ABC has greenlit a half-hour comedy pilot based on Kevin Hart‘s stand-up act. The sitcom will focus on a recently divorced couple who is trying to work on maintaining a friendship for the sake of their children.
Hart is not set to star in the show, but he will likely play a recurring role if it’s picked up. Neil Goldman and Garrett Donovan, of “Community” fame, will pen the script, and Hart will be one of the executive producers.
Hart’s star just continues to rise at a breakneck pace. It seems like the comedian can do no wrong. He already has “Real Husbands of Hollywood” on BET, countless films, successful stand-up tours, hosting credits, and endorsement deals.
article by Natali Rivers via uptownmagazine.com
Posts tagged as “television”
Queen Latifah’s return to daytime TV kicked off with a bang on Monday. According to reports, the premiere episode of “The Queen Latifah Show” delivered the biggest debut of the season with a 1.7 rating among households. “‘Latifah’ pulled at 0.9/5 in the key daytime demo of women 25-54, which marked an 80% spike over its time period averages in that demo last year,” Variety reports, making it “the highest-rated daytime syndie talker premiere since “Dr. Oz” in 2009.”
“It’s incredibly exciting to see such a positive response to the show we’ve been crafting for the past year,” executive producer Corin Nelson said in a press release. “And it’s just the beginning of how we plan to showcase all of Latifah’s talents and the quality of guests and entertainment this show will give viewers every day.” During a previous interview with the Associated Press, Queen Latifah said she’s more concerned about her show’s content than its ratings.
“I’m not trying to throw myself out there to get ratings,” she said. “I’m really more interested in building something that’s entertaining to people.” “I learned I really have to be true to myself,” she added. “I want to go out there and do something that feels like me every day and is something I’m comfortable with and excited about.”
The season premiere of ”The Queen Latifah Show” featured an appearance by John Travolta and performance by Willow Smith. Jamie Foxx, Sharon Stone, Will Smith and Jake Gyllenhaal are scheduled to appear on upcoming episodes.
article by Myeisha Essex via hellobeautiful.com
“It’s incredibly exciting to see such a positive response to the show we’ve been crafting for the past year,” executive producer Corin Nelson said in a press release. “And it’s just the beginning of how we plan to showcase all of Latifah’s talents and the quality of guests and entertainment this show will give viewers every day.” During a previous interview with the Associated Press, Queen Latifah said she’s more concerned about her show’s content than its ratings.
“I’m not trying to throw myself out there to get ratings,” she said. “I’m really more interested in building something that’s entertaining to people.” “I learned I really have to be true to myself,” she added. “I want to go out there and do something that feels like me every day and is something I’m comfortable with and excited about.”
The season premiere of ”The Queen Latifah Show” featured an appearance by John Travolta and performance by Willow Smith. Jamie Foxx, Sharon Stone, Will Smith and Jake Gyllenhaal are scheduled to appear on upcoming episodes.
article by Myeisha Essex via hellobeautiful.com
Criminal Minds executive producer Janine Sherman Barrois has closed a two-year overall deal with ABC Studios, the studio behind the veteran CBS crime drama. Under the pact, Barrois will continue on Criminal Minds, where she has been since 2010, and develop new projects. She just penned Criminal Minds‘ upcoming ninth-season premiere. Barrois previously was an executive producer on the final season of ER and a co-executive producer on Third Watch where she worked for five seasons. On the comedy side, she spent multiple seasons on The PJ’s and The Jamie Foxx Show.
article by Nellie Andreeva via deadline.com
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In 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
TV One today announced that the network saw its highest monthly primetime ratings of the year in June among Adults 25-54 and households. The ratings success was supported by the new original docu-series Fatal Attraction, as well as the second season of popular reality series R&B Divas Atlanta, which concluded on June 19. Furthermore, a strong showing of R&B Divas Atlanta Reunion: Part 1 special which premiered on June 26 helped end the month on a high note.
“TV One’s greatly-anticipated original programming line-up in the month of June proved strong among our key audience,” remarked Alfred Liggins, President and CEO, TV One. “We’re confident that the positive ratings will carry over into the month of July when we premiere R&B Divas Atlanta Reunion: Part 2 and R&B Divas LA on July 10, as well as the second season of The Rickey Smiley Show on July 26.“
Among TV One’s core audience Adults 25-54, the network posted a 34 percent year-over-year increase (106,000 vs. 79,000). The network was also up among overall households by 21 percent (142,000 vs. 117,000). Additionally, TV One posted double-digit year-over-year increases among Adults 25-54 and households in June.
The R&B Divas Atlanta Reunion: Part 1 special that aired on June 26 at 10 pm posted a .67 rating among Adults 25-54, delivering 414,000 Adults 25-54. The episode also posted a .91 household rating, delivering 522,000 homes. TV One was the number one ad-supported cable network among Black Adults 25-54 in the 10 pm time-slot on Wednesday, June 26. Since the May 1 premiere of R&B Divas Atlanta season two, the network has been a top three ad-supported cable network among its core demo of Black Adults 25-54 on Wednesdays at 10 pm (nine consecutive weeks).
Said Keith Bowen, Chief Revenue Officer, TV One, “As TV One’s ratings continue to show positive growth, our cross-platforms brand solutions and integrations become even more valuable to advertisers looking to reach Black adult viewers.“
article by Tambay A. Obenson via ShadowAndAct
Not exactly a Scandal, but this is certainly a surprise! Kerry Washington married San Francisco 49ers cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha on June 24 in Blaine County, Idaho, E! News exclusively confirms. According to sports gossip site TerezOwens.com, which was first to get wind of the happy news, Asomugha has been dating Vanity Fair‘s August 2013 cover girl since last summer.
The 31-year-old three-time Pro Bowl star played with the Oakland Raiders, who drafted him following his graduation from UC Berkeley in 2003, for eight seasons and the Philadelphia Eagles for two before signing with the 49ers in April. The bookish athlete is no stranger to showbiz, either, having scored acting gigs on The Game, Friday Night Lights and Leverage in recent years.
Like his bride, Asomugha is also a dedicated activist and philanthropist and he has participated in the Clinton Global Initiative every year since 2009. This is the first marriage for Washington, 36, who went from generally lovely actress to mega-star over the past year thanks to her breakout roles playing not-to-be-messed-with political fixer Olivia Pope on ABC’s Scandal and Jamie Foxx‘s enslaved wife Broomhilda von Shaft in Django Unchained.
It looks the Oprah Winfrey Network has finally found its stride. After the success of “The Haves and Have Nots,” which enjoyed OWN’s highest-rated debut with 1.8 million viewers, the network is making a play to appeal to the soap opera-loving crowd by picking up “All My Children” and “One Life To Live.”
OWN has acquired the first 40 episodes of both soaps and will air them for a 10-week run this summer. Erik Logan, one of OWN’s presidents, told The Hollywood Reporter:
“These shows have proven to be very popular with a significant, loyal fan base, not to mention Oprah herself is a big fan. Many of our viewers across numerous platforms have expressed their passion for the soaps so we are especially excited to air this limited engagement on OWN.”
OWN will continue to cater to the same passionate niche audience with “The Haves and Have Nots.” The network ordered 16 more episodes of the drama, which brings the episode tally to 32. The first run of 16 will end on September 3rd, and the second half will premiere early next year.
article via clutchmagonline.com
Today it was announced that John Legend and his Get Lifted Film Company have teamed up with the Showtime network for a half-hour comedy. The untitled project will take place in the world of high-profile music managers and will be penned by Austin Winsberg (Gossip Girl, Jake in Progress), who will also executive produce alongside Legend and Get Lifted Film.
Since making an exclusive deal last summer with Universal Cable Productions to develop TV series for cable and broadcast networks, Legend and his company have been busy. It sold its first project to Fox in October – a comedy project, which will center on a guy in his early 20s who becomes the guardian to his own siblings, while having to manage his fledgling career as well as a social life, and is said to be loosely based on John Legend’s years growing up.Earlier this year, Legend sold a second project, a crime drama, to the USA network. Titled The Edge, it was described as a crime drama about “an idealistic Harvard Business School graduate named Jeff Cross who joins a progressive financial firm called Edgeton Global (aka The Edge), where he discovers the company’s dark secrets while becoming entangled in a high-stakes FBI investigation.”
Since making an exclusive deal last summer with Universal Cable Productions to develop TV series for cable and broadcast networks, Legend and his company have been busy. It sold its first project to Fox in October – a comedy project, which will center on a guy in his early 20s who becomes the guardian to his own siblings, while having to manage his fledgling career as well as a social life, and is said to be loosely based on John Legend’s years growing up.Earlier this year, Legend sold a second project, a crime drama, to the USA network. Titled The Edge, it was described as a crime drama about “an idealistic Harvard Business School graduate named Jeff Cross who joins a progressive financial firm called Edgeton Global (aka The Edge), where he discovers the company’s dark secrets while becoming entangled in a high-stakes FBI investigation.”
According to Deadline.com, two weeks before its stand-up pic Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain opens in theaters, Lionsgate’s Codeblack Films has acquired U.S. rights to the romantic drama Things Never Said.
The film is written and directed by Charles Murray, who is making his feature debut after a decade in television (Criminal Minds, Castle, V, Third Watch). Shanola Hampton stars as an aspiring poet in a dangerous marriage who dreams of taking her work to New York. A surprise new love (Omari Hardwick) helps her find her artistic voice. Brian “Skinny B” Lewis produced the film, which is executive produced by Nicole Elliot, Steven LaBroi and Geofrey Hildrew. Codeblack Films, the Lionsgate unit that recently acquired Sundance drama The Inevitable Defeat Of Mister And Pete, will release Things Never Said this year.
article via Deadline.com with additions by Lori Lakin Hutcherson
Atlanta lived up to its reputation as the Hollywood of the South on Saturday with the advance screening of BET’s upcoming film Being Mary Jane. The movie, starring Gabrielle Union, debuts on the cable channel on July 2 at 10:30 pm. The hour-long production will serve as a teaser for the anticipated Being Mary Jane series scheduled to hit the screens in January 2014. It is just one of a handful of shows drawing attention to BET’s newfound shift towards original programming.
A protagonist who is far from perfect
Being Mary Jane, which was shot in Atlanta, revolves around the main protagonist Mary Jane Paul (played by Union), a successful talk show host, who on the surface has an enviable lifestyle. Still, her life is far from perfect.
“It’s in her [Mary Jane Paul’s] low moments where she most expresses her humanity,” said creator Mara Brock Akil in a Q&A with entertainment journalist Kelly L. Carter after the screening at the stylish W Hotel in Midtown Atlanta.