Comedian. Television host. Movie Star. Top-rated syndicated Radio Personality. Father of 6. For over 20 years. Rickey Smiley is one of the most beloved performers in American media, earning a reputation for delivering boundless laughter on-air, on-stage, and on-screen. Every morning, millions of Americans in nearly 60 cities listen to Rickey Smiley and his 6 outrageous cast members on “The Rickey Smiley Morning Show.” His interviews with major celebrities, social political awareness and trademark prank phone calls have made Smiley one of the most listened to radio personalities in history. Rickey Smiley’s down home southern humor, opting to use insight rather than vulgarity to get laughs, is at the core of his success. His audiences are treated to such original characters as “Mrs. Bernice Jenkins”, “Lil’ Darrl,” “Joe Willie” and “Beauford.” Smiley is known for his clean comedic style and his reputation to sell out venues across the country. To movie audiences, Smiley is best known for “All About The Benjamins” and “Friday After Next”. He’s recorded 8 best selling CDs including iTunes #1 Best Selling Comedy Album, “Rickey Smiley- Prank Calls Number 6”. On television he”s hosted BET’s “Open Casket Sharp” and “Comic View”, appeared on “Showtime At The Apollo,” “Uptown Comedy Club”, HBO’s “Def Comedy Jam”and “Snaps”. Smiley graduated from Alabama State University, became KBFB’s (Dallas) morning show personality in 2004, and soon moved his show to WHTA Atlanta. When not performing, Smiley is the ultimate devoted father, single-handedly raising 6 kids, the subject of a soon to be released parenting book. QUOTE: “Success is when preparation meets opportunity” @thersms
When Beyonce’s “Countdown” video dropped, we knew she was paying homage to Audrey Hepburn, Diana Ross, Jennifer Beals and more with her beatnik dance moves, Supremes-style clothing and Flashdance-inspired auditions. However, it seems she was copying one person’s style too closely.
And that’s Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker. The split-screen scene where Beyonce dramatically tugs at her clothes and hair (on the left) while three dancers rehearse (on the right) was taken from (or inspired by, depending on how you look at it) Keersmaeker’s work. As well as a later scene, in which Bey dances in an all-black outfit.
Granted, the video’s director, Adria Petty, did admit to MTV: “I brought Beyonce a number of references and we picked some out together. Most were German modern-dance references, believe it or not. But it really evolved.”
However, these similarities seem too close for comfort according to Keersmaeker, who told a Danish blog: “I didn’t know anything about this. I’m not mad, but this is plagiarism. This is stealing. They took pieces from Achterland and Rosas danst Rosas. It’s a bit rude, I must say. What’s rude about it is that they don’t even bother about hiding it. They seem to think they could do it because it’s a famous work. Am I honored? Look, I’ve seen local school kids doing this. That’s a lot more beautiful.”
