Entertainment News - May 13, 2008

Ugly Betty star Vanessa Williams received a great gift this Mother’s Day weekend: She received her bachelor of fine arts degree 25 years after she attended Syracuse University.

The actress/singer, 45, was a drama student at Syracuse but dropped out when she became the first black Miss America in 1983. University officials have decided Williams has more than earned the remaining credit for her degree through her career achievements.

Here is video footage of Ms. Williams at her graduation ceremony:

Beyonce & Solange’s dad Matthew Knowles also received a degree this year:

Mr. Knowles has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate from his old university. Mathew was made a Doctor of Humane Letters at a ceremony at his alma mater Fisk University in Tennessee. Mr. Knowles was picked out for his work steering the careers of his daughter and her band Destiny’s Child, and his work as head of label imprint Music World Entertainment.

Congratulations goes out to both of them.

R. KELLY DENIED POSTPONEMENT IN CHILD PORNOGRAPHY TRIAL
R & B star R. KELLY has had a last-minute bid to postpone his child pornography trial denied.
Earlier this week Kelly’s lawyers submitted a new motion appealing to have the case temporarily delayed due to a recent “torrent of publicity” surrounding the case, which they feel could have a negative effect on the trial’s outcome.

But a Chicago, Illinois judge dismissed Kelly’s attorneys’ request on Friday (09May08), when jury selection was due to start, and ruled trial proceedings will continue as planned - six years (02) after he was charged with having sex with a minor.
The 41-year-old has pleaded not guilty to 14 charges of child pornography, after a videotape emerged allegedly showing him having sex with an underage girl.

However, the trial looks to be a messy one - both Kelly and his now-23-year-old alleged sexual partner both insist it isn’t them on the videotape.
Kelly faces up to 15 years in prison if he’s convicted. Here’s video coverage of the trial:

In other news…
O.J. BOOK CLAIMS THE STAR CONFESSED TO EX-WIFE’S MURDER

O.J. SIMPSON’s former sports agent claims the sports star confessed to killing his ex-wife, and he helped him cheat justice, in a new tell-all book.
In How I Helped O.J. Get Away With Murder, Mike Gilbert alleges he counselled Simpson during his murder trial by advising him to take arthritis medicine that would bloat his hands so they wouldn’t fit the infamous leather gloves linked to Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman’s 1994 slayings.
Gilbert claims Simpson then confessed to the killing while high on marijuana, after he was acquitted.
His book quotes the ex-American footballer revealing Brown Simpson was killed with a knife she opened the door to him carrying: “If she hadn’t opened that door with a knife in her hand … she’d still be alive.”

Simpson has dismissed the book’s claims; his lawyer Yale Galanter describing the author as:

A delusional drug addict who needs money. He’s fallen on very hard times. He is in trouble with the IRS.

He adds, “I’ve talked to O.J. about it. This stuff not only didn’t occur but it’s not factually supported by the evidence.”

I have one word for this situation: D-R-A-M-A.

Here’s the latest entertainment news videos:

Until next time,

Mahogany City