Showing posts with label Tyler Perry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tyler Perry. Show all posts

Thursday, September 30, 2021

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from September 26th to 30th, 2021 - Update #16

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

DISNEY - From Deadline:   Tim Federle will direct and Madhuri Shekar will write "Sister Act 3" for Disney+. Whoopi Goldberg will reprise her role as "Deloris," the nightclub singer turned nun.  Goldberg will also produce the film along with Tyler Perry and Tom Leonardis.

SCANDAL - From VanityFair:  Film, TV, and Broadway titan, Aaron Sorkin, says that scandal-ridden bully and super-producer (and Sorkin's collaborator), Scott Rudin, got what he deserved.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:   OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network has signed a deal for a 20-episode third season of "All Rise," the legal drama that CBS cancelled in this past May.  The Warner Bros TV-produced series will air on OWN beginning in 2022.  Star Simone Missick and most of the cast will return.

TELEVISION - From EOnline:  Ellen Pompeo remembers that time she called Denzel Washington a "m*therf*cker."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Eleven years after dumping it, NBC is reviving its beloved crime drama, "Law & Order," for a 21st season.  No premiere date has yet been announced.

TELEVISION - From Variety:  J. Michael Straczynski is set to write and executive a reboot of his 1990s science fiction syndicated TV series, "Babylon 5," for The CW.  The series ran for fives seasons (1994-99), including a pilot film (1993) and five other television movies.  The pilot TV movie and the series' first four seasons were syndicated via the "Prime Time Entertainment Network."  Season 5 aired on cable network TNT.

SCANDAL - From Deadline:   Grammy-winning recording artist, R. Kelly, has been found guilty on all nine counts in his federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial in Brooklyn. Sentencing is set for May 4th, 2022.

CELEBRITY - From GQ:  Oscar-nominated, box office champion, Will Smith, is the cover feature in November 2021 issue of "GQ." "Introducing the Real Will Smith" is the title of the article.

TELEVISION - From TheHill:  "Saturday Night Live" is adding a comedian, James Austin Johnson, to its cast who's been dubbed the world's greatest impersonator of former President Trump.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 9/25 to 9/27/2021 weekend box office is "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" with an estimated 13.3 million dollars.

From Negromancer:  My review of "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings."

CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment:  Former child star, Dante Baco (who played "Rufio" in Steven Spielberg's 1991 film, "Hook") talks about his career and transition from child to adult actor.

MARVEL - From THR:   On Friday, Sept. 24, Marvel Entertainement filed a series of lawsuits against the estates of a group of comic book creators who created many of their most popular characters.  Those creators, all deceased, include Stan Lee, Gene Colan, and Steve Ditko.  The dispute is over something called "copyright termination," but you can read more at the article.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Director Joel Coen and actor Frances McDormand answer questions about their new film, "The Tragedy of Macbeth," which also stars Denzel Washington and opened the 2021 New York Film Festival.

POLITICS - From YahooNews:  Kidnapping, assassination and a London shoot-out: Inside the CIA's secret war plans against WikiLeaks qne Julian Assange.

OBITS:

From THR:  Actor and former Disney child star, Tommy Kirk, has died at the age of 79, found dead on Tuesday, September 28, 2021.  Kirk was best known for the films he made for Walt Disney Studios from the mid-1950s to the early 1960s.  These include "Old Yeller" (1957), "The Shaggy Dog" (1959), "Swiss Family Robinson" (1960), and "Son of Flubber" (1963), to name a few.  He also played boy detective, "Joe Hardy," of "The Hardy Boys" on "The Mickey Mouse Club" in 1956.  The late Walt Disney reportedly personally fired Kirk from the studio in 1963 when he learned that the 21-year-old was involved in a gay relationship.  Kirk was elected as a "Disney Legend" in 2006.

From Deadline:  British film editor, Jon Gregory, has died at the age of 77, Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021.  Gregory was nominated for a "Best Film Editing" Oscar nomination for his work on "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" (2017).  He was a four-time BAFTA nominee, including for his work on films like "Four Wedding and a Funeral" (1994) and "In Bruges" (2008).  Gregory is also known for his work with director Mike Leigh, including on films "Naked" (1993) and "Secrets & Lies" (1996).


Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 20th to 30th, 2021 - Update #33

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

BLM - From VICE:   Robert L. Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET) and America’s first Black billionaire, wants a reparations check. He wants it from the government. And he wants it to come with an apology for slavery, Jim Crow, and hundreds of years of racism.

SCANDAL - From Variety:   "Smallville" actress Allison Mack was sentenced to three years in federal prison for her part in the NXIVM cult on Wednesday morning in federal court in Brooklyn, NY.

MOVIES - From IndieWire: "F9" star Sung Kang finds its validating that acclaimed director, Christopher Nolan, has a "soft spot" for, "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" (2006), the third entry in the "Fast & Furious" saga and the one that introduced his Kang's character, "Han Lue."

MUSIC - From MJVibe:   According to the site, recent streaming sales data has made the late Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Michael Jackson, the solo artist with the highest sales of recording music.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  Rian Johnson has alerted us. "Knives Out 2" has started production, as filming begins in Greece.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:  The winner of the 6/25 to 6/27/2021 weekend box office is "F9" with an estimated total of 70 million dollars.

From Variety:  "F9's" 70 million dollar weekend box office debut is the largest opening since the COVID-19 pandemic started affecting movie theaters in the North America.

From Variety:  The stars of "F9" react to its record-breaking box office success.

CELEBRITY - From Deadline:   On that HBO asshole show, writer-director Quentin Tarantino insists he will retire after he directs a tenth film (his next) and that he thought about doing a reboot of his first film, "Reservoir Dogs."

EMMYS - From Deadline:  If you care, here is the full winners list from the 2021 / 48th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.

DISNEY - From WeGotThisCovered:   Set photos from Disney's live-action "The Little Mermaid," reveals film's star, Halle Bailey, with reddish hair.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:   "Supernatural" (2005-20) was one of the most important shows in the history of The CW.  Now, one of its stars, Jensen Ackles (Dean Winchester), is joining his wife, Danneel Ackles, are working on a prequel series, "The Winchesters."

From Deadline:  Meanwhile, Jensen Ackles's "Supernatural" co-star, Jared Padalecki, is "bummed" about not being involved in the prequel series.

TELEVISION - From YahooEntertainment:  Courtney Cox was hurt that she was the only one of the six stars of the former NBC sitcom, "Friends," who was never nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award during the series' original run.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Paramount Pictures revealed the title and details about its seventh "Transformers" film, "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts."

DISNEY - From Collider:  Scarlett Johansson will star in and produce a film based on Disney's theme park attraction, "Tower of Terror."

DISNEY - From ABCNews:   Actor Harrison Ford, the one and only Indiana Jones, takes a break from filming "Indiana Jones 5" after injuring his shoulder on set.

CELEBRITY - From Deadline:  Tyler Perry and T.D. Jakes got the go-ahead from local authorities Thursday to purchase over 130 acres in Atlanta including a proposed expansion of Tyler Perry Studios for an entertainment district with theaters, retail shops and restaurants.

MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:   "Fast & Furious" actor, Vin Diesel, talks about his feud with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson."

DISNEY - From Variety:    Rachel Zegler has been cast as Snow White in Disney’s upcoming remake of the classic fairytale. Zegler is making her feature film debut as Maria in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story,” which bows later in 2021, and will also appear in the superhero sequel to “Shazam.”

LGBTQ/SPORTS - From OutSports:   Las Vegas Raiders defensive lineman Carl Nassib became the first active NFL player in history to announce that he is gay.

SCANDAL - From TheDailyEdge:   A list of Republican and Trump-connected child rapists, sex traffickers, pedophile enablers and child porn offenders

OSCARS - From Deadline:    The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Monday announced its newly elected 2021–2022 Board of Governors.

From WeGotThisCovered:   Warner Bros. reportedly wants Dwayne Johnson to joins its "Mortal Kombat" film franchise.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Mike Epps will play legendary comedian and actor Richard Pryor in Adam McKay's HBO drama series about the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers.  Three others actors have been cast, including Carina Conti as Paula Abdul.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  Steven Spielberg has entered his Amblin Partners into a Netflix that will find the Amblin producing multiple films each year for Netflix.  Spielberg and Amblin will continue to produce films for Universal Pictures.

BOX OFFICE - From Variety:   The winner of the 6/18 to 6/20/2021 weekend box office is "The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard" with an estimated take of 11.6 million dollars.

CULTURE - From YahooEntertainment:  Grammy Award-winning singer Macy Gray wrote an op-ed for "Market Watch, in which she called for the U.S. flag to be replaced: "It is tattered, dated, divisive and incorrect."  She has drawn cheers and rage.
 
From MarketWatch:   Opinion: "For Juneteenth, America needs a new flag that all of us can honor" by Macy Gray.
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MOVIES - From Deadline:   Pacific Theatres Exhibition Corporation, which includes Arclight Cinemas, is really not set to reopen anytime soon. The exhibition company released a statement today that they’re filing Chapter 7 in order to liquidate their assets for creditors.

TRAILERS:

From YouTube:   Netflix has released a trailer for its African-American cast Western film, "The Harder They Fall," from director Jeymes Samuel which arrives in Fall 2021.

From YouTube:  Here is the trailer to Universal/Illumination's "Sing 2," the sequel to 2016's "Sing."  The film is due December 22, 2021.

From YouTube:  Here is the second trailer for Universal's "Candyman" reboot/re-imagining, which is due August 27th.

From YouTube:  Here is the official trailer for "Halloween Kills," which is due October 15th.


Saturday, June 12, 2021

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 6th to 12th, 2021 - Update #22

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

MOVIES - From Variety:   The new documentary film, "The Kids," examines Larry Clark's 1995 film, "Kids," and the lives of the young actors it shattered.

MUSIC - From Deadline:   Gregory James, the rapper known as "Shock G" and MC Humpty Hump" of the rap group, "Digital Underground," died this past April.  The initial case summary released by the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s office in Florida said Shock G died from an accidental overdose of fentanyl, ethanol and methamphetamine.

BLM - From Truthout:   Darnella Frazier, the Minnesota teen whose cellphone video recording of Derek Chauvin kneeling on George Floyd’s neck last May was key piece of prosecution evidence in the trial the ended with the former Minneapolis police officer’s murder conviction, received an honorary Pulitzer Prize on Friday, June 11th.

NETFLIX - From EW:   "John Wick" actor, Lance Reddick, will play "Albert Wesker" in Netflix's planned "Resident Evil" TV series.  Wesker is actually a character from the "Resident Evil" game franchise.

ANIMATION - From Deadline:  The Lord of the Rings is getting the anime (Japanese animation) treatment with the animated film, "The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim," from New Line Pictures and Warner Animation.  The film will be directed by Japanese anime director, Kenji Kamiyama, and Japanese anime company, Sola Entertainment, will provide the animation.

STREAMING - From Deadline: Mario Cantone, Willie Garson, David Eigenberg and Evan Handler, who regulars on HBO's "Sex and the City," are returning for HBO Max's revival, "And Just Like That..."

EMMYS - From Variety:   TNT (7 wins) and ESPN (6 wins) lead the 2021 / 42nd Annual Sports Emmys.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Searchlight Pictures has released the first trailer for "The Eyes of Tammy Faye."  It stars Oscar-nominee Jessica Chastain as Tammy Faye Bakker, wife of infamous televangelist, Jim Bakker (played by Oscar-nominee Andrew Garfield), and is based on a grue story.  You can watch the trailer in the article.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:   Tyler Perry his bring his signature character, Madea, out of retirement for a new Netflix film, "A Madea Homecoming," which will be released in 2022.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Horror movie super-producer Jason Blum and director Bryan Fuller are behind a new film version of Stephen King's 1983 novel, "Christine."  John Carpenter directed the first film adaptation, which was also released in 1983.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  Following her breakout role in the Netflix smash hit "Outer Banks," Madelyn Cline has joined the cast of the "Knives Out" sequel.

NETFLIX - From Polygon:   Netflix has provided a first look at its live-action version of the anime classic, "Cowboy Bebop," which includes a look at John Cho's hairdo to play "Spike."

LGBTQ - From TheHill:  Burger King has entered the chicken sandwich wars and has challenged anti-gay chicken fast food franchise, Chick-fil-A, with its own support of LGBTQ+.

MOVIES - From BloodyDisgusting:   At one point, director Neill Blomkamp was going direct "Alien 5," which would have been a direct sequel to writer-director James Cameron's "Aliens" (1986), the second film in the series.  But the film was killed off, but more concept art from the project has emerged.

MOVIES - From BloodyDisgusting:   Writer-director Rob Zombie (House of 1000 Corpses) has announced that he has landed his dream gig.  He will write and direct a film update of the late CBS sitcom, "The Munsters" (1964-66), for Universal Pictures.  The film may also end up being an exclusive release for NBCUniversal's "Peacock" streaming service.

MOVIES - From Variety:   Recent Oscar-nominee Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan are attached to star in “She Said,” about "The New York Times" sexual harassment investigation against Harvey Weinstein that kicked off the #MeToo movement.

STREAMING - From Deadline:   In addition to adding new programming to the streaming service, "Paramount+", ViacomCBS is created a low-cost tier to Paramount+ that will be ad-supported.

CELEBRITIES - From BET:  Duchess Meghan Markle and Prince Harry announced that their second child, a baby girl, was born on Friday, June 4, 2021. They’ve decided to name her Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, after both her grandmother, the late Princess Diana, and her great-grandmother, the Queen of England.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:  The winner of the 6/4 to 6/6/2021 weekend box office is "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It" with an estimated take of 24 million dollars. 
 
From Deadline:  Faith-based (Mormon) film, "Witnesses," makes a strong debut at the specialty box office, but "Bo Gia" still leads.

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:   Executive producer Ryan Murphy has revealed the four actors who will appear in Hulu's "American Horror Stories," the spinoff of his hit FX series, "American Horror Story."

OBITS:

From YahooSports:  Former NFL coach, Jim Fassel, has died at the age of 71, Monday, June 7, 2021.  Fassel was the head coach of the National Football League's "New York Giants" (NFC) from 1997 to 2003.  He led the Giants to Super Bowl XXXV (Jan. 28, 2001), where they lost to the Baltimore Ravens (AFC) 34 to 7.  However, a decade earlier, Fassel was an assistant coach when the Giants won Super Bowl XXV under head coach Bill Parcells.  Fassel was also named "NFL Coach of the Year" in 1997.

From THR:  African-American film, stage and television actor, Clarence Williams III, has died at the age of 81, Friday, June 4, 2021.  His breakout role was in the television series, "The Mod Squad" (1968-73), playing hippie cop, "Lincoln 'Linc' Hayes."  Williams also became a memorable character actor, appearing in films such as "Purple Rain," "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka," "Tales from the Hood," and "Half Baked," to name a few.  Other memorable TV roles included a recurring role on Season Two of the original "Twin Peaks" (1990-91), an episode of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," and a supporting role in 10 of the Hallmark Channel's "Mystery Woman" movies.  In 1965, he earned a Tony Award nomination for "Best Featured Actor" in the play, "Slow Dance on the Killing Ground."


Friday, April 9, 2021

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from April 1st to 10th, 2021 - Update #33

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

STREAMING - From THR:   Eddie Murphy's sequel film, "Coming 2 America," was Amazon's first streaming film to finish #1 on Nielsen's streaming rankings (for the week of March 1 to 7).  Now, it has become the first feature film from any of the four platforms that Nielsen monitors to repeat at #1 (March 8 to 14).

MOVIES - From WeGotThisCovered:   Rumors say that Robert Downey, Jr. is still trying to get troubled movie star, Johnny Depp, a part in Downey's third entry in his "Sherlock Holmes" franchise.

TELEVISION - From THR:  Tyler Perry is developing a new series, "Mabel" for Showtime.  "Mabel" will act as a prequel to Perry's "Madea" films as the new series will chronicle Madea's life going back to 1972.

SCANDAL - From THR:  The magazine and its website offer an article featuring tales of Hollywood and Broadway super-producer, Scott Rudin's abusive behavior towards his young assistants and other professionals. 

From Deadline:  Oscar-nominated producer Megan Ellison, who has worked with Scott Rudin says that his behavior is worst than what "The Hollywood Reporter" claims.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Rising stars Jorge Lendeborg Jr. and Tosin Cole are in negotiations to lead New Line’s reimagining of the 1990 cult comedy, "House Party," produced by LeBron James and Maverick Carter's The SpringHill Company. Award-winning music video director Calmatic will be helming in his feature debut.

SCANDAL - From YahooLATimes:   Zachary J. Horwitz, who is an actor under the name, Zachery Avery, was arrested on Tues., April 6th under the federal charge of operating a ponzi scheme.  Horwitz reportedly owes investors 227(!) million dollars.

DC COMICS TO MOVIE - From THR:   "Justice League" actor Ray Fisher gives a bombshell interview about his experiences with key figures in the making of the film, including acclaimed writer-director Joss Whedon.

From Vulture:  A history of allegations of abuse on the part of Joss Whedon.

COVID-19 - From Deadline:  California Gov. Gavin Newsom says that the state will be ending most COVID restrictions and will be "opening up" on June 15th, 2021.

From Deadline: Tyler Perry is reportedly going to end the COVID quarantine bubble at his studio in Atlanta because most of his crew has been vaccinated.

SPORTS - From YahooSports:  The Baylor University Bears are the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament Champions.  The Bears (28-2) beat the Gonzaga University Bulldogs (31-1) 86-70 in the men's championship game on Monday, April 5, 2021 at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:   Byron Allen's Allen Media Group owns the free-to-air TV network, "This TV."  Now, This TV has signed a distribution deal with eight major ABC-owned TV station subchannels in order to expand its reach.

CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment:   30 years ago, actress Melanie Thandiwe Newton's name was misspelled in the credits of her first film, the Australian pic, "Flirting."  Since then, the world knows her as "Thandie Newton," but now she is reclaiming the "w" and she is Thandiwe Newton.  "Thandiew" is pronounced "tan-DEE-way."

LGBTQ - From YahooEntertainment:  Oscar-winning actress, Kate Winslet, says she knows many gay actors, especially young actors, who fear that coming out will derail their careeers.

SCANDAL - From Deadline:  Former movie studio boss and Oscar-winning producer, Harvey Weinstein, is appealing his New York state sex crime convictions, which landed him in prison for 23 years.  Meanwhile, on April 9th, there will be a hearing to extradite him to Los Angeles to face multiple sex crime charges.

MOVIES/STREAMING(?) - From WeGotThisCovered:  Paramount is reportedly developing a "Star Trek" project that is set only on Earth.

SAG AWARDS - From Variety:   If you care ... "Variety" is live-blogging / updating the 2021 / 27th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards with the announcement of the winners as they happen.

From THR:  "The Trial of the Chicago 7" tops the 2021 SAG Awards.

From THR:   Michael Keaton becomes the first actor to be part of three winning ensembles in the category of "Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture."  In addition to being a cast member of tonight's winner, "The Trial of the Chicago 7," Keaton was also a member of "Birdman" (2014) and "Spotlight" (2015), which both won "Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture."

BOX OFFICE - From Variety:   The winner of the 4/2 to 4/4/2021 weekend box office is "Godzilla vs. Kong" with an estimated take of 32.2 million dollars. This is the best pandemic-era opening weekend.

From Deadline:  "Godzilla vs. Kong" earns an estimated 48.5 million dollars during its first five days at the domestic box office.

From Deadline:   Warner Bros./Legendary's "Godzilla vs. Kong" opened on Wed., March 31st, 2021 and had the biggest opening day since the COVID pandemic, 9.6 million dollars in domestic box office.

ANIMATION - From Deadline:  Emmy-winning actress Zendaya has been cast as "Lola Bunny" in "Space Jam: A New Legacy," the sequel to the 1996 film, "Space Jam," which starred Michael Jordan.  The film is due July 16, 2021.

MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:  Actor Edward Norton said that he got his breakthrough role, as a 19-year-old altar boy who kills a Catholic bishop in the 1996 film, "Primal Fear," when Leonardo DiCaprio passed on the role.  Norton would earn an Oscar nomination for the part.

MUSIC - From Variety:   HYBE (formerly known as "Big Hit Entertainment"), the home of South Korean pop super-group, BTS, and Ithaca Holdings, which manages Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande (among others), have merged.

STREAMING - From Deadline:   Popular cast member, Rege-Jean Page, will not be returning for Season 2 at "Bridgerton."

MOVIES - From THR:   Actor Steven Yeun is in talks to join Oscar-winner Jordan Peele's upcoming thriller.  The title of the film has not been announced, but it is due July 2022.

MOVIES - From THR:  Anthony Ramos has apparently made a star turn in the upcoming film, "In the Heights."  Now, he is in final negotiations to be the lead in next installment of the "Transformers" film franchise.  Steve Caple, Jr., who directed "Creed II," is scheduled to direct the film.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:   CBS has officially picked up "CSI: Vegas," a sequel to the original series, "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," for the upcoming TV season.  Original series stars, William Petersen and Jorja Fox, will return to join a new cast.

JAMES BOND - From Collider: How to Watch the James Bond Movies in Order (Chronologically and by Release Date)

OBITS:

From XXL:   The rapper, Earl Simmons, better known as "DMX," has died at the age of 50, Friday, April 9, 2021.  His debut LP, 1998's "It's Dark and Hell is Hot," debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 LP chart.  His first five LP would reach #1 and would be certified platinum.  DMX was also an actor and appeared in numerous films, including the 2001 hit, "Exit Wounds."

From Deadline:   The voice-over artist, Mark Elliot, has died at the age of 81, Saturday, April 3, 2021.  He was best known for his work with The Walt Disney Company doing voice-overs for Disney promos and trailers.

From Deadline:   The film and television actress, Gloria Henry, has died at the age of 98, Saturday, April 3, 2021.  Henry is best known for playing "Alice Mitchell," the mother of Dennis Mitchell in the former CBS sitcom, "Dennis the Menace" (1959-63).  She also appeared in numerous TV series, such as "Perry Mason," "The Thin Man," and "Dallas," to name a few.


Thursday, March 11, 2021

Nickelodeon Announces Star Appearances for "Kids' Choics Awards '21"

Kim Kardashian, Gal Gadot, Robert Downey Jr., Millie Bobby Brown, Charli D’Amelio, BTS, Hailey Bieber, Addison Rae, Sofia Vergara, David Dobrik, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tiffany Haddish and More Scheduled to Appear at Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards ’21

Share It: @Nickelodeon #KCA

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2021, an epic celebration of fan-favorite stars across the worlds of film, television, music, sports and more, will feature appearances from today’s most popular stars including: Kim Kardashian, Gal Gadot, Robert Downey Jr., Millie Bobby Brown, Charli D’Amelio, BTS, Hailey Bieber, Addison Rae, Sofía Vergara, David Dobrik, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tiffany Haddish, Anna Kendrick, Liza Koshy, Jennifer Garner, Heidi Klum, Terry Crews, Tyler Perry, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo, Marsai Martin, Joshua Bassett, Anthony Anderson, Dani & Dannah Lane and Iain Armitage.

Hosted by actor, comedian and Saturday Night Live legend, Kenan Thompson (Kenan, All That), and featuring show-stopping performances from Grammy® Award-winning global superstar Justin Bieber, Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2021 will air live on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at 7:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

As Nickelodeon’s Orange Blimp takes fans on a virtual ride around the world and beyond, Nickelodeon’s iCarly cast members Miranda Cosgrove (Carly Shay), Jerry Trainor (Spencer Shay) and Nathan Kress (Freddie Benson) will reunite to present this year’s KCA for “Favorite Movie.” The hit show, which ran on Nickelodeon for six seasons, will be returning as a revival series on ViacomCBS’ rebranded streaming service Paramount+.

Stars from the worlds of TV, music, film and social media will be joined by Nickelodeon talent: JoJo Siwa; That Girl Lay Lay; Jules LeBlanc and Jayden Bartels (Side Hustle); Gabrielle Nevaeh Green and Darci Lynne (Unfiltered); and Young Dylan (Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan).

This year’s show will also feature live and interactive fan walls that bring celebrities and families at home to the main stage; second screen live voting all night long where fans stay in control; a KCA award presented by one lucky family chosen during the show; and an exclusive sneak peek clip from PAW Patrol: The Movie. Additionally, Nickelodeon is harnessing the power of augmented reality (AR) to bring the gooey green slime of the Kids’ Choice Awards into fans’ worlds in a brand-new way. In the Do Not Touch app, viewers can fly the iconic KCA blimp and dump slime all over their homes. The app creates the interactive experience by using a mobile device’s camera to detect real world objects.

Fans can currently cast votes on the official Kids’ Choice Awards website, www.KidsChoiceAwards.com, and on the Screens Up app on supported iPad, iPhone and Android devices in the U.S. International fans can cast votes through the Nick Play app in regions where it is available. Fans will also be able to cast their votes through social media on Twitter. Fans can also stay up to date on all the news by liking Nickelodeon on Facebook and following @Nickelodeon on Twitter and Instagram.

Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2021 is sponsored by Barbie®, Goldfish® Flavor Blasted® crackers, got milk?, LEGO® VIDIYO™, Olive Garden®, and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury.

Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2021 is produced by Nickelodeon Productions and overseen by Rob Bagshaw, Executive Vice President, Unscripted Content. Michael Dempsey serves as executive producer, with Amy Johnson and Magda Liolis serving as co-executive producers. Nickelodeon’s Unscripted Content executives Rob Bagshaw and Paul J Medford also serve as executive producers. The ceremony is directed by Glenn Weiss.

Nickelodeon, now in its 41st year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location-based experiences, publishing and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of ViacomCBS Inc. (Nasdaq: VIACA, VIAC).

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Saturday, February 13, 2021

BET Brings Tyler Perry's "The Oval" and "Madea" to Tues., Feb. 16tj

BET to Air Mega Night of Tyler Perry Must-Watch Originals With the Return of “Tyler Perry’s The Oval” and the World Television Debut of “Madea’s Farewell Play” Airing Tuesday, February 16, 2021

“Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Farewell Play” Will Kick off the Television Event at 8 PM ET/PT Followed by the Return of Hit-Series “Tyler Perry’s The Oval” All New and Moving to Tuesdays


NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET announced the premiere date of the much-anticipated original drama “Tyler Perry’s The Oval” season two and the television debut of acclaimed stage play “Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Farewell Play” airing Tuesday, February 16, 2021 starting at 8 PM ET/PT. “The Oval” was the #1 new series for African Americans P2+ on cable in calendar year 2020*. “Tyler Perry’s The Oval” season two returns Tuesday, February 16, at a special time 10:30 PM ET/PT. The series will then move to its regular time slot of 9 PM ET/PT starting Tuesday, February 23, 2021. Come home to BET for a night of Black joy, entertainment and more of the Tyler Perry content we all can’t get enough of!

About “Tyler Perry’s The Oval” season two airing on a *NEW* night TUESDAYS on BET & BET Her:

The one-hour drama, “Tyler Perry’s The Oval,” returns with its second jaw-breaking season and lifts the veil of what can happen when the leader of the free world, his wife and family are crazed maniacs. The series also highlights the personal side and everyday lives of the staff who run the inner workings of the nation’s most iconic residence. The talented ensemble cast for season two includes Ed Quinn, Kron Moore, Paige Hurd, Daniel Croix Henderson, Javon Johnson, Ptosha Storey, Vaughn Hebron, Teesha Renee, Lodric Collins, Ciera Payton, Taja V. Simpson, Walter Fauntleroy, Brad Benedict, Travis Cure, Matthew Law, Bill Barrett and Derek A. Dixon star in the 22-episodes original series.

“Tyler Perry’s The Oval” is executive produced, directed, and written by Tyler Perry. Michelle Sneed will also serve as Executive Producer of the series for Tyler Perry Studios.

About “Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Farewell Play”:

In Tyler Perry’s final stage run as Madea, he pulls together some of his audience’s favorite characters for a family gathering. Madea, Mr. Brown, Cora, and Aunt Bam are all under one roof for over two hours of pure joy. Madea is in rare form, as she tries to support her great-grandchildren, and daughter Cora. While at her granddaughter’s home, Madea uses her combination of tough love and old southern wisdom to help the family navigate their new normal. All seems fine until Mr. Brown takes a trip that leaves audiences in stitches. As always, Perry’s blend of incredible music and laugh out loud moments make the “Madea’s Farewell Play” great food for the soul.

“Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Farewell Play” stars Tyler Perry as Madea, Cassi Davis Patton as Betty Ann "Aunt Bam" Murphy, David Mann as Leroy Brown, Tamela Mann as Cora Jean Simmons-Brown, Kwaylon Rogers (BlameitonKway) as Tiffany "TiTi" Samuels, Alexis Hollins as Darlene Samuels, Anthony Lewis as Devin, Jacobi Brown as Malik Samuels, Ashlee B. Gillum as Robin, Walter Fauntleroy as Omar, RaVaughn Brown as Sylvia, and Kendrick Mays as William Samuels. “Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Farewell Play” launched exclusively on BET+ in August 2020.

“Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Farewell Play” is executive produced, directed, and written by Tyler Perry. Michelle Sneed and Mark E. Swinton will also serve as executive producers for Tyler Perry Studios.

For more information, viewers can log on to BET.com and join the conversation on social media by using the hashtags #TheOvalOnBET and #FarewellMadea on all social platforms.

*Source: Nielsen Live + SD, Live+3 for timeslot claims, Premieres airing M-Sun 7p-12a, 1/1/20-12/13/20, excluding sports, news, kids, Spanish-nets, rankings on impressions (000), 4+ telecast min (2+ on timeslot claims)



ABOUT BET:
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

ABOUT TYLER PERRY STUDIOS:
Tyler Perry Studios is a state-of-the-art film and television production facility founded in 2006 by actor, producer, filmmaker, playwright, and philanthropist Tyler Perry. Located in Atlanta, Georgia on the historic grounds of the former Fort McPherson army base, the new 330-acre campus is one of the largest production studios in the country. It boasts a variety of shooting locations including 40 buildings on the national register of historic places, 12 purpose-built sound stages, 200 acres of green space and an expansive backlot.


Friday, February 12, 2021

#28DaysofBlack Review: "A Madea Family Funeral"

[I could not imagine committing to a focus on black films and not offer at least one film from media mogul, Tyler Perry.  Within a decade, Perry became a successful performer and producer of stage plays.  He entered the film business with his 2005 film, “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” and owned a film production studio, Tyler Perry Studios, by 2006.  Perry's signature character, Mabel "Madea" Earlene Simmons, has played a significant part in Perry's rags to riches story, and he apparently brought the film saga of Madea to an end with “A Madea Family Funeral.”]

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 13 of 2021 (No. 1751) by Leroy Douresseaux

A Madea Family Funeral (2019)
Running time:  109 minutes (1 hour, 49 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for crude sexual content, language, and drug references throughout
WRITER/DIRECTOR:  Tyler Perry
PRODUCERS:  Ozzie Areu, Will Areu, Tyler Perry, and Mark E. Swinton
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Richard Vialet (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Larry Sexton
COMPOSER:  Philip White

COMEDY

Starring:  Tyler Perry, Cassi Davis, Patrice Lovely, Jen Harper, Courtney Burrell, Ciera Payton, Rome Flynn, KJ Smith, Aeriél Miranda, David Otunga, Quin Walters, Ary Katz, and Derek Morgan

A Madea Family Funeral is a 2019 comedy-drama from writer-director Tyler Perry.  It is the eleventh and (supposedly) final film in the Madea film series.  A Madea Family Funeral focuses on an anniversary celebration that unexpectedly turns into a funeral that unveils unsavory family secrets.

A Madea Family Funeral opens in the home of Vianne (Jen Harper) and Anthony Thompson (Derek Morgan).  Their children are planning a surprise party to celebrate their parents' 40th wedding anniversary.  Sylvia (Ciera Payton) is with her husband, Will (David Otunga).  Carol (KJ Smith), who is married to older brother, A.J. (Courtney Burrell), is awaiting his arrival.  Younger brother, Jesse (Rome Flynn), is awaiting the arrival of his fiancé, Gia (Aeriél Miranda).

Meanwhile Mabel “Madea” Simmons (Tyler Perry), Uncle Joe (Tyler Perry), Betty Ann Murphy a.k.a. “Aunt Bam” (Cassi Davis), Hattie (Patrice Lovely), and Joe's son, Brian Simmons (Tyler Perry), are also traveling to the reunion.  Vianne and Anthony's family is also the family of Madea and Joe's brother, Heathrow (Tyler Perry), a lecherous, wheelchair bound Vietnam veteran.

Not long after Madea and company arrive at their hotel, they discover that A.J. is also there with Gia, with whom he is having an affair.  Even more shocking is that they discover that Anthony is in a room next to A.J. and Gia's and is engaged in kinky sex with Renee (Quin Walters), a friend of both Vianne and Anthony's.  Anthony suffers a heart attack from the sexual activity and is taken to a hospital where he dies.

Now, Madea is charged with planning Anthony's funeral, which Vianne wants to occur in two days.  In the meantime, Anthony's secret life and the secrets of his two sons threaten to spill over.

A Madea Family Funeral qualifies as a dramatic film because of the secrets and lies and melodrama that apparently have long been a part of Vianne and Anthony's family.  Writer-director Tyler Perry deals with this the way he normally does – with soap opera, gospel theatrics, and Christian philosophizing.  Still, this family drama is pretty dark, and I do credit Perry for once again telling a story about mothers who make tough choices in order to provide for, to protect, and to keep their families together.  What might seem like weakness and stupidity might actually be strength and practicality.

A Madea Family Funeral is a comedy because of … well, because of Madea, Joe, Aunt Bam, and Hattie.  I have to be honest; I think much of the humor in this film as being an inappropriate match for the dramatic side of this film.  Still, I found myself vigorously laughing through more than half this film.  In a way, Anthony's funeral becomes a hilarious nightmare, both because of the unsavory family secrets and because of Madea and company.  But, hell, sometimes laughter helps a family get through a funeral, especially a hot mess of a death and funeral like Anthony's.

If A Madea Family Funeral is indeed the final Madea film, I can say that it went out on a relatively high note.  Perry gives us his trademark Christian moralizing, and Madea gives us the shameless, shameful comedy.  Truthfully, only Tyler Perry could be Madea, so there can be no other true Madea films unless he makes them.  So I hope A Madea Family Funeral doesn't put the Madea film franchise to rest.

7 of 10
B+

Wednesday, February 10, 2021


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Saturday, January 30, 2021

BET and CBS News Honor Cicely Tyson with Special Airing Sun., Jan 31st

BET to Honor the Legendary Cicely Tyson with a Primetime Exclusive News Special “BET + CBS News Present Cicely Tyson: In Her Own Words,” Premiering Sunday, January 31 at 7PM ET/PT on BET and 8PM/7C on BET Her

Hosted by CBS This Morning Anchor Gayle King, The Half-Hour News Special Features Extended Excerpts from King’s Recent Interview with Tyson to Celebrate Her Remarkable and Groundbreaking Career

#BETRemembersCicelyTyson

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET, in partnership with CBS News, announced a new primetime exclusive special honoring the life and legacy of iconic actress Cicely Tyson. Hosted by CBS This Morning anchor Gayle King, “BET + CBS News Present Cicely Tyson: In Her Own Words” will feature extended excerpts from one of the legendary actress and fashion model’s last interviews.

In this special, Ms. Tyson reflects on her trailblazing and illustrious 70-year career across television, film and theater, including being the first Black actress to co-star in a television drama series, East Side/West Side, to her Emmy award-winning performance in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974), Tony award-winning role in The Trip to Bountiful (2013), receiving an Honorary Academy Award in 2018 and recent induction into the Television Hall of Fame (2020). Her influence transcends beyond the screen and stage into many other facets of American culture. We join so many in celebration of her life, legacy and immeasurable contributions to the representation of African Americans, specifically Black women in the media. “Cicely Tyson: In Her Own Words” premieres Sunday, January 31, 2021, at 7:00 PM ET/PT on BET and 8PM/7C on BET Her.

BET celebrated Tyson's incredible work at BET Honors 2010 and Black Girls Rock! 2015. Watch her BET Honors 2010 tribute here or https://www.bet.com/video/bethonors/2011/cicely-tyson-tribute-232394.html

At 7:30 PM ET/PT, BET will also air “Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too” starring Cicely Tyson.

BET Digital will celebrate and honor the pioneering icon across digital and social platforms using the hashtags #BETRemembersCicelyTyson. For more information, please visit www.bet.com.
 

About BET:
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African American audience. The primary BET channel is in 125 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

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Thursday, January 28, 2021

BET to Air Tyler Perry COVID-19 Special

BET to Air “COVID-19 Vaccine and the Black Community A Tyler Perry Special” Premiering Thursday, January 28 at 9 PM ET/PT on BET and BET Her

The Half Hour Special Features a Sitdown Interview with Tyler Perry and Top Medical Experts from Grady Health System Who Will Address the Public’s Concerns and Fears About the COVID-19 Vaccine

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, BET and media mogul Tyler Perry announced an exclusive news special, “COVID-19 Vaccine and the Black Community A Tyler Perry Special,” premiering Thursday, January 28, at 9 PM ET/PT on BET and BET Her. In the midst of a world health crisis, Perry sits down with top medical experts Carlos del Rio, MD Executive Associate Dean, Emory School of Medicine at Grady Health System, and Kimberly Dyan Manning, MD Professor of Medicine at Grady Health System to address the public's concerns and fears about the COVID-19 vaccine.

The half-hour special provides helpful and factual information for viewers looking to protect themselves and their families from this unprecedented crisis. Tackling issues head-on, Perry asks the hard-hitting questions to help the community gain insight into this new vaccine.

“COVID-19 Vaccine and the Black Community A Tyler Perry Special” joins BET’s roster of informative specials that address the impacts of COVID-19 on the Black community and answers questions about the vaccine.

“COVID-19 Vaccine and the Black Community A Tyler Perry Special” is Executive Produced by Tyler Perry for Tyler Perry Studios.

For more information on “COVID-19 Vaccine and the Black Community A Tyler Perry Special,” as well as daily reporting regarding what the African American community needs to know about COVID-19, and how it impacts our lives, please visit BET.com. Follow @bet across social media platforms (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter).


ABOUT BET:
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

ABOUT TYLER PERRY STUDIOS:
Tyler Perry Studios is a state-of-the-art film and television production facility founded in 2006 by actor, producer, filmmaker, playwright, and philanthropist Tyler Perry. Located in Atlanta, Georgia on the historic grounds of the former Fort McPherson army base, the new 330-acre campus is one of the largest production studios in the country. It boasts a variety of shooting locations including 40 buildings on the national register of historic places, 12 purpose-built sound stages, 200 acres of green space and an expansive backlot.

ABOUT GRADY HEALTH SYSTEM:
Grady, located in Atlanta, is one of the nation’s leading academic safety net health systems, known for its trauma, stroke and burn care. Grady is also a leading research site and was proud to be part of the Moderna vaccine trials.

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Saturday, January 23, 2021

Tyler Perry and the MPTF to Receive the "Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award" from the Academy Awards

THE ACADEMY TO HONOR TYLER PERRY AND THE MOTION PICTURE & TELEVISION FUND WITH JEAN HERSHOLT HUMANITARIAN AWARDS

The Academy announced that its Board of Governors voted to present Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Awards to filmmaker Tyler Perry and to the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF).  The Oscar® statuettes will be presented at the 93rd Oscars®, which airs live on ABC and broadcast outlets worldwide on Sunday, April 25, 2021.

“There has been such widespread generosity in our industry that limiting the Hersholt Humanitarian Award to one recipient, this year in particular, was impossible. So, we are breaking with tradition and giving two awards to honor that spirit,” said Academy President David Rubin.  “Tyler’s cultural influence extends far beyond his work as a filmmaker.  He has quietly and steadily focused on humanitarian and social justice causes from the beginning of his career, caring for people who are most often ignored. The work of the MPTF is more vital than ever, and the organization has gone above and beyond to help our community.  The sheer number of individuals and families—from every corner of our industry’s workforce—aided during the pandemic and over the last 100 years is nothing short of extraordinary.”

Perry is a prolific producer, director, actor, writer, entrepreneur and philanthropist, whose commitment to a wide spectrum of charitable and social justice causes has been particularly impactful during the challenges of the past year, addressing economic distress caused by the pandemic, racial reckoning and homelessness in his community.  In 2019, he opened his privately owned motion picture studio on the site of a former Confederate Army base in Atlanta, Georgia.  Tyler Perry Studios now occupies more than 330 acres and is home to a state-of-the-art production facility with 12 soundstages that provides hundreds of job opportunities in film and television production in the local area. Perry was instrumental in quickly creating a safe way to return to production during the worldwide health crisis.  His credits as writer, director and/or producer include “A Fall from Grace,” “Acrimony,” “Madea Goes to Jail,” “Madea’s Family Reunion” and “Diary of a Mad Black Woman.”  His television credits include such series as “Sistas,” “The Haves and the Have Nots,” “The Oval” and “House of Payne,” and he has written numerous stage plays.

Now in its 100th year, the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF) offers a variety of services to provide emotional and financial relief to entertainment industry members and their families during times of need, including case management, financial assistance for basic living expenses, palliative care, and senior and childcare services.  The organization’s contribution during the pandemic has made a significant impact on the entertainment community, providing social services support to nearly 9,000 industry members in 2020.  MPTF also offers a wide range of housing accommodations from independent and assisted living to nursing and memory care.  Jean Hersholt, for whom the Academy’s humanitarian award is named, served as president of the Fund for 18 years, from 1938 until his death in 1956.

The Board of Governors voted to amend the rules for the Governors Awards: “For this year only, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award may be given not just to an individual, but also to a group of individuals or an organization in the motion picture arts and sciences whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry.  The Board may bestow up to two Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Awards.”

The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award is an Oscar statuette.  This is the first time an organization will be recognized with this award.

The awards will be presented during the Oscars in lieu of the Academy’s Governors Awards, an annual ceremony in the fall, where the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award is customarily presented.

The 93rd Oscars will be held on Sunday, April 25, 2021, and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

# # #


ABOUT THE ACADEMY
:
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a global community of more than 10,000 of the most accomplished artists, filmmakers and executives working in film. In addition to celebrating and recognizing excellence in filmmaking through the Oscars, the Academy supports a wide range of initiatives to promote the art and science of the movies, including public programming, educational outreach and the upcoming Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.


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Saturday, January 16, 2021

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from January 10th to 16th, 2021 - Update #34

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Support Leroy on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

STIMULUS - From YahooMoney:   Here's who gets a payment under Biden's $1,400 stimulus check proposal

From Truthout:  As part of his COVID stimulus package, President Biden wants a $15 minimum wage.

COVID-19 - From YahooNews:   Coronavirus death toll tops 2 million worldwide

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Even more stars, including Robert De Niro and Chris Rock, join David O. Russell's new untitled film for New Regency.

TELEVISION - From TVInsider:   Jared Padalecki, formerly of the long running, "Supernatural," will star in The CW's "Walker," a reboot of the long-running CBS series, "Walker, Texas Ranger."  Padalecki was initially developing the series for his Supernatural co-star, Jensen Ackles, before taking the lead himself.  He says that Jensen may still be involved in the series.

TELEVISION - From TCM:  To commemorate the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday 2021, TCM has scheduled a day of reality-based films to document and celebrate the Black Experience.

MOVIES - From EW:    Here is a first look at the R-rated reboot of the "Mortal Kombat" franchise.

AWARDS - From Variety:  Chloe Zhao's "Nomadland" tops the 2020 Gotham Awards.  At the virtual ceremony, Taylor Simone Ledward Boseman tearfully accepted the tribute to her late husband, Chadwick Boseman, that was delivered by actor Andre Holland.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Zoe Saldana and Oscar-winner Rami Malek join director David O. Russell's untitled New Regency film.  Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington are already on board.

POLITICS - From YahooNews:   The U.S. House of Representative impeaches President Donald... again.  This time it is on one charge, "incitement to insurrection."  He becomes the first U.S. president to be impeached twice.

From LATimes:  232 to 197 - 232 is the largest numbers of votes ever tallied to impeach a U.S. president.

From RSNWashPost:  Don't forget when President Donald called the Georgia Secretary of State and berated him to change the vote...

TELEVISION - From Deadline:   OWN and Tyler Perry's drama, "The Haves and the Have Nots," will end after its current eighth season.  It is the last series created under Tyler Perry's deal with OWN.

BOND - From Deadline:   The upcoming James Bond film, "No Time to Die," is moving again - from Easter weekend 2021 to some time in the fall not yet specified.

BIDEN! - From Deadline:  Oscar-winner Tom Hanks will host the primetime "Celebrating America" special that will culminate the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on January 20, 2021.

COVID-19 - From PageSix:   Action movie icon, Bruce Willis, asked to leave a Rite-Aid pharmacy in Los Angeles after he refused to wear a mask.  He left without making a purchase.

STREAMING - From THR:   Netflix says its 2021 slate will feature "a new movie every week."

CULTURE - From BET:  "Brough Brothers Distillery" in Louisville, Ky. made history in 2020 as the first Black-owned whiskey distillery in the state. On New Year’s Eve, the three brothers, Victor, Christian, and Bryson Yarbrough produced their first 5-gallon barrels, according to Whisky Advocate."

SPORTS - From YahooSports:  The University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team beat the Ohio State University Buckeyes 52-24 to win the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship.  It is Alabama's third title in the College Football Playoff era, and its sixth national title in 12 years.  By Alabama's count, this is their 18th national college football championship.  The Crimson Tide finish the 2020 season with a 13-0 record.

From YahooSports:  Alabama Crimson Tide head football coach has won his seventh national championship with Alabama's 52-24 win over the Ohio State Buckeyes.  He has won six with the Tide: 2009, 2011, 2012 2015, 2017, 2020.  His first national title was in 2003 as head coach of the Louisiana State University Tigers.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:  The winner of the 1/8 to 1/10/2021 weekend box office is "Wonder Woman 1984" with an estimated take of 3 million dollars.

STREAMING PREVIEW - From BleedingCool:  Apple TV has released the first teasertrailer for "Cherry," a new film from brothers Joe and Anthony Russo ("Avengers: Endgame") and starring Spider-Man himself, Tom Holland.

ASSAULT ON THE CAPITOL:

From Buzzfeed:   BuzzFeed News spoke to two Black officers who described a harrowing day in which they were forced to endure racist abuse — including repeatedly being called the n-word — as they tried to do their job of protecting the Capitol building...

From NBCNews:   Some Democrats in Congress are worried their colleagues might kill them

From Truthout:   At least 28 law enforcement officers from 12 states have been identified as attendees of the so-called “Save America” rally in support of Donald Trump that sparked the storming of the U.S. Capitol building on January 6

From RSNWashPost:   President Donald watched TV while the U.S. Capitol Building was under siege.

From YahooSports:   A so-called "Olympic hero" was part of the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6th.  Swimmer Klete Keller won silver and bronze medals at the 2000 Sydney Games; gold and bronze at the 2004 Athens Games; and gold at the 2008 Beijing Games.  Now, he has won Nazi gold for appearing at the white supremacist games.

From RSNNewYorker:  What Should We Call the Sixth of January 2021?

From Truthout:  The Right Is Planning More Armed Coup Attempts, According to the FBI

From NBC2:  Police found a pickup truck full of bombs and guns near Capitol, feds say

From YahooNews:  Arnold Schwarzenegger invokes Nazi Germany in powerful video denouncing Capitol Hill riot

From Fox5DC:  A second police officer who responded to the Wednesday, Jan. 6th Trump-incited riot at the U.S Capitol building.  Some media outlets are reporting the death of Howard Liebengood, 51-years-old, as an "off-duty" death.  The local Fox affiliate, "Fox 5" TV station, is among those reporting Liebengood's death as a suicide connected to the riot.

OBITS:

From YahooSports:   Former NFL player, Tim Lester, has died at the age of 52, Tuesday, January 12, 2021 from complications of COVID-19.  Lester was a running back/fullback and was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 1992.  He played from 1992 to 1999 for the Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Dallas Cowboys.  Lester was best known for his four-year tenure with the Steelers (1995-98), where he blocked for legendary Steeler, Jerome Bettis, for three of those seasons.

From YahooLATimes:  British film director, Michael Apted, has died at the age of 79, Thursday, January 7, 2021.  One of the most prolific English directors of his generation, Apted may be best known for the groundbreaking "Up" documentary series — which chronicled the lives of 14 British men and women starting at age 7 in seven-year increments, from 1964's "Seven Up!" to 2019's "63 Up."  He also directed such films as "Coal Miner's Daughter" (1980), "Bring on the Night" (1985), "Gorillas in the Mist" (1988), and the James Bond movie, "The World is Not Enough" (1999), to name a few.

From LATimes:  Retired Major League Baseball pitcher and manager, Tommy Lasorda, has died at the age of 93, Thursday, January 7, 2021.  Lasorda, of course, is best known as the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1976 to 1996.  He managed the team to eight division titles, four National League pennants, and two World Series championships (1981 and 1988).




Saturday, December 19, 2020

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from December 13th to 19th, 2020 - Update #25

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Support Leroy on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

BLM - From WashPost:   The Rev. William H. Lamar IV is the pastor of the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington D.C. that was attacked on Sat., Dec. 12th, 2020 by members of the racist group, the "Proud Boys."  The "Boys" were in Washington for a pro-Trump rally/riot.  Rev. Lamar wrote an opinion piece for the "Washington Post" entitled "My church will replace our Black Lives Matter sign. Will America replace its racist myth?" One of the quotes is "...that White men can employ violence to take what they want and do what they want and call that criminality justice, freedom and liberty."

COVID-19 - From CNN:  US sees record Covid-19 cases as CDC advisory group votes to recommend Moderna vaccine

CELEBRITY - From THR:   Inside Johnny Depp's self-made implosion.

CULTURE - From YahooEntertainment:   The last "Blockbuster" video rental store keeps chugging along and is the subject of a new documentary, "The Last Blockbuster."

AWARDS - From THR:  The New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) names "First Cow" its best film of 2020.

STREAMING - From YahooEW:   New set photos from "Coming 2 America," Netflix's sequel to the classic Eddie Murphy film, "Coming to America," include an image of Wesley Snipes.

MOVIES - From DirtyMovies:   There will be another entry in the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" film franchise in 2021.  "Dirty Movies" analyzes what went wrong with the last two entries.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  NBC is working on a reboot of its classic legal comedy, "Night Court" (1984-1992), with Warner Bros. Television.  John Larroquette, who won several Emmy Awards for the show, will return as "Dan Fielding," and Melissa Rauch ("The Big Bang Theory") will play the role of Judge Abby Stone, the daughter of the late Judge Harry Stone (played by the late Harry Anderson).

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  ABC is in early development on "Pine Valley," a prime time follow-up to its daytime soap opera, "All My Children," which ended its run on the network in 2011.

TELEVISION-BLM - From Variety: "Heroes" Was Supposed to Be Leonard Roberts’ Big Break. Instead, It Nearly Broke Him. An African-American actor speaks about his poor treatment on the set of the former NBC series.

TOM CRUISE - From Deadline:   Tom Cruise Goes Off On Crew After Covid Breach On ‘Mission: Impossible 7’ London Set – Hear The Audio.

From YahooMovies:  Apparently, five crew members have quit "Mission: Impossible 7" over Tom Cruise's tirade against them for allegedly breaking COVID-19 protocol.
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SPORTS-BLM - From MLB:   Major League Baseball has long celebrated the legacy of the Negro Leagues. But for the first time, MLB is officially recognizing that the quality of the segregation-era circuits was comparable to its own product from that time period.  Addressing what MLB described as a “long overdue recognition,” Commissioner Rob Manfred on Wednesday bestowed Major League status upon seven professional Negro Leagues that operated between 1920 and 1948. The decision means that the approximately 3,400 players of the Negro Leagues during this time period are officially considered Major Leaguers, with their stats and records becoming a part of Major League history.

COVID-19 - From GuardianUK: US Covid Deaths Pass 300,000 as First Americans Receive Coronavirus Vaccine

MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:  As we acknowledge the 25th anniversary of Michael Mann's film, "Heat," which starred Oscar-winners, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, we revisit an interview in which Pacino talks about his friendly rivalry with De Niro.

STREAMING - From Deadline:   Lily James and Sebastian Stan (Marvel Studios "Winter Soldier") will play model/actress Pam Anderson and rock musician Tommy Lee in Hulu's biopic about the infamous celebrity couple.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Chris Pine is in talks to star in "Dungeons & Dragons" for eOne and Paramount Pictures.  Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley are set to direct from a script they wrote.

SPORTS - From YahooSports:   Major League Baseball's Cleveland Indians are dropping "Indians" from their name.  Here are the possibilities for a new name, including a Negro League name.

BLM - From Deadline:  Tyler Perry has donated $100,000 to the legal defense fund for Kenneth Walker, the boyfriend of Breonna Taylor, the medical worker murdered in her apartment by members of the Louisville Metro Police Department.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:   The winner of the 12/11 to 12/13/20 weekend box office is "The Croods: A New Age" with an estimated take of 3 million dollars.

COVID-19 - From YahooNewsAP:  Trucks with first batches of COVID-19 vaccine in US get ready to roll

CHRISTMAS - From YahooNews:  Rare planetary conjunction means a rare "Christmas Star" will light up the night for the first time since the year 1226.

OBITS:

From THR:   American dancer, actress, and choreographer, Ann Reinking, has died at the age of 71, Saturday, December 12, 2020.  She is best known for her association with the Broadway musical, "Chicago," both as an actress (1977 and 1996) and as a choreographer (1996).  In 1997, she won a "Tony Award for Best Choreography" for the 1996 revival of "Chicago."  Reinking was nominated for a Tony three other times.

From Variety:  The spy-turned-spy-novelist, John le Carre, has died at the age of 89, Saturday, December 12, 2020.  During the 1950s and 1960s, le Carre (born David John Moore Cornwell) worked the British "Security Service" (MI5) and "Secret Intelligence Service" (MI6).  By the time he left the service, le Carre has already published three novels, including the international bestseller, "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold" (1963).  Ten of his novels have been adapted into film, including 2001's "The Constant Gardener," which became the 2005 Oscar-winning film.

From RollingStone:  Iconic country music singer, Charley Pride, has died at the age of 86, Saturday, December 12, 2020 of complications of COVID-19.  Pride was a pioneering African-American country musician and is one of only three Black members of the "Grand Old Opry," and he was inducted into the "Country Music Hall of Fame" in 2000.  In 1971, at the "Country Music Association Awards, Pride won the "Entertainer of the Year" award.  Pride was a three-time Grammy Award winner, and received the "Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award" in 2017.

From RollingStone:   10 essential Charley Pride songs, according to Rolling Stone.
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From Deadline:  The actress Marguerite Ray has died at the age of 89, November 18, 2020.  Ray was the first African-American regular on the CBS soap opera, "The Young and the Restless," playing the role of Mamie Johnson from 1980 to 1990.  Ray was also a regular on "Sanford" (1980-81), NBC's sequel series to "Sanford and Son."
 
 
 


Saturday, December 12, 2020

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from December 6th to 12th, 2020 - Update #24

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Support Leroy on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

OBIT-COVID-19 - From YahooEntertainment:   Country music's first Black icon, Charley Pride, has died of COVID-19.

MOVIES - From CNN:   It is official, actor Harrison Ford will return for a fifth film in the "Indiana Jones" series, which began in 1981 with the Oscar-winning "Raiders of the Lost Ark."  The film is due July 2022.

PIXAR - From Deadline: Pixar is working on an origin movie for "Buzz Lightyear," the space hero from "Toy Story."  "Captain America's" Chris Evans will voice the lead role.  The film is due in July 2022.

DISNEY+ - From Deadline:   Whoopi Goldberg is returning for a third "Sister Act" film.  Goldberg will reprise her role of Deloris Wilson for "Sister Act 3" and will produce the film along with Tyler Perry for Disney+.

DISNEY+ - From Variety:   Disney+ announces 10 new "Star Wars"-related series and 10 new series from Marvel Studios.

BLM - From WebMD:   In an article for "WebMD," college and pro basketball legend and champion, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar talks about the health of African-Americans and the risks to that posted by the healthcare system.

STREAMING - From BleedingCool:   Amazon is developing a TV series based on the 1997 teen horror flick, "I Know What You Did Last Summer."  Craig Macneill will direct the series pilot.

STREAMING - From Deadline:   Kevin Hart and Wesley Snipes will play brothers in "True Story," a Netflix limited series drama.  It written and executive produced by Eric Newman of "Narcos: Mexico."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  HBO has been working on a reboot of its vampire melodrama, "True Blood."  Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (creator of "Riverdale") and Jami O'Brien (creator of AMC'S "NOS4A2") will write the pilot with O'Brien acting as the executive producer with Alan Ball, creator of the original series.

MOVIES - From IndieWire:  The best undistributed films of 2020

OSCARS - From Deadline:   Jesse Collins, Stacey Sher, and Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh have been announced as the producers for the 93rd Academy Awards, which will be held Sunday, April 25th, 2021.

WARNER MEDIA - From THR:  Oscar-nominated director, Christopher Nolan, rips into WarnerMedia's announced plan to release its 2021 film slate on its streaming service, HBO Max, which Nolan calls "the worst streaming service."

STAR TREK - From Deadline:  Actors who have starred in the "Star Trek" franchise, from the original series to the recent "Star Trek: Discovery," will hold a virtual fund raiser for U.S. Senate candidates from Georgia, Democrats Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock, on Sat. Dec. 12th, 2020.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Constantin Film has issued an apology for its film, "Monster Hunter," an adaptation of the popular video game.  The film contains dialogue that was considered offensive in China, where the film has been a hit.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:  The winner of the 12/4 to 12/6/2020 weekend box office is DreamWorks Animation's "The Croods: A New Age" with an estimated take of 4.4 million dollars.

MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:  Oscar-winning screenwriter Alan Ball wonders about the legacy of the Oscar-winning film he wrote, "American Beauty" (1999), because of the scandals related to the film's star, Kevin Spacey.  Spacey won a "Best Actor" Oscar for his performance, but the last few years have seen Spacey beset by accusations of predatory behavior and sexual assault.

TELEVISION - From ShadowandAct:  Oscar and Emmy-winning actress Regina King is producing "Slay," an African-American themed supernatural drama that is in development at The CW.

TELEVISION - From LATimes:  Inside the TV networks' battle for Christmas movie supremacy 

OBITS:

From TMZ:  Character actor and occasional professional wrestler, Tom "Tiny" Lister, Jr. was found dead in his apartment, Thursday, December 10, 2020.  Lister is best known for playing the character, "Deebo," in "Friday" (1995) and its sequel, "Next Friday" (2000).  He appeared in numerous other films, including "The Fifth Element" (1997) and "The Dark Knight" (2008), to name a few.

From Deadline:  The film and television actress, Natalie Desselle, has died at the age of 83, Monday, December 7, 2020 of colon cancer.  Her best known film roles were in "B.A.P.S." (1997) and "Madea's Big Happy Family" (2010).  Desselle made her television debut on a 1996 episode of ABC's former family sitcom, "Family Matters."  Desselle was a main cast member on UPN's TV series, "Eve" (2003-06).

From BET:  Halle Berry issues a statement about the passing of Natalie Desselle, who co-starred with her in "B.A.P.S."
 
From BET:  Halley Berry posts new emotional tribute to former co-star, Natalie Desselle, who died Monday morning, Dec. 7th. 

From YahooEntertainment:  Halle Berry and other celebs react to the death of Natalie Desselle.
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From Deadline:   Film and television character actor and stage actor, Warren Berlinger, has died at the age of 83, Wednesday, December 2, 2020.  He was known for playing next to bigger stars, including a role in the Elvis Presley film, "Spinout" (1966).  Later in his career, he made numerous guest appearances on such TV series as "Happy Days," "Murder, She Wrote," and "Friends," to name a few.  He began his stage career as a nine-year-old in the 1946 Broadway production of "Annie Get Your Gun," and he went on to perform on stage in "Blue Denim" and "Happy Time," to name a few.

From Deadline:   The actor television actor, David Landers, has died at the age of 73, Friday, December 4, 2020.  Landers is best known for playing the role of "Squiggy" on the former ABC sitcom, "Laverne & Shirley" (1976-83).  He was also a noted voice actor who performed in multiple animated film and TV series.


COVID-19:

From CDC:   The Centers for Disease Control has a "COVID Data Tracker."

From YahooNews:  Why does COVID-19 kill some people and hardly affects others?

From YahooNews:  Yahoo has a dedicated page of links updating news about COVID-19.

From Deadline:  The news site "Deadline" has a dedicated page for news about coronavirus and the film, TV, and entertainment industries.

From TheNewYorker:  The venerable magazine has a dedicate COVID-19 page free to all readers.

From YahooNews:  Re: the federal government's response to COVID-19: What if the most important election of our lifetime was the last one - 2016?

From YahooLife:  What is "happy hypoxia?"  And do you have this COVID-19 symptom?

From JuanCole:  Remember when President Donald went crazy and suggested that we ingest household cleaning supplies and UV light to fight COVID-19.  Here is the video and commentary from Juan Cole.

From TheIntercept:  The federal government has ramped up security and police-related spending in response to the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic, including issuing contracts for riot gear, disclosures show. The purchase orders include requests for disposable cuffs, gas masks, ballistic helmets, and riot gloves...

From TheAtlanticThe Coronavirus Was an Emergency Until Trump Found Out Who Was Dying. The pandemic has exposed the bitter terms of our racial contract, which deems certain lives of greater value than others.

From ProPublica:  Hospital's Secret COVID-19 Policy Separated Native American Mothers From Their Newborns

From TheGuardian:  More than 20 million Americans could have contracted COVID-19, experts say.

From RSN/WashPost:  The COVID-19 mutation that has taken over the world.

7/13 - From YahooSports:  Maybe a pandemic means that there will not be college football this fall.

7/13- From YahooNews:  The CDC adds four new symptoms (including nausea and purple or blue lesions on feet and toes) to the list of COVID-19 symptoms.

7/19 - From YahooFinance:  Harvard Public Health professor Dr. Howard Koh says the U.S. "needs to regroup" to find COVID-19.

7/22 - From YahooNews:  A public health employee predicted Florida's coronavirus catastrophe — then she was fired.

7/22 - From YahooLifestyle:  Florida mom loses son, 20, to coronavirus, and then days later, her daughter.

7/23 - From TheWrap:  The site has a list of movie and TV stars, entertainment and sports figures who have tested positive for COVID-19

From Bloomberg:  Will the COVID-19 pandemic turn Millennials into socialists?

7/27 - From CNN:   Chief of critical care at Baltimore's Mercy Medical Center, Dr. Joseph Costa, passes away due to Covid-19 complications... after treating the hospital's sickest COVID-19 patients.  He was 56 and leaves behind family, including a husband of 28 years.

7/31 - From Slate:  COVID-19 is airborne - for reals!

8/9 - From YahooAFP:  According to the real-time tally kept by John Hopkins University, the United States has hit 5 million cases of COVID-19.

8/16 - From Truthout: COVID Deaths Continue to Surge in Countries Led by Far Right Authoritarians

9/19 - From WashPost:  U.S. coronavirus death toll reaches 200,000

9/23 - From CNBC:  Mark Cuban, who owns the NBA's Dallas Mavericks and star of ABC's "Shark Tank," suggests that every household in American get a $1000 check every two weeks for the next two months.

11/7 - From YahooNews:  "It's a slaughter," doctors say of new coronavirus wave.

11/13 - YahooNews:  "We blew it": U.S. reaches 'explosive' COVID-19 spread as virus is nearly impossible to control, experts say.

11/29 From LATimes:  California sets record with most COVID-19 hospitalizations since pandemic began

12/6 - From YahooNBC:  President Donald has announced that his lawyer, former mayor of New York City, Rudy Giulani, has tested positive for COVID-19.

BLACK LIVES MATTER:

From RSN:   Judge's Blistering Opinion Says Courts Have Placed Police Beyond Accountability

From TheGuardian:  Yusef Salaam, one of the "Central Park Five," says in an interview, "Trump would have had me hanging from a tree in Central Park."

From NPR:  Prosecutors' plea deal required drug suspect to name Breonna Taylor a "co-defendant."

From ChicagoSunTimes:  Rev. Jesse Jackson: America has millions of people in poverty because Americans choose not to demand the policies that would lift them out of poverty.

From APNews:  No one will be held accountable for the killing of Louisville African-American resident, Breonna Taylor.

From Channel4:  Revealed: Trump campaign strategy to deter millions of Black Americans from voting in 2016

From GuardianUK:  California is going to consider paying reparations to the descendants of African slaves after adopting a landmark law to study and to develop proposals around the issue.

From TheRoot:   What to Do When Your Country Turns Into a Dumpster Fire

From Vox:  It's True: 1 in 1,000 Black Americans Have Died in the Covid-19 Pandemic

From CBS:  Breonna Taylor's boyfriend certain cops didn't identify themselves

From DonaldTrump:  Well, because it has been in the news a lot lately (via Ice Cube and Li'l Wayne), here is "The Platinum Plan."  It is impressive, but no Republican Congress would go along with even 10 percent of this plan which is basically a long list of promises to the Black Americans - individually and as a group.

From Truthout:   Yes, 55 Percent of White Women Voted for Trump. No, I’m Not Surprised.