THIS IS THE CHRONICLES OF EFREM: The Daily Buzz For Feb 3

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Why Vanity Fair's Hollywood diversity cover fails to conceal industry prejudice

(H/T The Guardian) Every year, Vanity Fair unveils its Hollywood issue, a starry affair shot by Annie Leibovitz that awkwardly assembles an array of A-listers in an attempt to showcase the state of the industry at that given moment.

Actors are dolled up and strewn across each other in variously uncomfortable positions and, pre-Oscars, it gives us a chance to see which actors are at the forefront of the awards chatter. The choices made are often an important statement and previous issues have been contentious, as was the case with 2010’s all-white issue.

This year it arrives at a sensitive time. We are in the middle of an awards season mired in controversy regarding a lack of diversity, which has in turn ignited a bigger conversation about unequal opportunities for actors of colour. The past 12 months have also shone light on an industry that still pays women less than their male counterparts, and offers few parts to actresses over the age of 50, with A-listers speaking out about their experiences.

So it makes business and PR sense that this year’s issue, out on Friday, is all-female and features key placements for women of colour as well as older actors. The shoot traditionally takes up a three-page spread. This year’s choices are Jane Fonda, Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Lawrence and Viola Davis, marking the first time since 1999 that a black woman has appeared on the main cover and the first time ever for a black woman over the age of 30. In the extended image, she is joined by Lupita Nyong’o and Gugu Mbatha-Raw and, while it is refreshing to see diversity represented, the choices are also somewhat underwhelming.

Firstly, the past year has been a successful one for Davis, without doubt – but not within film. Her risible revenge thriller Lila & Eve and turn in Michael Mann’s flop Blackhat were forgettable, but it’s her work on the hit TV show How to Get Away with Murder that’s kept her in the spotlight.

Her inclusion in a shoot that highlights film talent is an unintentionally damning reflection of how cinema is still lagging behind TV with respect to diversity. While Nyong’o was part of 2015’s biggest film Star Wars: The Force Awakens, her role was reduced to a motion-capture character and, despite winning an Oscar for 12 Years a Slave, the actor herself hasn’t been seen on screen for two years.

Bi-racial British actor Mbatha-Raw is undoubtedly on the rise (anyone who saw her commanding turn in Beyond the Lights can certify her considerable talents) but a thankless role as Will Smith’s love interest in middling drama Concussion and a role in critically derided not-buster Jupiter Ascending are hardly signs of a banner year.

The pool of commercially successful older actors is similarily, depressingly small. Fonda’s inclusion on the main cover is a notable coup but her one big screen turn of the year was a glorified one-scene cameo in Paolo Sorrentino’s Youth and, like Davis, she is now known more for her TV work in Netflix sitcom Grace and Frankie.

Diane Keaton, who appears on the far right wearing her own clothes, had just one role in 2015: as the matriarch in forgettable festive comedy Christmas With the Coopers. Similarly, her next major turn is on the small screen, opposite Jude Law in the HBO drama The Young Pope. Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling is a worthy inclusion, with her role in 45 Years among the year’s best, but that performance is the actor’s first notable big screen role for a while, with her TV work in Broadchurch and London Spy dominating.

Helen Mirren remains an exception, rather like Meryl Streep, as she continues to find roles in film, after a year that saw her with two SAG nominations, for Woman in Gold and Trumbo.

So, while the shoot gives the impression of diversity, it’s another telling sign of an industry that still favours young white women. Jennifer Lawrence’s year has seen her take the lead in a $651m blockbuster and pick up an Oscar nomination, while rising star Alicia Vikander has appeared in six films, and also received an Oscar nod.

Vanity Fair has made a bold attempt to highlight a diverse range of actors, but the fact remains that no woman of colour is being given the opportunities that her white peers are handed, at least not on the big screen. And there’s no amount of crisply shot and finely Photoshopped designer dresses that can hide that.

#EGGPLANTNATION: Folks Meet Gio!

Ladies et al, he’s Gio and he wants your undivided attention. Now that he has it!

GO HERE TO SEE THE PICS! Remember NSFW

Thank us later!

#RHOA: Kenya Moore Apologizes For Behavior Towards Kim Fields On RHOA Cast Trip!

It was a tough week for Kenya Moore on The Real Housewives of Atlanta and she agrees with viewers that her behavior was unacceptable. Kenya took it very personally that Cynthia Bailey decided to go with Kim Fields as her producer/director for her eyewear commercial, and when the three ladies sat down to discuss the situation it didn’t go well.

Kenya got very heated and stood up; then she put her hands on Kim’s chair trying to pull it out from under her. We weren’t sure if things were going to get physical and luckily they didn’t, clearly Kenya just needed to be dramatic.

Kenya received a lot of backlash on social media, and on Watch What Happens Live Andy Cohen made sure to tell her. He gave her the chance to speak out on her behavior, and she jumped at the opportunity. “I watched that back and I was mortified,” Kenya said. “I think it was a big mistake for me to pull her chair. It was uncalled for, and it was absolutely unacceptable and I do apologize for that behavior.” Then she added, “I was in the moment. I was just fed up with the BS, and it’s just something that happened. But I’m really actually very ashamed of that.”

Andy’s poll question was, “whose side are you on” and 91% voted Kim; Kenya clearly needs to change her behavior before she has no fans left!

It was very unexpected of Kenya to admit she was wrong, that’s not something she’s good at. Maybe this is a new Kenya; we’ll have to wait and see!

Thought’s on Kenya’s apology? Do you think her behavior was embarrassing? Do you think Kenya’s apology was genuine, or just because of the backlash?

New Music: Chrisette Michele – Say It (Tory Lanez Remix)

Chrisette Michele has a big year ahead of her. While she is planning her wedding, the soulful singer is also finishing up the work on her next album titled Milestone, which is due out this spring.

Surprising fans today, Chrisette wets our palettes with a smooth remix to Tory Lanez breakout hit single “Say It” which samples Brownstone’s classic “If You Love Me.” The remix is the first release off Chrisette’s upcoming mixtape, Steady Gang Mix, which is set to drop on February 27.

Take a listen to her take on “Say It” HERE

So what do you think?

HIPHOP NEWS: Usher, Future & Leon Bridges to Rock Roots Picnic 2016

Usher, Future and Leon Bridges will be working the night shift for The Roots' annual Roots Picnic 2016.

Beyond its big name headliners, the legendary Philadelphia crew curated a show with DMX, Kehlani, Migos, Jidenna, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals along with DJ sets from heavy hitters Swizz Beatz, Rich Medina and Metro Boomin.

The ninth annual Roots Picnic will touch down at Philly's Festival Pier on Saturday, June 4. Tickets go on sale this Friday, Feb. 5, at 12 p.m. at www.rootspicnic.com

David Justice tells Halle Berry To Tell the Truth: I didn’t hit You!

Following years of rumors that he hit legendary actress Halle Berry, her ex husband David Justice is pleading with her to tell the truth. In an interview with Inside Edition, he says:

I’m telling everybody I didn’t do it. You know I didn’t do it. The former baseball player, who is now 49, says that the rumor that he physically beat Halle, causing her to suffer ear damage, has haunted him for years. While Halle has never said which ex it was, some assumed that it was David, who was once married to the actress.

He states, People would say, ‘yeah, I heard it was David Justice’.

Last November, after reports were released that Halle split from her husband Olivier Martinez, David unleashed a series of tweets about the actress writing:

She could’ve squashed [the rumors] at that time. I have 3 kids and a wife for 15 years. It was important that my kids knew that their dad didn’t do [it].

David says, If it was me, then say it. Say it. But she can’t say it because she knows it wasn’t. So she’d rather not say it and just let you go ahead and believe it. It would’ve been cool if you had come out a long time ago and let people know it wasn’t me. That would’ve been cool. But you didn’t do it.

Halle has yet to comment.

In Bizarre Political News: Azealia Endorses Donald Trump

Azealia The Broke With Expensive Taste Banks is stirring up drama on Twitter again. And this time she’s talking politics. In a series of tweets, Azealia announces she’s supporting controversial presidential hopeful Donald Trump. Really Azealia?

Peep her tweets below

Right before she announced her Trump endorsement, she revealed she’s dropping a new project:

Sure Girl!

Oh Ladies of The View, Where is Raven-Symoné?

Fans and foes alike are asking where is actress Raven-Symoné...?

The controversial talk show host has not been seen in nearly two weeks making her last appearance on The View January 18th.

At the time Whoopi Goldberg excused Raven's absence as a 'sick day.'

As of this post Raven is still listed as a contributor for The View on the ABC website.

LA Reid says he’s Responsible for that Infamous Whitney Houston Interview!

Back in 2002 Whitney Houston sat down with Diane Sawyer to deny claims she was using crack cocaine infamously telling Diane, '"Crack is cheap. I make too much money to ever smoke crack. Let's get that straight. Okay? We don't do crack. Crack is whack."'

Turns out LA Reid was a one who set up the interview...In his new memoir 'Sing to Me' LA Reid reveals he went to great lengths to set up the Whitney Houston / Diane Sawyer interview to help dispel the drug rumors surrounding Whitney at the time, but admits he had no idea she actually was addicted to drugs.

LA says he realized 'in an instant' how bad off she really was the moment the broadcast aired

Lady Gaga To Perform David Bowie Tribute At The Grammy Awards

Lady Gaga is to honour her idol David Bowie by performing a special tribute to the late rocker at the upcoming Grammy Awards.

The music legend, who passed away on 10 January (16) after a battle with cancer, is to be awarded the organisation's Lifetime Achievement prize, and Grammy bosses have now confirmed Gaga will hit the stage for a special performance in his memory.

Grammy Awards producer Ken Ehrlich reveals the Poker Face singer had already been asked to perform at the show, but they decided to change her set into a Bowie tribute following his death.

"We had already booked Lady Gaga on this year's show, but when David passed - almost in a single moment - we knew we had to change direction," Ehrlich explains. "We immediately spoke and agreed that she should be the one to honor David. She's perfect for it."

Gaga is to team up with Bowie's former collaborator, Nile Rodgers, who will act as musical director for her tribute performance at the awards show in Los Angeles on 15 February (16).

The singer is set to compete for a Grammy in the Best Song Written For Visual Media category for her Oscar-nominated Diane Warren collaboration Til It Happens To You, from documentary The Hunting Ground.

Other performers at his year's (16) Grammys, which will be held at the Staples Center in L.A., include Adele, Justin Bieber, Ellie Goulding, Kendrick Lamar, Little Big Town, Carrie Underwood, and The Weeknd.

Gaga previously spoke of her admiration for Bowie and credited him with inspiring her pop career.

"When I fell in love with David Bowie, when I was living on the Lower East Side (in New York City), I always felt that his glamour was something he was using to express a message to people that was very healing for their souls," she told The Hollywood Reporter. "He is a true, true artist and I don't know if I ever went 'Oh, I'm going to be that way like this,' or if I arrived upon it slowly, realising it was my calling and that's what drew me to him..."

The pop star went on to reveal what she learned from the music legend, adding, "I just know that you can use the theatre of your imagination to entertain people beyond their wildest dreams and then you can put something inside of that that changes the world, and that to me is when you make something truly great as an artist...

"You don't nail it every time. I definitely don't, with all my songs, always hit that note. You try. And every once in a while, the world lights on fire with the music."

Nate Parker’s ‘Birth of A Nation’ Wins Top Prize at Sundance

*Nate Parker‘s film “The Birth of A Nation” made a lot of noise at Sundance last week and now the film about Nat Turner’s early 19th century slave revolt has won top honors at the Sundance Film Festival.

“Nation” won both of the festival’s top prizes, the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award.

The film is the directorial debut of Parker, an actor who’s appeared in such films as “Red Tails,” ” The Great Debaters,” and “Non-Stop.” As we reported, the film got a standing ovation last Monday when it premiered, and was later purchased by Fox Searchlight for $17.5 million, the biggest sale in the festival’s history.

“Thank you Lord, thank you Sundance,” Parker said onstage at the Basin Recreation Field House in Park City. “I’ve seen first-hand that people are open to the idea of change, and the fact that this is happening means everything to me.”

Here’s the FULL list winners from Sundance 2016:

U.S. DRAMATIC

Audience Award

Birth Of A Nation

Nate Parker

Grand Jury Prize

Birth Of A Nation

Nate Parker

Directing

Daniel Scheinert, Daniel Kwan

Swiss Army Man

Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award

Chad Hartigan

Morris From America

Special Jury Award – Individual Performance

Melanie Lynskey

The Intervention

Special Jury Award – Individual Performance

Craig Robinson

Morris from America

Special Jury Award – Breakthrough Performance

Joe Seo

Spa Night

Special Jury Award

As You Are

Miles Joris-Peyrafitte

U.S. DOCUMENTARY

Grand Jury Prize

Weiner

Elyse Steinberg, Josh Kriegman

Audience Award

Jim: The James Foley Story

Brian Oakes

Directing

Roger Ross Williams

Life, Animated

Special Jury Award – Vérité Filmmaking

The Bad Kids

Keith Fulton, Lou Pepe

Special Jury Award – Writing

Kate Plays Christine

Robert Greene

Special Jury Award – Social Impact Filmmaking

Trapped

Dawn Porter

NEXT Audience Award

First Girl I Loved

Kerem Sanga

WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC

Audience Award

Between Sea and Land / Colombia

Directors: Manolo Cruz, Carlos del Castillo

Grand Jury Prize

Sand Storm / Israel

Director: Elite Zexer

Directing Award

Belgica / Belgium-France-Netherlands

Felix van Groeningen

Special Jury Award – Unique Vision and Design

The Lure / Poland

Director: Agnieszka Smoczyńska

Special Jury Award – Screenwriting

Mi Amiga Del Parque / Argentina-Uruguay

Screenwriters: Inés Bortagaray, Ana Katz

Special Jury Award – Acting

Vicky Hernandéz, Manolo Cruz

Between Sea and Land / Colombia

WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY

Grand Jury Prize

Sonita / Germany-Iran-Swizerland

Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami

Directing

All These Sleepless Nights / Poland

Michal Marczak

Special Jury Award – Best Editing

We Are X / UK-U.S.-Japan

Editors: Mako Kamitsuna, John Maringouin

Special Jury Award – Best Cinematography

The Land Of The Enlightened / Belgium

DP: Pieter-Jan De Pue

Special Jury Award – Best Debut Feature

When Two Worlds Collide / Peru

Directors: Mathew Orzel, Heidi Brandenburg

Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize

(announced Wednesday)

Embrace of the Serpent

Directed by Ciro Guerra

SHORT FILM PRIZES

(announced Wednesday)

Short Film Grand Jury Prize

Thunder Road / U.S.

Director and screenwriter: Jim Cummings

Short Film Jury Award: U.S. Fiction

The Procedure / U.S.

Director and screenwriter: Calvin Lee Reeder

Short Film Jury Award: International Fiction

Maman(s) / France

Director and screenwriter: Maïmouna Doucouré

Short Film Jury Award: Non-fiction

Bacon & God’s Wrath / Canada

Director: Sol Friedman

Short Film Jury Award: Animation

Edmond / UK

Director and screenwriter: Nina Gantz

Short Film Special Jury Award for Outstanding Performance

Grace Glowicki

Her Friend Adam

Short Film Special Jury Award for Best Direction

Peacock / Czech Republic

Congrats to All!

Mechelle Epps Had NO IDEA Mike Epps Was Filing For Divorce – “It Was SHOCKING To Me!”

Mike Epps filed for divorce from his estranged wife Mechelle Epps just months before their 10-year anniversary. Now, his wife is speaking out for the first time and she claims she had NO idea he wanted to separate.

TMZ photogs caught up with Mechelle at LAX were she revealed she was shocked to learn her estranged husband had filed for divorce.

“It was SHOCKING to me," Mechelle said. Why? Well she claims they have been acting as a married couple up until last month, which directly contradicts what Mike said in his filings. He claims they were separated since last summer!

“I didn’t know we were separated since the summer time," Mechelle continued. "We’ve been doing everything a couple does up until January. I think when I saw him walking down the streets of NYC with a mysterious girl I think that’s what did it.”

Chile....

“Zoolander 2” Cast Crashes Madrid Premiere

Showing some love to their Spanish fans, the cast of “Zoolander 2” showed up at Cine Capitol in Madrid for a blue carpet premiere last night (February 1).

Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell, Christine Taylor, Karlie Kloss, Justin Theroux and Penelope Cruz all looked amazing as they posed for photos ahead of the big screening.