POP CULTURE: INTERACTIVE CSI EXHIBIT PREMIERES IN VEGAS

TYRESE GIBSON

Made Man

Words By Billy Johnson Jr.

Something happened at Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon’s one-year anniversary party in April at the Palms Casino and Resort in Las Vegas that left Tyrese Darnell Gibson feeling dazed. After the dinner, he went back to his hotel room to change clothes. A friend noticed that his mood seemed down and asked him if something was bothering him. It took him a second to figure it out.

“It finally hit me,” the 30-year-old says via phone two days later, while in Louisville at his first Kentucky Derby. “I miss being married. I missed that feeling of just having someone to call my own. Even though there are lot of random things running around, you still want that solid foundation at home. So I just had a moment when I seen them hitting glasses and toasting…I just had a moment like, ‘Damn.’”

Interestingly, many did not know that Tyrese even had a wife until he filed for a divorce from Norma Mitchell last October after being married for just 10 months. And though he won’t get into the specifics of the split, he does offer this much: “I filed for divorce. I’m not perfect. I’ve made some major mistakes in the past and she has too. Sometimes marriages just don’t work out.”

Still, he maintains that the divorce won’t stop him from being a great father to their daughter, Shayla Somer Gibson. He thinks that too many parents allow their personal conflicts with their exes to get in the way of their relationships with their children.

“There’s gonna be moments where the energy is funky and uncomfortable, but do your part,” Tyrese argues. “There’s a lot of people in your life that you do not necessarily get along with or are not on the same page with, and you’re still in their life. So do what you have to do so that you can do what you want to do, which is spend time with your child.”

CELEBRITY INTERVIEW: TYRESE GIBSON & BEYONCE

A TREAT FOR YOU, MY BELOVED READERS. I HAVE A CELEBRTIY DOUBLE FEATURE FOR YOU. THANKS TO UPSCALE MAGAZINE I HAVE INTERVIEWS WITH TWO OF HOLLYWOOD’S SEXIEST, TYRESE GIBSON & MRS. CARTER, OR, AS YOU MAY KNOW HER, BEYONCE. CHEERS, & ENJOY. YOU CAN THANK ME LATER.

Truly Beyoncé

Words by Isoul H. Harris

“I am my biggest critic,” says Beyoncé, while taking a rare break from the rigorous rehearsals in New York for her upcoming world tour. A pop superstar feigning self-critique for greater public endearment isn’t novel, but in her case it’s probably genuine. Why else would someone so successful continue to work and produce at such a dizzying pace? Her infinite drive has been ceaselessly documented and written about: there is no argument that this young, black girl from Houston has worked for her reported $315 million net worth (and—gasp!—that’s without hubby Jay-Z). But what truly keeps her going?

“I stay motivated and I don’t get jaded because I love what I do. If you love what you do, you just want to work harder and do more. I always feel I could have done something better,” says the notorious workaholic. Despite her ridiculously successful career so far—which includes more than 50 million albums sold with Destiny’s Child, three successful solo albums, countless endorsements from Tommy Hilfiger and Armani perfumes to L’Oreal and even DirecTV, a string of high-profile movie roles and sold-out worldwide tours—she still feels the need to upgrade. Diddy won’t stop out of a craving for relevancy; Tina still tours selectively because she’s wanted; but Beyoncé is fueled by the fear of mediocrity.

She has been in rehearsals for the tour since February, and in true Beyoncé fashion, she is determined for perfection. “I always want to challenge myself to do something new and better and I feel this tour will be the best I have ever done,” she interjects.

From the new routines showcasing songs from her third solo outing, I Am…Sasha Fierce (a mixed bag of languid ballads and beat-driven anthems) to the costumes designed by legendary Parisian atelier Thierry Mugler, the former core of Destiny’s Child knows what it takes to thrive as an artist in a time when people are more concerned with their house and car notes than paying to hear musical ones. Her last tour was a critical and commercial triumph: she could have been Diana Ross at Caesar’s Palace circa 1979. “My all-female band and my dancers are amazing. My mother (Tina Knowles) introduced me to Thierry Mugler and we brought him on as creative advisor. Visually and musically, I want this to be an incredible experience,” she says easily. But then, she allows a little vulnerability to seep in. “But,there is always pressure to do better than the last time

TYRESE GIBSON

Made Man

Words By Billy Johnson Jr.

Something happened at Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon’s one-year anniversary party in April at the Palms Casino and Resort in Las Vegas that left Tyrese Darnell Gibson feeling dazed. After the dinner, he went back to his hotel room to change clothes. A friend noticed that his mood seemed down and asked him if something was bothering him. It took him a second to figure it out.

“It finally hit me,” the 30-year-old says via phone two days later, while in Louisville at his first Kentucky Derby. “I miss being married. I missed that feeling of just having someone to call my own. Even though there are lot of random things running around, you still want that solid foundation at home. So I just had a moment when I seen them hitting glasses and toasting…I just had a moment like, ‘Damn.’”

Interestingly, many did not know that Tyrese even had a wife until he filed for a divorce from Norma Mitchell last October after being married for just 10 months. And though he won’t get into the specifics of the split, he does offer this much: “I filed for divorce. I’m not perfect. I’ve made some major mistakes in the past and she has too. Sometimes marriages just don’t work out.”

Still, he maintains that the divorce won’t stop him from being a great father to their daughter, Shayla Somer Gibson. He thinks that too many parents allow their personal conflicts with their exes to get in the way of their relationships with their children.

“There’s gonna be moments where the energy is funky and uncomfortable, but do your part,” Tyrese argues. “There’s a lot of people in your life that you do not necessarily get along with or are not on the same page with, and you’re still in their life. So do what you have to do so that you can do what you want to do, which is spend time with your child.”

POP CULTURE: ILLINOIS GRAVE SITE DESECRATED; FAMILIES DEVASTATED

Thousands seek relatives' graves at Ill. cemetery

ALSIP, Ill. — Thousands of relatives hoping to find their loved ones showed up Saturday as officials exhumed one grave in a cemetery where four former employees are accused of digging up and dumping hundreds of bodies in a scheme to resell plots.

One body was found in the exhumed grave at the historic black cemetery, the Cook County sheriff said, despite an earlier report that two bodies were there. The former workers also have been accused of burying some bodies in shared graves.

Authorities closed Burr Oak Cemetery, home to the graves of civil rights-era lynching victim Emmett Till and blues singer Dinah Washington, on Friday and declared portions a crime scene. Saturday, lines snaked out of white tents where relatives filled out forms in an effort to find their loved ones' bodies.

"It's a zoo, and it's going to be a zoo because every black person in Chicago has someone buried here," said Chicago resident Jennifer Gyimah, 51, who was waiting to check on family members' graves. "As a living human being, you give dignity to the dead. The dignity today has been shattered."

Officials said they'd try to respond to families in the next week, but Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said the investigation was hampered by a lack of maps for large sections of the cemetery. Many of those his staff had found were hand-drawn and sketchy, he said.

"You might as well be talking about hieroglyphics here," he said. "This is unheard of."

A portion of the cemetery devoted to children, called "Baby Land," was particularly poorly documented, Dart said.

Chicago resident Gail Cooper's 7-year-old daughter was buried there in 1984. She was trying to check on the grave Saturday.

"I had trusted her to these people," said Cooper, 48. "How could you have someone so shady and underhanded to do something like this?"

One man who had long suspected his mother was buried on top of another person had her grave dug up Saturday in an exhumation scheduled before the investigation started.

Three former gravediggers and a former cemetery manager have each been charged with one count of dismembering a body. The four sold existing deeds and plots to unsuspecting customers, authorities said. They then allegedly dug up hundreds of corpses and either dumped them in a weeded, vacant area of the cemetery — which authorities labeled the original crime scene — or double-stacked them in graves.

The four made about $300,000 in a scheme that stretched back at least four years, authorities said.

While Till's grave site was not disturbed, investigators found his original glass-topped casket rusting in a shack at the cemetery, police said Friday. He was exhumed in 2005 during an investigation of his death and reburied in a new casket. The original casket was supposed to be kept for a planned memorial.

POP CULTURE: BOY SET AFIRE, AND THEN CHARGED AFTERWARDS

NOW THIS IS TRULY A DAMN SHAME. PLEASE READ THIS, & NEVER FORGET THAT RACIAL PREJUDICES & DISCRIMINATION IS STILL ALIVE & SICKLY WELL. TRUE, I WASN’T THERE TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED, BUT KNOWING WHAT I KNOW ABOUT THE WORLD WE LIVE IN, I’LL JUST SAY THIS: THE TRUTH ALWAYS COMES OUT, & KARMA IS A LIVING ORGANISM THAT PREYS ON PREDATORS. HAVING SAID THAT READ THE ARTICLE, & LEAVE YOUR COMMENT.

Teen Set Afire Now Charged for Earlier Fight

Date: Wednesday, July 15, 2009

By:

A black Missouri teen, who last month was doused with gasoline and set afire by two white schoolmates, now faces charges himself as he recovers from burns over most of his body.

Walter Currie Jr., a 15-year-old in Poplar Bluff, Mo., was burned on June 13 after an exchange with two teens with whom he reportedly had a previous altercation.

The youth who allegedly doused him with the gasoline and lit the fuel has been charged with assault as a juvenile, Currie’s parents said.

On July 6, several weeks after the incident, authorities gave Currie and his parents notice that he is being charged in connection with another incident where a teen related to the youth who set him afire was hit in the face, said Winonia Currie, Walter’s mother.

“All of a sudden, they decided to charge him with something that happened on June 10, but Walter said he didn’t have anything to do with it,” she said.

Because all of the people involved are juveniles, court officials in Butler County, Missouri said they can give only limited details on the incidents and cannot discuss names.

“I can tell you that there are charges against everyone involved,” Lesi Smith, chief juvenile officer for Butler County, told BlackAmericaWeb.com.

The suspects have not been revealed publicly and could not be reached for this story.

Walter Jr. said the teen who burned him told him he had gasoline and a lighter, and then began to spray him with the fuel before striking the lighter. Walter Jr. ran and jumped on a car, rolling on it to try to stop the burning. He even shed some of his clothing.

Initially, the youth suspected of burning Walter Jr. was arrested and was being held in a juvenile detention facility. He has since been released, according to sources familiar with the case.

The Curries say they want to see justice for their son. They want the 16-year-old to face stiff penalties.

“I want him to serve some time,” Walter Currie Sr. told BlackAmericaWeb.com.

Winonia Currie said her son is scheduled for a hearing on Aug. 5 at 1 p.m. and the teen that set her son afire is scheduled on the same day, in the same courtroom, at 2:30 p.m.

The Curries say they have only lived a couple of years in Poplar Bluff, a town about 125 miles south of St. Louis, Mo.

“It’s like a country city,” Winonia Currie said.

Though the family has received words of encouragement from black and white residents, Mrs. Currie said she questions whether everyone will get just treatment.

“The prosecutors have told us they will do everything they can to try him as an adult, but we’re getting very little information,” she said.

The charges for Walter Jr. bring additional hardships for the family.

“We’ve had all these medical bills. The insurance will only cover so much. We have to take him back and forth to the hospital in St Louis,” she said. “Now we have to try to find a lawyer. That’s more money.”

Doctors have told the Curries that it may be two years before their son’s burns are completely healed. He suffered burns on much of his body, including his face, chest, neck and arms.

“The physical wounds are healing, but we still have to deal with the mental stability,” Mrs. Currie said.

The incident has taken a devastating toll on the Walter Jr. and the family, said Tierra Shaffer, Walter’s older sister via email. “He has nightmares of being burned alive,” she said.

POP CULTURE: NICK JONAS SET TO OPEN UP ABOUT HIS DIABETES ON CNBC

DO YOURSELVES A FAVOR AND TUNE IN TO CNBC THIS SUNDAY, JULY 19, AT 7P. NICK JONAS, OF THE UBER POPULAR ‘JONAS BROTHERS’ BAND, WILL SHARE HIS STRUGGLE WITH DIABETES 1 IN AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW. I’M A HEALTH NUT, & BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE WHO KNOWS DIABETES IS HEREDITARY IN THEIR FAMILY, AND THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW THEIR FAMILY HISTORY, TO WATCH WITH AN OPEN MIND. I APPLAUD NICK FOR DOOING THIS, AND I PRAY THAT PEOPLE TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THIS GREAT SERVICE HE’S PERFORMING FOR US. CHEERS.

NICK Jonas Opens Up about His Diabetes

The candid and extensive TV interview about his 4 year challenge with type 1 diabetes will be broadcast by CNBC on Sunday, July 19.

WESTPORT, CT—dLife, the world's largest and only multi-media diabetes resource, announced today that Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers will be featured in a candid and extended interview about his four-year challenge with type 1 diabetes. It will air on dLifeTV Sunday, July 19th, 2009 at 7:00PM ET on CNBC.

Jonas has succeeded in integrating diabetes management into the daily lifestyle of a pop music superstar, balancing frequent blood sugar testing, a restricted diet, and insulin delivery while touring and playing to 50,000 adoring fans. "Sometimes having diabetes can take away the joy of a situation," says Nick about the reality of diabetes. "It's a full life change."

Jonas agreed to the dLife interview to help raise awareness about diabetes, motivate others and ensure they know they are not alone. Nick's story will be delivered across dLife's comprehensive multi-media network that uses television, web, and other media to reach more than 1.5 million people living with diabetes every month.

"Nick Jonas is just 16 but he is a larger than life player in our culture and has a unique opportunity to share his story to benefit so many," said Howard Steinberg, founder and CEO of dLife. "He deserves credit for seizing this moment to help others. The reality is that every single American is touched by diabetes in some way. dLife's goal in interviewing Nick Jonas is to ensure he empowers the people that really need to hear his message."

Steinberg created dLife in part because he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes four decades ago.

"I was about Nick's age when I was diagnosed with diabetes," said Steinberg. "Thankfully, the tools available to manage this disease have advanced light years, but diabetes is still a 24 hour, 7 days a week disease that requires not just hypervigilance by patients, but awareness among their family and friends to achieve the highest quality of life possible."

POP CULTURE: MIKE VICK TO STAR IN THE UFL???

Is Michael Vick looking at a salary of $620,000 in 2009?

By MJD

There’s nothing close to a guarantee that says Michael Vick will be plying his trade in the National Football League in 2009; in fact, if you judge by Roger Goodell’s suspension-happy past, it’s more likely that Vick won’t be in the big leagues this season.

That would leave Vick looking at the upstart UFL and presumably their maximum salary of $620,000. That’s the figure at the high end of the new league’s salary scale, with $35,000 being what most of the anonymous UFL’ers will make.

There are pros and cons to the UFL path for Vick. On the pro side, he would be playing football again and he’d have an opportunity to knock some rust off and show that the skills are still there.

On the con side, if he plays for the relatively light UFL paycheck, he risks major long-term injury, in which case he’d never get back into the big leagues, where the real money is to be made. One could even argue that Vick would be better off just sitting out a year entirely, as opposed to taking the risk of playing a year in the UFL.

Given his debt situation, though, it’s hard to imagine a court saying to Vick, “Yes, feel free to just ignore that potential $620,000 salary.”

From a fan perspective, the UFL is probably the best thing. It would be exciting to see Vick on Sundays, but we probably wouldn’t see him as a full-time quarterback. Realistically, he’s probably looking at seeing action in just a few plays a game and spending most of his time riding pine.

In the UFL, though, he’d be the star attraction. Vick would almost certainly be running someone’s team, he’d be out there for every offensive play, we’d see the full range of his skills as a quarterback and he’d provide a reason to watch the new league.

From Vick’s perspective, though, it might not be the best idea. With each day that passes, though, it seems like it gets closer and closer to being his reality.

POP CULTURE: PARENTS & ALLOWANCES

POP CULTURE: PRESIDENT OBAMA TO PUMP $2 BILLION INTO COMMUNITY COLLEGES NATIONWIDE

GOOD NEWS FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADS, AMBITIOUS WORKERS, THOSE LOOKING TO SHIFT CAREERS, & ANYONE LOOKING TO FURTHER THEIR EDUCATION. PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS UNVEILED A NEW PLAN TO FUND COMMUNITY COLLEGES OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS. READ BELOW FOR DETAILS, AND TAKE YA A$$E$ TO STAPLES & GRAB SOME SCHOOL SUPPLIES. CHEERS, & NOW IT’S TIME TO LEARN SOMETHING. TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE

the Los Angeles Times

Obama unveils plan to invest in community colleges

The president says he intends to inject $12 billion into the nation's two-year schools over the next 10 years to help struggling workers prepare for new careers.

By Peter Nicholas

Reporting from Warren, Mich. — With unemployment continuing to climb, President Obama on Tuesday unveiled a plan to pump $12 billion into the nation's community colleges over the next 10 years to help struggling workers prepare for new careers, saying a better-educated workforce was crucial to long-term prosperity.

"Time and again, when we have placed our bet for the future on education, we have prospered as a result -- by tapping the incredible innovative and generative potential of a skilled American workforce," Obama said.

In his appearance here at Macomb Community College and earlier in the day in Washington, Obama sought to draw a direct connection between recovery from the economic crisis and a broad array of administration initiatives, including education, the stimulus package and overhauling the healthcare system.

Before flying to Michigan, Obama acknowledged that unemployment might "tick up for several months," but he said his prescriptions, taken together, offered the best hope for creating jobs.

And here, in a state where the jobless rate tops 14% compared with the national average of 9.5%, the president pointed to the healthcare debate raging in Congress and said stabilizing medical costs was crucial to restoring prosperity.

"Now is the time to build a firmer, stronger foundation for growth that will not only withstand future economic storms, but that will help us thrive," he said on the Macomb campus. "To build that foundation, we have to slow the growth of healthcare costs that are driving us into debt."

He took a barely veiled shot at Republicans, who were in power when the recession began but who have relentlessly attacked his recovery plans.

"I love these folks who helped get us in this mess and then suddenly say, well, this is Obama's economy. That's fine. Give it to me," the president said. "My job is to solve problems, not to stand on the sidelines and harp and gripe."

Obama added: "The hard truth is that some of the jobs that have been lost in the auto industry and elsewhere won't be coming back. They are casualties of a changing economy."

He argued that community colleges could play an important role in helping displaced workers build new careers, but that they needed more resources at a time when state and local budget problems could lead to capped enrollments and fewer course offerings.

Obama's education plan would provide funds for new construction, online education and competitive grants.

About 6 million people are enrolled in community colleges in the U.S., but nearly half fail to complete degree and certificate programs, according to government figures.

The administration seeks to boost the number of graduates by 5 million over the next decade.

Obama, apparently mindful of polls showing many Americans are worried about the steep rise in government spending to combat the recession, noted that the school aid "isn't adding to the deficit."

Rather, he said, the money will come from ending subsidies to banks and private student loan companies.

Obama's appearance here came as Republicans pounded the argument that his economic policies were faltering. Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.) held a news conference Tuesday timed with the president's visit to criticize his performance.

"Look, the stimulus bill hasn't worked, and it was sold as something that had to be done immediately, that would create jobs immediately, that it would have an immediate effect," Camp said.

Fighting back, the Democratic National Committee alerted reporters to a news release issued by the congressman's office in April touting a $12.7-million grant for a local airport -- money that was part of the stimulus program. In the release, Camp said the project would "stimulate the area's economy, help create new long-term job growth for the region and improve the airport experience for area travelers."

After leaving Michigan, Obama flew to St. Louis to throw out the first pitch at Major League Baseball's All-Star game.

POP CULTURE: MICROSOFT PRESENTS BING

I’VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT THIS NEW SEARCH ENGINE, COURTESY OF MR. GATE’S BRAINCHILD, MICROSOFT, CALLED BING. CURRENTLY I’M A GOOGLER, I WOULD SAY BY DEFAULT. I HAVE TRIED YAHOO, BUT I DON’T PARTICULARLY CARE FOR IT. I’LL TRY BING OUT & SEE WHAT HAPPENS THEREAFTER. I SUGGEST YOU DO THE SAME, AFTER YOU READ THIS ARTICLE, OF COURSE. CHEERS, & ENJOY.

Copyright 2009 by Virgo Publishing.

http://www.professionaldoordealer.com/

If you’ve been hearing a lot about something called “Bing” lately, it’s because the rebranded search engine is expected to (finally) give search king Google a run for its money.

Bing search service was unveiled last week, and its beta version is available now (officially launches June 3). The re-tooled Microsoft Live (also known as Kumo) has so far received favorable reviews from the tech community. So, why is Bing different than Google? That’s the big question.

First, Microsoft is marketing Bing as a “decision engine,” stating that the search functions bring more relevant results and organizes them in a more meaningful way. Bing offers tabs for different kinds of searches similar to Google and including “images,” “videos,” “maps” and “shopping.”

Aesthetically, Bing’s home page has been called “prettier” than Google’s, often featuring landscapes and other stunning photography, and is set to change daily.

According to Microsoft, Bing isn’t expected to be a “Google killer,” but merely a start to more improvements on their search engine that are to come; so if it doesn’t quite tickle your fancy yet, come back again soon.

TV NEWS: TBS ORDERS 'ARE WE THERE YET' FROM CREATOR ICE CUBE

MY BIG HOMEY, DARK BUFF BAGWELL MYSELF, TERRY CREWS IS BACK ON THE TUBE IN A MOVIE TURNED SITCOM, FROM MY OTHER BIG HOMEY, MR YEAH-E-YEAH, AKA ‘TODAY WAS A GOOD DAY’, AKA CRAIG, AKA DOUGH BOY, ICE CUBE. I THINK THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL, IF DONE RIGHT, TO ACTUALLY HAVE A LIFE ON TBS. LET’S HOPE IT DOES. I ROCK WIT TERRY & CUBE. CHECK IT OUT, & ENJOY

'Are We There Yet?' Becomes a Sitcom

TBS orders 10 episodes of the new comedy, starring Terry Crews and Ice Cube, that is based upon the hit movie of the same name, for 2010.

SANTA MONICA Calif. and VANCOUVER British Columbia, July 15 — Using the unique model created by Debmar-Mercury for Tyler Perry's "House of Payne" and "Meet the Browns," TBS is teaming with Joe Roth and Ice Cube for "Are We There Yet?," a sitcom starring Terry Crews ("Everybody Hates Chris") and based on the hit Revolution Studios film of the same name. TBS has ordered 10 episodes of the new sitcom, slated to premiere in June 2010, with the option for an additional 90 episodes. The series is produced by Cube Vision and distributed by Debmar-Mercury, with Revolution's Joe Roth and Cube Vision's Ice Cube and Matt Alvarez serving as executive producers, along with multiple Emmy-winning show-runner Ali LeRoi ("Everybody Hates Chris"). In addition to executive-producing, Ice Cube will have a recurring role.

This is the fourth television series for which Debmar-Mercury has utilized its groundbreaking approach to launching shows into distribution and syndication, following in the footsteps of Tyler Perry's two hit sitcoms, "House of Payne" and "Meet The Browns," which also air on TBS, and the new Jon Heder sitcom from writer-producers Will Ferrell, Adam McKay and Chris Henchy ordered by Comedy Central last week.

The movie "Are We There Yet?," a breakout 2005 hit, told the story of Nick (Ice Cube), a smooth operator who is trying to land a date with Suzanne, a divorcee stuck working out of town over New Year's and miserable because she misses her kids. Nick gallantly offers to make her New Year's wish come true - and his own in the process - by driving her two children to be reunited with their mom. What Nick doesn't know is that Suzanne's children, whom he's never met, hate every man their mom dates on sight. The movie grossed more than $82 million at the box office and was followed in 2007 by a sequel, "Are We Done Yet?"

In the sitcom "Are We There Yet?," Crews will star as Nick, the character Ice Cube played in the film.

Debmar-Mercury's association with TBS began in 2006, when the company devised a groundbreaking distribution strategy for Tyler Perry's "House of Payne." Debmar-Mercury offered a 10-episode experiment in select markets that produced strong ratings, leading TBS to order a full-fledged series with an unprecedented 100 episodes. In January 2009, TBS premiered 10 episodes of Tyler Perry's "Meet the Browns" to strong ratings, leading the network to order additional episodes for a total of 80. So far this year, the two series have ranked as the top television programs in delivery of African-American viewers.

"When we set out to expand on the television comedy model that the amazing Tyler Perry has turned into a runaway success at TBS, we knew we had to be in business with Ice Cube, a cultural icon who can do it all: an acclaimed hip-hop artist, film phenomenon, actor, writer, director and producer," Debmar-Mercury co-president Mort Marcus said.

Debmar-Mercury co-president Ira Bernstein added, "To be back with TBS again and have a dream team of creative partners like Ice Cube, Joe Roth, Matt Alvarez and Ali LeRoi attached to this project, plus a breakout star in Terry Crews, this show has all the elements to be a major hit."

CELEBRITY INTERVIEW: THE DREAM

Napoleon Dynamite to Star in Sitcom

Comedy Central has ordered 10 episodes of a groundbreaking series, starring Jon Heder as an out of work computer IT specialist, to be co-written by Will Ferrell.

NEW YORK, NY —Comedy Central has ordered an initial run of 10 episodes of a new, untitled sitcom starring Jon Heder ("Napoleon Dynamite," "Blades of Glory") from Gary Sanchez Productions and Debmar-Mercury, it was announced today by Gary Sanchez Productions, Comedy Central and Debmar-Mercury.

Produced by Gary Sanchez Productions, the production company led by Will Ferrell, Adam McKay and Chris Henchy, distributed by Debmar-Mercury, the untitled, multi-camera sitcom for Comedy Central will star Jon Heder as an out of work computer IT specialist who leaves the big city and returns to his small home town, where he moves back in with his parents and younger brother. Ferrell, McKay and Henchy will write and produce the series.

Modeled after previous successful groundbreaking Tyler Perry sitcom ventures from Debmar-Mercury co-presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein, Comedy Central has initially ordered 10 episodes of the Heder sitcom and will then have the option to order an additional 90 episodes upon a successful first-season run. Debmar-Mercury would retain the rights to take the series into syndication after its run on Comedy Central. Prior to this deal, Debmar-Mercury had partnered with Comedy Central in 2003 to distribute the broadcast syndication rights to the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning series "South Park."

"Combining the creative genius of the Gary Sanchez gang with the brilliant business model established by Mort and Ira at Debmar-Mercury should ensure many, many great laughs in the years to come on Comedy Central says Michele Ganeless, president, Comedy Central. "With a proven track record featuring some of the most memorable comedy films ever made, we are so excited to be in business with Will, Adam, Chris and Jon," says Lauren Corrao, president, original programming and development, Comedy Central.

"We've always been fans of Jon's," McKay comments. "This deal gives us a chance to take some big creative swings without the risk of testing and focus grouping the show to death."

"We immediately jumped at the opportunity to be in business with this elite team of A-list comedy talents, who are among a handful of people in Hollywood capable of pulling off a project of this magnitude," notes Marcus. Adds Bernstein, "As we expand on a proven business model, we could not be more pleased that Comedy Central chose this concept to serve as its first full-fledged, live-action original sitcom."

David Bernath, Comedy Central's senior vice president, programming, negotiated the deal with Debmar-Mercury's Marcus and Bernstein.

Heder, 31, who came to fame starring as the title character in "Napoleon Dynamite," studied animation at Brigham Young University in Utah and appeared in student-produced short films, including a comedy, "Peluca." It was later expanded into the feature-length "Napoleon Dynamite." Its surprise hit status coming out of the Sundance Film Festival led the film into national distribution and, by the end of 2004, Heder's portrayal of the hapless Napoleon was widely imitated as the movie went on to gross more than a hundred times what it cost to make. Heder's acting career took off. He next appeared in the Reese Witherspoon romantic comedy "Just Like Heaven" (2005) and landed roles in other comedies, including the animated feature "Monster House" (2006) with Maggie Gyllenhaal and the ice-skating farce "Blades of Glory" (2007) with Ferrell.

SOURCE: POP TOWER

TV NEWS: JON HEDER MOVES TO COMEDY CENTRAL FOR HIS OWN SHOW

Napoleon Dynamite to Star in Sitcom

Comedy Central has ordered 10 episodes of a groundbreaking series, starring Jon Heder as an out of work computer IT specialist, to be co-written by Will Ferrell.

NEW YORK, NY —Comedy Central has ordered an initial run of 10 episodes of a new, untitled sitcom starring Jon Heder ("Napoleon Dynamite," "Blades of Glory") from Gary Sanchez Productions and Debmar-Mercury, it was announced today by Gary Sanchez Productions, Comedy Central and Debmar-Mercury.

Produced by Gary Sanchez Productions, the production company led by Will Ferrell, Adam McKay and Chris Henchy, distributed by Debmar-Mercury, the untitled, multi-camera sitcom for Comedy Central will star Jon Heder as an out of work computer IT specialist who leaves the big city and returns to his small home town, where he moves back in with his parents and younger brother. Ferrell, McKay and Henchy will write and produce the series.

Modeled after previous successful groundbreaking Tyler Perry sitcom ventures from Debmar-Mercury co-presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein, Comedy Central has initially ordered 10 episodes of the Heder sitcom and will then have the option to order an additional 90 episodes upon a successful first-season run. Debmar-Mercury would retain the rights to take the series into syndication after its run on Comedy Central. Prior to this deal, Debmar-Mercury had partnered with Comedy Central in 2003 to distribute the broadcast syndication rights to the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning series "South Park."

"Combining the creative genius of the Gary Sanchez gang with the brilliant business model established by Mort and Ira at Debmar-Mercury should ensure many, many great laughs in the years to come on Comedy Central says Michele Ganeless, president, Comedy Central. "With a proven track record featuring some of the most memorable comedy films ever made, we are so excited to be in business with Will, Adam, Chris and Jon," says Lauren Corrao, president, original programming and development, Comedy Central.

"We've always been fans of Jon's," McKay comments. "This deal gives us a chance to take some big creative swings without the risk of testing and focus grouping the show to death."

"We immediately jumped at the opportunity to be in business with this elite team of A-list comedy talents, who are among a handful of people in Hollywood capable of pulling off a project of this magnitude," notes Marcus. Adds Bernstein, "As we expand on a proven business model, we could not be more pleased that Comedy Central chose this concept to serve as its first full-fledged, live-action original sitcom."

David Bernath, Comedy Central's senior vice president, programming, negotiated the deal with Debmar-Mercury's Marcus and Bernstein.

Heder, 31, who came to fame starring as the title character in "Napoleon Dynamite," studied animation at Brigham Young University in Utah and appeared in student-produced short films, including a comedy, "Peluca." It was later expanded into the feature-length "Napoleon Dynamite." Its surprise hit status coming out of the Sundance Film Festival led the film into national distribution and, by the end of 2004, Heder's portrayal of the hapless Napoleon was widely imitated as the movie went on to gross more than a hundred times what it cost to make. Heder's acting career took off. He next appeared in the Reese Witherspoon romantic comedy "Just Like Heaven" (2005) and landed roles in other comedies, including the animated feature "Monster House" (2006) with Maggie Gyllenhaal and the ice-skating farce "Blades of Glory" (2007) with Ferrell.

SOURCE: POP TOWER

TV NEWS: NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE HEADS TO LIFETIME

The New Adventures of Old Christine' Goes to Lifetime

The women's network has acquired the exclusive cable rights to the hit CBS comedy which will make its off-net cable premiere in the fall of 2010.

LOS ANGELES, CA—Lifetime Television, the number one women's network, has acquired the exclusive off-net cable rights to Warner Bros. Television's critically acclaimed hit comedy "The New Adventures of Old Christine," starring Emmy Award-winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus, in a deal with Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution.

Under the terms of the agreement, Lifetime will hold the exclusive cable rights to all 88 existing episodes of the program, as well as the exclusive cable rights to all episodes produced in future seasons. The comedy, for which Louis-Dreyfus won an Emmy in 2006 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and which won a Humanitas Prize in 2007, will make its off-net cable premiere on Lifetime in fall 2010.

SOURCE: POP TOWER

POP CULTURE: GM EXITS BANKRUPTCY

GM exits bankruptcy; CEO vows better performance

By TOM KRISHER and KEN THOMAS, Associated Press Writers

DETROIT – General Motors completed an unusually quick exit from bankruptcy protection on Friday with ambitions of making money and building cars people are eager to buy.

Once the world's largest and most powerful automaker, new GM is now leaner, cleansed of massive debt and burdensome contracts that would have sunk it without federal loans.

But GM, whose 40 days under court supervision was far shorter than anyone predicted, faces the worst auto sales slump in a quarter-century.

At a news conference, CEO Fritz Henderson said the revamped automaker will be faster and more responsive to customers than the old one. It will generate cash and repay billions in government loans ahead of a 2015 deadline.

The new company will build more cars and trucks that consumers want and launch them faster than in the past, the CEO said. GM also announced a partnership with online retailer eBay to test auctioning vehicles online.

"We recognize that we've been given a rare second chance at GM, and we are very grateful for that. And we appreciate the fact that we now have the tools to get the job done," he said.

Known for its sluggish decision-making process and bloated management ranks, GM will create a single, eight-member executive committee to speed up day-to-day decision-making, replacing two senior leadership forums.

Henderson said General Motors Corp. will streamline its bureaucratic management structure, cutting U.S. salaried employment by 20 percent, or 6,150 positions, by the end of 2009. The cuts include 450 executive jobs.

Henderson, who was promoted to chief executive in March, will run the global company and oversee its North American operations. GM's former chief operating officer, Henderson was chosen when President Barack Obama said former CEO Rick Wagoner's restructuring plans didn't go far enough.

Top executives at the new company will focus on business results, new vehicles, brands and consumers.

Bob Lutz, a legendary industry executive, was "unretiring" to become a vice chairman responsible for creative elements of products, marketing and customer relationships, Henderson said. Lutz had previously planned to retire at the end of the year after more than four decades in the auto business.

Nick Reilly, who has served as GM's Asia-Pacific president, will become executive vice president of GM's international operations based in Shanghai, China.

The new company will focus on customers, cars and culture.

"If we don't get this right, nothing else is going to work," Henderson said at GM's Downtown Detroit headquarters. "Business as usual is over at General Motors."

The automaker is launching a "Tell Fritz" Web site to allow owners and the public to share their concerns with senior management, and Henderson plans to go out on the road every month.

He said GM will partner with eBay in California to allow consumers to bid on vehicles just as they would in a typical eBay auction. They could also choose a "Buy it Now" option in an experiment to make car shopping easier. Dealers would still distribute the cars.

"As a culture, General Motors needs to be prepared to experiment and adjust," he said.

New Chairman Edward Whitacre Jr. said GM's trip through bankruptcy protection had been extremely challenging. "There have been a lot of long hours, there have been a shuttering of plants, there have been painful layoffs."

Whitacre cited the "strong leadership" of Henderson and the management team, giving the CEO a vote of confidence.

The company's logo will remain blue with white underlined GM letters, although the company had considered changing the background to green to symbolize an environmental focus. GM has no plans to change the background, Henderson said.

He said the U.S. government, which owns a majority stake in GM, has vowed that it would not get involved in day-to-day decisions.

The Treasury Department released a statement Friday afternoon crediting GM's restructuring with saving both the automaker and "tens of thousands" of American jobs.

"The hard work of charting a path to viability now rests with GM's board and management," Treasury said in its statement. "But we are confident that we remain on track to ultimately see returns on these taxpayer investments."

GM received $19 billion to $20 billion more in federal aid on Friday, the remainder of the $50 billion it will receive, Henderson said. A large part of the money will be held in escrow.

GM, in a viability plan presented to the government, said it would break even before interest and taxes next year, and be slightly above break-even for 2011 on a pretax basis.

"Sitting here today, I don't have any reason to disbelieve those numbers," Henderson said, giving no details of when the company would make a net profit.

Turning a profit will not be easy. GM has piled up losses and survives only because of government loans.

Besides the U.S. government's 61 percent controlling interest, the United Auto Workers union gets a 17.5 percent stake of the company through its retiree health care trust, and the Canadian government will control 11.7 percent. The remaining shares went to bondholders of the old company.

Concessions made by the United Auto Workers union just before the company entered bankruptcy protection have brought GM's labor costs down to where they are fully competitive with Toyota Motor Corp., Henderson said.

The parts of GM not moving to the new company will become part of "old GM," a collection of assets and liabilities that will be sold to pay creditors.

Ken Thomas reported from Washington, D.C.. AP Auto Writer Kimberly S. Johnson and AP Business Writer Jeff Karoub in Detroit contributed to this report.