Category: Television
Posted by Mekeisha Madden Toby on Thu, Jul 3, 2008 at 4:14 AMHero Awards pops on the Fourth
Hosted by Dean Cain, "Heroes Among Us: The 2008 Hero Awards" provides a front-row seat to the amazing stories of everyday heroism and airs 8 p.m. Friday July 4th, on My Network TV (Channel 20 locally).
Hero Awards will be presented to exceptional individuals and organizations who work to make our world a better place. Honorees include celebrities and dignitaries for their unwavering acts of charity.
And fans of B.J. "Hooked on a Felling" Thomas can look forward to a performance from the aged pop star.
Category: Television
Posted by Mekeisha Madden Toby on Wed, Jul 2, 2008 at 6:26 AM'Hell's Kitchen' finale is a two-parter and Petrozza finally wins one
I can't say that I'm crazy about Fox breaking the season-four finale of "Hell's Kitchen" into two parts, with the second part airing next week, but I do like what I see so far.
Chiefly among this is the fact that Petrozza FINALLY won a competition Tuesday night and now he gets to pick the best teammates.
The random appearance by Whoopi Goldberg, who is apparently a fan of the show, was also pretty entertaining.
What I don't like is that Jen is shaping up to be TV's new version of Omarosa. I mean what is she talking about when she says that she's going to make Chef Ramsay regret the fact that he didn't make her a finalist? When did this become about her?
Oh no. I have a feeling that she's going to end up on Petrozza's team and ruin his chances at winning.
Meanwhile, Christina sure has gotten cocky. Sure, she's won a bunch of challenges and Internet rumors have her winning the whole thing, but still. Show some humility honey.
Don't you just love this kind of reality TV?
Category: Television
Posted by Mekeisha Madden Toby on Tue, Jul 1, 2008 at 2:59 PMFamily makeovers are the name of the game on cable today
Two very different families are getting lifestyle makeovers on cable.
First up is the DIY Network's "Wasted Spaces," where a family's garage goes from a junk dumpsite to a wonderful hang-out for their 14-year-old son, Jeremy McCarter, who suffers from a rare genetic disorder called Fabry's disease.
Host and carpenter Karl Champley created Jeremy's new space, which features a den, and a video game/music room, with the help of Dream Connection, a non-profit, Knoxville, Tenn. based organization dedicated to fulfilling the wishes of children who face life threatening or chronically debilitating illnesses.
"Wasted Spaces" airs 3:30 p.m. today on the DIY Network.
Meanwhile on tonight's debut episode of "Outrageous Wasters," the Witheys, a British family of three, are made aware of their wasteful ways and sent to an eco boot camp to be reprogrammed.
Stella and Mark work a couple miles away but drive to their jobs in separate cars. Son Jak wastes by leaving all of his electronics on even when he's not using them.
Worst of all, the Witheys throw away half the food they buy and dispose of 40 bags of trash a month.
"Outrageous Wasters" airs 9 tonight on the Sundance Channel.
Category: Television
Posted by Mekeisha Madden Toby on Mon, Jun 30, 2008 at 6:18 PMPossible SAG strike puts Hollywood on pause
It's a week before the highly anticipated TCA press tour and instead of rubbing my hands together over all the exciting programming, parties and meals to come, I, like a lot of TV critics and industry types, am holding my breath.
If the Screen Actor's Guild decides to strike this week (God forbid) then we'll all be in suspended animation until negotiations resolve. The contract expires tonight, but we might not know anything until July 8.
If there is a strike, no shows will shoot and the actors won't participate in promotional panels and interviews and then what will we have? Yet another work stoppage that will cost an already battered Hollywood more money and jobs.
I really hope that the producers and SAG can come to some sort of agreement.
You also have to feel sorry for those 44,000 actors who are in AFTRA and SAG. The AFTRA folks have come to an agreement with the producers but if you are a member of both unions, and only one union is back to work, which side do you choose and if you cross the possible picket line, can anyone blame you, much less hold it against you?
I mean negotiations aside, people have bills to pay and kids to feed.
Man, another strike would really suck.
Category: Television
Posted by Mekeisha Madden Toby on Sat, Jun 28, 2008 at 6:23 PMCorey couldn't cut it in 'Hell's Kitchen' and had to go
Christina, for all her annoying ways, is a better cook than Corey and Petrozza is a better person so it made sense for Corey to go on Tuesday night's "Hell's Kitchen."
Given some of the mistakes and enemies she made, it's amazing that she lasted this long. But hey, I think the best two cooks are in the finals and I'm hoping that more than anything, Petrozza can wow Chef Ramsay one last time and win the whole thing. But you never know.
Ramsay may want a woman chef in his L.A. eatery and if that's the case, Christina will win.
Category: Television
Posted by Mekeisha Madden Toby on Sat, Jun 28, 2008 at 4:45 PMThe BET Awards afterparty was on jam too ... but in a good way
Getting into afterparties should be as simple as flashing your press badge. That's what a Ford PR woman had told me and I fugured she knew what she was talking about because Ford co-sponsored the shindig.
Of course when I arrived at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood this was not at all the case and a woman who I had befriended, who used to work for BET, was able to smuggle me in with smiles and sweet talk. See, when your press pass doesn't work, it's all about who you know.
When we got inside, the setup was really swanky. Very "Aladdin" like with all the dim lighting and gauzy fabric.
In the main and rather cavernous ballroom, there was a two sided buffet table filled with food warmers with stuff like baked chicken, pot roast, mashed potatoes, and macaroni and cheese. Foods designed to soak up the alcohol provided at the open bars. On a separate table, there were rolls and mixed salad.
Walking around without a place to eat was tricky, meaning there is no suave looking way of eating pot roast (which was very moist, by the way) on the run.
As far as stars, you had to look closely to spot anyone because there were so many people!
In search of a table, I ran into comedian Kevin Hart ("Scary Movie 4") taking pictures with people. Finesse Mitchell could be seen finessing his way past crowds and Cuba Gooding Jr., walked by as I stood on line for the open bar.
In search of the pool, I saw Jill Marie Jones ("Girlfriends") and Jennifer Freeman ("My Wife and Kids") sashay down the hall together, past the dessert table.
When I finally found my way to the pool, I was trying to find Michelle, my Ford contact, but ended up chatting with Willie Maccs, of "College Hill" fame, who is very excited about starring in a couple TV shows, movies and "thangs."
Once Maccs locked in on a couple young hotties, I kept mingling and texting and on my way to my meet, saw a woman floating in the pool inside of some odd helium contraption that looked neither comfortable nor safe.
Michelle and I finally met up and exchanged notes on the night -- me from the press side of things and her from the PR side.
As we talked, Boris Kodjoe walked by surrounded by admirers, of course. Meanwhile, actor Chris Williams (Vanessa Williams' brother and the dude who played Crazy Eyes Killa on "Curb Your Enthusiasm") stood off by himself. Awww. He needs love too.
After looking at Williams with sympathetic eyes, we had to step aside so that a swarm of bodyguards could walk Sean P. Diddy Combs past the pool and after that crowd cleared, another one formed around Deelishis and her, uhm, ample posterior. (Wow, and I thought the camera added that heft.)
After seeing Kodjoe, Diddy and Deelishis I had had my fill of Black Hollywood and was ready to go so I bid all my new friends goodbye and ran for the exit. Clearly, it was time to go home and chill.
Category: Television
Posted by Mekeisha Madden Toby on Thu, Jun 26, 2008 at 2:37 AMA reporter called Nia Long 'Gabrielle' and other media room faux pas
So, we reporter types are in the media room backstage at the BET Awards 2008 and Nia Long is on the microphone.
She's answering questions about future projects -- she wants to produce her own films and shows -- and she's talking about Michelle Obama and then it happens.
A reporter in the back of the room opens his question by calling Long "Gabrielle."
Yikes! Nia Long and Gabrielle Union don't look anything alike. And, no, it wasn't recism because it was a black reporter who made this misstep!
Long, 37, who has starred in flicks like "Boyz N the Hood" and "The Best Man" corrected the reporter and told him that although she is browner after tanning in the Caribbean recently, she does not look like Union, 35, who has starred in movies like "Daddy's Little Girls" and "The Honeymooners."
But here's a funny little fact: Unions's birthday is Oct. 29 and Long's birthday is Oct. 30.
So there's that but still ...
Another wild situation involved a little known voice actress and comedian named Beth Payne.
She came later in the night, close to the end of the show, and seemed a bit discouraged when we reporters weren't paying attention to her so she started speaking in several different languages (one of her many talents) and voices confusing everyone.
But here's the thing -- I'll never forget her. I had to Google her name to figure out just who she is and what she's about but I'll never forget her antics, so I guess it worked.
Category: Television
Posted by Mekeisha Madden Toby on Thu, Jun 26, 2008 at 1:52 AMCelebrities get political at the BET Awards
No, it wasn't what anyone would call a surprise that none of the stars were shouting "Go McCain" at the BET Awards. Even if there were some McCain supporters in attendance Tuesday night, let's just say they were very quiet.
What could be heard was all the stars who were vocal not only about their support for Sen. Barack Obama (Alicia Keys ended her acceptance speech with "Obama, y'all!") but the state of the country and the world.
"America is the leader of the world, so to have a black man as the president means having a black man as the president of the world," said Jimmy Jean-Louis, a co-star on NBC's "Heroes" and a Haiti native. "My black friends in Paris are talking about it. My black friends in London are talking about it and my black friends in Haiti are talking about. This is huge, not just for America but the world."
Rapper David Banner, who is a native of Jackson, Miss., is still looking for the right president to address what happened to his part of the country three years ago when Hurricane Katrina hit. Banner said that Obama is that man.
"Hillary Clinton said she was running for change but the first Bush was the president, and then her husband was the president and then the second Bush, the son, became president. How is that change?" the rapper born Levell Crump asked the reporters in the media room.
Earlier in the evening, a reporter asked Nia Long what she thought about the possibility of a black woman being the First Lady and she responded with an estatic "Yes we can!"
"Michelle is graceful, beautiful and not afraid to be exactly who she is," Long said. "It's wonderful to see their love in the midst of all the political madness. They have something we should all be proud of. She's educated. And she's fearless. I'd love to have tea with her one day."
Category: Television
Posted by Mekeisha Madden Toby on Wed, Jun 25, 2008 at 7:07 PMKanye West is BET's biggest winner
Rapper Kanye West walked away with two BET Awards. One for Best Male Hip Hop artist and a second for Best Collaboration for his song "Good Life" featuring R&B singer T-Pain.
But when West invited rapper Lil Wayne up to share his victory with him, acknowleging that Wayne was just as deserving, fans and naysayers had to admit that West was a good guy, if only for a short while.
Here's the list of Tuesday night's other big winners:
Best Female R&B artist
Alicia Keys
Best Male R&B artist
Chris Brown
Best Group
UGK
Best Gospel Artist
Marvin Sapp (a Grand Rapids native)
Best Female Hip Hop artist
Missy Elliott
Best New Artist
The Dream
Best Video Director
Erykah Badu and Mr. Roboto
Video of the Year
UGK featuring Outkast for "International Player's Anthem (I Choose You)"
Best Actor
Denzel Washington
Best Actress
Halle Berry
Male Athlete of the Year
Kobe Bryant
Female Athlete of the Year
Candace Parker
BET J Award
Raheem DeVaughn
Viewers' Choice Award
Lil Wayne featuring Static for "Lollipop"
Category: Television
Posted by Mekeisha Madden Toby on Wed, Jun 25, 2008 at 6:50 AMBET Awards 2008: A night for reunions
The BET Awards 2008 was filled with memorable performances but one of the best included an Alicia Keys number filled with reunions.
After singing "Teenage Love Affair" on stage at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium, Keys brought out three of the best girl groups from the 1990s: En Vogue, SWV and TLC.
All of the original members from En Vogue and SWV were there as were the surviving members of TLC.
"We were so humbled that Alicia asked us to join her on stage, we had to do it," said SWV's Tamara "Taj" Johnson-George of the reunion performance of "Weak." George-Johnson and the two other members -- Cheryl "Coko" Clemons and Leanne "Lelee" Lyons -- all came backstage to talk to reporters after the set.
The four original members of En Vogue followed suit and looked very much like the "Sex and the City" four, with a little chocolate added in for flavor, of course.
When asked which one of them was Samantha and Carrie and so on, the women couldn't seem to decide, but did all agree that member Terry Ellis is the Charlotte in the group.
Ellis and the other members -- Cindy Herron, Dawn Robinson and Maxine Jones -- said they are together for now and are considering doing so for good. A few years ago, Robinson left the group.
For now, the ladies of En Vogue are performing together at a few "spot dates" or select venues until they decide what the next step will be, they said.
