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Summer Movie Preview I - "Tropic Thunder" | August 18th! |
Bernie Mac Passes Away! |
August 9th, 2008Born: Oct. 5, 1957
Birthplace: Chicago, Ill.
Education: Chicago Vocational High School, Chicago, 1976
Peabody Award, "The Bernie Mac Show," 2001
ShoWest, Comedy Star of the Year, 2005
Milestones
Began appearing in nightclubs in the Chicago area
1990 Won the Miller Lite Comedy Search
Became opening act for Redd Foxx, Dionne Warwick and Natalie Cole, among others
1992 Feature film debut, bit part in "Mo' Money"
1994 Produced and starred in the comedy act "Who Ya Wit Tour"
1995 Had one-month comedy series on HBO, "Midnight Mac"
1995 Appeared in a supporting role in the feature "Friday"
1996 Played recurring role on the UPN comedy series "Moesha"
1996 Was in ensemble cast of Spike Lee's "Get on the Bus"
1997 Had supporting roles in "B.A.P.S" and "How to Be a Player"
Participated in "The Kings of Comedy" tour
2000 Was featured in Spike Lee's documentary film "The Original Kings of Comedy"
2001 Co-starred as a fence in the Martin Lawrence-Danny DeVito comedy "What's the Worst That Could Happen?"
2001-2006 Headlined own TV sitcom "The Bernie Mac Show"; earned Emmy (2002, 2003), Golden Globe (2003, 2004) and SAG (2003) nominations for Best Actor in a Comedy
2001 Acted in Steven Soderbergh's "Ocean's Eleven," a remake of the 1960 heist film
2003 Co-starred as Chris Rock's big brother and presidential running mate in "Head of State"
2003 Played Bosley in the comedy sequel "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle"
2004 Starred as an aging baseball star who returns to baseball to reach his goal of 3,000 hits in "Mr. 3000"
2004 Reunited with the original cast for "Ocean's Twelve," directed by Steven Soderbergh
2005 Co-starred with Ashton Kutcher in the comedy "Guess Who," loosely based on the 1967 film "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
2007 Announced retirement from standup comedy; will continue producing, and acting in films
2007 Re-teamed with the original cast for "Ocean's 13"
2007 Cast in director Michael Bay's live action film "Transformers"
Stand-up comic and actor Bernie Mac exploded onto the screen with "The Original Kings of Comedy" in 2001 after years of working comedy stages in his native Chicago. His edgy and largely autobiographical material about his background and African-American culture fell in step with a new wave of high-profile black comedians like fellow Kings, D.L. Hughley and Steve Harvey.
Like his Comedy Kings co-stars, his hilariously frank material led to Mac's own successful sitcom, "The Bernie Mac Show" (Fox, 2001-2006). An increasing presence on the big screen as well, Mac's sometimes gruff but always memorable character roles began to give way to more challenging dramatic work.
With the feature film "Pride" (2007), it was clear Mac was an artist and had the depth and humanity to bring to the table. He was intent on raising the bar of what audiences and critics had come to expect from run-of-the-mill stand-ups-turned-actors. At the same time Mac was promoting "Pride," he shocked the comedy world by announcing his retirement from stand-up, devoting himself to screen acting and producing after years of success on the comedy club circuit.
Mac was born Bernard McCullough on Oct. 5, 1957, in Chicago's South Side neighborhood. He grew up with an extended family -- an environment that would provide endless material for his future career as a stand-up comic. Early on, his funny voices and vivid imagination earned him the reputation as the family clown, so under the guidance of a supportive school teacher, Mac started channeling his energy by acting in school plays in fourth grade.
Before long he was staging his own productions for neighborhood kids. His first lesson in the controversial nature of comedy came after he performed a dead-on impression of his grandmother for a church audience, receiving a great reception from the audience but punishment at home.
When he was not entertaining the South Side, the powerful young kid, who later grew to 6 feet 3 inches, was hanging out at the recreation center, boxing and playing sports, thriving under an especially encouraging group of coaches and leaders he credited for his drive to succeed. His most inspirational force, his mother, died of cancer when Mac was 16.
Mac took some vocational career training after high school, working as a delivery driver and furniture mover before returning to the South Central Community center as its athletic director.
After hours, he honed his comedy act on the platforms of the El train and at local parks, launching his own weekly variety show at Chicago's Regal Theater. In 1977 he began hitting the stages on the local comedy circuit, unknowingly beginning a 30-year career as a stand-up comic.
For over a decade, Mac developed his edgy style of commentary and endured the grueling lifestyle of the wannabe comic -- being away from home and his new wife for nights at a time, performing for little or no money to gain exposure and dodging the arrows of fickle late-night audiences.
Finally in 1990, Mac started seeing rewards for all of his hard work when he won the Miller Lite Comedy Search. The honor led to unimaginable opportunities, such as opening for headliners Dionne Warwick, Redd Foxx and Natalie Cole.
He made his feature debut as a club doorman in "Mo' Money" (1992) and guest-starred on the HBO specials "Rosie Perez Presents Society's Ride" (1993) and "Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam" (HBO 1992-97; 2006- ).
In 1994 he snared a bit as the ribald Uncle Vester in "House Party 3" and put together his own "Who Ya Wit Tour," which included a 10-piece band and the five Mac-A-Roni Dancers.
The following year, HBO thought Mac's in-your-face persona lent itself to late-night programming, but after a month of the network's taming down his material, "Midnight Mac" (1995) was cancelled.
He knew he wanted to return to TV with a series of his own, but he turned his attention back to film work, bulking up his acting resume with appearances as a preacher in "Friday" (1995) and one of the funnier members of the ensemble cast of Spike Lee's "Get on the Bus" (1996). A recurring role in the popular UPN series "Moesha" (UPN, 1996-2001) earned him even more mainstream recognition.
The year 2000 had audiences finally asking, "Who is this guy?" The hulking frame and bulging-eyed funnyman who had been popping up everywhere knocked it out of the park, comedically speaking, as part of the "Kings of Comedy" tour.
Starring alongside fellow African-American stand-ups Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer and D.L. Hughley, the tour was captured by director Spike Lee and released as the documentary "The Original Kings Of Comedy" (2000).
For the first time, millions of viewers got to see what Bernie Mac was all about -- hilarious tales of self-deprecation, family life, tough love and the etymology of his favorite curse word. The documentary was a smash, earning over $38 million at the box office, and Mac seemed closer than ever to his dream of landing his own show.
He had been developing a sitcom idea based on the real-life experience of raising his sister's three children while she was in rehab. His re-telling of the tale in "Kings of Comedy" was enough to convince producers at Fox, who signed on for "The Bernie Mac Show" in 2001.
In his self-titled sitcom, Mac played the husband of a professional, childless couple who suddenly become guardians of his sister's three children. Risky and outrageously funny for Mac's often politically incorrect ideas of child rearing, the show also incorporated a creative twist -- Mac regularly breaking the fourth wall and addressing the audience directly.
These pieces were a way to incorporate his material into the show, and his character's career as a stand-up comic was also a way to incorporate real-life comedians and actors into the show as guests.
The show earned a Peabody Award, an Emmy for writing and honored Mac's acting with several Golden Globe nominations and four NAACP Image Awards. The departure of key creative personnel and Mac's burgeoning film career caused "The Bernie Mac Show" to recede into the background -- to say nothing of moving the series into no less than 12 different timeslots, vexing even the most loyal viewers -- and production was slowed when Mac came down with a bout of double pneumonia. The show was finally cancelled in 2006.
During the lifespan of "The Bernie Mac Show," Mac made regular appearances on the big screen, stating in interviews that he held classic films and classic values seriously; that he did not want to take part in films with gratuitous sex and violence, preferring more quality, offbeat films.
In 2001, he co-starred as one of the 11 casino robbers in "Ocean's Eleven" (2001), bringing comic relief to Steven Soderbergh's crime caper piece and the subsequent sequels, "Ocean's Twelve" (2004) and "Ocean's 13" (2007). He supported fellow comedian Chris Rock in the misguided flop "Head of State" (2003) and stepped into the role of TV's Bosley in "Charlie's Angels 2" (2003) before taking on the weirdly hilarious role of a chain-smoking, vitamin C-craving, department store detective in the cynical Christmas comedy "Bad Santa" (2003).
After supporting a number of A-listers, Mac took on his first starring role with the well-received "Mr. 3000" (2004), playing an aging major leaguer whose hit record is revoked after retirement, inspiring him to return to the game to reclaim his title.
He teamed with Ashton Kutcher in "Guess Who?" (2005), a broad-comedy reversal of "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?" but threw critics for a loop with his impressive turn in the drama "Pride." In the Rocky-like (1976) take on swim meets, Mac revisited his past by playing a municipal worker at a recreation center that housed an inspirational sports program.
While promoting "Pride" in March 2007, Mac appeared on "Late Night With David Letterman" (CBS, 1993- ) and announced that he would retire from stand-up comedy after he completed filming "The Whole Truth, Nothing But the Truth, So Help Me Mac" in the fall of that year.
His announcement was met by saddened fans who had hoped to catch him on a stage or cable special in the future. But Mac insisted he needed a real life, choosing instead to focus on films and producing TV programs.
Part of the pull toward retirement was due to wanting to spend time with his family. Married to wife, Rhonda McCullough, the couple had one daughter, JeNiece, who was earning a master's degree in mental health counseling.
On his own health front, Mac suffered from a tissue inflammation disease called sarcoidosis, which did not affect his daily life. In addition to his work onscreen, Mac also was a successful author, with his tomes "I Ain't Scared of You: Bernie Mac on How Life Is" (2001) and the memoir "Maybe You Never Cry Again" (2003) to his credit.
(Source: Baseline Studio System)
Spike Lee Presents...Miracle at St. Anna! |
July 7th, 2008Miracle at St. Anna chronicles the story of four African-American soldiers who are members of the US Army as part of the all-black 92nd “Buffalo Soldier” Division that fought against the Fascists and Nazis in Italy during World War II.
They experience the tragedy and triumph of World War II as they find themselves trapped behind Nazi lines and separated from their Squad after one of them risks his life to save an orphan Italian boy.
Directed by Spike Lee from a screenplay written by James McBride, the author of the acclaimed novel of the same name, the film explores a deeply inspiring, powerful story drawn from history, that transcends national boundaries, language, race and class to touch the goodness within us all, the Human Race.
College Road Trip & Step Up 2 The Streets Coming to DVD! |
June 4th, 2008Both Coming to DVD on July 15th!
BET's American Gangster Season 2 on DVD! |
June 2nd, 2008The most spellbinding and provocative documentary series on television comes to DVD when BET’s AMERICAN GANGSTER: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON arrives in stores on June 10, 2008. The second season of the critically acclaimed, highly-rated series provides an in-depth look at the lives of some of the most infamous African American drug lords, gangsters and criminal masterminds of recent times, including Frank Lucas—the inspiration behind the blockbuster movie American Gangster, starring Denzel Washington as Lucas—and John Muhammad, the shadowy figure behind the terrifying D.C. Sniper slayings.
All 10 explosive episodes of the hour-long weekly series are included in this three-disc collection, plus exclusive bonus features such as extended interviews and a tour of Frank Lucas’ infamous “hood”. AMERICAN GANGSTER: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON will be available for the suggested retail price of $36.99 US.
Return to the violent criminal underworld with AMERICAN GANGSTER: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON. Golden Globe® winner Ving Rhames (Mission Impossible, Pulp Fiction) returns to narrate the gripping, often tragic and cautionary tales of the brutally ambitious men behind the headlines. AMERICAN GANGSTER: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON examines these men’s lives from humble beginnings to inglorious ends, exposing their deepest secrets and drawing a painstaking portrait using news footage, photographs and first person accounts, along with candid conversations with some of the American Gangsters themselves.
T.I. Speaks! |
May 6th, 2008In his first televised interview since a plea bargain on weapon charges, multi-platinum recording artist and actor T.I., a.k.a. Clifford Harris, Jr., speaks exclusively to BET News in the half-hour special T.I. SPEAKS, premiering Wednesday, May 7 at 7:30 PM*. He directly answers the tough questions from host Toure and at-risk youth about his life and future after being sentenced to a year in prison. In a compelling moment, he explains why someone who seems to have everything -- money, power and fame -- would risk it all.
On October 13, 2007, T.I. was set to perform at BET's second annual HIP HOP AWARDS in Atlanta, but he never made it to the stage. Just hours before the show, the Grammy Award winner and budding actor was taken into custody by federal authorities who alleged that he gave his bodyguard cash to buy firearms. Never bashful in his lyrics about his days of drug dealing and guns, this arrest was just another line in the 27-year old Atlanta native's already long rap sheet.
While not making excuses for his poor decisions, the rapper discusses his best friend's murder in 2006 and explains how being a celebrity has its drawbacks and "ignites a certain paranoia." He says, "Every one knew me and I knew no one ... you can't tell if a person is a fan or not until the (car) window winds down." With a new baby on the way, a forthcoming marriage, a new album and the one-year jail sentence awaiting him, T.I. details how this entire ordeal has changed his life. Claiming a new understanding for life and its meaning, T.I. delivers a strong message about decision-making to a group of at-risk students and reveals his thoughts about going back to jail and his career's future. He says, "I must be a man and stand up and accept responsibility. I exercised extremely poor judgment, and for that, I must be willing to pay whatever price that comes before me."
Raven Talks to UBG About College Road Trip! |
March 7th, 2008Melanie (Raven Symone) is eagerly looking forward to taking her first big step towards independence when she plans a 'girls only' road trip to check out prospective universities. However, when her imposing police-chief dad insists on escorting her instead, she soon finds her dream trip turning into a nightmare full of misfortune and turmoil. Dad wants to assure total security and safety for his precious daughter, while Melanie has a 17-year-old's need to become a grown woman and have her own sense of independence. Now, even as dad and daughter bicker, banter and careen from one disaster to the next on their journey, they are about to discover that, sometimes, going that extra mile to be together can forge a family bond so strong it can withstand anything--even wild curves ahead.
UBG recently spoke to Raven Symone on her new film "College Road Trip" as well as other things going on with her. As for working with Martin Lawrence, Raven says "Martin was very professional & fun. Working with him was a dream come true." Raven is used to dreams coming true, she played Olivia on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show from 1989-1992. In 1993 she released her debut album "Here's To New Dreams" which featured the single "That's What Little Girls Are Made Of" produced by Missy Elliott. We asked Raven about her new release and she told us it should be released this summer. "The album keeps getting pushed back, but once it's released I am definitely going on tour. This is my fourth album and I'm so proud of that. The fact that I've been able to do both (singing and acting) in my life, has been a great outlet for me".
Raven credits Oprah Winfrey and Janet Jackson as women she looks up to. Working with Martin and Donny Osmond were the highlights of shooting the film for Raven. College Road Trip opens today in theaters everywhere!
EXCLUSIVE UBG Preview of College Road Trip!
Tyler On A Role W/ Feature Films & More on The Way! |
February 27th, 2008Lionsgate has acquired the rights to the writer/actor/director Tyler Perry’s next two films, "The Family That Preys Together" and "Madea Goes to Jail." These titles will mark the sixth and seventh motion pictures in Lionsgate’s Tyler Perry franchise, which in October notched its third #1 box office hit with "Why Did I Get Married?"
Perry will direct "The Family That Preys Together" from his original screenplay and will play one of the film’s major roles. He will direct and reprise his role as the wildly popular title character in "Madea Goes to Jail," adapted from what many consider his most popular play. Both films are scheduled to begin production in Spring 2008.
Perry’s newest film, Meet the Browns," opens nationwide on March 21, 2008. Perry directs this adaptation of his stage play and co-stars alongside Angela Bassett.
Lionsgate President of Film Production Michael Paseornek said, “We’re thoroughly in awe of Tyler Perry’s talent, energy and integrity, and are very proud to call him a member of the Lionsgate family. "The Family That Preys Together" (starring Tyler Perry, Jennifer Hudson, Sanaa Lathan, Kathy Bates, Alfre Woodard & Rockmond Dunbar) and "Madea Goes to Jail" are going to deliver everything audiences have come to expect from a Tyler Perry production: humor, uplift, and unlimited heart and soul.”
Said Perry, “An artist couldn’t ask for a better home than Lionsgate; they’re respectful, supportive and loyal to a fault. They’ve given me room to tell the stories I want to tell, the way I want to tell them. And I’m gratified and humbled that audiences have responded with such enthusiasm and love.”
Since making his film debut in 2005 with Lionsgate’s "Diary of a Mad Black Woman," Tyler Perry has become a multimedia phenomenon with a roster of hugely successful film, stage, television, and book projects. Three of Perry’s four films have debuted at number one at the North American box office, and the films’ combined theatrical gross is nearly $193 million. The combined net sales of his twelve DVDs total 16.8 million units. Perry began his career as a playwright with “I Know I’ve Been Changed” in 1992; six years and many failed productions later, the play became an overnight success after what was to have been its final performance ever. Perry’s nine produced plays to date have grossed tens of millions of dollars and have set box office records in major venues across the country, including the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles and the Beacon Theater in New York. Perry’s first book, Don’t Make a Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings: Madea’s Uninhibited Commentaries on Life and Love debuted at #1 on the New York Times hardcover nonfiction bestseller list the week of April 30, 2006, and was named both “Book of the Year” and “Humor Book of the Year” at the October 2006 Quill Book Awards.
Raisin in the Sun! |
February 25th, 2008When "A Raisin in the Sun" premiered on Broadway in 2004, the excitement surrounding the revival was largely generated by the stage debut of its star, the multi-hyphenated entertainment mogul Sean "P. Diddy" Combs.
Two years later, Combs is back in the mix, reuniting with Tony winners Phylicia Rashad and Audra McDonald and Tony nominee Sanaa Lathan for the ABC film version, which premieres at 8 p.m. Monday.
Combs received mixed reviews for his theater performance, but he believes he nailed it this time.
"It was more about experience and an understanding of how to completely engulf yourself and become a character and really give yourself up to the to the role," says Combs, an executive producer with Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, the Oscar-winning producers of "Chicago."
Working with an acting coach, Combs, who has had small roles in "Monster's Ball" and "Made," knew he had to stand on his own with his Tony-winning co-stars.
"It was almost like what was going on in the house, that struggle to be heard," Combs said. "I wanted to make sure my character was heard."
Set in 1950s Chicago, the drama centers on the Younger family, who anxiously await a $10,000 insurance check -- and the ensuing squabbles over how to spend it. Combs plays Walter Lee, a role made famous by Sidney Poitier.
Looking to assert his manhood and to use the money to finance his dreams of owning a business, Walter Lee finds himself at odds with his widowed mother, Lena (Rashad), his ambitious sister, Beneatha (Lathan) and long-suffering wife, Ruth (McDonald).
Director Kenny Leon said he cast Combs because "all the raw instincts were there."
"This guy grew up poor," Leon said. "His dad was killed when he was three. He lived in the house with all women. He's also one of the wealthiest individuals that I know, so he's seen the other side of the dream . . . What better actor to really understand Walter Lee?"
Rashad could see growth in her glamorous co-star.
"What I saw was a natural progression that comes with the doing of it, with the working of it. He is a very disciplined professional," says "The Cosby Show" star, who was the first black woman to win a Tony as a leading actress in a play.
"It was news to me," she says of the historic win for her "Raisin" role. "My question was, Well, what happened? Nobody was ever nominated before? I wondered why the reporters all had such strange looks on their faces when I entered the press room, and that question let me know."
The 1959 play was historic in its own right. "Raisin" was the first drama by a black woman produced on Broadway.
"Lorraine Hansberry is one of those playwrights that sits in the company of August Wilson or Tennessee Williams," says Leon. "'Raisin in the Sun' is a specific story about this African American family but has a universal appeal for all Americans."
The original Broadway cast featured Poitier, Claudia McNeil, Ruby Dee, Diana Sands and Louis Gossett, Jr. -- all reprised their roles in the film two years later.
Besides the 1961 version, "Raisin" was adapted as a 1989 telefilm starring Danny Glover and Ester Rolle as Lena. All involved with the current production hope a new generation will embrace "Raisin" and its message: family is fundamental.
'SoulStage: Erykah Badu' |
February 25th, 2008When VH1 Soul "SoulStage" made its debut in August 2007 with R&B songstress Jill Scott, it was clear that the soul was about to become unstoppable. Wyclef Jean continued to stir up the soul as the featured artist of the second presentation of VH1 "SoulStage," where he performed new music from his "Carnivale" album. Now, Grammy Award-winning, R&B and hip hop singer/songwriter Erykah Badu takes her place among the elite artists in the VH1 "SoulStage" franchise. Shot in front of a live studio audience, VH1 "SoulStage," provides viewers with exclusive world premiere performances of songs from Erykah's brand new album, providing viewers with an inside look into the heart and soul of her eclectic and cerebral musical stylings.
VH1 Soul "SoulStage: Erykah Badu presented by Infiniti" will premiere on VH1 Soul on Tuesday, February 26 at 9PM.* This 30-minute musical experience will feature Erykah performing songs "Honey" and "Soldier" for the first time from her upcoming album "New Amerykah: Part 1 (4th World War)," in stores February 26, 2008. Viewers will also have the opportunity to hear Erykah share her inspiration behind such hits as "Otherside of the Game" and "On & On." The full show, plus additional exclusive performances not seen in the broadcast will be available online at VH1Soul.com beginning Tuesday, February 26.
New York Loves Hollywood! |
February 25th, 2008VH1 is set to release their spinoff to their most popular “I Love New York” reality show entitled “New York Loves Hollywood.” That’s right! Tiffany “New York” Pollard is set to go to Hollywood in an effort to break into the world of acting…
“The season is going to be called ‘New York Loves Hollywood’ and will follow her attempt to become an actress in Los Angeles. They are currently trying to cast established industry people in Hollywood to be on the show with her.”
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