Foster Friess, the billionaire businessman funding Rick Santorum’s presidential campaign, weighed in on the contraception debate today with some very bizarre comments. In an interview with MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell , Friess indicated that he thinks the contraception debate is a distraction and that he doesn’t understand what all the fuss is about. “People seem to be so preoccupied about sex — I think… Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : The Business Insider Discovery Date : 16/02/2012 19:31 Number of articles : 3
Steven Spielberg was signing autographs for fans in New York. We asked the director-extraordinaire for his thoughts on Whitney’s Death. We couldn’t agree more with what Steven had to say!
Bobby Brown’s band New Edition has released a statement to TMZ on the death of Whitney Houston . The band said they are “shocked and saddened” by the death of Whitney and said their thoughts and prayers remain with the entire Brown-Houston family.” We reported earlier that an emotional Bobby Brown took the stage with New Edition in Mississippi hours after Whitney passed in Los Angeles. New Edition’s statement: “We are absolutely shocked and saddened by the sudden and untimely death of our dear sister Whitney. As a group, we are extremely close; when one of us hurts, we all hurt. As much as we are in pain right now, we will continue to draw strength from God, as we support and comfort our brother Bobby, their daughter Bobbi-Christina and Whitney’s mother Cissy Houston. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the entire Brown-Houston family today and always.” RELATED: Bobby Declares Love For Whitney On Stage [VIDEO] Whitney Houston’s Daughter Bobbi Kristina Rushed To Hospital Whitney Houston Found Underwater In Bathtub [UPDATE] Whitney Houston’s Last Interview [VIDEO] Whitney Houston Dead At 48 [BREAKING NEWS]
We break down the stunning sales numbers behind the late diva’s record-setting career. By Gil Kaufman Whitney Houston performs at the 1999 Brit Awards Photo: JMEnternational/ RedFerns There had been other explosive young divas before — Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner — but in the 1980s and early 1990s, Whitney Houston seized the spotlight so fast, so early, so young and so forcefully that she set a bar so high singers are still trying to vault it today. The daughter of gospel great Cissy Houston and cousin of “I Say a Little Prayer” singer Dionne Warwick, Houston was discovered as a teenager and burst into the national consciousness in 1985 with her self-titled debut. The seamless mix of wide-screen ballads and dance-floor-worthy anthems spawned such iconic hits as “You Give Good Love,” “Saving All My Love for You,” “The Greatest Love of All” and “How Will I Know.” A radiant breath of fresh air, Houston rode the music-video wave to stardom, scooping up dozens of awards for her smash first album, including two Grammys and an MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video for “How Will I Know.” Along with Michael Jackson, Houston helped pave the way for a generation of black artists to exploit the video medium to reach a global audience. She did it by spinning off a string of indelible hits in such an joyful manner that her vocal feats of strength appeared effortless. On the eve of the 54th annual Grammy Awards , Houston was found dead Saturday in Los Angeles at age 48. At press time, the cause of death was still unknown. She had last taken the stage Thursday night at a pre-Grammy event on Thursday night. Just hours before the news broke, friend Kelly Price said stories of Houston’s ongoing struggles were exaggerated. CNN reported Saturday night that Jennifer Hudson would participate in a tribute to Houston at Sunday night’s Grammys. Houston died just hours before the start of the annual pre-Grammy party thrown by legendary music impresario Clive Davis, the mogul who signed Houston to Arista Records after seeing her perform in New York clubs in the early 1980s. Though her hitmaking days were long past, Houston’s influence continues today, from the sound of such avowed acolytes as Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera and Mary J. Blige to an untold number of singers hoping to stake their claim on such reality singing competitions as “American Idol,” “X Factor” and “The Voice.” Houston’s muscular, gospel-tinged vocal gymnastics and her telegenic spark raised the bar to a level today’s singers — from Rihanna to Adele — are still striving to achieve. By the time her career faltered in the 2000s as she struggled with substance abuse , personal drama and vocal issues, Houston had already blazed an unstoppable trail and was ranked by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most celebrated female vocalist of all time, including 26 Grammy nominations and 6 wins, along with sales of more than 170 million albums, singles and videos. Some of Houston’s career achievements:
The remake, in which she plays Jordin Sparks’ mom, wrapped filming before the singer’s untimely death. By Kara Warner Jordin Sparks and Whitney Houston in “Sparkle” Photo: Alicia Gbur/ Stage 6 Films The news of Whitney Houston’s death Saturday has left those who loved her reeling, with a multitude of celebrity fans and friends expressing their grief publicly. Houston’s untimely passing on the eve of the Grammy Awards has shocked everyone, nearly extinguishing the normally festive atmosphere in Los Angeles surrounding the music industry’s biggest night. While fans will unfortunately not have the opportunity to see her sing live again, Houston’s legacy will live on via her final film, “Sparkle,” which is scheduled to be released by Sony in August as planned. A rep for the studio expressed deep sympathy for the loss of the icon to MTV News. “Like all those who knew and loved her, we are shocked and saddened and the world has lost an incomparable talent. Right now our thoughts are with her daughter, her family and her friends.” The film’s producer, Bishop T.D Jakes, also expressed his sadness upon hearing the news: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic and untimely passing of Whitney Houston, whom we were blessed to have just completed work with on the remake of the film ‘Sparkle.’ We ask the world to join us in lifting up Whitney’s family in prayer and ask God for their strength and comfort during this devastatingly difficult time,” Bishop wrote in a statement. “At the apex of her career, Whitney had no peer, with a voice that shaped a generation. She has left behind a musical and film legacy that will endure. … She will be sorely missed by us all.” “Sparkle” is a remake of the 1976 Irene Cara film about three talented young musicians who struggle with addiction. The 2012 version features “American Idol” alum Jordin Sparks as the titular character Sparkle and Houston, who also served as executive producer after having acquired the rights to the film more than a decade ago, as her mother, Emma. Houston’s co-producer on the project, Howard Rosenman, told the Los Angeles Times he was in total shock upon hearing the news. “I have no idea about the impact [of Houston’s death] on ‘Sparkle,’ which I saw last night,” he told the newspaper of screening a rough cut of the recently wrapped film. “[Houston] was unbelievably fantastic in it.” “Sparkle” was Houston’s first movie in 16 years, since her performance alongside Denzel Washington in the 1996 holiday feel-good film “The Preacher’s Wife.” Her most memorable and celebrated role was in the 1992 romantic drama “The Bodyguard.” Share your condolences with Whitney’s family and friends on our Facebook page. Related Videos Whitney Houston: Life And Music Of An Icon Related Photos Whitney Houston: A Life In Photos
Iconic diva appeared in celebrated box-office gems including ‘The Bodyguard’ and ‘Waiting to Exhale.’ By Eric Ditzian Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner in “Bodyguard” Photo: Warner Bros. The death of Whitney Houston, who died on Saturday (February 11) at the age of 48, leaves a gaping hole not only in the world of music, but in movies, too. She may have been best known for belting out R&B power ballads, but Whitney Houston also made an impact in Hollywood — a star in hit movies and a musical presence in countless other films. As we mourn her untimely death and honor her career, let’s take a look back at some of Houston’s cinematic achievements. “The Bodyguard” By far Houston’s most celebrated film, this 1992 romantic drama, in which she starred opposite Kevin Costner, became not only a box-office success (more than $400 million at the worldwide box office), but spawned one of the most popular movie soundtracks of all time. The disc won a Grammy for Album of the Year and its first single, “I Will Always Love You,” became one of the best-selling singles ever. “Waiting to Exhale” Three years after the success of “The Bodyguard,” Houston teamed with Angela Basset and Loretta Devine for a film about four friends and their various relationship dramas. Babyface produced the score and Houston performed two songs on the soundtrack, which went platinum seven times. Her “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” hit #1 on Billboard ‘s Hot 100 chart. MTV Movie Awards Houston appeared three times at the MTV Movie Awards, once in 1993 following “The Bodyguard,” again in 1996 after “Waiting to Exhale,” and finally in 1999. In ’93, she was nominated for three awards, including Breakthrough Performance, but came away empty-handed. In ’96, she performed “Why Does It Hurt So Bad,” a single off the “Exhale” soundtrack. “The Princess Diaries” The singer never appeared in this Disney teen drama, but she produced the film, which is notable for having been Anne Hathaway’s breakout role. The movie grossed almost $170 million and spawned a sequel. “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement,” which Houston also produced, grossed more than $130 million. “Sparkle” A remake of the 1976 musical, “Sparkle,” loosely based on Motown’s the Supremes, was slated to be revived with Houston as executive-producer and star. “American Idol” winner Jordin Sparks took on the role of Sparkle, with Houston playing her mother (her first movie role since 1996’s “The Preacher’s Wife,” in which she costarred along with Denzel Washington). “Sparkle” was shot in the fall of 2011 and has been slated for an August 17 release. When MTV News reached out to Sony/ Screen Gems after Houston’s death, we received this statement: “Like all those who knew and loved her, we are shocked and saddened and the world has lost an incomparable talent. Right now our thoughts are with her daughter, her family and her friends.” Join us for a tribute to Whitney Houston with non-stop music videos on MTV Hits and MTV Jams, all day Sunday. Share your condolences and memories of Whitney Houston on our Facebook page. Related Videos Whitney Houston: Life And Music Of An Icon Related Photos Whitney Houston: A Life In Photos Related Artists Whitney Houston
‘We would be remiss if we didn’t recognize Whitney’s remarkable contribution to music fans,’ executive producer says of tonight’s show. By Tomika L. Anderson Jennifer Hudson and Whitney Houston at the 2009 Grammy Awards Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage Jennifer Hudson will perform a tribute to Whitney Houston at the 2012 Grammy Awards , Recording Academy President and CEO Neil Portnow confirmed onstage Saturday night at Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy party. The award show’s executive producer, Ken Ehrlich, announced on CNN that Chaka Khan will also join in honoring the late pop icon on Sunday night (February 12). “It’s too fresh in everyone’s memory to do more at this time, but we would be remiss if we didn’t recognize Whitney’s remarkable contribution to music fans in general, and in particular her close ties with the Grammy telecast and her Grammy wins and nominations over the years,” Ehrlich said. “I’m speechless … I’m in shock right now. Just pray for her and the family,” Chaka tweeted upon hearing the news. It is not yet known what other changes might be made to the show night in light of Houston’s passing, but Neil Portnow issuing this statement on the loss of one of the music world’s greatest artists: “Six-time GRAMMY winner Whitney Houston was one of the world’s greatest pop singers of all time who leaves behind a robust musical soundtrack spanning the past three decades. Her powerful voice graced many memorable and award-winning songs. A light has been dimmed in our music community today, and we extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, fans and all who have been touched by her beautiful voice.” Houston was found dead at 48 on Saturday in a Beverly Hills hotel, and police are still investigating the cause of death. She was best-known for mega-hits like “I Will Always Love You” and “How Will I Know,” but her reach extended to the big screen as well with box-office hits like “The Bodyguard” and “Waiting to Exhale.” Join us for a tribute to Whitney Houston with non-stop music videos on MTV Hits and MTV Jams, all day Sunday. Share your thoughts, memories and comments on our Facebook page. Related Videos Whitney Houston: Life And Music Of An Icon Related Photos Whitney Houston: A Life In Photos Related Artists Whitney Houston Jennifer Hudson
Every thought is a seed. –Anon Your attitude can make your whole world a heaven or a hell. You have the power to choose your thoughts. Maintain a positive attitude and give your attention to the things that make you feel good. Attitude is a small thing that makes a BIG difference.
Duo also address their own critics tonight on MTV.com following the ‘Gold on the Ceiling’ video premiere at 7:54 p.m. on MTV. By James Montgomery The Black Keys Photo: MTV News On January 8, 2011 — nearly a decade after they first started kicking around in Akron, Ohio — the Black Keys made their first appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” Needless to say, it was a pretty big moment for Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney, who had spent no small portion of the past 10 years grinding out miles (and shows) in their van. On January 14, 2012 — nearly six months after she first became a much-debated blog curio — Lana Del Rey performed on the same “SNL” stage . It was a pretty big moment, too, though mostly for her critics and those who enjoy deriding the current state of popular music. After all, they argue, it’s debatable whether Del Rey has ever seen the inside of a van, let alone toured in one. So when MTV News sat down with the Black Keys in Berlin — for an exclusive interview you can watch tonight (February 6) on MTV.com, following the MTV premiere of the duo’s new “Gold on the Ceiling” video at 7:54 p.m. ET — we had to ask them for their thoughts on Del Rey’s overnight success, and what it meant for bands trying to make a living in 2012. “On some level, we’ve seen that Lana Del Rey thing since we first started, like, all of a sudden this new band would be headlining festivals, and we’re like, ‘Wait, how did they get that? We’ve been here for two, three, four, five years and we’re still working our way up,’ ” Auerbach said. “But then they’re gone. Just as quickly as they get up there, they disappear.” “It’s different for everybody. It took us a really long time to get on ‘Saturday Night Live,’ and it took her a shorter amount of time,” Carney added. “But I honestly feel bad for a lot of bands that are starting out with the way things are. … The trends kind of flip over so fast — something’s cool and not cool and it all happens within two to three months.” Of course, it bears mention that the same outlets that have criticized Del Rey for her perceived lack of authenticity and quick rise to a major-label deal are the very same outlets that have largely ignored (or largely ripped) the Black Keys, a band that has spent a decade making the slow climb to the top. And when it came to that point, well, the Keys didn’t exactly hide their displeasure. “Yeah, [it’s] ’cause they’re pricks,” Carney snorted. “It’s like, ‘What the f— are you talking about, motherf—er?’ ” And though you’ll hear more of their thoughts on the media during our full interview, you can reasonably assume that the Black Keys don’t take criticisms kindly. In fact, they’ve been taking mental notes, and someday they’ll even the score. Don’t miss the premiere of the Black Keys’ “Gold on the Ceiling” video tonight at 7:54 p.m. ET on MTV, followed by an in-depth chat with the band on MTV.com. Related Videos The Black Keys Are Coming To ‘MTV First’ MTV News Extended Play: Lana Del Rey Related Artists The Black Keys Lana Del Rey
So sad: Louisiana Tech running back Tyrone Duplessis died Thursday morning after medics responded to an emergency call at his off-campus apartment. Hazel Woods, the chief investigator for the Lincoln Parish coroner’s office, said the cause of death was not yet known and an autopsy is pending. Ruston police Lt. Tim Parker said authorities are not investigating at this time and are awaiting the coroner’s report. “Tyrone was a valuable part of this football family,” Bulldogs coach Sonny Dykes said. “This is a tragic, senseless loss, but he made a lasting impact on this team, university and everyone that knew him.” A roommate of Duplessis made the emergency call after the running back woke up with chest pain, Louisiana Tech spokesman Patrick Walsh said. The 21-year-old Duplessis, a third-year student from New Orleans, recently completed his sophomore season of eligibility. Dykes has informed his players of Duplessis’ death and the team held a meeting to discuss it. The university has also made grief counselors available to the team. “We were deeply saddened,” Louisiana Tech President Dan Reneau said. “Tyrone was not only a valuable member of our football program, but much more importantly, he was a valued member of the Tech Family. This is a painful loss for our campus community and our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family.” “Our thoughts and prayers go out to Tyrone and his family,” Athletics Director Bruce Van De Velde said. “Tyrone was a special young man who was loved and respected by the Tech Family. He will be dearly missed, but I am sure his teammates and friends will honor and remember him through their commitment to fulfilling their potential.” Duplessis was recognized as an all-state running back at O.P. Walker High School, where he won a state championship in 2007. He is survived by his parents, George and Mary, and two siblings, George III and Levoneshia Dixon. R.I.P. Source More On Bossip! Ladies, Can We Watch?: RihRih Asks Ochocinco’s Permission To Get In Evelyn Lozada’s Panties Lady Lovin’: The 10 Most “Lesbihonest” Cities in America (Part 2) Wait, There’s More! A History Of Slore-y “Journalists” That Showed Off Their Cakes At Super Bowl Media Day For The Ladies: The Best Super Bowl Bangin’ Baller BAWWWWDIES!!! [Photos]
