Entertainment

The Serpent and the Rainbow is a horror movie that was directed by Wes Craven in year 1988. The movie was inspired by a book by Wade Davis, which had the same title. Davis was an ethnobotanist from Harvard who investigated Haiti's Voodoo society and found out two drugs that were used for the purpose of zombification. The drugs he identified were used by the Voodoo practitioners to dramatically reduce the metabolic rate of victims which made them appear as if they were dead. The victims were then buried and later they were dug up and revived using herbal brew. The resurrected victims appeared lobotomized.

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The Haitian film industry is about to experience a first. An independent, short-feature film, "Addiction", produced by Haitian-American filmmaker, Perri Pierre, is going to be screened for the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) for the 2014 awards ceremony. AMPAS requires a film to be in release for a two-day, two-screening run to qualify. Pierre and Amis Entertainment are partnering with Laemmle Theatres in Southern California to make that happen.

"Addiction" tells the tale of a substance abuser, who wages war with his drug and alcohol demons, while searching for fulfillment in love. Early reports from industry insiders, who have gotten a first look at the film, say the character study of a young man's struggle against the undertow of drug addiction is poignant and compelling.

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Haitian stand-up comedian Lamour E. Laguerre gained his popularity under Tom Male and Manmi Prela

who goes by the stage name of Tom Male, is a beloved figure in Haitian comedy, not only by his fans, but also his colleagues. Born with a funny-bone, Laguerre incited his family and friends to fits of laughter whenever he was around. He was, not surprisingly, named the funniest boy in his class at school.

TOM MALE IN BRASSERIE CREOLE:

After high-school Tom Male began working the comedy circuit, amassing legions of fans and attracting the attention of Boston entertainment manager and record producer, Marc Sam Dalzon. Dalzon saw Laguerre's potential and became his agent. With Dalzon's support, Laguerre began auditioning for TV comedy roles, achieving success, and building a resume of TV, film, recording, and commercial vice-over credits. Dalzon, who owns a record company, marketed Laguerre aggressively. He made several original recordings, a release of cover material, compilations, and a best-of CD.

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Before becoming the President of Haiti, Michel Martelly had a long career of 25 years as a musician. He was popular by the nickname Sweet Micky. Martelly has been one of most popular Haitian musicians in the history of the island nation. On Friday, May 31, 2013, he registered his music at BHDA (Haitian Office of Copyright). BHDA was established in the year 2005. The intention of the institution was to protect the rights of the authors and artists.

After over two decades of a successful career as a musician, President Martelly eventually completed his application form and to this, the National Palace responded by saying that this action by President Michel 'Sweet Micky' Martelly actually demonstrated the registration to set tone for all creative people that include writers, composers and artist. Some twenty other artists were also registered the same day.

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Jean-Claude Joseph, aka Papa Pye, is considered a member of the few that make up "Original Kings of Comedy". A native of Petion-Ville, he lived in Bas-Peu-Chose and Carrefour also. As a foster child, he was fathered by an educated man, who taught at Toussaint and Pere Adrien colleges, where Joseph went to class with former Haitian President Paul E. Magloire.

Jean-Claude Joseph, aka Papa Pye became popular in the 1980s when he starred in the comedy series "La Vie Nan Bouk La", modeled on the U.S. comedy series "Sanford and Son". When he left the series, his comic absence was mourned by viewers. He went onto a successful film career, starring in the horror movie "Fly People" and two dozen other starring vehicles.

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Daniel Fils-Aimé, aka Tonton Bicha, was born in 1973 in the town of Cap-Haitien. As a boy, he joined Young Catholic Patriots Company where he developed his comedic timing. A handsome, young, and refined man of 32 offstage, he is a human cannonball onstage. His character, Tonton Bicha, is a 72 year-old farmer, who dresses in natty peasant attire, and sports white bushy eyebrows and a mustache.

He walks onstage spouting his trademark lines in Créole. A born clown, he is kinetic and juvenile, his jokes side-splitting. The audience's roaring laughter eggs him on with more ridiculous behavior that has people nearly falling out of their seats. In one bit, he strips down to his shorts and struts and poses like he is the sexiest man alive. He easily outshines other comedians on the bill. But it is hard to resent him when they are doubled-over with laughter.

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Fernel "Jesifra" Valcourt is a Haitian-comedian legend. Born in Cap-Haitien, he began training in the performing arts at an early age, and recognition for his theatre work catapulted him to national prominence soon. He has been so revered for his natural talents, Tonton Bicha regards him as a motivating force that drove him to seek a career in comedy.

Valcourt's humor strikes a universal chord, and has made him a celebrated figure among the Haitian Diaspora and younger people as well. His comedy is slapstick-based, and he engages in sly risqué jokes that have audiences laughing knowingly. He uses his stage persona, Jesifra, to delight and take jabs at authority figures like President Martelly. His trademark sound bites have the audience laughing before he even gets to the punchline.

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Kako Bourjolly is one of Haiti's top comedians, whose show, Kako's Bingo Night, is one of the most popular acts on the comedy-club scene. People think he is an overnight sensation, but he has been performing as a comic for the last 20 years.

In the beginning, he founded a comedy troupe with three other comedians and experienced his first taste of success. Every single show they performed at sold out. The demand to see Kako grew so strong; a second show had to be added. He recalls the only reason he didn't become well-known in the States was because he only performed part-time, too busy with his day job to devote more time. Kako though finally decided to take the leap into comedy full-time. And he has succeeded beyond his wildest dreams, Kako's Bingo Night being the proof.

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Europe, and its newsworthy happenings, has never been so close. Canalsat, the direct broadcasting service which operates in the Francophone Caribbean announced recently that it would now be broadcasting Euronews, a multi-lingual TV news station which originated in France, within the Caribbean. The new deal means that Euronews will become available on Canalsat Caribbean's basic line-up.

The deal should prove lucrative to both parties as Euronews benefits from Canalsat's Caribbean market and Canalsat has the distinction of hosting one of the most unique news stations around in more of their market. Now, people in the French Antilles, which includes Martinique and Guadalupe, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and French Guyana can enjoy Euronews' singular format where the news is told almost exclusively through video footage explained by voice-overs. They rarely use in-vision reporters and are known for their lack of an anchorperson or studio.

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Saturday May 18, 2013, the streets of Downtown Miami came alive with the singular Haitian musical beats of compas. A musical style with its beginnings well over a century ago, compas (kompa, konpa) took over the Klipsch Amphitheater at Bayfront Park with its sonorous beat and piercing, often provocative lyrics. The celebration took place on the Haitian Flag Day in the middle of May, the month designated as the Haitian Heritage Cultural Month. The tickets went on sale for anywhere from $35 to $100, and the '21 and over' age restriction shows just how rowdy, or at the least, suggestive, a compas festival can get.

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