Entertainment

Reel-ality TV

Published

10 years ago

March 2, 2015

By Marquesa LaDawn
NNPA Columnist

While most of the nation has been buried under mountains of snow and slapped in the face by sub-freezing temperatures, noting has been colder than friendships among the RHOBH in warm, sunny California this season.

Even the housewives finding out they where going to Amsterdam didn’t stem the drama. Just imagine being on a private jet with Babyface when the queens enter and start throwing their verbal knives. Kim Richards was egged on by Brandi as usual and got deep into her feelings and let Lisa R. have it. Her poor sister Kyle, just sat there in shock. Once that passed, it seemed like a somewhat peaceful ride.

Brandi heard it all and defended herself in her usual way. You know Brandi, a/k/a Ms. Attack. But let’s face it, she makes the show. We have a love/hate relationship with her. She had her buddies Kim Richards and Yolanda back her up for a while. But, she really needs no one and she brings the fireworks like no other!

Kim was in the hot chair as well, and it got real emotional. Put emotions and women in the same room and you got fire! All I want to know is, does she ever accept any responsibility for anything?

The newbies, Lisa R. and Eileen, held their own and kept it real and honest. It’s refreshing seeing Lisa R, so real. I love it! She tries so hard to be the nice girl but it’s impossible in the RHOBH world. She said on WWHL with Andy Cohen, that she is happy to have survived the reunion but it was not easy. I loved that viewers, when polled, let her know that she is the right one in the Kim Richards battle.

Lisa V, felt good to not be the main victim this round. It will be interesting to see how vocal she is after experiencing so much pain the previous season.

Kyle, was rumored to be one of the most emotional at the reunion with the sister drama this season. I was so proud of how she owned her own feelings. She had to let her mixed up and sometimes alcoholic sister deal with her own stuff. Kyle, who is normally quiet with her real feelings, let it out this season. You get a gold star Kyle!

Yolanda, stayed for a while at the reunion and supported Brandi as usual but had to leave because of her illness. First of all, I’m praying for Yolanda, I hate that she’s dealing with this lyme disease. Aside from her incredible strength, I admire how she’s been able to position herself as the “queen of nice” on the show but still have a voice. Don’t get me wrong, she’s had her moments, but in most scenes, she living the life with a wonderful successful husband, a beautiful home, a sexy yoga instructor, with the best of everything, including celebrity friends. And she’s so darn modest. She’s able to participate in just a bit of the drama and she’s loyal to a fault, Brandi, anyone? Ok, I’ll stop being jealous. Love ya Yolanda!

Here’s an inside scoop: the RHOBH reunion was just taped and my source tells me it was the juiciest reunion broadcast in years. Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, the Oscars pre-empted RHOA, but we were teased with a peek of what’s coming next. It was real chilling to hear Apollo say, “ I’m now going asunder.” Wow! Translation: He going to prison. Still, he projected a chipper attitude along the way.

Chipper is not how I would describe his wife, Phaedra. She hired a security team. Yep, she did, and seemed relieved that he was gone. It was kinda sad.

Over in Kenya land, Cynthia shared the Mr. Chocolate as being Phaedra’s lover rumor and well hell broke loose and the scene ended. I suspect Kenya feels that Phaedra is a hypocrite and she plans to tell her so. After all, the ladies did call Kenya a loose lady all season, or less flattering words that effect. What they will say next?

Marquesa LaDawn is a professional businesswoman who escapes the pressures of living in New York City by retreating into the real world of reality TV.Subscribe to her podcast at www.RealitytvGirl.com.

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Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025

Published

1 day ago

June 20, 2025

Oakland Post

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IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Funk Pioneer Sly Stone Dies at 82

Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.

Published

4 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. Photo by Simon Fernandez.

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire

Sylvester “Sly” Stewart—known to the world as Sly Stone, frontman of the groundbreaking band Sly and the Family Stone—has died at the age of 82.

His family confirmed that he passed away peacefully at his Los Angeles home surrounded by loved ones, after battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other health complications.

Born March 15, 1943, in Denton, Texas, Stone moved with his family to Vallejo, California, as a child. He began recording gospel music at age 8 with his siblings in a group called the Stewart Four. By his teenage years, he had mastered multiple instruments and was already pioneering racial integration in music—an ethos that would define his career.

In 1966, Sly and his brother Freddie merged their bands to form Sly and the Family Stone, complete with a revolutionary interracial, mixed-gender lineup.

The band quickly became a commercial and cultural force with hits such as “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People,” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—all penned by Stone himself.

Their album “Stand!” (1969) and live performances—most notably at Woodstock—cemented their reputation, blending soul, funk, rock, gospel, and psychedelia to reflect the optimism and turmoil of their era.

As the 1970s progressed, Stone confronted personal demons. His desire to use music as a response to war, racism, and societal change culminated in the intense album “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” (1971). But drug dependency began to undermine both his health and professional life, leading to erratic behavior and band decline through the early 1980s.

Withdrawn from the public eye for much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Stone staged occasional comebacks. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys in 2017, and captured public attention following the 2023 release of his memoir “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—published under Questlove’s imprint. He also completed a biographical screenplay and was featured in Questlove’s documentary “Sly Lives!” earlier this year.

His influence endured across generations. Critics and historians repeatedly credit him with perfecting funk and creating a “progressive soul,” shaping a path for racial integration both onstage and in the broader culture.

“Rest in beats Sly Stone,” legendary Public Enemy frontman Chuck D posted on social media with an illustrative drawing of the artist. “We should thank Questlove of the Roots for keeping his fire blazing in this century.”

Emmy-winning entertainment publicist Danny Deraney also paid homage. “Rest easy Sly Stone,” Deraney posted. “You changed music (and me) forever. The time he won over Ed Sullivan’s audience in 1968. Simply magical. Freelance music publicist and Sirius XM host Eric Alper also offered a tribute.

“The funk pioneer who made the world dance, think, and get higher,” Alper wrote of Sly Stone. “His music changed everything—and it still does.”

Sly Stone is survived by three children.