Twentieth Century Fox has committed to the often-rumored, long-delayed release of “Alien vs. Predator”, effectively pitting two of the media conglomerates’ most horrifying xenophobes against one another in an all-out war.
The Alien of “Alien” fame has seen rather steady employment since his theatrical debut in 1979. With 3 sequels under its belt, a digital-remaster & director’s cut released in theaters this past October, and tons of toys & video games to boot, the Alien has done pretty darn good for itself in these troubled economical times. But what of The Predator? After a sequel featuring Danny Glover, and a widely publicized sampling dispute with Ice Cube in 1992, we haven’t heard much of our hunting hero.
Down on his luck after the dismal debut of “Predator 2,” and being rejected for the leading role of “Menace II Society,” The Predator moved to Compton, Los Angeles in 1991 away from the glam and notoriety of Hollywood. He acquainted himself with emcee and aspiring actor Ice Cube, taking the fledgling dough boy under his scales, and serving as his acting mentor. Cube worshiped The Predator, and even named an album and song after him (Priority Records, 1992). Cube, however, neglected to credit “The Predator” to the alien it was inspired by, and a bitter legal dispute ensued.
Disillusioned by this experience, The Predator dropped out of the high profile celebrity lifestyle, eschewing clubs and industry parties, and moving toward a simpler life. He was forced to take on as many as 3 jobs at a time in order to make a living. Outside of some voice-overs and appearances at casting calls, he did no work for the industry that once celebrated him. His status went from “Oh my God, it’s The Predator! Let’s get his autograph!” to “Yo, dread! Where my chicken fingers at, loc’?”
To his credit, he never cut off his famed dreadlocks, disdaining Alien’s attempts to crossover, especially in the last sequel where it lightened its skin and took third billing to Sigourney Weaver and Winona Ryder. But poverty eventually softened his position. Yearning for one last shot at showbiz, The Predator left for New York where he began interning at BET studios. Eventually, his hard work over the years landed him an offer to host a video show. Jumping at the opportunity, The Predator took the job and changed his name to AJ; an abbreviation of his full alien name, unpronounceable in English. Assuming a whole new identity, and effectively throwing away his past and looking toward the future, The Predator-cum-AJ filled a star’s position as co-host of BET’s “106 & Park” show.
Gossiping Bitches has acquired these exclusive photos of The Predator before and after makeup was applied for an episode of “106 & Park”:
Before:
After:
The Predator says he does not mind the makeup every day, but wishes the executives at BET would accept him for who he is: A special Individual. But things are looking up for The Predator. He’s currently filming the “Alien vs. Predator” movie with his acting rival The Alien, promising, “it’ll be better than ‘106 & Park’.”
We’ll see, my friend…we will see.