Indiana Jones is officially back. Disney revealed the first trailer for “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” the official title for the fifth installment. On top of that, the trailer showcased a de-aged Harrison Ford as Indy back in his glory days of archaeology and adventuring.
Indy’s latest outing is set in the 1960s during the Space Race between the U.S. and Soviet Russia. Unlike previous films, George Lucas did not write the story for “Indiana Jones 5” and Steven Spielberg is not the director. Instead, both of those roles will be filled by James Mangold, who is known for his films like “Logan,” “Ford vs. Ferrari,” “3:10 to Yuma” and more. Spielberg is still attached as an executive producer, and Lucas, the original creator of the film franchise, is credited with some involvement in the writer’s room.
Co-starring alongside Ford is John Rhys-Davies, who is reprising the role of Sallah, last seen in 1989’s “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” as well as new additions like Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Kretschmann, Boyd Holbrook, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Toby Jones and Antonio Banderas.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the Emmy-winning creator and star of Prime Video’s “Fleabag,” is also making a first appearance in the franchise as Indy’s goddaughter Helena, who composer John Williams has described as “an adventuress, and also a femme fatale.”
Not only is “Indiana Jones 5” the last hurrah for 80-year-old Ford, but also 90-year-old composer Williams, who confirmed the film would likely be his last.
“At the moment I’m working on ‘Indiana Jones 5,’ which Harrison Ford — who’s quite a bit younger than I am — I think has announced will be his last film,” Williams told the Associated Press in a June 2022 interview. “So, I thought: If Harrison can do it, then perhaps I can, also.”
The film is scheduled for release on June 30, 2023. Watch the trailer below.
In this episode of The Box Seats Sports Comedy Talk Show, we discuss the MNF game between the Colts and Steelers, the return of Deshaun Watson, plus the hottest topics in sports!
Clarence Gilyard, veteran actor who had notable roles in Die Hard, Matlock, and Walker, Texas Ranger before becoming a theater professor and author, has died. He was 66.
The University of Nevada Las Vegas College of Fine Arts, where Gilyard taught, announced his death Monday afternoon, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He had been suffering from a long illness. No further details were released.
In a rich and varied career that spanned five decades, Gilyard achieved success in film, television, and on stage. For film fans, he is perhaps best known for playing Theo, Hans Gruber’s cocky computer hacker in 1988’s Die Hard. In the 1990s, he was a familiar face on primetime television, first for playing private investigator Conrad McMasters on the legal drama Matlock and then, in a career-defining role, as Ranger James Trivette on the long-running Walker, Texas Ranger.
Born Clarence Darnell Gilyard Jr. in 1955 in Moses Lake, Washington, he grew up as an Air Force brat. He entered the U.S. Air Force Academy after high school but left after a year. He attended Sterling College in Kansas, playing wide receiver for the football team, but couldn’t afford to stay there and moved to California. He then enrolled at Cal State University Long Beach and signed up for an acting class.
Gilyard dropped out of college and appeared in minor television roles in series including Diff’rent Strokes. He also played Officer Ben Webster on the last season of ChiPs in the 1982-83 season and Roland Culp, opposite Jim Carrey, on NBC’s The Duck Factory.
Gilyard’s big TV break came in 1989 when he landed the role of Conrad McMasters on NBC’s Matlock opposite a boyhood hero in Andy Griffith. “Andy could have chosen any one of a thousand guys to be his partner for four seasons and he chose me,” Gilyard told the Review-Journal in 2017. “Andy was funny and a raconteur and a craftsman. I don’t think I was funny before him. He would teach me comic timing.”
Replacing the fired Kene Holliday, Gilyard played Ben Matlock’s second private investigator in nearly every episode from seasons four to seven, with guest appearances in season eight, for a total of 96 episodes.
He left Matlock in 1993 to star on CBS’ Walker, Texas Ranger. Starring opposite Chuck Norris’ Walker, Gilyard played Texas Ranger Sergeant James “Jimmy” Trivette, the protagonist’s best friend and partner. A phenomenally popular show, Walker, Texas Ranger ran for eight seasons — a total of 203 episodes — and spawned a 2005 television film, Trial by Fire, that featured a cameo by Gilyard.
His other notable TV credits include NBC’s The Facts of Life and 227, CBS’ Simon & Simon, and a supporting role in Michael Mann’s highly influential television movie L.A. Takedown.
Gilyard’s first film appearance came in 1986 and was the not-insignificant role of Lieutenant Junior Grade Marcus “Sundown” Williams, one of the elite fighter pilots in Tony Scott’s monster hit Top Gun.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Urban One announced the return of the annual URBAN ONE HONORS taping in Atlanta, GA on Friday, December 2, 2022. The two-hour telecast premieres Monday, January 16, 2023, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, on TV One and Cleo TV, a division of Urban One, and will be hosted by R&B singer and actor, Tank. The televised event heralds the accomplishments of individuals who have made extraordinary contributions in entertainment, media, music, education, and the community.
Under the theme, “Celebrating Icons of the Culture,” this year’s honoree class recognizes an esteemed group of individuals that have left an indelible mark in the categories of Entertainment Icon, Lifetime Achievement, Inspirational Impact, Music Innovation, and the first-ever Phoenix Honor. Honorees include Entertainment Icon Honor, 2x GRAMMY and NAACP Image Award winner, LL Cool J, and Inspirational Impact Honor, NAACP Image Award winner David Mann and his wife, GRAMMY Award winner, Tamela Mann (TV One’s “The Manns“).
The 5th Urban One Honors will include a performance by Keke Wyatt; and a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop with DJ Spinderella (Salt-N-Pepa), Monie Love, and Doug E. Fresh. This year’s annual celebration will also include special appearances by: Rev. Run (Run DMC, “Run’s House“) and Lamman Rucker (TV One’s Bad Dad Rehab: The Next Session).
GRAMMY Award-winning singer and actress LeToya Luckett will host a special backstage pass segment, featuring exclusive interviews with the show’s honorees, performers, and presenters.
URBAN ONE HONORS is Executive Produced by Eric Tomosunas and Robert A. Boyd, II of Swirl Films. Kim Burse serves as the Musical Director. Marilyn Gill serves as Executive Producer. Kashon Powell is the Vice President of Programming for Radio One and Susan Henry is the Executive Producer in Charge of Production for TV One.
For more information on the Urban One Honors visit TVOne.tv.
2023 URBAN ONE HONORS HOSTS, PERFORMERS, AND HONOREES
Tank
Keke Wyatt
LeToya Luckett
David and Tamela Mann
Doug E. Fresh
Monie Love
DJ Spinderella
Lamman Rucker
Lionsgate has set the release of MRC’s acclaimed horror-comedy The Blackening for June 16, 2023 – Juneteenth weekend.
The Blackening centers around a group of Black friends who reunite for a Juneteenth weekend getaway only to find themselves trapped in a remote cabin with a twisted killer. Forced to play by his rules, the friends soon realize this ain’t no motherfu**in’ game. Directed by Tim Story (Ride Along, Think Like A Man, Barbershop) and co-written by Tracy Oliver (Girls Trip, Harlem) and Dewayne Perkins (The Amber Ruffin Show, Brooklyn Nine-Nine), The Blackening skewers genre tropes and poses the sardonic question: if the entire cast of a horror movie is Black, who dies first?
One of the runaway hits out of the Toronto International Film Festival, The Blackening stars Antoinette Robertson, Dewayne Perkins, Sinqua Walls, Grace Byers, X Mayo, Melvin Gregg, Jermaine Fowler, Yvonne Orji, and Jay Pharoah.
NEW YORK – November 29, 2022 – iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, today announced a new lineup of comedy podcasts coming to the iHeartPodcast Network in the upcoming months. The new slate includes top comedic talent Rosie O’Donnell, Jason Alexander, Eric Andre, Amber Ruffin and more. Additionally, several podcasts from Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players Network and one limited series with Comedy Central will debut by the first quarter of 2023. This slate furthers the growth of the company’s robust list of over 750 original shows including “The Ron Burgundy Podcast,” “Fake Doctors, Real Friends,” “Las Culturistas,” among others, that are distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network and are available on iHeartRadio and all major podcast platforms.
“We are thrilled to share the newest slate of iHeartPodcasts, hosted by some of comedy’s biggest icons and hilarious new voices,” said Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts. “We are so proud of the success our company has seen in the comedy podcast space and cannot wait to bring audiences even more laughs with these comedians in the coming months.”
iHeart’s All New Slate of Comedy Podcasts Includes:
All shows will be distributed by iHeartPodcasts and available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard.
Kevin Hart’s Cold as Balls series is returning for its seventh season. In the forthcoming season’s new trailer, Hart returns to the ice tub with a new cast of guests, including various athletes from across the sports world. The first episode of Cold as Balls‘ seventh season air on Tuesday (Nov. 29) and will include an appearance from former NBA star Dwight Howard.
All subsequent episodes of the new season will air every Tuesday on the Laugh Out Loud YouTube channel, Cold as Balls Facebook page, and Hart’s Facebook page. Additional guests will include Allen Iverson, John Wall, Patrick Beverly, Austin Ekeler, and Kelsey Plum. The series is produced by the Philly native’s HartBeat Productions and OBB Pictures.
In a shared statement, Hart spoke about the success and continued growth of Cold As Balls over the years, as well as what the new season has in store for viewers.
“Seeing Cold as Balls grow over the past six seasons has been so rewarding, and I can’t wait for fans to see what’s to come in Season 7,” the 43-year-old shared. “This season you can expect outrageous stories and even more laughs while I deep dive into the lives of some of the greatest guests I’ve had the pleasure of icing with yet.”
Michael D. Ratner, Founder/CEO of OBB Media, issued a statement about his partnership with Kevin on the show and how its evolution over the years has been a joy to witness.
“Building this show with Kevin to reach more than a billion people for the better half of a decade has been nothing short of an incredible and humbling experience,” Ratner expressed. “We’re so proud to launch season seven; with each new season our audience grows and their support for the series never ceases to amaze me. We’re very grateful to the fans for their continued support.”
Cold as Balls, which is currently presented by Old Spice, has included past appearances by Draymond Green, Marshawn Lynch, Gabby Douglas, Lamar Odom, Odell Beckham Jr., Floyd Mayweather, Jerry Rice, A’ja Wilson, and more.
Watch the trailer for season seven of Cold as Balls below.
Twenty-two years ago, comedians Cedric The Entertainer, Steve Harvey, Bernie Mac, and D.L. Hughley filmed the classic stand-up, “The Original Kings of Comedy.” The Spike Lee-directed documentary follows the four comedians as they go on tour from state to state, making audiences laugh. Most of the film featured footage from their live show at the Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was a rare time for comedians to sell out the arena with 25,000 seats. Audience members were left in tears after the funny entertainers shared jokes about their lives, family, race, and much more with Harvey acting as host. The film did wonders for careers, taking some to new heights and bigger checks.
During an appearance on Shannon Sharpe‘s “Club Shay Shay,” Cedric revealed that he actually closed that show that night and not the late Bernie Mac as shown in the film. The actor said they “made a lot of money” on tour while having fun. But there was tension and animosity between Harvey and Mac.
“They both alpha males. They both…they just saw it different,” he explained. “But at the end of the day, they was able to get through it.”
The “Proud Family” star admitted Harvey and Mac’s feud is what caused him to not participate in the second part of “The Original Kings of Comedy.” He said, “I think of course that was definitely a contributing circumstance but I also think it had a lot to do with the promoters on the thing. Because he got a bigger head than all of us. So the dude that put us all together started to really think it was really about him.”
The promoter Cedric mentioned is Walker Latham of Latham Entertainment. He’s worked with fellow comedic giants like Chris Rock and Chris Tucker. The North Carolina-based entrepreneur also put together “The Queens of Comedy” documentary tour that aired in 2001 with comediennes Mo’Nique, Laura Hayes, Adele Givens and Sommore. Another one of his successful productions includes “P. Diddy Presents The Bad Boys of Comedy.”
Later in the discussion, Cedric touched on the comedians being self-aware of the context of their jokes. He noted that jokes were acceptable back then because no one got offended.
“But that’s the difference,” he said. “Climate. The times we live in…what’s acceptable in society. And we just got to a point again we just have a lot more exposure to each other. We have a lot more growth that’s happened as people. So sensitivity, awareness about things that just wouldn’t be acceptable. None of the gay culture [jokes] would be acceptable back then. None it.”
It’s unclear exactly what sparked the feud between Harvey and Mac, but the gloves came off after a 2003 interview with GQ. As previously reported, Mac alleged the host of “Celebrity Family Feud” was jealous of his success and stole shows from him. Harvey later admitted he was hurt by such allegations during a 2010 interview on BET’s “Conversations with Ed Gordon.”
“I was upset at first because it just wasn’t true,” Harvey said, as reported by Gapersblock.com. “Me and Bernie had a lot of good times together, and then this article in GQ came out and put all this vicious stuff in there.”
Regarding the GQ interview, the talk show host claims, “B’ said he never said it. I had to take him at his word for it.”
Mac, who had battled with sarcoidosis, a condition that causes inflammation in tissue, died from complications with pneumonia on Aug. 9, 2008. He was 50 years old and best known for his rapid-fire punchlines and strong delivery. Harvey claims he eventually moved on after Mac’s passing with help from his widow, Rhonda McCullough.
‘Rhonda of all people knows the truth. It was a cleansing moment for me because I was able to let go of a lot of stuff,” added the 65-year-old.
“The Original Kings of Comedy” is currently streaming on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Pluto TV, and more.
Source: Atlanta Black Star
Nov. 28 (UPI) — Tyler Perry has signed a new film deal with Amazon Studios.
The 53-year-old actor and filmmaker will write, direct and produce four films for release on Prime Video.
“I’m excited and grateful to start working with Amazon Studios to bring movies to Prime Video,” Perry said in a statement. “Jennifer Salke and the entire team have welcomed me with open arms, and I’m looking forward to continuing telling unique stories and bringing my next projects to the global audiences that they reach.”
“Tyler Perry is undeniably one of the most prolific creators of our time,” Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke added. “He is a true multihyphenate who has defined his own incredible brand of storytelling and inspired people all over the world with his series and films. We are excited to collaborate with Tyler and his teams to bring even more of his fantastic signature films to our global audiences.”
Perry is known for creating the Madea film franchise, along with such series as House of Payne, The Haves and the Have Nots and Sistas.
His most recent film, A Jazzman’s Blues, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September and was released on Netflix the same month.
Perry was honored with the Governor’s Award at the 2020 Primetime Emmy Awards and received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 2021 Academy Awards.
In this episode of The Box Seats Sports Comedy Talk Show, we discuss the win the Philadelphia Eagles had against the Green Bay Packers to remain the best team in the NFL, we also discuss the Tampa Bay Bucs’ loss to the Cleveland Browns and the rest of the games in the NFL. We also talk about the hottest topics in sports!