Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 14 November 2003 — Page 19

Comics • Super Crossword • People & Trends

BOOKMARK Author Eric Dickey continues to create great tales in new book

ERIC JEROME DICKEY

NAUdHJY '—CR $ M nice By ERICKA P. THOMPSON Staff Writer If I were one of the McBroom sisters in Erie Jerome Dickey’s new novel, Naughty nr Nice, I would be naughty. Every chapter in the book is told in first person by either Frankie, Liwy orTommie, and in every situation they are in, whether it's a love triangle, a blind date or their first sexual experience with a woman, they have to decide to be naughty or nice. Most times it’s naughty and they have a great time being naughty* Frankie is the Eric Jerome eldest sister and Dickey throughout the book she is Internet dating. She is divorced after receivinga Polaroid in the mail of her husband naked in bed with another woman. The first date she goes on is with a guy who sends her a photo that looks like Denzel on Oscar night. He turns out to be a “gaptoothed, nappy headed, Buddahbelly brother in a fire-red suit and polka dot bow tie" and the rest of her Internet dates do not get much better. Livvy has a cheating husband who also might have fathered a child. Throughout the book she and her husband Tony are awaiting the results of a paternity test and in the meanwhile, she starts a very heavy and sexual affair of her own. While surfing the Internet, she clicks on an ad that reads, “are you a woman betrayed?" The sender says he has been betrayed by his wife and is looking for a woman who has been betrayed also. After several on-line conversations the two meet in San Diego. Instead of sharing their real names they keep their Internet names, I.iwy is Bird and the man betrayed is Carpe and then begins the escapade. Tommie is the youngest of the sisters at 2.T She works at Pier 1 and pays little rent at her apartment because Frankie is her landlord. Across the way in another apartment is Blue, a .'IK-year-old single father offi-yoar-old Monica who h.is occasional“baby momma drama” issues. Although Tommie is feeling Blue and wants him in the worst way, Blue has concerns of their age difference and the fact that the little money that they both make together would still be little money. Reading about the lives of the McBroom sisters is such an excitable, hilarious and unforgettable journeythat I finished in twodays. Dickey has such a gift in ereating stories that trap readers in the i lives of make believe people that } sometimes you forget w hat is real and what is not. NaughtyttrNiivhti bookstores ^ Oet. 27and will beon t he New Y<>rk Times Best Sellers list Nov 1(». I recommend t his nou l to any ! one who wants an enjoyable and easy read, and especially to some- ■ one w ho would rather be naughty ! than nice.

Popular news anchor and brother promote strong families

By SHANNON WILLIAMS Recorder Editor It’ll be a family affair Saturday as Fox r»‘) news anchor Cheryl Adams and her brother, comedian Samuel, share the stage for a fund raiser benefiting Family Service. For nearly 17 r > years, Family Service has been helping families during times of crisis, change, and growth. All proceeds from “Stand Up for Families," the organization’s largest fund-raising event of the year will go towards uplifting families in Indiana. “Many of (these) families are in the African-American community,"explained Adams, who is also the vice president of the board. “They just need help being good parents, providing for their children, reaching goals, (and) keeping the family unit intact. I really think that a fund raiser like this goes a long way in accomplishing those goals." “Stand Up for Families" will be the first time that Cheryl and her brother will appear on the same stage together and Samuel promises to spill the beans on some interesting things about Cheryl. “I’m not coming all the way from Denver to tell nice stories," he said through laughs.

"You guys are going to look at Cheryl a whole lot differently when you watch her delivering the new s i in television. (Fixim m>w on) when you see her on the screen, you’re just going to giggle.' The youngest two of four children, Cheryl says she and Samuel "He knows more about me than a lot of people, so I should be very afraid of what he's going to say." - Cheryl Adams, on her brother Samuel being the featured comedian at Saturday's fund raiser. had a pretty normal relationship while growing up. “It was a typical brother-sister relationship, especially with me being the little sister. He made fun of me, tortured me whenever possible, but as I’ve gotten older we’ve gr< iwn really eh >se and w e ve been through a lot." Samuel, w ho is a sports writer by day and a comic by night, is often applauded for refraining from profanity and sexual .references during his comedy acts. "I’m not the first comedian to

perform without cussing,” explained Samuel. "But I alw ays tell people the reason I do is because I do (every act) as if my mother is sitting in front of the stage." When asked exactly how long it takes him to develop material for his show s, Samuel quickly replied. "Forever. It's an on-going thing. I keep a small w allet-sized notepad in my pocket (because) throughout the course of a day, you see funny stuff that amuses you." East year's “Stand Up for Families" raised SHo.OOO, and the organization hopes this event will he ev en more successf ul. Cheryl looks forward to participants ofthe event to leave with a special message. "I hope that they will leave having an even stronger appreciation for their families than they already have. That they can really strive to spend more time with their families, to appreciate people in their family and keep that message going throughout the year.” For questions about “Standing Up tor Families,"call (.'it7) d:)4"Stand Up for Families" will be at the Union Federal Football Center, Nov. 15 beginning at 6:30 p.m.

FOX 59 anchor Cheryl Adams and her brother Samuel are shown filming a public service announcement for "Standing Up for Families" an upcoming fund raiser benefiting Family Service. (Photo/J. Hurst)

‘Hoosier Renaissance' on display at Legacy Theater

Gary Emerson graduate James Dillon plays “Candy" Jim Taylor, “The sweetest name in colored baseball" during the Legacy Theater's, “The Hoosier Renaissance" exhibit. Dillon tells the story of the former player and manager for the Indianapolis ABCs in a short monologue. (Photo/J. Cohen)

By JOSHUA COHEN Staff Writer The Indiana State Museum's Legacy Theater presents a new exhibit, "The Hoosier Renaissance," that highlights the "new Negro movement" in Indiana during the 1920s and '.'JOs. The exhibit includes social, political and artisticcontributions of African-American Hoosicrs made during the movement. In addition to the displays, there are four small monologues, written by the theater manager Shari Lynn I limes. The monologues are five-minute pieces based on historieal. events from that time. "The play and exhibits illustrate the diverse Black communities in the North during this era,” said Himes. "Encouraged by the Black press, African Americans moved from the South to the North to better themselves socially, economically and politically.” These perlbrmanees highlight

the historical tour and bring the exhibit to life, making it more interesting and interactive for viewers. The four actors masterfully recreate their characters and pull you into the time period where even though Blacks had freedom to strive for their dreams, there was always a constant reminder there that whites were going to make it as hard as they could. There w as the story of young Dora Jean Waters, played by Elise Le Brim, who moved from a small, Ku Klux Khin-tilled city in Kentucky to I ndianapolis just like her mother had always dreamed, but only after the Klan killed her father. James Dillon, a graduate of U.arv's Emerson School for Visual and Performing Arts, portrayed “Candy” Jim Taylor, a real person who played and coached in the Negn»I -c agues f< >r the I ndianapolis ABCs. Taylor tells about the freedom that playing baseball ► See LEGACY, Page C4

HOLIDAY FILM PREVIEW Family flicks dominale seasonal offerings

By KAM WILLIAMS For The Recorder Whether naughty (“Bad Santa’’) or nice (“Ell”), the predominate theme of this year’s batch (»l holiday films is familyoriented fun. From Disney's "Daunted Mansion" and "Young Black Stallion" to "Dr. Scuss The Cat in the Hat" to remakes of "Cheaper by the Dozen," "Peter Pan ” and "Can't Buy Me Love" (retitled "Love Don’t Cost a Thing”) to sequels "Lord of the Rings ,'f to the Farrelly Brothers' "Stuck on You," every weekend this holiday season will feature the release of another lliek for kids from 5 to IO.Y However, the more discerning moviegoer certainly will notice that 1 Veember isalsow hen thestuiliosstart to position their most prized pies for Acadcmv Award attention. For in order to be eonsidered lor a nomination. a film must have been made available to the public in one commercial theater for a week some lime during 200,'T Since the academy has a notoriously short attention span, most ofthe ()scar hopefuls will make hricfqunlilying runs, onlv to disappear until their wellpublicized true release dates ar-

Eddie Murphy riv e in January or early February. Associated with this batch of artsy offerings are plenty of past w inners, perennial also-rans and emerging stars of tomorrow. The good new s is that there are treats galore in store for all this giving season, w hether you're the cerebral tvpe interested in assessing vv ho deserves all the accolades or the simple sort who just expects

to sit back and be entertained. November “Bad Santa" (R for violence, pervasive profanitv and strong sexual content). Irreverent holiday lliek vv ith Billy Bob Thornton and Tony Cox as eon men dis guised as St. Nick and an elf re ► See PREVIEW, Page C5

IN THE ART SCENE

Maryum “May May" All, a daughter of boxing great Muhammad Ali, visited X-Pression Bookstore last week to discuss her new book “I Shook Up the World," a new children’s biography about her father. She is shown with one of the paintings that were displayed at the event. (Photo/C. Guynn)