Florida Sentinel Bulletin

The Parents Television Council (PTC) is tackling Sunday’s Super Bowl controversy.

British singer, M.I.A., flipped off viewers during Madonna’s half-time show, a gesture that indtantly drew comparison to Janet Jackson’s live “wardrope malfunction” in 2004.

The PTC says the NFL promised the organization a clean show despite casting performers with provocative reputations.

“NBC fumbled and the NFL lied because a performer known as M.I.A. felt it necessary to flip off millions of families,” wrote PTC president Tim Winter.

Both NBC and the NFL have issued statements of apology to viewers.

NEW YORK — Fans of “Soul Train” boogied down Broadway wearing afro wigs and bell bottoms on Saturday while others recounted their favorite episodes at a Harlem meeting hall in tribute to the TV show’s late creator, Don Cornelius.

About 100 dancers descended on Times Square in a “flash mob” organized through the Internet. As startled tourists looked on, they recreated one of the show’s “Soul Train lines” in which people would take turns dancing toward a TV camera while showing off their most outrageous moves.

“Don Cornelius was a big influence in my life, and I just wanted to pay tribute,” said disc jockey Jon Quick, as he held up a speaker blasting disco grooves. “He was playing the music that nobody else wanted to play. He was an amazing man.”

Cornelius, 75, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Wednesday. He had suffered from health problems, a difficult divorce, and had pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor spousal battery charge in 2009.

But on Saturday fans praised Cornelius‘ vision in creating, hosting and selling “Soul Train” to television stations that were originally skeptical about programming aimed at blacks. The show aired from 1971 to 2006.

Much has been said about Oprah’s network, OWN. Although she launched the network amid much fanfare and excitement, since it hit cable airwaves, OWN has struggled to connect with viewers.

Unlike her popular show which made it way into tens of millions of homes every day, OWN has had a difficult time maintaining Oprah’s vast audience.

Recently, Oprah talked about the trouble she’s had turning OWN into a success.

Although Oprah was already a billionaire and a household name, she says she wanted to create OWN to further her inspirational vision. “The reason I did OWN was I wanted to continue the platform to speak to people in a way that made them feel inspired.”

After her network showed garnered disappointing ratings, Oprah became more visible hosting life classes with Iyanla Vanzant and introducing her latest show, Oprah’s Next Chapter, which has been a hit with viewers. But will it save OWN?

That remains to be seen, but Oprah thinks it’s a good start.

JAMAICA — Dancehall Reggae star Elephant Man has been charged with grievous sexual assault and rape. The police said the charges stem from an incident at his St. Andrew home earlier this month.

Investigators said a woman, believed to be of Chinese descent, filed a police report shortly after claiming that Elephant Man, whose real name is Oneil Bryan, sexually assaulted her.

Drake had a smash hit on his hands last year with the moody “Marvin’s Room,” which spawned several copycat versions. Now, the star finds himself in hot water after an alleged ex-girlfriend who claimed to have co-written the track filed a formal complaint seeking damages.

Ericka Lee, reportedly the female voice on the staged phone call for the song, says she and Drake were lovers and business partners for a time in 2010. Lee filed the suit February 2 in a California federal court where she states that the pair often collaborated on lyrics and poems. The suit further says that a verbal agreement between the two to craft “Marvin’s Room” was originally supposed to be an even split in royalties. The complaint says that Lee’s contribution to the song was “highly significant.”

Lee says she received phone texts from Drake that support her songwriter claims, with one reading, “U basically made that song.” Lee was credited as “Syren Lyric Muse” for the song and the two were said to have registered the recording last July, as Lee was confirmed as the featured voice.

Drake’s label, Cash Money Records, filed a claim as well that said the work was done as an “employer for hire” transaction.

Don Cornelius — who famously created “Soul Train” was found dead in his Sherman Oaks, CA, Thursday morning.

Police discovered the body around 4 a.m.  Cornelius died from a gunshot wound to the head and officials believe the wound was self-inflicted.

Cornelius was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

“Soul Train” changed the landscape of television when it debuted in 1971 and ran until 2006. Cornelius was 75.

Cornelius was arrested in 2008 for beating up his wife.  He pled no contest to misdemeanor domestic violence and was placed on 3 years probation.  His probation just terminated. During Don’s bitter divorce proceedings in 2009, he told an L.A. judge he was suffering from “significant health issues” and wanted to “finalize the divorce before I die.” The divorce was granted in 2010.

Sources say the TV icon was plagued with health issues for years … including a stroke and a condition that required brain surgery.

Bryan “Baby” Williams and Ronald “Slim” Williams appeared in court earlier this week, facing a lawsuit from an Atlanta woman who claims she was sexually assaulted in a recording studio bathroom.

Nicole Westmoreland alleges she was being given an opportunity to make a business presentation to the Cash Money label, but was instead “exposed to illegal drugs and explicit sexual activity” prior to the incident occurring.

The man identified by Westmoreland as the attacker was Alfred Cleveland, an alleged employee of the label at the time.

Westmoreland believes that the Williams brothers had to have known that Alfred Cleveland was a dangerous individual.

In the midst of her child custody turmoil, Halle Berry continues to handle business, following in the footsteps of supermodel Cindy Crawford by designing a footwear collection for German chain Deichmann.

Titled “5th Avenue by Halle Berry,” the collection is set to launch across Europe on March 5 and comprises 40 summer styles.

The actress emphasized her decision to create an affordable collection, with prices for footwear starting at $29.99.

“The shoes can easily be worn by every woman. They are stylish, yet reasonably priced, that is what my collection is all about,” the Oscar winner explained in a recent release.

Stand-out pieces in the line, which will go on sale in 21 European countries, include peep-toe wedges, strappy sandals and slingbacks.

Berry’s previous business ventures include launching signature scent Halle by Halle Berry in 2009.

Students at Rutgers University will soon be able to select a course to study the career arc and impact of one of R&B’s, and Pop’s, most popular divas of all time, Beyoncé.

Just over a month after Georgetown University professor Michael Eric Dyson created a sociology course crafted around studying the cultural significance of Jay-Z, the Brooklyn bomber’s wife will also get a course at the New Jersey college with the dubious title “Politicizing Beyoncé.”

Offered by the university’s Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, doctoral student and lecturer Kevin Allred was clear to distinguish that the title of the course isn’t meant to be misleading, “This isn’t a course about Beyoncé’s political engagement.