My heart goes to out to Jennifer Hudson and her family. The body of her nephew was found in an SUV. He is the third person murdered in her family over the weekend.

Jennifer is the quintessential example of how if you have talent, work hard and find the right guardian angels, you can  live the "American Dream".

Yet unfortunately dreams are dreams and the reality of living in "the 'hood" can be violently tragic. The murders of Jennifer's mother, brother and nephew do not sound random at all. These murders unfortunately have the markers of a drug gang take down.

It just breaks my heart that when one of our own soars so high to make a name for themselves, there's a pack of haters waiting to take them down. Because on this one, you know we can't blame "the man" for these hateful murders.

There is a good reason why more than a half-million people have watched through YouTube Jake Gyllehaal's opening skit for last Saturday's SNL.

It's absolutely brilliant ... and shocking. Who knew Toothy Tile had the singing chops to riff on such a show stopper. He also looks smashing in that dress.

Oh and seeing him in drag sininging like that made think of Tom Jones. I don't know why I think he could play and sing in a Tom Jones biopic. Maybe it's the way he broadways those muscular arms.

Location

I am DYING to see Dreamgirls; notwithstanding the presence of Beyonce in the movie. She and her pimping-parents have been chaffing me of late. The internets have been attwiter over how her parents have tried to sabotage Jennifer Hudson's moment in the limelight, particularly after every movie critic in this country has sang her praises and Hosannas.

Well, they're being smacked down by real talent.

In the next clip, Matt Lauer quotes Variety and I will so too :

An "American Idol" finalist without prior screen experience, Hudson comes fully-formed to film. It's the kind of galvanizing perf that calls to mind debuts like Barbra Streisand in "Funny Girl" or Bette Midler in "The Rose," with a voice like the young Aretha. More fully developed here than onstage, Effie is the fierce, wounded, pulsating heart of the movie. Her big song and second explosive number "I Am Changing" both elicit audience cheers and applause.
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