Just like four years ago, another group of legendary Obama 1 percent supporters have stepped forward to lend a creative hand to help the President raise money for his 2012 bid for reelection. Last time around it was “Runway to Change.” This time the design-for-Obama group effort has been dubbed “Runway to Win.”

Anna Wintour, the Vogue editor that hosted Obama’s supporters in her New York townhouse and who recently co-hosted a $35,000 per person fundraiser at Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein’s home, is heading up the venture. In the past, Wintour’s tony political functions were attended by the likes of Alicia Keys and $70,000 dinner power couple Coldplay singer Chris Martin and his actress wife, the “suddenly everywhere” Miramax “muse,” Gwyneth Paltrow.

So with Wintour now raising reelection funds, you can just forget the $5 raffle tickets for a hot dog dinner with Barry and Shelley. Instead, the campaign will be hawking designer duds to people who, last time around, were in such dire straits they hoped the new president would fill their gas tank and pay their mortgage.

For her latest effort, Anna Wintour has recruited Hollywood notables, designers, pop and hip-hop artists, and other all-around really rich people to raise money for Barack 2012 by designing overpriced T-shirts, tank tops, scarves, wristlets, and bags to sell at inflated prices to people who, in the midst of an Obama recession, really can’t afford them.

Thus, “Runway to Win” is yet another example that Barack Obama and his helpful circle of elite Hollywood friends and Seventh Avenue designer devotees are all pretty much insulated from reality, out of touch, and oblivious to the plight of the common man.

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On January 12, the Tennessean ran a story highlighting President Obama’s pursuit of celebrity backing for his re-election. In the body of the story, the newspaper released a list of 194 “celebrities” whom Obama is counting on to carry water for him between now and Nov. 2012.

The list contains celebrities you’d expect to see listed. Singers Marc Anthony, Jay-Z and Fergie, NBA players Vince Carter and Grant Hill, CEO Warren Buffett, and the well known “philanthropist” Chelsea Clinton (she’s described as a philanthropist on the list) all made the cut. None of this is too surprising until you scroll on down and find Nick, Joe, and Kevin Jonas listed as “surrogates” for Obama’s re-election.

Upon seeing their names, my first thought was: “Wow, children’s television stars. I guess after they teach our kids how to count they can teach them to vote for Obama.” After all, kids are their target audience, as the kinds of awards they’re nominated for demonstrate. Just last year Nick and Joe Jonas were nominated for Kids’ Choice Awards in the Best TV Actor category, and Joe received “two nominations at the 2011 Teen Choice Awards: one of which was ‘choice male hottie.’” I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried, folks.

But upon further reflection, the hypocrisy of the Jonas Brothers’ support for Obama simply wasn’t funny anymore.

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Rapper Jay-Z took time out from defending the Occupy Wall Street movement to ply his new young daughter with the very best of the best.

What child doesn’t need a $20,000 crib?

That’s just the tip of the one-percent iceberg regarding the riches the rapper’s daughter received since her much-publicized debut.

Since entering the world of music royalty five days ago, 7-pound Blue Ivy Carter has collected a cache of presents from her parents and their celebrity pals, including media queen Oprah Winfrey.

The newborn’s superstar father plunked down $20,000 on a Posh Tots Carriage Fantasy Crib made of solid cedar and birch. A rear luggage rack doubles as a changing table.

And then there is the $285 Jean Paul Gaultier silk dress to burp on, sources told the Daily News….

The new parents have also been inundated with gifts from the likes of Sean (Diddy) Combs, Kanye West, Rihanna, Mary J. Blige and Mariah Carey, the source said.

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Rapper Jay-Z wants to pay more taxes. He’s practically pleading for the president to make it so.

Jay-Z, whose worth is estimated at a half billion dollars, told CNN Money recently that he’s perfectly fine with sharing more of his income. He just wants to be sure it’s going toward noble efforts. Let’s assume he doesn’t mean propping up failing solar panel companies.

“I wouldn’t mind paying more taxes if it went to the things that really mattered. If it went to education, people [in] poverty and if it went to the right things,” the rapper and producer … said on CNNMoney. “It should be clearly defined … where all the money’s being allocated. Because you can understand paying so much for taxes and then things not improving, you’re like, where’s everything going to?”

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Rapper Jay-Z loves the Occupy Wall Street movement, and now he’s looking to turn a profit from it.

The hip hop mogul just released a new line of shirts from his Rocawear collection that offers a sartorial shoutout to the rancorous OWS types. But so far he’s keeping all the profits to himself. That’s a no-no in OWS circles:

A Rocawear spokesperson told the publication: “The ‘Occupy All Streets’ T-shirt was created in support of the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ movement. Rocawear strongly encourages all forms of constructive expression, whether it be artistic, political or social. ‘Occupy All Streets’ is our way of reminding people that there is change to be made everywhere, not just on Wall Street. At this time we have not made an official commitment to monetarily support the movement.”

Let’s see what kind of reception he gets the next time he tries to mingle with the OWS faithful.

From the New York Times:

He may never reach the heights of Dora the Explorer or SpongeBob SquarePants, but Warren E. Buffett is back in 2D. And this time he gets some help from the rapper Jay-Z.

In a break from deal-making, the Oracle of Omaha is once again starring in “Secret Millionaires Club,” a rebooted animated Web series that follows the adventures of a group of kids as they tackle financial emergencies, like low-performing lemonade stands and troubled bicycle shops. The club, which meets in a “secret” bunker outfitted with hidden laptops, is led by a trusty financial wizard. Who? Well, Mr. Buffett, of course.

“I saw an opportunity to have a good time and maybe get a fair number of kids in this country started with the right financial habits,” Mr. Buffett told DealBook on Tuesday. “Learning at the starting line is so important.”

Mr. Buffett is not the only well-known mogul to lend his voice to the project. The rapper Jay-Z, or “Jay” as Mr. Buffett calls him, also makes a cameo in one of the clips. “It was not a tough sell, believe me,” Mr. Buffett said, citing the musician’s interest in financial education and his chops as a wealthy entrepreneur.

Video after the break:

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Taylor Swift.

Now that that’s out of the way, Kanye West has a new album out, and it’s pretty darn good.  Not as good as all the other critics are managing to say once their spit glands dry up, but pretty darn good.  Entitled My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, aka “The Kanye album with the naked armless chick,” which everyone will call it in 6 months cuz that title is just truly dumb, West’s latest work is, as always, an ode to himself, his career, and how much his success invalidates the people who hate him.  That’s narcissistic, you may say, and you’re right.  West’s music has always been about the tension between his pride and vulnerability, the brief flickers of soul and morality from his Christian upbringing vs. the pleasures and temptations brought on by his considerable skill.

The latter has caused him a ton of personal trouble, from simultaneously dealing with a broken engagement and seeing his mother die from cosmetic surgery complications to becoming Public Enemy #1 after his VMA rant launched the “I’mma let you finish” meme.  And for how admittedly flawed he is, this latest album further cements how skilled he is, working as both producer and vocalist– quite a rarity in the hip-hop world.  He claims to “do the rap and the track– triple, double, no assist” on “Monster,” but in reality, he often does concede the mic to guests, acting more as an emcee or ringmaster than a spotlight hog.  More contradictions– one of the biggest egos in rap is also one of the most generous collaborators. (more…)

When Andrew Breitbart takes on a left-wing news meme, you’ve gotta give him credit:  he comes prepared.  After drawing the ire of the NAACP for challenging their resolution against alleged Tea Party racism, Breitbart’s Big Government set off the blogosphere with video of Shirley Sherrod, a government official speaking at an NAACP-sponsored event, drawing cheers and laughter from her audience while recounting a time when she denied help to a white farmer solely because of his race.  While Ms. Sherrod went on to make a point about looking past racial differences, these questions remain: why did no one speak up?  Why was there only positive feedback from the audience at this point in the story? 

For which group is there more evidence of members assenting to racist comments:  the Tea Party or the NAACP?  

While the national leftist media outlets continue to fall over themselves trying to figure out a spin on the story that sticks, we at Big Hollywood thought we’d double down with some analysis of the NAACP’s treatment of racism in the entertainment industry.

For 41 years, the NAACP has awarded “Image” awards to black entertainers who achieve excellence in the arts.  Despite its rightful role in celebrating the accomplishments of people of color in the arts, the awards show has also been beset by controversy.  Several nominees and winners of awards have engaged in openly racist behavior.  For example, Jamie Foxx, a winner of multiple NAACP Image awards, called Miley Cyrus a “little white bitch” who should “catch chlamydia on a bicycle seat.”  The NAACP has yet to comment on Foxx’s remarks.  Going beyond hatred for one white person, rapper Ice Cube released a song in 1993 titled “Enemy,” with lyrics that state: (more…)

The president recently granted Hip-Hop mogul Jay-Z and his wife, R&B diva Beyonce Knowles, an unusual up close and personal tour of the White House’s Situation Room. While the issue at hand regarding the room is one of impropriety, the budding relationship between the most powerful man in the world and hip-hop’s potential first billionaire, is one that should receive further scrutiny.

Jay-Z, Beyonce in the White House Situation Room

Jay-Z has been a huge supporter of the president’s since March of 2008, and recently declared that Britain needs its own Obama to cure its nation’s ills. Unfortunately, he—along with the majority of the Black community—has put blind faith in the president even though his political ideology and the America he intends to create in his image, completely dispels his belief that “Barack Obama ran so all the children could fly”.

First, Obama has been the most pro-abortion, pro-infanticide president in this nation’s history. As a legislator, Obama supported infanticide on a number of occasions, and as president he’s signed several pieces of abortion legislation including a repeal of the Mexico City Policy, which prohibited government funding to be provided to overseas abortion providers. According to the Centers for Disease Control, Black women have 37% of this nation’s abortions, and since the passing of Roe v. Wade, nearly 20,000,000 Black babies have been denied the God-given right to life. (more…)

Stalin reportedly referred to blind defenders and apologists for the former Soviet Union in democratic Western countries as “useful idiots.” Since Stalin’s day, the list has grown to include either those who defend or apologize for radical Islamic regimes or who just turn a blind eye because it suits them for financial or other reasons.

Add singer Beyoncé Knowles to that list:

On Sunday, Mediaite reported that singer Beyoncé Knowles had given a private New Year’s Eve performance for an exclusive crowd in St. Barth — and made the case that she had performed and been paid by relatives of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi (variously known as Khadafy, Qaddafi, Quadhafi and more). Atlanta-based blogger Necole Bitchie reported a $2 million fee; the UK Mirror reported a “six-figure sum” and yesterday Media Takeout made the same claim, repeating the $2 million number and confirming the Gaddafi-hosted party from a guest who was there (hip-hop impresario Russell Simmons also placed Beyoncé at a “Khadafy party.” Today Page Six confirms our original report, with one new piece of information: the party was thrown by Moutassim Gaddafi, known as Hannibal, son of the Libyan dictator who less than a week before made headlines for allegedly attacking his wife in a London hotel.

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Little terrorism, little murder, little fascism, little wife beating… Won’t hurt Beyonce’s standing in Hollywood one bit.

Now, had she performed at Rush Limbaugh’s birthday party…

Mediaite:

On Sunday, Mediaite reported that singer Beyoncé Knowles had given a private New Year’s Eve performance for an exclusive crowd in St. Barth — and made the case that she had performed and been paid by relatives of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi (variously known as Khadafy, Qaddafi, Quadhafi and more). Atlanta-based blogger Necole Bitchie reported a $2 million fee; the UK Mirror reported a “six-figure sum” and yesterday Media Takeout made the same claim, repeating the $2 million number and confirming the Gaddafi-hosted party from a guest who was there (hip-hop impresario Russell Simmons also placed Beyoncé at a “Khadafy party.” Today Page Six confirms our original report, with one new piece of information: the party was thrown by Moutassim Gaddafi, known as Hannibal, son of the Libyan dictator who less than a week before made headlines for allegedly attacking his wife in a London hotel. … (more…)

Normally I don’t like making fun of Columbia journalism students, because it’s like shooting fish in a barrel, if the barrel were full of Columbia journalism students.

And that would be very wrong.

But when I saw this video, I couldn’t resist. It’s of a panel, in which students are pointing out how predictable cover letters won’t help you get a job in the post j-school world. So what would? How about a rap?

And so it begins, as one student unleashes his inner Jay-Z, listing in all earnestness a lengthy promise of his many qualifications.

Roll tape, roll-tapers:

So, no surprise: the student raps benign pap that his professors and like-minded dorm-rats would applaud – from railing against complacency, to never losing touch with “his humanity.” But I’ll repeat the part the kid really wanted them to hear:

“There’s no need to hear crazy, or create a false sense of parity, like Fox News and Hannity.” (more…)

Those damn kids today and their strange and frightening music raise an important question for me:  When did I become my dad?

Back in the eighties – when popular music reached its pinnacle of achievement - I would be home from college, in my room, cranking cool tunes and my father would get home from work, peer in, scrunch up his face and ask how I could listen to that infernal racket.  The answer, of course, was that I had (and still have, dammit) really awesome taste in music.

–

I actually pitied my Dad for being unable to appreciate the Midwestern-inflected post-punk glory of The Replacements, or the sonic frenzy of their Minneapolis brothers-in-noise Husker Du, or the soaring, roaring guitar heroics of The Clash.  I don’t know what music he actually liked.  There were some LPs lying around the house – kids, you can ask your parents what those are – but they were things like the Kingston Trio and the Sound of Music soundtrack.  This last one was a particular sore point for me since my mom got the idea to name me Kurt, which is the German equivalent of Melvin, from the little Von Trapp twerp who sang “Fa.” (more…)

I do not feel the need to offer much commentary.  I believe this video speaks for itself and expect no condemnation from the “hope-change” artistic community.  From knowledgeable people, I have been informed that Young Jeezy and Jaz-Z are popular troubadours in the Hop-Hip community.

0:41-1:17
Young Jeezy:  I know you all are thanking a lot of people right now, the people of Barack Obama campaign.  Just everybody who did everything, on the street getting votes and all that and sh*t. I wanna thank two people, I wanna thank the mother f**ker overseas that threw two shoes at George Bush and I wanna thank-and listen, listen-and I wanna thank the mother f**kers who helped dem move their sh*t up out of the White House.  Keep it moving bitch because my president is mother f**king black, nigga!

2:02-2:06
Jeezy: Nigga
Jay-Z:  You know it
Jeezy:  I’m so proud to be black right now.  I don’t even know what to say, nigga.

Jay Z- at about 5:40 on this video
Neva thought Id Say this sh*t baby Im good
You can keep ya Puss,
I dont want no More BUSH
No More War, No More Iraq
No More White LIES, My President is BLACK