Hill Harper signs copies of Letters to a Young Sister. A follow-up to his 2006 motivational book Letter to a Young Brother.

We here at Glad It’s Night haven’t read his second book yet but if it’s anything like the first book then readers will not be disappointed. His good friend Gabrielle Union wrote the forward to the book. Below book columnist Karla Mass chatted with Hill about the book. Here’s what he had to say:

How does “Letters to a Young Sister: DeFINE Your Destiny” compare to your last book, “Letters to a Young Brother: MANifest Your Destiny?
Obviously it’s similar because they’re both written for young people. But young women are different from young men. Women are more complex. With young women, we find that some are doing very well in school, but have self-esteem issues. This book is longer and it goes into more issues than “Letters to a Young Brother: MANifest Your Destiny.” I’m proud of my newest book. It’s quite different. Self-esteem is not gender or age specific.

Has your acting career prepared you, in any way, for a career in writing?
Absolutely. Everything relates. Attending Harvard Law School and becoming a better critical thinker has made me a better actor. I’ve definitely used what I’ve learned in my writing. You’ve got to entertain and make it an enjoyable read, whether it’s drama or comedy. It all starts on the page. If the script is horrible, it’s not going to be good. With a book, it’s all about the page. I’m glad people are entertained and inspired by the book. I’m proud of the response.

SOURCE

Spike Lee was recently involved in back & forth jousting with legendary director Clint Eastwood. The argument was about the black soldiers not being represented in Clint’s Iwo Jima films about World War II.

The President of the Italic Institute of America Bill Dal Cerro feels that Spike is a hypocrite. He says

Spike Lee is very talented, but I sometimes wish he’d practice what he preaches. His points about African-Americans are well taken, but, ironically, he does the same thing to Italians in his films.

He cites Do the Right Thing, & Jungle Feveras examples. But Spike’s argument wasn’t about blacks being misrepresentedin Clint’s films it was that they weren’t being included at all!

Seems like Dal Cerro is just trying to get some press!

Check out a this link to preview Spike’s new film Miracle at St. Anna

“Boss Lady,” was driving alone when she was stopped by police Saturday in Fullerton, California. The 32-year-old was arrested for investigation of driving under the influence of alcohol, taken to jail and given a citation, reports the Associated Press. She was later released and will soon make an appearance before a judge.

Shame! Shante has three kids! This is definitely not a good look!

SOURCE

The 12 jurors who set R. Kelly free of child pornography charges Friday were reportedly in agreement that the singer was actually on the tape, but could not find him guilty because there was “not enough evidence to prosecute”

TMZ.com reports that five of the jurors spoke to reporters following the acquittal and said they were unable to reach a guilty verdict because the alleged victim hadn’t testified and refused to cooperate.      

The jurors said they were “absolutely disgusted” by the tape, which was played in its entirety twice in court by prosecutors, and was presented in footage that was “clear as day”,  unlike the rough, dubbed versions seen in bootleg versions that hit the Internet

Source

A jury acquitted R. Kelly on all counts of child pornography after less than a day of deliberations Friday, ending an ordeal for the R&B superstar that began when he was charged six years ago.

The Grammy award-winning singer dabbed his face with a handkerchief and hugged each of his four attorneys after the verdict was read. The singer had faced 15 years in prison if convicted.

Prosecutors had argued that a graphic sex tape showed Kelly having sex with a girl as young as 13 at the time. Both Kelly, 41, and the now 23-year-old alleged victim had denied they were on the tape. Neither testified during the trial.

The prosecution’s star witness was a woman who said she engaged in three-way sex with Kelly and the alleged victim. Defense attorneys argued the man on the tape didn’t have a large mole on his back; Kelly has such a mole.

The monthlong trial centered on whether Kelly was the man who appears on a sexually graphic, 27-minute videotape at the heart of the case, and whether a female who also appears on it was underage.

Over seven days presenting their case, prosecutors called 22 witnesses, including several childhood friends of the alleged victim and four of her relatives who identified her as the female on the video.

In just two days, Kelly’s lawyers called 12 witnesses. They included three relatives of the alleged victim who testified they did not recognize her as the female on the tape.

SOURCE

4 out of 10 is pretty darn good! Does Tiger count? YES he does! Whether he likes it or not!

Oprah came in at #1 making $25 mil last year.
Tiger Woods was 2nd with $115 million
Beyonce was #4 banked $80 million
Jay-Z was #7 with $82 million
(more…)

Click to read more about this wacky man! (more…)

Father’s Day will have a new meaning for Save the Last Dance actor Sean Patrick Thomas. He and his wife Aonika had their first child Lola Jolie, weighing 7 lbs., on May 16 at 7:29 p.m.

“Now I have two gorgeous girls to love,” 

Sean and wife Aonika wed in New Orleans in 2006.

Congrats to the couple.

Kanye West should be so proud of his mother. Donda West passed last November. Her death which was preventable has inspired congress to pass legislation for patients to have an extensive physical prior to plastic surgery.

Donda had a preexisting condiditon which led to her death a day after her undergoing liposuction and mammoplasty.

So far the bill has passed in California and is being pushed in Florida and Canada.

If you havent heard already Sista Souljah has revealed that the sequel to the classic The Coldest Winter Ever will be in store this October! The new book is titled, Midnight: A Gangster Love Story.

The film rights are also up for sale. This really needs to be an all-star cast.

Who would want to play Winter?