Celebrating ‘Off Script’ – my new online series with @GreyGoose, interviewing some of my favorite people in film. Dropping this Friday May 4. #OffScript #GreyGoosePartner
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has expelled Bill Cosby and Roman Polanski from its membership, the organization said Thursday.
The Academy’s board of governors, following its new procedure for enforcing a Standards of Conduct that it adopted in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, voted to expel the comedian and the director at its most recent meeting on May 1.
“The Board continues to encourage ethical standards that require members to uphold the Academy’s values of respect for human dignity,” the Academy said in a statement announcing their expulsion.
A five-time Oscar nominee, Polanski, however, will keep the Oscar he was awarded in 2003 for directing The Pianist, an award he couldn’t accept in person since he fled the United States in 1978, after pleading guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old girl.
Cosby was found guilty of aggravated indecent assault against Andrea Constand in 2004 by a Pennsylvania jury last Thursday after 14 hours of deliberation. In Cosby’s first trial last year, a different jury deadlocked and the matter was ruled a mistrial.
Best known for his television work in I Spy and The Cosby Show, Cosby never received any Motion Picture Academy honors, although he was active on the big screen in the ’70s, starring in films like Uptown Saturday Night and Mother, Juggs and Speed.
The Television Academy has also removed Cosby’s name from its list of Hall of Fame honorees on its website, and a statue of Cosby that once was installed in the Academy’s Hall of Fame Plaza, which had been removed during renovations, will not be returned to the site.
Other institutions, like Yale University and Cosby’s alma mater Temple University have also rescinded honorary degrees that they had given Cosby.
The Academy adopted the code of conduct for its members in December, following its expulsion of disgraced mogul Weinstein in October, and it then adopted new procedures to handle allegations of workplace misconduct in January.
The first test of the new procedure came when a complaint was lodged against current Academy president John Bailey, but the board dismissed those charges in March, and Bailey remains president of the Academy.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Jamie Foxx will chat up Hollywood actors and comedians — in a souped-up Winnebago RV — in his new online talk show “Off Script,” set to premiere Friday, May 4.
The eight-part series will run across Group Nine Media’s Thrillist and NowThis channels. “Off Script” features the actor-comedian-musician bantering with celeb guests including Denzel Washington, Jeremy Renner, Sarah Silverman, Benicio del Toro, and Vince Vaughn. Each segment will run 6-8 minutes.
Thrillist president Ocean MacAdams touted the Foxx series at parent company Group Nine Media’s Digital Content NewFronts event Thursday in New York. The show is sponsored by Grey Goose vodka.
“It’s called ‘Off Script,’ which gives you a sense of what Jamie will be talking about with his guests,” MacAdams said.
In a tweet late Wednesday, Foxx posted a pic of himself celebrating the impending launch of the show — duly calling out the sponsor and holding what is presumably a tumbler of vodka in his hand:
Jamie Foxx✔@iamjamiefoxx
Celebrating ‘Off Script’ – my new online series with @GreyGoose, interviewing some of my favorite people in film. Dropping this Friday May 4. #OffScript #GreyGoosePartner
Foxx, who will return as host of season 2 of game show “Beat Shazam” on Fox premiering May 29, is repped by CAA, LBI Entertainment and Ziffren Brittenham. Earlier this week, Foxx was in NYC to host Verizon’s NewFronts pitch.
“Off Script” is produced by JASH, the digital-comedy studio acquired by Group Nine last year, in collaboration with the Sunshine Co., a branded-content production firm.
Source: Variety
In 1997, only five years after he debuted in Image Comics, Spawn starred in his own movie, but unlike his comic book adventures, the demonic character’s theatrical tale was met with critical derision. Fortunately, Spawn will be getting a shot at cinematic redemption, as last year, following nearly a decade of development, creator Todd McFarlane announced that an R-rated reboot that he will direct is in the works at Blumhouse Productions. In the months since, we’ve slowly learned how this new Spawn movie will be different from its predecessor, but today brings work that the reboot may have finally found its lead, and it’s someone who already has a little comic book movie experience under his belt: Jamie Foxx.
This isn’t the first time that Jamie Foxx’s name has been connected to a new Spawn movie. Back in 2013, the actor expressed interest in playing Al Simmons, and five years later, That Hashtag Show is reporting that Foxx has been offered the role, which was previously played by Michael Jai White. However, Foxx hasn’t signed on to the Spawn reboot yet, and his involvement may hinder on how quickly the project moves forward. Supposedly production is set to begin this August, with Todd McFarlane hoping for Spawn to come out sometime in 2019. So perhaps if Spawn can get off the ground sooner rather than later, Foxx will be willing to participate.
If Jamie Foxx does play Spawn, this will be his second time performing in a comic book movie, as he previously played Max Dillon, a.k.a. Electro, in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. His other recent credits include the Horrible Bosses movies, Django Unchained, White House Down and Baby Driver. Later this year he’ll be seen as Little John in Robin Hood, and he’s also hosting Beat Shazam over at Fox. Foxx is a talented performer, but the fact that he was so enthusiastic about playing Spawn half a decade ago suggests that if he accepts the role for this reboot, we’re in for a treat.
Rather than follow the same path as the 1997 movie and place Al Simmons front and center, the Spawn reboot is taking a different approach with featuring the eponymous character that doesn’t involve exploring his origin story. Longtime fans of the Spawn mythology are familiar with detectives Sam Burke and Maximillian “Twitch” Williams, who started out as supporting characters in Spawn’s comic book and became so popular that they were given their own book. While we won’t see these two together in the upcoming movie, Todd McFarlane revealed that Twitch will be the other main character, as he and his yet-to-be-revealed female partner will cross paths with the demonic protagonist. As for Spawn, although he won’t speak like a normal human, he will communicate in a special way.
Source: Cinema Blend
We just discovered the news that one of the Original Queens Of Comedy, Sommore is about to tape- and self-produce again- a new comedy special titled All The Queens Men!
Word is that the new special will be taped Friday, June 1, 2018, in Miami at the Faena Theater and will feature comedians such as TuRae Gordon, Damon Williams, Tony Sculfield, and Darren “DS” Sanders. Sommore recently self-produced several other comedy specials titled Sommore: The Reign Continues, The Queen Stands Alone, and Chandelier Status.
For more info on the actual show dates, time and more please see the flyer below;
John Witherspoon recently posted a short video on social media, expressing his thoughts on the shocking scandal involving Bill Cosby and a number of women. The video was released after Cosby was found guilty of the accusations that he had sexually assaulted dozens of women over decades.
In the video, John Witherspoon addressed Bill Cosby, telling him outright that he made a huge mistake. “Bill, we’s in trouble now. White man says, ‘Yes. Yes, you guilty.’ Oh, Bill. You f****d up. Got your lil’ sneaky pee pee out. When everybody else knocked out, you the only one live in the house. Bye!”
It’s not just the fellow actors who voiced their disgust at Crosby. Some academic institutions, too, including Yale, revoked Bill Crosby’s honorary degree; something they haven’t done in 300 years.
“Before his fall from grace Cosby was an in-demand commencement speaker and was awarded honorary degrees from dozens of colleges and universities. But the list of schools pulling those honors is growing,” reports CNN.
Cosby is currently under house arrest and was given his ankle bracelet on Monday after being found guilty of aggravated sexual assault. According to sources, he is facing up to 30 years in prison, ten years for each of the three counts he was found guilty of.
Empire has been renewed for a fifth season at Fox.
The network announced the news on Wednesday.
This should come as no surprise as the Lee Daniels drama remains the top show at the network and one of the most viewed shows on television, despite viewer erosion over the years.
It has even produced a moderately popular spinoff series, Star.
“Empire is as compelling, emotional, and unpredictable as it ever was. We are so proud of our amazing cast, led by Terrence (Howard) and Taraji (P. Henson), who deliver powerful performances week after week. We’d also like to thank our tremendous creative team … whose inspired storytelling continues to create the unforgettable, jaw-dropping OMG moments that have always been signature to Empire,” said Fox entertainment president Michael Thorn.
Empire revolves around the Lyon family and their media company, Empire Entertainment. The founder, Lucious Lyon is the king of hip-hop, but his company and reign are constantly threatened by his family, including his ex-wife, Cookie Lyon, his sons, Jamal (Jussie Smollett), Hakeem (Bryshere “Yazz” Gray) and Andre (Trai Byers); and a volatile and competitive music industry. Empire also stars Andre Royo as Thurston “Thirsty” Rawlings, Gabourey Sidibe as Becky, Grace Byers as Anika Calhoun, Rumer Willis as Tory Ash, Serayah as Tiana, Ta’Rhonda Jones as Porsha, Terrell Carter as Warren Hall and Xzibit as Shine Johnson
The season five episode order is unknown as of yet.
Hulu has given a series order to Ramy, described as a “groundbreaking comedy series based on the real-life experiences and comedy of Ramy Youssef.”
The series will bring viewers into the world of a scripted version of Ramy, “a first-generation American Muslim who is on a spiritual journey in his politically-divided New Jersey neighborhood.”
The network says that Ramy will “bring a new perspective to the screen as it explores the challenges of what it’s like being caught in between an Egyptian community that thinks life is moral, a test, and a millennial generation that thinks life has no consequences.”
Written, executive produced, created by and starring Ramy Youssef, the show is executive produced by Jerrod Carmichael, as well. Carmichael’s producing partner, Ari Katcher, who is a co-creator of the show, also executive producers with Ryan Welch and A24’s Ravi Nandan.
This is Hulu’s first series order from A24.
The streaming network also ordered a limited series remake of Four Weddings and a Funeral from Mindy Kaling.
Source: Shadow & Act
A former friend of Kevin Hart was charged Wednesday with trying to extort the actor using a “surreptitiously recorded” video of Hart with a woman in Las Vegas, prosecutors said.
Jonathan Todd Jackson — known as Action Jackson — was charged with attempted extortion and extortion by threatening letter, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.
Jackson, 41, has appeared in a small role in one of Hart’s movies. Greg Risling, a spokesman for the district attorney’s office, told the Los Angeles Times that the two men were once friends. Jackson now faces up to four years in county jail if convicted.
“Jackson is accused of trying to extort an undisclosed amount of money from Hart between Aug. 25 and Aug. 30, 2017,” the district attorney’s office said in a statement on Wednesday. “Jackson allegedly had a videotape of the actor with a woman in Las Vegas and then is accused of trying to sell the recording to numerous celebrity news websites.”
In a tweet that appeared to reference the charges, Hart — who has been promoting his new comedy tour — said he was “hurt” and “at a lost for words and simply in complete disbelief at the moment.”
Kevin Hart✔@KevinHart4real
Mind blown…Hurt…at a lost for words and simply in complete disbelief at the moment. WOW
“I made a bad error in judgment and put myself in an environment where only bad things can happen, and they did,” he said in the video. “At the end of the day, man, I just simply got to do better. But I’m not going to also allow a person to have financial gain off of my mistakes and in this particular situation, that’s what was attempted. I said I’d rather fess up to my mistakes.”
Source: Time
Bill Cosby’s name and statue have been removed from the Television Academy’s Hall of Fame. Inducted in 1992, his name no longer appears among its official list of honorees online. “All references to Mr. Cosby were removed from the website,” a spokesperson for the Academy stated..
A bust of Cosby that formerly graced the Academy’s outdoor Hall of Fame Plaza won’t be returning to view either. Cosby’s bust, like those of all the other of Hall of Fame recipients, was “removed during construction of the new Saban Media Center,” the spokesperson said, “and at the time it was announced that they would be rotated from storage into the courtyard. We have no plans to place Mr. Cosby’s bust in the courtyard.”
Removing a member of the TV Academy’s Hall of Fame is unprecedented, so it’s unclear what the procedure might be for such a move. Regardless, the scrubbing of Cosby’s name and bust is an indication the group is distancing itself from the actor-comedian.
As for The Cosby Show star’s TV Academy awards, which include four Primetime Emmys its Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, “We have no plans at the present time to rescind his awards,” the spokesperson said.
Once one of the most beloved figures in television, Cosby was convicted last week of sexually assaulting Andrea Constand at his home 14 years ago. More than 50 other women also have accused him of similar crimes, including drugging and sexually assaulting them.
Disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein was kicked out of the Academy in November after allegations surfaced that he had sexually assaulted numerous women. Cosby, however, can’t be kicked out because he “was never a member,” the spokesperson said.
Source: Deadline