BALTIMORE vs "THE WIRE", AFTER RIOTS ENDED (FREDDY GRAY'S MURDER)

BALTIMORE vs "THE WIRE", AFTER RIOTS ENDED (FREDDY GRAY'S MURDER):

FORMER MD GOV MARTIN O'MALLEY HATED "THE WIRE".

IN 2016 WHICH POLITICAL PARTY WILL STEP UP TO HELP ELIMINATE BALTIMORE'S STEEP POVERTY?

It's been eight years since "THE WIRE", a hit television program about life in BALTIMORE'S Poorest, most Crime-ridden neighborhoods went off the air.

Former BALTIMORE Mayor and and current 2016 Presidential Candidate MARTIN O'MALLEY,
 hated "The Wire".

Perhaps O' Malley's disdain for "The Wire" television series was due to it exposing BALTIMORE'S horrific Crime rate during O'Malley's reign, which was fueled by decades of steep POVERTY.

It's almost one year after the Baltimore Riots events in which impoverished BLACK teens publicly released their Hurt and Anger on Police Officers who murdered FREDDY GRAY and consistently Brutalized their community for decades.

After FREDDY GRAY'S Murder his family received a wrongful death settlement of $6 Million from the city of BALTIMORE.

Paying Millions of dollars to families of BLACK Men who are Murdered by POLICE should not be a SOLUTION to uplift BLACK families out of POVERTY.

Which Political party will help rebuild West Baltimore by bringing JOBS, real SOLUTIONS, Business OPPORTUNITIES and Healing to that Historic region of our nation?

~ "The Wire" Cast Reunites To Give Voice To Stories Of Baltimore's Riots

Sixteen cast members of The Wire returned to Baltimore on Saturday to read stories of the city’s recent riots.

Fans saw Omar, Bunk, Kima and McNulty (Michael Kenneth Williams, Wendell Pierce, Sonja Sohn and Dominic West) reunited on stage to read monologues written by residents for Wired Up, a production at the city’s Artscape event.

One of the occasion’s main organizers, Sonja Sohn (who played Detective Kima Greggs in the show), told the Baltimore Sun she wanted to “give back” to the city where the HBO hit was set, and to give residents a microphone.

“We know how [storytelling] heals and radiates outward and what it inspires in other people,” Sohn said. “We’re going to give a platform to these folks who felt they were not being heard.”

Carver, Cutty, Marlo, Snoop and Bubbles (Seth Gilliam, Chad Coleman, Jamie Hector, Felicia Pearson and Andre Royo) were also in attendance.

In its five seasons, "The Wire" won acclaim in part for its fidelity to Baltimoreans.

Some cast members, including Pearson, Maria Broom (Marla Daniels) and Robert Chew (Prop Joe), were from the city. Others, including Gbenga Akinnagbe (Chris) and Anwan Glover (Slim Charles), grew up in nearby Washington DC. Chew died aged 52 in 2013.

“We lived here while we were shooting and became a part of these communities,” Sohn said. “There’s a real core group of us who feel parts of Baltimore are woven in to who we are as result of the time we spent here.”

In particular, the readings were meant to highlight the stories of Penn North, the neighborhood where Freddie Gray lived before he died while in police custody in April.

The neighborhood became a focal point of subsequent riots over police brutality, institutional racism and class and racial inequalities.

Sohn and others set up workshops for residents to write about their experiences before, during and after the riots, thus coming up with the raw material for the performance.

The show’s creator, David Simon, worked as a reporter in the city for several years. He was not involved in Saturday’s production but offered his own strong opinions on the state of Baltimore earlier this year.

Simon blamed abusive police tactics on the toxic relationship between residents and authorities, telling the Marshall Project the police had acted for years as “an army of occupation”.

Although The Wire won plaudits during its run and many enthusiastic fans after it ended, it has not always had a beloved place in Baltimore’s heart.

Former mayor Martin O’Malley – now a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination – denounced the series for what he felt was an unfair depiction of crime, corruption and policing.

According to Simon, O’Malley – who is believed to have been a partial inspiration for the mayor in the show, Tommy Carcetti – threatened to block filming.

Sources: The Guardian, Baltimore Sun, Youtube, HBO, Washington Post

COMCAST & TIME WARNER FORCE BLACK CUSTOMERS INTO HIGH-PRICED SERVICE BUNDLES

COMCAST & TIME WARNER Cable companies are the two largest television Cable conglomerates in the USA.

COMCAST services the state of GEORGIA.

TIME WARNER services the state of NORTH CAROLINA.

Both companies appear to demonstrate RACIST Business practices (especially COMCAST) of forcing BLACK Customers to pay higher rates than WHITE customers for Service bundles.

This includes charging higher rates for WIFI.

COMCAST even charges different rates to BLACK consumers based on GEORGIA Zip codes.

Both COMCAST & TIMEWARNER are currently being sued for $20 Billion by the National Association of African-American Owned Media for RACIST practices.

I encourage BLACK consumers to contact their members of CONGRESS about these RACIST Business Practices.

I also encourage BLACK consumers to seek other Cable & WIFI Options such as GOOGLE FIBER, Hulu and Netflix.

Sources: Reuters, YouTube

Lark Voorhies: OMG! What Happened To "Lisa Turtle's" Face? Plastic Surgery Gone Bad??

Has anyone seen the face of former "Saved By The Bell" cast member Lark Voorhies lately?

She used to be so Beautiful.

Now she looks like the Walking Dead!

What happened??

Is it a case of Bad, Cheap Plastic Surgery?

OMG!






Lark Voorhies, former ‘Saved by the Bell’ star, looks barely recognizable with drastic new look


"Lisa Turtle", is that you?

Lark Voorhies, who played the spoiled student on “Saved by the Bell” from 1989 to 1993, has fans all atwitter over her drastic new appearance.

The 38-year-old actress looked barely recognizable during a recent interview with Yahoo!’s “The Yo Show,” in which she wore a different hairstyle and heavily-applied makeup over a puffy face.

During the chat, Voorhies admitted she would be open to the possibility of an onscreen reunion with her former cast mates Mark Paul Gosselaar, Mario Lopez, Elizabeth Berkley, Tiffani Thiessen and Dustin Diamond.

“I really honestly believe if it did happen it wouldn't be a bad thing ,” the actress and producer said. “We tend to circumvent and come around to this topic quite often, so I think the buzz might catch.”

As for the rumors that she once dated Gosselaar?

"No, we were all that close," Voorhies said. "We just had a great chemistry and it registers very powerfully (on-screen)."

Nowadays, the former teen star said she has been "very busy” with her new company, Yo Soy Productions. In September, she will appear in an episode of VH1's new reality show “Miss You Much,” in which viewers are updated on what their favorite TV, movie and music stars are up to now.

Whoa! See What Lark Voorhies Looks Like Now


If the Bayside High Class of 1993 reunion ends up happening, Jessie, AC, Kelly, and Zack might have a hard time recognizing their old pal Lisa Turtle.

Now 38, Lark Voorhies--who played the spoiled Valley girl on Saved by the Bell from 1989-1994--recently sat down for an interview with Yahoo!'s "The Yo Show," setting the internet abuzz with chatter over how the actress has changed since her faux-high school days.

Voorhies, whose last major role was in 2001's How High, debuted a dramatically different hairstyle and a fuller face, heavily made up with poorly-matched shades.

During the chat, the actress and producer--who currently owns her own production company, Yo Soy Productions--opened up about what she's been up to lately, and more importantly, whether she and her former costars plan to reunite.

Though she wouldn't confirm if a reunion with Mark Paul Gosselaar, Mario Lopez, Elizabeth Berkley, Tiffani Thiessen and Dustin Diamond was in the works, Voorhies did admit she would be interested in signing on.

"I really honestly believe that if it did happen, it wouldn't be a bad thing," Voorhies revealed. "We tend to circumvent and come back to this topic quite often . . .so I think the buzz might catch."

As for the rumors she once dated costar Gosselaar?

"No, we were all that close," Voorhies says. "We just had a great chemistry and it registers very powerfully [on-screen]."

This fall, the former teen star is set to appear in VH1's new reality show Miss You Much--which updates viewers on what their favorite 90s entertainers are up to now--alongside the Wonder Years' Jeremy Miller.



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Sources: AOL, Huffington Post, NBC, NY Daily News, US News, Yahoo, Yo Productions, Youtube, Google Maps

Al Sharpton Wins MSNBC's Prime "Politics Nation" Time Slot! Well Deserved!Congrats!

Al Sharpton Officially Named MSNBC Host Of 'Politics Nation'

Rev. Al Sharpton has been officially named the host of the 6 PM hour on MSNBC. The network announced Tuesday that Sharpton will host "PoliticsNation" on weeknights starting August 29.

Sharpton has been the de facto host of the hour for many weeks, but no official announcement had been made until Tuesday. He replaced Cenk Uygur as the all-but-official 6 PM host after Uygur's acrimonious exit from MSNBC in July.

The choice of Sharpton to host the hour has been marked by some controversy. MSNBC was criticized for not hiring a black journalist as a host, and there were charges that Sharpton's close ties to Comcast and the Obama White House helped him get the role. For his part, Sharpton dimissed these concerns, saying he was becoming the host because of his career in activism.

"I am very happy and honored to join the MSNBC team as we collectively try to get America to ’Lean Forward,’" Sharpton said in a statement. "It is a natural extension of my life work and growth. We all learn from our pain and stand up from our stumbling and one must either learn to lean forward or fall backwards. I'm glad they have given me the opportunity to continue my forward lean."


MSNBC's full statement:

Reverend Al Sharpton, the civil rights activist and minister, has been named host of “Politics Nation,” a nightly program airing weeknights live at 6 p.m. ET on MSNBC. The announcement was made by Phil Griffin, President of MSNBC. “PoliticsNation” will debut on August 29. In his new role, Sharpton will lead a lively and informed discussion of the top headlines, bringing viewers his take on events in his signature style.
“I’ve known Rev. Sharpton for over a decade and have tremendous respect for him. He has always been one of our most thoughtful and entertaining guests,” said Griffin. “I’m thrilled that he’s now reached a point in his career where he’s able to devote himself to hosting a nightly show. ‘PoliticsNation’ is going to be an incredibly strong kick-off to our evening schedule.”

In addition to being a frequent guest on MSNBC throughout the network’s history, Rev. Sharpton has also served as an occasional guest host on several programs, most recently on “MSNBC Live at 6PM” and “The Ed Show.” He joins the network at a time where MSNBC has experienced tremendous ratings growth, consistently topping CNN in primetime programming.

"I am very happy and honored to join the MSNBC team as we collectively try to get America to ’Lean Forward,’" Sharpton said. "It is a natural extension of my life work and growth. We all learn from our pain and stand up from our stumbling and one must either learn to lean forward or fall backwards. I'm glad they have given me the opportunity to continue my forward lean."

With over 40 years of experience as a community leader, politician, minister and advocate, the Rev. Al Sharpton is one of America’s most-renowned civil rights leaders. Sharpton’s highly visible career began at the tender age of four when he preached his first sermon. A successful civil rights career soon followed, helping Sharpton hold such notable positions as the Youth Director of New York’s Operation Breadbasket, Director of Ministers for National Rainbow Push coalition, and founder of his own broad-based progressive civil rights organization, the National Action Network (NAN), one of the leading civil rights organizations in the world.

Since its inception in 1991, NAN has expanded to encompass chapters throughout the United States and maintain important regional offices in Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, GA; Detroit, MI; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Las Vegas, NV; and Los Angeles, CA. Sharpton was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President in 2004. Rev. Sharpton also hosts a nationally syndicated radio show that broadcasts in 40 markets, five days a week. He resides in New York and has two daughters, Dominique and Ashley.

“PoliticsNation” will air weeknights from 6:00-7:00PM ET on MSNBC. Matthew Saal is Executive Producer.

Sources: Huffington Post, MSNBC, Youtube

6 Best Television Walk-Offs In Media History (Videos)

Bill O'Reilly & The Top Five Television Walk-Offs


1.) Recently on "The View", Bill O'Reilly did a wonderful thing. His opinions about the so-called "Ground Zero mosque" pissed off Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg to the point where they felt the need to remove themselves from the set and his presence, in front of a live studio audience. Barbara Walters immediately called her co-hosts out for their thin skin, but the reality is, great drama makes for great TV. Behar and Goldberg did everyone a favor, including Bill O'Reilly, who gets to keep his reputation as a hot-headed button-pusher.

What made this so special, as you're about to see, is that it's usually the guests who storm out of interviews, not the hosts. At any rate, the whole thing reminded us of some other memorable moments in TV Walk-off history.

2.) Dr. Jan Adams walks off Larry King Live: We begin with the man who supposedly helped kill Kanye West’s mom. Remember that? She died as a result of complications resulting from surgery, and the man responsible, Dr. Jan Adams, went on Larry King to defend himself until he suspiciously loses the urge out of respect to the family.

3.) Carrie Prejean walks off Larry King Live: Another classic moment in King’s repertoire. No matter how batty the soon-to-be-retired host comes off, every so often he’ll encounter a guest that makes him seem machete-sharp. Disgraced beauty queen Carrie Prejean was one such guest. Here, she refuses to talk about the terms of a settlement, and after King pesters her, she calls him “inappropriate.” What happens next is talk show awkwardness at its peak.

4.) Andrew Dice Clay storms off CNN: It’s hard to watch this clip just once. The quickness with which things fall apart is startling. When a CNN host infers that washed-up comedian Andrew Dice Clay is a washed-up comedian, he snaps, giving his greatest performance in years.

5.) In the name of Xenu, Tommy Davis abandons his Nightline interview: If Scientology has an image problem, flacks like Tommy Davis are the reason why (and maybe this guy). During this interview with professional provoker Martin Bashir, Davis strips off his mic and walks out after Bashir won’t let talk of Xenu, volcanoes, and spaceships drop.

6.) The Bee Gees show off their sense of humor on a British chat show: If the title of this video wasn’t “Clive Anderson chat show bust up with Bee Gees 1996,” it would be impossible to predict what goes down in the final moments of what seems like a routine interview. Sure, the host Clive Anderson took a few jabs at the group’s expense, but isn’t that what happens on talk shows? After Barry Gibb storms off, his brother Maurice is left there alone to wonder with the rest of us: What just happened?


Sources: ABC, Black Book Mag.com, CNN, NY Daily News, The View, Youtube

Bill O'reilly Wins "The View" Joy/ Whoopi Walk-Off Brawl!

Bill O'Reilly vs. Joy and Whoopi: Who won?

The Fox News host had a fiery brawl on the "View" couch with hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar. Did anyone come out looking good?

Fireworks erupted Thursday on "The View," when co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar briefly stormed off the set during an argument with Fox News personality Bill O'Reilly.

The source of the much-discussed blowup was the proposed Park51 Islamic center in lower Manhattan which O'Reilly said was "inappropriate" to build "because Muslims killed us on 9/11."

Who came out looking better in this high-profile brawl?

O'Reilly won the day!

"I am not Bill O’Reilly's biggest fan," but Joy and Whoopi "looked like immature brats," says Emma Brady in Babble. If they disagree with O'Reilly that it is "inappropriate" to build a mosque near Ground Zero, they should at least have shown their guest enough respect to listen to his views.

By walking off, "the truly inappropriate behavior came on the part of the ladies from 'The View.'"

Behar and Goldberg did what they had to: "Girlfriend, please," says Mary McNamara in the Los Angeles Times. "O’Reilly has built a very successful career on his patent refusal to have a conversation," and other than walking out, there is nothing "short of physical violence" that Goldberg and Behar could have done to pierce "his oratorical fusillade." But the goal was never dialogue, it was "puttin' on a show," and in that sense, everybody won.

We all lost a shot at airing an important discussion: Yes, "genius television, ladies," says Melissa Bell in The Washington Post. But if you look "past the yelling and stomping and showmanship," the conversation O'Reilly and the "View" ladies could have had is important, and one that has been percolating "for some time: What do you call terrorists?" Is it right, or smart, to link Islam and terrorism? I guess we'll have to discuss later.






Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg Walk Off 'The View' After Fiery Exchange With Bill O'Reilly

Things got so heated between Bill O'Reilly, Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg on "The View" that the co-hosts walked off the set of the show.

The incident occurred during a fiery exchange about the proposed Islamic cultural center near Ground Zero. O'Reilly said President Obama's qualified support of the center was evidence of the "gulf" between him and the American people. Goldberg and Behar objected strongly to O'Reilly's claim.

"This is America!" Behar said.

"Listen to me because you'll learn!" O'Reilly interrupted her, to gasps from the audience.

Goldberg asked if O'Reilly was saying that Americans were not smart enough to agree with Obama's position.

"We're Americans! We agree with him!" Behar added.

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"70% of Americans don't want that mosque there. So don't give me the we business!" O'Reilly replied.

More heated crosstalk followed, until O'Reilly said, "Muslims killed us on 9/11!" That really set Behar and Goldberg off.

"Oh my God!" Behar said.

"That is such bullshit!" Goldberg said. "Extremists did that!"

Behar then stood up, saying, "I don't want to sit here now. I don't! I'm outraged by that statement."

She and Goldberg proceeded to walk off the set to loud applause. After it died down, Walters cut in, admonishing her co-hosts.

"You have just seen what should not happen," Walters said. "We should be able to have discussions without washing our hands, and screaming, and walking offstage."

Walters also criticized O'Reilly for his statements about Muslims.

"You cannot take a whole religion and demean them because of what some [did]," she told him.

Behar and Goldberg returned to the set following a commercial break. O'Reilly also apologized for his comments, saying, "If anyone felt that I was demeaning all Muslims, I apologize."

Last December, Goldberg almost walked off the set after proclaiming she was "bored out of my gourd" with a segment on Tiger Woods.


Sources: ABC, Babble, Bill O'Reilly, Fox News, Huffington Post, NY Daily News, O'Reilly Factor, The View, Yahoo News, Youtube