Maybe Wesley Snipes was onto something. The erstwhile movie star tried his damnedest to get a location change for his tax evasion trial — he's accused of not paying taxes for $38 million he earned between 1999 and 2004 — because he says that Ocala, Fl., where the trial is being held, is a hotbed of racism and Klan activity. Yesterday was jury selection, and it turns out there were no potential black jurors for Snipes' legal team to choose from. Considering his already-heightened paranoia, I'm sure this was very comforting for him. At least the potential jurors were suitably star-struck by the potential juror list.

Defense lawyers also caused a stir among potential jurors Monday when they read a star-studded list of 82 possible witnesses for Snipes, including Muhammad Ali, Tom Brokaw, Goldie Hawn, Spike Lee, Paul Simon, Sylvester Stallone and Barbara Walters.

"Do any of these names, ladies and gentlemen, seem familiar to you?" Hodge asked soberly.

Many of the potential jurors chuckled.

Snipes' trial could last more than a month, and I expect it to be entertaining. Although, I sort of hope it's not. [OS]

• People in Ocala, Fla., are like, "Whatever, Wesley Snipes." He goes on trial for tax evasion today. [TBO]

• Bob Johnson is like, "Whatever, Barack Obama." [NYT]

• The border patrol is trying hard to recruit blacks, who have been historically uninterested in the job. [HC]

• What are the chances DMX has $1.5 million lying around these days? [CM]

• Employees say the transit authority in Boston is racist, which I've heard is sort of a theme in the city. [BNOW]

• Before his sentencing, Michael Vick tried to tell the judge in a heartfelt letter that he was not the beast he was made out to be in the media. Apparently, the judge didn't believe him. [CNN]

• Just when I think Irv Gotti (or Superhead, really) can't get any more disgusting… [EUR, YT]

• This movie looks like a train wreck waiting to happen. [C&D]

• Chris Rock and Tichina Arnold love the children. [People]

• Slow news week or Entertainment Weekly? [EW]

• Janet Jackson gives us an early taste of what's to come on her new album. Feedback? [CL]

• The same people who were wearing this stuff then are now criticizing today's youth for wearing baggy pants. Every generation has committed its fair share of fashion crimes. [Jezebel]

• Wesley Snipes needed to find some way to pay those back taxes. We all know the acting thing is no longer bringing in the big bucks. [BI]

• Reserving judgment on Serena Williams and Common's relationship. They are both nice people. That's all. [Bossip]

• More info on Ledisi, a Grammy nominee for Best New Artist. [MTV]

• Even though he's on house arrest, T.I. helped raise $166,000 to feed the homeless. Ah, Thanksgiving! Even illegal machine gun enthusiasts have hearts. [AHH]

• Is Ne-Yo trying to save the cheerleader, save the world? [PH]

• If Wesley Snipes put as much effort into his career as he has put into his tax-evasion trial, well, he would actually have a career. [E!]

• Mary J. Blige is really putting in work to promote her new album. [Vibe]

• If the new urban jewelry trend is taking items out of a first-grader's backpack and encrusting them with diamonds, I'm done. [Bossip]

My point here is that Nino Brown wouldn't have been afraid of no stinkin' Klan.

Wesley Snipes has played a badass or two in his film career, which, it should be noted, seems to be pretty much over. But in real life? He's sort of not. He's grasping at straws in his tax evasion trial, blaming prosecutors for being racist in their choice of venue.

In a bid to get his criminal tax evasion trial transferred from Florida to New York, Wesley Snipes claims that prosecutors "deliberately chose the most racially discriminatory venue available," an area that the actor claims is a "hotbed of Klan activity" and where "substantial pockets of prejudice exist." In a venue change motion filed yesterday in U.S. District Court in Ocala, Snipes claims that government lawyers are angling to get an "all-white Southern jury" to hear its case against the 45-year-old performer.

Whatever, Wesley.

Alright, alright. Knowing what I know about certain parts of Florida, I'm not going to rule out there being a small nugget of truth to his "the venue is racist" claim. But I strongly doubt the KKK is going to come get him, and I certainly don't have it in me to either make an argument for or defend Wesley Snipes as he boohoos over getting caught for not paying his taxes. [TSG]

• It's really all Janet Jackson all the time around these parts. [BV]

• Wesley Snipes catches a break. Not a tax break, it's important to note. [SP]

• Will.i.am has trouble fielding the tough questions. [Bossip]

• This just really doesn't look like any check-up I've ever seen. [C&D]

• It's the old "wrong address" defense. Good one. [MTV]

I'm sure Ellen DeGeneres' audience is filled with nice, wholesome people, but they seriously need to educate themselves about classic movies. Jamie Foxx found out the hard way when his New Jack City joke fell flat. Although, it's not like he's not used to his jokes falling flat in front of an audience of white women.

To celebrate, "I'm going to get an electric blue suit on – no shirt. Mohawk," says Foxx. "I'm going to start at Ellen and get to Miami. Gotta get that salsa."

For his road trip, "I'm gonna do it New Jack City thing, because that's my favorite movie. So I'm doing like Wesley Snipes. I'm going to be Nino Brown," says the Sagittarian.

"Anybody?" Foxx queries the audience on its knowledge of the movie – which apparently is negligible. "I guess not," says Foxx. "New Jack City. Yeah. Plus, he had the best lines in that movie … 'See ya, I wouldn't want to be ya.' "

"That's gotta come back," DeGeneres dryly quips about the old expression.

If Wesley Snipes ever reclaims enough fame to be invited on daytime talk shows, maybe he can teach them a little bit about Nino Brown.

[People]

It's going to take a miracle for Wesley Snipes to get out of his tax evasion charges. Unfortunately, it's not going to be the Miracle at St. Anna.

The actor was forced to drop out of a potentially career-rejuvenating role in Spike Lee's latest joint, the World War II drama Miracle at St. Anna. Snipes was unable to commit to shooting the film in Italy due to his pending trial on a litany of tax-evading charges.

Snipes, 45, is accused of attempting to swindle the Internal Revenue Service out of $12 million in fraudulent refunds in 1996 and 1997, and not filing any returns from 1999 to 2004.

Snipes' loss is Derek Luke's gain. He's now slated to play the role originally intended for Snipes. But are they rewriting the part to make the character younger and better looking?

[E!]

For a split second there, I was sort of believing Wesley Snipes that he was innocent of the tax fraud charges against him. But now that I hear about him stiffing his management agency $1.7 million, I'm seeing a financial pattern of sorts.

Perhaps he got enough money from Gallowwalker, The Contractor, and the appropriately named Hard Luck — his last three movies on IMDB — to make this little problem of his go away quickly. Common sense says no, though.

Nino Brown would never have found himself in such a pickle.

[AFP]

It all seems more than a little excessive to me, but Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Will Smith, and Jada Pinkett all thought it was necessary to throw David and Victoria Beckham a lavish, star-studded "Welcome to America" party yesterday at the Museum of Contemporary Art's Geffen Contemporary gallery in LA. Take a look at the pictures after the jump — Will and Jada obviously invited a lot of their friends.

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When your name is Wesley Snipes and you know you have been negligent in paying your taxes and the strong arm of the law is coming down on you, what do you do? Blame your race, or course. And the fact that you are gullible enough to listen to "unscrupulous" tax advice.

Snipes points to the fact that his two "Caucasian" codefendants, Douglas Rosile and Eddie Kahn, have not been charged with failure to file tax returns, though investigators are aware that Kahn did not file returns for six years and that it was "possible" Rosile did not file for two years. Snipes, who was hit with six felonies for failing to file between 1999-2004, contends that the half-dozen counts were "impermissibly brought on the basis of Mr. Snipes' race" and should be "dismissed based on selective prosecution."

I would possibly be a bit less flippant if this had happened to a guy I actually liked. In reality, the reason he has been charged probably has more to do with publicity for the case and the fact that he is a celebrity than race. Although, in America, it is always just a little bit about race. But if there is one thing I have little sympathy for, it's not paying your taxes. If I have to do it, thn Wesley Snipes better have to do it, too. Charge them all, I say.

[SG]

The vast majority of the pictures from the Tao Beach Grand Opening festivities in Vegas over the weekend are pretty ridiculous, and the one above says it all. It screams we're-rich-and-powerful-and-drunk-and-our-girlfriends-aren't-here, doesn't it? I couldn't justify giving the photo of the two of them holding stacks of cash (I'm serious) the place of prominence in the post, but check it and others from the weekend out after the jump.

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