Johnny Brown, the easygoing actor, comedian and singer best known for portraying the housing project superintendent Nathan Bookman on Good Times, has died. He was 84.
Brown died Wednesday, his daughter, actress Sharon Catherine Brown, announced on Instagram. “Our family is devastated. Devastated. Devastated. Beyond heartbroken. Barely able to breathe,” she wrote.
Further details of his death were not immediately available.
Brown also recorded songs and performed in a band with saxophonist Sam “The Man” Taylor, appeared twice on Broadway in the 1960s and was a regular performer for three seasons on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In.
Brown, who did a mean impression of Louis Armstrong and others, was a leading contender to play Lamont opposite Redd Foxx on Sanford and Son, but because his contract bound him to Laugh-In, the role went to Demond Wilson.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Peacock has handed a series order to Twisted Metal, a comedic half-hour live-action adaptation of the popular video game, from Sony Pictures TV, PlayStation Productions and Universal Television. Anthony Mackie (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) stars and executive produces the project, first announced in September, which is written and executive produced by Cobra Kai writer Michael Jonathan Smith, who will serve as showrunner. Will Arnett and Marc Forman, who secured the rights to the material and helped put the adaptation together, also executive produce via their Electric Avenue production company.
Based on the classic PlayStation game series, Twisted Metal is a high-octane action comedy, based on an original take by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (Deadpool, Zombieland) about a motor-mouthed outsider offered a chance at a better life, but only if he can successfully deliver a mysterious package across a post-apocalyptic wasteland. With the help of a trigger-happy car thief, he’ll face savage marauders driving vehicles of destruction and other dangers of the open road, including a deranged clown who drives an all too familiar ice cream truck.
Mackie stars as John Doe, a smart-ass milkman who talks as fast as he drives. With no memory of his past, John gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make his wish of finding community come true, but only if he can survive an onslaught of savage vehicular combat.
“Twisted Metal has been a global phenomenon for more than 25 years but it was the creative vision for this live-action adaptation, led by Michael Jonathan Smith, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, that blew us away. Also Anthony Mackie starring made it undeniable!” said Lisa Katz, president scripted content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “This adrenalin-infused comedy series is in expert hands with our partners at Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions and Universal Television, and will be the perfect addition to Peacock as we continue to look for uniquely entertaining programs.”
Reese and Wernick also executive produce along with Jason Spire of Inspire Entertainment, Peter Principato of Artists First, Asad Qizilbash and Carter Swan from PlayStation Productions and Hermen Hulst, Head of PlayStation Studios. The series is co-produced by Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.
“We are thrilled that our first series with our good friends at Peacock is with our amazing partners at Electric Avenue, Universal Television and colleagues at PlayStation Productions,” said Jeff Frost, President, Sony Pictures Television Studios and Jason Clodfelter, co-President, Sony Pictures Television Studios. “Michael Jonathan Smith and Rhett and Paul have ingeniously brought this high-action comedy to life and we are so fortunate to have Anthony at the center of the show. We look forward to this incredible team blowing audiences away with this twisted and inventive concept.”
Twisted Metal joins another upcoming live-action series adaptation of a hit PlayStation video game, HBO’s The Last Of Us, which Sony Pictures Television and PlayStation Productions also co-produce.
“Twisted Metal is one of PlayStation’s most beloved franchises,” Asad Qizilbash, head of PlayStation Productions, said. “We are thrilled to have such an amazing creative team and partners working together who have such passion for this iconic property. We can’t wait for fans to see what we have planned for them.”
Mackie has starred as Sam Wilson/The Falcon in multiple films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, as well as the Avengers films. He recently reprised his role in the Disney+ miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and will appear as Captain America in the upcoming Captain America 4 film. Mackie’s credits also include starring roles in Synchronic, Seberg, The Hurt Locker as well as Outside the Wire, which he and Jason Spire produced for Netflix. He is repped by UTA and Inspire Entertainment. Smith is repped by Verve and 3Arts.
Source: Deadline
NEW YORK PRNewswire/ — SiriusXM today announced the premiere of “It’s Showtime at the Apollo!” Comedy, a new channel dedicated to the legendary variety show that launched the careers of many of today’s biggest comedians. The special programming is available now through March 22 on SiriusXM channel 104.
Filmed at the world-famous Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York, It’s Showtime at the Apollo was a hit program that ran from the 1980s-2000s. Among its many accomplishments, the show quickly won recognition for its stellar roster of up-and-coming comedians. Now SiriusXM is showcasing the very best stand-up from the program’s run, which airs all day long on the limited run channel. Some of these highlights include early performances from Bill Burr, Steve Harvey, Gabriel Iglesias, Robert Klein, Martin Lawrence, Mo’nique, Paul Mooney, Dennis Miller, Tracy Morgan, Chris Tucker, and many others.
“It’s Showtime at the Apollo played such a vital role in shaping modern comedy,” said Jack Vaughn, SiriusXM’s Senior Vice President of Comedy Programming. “There was an inimitable energy to the show and the performances, and it has been so much fun to relive this era in comedy. We’ve chosen the very best stand-up from hundreds of episodes, so whether SiriusXM subscribers are rediscovering the show or hearing it for the first time, they’re going to have an amazing experience.”
In addition to airing on SiriusXM channel 104, listeners can also hear stand-up from “It’s Showtime at the Apollo!” Comedy on their phones or connected devices at home via the SXM App. Streaming access is included for most subscribers. Go to https://www.siriusxm.com/ways-to-listen to learn more.
Kevin Hart is continuing to grow his production businesses.
The comedian’s HartBeat Productions is expanding its reach into unscripted and alternative scripted content with the launch of HartBeat Independent, a new in-house division run by former Big Breakfast chiefs Luke Kelly-Clyne and Kevin Healey.
The new unit will create both scripted and unscripted film and television projects to be wholly developed, financed, and distributed by HartBeat and will focus on feature films, hidden-camera shows, docu-series, social experiments, game shows, competition series, sketch series, and hybrid comedies.
The production arm will also be responsible for creative oversight, production, and delivery on HartBeat Studios’ deficit-financed projects.
Kelly-Clyne and Healey will serve as Co-Heads, having joined from Propagate, where they previously oversaw the company’s comedy studio, Big Breakfast. They will report to Hartbeat Productions President Bryan Smiley.
The pair have overseen series including Netflix’s Prank Encounters with Gaten Matarazzo, truTV’s Fameless with David Spade and Adam Ruins Everything and Betty White’s Off Their Rockers for NBC. They also worked with Hart on MotorTrend’s Muscle Car Crew.
It comes as HartBeat Productions produced Netflix’s True Story, which starred Hart alongside Wesley Snipes, and feature film Fatherhood. The company also has hip hop animated comedy Storytown at HBO Max, Me Time at Netflix with Mark Wahlberg and Regina Hall, and the F. Gary Gray action film Heist Lift at Netflix.
“We couldn’t be more excited to have Kevin and Luke join the Hartbeat team,” said Hartbeat Productions President Bryan Smiley. “We’re building the best-in class entertainment brand, and Kevin & Luke’s established track record of creating incredible cross-genre content within both the scripted and non-scripted space makes them the perfect complement to our growing team.”
“When Kevin Hart calls you and says: I think you can help us build something special, you listen,” said Luke Kelly-Clyne. “We’re so excited to join Bryan and the rest of the stellar team at HartBeat Productions to build this unique production arm, and find new ways to bring unexpected and broadly accessible content to the ever-changing marketplace.”
“They say never meet your heroes. Luckily they never said anything about working for them,” said Healey. “With a slate that is already brimming with revolutionary and inventive takes on sketch, documentary, indie feature, game, hidden camera, and the single camera comedy, we’re thrilled to be expanding upon the HartBeat mission of creating culturally relevant global content.”
Source: Deadline
The second episode of Netflix’s Jeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy was highlighted by archive footage of Kanye West and Jamie Foxx recording their 2003 hit single, “Slow Jamz,” which appeared on both Ye’s 2004 debut The College Dropout and Twista’s Kamikaze album.
The session, which took place at Foxx’s home studio because Roc-A-Fella wouldn’t give Kanye a budget for recording, features West talking Jamie through his guest appearance on “Slow Jamz.”
Just a few days after the second episode premiered on Netflix, Kanye and Foxx ran into one another, which resulted in an impromptu Instagram Live session.
“I told you, back at that time, man, that [Kanye] was young and hungry,” Foxx said in the short clip. “Now look at us. There’s a reason we ran into each other. Can’t wait for y’all to see the next step.”
Source: Complex
CBS has announced a crossover episode for its two top-rated comedies, Bob Hearts Abishola, and The Neighborhood. The multi-cam sitcoms are among the top-rated comedies on TV, and they have been drawing appreciable Monday night ratings since their premiere. The Neighborhood began airing in 2018, chronicling the story of the white Midwestern Johnson family as they move next door to the Butlers in a predominantly Black Pasadena neighborhood. The series stars Cedric the Entertainer, Max Greenfield, Tichina Arnold, and Beth Behrs. Bob Hearsts Abishola, on the other hand, is created by Chuck Lorre, and it focuses on the romance between the Detroit-based socks businessman Bob (Billy Gardell) and Abishola (Folake Olowofoyeku), a hardworking no-nonsense Nigerian immigrant nurse. In January, fans of both the shows were left elated after CBS picked up both the sitcoms for seasons 4 and 5, respectively, and now there is another reason to rejoice.
As per a report by TV Line, The Neighborhood will crossover with Bob Hearts Abishola on March 14, with Cedric and Arnold appearing in character on the latter during its 8:30/7:30c slot. Plot details for the crossover episode are slim, although there is a confirmation that there will also be a second crossover of sorts with Gina Yashere from Bob Hearts Abishola appearing on The Neighborhood. Yashere, however, will not reprise her role as Kemi in the fellow Monday night comedy, rather she will play a new character, Chika, who is tasked with planning a party. An airdate for the same episode remains TBA.
Inarguably, over the seasons, both Bob Hearts Abishola and The Neighborhood have become the absolute embodiment of comfort TV. It’s always a delight to watch the shows back-t0-back and as viewers laugh out loud through every scene, it helps beat the weekday blues. Now, the worlds of the two CBS sitcoms are intersecting, so it will definitely be interesting to see how the dynamic plays out between the characters from the two different worlds. To see what entails when the Butlers meet the Wheelers, viewers must stay tuned for the episode on March 14th.
Comedian and now eight-time NAACP Winner, Anthony Anderson, secures the win for Outstanding Actor In A Comedy Series at the 2022 NAACP Image Awards.
Anderson, 51, had quite the productive evening accepting his award-winning in-between his hilarious hosting duties of the live show.
“I told ya’ll I was gon’ win!,” he excitedly screamed as he grabbed the camera. He then ran out to the main stage to chest bump his equally funny co-host–his mother, Doris Hancox.
“I’d like to thank my mama for sleeping with my daddy,” he joked. “I’d like to shout out my family. I’m just a kid from Compton. So shout out Compton, California – if you have a dream and you believe, anything is possible,” he finished, before asking his mom if she’d like to share more words.
“Bout time ya’ll got it right,” screamed Hancox with Anderson replying, “no mama, they got it right the last eight years.”
Also nominated in the category was Cedric The Entertainer (The Neighborhood), Jay Ellis (Insecure), Elisha ‘EJ’ Williams (The Wonder Years), Don Cheadle (Black Monday).
Source: BET
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jennifer Hudson was named entertainer of the year at the 53rd annual NAACP Image Awards that highlighted works by entertainers and writers of color.
After Hudson accepted the award Saturday night, the singer-actor thanked the NAACP for inspiring “little girls like me.” She beat out Regina King, Lil Nas X, Megan Thee Stallion, and Tiffany Haddish.
“I was just standing here thinking ’It was here – the NAACP Awards – where I watched so many legends and icons that inspired me,” said the Oscar and Grammy winner. “Now, I’m standing here holding an award like this. It’s because of seeing the Arethas, the Patti LaBelles, the Halle Berrys, all these legends right here on this stand that inspired me.”
Hudson played her idol Aretha Franklin in the film “Respect.” She was summoned to meet with Franklin in 2007 to portray The Queen of Soul shortly after Hudson won an Oscar for “Dreamgirls.”
“Respect” follows Franklin from childhood through the 1972 recording of the gospel album “Amazing Grace.”
“This is for Ms. Franklin’s legacy,” Hudson said after she earlier won best actress.
The awards ceremony aired live on BET in Los Angeles with some talent appearing in person while others watched virtually. There was no in-person audience.
Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, were honored with the President’s Award. He showed gratitude to the NAACP for welcoming him into their community before he spoke about those in Ukraine impacted by the ongoing Russian invasion.
“We would like to acknowledge the people of Ukraine who urgently need our continued support as a global community,” said Prince Harry while standing next to his wife. The couple was recognized for their outreach efforts in the U.S. and around the world.
“It’s safe to say I come from a very different background than my incredible wife,” he said. “Yet, our lives were brought together for a reason. We share a commitment to a life of service, a responsibility to confront injustice and a belief for the most overlooked that are the most important to listen to.”
Both talked about inspiring the next generation of activists through the NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award. It’s a newly created award that acknowledges leaders creating change within the social justice and technology realm to advance civil and human rights.
On Friday, the inaugural award was given to Dr. Safiya Noble, who Meghan called a “visionary.”
Samuel L. Jackson received the NAACP Chairman’s Award for his public service. The ceremony highlighted his acting achievements and activism including a moment when he was expelled from Morehouse College in 1969 for for locking board members in a building for two days in protest of the school’s curriculum and governance.
The video mentioned Jackson’s efforts to raise awareness toward cancer checkup for men and autism. It also spotlighted him and his wife, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, who created a performing arts center at Spelman College.
Jackson quoted activist Marian Wright Edelman after he accepted his award.
“I was fortunate to grow up in a lot of different eras where I had the opportunity to use my voice and my legs and my body to fight for things that were right,” said the 73-year-old actor. He has appeared in more than 100 films including Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction” and Spike Lee’s “Jungle Fever.”
Jackson also starred in several other films such as “Do the Right Thing,” “Unbreakable,” “Snakes on a Plane,” and multiple Marvel films including “The Avengers” and “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”
“We got it done,” he continued. “Right now, we still have things we need to do. The most important thing being the voting rights act. I know we can’t change that. But we can put our legs, our bodies and our voices to work to make sure that people do get out and vote – no matter what they do to keep us from doing it.”
The awards ceremony featured a performance by nine-time Grammy winner Mary J. Blige, who was a co-headliner at the Super Bowl halftime show this month. She performed her single “Good Morning Gorgeous” and “Love No Limit” from New York City’s Apollo Theater.
Anthony Anderson, who returned as the show’s host, won best actor in a comedy series. With his mother in attendance, the “black-ish” star screamed out “I told you I was going to win, Momma” before he ran on stage and chest bumped her.
“I would like to thank my momma for sleeping with my daddy and making me,” he jokingly said before turning serious. “I’m just a kid from Compton, California. If you dream and believe, anything is possible.”
Other top awards handed out include Will Smith who best actor for his role in “King Richard” and “The Harder They Fall,” which took home best film. Issa Rae won for best comedy series and Nikole Hannah-Jones was honored with the social justice impact award.
Sterling K. Brown shouted with joy when he won outstanding actor for a drama series. After Tiffany Haddish virtually presented him with the award, the “This Is Us” actor thanked the show’s network, NBC, before he joked about hanging out with Anderson’s mother.
“There’s way too many white people on my show for me to actually win this thing,” he said. “But I got to say ‘Thank you, Black people for voting for me. I really do appreciate it.’”
The NAACP Image Awards held night five of its non-televised ceremonies Friday, hosted by Affion Crockett, with awards announced for supporting actors in the television and film categories, among others.
Both Regina King and Regina Hall won Supporting Actress honors – King for her performance in the motion picture “The Harder They Fall” and Hall for her role in limited series “Nine Perfect Strangers.”
Hot off her Super Bowl Halftime Show performance, Mary J. Blige won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for “Power Book II: Ghost.”
On the comedy side of television, Natasha Rothwell received recognition for her supporting role in “Insecure,” while “Black-ish” actors Deon Cole and Miles Brown also earned nods.
Night 5 also included winners in the documentary film (“Barbara Lee: Speaking Truth to Power”), independent film (“CODA”) and animated film (“Encanto”) categories.
The non-televised honors known as the NAACP Image Awards Virtual Experience are hosted by actor and comedian Crockett this year, and announced over five nights, from Feb. 21-Feb. 25. Audiences can tune watch the ceremonies virtually by visiting naacpimageawards.net and youtube.com/naacpimageawards.
On the four previous nights of ceremonies, Will Smith, Issa Rae, Barry Jenkins, Trevor Noah, Maya Rudolph, Silk Sonic and Jazmine Sullivan were among those who collected awards.
Saturday’s live telecast of the 53rd NAACP Awards will be hosted by Anthony Anderson and features a performance by Mary J. Blige at 8:00 PM ET/ 5:00 PM PT on BET.
In a competitive situation, Screen Gems has acquired the rights to an untitled comedy, which is set to star London Hughes with Cat Wilkins penning script and Tim Story directing. Todd Garner and Spencer Walken are producing on behalf of Broken Road. Hughes will exec produce
The film follows a woman who is transported to 19th century England where she becomes entangled in and upends the love affairs of the community with her modern sensibilities.
Hughes made history as the first British Black woman to be nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy “Best Show” Award for her show To Catch a D*ck, which was released on Netflix in December 2020 as her debut comedy special. In 2020, she was awarded the Royal Television Society Award for “Best Entertainment Performance” for her work on ITV2’s hip-hop comedy quiz show Don’t Hate The Playaz. In 2021, she hosted The Netflix Afterparty, a first-of-its-kind weekly comedy after-show alongside Fortune Feimster and David Spade, and she starred in the Netflix hit History of Swear Words. Hughes has also appeared in the BBC/Amazon award-winning and critically acclaimed series Fleabag. Will Packer Productions is currently developing the comedy feature, Hot Mess, for her to star.
Story, best known for directing such pics as Ride Along 2 and the Think Like A Man series, most recently directed Tom & Jerry for Warner Bros. On the television side, Story executive produced ABC’s critically-acclaimed hit drama TV series Queens. He has also executive produced Netflix’s Prince Of Peoria and Showtime’s White Famous.
Wilkins’ feature comedy Two-Faced won first place in the category at the 2020 UCLA Screenwriters Showcase and was #4 on the Black List for 2020. The project is currently set up at BRON Studios with Taraji P. Henson starring and directing, and Tim Story producing.
Garner is the founder and head of Broken Road Productions. His Broken Road credits include the hit films Mortal Kombat, Vacation Friends, Paul Blart: Mall Cop and its sequel, Knight and Day, Zookeeper, Into The Storm and many more. Next up, he will produce Senior Year starring Rebel Wilson for Netflix.
Hughes is represented by UTA, Curtis Brown, Haven Entertainment and attorneys Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole. Story is represented by UTA and attorneys Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole. Wilkins is represented by UTA, Echo Lake Entertainment and attorneys Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.
Source: Deadline