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← Older posts Newer posts →NECESSARY ROUGHNESS ON USA NETWORK
June 21, 2012ABOUT NECESSARY ROUGHNESS All-new episodes every Wednesday at 10/9c, only on USA Network Dr. Dani Santino (Callie Thorne) thought she had it all figured out: she had a beautiful home, a successful husband, two great teenaged kids, and a satisfying career as a psychotherapist. But when she caught her husband cheating, Dani’s perfect world began to unravel, and she was forced to find a way to keep her family, her finances, and her sanity intact. Then a romantic encounter with Matt (Marc Blucas), the handsome trainer of the local pro football team, the New York Hawks, leads to the chance for Dani to demonstrate her special brand of “tough love” therapy. Before she can say “Hail Mary,” Dani has taken on the team’s unpredictable star wide receiver, Terrence “TK” King (Mehcad Brooks), as a patient and has become the most sought-after therapist for pro athletes and other high-profile personalities on Long Island. Even with the ups and downs of being a newly divorced single parent and being employed by a demanding organization with its very own “Fixer”—the mysterious Nico (Scott Cohen)—Dani begins to find her footing. As football season ramps up once again, Dr. Dani has a whole new batch of issues to tackle, both personally and professionally. Now that she’s more deeply invested in the Hawks players’ welfare—and in a new relationship with Matt—the pressure is definitely on to hold it all together, all while trying to keep her kids on track. It’s a whole new season…and a whole new set of crazy. ABOUT THE ACTORS: Callie Thorne Actress Callie Thorne has made a name for herself appearing in many of television’s most celebrated series. She is perhaps best known for her performance as Sheila Keefe on the critically acclaimed, Emmy-nominated FX drama “Rescue Me,” starring Denis …
Posted in Highlight | Leave a comment‘Smash’ Enlists Oscar Winner Jennifer Hudson for Season 2
June 20, 2012The “Dreamgirls” alum is joining NBC’s Broadway drama for a multiple-episode arc. 4:05 PM PDT 6/22/2012 by Lesley Goldberg Smash’s upcoming second season has added a dream girl. Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson has landed a multiple-episode arc on the NBC Broadway drama, the network announced Friday. Hudson, who won a supporting actress Academy Award for the musical Dreamgirls, will play Veronica Moore, a Tony-winning Broadway star who impacts the lives of Karen (Katharine McPhee) and Ivy (Megan Hilty). “We’re thrilled to have Jennifer Hudson coming to Smash,” NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt said. “This series is a showcase for some of the best musical talent in the business, and that’s a fitting description for Jennifer Hudson. Her character will represent someone who reached their Broadway dream but also paid a price for it.” Hudson will make her debut in the Season 2 premiere, which is slated for midseason. The Season 3 American Idol finalist, also a Golden Globe and Grammy winner, joins an already impressive cast of Broadway stars including Tony nominee Jeremy Jordan, who will play a Brooklyn-born singer with a self-destructive streak. “First Dreamgirls,’ now Smash. I have no doubt Jennifer will continue to deliver even more inspiration to the audience responsible for giving us a second season on NBC,” executive producer Steven Spielberg said. “It’s wonderful to be reunited with her at DreamWorks Television and NBC.” Hudson’s casting comes after the musical drama gave walking papers to four stars from its freshman run, including Jaime Cepero (Ellis), Raza Jaffrey (Dev) and Brian D’Arcy James (Frank). James will return in some capacity to wrap up his storyline opposite Debra Messing‘s Julia. Gossip Girl‘s Josh Safran boarded the series as showrunner in April. Hudson’s credits include the Sex and the City feature and The Secret Life of …
Posted in Highlight | Leave a commentREAL MEN COOK – Father’s Day – Atlanta
June 18, 2012REAL MEN COOK – GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER – ATLANTA, GA For the past 14 years, Real Men Cook® For Charity Atlanta (RMC Atlanta) continues to raise the bar, producing a stellar Father’s Day event that pays homage to Black men. This year was no different. In addition to over 100 men sharing exquisite cuisine with thousands of guests, RMC featured the uplifting sounds of singer, minister, and radio personality, Darlene McCoy; and, national radio personality and best selling author, Michael Baisden shared hosting duties with writer, director and producer of The Bobby Jones Gospel Countdown, Rick Joyner. The event took place Sunday, June 17, 2012 from 3-6 P.M. at the Georgia World Congress Center Thomas Murphy Ballroom in Atlanta. In addition to his hosting duties, Baisden signed copies of his newly released political/action thriller, “Maintenance Man II.” Other highlights includde a performance by Wanda Trent Phillips and America’s Got Talent singer, Xavier Lewis, and the give-away of a Jamaican vacation courtesy of The Jewel Dunn’s River Beach Resort Spa among other prizes. RMC 2012 charity partners are Real Men Charities and Hearts of Steel (heartsofsteel.org), a nonprofit formed to assist Ian Weeks, 32, of Cartel Catering raise over $400,000 for a desperately needed heart transplant. Weeks must accumulate the finances in order to be placed on the transplant list. Founded in 1989 by Karega Kofi Moyo and Yvette Moyo Gillard, Real Men Charities, is the national not-for-profit organization that presents the Real Men Cook events to honor fathers and father figures to empower families. The organization’s focus includes year round prostate cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular health awareness. Honorary chairmen for RMC Atlanta include: Congressman John Lewis; Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed; Donnie Cochran, The Coca Cola Company; Council President Ceasar Mitchell; Councilmen Michael Bond and C. T. Martin; Roger Bobb, …
Posted in Photos | Leave a commentKERRY WASHINGTON
June 12, 2012Emmy Hopeful: Kerry Washington – ‘Scandal’ By JARETT WIESELMAN June 11, 2012 In its all-too-short first season, ABC’s Scandal not only emerged as an unpredictably daring drama, but a splendid showcase for star Kerry Washington’s dangerous yet delicate mix of venom and vulnerability. Now, with the 7-episode series hitting DVD, there is no better time to see what all the fuss is about. Especially since Kerry Washington’s name is in the mix for a Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Emmy Nomination. ETOnline caught up with the actress while she was in NYC to find out how she snagged the role, the lessons she learned about working on a TV show steered by creator Shonda Rhimes and — spoiler alert — what she knows about Quinn’s true identity! ETOnline: The Scandal DVD (out 6/12) includes your audition tape. Is that a process you enjoy? Kerry Washington: On a good day, I really enjoy auditioning because it’s an excuse to do what I love for 15 minutes. But it requires me to be at a level of passionate detachment, where I’m not fearful of the result. I think it’s fun to include on a DVD. I mean, it’s crazy and embarrassing for us, but fun for viewers. ETOnline: What was the audition process like for Scandal? Washington: This was a highly coveted role and I wanted this … but I had to beat out a lot of other actresses. Shonda and I had never met before, so I really didn’t know if I got it. I knew that I loved this character and this show was obviously a tremendous opportunity. I just didn’t know how it was going to go until I got the call. ETOnline: What is it about Olivia Pope that you were drawn to? Washington: She is …
Posted in Celebrity Profile | Leave a commentWINNIE
May 25, 2012TDJ ENTERPRISES / TDJ INDEPENDENTS SIGNS ON AS EXECUTIVE PRODCER FOR WINNIE MANDELA BIOPIC “WINNIE” AND “A MILLION COLOURS” TDJ Enterprises / TDJ Independents announced recently that the company has signed on as executive producer to two new films — the highly-anticipated feature “Winnie,” the untold love story of Winnie and Nelson Mandela starring Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson and Academy Award nominee Terrence Howard, and”A Million Colours,” the opening film at the 2012 Hollywood Black Film Festival. Following the success of “Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day” — a TDJ Independents feature that topped its opening weekend’s box office for indies and outpaced all releases that same period on per-screen average — TDJ Enterprises is now leveraging the growing power of the company’s brand to create a global platform for projects that might not otherwise reach a broad audience. “Stories like ‘Winnie’ and ‘A Million Colours’ are important historically and socially. Collaborations like this offer us a unique ability to provide the global community a window into African culture through the creation of quality content,” said T.D. Jakes. “TDJ Enterprises is excited to work with creative professionals like producer André Pieterse and others to bridge the cultural divide and fuel a freedom of expression that produces dynamic films.” With production recently completed on both films, TDJ Enterprises will serve in an executive producer capacity helping to develop domestic marketing and distribution channels for both films. This opportunity provides TDJ Enterprises with content for both its mainstream division, which boasts box-office successes like last summer’s runaway hit “Jumping the Broom,” and the upcoming “Sparkle” through the company’s first-look deal with Sony. The deal will also provide content for TDJ Independents, the company’s outlet for indie films. Says producer André Pieterse, a thirty-five year veteran of the film industry: …
Posted in Movie News | 1 CommentKENTUCKY DERBY 2012 – HATS, SOIREES, HORSE RACES & MORE!
May 4, 201211:30 pm – 5/6/2012 What a whirlwind of a weekend it was for me in Louisville, but the 138th running of the Kentucky Derby is HISTORY! My day was so full yesterday (Derby Day) that I didn’t get a chance to blog about my experiences, but it was all good – the weather, the races, the socializing, the hats. I discovered some years ago (with my girlfriends) that the best way to get to the Derby is not by car. It’s easier to catch one of the special, Derby passenger buses that takes you right to the entrance of Churchill Downs. The cost was $20 to get a roundtrip bus ticket to the track from a downtown hotel. I arrived at Churchill Downs mid afternoon to the largest crowd Churchill Downs had ever seen for a Derby – 165,307! After navigating through the massive crowd a bit, taking pictures and being snapped by photographers everywhere, I decided to head to the Red Carpet area with one of my Derby Diva friends, Penny. We caught up with a few celebs briefly – on their way inside to watch the races – Mary J. Blige, Travis Tritt, Cyndi Lauper, Debra Messing, Cal Ripken, Erin Andrews, along with several other entertainers and athletes. With the temperature feeling like it was close to 100 degrees, chasing down a celeb for a photograph just didn’t seem that appealing to me, so after about 30 minutes of snapping photos, I decided to stand in line for some freshly made lemonade and some kernel popcorn. I had only eaten a light snack before leaving for the Derby (I planned to eat a good meal once I arrived), but the lines at the food vendors were way too long for me. Popcorn and lemonade would have to do. When a guy approached me – telling me that a young lady and …
Posted in Photos | Leave a comment“SINGLE LADIES” RETURNS ON VH1 Memorial Day
May 2, 2012VH1 IS SERVING A SECOND SEASON OF LOVE, SEX AND RELATIONSHIPS THIS MEMORIAL DAY WITH THE RETURN OF HIT SCRIPTED SERIES “SINGLE LADIES” Season 2 Premieres May 28 AT 9PM ET/PT Guest Appearances Include: Big Boi, Chilli, Eve, La La Anthony, Lauren London, Paula Patton, Rick Fox, Romeo, T.I., William Levy, Executive Producer Queen Latifah and Others VH1 and Queen Latifah’s Flavor Unit Entertainment are bringing sexy back to summer with the Memorial Day second season premiere of the hit scripted series “Single Ladies.” After averaging 3 million total viewers during premiere plus first encore each Monday night, VH1′s first hour-long scripted series returns with fan favorites LisaRaye McCoy (Keisha) and Charity Shea (April), along with the series debut of actress Denise Vasi (Raquel) as a new co-lead. “Single Ladies” season 2 will premiere May 28 at 9PM ET/PT on VH1. Season 2 of VH1′s “Single Ladies” turns up the heat and brings a whole new dose of sex, love and betrayal for Keisha, April and Raquel. Still reeling from Malcolm’s run-in with the FBI, Keisha (LisaRaye McCoy) is forced to decide just how loyal she is to her flame, especially since the facts aren’t lining up in Malcolm’s favor. With the surprise return of the man who broke her heart, Keisha finds herself reminiscing on the past and wondering if she ended things too quickly. April (Charity Shea) finds herself entering the dating game after being off the market since she was 18 years old. But she is discovering the game isn’t quite what she remembers. Meanwhile, newcomer Raquel (Denise Vasi) has spent her entire life living up to her parents’ expectations. A long-time childhood friend of Keisha’s, Raquel has found herself in the role of the “good girl” for years. With encouragement from Keisha and April, Raquel finds …
Posted in Highlight | Leave a commentLL Cool J
April 30, 2012“Unity is one of the prerequisites to success. Keep things real. Get on your knees and pray, be grounded, be centered, and really work towards your goal.” LL Cool J, Rapper/Actor
Posted in Celebrity Success Tips | Leave a commentBeyoncé Knowles – People Magazine Names Beyoncé World’s Most Beautiful Woman of 2012
April 27, 2012“You cannot let people get you down. You have to continuously pray and stay positive – even when everybody else is negative.” Beyoncé Knowles, Performer/Actress
Posted in Celebrity Success Tips | Leave a commentThink Like A Man – Box Office Hit
April 27, 2012One guy loves his girlfriend, but when is he going to grow up and propose? One woman wants a man as successful as she is, but what about the up-and-comer right under her nose? Then there’s the ladies’ man with his sights set on that smart beauty, but will her standards throw him off his game? How about that sweet guy who can’t break free of his mother’s infantilizing affection to recognize the love he has with the cute single mom? Sounds like these people need some words of wisdom, the kind that can only come from bestselling author Steve Harvey. The question is, how should they use that advice? The sharp, funny and truth-telling romantic comedy Think Like A Man is an ingenious adaptation of comedian and nationally syndicated radio host Steve Harvey’s New York Times best-selling book, Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man. In the film, four interconnected and diverse friends have their love lives shaken up after the women they are pursuing buy Steve Harvey’s book and start taking his advice to heart. When the band of brothers finds out that they have been betrayed by one of their own, they conspire to use the book’s teachings to turn the tables. The romantic comedy stars Michael Ealy (Takers, For Colored Girls), Jerry Ferrara (“Entourage”), Meagan Good (Jumping The Broom, Stomp The Yard), Regina Hall (Scary Movie, Law Abiding Citizen), Kevin Hart (Death At A Funeral, Not Easily Broken), Taraji P. Henson (Hustle & Flow, Karate Kid), Terrence J (BET’s “106 & Park,” Stomp The Yard: Homecoming), Jenifer Lewis, Romany Malco (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, No Ordinary Family), Gary Owen (Little Man, Daddy Day Care), Gabrielle Union (Cadillac Records, Bad Boys II), and Chris Brown (Stomp the Yard, This Christmas). LaLa Anthony (Two Can Play That Game) …
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