In his first HBO Max stand-up special Chris Redd digs into his days of living life like a music video and realizing that even if he’ll never be tall enough to dunk, he can still grow as a person.
Getting deep, staying silly. In his first HBO Max stand-up special Chris Redd digs into his days of living life like a music video and realizing that even if he’ll never be tall enough to dunk, he can still grow as a person.
Chris Redd: Why Am I Like This? debuts November 3rd on HBO MAX.
Watch the trailer below;
Tammy Townsend, Malcolm Barrett, Cynthia Kaye McWilliams, Michael Trucco, Ashley Olivia Fisher, and Pasha Lychnikoff are set as series regulars opposite previously announced Deon Cole in BET+’s upcoming dark comedy series Average Joe. The series, which received a cast contingent script-to-series order in February, hails from Robb Cullen and McG.
Set in The Hill district of Pittsburgh and inspired by Cullen’s life, Average Joe follows blue-collar plumber, Joe Washington (Cole) who discovers his recently deceased father lived a secret, second life and stole millions of dollars from dangerous people just before he died. Now those people think Joe knows where it is. A bloody and violent confrontation triggers a chain of events that force Joe and his close-knit circle of family and friends out of their very average and mundane lives into a life or death race against time to find the truth and the millions.
Townsend plays Angela Washington, Joe’s loving wife who suffers from a painful illness. Despite her illness, she works shifts as a waitress to help to provide for her family. She recognizes how hard Joe works for her and their daughter, Jennifer, and sees him as a true blue collar guy until he comes home with dead bodies in his truck.
Barrett portrays Leon Montgomery, a somewhat hapless hardware store owner. One of Joe’s best friends. He is married to Cathy, who never gives him a moment of peace. Leon comes to Joe’s rescue when he visits Teddy’s office and finds that Joe was attacked by two Russian mobsters, including Jennifer’s boyfriend, Dimitri. He offers to help Joe dispose of the bodies, but fumbles when he takes home one of the Russian men’s cellphones, leading the friend group into a world of trouble that no one is prepared for.
McWilliams is Cathy Montgomery, Leon’s ball-busting wife. She appears to have a strong dislike for her
husband and is planning on divorcing him. Cathy is known for being obsessed with crime shows. Her obsession proves helpful when she saves Leon’s life after a Russian mobster tracks one of the deceased mobster’s phones to their home and attempts to kill Leon.
Trucco plays Benjamin “Touch” Tuchawuski, Joe’s long-time best friend. He’s a police officer with a vice for painkillers and heroin to help him get through his days. When he finds out that Joe and Leon are in trouble with the Russian mob, he decides to get his hands dirty instead of following protocol. He doesn’t lend a helping hand without requesting a piece of the multimillion-dollar Russian mob money and Teddy’s coveted Steelers ticket.
Fisher portrays Jennifer Washington, Angela and Leon’s eighteen-year-old daughter. She has a bright future ahead of her. Recently, she was accepted into Carnegie Mellon and is dating an appealingly innocent Russian boy, Dimitri.
Lychnikoff is Nicolai Dzhugashvili, a ruthless Russian mob boss and Dimitri’s father. He will stop at no end to find his son and the money that Teddy stole from him before his unlikely demise.
Average Joe is written by Cullen, who executive produces alongside McG, Mary Viola and Corey Marsh for Wonderland Sound and Vision. It’s slated for premiere in 2023.
Townsend can currently be seen as a series regular on the seventh and final season of OWN’s Queen Sugar. Her film credits include Robert Townsend’s cult classic The Five Heartbeats, The Preacher’s Kid, Simone, Playing Mona Lisa, The Pest and The Brady Bunch Movie. Townsend is repped by Kass Management and Pakula King & Associates.
Barrett recently wrapped shooting a role in Apple TV+’s upcoming series The Changeling, opposite LaKeith Stanfield and Adina Porter. He was previously seen in Nat Geo’s Genius: Aretha, opposite Cynthia Erivo. Barrett is repped by Entertainment 360 and Gersh.
McWilliams can be seen opposite Samuel L. Jackson in the Apple TV miniseries The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey. She also starred opposite Michael Chiklis on Paramount Network’s Coyote and recurred on Amazon’s Bosch. McWilliams is repped by APA and Vault Entertainment.
Trucco recently appeared as Wade Scarborough in Netflix’s Midnight Mass. Other recent credits include Young Sheldon, The Midnight Club and The Rookie. He’ll next be seen in a recurring role on CBS drama series Fire Country. Trucco is repped by AFA Prime Talent Media and Innovative Artists.
Fisher most recently won the Best Actress award at the 202O LA Film Awards for The System. She is repped by Moxie Artists Management and Meyer & Downs.
Lychnikoff’s recent credits include Bullet Train opposite Brad Pitt, Season 4 of Stranger Things, Shameless, Ray Donovan, and Siberia opposite Keanu Reeves. He is repped by Stewart Talent and Industry Entertainment.
Source: Deadline
Today, BET announces the host, nominees and premiere date of “Soul Train Awards” 2022 presented by BET taking place, Sunday, November 13 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Actor, comedian and writer Deon Cole will host an incredible night celebrating the best in soul music and the iconic legacy brand. Additionally, BET has released the official nominations for “Soul Train Awards” 2022. “Soul Train Awards” recognizes the best in Soul, R&B, and Hip Hop from both established industry legends and the next generation of promising artists. The official “Soul Train Awards” nominees, selected by a voting academy of esteemed music industry insiders, performers, and presenters. The “Soul Train Awards” 2022 premieres Sunday, November 27 at 8 pm ET/PT on BET and BET Her.
“Deon Cole is known for delivering razor-sharp humor and commentary across his acclaimed standup specials and series. Get ready to see him unleash his comedic talents like never before on the Soul Train Awards stage–and don’t say we didn’t warn you,” said Connie Orlando, EVP Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy. “Deon is BET family, and we are proud to have him make his hosting debut exclusively on BET. We are also equally proud to continue celebrating the legacy of Soul Train with our esteemed nominees and delivering unforgettable performances and moments that epitomize Black Excellence.”
“Hosting the ‘Soul Train Awards’ is a dream come true. I grew up watching Soul Train and ‘til this day, I’ve never met a Soul Train Line I didn’t bless with my skilled two step,” said host Deon Cole. “It is truly a privilege to be given this opportunity to celebrate Don Cornelius’ legacy, all of the amazing Black talent that illuminated our screens on the iconic TV show, and my favorite genres of music: Soul, R&B and Hip Hop.”
Beyoncé and Mary J. Blige lead “Soul Train Awards” 2022 nominations with an impressive 7 nods; Beyoncé for ‘Best R&B/Soul Female Artist,’ ‘Album of the Year,’ ‘Song of the Year,’ and twice for ‘Best Collaboration’ and ‘The Ashford and Simpson Songwriter’s Award.’ Mary J. Blige for ‘Certified Soul Award,’ ‘Best R&B/Soul Female Artist,’ ‘Album of the Year,’ ‘Song of the Year,’ ‘The Ashford and Simpson Songwriter’s Award,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ and ‘Best Collaboration.’ Ari Lennox garnered the second most nods with 6 nominations: ‘Best R&B/Soul Female Artist,’ ‘Album of the Year,’ ‘Song of the Year,’ ‘The Ashford and Simpson Songwriter’s Award,’ ‘Best Dance Performance,’ and ‘Video of the Year.’ Lizzo and Chris Brown are tied at 5 nods each, followed by Burna Boy, Muni Long and Steve Lacy with 4 nods. Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic, PJ Morton andTems each garnered 3 nominations.
The “Soul Train Awards” 2022 presented by BET will feature an exciting lineup of unforgettable performances, special moments and appearances by some of the brightest stars in Black culture and entertainment. The annual event is committed to showcasing the impact of Soul Train on music and dance from the ‘70s to today.
Trevor Noah’s next act has begun.
A day after announcing on air that he’d be departing The Daily Show after seven years, Noah made his way to Toronto, where he filmed his third Netflix special. Titled I Wish you Would, the hour will premiere globally Nov. 22.
Despite its timing, sources who were present at the show say the Emmy- and Grammy-nominated comic didn’t discuss his bombshell announcement onstage. Instead, the set, part of Noah’s Back to Abnormal Tour, includes revelations about learning to speak German, modern communication and his love of curry.
The special, which follows Noah’s previous hours Son of Patricia and Afraid of the Dark, will once again be directed by David Paul Meyer. Noah serves as an executive producer on the hour alongside his managers Norm Aladjem and Derek Van Pelt, veteran producer Bob Bain and Sanaz Yamin, whom Noah tapped to run his fast-growing Day Zero Productions late last year.
One of only a handful of comics who play arenas on multiple continents, Noah has said he intends to spend more time on the road once he signs off from The Daily Show in early December. “I spent two years [of the pandemic] in my apartment, not on the road, and when I got back out there again, I realized that there’s another part of my life that I want to carry on exploring,” he told his Comedy Central audience in late September. “I miss learning other languages, I miss going to other countries and putting on shows, I miss being everywhere and doing everything.”
Meanwhile, Paramount brass, led by Chris McCarthy, is said to have been intensely focused on finding Noah’s replacement in recent weeks, with the show’s current cadre of correspondents considered viable options. Despite early rumblings that Paramount could punt the show to its streaming service (where it already airs the following day), executives at the company have been steadfast in their commitment to keeping the next iteration of The Daily Show on Comedy Central. While linear ratings have plummeted everywhere, the show has maintained a massive social footprint and, in the first half of 2022 alone, generated nearly $25 million in advertising revenue, per Kantar.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
In this episode of the Box Seats Sports Comedy Talk Show, we discuss the Brooklyn Nets‘ loss to the New Orleans Pelicans and the way the Phoenix Suns came back from down 22 to defeat the Dallas Mavericks, plus the other hot topics in sports!
Watch the latest episode below;
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Michael B. Jordan is back in the ring in the first trailer for MGM’s Creed III.
This time around, Jordan’s Adonis “Donnie” Creed squares off with actor Jonathan Majors’ Damian Anderson. The sequel also had the added pressure for Jordan of being his feature directorial debut.
“Me and him bonded in a way that I never had an opportunity to,” Jordan said during a press conference Monday of working with Majors as a director. “It’s my first time directing that relationship between director and actor. I really understand that now, and it’s a bond that’ll last forever. So just really lucky to have that gentleman by my side.” He also teased that Majors’ character is “a pivotal person and pillar” in Adonis’ life.
Jordan joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe with 2018’s Black Panther and coincidentally has faced off against fellow MCU actors in multiple Creed films. Creed II’s Florian Munteanu went on to appear in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, while Creed III antagonist Majors is the new big bad of the MCU, Kang the Conqueror.
Jordan first played Donnie in the 2015 film Creed, from filmmaker Ryan Coogler. He went on to star in 2018’s Creed II, helmed by Steven Caple Jr., before stepping behind the camera for the third installment, due out March 3rd. Sylvester Stallone, who starred opposite Jordan as his classic character Rocky Balboa in the first two installments, does not return for the third.
Creed III also stars Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Wood Harris, and Mila Davis-Kent.
Said Jordan of Thompson, who has been with him since the first installment as Bianca: “Trust is a huge thing, and having earned each other’s trust. … And now having her trust me with a story was the biggest compliment that she’s given me thus far.”
Watch the trailer below;
Kendrick Lamar’s sold-out October 22 show at the Accor Arena in Paris, as part of his The Big Steppers Tour, is set to stream live exclusively through Amazon Music and Prime Video. The event will mark the 10-year anniversary of the release of Lamar’s universally praised LP, good kid, m.A.A.d city. The triple-Platinum RIAA certified studio album earned him seven nominations at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards and received international acclaim from both fans and critics. The livestream will provide fans with a special look at Lamar’s 65-date world tour in support of his latest release, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.
Airing live on October 22 at 2pm ET, fans will be able to watch the livestream for free exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide, the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, and on the Amazon Music app. The stream will also feature sets from pgLang’s Tanna Leone and Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Baby Keem. Lamar’s performance will be available to view on-demand on Prime Video following the livestream event.
Produced by Live Nation and presented by Rotation, the hip-hop and R&B brand from Amazon Music, the extensive international tour has already traveled North America and is currently making stops in Europe, UK and Australia before wrapping up in New Zealand on December 16th and 17th with a performances at Auckland’s Spark Arena.
“As a kid from the west side of Compton, hearing good kid, m.A.A.d city for the first time and seeing Kendrick’s journey from neighborhood hero to global superstar ignited a fire in me that I’m forever grateful for. It showed me that no matter where you start in life, hard work and dedication will put you where you hope and dream to be,” said Tim Hinshaw, head of R&B and hip-hop for Amazon Music. “Now, 10 years later, it’s almost poetic that two kids from the same city with similar, but different dreams have landed in Paris to celebrate not just that record but Kendrick’s latest revolutionary album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. We’re honored to sponsor this tour and bring this show to fans around the world.”
“We are thrilled to be working with Kendrick Lamar, one of the most influential and groundbreaking artists of my generation, and pgLang to collaborate across Amazon for this epic entertainment event,” said Alaina Bartels, head of talent synergy & specials, Amazon Studios. “We continue to be the home for talent and creating special opportunities for our global customers to experience their awe-inspiring creativity.”
For more information on the tour and for tickets please visit oklama.com
Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE), one of the largest operators of advertising-supported video on demand (AVOD) streaming services, and Publicis Media’s APX Content Ventures, a global offering dedicated to investing in quality and mission-driven programming, today announced an extension to their current agreement to expand the companies’ content financing partnership and elevate the voices of underserved audiences. The first project greenlit under the extended agreement is the reality series Dirty Pool with J.B. Smoove, starring comedian J.B. Smoove (Curb Your Enthusiasm), which will premiere exclusively on Crackle and Redbox streaming platforms in late 2023.
Publicis Media’s APX Content Ventures is a next-generation unit within Publicis Media that seeks to find, fund, and elevate partners and properties that amplify diverse voices, empower women and build community, connection, and trust. APX and Publicis clients will have the exclusive opportunity to be featured prominently in the series via deep brand integrations, custom content, sponsorships, and other show-adjacent segments. The companies previously came together to produce the original series Inside the Black Box, which features revealing conversations, exciting performances, workshops, and discussions about the role race plays in the entertainment industry.
Chicken Soup for the Soul is the latest partner to receive funding through APX Content Ventures’ $25 million Inclusion Investment Fund, which is part of Publicis Media’s Once & For All Coalition initiative. It has funded over 20 content ideas with more than 10 diverse-owned, operated, and targeted companies.
Dirty Pool with J.B. Smoove is Dinner for Five meets Celebrity Poker over a pool table. Hosted by J.B. Smoove, he will be joined by his celebrity friends who talk shop around a pool table. No topic is off limits, including current events and other celebrities. The series will premiere in late 2023.
“APX Content Ventures has been a phenomenal partner, and we are very excited to continue creating series together,” said Philippe Guelton, chief revenue officer of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. “The brand integrations into these series are an organic way for companies to reach audiences that are no longer watching linear TV. We look forward to announcing additional projects soon.”
“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with Crackle and Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment in bringing quality diverse-owned, operated, and targeted programming to air. Our partnership on Inside the Black Box embedded our client in a seamless and authentic way that also reflected who they are as a brand,” said Kerry Bianchi, Global CEO, APEX Exchange. “Finding quality programming that engages consumers and naturally ties to the ethos of our clients’ brands is a win-win for everyone.”
Crackle’s recent releases include season 2 of the murder mystery series The Wall, the home renovation series Pet Caves, plus-size mountain climber documentary Kili Big, season 2 of the hit college thriller series In the Vault, the sci-fi series Salvage Marines starring Casper Van Dien, and the award-winning BBC series Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.
The Crackle and Redbox streaming services are currently distributed through over 140 touchpoints in the U.S. on platforms including Amazon Fire TV, RokuTV, Apple TV, Smart TVs (Samsung, LG, Vizio), gaming consoles (PS4 and Xbox One), Plex, iOS, and Android mobile devices and on desktops at Crackle.com and Redbox.com with plans to expand to over 160 touch points this year.
Returning this season as the core cast members are Robin Thede, Gabrielle Dennis, and Skye Townsend along with three new featured players: DaMya Gurley, Tamara Jade, and Angel Laketa Moore joining.
Production has commenced on the fourth season of Robin Thede’s Emmy(R)-winning HBO Original sketch comedy series A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW, in Los Angeles.
The narrative sketch comedy series features a core cast of Black women living relatable and hilarious experiences in a magical reality that subverts traditional expectations.
· The first three seasons of the series have garnered 13 Emmy(R) nominations and three wins. Season three won two Emmy(R) Awards for Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series and Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming.
· Cast: Returning this season as the core cast members are Robin Thede, Gabrielle Dennis, and Skye Townsend along with three new featured players: DaMya Gurley, Tamara Jade, and Angel Laketa Moore joining.
· Robin Thede quote: “We are forever indebted to our sister, Emmy(R) winner Ashley Nicole Black, whose contributions as a writer and performer on A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW for three seasons have made an indelible mark on our series and in comedy history! She will always be a part of our family and we are rooting for her as she continues on her path of greatness. Angel, DaMya and Tamara are the absolute bellwether for the next generation of comedians! They sing, dance, act and make you laugh! They are going to surprise and delight viewers with their endless talents, and we can’t wait to introduce the world to them!”
· Season 4 credits: Creator, showrunner, executive producer, writer and star, Robin Thede; executive producer, Issa Rae for HOORAE; executive producers, Dave Becky, Jonathan Berry for 3 Arts Entertainment; executive producers, Tony Hernandez, Brooke Posch for JAX Media.
In this episode of Box Seats Sports Comedy Talk Show, we discuss the opening night of the NBA with the wins of the Golden State Warriors over the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Boston Celtics over the Philadelphia 76ers, plus we discuss the NFL owners who are bickering! All of that plus the hot topics in sports!
Watch the latest episode below!