On this day in comedy on February 12, 1956 Comedian, Talk Show Host, Arsenio Hall was born in Cleveland, Ohio.
Starting off in entertainment as a child magician, Hall developed the disciplines required to navigate the unchartered waters that would make him a household name. He was the first Black late night talk show host; having grown up watching legends in the field such as Steve Allen, Jack Paar and Johnny Carson and knowing that’s what he wanted to do. However, having no idea that once he did it Hall would put such an indelible stamp on what it meant to be a Black late night host that not only he could surpass it. Nobody could.
Hall’s journey began when he moved to Los Angeles to refine his standup comedy chops. He did the requisite club circuit and even popped up a few times on Soul Train. Then in 1984 he got a break as the on camera sidekick of talk show host, Alan Thicke on Thicke of the Night. It was an instructive opportunity, but unfortunately one that didn’t last long. Didn’t matter, another break for Hall came in the form of Fox network’s failed The Late Show starring Joan Rivers. This project was developed specifically to challenge late night king, Johnny Carson and the venerable Tonight Show on NBC. The upstart entry couldn’t topple the institution and that along with bad blood between Rivers and the show’s producers gave an early exit to its title star. The show was renamed The Late Show and a series of interim hosts were tried. Nobody hit the right chord, but Hall’s brief tenure was the most resonate and he soon got the call to host his own show.
The Arsenio Hall Show was nothing short of a television revolution. Unlike previous late night talk shows that were designed to lull its viewers to sleep with safe monologues, an orchestra playing standards, banal conversations and advertising targeting the older demographic, Hall threw a party. His band was a hard driving combo that he called his posse. His audience was hyped, not drowsy. Their barking and fist pumping got them labeled “The Dog Pound” and their signature gestures infiltrated pop culture in films (Pretty Woman, Passenger 57, The Hard Way, Aladdin, Robin Hood: Men in Tights) countless TV sitcoms and commercials. His guests were not the kind that graced the covers of magazines you’d find at your dentist. He introduced Bobby Brown to late night TV. That alone could’ve got him cancelled. Hall made a president when then Governor Bill Clinton slapped on some shades and played his saxophone. No amount of church visits could’ve bonded a white candidate better to a potential black constituency. That appearance branded Clinton as cool and won him a close election. Whereas, Hall himself was all swagger. His monologues were edgy; interviews probing and fearless. Who else would’ve booked Louis Farrakhan on their show? Hall was a powerful force; perhaps too powerful. Shaping public opinion is fine as long as the powers that be tell you how to shape it. You got the feeling Hall had cut the strings as soon as the puppeteers weren’t looking. Thus, The Arsenio Hall Show was cancelled after five years.
The void left by The Arsenio Hall Show was gaping. Popular figures were brought in to fill it. Keenen Ivory Wayans and Magic Johnson mounted shows. Both failed – quickly. Music titan, Quincy Jones, spun off from his successful magazine, Vibe and envisioned its essence as broadcast entertainment. It tanked with two hosts (Chris Spencer, Sinbad) and it became evident that it was not the amiable personalities presented as substitutes, but that the bar had been raised so high there was no substitution. It was Hall or back to the white guys; white guys who’d gotten increasingly younger and hipper over the years. Once the era of Jay Leno and David Letterman (the last vestiges of the Johnny Carson age) came to an end they were replaced by the grittier Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert. The landscape changed thanks to Hall. It had altered itself so much that Hall felt it would be a natural fit. He’d resisted a much requested return due to the fact his friend George Lopez had a late night show. Could the public really keep track of two minorities on at once? Well, once Lopez got replaced on TBS by non-minority (unless you count the hair style), Conan O’Brien, Hall decided it was time to mount the horse he’d trained again. Unfortunately that horse was ornery. The reincarnation of The Arsenio Hall Show debuting in 2013 had all the previous elements of its 1989 incarnation: band, hyped crowd, fringe guests and even Hall looking preserved; like he’d been frozen all those years, but it lacked the magic. The spark was gone. It was like returning to an old lover. It would never be the same and before the relationship could be reinvented the suits pulled the plug.
Conventional wisdom has always maintained that careers were marathons, not sprints and Arsenio Hall has always had a career that stayed in motion. He was an animated voice over actor when he did The Real Ghostbusters from 1986-87 and other projects. He released the album, Large and in Charge under his alter ego Chunky A. He proved to be an accomplished comedy film actor in the movies, Coming to America and Harlem Nights. Hall showed the world he was ahead of the curve over most other performers when it came to taking care of business when he won the reality-competition show, Celebrity Apprentice and he won it when Donald Trump was the host. Speaking of hosting Hall aptly took over for establishment favorite, Ed McMahon when Hall hosted Star Search and he also hosted the MTV Video Music Awards. Hall had his own sitcom (Arsenio) in 1997 and an action show with Sammo Hung called Martial Law in 1999. Hall guest starred on sitcoms and played himself in films, TV shows and commercials.
For his acting expertise, Arsenio Hall won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor for Coming to America and the 1989 American Comedy Award for the same role. In 1992 he received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Central State University, Wilberforce.
By Darryl “D’Militant” Littleton
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On this day in comedy on February 10, 2014 Comedian, Writer, James Hannah passed away.
Born in 1968, James Hannah was a writer’s writer. He left his native Chicago after a stint as quality control monitor for All Jokes Aside, Chicago’s premier black comedy club. James would listen to each act and then offer notes to improve that performer’s set. Whether they liked it or not most comedians tried his tweaks and found that James Hannah knew comedy. Once he’d established himself as a joke doctor he took his skills to Hollywood beginning as a staff writer for The Steve Harvey Show and from there the dominoes fell: My Wife & Kids, Cedric the Entertainer Presents, Chris Rock’s, Never Scared, Weekends at the DL and Tyler Perry’s, House of Payne as well as penning material for some of the top comedians in the industry.
Hannah was also a comedian’s comedian. His lists of credits include, Def Comedy Jam, Comic View, Bad Boys of Comedy, Laffapolooza, One Mic Stand and Martin Lawrence’s First Amendment. He was a yardstick and an uncompromising comedy personality. His Truthpaste on social media was an immediate hit as James sounded off on subjects many would go nowhere near. He was bold, fearless and scathing.
James Hannah’s influence was evident in his era. Many Chicago comedians, such as Deon Cole credit Hannah with getting them into comedy by example and in some cases by writing out their first successful bits and teaching them the art. His work ethic was legendary. While most staff writers pander to series stars, James would tell them that they were not funny and then show them how to be. He was a blunt, brutally honest, unparalleled humor mechanic.
James Hannah died from an aneurysm, but his comedic phrasings will live on forever.
By Darryl “D’Militant” Littleton
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On this day in on February 9, 1955 Comedienne, Actress, Marilyn Martinez was born in Denver, Colorado
Martinez got an early start in show business. The youth tap danced to much acclaim on a local TV show. She took acting lessons and began writing polarizing comedy routines; many of them decidedly offensive to some and uproariously hilarious to others.
Martinez was first noticed at the World Famous Comedy Store in Hollywood. Her in-your-face, raw style was prefect for an era of comedy opposed to being politically correct. She shot from the hip on topics ranging from sex to men to sex with men. Her style was blunt, candid and original. She once said of herself that she was a triple minority: fat, a woman and Hispanic.
Her big break came in the mid-90s when Martinez became a member of the female Latina group, the Hot and Spicy Mamitas. She later joined the Hot Tamales, which featured Eva Longoria. This led to touring and recording the special the Original Latin Divas of Comedy.
When she wasn’t on stage, Martinez was making her mark and enhancing each project where she made an appearance. She was seen on the small screen: ABC’s My Wife and Kids (2001), Starz 1st Amendment and SiTV’s reality show, Urban Jungle (2004). She lit up the big screen in For da Love of Money (2002) and Pauly Shore is Dead (2003).
Marilyn Martinez left behind a grieving husband and a world of comedy fans in the same condition when she passed away on November 3, 2007 of complications of diabetes.
By Darryl “D’Militant” Littleton
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Comedian Hannibal Buress is in final negotiations to join Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron in Baywatch, Paramount’s big-screen version of the 1990s television series about California lifeguards
The movie, with Seth Gordon in the director’s chair, centers on the leader of an elite group of lifeguards (Johnson) who is forced to team up with a young hotshot former Olympian (Efron) in order to save the beloved bay.
The cast already includes Alexandra Daddario, Priyanka Chopra, Kelly Rohrbach as members of the slow-motion running lifeguard team.
Buress will play one of the locals in the bay community.
The movie begins shooting Feb. 22.
Buress, who has appeared on shows such as Broad City, is known to many as being the spark for the current Bill Cosby sexual assault scandal when he called the man a “rapist” during an comedy act. The act prompted a re-examination of Cosby’s past behavior.
The comedian recently shot an appearance opposite James Franco and Seth Rogen in New Line’s The Disaster Artist and does voice work in Illuminations and Universal’s upcoming animated film The Secret Life of Pets. He was also seen in Paramount’s surprise hit comedyDaddy’s Home.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Lethal Weapon is kicking into high gear.
Fox’s reboot hails from Matt Miller (Chuck, Forever), who will exec produce via his WBTV-based Good Session banner. Lin Pictures’ Dan Lin (The Lego Movie) and Jennifer Gwartz also exec produce. Lethal Weapon reunites Miller with Lin, who teamed for last year’s ABC drama Forever, which was canceled after one season. McG will direct the pilot.
Fox gave a hefty put-pilot commitment to the project in October following a competitive situation. Lethal Weapon is one of multiple movie remakes in the works this pilot season. Fox is also prepping a modern reinvention of The Exorcist and passed on its Urban Cowboy take; CBS is prepping a new version of Nancy Drew and a reimagining of Training Day; and NBC has a sequel to Cruel Intentions as well as a Taken prequel ordered straight to series. Reboots continue to be in high demand as broadcast (as well as cable and streamers) look for proven brands in a bid to break through an increasingly competitive scripted landscape. Key to the reboots is having the original producers involved, which for Fox’s Lethal Weapon, is not the case. However, sources tell THR that the original filmmakers have blessed the TV reboot though they will not be credited on the drama.
Lethal Weapon originally opened in 1987 and grossed $120 million worldwide. It spawned three sequels, which grossed a combined $835 million worldwide.
The casting marks a homecoming for Wayans, who starred on and wrote for Fox’s popular sketch show In Living Color for four years. He went on to star in and exec produced the ABC family comedy My Wife and Kids,which also ran for four years. Wayans’ most recent screen role was on an episode of Happy Endings in 2011. He is repped by ICM Partners and Kleinberg Lange.
Russell Simmons’ All Def Digital (ADD) network has announced the first-ever All Def Movie Awards, which will take place just days before the Oscars, at the World Famous TCL Chinese 6 Theatres. The live event will be held on February 24 and hosted by Tony Rock – as in Chris Rock’s brother; the same Chris Rock who is hosting the Oscars.
Awards will be recognized by members of the All Def Academy, who today announced the following films will compete for Best Picture of 2015:
– “Beasts of No Nation”
– “Chi-Raq”
– “Concussion”
– “Creed”
– “Dope”
– “Straight Outta Compton”
Members of the public can vote for two categories in the All Def Movie Awards (Best Picture and Most Quoted Movie) online at http://bit.ly/AllDefMA, through midnight on February 23rd.
Other awards will honor Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director as well as Best Bad Muh F**ka and other often overlooked categories, such as Best Helpful White Person and Best Black Survivor in a Movie.
The All Def Movie Awards, which will be held just yards from the Academy Awards stage, will feature a Black Carpet for celebrity presenters, arrivals and VIP guests. The show will also feature a special live musical performance, and a consistent stream of video content before, during and after the show on all of ADD’s social channels, including Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat and Periscope.
“If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself,” said Tony Rock. “With that in mind I have teamed up… with ADD to bring you the ‘All inclusive’, All Def Movie Awards. We’ll honor the entire movie making process. Great acting, mediocre acting as well as horrible acting. Soundtracks. Wardrobes. Maybe even craft services (the best part of the set). This is the award show Hollywood has been waiting for.”
Added Russell Simmons, founder and chairman of All Def Digital, “I don’t expect a 90 year-old Academy member to see ‘Straight Outta Compton’ or vote for it. I’m more concerned that in 2016 there continues to be a stunning lack of diversity in the studios, in the green light process, in the decisions of what films and television series get made, and what actors get chosen. This needs to be addressed institutionally. The All Def Movie Awards are not the Black Oscars, but they could be. This will be a fun, entertaining and hopefully thought provoking celebration of the uncelebrated.”
The All Def Movie Awards will be programmed as part of All Def Comedy Live, a live weekly comedy showcase. HBO is currently developing a series around the weekly event, which routinely draws celebrities and the best new, emerging and established artists working America’s comedy stages.
Admission is by invitation only, but a select number of seats will be reserved for fans by lottery.
All Def Digital (ADD) is a multi-platform media company for millennials focusing on urban youth culture through premium video programming across comedy, music, lifestyle and topical and timely social commentary.
Source: Shadow & Act
Here is an interview with comedian Lavar Walker who is probably best known as being the comedian who is a pharmacist who won a comedy competition and who quickly found himself working with Kevin Hart at a couple of dates.
Anyway, several years later Walker, now an experienced comedian talks about his journey in comedy and what he would do differently if he could start over again. He also talks about his time on the tour and the pitfalls of being a young headstrong comedian.
Check out the interview below;
The “Roots” remake from A+E Studios will premiere this Memorial Day. The first full trailer for the high-anticipated event series was released on Thursday.
The eight-hour project will air over four consecutive nights at 9 p.m. beginning on Monday, May 30 on History, A&E and Lifetime.
The A-list cast includes Forest Whitaker, Anna Paquin, Laurence Fishburne, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Anika Noni Rose, Tip “T.I.” Harris, Emayatzy Corinealdi, Matthew Goode, Mekhi Phifer, James Purefoy, Regé-Jean Page and Malachi Kirby.
“’Roots’ will allow new audiences to experience this epic family saga with a new vision that is both inspiring and tremendously entertaining,” said Paul Buccieri, president of A&E and History. “We are proud that History will be able to bring new life to this powerful story that remains as important today as it did when the original ‘Roots’ first premiered.”
“Nearly 40 years ago I had the privilege to be a part of an epic television event that started an important conversation in America. I am incredibly proud to be a part of this new retelling and start the dialogue again, at a time when it is needed more than ever,” said co-exec producer LeVar Burton.
“History” is home to the two most-watched miniseries in cable history, including “The Hatfields & McCoys,” which stunned the industry when it launched on Memorial Day 2012 and averaged a 3.8 rating in adults 18-49 and 13.75 million total viewers over its three nights. The network followed that up in March 2013 with “The Bible,” which averaged a 2.9 in the demo and 11.36 million total viwers.
The original “Roots” miniseries on ABC in January 1977 remains one of the most-watched events in U.S. television history, with the eighth and final night drawing about 100 million viewers — dwarfing even the Super Bowl earlier that month.
Hot off her Golden Globe win, Taraji P. Henson has signed on to star in Fox 2000’s Hidden Figures.
Ted Melfi will direct the film about a group of black women who provided NASA with important mathematical data needed to launch the program’s first successful space missions.
Fox is planning to release the film Jan. 13, 2017, to coincide with the Martin Luther King holiday weekend.
Allison Schroeder adapted the screenplay, which is based on Margot Lee Shetterly’s book of the same name.
Donna Gigliotti (Silver Linings Playbook) is producing.
Henson recently signed with UTA for representation, and the agency wasted no time in lining up a starring role in a studio film.
It’s a nice case of corporate synergy for the 20th Century Fox given that Henson stars as the sexy, scheming Cookie Lyon on Fox’s mega-hit series Empire, for which she won her Golden Globe earlier this month.
On the film front, Henson’s credits include No Good Deed, opposite Idris Elba. She also co-starred in David Fincher’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, for which she nabbed a supporting actress Oscar nomination.
She is additionally managed by Vincent Cirrincione Associates.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter