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<h4 id="h-the-joy-of-his-legacy-eases-the-sorrow-of-our-loss">"The joy of his legacy eases the sorrow of our loss.”</h4><a href="https://www.wbls.com/wbls-news/legendary-music-executive-clarence-avants-wife-shot-and-killed-during-home-invasion">Clarence Avant</a>, who was dubbed the “The Black Godfather” music and entertainment, has died aged 92, his family has confirmed.Avant died at his Los Angeles home, his son Alex Avant, daughter Nicole Avant and son-in-law Ted Sarandos shared in a statement Monday."It is with a heavy heart that the Avant/Sarandos family announce the passing of Clarence Alexander Avant," the family said. "Through his revolutionary business leadership, Clarence became affectionately known as 'The Black Godfather' in the worlds of music, entertainment, politics, and sports.'His family added, “Clarence leaves behind a loving family and a sea of friends and associates that have changed the world and will continue to change the world for generations to come. The joy of his legacy eases the sorrow of our loss.”A North Carolina native, Avant became a pillar in entertainment after moving to Los Angeles in the late 1960s. There, he formed Sussex Records, which signed Bill Withers and several successful acts.The music executive also forged Avant Garde Broadcasting, making it the first Black-owned FM radio station in Los Angeles.He married Jacqueline ‘Jackie’ Alberta Gray in 1967 and they had two children, the eldest of whom, Nicole Avant, is a former U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas and is the wife of Netflix boss Sarandos.Throughout his decorated career, he won a string of awards. He received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2016 and then a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame gong in 2021, during which <a href="https://www.wbls.com/wbls-news/check-out-the-list-of-all-the-films-and-shows-the-obamas-are-producing-with-netflix">Barack Obama</a> and Kamala Harris spoke in a video tribute.That same year (2021) Avant was struck by tragedy as his wife Jacqueline Gray, <a href="https://www.wbls.com/wbls-news/suspect-arrested-for-the-killing-of-clarence-avants-wife-jacqueline-avant">was fatally shot </a>in December during an attempted burglary of the couple's home.https://www.instagram.com/p/CvkOM7bNX19/A <a href="https://www.wbls.com/wbls-news/netflix-releases-the-trailer-for-the-black-godfather-the-clarence-avant-story-video">2019 Netflix feature</a>, The Black Godfather, depicted his humble beginnings to major music executive. It was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics, which were penned by<a href="https://www.wbls.com/wbls-news/pharrell-calls-for-a-federal-investigation-for-the-shooting-of-his-cousin"> Pharrell Williams</a> and Chad Hugo.

Clarence Avant, The ‘Godfather of Black Entertainment,’ Dies At 92

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Wanda Sykes is gearing up for her latest Netflix special. The star sat down with Variety Magazine to discuss the industry, her peers and her growth as a comedian. https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1661031768755953666?s=20The special, I'm An Entertainer, has been in the works since 2019, but the star had to scrap most of her material that was written prior to 2020. She began to work on new material inspired by the events of the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement. This ushered in her era of becoming a "woke comedian." Sykes says that the title others have given her doesn't phase her. "What makes me laugh is that they say that like it’s an insult: 'Oh, they’re woke.' Thank you! Yeah, I read some stuff from time to time. Yeah, I know a few things," Sykes says. " It’s not an insult at all. I mean, George Carlin, he was woke. Richard Pryor, woke. Bill Hicks, woke. It’s almost like they’re angry that we’re evolving. It’s sad, really. "Sykes even touched on her marriage with her wife, Alex Sykes, in 2020. The comedian recalls the discussions about race being tough. "We had some rough moments," she says. [Alex is] trying to understand what’s going on, but she doesn’t know a lot of the history behind it in this country. It was just very frustrating for me, trying to talk about it. And then it was hard for her, because she did start to see it and she was like, 'Oh, my God, I didn’t even realize that I do these things.' I can hear her talking to her friends — you know, her little Frenchy friends — about privilege. It’s just so funny, because I hear her friends, like, 'Of course, Alex, what did you think?!'"I'm An Entertainer, is available now only on Netflix.

Wanda Sykes Opens Up In New Interview

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<h4 id="h-netflix-s-hit-show-bridgerton-is-known-for-it-s-orchestral-covers-of-modern-pop-r-b-songs">Netflix's hit show, Bridgerton is known for it's orchestral covers of modern pop & R&B songs.</h4>Twenty years since the hit song's release, <a href="https://www.wbls.com/wbls-news/oh-wow-alicia-keys-almost-gave-if-i-aint-got-you-to-christina-aguilera">Alicia Keys</a>' "If I Ain't Got You" has been reconfigured for the prequel series, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. The rearrangement features a 70+ piece global orchestra, made up entirely of women of color for a captivating new rendition. “If I Ain't Got You" (Orchestral Version) featuring Queen Charlotte's Global Orchestra will be featured on the <a href="https://queencharlotte.lnk.to/CoversOST" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story</a> soundtrack. The music score will also include instrumental covers of modern pop classics from <a href="https://www.wbls.com/wbls-news/beyonce-agrees-to-remove-spaz-lyric-after-backlash-from-disabled-community">Beyonce</a>, <a href="https://www.wbls.com/wbls-news/sza-adds-north-american-show-dates-for-sos-tour">SZA</a>, <a href="https://www.wbls.com/wbls-news/whitney-houston-hologram-concert-tour-is-heading-to-vegas">Whitney Houston</a> and more.<img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/hsw71v2um1i3/5Aim2CTUUNwARHd6Vs29bf/bd6d8d38789b53da09795bd9fdd13bde/AKO_REGIONAL_GROUP_ALICIA_SETUP01_1250_V2-1024x683.jpg" alt="tyler twins" class="wp-image-105072"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Tyler Twins/Netflix © 2023</figcaption>The video component (below) showcases a thrilling visual of the women orchestra. In the video, cameo appearances are made from <a href="https://l.instagram.com/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ofentsepitse.com%2F&e=AT2Gkx6NsGww64AObE0PxpEaEbe2YJwLiCooT-8BDxUA2dn3FPvSncWiL-zAFQ27dxJeGQYo4QtLCsrzNgqFocNCd1EwM_oCBUf8oA">Ofentse</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/4DtUsfaVQBhypuwYmobdSm">Rimon</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/59E9dYtwLTUAGuAppwFKAW?si=GTQzV5rHSxWgAHV_GUrh-A&nd=1">Cherrie</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/15jZ8OLtnGATWHlQkltG7f">Amel Bent</a>,<a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/2PVHjhJWIKgb2yfBTmQerg?si=RnKwaQUXQia75mEXi2VjPA"> Delara,</a> and <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/7mYMOwpduul48upxZCfFBS">Alicia Awa</a>.https://twitter.com/IamAtinuke/status/1654213895500832768<h3>Tours</h3>The fifteen-time Grammy Award winner is hitting the road next month for her "<a href="https://www.livenationentertainment.com/2023/04/alicia-keys-announces-north-american-summer-tour/">Keys to the Summer</a>" Tour. Produced by Live Nation, the first stop kicks off on June 28 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. For the first time ever, Alicia Keys will feature a 360 degree set up allowing fans to experience her in a new way.Tickets can be purchased<a href="https://www.aliciakeys.com/shows/tour/"> here</a>.<h3>If I Ain't Got You" by Alicia Keys ft. Queen Charlotte's Global Orchestra | Netflix</h3>https://youtu.be/qmSUPyOSvEs

Alicia Keys Unveils New Rendition of \"If I Ain't Got You\" With Women of Color Orchestra

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<h4 id="h-since-wrapping-up-their-chaotic-season-the-love-is-blind-cast-reunited-for-netflix-s-first-ever-live-taped-reunion-special">Since wrapping up their chaotic season, the Love Is Blind cast reunited for Netflix's first ever live taped reunion special. </h4>Love Is Blind fans eagerly shifted their Sunday plans to tune in to the live taping of the season 4 reunion at 8pm EST but the show was delayed by an hour. Netflix's failure to air the show on time sparked outrage among disappointed viewers. Competitors also joined in on the chance to poke at the streaming company.Love Is Blind: The Live Reunion, hosted by Vanessa and Nick Lachey, was to stream from Los Angeles starting at 5 pm PT and 8PM EST. Netflix subscribers were able to join a waiting room for the show 10 minutes before the start time. The show finally started airing for some — seemingly live — at around 9:16 pm EST, although other Netflix users still reported difficulties accessing the content.At the 5pm PST/8pm EST hour, users were met with buffering or the message "Pardon the interruption. We’re having trouble playing Netflix. Please check your internet and try again." Netflix originally responded to viewer concerns in a now-deleted tweet confirming the broadcast would be delayed by 15 minutes, but finally canceled the live show nearly 90 minutes after it was scheduled to begin. https://twitter.com/netflix/status/1647774237896368130Viewers expressed their disappointment and threw some jabs at the streaming company."Netflix been harassing me all week to watch this live reunion and they can’t even get it up and running? #LoveIsBlindLIVE #LoveIsBlind", <a href="https://twitter.com/brileighh11/status/1647755441064099844">a Twitter user commented</a>."You’re telling me I waited ALL DAY to watch the Love is Blind live reunion and it won’t load because Netflix was not a platform built for live tv????", <a href="https://twitter.com/Jacobs_Breanna/status/1647752600228360193">another person shared</a>."BREAKING: Netflix says to check your mail for a DVD copy of the LIVE reunion", <a href="https://twitter.com/trinawatters/status/1647755555916709888">is a tweet that also went viral</a> resulting in 13k likes.Even U.S Representative, <a href="https://www.wbls.com/wbls-news/herstory-here-are-the-women-of-color-who-made-history-in-the-2018-midterm-election">Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez</a> commented, "Someone call Lucia the seamstress to fix this. I believe in her."<h4>Competitor services were quick to jump in on the roasting. </h4>"Love may be blind but we SEE you, <a href="https://twitter.com/netflix?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1647791668639432704%7Ctwgr%5E40029bb1c915c33e3bdff47cadb55d4af4cbd5dc%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.iframe.ly%2Fapi%2Fiframe%3Fmaxheight%3D750maxwidth%3D600url%3Dhttps3A2F2Ftwitter.com2Fparamountplus2Fstatus2F1647791668639432704key%3Dc74a963e37c8f2b4cc4bfb254f8f9b45v%3D1app%3D1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@netflix</a> social team. Pouring one out for your mentions tonight," ParamountPlus tweeted.https://twitter.com/paramountplus/status/1647791668639432704Legacy VHS company, Blockbuster joined in on the jokes. "Remember renting vhs’ from us. You could start it on time no problem… This is what we get."https://twitter.com/blockbuster/status/1647753764282208256While Hulu didn't mention anyone in particular, they tweeted an image of <a href="https://www.wbls.com/wbls-news/kerry-washington-collaborates-with-aurate-to-launch-her-second-jewelry-collection">Kerry Washington </a>from Little Fires Everywhere with the caption smirking, saying: “Hmm.”https://twitter.com/hulu/status/1647760447544733696On Monday, Netflix <a href="https://twitter.com/netflix/status/1647837358816104449?cxt=HHwWgsDQvZzWpd4tAAAA">tweeted</a> that the reunion would be available globally at 12 p.m. Pacific.: “Promise.”Netflix's first live streaming event, “Chris Rock: Selective Outrage,” did not feature any apparent technical difficulties.https://twitter.com/netflix/status/1647837358816104449

Love Is Late: Fans React To The 'Love Is Blind' Reunion Technical Difficulties

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It seems as though everyone has been waiting to see if Chris Rock will finally break his silence about the infamous Oscars slap. The time may have finally come. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/pIeOHWi8NacAlmost a year after Will Smith approached Rock on air at the Oscars to slap him, he is ready to share his story. The special will be Netflix's first live stream. The world will be ready to watch Saturday, March 4th. In a statement to Page Six, a source details Rock's planned performance. "If you were waiting to see Chris Rock tackle the infamous Will Smith slapping situation... the comedian is set to tell his own humorous version in his Netflix live special.""People need to tune in to every last joke, they won't be disappointed," the source continued.Rock workshopped the material for the special in January. The show, held in an arena in Charleston, also featured Dave Chappelle. He touched on the "slap heard around the world" about a third of the way through his set. "The thing people wanna know ... did it hurt? Hell yeah it hurt. He played Muhammad Ali! I played Pookie (in 'New Jack City'). Even in animated movies, I'm a zebra, he's a f---ing shark. I got hit so hard, I heard 'Summertime' ringing in my ears," Rock joked, according to a source. "Will Smith is a big dude. I am not," Rock said. "Will Smith is shirtless in his movies. If you see me in a movie getting open heart surgery, I'm gonna have a sweater on" he continued.<h2 id="h-chris-rock-s-selective-outrage-special">Chris Rock's 'Selective Outrage' Special</h2>The name, Selective Outrage, comes straight from Rock's mind. It's a phrase the comedian has used repeatedly on recent shows when describing the slap."Chris Rock: Selective Outrage" will stream live on Netflix at 10 p.m. ET on Saturday from the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore, a week before this year's Academy Awards.

Chris Rock To Talk About Oscars Slap In New Netflix Special

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<h3 id="h-it-appears-mo-nique-s-longstanding-feud-with-netflix-is-coming-to-an-end">It appears Mo'Nique's longstanding feud with Netflix is coming to an end.</h3>Grammy-nominated, Oscar and Golden Globe award-winning comedian Mo'Nique is back! My Name is Mo’Nique, a new stand-up special, is set to premiere globally on Netflix April 4th.According to a press release, Mo'Nique delivers a career-defining, powerhouse stand-up performance in her unprecedented return to the stage. Filled with laugh till you cry stories as well as soul-bearing emotion, Mo'Nique promises that by the end of the show, you will understand why she is the way she is, and true to form, she delivers. <img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/hsw71v2um1i3/7bkPGnzu4wecLhI0mLncFt/26f651bbbd06ae9841691e4c9c6d54af/MNSS_Unit_00145R-1024x683.jpg" alt="My Name is Mo’Nique" class="wp-image-103214"/><img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/hsw71v2um1i3/2q0FSPqLersTqpVTpvD2Wt/65b290fd285db29d4e2dae8c60ccb8b6/MNSS_Unit_00128R-1024x683.jpg" alt="My Name is Mo’Nique" class="wp-image-103215"/> Mo'Nique ignited her <a href="https://www.wbls.com/wbls-news/monique-reportedly-sues-netflix-for-racial-and-gender-discrimination">feud </a>with Netflix in 2019 when she filed a lawsuit against the company. According to reports, Mo'Nique accused Netflix of race-based discrimination for how it negotiated a comedy special in 2018. She claimed she was offered $500,000, significantly less than her male and white counterparts like Dave Chapelle ( $20 million), Chris Rock ($20 million) and Amy Schumer ($11 million).The lawsuit was settled in 2022 for an undisclosed amount.It's safe to say the beef between the media juggernaut and legendary comedian has ceased with this new special.Having fought hard for this special, Mo’Nique is determined to make the most of it. “When you turn your TV off from this one, you’ll say, ‘Now we understand that woman,’” she says in the clip. “There are things I’m going to say in this comedy special that I thought I would take to my grave. They were just mine. They were my thoughts. They were my secrets. It was just mine. Before, I was just focused on being funny. Now, I feel like I have something to say.”Check out the behind the scenes clip below:https://www.youtube.com/embed/0pjS37kY14Y

\"My Name is Mo'Nique\", New Netflix Comedy Special To Come in April

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It has almost been a year since we all witnessed the slap heard around the world. The altercation between Will Smith and Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Award has had fans wanting to know more. Well, it seems like we might get just that, and soon. https://youtu.be/eve1ozpvaxQThis special will be Rock's second after his 2018 Tamborine. This one, however, will be making history. Chris Rock: Selective Outrage will be the first-ever Netflix live streamed global event, filming in Baltimore and streaming at 7 p.m. PST on March 4th. When the announcement of the special was first made <a href="https://www.wbls.com/wbls-news/chris-rock-becomes-the-first-comedian-to-make-history-with-netflix">back in November</a>, many were excited to see Rock's next chapter. “Chris Rock is one of the most iconic and important comedic voices of our generation,” Robbie Praw, Netflix Vice President of Stand-up and Comedy Formats said in a press release. “We’re thrilled the entire world will be able to experience a live Chris Rock comedy event and be a part of Netflix history. This will be an unforgettable moment and we’re so honored that Chris is carrying this torch.”This is just Netflix's latest attempt in the live-comedy space. Back in April, the streamer held its Netflix Is a Joke festival in Los Angeles. The festival included comedians like Dave Chappelle, Adam Sandler, as well as Chris Rock. It sold more than 260,000 tickets and featured 330 comedians in shows across Los Angeles, including the first standup show at Dodger Stadium.Netflix has been trying to keep up as competition grows in the streaming space and subscriber growth has slowed down. The company recently introduced cheaper subscriptions tiers that include ads for the first time. Additionally it has expanded its platform to include games.Netflix may be looking to Chris Rock for the break they need. Rightfully so, since fans have been waiting to hear Rock's words surrounding his face to face with The Fresh Prince.

Netflix Reveals New Chris Rock Stand Up Special

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A movie with Jonah Hill and Eddie Murphy ay the helm probably wasn't on anyone's 2022 bingo card but it's here! Netflix just released the trailer for You People and fans are already in stitches.<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Lcd0df7jwpM" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>The Kenya Barris feature directorial debut film is loosely based on the 1967 film Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. It follows a young couple as they realize their cultures clash when they meet each other’s families.The film, written by Hill and Barris, features a Jewish man named Ezra from Los Angeles who falls in love with a Black woman, played by Lauren London, who is from a different part of LA and comes from a Muslim upbringing.The film has an all-star cast line-up including Nia Long, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and David Duchovny. The film also features performances from Sam Jay, Mike Epps, Yung Miami, Lala Anthony, Andrew Schulz and Deon Cole.When discussing the film with Complex, Barris discussed the impact of his work and contribution to cinema. "You saw Entergalactic. Being able to work with those people and get those types of things, and really keep trying to challenge and do different things that feel like they take the voice of what would’ve been considered a 'Black movie,' what would’ve been a Black animation piece and push out those boundaries and make it for everybody," he said. "How do we make things from people who might have been niched into a real sort of segmented thing and make it really mainstream and popular?"You People is executive produced by David Hyman, Matt Dines, Hale Rothstein, Alison Goodwin, Mychelle Deschamps, Andy Berman and Charisse Hewitt-Webster. The film lands on the streamer January 27th, 2023.