Wanda Sykes Talks About Her First Netflix Standup Special Plus Trailer Released
Three years after Wanda Sykes’ Epix standup special, she is back with “Wanda Sykes: Not Normal,” this time for Netflix, the company she publicly called out just last year for pay inequality.
“They came in with the best offer,” Sykes tells Variety, not just referring to the money made for selling “Not Normal” to the streamer, but also the fact that they have such a large platform and do not rely on traditional ratings. “They know what their numbers are, but they don’t tell you so I’m not worried about people having to tune in at a certain time. People can watch it whenever they want to watch it, so you get that long life of the special instead of after the first two weeks then it goes away. You always get people who are just now finding it. That was really appealing.”
She notes, “If you get a special on Netflix, and if you put out a good special, and then you go out on tour, your ticket sales go up,” which also held appeal.
With her Push It Prods. banner, Sykes is also producing a standup series for Netflix. Titled “Tiffany Haddish Presents: They Ready,” it will consist of half-hour sets from up-and-coming comedians, as well as an hour special for Haddish, who also executive produces.
Sykes admits that speaking up publicly to point out how Netflix undervalued her in the past probably did have some influence on the streamer coming in more competitively now. But she also believes that executives were paying attention to “what I’ve been doing and my ticket sales” over the last few years.
“My sensibilities are pretty much the same, but I think I’ve gotten better as a performer. Before it was all about the material and relying on the jokes, but now my acting out and really performing the material has really improved,” Sykes says of the evolution of her comedy style through the years.
Sykes’ journey with Netflix is a well-documented one. In January 2018, after fellow comedian Mo’Nique accused the streamer of racial and gender bias when they offered her a significantly lower sum for a standup special than Dave Chappelle was offered, Sykes tweeted that she was offered even less: not even half of what Mo’Nique had been offered. She shared that she was “offended but found another home.”
Sykes brought that standup special “What Happened…Ms. Sykes?” to Epix, and it aired in 2016, after which she continued acting on “Black-ish” and also joined Comedy Central’s freshman comedy “The Other Two” in front of the camera.
Meanwhile, behind-the-scenes she executive produced Guy Branum’s “Talk Show the Game Show” in 2017 and acted as a consulting producer on the “Roseanne” revival in 2018. She also executive produced a standup comedy series “Unprotected Sets” for Epix in 2018.
Her approach to her material has remained evergreen, focusing first on what she thinks is funny and then honing in on what these things have in common that tie together in a larger cohesive theme or message. But the specifics of her sets mix larger scale politics with personal anecdotes about her life and family to different degrees, depending on what she wants to say at the given time.
“For me to go out and not do anything politically, it would be ignoring the orange elephant in the room. People expect me to say something. I’m a black woman and I’m a lesbian; there’s a lot of s— that’s wrong in my world right now. So for me to just go out and talk about my family and act like everything is fine, it’s like, what planet am I living on?” Sykes says.
In “Not Normal,” Sykes opens with the political by addressing the audience with, “If you voted for Trump, and you came to see me? You f—ed up again.”
That opening line was intended to speak to the theme of the special, edited down from her usual hour and a half live show to a tighter hour, in which she covers a wide array of topics she is somewhat baffled by, including Trump’s relationship with Russia, why she believes “black people need a publicist,” menopause and the difference in the definition of “playing” when white parents say it to their children versus when black parents do.
When it came to diving into politics, Sykes says her approach for “Not Normal” was to look at the “big picture” because the fact that the president spends so much time on social media alone was the element that fit into her titular theme.
“He’s tweeting something every day,” she points out. “You can’t get too micro because there’s going to be another crazy thing right after this one.”
Still, she wanted to have a balance because she does want to keep some optimism and lighter moments in her work. “Overall, I still have hope it’s going to work out. It’s going to be all right, there’s just these things we have to get past,” she explains.
Her rule for getting personal on-stage is to remember to put the comedy on herself, even in stories about her wife and kids.
“I’m showing that, ‘Hey, I mess up too.’ As a parent, we screw up sometimes; we do think these things sometimes. I don’t mind showing that yeah, I don’t have my s— together either,” she says.
Sykes is also well aware of the saturation of the standup comedy market now that Netflix has gone all in on buying specials from big names like herself, as well as those who may be able to use the platform to finally make their mark.
“There are a lot of them, but I think it’s going to come down to the quality of the special. There might be a lot of them out there, but they don’t feel special,” she says.
Therefore, her advice to other comedians getting such a break is to make sure they are memorable. “Don’t go up there and just do a set that you’d do at a club,” she says she tells up-and-comers, just as Chris Rock told her before her first special — which was what he said Andrew Dice Clay told him before his first special.
“You want people to walk out and talk about a joke you did or remember a joke you did. You have to set yourself apart.”
By DANIELLE TURCHIANO
“Wanda Sykes: Not Normal” streams May 21 on Netflix.
Source: Variety
BET Networks Announces Official Nominations For the 2019 “BET AWARDS”
New York, NY (May 16, 2019) – The 2019 “BET AWARDS” returns live from the Microsoft Theater at LA Live on June 23rd, to celebrate the brightest stars across music, television, film, sports, and philanthropy. Today, BET Networks announces the 2019 nominees with Cardi B leading the pack. The starlet earned an impressive seven nominations, 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.’ Beyoncé, Travis Scott and J. Cole all scored four nominations each, while Bruno Mars, 21 Savage, Childish Gambino, H.E.R. and Ella Mai each received three nominations.
In its nineteenth year, the “BET AWARDS” continues its reign as the ultimate platform showcasing the best and most beautiful aspects of the Black experience – celebrating not only the present and future of Black music, but also elevating the culture and being a driving force for social change. BET Networks recognizes artists, entertainers, and athletes across 20 categories with the 2019 “BET Awards” nominations. 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 8PM ET across seven Viacom networks in the US 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 2am CAT on June 24th, followed by international broadcasts in the UK on June 24that 9:00pm BST, South Korea on June 25th at 9pm KST and in France on June 25th at 9pm 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 pre-show.
“18 years ago we launched the BET Awards and since then we have celebrated cool in ways that can’t be duplicated elsewhere. From Michael Jackson and James Brown busting dance moves together to Monique paying homage to Beyoncé in an unforgettable dance number to BET reuniting the Fugees we have set the tone for what cool looks like. This year we are even more so committed to continuing to create the unforgettable moments that have made the BET Awards the preeminent celebration of black culture. From the entire BET family, we congratulate each nominee and look forward to celebrating their talent and contributions at the ‘2019 BET Awards’.” – Connie Orlando, Executive Vice President, Head of Programming at BET.
The complete list of nominees for the 2019 “BET AWARDS” are:
Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
BEYONCÉ
ELLA MAI
H.E.R.
SOLANGE
SZA
TEYANA TAYLOR
Best Male R&B/Pop Artist
ANDERSON .PAAK
BRUNO MARS
CHILDISH GAMBINO
CHRIS BROWN
JOHN LEGEND
KHALID
Best Group
CHLOE X HALLE
CITY GIRLS
LIL BABY & GUNNA
MIGOS
THE CARTERS
Best Collaboration
21 SAVAGE FT. J. COLE A LOT
CARDI B & BRUNO MARS PLEASE ME
CARDI B FT. BAD BUNNY & J BALVIN I LIKE IT
H.E.R. FT. BRYSON TILLER COULD’VE BEEN
TRAVIS SCOTT FT. DRAKE SICKO MODE
TYGA FT. OFFSET TASTE
Best Male Hip Hop Artist
21 SAVAGE
DRAKE
J. COLE
MEEK MILL
NIPSEY HUSSLE
TRAVIS SCOTT
Best Female Hip Hop Artist
CARDI B
KASH DOLL
LIZZO
MEGAN THEE STALLION
NICKI MINAJ
REMY MA
Video of the Year
21 SAVAGE A LOT FT. J. COLE
CARDI B MONEY
CARDI B & BRUNO MARS PLEASE ME
CHILDISH GAMBINO THIS IS AMERICA
DRAKE NICE FOR WHAT
THE CARTERS APES**T
Video Director of the Year
BENNY BOOM
COLIN TILLEY
DAVE MEYERS
HYPE WILLIAMS
KARENA EVANS
Best New Artist
BLUEFACE
CITY GIRLS
JUICE WRLD
LIL BABY
QUEEN NAIJA
Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award
ERICA CAMPBELL FT. WARRYN CAMPBELL ALL OF MY LIFE
FRED HAMMOND TELL ME WHERE IT HURTS
KIRK FRANKLIN LOVE THEORY
SNOOP DOGG FT. RANCE ALLEN BLESSING ME AGAIN
TORI KELLY FT. KIRK FRANKLIN NEVER ALONE
Best International Act
AKA (SOUTH AFRICA)
AYA NAKAMURA (FRANCE)
BURNA BOY (NIGERIA)
DAVE (UK)
DOSSEH (FRANCE)
GIGGS (UK)
MR. EAZI (NIGERIA)
Best New International Act – (Fan Voted Category)
HEADIE ONE (UK)
JOKAIR (FRANCE)
NESLY (FRANCE)
OCTAVIAN (UK)
SHO MADJODZI (AFRICA)
TENIOLA APATA (AFRICA)
Best Actress
ISSA RAE
REGINA HALL
REGINA KING
TARAJI P. HENSON
TIFFANY HADDISH
VIOLA DAVIS
Best Actor
ANTHONY ANDERSON
CHADWICK BOSEMAN
DENZEL WASHINGTON
MAHERSHALA ALI
MICHAEL B. JORDAN
OMARI HARDWICK
YoungStars Award
CALEB MCLAUGHLIN
LYRIC ROSS
MARSAI MARTIN
MICHAEL RAINEY JR.
MILES BROWN
Best Movie
BLACKKKLANSMAN
CREED 2
IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE
THE HATE U GIVE
Sportswoman of the Year
ALLYSON FELIX
CANDACE PARKER
NAOMI OSAKA
SERENA WILLIAMS
SIMONE BILES
Sportsman of the Year
KEVIN DURANT
LEBRON JAMES
ODELL BECKHAM JR.
STEPHEN CURRY
TIGER WOODS
Album of the Year
ASTROWORLD TRAVIS SCOTT
CHAMPIONSHIPS MEEK MILL
ELLA MAI ELLA MAI
EVERYTHING IS LOVE THE CARTERS
INVASION OF PRIVACY CARDI B
2019 Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice Award
CARDI B, BAD BUNNY & J BALVIN I LIKE IT
CHILDISH GAMBINO THIS IS AMERICA
DRAKE IN MY FEELINGS
ELLA MAI TRIP
J. COLE MIDDLE CHILD
TRAVIS SCOTT FT. DRAKE SICKO MODE
BET Her Award
ALICIA KEYS RAISE A MAN
CIARA LEVEL UP
H.E.R. HARD PLACE
JANELLE MONÁE PYNK
QUEEN NAIJA MAMA’S HAND
TEYANA TAYLOR ROSE IN HARLEM
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 STAPLES Center; the BET Fan Fest at the Los Angeles Convention Center including seminars, celebrity basketball games, celebrity meet & greets; and other special interactive events. The weekend will be capped off with the “BET Awards” on Sunday, June 23, 2019 at 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 available at Bet.com/bet-experience.html.
Follow the Experience on Twitter and Instagram at @betexperience.
Is Jamie Foxx To Star In ‘The Wild Bunch’ Remake?
While Mel Gibson is attached to act in several films being sold in Cannes, he is getting closer to the next project he’ll direct, The Wild Bunch. According to several reports from industry sites, word is that Jamie Foxx will be joined by Michael Fassbender, and Peter Dinklage who are all in talks to take part in the contemporized remake of the 1969 Sam Peckinpah Western about a group of aging outlaws looking for one last score.
This comes as interesting news because Denzel Washington was set a few years back to tackle this film with Antoine Fuqua to direct.
Anway, producer Brian Bagby wrote the script with Gibson, and Jerry Bruckheimer is producing. Warner Bros is financing and releasing. Deals aren’t done but sources said the film looks on course to begin production in the fall.
The film will be Gibson’s first film as director since 2016’s Hacksaw Ridge, which won two Oscars and received four other nominations including Best Picture and Best Director.
Will Smith, Queen Latifah To Produce Hip-Hop Romeo And Juliet Story For Netflix
Solvan “Slick” Naim will direct.
A hip-hop musical take on Romeo and Juliet is in the works at Netflix with Will Smith and Queen Latifah set to produce.
The film is described as a contemporary musical take on William Shakespeare’s tragedy set against the urban rhythms of New York. The love story follows a young waitress from the streets of Brooklyn and an aspiring musician from a wealthy family whose unconventional romance forces them to confront their life choices.
Solvan “Slick” Naim, who is behind the streamer’s upcoming series It’s Bruno, will direct from a script he wrote with Dave Broome.
Latifah and Shakim Compere will produce via their Flavor Unit Entertainment banner, along with Broome and Yong Yam for 25/7 Productions. Smith will act as an executive producer under his Overbrook Entertainment, with James Lassiter and Caleeb Pinkett.
Naim’s other directing credits include episodes of Baz Luhrman’s The Get Down, Starz’s Power and FX’s Snowfall. He is repped by CAA, Fourth Wall Management and Ziffren Brittenham.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
R&B Singer Tank To Officially Start To Perform Stand Up Comedy?!
According to our sources, we hear that Durrell Babbs, (known to the world as R&B singer Tank), is seriously considering an additional career as a stand-up comedian!
This news really does NOT come to a surprise to those in Hollywood or his fan base as they have seen the transition of Tank in comedy for years, especially during his shows. If you aren’t a fan and have missed all of his shows, Tank is known for comedy bits between his performances.
Now, it seems that he’s taken his comedy a step further as he was seen performing by one of the Plastic Cup Boys, Na’im Lynn, and he posted it online on Instagram. Check out the post and Tank’s response below.
We will be working on catching him on stage, performing comedy.
Whoopi Goldberg Officially Launches Her Own Clothing Line!
Believe it or not, Whoopi Goldberg is a staple in the fashion community. During every New York Fashion Week, you can spot her sitting front row observing the art as it walks down the runway. Her relaxed style and zest for quirky footwear hasn’t gone unnoticed.
The actress, producer, philanthropist, and talk show host has decided to add designer to her long list of accolades. Her brand, DUGBEE by Whoopi, is a collection of hoodies and sweatshirts that send a strong message of equality. Per the brand’s social media page, “DUGBEE has no race, creed, age or size. It’s meant to make you feel good about how you look and feel.”
Source: RickeySmiley.com
WATCH: New Trailer Featuring Jada Pinket-Smith In ‘Angel Has Fallen’
Lionsgate has just released their newest trailer for their action-thriller centered around the secret service titled Angel Has Fallen. The film stars surprises as it also features Jada Pinket-Smith as she joins the cast of Morgan Freeman, Lance Riddick, and Gerad Butler.
The film follows Secret Service Agent Mike Banning as he is framed for the attempted assassination of the President and must evade his own agency and the FBI as he tries to uncover the real threat, which is a different storyline of the character from Olympus Has Fallen and London Has Fallen where Banning saved the President of the United States and saved London in the two previous films.
Watch the new trailer below:
David Alan Grier Lands In New Netflix Comedy Film Titled ‘Coffee & Kareem’!
Veteran actor and comedian David Alan Grier is set to play opposite Taraji P. Henson and Ed Helms in the Michael Dowse-directed Netflix comedy, Coffee & Kareem. Based on Shane McCarthy’s 2014 Black List script, the film follows a Detroit cop who reluctantly teams with his girlfriend’s 11-year-old son to clear his name and take down the city’s most ruthless criminal.
Also part of the cast is Betty Gilpin, Andrew “King Bach” Bachelor, RonReaco Lee, and rising star Terrence Little Gardenhigh.
Helms and Mike Falbo are producing via their Pacific Electric Pictures Co banner. Sanford Nelson, Jordon Foss, Linden Nelson, Don Foss, and Dan Clarke will serve as executive producers.
Grier starred on Fox’s short-lived comedy series, The Cool Kids, and was recently seen in the HBO film, Native Son. Up next, the In Living Color alum has a guest-starring arc on OWN’s Queen Sugar this summer.
He’s repped by Activist Management and Innovative Artists.
Source: Deadline
Chris Rock To Relaunch ‘Saw’ Horror Franchise With Lionsgate
Chris Rock, the comedian known for his standup and his work on Saturday Night Live, and producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules, have teamed up to re-launch the Saw horror franchise for Lionsgate.The movie company, which releases John Wick 3 on Friday, is moving quickly on the project, which is described as a re-imagining and a spinning-off of the franchise, and has set an Oct. 23, 2020 release date for the new iteration.
The movies, released between 2004 and 2017, grossed over $1 billion for Lionsgate, and centered on a serial killer named Jigsaw and his followers who concocted elaborate death traps with a moral hook for the victims. The initial movie launched the career of filmmaker James Wan and are among the most profitable movies produced.
“When Chris Rock came to us and described in chilling detail his fantastic vision that reimagines and spins-off the world of the notorious Jigsaw Killer, we were all-in,” said Lionsgate motion picture group chairman Joe Drake in a statement. “Saw is one of the highest grossing horror franchises of all-time and it’s one of Lionsgate’s most successful film series. This upcoming film will still be as mind-bending and intense as all the previous Saw films. Chris conceived this idea and it will be completely reverential to the legacy of the material while reinvigorating the brand with his wit, creative vision, and passion for this classic horror franchise.”
The screenplay is based on a story conceived by Rock and written by Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg. Darren Lynn Bousman, who helmed three of the eight movies in the Saw series, is back as helmer. with Burg and Koules producing.
“I’ve been a fan of Saw since the first film in 2004,” said Rock in Lionsgate’s announcement. “I am excited by the opportunity to take this to a really intense and twisted new place.”
Rock is also exec producing, with Wan and Leigh Whannell, who created the original 2004 movie, as well as Daniel Heffner joining him in that capacity.
Stated Burg and Koules: “Chris wants to put his own spin on the Saw franchise in the way Eddie Murphy put a completely fresh perspective on buddy-cop films with 48 Hours. This new Saw is going to be an event film in the making for horror fans. It will have all of the twists and turns and hardcore layers that our fans expect directed by one of the masters of the craft, Darren Lynn Bousman. We can’t wait to get started,.”
Rock will next be seen in Netflix’s Dolemite is My Name! as well as season four of FX’s Fargo.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Netflix Releases New Trailer & Release Date For ‘Black Mirror’ Season 5 Starring Anthony Mackie, Miley Cyrus
Netflix has set a June 5 premiere date for Black Mirror‘s three-story Season 5, with Anthony Mackie and Miley Cyrus among the cast in the stand-alone episodes. Check out the new trailer above.
Also featured in the Season 5 cast is Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Topher Grace, Damson Idris, Andrew Scott, Nicole Beharie, Pom Klementieff, Angourie Rice, Madison Davenport and Ludi Lin.
All three episodes will launch Wednesday, June 5, on the streaming service. The series was created and is written by Charlie Brooker, and executive produced by Brooker and Annabel Jones.
Netflix describes the anthology series as tapping into “our collective unease with the modern world, with each stand-alone episode a sharp, suspenseful tale exploring themes of contemporary techno-paranoia leading to an unforgettable – and sometimes unsettling – conclusion. Without questioning it, technology has transformed all aspects of our lives; in every home; on every desk; in every palm – a plasma screen; a monitor; a Smartphone – a Black Mirror reflecting our 21st Century existence back at us.”
Though specific Season 5 episode synopses were not released, the trailer offers some hints: There’s a lonely teen girl who first seems charmed, then haunted, by a Siri-like doll (“It’s not a doll,” she says, “that thing’s poison”), and Miley seems to play a Cyrus-like pop star with 20,000 fans waiting for her onstage arrival. There’s a man with a gun, who seems to have some sort of public freak-out over all the electronic eyes following him, and finally a sort of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon fantasy scene. In other words, it’s all very Black Mirror. At one point, words flash on the screen: “love,” “privacy,” “sex,” “work,” “afterlife.” Hmm, afterlife?
The Season Five launch marks the first of Black Mirror since last December’s post-Season 4 stand-alone interactive Netflix movie “Bandersnatch,” in which viewers could make choices for the main character, video-game style.
