By Bill Vaughan
Entertainment Writer
The 28th Annual American Black Film Festival is making big moves this weekend by bringing together acclaimed industry giants Ava DuVernay (“Origin,” “When They See Us”) and Kenya Barris (“black-ish” empire, “Girls Trip,” “Diarra from Detroit”) to join festival creative director Issa Rae (“Insecure”) for “Creator Conversations.”
The live, first of its kind, event will be held in Miami Beach during the festival June 14 and featured during an online segment June 17-24 on ABFF PLAY (https://abffplay.com/).
“We are truly delighted to get a rare glimpse into the minds of three trailblazers who are reshaping the landscape of film and television. Ava DuVernay, Kenya Barris and Issa Rae are incredibly talented creators whose work and careers we admire tremendously,” said Nice Crowd President Nicole Friday. “This on-stage conversation will provide the audiences with in-person access to these iconic creatives, allowing them to engage and hear directly from these celebrated artists.”
CAUSEWORTHY: The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures announced that its annual fundraising gala, to be held on Oct. 19, will honor Academy Award-nominated actor Paul Mescal (“Aftersun”); Academy Award-winning actress, singer and dancer Rita Moreno (“West Side Story”); and two-time Academy Award-winning and six-time Academy Award-nominated writer and director Quentin Tarantino (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”).
The evening gala, raising vital funds to support museum exhibitions, education initiatives and public programming, including screenings, school programs, and access initiatives in service of the public and the local community of Los Angeles, is co-chaired by esteemed film mainstays including Salma Hayek Pinault, Nicole Kidman, Eva Longoria and Tyler Perry.
CLIPPETTES: Kevin Hart is teaming with Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground to produce a Netflix series based on his 2021 film “Fatherhood” …
“The 1619 Project” author Nikole Hannah-Jones sits with Angela Rye for a conversation June 14 at the Miracle Theater in Inglewood, while Andy Garcia & the Cineson All Stars are at Anaheim’s City National Grove …
Also, the Pasadena Playhouse staging of “Jelly’s Last Jam,” the Broadway musical depicting the life of legendary composer Jelly Roll Morton, continues. Look for an exclusive interview with one of its stars, Cress Williams (“Black Lightning”) in next week’s Tasty Clips …
On June 15, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band blow at Grand Performances, Soul Slam presents DJ Spinna’s Original Michael Jackson & Prince Party at Echoplex, Charlie XCX is at the Shrine Auditorium, LA Opera presents Renee Fleming at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and The Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival returns for a two-day celebration hosted by Arsenio Hall with Andra Day, Jodeci, Christian McBride, Kamasi Washington, Robert Glasper, Cimafunk, Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band, The Soul Rebels with Seun Kuti and more …
Tai Beauchamp leads the soothing Morning Mindset from 2 to 4 p.m. at The Broad on June 16 with the evening performances set for Elvin Bishop at the Coach House and Poncho Sanchez at Catalina Jazz Club …
In more Netflix news, the streamer is adapting the 2000 film “Man on Fire” as a series to star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (“Watchmen,” “Aquaman,” “Candyman”) in the role of ex-mercenary John Creasy played on the big screen by Denzel Washington …
Daryl Hall is leaving his old partner John Oates behind in a June 18 show at The Greek with Elvis Costello and Charlie Sexton …
On June 19, the Hollywood Bowl hosts its Juneteenth Celebration with T-Pain & Special Guests (Ledisi, Derrick Hodge, Tina Campbell, D-Smoke); as comic Aida Rodriquez is at the Laugh Factory …
L.A.’s premier Black fictional detective Easy Rawlins returns in Walter Mosley’s latest, “Farewell, Amethystine” and the Kaufman PAC at Vista Del Mar hosts the author on June 20 to discuss the work. Meanwhile, country’s Breland sings at the Troubadour, The R&B Money Tour with Tank, Keri Hilson, and Carl Thomas stops at YouTube Theater, Elaine Elias is at Catalina Jazz Club, and Mo Rocca talks up his new book “Roctogenarians” at the Wilshire Ebell …
TASTY QUIP: “Keep writing, stay funny, and try not to piss off white folks.” – ARIES SPEARS to DJ Vlad on career advice he received from Chris Rock
TC ON TV: June 14 – “Monkey Man” (Peacock): This action-packed Jordan Peele-produced film, directed by and starring Dev Patel, comes to the streamer. “Great Performances At The Met” (PBS): In this staging, Bizet’s “Carmen” is reset in the modern day with mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina leading a stellar cast featuring tenor Piotr Beczała and soprano Angel Blue. “Deb’s House” (WE): Follows famed music mogul Deb Antney, who pioneered the careers of several high-profile artists such as Gucci Mane, French Montana and Nicki Minaj, as she embarks on a nationwide hunt for rap’s next female superstar MC. “Real Time with Bill Maher” (HBO): Charlamagne Tha God “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC): Lupita Nyong’o, Draymond Green, Lucky Daye
June 15 – “Off Script with the Hollywood Reporter” (IFC/AMC+): Comedy actors Anthony Mackie, Kelsey Grammar, Bowen Yang, Ricky Martin and John Goodman. “Rock The Boat 2” (Tubi): Parker McKenna Posey, Zonnique and Cynthia Bailey return in this sequel to the thriller with Loretta Devine added. “Kelly Clarkson” (Syn): Eddie Murphy “Two For One” (TBS): Writer/director Gina Prince-Bythewood (“The Woman King”) presents her double feature of 1998’s “Central Station” and 2013’s “Fruitvale Station.”
June 16 – “Delicious Miss Brown” (Food): “Juneteenth” “77th Annual Tony Awards” (CBS): The sensational Ariana DuBose again hosts. “Celebrity IOU” (HGTV): “Laurence Fishburne’s Foolproof Surprise” “House of the Dragon” (HBO/MAX): Season two offers more dragons and blood in telling the story of House Targaryen set 200 years before the events of “Game of Thrones.” “Hotel Cocaine” (MGM+): From executive producer Chris Brancato (“Godfather of Harlem,” “Narcos”) comes this eight-episode series telling the story of Roman Compte (Danny Pino), Cuban exile and general manager of the Mutiny Hotel, the glamorous epicenter of the Miami cocaine scene of the late ’70s and early ’80s.
June 17 – “Cult Massacre: One Day in Jonestown” (Hulu): Survivors and eyewitnesses tell the immersive story of Jim Jones‘ idealistic organization’s final hours that spiraled into a mass casualty event. “The Great American Recipe” (PBS): A third season of amateur cooks competing under the watchful eyes of host Alejandra Ramos and judges Tiffany Derry and Francis Lam. “Late Night” (NBC): Ayo Edebiri
June 18 – “Power of the Dream” (Prime): Director Dawn Porter (“John Lewis: Good Trouble”) documents the WNBA’s journey from underestimation to activism. With Jemele Hill, Sue Bird, and Nneka Ogwumike. “Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution” (Netflix): A feature length documentary with Wanda Sykes, Marsha Warfield, Sandra Bernhardt, Rosie O’Donnell, Lily Tomlin and more that explores the history of LGBTQ+ stand-up comedy. “The View” (ABC): Kool & The Gang, Rachel Maddow “Disco: Soundtrack of a Revolution” (PBS): Tackles the surprising and overlooked history of the preeminent popular music of the 1970s in a three-part series with observations by some of the genre’s giants, such as Jocelyn Brown, Nona Hendryx, Thelma Houston, Candi Staton, Dexter Wansel, Anita Ward, Victor Willis and more.
June 19 – “Black Barbie: A Documentary” (Netflix): Shonda Rhimes is exec producer of this telling of the story behind writer/director Lagueria Davis’ 83-year-old aunt, Beulah Mae Mitchell who made a doll that looked like her. “The View” (ABC): Juneteenth Special with Taraji P. Henson and Patti LaBelle. “Triumph: Jesse Owens and the Berlin Olympics” (History): Executive producers LeBron James and Maverick Carter present the story of the acclaimed African-American track and field athlete who took the world stage thwarting Hitler’s Aryan supremacy agenda by winning four gold medals in the 1936 Olympics. “Hope in the Water” (PBS): A three-part docu-series with Baratunde Thurston, Martha Stewart, and Shailene Woodley as guides traveling the globe to discover the creative solutions and breakthrough blue food technologies that could not only feed us but help save our threatened seas and fresh waterways.
June 20 – “Slave Play. Not A Movie. A Play.” (HBO): Playwright Jeremy O. Harris takes viewers behind the scenes, from run-throughs to performance, to his daring genre-blending Broadway production which received critical acclaim for tackling race, sex and interracial relationships in a way never before seen on stage. “College Hill: Celebrity Edition” (BET+): Angela “Blac Chyna” White, Saucy Santana, Claudia Jordan, Nick “Swaggy P” Young, Karlous Miller, and Tamar Braxton make up the new class hitting the books at Xavier University.
END QUOTE: “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence; it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” – AUDRE LORDE
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 attastyclips@yahoo.com, via Twitter @tastyclips, or Instagram @tasty_clips.
