By Bill Vaughan
Entertainment Writer
Anthony Anderson (“black-ish,” “Law & Order”) and Sharon Lawrence (“Dynasty”) will serve as celebrity ambassadors as the Micheaux Film Festival returns for its fourth annual season July 11-17 at Regal Cinemas L.A. Live.
Named after pioneering Black filmmaker Oscar Micheaux, the multi-cultural event is driven by a mission to highlight the importance of inclusion — on and off screen and provide creatives of color with a voice in mainstream Hollywood.
Kicking off the week-long event, featuring a series of activations, film screenings, digital panels, master classes and workshops is the world premiere of “Delia’s Gone,” a profound yet heart wrenching film that exemplifies the failed criminal justice and public health systems. It stars Stephan James (“If Beale Street Could Talk”) and Oscar winner Marisa Tomei.
Other films being screened include Ernest Dickerson’s “Double Play,” “#BTSD” with Eugene Byrd and Tracie Thoms, “Artistic” with Marshawn Lynch, and “Birdwatching” with Amanda Seyfried and Sharon Washington.
In addition, panels will consist of conversations with Charlie Hunnam (“Sons of Anarchy”), “Love & Marriage” franchise creator Carlos King and more. For details, visit micheauxfilmfest.com.
ON STAGE: Inspired by the little-known, larger-than-life true story of Robert Smalls, the first African-American hero of the Civil War, Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum presents the world premiere of “Trouble the Water,” freely adapted by Ellen Geer from the 2019 award-winning historical novel by Rebecca Dwight Bruff.
Gerald C. Rivers directs and leads the large cast as the man, born into slavery in Beaufort, South Carolina, who carried his family and others to freedom by commandeering a Confederate warship into Union waters.
Upon delivering the ship — including an arsenal of rebel weaponry — to the Union Army, Smalls was declared a hero, awarded $1,500, and introduced to Abraham Lincoln, influencing the president to allow Black men to fight for the Union.
Smalls went on to be elected to five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, helped found the Republican Party of South Carolina and authored state legislation creating the first free and compulsory public school system in the United States.
Performances run July 9–Oct. 2 on Theatricum’s beautiful outdoor stage in Topanga. For more info, call 310-455-3723 or visit theatricum.com.
TASTY QUIP: “I will say this and everybody’s going to hate me, but, as a woman, just because you go change your parts, doesn’t make you a woman. Sorry. If you want me to call you a her, I will, because that’s what you want, but that doesn’t make you a woman just because I call you a her and just because you got a surgery.” – MACY GRAY (performing July 8 at the Belasco Theater) on “Piers Morgan Uncensored”
CLIPPETTES: The Game gives an album release show in support of “DrillMatic” at The Novo on July 8; as Toronto singer/songwriter Rochelle Jordan hits The Echo; Moor Mother checks in at Resident; comic Roy Wood Jr. (“The Daily Show”) solves problems at the Bourbon Room and “Kinky Boots” starring Wayne Brady begins a three-night run at the Hollywood Bowl …
Common with Double G’s Stardust Symphony, Lettuce and Nikka Costa fill the bill July 9 at the Starlight Bowl …
Additionally, Three 6 Mafia visits The Saban; Positive K and Infinity headline at Whiskey A Go Go; Joe Bataan, Westside Crew, Nahko and Ruben Molina hold it down at the Levitt Pavilion; and the Scarface Farewell Tour touches down at The Novo (as well as the Fremont Theatre on July 12) …
Mike Phillips leads the Jazz at St. Andrews Community Music Festival on July 10; while the evening finds Poncho Sanchez at The Venice West; DJ Quik at the Fox Theatre Pomona; and Seun Kuti + Egypt 80 at The Alibi (with a July 12 date at Belly Up Tavern and one the following evening at the Lodge Room) …
Three-time Grammy Award winner Raphael Saadiq has been named executive music producer for “Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur,” the anticipated animated series following 13-year-old super-genius and her 10-ton T-Rex as they protect New York City’s Lower East Side from danger …
Corinne Bailey Rae brings her songs to the Theatre at Ace Hotel on July 12 and the following evening at Santa Barbara’s Lobero Theatre …
Janai Norman has been named new co-anchor for ABC’s “Good Morning America” Saturday and Sunday broadcasts, effective immediately, joining co-anchors Whit Johnson and Eva Pilgrim …
Sean Kingston’s The Road To Deliverance Tour arrives July 14 at The Observatory; as Devin The Dude & Friends play La Santa; and The Grammy Museum hosts The Drop: Ozomatli on the eve of the release of their new album, “Marching On,” with an intimate conversation and performance.
TASTY QUIP: “I’m hoping, for the survivors, that this feels a little bit like justice. I just think about the culture and how important it would have been if he would have owned the harm he created and apologized. What an apology would mean in this moment, where we are firmly and clearly in the blowback stage of the #MeToo movement and where, as Black people, we’re navigating all of the compounded issues that racism always creates in this country, it would mean a lot.” – DREAM HAMPTON (executive producer of “Surviving R. Kelly”) on his sentencing of 30 years to The Hollywood Reporter
TC ON TV: July 8 – “Keeping Up With The Joneses” (LMN): A second season of the hit movie series executive produced by and starring Vivica A. Fox as the matriarch of a wealthy family and her four stepdaughters. Kandi Burruss returns to narrate the films that will premiere on consecutive Fridays. “Last Looks” (AMC+): Robin Givens and Method Man join a cast of Mel Gibson, Rupert Friend (“Homeland”) and Morena Baccarin (“Deadpool”) for this thriller. “Blackbird” (AppleTV+): A gritty six-episode psychological drama with one of the last appearances of Ray Liotta. “Jewel” (Netflix): The latest film by Nigerian director Adze Ugah. “Trigger Point” (Peacock): Adrian Lester (“Life”) and Vicky McClure portray frontline officers in the high-pressured world of bomb disposal. “Pause with Sam Jay” (HBO): “Dead Momma Episode.”
July 10 – “Delicious Miss Brown” (Food): Kardea Brown opens the new season with a beach clambake. “Spotlights: A Showtime Short Film Series” (SHO): Showing Sakinah Iman’s powerful and entertaining spoken word piece “He Wants To Know My Number.” “Who Do You Think You Are?” (NBC): Billy Porter enlists the help of a family historian and genealogist to learn the truth behind the 1923 murder of his great-grandfather. “The Final Straw” (ABC): Janelle James (“Abbott Elementary”) hosts this physical comedy competition series from executive producer Peyton Manning. “Stranger Next Door” (TV1): Victoria Rowell (“The Young & The Restless”) directs this tale of when Mr. Right might be wrong with a supporting turn from Tim Reid. “Supreme Team” (SHO): A three-part series co-directed by Nasir “Nas” Jones chronicling the notorious Queens, New York crime syndicate. Principles Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff and Gerald “Prince” Miller tell their story with contributions from LL Cool J, Joy Reid, Ashanti, Irv Gotti, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, and others. “United Shades of America” (CNN): “The Woke War.”
July 11 – “Better Call Saul” (AMC): The final season, with Giancarlo Esposito’s Gustavo “Gus” Fring shining, resumes. “Claim To Fame” (ABC): Twelve relatives of celebrities live under one roof and compete in challenges to win a $100,000 prize in this new reality series co-hosted by siblings Kevin and Frankie Jonas.
July 12 – “The Only” (Para+): Explores the highest triumphs and darkest defeats throughout the extraordinary life of U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame goalkeeper Briana Scurry. “Yo! MTV Raps” (Para+): Trina “Nick Cannon Presents: Wild ‘N Out” (VH1): Bun B, Soul For Real, Flex Alexander “Bobby Brown: Every Little Step” (A&E): The singer makes his comeback with New Edition in the season finale. “Origins of Hip-Hop” (A&E): Grandmaster Flash
July 13 – “Everything’s Trash” (Freeform): A semi-autobiographical sitcom written, executive produced and starring Phoebe Robinson (“2 Dope Queens”) as a 30-something outspoken podcast star making her professional mark while living a broke and delightfully messy life in Brooklyn.
July 14 – “All The Queen’s Men: (BET+): Madam (Eva Marcille), a vicious and unapologetic lady boss, rules a crew of male exotic dancers at a drama-filled Atlanta adult entertainment club. With Christian Keyes and Michael “Bolo” Bolwaire. “Hart To Heart” (Peacock): Celebrities open up over a glass of wine with Kevin Hart.
END QUOTE: “My advice is what Oprah Winfrey gave me. Always know your intention. Why are you doing it? What is the reason for the story, the reason for the conversation. And that’s not just a guiding light in television. That’s a guiding light in life. What are your intentions? The greatest who ever did it gave that advice to me. So, I’ll pass it down.” – TAMRON HALL to People on what tip she would give to Sherri Shepherd, whose talk show premieres Sept. 12
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.
