World renowned choreographer, dancer, and author Judith Jamison has broken many barriers in her career. As artistic director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Jamison became one of only a handful of women in the world to direct a major dance company when she assumed leadership in 1989. As a dancer, she gained international recognition for her performances of the tour de force solo “Cry” and “Pas de Duke.” In 2007 Black Enterprise recognized the trailblazer with its Women of Power Legacy Award, which honors women whose accomplishments have helped redefine the standards of success for women of color in a variety of fields.
Tag: director
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Tyler Perry: Responding to Spike Lee’s ‘Coonery’ Criticism
Filed under: Movies, Television, Theater, Celeb Updates
With eight consistent films under his belt, Tyler Perry has overcome the odds of not only his upbringing but also setting the bar as one of Hollywood’s most relentless and profitable directors. As his dear friend and mentor, Oprah Winfrey recently stated, “Do not play him small, because he is not some lucky rich negro!” This and much more was all discussed on tonight’s episode of the long-running newsmagazine show ’60 Minutes,’ where the critically acclaimed director-actor discussed an array of topics including being abused by his father, Emmitt, as a child to firing back at Spike Lee‘s controversial comments comparing Perry’s body of work to “coonery and buffoonery.”
Check out a video clip of Tyler Perry’s reaction to Spike Lee below.http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=472016&pid=472015&uts=1256517979http://cdn.channel.aol.com/cs_feed_v1_6/csfeedwrapper.swfSix Degrees of Tyler PerrySix Degrees of Tyler Perry
In just four years, Tyler Perry has become the toast of Hollywood. Could you name another director black or white who can boast of having released six feature movie projects within a three year period? Nope. Check out Six Degrees of Tyler Perry.WireImage for TV Guide / Everett / FilmMagicBlackVoices.comSix Degrees of Tyler Perry
Six Degrees of Tyler Perry
In just three years, Tyler Perry has become the toast of Hollywood. Could you name another director black or white who can boast of having released six feature movie projects within a three year period? Nope. Not only did the New Orleans native write all of the storylines for the films, he starred in four. Combined, five of the films have grossed upwards of $250 million worldwide, some within budgets below $6 million. And with the major money train also comes associating with some of the biggest names in and out of the entertainment business. BlackVoices.com takes an introspective look at how a former homeless man turned chit’lin circuit theater czar has connections to the likes of Michael Jackson, Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston and Will Smith, to name a few. Check out Six Degrees of Tyler Perry.Tyler Perry
The best-selling playwright turned Hollywood hot-shot (real name: Emmitt R. Perry, Jr.) was born Sept. 14, 1969 in New Orleans, Louisiana.Ray Nagin
Another New Orleans native, Ray Nagin, Jr. was elected into the office of Mayor of the Crescent City on March 6, 2002.Labelle
Known as the music capitol of the Gulf Coast, New Orleans was also the setting for ‘Lady Marmalade,’ a hit song from 1970s glam-soul trio Labelle, comprised of Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx and Sara Dash.Lenny Kravitz
Modern day rock & roll demigod Lenny Kravitz is one of the top-notch talents chosen to produce Labelle’s long-awaited reunion album, ‘Back to Now,’ due out later this year via Verve Records.Lisa Bonet
‘The Cosby Show’ and ‘A Different World’ star Lisa Bonet eloped with Lenny Kravitz in November 1987. Their daughter Zoe Isaballe Kravitz was born the next year. The couple separated in 1991.Gary Dourdan
‘C.S.I.’ actor Gary Dourdan played Cree Summer‘s character’s love interest Shazza Zulu on the NBC sitcom ‘A Different World,’ which was originally developed as a spin-off vehicle for Lisa Bonet. The Philadelphia native appeared on 13 episodes from 1991 to 1992.Janet Jackson
Gary Dourdan also played the love interest of Janet Jackson in the music video for her chart-topping ballad, ‘Again,’ in 1993.Tyler Perry
Janet Jackson starred in the lead role of Tyler Perry‘s box office smash, ‘Why Did I Get Married?’ The twice divorced pop star won an NAACP Image Award for her performance.Ruben Cannon
One of the most respected executives in Hollywood, Ruben Cannon has served as a casting director of film and TV projects dating all the way back to 1977. He co-executive produced Tyler Perry‘s ‘Why Did I Get Married?’Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
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The Week That Was: Mo’Nique Moves on, Roxanne Shante Rings Alarm
Filed under: Music, Movies, Television, News, Photos, Theater, Celeb Updates
She may have been a no-show at the Toronto International Festival earlier this week, but Mo’Nique partied it up with the likes of Vogue Editor-at-Large Andre Leon Talley at the Sugar Bar last night. The incredibly shrinking funnywoman dined on buttery shrimp, sidestepped to the live music (with a bodyguard standing shielding her = insane to observe), cut up on the microphone and welcomed the black media with open arms at an exclusive soiree celebrating her upcoming BET late-night talk show, which premieres Oct. 5.Aside from the new show, which we hear may draw comparisons to Arsenio Hall’s groundbreaking 1990s chat fest, the former star of ‘The Parkers’ is looking forward to a busy season. Her performance in the Oprah Winfrey/Tyler Perry-produced drama ‘Precious: Based on the Novel Push’ has garnered early Oscar buzz. It has also brought a tinge of scandal, too. This week, a source told Roger Friedman of the Hollywood Reporter that the 41-year-old actress asked for $100,000 at one point to show up to the festival with the rest of the cast. Of course, a rep for Lionsgate (the studio will release the film on Nov. 6) downplayed that tidbit with talk of “scheduling conflicts.” Hmmm. Winfrey, Perry and the diva Mariah Carey all showed up. And no one could possibly be busier than those three. They were all in New York City last night, too, but were nowhere near the Sugar Bar. When probed about the movie’s shining star, the film’s director told a room full of Toronto Festival journalists, “She’s at home eating some potato chips with her kids.” Ummmmm. Okay.
Last night, however, Mo’Nique seemed to be in her own mode at the Ashford & Simpson-owned hot spot. She wasn’t talking about Toronto drama. Actually, come to think of it, she didn’t say much at all in the watering hole’s tight quarters. The ‘Original Queen of Comedy’ did commend ‘Precious’ filmmakers for believing in her, along with BET honchos Debra Lee, Stephen Hill and Loretha Jones.
http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=725061&pid=725060&uts=1253285733http://cdn.channel.aol.com/cs_feed_v1_6/csfeedwrapper.swfParty Hearty: Mo’Nique at The Sugar BarMo’Nique getting her groove on.Wilson MoralesBlackVoices.comBlack Filmmakers
Spike Lee
Besides Woody Allen, no other filmmaker has had more films on the big screen in the last 20 years than Lee. From ‘She’s Gotta Have It’ to ‘Jungle Fever’ to the critically acclaimed and Oscar-nominated ‘Do The Right Thing,’ Lee’s production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced more than 35 films since 1983. In 2008, the Atlanta native released his latest film, ‘Miracle at St. Anna,’ a story about blacks fighting in WWII that stars Derek Luke and Michael Ealy.Oscar Micheaux
As the pioneer of Black filmmakers, this Metropolis, Illinois, native revolutionized the film industry when he formed his own movie production company and, in 1919, became the first Black to make a film. He wrote, directed and produced the silent motion picture ‘The Homesteader’ and then introduced the film world to Paul Robeson in ‘Body and Soul.’ In 1986, the Directors Guild of America honored Micheaux with a Golden Jubilee Special Award, and today the Oscar Micheaux Award is presented each year by the Producers Guild.Robert Townsend
Primarily known as a comedian, this Chicago native established himself when he wrote, directed, produced and starred in the comedy ‘Hollywood Shuffle,’ his 1987 film about struggling black actors. He also created and produced the CableACE award-winning ‘Robert Townsend and His Partners in Crime’ for HBO. His best film to date is the 1991 musical ‘The Five Heartbeats.’ Townsend recently directed the documentary ‘Why We Laugh,’ a story on black comedians and their impact in America.Bill Duke
Known for his imposing 6-foot-6-inch figure and action films such as 1987’s ‘Predator,’ the Poughkeepsie, New York, native began directing feature-length films in the 1990s with the crime dramas ‘A Rage in Harlem,’ ‘Deep Cover’ and ‘Hoodlum.’ In 2007, Duke directed ‘Cover,’ which starred Vivica A. Fox, and most recently ‘Not Easily Broken,’ which is based on a T.D Jakes novel and stars Morris Chestnut and Taraji P. Henson.Ossie Davis
As a pioneer in the film business and a legend in the Black community, Davis was an actor, director, poet, playwright, writer and social activist whose career spanned nearly 50 years. Davis directed numerous films during the blaxploitation era, including 1970’s ‘Cotton Comes to Harlem’ and 1973’s ‘Gordon’s War.’ Along with wife Ruby Dee, the Georgia native starred in many movies, including several of director Spike Lee’s films such as ‘Do The Right Thing,’ ‘Jungle Fever’ and ‘She Hate Me.’Melvin Van Peebles
This Chicago actor, director, screenwriter, playwright, novelist and composer is most famously known for his contribution to the blaxploitation era with the independently financed and critically acclaimed film ‘Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song.’ The 1971 film was written, produced, scored, directed by and starred Van Peebles and tells the story of a deprived Black man on his escape from the white authority. The father of actor/ director Mario, in 2008, Melvin completed the film ‘Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha,’ which played at various film festivals.Julie Dash
In 1991, this Queens, New York, native’s film ‘Daughters of the Dust,’ which tells the story of three generations of Gullah women at the turn of the 20th century, was the first full-length film with general theatrical release in the United States by an Black woman. In 2004, the film was included in the National Film Registry.F. Gary Gray
Having directed more than 30 music videos for artists such as Ice Cube, Queen Latifah, TLC, Dr. Dre and Mary J. Blige, and winning several awards for his work, the New York native moved into the film world with the cult favorite ‘Friday,’ starring Ice Cube and Chris Tucker. He then followed that film with another fan favorite, ‘Set It Off,’ with Queen Latifah, Vivica A. Fox and Jada Pinkett Smith, before moving on to big budgeted films such as ‘The Negotiator,’ ‘The Italian Job’ and ‘Be Cool.’ His next feature is slated to be ‘Marvin: The Life Story of Marvin Gaye.’Forest Whitaker
An Academy Award winner for his performance as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the 2006 film ‘The Last King of Scotland’, the Longview, Texas, native has directed many films, including the fan favorite 1995’s ‘Waiting to Exhale,’ based on the Terry McMillan novel of the same name. Other directorial films from Whitaker include ‘Hope Floats’ and ‘First Daughter.’Lee Daniels
Beginning his career in entertainment as a casting director and manager, the Philadelphia native worked on projects such as ‘Under the Cherry Moon’ and ‘Purple Rain,’ both of which starred Prince, before hitting the jackpot with his production of ‘Monster’s Ball’ in 2001. That film garnered Halle Berry a best actress Oscar, making her the first Black woman to do so. In 2006, Daniels made his directorial debut with ‘Shadowboxer,’ which starred Oscar winners Cuba Gooding, Jr., and Helen Mirren. Just recently, in January 2009, his latest directing gig, ‘Push,’ won three awards at the Sundance Film Festival, including best film.Mo’Nique
*****
Everyone and their mother (and even the P.O.T.U.S.) seemed to have some sideways comment about Kanye West’s messy spectacle at the MTV Video Music Awards — as if he was videotaped urinating on underage girls; as if he was accused of sexual assault by a Colorado hotel employee; as if he lumped up his beautiful Cover Girl model girlfriend on the streets of Los Angeles … but I digress. Joining in the fray is Angelo Ellerbee, an esteemed public relations veteran.
In an eyebrow-raising interview with Out magazine, the New Jersey native – who has worked with virtually everyone in black entertainment from, Dionne Warwick to DMX, spoke his piece about the highly publicized debacle: “This is a problem! You can talk about how it’s liquor, but liquor just makes you do what you want to do. It’s an excuse. His mother dying, the liquor — they’re all excuses. You need to go and get some help. You need to come to me for a week. That’s what you need to do!”
Another nugget from Ellerbee, who has garnered praise for media coaching and teaching celebrities proper etiquette: “It angers me to think that we’ve come so far and then our black president is shouted at and called a liar and nobody wants to do anything because no one wants to ruffle any feathers. You know what? I’ve got nothing but feathers to ruffle. I’m tired of this. When I worked with Mary J. Blige, people said it was the hardest thing to do and it would never happen. But life is not a cup of instant coffee. It’s brewed coffee. It’s brewed over time. Look where she’s at today!”
*****Before Wanda Sykes starts hosting her late-night show on FOX this fall, audiences will get to see her on HBO. The Emmy Award-winning comedienne returns to the network for her second solo special, ‘Wanda Sykes: I’m a Be Me,’ debuting Oct. 10 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Taped last month before a live audience at the Warner Theatre in Washington,
D.C., the special will feature the brazen funnywoman performing material featured in her national stand-up tour. She addresses such topics as having a new “cool” black president, coming out as a lesbian, the real Michelle Obama, being a new mom, getting her first bikini wax, health care town halls, pirates and working as an entertainer on a gay cruise. Named one of Entertainment Weekly’s “25 Funniest People in America,” the ‘New Adventures of Old Christine’ star recently hosted the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.*****
Grammy-Award winning neo-soul powerhouse Jill Scott, Obie Award-winning actress Yvette Freeman and Emmy Award-winning producer Shonda Rimes have some irons in the fire. Scott has been cast as the lead in Lifetime Television’s telefilm ‘Sins of the Mother,’ about a grad student who returns home to face her abusive, alcoholic mother. Scott, who recently helmed the critically acclaimed HBO series ‘Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency’ (now on DVD), will play the mother. According to ‘Variety,’ production began this week, and a 2010 premiere is slated.She played nurse Haleh for 15 years on the TV drama ‘ER,’ but Freeman is a master at theater. This week, the Obie Award-winning Delaware native stars in McCarter Theatre Center‘s production of Emily Mann’s ‘Having Our Say,’ based on the memoir about civil rights pioneers Sadie and Bessie Delany. The multiple-award-winning play officially opened Sept. 17 and will continue at the Princeton University venue through Oct. 18.
‘Grey’s Anatomy’ creator Rimes will produce a Miramax Films project adapted from journalist Helena Andrews‘ upcoming memoir ‘Bitch is the New Black,’ a satirical look at the new generation of young, successful black women in Washington, D.C. Andrews, a culture columnist for TheRoot.com, has been tapped to pen the screenplay.
*****Roxanne Shante, who was recently embroiled in a sordid scandal about whether Warner Bros. Records financed her alleged college education, sounded an alarm about a serious women’s health issue earlier this week. Via her Facebook page, the Queens, N.Y., native wrote: “Sisters, it is very important that you get mammograms. I am not
going to put my personal business out here. But just know I am speaking from a place and situation that I don’t want to see any of you in. If anyone here is a breast cancer survivor I would love to hear from you. Life Begins at 40.” When reached for comment, the former Cold Chillin’ Records rap diva (nee Lolita Gooden), who many consider the “First Lady of Rap,” did not respond. But today, she wrote: “Okay, let me explain. I wanted to share my situation because someone reading this needs to know they are not alone. Or they need to go and get a mammogram. We always put ourselves on the back burner for family, work, friends, etc. Put your health 1st today. As for me, I will be fine. God is good and has given me a guarantee. Plus, to worry is a sin, and I have committed enough of those so I don’t worry. Lol.” Her 40th birthday is Nov. 9.
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