Lizz Winstead, founder of Lady Parts Justice League, is taking a troupe of comedians and musicians on the road with the Vagical Mystery Tour. They are helping out abortion clinics by combining entertainment with community engagement. Winstead talked with MTV News about the inspiration behind the comedy tour and some of the ways her organization is making a difference for reproductive rights.
TI And Kevin Hart Producing Showtime Comedy Series If you were wondering what Tip has planned after putting an end to his family’s hustle …Kevin Hart has the answer. The two tiny titans have teamed up to create a new original show for Showtime. “The Studio” will focus on the daily and nightly circumstances and antics that take place inside a Hip Hop music studio. Described as “a music-themed office comedy,” the comedy will poke fun at the conversations and characters that pop up on the late night as rappers and singers record their work. According to Deadline , both TI and Kevin are expected to make occasional guest appearances on the program. The pair has also recruited Ayesha Carr, best known for her work on “Everybody Hates Chris,” to take the reigns with the writing. Carr also has credits on comedy hits like “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” and “The Carmichael Show,” so clearly she knows what she’s doing. Sounds kind of like “Entourage,” don’t you think? We’re thinking this might be pretty hilarious. Will you tune in? WENN/Splash/ATL Pics.net
This morning in Philadelphia, jury selection began in the Bill Cosby sexual assault trial . While more than 50 women have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct, the comedy legend will only face charges in connection with the alleged sexual assault of Andrea Constand . All of the other accusations fall outside of the statute of limitations, and so, while he may still be liable in civil cases, Cosby will never face criminal charges for any of them. Constand claims that she was drugged and raped by Cosby in 2004 following an event at Temple University. While the trial isn't scheduled to begin until June 5, jury selection got underway today, and Cosby was on hand to watch his lawyers try and find 12 people who might be sympathetic to his case. That certainly won't be an easy feat, and it looks like Cosby might be pulling out all the stops in order to prove that he's worthy of pity. The video below shows Cosby arriving at the courthouse, and many have noted that he appears to be suffering from impaired vision. Of course, many have also noted that the 79-year-old easily maneuvered his way around a garbage can that was obstructing his path. The theory circulating on social media at the moment is that Cosby is merely pretending to be blind, so that jurors will be less hesitant to send him to prison. That seems unlikely, but it's not surprising that Cosby is doing everything in his power to garner sympathy. The former sitcom star faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
After a stirring night of performances, Dancing With the Stars’ results sent TWO couples home last night on Hollywood Night on ABC. Coming off of last week’s Dancing With the Stars results , nothing could compare in terms of shock value … but did the right duos go? Let’s break down the routines in ascending order: Bonner Bolton and Sharna Burgess (Western/Paso Doble): The first routine of the night was not its best. In fact, it was its least great. For a guy who turned a lot of heads early on (and not just for groping Sharna ), he’s yet to recapture the magic of a bona fide contender. Score: 29/40 David Ross and Lindsay Arnold (Sci-Fi/Salsa): The MLBer looked just a little out of step with his partner at times during their salsa. Like Bonner, Ross shows flashes of brilliance, but probably not nearly enough to hoist up the Mirror Ball trophy in a few weeks’ time. Score: 32/40 Nick Viall and Peta Murgatroyd (Action/Argentine Tango): Give Nick credit, because as shameless as he is, dude’s got some talent! Week in and week out he legitimately tries to improve, and darn if he hasn’t turned in some of the better routines of the week lately. Score: 34/40 Nancy Kerrigan and Artem Chigvintsev (Romantic Comedy/Tango): Not the most exciting routine, and performing early, that matters. It’s easy to get lost among later performances with the “wow” factor, though Kerrigan’s grace, charisma and technical abilities reign. Score: 36/40 Simone Biles and Sasha Farber (Silent Film/Charleston): Sasha did a great job integrating gymnastics into this one, and she #NailedIt. Score: 37/40 Rashad Jennings and Emma Slater (Horror/Paso Doble): The NFL star not only got into character, but excelled technically too. Score: 37/40 Normani Kordei and pro Val Chmerkovskiy (Foreign Films/Argentine Tango): After Heather Morris’ elimination , would she be next?! After all, the Fifth Harmony singer is the best remaining in the eyes of many observers, so the way things are going, she’s in danger! Fortunately, the highest score earned immunity this time – no doubt a response to last week’s debacle – and she got it with a perfect one. Not that Heather is too happy about this rule change a week too late, but probably a keeper if we’re doing this one-night-a-week format. Score: 40/40 The six couples without immunity then entered into a dance-off which, as we saw in the elimination of Heather, may not matter at all. In any case, Simone topped Nancy, Rashad beat David, and Bonner ousted Nick as fans and the judges picked a winner in real time. And now, the Dancing With the Stars results … Normani Kordei, who was immune, Simone Biles, Rashad Jennings, Bonner Bolton and David Ross made it through to the next round. That means Nancy Kerrigan and Nick Viall have danced for the last time on ABC. At least until Nick finds his way back onto next season. What do you think? Did America (and the judges) get things right this week, or should Nancy have advanced to the semifinals? Discuss! View Slideshow: Dancing with the Stars: 9 Most Shocking Eliminations
As previously reported, Charlie Murphy has died at the age of 57. Despite the comedian having been diagnosed with Leukemia and having been in the hospital at the time of his passing, the news was still received a shock to those who knew Murphy well. Various sources have confirmed that Murphy kept the dire status of his disease very quiet, even from close family members. But it seems pretty clear that the star was aware his time was inching closer. Consider his final Tweet, written the day before he died: “One to Sleep On: Release the past to rest as deeply as possible.” Fans didn’t give the message much thought at the time, but it’s impossible not to stare at, analyze and grow teary-eyed over the Tweet now In the aftermath of Murphy’s passing, comedians and actors from across Hollywood have expressed their condolences on social media. Eddie Murphy and his relatives have also released a statement that reads as follows: Our hearts are heavy with the loss today of our son, brother, father, uncle and friend Charlie. Charlie filled our family with love and laughter and there won’t be a day that goes by that his presence will not be missed. Thank you for the outpouring of condolences and prayers. We respectfully ask for privacy during this time of great loss for all of us. Aside from co-writing a few of his brother’s films and starring in a handful of movies himself, Charlie Murphy was best known later in life for hilarious appearances on Chappelle’s Show. On Wednesday night, during a surprise cameo at a John Mayer concert, Dave Chappelle spoke to the crowd about losing his good friend and former colleague. “Today I got some terrible news,” said the beloved stand-up comic from a stage in Ohio. “My good friend Charlie Murphy passed away this morning, and everybody in comedy is heartbroken.” He went on to say that Mayer’s song, “You’re Gonna Live Forever in Me,” reminded him of “my friend Charlie Murphy — our friend Charlie Murphy.” As Mayer proceeded to play that track, Chappelle concluded: “Rest in peace Charlie Murphy. We love you. We loved your comedy, we loved your stories, and we love your spirit.” View Slideshow: Charlie Murphy: Mourned, Remembered by Celebrities Everywhere Murphy recently completed a tour with Cedric the Entertainer, Eddie Griffin, George Lopez and D.L. Hughley on The Comedy Get Down. He stood out for roles in such movies as Are We There Yet?, The Boondocks and Black Jesus, while helping his brother pen Norbit and Vampire in Brooklyn. He will be greatly missed and his comedy always appreciated. Please join us in sending your best wishes to Charlie’s family, along with your thoughts, prayers and condolences.
Yesterday, the world learned the tragic news that comedy icon Charlie Murphy had passed away at the age of 57. Tributes to Murphy began pouring in from all corners of social media almost immediately, many of them from the late actor and standup's colleagues in the entertainment world. But it wasn't until today that we learned of the manner in which Murphy's life was commemorated by his two most important collaborators: his brother, Eddie Murphy , and Dave Chappelle, the man whose sketch show helped make Charlie a household name. It was on Chappelle's Show that Murphy shared the side-splitting tales of his encounters with Rick James and Prince, and it seems that like the rest of us, Chappelle still enjoys quoting the best lines with his friends. Of course, in Chappelle's case, his friends are A-listers like John Mayer, and when they quote Charlie Murphy, they do it on stage in front of 20,000 people. Chappelle joined Mayer during a concert in Ohio last month, and the two of them reflected on Murphy's life and contributions to the world of comedy. “Today, I got some terrible news,” Chappelle told the crowd. “My good friend, Charlie Murphy, passed away this morning, and everybody in comedy is heartbroken.” Dave and John reflected on the highlights of Murphy's tragically shortened career (It's good to know we're not the only ones who still call people “habitual line-steppers.”), and Chappelle asked Mayer to honor Charlie with a performance of “You're Gonna Live Forever In Me.” “Rest in peace Charlie Murphy,” Chappelle said by way of introducing the song. “We love you. We loved your comedy, we loved your stories, and we love your spirit.”
Drizzy leads the pack with a whopping 22 nods including Top Artist, Top Male Artist and Top Billboard 200 Artist, while Rihanna follows behind with 14 of her own, including Top Female Artist.
In a little over three months, fans of the breakout HBO hit series Insecure will get what they’ve been waiting for, as the comedy series will be making its return on July 23 for a second season that is sure to be just as funny, dramatic and memorable as the first.
Amy Schumer just can’t catch a break when it comes to strangers talking trash about her body. How sad is it that this is the world we live in? Amy is just out there, trying to live her life, trying to do what she loves, and trying to be proud of her body and the way she looks, and at every turn, somebody has something nasty to say . It’s ridiculous, it’s pitiful, and you know it’s happened again. See, Amy just did a lovely new cover for InStyle, you can see it above. She’s wearing a nice white swimsuit, and looking just delightful. InStyle shared the cover on their Instagram account, where a swimsuit designer named Dana Duggan took issue with it. “Come on now!” she wrote. “You could not find anyone better for this cover? Not everyone should be in a swimsuit.” … Sorry, what? Not everyone should be in a swimsuit? Only perfectly proportioned size 2 types are allowed to swim now, is that what she’s saying? Or do average-sized people like Amy have to swim in tents or something? When Dana was accused of fat-shaming Amy , she responded with “I am not fat shaming anyone. She is a self proclaimed Cabbage Patch Kid. She fat shames herself in her comedy routine.” Some ridiculous human being commented that putting “plus size models” on magazine covers “gives many women an excuse to continue an unhealthy lifestyle that will eventually lead to chronic disease in most cases.” And Dana replied with a nice “Thank you!”, because obviously Amy is on her way to becoming the next Mama June. “I an have my opinion and you can have yours,” she explained. “It’s called Freedom of Speech. I’m not judging. Just stating my opinion.” But she also said that her company doesn’t make “plus size swimsuits” like the kind Amy would apparently wear, and she added that Amy looks “like a pig,” so we’d say there’s a good chance she actually is judging. Dana even did a few interviews about her opinions, stating “I’m tired of the media and publications trying to push the FAT agenda. It’s not healthy and it’s not pretty.” “What is wrong with featuring healthy and fit cover models?” Gee, Dana, it’s hard to say. What is wrong with your disgusting attitude? Some questions we’ll just never know the answer to, it seems. While the vast majority of Instagram users took issue with Dana’s statements, it’s probably safe to say that Amy herself isn’t too bothered by it all. She said it best herself: “Is it fat-shaming if you know you’re not fat and have zero shame in your game ? I don’t think so.” “I am strong and proud of how I live my life and say what I mean and fight for what I believe in and I have a blast doing it with the people I love,” she added. “Where’s the shame? It’s not there. It’s an illusion.” View Slideshow: 17 Reasons Why We Adore Amy Schumer In that amazing message, she finished with “My deepest sympathy goes out to the trolls who are in more pain that we will ever understand.” Sorry ’bout it, Dana.
Don Rickles, the legendary comic who turned the insult into an art form, has passed away at the age of 90. His publicist confirmed the news in a statement issued to the media moments ago. While longevity eludes most comics due to changing tastes in humor, Rickles remained a stalwart in the standup scene for an astonishing six decades. Often cited as a top influence by today’s biggest comedians, Rickles made a career out of skewering public figures, fellow entertainers, his own audience, and even himself. His impact can be seen everywhere from sharp-tongued sitcom characters to the popular Comedy Central Roast series. Rickles didn’t invent insult comedy, but he may have done more to popularize it than anyone else. Rickles kicked off his career in New York nightclubs during the 1950s, eventually gaining a huge name for himself as the master of the put-down. So much so, in fact, that he became a sought-after act to perform for and alongside the biggest names in show business. In the ’60s, Rickles became a fixture in Las Vegas, and was frequently spotted partying with Frank Sinatra and his famous Rat Pack. In addition to standup, Rickles became a familiar face to generations of film and television fans. Though his own attempts at launching a series never panned out, he racked up scores of TV credits over the years. Rickles was a fixture on the late night talk show circuit from the time of its inception. He also played guest roles on sitcoms such as Get Smart, Newhart and, in 2011, Hot in Cleveland, and Murphy Brown. He also showed off his dramatic chops in films such as Martin Scorsese’s Casino, and earned a new generation of fans with his voice work as Mr. Potato Head in the Toy Story films. Social media tributes to Rickles from fans, friends and fellow comics began pouring in within minutes of the announcement of his death. Many, of course, did so while paying tribute to Rickles’ scathing style in a manner he would have to appreciate if he were here to see it. “Hey Helen Keller, show’s up here. Gandhi, stop hogging the breadsticks or we’ll let Bob Hope tell jokes again,” Patton Oswalt tweeted. Others were more serious and straightforward. “A national treasure is gone. Don Rickles’ talent was limitless. To know him was a gift,” wrote Larry King, and what more can you say? Rickles is survived by his wife of 52 years, his two children, and two grandchildren. He was one of the greats, and will be missed. View Slideshow: Celebrities Who Died in 2017: In Memoriam
