White Famous wasn’t able to raise its profile quite enough. Showtime has canceled the comedy after just one season.
Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that the pay cabler opted not to move forward with the Jamie Foxx-produced Jay Pharoah vehicle right before the new year — not an atypical time to drop bad news. A Showtime rep was not immediately available for comment.
The series’ cancellation does not come as a huge surprise, considering fellow freshman half-hour SMILF was quickly renewed a month ago amid radio silence on White Famous‘ own future prospects. Produced by Showtime alongside Lionsgate Television and Foxx’s Foxxhole Productions, the comedy was greeted with mixed reviews and courted a weekly audience of 1.8 million viewers once all platforms were tallied. (By the cabler’s standards, that’s fair to middling.)
What White Famous did give Showtime was a not-so-terribly common half-hour comedy for the network. The pay-cable outfit is better-known for such flagship hourlong as Homeland and Shameless. Its only new half-hour on the immediate horizon is Jim Carrey’s buzzy TV effort Kidding, on which he will star alongside Catherine Keener.
In addition to Pharoah and guest appearances by Foxx, White Famous counted Utkarsh Ambudkar, Cleopatra Coleman, Meagan Good, Stephen Tobolowsky and Michael Rapaport among its players.
The series’ first season will live on at Showtime’s various streaming platforms.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
On This Day In Comedy… In 1944 Comedian, Actor, And Director Tim Reid Was Born
On this day in comedy on December 19, 1944, Comedian, Actor, Director, Timothy L. “Tim” Reid was born in Norfolk, Virginia.
Reid got into comedy as a duo. He was working for the DuPont Corporation when he met Caucasian insurance salesman, Tom Dreesen. They reluctantly partnered on an anti-drug program for local schools to try and make a difference. It was 1968 – what can I tell you? People cared about society back then. Anyway, they basically had to go around and preach about the evils of drugs. The difference with these two was they had a sense of humor. They engaged the kids with skits and stand-up. It was working, and Tim and Tom were pleased merely being good members of the community. To them they were just helping inform the youth. That is until a kid asked them if they ever thought about being a comedy team. The thought had never crossed their minds, but now that the idea was in front of them they went for it and became the first inter-racial comedy team in American history. They appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson numerous times and toured extensively, but the country wasn’t really ready to see a white man and a black man making fun of being a white man and a black man, so the team dissolved after five years and Reid moved more towards comedy acting.
Tim Reid broke into television guest starring on sitcoms. He worked on That’s My Mama, Rhoda, Fernwood 2 Night, The Richard Pryor Show, and What’s Happening!! Then he got his big break on WKRP in Cincinnati in the role of ultra-cool radio disc jockey, Venus Flytrap. The CBS hit lasted for six seasons. When that show was canceled he stayed on CBS in the light-hearted detective show, Simon & Simon (Reid was not one of the Simon brothers). He played the part of Lieutenant Marcel “Downtown” Brown. In 1988 he starred in the critically acclaimed, Frank’s Place. On this (CBS) program Reid had the part of a professor who inherits a restaurant in Louisiana. The realistic depiction, stellar acting and outstanding writing might not have been rewarded with longevity (the show was short-lived), but received well-deserved accolades. Frank’s Place won Reid the “Best Actor in a Quality Series” award and an NAACP Image Award for “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series”.
Reid was always in our face. He was Ray Campbell on the Tia and Tamara Mowry sitcom, Sister, Sister from 1994-1999. Then he had a recurring role from 2004-2006 as William Barnett on That ‘70s Show on Fox. And when we didn’t see him we still felt his touch. As a director, Reid helmed feature films as well as television programs. Going full circle from his roots, he created an after-school special called Stop the Madness. It was an anti-drug project.
For his various outstanding and distinguished contributions over the years, Tim Reid was named to the board of directors of the American Civil War Center in 2011 and in 2014 he received an honorary doctorate from VCU.
On This Day In Comedy… In 1987 ‘Eddie Murphy: Raw’ Was Released!
On this day in comedy on December 18, 1987, Eddie Murphy Raw was released by Paramount Pictures.
Filmed in the Madison Square Garden complex and directed by Robert Townsend this stand-up comedy concert film was Eddie Murphy’s second such effort following Delirious, but his first with a wide theatrical release. Besides being a highly acclaimed critical and box office success, Raw lives up to its title and held the record of most “f**ks” (223) in film (beating out even Al Pacino’s Scarface) until Robert DeNiro’s Goodfellas came along several years later.
Raw opens with a sketch (featuring Tatyana Ali) of a young Eddie Murphy telling a joke and merrily cursing his way through it. That’s the theme of the film as grown-up Murphy emerges from behind the see-through curtain illuminating his posed silhouette. Once the thunderous applause dies down Murphy launches into a series of bits reflecting his station in life and show business. He talks about celebrities (Mr. T, Michael Jackson) who didn’t like what he said about them in Delirious. He riffs on fans who didn’t like his gay jokes from the same film. He clowns Bill Cosby for criticizing Murphy’s act as being too scatological and how Murphy got advice from Richard Pryor to tell Cosby to shut the f**k up.
Murphy goes on during the 93 minutes to discuss’ his love for Pryor and his influence on young Eddie. He talks about non-English speaking people only yelling out his curse words to him; the perils of strange tail diseases and marriage; divorce and costly alimony; the need to find a sheltered woman from the bush who knows nothing about alimony; the need to keep her sheltered so American women don’t hip her to alimony; the surprising fact that men cheat and women will do the same; eating burgers made by your mama as a kid and not McDonald’s like the other kids; uncoordinated white people; overly-aggressive Italians and drunk relatives round out the set.
Raw was written by Eddie Murphy and Keenen Ivory Wayans (the opening sketch). Ernest Dickerson did the cinematography and the film made $50,504,655 at the box office.
On This Day In Comedy… In 1979 Comedian, Actor, And Writer, Milton “Lil Rel” Howery Was Born!
On this day in comedy on December 17, 1979, Comedian, Actor, Writer, Milton “Lil Rel” Howery was born.
A native of the West Side of Chicago, The Lion’s Den in East Chicago gave birth to the stand-up comedy career of Howery. He was soon proficient enough to expand his horizons and competed in NBC’s Last Comic Standing in 2007. Turns out he liked TV and more importantly TV liked him. Howery’s next televised break came on the FOX reboot of the ‘90’s hit sketch star maker, In Living Color. The revival lasted less time than you could spell the word, but Howery didn’t go unnoticed.
Lil Rel landed a gig at truTV on another sketch comedy show. He wrote, produced and co-starred in Friends of thePeople in 2012. Several years later he got the breakout part he’d been looking for thanks to another young comedian.
Jerrod Carmichael was also making some noise on the comedy circuit. So much so that NBC greenlit a self-titled sitcom, The CarmichaelShow featuring Loretta Devine and David Alan Grier as the star’s parents. Howery got the part of his recently divorced brother, Robert; more affectionately known as Bobby. His ex-wife was played by another comedy sensation – Tiffany Haddish.
In 2016 he performed on his own stand-up special on Netflix. Kevin Hart Presents: Lil Rel: RELevent streamed nationwide and exposed Howery to yet another medium. Next was film as he played the friend and eventual hero in Jordan Peele’s surprise hit of 2017 – Get Out. The role of TSA officer, Rod Williams earned Howery the MTV Movie & TV Award for “Best Comedic Performance”.
On This Day In Comedy… In 1965 Comedian, Actor, Writer, J. B Smoove Was Born
On this day in comedy on December 16, 1965, Comedian, Actor, Writer, J. B Smoove (Jerry Angelo Brooks) was born in Plymouth, North Carolina
Smoove grew up in Mount Vernon, New York, then headed to Virginia where he attended Norfolk State University. There he took the route of most students, he studied hard, worked a job printing T-shirts and tinkered with model trains and he got into stand-up comedy. That’s why he had to change his name from Jerry Brooks to J. B. Smoove. He looked more like a J. B. than a Jerry.
Following a memorable appearance of HBO’s Def Comedy Jam and several high profile tours, Smoove’s explosive style of physical comedy caught the industry’s eye and he became the king of the recurring characters. He had the recurring role of Leon Black on Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, as well as roles on Everybody Hates Chris and Saturday Night Live. On the latter Smoove was also a writer.
B. Smoove also got to sit at the big table. He was a full cast member on the Brad Garrett / Joely Fisher sitcom, ‘Til Death on Fox. He was featured on The Millers for CBS. Smoove was a cast member on the sketch show, Cedric the Entertainer Presents and hosted the Russell Simmons stand-up series, Stand-Up at the El Rey.
However, Smoove’s more than a creature of television. Kicking things off with 1997’s Lesser Prophets (in th role of Chucky), Smoove was omnipresent in films; appearing in With or Without You, Pootie Tang, Mr. Deeds, Date Night, Hall Pass, The Sitter, We Bought a Zoo, The Dictator, A Haunted House, Think Like A Man, Clear History, Top Five and many others.
Smoove’s animated personality allowed him to be used extensively. He’s been a pitchman for various products. He’s lent his voice to animated fare (The Simpsons, American Dad, Smurfs 2, Black Dynamite, and Robot Chicken). Smoove was instrumental in reviving the Wanda Sykes produced version of NBC’s stand-up comedy competition, Last Comic Standing. He served as its energetic host. Smoove’s one of The Replacers in the video game Call of Duty: Black-Ops II and provides the voice of Dr. Ray D’Angelo Harris, host of the Chakra Attack radio show in Grand Theft Auto V. He even transcended his own celebrity and has played versions of himself in a number of projects including Kevin Hart’s reality show, Real Husbands of Hollywood.
In 2007 JB Smoove earned the Writers Guild of America award for Best Comedy/Variety Series and his first comedy special JB Smoove: That’s How I Dooz It premiered on Comedy Central in 2012.
On This Day In Comedy… Director, Writer, And Producer Reggie Hudlin Was Born
On this day in comedy on December 15, 1961, Director, Writer, Producer, Reginald Alan Hudlin was born in Centreville, Illinois.
Hudlin burst onto the entertainment scene with a project he developed in college. House Party was originally a student film he directed while at Harvard University. It not only got him noticed but earned him multiple awards, one being the top honor at the Black American Cinema Society Awards. He would later team up with his older brother, and fellow director/producer, Warrington Hudlin to bring a feature-length version of the short to the big screen in 1990, starring rap sensations, Kid-N-Play and comedy phenomenon, Robin Harris.
The Ivy Leaguer kept his eye on the lens. Hudlin directed the Eddie Murphy hit, Boomerang in 1992. He helmed The Great White Hype with Damon Wayans, The Ladies Man with Tim Meadows and 2002’s Serving Sara. He also kept a hand in television directing episodes of Modern Family, The Office, The Middle, Outsourced and numerous episodes of The Bernie Mac Show where he was also a producer.
Hudlin continued to stretch his artistic tentacles. From 2005-2008 he was the President of BET. During that same period, he penned the Marvel Comics series, Black Panther and kept his hands in animation as the executive producer of the Aaron McGruder smash hit, The Boondocks. In 2012 Reginald Hudlin received an Academy Award nomination as a producer of Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained. He later served as executive producer of the NAACP Image Awards, garnering the show its highest ratings ever on NBC (2013) and the highest rated program in the history of TV-One (2014).
Nick Cannon To Write, Direct Women’s Basketball Film Co-Starring Chris Brown, Cedric The Entertainer And Luenell
Nick Cannon is directing, writing, producing, and starring in “She Ball,” an indie film about women’s street basketball.
Cannon will star alongside Chris Brown, Cedric the Entertainer, Evan Ross, and Rebecca De Mornay.
“She Ball” follows the love of the game through the struggles of Avery Watts, played by Cannon, who enlists the baddest women’s streetball league in the city to help him save the embattled Inglewood Community Center, which he manages, all while trying to raise his seven-year-old daughter.
Cannon is producing the film with Demetrius Spencer of One Media Worldwide and Ball Up, the entertainment studio behind the streetball league.
To bring authenticity to the project, the movie will feature real-life athletes from the WNBA, Ball Up, and the Basketball Beauties League, including Melody Rae Kandil, Jaliyah Manuel, and former Harlem Globetrotter Tammy Brawner. Faizon Love, K.D. Aubert, Luenell, and Marla Gibbs round out the cast.
“I’m very excited for this film. It’s something powerful for the culture, uplifting for the community, and the film’s main objective is to empower women! It’s going to be Ncredible!” said Cannon, giving a nod to his production company, Ncredible Entertainment, which is behind the project with One Media Worldwide.
“Basketball has always been a huge part of my life since I was kid,” Spencer said. “I always wanted to do a movie about the sport that had a feel of the classic urban films I grew up watching. Seeing the love of the game through women’s basketball, the power and incredible strength they deliver on and off the court, makes the movie even more special.”
Cannon and Spencer will serve as executive producers with Benjamin Sumpter, Michael Goldberg, and Robert Keetch. Erika Conner and Nick Spencer are co-executive producers. The soundtrack is by Cannon and Baby “Birdman” Williams.
Production has already begun on “She Ball.”
Source; Variety
Will Smith’s ‘Bright’ Makes Netflix History; Sequel Ordered!
Congratulations to Will Smith! Netflix has already ordered a sequel for his upcoming, movie, “Bright,” making it the first movie franchise in the history of streaming-only films. The urban fantasy action crime film is directed by David Ayer and written by Max Landis.
It stars Smith as a Los Angeles Police Department police officer who teams up with an Orc rookie police officer (Joel Edgerton) in a world of both human and mythical creatures. The film also stars Noomi Rapace, Lucy Fry, Édgar Ramírez and Ike Barinholtz.
The film, which premieres December 22nd, was made for a reported budget of over $90 million.
Source: The Jasmine Brand
Comedy Central To Air ‘Chappelle’s Show’ Marathon Starting At 9:00 A.M. On New Year’s Day
NEW YORK– 2017 got a little real, didn’t it? Mad real. Like when keeping it real goes wrong. So kick off 2018 with some laughs! Order up some WacArnold’s, maybe a nice Samuel Jackson beer, and relive the Chappelle’s Show phenomenon chronologically, start to finish, with an all-day, full-series marathon New Year’s Day on Comedy Central.
“It’s a Celebration, Bitches” begins at 9:00 a.m. ET/PT, with all 28 episodes of Chappelle’s Show running nonstop and culminating in a Midnight presentation of the seminal Chappelle stand-up special Killin’ Them Softly. Chappelle’s Show episodes will continue to air into the wee hours, and all episodes plus the special will be available on cc.com and the CC App.
Beloved by fans and critics alike, Chappelle’s Show aired from 2003-2006 on Comedy Central and became an instant cultural sensation. The series’ poignant, street-smart take on the nuances of race and society remain relevant as ever in today’s world, and Chappelle’s Show images, soundbites and clips persist as popular reference points throughout the media landscape.
Mariah Carey Returns To Times Square to Headline ‘Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve
dick clark productions and ABC today announced that multi-platinum music superstar Mariah Carey will return to Times Square to perform for a live audience of more than one million people, just minutes before the ball drops on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2018.” Carey first appeared on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” in 2005 when she became the very first artist to perform live from Times Square on the program. She returned in 2016 and will once again headline this year’s festivities. Carey joins previously announced Times Square performers including chart-topping singer/songwriter Camila Cabello, multi-platinum singer/songwriter and actor Nick Jonas and award-winning duo Sugarland. America’s largest celebration of the year will take place SUNDAY, DEC. 31, beginning at 8:00 p.m. EST on The ABC Television Network.
“We can all agree that last year didn’t go exactly as planned and we are thrilled to move forward together to provide America with an incredible night of music and celebration on ‘Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2018.’ See you in Times Square!”
-Mariah Carey & dick clark productions
“Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2018” marks the 46th anniversary of America’s largest celebration of the year and will include 5 ½ hours of special performances and reports on New Year’s celebrations from around the globe. Ryan Seacrest will host the primetime festivities and lead the traditional countdown to midnight from Times Square in New York City, as he has for the last 12 years, with live onsite reporting from actress and comedian Jenny McCarthy. Ciara will host the Los Angeles festivities which will feature additional performances by Kane Brown, BTS, Kelly Clarkson, Fitz & The Tantrums, Florida Georgia Line, Halsey, Khalid, Shawn Mendes, Charlie Puth, Portugal. The Man and Hailee Steinfeld, and all-star collaborations from Alessia Cara and Zedd, G-Eazy and Halsey, Khalid with Marshmello, Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line, and Hailee Steinfeld and Alesso featuring Florida Georgia Line and watt. Additionally, Lucy Hale will return to host the 2nd annual Central Time Zone countdown celebration from New Orleans, where multi-platinum selling band Imagine Dragons is slated to perform from the Allstate® Fan Fest, and WALK THE MOON will take the stage leading up to the midnight countdown and stunning fleur-de-lis drop near Jackson Square. Pop music icon, Britney Spears will perform from The AXIS at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, making it the first television performance of 2018 and the end to her record-breaking residency.
Mariah Carey is the best-selling female artist of all time with more than 200 million albums sold to date and 18 Billboard Hot 100 #1 singles (17 self-penned), more than any solo artist in history. Mariah is a singer/songwriter/producer recognized with multiple Grammy Awards, 21 American Music Awards, Billboard’s “Artist of the Decade” Award, the World Music Award for “World’s Best Selling Female Artist of the Millennium” and BMI’s “Icon Award” for her outstanding achievements in songwriting, to name a few. With her distinct five-octave vocal range, prolific songwriting and producing talent, Mariah is truly the template of the modern pop performance. Mariah’s ongoing impact has transcended the music industry to leave an indelible imprint upon the world at large. She made her entry into the world of independent film with her landmark performance in “WiseGirls” starring alongside Academy Award® winner Mira Sorvino and Melora Walters. In 2009, Mariah was recognized with the Breakthrough Performance Award at the Palm Spring International Film Festival for her critically acclaimed role in Lee Daniels’ “Precious.” Mariah went on to appear in Daniels’ stellar ensemble piece “The Butler” (2013). A Congressional Award recipient, Mariah has generously donated her time and energy to a range of philanthropic causes near to her heart including Save the Music, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, World Hunger Relief, and the Elton John AIDS Foundation, among many others. A tremendous supporter of children’s charities, both domestic and international, Mariah founded Camp Mariah in partnership with the Fresh Air Fund, a retreat for inner city children to explore career development. Mariah is represented by Roc Nation, UTA and Imprint PR.
“Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2018” is produced by dick clark productions with Ryan Seacrest, Allen Shapiro and Mike Mahan serving as executive producers and Barry Adelman and Mark Bracco as co-executive producers. Larry Klein is producer.
The complete lineup airingSunday, Dec. 31 on ABC is:
8:00-10:00 p.m. EST – “Dick Clark’s Primetime New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2018 – Part 1”
10:00-11:00 p.m. EST – “Dick Clark’s Primetime New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2018 – Part 2”
11:30 p.m.-1:09 a.m. EST – “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2018 – Part 1”
1:09-2:13 a.m. EST – “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2018 – Part 2”
