On This Day In Comedy… In 1968 Comedian, Writer, And Actor James Hannah Was Born!
On this day in comedy on April 4, 1968, Comedian, Writer, James Hannah was born in Chicago, IL
James Hannah was a writer’s writer. He left his native Chicago after a stint as quality control monitor for All Jokes Aside, Chicago’s premier black comedy club. James would listen to each act and then offer notes to improve that performer’s set. Whether they liked it or not most comedians tried his tweaks and found that James Hannah knew comedy. Once he’d established himself as a joke doctor he took his skills to Hollywood beginning as a staff writer for The Steve Harvey Show and from there the dominoes fell: My Wife & Kids, Cedric the Entertainer Presents, Chris Rock’s, Never Scared, Weekends at the DL andTyler Perry’s, House of Payne as well as penning material for some of the top comedians in the industry.
Hannah was also a comedian’s comedian. His lists of credits include, Def Comedy Jam, Comic View, Bad Boys of Comedy, Laffapolooza, One Mic Stand and Martin Lawrence’s First Amendment. He was a yardstick and an uncompromising comedy personality. His Truthpaste on social media was an immediate hit as James sounded off on subjects many would go nowhere near. He was bold, fearless and scathing.
James Hannah’s influence was evident in his era. Many Chicago comedians, such as Deon Cole credit Hannah with getting them into comedy by example and in some cases by writing out their first successful bits and teaching them the art. His work ethic was legendary. While most staff writers pander to series stars, James would tell them that they were not funny and then show them how to be. He was a blunt, brutally honest, unparalleled humor mechanic.
James Hannah died from an aneurysm on February 10, 2014, but his comedic phrasings will live on forever.
Against the backdrop of the #MeToo movement, the sexual assault retrial of Bill Cosby will get underway Monday in suburban Philadelphia with a new jury, a new defense team, and a new cultural awareness of the slew of rich, powerful, and famous men who have been accused of sexual misconduct.
Cosby is — so far at least — the only major Hollywood entertainer to face a jury in this heated atmosphere, and the retrial is likely to serve as a bellwether of how the justice system deals with such accusations. The once-revered star is charged with three counts of aggravated indecent assault — he has pleaded not guilty.
Cosby’s first trial ended in June when a jury deadlocked on all charges after more than 50 hours of deliberations. He is now facing a new jury — seven men and five women — selected last week in Montgomery County, just outside of Philadelphia. Two of the jurors are black.
Opening statements are set for today, though a court filing late Friday could put a snag in the schedule. Defense lawyers asked the judge to replace one juror who, according to the defense motion, made it clear to other prospective jurors that he has “a fixed opinion about Mr. Cosby’s guilt in this case.”
They also asked for other jurors to be questioned about what they heard. The juror — identified only as Juror 11 — could be replaced by one of the six alternates also selected last week.
Cosby, now 80, is charged with drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand, then the operations manager of Temple University’s women’s basketball team and now a massage therapist living in Canada. Cosby, a Temple alum who had been a major booster of the university, has maintained that their sexual encounter was consensual.
Constand is one of some 50 women who have accused the iconic comedian of drugging and then assaulting them — but she is the only one whose allegation became the focus of a criminal charge. The charges were filed just days before Pennsylvania’s 12-year statute of limitations was due to expire.
Though he was known as “America’s Dad” from his years on “The Cosby Show,” which aired from 1984 to 1992, his image crashed in 2014 as the women went public with their claims.
While the retrial is likely to be largely a repeat of the first trial, there are some key changes.
After the mistrial in June, Cosby switched lawyers. His team is now led by Los Angeles defense lawyer Tom Mesereau, who successfully defended Michael Jackson against child molestation charges back in 2005.
The retrial is likely to be longer — perhaps up to a month — and Cosby’s defense is expected to mount a more vigorous attack on the credibility of Constand, portraying her as a greedy and lying woman who framed Cosby to get a big-money civil settlement.
Last week, Judge Steven T. O’Neill ruled that the amount of that civil settlement, which has remained confidential for years, may be disclosed to the new jury. He also tentatively allowed the testimony of a woman who has told the defense that Constand once remarked that she could say she had been sexually assaulted by someone in order to get a financial settlement.
Prosecutors, meanwhile, are poised to call five other women who say that Cosby sexually assaulted them. In the first trial, the judge allowed only one other woman to testify.
But perhaps the biggest change of all is the cultural atmosphere created by the growing list of famous entertainment and media figures – including veteran Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein – whose careers have been derailed by allegations of sexual misconduct or harassment.
The big question, of course, is how that atmosphere will affect the outcome of the case against the once-beloved entertainer.
Tracee Ellis Ross, Tiffany Haddish, Yara Shahidi, Featured In New Single Released By Drake!
Drake dropped a new song Friday night, a Lauryn Hill-sampling smooth groove called “Nice for What.” Along with the song came a video that features 20 famous (and kind-of famous but fabulous) women, most of them actresses or musicians: Olivia Wilde, Misty Copeland, Issa Rae, Rashida Jones, Jourdan Dunn, Tracee Ellis Ross, Tiffany Haddish, Yara Shahidi, Zoe Saldana, Letitita Wright, Bria Vinaite, Emma Roberts, Syd, Michelle Rodriguez and Elizabeth and Victoria Lejonhjarta. All are filmed separately.
Directed by 22-year-old Toronto native Karena Evans — who also helmed Drake’s clip for “God’s Plan,” which featured him giving away $1 million to various people and organizations in need — the clip doesn’t have a plot, just Drake performing while the ladies groove.
The song samples “Ex Factor,” one of the most popular tracks from the 1999 classic “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” Drake previously sampled Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing),” from the same album, on his 2014 song “Draft Day.”
Drake announced the single was coming during a quick surprise appearance at a Toronto concert by Majid Jordan Thursday night,adding that his new album is nearly finished.
“The reason I’m here tonight is because I’m back in the city finishing my album,” Drake told the audience. “I’ve got a new single dropping tomorrow night, too, just in case you got some free time.” He also said he’ll be playing live dates this summer, and talked briefly about how proud he is of Majid Jordan and the “OVO family.”
The MC hasn’t released a full-length album since 2016 or even an extended work since the “More Life” mixtape just over a year ago, but as always he’s been active: He dropped a pair of new songs in January — “God’s Plan” and “Diplomatic Immunity” — and appeared in Migos’ hilariously ’70s-retro video for “Walk It Talk It.” He also premiered several new songs in a surprise appearance at a pop-up party in Memphis.
Source: Variety
Chadwick Boseman Returns To ‘Black Panther’ Mode For ‘Black Jeopardy’ On SNL
Saturday Night Live returned from a holiday break with a strong combination of host and musical guest in Chadwick Boseman and Cardi B.
Boseman revisited his biggest movie, Black Panther, in two winning sketches. In the first, appearing with Chris Redd and Leslie Jones, he debates the use of the “Wakanda forever” salute by two white fanboys played by Beck Bennett and Pete Davidson. When they use it awkwardly to express their love of the movie, Redd and Jones cringe (“It’s like indigestion, only racial”), balking at the idea of the cultural appropriation. Eventually, though, a barter arrangement is worked out involving Drake and dabbing.
Boseman then stepped back into fully costumed T’Challa mode for the return of “Black Jeopardy,” a recurring sketch on which Tom Hanks had a memorable mark last fall. As host of the game show, Kenan Thompson anchors the concept. It slyly contrasts the broad stereotypes of African-American characters with the African values espoused by T’Challa, whose Wakanda nation in this setting has an especially Disney-esque sparkle. “This is the reason why your cable bill is in your grand mamma’s name,” Thompson says, reading one quiz answer. Boseman-as-T’Challa responds, “What is, ‘To honor her as the foundation of the family?’” Thompson shakes his head. “That’s really nice,” he smiles. “It’s wrong. But that’s really nice.” After another, similarly straight-arrow answer, Thompson decides to give him points even though the answer does not match what’s on his card. “Y’all must have no mean streets in Wakanda,” he marvels.
Source: Deadline
ABFF To Partner With TruTV For A Comedy Writers Competition
The 22nd Annual American Black Film Festival, (ABFF) taking place in Miami, Florida June 13-19, 2018, is thrilled to announce a new talent pipeline program, in partnership with truTV: the ABFF®truTV Comedy Writers Competition.
The first-ever ABFF® truTV Comedy Competition is searching for the next generation of comedic voices and will provide a unique opportunity for a content creator to develop a project with truTV. Each competitor will be required to submit a paper-developed half-hour comedic format (1-2 page document), consisting of a logline of the show premise, the type of format, the talent leading the show and the show overview. truTV is a comedy network, so it’s all about leaning into the comedy first. For inspiration, submitters are encouraged to research existing truTV original programming formats, including Impractical Jokers, Comedy Knockout, Hack My Life and Laff Mobb’s Laff Tracks.
WATCH: ‘The First Purge’ Trailer Released!
Who knew the Purge could have been just a big, fun party? Don’t worry, it doesn’t stay happy and non-violent for long, as this first trailer for The First Purge gives a deathly blow by blow of how America’s deadliest holiday came to be.
Amidst a general backdrop of protest and division not unlike our current age, the Purge – a day when laws are unenforced and pent-up violence unleashed – is inaugurated. “Join The First Purge!” comes the voice of the New Founding Fathers of America from a public loudspeaker, while resisters chant “Do Not Purge!”
But the trailer shows the Purge organizers watching in dismay as citizens turn the planned event into some sort of celebration – a turn of events that doesn’t last for long, when soldiers dressed like civilians arrive to stir things up and get people purging.
Says Universal: Behind every tradition lies a revolution. Next Independence Day, witness the rise of our country’s 12 hours of annual lawlessness. Welcome to the movement that began as a simple experiment: The First Purge.
This time around, the cast includes Y’Lan Noel, Lex Scott Davis, Joivan Wade, Luna Lauren Velez and Marisa Tomei.
The First Purge is directed by Gerard McMurray from a screenplay once again by creator James DeMonaco. The film is produced by Platinum Dunes’ Brad Fuller, Andrew Form and Michael Bay, Blumhouse Productions’ Jason Blum and Sébastien K. Lemercier.
Universal takes The First Purge to theaters July 4.
Take a look at the trailer above, and here is the newly released poster:
Source; Deadline
Jill Scott Announces “LIVE IN THE MOMENT” Summer 2018 Tour Dates
“Live In The Moment” Tour Kicks Off June 21st in Minneapolis, MN at Mystic Lake – Treks Through Chicago, New Orleans, Atlanta, Washington, D.C. and More.
3x Grammy® award-winning singer-songwriter Jill Scott has just announced a new set of 2018 summer dates for her “Live In The Moment” tour. After three years since the release of Scott’s fifth critically-acclaimed studio album, WOMAN, the R&B songstress gears up to hit the road – opening up her first show on June 21st in Minneapolis, MN at Mystic Lake. The 13 city tour will make stops through Chicago, New Orleans, Atlanta, Detroit, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and more – wrapping up July 28th in Cincinnati at the Cincinnati Jazz Festival. Jill is set to perform music from her latest album, WOMAN, along with her classic hits.
“Hitting the road, being vulnerable and sharing my music with fans is the most fulfilling part of being an artist,” says Jill Scott. “I look forward to giving love, light and living in the moment with everyone this summer,” adds Scott.
Jill’s latest album WOMAN, released in 2015 and debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 200 Chart – marked the singer’s second number one studio-album to date. The thought-provoking title album came. off the heels of singles “Fools Gold” and the critically acclaimed, “You Don’t Know.”
JILL SCOTT 2018 SUMMER TOUR SCHEDULE-DATE CITY/STATE VENUE
21-Jun Minneapolis, MN Mystic Lake
22-Jun Chicago, IL Ravinia
24-Jun Detroit, MI Fox Theater
26-Jun Toronto, Canada Sony Center
28-Jun Newark, NJ NJ PAC
29-Jun Rochester, NY Kodak Hall at Eastman Theater
03-Jul Charlotte, NC Ovens Auditorium
06-Jul New Orleans, LA Essence Festival
07-Jul Atlanta, GA Fox Theater
10-Jul Raleigh, NC DPAC
12-Jul Baltimore, MD Lyric Theater
14-Jul Washington, DC MGM
15-Jul Washington, DC MGM
28-Jul Cinncinatti, OH Cincinnati Jazz Festival
Halle Berry To Star In ‘Jagged Edge’ Remake At Sony Pictures
Sony Pictures is in the early stages of mounting a remake of the 1985 thriller Jagged Edge, as a star vehicle for Halle Berry. The effort is being led by Steven Bersch, the Sony Worldwide Acquisitions Group head who took over the genre arm Screen Gems. This one could very well be a standard Sony release, but they’re still working that out. The project is a priority and the studio has begun the search for the right writer to draft the new version.
Matti Leshem and Doug Belgrad will produce it. Scott Strauss will oversee for the studio.
Directed by Richard Marquand from a Joe Eszterhas script, the original starred Glenn Close, Jeff Bridges and Robert Loggia, latter of whom got an Oscar nomination. In the original, a San Francisco heiress is brutally murdered in her remote beach house. Her dashing newspaper publisher husband Jack is accused of committing the gruesome crime. He hires lawyer Teddy Barnes to defend him, and their chemistry spills into an affair. Even though the lawyer is falling in love, can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t quite right with the case, with the killer sending anonymous notes pecked out on an old typewriter. Is Jack the key to a happy future for the lawyer if she can get him acquitted in a courtroom, or is he a sociopath? The original was released when sexually charged whodunits were the rage. With TV minting money relaunching classic series like Roseanne, refashioning 80s concepts for price-minded updates seems a clever idea.
Weimaraner Republic Pictures’ Leshem has had success in female-driven thrillers, and Belgrad as an exec supervised the sleeper shark hit The Shallows, which made for an easy team up on this.
Berry was last seen in Kingsman: Golden Circle and Kidnap, and starred in the X-Men franchise and won her Oscar for Monster’s Ball. She’s repped by Management 360 and WME.
Source: Deadline
‘Hidden Figures’ Series In Development At National Geographic
CREDIT: COURTESY OF 20TH CENTURY FOX
Nat Geo is developing a series inspired by the film “Hidden Figures,” Variety has learned exclusively.
The film was itself based on the book of the same name by Margot Lee Shetterly, which told the true story of the black female mathematicians who were instrumental in the early days of the American space program. The 2016 film starred Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, and Jim Parsons. It was nominated for three Academy Awards, including best picture, and grossed over $235 million worldwide.
The TV project, which is in the early stages of development, will be executive produced by Peter Chernin and Jenno Topping of Chernin Entertainment, both of whom executive produced the film. National Geographic will also produce.
Should the project go to series, it would be the latest in Nat Geo’s continuing push into scripted fare. The cable network, a joint venture between National Geographic and 21st Century Fox, is about to debut the second season of the scripted series “Genius” on April 24. The first season–which was nominated for 10 Emmys–starred Geoffrey Rush as Albert Einstein, while Season 2 will see Antonio Banderas playing Pablo Picasso. Nat Geo also debuted the Iraq War miniseries “The Long Road Home” back in November.
On the development side, Leonardo DiCaprio is attached to executive produce a series based on “The Right Stuff,” also about the early days of the space program, that is currently in the works at Nat Geo. Other scripted dramas in development include: “The Birth of the Pill: How Four Crusaders Reinvented Sex and Launched a Revolution,” adapted from Jonathan Eig’s 2014 book of the same name; “The Hot Zone,” based on the international bestseller by Richard Preston about the origins of the Ebola virus; and a scripted series based on the founding of the National Geographic Network itself, telling the story of how a National Geographic field producer is put in charge of two production teams shooting Nat Geo’s first TV documentaries in Siberia and Australia in the 1960s.
Source: Variety
Tiffany Haddish To Executive Produce New HBO Comedy Series
According to Variety, Tiffany Haddish is set to executive produce a comedy series in development at HBO. The project is currently titled “Unsubscribed” described as an examination of female blackness, beauty, and identity through a behind-the-scenes look at the Instagram hustle.
The series hails from writers and executive producers Xosha Roquemore and Danielle Henderson. This marks Roquemore’s first outing as a writer, as she is known primarily for her acting work. She previously played the series regular role of Tamra Webb in “The Mindy Project” and will recur in the second season of the Showtime series “I’m Dying Up Here.” She has also appeared in films like “Precious” and “The Disaster Artist.” Henderson’s previous TV writing credits include the Netflix series “Maniac,” HBO’s “Divorce,” and Hulu’s “Difficult People.” She is also the creator of the website Feminist Ryan Gosling.
Tiffany Haddish is quickly establishing herself as one of the most sought-after comedic talents in television and film. Haddish was most recently seen starring in Universal’s Girls Trip alongside Jada Pinkett A. Smith, Queen Latifah and Regina Hall. Girls Trip had the highest opening for an R rated comedy in the past two years and VanityFair.com called Haddish “the funniest woman alive.” In August she debuted her comedy special forShowtime titled Tiffany Haddish: SHE READY! From the Hood to Hollywood and she will next be seen starring alongside Tracy Morgan in the new TBS show, THE LAST O.G.