Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka says she hopes her sponsors will consult with her about how they portray her, but her focus is on her game as she heads into the final at the Australian Open.

Osaka was asked about criticism over one of her main sponsors, Nissin Foods Holdings, after they took down an online ad campaign that depicted her with pale skin after it was criticized as insensitive. Critics said the depiction does not reflect Osaka’s biracial background

“I’ve talked to them. They’ve apologized,” Osaka said. “I’m tan. It’s pretty obvious.”

Osaka said she didn’t think the ad was intended to “whitewash” her.

“But I definitely think that the next time they try to portray me or something, I feel like they should talk to me about it,” she told reporters in Melbourne.

Osaka used her smooth power to beat Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 in the semifinals Thursday.

“I’m just focused on this right now. I’ve gotten to the final of a slam, and that’s sort of my main priority,” said Osaka, whose father is Haitian and mother is Japanese.

Daisuke Okabayashi, a spokesman for Japanese noodle-maker Nissin Foods Holdings, said Thursday the company meant no disrespect for diversity with its two animation clips that went up earlier this month and were deleted from the company’s online site Wednesday.

“We as a company put human rights first, and our stance of valuing diversity is unchanged,” he said in a telephone interview

Okabayashi said the ads were approved by Osaka’s agent, but the company was later asked to take them down. He said the company continues to support Osaka and did not want the flap to be a distraction.

Nissin became Osaka’s corporate sponsor in November 2016, joining a list of companies, such as Nissan Motor Co. and the watch brand Citizen, hoping to cash in on a level of stardom that’s rare among Japanese athletes.

Osaka’s appeal has grown in Japan since she beat Serena Williams in last year’s U.S. Open. Her performance at the Australian Open has topped daily news coverage.

It’s not the first time Japan has been criticized for insensitivity to diversity issues, including race, nationality, gender and sexual orientation. Osaka’s visibility and natural charm are seen as contributions to Japan’s acceptance of racial and other differences.

Baye McNeil, an American who has lived in Japan for more than a decade, said Japanese are often unaware of what might upset a global audience. His commentary in The Japan Times, a local English-language daily, was among the first to express outrage over the Nissin ad.

“She looks totally like a white woman in the ad,” said McNeil, who writes and lectures about the problem of race in Japan. “It was very whitewashed.”

Japanese companies need to become more inclusive if they hope to appeal to a global market, he added.

“They are not thinking on that level,” McNeil said. “It may be painful, but Japan is going through growing pains right now.”

Nissin’s ad was based on a manga and animation series called “The Prince of Tennis,” created by artist Takeshi Konomi. The ad showed characters from the work and also characters meant to depict Osaka and male Japanese tennis star Kei Nishikori, playing on a court.
…

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Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka says she hopes her sponsors will consult with her about how they portray her, but her focus is on her game as she heads into the final at the Australian Open.

Osaka was asked about criticism over one of her main sponsors, Nissin Foods Holdings, after they took down an online ad campaign that depicted her with pale skin after it was criticized as insensitive. Critics said the depiction does not reflect Osaka’s biracial background

“I’ve talked to them. They’ve apologized,” Osaka said. “I’m tan. It’s pretty obvious.”

Osaka said she didn’t think the ad was intended to “whitewash” her.

“But I definitely think that the next time they try to portray me or something, I feel like they should talk to me about it,” she told reporters in Melbourne.

Osaka used her smooth power to beat Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 in the semifinals Thursday.

“I’m just focused on this right now. I’ve gotten to the final of a slam, and that’s sort of my main priority,” said Osaka, whose father is Haitian and mother is Japanese.

Daisuke Okabayashi, a spokesman for Japanese noodle-maker Nissin Foods Holdings, said Thursday the company meant no disrespect for diversity with its two animation clips that went up earlier this month and were deleted from the company’s online site Wednesday.

“We as a company put human rights first, and our stance of valuing diversity is unchanged,” he said in a telephone interview

Okabayashi said the ads were approved by Osaka’s agent, but the company was later asked to take them down. He said the company continues to support Osaka and did not want the flap to be a distraction.

Nissin became Osaka’s corporate sponsor in November 2016, joining a list of companies, such as Nissan Motor Co. and the watch brand Citizen, hoping to cash in on a level of stardom that’s rare among Japanese athletes.

Osaka’s appeal has grown in Japan since she beat Serena Williams in last year’s U.S. Open. Her performance at the Australian Open has topped daily news coverage.

It’s not the first time Japan has been criticized for insensitivity to diversity issues, including race, nationality, gender and sexual orientation. Osaka’s visibility and natural charm are seen as contributions to Japan’s acceptance of racial and other differences.

Baye McNeil, an American who has lived in Japan for more than a decade, said Japanese are often unaware of what might upset a global audience. His commentary in The Japan Times, a local English-language daily, was among the first to express outrage over the Nissin ad.

“She looks totally like a white woman in the ad,” said McNeil, who writes and lectures about the problem of race in Japan. “It was very whitewashed.”

Japanese companies need to become more inclusive if they hope to appeal to a global market, he added.

“They are not thinking on that level,” McNeil said. “It may be painful, but Japan is going through growing pains right now.”

Nissin’s ad was based on a manga and animation series called “The Prince of Tennis,” created by artist Takeshi Konomi. The ad showed characters from the work and also characters meant to depict Osaka and male Japanese tennis star Kei Nishikori, playing on a court.
…

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Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka says she hopes her sponsors will consult with her about how they portray her, but her focus is on her game as she heads into the final at the Australian Open.

Osaka was asked about criticism over one of her main sponsors, Nissin Foods Holdings, after they took down an online ad campaign that depicted her with pale skin after it was criticized as insensitive. Critics said the depiction does not reflect Osaka’s biracial background

“I’ve talked to them. They’ve apologized,” Osaka said. “I’m tan. It’s pretty obvious.”

Osaka said she didn’t think the ad was intended to “whitewash” her.

“But I definitely think that the next time they try to portray me or something, I feel like they should talk to me about it,” she told reporters in Melbourne.

Osaka used her smooth power to beat Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 in the semifinals Thursday.

“I’m just focused on this right now. I’ve gotten to the final of a slam, and that’s sort of my main priority,” said Osaka, whose father is Haitian and mother is Japanese.

Daisuke Okabayashi, a spokesman for Japanese noodle-maker Nissin Foods Holdings, said Thursday the company meant no disrespect for diversity with its two animation clips that went up earlier this month and were deleted from the company’s online site Wednesday.

“We as a company put human rights first, and our stance of valuing diversity is unchanged,” he said in a telephone interview

Okabayashi said the ads were approved by Osaka’s agent, but the company was later asked to take them down. He said the company continues to support Osaka and did not want the flap to be a distraction.

Nissin became Osaka’s corporate sponsor in November 2016, joining a list of companies, such as Nissan Motor Co. and the watch brand Citizen, hoping to cash in on a level of stardom that’s rare among Japanese athletes.

Osaka’s appeal has grown in Japan since she beat Serena Williams in last year’s U.S. Open. Her performance at the Australian Open has topped daily news coverage.

It’s not the first time Japan has been criticized for insensitivity to diversity issues, including race, nationality, gender and sexual orientation. Osaka’s visibility and natural charm are seen as contributions to Japan’s acceptance of racial and other differences.

Baye McNeil, an American who has lived in Japan for more than a decade, said Japanese are often unaware of what might upset a global audience. His commentary in The Japan Times, a local English-language daily, was among the first to express outrage over the Nissin ad.

“She looks totally like a white woman in the ad,” said McNeil, who writes and lectures about the problem of race in Japan. “It was very whitewashed.”

Japanese companies need to become more inclusive if they hope to appeal to a global market, he added.

“They are not thinking on that level,” McNeil said. “It may be painful, but Japan is going through growing pains right now.”

Nissin’s ad was based on a manga and animation series called “The Prince of Tennis,” created by artist Takeshi Konomi. The ad showed characters from the work and also characters meant to depict Osaka and male Japanese tennis star Kei Nishikori, playing on a court.
…

your ads here!

Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka says she hopes her sponsors will consult with her about how they portray her, but her focus is on her game as she heads into the final at the Australian Open.

Osaka was asked about criticism over one of her main sponsors, Nissin Foods Holdings, after they took down an online ad campaign that depicted her with pale skin after it was criticized as insensitive. Critics said the depiction does not reflect Osaka’s biracial background

“I’ve talked to them. They’ve apologized,” Osaka said. “I’m tan. It’s pretty obvious.”

Osaka said she didn’t think the ad was intended to “whitewash” her.

“But I definitely think that the next time they try to portray me or something, I feel like they should talk to me about it,” she told reporters in Melbourne.

Osaka used her smooth power to beat Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 in the semifinals Thursday.

“I’m just focused on this right now. I’ve gotten to the final of a slam, and that’s sort of my main priority,” said Osaka, whose father is Haitian and mother is Japanese.

Daisuke Okabayashi, a spokesman for Japanese noodle-maker Nissin Foods Holdings, said Thursday the company meant no disrespect for diversity with its two animation clips that went up earlier this month and were deleted from the company’s online site Wednesday.

“We as a company put human rights first, and our stance of valuing diversity is unchanged,” he said in a telephone interview

Okabayashi said the ads were approved by Osaka’s agent, but the company was later asked to take them down. He said the company continues to support Osaka and did not want the flap to be a distraction.

Nissin became Osaka’s corporate sponsor in November 2016, joining a list of companies, such as Nissan Motor Co. and the watch brand Citizen, hoping to cash in on a level of stardom that’s rare among Japanese athletes.

Osaka’s appeal has grown in Japan since she beat Serena Williams in last year’s U.S. Open. Her performance at the Australian Open has topped daily news coverage.

It’s not the first time Japan has been criticized for insensitivity to diversity issues, including race, nationality, gender and sexual orientation. Osaka’s visibility and natural charm are seen as contributions to Japan’s acceptance of racial and other differences.

Baye McNeil, an American who has lived in Japan for more than a decade, said Japanese are often unaware of what might upset a global audience. His commentary in The Japan Times, a local English-language daily, was among the first to express outrage over the Nissin ad.

“She looks totally like a white woman in the ad,” said McNeil, who writes and lectures about the problem of race in Japan. “It was very whitewashed.”

Japanese companies need to become more inclusive if they hope to appeal to a global market, he added.

“They are not thinking on that level,” McNeil said. “It may be painful, but Japan is going through growing pains right now.”

Nissin’s ad was based on a manga and animation series called “The Prince of Tennis,” created by artist Takeshi Konomi. The ad showed characters from the work and also characters meant to depict Osaka and male Japanese tennis star Kei Nishikori, playing on a court.
…

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The lawyer for a woman who filed a rape complaint in Paris against American singer Chris Brown and two other men says she was raped four times during a drug-fueled party.

Police questioned Brown and the others before releasing them from custody without charges Tuesday. The Paris prosecutor’s office says the investigation hasn’t been closed.

 

Lawyer Franck Serfati told The Associated Press on Thursday the woman alleges she was forced to take cocaine and raped by the three men at a Paris hotel.

 

Brown’s legal representative in France, Raphael Chiche, didn’t immediately respond to several calls and messages seeking comment.

 

Chiche tweeted Wednesday he was preparing a defamation complaint that “(hash)ChrisBrown will file against his accuser.”

 

The Associated Press identifies people making sexual assault allegations who agree to be named. Serfati’s client requested anonymity.

 

 
…

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The lawyer for a woman who filed a rape complaint in Paris against American singer Chris Brown and two other men says she was raped four times during a drug-fueled party.

Police questioned Brown and the others before releasing them from custody without charges Tuesday. The Paris prosecutor’s office says the investigation hasn’t been closed.

 

Lawyer Franck Serfati told The Associated Press on Thursday the woman alleges she was forced to take cocaine and raped by the three men at a Paris hotel.

 

Brown’s legal representative in France, Raphael Chiche, didn’t immediately respond to several calls and messages seeking comment.

 

Chiche tweeted Wednesday he was preparing a defamation complaint that “(hash)ChrisBrown will file against his accuser.”

 

The Associated Press identifies people making sexual assault allegations who agree to be named. Serfati’s client requested anonymity.

 

 
…

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A “full body scan” carried out on the Van Gogh Museum’s version of the Dutch master’s iconic “Sunflowers” has shown the painting is not fit to travel because it’s in “stable but vulnerable” condition, the museum’s director said Thursday.

“We’ve decided that any stresses that the picture could be subjected to were it to travel, were (it) to be lent, that those might be too risky,” director Axel Rueger told The Associated Press in the studio where the painting is undergoing restoration. “So therefore we decided that from now on we will not be able to lend the picture any more to other exhibitions to other museums — so it will always stay in Amsterdam.”

For Van Gogh fans who can’t make it to Amsterdam, the predominantly yellow 1889 painting of a bunch of sunflowers in a vase is based on another version of the work painted a year earlier that is on display at London’s National Gallery. Other versions of the work are in Philadelphia, Tokyo and Munich.

The painting in Amsterdam is hardly a frequent flyer — it has only been loaned out six times, the last time to the National Gallery so it could hang next to that London museum’s version.

Ella Hendriks, who worked on the current restoration project, said the painting underwent a series of tests she likened to a “full body scan” on a human patient. The tests used precision imaging machines to peer through the surface and decide what could and could not be done to the painting.

One test, usually used to examine retinas, gave a crucial insight by creating a “virtual cross-section” of layers of paint and varnish.

“We can see … that the paint layer is mixed in together with the varnish layer so there’s not a clear division between them,” Hendriks said.

That discovery has limited the amount of work restorer Rene Boitelle can carry out. He will remove some patches of beeswax that was applied after Van Gogh finished the work and have now gone a milky white color, and will use special paint to rework some previous restorations to make them less visible.

To return the painting to its original state would involve removing the varnish, which Van Gogh did not apply to the painting. Also, some previous restorations are under the varnish and can’t be treated.

“That varnish cannot be removed safely – at least not with the methods and materials available to us now,” Boitelle said. “I can remove the wax but the retouchings are there to stay – at least for now.”

The painting will go back on display at the museum Feb. 22 and an exhibition about the research and restoration will open in June.

That means Boitelle has just a few more weeks to incredibly carefully spruce up one of the world’s most recognizable artworks.

“It’s quite exciting, obviously, but I try not to be too aware and too conscious of all the myths and the iconic value that the painting has,” he said. “After all it’s still just a painting like so many we’ve treated here in this studio and I’ll treat it with the same dedication and seriousness and concentration as I would treat any other painting that is not iconic.”
…

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A “full body scan” carried out on the Van Gogh Museum’s version of the Dutch master’s iconic “Sunflowers” has shown the painting is not fit to travel because it’s in “stable but vulnerable” condition, the museum’s director said Thursday.

“We’ve decided that any stresses that the picture could be subjected to were it to travel, were (it) to be lent, that those might be too risky,” director Axel Rueger told The Associated Press in the studio where the painting is undergoing restoration. “So therefore we decided that from now on we will not be able to lend the picture any more to other exhibitions to other museums — so it will always stay in Amsterdam.”

For Van Gogh fans who can’t make it to Amsterdam, the predominantly yellow 1889 painting of a bunch of sunflowers in a vase is based on another version of the work painted a year earlier that is on display at London’s National Gallery. Other versions of the work are in Philadelphia, Tokyo and Munich.

The painting in Amsterdam is hardly a frequent flyer — it has only been loaned out six times, the last time to the National Gallery so it could hang next to that London museum’s version.

Ella Hendriks, who worked on the current restoration project, said the painting underwent a series of tests she likened to a “full body scan” on a human patient. The tests used precision imaging machines to peer through the surface and decide what could and could not be done to the painting.

One test, usually used to examine retinas, gave a crucial insight by creating a “virtual cross-section” of layers of paint and varnish.

“We can see … that the paint layer is mixed in together with the varnish layer so there’s not a clear division between them,” Hendriks said.

That discovery has limited the amount of work restorer Rene Boitelle can carry out. He will remove some patches of beeswax that was applied after Van Gogh finished the work and have now gone a milky white color, and will use special paint to rework some previous restorations to make them less visible.

To return the painting to its original state would involve removing the varnish, which Van Gogh did not apply to the painting. Also, some previous restorations are under the varnish and can’t be treated.

“That varnish cannot be removed safely – at least not with the methods and materials available to us now,” Boitelle said. “I can remove the wax but the retouchings are there to stay – at least for now.”

The painting will go back on display at the museum Feb. 22 and an exhibition about the research and restoration will open in June.

That means Boitelle has just a few more weeks to incredibly carefully spruce up one of the world’s most recognizable artworks.

“It’s quite exciting, obviously, but I try not to be too aware and too conscious of all the myths and the iconic value that the painting has,” he said. “After all it’s still just a painting like so many we’ve treated here in this studio and I’ll treat it with the same dedication and seriousness and concentration as I would treat any other painting that is not iconic.”
…

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While some activists in Zimbabwe are in detention and others are in hiding following last week’s protests, a 25-year-old singer concerned about his pregnant wife condemned security forces.

Obey Makamure, better known as Tocky Vibes by his legion of followers is singing his latest offering condemning last week’s brutality of protesters by Zimbabwe’s security forces. The protests were triggered by a more than 150 percent fuel hike announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Makamure says he thought up the latest song after his pregnant wife, Donet, called him, saying she could not breathe because of tear gas released by security forces to control protestors.

“We have been together for a long time [five years],” he said. “She has been having problems of miscarriages. So I was hoping this fourth one I will be able to hold my child. Then I heard she is now in tear gas. So I realized whether I like it or not I am involved, we do not have to be ignorant about other people’s lives. I can not be that person. My music is about people. It is not about me, if my life is for my own security then it is not worth it.”

He says since he released the song earlier this week, friends and relatives have been calling, fearing for his safety. He maintains he sings about social life — not politics, even in his latest song.

“I am not into politics, I am for the people you know. The army, it is our security, the police is our security. So anytime we feel like they are abusing our rights, we should be able to say no! Even if we die to say no, it is better than just being like a slave,” he said.

On Tuesday, President Emmerson Mnangagwa promised to “roll” heads in the security forces because of its brutality during the three-day protests last week over a 150 percent fuel hike.

The government-appointed Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission says at least eight people died from excessive force by the army and police that used live ammunition during the protests.

Commission member Sheila Matindike says security forces also instigated torture.

“It is acknowledged that property, including a police station, police vehicles and shops, were destroyed and vandalized or looted. That, however, did not justify torture of citizens by the security forces as the right to freedom from torture is one right that cannot be derogated from under any circumstances,” she said.

While Zimbabweans wait for the government to deal with those lost rights, musician Toky Vibes has a few words for the Zimbabwean army.

“We need peace, love and unity,” he said.  “Make sure that all those who are suffering, they are safe.  Because those who are rich, they can protect themselves, but we, the poor, the disadvantaged ones, we need your help.  Protect us.”

 

 

 

 

 
…

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While some activists in Zimbabwe are in detention and others are in hiding following last week’s protests, a 25-year-old singer concerned about his pregnant wife condemned security forces.

Obey Makamure, better known as Tocky Vibes by his legion of followers is singing his latest offering condemning last week’s brutality of protesters by Zimbabwe’s security forces. The protests were triggered by a more than 150 percent fuel hike announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Makamure says he thought up the latest song after his pregnant wife, Donet, called him, saying she could not breathe because of tear gas released by security forces to control protestors.

“We have been together for a long time [five years],” he said. “She has been having problems of miscarriages. So I was hoping this fourth one I will be able to hold my child. Then I heard she is now in tear gas. So I realized whether I like it or not I am involved, we do not have to be ignorant about other people’s lives. I can not be that person. My music is about people. It is not about me, if my life is for my own security then it is not worth it.”

He says since he released the song earlier this week, friends and relatives have been calling, fearing for his safety. He maintains he sings about social life — not politics, even in his latest song.

“I am not into politics, I am for the people you know. The army, it is our security, the police is our security. So anytime we feel like they are abusing our rights, we should be able to say no! Even if we die to say no, it is better than just being like a slave,” he said.

On Tuesday, President Emmerson Mnangagwa promised to “roll” heads in the security forces because of its brutality during the three-day protests last week over a 150 percent fuel hike.

The government-appointed Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission says at least eight people died from excessive force by the army and police that used live ammunition during the protests.

Commission member Sheila Matindike says security forces also instigated torture.

“It is acknowledged that property, including a police station, police vehicles and shops, were destroyed and vandalized or looted. That, however, did not justify torture of citizens by the security forces as the right to freedom from torture is one right that cannot be derogated from under any circumstances,” she said.

While Zimbabweans wait for the government to deal with those lost rights, musician Toky Vibes has a few words for the Zimbabwean army.

“We need peace, love and unity,” he said.  “Make sure that all those who are suffering, they are safe.  Because those who are rich, they can protect themselves, but we, the poor, the disadvantaged ones, we need your help.  Protect us.”

 

 

 

 

 
…

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In Zimbabwe, a popular singer has released a song condemning the country’s security forces for their brutality in putting down last week’s protests over a fuel price hike announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa. The 25-year-old artist wrote the song after his pregnant wife was tear gassed and couldn’t breathe properly, scaring the couple that she would suffer a miscarriage. As Columbus Mavhunga reports from Harare, the song’s release has raised fears over the singer’s safety.
…

your ads here!

In Zimbabwe, a popular singer has released a song condemning the country’s security forces for their brutality in putting down last week’s protests over a fuel price hike announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa. The 25-year-old artist wrote the song after his pregnant wife was tear gassed and couldn’t breathe properly, scaring the couple that she would suffer a miscarriage. As Columbus Mavhunga reports from Harare, the song’s release has raised fears over the singer’s safety.
…

your ads here!

Cardi B will have her first Last Vegas residency this spring.

Palms Casino Resort announced Wednesday the 26-year-old singer’s appearance as part of its debut of KAOS, a dayclub and nightclub amphitheater-style complex that is set to open in April.

Above and Beyond, G-EAZY, Kaskade and Skrillex are among the other artists who will have exclusive residencies at the complex.

KAOS is part of the Palms’ $690 million renovation that features state-of-the-art technology designed to enhance performances including a rotating 360-degree DJ booth.

 

Tickets for select dates are available.
…

your ads here!

Cardi B will have her first Last Vegas residency this spring.

Palms Casino Resort announced Wednesday the 26-year-old singer’s appearance as part of its debut of KAOS, a dayclub and nightclub amphitheater-style complex that is set to open in April.

Above and Beyond, G-EAZY, Kaskade and Skrillex are among the other artists who will have exclusive residencies at the complex.

KAOS is part of the Palms’ $690 million renovation that features state-of-the-art technology designed to enhance performances including a rotating 360-degree DJ booth.

 

Tickets for select dates are available.
…

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A stage musical about Michael Jackson will premiere in Chicago later this year before heading to Broadway in 2020.

 

Officials said Wednesday that “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” will begin pre-Broadway performances at Chicago’s Nederlander Theatre on Oct. 29 and run through Dec. 1.

 

The previously confirmed musical, inspired by Jackson’s life and music, is still under development. Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage is writing the book, using Jackson’s vast catalog of songs. Tony Award winner Christopher Wheeldon will direct and choreograph.

 

Jackson sold millions of records and was a 13-time Grammy winner. In 1983 he became an international icon with the release of “Thriller,” the best-selling album of all time with such hits as “Beat It” and “Billie Jean.” He died in 2009.

 
…

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A stage musical about Michael Jackson will premiere in Chicago later this year before heading to Broadway in 2020.

 

Officials said Wednesday that “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” will begin pre-Broadway performances at Chicago’s Nederlander Theatre on Oct. 29 and run through Dec. 1.

 

The previously confirmed musical, inspired by Jackson’s life and music, is still under development. Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage is writing the book, using Jackson’s vast catalog of songs. Tony Award winner Christopher Wheeldon will direct and choreograph.

 

Jackson sold millions of records and was a 13-time Grammy winner. In 1983 he became an international icon with the release of “Thriller,” the best-selling album of all time with such hits as “Beat It” and “Billie Jean.” He died in 2009.

 
…

your ads here!

A coalition of big names in sports and entertainment is taking on criminal justice reform.

Rappers Meek Mill and Jay-Z and the owners of the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets and the Super Bowl-bound New England Patriots came together in New York City on Wednesday to announce the launch of an organization that will lobby for changes to state probation and parole laws.

 

The Reform Alliance will be led by Van Jones, a CNN host, activist and former adviser to President Barack Obama.

 

Sixers co-owner Michael Rubin said the group is dedicating $50 million to the effort.

 

Mill became a symbol for criminal justice reform activists after a judge in Pennsylvania sentenced him to 2-4 years in prison for minor violations of his probation conditions in a decade-old gun and drug possession case. He spent months in prison before a court ordered him released.

 

The performer said the Reform initiative “is one of the most important things I’ve ever done in my life” and that he’s speaking “for people who don’t have a voice.”

About 2.2 million people in the U.S. are incarcerated, and about 4.5 million are on probation or parole, according to government statistics.

 

“If you thought my case was unfair, there are millions of others dealing with worse situations and caught up in the system without committing crimes,” said Mill, who will remain on probation until 2023. “With this alliance, we want to change outdated laws, give people hope and reform a system that’s stacked against us.”

 

Jones said the Reform Alliance is taking aim at the cycle of probation and parole violations that leads people back to prison.

 

“That is the revolving door that keeps people back in and back in and back in,” Jones said. “We’re going to dismantle that revolving door.”

 

Patriots owner Robert Kraft said the current system “is not good for America.”

 

“We can make America better if we really cure this problem,” he said.

 

 
…

your ads here!

A coalition of big names in sports and entertainment is taking on criminal justice reform.

Rappers Meek Mill and Jay-Z and the owners of the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets and the Super Bowl-bound New England Patriots came together in New York City on Wednesday to announce the launch of an organization that will lobby for changes to state probation and parole laws.

 

The Reform Alliance will be led by Van Jones, a CNN host, activist and former adviser to President Barack Obama.

 

Sixers co-owner Michael Rubin said the group is dedicating $50 million to the effort.

 

Mill became a symbol for criminal justice reform activists after a judge in Pennsylvania sentenced him to 2-4 years in prison for minor violations of his probation conditions in a decade-old gun and drug possession case. He spent months in prison before a court ordered him released.

 

The performer said the Reform initiative “is one of the most important things I’ve ever done in my life” and that he’s speaking “for people who don’t have a voice.”

About 2.2 million people in the U.S. are incarcerated, and about 4.5 million are on probation or parole, according to government statistics.

 

“If you thought my case was unfair, there are millions of others dealing with worse situations and caught up in the system without committing crimes,” said Mill, who will remain on probation until 2023. “With this alliance, we want to change outdated laws, give people hope and reform a system that’s stacked against us.”

 

Jones said the Reform Alliance is taking aim at the cycle of probation and parole violations that leads people back to prison.

 

“That is the revolving door that keeps people back in and back in and back in,” Jones said. “We’re going to dismantle that revolving door.”

 

Patriots owner Robert Kraft said the current system “is not good for America.”

 

“We can make America better if we really cure this problem,” he said.

 

 
…

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News of Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma” being nominated for 10 Academy Awards Tuesday had residents of the director’s childhood Mexico City neighborhood joyfully mining their own memories and anticipating showing their children the film someday.

Cuaron’s personal film shot in black-and-white with dialogue in Spanish and Mixtec was an atypical hit. The film dedicated to a domestic worker in his childhood home was released on Netflix allowing an audience far beyond those likely to buy a ticket to an intimate art house-type film to catch a glimpse of the capital’s middle class Roma Sur, or South Roma, neighborhood.

Gloria Silvia Monreal lives across the street from Cuaron’s childhood home. On Tuesday, she promised to shower Cuaron with kisses if he wins.

“He lived there in front and my parents and his parents greeted each other like good neighbors,” Monreal said. “My brothers say they played ball here in the street.”

Cuaron recreated the original facade of his home on Monreal’s house to shoot some scenes. She has already seen the movie four times.

“It was something sensational, lovely,” she said. “For us it was an incredible experience.”

Roma Sur has been undergoing a steady transformation in recent years and becoming one of the city’s hipper neighborhoods. Original art deco-style homes now mix with six-story chic apartment buildings. Bare bones taco posts give way to cafes and craft beer bars.

Rocio Moreno, 58, has lived in the Roma for 40 years. She hopes the film’s attention will more generally help the image of Mexico and Latinos, “above all to boost the perception of this type of movie.”

The home featured in the film sits on a quiet narrow street. In “Roma” the home’s address is conveniently visible making it an easy pilgrimage site for fans visiting the city. The movie’s success has made the film home and Cuaron’s real childhood house across the street something of a tourist destination.

On Tuesday, Alex Kitterman, a 49-year-old fire man from England was snapping photos of the street. He saw “Roma” recently on Netflix and decided to stop by during his vacation.

“It makes a nice change to what is there in the cinema generally at the moment, all those Marvel Comics movies, a lot of violence,” he said. “This is a gentle movie so I think it’s a nice contrast to what is there at the moment.”

Eliana Olaizola, a native of Argentina, now lives with her family in Cuaron’s childhood home.

The 45-year-old doctor said it was wonderful that Mexican cinema was getting such international exposure.

“I like that (the film) is going to be something that I’ll be able to show my children when they’re older and they’re going to be able to see their childhood home,” she said. “I loved the movie.”

 
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News of Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma” being nominated for 10 Academy Awards Tuesday had residents of the director’s childhood Mexico City neighborhood joyfully mining their own memories and anticipating showing their children the film someday.

Cuaron’s personal film shot in black-and-white with dialogue in Spanish and Mixtec was an atypical hit. The film dedicated to a domestic worker in his childhood home was released on Netflix allowing an audience far beyond those likely to buy a ticket to an intimate art house-type film to catch a glimpse of the capital’s middle class Roma Sur, or South Roma, neighborhood.

Gloria Silvia Monreal lives across the street from Cuaron’s childhood home. On Tuesday, she promised to shower Cuaron with kisses if he wins.

“He lived there in front and my parents and his parents greeted each other like good neighbors,” Monreal said. “My brothers say they played ball here in the street.”

Cuaron recreated the original facade of his home on Monreal’s house to shoot some scenes. She has already seen the movie four times.

“It was something sensational, lovely,” she said. “For us it was an incredible experience.”

Roma Sur has been undergoing a steady transformation in recent years and becoming one of the city’s hipper neighborhoods. Original art deco-style homes now mix with six-story chic apartment buildings. Bare bones taco posts give way to cafes and craft beer bars.

Rocio Moreno, 58, has lived in the Roma for 40 years. She hopes the film’s attention will more generally help the image of Mexico and Latinos, “above all to boost the perception of this type of movie.”

The home featured in the film sits on a quiet narrow street. In “Roma” the home’s address is conveniently visible making it an easy pilgrimage site for fans visiting the city. The movie’s success has made the film home and Cuaron’s real childhood house across the street something of a tourist destination.

On Tuesday, Alex Kitterman, a 49-year-old fire man from England was snapping photos of the street. He saw “Roma” recently on Netflix and decided to stop by during his vacation.

“It makes a nice change to what is there in the cinema generally at the moment, all those Marvel Comics movies, a lot of violence,” he said. “This is a gentle movie so I think it’s a nice contrast to what is there at the moment.”

Eliana Olaizola, a native of Argentina, now lives with her family in Cuaron’s childhood home.

The 45-year-old doctor said it was wonderful that Mexican cinema was getting such international exposure.

“I like that (the film) is going to be something that I’ll be able to show my children when they’re older and they’re going to be able to see their childhood home,” she said. “I loved the movie.”

 
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Alec Baldwin has pleaded guilty to harassing a man during a dispute over a parking spot last fall.

The 60-year-old actor appeared in a New York City courtroom Wednesday.

He agreed to complete a one-day anger management class to resolve the criminal case.

The charge is a violation, the lowest level of offense. If he completes the class, the case record will be sealed.

Baldwin was accused of trying to punch another driver during a Nov. 2 argument over a parking spot in front of his Manhattan apartment building.

The former “30 Rock” star’s lawyer had said Baldwin would be vindicated by video evidence.

Baldwin only spoke a few words during the court hearing, mostly answering short questions from the judge. He wouldn’t comment afterward.
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Kaye Ballard, the boisterous comedian and singer who appeared in Broadway musicals and nightclubs from New York to Las Vegas and starred with Eve Arden in the 1960s TV sitcom “The Mothers-In-Law,” has died. She was 93.

Ballard died Monday night at her home in Rancho Mirage, California, after a fight with kidney cancer, her friend Marguerite Gordon said Tuesday.

“The Mothers-In-Law,” in which Ballard starred with Arden (of the 1950s sitcom “Our Miss Brooks”), aired from 1967 to 1969. It marked a high point in a career that began when Ballard was 12 and lasted into the 21st century.

She was on hand last week when a documentary on her life and career premiered at the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

“She was so excited to be able to tell her story,” said Dan Wingate, the film’s director. “She was really anxious for young people, especially, who are going into the arts to understand the full breadth of a life in the arts, the ups and downs.”

The audience’s response was gratifying for her, “to hear that applause and feel that love,” Wingate said, and she was thrilled when the documentary was singled out for festival honors.

’The Mothers-In-Law’

​”The Mothers-In-Law” was set in a Los Angeles suburb and featured its stars as women who become thorns in their married children’s lives, with comedic results influenced by the screwball style of “I Love Lucy.” 

Desi Arnaz, who starred with wife Lucille Ball in that classic sitcom, produced and directed 24 episodes of the Ballard-Arden show. The “I Love Lucy” team of Bob Carroll Jr. and Madelyn Pugh Davis were the show’s creators and lead writers.

Ballard made a mark in every form of show business except movies. She did appear as a secondary player in a few films, including 1958’s “The Girl Most Likely” starring Jane Powell and in 1964’s “A House Is Not a Home,” but her high-octane personality may have been too potent for the big screen of that era and its more restrictive portrayals of women.  

Movie stardom

Movie stardom was her first dream, as it was for others of her generation, filmmaker Wingate said, and he wanted the documentary to be seen on the big screen to help fulfill that goal.

But even falling short of a big film career, “she was able to reach and endear herself to so many people,” he said. 

Ballard’s first real break came when she was singing in a Detroit nightclub, The Bowery. Comedy bandleader Spike Jones dropped in one night and quickly drafted the exuberant young singer into his musical contingent. For two years she toured with Jones’ troupe, singing, playing the flute and tuba and engaging in the band’s antics. She also sang with the bands of Vaughn Monroe and Stan Kenton.

Moved to New York

In 1945 she moved to New York and sought work in theater, appearing on Broadway in a small part in the revue “Three to Make Ready.” She toured in summer stock and finally made a dent in New York as a madcap Helen of Troy in 1954’s “The Golden Apple,” drawing applause with her song “Lazy Afternoon.” One critic called her performance “a wonder of insinuation.”

She also won critical praise for her role as “The Incomparable Rosalie,” the magician’s assistant and mistress in 1961’s “Carnival!,” a musicalized version of the movie “Lili.” She sang “Always, Always You” while stretched out in a box the jealous magician was piercing with swords.

Ballard began working on TV in the early 1950s, becoming an in-demand performer on network variety programs including “The Mel Torme Show” and those of Ed Sullivan and Perry Como. She also became a favorite of talk show hosts, making repeat appearances with Jack Paar, Merv Griffin and Johnny Carson.

TV regular

She was a regular on “The Doris Day Show” in the 1970s and the 1990s TV series “Due South.”

Her nightclub act played in first-class venues including the Blue Angel in New York, Mr. Kelly’s in Chicago, the Flamingo in Las Vegas and the hungry i in San Francisco.

She was born Catherine Gloria Ballota to Italian immigrant parents in Cleveland, Ohio, on Nov. 20, 1925, according to her 2006 memoir “How I Lost 10 Pounds in 53 Years.” (She noted she had always said she was born in 1926.) 

She changed her name to Kaye Ballard when she entered show business. On the advice of a numerologist she switched to Kay in midcareer.

“He said my luck would change if I dropped the `e’,” she told a reporter in 1983. “It did. It went steadily downward.”

She eventually returned to being Kaye.

‘Wasn’t pretty enough’

Determined to become an actress, she would not be discouraged by a high school teacher who rejected her for a drama class, concluding she “wasn’t pretty enough,” nor her parents, who didn’t understand the business.

She sang at service clubs and appeared at a “Stage Door Canteen” in Cleveland. After graduating from high school she worked at a burlesque theater, not as a stripper but as straight woman in comedy sketches. She went on the road with her act of songs, comedy and impressions of famous stars and in Detroit made the fortuitous connection with Jones.

In the early 2000s, Ballard toured with other stars in a musical comedy “Nunsense” and joined the touring company of the Broadway hit “The Full Monty” as piano player for six men who stripped to make money with a musical show.

Career came first 

Ballard was engaged four times but never married.

“I didn’t want to,” she told The Associated Press in 1999. “I could have, many times. But I just wanted a career too much. I was smart enough to know, if you get married and have children, that’s it. Being Italian and raised as a Catholic, I took children seriously. Maybe I made a mistake. Who knows?”

She purchased her Southern California desert home from Arnaz in the early 1940s.

“It’s a stone’s throw from Gerald Ford,” she said of her presidential neighbor in a 1981 interview. “When he moved in, he upped my property value. It made me think of becoming a Republican.”

A non-starter was ever leaving show business, even as the years passed.

“I’m not going to retire. I don’t believe in retiring,” she told the AP in 2001. “I do take more time off now to enjoy life and my three dogs and house. But if something wonderful comes up, I’m ready.” 
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