By Bill Vaughan
Entertainment Writer
After a summer that had the world on edge due to a debilitating illness, Jamie Foxx is back on screen doing what he does best — a biopic.
This time, the versatile actor who got raves as Drew “Bundini” Brown in 2001’s “Ali,” and later won an Oscar for his portrayal of musical icon Ray Charles in 2004’s “Ray,” is now embodying a legal giant.
In “The Burial,” premiering Oct. 12 on Prime Video, Foxx is stepping into the shoes of flamboyant attorney Willie E. Gary and the awards chatter has begun.
The film, inspired by true events, depicts the story of a handshake deal gone sour that moves funeral homeowner Jeremiah O’Keefe (Academy Award winner Tommy Lee Jones) to enlist the charismatic, smooth-talking attorney to save his family business. Tempers flare and laughter ensues as the unlikely pair bond while exposing corporate corruption and racial injustice in this inspirational, triumphant story.
Maggie Betts directed and co-wrote with Doug Wright the screenplay based on the New Yorker article by Jonathan Harr. Jurnee Smollett (“Lovecraft Country”), Mamoudou Athie (“Jurassic World Dominion”), Amanda Warren (“East New York”), Dorian Missick (“For Life“), Pamela Reed (“NCIS: Los Angeles”), Bill Camp (“The Queen’s Gambit”) and Alan Ruck (“Succession”) round out the cast.
DREAM TIME: Chris Rock has been tapped by executive producer Stephen Spielberg to direct and produce a biopic of Martin Luther King Jr. Based upon Jonathan Eig’s biography, “King: A Life.” This will mark Rock’s fourth feature film as a helmer following 2014’s “Top Five,” 2007’s “I Think I Love My Wife” and 2003’s “Head of State.”
TASTY QUIP: “I would say not. My era was Earth, Wind and Fire, Chaka Khan, things like that. That’s more my music. But obviously, talent is talent.” – DONNA KELCE, mom of NFL pro Travis Kelce (reportedly dating Taylor Swift) when asked by People if she was a “Swiftie.”
CLIPPETTES: Peter Gabriel: I/O The Tour comes to The Forum Oct. 13 as Musiq Soulchild croons at City National Grove of Anaheim, Boney James swings at The Saban, Chelsea Handler reflects at The Pantages, and the Azar Lawrence Experience celebrates Pharoah Sanders at the Miracle Theater …
Brandy Carlile & Friends are billed Oct. 14 at the Hollywood Bowl, while Project Pat is live at Zebulon Café, and Adekunle Gold’s Tequila Ever After Tour hits The Wiltern. Also that evening, comic Desi Banks is at The Novo and Bill Frisell & Ambrose Akinmusire topline the Theatre at Ace Hotel …
Samantha Bee’s Your Favorite Woman: The Joy of Sex Education Tour comes to The Montalban on Oct. 15 …
Trumpeter Nicholas Payton blows at Gold Diggers on Oct. 16, while percussionist Poncho Sanchez jams at Spaghettini’s …
St. Paul (of The Family fame) & The Minneapolis Funk All Stars play his hits, as well as those from Prince, NPG, The Time and more at Vibrato Grill & Jazz on Oct. 17 …
Janelle Monae: The Age of Pleasure Tour hits YouTube Theater Oct. 18, as Macklemore’s The Ben Tour comes to the Palladium and Rickie Lee Jones graces The Roxy …
Nine-time Grammy winner and Latin keyboard legend Eddie Palmieri plays from his catalog Oct. 19 at The Mayan, while Sandra Bernhardt brings a new show to The Wallis, and the Grammy Museum welcomes Arlo Parks for an evening including a conversation about her career, her latest album, “My Soft Machine,” and her debut book “The Magic Border” to be followed by a performance.
TASTY QUIP: “This is not a criticism. It’s a comment. How long was [‘Oppenheimer’]? If it’s three hours, I would like to add some more minutes about what happened to the Japanese people. People got vaporized. Many years later, people are radioactive. It’s not like [director Christopher Nolan] didn’t have power. He tells studios what to do. I would have loved to have the end of the film maybe show what it did, dropping those two nuclear bombs on Japan. Understand, this is all love. And I bet he could tell me some things he would change about ‘Do The Right Thing’ and ‘Malcolm X.’” – SPIKE LEE to David Remnick at the New Yorker Festival
TC ON TV: Oct. 13 – “Lessons In Chemistry” (Apple TV+): A period dramatic series starring and executive produced by Brie Larson about a scientist turned TV cooking show host who teaches far more than recipes. With Aja Naomi King. “John Carpenter’s Suburban Screams” (Peacock): The horror master (“Halloween”) presents depictions of terror tales told by the real people who lived through them. “Damsel” (Netflix): In this fantasy tale, Millie Bobby Brown (“Stranger Things”) stars as a betrothed woman who discovers she is to be a sacrifice. With Angela Bassett and Robin Wright. “Ready To Love: Make A Move” (OWN): A spin-off taking four previous women on a matchmaking adventure in New Orleans. “Next At The Kennedy Center” (PBS): “Robert Glasper’s Black Radio” captures the ever-curious, virtuosic, and playful mind of five-time Grammy Award-winning pianist, composer and producer. It showcases how Black Radio crossed genres and gave emerging artists like Lalah Hathaway and Bilal a chance to infuse their true personalities into the music.
Oct. 14 – “Saturday Night Live” (NBC): Returns for a 49th season with Pete Davidson hosting, musical guest Ice Spice, and cast member Kenan Thompson reaching 20 years on the show.
Oct. 15 – “Naked and Afraid” (Disc/Max): A 16th season of the survival series that “First Take” contributor Shannon Sharpe revealed he would most do (outside of deep-sea fishing show “Wicked Tuna”).
Oct. 16 – “The American Buffalo” (PBS): A new two-part, four-hour film directed by famed documentarian Ken Burns about the shaggy beast that has found itself at the center of many of the country’s most mythic and heartbreaking tales. “Once Upon A Studio” (Disney): An inventive mash-up of the studio’s iconic cartoon characters.
Oct. 17 – “Celebrity Squares” (VH1): The classic TV game show format is reinvented by focusing on Black pop culture trivia. DC Young Fly hosts celebrity guests including Babyface, Bobby Brown, Tiffany Haddish, Kirk Franklin, Luenell, Taye Diggs, and many more. “Binged To Death” (MTV): After learning their favorite reality show couples have broken up, an obsessive single woman (Loni Love) and her best bud (Carl Anthony Payne II) kidnap the contestants and force them into a series of torturous games, all with the hopes of rekindling their favorite TV romances. “Tyler Perry’s The Oval” (BET): A fifth season of the drama which utilizes the studio’s famous recreation of the White House.
Oct. 18 – “Tamron Hall” (Syn): Vintners the McBride Sisters join the Tam Fam. “Ms. Pat Settles It” (BET): The comic actress is TV’s newest judge assembles a jury comprised of her closest friends, family members and guest stars including Ray J and DeRay Davis, to tackle real cases where genuine relationships hang in the balance.
Oct. 19 – “God’s Grace: The Sheila Johnson Story” (BET+): Demetria McKinney stars as the Air Force retiree, who after being diagnosed with stage IV metastatic breast cancer, went on to start an advocacy group to support Black women and men diagnosed with the disease. “Neon” (Netflix): An aspiring reggaeton star and his best friends move to Miami in their quest for success. “Scavengers Reign” (Netflix): Wunmi Mosaku (“Lovecraft Country”) and Alia Shawkat (“Arrested Development”) give voice to this surreal sci-fi animated series about a stranded crew on an alien planet.
END QUOTE: “Taking pride in who we are and what we bring to the table is the greatest joy of them all, and it can not be compared to what somebody else does.” – PRIYANKA CHOPRA JONAS
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.
