*Philadelphia, PA –– Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) today announced it has selected two new African American majority owned independent networks to be broadly distributed on Comcast Cable systems beginning in January 2019.  After a thorough evaluation of dozens of proposals, Comcast selected AFRO and CLEO TV, both of which will provide quality entertainment that highlights and features TV and movie content about African American and black communities.

“The offerings from both AFRO and CLEO TV serve as an excellent complement to the growing catalog of programming choices we offer about global black communities,” said Keesha Boyd, Executive Director, Multicultural Products at Comcast Cable. “We remain committed to delivering a wide array of programming by partnering with independent networks, such as the two we’re announcing today, to better serve our increasingly diverse customer base.”

AFRO, a channel from Afrotainment, is a 24-hour polycultural black network mainly broadcasting top-rated Nollywood and black movies, dramas, sitcoms, music, talk, and late night comedy shows.

“We are excited to bring AFRO’s live content and growing on demand catalog of more than 300 hours of original programming to millions of Xfinity customers. Comcast’s selection of AFRO, which is a recognition of the rich diversity in black content and culture, solidifies our position as a leader in polycultural black home entertainment in North America,” said Yves Bollanga, Founder and CEO of Afrotainment.

CLEO TV is a lifestyle and entertainment network targeting Millennial and Gen X women of color.  Derived from the name Cleopatra, one of the most powerful, trendsetting, rule-breaking and iconic women in history, CLEO TV will offer quality content that defies negative and cultural stereotypes of today’s modern women.  The network promises a unique and diverse offering of short-form and long-form content including travel, home design, cooking, talk shows, movies, docu-series, sitcoms and much more.

“We’re at a pivotal moment in history where women are making a huge impact in our society and culture, especially women of color,” said Michelle Rice, TV One’s General Manager.  “CLEO TV will offer a diverse mix of lifestyle and entertainment content through the unique lens of Millennial and young Gen-X women of color, an audience segment that is currently underserved.  CLEO TV will leverage the comprehensive media platform of our parent company Urban One, Inc. which includes digital, television and radio divisions that will each play an integral role in bringing this new network to the marketplace.  We are grateful to Comcast for the tremendous opportunity to elevate new voices in our industry.”

To narrow down the proposals received, the main criteria Comcast considered were: the content of the network; whether the network is fully financed; whether the network’s ownership and/or management group(s) are well established, have relevant experience, and are substantially owned by African Americans; whether the network is already launched and has existing or potential multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) distribution; price; and whether the network and its potential carriage provide value to Comcast and its customers.

AFRO and CLEO TV will join over 100 diverse networks available across Xfinity platforms, which offered over 14,000 hours of diverse on demand and online programming in 2017. In 2011, as part of Comcast’s commitments made in connection with the NBCUniversal transaction, Comcast agreed to launch 10 new independently owned and operated networks by 2019, including eight that are minority-owned or -operated.  Six minority-owned networks have already launched, including BabyFirst Americas (2012), El Rey (2013), Kids Central (2017), and Primo TV (2017) which are primarily Hispanic American owned and operated; and ASPiRE (2012) and REVOLT (2013) which are majority African American owned. AFRO and CLEO TV will be the next two networks to launch as part of this commitment.

About Comcast

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company with two primary businesses, Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal.  Comcast Cable is one of the nation’s largest video, high-speed internet, and phone providers to residential customers under the XFINITY brand, and also provides these services to businesses.  It also provides wireless and security and automation services to residential customers under the XFINITY brand.  NBCUniversal operates news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures and Universal Parks and Resorts. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.   

About Afrotainment

Afrotainment, a Florida-based company edits, operates and distributes eight networks from its state-of-the-art film and television studios in Orlando and Queens, New York. Afrotainment channels are available in the US and Canada via cable, satellite, fiber-optic and OTT platforms. Visit www.afrotainment.us for more information.

About CLEO TV 

Launching in January 2019, CLEO TV is a lifestyle and entertainment network targeting Millennial and Gen X women of color.  Derived from the name Cleopatra, one of the most powerful, trendsetting, rule-breaking and iconic women in history, CLEO TV will offer quality content that defies negative and cultural stereotypes of today’s modern women.  The network promises a unique and diverse offering of short-form and long-form content including travel, home design, cooking, talk shows, movies, docu-series, sitcoms and much more.  CLEO TV is solely owned by Urban One, Inc., formerly known as Radio One, Inc. [NASDAQ: UONE and UONEK, www.urban1.com], the largest African-American owned multi-media company primarily targeting Black and urban audiences.

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/black-owned-afro-and-cleo-tv-will-launch-on-comcasts-xfinity-tv-in-january-2019/

UPDATE …

Kim Porter’s son, Quincy, just posted a message about his late mother, saying …

“I am broken…& the only thing that makes sense right now is that you were way too good for this silly world we live in. I love you so much MOMMY. Please give Mee-Maw the biggest hug and kiss for me.”

Quincy, who’s an actor with a featured role on Fox’s “Star,” is Kim’s son from her relationship with Al B. Sure. Diddy took him in as his own at a young age.

Earlier we reported …

*Ever since the sudden passing of Kim Porter on Thursday (11-15-18), we’ve been waiting to hear from Sean “Diddy” Combs about the passing of the mother of three of his children.

Via Instagram, Combs has finally addressed the issue.

“For the last three days I’ve been trying to wake up out of this nightmare.” Diddy wrote. “But I haven’t.”

Combs added:

“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you baby. I miss you so much. Today I’m going to pay tribute to you, I’m going to try and find the words to explain our unexplainable relationship.”

He concluded with these thoughts:

“We were more than best friends, we were more than soulmates. WE WERE SOME OTHER SHIT!! And I miss you so much. Super Black Love .”

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By the way, that’s SWV’s song “When U Cry” playing in the background.

Porter and Combs had three children together: 20-year-old son Christian and 11-year-old twin daughters D’Lila Star and Jessie James.

As we reported earlier, according to the L.A. County Coroner, Porter was pronounced dead at her home at 11:40 AM.

So far the investigation into Porter’s cause of death has left investigators completed baffled as to why she died suddenly at the age of 47.

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/sean-combs-finally-speaks-on-death-of-kim-porter-we-were-more-than-soulmates/

*Simpson’s Braille Transcription Services, a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt non-profit, which was established to address the problem with visually impaired veterans in the under-served area of Downtown Los Angeles, not receiving the vision related services they need, held its’ third fundraiser on October 27.

The fundraisers are to raise funds to secure a building in Downtown Los Angeles that will allow veterans access to services that are either unavailable or for whatever reason, difficult to obtain.

In order to get over the hurdle of grant giving foundations not funding start up organizations, Simpson’s Braille’s Founder and CEO, Shelby Simpson, decided to have concert/bar-b-que fundraisers, using his visually impaired stepfather, Leroy Martinez, a former Marine and bass player, as his centerpiece.

Each subsequent fundraiser has picked up steam.  Brenton Wood (“Gimme Little Sign”) has been on hand at two of them to lend his support as well as EURweb’s headman, Lee Bailey and Paulette Simpson-Gipson, President of the Compton Branch of the NAACP, both Air Force Veterans.

The most recent fundraiser held at the American Legion Hall in Buena Park, California, had very special guests in attendance.  Sharon Rainwater, VP of the Long Beach Charles Register Regional Center Auxiliary Services, (formerly Long Beach Blind Veterans Association) and who is blind, was the MC for the evening.

Not only was internationally recognized spoken word artist Shamele Jenkins in attendance and knocked her spoken word performance out of the park, visually impaired Tuskegee Airman Retired Lt. Colonel Alfonzo Jackson, who is currently the Chaplain of the Long Beach Charles Register Regional Group, was also on hand, looking all official.

I had a chance to chat with Reverend Jackson over the telephone after the fundraiser to get his thoughts on the fundraiser, what Simpson’s is trying to do and the plight of visually impaired veterans.  He said:

“I thoroughly enjoyed the fundraiser.  I really did.  I got a big kick out of it.  I think we need more opportunities like that simply because we have too many veterans that are going through rough times and as rich as the United States is and has been, there’s really no reason why veterans should have to go through what they go through.”

He continued to say, “As the Chaplain for the blind veterans, nobody really knows anything about blind veterans period.  Most people are sort of afraid of blind people because they don’t know how to deal with them or how to handle blind people.  But just because we don’t see everything like everyone else, that doesn’t mean that we don’t have needs or that we aren’t human and that we don’t have feelings; we do.”

He explained that part of his job as Chaplain and as a member of the Regional Center is to, “try and bring forth information to the public as to what we’re about, what our needs are and that we are not to harm anybody.  We need help just like any other person does and it’s one thing about blind veterans, you won’t find a prejudiced blind veteran because when you need to cross the street, you don’t care who it is that helps you get across the street, but you’re the first to say thank you.”

I asked Reverend Jackson what are some of the immediate needs of veterans that he would like to see the government address.  Among the things he mentioned, were more opportunities to get help with their needs, more understanding about what veterans are going through, especially housing and food needs, and more solid information.

According to Reverend Jackson, “you can go to Long Beach VA and get one set of information and go to West LA and get a different set of information and it’s confusing because most veterans do not really know what is available for them.”  He would like the community to “become more educated on what veterans are really all about and what type of help is needed and how they can get involved.”

A couple of ways to get involved are to attend one of Simpson’s Braille’s’ fundraisers or to visit the Regional Center, take a tour and see what they are about and how you can help.  Any help is good help and you can have fun while you are at it.  We sure did at the fundraiser. We feasted on three different kinds of chicken, potato salad, green salad, baked beans, corn on the cob, lasagna, rolls, pineapple upside down cake, pecan pie, brownies and cookies.  The Soul Brothers Band had em working the meal off on the dance floor.

As if that was not enough, there were raffle prizes…lots of them; a TV, $100 Mastercard gift card, Ipod/Ipad docking station, wireless headphones, a $50 Cheesecake Factory gift card, a Target gift card and just in case someone was low on queen sheets, yep, they were raffled off as well. Everyone had a good time, while raising funds for a worthy cause.

If you will be in the Los Angeles area on April 27, 2019, make your way to the next fundraiser at the American Legion Hall in Buena Park and see what Simpson’s Braille Transcription Services is all about or visit simpsonsbraille.org.  See you next time!

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/tuskegee-airman-retired-lt-colonel-alfonzo-jackson-supports-fundraiser-to-aid-visually-impaired-veterans/

*Its “Married To Medicine” meets “Housewives of Atlanta!”

“Love & Marriage: Huntsville” follows three successful African American couples who come together to revitalize Huntsville, Alabama through their joint real estate venture – The Comeback Group.

OWN TV will kick off the new year by adding the new show to its popular Saturday night lineup premiering January 12th at 10 p.m. ET following the season six return of “Iyanla: Fix My Life.”

The partners are longtime friends and avid socialites with strong personalities and strong points of view. They all have different relationship history: one is dealing with an old-fashioned husband, another has been engaged for seven years and the third is dealing with the successes of business and a cheating scandal.

The unscripted series will feature Melody and Martell Holt, Marsau and LaTisha Scott and soon-to-be-married duo, Maurice Scott and Kimmi Grant.

Click here for a first look at the official “Love & Marriage: Huntsville” trailer.

The triads’ goals are to put Huntsville back on the map while trying to navigate through the realities of love and marriage – and attempting to focus on making their huge undertaking a success. There will be plenty of laughs, tears and even a wedding, as the group tries to balance their careers, families and social lives and attempt to transform both the city and their relationships to achieve their ultimate dreams.

The eight-episode series is produced by Kingdom Reign Entertainment for ITV America with Carlos King, Gil Lopez and Andrew Hoagland serving as executive producers.

About Oprah Winfrey Network:
OWN is the first and only network named for, and inspired by, a single iconic leader. Oprah Winfrey’s heart and creative instincts inform the brand and the magnetism of the channel. OWN is a leading destination for premium scripted and unscripted programming from today’s most innovative storytellers. OWN connects with its audience wherever they are, inspiring conversation among a global community of like-minded viewers on social media and beyond. Launched on January 1, 2011, OWN is a joint venture between Harpo, Inc. and Discovery, Inc. The venture also includes the award-winning digital platform Oprah.com.

Access OWN anytime, anywhere on WatchOWN.tv or across mobile devices and connected TVs.

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/lit-show-alert-love-marriage-huntsville-watch/

*A white Maryland woman was captured on video admitting to calling a Black man the N-word because she didn’t like the way he pulled out of a parking space.

The Root reports that on Monday, Dawn Lennon waited for the woman to finish parking before she confronted her to ask about calling her husband the racial slur. Lennon posted the encounter to her Facebook page.

“So while leaving the Walmart parking lot, my husband was called The N-word, because he didn’t move out the parking spot the way she wanted him to,” she wrote, Raw Story reports. “The thing I thought was so profound is that she was proud of it and didn’t try to deny it.”

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Social Media sleuths quickly identified the woman, seen in the video wearing the official jacket of Washington’s football team, as an employee of Prince George’s County Public Schools.

“To my surprise finding out that she teaches children that she would use such language like that,” said Lennon, WJLA reports. Because the used the language in front of her children, she added: “I wanted my children to see that you don’t tolerate this kind of racist rhetoric and bigotry. None of this should be tolerated,” said Lennon.

Prince George’s County Public Schools claim it is investigating the incident and working to “address parent & community concerns.”

“Diversity & tolerance are our core values. We expect all members of the PGCPS community—administrators, faculty, staff & students—to behave in a respectful manner,” a spokesperson told the news station. The school system also tweeted:

“She needs to apologize to the school system, she needs to apologize to those children. She needs to realize what she did and I don’t think she realizes it,” Lennon told WJLA.

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/maryland-teacher-calls-black-man-the-n-word-because-she-didnt-like-how-he-pulled-out-of-a-parking-space/

*An Idris Elba doll has caused a stir over whether it actually looks like the British hunk.

Black Twitter has slammed doll company Emperis for it’s failed attempt to make a likeness of the “sexiest man alive.”

One Twitter user said: “Somebody made a Montel Williams doll and trying to pawn it off as Idris Elba.”

Another said: ‘Wait that was supposed to be Idris Elba? somebody needs to fix that.’

Some even think the doll look more like actor Romany Malco.

When the dapper doll caught the attention of Montel, he also thought it was modeled after his likeness. The former talk show host tweeted: “Ok, so I guess I have a doll now.” 

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Despite the confusion, the $1,100 Idris doll sold out quickly, sandrarose.com reports, also noting that “The Real” co-host Loni Love is not a fan of the somewhat tragic looking doll. Watch the clip above.

Here’s how Emperis described the doll on its website:

Emperis Proudly presents one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors Idris Elba. A special sculpted Idris likeness. An Emperis Homme standing 17 inches tall, he has a toned, masculine physique. He is made of the new resin which is lighter but stronger and gives a flesh-like feel to the touch and has a smoothness of quality that you will love.

Here are more reactions from stunned Black Twitter:

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/fans-drag-1100-idris-elba-doll-for-looking-nothing-like-the-sexy-british-star/

*Dr. Steve Perry’s new syndicated talk show has been picked up for a limited run by Fox TV stations and will launch at the top of the year! 

Perry is a respected educator and advocate, best known for creating educational opportunities for children. His new daytime talker “Breakthrough With Dr. Steve Perry” will air for two weeks, beginning Jan. 7, 2019, at various times in eight markets, including WNYW in New York, KTTV in Los Angeles, KTXH in Houston, WAGA in Atlanta, KUTP in Phoenix, WJBK in Detroit, WOFL in Orlando and WJZY in Charlotte.

“I am proud to announce my daytime show on @FOXTV,  “Breakthrough with @DrStevePerry” starts on 1/7/19,” Perry wrote on Twitter. “In this honest nonjudgmental space you’ll see ppl pushed past comfort to their Breakthroughs. Just like we do in our schools, we’re gonna go THERE to uncover what matters.”

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“We are excited to bring Dr. Perry’s unique voice and inspiring perspective to daytime,” Angelica McDaniel, EVP, Syndicated Program Development for CTD, said. “He has been committed to improving the lives of American families for decades, and we are thrilled to be taking the work he does in his office every day and moving it to television so that millions more people can benefit from his wisdom and advice.”

Added Frank Cicha, SVP of Programming for Fox TV Stations, “We think Breakthrough has potential. And being able to present it in January, when there isn’t much going on in syndication, makes it that much more compelling. Our goal is to deliver fresh programming year-round, so we’re glad to be working with CBS on this.”

As noted by Deadline, “Perry, a best-selling author, was the focus of CNN’s Black in America series, Education Contributor for CNN and MSNBC, an Essence Magazine columnist, and host of the docudrama for TVOne Save My Son.”

“Everybody needs a breakthrough! I am humbled and excited to take people through theirs,” Perry said. “What makes TV matter is when it adds value to our lives. There’s nothing more valuable than learning how to arrive at a breakthrough, and I look forward to sharing that experience with viewers.”

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/dr-steve-perry-announces-new-talk-show-gets-fox-stations-test-run/

*Former first lady Michelle Obama served up a candid interview with “Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts ahead of the Tuesday release of her highly anticipated memoir “Becoming,” and she shared the vital advice she’d give her pre-White House self if she could travel back in time. 

“You know the hard parts were the things that I expected,” Michelle Obama told Roberts in the exclusive interview.

“That it was gonna be hard, you know? Being the first black anything is gonna be hard.”

“So much of this country lives in isolation and we just don’t know each other. … There were people who didn’t know what a black woman was and sounded like. And, so I knew that was gonna be a challenge, that I’d have to earn my grace — and I experienced that on the campaign trail,” she said.

Obama and Roberts’ conversation covered a range of topics including Michelle’s miscarriage, going through IVF, Donald Trump Obama’s candidacy for president.

Watch the clip below.

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She also explained that when she saw her husband on the cover of Time magazine in October 2006 with the headline, “Why Barack Obama could be the next president,” she couldn’t bring herself to read it. 

“I think I did what a lot of black folks were doing,” she told Roberts. “We were afraid to hope because it’s hard to believe that the country that oppressed you could one day be led by you, you know?”

Michelle shared that while she totally supported Barack’s run for the presidency, she didn’t think he’d win. 

“I mean, my grandparents, you know, lived through segregation,” she continued. “My grandfather, his grandfather was a slave, you know? So this, these memories were real. And they didn’t think the country was ready. And, and so my attitude was a reflection of that skepticism.”

On the campaign trail, she was insulted and her patriotism was questioned.

“I write about those, you know, those nasty times where people, you know, called me Barack’s ‘baby mama,’ you know? Accused me of not loving my country. … Told me I was angry,” she said. And, I was, like, ‘This isn’t me. Wait, wait, people. This isn’t who I am.'”

As reported by abcnews.go.com, Obama admitted to Roberts that the criticism she endured during her husband’s campaign hurt.

“I don’t think we do each other a service by pretending like hurtful things don’t hurt,” she told Roberts.

“And, that’s what I’ve come to. … I need to own that hurt. I need to talk about it. I need to put it out there for myself so that I can heal from it. But at the time, oh gosh, you know? I wasn’t gonna allow myself to feel victimized from it because there was no time to hurt in that role.”

As we previously reported, Michelle Obama heavily criticized Donald Trump in her much-anticipated memoir, “Becoming,” and says he jeopardized her family’s safety by propagating the false ‘birther’ conspiracy theory.

“The whole [birther] thing was crazy and mean-spirited, of course, its underlying bigotry and xenophobia hardly concealed. But it was also dangerous, deliberately meant to stir up the wingnuts and kooks,” she writes. “What if someone with an unstable mind loaded a gun and drove to Washington? What if that person went looking for our girls? Donald Trump, with his loud and reckless innuendos, was putting my family’s safety at risk. And for this I’d never forgive him.”

Trump responded Friday to Obama’s comments by pointing the finger at his predecessor.

“She got paid a lot of money to write a book and they always expect a little controversy,” Trump told reporters. “I’ll give you a little controversy back, I’ll never forgive [President Barack Obama] for what he did to our U.S. military. It was depleted, and I had to fix it.”

“What he did to our military made this country very unsafe for you and you and you,” he added.

Roberts’ candid conversation with Obama aired during a primetime ABC News special, “Becoming Michelle: A First Lady’s Journey with Robin Roberts,” on Sunday ( Nov. 11).  

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/michelle-obama-on-whether-she-thought-barack-could-win-the-white-house-watch/

UPDATE …

In a statement to TMZ, Nelly says: “The truth will come out, and I will be vindicated. These types of false allegations undermine real claims of sexual abuse/harassment by real victims.”

He’s also defending his GF, Shantel, saying she’s been through enough. “I am a father to a beautiful strong woman. I was raised by a strong single woman. I love them all very much. I own my actions and take responsibility for my conduct with Monique Greene. We had CONSENSUAL sex after meeting in a club. Period. And for that I had to deal with the repercussions of my poor choice. I am repairing the trust that I broke with Shantel, I have apologized to my family and friends for the embarrassment I have caused them. And, I am committed to be a better man.”

Nelly adds, “I do NOT plan on walking away quietly. I have to speak up for my family and for the real victims strong enough to come forward and face people that have actually assaulted them.”

KIM PORTER (DIDDY’S EX-GIRLFRIEND) DEAD AT 47 – UPDATE: SOURCE SAYS SHE WAS SICK FOR WEEKS

Earlier, we reported …

*Damn, damn, damn. If you believe these new accusations, St. Louis rapper Nelly has let his little head get him in serious trouble … again.

This time, a woman is suing him for an alleged sexual assault after one of his shows in England. The unidentified woman (she filed the claim as a Jane Doe), asserts Nelly masturbated in front of her multiple times after a December 2017 concert in Essex. By the way, according to TMZ, Nelly was under criminal investigation in February after the woman came forward with the allegations.

In docs, obtained by TMZ, she says they met during a meet-and-greet and he whispered in her ear to stay behind. She did, but that’s when she claims he dropped his pants and started masturbating while saying, “You want this d**k don’t you.”

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Doe claims she rebuffed him several times but Nelly would not back off, and told her he wanted to ejaculate on her. She says she told him something to effect of … “You may have more quid in your bank than I do. But this doesn’t make you any more special. Pull your trousers back up and f*** off.”

The woman claims Nelly got aggressive and clenched his fist — and when she asked if he was going to hit her, he allegedly said … “No I’m just frustrated. I’m not used to not getting my way, just do it.” She claims he forced his penis into her mouth, and that’s when she jumped back and was able to flee the room.

The woman is also suing Nelly’s GF, Shantel Jackson, for calling her a liar on Twitter.

Lastly, if you recall, Nelly and another woman, Monique Greene, reached a mutual settlement after he was accused of raping her on his tour bus in October 2017.

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/nelly-facing-new-legal-issue-from-uk-woman-suing-him-for-sexual-assault-graphic-details/

*Charlamagne tha God welcomed his third daughter in September with wife Jessica Gadsden, and “The Breakfast Club” co-host says being the father of all girls brings a new perspective on how he digests the news.

“When I see a school shooting, when I hear about women getting abused, I think about all of that because I’ve got three little girls,” the radio personality said in an episode of “The Dr. Oz Show” that will air Wednesday. “So, I don’t know if that’s something that’s supposed to go away.”

Charlamagne, 40, said when it comes to his kids, he’s ready to “micromanage” their every move.

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“You got to micromanage your situation when it comes to your kids, right?”

During his conversation with Dr. Oz, the NY Times bestselling author addressed his teenage years as a drug dealer, sharing that he “did a lot of bad in the hood.”

“That’s why I like to pay it forward a lot,” he said. “That’s why I do things like book bag giveaways in the summer and turkey drives during Thanksgiving. I just try to help people as much as I can because of all the hell I caused in the hood, I want to bring some good to the hood now.”

Last week, Charlamagne canceled a scheduled TimesTalk discussion about mental health with Kanye West.

“Normalizing being mentally healthy is a conversation that I really wanted to have with Kanye West because he’s been so vocal about his own mental health struggles,” he wrote on Instagram last week.

“Unfortunately I think to have that conversation with him right now would not be productive and a total distraction from the point of the convo which is to eradicate the stigma of mental health especially in the black community.”

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/charlamagne-tha-god-on-paying-it-forward-and-micromanaging-his-three-girls-watch/

*Former first lady Michelle Obama served up a candid interview with “Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts ahead of the Tuesday release of her highly anticipated memoir “Becoming,” and she shared the vital advice she’d give her pre-White House self if she could travel back in time. 

“You know the hard parts were the things that I expected,” Michelle Obama told Roberts in the exclusive interview.

“That it was gonna be hard, you know? Being the first black anything is gonna be hard.”

“So much of this country lives in isolation and we just don’t know each other. … There were people who didn’t know what a black woman was and sounded like. And, so I knew that was gonna be a challenge, that I’d have to earn my grace — and I experienced that on the campaign trail,” she said.

Obama and Roberts’ conversation covered a range of topics including Michelle’s miscarriage, going through IVF, Donald Trump Obama’s candidacy for president.

Watch the clip below.

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She also explained that when she saw her husband on the cover of Time magazine in October 2006 with the headline, “Why Barack Obama could be the next president,” she couldn’t bring herself to read it. 

“I think I did what a lot of black folks were doing,” she told Roberts. “We were afraid to hope because it’s hard to believe that the country that oppressed you could one day be led by you, you know?”

Michelle shared that while she totally supported Barack’s run for the presidency, she didn’t think he’d win. 

“I mean, my grandparents, you know, lived through segregation,” she continued. “My grandfather, his grandfather was a slave, you know? So this, these memories were real. And they didn’t think the country was ready. And, and so my attitude was a reflection of that skepticism.”

On the campaign trail, she was insulted and her patriotism was questioned.

“I write about those, you know, those nasty times where people, you know, called me Barack’s ‘baby mama,’ you know? Accused me of not loving my country. … Told me I was angry,” she said. And, I was, like, ‘This isn’t me. Wait, wait, people. This isn’t who I am.'”

As reported by abcnews.go.com, Obama admitted to Roberts that the criticism she endured during her husband’s campaign hurt.

“I don’t think we do each other a service by pretending like hurtful things don’t hurt,” she told Roberts.

“And, that’s what I’ve come to. … I need to own that hurt. I need to talk about it. I need to put it out there for myself so that I can heal from it. But at the time, oh gosh, you know? I wasn’t gonna allow myself to feel victimized from it because there was no time to hurt in that role.”

As we previously reported, Michelle Obama heavily criticized Donald Trump in her much-anticipated memoir, “Becoming,” and says he jeopardized her family’s safety by propagating the false ‘birther’ conspiracy theory.

“The whole [birther] thing was crazy and mean-spirited, of course, its underlying bigotry and xenophobia hardly concealed. But it was also dangerous, deliberately meant to stir up the wingnuts and kooks,” she writes. “What if someone with an unstable mind loaded a gun and drove to Washington? What if that person went looking for our girls? Donald Trump, with his loud and reckless innuendos, was putting my family’s safety at risk. And for this I’d never forgive him.”

Trump responded Friday to Obama’s comments by pointing the finger at his predecessor.

“She got paid a lot of money to write a book and they always expect a little controversy,” Trump told reporters. “I’ll give you a little controversy back, I’ll never forgive [President Barack Obama] for what he did to our U.S. military. It was depleted, and I had to fix it.”

“What he did to our military made this country very unsafe for you and you and you,” he added.

Roberts’ candid conversation with Obama aired during a primetime ABC News special, “Becoming Michelle: A First Lady’s Journey with Robin Roberts,” on Sunday ( Nov. 11).  

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/michelle-obama-on-whether-she-thought-barack-could-win-the-white-house-watch/

*Wait a minute, Nancy Pelosi! We know YOU are convinced that you have enough votes from your Democratic colleagues to be Speaker of the House, but you might want to slow your roll. It might not be as easy as you think.

Apparently not every Democrat in Congress is down with you. Take Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) for instance. She  is all but announcing her intention to run for House speaker against Pelosi. She tested the waters Thursday by slamming Pelosi and putting race at the forefront of her campaign.

Here More via Huff Post:

*The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced Tuesday that rap icon Snoop Dogg will be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Nov. 19.

The West Coast legend will receive the 2,651st star on Hollywood Boulevard, in front of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” and the host will present Snoop with the honor during a taping of the show.

“Snoop Dogg is one of those people who can do anything. He raps, he acts, he hosts a television show, he cooks and helps community kids with his philanthropic work,” said Ana Martinez, producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. “He is a man of the ages and we welcome him to our Hollywood Walk of Fame.”

OTHER NEWS YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED: Tamera Mowry Accused of ‘Cooning’ Re: Gun Control Comments After Niece’s Death

The Grammy-nominated performer is being recognized for his chart-topping singles, 17 studio albums and his ventures in sports, television and more.

Earlier this year, Snoop Dogg announced his first-ever cookbook, “From Crook to Cook,” and it offers some surprisingly good tips for Thanksgiving dinner.

“Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays,” Snoop says, “because it’s a double-hitter — you got good food and you got good football on the same day. I got a game-day menu in my book with plenty of munchies you can make before the main event. The best are the Suited and Booted Loaded Nachos. So easy and cheesy. All you do is spread your favorite chips on a baking pan, load ’em up with toppings, and bake in the oven. One pan slam.”

Snoop recently shared a series of Instagram videos showing him smoking a blunt outside the White House and saying “f*ck the president.”

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/snoop-dogg-rapper-to-receive-star-on-the-hollywood-walk-of-fame/

*On an upcoming episode of “Rickey Smiley For Real,” the comedian hangs with singer/talk show host Syleena Johnson and reality TV star/talk show host Quad Webb-Lunceford of “Sister Circle Live.”

When the two ladies visit Rickey Smiley at his “Dish Nation” offices to tape a segment for their daytime talker, he charms them with his hilarious antics and his infamous “Roll Tide.”

Get a glimpse of the conversation via the clip above.

“Rickey Smiley For Real” airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on TV One.

OTHER NEWS YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED: Rami Malek Helps Bohemian Rhapsody Hit The Highest of High Notes [EUR Review]

In related news, we previously reported that Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) announced it has selected  TV One’s Cleo TV and Afrotainment’s Afro to be broadly distributed on Comcast Cable systems beginning in January 2019.

“We’re at a pivotal moment in history where women are making a huge impact in our society and culture, especially women of color,” said Michelle Rice, TV One’s General Manager.  “CLEO TV will offer a diverse mix of lifestyle and entertainment content through the unique lens of Millennial and young Gen-X women of color, an audience segment that is currently underserved.  CLEO TV will leverage the comprehensive media platform of our parent company Urban One, Inc. which includes digital, television and radio divisions that will each play an integral role in bringing this new network to the marketplace.  We are grateful to Comcast for the tremendous opportunity to elevate new voices in our industry.”

About Afrotainment

Afrotainment, a Florida-based company edits, operates and distributes eight networks from its state-of-the-art film and television studios in Orlando and Queens, New York. Afrotainment channels are available in the US and Canada via cable, satellite, fiber-optic and OTT platforms. Visit www.afrotainment.us for more information.

About CLEO TV 

Launching in January 2019, CLEO TV is a lifestyle and entertainment network targeting Millennial and Gen X women of color.  Derived from the name Cleopatra, one of the most powerful, trendsetting, rule-breaking and iconic women in history, CLEO TV will offer quality content that defies negative and cultural stereotypes of today’s modern women.  The network promises a unique and diverse offering of short-form and long-form content including travel, home design, cooking, talk shows, movies, docu-series, sitcoms and much more.  CLEO TV is solely owned by Urban One, Inc., formerly known as Radio One, Inc. [NASDAQ: UONE and UONEK, www.urban1.com], the largest African-American owned multi-media company primarily targeting Black and urban audiences.

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/rickey-smiley-keeps-sister-circle-hosts-rolling-with-laughter-watch/

*Mo’Nique left a sour taste in the mouths of many when she stood up for herself against streaming platform Netflix, accusing the company of racial and gender bias. She even called out radio personality Charlamagne tha God for giving her “Donkey of the Day” for defending fellow comedian Roseanne Barr, after she was slammed for a racist tweet.

As reported by thejasminebrand.com, Mo revisits these controversies in a new interview and explains why she thinks Charlamagne puts poison on airwaves and why she doesn’t regret putting Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, and Lee Daniels on blast. 

See the excerpts below (via theJasminebrand).

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Does she regret what she said about Winfrey, Perry, and Daniels:

Never. Lemme tell you something, I said one thing on stage a couple years ago at the Apollo about (“Precious” producer) Oprah Winfrey, (“Precious” director”) Lee Daniels and (“Precious” producer) Tyler Perry, and people say, ‘Do you regret saying that?’ And then I pause and I say, ‘Hell no, I don’t regret it.’ I meant every word I said.

Adding,

That movie cost $10 million to make and it made $63 million. I was paid $50,000. And because black actresses are so underpaid, Lee Daniels thought that was a lot of money. I’m going to quote him, in my dressing room, as we were between scenes: ‘I got you paid on this one.’ And I said, ‘Lee, I say this with all humility, but that’s not money. Baby, I make that in one hour standing up on the stage doing comedy.’ In their minds, I’m a fat black woman and I should be honored that they were even calling on me. But if I’m in Cannes for even one day and I’m making you money but I’m not making me money, I cannot do that.

Why she did it:

The biggest risk is me saying nothing and the woman in the mirror looking back at me saying, ‘You’re such a coward.’ That’s the risk. When that woman looks back at me in the mirror, I want her to say, ‘You damn right. You damn right. Keep going.’

Her feelings towards Charlamange tha God:

Because I know that every morning he turns that button on, he’s poisoning my community. It makes me sick to my stomach. So I wasn’t trying to be funny or offensive — I’m going to call you by your name because we’re having a real conversation right now. We’re not in pretend — and that name is pretend. We’ve got to talk for real right now. And when he calls me Donkey of the Day because I was asking for equality, are you crazy? When you hear a man say that, I had to talk to him — with love also, because I love that brother. But it’s disheartening to know that he sits behind that microphone and millions of people listen to the poison that he puts in our community. So I’m gonna keep on speaking about the inequality in Hollywood. I have to.

The Oscar-winning actress alludes to her late-night BET talk show being called as a result of her being blackballed:

I will say ‘The Mo’Nique Show’ was the highest rated show in that time slot in the history of BET and it doubled the ratings for the network. Now, I can’t make that make sense. Can you? We got picked up for a third season and then that was called back. Think about the timing of all of this and I’m going to let you put this all together. I can’t assume nothing. But I’m just telling you, think about the timing. How do you let go of a show that’s doubled the numbers for your network — with no explanation?

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/monique-has-no-regrets-about-putting-oprah-lee-daniels-tyler-perry-on-blast/

UPDATE …

A source connected to Kim told TMZ that she had been suffering flu-like symptoms, and possibly pneumonia, for several weeks, but it’s still unclear what exactly caused her death. Another source says Kim had contacted her doctor just yesterday complaining she wasn’t feeling any better.

Earlier we reported …

*Holy Crap! We’ve just learned that Kim Porter, the model and actress who dated Sean Diddy Combs for 13 years and is the mother of three of his kids, was found dead Thursday at her L.A. area home

Law enforcement sources told TMZ they got a call from Porter’s Toluca Lake home around noon. According to emergency dispatch audio (listen above) the call came in as a patient in cardiac arrest.

Here’s more via TMZ:

A source connected to Kim tells us she’d been suffering pneumonia for several weeks, but it’s still unclear what exactly caused her death.

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Diddy and Kim’s relationship spanned more than a decade with several breakups and makeups. They started dating in 1994 and broke up, for the last time, in 2007.

Kim and Diddy have 3 children together — twin girls Jessie James and D’Lila were born in 2006, and she had their son, Christian Combs, in 1998. She also has a son, Quincy, from her previous relationship with Al B. Sure!.

Porter worked as both a model and an actress, and she made appearances on Diddy’s show, “I Want to Work for Diddy.”

Diddy’s rep Cindi Berger tells us, “Sadly, I can confirm the passing of Kim Porter. I ask that you give the families privacy at this time.”

Wow. More proof that tomorrow is not promised to anyone!

Developing …

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/kim-porter-sean-diddy-combs-ex-girlfriend-dead-at-47-audio-of-emergency-dispatch/

*Jada Pinkett Smith and her mother, Adrienne Banfield-Jones, served up a candid discussion on race in America during the latest episode of “Red Table Talk.”

Smith’s mother kept it all the way real when she recalled how she felt when her daughter dated a white man named John.

“It’s really difficult for me because we have white people in our family,” she explained before telling Jada, 47, and her granddaughter Willow what she learned from her own mother.

“I repeated what Mommy told me, was that you have to learn to get along with white people, but don’t ever bring them home,” she said, nothing that was the reason why she took issue with Jada’s white boyfriend back in the day. Mama admits that she never gave herself the “opportunity to even like John.”

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nd when her nephew married a white woman, that didn’t go over well either. 

“Just like I said, we have people in our family [who are white] and I’ve given them a hard time,” she said. “Jason is married to a white woman … She will tell you we gave her a hard time because we didn’t welcome her with open arms and she really had to prove herself. I feel bad about that.”

But when a female relative married a white man, he was embraced because “he acted more black.”

“Historically you would think that bringing a white man into the family would be more of an issue than a white woman,” Smith said. “This runs deeper than we even are conscious of.”

Watch the conversation via the clip above (contains explicit language).

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/jada-pinkett-smiths-mom-reveals-why-she-didnt-like-her-daughters-white-boyfriend-watchjada-pinkett-smiths-mom-reveals-why-she-didnt-like-her-daughter/

*They don’t call this little heffa “Bad Bhabie” for nothin’. Her real name is Danielle Bregoli and she straight went at Iggy Azalea by throwing a clear liquid (water?) at her inside Cardi B’s Fashion Nova launch event at Boulevard 3 in Hollywood Wednesday night.

TMZ was there and reports that it was pure bedlam in the aftermath of the attack: Iggy’s crew started talking smack at Bhabie while her security held her (Bhabie) back. They couldn’t stop her from running her mouth, though. But then again, you’re talking about a wild-ass 15-year-old rapper attacking a 28-year-old rapper who’s also known to be crazy at times.

Anyway, so what made Bhabie to go at Azalea in the first place? The beef apparently started because Iggy talked stuff on social media, saying who would even go to one of Bhabie’s shows? Well, Miss Danielle fired back that Iggy should so she could remember what a sold-out show looks like (Ouch. Good, Bad Bhabie).

Outside the venue, Danielle was still stoked and she insisted “ain’t nobody worried about that f**kin’ hoe!!”

As for Iggy Azalea, she was all cool and calm … totally unfazed unfazed by the situation, she said she hopes it wasn’t alcohol Bhabie threw because “she’s a little kid.”

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Afterwards, Azalea took to Twitter to address what happened:

Imagine me scrambling around on the floor in a dirty night club trying to hit a teenage girl.
Girl. NO.
I’m grown and will simply have you REMOVED and continue enjoying myself.
 #YouNotSpecial
Anything else from her mouth is ignored –
it’s too preschool for me.

— IGGY AZALEA (@IGGYAZALEA) November 15, 2018

Anyway I’ll let y’all know about the 2.7 million dollar distribution deal i came back to LA to sign later this week. I have big girl things to do –
Gotta go!

— IGGY AZALEA (@IGGYAZALEA) November 15, 2018

Now y’all saw the video I’m sure you understand why I spent the rest of the night laughing and unbothered by that foolishness.

— IGGY AZALEA (@IGGYAZALEA) November 15, 2018

She also addressed the altercation in an Instagram Story:

“I’m driving home, so I have to look at the road, but I’ve got a long drive so I want to say this while I can before I forget. I get that this little girl has made a name for herself acting a damn fool on television and online, but I’m a grown-up. I’m not about to waste my energy on that shit or be fighting a kid in a club. Come on. I came to get a check. I left with a check. You left with your bags stuffed over there and you look silly. I’m not going to be scrambling around on the floor for a 15-year-old girl on the internet. I have to laugh. I don’t know. I just think people want clout really bad. Mama, good luck with your career. You’re young. You’re going to look back on this and you’re going to really feel dumb. I just think that shit’s lame as hell, but maybe it’s ’cause I’m a grown-up.”

Bhad Bhabie also took to her Instagram Story to get her 2 cents in:

“Bye broke bich. Bye hoe. Glad u left wit a bag cuz u certainly ain’t making no money from music anymore. It’s simple. Don’t talk all sorts of shit on the internet n come up to me like u my friend. Some of these hoes like u fake n 2 faced as fuckk vbut I’m NOT that bich.”

This story leaves us with two questions:

1. How did a 15-year-juvenile old get into the club in the first place?
2. If the two had actually fought, who would you have picked? The kid or the adult?

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/white-girl-rapper-drama-bad-bhabie-attacks-iggy-azalea-with-drink-and-mouth-watch/

*On Thursday, Nov. 15, The Real welcomes back guest co-host White House Correspondent, Washington Bureau Chief of American Urban Radio Networks and CNN Political Analyst April Ryan.

Today, the ladies discuss the difference between commitment and complacency in a job and if should children’s school photos be retouched. Also, co-host Jeannie Mai describes her father’s selflessness when she attempts to give him presents.

Then actress, comedian, and now author Kym Whitley stops by to talk about her book, The Delusion of Cinderella, running into former students from her teaching days, and the travel hacks that she swears by.

And New York City week continues as The Real gives away a bundle of cash to a lucky viewer in Hotline Bling!

Kym Whitley’s Travel Hacks

Kym Whitley’s Travel Hacks

April Ryan: So, Kym. You travel a lot for work and the holidays are coming up… So, do you have any great travel hacks for us, you know?

Kym Whitley: Oh…

Jeannie Mai: Yea.

April: Uh oh!

Kym: Y’all know me. This one knows me.

April: Look at her smile. And she’s rocking the smile.

Kym: Okay, ‘cuz you know some of the airlines, you don’t have assigned seats.

Adrienne Houghton: Yea.

Kym: So, when I get on there, I want to sit by myself.  So, I get on there, I put on my neck pillow on my head, I start coughing (makes coughing sound).

April: You make yourself look crazy.

Kym: Oh, yea. I do bird calls. (makes bird calling noises)

Adrienne: Yea, I’m not sitting next to you.

Loni Love: Keep on walking by.

Kym: When I tell you, people call, they walk on by. I cough on my hand and be like ‘how you doing?’

Adrienne: Oh my gosh!

Kym: And then for some, I make myself real wide. I’ll be like this. (stretches out her arms)

April: And I believe her! I believe you!

Website: thereal.com

Twitter: @TheRealDaytime

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therealdaytime

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/therealdaytime

Instagram: http://instagram.com/therealdaytime

Photo  credit: Robert Voets/Warner Bros. Television

About The Real

Led by bold, diverse and outspoken Emmy Award-winning hosts, Adrienne Houghton, Loni Love, Jeannie Mai and Tamera Mowry-Housley all frankly say what women are actually thinking. THE REAL is a live daily, one-hour NAACP Image Award-winning and Emmy-nominated talk show on Fox Television Stations and in national syndication (check local listings), with a rebroadcast on cable network Bounce. The hosts’ unique perspectives are brought to life through candid conversations about their personal lives, current events, beauty, fashion and relationships (nothing is off limits). Unlike other talk shows, THE REAL hosts are admittedly a “work in progress,” and fearlessly invite viewers to reflect on their own lives and opinions. Fresh points of view, youthful energy and passion have made THE REAL a platform for multicultural women. Produced by Telepictures Productions and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, The Real is led by Executive Producer, Rachel Miskowiec (Good Morning America, Katie, The Tyra Banks Show, Judge Hatchett, The Ricki Lake Show) and shot in Los Angeles, California.

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/the-real-welcomes-back-kym-whitley-and-new-york-week-continues-with-guest-co-host-april-ryan/

*Lehman Center for the Performing Arts is presenting Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez on Sunday, November 18, 2018 at 4:00 pm.

Mexico’s most prestigious folkloric dance company presents a colorful evening of traditional dance and music with sophisticated costumes and powerful and accomplished dancers. Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández is the number one promoter of Mexican dance throughout the world. The Dance Troupe takes a journey into the diverse Mexican cultures – past and present!

In 1952, dancer and choreographer Amalia Hernandez founded the BALLET FOLKLÓRICO DE MÉXICO, having embarked at a very early age on a never-ending quest to rescue the dancing traditions of Mexico. This vital search became a basic need to express not only in Mexico, but includes the rest of the world. Her goal was to share the beauty of the Universe in motion through Mexican dances from the pre-Colombian era, the Hispanic Viceroy period, and the popular period of the Revolutionary years.

In 1954, Amalia began to garner recognition as a highly respected cultural representative of Mexico. In her earliest ballets, the audience saw modern dances and dances that travel back in time bringing back to life the lords of heaven and earth,, the jaguars, the gods born of human flesh; and thirty different cultures that blossomed in centuries past. All of these elements together gave Amalia Hernández the inspiration to create the Ballet Folklórico de México. A weekly program on Mexican television sponsored by the government aired the Ballet’s initial performances. Merely a few years into their formation, the company achieved a degree of international success that has been maintained for over fifty years.

Amalia Hernández and the Ballet Folklórico de México have since created over forty ballets for upwards of seventy dancers. The music, technical rigor, elaborate costuming and Amalia’s choreography have helped the Ballet and its followers disseminate the zest for rich Mexican tradition and folklore throughout the world. Since 1959, the company has been permanently housed at the Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City. The institution has two main artistic companies called The First Company and the Resident Company, both whom alternate tours and performances in Mexico and abroad. The company has currently given over 5,000 performances and both Amalia Hernández and the Ballet Folklórico de México have been distinguished with more than 300 awards recognizing their artistic merits.

Lehman Center is under renovation so concert goers will find the lobbies have been upgraded for ADA compliance with new ramps and carpeting. The interior of the theater has new seating, carpeted aisles, and finished flooring as well. The $15.4 million dollar refurbishment of the Center is expected to be completed by mid-2019 and will include 5,400 square feet of enlarged space with a new main entrance and a redesigned box office, plus new administration offices and restroom facilities on the first and mezzanine floors, and an elevator. The Center seats 2,278 people in the concert hall and is the largest of its kind in the borough. Funding for the project is being provided by the Office of the Governor, the New York State Legislature, the Bronx delegation of the New York City Council, and the Office of the Bronx Borough President. Additional funding is being raised with a seat naming initiative, which allows community members to make a personal connection with one of New York City’s most important not-for-profit entertainment venues.

Lehman Center for the Performing Arts is on the campus of Lehman College/CUNY located at 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, Bronx, NY 10468. Tickets for BALLET FOLKLÓRICO DE MÉXICO featured on Sunday, November 18th, 2018 at 4:00 pm are $45, $40, $25 | Children 12 & under pay $10 for any seat. Call the Lehman Center Box Office for tickets at 718-960-8833 or via online access at http://www.LehmanCenter.org.

Deardra Shuler has experience in theatre, music, concert promotion, television and publishing. She was affiliated with the Negro Ensemble Company and is a former manager of the children’s theatre,”TADA.” She has produced and promoted concerts in Madison Square Garden, Carnegie Hall, and Radio City Music Hall.
Ms. Shuler is the former Editor and Managing Editor of three New York City minority newspapers. Presently, she is the Entertainment Editor of The Black Star News. As a freelance writer she writes for several New York City newspapers; including the Examiner, Amsterdam News and Eurweb.

Deardra freelances for Afrocentricnews in California. She is the former PR chairman for the FESPACO film festival in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Africa, and is presently program manager for BlakeRadio.com where she also hosts her own show “Topically Yours.”

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/people-of-note-ballet-folklorico-de-mexico-de-amalia-hernandez-on-the-lehman-center-stage/