Category: Hollywood by Choice

Now playing at the Pasadena Playhouse, “Smokey Joe’s Café” is a lesson in Americana, cultural crossovers and legendary music, performers and musicians.

The “Preachers of LA” reality show will premiere Wednesday, Oct. 9 on the Oxygen Network and it is guaranteed to raise some eyebrows; actually it already has.

“Hats Off” to Tanya Kersey who is the founder and executive director of the Hollywood Black Film Festival (HBFF).

The fall television landscape featuring Black performers is looking up. From the return of Arsenio Hall to late night, to the premiere of Queen Latifah’s new talk show, African Americans are finding their way to network television. And I’m really excited about it.

By the time you read this article Arsenio Hall will be hosting his fourth episode on the Arsenio Hall show. This article reflects my impression of Arsenio’s premiere show on Monday, Sept. 9 at 11 p.m. on KTLA-TV Channel 5.

This is my final look at movies that will be premiering in theaters in the fall. This is a look at December, and in a word as far as Black performers are concerned, it’s pretty disappointing.

As promised, in this article we’ll look at movies starring or prominently featuring Black performers in front of the camera, as well as those behind the camera for the month of November.

There’s a lot happening in Hollywood these days—some good, some sad and some makes you ask “what the heck were they thinking.” Sadly, 29-year-old Lee Thompson Young who starred as Detective Barry Frost on TNT’s “Rizzoli & Isles,” was found dead in his home on Monday, Aug. 19, from a self-inflicted gunshot.

August traditionally inspires moviegoers to look forward, not only to television’s new fall season, but to what hot movies are released as well. Nothing excites me more than seeing Black actors and actresses, as well as Blacks behind the camera, working in the latest films. Please note I’m only focusing on those actors with starring roles.

I hate to admit this, but several weeks ago I was taken by surprise when I saw a commercial trailer for the movie “The Butler,” now entitled “Lee Daniels’ The Butler.”