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“The Jennifer Hudson Show” has a busy week planned for February 17-21, with a mix of celebrity guests and heartwarming stories. Bill Bellamy and Tyla kick off the week, followed by Mikey Madison and Druski midweek. Thursday features Anthony Mackie and an inspiring engagement story. The week culminates with a surprise birthday celebration for Jennifer […]

Jennifer Hudson Gets a Surprise Celebration, Plus Bill Bellamy, Anthony Mackie, and More on “The Jennifer Hudson Show” (Feb 17-21)...

Bill Bellamy and Rocsi Diaz are set to host this year’s “Super Bowl Soulful Celebration” special, which brings together music and NFL tributes through the theme “Keep Going” during Super Bowl Lix week.

Now in its 26th year, the event will be held at the Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts in New Orleans. The primetime special will air Feb. 8 on Fox and will also be available on Tubi, Fox Sports and the Fox Soul streaming platform. Fox will carry the NFL’s championship game on Feb. 9.

“As we celebrate the 26th year of the Super Bowl Soulful Celebration as an official NFL sanctioned event, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the journey that has brought us here,” Melanie Few, the celebration’s founder and executive producer, said. “Returning to New Orleans, a city that embodies resilience, culture, and faith, feels like the perfect way to honor the...

Michael Strahan revealed a star-studded Christmas Day special is on the way, featuring many fan-favorite comedians.

Strahan is well known as a Pro Football Hall of Famer and TV star through his regular appearances on Good Morning America or Fox NFL Sunday.

Along with that, he’s had several business ventures, including the Michael Strahan Brand and Smac Entertainment.

The latter is a talent management and production company that creates various content, including movies, series, documentaries, and more.

Among its offerings are the Strahan-hosted game show, The $100,000 Pyramid on ABC, and Amazon Prime’s The Underdoggs movie starring Snoop Dogg and Coach Prime series.

Strahan and Smac recently unveiled an exclusive trailer and premiere date for a Black Comedy in America marathon event.

Strahan and Smac revealed Black Comedy in America trailer featuring Will Smith and more

The Black Comedy in America trailer features a who’s who of comedy,...

Olly Sholotan as Carlton and Jabari Banks as Will in ‘Bel-Air’ (Photo by: Greg Gayne/Peacock)

Peacock’s officially renewed Bel-Air for a fourth season, which, unfortunately for fans, will be the series’ final season. The 10-episode third season premiered in August 2024. Peacock’s announcement didn’t confirm when the fourth season is expected to debut.

The drama stars Jabari Banks as Will, Adrian Holmes as Phillip Banks, Cassandra Freeman as Vivian Banks, Olly Sholotan as Carlton Banks, and Coco Jones as Hilary Banks. Akira Akbar plays Ashley Banks, Jimmy Akingbola plays Geoffrey, Jordan L. Jones is Jazz, and Simone Joy Jones is Lisa.

The Fresh Prince‘s Tatyana Ali, Joseph Marcell, Vernee Watson-Johnson, and Daphne Maxwell Reid have appeared as guest stars. Bianca Belair, Bill Bellamy, Justin Cornwell, Andra Day, Melissa De Sousa, Nicholas Duvernay, and Dulé Hill have also popped in over the first three seasons.

“Set in modern-day Los Angeles,...

Peacock’s Bel-Air is doing “The Carlton” again after renewing the fan-favorite drama for a fourth and final season. Bel-Air is a contemporary reimagining of the beloved ’90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, starring a young Will Smith as a Philadelphia import learning to navigate the lap of luxury in Los Angeles, California. According to sources, Bel-Air Season 4 has eight episodes to end the series.

The evolution of Bel-Air is remarkable. The series comes from Morgan Cooper’s four-minute viral short, which presents a more grounded and grittier take on the characters and premise of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Bel-Air helped put Peacock’s name in the spotlight as one of the streamer’s most successful original series.

Set in the modern-day, Bel-Air is a dramatic reimagining of the Fresh Prince concept. The serialized, one-hour presentation follows “Will’s complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to...

Peacock announced today that the fan-favorite drama series Bel-Air has been renewed for a fourth and final season. The 10-episode third season launched on the streaming service on August 15, 2024.

Set in modern-day Los Angeles, Bel-Air reimagines the iconic culture-defining ’90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air through a new, dramatic take on Will’s complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air. As these two worlds collide, Will reckons with the power of second chances while navigating the conflicts, emotions, and biases of a world far different from the only one he’s ever known.

Bel-Air is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group and Westbrook Studios. Carla Banks Waddles serves as showrunner, writer and executive producer.

The series has featured an array of notable guest stars across seasons, including original cast members from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Tatyana Ali,...

“Bel-Air,” Peacock’s reimagining of the ’90s sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” has been renewed for a fourth and final season at the streamer.

The series, which is set in modern-day Los Angeles, follows young Will in a new, dramatic take on his complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air.

As these two worlds collide, Will reckons with the power of second chances while navigating the conflicts, emotions and biases of a world far different from the only one he’s ever known.

“Bel-Air” stars Jabari Banks as Will, Adrian Holmes as Phillip Banks, Cassandra Freeman as Vivian Banks, Olly Sholotan as Carlton Banks, Coco Jones as Hilary Banks, Akira Akbar as Ashley Banks, Jimmy Akingbola as Geoffrey, Jordan L. Jones as Jazz and Simone Joy Jones as Lisa.

The series has also featured an array of notable guest stars across seasons,...

“Bel-Air” has been renewed for Season 4 at Peacock, which will also be the show’s final season.

The news comes roughly three months after the finale of Season 3 of the series, which serves as a dramatic reimagining of the beloved sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” It was originally picked up at Peacock in 2020 with a two season commitment.

The cast for the series includes Jabari Banks, Adrian Holmes, Cassandra Freeman, Olly Sholotan, Coco Jones, Akira Akbar, Jimmy Akingbola, Jordan L. Jones, Simone Joy Jones.

Like the sitcom version, “Bel-Air” follows a teenager named Will (Jabari Banks), who moves from West Philadelphia to live with his auntie and uncle in the titular posh Los Angeles neighborhood. The series is inspired by a viral video created by Morgan Cooper that reimagined the original sitcom as a drama series.

The series has also featured a wide range of notable guest stars, including...

Exclusive: Bel-Air, which helped put Peacock on the original series map, will be coming to an end. The modern-day drama reimagining of the popular ‘90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has been picked up for a fourth season, which will be its last. According to sources, the final season will consist of eight episodes, fewer than the 10 episodes in each of the first three seasons.

The renewal comes three months after Bel-Air, produced by Universal Television and Westbrook Studios, released its Season 3 finale on Sept. 5. According to sources, it was preceded by behind-the-scenes budget conversations, which could explain the delay. The most recent Season 3 renewal came ahead of the series’ Season 2 finale.

Peacock stepped up in a major way to land Bel-Air in a very competitive situation when the project was taken out in 2020, handing the drama, based on Morgan Cooper’s viral four-minute spec trailer, a two-season pickup.

The Talk dusts off a fan-favorite Halloween tradition, bringing back the “Rocktober Ultimate Lip Sync Challenge.” The hosts will trade their usual daytime attire for elaborate costumes, transforming into iconic musicians for a lip sync battle royale. Actor and comedian Bill Bellamy returns to emcee the festivities, likely adding his own brand of humor to […]

The Talk: Rocktober Lip Sync Challenge Returns...

A chart mainstay and ferocious rhymer from the late-Nineties into the aughts, Queens rapper N.O.R.E. has since built a hugely visible (and lucrative) second career as a podcast host on Revolt’s Drink Champs, where he and DJ Efn swap stories and libations with the biggest names in rap. Their 2021 episode with Kanye West earned more than 12 million views on YouTube alone, dominating cultural discourse. This year, they’ve talked to MCs like Rick Ross, City Girls, and Kodak Black, as well as Bill Bellamy, Lyor Cohen,...

Wesley Snipes, known for his action roles, is returning to comedy in Back on the Strip after successful comedic turns earlier in his career. Snipes' previous comedic roles include Major League, White Men Can't Jump, and To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar. Back on the Strip continues Snipes' recent trend of revisiting the comedy genre, following his acclaimed performances in Dolemite is My Name and Coming 2 America.

Wesley Snipes is returning to the world of comedy with Back on the Strip. The movie centers on a young magician who heads to Las Vegas in the hopes of making it as a professional performer, only to instead be drawn into the world of male stripping with veteran Luther, better known as Mr. Big, and helps to reunite his old group of dancers, The Chips. Alongside Snipes, who also co-produced the movie, the ensemble Back on the Strip cast includes Spence Moore II,...

“Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen” has been acquired by CBS to temporarily take over the 12:37 a.m. timeslot vacated by “The Late Late Show with James Corden.” That timeslot will eventually be replaced with a new version of the former Comedy Central series “@midnight” — but after the Hollywood strikes are resolved. For now, “Comics Unleashed” will fill the slot in a limited run with nightly airings beginning on Monday, Sept. 18, the network announced Monday.

The round-style comedy talk show features Allen speaking with a panel of rotating comedians, including Sebastian Maniscalco, Tiffany Haddish, Gabriel Iglesias, Cedric the Entertainer, Howie Mandel, Leslie Jones, Wayne Brady, Roy Wood, Jr., Whitney Cummings, Jb Smoove, Billy Gardell, Margaret Cho, Brad Garrett, Sheryl Underwood, Adam Carolla, Gina Yashere, Dane Cook, Sinbad, George Wallace, Caroline Rhea, Tommy Davidson, David Alan Grier, Kevin Hart, Chelsea Handler, Katt Williams, Dennis Miller, Jamie Kennedy, Iliza Shlesinger, Jon Lovitz,...

Long-running syndicated comedy talk show Comics Unleashed With Byron Allen is joining the CBS fall late-night lineup for a limited run during the strikes. The show will air nightly with two back-to-back episodes each night beginning Monday, September 18 from 12:37-1:37 Am, Et/Pt following repeats of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on the CBS network and streaming on Paramount+. The Late Late Show formerly aired in the timeslot. All late-night shows have been airing repeats since the strikes began.

The round-table style comedy talk show, featuring a rotating panel of comedians, is hosted by Allen and features comedians such as Sebastian Maniscalco, Tiffany Haddish, Gabriel Iglesias, Cedric the Entertainer, Howie Mandel, Leslie Jones, Wayne Brady, Roy Wood, Jr., Whitney Cummings, Jb Smoove, Billy Gardell, Margaret Cho, Brad Garrett, Sheryl Underwood, Adam Carolla, Gina Yashere, Dane Cook, Sinbad, George Wallace, Caroline Rhea, Tommy Davidson, David Alan Grier, Kevin Hart,...

Re-releases reliably dot the theatrical calendar and this week have a standout. Oldboy, the 2004 Cannes prize-winner, re-released by Neon on its 20th anniversary restored and remastered, grossed $235k on Wednesday and $150k Thursday — for a total cume $385k on 250 screens heading into the weekend.

San Francisco, NYC and LA, led by Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, are the top-performing cities so far for Park Chan-wook’s classic film — the first screening in U.S. theaters since its original North American release in 2005.

Oldboy follows Oh Dae-Su (Choi Min-sik), who, after being kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years, is released but must find his captor in five days. The critically acclaimed film is the second installment of Park’s The Vengeance Trilogy, preceded by Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) and followed by Lady Vengeance (2005). Oldboy won the Grand Prix at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. It grossed $15 million worldwide, and saw...

There have been funny male stripper movies (The Full Monty), auteur-directed male stripper movies (Magic Mike), Black male stripper movies (three Chocolate City films). Now comes Back on the Strip, yet another attempt to wrest humor and drama from the spectacle of scantily clad men gyrating to audiences of wildly appreciative women. The independent film receiving a wide release definitely leans toward the funnier end of the spectrum, with its overqualified cast including many formidable comedic talents. But despite some amusing moments, it never really takes off, burdened by a tiresome romantic subplot that periodically stops the movie dead in its tracks.

The story revolves around Merlin (Spence Moore II), whose name stems from his lifelong desire to pursue a career as a magician. His supportive single mother Verna (Tiffany Haddish), who narrates the proceedings, encourages him in his dreams and roots for him when he makes an appearance at a local talent contest.

It would come as no surprise to learn that “Back on the Strip” started out as a “Magic Mike” parody. I’m not saying that it did. But what else could explain the bizarrely literal premise of an ensemble indie comedy in which our hero is a wannabe magician who heads to Vegas hoping to be the next David Copperfield, only to wind up shaking his wand for a Chippendales-style male dance revue instead?

What makes “Strip” so consistently funny for most of its too-long two-hour running time isn’t Merlin’s lame prestidigi-dream (that part feels like co-writers Chris Spencer and Eric Daniel have been watching too many Nickelodeon movies) but the sorry state of his fellow dancers: a has-been crew called the Chocolate Chips. That fairly original hook allowed the filmmakers to round up an A-list lineup for this C-grade endeavor. The movie features everyone from Tiffany Haddish...

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.

Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys

2023 Emmy Predictions:

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series

Weekly Commentary:

Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Primetime Emmy predictions in the major categories.

The rankings for the category are below.

The final Emmy voting rounds open on Aug. 17 at 9 a.m. Pt and close on Aug.

On Monday, May 22, 2023, a lively panel with the cast of “Bel-Air” was held at the NBCU FYC House in Los Angeles. Gold Derby associate editor Latasha Ford was on the red carpet to catch up with Jabari Banks, Bill Bellamy, Coco Jones, Cassandra Freeman, Olly Sholotan, Jimmy Akingbola and Adrian Holmes, as well as costume designer Queensylvia Akuchie. Watch the fun, enlightening chats above!

Set in modern-day Los Angeles, Peacock’s “Bel-Air” imagines the beloved sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” through a new, dramatic take on Will’s (Banks) complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air, California. As these two worlds collide, Will reckons with the power of second chances while navigating the conflicts, emotions, and biases of a world far different from the only one he’s ever known.

See ‘The Best Man: The Final Chapters’ FYC event: Exclusive red carpet interviews with Morris Chestnut,...

"It's time for you to get on stage, and do it your way!" Gvn Releasing is handling the US opening of this comedy titled Back on the Strip, made by writer / actor Chris Spencer. While it's not made explicity clear in the trailer, this seems like a spoof of the Magic Mike movies, with an old crew of male strippers coming back for a revival show in Las Vegas. "The Chocolate Chips" must get together again to help out a friend of theirs, a magician named Merlin, who is sent by his mom to Vegas to get his act together. The old crew features Wesley Snipes, Jb Smoove, Gary Owen, Bill Bellamy, and Faizon Love (the funniest one in this), along with Spence Moore II, Tiffany Haddish, and Raigan Harris. This looks like it has some good jokes and funny lines, but it also looks extremely cheesy, especially set in Vegas.

If J.B Smoove had it his way, he’d cast himself as the lead in a biopic about the late comedian Dick Gregory. “In another world, another life, if I was 20 years younger, I would love to play that man,” says the Emmy-winning actor and stand-up comic. “He really had an amazing, fascinating life.”

Smoove (né Jerry Brooks) did a deep dive on Gregory’s life when he narrated the six-part Audible Originals podcast Funny My Way, uncovering the lives of six Black comedy legends: Gregory, Flip Wilson, Paul Mooney, Moms Mabley, Rudy Ray Moore and Redd Foxx. His performance has earned the Curb Your Enthusiasm star an Ambie nomination for best podcast host.

When Conan O’Brien — whose podcast production juggernaut, Team Coco, developed the show — approached him with the idea, the veteran comedian was intrigued primarily as a fan of the series’ legendary subjects. “It’s like what Mike Tyson...

Exclusive: Authentic Talent & Literary Management on Tuesday announced its hiring of manager Christina Shams, a veteran of the comedy world who counts Matt Rife, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Paul Elia, and Jeffrey Jay amongst her clients.

In her new role at Authentic, which will also have her producing, Shams will continue to pursue her passion for scaling the careers of multi-hyphenate artists. She’ll also oversee strategic touring growth for the Authentic comedy department, while enhancing digital opportunities for clients, and will be based out of the company’s Los Angeles office.

Related Story Monica Villarreal Joins Anonymous Content As Manager & Producer Related Story Mohammed Ali Joins Authentic Talent & Literary Management Related Story ICM & Authentic Talent & Lit Management Sign 'Catch The Fair One' Boxer, Actress & Writer Kali Reis

Shams has solidified her reputation as a stand-up touring specialist, with the ability to foster a wide net of opportunities for stand-ups,...

House Party Review — House Party (2023) Film Review, a movie directed by Calmatic, written by Stephen Glover and Jamal Olon and starring Jacob Latimore, Tosin Cole, LeBron James, Andrew Santino, Allen Maldonado, Karen Obilom, Tamera Kissen, Melvin Gregg, Rotimi, Bill Bellamy, Shakira Ja’nai Paye, Nakia Burrise, D.C. Young Fly, Olivia Sky, Bottara Angele, [...]

Continue reading: Film Review: House Party (2023): A Couple of Average Guys Throw a Party at LeBron James’ Home in an Occasionally Funny but Uninspired Remake...

Plot: When a couple of friends find themselves fired from their cleaning job, they decide to make the most of the situation. Upon the discovery they are cleaning the legendary LeBron James’ home, they make a pact to bring the House Party there while the homeowner is away on retreat.

Review: In 1990, Christopher Reid and Christopher Martin (Aka Kid ‘N Play) gave audiences a laugh in House Party. Several less-than-stellar sequels followed up the funny feature. Considering the quality of each installment lessened rapidly, you can’t keep a franchise down. Kid ‘N Play may have been all partied out after the third film, but it didn’t stop the franchise from continuing. We now have the latest, a new take on the original film. And while the storyline here is ridiculous and shouldn’t work, the latest House Party is a fun flick with an abundance of cool cameos.

(L-r:) Jacob Latimore, LeBron James, and Tosin Cole in House Party Image: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures As House Party begins, co-protagonist Kevin (Jacob Latimore) tells us “There’s some crazy, beautiful, weird-ass shit about to go down.” When we meet his co-lead, Tosin Cole’s Damon (pronounced duh-mon), another...

The Critics Choice Association’s fifth annual Celebration of Black Cinema and Television culminated in the evening’s most anticipated honor — the presentation of the Career Achievement Award to Oscar-nominated actor Angela Bassett, who recently starred in Ryan Coogler’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”

“My representation of you on screen put me on a path as a little Black girl — a high school student that lived in the Jordan Park housing project in St. Petersburg, Fla. — that I only dreamed of because of you,” Bassett said in her acceptance speech, addressing a packed room of star-studded talent and cinema enthusiasts. “My dreams were not only fulfilled, but your stories have been immortalized — some of them for future generations to discover and enjoy.”

This year’s ceremony took place Dec. 5 at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel and was hosted by actor-comedian Bill Bellamy. The event serves to recognize Black performers and...

Sean "Diddy" Combs is many things: record label executive and entrepreneur, Grammy Award-winning artist and dance extraordinaire. We can add actor to that list too; he had movie roles, including in "Carlito's Way: Rise to Power" and the 2008 adaptation of "A Raisin in the Sun." But his breakout performance could've came in Oliver Stone's 1999 sports drama "Any Given Sunday." 

In the movie, Al Pacino stars as Tony D'Amato, the head coach of a fictional professional football team who struggles to get his squad to the playoffs. One of his many challenges lies at the quarterback position. After his starting and backup QBs suffer injuries during the same game late in the season, Coach D'Amato must call on his third-string, a young journeyman named Willie Beaman (Jamie Foxx). Beaman shines in the spotlight, awing the crowd with his superior athleticism, agility and running speed. Before the NFL's Lamar Jackson and Cam Newton,...

A star-studded lineup is set for the Critics Choice Association’s fifth annual Celebration of Black Cinema and Television, taking place on Monday, December 5, at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles.

Angela Bassett, Berry Gordy, Quinta Brunson, Danielle Deadwyler, Michael B. Jordan, Jonathan Majors, and Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi are just a few of the names set to be honored at the event, which has grown into an awards season staple. Now in its fifth year, the celebration will recognize 15 categories as part of a special night honoring standout achievements in Black filmmaking and television.

“The Celebration of Black Cinema & Television has grown tremendously over the last five years,” said Cca CEO Joey Berlin. “We’re thrilled to be able to recognize such outstanding projects across both film and television, and to honor these incredible actors and filmmakers for their work.”

Songwriter, producer, director, entrepreneur and Motown Records...

Wendy Williams is promising a return to the spotlight with her new podcast, titled “The Wendy Experience.” In a promo for the series on Instagram, she wrote, “Trust me I will be back!”

The former daytime TV host teased the upcoming release with a brief clip depicting the show’s hot-pink logo and a video of her saying, “Co-hosts, I’m famous and I’ll be back — trust me.” She reiterated the message in her caption, which included hashtags “#wendyexperiencepodcast #welcome #back #stay #positive#cohost #nyc.”

Williams has notably been absent from her eponymous talk show since last year. Initially, a breakthrough Covid diagnosis delayed the series’ return from September to October. Upon its planned return, another hiatus was announced due to “ongoing medical issues”.

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Wendy Williams’ Attorney Accuses Wells Fargo of ‘Improprieties,’ Identity Theft After Financial Guardian Is Appointed

Following multiple delays, Season 13 of “The Wendy Williams Show...

The Wendy Williams Show is coming to an end. The daytime talk show will air its last episode on Friday, and the show will wrap without host Wendy Williams. She has not appeared on the current season of the show due to illness, and viewers have seen a number of guest hosts, including Leah Remini, Michelle Visage, Whitney Cummings, Michelle Buteau, Michael Rapaport, Bill Bellamy, and Sherri Shepherd.

Read More…...

Exclusive: Bill Bellamy, the actor and stand-up comic best known for his cult comedy classic How to Be a Player, has signed with Buchwald for representation.

Bellamy hosts and exec produces the TV One series Bill Bellamy’s Who Got Jokes?, currently in its fourth season, which has over the years featured appearances from such rising comedians as Tiffany Haddish, Lil Rey Howery and Karlous Miller.

Bellamy recently finished shooting a role in Chris Spencer’s Back on the Strip, opposite Haddish, J.B. Smoove and Wesley Snipes, and was recently seen as the lead in the BET+ film A Rich Christmas, starring prior to that in Universal Pictures’ Kindergarten Cop 2 and The Bounce Back opposite Shemar Moore.

He’s also appeared on the TV side in such series as TV Land’s Hot in Cleveland, HBO’s hit comedy Insecure and Netflix’s Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.

As “The Wendy Williams Show” prepares to close out its current 13th season with Sherri Shepherd seated in the signature purple chair, TheWrap has learned producers are moving forward without input from the show’s namesake host, Wendy Williams.

“She’s currently not involved with the show in any way,” an individual close to Williams told TheWrap.

The individual confirmed Williams won’t return for the current season and added, “Next season is up in the air depending on her health.”

This latest turn comes as Shepherd moves closer to finalizing a deal to take over as permanent guest host on the syndicated daytime talk show.

Williams has been on medical leave throughout the current season after suffering a breakthrough case of Covid-19 as well as complications from a previous diagnosis of Graves’ disease.

After multiple delays, Season 13 kicked off in October 2021, with a revolving door of fill-in hosts including actress Leah Remini,...

Even if you’ve never heard of Phat Tuesdays, a night at The Comedy Store in Hollywood where various Black comedians got a chance to shine and get discovered, many of the names that graced the stage are well-known.

Stars such as Cedric the Entertainer, Nick Cannon, Tiffany Haddish, Chris Tucker, Dave Chappelle and more got their big breaks on that night, thanks to comedian and founder Guy Torry, who created a showcase for rising Black comedy stars back in the 1990s. His journey to The Comedy Store and all the good, bad and ugly that happened afterward is fascinatingly...

For any Og Meagan Good and Robert Ri'chard fans, you might've caught their sweet throwback reference in Prime Video's Harlem. The two old friends are costars on the new hit series, but it's not their first time sharing the screen together.

Back in 1998, Ri'chard and Good both starred on a Nickelodeon sitcom called Cousin Skeeter alongside comedian Bill Bellamy. And during episode four of Harlem, the rom-com series paid homage to the beloved '90s show. "Wait a second, he looks like this guy named Bobby I used to date in high school," Good's character Camille says of Ri'chard's Shawn in the episode. "He had an annoying cousin Skeeter."

Related: These Fun Photos of the Harlem Cast Make Us Wish We Were Part of Their Sister Circle, Too

Naturally, fans who recognized the onscreen reunion went crazy online as they basked in the priceless nostalgic moment. "Shout out to whoever...

Wendy Williams has shared an update on her health status, saying she is “making progress” amid her absence as host of The Wendy Williams Show.

“How You Doin’? I Miss You All!” Williams began her post on The Wendy Williams Show‘s Instagram account. “As everyone knows, my health has been a hot topic. I’m making progress but it’s just one of those things that’s taking longer than we expected. I’m a woman of a certain age, and I know enough to listen to my doctors and will return to my purple chair as soon as we all agree I’m ready.”

“I want to thank all of my staff and our guest hosts for stepping up and stepping in while I can’t be there.” Guest hosts who have filled in so far include Sherri Shepherd, Whitney Cummings, and Michael Rappaport, who is stepping in this week.

For years, Insecure‘s Issa and Molly have bonded over their favorite television shows — but not anymore.

It all started with the prison reality show Conjugal Visits in Season 1. That was followed by the slavery miniseries Due North in Season 2. Next came a Martin-style sitcom called Kev’yn, headlined by comedian Bill Bellamy, in Season 3. And most recently there was Looking for Latoya, a true-crime docuseries (and companion podcast) about a missing Black woman, in Season 4.

More from TVLineInsecure's Amanda Seales Claps Back at Angry Fans After Aka Sorority Backlash: 'I'm Just Playing a Character'5 Times Insecure's Kelli Prenny...

Other Angle has boarded international sales rights on Maria Gabriela Cardenas’ thriller “A Dark Foe” in the run up to the AFM.

The film stars the helmer’s father Oscar Cardenas, Selma Blair, Kenzie Dalton, Graham Greene and Bill Bellamy. It follows a guilt-ridden FBI agent, Tony Cruz, stranded in the painful memory of the abduction of his sister, who has to face-off with the serial killer who took her away. “A Dark Foe” was released by Vertical Entertainment in the U.S. in July.

Cardenas, who co-wrote the film with her father, said, “Tony Cruz’s devoted love and obsession to find his sister and his irrational fear of the dark is what makes ‘A Dark Foe’ a unique story that resonates with every audience.”

“The world of ‘A Dark Foe’ is obscure with noir tones and suspense mixed with horror elements that will make the audience cringe, while,...

Exclusive: Elie Samaha, Missy Valdez, Geno Taylor and Daniel Diamond’s newly launched Luminosity Entertainment have set their first movie, the comedy Back on the Strip, starring Wesley Snipes and Tiffany Haddish.

Luminosity will finance, produce and distribute feature films theatrically in the U.S. and handle foreign sales.

Back on the Strip reps the theatrical directorial debut of Chris Spencer, the creator and EP of Real Husbands of Hollywood and EP and scribe of Grown-ish. It follows a young man, Merlin (Spence Moore II), who moves to Las Vegas to pursue his dream of becoming a magician after losing the woman of his dreams. But when a costume malfunction reveals his physical “gifts,” he is recruited to become the frontman of an infamous male revue group. The comedy chronicles a series of escapades as Merlin tries to achieve magician success, pursuing his dream girl and finding family in the process.

Sunday night belonged to Big Brother and Celebrity Family Feud, which topped primetime ratings and viewership, respectively.

Big Brother returned slightly down in viewership from its previous episode on Thursday, but reined in Sunday ratings with a 1.0 in the 18-49 demo and 3.87 million viewers, per fast affiliates. The CBS reality series also rose one tenth in demo rating and about 4% in viewers from the previous Sunday.

ABC’s Celebrity Family Feud returned to its Sunday primetime slot victorious, marking the most-watched program of the evening. The game show’s latest episode, which featured Vivica A. Fox, Bill Bellamy and more, was also up from last Sunday.

Also in the 8-9 p.m. time slot, where the first hour of NBC’s America’s Got Talent programming, The Simpsons on Fox and a new installment of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow on the CW.

Larger viewership remained a thing of early primetime as the evening progressed.

Exclusive: New Line’s reimagination of its 1990 cult classic House Party for HBO Max is restarting production Monday night after closing down briefly last week out of caution for a positive Covid case on the set.

The County of Los Angeles Public Health reported that there were nine positive cases of Covid on House Party, but Deadline has learned that most of those were for people who never arrived to set — largely extras who were tested during pre-employment. While there was not a great need to shut down production on the feature from award-winning music video director Calmatic, given how it was only one staffer affected, the House Party production did so anyway out of an abundance of caution. We hear that the House Party crew and talent have already been tested, with no positive cases, and can safely proceed to set.

Jacob Latimore, Tosin Cole, Karen Obilom, DC Young Fly,...

Sony Pictures Classics’ sci-fi drama Nine Days starring Winston Duke opens in four theaters in a specialty market buoyed by recent releases like Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain and Pig. New York’s arthouse scene, outpaced by LA of late, is perking up, distributors say (Ailey numbers were super there) and moviegoers are rewarding unique films and strong stories.

(The slow reviving specialty scene is keeping its head down as day-and-date tensions in wide release blockbuster-land explode.)

Nine Days hits NYC and LA today before rolling out nationwide August 6 in 250-275 theaters, said Jason Michael Berman, a producer, and president of Mandalay Pictures — of course depending on how it does. He’s upbeat after 800 people turned out for LA screening this week at The Theatre at the Ace Hotel with EP Spike Jonze introducing the film, written and directed by Edson Oda,...

Exclusive: BET+ is gearing up for the holiday season with the release of eight new original films that’ll begin rolling out in November. The slate includes a variety of genres including family comedies, yuletide romances, and a little musical magic featuring Amber Riley, Bill Bellamy, Loretta Devine, among others.

The full breakdown of the 2021 BET+ holiday films is below.

A Christmas Wish

Roz McKenzie, a single mother, is calling upon a miracle so she and her daughter can survive Christmas.

Starring: Noree Victoria, Nadia Simms, Blue Kimble, Javon Johnson

Written and Directed by: Christopher Nolen

A Rich Christmas

A spoiled and ungrateful socialite learns a valuable lesson one Christmas after her mega-rich father forces her to work at the first property he ever owned – a family homeless center.

Starring: Bill Bellamy, Vanessa A Williams, Tyler Abron, Brandee Evans, Denise Boutte

Directed by: Victoria Rowell

Written by: Shateka “Sj” Johnson...

Heading to on-demand services and select theaters on July 30th from Vertical Entertainment, we recently gave you a look at the trailer for A Dark Foe and now we have an exclusive clip just for Daily Dead readers!

"A guilt-ridden FBI agent, stranded in the painful memory of the abduction of his sister, will have to face-off with the cunning serial killer who took her away."

Directed by Maria Gabriela Cardenas, and written by Oscar Cardenas and Maria Gabriela Cardenas, A Dark Foe stars Oscar Cardenas, Selma Blair, Graham Greene, Kenzie Dalton, and Bill Bellamy.



The post Watch an Exclusive Clip from A Dark Foe appeared first on Daily Dead.

SAG-AFTRA’s upcoming election is taking shape, with the union’s ruling party – headed by presidential candidate Fran Drescher – today unveiling its full slate of candidates.

Yvette Nicole Brown is running for president of the Los Angeles local, and Ezra Knight is running for president of the union’s New York local – each as part of the ruling parties’ Unite for Strength and Usan slate. Brown, a national board member, is nominated for an Emmy for A Black Lady Sketch Show, and Knight, who co-starred for many years on Law & Order, is the New York local’s vice president and a national board member.

“I believe nothing in our union works unless we are all working together,” Brown said. “As L.A. president I will advocate for each and every member and lead with kindness and respect. It’s been a tough time for us as work here in...

Exclusive: Tamera Kissen has signed on for New Line’s reimagining of House Party.

She joins previously announced cast members Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Tosin Cole, Karen Obilom, DC Young Fly, Shakira Ja’nai Paye, Andrew Santino and Bill Bellamy in the film, which The SpringHill Company is producing for HBO Max.

The original 1990 comedy watched as high schooler Christopher (Christopher “Kid” Reid) snuck out to his friend Peter’s (Christopher “Play” Martin) house party, for a wild night of music and fun.

Pic was a surprise box office hit for New Line, and is credited with helping launch hip-hop into the mainstream. It also launched the career of writer/director Reginald Hudlin, and those of actors Reid, Martin, Tisha Martin-Campbell, Martin Lawrence, A.J. Johnson, Daryl “Chill” Mitchell and Full Force.

With the House Party remake, scripted by Stephen Glover and Jamal Olori, award-winning music video...

A Dark Foe Available Everywhere On Demand July 30, 2021 A guilt-ridden FBI agent, stranded in the painful memory of the abduction of his sister, will have to face-off with the cunning serial killer who took her away. *Stars Oscar Cardenas, Kenzie Dalton, Graham Greene, Bill Bellamy and Director Maria Gabriela Cardenas available for interviews*

The post A Dark Foe – Out July 30 appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.

Vertical Entertainment has launched a new trailer for the thriller ‘A Dark Foe’.

A guilt-ridden FBI agent, stranded in the painful memory of the abduction of his sister, will have to face off with the cunning serial killer who took her away.

Co-written and directed by Maria Gabriela Cardenas, the film stars Oscar Cardenas, Selma Blair, Graham Greene, Kenzie Dalton, Bill Bellamy.

Also in trailers – Revenge is the order of the day in trailer for sequel ‘Don’t Breathe 2’

The film is available On Demand from July 30th.

The post “The past is never dead.” New trailer arrives for thriller ‘ A Dark Foe’ appeared first on HeyUGuys.

Heading to on-demand services on July 30th from Vertical Entertainment, we have a look at the brand new trailer for A Dark Foe!

"A guilt-ridden FBI agent, stranded in the painful memory of the abduction of his sister, will have to face-off with the cunning serial killer who took her away."

Directed by Maria Gabriela Cardenas, and written by Oscar Cardenas and Maria Gabriela Cardenas, A Dark Foe stars Oscar Cardenas, Selma Blair, Graham Greene, Kenzie Dalton, and Bill Bellamy.

The post Watch the New Trailer for A Dark Foe appeared first on Daily Dead.

Shakira Ja’nai Paye, Andrew Santino and Bill Bellamy have joined the cast of New Line’s re-imagining of House Party, the 1990 cult classic comedy.

The trio join Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Tosin Cole, Karen Obilom and DC Young Fly, among others, on the roll call for the remake which is intended to stream on HBO Max.

Music video director Calmatic is making his feature directing debut with Party, which is being produced by The SpringHill Company, the banner run by LeBron James and Maverick Carter.

The original movie focused on two best friends and their efforts to throw the party of the year and ...

Shakira Ja’nai Paye, Andrew Santino and Bill Bellamy have joined the cast of New Line’s re-imagining of House Party, the 1990 cult classic comedy.

The trio join Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Tosin Cole, Karen Obilom and DC Young Fly, among others, on the roll call for the remake which is intended to stream on HBO Max.

Music video director Calmatic is making his feature directing debut with Party, which is being produced by The SpringHill Company, the banner run by LeBron James and Maverick Carter.

The original movie focused on two best friends and their efforts to throw the party of the year and ...