On this day in comedy on May 16, 1967, Comedian, Actress, Sommore (Lori Ann Rambough) born in Trenton, NJ
A Catholic school graduate, Sommore’s original path was business administration, which she studied at Morris Brown College in Atlanta, GA, but somewhere in there, comedy became her business. The comedy community first took notice when she came from nowhere and won the prestigious Birdland Comedy Competition in California. Her next major victory was becoming the first female host of BET Comic View in 1995.
Her successful tenure on Comic View established her as one of the top stand-ups in Black comedy. She quickly landed guest-starring sitcom roles (The Hughleys, The Parkers) and appearances on Def Jam, Oprah Winfrey, The Tonight Show Comics Unleashed and Nick Cannon’s Wild N Out.
In 2001 Sommore toured internationally, as ¼ of the Original Queens of Comedy and starred in the film and best-selling comedy DVDs. The other Queens were Miss Laura Hayes, Adele Givens and Mo’Nique. Other films included Friday After Next, Miami Tail, Soul Plane Something New and Dirty Laundry. She’s done comedy specials, kicked knowledge in documentaries (Why We Laugh) and roasted Flavor Flav.
Sommore won Celebrity Fit Club on television, hosted Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta and tours regularly as a top stand-up and comedy attraction.
By Darryl “D’Militant Littleton
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On this day in comedy on May 13, 1949, Comedian, Writer, Actor, Franklyn Ajaye was born in Brooklyn, New York
Dubbed “The Jazz Comedian” by his admiring peers for his improvisational comedic style, Ajaye was always more artist than fame seeker. A contemporary of mega-star, Richard Pryor, Ajaye shunned the confining and debilitating effects of stardom after witnessing firsthand those effects had on Pryor the man and comedian. Ajaye disdained being put under the show biz microscope. He just wanted to be funny and get paid for it. Hanging out at comedy clubs when he wasn’t working or with comics he wasn’t working with wasn’t his style.
Ajaye had dropped out of college to become a comedian. His original goal was to become a lawyer, but all that flew out the window when he gave stand-up a try at the encouragement of classmates who thought he was funny and knew law was history. After giving himself a crash course in the art of levity he was ready to work it. Ajaye’s first national recognition was on The Flip Wilson Show in 1973, the same year he released his first comedy album, Franklyn Ajaye, Comedian. In 1974 he debuted on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and dropped his second LP, I’m a Comedian, Seriously.
Franklyn Ajaye’s known as a strong influence among the generations that followed him. He was smart, insightful and above all funny in a broad range of mediums. There were movies: Sweet Revenge, Car Wash, Convoy, Stir Crazy, The Jazz Singer, starring Neil Diamond, Hysterical, Get Crazy, Fraternity Vacation, Hollywood Shuffle, The Wrong Guys, The ‘Burb, The Yakuza and Bridesmaids. Television: Barney Miller, Partners in Crime, Deadwood, The Greenroom. Albums: Don’t Smoke Dope, Fry Your Hair (1977), Plaid Pants and Psychopaths (1986) and Vagabond Jazz & the Abstract Truth (2004) and the book Comic Insights: The Art of Standup Comedy.
In 1997 Ajaye got tired of the whole crazy scene and went south. So south he ended up in Australia, where he stayed. He made occasional trips to the United States for comedy work, but other than that he made his final when Ajaye saw just enough and stated, ‘as long as Americas going in this direction, I’m going in another” and he left for good; carving out a comfortable niche for himself in Sydney and Melbourne in particular by appearing on the shows, The Panel and Thank God You’re Here. He also mounted one man shows in his new home at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival: “Nothing but The Truth”, Talkin Vagabond Jazz”, and “Vagabond Jazz & The Abstract Truth”.
Franklyn Ajaye is a two-time Emmy nominee for Outstanding Writing in a Variety Series for his work on In Living Color and Politically Incorrect.
By Darryl “D’Militant” Littleton
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On this day in comedy on May 12, 1969, Comedic Actress, Director, Kim Victoria Fields was born New York City, New York
Thanks to actress/stage mother Chip Fields, Kim got an early start in show business. Following a craft honing period of performing on commercials, TV movies (Have I Got a Christmas for You) and guest starring roles in sitcoms (Good Times), Fields got her first co-starring role in the Demond Wilson / Denise Nicholas show, Baby, I’m Back. The return didn’t last long, and Fields was back to making guest appearances (Different Strokes, Mork & Mindy) until she learned The Facts of Life.
The part of “Tootie” put Fields on the sitcom map. She had a catchphrase (“We’re in troou-ble”) and a following. Why not? The Facts of Life was a ratings bonanza for NBC from 1979 to 1988 (spinning off several specials) and allowed Fields to branch off into other areas of show business, such as recording. Fields released a disco single (“He Loves Me He Loves Me Not”) and the R&B hit, “Dear Michael” while on The Facts of Life.
Once the show ended, Fields took time off to complete her education at Pepperdine University. Then in 1993 she returned with a vengeance on the Fox sitcom, Living Single, co-starring with Queen Latifah, Erika Alexander and Kim Coles. They played four friends doing what the title says – living single. During the show’s run Fields took her skills learned at Pepperdine and started directing, beginning with a couple of episodes of Living Single. She then transitioned into a 26-episode run of directing, Kenan & Kel, then helming installments of Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, his Meet the Brown’s and BET’s Let’s Stay Together.
Once Living Single went off the air, Fields started rapping with the group Impromp 2. She also went back to guest starring (One on One, The Steve Harvey Show, The Drew Carey Show, Eve). In 2015 she began a short stint on The Real Housewives of Atlanta and she competed on Dancing with the Stars in 2016.
By Darryl “D’Militant” Littleton
www.darryllittleton.lol
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On this day in comedy on May 9, 1987, Uptown Comedy Express premiered
Taped Live at the Ebony Showcase Theater in Los Angeles as part of the On Location series, this 1-hour comedy special was produced by Eddie Murphy Productions and featured standup and sketch performances by up & coming comedians Chris Rock, Marsha Warfield, Barry Sobel, Arsenio Hall and Robert Townsend. The quintet portrayed night club employees with the MC played by Ray Murphy (Eddie Murphy’s Uncle Ray).
Directed by Russ Petranto, Uptown Comedy Express was written by Ilunga Dell, Margaret Oberman and the five featured comedians. There are uncredited cameos by Jasmine Guy, Paul Mooney, Magic Johnson, Gladys Knight and Eddie Murphy as audience members. Mark Corry and Clint Smith were the producers of the special and played servers on the show. Eddie Murphy was executive producer with musical guests; Eddie Murphy favorites – The Busboys.
By Darryl “D’Militant” Littleton
darryllittleton.lol
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Amazon Studios has landed The Hunt, a vengeance-driven Nazi hunting series executive produced by Oscar-winning Get Out writer-director Jordan Peele, with a 10-episode straight-to-series order. The project, produced by Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions and Sonar Entertainment, was created by David Weil (Moonfall), who will write and executive produces.
This marks the first new scripted series pickup for Amazon since Jennifer Salke took the reins as head of Amazon Studios.
“Our biggest priority is attracting exceptional writing and producing talent to bring addictive, groundbreaking projects to Prime Video,” said Salke. “The Hunt is edge-of-your seat entertainment that is not only culturally relevant but deliciously original. David Weil, Jordan Peele, and the entire Monkeypaw and Sonar Entertainment teams represent the dream team! We can’t wait to get started!”
Based on an original idea, drawing from real-life events, The Hunt originated as a hot drama series spec, which was taken out to the premium marketplace by Sonar Entertainment last fall, garnering interest from multiple buyers. The company had been in discussion with another network when Amazon recently stepped up and secured the project.
The Hunt follows a diverse band of Nazi Hunters living in 1977 New York City. The Hunters, as they’re known, have discovered that hundreds of high ranking Nazi officials are living among us and conspiring to create a Fourth Reich in the U.S. The eclectic team of Hunters will set out on a bloody quest to bring the Nazis to justice and thwart their new genocidal plans.
“When David Weil first shared The Hunt with me, I immediately knew that we had to be involved,” Peele said. “It’s cathartic. It’s noir. It’s frighteningly relevant. It’s exactly what I want to see on television. I am thrilled to be working with Amazon in bringing this incredible vision to the world.”
The series is also be executive produced by Tom Lesinski (Mr. Mercedes) and Jenna Santoianni (Mr. Mercedes) from Sonar Entertainment, and Win Rosenfeld (Dark Net) from Monkeypaw Productions. A global exclusive, The Hunt will premiere in over 200 countries and territories on Prime Video.
“Jordan Peele and Monkeypaw Productions have exhibited a unique ability to develop content that becomes part of the larger cultural conversation,” said Lesinski, CEO of Sonar Entertainment. “We’re also very excited that The Hunt will be on Amazon, which we feel is the ideal platform for Jordan and David’s amazing story.”
The Hunt stems from a first-look deal Peele and his Monkeypaw Prods. signed with Sonar Entertainment in February 2017.
Monkeypaw Productions was founded by Peele in 2012. In TV, it produced the Emmy-winning Key & Peele on Comedy Central for its five-season run, and also has the breakout Tracy Morgan comedy series at TBS, The Last O.G., which Peele co-created. It was recently renewed for a second season.
Following the blockbuster critical and commercial success of Get Out, which earned him a best original screenplay Oscar, Peele has social horror-thriller Us set for release by Universal in 2019. Peele is repped by CAA and Artists First.
Sonar Entertainment has AMC’s The Son and Audience Network’s Mr. Mercedes.
Source: Deadline
Join Jamie Foxx and ‘Breaking In’ star Gabrielle Union, in this episode of OFF SCRIPT as she reveals what it’s like to be a woman of color in Hollywood and the importance of speaking your truth.
Join host Jamie Foxx, in collaboration with Grey Goose, as he goes OFF SCRIPT with Hollywood’s most beloved talent to celebrate the iconic cinema moments that shaped their success.
Watch the interview below;
Snoop Dogg and Jamie Foxx visited Sway in the Morning on Wednesday and spoke about a number of topics. At one point, the hip-hop stars compare today’s acts with rap veterans. Sway asks Snoop what he thinks about the disconnect between the current generation and the rap legends who built the game, such as Tupac. Rapper Lil Xan was famously bullied by the internet for claiming that ‘Pac’s music was boring.
“Miscommunication, speaking different languages, and no history,” Snoop explains. “If you’re not teaching about the greats, how can you say he’s great. We know he’s great ’cause we grew with him. But the young generation didn’t get nothing but a few pictures, a couple of stories, a couple of tv shows. But not really the insight on who this man was.” Snoop continues on to blame his generation, the elders, for not properly teaching the next generation about the importance of hip-hop legends and heroes.
Moving on to a lighter topic, Sway asks both Jamie Foxx and Snoop to lay down a freestyle for him. Instead of creating a traditional bar for bar rap freestyle, the two craft a song around a soulful instrumental instead. “Bound to get you on your knees/ Hennessy and smoking weed/ with Snoop,” croons Jamie in his silky smooth tone. Snoop then lays down an impromptu verse. “It’s like Shade 1,2,3,4,5/ Snoop Dogg, with Jamie Foxx on my side/ I got Sway to the right, Heather B, where you at?/ Snoop Dogg ’bout to drop a rap,”the veteran begins. The pair shared the mic as Snoop rapped and Jamie added R&B ad libs behind him to create a freestyle song that will get stuck in your head.
The hit drama Claws has set its season premiere date for Sunday, June 10, at 9 Pm on TNT.
Claws follows the rise of five treacherous manicurists working at the Nail Artisans of Manatee County salon, where there is a lot more going on than silk wraps and pedicures.
At the center of this diverse group is salon owner Desna (Niecy Nash), who works alongside her salon staff to launder money from Suncoast Rejuvenation, a barely legal pain clinic operated by the Dixie Mafia. While it has always been Desna’s mission to break free of the redneck syndicate and become her own boss, last season saw Desna trade one crime boss for another as the Russian mob took control of both the pain clinic and the salon. With new management comes new problems for the women to navigate.
An August premiere date has been announced for HBO’s Insecure.
The third season will bow on HBO on August 12th.
The news was announced in a video featuring Issa Rae with cast members Yvonne Orji, Natasha Rothwell and Amanda Seales.
Created by Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore, Insecure follows the friendship of two black women as they deal with their own real-life flaws while attempting to navigate different worlds and cope with an endless series of uncomfortable everyday experiences. Issa Rae, Yvonne Orji, Jay Ellis and Lisa Joyce, Natasha Rothwell and Amanda Seales star in the show.
Source: Shadow & Act
Brandon Micheal Hall (of ABC’s The Mayor fame) stars in a humorous, uplifting CBS drama titled God Friended Me about Miles Finer (Hall), an outspoken atheist whose life is turned upside down when he receives a friend request on social media from God and unwittingly becomes an agent of change in the lives and destinies of others around him.
Other stars include Joe Morton and Violet Beene.
Watch the trailer below;