Conversations Of A Sistah

Robert Champion (pictured above), was severely beaten in a hazing incident which took place Nov. 19, 2011. A ritual that’s rampant in the Florida A&M University marching band. Champion was vying to be lead drum major and wanted the respect he could earn by enduring a brutal ritual known as “crossing over.”

The 26-year-old was found unresponsive on board a chartered bus parked outside an Orlando hotel after the school’s football team lost to rival Bethune-Cookman college.

Investigators believe Champion was punched and pummeled repeatedly on board the bus by other band members in a hazing incident gone horribly wrong. Witnesses told emergency dispatchers that Champion vomited and struggled to breathe before he collapsed. Champion had bruises to his chest, arms, shoulder and back and internal bleeding that caused him to go into shock, which killed him.

Immediately after the hazing, Champion complained of thirst (due to loss of blood internally) and fatigue, then loss of vision and signs of shock, the report said.

Champion’s death is the latest in a history of injurious hazing incidents at the historically black college. In 2001, Florida A&M University band member Marcus Parker suffered kidney damage after being beaten with a paddle “around 300 times,” investigators reported.

And three weeks before Champion’s death on Nov. 19, a female band member’s thigh bone was broken when she was severely beaten. Three male band members were arrested in that incident.

Champion’s parents, Robert and Pam Champion, Sr. (pictured below), have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Florida A&M University’s board of directors, which the family says has covered up a “culture of hazing” at the school for many years.

Thirteen band members have been charged with causing Champion’s death on Nov. 19. Eleven defendants face a count of third-degree felony hazing, and two others have been charged with misdemeanors. The team has been suspended at least until next year, and its director resigned earlier this month.

Dearly Departed, Slow news day, What she said, Whitney Houston

There is Something ‘Very Off’ About Bobbi Kristina Brown!

May 21, 2012May 23, 2012 The ReadyWriter

It was an emotional night for Bobbi Kristina Brown at Sunday’s Billboard Awards I’m sure, but this girl look a mess!!!!!

The only daughter of the late Whitney Houston broke down in tears during the musical tribute to her mother and fought back emotions as she accepted the Millennium Award on her mother’s behalf but what in the…was she wearing? Her hair is disheveled, her bra is showing and she look half high, she’s supposedly 19 years old but the girl look like she’s aged some years since her mother’s death. Bobbi Kristina just don’t look wholesome.

The tribute was underwhelming according to feedback on Twitter.com last night. Despite the pre-show hype indicating that Bobbi Kristina, a budding entertainer, would sing — she didn’t.

Bobbi Kristina shed tears during Jordin Sparks’ stirring performance of “I Will Always Love You.” Afterwards, Bobbi Kristina took to the stage with her aunt, Pat Houston and said:“I’m just blessed to have been in such an incredible woman’s life,” , her statement sounded very distant, almost like Whitney was a friend to her instead of her mother.

I hope the best for Whitney’s daughter because she seems incredibly vulnerable at this time in her life.

Celebrity, Celebrity Mess, Down Low, Drama, Scandal, What he said

Meet John Travolta’s Accuser, John Doe #2

May 20, 2012 The ReadyWriter

His name is John Truesdale, he is 40 and he works as a masseur at the upscale Mandarin Oriental spa.

The 250-pound certified black belt tells the Daily News that 58-year-old Travolta “sexually accosted him in a hotel suite on the 15th floor in January. At that time the swanky hotel was called the Mansion on Peachtree.”

In an exclusive video that was posted to YouTube by Mr. X (the video has since been made private), Truesdale’s former co-worker, explains how an anxious Truesdale came running downstairs following his 15-minute encounter with Travolta.

“I can’t do this!” he quoted a flabbergasted Truesdale as saying at the time.

Moments later, Travolta came downstairs and ordered the masseur to return to his room. But Truesdale refused, according to the former co-worker.

Truesdale, who is now represented by Gloria Allred, filed a $2 million lawsuit against Travolta on May 8.

In court documents, Truesdale describes in graphic detail how Travolta manipulated his genitals — and how the actor, who was sexually aroused, started to “hump” the massage table in his suite at the hotel.

By that time Truesdale had enough of Travolta, who he accused of “spreading his butt cheeks,” and asking the former high school football player to pay particular attention to his butt muscles during the massage.

Travolta has vigorously denied the charges from Truesdale and his first accuser who has since dropped his lawsuit in California. Travolta’s lawyer, Marty Singer, calls the lawsuits “baseless” and a bunch of lies.

But other masseurs have come out of the woodwork with their own tales of sexual misconduct involving the former ‘Grease’ star.

According to the NY Post, Vikki Lizzi, the former fiancée of late actor Jeff Conaway, who co-starred with Travolta in ‘Grease,’ has come forward to reveal a shocking detail that Conaway wrote in a suicide note he left after an unsuccessful suicide attempt in 2006.

Conaway, who died at age 60 last May 2011 of complications from pneumonia, allegedly wrote that he awoke one morning to find Travolta, who was a guest in his home, giving him unsolicited oral sex. The bizarre episode ended Conaway and Travolta’s long friendship.

Marvin Winans Beaten, Robbed & Carjacked in Detroit

May 17, 2012May 17, 2012 The ReadyWriter

Pastor Marvin Winans, who just this past Sunday instructed his congregation not to vote for President Obama in the next election because of his stance on same-sex marriage, was carjacked at a gas station yesterday afternoon on the west side of Detroit.

Winans was not only carjacked for his $72 thousand QX56 SUV but he was robbed of his cash, 40k thousand dollar Presidential Rolex watch, plus the thieves rolled off with his pants. That’s right, they tore his pants off!!!

Winans is pastor of a five thousand plus member mega-church in Detroit, MI and eldest brother of gospel sensation BeBe and CeCee Winans. He also starred in Tyler Perry’s movie “I can Do Bad All By Myself”.

Thankfully Pastor Winans was not seriously hurt.

Celebrity Deaths, Celebrity news, Dearly Departed

Disco Legend Donna Summer Passed Away

May 17, 2012 The ReadyWriter

TMZ is reporting the 63-year-old singer passed away in Florida this morning after a battle with cancer.

Donna Summer was a 5-time Grammy winner who shot to superstardom in the ’70s with iconic hits like “Last Dance,” “Hot Stuff” and “Bad Girls.”

Sources close to Summer tells TMZ … the singer was trying to keep the extent of her illness under wraps. TMZ is also reporting how they spoke to someone who was with Summer a couple of weeks ago … who says she didn’t seem too bad.

The singing legend was reportedly working on the completion of a new album.

Summers is survived by two daughters.

Source

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