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Spike Lee defends free speech on Venezuela visit
Filmmaker Spike Lee championed a free press Friday during a visit to Venezuela, where broadcasters are under pressure to avoid criticizing President Hugo Chavez's leftist government.
The director didn't directly refer to the dispute in Venezuela, but he said there are "no circumstances" under which news media should be silenced.
Visiting to screen his 1989 film "Do The Right Thing" and met with fans to discuss race relations, his career and the late Michael Jackson, Lee said he is "a firm believer in freedom of speech." "It's my opinion that there are no circumstances where the media should be shut down," he said to loud applause. "I'm not talking about any country specifically, but globally."
Chavez has increasingly clashed with Venezuela's private media, endorsing plans to revoke the licenses of 240 radio stations after officials said they didn't update their registrations. Regulators also have begun a series of investigations into Globovision-the only strongly anti-Chavez TV channel on the open airwaves-that could lead to its closure.
Lee has never been one to sidestep controversy. Many of his films make bold statements about race relations in the United States, and 20 years after the release of "Do The Right Thing," a film about a race riot in Brooklyn, the message still rings strong. "The United States has made great leaps in race relations-the biggest one being the election of President Barack Obama," Lee said.
But there is still a way to go, he added, citing shootings by New York City police officers involving blacks, including the May death of a black undercover cop killed by a white officer.
Lee said he has struggled in his own career as a black film producer, director and actor, but added he is grateful that from an early age his parents impressed on him the need to face challenges. "It was drummed into my brain that in order to be successful in America you had to be ten times better than white folks," he said.
Lee also reminisced about making the music video "They Don't Care About Us" with Michael Jackson in Brazil. In the video, the "King of Pop" performs in a Rio de Janeiro shantytown as the Brazilian group Olodum beats drums in the background.
Street vendors in Venezuela's capital have been playing the video regularly since Jackson's death June 25. "I'm one of the billions of people who miss him dearly," Lee said.
http://en.terra.com/entertainment/articles/html/oci18634.htm
City singer Jackson tribute wins fans around world
A GLASGOW singer-songwriter's tribute to Michael Jackson is winning praise from the King of Pop's fans around the world.
Louis McBeth penned the song Neverland after thinking about the impact Jackson's death had on people and uploaded it to YouTube.
And now several Jackson fan clubs, as well as many individual fans, have sent messages to the local singer about his latest work.
Louis said: "The reaction has been amazing, I've had people from the Phillipines, Egypt, Canada and Denmark all praising it."
He told how his son had helped him focus on the song.
Louis said: "I was actually a bit sceptical about the whole thing, but my son pointed out just how important Jackson's music had been, and that was the most important thing. So I tried to write a song from the point of view of his fans, and how they were feeling.
"I just wanted something that focused on his music, because that's something that will stand for years and years.
"It's quite different from my other songs, as my output is quite varied in style!"
And he moved quickly to record the track, which only features his vocals and an acoustic guitar.
"I came up with the melody while walking my dog in the park, and whistled it down my mobile phone! The lyrics followed soon after, and I played it to Paul Doogan, who's the bassist in my band.
"He then said that you have to record it, so I phoned up Stealth Studios, in the East End, and went in the next day.
"I got it recorded in two takes, just me and the acoustic guitar.
"I could have tried to put strings on it, but I wanted to avoid that over-blown feel that many songs like that sometimes have.
" I'd love to try and put it out as a single at some point, but as an unsigned artist that can obviously be difficult.
"I really want to take it beyond YouTube though."
The comments left on YouTube include a posting from one fan that states; "That is actually best tribute I have seen so far. Different in style, however touching really deeply."
Another fan, going by the username SkoopieDK left apost saying: "Wow ... this went directly in me. I started crying.
"Absolutely a beautiful song."
And Brian Mercurio, the administrator of a memorial page to Jackson, wrote to Louis to say: "I just have to say how much we were impressed with you tribute song to Michael entitled Neverland.
"We felt the emotion you put into it and it was so heartfelt."
Publication date 28/07/09
Hear the song here http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/...nger_*****_tribute_wins_fans_around_world.php
Filmmaker Spike Lee championed a free press Friday during a visit to Venezuela, where broadcasters are under pressure to avoid criticizing President Hugo Chavez's leftist government.
The director didn't directly refer to the dispute in Venezuela, but he said there are "no circumstances" under which news media should be silenced.
Visiting to screen his 1989 film "Do The Right Thing" and met with fans to discuss race relations, his career and the late Michael Jackson, Lee said he is "a firm believer in freedom of speech." "It's my opinion that there are no circumstances where the media should be shut down," he said to loud applause. "I'm not talking about any country specifically, but globally."
Chavez has increasingly clashed with Venezuela's private media, endorsing plans to revoke the licenses of 240 radio stations after officials said they didn't update their registrations. Regulators also have begun a series of investigations into Globovision-the only strongly anti-Chavez TV channel on the open airwaves-that could lead to its closure.
Lee has never been one to sidestep controversy. Many of his films make bold statements about race relations in the United States, and 20 years after the release of "Do The Right Thing," a film about a race riot in Brooklyn, the message still rings strong. "The United States has made great leaps in race relations-the biggest one being the election of President Barack Obama," Lee said.
But there is still a way to go, he added, citing shootings by New York City police officers involving blacks, including the May death of a black undercover cop killed by a white officer.
Lee said he has struggled in his own career as a black film producer, director and actor, but added he is grateful that from an early age his parents impressed on him the need to face challenges. "It was drummed into my brain that in order to be successful in America you had to be ten times better than white folks," he said.
Lee also reminisced about making the music video "They Don't Care About Us" with Michael Jackson in Brazil. In the video, the "King of Pop" performs in a Rio de Janeiro shantytown as the Brazilian group Olodum beats drums in the background.
Street vendors in Venezuela's capital have been playing the video regularly since Jackson's death June 25. "I'm one of the billions of people who miss him dearly," Lee said.
http://en.terra.com/entertainment/articles/html/oci18634.htm
City singer Jackson tribute wins fans around world
A GLASGOW singer-songwriter's tribute to Michael Jackson is winning praise from the King of Pop's fans around the world.
Louis McBeth penned the song Neverland after thinking about the impact Jackson's death had on people and uploaded it to YouTube.
And now several Jackson fan clubs, as well as many individual fans, have sent messages to the local singer about his latest work.
Louis said: "The reaction has been amazing, I've had people from the Phillipines, Egypt, Canada and Denmark all praising it."
He told how his son had helped him focus on the song.
Louis said: "I was actually a bit sceptical about the whole thing, but my son pointed out just how important Jackson's music had been, and that was the most important thing. So I tried to write a song from the point of view of his fans, and how they were feeling.
"I just wanted something that focused on his music, because that's something that will stand for years and years.
"It's quite different from my other songs, as my output is quite varied in style!"
And he moved quickly to record the track, which only features his vocals and an acoustic guitar.
"I came up with the melody while walking my dog in the park, and whistled it down my mobile phone! The lyrics followed soon after, and I played it to Paul Doogan, who's the bassist in my band.
"He then said that you have to record it, so I phoned up Stealth Studios, in the East End, and went in the next day.
"I got it recorded in two takes, just me and the acoustic guitar.
"I could have tried to put strings on it, but I wanted to avoid that over-blown feel that many songs like that sometimes have.
" I'd love to try and put it out as a single at some point, but as an unsigned artist that can obviously be difficult.
"I really want to take it beyond YouTube though."
The comments left on YouTube include a posting from one fan that states; "That is actually best tribute I have seen so far. Different in style, however touching really deeply."
Another fan, going by the username SkoopieDK left apost saying: "Wow ... this went directly in me. I started crying.
"Absolutely a beautiful song."
And Brian Mercurio, the administrator of a memorial page to Jackson, wrote to Louis to say: "I just have to say how much we were impressed with you tribute song to Michael entitled Neverland.
"We felt the emotion you put into it and it was so heartfelt."
Publication date 28/07/09
Hear the song here http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/...nger_*****_tribute_wins_fans_around_world.php
Today in
Michael Jackson History
Michael Jackson History
1979 - Michael Jackson's single "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" was released.
1995 - Michael Jackson's video "You Are Not Alone" was premiered on ABC-TV.
1998 - Michael Jackson announced the creation of a new company, Michael Jackson Japan Co. Ltd. The company was intended to build theme parks and sell toys throughout the world.
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