Here is another rare NON PR post. Sometimes, I just have to say things. Now we as women know that we can be a handful. So this is not a man bashing; so keep reading fellas as you are free to comment, in fact you're encouraged.

Back to the point: When your friends (or friends with benefits, or wives, or girlfriends or significant others) upset you or "piss you off" (for those of you who like to keep it gutta) there are so many ways to express your displeasure that will reach us faster. I am going to be generic, yet thorough. Bare with me, it gets better.

It's becoming apparant to me as I age that men and women have different versions of what is considered disrespectful. Let me list a few things that women find disrespectful...just for clarity:

1. Cheating (duh)

2. Intimate conversations with other women (see number 1)

3. Coming to pick us up or coming home late (depending on your living arrangement)

4. Not answering the phone when we call you and you're just "out with your boys"

5. Speaking to us differently when you are on the phone in front of your friends (see Beyonce's Say My Name)

6. Cussing us out or loud talking us (particularly in front of friends)

Now there are others, but thats a good start. Now lets talk about number six. Cussing someone out should be defined as calling them names that are also considred cuss words and usually doing it in an elevated voice. Sure there are cusswords that can be peppered throughout your conversation that are not cussing AT a person, per se, like "all the damn time" or "aint that some shit".

What I mean is Bitch this, F___ you, bitch. etc. That is soooo not the right way to get the result you want.

When you know the conversation is going bad and you're upset, try this: Listen ___________, I am not feeling this convesation right now, and we need to end it until we can talk later. Am I saying that she won't stil TRY to drill her point? She probably will. But guess what? She will HAVE to stop when she gets no response.

On the other hand, if SHE is calling you names without you breaking the rule, then the game changes; however, there are thousands of names you can call her without using the B word.... thousands. Try some of them. They work too, without the same damage.

If she is a good friend, or a lover, or a wife, or a friend with benefits, and she was a bitch, would you be with her? Probably not. If she's a "bump in the dark" and carries herself with no value, then maybe she can tolerate a few derogatory names, but fellas by all means, if you actually plan on getting a good response from someone on your list of valuable relationships, PLEASE find another word. That word does damage with repeated use. Consider that the warning on the side of the bottle.

Your comments are welcome. This has been one woman's opinion. Share your own.

Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds Announced as 2008 Honorary Chair of NAACP Freedom Fund Celebrity Weekend Presented by Middletown, Ohio Area Chapter

2008 NAACP Freedom Fund Celebrity Weekend Features Special Closing Night Gala and Presentation of the Key to the City to ANTM Alum, Toccara Jones. Current Corporate and In-Kind Sponsors Include AK Steel, Miami University of Middletown and The Manchester Inn.

Middletown, OH - The NAACP Freedom Fund Celebrity Weekend, the largest local chapter event in the organization's history, announced today that Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter/producer, Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds will serve as Honorary Chair of this year's Gala. In addition, serving as Honorary Co-Chair this year will be J. Phillip Holloman, President and COO of Cintas, a Nasdaq-100 company based in Cincinnati, Ohio that provides highly specialized services to businesses of all types throughout North America, reported sales of $3.7 billion in fiscal year 2007 and employs 34,000 partner-employees in more than 400 locations.

Realizing that freedom is not free, the purpose of the Freedom Fund banquet is to serve as the major fundraiser for scholarships and the general operations for the local NAACP which will afford each unit the resources to support the mission/vision of the NAACP which is that all people are entitled to political, social, economic, and educational rights free of racial hatred and discrimination.

This year's event, themed "Our Youth Are Our Future" will be held from Friday, October 31, 2008 – Saturday, November 1 and, for the first year, will feature a Celebrity Basketball Game, Youth Breakfast, Live, Silent and Online Auction events. Model, Actress and Television Personality, Toccara Jones, has been selected to receive the key to the City of Middletown and is our guest of honor during this weekend long event. Approximately 2,000 people are projected to be in attendance. Over the years, funds raised from this event have supported multiple civil rights and community development activities. This year, however, funds raised will be used to support our most vital asset in this community – our youth. All events will be held at Miami University of Middletown in various areas of the campus. Tickets are currently on sale and available for purchase at the event website www.celebrityweekend.co.nr.

The weekend-long festivities will feature live entertainment and for the first time, several celebrities will be in attendance to assist the chapter with fundraising efforts. The 2008 Freedom Fund Celebrity Weekend will culminate in the special closing night Gala, which will include a silent and live auction, dinner, photo opportunities and gift bags to selected guests, speakers and celebrities.

"I think this year stands to take the Middletown Area NAACP's Freedom Fund to a different level," says President of the Middletown Area NAACP, Anita Scott Jones. "Although we are not a big city, this event will have a big-city feel and will allow Middletown to be seen in a positive light by others. This year we are thinking out of the box with location, entertainment and the speaker. I am pleased to be a part of this new movement to include youth, seniors and all those in between while we continue to promote the educational, social, political, and economic rights of all people."

"We're thrilled to have an amazing artist like "Babyface" sign on as honorary chair for this year's festivities," said CulPatrice Foster, Event Coordinator of the Freedom Fund Celebrity Weekend. "The exciting lineup of celebrity and local talent rounds out our mission to raise funds and awareness for area youth programs as well as allows the local chapter to function throughout the year."

"I am honored to have been selected as the National Honorary Chair for this year's NAACP Middletown event," Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds shared. "I believe in the NAACP and without question support great programs that educate and empower today's youth in every community. For this reason, I openly and humbly accepted this invitation to serve the NAACP."

The event is still seeking marquis sponsorship from several area and national companies who have continued to support throughout the history of the chapter as well as attract new sponsor organizations that may not have been active in past events.

Notable Auction Items Include:

Authentic pearls valued at $500 from Pearl Paradise, a priceless autographed football from Cris Carter, former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver, a seven-day Caribbean Cruise, Roundtrip Airfare and a five-night stay at Hyatt Resorts in Cancun or Acapulco, a hot air balloon adventure in the city of your choice including a hotel 2-night hotel stay, and many others. Auction and gift bag donations are currently being accepted.

For more information about the 2008 Freedom Fund Celebrity Weekend presented by the Middletown Area NAACP, please visit www.celebrityweekend.co.nr.

ABOUT THE NAACP:The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination.

ABOUT KENNY "BABYFACE" EDMONDS: A 10-time Grammy winner with 11 solo albums of his own, Edmonds' impeccably crafted explorations of love, romance and relationships have made an indelible imprint on the evolution of contemporary pop music throughout the world: over 125 Top-10 R&B and Pop hits, 41 1 R&B hits, and 51 Top-10 Pop hits (including 16 1's), which have produced single and album sales in excess of over 100 million units.

2008 Freedom Fund Celebrity Weekend Events

FRIDAY October 31, 2008

Celebrity Basketball Game LOCATION: Bennett Recreational Center Miami University of Middletown

Celebrity Media Day for Radio and TV Outlets

SATURDAY November 1, 2008

Freedom Fund Youth Breakfast LOCATION: The Miriam Noll Campus Community Center Miami University of Middletown

Presentation of Youth Ambassador Award to outstanding area youth

VIP Reception

Silent Auction

Meet and Greet

RefreshmentsNAACP Freedom Fund Gala LOCATION: Finkelman Auditorium at Miami University Middletown Campus

Live Auction with Celebrity Auctioneers

Celebrity Performance

Celebrity keynote speech - TBA

Key to the City Presentation to Toccara Jones

www.celebrityweekend.co.nr

CONTACT: Toi Troutman for Press Inquiries, Auction or Gift Bag Donations and Celebrity RSVPs888-575-1241, gempublicity@gmail.com

CulPatrice Foster for Freedom Fund Weekend Tickets, Sponsorships and Information937-974-1325, mtocelebrityweekend@gmail.com

Summer Update

GEM Is Hotter Than Ever

Toccara in Italian Vogue In a daring move, Vogue Italia features almost all black models in its July 2008 issue. Inspired by the success of Democratic Presidential nominee, Barack Obama, editor Franca Sozanni's initial plan was to do a few feature stories about black women. It turned into an entire issue with black models, current and former, photographed by Steven Meisel. The title of the shoot was Champagne Furs - worn by Toccara Jones. She most recently was shot by Steven Meisel for the July, all black issue of Vogue Italia. This makes her the first black plus-size model to appear in the pages of a Vogue issue, and the third America's Next Top model contestant to be in a Vogue publication, along with Cycle 6's Mollie Sue Steenis-Gondi and Cycle 7's Anchal Joseph. We are very proud of Toccara and all 13 of her fabulously sexy pages. View The Photos David Williams in Ebony Sexy Singles - August Issue Poker star David Williams is featured in the Sexy Singles issue as a celebrity single. The dashing poker player loves beauty in all forms and respects an intelligent woman, citing "looks are not enough." Definitely a sexy single! Congratulations to David who is currently making big moves in the WSOP. Look out for David on Black Enterprise TV. Airdates and times will be announced in our next newsletter. More About David Williams More of the Fabulous Toccara is an Ebony Sexy Single Can't get enough "fabulousness"? Check out Toccara in the August issue of Ebony where the sexy single warns, "I'm not a sugar momma." Watch out fellas, you have to be tall and fine to handle this fabulous stallion! In October, look out for Toccara in Essence and Vibe. Ebony August Issue Sexy Men Issue of Black Hollywood News Gary Sturgis will be featured on the cover of the August issue of Black Hollywood News. Be sure to check out what this handsome bad guy has to say about what's next for him. Congratulations to Gary. We hope you caught him in last months Humor Mill Magazine where he did a fresh and versatile fashion shoot featuring INC, Ed Hardy and Mark Ecko. Visit Gary's MySpace Page Right On! Be sure to catch Kiya Roberts, the sexiest Hell Dater on the planet, in this month's Right On! Magazine in the What's Next section. Smoking hot as usual. Congrats Kiya! New to GEM GEM PR proudly represents interior design firm Thomas-Somero Design. They are an amazing firm with elite clientelle. The expert team has been quoted/featured in: LA Times, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, univision.com, smartmoney.com, IN LA Mag, Realtor Magazine and many others. We are very proud of partners, Scott Thomas and Brian Somero for their amazing work, and would like to congratulate them on opening their second location in the beautiful Palm Springs Area. If you happen to be like most of us and cannot buy or sell your house, and are thinking of remodeling, THOMAS-SOMERO DESIGN is THE best choice for the job. All in house and you only have to talk to them, no contractors, no messy paperwork between you and twenty people trying to remodel one room. Check out some of their gorgeous work. Editorial - What People Don't Know/Forget About PR Here are a few random thoughts. It has come to my attention that people are forgetting a fundamental rule--not just PR but in life. YOU ONLY GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. You find a firm that you think is the right firm for your budget, but are they the right firm for your needs? $200 per month for a full retainer for PR???? No comment. Be sure to ask what recent placements the firm has. Be sure that the firm you choose shares YOUR vision for YOUR brand. Are you willing to commit to six months? Why? Because you may spend 90-120 days waiting for your first magazine article to come out! Beware of promises. Anyone who promises you anything for SURE, is not ethical. Plain and simple. There are no guarantees in PR. Most firms agree that we will put you or your product in front of the right editors and decision makers, but if they don't find it newsworthy, and don't print you in their next issue, we did our jobs. News to you and your friends just may not be news for your favorite magazine or newspaper. Just my two cents. Thanks for reading our newsletter. See you very soon. P.S. Yes, we are accepting applications for interns and yes you must live in Los Angeles and be a student or a recent graduate IN THE FIELD. Also, yes, we do accept new clients with something to talk about or promote. :-) Opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of GEM PR and are a personal editorial opinion of one particular staff member. (See photo for subtle hint). Visit us on MySpace.

Gary Sturgis to Co Star in Chicago Pulaski Jones

Bad guy does a funny. Gary Sturgis co stars in Cedric the Entertainer's directorial debut written by Kel Mitchell and Janis Woody.

Los Angeles, CA -- March 19, 2008

At long last, fans of Hollywood's favorite bad guy, Gary Anthony Sturgis ("Tyler Perry's Diary of Mad Black Woman", "Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls", "Pride"), will get a chance to see him do something totally different--comedy. That's right, Mr. Sturgis does have a funny bone and the golden voice can do more than frighten the good guy. Gary will be co-starring in the upcoming comedy, "Chicago Pulaski Jones", written by and starring Kel Mitchell and directed by Cedric The Entertainer, who also does a cameo in the film.

Sturgis was approached directly by Mitchell after they had established a friendship during several episodes of BET's game show "Take The Cake" on which Gary co-hosted with Toccara Jones and Kel was the guest.

Gary will be playing Mitchell's uncle in the film, a town hero by the name of Daddy Jay and the film promises some very funny moments from noted bad guy Mr. Sturgis. Though he will bring along the golden pipes for which he is famous, that will not be the focus of his character. When asked about his feelings on being seen in a comedic light vs. his famous bad-guy persona, Mr. Sturgis ecstatically replied, "I am a real actor...and real actors can do more than one character. I am not a bad guy in real life, so finally others can see me do something different and I'm grateful to Kel and Cedric for the opportunity."

This is not Gary's first comedic role. He has been seen in other comedies on the small screen such as "Malcolm and Eddie", "High Society" and most recently, "Girlfriends" where he was the object of character Joan Clayton's fantasy desires; and on the silver screen in the upcoming "The Adventures of Umbweki", directed by Sarah Poindexter.

Gary is available for on-set interviews during the week of March 24, 2008, and for magazine, television and radio interviews thereafter.

Chicago Pulaski Jones- written by Kel Mitchell and Janis Woody, stars Mitchell, Cedric, Tommy Davidson and Gary Sturgis. It centers around a young championship dancer, Jones (Mitchell), who heads to the big city for his shot at super stardom. On the day he arrives, his uncle (Sturgis) is murdered, leaving Jones to avenge his uncle's death vigilante style and alone. Cedric's manager and producing partner Eric C. Rhone is producing with Mitchell, Woody and Mathew Gray through Rhone and Cedric's A Bird and A Bear Entertainment. Cedric is exec producing. The film began production 3/10/08 in Los Angeles.

About GEM Public Relations- GEM Public Relations is a West Los Angeles-based firm specializing in national public relations and marketing communications. We established GPR to assist our clients in reaching higher levels of notoriety in their selected fields. We specialize in entertainment, but also offer services in other areas. Feel free to inquire regarding your specific needs.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Toi Troutman

(Agency)GEM Public Relations

Sr. Publicist1101 S Robertson

Los Angeles, CA 90035

888.575.1241 (office)

323.297.4547 (fax)
Email: mailto:gempublicity@gmail.com

Web site: http://www.gem-pr.com/

Blog: http://ybhollywood.blogspot.com/

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Crack Co-Cosby

Gary Stugis shows up for a cameo in this funny spoof.