The 2007 BET Awards ceremony was truly a spectacle to behold. Opened by the appropriate pairing of singer/actresses Jennifer Holliday and Jennifer Hudson – who together performed their shared star-making opus from the Broadway musical and (subsequent) film, Dreamgirls – "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" – the show was jam packed full of memorable moments. One of the more touching moments of the program was the tribute to the late Gerald Levert, in which Levert's father – Eddie – was joined onstage by Yolanda Adams, Gladys Knight and Patti LaBelle in a performance of "Wind Beneath My Wings" – which Gerald often performed.

By far – the standout moment of the night was the awarding of a Lifetime Achievement Award to singer Diana Ross. Ross' win was especially noteworthy due to her thanking of all past Supremes – especially Mary Wilson – and her assertion that her own longevitiy was proof that artists old and young didn't have to resort to profanity to achieve mainstream appeal. Ross is an example that many in the hip hop community would do well to follow!

Categories: Jennifer Hudson; Jennifer Holliday; Diana Ross; Gladys Knight; Yolanda Adams; Eddie Levert; Gerald Levert; Patti LaBelle; BET Awards

Stars like Gloria Reuben, Regina King, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Howard Hesseman and Hill Harper (CSI: NY) are among the celebrities poised to get HIV tests next week as part of the "1 in a Million" campaign – aimed at raising awareness about the spread of the virus [HIV] in black communities. The screenings will be filmed at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) headquarters in Los Angeles.

According to the statement announcing the campaign, AIDS is now the leading cause of death for black women between the ages of 25 and 34. Also, up to 46 percent of black gay men are thought to be HIV-positive. The "1 in a Million" campaign seeks to motivate 1 million black Americans to get tested for HIV by December 1, 2008 – World AIDS day of that year. Other organizations involved in the drive include Artists for a New South Africa, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and the Black AIDS institute.

Categories: HIV testing; AIDS Awareness; African-American; SAG Awards; Screen Actors Guild