Sterling K. Brown Makes History At The SAG Awards!
At Sunday night’s Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards, Sterling K. Brown became the first black actor to win Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Randall Pearson in NBC’s critically-acclaimed drama series, This Is Us.
This was not the only award he picked up for the night, as he also won a second as a part of the cast of This Is Us — Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
We just discovered the heartbreaking news that Newark, New Jersey comedian Willie Asbury passed away this morning. According to our sources, Asbury was hospitalized and was sick from cancer and being treated, but word was he was expected to recover after his six month stay. Asbury was a frequent performer in New Jersey, especially at The Peppermint Ballroom and he performed frequently for the Troops overseas.
No word yet on the reasoning behind his passing, but as soon as we find out we will let you know. We will also post the word on his funeral arrangements.
See a performance of his below;
Tracee Ellis Ross Denies ‘Black-ish’ Exit
Tracee Ellis Ross is blasting a report that suggest she will leave “Black-ish” or demand higher pay because she makes significantly less than Anthony Anderson. The Hollywood Reporter reported on the pay disparities between men and women in Hollywood and used the show “Black-ish” as an example.
But while the report revealed that Ross made less than Anderson, it also did not state that Anderson is also an executive producer of the show. Actors who have dual roles usually get paid more than their co-stars.
Ross used Twitter to share her true feelings about the show and her contract negotiations.
She wrote, “There has been a lot of conversation and speculation the last few days regarding my blackish salary. I was in a renegotiation, like many actors find themselves in during the fourth season of a successful show. I wanted to be compensated in a way that matches my contribution to a show that I love for many reasons, including the opportunity it allows me to reshape what it is to be a fully realized black woman on TV. The words and thoughts that were in the original article that started this public conversation were not mine; there were never any threats. I wish I would have been called by the reporter to confirm that. Having had my renegotiation become a public conversation was awkward, but I’m grateful for the outpouring of support. I’m truly thankful that important conversations are taking place about fighting for women’s worth and equality, and tightening the pay gap in the industry.”
“Black-ish” recently won an NAACP Image Award and has been nominated for several Emmy Awards.
Source: Rolling Out
Forest Whitaker Says ‘Black Panther’ Is ‘Something That Hasn’t Been Seen Before’
“Black Panther” hits theaters next month, but the comic movie is already one of the most anticipated films of the year, breaking pre-sales records as Marvel’s fastest-selling movie in the first 24 hours.
Forest Whitaker, who stars in the film as Zuri, says “Black Panther” is resonating early with moviegoers because the film is bringing something new to theaters, especially in the superhero drama genre.
“It’s a unique piece. It’s a multicultural piece. I think people are waiting to find something new,” Whitaker said on Sunday at the Variety Studio at the Sundance Film Festival, where he was on hand for his film “Burden,” which premieres Sunday in Park City, Utah.
“This superhero from Africa who is in this society and trying to fix the world is something that hasn’t been seen before,” Whitaker added. “I think Ryan [Coogler]is a great director so there’s always going to be some social conscious inside of it. … And at the same time, the action is something we haven’t seen before.”
Without revealing too much, Whitaker teased a bit more about the Marvel film, saying, “We’re going to see not only tribal things, but things that take us into outer space, things that take us into the James Bond space. It’s a really unique amalgamation of different things that come together in an exciting way.”
Whitaker revealed that the first time the cast screened the film together, some people cried from excitement.
“The first time we saw it, just as a cast, after it, everybody leapt up to their feet — literally some were in tears, they were so excited about what was actually occurring. I think people have that same excitement around the movie. I’m expecting something great, and something great for Ryan.”
Source: Variety
Rapper Fredo Santana Passes Away At 27!
Fredo Santana aka King of Chiraq and CEO of Savage Squad Records passed away at the age of 27, late on January 20, 2018, according to a family member. His girlfriend reportedly found him unconscious at his Reseda area home. Fredo whose real name was Derrick Coleman leaves behind a son, his girlfriend, his cousin, fellow rapper and collaborator Chief Keef, family and a host of fans and friends.
Santana was described as loyal by DJ Akademiks who followed his career extensively from Chicago to California, where he signed to a major label in 2012. Santana’s death has rocked the Hip-Hop community who has seen so many of their stars who unexpectedly fall for a variety of issues from medical to violence. An autopsy has been scheduled to discover his official cause of death.
-Josaynemeant2be
Wanda Sykes Says Netflix Offered Her Less Money Than Mo’Nique!
Mo’Nique has at least one fellow Hollywood supporter in her boycott against Netflix.
On Saturday night, actress and comedian Wanda Sykes spoke up for Mo’Nique, who claims the streaming company is guilty of gender and color bias after it reportedly offered her $500,000 for a comedy special while other stand-up stars like Amy Schumer and Dave Chappelle were give $13 million and $20 million.
“@MoWorldWide, thank you for speaking out,” Sykes tweeted. “@Netflix offered me less than half of your $500k. I was offended but found another home. #EPIX.”
While Sykes, 53, did not share more details about her discussions with Netflix, followers were quick to chime in.
“Whoa. I’m glad u shed some light on what Monique was talking about with Netflix,” said one person. “It’s a damn shame Netflix be low balling women of color. But will pay another woman of a different race more. It has nothing to do with relevance. U and Mo’Nique put in the years and deserve the $.”
On Sunday morning, Mo’Nique, 50, who won an Oscar in 2010 for “Precious,” shared a quick Instagram video shimming with the caption, “To my beautiful sisters, when they tell you no, you must keep telling yourself yessss. Love yall.”
Source: Page Six
Comedian Joe Recca Passes Away!
According to our sources and several social media posts, we have discovered the news that comedian Joe Recca passed away. Recca was mostly known for clean comedy shows and Christian comedy venues. As of this writing, the nature of his passing is yet to be determined.
Joe Recca was born in Chicago and raised in Virginia Beach. He graduated from Norfolk State University with a B.A. Degree in Sociology. Joe moved to Washington DC and started working as a case worker in a halfway house and later as a probation counselor. While working there Joe would perform stand up comedy at the Comedy Cafe. One of Joe’s fellow comedians was a young Dave Chappelle. Joe moved to the New York area to pursue comedy fulltime. Shortly after moving there, he was booked to do Showtime at the Apollo.
Details will follow soon.
Rihanna To Perform At Grammys With DJ Khaled And Bryson Tiller
Rihanna, DJ Khaled and Bryson Tiller will perform their smash hit “Wild Thoughts” on the Grammy Awards, Khaled announced in his characteristically low-key manner on social media Friday night.
#FANLUV! IT’S GO TIME!,” he wrote. “I’m performing #WILDTHOUGHTS at the #GRAMMYS !!!! with the ICON @rihanna AND @brysontiller !! @RecordingAcad! I’M so #GRATEFUL for this opportunity!! #FANLUV the key is – DONT STOP !!! I NEVER GAVE UP!!”
The awards will air live from Madison Square Garden in New York at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT on CBS. Previously announced performers include Alessia Cara, Brothers Osbourne, Cardi B, Eric Church, Miley Cyrus, Childish Gambino, Daddy Yankee, Luis Fonsi, Elton John, Kesha, Khalid, Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, Little Big Town, Logic, Patti LuPone, Bruno Mars, Maren Morris, Pink, Ben Platt, Sam Smith, SZA, and U2.
Source: Variety
Steve Harvey’s Daytime Talk Show Renewed For 2nd Season!
CREDIT: COURTESY OF IMG
Steve Harvey took a gamble this past fall on a total remodel of his syndicated daytime talk show “Steve.” He changed the format, moved from Chicago to Los Angeles and shuffled production companies behind the scenes.
“Steve” is getting second year to prove itself now that distributor NBCUniversal Domestic TV has renewed the show for 2018-19 on stations covering 90% of U.S. TV households, including the NBC O&O group.
Harvey shifted his show from a more traditional topical and conflict-driven talk vehicle to a lighter touch featuring more celebrity guests, comedy bits, and audience games. He also made the decision to take control of the production of the show in partnership with IMG, an affiliate of his talent agency, WME. He’d spent the previous five seasons in syndication with Endemol Shine North America and its predecessors.
“It has always been a dream of mine to spend more time on the 405,” said Harvey. “Another dream of mine has been to bring laughs to daytime television. Here’s to killing two birds with one stone with a season two renewal.”
The “Steve” reboot has maintained respectable ratings, by the low standards of daytime syndication these days, but producers hope to see growth as the current season wears on. Introducing the new elements to the show has been a carefully calculated process.
“The daytime audience is very, very loyal, but they know what they want. If you want to do something new you can’t do it right away. You can’t just completely change your format,” said IMG’s Mike Antinoro, exec producer of Steve along with Harvey, showrunner Shane Farley, Gerald Washington and IMG’s Mark Shapiro.
“You have to ease the audience into it. They’ll let you know every quickly if they like it or not,” Antinoro said. “We’ve learned a lot about what’s working from the changes we introduced in September. We’re seeing some growth from where we started.”
Source: Variety
Fox Orders Pilots From Lil Rel, Lee Daniels, And More!
Fox has given a pilot order to the single-camera comedy project that hails from Lee Daniels and Vali Chandrasekaran, as well as a multi-camera from Lil Rey and a one-hour drama from Josh Safran, Variety has learned.
Based on the Israeli series “Nevsu,” Daniels and Chandrasekaran’s series entitled “Our People” follows a man from a bombastic African family who doesn’t have a world in their native language for “privacy” and his fiancee from a mid-western family as they try to build a normal life together — though nobody agrees on what “normal” means. The project received a put pilot commitment at the network in September.
Chandrasekaran will write in addition to executive producing. Daniels will also executive produce via his Lee Daniels Entertainment banner, with Yossi Vassa, Shai Ben-Atar and Liat Shavit, Pam Williams, and Marc Velez also executive producing Both Chandrasekaran and Daniels are currently set up under overall deals at 20th Century Fox TV.
This was one of four projects that Daniels had in development at Fox this year. He is also attached to three drama projects at the network, which are: “Victory,” set in the world of competitive gospel choirs with Julian Breece writing and executive producing; “East of Hope,” described as a multi-racial soap set in an all-American working-class town with Peter Mattei writing and executive producing; and “Mason Dixon,” which follows a black politician’s wife and a blunt-talking good-ol’ boy who form an unlikely alliance, with Breece also writing and executive producing. Daniels is also the executive producer on the Fox shows “Empire” and “Star,” the former of which being the highest-rated show on the network.
Chandrasekaran is a writer and executive producer on ABC’s “Modern Family.” His other credits include the comedies “30 Rock” and “My Name Is Earl.”
Daniels is repped by CAA. Chandrasekaran is repped by UTA.
Additionally, Fox has ordered “Mixtape,” from writer and executive producer Josh Safran, to pilot.
Coming from Annapurna Television in association with 20th Century Fox, “Mixtape” is a one-hour “romantic musical drama” that looks at a disparate group of interconnected people in contemporary Los Angeles, through the lens of the music that defines who they are.
“Mixtape” also sees Megan Ellison and Sue Naegle executive producing, along with co-executive producer Ali Krug.
“Rel,” from writer, executive producer and star Lil Rel, as well as writers and executive producers Kevin Barnett and Josh Rabinowitz and executive producer and showrunner Mike Scully, is a multi-camera comedy receiving a pilot order, too.
In it, Lil Rel is a prideful, self-made success who lives by the code to “always believe in yourself and great things will come” but finds that attitude gets put to the test when he learns his wife his having an affair with his barber. The show sees him trying to rebuild his life post-divorce as a long distance single father on the South Side of Chicago.
Inspired by Lil Rel’s real life, “Rel” also has Jerrod Carmichael on-board as an executive producer. The pilot comes from 20th Century Fox Television.
