Riding off the momentum generated by his stunning performance at the opening ceremonies of last June's FIFA World Cup in Johannesburg, R&B superstar R. Kelly returned home to Chicago this weekend after his third trip to Africa this year, this one including a special surprise performance for President Jose Eduardo dos Santos of Angola.

In addition to his June trip to Johannesburg, where he performed his stirring ballad (and official World Cup anthem) "Sign of a Victory," Kelly visited Uganda in January (performing before more than 40,000 fans at Lugogo Cricket Oval in Kampala), and Angola last week.

"Visiting Africa is always exciting and inspiring for me, both musically and personally," said Kelly. "Even though I hate flying, I'm always willing to get on an airplane if the destination is Africa."

While in Angola last week, Kelly performed for 20,000 fans at a benefit concert in Luanda for the Special Olympics of Angola, after which he attended a basketball game at the Special Olympics and donated several specially-designed wheelchairs. He also serenaded President Eduardo dos Santos at a surprise party celebrating the longtime leader's 68th birthday. "Robert was the most accommodating and warm artist to ever visit Angola," said Karina Barbosa of STEP Productions, which produced the benefit concert.

Kelly will be returning to Africa in December to perform in several countries.

In the meantime, Kelly is getting ready for the release later this year of his eleventh studio album, Love Letter. The first single off the album, a soulful R&B ballad in the vein of Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye called "When A Woman Loves," drops on Sept. 7 and is already making waves. It will debut at No. 24 on Billboard's Urban Adult Contemporary chart — the most powerful debut by a male vocalist since Michael Jackson's "This Is It" debuted at No. 16 last year.

SOURCE R. Kelly

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 Thirty-six NASCAR® fans were lucky winners in the Red Man Moist Snuff Race Hardened Gear sweepstakes. Fans could enter to win gear worn by Champion Driver Greg Biffle during one of his exciting races, including his fire suit and race helmet.

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Red Man teamed with Baker Curb Racing as the primary sponsor of Biffle's No. 27 Ford Fusion during the first half of the season for the NASCAR Nationwide Series season. The contest ran from January 29-June 14, 2010. In addition, fans could win race hardened gear pulled directly off the car such as the hood, bumper panel or deck lid or suit up with a pit crew helmet or pit crew shirt.  The 36 winners are:

• Drivers' Fire suit: Deek Knotts, Madison, IN; Trey Pickering, West Monroe, LA; Mike Johnston, Superior, WI; Mike Nokes, Webster city , IA; Jay Kimball, Claremore, OK; Jason Rivera, Lewisville TX.
• Drivers' Helmet: Kathryn Balasa, Philadelphia, PA; Dales Hughes, Lago Vista, TX; Tim McMillan, Mount Airy, NC; Cyndi Parrish, Conyers, GA; Patricia McElroy, Glenshaw, PA; Kevin Osbourn, Chicago, IL;
• Crew Helmet: Mike Stoddard, Bradenton, FL; Julie Allen, Bangor, NY; Kris Frank, Bechtelsville, PA; Chuck Mathison, Wales; WI; Denise Green, Clayton, IN; Robert Lincoln, Sr., Oshkosh, WI.
• Crew Shirt: Donna Wendt, Laurens, SC; Dustin Baumgardner, Mechanicsburg, OH; Charles Vallner, Montello, WI; Herbert Woodruff, Washington, MO; Ryan Hurtt, Tipp City, OH.
• Hood: Joseph Chaplin, Waldoboro, ME; Scott McClellan, Lewistown, PA; Michael Robinson, Brando, MS;
• Wheel: K. Hayden, Rhododendron, OR; Gennene Frazier, Louisa, KY; Sheri Kupinski, Rochester, WA; John Blackmore East Alton, IL.
• Deck Lid: Frank Lewis, Rupert, WV
• Bumper Cover: William Lamb, Grand Prairie, TX
• Fuel Can: Thomas Wolfe, Sparks, NV; Chad Hagen, Sun Prairie, WI; Tommy Bowling, Chillicothe, OH; Merle Clifford, Fresno, CA

All gear was personally autographed by Greg Biffle.

It's still not too late to enter the new national sweepstakes that gives adult consumers a chance to win a fresh American experience in the Alaskan Wild.  One winner and their guest have a chance to win a five day adventure exploring the untouched backdrop of the country's 50th state.  Dippers can create their own package from a variety of excursions including: an Alaskan Wilderness Cruise, a train trip to Spencer Glacier, and a flight to tour Mt. McKinley, America's tallest mountain.  Adult consumers over 21 years old can enter each day by visiting the website at www.redman.com/fresh. The Alaskan Wilderness contest ends November 15, 2010.

About Red Man Moist Snuff: For more than 100 years, Red Man has been one of the most well known and well respected brand names in the smokeless tobacco category. Red Man Moist Snuff is the latest addition to this renowned brand family. Quality, heritage and tradition---that's what Red Man Premium Moist Snuff is all about.

About Swedish Match: Swedish Match is a global Group of companies with a broad assortment of market leading brands in smoke free tobacco, cigars, pipe tobacco, matches and lighters.  Some of our well known brands include Red Man, Timber Wolf, and Longhorn.  Swedish Match US Sales is headquartered in Richmond, VA.  For more information, visit the website at www.swedishmatch.com

SOURCE Swedish Match

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In an effort to honor, encourage and support the thousands of Big Ten community members who give back, the Big Ten Network is launching Give Big, a major community service initiative.

Beginning Friday, the network will feature a top community-service effort of a Big Ten supporter during Big Ten Tailgate, which visits a different Big Ten campus each week during football season.  Some profiles will focus on the efforts of famous athletes such as Wisconsin's Devin Harris and Minnesota's Karl Mecklenburg, as well as remarkable projects undertaken by community leaders better known locally.

"Dedication, commitment and community are all important aspects of the Big Ten conference," said Big Ten Network President Mark Silverman. "Give Big recognizes that being a part of the Big Ten means giving back to the community in a big way."

While Give Big salutes these charitable efforts on the air, it will also look to engage the Big Ten Network's passionate and growing audience on a dedicated website (www.BTNGiveBig.com) and other social-media sites to funnel their enthusiasm and support toward these worthy causes.

Beyond sharing inspirational stories, Give Big will provide real tools and ideas to help others Give Big at www.BTNGiveBig.com.  Through partnerships with organizations like Teach for America, Special Olympics, the REACH Foundation, Coaches vs. Cancer and others, the initiative will connect viewers, students and supporters with great organizations and outlets for service.

"We are really looking forward to sharing some of these remarkable stories with our viewers," Silverman said. "We're hopeful that the unmatched passion of Big Ten fans and the exposure for their programs will generate even more support for these great causes."

The first Give Big profile airs Friday during Big Ten Tailgate, which originates from the University of Iowa and features John Heineman. Heineman is a 25-year-old University of Iowa graduate who began volunteering at the Iowa City Free Medical Clinic during his sophomore year.  In addition to the countless hours he spent at the clinic, Heineman swam the English Channel to raise money for it, bringing in more than $19,000.  

For more information, go to www.BTNGiveBig.com.

The first 12 honorees are listed below.

About the Big Ten Network: A joint venture between the Big Ten Conference and Fox Cable Networks, the Big Ten Network is the first internationally distributed network dedicated to covering one of the premier collegiate conferences in the country. With approximately 350 live sporting events, and nearly all of them in HD, the network is the ultimate destination for Big Ten fans and alumni across the country, allowing them to see their favorite teams, regardless of where they live. The network operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, showcasing a wide array of classic-to-current sports and televising more Olympic sporting events and women's sports than has ever been aired on any other network. Original programming highlights activities and accomplishments of some of the nation's finest universities. Each year, the network offers between 35 and 40 football games, 105 regular season men's basketball games; 55 women's basketball games; dozens of Big Ten Championship events; studio shows; coaches' shows; and classic games. The network is available to more than 75 million homes across the United States and Canada, and currently has agreements with more than 300 affiliates, including AT&T U-Verse, Atlantic Broadband, Cablevision, Charter, Comcast, Cox (Cleveland, Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, Omaha), DirecTV, DISH Network, Insight, Mediacom, Rogers Cable (Canada), Shaw Cable and Shaw Direct (Canada), Time Warner Cable and Verizon FiOS. For updated information on the Big Ten Network, go to www.BigTenNetwork.com.

SOURCE Big Ten Network

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Outdoor Channel, America's leader in outdoor TV, today announced plans for the pregame "Fields & Reels Outdoor Night" expo with the Atlanta Braves on Friday, September 10th. Willie Robertson of Outdoor Channel's "Buck Commander Protected by Under Armour" and "Benelli Presents Duck Commander" will headline the event with Braves alum Ryan Klesko to celebrate the night with area hunters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts. In partnership with Comcast, the network will offer activities and prizes at a co-branded booth prior to the Braves vs. St. Louis Cardinals game at Turner Field.

"We are excited to partner with the Atlanta Braves and Xfinity TV from Comcast, as the event gives outdoor enthusiasts and sports fans an opportunity to come together with their favorite stars who share the same passions," said Tom Hornish, COO at Outdoor Channel.

"We are thrilled to join forces with Outdoor Channel for the 'Fields & Reels Outdoor Night' expo. This event enables us to celebrate the outdoor lifestyle and reach avid outdoor enthusiasts and sports fans in the region," said Taylor Nipper, Director of Marketing, Comcast Atlanta Region.

The expo will be filmed for an upcoming episode of "Buck Commander," capturing Robertson singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the seventh inning stretch and hosting an outdoor-themed Q&A session with good friend Ryan Klesko. "Buck Commander" is a reality-based TV show that follows Willie, aka "Boss Hogg," and current and former Major League Baseball superstars Matt Duff, Chipper Jones, Ryan Langerhans, Adam LaRoche and Tom "Tombo" Martin from batting practice to bow practice and from in-the-field to the outfield. Every episode highlights the camaraderie, comedy and antics of the six co-owners of the Buck Commander company, where the end of baseball season is only the beginning.

"Having been on 'Buck Commander' with Major League Baseball players, I am honored to be a part of such a marquee event for outdoor enthusiasts and baseball fans," commented Willie Robertson. "One of the major benefits of working with Outdoor Channel is getting to know other hunters. From baseball players to folks I meet on the road – we're all just a bunch of good ol' boys who share a love for the outdoors."

Visit the Outdoor Channel/Comcast booth at the expo for raffles and promotional giveaways, including hot-ticket posters which will only be available to the first 5,000 fans entering the stadium. Tickets for the Atlanta Braves vs. St. Louis Cardinals game are available at a discounted price with the promo code: OUTDOOR at www.braves.com/outdoor.

Outdoor Channel appears on Channel 210 on Xfinity TV from Comcast in the Atlanta market.

About Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc.

Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: OUTD) owns and operates Outdoor Channel, America's leader in outdoor TV, and Winnercomm Inc., an Emmy Award winning production and interactive company. Outdoor Channel offers programming that captures the excitement of hunting, fishing, shooting, off-road motorsports, adventure and the Western lifestyle and can be viewed on multiple platforms including high definition, video-on-demand, as well as on a dynamic broadband website. Winnercomm Inc. is one of America's leading and highest quality producers of live sporting events and sports series for cable and broadcast television. Winnercomm also owns and operates the patented Skycam and CableCam aerial camera systems which provide dramatic overhead camera angles for major sports events, including college and NFL football. For more information, please visit www.outdoorchannel.com.

SOURCE Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc.

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Assemblyman Bob Reilly is the man leading the charge against legalizing mixed martial arts in the state of New York, and tomorrow night on  "Inside MMA," the sport's most vocal critic explains his opposition in Part One of an exclusive two-part interview.

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"What attracts people to Ultimate Fighting unfortunately is the violence and violence is not good for our society," Reilly says. "The difference between mixed martial arts and every other sport is that in mixed martial arts the purpose is to damage your opponent."

A clip of Reilly's comments is available at:

http://www.hd.net/insidemma.html

Kenny Rice and Bas Rutten are joined on the panel this week by Randy and Ryan Couture and Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard, all who strongly disagree with Reilly's statements.  

"I think it's an uneducated view," says Randy Couture. "He doesn't understand our sport. We're not crazy, we're not dangerous, this is not violence, it's a combative sport."

Also on this week's show, the Coutures discuss their respective recent victories in the cage, and Lombard talks about his upcoming title defense.

Plus, Ron Kruck has breaking news on a Bellator fighter who isn't letting a recent diagnosis with leukemia keep him out of the gym, and the "Inside America's Gyms" series continues with a look at the Grudge Training Center in Wheat Ridge, CO.

About HDNet

HDNet (www.hd.net) is the independent network with unique and thought-provoking content that appeals to men of all ages and is delivered in true high definition.

HDNet is the exclusive, high definition home for popular, original programming, including television's only HD news feature programs "HDNet World Report," and the Emmy Award winning "Dan Rather Reports," featuring legendary journalist Dan Rather.  Only HDNet goes beyond the headlines to deliver real news that is redefining the way we look at our world.  HDNet News is provocative, sometimes controversial and always relevant - telling the important stories of our time in-depth, with attitude and with independence. HDNet is also the exclusive high definition home to critically acclaimed and award winning documentaries as part of the InFocus series.  "NASA on HDNet" presents all live shuttle launches through 2010.  

HDNet presents championship sports coverage featuring the best of Mixed Martial Arts with its Friday night series, "HDNet Fights" (www.hdnetfights.com).  "HDNet Fights" works with leading MMA promoters including DREAM, Sengoku, King of the Cage, XFC, K-1, K-1 Max, MFC and more.  HDNet produces more live Mixed Martial Arts events than any other network and HDNet's "Inside MMA" is the hottest Mixed Martial Arts program on television, giving MMA fans their weekly fix for everything MMA, while "Fighting Words with Mike Straka," goes one-on-one with some of the biggest names in the sport. HDNet also features regular season games from the newly formed United Football League.

HDNet also delivers the world's largest and most diverse concert line-up through the HDNet Concert Series.  The HDNet Concert Series features leading artists and bands including Paul McCartney, Mariah Carey, John Mayer, Nickelback and more.  HDNet also features revealing lifestyle programming featuring "Art Mann Presents," "Girls Gone Wild," "Deadline" and "Get Out!"

Only HDNet Movies (www.hdnetmovies.com) delivers exclusive Sneak Previews of new movies before they hit theaters.  The HDNet Movies Sneak Preview series features top Hollywood stars in critically acclaimed performances including Gwyneth Paltrow, Joaquin Phoenix, Demi Moore, Michael Caine, Tom Hanks, Vera Farmiga, Parker Posey, Brian Cox, Matthew Broderick, Brittany Snow, Eric Bana, John Malkovich, Emily Blunt, Robin Williams, Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger.

In addition to being the exclusive home of Sneak Previews, HDNet Movies viewers enjoy the best films from the classics of the 1950s-1970s, to favorite films from the 1980s and 1990s, to recently released theatrical films.

HDNet Movies offers subscribers a premium movie viewing experience in true HD, and more original movies shot entirely in HD than any other network.

Launched in 2001 by Mark Cuban and General Manager Philip Garvin, the HDNet networks are available on AT&T U-verse, Charter, Comcast, DIRECTV, DISH Network, Insight, and Verizon FiOS.

The HDNet networks can be followed via Facebook at facebook.com/HDNet, facebook.com/HDNetFights and facebook.com/HDNetMovies and via Twitter at twitter.com/hdnet, twitter.com/hdnetfights and twitter.com/hdnetmovies.

SOURCE HDNet

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