Michelle's hair
MICHELLE OBAMA'S SPEECH at the DNC convention was phenomenal and her outfit and hair style was perfect. She is described as the "Black Jackie O" on the Internet . . . as in the late first lady Jackie Kennedy. I say she is the black Michelle Obama . . . no more . . . no less. And to the women readers asking who did Michelle's hair because they loved it: Top hairstylist Johnny Wright, a former Chicagoan now living in Los Angeles, flew to Denver to coif the potential first lady. Wright has been doing Michelle's hair for about a year. So, now you know.
And congrats to her hubby on clinching the Democratic nomination!
(AP/Courtesy)
(Courtesy/AP)
TIM REID AND TOM DREESEN comprised the first and last black-and-white comedy team in the history of show business, and were hot on the local entertainment scene starting back in the late 1970s when they were playing small clubs in and around Chi Town.
Ron Rapoport, a former Sun-Times sports columnist, was so impressed with these two funny guys' careers and talent that he decided to co-write a book with them titled Tim & Tom: An American Comedy in Black and White, published by the University of Chicago Press and officially hitting stores Sept. 15.
Tim went on to fame by starring as Venus Flytrap on the old sitcom "WKRP in Cincinnati" and then to producing and starring in such TV shows as "Sister, Sister," "Simon & Simon," "Frank's Place" and many others. Tom wound up traveling around the country opening for Frank Sinatra for 14 years and is still busy keepin' folks laughing with his guest appearances.
IN THE BOOK, THE GUYS give credit to my late boss, Irv "Kup" Kupcinet, for helping to jump-start their rise in the entertainment industry through his legendary "Kup's Column." Kup put the dynamic duo in his column many, many times down through the years and had them perform on the Purple Heart Cruise for the wounded veterans. And much to my surprise, they also give this reporter credit, as well, on page 86 in the book:
"He [Kup] was so important to us," Tom says, "and his assistant, Stella Foster, always made sure he knew when and where we were performing and that we got in the column regularly. I gave Stella a rose once and told her she'd get the other eleven when we made it big. Every time I see her, she says 'she's still waiting for them.' (Hey, cheap Tom, I'm still waiting).
"Stella was one of the few black women who played a major role in the mainstream press in Chicago back then, and we were both so happy for her when she took over Kup's column after he died."
Hey, thanks for those kind words.
TIM AND TOM's schedule when in Chicago includes a luncheon at the Union League Club and a publication party at Gibsons on Sept. 15; They will sing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" at Wrigley Field Sept. 17; will do a book-signing at Borders on State and in Beverly Sept. 18, and at Barnes & Noble in Naperville Sept. 20, and, last but not least, will appear on the "Late Show with David Letterman" Sept 23. Whew! The Web site is www.timandtomcomedy.com.
I ATTENDED the Interscope Records party for handsome R&B artist Robin Thicke Monday at Blu 47. He sang "Magic," which I love, along with his hit "Lost Without U." His latest album, "Something Else," is out Sept. 30. I asked Thicke, who is married to actress Paula Patton, who starred in "Idlewild" and currently in "Mirrors" and "Swing Vote," if the rumor is true that they are expecting. "Not true. Folks thought it was us . . . but it was my brother, Brennan Thicke, and his wife, Kathleen, who had a baby son, Tyler," said Thicke, who is also penning a song for the new "Push" movie that his wife will be starring in.
Mary J. Blige and Thicke will perform Oct. 14 at the Arie Crown.
THE DRAMATICS will headline the Fifth Annual "Anaia's Breast Cancer Awareness Program (ABCAP)" gala Sept. 12 at the Galleria Marchetti spearheaded by her widower, WLS-Channel 7's Ken Bedford. The Web site: www.abcap.org.
JUST IN: THIS morning at the DNC Unity Prayer Breakfast in Denver, Boeing Co. exec James Bell will present a $l million check for the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial in D.C. on behalf of Boeing.
HANGIN' OUT: The Nationals' Lastings Milledge at Harry Caray's Tavern. . . . His teammate -- Odalis Perez -- dined at Texas de Brazil. . . . MC Hammer dined and bowled at 10pin Lounge. . . . Rapper The Game at The Joynt and at the Rebar Lounge. . . . The Backstreet Boys at Enclave.
BIRTHDAYING: Singer LeAnn Rimes. On Friday: Channel 7's Harry Porterfield, Hedy Ratner, and Michael Jackson turns 50. On Saturday: Belle Allen. On Sunday: WGN-Channel 9's Robert Jordan. On Monday: Dr. Wayne Watson.
Well, that's Stella in the City!