Lawyers Double Cross Comedian Terry Hodges After Chris Tucker/Netflix Lawsuit
Executives at a 900-lawyer California law firm double-crossed their client, comedian Terry Hodges, to cover-up their mistake of failing to run a “conflict check” and then accidentally suing a major firm client, Netflix. According to Hodges’s Atlanta lawsuit, an irate Netflix immediately called the top lawyer at Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani (which trades as “Gordon & Rees”) to demand action, and the firm delivered by double-crossing Hodges. Hodges has sued Gordon & Rees for defrauding him & betraying fiduciary duties. Gordon & Rees has admitted to a mistake in not running the conflict check but denies any wrongdoing.
Although the ethical rules required the firm to recuse itself immediately due to the conflict, Hodges claims that head attorney Roger Mansukhani and the “Firmwide Management” intervened and devised a plot to sabotage Hodges’ claims against Netflix—all to ensure that the Netflix premiere of the film “Chris Tucker Live” would not be delayed and that Gordon & Rees would soothe Netflix enough to keep it as a client.
Hodges had hired Gordon & Rees in 2015 to enforce his rights to a co-producer credit on Chris Tucker Live under an agreement he claimed to have Tucker. For several years, Hodges had worked on Tucker’s world tour and claims he helped write the material that would become the concert film. Tucker denied the existence of any agreement with Hodges for a co-producer credit.
A few days before the scheduled premiere of Chris Tucker Live, Gordon & Rees (acting as Hodges’s lawyers) sued Tucker and Netflix in Los Angeles, and asked the judge to prevent Netflix from premiering the movie unless Hodges received a co-producer credit. Hodges alleges that when Netflix read about the suit in the Hollywood press, it immediately called top Gordon & Rees attorney Mansukhani to demand action. Mansukhani, whose name is part of the firm’s name, was the attorney who was personally handling all of the firm’s work for Netflix.
Per the suit, Mansukhani quickly concocted a scheme to make Hodges’s claims against Netflix disappear. Within hours, Gordon & Rees attorneys lied to Hodges by falsely telling him that his claims against Netflix had all disappeared when Tucker moved the case from state to federal court. Overnight, the firm filed a new complaint that removed all mention of Netflix, and Chris Tucker Live premiered without any delay. Weeks later, the firm secretly filed paperwork to remove Netflix entirely.
Hodges alleges that as Gordon & Rees continued to represent him against Tucker for months despite the conflict, the firm secretly sabotaged his case to protect Netflix. Hodges quotes from notes written by Gordon & Rees attorney Richard Sybert, Esq. during his settlement conversation with Tucker’s attorney Susan A. Adamson, Esq. The notes state that Tucker’s lawyer acknowledged that Hodges had never signed a blank 2012 contract giving up his rights in the film. But the suit notes that a few weeks later, a different lawyer representing Tucker showed up with a “signed” version of that 2012 contract, yet conflicted Gordon & Rees’s failed to “pounce” on what Hodges says is an admission of forgery by Tucker’s attorneys.
Hodges alleges that Mansukhani directed the scheme by email, which the firm hid from Hodges for years. Finally, the Atlanta judge threatened to hold Gordon & Rees in contempt of court unless it handed those emails over to Hodges. An amended complaint that Hodges filed last February attaches an email from a Gordon & Rees lawyer to a Netflix lawyer that informs Netflix that Gordon & Rees was filing papers to get rid of Hodges’ claims against Netflix. Another email shows one Gordon & Rees lawyer instructing another to remove several Netflix personnel from a witness list they were preparing for the court. Several other emails that apparently planned the scheme are quoted in the court papers, but the words are redacted by black boxes.
Hodges has now asked the Atlanta judge assigned to the case to compel Chris Tucker Enterprises LLC and Netflix, Inc. to bring forward documents in response to subpoenas issued in summer 2016.
As of today, the judge has not ruled. There’s a scheduled settlement offer on December 3rd.
Eddie Murphy, Nia Long, And More To Be Honored At Critics Choice Celebration Of Black Cinema
Eddie Murphy will receive the Career Achievement Award, and Nia Long, Chiwetel Ejiofor and director Kasi Lemmons will also be honored December 2 at the Celebration of Black Cinema presented by the Critics Choice Association (formerly known as the Broadcast Film Critics Association).
The event at the new Landmark Annex, part of the Landmark Theatre complex in Los Angeles, is designed to toast more than 100 years of black cinema and will be feting four individuals for their outstanding achievements in film in 2019, which is also the 100-year anniversary of The Homesteader from director Oscar Micheaux, credited by many as the first African American to make a feature-length film. He would go on to produce and/or direct another 44 films between 1919-1948.
Former Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president Cheryl Boone Isaacs will host the evening, which benefits the UCLA Film & Television Archive and its commitment to the preservation of cinema.
Murphy will receive the Career Achievement Award as a tribute to his extraordinary roles over the years. Recognized most recently for his brilliant portrayal of Rudy Ray Moore in Netflix’s Dolemite Is My Name, Murphy’s performance helps shed light on an era when black artists were pioneering newfound ways to reach black audiences and tell their own stories. Long will be honored for her performance as Eunice Garrett in Apple’s The Banker, a story about African Americans forging their own path to the American dream. Lemmons will be honored for her achievement in directing Focus Features’ Harriet, the first-ever feature film about runaway slave-turned-abolitionist Harriet Tubman, starring Cynthia Erivo as the iconic freedom fighter. And Ejiofor will be honored for his feature film directorial and screenwriting debut and his performance in Netflix’s The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, a film based on a memoir by the Malawian engineer William Kamkwamba.
“The Critics Choice Association is thrilled to help celebrate a century of black cinema,” said CCA CEO Joey Berlin. “It is a privilege to honor Eddie Murphy, Kasi Lemmons, Nia Long, and Chiwetel Ejiofor for their remarkable work this year and throughout their careers. Each in their own way – through comedy and drama, in front of and behind the camera – exemplify the range and power of African American themed movies and their importance in popular culture.”
Source: Deadline
Comedian Deon Cole To Host The 4th Annual ABFF Honors Awards
ABFF Ventures, an entertainment company specializing in the production of live events, television and film focused on African American culture, announced today that actor and comedian Deon Cole will host the fourth annual ABFF Honors awards ceremony. The event will take place on Sunday, February 23, 2020, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
ABFF Honors is an annual awards season gala dedicated to saluting excellence in the motion picture and television industry. The ceremony celebrates Black culture by recognizing individuals who have made distinguished contributions to American entertainment through their work as well as those who champion diversity and inclusion in Hollywood. In addition to the tributes, the show presents a competitive award for “Movie of the Year” and a “Classic Television Award” in recognition of a time-honored series that has made an indelible impact on audiences.
ABFF Honors stems from the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) founded by Jeff Friday in 1997 and born from his conviction that Black artists deserve the same opportunities as their mainstream counterparts. For more than two decades, the festival has been the standard-bearer of excellence for Black creativity, having premiered the work and supported the careers of many of today’s most successful filmmakers and actors. In just four years “ABFF Honors” has become one of the most prominent events of the industry’s awards season during Black History Month.
Straight from his hilarious Netflix original comedy special, Deon Cole: Cole Hearted, Cole will bring to the ABFF Honors stage his unique style and delivery that have made him a wildly popular performer with both fans and critics. He is best known for his role as adjunct college professor “Charlie” on ABC’s hit series Black-ish, now in its fifth season. In 2018, Cole brought the beloved character to the spin-off series Grown-ish. Over the years, he has received numerous award nominations for his outstanding body of work in television writing and performances.
ABFF Honors will pay tribute to HBO’s critically acclaimed television series The Wire where cast and crew will gather for a celebration and special presentation of this year’s “Classic Television Award.” Created by David Simon, the series premiered the first of its five seasons on HBO in 2002 and is widely regarded to be one of the greatest television shows of all time. The cast mainly consisted of then unknown actors, including Idris Elba (Hobbs & Shaw), Wendell Pierce (Jack Ryan), Andre Royo (Empire), Michael K. Williams (Motherless Brooklyn), Wood Harris (Empire), Sonja Sohn (The Chi), Clarke Peters (Harriet), Reg E. Cathey (House of Cards), Jamie Hector (Queen of the South), Tristan Wilds (Shots Fired), Dominic West (The Affair) and Michael B. Jordan (Black Panther) who have gone on to become major players in Hollywood.
“This has been an incredible year for diverse content and we are very excited to celebrate the many successes, milestones and breakout moments experienced by Black artists. At the heart of the ABFF organization is our commitment to community – unifying artists in appreciation of one another’s work, and to encourage and uplift each other. ABFF Honors is our platform to accomplish this,” said ABFF Ventures CEO Jeff Friday.
Previous honorees of the awards ceremony include Denzel Washington (Equalizer 2), Ava DuVernay (When They See Us), Regina King (Watchmen), Tiffany Haddish (Kids Say the Darndest Things), Ryan Coogler (Black Panther), Don Cheadle (Black Monday), Will Packer (Little), Queen Latifah (Star), Terrence Howard (Empire), F. Gary Gray (Men in Black International), Billy Dee Williams (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker), Issa Rae (Insecure), Omari Hardwick (Power), the late Diahann Carroll and the cast of the classic television show Martin.
The 2020 ABFF Honors confirmed sponsors to date include Cadillac and American Airlines (Red Carpet Sponsor); Sony Pictures and Entertainment and Prudential (Supporting Sponsor).
To learn more about ABFF Honors, including the awards categories and past awards ceremonies and honorees, visit www.ABFFHonors.com.
Jerrod Carmichael To Direct Tiffany Haddish, JB Smoove, Lavell Crawford In ‘The Count Of Three’
Lensing has begun in Ottawa, Canada on actor-comedian Jerrod Carmichael’s (The Carmichael Show) under-the-radar movie directorial debut On The Count of Three, in which he is starring alongside Christopher Abbott (Girls), Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip), Henry Winkler (Arrested Development), J.B. Smoove (Curb Your Enthusiasm) and Lavell Crawford (Breaking Bad).
Valparaiso Pictures is producing the darkly comedic thriller with Roseanne and The Conners producer Tom Werner’s Werner Entertainment. Plot details are being kept under wraps.
Script comes from Ramy co-creators Ari Katcher and Ryan Welch. Producers are Werner and Jake Densen of Werner Entertainment, David Carrico and Adam Paulsen at Valparaiso Pictures and Carmichael and Jimmy Price. Christopher Storer is executive producer. UTA Independent Film Group is handling U.S. sales.
The project marks a rare foray into movies for veteran TV exec Werner, also well known for The Cosby Show and 3rd Rock From The Sun, as well as his investment in Fenway Sports Group, through which he is chairman of Liverpool Football Club and the Boston Red Sox.
Comedian Carmichael, well known for co-creating and starring in the semi-biographical NBC comedy The Carmichael Show most recently starred in Universal’s Neighbors franchise, Paramount’s Transformers: The Last Knight and Fox’s Ferdinand.
Abbott most recently was seen in Universal’s First Man, Paramount Pictures’ Whiskey Tango Foxtrot andHulu’s Catch-22. He will next be seen in Sony Pictures’ The World to Come alongside Vanessa Kirby, Katherine Waterston and Casey Affleck.
Haddish recently starred in Universal’s Girls Trip and Night School, Paramount Pictures’ Nobody’s Fool from writer/director Tyler Perry,and Warner Bros.’ TheKitchen. She is currently in post-production on Like a Boss for Paramount Pictures alongside Rose Byrne and Salma Hayek.
Happy Days icon Winkler recently starred in HBO’s Barry and Netflix’s Arrested Development. Smoove is well known for HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm and CBS’ Life In Pieces. Comedian and actor Crawford appeared in AMC’s Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.
Carmichael, Haddish and Smoove are repped by UTA, with Haddish also repped by Artists First and Smoove by Authentic Talent and Literary Management. Abbott, Winkler and Crawford are repped by CAA with Abbott and Winkler also repped by Management 360.
The Sound Of Silence producer Valparaiso Pictures recently announced they are partnering with Mattel Films and Daniel Kaluuya’s 59% to develop a live-action movie based on Barney, Mattel’s iconic purple dinosaur. The company is currently in production on Pig with Nicolas Cage and documentary The Toxic Pigs Of Fukushima, which we announced Friday. The firm is also in development on the Kumail Nanjiani led action-comedy No Glory being written by Sam Bain, which they’re producing with Adam McKay, Will Ferrell, and Chris Henchy.
Source: Deadline
Cedric The Entertainer To Produce Multi-Cam Comedy At CBS
The Neighborhood” star Cedric the Entertainer is set to executive produce an untitled multi-camera project in the works at CBS.
The series follows two young women who, after repeatedly being turned down by investors, hatch an outrageous plan to raise capital for their new sports app. According to sources, the project had been in development under the title “How to Be a White Guy,” with the two main characters recruiting a white man to pose as the CEO of their company.
The project hails from creators Adrienne Rose White and Aliee Chan, who will also executive produce along with co-writer Christopher Case. Eric Rhone of Cedric’s A Bird and a Bear Productions will also executive produce along with Jon Thoday, Richard Allen-Turner, David Martin, Jakob Markovits, and Aaron Brown of Avalon Entertainment. CBS Television Studios, where A Bird and a Bear currently has a development deal, will produce.
White and Chan have previously collaborated on shows such as “Quirky Female Protagonist,” “Perceptions,” and “Sh!T Happens.” Case’s past credits include “Mad About You,” “Spin City,” “Titus,” and “Legit.” He also co-created the show “Sin City Saints” and created “Retired at 35.”
In addition to his starring role in the CBS comedy “The Neighborhood,” Cedric is known for his performances in the “Barbershop” film franchise, and has appeared in other films such as “Be Cool” with John Travolta, “Intolerable Cruelty” with George Clooney, and the “Madagascar” animated franchise. He was also a key figure in “The Original Kings of Comedy,” MTV’s documentary directed by Spike Lee which captured the phenomenon of the record-breaking “Kings of Comedy Tour.”
Cedric the Entertainer and A Bird And A Bear Entertainment are represented by CAA, Visions Management, and attorneys Gordon Bobb and Nina Shaw. Chan is repped by Avalon Management and Myman Greenspan. White is repped by Element Talent Agency, Avalon Management, and Myman Greenspan. Case is repped by Management 360 and Morris Yorn.
Source: Variety
Kevin Hart New Docuseries A Go At Netflix
Netflix and Kevin Hart are cementing their relationship with a docuseries that follows the comedian over the past year of his life.
The series, unsubtly titled Don’t Fuck This Up, is set to premiere Dec. 27 on the streaming platform (two weeks after Hart’s latest movie, Jumanji: The Next Level, debuts). Over six episodes, the show will follow Hart through his day-to-day life as he deals with the fallout from his Oscars controversy — he was named as host of the 2019 awards, then stepped down two days later after old tweets using anti-gay slurs surfaced — his marriage and his career.
Don’t Fuck This Up, which the comic’s HartBeat Productions is producing, will also include interviews with Hart’s friend and family, archival footage from Hart’s childhood and early stand-up gigs and personal anecdotes.
Hart, who suffered major back injuries after a car accident earlier this year, announced the series on Instagram on Tuesday morning saying the behind-the-scenes look into his life over the last year and a half life will cover “a hell of a rollercoaster; peaks, hills, valleys, ups, downs. It’s as real, as raw, as transparent as you could be.”
Hart has done one original special for Netflix: Irresponsible, released earlier this year. Three prior specials that were initially released theatrically (2016’s What Now?, 2013’s Let Me Explain and 2011’s Laugh at My Pain) are also available on the streamer, and Hart has said he’ll release future specials on Netflix as well.
Along with HartBeat Productions, Lionsgate, Makemake, 3 Arts Entertainment and Magical Elves are producing Don’t Fuck This Up.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Nick Cannon Syndicated Talk Show Cleared For Launch
A syndicated talk show starring The Masked Singer host Nick Cannon has locked in its first distribution deal — with the station group that airs his primetime hit.
Fox Television Stations will serve as the launch group for Cannon’s untitled show, which comes from Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury. The show, targeted for fall 2020, will air twice daily on Fox-owned affiliates in some of the country’s biggest markets, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and San Francisco.
“We need to take big swings, and Nick Cannon should be a natural fit with our lineups,” said Frank Cicha, executive vp programming for FoxTelevision Stations. “Plus, he can help me a lot in our Masked Singer office pool.”
Cannon served as a guest host for The Wendy Williams Show, also produced by Debmar-Mercury, when Williams took an extended hiatus earlier this year after being diagnosed with Graves’ disease. Debmar-Mercury and Cannon’s Ncredible Entertainment will co-produce the new show.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to host my own talk show, and I’m fortunate to have found great partners in Fox and Debmar-Mercury,” said Cannon. “My experience with Fox as a producer and host on both The Masked Singer, as well as the soon-to-air Nick Cannon’s Hit Viral Videos, has been exceptional. I’m looking forward to continuing our amazing track record together.”
Added Debmar-Mercury co-presidents Ira Bernstein and Mort Marcus, “Fox has been an indispensable station group partner for us and we’re excited to team with them once again. They share our strong belief in Nick, a multi-talented force of nature who will bring his fresh approach and track record of success to daytime talk. Nick has been able to build a brand name across all platforms with unique ability to connect to the audience, which is exactly what you need to do to succeed in this competitive world.”
Cannon’s show joins Sony’s The Good Dish, a food-centric spinoff of The Dr. Oz Show, in hitting the syndication market for fall 2020 (the latter doesn’t have any distribution deals lined up yet). The current season has seen one of the biggest first-run syndicated pushes in years, with seven national launches including talk shows from Kelly Clarkson and Tamron Hall and a court show headed by Jerry Springer.
Fox stations also carry Extra, TMZ, TMZ Live and The Real in syndication, all of which recently earned multi-year renewals.
Ciara To Host The 2019 American Music Awards On ABC
dick clark productions and ABC announced today that multiplatinum, award-winning singer/songwriter Ciara will host the “2019 American Music Awards®.” Known for her incredible high-energy performances, including 2018’s show-stopping collaboration with Missy Elliott and timeless R&B/pop hits, she will once again take the American Music Award’s stage, this time as host, for an evening of incredible music and unforgettable live moments. Chart-topping singer/songwriter Kesha, joined by Big Freedia, will make her return to the American Music Awards stage for her first performance since 2013. The “2019 American Music Awards” will broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, Nov. 24 at 8:00 p.m. EST, on ABC.
Kesha and Big Freedia join previously announced performers Camila Cabello, Billie Eilish, Selena Gomez, Dua Lipa, Lizzo, Thomas Rhett and Shania Twain, as well as Taylor Swift, the “2019 American Music Awards” Artist of the Decade award recipient.
The American Music Awards is where the world’s biggest artists and pop-culture icons come together to honor idols, newcomers and record-breakers in the contemporary music scene. As the decade comes to a close, this year’s show celebrates the past 10 years with some of the best moments in music and live performances from the biggest names in the industry. From Pop and Rock to Country, Hip Hop and beyond, it only happens here.
Ciara is a GRAMMY® Award-winning singer/songwriter, producer, model and actress. Over her 15-year career, her music catalogue has surpassed over 2 billion streams, selling over 23 million records and 22 million singles worldwide, including chart-topping hits “Goodies,” “Ride,” “Oh,” “1, 2 Step,” “Body Party” and “I Bet.” Most recently, Ciara released her seventh studio album, “Beauty Marks,” which spawned platinum-selling hit “Level Up,” and is the first release from her newly formed label, Beauty Marks Entertainment (BME). In an effort to reclaim creative control over her artistry, Ciara formally launched BME as a boundless platform for her music, media, film, fashion, philanthropy, technology and entrepreneurial pursuits. Since launching BME, Ciara has formed Why Not You Productions and West2East Management alongside husband Russell Wilson. Ciara is a devoted wife and mother of two as well as a philanthropist who sits on the board of her and her husband’s Why Not You Foundation, and is dedicated to improving the lives of children and empowering women across the globe.
Kesha’s forthcoming album, “High Road,” will be released Jan. 10, 2020, via Kemosabe Records/RCA Records. The first single, “Raising Hell” feat. Big Freedia, has been critically acclaimed with NPR calling the track a “gospel-inspired rave-up banger.” It’s been an incredible two years since Kesha returned to the charts in 2017 with her critically acclaimed No. 1 Billboard 200 album, “Rainbow,” which earned the singer/songwriter her first GRAMMY nominations, and was called “an artistic feat” by Entertainment Weekly and “the best music of her career” by Rolling Stone. The singer/songwriter was also named one of Time Magazine’s Time 100; released a behind-the-scenes Webby-winning documentary “Rainbow: The Film” on Apple Music; performed “Praying” at the 2018 GRAMMYs, which Vanity Fair called “the night’s most powerful performance”; set sail on her own festival cruise (“Kesha’s Weird & Wonderful Rainbow Ride”); headlined Dan Reynolds’ LoveLoud Festival; collaborated with Macklemore (“Good Old Days”) and The Struts (“Body Talks”); and contributed to the soundtracks for “On the Basis of Sex” with “Here Comes The Change” and “The Angry Birds Movie 2”’s “Best Day.” Kesha has earned more than 14 million total album equivalents worldwide, has approximately 6.9 billion audio streams and 1.7 billion video streams worldwide, and has had nine Top 10 hits on The Billboard Hot 100, including four No. 1 singles on Billboard’s Mainstream Top 40 radio airplay chart – “TiK ToK,” “Your Love Is My Drug,” “Die Young” and “Timber.”
American Music Awards nominees are based on key fan interactions as reflected on Billboard.com, including streaming, album and digital song sales, radio airplay, social activity and touring. These measurements are tracked by Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen Music and Next Big Sound, and reflect the time period of Sept. 28, 2018, through Sept. 26, 2019. The American Music Awards winners are voted entirely by fans.
Voting is open for all AMA categories. Fans can access the official voting ballot for the American Music Awards directly by visiting goo.gle/AMAsVote or by going to Google.com and using the search terms “AMAs Vote” or “[Nominee Name] AMAs Vote.” Fans can submit up to 30 votes per category per day per Google account while voting is open. Voting will close on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2019, at 11:59:59 p.m. PST.
The “2019 American Music Awards” is produced by dick clark productions. Barry Adelman and Mark Bracco are executive producers. Larry Klein is producer.
For the latest American Music Awards news, exclusive content and more, be sure to follow the AMAs on social (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube) and join the conversation by using the official hashtag for the show, #AMAs.
Eva Longoria Producing New Latin Comedy At ABC Inspired By Celebrity Chef Aarón Sánchez
ABC has put into development a family restaurant comedy inspired by the memoir by celebrity chef Aarón Sánchez. The project hails from The Real O’Neals writer-producer Rob Sudduth, Eva Longoria and Ben Spector’s UnbeliEVAble Entertainment and 20th TV, where the company has a first-look deal.
Penned by Sudduth, the untitled Where I Come From project centers on divorced chef Zoila Sanchez, who has always told stories through her food. And that food’s got some explaining to do: she uprooted her fraternal twin sons Alex and Rafael from El Paso to New York so she can fulfill her dream of opening a restaurant. As they all struggle to make sense of their odd new world, they must lean on each other like never before and use the family business to forge a new community — one meal at a time.
The story is inspired by Sánchez’s memoir Where I Come From: Life Lessons From a Latino Chef, which was published last month. The characters Zoila Sanchez and her fraternal twin sons, Alex and Rafael, were inspired by Aaron’s mother, Zarela Martinez, who was also a famous chef, and Aaron and his fraternal twin brother, Rodrigo.
Sudduth, who was born and raised by a Latino family in Texas, executive produces alongside Longoria and Spector through UnbeliEVAable and Sanchez.
The Food Network staple and James Beard winner Sánchez also co-stars on Fox’s MasterChef and MasterChef Jr, and in 2016 founded a scholarship fund for aspiring chefs from the Latin community, providing mentorship opportunities and scholarships to the International Culinary Center in New York.
UnbeliEVAble is coming off the soapy summer drama Grand Hotel, which ran on ABC for one season. It featured a strong Latinx presence in front of and behind the camera. The company also produced the Emmy-nominated Netflix documentary Reversing Roe which premiered this fall at Telluride.
Sudduth’s writing credits include the upcoming Netflix comedy series Slutty Teenage Bounty Hunters, Lifetime’s American Princess, and Netflix’s On My Block.
UnbeliEVAable is repped by CAA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners. Sánchez is repped by CAA.
Source: Deadline
Alicia Keys To Return As 2020 Grammy Awards Host
Keys will be just the third woman — and the first female music star — to host the show more than once.
Alicia Keys will return as the host of the Grammy Awards in 2020.
After making a well-received debut as host at the 61st annual Grammy Awards earlier this year, Keys will do the honors again for the 62nd annual Grammys, which are set to air Jan. 26.
“At first, I did think last year was a one-time thing, but when the opportunity came back around, there was no question about returning as host,” Keys said Wednesday in a statement. “Last year was such a powerful experience for me. Not only did I feel the love in the room, but I felt it from around the world, and it confirmed the healing and unifying power of music.”
Keys will be just the third woman and the first female music star to host the show more than once. She follows Ellen DeGeneres, who hosted in 1996-97, and Rosie O’Donnell, who hosted in 1999-2000. Just two other women have hosted since the show became a live telecast in 1971: Whoopi Goldberg in 1992, and Queen Latifah in 2005.
Deborah Dugan, the Recording Academy’s first-year president/CEO, added in a statement, “From best new artist recipient to Grammy Award host, Alicia Keys has been a beacon of artistry within the music community for more than two decades. Last year was a testament to her compelling creativity, and we are thrilled that she will return to the Grammy stage as our host.”
As previously announced, the upcoming Grammy telecast will be the last one to be executive produced by longtime Grammy producer Ken Ehrlich. Following next year’s telecast — Ehrlich’s 40th with the Grammys — the show will be taken over by Late Late Show With James Corden executive producer Ben Winston.
In Ehrlich’s long run as Grammy producer or executive producer, LL Cool J was the most frequent host, with five hosting gigs. John Denver and Garry Shandling each hosted four times on Ehrlich’s watch (Denver hosted two additional times before Ehrlich took over in 1980). Billy Crystal is next in line, with three hosting assignments, followed by Kenny Rogers, DeGeneres, O’Donnell, Jon Stewart, Corden and now Keys, with two each.
Keys has won 15 Grammy Awards since her debut album was released in 2001. Only one other Grammy host has won as many or more Grammys: Paul Simon, who hosted the show in 1981, is a 16-time Grammy winner.
Nominees for the 62nd annual Grammy Awards will be announced Nov. 20.
