By Bill Vaughan
Entertainment writer
After a triumphant world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival with focal point Lionel Richie in attendance, “The Greatest Night in Pop,” a chronicling of the efforts behind the making of “We Are The World,” is debuting on Netflix Jan. 29.
Never-before-seen footage has been compiled of the events of Jan. 25, 1985, when dozens of the biggest names in music convened at a studio in Los Angeles, checked their egos at the door and recorded a song to benefit African famine relief that would alter global pop culture history.
That group of artists — led by the song’s co-writers and two of the most significant musicians of the 20th century — Richie and Michael Jackson — came from different worlds but united to record the hit.
The film details the early planning stages, writing sessions and goes inside the famed Henson Studios where “We Are the World” was recorded. Many of the artists who were there that legendary evening — Richie, Bruce Springsteen, Smokey Robinson, Cyndi Lauper, Kenny Loggins, Dionne Warwick and Huey Lewis — reminisce alongside musicians, engineers and the production crew about one of the most storied nights in music history.
Expect a flowing time capsule, as “The Greatest Night in Pop” was directed by Bao Nguyen and produced by Julia Nottingham, the team behind the acclaimed Bruce Lee documentary “Be Water.”
TICKET WATCH: Lovers & Friends 2024, marking a third year of the massive R&B music festival, has been announced for May 4 at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds.
Some of the many artists on the card include Lil Wayne, Usher, Janet Jackson, Gwen Stefani, Mary J. Blige, Nas, Alicia Keys, Ne-Yo, Monica, Brandy, Keyshia Cole and Timbaland.
Visit loversandfriendsfest.com for the complete line-up and details on tickets going on sale Jan. 26.
CLIPPETTES: The life story of Atlanta teen Chris Bridges, who catapulted from being hip hop radio DJ Chris Lova Lova into one of the culture’s greatest stars Ludacris, is coming to BET+ as a dramedy series produced in part by Larry Wilmore (“Insecure”) and Malcolm D. Lee (“The Best Man”) …
Warren G is performing at Snow White – The Official Birthday Bash Celebrating 64 Years of “Freeway Rick” on Jan. 26 at Le Jardin, as horn player Ryan Porter blows at World Stage Los Angeles, Cut Chemist spins at the Lodge Room, and The Mint hosts The Azar Lawrence Experience …
Two days in advance of getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Charlie Wilson’s Party Train with Morris Day, The S.O.S. Band, Midnight Star, Dazz Band and Evelyn “Champagne” King makes a Jan. 27 stop at the Toyota Arena …
Also that evening, Chaka Khan sings at The Luckman, Terri Lyne Carrington drums at The Nimoy, Herb Alpert & Lani Hall celebrate a golden anniversary at The Soraya, Morrissey performs at The Forum, Marley Fest with King Yellowman & Big Youth is being held at Gaslamp Long Beach, and Whisky A Go Go presents the return of The Bus Boys …
John Boyega, who always reminded folks of a young Denzel Washington, will get to be just that as he takes on the same starring role in a prequel mini-series to 2010’s “The Book of Eli” …
October London’s The Rebirth of Marvin Tour with J. Brown & The Shindellas comes to The Fonda on Jan. 28, as Kevin Hart breaks in new material at Fox Performing Arts Center, Styles P headlines at The Observatory; Slick Rick tells stories at the Venice West, and Klymaxx, featuring Cheryl Cooley, jams at Vibrato Jazz …
Catalina Jazz Club hosts a Grammy Celebration Concert with Patti Austin & Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band on Jan 29, while Poncho Sanchez brings his Latin jazz sounds to Spaghettini’s …
Marlon Wayans, Jeremy Piven and more are Comedy All Stars at The Bourbon Room on Jan. 30 as Isaiah Rashad’s “Cilvia” Demo 10-Year Anniversary Tour comes to The Wiltern …
A Jackie Robinson Birthday Celebration is being held the afternoon of Jan. 31 at the Rose Bowl, while that evening’s offerings include The O’Jays & Ohio Players at The Saban, and Ranky Tanky with Ms. Lisa Fischer at The Soraya for two nights …
Ryan Coogler (“Black Panther,” “Creed,” “Fruitvale Station”) is reuniting with Michael B. Jordan for a period vampire film that reportedly has three major studios circling …
Samora Pinderhughes and Friends: The Healing Project is presented at The Nimoy Feb. 1, as Toto hits the Fox Performing Arts Center and Renee Fleming sings at Granada Theatre.
TASTY QUIP: “Look, Laurence Olivier blacked up to play Othello, and no one grumbled about that. No one gave a s–t when [Steven] Spielberg did ‘The Color Purple’: A director who was white telling the story of Black people. No one complained. All of a sudden, we’re telling a story like this, and people are going to complain about it?” – NICHOLAS PINNOCK (who plays Jesus in “The Book of Clarence”) to the Hollywood Reporter
TC ON TV: Jan. 26 – “The Underdoggs” (Prime): A raunchy football comedy starring Snoop Dogg, Mike Epps, Tika Sumpter and George Lopez. “Expats” (Prime): The six-part limited series centering on three American women — Margaret (Nicole Kidman), Hilary (Sarayu Blue), and Mercy (Ji-young Yoo) — whose lives intersect in 2014 Hong Kong after a sudden family tragedy. “Masters of the Air” (Apple TV+): This action-packed series follows the true story of an American bomber group in World War II and features a stellar cast led by Oscar nominees Austin Butler (“Elvis”) and Barry Keoghan (“The Banshees of Inisherin“), with Ncuti Gatwa (“Barbie”). “Gone Before His Time: Kobe Bryant” (Tubi): A recount of the NBA legend’s achievements before his untimely death. “Hightown” (Starz): The third and final season of the Cape Cod-based crime drama starring Monica Raymund (“Chicago Fire”).
Jan. 27 – “Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero” (HBO): Captures the creative dynamo and mesmerizing star power of the groundbreaking, Grammy award-winning rapper, singer and songwriter, as he prepares for and embarks on his first-ever headlining U.S. tour. “The Family Film and TV Awards” (CBS): Akbar Gbajabiamila and Amanda Kloots of “The Talk” host. “Saturday Night Live” (NBC): Dakota Johnson with musical guest Justin Timberlake who is introducing his first new solo music in six years.
Jan. 28 – “The Many Lives of Martha Stewart” (CNN): A four-part original series tracing the self-made billionaire and media mogul’s explosive rise to success, staggering fall from grace, and momentous comeback to the limelight.
Jan. 29 – “Celebrity IOU” (HGTV): “Rosario Dawson’s House Glow Up” “Independent Lens” (PBS): “Razing Liberty Square” highlights the current and compelling problem when community displacement and local neighborhood gentrification meets climate change in Miami.
Jan. 30 – “Finding Your Roots” (PBS): Henry Louis Gates, Jr. looks into the backstories of Bob Odenkirk and Illiza Shlesinger. “The Graham Norton Show” (BBCA/Acorn/AMC+): Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“The Holdovers”), Kingsley Ben-Adir (“Bob Marley: One Love”) “The Tonight Show” (NBC): Donald Glover, 21 Savage,
Jan. 31 – “Choir” (Disney+): A six-episode docuseries following the kids of the Detroit Youth Choir as they prepare for the next level following a performance on “America’s Got Talent.” “I Can See Your Voice” (Fox): Montell Jordan, Dwight Howard “The Unbreakable Tatiana Suarez” (HBO): A documentary chronicling the mixed martial arts fighter as she prepares to reenter the cage after a nearly four-year injury layoff due to a brutal neck injury which led to the even more shocking discovery of thyroid cancer.
Feb. 1 – “Lunar Lockdown” (AllBlk): This sci-fi premise has LisaRaye McCoy as the hard-nosed warden of a planetary prison. “Erica Nicole Clark At Levity Live New York” (AllBlk): Mr. T’s daughter gets a stand-up comedy special. “Three Little Birds” (BritBox): Written by Sir Lenny Henry in collaboration with Russell T. Davies (“Doctor Who”), this six-part drama is inspired by his mother’s stories about leaving Jamaica for Britain in the 1950s as part of the Windrush Generation. “Chasing Flavor” (MAX): Celebrity chef and best-selling author Carla Hall traces the history and lineage of international dishes that moved into today’s American cuisine. “Kings From Queens: The Run DMC Story” (Peacock): The never-been-told story of how Hollis, Queens teens Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, and Jason “Jam Master Jay” Mizell met on the streets to become the most influential rap group in the history of music. “The Walking Dead: The Best of Michonne” (AMC+): A compilation of Danai Gurira’s finest moments as the samurai sword wielding zombie fighter. “Genius: MLK/X” (ABC/NGC): This mini-series explores simultaneously the formative years, pioneering accomplishments, dueling philosophies and key personal relationships of both the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and Malcolm X (Aaron Pierre) and their wives Coretta Scott King (Weruche Opia) and Betty Shabazz (Jayme Lawson).
END QUOTE: “I try to make soul food with my movies, not junk food.” – “Origin” filmmaker AVA DuVERNAY to Rolling Stone
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.
