Name	William H. Pryor, Jr.
Order	Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
Term start	2004
Nominator	George W. Bush
Predecessor	Emmett Ripley Cox
Order2	45th Attorney General of Alabama
Term start2	1997
Term end2	2004
Governor2	Fob JamesDon SiegelmanBob Riley
Predecessor2	Jeff Sessions
Successor2	Troy King
Birth date	April 26, 1962
Birth place	Mobile, Alabama, U.S.
Party	Republican
Spouse	Kristan Wilson Pryor
Children	Caroline Pryor, Victoria Pryor
Profession	Jurist
Alma mater	McGill-Toolen Catholic High School Northeast Louisiana University Tulane University
Religion	Roman Catholic}}

William Holcombe "Bill" Pryor, Jr. (born April 26, 1962, Mobile, Alabama) is a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Previously, he was the Attorney General of the State of Alabama from 1997 to 2004.

Background

Born in Mobile, Alabama to William Holcombe Pryor, Sr. and his wife, Laura Louise (née Bowles), Pryor was raised in a devoutly Roman Catholic family. He and his siblings attended McGill-Toolen Catholic High School in Mobile. He earned his B.A. from Northeast Louisiana University in 1984 and his J.D. from Tulane University Law School in 1987, where he served as editor in chief of the Tulane Law Review.

Legal career

Pryor served as a law clerk to Judge John Minor Wisdom of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit from 1987 to 1988. Pryor worked as a private attorney from 1988-1995, serving as adjunct professor at the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University from 1989-1995. Pryor currently teaches federal jurisdiction at the University of Alabama School of Law.

Political career

From 1995-1997, he served as Alabama's deputy attorney general. He became the state's Attorney General in 1997. He was, at that time, the youngest state attorney general in the United States. Pryor was elected in 1998 and reelected in 2002. At reelection, Pryor garnered nearly 59% of the vote, the highest percentage of any statewide candidate.

Pryor received national attention in 2003 when he called for the removal of Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, who had disobeyed a federal court order to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the Alabama Judicial Building. Pryor said that although he agreed with the propriety of displaying the Ten Commandments in a courthouse, he was bound to follow the court order and uphold the rule of law. Pryor personally prosecuted Moore for violations of the Canons of Judicial Ethics, and the Alabama Court of the Judiciary unanimously removed Moore from office.

Eleventh Circuit nomination and confirmation

Pryor was nominated to the Eleventh Circuit by President George W. Bush on April 9, 2003 to fill a seat vacated by Judge Emmett Ripley Cox, who had assumed senior status. Originally, William H. Steele had been nominated to the seat in 2001, but his nomination had become stalled in the Democratic-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee during the 107th United States Congress because African-American groups protested his decisions in two civil rights cases as a magistrate judge. His nomination was withdrawn in January 2003. Pryor was nominated as Steele's replacement.

Despite the fact that the 108th United States Congress was controlled by the Republican Party, Senate Democrats refused to allow Pryor to be confirmed. Due to a filibuster of his nomination, President George W. Bush installed Pryor as a circuit court judge on February 20, 2004 using a recess appointment to bypass the regular Senate confirmation process. Pryor resigned as Alabama's attorney general that same day and took his judicial oath for a term lasting until the end of 2006, when his appointment would have ended had he not been eventually confirmed. On May 23, 2005 Senator John McCain announced an agreement between seven Republican and seven Democratic U.S. Senators, the Gang of 14, to ensure an up-or-down vote on Pryor and two other stalled Bush nominees, including Priscilla Owen and Janice Rogers Brown. On June 9, 2005, Pryor was confirmed to the Eleventh Circuit by a vote of Vote to confirm Pryor passes, 53-45, and received his commission on June 10, 2005 and on June 20, 2005, he was sworn in at the age of 43. Pryor was the only judge appointed to the Eleventh Circuit by President George W. Bush.

Notable Opinions

Pelphrey v. Cobb County (11th Cir. 2008). Pryor wrote the majority (2-1)opinion, joined by Judge Charles R. Wilson, affirming the district court ruling that sectarian prayers used to open commission meetings did not violate the Establishment Clause as long as the prayers were not exploitive. U.S. District Court Judge Donald Middlebrooks dissented.

Zibtluda LLC v. Gwinnett County, Georgia, (11th Cir. 2005). Opinion affirmed district court ruling that a local ordinance limiting the placement of adult entertainment establishments was constitutional. The opinion was notable for Pryor's quote of a line from The B-52's hit song "Love Shack" in describing the proposed establishment.

Family

Pryor is married to Kristan Wilson Pryor; they have two daughters, Caroline and Victoria Pryor.

Pryor's father, William Holcombe Pryor, Sr. is a former band director and now Roman Catholic deacon at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, his own alma mater and that of two of his four children.

External links

US DOJ webpage

White House judicial nominee biography

Campaign Contributions Made by William Pryor

Category:1962 births Category:Alabama Attorneys General Category:American judges Category:American lawyers Category:American Roman Catholic politicians Category:Federalist Society members Category:Living people Category:People from Mobile, Alabama Category:Samford University people Category:Tulane University Law School alumni Category:Judges of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit Category:United States court of appeals judges appointed by George W. Bush Category:Recess appointments during the George W. Bush administration

Name	Richard Pryor
Caption	Richard Pryor, February 1986
Birth name	Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III
Birth date	December 01, 1940
Birth place	Peoria, Illinois, United States
Death date	December 10, 2005
Death place	Encino, California, United States
Medium	Stand-up, film, television
Active	1958–1999
Genre	Satire, observational comedy, black comedy, Improvisational comedy, character comedy
Subject	Racism, race relations, United States politics, African-American culture, human sexuality, self-deprecation, everyday life, recreational drug use
Influences	Lenny Bruce, Whoopi Goldberg, Lewis Black Louis C.K., Bicentennial Nigger Himself in and Zeke Brown in Blue Collar
Spouse	Patricia Price (1960–1961) Shelley R. Bonus (1968–1969) Deborah McGuire (1977–1978) Jennifer Lee (1979–1982) Flynn Belaine (1986–1987) Flynn Belaine (1990–1991) Jennifer Lee (2001–2005)
Website	RichardPryor.com

}}

Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer and MC. He was cremated and his ashes were given to friends and family.

Remembrance and legacy

A planned biopic entitled "Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said?" is being produced by Chris Rock and Adam Sandler. The film will star Marlon Wayans as the young Pryor. Other actors previously attached include Mike Epps and Eddie Murphy. The film will be directed by Bill Condon and is scheduled for a 2011 release.

On December 19, 2005, BET aired a Pryor special. It included commentary from fellow comedians, and insight into his upbringing.

A telling comment on how Pryor influenced and changed the shape of comedy is attributed to Bill Cosby. He reportedly once said, "Richard Pryor drew the line between comedy and tragedy as thin as one could possibly paint it."

An image of Pryor can be seen on the Rage Against The Machine music video for their Soulsonic Force cover of "Renegades of Funk".

There is a street just west of the downtown Peoria area named in his honor.

On March 1, 2008, fellow comedian George Carlin performed his final HBO special. An image of Pryor can be seen in the background throughout his set.

Discography

Albums

;Official canon

Richard Pryor (Dove/Reprise, 1968)

Craps (After Hours) (Laff Records, 1971, reissued 1993 by Loose Cannon/Island)

That Nigger's Crazy, (Partee/Stax, 1974, reissued 1975 by Reprise)

...Is It Something I Said?, (Reprise, 1975, reissued 1991 on CD by Warner Archives)

Bicentennial Nigger, (Reprise, 1976)

(2-LP set), (Warner Bros. Records, 1978)

(Warner Bros. Records, 1982)

, (Warner Bros. Records, 1983)

;Others

L.A. Jail, (Tiger Lily, 1976)

Are You Serious???, (Laff, 1977)

Who Me? I'm Not Him, (Laff, 1977)

Black Ben The Blacksmith, (Laff, 1978)

The Wizard of Comedy, (Laff, 1978)

Outrageous, (Laff, 1979)

Insane, (Laff, 1980)

Holy Smoke!, (Laff, 1980)

Rev. Du Rite, (Laff, 1981)

Richard Pryor Live! (picture disc), (Phoenix/Audiofidelity, 1982)

Supernigger, (Laff. 1983)

Compilations

Pryor Goes Foxx Hunting, (Laff. 1973)

* Split LP with Redd Foxx, containing previously released tracks from Craps (After Hours)

Down And Dirty, (Laff. 1975)

* Split LP with Redd Foxx, containing previously released tracks from Craps (After Hours)

Richard Pryor Meets... Richard & Willie And... The SLA!!, (Laff. 1976)

* Split LP with black ventriloquist act Richard And Willie, containing previously released tracks from Craps (After Hours)

Richard Pryor's Greatest Hits, (Warner Bros. Records, 1977)

* Contains tracks from Craps (After Hours), That Nigger's Crazy, and ...Is It Something I Said?, plus a previously unreleased track from 1975, "Ali".

...And It's Deep Too! The Complete Warner Bros. Recordings (1968–1992) (9-CD box set) (Warner Bros. Records/Rhino, 2000)

* Box set collection containing all Warner Bros. albums plus a bonus disc of previously unissued material from 1973 to 1992.

The Anthology (1968–1992) (2-CD set) (Warner Bros. Records/Rhino, 2002 in music/2002)

* Highlights culled from the albums collected in the ...And It's Deep Too! box set.

(2-CD set) (Warner Bros. Records/Rhino, 2005)

* Pryor-authorized compilation of material released on Laff, including the entire Craps (After Hours) album.

Filmography

The Busy Body (1967)

Uncle Tom's Fairy Tales (1968)

Wild in the Streets (1968)

Black Brigade (1970)

The Phynx (1970)

You've Got to Walk It Like You Talk It or You'll Lose That Beat (1971)

Dynamite Chicken (1972)

Lady Sings the Blues (1972)

The Mack (1973)

Wattstax (1973)

Hit! (1973)

Some Call It Loving (1973)

Uptown Saturday Night (1974)

The Lion Roars Again (1975)

Adios Amigo (1976)

Car Wash (1976)

The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings (1976)

Silver Streak (1976)

Which Way Is Up? (1977)

Greased Lightning (1977)

Blue Collar (1978)

The Wiz (1978)

California Suite (1978)

(1979)

The Muppet Movie (1979) (cameo)

Wholly Moses (1980)

In God We Tru$t (1980)

Stir Crazy (1980)

Bustin' Loose (1981)

(1982)

Some Kind of Hero (1982)

The Toy (1982)

Superman III (1983)

(1983)

Motown 25 (1983)

(1985)

Brewster's Millions (1985)

Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986)

Critical Condition (1987)

Moving (1988)

See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989)

Harlem Nights (1989)

The Three Muscatels (1991)

Another You (1991)

A Century of Cinema (1994)

Mad Dog Time (1996)

Lost Highway (1997)

Bitter Jester (2003)

'' (2003)

(2005, BET Special)

Black Dynamite (2009) Cameo via archive footage

References

External links

Richard Pryor: Stand-Up Philosopher, City Journal, Spring 2009

Post by Richard Pryor on his official website rebutting voice-loss rumors

Richard Pryor's KFC Cruelty Billboard

Richard Pryor's Ancestry

Bright Lights Film Journal career profile

;Obituaries

Category:1940 births Category:2005 deaths Category:African American comedians Category:African American film actors Category:American film actors Category:American stand-up comedians Category:Deaths from myocardial infarction Category:Disease-related deaths in California Category:Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners Category:Mark Twain Prize recipients Category:People from Peoria, Illinois Category:Deaths from multiple sclerosis Category:Writers Guild of America Award winners

Name	Bill Cosby
Caption	Cosby speaking at Riverside Church, New York City, in 2010
Birth name	William Henry Cosby, Jr.
Birth date	July 12, 1937
Birth place	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Occupation	Actor, comedian, author, producer, musician, activist
Years active	1962–present
Spouse	Camille Hanks(1964–present)Five children
Website	http://www.billcosby.com/

William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. (born July 12, 1937) is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the situation comedy The Bill Cosby Show, in 1969. He was one of the major characters on the children's television series The Electric Company for its first two seasons, and created the educational cartoon comedy series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, about a group of young friends growing up in the city. Cosby has also acted in a number of films.

During the 1980s, Cosby produced and starred in what is considered to be one of the decade's defining sitcoms, The Cosby Show, which aired eight seasons from 1984 to 1992. The sitcom highlighted the experiences and growth of an upper-middle-class African-American family. He also produced the spin-off sitcom A Different World, which became second to The Cosby Show in ratings. He starred in the sitcom Cosby from 1996 to 2000 and hosted Kids Say the Darndest Things for two seasons.

He has been a sought-after spokesman, and has endorsed a number of products, including Jell-O, Kodak film, Ford, Texas Instruments, and Coca-Cola, including New Coke. In 2002, scholar Molefi Kete Asante included him in his book, the 100 Greatest African Americans. In addition, Cosby was working before and after school, selling produce, shining shoes, and stocking shelves at a supermarket to help out the family. He transferred to Germantown High School, but failed the tenth grade. Subsequently, he joined the Navy, serving at the Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, Naval Station Argentia, Newfoundland and at the Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland. which helped him discover what was important to him. Then he immediately realized the need for an education, and finished his equivalency diploma via correspondence courses. He lined up dates in Chicago, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., and elsewhere. He received national exposure on NBC's The Tonight Show in the summer of 1963 and released Bill Cosby Is a Very Funny Fellow...Right!, the first of a series of popular comedy albums in 1964.

While many comics were using the growing freedom of that decade to explore controversial, sometimes risqué, material, Cosby was making his reputation with humorous recollections of his childhood. Many Americans wondered about the absence of race as a topic in Cosby's stories. As Cosby's success grew he had to defend his choice of material regularly; as he argued, "A white person listens to my act and he laughs and he thinks, 'Yeah, that's the way I see it too.' Okay. He's white. I'm Negro. And we both see things the same way. That must mean that we are alike. Right? So I figure this way I'm doing as much for good race relations as the next guy."

I Spy

In 1965, when he was cast alongside Robert Culp in the I Spy espionage adventure series, Cosby became the first African-American co-star in a dramatic television series, and NBC became the first to present a series so cast. At first Cosby and NBC executives were concerned that some affiliates might be unwilling to carry the series. At the beginning of the 1965 season four stations declined the show; they were in Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. But the rest of the country was taken with the show's exotic locales and the authentic chemistry between the stars, and it became one of the ratings hits of that television season. I Spy finished among the twenty most-watched shows that year, and Cosby would be honored with three consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.

During the run of the series, Cosby continued to do stand-up comedy performances, and released a half-dozen record albums. He also began to dabble in singing, recording in 1967, which provided him with a hit single with his recording of "Li'l Ole Man". He would record several more musical albums into the early 1970s, but he continued to record primarily stand-up comedy work.

Fat Albert, The Bill Cosby Show, and the 1970s

Cosby pursued a variety of additional television projects and appeared as a regular guest host on The Tonight Show and as the star of an annual special for NBC. He returned with another series in 1969, The Bill Cosby Show, a situation comedy that ran for two seasons. Cosby played a physical education teacher at a Los Angeles high school. While only a modest critical success, the show was a ratings hit, finishing eleventh in its first season. Cosby was lauded for using some previously unknown African-American performers such as Lillian Randolph, Moms Mabley, and Rex Ingram as characters. According to commentary on the Season 1 DVD's for the show, Cosby was at odds with NBC over his refusal to include a laugh track in the show (he felt that viewers had the ability to find humor for themselves when watching a TV show). He was originally contracted with NBC to do the show for two seasons, and he believes the show was not renewed afterwards for that reason.

After The Bill Cosby Show left the air, Cosby returned to his education. He began graduate work at the University of Massachusetts, qualifying under a special program that allowed for the admission of students who had not completed their bachelor's degrees, but who had had a significant impact on society and/or their communities through their careers. This professional interest led to his involvement in the PBS series The Electric Company, for which he recorded several segments teaching reading skills to young children.

In 1972, Cosby received an MA from the University of Massachusetts and was also back in prime time with a variety series, The New Bill Cosby Show. However, this time he met with poor ratings, and the show lasted only a season. More successful was a Saturday morning show, Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, hosted by Cosby and based on his own childhood. That series ran from 1972 to 1979, and as The New Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids from 1979 to 1984. Some schools used the program as a teaching tool, and Cosby himself wrote a dissertation on it, "An Integration of the Visual Media Via 'Fat Albert And The Cosby Kids' Into the Elementary School Curriculum as a Teaching Aid and Vehicle to Achieve Increased Learning", as partial fulfillment of obtaining his 1976 doctorate in education, also from the University of Massachusetts.

Grammys

Honorary degrees

Cosby has received honorary degrees from more than a dozen colleges and universities:

Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, December 5, 2008. and the University of Cincinnati in 2001.

Cosby received an Honorary Doctorate from Amherst College, May 1999. (Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa)

Honorary LL.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, 1990.

Cornel West defended Cosby and his remarks, saying, "[H]e's speaking out of great compassion and trying to get folk to get on the right track, 'cause we've got some brothers and sisters who are not doing the right things, just like in times in our own lives, we don't do the right thing. ... He is trying to speak honestly and freely and lovingly, and I think that's a very positive thing.

In a 2008 interview, Cosby mentioned Chicago; Atlanta; Philadelphia; Oakland; Detroit; and Springfield, Massachusetts among the cities where crime was high and young African-American men were being murdered and jailed in disproportionate numbers. Cosby stood his ground against criticism and affirmed that African-American parents were continuing to fail to inculcate proper standards of moral behavior. Cosby still lectures to black communities (usually at churches) about his frustrations with certain problems prevalent in underprivileged urban communities such as taking part in illegal drugs, teenage pregnancy, Black Entertainment Television, high school dropouts, anti-intellectualism, gangsta rap, vulgarity, thievery, offensive clothing, vanity, parental alienation, single-parenting and failing to live up to the ideals of Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Jr. and the African-American ancestors that preceded Generation X. Cosby criticizes those African Americans who associate his ideals with race treachery.

Works

Discography

Singles

Books

See also

List of African-American writers

List of comedians

List of Omega Psi Phi brothers

List of Temple University people

List of University of Massachusetts Amherst alumni

References

;General References:

Leiby, Richard. "Publications with a Cannes-Do Attitude." Washington Post. May 19, 2004: 3.

Morano, Marc. "Bill Cosby was hounded by President Nixon." World Entertainment News Network. May 1, 2000. 2 Mar 2006. www.imdb.com

"Segregated Expectations" USA Today. May 15, 2003: 12.

Wu, Frank H. "Brown at 50: Keeping Promises." Black Issues in Higher Education. May 20, 2004: 49

External links

Official Bill Cosby Site

Interview with Cosby from 1990 (24 minutes)

Interview transcript from interview after the Pound Cake speech

You Bet Your Life home page

Category:1937 births Category:Living people Category:Actors from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Category:African American comedians Category:African American television actors Category:American activists Category:American film actors Category:American game show hosts Category:American football running backs Category:American stand-up comedians Category:American voice actors Category:Daytime Emmy Award winners Category:Emmy Award winners Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe (television) winners Category:Kennedy Center honorees Category:Pennsylvania Democrats Category:Writers from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Category:Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients Category:Temple Owls football players Category:Temple University alumni Category:United States Navy sailors Category:University of Massachusetts Amherst alumni Category:Spingarn Medal winners

Name	Eddie Murphy
Caption	Murphy at the Tribeca Film Festival for Shrek Forever After in 2010.
Birth name	Edward Regan Murphy
Birth date	April 03, 1961
Birth place	Brooklyn, New York
Occupation	Actor, Comedian, Director, Producer and Singer
Years active	1976-present
Spouse	Nicole Mitchell (1993-2006) (divorced)Tracey Edmonds (2008) (Annulled)
Domesticpartner	Melanie Brown (2006-2007) 1 child

Edward Regan "Eddie" Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American actor, voice actor, film director, producer, comedian and singer. The box office take from his films makes him the second highest grossing actor in the United States. Around the age of 15, Murphy was writing and performing his own routines, which were heavily influenced by Bill Cosby and Richard Pryor.

Career

Stand-up comedy

Murphy performed stand-up at the same Bay Area Comedy Club as Robin Williams and Whoopi Goldberg. His early comedy was characterized by frequent swearing and sketches lampooning a diverse group of people (including WASPs, African Americans, Italian Americans, overweight people, and gays). This racy content was akin to that of Richard Pryor, whom Murphy has credited as his inspiration to enter comedy; however, in his autobiography, Pryor Convictions, Pryor wrote that he found Murphy's comedy at times excessively insensitive. Murphy later apologized for insensitive jokes about gays and HIV. The stand-up shows Delirious and Raw have been recorded and released.

1980s acting career

Murphy first earned attention as a regular actor at Saturday Night Live, and was credited with helping revitalize the series during its first true slump in quality in the early 1980s. a harshly cynical version of the animated character; Murphy's take on the latter character spawned one of SNL's many catchphrases, "I'm Gumby, dammit!"

In 1982, Murphy made his big screen debut in the film 48 Hrs. with Nick Nolte. 48 Hrs. proved to be a hit when it was released in the Christmas season of 1982. Nolte was scheduled to host the December 11, 1982 Christmas episode of Saturday Night Live, but became too ill to host, so Murphy took over. He became the only cast member to host while still a regular. Murphy opened the show with the phrase, "Live from New York, It's the Eddie Murphy Show!" The following year, Murphy starred in Trading Places with fellow SNL alumnus Dan Aykroyd. The movie marked the first of Murphy's collaborations with director John Landis (who also directed Murphy in Coming to America and Beverly Hills Cop III) and proved to be an even greater box office success than 48 Hrs. In 1984, Murphy starred in the successful action comedy film Beverly Hills Cop. The film was Murphy's first full-fledged starring vehicle, originally intended to star Sylvester Stallone. Beverly Hills Cop grossed over $200 million at the box office and is 39th in the list of all-time total U.S. box office grosses (third-highest amongst "R" rated films), after adjusting for inflation, . The Golden Child was originally intended to be a serious adventure picture starring Mel Gibson. After Gibson turned the role down, the project was offered to Murphy as it was subsequently rewritten as a partial comedy. Although The Golden Child (featuring Murphy's "I want the knife!" routine) performed well at the box office, the movie was not as critically acclaimed as 48 Hrs., Trading Places, and Beverly Hills Cop. The Golden Child was considered a change of pace for Murphy because of the supernatural setting as opposed to the more "street smart" settings of Murphy's previous efforts. A year later, Murphy reprised his role of Axel Foley in the Tony Scott-directed Beverly Hills Cop II. It was a box office success, grossing over $150 million. Producers reportedly wanted to turn the Beverly Hills Cop franchise into a weekly television series. Murphy declined the television offer, but was willing to do a film sequel instead.

Murphy was one of the last movie actors to sign an exclusive contract with a studio. In this case, it was Paramount Pictures, which released all of his early films.

Singing career

Murphy is a singer and musician, having frequently provided background vocals to songs released by The Bus Boys. As a solo artist, Murphy had two hit singles, "Party All the Time" (which was produced by Rick James) and "Put Your Mouth on Me" in the mid-1980s (although he actually started singing earlier in his career, with the songs "Boogie In Your Butt" and "Enough Is Enough", the latter being a parody of Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer's 1979 song, "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)". They both appear on his 1982 self-titled comedy album.) "Party All the Time" was featured on Murphy's 1985 debut album How Could It Be, which included a minor follow-up R&B; hit in the title track, a duet with vocalist Crystal Blake. This track was written by Rusty Hamilton and was produced by Stevie Wonder's cousin Aquil Fudge after a brief falling out and bet with Rick James. In 2004, VH-1 and Blender voted "Party All the Time" number seven among the "50 Worst Songs of All-Time." Sharam used a sample of the song for the UK #8 hit "PATT (Party All The Time)" in 2006.

Murphy recorded the album Love's Alright in the early 1990s. He performed in a music video of the single "Whatzupwitu", featuring Michael Jackson. He recorded a duet with Shabba Ranks called "I Was a King". In 1992, Murphy appeared in Michael Jackson's "Remember the Time" video alongside Magic Johnson and Iman.

Although uncredited, Murphy provided vocal work on SNL castmate Joe Piscopo's comedy single, "The Honeymooners Rap." Piscopo impersonated Jackie Gleason on the single, while Murphy provided an imitation of Art Carney.

In Coming to America, Murphy imitated Jackie Wilson when he sang "To Be Loved," but because the character he was playing had a thick accent, he had to sing it in character. In later years, Murphy performed several songs in the Shrek film franchise. In the first film, he performed a version of "I'm a Believer" in the film's final scene; in Shrek 2 he performed Ricky Martin's hit "Livin' La Vida Loca" along with co-star Antonio Banderas.

Eddie Murphy's all time favorite singer is Elvis Presley.

Legal problems

According to Murphy's childhood friend Harris Haith in his book, Growing Up Laughing With Eddie, long before Murphy did any writing for Coming to America, Art Buchwald had approached Paramount Pictures with the idea for a similar film. His material was rejected, but the information was retained by Paramount. They liked Buchwald's idea but did not see fit to pay him and saved it for use later down the road. Some years later, Paramount presented the idea of Coming to America to Eddie and gave him the contract. Murphy wrote a screenplay that came to light exactly as it aired on the silver screen. In 1988, Buchwald sued Murphy and Paramount Pictures, but Murphy was not found liable because Paramount had received the material.

Career slump

From 1989 until the mid 1990s and again in the mid 2000s, box office results for Murphy's films dropped, hitting a low point with the critically panned Beverly Hills Cop III (1994), although he did find minor box office success with The Distinguished Gentleman, Boomerang, Another 48 Hrs. and Vampire In Brooklyn. Harlem Nights featured Murphy, who had previously been known only as a performer, as director, producer, star, and co-writer, with his brother, Charlie Murphy, as well as supporting roles for Murphy's comic idols Redd Foxx and Richard Pryor.

During this period Murphy was criticized by filmmaker Spike Lee for not using his show business stature to help black actors break into film, despite Murphy's films (especially those he produced) often being populated with predominately black casts (Coming To America, Harlem Nights, Boomerang, Vampire In Brooklyn, Life). Many black actors who would later gain wider recognition make early appearances in Murphy films such as Damon Wayans in Beverly Hills Cop, Halle Berry and Martin Lawrence in Boomerang, Samuel L. Jackson and Cuba Gooding Jr. in Coming to America, Dave Chappelle in The Nutty Professor and Chris Rock in Beverly Hills Cop II.

Although Murphy has enjoyed commercial success since Saturday Night Live, he has never attended cast reunions or anniversary specials, nor did he participate in the making of the Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live retrospective book by Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller (2002).

Comeback and image makeover

Murphy's box office results began to recover in 1996, starting with The Nutty Professor. He followed with a series of very successful family-friendly movies like Mulan, Dr. Dolittle and its sequel, the Shrek series, Daddy Day Care, and The Haunted Mansion, along with . However, most of his movies meant for more adult audiences performed moderately; Metro, I Spy, and Showtime all ended to gross less than $40 million domestically, Holy Man performed badly, grossing less than $13 million, and The Adventures of Pluto Nash is on record as one of the biggest theatrical money-losers of all time, grossing just $7 million worldwide on a reported $110 million budget. A notable exception to this run of poorly received adult-themed films was the Frank Oz comedy Bowfinger, also starring Steve Martin. The film garnered generally positive critical reviews, and grossed $66 million at the box office.

In 2006, he starred in the motion picture version of the Broadway musical Dreamgirls as soul singer James "Thunder" Early. Murphy won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor, as well as a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Broadcast Film Critics Association Award in that category. Several reviews for the film highlighted Murphy's performance while he received some pre-release Academy Awards buzz.

Murphy will star in a new version of The Incredible Shrinking Man.

Personal life

Murphy began a longtime romantic relationship with Nicole Mitchell (born January 5, 1968) after meeting her in 1988 at an NAACP Image Awards show. They lived together for almost two years before getting married at the Grand Ballroom of The Plaza Hotel in New York City on March 18, 1993.. Murphy and Mitchell had five children together: Bria L. Murphy (born November 18, 1989), Myles Mitchell (born November 7, 1992), Shane Audra (born October 10, 1994), Zola Ivy (born December 24, 1999) and Bella Zahra (born January 29, 2002). In August 2005, Mitchell filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences". The divorce was finalized on April 17, 2006.

In May 1997, Murphy was stopped by police with a transvestite prostitute in his car shortly before the release of Holy Man, causing him a number of public relations problems.

The Murphy family currently resides in Long Island, New York.

Following his divorce from Mitchell, in 2006 he began dating former Spice Girl Melanie B, who became pregnant and stated that the child was Murphy's. When questioned about the pregnancy in December 2006, Murphy told a reporter, "I don't know whose child that is until it comes out and has a blood test. You shouldn't jump to conclusions, sir". Brown gave birth to a baby girl, Angel Iris Murphy Brown, on Murphy's 46th birthday, April 3, 2007. On June 22, 2007, representatives for Brown announced in People that a DNA test had confirmed that Murphy was the father. Brown has stated in an interview that Murphy has not sought a relationship with Angel.

Murphy exchanged marriage vows with film producer Tracey Edmonds, former wife of Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, on January 1, 2008, in a private ceremony on an island off Bora Bora. It was announced on January 16, 2008, that they never legally wed, had decided to forgo legalizing their union, and had instead chosen to remain friends.

Charitable work

Murphy has donated money to the AIDS Foundation, and cancer, education, creative arts, family/parent support, health and homeless charities. He has donated to the Martin Luther King Jr. Center, various cancer charities and $100,000 to the Screen Actors' Guild's strike relief fund.

Filmography

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Singles

Awards/nominations

References

External links

Eddie Murphy on Discogs

Maxim Rated Top SNL performer

Category:1961 births Category:20th-century actors Category:21st-century actors Category:Actors from New York City Category:African American film actors Category:Baptists from the United States Category:African American comedians Category:African American singers Category:African American television actors Category:American comedians Category:American impressionists (entertainers) Category:American screenwriters Category:American stand-up comedians Category:American television actors Category:American voice actors Category:Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe (film) winners Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Living people Category:People from Bushwick, Brooklyn Category:People from Nassau County, New York Category:Saturn Award winners

Name	Gloria Gifford

Gloria Gifford is an American actress who has starred in films and on television.

Gloria's first feature film was in the 1978 film California Suite, it was not until later she became to be best known among horror film fans for her role as the head nurse, Mrs. Alves, in the 1981 classic horror film Halloween II.

Her other films she starred in include the 1982 hit film 48 Hrs., where she played a prostitute that Reggie Hammond tried to score with. In 1983, Gloria starred in the two comedy films Going Berserk, and the classic comedy film D.C. Cab as the D.C. Cab dispatcher, Miss Floyd. A year later, she appeared in the 1984 cult film This Is Spinal Tap.

She appeared in the 1988 comedy film Vice Versa, her most recent film was in the 2006 film Gettin' Some Jail Time.

Gloria has made many guest appearances on some television shows, she appeared on some shows like ER, The Nanny, Gimme a Break!, The Incredible Hulk, and The Love Boat.

Gloria is also into theatre, she is an accomplished acting teacher. She studied acting at the Beverly Hills Playhouse with Milton Katselas. She studied there for five years. Gloria is currently the Executive Director of The Gloria Gifford Conservatory.

Gloria taught at the American Film Institute for six years in the Masters' Program. She taught Directors, Writers and Producers and among her successful AFI students: Patty Jenkins "Monster", Brian Dannelly "Saved", "Weeds". In 2007, Gloria opened the prestigious Actors Academy Milano in Milan, Italy where she taught Italian actors and actresses and International Models - male and female in intensive acting programs. The Academy's president is Edoardo Costa, her former student at the BHP and now starring with Bruce Willis in "Live Free...Die Hard". She is the Founder of the Rebel Planet Short Film Festival of Hollywood, rebelplanet.com, which just had the its very successful second year festival in North Hollywood, California in April 2007.

Gloria is the mother of actor Adam G..

Selected filmography

Gettin' Some Jail Time (2006)

Leaf Chief (2002)

Three Man March (2000)

Three of Hearts (1993)

Vice Versa (1988)

This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

D.C. Cab (1983)

Going Berserk (1983)

48 Hrs. (1982)

Halloween II (1981)

California Suite (1978)

External links

Category:American film actors Category:American television actors Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Office	Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court
Termstart	January 15, 2001
Termend	November 13, 2003
Predecessor	Perry O. Hooper, Sr.
Successor	Drayton Nabers, Jr.
Office2	Circuit Judge, Sixteenth Judicial Circuit
Termstart2	1992
Termend2	2000
Predecessor2	Julius Swann
Appointer2	Harold Guy Hunt
Birthdate	February 11, 1947
Birthplace	Gadsden, Alabama
Party	Republican
Religion	Baptist
Parents	Roy Baxter MooreEvelyn Stewart Moore
Spouse	Kayla Kisor Moore
Children	Ory MooreCaleb MooreMicah MooreHeather Moore (adopted)|website = Foundation for Moral Law

Roy Stewart Moore (born February 11, 1947) is an American jurist, Republican politician and supporter of Christian Nationalism. noted for his refusal, as the elected Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama, to remove a monument of the Ten Commandments from the state courthouse despite orders to do so from a federal judge. On November 13, 2003, Alabama's Court of the Judiciary unanimously removed Moore from his post as Chief Justice. In the years preceding his election to the Alabama Supreme Court, Moore had successfully resisted previous attempts to have a display of the Ten Commandments removed from the courtroom where he was employed. The controversy around Moore generated national attention.

Moore's supporters regard his stand as a defense of "judicial rights" and the Constitution of Alabama. Moore contends that federal judges who ruled against his actions consider "obedience of a court order superior to all other concerns, even the suppression of belief in the sovereignty of God."

In 1954, the Moores relocated to Houston, Texas, site of a postwar building boom. After some four years, they returned to Alabama, then moved to Pennsylvania, and returned permanently to Alabama. In his later year, the senior Moore worked for the Tennessee Valley Authority building dams and later the Anniston Army Depot. Moore attended school his freshman year at Gallant near Gadsden but transferred to Etowah County High School for his final three years of public education, having graduated in 1965.

On the recommendation of outgoing Democratic U.S. Representative Albert Rains and confirmed by incoming Republican Representative James D. Martin, Moore was admitted to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, where he graduated in 1969 with a bachelor of science degree. With the Vietnam War underway, Moore first served in several posts as a military police officer, including Fort Benning, Georgia, and Illesheim, Germany before being sent to South Vietnam. Moore served as company commander of his MP unit and was known to be very strict. Some of the soldiers gave him the derogatory nickname, "Captain America," because of his attitude toward discipline. His role earned him several enemies, and in his autobiography he recalls sleeping on sandbags to avoid a grenade or bomb being tossed under his cot, as many had threatened fragging the commander.

Moore left the United States Army as a captain in 1974, and was admitted to the University of Alabama School of Law in Tuscaloosa that same year. He graduated in 1977 with a Juris Doctor degree and returned to Gadsden to begin private practice with a focus on personal injury and insurance cases.

Elections and travels

Moore soon moved to the district attorney's office, working as the first full-time prosecutor in Etowah County. During his tenure there, Moore was investigated by the state bar for "suspect conduct" after convening a grand jury to discuss what he perceived to have been funding shortages in the sheriff's office. Several weeks after the state bar investigation was dismissed as unfounded, Moore quit his prosecuting position to run as a Democrat for the county's circuit-court judge seat in 1982. The election was bitter, with Moore alleging that cases were being delayed in exchange for payoffs. The allegations were never substantiated, and Moore overwhelmingly lost the Democratic runoff primary to fellow attorney Donald Stewart, whom Moore described as "an honorable man for whom I have much respect, and he eventually became a close friend." A second bar complaint against Moore followed, and though this too was dismissed as unfounded, Moore left Gadsden shortly thereafter in great disappointment.

Moore's travels eventually took him to Texas, where he spent a year training and fighting professionally as a kickboxer. After a brief return to Gadsden, Moore next travelled to the Australian Outback and, after meeting Fundamentalist Christian Colin Rolfe, worked for almost a year as a cowboy on Rolfe's cattle ranch. He remembered both careers fondly in his autobiography and subsequent interviews and was particularly proud of a kickboxing victory in the Greater Gadsden Tournament of Champions, a triumph he attributed to divine will.

Moore returned to Gadsden again in 1985. He ran in 1986 for Etowah County's district attorney position against fellow Democrat Jimmy Hedgspeth. He lost that election as well, and Moore returned to private practice in the city. During this period, he married his wife Kayla, switched his affiliation to the GOP, and added to his office a wooden Ten Commandments plaque that he had personally carved in 1980.

Circuit Judge

Appointment

In 1992, Etowah County Circuit Judge Julius Swann died in office. Republican Governor Guy Hunt was charged with making a temporary appointment until the next election. Moore's name was floated by some of his associates, and a background check was initiated with several state and county agencies, including the Etowah County district attorney's office. Moore's former political opponent Jimmy Hedgspeth, who still helmed the D.A.'s office, recommended Moore despite personal reservations, and Moore was installed in the position he had failed to win in 1982. "The impossible had happened!" Moore wrote afterward. "God had given me something that I had not been able to obtain through my own efforts."

Nevertheless, on December 7, 1999, Moore announced from his Etowah County courtroom that he would enter the race with hope of returning "God to our public life and restore the moral foundation of our law." His campaign, centered on religious issues, arguing that Christianity's declining influence "corresponded directly with school violence, homosexuality, and crime."

D.H. vs. H.H.

In February 2002, Chief Justice Moore issued an opinion which expressed his belief that the State should rightfully use its powers to punish homosexual behavior. The case, D.H. vs. H.H., was a custody dispute where a lesbian was petitioning for custody of her children, alleging abuse by her ex-husband. A circuit court in Alabama had ruled in favor of the father, but the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals overturned that verdict 4-1, claiming that substantial evidence existed of abusive behavior by the father.

On this note, Moore claimed that the Ten Commandments are the "moral foundation" of U.S. law, stating that in order to restore this foundation, "we must first recognize the source from which all morality springs...[by] recogniz[ing] the sovereignty of God." He added that the addition of the monument to the state judiciary building marked "the beginning of the restoration of the moral foundation of law to our people" and "a return to the knowledge of God in our land."

Additionally, Moore acknowledged an explicit religious intent in placing the monument, agreeing that the monument "reflects the sovereignty of God over the affairs of men" and "acknowledge[s] God’s overruling power over the affairs of men."

Judgment and appeal

On November 18, 2002, federal U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson issued his ruling declaring that the monument violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and was thus unconstitutional:

If all Chief Justice Moore had done were to emphasize the Ten Commandments' historical and educational importance... or their importance as a model code for good citizenship... this court would have a much different case before it. But the Chief Justice did not limit himself to this; he went far, far beyond. He installed a two-and-a-half ton monument in the most prominent place in a government building, managed with dollars from all state taxpayers, with the specific purpose and effect of establishing a permanent recognition of the 'sovereignty of God,' the Judeo-Christian God, over all citizens in this country, regardless of each taxpaying citizen's individual personal beliefs or lack thereof. To this, the Establishment Clause says no."

Judge Thompson's decision mandated that Moore remove the monument from the state judicial building by January 3, 2003, but stayed this order on December 23, 2002, after Moore appealed the decision to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. This appeal was argued on June 4, 2003, before a three-judge panel in Atlanta, Georgia. On July 1, 2003, the panel issued a ruling upholding the lower court's decision, agreeing that "the monument fails two of Lemon’s three prongs. It violates the Establishment Clause." Additionally, the court noted that different religious traditions assign different wordings of the Ten Commandments, meaning that "choosing which version of the Ten Commandments to display can have religious endorsement implications."

In response to the appeals court's decision, Judge Thompson lifted his earlier stay on August 5, 2003, requiring Moore to have the monument removed from public areas of the state judicial building by August 20.

On August 27, the monument was moved to a non-public side room in the judicial building.

Later political life

Election issues and gubernatorial campaigns

2004

Moore was considered as a possible candidate for the Constitution Party in the 2004 presidential election. Despite encouragement from several corners, Moore did not pursue the nomination.

Moore was also a notable opponent of a proposed amendment to the Alabama constitution in 2004. Known as Amendment 2, the proposed legislation would have removed wording from the state constitution that referred to poll taxes and required separate schools for "white and colored children," a practice already outlawed due to civil rights-era legislation. Moore and other opponents of the measure argued that the amendment's wording would have allowed federal judges to force the state to fund public school improvements with increased taxes. Voters in Alabama narrowly defeated the proposed amendment, with a margin of 1,850 votes out of 1.38 million cast. Despite losing the Republican primary Moore was endorsed as a write-in candidate in the general election by both the Alabama Constitution Party and the Jefferson Republican Party.

2008

Moore was rumored as a possible candidate for the Constitution Party's nomination, but he did not seek the party's nomination, and was not considered for the nomination at the convention.

2010

On June 1, 2009, Moore announced his campaign for the 2010 election for Governor of Alabama. On April 17, 2010, former NASCAR driver Bobby Allison endorsed Moore for governor. 1996 Christian Citizenship Award Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama 1997 Bill of Rights Award 1997 Christian Statesman of the year Award by D. James Kennedy Center for Christian Statesmanship, Washington DC. 1997 God and Country Award by American Family Association 1997 Spirit of America Founders Award 1998 Andrew Jackson Champion of Liberty by United States Taxpayers Party 1998 "Kentucky Colonel" by the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels presented by Governor Paul Patto 1998 Liberty & Union Award by New Hampshire Center for Constitutional Studies 1999 Family, Faith, and Freedom Citation presented by Family Research Council Washington, D.C. 1999 National Spirit of Life Award from African American Family Association 1999 Special Tribute, State of Michigan. Governor John Engler "to a great American and Honorable Judge" 1999 American Heritage of Faith Award from Freedom Flyer Ministries. Chicago, Illinois. 2002 National Hero of Faith Award presented by Vision America Houston, Texas 2003 Doctor of Divinity Ecclesiastical Degree conferred by Methodist Episcopal Church USA. Washington, DC

See also

Glassroth v. Moore

Thomas More Law Center

Foundation for Moral Law

References

External links

Roy Moore's gubernatorial campaign site

Foundation For Moral Law - legal organization chaired by Moore.

Moore's WorldNetDaily Archive

The Ten Commandments Case - archive of Montgomery Advertiser stories related to Roy Moore.

The rise and fall of Judge Roy Moore - from MSNBC.

"Man of the Year: Roy Moore" - article by Ann Coulter in support of Moore.

Category:1947 births Category:Living people Category:People from Gadsden, Alabama Category:United States Army officers Category:American military personnel of the Vietnam War Category:United States Military Academy alumni Category:Alabama lawyers Category:American lawyers Category:Alabama Republicans Category:Chief Justices of the Supreme Court of Alabama

Name	Michael Vick
Width	160px
Caption	Vick during a post-game interview in September 2009
Currentteam	Philadelphia Eagles
Currentnumber	7
Currentpositionplain	Quarterback
Birthdate	June 26, 1980
Birthplace	Newport News, Virginia
Heightft	6
Heightin	0
Weight	215
College	Virginia Tech
Draftyear	2001
Draftround	1
Draftpick	1
Debutyear	2001
Debutteam	Atlanta Falcons
Pastteams
Status	Unrestricted free agent
Highlights
Statweek	17
Statseason	2010
Statlabel1	TD-INT
Statvalue1	93–58
Statlabel2	Passing yards
Statvalue2	14,609
Statlabel3	QB Rating
Statvalue3	80.2
Statlabel4	Rushing yards
Statvalue4	4,640
Statlabel5	Rushing touchdowns
Statvalue5	32
Nfl	VIC311467

Michael Dwayne Vick (born June 26, 1980) is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League. He played for the Atlanta Falcons for six seasons before serving time in prison for his involvement in an illegal dog fighting ring.

Vick played college football at Virginia Tech, where as a freshman he placed third in the Heisman Trophy balloting. He left after his sophomore year to enter the NFL and was drafted first overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2001 NFL Draft. He became the first African-American quarterback to be selected first overall in an NFL Draft. In six seasons with the Falcons, he gained wide popularity for his performance on the field, and led the Falcons to the playoffs twice. Vick ranks second among quarterbacks in career rushing yards.

In April 2007, Vick was implicated in an illegal interstate dog fighting ring that had operated over five years. In August 2007, he pleaded guilty to federal felony charges and served 21 months in prison, followed by two months in home confinement.

Early athletic career

During the early years of his family, Michael Boddie's employment required a lot of travel, but he taught football skills to his two sons at an early age. Vick was only three years old when his father, nicknamed "Bullet" for his blinding speed during his own playing days, began teaching him the fundamentals. He taught younger brother Marcus Vick.

As he grew up, Vick, who as a child went by the nickname "Ookie", learned about football from a second cousin four years older, Aaron Brooks. Vick and Brooks both spent a lot of time as youths at the local Boys and Girls Club.

Vick told Sporting News magazine in an interview published April 9, 2001: "Sports kept me off the streets...It kept me from getting into what was going on, the bad stuff. Lots of guys I knew have had bad problems."

High school

Vick first came to prominence while at Homer L. Ferguson High School in Newport News. As a freshman, he impressed many with his athletic ability, throwing for over 400 yards in a game that year. Ferguson High School was closed in 1996 as part of a Newport News Public Schools building modernization program. Vick, as a sophomore, and Tommy Reamon both moved to Warwick High School.

At Warwick High School, under Reamon's tutelage, Vick was a three-year starter for the Raiders, passing for 4,846 yards with 43 touchdowns. He ran for six touchdowns and threw for three touchdowns in a single game. He added 1,048 yards and 18 scores on the ground. As a senior, he passed for 1,668 yards, accounting for ten passing and ten rushing touchdowns.

Reamon, who had helped guide Brooks from Newport News to the University of Virginia, helped Michael with his SAT tests and helped him and his family choose between Syracuse University and Virginia Tech. Reamon favored Virginia Tech, where he felt better guidance was available under Frank Beamer, who promised to redshirt him and provide the freshman needed time to develop. Reamon sold Michael on the school's proximity to family and friends, and Vick chose to attend Virginia Tech.

As he left the Newport News public housing projects in 1998, "on the wings of a college football scholarship," Vick was seen in the Newport News community as a "success story." In a story published in September 2000, while Vick was at Virginia Tech, Michael Boddie told the university's Collegiate Times: "Ever since he learned to throw a football, he's always liked throwing a ball...It's just in his blood."

Vick's initial reorganization plan relied upon Vick again earning a very substantial income as a professional football player, which he could not assure the court. Testifying on April 3 in Newport News, Vick told the bankruptcy court judge that he believed he could play pro football for another 10 years.

Only Randall Cunningham has more rushing yards at the quarterback position than Vick. He is first among quarterbacks in rushing yards per game at 47.1. Vick holds several NFL quarterback rushing records, including most rushing yards in one game (173), most 100-yard rushing games (8), and most rushing yards in a single season (1,039).

Career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Incidents and criminal troubles

Early incidents

Subject name	Michael Dwayne Vick
Alias	Ookie, Ron Mexico
Birthname	Michael Dwayne Vick
Birth date	June 26, 1980
Birth place	Newport News, Virginia
Conviction	(Federal) Felony conspiracy in interstate commerce/aid of unlawful animal fighting venture (Title 18, USC, Section 371); (Virginia) Felony dogfighting, 3 years in prison and $2500 fine
Conviction penalty	(Federal) 23 months in prison, three years probation following release; (Virginia) fine and prison time suspended upon condition of good behavior for 4 years beginning November 2008
Conviction status	Released on July 20, 2009 after servicing federal sentence, currently on probation (slated to expire in November 2012)
Occupation	American football quarterback
Parents	Michael Boddie, Brenda Vick

Between his selection by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2001 NFL Draft and early 2007, Vick was allegedly involved in several incidents: In 2007, statements were made by his father, Michael Boddie, about possible dogfighting activities in 2001. Boddie told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that around 2001, Vick was staging dogfights in the garage of the family's home in Newport News and kept fighting dogs in the family's backyard, including injured ones which the father nursed back to health. Boddie said his son had been urged to not engage in the activity, but continued. He stated: "This is Mike's thing. And he knows it." Although Vick representatives declined to make him available for an Atlanta police inquiry, six days later Spencer got the watch back from them. In March 2005, Sonya Elliott filed a civil lawsuit against Vick alleging she contracted genital herpes from him in the autumn of 2002 and that he failed to inform her that he had the disease. Widespread media publicity quickly gained momentum as state officials investigated, soon joined by federal authorities with their own investigation. As the separate state and federal investigations progressed, more and more details of the operations of an interstate dog fighting ring were revealed, with some portions involving drugs and gambling. Gruesome details involving abuse, torture and execution of under-performing dogs galvanized animal rights activists and expressions of public outrage. Vick and several others were indicted on both federal and Virginia felony charges related to the operation.

Federal criminal prosecution

made to U.S. Senate following the indictment of Michael Vick on federal dog fighting charges]] In July 2007, Vick and three other men were charged by federal authorities with felony charges of operating an unlawful interstate dog fighting venture known as "Bad Newz Kennels". Vick was accused of financing the operation, directly participating in dog fights and executions, and personally handling thousands of dollars in related gambling activities. Federal prosecutors indicated they intended to proceed under the powerful provisions of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization.

Plea agreements, convictions

By August 20, Vick and the other three co-defendants agreed to separate plea bargains for the federal charges.

Bankruptcy

On July 7, 2008, Vick sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Newport News after failing to "work out consensual resolutions with each of his creditors," according to court papers. The initial filing, which was incomplete, listed assets of less than $50 million and debt of $10 million to $50 million. The seven largest creditors without collateral backing their claims are owed a total of $12.8 million. The three biggest unsecured creditors are Joel Enterprises Inc., owed $4.5 million for breach of contract; Atlanta Falcons, owed $3.75 million for "pro-rated signing bonus;" and Royal Bank of Canada, owed $2.5 million for a loan. the parties both agreed to submit the dispute to binding arbitration for resolution instead of a formal civil court trial. The case was heard in Richmond by Charlottesville attorney Thomas Albro. The outcome was an award of $4.5 million to Joel. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Frank Santoro ordered that the Mercedes-Benz Vick gave Talbot be repossessed and sold, and that Talbot show up at a hearing on September 5.

On September 5, Talbot appeared before Santoro but declined to answer the judge's questions, invoking his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. Santoro told him, "You are ordered to account for every dime – or every penny, let's put it that way – that you have received from Mr. Vick." He reported that Vick's financial problems included average monthly expenses of $12,225 for several large homes his family and friends were living in and a monthly income of just $277.69. One of his bankruptcy attorneys told the court that Vick and his creditors were after the same ends: allowing Vick to right himself financially, get back to playing football, and pay off his debts.

Funds and assets handled by Reamon, Wong, Talbot, Washington

On November 13, his attorneys told the bankruptcy court that they are still working on accounting for all his funds during the past two years. They told the judge that they would question Charles W. Reamon Jr., a Vick associate with a connection to the dogfighting location and the nephew of Vick's high school coach and mentor, Tommy Reamon. Records revealed that in January 2006, Reamon paid the $50 fee to renew the kennel license at Vick's Surry County property where the dog fighting ring was based. Reamon has a criminal record in Virginia with three convictions related to illegal firearms or airport security. The attorneys told the court that Reamon, listed in court papers as Vick's personal assistant and friend, Reamon spent at least some of the money on, "among other things, a horse farm, horses, cars, boats and spending money." Reamon, Wong, and Talbot are listed as potential defendants in separate lawsuits that Vick is considering filing, alleging mismanagement of his money.

Six racing horses boarded at a horse farm in Florida were to be sold with net proceeds after commissions and expenses to go towards the bankruptcy fund. As of the September disclosure, one of these transactions has been completed, with net proceeds of approximately $30,000.

Revisions to Initial Reorganization Plan

The house in Surry County that served as headquarters for Bad Newz Kennels was sold to an investor, and was vacant and still on the market as of March 2009.

Under revisions to the plan, Vick would sell the home on West Creek Court in Suffolk's Harbour View where his mother and brother live. As planned earlier, Vick, his fiancée, and their two children will live in the newhouse in Governor's Pointe in Suffolk. Under the revision, Vick's mother and brother would have relocated to the house in Hampton where Frink and the children have been living while the Governor's Pointe mansion was under construction.

A court hearing on April 2, 2009, was expected to provide further clarification regarding repayment of the $1.35 million unlawfully withdrawn from a pension fund for Vick employees which was claimed by the U.S. Department of Labor, as well as disposition of funds which may recovered from the claims and/or lawsuits pending against Reamon, Wong, and Talbot for missing or unaccounted money they handled.

Objections to Reorganization Plan

Creditor Joel Enterprises is owed $4.6 million. Andrew Joel objected to the plan because he wants to be paid first, rather than in line with other creditors.

Objections to the proposed Reorganization Plan were filed by the Virginia Department of Taxation, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. attorney's office, and the U.S. bankruptcy trustee.

April 2009 hearing

Vick appeared in person before Santoro at a hearing in Newport News on April 2, 2009. In March, Santoro rejected the idea of allowing testimony by video hookup, saying he needed Vick in the courtroom so he could assess his demeanor and credibility. Santoro said Vick would need at least $7 million to $8 million more annually just to break even after three years. About $3.5 million of that would have gone to pay bankruptcy lawyers. Santoro was critical of the plan's provisions for Vick to maintain two houses and four cars, calculating that Vick would need about $200,000 in annual living expenses.

The judge commended Vick for trying to work out his financial mess after years of poor choices. He told Vick the numbers simply didn't add up. Adjourning the case until a status hearing with lawyers on March 28, Santoro told Vick to work with his advisers to create a new plan, and suggested Vick begin by liquidating one or both of his Virginia homes, as well as three of the cars that Vick had intended to keep, and "buy a house more within his means." Vick earlier testified that he felt obligated to provide for his friends and family because of "where he had come from." Santoro told Vick that while that might be commendable, "You cannot be everything to everybody. If you do, you're going to be nothing to anybody."

Revised Reorganization Plan in progress

On April 28, attorneys met with Santoro for a scheduled update meeting and advised him that they are making substantial progress on a revised plan to submit to the court. They reported having settled all disputes with his creditors, including Joel.

There were no indications of any new developments regarding Vick's prospects for playing in the NFL. Specific information about possible additional divesture one or both of the luxury homes and vehicles Vick had hoped to keep as the judge had recommended on April 3 was also not available. Santoro set a June 9 hearing date for the attorneys to return with a revised plan.

Awards, records, and accomplishments

College awards

1999 Big East Conference Rookie of the Year

1999 Big East Conference Offensive Player of the Year

1999 Archie Griffin Award

2000 Best College Football Player ESPY Award

2001 Toyota Gator Bowl MVP

College records and accomplishments

Set an NCAA record for a freshman and established single-season school records for highest yards passing per completion (20.4), per attempt (12.1), highest completion percentage (59.2) and most yards per play (9.3).

Became the first player in Division I history to win a league's Player of the Year Award in the same season he won Rookie of the Year.

NFL records and milestones

On November 15, 2010, Vick became the first player in NFL history with 300 passing yards, 50 rushing yards, four passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in a game. Vick also became the first player in NFL history to have three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in the first half of a game.

In 2006, Vick became the only quarterback in NFL history to rush for over 1,000 yards during the regular season.

In 2006, Vick set the NFL record for most yards per carry in a season with 8.4.

Vick (1,039 yards) and Dunn (1,140) became the first QB/RB tandem in NFL history to each go over the 1,000-yard rushing mark in the same season. They became the fourth set of teammates in league history to each have 1,000 or more yards.

Made his third Pro Bowl in 2005 as he passed for 2,412 yards and 16 touchdowns in addition to leading all NFL quarterbacks with 597 rushing yards and six scores.

Named to the second Pro Bowl of his career after leading the Falcons to their third division title in team history and breaking numerous NFL and team records in 2004.

Set an NFL postseason record for a quarterback with 119 rushing yards in the 2004 NFC Divisional playoff win against the Rams.

Became the first quarterback to throw for more than 250 yards and rush for over 100 yards in the same game in Denver (October 31, 2004).

Charitable foundations

Michael Vick has been a principal in two charitable foundations, the Michael Vick Foundation and The Vick Foundation.

In June 2006, Vick, along with his brother Marcus and mother Brenda, established The Vick Foundation, a nonprofit organization to support at-risk youth and the after school programs that serve them in the Metro Atlanta and Hampton Roads areas. The announcement of the new organization came just before the start of the foundation's first fundraiser, the Michael Vick Golf Classic. The inaugural event was held at the prestigious Kingsmill Golf Course in James City County near Williamsburg, Virginia in partnership with The Virginia Tech Alumni Association Tidewater Chapter, and netted more than $80,000 for charity. According to its 2006 federal tax return, the Michael Vick Foundation provided 100 backpacks to poor children in Newport News and paid for an after-school program in 2006. During the same period the foundation spent 12% of its budget – $20,590 of $171,823 – on charitable programs and paid its fundraiser, Susan Bass Roberts, a former spokeswoman for Vick, $97,000. That foundation ceased operations in 2006. One of Vick's financial advisors withdrew $50,000, most of the remaining funds, from its checking account in 2008.

After the Virginia Tech massacre on April 16, 2007, Vick and the United Way donated $10,000 to assist families affected. The Vick Foundation collected donations from communities in Atlanta and Virginia that will be placed in the United In Caring Fund for Victims of the Virginia Tech Tragedy and the special fund at the United Way of Montgomery, Radford and Floyd counties, which serves the Virginia Tech area. The Vick Foundation said the money would be used to provide help with funeral expenses, transportation for family members and other support services.

In June 2007, the "Michael Vick Football Camp," to be held at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, was canceled for the summer 2007 session. He canceled participation in another football camp to be held at the College of William and Mary and was replaced by Washington Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell.

On June 22, 2007, a charity golf tournament featuring Vick, intended in part to raise scholarships in memory of Virginia Tech's shooting victims, was rescheduled for September.

Documentary series

In the spring of 2010, cable network BET aired a 10-episode documentary series called The Michael Vick Project. It chronicled Vick as he was coming to terms with his dogfighting past.

References

External links

Philadelphia Eagles bio

Vick Indicted on Va. Dogfighting Charges on Time.com (a division of Time Magazine)

The Smoking Gun - United States v. Michael Vick, Criminal No. 3:07CR274 (E.D. Va., August 24, 2007) Summary of the facts and plea agreement

Michael Vick CNN

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Category:21st-century American criminals Category:People from Newport News, Virginia Category:Players of American football from Virginia Category:American football quarterbacks Category:National Conference Pro Bowl players Category:National Football League first overall draft picks Category:Virginia Tech Hokies football players Category:Atlanta Falcons players Category:Animal cruelty incidents Category:Philadelphia Eagles players Category:Ed Block Courage Award recipients Category:1980 births Category:Living people Category:African American players of American football

Name	Denard Robinson
School	Michigan Wolverines
Currentnumber	16
Currentposition	Quarterback
Class	Sophomore
Major	Kinesiology
Birthdate	September 22, 1990
Heightft	6
Heightin	0
Weight	205
Highschool	Deerfield Beach High School, Deerfield Beach, Florida
Pastschools
Bowlgames	2011 Gator Bowl
Highlights
Espn	480237

Denard Xavier Robinson (born September 22, 1990) is an American football player and the current starting quarterback for the Michigan Wolverines football team. In 2010, he set the single-season Division I FBS record for rushing yards by a quarterback and became the only player in NCAA history to both pass and rush for 1,500 yards. Robinson also broke the Big Ten Conference season record with 4,272 yards of total offense (2,570 yards passing and 1,702 yards rushing) and led the conference in rushing. He was awarded the 2010 Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the Most Valuable Player in the Big Ten Conference and was selected by the Football Writers Association of America as a first-team All-American. He also set the Big Ten single-game record for rushing yards by a quarterback and is the only player in NCAA Division I FBS history to both pass for 200 yards and rush for 200 yards in a regular season game twice in his career.

He enrolled at the University of Michigan in 2009 and was the school's second-string quarterback as a true freshman. In the 2010 season opener against Connecticut, Robinson broke Michigan's single-game record for total offense with 383 yards and also broke the single-game record for rushing yards by a quarterback. He shattered his own records in his second start at quarterback against Notre Dame with 258 rushing yards and 502 yards of total offense. During the 2010 season, Robinson had six of the top ten single-game performances in total yards in Michigan history.

Robinson acquired the nickname "Shoelace" because he has played football since age 10 with his shoelaces untied. He also competes as a sprinter for the Michigan men's track and field team. He has run the 40-yard dash in 4.32 seconds, and he recorded the fastest competition time in 2010 among Michigan's sprinters in the 60-meter dash.

Early years and shoelaces

Robinson was born in 1990, the son of Thomas Robinson, Sr., and Dorothea Robinson. Robinson began playing pee-wee football by age 10 and played the game with his shoes untied. Those who saw him play at Westside Park in Deerfield Beach recall:

"Kids would go for his shoes on tackles, and he'd come up to the huddle in just socks. His coach couldn't stand it at first and neither could his parents. They'd tie wristbands around his shoes. When that didn't work, they tried athletic tape. They even rolled his socks over his shoes. He was a marvel, and he wasn't even finished with the sixth grade." Robinson's high school coach, Art Taylor, explained his rationale for accepting the practice:

"After 25 years coaching, if the kid can throw it 90 yards in the air and is accurate and the kid can run as fast as he does ... as long as he feels comfortable, not lacing his shoes, fine with me. The kid's been doing it all his life, why mess with it?"

Deerfield Beach High School

As a ninth grader, Robinson tried out for a spot as a defensive back for the varsity football team at Deerfield Beach High School in Deerfield Beach, Florida. The team's defensive coordinator at the time was former Buffalo Bills defensive back Manny Martin, who was also Robinson's algebra teacher. Martin later recalled that he had an experienced defensive backfield, but Robinson "was always in my ear: 'I can do it.'"

Robinson became the starting quarterback for the Deerfield Beach varsity team as a sophomore and filled that position for three years from 2006 to 2008. Deerfield Beach head coach Art Taylor recalled, "As soon as he stepped on that field his sophomore year playing varsity, we knew we had something special." Robinson had Deerfield ahead in the game, 12–7, but Miami Northwestern completed a 99-yard touchdown drive with 18 seconds left to give them a 14–12 win.

In October 2008 against St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Robinson was responsible for six touchdowns in a single game, passing for 342 yards and five touchdowns and rushing for 54 yards and a touchdown.

Robinson also competed in track for Deerfield Beach. In March 2009, he ran the 100 meters sprint in 10.44 seconds, He also ran the 40-yard dash in 4.32 seconds.

Recruiting

As a high school senior, ESPN ranked Robinson 7th in the country as a general athlete and 101st regardless of position. Rivals.com ranked him 14th as a general athlete and 188th overall. After observing his passing abilities, Michigan recruited Robinson as a quarterback. On February 4, 2009, Robinson announced that he had signed a National Letter of Intent to attend Michigan.

On September 5, 2009, in Michigan's season opener against Western Michigan, Robinson scored a touchdown on his first collegiate snap. As the ESPN television broadcast focused on his untied shoelaces, Robinson took the snap in the shotgun formation, ran to the right, broke a tackle at the 40-yard line, then cut left and ran 43 yards for a touchdown.

2010 track season

Robinson also competed for the Michigan men's track and field team during his freshman year. Michigan track coach Fred LaPlante said Robinson had one of the 10 fastest 100-meter high-school times in the United States in 2009 and described Robinson the sprinter as "one of the four or five best guys in the Big Ten." LaPlante emphasized Robinson's "quickness":

"One thing in football that you don't see in track is quickness. He's incredibly quick and his lateral movement is unbelievable and his ability to go in one direction and get in another. The perception people have is that's speed. That's not speed, that's quickness."

Robinson won the 60-meter dash in his college track debut in "The Dual" against Ohio State on January 16, 2010. His time of 6.81 stood up as the best by a Wolverine for the season. He finished ninth in the event at the 2010 Big Ten Indoor Championships in late February 2010, failing to qualify for the finals by four-thousandths of a second.

LaPlante recalled becoming panic-stricken during a practice race when Robinson was "running so fast he was having trouble holding the turn." Concerned about an injury to the football team's quarterback, LaPlante yelled out, "Denard! Please, don't do that again! I'll be fired in 2 seconds!" LaPlante recalled Robinson's reaction: "He had that great big smile on his face."

2010 football season

Pre-season competition

During spring practice in April 2010, Robinson impressed coaches and observers, leading to speculation that Robinson would overtake Forcier as the starting quarterback.

After the game, Brandon Graham, who played with Robinson at Michigan in 2009 and now plays with Michael Vick on the Philadelphia Eagles told reporters that Robinson is even quicker than Vick: "Both of them are pretty fast, I just think Vick's older; he's not really that fast like how Shoelace is. I think Shoelace is more quick than Vick, but Vick, he gets away. He's pretty fast still. I think Shoelace might have got him by a couple steps."

Gregg Doyel, national columnist for CBSSports.com, proclaimed Robinson the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy: "Denard Robinson has earned the right to pole position in the Heisman race. It's not close. And if he stays healthy, I fully expect him to walk across a stage in New York City in December and take that trophy home." He also had 559 rushing yards in the first three games, 57 yards more than any Michigan player compiled in all 12 games of the 2009 season. On his fifth carry, Robinson ran 46 yards before being tackled and falling hard on his left knee. Sports Illustrated columnist Andy Staples wrote, "Robinson writhed in pain on the sideline ..., clutching his left knee. Wolverines coach Rich Rodriguez looked equally pained. His franchise -- and possibly his job -- was down, and for a few moments, it wasn't clear whether Robinson could play again." On the second play of the second half, Robinson threw a 70-yard touchdown pass to Junior Hemingway, the longest of his career, to give Michigan a 28-21 lead. On Michigan's next drive, Robinson aggravated the knee injury sustained the prior week against Bowling Green and came out of the game for the remainder of the drive. He returned to the game and led Michigan on a game-winning, 65-yard touchdown drive in the final minute of the game. With 21 seconds remaining, Robinson completed a 32-yard pass to the 4-yard line. On the next play, Robinson scored on a 4-yard touchdown run with 17 seconds remaining.

After the Indiana game, Dari Nowkhah wrote in ESPN's "Heisman Watch" column that Robinson was "running away with the Heisman Trophy" and compared him to 1988 Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders:

"We haven't seen this type of college football playmaker since ... Barry Sanders? I'm not saying Robinson reminds me of Sanders. (How could a quarterback remind me of a running back?) But there is a shocking resemblance between the diminutive playmakers in their speed, elusiveness and quickness. So is the effect the two have on my sense of what is right and wrong. Being that dominant on a football field somehow feels wrong. It's unfair." He was also limited to 86 rushing yards on 21 carries. Despite a "lackluster" performance against the Spartans, Sports Illustrated selected Robinson for its "Halfway Heisman" following the Michigan State game. Robinson and substitute Tate Forcier combined to break Michigan's all-time, single-game record with 419 passing yards, surpassing the prior record of 396 yards by Tom Brady and Drew Henson against Michigan State in 1999. As post-game media attention focused on the anticipated firing of head coach Rich Rodriguez, Robinson was asked if he would play for Michigan if Rodriguez was not the coach. Robinson said, "No response." Asked how he would feel if Rodriguez did not return, Robinson said, "That's my coach, that's who recruited me. That's it."||Total offense |- align="center" bgcolor="" | 1||Denard Robinson||2010||Notre Dame||244||258||502 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | 2||Denard Robinson||2010||Indiana||277 ||217 ||494 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | 3||Denard Robinson||2010||Connecticut||186||197||383 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | 4||Denard Robinson||2010||Penn State||190||191||381 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | 5||John Navarre||2003||Iowa||389||(21)||368 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | 6||Denard Robinson||2010||Illinois||305 ||62 ||367 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | 7||Denard Robinson||2010||Wisconsin||239 ||121 ||360 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | 8||Scott Dreisbach||1995||Virginia||372||(14)||358 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | 9||John Navarre||2003||Minnesota||353||3||356 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | 10||Tom Brady||1999||Alabama||369||(16)||353 |- align="center" bgcolor="" |}

Single season

Michigan's top five single-season performances in total offense are set forth below. {|class="wikitable" width="90%" |- align="center" style="background:yellow;color:blue;" | Rank||Player||Year||Passing yards||Rushing yards||Total offense |- align="center" bgcolor="" | 1||Denard Robinson||2010||2570||1702||4272 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | 2||John Navarre||2003||3331||(91)||3240 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | 3||John Navarre||2002||2905||(16)||2889 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | 4||Jim Harbaugh||1986||2729||118||2847 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | 5||Chad Henne||2004||2743||(137)||2606 |}

See also

Lists of Michigan Wolverines football statistical leaders

Notes

References

External links

Robinson at ESPN.com

Robinson at CBS Sports

Robinson at NCAA.org

Robinson at University of Michigan

Robinson high school track profile

Category:1990 births Category:Living people Category:American football quarterbacks Category:American sprinters Category:Michigan Wolverines football players Category:Michigan Wolverines track and field athletes Category:People from Broward County, Florida Category:Players of American football from Florida

Name	Bill Burr
Birth date	June 10, 1968
Birth place	Canton, Massachusetts U.S.
Medium	Stand-up
Nationality	United States
Active	May 1992 – present |
Genre	Cringe humor, black comedy, satire, observational comedy
Subject	Dating, human sexuality, race relations, political correctness, professional sports
Influences	George Carlin, Bill Hicks, Louis C.K., Dave Chapelle
Website	billburr.com

William "Bill" Burr (born June 10, 1968) is an American stand-up comedian.

Life and career

Burr was born in Canton, Massachusetts. His father was a dentist, and Bill worked as a hygienist for a short time. He began stand-up at age 23 after attending Emerson College. In 1995, he moved to New York City and lived there for eight months. He then moved to Los Angeles, California, where he worked on a number of film and television projects. He returned to New York in 1999 and moved back to Los Angeles in 2008, where he currently resides.

He performs over three hundred shows annually, had two movies released in 2006, and has performed on The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. In early 2004, he appeared in two episodes of Chappelle's Show, and in September 2005, his HBO One Night Stand special aired. Along with many other projects, Burr has also been a guest comedian on the Bob and Tom Show as well as on the Opie and Anthony Show on XM Satellite Radio, sometimes sitting in when third member Jim Norton is away. He has also performed on the Comedy Central Presents show.

On December 16, 2006, Burr hosted a three-hour radio show on Opie and Anthony's XM radio channel program The Virus (channel 202) titled "Uninformed with Bill Burr & Joe DeRosa" from 9pm-12am. The second Uninformed show aired February 10, 2007 from 9pm-12am, and the show has continued to run on an irregular schedule about once a month. Since Burr's move to Los Angeles, it has primarily been a pre-taped show, rather than live. The show's collection of free podcasts can be found at http://www.uninformedradio.com/

In September 2007, Burr signed with Colorado independent label What Are Records?. His debut album Emotionally Unavailable: Expanded Edition was released October 16, 2007. Emotionally Unavailable carries content previously available only in Burr’s stand-up shows. It features a completely unedited set with Burr covering topics from rednecks to inadvertent racism to relationship books to crazy people on the subway. The Expanded Edition augments that album with previously unreleased highlights from a different tour - the Houston stop of the I’m Rich Biatch Tour which Bill co-headlined with Chappelle's Show cast mates Charlie Murphy and Donnell Rawlings. Much of the material from this tour later turned up on Burr’s HBO stand-up special.

As with other comics associated with The Opie & Anthony Show, in 2008, Burr's voice was featured in the game Grand Theft Auto IV. In the game, Bill plays of the biker gang the List of gangs in the Grand Theft Auto series#The Lost MC in the mission "No Love Lost". In 2009, he reprized his role in the game's expansion pack . He is a Boston Bruins fan and periodically blogs for NHL.com.

Burr admitted on Chris Hardwick Nerdist Podcast that he is afraid of the ocean.

Burr has a new special scheduled to air called "Let It Go," which he announced on his podcast on September 28, 2009.

Burr is referred to by several in the industry as the "Comedian's Comedian". This was confirmed on the Jason Ellis show Dec 2010.

Burr's brother, Robert, is a selectman from Canton, Massachusetts and was briefly a candidate to fill the Massachusetts' vacant seat in the United States Senate after the death of Ted Kennedy in 2009.

He appeared in the movie "Date Night" as Detective Walsh.

Bill Burr's Monday Morning Podcast

Since May 2007, Bill Burr has recorded a weekly 1 hour podcast. In his podcast, which is usually uploaded Monday Mornings, Bill rants and rambles with cynical insights into the world of comedy, sports, relationships, religion, politics, customer service, and conspiracy theories. The podcast can be found at http://www.billburr.com/podcast/

Burr regularly answers fans' questions on his podcasts. On a September 2008 podcast, replying to an email, Burr estimated that if he were trapped in a gym full of unarmed 6 year olds he could kill 11 of them before they overtook him.

Burr also appears as a guest on other comedians' podcasts, such as Adam Carolla's podcast (June 16, 2010), The Joe Rogan Experience (June 16, 2010), WTF with Marc Maron (January 11, 2010), and Chris Hardwick's Nerdist podcast (June 29, 2010), where Burr wondered if anyone in the podcast audience was putting trivia about him on wikipedia based on what he said, specifically whether people know he's terrified of the ocean because of the movie Jaws. Burr was also the very first guest on the Tom Green podcast.

Discography

Emotionally Unavailable: Expanded Edition (2007)

Bill Burr: Why Do I Do This? (2008)

Bill Burr: Let It Go (2010)

References

External links

Official website

Uninformed Official Page on MySpace

Burr's home on What Are Records?

YouTube">Amateur video of the infamous Philadelphia rant on YouTube

Category:1968 births Category:American comedians Category:American stand-up comedians Category:Emerson College alumni Category:Living people Category:People from Norfolk County, Massachusetts

Name	Bill Bellamy
Birth name	William Bellamy
Birth date	April 07, 1965
Birth place	Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation	Actor, Comedian, VJ
Years active	1985 – present
Spouse	Kristen Baker(2001 – present)
Website	http://www.billbellamy.com/home.asp

William "Bill" Bellamy (born April 7, 1965) is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He currently resides in California. Bellamy first gained national notoriety on HBO's Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam, where he is credited for creating or uttering before a televised audience, the phrase "booty call", described as a late night call to a potential paramour with the intention of meeting strictly for sex.

For many years, Bellamy was a staple on MTV, being a VJ and the host of several MTV programs including MTV Jamz and MTV Beach House. He went on to star in a number of movies, including Fled, Love Jones, The Brothers, How to Be a Player, Getting Played and Any Given Sunday. He also appeared on two episodes of the TV show Kenan and Kel. He was the voice of Skeeter on the Nickelodeon television show Cousin Skeeter.

In 2002, Bill Bellamy was given a co-starring role in the Fox Network television show Fastlane alongside Peter Facinelli and Tiffani Thiessen.

Bellamy is the current host and executive producer of Bill Bellamy's Who's Got Jokes? on TV One. The show is in its fourth season.

Bellamy is also the cousin of basketball player Shaquille O'Neal.

Bellamy has also provided voice acting to Marcus Hill, a playable character in the 2005 updated version of the NARC video game.

According to the Whitest Kids U' Know sketch, "The God Says Song,' killing Bill Bellamy is the only passage to heaven.

References

External links

Official Bill Bellamy Web Site

Category:1965 births Category:Living people Category:African American actors Category:American comedians Category:American television actors Category:VJs (media personalities) Category:People from Newark, New Jersey Category:Actors from New Jersey Category:Rutgers University alumni

Arthur Willard Pryor (September 22, 1870 – June 18, 1942) was a trombone virtuoso, bandleader, and soloist with the Sousa Band. In later life, he was an American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who served on the Monmouth County, New Jersey Board of Chosen Freeholders during the 1930s.

Pryor was born on the second floor of the Lyceum Theater in Saint Joseph, Missouri. He first took up music at a very young age and was playing the valve trombone by age 11. By age 15 he had mastered the slide trombone and was awarded a spot in his father's band. He was hailed as a prodigy after this. Shifted to another band, Pryor went on to direct the Stanley Opera Company in Denver, Colorado until joining the John Philip Sousa Band in 1892. He played his first solo with the Sousa Band at age 22 during the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. During his 12 years with the Sousa Band, Pryor estimated that he played 10,000 solos. From 1895 to 1903 Pryor was assistant conductor of the Sousa Band. After leaving the Sousa Band, he formed his own band, which made its debut at the Majestic Theatre in New York City on November 15, 1903. The Pryor Band toured until 1909, when he decided to settle down and make Asbury Park, New Jersey the home of the band. Also at this time he became a staff conductor and arranger for the Victor Talking Machine Company in Camden, New Jersey.

He set to work on an opera titled Peter and Paul, with a libretto by L. Frank Baum, though the whereabouts of libretto or score are unknown. It was intended to star Fred Stone and David Montgomery in several roles in several time periods.

He retired from full-time conducting in 1933. On November 7 of that year, he and Henry W. Herbert were elected to the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders, defeating Director Bryant B. Newcomb and his running mate, Arthur Johnson. Pryor and Herbert would each serve one, three year term in office. They were defeated by Republicans J. Russell Woolley and Edgar O. Murphy.

During his career, Pryor wrote some of the today's most famous trombone literature, including the heralded "Bluebells of Scotland", as well as band novelty works such as "The Whistler and His Dog", with its piccolo solo. Much of this literature has been recorded by Ian Bousfield on his CD "Pryor Engagement" (Doyen DOY CD212).

Media

References

External links

Recordings from the 19th Century includes a solo by Pryor recorded in 1897

Dillon's Music Own Arthur Pryor's Trombone

The Asbury Park Boardwalk Past, Present and Future

Arthur Pryor: Ragtime Pioneer explains how Arthur Pryor introduced syncopation to military marches and became a proponent of Ragtime music.

MIDI sequences of piano transcriptions of 15 compositions by Arthur Pryor with links to free online sheet music and old recordings

Discography of Arthur Pryor on Victor Records from the Encyclopedic Discography of Victor Recordings (EDVR)

Category:1870 births Category:1942 deaths Category:People from St. Joseph, Missouri Category:American bandleaders Category:Bandleaders Category:American classical trombonists Category:RCA Victor artists Category:New Jersey County Freeholders Category:New Jersey Democrats Category:Pioneer recording artists