TRIVIA: KAT VON D'S TATTOOS

1. On the back of Kat Von D's neck there is a tattoo of Carmen Miranda, the lady famous for wearing fruit on her head. Carmen Miranda is famous for the popularity of a certain fad, a fad for which Kat Von D is most grateful. Which fad is it? Platform shoes Big hats Fishnet stockings Spanish music

2. What did Kat Von D do before she returned to Los Angeles? She was tattooing for Miami Ink. She was a model for "Vogue" magazine. She was a makeup artist for ABC TV. She was a dancer in Las Vegas lounge act.

3. Kat Von D prefers to create full color tattoos. True False

4. Kat Von D has colored tattoos on only one part of her body. Which body part would that be? Her left arm. Her right leg. Her left leg. Her right arm.

5. Kat Von D has had laser tattoo removal. True False

6. Kat Von D and her co-worker, Steve-O, made a bet, a bet that Kat lost. What was supposed to happen if Kat lost? She was to drink only a lemon flavored drink for three days. She was to let her co-worker keep her Sphinx cat for one week. She was to paint the shop black and red instead of its bright pink color. She was to kiss her co-worker's feet.

7. Kat Von D and her co-worker, Steve-O, made a bet. When she lost the bet, she decided to let Steve-O, an amateur tattooist, tattoo her instead. What tattoo did Steve-O give her? A skull with a sailor's hat. A tiger cub. A flaming heart with S & K. A flaming arrow going through a heart.

8. When Kat Von D is getting tattooed, she falls asleep during the process. True False

9. Kat Von D and Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue have the same tattoo. Which one is it? Broken hearts that fit together. A little guy wearing a top hat and holding a cane. "In Love We Trust". 7 Cherry blossoms.

10. At what age did Kat Von D first become acquainted with the tattoo scene?

14

16

20

18

CELEBRITY IN TERVIEW

HERE’S A LITTLE TREAT FROM THE BIG HOMEY, YOURS TRULY. ANOTHER DOUBLE DOSE OF CELEBRITY CHATTER, A FUN Q&a duo for you to enjoy. Today’s featured celebs are two funny men who are enjoying a current run of commercial success in their respective fields. I’m referring to jay mohr & steve zahn. I know you’ll dig, so go ahead & do that.

Got a minute? Comedian Jay Cox Mohr (né Jay Mohr), the star of Gary Unmarried (Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. on CBS), sounds off about the sitcom's success, packing on a few pounds, and taking his wife's last name.

Q: You've appeared in several short-lived TV series, and Details crowned you the King of Pilots. How does it feel to be on a People's Choice Award–winning sitcom?

A: It's about time. Whenever you do a pilot, you put all your interest and passion into it. This really is a business based on rejection and failure. Baseball has a higher success rate. If you hit 30 percent of the time, you go to the Hall of Fame. In acting, if you hit 30 percent of the time, you're Gene Hackman.

Q: What's in store for Gary in the rest of the first season?

Gary's going to play the field more. He's going to break up with his girlfriend. We went from "Gary unmarried" to "Gary very committed" very quickly. And hopefully I'll be a thinner Gary in Season 2.

Q: Have you put on weight?

A: When you get into a relationship where you're truly happy, the belly seems to grow a bit. I was talking with Ed Burns on the set of The Groomsmen, and we both have larger bellies than we're used to. He said to me, "Show me a happily married man with a six-pack and you have to question his sexuality." As long as you have big arms, it's all right to have the big belly —like Harvey Keitel.

Q: Is it tough to play a divorced character when you're so happy in your marriage (to actress Nikki Cox)?

A: There's no character I would find depressing to play. I want to be on TV and enjoy its benefits, its wonderful health and dental plan. You know what's depressing? Not playing anything on television. Getting cut out of movies. It's also depressing to have to go through your IMDb page with a complete stranger at a Dodgers game. "Where do I know you from?" "Jerry Maguire?" "No, never seen that."

Q: You've been married for two years, but in December you added your wife's last name to yours. Why?

A: She took mine. It only seemed fair. We both have the same name now: "Cox Mohr."

Q: Better that than the other way around.

A: We thought about sending out wedding invitations for "Mohr Cox." Who could say no? Even if you're a heterosexual male, out of curiosity you'd wonder, Where is this room with "Mohr Cox"—and how will they all fit?

By: Ryan Wenzel

Got a minute? Veteran actor Steve Zahn sounds off about living in the moment, his new movie Management (in theaters May 15), and groping Jennifer Aniston's butt.

Q: Your character in Management, Mike, falls in love with Sue (Jennifer Aniston), a guest at his family's motel. Early on, she lets him touch her butt. How'd that go down when you were filming?

A: The butt-touching scene is supposed to be the most awkward scene in the world. It's fucking bizarre. In any other movie, they would go on a date, it would be funny, and the montage would begin. But this turns into two 11-year-olds in the basement playing doctor. It's odd and yet at the same time very sexy. It had to be perfect—not just with what Jennifer and I were doing but with the camera. We did a lot of takes. I'm embarrassed by the outtakes.

Q: Did she use a butt double?

A: No, that would have been ridiculous. Because then I would have used a stunt hand.

Q: Mike tries to woo Sue by serenading her with Bad Company's "Feel Like Makin' Love." Was this kind of stuff part of your courting repertoire?

A: I pursued my wife (actress Robyn Peterman) so much it was embarrassing. We were doing a musical, Bye Bye Birdie, and I remember planning my routes—crossing backstage just because she was crossing backstage. Ridiculous shit, but that paid off, man.

Q: You're known for playing funny, quirky characters. What's it like to be a leading man?

A: It's the same kind of character, but busier. It wasn't like I was replacing some hunk. If I'm the romantic lead, you know it's going to be different from what you're used to. Even years ago, in New York when I was reading scripts, I always responded to the other parts. I was like, "I like this guy. I like the buddy."

Q: You have five movies scheduled for release in 2009. Has that been overwhelming?

A: Honestly, a lot of those movies were shot a while ago, like The Great Buck Howard, Sunshine Cleaning, and this one. It's always interesting when people say, "Man, are you busy." A week earlier, I'm selling the car because we need money, asking, "Are there any bad movies out there I could do?"

Q: What's next for you?

A: I have to take a pee, man—I don't think too far ahead.

By: Ryan Wenzel

BOOK REVIEW: KARRINE STEFAN'S THE VIXEN MANUAL

Since she exploded on the scene with her two juicy and impossible-to-put-down tell-alls, readers have wanted to know even more about what makes Karrine Steffans tick. How was she able to meet all the high profile politicians, movie stars, and other celebrities that are her close acquaintances? What skills does she possess to keep men wanting more? Finally, Karrine lays it all out and explains exactly what a woman must do to win over the man of her dreams. With chapters like "Never Let Him See You Sweat,""Flirting,""Encouraging His Manhood," and "Give Him What He Wants," this hot and sexy manual is a must-have for every woman's bookshelf.

About the Author

Karrine Steffans became a New York Times best selling author after releasing her debut tell-all book Confessions of a Video Vixen in June of 2005. Since the success of her books, Karrine speaks at universities and celebrity panels. She has also established The Karrine Steffans Girls Club, The Karrine Steffans Book Club , and The Steffans Commentary on MySpace. Check out Karrine's website at www.karrine.com

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.