Comedian Mark Curry recently took to social media and revealed that he was racially profiled while at The Mining Exchange, a Wyndham hotel located in downtown Colorado Springs. Curry was in town for a comedy gig at a club adjacent to the hotel.
The incident found Curry hanging in the hotel lobby sipping coffee when two hotel employees approached the comedian, standing nearby and looking at him. They asked Curry if he was a guest staying there. Because of that, Curry fired back, saying he was approached because he was Black, and accused the staff of harassing him. The comedian then asked why other lobby guests weren’t asked these same questions.
The employees didn’t have an answer, and Curry got up and made his way to the bathroom after being asked for his ID by a front desk attendant. Since the incident, Wyndham has apologized and offered Curry “an open invitation to return at no cost any time in the future.” Watch above.
Jackie Chan revealed he is in talks for a “Rush Hour 4.”
The legendary martial arts star made the announcement at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where he spoke about his upcoming projects and 60-year film career in front of a a crowd of adoring fans who regularly interrupted the talks to shout out questions, congratulate him on his honorary Oscar and ask him to sing. (He was happy to oblige with a quick burst of “I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You,” explaining that he learned to sing so that he’d be able to do something for his fans that wouldn’t involve fight moves.)
Chan spoke of his humble beginnings, earning 80 cents a day as a jobbing stuntman. It was in this capacity he first met Bruce Lee, when the superstar hit him during a staged fight. Chan says Lee was shocked, and Chan played up his injury to get sympathy. “As a stunt guy you can get hit every day,” Chan said. “It doesn’t matter. I pretend I’m hurt then he comes to help me. ‘I’m sorry,’ he says. The whole day and the whole night, every time I turn around, I see Lee looking if I’m okay. I wanted him to hit me again.” Chan got extra work as a result.
When Lee died, Chan recalled how he was groomed to be his successor. “I said: I am not Bruce Lee. So, if Bruce kicked high; I kick low. Bruce fights like this. I do it the opposite. That’s Jackie Chan. I just do myself.” Going to Hollywood, they told him to slow down his fighting style. “Like Clint Eastwood — BOOM — Make my day! It’s so easy.” Much of the conversation had Chan on his feet and demonstrating his moves, his fighting style and just bouncing with irrepressible vim as he acted out the story. Despite the fact that his first forays into Hollywood weren’t successful, cheers from the audience asserted that Chan is a worldwide star.
What has become “the Jackie Chan style” is marked by its combination of action and comedy. He said, “You cannot create any more action because, what? Punching? Kicking? Those kinds of things… boring. So this is why I slowly use comedy with action and all the props around me, and after I cannot use any more, then I do dangerous stunts. High jumps. Believe it or not, this year is my 60th year in the film industry.”
Chan speaks with extraordinary enthusiasm and affability. He’s the king of the humblebrag: detailing how he dominated cinema in Hong Kong, then Japan and finally Hollywood with “Rush Hour,” which, pairing him with Chris Tucker, finally allowed him to use his own frenetic style. He originally thought the movie would flop, but, “I got a phone call. Brett Ratner and Chris Tucker call me from New York. They’re crazy. We were $70 million in the first weekend. For me, I don’t know how to count.” But he adds to cheers: “We’re talking about ‘Rush Hour 4’ right now.”
When it comes down to the secret of his popularity and success, Chan insists it is the way he controls his films on every level. “There are so many good action stars. My action is better than some other people, not because I’m really good, but because I write a script suitable for myself. I can use the camera angle to make my action better. At night, I go home and edit myself and use those kinds of things to make my action better.”
Chan has a number of new projects simmering, to add to his 150 credits — 300, Chan is quick to correct the moderator, if you include his stunt work. He implored his audience to go to theaters and not pirate movies. He also talked about playing a doctor in “Never Let the Rain Stop,” a new project that will shoot in Saudi Arabia, to enthusiastic cheers from the local crowd. He lists a series of scripts he wants to do, one involving just Chan and a bird; another featuring Chan playing a grandfather who looks after a panda. Who doesn’t want to see that?
Chan is still full of new ideas and ambition. “In the old days we used to go out partying, but now my ambition is to become the good Jackie Chan,” he said. He closed with a promise to make less action films and more love films, before rushing out to the sound of applause and cheers.
Source: Variety
The Golden Globes have a host.
Jerrod Carmichael has signed on to front the 80th Golden Globes, airing live Jan. 10 on NBC and its streaming service Peacock from the show’s longtime home, the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills.
The news helps answer a crucial question that has floated through Hollywood events over the past several months, helping fuel party chatter and predictions about how the resuscitated Globes would proceed after the overhaul of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s ranks and practices.
For Carmichael, it will be another high-profile outing for the comedian who has had a high-profile run as of late. After earning raves for his Bo Burnham-directed intimate special, Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel, an HBO Max stand-up special during which he came out, Carmichael hosted NBC’s Saturday Night Live. His other major award show experience came when he stood on the Emmy stage in September to accept his first trophy for outstanding writing for a variety special for Rothaniel.
In a statement, HFPA president Helen Hoehne said the org is “so excited” to have him on board. “His comedic talents have entertained and thrilled audiences while providing thought-provoking moments that are so important in the times we live. Jerrod is the special kind of talent this show calls for to kick off the awards season.”
Added Globes executive producer Jesse Collins: “Jerrod is a phenomenal talent with a fresh perspective and excellent comedic style. We’re all thrilled to have him host this year’s show.”
As previously announced, Lopez vs. Lopez father-daughter duo George and Mayan Lopez are set to announce this year’s nominees inside the Beverly Hilton early next Monday morning, Dec. 12. The announcement will air live from 5:35-5:40 a.m. PT on NBC’s Today.
The show is produced by Dick Clark Prods. and Jesse Collins Entertainment in association with the HFPA. The Hollywood Reporter is owned by PME Holdings, LLC, a joint venture between Penske Media Corporation and Eldridge, the latter of which owns HFPA.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Ice Cube, the newly-minted Mount Westmore member, has revealed that he was asked to do a Verzuz on two separate occasions with LL Cool J and Scarface, but declined both requests.
During a recent appearance on the Bootleg Kev podcast alongside his group mates, Cube explained his decision of turning down a Verzuz showdown.
“I think they was talking LL at one point. They was talking Scarface at one point. Yeah, I said no. Verzuz is good but my concept would have been, ‘Yo, I’m a fan. You do this song for me,’” said the Friday star, 53. ”Like, okay, I get to have LL do my favorite LL songs and he gon’ have me do his favorite Ice Cube songs and it’s not Verzuz. It’s love.”
He continued, “That would have been my concept. I can’t go against, you know, people I admire. LL’s an OG to me in the game so I can’t see it.”
As for having Scarface as an opponent, the Compton native revealed, “I know we love each other, but we don’t communicate enough to do Verzuz. I don’t want it to be competition.”
This isn’t the first instance where Cube has shared his thoughts on Verzuz and a potential matchup. In July 2021, he told The Breakfast Club, “My version of Verzuz would have been, I pull somebody out there like Chuck D of Public Enemy or something and I play all the songs I love from him and he plays all the songs he loves from me. It’s a love fest. But it’s not something that I’m thinking about doing.”
Watch Mount Westmore discuss their group dynamics and more below. Their debut album, SNOOP CUBE 40 $HORT, is streamable on all digital platforms.
Source: VIBE
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71737376/1448371766.0.jpg?w=768&ssl=1)
In this episode, we discuss the NFL weekend games in review such as the Niners’ defeat of the Bucs and the Vikings’ loss to the Lions! Plus we talk about the NBA games over the weekend and the other hot topics in sports!
Watch the latest episode below;
A new, official-appearing R. Kelly collection provocatively titled “I Admit” appeared on streaming services — including Spotify and Apple Music — on Friday, although reps for Sony Music, which owns the rights to much of the singer’s catalog, stressed that the album is an unofficial release (i.e. a bootleg), even though the copyright line on the album reads “Legacy Recordings,” which is Sony Music’s catalog division.
Sony’s rep confirmed that the release is not legitimate but did not immediately have further details. It was removed from Spotify and Apple Music on Friday afternoon: “This content has been removed from the platform at the request of the distributor,” a rep for Spotify stated.
An attorney for Kelly, Jennifer Bonjean, says that the singer’s camp is not behind the release and that he “is having intellectual property stolen from him.” Kelly is serving a 30-year prison sentence after being found guilty of multiple sexual-misconduct-related charges in New York last year; he is awaiting trial on similar charges in Illinois and other jurisdictions.
A source close to the situation says that the album was released by the Los Angeles-based label Real Talk Entertainment, which was founded in 2003 and has a lengthy discography including releases by Bone Thugz N Harmony and early ’00s rappers like Chingy, Freeway, and Young Buck, although it is not clear how or whether the company acquired the rights to the Kelly recordings or the rights to the name Legacy Recordings. It seems possible that some or all of the recordings could have fallen outside of Kelly’s contract with his longtime label — Sony Music’s RCA, which parted ways with the singer in 2019 — and Kelly sold or licensed those rights to Real Talk, although that is purely speculation. The album was distributed by Ingrooves, which is owned by Universal Music Group. A source says Ingrooves has terminated its agreement with Real Talk; reps for both companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The album’s title comes from a 19-minute song Kelly released in July of 2018 in which, contrary to the title, he essentially denies the longstanding sexual-misconduct allegations against him. The album is a collection of previously released and unreleased material primarily dating from the latter years of Kelly’s recording career, although several of the unreleased tracks have been floating around on the internet for as long as 15 years. He continued to release music as the allegations against him mounted in 2018 and 2019, sometimes through RCA and some on SoundCloud and other services.
While it is surprising that such a controversially titled unofficial release by an artist such as Kelly was posted on the world’s largest streaming platforms without setting off any alarms, hundreds of thousands of songs are uploaded to the services every day, and the copyright says “Legacy Recordings,” which is the name of Sony Music’s catalog division — however, official Legacy releases bear a Sony Music Entertainment copyright.
Source: Variety
In this episode of The Box Seats Sports Comedy Talk Show, we discuss the amazing come-from-behind victory Baker Mayfield had for the LA Rams against the Las Vegas Raiders! Plus we talk about all of the hottest topics in sports!
Check out the latest episode below;
In this episode of the Box Seats Sports Comedy Talk Show, we discuss the surprise release of WNBA star Brittney Griner and if she will continue to play in the NBA, and if so, will her playing now save the WNBA. We also talk about the hottest topics in sports!
Watch the latest episode below;
HBO Max has canceled “Sweet Life: Los Angeles” after two seasons.
The reality series, which was created by Issa Rae, is the third unscripted series to get the axe at the streamer this week. First was Elan Gale’s fan-favorite “FBoy Island” on Monday, followed by voguing competition series “Legendary” on Tuesday. Those shows ran for two and three seasons, respectively.
Named after the 2012 Frank Ocean song “Sweet Life,” the series followed a friend group of Black 20-somethings through their career and personal pursuits while living in South L.A. Season 1 debuted in 2021, while Season 2 came in 2022. Cast members included Amanda Scott, Briana Jones, Cheryl Des Vignes, Jerrold Smith II, Jordan Bentley, P’Jae Compton, Tylynn Burns, Rebecca Magett, Rob Lee, and Jaylenn Hart.
“Sweet Life: Los Angeles” was the first series to come out the overall deal WarnerMedia signed with Rae, who first worked with HBO as the creator and star of the hit series “Insecure.” The deal, valued at $40 million, came a year before Warner Bros. merged with Discovery and moved under the leadership of CEO David Zaslav. As the merger created redundancies across the company, with Discovery already overseeing brands like the HGTV, Food Network, ID, Travel Channel, and more, unscripted content on the Warner Bros. side has been heavily deprioritized.
HBO Max’s remaining unscripted slate includes shows such as “Selena + Chef,” “The Big Brunch,” “Kraftopia” and “The Hype,” but their fate’s don’t seem promising.
“Rap Sh!t,” a scripted comedy, was the second project to come out of Rae’s overall deal with WarnerMedia. The series was renewed for a second season in September.
Source: Variety
TNT will premiere the new scripted action thriller, “The Lazarus Project,” produced by Urban Myth Films in association with Sky Studios, on Monday, January 23, 2023, at 9:00pm ET/PT. “The Lazarus Project,” acquired from NBCUniversal Global Distribution on behalf of Sky Studios, is the first new scripted drama to appear on TNT since the April 2022 merger that brought Discovery and WarnerMedia together as Warner Bros. Discovery. The high-impact drama is intended to appeal to broad, thrill-seeking audiences and to complement the network’s big-ticket movies and more than 800 hours of sports.
“The Lazarus Project” is a riveting eight-hour drama that follows George, the latest recruit to The Lazarus Project – a secret organization that has harnessed the ability to turn back time whenever the world is at the threat of extinction. George and his colleagues are the few people on Earth with the ability to remember the events that are undone when time goes back. But when a freak accident harms someone close to George, Lazarus won’t let him turn back time to undo it unless there is the threat of global extinction. Now George must choose to stay loyal or go rogue as he faces the question of: if you had the power to re-write your past, what would you sacrifice to do it? “The Lazarus Project” explores our desire to take charge of what is beyond our control and is a moving story of love and fate within a gripping action thriller that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
The series stars Emmy® Award and BAFTA-nominated Paapa Essiedu (“I May Destroy You”), Anjli Mohindra (“Bodyguard”), Tom Burke (“Strike”), Caroline Quentin (“Bridgerton”), Rudi Dharmalingam (“Wakefield”), and Charly Clive (“Pure”).
“The Lazarus Project” is produced by Urban Myth Films in association with Sky Studios. Executive Producers are Julian Murphy, Johnny Capps, and Joe Barton. Paul Gilbert is Executive Producer for Sky Studios. Season 2 of “The Lazarus Project” is currently in production.