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Tag: Nelson Mandela

  • Eddie Izzard: British Comedian Completes 27 Marathons in 27 Days

    Eddie Izzard: British Comedian Completes 27 Marathons in 27 Days

    Eddie Izzard, the 54-year old British comedian whose humor is reminiscent of Monty Python’s, celebrated a huge accomplishment on Sunday, having completed 27 marathons in 27 days, for charity. His celebration began with the uncorking of a bottle of sparkling wine, and a huge drink–straight from the bottle.

    At the end of the 27th run, Eddie Izzard quite literally couldn’t speak. He burst into tears while talking with the BBC.

    “Thank you. It’s been the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I’m very tired,” he said. “So thank you for everyone who’s donated. This was tough. So don’t do this at home. I don’t know if I can say much more.”

    Sunday was the most grueling of the 27 days, since an unexpected day of rest meant he ran two marathons that day.

    During the 707 miles Eddie Izzard ran, he suffered dehydration, sunstroke, and extreme exhaustion–overcoming them all.

    Eddie Izzard’s run was in the name of former South African President Nelson Mandela. He ran one marathon for each year he was imprisoned, wind up at the foot of a large statue of the peace maker. The comedian raised more than $1 million for this year’s Sport Relief.

  • Idris Elba To Release Album Inspired By “Luther”

    Idris Elba is reportedly working on an album inspired by his character on the TV show Luther. In the BBC crime drama, Elba plays John Luther, who is a detective battling his demons. It’s been announced that BBC will be airing a two-part special next year, with Elba on board. There are also rumors that the show will be adapted for American audiences by FOX. The Luther-inspired album that Elba is working on is tentatively called Murder Loves John.

    In a recent interview, Elba talked about his decision to work on an album inspired by the titular detective. “I’d like to dissect the idea of someone who has to deal with so much darkness,” he said during an interview on BBC Radio 4’s Front Row. He added, “Detectives carry a lot of stuff. They meet someone who’s done something heinous, but they have to have an objective perspective on them until proven. That could create some really good songs… and definitely an interesting mood, musically.”

    Aside from being a prolific actor, Elba is also a musician, rapper, DJ, and music producer. Under the name Driis, he has collaborated with artists like Musiq Soulchild and Estelle. Recently, Elba released the album Idris Elba Presents mi Mandela. The record was inspired by Elba’s experiences in South Africa when he was shooting the Nelson Mandela biopic Long Walk to Freedom.

    Huffington Post’s Melinda Newman reviewed the record which she called “a labor of love that Elba approached with an appropriate degree of humility.” She added, “He smartly surrounds himself with a stellar cast of artists here, even including a cover of Mumford & Sons’ ‘Home’ to round out this enjoyable and compelling set.”

    Idris Elba Presents mi Mandela is a 14-track album that he released on his own label, the 7wallace imprint. The record features guest spots from Mahotella Queens, producer Aero Manello, actor-singer Shaun Esoffery, singer-songwiter Audra Mae, and soul singer Cody Chesnutt among others.

  • Idris Elba, Tom Hiddleston Join ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ Cast

    Idris Elba let the cat out of the bag over the weekend.

    The Thor star spilled the beans during an interview with the U.K.’s The Telegraph that he and Tom Hiddleston will appear in next May’s Avengers sequel.

    Elba, 42, who has played the Asgard guardian Heimdall in both Thor and Thor: The Dark World, didn’t divulge very much about his role in Age of Ultron, apart from the revelation that he will share a scene with Chris Hemsworth, who plays the classic hero, Thor, and Hiddleston, who portrays Thor’s half-brother Loki.

    “I’m in Avengers,” Elba said. “I’m doing a scene with Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston, and they’re like, — ‘Aren’t you (meant to be) in Ibiza?’ ”

    Elba said arranging his schedule has proved to be challenging. Between his work on the Nelson Mandela biopic Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and work on Thor: The Dark World, he’s keeping himself — and the airlines — busy.

    “I’d just done eight months in South Africa. I came to England and the day I came back I had to do reshoots on Thor 2,” Elba said. “I was like, ‘This is torture, man. I don’t want to do this.’ My agent said: ‘You have to, it’s part of the deal.’”

    Needless to say, Elba kept at it and will surely reap the benefits of all of his hard work.

    Avengers: Age of Ultron is set to open in theaters on May 1, 2015.

  • Idris Elba and Girlfriend Welcome Baby Winston

    Idris Elba and his girlfriend, Naiyana Garth, have welcomed their first child together, the actor revealed via Twitter on April 17, the day after his son was born.

    “My Son Winston Elba was born yesterday..Truly Amazing,” the 41-year-old actor wrote. Alongside the caption, the Luther star shared a beautiful black and white photo of his little baby boy holding onto his finger.

    The actor also has an 11-year-old daughter, Isan, from a previous relationship.

    The British actor has a plethora of projects in the works including a live-action movie adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s classic The Jungle Book.

    Elba is perhaps best known for his performance of Nelson Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and is also known for TV roles on The Wire and Luther.

    Image via Twitter, Idris Elba

  • Nelson Mandela Leaves $4.1 Million Estate, Hopes Family Stays Unified

    “Reading wills are always occasions charged with emotion.”

    This reply came from Deputy Constitutional Court head, Dikgang Moseneke, when queried about the recent review of Nelson Mandela’s own will to friends and family members.

    The man who spent his life in selfless service continued conferring his possessions onto those he loved after his passing – in the form of his $4.1 million estate. According to Moseneke, the mood was generally good among his relatives, all of whom were reportedly present for the reading. Family members, schools, former staff, and the ruling African National Congress each learned they would acquire a generous inheritance from Mandela on Monday.

    When the former South African president passed away last year, he left behind an estate that included homes in Johannesburg, Eastern Cape, Qunu, and Mthatha as well as royalties from his writing.

    While his wife, Graca, was left half the estate, it is reported that she will likely relinquish her rights to it in exchange for other assets and four properties in Mozambique. With respect to friends, workers, and educational institutions, Mandela left about $4,500 for personal staff members like his loyal aide, Zelda la Grange, around $8,900 for various schools he attended, and roughly equivalent sums for scholarships and grants. Also receiving part of his royalties may be the African National Congress, with the aim of spreading information regarding party policies and principles – especially reconciliation.

    The children of Mandela have disagreed in times past regarding who heads the family or who should gain from his investments. Some of them have even already appropriated the name of the anti-apartheid hero to sell wine, clothing, artwork, social network ventures, and reality television shows.

    Even so, they and some of his grandchildren each received $300,000 and the estate is to be split among trusts for the benefit of his more than 30 descendants. However, the spiritual priorities that guided Mandela’s life mission did not depart with him in December. In fact, they may have been best clarified when he wrote of his hopes for the Houghton home in which he died after 95 years spent bravely enriching humanity:

    “It is my wish that it should also serve as a place of gathering of the Mandela family in order to maintain its unity long after my death.”

    In the midst of his monetary bounty and the branding of his image, let us hope that that for which Mr. Mandela actually stood endures – and that his true “will” is carried out by those who benefited from his generosity.


    Image via Youtube

  • Bruce Springsteen Plays First South African Show, Pays Tribute To Mandela

    Legendary singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen rocked the crowd tonight during the first concert of his South African tour.

    According to Yahoo! News UK, the 20-time Grammy award-winning singer and his E Street Band opened the concert with a touching tribute commemorating the late Nelson Mandela.

    Springsteen, who performed for 10,000 adoring fans at the Bellville Velodrome in Cape Town, kicked off the show with the historical song “Free Nelson Mandela.”

    The memorable song was written by British songwriter Jerry Dammers back in the 1980’s.

    The protest song, which was made famous by the Coventry, England-based ska revival band The Specials, was released as a part of the group’s single Nelson Mandela / Break Down The Door in 1984.

    The song quickly became a success, peaking at No. 9 on the UK Singles Chart. The lyrics spoke volumes delving into the impact of Mandela’s struggle, while protesting his imprisonment and raising awareness about the injustices of the South African regime.

    (image)

    The song went on to garner global notoriety, serving as the unofficial anthem for the international anti-apartheid movement. Mandela died on December 5, 2013 at his home in Johannesburg. He was 95 years old.

    The performance in South Africa was the first for Springsteen and the E Band since they participated in the Artists United Against Apartheid  in 1985 almost 30 years ago.

    The Mandela tribute was a “nice surprise because it was a personal song for the audience. People were on their feet,” said one fan at the concert, who opted to remain anonymous.

    Springsteen shared his sentiments of the country’s transformation saying that the progression toward democracy “was a miracle”. He was also elated to be in South Africa saying that it was “very special to be here”.

    Gwen Ironsi, spokesperson for Big Concerts, also weighed in on Springsteen’s performance. “Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band performed to a sold out audience,” said Ironsi.

    Springsteen and the E Band have three scheduled concerts in Capetown, and one in Johannesburg. The four tour dates South Africa will kick off their world tour as they prepare to travel to Australia and New Zealand next month.

    Image(s) via Wikipedia | Free Nelson Mandela  Twitter | Bruce Springsteen

  • “Fake” Sign Language Interpreter Admitted To Hospital

    Thamsanqa Jantjie, the man accused of faking a knowledge of sign language during Nelson Mandela’s memorial, has been admitted to a psychiatric facility following the backlash he received.

    Experts say Jantjie wasn’t saying anything at all with his hand gestures during the memorial, and he admitted later that although he does know how to sign, his ability to do so was compromised because he was having a schizophrenic episode that caused him to see angels streaming into the stadium.

    “There was nothing I could do. I was alone in a very dangerous situation,” Jantjie said. “I tried to control myself and not show the world what was going on. I am very sorry, it’s the situation I found myself in…life is unfair. This illness is unfair. Anyone who doesn’t understand this illness will think that I’m just making this up,” he said.

    Siziwe Jantjie, his wife, says she took her husband for a checkup on Tuesday (an appointment originally scheduled for the day of the memorial), and his doctors admitted him right away.

    “The past few days have been hard. We have been supportive because he might have had a breakdown,” she was quoted as saying in The Star.

    In the past week, several investigations into Jantjie’s past have turned up police records, including files for murder, rape, and kidnapping charges. The files were curiously incomplete, however, and it’s not clear if he did jail time due to his mental illness.

    Jantjie was allegedly hired for the memorial by a company called SA Interpreters, but a search for them at their given address only turned up a different company.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Google Zeitgeist 2013 Is Out, Mandela Tops Search Trends

    It’s that time of year. Google has released the 2013 Zeitgeist.

    Google says it’s the “most global Zeitgeist to date,” as it features over 1,000 top 10 lists and top trending searches from 72 countries.

    “It’s perhaps unsurprising that the #1 trending search of 2013 was an international symbol of strength and peace: Nelson Mandela,” says Google’s Amit Singhal. “Global search interest in the former President of South Africa was already high this year, and after his passing, people from around the world turned to Google to learn more about Madiba and his legacy.”

    “Tragedies like the Boston Marathon, the 6th trending term globally, and Typhoon Haiyan, #2 on our global events list, also captured the world’s attention,” he adds. “And our human desire to help came through, with [donate to the Philippines] ranking highly around the world.”

    We’re not going to include all 1,000+ lists here, but let’s look at a few of them.

    Here’s the top 10 global trending searches of the year:

    1. Nelson Mandela
    2. Paul Walker
    3. iPhone 5s
    4. Cory Monteith
    5. Harlem Shake
    6. Boston Marathon
    7. Royal Baby
    8. Samsung Galaxy s4
    9. PlayStation 4
    10. North Korea

    Top Global People:

    1. Nelson Mandela
    2. Paul Walker
    3. Malala Yousafzai
    4. James Gandolfini
    5. Miley Cyrus
    6. Oscar Pistorius
    7. Jennifer Lawrence
    8. Aaron Hernandez
    9. Charlie Hunnam
    10. Adrian Peterson

    Top Global Consumer Electronics:

    1. iPhone 5s
    2. Samsung Galaxy S4
    3. Playstation 4
    4. Xbox One
    5. Nexus 5
    6. HTC One
    7. iPad Air
    8. Blackberry 10
    9. Samsung Galaxy Note 3
    10. Nokia Lumia 1020

    Top Global Events:

    1. Boston Marathon
    2. Typhoon Haiyan
    3. Government Shutdown
    4. 2014 FIFA World Cup
    5. Chinese New Year
    6. Australian Open
    7. Eurovision Song Contest
    8. Wimbledon
    9. Syria Conflict
    10. EuroBasket

    Top Global Movies:

    1. Man of Steel
    2. Iron Man 3
    3. World War Z
    4. Django Unchained
    5. Despicable Me 2
    6. Gravity
    7. Chennai Express
    8. Les Misérables
    9. The Conjuring
    10. Argo

    Top Global TV Shows:

    1. Under The Dome
    2. Defiance
    3. Big Brother 15
    4. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
    5. Here Comes Honey Boo Boo
    6. Sleepy Hollow
    7. Masters of Sex
    8. Homeland
    9. The Blacklist
    10. Survivor

    Top Global Videos:

    1. Ylvis – The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)
    2. Harlem Shake (Original Army Edition)
    3. How Animals Eat Their Food | MisterEpicMann
    4. Baby&Me / The New Evian Film
    5. Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball (Chatroulette Version)
    6. Volvo Trucks – The Epic Split feat. Van Damme
    7. YOLO (feat. Adam Levine & Kendrick Lamar)
    8. Telekinetic Coffee Shop Surprise
    9. The NFL: A Bad Lip Reading
    10. Mozart vs. Skrillex. Epic Rap Battles of History Season 2

    Now, for some U.S. trends…

    Authors

    1. Tom Clancy
    2. John Green
    3. Ree Drummond
    4. Vince Flynn
    5. Orson Scott Card
    6. Sylvia Day
    7. Stephen King
    8. Neil Gaiman
    9. Veronica Roth
    10. Maya Banks

    Blogs

    1. Engadget
    2. Gizmodo
    3. Perez Hilton
    4. Reality Steve
    5. Lifehacker
    6. Cupcakes and Cashmere
    7. I Can Has Cheezburger
    8. The Sartorialist
    9. The Daily Beast
    10. Atlantic-Pacific

    Books

    1. Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead
    2. The Great Gatsby
    3. Divergent
    4. Soul Healing Miracles: Ancient and New Sacred Wisdom, Knowledge, and the Practical Techniques for Healing the Spiritual, Mental, Emotional and Physical Bodies
    5. The Fault in Our Stars
    6. Wonder
    7. Happy, Happy, Happy: My Life and Legacy as the Duck Commander
    8. The Book Thief
    9. Strengths Based Leadership: Great Leaders, Teams, and Why People Follow
    10. The House of Hades (Heroes of Olympus, Book 4)

    Famous Internet Animals

    1. Grumpy Cat
    2. Lil Bub
    3. Tuna the Dog
    4. Colonel Meow
    5. Princess Monster Truck
    6. Menswear Dog
    7. Sir Stuffington
    8. Yogurt the Dog
    9. Bully the Bulldog
    10. Maddie the Coonhound

    Memes

    1. Zerg Rush
    2. Cinnamon Challenge
    3. Slender Man
    4. QWOP
    5. Forever Alone
    6. LOLCats
    7. Me Gusta
    8. Derp
    9. Philosoraptor
    10. Grumpy Cat

    Mobile/Tablet Apps

    1. Bitstrips
    2. Vine
    3. Candy Crush
    4. MeetMe
    5. Snapchat
    6. Ruzzle
    7. Instagram
    8. Feedly
    9. Tinder
    10. InstaFriends

    Movies

    1. Man of Steel
    2. Iron Man 3
    3. World War Z
    4. Jobs
    5. The Conjuring
    6. The Great Gatsby
    7. Despicable Me 2
    8. The Purge
    9. Pacific Rim
    10. Mama

    Social Media Sites

    1. Tumblr
    2. Facebook
    3. LinkedIn
    4. SoundCloud
    5. Google+
    6. Goodreads
    7. Wattpad
    8. Yelp
    9. MocoSpace
    10. deviantART

    Note: No Twitter? Even with the IPO?

    Songs

    1. Harlem Shake
    2. Wrecking Ball
    3. Thrift Shop
    4. Royals (note: Google links to a page for the Kansas City Royals here…oops).
    5. Skyfall
    6. Tom Ford
    7. Holy Grail
    8. Blurred Lines
    9. Roar
    10. Radioactive

    TV Series Finales

    1. Breaking Bad (obviously)
    2. Buckwild
    3. Ready for Love
    4. Zero Hour
    5. Deception
    6. Dexter
    7. Red Widow
    8. Smash
    9. All My Children
    10. Golden Boy

    TV Shows, Most Searched

    1. Breaking Bad (obviously)
    2. Duck Dynasty
    3. Big Bang Theory
    4. Good Morning America
    5. South Park
    6. True Blood
    7. Big Brother 15
    8. New Girl
    9. Castle
    10. Scandal

    TV Shows, Trending

    1. Breaking Bad (obviously)
    2. Game of Thrones
    3. Orange is the New Black
    4. Scandal
    5. House of Cards
    6. Downton Abbey
    7. Suits
    8. NCIS
    9. Dexter
    10. New Girl

    Video Games

    1. Grand Theft Auto V
    2. Cookie Clicker
    3. Atari Breakout
    4. Candy Crush
    5. BioShock Infinite
    6. Cube World
    7. Battlefield 4
    8. Neverwinter
    9. SimCity
    10. Skylanders SWAP Force

    That’s really just a small sampling. You can head over to the Zeitgeist homepage and spend a good part of your day reliving the past year if you like.

    Check out some of the other year-end roundups here.

  • SNL Interpreter Skit Makes Light Of Controversy

    SNL Interpreter Skit Makes Light Of Controversy

    After Nelson Mandela’s recent passing, people all over the world mourned the loss of such a visionary, and memorials were held in his memory last week. The memorial held in South Africa with several world leaders, however, is the one that got all the attention, and not necessarily in a good way. Over the weekend, “Saturday Night Live” capitalized on the headlines and poked fun at the “fake interpreter” who captured the nation’s attention.

    Thamsanqa Jantjie says he went to a school for the deaf and is well-versed in sign language, but his gestures during the memorial have been denounced by several experts who say it was just gibberish. Jantjie also says he suffers from schizophrenia and was having wild visions during the service of angels streaming into the stadium, which impeded his ability to sign.

    “There was nothing I could do. I was alone in a very dangerous situation,” Jantjie said. “I tried to control myself and not show the world what was going on. I am very sorry, it’s the situation I found myself in…life is unfair. This illness is unfair. Anyone who doesn’t understand this illness will think that I’m just making this up,” he said.

    An investigation into Jantjie’s background pulled up arrest records for theft, rape, and murder–among other charges–but the files were incomplete so it’s not known whether he ever served time. Jantjie has not commented on his past.

    “Saturday Night Live” didn’t delve into anything so sinister, simply sticking to the memorial service and Jantjie’s less-than-impressive signing. They also mocked President Obama’s selfie with the Danish Prime Minister.

    Image: YouTube

  • Jay Z Plays Tribute to Nelson Mandela

    Jay Z Plays Tribute to Nelson Mandela

    Beyoncé wasn’t the only one in the family to honor the late Nelson Mandela. During Jay Z’s concert at the Staple Center in Los Angeles on Dec 9, the rapper dedicated song, “Young Forever” to Mandela.

    He took a break before singing to say, “we want to dedicate this song to Nelson Mandela. A great man, spent 27 years in prison, came out to be president. All dreams are possible.”

    Jay Z went on to say,”tonight I’m living my dream in front of y’all. So anyone out there who got a dream, y’all chase that motherf—er down as hard as you can.”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWfgLIS22vU#t=0

    Jay Z is currently performing on his Magna Carter World Tour.

    Photo Credit: YouTube

  • Nelson Mandela Buried In Hometown Of Qunu

    Nelson Mandela Buried In Hometown Of Qunu

    Nelson Mandela, fondly known as Madiba, became South Africa’s first black president in 1994. He was buried on Sunday in his childhood village of Qunu in Eastern Cape province.

    His burial concluded 10 days of  mourning that followed his death on Dec. 5 at the age of 95. He received a state burial characterized by a traditional ceremony and a 21-gun salute. Military helicopters also flew by the burial ceremony carrying the national flag.

    “A great tree has fallen, he is now going home to rest with his forefathers,” said Ngangomhlaba Matanzima, a representative of Mandela’s family. “We thank them for lending us such an icon.” South African’s were bidding farewell to their fallen hero for the last time; a man who had brought them freedom against all odds.

    Mandela’s portrait could be seen erected over a white marquee just behind a row of 95 candles representing his age at death. His casket was transported to a tent using a gun carriage, wrapped in the national flag and placed on a carpet made of cow skin.

    The ceremony attracted tens of thousands of mourners including friends, relatives, heads of state, and South African citizens among others. The eyes of Graca Machel, Mandela’s widow, were covered with a handkerchief for much of the ceremony.

    For those who could not access the burial ceremony venue, big screens were placed in the area to broadcast the event live, including one screen that was placed on a hill in Qunu.

    Mandela’s tenacious fight for freedom from the yolks of apartheid earned him 27 years in prison. He was instrumental in helping to end South Africa’s racial segregation. Mandela died a hero and an icon of  civil rights and the struggle against apartheid.

    (main image via YouTube)

  • “Fake” Mandela Interpreter Has A Lengthy Rap Sheet

    “Fake” Mandela Interpreter Has A Lengthy Rap Sheet

    The man accused of faking knowledge of sign language at Nelson Mandela’s memorial reportedly has a long rap sheet that includes kidnapping, rape, murder, and theft charges.

    Thamsanqa Jantjie was allegedly charged with rape (1994), theft (1995), housebreaking (1997), malicious damage to property (1998), murder, attempted murder and kidnapping (2003) charges. Jantjie was acquitted of the rape charge but was sentenced to three years in prison for theft; however, eNCA says that his court files are strangely slim, so it’s not known if he actually served the time or not.

    Jantjie publicly admitted this week that his signing was compromised at the memorial because he is schizophrenic and was having hallucinations during the event, where he saw angles streaming into the stadium. His mental health seems to have been a factor in the charges he faced in the past.

    “There was nothing I could do. I was alone in a very dangerous situation,” Jantjie said. “I tried to control myself and not show the world what was going on. I am very sorry, it’s the situation I found myself in…life is unfair. This illness is unfair. Anyone who doesn’t understand this illness will think that I’m just making this up,” he said.

    Jantjie was hired by a company called SA Interpreters, but when South African officials attempted to make contact with them following the backlash over Jantjie’s botched signing, they found another business at the address.

    Image: Wikimedia Commons

  • Marlee Matlin Knew Mandela Interpreter Was Fake

    Marlee Matlin Knew Mandela Interpreter Was Fake

    Marlee Matlin knew the interpreter at Nelson Mandela’s memorial service in South Africa earlier this week was fake. The Oscar-winning actress, who is also deaf, feels the impostor didn’t even do a very good job of faking it.

    “I’d been to South Africa before and I could understand some South African sign language, and I thought to myself, wait a minute,” she said. “It was almost like he was doing baseball signs or whatever. I was appalled.”

    Thamsanqa Jantjie is the name of the man who tried pulling himself off as a sign language interpreter. He is now claiming a schizophrenic episode caused his poor translation. Marlee Matlin, however, believes she could see him in his attempt to keep up the charade at which he was failing quite miserably.

    “You can tell,” she said. “I could tell, and I could tell that he’s thinking to himself, oh no, how should I do this… let’s see what I just did, I’ll do it again.”

    Mouthing words and showing emotion on one’s face are critical aspects of being a sign language interpreter. Jantjie did neither of these two things during his time at the Mandela memorial.

    “Sign language is not international, so each country has its own sign language,” Matlin said. “But in this case, each language shares something, which is facial expressions, as a part of the grammar. And to see someone standing there without any sort of movement in his body, without any sort of facial expressions that one incorporates into sign, indicates that he had no understanding of the culture, no understanding of the language.”

    The entire deaf community, as well as professional in the world of sign language translation are up in arms over this man’s deceit. Marlee Matlin is insulted by his actions.

    “I knew right then and there that he had no understanding of the culture at all,” she said. “And it was offensive. It was offensive to me.”

    Matlin commented via Twitter about the worldwide publicity this shamed fake interpreter got.

    Did you watch the memorial service for Nelson Mandela on TV this week? Did you recognize that the interpreter wasn’t translating in the same manner most interpreters use? It will certainly be interesting to see if those hiring interpreters will be more careful checking credentials in the future. And while this wasn’t a positive means of getting it, attention is definitely focused on the sign language translating profession now. Perhaps that will lend itself to ensuring only bona fide interpreters get hired for these events.

    Image via Wikimedia

  • Fake Sign Language Interpreter Says He Is Schizophrenic

    Thamsanqa Jantjie, the sign language interpreter who was hired to sign at Nelson Mandela’s memorial, says he was actually suffering a schizophrenic episode during the event and was trying his best not to let on, which took a toll on his signing. Claiming he saw angels floating into the stadium, Jantjie says he had to work to keep calm because he has a violent past, and there were armed guards surrounding him.

    “There was nothing I could do. I was alone in a very dangerous situation,” Jantjie said. “I tried to control myself and not show the world what was going on. I am very sorry, it’s the situation I found myself in…life is unfair. This illness is unfair. Anyone who doesn’t understand this illness will think that I’m just making this up,” he said.

    Jantjie was accused earlier this week of being a fake by several sign language experts, but South African cabinet minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu says he had credentials.

    “I don’t think he was just picked up on the street. He went to a school for the deaf,” she said.

    The company that hired Jantjie, SA Interpreters, is nowhere to be found; according to Gawker, South African officials and members of the Associated Press visited the address listed for the company, only to find a different business there.

    Jantjie says he was scheduled to see a doctor on the day of the memorial service, but it is not known whether he’s sought help or changed his medication since the event.

    Image: Wikimedia Commons

  • George W. Bush Shows off His Art to World Leaders

    Who knew? President George W. Bush is a painter and he’s proud enough of his work to share his art with some of the most powerful people in the free world.

    Some would think a 16 hour flight with a passenger list that included President Obama, Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Hilary Clinton would get awkward. However, politics were put aside as the mourners all boarded Air Force One yesterday en route to South Africa for Nelson Mandela’s memorial service

    Today, everyone seems to be talking about the pictures taken by White House photographer Pete Souza. They show Bush proudly showing off his works of art via an iPad. And the crowd looks impressed.

    This selfie picture is making the rounds as well. Obama is receiving some heat for taking it at Mandela’s service.

    Bush’s new love of painting is actually not a complete surprise. He introduced his artwork to a national audience on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Bush painted a portrait of the talk show host and gave it to him as a gift. He also confessed to Diane Sawyer that painting has had a major impact on his life. “Painting has changed my life in an unbelievably positive way.”

    Nelson Mandela died at the age of 95 last Thursday. Political leaders from around the world and celebrities alike gathered in Johannesburg to pay respects to the former President and revolutionary who sacrificed his freedom in an attempt to end apartheid.

    Image via Wikipedia Commons

  • Mandela’s Memorial Detracted by “Fake” Interpreter

    “The structure of his hand and body movements didn’t seem to change no matter what the speaker was saying.”

    The deaf community is outraged over the man standing near President Obama on stage at Nelson Mandela’s memorial who appeared to be pretending to do sign language as Obama and other world leaders spoke in Johannesburg, South Africa on Monday.

    One of the first to notice was Wilma Newhoudt, a vice president of the World Federation of the Deaf and the first deaf person to be elected to South Africa’s parliament.

    “Shame on this male so called interpreter on the stage,” she wrote on Twitter during the service. “What is he signing? He knows that the deaf cannot vocally boo him off. Shame on him!”

    Another who noticed and protested via tweet was Bruno Peter Druchen, national director at the Deaf Federation of South Africa.

    A U.K. website that focuses on news involving the deaf community, posted a video showing both the “fake” interpreter and an authentic sign language interpreter who viewers saw in a small box in the corner of their TV screen. Viewing both together, you can see how different the woman’s gestures were as compared to the man on the screen.

    According to NPR, the South African government emailed reporters earlier today with a statement about Monday’s memorial service. It read:

    “As we look at yesterday’s events, government has noted the concern expressed in various quarters about the alleged incorrect use of sign language at the National Memorial Service.

    “Government is looking into this matter but has not been able to conclude this inquiry due to the demanding schedule of organising events related to the State Funeral.

    “Government will report publicly on any information it may establish but wishes to assure South Africans that we are clear in defending the rights and dignity of people with disabilities.”

    The Guardian reports that “members of South Africa’s deaf community have previously raised concerns about the interpreter, who has been used at other African National Congress events.”

    image via: YouTube

  • Obama is Criticized for Taking a Selfie at Mandela’s Memorial Service

    Obama is Criticized for Taking a Selfie at Mandela’s Memorial Service

    After our story on people taking selfies at funerals and other inappropriate places, it probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise that someone took a selfie at Nelson Mandela’s memorial service. The person caught taking the selfie, on the other hand, will probably catch you off guard. None other than President Barack Obama was caught snapping a selfie of himself with two prime ministers today.

    Former South African president Nelson Mandela’s memorial service was held today in Johannesburg. Obama was just one of many national leaders in attendance. The president was also a speaker at the service and delivered a moving speech that reportedly received a standing ovation.

    “With honesty, regardless of our station or our circumstance, we must ask: How well have I applied [Nelson Mandela’s] lessons in my own life?” Obama said. “It is a question I ask myself, as a man and as a president. We know that like South Africa, the United States had to overcome centuries of racial subjugation. As was true here, it took sacrifice–the sacrifices of countless people, known and unknown–to see the dawn of a new day.”

    While many people enjoyed the speech, at some point someone snapped a picture of the president taking a selfie of himself with British Prime Minister David Cameron and Denmark Prime Minister Helle Thorning. As you can see, First Lady Michelle Obama is present and is not participating:

    The selfie craze, which many consider to be a form of narcissism, has become so popular that the word “selfie” even earned a place in the Oxford Dictionaries Online and was named Word of the Year. Now that the president was caught taking a selfie, at a memorial service no less, it’s not likely this craze will die down anytime soon.

    After the selfie was posted to Twitter, it took no time for folks to start criticizing the president. Did you find the picture inappropriate as well or are people making a big deal over nothing? Add your comments below.

    [Image via YouTube]

  • Kanye West Responds To Faux Interview, Mandela Quote

    Kanye West took to Twitter this week to set the record straight about an interview that ran in The Daily Currant, which “quoted” him as saying some pretty outrageous things about recently departed former South African president Nelson Mandela.

    The satirical news source (think The Onion) claimed on Friday that West had boasted about his accomplishments in comparison to Mandela’s.

    “I am the next Nelson Mandela,” West responded. “I’m only 36 years old, and when I look at everything I’ve accomplished, it’s the only comparison that makes any sense. By the time I’m 95, I’m going to be a bigger hero than he ever was. Nelson Mandela did a lot of good work, don’t get me wrong. But I think I’m on track to do something even bigger. I liberate minds with my music. That’s more important than liberating a few people from apartheid or whatever. Not to say Mandela wasn’t for real. I have mad respect. I just think we need to keep things in perspective here. Anyone can be replaced. And I think I’m well on my way towards being the next great black leader. I’m already worshiped around the world. And there’s more to come.”

    Of course, the sad part is that it was so believable, tons of people thought it was true. A wave of backlash found West, and he jumped on Twitter to defend himself.

    Image: Wikimedia Commons

  • Nelson Mandela: Sheriff’s Department in SC Refuses to Lower Flag

    Nelson Mandela’s death last week seemed to unify people around the world as leaders from many nations mourned the great man’s passing. Even on Facebook, there are still posts popping up in the asking people to take a moment to remember the former South African president. President Obama issued an executive order to fly flags at half-staff, something that doesn’t happen very often for non U.S. citizens. Most people were happy to comply, with the exception of a sheriff’s department in South Carolina. According to the sheriff there, if you aren’t a U.S. citizen, he won’t lower his flag for you.

    President Obama ordered flags to be flown at half-staff from December 6 until sunset on December 9. Pickens County Sheriff Rick Clark announced that he wouldn’t lower the flag at his sheriff’s office on Facebook:

    I usually don’t post political items, but today is different. I received this notification today, “As a mark of respect for the memory of Nelson Mandela, the President orders that the flag of the United States be flown at half-staff effective immediately until sunset, December 9, 2013”

    Nelson Mandela did great things for his country and was a brave man but he was not an AMERICAN!!! The flag should be lowered at our Embassy in S. Africa, but not here. Our flag is at half staff today for a Deputy in the low country who died going to help his fellow Deputy. He deserves the honor. I have ordered that the flag here at my office back up after tomorrow’s mourning of Pearl Harbor Day!

    Clark told The Greenville News that while he would lower the sheriff department’s flag to half-staff for Pearl Harbor Day, that he wouldn’t lower it for Nelson Mandela. He added to his Facebook post by saying “The flag at half-staff is for Americans’ ultimate sacrifice for our country. We should never stray away from that.”

    While many people are outraged with Clark for refusing to lower the flag to half-staff, the Federal Flag Code doesn’t “prescribe any penalties for non-compliance nor does it include enforcement provisions.”

    What do you think of the situation–is the South Carolina sheriff right to refuse to honor international leaders in this way? Add your comments below. As you can see from the Twitter posts below, many people are furious with Clark’s decision.

    [Image via WikiMedia Commons]

  • R. Kelly Pays Poignant Tribute to Nelson Mandela

    R. Kelly wrote a song for the late Nelson Mandela a while back, and he even performed it for the South African president while a guest in his home. Called Soldier’s Heart, he performed the song yet again Thursday night in a poignant tribute, on The Arsenio Hall Show.

    The singer first met Mandela during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. He played the song on Mandela’s own piano when performing for him at his home.

    The Arsenio Hall Show opened on Thursday even with a quote from the late Nelson Mandela.

    “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”

    While many celebrities jumped to honor the passing of Nelson Mandela, R. Kelly has this moment in time–a place in Mandela’s past–that he will no doubt always remember fondly. He experienced first hand the strength and grace that was the South African leader. He honored him using his own special gifts.

    Twitter followers were clearly moved by R. Kelly’s performance on The Arsenio Hall Show.

    The gentle but powerful lyrics of R. Kelly’s song read, “the mountains seemed impossible to climb until he stood on the front line.” What a fitting tribute to Nelson Mandela, who gave so much of his own life so that life would be better for those living in South Africa. The Arsenio Hall Show and R. Kelly are to be commended for their touching tribute.

    Image via Facebook

  • Charlize Theron Leads Celebrities in Mandela Tribute

    After the sad news spread that Nelson Mandela passed away yesterday at the age of 95, mourners from around the world showed the Nobel Peace Prize Winner a lot of love and respect. Appreciation and gratitude for all that Mandela did to stop apartheid in South Africa, including giving up his own freedom, was sincerely expressed by the Hollywood community.

    Charlize Theron is from South Africa, she grew up on a farm in Johannesburg. The Oscar winning actress alongside The Wire actor Idris Elba both spoke last night after the premiere of the biopic about Mandela’s life, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. Theron had this to say, “My thoughts and love go out to the Mandela family. Rest in Peace Madiba. You will be missed, but your impact on this world will live forever. There will never be words to say what I’m feeling right now. I am saddened to the depths of my soul. Truly.”

    Theron is also the creator of CTAOP, an organization to help stop the spread of HIV/AIDS among the youth in Africa. The group works alongside Oprah’s Angel Network to provide mobil health services to an impoverished region in South Africa called The uMkhanyakude District.

    Elba, who played Mandela in the biopic, also paid his respects. “I am stunned at this very moment, in mourning with the rest of the world and Madiba’s family. We have lost one of the greatest human beings to have walked this earth, I only feel honored to be associated with him. He is in a better place now.

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    Many celebrities also expressed their thoughts on the life and death of the South African Leader. Morgan Freeman, who played Mandela in the 2009 film Invictus said, “What an honor it was to portray a man who defied odds, broke down barriers, and championed human rights before the eyes of the world.”

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    Also paying their respects were Rihanna, Cher, Kerry Washington, David Beckham and Harvey Weinstein, to name just a few. Naomi Campbell was especially moving in her tribute. “Nelson has stood as a figure of strength, hope, freedom, selflessness and love, and I join everyone across the world in mourning his passing.” She went on to say, “However, he was much more than just a figurehead to me – he was my mentor, my honorary grandfather, my Tata. Since meeting him in 1993, he’s guided me and gave me a reason for being in the tough times of my life. He changed my perception of the world.”

    The Long Walk to Freedom hit theaters last week in limited release. The biopic is based on Mandela’s autobiography of the same name. The narrative moves between his childhood, coming of age and the 27 years he spent in prison before becoming President of South Africa.

    Image Via Facebook, Facebook, Wikipedia