The Miami Herald from Miami, Florida • 43

TVRADIOLIVING TUESDAY FEBRUARY 22 1994 CH THE MIAMI HERALD dll a tough life being black female and single in Florida On Deadly Ground is deadly dull By RENE RODRIQUEZ Herald Staff Writer You call Steven Seagal a mere action film star anymore with On Deadly Ground the man has become a full-fledged auteur His name pops up no less than three times during the opening credits all this before the title even appears The only problem is Seagal apparently have a clue about directing traffic much less a big-budget action movie On Deadly Ground about a greedy oil magnate (Michael Caine) intent on bringing a city-size oil rig into operation despite countless safety violations that endanger the Alaskan environment has all the thrills and suspense of a rerun of Barney and Friends Seagal stars as an oil rig worker who gets wind of his sinister intentions and sets about to sabotage the entire operation At one point Seagal is injured in an explosion and rescued by a group of native Inuit people who nurse him back to health In the most flat-out embarrassing sequence Seagal the director gropes for metaphysical symbolism and depicts his inner struggle to live by showing his character wrestling with a bear and entering a torch-lit cave full of naked women Seriously at that scene that the audience members who presumably have come to see Seagal kick much butt are scratching their heads and wondering whether in the right theater the first half of the movie is deadly dull Eventually Seagal comes lar background but not exclusive Often not enough Most men are not as open-minded as I am in choosing partners Dating non-blacks necessarily the magic answer Davis suggests that frustrated blacks might consider moving to a city with more blacks Church and NAACP meetings are good but a world of difference when you can chance upon potential mates at the office at the supermarket at the bank in the bookstore Life in Hollywood In the movie Grand Canyon Kevin character sets up a black tow-truck driver met played by Danny Glover with a black woman from his office Alfre Woodard The reason Kline thinks get along is they both happen to be black Lo and behold they hit it off and fall in love Hollywood is a trip Real life is more unpredictable For every number of eligible men I meet feel a romantic bond with only one or two or maybe none human sensibility and it defies formula Life would be easier if we could program instant responses but we The more men I have to choose from the better my chances of finding someone who as a man I dated briefly put it fits Can I find him here? Like many blacks beginning to wonder Jesse Jackson says Keep Hope Alive But Davis says be realistic Hmmmmm Just in case How cold does it get in Atlanta? problems don just have simple answers Be realistic Be positive Get out there You can't find somebody at home LARRY DAVIS author of and Single' Waiting for Mr Right Claudette Armbrister 28 been in a relationship since 1989 She says important to her to date a black man but she meet many singles her age at church even got tired of looking I figured well put it in the hands and say putting it up to says Armbrister a receptionist She has also re-examined her standards long time ago I used to say I would never date a garbage man or somebody who worked outside all day but a job is a job As long as it pays the Non-exclusive Others turn to people who are not black I adhere to black-only clauses in dating partially because of the reality of living where I do Dade County is more than 50 percent Hispanic and blacks (21 percent) are scattered My own culture is important to me and I know easier to relate to someone from a simi stars with Joan Chen in this MOVIE REVIEW ON DEADLY GROUND (R) Cast Steven Seagal Michael Caine Joan Chen John McGinley Irvin Brink Lee Ermey Billy Bob Thornton Director Steven Seagal Producers: Steven Seagal Julius Nasso A Kitman Ho Screenwriters: Ed Horowitz Robin Russin Cinematographer Ric Waite Music: Basil Pouledoris A Warner Bros release Running time: 105 minutes Vulgar language brief nudity violence heavy gore Playing at: area Loving fans criticize salsa queen Celia Cruz for psychic line CRUZ FROM ID Bush would lend herself to something like said Miguel Angel Garcia a security guard at Versailles Restaurant in Miami a fatal said Maria Santana 51 from the counter of downtown Golden House cafeteria need to do Celia says the criticism is exaggerated as is her image as Cuban icon Celia her fans clamor "mds cubana que las palmas" more Cuban than the palm trees Celia revered by some almost as much as the Virgin of Charity patron saint put me up so Celia said emphatically in a tele MATES FROM ID porate transactional attorney who lives in North Dade and works in West Palm Beach says he dated anyone seriously since he moved back two years ago after finishing at Harvard and Vanderbilt Law He grew up in Miami Like Zina looking for a level of sophistication and Vanderbilt Law He grew up in Miami Like Zina looking for a level of sophistication go to a club to meet he says more likely to date someone from another city or gone to school elsewhere or who has experience beyond the realm of The challenge particular to South Florida Davis points out In a telephone interview he cites disheartening census statistics: Sixty percent of blacks are single 60 percent of whites are married There are only seven to eight black men for every 10 black women problems just have simple Davis says realistic Be positive Get out there You find somebody at Davis suggests joining an organization like a church or Big BrothersBig Sisters Zina met a man she has been dating for eight months at a political reception Andrd meets women at professional functions Emilia a 33-year-old RN who lives in Miramar met her new boyfriend at a meeting of a black organization good man is hard to she says you have to keep out there who need At $399 a minute? is doing she said think a crime people say losing my she added not doing anything wrong not selling drugs not prostituting No one is measuring local response scientifically and because these paid ads are not regular programming television stations log viewer reac- tion Success is measured by the volume of 900 calls the infomer-' cials generate Last week infomercial was scheduled to run practically every day on both Telemundo and Univision know it works or not because they want to buy more air said Maria Cristina Barros programming director for Channel 5 1 are the trend right now Echc Vivian Sanchez program coordinator in Telemundo sales: looks like people are making money because what is selling the most In the last eight months seen more and good Barros said she has not encountered adverse reaction love the show They love all the guests invited only heard good things about A stroll through South outlets of talk and opinion however renders harsher commentary parents my friends most of them older people say she has -lost a lot of prestige for doing this that a shame she is tak 10-minute have good Ten minutes into it record is dismal but hooked She asks if sick No Do I have pains? She says she feels my aching legs trembling Something right I decide to help her had backaches need to visit the she says been in a long She struck gold Finally Should I worry? perfectly healthy she says but I should go anyway Mothers could make a lot of money doing this I think I want to end the conversation when she sees another man She must sense my lack of interest Un amor dahino" she says a very harmful love not impressed I think she catches on She now sees a woman who acts friendly but is in reality envious Now Yadira sees a trip Favorable vibes very far she says water between us in another country! will turn out very she enthuses Possible I say I make a move to say goodbye will turn out well but have overcome some she reopens the subject got to go I say Yadira: should not mix sentimental things with continued to prosper but instead chose with her Sandoval said criticize Celia She is doing what everyone does making a penny an overreaction You find out that somebody you consider up and above is just This not the first time Celia has upset her fans Recently when she played a Santeria priestess in the soap opera Valentina she was taken to task even though Celia responded Cuba practiced most is that And tired of it the sal-sera said going to do what I believe I need to do I am not going to ask for forgiveness she said before hanging up Celia Cruz of always BME3E3I NOW-SHOWIN UNTIED AA1STC MOVSt AT 1WFAU I ft IMmtt IU-MC E3T MALL Of THE AMERICAS PALMETTO SWAVifl ITALKISH0W1T0PICS1 ing advantage of her standing to do said Erick Aracil 28 who works at a shoe import and export business in Miami He sees it differently Cuban and I adore democracy why I live here I think that if she wants to do it she has the right to do letters in Spanish-language daily El Nuevo Herald have all been negative understand how an art ist like la guarachera de Cuba' rich and famous take better care of image and lends herself for money to sponsor this so-called psychic wrote Victoria Abascal of Miami Beach feel cheated because a lady like her would lend herself to exploiting poor people who through a telephone line are seeking a word of wrote Cristina Portuondo of Coral Gables People who disapprove of venture are reacting to the commercialization of an idol says Mercedes Sandoval an anthropology professor at Miami-Dade Community College have Celia as a symbol more than real above and beyond Sandoval said is the soul of Cuba Celia was an idol in Cuba in 1 954 and she has been an idol for 40 years She is almost as important as the Virgin of Adored singer Celia is adored not just for her musical talent but because never let Fidel Castro romance the professor said She could have stayed in Cuba and connection This is too expensive I say Now she wants my address She has a magazine to send Then she gives me her extension and asks that I call again Ay Yadira When my boss sees this 900 bill I may need to Can we talk career? HEAVY-HANDED: Steven Seagal pseudo-environmental film around and gives the people what they want: A long succession of gory fistfights gunfights and knife fights in which no one is able to land a punch on the man Invulnerable heroes much fun even Superman died recently but Seagal has become such an egomaniacal star probably drop-kick anyone who dared mention this to him On Deadly Ground which ends with an embarrassingly heavy-handed sermon on protecting the environment should help deflate his ego Then again this being Seagal maybe it phone interview from New York want to be compared to the Virgin of Charity sacred! Maybe the palm trees OK But a sinner just like everyone If her infomercial can be considered a sin then Celia is in the company of a lot of famous sinners Although she may be drawing more controversy than others because of her legendary status not the only celebrity in the trade Between midnight and dawn and on weekends when most of the infomercials run viewers can also catch flamboyant entertainer Charytin on the Spanish-language networks And in English singer Dionne Warwick and marital sex (1:00) 7 PM Hard Copy Nancy assailants (cc) 8 Inside Edition Violence in America (cc) ID America: Personal Conversations With Dennis Wholey Judy Woodruff 7:30 PM 8 IB Entertainment Tonight Sharon Stone (cc) 9 PM 81 Front Page When combined with caffeine an ingredient in diet pills allegedly can cause severe reactions (1:00) (cc) R5BI Larry King Live News correspondents Wolf Blitzer Andrea Mitchell Rita Braver and Brit Hume (1:00) (cc) UTE NIGHT 11 PM 8 Arsenio Hall Blah-Underwood Martin Lawrence singer CC Peniston (1:00) (cc) 11:35 PM 8 8 The Tonight Show Ben Stiller the Band (1:00) (cc) 8 Late Show With David Letterman Sinead (1:00) (cc) MIDNIGHT fi) Arsenio Hall See 11 pm (1:00) Charlie Rose Author John Naisbitt Jon Voight Bob Costas (1:00) 1205 AM 03 American Journal Rape victim loses job 12:35 AM 8 8 Late Night With Conan Buddy Ebsen musician Nick Heyward (1:00) (cc) 03 Rolonda Prozac (1:00) 12:37 AM Rush Limbaugh 1 AM 8 Charlie Rose See midnight (1:00) 1:35 AM a Jenny Jones (R) 2 AM 8 Montel Williams (R) W0) 3 PM Larry King (wpbramimo and WSBH AM MM) 7 PM Stu Goldstein "Keeper of the oldies show (wmrz AM 790) 7 PM Bruce Williams (wssh AM MW) 8 PM Randi Rhodes pmoo am 10) 8 PM Chicago Symphony (WnMFMW1) psychic Linda Georgian host what is ranked as the most popular infomercial in the county by the Jordan Whitney Direct Response Television Monitoring Report published in California Then Cher selling skin products and Vanna White hawking tooth whitener Not unique to Celia Negative reaction indeed is not limited to Celia Although profitable for celebrities who strike the right sales chord a recent Gallup survey found that Americans rate infomercials as one of the least favorite things to come into their lives in the past few years infomercial does at times pull at the heartstrings As it unfolds Celia and Enrique Rodulfo El chief psychic receive guests a slew of popular soap-opera stars who proceed to call psychics They get glowing reviews of their personalities and careers Audience members also consult the psychics One teary-eyed elderly woman is told by Rodulfo that he sees her dead son standing next to her and giving her support Through it all Celia urges viewers to call no doubt she says into the camera people have the ability to receive and interpret revelations because they have the gift of psychic Does she really believe? Celia said believe there is something out there not presenting myself as a psychic and this does not negate God and in reality this is needed There are a lot of people Advice on a THE CALL FROM ID No Silence I hear pages flipping and too much silence for the price She begins to remind me as the flipping continues that she sees it all but it be in detail And before I know it Yadira has changed the subject One strike She sees a man "Un senor she says A blond gentleman tall graying hair A sentimental thing she insists Sorry I say The only blond man in the vicinity of my life is the reporter sitting in front of me Yadira insists with some elaboration that she sees a big family reunion and the blond is part of it your family very very she affirms No just a little north of Hialeah She finally agrees to set aside the blond I want to move on to career but Yadira wants to talk men She sees another This one has some gray hair and a good face young No Strike out again people around you are looking at you with very good she says are good men They own businesses They 7 AM 8 Today Roseanne Arnold author Marion Winik band US3 (2:00) (cc) Good Morning America In Hong Kong Americans in Hong Kong food-shopping and eating shopping for a custom-made suit the tram at Victoria Peak Gov Chris Patten the Royal Highland Regiment Band (2:00) (cc) 9 AM Donahue Seasoned actresses with new careers (1:00) (cc) Rush Limbaugh (B Regis Kathie Lee Buddy Ebsen Hula Moola Hawaii Rendezvous Contest winners (1:00) S3 Maury Povich Anorexia (1:00) (cc) 10 AM Leeza How nice guys fare in love (1:00) Vicki! Guinness World Record holders (1:00) Montel Williams Pregnant teen tells her mother (1:00) S3 Jerry Springer for troubled teens (1:00) 11 AM Jane Whitney Jurors on the Bobbitt and Menendez trials (1:00) Jenny Jones Fraternal twins discuss being gay (1:00) SD Can We Shop Starring Joan Rivers Personal computer (1:00) 1 PM CB Charlie Rose Author Brent Staples author Margaret Atwood pianist Vladimir Felts-man (1:00) 3 PM 8 Bertice Berry Sin-bad and single fathers (1:00) 4 PM Sally Jessy Raphael People who were given up by their mothers at birth (1:00) 8 03 Oprah Winfrey Hall meeting" (1:00) (cc) 5 PM Geraldo Improving I0NIRADI0IT0DAY1 JIM CARREY MUICT "Kidj will love it and so will adults jf iPG-uigg now SHOWING IMLLER SQUARE I 13638 SWSTiST 387-3494 UNTYTRSTTY -3AJ 223urOO SAM Radio Reading Service (WUWFMtU) 10 AM Jimmy Cefalo (woam AMMO) 10 AM Sandy Payton (WMRZAM790) NOON 1 PM Rush Um-baugh (wbzt am mo and wqam AMMO) 1 PM Paul Harvey (wsbh am 14M) 120 PM Linda Stein (wssham 7 mall of the AMERICAS 14 BAKERY CENTRE 7 US 1 ATRED RO Am y-'wvti 662-4641 LEJEUCCMM Cinema ic 3 CENTER MNLACLE m- xiw 442-2299 IHX Arok xujkF byroEESlyle $00-71 ST 666-9623 FASrOON SLAN0 16 aso'Atf blvc 631-2873 AMC OCtANWALK 10 OCtWAMLJI CL1VCCCiUA 920330 OOTMCMhPC OMUiOKM MIAlEAHCJNENU PEMBROKE 113SC sE5 3LVD 43S-37Q0 MOVIES AT TVt FALLS M-HST 2S6-6200 1 ccvut SL-tslJUT cossVmoaass cc4 'I'.