Precious a Perfect Look at Black America

Precious star talks self-confidence, and her hatred of yoga

(NEWSER) - Now that Precious has catapulted Gabourey Sidibe to fame, the former psychology major from Harlem finds herself wearing fancy dresses, attending premieres and parties, and doing photo shoots—and she loves it all. Highlights from her Harper’s Bazaar interview:

• On photo shoots: “I feel like a model. It justifies everyone in my life who told me I wouldn't be anything until I lost weight. It justifies that little girl who cried because she didn't think she could be in front of the camera.”
• On self-esteem: “People always ask me, 'You have so much confidence. Where did that come from?' It came from me. One day I decided that I was beautiful, and so I carried out my life as if I was a beautiful girl.”

The iPod, Guitar Hero, Twitter—and some serious moments, too

(NEWSER) - From the tragic (World Trade Center attacks, Hurricane Katrina) to the seemingly trivial (Stephen Fry's first Tweet), the Telegraph lists the top 100 defining cultural moments of the decade so far:

• April 2000: Metallica sues music-sharing service Napster.
• October 2001: The iPod is released.
• February 2003: Sacha Baron Cohen hits America.
• March 2003: Michael Moore slams President Bush at the Oscars.
• February 2005: YouTube is created.

(NEWSER) - President Obama has promised to “answer many of the big questions” tonight, but Mike Memoli of RealClearPolitics will be looking for answers to small questions, like:

• Which Obama will show up? Will he be the fiery campaigner from Monday’s AFL-CIO meeting or President Teleprompter? Sadly, Robert Gibbs says it’ll be “less labor rally and a little bit more Congress.”

(NEWSER) - Mark Hosenball of Newsweek was at Woodstock, and not only did he not have a good time, but he can’t quite figure out how we’ve “transformed a chaotic mudfest into an epic pageant of peace and love.” Hosenball reminisces about the “massive, teeming, squalid mess” and its “traffic jams, torrential rain, reeking portable johns, barely edible food, and sprawling, disorganized crowds.” He can’t even really remember what acts he saw. More»

2009 list also includes sports figures, politicians, royalty, entertainers, artists

(NEWSER) - Vanity Fair’s 2009 International Best-Dressed List is as glamorous as ever, but the magazine didn’t ignore the global pinch of the recession. A sampling of the honorees, along with their favorite recession-friendly bargain-hunting locale or item:

• Michelle Obama: J. Crew
• Barack Obama: Secret Service employees’ store
• Alicia Keys: Barneys warehouse sale
• Brad Pitt: Make It Right Foundation T-shirts