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Top 1980s and 1990s comedy writer-producer David W. Duclon, who created Punky Brewster and co-developed Silver Spoons, died Wednesday morning, January 15, after a long illness. He was 74.

Born Warren David Duclon in Rockford, Il, Duclon started his career as a writer on classic 1970s sitcoms such as The Odd Couple, Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, The Jeffersons and Diff’rent Strokes.

His first writing credit was on a handful episodes of the The Odd Couple alongside Garry Marshall, who took him under his wing and taught him how to be a showrunner while Duclon worked on his hits Happy Days and spinoff Laverne & Shirley.

Over the next decade, Duclon went on to create a slew of sitcoms of his own. He developed CBS’ 1979 comedy Working Stiffs starring James Belushi and Michael Keaton; co-developed the 1982-debuting Silver Spoons, which ran on NBC for four seasons and another in first-run syndication; and...

The crime drama "Power" is all about, well, power. The show follows Omari Hardwick's James St. Patrick, also known as Ghost, who lives a double life as a successful nightclub owner and influential drug dealer. James wants to go straight and leave the life of crime behind, but how can he do so when he's a notorious kingpin with so much baggage? No spoilers here, so watch the show and its spin-offs in the "Power" Universe if you haven't done so yet to find out!

It's easy to get sucked into the "Power" vortex, savor all the juicy episodes, and say, "What's next?" You could go back to the first season and rewatch it from the beginning again, but there's also another solution: Find similar series to binge. From the duality of man in "Breaking Bad" to the morally conflicted characters of "The Wire," let's take a look at...

Actor Denzel Washington’s passion for directing led him to film The Great Debaters, which he recruited many young stars to film. One of those stars was Jurnee Smollett, who he called out after noticing she wasn’t performing to her full potential in the film.

How Jurnee Smollett responded to being put on the spot by Denzel Washington Jurnee Smollett and Denzel Washington | Mat Hayward/Getty Images

Washington was the one who originally reached out to Smollett, brother of Jussie Smollett, first for 2007’s The Great Debaters. She was one of many younger actors who’d be cast as a student on a debate team in the 1930s. But although Washington had Smollett in mind to star, she still had to prove herself by performing alongside the Oscar-winner.

“I was in South Africa over a year ago and Denzel wanted the casting director to reach out to me, and...

Jussie Smollett and Bill Cosby are two controversial names in Hollywood who have recently made it to the tabloids for all the wrong reasons. The former is an actor, who was once celebrated for starring in films such as Empire, whereas the latter was once known as “America’s Dad.”

Jussie Smollett | Entertainment Tonight / YouTube

Now, their public image is damaged by legal battles, with Smollett facing accusations of staging a hate crime, and Cosby’s infamous case related to s*xual assault. Their alleged misdeeds are vastly different, but there’s a similarity in both scenarios. So, let’s understand the common legal twist that binds Smollett and Cosby together.

Shared Similarities Between Jussie Smollett and Bill Cosby’s Case Bill Cosby | CBS Mornings / YouTube

As per reports, both Jussie Smollett and Bill Cosby’s overturned convictions show that their legal rights were once violated. No matter how much public opinion changes,...

On Thursday, the Illinois Supreme Court overturned actor Jussie Smollett’s conviction in an alleged hate crime hoax after over five years.

Smollett, who is black and gay, reported in 2019 that outside a Subway restaurant in Chicago, two men yelled racist and homophobic slurs at him, splashed him with bleach, put a noose around his neck and assaulted him on the street.

Smollett initially received an outpouring of support from the public, and two brothers, Abimbola ‘Bola’ and Olabinjo ‘Ola’ Osundairo were detained as suspects. However, prosecutors later claimed that Smollett knew the Osundairo brothers personally and had paid them to attack him.

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In late February 2019, surveillance footage was obtained that supposedly showed Smollett rehearse the attack with the Osundairos two days before it took place. In March, Smollett was charged with a...

When Jussie Smollett announced in January 2019 that he was the victim of a hate crime, it didn’t take long at all for his story to unravel, with the Empire actor being charged just the next month for filing a false police report. Despite some matters being dropped, Smollett was later found guilty on multiple felony counts of disorderly conduct. But now Jussie Smollett is getting his name clear…on the record, at least.

An Illinois judge has deemed that Jussie Smollett will have his conviction overturned, although this is by no means a demonstration of any innocence. As special prosecutor Dan Webb stated (via Variety), “Make no mistake — today’s ruling has nothing to do with Mr. Smollett’s innocence. The Illinois Supreme Court did not find any error with the overwhelming evidence presented at trial that Mr. Smollett orchestrated a fake hate crime and reported it to the...

We’ve got a shocker, celebrity gossip followers.

On Thursday afternoon, The Supreme Court of Illinois overturned the convictions of Jussie Smollett… the veteran actor who was previously found guilty of falsely reporting a hate crime following a Very high-profile 2019 incident.

At the time this crime was allegedly committed, Smollett was a main cast member on the Fox drama Empire.

Jussie Smollett attends “The Lost Holliday” New York screening on September 25, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Steven Ferdman/Getty Images)

He claimed four-plus years ago that he was the victim of a homophobic and racist assault, but was found guilty in December 2021 of basically being a liar.

He was found guilty on five counts of misleading the police about the incident and of falsifying an official report.

At the time, prosecutors successfully argued in court that two men were given money by Smollett — who is Black and gay — to...

Hip, hip, hooray! Pippa Fitz-Amobi is ready to crack a new case.

And we’re ready to help her do it when A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder returns for a second season.

The teen mystery inspired by Holly Jackson’s mystery book series will return with an all-new season and, yes, an all-new mystery.

(Courtesy of Netflix)

Bookmark this page for all information!

We’ll update you with everything you need to know about A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder Season 2.

Did Netflix Renew A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder?

Well, that’s why we’re here!

To our delight, the teen-sleuthing series that climbed the charts at Netflix and hit number one Globally will return for a second season.

Netflix announced the series’ return, proclaiming it will return with an all-new adaptation of one of Holly Jackson’s books.

(Courtesy of Netflix)

Author Holly Jackson was ecstatic over the news,...

Jussie Smollett, the actor accused of faking a homophobic attack on the streets of Chicago in 2019, had his conviction overturned by the Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday, with a judge ruling that his second prosecution after the case had already been resolved was a violation of his right to due process.

Smollett has attacked the case from all angles since the saga was relaunched six months after charges were dropped, and on Thursday, in a 5-0 opinion, with two justices abstaining, the court declared that a second case opened against Smollett violated his due process rights.

“We hold that a second prosecution under these circumstances is a due process violation, and we therefore reverse defendant’s conviction,” Rochford wrote in the opinion.

Smollett, who is Black and gay, was a breakout star of the Fox TV series Empire when, in January 2019, he claimed he was attacked in the streets of...

In a stunning legal reversal, the Illinois Supreme Court has overturned Empire actor Jussie Smollett’s conviction for falsely reporting a hate crime in 2019.

The court didn’t clear him of wrongdoing but instead ruled that Smollett should never have been prosecuted after Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s office initially dropped the charges in a deal.

The 5-0 decision emphasized the importance of honoring legal agreements, regardless of public outcry.

(Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET)

As a Chicagoan, I remember this case vividly, and it still infuriates me.

Smollett’s story about being attacked in Streeterville by two men hurling racial and homophobic slurs, tossing a noose around his neck, and shouting “Maga country” was horrifying when it first broke.

But as the police investigation unfolded, the narrative shifted dramatically.

Love Him or Hate Him, De Niro’s Presidential Turn in Zero Day Will...

Jussie Smollett’s conviction for lying to the police about a hate crime he was accused of staging against himself was overturned by the Illinois Supreme Court.

The ruling was made on procedural grounds, going back to a decision by the Cook County State Attorney’s Office to drop the case against Smollett a few weeks after his original indictment, with the actor agreeing, in turn, to forfeit his $10,000 bail to the city. That decision, however, caused an uproar amongst city officials, which ultimately led to the appointment of a...

The Illinois Supreme Court has overturned Jussie Smollett‘s convictions.

If you don’t remember, the 42-year-old Empire actor and director was sentenced to 150 days in jail after being convicted of faking a racial and homophobic hate crime in 2019. He continues to maintain his innocence and is actively appealing the ruling. He was in jail for six days before being released pending the appeal process.

Keep reading to find out more…

On Thursday (November 21), the following was released by the court: “We are aware that this case has generated significant public interest and that many people were dissatisfied with the resolution of the original case and believed it to be unjust. Nevertheless, what would be more unjust than the resolution of any one criminal case would be a holding from this court that the State was not bound to honor agreements upon which people have detrimentally relied.”

They will now be initiating a dismissal.

Empire actor Jussie Smollett, who was found guilty in 2021 of felony disorderly conduct stemming from a false police report he filed, has had his conviction overturned.

As first reported by the Chicago Tribune, the Illinois Supreme Court overturned Smollett’s trial verdict on Thursday, determining that the decision to retry Smollett (after charges against him were initially dropped in 2019) violated the actor’s rights.

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(Updated with Special Prosecutor statement) Jussie Smollett’s 2021 conviction over his alleged fake assault on the streets of Chicago is now behind the Empire actor. However, the former U.S. Attorney appointed to the case insists this decision doesn’t mean Smollett is innocent of falsely reporting a Maga connected hate crime in early 2019.

In a somewhat surprising ruling, the Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday overturned the legal consequences Smollett suffered due to the high profile incident.In the court’s opinion, the Illinois Supreme Court found that special prosecutor’s Dan Webb’s decision to retry Smollett violated his rights.

“We are aware that this case has generated significant public interest and that many people were dissatisfied with the resolution of the original case and believed it to be unjust,” the court’s opinion reads, according to the Chicago Tribune. “Nevertheless, what would be more unjust than the resolution...

The five disorderly conduct convictions for Jussie Smollett were overturned on Thursday by the Illinois Supreme Court, which ruled a special prosecutor’s decision to retry the “Empire” star after state charges were dropped violated his rights.

A jury convicted Smollett on five felony counts of disorderly conduct, a charge that can be filed in Illinois when a person lies to police. The actor was accused of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in downtown Chicago in 2019.

His conviction and jail sentence were upheld last December by an Illinois appeals court, which also heard his team’s argument that a special prosecutor should not have been allowed to intervene after the Cook County state’s attorney dropped all charges. But the Illinois Supreme Court disagreed with that portion, and remanded the case to the trial court to enter a dismissal.

Smollett had served only six days of his 150-day sentence,...

Jussie Smollett’s conviction in an alleged hate crime hoax was overturned on Thursday by the Illinois Supreme Court.

The “Empire” actor was convicted in December 2021 of five felony counts of disorderly conduct for allegedly staging a hate crime against himself in 2019 and was sentenced to 150 days in county jail, plus 30 months of probation and $130,000 in restitution. This came after the original charges against him were dropped in March 2019, but the case was picked back up when the state conducted an independent inquiry with a special prosecutor. In December 2023, a state appellate court rejected his bid for an appeal and it was ruled that he would have to complete his full sentence, six days of which he served before being freed pending appeal. Earlier this year, the Illinois Supreme Court agreed to hear his appeal.

In an opinion released on Thursday, the Illinois Supreme Court found that the special prosecutor...

What the heck, Chicago Med?

Chicago Med Season 10 Episode 8’s fall finale felt mostly like a regular episode, nothing really special.

The cliffhanger felt more tacked on than exciting, thought it was more suited to the last episode we’ll get for nearly two months than the rest of the show had been.

(NBC/George Burns, Jr) Dr. Archer’s Potential Resignation Should Have Been A Bigger Question At The End of Chicago Med Season 10 Episode 8

Archer spent most of the hour pretending he was thrilled to no longer be Ed chief.

He said he was grateful for the extra free time, told Lenox he had no hard feelings, and offered to take a patient off her hands.

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder Season 2 Renewal & Everything We Know!by Jasmine Blu Dead Weight: 15 TV Characters Who Wouldn’t Last a Day in the Apocalypseby Lisa Babick Jussie Smollett’s...

NCIS has been captivating audiences for over two decades with gripping mysteries, unforgettable characters, and plenty of shocking twists.

Yet, something that often slips under the radar is the show’s incredible roster of guest stars.

From Hollywood legends to talented actors on the rise, NCIS has been a surprising showcase for some of the biggest names in entertainment.

(Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS)

With so many famous faces passing through, narrowing down a list wasn’t easy.

But for now, here are 15 of the most memorable appearances that left their mark on NCIS.

And who knows — this might just be the first of many lists celebrating the stars who’ve graced the team’s cases.

Skye P. Marshall — “One Step Forward” (Photo: Michael Yarish)

Before playing Olympia on Matlock, Skye P. Marshall appeared on various other shows, including Good Sam as Dr. Lex Trulie and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina as Mambo Marie.

Exclusive: Deadline hears that cameras are rolling on the set of the Amazon MGM Orion Pictures’ feature take of the 3x Obie-winning play, Is God Is with I’m a Virgo‘s Kara Young and Kindred‘s Mallori Johnson playing outcast twin sisters. Also starring are Oscar nominee and 3x Primetime Emmy winner Sterling K. Brown, Kill Bill‘s Vivica A. Fox and Moonlight actress and multi-Grammy nominee Janelle Monáe.

Aleshea Harris is directing from her own script adapted from her 2018 stage play which opened Off Broadway at the Soho Rep. In Is God Is, twin sisters Racine and Anaia have disfiguring burn scars and are eking out a dismal existence in a city that doesn’t feel like home. Though twins, they couldn’t be more different. Racine, whose scars are only on her torso and hands, is the defender, hitting back at their many bullies since childhood. Anaia,...

Toya Turner has frequently appeared in small roles in TV and movies over the years, but in the 2020s, she's begun to have more central parts in notable productions. Turner began her professional acting career in 2006, appearing in the short film Adia in the starring role. She went on to appear in smaller roles in lesser-known TV series, though she always gave memorable performances for whatever little screen time she was afforded. In 2024, Turner had a one-episode role in Chicago Fire, her first of many appearances in the Chicago universe.

Though she was getting roles throughout the 2010s in some more notable series than she had previously, Turner was still only appearing for either one-episode guest parts or small roles in a handful of feature films. It wasn't until 2020 that Turner earned her first starring role with her performance in the canceled too-soon TV series Warrior Nun as Shotgun Mary.

As his appeal for his 2021 disorderly conduct conviction after he was accused of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019, and lying to Chicago police about it, is being reviewed by the Illinois Supreme Court, Jussie Smollett has returned to the big screen in The Lost Holliday, which he stars in, directed, co-wrote and produced.

The film, which was released in select AMC theaters on Sept. 27, sees the Empire alum starring as Jason Holliday, one half of a married couple, whose husband, Damien Holliday (Jabari Redd) dies suddenly. As Jason is dealing with that loss, he also meets Damien’s estranged mother, Cassandra (Vivica A. Fox), who is surprised to learn that her son was married.

Ahead of an advance screening in Harlem last month, Smollett, Fox and the film’s actors and producers, seemed ready to move on from the legal issues that have plagued Smollett since...

Jussie Smollett is speaking out about his ongoing legal case stemming from a 2019 racist and homophobic attack that he allegedly staged against himself.

The Empire alum, who recently returned to the big screen in The Lost Holliday — which he directed, co-wrote, produced and stars in — spoke about his ongoing effort to appeal his 2021 disorderly conduct conviction after he was accused of staging that attack and lying about it to the Chicago police.

In a sit-down interview with Entertainment Tonight seemingly done as part of his Lost Holliday promotion, which has included a smattering of interviews, the actor maintained his innocence, saying he’s still fighting for the truth of what happened to emerge.

“I want to have all of these things in my life, and I don’t want to have a felony on my record for something that I didn’t do,” Smollett said in part. “That’s what we’re fighting for.

Jussie Smollett opened up about the allegation that he faked a hate crime and his “darkest day” through it all.

If you forgot, the 42-year-old actor and director was sentenced to 150 days in jail after being convicted of faking faking a racial and homophobic hate crime in 2019. He continues to maintain his innocence and is actively appealing the ruling.

He was in jail for six days before being released pending the appeal process.

In a new interview, Jussie discussed how he has responded to the situation and more.

Keep reading to find out more…

Speaking to People, Jussie said that he was “numb” when he saw the accusations that the hate crime was faked.

“I didn’t know how to connect the dots. I really genuinely did not know. I couldn’t make sense of what was going on, and I couldn’t make sense of what people were actually...

Maybe Empire wasn’t so bad after all?

A few weeks after Lee Daniels slammed his time on the hit Fox series — “Horrible. Absolutely the worst experience. Horrible!” he told The Film Stage — the show’s co-creator has walked back those comments by claiming “that’s not true” when asked if he ever said it in the first place.

During an appearance on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live to promote his Netflix film The Deliverance, Daniels was asked about his sharp-tongued comments, which made headlines in early September. “I read that you called Empire the worst experience. Is that true?” host Andy Cohen asked.

“That’s so not true,” Daniels replied in curious turn of events considering the article is published as a Q&a format with no corrections or clarifications. “What I meant was the worst experience because all of my films have been independently financed, it was the...

Jussie Smollett has experienced a wild five years in the spotlight. In 2019, he concluded his role as Jamal Lyon in the Fox drama series Empire. He also faced felony charges of disorderly conduct in Chicago. As Smollett’s legal battles amplified, the 42-year-old’s opportunities in Hollywood diminished, culminating in a 150-day jail sentence in March 2022.

Jussie Smollett steps back into the spotlight

Now, as Smollett appeals his case to the Illinois Supreme Court, he’s returning to the spotlight as co-writer, director, and star of The Lost Holliday. The drama film premiered at the American Black Film Festival in June 2024 and will be released in AMC Theatres on September 27, 2024.

Da Brat supports Jussie Smollett at the Atlanta premiere of ‘The Lost Holliday’ | Paras Griffin/Getty Images

Smollett spoke with Extra about how he’s doing. “Life has been very kind, and I am being kind back to it,” he explained.

Lee Daniels’ TV series Empire ran for six seasons on Fox, but the director has confirmed that the behind-the-scenes process wasn’t his favorite. In a new interview with The Film Stage, Daniels confirmed he “only did Empire just so I could see what that experience was like.”

As it turned out, it wasn’t great, with Daniels describing the making of Empire as “horrible.” He added, “Absolutely the worst experience. Horrible! But guess what? Fucking that money, money, money! I was able to put my kids through college and shit.

Since Olivia Colman is a Best Comedy Guest Actress Emmy nominee this year for “The Bear,” it’s a great time to look back to 2021, when “The Crown” swept the drama field for Best Series, directing, writing, and all four acting categories.

While most of the wins in the drama field were correctly predicted in our Gold Derby odds, the biggest surprise of the night was Colman winning Best Drama Actress for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II on “The Crown” over co-star Emma Corrin, who was favored to win for their portrayal of Diana, Princess of Wales. Colman was fourth in our odds, which made her the night’s biggest acting upset. So how did she win? Let’s look at five reasons why the actress pulled off a royal upset.

See Watch our lively chats with hundreds of 2024 Emmy contenders

1. “The Crown” swept the major categories:

“The Crown...

Five years after Jussie Smollett‘s alleged hate crime hoax, Lee Daniels is open to working with the actor again.

The Academy Award nominee said that Smollett “was a son” to him after working together on his hit Fox series Empire, which ran for six seasons from 2015 to 2020, and Daniels would “work with him again.”

“I’d cast him in something,” said Daniels on iHeart Radio’s The Breakfast Club. “He was a son to me. And he also represented me. And he also represented the movement that I tried to start, which I didn’t know I was starting.

He added, “I was so busy, worried about Cookie’s hat and the music that we were playing [on Empire], this was before Insecure, this was before Black Panther. We started it. I was so worried about getting everything right that I didn’t know what was happening in the zeitgeist.”

After...

Empire's finale was rushed, leaving loose ends and a confusing plot due to poor editing decisions by Fox. The show had the potential for a more satisfying conclusion, but a last-minute re-edit marred its legacy. Despite the disappointment, a spinoff centered around Cookie remains a possibility, as Taraji P. Henson's return to the franchise is still a fan wish.

After four years, I still can't believe how Fox handled the Empire series finale. At one point, the hip-hop drama towered above the competition on broadcast TV. It attracted guest stars like Courtney Love, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, and Snoop Dog. Even though Empire reached success, it ended up with a terrible climax due to various factors. Empire's final season aired during the 2019-2020 TV season, meaning it was cut short due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

I was stunned the network ended Empire with 18 of its 20-episode order. Instead of...

Jussie Smollett declared he was weary of trying to explain away his past troubles while Denzel Washington foreshadowed an impending break from being in front of the camera during the just-wrapped American Black Film Festival, which also brought out stars including Issa Rae, Kenya Barris and Kerry Washington.

The festival, held in Miami Beach’s South Beach, served as a launching pad for ABFF’s Queer Lens Brunch with GLAAD, featuring Smollett on a panel promoting his second feature, The Lost Holliday, an official festival selection that he co-wrote, produced and directed. It stars Smollett as a man whose husband is killed just as the couple was adopting their daughter; he must also contend with the mother-in-law he never met, played by Vivica A. Fox.

“It means a great deal to have the love and support of my queer Black community and equally to have the love and support of...

As if serving as the creative director of the 28th edition of the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) wasn’t enough, Issa Rae will now sit for the inaugural “Creator Conversation” with two very special guests: Ava DuVernay and Kenya Barris.

The exclusive live event — which is part of a new program dubbed “Creator Conversations” — will take attendees on a journey through their Rae, DuVernay and Barris’ processes and careers, including recent projects such as DuVernay’s latest film “Origin” and Barris’ hit “Black-ish” franchise and his directorial debut “You People.”

“We are truly delighted to get a rare glimpse into the minds of three trailblazers who are reshaping the landscape of film and television. Ava DuVernay, Kenya Barris and Issa Rae are incredibly talented creators whose work and careers we admire tremendously,” ​​said Nice Crowd President Nicole Friday announcing the special event, which will be held on Friday, June...

The lineup for the 28th edition of the American Black Film Festival continues to get more star studded with the world premiere of the second season of Kerry Washington’s Hulu series “UnPrisoned.”

Washington will attend the Miami Beach-based festival to celebrate the premiere and sit for a fireside chat with fellow executive producer Tracy McMillan, who created the series based on her life.

The Special Screenings lineup also features world premieres of documentaries “Ol’ Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys,” about the Wu-Tang Clan founding member, and “Down in the Valley,” inspired the world of the hit Starz series “P-Valley,” plus a screening of the classic “Devil in a Blue Dress,” as part of the Denzel Washington Retrospective.

The HBO Short Film Award Showcase will kick off the film festival program on June 12, hosted by Sirius Xm’s Bevy Smith (“Bevelations”). Five filmmakers are selected as finalists, and...

The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) has set its lineup of narrative and documentary features for its 28th edition, including Jussie Smollett’s return to acting in “The Lost Holliday,” filmmaker Christine Swanson’s latest drama “Albany Road” and the acclaimed Luther Vandross doc “Never Too Much.”

This year’s festival takes place June 12-16 in Miami Beach, Fla., followed by a virtual segment June 17-24 on ABFF Play. Winners of film festival competition will be announced on June 15, during the “Best of ABFF Awards” hosted by Emmy-nominee Dondré Whitfield.

The 2024 narrative lineup includes “Albany Road,” directed and written by Swanson, starring Renée Elise Goldsberry, Lynn Whitfield and J. Alphonse Nicholson; “The Lost Holliday” directed by, co-written and starring Smollett alongside Vivica A. Fox, produced by Mona Scott-Young; “The Waterboyz,” directed by Coke Daniels and produced by Ben Crump, starring Akil McDowell, Alani “La La” Anthony and Quavo; and “Black Heat,...

Terrence Howard, best known for his roles in popular flicks such as Iron Man and Hustle & Flow, recently spoke out about his alleged mistreatment and underpayment in Hollywood. However, it appears that many viewers were distracted by something else.

This time, it is not because of his acting abilities or charming smile. Well, all the focus was on his hair while he discussed his legal dispute with the Creative Artists Agency (CAA). In an in-depth interview on Straight Talk with Daphne Phaneđ, Howard, 55, talked about his lawsuit and his allegations that he was underpaid while he was a cast member of the Fox series Empire.

Terrence Howard as Colonel James Rhodes in Iron Man

But his distinctive hairstyle drew more attention, with one fan even remarking that the Chicago-born actor resembles one of the original “Charlie’s Angels”. It appears that viewers can’t get enough of them.

Terrence Howard...

CNN has paid Don Lemon $24.5 million in order to settle his separation deal nearly 10 months after he was fired for his sexist remarks about Nikki Haley.

The comments that Lemon made on CNN This Morning on February 16 enraged his co-anchors, Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins, who then went into the bathroom. This controversy started with a proposal Haley made during her presidential announcement speech about instituting a mental competency test for politicians who are over 75 years old.

“This whole talk about age makes me uncomfortable,” Lemon shared. “I think it’s the wrong road to go down. She says people, you know, politicians are suddenly not in their prime. Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime. A woman is considered to be in their prime in [their] the 20s and 30s and maybe 40s.”

“That’s not according to me,” he then said after Harlow responded in shock. “It’s like,...

A California professor recently caused controversy online when she tweeted that she felt it was “slightly racist” to be a fan of pop star Taylor Swift. Melina Abdullah, a professor of Pan-African Studies at Cal State Los Angeles and co-founder of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles, did not back down from her controversial stance when challenged on social media. Abdullah is no stranger to making provocative statements about race and racism.

California Professor Defends Claiming She Feels Taylor Swift Fans Are Racist Taylor Swift performs during the opener of her Eras tour in Arizona.

According to Fox News, on February 12, 2023, Professor Melina Abdullah posted on Twitter that she felt “it’s slightly racist to be a Taylor Swift fan.” The tweet from the California State University, Los Angeles professor has sparked debate.

Abdullah teaches Pan-African Studies and is a co-founder of the Los Angeles chapter of Black Lives Matter. On Twitter,...

Taraji P. Henson, known for her role as Cookie on Empire, is joining former co-star Terrence Howard in the upcoming limited series Fight Night. Fight Night is a drama that revolves around an armed robbery during Muhammad Ali's comeback fight in 1970 and its impact on one man's life and the destiny of an entire city. Empire, the hit series that aired from 2015 to 2020, was abruptly ended due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but the show served as a springboard for several cast members to pursue successful acting careers.

Taraji P. Henson joins her former Empire co-star in the upcoming limited series Fight Night. The musical drama, which ran between 2015 and 2020, revolves around the Lyon family, the owners of a major hip-hop record label called Empire Entertainment, and the succession feud that ensues following Lucious Lyon, the family patriarch and company CEO, getting diagnosed with a terminal illness. The show starred Terrence Howard as Lucious,...

The actors’ strike may be over, but Taraji P. Henson says the issue of pay inequality in Hollywood — particularly among Black performers — is far from solved.

During an appearance on Gayle King’s SiriusXM show to promote her role in the movie-musical iteration of The Color Purple, the Empire actress broke down in tears lamenting the sobering reality of showbiz economics.

More from TVLineAbbott Elementary: Taraji P. Henson to Guest-Star as [Spoiler] in Season 2's Penultimate EpisodeEmpire Vet Jussie Smollett Found Guilty on Five Felony Charges Stemming From False Attack Report in 2019TVLine Items: Ryan Murphy's Watcher Sets Cast, Atypical...

Jussie Smollett could be headed back to jail after an Illinois appeals court has upheld the disorderly conduct convictions he received by making false reports to the Chicago Police Department in 2019.

“We affirm the judgment of the circuit court of Cook County,” said appellate Justices David Navarro and Mary Ellen Coghlan.

If you need a refresher, Jussie Smollett made headlines four years ago when he claimed that he had been attacked by two “Maga thugs” who bereted the former Empire actor with racial and homophobic slurs before pouring bleach on him and placing a noose around his neck. It was later revealed that the two assailants were personal trainers who had been hired by the actor. Smollett was found guilty in December 2021 of five out of six felony counts of disorderly conduct for making a false report to police and was sentenced to 30 months of felony probation, including 150 days in jail.

An Illinois appeals court has upheld the conviction of Jussie Smollett, the former “Empire” star who orchestrated a hate crime against himself nearly five years ago.

Smollett was convicted in December 2021 on five felony charges of disorderly conduct and was later sentenced to 150 days in the Cook County jail.

The hoax — in which Smollett told Chicago police he was assaulted by two men who uttered homophobic and racist slurs, put a rope around his neck, and said he was in “Maga country” — ignited a media frenzy as investigators concluded that Smollett had paid the men to carry out the attack.

Smollett was dropped from the final season of “Empire.”

Despite the jury’s verdict, Smollett has maintained his innocence. As he was led away from court after his sentencing, he raised his fist and shouted, “I am not suicidal!” He was released after serving just six days as his defense team appealed the verdict.

Jussie Smollett could soon be back behind bars after an Illinois appeals court today backed the ex-Empire actor’s disorderly conduct convictions stemming from a faked hate crime and playing fast and loose with the truth with Chicago cops.

“We affirm the judgment of the circuit court of Cook County,” said appellate Justices David Navarro and Mary Ellen Coghlan for the majority in a largely procedural based opinion released Friday.

On March 10 last year, after multiple trips to court, Smollett was sentenced to 150 days in jail and 30 months’ probation over the staged early 2019 incident on the freezing Windy City streets. Proclaiming his innocence, Smollett was let out of the Cook County jail on March 16, 2022 after an Appellate Court granted a motion from his lawyers for a stay of the sentence pending appeal.

Now that appeal has failed with a 2-1 opinion.

Which means Smollett will likely go back to jail...

Jussie Smollett has lost his conviction appeal, the Appellate Court of Illinois decided Friday. Two of the three Appeals Court judges ruled to uphold the conviction. The decision comes after the actor sought out a new trial in the case, in which he was found guilty on five counts of felony disorderly conduct regarding his role in a hate crime hoax in 2021.

With an Appeals Court in Illinois upholding the lower court’s conviction, Smollett will likely return to prison to serve his 150-day sentence unless the Empire actor appeals...

Jussie Smollett is heading to a treatment facility.

The 41-year-old actor went to rehab, TMZ has confirmed with a rep from his camp.

“Jussie has had an extremely difficult past few years. He has quietly been working very hard for some time now and we are proud of him for taking these necessary steps,” the rep said in a statement.

Keep reading to find out more…

The news come amid his ongoing appeal in his Chicago criminal case, after he was found guilty of lying to police about an alleged attack back in 2019.

If you don’t recall, he claimed two masked Trump supporters attacked him and put a noose around his neck.

He was sentenced to 150 days in jail for the incident, but was released from jail for his appeal shortly after the sentence.

He has previously been seen on a film set working on a project with Vivica A. Fox,...

Not many people know this, but during the Capitol riots, Hasan Minhaj saved Nancy Pelosi’s life. He grabbed the then-Speaker under one arm and dashed through the House Chamber like a running back while dodging hordes of pepper-spraying insurrectionists. Then, afterwards, he barged into the Oval Office and sat down in a chair reserved for Jared Kushner.

You should have seen the look on Donald Trump’s face when Minhaj started sprinkling white powder all over the Resolute Desk…

Ok, obviously I’m embellishing for comedic effect. But at least I’m being faithful to the emotional truth — which is that Minhaj, the 38-year-old Muslim Indian American comedian who’s said to be on the short-list as the future permanent host of “The Daily Show,” is suddenly dealing with a huge credibility problem.

Maybe you saw The New Yorker expose that stirred up all the trouble. In what seemed...

On Tuesday, an Illinois court granted an appeal of the sentence of former Empire star Jussie Smollett, who staged a hate crime against himself in 2019. Smollet was sentenced to 150 days by Judge James Linn after being convicted on five felony counts of disorderly conduct.

Smollet’s alleged attack made headlines in early 2019, reporting to Chicago police that two hooded men physically attacked him while yelling racial and homophobic slurs. Smollett is black and identifies as a gay man.

Brothers Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, who played extras on Empire, claim Smollett paid them $4,000 to play the role of white supremacists who viciously attack him.

Smollett was initially charged with 16 felony charges of orchestrating a hate crime, which were dropped in 2020. A new indictment and trial began in 2021, where jurors found the actor guilty of five counts of disorderly conduct. “You took away a lot of resources from other places, from other real victims of real crimes,...

When Oscar-nominated director Lee Daniels thinks of those who inspired him, Patrik-Ian Polk easily comes to mind.

Known for telling groundbreaking stories centered on Black gay life — including the independent film Punks, which premiered at Sundance in 2000, and Noah’s Arc, which ran on Logo TV for two seasons from 2005-06 — Polk is a creative force who has chronicled (and continues to chronicle) the lives of underrepresented people while championing diversity way before “Dei” became a buzz term.

“[Polk] was way ahead of the curve, and he took the bullets for all of us when it just wasn’t accepted to do what he was doing,” Daniels, 63, says of Polk, 49. “His bravery is what I ran with in my career. I learned from Patrik that I wasn’t going to take no for an answer. When I say he really has inspired me — he’s a mentor.”

Polk has been a bold...

If you’ve been left in a gaping void by the end of Succession, don’t despair. The Hollywood Reporter has another 11 series to watch for those desperate for a dysfunctional family drama fix. The below titles (along with where you can stream them) include more epic siblings battles, snarky dinner table banter and unpredictable plot twists. Dive into these series for the thrill of family backstabbing, corporate double-dealing or simply for the maladjusted — and wealthy and/or powerful — bringing out the worst in one another, typically (except for a few aspirational exceptions).

Yellowstone (Peacock) John Dutton (Kevin Costner), with children Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Jamie (Wes Bentley) in Yellowstone.

Giddy up and go west with Paramount Network’s Yellowstone (which streams on Peacock) because similar to the media power hungry Roys in Succession, the Dutton dynasty saga floats on its own land-grabbing soap suds. And it also can be perceived as ending too soon,...

A new episode of The Arrow in the Head Show has just been released, and in this one hosts John “The Arrow” Fallon and Lance Vlcek are looking back at what may be the least popular entry in the Alien franchise – and if that’s the case, it’s an accomplishment that it passed some of the lesser entries on the race to the bottom. The movie in question is 2017’s Alien: Covenant (watch it Here) – and to find out what The Arrow and Lance think of it, check out the video embedded above!

Directed by Ridley Scott from a screenplay by John Logan and Dante Harper (and a story by Jack Paglen and Michael Green), Alien: Covenant has the following synopsis: Bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, members of the colony ship Covenant discover what they think to be an uncharted paradise. While there,...

In January 2019, actor Jussie Smollett claimed to have been attacked on a Chicago street by two men. After a thorough investigation, Chicago police uncovered that the attack was staged, and Smollett has become embroiled in scandal, and demonized by people across both ends of the political spectrum. Go behind the scenes of the case in the new documentary “Jussie Smollett: Anatomy of a Hoax,” a docuseries coming to Fox Nation on Monday, March 13. You can watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Fox Nation.

How to Watch 'Jussie Smollett: Anatomy Of A Hoax' When: Monday, March 13, 2023 Where: Fox Nation Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Fox Nation. 7-Day Free Trial$5.99 / month nation.foxnews.com About 'Jussie Smollett: Anatomy Of A Hoax'

Chicago police were immediately leery of Smollett’s story when he first described the attack of two men who he claimed beat him,...

Fox Nation’s new Jussie Smollett docuseries aims for an inside look at how a well-known “Empire” actor went from a Hollywood staple to faking a hate crime.

In the exclusive trailer shared with TheWrap, “Jussie Smollett: Anatomy of a Hoax,” which follows the news that Smollett’s attorneys filed an appeal challenging his conviction, walks viewers through Smollett’s multi-step plan. This includes exclusive interviews with Ola and Bola Osundairo, the brothers who were hired by Smollett to stage the crime.

While one interviewee points out that Smollett’s alleged hate crime victimization didn’t see too out of the realm of possibility, saying, “When I heard that a Black, gay man had been attacked, sounds about white to me,” it’s clear the actor worked to devise a believable plan for the incident.

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