By Bill Vaughan
Entertainment Writer
As Black Music Month comes to an end, so does Disneyland Resort’s “Celebrate Soulfully” festivities, which launched this past February, celebrating the experiences that honor Black heritage and culture through music, food and art.
During this time, the Downtown Disney District launched “The Soul of Jazz: An American Adventure,” bringing to life the club scene from Disney and Pixar’s Academy Award-winning animated film, “Soul.” The touring exhibit, guided by musician, mentor and star of the film, Joe Gardner (voiced in the film by Jamie Foxx) leads guests on musical tours across America. It’s happening now through July 4, is complimentary to all and open daily from noon to 8 p.m.
In addition to the ongoing “Celebrate Soulfully” experiences, there also will be limited-time offerings which includes the new staging of “Tale of the Lion King;” Afrocentric menus at numerous eateries; training with the Dora Milaje — the royal guard of Wakanda — at Avengers Campus; joining princess Tiana for a fairytale meal during Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures at Napa Rose restaurant; a cadre of Black-owned food trucks like Bred Nashville Hot Chicken and Happy Ice; and more. Visit DisneyParks.com for more info.
TASTY QUIP: “So often we search for something, someone, to help us and give us hope, not realizing what we’re searching for has always been right there. God is our help and hope, and He’s always available to us. He is the ultimate Superhero.” – TAMELA MANN on the inspiration behind her new single “Superheroes Prayer,” a duet with Yolanda Adams produced by Kirk Franklin for the forthcoming deluxe edition of her acclaimed album, “Overcomer”
CLIPPETTES: Ice-T with special guests MC Eiht & Namek is in concert July 2 at Garden Amp …
In news that should surprise very few, the self-proclaimed “Queen of All Media” Wendy Williams is planning to deliver her hot topics once again via an upcoming podcast …
Hollywood Forever Cemetery hosts a screening of “Purple Rain” along with fireworks on July 3 at 7:15 p.m. Food, libations, and a free photobooth will be available for patrons who are encouraged to rock Prince-inspired fashions …
Steve Martin & Martin Short lead the July 4 Fireworks Spectacular at the Hollywood Bowl …
Kraftwerk 3-D Tour lands at the Shrine Auditorium on July 5 …
TASTY QUIP: “It means everything. It means that my hard work has paid off. And I feel like, when I was a kid, my dad always told me, you need to be 10 times better because you’re Black, just to be seen as equal. And I hope this step forward shows that we can be equal. We’re getting to a place where more of us can just be our best and that’s enough. When I was a little girl I was an immigrant, and that means that you need to pick a job and a dream that is stable, and I was going to be an attorney … and God intervened and I decided to become an actor and I didn’t understand why, and then, I really truly think it’s because storytellers, they have a way impacting and changing, influencing a world so much faster.” – MISHAEL MORGAN (“The Young and the Restless”) to CBS’ “The Talk” on becoming the first Black woman to win a Lead Actress award at the Daytime Emmys
TC ON TV: July 1 – “Carl Weber’s The Black Hamptons” (BET+): A new four-part original limited series from the New York Times best-selling author set in the quaint town of Sag Harbor. The star-studded cast includes Lamman Rucker, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Elise Neal, Brian White, Blac Chyna, Aaron Spears, Jennifer Freeman, and more! “The Terminal List” (Prime Video): An eight-episode drama by director Antoine Fuqua (“The Equalizer” films, “Training Day”) starring Chris Pratt, Constance Wu, LaMonica Garrett and Stephen Bishop. “Stranger Things” (Netflix): Let’s binge again as we did Memorial Day weekend! Two supersized episodes close season four. Bring your hankies. “The Bad Guys” (Peacock): The spring’s animated hit movie voiced by Craig Robinson, Zazie Beetz, Awkwafina, Anthony Ramos, Richard Ayoade, Lilly Singh and more has its streaming premiere.
July 3 – “Art of Incarceration” (Netflix): Explores how art and culture can empower Australia’s First Nations people to transcend their unjust cycles of imprisonment. Seen through the eyes of indigenous prisoners at Victoria’s Fulham Correctional Centre. “Spotlights: A Showtime Short Film Series” (SHO): “Sweetheart Dancers,” about a couple reinventing Native American traditions; “The South Is My Sister’s Skin,” Zenzele Ojore’s documentary following an artist’s coming of age; and “Sales Per Hour,” imagining a young woman’s moral dilemma when she witnesses a sexual encounter in a dressing room at the clothing store where she works. “We Hunt Together” (SHO): A second season of the British drama centered on two mismatched detectives uniting to solve crimes of passion starring Babou Ceesay and Eve Myles. “The Chi” (SHO): The hissable mayor Douda (Curtiss Cook) is back with season one OG Quentin (Steven Williams) in tow.
July 4 – “America The Beautiful” (Disney+): Michael B. Jordan narrates this original docuseries from National Geographic taking viewers on an epic journey across North America’s most spectacular regions to witness the breathtaking landscapes of the most diverse land on Earth while showcasing its many unique creatures. The goal is to inspire audiences to conserve the precious habitats and inhabitants found in our own backyards. “The Fourth In America” (CNN): Featuring songs from Jimmie Allen, Alessia Cara, the B-52’s, the Doobie Brothers, Gloria Estefan, Jason Derulo, Machine Gun Kelly, Santana, T-Pain, Willie Nelson and more. Hosted by Don Lemon, Ana Cabrera, Sara Sidner and Dana Bash. “Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular” (NBC): “Today” anchors Craig Melvin and Dylan Dreyer co-host with performances by Pitbull, Lin-Manuel Miranda and the casts of “Freestyle Love Supreme” and “Moulin Rouge.” “A Capitol Fourth” (PBS): With Mickey Guyton, Cynthia Erivo, Yolanda Adams, Gloria Gaynor, Keb’ Mo’, Chita Rivera, Darren Criss and others. “Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th” (CMT): From Nashville with CMA and ACM “Group of the Year” Old Dominion headlining the bill with Grammy-winning reggae artist Gramps Morgan and Cassadee Pope (“The Voice”).
July 5 – “America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston” (PBS): The bestselling author and podcaster explores the country’s diverse landscapes to see how they shape the way we work, play and interact with the outdoors – from coal miners turned beekeepers in Appalachia to Black surfers catching waves in L.A. “Nick Cannon Presents: Wild ‘N Out” (VH1): Special Ed, Juelz Santana, Chrisette Michele, Fireboy DML, Tems, Adam Waheed, Symba “Bobby Brown: Every Little Step” (A&E): “New Edition, New Problems” “The Great Muslim American Road Trip” (PBS): “Life Is A Highway: Chicago To Joplin, Missouri” “Origins of Hip- Hop” (A&E): Lil Jon
July 6 – “Big Brother” (CBS): Returns for a 24th season said to be its shortest since 2012. “Crank Yankers” (Comedy): The seventh season opens with puppet voices by Tiffany Haddish, Desus & Mero, and Jimmy Kimmel. “The Challenge: USA” (CBS): For the first time, the MTV competition will exclusively feature CBS reality stars. Cookout members Azah Awasum, Alyssa Lopez, Kyland Young, Tiffany Mitchell, and winner Xavier Prather from last year’s “Big Brother” go against former players from “Survivor,” “Love Island” and “The Amazing Race.”
July 7 – “Moonhaven” (AMC+): A new sci-fi suspense thriller set in a utopian colony on the moon that may hold the keys to preserving life on Earth featuring Dominic Monaghan (“Lost”), Joe Manganiello (“True Blood”), and Kadeem Hardison (“A Different World”).
END QUOTE: “As always, I do this for the women. For my sisters especially. It’s a hard time right now for us. I want to speak directly to the men. We need you all. We need y’all to stand up. Stand up for us. Stand up with us. If you have ever benefited from a woman making one of the toughest decisions of her life — to terminate a pregnancy — you need to be standing with us. This is not just a woman’s issue. This is everybody’s issue. We need your support more than ever, OK, fellas. Y’all got us? We’ve got y’all. You all have got us? Thank you so much.” – JAZMINE SULLIVAN regarding Roe v. Wade being overturned upon accepting Best Female R&B/Pop Artist at the 2022 BET Awards
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.