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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2007 > April > 17
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Image honors ‘Stomp the Yard’ producer
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Will Packer, of Marietta-based Rainforest Films, didn’t have just family, friends and fellow local filmmakers fete him at Tuesday night’s Image Film & Video Center gala. Also on hand at the Fox Theatre ballroom was a line of seven performing local step dancers, all who appeared in the producer’s hit drama “Stomp the Yard” for Sony’s Screen Gems.
Packer, along with the indie filmmaking team of John Sayles and Maggie Renzi and others, were honored by Image at its annual fund-raiser, which precedes the Thursday start of the 31st annual Atlanta Film Festival.
“Oh, man, this award means the world to me,” Packer said. “I remember coming to Atlanta years ago from Tallahassee and being really bright-eyed and naive and how could I ever make an impact on a market this size? This means validation from my peers, the film community and Atlanta.”
Since 2000, Packer and his Rainforest Films directing-producing partner Rob Hardy have made several films in Atlanta, including “Trois” and “The Gospel.”
To date, “Stomp the Yard,” a drama involving the African-American fraternity and sorority tradition of stepping, has earned more than $65 million worldwide.
FRANKLIN NAMED ‘BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL’
Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin has been named one of Essence Magazine’s “Bold and Beautiful” in the publication’s May issue on newsstands this week. City Hall reps tell us herzzoner has earned a spot on the 2007 list, which includes “Grey’s Anatomy” actress Chandra Wilson; the black female cadets of the U.S Military Academy; activists Kadiatou Diallo and Marie Dorismond; and poet Maya Angelou. The issue salutes “the strength, courage and wisdom of inspiring black women.”
OVERSCENE
“Training Day” actor Denzel Washington and “Blade” action star Wesley Snipes enjoying a late dinner at Bluepointe in Buckhead, along with 14 friends and business associates. We’re told the movie stars dined on appetizers and steaks whipped up personally by Bluepointe executive chef Doug Turbush. The dinner was hosted by Buckhead Life Restaurant Group regular Daniel Meachum. The table also enjoyed samples of pastry chef Lisa Smith’s chai tea crème brûlée and palm sugar panna cotta. Afterward, the group hung in the eatery’s lounge area, where a few overly enthusiastic fans were politely kept at bay by Bluepointe managers.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Actress Barbara Hale (“Perry Mason”) is 86. Actress Hayley Mills is 61. Actor James Woods is 60. Actor Rick Moranis is 54. Actor Eric Roberts is 51. Actress Melody Thomas Scott (“The Young and the Restless”) is 51. Actor John James (“Dynasty,” “All My Children”) is 51. Actress Jane Leeves (“Frasier”) is 46. Talk show host Conan O’Brien is 44. Actor Eric McCormack (“Will & Grace”) is 44. Actress America Ferrera (“Ugly Betty”) is 23. Actress Alia Shawkat (“Arrested Development”) is 18.
QUOTABLE
“Oh, my God, I love you, Paula Deen. Can I come home with you?”
—“The View” co-host Rosie O’Donnell upon meeting the Savannah Food Network queen on Tuesday’s show, after Deen disclosed that she consumes chili with a generous amount of corn chips hidden in the bottom of her bowl.
STORK REPORT
It’s a girl!
Kyma executive chef Pano Karatassos and wife Angela welcomed baby Sophia Angela into the world at 3:30 a.m. Saturday. The newest Karatassos weighed in at 8 pounds, 10 ounces and measured 20 3/4 inches long. She is welcomed by excited big brothers Pano, 5, and Lucas, 3.
Contributing: Bob Longino and news services
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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Introducing James Morrison
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ben Rose/www.BenRosePhotography.com
James Morrison.
So, you’re in this relationship and you’re trying to figure out if it’s love or not. You don’t want to lead anyone on but you don’t necessarily want to break it off, either. You don’t send flowers because you’re uncertain of what message that would be sending.
But it would kill you to see them with someone else.
Now, combine that cauldron of emotion with a hook, horns and strings into “You Give Me Something,” a 3-minute, 33-second pop symphony that resembles one of Dusty Springfield’s musical godchildren.
Welcome to the song writing of UK singer-songwriter James Morrison.
Oh, and he’s 22.
Ben Rose / www.
BenRose
Photography.com
“Yeah, I get that a lot!,” Morrison laughs, while brushing a stray lock of hair dangling out from under his gray ski cap. The singer is in Atlanta this week to promote the U.S. version of his debut album, “Undiscovered.” He will perform and sign CDs Tuesday at Borders in Buckhead at 12:30 p.m.
“I just tend to write about things that affect me, things that I’ve been through. I might be young but I’ve seen a lot. That line about the flowers was actually inspired by my girlfriend who was complaining that I never sent her any. I was trying to figure out if I was in love with her or not at the time. I just think candy and flowers is all a bit cliched, isn’t it?”
Across the pond, the fifth single from “Undiscovered” is now hitting the airwaves. “You Give Me Something,” the first single from the project is just now attracting some attention in the states. The album and single have both become iTunes buyer faves. But Morrison’s voice and almost retro approach to recording has far more in common with Otis Redding and old scratchy Atlantic Records 45s than Beyonce and Nickelback.
Even as he performed Monday night for a private cluster of DAVE FM listeners on a windy patio at Paramount condos in Buckhead, attendees found it difficult to believe that the throaty soulful voice was actually coming out of that skinny dude shivering up there with a guitar.
The voice may be both the product of a near-fatal bout of whooping cough Morrison survived as an infant and a daily series of hand-rolled cigarettes. Taking the mike, the former English sidewalk busker told the crowd: “Hopefully, you’ll be blown away. If the music doesn’t do it, the wind will!” Moments before, a radio contest winner had launched a pile of salad across the patio when a gust of wind made it airborne.
After his promo tour of the states and a pop back to Britain to do the summer festival circuit, Morrison returns to the U.S. for a stadium tour with John Mayer and Ben Folds. The trio comes to Philips Arena Aug. 5.
Morrison admits the schedule is a bit overwhelming but the former commercial van washer isn’t complaining.
“I’ve actually forgotten what it feels like not to wake up tired at this point,” he says. “But who cares? This is the best job you could possibly ask for. I’m gonna keep doing it for as long as I’m allowed.”
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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Janet Jackson out on the ATL
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Judging from the growing number of sightings across the city, Janet Jackson is really getting to know her new home. The girlfriend of Atlanta music mogul Jermaine Dupri was spotted last week at a “Stars of the Century” drag show at the Jungle, featuring a Jackson look-alike, V-103’s Miss Sophia reported. And over the weekend, the upper area of the SugarHill night spot in Underground Atlanta downtown was cleared out so she and Dupri could see R&B singer Chrisette Michele in relative privacy.
Michele tried really hard not to let the music icon’s presence rattle her. “I thought having my mom and my family in the audience would be bad on the nerves,” the obviously honored newcomer said after her show. “But with her — whew! —I was just trying make believe that it wasn’t happening.”
OVERSCENE
Film director and Morehouse grad Spike Lee and friend enjoying a private booth at the Bar at Trois in Midtown, drinking Moet Chandon White Star champagne and watching the Lakers game … Gayle King, editor of O magazine (and Oprah BFF) dining at Two Urban Licks in Midtown with “Daddy’s Little Girls” writer/director Tyler Perry. King had the stack salad, and Perry preferred the gumbo. They split the chicken and brisket entrees and enjoyed coconut cream pie for dessert.
AND SPEAKING OF OPRAH …
It won’t count toward the comparative women’s studies degree she is pursuing, but when Buzz caught up with Spelman College sophomore Angela Boudreaux on Monday afternoon, she was getting lots of credit — and high-fives and hugs — from passing classmates. “I’m going to be on Oprah! I’m going to be on Oprah!” the 19-year-old said to students as she walked and fielded our questions at the same time. Yes, Boudreaux and six other Spelman students — Leana Cabral, Deven Sanders, D’Lynn Jacobs, Laura Rahman, Kelli J. Haywood and Cashauna Lattimore — took part in Winfrey’s two-part, post-Don Imus discussion, airing on her afternoon talk show Monday and today. The young women got the heads-up on the opportunity Friday. Saturday there were pre-interviews. And Monday morning Gayle King was on campus, interviewing them for the show. “I think it went very, very well,” said Boudreaux, who recently founded a student group called WORTH (Women Offering Representations That Heal). “Ms. King was extremely, extremely nice. … And Ms. Winfrey’s staff was really, really professional.”
‘MAGICAL MYSTERY’ DAY DOWNTOWN
Roll up, Atlanta. The Beatles’ psychedelic Magical Mystery Tour bus is waiting to take you away. OK, so technically, the 1960s counter-
culture artifact will just be parked out in front of the Hard Rock Cafe downtown starting at 2 p.m. today. The bus is the first piece of rock memorabilia donated to Myrtle Beach, S.C.’s, upcoming Hard Rock Park, touted as the world’s first rock-themed amusement park. In addition to the tourist photo op, Hard Rock reps also will donate the shiny black shirt Godfather of Soul icon James Brown wore for the cover shot of his classic 1966 album, “James Brown Plays New Breed.” At 8 p.m., rockers Sister Hazel will play a free concert at the venue.
EVERYBODY LOVES A PROPOSAL
Those sitcom stars who have done more than their share to deglamorize domestic life, Ray Romano and Brad Garrett, showed they have a heart by helping an attendee at their Sunday night show at the Fox propose onstage. After his girlfriend said yes, the ever-helpful Garrett volunteered $1,000 of Romano’s dough to the happy couple toward their wedding. Since it was April 15, Romano wondered aloud whether the charitable gift could be written off. At press time, Fox reps had not answered our call inquiring about the couple’s identity.
HIGH FIVE
Hot cellphone ringtones For the week of April 15
1. Rascal Flatts, “What Hurts the Most”
2. Chris Brown featuring Jay Biz, “Poppin’ “
3. Buckcherry, “Crazy”
4. Gym Class Heroes featuring Patrick Stump, “Cupid’s Chokehold”
5. 50 Cent featuring Olivia, “Candy Shop”
Source: Billboard
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Composer-musician Jan Hammer is 59. Actress Olivia Hussey is 56. Singer-guitarist Pete Shelley of the Buzzcocks is 52. Singer Liz Phair is 40. Rapper-actor Redman is 37. Actress Jennifer Garner (“Alias”, right) is 35. Singer Victoria Beckham of the Spice Girls is 33. Actress Dee Dee Davis (“The Bernie Mac Show”) is 11.
Contributing: Sonia Murray, Chris Reinolds and news services
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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