Michael Dorf Presents is thrilled to announce the exciting addition of esteemed artists to the already stellar lineup for the 19th annual Music Of tribute concert, honoring the legendary Crosby, Stills and Nash.
Taking place on May 13, 2024 at Carnegie Hall, this exceptional evening of tribute music promises to be an unforgettable experience for music enthusiasts while raising proceeds to support music education for underserved youth.
Steve Earle, Guster, A.C. Newman (of the New Pornographers), and Sarah Jarosz are set to join the already-announced lineup of Todd Rundgren, Grace Potter, Taylor Meier of Caamp, Yola, Iron & Wine, Rickie Lee Jones, Joseph, Shawn Colvin, Real Estate, Aoife O’Donovan, Neal Francis, and Sammy Rae of Sammy Rae & The Friends. These acclaimed artists will bring their unique talents to the rich catalog of Crosby, Stills and Nash, as well as selections from the band members’ solo careers, with each performer enriching the tribute with their diverse musical styles.
Taking place on May 13, 2024 at Carnegie Hall, this exceptional evening of tribute music promises to be an unforgettable experience for music enthusiasts while raising proceeds to support music education for underserved youth.
Steve Earle, Guster, A.C. Newman (of the New Pornographers), and Sarah Jarosz are set to join the already-announced lineup of Todd Rundgren, Grace Potter, Taylor Meier of Caamp, Yola, Iron & Wine, Rickie Lee Jones, Joseph, Shawn Colvin, Real Estate, Aoife O’Donovan, Neal Francis, and Sammy Rae of Sammy Rae & The Friends. These acclaimed artists will bring their unique talents to the rich catalog of Crosby, Stills and Nash, as well as selections from the band members’ solo careers, with each performer enriching the tribute with their diverse musical styles.
- 5/2/2024
- Look to the Stars
American Idol fans are fuming about the voting and they claim that Nya should have won, but instead, she was eliminated. Actually, there has been more drama this season, and it seems that Katy Perry might not be missed after they called her out for being “cruel” to Odell Bunton Jr. She’d made him think he was out when he was really passed through by the judges.
American Idol Final 12 Elimination Makes Fans Mad
The reality TV talent show already upset a lot of people when the judges kept Kayko and sent away Abby Blake. You might recall that Abby was the original applicant and Kayko only accompanied her on the piano. Well, he got offered a ticket to Hollywood, and ultimately, the main contestant left the show before he did. So, viewers slammed the judges for that. Their angry opinions didn’t change the outcome though.
Nya’s...
American Idol Final 12 Elimination Makes Fans Mad
The reality TV talent show already upset a lot of people when the judges kept Kayko and sent away Abby Blake. You might recall that Abby was the original applicant and Kayko only accompanied her on the piano. Well, he got offered a ticket to Hollywood, and ultimately, the main contestant left the show before he did. So, viewers slammed the judges for that. Their angry opinions didn’t change the outcome though.
Nya’s...
- 4/24/2024
- by James Michael
- TV Shows Ace
Exclusive: Prime Video announced on Wednesday that Marlon Wayans: Good Grief, the latest stand-up special from actor and comedian Marlon Wayans, will premiere on the platform in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide on June 4th.
Taped at the iconic Apollo Theater in Harlem, the special sees comedy meet therapy as Wayans works through his grief after recently losing both of his parents. In his new hour, he meditates on how his father taught him to be a man, the requirements to join the “Dead Mama Club,” the surprises you encounter when changing your aging parents’ diapers, who is the funniest Wayans, and more.
Marlon Wayans: Good Grief is produced by Wayans and Rick Alvarez’s Ugly Baby Productions and Amazon MGM Studios. Marlon Wayans, Rick Alvarez, Michael Rotenberg, Steve Harris, Craig Wayans, and Troy Miller served as executive producers of the special.
Since debuting his first comedy special, Woke-ish,...
Taped at the iconic Apollo Theater in Harlem, the special sees comedy meet therapy as Wayans works through his grief after recently losing both of his parents. In his new hour, he meditates on how his father taught him to be a man, the requirements to join the “Dead Mama Club,” the surprises you encounter when changing your aging parents’ diapers, who is the funniest Wayans, and more.
Marlon Wayans: Good Grief is produced by Wayans and Rick Alvarez’s Ugly Baby Productions and Amazon MGM Studios. Marlon Wayans, Rick Alvarez, Michael Rotenberg, Steve Harris, Craig Wayans, and Troy Miller served as executive producers of the special.
Since debuting his first comedy special, Woke-ish,...
- 4/24/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Doja Cat was one of the biggest stars to perform at Coachella this year. The singer was in charge of closing out the musical extravaganza, which lasted from April 19th to April 21st.
The event was a colossal success, even if there was a bit of anxiety about the ticket sales. In the end, the three-day event went smoothly, and the American rapper headlined a star-studded night. Aside from her infectious performance, one of the biggest talking points was her singing Wet Vag**a while rolling in a mud bath.
The singer gave an electrifying performance
Doja Cat put on an impressive show at Coachella this year
Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, who goes by her stage name Doja Cat, is a very talented singer and rapper. She started as a SoundCloud artist when she was a teenager, and now she is one of the biggest names in the music industry,...
The event was a colossal success, even if there was a bit of anxiety about the ticket sales. In the end, the three-day event went smoothly, and the American rapper headlined a star-studded night. Aside from her infectious performance, one of the biggest talking points was her singing Wet Vag**a while rolling in a mud bath.
The singer gave an electrifying performance
Doja Cat put on an impressive show at Coachella this year
Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, who goes by her stage name Doja Cat, is a very talented singer and rapper. She started as a SoundCloud artist when she was a teenager, and now she is one of the biggest names in the music industry,...
- 4/23/2024
- by Sreshtha Roychowdhury
- FandomWire
Films featuring Lily Gladstone and Jenna Ortega and music documentaries about the changing country scene and singer-songwriter Linda Perry will all premiere this spring at Tribeca Film Festival. The annual New York City event will take place from June 5 – 16 all over the city.
Jazzy, by filmmaker Morrisa Maltz, focuses on a girl named Jazzy (Jasmine Bearkiller Shangreaux) who is growing up in South Dakota where she experiences happy moments and heartbreaks with her peers. Gladstone, who won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Killers of the Flower Moon,...
Jazzy, by filmmaker Morrisa Maltz, focuses on a girl named Jazzy (Jasmine Bearkiller Shangreaux) who is growing up in South Dakota where she experiences happy moments and heartbreaks with her peers. Gladstone, who won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Killers of the Flower Moon,...
- 4/17/2024
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
The 23rd edition of the Tribeca Festival is out with its slate of feature films including world premieres starring Kristen Stewart, Lily Gladstone and Jenna Ortega. Another high-profile title is Saving Casa Bonita, a new documentary about South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone restoring an iconic Colorado restaurant.
Stewart toplines Sacramento, a road trip comedy directed by Michael Angarano and also starring Michael Cera and Maya Erskine. Jazzy with Gladstone and Jasmine Bearkiller Shangreaux is a companion piece to 2023 indie drama The Unknown Country, in which Gladstone appeared just prior to her Oscar-nominated performance in Killers Of The Flower Moon. Ortega stars in director Tiffany Paulsen’s romantic drama Winter Spring Summer or Fall alongside Marisol Nichols, Percy Hynes White and Adam Rodriguez.
The documentary lineup, long a Tribeca strength, will feature comedy greats politically tinged pics ahead of the U.S.
Stewart toplines Sacramento, a road trip comedy directed by Michael Angarano and also starring Michael Cera and Maya Erskine. Jazzy with Gladstone and Jasmine Bearkiller Shangreaux is a companion piece to 2023 indie drama The Unknown Country, in which Gladstone appeared just prior to her Oscar-nominated performance in Killers Of The Flower Moon. Ortega stars in director Tiffany Paulsen’s romantic drama Winter Spring Summer or Fall alongside Marisol Nichols, Percy Hynes White and Adam Rodriguez.
The documentary lineup, long a Tribeca strength, will feature comedy greats politically tinged pics ahead of the U.S.
- 4/17/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
A well-meaning yet generic environmental activism documentary with sporadic insights, “Common Ground” opens with a series of stars including Laura Dern, Jason Momoa, Donald Glover, Woody Harrelson and Rosario Dawson as they write apologetic letters to future generations. Their words claim to reveal harsh truths that boil down to, “We have failed you” and “We should have done better.” This parade of famous voices is a curiously trite start for a film driven by facts and stats for the most part. It’s as if co-directors Joshua and Rebecca Harrell Tickell (“Kiss The Ground”) seek instant credibility through empty-calorie celebrity activism, when they should just let the experts speak about the film’s main focus: ethical regenerative farming. And once they do, “Common Ground” proves it has some meaty arguments to offer, despite feeling like a sunny infomercial on occasion.
The most fundamental of those arguments goes like this: In...
The most fundamental of those arguments goes like this: In...
- 4/16/2024
- by Tomris Laffly
- Variety Film + TV
As I mentioned before, the Kim Hiro incident and particularly the way it was covered by the media, inspired a number of filmmakers to explore new cinematic methods that would examine the concepts of timeliness and actuality in cinema and the connection between documentary and fiction. Toshio Matsumoto, in a precursor to his feature debut, “Funeral Parade of Roses” came up with a 15-minute short which was presented through three projectors running different images at different speeds simultaneously, in an effort to mimic the visual layout of the newspaper, in a frame split in two that features completely different images.
Among the many images presented in frantic speed here, we have various of Kim Hiro, as the one with his portrait on the left side and newspapers on the right, which is held by an individual taking part in a street performance. Continuing this segment of the film, in which...
Among the many images presented in frantic speed here, we have various of Kim Hiro, as the one with his portrait on the left side and newspapers on the right, which is held by an individual taking part in a street performance. Continuing this segment of the film, in which...
- 4/16/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
When news broke in early February that Mariah Carey had booked a return ticket to Las Vegas to mount another residency, it was revealed that she would design the set list as a celebration of her 2005 blockbuster album, The Emancipation of Mimi.
It inspired the title of the exclusive run — The Celebration of Mimi — as well as the timing. Carey took the stage at Park MGM’s Dolby Live to launch the 16-date residency on April 12, 2024, exactly 19 years to the day after the album was released. It’s no surprise Carey wanted to commemorate the 14-track effort, which sold more than 10 million copies worldwide and brought the elusive chanteuse back into familiar territory at the top of the charts. The success of Emancipation of Mimi was fueled by the No. 1 smash “We Belong Together” and punctuated by singles “It’s Like That,” “Shake It Off,” “Get Your Number,” “Don’t Forget About Us,...
It inspired the title of the exclusive run — The Celebration of Mimi — as well as the timing. Carey took the stage at Park MGM’s Dolby Live to launch the 16-date residency on April 12, 2024, exactly 19 years to the day after the album was released. It’s no surprise Carey wanted to commemorate the 14-track effort, which sold more than 10 million copies worldwide and brought the elusive chanteuse back into familiar territory at the top of the charts. The success of Emancipation of Mimi was fueled by the No. 1 smash “We Belong Together” and punctuated by singles “It’s Like That,” “Shake It Off,” “Get Your Number,” “Don’t Forget About Us,...
- 4/15/2024
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The cast of A Different World has reunited for a national tour of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). During a stop in Washington, D.C., hosted by Howard University, they appeared at the White House to meet Vice President Kamala Harris and Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
The Grio’s April Ryan shared a portion of the White House visit on Instagram, which included Jean-Pierre leading the cast in a sing-along of the show’s theme.
The group opted for the version featured throughout the majority of the sitcom’s run, sung in the original version by Aretha Franklin.
The tour features A Different World alums Darryl M. Bell (Ron Johnson); Charnele Brown (Kimberly Reese); Jasmine Guy (Whitley Gilbert-Wayne); Kadeem Hardison (Dwayne Wayne); Dawnn Lewis (Jaleesa Vinson-Taylor); Cree Summer (Winifred Brooks); Glynn Turman (Col. Bradford Taylor); and Sinbad (Walter Oakes). They were joined by producers Debbie Allen and Susan Fales.
The Grio’s April Ryan shared a portion of the White House visit on Instagram, which included Jean-Pierre leading the cast in a sing-along of the show’s theme.
The group opted for the version featured throughout the majority of the sitcom’s run, sung in the original version by Aretha Franklin.
The tour features A Different World alums Darryl M. Bell (Ron Johnson); Charnele Brown (Kimberly Reese); Jasmine Guy (Whitley Gilbert-Wayne); Kadeem Hardison (Dwayne Wayne); Dawnn Lewis (Jaleesa Vinson-Taylor); Cree Summer (Winifred Brooks); Glynn Turman (Col. Bradford Taylor); and Sinbad (Walter Oakes). They were joined by producers Debbie Allen and Susan Fales.
- 4/11/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
For the majority of John Oates’ professional career, solo work was a means to keep busy and creatively fulfilled between the Daryl Hall & John Oates projects that took up most of his time. But now that the duo has hopelessly fractured after more than 50 years of partnership, Oates has the time to concentrate all his energies on his own music, beginning with his new LP, Reunion, out May 17.
The album is the culmination of years of work and features original compositions he wrote with A.J. Croce, Keith Sykes, Jim Lauderdale,...
The album is the culmination of years of work and features original compositions he wrote with A.J. Croce, Keith Sykes, Jim Lauderdale,...
- 4/10/2024
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
American Idol fans have been less than impressed with some of the decisions the judges have made so far in Season 22. Choosing Kayko over Abby Blake to move into the Top 24 had fans heated. Then, when the judges decided to axe American Idol hopeful Ziggy Krassenberg, viewers were up in arms once again. Now, they think the judges were too critical of another fan favorite. Here’s what they are saying.
Julia Gagnon Landed A Platinum Ticket
Like many of the other contestants on American Idol, Julia Gagnon auditioned in Nashville. She sang “Ain’t No Way” by Aretha Franklin. After some consideration, the judges decided to give her a coveted Platinum Ticket, which allowed her to bypass Idol Arena.
She performed alongside the other two Platinum Ticket winners, Abi Carter and Odell Bunton Jr. during the Idol Arena episode. They sang a stunning rendition of “California Dreamin'” by the Mamas and the Papas.
Julia Gagnon Landed A Platinum Ticket
Like many of the other contestants on American Idol, Julia Gagnon auditioned in Nashville. She sang “Ain’t No Way” by Aretha Franklin. After some consideration, the judges decided to give her a coveted Platinum Ticket, which allowed her to bypass Idol Arena.
She performed alongside the other two Platinum Ticket winners, Abi Carter and Odell Bunton Jr. during the Idol Arena episode. They sang a stunning rendition of “California Dreamin'” by the Mamas and the Papas.
- 4/8/2024
- by Amanda Blankenship
- TV Shows Ace
Taylor Swift revealed that one Ed Sheeran song was a big inspiration to her as an artist. It also made her want to collaborate with the “Thinking Out Loud” singer for her album, Red. The song Swift liked so much wasn’t much of a hit in the United States. However, it was massive elsewhere.
Taylor Swift loves a line from this Ed Sheeran song
During a 2015 interview with Rolling Stone, Swift named some of the songs that made her want to become an artist or inspired her in some way. Most of the songs she chose were from the 20th century, showing that she likes to keep her music in the now. The tunes included Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle,” Dashboard Confessional’s “Hands Down,” Bon Iver’s “Blood Bank,” and Kendrick Lamar’s “Backseat Freestyle.” She also revealed her love of Sheeran’s folk/soft-rock single “Lego House.
Taylor Swift loves a line from this Ed Sheeran song
During a 2015 interview with Rolling Stone, Swift named some of the songs that made her want to become an artist or inspired her in some way. Most of the songs she chose were from the 20th century, showing that she likes to keep her music in the now. The tunes included Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle,” Dashboard Confessional’s “Hands Down,” Bon Iver’s “Blood Bank,” and Kendrick Lamar’s “Backseat Freestyle.” She also revealed her love of Sheeran’s folk/soft-rock single “Lego House.
- 4/6/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The best pop stars are full of surprises. Beyoncé surprised everyone by releasing her version of The Beatles’ “Blackbird.” Paul McCartney had a strong reaction to the cover on social media. Fascinatingly, the original song was inspired by the Civil Rights Movement.
Paul McCartney said Beyoncé understood the message of The Beatles’ ‘Blackbird’
So many classic artists across genres have put their own spin on Beatles songs. Some of the R&b icons who covered Fab Four tracks include Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, and Prince. Beyoncé added her name to that canon with her cover of “Blackbird,” a folk ditty from The White Album.
In a 2024 Instagram post, Paul himself heaped praise on Queen B’s “Blackbird.” “I am so happy with @beyonce’s version of my song ‘Blackbird,'” he wrote. “I think she does a magnificent version of it and it reinforces the civil rights message...
Paul McCartney said Beyoncé understood the message of The Beatles’ ‘Blackbird’
So many classic artists across genres have put their own spin on Beatles songs. Some of the R&b icons who covered Fab Four tracks include Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, and Prince. Beyoncé added her name to that canon with her cover of “Blackbird,” a folk ditty from The White Album.
In a 2024 Instagram post, Paul himself heaped praise on Queen B’s “Blackbird.” “I am so happy with @beyonce’s version of my song ‘Blackbird,'” he wrote. “I think she does a magnificent version of it and it reinforces the civil rights message...
- 4/4/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
On “The Masked Singer’s” “Shower Anthems Night,” it’s time to belt out some squeaky-clean tunes! The Group C contestants start the night with a show-stopping group performance, and then serenade the audience and panelists Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, Ken Jeong and Rita Ora with iconic songs that are best sung at full volume in the shower! Nick Cannon hosts the wild and wacky fun.
The Season 11 contestants boast a combined 22 Grammy nominations, 11 platinum albums, 33 Teen Choice nominations, 108 million records sold, 326 film appearances and have 1.7 billion Spotify streams!
Below, read our minute-by-minute “The Masked Singer” recap of Season 11, Episode 5, to find out what happened Wednesday, April 3 at 8:00 p.m. Et/Pt on Fox. Then be sure to sound off in the comments section about your favorite costumed characters on Fox’s reality TV show and who you think has what it takes to win the entire competition.
See...
The Season 11 contestants boast a combined 22 Grammy nominations, 11 platinum albums, 33 Teen Choice nominations, 108 million records sold, 326 film appearances and have 1.7 billion Spotify streams!
Below, read our minute-by-minute “The Masked Singer” recap of Season 11, Episode 5, to find out what happened Wednesday, April 3 at 8:00 p.m. Et/Pt on Fox. Then be sure to sound off in the comments section about your favorite costumed characters on Fox’s reality TV show and who you think has what it takes to win the entire competition.
See...
- 4/4/2024
- by Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
Spoiler Alert: Do not read ahead if you have not watched Season 11, Episode 5 of “The Masked Singer,” “Group C Finals: Shower Anthems Night,” which aired April 3 on Fox.
After two weeks of being on “The Masked Singer” chopping block, Sisqó is finally gone-guh-gone-gone-gone.
I think I’ll sing it again: Sisqó’s been dumped like a truck, truck, truck. “The Masked Singer” has removed his butt, butt, butt. Let me see (who sang) that song!
That’s right, “Thong Song” superstar Sisqó on Wednesday became the latest celebrity to be unmasked on “The Masked Singer,” revealed to be the Lizard.
For Sisqó as the Lizard, several of the panelists had figured it out. Robin Thicke and Rita Ora knew it was Sisqó. Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg picked Ray J. Ken Jeong said it was Michael Bivins.
Lizard was voted out after being one of the two lowest vote-getters in the two previous episodes.
After two weeks of being on “The Masked Singer” chopping block, Sisqó is finally gone-guh-gone-gone-gone.
I think I’ll sing it again: Sisqó’s been dumped like a truck, truck, truck. “The Masked Singer” has removed his butt, butt, butt. Let me see (who sang) that song!
That’s right, “Thong Song” superstar Sisqó on Wednesday became the latest celebrity to be unmasked on “The Masked Singer,” revealed to be the Lizard.
For Sisqó as the Lizard, several of the panelists had figured it out. Robin Thicke and Rita Ora knew it was Sisqó. Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg picked Ray J. Ken Jeong said it was Michael Bivins.
Lizard was voted out after being one of the two lowest vote-getters in the two previous episodes.
- 4/4/2024
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Fox’s The Masked Singer Season 11 continues with the Group C finals on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. Earlier in the season, fans saw Clock, Lizard, Poodle Moth, and Spaghetti and Meatballs take the stage in Group C. The wild card, Sir Lion, was introduced later. Now, only three masks remain. Who’s unmasked next? Here are The Masked Singer Season 11 spoilers.
[Spoiler alert: The Masked Singer Season 11 spoilers ahead regarding the Group C finals.]
Who’s unmasked in ‘The Masked Singer’ Season 11 Group C finals?
The Masked Singer Season 11 Episode 5 features the Group C finals for “Shower Anthems Night,” and fans can’t wait to see the final three singers belt out their best notes. Fans have seen Clock, Lizard, Poodle Moth, Spaghetti and Meatballs, and Sir Lion take the stage. While Spaghetti and Meatballs and Sir Lion were unmasked, Clock, Lizard, and Poodle Moth remain.
A preview for “Shower Anthems Night” shows the...
[Spoiler alert: The Masked Singer Season 11 spoilers ahead regarding the Group C finals.]
Who’s unmasked in ‘The Masked Singer’ Season 11 Group C finals?
The Masked Singer Season 11 Episode 5 features the Group C finals for “Shower Anthems Night,” and fans can’t wait to see the final three singers belt out their best notes. Fans have seen Clock, Lizard, Poodle Moth, Spaghetti and Meatballs, and Sir Lion take the stage. While Spaghetti and Meatballs and Sir Lion were unmasked, Clock, Lizard, and Poodle Moth remain.
A preview for “Shower Anthems Night” shows the...
- 4/3/2024
- by Lauren Weiler
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Jack White was greeted with a bouquet of flowers recently. They were from Beyoncé.
On Tuesday, the musician shared a photo of the (literal) flowers Beyoncé sent him after she released her album Cowboy Carter, and they included a sweet note acknowledging how he inspired her new record.
“I just wanted you to know how much you inspired me on this record,” Beyoncé wrote, signing it: “Sending you my love.”
White shared a photo of the flowers on her Instagram, thanking Queen Bey for the gesture.
“What a sweet gesture...
On Tuesday, the musician shared a photo of the (literal) flowers Beyoncé sent him after she released her album Cowboy Carter, and they included a sweet note acknowledging how he inspired her new record.
“I just wanted you to know how much you inspired me on this record,” Beyoncé wrote, signing it: “Sending you my love.”
White shared a photo of the flowers on her Instagram, thanking Queen Bey for the gesture.
“What a sweet gesture...
- 4/2/2024
- by Tomás Mier
- Rollingstone.com
The season of the very first sign of the zodiac is here, and that’s exactly why being a leader comes so easy for Aries folks.
And that’s no joke, Aries really don’t know what else to be but a boss, CEO or innovator, because they’d rather play by their own rules. They march to the beat of their own drum and rarely ever need anyone to play backup instrumentals. Their charm, playful personality and great sense of humor make up for their impulsiveness and sometimes hot-temper, and there’s absolutely no other sign who will keep it all the way real with you like an Aries does, even if it’s something you don’t want to hear. They tell it like it is, as dishonesty goes against their entire m.o.
As ambitious as they are — known for being some of the greatest to ever...
And that’s no joke, Aries really don’t know what else to be but a boss, CEO or innovator, because they’d rather play by their own rules. They march to the beat of their own drum and rarely ever need anyone to play backup instrumentals. Their charm, playful personality and great sense of humor make up for their impulsiveness and sometimes hot-temper, and there’s absolutely no other sign who will keep it all the way real with you like an Aries does, even if it’s something you don’t want to hear. They tell it like it is, as dishonesty goes against their entire m.o.
As ambitious as they are — known for being some of the greatest to ever...
- 3/30/2024
- by Raquel 'Rocky' Harris
- The Wrap
There’s an early front-runner for the 2024 “American Idol” crown. Three contestants earned Platinum Tickets to Hollywood this year from judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie. Although no Platinum Ticket holders have gone on to win the ABC singing competition in previous seasons, we published a poll asking fans who is most likely to take the prize this year. See the full results below.
Julia Gagnon – 45%
Abi Carter – 42%
None of Them – 10%
Odell Bunton Jr. – 3%
See ‘American Idol’: Julia Gagnon earns third and final Platinum Ticket for Season 22 [Watch]
Julia Gagnon led the way with nearly half of the votes cast, followed closely by Abi Carter. A chunk of loyal viewers think the trend that no Platinum Ticket winners go all the way will continue. Odell Bunton Jr. has the support of just 3% of our voters, but he has plenty of time to win viewers over in the coming weeks.
Julia Gagnon – 45%
Abi Carter – 42%
None of Them – 10%
Odell Bunton Jr. – 3%
See ‘American Idol’: Julia Gagnon earns third and final Platinum Ticket for Season 22 [Watch]
Julia Gagnon led the way with nearly half of the votes cast, followed closely by Abi Carter. A chunk of loyal viewers think the trend that no Platinum Ticket winners go all the way will continue. Odell Bunton Jr. has the support of just 3% of our voters, but he has plenty of time to win viewers over in the coming weeks.
- 3/29/2024
- by Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
Beyoncé has so many audacious culture-clash triumphs all over Cowboy Carter. But one of the most stunning moments is also one of the simplest: her version of the Beatles classic “Blackbird.” Paul McCartney wrote the song in the summer of 1968, inspired by the American civil rights movement. All that history is right there in Beyoncé’s version. She keeps the folkie Paul guitar, complete with the squeaks, but adds her heavenly gospel-soul harmonies. What she does with the word “arise” is incredible in itself.
It’s a stroke of Beyoncé...
It’s a stroke of Beyoncé...
- 3/29/2024
- by Rob Sheffield
- Rollingstone.com
“American Idol” had fans buzzing Sunday night when Julia Gagnon, the final audition for Season 22, had judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie gobsmacked after her rendition of Aretha Franklin‘s hit “Ain’t No Way.” Watch the 21-year-old from Cumberlan, Maine’s audition below.
See ‘American Idol’: Abi Carter receives second Platinum Ticket for Season 22 [Watch]
“I was born in Guatemala,” Julia explained before she started to sing. “When I was two years old I was adopted out of the orphanage and brought to Maine. Growing up in Maine, when I was younger, was a dream come true. It was picture perfect, there was snow at Christmas and warm summers. It was all amazing. When I entered the school systems it became different. I got bullied a lot. In Maine, not a lot of people look like me and it was really hard to deal with. I don...
See ‘American Idol’: Abi Carter receives second Platinum Ticket for Season 22 [Watch]
“I was born in Guatemala,” Julia explained before she started to sing. “When I was two years old I was adopted out of the orphanage and brought to Maine. Growing up in Maine, when I was younger, was a dream come true. It was picture perfect, there was snow at Christmas and warm summers. It was all amazing. When I entered the school systems it became different. I got bullied a lot. In Maine, not a lot of people look like me and it was really hard to deal with. I don...
- 3/25/2024
- by Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
One day in 1979, the phone rang at producer Bob Weiss’ house. “Be on your property tonight,” said the voice on the other line. According to the book Wild and Crazy Guys: The Comedy Mavericks of the ’80s Changed Hollywood Forever by Nick de Semlyen, later that evening, an object came flying over the fence and onto Weiss’ backyard. It was the script for a Blues Brothers movie that Wiess commissioned from Dan Aykroyd, who created the musical comedy act with John Belushi for Saturday Night Live.
If the way that Aykroyd delivered the manuscript was odd, the contents inside were even weirder. Titled The Return of the Blues Brothers and credited to the “Scriptatron Gl-9000,” the script was 324 pages long, far more than the 120 page standard, and filled with unlikely digressions.
Weiss shouldn’t have been surprised. Even if the 26-year-old Aykroyd had written a script before (he hadn’t...
If the way that Aykroyd delivered the manuscript was odd, the contents inside were even weirder. Titled The Return of the Blues Brothers and credited to the “Scriptatron Gl-9000,” the script was 324 pages long, far more than the 120 page standard, and filled with unlikely digressions.
Weiss shouldn’t have been surprised. Even if the 26-year-old Aykroyd had written a script before (he hadn’t...
- 3/22/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
As the 56th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s April 4th, 1968 assassination approaches, we’d like to make a suggestion for anyone looking for content about the late civil-rights leader: Season 4 of National Geographic‘s insightful and effective Genius. Entitled MLK/X and starring Kelvin Harrison Jr. (The Trial of the Chicago 7) and Aaron Pierre (The Underground Railroad) as King and Malcolm X, respectively, the eight-episode bio-series charted the concurrent yet dramatically divergent paths both men trod during one of the most important eras of modern history. It’s also filled with information many viewers may not be aware of (they only met once?!). But far from a musty retelling, the series—as Genius has so far done with Picasso, Aretha Franklin, and Einstein—digs beneath the facade of the famous men to examine what drove them and, as Harrison, Jr. puts it, amplify the fact that anyone can make a difference.
- 3/21/2024
- TV Insider
Were you as impressed as we were when Clock raised her voice in song for the first time on “The Masked Singer”? She wowed us with her flawless cover of “Piano Man” on the March 20 episode. And she won over the judges with her diction and delivery of this Billy Joel classic.
Overnight, we’ve rewatched that performance by Clock and her clues package. Forget those guesses by the judges that Dandelion is Anita Baker, Evelyn “Champagne” King or Diana Ross We are sure we know Clock’s true identity. Keep reading as we have all your “The Masked Singer” spoilers, including the answer to the question, “Who is Clock?”
We were convinced that Clock is disco diva Thelma Houston. Don’t believe us? Besides the fact that the Clock sounds just like her, consider how so many of the clues fit in with the life of Thelma Houston.
Just like Clock,...
Overnight, we’ve rewatched that performance by Clock and her clues package. Forget those guesses by the judges that Dandelion is Anita Baker, Evelyn “Champagne” King or Diana Ross We are sure we know Clock’s true identity. Keep reading as we have all your “The Masked Singer” spoilers, including the answer to the question, “Who is Clock?”
We were convinced that Clock is disco diva Thelma Houston. Don’t believe us? Besides the fact that the Clock sounds just like her, consider how so many of the clues fit in with the life of Thelma Houston.
Just like Clock,...
- 3/21/2024
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Update: After this story was published, the “Origin” Twitter account was deleted.
Previously: After the release of her latest film “Origin,” director Ava DuVernay was vocal about her disappointment that the movie failed to garner widespread attention or awards buzz. Now, the X/Twitter account for “Origin” is taking aim at the distributor Neon, calling out the company for not inviting the filmmakers to its Oscar party.
Quote-tweeting a photo from the party, the account posted one day after the Academy Awards: “Is it odd that the filmmakers of Neon’s current film in theaters weren’t invited to this Neon celebration? Nope. Standard operating procedure for [founder Tom] Quinn and team. That’s how Neon rolls. More on this later.”
The event was hosted at the Hollywood Athletic Club by Neon, which touted its Oscar win for “Anatomy of a Fall,” which picked up best original screenplay on Sunday and was also nominated for best picture,...
Previously: After the release of her latest film “Origin,” director Ava DuVernay was vocal about her disappointment that the movie failed to garner widespread attention or awards buzz. Now, the X/Twitter account for “Origin” is taking aim at the distributor Neon, calling out the company for not inviting the filmmakers to its Oscar party.
Quote-tweeting a photo from the party, the account posted one day after the Academy Awards: “Is it odd that the filmmakers of Neon’s current film in theaters weren’t invited to this Neon celebration? Nope. Standard operating procedure for [founder Tom] Quinn and team. That’s how Neon rolls. More on this later.”
The event was hosted at the Hollywood Athletic Club by Neon, which touted its Oscar win for “Anatomy of a Fall,” which picked up best original screenplay on Sunday and was also nominated for best picture,...
- 3/12/2024
- by Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety Film + TV
Elvis Presley‘s “A Little Less Conversation” was written by a country star. The star revealed what the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll wanted from the song. While “A Little Less Conversation” is one of Elvis’ most famous songs today, it was meant for another singer. Notably, the tune became a hit in the 1960s and again in the 2000s.
Elvis Presley’s ‘A Little Less Conversation’ was written for a musical
“A Little Less Conversation” was written by Mac Davis. He was a country singer who had several hits. In addition, he wrote tunes for artists such as Elvis, Weezer, Avicii, Kenny Rogers, and Bruno Mars. During a 2010 interview with Smashing Interviews Magazine, Davis discussed writing “A Little Less Conversation” for Elvis’ musical Live a Little, Love a Little.
“[Session musician] Billy Strange came to me … he was doing the music for that movie,” Davis recalled. “Elvis had told him that...
Elvis Presley’s ‘A Little Less Conversation’ was written for a musical
“A Little Less Conversation” was written by Mac Davis. He was a country singer who had several hits. In addition, he wrote tunes for artists such as Elvis, Weezer, Avicii, Kenny Rogers, and Bruno Mars. During a 2010 interview with Smashing Interviews Magazine, Davis discussed writing “A Little Less Conversation” for Elvis’ musical Live a Little, Love a Little.
“[Session musician] Billy Strange came to me … he was doing the music for that movie,” Davis recalled. “Elvis had told him that...
- 3/9/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Exclusive: A documentary about the legendary Billy Preston that’s set to debut tonight at SXSW might not see the light of day.
“Instead of creating the film that they falsely described to Plaintiffs, Defendants White Horse Pictures, LLC, Homegrown Pictures, Inc. and Oyster Productions, LLC, by and through their principals and representatives Defendants Nigel Sinclair, Jeanne Elfant Festa, Stephanie Allain Bray, Paris C.K. Barclay and Cheo Hodari Coker, produced a film that is a salacious, posthumous ‘outing’ of Mr. Preston that centers on his sexuality – a deeply personal matter that Mr. Preston kept private until immediately before his untimely death – to the exclusion of many of the late musician’s notable accomplishments,” reads the fraud complaint filed today in Los Angeles Superior Court by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Sam Moore of Sam & Dave, Preston Music Group, Ken Burke and others.
The Paris Barclay-directed documentary,...
“Instead of creating the film that they falsely described to Plaintiffs, Defendants White Horse Pictures, LLC, Homegrown Pictures, Inc. and Oyster Productions, LLC, by and through their principals and representatives Defendants Nigel Sinclair, Jeanne Elfant Festa, Stephanie Allain Bray, Paris C.K. Barclay and Cheo Hodari Coker, produced a film that is a salacious, posthumous ‘outing’ of Mr. Preston that centers on his sexuality – a deeply personal matter that Mr. Preston kept private until immediately before his untimely death – to the exclusion of many of the late musician’s notable accomplishments,” reads the fraud complaint filed today in Los Angeles Superior Court by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Sam Moore of Sam & Dave, Preston Music Group, Ken Burke and others.
The Paris Barclay-directed documentary,...
- 3/8/2024
- by Dominic Patten and Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
New Edition, the legendary R&b group made up of Ricky Bell, Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill, Ralph Tresvant, Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe, is set to be inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame.
The group will be inducted during the 2024 NAACP Image Awards ceremony being held in Los Angeles on March 16. Previous inductees include Eddie Murphy, Stevie Wonder, Oprah Winfrey, Spike Lee, Carlos Santana, Little Richard, Sidney Poitier, Earth Wind and Fire, and Aretha Franklin.
Formed in Boston in 1978, New Edition became phenomenally popular in the 1980s and set the template for the modern boy band. The group has released seven studio albums and scored a No. 1 on the Billboard album charts with the 1996 release Home Again. Their best-known songs include “Candy Girl,” “Mr. Telephone Man,” “Cool It Now,” “If This Isn’t Love” and “Hit Me Off.”
All the members of New Edition have enjoyed solo...
The group will be inducted during the 2024 NAACP Image Awards ceremony being held in Los Angeles on March 16. Previous inductees include Eddie Murphy, Stevie Wonder, Oprah Winfrey, Spike Lee, Carlos Santana, Little Richard, Sidney Poitier, Earth Wind and Fire, and Aretha Franklin.
Formed in Boston in 1978, New Edition became phenomenally popular in the 1980s and set the template for the modern boy band. The group has released seven studio albums and scored a No. 1 on the Billboard album charts with the 1996 release Home Again. Their best-known songs include “Candy Girl,” “Mr. Telephone Man,” “Cool It Now,” “If This Isn’t Love” and “Hit Me Off.”
All the members of New Edition have enjoyed solo...
- 3/7/2024
- by Abid Rahman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
To celebrate International Women’s Month, Hard Rock International announced a new “We Are” initiative honoring its ongoing commitment to championing women’s health and empowerment.
Hard Rock's official International Women's Month We Are t-shirt
Through its “We Are” campaign this March, Hard Rock will join forces with Eva Longoria to encourage women around the world to share their personal stories, help uplift women’s narratives on critical issues and spotlight nearly 1,000 performances by talented female musicians in special events at its Cafe, Hotel and Casino locations throughout the month. Hard Rock is also releasing a limited-edition t-shirt and exciting food and beverage menu items. Through its charitable arm, Hard Rock Heals Foundation, the company is raising funds throughout the month to benefit two organizations working to support women and women’s health: Global Gift Foundation and Magee-Womens Research Institute.
“While International Women’s Day is March 8 and Women’s History Month is March,...
Hard Rock's official International Women's Month We Are t-shirt
Through its “We Are” campaign this March, Hard Rock will join forces with Eva Longoria to encourage women around the world to share their personal stories, help uplift women’s narratives on critical issues and spotlight nearly 1,000 performances by talented female musicians in special events at its Cafe, Hotel and Casino locations throughout the month. Hard Rock is also releasing a limited-edition t-shirt and exciting food and beverage menu items. Through its charitable arm, Hard Rock Heals Foundation, the company is raising funds throughout the month to benefit two organizations working to support women and women’s health: Global Gift Foundation and Magee-Womens Research Institute.
“While International Women’s Day is March 8 and Women’s History Month is March,...
- 3/6/2024
- Look to the Stars
Saturday Night Live set its sights on The Floor, Fox’s new game show hosted by Rob Lowe that has contestants facing off in a series of quiz duels.
On SNL’s version, tonight’s host Shane Gillis played the defending champion David, who triumphed in the first round by correctly identifying a glass of orange juice.
But when it came time to identify famous faces, Gillis was continually stumped by a series of pictures featuring Black politicians and personalities. As pictures of Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Maya Angelou, Colin Powell and Aretha Franklin flashed on the screen, a panicked Gillis said things like “I know him, but I’m nervous” or “I’m a huge fan of hers” without saying their actual names.
Fear even had him miss the names of Stephen Curry and Oprah Winfrey.
But when an image of Cleveland from Family Guy appears, Gillis’ David gets it right.
On SNL’s version, tonight’s host Shane Gillis played the defending champion David, who triumphed in the first round by correctly identifying a glass of orange juice.
But when it came time to identify famous faces, Gillis was continually stumped by a series of pictures featuring Black politicians and personalities. As pictures of Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Maya Angelou, Colin Powell and Aretha Franklin flashed on the screen, a panicked Gillis said things like “I know him, but I’m nervous” or “I’m a huge fan of hers” without saying their actual names.
Fear even had him miss the names of Stephen Curry and Oprah Winfrey.
But when an image of Cleveland from Family Guy appears, Gillis’ David gets it right.
- 2/25/2024
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Paramount received the best Valentine’s Day gift any studio could hope for when Bob Marley: One Love, the biopic about the legendary Jamaican musician, set a new midweek record for the holiday when jamming to $14 million and besting the $11.5 million grossed by The Vow in 2012.
But Valentine’s Day turned out to be only a warm-up act as the film transformed into an all-audience box office sensation in another win for the music biopic boom sweeping Hollywood. Iconic music artists — of which there is no shortage — are providing studios with much-needed IP as tried and true genres, namely superhero movies, lose their singing powers. Barely a week goes by without a new major studio project being announced, including this week’s news that Sony and Sam Mendes are embarking on an ambitious magical mystery tour that will see each of the four Beatles get their own feature film, all...
But Valentine’s Day turned out to be only a warm-up act as the film transformed into an all-audience box office sensation in another win for the music biopic boom sweeping Hollywood. Iconic music artists — of which there is no shortage — are providing studios with much-needed IP as tried and true genres, namely superhero movies, lose their singing powers. Barely a week goes by without a new major studio project being announced, including this week’s news that Sony and Sam Mendes are embarking on an ambitious magical mystery tour that will see each of the four Beatles get their own feature film, all...
- 2/21/2024
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Your favorite Parks and Recreation Pops! have been shrunk into Bitty Pops! Expand your collection with this assortment of Bitty Pop! figures featuring your most beloved Parks Department workers as miniaturized figures!
Bitty Pops! are packaged in hard acrylic cases with detachable bottom lids. Detachable bottom lids double as acrylic bases, to which the Bitty Pop! figures are adhered. Sort and arrange your Bitty Pops! with the included display case! Acrylic display cases are stackable and hold four Bitty Pop! figures each. Vinyl figures are approximately 0.9-inches tall. Four figures per single package purchase.
Find out more here
Is Lego turning green? It appears that sets based on the upcoming Wicked film are coming this fall.
“Among several film trailers released during the Super Bowl yesterday, one for the upcoming Wicked movie has drawn interest from Lego on Twitter/X. Shortly after the trailer was released, Lego wrote ‘Wonder if Lego bricks could defy gravity…...
Bitty Pops! are packaged in hard acrylic cases with detachable bottom lids. Detachable bottom lids double as acrylic bases, to which the Bitty Pop! figures are adhered. Sort and arrange your Bitty Pops! with the included display case! Acrylic display cases are stackable and hold four Bitty Pop! figures each. Vinyl figures are approximately 0.9-inches tall. Four figures per single package purchase.
Find out more here
Is Lego turning green? It appears that sets based on the upcoming Wicked film are coming this fall.
“Among several film trailers released during the Super Bowl yesterday, one for the upcoming Wicked movie has drawn interest from Lego on Twitter/X. Shortly after the trailer was released, Lego wrote ‘Wonder if Lego bricks could defy gravity…...
- 2/14/2024
- by Lee Parham
- Den of Geek
From a filmmaker’s perspective, it’s always fortuitous when the name of an artist’s signature work encapsulates the journey that they made in their life and career. What else to call a film about Johnny Cash? “Walk the Line,” of course. A Tina Turner biopic? “What’s Love Got to Do With It.” Aretha Franklin? “Respect,” of course. There’s a reason the forthcoming Bon Jovi docuseries is called “Thank You, Goodnight,” and not “You Give Love a Bad Name.”
A portrait of the disco luminary but not a biopic, “Gloria Gaynor: I Will Survive” follows in this estimable tradition. But Betsy Schechter’s documentary — which will get a one-night theatrical release in roughly 800 theaters on Feb. 13 following a healthy festival run — also showcases why that serendipity can come at a greater price to the artist than their film’s marketing prospects: Examining the looming shadow of the singer...
A portrait of the disco luminary but not a biopic, “Gloria Gaynor: I Will Survive” follows in this estimable tradition. But Betsy Schechter’s documentary — which will get a one-night theatrical release in roughly 800 theaters on Feb. 13 following a healthy festival run — also showcases why that serendipity can come at a greater price to the artist than their film’s marketing prospects: Examining the looming shadow of the singer...
- 2/13/2024
- by Todd Gilchrist
- Variety Film + TV
The trailer for "Wicked" just premiered during the Super Bowl and it features recognizable stars like Bowen Yang and Ariana Grande. But playing the future Wicked Witch Elphaba is someone who might be hard to recognize under all that green make-up: Cynthia Erivo. She's not a household name, but there's a decent chance you've seen (or heard) her somewhere without realizing it.
Erivo is an English actress who rose to prominence with one of her first major theater roles: Celie Harris in the musical stage adaptation of "The Color Purple." She went on to feature in the musical film "Beyond the Lights," then took on the role of Chenice in the West End musical "I Can't Sing!" The name of that show was misleading: Erivo very much could sing, and would continue receiving bigger and better roles as a result. She soon made her Broadway debut in the 2015 revival of "The Color Purple,...
Erivo is an English actress who rose to prominence with one of her first major theater roles: Celie Harris in the musical stage adaptation of "The Color Purple." She went on to feature in the musical film "Beyond the Lights," then took on the role of Chenice in the West End musical "I Can't Sing!" The name of that show was misleading: Erivo very much could sing, and would continue receiving bigger and better roles as a result. She soon made her Broadway debut in the 2015 revival of "The Color Purple,...
- 2/12/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
“Genius: MLK/X” is the fourth installment in National Geographic’s anthology series, but it’s the first one to focus on two individuals in a single season. After the first three seasons centered on Albert Einstein, Pablo Picasso and Aretha Franklin, respectively, Season 4 chronicles the parallel lives of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and Malcolm X (Aaron Pierre). The civil rights icons only met once in real life, prompting producers to find a way in to tell a unified story.
“The challenge for us at the beginning was finding the thematic connection, which we very easily found in the research,” executive producer and showrunner Damione Macedon said Thursday during the show’s panel at the Television Critics Association winter press tour. “They went through the same emotional milestones as men at the same time. They both became husbands in and around the same time, they both became...
“The challenge for us at the beginning was finding the thematic connection, which we very easily found in the research,” executive producer and showrunner Damione Macedon said Thursday during the show’s panel at the Television Critics Association winter press tour. “They went through the same emotional milestones as men at the same time. They both became husbands in and around the same time, they both became...
- 2/9/2024
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
Henry Fambrough, the last surviving original member of the R&b group the Spinners and an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, died at age 85.
Fambrough died peacefully of natural causes Wednesday at his Virginia home following a month in hospice care, the Spinners’ spokeswoman Tanisha Jackson told the Detroit Free-Press. His death comes just over two months after Fambrough was on hand for the Spinners’ Rock Hall induction ceremony in November.
“He got to experience those accolades. He was able to bask in the accomplishment, and...
Fambrough died peacefully of natural causes Wednesday at his Virginia home following a month in hospice care, the Spinners’ spokeswoman Tanisha Jackson told the Detroit Free-Press. His death comes just over two months after Fambrough was on hand for the Spinners’ Rock Hall induction ceremony in November.
“He got to experience those accolades. He was able to bask in the accomplishment, and...
- 2/8/2024
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
The Recording Academy celebrated Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz Thursday night at the Black Music Collective Ceremony, one of the most anticipated nights ahead of the 2024 Grammys.
As each icon took the stage to accept the Global Impact Award, which recognizes personal and professional achievements in the industry, both shared heartfelt stories of their journeys to that moment. Throughout the dinner, some of the most revered artists in music came out to show their love and respect for the honorees, including Stevie Wonder, George Clinton, H.E.R., Quavo, Busta Rhymes, Babyface,...
As each icon took the stage to accept the Global Impact Award, which recognizes personal and professional achievements in the industry, both shared heartfelt stories of their journeys to that moment. Throughout the dinner, some of the most revered artists in music came out to show their love and respect for the honorees, including Stevie Wonder, George Clinton, H.E.R., Quavo, Busta Rhymes, Babyface,...
- 2/2/2024
- by Charisma Madarang
- Rollingstone.com
Despite living in the same era and working toward similar goals, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X only met once. Fittingly, they came together at the U.S. Capitol, where both men worked to ensure the Civil Rights Act of 1964 earned Congressional approval. The meeting was courteous, though not without risk, and its brevity was considered unsurprising at the time. King, a Christian minister, and Malcolm X, who had left the Nation of Islam to continue preaching his Muslim faith independently, were both Black leaders and human rights activists, but their methods and associations mostly kept them on parallel tracks. Moreover, it would’ve been easy to assume this was just the first time they would meet, not the only time.
Tragedy made a reunion impossible, and their solo encounter has sparked continued reflections on what could’ve been from historians, authors, and artists of all kinds. The latest...
Tragedy made a reunion impossible, and their solo encounter has sparked continued reflections on what could’ve been from historians, authors, and artists of all kinds. The latest...
- 2/1/2024
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Samuel L. Jackson, Jeffrey Wright, and David Oyelowo have all portrayed civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr., whose Atlanta sit-ins, Montgomery bus boycotts, and peaceful protests desegregated the nation. When Kelvin Harrison Jr. was first offered the role, he was overwhelmed by the weight of the historical figure and turned it down.
“I still was a little bit scared and unsure if that was something that I needed to be participating in,” Harrison tells Rolling Stone. “I didn’t really see what I could offer in this moment, and...
“I still was a little bit scared and unsure if that was something that I needed to be participating in,” Harrison tells Rolling Stone. “I didn’t really see what I could offer in this moment, and...
- 2/1/2024
- by Kalia Richardson
- Rollingstone.com
Towering civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, both assassinated at the age of 39, met briefly on March 26, 1964 at the U.S. Capitol, where they were both present in support of the passage of the Civil Rights Act. While their paths intersected only once before their untimely deaths, the Nat Geo series “Genius: MLK/X” presents their extraordinary lives in tandem, despite their famously opposing ideologies.
“So often we’re told you have to choose between Martin and Malcolm: Who do you identify with? Who do you want to follow?” executive producer Gina Prince-Bythewood said during a post-screening conversation at the “MLK/X” premiere on Jan. 29. “But we knew that they were both integral to the movement. They both had the same goal — they just said different means of going about it. And the more that we got into the research, we realized how close they were...
“So often we’re told you have to choose between Martin and Malcolm: Who do you identify with? Who do you want to follow?” executive producer Gina Prince-Bythewood said during a post-screening conversation at the “MLK/X” premiere on Jan. 29. “But we knew that they were both integral to the movement. They both had the same goal — they just said different means of going about it. And the more that we got into the research, we realized how close they were...
- 2/1/2024
- by Jaden Thompson
- Variety Film + TV
At some point in middle school or high school, most people were exposed to two different types of rudimentary essay-writing. There’s the five-paragraph essay, that goes, intro/thesis-body-body-body-conclusion. And there’s the compare-and-contrast essay, in which you start with two seemingly opposed subjects and unify them by juxtaposing the ways they’re different, but also the ways in which they’re similar. From a distance of decades it’s easy to mock both essay structures, but they’re both incredibly useful ways of teaching young writers to approach complicated topics.
I’m not sure if the new season of National Geographic’s Genius anthology is the most ambitious compare-and-contrast essay every written, but MLK/X is at least a generally well-intentioned illustration of both pros and cons of the format.
Over eight hours, Genius: MLK/X uses a frequently on-the-nose back-and-forth approach to the lives of Martin Luther King Jr....
I’m not sure if the new season of National Geographic’s Genius anthology is the most ambitious compare-and-contrast essay every written, but MLK/X is at least a generally well-intentioned illustration of both pros and cons of the format.
Over eight hours, Genius: MLK/X uses a frequently on-the-nose back-and-forth approach to the lives of Martin Luther King Jr....
- 1/31/2024
- by Daniel Fienberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The premiere of National Geographic’s “Genius: MLK/X” was held at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Los Angeles on Monday, January 29. Following a star-studded red carpet and screening of the first episode titled “Graduation,” a panel was hosted by civil rights advocate and law professor Kimberlé Crenshaw. Panelists included executive producers Reggie Rock Bythewood, Gina Prince-Bythewood and Brian Grazer, actors Kelvin Harrison Jr., Weruche Opia (Coretta Scott King), Aaron Pierre (Malolm X), Jayme Lawson (Betty Shabazz), showrunners Raphael Jackson Jr. and Damione Madedon, director Channing Godfrey Peoples and writer Jeff Stetson. Read the partial transcript from the event below.
Episode 1 (“Graduation”) is an intense focus on the formative years of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X and their experiences and relationships as young children and teens that shape and influence the iconic figures they would become. Malcolm’s release from prison and King’s graduation from Boston University...
Episode 1 (“Graduation”) is an intense focus on the formative years of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X and their experiences and relationships as young children and teens that shape and influence the iconic figures they would become. Malcolm’s release from prison and King’s graduation from Boston University...
- 1/31/2024
- by Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
Fresh off an acclaimed performance as the Chevalier de Saint-Georges in “Chevalier,” Kelvin Harrison Jr. takes on the mantle of another historic figure, Martin Luther King Jr., in the new season of “Genius.” But unlike past installments of this National Geographic anthology series which have focused on Albert Einstein, Pablo Picasso and Aretha Franklin, this season centers on King and Malcolm X, played by Aaron Pierre. Watch the official trailer for “Genius: MLK/X” above; the first episodes air on February 1.
The trailer begins by showing the only time King and Malcolm X ever met, which took place in 1964 in Washington, D.C.. The eight-episode season follows the two icons from their adolescence through to their assassinations, drawing out the parallels in their journeys as they both “fight against oppression.” The show will shine a spotlight not only on their public struggles and triumphs, but also their family lives and...
The trailer begins by showing the only time King and Malcolm X ever met, which took place in 1964 in Washington, D.C.. The eight-episode season follows the two icons from their adolescence through to their assassinations, drawing out the parallels in their journeys as they both “fight against oppression.” The show will shine a spotlight not only on their public struggles and triumphs, but also their family lives and...
- 1/29/2024
- by David Buchanan
- Gold Derby
Luther Vandross’ voice was the soundtrack of many Black millennial childhoods. Personally, I would wake up every Sunday to church music followed by his hit single “Never Too Much,” which still stops most people in their tracks to this day. In the documentary Luther: Never Too Much, director Dawn Porter chronicles a his journey to stardom and how he manifested the career he desired.
His path begins in the culturally rich landscape of Harlem’s Apollo Theater. Vandross was influenced by the likes of Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin. His earliest musical forays came as part of the group Listen My Brother, which was formed by childhood friends in Harlem committed to harnessing their vocal talents. The group provided not just his first brush with critical acclaim, but an artistic environment steeped in collective ambition that drove him to sharpen his abilities.
That is until his career took a pivotal...
His path begins in the culturally rich landscape of Harlem’s Apollo Theater. Vandross was influenced by the likes of Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin. His earliest musical forays came as part of the group Listen My Brother, which was formed by childhood friends in Harlem committed to harnessing their vocal talents. The group provided not just his first brush with critical acclaim, but an artistic environment steeped in collective ambition that drove him to sharpen his abilities.
That is until his career took a pivotal...
- 1/28/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
When American soul and R&b icon Luther Vandross sang, he didn’t just produce beautiful musical sounds. He caressed and coddled each note with his famously velvety tenor voice, considering where to linger, when to whisper, or to gradually crescendo with an impeccable and ever-influential technique. In other words, he didn’t only sing, but created something ethereal, something that both pushed the form and felt like it gently poured straight out of his soul.
Considering the stamp he put on the American music industry, it feels strange that there hasn’t yet been a definitive documentary about Vandross’ unsung legacy until Dawn Porter’s “Luther: Never Too Much,” which had its world premiere recently at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. But that delay is perhaps fortuitous — after experiencing Porter’s loving portrait of the virtuosic musician, producer, and songwriter, you can’t imagine Vandross’ story being told by anyone else.
Considering the stamp he put on the American music industry, it feels strange that there hasn’t yet been a definitive documentary about Vandross’ unsung legacy until Dawn Porter’s “Luther: Never Too Much,” which had its world premiere recently at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. But that delay is perhaps fortuitous — after experiencing Porter’s loving portrait of the virtuosic musician, producer, and songwriter, you can’t imagine Vandross’ story being told by anyone else.
- 1/26/2024
- by Tomris Laffly
- Indiewire
When Cicely Tyson started crafting her 2021 memoir Just As I Am, her longtime friend and fashion designer, B Michael, began to conceptualize an idea for a book of his own, cataloging their working relationship together from the day the barrier-breaking actress first stepped foot in his atelier in 2005.
“She loved it and said that would be great and amazing, but [told the designer] ‘Help me finish my book first,’” B Michael recalls, laughing.
When Tyson passed away on Jan. 28, 2021, just two days after her memoir was published, B Michael put his book idea on the back burner.
Now three years later, Muse Cicely Tyson and Me: A Relationship Forged in Fashion, has come to fruition from publisher Harper Collins. In it, B Michael pairs the looks he created for Tyson over the last 16 years of her life with both the historical context and personal emotion tied to each event. Those moments include Tyson...
“She loved it and said that would be great and amazing, but [told the designer] ‘Help me finish my book first,’” B Michael recalls, laughing.
When Tyson passed away on Jan. 28, 2021, just two days after her memoir was published, B Michael put his book idea on the back burner.
Now three years later, Muse Cicely Tyson and Me: A Relationship Forged in Fashion, has come to fruition from publisher Harper Collins. In it, B Michael pairs the looks he created for Tyson over the last 16 years of her life with both the historical context and personal emotion tied to each event. Those moments include Tyson...
- 1/23/2024
- by Brande Victorian
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In her latest documentary, Luther: Never Too Much, Dawn Porter crafts a striking profile of a singular musician. That Luther Vandross, who died in 2005, hasn’t gotten the documentary treatment until now is surprising considering his imprint on the music industry. Vandross — a true multi-hyphenate — sang, arranged and produced records for himself and other iconic artists. He worked with David Bowie, Aretha Franklin and Dionne Warwick, for example. He wasn’t just popular with fans for his velvety voice and romantic numbers; he was beloved by industry stalwarts, some of whom appear in Porter’s documentary. Even for those familiar with the “Never Too Much” crooner, Porter’s project is essential viewing.
Premiering at Sundance, Luther: Never Too Much is a trove of archival material. Porter uses rehearsal footage, concert videos, old interviews with Vandross and newer ones with his friends and family to tell the musician’s story. The...
Premiering at Sundance, Luther: Never Too Much is a trove of archival material. Porter uses rehearsal footage, concert videos, old interviews with Vandross and newer ones with his friends and family to tell the musician’s story. The...
- 1/22/2024
- by Lovia Gyarkye
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Although it isn’t structured any differently from dozens of other cradle-to-grave documentaries about artistic luminaries, “Luther: Never Too Much” sheds light on much more than just the life and career of R&b singer Luther Vandross. Drawn largely from interview and performance footage of Vandross over his almost 40 years in entertainment, and bolstered and contextualized by retrospective talks will collaborators and confidantes, director Dawn Porter’s film exposes some uneasy truths about the music industry and the media we may now know, but whose seeming ubiquitousness at the time he was alive may be difficult to fully comprehend.
White audience members in particular may stand to learn the most about him — a fact Porter pointedly attributes to the genre siloes of radio’s heyday and cultural prejudices against black singers who weren’t thin or light-skinned enough to receive the opportunity to cross over from R&b to pop.
White audience members in particular may stand to learn the most about him — a fact Porter pointedly attributes to the genre siloes of radio’s heyday and cultural prejudices against black singers who weren’t thin or light-skinned enough to receive the opportunity to cross over from R&b to pop.
- 1/21/2024
- by Todd Gilchrist
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: As George Clinton is preparing to get his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a new documentary about the Parliament-Funkadelic founder is in the works.
Clinton, a funk pioneer, is the subject of Mommy, What’s a Funkadelic?.
The documentary is written by Ishmael Reed, the author behind novels including Mumbo, Jumbo and known as the father of Afrofuturism, and co-directed by Alan Elliott, director of Aretha Franklin film Amazing Grace, and Christopher Harris, director of films including Reckless Eyeballing and Still/Here.
CAA and 3Arts are helping the filmmakers find financing. You can watch a trailer, narrated by Harry Lennix and introduced by Presidential candidate Dr. Cornel West, below.
Mommy, What’s a Funkadelic? tells the story of Clinton, his alter egos and friends. It is a somewhat absurdist take on the history of Parliament-Funkadelic featuring never-before-granted access to his archive.
It comes as...
Clinton, a funk pioneer, is the subject of Mommy, What’s a Funkadelic?.
The documentary is written by Ishmael Reed, the author behind novels including Mumbo, Jumbo and known as the father of Afrofuturism, and co-directed by Alan Elliott, director of Aretha Franklin film Amazing Grace, and Christopher Harris, director of films including Reckless Eyeballing and Still/Here.
CAA and 3Arts are helping the filmmakers find financing. You can watch a trailer, narrated by Harry Lennix and introduced by Presidential candidate Dr. Cornel West, below.
Mommy, What’s a Funkadelic? tells the story of Clinton, his alter egos and friends. It is a somewhat absurdist take on the history of Parliament-Funkadelic featuring never-before-granted access to his archive.
It comes as...
- 1/19/2024
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
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