iambossross

An Important Lesson That Needed To Click

The year was 1989. While I was excited about finishing law school, I was also overwhelmed by the exorbitant student loan debt I was drowning in. Even coming up with money for graduation photos was a challenge. In fact the day I posed in my cap and gown for the campus yearbook, I couldn’t even afford to buy the smallest packet.

But I wanted to take some professional pictures since it had been years since I had done so, and my teeth had recently become emancipated after three years of braces.

Months later I was at a mall in Redondo Beach, California one day and happened to walked past a store called Glamour Shots. I was familiar with this type of business because a woman I’d been seeing at the time had gone there and taken some beautiful shots. Because my money situation had slightly improved and the quoted amount was reasonable, I decided to make an appointment and go for it.

That afternoon I showed up dressed in a suit and tie. Since having two different looks was recommended, I also brought along a plaid shirt for some casual photos.

Having done America’s Court over the last few years now, the idea of wearing on-camera makeup is not foreign to me. But this was the first time I ever had someone put foundation on my face, gel in my hair and gloss on my lips. It was weird. I felt so awkward that I almost cancelled the whole thing. But after being assured that I would not look stupid, I soldiered on.

Click. Snap. Click-click-click. It was over in thirty minutes.

Being in front of a camera this way turned out to be quite an experience. And I found myself having a new respect for models. Whether it’s remaining still while the photographer adjusts the lighting or having to come up with different expressions, posing really is harder than it looks.

Weeks later when I returned to review the proofs, I was shocked to see how well some of the photos looked.

Obviously the manager was too. She propositions me, inquiring whether I’d like to have my picture featured when customers come inside. My immediate question was, “What’s in it for me?” Her response was I could get one pose free of charge. I thought okay, that’s far. But then I said, “How about a set of pictures in three poses free of charge?” She initially paused but relented, had me sign a model release form, and I was out the door — quite pleased with myself for negotiating a better deal.

Next thing I know my photos are in four of their Glamour Shot stores!

And not just 8×10, but full life size pictures in front display windows. I found out because people started coming up and asking me whether I was the model in the pictures they had seen at other mall locations. Here I am thinking I was able to get these free law school graduation photos, and in reality I should have been paid a considerable amount of money for helping advertise and market this company’s business. But the contract as written allowed Glamour Shots to use my image as they saw fit, without any restrictions or limitations. In essence, I had no control over these pictures, and waived any and all ownership rights.

That was my first and last time as a model.

That episode was invaluable because now, I READ EVERYTHING. To this day I never rush through agreements. I don’t care how impatient the other person is, I ask questions about unclear language, draw lines through areas that I’m not comfortable with, and simply say no and walk away whenever I can’t live with the terms and conditions being set forth. When I do sign contracts — even objectionable ones, I accept that’s the best deal I can get.

Remember, you don’t need a legal background to prevent someone from taking advantage of you. Just do some research (the Internet can answer many legal questions, particularly government sites) and learn from other people’s mistakes. Before signing anything, trust your instincts and know what you’re putting your John Hancock on.

Hope this message clicks!

It was his first tournament. He was both excited and nervous, especially since their last few volleyball matches had not resulted in triumph. The games began at 9:30am sharp.

By the time we left Crescenta Valley High School, it was 8:00pm. When everything was said and done, his visiting freshman/sophomore team went undefeated with 11 straight wins. It was a sweet, impressive victory for a group of young men still learning how to gel with one another.

For my son, being named the Most Valuable Player exceeded all of our expectations.

You see up until 45 days ago, he had NEVER played volleyball, NEVER watched professional volleyball, and NEVER talked about volleyball. He’s a football guy — wide-receiver — who can move his runner’s build down the gridiron at a rapid pace. But because he’s currently 6’2, his body is actually more ideal for blocking and spiking a volleyball.

And if you haven’t seen the other LA anchors, here they are.

Within minutes the clip featuring Chris went viral and now he’s even more known than before.   Also featured on the link I provided above is ABC 7 news anchor Leslie Sykes, a longtime friend and college classmate who’s wedding I officiated many years ago while I was still on the bench.

The good news is that everyone’s safe and we can all smile about it. Personally, I didn’t feel a thing. Then again, unlike my buddy Chris,  I’m a native Angeleno.  And when it comes to the ground shaking in Southern California, well, we just roll with it!

As for Chris, I think there’s a future in the talented father of two sets of twin girls having his own talk or game show. What do you think? While you’re contemplating that thought, watch the conclusion of his incredibly inspirational journey to finally locating his birth mother who gave him up for adoption over four decades ago.

Months-Long Search Ends; Chris Schauble Reunites With Biological Mother

Everything Really Does Happen For A Reason!

I was rejected as a judge in 2005. The story made national news. Literally! CNN actually reported on my very public fall from grace.

Having worked since the age of 15, I had NEVER been fired from a job. So when I tell you that the experience was devastating, even that word doesn’t fully capture the  severity of the situation. Besides the lost income, friends and reputation, I lost what I thought at the time was my identity.

It was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.

Why? Because through this extremely trying ordeal, what I ended up discovering was humility, empathy, resiliency and most importantly — my faith.

This is what my upcoming book is about. In the meantime, here’s what I ended up being re-directed to:

FROM EUR WEB

*Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios has greenlighted “America’s Court With Judge Ross” for Seasons 5 and 6 with clearance in 85% of U.S. television markets, reports Deadline.com.

“America’s Court With Judge Ross” is one of five court shows produced and distributed by Entertainment Studios.

The daily half-hour, Emmy nominated courtroom series has clearances with group-owned stations including CBS O&O, Gannett, Univision, Titan, Tribune, Sinclair, Cordeillera, Meredith, Entravision, Cox, Trans America, Griffin, Corridor, Schurz, Mission Broadcasting, Comcorp, Bonten, Drewry, Quincy, Block, Lin, Post Newsweek, Journal, West Virginia Media, Scripps, Nexstar, New Age, Northwest, Sainte, and Lockwood.

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At some point in life, each one of us will experience adversity, failure, pain, suffering, uncertainty, loss, embarrassment, ridicule, and self-doubt. It’s how we respond to these things that truly defines who we are. After all, you can’t have a testimony without being given a test. Right?

Now you know mine. What’s yours?

We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same ~ Carlos Castaneda

Today, I’m going to work it like this. Thanks @Pharrell Williams!

Guilty Verdicts In The Loud Music Trial, But Jury Deadlocks On Victim Jordan Davis. What’s Really Going On Here?

When Roland Martin of TVOne’s “NewsOne Now” invited me to appear on his February 18 show to discuss the controversial Michael Dunn trial and verdict, little did I know that my appearance would create such a strong reaction from one of my loyal America’s Court viewers.

Denise immediately wrote on our Facebook Fan Page:

I was a fan of your show…until today! After watching you on TV One, I feel that if [you were] on the jury, you would have voted not guilty. I hate it when people say, and you stressed, that he had never committed a crime in his past. SO WHAT!!!!! Does that make him this wonderful guy or just a TIME BOMB WAITING TO EXPLODE??? Every criminal has a first time and some of them are very serious crimes. How many rapist and murderers had a first time and people said, oh my God, I can’t believe it. His act, the photos of the car, the recording of the shots, the fact that he followed the car and continued to shoot, causes me to believe he is an a**, a terrible person and [it] would not surprise many who know him. When Roland [Martin] asked you if you were the parent of Jordan, how would you feel about still no justice for him… YOU TOTALLY AVOIDED THE D**N QUESTION AND WENT TO DEFENDING THE JUDGE. WERE YOU AFRAID? YOU SPOKE OF, MORE THAN ONCE ABOUT JUDGES MAKING CAREFUL DECISIONS DUE TO THEM WATCHING OUT FOR THEIR NEXT MOVE… IS THAT YOU????????? I refuse to give your show one more look…you lost me and hopefully others.

UPDATE: THREE JURORS BELIEVED MICHAEL DUNN ACTED IN SELF-DEFENSE

So why am I addressing Denise’s letter? Because she watches the show and I value my audience’s perspective. Being African American and the father of two teenage boys, I get  extremely frustrated, cynical and disgusted whenever I hear about these kinds of cases. As a graduate of Morehouse, the only all-male, predominantly black college in the country, I’m very much aware of the toll this genocidal behavior is having not just on black men, but on every single one of us.

Yes, most killings of African-American males are disproportionately at the hands of other blacks. The same is also true for whites killing whites. When a perpetrator is white and the victim is black, however, America’s antenna goes up and suddenly the haze of black enslavement  transforms into a thick fog.

And I get that too. Having been a prosecutor who’s tried cases and as a judge who presided over them, I’ know firsthand how the justice system works. And how it doesn’t — like Florida’s flawed Stand Your Ground Law and it’s racially lopsided effect.

Take jury duty. I’ve spoken with jurors who initially wanted nothing to do with serving on a panel, only to reveal later that it was a life changing experience.  Many found being on a jury was more difficult than they imagined, particularly when the case was a serious criminal matter.  To know you could be responsible for a person spending the rest of their life incarcerated, or worse, put to death, is daunting.  Before the first witness is sworn-in, a judge must read an instruction to the jury indicating the defendant is cloaked with a  presumption of innocent, and the prosecution must prove EVERY ELEMENT of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt to secure a conviction. This is why jurors want to believe a defendant who takes the stand is telling what actually happened.

Watch Judge Ross On TVOne Dissect The Dunn Trial

My role on TVOne wasn’t to ponder whether Mr. Dunn was lying and should rot in hell for killing a kid over rap music that I could conceivably be a fan of. My purpose was to put seemingly nonsensical actions into context. Jurors “by nature” want to believe defendants the same way they want to believe (and rely heavily on the theory) that police officers do not lie. Therefore, in concluding that the jurors had an easier time convicting on the attempted murder charges, it was based on the lack of mitigating factors the defense proffered that would sufficiently explain Dunn’s continued shooting at a vehicle carrying teens speeding away.

What’s still unsettled in my opinion is the question of motive. What would cause a 47 year-old man with no prior criminal history, having just left a wedding celebrating the love of his son and new daughter-in-law, to become so enmeshed where 10 shots are fired and a 17-year-old boy is dead? The average person would find that perplexing, rationalizing that SOMETHING had to cause this to spiral out of control within minutes. All the defense had to do was persuade one person that their client’s self-defense story was plausible. The prosecutor, on the other hand, was tasked with convincing twelve strangers to unanimously find guilt on all counts. On the most serious charge, we see who prevailed.

Should Michael Dunn serve substantial time behind bars for the destruction and wreckage his actions left behind. OF COURSE! Based on the evidence and testimony presented, that’s a logical conclusion. And right now he’s looking at a minimum of 60 and a maximum of 75 years on lockdown. Will a second jury convict this man of premeditated first degree murder showing malice aforethought and without any reasonable justification for believing his life was in danger? The same result as the first trial is definitely within the realm of possibility.

And yet, we did see a partial victory. Had we been given more time on the segment, I would have acknowledged Lucia McBath and Roy Davis. Aside from extending my condolences over the loss of their son Jordan, I admire the strength and grace they’ve shown throughout the entire ordeal. I also applaud their commitment to amending laws that have proven to be unjust and unfair.

That’s not me espousing legal theory or relating as a black man. That’s me being a person  who understands pain, suffering, loss and purpose. That’s hoping we all one day can celebrate our differences, connect, love and respect each other, and focus our gifts and talents on things that matter.

When that happens, I won’t need to provide the type of legal commentary I regularly do.  Until then, I’ll keep giving input on cases and calling them as I see them. Then I’ll hand over my gavel and let you be the judge.

Ladies and Gentlemen, court’s adjourn. All rise!

My 16-year old son’s passion for football is why I’ve recently become so addicted to the sport. I was always a basketball guy. But with my Lakers doing horribly right now (wait, Steve Nash is retiring at the end of the season?), watching NBA games just isn’t the same for me.

Football, on the other hand, is exciting —  on the high school, college and pro level. So of course I’m following this huge Michael Sam story everyone’s talking about.

As I read the reaction to this 24-year old coming out and how this man being gay will affect whether he gets drafted into the NFL, I feel like I’m re-watching the Jackie Robinson film “42.”

IF he gets to play, Michael Sam is going to need a Pee Wee Reese on his team — stat! It will be interesting to see who steps up. Time will tell, but eight individuals in the NFL have already shared their thoughts about Sam’s decision to live his truth. The prognosis is not very good.

Read more here…

With stellar ratings and cultural authenticity, African-American men are changing the face of daytime television

Just as the fabled prince enlisted every maiden to try on the glass slipper, so too is the television industry anxious to coronate a new daytime queen.  But are Wayne Brady, Kevin Frazier, Rickey Smiley, Michael Strahan, Byron Allen or frontrunner Steve Harvey a better fit given today’s diverse viewing audience?

It’s been four years since her majesty left syndication to launch the Oprah Winfrey Network. While Judge Judith Sheidlin’s reign actually predated Winfrey’s final broadcast, the proclamation that daytime must discover the next big thing has intensified, despite potent magnets such as Ellen DeGeneres and Rachel Ray.

So how did Terry Crews suddenly become a viable contender?

Once upon a time it was unfathomable to think one, let alone a cadre of black men, could rule the small screen. In November 1956, the legendary singer Nat “King” Cole made history when he became the first major African American performer to host his own variety network series. “It could be a turning point,” he was quoted as saying, “so that Negroes may be featured regularly on television.”

Despite the quality of the iconic vocalist’s program, national advertising clients simply were not okay with Cole attending the ball. A representative of Max Factor cosmetics claimed that a “negro” couldn’t sell lipstick for them. Even public utilities like the telephone company refused to allocate marketing dollars for Cole’s NBC show. Finally, when the Singer Sewing Machine Company proposed underwriting a western show, NBC made the financial decision to turn over the time slot.

While the racism Nat “King” Cole experienced at the dawn of the modern civil rights era proved to be a harsh astringent, the 2008 election of Barack Obama as president of the United States has created — in tangible, demonstrative ways — just the opposite effect. The result has been a proliferation of black men with Cole and Obama’s swag, smarts, and showmanship who have found their niche in an industry that saw growth of $5.16 billion in 2013 — up from 2011’s $4.7 billion, according to Kantar Media.

Now, the Hollywood gatekeepers are being forced to rethink long-held assumptions of what and who consumers want to see in both the foreign and domestic markets.

Take Super Bowl XLVIII for example. Is it really surprising that 112 million people broke viewing levels last Sunday watching a talented African American young man name Russell Wilson quarterback the Seattle Seahawks to their first NFL championship? Despite being a blowout, the game was compelling due in part to black males (who comprised over 60 percent of the players) adding their unique flavor to the national spectacle.

Television is the largest ad spending medium in America. When it comes to  syndication, court remains the highest rated genre — thanks to that tough Jewish grandmother we all know as “Judge Judy.” But one peek inside the legal shows airing and you’ll notice most are adjudicated by minorities. Even with Judge Joe Brown recently concluding a 15 year run and Judge Alex Ferrer’s show not returning in the fall after nine seasons, Judge Greg Mathis and I (America’s Court) will still maintain the established tradition of men of color presiding over televised judicial proceedings.

As “The Doctors” begin to fully integrate Dr. Ian Smith into the medical mix, “The Insider’s” Kevin Frazier and Rickey Smiley of “Dish Nation” continue to serve up the latest entertainment news with aplomb. When the E! network sought to replace Ryan Seacrest on its daily celebrity gossip and news show, it was Black Entertainment Television’s (BET) Terrence Jenkins that ultimately nabbed the gig.

These are subtle examples of Black men being hired to freshen-up programs.  Consider the announcement that retired New York Giants defensive end and NFL commentator Michael Strahan would succeed 28 year veteran Regis Philbin on Disney/ABC’s now “Live with Kelly and Michael.” As detailed in a Los Angeles Time article by Greg Braxton and Meg James dissecting why daytime TV is embracing black entertainers, “Live” executives auditioned several individuals before selecting Strahan in 2012 as the best fit alongside Kelly Ripa. Since besting 58 other competitors, Strahan has caused “Live’s” ratings to flourish post Philbin, while also silencing his critics. “Live” is currently ranked second (among other talk shows) behind “Dr. Phil” in both households and the key demographic advertisers covet. Quoting the Hollywood Reporter, “That is the strongest performance for ‘Live’ at this point in the season in six years.”

Emmy-winning Wayne Brady has also hit his stride as the first African American host on “Let’s Make A Deal.” As recently reported in Variety, Brady’s reincarnation of the beloved game show reached a ratings milestone the last week of January 2014,  establishing highs for both its first half hour (3.71 million viewers) and second (4.22 million viewers), according to Nielsen.

Brady isn’t alone in the game genre. Since Cedric the Entertainer replaced Meredith Vieira as host of Disney/ABC’s “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” ratings have soared. Viewership this season has jumped 20% among the coveted 18-49 age demographic. Nielsen estimates that the show is now attracting more than 3 million viewers an episode, tying its best performance in the demo in two years. With actor Terry Crews now at the helm, syndicators are expecting an even larger audience.

While Arsenio Hall wasn’t able to recapture the buzz he garnered in his original run, comedian Byron Allen (CEO of Entertainment Studios) is going strong in his ninth season of the late-night laughfest “Comics Unleashed”.

That notwithstanding, the fairest in the land right now is comedian, radio host, best- selling author, actor and producer Steve Harvey. Once Harvey became the first non-white male to host “Family Feud,” its popularity exploded. In 2013, viewership for “Feud” soared 40% to an average of 7 million people an episode.  As pointed out by Alex Ben Block of the Hollywood Reporter, “Feud” is up a massive 336 percent  in total households and recently scored the show’s best performance since the advent of Nielsen’s People Meter technology in 1988. Harvey is directly responsible for the program surpassing “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy” among women 25-54, and is now second only to “Judge Judy” among adults 25-54. In other words, he’s figured out how to sell lipstick and phones on NBC’s owned and operated stations.

By the sheer force of his personality, moreover, “The Steve Harvey Show” has grown the most of any talk show from last year. Renewed through 2016,  Harvey has leap-frogged over Jerry Springer, Maury Povich, Steve Wilkos, and Bill Cunningham in terms of the nation’s zeitgeist. With Harvey closing in on “Dr. Oz” and within striking distance of “Dr. Phil,” and Alex Trebek and Pat Sajak on the back end of long syndicated runs, we could be finally looking at Oprah’s true heir to the broadcast throne. No question about it, Steve Harvey is a game changer.

When it comes to the current state of television, this is the story. Nat “King” Cole had the audacity to step inside the carriage and ended up blazing a trail. And through their on-air presence, Montel Williams and “Today’s” Bryant Gumbel secured the sought-after spots at the head table. Now to keep the music playing, black men must continue captivating audiences across all ethnic groups while also appealing to the next generation of viewers. America’s always up for a good party. I say let the coronation begin!

Former Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kevin Ross is host of Entertainment Studios’ “America’s Court with Judge Ross.” Ross is also a producer on the Emmy nominated daytime legal show. Follow via Twitter at iambossross.