R. Kelly Charged With 11 New Sex-Related Crimes In Chicago!
CHICAGO (AP) — Prosecutors charged R&B singer R. Kelly on Thursday with 11 new sex-related counts, including some that carry a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, making them the most serious against him.
Cook County prosecutors charged the Grammy award-winning singer with four counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, two counts of criminal sexual assault by force, two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and three counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse against a victim who was at least age 13 and under 17 at the time, The Chicago Sun-Times reported, citing court documents it posted on its website.
The four aggravated criminal sexual assault counts carry maximum terms of 30 years in prison.
Kelly was already facing 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse involving four women years ago, three of whom were minors when the alleged abuse occurred.
The new charges apparently pertain to a single victim, identified in the court filing by the initials “J.P.” Prosecutors didn’t specify in the court filing if she is the same person as one of the original four accusers who was also identified as “J.P.,” but Kelly’s defense attorney, Steve Greenberg, seemed to suggest that they are the same person in a tweet Thursday.
Greenberg didn’t immediately reply to requests for comment left by The Associated Press. The AP also couldn’t immediately reach Kelly for comment about the new charges. He pleaded not guilty to the original charges and denied any wrongdoing after his February arrest.
According to the new court filing, the first eight counts are from encounters that allegedly occurred between Jan. 1 and Jan. 31, 2010. Three others pertain to alleged encounters between May 1, 2009, and Jan. 31, 2010.
Among other things, prosecutors allege that Kelly used force or threatened to do so to pressure the accuser into sex or to perform oral sex on him. She was underage at the time, extending the statute of limitations for bringing charges to 20 years from her 18th birthday, they wrote.
Jordyn Woods To Make Acting Debut In ‘Grown-Ish’ Season 2
Jordyn Woods will guest star in an upcoming episode of the second-half of grown-ish‘s second season.
Woods announced the news on Instagram Wednesday, sharing an image from the episode as well. This is her first acting role.
When the show went on its midseason break, we saw Zoey (Yara Shahidi) essentially cut off financially by her father Dre (Anthony Anderson) after having a very unsuccessful semester at Cal U. On June 5, when the show comes back, it looks like Zoey is still going through it.
grown-ish follows Zoey (Shahidi), Dre (Anderson) and Rainbow’s (Tracee Ellis Ross) popular, entitled, stylish and socially active 17-year-old daughter from black-ish, as she heads into her freshman year of college. Shahidi is also joined onscreen by series regulars Trevor Jackson as Aaron Jackson, Jordan Buhat as Vivek Shah, Emily Arlook as Nomi Segal, Francia Raisa as Ana Torres, Chloe and Halle Bailey as Jazz and Star Forster, Deon Cole as Charlie Telphy, Luka Sabbat as Luca Hall and Diggy Simmons as Doug.
Kenya Barris, Anthony Anderson, Laurence Fishburne, Helen Sugland and E. Brian Dobbins are executive producers of the series. ABC Signature Studios produces grown-ish.
Source: Shadow & Act
WATCH: Tiffany Haddish In New Dramatic Role In New Trailer For ‘The Kitchen’
Warner Bros. has dropped the first trailer for The Kitchen. In her first major studio flick showing off her dramatic chops as opposed to her typical comedic fare, the film is led by Tiffany Haddish.
The film is set for August 9. The Kitchen is based on the DC Comics/Vertigo series by Ollie Masters and Ming Doyle and stars Melissa McCarthy and Elisabeth Moss along with Haddish. Andrea Berloff is directing the film from her script adaptation, and the film marks her directorial debut.
The Kitchen centers on the wives of mobsters (Haddish, McCarthy, Moss) who take over their husbands’ businesses after they are arrested by the FBI. It is set in the 1970s, and the wives begin running the business in an even more intimidating manner than their husbands.
Common, James Badge Dale, Jeremy Bobb, Myk Watford, Domhnall Gleeson, Margo Martindale, Bill Camp and Brian d’Arcy Jame also star.
Watch the trailer below;
Source: Shadow & Act
85 South Show Officially Announces Summer Comedy Tour Dates- With DC Young Fly, Karlous Miller, & Chico Bean
The face of the comedy tour is officially changing, and that’s thanks to DC Young Fly, Karlous Miller, and Chico Bean. What started out as a podcast, and eventually one comedy show, The 85 South Show has turned into the biggest comedy show over the last 12 months and has all of Hollywood talking.
This goes to show you the power of social media.
With that being said, more dates have been added to the monstrous comedy tour. See the pic below and try to catch the show that is being viewed in comedy circles as the biggest thing since The Original Kings Of Comedy Tour.
WATCH: Loni Love Acts As A Fake Casting Director For The 2019 Essence Festival Promo!
As we told you earlier this year, comedian and Host of The Real, Loni Love was tapped to host the 25th Anniversary of this year’s Essence Festival! It’s huge, because, believe it or not- Love is the FIRST FEMALE HOST of the Festival! How does that even happen for a Women’s magazine? Oh well, we will save that question for another day.
Anyway, check out the promo by clicking the pic below;
Comedy Dynamics To Debut Tone Bell’s New Comedy Special Titled ‘Can’t Cancel This’!
Tone Bell will release his new special, ‘Can’t Cancel This,’ June 25th on the Comedy Dynamics Network via iTunes, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, Comcast, Dish, Spectrum and more.
With recent appearances alongside Issa Rae and Regina Hall in the comedy ‘Little’ this spring, in the Netflix stoner series ‘Disjointed’ with Kathy Bates, opposite Vanessa Hudgens in ‘Dog Days,’ and more, ‘Can’t Cancel This’ is Tone’s first-ever one-hour stand-up comedy special.
“It feels good to have a body of work out there that I’m proud of. It’s like 40% nice, fun stories and perspective, then there’s some “Look, this is what it’s like: my version of being a young, black male right now.” This is my experience .. and it’s still funny. “said Tone Bell.
Founded by Brian Volk-Weiss, Comedy Dynamics is the largest independent comedy production and distribution company, and this year it earned a historic 5/5 Grammy nominations for Best Comedy Album as well as a first-of-its-kind exclusive production deal with Amazon to produce its inaugural original specials. Working with the likes of Jim Gaffigan, David Cross, Ali Wong, Tiffany Haddish, and more, Comedy Dynamics has also recently been branching out to scripted series (the coming ‘Mad About You’ reboot) and theatrical releases (the indie darling ‘Slut in a Good Way’).
Marsai Martin Of ‘Little’ And ‘black-ish’ Fame Set To Star In ‘Amari And The Night Brothers’; Don Cheadle To Produce!
Coming out on top of a bidding war, Universal Pictures has optioned the rights to Amari and the Night Brothers, the debut novel by first-time author B.B. Alston.
Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman of Mandeville Films (Beauty and the Beast, Wonder) will produce the adaptation alongside Black-ish star Marsai Martin and Josh Martin via the duo’s Genius Productions. Don Cheadle will also produce.
The project is intended to be a starring vehicle for Martin, who most recently starred in and exec produced the comedy Little for Universal.
Details about the book are being kept out of the sun, but it is known to be a middle-grade contemporary real-world fantasy centered on a black girl who goes on a journey in which she discovers her hidden powers. The book was one of the splashes of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in April where many territories around the world were sold in a heated auction. Balzer + Bray/Harper won a six-way auction for U.S. rights. A January 2021 publishing date is being eyed.
Alston, who hails from South Carolina, found his agent via #DVPit, a Twitter event where writers from underrepresented backgrounds pitch book agents.
Disney, Paramount and Sony were also among those in the running for the film rights.
Mandeville’s Naomi Funabashi sourced the book for the company alongside Genius Productions’ Prince Baggett. Senior vp production Sara Scott and creative executive Christine Sun will oversee the project for Universal.
Alston is repped by UTA and The Bent Agency. Martin is repped by WME, The Movement and Morris Yorn. Cheadle is repped by UTA.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Regina Hall To Host The 2019 BET Awards!
BET Networks, a unit of Viacom Inc. today announced actress and comedian Regina Hallas the 2019 BET Awards host. Nominated in this year’s Best Actress category, Hall takes the stage to host for the first time, joining the ranks of A-list entertainers who’ve hosted in years past, including Jamie Foxx, Leslie Jones, Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross, Chris Rock and Mo’Nique. This year’s broadcast celebrates 19 years of creating unforgettable moments and showcasing the present and future of black entertainment while honoring the unsung heroes and icons of the past. The BET Awards continues to reign as the ultimate platform showcasing the best and most beautiful aspects of the black experience, highlighting culture and serving as a driving force for social change. The 2019 BET Awards will air LIVE on Sunday, June 23, at 8 PM ET from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on BET.
Regina Hall is one of entertainment’s top leading actresses and a renowned comedian. She is best known for her leading roles in “Girls Trip” and the internationally recognized “Scary Movie” film series. Hall was the first African-American woman to be named Best Actress by the New York Film Critics Circle for her role in “Support the Girls.” Most recently, Hall executive-produced “Little” for Universal, and she can currently be seen on Showtime’s “Black Monday.” Up next, Hall will be seen in the Warner Bros. film “Shaft” opposite Samuel L. Jackson, Jessie T. Usher and Alexandra Shipp. The film is set to be released on June 14, 2019.
As previously announced, Cardi B dominates this year’s nominations with a total of seven, including Best Female Hip-Hop Artist, two separate nods in both the Best Collaboration and Video of the Year categories, Album of the Year and the Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice Award. Drake follows with five nods for Best Male Hip-Hop Artist, Video of the Year, Best Collaboration and the Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice Award. Other leading nominees include Beyoncé, Travis Scott and J. Cole, who received four nominations each. Bruno Mars, 21 Savage, Childish Gambino, H.E.R. and Ella Mai each scored three nominations.
BET Networks recognizes artists, entertainers and athletes across 20 categories with the 2019 BET Awardsnominations. The nominations are selected by BET’s Voting Academy, which is comprised of fans and an esteemed group of entertainment professionals in the fields of television, film, music, social media, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations and the creative arts.
The 2019 BET AWARDS will simulcast LIVE at 8 PM ET across seven Viacom networks in the U.S. including BET, BET HER, MTV, MTV 2, MTV Classic, VH1 and Logo. Internationally, the show will simulcast for the first time on BET Africa at 2 AM CAT on June 24, followed by international broadcasts in the U.K. on June 24 at 9 PM BST, South Korea on June 25 at 9 PM KST and France on June 25 at 9 PM CEST.
Internationally, BET will honor Best International Act in-show, along with the fan-voted category Best New International Act during the live red-carpet preshow.
Connie Orlando, Executive Vice President, Head of Programming at BET, will serve as Executive Producer for the 2019 BET Awards along with Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment.
BET Networks, an entertainment powerhouse, once again brings the BET EXPERIENCE AT L.A. LIVE (BETX), June 20-23, 2019, presented by Coca-Cola®. This four-day event will be filled with music concerts taking place at The Novo by Microsoft and the STAPLES Center; the BET Fan Fest at the Los Angeles Convention Center, including seminars, celebrity basketball games and celebrity meet and greets; and other special interactive events. The weekend will be capped off by the BET Awards on Sunday, June 23, 2019, at the Microsoft Theater. VIP Packages are the ONLY way to get BET Awards tickets, great seats to STAPLES Center shows and exclusive access throughout the biggest summer weekend in entertainment. More information and tickets and VIP packages are available at Bet.com/bet-experience.html.
Steve Harvey Set To Host Season Premiere Of ‘Celebrity Family Feud’ Featuring Chrissy Teigen And John Legend
“Team Teigen/Legend vs. Team Vanderpump Rules and Karamo Brown vs. Terry Crews” – The highly anticipated season 5 premiere of “Celebrity Family Feud,” where celebrity families compete to win cash for their charities, kicks off with model, author and TV personality Chrissy Teigen and GRAMMY® Award-winning singer/songwriter John Legend playing against restaurateur, author and TV personality Lisa Vanderpump and the cast of “Vanderpump Rules.” In the next game of the night, “Queer Eye” star and culture expert Karamo Brown will take on “America’s Got Talent” host Terry Crews. The star-studded episode airs SUNDAY, JUNE 9 (8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network, streaming and on demand.
Hosted by the highly popular stand-up comedian, actor, author and Emmy® Award-winner Steve Harvey, “Celebrity Family Feud” returns for its fifth season, kicking off ABC’s popular, expanded “Summer Fun & Games.” Once again, celebrities, along with their families, go head-to-head in a contest to name the most popular responses to survey-type questions posed to 100 people for a chance to win money for a charity of their choice.
The celebrity teams who will try to guess what the “survey said” are the following:
Team Teigen/Legend; playing for City Harvest
John Legend – recording artist
Chrissy Teigen – model, author, and TV personality
Ron Stephens – John’s brother
Pepper Teigen – Chrissy’s mom
Tina Teigen – Chrissy’s sister
VERSUS
Team “Vanderpump Rules”;playing for The Vanderpump Dog Foundation
Lisa Vanderpump – restaurateur, author and TV personality
Tom Sandoval – partner at Tom Tom and TV personality
Ariana Madix – TV personality
Tom Schwartz – partner at Tom Tom and TV personality
Katie Maloney-Schwartz – TV personality
In the next game of “Celebrity Family Feud,” the two contesting teams are the following:
Team Karamo Brown – star of “Queer Eye” and culture expert; playing for OutRight Action International
Ian Jordan – fiancé
Jason Brown – son
Charmaine Grant – mother
Kamilah Brown – sister
VERSUS
Team Terry Crews – host of “America’s Got Talent”; playing for Boys & Girls Clubs of America
Rebecca Crews – wife
Anna K. Lund – mother-in-law
Tera Crews – daughter
Azriel Crews – daughter
“Celebrity Family Feud” is produced by Fremantle and is taped in front of a live audience in Los Angeles, California. Gaby Johnston and Jennifer Mullin are executive producers.
Director F. Gary Gray Receives Star On Hollywood Walk Of Fame!
Yesterday legendary Director, F. GARY GRAY received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Grossing more at the box office than any other African American Director, his films include Friday, Set it Off, Fast 8,and the upcoming MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL.
Speaking of his latest film, MEN IN BLACK:INTERNTATIONAL opens in theaters on June, 14, 2019!
