Television

  By Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D, NNPA Newswire Culture and Entertainment Editor 5-4-3-2-1. The countdown has begun to the premiere of the Lifetime/A&E documentary of the life of pop superstar Janet Jackson. In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Janet Jackson’s...

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The fiercely private five-time Grammy award-winner who is part of the Jackson clan, an American musical dynasty, will open up about her rise to superstardom, complicated relationship with her superstar brother Michael, the infamous 2004 Super Bowl incident and subsequent blacklisting by the entertainment industry and becoming a mother at age 50. The internet is buzzing over speculation that Justin Timberlake, with whom the triple threat has had a seemingly precarious friendship, makes a surprise appearance in the documentary, executive produced by Janet and her brother Randy.

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Whether celebrating on the east coast, west coast, on the high seas or enjoying at home, families will find enchanting experiences and merry-making to enjoy this season.

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Haunted by these stories of vanished loved ones and driven by the need for attention and assistance for these forgotten women, former law enforcement officer Derrica Wilson and public relations expert Natalie Wilson operate a grassroots organization that raises awareness in communities, alerts media outlets to the plight of thousands of women and children and urges police departments to allocate more resources to this scourge.

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Debbie Allen became the first Black woman to be presented with a Governor’s award, which is given for outstanding achievement in the arts and sciences. In her speech, Allen discussed the sexism she has faced down during her 40-year career as a dancer, actor, writer, producer and director in Hollywood and her hopes for girls and women globally and in the industry.

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Williams received three Primetime Emmy awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for his work in Bessie (2015), The Night Of (2016) and When They See Us (2019). The thespian also won a Screen Actors Guild award for Outstanding Ensemble in Television for his role as Chalky White on Boardwalk Empire and most recently won the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Montrose Freeman in Lovecraft Country.

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “The crows and musical numbers pay homage to racist minstrel shows, where White performers with blackened faces and tattered clothing imitated and ridiculed enslaved Africans on Southern plantations,” Disney officials noted about “Dumbo” on its streaming platform. “The leader of the group in Dumbo is Jim Crow, which shares the name of laws that enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States,” the statement continued.

NNPA NEWSWIRE — In the Sunday night interview broadcast on CBS, Markle debunked many untruths “the firm” failed to correct, including the story about making Princess Kate cry, letting the world know it was actually Princess Kate who in fact made Markle cry. While Markle acknowledged that media can get things wrong, “the firm” never tried to correct the story or the narrative as was the case in many instances.

NNPA NEWSWIRE — A year fraught with a pandemic and tragedies was the opposite for Williams. Good things were happening and when doors closed, even better opportunities were waiting immediately. After months of COVID restrictions, [what he originally thought was a] “Food Network prank” came knocking two more times. “They reached back out to me again in August of last year asking me if I still interested because they had plans to start filming the show again,” he said.

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The Chavis Chronicles is a thought-provoking television series featuring interviews with leaders, health professionals, politicians, scientist, cultural figures, influencers and celebrities from around the globe. Hosted by civil rights icon Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., the series goes beyond the headlines to offer profound insights on matters that impact the public, and provides a unique perspective from a renowned living legend of the African American community. Produced by Clara Wilkerson of CRW Worldwide, The Chavis Chronicles is presented and distributed nationally by American Public Television.