::THE SLICE REPORT WITH MONA AUSTIN

Comedian/Actor Eddie Murphy returned to SNL to rave reviews, but not without controversy. The publicist of Bill Cosby released a statement saying Murphy returned to the plantation after he compared himself to the embattled elder comedian. Joked Murphy in the opening monologue, "If you would have told me 30 years ago that I would be this boring, stay-at-home ... house dad and Bill Cosby would be in jail, even I would have took that bet.. .Who is America's Dad' now?" With the revival of some of the iconic character from the show that he portrayed in the 80's, it was plain to see how Murphy coddled racist ideas and stereotypes which he did to bring racist attitudes and behaviors to the surface. After being gone from SNL for 35 years it was the same energy for a new audience. The revival of his characters Gumby, Buckwheat and Mr. Robertson's Neighborhood was celebrated while fans found themselves defending Murphy after he came under attack...

By Mona Austin You want to believe that the work will speak for itself.  You walk into the award show as the most nominated artist.  You sit there with your family front and center and clap as your name is not called over and over again. It feels like deja vu.   Previously you left with a few awards while others that were less deserving left with armfuls.  Your pride and ego are crushed yet you retaliate with your art. You come back hoping things will be different this time because there is no denying that your work was seminal and resonated deeply with those who heard it. It was critically acclaimed -- all music enthusiasts could talk about during its surprise release.  Your work was considered a "masterpiece" --from the marketing to the content to the videos -- that empowered fans through its emotional connection. We all knew how to "take the bitter with the sweet" and make "Lemonade" when you laid your heart out on those tracks.  We all knew this a...

buzzz worthy. . . A week before the nation chooses its next leader, there are still signs of turmoil on both political camps.  Hillary Clinton (D) and Donald Trump (R) are still standing beyond the scandals that threatened to consume them.  Clinton continues to hemorrhage from an FBI probe into the email scandal that has caused many voters to distrust her while Trump can not escape the stigma of being a racist, misogynist. The fact that both President ad First Lady Obama have campaigned for Hillary Clinton recently and her poll numbers are not tracking higher and Trump continues to draw large crowds despite facing controversy  may not only indicate we are a divided nation, but a desperate one. The Slice has gathered a few news headlines that show both candidates are entering the final stretch surrounded by negative press.  How will these reports impact the early voting numbers or election day results? For undecided voters, this period becomes a time when they beg...

buzzz worthy. . . By Mona Austin The Academy Awards is no stranger to controversy over its lack of racial diversity.  Last year the sparse number of Blacks among Oscar nominees sparked protest and a social media firestorm, spawning the hashtag #oscarssowhite.  This year the absence of color is worse.  The over 5,000  member voting body  (which is 95% White and 77% male) selected the  palest Oscar list of nominees list in the last nearly three decades of cinema, recognizing no people of color in the major categories, despite the slate of critically acclaimed films featuring Blacks. Backlash over the white dominated awards has mounted since the nominees were announced in 24 categories in Hollywood Thursday morning by  Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs, Guillermo del Toro, John Krasinski and Ang Lee.  Boone Isaacs, the first African American President of the Academy who has held the position for the last 3 years, said she is addressing the...

buzzz worthy. . . Both politicians and potential voters thought Donald Trump should have corrected a supporter at a recent rally who  referred to President Obama as a Muslim and made disparaging claims about the religious group.  Instead of addressing the controversial comments on the spot, Trump finally responded in a series of tweets that have been combined here: "Am I morally obligated to defend the president every time somebody says something bad or controversial about him? I don't think so! This is the first time in my life that I have caused controversy by NOT saying something. If someone made a nasty or controversial statement about me to the president, do you really think he would come to my rescue? No chance! If I would have challenged the man, the media would have accused me of interfering with that man's right of free speech. A no win situation! Christians need support in our country (and around the world), their religious liberty is at stake...