Now is not a time for snark. Just want to pass along my best wishes and thoughts to Jennifer Hudson and her family at this difficult time. Here are the details as of Friday night.
Thank you for posting this. We have been stunned in our house tonight. Not that we are even huge fans - life is just so hard anyway - no one should have to live through this. We are sending our best thoughts to the Hudson family.
Sickening....... Murder is tragic enough, but you do not drag a helpless child into it. Prayers for Jennifer and family. May the little one be home soon!
I read this on the wires this afternoon and was stunned. Mom stayed in the neighborhood because that was where she thought she should be. Horrible, horrible.
The man who shot them was recently out prison and on parole for attempted murder. I am not blaming the victims but this person was dangerous and is now holding a 7 year old traumatize child for ransom. I am sorry but how could you have someone like that living with you? It was foolish, and it turned out to be a fatal mistake.
My sympathies to family and friends. Jennifer must just be in so much pain right now.
The suspect is Jen's bro-in-law. This nephew is her sister's son (not his son), yet we've heard no news about her sister. Where is she? Is she okay? So distressing. Horrible.
I cannot even begin to imagine what Jennifer Hudson and her surviving family are going through. I hope they have the love and support they need, and will continue to need for a very long time. What a horrific tragedy. I so hope the little one is found safe and sound.
There are those who've claimed that she should have moved her family out of that neighborhood, but this was a domestic situation--it can and does happen anywhere, alas. IIRC, her sister (the boy's mom) wasn't there at the time and is physically OK. I hope the little boy is alive, but I have a sinking feeling about this, esp. since the suspect isn't his biodad...
Thoughts and prayers for Jennifer and her family...I can't even begin to imagine what they're all going through. :-(
I'm aghast! I can't say I was one of her fans. I'm pretty neutral on her. Never followed American Idol.
I read about this tragedy on Times Online, and I was pretty surprised by the language the author chose. All these negative loser and failure references to Jennifer Hudson, like sly backhands. Even made sure to pick and "ebonics" sort of quote of hers. This piece came off as a subtle put-down masquerading as straight news.
Hotchacha, is this the quote to which you refer?: Hudson said in another interview that she was happy she could rely on her family to tell the truth about how she looked and dressed. “Don’t nobody talk about me worse than my sister and brother,” she told Sister 2 Sister magazine.
“Every time I step into my mama’s house or see my sister and brother, it’s, ‘What you got on? What’s that mess? You need to take that off’.”
I have to disagree with your assessment of the article and the ebonics interpretation. Have you ever heard her speak at length? She's not particularly articulate and the quotes used are an accurate representation of the way she speaks. However, I did not find the article disrespectful and fail to see 'loser' and 'failure' references. She is an atypical celebrity in a society that bestows lavish and unwarranted attention on the Paris Hiltons and chicks from The Hills. Good for her for being herself and making a success of herself despite the shallowness of our society. Personally, I think the reporter was simply acknowledging that she isn't a cookie-cutter, interchangeable celebrity.
I haven't heard her speak at length, but those times I have I haven't heard her speak that way.
Tidbits like, "....after she rose to stardom from an inauspicious start as a losing contestant on the American Idol television show," and, "Dumped from American Idol after failing to impress Simon Cowell, the show’s caustic British judge, she was offered a role in the film version of Dreamgirls, a Broadway musical, and promptly stole the show with a spellbinding performance as Effie White, a plucky loser," initially struck me as not the most compassionate wording especially right when her nearest kin have been gunned down. I might have edited those a bit differently.
I do think she's atypical, but other celeb-focused articles by the same writer -- the Clooney piece for example -- seemed warmer. But all in all, I'm glad that you think I'm wrong. I'd prefer to be wrong about things like this.
enty, thanks for posting this, do you think you can post a photo of her missing nephew, too? i think the more eyes that see it, the better the odds are that he'll be returned safely.
i'm really bummed out about this. jennifer hudson is a home girl and i loved her on ai. one of my favorite youtube clips (audio only, really) is one where she's on a radio show and they unexpectedly tell her they have an Aretha singalong every morning. she's never sung it before, didn't expect it and had a cold, but she sits there and belts the song out as though she'd been rehearsing it for hours. check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0KB4hyV3OA
prayers and good thoughts to her family and friends during this terrible tragedy.
i'm in chicago and they just found the SUV that belonged to the brother in law with a dead child inside it. they need to confirm it's her nephew, but you know it must be him.
i'm sickened by this. i don't know how a family gets through something so tragic.
According to a blogger on IMDB yahoo news supposedly confirmed that the body found is Julian King. I am trying to find that article on the internet but so far haven't had any luck.
Hi Molly thanks for the link but the article still says "If the boy is identified as Julian King" which means they still haven't officially stated that it's Jullian's body even though we all know it's probably him.
quintessential - the boy's step dad William, was a convicted criminal and had threatened his wife (Julia) sometime earlier stating that he would kill her family but she just thought it was an idle threat. Julia and her husband were in the process of getting a divorce.
I'm watching the news right now and they said that the body matches the description of the little boy but they can't identify the body until the medical examiner's investigation is completed.
sorry, nomd, they've changed the wording on a couple of online articles i've been following. first they said the child was identified and now they're saying he has not been identified. i think they want to be positive, but since they found him in the same suv with the same license plates as the brother-in-law's suv, i think it has to be julian king.
molly that makes sense, the info. was originally posted in the article because they know it's him. Someone probably told them that it's illegal to say anything until after the medical examiner's report so they went back and changed the article.
It's going to be a while before Jennifer can recover from this.
i think it's going to be a while before anyone gets over this, if that's even possible.
i read this morning that jennifer wanted to get them a house somewhere else and her family refused. i understand that, they're used to their community and don't want to uproot. if it's william balfour, the ex-brother in law, then the shooting could have happened anywhere.
lyz, it's possible he didn't know the little boy was in his bedroom at the time he shot the mother and brother. i think i read or heard this morning that the bullets used to kill little julian matched the shells found in his bedroom. why move the body? were they trying to help him or just remove him because he wasn't supposed to be part of the scene the perp had pictured?
i'm glad they're christian people who are involved in their church. they're going to need all the help and support they can get and faith is a good thing to fall back on during difficult times.
This is so, so sad. :(
ReplyDeleteHow awful for the family. I hope they find the baby unharmed soon.
ReplyDeleteThis is really sad... I was so shocked when I read this earlier today. I don't know what to say...
ReplyDeleteMy prayers are with Jenifer, her family and friends.
My the mother and brother rest in peace. :(
oh wow. thats horrible.
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this.
ReplyDeleteWe have been stunned in our house tonight. Not that we are even huge fans - life is just so hard anyway - no one should have to live through this.
We are sending our best thoughts to the Hudson family.
That poor woman - I don't know how anyone gets through things like this. I hope they find her nephew safe and well.
ReplyDeleteOh my god! I feel so, so sorry for Jenifer right now. I can't even imagine how painful this must be for her.
ReplyDeleteMy condolences to the Hudson family.
Sickening....... Murder is tragic enough, but you do not drag a helpless child into it. Prayers for Jennifer and family. May the little one be home soon!
ReplyDeleteWow. My heart goes out to Jennifer and her family. I'll be praying for peace and that they find her nephew unharmed.
ReplyDeleteI read this on the wires this afternoon and was stunned. Mom stayed in the neighborhood because that was where she thought she should be. Horrible, horrible.
ReplyDeleteThe man who shot them was recently out prison and on parole for attempted murder. I am not blaming the victims but this person was dangerous and is now holding a 7 year old traumatize child for ransom. I am sorry but how could you have someone like that living with you? It was foolish, and it turned out to be a fatal mistake.
ReplyDeleteMy sympathies to family and friends. Jennifer must just be in so much pain right now.
What a horrible thing to happen to anyone.
ReplyDeleteWFLD HAS IT CONFIRMED. SUSPECT IS IN CUSTODY. CHILD STILL MISSING.
Some people are more forgiving than others, sexecution, especially when it comes to family members.
ReplyDeleteMy prayers are with Jennifer and her family.
The suspect is Jen's bro-in-law. This nephew is her sister's son (not his son), yet we've heard no news about her sister. Where is she? Is she okay? So distressing. Horrible.
ReplyDeleteVery sad indeed. My condolences to the family.
ReplyDeleteI cannot even begin to imagine what Jennifer Hudson and her surviving family are going through. I hope they have the love and support they need, and will continue to need for a very long time. What a horrific tragedy. I so hope the little one is found safe and sound.
ReplyDeleteThere are those who've claimed that she should have moved her family out of that neighborhood, but this was a domestic situation--it can and does happen anywhere, alas. IIRC, her sister (the boy's mom) wasn't there at the time and is physically OK. I hope the little boy is alive, but I have a sinking feeling about this, esp. since the suspect isn't his biodad...
ReplyDeleteThoughts and prayers for Jennifer and her family...I can't even begin to imagine what they're all going through. :-(
I'm aghast! I can't say I was one of her fans. I'm pretty neutral on her. Never followed American Idol.
ReplyDeleteI read about this tragedy on Times Online, and I was pretty surprised by the language the author chose. All these negative loser and failure references to Jennifer Hudson, like sly backhands. Even made sure to pick and "ebonics" sort of quote of hers. This piece came off as a subtle put-down masquerading as straight news.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article5014790.ece
Hotchacha, is this the quote to which you refer?:
ReplyDeleteHudson said in another interview that she was happy she could rely on her family to tell the truth about how she looked and dressed. “Don’t nobody talk about me worse than my sister and brother,” she told Sister 2 Sister magazine.
“Every time I step into my mama’s house or see my sister and brother, it’s, ‘What you got on? What’s that mess? You need to take that off’.”
I have to disagree with your assessment of the article and the ebonics interpretation. Have you ever heard her speak at length? She's not particularly articulate and the quotes used are an accurate representation of the way she speaks. However, I did not find the article disrespectful and fail to see 'loser' and 'failure' references. She is an atypical celebrity in a society that bestows lavish and unwarranted attention on the Paris Hiltons and chicks from The Hills. Good for her for being herself and making a success of herself despite the shallowness of our society. Personally, I think the reporter was simply acknowledging that she isn't a cookie-cutter, interchangeable celebrity.
I haven't heard her speak at length, but those times I have I haven't heard her speak that way.
ReplyDeleteTidbits like, "....after she rose to stardom from an inauspicious start as a losing contestant on the American Idol television show," and, "Dumped from American Idol after failing to impress Simon Cowell, the show’s caustic British judge, she was offered a role in the film version of Dreamgirls, a Broadway musical, and promptly stole the show with a spellbinding performance as Effie White, a plucky loser," initially struck me as not the most compassionate wording especially right when her nearest kin have been gunned down. I might have edited those a bit differently.
I do think she's atypical, but other celeb-focused articles by the same writer -- the Clooney piece for example -- seemed warmer. But all in all, I'm glad that you think I'm wrong. I'd prefer to be wrong about things like this.
enty, thanks for posting this, do you think you can post a photo of her missing nephew, too? i think the more eyes that see it, the better the odds are that he'll be returned safely.
ReplyDeletei'm really bummed out about this. jennifer hudson is a home girl and i loved her on ai. one of my favorite youtube clips (audio only, really) is one where she's on a radio show and they unexpectedly tell her they have an Aretha singalong every morning. she's never sung it before, didn't expect it and had a cold, but she sits there and belts the song out as though she'd been rehearsing it for hours. check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0KB4hyV3OA
prayers and good thoughts to her family and friends during this terrible tragedy.
i'm in chicago and they just found the SUV that belonged to the brother in law with a dead child inside it. they need to confirm it's her nephew, but you know it must be him.
ReplyDeletei'm sickened by this. i don't know how a family gets through something so tragic.
According to a blogger on IMDB yahoo news supposedly confirmed that the body found is Julian King. I am trying to find that article on the internet but so far haven't had any luck.
ReplyDeletenomd, here's one account that says it's julian king. i'm so sad about this.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2008/10/a-boys-body-found-in-vehicle-on-west-side.html
jennifer's mother did not want to move out of her old neighborhood. this is looking like a "hit" and it seems "personal".
ReplyDeleteHi Molly thanks for the link but the article still says "If the boy is identified as Julian King" which means they still haven't officially stated that it's Jullian's body even though we all know it's probably him.
ReplyDeletequintessential - the boy's step dad William, was a convicted criminal and had threatened his wife (Julia) sometime earlier stating that he would kill her family but she just thought it was an idle threat. Julia and her husband were in the process of getting a divorce.
I'm watching the news right now and they said that the body matches the description of the little boy but they can't identify the body until the medical examiner's investigation is completed.
ReplyDeletesorry, nomd, they've changed the wording on a couple of online articles i've been following. first they said the child was identified and now they're saying he has not been identified. i think they want to be positive, but since they found him in the same suv with the same license plates as the brother-in-law's suv, i think it has to be julian king.
ReplyDeleteThis is so tragic. I bet he didn't want to kill the kid, he probably just panicked. I don't know how the two sisters are going to get through this.
ReplyDeletemolly that makes sense, the info. was originally posted in the article because they know it's him. Someone probably told them that it's illegal to say anything until after the medical examiner's report so they went back and changed the article.
ReplyDeleteIt's going to be a while before Jennifer can recover from this.
This is just terrible. He was just a little kid. How in the world could that man do that??? That poor boy. I can not imagine what he went through.
ReplyDeletei think it's going to be a while before anyone gets over this, if that's even possible.
ReplyDeletei read this morning that jennifer wanted to get them a house somewhere else and her family refused. i understand that, they're used to their community and don't want to uproot. if it's william balfour, the ex-brother in law, then the shooting could have happened anywhere.
lyz, it's possible he didn't know the little boy was in his bedroom at the time he shot the mother and brother. i think i read or heard this morning that the bullets used to kill little julian matched the shells found in his bedroom. why move the body? were they trying to help him or just remove him because he wasn't supposed to be part of the scene the perp had pictured?
i'm glad they're christian people who are involved in their church. they're going to need all the help and support they can get and faith is a good thing to fall back on during difficult times.