Whitney Houston talked about her role in the forthcoming movie Sparkle and the death of Aaliyah in the course of an interview with Essence magazine, just weeks before Houston herself passed away. Houston and her Sparkle co-producer Debra Martin Chase originally intended to make Sparkle 11 years with Aaliyah but then the R&B singer was killed in an August 2001 plane crash. “God needed her more,” Houston told Essence. “We were so, so saddened by it. And then 10 years later, to the date, Debra calls me and said, ‘Whitney, you won’t believe this but they want Sparkle.’” Houston, who died Saturday afternoon at the age of 48, appears in the film alongside Jordin Sparks and Mike Epps.
Author: Clark Collis (1-10 of 185)
Feb 12
2012
10:59 AM ET
Whitney Houston discussed role in 'Sparkle,' death of Aaliyah in last 'Essence' interview
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Feb 7
2012
04:41 PM ET
Clive Barker recovering from 'near fatal' case of toxic shock syndrome
Clive Barker is recovering from a near fatal case of toxic shock syndrome. The British author, film director, and artist detailed his recent brush with death in a series of tweets earlier today. “My friends, Clive here,” Barker wrote. “I’m at home now after a while in hospital, thanks to a nearly fatal case of Toxic Shock brought on by a visit to my dentist. Apparently this is not uncommon. In my case the dental work unloaded such a spillage of poisonous bacteria into my blood that my whole system crashed, putting me into a coma. I spent several days in Intensive Care,with a machine breathing for me. Later, my Doctors said that they had not anticipated a happy ending until I started to fight, repeatedly pulling out the tubes that I was constantly gagging on. After a few days of nightmarish delusions I woke up to my life again, tired, twenty pounds lighter but happy to be back from a very dark place. And here in the world I intend to stay.”
The prolific Barker’s works include Books of Blood — a six volume set of short stories — and the films Hellraiser and Lord of Illusions. Barker concluded by tweeting, “I’ve books to write, films to make and paintings to paint. I seem to have come home with my sight clearer somehow, and my sense of purpose intensified. Thank you all for your messages.”
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Oct 10
2011
10:24 AM ET
Indian singer Jagjit Singh dies at age 70
Indian singer Jagjit Singh has died at the age of 70, according to the AP. The prolific vocalist, who specialized in the musical form known as “ghazel,” was initially admitted to Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital on Sept. 23 after he suffered a brain hemorrhage. Singh released dozens of albums during his career. In a condolence message, India’s minister for information and broadcasting Ambika Soni said Singh’s death left a void that would be difficult to fill.
Oct 10
2011
09:45 AM ET
Netflix abandons plan to spin-off DVD service
Netflix has reversed its decision to spin-off the company’s DVD delivery option into a new service called Qwikster, according to the New York Times. “Consumers value the simplicity Netflix has always offered and we respect that,” Netflix chief executive Reed Hastings said in a statement. “There is a difference between moving quickly — which Netflix has done very well for years — and moving too fast, which is what we did in this case.”
On September 18, Netflix announced its intention to separate the company’s online streaming and DVD-by-mail services. The plan attracted criticism from users and prompted the price of Netflix stock to slide.
Many Netflix customers had already been disturbed by a recent price increase which raised the cost of having both online streaming and DVD-by-mail delivery from $10 to $16 a month. That increase is unaffected by today’s announcement.
Oct 9
2011
05:28 PM ET
Shirley MacLaine to be awarded AFI Life Achievement Award
The American Film Institute announced today it is honoring Shirley MacLaine with its 40th Life Achievement Award. The actress will receive the award on June 7 in Los Angeles at a gala tribute TV Land is set to broadcast later the same month. Previous recipients of the Life Achievement Award include Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchcock, Tom Hanks, and Morgan Freeman.
Oct 8
2011
03:54 PM ET
Legendary pianist Roger Williams dies at age 87
Virtuoso pianist Roger Williams has died at the age of 87, according to the AP. The Juillard-trained musician scored a massive hit in 1955 with “Autumn Leaves,” which remains the only piano instrumental to reach No. 1 on the Billboard pop chart. His other hits included “Born Free” and “Lara’s Theme from Dr Zhivago.”
In all, the prolific Williams recorded more than 100 albums and became famous in his later years for playing marathon, 12-hour long concerts. He also performed for every commander in chief from Harry Truman to George H.W. Bush, earning the nickname “pianist to the presidents” along the way. He played his last show in March, shortly after announcing that he had cancer.
Jul 17
2011
06:13 PM ET
Japan beat United States to win Women's Soccer World Cup
Japan won the Women’s Soccer World Cup after beating the United States in today’s final in Frankfurt, Germany. The Americans were ahead twice in the game, but at the end of extra time the score stood at 2-2. Japan won the ensuing shootout after the U.S. team failed to find the back of the net with its first three penalties.
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Jul 17
2011
12:13 PM ET
Former 'News of the World' editor Rebekah Brooks has been arrested by London police
Rebekah Brooks has been arrested in London as part of the police investigation into the News of the World phone hacking scandal, according to the AP. Brooks, a former editor of the U.K. tabloid newspaper, was arrested at noon today and is being questioned on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications and on suspicion of corruption.
A statement released on Brooks’ behalf said she “voluntarily attended a London police station to assist with their ongoing investigation.” Brooks’ arrest comes just two days after she stepped down as head of Rupert Murdoch’s British newspaper company, News International.
It is alleged the News of the World hacked the phones of thousands of people, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Sienna Miller, Jude Law, and a 13-year-old murder victim named Milly Dowler. On Thursday, the New York Times reported the FBI has a opened a preliminary inquiry into allegations that the paper attempted to gain access to the phone records of victims of the Sept. 11 attacks.
Jul 16
2011
09:09 PM ET
Jane Fonda claims QVC canceled an appearance by the actress because of 'insane pressure' from extremist groups
Jane Fonda has alleged QVC cancelled an appearance by the actress because of pressure “by some well funded and organized political extremist groups.” The Oscar winner was due to appear on the network today to talk about her book Prime Time.
In a blog item she wrote for website The Wrap, the actress alleged, “The network said they got a lot of calls yesterday criticizing me for my opposition to the Vietnam War and threatening to boycott the show if I was allowed to appear.” Fonda went on to write that she was “deeply disappointed that QVC caved to this kind of insane pressure by some well funded and organized political extremist groups. And that they did it without talking to me first.”
In a statement to Reuters, QVC spokesman Paul Capelli said Fonda’s appearance was cancelled because of a “programming change.” Capelli added that he couldn’t “speak to Ms. Fonda’s comments, other than to confirm that a change in scheduling resulted in her not appearing today.”
Apr 23
2011
08:57 PM ET
Viral video star Antoine Dodson charged with marijuana possession
Internet phenomenon Antoine Dodson has been charged with marijuana possession, EW has confirmed. Dodson was arrested in Huntsville, Ala., according to the Huntsville Police Department, at around 2 a.m this morning. Dodson was also charged with speeding, failing to appear in court, and an insurance violation. He was subsequently released after posting $1,340 cash bond. (The arrest was first reported by TMZ.)
Dodson responded to the arrest on Twitter, writing “Let me be the first to tell it!! So just got out of jail off a weak charge. Got pulled over in my Benz and they got me.”
Dodson became famous last year when a video of him talking about an alleged attempted rape attack on his sister became a viral video sensation.
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Antoine Dodson snags a reality show. What other viral video stars should get a series?
YouTube’s most popular videos of 2010: Bieber fever and Antoine Dodson
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