Daily News Feed 1.22.09/Vocab: permeate

Tyler Perry’s ‘Family’ Preys on Top DVD Spot
Tyler Perry’s “The Family That Preys” helped the franchise regain some of its momentum as the DVD release of the film from Lionsgate shot to the top of the national home video sales chart its first week in stores. The drama, which grossed $37.1 million in U.S. theaters, topped a slate of midrange theatricals released last week. “My Best Friend’s Girl” ($19.2 million), also from Lionsgate, debuted at No. 3 on the Nielsen VideoScan First Alert sales chart for the week ending Jan. 18, even though it sold less than half as many copies as “The Family That Preys.” The 20th Century Fox horror film “Mirrors” ($30.7 million) bowed at No. 4 on the sales chart, while the Warner/New Line Western “Appaloosa” ($20.2 million) entered the chart at No. 5. (Continue Reading…)

Man Pleads Not Guilty to Hudson Family Killings
Jennifer Hudson’s brother-in-law pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges he shot to death the Oscar-winning actress’s mother and brother and the 7-year-old son of his estranged wife. William Balfour, 27, entered not guilty pleas to first-degree murder and home invasion charges after nodding to members of his family gathered in the last of three Cook County courtrooms he appeared in Tuesday. Balfour is married to Jennifer Hudson’s sister, Julia Hudson. He is charged in the October deaths of the sisters’ mother, Darnell Donerson, their brother, Jason Hudson, and Julia Hudson’s 7-year-old son, Julian King. Prosecutors allege Balfour shot the three in a jealous rage because he was upset Julia Hudson had been dating another man. (Continue Reading…)

Condoleezza Rice Signs with William Morris Agency
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has made a key step in her post-Bush administration career: The William Morris Agency announced Wednesday that it has signed her as a client. The former professor and Stanford University provost has been in the Bush administration since its beginning, first as national security adviser and then as secretary of state. Her appointment ended Tuesday afternoon, after Barack Obama was sworn in as president. Although most other members of the Bush administration, save Karl Rove, might have trouble finding such a wide-ranging deal, Rice found a strong market among talent agencies. “It was certainly a competitive situation,” said Jim Wiatt, chairman and CEO of the William Morris Agency. “She was very thorough about the process and who she would feel most comfortable with and who would be speaking on her behalf.” (Continue Reading…)

permeate \PUR-mee-ayt\, transitive verb: