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February 2025

Entertainment

JOHN P. KEE TO BE HONORED AT THE 2025 BMI TRAILBLAZERS OF GOSPEL MUSIC AWARDS

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Ceremony Will Also Celebrate Top Gospel Songs, Songwriters and Publishers on Thursday, April 3 in Atlanta, GA

BMI will celebrate the songwriters and publishers behind the year’s best in Gospel at the 2025 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards, held at Flourish Atlanta on Thursday, April 3rd.World-renowned Gospel music pioneer and pastor John P. Kee will be honored as a Trailblazer of Gospel in recognition of his award-winning career spanning over 40 years. Throughout the ceremony, BMI will also recognize the songwriters, producers and music publishers of the past year’s 25 most-performed Gospel songs in the United States. The BMI Gospel Song, Songwriter and Publisher of the Year will also be named during the inspirational gathering. The private event will be hosted by BMI President & CEO Mike O’Neill and BMI Vice President, Creative, Atlanta, Catherine Brewton.

“John P. Kee is a true visionary in the genre, and his music continues to have an impact in Gospel music for over forty years and counting. It’s an honor to recognize his dedication and the unwavering commitment he’s made through his artistry and evangelism,” said Brewton. “We’re extremely excited to come together and celebrate his legacy and incredible accomplishments and proudly honor all of our award-winning songwriters and publishers for a special afternoon of great music and fellowship.”

John P. Kee, known as the “Prince of Gospel Music,” is a prolific multiple award-winning singer/songwriter and beloved pastor who is widely recognized for his contributions to contemporary Gospel music. Kee’s musical talents were discovered at an early age where after feeling inspired by the music heard in church, he began playing piano and writing songs at only eight years old. In the mid 1980’s, he started a community choir in Charlotte that eventually became known as the widely celebrated New Life Community Choir (NLCC). Over the course of his professional career spanning almost four decades he has written music for Hallmark, Inc., The Hawkins Family, Daryl Coley, Billy Preston, Dorinda Clark Cole, Rev. James Cleveland, Bishop Rance Allen, Florida Mass Choir, Mississippi Mass Choir, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, and for the legendary Dr. James Cleveland’s Gospel Music Workshop of America, among others. His music has been featured in film, television, commercials and on Saturday Night Live. Throughout his solo career and his work with NLCC, he has amassed 37 GMWA Excellence Awards, 27 Stellar Awards, three BMI Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, a Soul Train Music Award, a Trailblazer Award from former President Bill Clinton and received seven GRAMMY nominations. Adding to his tremendous list of accolades, Kee was inducted into the International Gospel Hall of Fame in 2005 and was previously honored at the BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards in 2001 and 2005. 

In addition to being one of Gospel music’s greatest pioneers, Pastor Kee has been the full-time pastor of the New Life Fellowship Center in Charlotte, NC since its inception in 1995. Through non-traditional outreach that transcends the four walled structure, the church’s unique approach to ministry has resulted in a rapidly growing, thriving congregation.

Entertainment

Max Original Film THE PARENTING Debuts March 13

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  • The Max Original film THE PARENTING, starring Nik Dodani, Brandon Flynn, Brian Cox, Edie Falco, Lisa Kudrow, Dean Norris, Parker Posey, and Vivian Bang, debuts THURSDAY, MARCH 13 on Max.
     
  • Logline: A hilariously terrifying comedy, THE PARENTING follows young couple Rohan and Josh as they plan a perfect weekend getaway in the country to introduce their parents. As tensions begin to flare between the more traditional Sharon and Frank and the laid-back Liddy and Cliff, the families soon realize that their rental – managed by eccentric local Brenda – is haunted by the presence of a 400-year-old poltergeist. When one parent becomes thoroughly possessed, it’s up to the young couple and their meddlesome BFF Sara to unite the families and stop the evil entity once and for all.
     
  • Cast: Nik Dodani (Rohan), Brandon Flynn (Josh), Brian Cox (Frank), Edie Falco (Sharon), Lisa Kudrow (Liddy), Dean Norris (Cliff), Parker Posey (Brenda), Vivian Bang (Sara), and others.
     
  • Credits: Directed by Craig Johnson; written by Kent Sublette; produced by Chris Bender and Jake Weiner; executive producers Richard Brener, Chris Pan, David Neustadter, and Jared Ian Goldman.
Sports

HBO Sports Documentary Series CELTICS CITY Debuts March 3

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The HBO Original nine-part documentary series CELTICS CITY, directed by Emmy®-winner Lauren Stowell (“Taquarius Wair: Unstoppable”), executive produced by Bill Simmons (HBO’s “Music Box,” “André the Giant”) and Connor Schell (“The Last Dance,” “OJ: Made in America”), and co-executive produced and showrun by Gabe Honig (“The Captain”), debuts MONDAY, MARCH 3 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and will be available to stream on Max, with new episodes debuting weekly through April 28.

  • Synopsis: CELTICS CITY chronicles the remarkable saga of the Boston Celtics, the NBA’s winningest and most storied franchise, from its founding as one of the league’s original teams all the way to its triumphant 2024 championship – along the way delving into the fierce rivalries, defining moments, and societal forces that have shaped the organization’s enduring legacy. 

    Featuring never-before-seen archival footage and over 80 interviews with past and present Boston Celtics legends – from Bob Cousy and Larry Bird to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown – the series captures the scope of the team’s influence, weaving together the personalities, battles, tragedies, and triumphs that have defined the franchise across more than seven decades of American history.

    Moving between past and present, each episode of the series examines not just the many eras of the franchise’s history, but also rivalries with the Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, and others; the relationships and loyalty shared by teammates; and the weight and expectations that come with carrying on a tradition that transcends the game. The series also explores the Celtics’ significance in the ever-changing landscape of Boston – a city with a complex social history impacted by racial tensions that the Celtics, led by figures like Bill Russell, confronted head-on.
     
  • CELTICS CITY is the story of a team that reflects the enormous societal changes over the past 75 years and has come to embody resilience, pride, and the spirit of a city – as told by those who built its legacy, lived through its challenges, and carry it forward today.
     
  • Featured Participants: Past and present NBA players including Larry Bird, Robert Parish, Tom “Satch” Sanders, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, Danny Ainge, Bob Cousy, Jerry West, Wayne Embry, Pat Riley, Don Nelson, Don Chaney, Spencer Haywood, Charlie Scott, Bill Walton, Cedric Maxwell, M.L. Carr, Kevin McHale, Quinn Buckner, Paul Pierce, Rick Carlisle, Dee Brown, Brian Shaw, Xavier McDaniel, Antoine Walker, Doc Rivers, Kendrick Perkins, Kevin Garnett, Glen Davis, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, James Worthy; NBA executives and coaches including Joe Mazzulla, Brad Stevens, Rick Pitino, Jan Volk, Chris Wallace, Wyc Grousbeck, Rich Gotham, Steve Pagliuca; Celtics family members including Nancy Auerbach Collins, Randy Auerbach, and Karen Kenyatta Russell; prominent  journalists and authors; and celebrity Celtics fans including Donnie Wahlberg and Bel Biv DeVoe.
  • Episodes:
    Chapter I: Founding Fathers
    Debut Date: MONDAY, MARCH 3 (9:00 – 10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
    As the Boston Celtics celebrate their record 18thNBA title, the franchise’s origins are traced back to the arrival of Red Auerbach in 1950, and his uncompromising vision for success. Auerbach makes history by drafting Chuck Cooper, the NBA’s first Black player, and builds a powerhouse led by Bob Cousy and Bill Russell. When Cousy retires in 1963, the team has six championships, but racial tensions in Boston and beyond augur a tumultuous era ahead.

    Chapter II: No Final Victories
    Debut Date: MONDAY, MARCH 10 (9:00 – 10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
    At the peak of the civil rights movement, with segregation persisting in Boston, Bill Russell inserts himself into the struggle, drawing backlash and death threats. Yet the winning continues, with Russell making more history when he replaces Auerbach to become the team’s player-coach – the first Black head coach in professional sports. It all culminates with an 11th title in 13 years in 1969 in a dramatic seven-game series against Wilt Chamberlain and the Lakers.

    Chapter III: All Swept Up
    Debut Date: MONDAY, MARCH 17 (9:00 – 10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
    Against the backdrop of the controversial Boston busing mandate and racial unrest in the city, the Celtics return to glory with a pair of championships in the 1970’s thanks to players including John Havlicek, Dave Cowens, Paul Silas, and Jo Jo White. The team fades towards the end of the decade before Auerbach pulls off another brilliant move, drafting an Indiana State star named Larry Bird.

    Chapter IV: Great Hope, Period
    Debut Date: MONDAY, MARCH 24 (9:00 – 10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
    Larry Bird arrives in Boston as a beacon of hope for a city still grappling with racial tensions and its identity in flux. His blend of talent and tenacity embodies Boston’s working-class ethos, while his rivalry with Magic Johnson and battles against Julius Erving help revive a struggling NBA and elevate it to new heights. With the additions of Robert Parish and Kevin McHale, Bird helps lead the Celtics to their 14thchampionship in 1981. However, internal discord threatens to derail another potential dynasty.

    Chapter V: F**k The Celtics
    Debut Date: MONDAY, MARCH 31 (9:00 – 10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
    As the Celtics and Lakers battle for basketball supremacy, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson’s rivalry captivates the sports world. The Celtics and the Lakers trade titles in epic showdowns as the teams’ racial identities fuel complex conversations about Boston’s lingering reputation. In 1986, Bird helps lead the Celtics to one of the most dominant seasons in NBA history, but then an unthinkable tragedy changes everything.

    Chapter VI: Untenable Toll
    Debut Date: MONDAY, APRIL 7 (9:00 – 10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
    The tragic death of Len Bias after the 1986 draft casts a shadow over the Celtics, and Larry Bird’s style of play begins to take its toll – all as new rivals emerge with the Celtics going head-to-head with the “Bad Boys” Detroit Pistons in a heated 1987 playoff series before ultimately falling to Magic Johnson and the Lakers in the Finals. Bird fights through pain to extend his career, but in 1992, he retires and closes a historic chapter for the Celtics and the NBA.

    Chapter VII: Not Again
    Debut Date: MONDAY, APRIL 14 (9:00 – 10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
    As the Celtics struggle to find a new identity with young Black stars, Reggie Lewis appears poised to lead their resurgence before his sudden death leaves the franchise and city in mourning again. Even the arrival of new team president and coach Rick Pitino in 1997 doesn’t help as the team spirals into crisis, decline, and then irrelevance. One month before the 2000-01 season, promising forward Paul Pierce is left clinging for his life after being stabbed in a Boston nightclub. Fans are left to wonder if the Celtics will ever rise again.

    Chapter VIII: Ubuntu
    Debut Date: MONDAY, APRIL 21 (9:00 – 10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
    A new century brings new hope: Paul Pierce survives his stabbing and emerges as the team’s franchise cornerstone, leading Boston back to the playoffs alongside fellow star Antoine Walker. After another downturn, former Celtic Danny Ainge takes over as GM and makes a bold series of moves to acquire Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, forming a new “Big Three” with Pierce. With head coach Doc Rivers at the helm, the Celtics reclaim their dominance in 2008, defeating Kobe Bryant’s Lakers in the NBA Finals to capture their 17thchampionship.

    Chapter IX: We’re The Celtics
    Debut Date: MONDAY, APRIL 28 (9:00 – 10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
    Following the 2008 title, injuries, age, and internal conflict take their toll. Though the Celtics return to the Finals in 2010, Danny Ainge quickly pivots to a new era. Soon, rising stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are tasked with carrying the weight of the franchise’s storied tradition and the city’s complex racial history. In 2024, under Ainge’s replacement Brad Stevens and head coach Joe Mazzulla, the team captures its record-breaking 18th championship, embodying the legacy of Red Auerbach and Bill Russell as one of the greatest dynasties in sports history.
     
  • CELTICS CITY marks the first time Executive Producers Bill Simmons and Connor Schell have teamed up for a documentary project since creating the ESPN series, “30 for 30.” 
     
  • Credits: HBO Sports Documentaries, Ringer Films, and Words + Pictures present CELTICS CITY. Directed by Lauren Stowell; executive producers, Bill Simmons, Connor Schell, Aaron Cohen, Libby Geist, Wyc Grousbeck, and Rich Gotham; co-executive producer and showrunner, Gabe Honig; produced by Sascha Gardner and Christina Lenis; consulting producer, Jackie MacMullan; For HBO: executive producers, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, and Bentley Weiner; supervising producer, Abtin Motia.
Entertainment

DAVE CHAPPELLE NAMED PRESIDENT’S AWARD RECIPIENT FOR “56TH NAACP IMAGE AWARDS”

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Today, the NAACPannounced that comedy legend and cultural icon Dave Chappelle will receive the prestigious President’s Award during the “56th NAACP Image Awards” airing live from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Saturday, February 22, at 8:00 PM ET/PT on BET and CBS. This year, the broadcast will be extended 30 minutes to 2.5 hours.

The President’s Award is presented in recognition of special achievement and distinguished public service. Previous recipients include Usher, Gabrielle Union-Wade, Dwyane Wade, Rihanna, LeBron James, Kerry Washington, Spike Lee, Muhammad Ali, Jesse Jackson, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter, and Ms. Lauryn Hill.

“The President’s Award honors an unwavering dedication to community, and throughout his distinguished career, Dave Chappelle has consistently been recognized as a powerful voice of social consciousness,” said Derrick Johnson, NAACP President and CEO. “Through his unique ability to transform complex political issues into thought-provoking humor, Dave has solidified his place as one of the most impactful voices of our time. His work sparks conversations that compel people to examine their own beliefs, proving that in an age where open dialogue is increasingly rare, comedy can be both a powerful truth-teller and a driver of progress.”

Dave Chappelle is recognized as one of the greatest comedians of all time. He is the 2019 recipient of the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Chappelle’s work has earned him more than 30 nominations and awards in television and film for projects that include his groundbreaking sketch comedy television series Chappelle’s Show, comedy specials, and guest appearances on Saturday Night Live. Chappelle has received five Emmy awards, including three for his Netflix comedy specials Sticks & Stones(2020) and Equanimity & The Bird Revelation (2018), and two for hosting Saturday Night Live (2017 and 2021). Chappelle has won six GRAMMY® Awards for Best Comedy Album, winning most recently in 2025 with The Dreamer.

BET and the NAACP remain committed to celebrating Black excellence and resilience through the “56thNAACP Image Awards.” This support extends to the Altadena, Pacific Palisades, and Pasadena communities affected by the recent wildfires. As part of these efforts, BET Media Group, NAACP, JSK and WME have partnered with LA County and in collaboration with local community organizations such as Community Aid Dena, Altadena Heritage, and WalkGood LA, to launch the Altadena Community Preservation Fund, aimed at protecting homeowners from displacement and preserving the community’s cultural heritage.

Entertainment

EVERYTHING TO KNOW ABOUT THE 31st ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS®

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The 31st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, produced by Silent House Productions in partnership with SAG-AFTRA, will stream live globally on Netflix Sunday, Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT

The Official SAG Awards Pre-Show, streaming on Netflix at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT, will feature nominee interviews, highlights of the best fashion looks of the night, and a special look at the star-studded SAG Awards red carpet. The hosts of the Official Pre-Show will be announced in the coming days.

Kristen Bell returns as host after making history as the prestigious ceremony’s inaugural host in 2018.

  • Jane Fonda will be honored with the 60thSAG Life Achievement Award in recognition of her career achievements and humanitarian accomplishments.
  • For the first time, Michelin starred-chefDavid Chang has been named Executive Chef of the SAG Awards. Chef Chang’s menu will put a fresh spin on his Momofuku classics, with exclusive dishes for this year’s nominees inspired by his signature bold flavors.
  • The SAG Awards are the only televised awards ceremony to exclusively honor performers and is voted on by SAG-AFTRA’s robust and diverse membership of 122,000+ performers, the largest voting body on the awards circuit.
  • Since its inception, the Screen Actors Guild Awards has provided an annual donation to the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. The Foundation’s Disaster Relief Fund will prioritize financial assistance for members who have been affected by the wildfires in Los Angeles.
Entertainment

The BET Her Original Series “Design My Space: Atlanta

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The four-episode BET Her Original series “Design My Space: Atlanta” premieres Wednesday, February 26 at 8 PM ET on BET Her.  The series will continue with one episode weekly, with the finale on Wednesday, March 19.

Series Logline: “Design My Space: Atlanta” is the ultimate home makeover series where fresh starts meet bold transformations on a budget. An award-winning designer helps deserving Atlanta residents—first-time homeowners, empty nesters, and entrepreneurs—reimagine their spaces with stunning yet affordable makeovers that empower them to embrace new chapters in their lives.

Tyka Pryde Biography: Tyka Pryde is an Emmy®-nominated interior designer with over a decade of experience transforming spaces and redefining how we connect with our environments. Recognized for her exceptional work as the Art Director on Netflix’s Queer Eye, Tyka has contributed to two Emmy Award-winning shows and has been acknowledged for her contributions six times on the projects. Since entering the world of home makeover television in 2015, she has transformed hundreds of homes, restaurants, and television sets across the globe. Tyka’s designs are a vibrant reflection of individuality, combining bold textures, rich colors, and unexpected elements to craft spaces that are as functional as they are beautiful. She curates her clients’ homes to reflect who they are inside, demonstrating that a successful interior is, above all else, a personal reflection of how one wishes to show up in the world. A trendsetter with an innate flair for storytelling through design, Tyka continues to captivate audiences and set new standards for impactful, deeply personal interiors. Her work is driven by a personal mission to create spaces that enhance mental and emotional well-being while inspiring a sense of belonging

Credits: “Design My Space: Atlanta” is executive produced by Eric Tomosunas for Swirl Films. Executive produced for BET by Tiffany Lea Williams and produced by Ashley Taylor. 

Entertainment

26TH ANNUAL SUPER BOWL SOULFUL CELEBRATION 

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The Ultimate Celebration of Faith, Music & Football!

Super Bowl LIX week in New Orleans just got even more soulful! Join hosts Bill Bellamy & Rocsi Diaz as they bring you an unforgettable night of powerhouse performances, inspiring tributes, and legendary moments.

Featuring Performances By:
The Isley Brothers, Muni Long, Yolanda Adams, Tori Kelly, Jonathan McReynolds, Master P, Big Freedia, Lucky Daye, Trombone Shorty & The NFL Players Choir!

Honoring:

  • Michael Strahan (Lifetime of Inspiration Award)
  • Cameron Jordan (Community Award)
  • Jared Verse (Rising Star Award)
  • Cobie Durant (HBCU Spotlight Player)
  • Jayden Daniels (Faith In Action) 

Don’t miss the Super Bowl Soulful Celebration airing Saturday, February 8, 2025, on FOX – the night before the big game!

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