DID U KNOW? 12-9-17 Entertainment News
Did U Know? 12-9-17 Entertainment News Updates…Spike Lee, 50 Cent, Craig Melvin, Trey Songz, Roland Martin, Terry Crews, Jordan Peele and others are trending this week. Did U Know? is trending entertainment news about the latest movies, music, TV shows and your favorite celebrities that happened during week ending Dec. 9, 2017.
TV One Cancels Roland Martin’s Morning Show, NewsOne Now
Roland Martin’s morning show, NewsOne Now, is being canceled because of budget cuts, according to the New York Post’s Page Six.“They called a meeting on Wednesday and told the staff they were canceling the show. They’re having significant financial problems and they have to scale back,” said a source. “There were lots of tears … the staff was completely caught off guard,” the source added. According to a memo sent by TV One’s interim general manager, Michelle Rice, it’s going to be a bad holiday for NewsOne staffers: While we will continue our long-standing partnership with Roland Martin to ensure his important voice can be heard across all Urban One platforms examining issues of importance to the black community, we regret this decision adversely affects several of our valued colleagues whose positions will be eliminated with the suspension of the show. After news of the cancellation broke, Martin confirmed the that Dec. 21 would be his last show and thanked his fans.
MSNBC Live Anchor Craig Melvin Being Considered to Replace Matt Lauer on Today Show: Report
The Today show is searching for someone to take up the space that longtime host Matt Lauer was rightly booted off of after being accused of sexual misconduct, and it looks as if MSNBC Live anchor Craig Melvin is in the running. A source told Entertainment Tonight that the 38-year-old Melvin, who anchors MSNBC Live weekdays and is also the co-anchor of Today on Saturday, has fans among NBC and the staff, and the company could be tapping him for a much-needed upgrade. There are, of course, other options, such as Willie Geist, who often serves as a fill-in anchor on the show. Nonetheless, this is still a huge decision that probably will not be made until next year, the source said. Page Six notes that Lauer was not only an alleged creep; he reportedly was so ruthless and insecure about his position as NBC’s golden boy that he “killed off, in their infancy, every man who could succeed him at the time that he was ready to hang it up—so there’s nobody to take his place. And now NBC is paying the price,” according to industry insiders. This has essentially left NBC without a true backup plan. That being said, because irony (and karma) never fails to deliver, Today’s ratings have actually gone up since the network unceremoniously dumped Lauer, attracting more viewers than Good Morning America, its rival at ABC, all five days last week—the first time in almost a year, according to the Associated Press.
Terry Crews Files Lawsuit Against Agent Adam Venit for Sexual Battery
Terry Crews is suing Adam Venit. The actor has filed documents against the WME agent he claims sexually assaulted him at a Feb. 2016 party. E! News has obtained the documents, filed Dec. 4, which state Crews “seeks to hold Venit, and his employer, WME, accountable for the February 4, 2016 blatant and unprovoked sexual assault perpetrated by Venit on Crews.” He is seeking damages for assault, battery, sexual battery, sexual harassment, gender violence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, breach of fiduciary duty, negligence and negligent retention and supervision. Crews first came forward with the allegations in October, without naming Venit. “This whole thing with Harvey Weinstein is giving me PTSD. Why? Because this kind of thing happened to ME,” he tweeted. “My wife n I were at a Hollywood function last year n a high level Hollywood executive came over 2 me and groped my privates.”
A month later, E! News confirmed that Crews reported his alleged sexual assault to the Los Angeles Police Department. Days later, Crews appeared on Good Morning America, naming Venit and sharing allegations of what happened at that Feb. 2016 party. He told Michael Strahan that the first time he had any interaction with Venit was at this party where he was making “overtly sexual tongue moves.” When Venit allegedly made his way over to Crews, the actor said he stuck his hand out to greet Venit. “He literally takes his hand and puts it and squeezes my genitals,” Crews said, adding that he jumped back and asked him “what are you doing?” Crews also said that Venit came back to him a second time and he “pushed him back.”
WME told ABC News at the time, “Adam Venit was suspended following the internal investigation into the matter.” In late November, Venit returned to work at WME after a 30-day suspension, in which WME did an investigation. In response to Venit’s return, Crews tweeted, “SOMEONE GOT A PASS.”
It’s Official: Jordan Peele Is Bringing Back The Twilight Zone
Fans of Jordan Peele’s Get Out have a new show to get into—The Twilight Zone, the iconic TV series that the genre-breaking director will be rebooting, CBS formally announced Wednesday.
The show will be available exclusively on CBS’ streaming platform, CBS All Access, as had been previously reported. According to Entertainment Weekly, the Golden Globe-nominated Peele will serve as executive producer of the series. Julie McNamara, a CBS All Access executive, said that the show will be a “modern reimagining” of the classic series, which “bridged science fiction, horror and fantasy together to explore human nature and provide social commentary in a way that audiences had never seen before.” As SyFy Wire reports, the move is in keeping with a larger effort by CBS to distinguish—and push—its streaming service from its network channel. By offering premium, original content, CBS hopes to drive viewers to its streaming platform and compete with the likes of Netflix and Hulu, as well as Disney’s new proposed streaming service.
Speaking of Jordan Peele…
Spike Lee and Jordan Peele To Collaborate on Black Klansman, the True Story of a Black Man Who Infiltrated the KKK
Legendary black Hollywood stalwart Spike Lee is collaborating with upstart Jordan Peele on Black Klansman, a true-life account of a black police detective who infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan.
Lee will direct and produce, while Peele will also produce. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Ron Stallworth answered a 1978 newspaper ad in Colorado Springs, Colo., seeking new Klan members. Stallworth, again, who is African American, actually rose through the KKK ranks to become a local chapter leader, mostly doing his work with the terrorist group via phone or mail. When he was needed in person, he sent a white officer in his place. Sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction. John David Washington, the son of Denzel and Pauletta Washington, is reportedly in talks to star in the thriller. The film is based on the 2014 book of the same name, not on the 1966 blaxploitation film, also of the same name. Production is expected to begin this fall.
50 Cent Wins ‘Power’ Copyright Lawsuit
Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson has emerged victorious in a lawsuit that accused him of stealing the concept for his hit drama Power, where the rapper serves as both star and executive producer. According to TMZ, two men claim that the Starz series is too similar to a play they wrote, titled “Dangerous.” The story line involved a drug dealer who engaged in violence, launders money and attempts to avoid prosecution. A judge threw out the case, saying their storyline is made of common elements that are in the public domain. “One need only look to such shows and movies as ‘The Wire,’ ‘Empire,’ ‘Breaking Bad,’ ‘Narcos,’ ‘Weeds,’ ‘Carlito’s Way,’ ‘American Gangster,’ ‘New Jack City,’ ‘Scarface’ and ‘Paid in Full.’” “Power” is actually the brainchild of Courtney Kemp, who also serves as executive producer as well as showrunner. In May, she signed a new multi-year, overall deal with the studio and the premium cable channel. Under the exclusive agreement, Kemp will develop series for Starz and work on projects for Lionsgate that could be sold to a variety of outlets. She also will continue as the showrunner and EP on the hit NYC drama.
Trey Songz Being Sued By Woman In Strip Club Assault
An unidentified woman who says she paid to attend Philadelphia’s Vanity Grand Cabaret strip club to meet Trey Songz, only to be assaulted by the crooner, has now filed a lawsuit against him. The woman, who is seeking $50,000, says the singer got violent after she tried to take a picture in the parking lot. She says the artist, 33, allegedly smacked her phone into her face causing her glasses to break. Her lawsuit not only targets Songz, but also the venue, stating the establishment was aware of his history of “violence and negative interaction” with the public. In August, Songz reached a plea deal in his felony assault case in Detroit. In December 2016, he became irate when authorities said his concert needed to end. Both his microphones and speakers were thrown from the stage and a police officer was assaulted in the incident. His charges were reduced to two counts of disturbing the peace.