Will Smith has opened up about the ongoing controversy surrounding his assault of Chris Rock at this year’s Academy Awards, offering up his most unvarnished thoughts about an altercation that has marred his public image. In an emotional YouTube post, Smith addressed why he didn’t apologize to Rock when he accepted a best actor prize for his work in “King Richard” shortly after he charged the stage and slapped the comic for making a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s short haircut.
“It’s all fuzzy,” Smith says. “I’ve reached out to Chris and the message that came back is he’s not ready to talk, and when he is, he will reach out.”
Smith once again reiterated that he was sorry for his actions, calling his behavior “unacceptable.” The actor has said he responded violently because Rock’s joke referenced the hair loss that Pinkett Smith suffers because of her alopecia. It’s a struggle that Pinkett Smith has publicly addressed in the past.
“There is no part of me that thinks that was the right way to behave in that moment,” Smith, who sighs deeply at points and seems to be fighting back tears, says in the video. “There’s no part of me that thinks that’s the optimal way to handle a feeling of disrespect or insults.”
Smith also addressed questions about whether or not Pinkett Smith, who was seen on camera rolling her eyes at Rock’s joke comparing her buzzcut to the one Demi Moore sports in “G.I. Jane,” had urged him to charge the stage. The actor said his wife said nothing to spur him to assault Rock.
“It’s like, you know, I made a choice on my own, from my own experiences, from my history with Chris,” Smith says. “Jada had nothing to do with it. I’m sorry, babe. I want to say sorry to my kids and my family for the heat that I brought on all of us.”
There had been speculation that Smith would open up about the fallout surrounding the Rock slap in a sit-down interview with a high-profile journalist like Oprah Winfrey, but instead the actor has opted to use social media to directly address his fans. In the wake of the slap, Smith resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the group behind the Oscars and offered up statements of contrition, but has otherwise maintained a low profile.
Rock recently broke his silence during a standup show in New Jersey, on July 24. “Anyone who says words hurt has never been punched in the face,” Rock joked, according to US Weekly. He went on to say he wasn’t a “victim,” joking, “Yeah, that sh-t hurt, motherf–ker. But I shook that sh-t off and went to work the next day … I don’t go to the hospital for a papercut.”
On Oscar night, Smith assaulted Rock moments before the award for best documentary was about to be presented to “Summer of Soul” director Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson. The shocked response to the incident overshadowed Thompson’s time at the podium.
“To all my fellow nominees, you know, this is a community, it’s like I won because you voted for me,” Smith says in the video. “And it really breaks my heart to have stolen and tarnished your moment. I can still see Questlove’s eyes. You know, it happened on Questlove’s award. And, you know, it’s like, ‘I’m sorry’ really isn’t sufficient.”
Smith ultimately closed the video with a pledge to learn from his mistakes.
“I know it was confusing, I know it was shocking,” he says. “But I promise you, I am deeply devoted and committed to putting light and love and joy into the world. And, you know, if you hang on, I promise we’ll be able to be friends again.”
Source: Variety
Comedian Lil Duval had to be airlifted to a local hospital after getting into an accident while on his ATV in the Bahamas.
On Tuesday, the comedian told his fans he broke his leg after a car crashed into his ATV in a post on Instagram.
“Somebody hit me in they car while i was on my 4 wheeler. Now my leg broke and i gotta get flown over to Nassau and have surgery,” he captioned a clip that showed him being transferred to an aircraft as he laid in a gurney heavily bandaged and looking pained.
On Wednesday, the comedian updated his fans on his condition, saying he is not responding to calls because he is still in a lot of pain following the accident.
“I appreciate everybody checking up on me but if you call and i don’t pick up don’t take it the wrong way. I’m really f** up and can’t move cuz I’m in so much pain,” he tweeted on Wednesday.
Hours before he posted about the accident, the comedian posted that his ATV was not working to his Instagram stories.
Source: CBS
Dave Chappelle was the unannounced opener for the Chris Rock-Kevin Hart double bill at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night. To Radiohead’s “Karma Police,” and wearing a white Nirvana In Utero shirt, the controversial comic came out smoking a cigarette without any introduction other than his white, green and red letter “C” logo on the LED screens. The capacity crowd greeted him with abundant applause and cheered whenever he brought up the topic of “cancel culture,” which was frequently.
“Had to sneak my way in here,” he opened, just days after he had to move a Minneapolis show to another venue after the initial space reportedly faced backlash for booking the comedian.
Chappelle assured the crowd that “despite what you may have read about in the news, I’m okay, and I appreciate the support.” He referenced the criticism he’s received since his Netflix special, The Closer, and he “gets it” but then added, “I already spent the money.”
During his 22-minute opening set, he joked about the surreal quality of getting attacked while onstage at the Hollywood Bowl in early May and yelled at his bodyguards for “wearing dress shoes on the job,” griping he would have been safer if they weren’t “sliding all over the place like at a bowling alley.”
He kvetched that Chris Rock was able to get the first joke in after the scuffle that night (“was that Will Smith?”) and then admitted his follow-up gag (“that was a trans man”) didn’t merely bomb, it “set up another two-day news cycle.”
His real fury came at the press, particularly the New York Post, for calling the attack “alleged” when the incident was captured on video. He also accused the paper of putting words in the man’s mouth, urging the man to say he was triggered by Chappelle’s material. The comic claimed he knew the lines were fed, because he spoke to the man backstage for himself and “all he could say was”—at which point Chappelle made “cuckoo” noises.
He added that he hoped his attacker gets monkeypox in jail—“not that he should die, but his ass should itch for four to six weeks.” Chappelle also claimed the first call he got that night was from Louis C.K., whom he later shouted out, saying, “Louis, even if you get in trouble in the streets, you are my friend.”
Chappelle handed the mic to Chris Rock who did an hourlong set, with Rock passing the mic to Kevin Hart. Both men brought up Will Smith a few times, though Rock leaned on the “cancel culture” theme a little harder. “Anyone who says words hurt has never been punched in the face,” was one line that brought the house down.
The night concluded when the three men appeared on stage for a 10 minute free-for-all. They ribbed one another and expressed sentiments of love and gratitude. “This doesn’t happen by accident” Hart said.
Hart then said he had a gift for Rock, who is 14 years his senior, and presented him with a goat wearing gold chains. “I’m not taking care of that shit!” Rock shouted, as the arena seemingly vibrated with laughter. As Hart spoke sincerely about how he considers Chris Rock to be the Greatest of All Time, Chappelle interrupted to say, “this is the worst night of this goat’s life.”
Rock batted that away: “He’s just happy he’s not at a Jamaican restaurant!”
Around this time, the goat had an accident on stage. “How’s your first night in show business?” Chappelle asked, putting a microphone to the goat’s mouth. At the goat’s lack of response, he asked “what are we gonna call him?”
“Will Smith!” Hart shot back.
As things wrapped up, Chappelle turned down the volume for a minute to thank Hart and Rock for having his back. He said that comedians have a bond that only other comedians can understand, and “when my brothers call, I come running.”
The five night Headliners Only mini-tour kicked off at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater on Long Island on Thursday before it headed to Newark, New Jersey’s Prudential Center on Friday. Sunday night the pairing heads to the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, before the jaunt ends at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Monday. Rock then continues his Ego Death tour through Nov. 19, while Hart’s Reality Check tour ends Sept. 8.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Eddie Murphy is set to star in Candy Cane Lane, a Reginald Hudlin-directed holiday comedy for Prime Video. Produced by Amazon Studios, Imagine Entertainment, and Eddie Murphy Productions, the comedy was acquired as a spec script written by Kelly Younger and inspired by Younger’s childhood holiday experiences. Production begins this winter in Los Angeles.
Murphy is producing alongside Imagine’s Brian Grazer and president of features Karen Lunder, and Charisse Hewitt-Webster. The film reunites the team behind the 1992 hit Boomerang. It marks the seventh collaboration between Grazer and Murphy. Plot details are being kept under wraps, and production will begin this winter in Los Angeles.
Candy Cane Lane will premiere on Prime Video in more than 240 countries, as the first film under Murphy’s three-picture and first-look film deal with Amazon Studios. That deal came on the heels of Coming 2 America, a film that moved from Paramount to Amazon during the pandemic and became the #1 streamed movie its opening weekend, per Amazon, and had the biggest streaming film opening weekend in 2021. Per Nielsen, it was the top streamed movie among Black audiences that year.
Said Hudlin: “The holiday season is my favorite time of year—just ask my family about my nine-hour Christmas playlist. I‘m excited to be working again with Eddie Murphy, Brian Grazer, and Amazon.”
Said Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke: “As we know firsthand with our hit Coming 2 America, Eddie is someone who brings global audiences together, and we can’t wait to make it happen again. We look forward to seeing the multi-talented Reggie Hudlin take the helm in bringing this future holiday classic to life!”
Murphy is coming off an Emmy win for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy series for his return in hosting Saturday Night Live, 35 years after he left the show to become one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood, with 48 Hours, Beverly Hills Cop and Trading Places among his successes. Those were all theatrical releases but lately he has been thriving in the streaming world, drawing strong reviews for playing Rudy Ray Moore in Dolemite Is My Name for Netflix. He’s producing and starring in Beverly Hills Cop 4 and opposite Jonah Hill in the Kenya Barris-directed You People, both for Netflix.
Younger’s credits include writing/developing several projects for The Muppets Studio. He co-created and co-executive produced Muppets Now, and wrote and co-executive produced Muppets Haunted Mansion, and has story credit on Disney Animation’s Ralph Breaks the Internet. He also contributed to Frozen 2, Moana, and Raya and the Last Dragon during his time serving as a member of the Disney Animation Story Trust.
Murphy is repped by WME, ML Management and Ziffren Brittenham; Hudlin is repped by CAA and Younger is Verve and Myman Greenspan.
Source: Deadline
Mo’Nique, the comedian who received a settlement from Netflix after she accused the streamer of systematically underpaying Black women, is set to film her first comedy special for Netflix.
In a video shared to the streamer’s social media accounts on Tuesday, the comedian opened with, “Can y’all believe this shit? I done came on home to Netflix.”
Additional details about the currently untitled Mo’Nique special are expected to be released at a later date.
Last month, Netflix settled with Mo’Nique for an undisclosed sum after the comedian alleged the streamer low-balled her with an opening offer of $500,000 for a one-hour show that Netflix would have complete copyright and audio-only rights to. After the comedian said the offer was discriminatory, her complaint alleged that Netflix retaliated by shutting down any further negotiations on the show.
The complaint also pointed to eight-figure deals that Netflix has made with Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock and Amy Schumer, who allegedly were paid 26 times more than what Mo’Nique was offered.
In an early 2018 interview, Mo’Nique also spoke out about not taking the offer because of the impact it could have on the negotiating power for other Black female comedians. “If I accepted $500,000, what does Tiffany Haddish have coming? If I accept that, what does the Black female comedian have coming? Because what they’ll say is, ‘Mo’Nique accepted this and she’s got that.’ So, what do they have coming?” Mo’Nique said on the Sway in the Morning show.
Also upcoming at the streamer, Mo’Nique has the faith-based film The Deliverance, which will reunite her with Precious director Lee Daniels.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Desus & Mero is no more at Showtime.
The premium cable outlet says the late-night talk show hosted by Desus Nice and The Kid Mero won’t return. The news comes amid reports of a falling out between the two hosts.
“Desus Nice and The Kid Mero will be pursuing separate creative endeavors moving forward,” Showtime said in a statement. “Showtime’s late-night talk show Desus & Mero will not be returning for a fifth season. Its final episode aired Thursday, June 23.”
After noting the show’s Writers Guild Award win for best comedy/variety talk series in 2021 and notable interviews including with Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Denzel Washington, among others, the statement concludes, “They have been brilliant hosts, and we wish them the best, along with the team at [producer] JAX Media and the incredible crew.”
The end of the Showtime show comes amid speculation that the two hosts had gone their separate ways. Their Bodega Boys podcast hadn’t released a new episode since November, and in a recent Reddit post, Mero (aka Joel Martinez) wrote, “PODCAST DONE ENJOY THE BACK CATALOG MY PALS.” Sent a screenshot of Mero’s post, Desus (Daniel Baker) replied on Twitter, “I tried y’all.” A compilation of the pair’s recent social media activity by fan account Bodega Boys Daily further fueled speculation of a split.
On Monday, Desus tweeted confirmation of the Showtimes series’ end, while Mero shared the show’s official post:
Desus & Mero premiered on Showtime in 2019 after several years on cable outlet Viceland. The Showtime series ran for 180 episodes across its four seasons; their final guest was New York Yankees great Derek Jeter.
Kevin Daniels (The Big Leap), Academy Award-nominee Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler), and Vivica A. Fox (Independence Day) has signed on to star in the spoof-comedy Not Another Church Movie from Monty the Dog Productions. Others set for the film include Kyla Pratt (Call Me Kat), Lamorne Morris (New Girl), Tisha Campbell (House Party), and Jasmine Guy (Harlem).
Not Another Church Movie is billed as a wild ride through the fabulous world of Taylor Pherry (Daniels), an ambitious young man given a holy mission from God Himself: to tell his family’s stories and inspire his community. His only concern? His family and community. What he doesn’t know is that the Devil (Rourke) has plans of his own.
Johnny Mack (Wild ‘N Out) and City on a Hill actor James Michael Cummings are directing from Mack’s script. Cummings, Jim Cardwell, and Paul Saleba are producing, with Valerie McCaffrey serving as executive producer. The film is slated for release next spring.
“The parody comedy genre is making a huge comeback and NOT ANOTHER CHURCH MOVIE is stepping up to lead the charge,” said Cummings. “Mack’s interpretation of outlandish comedies pays homage to such well-known movies, including the works of Keenan Ivory Wayans, Robert Townsend and Tyler Perry.”
Daniels is represented by Greene Talent, Luber Roklin Entertainment and Jackoway Austen Tyerman; Rourke by APA, Framework Entertainment and Edelstein, Laird & Sobel; Fox by Sheila Legette Entertainment; Pratt by Gersh and Mays Law Group; Morris by CAA, Entertainment 360 and Myman Greenspan Fox; Campbell by TCA Mgmt and Mosley & Associates; Guy by Kass Management; and Cummings by managers Jim Cardwell and Tony Boldi and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman.
Source: Deadline
Craig Robinson is safe after an active shooter brought his North Carolina comedy show to a standstill. Robinson was set to perform at the Charlotte-area club, Comedy Zone, on Saturday, when according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, a male subject entered the establishment and brandished a firearm.
Robinson and the rest of the club were quickly evacuated before the gun was fired, police said, adding that there were no injuries, and the suspect was in custody.
The Office actor took to Instagram to detail in the incident, sharing that his show was moved to the nearby Metro Credit Union Amphitheater after the gunman entered the comedy club.
“I’m performing at the Comedy Zone in Charlotte, North Carolina,” Robinson told his followers in an Instagram Live stream he later shared to his feed. “There was an active shooter in the comedy club, so they moved us over to this — it’s a concert going on and it’s Big Time Rush, so, I thought I would share it with ya’ll.”
“I’m safe,” the comedian continued. “I’m cool. It was just wild. I was in the green room and they’re like ‘everybody get out.’ It was a moment for sure.”
In the video, Robinson noted that he was going to add a second show in light of Saturday’s events, but it’s unclear what date that show will be scheduled for.
After being informed that the suspect was detained and that no one was hurt, Robinson ended the video.
On Sunday, Robinson took to Instagram again to address the incident and thank Comedy Zone and their security as well as Charlotte Metro Police for their handling of the active shooter situation.
“About last night,” Robinson began. “Thank you to to the Comedy Zone security and staff for getting us to safety quickly. Thank you everyone for your outpouring of support and well wishes. Thank you CMPD for swift action in apprehending the shooter. Hopefully he gets the help he needs.
He continued, “Thanks be to God no one was hurt. Please stay safe everyone.”
Comedy Zone, the club where Robinson was set to perform, also released a statement Sunday, writing, “In lieu of the events last night we would like to thank all the amazing people that work day in and day out to make the Comedy Zone what it is. They immediately jumped into action and got everyone safely out of the building.”
“We would also like to thank the CMPD for their swift response and peaceful resolution to the situation,” they continued.
Bad Boys actor Martin Lawrence is set for a key recurring role opposite Okieriete Onaodowan AMC’s Demascus, the half-hour comedic sci-fi series from playwright Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm and AMC Studios. The six-episode series is set to premiere next year on AMC and AMC+.
Created by Chisholm, Demascus follows Demascus (Onaodowan), a 33-year-old Black man who goes on a journey of self-discovery using an innovative new technology that allows him to experience different versions of his own life. The series is a comedic, genre-fluid, coming-of-age story with a reality-bending premise that explores the gulf between Black male perspectives, while also attempting to answer Demascus’ personal question: “Who am I?”
Janet Hubert, Caleb Eberhardt and Shakira Ja’nai Paye also star.
Lawrence will play Demascus’ irascible Uncle Forty, a man who has seen better days. Despite his failing health, Uncle Forty is eager to be acknowledged as the (currently self-proclaimed) patriarch of the family.
Desmascus, picked up in February as part of AMC’s straight-to-series development model, is executive produced by former Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul EP Mark Johnson, via his Gran Via Productions banner. Kirk Moore (American Crime, For Life) and Chisholm serve as co-showrunners. Myki Bajaj of Gran Via is also a producer.
Lawrence is in pre-production on Bad Boys 4 and will next be seen in the thriller Mindcage with John Malkovich. He’s repped by UTA, Artists First and Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown and Passman.
Source; Deadline
Stand-up comedian, writer and actor Jak Knight, best known for co-creating and starring in the Peacock comedy series “Bust Down” and for his work on “Pause With Sam Jay,” died Thursday night in Los Angeles, his family announced. A cause of death was not given. He was 28.
Knight co-created “Bust Down,” which premiered this March, with Jay, Langston Kerman and Chris Redd, all of whom starred in the series. The six-episode first season of the show focused on four low-wage employees at an Indiana casino. Knight’s character — also named Jak — was a stockroom worker, and the youngest and most wild of the tight-knit friend group. In addition to starring, Knight also executive produced the series and wrote two episodes, including the premiere.
Prior to “Bust Down,” Knight worked as a writer on the 2013 Fox animated series “Lucas Bros. Moving Company,” and as an executive story editor on a season of “Black-ish.” He wrote for Bill Burr’s Roku Channel sketch comedy series “Immoral Compass,” and began working as a writer and producer on “Big Mouth” in 2018, for which he also voiced the character of DeVon, an arthritic 13-year-old. Starting in 2021, Knight was a producer and regular performer on “Pause With Sam Jay,” a late night show hosted by his fellow comedian Jay. He was also credited as a writer on seven episodes of the show’s second season, which aired this May.
As a stand-up, Knight was named a 2014 Comedy Central Comic to Watch and a 2015 New Face at the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival. He performed at the 2015 Oddball Comedy Festival, and opened for comedians such as Dave Chappelle, Joel McHale, Eric Andre, Moshe Kasher, and Aziz Ansari. On television, he performed on shows such as “The Meltdown With Jonah and Kumail,” “Adam Devine’s House Party” and “@Midnight.” His half-hour stand-up special premiered on Netflix in 2018 as part of the streamer’s “Comedy Lineup” series.
At time of death, Knight had recently wrapped filming on “First Time Female Director,” the feature directorial debut of Chelsea Peretti, which was his first film credit.
Source: Variety