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...

So, just for fun, I decided to take an online world history test and failed majorly. I need to read a book or 2(hundred).

I watched the MJ Memorial today and cried a few times. Particularly, during the appearances by Brooke, Stevie and daughter Paris. I don't think Paris was exploited. Nor do I think I think she "faked it" as some bloggers have suggested. I also think this whole "he's not the father" shit. The kids are all old enough to read and understand these headlines. Whether he is their biological father is irrelevant. He was the only parent they ever knew, and now he's gone. People should back off.

What do These Kids Listen to these Days?

Yesterday while riding in the car to the beach Z100 was playing. Almost every song that played on the radio made me think "Eeeeeew, what is this?" When you listen to top 40 radio and think "Damn, this sucks" (having grown up on it) You're officially getting old. Lately, sans "Knock me Down" by Ms. Keri Hilson and some less famous neyo Soul acts discovered via ITunes...My Ipod has been dominated by MJ/J5 and various 90s-early 2000 music. For every current hit...I have atleast 20 old school tracks.

I'm an old lady!!

Parents, You're supposed to be the adults here!



CNN reports that a Long Island Social worker a posted a sexually suggestive ad giving the name and phone number of a nine year old girl.
According to CNN, Margery Tannenbaum posted the ad to seek revenge against the minor after a dispute between her and Tannenbaum.
The nine year old girl's mother claimed to have received 40 phone calls, 22 in one day, all from men unaware that they were calling a nine year old girl.
Earlier this week, the Myspace Mom, Lori Drew, was acquitted. In this case, the mother posted a fake Myspace page posing as a teenage boy. The "teenage boy" had a "relationship" with a young girl who attended school with the woman's daughter. The woman claimed to have made the fake Myspace page to find out if the other teenager was gossiping about her daughter. The mother took it a step further by having the teenage boy dump the young girl and tell her the world would be better off without her. As a mother of a teenage girl, she had to know how sensitive they tend to be. Teenagers, especially girls, tend to make bigger productions of things then necessary. Knowing this, she had to be aware that making such a statement could very well have pushed the young girl over the edge. How can a mother feel good about causing a teenager girl to commit suicide? Further, a teenage girl who's mother was a close friend? A lack of laws revolving cyber-bulling allowed Drew to get away this. Regardless of the law her actions were disgusting
Both of these stories involved mothers going to extreme lengths to prevent their child from being bullied. When I was a kid, in most cases, bullying and being picked on was part of life and something I handled on my own. Admittedly, in second grade there was an incident where my mother become involved after I was harassed on the bus. But in this case, my mother called the other mother and talked the matter over. That is what adults do. They talk things out.
Parents are supposed to be the adults. Role Models. Posing as a boy and dumping an enemy or posting a sexually suggestive post are stunts I would expect from an immature 12 year-old girl-NOT HER MOTHER. Seriously, ladies GROW UP.

Michael Jackson Media Overload: Blame it on ME!

I was getting my haircut at my local salon when the shocking announcement was broadcast on the radio: "We have very sad news,TMZ.com reports pop star Michael Jackson is dead at age 50".


At first, before they declared cardiac arrest as the cause, I though this was just a sick joke. Jackson has been the punch line for everyone for years, I figured that was all this was,but alas, it wasn't a joke or wild rumor-it was a fact. Upon realizing this, I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. I felt sadder then I ever would have imagined I'd feel about the death of someone who I really didn't know. I almost cried in the chair, which made feel more than foolish as, I don't Micheal at all.
Since his death, his face, songs, memories, and scandals have been every where. And while criticism has been high, as has the mocking, I felt a sense of comfort in knowing that I was not the only fan mourning his loss as though he were a friend.

Despite his odd behavior, strange appearance and the scandalous gossip that has surround him through out his career (particularly in the last 15 years) his music and memories are such a part of my childhood. I remember watching his music video and live performances of "Smooth Criminal" in 88-89 when it was new. I remember being awed by his moonwalk and anti-gravity lean. I remember flipping to MTV, only hopping to catch a Jackson video and being filled with disappointment to find Bon Jovi instead. I was the only person I knew who bought his 2001 album Invincible, a shame because it was great. And while his death has thrown me in MJ Overdrive, his music has been regularly playing on my IPOD forever. Dirty Diana is among my 25 most played tracks out of over 5000 songs!

What's sad is that this is the most POSITIVE attention Jackson has gotten in the media in years-and it took his death to make people admit/ realize that despite how much they hated on him in life, he did mean SOMETHING to people. And while that something varies from person to person...everyone has some memory of him (even if it isn't a pleasant one).

The video of his last performance has been replaying over and over on CNN. Did he look healthy? Not really. Was it the performance level he gave at Motown's 25th Anniversary when he premiered the moonwalk? Hell No. But, it wasn't Britney's VMA "Gimme More" performance either, (as my friends had predicted). Ultimately, it showed homeboy could still perform.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?


A common, and very valid argument that critics have raised is that the Michael Jackson coverage has been so excessive that the story has been covered at the expensive of more important issues. It is absolutely true that there are more pressing issues then his death, I can't deny that. However, it is unfair to blame the lack of news coverage on important matters on Micheal Jackson. For even if Jackson hadn't died, the media would have ignored real news in favor of Farah or Billy Mays or the divorce of John & Kate plus 8. The media always has a sensational story to obsess over. Ultimately, I have been less critical of this obsession because I have been following it-thus it is partly my fault. I can't seem to tear myself away...which is why BBC is open on my laptop as I watch CNN's coverage.

It has been a month since my last post-FAIL.