Barack Obama's religious background is more diverse than that of most prominent politicians, but it may prove to be representative of future generations of Americans who grow up in an increasingly diverse America. His mother was raised by non-practicing Christians; his father was raised a Muslim but was an atheist by the time he had married Obama's mother. Obama's step-father was also Muslim, but of an eclectic kind who could make room for animist and Hindu beliefs. Neither Obama nor his mother were ever atheists, but she raised him in a relatively secular household where he learned about religion.
In his book The Audacity of Hope, Barack Obama writes:
I was not raised in a religious household. For my mother, organized religion too often dressed up closed-mindedness in the garb of piety, cruelty and oppression in the cloak of righteousness. However, in her mind, a working knowledge of the world's great religions was a necessary part of any well-rounded education. In our household the Bible, the Koran, and the Bhagavad Gita sat on the shelf alongside books of Greek and Norse and African mythology.
On Easter or Christmas Day my mother might drag me to church, just as she dragged me to the Buddhist temple, the Chinese New Year celebration, the Shinto shrine, and ancient Hawaiian burial sites.In sum, my mother viewed religion through the eyes of the anthropologist; it was a phenomenon to be treated with a suitable respect, but with a suitable detachment as well.
As a child in Indonesia, Obama studied for two years at one Muslim school and then two years at a Catholic school. In both places he experienced religious indoctrination, but in neither case did the indoctrination take hold: during Quranic studies he made faces and during Catholic prayers he would look around the room. Eventually, Barack Obama abandoned this non-conformism and skepticism to be baptized as an adult in the Trinity United Church of Christ.
The United Church of Christ emphasizes the freedom of the individual conscience over adherence to creeds or hierarchical authority. This is similar to traditional Baptist Christianity and something that is honored more in theory than in practice when it comes to the Southern Baptist Convention. Several historical creeds and catechisms are used by the United Church of Christ as statements of what their faith, but none are used as "tests of faith" which a person must swear upon.
A 2001 study by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research found the denomination's churches are fairly evenly split between conservative and liberal/progressive beliefs. Official policy statements from the church leaders tend to be more liberal than conservative, but the denomination is organized in such a way that disagreements by individuals churches are allowed. For example, the United Church of Christ is the largest Christian denomination to come out in favor of "equal marriage rights for all," which means full marriage rights for gay couples, but there are many individual churches which do not support this.
Other famous members of the United Church of Christ include Barry Lynn, John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Paul Tillich, Reinhold Niebuhr, Howard Dean, and Jim Jeffords.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Lady Gaga
Full Name: Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta
Birthplace: Yonkers, New York
Age: 23
Birthday: March 28, 1986
Lady Gaga is a singer-songwriter and trendsetter. Known for her catchy pop songs and extravagant makeup and fashion choices, Lady Gaga is in a league of her own.
Born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, the singer-songwriter was called "Gaga" when she was in the studio.
Lady Gaga learned to play the piano by ear at the age of four!
She went on to write her first piano ballad at 13 and began performing at open mic nights by the age of 14.
When she was 17, Gaga was one of 20 people in the world to have gained early admission to the New York University's Tisch School of the Arts where she studied music. After she moved out of her parents' home, she began performing in the Lower East Side club scene.
When she was only 19, Gaga scored a record contract. At age 20, Gaga began working for Interscope Records as a songwriter, penning songs for pop acts such as the Pussycat Dolls.
The talented star says that she was heavily influenced by glam rockers David Bowie and Queen. She also says that '80s pop icons Madonna and Michael Jackson have also influenced her style.
News
Lady Gaga Opens Up... Again (12/2/2009)
Lady Gaga is on the cover of the January issue of Elle and she looks beautiful. That's because part of Lady Gaga's face is covered up. The woman is very unattractive.
Lady GaGa is a theatrical dance-pop performer whose debut single, the international chart-topping hit "Just Dance," established her as an up-and-coming superstar upon its release in 2008. Born Stefani Germanotta on March 28, 1986, the Yonkers native attended Convent of the Sacred Heart, a private all-girl Catholic school in Manhattan, before proceeding to study music at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts at age 17. Influenced by flamboyant glam rockers such as David Bowie and Freddie Mercury (she would later draw her stage name from the Queen song "Radio Ga-Ga") as well as '80s dance-poppers such as Madonna and Michael Jackson, she began playing the piano at a young age and started writing original material as a teenager. In 2007, she began to make a name for herself on the downtown Manhattan club scene with a performance art show billed as Lady GaGa and the Starlight Revue (co-featuring Lady Starlight; born Colleen Martin, a DJ and makeup professional), and music industry insiders began to take note. While Lady GaGa was initially signed to Def Jam in 2007, nothing came of that association, and ultimately it was pop-rap superstar Akon who took her under his wing, signing her to his vanity label Kon Live in association with Interscope Records.
In addition to working for Interscope as an in-house songwriter, Lady GaGa began preparing the launch of her solo career. Her debut single, "Just Dance," was released to radio in April 2008, and her full-length album debut, The Fame, followed in August. Featuring fellow Akon affiliate Colby O'Donis, "Just Dance" slowly gathered momentum throughout 2008's latter half. The song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in August, at which time it had already become a massive club hit, but it didn't reach number one until January 2009. Internationally, the song proved similarly popular, reaching the Top Ten throughout much of Western Europe and beyond. In the wake of Lady GaGa's international breakthrough success with "Just Dance," the follow-up single "Poker Face" was an even larger hit, topping singles charts across the board with its combination of pop melodicism and club-worthy production. Two additional tracks -- "LoveGame" and "Paparrazi" -- also cracked the Top 10, and The Fame was still enjoying a spot on the Billboard Top 40 when its follow-up, The Fame Monster, appeared in November 2009. Although originally planned as a bonus disc (to be package alongside The Fame in a deluxe edition of Lady Gaga's debut), The Fame Monster was quickly expanded to eight tracks, thus warranting its own release. Meanwhile, the leadoff single "Bad Romance" became GaGa's fifth consecutive Top 10 single. Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
Birthplace: Yonkers, New York
Age: 23
Birthday: March 28, 1986
Lady Gaga is a singer-songwriter and trendsetter. Known for her catchy pop songs and extravagant makeup and fashion choices, Lady Gaga is in a league of her own.
Born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, the singer-songwriter was called "Gaga" when she was in the studio.
Lady Gaga learned to play the piano by ear at the age of four!
She went on to write her first piano ballad at 13 and began performing at open mic nights by the age of 14.
When she was 17, Gaga was one of 20 people in the world to have gained early admission to the New York University's Tisch School of the Arts where she studied music. After she moved out of her parents' home, she began performing in the Lower East Side club scene.
When she was only 19, Gaga scored a record contract. At age 20, Gaga began working for Interscope Records as a songwriter, penning songs for pop acts such as the Pussycat Dolls.
The talented star says that she was heavily influenced by glam rockers David Bowie and Queen. She also says that '80s pop icons Madonna and Michael Jackson have also influenced her style.
News
Lady Gaga Opens Up... Again (12/2/2009)
Lady Gaga is on the cover of the January issue of Elle and she looks beautiful. That's because part of Lady Gaga's face is covered up. The woman is very unattractive.
Lady GaGa is a theatrical dance-pop performer whose debut single, the international chart-topping hit "Just Dance," established her as an up-and-coming superstar upon its release in 2008. Born Stefani Germanotta on March 28, 1986, the Yonkers native attended Convent of the Sacred Heart, a private all-girl Catholic school in Manhattan, before proceeding to study music at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts at age 17. Influenced by flamboyant glam rockers such as David Bowie and Freddie Mercury (she would later draw her stage name from the Queen song "Radio Ga-Ga") as well as '80s dance-poppers such as Madonna and Michael Jackson, she began playing the piano at a young age and started writing original material as a teenager. In 2007, she began to make a name for herself on the downtown Manhattan club scene with a performance art show billed as Lady GaGa and the Starlight Revue (co-featuring Lady Starlight; born Colleen Martin, a DJ and makeup professional), and music industry insiders began to take note. While Lady GaGa was initially signed to Def Jam in 2007, nothing came of that association, and ultimately it was pop-rap superstar Akon who took her under his wing, signing her to his vanity label Kon Live in association with Interscope Records.
In addition to working for Interscope as an in-house songwriter, Lady GaGa began preparing the launch of her solo career. Her debut single, "Just Dance," was released to radio in April 2008, and her full-length album debut, The Fame, followed in August. Featuring fellow Akon affiliate Colby O'Donis, "Just Dance" slowly gathered momentum throughout 2008's latter half. The song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in August, at which time it had already become a massive club hit, but it didn't reach number one until January 2009. Internationally, the song proved similarly popular, reaching the Top Ten throughout much of Western Europe and beyond. In the wake of Lady GaGa's international breakthrough success with "Just Dance," the follow-up single "Poker Face" was an even larger hit, topping singles charts across the board with its combination of pop melodicism and club-worthy production. Two additional tracks -- "LoveGame" and "Paparrazi" -- also cracked the Top 10, and The Fame was still enjoying a spot on the Billboard Top 40 when its follow-up, The Fame Monster, appeared in November 2009. Although originally planned as a bonus disc (to be package alongside The Fame in a deluxe edition of Lady Gaga's debut), The Fame Monster was quickly expanded to eight tracks, thus warranting its own release. Meanwhile, the leadoff single "Bad Romance" became GaGa's fifth consecutive Top 10 single. Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
Jaime Pressly Biography
It may surprise fans to learn that former tomboy-turned-sex symbol Jaime Pressly is actually pretty old-fashioned given her numerous provocative film roles and a revealing layout in Playboy magazine. It's no secret that Pressly shudders at the idea of going in front of the cameras for a love scene, and even considers onscreen kissing a little too intimate for comfort. Born in Kinston, NC, in July of 1977, young Pressly studied dance and gymnastics for 11 years before taking a turn as a model in the U.S., Italy, and Japan. Following an appearance on the cover of Teen magazine, Pressly began to gain momentum in the modeling world, and it seemed inevitable that she would soon make the leap to celluloid. Legally emancipated from her parents at the age of 15, Pressly made her feature debut as a teenage seductress in Poison Ivy: The New Seduction (she was offered the role after appearing as Drew Barrymore's body double in the original Poison Ivy [1992, Ringmaster (both 1998), and Poor White Trash (2000). On the small screen, Pressly made a big impression as a promiscuous dancer in the series Jack and Jill, and has made appearances on Hollywood Squares. In 1998, Pressly was married to Brodie Mitchell, resulting in a collective sigh of disappointment among her legions of male admirers, who have constructed countless Internet shrines to the toothsome actress. Increasingly in demand into the new millennium, Pressly appeared in such features as Tomcats, Joe Dirt, and Not Another Teen Movie (all 2001), as well as becoming the spokeswoman for Liz Claiborne's Lucky You fragrance. The actress would receive her widest exposure -- and critical acclaim to boot -- for her supporting role on the breakout hit TV series My Name Is Earl, in 2005. An Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series would follow, in July of 2006. Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Laura Prepon
Date of Birth
7 March 1980, Watchung, New Jersey, USA
Birth Name
Laura H. Prepon
Nickname
Pre
Snaps
Height
5' 10" (1.78 m)
Mini Biography
Laura Prepon was born on March 7, 1980, in Watchung, New Jersey. Her father, Michael, died in 1994. Her mother's name is Marjorie. Laura is the youngest of five children--she has a brother named Brad and three sisters: Danielle, Jocelyn, and Stephanie. She attended Watchung Hills Regional High School. She studied at the Total Theater Lab in New York City, where she appeared in numerous theatrical presentations.
She started studying acting at the young age of 15 as well as dancing--ballet, jazz, and modern. She also played soccer and other sports. Before acting became her profession, she was a model, working in Paris, Milan, and elsewhere in Europe.
Laura resides in Watchung when not filming in Los Angeles. She loves sneakers and vintage clothes. Her favorite book is 'The Hobbit' by J.R.R. Tolkien.
IMDb Mini Biography By: Ryan McIntosh
Trivia
Hobbies include horseback riding, gymnastics, ice skating, ballet, tennis, golf, and playing the piano.
Resides in Watchung, New Jersey, when not filming in Los Angeles.
She and her fellow "That '70s Show" (1998) castmates, Topher Grace(Eric) and Danny Masterson (Hyde), have made guest appearances on "King of the Hill" (1997), but not in the same episode.
Ranked #84 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women In The World" (2002)
She is of half-Russian-Jewish and half-Irish-Catholic descent.
Hated the Catholic school girl uniform she had to wear during the fifth season of "That '70s Show" (1998).
Due to the seven inch height difference between her and co-star Mila Kunis on "That '70s Show" (1998), Laura and Mila are often filmed sitting down so that they can appear in the frame together. At other times Mila wears platform shoes to give herself four extra inches.
Is very proud of being a New Jersey native.
Said her favorite actor is probably Harrison Ford.
Favorite book: "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Lived with actor Christopher Masterson. He is the brother of her "That '70s Show" (1998) co-star Danny Masterson.
Is a natural brunette. She was asked by producers of "That 70s Show" to dye her hair red for the role of Donna Pinciatti. Later in the show, in 2005, she dyed her hair blonde for a movie role playing the part of a serial killer. The producers of "That 70s Show" liked it, and asked her to keep it. Laura later decided she liked it, and has been blonde ever since.
Named #77 on the Maxim magazine "Hot 100 of 2005" list.
Was featured as #50 in Maxim Magazine's "Hot 100 of 2002" supplement. (2002)
Has attended U.F.C. shows.
Together with Danny Masterson and Christopher Masterson has invested in "Card Player Magazine".
Her mother is a high school teacher. One of her sisters is a lawyer.
Used to be a ballet dancer.
Personal Quotes
"I'm not a sun person."
"I don't like wearing '70s clothes at all."
"I'm a Jersey girl and proud of it."
"When people meet me, they think I'm going to be outgoing, but I like things low- key. I don't like people to think I'm bragging."
"Even in real life, I'd rather hang out with guys."
"I'm the tomboy so I got to be a little butch."
"I never wear makeup. When I wear makeup on the show I take it off as soon as I can. I just like the au natural thing."
7 March 1980, Watchung, New Jersey, USA
Birth Name
Laura H. Prepon
Nickname
Pre
Snaps
Height
5' 10" (1.78 m)
Mini Biography
Laura Prepon was born on March 7, 1980, in Watchung, New Jersey. Her father, Michael, died in 1994. Her mother's name is Marjorie. Laura is the youngest of five children--she has a brother named Brad and three sisters: Danielle, Jocelyn, and Stephanie. She attended Watchung Hills Regional High School. She studied at the Total Theater Lab in New York City, where she appeared in numerous theatrical presentations.
She started studying acting at the young age of 15 as well as dancing--ballet, jazz, and modern. She also played soccer and other sports. Before acting became her profession, she was a model, working in Paris, Milan, and elsewhere in Europe.
Laura resides in Watchung when not filming in Los Angeles. She loves sneakers and vintage clothes. Her favorite book is 'The Hobbit' by J.R.R. Tolkien.
IMDb Mini Biography By: Ryan McIntosh
Trivia
Hobbies include horseback riding, gymnastics, ice skating, ballet, tennis, golf, and playing the piano.
Resides in Watchung, New Jersey, when not filming in Los Angeles.
She and her fellow "That '70s Show" (1998) castmates, Topher Grace(Eric) and Danny Masterson (Hyde), have made guest appearances on "King of the Hill" (1997), but not in the same episode.
Ranked #84 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women In The World" (2002)
She is of half-Russian-Jewish and half-Irish-Catholic descent.
Hated the Catholic school girl uniform she had to wear during the fifth season of "That '70s Show" (1998).
Due to the seven inch height difference between her and co-star Mila Kunis on "That '70s Show" (1998), Laura and Mila are often filmed sitting down so that they can appear in the frame together. At other times Mila wears platform shoes to give herself four extra inches.
Is very proud of being a New Jersey native.
Said her favorite actor is probably Harrison Ford.
Favorite book: "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Lived with actor Christopher Masterson. He is the brother of her "That '70s Show" (1998) co-star Danny Masterson.
Is a natural brunette. She was asked by producers of "That 70s Show" to dye her hair red for the role of Donna Pinciatti. Later in the show, in 2005, she dyed her hair blonde for a movie role playing the part of a serial killer. The producers of "That 70s Show" liked it, and asked her to keep it. Laura later decided she liked it, and has been blonde ever since.
Named #77 on the Maxim magazine "Hot 100 of 2005" list.
Was featured as #50 in Maxim Magazine's "Hot 100 of 2002" supplement. (2002)
Has attended U.F.C. shows.
Together with Danny Masterson and Christopher Masterson has invested in "Card Player Magazine".
Her mother is a high school teacher. One of her sisters is a lawyer.
Used to be a ballet dancer.
Personal Quotes
"I'm not a sun person."
"I don't like wearing '70s clothes at all."
"I'm a Jersey girl and proud of it."
"When people meet me, they think I'm going to be outgoing, but I like things low- key. I don't like people to think I'm bragging."
"Even in real life, I'd rather hang out with guys."
"I'm the tomboy so I got to be a little butch."
"I never wear makeup. When I wear makeup on the show I take it off as soon as I can. I just like the au natural thing."
Julie Chen
Julie Chen
Born: 6-Jan-1970
Birthplace: Queens, NY
Gender: Female
Race or Ethnicity: Asian
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Game Show Host
Nationality: United States
Executive summary: Host of Big Brother
Father: David Y. Chen
Mother: Wan Ling Chen
Sister: Gladys Chen (older)
Sister: Vicki Chen
Husband: Les Moonves (m. 23-Dec-2004, one son)
Son: Charlie Moonves (b. 24-Sep-2009)
High School: St. Francis Prep High School, Queens, NY
University: University of Southern California (1991)
Chinese Ancestry
TELEVISION
The Early Show
Big Brother Host
Nightline vacation relief desk assistant
Born: 6-Jan-1970
Birthplace: Queens, NY
Gender: Female
Race or Ethnicity: Asian
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Game Show Host
Nationality: United States
Executive summary: Host of Big Brother
Father: David Y. Chen
Mother: Wan Ling Chen
Sister: Gladys Chen (older)
Sister: Vicki Chen
Husband: Les Moonves (m. 23-Dec-2004, one son)
Son: Charlie Moonves (b. 24-Sep-2009)
High School: St. Francis Prep High School, Queens, NY
University: University of Southern California (1991)
Chinese Ancestry
TELEVISION
The Early Show
Big Brother Host
Nightline vacation relief desk assistant
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Halle Berry
Halle Berry (born August 14, 1966) is an American actress, former fashion model, and beauty queen. Berry received an Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG, and an NAACP Image award for Introducing Dorothy Dandridge and won an Academy Award for Best Actress and was also nominated for a BAFTA Award in 2001 more... her performance in Monster's Ball, becoming the first and, as of 2009, only woman of African American descent to have won the award for Best Actress. She is one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood and also a Revlon spokeswoman. She has also been involved in the production side of several of her films. less
Georgina VerBaan
Georgina Carolina Verbaan (born October 9, 1979 in The Hague) is a Dutch actress and singer. After joining the musical Harlekijn in 1988, Verbaan decided to become an actress. In 1991 she applied for a four year study at the theater school called Rabarber. Verbaan became a national celebrity in 1997 at more... age of 16 years, when she got the role of "Hedwig Harmsen" in Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden. She was one of the most popular stars of the soap opera in her time. For her portrayal, she was nominated at the Dutch Academy Awards in 1998 for Best Actress in a Soap. less
Anne Hathaway
Anne Jacqueline Hathaway (born November 12, 1982) is an American actress. She made her acting debut in the 1999 television series Get Real, but her first prominent role was in Disney's family comedy The Princess Diaries (starring opposite Julie Andrews), which established her career. She continued to appear in family films more... the next three years, with lead roles in Ella Enchanted and The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement in 2004. Hathaway would later venture away from the "G-rated" image her early acting career bestowed upon her, starring in the films Havoc and Brokeback Mountain. She later starred in The Devil Wears Prada, opposite Meryl Streep; Becoming Jane, in which she portrays Jane Austen, and Get Smart, opposite Steve Carell. In 2008 she earned widespread critical acclaim for her star turn in the film Rachel Getting Married, for which she won numerous awards, including a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Her acting style has been compared to that of Judy Garland and Audrey Hepburn and she cites Hepburn as her favorite actress and Meryl Streep as her idol. People magazine named her one of 2001's breakthrough stars, and in 2006, she was listed as one of the world’s 50 Most Beautiful People. less
Amanda Bynes
Amanda Laura Bynes (born April 3, 1986) is an American actress, former show host on Nickelodeon, comedian, fashion designer, singer and voice actor. After appearing in several successful television series (All That and The Amanda Show) on Nickelodeon in the mid-to late 1990s and early 2000s, Bynes transitioned to a more... career, starring in several films aimed at teenage audiences, including She's the Man (2006) and Hairspray (2007). In 2006, she was named one of Teen People's "25 Hottest Stars Under 25", and in 2007, was on the Forbes list as the 5th highest paid celebrity under 21, earning $2.5 million. less
Alyson Hannigan
Alyson Lee Hannigan-Denisof (born March 24, 1974) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Lily Aldrin on the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, Willow Rosenberg on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Michelle Flaherty in three American Pie films. Hannigan was born more... Washington, D.C., the daughter of Emilie Posner, a real estate agent, and Al Hannigan, a truck driver. Hannigan is Jewish on her mother's side, and also has Irish ancestry. Her parents divorced a year after her birth and she was raised mostly by her mother in Atlanta. Although Hannigan had appeared in an industrial film for "Active Parenting" as a baby, as well as starred in a commercial for the Duncan Hines cookie mix in 1978, it was not until she moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1985 that she formally began her acting career. Living with her mother and attending North Hollywood High School, she successfully auditioned for agents while visiting her father in Santa Barbara. After attending North Hollywood High School she attended California State University, Northridge. less
Aida Yespica
Aída María Yéspica Jaime is a Venezuelan beauty queen born on July 15, 1982 in Barquisimeto, Venezuela. She is the girlfriend of footballer Matteo Ferrari and they have a baby boy, Aron, born on November 27, 2008. Aida Yespica's career began in the Venezuelan famous national pageant Miss Venezuela in 2002. more... Miss Amazonas, she represented the state of Amazonas. The winner was Mariangel Ruiz but Yespica became a big favorite among the press. Her measurements 90-60-90 despite her average height (1.73m or 5'8") made her capture the attention of the press. less
Ai Takahashi
Ai Takahashi (born September 14, 1986) is a Japanese pop singer associated with Hello! Project, best known as the current leader of Morning Musume, former member of its popular subgroup, Mini Moni, and most recently given the leadership role as Hello! Project's leader. Ai Takahashi joined Morning Musume in 2001 as more... of the group's fifth generation, along with Makoto Ogawa, Asami Konno, and Risa Niigaki. Her debut with the group was on their single "Mr. Moonlight ~Ai no Big Band~", and her first appearance on a Morning Musume full-length release was their fourth studio album, the appropriately named 4th Ikimasshoi!. Her first appearance within a Hello! Project shuffle unit release was on the 2002 single "Shiawase Beam! Suki Suki Beam!" under the group name Happy 7. less
Adrianne Palicki
Adrianne Palicki (b. May 6, 1983, Toledo, Ohio) is an American actress who currently stars as Tyra Collette on the NBC television series Friday Night Lights.
Adiana Lima
Adriana Francesca Lima (born June 12, 1981) is a Brazilian model best known as a Victoria's Secret Angel since 2000 and a spokesmodel for Maybelline cosmetics from 2003 to 2009. At age 15, Lima finished first place in Ford's "Supermodel of Brazil" competition and took second place the following year more... the Ford "Supermodel of the World" competition before signing with Elite Model Management in New York City. less
Aaliyah
Aaliyah Dana Haughton (January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001), who performed under the mononym Aaliyah (pronounced /əˈliːə/), was an American recording artist, actress and model. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in Detroit, Michigan. At an early age, she appeared on Star Search and performed more... concert alongside Gladys Knight. At age 12, Aaliyah was signed to Jive Records and Blackground Records by her uncle, Barry Hankerson. He introduced her to R. Kelly, who became her mentor, as well as lead songwriter and producer of her debut album. Age Ain't Nothing But a Number sold two million copies in the United States and was certified double Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). After facing allegations of an illegal marriage with Kelly, Aaliyah ended her contract with Jive and signed to Atlantic Records. Aaliyah worked with record producers Timbaland and Missy Elliott for her second album, One in a Million, which sold two million copies in the United States and over eight million copies worldwide. In 2000, Aaliyah appeared in her first major film, Romeo Must Die. She also contributed to the film's soundtrack, where "Try Again" was released as a single. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 solely on radio airplay, making Aaliyah the first artist in Billboard history to achieve this feat. "Try Again" earned Aaliyah a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocalist. After filming Romeo Must Die, Aaliyah filmed her part in Queen of the Damned. She released her third and final album, Aaliyah, in 2001. On August 25, 2001, Aaliyah and eight others were killed in an airplane crash in The Bahamas after filming the music video for the single "Rock the Boat". The pilot, Luis Morales III, was unlicensed at the time of the accident and had traces of cocaine and alcohol in his system. Aaliyah's family later filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Blackhawk International Airways, which was settled out of court. Since then, Aaliyah has achieved commercial success with several posthumous releases. Selling over 24 million records worldwide, she has been credited for helping redefine R&B and hip hop and has been named the "Queen of Urban Pop". less
Adele Silva
Adele Silva (born 19 November 1980 in Norbury, Greater London) is an English actress and television personality. She was educated at the Sylvia Young Theatre School and has been on stage and television since she was a girl. Silva's first TV appearance was as Squeak in the 1989 Doctor Who story more... As a young girl she also appeared in Mr Majeika, The Bill and EastEnders. She is best known for playing the role of Kelly Windsor in the television soap opera Emmerdale. She first played this role from 1993 to 2000 before returning to the soap in 2005. Her plotlines have been amongst the most daring in the soap opera, including a relationship with her stepbrother and running off with one of her school teachers. When she returned in 2005, she promised to be the “biggest bitch” in British soap. During her period away from Emmerdale, Adele Silva appeared on Is Harry on the Boat?, Mile High, The Courtroom and the independent film Jam. However, Silva remained in the public eye more for modelling appearances than acting. She has appeared in men’s magazines like Front, Maxim and FHM, sometimes alongside her friend and fellow model Jakki Degg. It is known she had breast implants during her period away from Emmerdale as she commented on them in a 2005 issue of FHM. Silva has also made appearances in the reality television shows Celebrity Fear Factor, The Salon, I'm Famous and Frightened! and Celebrity 5 Go Dating. She left Emmerdale in late 2007 to pursue other roles, initially promising fans that she would return to play Kelly in late 2008, Although it has been reported in January 2008 that Adele will not be returning to the show "in the immediate future." She appeared in the third series of Hell's Kitchen where she came second to Barry McGuigan. More recently she has been seen in Karma Magnet alongside Gary Kemp and it was announced in March 2008 that she would star in a new British film Mixed Up alongside Zara Dawson, Lee Otway and Abi Titmuss. She also recently appeared on "Celebrity Weakest Link" and alongside her Emmerdale cast mates on a celebrity version of the TV show Family Fortunes in December 2006. In August 2007, she appeared as a celebrity guest on Big Brother's Big Mouth. On the personal front, her name has often been linked romantically to those of a number of footballers. Silva was linked in December 2004 with singer Antony Costa from the group Blue, but in November 2006 they split up. In September 2008, Silva released her own limited edition selection of wines as part of a new Internet reality show "Mistress of the Vines", in association with wine merchants Stowells. She also did some pantomime work which included the Poole lighthouse where she played Alice Fitzwarren in Dick Whittington & his cat from December 12 2008 - January 4 2009. less
Lucy Liu
Name: Lucy Alexis Liu
Date of Birth: December 2, 1968
Place of Birth: Queens, New York, USA
Height: 5'3"
Weight: A woman never tells.
Eye Color: Dark Brown
Hair Color: Black
Recently, Lucy has done some TV work (Ugly Betty and Cashmere Mafia) along with her movies (Rise and Code Name: The Cleaner). Not long ago she did nice jobs in the movies Lucky Number Slevin with Josh Hartnet and Bruce Willis and Domino with Keira Knightley. Lucy's roles in Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2 and Charlie's Angels (and C.A. - Full Throttle) have really established her as a Hollywood star. Check out Lucy's full filmography at IMDB where she has a great biography of her earlier career too. See also, Lucy's thread at Bellazon.com for pictures or to chat about Lucy.
Date of Birth: December 2, 1968
Place of Birth: Queens, New York, USA
Height: 5'3"
Weight: A woman never tells.
Eye Color: Dark Brown
Hair Color: Black
Recently, Lucy has done some TV work (Ugly Betty and Cashmere Mafia) along with her movies (Rise and Code Name: The Cleaner). Not long ago she did nice jobs in the movies Lucky Number Slevin with Josh Hartnet and Bruce Willis and Domino with Keira Knightley. Lucy's roles in Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2 and Charlie's Angels (and C.A. - Full Throttle) have really established her as a Hollywood star. Check out Lucy's full filmography at IMDB where she has a great biography of her earlier career too. See also, Lucy's thread at Bellazon.com for pictures or to chat about Lucy.
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