The Extraordinary League of Endangered Baby Names

With Jezebel covering the gamut of regrettable baby names, we thought it was apropos to list a few ourselves.
Call it, "The List of Once Popular Baby Names That Have Become All But Extinct."
Let's roll out the cute rascals, shall we?

Boys:

1. LeRoy - Why assign your child to plumber status before he can even talk? (Hey, nothing wrong with plumbers *flush*)

2. Dudley -- Dudley was popular with the rise of British actor Dudley Moore. It fell flat with the decline of British actor Dudley Moore.

3. Gus - Short for Gustav, this Old World name has been with us since people were being impaled outside of castles. I think Gus, along with Ivan, was the one doing the impaling.

4. Cleetus -- This name is like a mythical creature you've never seen but often heard of. 'Cleetus' is goofy, but faithful -- like your uncle.

5. Bovine -- I'll be honest, i don't know anybody named Bovine, but the name just struck me as awfully funny (actually just awful).
And other names to avoid:
6. Elvis -- Yes, this used to be a hugely popular name, during the era of "the Kang".
7. Alphonso -- Oh, if this name used to be safe, but got attached to some interesting characters.
8. Bartholomew -- One of those Bible names -- *repeats for emphasis* -- One of those Bible names.
9. Eugene  - Poor gene, imagery of a bespectacled nerd with big teeth doomed Eugene from the start.
10. Biff -- There are no black guys named Biff (Google search). Never was. Never will be. Sadly, no more white guys either.


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Pre-Father's Day: Ware = Big Daddy

DeMarcus Ware, fearsome defensive lineman for the Dallas Cowboys, is a big softie at heart, when he's not attacking opposing quarterbacks.
As that special day that causes you to think about your father looms ahead, it's also evident that Ware was apparently ahead of the curve.
Huh, what's that? What curve, you ask?
The one where hulking football players adopt infants, you know, similar to Angelina Jolie, Madonna and Sandra Bullock.
Only Ware did it first (well, Brangelina did, but who cares). Ware's wife Taniqua suffered three soul-numbing miscarriages before adopting Marley in 2008.
One of the babies was named Omar. Ware said at the time, “I feel Omar out there with me [during games], watching over me and protecting me. Sometimes, when I’m tired on the field, and I feel like I can’t go anymore, I just think, what if he had one more breath? What if all three did?”
That kind of stuff is why the Dallas Cowboys will always be America's Team.
Mr. D-Ware, Popwife salutes you!

Source


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Game show: Brazilian roller boogie?

Quick: What do you get when you combine rollerskating, "The Price is Right," and an old rerun of "Wonder Woman"?
Some Brazilian game show that is a certified hit in the States and abroad. Speaking of a broad, there are several -- all of them scantily clad.




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What would a Kanye-Amber Rose Wedding Look Like?

Matrimony. Wedding bliss. When two people make that solemn commitment to each other, you can oftentimes see the stars -- the hopes -- in their eyes.
Well, Kanye West and Amber Rose, are we there yet?
No rush here, but if Kanye and his model love do say those magical words --with this ring I thee wed -- it would look like a surreal scene out of some Tarantino movie, no doubt.
While the two have only been dating for about a year now, they have had a lifetime of experiences, and Amber Rose has defended Kanye on more than one occasion. This is how it would go down:
The Best Man: Jay-Z would probably do the honors. I know, I know, he hasn't known the College Dropout for a terribly long time, but it'd be a big honor for Kanye, who looks up to him. (Besides, Jay gave Kanye his big break, using his beats on "The Blueprint," and then signing him to the Roc record label).
Maid of Honor: While Bey would be a favorite, we think Amber would probably dig into her past for this one. None other than her former BFF/boyfriend pal, Tiffany aka "Trevon". I know, I know, freaky.
Reverend: Okay, I'll bet Rev Run came to mind, didn't it? Well, I think ole Kanye, being from the Chi, is going to go traditional for this one and bring in somebody of the cloth back home. Besides, Rev Run is awful busy with Twitter these days.
Of course the guest list would be a who's who of the music and fashion industries, with live performances by a select few artists that Kanye admires. The treat however would be the reception, which Dr. Dre would be the deejay. Kanye has credited Dre as his inspiration for beat-making.
To top it off, Ye and Amber would parade around the reception hall, slizzard for all to see.
Well, will all this happen? And if so, when?



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The Kanye Factor

The hottest rapper not in jail is Kanye West.
Sorry, Jay-Z. Apologies to T.I., Lupe, etc. Kanye musically has the Midas touch, and his peers know that more than anybody. Ask Common or John Legend, who's albums breathe Kanye's elastic soulfulness. Ask Maroon 5. Ask T-Pain. Ask Drake.
Kanye's time to take the throne is now, similar to when Jay-Z, by default, reached hip-hop's highest echelon. If it were not for the untimely deaths of the Notorious B.I.G. and 6 months before him, Tupac Shakur, it is arguable that rap fans would even know Jay-Z outside of New York.
Kanye is in a similar situation, with his mentor, Jay-Z, comtemplating time off to spend with Beyonce, and no elite rapper on the scene or for the forseeable future, now just may be time for Kanye to assume rap's top throne. All he has to do is stay out of jail, and stay alive (both are hard for a rapper these days). Of course, there have already been missteps, but nobody's perfect.
The measure of a good artist used to be in his/her crossover appeal. Kanye nailed that in one album and has since taken off into the other-worldly-realms of exploring rock and classical music.
The throne is his for the taking, but will he take it?



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Book illustrates 'Lil Oprah'

Humble beginnings from the richest woman in entertainment led a New York artist to draw a whole book about her.
London Ladd's latest tome is called "Oprah the Littler Speaker" and describes the multimillionaire media queen's early life in the backwoods of the Crooked Letter.
While he didn't have pictures of Oprah as a child, Ladd said he used his 5-year-old godchild as a model.
While Oprah has some competition as America's top TV maven, Ladd already threw somebody more famous.
Ladd, who's also drawn Martin Luther King Jr., said Oprah was this generation's miracle worker.
"She's like Midas," he told the Syracuse.com. But I can relate to her story. It's about simple, humble beginnings."
No, Mr. Ladd, you're like Midas.

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Monique: Oscar Win = Epic Win

The timeless debate whether an immovable object can stop an unstoppable force has been answered in the form of the meteoric rise of actress/comedianne Mo'nique and her Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
As a sign of how much faith the movers/shakers are putting in her Oscar win, many of them were already lining up to throw rose pedals on her.

So what to the fact that there were reports that Mo'nique was already living up to the snootiness of an Oscar winner, treating Barbara Walters "slightly better than she treated Precious [in the movie]." POW!
Despite the snide comments and looks by some Hollywood comrades (what's up Sam!), I don't think success has gone to her head at all. She's a discriminating woman who demands respect. What's not to like? Besides, she's refused to write an Oscar speech, saying that it would signal haughtiness.
Understand, this is a long way from being a phone sex operator (she was) and humble roots in Maryland (where she's from). And -- make no mistake -- she has made. She's made it.
Although after the awards she most famously downplayed a potential career as an A-list actor ("I'm a comedian who won an Oscar,") Mo'nique has won. She's won over the hearts of America, the minds of Hollywood's suits, and more importantly, she's successfully made the transition to leading lady (maybe).
All she has to do now is choose her roles (of which they'll be plenty) wisely.

Watch Samuel Jackson's eyeroll at the mention of Monique at the Oscars:





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'Our Family Wedding' promises laughs, fun

It's been a while since we've had a positive portrayal of Black Americana devoid of Tyler Perry's gospel-tinged flair (before you beat me over the head, there's.nothing... wrong. With. That) but "Our Family Wedding," starring Forest Whitaker and Lance Gross promises to be a good-hearted blast.
The film is Hollywood's first serious attempt to blend and attract the Latin-American and African-American demographic audiences under one roof. Will it be successful?
Well, that's largely up to you.
The flick, about a normal-yet-crazy family (like yours) that is coping with the stresses of an upcoming wedding, follows in the line of other African-American marriage flicks such as "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wood," and "The Best Man."
Our girl Regina King does her thing as a responsible mother in this one, and even "Ugly Betty" star America Ferrera gets in on the action.

Take a look:



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The Man Your Man Could Smell Like

During an already zany Super Bowl last month (Geaux Saints), a commercial came on that rocked the socks out of fans everywhere for not only it's strong character, but it's hilarious ending.
Former NFL player Isaiah Mustafa plays the part of "the man your man could smell like" and kills it.
It's been said that his Myspace, which had only a handful of friends, shot up to the thousands after the commercial aired. Mustafa's brash character came about while playing around on an answering machine with college buddy Jake Plummer, whom he played with at Arizona State. The supremely confident guy is clever, sharp but what makes the commercial work is a wicked ending, where producers used a mechanized device to slide him upon a beast of burden at the very end.
It's cool, it's sleek, and people are probably walking around smelling like Old Spice right about now.
The viewer is left wide-eyed and drop-jawwed. And women have a new idol to worship.
Oh, and, he's "on a horse."


p.s. Watch the making of the Old Spice commercial here.


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Celebrity Style: Photographer Tony Chu

West Coast photography Tony Chu has been putting it down for a long time under the sunny skies of NoCal, but the East Coast has yet to experience the flavor. Allow me to introduce you.

Poll: Everybody Likes Michelle

Poll numbers schmoll numbers: Barack may be falling harder than a rock, but people think the world of Michelle, according to a new poll in the L.A. Times. That means former First Ladies Hillary Clinton and Barbara Bush evidently didn't have that twinkle in the eye that 'Chelle has displayed.
Sure, there has been hate, but Michelle has collectively given the naysayers the gas face -- and looked good in doing it.
How was she maintained such a positive image? She's simply remained herself, experts say. Meanwhile her husband has castigated Harvard cops for acting "stupidly," assailed Fox News and even called Kanye West "a jackass". Well, two outta three aint bad.

Portrayal of the Black Family: Where are we now?

Things have changed quite a bit since the mid-1980s when a certain Heathcliffe Huxtable used to KRS-ONE on TV. For Middle America, it was a chance to see the African-American family like never before: Healthy, vibrant, articulate, silly, normal. But looking back at it, and considering the Great Recession we find ourselves in now, we obviously subscribe to lower principles these days. A family with two parents making six figures is as far from reality for the most of us as a kid brother named Theo (Malik maybe, not Theo).
That being said, was the Evans family more true to life? J.J., Michael and Thelma didn't have much materially, but they had each other's back.
The Huxtables had money, but they did'nt have a Willona, somebody who you could trust your life, your husband, your kids, and your life with.
We used to aspire to be Cliff and Claire. Was that reality? In the end, maybe the Winslows (a police officer father) were more real. Honestly, do you know an Uncle Phil in your life? I used to. But not anymore.
Black family, where are we now?

TV One picks up 'Love That Girl'

TV One's first original sitcom is set to hit the air soon, according to Variety.
The show, titled "Love That Girl" is the brainchild of veteran director and former "Martin" and "The Jamie Foxx Show" writer Bentley Kyle Evans. Martin Lawrence also has signed on as executive producer.
Black comedies rarely make it out of pilot stage and when they do, it's because of a big name attached to it. This show is no different.
The show features Tatyana Ali, who also moonlights on BET) and a few other actors of note, but the big thing here is that BET turned it down (that usually means it's pretty good).
"BET was the first network I took it to because of a prior relationship," Evans told the Washington Post.
The show is being done for the insanely cheap cost of $1.2 million but will be owned entirely by Evans.
"If executed properly, this will represent a whole new model for producing and delivering quality scripted series to the television market, at a reasonable cost," Evans told Variety.
In other words, Evans is getting his Tyler Perry on!
Un-mad at cha.
Peep a clip of "Love That Girl"

Best of 09: Phases of a Relationship

We got mad love for illustrating the 'Phases of Love' in early 2009. Check out the complete phases of a relationship here.

Diamonds: No longer a girl's best friend?

Used to be a time when a women could be wooed with traditional gifts i.e. flowers, sweets, or more expensively, diamonds.
These days, as holiday season tapers down a bit, women are going for the same gadgets that have been aimed at the 18-34 male demographic. Women are buying Wiis, PS3s and all the treasures of geekdom.
The stereotype of the husband or boyfriend coiled up in the living room with game cartridges askew (and a few beer bottles laid about) is now being updated with one of a woman being just as obsessive, just as "wired" about gaming and the like.
Welcome to 2010.

A. Keys sings 'Empire State of Mind II' w/ Stephen Colbert

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor U.S. Speedskating

If you're into WTFreak, then you'll absolutely lose it at the 1:43 mark. And let me just say, Colbert has rythym.

The Back to Africa movement: For You?

Spurred on by a dogged economic downturn in the United States, many African-Americans are considering going back to the Motherland: Africa.
But what if white people, fed up with the humiliating heist perpetrated by the U.S. banking system, went with them?
Surely it could be no worse than what the American family is enduring now, right?
There reasons could range from indifference toward the American financial system to a longing to go to a place where there money can buy more.
For African-Americans, the back-to-Africa movement originally became a political force by the musings of activist Marcus Garvey in the early twentieth century. Garvey saw the disillusionment of people of color and organized a platform in which black Americans could aspire to own land and settle in Africa.
Of course, today there is great emphasis on reparations to African-Americans as well. But in Africa, where will we go? Liberia, where many black Americans in fact already moved, and Ghana offer dual citizenship with black Americans to make it easier to settle.
But can we leave?

John Legend closes on $1.9 million condo in NYC

Soul crooner John Legend is laying down new roots in New York City. He recently signed a contract to buy a one-bedroom condo on 52 East 4th Street in the East Village. Look for sweet melodies to intertwine in the building. Recording artist Moby also lives in the building, which has an elevator and doorman.
Legend still has to tunload his apartment at 72 East 3rd Stree. That one was originally listed for $1.2 million, but he's recently cut it to $1.9 million. Any takers out there?
Just think, Legend can grab a condo in downtown Atlanta for twice the space and a quarter of the price. But evidently, as tAlicia Keys, so triumphantly puts i, "big lights will inspire you."

'The TV Show'

Why Interracial Love is an Epic Win

The stigma of race has followed many us through all the corridors of society: Work, home at church, etc. Despite the progress some have made with interracial relationships, there are others that reject it with utter disgust.
Is interracial love a betrayal of one's self and ethnicity?
Some say nblack men that sleep with white wome do it for status or to get a "trophy wife." Some even view landing a white woman as a coup de gras business move that will help them be accepted among the upper echelon businessmen.
Some men see a sister dating a white man as a stab in the back, an abandonment. (note: These are the same men that don't want them though.)
They say it is further degradation of the black family.
Well, is it?
It's a known fact that there are more "available" black women out here than "eligible" black men. Unless polygamy comes back, the numbers simply won't work.
As for the black men who go for white women, do the reasons even matter anymore? Sure, there could have been ulterior motives, but who's business is it?
Is there a feasible argument for "staying in one's race" when it comes to love?
Interracial love is in fact an epic win for everybody. It could never be epic fail, or even a slight fail.
After all, "Love never fails." - 1 Corinthians 13:8