III m - - - - iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiillillillillillillm - - r ilr i 0 The Michigan Daily - Weekend, etc. Magazine - 4B - The Michigan Daily - Weekend, etc. Magazine - Thursday, December 2, 1999 Nobel laureate's winding road leads to Ann Arbor visit NAACP announces Inage Award nominees By Jeff Druchniak Weekend, Etc. Editor Students, faculty and local fans will migrate to Rackham Auditorium tonight to hear Wole Soyinka give a reading, but perhaps it's more impressive that Soyinka made it to the University campus at all. It hasn't been a smooth proposi- tion in the making. The University attempted to arrange an appearance by this towering figure in world lit- erature last year, but the vagaries of Soyinka's rigorous schedule could not be accomodated, and plans were put on hold. This year, the reading is scheduled for takeoff. (But according to lain Twiss, who oversees visit- ing writers for the University's E n g l i s h Department, Soyinka won't even stay the night in Michigan after Wole Soyinka Rackham Tonight at 5 delivering his performance and greeting his audience afterwards at a reception.) But that's nothing new for Soyinka, who doesn't need to be flippant to say he's been there and done that. The Nigerian writer's diverse and demanding career has been a luminous example for decades, but it pales in comparison to the nearly three years he spent as a political prisoner during the Nigerian Civil War. Soyinka served most of that time in solitary con- finement, and the staggering ordeal See SOYINKA, Page 5B I Los Angeles Times Universal's "The Best Man," a romantic comedy about a group of black yuppies who experience love and conflict as they prepare for a wedding, and WB's comedy "The Steve Harvey Show" were the leaders Wednesday in nominations for the 30th annual National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Image Awards. "The Best Man," which marked the debut of writer-director Malcolm Lee and was a hit with crossover audiences, scored nine nominations, including best actor nods for Taye Diggs and Morris Chestnut, best actress nominations for Nia Long and Monica Calhoun, and acting nominations for co-stars Harold Perrineau Jr., Terrence Howard, Melissa de Soussa and Sanaa Lathan. The film was also nominated for best picture. "The Steve Harvey Show," about a 1970s R&B star turned high school music teacher and now vice principal, collected five nominations, including a best actor citation for star Steve Harvey, co-starring nominations for Cedric the Entertainer, Terri J. Vaughn and Wendy Raquel Robinson, and a nomination for best comedy series. Among networks and cable channels, CBS has the most nominations with 19, followed by ABC with 15, HBO with 14, WB with 12 and NBC with 10. Fox and UPN both have five nominations. Other nominees for best picture include "Life," "The Hurricane," "The Matrix" and "The Wood." Besides Diggs and Chestnut, the best actor nominees include Denzel Washington ("The Hurricane"), Michael Clarke Duncan ("The Green Mile") and Laurence Fishburne ("The Matrix"). Long and Calhoun are joined in the best actress category by Debbi Morgan ("The Hurricane"), Lisa Gay Hamilton ("True Crime") and Rosario Dawson ("Light It Up"). Outstanding TV comedy series nominees include "For Your Love," "The Hughleys," "Cosby" and "Linc's." Outstanding drama series nominees were "'Ally McBeal," "ER," "Touched by an Angel," "Oz" and "The Practice." The awards, which honor the best in black entertainment in the fields of film, television, music and literature, will be handed out Feb. 11 and 12 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in California. A shortened version of the ceremony will be broadcast April 9 on Fox. The ceremony may take on added significance in light of the NAACP's recent protest against the lack of racial diversity on television. NAACP President Kweisi Mfume has threat- ened to stage boycotts and demonstra- tions against at least one of the four major networks if they do not take mea- sures to increase diversity in front of and behind the camera. Taye Diggs and Nia Long heat up the screen in Malcom Lee's "The Best Man." The i friend's wedding and briefly fall in love again. "The Best Man" has been nominated fo m Happy Holidaysi The Harlem Nutcracker Thursday, December 2, 8 p.m. Friday, December 3, 8 p.m. Sat., December 4, 2 p.m. & 8 p.m. Sun., December 5, 3 p.m. & 6 p.m. Detroit Opera House Featuring striking sets, spectacular costumes and exuberant choreography, more than 80 performers catch the holiday spirit and make it soar on this magical journey back in time to Harlem in the 1930s. Courtesy of theCommonwealth Secretariat Wole Soyinka speaks at a conference of the Scottish government on African policy. G r a p h ie Prints from the sso THE 0 c M ag i c i a n Norton Simon Museum File Photo LarenceFshbun's role in "TheMatrtx" gamered him anikmeAward nomination. Haidnel's Messiah Saturday, December 4, 8 p.m. Sunday, December 5, 2 p.m. Hill Auditorium Ring in the sounds of the Christmas season with the UMS Choral Union, performing Handel's beloved oratorio. Now through January 16, 2000 Trace the career and life of this startling and original 20th-century master through his print work Call 419-255-8000 for more information Pablo Picasso, woman v. r .Septembner1956 Awitby Pablo Piao I999 Estate of Pablo Pkasso/Artzsts Pigt Society (ARS), NewYork This exhibiton has been orazaed by the Norton Simon Mseum and the Iis & B. Gerald Center fo VW nArts at St An k~n n~rsitymis eo6 bion has been made possible by a generous grant from a t x lJi and John Freidennich. TWAT SUPPORTS PiJIUC PROGRAMS IN THE ARTS The Toledo Museum of Art -Ow Wood iU a wic I a ehe4rd d.kighU Courtesy of MTV Pictures Courtesy of www.corbus.com Denzel Washington was honored with a nomination for his role as a boxer in "The Hurricane," a film that has yet to be released. University Musical Society - 764.2538