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Posts tagged as “NBC”

‘SNL’ Adds Sasheer Zamata, First Black Female Cast Member in Years

By goodblacknews on January 6, 2014
sasheer zamata
According to Variety.com, Sasheer Zamata will be the latest young comedian to join NBC’s Saturday Night Live,  Zamata will make her debut as an SNL featured player on Jan. 18, the late-night program’s first live show of this new year. Zamata is a University of Virginia alumna and trained at the Upright Citizens Brigade.
Zamata will be SNL’s first black female cast member since the departure of Maya Rudolph in 2007. SNL and its producer Lorne Michaels came under fire in late 2013 over the cast’s lack of diversity, and the series poked fun at its own controversy during its opening segment when Kerry Washington hosted SNL in November 2013.  News broke at the end of the year that SNL was holding auditions specifically to find black female cast members to join the program in 2014.
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson

Jamaica's Tessanne Chin Wins Season 5 of "The Voice"

By goodblacknews on December 17, 2013

2D10158191-131217-ent-voice-tessanne.blocks_desktop_smallJamaican reggae singer Tessanne Chin was declared the winner of the fifth season of NBC’s The Voice tonight.  “Jamaica is celebrating with the United States,” said host Carson Daly after the big reveal, as fireworks exploded in the background.    Sharing Tessanne’s victory was her coach, Adam Levine — the second time one of his artists has claimed the top prize.   “It’s been nothing but a joy to work with you,” she told her mentor moments before learning about her win. “You’ve been a shoulder to cry on, you’ve been a friend, you’ve been invested, you’ve been true. I love you, I trust you.”
Tessanne’s emotional journey tugged at the heartstrings of fans, especially after her stunning, tearful performance of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” last week.  Alluding to the personal circumstances affecting his mentee, Adam explained at the time, “The things that [are] upsetting you are very intense and very serious, and we all respect that, but I know what you’re going through.”
But on Tuesday, everyone on The Voice stage was smiling — including the singers Tessanne defeated. Sixteen-year-old Jacquie Lee, coached by Christina Aguilera, was the runner-up, while musician Will Champlin — also from Team Adam — came in third place.   But Jacquie and Will didn’t walk away empty-handed. In fact, they drove away: At a special tour of Universal Studios’ back lot, all three finalists learned that they had each won a brand-new Kia car.
The two-hour live telecast also featured performances by Lady Gaga (teaming up with Christina, whom she’d just met), Celine Dion (dueting both with Tessanne and, later, Ne-Yo), Alloe Black (with Will), Paramore (with Jacquie) and OneRepublic.

NBC To Reboot Detective Series "Murder, She Wrote" With Octavia Spencer Starring

By goodblacknews on October 24, 2013

Octavia Spencer
According to Deadline.com, NBC is looking to remake one of the most successful female-led series in TV history – Murder, She Wrote – which ran on CBS from 1984 to 1996 and stared Angela Landsbury as amateur detective Jessica Fletcher.  The new version will star Academy Award-winner Octavia Spencer, and is being reimagined as “a light, contemporary procedural in the vein of Bones or Fargo, which follows a hospital administrator and amateur sleuth (Spencer) who self-publishes her first mystery novel.  Set in a day where sensational headlines inundate the news, this woman’s avid fascination with true crime leads her to become an active participant in the investigations.”  Former Desperate Housewives executive producer Alexandra Cunningham is writing and will executive produce with David Janollari.
Murder would mark the first series regular role for Spencer, who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for The Help. She previously worked with NBC chairman Bob Greenblatt and Janollari on the 2001 Sci Fi Channel series The Chronicle, which the two executive produced and she recurred on.  Spencer’s involvement in Murder, She Wrote stems from an exploratory meeting she took with Greenblatt. “I’ve always considered myself an armchair detective and in a recent meeting with Bob Greenblatt, he asked me what type of character would be able to lure me to TV. Naturally, I said ” J.B. Fletcher” meets “Colombo”… And here we are,” she said.
“I’m ecstatic to have the opportunity to work with Dave Janollari again, and Alex Cunningham a brilliant writer who shares my love for all things mysterious and Angela Lansbury.” Cunningham also spoke of her and Spencer’s shared passions. “Octavia and I are both huge true crime buffs, amateur criminologists, and fans of Angela Lansbury,” she said. “To get the chance to reimagine Murder, She Wrote for a dynamic and multi-faceted actress like Octavia is a thrill and a pleasure.”
Spencer recently wrapped production on Black And White opposite Kevin Costner and is about to begin filming the James Brown biopic Get on Up while also promoting her debut novel, Randi Rhodes, Ninja Detective: The Case of the Time-Capsule Bandit. 
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson

Kerry Washington to Host "Saturday Night Live" on November 2nd

By goodblacknews on October 16, 2013

"Scandal" and "Django Unchained" Actress Kerry Washington
Kerry Washington

In the midst of ongoing debate about diversity (or the lack thereof) on the cast of Saturday Night Live, comes the news that Scandal star Kerry Washington will be hosting the show for the first time on November 2nd.
Although best known for her dramatic film roles in Django Unchained and Save The Last Dance, Washington has shown her comedic chops in movies like Peeples and I Think I Love My Wife.  SNL, which is currently in its 38th season, has been under fire for not featuring any people of color among its six new cast members.
Black comedian Kenan Thompson, a veteran of the show, has argued that producers have had trouble finding African-American women who are “ready” to perform on SNL.
Washington will be joined by musical guest Eminem, making his sixth appearance on the show.
article via thegrio.com

TV One Lands Rights to Broadcast NAACP Awards For Next Five Years

By goodblacknews on October 7, 2013

naacp-image-award__131007152952-275x479The NAACP and TV One network have inked a five-year agreement for the NAACP Image Awards, beginning with the live airing of the 45th NAACP Image Awards in February 2014. The Image Awards had long been a staple on broadcast TV. They aired on NBC for nine years before moving to Fox. NBC took over as a network home for the last two editions of the awards show, which honors “the accomplishments of people of color in the fields of television, music, literature and film and also honors individuals or groups who promote social justice through creative endeavors.”
TV One said it will air live broadcasts of the Image Awards and red carpet arrivals in 2014. In addition, the network will provide promotional support on TV One, Radio One and Reach Media, Interactive One, and via a multi-platform marketing campaign.
article by Nellie Andreeva via deadline.com

Sybrina Fulton Speaks Out Against Stop-And-Frisk Policies (VIDEO)

By goodblacknews on August 19, 2013

Sybrina FultonThe mother of Trayvon Martin spoke out Sunday against the stop-and-frisk police practice in New York City, saying neither police nor civilians have the right to stop someone because of their race.  Critics say the stops target blacks and Hispanics who aren’t doing anything wrong. Earlier this week, a judge told New York City that its policy was racial discrimination. The city plans to appeal.  “You can’t give people the authority, whether civilian or police officers the right to just stop somebody because of the color of their skin,” Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton said on NBC’s Meet the Press.
Over the past decade, New York police have stopped, questioned and sometimes patted down about 5 million people; 87 percent were black or Hispanic. About 10 percent of the stops spur an arrest or summons. Police find weapons a fraction of the time.  New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly defended the use of stop and frisk Sunday and said violent crimes would increase if the practice were abandoned.  “The losers in this, if this case is allowed to stand, are people who live in minority communities,” he said on CBS’ Face the Nation.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zGRfLBRQEM&w=420&h=315]Fulton’s attorney, Benjamin Crump, said the stop and frisk policy targeted people by race and noted it was still being used as the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech approached.  “It actually takes us away from his poignant words of, ‘I dreamed my children would be judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin,’” Crump said.  Fulton has said neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman “got away with murder” in the 2012 killing of her son, largely because of Florida’s self-defense law.
Protesters had been occupying part of the Capitol in Tallahassee, calling for an examination of the Florida law since Zimmerman was acquitted last month. Zimmerman claimed self-defense in shooting the 17-year-old Martin during a fight; Martin’s supporters say Zimmerman profiled and followed him because Martin was black.
article by Associated Press via blackamericaweb.com

Chicago Boyz Acrobatic Team Wows on "America's Got Talent"

By goodblacknews on July 11, 2013

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5bI7TwZnM8&w=560&h=315]
Chicago_Boyz_Acrobatic_Team_Creative_Jum_105433971_thumbnailIn case you missed it, check out the amazing acrobatic team, Chicago Boyz, performing on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” last week.  Their amazing talent and inspiring story made for great television — they made it to the next round in Las Vegas, and hopefully will go all the way to the finals to compete for the $1 million prize.
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson

Hip-Hop Band The Roots Grow Large in New Philadelphia Mural

By goodblacknews on June 3, 2013
Workmen sweep in front of a new mural honoring The Roots, Friday, May 31, 2013, in Philadelphia. As a teen growing up in Philadelphia, Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter got busted for graffiti and was ordered by a judge to clean up such vandalism by painting murals. Now, Trotter and his Grammy-winning band The Roots are scheduled to attend Friday the unveiling of a city-sanctioned mural in their honor. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Workmen sweep in front of a new mural honoring The Roots in Philadelphia. As a teen growing up in Philadelphia, Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter got busted for graffiti and was ordered by a judge to clean up such vandalism by painting murals. Now, Trotter and his Grammy-winning band The Roots are scheduled to attend Friday the unveiling of a city-sanctioned mural in their honor. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The house band for NBC’s “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” is living large in its hometown of Philadelphia. Members of The Roots are now depicted on a multistory mural on the back wall of a school. The group attended a dedication of the project on Friday, May 31st.
The mural is called “Legendary.” It uses a colorful collage of images to trace the history of the Grammy Award-winning hip-hop group. Roots drummer Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson says it’s difficult to believe how far the band has come since its founding in the city in 1992. The art project was created by the city’s Mural Arts Program. There are more than 3,600 murals in Philadelphia.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press via thegrio.com

Usher, Darius Rucker Join Oklahoma Tornado Benefit Concert

By goodblacknews on May 28, 2013
(Images courtesy of Getty)
(Usher, Darius Rucker; Images courtesy of Getty)

The event, titled “Healing in the Heartland: Relief Benefit Concert,” was organized by country singer and native Oklahoman Blake Shelton. Joining Rucker and Usher, who worked with Shelton on The Voice, are country stars Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Rascal Flatts and Reba McEntire, among others listed in the lineup.
“I’m hoping it will raise a lot of money,” Shelton told Billboard after announcing his project during last Tuesday’s edition of The Voice.  According to Reuters, the May 20 tornado was the deadliest windstorm to hit the United States in two years and left 24 dead and 377 injured. After decimating the city of Moore and surrounding areas, the tornado caused an estimated $2 to $5 billion worth of property damage and loss while over 1,200 homes were left destroyed.
The proceeds from the benefit concert will go to the United Way of Central Oklahoma May Tornadoes Relief Fund and will be used for recovery and rebuilding needs.  The concert will be held tomorrow, May 29, and is set to air on NBC at 9 p.m. EST. According to the network, tickets went on sale Saturday morning and were sold out within five minutes.
article by Lilly Workneh via thegrio.com

NBC's 'Ironside' with Blair Underwood – 1st Trailer Out (VIDEO)

By goodblacknews on May 13, 2013

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4D_R4eZ9Yt4&w=560&h=315]
Blair UnderwoodIn the ongoing quest to reinvent the police procedural, NBC has revamped the 1967-75 hit “Ironside.” The original starred Raymond Burr as a San Francisco cop paralyzed by a sniper’s bullet and confined to a wheelchair, thus forced to solve crimes using his wits. This time around, the action moves to New York City and Blair Underwood takes the chair.
“Ironside” will air on NBC Wednesdays at 10:00 p.m. this fall. 
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/starr-raving/see-the-first-trailer-from-nbcs-gritty-take-on-ironside-with-blair-underwood#AALbVpqUGKHgjWcI.99