Responding to filmaker George Lucas' recent comments on the lack of support that he received during the making of 'Red Tails,' southwest Atlanta Tyler Perry Studios' founder has penned an official statement on his website, according to a report in the Huffington Post's Black Voices. Posted under his "My Messages" page, Perry begins his statement by saying: "Unfortunately, movies starring an all African American cast are on the verge of becoming extinct. THAT’S RIGHT, EXTINCT!" He goes on to say that "George decided to take a huge risk by entirely funding the movie and releasing it himself…

The 20th Annual Trumpet Awards—created to celebrate and honor African-American achievement in diverse fields—brings a series of events to Atlanta this week. Southwest Atlanta resident Xernona Clayton is the Founder, President and CEO of the Trumpet Awards Foundation, Inc. and Creator and Executive Producer of the Foundation’s Trumpet Awards. Initiated in 1993 by Turner Broadcasting, the Trumpet Awards has been televised annually and distributed internationally to over 185 countries around the world. Many southwest Atlantans are involved in behind-the-scenes management of the nationally-…

Several southwest Atlanta residents and other Atlantans make "cameo" appearances on a recent Braxton Family Values segment. The scene, which starts around 5:30 on this YouTube clip, is about southwest Atlanta-raised cast member Andre Carter, husband of Towanda Braxton, and a book signing here in Atlanta. Included in the clip are my brother, Brian Poe, Esq., who along with his firm partner Michelle Simpson, Esq., represent Carter. Other Atlantans in the clip include but are not limited to: John Williams, of J Entertainment ATL; ATL-CEO Mixer coordinator and celebrity agent Kim Tumey; Judge …

This photo gallery of the 2011 BET Soul Train Awards by award-winning photojournalist Jonathan Phillips first appeared in the story "Soulful Night at the Fox" in Midtown Patch on Friday. Cascade Patch thought our Patchers would enjoy these great pictures, too. Enjoy!

No need to leave southwest Atlanta for quality live entertainment this weekend. Acclaimed composer Norman Connors of "You Are My Starship" and "Valentine Love" fame to perform two shows honoring legendary Tony Award-nominated talent Phyllis Hyman this Saturday with Cascade songstress Jennifer Freeman at Landon's Restaurant and Bar, 3752 Cascade Rd. Tickets ($5) sold out this week for the 8 p.m. show but limited seating is still available for the 10 p.m. performance. A reception for the event is set for tomorrow at Wine Styles Cascade. For more information, see today's Get Out! Weekend Planner…

Southwest Atlantans mixed and mingled with Atlanta and national stars last night as WE-TV filmed  an episode of the popular reality show. Stay tuned to Cascade Patch. We will have more details about the evening as the day progresses.

Braxton Family Values, the popular WE-TV reality show, will film Wednesday night at Kim Tumey's ATL C.E.O. Mixer at the Aurum Lounge, 915 Peachtree St., in downtown Atlanta. The mixer, 6 to 10:30 p.m., will feature the book signing of southwest Atlanta-raised author Andre Carter, a 1980 graduate of Woodward Academy in College Park and husband of Towanda Braxton. Both are featured on the show. According to a news release from Tumey, the event also will feature appearances by Evelyn Braxton, mother of Toni and Towanda Braxton, and JL King, the New York Times best-selling authored twice featured…

When singer/actress Arle Michel was growing up in southwest Atlanta she knew at an early age that she wanted to be an entertainer. “My mother will tell you that my brother and I have always been entertaining people,” Michel said during an interview at the Barnes & Noble at Camp Creek Marketplace. “It's in my blood.” She admits, however, that like most people trying to maintain and build a show business career, it has been discouraging at times. “There have been moments when I have quit every other week, but I keep coming back to it," she said. "I just love it.” Michel even came back to it …

Toni Braxton's mother Evelyn Braxton and her Cascade native book author son-in-law Andre Carter—both stars of the WE TV reality show "Braxton Family Values"—have now been added to the growing list of featured guests for Kim Tumey'sl  ATL C.E.O. Mixer 6 to 10:30 p.m. Wed., July 27, at Aurum Lounge in downtown Atlanta. After a successful book signing at Greenbriar Mall, which was attended by Evelyn Braxton and her daugthers Towanda Braxton (Andre's wife) and Trina Braxton, Carter will be signing copies of his book "69 Ways" at this event. His mother-in-law Evelyn Braxton will accompany him. ATL…

It's been nearly five years since Kathleen Bertrand's last CD and the wait has been well worth it. One of Atlanta's favorite singers, Bertrand recently performed selections from her new CD “Katharsis” with her band before a packed house in the lobby bar of the Loew's Hotel in Midtown. Cascade Patch caught up with Bertrand, a longtime southwest Atlanta resident, following her taping on the new entertainment TV show “The Chatroom” (Sundays, 11:30 a.m. WXIA-TV Ch. 11). The Chatroom co-host and executive producer Shaunya Chavis-Rucker and Bertrand used to be choir mates at Cascade United …

The fans of legendary boxing great Sugar Ray Leonard Saturday started lining up more than an hour before his scheduled book signing at the West End Branch of the Atlanta Fulton County Library. By the time of the scheduled noon signing, the line stretched out of the building and down the steps to Peeples Street. Leonard signed copies of his new autobiography, “The Big Fight” - My Life In and Out of the Ring” (Viking). Most of the media focus about Leonard's autobiography has been about his admission that he was sexually abused by two of his former trainers when he was a teenager. Before the …

Braxton Family Values, the new reality TV show which gives viewers an inside look into the lives of singer Toni Braxton, her four sisters and their mother, is back on the air Tuesday evening.  The 10-part episode—which was shot mostly in the Atlanta area — airs again at 8 p.m. on the cable network We TV. Tonight's first episode is "The Bermuda Triangle" followed by "Taste of a Wedding Singer" and two more episodes. Season two premieres Nov. 8, according to the Braxton Family Values official website. Braxton Family Values drops the curtain on the personal and professional lives of her sisters …