On This Day In Comedy… In 1963 The Comedian Known As Earthquake Was Born!
On this day in comedy on May 29, 1963, the comedian known as Earthquake was born!
Actor, Voice-Over Artist, Radio Personality and stand-up comedian, Earthquake was born Nathaniel Stroman in Washington, DC and he guarded his secret identity, so it was only known to his bank and dry cleaners. Under his persona of Earthquake, Stroman shot comedy specials for HBO, appeared in the Kevin Smith film, Clerks II and the movie Longshots. On the TV front, Earthquake had a recurring role in Everybody Hates Chris and he supplied to voice of Root the Rooster in the film and video of Back at the Barnyard.
The stage moniker was coined by his mother. Seems she had tried to avoid having this child. She’d used the diaphragm and condoms, but Nathaniel came into the world anyway. So, she decided to name him after a natural disaster and he’s been wreaking house ever since. However, before he pursued his destiny, Quake was sidetracked with the more pressing business of living. His mother raised him in a poverty-stricken part of town. It wasn’t until after lunch was served at school that Quake had the strength to concentrate on his studies. Meaning he was a half-ass student because he could focus for half the day. His report card was sprinkled with “F” s.
Despite his academic failings, Earthquake showed promise as a cut-up. He was the class clown always getting laughs out of the other kids. When he thought about it later in life it upset him that none of his teachers had the vision or forethought to point him in the direction of a performer.
Without clear-cut guidance Earthquake enlisted in the Air Force right out of high school. He stayed there for eleven years, where he saw the world and got out of his mother’s house and the corruptive neighborhood where it sat. The military looked like the snug fit Earthquake had been searching for. He’d found his niche in life and was content to be a career military man. Then the Gulf War hit and the last man you would’ve ever suspected became a conscientious objector. Earthquake refused to fight in a war aimed a killing brown people and taking their oil. He was dishonorably discharged.
Prior to letting his convictions point him in his own direction, the military had given Earthquake an option he’d never considered. There was a talent show, “Tops and Blues”. He entered it and was bitten. Once out of the service he dug into comedy, gigging in dinky clubs and holes-in-the-wall, until he was good enough to ask for and receive money for his time. He also contributed to Steve Harvey’s Morning radio show. Before long he had his own spot – The Uptown Comedy Corner in the Buckhead District of Atlanta, Georgia. He as the host and the hottest talent in Black comedy came through his club. This gave him much needed exposure. He opened up two more clubs: one in Dallas the other in Atlanta.
Earthquake took advantage of the Black Comedy Boom of the early 1990s and was seen on the major stand-up shows of the day; most notably, BETs Comic View and HBO’s Def Comedy Jam. His performance on the latter was so well received that he was recruited to be on the Def Comedy Jam Tour. From there his career blossomed.
Touring was the hot ticket for comedians during the boom and Earthquake was no exception. Besides, the Def Jam Tour he also joined the Latham Entertainment Presents Comedy Tour in 2002. In 2005 he did “About Goddamn Time”, the All-Star Def Comedy Jam in 2007 and TBS’s Comedy Festival Lollapalooza in 2008. Earthquake was the main attraction on Shaq’s All-Star Comedy Jam Special in 2009 and in 2011 he popped up on TV One’s Way Black When. 2013 saw Earthquake make a high-profile appearance on ABC’s The View as a favorite of co-host, Whoopi Goldberg and also a return to radio. He was full time on station WBLS during the weekdays until his departure in 2016.
On This Day In Comedy… In 2004 ‘Soul Plane’ Was Released By Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer
On this day in comedy on May 28, 2004, Soul Plane was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer
Labeled as a comedy, Soul Plane became known as a disaster film and the first major casualty of the “DVD Bootleg Era”. The flick was out on the streets before the premiere. At the box office it lost money big time, but out-of-the-trunk-of-cars it was a resounding hit. Everybody saw it – liked it or not. Based on a popular comedic premise of the time about “what if there was a black airline?”, Soul Plane misses none of the stereotypes prevalent during that period.
In Kevin Hart’s first starring movie role, he plays the guy who owns the black airline. After digesting some bad stroganoff and getting the bubblies on a standard airline, Hart is stuck in a malfunctioning toilet while his dog is sucked through the jet engine. So, he sues and uses his newfound fortune to buy, what else? – his own airline. Dice hanging from the rearview mirror in the cockpit, malt liquor being served, a disco, a casino, a strip club, a hot tub, spinners, and hydraulics are welcome additions for the predominantly black patrons. The white fliers are a family of one and before the flight ends the wife (Missi Pyle) is turned on by brothers, the daughter is intent on screwing a brother, the little boy (Ryan Pinkston) goes wigger and dad (Tom Arnold) hooks up with security guard, Mo’Nique.
Hart’s airline (departing out of Malcolm X Terminal) is fine until they take off. The pilot (Snoop Dogg) is scared of heights and has to fly low. Doesn’t matter for long because he “dies” after taking some mushrooms that didn’t agree with him. Now it’s up to Hart to land his own plane and with the help of a flight attendant (Sophia Vergara) he pulls it off. Yay!
Soul Plane was directed by Jessy Terrero and written by Bo Zenga and Chuck Wilson. It co-starred D. L. Hughley, Method Man, Loni Love, K D Aubert, Sommore, Queen Latifah, John Witherspoon, Lil Jon, Ying Yang Twins, Richard T. Jones, Brian Hooks, Bernie Mac, Arielle Kebbel, Gary Anthony Williams and Godfrey. On a budget of $16 million, Soul Plane took in $14,190,750 in the US and $631,596 overseas for a worldwide box office take of $14,822,346.
On This Day In Comedy… In 1998 ‘I Got The Hook-Up’ Was Released By Miramax Films
On this day in comedy on May 27, 1998, I Got the Hook-Up was released by Miramax Films
This was a pure Master P production. As No Limit Records’ first film he co-wrote it, co-produced it, did some of the music and co-stars in this tale of two merchandise-is-in-their-van hustlers who come up when a mistake is made. Thanks to dumb luck they (Master P and A J Johnson) now have a fleet of erroneously delivered cell phones in a mobile phone hungry hood. Eureka! Of course whenever there’s new money to be made, local gangsters always want their cut and whenever there’s criminals the authorities get involved and in the movies that usually means the FBI to make it seem even more important.
I Got the Hook-Up features the acting talents of Ice Cube, C-Murder, Tiny Lister, Mystikal, Mr. Serv-On, Fiend, Mia X and Snoop Dogg. Also getting their thespian on was Sheryl Underwood, Tangie Ambrose, Helen martin, Joe Estevez, Richard Keats, Gretchen Palmer, Anthony Boswell, Frantz Turner, Harrison White and John Witherspoon.
The film was directed by Michael Martin and distributed by Dimension Films. The soundtrack made it to #1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and #3 on the Billboard 200. On a budget of $3.5 million, I Got the Hook-Up grossed $10,317,779 at the box office.
On This Day In Comedy… In 1970 ‘Cotton Comes To Harlem’ Was Released By United Artist
On this day in comedy on May 26, 1970, Cotton Comes to Harlem was released by United Artist
Based on the Chester Himes novel this Ossie Davis directed hit starred Godfrey Cambridge and Raymond St. Jacques. It was co-written by Davis and Arnold Perl and the theme song (which was sung by Melba Moore) was also written by . . . Ossie Davis. Oh, and by the way Cotton Comes to Harlem marks the screen debut of Calvin Lockhart, Judy Pace, Cleavon Little and Redd Foxx as a junk dealer.
The story revolves around a back-to-Africa movement and $87,000 in stolen cash. Seems the crooks stuffed their loot into a bale of cotton and dumped it on the streets during their high-speed getaway. Two Harlem detectives are assigned to find the cash, but everybody else who heard about it feels it’s their obligation and duty as well and the citywide hunt is on. There’s shootouts, more car chases, sexy women, gangsters and a whole lot of jive talking. It was considered a Blaxploitation film. What would you expect?
Cotton Comes to Harlem boasts an impressive cast of 1970s character actors: Theodore Wilson, Don “Bubba” Bexley, John Anderson, Eugene Roche, J. D. Cannon, Lou Jacobi, Emily Yancy, Dick Sabol and Mabel Robinson. Produced on a budget of $1.2 million the film grossed $5.2 million making it one of the most commercially successful films starring blacks in Hollywood history and it spawned the sequel, Come Back Charleston Blue (which was not written, directed or theme song composed by Ossie Davis).
On This Day In Comedy… In 1994 ‘Beverly Hills Cop III’ Was Released By Paramount Pictures
On this day in comedy on May 25, 1994, Beverly Hills Cop III was released by Paramount Pictures
This third installment in the trilogy reteams Eddie Murphy and director, John Landis. They worked previously on the comedy classics, Trading Places and Coming to America. This film does not follow that tradition. In Beverly Hills Cop III Murphy reprises his signature role of Axel Foley, the wisecracking detective from Detroit who always finds himself in Beverly Hills. This time it’s because somebody killed his boss (as opposed to his friend) and Murphy has to get to the bottom of it and the only place to do that is any place but where the murder took place.
On this outing, the suspects are counterfeiters (as opposed to drug or gun runners). Murphy hooks up with the newly promoted Billy Rosewood from the first two films (Ronny Cox and John Ashton reportedly passed once they did a little thing like read the script) and his new partner and it’s on and cracking. They’re off to Wonder World in Encino, California (but it was really in Santa Clara) where Murphy gets to know Theresa Randle. Naturally, his cover is blown when he’s caught snooping around where he doesn’t belong and now they’re out to kill him. Even more naturally he avoids all that murder-the-star nonsense and triumphs triumphantly at the climatic end. The owner of Wonder World is so grateful he names a new theme park character he made up in his old hospital ridden head after Murphy, Axel Fox. Corny end to a similar toned flick.
However, despite being critically lambasted, Beverly Hills Cop III had a good cast: Judge Reinhold, Jon Tenney, Hector Elizondo, Alan Young, Joey Travolta, Stephen McHattie, John Saxon, Timothy Carhart, Michael Bowen and Bronson Pinchot. And besides the action sequences, one of the highlights of the film were the cameos. George Lucas, John Singleton, Barbet Schroeder, Jerry Dunphy, Ray Harryhausen, Arthur Hiller, Joe Dante and Robert B. Sherman appear (composing brother Richard Sherman shot, but it didn’t make the final edit).
Beverly Hills Cop III was made on a reported budget of $50 million and grossed $42 million domestically and $77.2 internationally for a worldwide box office gross of $119.2 million.
DJ Envy Of Power 105’s The Breakfast Club, Lands New Docu-Comedy Titled ‘Gold With Envy’ On Bravo!
DJ Envy currently co-hosts Power 105’s The Breakfast Club, but the syndicated radio show won’t be the only place you can see Envy in the coming months. According to a May 21 report from Variety, cable network Bravo has ordered 11 new shows, including a new docu-comedy about the radio personality and his family titled Gold With Envy.
According to the official description for the upcoming show, the series will follow Envy and his wife Gia as they attempt to balance their hectic lives. The show will also feature a cast that includes friends, extended family and their five children, as the couple “works to keep up the street cred that has made them a household name.”
Gold With Envy will be produced by Truly Original, while Steven Weinstock, Glenda Hersh and Lauren Eskelin will serve as executive producers. Envy and his wife will also work as co-executive producers.
“Bravo offers a wide scope of programming that gives viewers many options to escape their normal reality mixing humor and fun with layered storytelling resulting in addictive series that offer unique worlds and characters,” said Rachel Smith, senior vice president of development for Bravo Media.
“With this new slate of development, we’re testing unexpected environments and loud formats that aim to attract a wide audience while staying true to what makes Bravo so distinct,” she continued.
The DJ celebrated the news on Instagram, posting a screenshot of the report and writing, “@bravotv + TheCaseyCrew = A Real Family Show… CoExecutive Producer – Raashaun & Gia Casey. Envy’s real name is Raashaun Casey.
Source: XXL
Lebron James And Channing Tatum Pitch New Comedy ‘Public Enemy’ For New Line
New Line has acquired the pitch “Public Enemy” with LeBron James and Channing Tatum’s production companies, SpringHill Entertainment and Free Association, on as producers.
Lucas Carter will pen the script, which is a subversive action-comedy that looks at the speed of media in our current landscape.
James and his SpringHill Entertainment partner, Maverick Carter, will produce. Spencer Beighley and Jamal Henderson will oversee for SpringHill. Michael Parets and Andrew Schneider will oversee for Free Association.
SpringHill has been active recently in setting up a strong slate, and New Line has been particularly interested in its material, as the two are currently working on a “House Party” reboot. SpringHill also recently sold a pitch to Legendary called “Hustle,” and is also exec producing the Netflix limited series “On Her Own Ground” starring Octavia Spencer.
SpringHill is repped by WME and Ziffren Brittenham.
Carter previously sold the pitch “The Gun Show” to Paramount with Michael Bay producing. He is also writing/creating and executive producing his first series “The Paperhanger” at ABC Signature, based on the acclaimed William Gay short story, with Ben Younger attached to direct. Carter is repped by UTA, Echo Lake, and Gang Tyre Ramer Brown & Passman.
Free Association, who is repped by UTA and Management 360, produced the “21 Jump Street” and “Magic Mike” franchises. Most recently, the company has produced “Logan Lucky” and the Amazon series “Comrade Detective.”
Source: Variety
Idris Elba To Star In ‘Hunchback Of Notre Dame’ For Netflix
Idris Elba will star as the Hunchback of Notre Dame for Netflix.
The Golden Globe winner will also direct and produce the project under his Green Door production shingle, and will also be producing original music for the feature, which is being described as a “sonic and musical experience.”
The Hunchback of Notre Dame, whichisperhaps best known as the ’90s Disney animated adaptation, is a 19th century gothic romance that follows Quasimodo, a hunchback, who falls in love with the gypsy Esmeralda.
Michael Mitnick, the scripter behind The Current War and The Giver, will write the modern day re-telling of the Victor Hugo classic.
Fred Berger (La La Land) and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones (Midnight Special) will produce for Automatik, along with Elba and Green Door’s Ana Garanito.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame is Elba’s latest foray into behind the camera work, having made his directorial debut this year with Sundance drama Yardie. He created and will star and exec produce comedy Turn Up Charlie that was ordered straight-to-series by Netflix.
Elba, who is repped by WME and the U.K.’s Artists Partnership, is currently in theaters with Avengers: Infiinity War. Minick is repped by WME, Grandview and Sloane Offer.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Cedric The Entertainer Considering Reunion With The Late Bernie Mac Through Hologram Tour
According to AceShowBiz, Cedric The Entertainer has entertained the idea of reuniting the “Original Kings of Comedy”, complete with the late Bernie Mac.
The funnyman tells the Huffington Post that the idea of taking Bernie’s hologram on tour was something he considered seriously for a while.
“It did come about, it was one of those things,” he says. “The technology was supposedly getting a lot better, and maybe we would do a short bit where we put Bernie up in this hologram situation. It was gonna be an expensive task.”
Cedric also reveals he, Steve Harvey, and D.L. Hughley were close to hitting the road together again when Bernie fell ill.
“We tried, we were very close,” he adds. “We had a couple of scripted ideas, and then we had the idea of just getting back together to do a mini-tour. It was right around the time Bernie was ill.”
Mac, real name Bernard Jeffrey McCullough, died in August, 2008, aged 50.
Source: AceShowBiz
CBS Announces Premiere Date For ‘TKO: Total Knock Out’ Hosted By Kevin Hart
CBS today announced premiere dates for its summer schedule, including the obstacle course challenge TKO: TOTAL KNOCK OUT hosted by global superstar Kevin Hart; the 20th season of perennial summer favorite BIG BROTHER; and the return of thriller SALVATION.
Suspense thriller SALVATION premieres Monday, June 25 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT). In season two, the world has learned about the impending threat of an asteroid on a COLLISION COURSE with earth. The question is: will the truth bring out the best…or the worst in humanity? All-new episodes of ELEMENTARY will follow at 10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT.
BIG BROTHER, hosted by Julie Chen and celebrating its 20th season, will once again have three weekly episodes. The hit reality series debuts with a special two-hour premiere on Wednesday, June 27 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT), followed by the Thursday episode on June 28 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) and the Sunday broadcast on July 1(8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT). On Wednesday, July 4, the show moves to 9:00 PM for the remainder of its Wednesday run. Last summer, all three editions of BIG BROTHER ranked in the summer’s top 10 in viewers and all key demos.
Beginning Wednesday, July 11 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT), CBS will present a remarkable new obstacle course challenge hosted by Kevin Hart, TKO: TOTAL KNOCK OUT from executive producer Mark Burnett. The game features one player racing through daunting obstacles while the other contestants are determined to knock them off course with huge projectiles.
About TKO: TOTAL KNOCK OUT
TKO: TOTAL KNOCK OUT is an obstacle course series with a twist. The game features one player racing through daunting obstacles while the other contestants are manning battle stations along the course, firing over-the-top projectiles in an attempt to knock them off and slow them down. Actor/comedian and global superstar Kevin Hart will take on the role of host for the first time in his career. TKO: TOTAL KNOCK OUT is produced by MGM Television and distributed internationally by MGM. Mark Burnett, President, MGM Television Group and Digital, and BARRY Poznick, President, Unscripted Television, MGM, are executive producers along with Kevin Hart, Holly Wofford and Jane Y. Mun. TKO is an original format created by Steve Hughes and Sean Kelly of Shaggy Entertainment, Inc.
About BIG BROTHER
Returning for a 20th season, BIG BROTHER follows a group of people living together in a house outfitted with 94 HD cameras and more than 113 microphones, recording their every move 24 hours a day. Each week, someone will be voted out of the house, with the last remaining Houseguest receiving the grand prize of $500,000. BIG BROTHER is produced by Emmy Award-winning producer Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan for Fly on THE WALL Entertainment, in association with Endemol Shine North America.
About SALVATION
SALVATION is a suspense thriller that centers on Liam Cole, an MIT grad student, and Darius Tanz, a tech superstar, who bring Pentagon official Grace Barrows a staggering discovery – that an asteroid is just six months away from colliding with Earth. In season two, the secret is out – the world learns the truth about the impending threat of an asteroid on a COLLISION COURSE with earth. The question is: will the truth bring out the best…or the worst in us? The answer, of course, is both. The series stars Santiago Cabrera, Jennifer Finnigan, Charlie Rowe, Jacqueline Byers, Melia Kreiling, Ashley Thomas and Ian Anthony Dale. Liz Kruger, Craig Shapiro, Alex Kurtzman, Heather Kadin, Stuart Gillard, Grace Gilroy and Peter Lenkov are the executive producers for CBS Television Studios in association with Secret Hideout.
CBS’ SUMMER 2018 SCHEDULE
Monday, June 25
9:00-10:00 PM
SALVATION (2nd Season Premiere)
10:00-11:00 PM
ELEMENTARY
Wednesday, June 27
8:00-10:00 PM
BIG BROTHER (2-Hour 20th Season Premiere)
Thursday, June 28
9:00-10:00 PM
BIG BROTHER (Thursday Premiere)
Sunday, July 1
8:00-9:00 PM
BIG BROTHER (Sunday Premiere)
Wednesday, July 4
9:00-10:00 PM
BIG BROTHER (Moves to regular Wednesday time period)
