by Tracie Morales
Carlos Reygadas
PARTYTIME: Latinos are known for throwing great fi estas. The 2007 NCLR ALMA AWARDS, airing June 5 on ABC, is no exception. Actress Eva Longoria heats up the hottest night on television as host of the event honoring Hispanics in music, movies and TV.
There will be performances by Los Lonely Boys, Beyoncé Knowles and Calle 13. And Hollywood’s loveliest Latinas, including Jessica Alba and Eva Mendes, loin tinsel town’s legendary pillars Andy García and Héctor Elizondo. Completing the packed cast are funnymen Carlos Mencia and Alex Reymundo.
For more details visit www.almsawards.com.
jQUE RICO! Ingrid Hoffmann debuts her spicy cooking skills on the new program Simply Delicioso, airing July 14 on Food Network. This Colombia-born comida queen adds a “twist of Latin fl avor with dashes of limón and pico de gallo to turn traditional meals into fl avorful fare. Hoffmann contributes a monthly column to the lifestyle magazine PARTY-TIME:
LATINOS AND TV: Entertainment industry advocates are urging Nielsen Media Research to revise its sampling method of Latino television consumers, arguing it misrepresents Hispanic tastes.
The organization Change the Sample launched an online petition with nearly 5,000 signatures pressing Nielsen to use methods that resemble Census demographics. Nielsen ratings among Hispanics are measured using fi ve categories: Spanish only, mostly Spanish, Spanish and English equally, mostly English and English only.
Change the Sample argues that these determinants are subjective and overlook the 60 percent of U.S.-born Hispanics who identify with English programming. Critics say these methods result in a disproportionate amount of Hispanics on English television and contribute to stereotypical roles depicting AnniversaryHispanics as maids, gang members and construction workers.
For more information visit www.changethesample.com or www.nielsenmedia.com.
CONGRATS: Three Latin American directors received awards during the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, held May 16-27. Mexico-native Carlos Reygadas won the Jury Prize for Stellet Light (Silent Night). Mexico director Elisa Miller joined the ranks of recipients for Palme d’Or in the short film category for Ver Llover. Argentinean
filmmaker Gonzalo Tobal grabbed first prize from the Cinefondation awards for his film Ahora todos parecen contentos.
Hispanic Link.
