Mark Viera To Host The Wendy Williams Experience Tour
We discovered the news that comedian Mark Viera, probably best known as one of the New York Kings of Comedy, has recently been tapped to host The Wendy Willams Experience Tour.
If you are not familiar, Wendy Williams, TV personality and now comedian, has been entertaining audiences around the country with her new comedy/talk show tour. With a wealth of experience including stand-up comedy, Broadway shows, live TV, and much more, Williams has a vibrant personality that shines with humor, wit, and honesty whenever she takes the stage.
Wendy’s show is live on the road and Viera has been tapped to host, and word is it should be an interesting expere=ience as Wendy will include her hot topics segment that is a staple of her hit show.
Below is a list of the tour dates:
Sat
JUL 27
8:00 PM
Wendy Williams
Paramount Theatre Oakland – Oakland, CA
Fri
AUG 02
8:00 PM
Wendy Williams
Duke Energy Center – Mahaffey Theater – Saint Petersburg, FL
Sat
AUG 03
8:00 PM
Wendy Williams
Music Hall Center – Detroit – Detroit, MI
Sat
AUG 17
8:00 PM
Wendy Williams
New Jersey Performing Arts Center – Newark, NJ
Fri
AUG 23
8:00 PM
Wendy Williams
Connor Palace Playhouse Square – Cleveland, OH
IFC And Mad Decent Partner To Release The Music From New Variety Sketch ‘Sherman’s Showcase’
New York, NY – July 18, 2019 – IFC announced today that the network has partnered with Mad Decent to drop the official soundtrack for its upcoming variety sketch series Sherman’s Showcase, premiering Wednesday, July 31st at 10pm ET/PT. Sherman’s Showcase (Original Soundtrack), featuring full-length versions of the songs from the series, is set for digital release on August 9 via Mad Decent, the Los Angeles-based record label founded by Thomas Wesley Pentz, better known as Diplo. The soundtrack will also be available on vinyl later this summer.
First song on the dock-et to be released is 1979 hit “Marina del Rey (Let’s Spend the Day),” a “big ass boat rock” song by band Skip & Bates, the kings of AM Gold and yacht rock, who are portrayed by comedians Kenny and Keith Lucas. Featured in the premiere episode ofSherman’s Showcase, “Marina del Rey” was written by the show’s creators, executive producers, writers and stars – Bashir Salahuddin(GLOW, Snatched, South Side) and Diallo Riddle (Marlon, Rise, South Side) – and produced by The Knocks’ James Patterson and Benjamin Ruttner. Listen here now: https://maddecent.fm/MarinadelRey
“‘Marina del Rey’ is an earworm,” says Riddle. “It captures the vibe of summer barbecues, boat parties, and lounging on the beach, but most importantly it gives one of Los Angeles’ most slept-on neighborhoods an anthem. A smooth anthem. Let’s spend the day there indeed.”
Each episode of Sherman’s Showcase is hosted by Sherman McDaniels (Salahuddin) as he takes viewers through time via music and comedy drawn from the 40-year library of a legendary (but fictional) musical variety show, drawing inspiration from Solid Gold, Soul Train and Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In. Whether it’s a questionably-attired funk super group in the 1970s, an up-and-coming MC in the 1980s or an R&B diva from the 1990s, Sherman’s Showcase has it all: music, comedy, gameshow segments, political roundtables, commercial parodies, breakout hits destined to climb the charts, a dancing robot and a legendary host who’s been there from the beginning.
An incredible line-up of guest stars this season includes (alphabetically):
Andrew “King Bach” Bachelor
Natasha Bedingfield
Emmy®-, GRAMMY®– and Oscar®-winner Common
Morris Day
Emmy®-winner Tiffany Haddish
Lil Rel Howery
Emmy®-, GRAMMY®-, Oscar®– and Tony®-winner Quincy Jones
Emmy®-winner Mike Judge
Kenny and Keith Lucas
Emmy®-, GRAMMY®-, Oscar®– and Tony®-winner John Legend
Nigel Lythgoe
Curt Menefee
Vic Mensa
Tawny Newsome
GRAMMY®-winner Ne-Yo
Ray Parker, Jr.
Mario Van Peebles
Damon Wayans, Jr.
Marlon Wayans
Bresha Webb
Riddle and Salahuddin serve as executive producers on Sherman’s Showcase along with John Legend, Mike Jackson and Ty Stikloriusthrough their Get Lifted Film Co. (Underground, JesusChristSuperstar) and Frank Scherma and Jim Bouvet of RadicalMedia (StanAgainstEvil, ConversationsWith a Killer: TheTedBundyTapes).
Comedian Marina Franklin To Debut Her New Comedy Special On The Comedy Dynamics Network
Comedian Marina Franklin’s comedy special, ‘Single Black Female,’ is now available on the Comedy Dynamics Network via iTunes, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, Charter, Spectrum, Dish and many more.
The New York Times says: “Ms. Franklin has been a staple of the New York comedy scene for nearly two decades, establishing herself as a dependably hilarious stand-up who seems to fit effortlessly into any performance. In her new show, “Single Black Female,” she explores life and dating in the city.”
You might be familiar with Marina because of her podcast, “Friends Like Us,” (conversations with herself and other comedians of color,), her popularity on the stand-up circuit (currently on tour with Sarah Silverman), her appearances in HBO’s Crashing, Trainwreck, on Colbert, Conan, Chapelle’s Show, and many more. She counts Amy Schumer, Sarah Silverman, Dave Chapelle, Conan, and more as close friends- super “comedy insider.”
Lifetime To Follow Up On ‘Surviving R. Kelly’ Docu-Series
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — Lifetime is still invested in the R. Kelly case.
The network announced Tuesday that it has ordered “Surviving R. Kelly: The Aftermath,” a four-part series that includes interviews with new survivors and experts on the case.
″Surviving R. Kelly ” was a six-part series that premiered last January. An estimated 12.8 million people watched the series, nominated for an Emmy, that revisited old allegations and brought new ones into the spotlight.
Kelly has been in custody since being indicted this month on charges in Chicago and New York. He’s accused of having sex with minors and trying to cover up the crimes. He maintains his innocence.
Ariana Grande And Taylor Swift Score 10 MTV VMA nominations
NEW YORK (AP) — Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift are the top contenders at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards, each scoring 10 nominations.
MTV announced Tuesday that Grande and Swift will compete in eight of the same categories, including video of the year. Swift’s gay pride anthem “You Need to Calm Down” and Grande’s breezy hit about her breakups “thank u, next” are nominated for the top prize alongside Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy,” Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Old Town Road,” 21 Savage and J. Cole’s “A Lot,” and Jonas Brothers’ “Sucker.”
Eilish, 17, came in second with nine nominations, including artist of the year. Other nominees are Grande, Cardi B, Shawn Mendes, Halsey and Jonas Brothers.
Lil Nas X, whose “Old Town Road” tied the record for most weeks at No. 1 with 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart this week, earned eight nominations.
The 2019 VMAs will take place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on Aug. 26. Post Malone was surprisingly snubbed: He received zero nominations despite dominating on streaming services, radio and the Billboard charts in the last year.
Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s Oscar- and Grammy-winning hit “Shallow” picked up two nominations: song of the year and best collaboration. Boy band BTS earned four nominations, including a bid in the new best K-pop category.
And late rapper Nipsey Hussle, who posthumously won best male hip-hop artist and the Humanitarian Award at last month’s BET Awards, picked up a nomination for best hip hop for “Higher,” his song and video with DJ Khaled and John Legend.
Swift will drop her album, “Lover,” three days before the VMAs on Aug. 23, making it likely that she will attend and possibly perform at the show. Scooter Braun, who now owns Swift’s music catalog, will likely be in attendance, too: He manages top nominee Grande as well as Justin Bieber, who earned a nomination for best collaboration with Ed Sheeran for “I Don’t Care.”
Comedian and actor Sebastian Maniscalco will host the 2019 VMAs. Fan-voting begins Tuesday at vma.mtv.com.
Inside-First Look At Eddie Murphy In Netflix’s ‘Dolemite Is My Name’
Netflix has released the first images of Eddie Murphy in the upcoming biopic Dolemite Is My Name, directed by Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow). The film will have its World Premiere at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival.
The film based on the life of Rudy Ray Moore, the comedian well-known for his raunchy, X-rated stand up that he also infused with rapping and rhythm, earning him the nickname Godfather of Rap. Moore also became popular for his creation of the character Dolemite in his stand-up routines that, after five years of performing as the urban hero, he decided to bring him to the big screen with the 1975 movie of the same name.
Written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (Goosebumps), Chris Rock, Wesley Snipes,Craig Robinson, Mike Epps, Titus Burgess, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Keegan-Michael Key, Aleksandar Filimonovic, Tip “T.I.” Harris, Ron Cephas Jones, and Luenell co-star in the film.
Dolemite was such a hit it spawned two official sequels, as well as one unofficial sequel and an appearance in short film Murder Was the Case starring Snoop Dogg, and is credited as one of the most influential characters in the blaxploitation genre.
Kenya Barris, Kid Cudi Set Animated Music Series At Netflix
Kenya Barris is building a varied slate at Netflix.
The Black-ish creator, less than a year into his big, new overall deal with the streamer, is teaming with Grammy winner Kid Cudi (aka Scott Mescudi) for an adult-focused animated music series. The project will be based on Cudi’s forthcoming album, “Entergalatic,” set to be released by Republic Records.
The innovative series will showcase music from Cudi’s new album, which follows a young man on his journey to discover love. Barris and Cudi (How to Make It in America, Westworld) will write, star and exec produce the series.
The series, described as the first of its kind, hails from Barris’ Khalabo Ink Society banner with the Black-ish creator on board to exec produce. Ian Edelman (The After Party) will re-team with Cudi on the show and will write and exec produce the offering.
The animated project becomes the third show that Barris has set up at Netflix in the past year since he negotiated an early exit from his ABC Studios overall deal and signed with the streamer. Barris, who continues to be an exec producer on ABC’s Black-ish, upcoming prequel Mixed-ish and Freeform spinoff Grown-ish, will also star and exec produce live-action scripted comedy Black Excellence and set up a sketch comedy series, Astronomy Club, at the streamer. His other Freeform comedy, Unrelated, is being redeveloped after being picked up straight to series.
Barris is with Artists First and Morris Yorn. Cudi is repped by WME, the DLC Group and Carroll Guido & Groffman. Edelman is repped by Hansen Jacobson.
Teyonah Parris Set To Play Monica Rambeau In Marvel’s ‘WandaVision’ For Disney Plus
Disney dropped several gems at Comic-Con over the weekend and one of the most exciting surprises was the news that Teyonah Parris will be joining the cast of the upcoming series WandaVision on Disney Plus.
The actress who starred in Survivor’s Remorse and If Beale Street Could Talk will play a grown-up Monica Rambeau, whom we met in Captain Marvel. In that film, she was portrayed by child actress Akira Akbar and Lashana Lynch played her mother.
WandaVision follows Wanda Maximoff aka Scarlet Witch (played by Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (played by Paul Bettany) and will be set in the 1950s.
“There’s quite a few other comic books that we’re pulling from and it’s going to be Wanda and the Vision, and I think at the Disney Plus launch chat, they showed a photo of us in the ’50s,” Olsen told Variety. “Paul [Bettany] and I are really excited. They have a great group of writers. I think it’s going to be a total of six hours.”
Mahershala Ali to Star in ‘Blade’ Reboot
The casting was announced during the studio’s Hall H presentation at Comic-Con.
Mahershala Ali is joining the Marvel Studios fold as the star of a Blade movie.
The casting was announced Sunday during the studio’s Hall H presentation at Comic-Con, where Ali received massive applause as he took the stage and put on a Blade baseball cap.
If you recall, he was recently in Luke Cage, on Netflix.
Arsenio Hall Officially Boards ‘Coming To America 2’
Arsenio Hall has officially closed his deal to return for Coming to America 2. The actor was heavily rumored to star in the film, especially after he was pictured with Oscar-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter a few months back.
Most of the principal cast members from the original film, including Murphy, Hall, Shari Headley and James Earl Jones were expected to return. Murphy and Hall are the only two with officially-confirmed deals.
As of now, Jermaine Fowler is the only new cast member that has been set. If previous reports are proven to be true, Fowler is one of two young leads (one male and one female) that will be at the focal point of the film. In April it was said that the two leads were LaVelle and Meeka, the heirs both vying for the Zamundan throne. Fowler is likely playing the character known right now to be “LaVelle,” described as a 30-year-old Queens hustler with a heart of gold. Raised by his mother, LaVelle wants a better life for himself, which could be right around the corner as he learns that he’s the possible Zamundan heir. LaVelle “has the gift of gab, able to crack wise with humor, but is by no means a clown” and he “struggles with discipline, authority and self-motivation.” Meeka, on the other hand, is the 20-year-old “proud and principled daughter of Zamunda” who is “athletic and skilled in the art of self-defense, but she is also measured in her temperament, always seeking a calm, diplomatic solution to conflict.” Meeka is beautiful and capable, but still holds anxiety over “wanting to be the son Akeem never had.” Her challenge is to show her father her true self and “be brave with her heart.”
The script is by Kenya Barris (rewritten from the original film’s writers, Barry Blaustein and David Sheffield) and directed by Craig Brewer.
