The actor who played Nipsey on the sitcom “Martin” has passed away. Sean Lampkin died on March 8 at the age of 54.
Lampkin was a good friend of actor Martin Lawrence and often appeared in his films, including “Life” and “Big Mama’s House.” He was best known for playing the bartender Nipsey on “Martin.”
The actor’s friend Marsel Watts broke the news on Facebook.
“My friend, my last roommate for 10 years, a father and family man, my brother, skate buddy, business partner, and trainer passed away this morning. RIP Sean Lampkin. BKA as Nipsey the bartender on Martin, The pest control man in Bad Boys, the cab driver in Big Mamas House and the shooter in Life,” wrote Watts. “He was a black belt in karate too. He worked for Martin Lawrence for decades as his right-hand man. No Martin without Sean. When Sean would come by my house to get clothing that I sold him he’d have Martin in the car waiting. He’d be like Martin say hi to Marsel.”
Watts did not note how Lampkin died, but his cousin, Memnar Grayton, posted a moving tribute to the actor on Facebook and noted that the comedian passed away in his sleep.
“Sean gave us every morning the shining sun to lead his loved ones and friends down paths that are bright and clear of any danger. He gave us streams of love every day when we’re not feeling good, or we don’t seem to not want to do anything,” wrote Grayton. But the thought of his loud laugh and adorable smile made you change any negative thoughts to positive ones. He’s that type of man. He gave us his time and effort to situations that he had no clue of, but was there to support us for the cause. He gave us his emotions when any family or friend needed sympathy or empathy for their emotional situations.”
Grayton went on to note Lampkin’s love for Taekwondo as a Taekwondo master for children in Los Angeles, California.
“Sean not only touched lives here in the United States and in the entertainment industry, but he also touched lives around the globe. This special day is dedicated to my cousin, Elmore Sean Lampkin who passed in his sleep at his home earlier this morning on March 8, 2023,” he continued. “So allow me to introduce my cousin, Elmore Sean Lampkin to the Pearly Gates of Heaven. Angel Elmore Sean Lampkin the gates are open for you now. Walk in peace, my cousin, my friend, and my loved one, God awaits your presence in Jesus’ name, Amen PS I love you, Elmore Sean Lampkin.”
Former “Martin” writer and actor Guy Torry reacted to the news on Instagram.
“Rest in POWER brother! My man #SeanLampkin has been called home,” he wrote. “#MartinShow #Nipseys What a underrated funny and GOOD dude. #PhatTuesdays #TheComedyStore.”
Actor and writer Chris Spencer also responded to the news. “Damn. He was an incredible person,” he wrote. “Every time we saw each other it was love. He will truly be missed.”
Fans were also saddened to hear the news about Lampkin’s passing and shared condolences on social media. One fan replied, “Rest in perfect peace Sean “Nipsey” Lampkin. #RIPNipsey #Martin.”
Another fan shared a gif of someone pouring a drink from a 40-ounce bottle of Olde English 800 and wrote, “Pouring one out for Sean Lampkin, aKa ‘Nipsey.’”
Lampkin is the second actor from the sitcom to pass away at a young age. Actor Thomas Mikal Ford, who played Tommy on the show, died in 2016 at age 52 from a ruptured abdominal aneurysm.
Source: Atlanta Black Star
Keke Palmer is teaming up with Kevin Hart for The Backup, a feature comedy set up at Universal.
Palmer will star in the project, which will be produced by Hart and his chief content officer at banner Hartbeat, Bryan Smiley. Palmer and Sharon Palmer will produce through Palmer’s production company Big Boss Entertainment.
Also joining the ranks of producers is Autumn Bailey-Ford, working through her production company Autumn Bailey Entertainment.
Written by Chris Brew and Jordan Gouveia, the script follows a player, Ben, who decides he’s finally ready to settle down with his childhood friend Alyssa (Palmer). Unfortunately, she reveals she’s engaged to a handsome billionaire and needs him to be her best man. This in turn sets in motion Ben going to the wedding in Maui with his boys to outshine her fiancé and win her back.
No director is attached to the project, which is in development. Hartbeat’s Patricia Braga and Kayla Stamps are executive producing.
Palmer last starred with Daniel Kaluuya in Jordan Peele’s well-regarded 2022 horror feature Nope. The Emmy-winning actress-singer also headlined the period revenge thriller Alice and voiced a role in Pixar’s Lightyear.
Palmer is repped by 3 Arts Entertainment and Hertz Lichtenstein. Brew and Gouveia are repped by MARKS Law Group.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
SiriusXM yesterday announced that it has extended its relationship with global superstar Kevin Hart and his entertainment company Hartbeat through a new multi-year deal. Under the agreement, Hartbeat will continue to curate content at the intersection of comedy and culture for Kevin Hart’s Laugh Out Loud Radio (ch. 96), where all programs will exclusively premiere.
Hart will also continue to host his popular podcast, Gold Minds with Kevin Hart, which debuted its new season last night, and featured Kevin in conversation with Ryan Coogler. In addition, Hartbeat will produce a slate of new, talent-led programs, including Love Thang with Punkie Johnson and One Song with Diallo and LUXXURY, hosted by Diallo Riddle and Blake “LUXXURY” Robin. The channel will also be the exclusive home for a never-before-heard stand-up album from the late comedy legend Bernie Mac.
In its third season, Kevin will take his podcast in a newer, bigger direction. While still occasionally hosting comedians, Kevin will now open up his conversations to a broader array of the best minds in entertainment, art, business, and culture, to discuss what it takes to become the gold standard of their industries. In addition to Coogler, upcoming featured guests include Jason Bateman, Neil Burger, Anderson Cooper, Method Man, Stephen A. Smith, Lena Waithe, and more. The newly rebranded Gold Minds with Kevin Hart (formerly Comedy Gold Minds) will continue to exclusively premiere on Laugh Out Loud Radio channel 96 on Wednesday nights at 7pm ET with extended, exclusive content only for SiriusXM subscribers. The podcast version will be widely available the next day.
Fans can click here to catch a sneak preview of Kevin sharing the fun and compelling moments to come on the new season.
“I am so excited to be able to continue working with my SiriusXM family and grow our audience through our existing IP as well as the expansion of Gold Minds and the additions of Punkie, Diallo, and Blake,” said Kevin Hart. “SiriusXM has been a valued relationship of mine and Hartbeat’s for some time and the fact that we were able to launch Gold Minds and now expand the program to include the brightest, boldest, and most impactful voices of our time blows my mind.”
“As we advance our mission to keep the world laughing together, Hartbeat is committed to growing our audio reach through high-impact entertainment that lives at the nexus of comedy and culture,” said Thai Randolph, CEO of Hartbeat. “We are proud to expand our collaboration with SiriusXM and further develop our diverse library of fresh, funny, and dynamic audio content.”
“Over the last five years, Kevin has become a cornerstone of SiriusXM’s comedy programming, and we’re absolutely thrilled to deepen our relationship with Kevin and the whole Hartbeat team,” said Scott Greenstein, SiriusXM’s President and Chief Content Officer. “As they’ve proven time and again, they have their finger on the pulse of the new, exciting, diverse voices in comedy, and our audience has clearly responded. We’re excited to remain Kevin’s audio home as he continues to expand his comedy brand and listenership.”
Later this year, Laugh Out Loud Radio will launch two new regular programs. Punkie Johnson (Saturday Night Live), along with co-host Kimberly “Dicey” Douglas-Madison, will bring her brand of fearless, ruthless, and refreshingly raw comedy to the channel with her new show. Drawing on her personal experiences, Punkie will take calls from listeners and give her honest opinions about their situations, offering tough but fair advice on all matters of the heart.
In addition, comedian Diallo Riddle (Emmy-nominated star and creator of HBO Max’s South Side and IFC’s Sherman’s Showcase) and music producer Blake “LUXXURY” Robin will co-host One Song with Diallo and LUXXURY. Each week they’ll be joined by a special guest to discuss everything there is to know about one hit song, from its origin to its cultural impact and legacy, and all the cool/weird connections in between.
Coming soon, Laugh Out Loud Radio will also exclusively release the late comedian Bernie Mac’s first-ever solo full-length stand-up album. Early in his career, Mac used to watch a VHS tape of his shows in order to review and fine-tune his stand-up. Soon available as a remastered collection, Bernie Mac: Tapes From A King, will provide a unique window into the creative process of a comedy legend. The album was produced by Hartbeat in collaboration with NBW Films and Rhonda R. McCullough, Bernie Mac’s beloved wife of 31 years. The album will be heard exclusively on Laugh Out Loud Radio for one month before being released wide across all streaming platforms.
Under the new deal, comedian Nathaniel “Earthquake” Stroman will also return to the channel for the fifth season of his popular show, Quake’s House. Broadcast live from Los Angeles at 4pm ET / 1pm PT, Quake’s House features the comedian’s unbridled take on pop culture, hot topics, and more, and is regularly joined by his roundtable of celebrity guests and friends.
In addition to the premiere of his podcast Gold Minds on Wednesday evenings, Kevin and The Plastic Cup Boyz – Joey Wells, Will “Spank” Horton and Na’im Lynn, Harry Ratchford, and Wayne Brown – will continue to host Straight From The Hart on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-9pm ET on Laugh Out Loud Radio.
Comedian, producer and star of Wild ‘N Out and Urban Eats & Treats, Rip Micheals is thrilled to announce the lineup for the highly anticipated April Fools Comedy Jam sponsored by Power 105.1 FM at Barclays Center on Saturday, April 1, 2023.
This year’s lineup is packed with some of the biggest names in comedy, including Tiffany Haddish, Donnell Rawlings, Faizon Love, Bill Bellamy, HaHa Davis, Adele Givens, Melanie Comarcho, and Rob Stapleton, alongside Wild ‘N Out favorites Justina Valentine, Emmanuel Hudson, and Conceited. April Fools Comedy Jam host and producer Rip Micheals has also enlisted musical performances from Grammy-nominated rapper DaBaby and Brooklyn’s own Bobby Shmurda, with music by DJ Envy.
“I’m excited to bring together another talented mix of comedians and artists for this year’s April Fools Comedy Jam”, said Rip Micheals. “This show always promises to be one of the most exciting and memorable events of the year, and we can’t wait to see the audience’s reaction to this incredible lineup and the surprises we have in store.”
Rip Micheals Entertainment has built a reputation as a leading producer of some of the most exciting and innovative events in the industry with April Fools Comedy Jam, Wild ‘N Out Live, Fall Back Comedy Jam, and newest tour brand, Fall Back in Love Comedy & Music Jam. Last year, April Fools Comedy Jam made headlines when Grammy award-winning rapper T.I. made his New York comedy debut as Tip Harris and was booed by the sold-out Barclays Center crowd of 15,000.
Tickets for April Fools Comedy Jam sponsored by Power 105.1 FM on Saturday April 1, 2023 at Barclays Center are on sale now:
In this new DIGITAL issue of Humor Mill Magazine, we interview social media influencer and comedian Juhahn Jones about his rise in comedy and how the doors of Hollywood are opening up! We also talk about how he got started and more!
Also in this issue, we take a look at the FIRST Humor Mill Comedy Awards with tons of pics from the red carpet, the show, and lots of things that happened behind the scenes, and we have several other red carpets during Awards Season!
Open the digital issue below!
Watch the interview below;
Activist Maya Penn has revealed the trailer and cast for her upcoming directorial debut, “Asali: Power of the Pollinators.”
Penn dropped the trailer at South By Southwest during the Empowering the Next Generation to Build a Better Future featured session.
“Asali: Power of The Pollinators,” is an animated action-adventure short film that follows honey bee Asali after she meets a group of pollinators and a human environmental scientist. The unlikely group slowly saves Asali, her family and their home from a deadly monstrous force.
Penn stars alongside Whoopi Goldberg, Monique Coleman (“High School Musical”), Ronen Rubinstein (“9-1-1 Lone Star”), Joy Ofodu (Mighty Express), and activist Lupita Pineda. Viola Davis and Julius Tennon serve as executive producers. In addition to starring and directing the short, Penn is also animating and producing the film with her production company Upenndo! Productions.
Before her directorial debut and for the past 15 years, the activist has pursued sustainability and environmental education. The 23-year-old activist founded the global sustainable brand Maya’s Ideas when she was just eight years old. Three years later, Penn founded Maya’s Ideas 4 the Planet.
By the age of 16, Penn received a commendation from Pres. Barack Obama for outstanding achievement in environmental stewardship. Prior to her stewardship, Penn made history when she was commissioned to create an animated film for the opening of the first-ever digital report presented to US Congress. In addition to her non-profit and political activism, Maya is certified in Circular Economies and Sustainable Business by Cambridge Business School and she teaches biomimetic design.
After conquering primetime, Anthony Anderson and Cedric the Entertainer have their sights on prime beef. (Not to mention chicken, pork, and everything else.) The actors are partnering to launch their own barbecue label, AC Barbeque, and will document their quest to perfect the skill of the grill via the new A&E Network series “Kings of BBQ.”
The series, which is still being developed under that working title, will follow the pals as they travel the country looking for advice and techniques from barbeque experts. A&E announced the greenlight of the 10-episode unscripted series on Wednesday as part of a flurry of news tied to its upfront meetings with advertisers.
“Anthony and I are very excited to take our audience into the savory, smokehouse-filled, finger licking world of barbeque all across the United States,” Cedric The Entertainer said in a statement. Added Anderson: ““The launch of AC Barbeque has been a lifelong dream for Cedric and I and we cannot wait to learn more about the craft and share our journey.”
Propagate is producing “Kings of BBQ” along with Bird Bear and Just a Kid From Compton. Anderson (“Black-ish”) and Cedric (“The Neighborhood”) have been pals for years and also both grew up with a passion for barbeque.
Here’s the logline: “In each one-hour episode, ‘Kings of BBQ’ will follow Cedric and Anthony as they meet with barbeque chefs, pitmasters and everyday experts who share their knowledge and secrets of the trade, highlighting Black Excellence in the industry along the way. From backyards to BBQ pits, the duo will go behind the scenes to master barbeque in all its glory and create a business of their own that honors its legacy and flavors. Along the way, celebrity friends and family will join in on the fun and help share how different cultures and experiences have influenced the delicious cooking technique.”
Executive producers for Propagate are Ben Silverman, Howard T. Owens, Drew Buckley, Linh Le, and Rebecca Graham Forde. Executive producers for Bird Bear are Cedric The Entertainer and Eric Rhone. Executive producer for Just a Kid From Compton is Anthony Anderson. Elaine Frontain Bryant and Brad Holcman serve as executive producers for A&E Network. Artists First’s E. Brian Dobbins is also an EP.
Also at A&E, the network has ordered five “Biography” specials examining hard rockers including Alice Cooper, Bret Michaels, Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider, Sammy Hagar, and Skid Row’s Sebastian Bach. The episodes will air in late 2023 and feature new interviews with the artists.
Banger Films is producing in association with Category 6 Media. Co-directors are Sam Dunn and Marc Ricciardelli. Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen are executive producers for Banger Films, Stephen Mintz is an executive producer for Category 6 Media, and executive producers for A&E Network are Elaine Frontain Bryant and Brad Abramson. Rick Krim is also an executive producer.
Meanwhile, just days after her long-running syndicated talk show was canceled, Rachael Ray is expanding her partnership with A+E Networks. As part of A&E’s “Home.Made.Nation” programming block, Ray will launch new series including “Rachael Ray Meals in Minutes” (working title).
Also in that space, A+E Networks’ partnership with Buddy Valastro will include new food travel series “Legends of the Fork,” the reality entry “Cake Dynasty” and the competition series “Cake Toppers.” And comedian Michael Yo is behind “1,000 Ways to Dine,” which looks at unique restaurants.
Premiering July 9 at 11 a.m. ET is “Best in Chow,” featuring comedian Matt Richards as he looks for the best fair and street food. And that day at noon ET is “Deliciously Twisted Classics,” featuring Aarti Sequeira, Gina Neely, Leah Cohen and Rocco DiSpirito, among others.
And A&E has renewed “Zombie House Flipping,” which returns for season six. This season saw the expansion of the series with new teams in Tampa, FL and Dallas, TX in addition to the O.G. team in Orlando, FL. The series follows teams who transform rotting abandoned properties left for dead, or “zombie houses,” into beautifully remade homes, flipping them for top dollar. Each episode shows the inner workings of this high-stakes world full of unexpected disasters, hidden costs, and quirky personalities.
Source: Variety
Chris Rock gives you an exclusive look at his year on tour leading up to this historic night of the taping of his new Netflix special titled Chris Rock: Selective Outrage. With appearances from comedians Dave Chappelle, Adam Sandler, Kevin Hart, and many more who all make appearances take a quick look at behind-the-scenes of the making of this special and the journey over the past year, building up to this historical moment in comedy history.
And live from Baltimore, Maryland, it’s Chris Rock: Selective Outrage!
“I’m gonna try to do a show tonight without offending nobody,” Rock said, kicking off his stand-up special. “I’m gonna try my best because you never know who’s going to get triggered.”
He went on to say that he doesn’t have a problem with “wokeness” but isn’t a fan of the “selective outrage,” the kind of people who will listen to Michael Jackson but not R. Kelly: “same crime — one of them just got better songs.”
The comedian re-addressed selective outrage during the last segment of his stand-up act when talking about Will Smith’s infamous Oscars slap.
“Will Smith practices selective outrage,” Rock explained. “Outrage because everybody knows what the fuck happened. Everybody that really knows, knows that I have nothing to do with that shit. I didn’t have any entanglements.”
He continued, “His wife was fucking her son’s friend. OK, now normally I would not talk about that shit, but for some reason, these n—-s put that shit on the internet. I had no idea why two talented people would do something that fucking low. What the fuck? And we all been cheated on. Everybody in here have been cheated on. None of us have ever been interviewed by the person that cheated on us on television.”
Everyone knows what happened by now, Rock said, and he’s still asked if it hurt: “Of course it fucking hurt. It still hurts,” adding, “but I’m not a victim, baby. You will never see me on Oprah crying. It’s never gonna happen … I took that hit like Pacquiao,” he said and the crowd cheered.
Throughout his set, Rock touched on the opioid crisis and how America’s real addiction is attention, not drugs, and how, oftentimes, people who victimize themselves do it for attention. He used this moment to reference the Capitol Riots.
“Did you see the Capitol Riots? White men trying to overthrow the government that they run?” Rock said. “They’re like, ‘Damn, we gotta get them out of office.’ Who? Us? Did you see the Capitol Riots? What kind of white Planet of the Apes shit was that?”
He then rhetorically asked the crowd what would make white men think they’re losing the country because they’re not in commercials anymore? “There’s no Black couples either,” he said. “Every commercial has a mixed-race couple,” adding that he saw a commercial the other day where a Japanese woman was married to a caterpillar.
“By the way, speaking of commercials, when did Snoop Dogg become Morgan Freeman?” Rock joked. “I saw a commercial the other day where Snoop was selling reverse mortgages.” But he made it a purpose to note that he loves Snoop Dogg. “I’m not dissing Snoop. The last thing I need is another mad rapper,” he added, to cheers from the crowd.
Later in the stand-up, Rock touched on politics, saying that Republicans lie, and Democrats leave out key parts of the truth, but “the whole country’s fucked up,” citing school shootings, the opioid epidemic and abortion.
“There’s a part of me that’s pro-life, OK? Because I’m definitely pro their lives,” he said. “But since I love my daughters unconditionally — I love them not just as little girls alone but as grown women — I want my daughters to live in a world where they have complete control of their bodies.”
The iconic comedian took the stage in Baltimore for a special event on Saturday, Netlifx’s first-ever live, global streaming event, airing from the Hippodrome Theatre.
The pre-show featured appearances from fellow comics and Rock’s friends, including Amy Schumer and Jerry Seinfeld. The live special is set to be hosted by The Daily Show‘s Ronny Chieng, with Areseno Hall, Deon Cole and Leslie Jones also appearing.
Chieng kicked off the night live at Los Angeles’ Comedy Store, joking that the iconic comedy venue on the Sunset Strip will be full of fluff from Netflix’s biggest fluffers.
“I cannot emphasize how live things are today,” The Daily Show correspondent said. “We are live from two different locations simultaneously, Los Angeles and Baltimore. Why? For absolutely no reason. This is extremely expensive and difficult and irritating.”
The comedian also poked fun at how they’re doing a live comedy show on a Saturday night, a concept that has existed for decades, aka Saturday Night Live.
Chieng then introduced Arsenio Hall, who shared how Rock got him back into stand-up. Toward the end of his brief set at the Comedy Store, Hall said that he hopes everyone enjoys the night “because I know somewhere Will Smith will not.”
“Trust me. We won’t know this, but I bet you Will Smith slaps the fuck out of a TV tonight,” he joked. “He gon’ knock that motherfucker off the wall.”
Matthew McConaughey, Amy Schumer, Ali Wong, Woody Harrelson, Paul McCartney, Rosie Perez, Jimmy Fallon, Kevin Hart, Sarah Silverman, Ice-T, Adam Sandler and many others wished Rock luck ahead of his live event.
Rock went live from Baltimore at 7 p.m. PT for the Selective Outrage special and is expected to do the same material that he’s been doing on the road as part of the “Chris Rock Ego Death World Tour” — including jokes about being slapped by Will Smith at last year’s Oscars. Rock’s second special for Netflix will remain available to stream after it airs, but the pre- and post-shows won’t be.
David Spade and Dana Carvey will emcee the post-show, with guests like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and JB Smoove.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Today it was announced that John Cena, Awkwafina, and Simu Liu are set to star in Prime Video’s action-comedy Grand Death Lotto, from director Paul Feig. Feig is directing the film from a script penned by Rob Yescombe (Outside the Wire). The film, which hails from Amazon Studios, will be produced by Roth/Kirschenbaum Films’ Joe Roth and Jeff Kirschenbaum, and Feigco Entertainment’s Laura Fischer and Paul Feig. John Cena, Zack Roth, and Rob Yescombe will executive produce.
In the very near future, the Grand Lottery has been established in economically challenged California. The only catch? Kill the winner before sundown and you can legally claim their prize. New LA transplant Katie (Awkwafina) accidentally finds herself with the winning ticket and must join forces with amateur jackpot protector Noel (John Cena) to make it to sundown in order to claim her multi-billion dollar prize, all while dealing with Noel’s protection rival Louis Lewis (Simu Liu), who also wants to get her to sundown in order to claim his rich protection commission.
The Amazon Original Movie will be available to stream on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. Production begins next week.
“Grand Death Lotto is the kind of original idea audiences have been craving, and there’s no one better than the endlessly talented Paul Feig to steer the ship,” said Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon and MGM Studios. “We can’t wait to watch John Cena, Awkwafina, and Simu Liu bring this fun, action-packed script to life for our Prime Video customers around the world.”
“I love action comedy and extreme physical comedy and this movie has both in abundance, as well as a boatload of heart and hilarity,” said director Paul Feig. “This lotto will make winners of us all.”
John Cena recently starred as Peacemaker in the No. 1 HBO Max Original series of the same name. His upcoming credits include the tenth main installment in the Fast & Furious franchise Fast X, Matthew Vaughn-helmed spy thriller Argylle, Prime Video’s Ricky Stanicky, and the sequel to Vacation Friends.
Awkwafina will next be seen in Universal’s Renfield opposite Nicolas Cage and Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Additionally, she will star opposite Sandra Oh in an upcoming Untitled Sister Comedy Project for Hulu and the third season of Comedy Central’s Nora from Queens.
Simu Liu’s credits include Disney’s Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings and Warner Bros.’ upcoming feature Barbie.
Paul Feig is a DGA-winning and Emmy-nominated filmmaker, writer, producer, and author who most recently served as the director, producer, and co-writer of The School for Good and Evil, which debuted as the #1 film on Netflix in 88 countries worldwide upon release. In television, he is a writer, executive producer, and director of FOX’s Welcome to Flatch, which is currently airing its second season, and an executive producer of Minx, which will premiere its second season on Starz later this year. He has a proven track record of films that have grossed over one billion dollars worldwide including Bridesmaids, Last Christmas, The Heat, Ghostbusters, Spy, and A Simple Favor, the latter of which Feig will direct and produce a sequel.