It was a shock to all of us who knew him, and made an appointment to watch him every week. As the word spread that “Soul Train” legend Don Cornelius, apparently took his own life, Twitter was ablaze with in a stream of condolences that continued Thursday. CNN.com has the feature story.

Books

Good news for Kadir Nelson, author of “Heart and Soul.”  According to CNN.com, The American Library Association announced Monday that the book won the Coretta Scott King Book Award in the author category.  It is also an honor winner in the illustrator category. Last week, it was announced the book is a nominee for an NAACP Image […]

Los Angeles (CNN) — Famed actress Elizabeth Taylor has shown “steady improvement” since she was taken to a Los Angeles hospital last week for treatment of a heart problem, her representative said. Taylor, 78, has been “comfortable over the past few days,” according to a statement released Tuesday afternoon. She checked into Cedars-Sinai Medical Center […]

(CNN) — A federal appeals court has denied actor Wesley Snipes’ claim that his three-year prison sentence for tax evasion was “unreasonable.”

Music

          North Hollywood, California — Herbie Hancock has forgotten his glasses at home in Beverly Hills, and is waiting for his publicist to bring them to his rehearsal studio. “I had surgery and I don’t really need them,” he confides. “But nobody recognizes me without them.” The legendary jazz pianist was […]

          Mental Floss) — In honor of Father’s Day, let’s take a look at some dads who gave famous people a giant gift: their names. You know Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Ken Griffey Sr., but here are some lesser-known seniors behind a slew of celebrity juniors. 1. Martin Luther King Sr. […]

          STORY HIGHLIGHTS Judge denies request to ban Murray from practicing medicine Murray was Michael Jackson’s doctor when he died California Medical Board asked for restriction Previous judge banned Murray from using anesthesia RELATED TOPICS Conrad Murray Michael Jackson Crime Los Angeles, California (CNN) — A Los Angeles, California, judge refused […]

          Hold on a second while I put on my sunglasses. [Pause.] Okay, here we go. Now, I’m just going to hold this little device up to your eyes, and you’re going to see a tiny flash. And then you know what’s going to happen? You’re going to forget that “Men […]