The triple murder tragedy of Jennifer Hudson's family wasn't going to be ignored by the celebrity weeklies. Sadly, multiple deaths are what it takes to get a black girl on the cover of a tabloid. The editors of each weekly, then, had to consider how the competition was going to play the game. Only People and Us gave Hudson A1 treatment, while every other magazine at least included her in a sidebar or footer.
Life & Style and OK! ended up with the same photo. Only the Globe went with a picture of Jennifer with her mouth closed — because nothing says tragedy like eyes staring into the horizon and a mouth agape.
And the honor of Going Full Exploitative goes to, not surprisingly: CONTINUED »
BODY FOUND; LIKELY HUDSON'S NEPHEW "The Cook County medical examiner's office is investigating reports on Monday of a child's body found in an SUV in Chicago, a spokesperson for the office told CNN. The Chicago Tribune — citing the medical examiner's office — reported that the body of a boy was found Monday morning in a white SUV connected with Julian King, the missing nephew of Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson."
-Mollygood
The tragedy that befell Jennifer Hudson and the rest of her family Friday afternoon got worse and worse as more information came in over the weekend. After Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson, and brother, Jason Hudson, were found shot to death in their home on the South Side of Chicago, police started a massive hunt for Hudson's nephew, 7-year-old Julian King, who was missing from the scene. Julian's mother is Hudson's sister, Julia. William Balfour, Julia's estranged husband and a convicted felon, is in police custody, but the child was not with him when he was apprehended. There have been rumors that there was some sort of family fight over a car, and a relative threatened that he would kill Julia's family.
What in the world happened since Friday? You got to Philly for two days and suddenly Jennifer Hudson's mother and brother die in a tragic shooting, and that Arkansas anchorwoman whose home was broken into last Monday dies of injuries related to the attack.
Anne Pressly was only 26 years old and working as an anchor for KATV in Arkansas, when her home was broken into and she was beaten and stabbed. She survived in critical condition until the weekend, and then passed away. Pressly had had a small part as an Ann Coulter-ish commentator in W. Police are questioning whether or not the break-in was random, or if the anchor was targeted for the attack because of her high-profile career.
Either way, it is a tragic way to start the week. At least Barack Obama got to give a heartfelt prayer for Jennifer Hudson during his interview with A.C. Slater on Saturday.
It's difficult to pin down exactly what Jennifer Hudson has come to symbolize in American culture. Grammy-winning sensation? Scorn of Simon Cowell? Black best friend? Someone obviously thought about The Hudson when considering America, then, since she's singing the national anthem on Thursday when Barack accepts the nomination.
As with everything else in this campaign — the hue of Michelle Obama's dress last night, the decision to give their kids a mic during the Obama remote — the choice for who sings at this week's most historical moment in politics in decades was a carefully orchestrated undertaking.
So why Hudson instead of Beyonce, or Aretha, or even Kanye? (Kanye: "This is the story of a champion …")
Bruce Springsteen, chosen as Obama's closing act on Thursday, is an obvious candidate; he represents the blue-collar, hard-working, all-American mensch that Obama's critics claim the candidate isn't. (And Obama-loving NBC loves The Boss!) But the the choice of Hudson wasn't a fluke. So what has Hudson done in her career to deserve such a distinction? CONTINUED »
We’re all about charity here at Jossip. That’s why we give money in the tip jar at Starbucks and have partnered with Bid 2 Beat AIDS for their auction for the third straight year.
Today’s featured item, a signed copy of the Dreamgirls soundtrack, enables you to travel back to a simpler time, before the rise of HD, TMZ and Dr. 90210, when big hair and glittery costumes reigned supreme and plastic surgery was something only ugly people did. So go ahead, bid now. Do it because it's the right thing to do. And because "And I Am Telling You For The Last Time, I'm I'm Not Going" is the new "I Will Survive." And, more importantly, because it was signed by the movie's undisputed star: Beyonce Knowles Oscar Award winner Jennifer Hudson.
**Jossip has teamed up with the non-profit LIFEbeat and the Bid 2 Beat AIDS charity auction to raise awareness and provide support to the AIDS community. All funds generated go directly to LIFEbeat**
• Britney's comeback performance couldn't be complete without a cameo from her hairless vagina.
• Natasha Lyonne goes from Slums of Beverly Hills to "Homeless In New York" to "Fat and Smoking On Miami Beach."
• Jessica Simpson proves that you can take the dress off the rack, but you can't take the rack out of the dress.
• Despite Kanye West's complaint that MTV is willfully holding back the black man, five of the top seven most popularly streamed MTV videos are currently by black artists.
• Meanwhile, Jennifer Hudson will be appearing in the Sex and the City movie! Hudson's reportedly landed the coveted role as Carrie's personal assistant and The Only Black Person In New York.
It's stylist versus stylist in today's Rush & Molloy column.
And while Phillip Bloch starts off by saying he would never criticize Andre Leon Talley (who hand-picked Jennifer Hudson's poo-colored, snakeskin jacketed Oscar gown) he then proceeds to do just that…and for an uncomfortably long period of time!
First, Bloch starts by citing Talley's glaring lack of D-cup experience:
I can’t talk badly about Andre, but that was her moment! No one has fit her right! I mean, I work with curvy girls all the time. I’ve worked with Beyoncé, Halle, Salma — I’ve worked with girls with big breasts.
Of course! Because everyone's definition of "curvy girls" would be malnourished Hollwood A-Listers. Genius! But wait, there's more!
CONTINUED »
• Calling all single women—if you go to this website, Fabio will call you on the telephone and whisper sweet heavily accented nothings in your ear. Hey, he had us at "gutten tag."
• Jennifer Hudson didn't actually like the poo-colored gown and gold python bolero she wore to the Oscars. She was just too afraid of Andre Leon Talley (and the wrath of Anna Wintour) to wear something less hideous.
• Madonna got a bit tipsy at the post-Oscars Vanity Fair bash. Then she quickly sobered up and did 40 straight hours of Pilates.
• Bobby Brown evidently feels that child support is "his prerogative." A judge who signed off on his arrest warrant evidently disagrees.
• Paris Hilton's house has a stripper pole. Don't act like you're surprised.
CONTINUED »
• In her Oscar acceptance speech, Jennifer Hudson thanked God (twice), her dead grandmother and Jennifer Holliday. Number of times she mentioned Beyonce: Zero.
• "Just Married" Jackass Bam Margera and his wife endured full-cavity searches on the way back from Dubai.
• Al Sharpton wants a DNA test to determine whether or not he's Anna Nicole Smith's baby-daddy Strom Thurmond's long-lost great-great-grandson.
• • Brandon Davis horrifies exhibitionist/racist Paris Hilton with his tacky uncouth behavior.
• Oscar-writer Bruce Vilanch didn't appreciate that host Ellen DeGeneres brought in her own writing staff; Oscar-viewers didn't appreciate that the show was four hours long and very boring.
• One really old guy (Peter O'Toole) gets winded walking up a flight of stairs; another really old guy (Hugh Heffner) contemplates marrying a bimbo fifty years his junior.
Jennifer Hudson may have Vogue, but Beyonce is fighting back where it really counts: pure objectification. The pop star will be the covergirl for this year's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue — where photo editors have even more liberty to Photoshop out any sign of cellulite, double chins, and hips.
• If crazy old people are confusing Will Smith with Barack Obama, does that mean crazy young people are confusing Senator Obama with the Fresh Prince of Bel Air?
• Mike Tyson turns out to be one of those nice, friendly face-tattooed rapists. And you should be ashamed of yourselves for pre-judging him.
• Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls cast, to perform at this year's Oscars unless Beyonce insists on performing all the songs herself. Again.
&bull: Lost star Josh Holloway (Sawyer) admits he'd rather "cuddle" with the annoying-but-unattractive Hurley than with the annonying-but-very-attractive kate.
• Anne Hathaway admits to being freakishly pale and sometimes anorexic—perfect, for her upcoming role as Jane Austen!
• Britney Spears' "XS" tag is showing, and we think she did it accidentally-on-purpose.
• Blame Michael Knowles for starting those Beyonce v. Jennifer Hudson rumors.
• Perez Hilton gets the Salon treatment.
• Paris Hilton clean up, for anyone? Uh, no.
• Taryn Manning throws down at Social Hollywood.
• Resse Witherspoon and Jennifer Garner do lunch. Obviously sleeping together.
• Star Jones, always a face for radio, is headed there.
• Brangelina still talking about having more kids.
• Elisha Cuthbert, the next panty-less photo victim?
• Paris Hilton may not be heading into space, but some celebs are worthy of time travel.
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