D.L. Hughley opened up to VladTV about witnessing police corruption as a kid and seeing it continue today. Hughley added that he’s never seen a black man that has been killed that has changed everyone’s mind in the world.
During the conversation, D.L. spoke about justice for the black man is just as rare as the recent solar eclipse that had the nation enthralled. He then questioned when the country would get so appalled at an event that they would stop.
To hear more, hit the above clip.
Source: Vlad TV
Tia Mowry, best known for her starring role in ’90s sitcom “Sister, Sister,” has launched her first digital video series — a show about life hacks for moms.
“Tia Mowry’s Quick Fix” debuted Friday on YouTube and Facebook. The series, created in partnership with female-focused digital media company Kin Community, features the author-actress-entrepreneur tackling daily life dilemmas with quick demos that provide easy solutions. Her show is aimed an audience of moms, offering tips on such topics as figuring out what to feed a picky eater, carving out “me time,” and on-the-go beauty solutions.
“Everyone encounters dilemmas in their everyday lives that need a fast solution,” said Mowry. “As a busy mom, I wanted to create a fun short-form series that offered practical advice to anyone and everyone looking to make their lives a little easier.” Mowry and her husband, actor Cory Hardrict, have a 6-year-old son.
Mowry has a sizable social-media fanbase, with 5.6 million followers on Facebook, 4 million on Instagram, and 2 million on Twitter. New episodes of “Quick Fix” will post each week to YouTube with additional distribution across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat.
In the premiere episode, Mowry details three quick-fix hairdos based on looks she posted to Instagram that became fan favorites. Other episodes in the series will have her showing how to make a quick dinner in a sheet pan and how to manage “toy chaos” in the living room.
Mowry — in addition to starring in “Sister, Sister” with her identical twin, Tamera Mowry — has written three books, including “Whole New You,” published by Random House this spring. She most recently hosted Food Network’s “Star Kids” and currently stars in Cooking Channel series “Tia Mowry at Home.”
“Tia Mowry’s Quick Fix,” shot in L.A., is produced by Kin Studios in conjunction with UTA. The series is executive produced by Kin VP of programming Beth Le Manach, who also hosts her own family-oriented YouTube channel, Entertaining With Beth.
Kin Community, based in Santa Monica, operates a network of more than 150 lifestyle-content creators across social platforms. The company’s investors include Tegna, Emil Capital Partners, Canada’s Corus Entertainment, Australia’s Allure Media, Mayfield, General Catalyst, Rustic Canyon and Atomico.
Watch the trailer for “Tia Mowry’s Quick Fix”:
Source: Variety
At tonight’s 2017 Emmy Awards, Aziz Ansari and Lena Waithe took the category for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. They were recognized for their writing on the “Thanksgiving” episode of “Master of None,” which Waithe said was based on her real-life experience. Watch her acceptance speech and an excerpt of the episode below. She is the first black woman to win the Emmy for comedy writing. Other nominees this year included Donald and Stephen Glover for “Atlanta,” Alec Berg for “Silicon Valley,” and Billy Kimbal and David Mandel for “Veep.”
“Master of None” and Ansari were also nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. The soundtrack for season 2 of “Master of None” was released earlier this year. It features David Bowie, Kraftwerk, Tupac, Digable Planets, and many more artists—view the full list here.
Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images
Glover beat out two-time defending champion Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent), and other comedic heavyweights including Anthony Anderson (Black-ish), Aziz Ansari (Master of None), Zach Galifianakis (Baskts), and William H. Macy (Shameless).
Rihanna’s Diamond Ball, now in its third year, is a benefit for a worthy cause: her Clara Lionel Foundation, named after her grandparents, which raises money for impoverished communities across the globe, with healthcare and education among other various programs. The last one, in December 2015, raised $3 million. But let’s be real: Like most such events, the warmth from the gift of giving is spiked with the thrill of rubbing elbows for a night with Rih and Jay and Bey and Leonardo and a bevy of supermodels and media magnets. All this while MC Dave Chappell delivers a side-splitting monologue, Kendrick Lamar performs a tight 30-minute greatest-hits set, and Calvin Harris closes the night with a DJ set while people try not to look like they’re staring as Jay Z and Beyonce sit at their table, talking animatedly to each other, and eventually chatting with others. (We’d love to know what Beyonce said to Rihanna that made her place her hand over her mouth with astonishment.)
Among the others we spied in the house: Trevor Noah, Jamie Foxx, Future, Lil Kim, Yo Gotti, Emily Ratajkowski, Karlie Kloss, Gayle King, Earvin Johnson, Young Thug, Black Thought, La La Anthony, Petra Nemcova, and not least Cardi B, who wore a wild Christian Siriano dress with a train so long that she walked the red carpet with three people holding it. (She left the event several hours later with just one.) Also on board were executives like Republic CEO Monte Lipman, Warner/Chappell CEO Jon Platt, Atlantic Records co-chairman Julie Greenwald, a table filled with Apple luminaries including Robert Kondrk, and loads more.
“S—’s not going well for us,” Chappelle said. “The president is f—ing up. I feel bad — on ‘Saturday Night Live,’ I was the first one in America to say, ‘Hey y’all, give him a chance.’ Shouldn’t have said that s—. Now every time he f—s up, I go into the barbershop and n—as look at me like ‘What’s up with your boy?’ Motherf—er is clearly, clearly not having a good go of it. Can we agree on that?”
Then came the auction, complete with a videotaped message from former President Barack Obama, where Chappelle himself paid $180,000 for an original Retna painting and another item went for $275,000.
Finally, the evening concluded with Lamar’s short, but tight performance, including “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe” and finishing with a rousing version of “Humble.” The evening wound down as Harris hit the ones and twos — while some people grooved, it mostly provided a soundtrack for people-watching.
Source: Variety
On this day in comedy on June 21, 2002, Juwanna Mann was released by Warner Bros.
Starring Miguel A. Nunez, Jr., Juwanna Mann is a comedy about the redemption of a bad boy professional basketball star. In the big league he’s one of the best, but can’t stay out of trouble and after going off once too often (stripping on court) Nunez is banned. In an instant, his entire house of cards crumbles. He loses his house, cars, friends, girl and life. Nunez is forced to go live with his no nonsense aunt. Those arrangements smack him in the face that he can’t live like that so he resorts back to the only thing he knows – basketball. He dresses up like a female to play women’s pro ball.
The gender swapping plan works wonders. Nunez becomes a star in the women’s league with all the perks that come along with it including a male groupie (Tommy Davidson) hell bent on getting some. Nunez has his hands full try to avoid that one and tries to get his hands full of his teammate with the big booty (Vivica A. Fox), but can’t because he’s supposed to be a girl – remember? Meanwhile Fox is dating a rapper (Ginuwine) who’s cheating on her. Oh, drama!
The redemption part is coming up. Nunez learns to be a better player (team work) and a better person thanks to his experience. Too bad it had to blow up in his face. When the women’s team played their championship game it was at the same time Nunez (the male version) was having a hearing to get reinstated. He chose to play ball and not let his team down, but during play his wig comes off and the jig is up. Now he has nothing again until Fox and the other girls vouch for his renewed character and all’s well that ends well. He got his career back and the girl.
Juwanna Mann was written by Bradley Allenstein, produced by Bill Gerber and directed by Jesse Vaughan. It co-starred Jenifer Lewis, Kevin Pollak, J. Don Ferguson, Kim Wayans, Lil’ Kim and real league players (Cynthia Cooper, Rasheed Wallace, Teresa Weatherspoon, Vlade Divac, Katy Steding, Muggsy Bogues, Jeanne Zelasko, Dikembe Mutombo). The movie was not well received by the critics or the public. On a budget of $15,600,000 the film grossed $13,802,599 at the box office.
By Darryl “D’Militant” Littleton
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On this day in comedy on June 15, 1969, Filmmaker, Actor, Writer, and Rapper Ice Cube (O’Shea Jackson) was born in Los Angeles, California
Prior to influencing the world of comedy, Ice Cube gained fame as a rapper with the hardcore pioneering rap group, NWA. Then against the odds he had a successful solo career after leaving the group amidst a contract dispute. He became an iconic MC (voted #8 greatest of all-time by MTV) a budding actor (Boyz N the Hood, Trespass, The Glass Shield, Higher Learning) and at the urging of director, John Singleton, Cube expanded his reach to other genres.
In 1995 Ice Cube released Friday and turned a quiet joke (What kind of comedy is a rapper going to make?) into a cottage industry. Friday became a franchise and made stars of Chris Tucker, Mike Epps, Katt Williams, Terry Crews, Faizon Love, Sommore and starred Cube himself. He then made Barbershop and added another franchise to his list. Cube then did Are We There Yet? with was a film franchise and a TV series on TBS. Oh, and the Ride Along franchise with Kevin Hart.
Ice Cube has kept plenty of comedians and comedy actors working. He produced Janky Promoters, All About the Benjamins, The Players Club (his directorial debut), Beauty Shop, First Sunday, The Longshots and Lottery Ticket. Besides, Are We There Yet?, Ice Cube also produced Barbershop: The Series and Friday: The Animated Series. All this makes Ice Cube one of the strongest comedy impresarios of all-time.
By Darryl “D’Militant” Littleton
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On this day in comedy on June 14, 1931, Actress, Singer, and Producer Marla Gibbs (Margaret Theresa Bradley) was born in Chicago, Illinois
Gibbs seemed an unlikely artist. After high school, she went to business school and became a United Airlines reservations agent in Detroit, Michigan. Retaining her job for security, she relocated to Los Angeles with her family and got into acting. She plied her craft in theater and made her celluloid debut in Blaxploitation flicks. Gibbs was featured in the cinematic classics, Sweet Jesus, Preacher Man and Black Belt Jones. They were roles that would’ve been considered ‘exposure’ at the time, but they exposed her enough to be cast in the new Norman Lear sitcom, The Jeffersons.
The groundbreaking and controversial CBS hit, All in The Family spawned a spin-off which proved to be just as controversial. The Jeffersons was about loud-mouthed, bigoted, self-made and newly rich black guy, George Jefferson, who thanks to his thriving dry-cleaning business, moved on up and out of the neighborhood inhabited by the likes of Family’s equally bigoted, but white, Archie Bunker. George, his wife, Louise (“Weezie”) and son, Lionel copped themselves a deluxe apartment and that meant they needed a maid. Enter, Marla Gibbs, character name, Florence Johnston. She embodied the disrespectful domestic help with aplomb and her sterling work earned her five Emmy nominations. Gibbs alter ego was so popular she got her own spin-off, Checking-In.
Gibb’s spin-off aspirations didn’t last long as Checking-In soon checked out, but it was of no consequence. Once The Jeffersons turned off the lights after 11 seasons, Gibbs starred in an original project for NBC – 227. This sitcom was about a nosy, gossipy neighbor (Gibbs) and her neighbors/friends in the building. It was a hit for Gibbs the actress/producer and 227 introduced the viewing world to Jackee Harry.
Once 227 shut down after 116 episodes Gibbs divided her versatile talents between comedy and drama. She appeared in the films Meteor Man, Foolish, Lost & Found and The Visit (for which she won the Method Fest Independent Film Award), The Brothers, Madea’s Witness Protection and on the television series, A Different World, In the Heat of the Night, Empty Nest, Dream On, Martin, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Dawson’s Creek, Touched by an Angel, King of Queens, The Hughleys, ER, House of Payne, Scandal, Hot in Cleveland and The Carmichael Show.
In a distinguished career, Marla Gibbs won a total of seven NAACP image Awards. Another talent was that of entrepreneur. She owned the revered Los Angeles jazz club, Marla’s Memory Lane and she was also an accomplished vocalist who released numerous albums.
By Darryl “D’Militant” Littleton
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On this day in comedy on June 14, 1968, Comedian, Actor, Faizon Love (Langston Faizon Santisima) was born in Santiago de Cuba
The offspring of a Naval father, Love moved around a lot. His main stomping grounds were Newark, New Jersey and San Diego, California. He got into stand-up comedy and cut his teeth in clubs like Maverick Flats and The Comedy Act Theater. Coincidently he made his film debut as a voice over of the latter club’s host, Robin Harris in the motion picture based on Harris’ routine, Bebe’s Kids. Harris passed away suddenly of a heart attack as his career was on a fast ascension and Love was there to lend his vocal talents for the project. From then on we heard less of Love and saw more of his face and the rest of him.
Faizon Love has amassed an impressive array of hood flicks and mainstream films throughout his career. His first film appearance was in Robert Townsend’s Meteor Man followed up with Fear of a Black Hat and his signature role as Big Worm in Friday. The year was 1995; the same year he signed up to co-star in the Townsend sitcom, The Parent ‘Hood. That gig lasted until 1998, but Love kept busy as the time passed. He was seen in Don’t be a Menace in South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood, A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, B*A*P*S*, Money Talks and The Players Club,
Once The Parent ‘Hood was canceled, Love stayed on the set. He made 3 Strikes, The Replacements, Made, Mr. Bones, Blue Crush, Wonderland, Elf, Idlewild, Who’s Your Caddy?, The Perfect Holiday, Animal, Torque, Couples Retreat and Big Momma’s: Like Father Like Son just to name a bunch. He also did TV: My Name is Earl, Real Husbands of Hollywood, Black-ish and more voice-overs: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Zookeeper. He appeared on “Freaky Thangs from Ludacris and “Put Yo Hood Up” by Lil Jon & The East Side Boys. Love starred in the theatrical version of Thornton Wilder’s classic, Our Town and did commercials for Boost Mobile.
By Darryl “D’Militant” Littleton
Check out this clip:
Another Bill Cosby hearing today and another trial date pushed back as yet another set of new lawyers are brought on board for the much-accused actor.
What looked to be a routine status conference in Santa Monica on Thursday in Judy Huth’s case against Cosby for an alleged sexual assault by the actor at the Playboy Mansion more than 42 years ago saw the previously set July 2018 trial lurched forward almost six months. Huth was 15-years old when the incident allegedly occurred in 1974.
The request for the continuance of the Huth trial to December 3, 2018, and its approval by an LA Superior Court Judge Craig Karlan this morning, came as Cosby shuffled his legal team for the second time in a less than a month. After over a year serving as one of the actor’s top legal lieutenants, Angela Agrusa of L.A.’s Linar firm has exited Cosby’s side totally.
Having dropped out of defending Cosby in his criminal case in Pennsylvania for the alleged 2004 rape of Andrea Constand on August 22 this year, Agrusa will now be replaced in the various civil cases by Wayne Gross and a team from L.A. and Orange County-based Greenberg Gross.
After having gone through various attorneys, including his longtime, now ex-lawyer Marty Singer, in the past two years, Cosby officially ditched Agrusa and Philadelphia-based Brian McMonagle as his defense in the criminal case on August 22. Tom Mesereau, who successfully defended Michael Jackson in 2005 against claims of child molestation, was brought on to lead a whole new team for the Norristown, PA retrial of Cosby.
With a mistrial being declared on June 17 on the three felony charges of second-degree aggravated indecent assault that could see Cosby in jail for a decade if found guilty, the retrial was announced soon afterwards to start on November 6. That has now been pushed back to late March or early April 2018 so Mesereau and the other new lawyers Kathleen Bliss and Sam Silver can get up to speed.
While present in Pennsylvania last month, Agrusa was not in court today when the latest set of Cosby lawyers made their public debut. The litigator’s now total departure from Team Cosby comes as a surprise as just last month reps for the actor insisted that Agrusa would still be handling the civil cases.
“Mr. Cosby may change lawyers as often as he desires but he can’t change the facts, including the fact that many women allege that he drugged and sexually assaulted them,” Huth’s attorney Gloria Allred said today after the hearing. “Mr. Cosby is just like Humpty Dumpty in Mother Goose’s nursery rhyme,” she scornfully asserted of the actor. “Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a big fall,” she added. “All the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty together again.”
Cosby’s reps, nor Agrusa nor Greenberg Gross, replied to requests for comment on the latest law team change. Neither Huth nor Cosby were present at the hearing today.
In the particular case being addressed today, because Huth was a minor at the time of the claimed assault by Cosby, who has been accused by more than 60 women of assaulting and/or drugging them, the plaintiff was able to file in 2014 even though California’s then statute of limitations on such crimes had expired.
Cosby faces a criminal case in Pennsylvania because the state has a much longer statute of limitations on sex crimes than most jurisdictions. He was arraigned December 30, 2015 in the criminal case and released on $1 million bail.
Despite admitting in depositions more than a decade ago to giving Constand Benadryl pills on the night nearly 13-years ago of the alleged assault in his Philadelphia-area mansion, Cosby always has insisted that the encounter with the ex-Temple University employee was consensual. Montgomery County D.A. Kevin Steele argued otherwise as did Constand herself, who took the stand for nearly 10-hours in the first trial.
Constand is expected to testify in the retrial but no word yet if Cosby, who did not take the stand in his own defense, will do the same.
Source: Deadline