By Bill Vaughan
Entertainment Writer
A gospel and soul singing legend will be getting her flowers at the just announced “Mavis Staples 85th All Star Birthday Concert” at YouTube Theater on April 18.
The celebration in advance of her July 10 birthday, will feature Staples, along with well-wishers Michael McDonald, Norah Jones, Chris Stapleton, Keb’ Mo’, Robert Randolph, Taj Mahal, Black Pumas, Grace Potter, The War and Treaty, Jackson Browne, Hozier and more to come.
According to Staples herself: “At the end of last year, I was talking about retiring. But after sitting with it for a while, I stopped myself and thought, ‘Well, what would I do?’ I asked the Lord, ‘Why am I still here? What do you want of me? Have you kept me around for a reason?’ And the only reason I could see is to sing my songs. That’s why I’m still here, and I’m looking forward to this show with my friends singing my songs, too!”
Tickets go on sale to the general public at Ticketmaster on Feb. 16 at 10 a.m.
FESTIVAL FILE: “How to Sue the Klan,” a documentary short produced by attorney Benjamin Crump, is among the offerings of The Social Justice Now Film Festival (Feb. 22-24), presented by the Film Life Foundation, at Sony Pictures Entertainment’s studio lot in Culver City.
TASTY QUIP: “I’ve been getting hit on all my life. Gay, straight, whatever, somebody’s always hitting on me.” – BILLY DEE WILLIAMS, promoting his memoir “What Have We Here? Portrait of a Life,” to People
CLIPPETTES: Apple TV+ has renewed the Idris Elba suspense series “Hijack” for a second season …
Dre Day LA returns Feb. 16 for a ninth year of celebrating Dr. Dre with special guests Battlecat and J. Rocc at Echoplex, while 112 is at Morongo Casino, Grupo Niche is at the Mayan Theater and Meyer Hawthorne rides again at The Bellwether …
In addition, comic Jo Koy brings his world tour to the Forum for two nights; and the three-night Cali Vibes is in gear at Long Beach’s Marina Green Park with Ice Cube, Shaggy, Gwen Stefani, The Roots, Slightly Stoopid, Wiz Khalifa, Damian “Jr. Gong” & Stephen Marley, Sean Paul and many more …
The cast of Kevin Hart’s Peacock limited series “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist” is getting fatter by the minute with the additions of Don Cheadle and Taraji P. Henson to the Atlanta filming cast of Hart, Samuel L. Jackson and Terrence Howard …
Center Theatre Group presents Michael Feinstein in “Music for Lovers & Strangers with special guest Sheryl Lee Ralph on Feb. 17, as J. Ivy hosts the third program of the Poetry Uncut series at The Nimoy with Def Sound, Sunni Patterson and Get Lit. Also, Melvin Seals and JGB play the Lodge Room and Jonathan Pinson’s Boom Clap records a live contemporary jazz album at The Sun Rose …
The FLOs (Former Ladies of The Supremes – Scherrie Payne & Susaye Greene) lead “A Special Tribute to Mary Wilson” on Feb. 18 at Catalina Jazz Club …
Playboi Carti’s Antagonist Tour comes to Crypto.com Arena Feb. 21, as singer-trumpeter Johnny Britt performs at Catalina Jazz Club …
Keke Palmer is coming aboard Aziz Ansari’s oft-delayed feature directorial debut “Good Fortune,” joining Keanu Reeves and Seth Rogan …
KRS-One and Mad Lion play The Venice West on Feb. 22; while Taj Mahal visits Santa Barbara’s Campbell Hall, the Catalina Jazz Club hosts Tony Danza: Standards & Stories, and Kahil El’ Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble celebrates 50 years at Zebulon Café …
The movie remake of the landmark Bruce Lee-created TV series “Kung Fu” has found its lead in action star Donnie Yen (“John Wick 3,” “Ip Man”).
TASTY QUIP: “If I was a white woman, my name would be Melissa McCarthy. Same track record. Five-year sitcom in syndication. Same track record. The opportunities are not the same.” – MO’NIQUE on “Club Shay Shay”
TC ON TV: Feb. 16 – “This Is Me… Now: A Love Story” (Apple TV+): Coinciding with the release of her album of the same name, this narrative-driven odyssey tells the story of Jennifer Lopez‘s journey to love through her own eyes. With Lopez, Ben Affleck, Sofia Vergara, Keke Palmer, Trevor Noah, Fat Joe, Neil deGrasse Tyson and more. “Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin” (Apple TV+): The Black member of the Peanuts gang gets the spotlight in this new cartoon movie. “Oppenheimer” (Peacock): Catch the Oscar nominated Best Picture at home. “2024 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game” (ESPN): Jennifer Hudson has been training with ex-Lakers coach Derek Fisher for this. “S.W.A.T.” (CBS): The Shemar Moore-led action series gets a final seventh season. “Great Performances” (PBS): “The LA Phil Celebrates Frank Gehry” with performances by Herbie Hancock, H.E.R., and more. “The Tonight Show” (NBC): Jennifer Lopez, Alan “Reacher” Ritchson, Gary Clark Jr.
Feb. 17 – “The Beach House Murders” (Lifetime): A cagey thriller about a novelist who becomes a prime suspect in a homicide after a one-night tryst with a mysterious stranger who turns up dead at her summer home.
Feb. 18 – “American Idol” (ABC): The auditions begin. “The Equalizer” (CBS): Returns for a fourth season with McCall (Queen Latifah) being menaced by a former CIA colleague (portrayed by Ilfenesh Hadera of “Godfather of Harlem”). “People’s Choice Awards” (NBC/E!/Peacock): Lenny Kravitz will receive the People’s Music Icon award at the live ceremony hosted by Simu Liu (“Barbie”). “What Would You Do?” (ABC): John Quinones brings Kamau Bell and Sara Haines of “The View” on board this season. “Tournament of Champions” (Food/Max): Guy Fieri is back for a fifth round of the battle of chefs.
Feb. 19 – “Giannis: The Marvelous Journey” (Prime): An intimate portrait of the global NBA superstar nicknamed “The Greek Freak” from his journey from Nigeria to Athens, Greece to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. “James Brown: Say It Loud” (A&E): A two-night documentary event delving into the immeasurable musical and cultural impact of the entertainment icon. Directed by Deborah Riley Draper (“The Legacy of Black Wall Street,” “Versailles ’73: American Runway Revolution”) and executive produced by Mick Jagger, Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson and Tariq ‘Black Thought’ Trotter of The Roots, among others. “Independent Lens” (PBS): “Breaking the News” chronicles the tenacious efforts of Errin Haines and other female and nonbinary journalists as they build a journalism “startup” to highlight perspectives left out of mainstream media.
Feb. 20 – “Mike Epps: Ready to Sell Out” (Netflix): The comic riffs on poor personal hygiene, failing at infidelity and waging war on work husbands in this stand-up special. “Finding Your Roots” (PBS): “Mean Streets” finds Henry Louis Gates Jr. tracing the genealogies of Tracy Morgan and Anthony Ramos. “Will Trent” (ABC): This season adds Susan Kelechi Watson (“This Is Us”) as a new love interest for the detective. “America In Black” (BET): Popular food critic Keith Lee is profiled by Michelle Miller; Maurice DuBois interviews Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.
Feb. 21 – “Constellation” (Apple TV+): An eight-part, action-packed, conspiracy-based psychological thriller drama starring Noomi Rapace (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”) and Jonathan Banks (“Breaking Bad,” “Better Call Saul”). “Messi’s World Cup: The Rise of a Legend” (Apple TV+): In his own words, Lionel Messi tells the definitive story of his incredible career with the Argentina national football team, providing an intimate and unprecedented look at his quest for a legacy-defining World Cup victory.
Feb. 22 – “Avatar: The Last Airbender” (Netflix): A live-action reimagining of the acclaimed animated series. “Kemba” (BET+): From screenwriter Christine Swanson comes this fact-based tale of a sheltered college student who falls in love with the wrong man, ultimately landing her in federal prison. With Nesta Cooper, Siddiq Saunderson, Sean Patrick Thomas, and Michelle Hurd. “The Ex Obsession” (Tubi): Chaley Rose (‘Nashville”) and B.J. Britt (“Being Mary Jane”) star in the drama about identity theft. “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Syn): Babyface, Danai Gurira
END QUOTE: “There is always a way and always hope in the next sunrise, and in the next second, and in the next minute.” – ZIGGY MARLEY
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.
