WILL SMITH STILL DISAPPOINTED OVER OSCAR LOST FOR 'THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS.'

Will Smith says he is still disappointed he missed out on an Oscar for his role in The Pursuit of Happyness, because he was convinced it was "my time". And to be honest, I agree with him 100%! That movie really touched me. But I digress. Anyhoo, unfortunately, Smith has received two Best Actor Academy Award nominations to date - for Ali in 2001, and again for the 2006 drama, but still went home empty handed. Bless his heart. He was beaten to the podium in 2002 by Denzel Washington - for his role in the critically-acclaimed Training Day - and he and lost out to Forest Whitaker's Last King of Scotland portrayal at the 2007 Academy Awards.

But Smith admits it was Whitaker's win that upset him the most. He says, "Denzel took it for Training Day; fantastic film. When you can get nominated and invited to the (Oscars) party, it's huge. (But) I can always tell when things aren't right for me at the time; I didn't feel like that was the time. But, for Pursuit of Happyness, I actually felt like it was my time and I still didn't win it! I was like, 'Hey, it's my time! Wait, hold on, that other boy's taken my thing!'"

Lord, the dude has become the Susan Lucci of the Academy Awards.
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*UPDATED* WESLEY SNIPES SENTENCED TO 3 YEARS IN PRISON ON TAX CHARGES; CO-DEFENDANT GETS 10 YEARS BEHIND BARS.

I guess the 'good luck' message I wished for Wesley was in vain. According to the Associated Press, Snipes called on famous friends to vouch for him, highlighted his clean criminal record and even wrote the government $5 million in checks — all in an effort to convince a judge that his conviction on tax charges should cost him nothing more than home detention and some public service announcements. None of it worked. The "Blade" actor was ordered to do hard time. Snipes was sentenced to three years in prison Thursday for failing to file tax returns, the maximum penalty — and a victory for prosecutors who sought to make an example of the action star. Snipes' lawyers had spent much of the day in court offering dozens of letters from family members, friends — even fellow actors Woody Harrelson and Denzel Washington — attesting to his good character. His attorneys recommended he be given home detention and ordered to make public service announcements because his three convictions were all misdemeanors and the actor had no previous criminal record.

Snipes apologized while reading from a written statement for his "costly mistakes," but never mentioned the word taxes. "I am an idealistic, naive, passionate, truth-seeking, spiritually motivated artist, unschooled in the science of law and finance," Snipes said. He said his wealth and celebrity attracted "wolves and jackals like flies are attracted to meat." He called himself "well-intentioned, but miseducated." Snipes surprised the court before Hodges handed down the sentence by offering the government three checks totaling $5 million in unpaid taxes over several years, money the government first denied but then accepted. Prosecutors called it "grandstanding" to avoid jail time, and a mere down payment on the actor's still-undetermined multi-million dollar tax bill.

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Co-defendants Douglas P. Rosile and Eddie Ray Kahn were convicted on both those counts. Kahn, who refused to defend himself in court, was sentenced to 10 years, while Rosile received 54 months. Both will serve three years of supervised release. Snipes will serve one year of supervised release. Snipes and Rosile remain free and will be notified when they are to surrender to authorities. Defense attorney Carmen Hernandez signaled in court that Snipes would pursue an appeal.

Wesley Snipes has enlisted a couple of his celebrity friends--Denzel Washington and Judge Joe Brown--in order to drum up support in hopes of getting a lighter sentence (if any at all...which I highly doubt due to the fact that Johnnie Cochran done gone on to glory) at his tax invasion sentencing which will be held today (Thursday, April 24). Thirty-one character references were submitted by Snipes' legal team, according to Ocala, Fla's Star-Banner newspaper. The letters are written to Senior U.S. District Judge William Terrell Hodges, who is scheduled to sentence Snipes today on three counts of willfully failing to file tax returns. Snipes faces up to three years in jail and possibly $5 million or more in fines. His legal team hopes letters from Washington, Brown, Woody Harrelson and others will encourage the judge to go easy. "Wesley is like a tree - a mighty oak," Washington wrote in his letter to the judge, adding he has known the actor for 20 years. "Many who know him have witnessed the fruit of his labors, have sat in his shade and even been protected by his presence. I am proud of him, proud to call him a fellow thespian and most importantly, proud to call him a friend."

Good luck, homey.

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BARACK OBAMA ON WHY WILL SMITH SHOULD PORTRAY HIM IN A MOVIE: 'HE HAS THE EARS!'

"Will Smith and I have talked about this, because he has the ears. He's better looking than me, but we both have those (ears)."

--U.S. presidential hopeful Barack Obama on why he'd like Will Smith to portray him if a movie is ever made about his life. Obama believes the I Am Legend star would be the perfect Hollywood choice, despite a new Zogby/Svedka poll that found 33 per cent of voters would choose Denzel Washington to play the Democrat senator onscreen.
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DENZEL WASHINGTON ADMITS TO TERRORIZING DAUGHTER'S BOYFRIEND.

Denzel Washington says he is so protective of his daughters 20-year-old Katia and 16-year-old Olivia, he'd terrorize any prospective suitors so the suitor would be too afraid to mess around on her. The dad of four is a proud and protective father and says he dreaded meeting Katia's first love who attends Yale University along with her. "My oldest girl has got a boyfriend, who is at the school where she is. He is obviously very bright, but has too many earrings for my liking. I told him, 'I'm not going be that friendly with you.' I put my oldest boy on him - to put the fear of God into him. I said, 'Kick him around a bit. Tenderize him. I'll finish him off.' "

But Washington admits his theory is flawed because he praises his sons, 24-year-old John and 16-year-old Malcolm, when they started dating. He adds, "It's difficult and it is a double standard because, with my boys, I'm like, `That's my boy.'"

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NEW CANDID PICS: DENZEL WASHINGTON WITH HIS WIFE, PAULETTA AT MR. CHOWS

Actor Denzel Washington and his wife Pauletta were spotted leaving Mr. Chows on January 12. Peep the pics below. Click on pics to see full image.

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JAY-Z RETIRES HIS POSITION AS PRESIDENT OF DEF JAM RECORDS; THEN AGAIN HE RETIRED FROM RAP AND CAME BACK! SO....

...And here I was thinking today was gonna be a slow news day!

Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter said Monday that he will leave his post as president of Universal Music Group’s Def Jam Records label after his contract expires this year. The rapper, who was named Def Jam president three years ago, said in a statement that it is “time for me to take on new challenges.” He will continue to release his own music through his record label, Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam after his contract expires Dec. 31. Antonio “L.A.” Reid, chairman and CEO of Island Def Jam Music Group, said the label regrets Carter’s decision to move on. “While he will continue to be one of our signature artists, he will nonetheless be missed in this executive capacity,” Reid said in a statement.

Carter took over Def Jam in December 2004 in an incentive-laden deal that was reportedly valued at up to $10 million. His appointment followed the exit of Lyor Cohen, who departed to be chief executive of Warner Music Group. As Def Jam’s president, Carter signed a number of acts including Ne-Yo and Rihanna, one of the record label’s biggest sellers this year with her hit Umbrella.

Carter co-founded Roc-A-Fella records with Damon Dash in 1995. The label has since become wholly owned by Def Jam, home to Kanye West, among others. Carter has sold tens of millions of records during his career, powered by hits such as Big Pimpin’ and Give It To Me.

He famously said a few years ago that he was retiring from recording music, but returned last year with the album Kingdom Come. Most recently, he recorded an album inspired by the Denzel Washington film, American Gangster.

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KIMORA JUST HAPPENS TO BE DATING 'THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BLACK MAN ALIVE.'

Two-time Oscar nominee Djimon Hounsou has been named crowned as the 'Most Beautiful Black Man Alive' by TV One's TV One Access. The Blood Diamond star and beau of Kimora Lee Simmons ranked No. 1 on a list that included Denzel Washington at No. 2, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson at No. 3, Boris Kodjoe at No. 4 and Will Smith at No. 5. “It certainly wasn’t easy selecting this handful of men out of the millions of beautiful brothers out there,” Monique Chenault, senior producer of TV One Access said, “but someone had to do it. Our countdown wonderfully reflects all the beautiful shades that the sexiest black men represent.” A special announcing the beautiful black men premiered recently on TV One with Access Hollywood's Shaun Robinson and co-host Jamal Munnerlyn counting down the brothers one by one.

British actor Idris Elba came in at No. 6 while Dirty Sexy Money star Blair Underwood took 7th place. Rounding off the list in eighth place was Private Practice actor Taye Diggs, rapper L.L. Cool J in ninth and finally, Crimnal Minds actor Shemar Moore at No. 10.

The 'Most Beautiful Black Man Alive' list honors for not only appealing to the ladies, but for having proven themselves to be great men off-the-screen, in their every day life.

*sidenote*: FYI, FAMUDiva, Lamman Rucker did not make the list! Sorry.* end sidenote*

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NEW CANDIDS: DENZEL WASHINGTON @ CIPRIANI'S IN LONDON.

American Gangster star and Academy Award winner, Denzel Washington was spotted leaving Cipriani's in London over the weekend. American Gangster blew up the box office by earning over $46 million.

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PICS: CELEBS AT INDUSTRY SCREENING OF 'AMERICAN GANGSTER' IN HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. (10.29.2007)

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OSCAR SCREENER COPY OF 'AMERICAN GANGSTER' LEAKED ONLINE.

I don't mind telling you all that last week, I was fortunate enough to 'attend' a very high-quality special screening (in the comforts of my own home...but that's neither here or there) of Denzel Washington's new movie, American Gangster, which opens nationwide on November 2nd. Now, will I go see the film, which is 2.5 hours long when it hits theaters next Friday? Probably not; and that decision isn't just based on my opinion of the movie. I can easily see Wahington garnering another Academy Award win for his portrayal of real-life heroin druglord, Frank Lucas.

An Oscar screener copy of Ridley Scott's American Gangster has been uploaded to a popular bit torrent site and has been downloaded thousands upon thousands of times. And remember, this isn't some cheap bootleg job. Oscar screeners are regular DVD quality. Also, bootleg DVDs of the movie are being sold for $5 apiece in Los Angeles, the Wall Street Journal reported last Friday (10/26). The availability of the movie and others earlier this year, the newspaper commented, "shows that Hollywood's supposedly reinforced preventive measures on piracy aren't as reliable as the industry thought."

It also noted that for Universal the problem is compounded by the fact that the bootleg version of American Gangster appears to be in pristine condition and lacks even the "not-for-distribution" scroll that identifies screeners. John Desmond, an executive with online piracy-research company MediaSentry, told the WSJ that if a bootleg copy is going to be offered online, it's best for the studios if it's of poor quality (like movies camcorded in theaters) since most consumers would rather buy a theater ticket than watch a poor-quality bootleg copy. However, the newspaper noted, pristine copies often can be made from prints that have been sent to postproduction houses.

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NEW PICS: 'AMERICAN GANGSTER' NYC PREMIERE + COMMON & RZA HAVE A FEW CHOICE WORDS FOR T.I.

T.I.'s fellow rappers -- and co-stars in the upcoming movie, American Gangster -- are speaking out about his recent legal issues and urging the fallen star to keep his head up. It's not like his boys would throw him under the bus Common, who plays T.I.'s dad in the film, tells AOL Black Voices that T.I. should continue to pray, saying, "Know that God is with [you]. Know that He knows what the truth is and the truth is going to allow [you] to get out and be alright." Unless, of course, the truth is T.I. did it -- because then he's screwed. Wu Tang Clan co-founder RZA also had an opinion on the situation saying, "One of my security guards said, 'Don't you ever buy a gun, because you can afford all the security." Perhaps RZA should have given T.I. that advice sooner -- or at least given him his security guard!

T.I. still remains in custody on weapons charges.

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