From Beyoncé to Rihanna, Cubby Dances Like He's the 'Only Girl in the World'

If you were watching Beyoncé's I Am ... World Tour TV special on ABC Thanksgiving night, you probably saw Cubby Squires grace the stage. The 96.1 The Beat A.M. Mayhem radio personality became an Internet sensation two years ago when he posted a video of himself dancing in a black leotard to Beyoncé's "Single Ladies." That video has received nearly four million views on YouTube, and Cubby had appeared on several entertainment and news shows, including Anderson Cooper 360 and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. The buzz had died down--until Cubby appeared on national television Thursday night. The ABC special aired footage from Beyoncé's yearlong concert tour, which is also being released this Tuesday on DVD, and Cubby got quite a bit of face time from when Beyoncé brought him on stage during her tour stop in Atlanta last year.

Cubby on stage with Beyoncé, as shown Thursday night on ABC.

Now Cubby is at it again, this time posting a video of himself dancing to Rihanna's "Only Girl." The leotard is back...sort of. See video below.

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Chris Henry's Mother and Organ Recipients Reunite on 'NFL Today'

I was sitting in my mom's living room on Thanksgiving Day watching NFL Today when I was reminded of how much I have to be thankful for. The CBS pre-game NFL show ran a powerful and emotional segment on the four people who received organs from former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry who died last December in Charlotte. Henry died from head injuries after falling off the back of a pickup truck during a domestic dispute with his fiancée. But from his tragic death--he was just 26 years old--came four gifts of life.

Henry’s mother, Carolyn Glaspy, flew to Charlotte earlier this month to meet the four recipients of her son's organs along with their families. It was Glaspy who, in this same hospital, 11 months earlier made the decision to donate her son's organs after he'd been declared brain dead.

Gathered at Carolinas Medical Center, Glaspy met Donna Arnold, James Benton, Thomas Elliott, and Brian Polk. Arnold received Henry's pancreas and one of his kidneys; Benton received his liver; Elliott received his lungs; and Polk received Henry's other kidney. It was an emotional scene as they met Glaspy for the first time and thanked her. She carried a blanket that bore her son's face. “Believe it or not, this is my first tear," Glaspy said. "I think this is my closure. This is what he wanted me to do. I can rest in peace now."

This touching reunion was made possible by LifeShare of the Carolinas and Carolinas Medical Center. After the segment aired, the broadcast returned to the TV studio where sports analyst James Brown was overcome with emotion and his colleague Boomer Esiason had to take over.

Below is video of NFL Today's story, "Chris Henry's Legacy Lives On."



Visit http://www.donatelife.net/ to learn more about becoming an organ donor.

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Stopping By 'Metalmorphosis' aka 'The Big Head' at Whitehall

Andrea and I were coming from south Charlotte yesterday after participating in a hike at McDowell Nature Preserve. Since we were passing through Steele Creek, I decided to stop at the Mac's Speed Shop location over there for lunch. After leaving Mac's (I had the Hand Pulled Pork BBQ Platter with mac 'n cheese and onion rings and the complimentary hush puppies), I decided to take her to nearby Whitehall Corporate Center off Arrowood Road to see "The Big Head." She, like many people living in and visiting Charlotte, didn't know anything about Metalmorphosis.

Constructed in 2007 by Czech Republic artist David Cerny for the opening of Whitehall Corporate Center, Metalmorphosis is a 25-foot tall, 14-ton stainless steel, motorized public art piece in the shape of a human head. Comprised of seven layers, it rotates every few minutes and periodically spews water from its mouth into a fountain at its base. It attracts people daily who come to take pictures in front of it, like we did, but still many Charlotteans don’t know it’s there.

Below is a quick video I captured of the head, showing it rotating near the end. You can also view it through a live web cam at www.metalmorphosis.tv.

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UniverSoul Circus Is a Non-Stop Party

UniverSoul Circus rolled into Charlotte this week and held its opening night Tuesday. Even though the three cities I've lived in over the last 10 years have all had the big-top show set up shop there, including repeated visits to Charlotte, this was my first time going. I've always heard good things about the Atlanta-based circus that was created in 1994 to spotlight African-American performers. But I was never too drawn to going to any of the shows since I don't have kids. The circus is for families, I thought. Well, I was thoroughly entertained at UniverSoul Circus.

A near-capacity crowd filled the tent on Freedom Drive for the 7:30 opening night show. There were plenty of parents there with their bunches of kids in tow. And there was also a surprising number of adults there without kids.

It was immediately apparent that music and dance would be a big part of the entertainment. It opened with African music with dancers strutting to every beat of the drum. Acrobatics also abounded, making you wonder how it's physically possible for people to be stacked on each other's shoulders. As the show really got going, hip-hop music became the staple--speakers pumping bass like a rap concert. Ringmaster Shuckey Duckey, who I'd mostly known as a comedian, orchestrated the evening.

Because I don't want to give too much away to people reading this who might be planning to go this week--there are a lot of surprises and breathtaking feats--I'll just touch on a few highlights. Since it was opening night, we probably got extra treats such as Charlotte's professional sports mascots--Sir Purr (Carolina Panthers), Rufus Lynx (Charlotte Bobcats), and Homer (Charlotte Knights)--being a part of the show. Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis came riding in on an elephant and Power 98's No Limit Larry was part of a high-flying slam dunk performance group.

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The Elevation Experience--Having Church At Home

My girlfriend and I go to different churches. I like mine better; she likes hers better. We'll figure it out eventually. But the thing I really like about her church, Elevation Church, is that it broadcasts services online. Elevation, of course, is one of the largest, fastest growing churches in the Charlotte area, and it has multiple campuses (including a new one it opened this month in Blakeney). And because the church has multiple locations, many of its attendees watch Pastor Steven Furtick and his worship services on screens via remote feed.

So that's what Andrea and I did. From the comforts of my living room, we engaged in The Elevation Experience and watched the 6 p.m. service online. I plugged my laptop into my TV. So as far as I'm concerned, I went to church yesterday! Though, I'd feel a little guilty (and lazy) if I did this every Sunday. And even though this wasn't First Sunday, which is when many churches offer Communion, let's just say there was some wine involved (don't judge me).

It was a great sermon and I'm glad I got to experience it. You can watch (or listen to) many sermons by visiting Elevation's sermon archive. And it's worth noting that several other Charlotte churches stream their worship services online and have been for a few years now. This could be a great way for you to check out a church before actually visiting it.

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