Denzel Washington Dontes $2.25 Million to Alma Mater

Denzel Washington has donated $2.25 million to Fordham University, his alma mater.
The university said Monday that Washington has given $2 million to endow the Denzel Washington Chair in Theatre, and another $250,000 to establish a scholarship for a minority undergraduate student studying theater at Fordham.

The university said Monday that Washington has given $2 million to endow the Denzel Washington Chair in Theatre, and another $250,000 to establish a scholarship for a minority undergraduate student studying theater at Fordham.

Denzel Gets Honorary Degree

Denzel Washington made remarks during the University of Pennsylvania's 255th Commencement Monday, May 16, 2011, in Philadelphia.

The 56-year-old star of "Malcolm X" and "Philadelphia" delivered a humorous speech with a sobering truth: Failure is inevitable. Yet instead of having something to fall back on, he said, graduates should "fall forward" -- learn from their mistakes and keep going.
Thomas Edison had countless failed experiments before succeeding with the light bulb, he said.
"Do you have the guts to fail?" Washington said. "If you don't fail, you're not even trying."

Washington received an honorary doctorate at the ceremony. In granting the degree, Penn President Amy Gutmann said that his moving performances have "entertained us, inspired us and often enlightened us." She also praised his off-screen work with charities and social causes, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

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Wesley Snipes Heading to Jail

Wesley Snipes will serve three years in jail after losing his appeal on his conviction of tax evasion.

Back in 2008, Snipes was found guilty of not filing tax returns from 1999 to 2001,dodging more than $15 million in taxes on income earned during the peak of his career. Snipes was sentenced to 36 months in prison -- but appealed the case claiming, among other things, that his sentence was "unreasonable." But today, the appeals court backed the original ruling -- shooting down Snipes' claims that his punishment was way too severe.


Like most celebrities that find themselves in sticky situations, Snipes is claiming that he fell victim to poor advice provided by his two co-defendants, Eddie Ray Kahn and Douglas Rosile. Of course, this claim was quickly overshadowed by Kenneth Starr, head of New York-based Starr and Co., who testified last Thursday that he tried to persuade Snipes to pay his taxes in a 90-minute telephone conversation in 2000.


 Snipes' case was not enough to sway the court. Even a letter from Denzel Washington to the District Court judge who upheld it could not save Snipes. "Wesley is like a mighty oak tree," Washington wrote, "Many who know him have witnessed the fruit of his labours. I have sat in his shade and even been protected by his presence."


No word on when Snipes will officially check in to the big house. It all seems so sad and so unnecessary.