Sorority Life is taking over my real life...

STAR OF THE WEEK: BRianna Karp


Star of the Week

The Associated Press recently ran a story on a homeless girl living in a Wal-mart parking lot who recently obtained an internship at Elle Magazine. In an interview with Mediaite.com she denies that she is being exploited by the fashion magazine, insisting that she has been given a great opportunity. Rather than harp on the fact that she is getting paid 150/month for 24 hrs of work, she points out that interns usually don't get paid at all and that the editor is doing her a great service by giving her special hours and commuting time.
Kudos to her for the positivity and the ambition.
Reminds me of a younger-childless version of the Pursuit of Happyness.
If she can still be ambitious, then there is no excuse for the rest of us. (Specifically me)

WTF Moment Deep Look: Roxanne's Revenge hoax

I love Slate.com. In late August, The New York Daily News posted a story about an 80s rapper who transformed from a pregnant teenager in the projects to an doctor with an IVy league degree. The story focused on 80s rap star Roxanne Shante, who at 14 earned fame for her 1984 single "Roxanne's Revenge." This song was released a year before i was even born, so while she is way before my time, this story is bizare and intriguing. The article tells how the teenage-mother rapper was screwed out of royaltys and stressed out living in the projects of Queens Bridge. In the article, the rapper claims that she had a contract with record label Warner Music, which binds the label to pay for her education for life. According to the article, Shante had to battle with her record label to get them to pay but eventually won. She received an undergraduate degree in Marymount Manhattan and a PHd in Psychology from Cornell, all funded by Warner Music. The article includes a quote from Russel Simmons (not to the NYDN) about "Dr. Shante's" accomplishment. It goes on to say that sh according to this story reported by slate.e is now practicing in New York.
However, a recent report by Slate shows this

Cinderella story to be nothing more than a fairy tale.

.
In his story, Slate reporter Ben Sheffner uncovers the sham. The Slate article revealed:
That she doesn't have a PHD
She never enrolled at Cornell
Ny has no record of her practicing psychology
She was enrolled at Marymount for a semester but never graduated
While Shante later admitted to Slate that she doesn't have a PHd she still calls her self a doctor. Also, Warner Music claims in the slate article that although NYDN claims to have contacted them for contact, no such contact was ever made. Despite a lack of proof to confirm her story Shante insists that her education was paid for by Warner and "an annoymous doner". She insists that she attend both schools, clarifying that she earned a masters not a PHd. She insists that she registered under a false name b/c of domestic violence issues and possibly filled out the application wrong.
Um, you are smart enough to get a masters from Cornell, but not smart enough to fill an application correctly?
She also suggested that there was a computer error. The whole story was strange
Is this a "Jason Blair" affair on a smaller level...or was the NYDN reporter taken for a ride?
As an aspiring journalist the story upsets me. The NYDN has Miss Shante quoting the dean of Marymount claiming she helped Shante fight to get the money from Warner. Shouldn't the dean have been called to confirm this fact and give a direct quote? this whole story baffles me because, while I am sure that people who grew up listening to her music remember her, but I'm sure many have forgotten her or never knew in the first place? What purpose does this serve to Shante? Or the reporter? Such a random made-up story...

The Hills are Alive...with the Soul of MJ??

Despite making a fool of herself during her performance of "Body Language" at Miss Universe a few weeks ago, Hills "star" Heidi Montag has no shortage of confidence. MTV news reports on her latest comments

In an interview with "The Hills: The After Show" host Jessi Cruickshank, Montag said she was on par with Jackson, with Pratt calling his wife "the new, modern-day, 2010 Michael Jackson."

Pratt continues that with Jackson's death, Heidi might now be possessed with Jackson's "divine spirit," adding that Heidi is "way bigger" than Jackson. "Michael Jackson's in heaven," he said. "The Holy Spirit now has extra Michael Jackson juice, so boom! For all we know, Heidi gets possessed with some of that Michael Jackson divine spirit.>

It wasn't enough that she was bigger than Britney and Lady Gag now shes bigger than MJ? Sheesh...btw...I thought they were possessed by the devil and that's why they left "I'm a Celebrity get me out of here" now she's possessed by MJ?
Someone get them an exorcist! or a good shrink...