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Posts tagged as “Nick Cannon”

Keke Palmer, Questlove, Ciara and Others Encourage Students to Apply to College Via Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher Initiative’s “Laundry” Campaign

By goodblacknews on November 21, 2018
Keke Palmer, Nick Cannon, Questlove and Kelly Rowland urge students to pledge to apply to college via Reach Higher’s “Laundry” campaign (screenshot via youtube)

It’s November! And that means it’s National College Application Month. Celebrate by joining former first lady Michelle Obama alongside Keke Palmer, Ciara, Bailee Madison, Karlie Kloss, Nick Cannon, Questlove, Kelly Rowland and many more for the launch of Reach Higher’s all-new “Laundry” campaign!

In the hands of college admissions offices across the nation are applications for entrance into college. Why not be one of them? Students across the country are encouraged to pledge to apply. After all, Knowledge is Power and Reach Higher has rolled out a fun, encouraging campaign to get students to apply.

The celebration began Thursday, November 8th, as celebrities and other notable figures shared social media posts encouraging students across the country to pledge to apply to college. In exchange for making this commitment, celebrities are pledging to do students’ laundry for an entire semester. (In reality, the celebrities will not be able to do anyone’s laundry, but they do care a lot about students’ education.) Here’s what they have to say:

Reach Higher is an initiative started by former First Lady Michelle Obama during her time in the White House, dedicated to inspiring every student in the U.S. to complete their education past high school by attending a professional training program, a community college or a traditional university.

This video is brought to you by Reach Higher’s student-facing campaign, Better Make Room, in partnership with Fullscreen, a global leader in social-first entertainment experiences and services for the world’s top talent, digital influencers, brands and avid fans.

You can take the pledge here: https://www.bettermakeroom.org/laundry/

For more info about Better Make Room : https://www.bettermakeroom.org

Be sure to follow Reach Higher’s Laundry campaign on social media:

@BetterMakeRoom: https://twitter.com/BetterMakeRoom/status/1060547502271676417

@BetterMakeRoom: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp7GFTunInI/

Oprah Winfrey, Shonda Rhimes Join Essence to Celebrate Black Women in Hollywood, Honor Debbie Allen

By goodblacknews on February 26, 2016

Honoree Debbie Allen and family (photo via blackamericaweb.com)

article by Sandy Cohen, AP via blackamericaweb.com
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — Oscar host Chris Rock, producer Reginald Hudlin and film academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs took an afternoon off from Academy Awards preparations to celebrate black women in Hollywood.
Rock, Hudlin and Boone Isaacs were among the guests at Essence magazine’s ninth annual awards luncheon Thursday at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Rock and Boone Isaacs didn’t speak publicly; Hudlin took the stage to present an award to legendary entertainer Debbie Allen.
The annual Essence event celebrates the achievements of black women in entertainment. Actress Tracee Ellis Ross, entertainment attorney Nina Shaw and filmmaker Thais Francis were also recognized.
Francis thanked the magazine “for creating a platform of visibility.”
“A lot of us in this audience know the importance of visibility, especially during a time, in a society, in a world, in an industry that’s telling us that we’re invisible,” she said.
Shonda Rhimes, who introduced Allen as the new producing director of “Grey’s Anatomy,” called the writer-director-choreographer-performer “a force of nature.”
Producer/writer Shonda Rhimes attends the Essence 9th Annual Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Vince Bucci/Invision/AP)
Shonda Rhimes (photo via blackamericaweb.com)

“Debbie blows through an environment and changes the landscape forever,” Rhimes said.
As Allen accepted the Legend Award, she said she felt like she was in church, preaching to her sisters.
“The only plate I’m going to pass is the plate of purpose,” she said, urging the women in the audience to make real connections with each other — not just to meet up for drinks, but to work on ways of changing the world.
Shaw gave similar advice as she accepted the Power Award. The attorney for such entertainers as Laurence Fishburne, Lupita Nyong’o and Ava DuVernay was introduced by Nick Cannon and Channing Dungey, who became the first African-American to head a broadcast network when she was named president of ABC Entertainment last week.
“If you are a woman who wants to be empowered, then empower other women,” Shaw said.
“Black-ish” star Ross, accompanied by her father and older sister, Rhonda, accepted the Fierce and Fearless award. Ross said she had been sick for the past week and worried she wouldn’t be able to attend the luncheon.
“I got dressed in the car,” she said. “I’m unclear if what I’m wearing is see-through. If it is, I’m sorry.”  She said the recognition from Essence “is truly one of the proudest moments I’ve experienced.”
Oprah Winfrey opened the program, which will air Saturday on OWN.
To read more, go to: http://blackamericaweb.com/2016/02/26/oprah-winfrey-shonda-rhimes-join-essence-to-celebrate-black-women-in-hollywood-honor-debbie-allen/

Debbie Allen, Tracee Ellis Ross and Nina Shaw To Be Honored At ESSENCE's Black Women in Hollywood Event

By goodblacknews on February 2, 2016
BWIH 2016
Nina Shaw, Tracee Ellis Ross and Debbie Allen (photo via essence.com)

From Essence.com:  ESSENCE is gearing up to honor and celebrate three bright talents in entertainment for our 9th annual Black Women in Hollywood event.
Black-ish star Tracee Ellis Ross will take home the Fierce & Fearless award, iconic director, producer and actress Debbie Allen is being honored with the Legend award, and entertainment attorney Nina Shaw will be presented with the Lincoln Power award.
In a climate where the conversation surrounding the roles, contributions and recognition of African-Americans in Hollywood is heavily charged, ESSENCE Editor-in-Chief Vanessa K. De Luca points out the importance of the event.
“We are delighted to continue the tradition of honoring exceptionally talented women who are making significant contributions as creators and performers in Hollywood. At a time when the conversation about diversity in Hollywood remains prevalent, recognizing the indomitable power and presence of Tracee Ellis Ross, Debbie Allen and Nina Shaw at our annual Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon embraces an inclusive and diverse Hollywood community.”
The Black star power doesn’t end with the phenomenal honorees! The event will also feature appearances by Oprah Winfrey, Shonda Rhimes, Nick Cannon, Ryan Coogler and Zendaya to name a few.
Fans can get full access to the event by tuning into the live stream on ESSENCE.com starting at 12:15 p.m. PT/3:15 p.m ET on February 25.
Black Women in Hollywood be televised as an ESSENCE and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network special airing Saturday, February 27 at 10 p.m ET/PT on OWN.

Spike Lee Leads Gun Violence Protest After "Chi-Raq" Premiere

By goodblacknews on December 2, 2015
chi raq premiere gun violence protest
Rev. Al Sharpton and Spike Lee (STEPHEN LOVEKIN/VARIETY/REX SHUTTERSTOCK)

The fact that Chicago’s police superintendent was fired hours before the premiere of Spike Lee’s latest feature, “Chi-Raq,” only reinforced the timeliness of the movie’s message about the senselessness of gun violence and racial discrimination. And instead of an after-party, Lee led many attendees out of Manhattan’s Ziegfeld Theater on a march down Broadway to Times Square.

The movie, the first feature produced by Amazon Studios, is a loose adaptation of the ancient Greek drama “Lysistrata.” In Lee’s telling, a group of determined women in Chicago band together to demand that their husbands and lovers put down their weapons, or lose their intimate privileges.

“It was great in 411 B.C. — it’ll work today,” Lee said of the source material Tuesday night. “This film is about changing lives.”
Chicago is among the big U.S. cities that is suffering through a spike in violence and homicides, particularly among African-Americans. Protests have rocked the city in the past few days following the release of a video showing the police shooting a 17-year-old black teenager some 16 times last year. Lee said he hoped “Chi-Raq” would help inspire others to “work harder to make America safer.”
Kevin Willmott, who co-wrote the script with Lee, said the events of the day made for a “surreal” experience at the premiere. The movie was shot in Chicago last summer over a six-week period, which allowed cast members to see first-hand the issues depicted in the story. Chicago is the “epicenter” of violence at present but these issues are hardly isolated to one city, Willmott said. “It’s an American problem,” he noted. “It’s about guns, it’s about race, it’s about jobs. There’s nothing new about the problem.”

"Drumline" Helmer Charles Stone to Direct Comedy "Ain’t No Half Steppin"

By goodblacknews on November 22, 2015
charles stone
Director Charles Stone (photo via deadline.com)
Drumline helmer Charles Stone has boarded Broad Green Pictures’s Ain’t No Half Steppin, an upbeat comedy from screenwriter Chuck Hayward (Cooper Barrett’s Guide to Surviving Life). Matt Alvarez (Straight Outta Compton, Ride Along), Lena Waithe (Master of None, Dear White People) and Benjamin Cory Jones (Hand of God) are producing. Alvarez recently joined Broad Green’s development and production team in an exclusive pact.
Broad Green PicturesAin’t No Half Steppin follows an ambitious black sorority girl who, in order to get admitted to the law school of her dreams, agrees to cross culture lines and teach the exclusive art of black Greek stepping to a band of wild, Kardashian-obsessed white sorority girls whose charter is about to be revoked.
“I just skimmed the surface of black Greek life in Drumline,” Stone said in a statement. “Ain’t No Half Steppin gives me a chance to delve deep into the art of competitive stepping. Chuck and the producing team have put together a brilliant, smart comedy, which audaciously explores the dynamics and identity politics within black and white sororities.”
Released in 2002, Drumline starred Nick Cannon as a hot high school drummer who blazes into the university big leagues. It grossed $56.4M at the domestic B.O. off a $20M estimated budget and spawned a 2014 VH1 sequel, Drumline: A New Beat.
article by by Anthony D’Alessandro via deadline.com

Amazon Studios Acquiring Spike Lee Film "Chi-Raq" as Its 1st Release

By goodblacknews on July 15, 2015
NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon Studios says it has acquired Spike Lee‘s new film as its first Amazon Original Movie.
The film, with the working title “Chi-Raq,” features a cast including Nick Cannon, Wesley Snipes, Jennifer Hudson and Teyonah Parris, as well as D.B. Sweeney, Harry Lennix, Steve Harris and Angela Bassett, plus John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson.
“Chi-Raq” was shot entirely in Chicago and wrapped last week. Directed by Lee, it was co-written by Lee and Kevin Willmott. It focuses on violence in inner-city Chicago.
Amazon Studios’ Ted Hope said, “It would be impossible to find a better filmmaker” than Lee to launch the studio with.
Amazon Original Movies, announced in January, was formed to produce and acquire original movies for theatrical release as well as distribution to its Amazon Prime members.
article via blackamericaweb.com

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon Team with Scholastic to Create A Holiday Children’s Book for 2014

By goodblacknews on January 26, 2014
The “Queen of Christmas,” known for her best-selling holiday digital single “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” makes it no secret that she loves the holidays, and is preparing to release the couple’s first book in fall 2014 — just in time for the holiday season.
The celebrity couple have paired up with children’s book heavyweight Scholastic Press to publish the festive picture book, Roc and Roe’s Twelve Days of Christmas. The book, which is a spin on the classic Christmas carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” will feature the couple’s twins Moroccan “Roc” Cannon and Monroe “Roe” Cannon. The illustrations will be handled by New York Times best-selling artist AG Ford.
The Carey-Cannon clan say they are “excited to work with the Scholastic team on our Roc and Roe picture book and we can’t wait until this holiday season. ”
“It’s been such a fun and collaborative process and we are thrilled to be working with Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey on this exciting project. Roc and Roe’s Twelve Days of Christmas is the perfect book to read with your little ones—an adorable spin on a classic tale, sprinkled with humor and heart,” said Ken Geist, VP and editorial director for Scholastic Press Picture Books.
This will be the first book for both Carey and Cannon, but knowing her love for Christmas this may not be her last festive collaboration. In the meantime, Carey is preparing her new album The Art of Letting Go to be released this spring. Cannon serves as the host of America’s Got Talent.
article by M.L. Ward via uptownmagazine.com

‘BRAG’ Gala Honors Iman, Raises $1M to Help Increase Diversity in Fashion

By goodblacknews on October 21, 2013

Iman
Long sequined gowns sparkled and crisp suits cloaked tall, masculine frames as guests arrived to the 43rd annual BRAG Gala in New York City Thursday night.  It was a spectacular evening that celebrated diversity in fashion and honored some of the industry’s most distinguished icons.
Over 600 guests arrived to the gala hosted by BRAG, a New York-based organization that has been a strong pillar of influence in recruiting and retaining diverse talent in retail and fashion-related companies.  The event was held within the spacious walls of New York’s Marriott Marquis, located in the heart of Times Square.
Among the night’s honorees were former supermodel Iman, the CEO & Founder of Iman Cosmetics, Skincare and Fragrances, Alain Lafontant, the Vice President of Business Development for Sean John, and Terry Lundgren, president and CEO of Macy’s Inc.
To BRAG, each of these individuals have achieved great accolades in their journey to success. Style expert Llyod Boston hosted the event and presented the awards to each of the deserving guests.  Lundgren, who has been the head of Macy’s for close to a decade, has actively pursued his mission in creating a work force that is as diverse as the customers who shop at the mega-department store. Because of this, and the success he has earned the multi-million dollar company, he was honored with the BRAG Business Achievement Award.
As for Iman, her walk may have landed her in some of the world’s most notable runway shows, but her entrepreneurial spirit and charitable work have made her one of fashion’s most accomplished women.  She has also proven herself to be a pioneer in the cosmetic industry after she launched Iman cosmetics to the mass market in 2004, which has since become a $25 million business and helped to make her the ideal candidate to receive the BRAG Legacy Award.

Nina Shaw Named Beverly Hills Bar Assn. Entertainment Lawyer Of The Year

By goodblacknews on March 30, 2013

Nina ShawThe Beverly Hills Bar Association will honor Nina Shaw with its 2013 Entertainment Lawyer of the Year award next month. Shaw is to be given the award by the Entertainment Law Section of the BHBA at its annual Beverly Hills Hotel dinner on April 16. A founding partner at Del, Shaw, Moonves, Tanaka, Finkelstein & Lezcano, the lawyer has specialized in the areas of television, motion picture and live stage for almost 20 years. “The Beverly Hills Bar Association recognizes Nina Shaw for her groundbreaking work in the field of entertainment law and her strategic focus on ever-evolving technology in entertainment and its far-reaching impact on the industry, as well as for her dedication to her clients and commitment to fair play in a notoriously competitive field, said BHBA Entertainment Law Section Chair Adam Siegler in a statement.
Among Shaw’s various clients, the lawyer counts Oscar winner Jamie Foxx, James Earl Jones, newly-named Who Wants To Be a Millionaire host Cedric the Entertainer and America’s Got Talent host Nick Cannon. A graduate of Barnard College and Columbia Law School, Shaw began her career in the Entertainment Department of O’Melveny & Myers. Established in 1931, the Beverly Hills Bar Association is the fifth largest bar association in California with more than 5,500 members.
article by Dominic Patten via deadline.com

BET Tops Cable Ratings with Debut of ‘Real Husbands’ and ‘Second Generation Wayans’

By goodblacknews on January 17, 2013
'Second Generation Wayans'

‘Second Generation Wayans’

Tuesday night BET premiered two new scripted series, the Real Husbands of Hollywood starring Kevin Hart, Boris Kodjoe, Nick Cannon, Robin Thicke, Duane Martin and J.B. Smoove, and Second Generation Wayans featuring Damien Dante Wayans, Craig Wayans, and Tatyana Ali.
The two news shows beat out all the competition.
According to the Hollywood Reporter the new shows topped “all of cable and rivaling most broadcast efforts during the 10 p.m. hour.”
The Real Husbands of Hollywood, a comedic spoof of the Real Housewives franchise, pulled in 4.1 million viewers during its 10:00 p.m. premiere. When combined with its 11:00 p.m. encore, the premiere episode attracted 6.5 million total viewers.
Second Generation Wayans debuted at 10:30 p.m., pulling in 3.4 million total viewers. When combined with its 11:30 p.m. encore, the premiere episode attracted 4.7 million total viewers. In total, BET’s entire Tuesday night scripted block drew over 11 million total viewers.
According to a press release from BET, Real Husbands of Hollywood and Second Generation Wayans “are now this season’s top 2 sitcom premiere telecasts on cable (not just on BET).”
Tuesday night the Real Husbands of Hollywood hashtag #RHOH was the number one trending topic worldwide on Twitter.
article by Chris Witherspoon via thegrio.com