· NBC’s iconic late-night franchise “Saturday Night Live” will begin its 48th season on Oct. 1. The season will continue on Oct. 8 and Oct. 15 with original telecasts.
· More information on these telecasts will be available shortly.
· In addition to the live broadcast on NBC, the “SNL” season premiere episode will stream live on Peacock on Oct. 1 at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT. Watch every season of “SNL” now on Peacock.
· “Saturday Night Live,” which is nominated at tonight’s Emmy Awards for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series, was the #1 comedy program in the 18-49 demo for the past three seasons.
· “Saturday Night Live” is produced in association with Broadway Video. The creator and executive producer is Lorne Michaels.
David A. Arnold, a comedian, actor, writer, and producer who headlined two Netflix comedy specials and was a writer/producer on the Fuller House reboot, passed away unexpectedly last night. He was 54.
The Arnold family issued a statement confirming the death. “It is with great sadness that we confirm the untimely passing of our husband, father, brother, and friend, David A. Arnold. David passed away peacefully today in his home and doctors have ruled the cause of death due to natural causes. Please keep our family in prayer and respect our privacy at this time, as we are all shocked and devastated by this loss.”
Arnold started out as a stand-up comic, performing at the Montreal Comedy Festival and on Jamie Foxx’s Laffapalooza on Comedy Central, among other projects.
He wrote for several comedy series, including Meet The Browns (TBS), The Rickey Smiley Show (TV One), Raising Whitley (OWN) and Tyler Perry’s House of Payne (TBS). He also created and was executive producer and showrunner on Nickelodeon’s hit series That Girl Lay Lay, making him one of few Black showrunners in Hollywood.
“We are shocked and incredibly saddened by the sudden passing of our dear friend and creative partner, David A. Arnold,” Nickelodeon said in a statement. “David was an immense talent and a gifted storyteller with a wide range of fans, from adults through his stand-up, to kids and families through the Nickelodeon show he created and executive produced for us, That Girl Lay Lay. On behalf of everyone at Nickelodeon, we send our thoughts and condolences to his family, his friends, and his fans.”
Arnold’s first stand-up comedy special on Netflix, David A. Arnold: Fat Ballerina, debuted in 2019. His follow-up comedy special on the streamer, It Ain’t For The Weak, premiered July 19.
At the time of his sudden death, Arnold was three stops into a four-month national comedy tour.
Chris Spencer issued a statement mourning his best friend. “Our closely knit comedy community mourns the loss of one of the greatest to ever do it. He was admired by his peers, respected by other veterans, and looked up to by the burgeoning comedians that he mentored. He will be deeply missed, especially by his comedy fraternity.”
Survivors include his wife, Julie L. Harkness, and two children, Anna-Grace and Ashlyn.
London’s O2 Arena was rocking Saturday evening as Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock continued their European stand-up tour, including new commentary on their assaults on stage.
Rock, who took the stage first, dedicated a small portion of his lengthy set to talking about Will Smith, during which he said, “f*ck your hostage video,” in an apparent response to the actor’s viral YouTube apology video. Smith posted the apology on YouTube in July. This is the first time Rock has directly addressed the video in public.
As in previous sets, the comedian noted the stinging effect of Smith’s slap: “Yes that sh*t hurt. He played Ali. I can’t even play Floyd Mayweather.”
Rock again referred to Will Smith as “Suge Smith” in reference to the former Death Row Records music executive Suge Knight who is currently serving a 28-year jail sentence for voluntary manslaughter. He then swiftly moved on to say that he’d been back at work the following day after the slap and he was not a victim before discussing an array of topics from Trump’s election to the dating habits of the Kardashian family.
Rock was followed by Chappelle, who referred to the moment in May he was attacked on stage in Los Angeles. Chappelle said that he was now wary of performing on stage because he can no longer tell whether the crowd will be hostile.
“That was some scary sh*t,” he reflected, before saying that Rock upstaged him that night by walking on stage and making a joke about Will Smith.
Chappelle later added that he doesn’t know what his response would have been if Smith slapped him onstage at the Oscars, but he’s certain that the actor would not have “enjoyed the rest of his night” at the awards show.
Chappelle walked on stage to Radiohead’s Karma Police and sounded off on a selection of controversial topics including the walkout Netflix employees staged last year following the release of his standup special The Closer on the streamer. Chappelle ended his set by imploring audience members to be themselves, unlike Smith who he claimed “did an impression of a perfect man for 30 years.”
“I just hope he doesn’t put that mask back on,” Chappelle added.
Rock and Chappelle continue their short tour of the UK and northern Europe before taking the show back to America at the end of September.
Source: Deadline
The long-awaited sequel to the classic comedy franchise is a go as we hear that Taylour Paige and Joseph Gordon-Levitt have joined series star Eddie Murphy in Netflix’s newly titled Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley. Production on the sequel is underway with Mark Molloy directing. Murphy is back as Axel Foley and will produce along with Jerry Bruckheimer and Chad Oman of Jerry Bruckheimer Films. Will Beall penned the script.
The franchise moved from Paramount to Netflix in the winter of 2019 and follows the adventures of Detroit cop Foley, who first appeared in the 1984 smash hit that followed him to Beverly Hills to solve the murder of a friend. The film became one of the year’s biggest hits and solidified Murphy’s movie-star status. It was followed by two sequels, in 1987 and 1994.
Charisse Hewitt-Webster and Ray Angelic will exec produce the new movie. Melissa Reid of Jerry Bruckheimer Films will co-produce.
Gordon-Levitt has been busy going all the way back to the pandemic when he had multiple pics bow including the popular Netflix actioner Project Power and the Oscar-nominated The Trial of the Chicago 7. Over the past year, Gordon-Levitt has stayed busy on both the TV and film fronts, starting with the Showtime series Super Pumped, where he played Uber founder Travis Kalanick. Next up, he will voice Jiminy Cricket in Disney’s Pinocchio. He also recently wrapped production on the drama Providence opposite Lily James.
Following her breakout role in the A24 pic Zola, Paige has been a star in demand and already has had a busy 2022. She was most recently seen the Lena Dunham pic Sharp Stick, which premiered at Sundance, and Mack & Rita, and has several films in post including The Toxic Avenger reboot with Peter Dinklage.
Gordon-Levitt is repped by WME and Jackoway Tyerman Werthheimer, and Paige by CAA, Entertainment 360 and Granderson Des Rochers. Murphy is repped by WME and ML Management; Molloy is represented by UTA; Beall is represented by UTA, Darin Friedman at Entertainment 360 and McKuin Frankel Whitehead LLP; and Angelic is represented by UTA.
Source: Deadline
New York, NY – The creator of the Wild ‘N Out Live and April Fools Comedy Jam tours is back at it again and this time he is bringing along even more of his musical celebrity friends! Comedian, producer and TV personality Rip Micheals from Urban Eats & Treats and Wild ‘n Out is excited to announce that his newest event concept – Fall Back in Love Comedy & Music Jam –featuring Trey Songz, Mario, August Alsina, and more will be coming September 16 – 18, 2022 to Washington, DC, Chiciago and New York City.
The stellar musical lineup for the Fall Back in Love Comedy & Music Jam features R&B Superstars Trey Songz, Mario, Jacquees, and August Alsina, who became infamous after his “entanglement” with Jada Pinkett-Smith became public knowledge in 2020. Event producer Rip Micheals also serves as host and will be joined on stage by fellow comedians Zoie Fenty aka GotDamnZo, Brandon T. Jackson, and Pretty Vee.
“I’m excited to bring a new event concept to these three cities that have always shown so much support for me throughout my career. Plus, these artists have never performed together before so this is going to be absolutely amazing!”, said Rip Micheals, who was presented with a proclamation by New York City Mayor Eric Adams naming September 27, 2021 “Rip Micheals Fall Back Comedy Jam Day” during his inaugural Fall Back Comedy Jam tour stop in New York a year ago.
In spite of inflation rates spiking over 9.1% in the U.S. over the past 12 months, ticket prices for the Fall Back in Love Comedy Jam start at $30, which has remained the same since Rip Micheals started his flagship tour, April Fools Comedy Jam in 2012. Earlier this year, the April Fools Comedy Jam made headlines when Grammy award-winning rapper T.I. made his comedy debut in New York as Tip Harris and was booed by the sold-out crowd of 15,000.
Tickets for Rip Micheals’ Fall Back in Love Comedy Jam start at $30 and are on sale now.
FALL BACK IN LOVE COMEDY JAM DATES:
Fri Sept 16 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena – Info Video – https://youtu.be/LRuIF16izm0
Sat Sept 17 – Chicago, IL – Arie Crown Theater – Info Video – https://youtu.be/QjbXt45bVcY
Sun Sept 18 – Belmont Park, NY – UBS Arena – Info Video – https://youtu.be/b0KG1v1Y-Mk
Ticket Link: https://bit.ly/FallBackinLoveComedyMusicJam
According to our sources, the LeBron James and Springhill Entertainment Company’s new House Party reboot has officially been taken off hold and now it looks like it’s going to move to Paramount Plus for a release on the streamer early next year.
The film, produced by the NBA superstar and his The Shop co-host Maverick Carter, was announced in 2018 with SpringHill Entertainment and New Line Cinema set to deliver the film. Directed by Grammy Award-winning filmmaker Calmatic, House Party centered on two high schoolers who throw a party in James’ house, resulting in the loss of his championship rings. Atlanta co-writers Stephen Glover and Jamal Olori also wrote the script.
Set to star singer-actor Jacob Latimore, Tosin Cole, DC Young Fly, Melvin Gregg, Rotimi, and Bill Bellamy, the film was originally planned to debut on July 28 on HBO MAX, but ended up quietly scrubbed from the HBO Max release calendar.
“It’s an entirely new look for a classic movie,” James told The Hollywood Reporter in 2018. “Everyone I grew up with loved House Party. To partner with this creative team to bring a new House Party to a new generation is unbelievable.”
“It’s fun, it [was] an honor when I got the opportunity to produce it [and] reboot the whole movie,” James shared with ESPN a year later. “I had so much fun as a kid watching that movie and when I was growing up as a youngster, I was like, ‘Man, I hope I have an opportunity to go to one of these house parties where it’s just a bunch of fun, joking around, a lot of dancing… People just having a good time.
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — Rapper pleaded guilty Monday to a conspiracy drug charge that carries a mandatory five-year prison sentence, admitting that he participated in a massive drug trafficking racket that moved drugs from the West Coast to Long Island.
The plea in Central Islip came before U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven Locke, who had revoked his bond and sent him to jail two weeks ago. After the plea, he was returned to jail to await sentencing, though a date was not immediately set.
Locke revoked the rapper’s $500,000 bail, secured by property he owns in Georgia, after prosecutors said that Wap, whose real name is Willie Maxwell, threatened to kill a man during a FaceTime call in 2021, violating the terms of his pretrial release in his drug case.
The “Trap Queen” rapper was initially arrested last October on charges alleging he participated in a conspiracy to smuggle large amounts of heroin, fentanyl and other drugs into the New York City area.
He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess controlled substances, the top charge in an indictment against him, though the plea pertained only to cocaine. It carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison while federal sentencing guidelines are likely to recommend about two additional years in prison. The plea spared him from a potential life sentence if he had been convicted on all the charges he faced.
His lawyers did not immediately return messages seeking comment.
Maxwell and five co-defendants were accused of conspiring to possess and distribute more than 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of heroin, fentanyl and crack cocaine between June 2019 and June 2020. Two codefendants also have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
The scheme allegedly involved using the U.S. Postal Service and cars with hidden compartments to move drugs from the West Coast to Long Island, where they were stored for distribution to dealers on Long Island and in New Jersey, prosecutors said.
Maxwell rose to prominence after “Trap Queen,” his debut single, reached No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in May 2015.
The Long Island arrest was not his first. In 2019, he was arrested in Las Vegas for allegedly assaulting three employees at a hotel-casino. He was also arrested in November 2017 on a DUI charge after police said he was drag racing on a New York City highway.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Are you ready for some football? Fine, but the return of the NFL is why the 2022 Emmy Awards have been drop-kicked from their usual Sunday berth to Monday.
Television’s top awards rotate among the top four networks, and this year’s broadcast home, NBC, has reserved the second Sunday night in September for Tampa Bay vs. Dallas. After the Emmys slogged through two years of pandemic-restricted ceremonies, a day’s delay seems a minor annoyance.
The industry is expected to put on its Monday best, swan down the red carpet and celebrate itself and the wealth of shows across streaming services, cable and, to a degree that pales compared to years’ past, old-school network fare.
But what’s a Hollywood awards show without a TV audience? A low-rated disappointment, and that’s where you come in. If you decide to do your bit and tune in, here’s a roadmap to everything you need to know about the 2022 Emmys.
WHEN ARE THE 2022 EMMMYS?
The 74th Primetime Emmy Awards are set for Monday, Sept. 12, at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles. The roughly three-hour ceremony will begin at 8 p.m. EDT and air live on NBC and, for free, on the streaming service Peacock.
But the Emmys, with 118 total awards, aren’t a one-day affair. Winners in 25 key categories including best drama and comedy series will be announced during the broadcast ceremony, with the rest divvied up between the Sept. 3 and 4 creative arts awards. An edited version of the weekend ceremonies, with categories including sound editing and cinematography, will air at 8 p.m. EDT Sept. 10 on FXX.
WHO IS HOSTING THE EMMYS CEREMONY?
The honor usually goes to a comedian with a link to the network airing the event, and NBC stayed the course: It chose “Saturday Night Live” veteran Kenan Thompson, a first-time Emmy host who’s been preceded in the emcee job by a number of “SNL” stars. The ceremony has tried going without a host, most recently in 2019, but the results weren’t always pretty. Or entertaining.
WHICH SHOWS ARE NOMINATED FOR THE TOP AWARDS AT THE EMMYS?
Some previous winners are vying again for best series honors, including “Ted Lasso,” a freshman when it won 2021’s best comedy series, and “Succession,” which claimed the 2020 best drama award. (The series didn’t air during the eligibility window for 2021, when “The Crown” won.)
There are also formidable newcomers, including the dystopian drama “Squid Game” and comedy crime romp “Only Murders in the Building.”
Among the nominated actors, those hoping to be repeat victors include Jason Sudeikis of “Ted Lasso,” Jean Smart of “Hacks” and Zendaya of “Euphoria.” Check out the full list of Emmy nominees.
WHAT WERE THE MOST SURPISING EMMY NODS?
So many, where to begin? The farewell season of “This Is Us” got a single nomination, for original music and lyrics, after reaping Emmys for several cast members in years past. It was a similar case for the last year of “black-ish,” which ended its groundbreaking run with just two creative arts nominations. On the flip side, it was far from a slam dunk that Dave Chappelle’s “The Closer,” with its controversial anti-transgender comments, would earn a best variety special nomination. It did.
WHO DECIDES THE EMMY WINNERS?
The more than 17,000 voting members of the TV academy are eligible to decide nominees and winners in 14 categories, including drama, comedy and limited series. The acting awards, including lead, supporting and guest actors, are determined by peer groups, as are directing, writing and other individual areas of achievement. The number of nominees in most categories generally is tied to the number of submissions, with exceptions including best comedy and dramas series: They get eight nominees each.
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See more Emmys coverage here: https://apnews.com/hub/emmy-awards
Jamie Foxx teamed up with The BSB Boys for “BUD (Mowing Down Vamps).” The song comes from the actor’s Netflix film Day Shift which was released on Aug. 12th. In the music video, directed by Taylor Chien, Foxx and the BSB crew turn killing vampires into a fun, party-like activity. The visual also features cameos from actors Dave Franco and Meagan Good, who also star in the film.
In the movie, Foxx plays Bud, a struggling father whose job as a pool cleaner is only a front for his true career as a vampire slayer. Good plays his ex-wife and the mother of his child.
Day Shift also stars Snoop Dogg, Karla Souza, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Oliver Masucci, Steve Howey, Scott Adkins, and Zion Broadnax. The movie is directed by J.J. Perry.
“For me, the appeal was Joss being a mother and being a badass and showing that at any stage in your life, you can still continue to be strong, continue to be nurturing, continue to be feminine. But because I don’t have any children yet, it was really figuring out what is this relationship between the two of them and how they connect—the components of that relationship,” shared Good with AV Club on her role in Day Shift.
“And then also the relationship between my character and Jamie’s character; what was it exactly that went wrong? When did they fall in love? What feeling [do they have] that they still love each other now? And so it really was just about building the fullness of who Joss is and her strengths and weaknesses, her fears and all of that.”
Watch the music video for “Bud (Mowing Down Vamps)” below.
Source: VIBE, The AV Club