SpikedBroadcast media maven
Cathy Hughes gets up, close and personal with
Spike Lee
for the latest installment of her talk show 'One on One,' on her TV One network March 23, at 8 p.m. (ET). The
'Do The Right Thing' director shares his views on Hollywood, the Oscars and the lack of diversity in the movie business. He also weighs in on the glamorization of the thug lifestyle. “It’s been a miracle being able to make 20 films in the last 20 years, because there are obstacles, and, you know, I don’t necessarily do down-the-middle, mainstream films," Lee says in the interview. "Thank God I never had to do a film for the money, you know. I’ve never been in that situation where I gotta pay the rent. There are just some films that you see, whether it’s the director, the actor. You just say, ‘Well, they’re tryin’ to eat.’ And yet you can’t hate ‘em for that, but just know that the work is beneath [them].”
Lee's latest film 'Inside Man,' starring
Denzel Washington,
Jodie Foster and
Clive Owen opens March 25. He's also in the midst of wrapping up production of an HBO documentary about the effects of Hurricane Katrina. “Whether you love his work or hate it, whether you've seen every one of his films or just a few, Spike Lee gets a reaction,” Hughes told Black Voices. “His controversial movies have proven him to be a creative genius. He's one of the few black directors in Hollywood who is always allowed to express his beliefs through his work. But we'll let the viewers decide for themselves - is he a true visionary - or just another angry black man?” Later in the hour-long interview, Lee is joined by his wife, author and children’s television producer Tonya Lewis Lee, and the two discuss a wide range of topics, including how they met, their family backgrounds, their children and her publishing career.
Hughes, who owns the Radio One empire (71 stations in 22 markets) and launched TV One in January 2004, has interviewed
Barack Obama, Jamie Foxx, Will Smith, Queen Latifah, Terrence Howard, Quincy Jones, and
Dick Gregory, among others. Lee's interview will re-air throughout the weekend, alongside one of his most treasured works 'Mo' Better Blues,' which starred Washington,
Wesley Snipes and
Cynda Williams.
‘Fairytale’ of a LifetimeFantasia's life story is coming to the small screen this summer via Lifetime Television. Yesterday in New York City, network honchos
Betty Cohen and
Susanne Daniels announced their first ever full season programming schedule, which includes the ‘American Idol: Season Three’ winner's telepic based on her best-selling autobiography ‘Life Is Not A Fairytale.’ The project has been described as “a Cinderella story about a teenage single mother who overcame sexual abuse, poverty and illiteracy by using her incredible voice to rise to national prominence.” “Our viewers connect to Lifetime on a deep and emotional level," said Cohen. "We're becoming even more undeniably ‘for women’ by speaking to today's woman's innermost drive to find and define her own life story, with exciting new programming which will simultaneously provide both the highly emotional escape women want and the inspiration they need.”
All Jazzed UpThe Jazz Foundation of America has set an unprecedented goal of raising $1.5 million through corporate donations and proceeds from the 5th annual “A Great Night in Harlem” concert, which will be hosted by
Bill Cosby May 4, at the Apollo Theater in New York City. The foundation's newest board member
Danny Glover will also be on hand for a night that features
and the legendary Johnnie Mae Dunson -- who wrote tunes for Elvis and Muddy Waters and played drums for Jimmy Reed, among others. “Through the efforts of these great musicians, honorees, sponsors and concert goers -- we know we can reach our goal,” said the organization's executive director Wendy Oxenhorn. “Since Hurricane Katrina, we have expanded our efforts to over 50 cases a week. Now, with the help of our tireless supporters, we can continue to be there for the very people who have been playing to the background of our lives for all these years.” Time Warner Inc. is a major sponsor of the event. The Jazz Foundation of America (JFA) is a non-profit organization that was established in 1989 by a group of jazz enthusiasts to preserve the interests of the art.
Butler Did ItA scholarship fund was named in honor of late science fiction author, yesterday by Warner Books, Seven Stories Press, Beacon Press, The Carl Brandon Society, Writers House, and the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame. The goal is to enable writers of color to attend one of the Clarion writing workshops where Butler got her start in 1970. Officially dubbed The Octavia E. Butler Memorial Scholarship Fund, it will be administered by The
Society, with the first scholarship awarded next year. Butler, a recipient of numerous awards, including a MacArthur “genius” grant, was the first black woman to come to international prominence as a science fiction writer. She died on Feb 26, at the age of 58.
Celebrity Ford Focus
Three-time Grammy Award winning neo-soul music wunderkind John Legend and 'Sex & the City' star Sarah Jessica Parker are just two of the celebrity notables rallying support for Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. A fundraising event, billed as ‘A Young Professional’s Night in Honor of Harold Ford, Jr. – Democratic Candidate for United States Senate – Tennessee’ will take place at New York City nightclub Crobar on March 24. Ford, 36, represents the Ninth District of Tennessee and is now serving his fifth term in the House of Representatives. The Memphis native, with a law degree from the University of Michigan, sits on the House Budget Committee and the House Committee on Financial Services. He runs for re-election this November.
Essence Music Fest Update
Hip-hop icon Diddy is on board to host ‘Diddy and Friends’ during the 2006 Essence Music Festival, a rep confirmed this morning. The reunion of New Edition and Bobby Brown is also a recent addition to the line-up, along with Jaheim and Chris Brown. Previously announced artists include Yolanda Adams, Mary J. Blige
, Toni Braxton, Cedric “The Entertainer,” Keyshia Cole, Earth Wind & Fire, Steve Harvey, LL Cool J, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Mo’Nique and Charlie Wilson. In addition to the concert performances, the theme for the Empowerment Seminars will be “Now or Never! The ESSENCE Call to Action to Secure Our Children,” featuring Magic Johnson, Jamie Foxx and Shemar Moore. This year's fest will take place July 1-3 in Houston.
