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For The Love Of Ray J
Ray J
"Sexy Can I"
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Tough Love (Supertrailer)
Ingrid Michaelson
"Soldier"
Watch Now  Buy It
Sex Rehab with Dr. Drew
Carolina Liar
"Coming to Terms"
Watch Now  Buy It
My Antonio
Olivia Broadfield
"Holding On To You"
Buy It
Tough Love
Morningwood
"How You Know It's Love"
Buy It
interviews

Macy Gray



Macy Gray: The User's Guide


 
Cruel childhood nicknames, meeting Michael Jackson, and - ahem - an extensive collection of sexy undies. Macy tells us stories.
 
by Jonathan Durbin


Macy Gray (Giuliano Bekor/ Universal Records)

Macy Gray thought her voice was too weird to ever get her up the charts. Instead, the raspy neo-soul singer began her professional career in film, enrolling in USC's screenwriting program. But the


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best-laid plans seldom go the way they're supposed to, and Gray wound up winning a Grammy (best female pop vocal for "I Try") and appearing on the big screen in films like Idlewild, Training Day and Spider-Man. Now that her fourth album, Big, is about to hit shelves - featuring collaborations with OutKast and Sleepy Brown - we spoke to her about underpants, dancing for money and the best amusement park on earth.

Name: Natalie Renee McIntyre

Born: September 6, 1967, in Canton, Ohio

First memory: Listening to Sly's "Everyday People" in my mom's room. She was naked on the couch, talking on the phone. She liked to walk around the house naked. I think was five years old.

Biggest thrill as a child: There's this place called Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, and that was where I had some of my most favorite times. It's the best amusement park in the whole world. People don't talk about it because it's in Ohio, but it's way better than the Magic Kingdom.

Nickname as a kid: Nannie Goat. There's no reason for it - one of my aunts gave it to me. My grandmother still calls me Nan. What else? I got called a lot of names. I got called "Water Head." That was because I had a really big head.

First record bought: Purple Rain - with my own money.

First show attended: Prince, Purple Rain.

First date: He took me to a drive-in movie, and then afterward we didn't have any money to eat, so we went to a 7/11 and he bought me a candy bar. Then we made out at his aunt's house. Then he took me home. I was 14, 15.

Last book read: I haven't read a book in a minute, but let me think. Oh! I was in the middle of reading A Million Little Pieces by that drug addict, but then I heard it was all lies so I didn't finish it.

Last movie seen: Smokin' Aces. It's good until the end. The ending is the stupidest ending I've ever seen in my whole life. I liked it - it was really entertaining - but then they blew it with the ending. It was really, really disappointing. I'm really mad at the ending.

Favorite sandwich: Turkey and Swiss with lettuce and mayonnaise.

Favorite item of clothing: My underwear. I have all kinds. I love pretty underwear. I have about a million different pairs. I could wear one for every day of the year.

Have you ever been star-struck? When? All the time. I'm a big groupie. I love sitting there, watching celebrities. I read the tabloids. I'm always star-struck, even when I try hard not to show it. I saw Michael Jackson in Vegas a couple of weeks ago. I went to see Prince - you know how Prince has that club in Vegas? Michael Jackson walked in. That was pretty crazy. I said hi. He shook my hand.

What was the last good joke that you heard? A bear walks into a bar. The bartender says, "What'll you have?" The bear doesn't say anything. The bartender says, "Why the long paws?"

Previous jobs: I worked at a coffee place. I've been a waitress. I've worked at an office. I've been a photographer's assistant. I was a dancer. You know those sleazy clubs where you dance for money, like Tina Turner: Private Dancer? I did that for a night. I've been a messenger. I drove a car, but it kept breaking down so I got fired. I worked at Warner Brothers in the Internet department a long time ago. I was the assistant to the accountant. I liked that job a lot. But I got fired. I was always late. I'm terrible with time.

Hanging on the bedroom wall: I have a lot of things - pictures, a big clock . . . well, actually that's my old bedroom. Right now I live at a hotel. I don't have a bedroom. I sold my house and I haven't found a new place yet. I've been here for about a month.

Ideal vacation: Somewhere where there's water because I like water sports. I like to jet ski. I like parasailing. I went to the Bahamas and the hotel there was right on the water. I was in and out of it all day.

Hobbies: Poker. I love playing card games. I'm an obsessive personality, so I'll get really obsessed with something and then drop it. I was obsessed with yoga for awhile, then just stopped. I was taking makeup classes so I could learn that. But I love poker. I've had that obsession for awhile. I try to count cards, but I'm not that good. I'm not Rain Man. I can count how many tens, jacks, queens and kings go by, but not the others.

What's something about you that surprises people? I'm really gullible. I'm a big sucker. People can take advantage of me really, really easily. Like really easily. All you've got to do is just do it.

Swear word you use too much: Bitch. I like the word bitch.

What television show are you obsessed with right now? I watch the news. I watch CNN all day. I like A&E. I like stories. You know how A&E does those true murder mysteries? And E!'s True Hollywood stories. I like those.

Ambitions: I have this clothing line that I'm really excited about called Humps. And I'm writing my own movie, which I want to get made next year. It's a true story about my family.

If you could be any character from history: Diana Ross. Or I would be Barack Obama because I think he's going to be the next president.