A13 Monday | May 24, 2010 | tulsaworld.com Local West Tulsa dream about to come true • Construction of South Haven’s own training, food and clothing distribution, mental health community center should begin this fall. assistance, after school pro- grams and computer and job Slope of By mike averill to complete. training. World Staff Writer “We are going to break “People need these servic- ground this year,” said Jones, es and don’t have transporta- Willard Jones has been pastor at Greater Corner- tion to get them. They don’t culture working to bring a commu- stone Baptist Church and have that presence here,” nity center to the impover- executive director of the Jones said. ished South Haven neigh- Greater Cornerstone Com- Family and Children’s Ser- erodes borhood in west Tulsa for munity Development Proj- vices is one of the agencies more than five years. ect, a nonprofit group, sepa- that will have a presence at It appears there is a light rate from the church, that is the center. over time at the end of the tunnel. over the center. “We’re excited to col- “We’re making the impos- The community center laborate with the center to n 1889, at the new sible possible, the abstract will be located across the provide clinical services for French nightclub Moulin concrete,” he said. Greater Cornerstone Baptist those in need in the area,” IRouge, chorus girls be- Construction of the Church, 5610 S. 41st West said Whitney Downie, F&CS gan kicking up their heels to planned $7 million 20,000- Ave., and will include space community-based services offer tantalizing glimpses of square-foot community cen- for partner agencies to pro- director. Pastor Willard Jones stands in the field that will be the home of fishnet stockings and layers ter should begin in the fall vide services like family and a new $7 million community center across the street from his west of petticoats. and will take 12 to 14 months youth counseling, job skill SEE CenTeR A14 Tulsa church. STEPHEN HOLMAN/Tulsa World Parisians were so scan- dalized, they packed the audience night after night to see the vulgar display for themselves before condemn- ing it. A contemporary news account marveled at the dex- terity of the dancers before Link is broken suggesting that “we may presume they are at least as flexible with their morals.” In time, of course, the shock wore off and, soon after the turn of the century, the same Paris newspaper complained about the Mou- lin Rouge becoming a dull tourist attraction “that no longer provides a thrill for sophisticated gentlemen.” High kicks and low blows: The Can-Can went on to become a standard routine for cheer- leader squads across Ameri- ca, where the young dancers dispense with the fishnets and the petticoats — and, for that matter, hardly bother to wear skirts either. What once made a scandal, now makes grandma and grandpa proud. Which brings us to the 2010 World of Dance com- petition in Pomona, Calif., where a troupe of 7-year-old girls recently bounced onto the stage wearing thigh-high stockings and what appeared to be frilly, pink lingerie. No, I didn’t forget to put a “1” in front of the “7.” They were 7 years old. A video of the bump-and- grind performance went viral on Youtube, and cable news channels quickly con- vened panelists to criticize such adult behavior by such underage students. Naturally, no responsible newscast can disapprove of a video clip without loop- Rhonda Johnson poses with a photograph of her late husband, Dr. Robert Johnson (seated), who died of ALS disease on Oct. 4, 2005. Johnson was the ing it in heavy rotation. If namesake of an annual Muscular Dystrophy Association golf tournament that no longer bears his name. SHERRY BROWN/Tulsa World you haven’t seen it a hun- dred times yet, you’ve been watching too much Food Network. Widow upset as golf tourney drops late doctor’s name The parents defended themselves in the press by By Deon J. Hampton lateral sclerosis, is a disease of the changed the name of the Dr. Rob- suggesting that their inno- World Staff Writer The Muscular Dystrophy nerve cells in the brain and spinal ert Johnson Golf Classic in OKC, cent daughters were simply Association’s golf cord that control voluntary muscle making it a general tournament. dancing the way people The family of a deceased War- movement. In 2008, more than $40,000 dance these days and wear- ren Clinic doctor is upset that his tournament. Robert Johnson’s family, friends was raised in the Tulsa golf tour- ing what performers wear. name is being removed from a golf When: Sept. 27 at Emerald Falls and colleagues, along with the nament, followed by $20,000 in Haven’t you watched the tournament held in his honor that Golf Course in Broken Arrow. MDA started the golf tourna- 2009. Even less had been raised MTV Awards lately? Or a has raised more than $120,000 To donate money or for more ment in 2006 in Oklahoma City this year; however the committee Super Bowl halftime? statewide. information, call 749-7997. and raised between $40,000 and had three more months to raise “Everybody’s doing it,” The Muscular Dystrophy As- $50,000. sponsorships. one father informed us, sociation in Tulsa is changing the The next year, the committee Many organizations that previ- adopting an excuse that kids name of the Dr. Robert Johnson Johnson, 37, of Tulsa. “We put in a raised roughly $40,000 for the ously donated funds couldn’t do- are supposed to try on their Golf Classic, MDA officials said. lot of work raising money. No one tournament, which had been ex- nate the same amount this year, parents. Then the parents A new name won’t be created. is happy with this. This was dear panded to Tulsa. Rhonda Johnson, a mother of two, are supposed to ask about Rather, the tournament will be an to our hearts.” Committee members also raised said. everybody jumping off a MDA-sponsored golf classic hon- Robert Johnson, who spent six thousands of dollars for the OKC Becky Wilkerson, executive di- bridge, but the news anchor oring several families. The MDA years as an internal medicine doc- tournament that year but aren’t rector of the MDA in Tulsa, ac- missed that obvious follow- informed the family of its decision tor for the Warren Clinic, died in sure how much they raised. The knowledges that the committee up. in a letter earlier this month. October 2005 from ALS. MDA also couldn’t confirm how isn’t obligated to raise a specific One of the mothers in- “It really upsets me,” said Rhon- More commonly known as Lou much was raised that year. sisted that only somebody da Johnson, 41, widow of Robert Gehrig’s disease, ALS, amyotrophic Shortly thereafter, the MDA SEE hOnOR A14 with a dirty imagination would see anything wrong with pre-pubescent girls wiggling around a stage in their underwear. Edmond sixth-grader new music industry model “People just need to get over it,” she said. • The Internet can sixth-grade choir showcase vital in launching careers but Change is coming: Well, give was posted online April 28. not necessarily for sustaining us time. Cultural progress hype new artists; a By May 12, the video had them. doesn’t happen overnight. lasting effect is less drawn more than 1.4 million “The Internet and social When French designer views, resulting in a call from media are great for introduc- Louis Reed introduced the certain, some say. the producers of “The Ellen ing artists to a vast number of bikini in the mid-1940s, DeGeneres Show” for an ap- people. What it’s not great at is respectable models refused By JoHn a. WilliamS pearance. showing how the band or art- to wear it on the runway and The Oklahoman Jeff Snyder, the director of ists’ careers unfold,” he said. he had to find a stripper for the Music Business Program Just as the Internet can the debut. OKLAHOMA CITY — The at Lebanon Valley College in take an artist from obscurity It took an entire decade sudden rise to celebrity sta- Annville, Pa., said Greyson to sudden celebrity, Booker for two-piece swimsuits tus of a 12-year-old Edmond has the talent and the looks said social media can be ma- to begin outselling the old boy has music industry ex- to create a buzz among a nipulated to manufacture one-piece among American perts and artists looking to significant segment of social that popularity. Greyson Chance, who has become a YouTube phenomenon teenagers. That’s how long social media like Facebook, media users. “Record companies pro- with his performance of “Paparazzi” by Lady Gaga, stands with it can take for something to Twitter, MySpace and You- “The demographic is 12- mote their artists on social me- a microphone earlier this month at Cheyenne Middle School in go from indecent to accept- Tube to revolutionize the en- year-old girls. They still buy dia and make it seem like it’s edmond. NATE BiLLiNGS/The Oklahoman able on its way to becoming tertainment business. CDs. They still go to the mall, fans that are doing the writ- child’s play. Jay Shanker, an entertain- Edmond’s Cheyenne Middle that people will find some- and they are rabid about ing (on fan pages),” he said. The problem in Pomona is ment industry attorney with School, is being compared thing they like and want to whoever they happen to “That’s definitely something that the parents got ahead of McAfee & Taft in Oklahoma to teen idol Justin Bieber talk about it and share with like,” he said.