29143: Ayiti Chanje (news) Wyclef rocks out with Sam Jackson, Lance Bass (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Ayiti Chanje <ayitichanje1804@hotmail.com>

Wyclef rocks out with Sam Jackson, Lance Bass

Updated Sun. Sep. 10 2006 11:23 AM ET

Philip Stavrou and Stephanie Silliker, CTV.ca News

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060910/wyclef_jean_060910/20060910?s_name=tiff2006&no_ads=

Wyclef Jean rocked the crowd Saturday night at the premiere party for Ghosts of 
Cité Soleil as Samuel L. Jackson, Lance Bass, and Danny Glover all showed up to 
hear the Haitian-native's politically-charged beats.

Rumours of possible appearances by Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Bill Clinton and 
even Stephen Harper had the crowd abuzz at the Premiere Film and Music Lounge 
but none made the scene.

Pitt, who did hit the red carpet premiere of Babel, blamed an "early call" as 
the reason why he wasn't partying Saturday night.

But Lance Bass and boyfriend Reichen Lehmkuhl managed to get the party started 
when they popped up just before midnight after having watched The U.S. versus 
John Lennon.

Speaking to CTV.ca, the aspiring astronaut said the hectic film festival 
schedule prevented him from catching the launch of space shuttle Atlantis.

Bass also said he has decided to delay his Toronto stay after a special request 
from an A-list couple.

"Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony convinced me to stay until Tuesday," he said. 
Lopez and her hubby are expected at the Premiere Film and Music Lounge, run by 
LIVEstyle Entertainment and Peach Stone Media, on Sunday.

Taking to the second floor stage around 12:30, Jean turned the stiff crowd into 
a pulsating mass with his fusion of hip-hop, reggae, and Haitian music.

The superstar sang about wishing he could go back and change 9/11, the death of 
Princess Diana, and what he would do if he were president.

"If I were president instead of spending billions on the war we could use that 
money to feed the poor."

He also urged the crowd to chant: "Everybody in the place say 'War no more'."

Samuel L. Jackson was on the sidelines enjoying the performance from the VIP 
section.

Eventually, after checking for snakes, he made it out to the dance floor with 
Victoria Rowell, who plays Drucilla on The Young and the Restless.

X-Men's Anna Paquin also showed up to take in the exclusive concert.

Jean's message of peace is not just a stage act - a year ago he started his own 
development movement, Yéle Haiti,which provides aid in a variety of ways to 
Haitian youth.

He also created the score for Ghosts of Cité Soleil, a documentary about a pair 
of notorious gang leaders in the slums of Haiti.

The film's director Asger Leth told CTV.ca about the importance of Jean's music 
to the documentary.

"Wyclef's music adds soul, hope and despair," said Leth, still coherent after 
partying through Jean's lengthy show. "These are all the feelings that I 
wanted, his music is the soul of the story."

Jean's music was also the soul of the party last night and the amicable star 
stayed on stage until almost 3 o'clock signing autographs, taking pictures and 
even helping to clean up.

After spotting the janitor, who had a Haitian bandana on, Wyclef switched his 
mic for the man's broom and helped him collect the garbage on the floor.

The janitor then took the mic and started to shout out Haiti while Jean worked 
the broom.

Eventually Jean took the mic back claiming the man was stealing the spotlight.

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