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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2006 > June > 19
Monday, June 19, 2006
T.I. honors fallen friend
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In his first hometown performance since the death of one of his best friends, Atlanta rapper T.I. paid tribute to Philant Johnson in several ways: He played a short film of Johnson, who was also his personal assistant, for the sold-out crowd at Philips Arena. He donned a black T-shirt with Johnson’s portrait — one of four of his outfit changes. And he dedicated the single “Live in the Sky,” from his current million-selling CD “King,” to Johnson. “I miss my partner,” the artist said somberly. Johnson was killed last month in Ohio. No arrest has been made.
But T.I.’s part of Hot-107.9’s Birthday Bash 11 didn’t end on a sad note. He wrapped it up with recent No.1 single “What You Know.” It was the biggest moment of the night until minutes later, when, as Atlanta rapper Young Jeezy was finishing up, hip-hop mogul Jay-Z joined him on “Go Crazy.”
“I see you, ATL,” Jay-Z told the crowd before doing a few verses of two other songs. Too bad many in the audience couldn’t see his superstar girlfriend Beyoncé Knowles and fellow Destiny’s Child member Kelly Rowland tucked away in a corner of the stage. And in the opposite corner was former Destiny’s Child member turned solo singer Letoya Luckett.
‘Gong’ echoes in new summer ‘talent’ show
NBC’s new summer show “America’s Got Talent,” which debuts Wednesday, sounds like “The Gong Show” redux: It’s open to anybody from boy bands to a rapping granny to an 80-year-old stripper.
But “American Idol” judge Simon Cowell, the new show’s executive producer, said he’s “honored” by the comparison to the infamous 1970s Chuck Barris show. “That’s one of the biggest shows of all time,” Cowell told Buzz during a telephone news conference last week. “But the biggest difference between us and ‘The Gong Show’ is everyone on this show genuinely believes they’re fantastic. They’re not coming on as a joke.”
The show’s appeal, Cowell said, will be the fact that “you just don’t know who’s going to walk up on that stage.”
Cowell won’t appear on the show, because he’s contractually tied to “Idol.” Rather, Regis Philbin is the host, and the judges are singer Brandy, Mr. “Baywatch” David Hasselhoff and journalist Piers Morgan, who will take on Cowell’s role as the British curmudgeon.
So is Morgan better with the quips than Cowell? “No! You think I’d put someone better than me on the show?” Cowell cracked.
Carter book wins
Jimmy Carter can add another honor to his legacy: The former president is Georgia’s 2006 Author of the Year. Carter won for his 20th book, an essay collection titled “Our Endangered Values” that spent several weeks at the top of The New York Times Bestseller List.
The 42nd annual awards, sponsored by the grass-roots Georgia Writers Association, were presented Sunday night in ceremonies at Georgia Tech. Other 2006 winners include: David Fulmer for his literary mystery “Jass,” set in New Orleans’ Storyville district in the early 1900s; Bruce Feiler for his nonfiction book “Where God Was Born”; Sidney Pike for his memoir “We Changed the World,” about the early days of CNN; and Brian Jay Corrigan for his debut novel, “The Poet of Loch Ness.” For the full list of winners, go to www.georgiawriters.org.
Western dude Duvall
Oscar-winning actor Robert Duvall loves gritty, realistic Westerns and was instantly drawn to the concept of “Broken Trail,” a miniseries that runs Sunday and Monday on AMC — the network’s first original movie.
“We made it more character-driven than action,” Duvall told Buzz last week by phone. “We even made changes from the first cut so it would be more about the characters.”
Indeed, the miniseries has many slow, thoughtful moments interspersed with flashpoints of violence. It features Duvall and Thomas Hayden Church (“Sideways”) as cowboys taking a herd of horses on a 1,000-mile trek from Oregon to Montana, saving five Chinese women sold for prostitution along the way. Their characters are stoic but deeply humane, treating Native Americans and women with nothing but respect.
Was that realistic?
“Possibly,” Duvall said. “Cowboys used to go down the streets and tip their hats to hookers. There weren’t that many women. There were good people. Good and bad.”
In one scene, Duvall, 75, nonchalantly doffs his shirt and washes himself. “We improvised a lot,” he said. “It was cold. We did that one quick.”
And he’s still incredibly busy. “I have a young wife,” he said, referencing his fourth, Luciana Padraza, 35. “I better keep going.”
Southeastern Emmy winners
WSB-TV news won a Southeast Regional Emmy for programming excellence Saturday night at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Buckhead.
But Turner South garnered the most awards, with 11, in its final year of eligibility. Fox Cable, which took over the channel in May, is expected to air Turner South programming for a few more months.
The awards tally included 10 Emmys for WXIA-TV, eight each for TBS Atlanta and WAGA-TV, four for WSB-TV, three for FSN and one for WGCL-TV.
Ryan Cameron of V-103 radio, who hosted the awards show, picked up his second regional Emmy for hosting “Atlanta & Company” on WXIA-TV. “This means I’m going to have sex tonight!” a buoyant Cameron yelped as his wife, Kysha, smiled and nodded her head.
Meanwhile, presenter and Miami chef Marvin Woods, who taped 200 “Home Plate” shows for Turner South, told Buzz that he’s moving to Atlanta and has already committed to taking over Midtown restaurant Spice, with plans to revamp the menu this fall. And he’s seeking another TV show, too.
Celebrity birthdays
Actress Gena Rowlands is 70. Actress Phylicia Rashad is 58. Singer Ann Wilson of Heart is 56. Actress Kathleen Turner is 52. “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul is 44.
Contributing: Teresa K. Weaver, Sonia Murray and news services. If you have a tip, call 404-526-5688 or e-mail rho@ajc.com.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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