THE FACTS
Danny Glover discussed problems he faced finding financiers for a film based on the life of Haitian independence hero, Francois Dominique Toussaint-Louverture.

THE SPIN
Danny Glover has been hard at work on Toussaint, a film based on the life of Francois Dominique Toussaint Louverture – a former slave and one of the most prominent figures associated with Haiti’s independence from France in 1804.

Shooting is set to begin in Venezuela early next year with cast members including Don Cheadle, Mos Def, Wesley Snipes and Angela Bassett.

Although the idea on the topic has floated for decades, Glover recently revealed trouble raising the 18 to 30 million dollars needed to finance the project.

Speaking at a seminar in Paris on the film, Glover said: “Producers said ‘It’s a nice project, a great project . . . where are the White heroes? I couldn’t get the money here, I couldn’t get the money in Britain. I went to everybody. You wouldn’t believe the number of producers based in Europe, and in the States, that I went to. The first question you get, is ‘Is it a Black film?’ All of them agree, it’s not going to do good in Europe, it’s not going to do good in Japan.”

Glover was finally able to secure the funds from a Venezuelan cultural body set up in 2006 by his friend President Hugo Chavez to counter what he termed “the Hollywood film dictatorship.” Venezuelan filmmakers initially slammed the investment last year, but Glover is a longtime supporter of Chavez.

The actor-turned-director says he hopes the film can disprove the notion that “Black films” cannot be successful.

Your Spin: Is Hollywood racist?  Tell us here.

Images courtesy of streetknowledge.files.wordpress.

(*The views contained herein are solely the views of their respective authors, and do not express the views of TV One.  TV One does not take responsibility for their content.)

THE FACTS
Jay-Z has urged voters to look beyond race when choosing a candidate in this year’s presidential election.

THE SPIN
Jay-Z argues that you shouldn’t vote for Barack Obama solely because he’s black. Though Jay-Z has championed Obama’s historic campaign, he says he wants people to vote for the right reasons. Contact Music quotes the rapper saying, “If [he] loses I really will feel sorry and sad for the state of America. The world is watching. And the world will judge us on that.”

Jay added: “And I’m not voting for him simply because he’s Black. The worst thing ever for Black people would be to put someone in who wasn’t capable. [But] what he represents to a little kid in Marcy Projects right now is to make him feel like he’s part of America. We never felt like we were part of the American dream.”

Very well put. If I could add my two cents, let me just say you shouldn’t vote for John McCain just because he’s not the Black candidate. There are so many other good reasons not to vote for him. Like ageism, or a personal bias against Republicans or anyone that hugs people with the last name Bush in public. I don’t know, I’m just saying.

Your Spin: Should Blacks vote for Obama because he’s Black?  Tell us here.

Images courtesy of murotimate.com.

(*The views contained herein are solely the views of their respective authors, and do not express the views of TV One.  TV One does not take responsibility for their content.)

THE FACTS
According to Life & Style magazine, Mariah Carey thinks her new husband Nick Cannon is capable of much greater fame.

THE SPIN
It’s funny that a woman who only returned to the general public’s good graces only three years ago is trying to mold someone else into a bigger star. Life & Style magazine reports that Mariah Carey is hard at work trying to mold Nick Cannon into an even bigger star. According to a source, “She wants him to start modeling. She wants him to start meeting with well-known designers.”

Instead of telling Mariah Carey to go worry about her own flailing album, he’s reportedly OK with his wife molding him in her image. A source says, “He’s not upset; he thinks it’s a great idea. He knows Mariah wants him to become more famous.”

Earlier in the decade Mariah Carey became the victim of the very overbearing media attention she salivated over…yet she wants to do the same thing to her husband. I’m not Nick Cannon’s biggest fan (well not musically anyway) but he’s been quietly successful for several years now – owning his own shows and running a very successful production company. But Mimi won’t be satisfied until he’s running off in her draws and taking her on trips to Disneyland and the Hello Kitty store. I guess fame is everything when you’re “eternally twelve.”

Your Spin: Is Mariah going to pimp out Nick?  Tell us here.

Images courtesy of hollywoodgrind.com.

(*The views contained herein are solely the views of their respective authors, and do not express the views of TV One.  TV One does not take responsibility for their content.)