BET Celebration Of Gospel 2014 - TV

 

(C) 2014 by Rych McCain, All Rights Reserved. No part of this column may be reprinted, re-posted or duplicated without written permission from Rych McCain Media/Syndication. Violation is subject to applicable laws.

BET Celebration Of Gospel 2014 - TV

By Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist

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BET’s 14^th Celebration of Gospel

Is TV’s Top Praise Special Again!

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Photos Courtesy BET Networks

Hostess Taraji P. Henson

 

      It was that time of year and once again when the Orpheum Theater in downtown Los Angeles was transformed into praise central with the biggest superstars in gospel music with BET’s 14^th Annual CELEBRATION Of GOSPEL. Comic, radio and TV personality Steve Harvey ended his 13 year reign as the annual host since the show’s beginning. His successor was Oscar® nominated actress Taraji P. Henson whose gorgeous, sexy looks and camera charm brought a pleasing change of scenery to the show considering that Harvey is an extremely tough act to follow.

  The premiere broadcast on Sunday, April 6, 2014 broke and set several ratings records. According to the Nielsen Company, "Celebration Of Gospel" 2014 holds the #1 spot in COG franchise history among Households and was seen by an average of 2.6 million total viewers. All key demos were up double-digits vs. COG 13 led by target demos Adults 18-49 (+48%) and Adults 18-34 (+64%). "Celebration Of Gospel" remains the #1 gospel/religious telecast on TV for 14 consecutive years, #1 Sunday Special on Cable in 2014 among Adults 18-49 and last night’s premiere was the #1 Sunday BET telecast for 2014 to date among Adults 18-49.

  

Bishop Dr. Rance Allen

  This year’s theme is “BET “Celebration of Gospel” (Forward In Faith).” The card was as explosive as ever featuring secular recording stars being paired with the gospel artists. The roster included Yolanda Adams, Charlie Wilson, India Arie, Jonathan McReynolds, Donnie McClurkin, SWV, Tye Tribbett, Erica Campbell, Chante Moore, Hezekiah Walker, Lalah Hathaway, Tasha Cobbs, Kem, Tamela Mann, The Rance Allen Group, Zacardi Cortez, Vashown Mitchell, Eddie Levert, Detrick Haddon, J.J. Hairston, Tasha Page-Lockhart, Candice Glover and Dr. Bobby Jones. Richard Smallwood was the night’s special honoree and performed as well. Ron G. served as the M.C and house comedian.

Charlie Wilson & choir

  The entire show was a hallelujah, clapping, stomping good time and there were some highlights that  stood out bringing the entire auditorium to its feet. One of them was Charlie Wilson being back by a choir singing “If I believe.” The spirit grabbed a hold of him and he gave a rousting personal testimony then broke out into a holy dance and brought the house down. Hostess Tarji P. Henson said “I am thrilled to join the BET “Celebration of Gospel” family. I look forward to a great evening of incredible music and continuing the rich history of BET and gospel music which started 14 years ago hosted by the talented and very funny Steve Harvey.”

Ty Tribbett & Donnie McClurkin

  When I asked Tye Tribbett what the rehearsal was like with him and Donnie McClurkin for their number “We Are Victorious” he lit up like a light bulb exclaiming, “Amazing! I’m a fan of Donnie but who’s not a fan? So I grew up with “Speak To My Heart” and all of the songs so to share the stage with him was like oh my; I’m still in awe, We kept passing each other off in rehearsals like go and I’m like no you go because we kind of wanted to hear each other. It’s going to be very, very exciting. You’re not going to be disappointed.” Yolanda Adams has been a mainstay of the show in 12 of the 14 specials. When asked what has been some of her fondest memories she reflects, “Just laughing with Steve Harvey every single year. He’s crazy! Ya’ll know he’s crazy but I love it. I think that we have grown as “Celebration of Gospel” by leaps and bounds. The talent and production is better every year and you get a really great show and this year is not going to disappoint. It’s amazing!

© 2014 Rych McCain Media/Syndication TM 

(You DID Hear It From Me!) 

Twitter@rychmccain and Facebook (Like Me)

Bob Sumner - TV

 

(C) 2014 by Rych McCain, All Rights Reserved. No part of this column may be reprinted, re-posted or duplicated without written permission from Rych McCain Media/Syndication. Violation is subject to applicable laws.

Bob Sumner - TV

By Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist

www.twitter.com/rychmccain and Facebook (Like Me)

Bob Sumner

Returns With “The Laff Mobb’s We Got Next” Comedy Series!

Photos Courtesy ASPiRE

    

Bob Sumner

The first time Bob Sumner created a cable TV comedy series it was a smash hit that turned a lot of its unknown comics into major starts. We are referring to the Russell Simmons HBO Def Comedy Jam. However, Sumner caught a lot of flack from the fact that the comics were vulgar and cussed every other word. Some twenty years later history repeats itself but this time around Sumner is keeping it 100% clean. The new series is titled “The Laff Mobb’s We Got Next” comedy series now airing on the ASPiRE Cable TV Network. 

 

  When examining the reason for creating this new show, Sumner explains, “The show came about because it was time for a change in stand-up comedy. About twenty some odd years ago I kind of played a part in bringing night club style comedy to television through the Def Comedy Jam brand. Through the brand we were able to launch many, many careers of today’s supper stars in comedy and I just felt like twenty years later I would like to do it again but do it in a manner where we wouldn’t receive the criticism that was received from the previous show. Although the show did very, very well and it was critically acclaimed, we still took our hard knocks from the language, it wasn’t for everybody. Whereas if you go back to the days of Ed Sullivan  you would see a young Richard Pryor. We already know what Richard Pryor was known for but what he also had was a great point of view. And that’s what we want to do with “Laff Mobb’s We Got Next.”

  Its like the next generation of stand-ups and sitcom stars so we’re hoping. It still has that edge but its clean comedy that the whole family can watch and hopefully we can develop some situational comedies from it.”

     This then begs the question does dirty actually pay more than being clean? Sumner put it this way, “It’s an acquired taste but blue comedy can only go so far. Clean comedy can go a long way as long as it is funny.

     

There’s clean comedy that for lack of a better term is kind of corny. I’ve seen it done before. But there is also clean comedy again, if you put some spice on it and the bottom line is saying something that people can relate to and put a little accent on your joke if you have to. But a lot of times you have blue comedians who every other word is a four letter word and it is totally unnecessary. When you try to censor it is Bleep, Bleep, Bleep.”

   

  How did Sumner select these comedians and what was his process” He points out, “You know I tell everybody if I walk into a comedy room its an audition. I take notes constantly and I don’t just center myself around Los Angeles and New York. I’m known to go any and everywhere that I’m asked to come to for a showcase. I don’t really look at tapes, I want to look at you live because I want to come in there and aim that camera and people tend to freeze in front of a camera. It was easy for me to shoot this first season because I kind of knew which comedians can work clean. You can tell by the beats of the joke like if somebody is trying to hard to keep it clean. It’s almost like they are thinking about their next joke to make sure they don’t use a four letter word and things of that nature. So I take notes of who those people are out here and I brought it all to the stage and the rest is history. It will also educate the stand up comedian who is trying to change their style and hopefully the next season we’ll go out here cross country doing showcases and we’ll see who has that.” 

© 2014 Rych McCain Media/Syndication TM 

(You DID Hear It From Me!) 

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Cocoa Brown - Film

(C) 2014 by Rych McCain, All Rights Reserved. No part of this column may be reprinted, re-posted or duplicated without written permission from Rych McCain Media/Syndication. Violation is subject to applicable laws.

 

Cocoa Brown - Film

By Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist

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Cocoa Brown

Keeps The Bright Side Going!

Photos Courtesy of Lionsgate

    

    

Cocoa at Mom's Club Premiere

  It is strange how the comic makes everyone laugh and feel good but who makes the comic laugh? Comedienne, actress Cocoa Brown has been hitting them so rock solid hard on stage with her in-your-face style of comedy that her female fans have nick named her “The Truth.” The Newport News, Virginia native honed her skills as a comedy writer in the beginning and it led to her breaking in as a stand-up comic. She eventually made her way as a cast regular on Tyler Perry’s TV series “For Better Or Worse” on Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network. Brown’s newest project is a starring role as Lytia in Tyler Perry’s “The Single Moms Club” which is his last film for Lionsgate Studios. Brown’s character has already lost two sons to prison and she is determined to see that her youngest son stays on the strait and narrow on his way to being somebody in life so she is a wee bit overprotective of him and he doesn’t like it.

   

   Of course one can say that Brown’s character Lytia leans toward the stereotypical hard Black mother side but Brown explains, “Yes there are definitely some stereotypes in Lytia but what I love about it is that you get to see those layers peeled down. A lot of times we have to be strong and we have to be brash because we’ve been hurt so much and when we are rearing children especially boys by ourselves, the last thing you are going to let your little boy to see is weakness. So a lot of times it can transfer into our everyday relationships with other adults but what I love about my character is that you get to see those layers peel of Lytia and you see the softer side of her. And a lot of women that you think are stereotypical Black mother who are strong, loud and all of that, trust and believe there’s another layer to her. It’s just up to you if you want to get to know it.”

I+R: Zulay Henao, Cocoa Brown and Nia Long

      Brown has been through some trying personal times. She runs it down, “When I had gotten hired for “Better or Worst” I had just gotten married. I was a newly wed. Then I was pregnant while we were filming the second season and in the third season I was going through a divorce. When we were shooting the movie (moms club) is when I had made up my mind to leave my husband. Then when we started filming I told him you got how many weeks we are filming to get out. 

    

Terry Crews as Branson, Lytia's love interest

That is literally what I was going through and I became a single mother. My nanny and my son came to Atlanta and that was it. So for me it was like life imitating art. It’s so funny, there is a scene in the truck where everybody was sharing some really deep personal moments and I remember when it came to my scene, Mr. Perry stopped filming and said come here and pulled me aside. He goes ‘I know what you are going through. Use that. Don’t be afraid. I know Cocoa that you are a stand-up and you love being funny and making people happy and laugh but honey you don’t have to do that here. I know you are hurting. Use this scene to purge that.’ And I’m so glad he gave me that permission. Because when I first came on Better or Worse, he wanted funny Cocoa. When I started to read Single Moms Club I thought he wanted funny Cocoa. Even with the words on the script giving me something deeper I still thought he wanted funny Cocoa. So when he gave me that permission to let that pain out, I was able to purge so much of my pain in that movie.”

   On a lighter note, Look for Brown’s “Don’t Judge Me” comedy tour that will be coming you way soon.

© 2014 Rych McCain Media/Syndication TM 

(You DID Hear It From Me!) 

Twitter@rychmccain and Facebook (Like Me)