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Hudson family holds service, Jessica Simpson's pal runs into the paparazzi, Winehouse in and out of hospitals
Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Have you voted yet?

Well, while you stand in line at the polls, check out this special election edition of the GBB.




Jennifer Hudson and her sister, Julia, held a private memorial service for their mother, Darnell Donerson, brother Jason Hudson and Julia's son Julian yesterday in Chicago.

On Sunday, the public got a chance to share their grief and memories of the three slain family members at the Pleasant Gift Missionary Baptist Church.

One cousin called Jennifer's mother a "joyous woman who grew up on the South Side loving God and the Supremes," reports the Chicago Tribune.

Her cousin Shari Sweat told those gathered that Donerson had voted just before she was fatally shot, reports the New York Daily News. Sweat said, "Doll refused to be left out of this historical moment in this nation, and before she left these shores she cast her vote."

Some of Julian's young cousins sang "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." His second-grade teacher, Carmen Williams, called him a good student with an infectious sense of humor. She also read some letters from some of his classmates.

"Julian was smart," one student wrote. "I'm sorry he didn't get to be president of the United States."

While the service was only open to family members and friends closely connected to the family, hundreds of other folks lined up outside the church after the service to pay their respects.

Jennifer and her sister have started the Hudson-King Foundation for Families of Slain Victims and ask that donations be made in lieu of flowers.

Please, continue to send your prayers out to the Hudson family.




Sounds as if Jessica Simpson pal and hairstylist Ken Paves needed a little intervention himself.

Boyfriend's face got a little too close to a paparazzo's camera and the blood came streaming down.

Ken was trying to help Jess through a sea of paparazzi after they left a restaurant. Now that kind of scene makes no sense at all.

Anyway, Mr. Paves, despite his injuries, managed to get Ms. Simpson into their waiting vehicles and went to a nearby hospital.




The phenomenal Suzanne de Passe received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Savannah Film Festival.

As some of you know, Suzanne started her career at Motown as a creative assistant to Mr. Berry Gordy, and girlfriend has never looked back.

She became president of Motown Productions and later formed Gordy/dePasse Productions before she started her own thing in 1992. She has two Emmys, six NAACP Image Awards, three Peabody Awards, a Golden Globe and a partridge in a pear tree.

Just kidding about that last one.

"I've had the most wonderful, delicious career," she said. "It's been hard, ridiculous, taxing, invigorating, depressing and a heady mix. I don't feel like my Lifetime Achievement Award is a measure of what I've done but an encouragement and blessing to go on."

Girl, that's just how we feel. Not that we've done anything near what Ms. de Passe has done, but we can definitely relate to that "hard, ridiculous and taxing" part.




Amy Winehouse left the hospital Friday but by yesterday was back in the London clinic where she had been treated last week for a chest infection.

This child needs help, and we truly hope she heeds her doctor's warnings before it's too late.

A source told People that the 25-year-old singer has been told to quit smoking, and she's making an effort.




We know you're picking a president today, but if you had to take one of these fine gentlemen to the movies, which one would it be?

Well, moviegoers who were polled via text selected Sen. Barack Obama, 83 percent to 17 percent for Sen. John McCain.

The survey, conducted by mobile Web site 43Kix.com, was sent via text message to 35,000 moviegoers from all over the nation.

We just wanna know, was Morgan Freeman an option? 'Cause we really like him as president.

Monica Haynes can be reached at mhaynes@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1660.
First published on November 4, 2008 at 12:00 am
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