of minorities and women in executive management positions to
Performing Arts Center. Credit card
PACK SKYDIVEFRS
20% of its work force within five years . Next week: find out ju st how
(Attempting the world’s orders can be placed 24 hours a day
k„ T a llin n 1 .8 fm .8 4 1 .iW 1 5
f i r c t c lrv z / I n n l H
much crim e does pay and w hether or not it’s w orth the risk.
ON THE MONEY
SEAFIRST/BLAZER SLAM'N JAM
CIVIC STADIUM
SATURDAY, AUGUST 5
Gates open 2:30pm
L
BLAZER SUMMER CLASSIC
JAY LHMO
ROOKIE GAME & ALL NEW
AMERICA’S HOTTEST
COMEDIAN AND GUEST HOST
•SKY DUNK" COMPETITION...
OUR SPECIALLY CONSTRUCTED HOOP WILL
FIND OUT JUST HOW HIGH MAN CAN DUNKI
FOR T H E TONIGHT SH O W
NUSHOOZ “ '
GRAMMY NOMINEE
FOR BEST NEW ARTIST
QUARTERRASH
THEY'RE BACK WITH NEW SONGS FROM THEIR
UPCOMING EPIC RECORDS RELEASE
THE SEAFIRST
BLAZER SLAM 'N JAM
WILL ALSO FEATURE:
★ PORTLAND'S BEST IN MOTOWN
SOUNDS: BODY AND SOUL
(FORMERLY SALMON DAVE).
A AN OREGON ALL-STAR JAM WITH
MEMBERS OF ALL THREE BANDS AND A
SURPRISE BLAZER PERSONALITY!
NAILER UTE SK-PACK
SKYDIVERS
= - = - > n E M P T IN G THE WORLD'S FIRST SKY DUNKI = ~ ~
1
A A SPECIAL BLAZERS CHOICE
BARBECUE: ENJOY HOT DOGS,
CHICKEN, CHILI AND ALL THE FIXIN'S
FOR ONLY $6.50
A AND, A $4 FIELD PASS ALLOWS YOU A
CLOSER LOOK AT ALL OF THE ACTION
SEAFIRST BANK
TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW AT ALL G.l. JOE’S
TICKETMASTER TICKET CENTERS OR ORDER
BY PHONE: 1 -800-843-0915 (24 hours, credit card orders only)
$12.50 General Admission
$24.50 Reserved Seating
JAZZY FM S9-
kCMflP
MT HOOD COMMUNITY COLLEGE
KING SWAP MEET
6728 N.E. Union
Portland, Oregon
97211
Telephone 288-0773
GRAND OPENING SALE
50% Cotton Shirts $3.99/3 for $11.00
100% Cotton Shirts $4.50/3 for $12.50
Sweat Suits and Jogging Suits
Caps Sun Glasses
Black Power Suits and Necklaces 14 K GOLD
We sell everything on discount for the Grand
Opening
Business Hours 10:30 am - 8:00 p.m.
Bring this coupon for
10% discount
Expires Aug 3rd