FREEDOM

OH CHRISTMAS TREE

ornaments

BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE

HAPPY CUPCAKE DAY

OPRAH COVERS PARADE MAGAZINE

Oprah Winfrey covers the latest issue of Parade, in which she opens up about her new network, her biggest fears, how she hates the word ‘brand’ and more.

In exclusives extras, she also shares her thoughts on Sarah Palin and talks about how Michael Jackson helped her take the risk with the network. Check out a few snippets below.

On retirement:
“I was questioning, ‘Why don’t I build a boat and sail around the world? Why don’t I learn French and find a nice little house in Provence?’ I could see myself bicycling with my baguettes and the whole thing. But I talked it over with my friends, and they all said, ‘You’re not going to be happy doing nothing‘”.


On what she perceives as failure:
“What will be a failure is if nobody comes and watches this network. What others will perceive as failure is if some shows don’t succeed. I’m concerned about the bigger overall picture: my belief that people are basically good and want to see the good in them reflected through their experiences and the shows that they watch. This is a gamble I’m taking. I believe that the banal state of television, the kind of insipid space that we’re in–that you can have as many channels as we have and not find anything that really interests you–means that to a great extent we’ve lost our way.”

On President Obama:
“I think that no one understands until you’ve been in that seat the enormous pressure to please and satisfy everybody. And I think instead of being grateful for where we are and what he has done, we’ve forgotten that we were on the brink of a depression when he took over this office. And as everybody celebrates the holiday season and sits around with their families, regardless of your circumstance, we could’ve had breadlines. How soon we forget that.”

On becoming an ambassador:
“Nobody’s offered [that] to me in this administration. But I will tell you a funny story. When I was at the Kennedy Center Honors for Tina Turner [in 2005], I was sitting at Colin Powell’s table, and he said that we were in the ambassadors room [a room at the State Department with portraits of ambassadors and secretaries of state]. And I said, ‘Gee, this is really–this is lovely. An ambassador, I think that would be really great.’ He goes, ‘Name your country, baby, name your country.’ ”

FROM MY FAMILY TO YOURS.

JANET JACKSON DOLL

MATELL HAS COME OUT WITH A JANET JACKSON DOLL. I LIKE IT.

GIFTS

CHRISTMAS TIME IS WHEN PEOPLE GO SHOPPING FOR GIFTS. I LOVE THE WAY WE PACKAGE THE GIFTS WITH FANCY WRAPPING PAPER AND BEAUTIFUL BOWS. BEAUTIFUL GIFTS UNDER A CHRISTMAS TREE THATS WRAPPED IN ALL KIND OF SPLENDER MAKES THE TREE MORE BEAUTIFUL. AS WE RECEIVE OUR GIFTS ON CHRISTMAS DAY. I WILL BE THANKFUL THAT THE ONES THAT I RECEIVE AND FOR THE ONES THAT I CAN GIVE.

COMEDIAN KEVIN HART AND MOVIES

Before Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence, Mike Epps and Tracy Morgan became successful comedians and household names, they worked the comedy circuit, touring from city to city, building up a fanbase.

Eventually, their success led them to the film industry with smaller roles until they were given a bigger spotlight over time.

Hoping to follow in their footsteps is comedian Kevin Hart, who has a role opposite Ben Stiller in the upcoming film, 'Little Fockers,' the sequel to both 'Meet the Parents' and 'Meet the Fockers.'

Starring Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo, Jessica Alba, Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand, the comedy deals with Gaylord 'Greg' Focker (played by Stiller) and his retired CIA agent father-in-law (played by De Niro) in competition with each other as to how to raise Greg's 5 year-old twins.

While Hart has appeared in numerous films such as 'Soul Plane,'' Scary Movie 3,' 'Along Came Polly,' 'Scary Movie 4,' and 'Death at a Funeral,' this is by far his biggest mainstream film to date.

Blackvoices.com spoke to the Philadelphia native about his role in the film and his upcoming projects.

Is it a great thing to be in this movie with all these great actors?

Kevin Hart: Well, for me it's definitely a big deal. It's actually beyond that. When you start to do things and you look up and you realize, "Wow. Look at the company that I'm in." I mean, I'm in the company Robert De Niro, Barbra Streisand, Dustin Hoffman, Ben Stiller and Jessica Alba. I mean it's kind of surreal, especially seeing where I came from. It makes me think to myself where things could possibly be headed if I stay focused and I keep my grind up to an all time high. The sky could be the limit. So it's motivation. It's motivating.

Did you have to audition for a part?

KH: Yes, of course. My agency got me a meeting with the director and the producers. I read for them and they fell in love with me and cast me from there.

What role do you play?

KH: I play a guy called Louis. I work in the hospital with Ben Stiller's character. I'm basically a nurse, a low level nurse. So I'm like what he used to be when he first started.

When you're working with Ben Stiller, who's from a family of comedians and is also a writer, did he give you any advice about the business at all?

KH: Yeah. He's got several stories. He's knowledgeable. He knows what he's done and he knows the roles that he took to get there, and even more importantly, he knows what not to do. So when people like him are sharing knowledge of the business you just be quiet and listen. That's what's I've done.

Having appeared with Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence, and Tracy Morgan earlier this year in 'Death at a Funeral,' would you say that this is the biggest year you've had in your film career?

KH: This is definitely a great year. The movies have definitely started to grow. From 'Fools Gold' to 'Not Easily Broken' to 'Death at a Funeral' and now this, regardless what the roles are, the company that you're keeping in these films has definitely gotten bigger. It makes me think, "What's next? What am I going to do next? How far can I go? Can I keep pushing and pushing, because if this movie here gets me to the next one I'm supposed to get what's going to happen with the next one?"

How do you keep your comedic skills up to date?

KH: I just try to stay relevant. I try to keep myself in the public eye. The best way to do that is to tour. My standup definitely has a lot to do with that. I was selling out everywhere in five thousand feet arenas. So I'm in a happy place with that. So right now, it's just making sure that I stay focused, and like I said, stay on my comedy grind and the sky is going to be the limit.

Are you ready to do something outside of comedy Are you at that level yet or do you still want to keep making people laugh?

KH: Right now I'm patient. It's not a race. It's a marathon. So, I plan on being around for a while. I'm quite sure that there will be opportunities for me to do drama. I'm quite sure that there will be opportunities for me to do even more things in the entertainment business. It's just being patient and waiting to find those things and right now that's what I'm doing.

You've got another film that you've shot that's touring festivals called '35 and Ticking'. What's your role in that movie?

KH: '35 and Ticking' is actually a good film. Russ Parr wrote, produced, and directed the film. It's me, Keith David, Nicole Ari Parker, Meagan Good, Clifton Powell. and Tamala Jones. There are tons of people in it, but it's definitely a good look. I can't wait for it to come out. It's funny. It's a real funny movie that shows a different side of me as well.

What do you have coming up next?

KH: I'm shooting 'Laugh at My Pain' the tour. I filmed that special as a TV show for Comedy Central. I also have a movie called 'Let Go.' We got the Air Jordan campaign. It's moving right now. Things are definitely going on upwards.

With the touring, movies, and raising a family, what keeps you grounded?

KH: You just said it. My family. You're here working for something else. No matter how good it gets you have to stay focused, stay humble because the sky can be the limit as long as you understand what's real. And right now my kids and my family, that's the most important. So I'm working for a different cause.

What are your plans for the holidays?

KH: On New Years I have a show in Chicago. On Christmas I'll be home with the baby, and I'm going to the Lakers/Miami Heat game.

WARM COZY CHAIR

ITS BEEN SOOOO COLD OUTSIDE THAT I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THIS KIND OF COZY CHAIR TO RELAX IN WHEN I COME IN FROM OUTSIDE.

CAROL OF BELLS

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THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONGS.

FOREVER

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THE KENNEDY CENTER

OPRAH AND STEDMAN


CHRIS ROCK AND WIFE MALAAK ROCK

DIANA ROSS AND SON EVAN

LAURENCE FISHBOURNE AND WIFE GINA TORRES

SIDNEY PORTIER AND WIFE JOANNA


FOREST WHITAKER AND WIFE KEISHA

GAYLE KING DAUGHTER KIRBY AND SON WILL

DURBAR

THE DURBAR FESTIVAL IN NIGERIA IS AN ANNUAL FESTIVAL CELEBRATED IN SEVERAL CITIES IN NIGERIA. A LONG TIME TRADITION, THE FESTIVAL INVOLVES PRAYERS, A PARADE WITH HORSES, MUSIC AND PERFORMANCES. PHOTOGRAPHED BY IRENE BAKER AN AVID PHOTOGRAPHER OF NIGERIAN CULTURE. DURBAR IS CELEBRATED AT THE CULMINATION OF MUSLIM FESTIVALS EID AL-FITR AND EID AL-ADHA.

KERRY WASHINGTON MAGAZINE COVER

HALLE BERRY'S NEW MOVIE FRANKIE & ALICE

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Directed by Geoffrey Sax, and set during the 1970s, this psychological drama is a true story in which Berry plays a young multiracial American woman with dissociative identity disorder who struggles to retain her true self and not give in to her racist alter-personality.

Also starring in the film are Stellan Skarsgård, Matt Frewer, Phylicia Rashad, and Chandra Wilson.