Interviews

Fantasia!!!

Fantasia!!!

Fantasia!!!

Fantasia!!!

Linda Powell, a life long friend of Fantasia Barrino, was able to get this exclusive cell phone interview with this year's American Idol Winner.

BPT: You are only 19 right?
Fantasia: Yeah. Only 19 and been through some things.   It doesn't matter at this point. I went there on Tuesday and showed my butt.

BPT: There has been rumors that Clive Davis wants to sign you. Did that knowledge effect you before the finale?
Fantasia: I went out there trying to sing my best.   At that point, I felt like I already accomplished a lot. I came this far out of 70,000 people. I got top two. I went out there to sang like never before

BPT: Are you aware that some people considered you arrogant.
Fantasia: I haven't changed, I have always been the same.  All my friends say I am silly. The way I am off TV is the way I am on TV and a lot of people don't get to see that.

.BPT: You have been accused of being more gracious toward the end. Did your attitude change toward the judges?
Fantasia: I did what I did and thought I better shut up. Let Simon say whatever he wanted to say. It's not that I was trying to be smart or sista-attitudinal (her own word) but that is how I am with him offstage.

BPT:  Was Simon as obnoxious off screen as he seemed on TV?
Fantasia:He has a lot of mouth. He says I give him a run for his money. I wanted to show people that it wasn't me. I didn't want people to take me that way so I shut up.

BPT: There was a lot of talk about a backlash because of you being an unwed mother. How do you think that your child will affect your post show career?
Fantasia: I don't think she will affect me. She pushes me farther, she is a joy. She is a blessing that God gave to me. I am going to work hard to give her the best. She doesn't affect anything. I have got weary, but she helps push me on.

BPT: Do you think there should be an age limit? How do you feel that next year will be 18 or older?
Fantasia: I'm not cool with that, you have some 16 year olds that are just dang, can sing. Maybe they are looking out for them. All them in there this year, I have to salute them because they work their butts off with school, learning their songs, a lot of work for them. Maybe they are just going to look out for them but I don't think it's fair. There are some five year olds that can stand up and sing a song that will bring tears to your eyes.

BPT: You was accused of being one of the judges favorites.
Fantasia: Not really, they have given me some comments that were kind of cold. Simon said I sounded like Donald Duck. I just get out there and try to do my best. If you love what you do, it doesn't matter. I love to sing and so I get out there and have fun on the stage. Whatever they say, I take it and run with it. LaToya was one of the favorites, George was very much loved. I sure didn't feel like a favorite.

BPT: Do you think Simon tried to influence the out come?I
Fantasia: Nah, I think that a lot of young people voting and a lot of young people watching American Idol.
After the shows, he is a sweet man, he always tells us all to stay humble and keep working hard. He is a bad guy on TV but he has a sensitive side, a little, not a lot.

BPT: What is the Best-N-Worst for you and why?
Fantasia: Best, the night I sang Summertime because I was going through a little something. I was getting tired and missing family. I was hearing things about me being arrogant. I said I was going out with no shoes on and sing this song and send a message and it worked. When I got up, I was crying. If it touched me, I was hoping it touched somebody else. My worst (makes a funny noise)...I don't know, I enjoyed every song that I did.

BPT: What are your immediately plans?

Fantasia: To rest and get ready for the new world and spend some time with my baby and family.

BPT: The Publisher of Black Pages Today have made you an honorary member of Loo's BLW Club.

Fantasia: What is a BLW?

BPT: Women with big legs.

Fantasia: (giggling) Oh my God!! I surely qualify. Thanks

BPT: Good Luck and keep it real.

Fantasia: Thanks to all that supported me. God bless you.

What has spurred interest in the upcoming flick is a snippet available on the Internet at Tire Black Man in which Jimmy Jean-Louis (who just starred as the African infatuated with Mo'nique in Phat Girlz) shows up with his white girlfriend to take custody of his daughter for the weekend. Although his ex-wife (Paula Lema) and her girlfriends (Shavsha Isreal and Natasha Dixon) proceed to rake him over the coals, the self-proclaimed "tired black man" manages to get the better of his adversaries during the heated exchange. With the movie already enjoying so much buzz, I figured why wait for the release to talk to Tim Alexander, the writer and director about to make his feature film debut with the upcoming picture everybody's been emailing, text messaging, chatrooming, instant messaging and clogging talk show phone lines about.

KW: Tell me a little about yourself. Where were you born?

TA: I was born in Harlem, but I've been in L.A. since I was four.

KW: And what did you do before you decided to make Diary of a Tired Black Man?

TA: I dropped out of high school, became a locksmith. From there, I just kind of fell into fashion photography. I've been doing that as well as retouching, layout, and design. I've got a website company. And I did a few music videos.

KW: Who did you make music videos for?

TA: Howard Hewett would be the biggest star. Recently, I decided to help up-and-coming actors by making short vignettes that they could use to showcase their acting talent. So, I created a company called Screen Time Productions. Diary of a Tired Black Man was the first clip I shot. It was only supposed to be the three-minute clip to help the actors. But I put it on the Internet, did a Google the next day and I was shocked. It was all over the Internet. On one forum somebody created, there were 550 posts, 22 pages long, in only 24 hours. I said, "Oh my God!"

KW: How much help did you have in making the video clip that's caused all the hubbub?

TA: I made it entirely by myself. I wrote, produced, directed, shot it, did the lighting, the sound and the editing. There was nobody on the set but me and the actors. I shot the whole thing in five hours, from set-up to tear-down.

KW: Unbelievable! And you built the website promoting it, too?

TA: Yeah.

KW: So, do you have enough money behind you to complete the project?

TA: I kinda have it and I'm in negotiations now, but I'm still open and weighing my options.

KW: So, what inspired you to make Diary of a Tired Black Man?

TA: I was dating a black woman who constantly wanted to go toe-to-toe with me. She was a good bit younger than I was, and even when she didn't have any ground to stand on, she would still continue to argue with me. And then, one day, she reared back and said, "You need to get yourself a white girl. You can't deal with a strong black woman." So, I just said to myself, "You know what? I shouldn't even deal with her anymore. I'm out of here."

KW: What's you're dating history? Have you ever been married? Do you have kids?

TA: I've been engaged six times, but I've never been married, no kids. I find that when black women have issues with men, they bring their anger issues into a relationship.

KW: But don't you think that many have been victimized by brothers with a player mentality? There are an awful lot of sisters who have been abandoned without child support to raise kids alone.

TA: I agree, there are a lot of men who aren't good for them. But for some reason, when a black woman gets with a good black man, she thinks he's weak, she thinks he's a punk. If you're a single-mom, I can appreciate that you're facing certain challenges. But does that give you the right to treat a good black man with such anger and contempt? I don't think so.

KW: What do you think is the source of their problem?

TA: I equate them almost with child molesters who grew up to become child molesters. They didn't like it at the time but still grew up to do the same thing, because they understand how to fight, and the struggle, and all the drama. But what they doesn't understand is how to get along. And so when they're with a nice guy, they get frustrated, lose their comfort level, because all of a sudden they have more responsibility to actually pull their weight in the relationship. And when he doesn't bring any drama, they bring the drama, because that's what they're comfortable with.

KW: So, what types of women do you date?

TA: Right now, I'm not dating anybody.

KW: What type of women were you engaged to?

TA: They were all black women. My preference is absolutely black women. That's why I'm trying to expose the problem that we're having, so that they maybe could learn from it.

KW: I recently reviewed a book called Mixed written by a sister who said that she started dating white guys after she moved to L.A. from Philly because no black men would even ask her out. Is that an accurate description of the state of affairs there?

TA: That is so far from the truth. I don't agree because I live in Los Angeles. Most black people date other black people here, so she's definitely speaking from a tainted perspective.

KW: Still, this might have been her real personal experience.

TA: There are many different points of view, but Diary of a Tired Black Man is dealing specifically with the issue of the anger.

KW: Do you think that there might be a connection between the anger and misogyny directed at black women by gangsta' rap and the sort of anger you've witnessed? Maybe it's a defense mechanism and a rational reaction to misogynist treatment?

TA: I think it's partly the women's fault, if they can't tell that rap music is degrading them, and if they continue to respond to the rappers and get on the dance floor. The worse the song is, the more they want to dance to it. That's definitely part of the problem. I'm trying to put the face of a good black man up, because the rappers have already had their day.

KW: How do you expect black women to react to this film?

TA: If you have a medical condition, first you have to go to the doctor to diagnose the problem, before you can heal it. But you cannot tell black women they have an anger issue. They won't accept it. The reason I'm putting it in a movie is that you have a great forum, a situation where people have to sit there for two hours, shut up, and listen. And that's something that you cannot do in person.

KW: You sound like a black Dr. Phil, talking tough love, here. This is likely to provoke some very heated exchanges. What type of reactions have you gotten from sisters to the clip so far?

TA: I've gotten thousands of emails. I'm definitely getting some that are kicking and screaming about it, but believe it or not, the overwhelming majority of women agree with it, even the very educated ones. And the few that called who disagreed, changed their minds after I talked to them and they said, "Is that what we do? I'm glad to see this from a man's point-of-view. You know what? I suddenly see what you're saying." Some of them say, "We do need to check ourselves."

KW: Have any women shown an interested in dating you because of the movie,

and of what ethnicity?

TA: A few, primarily black women. Some were definitely enamored, but I don't get out much, because I work very hard

KW: Certainly some sisters must see it as a slap in the face of black women.

TA: Some try to make it a bigger issue than it is by saying it's an indictment of all black people. But it's not. He says, I'm tired of "angry" black women like you and pointed at them. It's a very direct hit. They attacked him at the door. He just came to pick up his daughter.

KW: Do you feel uncomfortable about presenting black women in such a negative light?

TA: Whites make movies where we see white people as trailer trash? What's the difference?

KW: Maybe the presence of the white woman is what makes the anger issue seem so explosive in your film?

TA: It's not about the white woman. It's about the angry black woman. And when have you ever seen a movie which shows a positive image of a black man who takes care of his family and carries himself with dignity, even when he's under fire. You've seen us be the problem, the drug-dealers, the gangstas, the criminals, the losers, the buffoons, the cross-dressers. When have you seen a dignified black man handling his responsibilities? They say there's no good black man? Here's a good black man. This guy ain't no pimp, and he ain't puttin' on a dress. In this particular scenario, a good black man can't find peace and happiness in his home. No matter what he does, she relentlessly rakes him over. And finally he gets tired, and has to leave. So, she drives him away.

KW: Do you think your film could possible trigger more violence against black women or make even more of a rift between sisters and brothers?

TA: No, it's not about that at all. Anybody who sees this movie and wants to go hit a woman is sick and has a problem. If anything, maybe women will realize that if they didn't have to get in that last word, maybe they could circumvent some of the violence that they're already going through.

KW: I gotta ask you one last thing, the Jimmy Bayan question. What area of L.A. do you live in?

TA: Studio City, in The Valley.

KW: Thanks for the interview and good luck with the film.

TA: Thank you.

Exclusive Interview With Roy M. Eavins, II CEO, Jericho Broadcast Networks, Inc. and

JerichoBroadcasting.com CEO Roy M. Eavins, II Proves That Hard Work and Perseverance will pay off in the end.

BPTN: Roy, with all the sports media outlets out there, when did you conceive the idea of the Jericho Broadcast Networks?

Roy: Well the first part of my company was the Black College Sports Network (BCSN) and it was developed in 1994. Jericho came about in 2000 as a distribution point for the different parts of the BCSN.

BPTN: You seems to have most of the Black College Conferences on board, how difficult was it to get them to understand just how important it is to continue to promote their respective conferences?

Roy: Well we were the first broadcast to have 2 of the 4 major HBCU conferences under one contract, the SWAC & SIAC in 2002. It wasn't hard to get them to want to promote their conferences, it was more of how effective this technology and delivery system could be. When we started internet streaming as we know it was less than one year old and broadband hadn't reached the general public at a reasonable cost.

BPTN: What lessons have you learned from starting JB could you past along to the people following you?

Roy: Believe in yourself and your dreams. Once you start doubting you are done. So you also have to be 100% sure of what you are doing. Research, Research, Research and Research some more!!!

BPTN: Word has leaked out that the Family Channel is about to shut its doors. It would figure with all the money and expertise that Willie Gary and Cecil Fielder had, it would have been able to become a major player as an alternative to BET?

Roy: I am surprised that it hasn't been more successful but I don't really know what caused them to have the issues that they did.

BPTN: Let's talk a little about Roy, the man and your background and where you grew up?

Roy: I grew up in Riviera Beach, FL 60 miles north of Miami. I graduated from Miami Jackson Sr. High and then went to Florida A&M University. After college I moved to Orlando, FL.

BPTN: What kind of childhood did you have? Was it laced with sports as it is with so many of us?

Roy: Yes as a child I played football, basketball, baseball and ran track.

BPTN: I have heard you doing your radio sports talk show and the experts you have up there is witty, smart, knowledgeable. Where did you find those guys?

Roy: The guys on the Sports Wrap are the BEST!!! Bryan "Dr. B." Fulford is our resident sports guru, expert, dali lama or what ever you want to call him. He is also VP of Sports Operations for the Jericho Broadcast Networks. Bryan has been with me since the start of the company and there just isn't much I can't say about him. He is a HUGE part of the success and longevity of the company. Then there is Ron "Lock Down" Mitchell. Mitch is our resident real world athlete, having played D-1 football at Mizou he gives us a wealth of experience in top level sports. Also Mitch has been responsible for getting us interviews with countless top tier college and pro players and coaches.

BPTN: Is diversity a major issue with you, and will you be covering golf at some point for some of these conferences?

Roy: Unlike some of the other people that do HBCU sports we already cover all of the sports. It just depends on where they are playing. Because football is the biggest revenue generator it just gets most of the attention.

BPTN: When are you guys going to start covering the Yanks and Sox's during the pennant drives?

Roy: Ok now we have had that discussion in the past and as a fan of Florida Sports I refuse to talk New York or New England Sports! No really it is our plan that over the next 18 months we are expanding our network coverage not just in sports but general programming for the Urban (Black) community. Check out our new site www.UrbanITV.com.

BPTN: What's been your biggest success to date?

Roy: We have several things that would classify as our "Biggest Success". But the fact that we have been able to maintain the broadcast for the past 8 years is the biggest thing for me right now. Although we have done this on a smaller scale we are in the process of some major growth in the next couple of years.

BPTN: Would you advise young people to get into broadcasting?

Roy: Read and Practice. You have to be better than your competition. So the more you know the better equipped you are to succeed!

BPTN: How have JB impacted on the local community? Do you have interns working during the summer.

Roy: We have college interns as well as a Youth program that teaches middle and high school kids the broadcasting industry.

BPTN: Roy, its been a pleasure. Thank for taking the time to sit with us.

Roy: Thanks for having me it was my pleasure!

****You can reach Roy at:

He is the owner of www.JerichoBroadcasting.com and it is a portal to all of the other primary sites; Radio- www.V108GospelVibe.net, www.V108UrbanVibe.net, TV- www.FaithITV.com, www.UrbanITV.com and www.BlackCollegeSportsNetwork.net

Roy M. Eavins II
President/CEO, JBN, Inc.
www.JerichoBroadcasting.com

Roz Ryan,

a versatile and talented actress and singer who has entertained audiences for more than 25 years, stars as Anthony Anderson's loving and supportive mom, Flo, in All About the Andersons. Roz Ryan talks about the show:

Roz Ryan , a versatile and talented actress and singer as well as one of the original members of Black Pages Today.com dropped by for a chat with our publisher, Loo Oates Jr.. Roz Ryan talks about the show and her career:

BPT: What did you bring to this role?

RR: I believe I bring the true black mother and wife to this role... I have been both. I use memories the strong beautiful black women in my own family and the me raising my own son.

BPT: When did you first know you wanted to be a entertainer?

RR: When I was about 13 although my Mom says I sang in the womb.

BPT:   How do you like working with Anthony Anderson and veteran actor John Amos?

RR: I adore them both... John is brilliant and Anthony reminds me of my own son. They went to college together in real life. Howard University

.BPT:  Who are some of the people whove helped and/or influenced you?

RR: I started as a nightclub singer at the tender age of 16. I was privileged to see Sarah Vaughn, Betty carter, Nancy Wilson and a few others at that tender age. I knew then this was my life. Acting came later My parents helped me and still do... Their support made my life possible.

BPT:   Is there a lot of politics in the entertainment business?

RR: Uhhh Yes it's 10% Show and 90% business. Sometimes or should I say most times the politics get in the way of the art.

BPT: If so, describe the politics and share your strategy for dealing with it?

RR: Well, lets just say it's not about talent as much as it is about the right contacts and marketing. My way of dealing with it is to knock on doors and if they don't open KICK em down. Humor helps....

BPT: Who are your favorite entertainers?

RR: Stevie Wonder. Phalicia Rashad.   I'm reflecting because a lot of my favorites have passed. Billie Holiday, Gregory Hines, Sarah Vaughn, Carmen Macrea, Marvin Gaye, Bette Davis, Gene Kelly, although I must say Anthony Anderson :-) John Amos have become two of my favorites.

BPT: Whats the hardest part of being on a weekly show?

RR: Getting up in the morning but once I am up and out it's not hard. The hours are sometimes long but the reward makes it worth it and I am not speaking financially....

BPT: Who were some of the people who inspired you?

RR: The people I listed above, but most of my early inspiration came from my parents and God.

BPT: Did you like to read as a child?

RR: I mostly read BIO's of black female singers, I find the struggle interesting from Ma Rainey to Me....

BPT: Were near the end of this interview.

RR:Say it isn't so

BPT: What advice would you give to young aspiring entertainers?

RR: I would advise them to finish school, because one must be good at math to count your money and good at English to read your contracts and watch your agents and business managers. Know where all the bodies are buried.  Have a plan B and be sure this is what you want because the sacrifices can sometimes be costly and lonely. Traveling on the road can get old so if you don't love the life don't do it.

When they walk into the room, they are arm in arm. When they sit, they curl into each other. They steal glances into each other’s eyes.

For years, Mary J. Blige’s music has been the sound track reflecting the pain in her life, the struggle in ours. But today she’s drug- and alcohol-free. Introduced by Queen Latifah, Mary and music producer Kendu Isaacs married in December 2003. At 32 years old, Mary is finally able to sing the sound track of joy. Here are cuts from the original interview with ESSENCE Features Editor asha bandele, only on ESSENCE.com.

Mary, youve talked so much about how men have let you down and hurt you. What was it about Kendu that allowed you to trust him?
Mary: Kendu was consistent. He called when he said he was going to. He showed up on time. And he hung in there with me until I could trust him.
So often we dont see ourselves in the same light others do. Where do you think the idea that were not good enough comes from?
Mary: It comes from what we see and experience as were growing up. If you grow up with a lot of anger and violence around you, or if you had a parent who abandoned you, youll probably be left with some scars. I know I was, and I know women who are 40 and 50 years old, who still think they don't deserve to be treated well. After my father left, my mother was really hurt. She didnt understand her own beautyand I dont want to put her business out therebut that hurt led her to a lot of things that only hurt her more. Growing up like that made it hard for me to trust Kendueven though I loved him. But I'm starting to understand the kind of man he is, and Ive put my trust in God. That's the only way that I'm able to trust Kendu.
Kendu: That's the key. She trusts God. And I'm cool with that. God is very consistent. There's no man in this world who can compare to the consistency of God. If Mary trusts in God, He will direct her. If I'm not the one for her, then God's going to say, "He needs to be gone," and if he removed me from her, she'll still be okay because her trust isn't with me. Its with Him and He'll show her the way.
Can you talk about the journey you took to getting to this peaceful place, and to a place where you that you deserved to be treated with respect and kindness?
Mary: It was a process that was about learning to identify myself with image God created me in. That's why I believe in myself now, and why I so much want to continue to do the right thing. Just to please God. That's why I believe I deserve better. It would be a real slap in the face to God if I who was created in His imagespent all of my time with a hateful man.
Mary, what do you think is the greatest blessing this love has given you?
Mary: I never experienced a real loving man before, and I never realized how much attention they need. Through Kendu I realized how selfish I was. I wasn't ready to give another grownup a simple hug. I thought only children were supposed to held and nurtured. My heart wanted to do it, but my flesh had been conditioned to pull away. What he's taught me is that love makes the rules, and if love is making the rules, then you have to really submit to it. Men need loving attention and affection. You have to rub his head, hold him, whatever. Hes your baby right then. Kendus showing me how to love. I never knew how to love, and I never knew that its okay that love hurts sometimes. Not hurt as in physically or emotionally abused, but Kendu taught me that the very thing thats going to heal me may not feel good.
Kendu: I remember saying that to you in one of the first conversations we ever had. I had some things to say about the way you were living, and told you it might hurt to hear it. You said, I dont want to hurt anymore. And so I told you it seemed like you had a wound that didn't heal properly, and the scab on top is the problem. You have to pull it off, and that will hurt, but then we can get the medicine that will make the wound heal properly.
Mary, are you happy now?
Mary: Im happier than Ive ever been. I still have bad days, but not like the days I used to. My life wont be perfect until I can let my past stop haunting me. Life still troubles me, but not like it used to.
Do you drink at all?
Mary: Not at all.
Did you go to AA?
Mary: No. I went to Proverbs. Sometimes when I look back, I think: Im surprised Im not dead.
Kendu: Youre not dead because God wants you to live. You have a mission, a reason to be here. We all do.
What do you think holds so many Black women back from getting the love they deserve?
Mary: I think many too much pride gets in the way of partnership. Being in a relationship means you have to be humble, take someone elses needs into consideration. When Im too proud, when I dont want to do any sort of give and take, it means Im not listening to my partner when he may need it the most.
Kendu: And so many Black men don't know who they are, and they don't understand what they're supposed to be doing when it comes to women. Once you take a woman as your bride youre telling God youll take care of her. But if you don't a have real relationship with God, then youll never know how to take care of a woman the way He would want you to. . only way you can take care of a woman in a God-like way is to understand what God would do, and try to emulate that to the best of your human abilities.
Why do you think so many Black men dont know who they are?
Kendu: Because we were enslaved. And as a group, weve never really dealt with what that did to us. We were sold away from our families, stripped of our names, treated worse than animals. We were family men once, providing for our women and children. Over the course of those centuries we were enslaved, we lost our sense of identity.
How does a man like you exist then?
Kendu: Through the word of God. But I had to go through fire to get to where I am now. Not everyone is willing to do that. When you start going through that fire and feel the burn, you want to turn around and run. I ran many times before I got through. And making it all the way through hurt like hell, but eventually I was able to stand the painthe pain of looking at myself and my own shortcomingswhich obviously I had since I didnt make my first marriage work. But the point is that in the end I found that fire didnt only hurt. It also cleansed. I know Im a better man today, a more Christ-like man. Not a perfect man, but also not a man whos chasing girls or going to strip joints.
What advice then would you want to give to Black women who are strugglingwith addiction, with bad relationships, with anger and depression. How do we begin to let go of the hurt and move towards love?
Mary: To move towards love we have to able to look at ourselves instead of gossiping about someone elses situation. Gossiping wont help us see what we need to change in ourselves. I prayed for God to show me who I wasand that was hellbecause I was prideful, selfish, jealous, mad, angry and hateful. Its not easy, but women who are struggling need to ask God to show them who they are. Then they will know where their own pain is, and begin to heal.