★ M.A.R.A.★

Judith Hill

is the ROCKIN chick who sang at Michael Jackson’s memorial and was one of MJ’s back up vocalists slated for his This Is It concert tour.  Though the movie was supposed to be in theaters for two weeks only since it’s October release, the $101 million worldwide revenue over the first five opening days was enough to steer the SONY bosses to keep it out through Thanksgiving.  (Announced Nov. 1)



I saw the movie last weekend and reveled in the MJ showmanship and production.  Judith Hill was a pleasant surprise.  I was stunned by the power of her voice and intrigued by the possibility that she was Asian (scroll below for specific heritage).  Hill had a duet with MJ and it was fascinating to see the process of rehearsal and how such a show becomes a show…and how such creativity emerges…

So definitely worth seeing…you might toss and turn in your seat a bit because the movie’s two hours…but stand in the side aisle and boogie if you need to…


Also…probably not the best to idea to watch a movie after a night of debauchery…even if it’s after brunch…I’m just sayin’…

Judith Hill was born in LA and grew up in a family of musicians.  Her mother was an immigrant from Japan who met her African-American father in a funk band in the 70’s.  Dig it.



Hill seems to look back on her bi-racial experience with love and a matured, evolved sense of appreciation: [via her website]

“I was a skinny mixed kid with a lot of hair that I didn’t know what to do with (and still don’t know what to do with it). And my mom could not help me with it!”

She lived in a Christian home and embraced Jesus Christ at an early age. She comments, “I had a pretty good life in my childhood. Me and God were friends since the beginning. That helped a lot. But, it didn’t save me from walking a path of pain and asking the deep questions of life.

I was a philosopher as a kid, and in school you could find me in the library.” She admits that she never “fit in”. Depending on the social circle, she was labeled “too quiet”, “too loud”, “too black”, “to asian”, or too something. Judith expresses, “I was a traveler, kind of a drifter. But, looking back I see how all of those experiences, friends, and cultures made me who I am today.”

A sample of her talent below…

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Keywords: Asian woman in This Is It, vocalist in this is it, black asian woman in michael jackson movie, asian woman in michael jackson movie, black asian woman in mj movie, asian african american woman in this is it, woman who sang at mjs memorial, judith hill in mj memorial
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4
Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4

Kelly Miyahara

has enjoyed 5 seasons with the Jeopardy Clue Crew as of 2005 and has traveled to more than 200 cities, 25 countries, and 45 American states to tape video clues for the game show. 

Miyahara grew up in California and Virginia, is fourth generation Japanese, and received a Business Administration degree from University of Washington in Seattle in 2000. [Via: 1, 2]

Miyahara on the Jeopardy Clue Crew site.  Jeopardy airs weeknights at 7PM/ET on ABC.

The video below shows Miyahara giving a tour of the new Jeopardy set with featuring energy efficient LED monitors.