STOP UNNECESSARY KISSING IN MOVIES – NANA AMA MCBROWN

Beautiful Ghanaian actress and movie producer, Nana Mcbrown has added her voice to the call for avoiding unnecessary kissing in movies.

The actress who found mainstream success following her rousing performance in the Twi-language movie, Nsem Pii on Radio Univers suggested that the Ghanaian value should be at heart when shooting a movie than paying attention to the financial benefits the kissing scenes will come with.

The actress stated that kissing in movies cannot be faked or omitted but should be done when needed.

“If you really understand movies, you will realize that kissing cannot be deleted from it but there are some kissing scenes which are really not necessary – the scenes doesn’t call for kissing. Just because the person is your partner does not necessary mean you should kiss.”

“Kids of today have access to the internet and many things which they can use to get hold of our movies at any point in time so as a Ghanaian, you should exhibit our culture, tradition and values first”

She added that “kissing doesn’t belong to the western world but for human beings and that doesn’t mean you should do it anyhow in movies”

The actress born Felicity Ama Agyemang revealed that some kissing scenes are unnecessary but shot in movies for advertisement sake.

“There are so many scenes that do not call for it but because they know if they show those scenes in adverts it will sell the movie then they shoot it. I will read the translate the script with you and if the scene does not call for a kiss, it will be omitted” Mcbrown told Abrantepa, host of the show.

ABRANTIE ROCKS LONDON

Abrantie Amakye Dede’s performance at the Dominion Centre, Wood Green in London, three weeks ago will be remembered as the best put up by any artiste this year.

The event, which was organised by Akwaaba Promotion, attracted thousands of music fans who turned up to reunite with old pals and reminisce about ‘the good old days’.

Abrantie became the toast of Ghanaian music fans in London including top stars from the Ghanaian movie, radio and music industries when he put up splendid performances there.

Amakye Dede, also known as ‘Seeeeerious’, was at his best. He sent fans into a frenzy when he performed some of his chart toppers.

Exhibiting abundance of energy and excellent stage skills, as usual, he sang melodious songs for close to four-hours that sent highlife music fans to the dancing floor.

He dazzled with well-known tunes such as ‘To Be a Man’, ‘odo Da Babi’, ‘Broken Promise’, ‘Odontinamesu’, and ‘odo Men Su’–as he jogged around and the crowd sang along loudly.

The highlife legend proved to everybody that he is still as strong as ever, and he can also deliver whenever he is called upon for a performance. ‘Emaa Pe Sokoo’ he blared into the microphone, and the crowd in unison responded ‘Sokoo Ne Emaa Pe’.

Good and vibrant music aside, what has kept Amakye Dede going is his humility and his sense of realisation that he belongs to a place of rich cultural heritage.

Amakye Dede has not only got talent as a musician, but character as a humble and disciplined performer, a combination that has made him not only a role model, but a powerful magnet that could bring great men and women together.

Amakye has never succumbed to the iniquities of foreign cultures that adore obscenity and profanity. What others may say with filthy vulgarity, Amakye would weave in intricate proverbs and wise sayings of our great forebears and arrive effectively with the same meaning without any offence.

He is one of Ghana’s premier highlife artistes and is called ‘Iron Boy’, ‘The highlife maestro’ and ‘Abrantie’.

Dede began his career in 1973 when he joined the Kumapim Royals as a composer and vocalist. This band, led by Akwasi Ampofo Agyei (AAA), had hits like ‘Abebi Bewua Eso’, ‘Wanware Me A’, ‘Odo Mani Agyina’ and the seminal ‘Ohohoo Batani’. Dede moved to Nigeria where he had his hit ‘Jealousy Go Shame’.

He then formed his own band, the Apollo High Kings, in 1980. He dominated the highlife scene in the 1980s and 1990s and continues to have hit songs in the 21st century.

He has almost 20 albums to his credit. In his later career, he experimented with different genres; soca, calypso, lovers rock and pop music.

"I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH AGYA KOO"

Actor Wayoosi has said he is in good terms with his fellow actor, Agya Koo. The actor who has been off cameras since 2012 debunked claims that, Agya Koo didn’t want to act with him and also, it was neither because producers had neglected him.

Speaking to Abrantepa on Radio Univers’ Brunch2Lunch, Wayoosi said, “It’s true I have not been acting for a while. My absence from movies is as a result of a problem I had with my leg.

I had to travel to America to seek medical attention. I thought I would recover soon, but that couldn’t happen. Consequently, I had to stay off cameras. Thank God I have fully recovered."

This was in response to Agya Koo’s earlier claim that Kumasi producers had decided not to feature Wayoosi, Katawere, Mercy Asiedu and many others in their movies.

Chief Executive Officer of Miracle Films, Mr. Samuel Nyamekye had earlier said the absence of those veterans was as a result of Agya Koo’s decision not to act with them.

Wayoosi however recounted that, Agya Koo decided not to act with him in the past. In effect, he (Wayoosi) went to apologize to Agya Koo and as such, resolving the issue.

“He (Agya Koo) said he wouldn’t act with me due to some incidence during one of our travels. But I apologized to him through Samuel Nyamekye of Miracle Films. We have no differences to settle now.

Producers were not engaging me not because Agya Koo decided not to act with me, but because of my health conditions," Wayoosi said.

“I APPRECIATE MZVEE’S TALENT” - KAAKIE

Ghana's dancehall diva is back and has commended ‘new kid’ MzVee for showing such great talents.

Maintaining her position as “Dancehall Queen”, Kaakie told StarrFMonline.com that Vera, as she calls MzVee is an old friend and is happy the latter is “doing well on the music scene.”

She said there was no feud between them as widely reported and preferred people enjoyed their individual talents instead of attacking their personal lives.

“I don’t know why people will say we have issues with each other. I appreciate Vera’s talent and if she is doing well I’m happy for her. We need more of that and she is good at it so why not?”

Kaakie took a year’s break off the music scene to complete her Nursing Program at the University of Ghana, Legon.

In her absence, promising artiste MzVee shot up and is winning the hearts of dancehall lovers.

Kaakie who is back with a new single ‘Ronaldo’ told STARR DRIVE host Bola Ray she is done with school and ready to stir the waters with more passion than before.

WE CAN’T ARREST ASAMOAH GYAN – POLICE

The Police Administration has downplayed calls to arrest Asamoah Gyan, the captain of the Black Stars, over the disappearance of hiplife artiste Theophilus Tagoe, aka ‘Castro the Destroyer’.

The police have come under constant attacks by the general public over their failure to arrest Asamoah Gyan, aka Baby Jet, as the ‘prime suspect’ months after the disappearance of Castro and his lady friend, Janet Bandu.

It will be recalled that the father of Janet Bandu, Staff Sergeant (rtd) Joe Bandu, recently petitioned the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to arrest Asamoah Gyan, in respect of his (Joe Bandu’s) missing daughter and Castro.

Castro, together with Janet Bandu, went missing during a jet-ski ride at the Aqua Safari Beach Resort, Ada in the Greater Accra Region, on July 6, 2014.

This was after Castro and Baby Jet had gone to the resort for recreation.

Addressing a news conference in Accra yesterday, Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, DCOP Prosper K. Agblor, said the police could not arrest Asamoah Gyan for any offence.

He said, “I have told you that they are assisting us; we don’t just rush to arrest, arrest him for what offence?” DCOP Agblor added that the police would not hesitate to arrest Asamoah Gyan “if there is the need to.”

The CID boss stated that Baby Jet was “tremendously” assisting the police in their investigations.

Still Missing

DCOP Agblor said the police were still treating the two as missing.

“For now the police are treating them as missing until they are found either dead or alive in accordance with the Evidence Decree of 1975 (NRCD 323) Section 33,” he said.

He continued, “The missing persons cannot be said to be dead until they have not been heard of for seven years, despite diligent efforts.”

He said after the disappearance of Castro and Janet, two bodies of adult males had been discovered at the Sakumono and Anyanui beaches but none of them had been identified to be that of Castro.

He claimed that the search for the two was still ongoing, adding that the Ghana police were also in contact with neighbouring countries through INTERPOL in their investigations.

Dr. Ampaw’s Invitation

Meanwhile, the Director-General of the CID also disclosed that plans were underway to invite private legal practitioner, Dr. Maurice Ampaw, in connection with his recent comments on the matter.

The legal practitioner is quoted as having said that he would by the end of this month reveal the whole truth surrounding the whereabouts of Castro.

He is reported to have said that Asamoah Gyan must come out with the truth.

“You cannot hide the truth; the truth is only one and I promise by the end of this month, I will come out with more revelations,” Dr. Ampaw is quoted as saying.

Dr. Ampaw is reported to have said that upon his own investigation, he had found out that a necklace worn by Castro was later found in a dustbin hours before he and his lady friend got missing.

VAN VICKER BREAKS THROUGH IN HOLLYWOOD

Ghanaian celebrated actor , Van Vicker, After many years in the movie industry has finally gotten the opportunity to star in his first Hollywood movie titled ‘Skinned’ with Hollywood actress /Director , Lisa Raye McCoy.

Van Vicker who’s currently in America , said that he has been very active shooting in different countries that’s why he has not been too stable in Ghana. ‘I have been very active shooting in different countries and also attending different programs. That’s why I have not been too stable in Ghana, but now i am in America shooting a Hollywood film for the first time’ he said excitingly.

Sharing his first time Hollywood shooting experience, he said. ‘the experience, is not very different from other shoots, but i must say, Raye and Avery Williams (Director and co-director) changed my whole perspective as an actor and a director.’

‘They were so professional it’s almost a crime but yet so warm and friendly. we had fun and we nailed it’ Van stated amidst laughter’.

Comparing the Ghanaian film industry to Hollywood, he said that the major difference in shooting in Hollywood and shooting in West-Africa is that, with Hollywood filming, there is a state of professionalism and everyone on the set knows their jurisdiction and takes full responsibility.

As to Gollywood film industry will ever get to the standard of Hollywood, he said that the Ghanaian film industry is not ignorant but rather, he’s glad that a number of actors and producers are getting exposed to international shoots and they can bring to bear, experiences which is going to let them know better and also do better.

Mr Van Vicker said that the standards of movie- making in Ghana have not fallen because the rate, rather , he thinks it has to do with the purchasing power.

‘it seems the masses purchase more of the local films in Ghana, than the English ones , but outside Ghana, the English films are doing well, it is a matter of time and hard work’ he professed.

Lisa raye is best known for portraying Diana “Diamond” Armstrong in the film The Players Club, Neesee James on the CW sitcom All of Us from 2003 until 2007 and Keisha Greene in the VH1 romantic comedy series Single Ladies which originally aired from 2011-2014.

JOHN DUMELO IS HANDSOME BUT I CANT DATE HIM – ACTRESS

Celebrated TV presenter and actress, Joselyn Dumas, has said though actor John Dumelo is a perfect gentleman, ambitious and has good looks, she cannot enter into a relationship with him because both of them belong to the showbiz industry.

“I don’t understand what you mean by asking if John Dumelo is my ideal man. But what I can say is that he is a very creative actor, ambitious and a gentleman. I don’t know what you mean by that, but I have made it my policy not to date an industry person, and John and I find ourselves in the same showbiz industry,” Joselyn explained on Peace FM’s Entertainment Review last Saturday.

She was clarifying the relationship between herself and Dumelo and insisted it was purely a professional and cordial one that has nothing to do with eroticism.

Joselyn did not, however, tell whether she was currently in a relationship or not.

The celebrated actress also confirmed she has a child but insisted there was no reason discussing the child in the media.

“I am a proud mother, and it is already out there that I have a child, but what people are not sure of is whether the child is a son or a daughter. My child is still young, and until she becomes an adult, I am responsible for making decisions for her. I am the one who has decided to be in the media; my child has not made such a decision so I have to keep her out, and I think you must understand me and respect the decisions I make for my child.

“When she becomes of age, and she decides to be in the media, I would allow her; all I may do is to guide her. But until then, I have decided to protect her from the media and the public for now,” the actress explained.

The actress had gone to the Entertainment Review programme to propagate her upcoming campaign against the spread of cholera, but the discussion panel decided to ask her a few questions outside the subject for which she went there.

“On Tuesday, we would be at Okaishie, in the Central Bussiness District of Accra, to preach against cholera. I would be there in person, Tinny would be there, several of my fellow filmmakers and friends from the music industry would also be there to create awareness on cholera.

“Our focus would be to create awareness on the prevention of cholera and also to let people know it has a cure. This whole thing is about maintaining good hygienic lifestyles and nothing more,” Joselyn explained.

The actress called for public support to create awareness on how to prevent cholera.