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Last week it seemed that actor and comedian John Witherspoon, apparently suffered a stroke while on stage during an Improv performance.
At the time, there was video taken by a member of the audience which seemed to show showed Witherspoon telling the fellow comedians on stage that something was wrong with him while yelling out to the audience not to worry and that he’d be back on stage.
Anyway, we have since spoken to several members related to Witherspoon who did state that he was “under the weather” but he has recovered fully and will be able to make any gigs he is contracted to do in the next upcoming weeks.
Look at the video from the audience member taken last week;
Aziz Ansari has responded to an anonymous woman’s claim of sexual misconduct in a story posted on Babe.net.
The woman, identified as a 23-year-old photographer based in Brooklyn, said her path crossed with the Master of None star and co-creator in September at the 2017 Emmy Awards, where she gave him her number at his request (he won an Emmy that night for best comedy series writing, an honor he’d also received a year earlier). After a week of texting, he asked her out on a date that ended with her in tears and feeling “violated,” which she told him the next day.
Ansari said in a statement Sunday that he “took her words to heart” at the time and reached out to her privately “after taking the time to process what she had said.” He added that he continues to support anti-sexual assault and harassment movements like #MeToo and Time’s Up.
In the Babe story, the woman said she met Ansari at his Manhattan apartment and then they went to an oyster bar. Afterward, they walked back to his apartment, where she complimented his countertops, made out of marble.
“He said something along the lines of, ‘How about you hop up and take a seat?'” He then began kissing her, she claimed, and “in a second, his hand was on my breast.” He began undressing her and then himself, she alleges, and then he said he was going to get a condom. “I said something like, ‘Whoa, let’s relax for a sec, let’s chill.'”
He continued kissing her and then performed oral sex on her briefly, she claims. “It was really quick,” she said. “Everything was pretty much touched and done within 10 minutes of hooking up, except for actual sex.”
She also alleged that he pulled her hand toward his penis “five to seven” times even after she moved it away and said he wouldn’t let her move away from him: “It was 30 minutes of me getting up and moving and him following and sticking his fingers down my throat again. It was really repetitive. It felt like a fucking game.”
She added: “I know I was physically giving off cues that I wasn’t interested. I don’t think that was noticed at all, or if it was, it was ignored.”
She said that, after spending a few minutes in the bathroom, she told him she felt uncomfortable, and he seemed to understand, but then not long after she felt pressured to give him oral sex and he continued to ask repeatedly, “Where do you want me to fuck you?”
He also continued to aggressively kiss her before she finally left: “I cried the whole ride home. At that point, I felt violated. That last hour was so out of my hand.”
She texted him the next day, telling him how “uneasy” his behavior made her feel. According to a text she saved that allegedly is from Ansari, he responded: “Clearly, I misread things in the moment and I’m truly sorry.”
His full statement, released Sunday via his rep:
In September of last year, I met a woman at a party. We exchanged numbers. We texted back and forth and eventually went on a date. We went out to dinner, and afterwards we ended up engaging in sexual activity, which by all indications was completely consensual.
The next day, I got a text from her saying that although “it may have seemed okay,” upon further reflection, she felt uncomfortable. It was true that everything did seem okay to me, so when I heard that it was not the case for her, I was surprised and concerned. I took her words to heart and responded privately after taking the time to process what she had said.
I continue to support the movement that is happening in our culture. It is necessary and long overdue.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
There are 62,000 Google search results for the pairing “Tiffany Haddish” and “Groupon.” The Girls Trip star has not been shy about sharing her love of the discount e-commerce marketplace, evidenced by many interviews and media appearances but most notably on Jimmy Kimmel Live!when she told Kimmel about going on a swamp tour with Will and Jada Pinkett Smith in Louisiana while on location filming the blockbuster comedy.
Her loyalty is paying off: Groupon has named Haddish as its new spokesperson for a series of ads including the company’s Super Bowl commercial, its first in seven years.
According to a press release announcing the partnership, Haddish “ranks in the top one percent of most frequent Groupon purchasers and has literally saved thousands of dollars as a Groupon customer,” and the ads will find her showing “why it makes sense to use Groupon every day to save money and support small businesses.”
In a statement, Haddish joked that the deal is long overdue.
“Nobody knows Groupon like I know Groupon. I’ve been speaking out for them for years,” she said. “In fact, I should have already been their spokesperson. I’ve invested lots of money into buying Groupon deals, and it’s about time I got an even bigger return on my investment than just saving money at my favorite local businesses.”
As part of the deal, Haddish will clue users in on some of her favorite Groupon categories, available here. Groupon chief marketing officer Vinayak Hegde said the company is thrilled to have her on board, adding, “Tiffany’s award-winning talent and well-known passion for our brand make her the perfect choice to serve as the face of Groupon.”
Creative for the 30-second spot — to air Feb. 4 during the fourth quarter of the game — is being handled by O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul.
Haddish, who recently published a comedic memoir titled The Last Black Unicorn, will next be seen starring alongside Tracy Morgan in the new TBS show, The Last O.G., and recently wrapped production alongside Kevin Hart for Universal’s Night School. She made her Saturday Night Live debut in November, opening with a joke about her net worth. “I googled myself — it said I’m worth $2 million!” she quipped. “What do I need to do to get this money?”
While her salary has not been revealed, the Girls Trip star should be closer to that goal with the new Groupon gig.
Haddish is repped by APA, Principato-Young Entertainment and the law firm of Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
If you haven’t heard, MAJOR. has two hit singles (“Why I Love You” & “Honest”) and counting. “Honest” is #8 on BILBOARD’S TOP 10 and is streaming in over 20 Countries. MAJOR. was The Featured Artist to Watch on Billboard.com, iHeartRadio’s On The Verge Artist & the ‘17 NAACP Image Awards Nominee for Outstanding New Artist, to name a few. MAJOR. carries an inspiration that is undeniable & bridges worlds together. His conversation is hope & his power is love. NOW THAT’S MAJOR.!
US: You kicked off 2018 with a NAACP nomination for the category of “Outstanding Song” for your song “HONEST” how does this honor make you feel? What would a win mean to you?
M: Crazy right?!? I’m excited about this journey of mine. Here and there, I’m reminded the blood, sweat, and tears haven’t been in vain. A WIN?!? Oh, I’d be so hype & honored.
US: You have championed yourself to be the Dr. King of music so your listeners can experience hope. The NAACP Image Awards air on Martin Luther King’s birthday this year, what is the inspiration behind your hope?
M: The many Bible stories I’ve read & my own Life-lived have proven the great benefits of HOPE. Dr. King & his legacy are a full expression of HOPE rewarded. I’ve accepted the call to be just that. HOPE.
US: Do you feel like you are living the dream, right now?
M: Absolutely… I’m living my dreams and then some. God is always showing up & out. Gotta love it. And we’ve only just begun.
US: What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the words “INDEPENDENTLY MAJOR”?
M: That’s exactly who I am as an artist. I don’t have the current blessing of a Major label behind me but I’ve made the most with what I do have and that’s “INDEPENDENTLY MAJOR.” for sure. Can’t forget the period. That makes it official.
US: IF MAJOR. were a mantra, what would the acronym spell out?
M: MIGHTY AMBITIOUS JUSTIFIED OVERCOMER ROCKSTAR
US: Since MAJOR. personifies your movement and you are the leader of it, where do you see yourself going from here?
M: ONWARD & UPWARD ONLY!
US: As a “trained” student of music from Houston (HSPVA) to a Julliard Intensive program to the prestigious Berklee College of Music, what would you say is your biggest lesson from your education?
M: GREAT OPPORTUNITIES ONLY REWARD THE EXCELLENT & READY. SO GET READY & STAY READY. THERE’S ALWAYS ROOM TO BE DOPER THAN YOU WERE A MOMENT AGO. PUT IN THE WORK IF YOU WANT THE WIN.
US: You give your fans an experience every time you perform with your distinguished sound, tone and range, what are your thoughts on the live performance versus the lip synch?
M: DO YOU. BUT DO IT WELL. Lip Synching is a special skill. I’m not that great at it but it’s a skill nonetheless.
US: Your name has evolved over time from MAJOR. Choirboy, the crooner to the one word category, does that have something to do with the legacy you want to leave behind?
M: EVOLUTION IS THE WAY OF LIFE. If you pay attention, all those stage names simply took me to my actual name: “MAJOR.”. I capitalize every letter and close it out with a period because at the end of the day the best of me is the truest me.
US: It is no secret that you are a man of faith, besides strengthening your character in an industry where you need a moral compass, how else does your faith navigate where you are and where you want to be?
M: I choose not to go anywhere or make any decision without God at the center of it. I tried it the other way and failed. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
US: Music greats like STEVIE WONDER and PATTI LABELLE have reached out to you after they heard your music, what do you look for in artists when you want to collaborate on a project?
M: Truth and distinction. If that ain’t there, we don’t need to go any further.
US: Where can your supporters keep up to date with your releases, tours and next moves?
BE SURE TO TUNE IN TO THE 49TH NAACP IMAGE AWARDS LIVE ON MONDAY, JANUARY 15, 2018, 9PM EST ON TV ONE.
Interview By: Josayne M Anderson-Tejera,
Humor Mill Music Correspondent & CEO of The UndergroundSeen
Twitter: @undergroundseen
Facebook: @theundergroundseen
Instagram: @undergroundseen
There’s big-time payback for Anna Faris against Eugenio Derbez in the first trailer for the remake of “Overboard.”
The new film, which opens April 20, is a role reversal on the 1987 original. Goldie Hawn played a selfish heiress who got amnesia when she fell off her yacht, while Kurt Russell portrayed a carpenter who ultimately fell in love with her in the romantic comedy.
The footage shows Faris — a single mother struggling to make ends meet — picking up a carpet cleaning gig on the yacht of a millionaire, played by Derbez, who treats her abusively and tosses her rented cleaning equipment overboard. But then a storm sends him tumbling overboard and he loses his memory, opening the door for Faris and to persuade him that she’s his wife, the father of her children, and a financial provider holding down three jobs.
Eva Longoria stars as Faris’ best friend who helps her cook up the ruse, describing it as “almost poetic in its justice.” John Hannah, Swoosie Kurtz, and Josh Segarra also star.
The remake is co-directed and written by Rob Greenberg (“How I Met Your Mother”) and Bob Fisher (“We’re the Millers”). Ben Odell and Derbez are producing through their 3Pas Studios. MGM partnered with Pantelion Films to co-produce, co-finance, and co-distribute the film.
Source: Variety
Blige explained, “Jimmy Iovine took me in to his Malibu home, he and his beautiful wife, Liberty. I will never forget that.”John Witherspoon, the famed comedian, apparently suffered a stroke while on stage during an improv performance. The video taken by a member of the audience showed Witherspoon telling the fellow comedians on stage that something was wrong while yelling out to the audience not to worry and that he’d be back on stage. The audience member that captured the video captioned it, “Went to see John Witherspoon at KC Improv & he seemed to possibly be having a stroke. He was escorted off stage.”
There has been no official word on Witherspoon’s condition, but stay tuned for any updates.
On January 12, 1996, Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood was released by Miramax
Produced by Keenen Ivory Wayans from a Shawn & Marlon Wayans script, this film is a parody of hood flicks. The main celluloid classics from the ghetto to get the spoof treatment are Menace II Society and Boyz n the Hood. The interweaving storyline of a young black youth delivered by his mother to his father to be raised by a male role model surrounded by questionable role models in the way of friends and the threat of thuggery and hopelessness, gunplay and racial insensitivity, sexual promiscuity and self-hatred. Yeah, it’s all there.
This hilarious movie was directed by Paris Barclay and stars Shawn Wayans as Tray that kid dropped off by his mama (Vivica A. Fox) to his Similac smelling daddy (Lahmard Tate). Marlon Wayans is his crazy, 2nd Amendment abusing homeboy; Chris Spencer is the militant with a love of white meat (women) and Suli McCullough is the requisite hood flick brother in a wheel chair, Darrel Heath channels the brother fresh out of prison who still acts like he’s in and Tracey Cherelle Jones has the role as the round away girl everybody has rolled with, but Tray is the latest honoree and newest baby’s daddy (as he was informed she was pregnant seconds after their first intercourse). There’s acrobatic Korean liquor store owners, overly possessive gangbangers, weed smoking, break-dancing senior citizens, black cops who hate black people, a wise neighborhood mailman filled with sage wisdom, horny hood skanks, hornier hood crackheads and of course – The Man (and a freckly faced one at that).
Since this is a comedy – it’s all good at the end. That included the film itself. Though the critics didn’t care for it, the ticket buying public approved. On a budget of $3.8 million the film with the title too long to type again made $20,109,115 domestically.
By Darryl “D’Militant Littleton
Check out this clip:
On January 10, 1999, The PJs premiered on FOX
This controversial stop motion animated sitcom showed life in the projects. Each episode dealt with slumlord, Thurgood Stubbs (the voice of Eddie Murphy) and his ways to get out of fixing tenant’s dwellings, consuming ghetto grub (including Forties) and his schemes to beat the system. His wife, Muriel (Loretta Devine) is an ole Alabama girl who attended school back in the George Wallace (not the comedian) days and his friends are as lazy as he is. Thurgood’s got tenants who hate him, kids who idolize him and crackheads, relatives, in-laws and law enforcement officials who get on his last nerve.
The PJs was created by Eddie Murphy, Larry Wilmore and Steve Tompkins. It was produced by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s Imagine Entertainment, Will Vinton Studios, Touchstone Television and The Murphy Company. The music was provided by George Clinton and QD3. The show was popular, yet laborious to produce; each installment took no less than 2 months to complete. In its final season The PJs moved from Fox to the WB. Murphy was AWOL (rumored to be off filming a movie) and replaced vocally by Phil Morris (Mark Moseley, Murphy’s voice double is also heard throughout). When that third season was over the sitcom was cancelled, but aired for a while in syndication.
During its 3-year run The PJs won 3 Emmys and an Annie Award.
The PJs aired its last episode on January 8, 2002.
By Darryl “D’Militant” Littleton
Check out this clip:
