Entertainment

A model poses in the darkened room of the Shekhar Rehate Night in Fashion.
Photo by Deidra Burtonelli.

Shekhar Rehate’s Night in Fashion: Hollywood Edition

By Buddy Sampson and Deidra Burtonelli

The best-dressed in Hollywood on Saturday, were celebrating with designer, Shekhar Rehate, during his fashion show at Falcon Restaurant in Hollywood. Models dressed in Rehate’s colorfully shimmering evening gowns made the night a dazzling carrousel of high fashion women’s wear. Rehate showcased nothing less than the latest in coutour women’s fashion with his own twist. From feathers to V-cuts, Rehate’s line carries the season’s best.

Xango Henry, an actor and massively built fitness guru, was also among the celebrites that showed up for the event. “I live fitness, I am fitness,” said Henry. “But along with being fit looking on the outside, it’s very important to be fit on the inside. That entails eating the right foods at the right time in order to get the right results.” Henry, who worked in the movie “Malice in Wonderland,” believes that particularly as you get older, food and fitness  is vital. “Recognize that as we get older our bodies get weaker,” he said. “We need to eat more water filled foods, with more nutrients involved, and that entails wheat grass and that means more vegetables and fruits.”

The fashion show, which started at 11:30PM, featured stunning models in high fashion. Special thanks to Eric Zuley aka EZ(Mr. Hollywood) Devon Guzzie, Yvette Morales and Andre Cohen Photography.

Los Angeles’ Biggest Event, The Oscars, Featured Glamour, Entertainment, Gifting Suites, Parties and Fun.

The Scoop LA got the hoopla at several Oscar events, including several red carpets. Stay tuned for more soon, including The Night of 100 Stars and E! Entertainment’s event at the W Hotel.

A Night of Pre-Oscars Fun
By Deidra Burtonelli

Black Noir Magazine hosted its third annual Pre-Oscar event on Saturday in Beverly Hills. The night was celebrated by friends and well wishers of the African American Oscar nominees. Acting veteran, Morgan Freeman, who last earned an Oscar in 2005 for Million Dollar Baby, was nominated for Best Actor in Invictus. Mo’Nique (awarded Best Supporting Actress) and Lee Daniels (nominated for Best Director for Precious) raised a special recognition to their careers.

The victory doesn’t stop at the ceremony. Kim Coles attended the Black Noir Pre-Oscar event looking lovely as ever and in good spirits. Coles has been in the public eye often, lately, in regards to the first season of her game show, Pay It Off. The new game show on BET made Coles the first African American female to host a prime time game show. Pay It Off is a new game show on which ordinary contestants play trivia to win money to get their bills paid. OpenTheGifts.com, is her new motivational website that has teleclasses and webinars.

“Its my KIM-powerment program to remind people that they all have special gifts inside and live your life with passion and purpose, says Coles.

A motivator to world boxing and Mixed Martial Arts champions, is Mariano Mendoza. Mendoza is the first, biggest Hispanic heavyweight champion of the world in MMA fighting. Mendoza is called the “Mexican Van Damme in the fighting world”, and is now crossing over into acting. Mendoza joined the Oscar celebration to promote his latest projects on the big and small screen, including The A-Team, in which he shares scenes with UFC world champion Rampage Jackson who will star as Mr.T.

“I like to play the Debo version of the Hispanics,” says Mendoza.

Those to Watch:

Lawrence Beaman, finalist of America’s Got Talent, attempts to be the first bass baritone to win an award.

Beaman said that his new album, “will be talking about the elements of true love. I wanna bring back hot,sexy, babymaking music.”

Vincent M. Ward advised The Scoop LA that the vampire craze is over. Actor in the hit series, True Blood, Vincent M. Ward, reveals the new blood suckers of Hollywood, the wolves.

“I can’t wait to turn into…,” Ward reveals about his role on True Blood as the organizer of a wolf club, Hollis.

The Scoop LA Shout Out:

The Scoop LA alumni and pop singer, Tionne, just reached 6 million hits on his new single, I Freeze, produced by Jason Edmonds.

Don’t forget to watch Laila Odom on Sex Chronicles every Friday at 6:30.

“Its a young Sex In The City with more skin and more people of color,” says actress Laila Odom.

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The Grammy Award Serenity Gifting Suite
Be! Magazine Makes It Happen With the Biggest Night in Music

By Deidra Burtonelli

This year’s Grammy Award Serenity Gifting Suite was hosted by BE! Magazine on Saturday, January 30th, 2010 at the Los Angeles Film School in Hollywood. “BE! is an acronym for Beauty Entertainment,”  said Christopher Mannor, Style Director, BE! Magazine.  “Our focus is on everything happening in the world of beauty and entertainment. It’s like a hybrid between a People Magazine and a Cosmo and Elle Magazine. It’s fast, it’s quick information, but it’s also beauty focused, mainly for women, very broad and colorful and it’s full of tips and advice, how to’s and that kind of thing.” Be! Magazine was in conjunction with LA Splash Media to honor celebrity guests the day before the big night of the Grammys held at the LA Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. Mya, R&B singer and finalist of last season’s Dancing With the Stars, appeared at the BE! event and is also on the cover of this month’s issue. Only a fraction of the stars in attendance included comedienne, Kym Whitley (Til Death), rap star, Twista, former Miss California 2010, Tami Farrell, award winning actor, Omar Gooding (Baby Boy), Tequan Richmond (Everybody Hates Chris), Max Ehrich (The Pregnancy Pact), and Howard Hewett (recording artist.)“It’s great,” said Hewett when asked about the significance of BE! Magazine. “It means there’s different ways for people to get specific and more information. Anytime there’s a publication that’ll open up that’s doing and talking about some real stuff, I’m always in support of that.” Hewett is preparing to work on his next musical project. “I’ve got to figure out what I want to talk about and what I want to say,” he said. “I want to incorporate some things that my fourteen year old and her people would listen to.” (Continued below.)

Actor Omar Gooding (best known for his role in the movie Baby Boy and in sitcom, Smart Guy), the younger brother of Cuba Gooding Jr., discussed his latest works in TV, the upcoming drama series, Miami Medical, to air April 2nd on CBS. With a 20 year acting career under his belt, Gooding revealed to The Scoop he has expanded his talents into music. his hip-hop alias is “Big O” and he has a rap group that is already busy laying tracks and touring.

Gooding says, “We’ve locked down a few feature [performances], and tonight we do a show in San Diego and back to LA for the Grammy’s!”

New musical artists made red carpet appearances and gave the media a taste of what they had to offer. The smooth urban pop soul group, Electrik Red, came to promote their new album on Def Jam, “How to Be a Lady Vol. II,” produced by The Dream and Tricky Stewart. Hip hop audiences have heard the single, So Good, on the air waves. Now, the lovely female group is ready to release a new single entitled, “Drink in My Cup.” The girls have been into the performing arts since adolescence and have sang back up and danced for popular artists.

Sarah of Electrik Red describes the group’s style as “A newage play on how to be a lady in 2010.”

“We have a lot to say and the last album had a little bit of everything, but this album is a lot more hyphy,” says group member, Naomi.

Fresh on the scene, is Stereo Hoggz. The young male R&B group Stereo Hoggz made an appearance and gave the fan base a visual to the voice.

“Monday we will be performing at Jamie Foxx’s party,”Jon Glenn of Stereo Hoggz announced. Kwanza Jones, an exciting new recording artist seen at the event, has a project called “Supercharged.” She was very excited about her new project. “It’s my theme song,” said Jones. “ I feel supercharged. And I think everyone ought to be feeling supercharged in different aspects in parts of their lives. But it’s also an album and a project that’s about love, it’s about life, the songs that I like to call the soundtrack to those things.” Her new single, “Everything Around You,” is enjoying radio play and look for great things from this talented artist.

Sponsors of the gifting suite held nothing back for the VIPs that filled the room. Upon entry, guests were photographed by Images on Chocolate, a custom brand in designer chocolate gifts.

To the left were more edibles and cocktails, and a row of new fashion and accessory creations on right. The sound stage studio held skincare and beauty vendors who were nothing short of generous with distributing spa discounts and beauty gift cards.

Representatives of Oddyssey MediSpa came down from the coast of Marina Del Rey, equipped with massage chairs. Oddyssey gave guests relaxing back and hand massages.

Divas in Training, one of the suite’s featured sponsors, takes a modern, feminine approach to self defense. Divas in Training is a new self defense, body conditioning, and firearm training in a complete package. The team had demos to give participants the self defense experience.

Hats off to Be! Magazine and all publicity involved, including Ericalane B, for making the Gifting Suite a fun and rewarding way to kick off the many celebrations of the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards.

All photos by Deidra Burtonelli.

Louie Cruz Beltran-Making a Difference in Latin Jazz and the Community

By Buddy Sampson

Louie Cruz Beltran’s considerable talent gives him a voice that speaks volumes on his instrument, percussion. Born in Bakersfield, California, he’s much, much more than a percussionist; he’s an activist, a person concerned about what happens in the community, what happens in American culture and the state of history and legacy of Latin Jazz. To speak to Louie Cruz Beltran is to listen to one of the historians of the genre. He is a super intelligent spokesman of Latin Jazz, well studied and versed in history that some music historians can only dream about.

However, Bakersfield isn’t exactly known as a Mecca of Latin Jazz. “The music scene there was very good,” said Beltran. “And very diverse. The name Bakersfield seems to have tied our city with country western music because it is considered nationally as the Nashville West. And there is a lot of music there- Buck Owens is from there, Dwight Yoakam, Merle Haggard. Great Latin Jazz artists, no.” Except for Louie Cruz Beltran. “I’m the only one from there, I think, that stuck to his guns.” he laughed.

As a young percussionist, he first started playing trap drums when the Beatles arrived on the American music scene. He grew up playing a lot of Latin Salsa music from Cuba and Puerto Rico, playing bongos and guitar from when he was in third grade. But he was also influenced by a very popular style of American music. “We did a lot of funk at times,” he reflected. “George Clinton, Earth, Wind and Fire, The Ohio Players, all that kind of stuff, we were doing it all. So I have a very eclectic background in terms of music. But the love of my life, my first lady in music, of course is Afro Latin and Latin Jazz, using the cultural rhythms of Cuba, Brazil and Puerto Rico, mixing it with jazz progressions and chords- mixing it up to where it becomes a new style or genre of music.”

Beltran’s electrifying and sizzling playing has led to performances with some of the giants of Latin Music, including Ray Baretto, Tito Puente, Ray Armando, Francisco Aquabella, Jorge Claudio and Mongo Santamaria among many others. “Mongo Santamaria is close to my heart,” said Beltran. “I actually had the opportunity to sit in with him in what we call a descanda, a big jam session in Concerts By The Sea (a popular concert venue). “Mongo Santamaria was a great congalista in terms of being able to play great music from Cuba and had some very strong African roots in his music.”

The consummate songwriter and lyricist also had his composition, “Pan Con Dignidad (Bread with Dignity) placed in the compilation series “Who’s Who of Composers.” He also has delved in TV and film. His composition “La Migra” was featured in the television series “Judging Amy,” for which he also had a guest-starring role. His other credits include “The Minister’s Wife,” “La Redada” Haskell Wexler’s “”Latino” and stage time with directors Luis Valdez and Carmen Zapata.

Beltran is a true baseball enthusiast, growing up with baseball and music as a way of life. He feels in some communities that the lack of funding for music and sports equipment has had an adverse effect on the development of kids, robbing them of the cultural benefits that help youth to become productive. Many inner city schools don’t have instruments or instructors that teach music, due to cuts in education and the elimination of the National Endowment of the Arts. He is a strong advocate of restoring funding- to develop youth by keeping them off the streets. As he often speaks at high schools, he gives back to the community by volunteering his time to help make a positive change for those that listen to him and his music. For more information on this sensational artist, please visit:
www.louiecruzbeltran.com or www.myspace.com/louiecruzbeltran.

(L-R)”Cold Case” star Tracie Thoms, Trainer Coley Mustafa Speaks, Entertainer Kiki Shepard and Actress Tatyana Ali at the Bowling Challenge. Photo by Darryl Turner.

Kiki Shepard Hosts Bowling Challenge To Raise Sickle Cell Awareness

Her foundation, the K.I.S. Foundation, brings attention to a great cause.

Entertainer Kiki Shepard held a star studded Bowling Challenge at PINZ Entertainment Center on Friday, September 18th, 2009 to bring attention to the plight of Sickle Cell Disease. “Sickle Cell Disease does not get the attention it deserves,” said Shepard. “It’s pushed under the rug or pushed aside and it’s a disease of our community.” Many of the celebrities that attended included many of television’s brightest African-American stars.

It was a joyous and fun event, but the guests of the Challenge didn’t lose sight of the reason they attended. Sickle Cell Disease is an inherited, non-contagious blood disease that has debilitating effects on the body, including pain and, in some cases, death. “I’m here to support Kiki and this wonderful thing that she’s doing,” said Grey’s Anatomy star James Pickens Jr. “I’ve been involved with it now for the last six years or so.”  Pickens Jr. admires Shepard’s passion and effort.  Her work for the cause was evident during the event; she was behind the counter selling items, taking photos, helping with food, all over the place, devoted for years in her fight for finding funds for cures, treatments and care for sickle cell patients. “It’s such a great cause and she’s so passionate and dedicated,” Pickens Jr. explained. “It can be nothing but an inspiration for anybody. So I thought it was my duty as a citizen of the world to be part of it.”

Actress Dawnn Lewis, who sang the opening number for the event, had reason to be there. “Because I’m afraid of Kiki,” laughed Lewis, a member of the Board of Directors for Kiki’s Foundation, the K.I.S. Foundation, which gave away $10K in scholarships to 3 SCD recipients, underwritten by Hennessy and the NBA Wives Association. “Seriously, I’ve been on board from the beginning, all 11 years. She’s one of my dearest friends and she has one of the biggest hearts I’ve ever seen.”

Many luminaries were spotted at the event. Loretta Devine and TC Carson were seen, along with Tatyana Ali, Jack’ee Harry, Bill Bellamy, Sally Richardson-Whitfield, Dondre Whitfield, Wendy Raquel Robinson, and former L.A. Police Commissioner Bernard Parks. Also present were Reggie Hayes, Kristoff St. John, Art Evans, Gina Rivera, comedian Buddy Lewis, WNBA Star Kiesha Brown, LisaRaye McCoy, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Theresa Randle, and “Cold Case” Star Thom Barry, among many others. “I think in my generation, people became very aware of Sickle Cell Anemia and awareness started to rise,” said Barry. “We started to understand what the malady was that was among us ethnic people. It’s great to see that the awareness is still being raised about it and hopefully we’ll at least have comfort to people, if we don’t have a cure.” Tracie Thoms, who also is a star in the series, feels heightened awareness of the sickness is a must. “Sickle Cell is one of those diseases that people think has just gone away,” she said. “They think it’s no longer killing people. I’ve had members in my family that have suffered from the disease, so we have to wipe it out for good.”

Ernest Thomas, star of “What’s Happening?” and “Everybody Hates Chris” encapsulated the playful mood of the event, but remained aware of its serious theme. “I’m here because it’s a fact that it affects African-Americans in large numbers,” said Thomas as he laid his hands on this reporter’s bald pate. “Of course I’m here to help find a cure, research and if I have to lay hands, I’ll do that, whatever I have to do. Hey wait a minute, I feel something right here, I don’t know why, but you’ve got a hundred dollar bill you want to give me.” Yes, Mr. Thomas, all of us should get behind this terrific cause and put your money where your mouth is, supporting the ongoing mission to eradicate Sickle Cell Anemia. Visit www.thekisfoundation.org. Kudos to Kiki Shepard and Lisa Humphrey, of Premier Concepts for letting us get The Scoop.

James Pickens Jr. of the popular TV series Grey’s Anatomy shows off on the red carpet of the Bowling Challenge. Photo by Darryl Turner.

Jennifer Day Wows at the Summer Heat Concert
By Buddy Sampson

July 14^th was a special day in the Valley as Jennifer Day and her terrific revue presented a sensational show at the Jennifer Day Theater at CAP on Ventura Blvd.

The show started with the Jennifer Day Orchestra, a band that was tight and professional. Entirely comprised of Latinos, this band proved it was capable of playing all genres of music with relative ease. They started off the evening with the Herbie Hancock classic “Chameleon,” which featured an outstanding solo by their bassist and bandleader, Eddie Stephens, who had complete control of the band.

The show started immediately afterward, with singer/performers Jennifer Day and Ysobelle taking the stage, playfully jabbing at their manager, Ron Eckstine. They performed a tune, “Party.” Day was dressed in an incredible pink and multi-colored outfit with matching boots that, let’s just say, was sexy and revealing. Ysobelle was dressed in an equally revealing outfit with blue chaps and a cowboy hat, which was removed to reveal fantastic black locks. The ladies sang and looked fantastic. Their second song was “How Do You Want Your Love.”

The band took a break and allowed more performers to take the stage, singing to pre-recorded tracks. Singer Victoria De Mare was first, singing “Sometimes I Cry.” She was beautiful, taking the stage in a sparkly silver gown. Next, Jasmine Ejan took the stage with attitude, singing passionately, a hip hop flavored song, “Easy Love.” She was dressed in a short red dress that drew oohs and ahhs from the men in the audience. Ejan had the sound of some of the great disco divas of the 70s, Donna Summer and the like. Graceful and catlike with her moves on the stage, she was a delight to watch. Meli Paige followed, singing “Candy,” and, in a short gold dress, well, she looked as sweet as candy.

But the star of the show was clearly Day. She returned to the stage with the band to bubbles and smoke. Dressed in silver mini and matching shoes, Day knows how to tease an audience into frenzy, with props, routines and other antics, including going in the audience, getting them involved. The second half of the show spotlighted everything in her considerable arsenal. She sang 8 songs, including “Blazing Hot,” “I Don’t Wanna Lose Your Love,” and “Kiss Me In The Rain,” among others. When she’s on stage, she captures your undivided attention. I’ve seen Day over the years and she just gets better and better. It’s evident that she works hard on her performance and her voice is at the point where she deserves to perform for huge audiences. She knows how to work a crowd and is an outstanding performer. Of mention also is Ysobelle, an underrated singer that you can tell is a veteran of many stage productions. She sang “Summertime,” a song that has been covered by many. However, she sings the song in the original way it was meant to be. Among her seven songs were also “Sabor A Mi,” and “You’re Nobody ‘Til Somebody Loves You.” With her operatic voice, a world of theater and performance awaits her. She is a star.

The entire show was reminiscent of the glory days of entertainment, with comedy sketches, and a revue, put together masterfully by Ron Eckstine. The show was sexy and had a burlesque edge to it. Picture Mae West meets Marilyn Monroe and you have the picture. If you go to a show that features Jennifer Day, we guarantee you’ll be entertained, whether you’re male or female. Eckstine and Day know how to put on a show and are well deserving of more recognition in bigger venues. Special thanks to Ron Eckstine for inviting us to get The Scoop in L.A.

Want to read more on Jennifer Day? Read her story here: Jennifer Day.

The Toledo Show By Buddy Sampson

If you want to go to a show and to be thoroughly entertained, then you must go to see The Toledo Show, currently at Bardot, on Monday nights at 9PM, 1737 N. Vine St. in Hollywood.

Toledo, who used to work with legend Sammy Davis Jr., is an exciting dancer, singer and performer. He’s one of the few guys in the industry as The Scoop’s pick as worthy to watch. When he’s on stage, you can’t take your eyes off him. Do have to warn you though, if you’re afraid of second hand smoke, sit away from the stage. Part of Toledo’s act is that he’s smokes cigars, throughout his set, which gives him a smoky, sensual voice that has men wishing they were that cool and women wanting to sleep with him. It’s refreshing to see an artist that commands such attention.

On June 15^th, The Scoop decided to stop in and see his show. Friend of The Scoop LaShawn Magee decided to attend the show with us, to celebrate her birthday and little did she know she was in for a treat. In Toledo’s first set, he leaned to the mellow side, starting with a sensual groove. One of the tunes, Black Halos, served as a forum for Mr. Toledo to come to Magee’s table to personally include her in the lyric of the song, wishing her a happy birthday. But we were in for a further treat. The second set was incredibly funky. Toledo bought out his sexy female dancers, who were contorting about, hanging off the stair rails and dancing across the tables.

But clearly, the star of the show is Toledo. With his undeniable sex appeal and smoky voice, Toledo is completely and utterly mesmerizing. His second set had everyone in Bardot on his or her feet. The Toledo Show is a visual treat that everyone should see. By the way, Bardot is a great venue and the service is excellent. We recommend this restaurant and if you’re going to see Toledo, make dinner reservations. To see photos and a review of Bardot, for now, visit:
http://losangeles.metromix.com/bars-and-clubs/dance_club/bardot-la/39529/content.

For information on Toledo, visit www.thetoledoshow.com. Special thanks to Jenn Laskey for inviting us to get The Scoop and Kelly Pizzo of Bardot for being such a wonderful host. She was attentive and engaging. Run; don’t walk to see The Toledo Show, Mondays at Bardot. Why this sensational artist has not enjoyed widespread appeal is totally bewildering.

Visit:
www.sonicbid.com/renaissance