TERRENCE J and REGINA HALL star in the comedy, "THINK LIKE A MAN," opening nationwide April 20

The movie, "Think Like A Man," adapted from Steve Harvey's book, 'Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man,' is set to open nationwide April 20. I recently caught up with two of the stars, Terrence J (TJ) and Regina Hall (RH), to talk about the film.

Q: You play the mama's boy in the movie, and you do it very well. Have you ever been that much of a mama's boy in real life?

TJ: I'm like the opposite. I'm like the dad sometimes. Me and my mom are really good friends. I have the greatest, sweetest mom in the world and I protect her and coddle her, but it’s the reverse. I'm like (my character) Duke, the protective son, but it was a lot of fun working with Jenifer Lewis.

Q: Regina, your character is a single mother having a difficult to decision to bring a man into your son's life. Did you talk with people about what's the right thing to do in that situation?

RH: That whole storyline comes from the book. Steve's advice is if you're a mom and you think this guy has any potential you need to introduce him to your son right away because if he doesn't like your son, or you son doesn't like him, your relationship can't go anywhere. In the first scene after their date she hesitates and decides to introduce them. Tim set up the dynamic when they meet in the bookstore. There's a slight assumption that maybe he won't want to go out with her because she has a child. When he says they'll just make it dinner, that's when she decides that maybe this guy is different. I don't have children yet, but I have friends and that's always a dilemma. I understood when I read the book, I never thought like that as a woman, I guess you can't do that because that becomes your priority, so you have to make sure that relationship can be wonderful even before your own.

Q: Had you read the book prior to filming?

TJ: Yeah, absolutely. I think it’s very point on. Even with the mama's boy thing, I had dated a girl for almost a year and she protected me from meeting her kid for almost a year; and then when I met the kid it didn't work because you're adding in a whole different dynamic. A lot of the things in the book, from the player to the mama's boy to the non-commiter to the dreamer, these are men that women meet every single day and it holds up a mirror to society. There's a little bit of us in all these characters and so I definitely related to it. How about you?

RH: I definitely agree with some of the things in the book. I'm a woman, so I'm annoyed that some of the things are true. (laughs) It's just how men think, they think differently. In terms of our character its true, you have to know what its like to date a single mother, and the child is going to be more a part of it than its not. Yet, if I were giving advice to a girlfriend I'd go, "NO! You've only been out with him three times, you can't let him meet your kid yet." My brothers always say, "stop asking your girlfriends for relationship advice, ask me." It makes perfect sense to him. Ask three men the exact same thing, age, race, it's a general answer that they all have that's so gender specific. A penis effects the brain. (laughs)

TJ: What segway is that going to be?

Q: There's a 90-day rule in the movie. What do you guys think about that?

RH: There's certain people who need the 90-day rule. There is an emotional intelligence that some people have more of where you can know who this guy is and what he's about. I've had girlfriends where it’s obvious that her guy was no good but they're like "He didn't call me." Outside that I always think that's good. Men are hunters, and they like to wait on a very subconscious level.

TJ: If it's worth it we will wait, that's what it boils down to. I'm in a relationship right now so I'm biased, so it doesn't affect me now. "Make 'em wait 90 days!" I have some friends that work with me at the job and they're young, 21 or 22-years-old, and they get into these failed relationships because they're having sex too early. I tell my baby sisters that they need to make him wait, or don't make me go over there and talk to him for you. So now its good in that regard that we can say read the book or see this movie and you see the difference in Meagan Good's character on makin' a man wait as opposed to giving it up on the first date.

RH: Sometimes as a woman you realize after 90-days that you don't want to sleep with him!

TJ: Whether Steve approves, let's say 60-to-90!

(l-r) TERRENCE J and REGINA HALL

Q: How was working on this ensemble picture?

RH: Everyone on this movie liked each other, genuinely, loved everyone in the cast. Loved Taraji. All the guys, even though I didn't get to work with them regularly except for our big scenes. It was really happy to go to work, from the moment we got there to going inside the trailer, to being on set. Loved the director, the DPs, crew.

TJ: I couldn't agree more. For me this was my first big feature so I was nervous because I look up to everybody, from Taraji to Regina to Ealy to Gabby. They're all established actors and I didn't know how they would treat me, if they would be telling me to be the waterboy. I didn't know the set protocol, so for everybody to embrace me and help me… I would pull Ealy to the side and ask him to help me on the flow of a scene he would just pull me into his trailer and mentor me. I could say that about every person on this set where they gave me something that showed on the screen. I'm grateful to Tim and Steve and Will Packer and everybody, especially this cast, 'cause it's a very intimidating and challenging job to be around such talented people.

Q: When did you meet the screenwriters? They really had their pulse on the way men and women interact.

RH: I didn't actually meet them until after, at the wrap party.

TJ: Really? I met them at the second tableread.

RH: That makes sense. That I think is great is it doesn't read specifically like a black film. You could put a white cast in that move… you're still going to need Kevin Hart… and you're still going to get the universal theme of love and friendship. The fact that they didn't necessarily write it for a black voice comes from an African American cast doing it. That's what makes it much more crossover and stand specifically to romantic comedies in recent years. They did have their finger on the pulse.

TJ: If you'd have plugged in the guys from "Hangover" and the girls from "Sex In The City," you still would have needed Kevin and Romany Malco, but the script was applicable.

RH: They felt like they were all friends, you never questioned it, even in the jokes, you never questioned it.

Q: You told Will Packer you were going to be in one of his movies one day, and here you are. How does that feel?

TJ: It feels amazing, but I always tell people that it takes ten years to become an overnight success. For every one job I got I got told "no" a hundred times. Castings, auditions, 100 experiences before you get that 1 "yes". I'm in a state of awe. Sometimes when Regina walks into the room I'm like, "Aww, 'Scary Movie'!" I'm still a fan. I work hard and I'm very persistent about getting jobs. I'm on the grind.

Q: Do you have anything coming up next?

RH: As far as acting I have something I'm in negotiations for right now, we'll see how that goes. I have a few little ventures on my own. I'm doing a documentary about my trip to the Sahara and the Muslim women there, the Saharwis, and they actually are first, the leaders. They have their own organizations, and they wear the head covering but they wear it back 'cause it's sexier. The more divorces you've had is like a status symbol, like you've been through something.

‘Holding On~Letting Go’ Stars Veteran Performers Iona Morris and Barry Wiggins

BARRY WIGGINS & IONA MORRIS star in HOLDING ON~LETTING GO

By Darlene Donloe

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house during the recent world premiere of Bryan Harnetiaux’s hospice drama, ‘Holding On~Letting Go,’ currently playing at the Fremont Centre Theatre in South Pasadena.

‘Holding On~Letting Go,’ directed by James Reynolds (Abe Carver/‘Days of Our Lives’), is an engrossing, on the edge of your seat drama that openly and honestly presents the topic of hospice and dying. 

The play highlights the plight of Lee and Bobby, a long married couple, who are dealing with a deadly cancer prognosis.

Lee, played superbly by the always engaging and authentic Iona Morris, is a women’s basketball coach, who returns home after coming off the road, to be told by her husband, Bobby (Barry Wiggins), a former basketball coach and now insurance salesman, that his cancer treatments have been exhausted.

Not ready to accept that diagnosis and furious at her husband for accepting it at face value, Lee first suggests some foreign alternative treatments. When those fail, she falls deeper into depression and denial, causing a riff between her and everyone whose trying to help, including Bobby’s mother, May, played by Amentha Dymally; his friend, Roger, played by Christian Malmin and his hospice workers, Gabe and Virginia, played respectively by Lamar Hughes and Jill Remez.

This is a touching, gut-wrenching account of a couple trying desperately to deal with a health crisis.  Bobby, who has accepted his fate and wants to make a graceful exit, tries in every way to console his wife, but to no avail. She’s mad. And the prospect of continuing on without her college sweetheart is more than she can handle.

DIRECTOR JAMES REYNOLDS

The chemistry between Morris and Wiggins is on point. Both veteran performances are at ease on stage and give each other the needed dialogue beats and physical and mental space to bring their characters forward. The reasons this show is seamless has to do with Reynolds's direction and the physical, emotional and subtle dynamics that vacillates between Morris and Wiggins, who is exceptional in his delivery.

Bryan Harnetiaux’s writing is heartfelt as it brings a genuine warmth to a show that is, admittedly, difficult to sit through. The subject matter is one that is rarely, if ever, seen on stage. It’s a subject that leaves many uncomfortable – and rightly so.

There is a harsh reality to Harnetiaux’s script, which he began writing in 2009.  As research Harnetiaux said he visited several hospices in an effort to get it right.  The result left ‘Holding On~Letting Go’ audience members weepy-eyed with at least one member so overcome during the opening night performance, she had to leave the theater.

Both Morris, who previously co-created and so-starred in “Herotique-aaah” at the Fremont and Wiggins, who played Jackie Robinson in Harnetiaux’s “National Pastime” at the venue, deliver raw emotions with Morris taking an outward approach, while Wiggins displays a more laidback, internalized devastation.  While Wiggins’s role calls for a singular emotion, Morris, who gives an impassioned, award-winning performance, has to literally display a range of emotions that includes shock, disbelief, pain, disdain, anger, depression, confusion, doggedness, desperation and above all - love.

BARRY WIGGINS & IONA MORRIS

After all, in the end, while the subject matter is hospice and dying, “Holding On~Letting Go” is, at it’s core, a love story.

Amentha Dymally adds levity to the proceedings with her quick wit and her even quicker delivery. Jill Remez gives an ardent, caring performance.  Lamar Hughes and Christian Malmin bolster the production as support players.

Reynolds’ directing is tight, yet fluid. He makes great use of the small space, which freely alternates as several rooms.

Carol Doehring’s lighting, Lois Tedrow’s wardrobe, Marie Miller’s set design, the use of video and Grady Hutt’s sound design, all shore up an impressive production.

“Holding On~Letting Go” stars Iona Morris, Barry Wiggins, Amentha Dymally, Lamar Hughes, Jill Remez and Christian Malmin.  It’s directed by James Reynolds and produced by James and Lissa Reynolds, the California Performing Arts Center and VITAS Innovative Hospice Care, which provides end-of-life care for patients with life-limiting illnesses. VITAS works with patients and families to provide comfort and preserve dignity in the face of terminal illness.

On the Donloe Scale, D (don’t bother), O (oh, no), N (needs work), L (likable), O (Oh, yeah) and E (excellent), “Holding On~Letting Go” gets an E (excellent).

“Holding On~Letting Go,” Fremont Centre Theatre, 1000 Fremont Ave., South Pasadena, CA; Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. at 3 p.m. (dark May 11-13) through May 27; $20-$25; For information: 866 811-4111 or www.fremontcentretheatre.com

THE PASADENA PLAYHOUSE ANNOUNCES 2012-2013 SEASON

SEASON TO BEGIN SEPTEMBER 2012
INCLUDES WORLD PREMIERE OF
SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE – THE MUSICAL

THE PLAYHOUSE WILL ALSO HOST A SPECIAL HOLIDAY PRESENTATION OF 

LYTHGOE FAMILY PRODUCTION’S HIT
A SNOW WHITE CHRISTMAS

PASADENA, CA (April 13, 2012) – The Pasadena Playhouse (Sheldon Epps, Artistic 
Director and Charles Dillingham, Interim Executive Director) announced their 
2012-2013 season today.  The season will include the rescheduled world premiere 
of Sleepless in Seattle – The Musical originally scheduled for this summer, the 
world premiere of the Broadway-bound comedy Under My Skin, Pulitzer Prize-winner 
Lynn Nottage’s Intimate Apparel, Noël Coward’s comedy Fallen Angels and a 
surprise production to be announced. In a partnership with Lythgoe Family 
Productions, a special presentation of A Snow White Christmas will be offered 
for the holiday season.  The 2012-2013 Season begins September 2012.

"I am extremely pleased with the way that the titles for the 2012-2013 season 
have come together,” said Sheldon Epps, Artistic Director of The Pasadena 
Playhouse.  “I believe that this season is a fascinating and exciting mixture of 
diverse theatrical styles, combining time-honored classics with new material 
that we are honored to help nurture and develop.  It strikes me that the issues 
of working through the intricacies of relationships and their inherent 
challenges - both serious and ridiculous- are at the heart of much of this 
material.  That will always be a timely and resonant subject, and one that makes 
for the possibility of satisfying theatre." 

Charles Dillingham, Interim Executive Director of The Pasadena Playhouse added, 
“We are very excited about the upcoming subscription season – the second since 
our bankruptcy.  The Playhouse is now in very strong financial condition, and 
the current season is generating wonderful audience response.”

The Pasadena Playhouse 2012-2013 Season includes:

UNDER MY SKIN
A World Premiere Comedy
Written by Robert Sternin and Prudence Fraser
Directed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge
September 11 – October 7, 2012

From the acclaimed writing and producing team of Robert Sternin and Prudence 
Fraser and Tony-nominated Ragtime director Marcia Milgrom Dodge, comes this 
Broadway-bound comedy about sex, love and the health care business. The laughs 
are non-stop when Harrison Badish, New York’s most eligible bachelor, dies and 
comes back to life in the body of Melody Dent, a hard-working single Mom from 
Staten Island.   Then, give her his gorgeous body, the limo, the penthouse and 
his red-hot fiancé.  Throw in her sexy best friend, and one outrageous angel of 
death. Add a guy in the stirrups, learning what love is and maybe seeing things 
from a different perspective after walking a mile in her stilettos, and you have 
the heartfelt world premiere of Under My Skin.

INTIMATE APPAREL
A Striking Historical Masterpiece
By Lynn Nottage
Pulitzer Prize-winner for 2011’s Ruined
Directed by Sheldon Epps
November 6 – December 2, 2012

In 1905 New York, Esther – a black seamstress – makes a respectable living 
sewing for the wealthy elite. As she dreams of investing her savings in a beauty 
parlor for black women, she finds herself torn between two suitors: a mysterious 
Caribbean man who, sight-unseen, writes her beautiful love letters, and the 
Hasidic shopkeeper from whom she buys cloth. Esther must reconcile her dreams 
with a harsh reality, as she learns that all choices come with a price. In the 
tradition of past favorites such as Blues for an Alabama Sky and Fences, come 
experience this unique and powerful play that honors The Playhouse’s commitment 
to diversity in theatrical storytelling.  “…Nottage's play has a delicacy and 
eloquence that seem absolutely right for the time she is depicting…New York has 
no richer play…" — New York Times.

FALLEN ANGELS
A High-Comedy Opus 
By Noël Coward
January 29 – February 24, 2013

Before Carrie Bradshaw and those “Desperate Housewives,” there were Julia and 
Jane...best friends now happily married to others, Julia and Jane both once 
counted the dashing Frenchman Maurice as their lover. Guess who's back in town 
and requesting the pleasure of the ladies company? Coward at his inimitable 
best, the story is a champagne cocktail of wit and charm. In the mirthful 
tradition of Playhouse hits such as Private Lives, Blithe Spirit and Enchanted 
April, you’ll thrill to the foibles and folderol of these fabulous Fallen 
Angels.  “Since it was written, it has become one of Coward's more popular 
comedies.” — New York Times

A SURPRISE PRODUCTION (To Be Announced)
March 19 – April 14, 2013

In the tradition of past surprise productions such as Sister Act, Looped and 
Twist – An American Musical.  This show will be officially announced at a later 
date.

SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE – THE MUSICAL
A World Premiere Musical
June – July 2013 

The Pasadena Playhouse presents the long-awaited world premiere of Sleepless in 
Seattle – The Musical. Based on Nora Ephron’s beloved motion picture, with a 
book by Sleepless screenwriter Jeff Arch, this World Premiere presentation will 
give Playhouse audiences the special gift of experiencing this timeless story 
like never before. Inspired by the classic film An Affair to Remember starring 
Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr, Sleepless in Seattle tells the story of Sam and his 
young son Jonah. Still grieving his wife’s untimely death, Sam’s heart is given 
a second chance at romance when his son calls a talk radio show to help him find 
new love.  Our audiences will be the first to enjoy this hotly-anticipated 
musical premiere. Come savor the once-in-a-lifetime theatrical affair that 
you’ll remember forever.

In addition to the 2012 – 2013 season, The Playhouse will host a special holiday 
presentation of:

A SNOW WHITE CHRISTMAS
A Lythgoe Family Production
Directed by Bonnie Lythgoe
December 13 – 23, 2012

An updated version of the classic tale, in the style of the traditional British 
family Panto, A Snow White Christmas features family-friendly magic, a comedic 
twist and modern music. A Panto is known for its interactive style and humor 
that appeals to fairytale fans of all ages.  “Those who have never been to a 
panto will have a glorious introduction to the forum.” – Los Angeles Times.

Subscriptions for the 2012-2013 season will be available for purchase beginning 
April 13, 2012.  Priority prices are available for existing and new subscribers 
through May 15, 2012.  The five-show series ranges from $99.00 – $290.00.  A 
special student subscription is available for $99.00 (student ID required) and a 
VIP five-show series for $375.00.  All renewing subscribers will receive 
priority access to their current seat locations and new subscribers will receive 
the best available seats within requested sections. 

Tickets for the holiday engagement of A Snow White Christmas are available as a 
special add-on to a season subscription.  Regular ticket prices are $32.00 - 
$62.00 for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evening performances and $42.00 - 
$72.00 for Saturday and Sunday performances.  Premium seating is available for 
all shows at $100.00 per ticket.  In addition to tickets to the performance, 
Golden tickets are available as an add-on at $100.00 each (10 per performance, 
for ages 12 and under).  Each Golden ticket gives one child a walk-on appearance 
in A Snow White Christmas during the performance.  Subscribers receive discounts 
and priority access for special presentations before they go on sale to the 
public. All ticket prices include access to A Snow White Christmas Winter 
Wonderland in the Engemann Family Courtyard and the Georgia T. McClay Friendship 
Center featuring holiday arts & craft activities, holiday carolers, and more.  A 
photo opportunity with Santa Claus and yuletide refreshments will also be 
available for purchase.

The Pasadena Playhouse is located at 39 South El Molino Avenue, Pasadena, CA 
91101.  Subscriptions are available for purchase at www.PasadenaPlayhouse.org, 
by calling the Box Office at 626-356-7529 or by visiting The Pasadena Playhouse 
Box Office.  The Box Office is open Monday from 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. and 
Tuesday – Sunday from 12:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. during non-performance dates.  
On performance dates the box office is open Tuesday – Saturday from 12:00 p.m. – 
8:00 p.m. and 12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. on Sunday.  Group subscriptions are also 
available.  For additional information about subscriptions contact the Box 
Office at 626-356-7529 or visit www.PasadenaPlayhouse.org. 

FOUR-TIME EMMY® AWARD NOMINEE DANNY GLOVER, BILLY ZANE AND KIMBERLY ELISE JOIN SARA CANNING AND GREYSTON HOLT IN A FILM ABOUT JUSTICE AND REVENGE IN THE OLD WEST, ‘HANNAH’S LAW,’

 

A HALLMARK MOVIE CHANNEL ORIGINAL WORLD PREMIERE JUNE 9

 

Co-Starring Ryan Kennedy and John Pyper-Ferguson

 

A frontier town is fueled by crime and corruption until a strong-willed heroine and her friends, including legendary lawman Wyatt Earp and gunfighter Doc Holliday, take a stand for justice in “Hannah’s Law,” a Hallmark Movie Channel Original produced by Nomadic Pictures Productions 3 and Sony Pictures Television, and premiering on Hallmark Movie Channel in Saturday, June 9 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C).  “Hannah’s Law” stars Sara Canning (“The Vampire Diaries”) as Hannah, Greyston Holt (“Durham County”) as Wyatt Earp, Kimberly Elise (“For Colored Girls”) as Stagecoach Mary, four-time Emmy^® Award nominee Danny Glover (“Freedom Song,” “Mandela”) as Isom Dart, Billy Zane (“Titanic”) as Lockwood, Ryan Kennedy (“Hellcats”) as Doc Holliday and John Pyper-Ferguson (“Caprica”) plays Frank McMurphy.
From orphan to bounty hunter, tough-minded Hannah Beaumont doesn’t take lip from anyone. Only in her mid-twenties, Hannah is driven by a soul-consuming mission to track down and bring to justice the McMurphy gang who brutally murdered her parents and young brother. Comfortable as a mercenary, Hannah’s fierce independence keeps the people in her life at a distance: Isom Dart, the father figure who taught Hannah everything he knows about shooting and hunting men, handsome admirer and suitor Wyatt Earp, mysterious Doc Holliday and Hannah’s best friend, Stagecoach Mary. But when Hannah and her friends prove to the McMurphy gang that getting into Dodge is easy, but getting out will be hell, a shocking secret is revealed that will change Hannah’s life forever.

  KIMBERLY ELISE as STAGECOACH MARY

“Hannah’s Law” is produced by Nomadic Pictures Productions 3 and Sony Pictures Television. Mike Ogiens and John Fasano are the executive producers. Chad Oakes and Mike Frislev are the producers. Rachel Talalay is directing from a script written by John Fasano.
Hallmark Movie Channel, the second linear channel from Crown Media Holdings, Inc., simulcast in SD (Standard Definition) and HD (High Definition), is a 24-hour cable network dedicated to bringing viewers family-friendly movies with a mix of classic theatrical films, presentations from the acclaimed Hallmark Hall of Fame library, original Hallmark Channel movies and special events. In today’s crowded television landscape, the network is a unique and captivating entertainment experience, providing programming families can watch together. It is now available in nearly 47 million homes. Crown Media also operates Hallmark Channel which provides a diverse slate of high-quality entertainment to a national audience of 87 million subscribers.

TV ONE’S CULINARY COMPETITION SERIES, 'MY MOMMA THROWS DOWN', PREMIERES FRIDAY, MAY 4TH AT 8PM ET

-- Fast-paced, family cooking competition from the producers of Iron Chef America features a mix of the culinary elite and food-loving celebrities as judges and is hosted by comedian and actor Ralph Harris  --

 --Special pre-Mother’s Day celebration features a primetime mini-marathon Sunday, May 6 from 8-11 PM with the premiere episode, plus two all-new shows

   

Silver Spring, MD, April 11, 2012 – This May, TV One serves up a delicious take on culinary competition with the debut of its new primetime series My Momma Throws Down. Premiering Friday, May 4^th from 8-9 PM ET, the fast-paced cooking contest features weekly face-offs between kitchen matriarchs to see who will be named the reigning queen of home cuisine.
My Momma Throws Down is hosted by comedian and actor Ralph Harris (On Our Own, Last Comic Standing, Dreamgirls, Evan Almighty) and produced by Triage Entertainment, the makers of Iron Chef America. Each week, two new mothers will compete head-to-head through two rounds to win cash and prizes. Backed by a lively team of family supporters, the mothers will demonstrate their skills in the kitchen, as they race against the clock to put their personal spin on classic dishes. A rotating panel of judges made up of culinary experts and celebrities decide each week which contestant deserves the bragging rights as “Top Momma.” In the May 4 premiere episode, the Soul Food sisters, actresses Nicole Ari Parker, Malinda Williams and Vanessa Williams join cookbook author and culinary historian Dr. Jessica Harris in judging the competition.

(l-r) HOST RALPH HARRIS, DR. JESSICA HARRIS, MALINDA WILLIAMS, VANESSA WILLIAMS & NICOLE ARI PARKER
 

“At its core, My Momma Throws Down is a true celebration of the matriarch of the family, placing her passion, skills, down-home expertise, and reputation as a great cook on the line for all of America to witness,” said TV One President and CEO Wonya Lucas.
The rotating panel of judges is made up of a number of culinary elite and notable celebrities, including Chef Marcus Samuelsson, James Beard award-winning chef, cookbook author, chef/owner at the acclaimed Red Rooster Harlem and winner of Top Chef Masters; Marvin Woods, the celebrity chef, host, and author of cookbook Home Plate Cooking; Dr. Jessica Harris, educator, culinary historian, and writer of eleven cookbooks documenting the foods and foodways of the African Diaspora, including her latest, High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America; Melba Wilson, chef/owner of Melba’s, the Harlem fixture known for its signature chicken and waffles; Tanya Holland, the noted French-trained chef and owner of Brown Sugar Kitchen in West Oakland, CA and the author of New Soul Cooking: Updating a Cuisine Rich in Flavor and Tradition; and Chef Brian Hill, who initially rose to fame from his appearances on Top Chef and Food Network's Private Chefs of Beverly Hills, and now caters for celebrities including Eddie Murphy and Mary J. Blige. 

 HOST RALPH HARRIS

Other celebrity judges during the eight-episode run include Trina and Towanda Braxton; Kandi Burruss from “The Real Housewives of Atlanta”; comedian Loni Love; actor Rockmond Dunbar; Grammy Award-winning songwriter Bryan Michael Cox; and boxer, actor and model Ngo Okafor.
The competition is fierce, as each mother first provides her signature dish for both the judges and her adversary to rate, then races against the clock to create an entire meal on a moment’s notice. The families also play an important role throughout the episode, as they are presented with various challenges that can add or delete minutes from their mother’s cooking time. From a trivia quiz, to a special “smack down” challenge, to a “blind” taste-test - the results of which count towards the judges’ final decision - the families do all they can to help their mothers win.
New episodes are scheduled to air Fridays at 8 PM, repeating at 11 PM. However, as a special pre-Mother’s Day celebration, TV One will devote the whole evening Sunday, May 6 to My Momma Throws Down, beginning at 8 PM when it will re-air the premiere episode, followed by two all-new episodes at 9 and 10 PM, with the celebration repeating at 11 PM (all times ET).  
Executive producer for TV One is Kaye Zusmann, and executive in charge of production is Tia Smith. 
Launched in January 2004, TV One (www.tvone.tv) serves nearly 57 million households, offering a broad range of real-life and entertainment-focused original programming, classic series, movies, and music designed to entertain, inform and inspire a diverse audience of adult black viewers.  In December 2008, the company launched TV One High Def, which now serves 14 million households. TV One is owned by Radio One [NASDAQ: ROIA and ROIAK; www.radio-one.com], the largest radio company that primarily targets African American and urban listeners; and Comcast Corporation [NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK); www.comcast.com], one of the nation’s leading providers of entertainment, information and communications products and services. 

Gabrielle Union and Jerry Ferrara Are A Couple in The Comedy, "Think Like A Man"

The film, Think Like A Man, adapted by Steve Harvey's popular book of the same name, is set for release April 20.  The comedy stars Gabrielle Union, Jerry Ferrara, Kevin Hart, Taraji P. Henson, Reginal Hall, Michael Ealy, Romany Malco, Meagan Good, Terrence J and Jenifer Lewis.

I caught up with Gabrielle Union and Jerry Ferrara at the SLS Hotel in Los Angeles to talk about the making of the movie.

Q: What was it about this particular film that made you want to be a part of it? Why did you want to be involved?

GU: Aside from just working with all my friends, which is always a good time. Love Tim Story, I’ve known him forever, um. I’ve been in the Screen Gems family for a long, long time. So, it was kind of a perfect mix of people, story, character. I had a chance to work with Jerry, who I’ve been a fan of for a long time and to play a different kind of character. I’ve never played anyone who was, well, I shouldn’t say never. Normally I’m the good girl from the right side of the tracks, meets the boy from the wrong side of the tracks.   This was very different. So I jumped at the chance.

JF: I loved the story because I thought, you know a lot of romantic comedies usually told from a specific point of view whether it’s the woman or the man. I think this story was told from both points of view.  I was kind of fascinated by like, you know you take a situation, like her character in the movie wants a ring, my character is clueless, like if we would have communicated better in the story, we could have answered a lot of those problems. And then when I found out Gabrielle was doing it. I was like, well this is really an acting challenge cuz how many people are going to actually believe that I could get her. So that’s a pretty good acting challenge to me. It just seemed like a lot of fun. I love the ensemble vibe. I was in pretty quick.

GABRIELLE UNION

Q: I like how the movie made the fact that you two were in an interracial relationship a non-issue. Was that a big deal? Did the script change? Had it made it an issue? How did you guys feel about the fact that it didn’t really speak to that.

GU: I think it was one of the few times in my entire career where it was truly colorblind casting. There was no… I think there is an inherent idea that if a black executive producer and a black director are going to do a movie based on a black writer, everyone is going to be black. But when I read it there really was no distinction who was supposed to be black or not black. It was just a non-issue.  So, when they said Jerry was playing Jeremy, I was like, ‘Oh, great’.  It was a non-issue for me and I’m glad it was a non –issue for the character and that they didn’t feel like, “Oh, I’m going to have to change it now.  We’re going to have to address the elephant in the room’. It’s like, no!

 JF: It was actually one of the, I mean there was a lot, but one of the more refreshing parts of it. Nowhere in the script was it like, Jeremy is white, 30. You know, it was none of that. You’re right, we didn’t have to get rid of any sort of elephant in the room. It was a non-issue.

JERRY FERRARA & TERRENCE J

Q: Gabrielle, did you actually read the book? And, if so, what did you think about it? Do you think any parts of the book are true? Have you tried any parts of the book?

GU: When it came out, me and a group of my girlfriends, we bought the book and bought a bottle of wine and we had a reading of it. A lot of it, I was one of the people who was laughing, because I think it’s common sense. And, I think there is this idea that women don’t have common sense. And then we noticed that there were some of my girlfriends who were freakishly quiet. And I was like, oh for some people, this is a revelation. So, I get that it speaks to a lot of people. I also understand that for some women it’s just common sense stuff. But, it’s like maybe you just need a reminder about some times.   I believe I practice common sense in my own life so I don’t rely on trickery. I rely on good, honest communication, effective communication, straight-forward communication about my wants and needs and expectations. So for me, no, not so much. But there are some in my group who were like “Ah haaaaa”  So, um, yeah.

(l-r) JERRY FERRARA, MICHAEL EALY, KEVIN HART, TERRENCE J, GARY OWEN & ROMANY MALCO

Q: Jerry, the guys were so much fun to watch. Was it that much fun to shoot? What was the down time like with all that energy going on?

JF: I mean it really was. It’s scary though because you never know.  I was part of an ensemble show for many years.  We were lucky it just happened. I’ve also witnessed sometimes when the chemistry isn’t always there. And you just never know until you do it and luckily when the guys we all met, it was pretty instant. And, um, especially with someone like Kevin, who was hilarious in between. And, all the guys. He kind of Kevin went at it first and disarmed everybody. Right off the bat just got us all comfortable. And then you start saying, oh, maybe Kevin is funny, but I didn’t know this about Ealy, Ealy is kind of hilarious too. And the next thing you know we’re having more fun in between the takes than on camera. You hope that is translates. I think it did. Hope it did.

Q: Was there a lot of ad-libbing going on?

JF: A lot of it was scripted. But, there were some adlibs. I think Tim was letting it go. Lets lay down a few as is and then once we’re comfortable with that, lets just play. And, I think a lot of stuff made it in and some of it didn’t. There was definitely some freedom.  But the script was so good you didn’t really have to go that far away from what was on the page.

Q; When we were in the movie theater, when your face came on the scene, a few girls screamed out …and everybody loved you as Turtle. I mean you are like the cute guy in the crew.

JF: Which crew?

Q:  I mean when I used to watch Entourage, I’d be waiting for Turtle.

JF: I thought Adrian was the one.


Q: He's the obvious guy.

JF: Oh, so I’m like sneaky cute?

Q:I’m sure you have a crazy girl fan base.

JF: Uh, I, maybe, I have a dude fan base for sure. They like to wrestle with me and ask me to smoke weed.

JF: I don’t. I mean I’m not saying at one point in my life I didn’t. But, uh, no!

Q: Gabrielle, how do you like to work and how does that mesh or not mesh with how Tim likes to work

GU: Part of the reason why I wanted to work with Tim for so long is that, um, we have a similar philosophy – that we don’t believe we are curing cancer. You know it has to do with process. I didn’t go to Comic Con to like research. I just acted and Tim was like, “good, you’re prepared, lets shoot.’   It was a really easy process. I wouldn’t even call it a process. Come to work , be preopared, be ready in the moment. Whatever comes out, lets see where we go. He was open, he wasn’t married to everything that was on the page.   There was so much we did that we were just ad-libbing and they would just let it roll for a long time.  We would just come up with stuff just to kind of keep going.

CAST OF 'THINK LIKE A MAN'

JF: He would never call cut.

GU: He would never call cut and with this group you’re always going to get more and more and more. A lot of it ended up in the movie. For me, it’s a comedy, it’s a great way to film. Cuz otherwise if you get so tied down to, oh , this has to be. I need every and, but, the, the way it’s written you kind of lose the freedom to create the funny.

Q: Were you always going to play the character you played or were you ever going to play one of the other characters?

GU: I think initially because of my history of maybe more of a bitch, maybe more of the woman who doesn’t need a man or whatever it is.  I think there was an idea floating around at one point for me to do the Taraji role. But, because I’ve done it to death, um I was like, ‘you know what would be more interesting, would be, you know, to play, Kristin.’ And they were like, ‘yeah’.

Q: Seems like you’re getting a lot of roles. Are you getting the type of scripts you want now that you weren't getting before?

GU: Yeah, you know it’s not that I didn’t get them before. I just wasn’t getting picked for a stretch of time. There are some very talented people. So, I’d read it. I’d be like, ‘me’, please, Jesus, why not me? Like if they had a stand selling roles, like if I’d walk up, they’d close shop. This is just a matter of Tyler [Perry] was like you want to come play again?  And then, literally in the middle of shooting that, no actually, I take it back, we filmed “Little In Common” with me and Kevin Hart, a pilot for Fox. So while we were on the set of that, Will had come, so Will is like, “here’s the script, tell me what you think.”  I start shooting “Good Deeds”, Tyler gave me a break. Screen Gems and Will and Tim gave me a break. And, then in between those two movies they were like “would you want to come do this indie, up in the woods in the Catskills with John Slattery. I was like, ‘Where have you been?’ It was a nice change where I was suddenly getting some yeses. After trying, uh, you know, for the same yeses for a long time. So, everyone has their little season.

Q: I was just curious, was that couch as nasty and as much of a bio-hazard as it seemed?

JF: It was kinda gross

GU: It was pretty gross.

JF: It was kind of nasty. I thought it could have been nastier.

GU: It did look like it came from an alley.

(l-r) JERRY FERRARA, GARY OWEN, TERRENCE J, MICHAEL EALY & ROMANY MALCO

JF: Yeah

Q: Jerry, did you maybe had like an inanimate object that, uh, you were attached to as sentimentally as much as Jeremy with his couch?

JF: Yeah, and it’s very, this is going to sound weird and typical.  I have a blanket. It’s not a blankie, it’s a blanket that my grandmother made for me many, many years go when I was a kid. It’s kind of old and ratty looking. I keep it clean.  But, it’s old. I just need to have it around. I’m not saying I sleep with it at night. But, yeah, I have a blankie. If someone asked me to throw it away, I’d sooner throw them away.

Q: Just to piggyback on what Crystal was saying about your cuteness and all that, are you ready for all the sisters to be looking at you little eyebrow raised a little bit more than in the past?

JF: I’m ready for it. I just don’t know, I mean is it going to be that different? I mean what’s going to happen?

Q: 7500, what kind of film is that?

JF:  '7500' is a psychological thriller with the director from 'The Grudge', Shimizu, who is really good at scaring people and creeping people out. It’s a lot of fun, it all takes place on a plane, which is interesting. When I read this I thought it was going to be like a horror film that people’s heads were going to get chopped off. It’s not like that at all. It stays psychological, kind of ala, 'The Grudge', where, yes, there are a lot of scares, but they had some of the best cliffhangers, unexpected twists and I know that’s kind of typical in those types of movies. But they really did a smart job. Best word I can use to describe it is smart.

Q: Are you a passenger in the movie?

JF: We’re all passengers in the movie, uh, but there are like six stories going on on this plane and I’m one of the storylines on it.

Q: Do you make choices that allow you to avoid that kind of pigeonholing and stereotype? Are you doing that consciously?

JF: Um, I mean yes and no. I think that the rules are kind of different. I wouldn’t say 20 years ago, but 10 years ago, it’s like, yes, if you were a TV guy or girl and that’s what you are and you play a character for so long. I think that you know I mean there are people who have only done movies for the last 10 years who are jumping into television. I think those lines and those rules are all different. I do think that it would be foolish of me to not think that people think of me that way, I mean, I’m actually proud of that because it means I did a good job.  So, yeah, I’m not going to really take any roles that require me to be like the sidekick/stoner. Um, but, yeah, man, I think I gotta be careful about it. Sure, I think I’d be foolish not to take that into consideration. And that’s part of the reason I was happy that this opportunity came on. You know being in a relationship with her character for nine years. I mean, I think that’s pretty different from anything I’ve ever done for the last nine years.

Gospel Singer Donnie McClurkin Continues To Spread The Good News With Busy Spring Schedule

                            

                            Plans Under Way for McClurkin to Lend His Voice to New Inspirational Animated Series 

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Los Angeles, CA (April 2012) – Ministry and music never stops for award-winning gospel singer

Donnie McClurkin.  After years of traveling the globe, keeping pace with his schedule still proves to be a challenge.  McClurkin kicks off the month of April at the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH.   He’s set to perform on April 10 at the Rock My Soul event honoring gospel great and long-time friend Kirk Franklin.

Fans will soon be able to experience a new journey with McClurkin when he makes his voice-over debut as Coach Jacobi Mars in inspirational animated series, Starry Cross Academy, currently in the pre-production stage.  Also on board to lend their voice to the series is actress, Jasmine Guy.  While in Atlanta for Starry Cross recording, McClurkin will join the star-studded line-up for the 43^rd Annual GMA Dove Awards at the Fox Theater on Thursday, April 19.  The show will be taped for television and aired nationally on GMC TV on Tuesday, April 24 at 8pm and 10pm/EDT.

The 11^th Annual I Hear Music in the Air Conference (May 18-20) will honor McClurkin at their black tie Legend’s Ball set to commence the three day event on May 20 and will feature today’s biggest names in gospel music..

Popular syndicated radio program, The Donnie McClurkin Show, turns six this year and currently airs in over 60 markets continuing to expand across the country and Jamaica.  To check out show in your area log onto www.donnieradio.com, www.donniemcclurkin.com or follow him on Twitter: @donniemcclurkin.