On This Day In Comedy… In 2002 ‘All About The Benjamins’ Was Released By Newline Cinema
On This Day In Comedy on March 8, 2002, All About the Benjamins was released by Newline Cinema
Teaming Ice Cube and Mike Epps up again, this action comedy is about diamond thieves and the tale of tracking them down. Cube is a bounty hunter, Epps a criminal. They pair up to get the crooks and a winning lottery ticket Epps needs to retrieve. There’s plenty of running, multiple shootouts, some murders, a kidnapping, a tasing, a neck breaking, several escapes, a lot of yelling, scenes of mild torture, a boat crash, along with various chases, some searching, plotting, planning, handcuffing and conniving.
All About the Benjamins was directed by Kevin Bray and produced by Ice Cube and Matt Alvarez. It featured Eva Mendes, Roger Guenveur Smith, Tommy Flanagan, Carmen Chaplin, Anthony Michael Hall, Bob Carter and Bow Wow. The critics hated the film. They thought it was crude and offensive with way too much violence. The fans loved it because of everything the critics hated.
On a budget of $15 million, All About the Benjamins grossed $26,306,533 at the box office.
The Obamas And Netflix In Talks For Producing Deal Making TV History!
Barack Obama’s recent sit-down with David Letterman may not be his only cameo on Netflix. The former U.S. president is said to be in advanced talks with the streaming outfit to produce original series in what would be his first big move after exiting the White House in 2017.
The news was first reported by TheNew York Times, which noted the deal was not yet final. A representative from Netflix declined to comment. The deal would also be with wife and former first lady Michelle Obama.
Such a move would be unprecedented in media. No previous president has ever made such a deal, instead limiting their post-presidential pacts to massive book deals. It would be another coup for Netflix, as well, which has been making a notably concerted effort in expanding its unscripted and informational original programming after making such strides in drama and comedy in recent years.
The deal is said to be focused on series that highlight inspirational stories, not anything to serve as a direct rebuttal to current president Trump or his policies. This should come as little surprise to anyone familiar with the Obamas of the last year. (The recent Obama interview with David Letterman, his first such televised sit-down since leaving office, only talked around Trump — never directly addressing him.)
Netflix is essentially a direct line of communication to 118 million global subscribers. The streamer has become one of the only content suppliers of its kind to release its originals on the same day in every market where it’s currently available.
Obama currently has a massive social reach 101 million Twitter followers but both he and Michelle have done their more significant outreach through the Obama Foundation and its newsletter. The former president closed out 2017, a tumultuous year by any standard, with an optimistic note to followers detailing stories from three inspiring Americans.
This is not the first time that Barack and Michelle have negotiated together since the end of their two terms. They previously brokered a massive $65 million with Penguin Random House to publish each of their respective books about their time in office.
There’s no word on the price tag of the potential Obama-Netflix deal, but the streamer has proven itself ready to pony up. The recent deal with mega-producer Ryan Murphy is said to be worth as much as $300 million.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Vin Diesel Back In New Action Film With Sony’s ‘Bloodshot’
Sony Pictures has closed a deal with Vin Diesel to star in the studio’s sci-fi/action movie Bloodshot, an adaptation of the Valiant comic book series. Dave Wilson, the longtime collaborator of Deadpool and the upcoming Terminator reboot helmer Tim Miller and creative director at their Blur Studios, is aboard make his feature directing debut with the script from Arrival Oscar-winning scribe Eric Heisserer. We’re hearing the pic will be in the tone of the classic 1980s tentpoles like Robocop, Terminator and Total Recall. Sony is being aggressive with this one, a franchise play, and principal photography starts in July.
Wilson
Courtesy photo
The deal reunites Diesel with his Fast and the Furious producer Neal H. Moritz, who is producing alongside Toby Jaffe and Dinesh Shamdasani. Matthew Vaughn and Dan Mintz are executive producers. Andrea Giannetti will oversee for Sony.
Bloodshot is a central character in the Valiant Expanded Universe, composed of thousands of characters embodying various genres, tones and demographic groups — ordinary people in extraordinary situations rather than gods and demi-gods.
The Bloodshot series, comprised of more 110 issues with more than 7.5 million copies sold, centers on Ray Garrison, aka Bloodshot. Brought back from the dead by Rising Spirit Technologies through the use of nanotechnology and suffering total memory loss, Ray struggles to reconnect with who he was while learning what sort of weapon he has become, with the help of a group of other augmented combatants (called Chainsaw). When his visceral memory of the murders returns, he sets out on a path of bloody vengeance in his new body, but begins to question how and why his choices feel so familiar, and if he is not the hero he thought he was.
Diesel, who goes hand in hand with action franchises from Fast and Furious and xXxto Riddick and Guardians of the Galaxy, isrepped by CAA.
Source: Deadline
Sasheer Zamata, Tone Bell, DeWanda Wise, And Kym Whitley Land In ‘Everything, Everything’ From Stella Meghie
Everything, Everything director Stella Meghie has set her next film.
It’s called The Weekend, and the comedy will star Sasheer Zamata, Tone Bell, DeWanda Wise, as well as Kym Whitley and Y’lan Noel.
Also written by Meghie, the film “centers on an acerbic comedian (Zamata) who goes away for the weekend with ex-boyfriend (Bell) and his new girl (Wise). Over the course of the weekend, they’re drawn into an unexpected romantic entanglement with the arrival of another guest (Noel).”
Stephanie Allain and Mel Jones are also producing under Homegrown Pictures.
Meghie’s successful film, Everything, Everything, was released in 2017 starring Amandla Stenberg and Anika Noni Rose.
Her debut, Jean of the Joneses, won her the Best First Screenplay award at SXSW 2016.
Source: Deadline, Shadow & Act
Comedian Ron G Joins Dallas Young And Scarlet Spencer For New Nickelodeon Show ‘Cousins For Life’!
Nickelodeon has given a 20-episode order to live-action series Cousins for Life, from Austin & Ally creators Kevin Kopelow and Heath Seifert.
The buddy comedy centers on 12-year-old cousins Stuart (Dallas Young) and Ivy (Scarlet Spencer), best friends who come from very different backgrounds, and learn to navigate life under one roof with their families. After Stuart’s mom is deployed overseas, his fun-loving dad Clark (Ishmel Sahid) decides to move the family to Portland to live with his uptight brother Lewis (Ron G.) and his family, which includes Stuart’s confident, socially active cousin Ivy and her younger, overly-curious brother Leaf (Micah Abbey). Now living in a brand new city, Stuart embarks on a variety of endeavors with Ivy that lead to hilarious adventures. Although the cousins do not always see eye-to-eye, Ivy and Stuart learn they are better together, and when they team up, they are unstoppable.
Cousins For Life begins production in Los Angeles this summer. The series is scheduled to air later this year.
Seifert and Kopelow are repped by APA. Judge is repped by APA and Dialed in Entertainment.
Source: Deadline
Jerrod Carmichael Partners With Sony To Adapt Biopic On Dapper Dan!
Carmichael will adapt Dan’s upcoming memoir that chronicles his life as the godfather of hip-hop fashion.
The life of Dapper Dan — the godfather of hip-hop fashion, who dressed everyone from LL Cool J to Jay-Z — is coming to the big screen.
Sony is developing a biopic based on Dapper Dan’s upcoming memoir (due out in 2019 via Random House), which will be adapted by Jerrod Carmichael. Set in Harlem, the feature is described as a “high-stakes coming-of-age story.”
Carmichael, who is best known as the creator and star of the NBC critical darling The Carmichael Show, will also produce alongside Josh Bratman of Immersive Pictures. Dapper Dan and Jelani Day, his son and brand manager, are set to executive produce.
Ange Giannetti and Maia Eyre are overseeing the project for the studio, which had no comment on the project.
Daniel “Dapper Dan” Day is a streetwear pioneer that outfitted some of the biggest New York City-based stars of the ’80s and ’90s out of his iconic store on 125th Street in Harlem. His clientele included Eric B. & Rakim, Salt-N-Pepa, P. Diddy, Mike Tyson, Aaliyah and Floyd Mayweather.
His style of remixing high-end logos from the likes of Gucci and Louis Vuitton into his designs led to litigation that eventually prompted the closure of his store. Over two decades later, in September of last year, Dapper Dan struck a partnership with Gucci to relaunch his exclusive Harlem atelier that includes a Dapper Dan x Gucci capsule that will be available along with the fall 2018 collection.
UTA reps Dapper Dan and Day on behalf of the MacKenzie Wolf agency. Carmichael — whose acting credits include Neighbors, Transformers 5 and Jonah Hill’s upcoming directorial debut Mid 90s — is repped by UTA and Ziffren Brittenham.
Bratman is repped by CAA and Bloom Hergott.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
‘Atlanta’ Season 2 Premiere Is Cable’s Most-Watched Scripted Comedy Telecast In Over A Year
The Season 2 of Atlanta, also known as Atlanta Robbin’ Season, has debuted to very strong ratings.
According to the network the Donald Glover comedy had 1.8 million total viewers in Live+3 numbers and had 1.3 million viewers in the adults 18-49 demographic.
This puts it 7 percent above the Season 1 premiere and nearly 10 percent more the series’ Season 1 average.
According to the network, this marks the best basic cable primetime scripted comedy telecast in more than a year.
In Atlanta Robbin’ Season, two cousins work through the Atlanta music scene in order to better their lives and the lives of their families. Earn Marks (Donald Glover) is a young manager trying to get his cousin’s career off the ground. Alfred Miles aka Paper Boy (Brian Tyree Henry) is a new hot rapper trying to understand the line between real life and street life. Darius (Lakeith Lee Stanfield) is Alfred’s right-hand man and visionary. Van (Zazie Beetz) is Earn’s best friend and the mother of Earn’s daughter. Donald Glover serves as Executive Producer, along with Paul Simms, Dianne McGunigle and Stephen Glover. Atlanta is produced by FX Productions.
The first season of Atlanta won two Emmy Awards as well as two Golden Globe Awards and AFI, Peabody, PGA, WGA, TCA, NAACP and Critics’ Choice Awards.
Source: Shadow & Act
Regina Hall Sports Bar Comedy Titled ‘Support The Girls’ Acquired By Magnolia Pictures!
Magnolia Pictures has acquired the North American rights to the film Support The Girls ahead of its premiere at SXSW.
From producers Sam Slater and Houston King and writer/director Andrew Bujalski, it stars Regina Hall, Haley Lu Richardson, James Le Gros, AJ Michalka, Dylan Gelula, Shayna McHayle, Lea DeLaria, Jana Kramer and Brooklyn Decker.
The story: Lisa Conroy (Regina Hall) may not love managing the restaurant Double Whammies, but she loves her employees more than anything, not only Danyelle (McHayle), and Maci (Richardson) her closest friends, but also her extended family that includes co-workers Krista (Michalka), Jennelle (Gelula), and regular Bobo (DeLaria). Unfortunately, the cheap, curmudgeonly owner Ben Cubby (Le Gros) doesn’t care nearly as much, and confronts Lisa when he learns that she’s using the restaurant to raise money for Shaina (Kramer), an employee in legal trouble related to an abusive boyfriend. To get even, the girls decide to sabotage the restaurant on the night of a major mixed martial arts fight.
The film premieres Friday at SXSW.
Source: Shadow & Act
On This Day In Comedy… In 1964 Comedienne, Actress, Writer, Voice-Over Artist, Producer, Wanda Sykes Was Born
On this day in comedy on March 7, 1964, Comedienne, Actress, Writer, Voice-Over Artist, Producer, Wanda Sykes was born in Portsmouth, Virginia
Raised in the Washington, DC area, Sykes was a NSA (National Security Agency) contracting specialist before getting into comedy. After five years of that day job she tried her hand at being funny in 1987 at the Coors Light Super Talent Showcase. She honed her skills for five more years (while still working for the NSA) until in 1992 she moved to New York. Sykes got a gig there working for Hall Leonard publishing as a book editor. At night she’d step out and do comedy. One evening she got a break which led to Sykes opening for Chris Rock at the famed Caroline’s Comedy Club. In 1997 she joined Rock’s writing staff on The Chris Rock Show for HBO, where she also appeared on camera. In 1999 she won an Emmy as part of that writing team.
Further success followed Sykes. She’s done theater (Annie), films (Pootie Tang, Monster-in-Law, My Super Ex-Girlfriend, Evan Almighty, License to Wed, Down to Earth, Nutty Professor II: The Klumps) and plenty of television (Curb Your Enthusiasm, The New Adventures of Old Christine (as friend, Barb Baran), The Drew Carey Show, Chappelle’s Show, MADtv, Will & Grace, Alpha House, Real Husbands of Hollywood and Black-ish). Sykes has also done voice-overs for animated features (Over the Hedge, Barnyard, Brother Bear 2, Rio, Ice Age: Continental Drift, Ice Age: Collision Course), television (Bubble Guppies, Futurama, The Simpsons) and did a voice for the televised puppet show, Crank Yankers.
Wanda Sykes had her own sitcom, Wanda at Large on Fox in 2003 and one on Comedy Central, (Wanda Does It). She also debuted her hour-long standup special, Tongue Tied on Comedy Central in 2003. In 2006 she did her first HBO special, Wanda Sykes: Sick & Tired. It was nominated for an Emmy Award. She did her second for HBO in 2009, Wanda Sykes: I’ma Be Me. Also, in 2009 she hosted her own late-night talk show, The Wanda Sykes Show on Fox. Sykes has hosted Premium Blend on Comedy Central and was a sports correspondent on HBO’s Inside the NFL. In 2004 she published the best-selling book, Yeah, I Said It.
In 2014 Wanda Sykes co-produced the languishing NBC standup comedy competition show, Last Comic Standing and brought it back to its previous prominence. She has written for The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show, the 74th Annual Academy Awards, The Downer Channel and of course every show she was ever on or hosted.
Wanda Sykes was active in the anti-gay bashing campaign, “Think Before You Speak” and has been an outspoken advocate for LGBT rights. She performed as part of Cyndi Lauper’s Tour for that cause. In 2009 she was the first openly LGBT person as well as the first African-American female to be a featured entertainer at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.
Sykes was named by Out magazine as number 35 on their Annual Power 50 List. She was one of the 25 Funniest People in America by Entertainment Weekly in 2004 and ranked by Comedy Central as #70 on their list of the 100 Greatest All-Time Standups. In 2001 Sykes won the American Comedy Award for Outstanding Female Stand Up Comic, the 2003 Comedy Central Commie Award for “Funniest TV Actress”, the 2010 GLAAD Stephen F. Kolzak Award and the Activism in the Arts at the Triumph Awards in 2015.
On This Day In Comedy… In 1963 Comedian, Actor, And Radio Host Darryl Lynn “D. L.” Hughley Was Born!
On this day in comedy on March 6, 1963, Comedian, Actor, Darryl Lynn “D. L.” Hughley was born in Los Angeles, CA
Hughley’s life arc goes from gangbanger to Los Angeles Times employee to top standup comedian. The comedy part got its start in clubs in L. A. including the Comedy Act Theater and Miss Wiz, where Hughley was house host. He got early recognition and landed a late-night talk show on local based K-CAL, but it was short lived due to his hot competition – Arsenio Hall premiered that same season. The setback was short-lived. Hughley was next pegged to be the first host of BET’s standup showcase, Comic View. He remained there for two seasons (1992-1993) then moved on to tour.
In 1998 D. L. Hughley made his next foray into television on his own self-titled sitcom, The Hughleys, originally airing on ABC, where it was broadcast for two seasons. The show then moved to UPN as Hughley was gaining fame for his contribution in the Original Kings of Comedy in 2000. He replaced Guy Torry, who’d moved on to star on a TV action drama. The tour featuring Hughley, Cedric the Entertainer, Steve Harvey and Bernie Mac was a cultural phenomenon, packing arenas across the country, being made into a hit concert documentary directed by Spike Lee and spawning a cottage industry of copycats all being packaged as royalty and touring under that brand.
Once The Hughleys ended its run in 2002, D. L. Hughley got traction as a political commentator. He had a Comedy Central program, Weekends at the D.L. and hosted D. L. Hughley Break the News on CNN. Hughley was also a correspondent for NBC’s The Jay Leno Show. He competed on Dancing with the Stars and held down his own radio shows. He released a comedy album (D. L. Hughley: Notes from the GED Section) has had recurring roles (Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Scrubs), guest-starred (Fresh Prince of Bel Air, The Parkers), hosted award shows (BET Awards), done voice-overs (Inspector Gadget) films (The Brothers, Soul Plane, Scary Movie 3, Spy School) and wrote a book (I Want You to Shut the Fuck Up: How the Audacity of Dopes Is Ruining America).
