Saturday’s Episode of ‘SNL’ Hosted by Dave Chappelle Was the Most Watched Since Eddie Murphy Hosted
Dave Chappelle’s recent appearance on Saturday Night Live, alongside musical guests the Foo Fighters, gave the sketch comedy show a big boost in ratings.
John Koblin, a TV reporter for The New York Times, tweeted on Tuesday: “SNL ratings bump following Biden’s speech/college football: Dave Chappelle SNL had 9.1 million viewers, most-viewed since Eddie Murphy episode (10 million). And biggest rating in the demo since 2017.” Murphy previously hosted SNL on December 21, 2019, with musical guest Lizzo.
SNL ratings bump following Biden’s speech/college football: Dave Chappelle SNL had 9.1 million viewers, most-viewed since Eddie Murphy episode (10 million). And biggest rating in the demo since 2017.
— John Koblin (@koblin) November 10, 2020
In his 16-minute opening monologue, Chappelle reminded folks to be humble in the wake of Joe Biden becoming the president-elect. “I would implore everybody who’s celebrating today to remember, it’s good to be a humble winner,” he told the audience.
“Remember when I was here four years ago, remember how bad that felt? Remember that half the country right now still feels that way. Please remember that.”
Chappelle previously hosted SNL in November 2016, right after the presidential election between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. He told audience members then that he was going to give then-president-elect Trump a chance. “We, the historically disenfranchised, demand that he give us one, too,” he said of minority communities at the end of his monologue at the time.
Chappelle’s November 2016 episode (which was his debut as SNL host) garnered 8.691 million viewers, as per Deadline.
Another memorable moment from Saturday’s installment of SNL? The cold open, which imagined Trump’s concession speech.
Jim Carrey, as Biden, made a victory speech that echoed the one Biden gave in Delaware hours earlier. “Thank you very much America. We did it!” Carrey said. “Can you believe it? I honestly kind of can’t. It’s been so long since something good happened.”
Maya Rudolph joined Carrey’s Biden onstage as Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. “I am humbled and honored to be the first female, the first Black, the first Indian American and the first biracial vice president,” Rudolph said. “And if any of that terrifies you, well, I don’t give a funt.”
The segment also featured Alec Baldwin’s Trump, who falsely declared himself the winner of the election. “Good evening, thank you! Thank you for coming to watch my victory speech tonight,” Baldwin told the audience. “As anyone who died halfway through Tuesday knows, I was re-elected President of the United States, but of course they’re trying to steal the election away from me.” Baldwin ultimately “conceded” with a piano rendition of “Macho Man,” a nod to when Kate McKinnon, as Hillary Clinton, opened the first episode following the 2016 election (which, again, Chappelle hosted) with a piano rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”
Source: Newsweek, Deadline
Jamie Foxx To Produce And Star In ‘The Burial’ For Amazon Studios
Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx is set to produce and star in Amazon’s The Burial, with Maggie Betts on board to direct. Foxx joins the two-handed drama and will star opposite a legendary role currently being cast. Pulitzer Prize winner Doug Wright penned the screenplay.
Amazon Studios, Bobby Shriver Inc. and Double Nickel Entertainment are producing the upcoming off-kilter drama based on the New Yorker article by Jonathan Harr. Producers are Bobby Shriver and Double Nickel’s Adam Richman & Jenette Kahn. Datari Turner is also producing.
Based on a true story, after a bankrupt funeral homeowner decides to sue a rival businessman over a handshake deal gone wrong, the owner hires a flamboyant attorney to handle the case.
Foxx recently won at the NAACP Image Awards and received a SAG Award nomination for Just Mercy. He can currently be seen in Netflix’s Project Power, and will next be heard in Disney-Pixar’s Soul. Foxx is producing and set to star in They Cloned Tyrone, and is also executive producing and starring in Netflix’s father-daughter comedy series Dad Stop Embarrassing Me, based on his relationship with his oldest daughter Corinne Foxx, who also produces the series. Foxx is repped by CAA, LBI Entertainment and Ziffren Brittenham.
Betts wrote and directed Novitiate, which won the Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Director at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. She also received a Gotham Award nomination for the film. Her 2010 Tribeca Film Festival breakout documentary The Carrier tells the inspiring story of an HIV-positive and pregnant mother in Africa trying to protect her baby from being born with HIV/AIDS. Betts is repped by CAA, Brillstein Entertainment Partners and Sloane Offer Weber.
Wright has written more than10 plays, most notably the Broadway success I Am My Own Wife, which went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony for Best Play in 2004. Other Broadway titles include War Paint, Grey Gardens, Hands on a Hardbody and The Little Mermaid. He adapted his own play Quills for the 2000 movie, which was directed by Philip Kaufman and was nominated for three Oscars. Wright is represented by ICM Partners and Colden Law.
Source: Deadline
Universal Is Moving Forward With A Reboot Of Dwayne Johnson’s ‘The Scorpion King’
‘Straight Outta Compton’ writer Jonathan Herman is penning the script for Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia’s Seven Bucks Productions.
Dwayne Johnson’s The Scorpion King is looking to reign once again. Universal is developing a reboot of the 2002 film, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.
Screenwriter Jonathan Herman, who earned an Oscar nomination for Straight Outta Compton, is penning a script for Johnson and Dany Garcia’s Seven Bucks Productions.
Scorpion King was a spinoff of Brendan Fraser’s The Mummy series, which saw Johnson’s Scorpion King serve as an antagonist of 2001’s The Mummy Returns. The next year, Johnson led his own film, a prequel that told the story of the desert warrior Mathayus. Scorpion King earned $178.7 million globally and launched Johnson as a leading man. Johnson will not reprise his role as the titular character, but may appear in the film in another capacity.
Herman, who also has a Scarface reboot in development, is repped by UTA, Industry Entertainment, and Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler, Feldman & Clark.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
‘Desus & Mero’ To Debut One Hour Original Special On Showtime On Nov 15th
SHOWTIME announced today a one-hour original DESUS & MERO special will air on Sunday, November 15 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The special titled “DMFM: The Home of Boom Bap” will transform the DESUS & MERO studio into an old-school radio station and focus on the history of hip hop, featuring special guests includingBusta Rhymes, Sheila E, City Girls, Juicy J and Cam’ron, along with calls from listeners and more with the hosts Desus Nice (Daniel Baker) and The Kid Mero (Joel Martinez).
DESUS & MERO just wrapped its second season and, as previously announced, will return for season three in 2021. Each episode features the co-hosts giving their take on the day’s hot topics and chatting with guests at the intersection of pop culture, sports, music, politics and more.
Longtime acquaintances Desus Nice and The Kid Mero reconnected online in the early days of Twitter, where they unleashed their potent personalities and found themselves kindred spirits. That led to stints on Complex and MTV, the Bodega Boys podcast, and a daily late-night show on Viceland, developing a feverish following. The quick-witted duobrings a distinct voice to late night, delivering smart and comedic commentary on any and all topics, that keeps audiences buzzing.Desus and Mero continue to host their long-running and wildly popular Bodega Boys podcast. Their life advice book, God-Level Knowledge Darts: Life Lessons from the Bronx, was released by Random House on September 22, 2020 and made the New York Times Best Seller List.
WATCH: New Trailer For ‘Affion Crockett: Mirror II Society’, Available On Kevin Hart’s LOL Network
Kevin Hart’s Laugh Out Loud released the trailer to its first hour-long stand-up comedy special “AFFION CROCKETT: MIRROR II SOCIETY,” featuring actor, comedian and internet sensation, Affion Crockett (The Wedding Ringer, Pixels, A Haunted House).
Premiering Friday, November 13th across LOL Network’s streaming and audio channels, including Pluto TV, SiriusXM, Xumo and more, “Mirror II Society” offers a relentless barrage of jokes and physical humor as the multi hyphenate entertainer dives into his hilarious experiences growing up as a competitive dancer, coming to grips with getting older, relationships, politics and much more.
Watch the trailer below;
truTV Launches New Comedic Cooking Competition Series Titled ‘Fast Foodies’
truTV has ordered 10 episodes of the tongue-and-cheek cooking competition series “Fast Foodies.” In each episode, “Top Chef” winners Kristen Kish, Jeremy Ford and “Iron Chef” winner Justin Sutherland invite a celebrity guest to bring their favorite fast food item to the restaurant as they compete to perfectly recreate and then skillfully reimagine the dish.
From double burgers to Hawaiian pizza and sausage muffins, these culinary masters are ready to showcase their love of pop culture fast food legends and their expert skills to win the Chompionship Trophy. Celebrity guests include Joel McHale (“Community”), James Van Der Beek (“Bad Hair”), Andy Richter (“Conan”), Amanda Seales (“Insecure”), Ron Funches (“Top Secret Videos”), Charlotte McKinney (“Fantasy Island”), Kevin Heffernan & Steve Lemme (“Tacoma FD”), Fortune Feimster (“Sweet & Salty”), GaTa (“Dave”), and Bobby Lee (“Splitting Up Together”).
“This show is equal parts food, comedy and raucous debauchery,” said Corie Henson, executive vice president, head of unscripted programming for TBS, TNT, and truTV. “The stakes have never been lower, but it’s a blast to spend the night with Kristen, Jeremy and Justin, and you’ll never look at your favorite fast food the same way again after seeing the works of art these three culinary geniuses are creating every week.”
“’Fast Foodies’ is an intoxicating new cooking show featuring your favorite celebrities’ guilty pleasure eats,” said Dan Peirson and Lisa Shannon, Senior Vice Presidents of Programming and Development, both of Shed Media. They added, “The series will be a culinary extravaganza with a fresh perspective on food and lots of fun interaction from your favorite reality show chefs and tv personalities.”
“Honestly, we think this is a series that people have been craving — a cooking show where the food is relatable and inspirational while also being hilarious and not full of itself,” said executive producer Michael Rucker. “With Kristen, Jeremy and Justin, we found three hosts, who are not only lovers of fast food and magician chefs in the kitchen, but alongside our celebrity guests, they know how to throw a hilarious dinner party that you won’t soon forget.”
“Fast Foodies” produced by Shed Media, with Dan Peirson and Lisa Shannon serving as executive producers, along with Michael Rucker and Julie Golden. Rucker also serves as showrunner.
Chris Rock To Open Up On Busta Rhymes’ New Album ‘Extinction Level 2: The Wrath of God’
Chris Rock is an artist favorite when it comes to being on their albums. He has been tapped by many artists to lend his comedic wit to many classic albums. Now, he is set to feature on the intro track to the new Busta Rhymes album, Extinction Level 2: The Wrath of God.
Busta shared the album tracklist on Monday. Rock is set to be on “E.L.E. 2 Intro” alongside Rakim and Pete Rock.
The 2020 BET Hip Hop Awards Winners Announced; Megan Thee Stallion Biggest Winner
This year’s 2020 BET “HIP HOP AWARDS” brought together some of the hottest names in music to celebrate Hip Hop’s biggest night. Comedians, actors, hosts of the “85 South Show” podcast and stars of “Wild N’ Out” – comedy supergroup 85 South (Karlous Miller, DC Young Fly and Chico Bean) co-hosted the annual show that premiered Tuesday, October 27, 2020, at 9:00 PM ET/PT.
Megan Thee Stallion ruled the night with three wins for ‘Hustler of the Year,’ ’Hip Hop Artist of the Year’ and a shared ‘Best Collaboration’with Beyoncé for the “Savage (remix).” Beyoncé also took home an additional win for ‘Sweet 16: Best Featured Verse’ for the track. Roddy Ricch was a double winner for ‘Song of the Year’ and ‘Album of the Year’ for “Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial.” Pop Smoke was posthumously crowned ‘Best New Hip Hop Artist’ and UK rapper Stormzy took home the award for ‘Best International Flow.’
Cordae opened the show with a powerful freestyle about the importance of voting followed by ‘Impact Track’ winnerLil Baby performing his hit single “We Paid” with 42 Dugg. The City Girls blazed the stage with anthems ‘Kitty Talk’ and ‘Jobs’ in their first televised performance since JT’s release last year. Taking the stage for her television debut, Mulatto treated viewers to a medley of ‘Youngest N Richest,’ ‘B**** From Da Souf’ and ‘Muwop’ with an appearance from Gucci Mane. Quavo performed a special tribute to Pop Smoke that included “Shake the Room” and “Aim For the Moon.” Snoop Dogg honored the ‘I Am Hip Hop’ Award recipient Master P. 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne closed out the show in a major way with their hit single “Money Maker.” With the election less than a week away, Vice Presidential candidate Senator Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance with an impassioned plea urging viewers to let their voices be heard at the polls.
During the timely “Hip Hop Cares” segments, G Herbo and Trae Tha Truth were spotlighted for their tireless work giving back to their communities and the world at large through social justice, mental health and environmental activism. Rappers Reuben Vincent, Bobby Sessions and Pretty Yellow shared fiery voting freestyles throughout the show.
The much-anticipated cyphers were hosted by DJ Hed and featured a bevy of emcees, R&B songstresses and reggae stars dropping hot sixteens including Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Original Koffee, Shenseea, Skip Marley, ZJ Liquid, Adé, Buddy, Deanté Hitchcock, and Flo Milli. Singers Brandy, Erykah Badu, H.E.R. and Teyana Taylor joined forces for a show stopping, all-female collaboration. Rappers Chika, Flawless Real Talk, Jack Harlow, Polo G and Rapsody let their voices be heard in the first ever “Social Justice” cypher.
Presenters for the evening also included Hip Hop heavyweight T.I. and R&B superstar Monica.
The complete list of 2020 BET “HIP HOP AWARDS” winners are:
RODDY RICCH – “THE BOX” (PRODUCED BY 30 ROCK & DATBOISQUEEZE)
HIP HOP ALBUM OF THE YEAR
RODDY RICCH – “PLEASE EXCUSE ME FOR BEING ANTISOCIAL”
BEST NEW HIP HOP ARTIST
POP SMOKE
HUSTLER OF THE YEAR
MEGAN THEE STALLION
SWEET 16: BEST FEATURED VERSE
BEYONCÉ – “SAVAGE (REMIX)”
IMPACT TRACK
LIL BABY – “THE BIGGER PICTURE”
DJ OF THE YEAR
D-NICE
BEST HIP HOP PLATFORM
THE JOE BUDDEN PODCAST
BEST INTERNATIONAL FLOW
STORMZY (UK)
BET launched its first-ever consumer products line timed to the 2020 BET “HIP HOP AWARDS.” Collaborations with New Orleans based artist BMike and outerwear apparel company Chalkline headlined the launch. These items and more are available now exclusively on BET’s new e-commerce site store.BET.com.
Connie Orlando, EVP Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET oversaw the annual show, with Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment, serving as Executive Producer of the 2020 BET “HIP HOP AWARDS” along with Jesse Collins Entertainment’s Jeannae Rouzan–Clay and Dionne Harmon.
Audible Announces Exclusive Deal With Kevin Hart and Charlamagne Tha God
Audible today announced a global multi-year, multi-project development, production, and audio licensing deal with comedian, actor and writer Kevin Hart and radio and television personality Charlamagne Tha God, one of the most influential and authoritative voices in media.
The innovative collaboration joins two superstar talents and their production companies: Charlamagne’s CTHAGOD World Productions, and Kevin’s Hartbeat Productions around the common goal of giving rise to Black creatives and the powerful narratives born from their unique perspectives. Kevin and Charlamagne will combine their individual artistic skills and cultural fluency to produce impactful, inclusive and inspiring content from diverse storytellers.
The slate of episodic long-form Audible Originals will feature fiction and non-fiction scripted series from both emerging and high wattage superstar talent that the two entertainment giants personally source, cultivate, and develop. It will also include projects co-written and performed by Kevin and Charlamagne, as well as programs written and performed separately. The talented duo will create inspiring original scripted content across all aspects of culture, from self-help and comedy to politics, fiction, sports, religion, and more. Details on upcoming projects produced via this collaboration will be announced in the coming months.
“Kevin Hart and Charlamagne Tha God are two extremely talented forces who have captured the hearts, minds and ears of millions of fans around the world and whose distinct voices, vision and collective brand equity are uniquely positioned to inspire new listeners to engage with Audible. Audiences everywhere are eager to hear more from them – to laugh with them, to learn from them,” said Rachel Ghiazza, Audible’s EVP, Head of US Content. “Charlamagne’s direct, no nonsense perspective and Kevin’s hustle, humor, and authenticity are a winning combination; Audible is incredibly excited to join forces with these masterminds to create groundbreaking new originals. Their collaborative and solo scripted audio originals will bring great new entertainment experiences to Audible’s robust pipeline of content.”
“This is a special collaboration. Kevin and I are committed to discovering and amplifying Black talent who will create content that entertains, informs, empowers and inspires,” Charlamagne said. “It’s critical for more Black people to unite in business to elevate and provide pathways for other creatives to shine, while providing platforms to shape culturally-nuanced storytelling for global audiences. The scripted audio movement is offering creative freedom and is future of storytelling so we’re thrilled to develop projects in this space.”
This announcement follows the debut of Kevin Hart’s recent bestselling Audible Original, The Decision: Overcoming Today’s BS for Tomorrow’s Success, the follow-up to his New York Times best-selling memoir, I Can’t Make This Up. It also comes after the 2017 release of Charlamagne Tha God’s New York Times best-selling book Black Privilege: Opportunity Comes to Those Who Create It and the USA Today best-selling book Shook One: Anxiety Playing Tricks on Me. Projects produced under this deal will join a series of best-in-class Audible Original audio projects including recent releases such as The Pursuit of Healthiness with Blake Griffin, the #1 New York Times best-selling audio fiction The Sandman from Neil Gaiman, performed by James McAvoy, Kat Dennings and Michael Sheen, Letters from Camp, produced and performed by Jamie Lee Curtis, and Bluebird Memories: A Journey through Lyrics & Life performed by Common, among many more.
“It’s always been a goal of mine to build meaningful businesses and to create with purpose,” Kevin Hart said. “In this new collaboration with Charlamagne and Audible we will enable Black voices and storytellers to share our culture in their own words. The power of Black voices is palpable, and I feel a responsibility to help my community broadcast our stories, many that are rich in culture and heritage. We want to create a space where everyone can access content that lifts, inspires and educates.”
Martin Lawrence Pairs With Stephen Curry’s Unanimous Media Comedy ‘One And Done’
Sony Pictures, Martin Lawrence, Unanimous Media’s Stephen Curry and Erick Peyton, and Brendan O’Brien are teaming on One and Done, a high concept comedy set in the world of women’s basketball. Sony is percolating the project as a star vehicle for Lawrence, who most recently starred for the studio in Bad Boys For Life.
Lauren Tyler is writing the script, based on an original idea by O’Brien, Kyle Pennekamp & Scott Turpel. Rae Proctor and Robert Lawrence are executive producing through Lawrence’s Runteldat Entertainment. Jiao Chen is overseeing the project for Sony Pictures.
“When the opportunity came about for me to be involved with this movie and the sport of women’s basketball, it was an honor. I have always been a fan of the NBA and WNBA and basketball is a game close to my heart. I am looking forward to being part of this project with such a great team of people,” said Lawrence.
Said Unanimous’ Curry and co-founder and Chief Creative Officer Peyton: “One and Done is a story of female empowerment, showcasing how athletics are an important driver in building a one’s confidence. The inspiration of seeing your own skills evolving, and goals becoming a reality, aligns with Unanimous Media’s mission of spotlighting authentic, important stories that will spark conversations. We are thrilled to bring this story to life, working with an incredible creative team and our continued partnership with Sony.”
Aside from his third teamup with Will Smith in Bad Boys For Life, Lawrence’s recent work includes starring with Matthew McConaughey in The Beach Bum, in Neil LaBute’s Death at a Funeral, Wild Hogs, and the Big Momma’s House film series.
O’Brien was most recently hired to write the Point Grey-produced Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated feature for Nickelodeon. His other credits include Neighbors, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, and Funny People. Tyler’s script Black Mitzvah made the 2019 Black List and is set up with Andrew Lauren Productions. She most recently staffed on ABC’s Call Your Mother and Peacock’s Rutherford Falls.
Lawrence is repped by UTA, Artists First, and Gang, Tyre; Pennekamp and Turpel are repped by UTA; Tyler is repped by Echo Lake Entertainment, Gersh and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.
