BILL VAUGHAN’S TASTY CLIPS: Prime Video rings the bell for Muhammad Ali series

By Bill Vaughan

Entertainment Writer

“The Champ is Here!” Prime Video is entering the ring of sports biographies on Nov. 4 with the premiere of the highly anticipated Muhammad Ali series “The Greatest,” starring newcomer Jaalen Best.

Executive produced by Lonnie Ali, the widow of the late luminary, along with Michael B. Jordan‘s Outlier Society (the “Creed” franchise) and creator/showrunner Ben Watkins‘ Blue Monday Productions (“Cross”), this is the first authorized scripted series about the icon offering unprecedented access and going beyond the amazing victories and defeats that made Ali a legend, both in and out of the ring.

A stellar group of actors has been assembled to bring the famed figures in Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali’s life to the screen.

Quentin Tarantino favorite Dana Gourrier (“Django Unchained,” “The Hateful Eight”) is matriarch Odessa “Bird” Clay with Omari Hardwick (“Power”) portraying Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr., and Kai Parham as brother Rudy Clay.

On the boxing side, Giovanni Ribisi (the “Avatar” franchise) is trainer Angelo Dundee, Reno Wilson (“Mike & Molly”) is cornerman/hypeman Bundini Brown, Amin Joseph (“Snowfall”) is perfectly cast as feared strongman Sonny Liston, and Erica Tazel (“Queen Sugar”) as his wife, Geraldine Liston.

And in perhaps the casting coup, Michael Ealy (the “Think Like a Man” franchise, “Reasonable Doubt”) essays activist leader and Ali confidante Malcom X.

Fresh episodes will air on Wednesdays for eight weeks with the hope we’ll get a second season and the rivalry with Joe Frazier!

GEEK OUT: Giancarlo Esposito, Rosario Dawson, Nicolas Cage, Phil LaMarr, Temeura Morrison, Christopher Lloyd, Dean Norris, Aaron Paul, Bob Odenkirk, Krysten Ritter, world class artists and creators, and other notables are set for the 15th anniversary Los Angeles Comic Con, a leading event for comics, gaming, sci-fi, anime, and pop culture. For more info on the three-day event at the LA Convention Center Oct. 30 – Nov. 1, visit www.comicconla.com.

TASTY QUIP: “You gotta be very aware of what’s going on in the world. They called it propaganda before. But now, the technology has caught up and people are tricked. A lot of tricknology for us. It’s called artificial intelligence because it’s mimicking you guys. It’s mimicking us. We got real intelligence, not artificial intelligence. We feel. Right? Make sure you question everything you feel. Machines are learning you. You tell them your swag, you tell them your name, you tell them anything, and then it mimics you. It can’t be you. It can never be you. So, question everything. Y’all feel me?” – JAY-Z at SoFi Stadium

CLIPPETTES: Nov. 1 brings KRS One to the Novo; Mýa to Blue Note LA; Aerosmith & Friends to the Hollywood Bowl; Deon Cole for the first of two nights at the Hollywood Improv; and The Voice of Miles: A Symphonic Celebration, featuring Miles Davis’ original trumpet tracks in a new multi-media production with film and a live 13-piece orchestra to Pasadena’s Huntington Ballroom …

25-year-old LA-based singer, songwriter, and actor Josh Levi’s “One Year of Hydraulic” comes to Blue Note LA on Nov. 3 while Gerald Clayton hosts “Tuesday Happenings” at Sam First …

The following evening, Madison McFerrin & Taylor McFerrin are at Blue Note LA; and the Regent Theater presents Tall Black Guy’s “Let’s Take a Trip” 10th Anniversary …

Celebrating 20 years since its world premiere, “Passing Strange” – the Tony Award-winning Broadway sensation based on the life of singer-songwriter Stew — finally makes its long-awaited L.A. premiere. Directed by Tony Award-winner Zhailon Levinston (“Cats: The Jellicle Ball”), this production runs at the Pasadena Playhouse from Nov. 4-29 …

Join Tiffany Haddish and special guests for “Laughs. Lyrics. Liberation. Community.” while supporting the work of Diaspora Groceries Cares on Nov. 4 from 4–7 p.m. at Maverick Social Enterprises. Proceeds from tickets through Eventbrite will help advance their work in food equity, health and wellness, entrepreneurship, workforce development, and economic mobility throughout South L.A. and the greater L.A. community …

29-year-old bass phenom Mohini Dey plays Blue Note LA on Nov. 5 as celebrated poet, essayist and playwright Claudia Rankine’s new work “Triage” is unveiled at the Mark Taper Auditorium; and Catalina Bar and Grill hosts a Celebration of Life for soulful Scottish vocalist Alex Ligertwood (Santana, AWB, Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express, the Jeff Beck Group) …

REDCAT presents the 23rd annual NOW Festival, a celebration of innovative new work by LA artists from Nov. 5–21. For more info on the nine new original works in dance, theater, music, and performance presented over the three weeks, visit: www.redcat.org/now26.

TASTY QUIP: “A good check. That’s really what it is. I’m well-paid, and I do a good job. I earn my dough, and sometimes people like it, sometimes they don’t. No one is going to pay me guy money to be in a movie. I get what I can, have as good a time as I can, and I don’t really worry about it too much.” – WHOOPI GOLDBERG to W Magazine on what keeps her coming back to “The View” after almost 20 years

TC ON TV: Oct. 30 – “Nocturne” (AppleTV): A riveting new drama starring and executive produced by Liev Schreiber, as well as Zazie Beetz. The 10-episode series about a serial killer also stars Stephen Graham (“Adolescence”), Chrissy Metz and Poorna Jagannathan (“Lanterns”). “Big Baby” (AMC+/Shudder): Brandon Scott (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Dead To Me”) toplines as a successful horror screenwriter whose struggle for inspiration begins to blur the line between reality and fiction. “CBS Mornings” (CBS): Sherri Shepherd who is trailblazing as the first woman Genie in Broadway’s “Aladdin.” “Jennifer Hudson” (Syn): Halloween with Janelle Monáe

Nov. 1 – “The Gilded Age” (HBO): The sprawling period New York City drama from Julian Fellowes under the guidance of Salli Richardson-Whitfield returns with one of TV’s best ensembles: Phylicia Rashad, Audra McDonald, Carrie Coon, Morgan Spector, Cynthia Nixon, Christine Baranski, Denée Benton, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Adrienne Warren, to name a few. “Dexter: Resurrection” (SHO/Paramount+): Pleased to see the amazing Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine (who killed as Ronnie on “The Chi”) will be back as cabbie Blessing Kamara for this second season.

Nov. 2 – “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins” (NBC): The sitcom with Tracy Morgan as a disgraced ex-football star being documented by a washed-up filmmaker (Daniel Radcliffe) is back. Joining as guests this second season are Boris Kodjoe, sportscaster Mike Tirico and Emmy, Tony and Grammy winner André De Shields. “Foul Play with Anthony Davis” (TBS): The NBA All-Star pranks ex-NFLer Tyrann Mathieu and former hoops star Chandler Parsons (with an assist from Mark Cuban). “Celebrity Weakest Link” (Fox): Eight female comedians including Ms. Pat, Nicole Byer and Sasheer Zamata compete for charity to break up host Jane Lynch for up to $1 million.

Nov. 3 – “Bass X Machina” (Netflix): This stunning anime imagines Bass Reeves (Brian Tyree Henry) in a lawless Steampunk West overrun by brutal outlaws, machines, and supernatural terrors. The voice cast includes Cree Summer, Janelle Monáe, Starletta DuPois and Tati Gabrielle. “Mike Tyson: Return of the Mike” (Netflix): The boxing icon lets loose in this one-man show directed by his wife Kiki Tyson. “Lot Patrol” (BET): More escapades of the eccentric security guards patrolling the backlot of a major Hollywood studio. With Alex Thomas, Carl Anthony Payne, Darius McCrary, DeRay Davis and TK Kirkland. “Nick Cannon @ Night” (BET): “Cheating, Fetishes & Intimacy: Where Do You Draw The Line?”

Nov. 4 – “All’s Fair” (Hulu): The lawyers of Grant, Ronson & Greene are back for another season of scandals, secrets, and stilettos. With an all-star cast of Glenn Close, Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, Niecy Nash-Betts, Sarah Paulson and Teyana Taylor. “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” (ABC): Yvonne Orji & Hasan Minhaj “Church Wives” (BET): Gizelle Bryant (“The Real Housewives of Potomac“) is executive producer and featured in this dramedy set inside a prominent megachurch where two ambitious women go to war for status and power when a coveted leadership role opens up.

Nov. 5 – “Terrell & T.O.” (Prime Video): A feature-length documentary that captures the turbulent career of Hall of Fame NFL trailblazer Terrell Owens. “Elsbeth” (CBS): Erika Woods (of “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” fame and series regular Wendell Pierce’s partner) guest stars.

END QUOTE: “If you can get out of bed and don’t fall down when you do it, then you just count your blessings and keep moving.” – MORGAN FREEMAN to the NY Times

For more than 12 years, Bill Vaughan has kept Wave readers up to date with the latest news in entertainment. To contact Vaughan, visit his social media pages on Facebook and Instagram or @tasty_clips, on X @tastyclips, and on LinkedIn to William Vaughan.