Thursday, April 30, 2009

"BLOOD AND BONE" TRAILER

SYNOPSIS

In Los Angeles, an ex-con (White) takes the underground fighting world by storm in his quest to fulfill a promise to a dead friend.

Read More...

FIRST 100 DAYS IN PICTURES




A gang of pics really..enjoy!!

Read More...

ASHANTI STARS IN "THE WIZ"


Somehow R&B singer (and I use that term loosely)-songwriter Ashanti will topline the Encores! Summer Stars staging of "The Wiz," beginning perfs in June according to Variety.

Ashanti will play Dorothy in the limited-run revival of the 1975 classic, a redux of "The Wizard of Oz."

No other casting has been announced for the production, helmed by Thomas Kail and choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler, who collaborated previously on "In the Heights."

"Wiz" is the third outing for Summer Stars, the more fully produced offshoot of the Encores! series of semi-staged concert performances. "Wiz" runs June 12-July 5.

Read More...

DIANA ROSS BIOGRAPHY ON THE WAY


Coming soon is an unauthorized biography that paints Miss Diana Ross as...ambitious. According to author Mark Ribowsky, Diana "knew she was on the fast track to stardom the day she got to Motown, and also -- on the first day she knew who she wanted to sleep with to keep up the momentum. That, of course, turned out to be Berry Gordy."

This is hilarious. OF COURSE Diana Ross knew she was going to be a star. Just like Barbra Streisand and Madonna knew they were going to be stars. But there has to be talent to back up steely-eyed bravado. Diana Ross was it. She had the look, the sound, the iron discipline. She didn't have to sleep with anybody to get where she got.

I've always had a feeling that a lot of Miss Ross' "attitude" has been defensive. She knew people thought she'd gotten her breaks because Berry was infatuated with her. The truth is, Berry Gordy fell in love with her talent. Then he fell in love with the girl.

Eventually, Diana struggled to get away from Berry and Motown, probably to prove to herself -- and to others -- that she could be a great star without the support of her mogul-lover. (And the secret father of her first child.) She did that.

Read More...

MARY J. BLIGE SIGNS WITH WMA


Right on the heels of it's recent merge with Endeavor, WMA has signed Mary J. Blige. The agency will rep the nine-time Grammy winner in all areas and guide the expansion plans of her entertainment company, Matriarch Entertainment.
Blige was previously repped by ICM.

Blige's eight albums have sold over 48 million copies. Her last release, "Growing Pains," won the Grammy for contemporary R&B album.

WMA will help her as she broadens her brand into other areas.

Blige has already branched out into acting, appearing on "Entourage," filming the series finale of "30 Rock," and starring in Tyler Perry's "I Can Do Bad All by Myself," set for release on Sept. 11. Blige has several endorsement deals, currently featured in campaigns for Chevrolet, Citibank and Carol's Daughter, the cosmetics company that she owns with Will Smith, Jada Pinkett-Smith and Jay-Z.

With manager Kendu Isaacs, Blige formed Matriarch Entertainment/Records, whose roster includes Dave Young and Laneah. Matriarch is partnered with the management shingle Content, run by Jaha Johnson and Chris Hicks, which has also moved its business to WMA.

Read More...

100 DAYS OF OBAMA SWAGGA??

100 days of Obama being reduced to this. SIGH...

Read More...

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

"WOLVERINE" PREMIERE
















Read More...

"MORE THAN A GAME" TRAILER

SYNOPSIS

Five talented young basketball players from Akron, Ohio star in this remarkable true-life coming of age story about friendship and loyalty in the face of great adversity. Coached by a charismatic but inexperienced players father, and led by future NBA superstar LeBron James, the Fab Fives improbable seven-year journey leads them from a decrepit inner-city gym to the doorstep of a national high school championship.

Read More...

"P-STAR RISING" TRAILER

SYNOPSIS

What's da word? P-Star is the world's youngest rap artist. An atypical tween, she rhymes what she knows: temporary housing, crack, single dad and bling. When the dough starts to flow, you wonder who's really the adult.

Read More...

"SOUL POWER" TRAILER

SYNOPSIS

In 1974, the most celebrated American R&B acts of the time came together with the most renowned musical groups in Africa for a 12-hour, three-night long concert held in Kinshasa, Zaire.

Read More...

KOBE "DOIN WORK" TRAILER

SYNOPSIS

For most of us, a day at the office is never accompanied by media interviews and roaring crowds. For Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, though, this is just a routine part of his job. In the spring of 2008, with the Lakers set to face off against the San Antonio Spurs in a late-season game with major playoff implications, legendary filmmaker and conspicuous sports fan Spike Lee took the opportunity to show what it’s like for a top athlete like Kobe to go to work. With unprecedented access, Lee follows him from his arrival at the Staples Center through team meetings and pregame warm-ups, during the game itself, and at the end of his day as he, his wife, and his kids get in the car to drive home.

Read More...

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

TROUBLE IN WENDYLAND?


Radio maven Wendy Williams is off the air at WBLS.

The Post Chronicle reports that the New York radio station has pulled “The Wendy Williams Experience” from the air for a week pending the results of her investigation.

Last year, Nicole Spence, the show’s old booking agent, filed a complaint with the EEOC. She claims that Wendy had been striking back at her ever since she reported unwanted sexual advances by Wendy’s husband.

This is interesting for the simple fact that Wendy's ratings of this week showed Wendy at #1 with WBLS’ audience.

Other sources claim that her abscence is actually just a short vacation. Let's hope this doesn't affect her television show that's supposed to debut this summer.

Read More...

OUT ON DVD TODAY...









Read More...

IT'S JUST MY THEME MUSIC...

HAPPY TUESDAY!

Read More...

Monday, April 27, 2009

THIS WEEKEND AT THE BOX OFFICE...

Coming in at #1 this weekend has to be the suprise hit of the new year. Beyonce's movie "Obsessed" came steam rolling into the theaters this weekend and brought in $28.5 Million despite mixed reviews.
In at #2 is the Zac Efron teen flick 17 Again which brought in $11.7 Million to bring it's total to $40 Million.


Coming in third is the fight movie "Fighting" which brought in $11.4 Million for it's inaugural weekend.


In fourth place is the big time disappointment for Dreamworks "The Soloist." Despite the $60 Million dollar price tag that it took to make the movie, the film only brought in $9.71 million.


Rounding out the top five is surprisingly the new Disney documentary "Earth" which brought in $8.55 million to bring it's total to $14.2 Million.

Read More...

"BLACK NATIVITY" TO BE HELMED BY KASI LEMMONS


Fox Searchlight is bringing Langston Hughes' gospel musical "Black Nativity" to the bigscreen, with Kasi Lemmons writing and directing according to Variety.

Searchlight is fast-tracking the holiday classic for a possible Christmas release.

"Black Nativity," which was first performed in 1961, is a retelling of the Bible's nativity story with an all-black cast and features traditional Christmas carols sung in gospel style.

Celine Rattray, Galt Niederhoffer and Daniela Taplin Lundberg are producing through their Plum Pictures shingle. Joy Goodwin is exec producing.

Plum Pictures sold "The Winning Season" to Lionsgate at the Sundance Film Festival in January. The Gotham-based company's "New York, I Love You" will bow later this year.

Writer-director Lemmons, who burst onto the scene with 1997's critically acclaimed Southern drama "Eve's Bayou," has been selective with her follow-up projects. She most recently helmed the Don Cheadle starrer "Talk to Me."
Kudos to Kasi, she's so talented.

Read More...

"ORPHAN" TRAILER

SYNOPSIS

A husband and wife who recently lost their baby adopt a 9-year-old girl who is not nearly as innocent as she claims to be.

Read More...

PRINCE ON TAVIS SMILEY


Check out the clip above of your royal highness Prince who talks to Tavis Smiley today about being picked on while growing up and how he used music as a way to deal with it. The show in it's entirety will air today and tomorrow on PBS. Be sure to check local listings for the times.

Read More...

Friday, April 24, 2009

BLACK IN THE DAYS...

In honor of the scorching heat we saw this week in LA, this week's Black in the Days movie is none other than the hot but icy Spike Lee joint "Do the Right Thing." It's amazing to see all of the talent that was involved in one film. Spike is one of the few directors out here who can bring folks together like this. I can't help but wonder if we'll ever get any more thought provoking black movies like this. I mean Madea can be funny but sometimes you might want to actually think about the film after the fact...and that's all I gotta say about that.

Read More...

BET PLANS MUCH NEEDED SHIFT IN DEMOGRAPHIC


BET is making a tonal shift with its programming (growing a conscience) and launching an offshoot channel catering to an older African-American demographic, according to Variety.

BET chief Debra Lee cited the election of President Obama as providing "the perfect time for BET Networks to re-examine where we are as a company and what we can be for our audience" in announcing the initiatives Thursday at the cabler's upfront event at Gotham's Nokia Theater.

As you know, BET has faced plenty of criticism for programming low-quality and downright childish programs aimed at the lowest-common demonminator among young black viewers (BET Uncut...College Hill...etc.). However, Lee told the assembled advertisers that BET's "reinvigorated approach is built on supporting families, embracing and encouraging their dreams, focusing on the issues that are important to them and presenting the freshest talent and entertainment." Wow...just wow...20 years of programming and now they're thinking about families....

The new channel, set to launch in 45 million cable homes by year's end, is dubbed Centric. It will be built around music and entertainment programming for a slightly older aud than the 18-49-year-olds targeted by BET.

Skeins set to bow on Centric include "Keeping Up with the Joneses," following high society in Houston; "Model City," following the lives of male models in Gotham; "Real Life Divas," a bio series on music stars; and "Urban Livin'", an interior design and home makeover series hosted by Helen Bailey.

BET's new slate of shows includes a reality skein revolving around thesp Terry Crews ("Everybody Hates Chris") and his family; a talker hosted by thesp Mo'Nique; "First In," a docu drama following emergency response crews; and gameshow "Pay It Off," which allows contestants a chance to pay off their bills.

BET also continues to beef up its news programming. Cabler's plans for the 2009-10 season include multi-part docu series about endemic urban woes ("Heart of the City"), decision-making within government and civic institutions ("The Bottom Line"), and a look at the trends and issues that have shaped the contempo black community ("In Depth").
You know what all this sounds honky dory but I would really love it for BET to bring back some black daily news. Especially with there being a black president you'd think it would be a no-brainer...but apparently nobody is listening to lil ole me...

Read More...

WASHINGTON ABOUT TO BECOME "UNSTOPPABLE"


Denzel Washington is negotiating to star in drama "Unstoppable," the Tony Scott-directed that 20th Century Fox has on track for a fall production start, according to THR.

Washington would play an experienced engineer who jumps in a locomotive with a young conductor to chase down a runaway train carrying a cargo of toxic chemicals. Mark Bomback wrote the script, which is loosely inspired by a true event.

The drama would reunite Washington and Scott for their fifth film together. Aside from "Crimson Tide," "Man on Fire" and "Deja Vu," the duo just completed another train-based thriller, "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3," which Columbia Pictures releases June 12.

Washington has been filming "The Book of Eli" for Alcon Entertainment and Silver Pictures, with Allen and Albert Hughes directing the post-apocalyptic thriller that Warner Bros. releases in early 2010.

Read More...

"OBSESSED" PREMIERE

Check out more pics below from Beyonce's new movie "Obsessed" that's in theaters today.




































Read More...

OUR FIRST DOG IS CRAZY...ACCORDING TO MICHELLE OBAMA


I guess he only looks sweet and innocent because according to First Lady Michelle Obama, our latest First Dog "Bo Diddley" is in the White House being a problem.

"He likes to play a lot," Michelle Obama said of Bo, during a meet-and-greet for "Take Your Child to Work Day."

"He's kind of crazy, but he's still a puppy," she confided in the East Room to about 100 children of White House staffers. "He loves to chew on people's feet."

She added that curfew is also not something Bo understands yet.

"It was like 10 o'clock. Everybody was asleep and we hear all this barking and jumping around," Mrs. Obama said. "The President and I came out and we thought somebody was out there. And it was just Bo. He was playing with his ball. And it was like there was another person in the house."

One visiting child asked what she would do if Bo ran away.

"I would be very sad, first of all, but ... he has [dog] tags, and hopefully someone would find him and bring him back," she answered, adding that they should be okay because the South Lawn, where Bo is often walked, is gated. But if he were to get out, people would track him down.

"I think everyone at the White House would probably help go out and find him," she said. "That's why we're working on training him, so that he doesn't run away and he listens when we call him. And so far he's doing okay, so we hope we don't have that problem."
Looks like Bo was born to be wild.

Read More...

Thursday, April 23, 2009

PERRY'S 34TH STREET FILMS BUYS FIRST HOLLYWOOD PITCH


Tyler Perry's 34th Street Films has bought its first property, snapping up an unnamed feature pitch from the scripting team of Jennifer Heath and Michele J. Wolff ("Ella Enchanted"), according to Variety.

The logline for the pitch is being kept under wraps. Company prexy Ozzie Areu described it as "the ideal launch for our company, speaking to a mainstream audience while appealing to the sentiment of Tyler's loyal demographic."

Perry formed 34th Street Films last fall to produce projects under his imprint but written and directed by outside talent.
Here's to hoping that this time Mr. Perry's gonna pay his writer's what they're owed.

Read More...

"THE SKEPTIC" TRAILER

SYNOPSIS

After the mysterious death of his Aunt, a confirmed skeptic lawyer, Bryan Becket, dismisses reports that her house is haunted and moves in. Immediately occurrences begin he cannot explain. And beyond the occurrences there is something about the house which gnaws at Becket - some strange connection he senses he has with the house's past. Soon, the haunting turns personal, he hears voices suggesting clues to a deep mystery. He questions his sanity, seeks medical help, but instead finds assistance in a young psychic who immediately declares, "There's a very bad secret in this house." Together they embark on a terrifying journey to uncover the secret - a journey which leads them deep into the recesses of The Skeptic's own troubled mind.

Read More...

LIL WAYNE DOCUMENTARY GETS GREENLIGHT DESPITE LAWSUIT


I guess Lil Wayne is having a tough week since a state court judge has refused a request by the rapper to block the release of QD3 Entertainment's documentary "The Carter."

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael S. Mink denied Wayne's request for a preliminary injunction this week.

The film, written and directed by Adam Bhala Lough, was an official selection at Sundance.

Wayne sued QD3, QD3 topper Quincy Jones III and Digerati Holdings last month, alleging Wayne was not allowed to exercise his right of approval over the contents of the film.

Reps for Wayne were not immediately available for comment.

Jones said Tuesday the ruling frees QD3 to seek distribution of the film.

"We're very pleased with the court's decision," Jones said. "We made a great film, which was incredibly well received at Sundance, and showcases Lil Wayne's extraordinary talent."
I tell you that free speech stuff is a trip. And can I just confess that I'm still hella salty at QD3 and his peeps for attempting to remake "The Last Dragon"...stop it!!

Read More...

SUZAN-LORI PARKS JOINS CAST OF HER PLAY


Famed playwright, Suzan-Lori Parks, will star in the world premiere of her play, "Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts 1, 8 & 9)," bowing at the Public in June.

The show, part of the Off Broadway theater's developmental Public LAB series, will be helmed by Jo Bonney.

In "Father," Parks will guide the aud through the play's multimedia story about slavery, freedom, war and family. First part focuses on a Civil War-era slave named Penny, while parts eight and nine center on a poet-general in the present day, according to THR.

The play has the same title as a series of short works that were part of the scribe's "365 Days/365 Plays" but is otherwise unrelated.

A LAB offering from Parks, who picked up a 2002 Pulitzer for her play "Topdog/Underdog," was announced earlier this year, although no title, plot or cast was given.

Parks fills the master writer chair at the Public, which has produced Parks plays including "Topdog," "Venus" and "Imperceptible Mutabilities in the Third Kingdom," among others.

"Father" runs June 5-28.

Read More...

ANDERSON PLAYS "GOLF IN AMERICA"


Comical actor Anthony Anderson has been brough aboard to host the original Golf Channel series "Golf in America," which launches June 23.

Dealt a 10-episode order, the 10 p.m. Tuesday show will broadcast original, newsworthy stories about golf aimed to be in the style of HBO's "Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel."

The series is about "real stories, real lives and real people ... soldiers, kids and celebrities (who) come from all different walks of life but can share the same passion for the game of golf," said Golf Channel senior veep of programming, production and operations Tom Stathakes.

"Golf in America" will feature the famous (Justin Timberlake, Donald Trump, Jerry Weintraub, Greg Norman and Chris Evert) as well as features on a golf course in Iraq that is overrun by insurgents and amateur golfers traveling on the US Airways plane that made an emergency landing in New York's Hudson River.

Anderson can currently be seen on Law and Order where he plays a detective.

Read More...

"FAME" OFFICIAL TRAILER

Read More...

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

JILL SCOTT HAS A BOY!


Fresh off the heels of the sucessful debut of her new show "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency," R&B singer and actress Jill Scott and her fiancé, drummer Lil John Roberts, have welcomed their first child, a boy, her manager confirms to PEOPLE.

Jett Hamilton Roberts was born at 4:20 p.m. on April 20. He weighed in at 7 lbs., 8 oz.

Scott, who stars on HBO's new series The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, based on the popular novels by Alexander McCall Smith, discovered she was pregnant shortly before leaving for Botswana to film the show.

"At one point I was trying to gain weight for the role, and I noticed I had put on 7 lbs. in 7 days. And I thought, my god! What's going on here," she tells PEOPLE. "I thought something was wrong with me, and I found out I was pregnant the day I was supposed to leave for Africa."

She first revealed her pregnancy to reporters at the Television Critics Association conference in Los Angeles in January. "The first trimester I spent in Botswana," said Scott, 37, a three-time Grammy Award winner. "That was one of the biggest challenges of my life. First trimester! You're sick every morning. It was seven hours time difference, the heat, the bugs, the 14 hour days."

But Scott continued filming through her pregnancy: "My doctors gave me a clean bill of health and said you can do this, so I did it."

The new parents, who reportedly began dating in 2007, announced their engagement at a concert in New York City on June 20.

"I definitely had issues over the course of my life, reproduction issues," she explains to PEOPLE. "I was married for five years and could never conceive a child. Until now ... It's the most amazing thing that's ever happened to me."
Congrats to Jill and John.

Read More...

TYLER PERRY GETS STALKER


I guess it is true what Biggie used to say...Mo Money = Mo Problems. Or at least that's the case for Mr. Tyler Perry these days since he has acquired a longterm stalker. Her name, Dawne Wilson and she was arrested for aggravated stalking of Perry last Wednesday. She has reportedly threatened the star with murder.

Wilson was not granted bail after her arrest last week outside Perry’s production studios in Atlanta, a rep for the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to Access Hollywood.

TMZ, who first reported the news of Wilson’s arrest, obtained a restraining order filed by Perry against Wilson which claims Wilson began contacting him through e-mail, “in a menacing manner” in March 2008. Perry reportedly feared, “apprehension of immediately receiving a violent injury.”

According to the restraining order, in April 2008, Wilson allegedly sent another e-mail saying, “You need to check your heart condition because it is filled with murder… your love has been but costly and deadly… Murder I say is the verdict… Why do you insist on assisting the devil?”

Wilson is due in court on April 30 in Atlanta.
This chick sounds every whicha ways crazy. Tyler you might wanna get your security squad beefed up.

Read More...

"TYSON" SCREENING

Here are pics from the "Tyson" screening in New York this week. Above is Tyson with two of his daughters. That little one above is just too cute for words. Good to see Tyson doing something positive for a change.























Read More...