Comedian Paul Mooney Brings His Standup Act Back to Portland March 22-24

Most people know Mooney from his appearances on the 'Chappelle’s Show' segment 'Ask a Black Dude' as well as the character 'Negrodamus'

2012-03-22

Comedian Paul Mooney returns to Portland’s Helium Comedy Club this weekend, March 22-24, at 1510 SE 9th Ave. Read the complete article

DeRay Davis: The ‘21 Jump Street’ Interview

'I had to tone down the “funny” in order to play this bad guy. I started thinking about all my bills to get in touch with my angry side'

2012-03-22

Kam Williams Special To The Skanner News

Here, he talks about his latest screen role in “21 Jump Street,” where he plays a Dominican drug dealer named Domingo, opposite Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. Read the complete article

Book Links Oakland Journalist's Murder to History of Racism, Violence

Reporter and author Thomas Peele discusses Chauncey Bailey and “Killing the Messenger”

2012-03-21

Award-winning investigative reporter and author Thomas Peele talks about his work on the Chauncey Bailey Project -- a collaboration of journalists that formed to finish the work Bailey was doing -- and his new book, Killing the Messenger, that traces the black Muslim movement from its founding to a violent cult-like organization in Oakland that was responsible for Bailey’s murder. Read the complete article

China's Rise Driving Hollywood Interest in Asia

Country starting to budge from its policy of allowing just 20 foreign films a year

2012-03-20

Kelvin Chan AP Business Writer

HONG KONG (AP) -- China's economic rise and growing international profile are spurring Hollywood's interest in movies using Asian themes and production money, U.S. movie industry veterans said Tuesday. Read the complete article

OPENING THIS WEEK: For Movies Opening March 16

'21 Jump Street ,' 'Casa de Mi Padre ,' 'The FP' and more

2012-03-15

Kam Williams Special To The Skanner News

Kam's Kapsules: Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun         Read the complete article

Len Elmore: The ‘March Madness’ Interview

From hoops star to lawyer to broadcaster

2012-03-13

Kam Williams Special To The Skanner News

A man long associated with March Madness, Len Elmore is currently appearing on CBS for his 12th season as an analyst during the network’s NCAA Men's Basketball Championship coverage. In addition, he has served as a basketball analyst for ESPN for the past 13 consecutive years, calling ACC and Big East games, including the Big East Tournament. Read the complete article

'Homeless Hotspot' Stunt Draws Ire at SXSW

Marketing agency paid 14 people from shelter to carry mobile Wi-Fi devices through conference

2012-03-13

Jake Coyle AP Entertainment Writer

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- A marketing stunt that paid homeless people to carry Wi-Fi signals during the South By Southwest Conference in Austin, Texas, is drawing widespread criticism. Read the complete article

Steve Harvey to Host New TV Show in Chicago

Daily program being billed as economic coup for the city

2012-03-12

CHICAGO (AP) -- Steve Harvey is going to star in his own daily television show, and it's going to be taped in Chicago. Read the complete article

OPENING THIS WEEK: For Movies Opening March 9

'Friends with Kids,' 'John Carter,' 'A Thousand Words,' and more

2012-03-09

Kam Williams Special To The Skanner News

Kam’s Kapsules: Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun         Read the complete article

Film Review: 'The Velvet Elvis' Hilarious Horror Comedy

Black Elvis impersonator moonlights as demon hunter in hilarious horror comedy

2012-03-07

Kam Williams Special To The Skanner News

Ordinarily, the term “Velvet Elvis” conjures up images of those cheesy paintings of Elvis Presley which were popular briefly back in the Seventies. But for the purposes of this hilarious horror comedy, the phrase refers not to a tacky eyesore on black velvet but to a black Elvis impersonator outfitted in The King’s trademark pompadour, muttonchops and TCB sunglasses.   Read the complete article