23/02/2008 15:01 - (SA)
On the down low with Lerato Mogoatle
Lerato Mogoatle
‘Oh man, are we the only darkies here?’ That’s the cry heard from the black entertainment journalists at most of the events we attend, which makes Mzansi look like South Africa circa 1983. The recent launch of the 2008 Pirelli Calendar was a case in point. We arrived at the larney Summer Place in Hyde Park ready to p-a-r-t-y, but wanted to leave within seconds – the place was lily white. We waited hopefully and with baited breath for Summer Place to fill up with colour. The blacks did show up (eventually) and we felt a tad more at ease when the rest of the brown skinned guests, like Eric Miyeni, showed up.
The Pirelli annual calendar has become one of the most talked about gigs of the year. But the Mzansi ’08 launch was held on the same Friday as the State of the Nation address. Which might explain the absence of the black power couples so favoured at white parties. The celebs who did pitch up included stars from Isidingo and Scandal. Maurice Paige, who plays Calvin, and Ashley Callie, who plays Lee Haines, were the most sought after of the Isidingo crew. The supremely talented Callie, who was involved in a car accident after the party, tragically passed away a week after the gig. The Pulse team sends condolences to her family. South Africa has lost another great talent too soon.
My soap star deluxe is Nthathi Moshesh. The Scandal actress, one of our most gifted actresses, says she is having a ball on the show and looked relaxed in spite of the dreaded contract negotiations. In fact, she was all smiles talking about how her cousin, Mashechaba Moshoeshoe of Kaya talk, reads a book a day. “She has been reading since she was little,” she said, before dashing off to join Scandal’s Jenna Dover, Dawn Matthews, Litha Bam and Rhythm City’s Jamie Bartlett, another amazing acting talent that’s getting a raw deal from the industry’s act-in-a-soap-or-be-jobless status quo.
Last thoughts on the gig: I’d be lying if I said the Pirelli gig was among the best jols I’ve attended recently. Racial representation aside, the party offended me with the musical selection: a singer/violinist doing karaoke versions of everyone from Sade to Babyface. Not. Cool. And, call me a diva if you must, but should a venue like Summer Place be using single ply loo paper? Even the shebeens of Melville (and there are plenty masquerading as trendy bars) know better than to stoop so low. Oh well...
Tit bits:
This season of
Strictly Come Dancing
boasts more high profile celebrities than ever, but it’s very clear that they were not chosen for their dancing abilities. Otherwise,
Mutodi Nesheshe
, who could not move on the show to save his life, would never have been selected to embarrass himself dancing in front of the nation. Hope the celebrities’ dancing improves
.
Amy Winehouse’ Back to Black deserves her five Grammys for best new artist, record of the year (Rehab), best female pop vocal performance (Rehab), best female pop vocal performance and best pop vocal album. Now how to keep Miss Wino off the drugs!
Kudos to the Soweto Gospel Choir for their second Grammy in the best traditional gospel word music category. And, of course, a very proud mention to Angelique Kidjo, who also won music’s biggest accolade for Best Contemporary World Music Album for Djin Djin. Repeat after me: African music is the best thing Africa has to offer the global music community. Not pop. Not R&B.
Any chances of SABC3 showing us shows by local and continental acts on Sunday nights? I have a pop overload from the American pop acts they have been showcasing. It’s been Sunday nights in with Cindi Lauper, Marc Anthony, Destiny’s Child and the rest of the pop aikhonas. I am not saying they should not be played. Just that it would be lekker to see home brewed talent.
Not content with her global media empire, Oprah is opening her first shop in Chicago. The 5 500 square-foot store features approximately 900 products that represent “the style and taste Oprah celebrates and shares on The Oprah Winfrey Show,” her publicist said in a statement. Eurweb.com also reports that the store is conveniently located at her Harpo Studios complex, so fans can go on a shopping spree after meeting their icon. (Whose show I am definitely over after I tuned in to hear her talk about attending The Lion King in ‘Africa’. I guess ‘Montecasino in Fourways, Johannesburg’ doesn’t quite have the same ring as ‘Afrikaaah’.)
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