Page B8-The Chronicle, Thursday, May *
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Hollywood Today
Is network
'Amos 'N /
By VINCENT TUBBS
Syndicated Columnist
HOLY MACKEREL!! - Were you
up late (1 a.m.) a week or so ago when
? ? - ?AD<P"TV Kjiinulctfc "Atmjj,p 'Wrtfr? =
Gem^r Krrby- doing a sleek, faintly
disguised marketing test for what is
sure to revive and rerun those tired, old
stereotypes that were so embarrassingly
funny in 1951-53 that the NAACP
drove them off the television waves?
It was a documentary eased in during
late, late show time as a special,
and earned a 1.9 rating and 19 shares in
the Neilsens, beaten in the time period
only by a CBS movie that began 15
minutes earlier.
But the local NAACP woke ABCTV
up bright and early the next morning
with sound condemnation of its
"insensitivity ... in reopening old
wounds inflicted years ago by a television
series fraught with flagrant
stereotypes and demeaning black
characterizations."
Producers of the ^documentary"
said they are shocked that the NAACP
is still mad, and claim that "public and
press response have been good" in approximately
50 other markets where
the show has been seen, including Philly
and San Francisco (though New
York won't touch it.) Producer
Michael? R.?Avery- had? to?admit,? u~..?
.L-.. _ J - .....
nuwcvci, mai some advertisers initially
linked with the show "chickened out at
the last minute" and in some places the
show "had to be put on for nothing"
because no commerical time could be
sold.
Nevertheless, you just may be seeing
"Amos V Andy" again. Its revival
has been discussed in Hollywood for 20
years to my knowledge. Avery Productions
has dared to break some rather
thick ice. And if you see the wellconstructed
documentary, you just
may laugh yourself sick (and hate
yourself next morning for laughing so
hard last night).
National NAACP spokesman Henry
Lee Moon, Redd Foxx, Maria Gibbs
and presidential candidate Jesse
Jackson are shown saying there's
nothing wrong with running, .the
V inoficli nr\A A J 1 : ? ?
niigi ijii ci11vi niituy aiiu . uigiuning
around again.
* GEE, HOW HE TRIED - Yet
tragedy seems always to have dogged
his footsteps. He said in his first hit
(1962) he was ''stubborn kind of
fellow" trying to determine "what's
going on." He knew "how sweet it is
to be loved," but he couldn't "get a
witness" even when he "heard it
through the grapevine."
?* im
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Singing In Style
Singing star O'Bryan, resplendent in
"Lovelite" on "Soul Train." The prog
? 7
-4
3, 1984
slyly reviving
Indy' series?
Unable to fathom "what was the
matter with Baby/' he resorted to
"sexual healing."
Viewed that way, it would seem that
his entire life was reflected in the songs
naught.
One day before he would have
become 45 years young, the voice of
Marvin Gaye, a romatic to the core,
was silenced forever; his long-bleeding
heart, stilled, his search for love (like
that of most men) ended.
There had been fame and acclaim,
fortune and fun, but there had also
been devastating marriages, the
albatross of alimony, the pitfall of
drug addiction, bankruptcy at the peak
of success, a suicide attempt, income
tax problems and two years of selfimposed
exile in Europe to cool out
and regroup.
Back in the USA, sold-out concerts,
two Grammy Awards in 1982 and a
Grammy nomination last year seemed
to forecast a second chance.
Then the demons that apparently
await those who dare to be stubbornly
different reached out for him again.
He spent more time in court than he
did at writing or singing. Ex-wives
sought $300,000 in back alimony, the
IRS sought $2 million in taxes, the "
a *
oanKruptcy court kept calling, there
was child support for two daughters
and a son, and an old girlfriend filed
another law suit seeking a bite out of
him.
He sought the peace and sanctity of
his father's house closeted himself in
his bedroom away from a world gone
crazy only to have a simple family fuss B
' pr6ve (qt be the straw that broke the ?
camel's back on the eve of April Fools
Day 1984. t(
Friends and admirers numbering b
more than 10,000 traveled long p
distances (even by L.A. standards) to cl
file past his bier in the Church on the b
Hill in Hollywood's Forest Lawn e:
Cemetery. News of his death filled
newspapers and radio and television p
airwaves. An official of the cemetery a
where many of Hollywood's most t<
famous stars are buried said: "I don't h
recall seeing this large a crowd for any
visitation or funeral in the past 25 cl
years."
Meanwhile, police held the Rev. r<
Marvin Gaye, Sr. for mental evaluta- rr
tion prior to arraignment on charges of
causing the death of his son. And X
record buyers lauched a "run" on
record stores.
Marvin is dead. But his music lives tl
on
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Mrs. Ali Speaks Out
"I feel like I'm capable of anything th
reveals Veronica Ali in upcoming in
Brown's Journal" Veronica, known to
Muhammad Ali, also addresses the ru
Vsk Yolonda ~
Forsyth reac
iy YOLONDA GAYLES
yndicated Columnist
1 .
Dear Yolonda: I've got a question t'or/you
3 help answer. It seems to me that we as
lacks have a problem when it comes to
icking our heroes. We wait for whites to
hoose our heroes and successes, then we run
ehind those persons and honor them with
xpensive dinners and such.
For example, here in Forsyth County a
erson was assigned to a board oFdirectors,
nd since then I've received three invitations
} purchase tickets or come to a party in his
onor.
For what? What did he do besides get
lose to the right person? ,
It seems to me that he already received his
jward when he got his job. Please comtent.
ohn B.
Dear John: If part of your statement is
iat we should keep our money and our aplause
in our pockets until those in question
Barlon Jackson
*ate films whe
is over. Thi
ires. The sec*
wed by Richai
it.
it Marlon Jacl
i that the Jack
's where it all
him away from m
"but music
musical notes jum]
P Learning From
The O'Jays are
ft unusual manner,
ft rehearse with 70-5
ft What's so special
ft O'Jays leave their
camp out with Poj
Says O'Jay Sam
He's been choreog
worked with ever
forms his new single Teenagers, the Tei
TV, Channel 45. Pips, Diana Ross.
Vv
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jmns
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at I aspire to do/' her husband's final
terview on "Tony ranked black affai
the public as Mrs. WUNL-TV, Channel
mors surrounding
ier wonders abo
Ho cnmpthinn r\roicoi../\i-?U.. i
? ? ^w.iivuiing pi CUS^VYVJI my, i agree.
Further, if you're suggesting that we pick
our own images of success, I'm in double
agreement.
Our'com muni ties are loaded with unsung
heroes. The unfortunate part is that no one
is giving dinners for their efforts.
An Insensitive
Boss
Dear This
your
letter to Carl, h
the man who
complained ablacks
HHHIHHHI
not utilizing Yoloftda
his business. When I read it, I said, "Okay,
it's time for me to respond."
Every problem with the businesses in our
community is not due to customers or merchandise,
or the lack thereof. Someof the
difficulties don't have anything to do with
Notes
rlon Jackson m
E^niosfeeaEeef
has been offered the lead in two 4'H
n the upcoming Jackson "Victory choree
e first movie, a full-length feature the mi
is reportedly backed by Universal Sugar
3nd is a feature currently being though
d Pryor, who is considering direc- Reggie
form,
kson's future film career does not Levert
;sons are separating after the tour. Hov
;'ll always be together as a group. moven
started. That's the mothership." Strain:
irlon's cinematic possibilities lure davs a
usic? "Film is in my future," he
is in my blood. I cut myself and One 4
p out."
"Jui
4Pops' *las ur
Love).
gearing up to tour this June in an The
They've flown to Las Vegas to Halen'
^ear-old Charlie "Pops" Atkins. to the
about Atkins? Why would the change
homes in Ohio and California to "Jump
5s? and is
imy Strain: " 'Pops' is a legend. with it:
raphing singers for 50 years. He's "Jui
yone: Frankie Lyman and the LP an<
mptations, Gladys Knight & The the dai
t
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rs show, which will air locally on
I 26 on Sunday, May 6, at 6:30 p.m.
iit our heroes
the staff.
Some of the problems, quite frankly, have
to do with unappreciative, insensitive bosses.
The place where I work is an example.
Outside this building my boss is wellrespected.
Inside this place everybody hates
him because of the way he acts. One time,
during one of his emotional tantrums, he
shouted at the top of his voice: "You all can
be replaced for a dime a dozen!"
Loyalty? He doesn't deserve mine.
What comments would you make to a
boss who talks to you like this?
Joann
Dear Joann: I would make no comment. I
mean, what could you possibly say that
Would straighten out someone who ?
because he is your boss -- tells you what to
do?
If things get too rough, just start fishing
around for something a little less stressful.
Please see page B11
ay branch
*?. ? .. . .oar-^rrrrs:
P h P1 r< C UC Houolnn 'Anil.. '
w uvipj uj uvt viup i cany intricate
igraphy, the kind that never stops moving from
nute we get onstage. We've had athletes like
Ray Leonard come backstage and say, 'I
it I move, but YOU guys....'
Jackson told Playboy that if he could perhe'd
like to be able to move like (O' Jay) Eddie
* ?
/ does Pops help the O'Jays achieve the kind of
lent that makes even athletes jealous? Says
"He makes us work 10 hours a day, seven
week for nine weeks straight."
Jump* Too Many?
mp," the new single from the Pointer Sisters,
idergone a title change to "Jump (For My
* f
change was made to avoid confusion with Van
s current hit, "Jump," which is totally elated
Pointer's song. It was decided to make the
' even though the track, under the tide
>," has been on dance charts for several weeks,
featured on the Pointers' album "Break Out"
s original name.
np (For My Love)" is the third single from the
i follows the Top Five hit, "Automatic" and
ice club favorite, "I Need You."
Please see page B11