BILL VAUGHAN’S TASTY CLIPS: Monica chosen 2020 ‘Soul Train Awards’ Lady of Soul

By Bill Vaughan

Entertainment Writer

Grammy Award-winning singer, actress, philanthropist and entrepreneur Monica will be honored at the “2020 Soul Train Awards” headed our way Nov. 29 on BET, BET Her, VH1 and MTV2.

This year’s Lady of Soul Award winner has enjoyed a music career spanning over two decades since debuting with the hit laden “Miss Thang.” Her sophomore album, “The Boy Is Mine,” garnered Monica pop success with a record-breaking 13 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard charts.

Since Charlie Wilson and Smokey Robinson are on the bill of this year’s show, perhaps they’ll perform their new smash duet “All Of My Love.”

Babyface, so remarkable on Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis’ new single “He Don’t Know Nothin’ Bout It,” is scheduled to sing on the program hosted once more by Tisha Campbell and Tichina Martin.

Also slated are Brandy, CeeLo Green, Ella Mai, Jazmine Sullivan and Lucky Daye, with appearances by Dallas Austin, Jermaine Dupri and Brandee Evans.

For this edition, with “Feed Your Soul” its theme, H.E.R. leads with eight nominations, followed by Chris Brown with seven nods, and Beyoncé and Young Thug with 6 each.

The night begins with the one-hour, pre-show “Soul-Coming: Countdown to the Soul Train Awards” hosted by Flex Alexander and Shanice at 4 p.m.

CAUSE WORTHY: In recognition of World AIDS Day, “Love, M.,” a powerful story about the early days of the Crisis, starring Lamman Rucker (“Greenleaf”) and Broadway icon Terry Burrell will be staged virtually free on Dec. 1, from an alliance of the Horizon Theatre, the Black Leadership AIDS Crisis Coalition (BLACC) and AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

The evening will include a pre-show welcome, the play and a post-show conversation, moderated by award-winning journalist/author Patrick L. Riley (“That’s What Friends Are For”) with guests, Gabriel Maldonado, CEO of TruEvolution and former Obama appointee to the President’s Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, mental health professional Dr. Shalondra K. Crawford, journalist/author George M. Johnson (“All Boys Aren’t Born Blue”) and Rucker.

After the 4 p.m. premiere at horizontheatre.com, the production will be available on demand through Dec. 31.

CLIPPETTES: In the wake of his heavily bandaged performance at the “American Music Awards,” and as a ramp up to a Super Bowl halftime set, The Weeknd and global platform Vevo have announced a trilogy of official live performances though Nov. 25 showcasing songs from his chart-topping album “After Hours” … 

Patti LaBelle, Shirley Caesar, Misty Copeland and Doug E. Fresh are among the honorees of the Salute Them Awards hosted by Loni Love livestreaming Nov. 27 at 4 p.m. Join En Vogue, Jekalyn Carr, Nona Hendryx, Yo Yo and more at SaluteThemAwards.com

Also that day, Dua Lipa invites you to come with her to “Studio 2054” for a night like no other complete with a cast of musicians, dancers, skaters, aerialists and acrobats, and surprise superstar guests at https://www.dualipa.com/

The CW announced that “Black Lightning” will be shuttered after its upcoming fourth season, but that a spinoff featuring Jordan Calloway’s villainous Painkiller is in development

Vocalist Rhonda Thomas’ incredible 2019 Atlanta Jazz Festival performance will have its online premiere Nov. 28.  Rhondasings.com has the details

Meanwhile, “Alice Smith: Unreleased!” has the songstress performing a concert of her long anticipated, unreleased music in a holiday and birthday special. The following evening, she will deliver a classic performance featuring her own songs and favorite covers. Visit vip.alicesmith.com/event for details

Nelly, enjoying new popularity due to “Dancing With The Stars” and his performance on the “American Music Awards,” has been cast as the late rock and roll giant Chuck Berry in “Clear Lake,” an upcoming biopic on Buddy Holly … 

The 48th annual Vivian Robinson AUDELCO Awards, hosted by Roger Guenveur Smith (“The Huey P. Newton Story,” “Do the Right Thing”) will occur virtually on Nov. 30 with tickets available via EventBrite.com. In addition to numerous nominated shows, special honors will be given to Blair Underwood, Robert Hooks, Andre DeShields, Vivian Reed, Voza Rivers, Oz Scott, Tina Fabrique, Vinnie Burrows and Kara Young.

WATCH THIS: HBO is making its hit special event, an all-star adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ now iconic best-selling book “Between The World And Me,” available to stream free this Thanksgiving weekend, beginning Nov. 25–30.

It can be seen on HBO.com, on Free On Demand and HBOMax.com/watch-free page with no subscription needed.  After this, you sample some of this year’s buzz series such as “Lovecraft Country” and “The Undoing.”

TC ON TV: Nov. 27 – “Small Axe” (Amazon): “Lover’s Rock,” the second film of director Steve McQueen’s anthology series, takes place in a single evening at a house party in 1980s West London. “The F-Spot With Derrick Beckles” (Cartoon): This comedy program combines two guilty pleasures, focus groups and reality TV shows. “Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker” (Netflix): Executive produced by Shonda Rhimes, this documentary features Emmy-winning dancer and choreographer Debbie Allen and her academy. “Riding With Sugar” (Netflix): Sunu Gonera‘s South African BMX film premieres. “Illumination Presents Minions Holiday Special (NBC): Four mini-movies include special guest characters from “The Secret Life of Pets” and “Sing” franchises. “The Match” (TNT): Phil Mickelson will partner with Charles Barkley vs. last year’s winner (with Tiger Woods) Peyton Manning now paired with Stephen Curry. The golf match will benefit historically Black colleges.

Nov. 28 – “Merry Liddle Christmas Wedding” (Lifetime): The network’s first-ever Christmas sequel to last year’s hit movie, “Merry Liddle Christmas” again stars Kelly Rowland with Bresha Webb and Debbi Morgan. “Iyanla: Fix My Life” (OWN): “LisaRaye McCoy: 3 Generations, 1 Family Breakdown” “Behind Every Man” (OWN): Claudinette Jean and her husband multi-platinum selling artist Wyclef Jean

Nov. 29 – “Rock Legends” (AXS TV): Chicago Blues featuring Bo Diddley, Howlin’ Woolf and Muddy Waters.  “Pass The Mic” (BET): DJ Cassidy’s viral music series featuring an array of popular R&B artists makes its network debut.

Nov. 30 – “The Disney Holiday Singalong” (ABC): BTS, Ciara, Chloe x Halle, Adam Lambert, Katy Perry, P!NK and Kerry Washington; along with casts from Disney on Broadway’s “The Lion King,” “Aladdin” and “Frozen.”

Dec. 1 – “Our OWN Christmas” (OWN): Hosted by DeVon Franklin and Meagan Good, the hour long special will feature legendary award-winning gospel group The Clark Sisters, Grammy-Award winners and iconic gospel singers Kierra Sheard, Erica Campbell, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Lalah Hathaway and Le’Andria Johnson, singer-songwriter Ne-Yo, BJ The Chicago Kid, PJ Morton, a capella groups Shelby 5 and The Walls Group, and a must-see collaboration between Boyz II Men and Brian McKnight.

Dec. 2 – “88th Annual Christmas In Rockefeller Center” (NBC): “Today” co-anchors Craig Melvin, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker and Savannah Guthrie host festive performances by Earth, Wind & Fire, Leslie Odom Jr., Gwen Stefani, Goo Goo Dolls, Dolly Parton, Pentatonix and Meghan Trainor. The cast from the Tony Award-winning hit “Ain’t Too Proud” will perform a musical number and the Radio City Rockettes will also make an appearance. “black-ish” (ABC): Dre brings the family to his hometown Compton during a special holiday episode.

Dec. 3 – “iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Greatest Moments” (CW): Celebrates its 25th anniversary with backstage moments and iconic performances by Mariah Carey, Lizzo, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber and many more.

TASTY QUIP: “If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.” – BRUCE LEE

As featured in the Los Angeles Wave and Independent, Tasty Clips is one of the leading entertainment columns in the nation, serving nearly one million weekly readers. Bill Vaughan may be reached at tastyclips@yahoo.com, via Twitter @tastyclips, or Instagram @tasty_clips.