HBO Releases Trailer To Robin Thede’s ‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’
HBO has released the trailer for its highly-anticipated upcoming series, A Black Lady Sketch Show, from Robin Thede and Issa Rae. Thede also stars and Rae guest stars.
It debuts August 2 on the premium cabler. The series is a half-hour sketch comedy show that features Black women. Considered to be the first sketch comedy written by, directed by and starring Black women, it will feature narrative sketches performed by the core cast of Black women, as well as celebrity guests. Lauren Ashley Smith, who was the head writer on The Rundown with Robin Thede, is the head writer and co-exec producer for A Black Lady Sketch Show.
The official description reads: A Black Lady Sketch Show is a narrative series set in a limitless magical reality full of dynamic, hilarious characters and celebrity guests. The show presents sketches performed by a core cast of black women, including Robin Thede, Ashley Nicole Black, Gabrielle Dennis and Quinta Brunson.
Guest stars this season include Tia Mowry, Aja Naomi King, Angela Bassett, Lena Waithe, Patti LaBelle, Amber Riley, Yvonne Orji, Loretta Devine, Gina Torres, David Alan Grier, Jermaine Fowler, Lil Rel Howery, Deon Cole, Khandi Alexander, Marsai Martin, Laverne Cox, Yvette Nicole Brown, Larry Wilmore and Kelly Rowland.
Watch the trailer below:
Source: Shadow & Act
Nicki Minaj Abruptly Pulls Out of Saudi Arabia Concert
NEW YORK (AP) — Nicki Minaj is pulling out of a concert in Saudi Arabia because she says she wants to show support for women’s rights, gay rights and freedom of expression.
“After careful reflection I have decided to no longer move forward with my scheduled concert at Jeddah World Fest. While I want nothing more than to bring my show to fans in Saudi Arabia, after better educating myself on the issues, I believe it is important for me to make clear my support for the rights of women, the LGBTQ community and freedom of expression,” Minaj said in a statement Tuesday to The Associated Press.
Minaj was originally scheduled to headline the concert on July 18.
In Saudi Arabia, gender segregation between single men and women is still enforced in many restaurants, coffee shops, public schools and universities, but other rules have loosened with women now allowed to drive and attend events in sports stadiums.
Jeddah World Fest, which in line with Saudi laws is alcohol and drug-free, is open to people 16 and older and will take place at the King Abdullah Sports Stadium in the Red Sea city. Other performers include former One Direction member Liam Payne and DJ-producer Steve Aoki.
The Human Rights Foundation issued a statement last week, calling for Minaj and other performers to pull out of the show. On Tuesday, the New York-based organization praised Minaj’s decision to not perform at the concert.
“This is what leadership looks like. We are grateful to Nicki Minaj for her inspiring and thoughtful decision to reject the Saudi regime’s transparent attempt at using her for a public relations stunt,” said Thor Halvorssen, president of the Human Rights Foundation. “The July 18 festival in Saudi Arabia still shows Liam Payne as a performer. We hope that he follows Nicki Minaj’s lead. Minaj’s moral stance differs from celebrity performers like J-Lo and Mariah Carey who in the past have chosen to line their pockets with millions of dollars and stand with dictatorial governments as opposed to with oppressed communities and imprisoned human rights activists.”
Over the past several months, the kingdom has seen performances by Carey, Enrique Iglesias, the Black Eyed Peas, Sean Paul, David Guetta and Tiesto. That’s a stark change from when Saudi morality police would raid establishments that played loud music.
Saudi organizers said the Jeddah World Fest will be broadcast globally. The kingdom is also promising quick electronic visas for international visitors who want to attend.
Saudi Arabia saw profound change last year as a result of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s top-down reform efforts, including the opening of the first movie theater and the lifting of the world’s only ban on women driving.
In December 2018, women — some without headscarves — drove themselves to a Formula-E car race where thousands of young Saudis and hundreds of international visitors partied into the night at concerts. The spectacle would have been unthinkable until recently in the ultra-conservative kingdom where religious police used to enforce strict gender segregation and scolded women for not covering their hair.
But there’s a hard limit to the reforms — as revealed by the brutal killing of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents close to the crown prince in October and the reported torture of several women’s rights activists in detention. While the arena for entertainment is widening, the space for political engagement and dissent has virtually disappeared.
The 33-year-old crown prince, backed by his father King Salman, presides over a nation where he alone defines the pace and scope of change.
WATCH: Disney’s First Teaser for Live-Action Remake Of ‘Mulan’
Mulan is ready to bring honor to us all.
Disney released first-look footage for the upcoming live-action remake of “Mulan,” starring Chinese-American actress Liu Yifei. In the teaser, debuted during halftime of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, Yifei shows off her sword-fighting skills as she gets ready to take on the battlefield and any new suitors that come her way. The matchmaking scene from the original animated movie plays prominently in the teaser.
Mulan’s horse Khan also makes a short appearance at the beginning of the video, which features a classic conversation between Mulan and her parents.
“The matchmaker has found you an auspicious match,” her mother says.
“Yes, I will bring honor to us all,” she replies as faint notes from the classic Disney song of the same name play in the background.
Noticeably absent from the trailer are the original film’s dynamic animal duo, Eddie Murphy’s dragon character Mushu and Mulan’s lucky cricket Cri-Kee. Other stars in the film include Jet Li who will play the emperor of China, Gong Li who will portray a powerful witch and Donnie Yen who will play Mulan’s mentor, Commander Tung. Yoson An will also make an appearance as Chen Honghui, a confident and ambitious recruit who becomes Mulan’s ally and eventual love interest.
The new film is a live-action remake of the 1998 classic animated film about a female Chinese warrior. Niki Carois is directing “Mulan,” which is set to hit theaters March 27, 2020.
Source: Variety
Watch Trailer In the link below;
WATCH: A Clip Of Niecy Nash’s Television Directorial Debut In ‘Claws’
Comedic actor Niecy Nash is making her directorial debut on Claws next week and The Humor Mill has an exclusive clip from that episode.
In the clip, we see Desna (Nash) and her boyfriend, Roller, discussing a heavy topic — reconciliation with an absentee parent.
Watch the clip below:
The critically-acclaimed series stars Emmy winners Nash and Carrie Preston, alongside Karreuche Tran, Judy Reyes, Karrueche Tran, Jenn Lyon, Jack Kesy, Kevin Rankin, Jason Antoon, Evan Daigle, Suleka Mathew, Harold Perrineau and Dean Norris. Preston also directs an episode this season.
Here’s the official description for the season: In last year’s epic Season Two finale, Desna (Nash) dodged an ill-fated marriage to the sinister Dr. Ruval (Jimmy Jean-Louis), took out her Russian crime boss, Zlata (Franka Potente), and inherited a new casino. The celebrations ended with a massive cliffhanger when Virginia (Tran) took a bullet for Desna as they were about to survey their new business venture. In Season Three, the ladies will quickly learn that the stakes couldn’t be higher in the casino world, and Desna will take a gamble as she enters into business with a sinister couple, Mac (guest star Michael Horse) and Melba (guest star Rebecca Creskoff).
Claws airs Sundays at 9/8c, on TNT.
Source: Shadow & Act
Marlon Wayans Denies Development Of ‘White Chicks 2’
According to Marlon Wayans, we all jumped the gun too early- especially by listening to Terry Crews.
If you recall, a couple of days ago, Terry Crews lit the internet and the world on fire by stating that WHite Chicks 2 was officially on its way.
As you probably also know, it’s been 15 years since the release of the cult classic White Chicks. And it has been talked about for years but never given the green light.
As Terry Crews ignited the notion of a sequel this week, Marlon Wayans quickly shut it down.
Taking to Instagram Wednesday (July 3), Wayans stated there is no confirmed deal in the works for White Chicks 2.
Released in 2004, White Chicks featured Marlon and Shawn Wayans as undercover FBI agents who hid in plain sight by disguising themselves as privileged white women. While the film faced terrible reviews, it still grossed over $100 million in the box office, making it the highest grossing comedy of 2004.
Fans have been hoping for a sequel and Crews confirmed a follow-up film was in the works during his interview with Andy Cohen’s What What Happens Live! “You know what? I actually got with Shawn [Wayans], and he was like, ‘Man, we doing it, we getting it going’,’ Terry said in response to a fan calling about the rumors.
Talks of sequel kicked off in 2009 with Sony announcing then canceling the project. In 2014, Marlon Wayans also expressed interest in the project, but given today’s political climate and state of race relations, White Chicks 2 might not make it to the big screen.
Source: IG
Russell Simmons’ All Def Digital Shutting Down
All Def Digital (ADD) — the digital entertainment brand founded in 2013 by hip hop entrepreneur Russell Simmons, which produces urban music, comedy, spoken-word content, and more — is shuttering, multiple sources have confirmed to Tubefilter.
Sources say that layoffs have been widely administered, and that executives from a business advisory firm arrived at ADD’s Los Angeles offices this week to divvy up assets, including its digital properties.
We have reached out to ADD as well as Simmons-owned parent company Rush Communications for comment and will update this story with any additional information.
Simmons, co-founder of the iconic Def Jam Recordings music label as well as the Phat Farm clothing brand, was accused of sexual assault by multiple women beginning in 2017, and subsequently said that he was stepping away from ADD and his other business and charity ventures in Nov. 2017. Simmons denied the allegations of assault, stating that he has “never been abusive or violent in any way in my relations with women,” and explaining that he’d stepped down so as not to become “a distraction.”
Two months prior to that decision, ADD CEO Sanjay Sharma departed his post to launch his own digital media venture, whereupon day-to-day management duties at the company were assumed by Osman Eralp, a longtime Simmons associate.
The ADD YouTube channel (4.1 million subscribers, and recently clocking 20 million monthly views) is still live, but hasn’t posted any new content in five days. The company’s Facebook page (4.9 million followers) and Instagram channel (489,000 followers) appear to be active, though its Twitter account is suspended.
ADD launched as a YouTube channel in 2013 in collaboration with AwesomenessTV (which was then owned by DreamWorks Animation). Eventually, the brand came to develop content for a whole host of different distribution venues, including HBO, Facebook, Spotify (Traffic Jams), linear television (World Star TV), and feature films available for digital download (Major Deal). In April 2016, the company launched a branded content studio called ADHD.
ADD raised a $5 million Series A funding round led by Greycroft Partners in Aug. 2014, and then raised another $10 million — in a round led by venture capital firm Third Wave Digital — in June 2016, bringing total funds raised to $15 million.
Source: Tubefiller
JB Smoove’s Comedic Role In ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ Proves To Be Enthusiastic!
In case you haven’t seen the latest Disney/Marvel film, Spider-Man: Far From Home, you should stop reading this article right now.
But if you have seen the film then everything in this article you will probably agree with; comedian and actor JB Smoove (of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm‘) pulled off the comic relief role in the film with ease!
In the film, Smoove plays one of the teachers, named Julius, who accompanies the students-including Peter Parker (played brilliantly by Tom Holland) and his friends- on a European trip, and as you know Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) shows up with the Elementals and the battle ensues. Spider-Man spends the entire film trying to keep his friends out of danger, while also trying to give Mary Jane (Zendaya) a necklace and a first kiss, while Smoove always has a comeback one-liner during said ruckus (no pun intended for the Smoove fans).
Smoove does an excellent job of pulling off the teacher with his comedic timing that you almost forget that there’s danger afoot; especially because there are so many comedic parts in the film.
Smoove even has a memorable part in the hotel that definitely kept the funny pace of the film.
When the film finally concludes, we have to admit we were expecting some more from Smoove but we can say that there’s no way he can’t be involved in the next film because the fans seemed to love his performance and his comedic timing. It would be a very noticeable absence if he’s NOT included in the film. Kudos for Smoove to land the role and to actually keep pace with the other actors and not just being a role to fit the quota.
Anyway, what did you think about the film? Tell us your thoughts and comment in the section below!
A$AP Rocky Arrested In Sweden For Alleged Street Fight
Hip-hop star ASAP Rocky was arrested in Sweden on suspicion of aggravated assault after a street fight that broke out on Sunday between two local men and members of his entourage, Swedish prosecutors told Agence France Presse on Wednesday.
Sweden’s Prosecution Authority told the AFP the rapper is one of four people who’ve been arrested and that two are suspected of aggravated assault and one of assault. The identities of the other three were not known.
AFP reported that the authorities have until Saturday to decide whether to formally take action. That’s the day before ASAP Rocky is due to headline Wireless Festival in London on Sunday, July 7.
Reps for ASAP Rocky and the Swedish prosecutors did not immediately respond for comment.
A video published by TMZ appeared to show the rapper punching another man in the street after Rocky’s performance at Stockholm’s Smash festival. In the video, the artist — born Rakim Mayers — can be seen throwing a young man into the street and throwing several punches at him while the man is on the ground.
Rocky has also posted several videos on social media which he said show the scene before the fight with a man following him. After the fight, Rocky and the other men attacking the man in the video then left the scene, leaving him on the side of the road. Police and an ambulance later showed up and statements were taken from witnesses.
ASAP Rocky’s Instagram videos show he and his entourage repeatedly tell a pair of men to stop following them after one of the men accuses the rapper’s team of breaking his headphones. “We don’t know these guys and we didn’t want trouble. They followed us for four blocks,” ASAP Rocky writes in the caption for the first video.
Rocky also claimed that they were “drug addicts” and were harassing women.
“SO A FEW DRUG ADDICTS ARE NOT MY FANS, WE DONT KNOW THESE GUYS AND WE DIDNT WANT TROUBLE, THEY FOLLOWED US FOR 4 BLOCKS, AND THEY WERE SLAPPING GIRLS BUTTS WHO PASSED, GIVE ME A BREAK,” Rocky wrote in a caption.
In the second, he goes on to accuse one of the men following them of hitting his security guard “in the face with headphones.”
Source: The Wrap, TMZ
Rapper Bow Wow Cast In ‘Fast & Furious 9’!
We just discovered from several sources that hip hop artist Bow Wow (real name Shad Moss) is returning an old franchise that he was part of several years ago! According to reports, it seems the rapper and actor will allegedly be reprising his role as Twinkie in ‘Fast & Furious 9’.
If you are a fan of the franchise, then you already know that Bow Wow was cast way back in the 2006 film Fast & Furious Tokyo Drift, before the franchise became an international hit.
He played Twinkie, Sean’s first friend he meets in Tokyo and who sells various consumer goods and catastrophically introduces Sean to drift racing.
No details about his storyline in Fast & Furious 9′ have been revealed. Fast & Furious 9 will again be directed by Justin Lin and written by Daniel Casey. It will be the ninth installment in The Fast and the Furious franchise.
So far, the film will star Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel and John Cena, while Dwayne Johnson is not set to reprise his role. Other cast announced include Finn Cole, Anna Sawai, and Vinnie Bennett.
Kenya Barris’ Comedy Series ‘Unrelated’ Not Moving Forward On Freeform
Freeform’s Kenya Barris comedy Unrelated is effectively dead at the Disney-owned cable network.
The straight-to-series project (formerly called Besties) is no longer going forward in its current form. Instead, the script will be redeveloped.
Unrelated — picked up to series in May 2018 — revolved around Jesi (Gigi Zumbado) and Becca (Jordin Sparks), who go from strangers to sisters when they find out through a genetic testing company that they share the same birth mother. It was described as a contemporary ensemble comedy about identity and self-discovery. Sparks, Matt Shively, Kris D. Lofton, Zumbado, Jessika Van and Davi Santos starred.
In addition to a title change, the Barris project also brought in a new showrunner — Aeysha Carr (The Carmichael Show) — who replaced original showrunners Casey Johnson and David Windsor (The Real O’Neals). The latter duo co-created the series alongside Barris. Sources said in April that Barris was behind the switch, as he was unhappy with the show’s early creative direction. Barris, who co-created the series alongside Ranada Shepard, stepped down as writer on the ABC Signature-produced project after he left the studio for a lucrative overall deal with Netflix. As he has with ABC’s Black-ish and its Freeform spinoff, Grown-ish, Barris remained deeply involved on Unrelated as an executive producer. Sources say the decision to make the showrunner change was amicable. Johnson and Windsor continue to have an overall deal with ABC Studios.
The decision to redevelop the series arrives three months after Lauren Corrao was tapped to replace Karey Burke as head of originals at Freeform. The Comedy Central alum has been busy reviewing Freeform’s slate and ultimately made the decision to redevelop the property.
Barris, meanwhile, has Black-ish, Grown-ish and ABC’s rookie comedy Mixed-ish in the works for Disney. He also created and will star alongside Rashida Jones in his first Netflix series, the scripted comedy Black Excellence. That series is the first to stem from Barris’ overall deal with the streamer.
