My Friend Cornelius Jones Jr is KING!!!

YES, it's true my friend Cornelius Jones Jr is KING!!! Did you know he was in the Broadway production for more than 10 years and the traveled on the road and was featured in the Las Vegas production?

"The Lion King" has dethroned "The Phantom of the Opera" as Broadway's all-time box-office champion. The Disney musical, based on the popular animated movie, has grossed a total of $853.8 million since opening on Broadway in 1997.

The gross figure, which represents Broadway box-office receipts only and not worldwide revenue, was confirmed by a spokeswoman at Disney Theatrical Productions. She said the figure has not been adjusted for inflation.

"Phantom" has grossed approximately $853.1 million since opening in 1988.

The crowning of "The Lion King" as Broadway's new box-office leader comes with a caveat, however. The Disney musical has benefited from higher ticket prices than "Phantom."

Figures provided by the Broadway League show that the average ticket price for "The Lion King" was recently $155.09, compared with a recent average ticket price for "Phantom" of $98.97.

Lil Mogul is so PROUD of him!!!

I was backstage and on stage in NEW YORK CITY!!!

Fit For Consumption: Fashion’s Branded Future

By Sarah Fones

JCReport.com

With the imminent launch of Belvedere’s Pink Grapefruit flavor, the vodka purveyor is set to open a 6,000-square-foot pop-up shop across the street from Matthew Williamson’s Meatpacking District boutique. The temporary space is slated to house a series of promotional events for the launch, including a partnership with Williamson on a $1,540 limited-edition kaftan, which will be unveiled when the store opens on on May 12th. The designer claims that the piece was inspired “by the vitality of sultry high-summer evenings,” a description that could also apply to any number of the his Ibiza-themed wares from past seasons. Given the proliferation of branded partnerships these days—of which Williamson and Belvedere’s is but one of many—”fashion” has now become fit for consumption off the rack, on the screen and in the bottle.

Like Belvedere, SKYY vodka has gotten in on the game in a high profile way, enlisting Sex and The City 2 costume designer Pat Field to create a movie-themed bottle. Whereas Williamson has paired with model/DJ Leigh Lezark to promote the current collaboration (Belvedere did likewise with designer Jonathan Kelsey and Estelle last year), SKYY has four ready-made muses. Anyone familiar with SJP’s cosmo-swilling penchants might consider this a savvy bit of marketing, especially given the fact that consumers who purchase the limited edition bottle will also receive a discount on tickets to the movie sequel. From a fiscal standpoint too, investing in a bottle of booze is infinitely less expensive than dropping serious money on a pair of Louboutins, which, even as the economy improves, still isn’t the purview of most moviegoers.

While film’s influence on fashion has arguably waned, the medium still holds tremendous appeal when it comes to product placement and promotional tie-ins. 2002’s Die Another Day—also dubbed Buy Another Day—is widely regarded as having kickstarted the film-as-infomercial trend with cameos from Bollinger, Omega, Samsonite and BMW. For its part, SATC 2 promises brand star-turns from Lipton Tea, Moët & Chandon, Swarovski and Hewlett-Packard, among others. Anyone surprised by Carrie’s decision to ditch Apple for a PC this go-round will be less taken aback by the Halston dress she dons in the film’s posters. Parker is, after all, Halston Heritage’s new designer, and an equity stake holder in the company.

Disney, meanwhile, invested big money earlier this year in partnerships with labels such as Stella McCartney, Furla, Tom Binns and Sue Wong to promote Alice in Wonderland. The goods understandably received a great deal of editorial attention, so, provided grown-ups still want a pricey piece of the fairy tale, we can expect similar branding trends to continue. On the flipside, Avatar reportedly inspired Jean Paul Gaultier and Donatella Versace for fall—albeit more subtly than Marc Jacobs’ Marie Antoinette-edged runway flourishes in 2007.

The same cannot be said for television and video, where many believe fashion’s influence will ultimately be most readily felt, primarily via in-your-face product placement (see Gossip Girl, 30 Rock and most notably, Lady Gaga’s “Telephone” video). Heavily branded, female-centric films like SATC 2 may prove this theory wrong, but many consumers are also now infinitely more discerning when it comes to pulling out their credit cards—something we know Carrie never worried about on HBO.

Tiger Woods Returns to Golf, Nike & Others Embrace Their Links

By SUZANNE VRANICA

Tiger Woods and the voice of his late father star in a new commercial from Nike Inc., one of several new advertising pushes that suggest the golfer may be on his way to repairing his shattered image with corporate America.

Nike aired Wednesday a black-and-white TV spot with Mr. Woods looking into the camera. In the background, the voice of his father, Earl Woods, seems to be talking to his son about the importance of taking responsibility for his actions. "I want to find out what your thinking was; I want to find out what your feelings are. And did you learn anything," Earl Woods says in the recording.

The ad ends with the image of the sports-apparel maker's trademark swoosh. The spot, created by Wieden + Kennedy, is the golfer's first new TV ad since unflattering revelations about his private life emerged last year. It is expected to run on

Walt Disney Co.'s ESPN and Comcast Corp.'s Golf Channel. Nike says the ad will air until Thursday afternoon. "We support Tiger and his family. As he returns to competitive golf, the ad addresses his time away from the game using the powerful words of his father," Nike said in a statement.

The voice of Earl Woods, who died in 2006, was from old interviews, a person familiar with the matter says, adding that Mr. Woods and his mother approved the spot. Mr. Woods wasn't available for comment. Videogame maker Electronic Arts also launched a campaign this week featuring Mr. Woods. The online effort by its EA Sports is using the golfer's image to promote its latest game, "Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online." One banner ad shows Mr. Woods, in his familiar red shirt, doing a celebratory fist pump.

Meanwhile, Le Tigre, a polo-shirt maker with no financial ties to Mr. Woods, has adopted the golfer for a billboard it says it plans to hang in New York City Friday. The billboard features a red Le Tigre golf polo and the tag line "Golf's Original Tiger. For Those Who Play A Round." The ads coincide with Mr. Woods's much-anticipated return to golf at the Masters tournament, where he is expected to tee off on Thursday. They are the first sign that marketers are willing to re-embrace the golfer after his once-pristine public image was sullied by revelations about his extramarital affairs.

Since the Nov. 27 car accident that led to intense scrutiny of his personal life, Mr. Woods's endorsement career, which brought him an estimated $100 million a year, has unraveled as sponsors like global consulting firm

Accenture PLC, AT&T Inc. and PepsiCo's Gatorade sports drink severed ties with him. Others, such as Procter & Gamble Co.'s Gillette, pulled back on using him in ads.

Even the companies that stuck by him have been treading carefully. EA Sports says it did plenty of market research, including online focus groups, to gauge consumer attitudes toward Mr. Woods.

Read the entire article: The Wall Street Journal Online

Dishin' IT with Dwight's Artists of the Month

So with November being ART Month for The FUTURE, I decided to highlight two very talented artist for the month. The first artist I have had the opportunity to chat with is Isaam Houston, who describes himself as "the most creative person i know, i laugh at my own jokes, i love eating cake bater, i cry at movies, i contradict myself, i love myself, im insecure, i smile alot, i masterbate too often, i am an emotional eater, im single, i love janet jackson, im a poet, im the middle child, i love spinach, i analyze myself and others way too much, my mother is friend, my father is a stranger, im passionate, Im an artist and thats me!"

I love ISAAM and would love to go on a date with him because Geminis are so sexy... Check out what he had to say.



1. What is your inspiration behind your art?  My last collection was inspired by the seven stages of grief, following the passing of my cousin, I found myself in a downward spiral. My only solution in healing was diving deep into my work, and through the process of finding peace, hope, answers, and truth, I usually find my work.

2. What was your initial instinct when you decided to produce art professionally?  How scary. The words "starving artist" always came to mind, so for me it had to be about something more than just the money. It had to be about the heart and passion of story telling. I also worried about how my work would be recieved, because here I am pouring my heart into my work, and then having someone judge that can be very intense especially since I come from a friend circle of many talents.

3. How often do you produce work of art?  Im an artist by nature , not by choice....so if I am not painting, I am contributing something else. My life would not be complete if I didnt do so. So to answer your question, pretty often.

4. What is your work space like?  Any empty space, I am partial to my bed. I clear everything off...put on a good cd (yea those still exist) and just go.....or the floor, or the living room...really anywhere, I'm not picky.


5. What other skills do you have that your art contributes to?  I've been in art classes since I was 9, so around 8th grade I started cutting my own hair....to me it was like outlining a picture...just came very natural.

6. Can you be taught to be an artist or is it a skill you are born with?  Honestly my favorite kind of art is childs art.....I usually ask my younger family members to make me something in school...and they are not being trained, they are just putting crayon to paper and going, and I love it.....I think its a skill everyone has but few people spend crafting it. As long as you strive for your personal best and not the next ones....your work is just as good as a picasso.

7. Have you ever used your art in the bedroom?  I've acted( so I've role played), I've danced (so I dropd it) I do spoken word (so sometimes you cant shut me up) and I paint (so I guess the picture I just painted for you is as much as I've done)

8. Who’s work have you admired?  My brother was my first inspiration. He is a dope artist himself. The local graphitti artist. My first art teachers....and just anyone who was doing it....I find joy in watching anyone create. that alone inspires me.

9. What type of emotions do you typical translate through your art?  I like to think raw emotions.  If I havent exposed a part of myself that surprises even myself then I have not accomplished my goal. I've been told that my work and my story telling is very honest and couragious.

10. Have you ever produced work that you have not liked or appreciated?  Yes I have. In my last show...the last painting I did for the set, I was not impressd by, and  I almost did not include it...but at the time...my partner (at the time) loved it....and it touched him, even though it did nothing for me....I put it in the show and it got great response....so yea it happens.

Notes from Nathan: We Are The Media

I am thrilled to have completed another edition of We Are The Media. I have to first thank my amazing team The Future. Richard, you are a genius, thank you for continuing to not let me give up. Dwight, you have been there with me from the beginning of all invention and right there along side me plotting our next move to take over the media. Cornelius, my longest standing partner, I love how you've grown. To our newest addition, Waddie, the man who came with a vision and chose The Future to grow with. For a new man in town you move fast, I like your style.

Be sure to share this video with your friends and family and support the events. As the weather changes, it's time to pull out those fall ensembles and show them off at a few cultural and social events. And now without further adieu...

LADIES & GENTLEMEN: WE ARE THE MEDIA

Carol’s Daughter teams Up With Disney with the Magical Beauty Collection

To be a young Black girl right now has to be a great thing. Disney’s first African American princess is named Tiana and her new movie Disney's The Princess and The Frog hits theaters in early December and I can't wait to see this movie. This movie cast includes: Anika Noni Rose as Tiana the Princess, Keith David, Jenifer Lewis, Terrence Howard and Oprah Winfrey as Tiana’s mother. I think every woman and girl and maybe others (hehehe) has an inner princess and this monumental movie will be great for self-esteem of young Black girls who now can look and see a princess that looks like them. The cool thing is Disney partnering with one of my favorite beauty lines Carol's Daughter to bring the Magical Beauty Collection.
I grew up with two younger sisters who are beautiful, smart, loved, and my special princesses. If you want to take part in this collection, you have to sign up right away. Beginning October 1, Carol's Daughter will email all who sign up to be notified specifically for the Princess Tiana assortment. I've already signed up because I have very holiday shopping to do as Uncle Richard.

The Movie in Theaters this December

Are You The Next Graphic Novelist?

A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using the comics form. The term is employed in a broad manner, encompassing non-fiction works and thematically linked short stories as well as fictional stories across a number of genres. Graphic novels are typically bound in longer and more durable formats than familiar comic magazines, using the same materials and methods as printed books, and are generally sold in bookstores and specialty comic book shops rather than at newsstands.











Cover art for the 1987 U.S. (right) and U.K. (left) collected editions of Watchmen, published by DC Comics and Titan Books

The evolving term graphic novel is not strictly defined, and is sometimes used, controversially, to imply subjective distinctions in artistic quality between graphic novels and other kinds of comics. It suggests a complete story that has a beginning, middle and end, as opposed to an ongoing series. It can also imply a story that is outside the genres commonly associated with comic books, or that deals with more mature themes. It is sometimes applied to works that fit this description even though they are serialized in traditional comic book format. The term is sometimes used to disassociate works from the juvenile or humorous connotations of the terms comics and comic book, implying that the work is more serious, mature, or literary than traditional comics.



A MEGA trend in the entertainment industry, this could be your next career opportunity!!! Read pass article posted on The Future – Disney buys Marvel Comics

Disney to buy comic book powerhouse Marvel

By Dawn C. Chmielewski and Ben Fritz
The LA Times Online

Disney to buy comic book powerhouse Marvel
Spider-Man, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Captain America, Thor and the Fantastic Four are among the 5,000 characters it hopes will inspire countless movies, TV shows and video games.

Mickey Mouse is bringing in some muscle.Significantly beefing up its stable of characters, Walt Disney Co. announced Monday that it had reached a deal to acquire Marvel Entertainment Inc., the comic book company whose superheroes have become Hollywood blockbusters, for $4 billion in cash and stock.The acquisition hands Disney a treasure trove of pop culture figures, including Spider-Man, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Captain America, Thor and the Fantastic Four, among a roster of 5,000 that it hopes will inspire countless movies, television shows and video games.In recent years a risk-averse Hollywood has become increasingly reliant upon comic book-based stories that appeal to an established -- and heavily male -- fan base. With Marvel, Disney gets one of the heaviest-hitting creators of superheroes.Marvel, despite its rich library of characters, has limited experience making its own movies. Until it produced last year's "Iron Man," the company licensed its characters to other studios.

But Disney is betting that with Marvel it acquires the kind of brand-name recognition it gained when it bought Pixar Animation Studios in 2006, especially among teens and young adults, who are the core drivers of the box office. That's an audience segment Disney has struggled to attract, as it has been more successful with families."They've shown a tremendous skill at increasing the commercial appeal of characters like Iron Man that traditionally weren't well known outside of Marvel's core fan community," said Disney President and Chief Executive Robert A. Iger. "And we believe there's further opportunity to mine Marvel's rich intellectual property portfolio."

To Read The Entire Story: LATimes.com