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Black Hollywood Reflects on James Earl Jones’ Influence

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James Earl Jones, James Earl Jones death, Black celebrity death, Black Hollywood, theGrio.com

As many individuals proceed to react to the death of veteran actor James Earl Jones on September 9, 2024, we’re learning increasingly more about his life and the impact he had on a few of Black Hollywood’s biggest stars.

The legendary actor, 93, was perhaps best known for his powerful voice, lending his voice to iconic characters similar to Darth Vader and Mufasa. However, he once lived with a stutter and overcame multiple periods of self-imposed muteness early in his life.

When Jones was inducted into the American Academy of Achievement in 1996, he shared his thoughts interview what it was like growing up in Mississippi and Michigan.

“It wasn’t that I stopped talking; I just found it too hard to talk,” Jones recalled, adding that moving from Mississippi to Michigan together with his grandparents, who raised him, traumatized him significantly. As a result, he spent his first 12 months of college mute, a period that continued into highschool.

It was not until he met his highschool teacher, Donald Crouch, that Jones began to interrupt his silence, discovering his love of poetry in the method.

“(Crouch) said, ‘Do you like these words? Do you like how they sound in your head?’” Jones explained. “He said, ‘Well, they sound 10 times better when you say them in the air. It’s a shame you can’t say these words.’ He started challenging me and pushing me in the direction of speaking, and using my own poetry and then other poets… pushing me in that direction, in the direction of recognizing and appreciating the beauty of words.”

It’s hard to say what would have happened without Crouch’s crucial intervention. But it is simple to say what Jones would have done for a lot of future black Hollywood stars.

“He’s my hero,” Denzel Washington said. Diversitywho noted that his college theater profession was inspired by Jones’s performances in “Emperor Jones” and “Othello.”

“I didn’t set out to be as big as him. I wanted to sound like him. He was everything to me as a budding actor. He was who I wanted to be,” Washington continued. “There weren’t many serious black actors that we could emulate; imitate, admire. There was Sidney (Poitier); on stage, there was James Earl Jones. That’s what I remember.”

Ava DuVernay paid tribute to Jones in multiple posts on Instagram Stories, concluding with the caption, “A job well done. A gift well given. Blessings on your journey,” per Entertainment Weekly.

In the post on XKerry Washington shared, “Your voice has left an indelible mark on film and theater. Your roles have shaped our imaginations. Your legacy will live on forever. Rest in peace, Mr. Jones.”

Wendell Pierce wrote in his own memorial post on X“The embodiment of genius. The embodiment of humanity. Artistry of the highest order. A personal hero of monumental talent. Once in a generation. My soul is broken by the news of his passing.”

Colman Domingo shared a photograph of a young Jones on Xwriting, “Thank you, dear James Earl Jones, for everything. Master of our craft. We stand on your shoulders. Rest now. You gave us the best.”

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Meanwhile, Courtney B. Vance, who hung out with Jones and his family six months ago, said: Diversity regrets not reminiscing about more of the times he shared the stage with the late actor, including their performances in August Wilson’s play “Fences,” in addition to the time they performed a scene from the play together on the 1987 Tony Awards.

“The first table read, I didn’t know how to address James—I called him ‘Sir.’ I was the only one who didn’t know anyone. And I was a total newbie, because I had just started doing theater. I didn’t know the difference between a stage and a stage. Everyone was bringing me in. They were teaching me,” Vance recalled.

He added, “James would like to be remembered as a gentleman, as someone who loved his family. Everyone else in his generation didn’t have role models, so they had to find a way to get out. They were all pioneers. Moses Gunn, Cicely Tyson and James in ‘The Blacks’ was a play that changed Broadway as much as ‘Fences’ did, allowing black performers to have careers.”

Vance also recalled the last time he saw Jones (who’s survived by his son Flynn) at his home in upstate New York earlier this 12 months.

“The whole family was there and we were all laughing and talking about old times,” he said. “He said to me, ‘Courtney, they’ve got me so stuck in this bubble, I think I’ll live to be a hundred.’ I said, ‘Jimmy, I know you will.’”


This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Marjorie Harvey’s Ex-Husband Says She and Steve Harvey ‘Deserve to Be Sucked In’ in Refreshed Clip a Year After They Pledged to ‘Tell Everything’

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Jim Townsend, the ex-husband of Marjorie Harvey, has a lot to say to his former “Lady Heroine.” People heard a lot of controversial stories concerning the former lovers’ time together when Townsend spoke out about their relationship in 2023.

Last yr, he also released his first memoir, Snakes in the Garden, a first-hand account of how he became one in every of Memphis, Tennessee’s notorious drug lords with Marjorie by his side.

“I’ll say anything. I’ll say anything, y’all,” he joked in an explosive interview with beleaguered blogger Tasha K. He and Marjorie were married in the ’90s but divorced in 2002 after Townsend was sentenced to life in prison for his illicit dealings. He was released in early 2019.

Jimmy L. Townsend, Marjorie Harvey’s ex-husband, criticizes her and her recent husband, Steve Harvey, after the publication of a book in which he reveals all of the facts. (Photo: Instagram/ @jim.l.townsend) and Steve and Marjorie Harvey (Photo: Instagram/ @marjorie_harvey)

In September of this yr, Townsend released the second book in a trilogy of books about his untold story. As interest in the book, which details how he modified his life, has grown, videos of him warning Marjorie and her husband, Steve Harvey, have gained recent views.

The Harveys have been married for 17 years, but for much of the past yr the couple have had to cope with rumours accusing the style star of cheating on the comedian with one in every of his bodyguards and his personal chef.

Steve has vehemently denied the allegations. But when Townsend was asked for his thoughts on the matter, it was obvious he didn’t care if the Harveys’ pristine image was tarnished.

“I don’t care about Steve Harvey or Marjorie and what they’re going through, you know, publicly,” Townsend said in a video shared on his YouTube page. “I’ll say it here, whatever happens, however it gets them involved, they deserve it.”

Moreover, he continued, “What she needs to be called is what she did to this family. She is — she has completely destroyed our family structure. Completely.”

Marjorie Harvey’s ex-husband Jim Townsend believes she and her husband Steve Harvey deserved to be at the middle of divorce rumors. (Pictured: Jim, Majorie, their daughter Morgan and son Jason; Photo: jim.l.townsend/Instagram.)

Townsend and his ex-wife had two children, a son named Jason and a daughter named Morgan. Marjorie would welcome a daughter named Lori Harvey along with her second husband, Donnell Woods, also a convicted drug dealer. All three were adopted by the “Family Feud” host 20 years ago.

He particularly disliked Marjorie’s “Girls Who Rule the World” mentoring program, one in every of the pillars of her and Steve’s foundation.

Townsend refused to go public along with his grievances against the comedian, calling him irrelevant and “irrelevant.”

Marjorie’s ex-husband accused her of disrespecting her grandchildren, who were then aged 2 and 8. In total, Marjorie is the “glam-ma” to seven children, thanks to her son Jason, who has 4 children, and her daughter Morgan, who has two daughters.

Steve’s daughter Karli, who has a twin sister named Brandy, is the mother of a son. Marjorie has shared a few photos and videos of herself spoiling Jason’s kids in the past, but posts with Morgan or her children are less common.

“You treat them like person non grata, while you give all this attention to my son and his children,” the two-time creator said. “My little 8-year-old Elle is crying and you just completely ignore her, and you finally broke up the relationship between the cousins. … They grew up together,” the reformed baron continued.

“What you did a few months ago was unacceptable and you should be punished for your actions. … What you did, you woke up a sleeping dog, and you know the old saying, ‘Let dogs sleep,'” Townsend, 74, added.

Finally, he sent an ominous message, saying, “I’ll deal with it in my book and everything else, and that’s it. You can say I’m vindictive or whatever.” The response to his comments read: “Majorie will regret all her evil deeds if she does not repent and turn from them.”

Marjorie has never addressed her former partner’s allegations in the past and has seemingly maintained that very same stance despite the clip’s renewed popularity.

Part two of “Snakes in the Garden” is now available and available at www.jimltownsend.com.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mMFIOGsIdA


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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Outraged ‘Family Matters’ Fans Discover Jaleel White and His Co-Star Were Nominated, But Never Invited to Emmy Awards

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It’s Emmy Awards season, where dozens of actors receive awards and accolades for his or her performances on among the hottest shows on television.

Actor Jaleel White, 47, played the long-lasting character of Steve Urkel on Family Matters for nine seasons. The series was a rankings hit for ABC, however the sitcom never won a Primetime Emmy.

The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences nominated “Family Matters” for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Visual Visual Effects in 1996. The “Perfect Strangers” spin-off lost to NBC’s miniseries “Gulliver’s Travels” on the ceremony.

The forged of “Family Matters” (clockwise from left) Michelle Thomas, Jaleel White, Darius McCrary, Jo Marie Payton, Reginald VelJohnson, Kellie Shanygne Williams; Orlando Bloom, Rosetta LeNoire and Bryton James were never invited to the Emmys. (Photo: Warner Bros. Television)

White spoke concerning the Emmy shutout in a rehashed 2021 interview with Yahoo Entertainment, comparing his show’s lack of ATAS recognition to the critical success of “The Wonder Years,” starring fellow child actor Fred Savage.

“You were made to feel like you were African-American,” White said of being missed by Emmy voters. He noted that individuals like “The Wonder Years” star Fred Savage, who “was always invited to the Emmys” and “always treated like a lover of his time.”

As for himself, “I was never invited to the Emmys, not even to present,” White said. “We were basically told I would be wasting my time even if I entered for nomination.”

Additionally, the Culver City, California native continued, “I’ve always been incredibly proud of how many different people from all walks of life have come up to me and recognized ‘Family Matters.’ I’ve always been really, really proud of that because it was the complete opposite of the way our TV elite treated me.”

The Wonder Years was a five-year run, and the coming-of-age comedy won 4 Emmy Awards and 28 nominations. Fred Savage earned two nominations, for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, in 1989 and 1990.

Jaleel White’s Conversation with Yahoo Entertainment Resurfaces Stories of the Golden Age Instagram page on August 2, 2024. Social media users reacted to White’s comments regarding the Emmy Awards.

“Family Matters” star Cherie Johnson, who played Maxine “Max Johnson,” shared her experience of never being honored on the Emmy Awards. The 48-year-old actress stated, “I was nominated for Punky, but I wasn’t invited.”

According to the official Emmy Awards WebsiteCherie Johnson was not nominated for her role within the series “Punky Brewster”, which aired from September 1984 to March 1986. However, the show did bring three nominations between 1985 and 1986.

“Punky Brewster” actress Cherie Johnson says she was nominated for an Emmy but wasn’t invited to the ceremony, however the Emmy Awards website doesn’t list her as an official nominee. @goldenerastories/Instagram

Another Instagram commenter asked Johnson if she had been invited to any awards shows, to which she replied, “(The) Daytime Emmys invited me to the Punky reboot a few years ago, but I decided not to go.”

Additionally, White’s supporters expressed their appreciation for his work as Steve Urkel. One person wrote, “My man was the gas pedal the ENTIRE TIME on the show!”

Another fan wrote, “Don’t worry. You still did your thing, bro. And you know what? Fred Savage never had a doll. We had an Urkel doll.” A 3rd sponsor added, “Jaleel is the GOAT. Urkel is perfect.”

An outraged fan said: “Wow!!! That’s a bright slap in the face.”

In a May 2024 interview, Tisha Campbell, the black actress who played Gina on the classic ’90s Fox sitcom “Martin,” spoke about why she was not honored on the Emmy Awards.

According to the actress, who starred within the “House Party” film franchise, a white spokesperson suggested that Campbell’s race prevented her from earning an Emmy nomination.

“Back then, we didn’t look at things to get accolades. We were just trying to feed our families and we had to take away from ourselves the fact that we would be appreciated for the things that we did,” she explained.

Family Matters debuted on ABC on September 22, 1989. After moving to CBS for its final season, the series concluded on July 17, 1998. The forged also included Reginald VelJohnson, Jo Marie Payton, Darius McCrary, Rosetta LeNoire, Telma Hopkins and Kellie Shanygne Williams.

With 215 episodes, “Family Matters” became one in every of the longest-running black sitcoms in television history. “The Jeffersons” reached 253 episodes between January 1975 and July 1985. “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” passed the 358-episode mark in August 2024.

The Wonder Years, starring Fred Savage, aired for six seasons from January 1988 to May 1993. A remake of the series, based on the story of a middle-class black family, debuted in September 2021 but was canceled after two seasons.

Punky Brewster starred Soleil Moon Frye. The show originally aired on NBC from September 1984 to March 1986. The series was revived on the Peacock streaming service in February 2021, but was canceled after one season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mMFIOGsIdA


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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5 Questions for Mamoudou Athie

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Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright James Ijames stars in his recent play, “Good bones.Actor Mamoudou Athie, who will play Travis, stopped by theGrio for our latest “5 Questions” series to discuss his upcoming play, how he brings his character to life, essentially the most difficult role he’s ever played, and more.

When asked how he describes “Good Bones,” Athie said, “James is an incredible playwright, a truly incredible playwright. The way he’s able to constantly formulate and rework some of these scenes that we’ve been working on, based just on conversations, is really mind-blowing, because I’ve never seen anyone work so quickly, except for, you know, television, but he does it with such a deft hand and such clarity and such intelligence.”

Tickets for “Good Bones” can be found now through October. Athie has credits in movies like “Black Box,” “Uncorked” and shows like “Archive 81” and “The Get Down,” so which role do you’re thinking that was essentially the most difficult? Watch the total interview below and head to theGrio.com for more “5 Questions.”

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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