The Humor Mill by Frank Holder

Volume 3 Issue 4 April 2015

Get Hard Red Carpet Pics

Exclusive: 50 th

Introducing With A New Special!

They’re Comedy’s

Founder / Publisher

Frank Holder Associate Publisher/ Graphics Art Editor Bernadette Holder

Chief Financial Officer Brien Kelley

Chief Operations Officer/ Circulation Editor Kevin Layne

Editor-At Large Sacre Wills

Senior Head of Sales Tom Maxwell

Star Spotlight Editor Antonia Andullerro

Columnists

Tony Spires Peppur Chambers Darryl Littleton Antonia Andullerro Kevin Williams

Movie Reviews

Michael DeQuina

Photographers This Issue

Frank Holder Fayes Vision Arnold Turner Steve Capers Blaque Violet Media Chris Purnell Larry Busacca Eric Charbonneau Getty Images Wire Images

Pictured here is comedian Martin Lawrence after one of his comeback comedy performances at The Comedy Store in Hollywood. Photo: Frank Holder

This Issue

Na’im Lynn Will ‘Spank’ Horton Joey Wells Latyara Plain Kevin Kwan Bernadette Holder Martin Lawrence Michael Hubbard Charles King Erica Galloway Charles Gooch Phil Barner Scott Matthews Brenton Early Roger King Suzanne Somerville Amber Brashear Shannon Pezzetta Sampson Crouppen Darrin Leverett Arnold Turner Brien Kelley Dusty Kuskie Tony Spires Peppur Chambers Darryl Littleton Antonia Andullerro Michael DeQuina Lolita Tracey Brailey Mark Adkins Also a very special thanks to all of the interns who are coming on board. For anyone who’s name we didn’t mention (your name just slipped our mind momentarily) we apologize as your work is greatly appreciated!

humormillmag.com The content of this Magazine is copy written (2009-’10) by The Humor Mill Magazine, DBA Holder Publishing, LLC. and may not be reprinted or retransmitted or reproduced without proper credit given to its origin.

Pictured here is Larenz Tate and Nia Long at Bill Bellamy’s 50th Birthday Celebration at The W Hotel in Hollywood. Photo: Frank Holder

Pictured here is Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart seen at Warner Bros. Pictures Los Angeles Premiere of "Get Hard" in Hollywood. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Invision for Warner Bros./AP Images)

The Plastic Cup Boys Are Comedyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New Hart Stoppers Photo Shoot Photographer Kevin Kwan Creative Director Bernadette Holder Frank Holder Stylist Bernadette Holder Location: Mariott Hotel Warf Milwaukee, WI

Style With Photo Shoot: Model Rosandra Jordan Photographer Sean Simpson Creative Director Sean Simpson

Stylist/Makeup Deasha Jordan Location: Wynwood Art District, Miami, FL

Pictured here is singer Eric Benet as he is about to go on stage at the new First Fridays at LA Live at The Nokia Theater. Photo: Frank Holder

Pictured here is Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson and his wife Cookie Johnson at Bill Bellamy’s 50th Birthday Celebration at The W Hotel in Hollywood. Photo: Frank Holder

News

In the past several weeks the news has been flying fast and furious from the production offices of the new Barbershop film as they assemble the cast and get a start date for the third film in the franchise. Plus news has hit from Jamie Foxx, Nick Cannon, David E. Talbert, and the writer of Black-ish, Kenya Barris!

Movie Review

36 Plastic Cup Boyz

This issue we check out the new film that many folks wouldn’t do too well at the box officePitch Perfect 2! It seems that the sequel takes place three years after the original and that the Bellas have a new nemesis! The film, Directed by Elizabeth Banks just might turn a few heads and catapult a new director to superstardom! The Plastic Cup Boyz have been opening up comedy show across the country for the last couple of years but most folks don’t even recognize their names! But on the other hand, folks do recognize, Joey Wells, Na’im Lynn and Will ‘Spank’ Horton’s faces because We are going a little bit against the grain the shows they were on were always related to Kevin Hart’s for this issue as we want to introduce you comedy tours, as they were the opening acts! So now fast forward to a model/actress out of Miami, FL several years and these comedians are now ready to step in the named Rosandra Jordan. With a feature spotlight and start to create their own lanes! With their new special film under her belt and a role in a new on Comedy Central titled Kevin Hart Presents: The Plastic Cup Boyz HBO series coming, her future looks airing that’s the first step! bright!

Style

Star Spotlight

This month’s star spotlight is also going against the grain this month as we decided to take a look at a reality star instead of a real movie star. So, with that said, we take a look at Real Housewives of Atlanta star NeNe Leakes! This reality star is making the most of her five minutes of fame as she is quickly transferring her career into more time than that! With several projects on tap in television and in film (and a production company) she has proven she is here to stay!

TechTalk

In this issue, like everything else, we are going against the grain. With that being said for this issue we take an extended look at the new Apple Iwatch that is taking the world by storm. Our reviewer looks at the cost, the performance and most importantly if it lives up to the hype. Either way, you can read our review and decide for yourself.

Pictured here is comedians Tommy Davidson and Cedric The Entertainer at Bill Bellamyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s th 50 Birthday Celebration at The W Hotel in Hollywood.

Pictured here is Edwina Findley seen at Warner Bros. Pictures Los Angeles Premiere of "Get Hard" in Hollywood. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Invision for Warner Bros./AP Images)

Mail If you are new to the magazine (and many of you are) here is a quick sample of each article in the magazine. You can take a quick glimpse and if you like it, please check out the article. If you love it forward it to a friend!

Interview With Comedian Ron Baker, Jr.! By La Vance Lining, Sr.

Here is a another new article by a new writer out of the South as he gives you a refreshing interview with comedian Ron Baker, Jr.! If you are not familiar with Baker he is quickly gaining steam in the south and folks are talking about his funny performances. Anyway, we decided to have one of our staff writers get a sit down with Baker and discuss his career and his path in his comedy walk. We also discover what the future may hold for someone truly on his grind!

The Heat In The Streets By Frank Holder

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that time of year where the hottest kicks in the industry prepare to drop for the summer, and this time we just HAD to give you a sneak peek at the brand new NIKEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Air Jordan 11-The Cobalt! One of our favorites! In one word all we can say is; BANANAS! Details on the sneakers are in this new issue!

Pictured here is R&B singers Cee Lo Green and V Bozeman backstage at the new First Fridays at LA Live at The Nokia Theater. Photo: Frank Holder

Pictured here model and actress Rosandra Jordan during our fashion shoot in Miami. Photo: Sean Simpson

Snoop Doggâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Newest Album; BUSH By Julian Kimble

Another hot album from Snopp Dogg that seems to be climbing the charts rather quickly! We review his latest and we compare it to the rest of his all time greatest hits.

Run Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Militant Run! By Darryl Littleton

You better hold on to your seats for this article! According to this writer, it seems that this comedian wants to run for President! Yep, Littleton wants to declare he can be President of the United States and most importantly he has a plan on how he can do it! It seems that being a writer, film maker, father, and more has bored him now. So he wants to try his hand at being the POTUS. This article is funny but his plan may make a lot of sense; you just have to read it and decide for yourself.

Pictured here is Anthony Anderson and actor Andy Garcia behind the scenes at the George Lopez Celebrity Golf Classic in Los Angeles. Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images

Pictured here is comedian Nephew Tommy of the Steve Harvey Morning Show after his Comedy Show for KJLH in Los Angeles. Photo: Frank Holder

This Month’s Daily Humor!

Here is a segment from our website where we post daily segments. This feature is strictly comedy and titled Today’s Daily Humor, and on the site we feature something funny daily. Well, this feature for the issue is for our App readers as they will be able to view our funniest picks of the month here. Take a look and see who we picked this month!

Porch Pondering. By Peppur Chambers

The very cerebral writer Peppur Chambers takes us on a wild journey this month- from her porch! The thoughts she has while on an afternoon chair is pretty funny while also eye opening! You will love her perspective as this writer discusses how she sees her neighbors and living in Los Angeles! As you can imagine, nothing is off limits, including a police raid in the middle of the night!

Labors Of Love By Tony Spires The Comedy Doctor

As usual, The Comedy Doctor is back in his office! With that being said The Doctor decides to take us on a journey of his ‘Labor Of Love’ and it’s a journey! We see what he means when he states about his past ‘journeys’ but most importantly we LEARN something about it! Another great article from the Doctor and we must say this month HE IS IN!

Pictured here is comedian Earthquake and Rapper Wale at The Comedy Store in Hollywood after the Martin Lawrence Comedy Show. Photo: Frank Holder

To All Of Our Readers, Hey Family! As I mentioned a couple of times in the last couple of issues, I am fully charged; and now you will see that I have proven it. Over the next couple of months as The Publisher of The Humor Mill, I plan on taking this brand to new places in urban comedy that have never been realized before. With that said, I can state some of the things without divulging too much, in this business when you say something is happening, it better happen or else you look like THE fool when it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. Along with this new issue, you will see the new website and the new internet radio station. Behind the scenes we also launched a brand new Roku channel, which will be the first of its kind. (Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a first in urban comedy) With that new channel, there is some movement in our Awards Show, but we will say a lot more about that next issue. In the meantime, we will stay on our grind so you stay on yours!

Frank Holder

Publisher Humor Mill Magazine

Pictured here is the comedian known as Sommore on stage after her performance at The Ontario Improv. Photo: Frank Holder

Pictured here is the first 2 Hosts of the Original HBO Def Comedy Jam series- Joe Torry and Martin Lawrence. This pic was taken backstage at The Comedy Store in Hollywood after the Martin Lawrence Comedy Show. Photo: Frank Holder

Mill Magazine: The Humor Mill:

It was great to finally put the names with the faces for your issue on Speedy and his friends. I was a little bit disappointed in some of the faces but I did love the issue! On another note, I think making the show a weekly daily morning show isn’t a great idea as the show isn’t consistent. But what do I know? I have only been in programming for years for Radio One and I am still here. Unsigned Ed NOTE: I am not sure what you mean about that first statement, but ok…

John Cho attends as Paramount Pictures presents the Los Angeles premiere of "Hot Tub Time Machine 2" at the Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles. Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ AB Images)

Pictured here is comedian and producer Royale Watkins at Bill Bellamy’s 50th Birthday Celebration at The W Hotel in Hollywood. Photo: Frank Holder

Pictured here is the rapper Drake seen at Warner Bros. Pictures Los Angeles Premiere of "Get Hard" on in Hollywood. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Invision for Warner Bros./AP Images)

Mill Mag: Humor Mill: Still trying to figure out why The Humor Mill decided to put Speedy and his friends on your cover, as I listen to the show and I am not amused. The Show is very raunchy and degrading, so I am wondering if the staff decided to change their business moto? I always thought that The Humor Mill focused on comedians on the rise or on someone who was making’ moves. The Red Raider Los Angeles ED NOTE: Ouch! Yes, we do focus on the upcoming comic but we also place shine on folks making moves now. If you don’t like his show we get it but that is not on us! Humor Mill! Your staff sure made Speedy and his Morning Crew look great! The issue was amazing! Great articles, great pictures, and more. I really wish I had a printable copy! Hopefully your publication will get there one day! UNKNOWN

CORRECTIONS FROM THE LAST ISSUE!

There were too many to name in every issue, but thanks to your letters we know about all of them!  If you want to send us an email about the articles or your thoughts, all you have to do is send us an email to info@humormillmag.com for all of your comments. Some of these emails and other correspondence may be printed right here in these pages!

Pictured here is comedian and actor Justin Hires of the new CBS series ‘Rush Hour’ backstage during the Crack ‘Em Up Comedy Show at The Comedy Store in Hollywood. Photo: Frank Holder

L-R: Tim Story, Diallo Riddle, Bashir Salahuddin Jaden Smith and Maya Rudolph HBO has picked up to series comedy pilot Brothers In Atlanta, created by and starring Diallo Riddle and Bashir Salahuddin, directed by Tim Story and produced by Lorne Michaels. Brothers In Atlanta is about struggling entertainers and best friends Langston (Riddle) and Moose (Salahuddin) trying to navigate relationships and life in the black Mecca of Atlanta. An Atlanta native, Langston is an aspiring DJ whose career has stalled due to his lack of focus and his get-rich schemes. New to Atlanta, Moose is a perennial backup singer with dreams of the spotlight, who keep his foot in his mouth. The pilot featured Maya Rudolph as Moose’s demanding boss, Shirle, an R&B diva whose heyday was in the 90s; and Jaden Smith as Curtis, a “New Atlanta” teenager and Langston’s rowdy neighbor with unpredictable interests and suspicious income. Both were billed as guest stars but will likely appear on the series.

L-R: Kevin Hart, Jordin Sparks, Snoop Dogg and Zendaya Nick Cannon

Nick Cannon is going to be in good company as he celebrates the 10th year of his MTV2 show “Nick Cannon Presents: Wild ‘N Out.” The network has ordered a seventh season of the series, with a packed guest list of stars and performers that includes Kevin Hart, Jordin Sparks, Shaquille O’Neal, Snoop Dogg, Ne-Yo, Zendaya, Fabolous, Pete Wentz, Fetty Wap, T-Pain, A$AP Ferg and Nick Young. French Montana, Fat Joe, Rae Sremmurd, Ty Dolla $ign and numerous others will also appear on the upcoming season, which kicks off June 10 at 11 p.m.

Pictured here is actor Blair Underwood and a friend at Bill Bellamyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 50th Birthday Celebration at The W Hotel in Hollywood. Photo: Frank Holder

We hear that comedians Deon Cole and JB Smoove are joining the film Barbershop 3, along with Regina Hall, Anthony Anderson, Common, Jazsmin Lewis, and Lamorne Morris. The Best Man franchise director Malcolm D. Lee is directing the new film as Ice Cube's Cube Vision is producing and MGM will run production. Bob Teitel and George Tillman Jr of State Street Pictures are the lead producers. The script is written by Black-ish writer/producer Kenya Barris and Tracy Oliver. The film is currently ramping up to shoot in Atlanta in the next few weeks.

L-R/T-B: Deon Cole, JB Smoove, Malcomn Lee, Regina Hall, Anthony Anderson, Common and Jazsmin Lewis

Jamie Foxx

Chris Brown

Jamie Foxx isn’t all talk when it comes to his upcoming LP, Hollywood: A Story of a Dozen Roses. He’s remained consistent since releasing his Chris Brown-assisted single “You Changed Me.” Since then, fans have gotten the album’s artwork, a Jimmy Kimmel Live performance, and the Kid Ink-assisted “Baby’s in Love.” Now, he’s unveiled the official track listing via iTunes. In addition to the features mentioned above, Wale, Pharrell, and Fabolous also make appearances on the 18-track LP (due May 22), which looks to be broken into three parts. During his interview with Kimmel, he revealed that the album’s title record is based on a real experience with an ex-lover.

According to reports playwright David E. Talbert and Will Packer have sold a holiday-themed comedy script to Universal Pictures titled "A Meyers Thanksgiving," which Talbert will write and direct, with Packer producing. The story is about an estranged family brought together after the death of the family matriarch, for their first Thanksgiving, is being fasttracked, with production set for the fall, and a holiday 2016 release eyed.

Will Packer

David Talbert

L-R: Kenya Barris, Good Times Cast It is being reported that Black-Ish creator Kenya Barris is riding high on his freshman sitcom about an upscale African-American family. Now, he has been set by Sony to write Good Times, the feature adaptation of the groundbreaking sitcom about an African-American family on the other side of the spectrum, struggling in the Chicago projects in the turbulent â&#x20AC;&#x2122;60s. Good Times, which aired on CBS from 1974-79, was among a number of socially aware Norman Lear-created sitcoms that became hits. The show was a spinoff of Maude, which itself was a spinoff of All In The Family. Good Times followed the struggles of working-class couple James and Florida Evans, who raised three kids through financial hardship as they tried to keep their kids away from trouble during a politically and socially turbulent time in a Chicago housing project. They are setting the movie in the 1960s. We hear that this year's Just for Laughs festival will bring veritable who's who of comedy A-listers to town. Montreal's annual comedy extravaganza announced its 2015 lineup and it includes big names like Kevin Hart, Dave Chappelle, Mike Myers, Neil Patrick Harris, new Daily Show host Trevor Noah, Glee's Jane Lynch, director Jason Reitman and The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt's Ellie Kemper. Hart will host a first for the festival: a Gala at the Bell Centre. More than 10,000 tickets have already been sold and organizers expect the July 24 show to sell out. The king of musical parody, "Weird Al" Yankovic, is also performing a free outdoor show on July 21. Just for Laughs runs July 8 to 28.

Dave Chapelle

Kevin Hart

Pictured here is comedian and writer Buddy Lewis and rapper YoYo at the new First Fridays at LA Live at The Nokia Theater. Photo: Frank Holder

AdultIntroducing Swim Greenlight’s

With the most recognizable face in the comedy world (and that’s Kevin Hart) behind them, The Plastic Cup Boyz are now ready to introduce themselves to the world with a brand new comedy special that is currently airing on Comedy Central titled Kevn Hart Presents: The Plastic Cup Boyz! If you didn’t know, comedians Na’im Lynn, Will ‘Spank’ Horton and Joey ‘J-Dubb’ Wells are the Plastic Cup Boyz. They have been on tour with Kevin Hart for the last couple of years and they have been opening for Hart everywhere worldwide. Up until early last year, not too many people knew their names but that has started to change quickly as all of them have started to gain notoriety from guest starring in television shows, starring in films, and having their own separate comedy specials.

Now with Hartbeat Productions launching The Plastic Cup Boys as a brand with a comedy special on Comedy Central and Kevin Hart putting his own imprint on it, you can bet that with the next several months these guys will all be bonafide stars. In this issue we introduce you to all three and we give them a background check that we are sure you are gonna want to know.

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The Plastic Cup Boyz Pictured here is Na’im Lynn, Joey Wells and Will ‘Spank’ Horton Photos By: Kevin Kwan

There’s nothing new about this Jersey native who’s become a staple in the center of LA’s comedy scene. Some may know him as Na’im Lynn, but everyone refers to him as…The Next Big Thing. Growing up in a small town named Hillside, two miles east of Newark Liberty Airport, Na’im used Martin Lawrence and Eddie Murphy for Muses. It wasn't long before Na'im developed a knack for out-of-thisworld comedy. “When you follow a lot of comedy you're gonna develop a sense of humor,” he said. “You're gonna find yourself trying to be funny. And I'm intelligent too, so if you can put the two together you'll have a successful comedian and that's where I am today.” Success couldn’t be sweeter. Best known as the opening act for his friend, famed comedian Kevin Hart, Na'im travels the world over as part of Hart's 3-man comedy crew, The Plastic Cup Boyz. The nonstop tour has produced three genius comedic movies – “Seriously Funny,” “Laugh at my Pain,” “Let Me Explain” (Na'im appears in the latter two films) and has prepped the world for the official release of the #PCB. After getting his start by winning a showcase with NBC, the former aspiring physical therapist ditched that career and a job at US Airways to pursue his passion. That stepping stone created a ripple effect that has had him riding a wave of success ever since with spots on the LeBron James-produced “Survivor’s Remorse” on the Starz network, BET’s “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” “The Arsenio Hall Show” and his very own Comedy Central special “The Half Hour: Na’im Lynn” live from Boston. He recently headlined the Plastic Cup Boyz special, which premiered and is currently airing on Comedy Central. Na’im and the rest of the #PCB are touring on Hart’s latest installment, the “What Now?” tour.

Will “Spank” Horton, born in Brooklyn New York grew up in a single-parent home and by the time he was two years old his mother moved him to Philly so she could seek better job opportunities in the big city. Before comedy became a priority, Horton endeavored to play for the NBA but despite several chances and great skill he came up short. Horton later attended Lincoln University as a Communications major and played a short stint on the college basketball team. But Horton’s acting skills and comic charisma resonated so much with his professors in his drama classes that they urged Horton to foray into comedy as a way to break into acting. It wasn’t until 2001 when a friend dared Horton to take the stage at the Laff House Comedy Club in South Philadelphia that Horton’s love for laughter was ignited to a new level. Horton is currently one of the most respected Headliners in comedy and his career gained major momentum in 2011 when he was featured in the box-office hit movie Laugh at My Pain, starring comedian Kevin Hart, a movie based on the record-breaking comedy tour. He then made his TV debut on BET’s Comic View in 2002, just six months after he started his career as a comedian. In 2005 Horton was a runner up in the Bud Light comedy competition. Horton’s now extensive tour schedule has taken him overseas and in 2010 he performed for the troops in Korea. Before his big-screen debut, Horton toured with comedian Kevin Hart and was the Opening Act on the I’m a Grown Little Man tour for four years. He went on to open for Hart on the Seriously Funny comedy tour, and subsequently the Laugh at my Pain and Let me Explain tours. The Laugh at my Pain tour was turned into the successful full-length feature movie with Horton showcasing his acting skills by performing skits alongside Hart and other fellow comedians. This year Horton shot his first independent project, a movie called Sucka 4 Love, due out in 2013. He also filmed an other independent film called House Sitter in Los Angeles. He is also slated to appear in the coming movie Ride Along starting Ice Cube and Kevin Hart, due out in 2013. And he will appear in Kevin Hart’s upcoming movie Let Me Explain. He also made a debut appearance in Nick Cannon’s wildly popular Wild n Out. Horton’s punctuated comedic style and sharp material have proven to be greatly appreciated by his audiences, young and old.

The comedian from Fresno CA., known as Joey ‘J-Dubb’ Wells, is another one of the Plastic Cup Boyz who is making a name for himself. Like most comics in the comedy world he is also a writer, but Wells realized a while ago that he not only wanted to write for himself but he also wanted to write for other comedians and for films and television. Now he is an accomplished writer in both, as he has won an NAACP Image Award for writing on Real Husbands of Hollywood. With many credits under his belt such as Let Me Explain, Laugh At My Pain, For the Love of Money, and Fresh & So Clean Wells is working his way in films to becoming a recognizable name. He also has several major films that he’s writing on the horizon such as a new film with Kevin Hart and Lebron James, and several other projects that he won’t reveal just yet. If you talk to Wells you will discover that he is more than just a comedian and a writer, he is also an actor and he has guest starred in several pilots and guest starred in many shows such as Real Husbands Of Hollywood and Short Circuits just to name a few. In the future it may be a safe assumption to say that there will probably be producing and Wells may even see himself getting behind the camera to launch a couple of his pet projects. Who knows. We do know that things aren’t slowing down, especially since the What Now tour is in full swing and his writing and comedy talents are in full demand.

Pictured here on the red carpet is George Lopez and Arsenio Hall at the George Lopez Celebrity Golf Classic in Los Angeles. Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images

This Weeks Star Spotlight focuses on actress and reality TV star Linnethia Monique Leakes, born December 13, 1967 in Queens New York. Although her birth name is Linnethia, the world knows her as the most valuable, most controversial most talked about housewife, NeNe Leakes from The Real Housewives of Atlanta. The Housewives franchise in the words of NeNe has made her “very rich honey” and she has no problem reading you if you beg to differ. Talk about starting from the bottom now we here, NeNe Leakes has revealed to us a very painful and very misguided past. We learned on the Second Part of the Real Housewives of Atlanta reunion show which aired this past Sunday night that NeNe is one of five children that her mother couldn’t take care of. As a result, she was sent along with her brother to Athens Georgia to be raised by her aunt. The memories and thoughts of being sent away and feeling abandoned by her mother is precisely the reason why she behaves in such a callous, mean and vindictive way with some of her other cast mates. After being the victim of a six year abusive relationship where she felt like she had no control, she was forced to make some very hard decisions. One of those decisions was working in a strip club to support herself and her son. The Silver Lining is - it’s the same strip club where she met her ever so supportive, devoted and loyal husband Greg Leakes. From the stripper pole to Broadway, NeNe Leakes has overcome challenges in the face of adversity, abandonment and desperation. Owning her decisions and living in her raw and uncut truth - good, bad ugly or indifferent makes me respect NeNe and her willingness to want and do better. This story is so admirable to me because it’s the self-made, unexpected, much desired come up. It’s the layers of an onion being peeled back; it’s the successful resume and extensive training which has brought upon the glory days. Remarkable how a little girl who was broken and struggled with abandonment issues most of her life has managed to become a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice, land a reoccurring role on Glee, competed on Dancing with the Stars and graced Broadway as Cinderella’s wicked stepmother. It sends the message that anything is possible when you’re dedicated and focused. Your past isn’t always the blueprint to your future; it’s merely just a window to picture better days. NeNe represents hope and transformation in a world that just seems so unkind. We’ve watched her for seven seasons destroy friendships and transform into a mean girl with no filter so it warmed America’s heart to see her breakdown and be so vulnerable in front of all the other fellow housewives. It was indeed a long awaited breakthrough. With a net worth of 12 million, a staple in communities across the globe and an infinite fan base, we salute NeNe Leakes in all her continued success and future endeavors. She’s done her good work and I’m sure it will continue on for years to come. On behalf of myself and the Humor Mill Magazine we thank NeNe Leakes for her dramatic character roles and unforgettable appearances. We hope to see a lot more NeNe and a lot less of Nae Nae.

Comedian Alex Scott and Host Naomi Scott

L.P. On the Scene Dallas 2013

By Darryl Litteton

I’ve done a lot of things in my short 73 years on this planet. I’ve washed cars, sold men’s cloths, ladies handbags, waterfall candles, vibrating pillows, security alarm systems, security bars (for people who didn’t want to buy the alarms), real estate, mortgages and pens by the gross. I’ve written for radio, TV and film. I’ve produced for all the mediums, authored books, traveled the world doing stand-up, lecturing, mentoring and managed to crank out a couple of kids along the way. I’m bored. So I’ve decided to run for president. I know I won’t win. That’s the point. I really don’t want to be president. I want to be the Vice-President, but you can’t run for number 2. You have to make it look like you want to be the big cheese. Make it appear you can run the world where all you really want is free housing, a jet and VIP seating at Congressional gatherings. Let the other sucker worry about opinion polls. Give me Joe Biden’s job and with me in place nobody would dare harm old Hillary (and I do mean old). You think America really wants another black president? You think anybody black really wants to be president? That’s why I’ll be a shoe-in because it doesn’t matter who Hillary has with her on the ticket. All I’ve got to do is run so there’s a second place to pick. So my paperwork is filed and I’m ready to do the do. Barack got over on rhetoric and if nothing else I do have rhetoric. The Republicans, on the other hand, have nothing and nobody and a whole lot of both. The GOP field this time out is even more laughable than 2012. In that debacle of a primary season you had elitists, a coon, several confused senators, a handful of ignorant governors and a teasing Donald Trump.

This time not much has changed (Trump still teases) with none of the new candidates being anywhere remotely close to being a friend to the black man. Not that any past presidential campaigns have ever dwelled on or vetted that aspect of a candidates qualifications, but this is the Humor Mill and should address what’s really important to its core audience. Do you like niggas? Let’s start with Jeb Bush. Nobody really wants this sucker. Nobody. He wasn’t on a secret dream list anywhere. He‘s merely the best the Establishment have at the moment, but they want him as much as they want another go round with Mitt Romney (who we know is no friend to the black man; especially the Ivy League one that beat the snot out of him in 2012) So let’s get it straight - Nobody wants Jeb Bush. He’s pudgy, a fat head and his last name is Bush. Now as a comedian I have no problem with it. I relish the opportunity to poke fun at another Bush for at least 4 more years. His brother’s tenure were golden days for humorists around the globe. Jeb would be just as much fun; as well as give us the never-thought-of-seriously opportunity to dust off old jokes about his old dustier wrinkle-bodied mama and boulder-head daddy. But the main point is Jeb is no buddy to Blacks. In 1994 Bush launched an unsuccessful bid for the Governor's office. He ran that year as a conservative, and a notable moment in this campaign was when Bush was asked what he would do for African Americans if he gets elected, responding: "It’s time to strive for a society where there’s equality of opportunity, not equality of results. So I’m going to answer your question by saying: probably nothing." Bush lost the election by only 63,940 votes out of 4,206,076 that were cast for the major party candidates. He’ll more-than-likely lose by a close margin to Hillary next year, but lose he will. And so those laugh-filled future days of ragging on him and his dysfunctional ass Kennedywannabes- yet-more- successful- on- the- dynastytip family will probably never crystalize.

Ted Cruz. I never believed in re-incarnation until I compared this galoot’s headshot with that of Joseph McCarthy. For those of you who didn’t pay attention in history class, that was the asshole Senator in the 50s who went around accusing everybody of being a Communist without a lick of evidence as he lapped up huge quantities of booze. The wet mouthed drunkard was eventually disgraced, as all rational thinking people know will be the fate of Theodore Cruz. He’s the Tea Party boy determined to destroy Obamacare mainly because it’s known as Obamacare. If it was Reagancare he’d be going door-to-door with a clip board begging you to sign up. The question about this Canadian born immigrant is where the hell is his birth certificate and papers to show he’s had all of his shots? How about the addle-brained Governor of Texas, Rick Perry. In 2012 this shit-kicker couldn’t remember the three agencies he was going to dismantle once he became president so it’s no wonder he had selective amnesia when it came to his fondness for Negros. This sucker used to hunt at a place called Niggerhead. He denied it of course, but evidence is a bitch. In October 2011, the Washington Post reported that Perry's family leases a hunting camp once called "Niggerhead". According to some local residents interviewed by the Post, the Perrys used the camp for years before painting over a large rock with that name on it, which stands at an entrance to the area, and during this time Perry hosted friends and supporters at the camp. Perry's campaign disputed the claims, stating that the Perrys painted over the rock almost immediately after acquiring a lease on the property in 1983. The Washington Post news reporter filing the October 1, 2011, news report interviewed seven people "...who spoke in detail of their memories of seeing the rock with the name at various points during the years that Perry was associated with the property through his father, partners or his signature on a lease". Either way, John Brown he ain’t.

Rand Paul. Son of an over-reactionary perennial loser or a forward thinking politician sporting a semi-Jeri Curl? Who is the real Rand Paul? He labels himself a Libertarian. The last Republican to do so talked to an empty chair at one of their conventions. As far as Paul’s love of the Black man don’t let him bamboozle you. Asked if he thought a private business had the right to say it would not serve black people, he said: "I don't want to be associated with those people, but I also don't want to limit their speech in any way in the sense that we tolerate boorish and uncivilized behavior because that's one of the things freedom requires." Gotcha! Next! The remainder of the declared and undeclared aren’t much better. Marco Rubio? A Latin against immigration. Who’s voting for this racial traitor? If he’s not a friend to his own you can pretty much surmise his depth of empathy for those with pigmentation down the line. Chris Christie? For starters does he even look like he likes Black people? Would you go out for beers with him late at night and expect to get back home without a beat down by some of his blue collar diaper buddies from the docks? When you hear him speak does Chris sound like he’d stop violence against a Black person or be the guy reaching into his trunk to get a rope? Okay, forget what he looks like and the stereotypes. Let’s go by what he’s done. He dismantled the Affirmative Action program in his state. I’m sure he did that for the good of those people being helped. Pull yourself up by your boot straps I’m sure is what he meant by it. Well, while we’re making adjustments, why don’t you push yourself away from the dinner table, Jaba? Besides, Christie wants to abolish recreational and medical marijuana on the federal level and that’s not Black-friendly; not for this Black anyway.

Sarah Palin, anyone? Yeah, right. I know she’s not running (so far), but the fact she’s even allowed to utter syllables and still get coverage for doing so is too much. She should be censored, silenced and neutered. I’ve got a toenail smarter than this chick and as far as her stance of Blacks, she’s probably been to bed with a few, but would likely prefer to see us making beds sporting uniforms from her local Piggly Wiggly. This quote was credited to Palin, "White Privilege? With affirmative action, welfare, food stamps, and all those thugs getting athletic scholarships over more deserving white kids, I'd call it black privilege." Allegedly she didn’t really say this. Who knows? At one time it was alleged that Barack Obama was a half-Kenyan socialist put in place to destroy the former America and pull the newly established model into the globalization of the 21st Century. There was even talk of him going to Cuba. Anyway . . . . Scott Walker looks like he was one of Wally’s pals on “Leave it to Beaver”. However, he’s proven to be a tad bit wilier than Eddie Haskell and Lumpy. In 1990, the 22year-old Walker (running for public office) spent days knocking on doors in the district, preaching a get-tough message. He wanted 200 more cops on the street and stronger mandatory sentences for drug dealers. “The number one fear is crime,” he wrote in a letter to Marquette students, asking them, again, to vote for him. “For too long, we have ignored this issue and now it is time to do something about it.” It was later stated that, “His campaign was one big dog whistle.” Congresswoman Gwen Moore (his opponent) believed that Walker’s anti-crime message was a way to speak to white voters’ fears of blacks without saying them aloud. “He had sort of insinuated sort of the worst stereotypes about black people [and] innate criminality.” In other words he’s a crafty cracker. Then you have Ben Carson. He should be a friend to the Black man. He’s black. He’s a surgeon. He’s smart. He also talks like he was set to be the successor to Buckwheat had “The Little Rascals” continued. He’s the Herman Cain of the New Republican Party and another black man who is probably less a friend to the black man than the white man hunting at Niggerhead.

Ever since he sold out to the ‘right’ he hasn’t done a single right thing for his own kind, but criticize them for not being him. Mike Huckabee. Good luck to the Huck. He might be the only Republican worth a damn. In an article from 2008 entitled, “Do the Right Thing” Huckabee wrote, “One GOP primary debate was hosted by Tavis Smiley, the host of the PBS program bearing his name, & held at Morgan State, a historically black college in Baltimore. I was embarrassed that most of the GOP candidates had chosen to ignore this opportunity to show that we really were the party with a message of hope and opportunity for African Americans. Instead, by their unwillingness to appear, our "marquee players" had not only insulted and shown their disrespect for the African American community, but had only solidified the "we don't care about you" image that has dogged Republicans in relation to the black community. Having received an almost unheard of 48% of the African American vote in Arkansas during my reelection campaign for governor, I knew that Republicans shouldn't ignore this important constituency. The fact that I showed up and answered the questions with knowledge & compassion opened many doors to nontraditional Republicans and spoke to middle-class Americans across the country.” So we can see where he stands regarding the Black Man. Mike just doesn’t like gays. Can’t stand ‘em. So there you have it. A field of racists and bigots. Whereas, with Hillary and I, you’ll know you’re getting friends to Blacks. She’s married to a white man they called black and she never publicly objected and I am Black, but not just Black. I’m the kind of Black you can bring home to your mama (if she’s anything like Angela Davis) and to various protest rallies throughout your community. I’m the kind of Black that was Black yesterday, Black today and I’ll be Black tomorrow. Don’t worry your pretty little heads about my platform. Most of you don’t follow that kind of stuff normally so why do it now? All you need to know is that I’m Black and I’m not a coon. Thank you for your support.

Pictured here is actor Jaleel White (of Family Matters fame) at The Comedy Store after the performance of Martin Lawrence at The Comedy Store in Hollywood. Photo: Frank Holder

The rumor mill has been buzzing lately with the possibility of a return for the Air Jordan 11 Low IE. Well, today we can confirm that the celebrated off spring of the Air Jordan 11 Low will make its much-anticipated comeback late summer this year. Although no images of the new retro version have yet to be vindicated (seen above is the 2003 edition), we certainly hope tradition remains as it relates to materials and overall aesthetic. The Air Jordan 11 Low IE â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cobaltâ&#x20AC;? is said to release on August 1, 2015. Colorway: White/Cobalt-Zen Grey-Cement Grey Style Code: 306008-102 Release Date: August 1, 2015 Price: $170

Pictured here are comedians Tommy Davidson, Bill Bellamy, and Alex Thomas at Bill Bellamyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 50th Birthday Celebration at The W Hotel in Hollywood. Photo: Frank Holder

with Rosandra Jordan Photos: Sean Simpson

Rosandra Lynette Jordan is an American model and actress born in Miami, FL. As with most models and actresses in the industry Jordan is determined to make a career as a model and actress, and her work ethic in everyday life is what separates her from most in the industry. With her goals to become a known face through hard work and excellent performances, she has already had several industry types inquire about her, and she is currently in the running for several nation ad campaigns for television and for print. Jordan is also skilled in the art of negotiating as she has been able to develop several key working relationships with Hollywood and print agents, clothing designers, and many more; several of the projects to be launched nationally by the end of the year.

Recently Jordan was able to become garner a walk on role in Director Michael Bay’s blockbuster “Pain and Gain” that starred Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and Anthony Mackie. Jordan recently parlayed her appearance in that film to gain a walk on in Johnson’s new HBO show “Ballers”. Besides pursuing her modeling and acting career, Jordan is currently working on being an entrepreneur as she is in the early stages of launching an athletic wear clothing line, as she eventually wants to start her own athletic apparel. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, reading, and real estate.

After college, Gregory moved back to Dayton, and had a full time job in sales for 8 years before becoming a full time comedian. In 2011 Walter Latham featured Gregory me on his website and listed him as one of his favorite working comedians. Choosing to be a ‘clean’ comic has allowed him to perform in wide range of venues from churches, corporate events to comedy clubs. In 2013 he nabbed some TV credit when Bob Sumner chose him for Aspire’s ‘We Got Next’. With his television credits mounting, and the Hollywood Execs taking notice, the sky is the limit for Gregory who has some pretty big shoes to fill, but he’s not show any signs of fear at all.

Going to the library at Ole Miss., in search of a book by his Uncle, Gregory asked the lady at the circulation desk if they had the book she said “no, but we have..... this one!” turning the computer screen so he could see the name of the book. The other book was ‘Nigger’. Gregory thought that was the funniest thing that she did not want to say the title of the book. That is what lead him to start writing, because of that experience he eventually wrote for a month which lead him to do his first comedy show in college, on campus. The rest, has been history. This March will be his 9 year anniversary.

Brown Bettie Knows Best ~I may not be funny, but I sure know what is.

I was sitting on my front porch today. I’d been out there all day, working and writing; enjoying the sunshine while I pecked away at my lap top with furrowed brow. Sipping coffee. Eating the last of the granola bars. Living the LA life. Which is really a life full of questions and anxiety offset by swaying palm trees and 80-degree weather. The afternoon sun was starting to wave goodbye to me and hello to the sunset that was fast approaching. I kept working. My two-level apartment complex in the valley is nothing like Melrose Place. There is no pool, there is no scandal, there is no sex; except a few years ago, Apt 8 was running a porn filming business out of their place. No lie. True story. I was not asked to star, produce or write for any of their videos, so that is a good thing, and you can be less worried about that! One night the cops came to get the girl and the guy living there; the 5.0 woke me up at the ass crack of 2:00 am pounding on her door and yelling, “OPEN UP! NOW!!” I peeked at them through the blinds of my bedroom window as they barged into the apartment with guns drawn. There was a lot of screaming and yelling and I thought for sure someone was going to be killed and I was going to see it. Luckily, that did not happen. Apparently, the guy, the boyfriend and quite possibly the videographer (dunno) got away. Perhaps he’d been tipped off. They took the girl away. She was very thin, brown; pretty, once. She was on drugs. Big time. To this day, I think about her and wonder if she enjoyed being a porn…“star”. And how she got caught up in the LA life. The neighbor three doors down from where the porn people lived is a lovely woman with brown hair and an accent. I forget where she is from, but one night, while I sat on my porch, she peeked her head in the door way of my fenced-in porch on her way to the YMCA for her swim class. We chatted. We discovered we both spoke French. We chatted in French until I sorta gave up, because I speak better French after a few glasses of wine and I’d had none that night. She is retired and rescues dogs now. At least, that’s what I understood in French. While sitting on my porch today, I heard her T.V. Her apartment is directly across the way from mine.

We face each other. A small sidewalk passage way that leads to the back parking lot separates her row of townhouses from my row of townhouses. The North Side and The South Side, if you will. I’m North, she’s South. We have no territorial wars here. She was watching a comedy. The sound of the laugh track wafted through her windows, across the path and into the echoey surround sound chamber that accompanies apartment living. I imagined her sitting in a hard chair (not really a recliner), eating cherries or something. The laugh track sounded genuine like on Carol Burnett or Sanford and Son. Not campy, like on Mike and Molly or King of Queens or Broke Girls. As I sat on my porch in a wrought-iron chair underneath a yellow umbrella with the California breeze swirling about me, I stopped typing and thought, “"Is this what it's all about?" Is this moment, this life I’m living, that we’re all living…is this life moment about the simplicity of a laugh track floating through a window? She is simply living over there. Her son comes from somewhere International to visit some times. She walks the rescue dog some times. Her daughter comes and goes. She goes to the Y. That is her life and somehow, by being her neighbor, her life is connected to my life. I’m simply living over here. Sitting at the porch table. Writing some times. Petting my cat some times. Drinking coffee under the sun. Wondering what’s next. Wondering if I am where I’m supposed to be. Wondering about career and money and the this and the that of everything. And in that simple, moment, surrounded by a lingering laugh track, I thought, “That’s funny.” Because this is all there is. This is what it’s about. Simplicity. And I think somehow, God was sending a message to just lighten the heck up. Peppur (www.peppurchambers.com) is an actor, writer and creator/ performer of Harlem’s Night Cabaret performed by the sultry, sassy, sophisticated and sometimes funny, Brown Betties. Her debut novel, “Harlem’s Awakening” is now available on BlackHillPress.com. She’s also created the award-winning webseries, “The Brown Betties Guide: How to Look for Love In All The Wrong Places” based on her book of the same title. www.brownbetties.com Email her at peppur@brownbetties.com or follow her on Twitter @BrownBettie. But really, go buy Harlem’s Awakening!

Pictured here is comedians Lewis Dix and Melanie Comarcho backstage at The Comedy Store in Hollywood after the Martin Lawrence Comedy Show. Photo: Frank Holder

Mankind's fascination with watches capable of more than simply telling the time is nothing new. But recently, our collective interest in intelligent timepieces has spiked, and we have more and more powerful wrist-worn computers to choose from than ever -- whether made by startups with record-setting Kickstarter campaigns or the biggest names in consumer electronics. Of course, the biggest name of all, Apple, had yet to release one of its own. Well, the Watch has arrived, and its maker has loftier aspirations for it than the smartwatches preceding it. Apple's Watch isn't some utilitarian gadget -- it's jewelry, an object of lust, not only for what it can do, but also for how it looks.

I'm not a watch person. Haven't worn one regularly since high school (I'm 33 years old now), and have never been enamored with the likes of Rolex or Longines. But the Apple Watch is, of course, much more than a mere time teller, and the company expects to sell a lot of these things to people like me -- you don't build a $700 billion company selling niche products, after all. The question is: Why would someone like me want one? PROS Finely crafted hardware Strong app support Lots of personalization options Easy-to-use fitness tracking Best smartwatch available CONS Third-party apps can feel sluggish Some users will crave more control over notification Settings Expensive SUMMARY The Watch is the nicest smartwatch available, but it's more status symbol than wearable revolutionary. Most of the Watch's features can be categorized as nice to have (at best) or superfluous (at worst). As such, if you're not enamored with the Watch's appearance, it's probably not compelling enough to buy one.

For the uninitiated, there are two sizes (38 or 42mm) and three Watch models: Sport, Watch and Edition. The entry-level Sport model starts at $349 and is made of aluminum, while the high-end Edition starts at $10,000 and is crafted of 18-karat rose or yellow gold. Apple loaned me a 42mm stainless steel Watch model ($549) with a bright, lime green Sport Band ($49 when sold separately) and a Link Bracelet ($449). In keeping with its aspirations to luxury jewelry and with Apple's usual obsessive attention to detail, the Watch case I received is constructed of machined, cold-forged steel polished to a high gloss. Its OLED screen on top and heart rate sensor on the bottom are sheathed in sapphire crystal, a material familiar to any luxe timepiece aficionado. (Note: Sport models make do without the sapphire protection.) The "Digital Crown" on the right edge is machined and polished too, as is the button with an ever-so-slightly chamfered edge alongside it. All of these elements are fitted together perfectly, with uniform gaps and nary a blemish to be found. The result is a watch that looks the part it's been cast to play -- assuming you dig the aesthetics of a rounded rectangle parked on your arm. It's the finest construction of any smartwatch I've seen, and none of the others are particularly close (second place: ASUS ZenWatch). More importantly (for Apple), it doesn't feel ridiculous to compare its build quality to something made by Tag Heuer or Cartier.

The Sport Band is made of a pliable, soft-touch material called fluoroelastomer and can be had in white, blue, pink and black in addition to the green I received. The Link Bracelet's made of brushed stainless steel (a Space Black Stainless Steel Watch and matching bracelet are also available, though the black bracelet isn't available for purchase separately). There's a plethora of other straps available for the Watch made of metal and leather, as well. While I'm not wild about the color of the Sport Band I've been using, the green cuts a striking image on my wrist, and has garnered my Watch far more (favorable) attention on the street than when I've worn the metal bracelet. As you might expect, the rubbery Sport Band is the more comfortable of the two, and even though it's a more casual look, I am impressed with its fit and finish; there's not a seam to be found on the thing, which keeps it looking and feeling premium (for a rubber strap). Meanwhile, the Link Bracelet is a marvelous bit of engineering, with a unique quad-hinged clasp that latches and releases with rifle-bolt precision. It also has links that can be removed with a simple button press, which makes fitting the bracelet a relatively painless process. Pressing the release button while pulling on the appropriate links required more fiddling than I expected, but it also gets easier the more times you do it. The bracelet is comprised of a single band of horizontal scales, which sets it apart visually from the three or four vertical bands of links in most other watch bracelets. The effect reminds me of the scales you find on the belly of a snake, and I dig the simplicity. When combined with the polished steel Watch case, however, the brushed finish on the bracelet looks incongruous to my eye. Not to the point of distraction, but for a company that so sweats the little things like Apple does, I'm surprised that such a choice was made. At least it matches the bracelet in its precision construction, and the two fit together almost seamlessly.

One of the funniest comedians touring the country right now is New Yorker Vincent Oshana. Oshana, who grew up in the mainly in the Northeast joined the US Air Force and was stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Montana, where he received awards for his good service, before he discovered his love for comedy. Oshana eventually was a member of the USAF Security Forces at Malmstrom AFB, and as soon as his term was up he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in stand-up comedy. Later he landed a part on MTV's Yo Momma, and was later discovered at an open mic night by Damon Wayans' niece and was cast in The Underground. Since then he has mainly toured with the Wayans, especially Damon Wayans, Jr. and Sr and can be seen all over the country.

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Pictured here is R&B singer Faith Evans on the red carpet at Luenellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Birthday Celebration in Hollywood. Photo: Frank Holder

As usual, the Youtube channel known as BuzzFeed dropped another sketch that had us laughing- as we came across it on social media. With millions of views like the one we published last month titled ‘If Asians Said The Stuff White People Say‘ it quickly became an internet hit.

With this new video, we introduce you to ‘If Guys BFFs Traveled Like Girls BFFs’ and lets see if you can keep a straight face:

Pictured here is Don Cheadle on the Golf course at the George Lopez Celebrity Golf Classic in Los Angeles. Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images

Here is a classic performance of Chris Rock when he taped his comedy special titled Bring The Pain in Washington D.C. back in 1996. As you already know, Rock is at his very best in this taped special that was originally broadcast on HBO.

Pictured here is comedian Gary ‘G-Thang’ Johnson and Martin Lawrence’s Brother Rob at The Comedy Store after the performance of Martin at The Comedy Store in Hollywood. Photo: Frank Holder

Pictured here is comedian and actress Tiffany Haddish at The Comedy Store after the performance of Martin Lawrence at The Comedy Store in Hollywood. Photo: Frank Holder

Pitch Perfect 2 Starring: Anna Kendrick, Skylar Astin, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, Ester Dean, Hana Mae Lee, Alexis Knapp, Hailee Steinfeld, Chrissie Fit Director: Elizabeth Banks Confession: I only just watched the original Pitch Perfect yesterday. I know, it’s like I broke the law or something. But hey, I watched a lot of Glee in college, so — maybe a little arrogantly — I felt prepared enough to dive right into the first movie and watch a diverse assortment of young adults sing and dance their hearts out before making it to Regionals or whatever. While certainly not a wholesale ripoff, fans of the original know that that’s pretty much what happens. Anna Kendrick, as the drily rebellious Beca, joins a motley crew of disgraced college a capella singers and eventually leads them to glory. It ain’t perfect, but it’s fun — the kind of teen movie that wears its love of Top 40 pop and ‘80s underdog fantasies on its sleeve. Well, if Pitch Perfect was Glee at the movies, then you can liken Pitch Perfect 2 to Glee’s second season. It’s bigger, it’s louder, it’s stuffed to the brim with guest stars, and it’s really not as much fun. Pitch Perfect 2 is a lesson in why too much of a good thing can be bad. Pitch Perfect 2 picks up three years after the first movie. The Barden Bellas, at the top of their game as Barden University’s premier all-girl a capella group, is giving a special performance for Barack and Michelle Obama at Lincoln Center. Let’s just say a mishap occurs that effectively destroys the Bellas’ reputation, and once again the group is put on the road to redemption. It’s familiar territory; how will these misfits win it all when the deck is stacked against them? Obviously by winning an international a capella competition that no American has ever won before, that’s how! We’ve got the glee club equivalent of Rocky IV here! Of course, we all know that they will in the end, but the actual getting there is formula by now. It’s the defeat-defeat-harmony-victory cycle. But this time, with Elizabeth Banks in the director's chair, it's clear there's more money to play around with. Where once the Bellas faced off against fellow college nerds, now they grapple with singing German shock troops and the actual Green Bay Packers. Raising the stakes by raising the production values is a problem that beset Glee early on, too. No expense has been spared, from wardrobe to talent to the numerous set pieces, but it only serves to dress up the fact that, plot-wise, we’ve been there and done that. Some performances literally only happen because the movie needs a flashier way to have people sing at each other. At one point, the Bellas wind up at a secret, underground singing competition because David Cross, as a rich, eccentric a capella fan, loves inviting groups to his performance dungeon. It’s a bizarre bit of fan service for those who loved the Riff-Off in the original, but the whole conceit breaks down the more Banks throws at it. If you step even a toe outside of the film’s bubble of absurdity, you’ll find yourself asking: What am I really getting out of Packers linebacker Clay Matthews singing "Bootylicious"? Why is he in this movie?

The film makes a vague attempt to treat its central characters like human beings, mostly by focusing on what comes next for them in a post-Bellas world. Since most of the Bellas are college seniors, they’ll all have to face the real world eventually. Beca, already on her way to becoming a music producer, starts an internship at a studio headed up by Keegan-Michael Key. Key, as a no-nonsense, high-maintenance producer, is about as real as the film gets, and he’s a hilarious breath of fresh air. It’s Key's character, in fact, who asks Beca to stop focusing on a capella and start making original music. Chloe (Brittany Snow) is stuck in a rut, having held herself back in college for three extra years to stay with her beloved Bellas. Meanwhile, scene stealer Bumper (Workoholics’ Adam DeVine) is trapped at Barden as a security guard after a failed shot at the sort-of big time. The movie doesn’t let the characters dwell on the future for too long, though. There’s always a show-stopping number to perform or montage to muck through. But all that spectacle doesn’t hide what doesn’t work. Pitch Perfect 2 just isn’t very good at pretending it’s anything more than fan service, and it’s often not great at even that. The sets are bigger, but the writing is lazier, with plenty of confusing moments that can even get downright racist. For instance, Chrissie Fit, who plays new Bella Florencia Fuentes, is turned into one long, terrible joke about about the plight of murdered women in Latin America, a problem her fellow Bellas just sort of nod at. Elsewhere, Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins return as Talkapella judges and double down on their over-the-top banter, trading barbs about Jews and the fact that no one cares about Koreans. But really, Pitch Perfect 2 is bad because it’s trying too hard to please. It’s like the first movie, shocked it became a sleeper hit, basically went, "Holy shit, that worked? Give them more!" It’s the kid in chorus who got a standing ovation last year, and decided to pile on the sequins to make a bigger splash at this year’s big performance, all without actually improving on her voice. Pitch Perfect was always absurd, and it reveled in it. Its sequel packs in even more pop hits, outrageous moments, and big finishes in its nearly two-hour runtime, all at the expense of good comedy. In going big, the movie forgot how to be funny. I walked out of the theater thinking maybe campy singing underdog movies aren’t really meant for longrunning series. I remember checking out on Glee halfway into the third season, tuning in every now and then but coming away disappointed. It lost its magic, and it feels like Pitch Perfect is losing it, too. Which makes me sad for the promised Pitch Perfect 3. With everyone growing up and moving on, where can this franchise go from here?

cleancomedy@yahoo.com twitter: @comedian4christ

I am excited to return from hiatus (post kidney transplant) to the Christian Comedy Continuum on Humor Mill with a comedian I have worked with and enjoyed as a fan of stand-up. Humor Mill Family let’s meet, Comedian Ron Baker, Jr.

(a comedy career had just been birthed!)

Comedian Ron Baker, Jr. is from Chicago Illinois, so as my Cleveland Cavaliers are preparing to beat the Bulls in game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals—I was forced to get off the phone quickly with Ron before we started talking trash about each other’s team and players!

C.C.C: What does Ron Baker Jr. bring to Christian Comedy?

I still think Noah needs to cut that nappy ponytail-bun off and get a grown man haircut, I am sure Chi-Town has plenty of very capable barbers with working clippers to get the job done --but I digress….

*I included a picture of Ron with Jesse Jackson Sr. Note: Jesse Jackson Jr. was coincidently unavailable for photo-ops during the writing of this piece – and we all know why!

Ron shared with me that his father Pastor Ron Baker, Sr. actually was one of the fore-fathers of Christian Comedy. Pastor Baker was asked by his Pastor to perform at church banquets in the 1970s. It sounds like Pastor Baker was hilarious, doing spot-on imitations of Howard Cosell, Sammy Davis Jr, President Jimmy Carter and other 1970’s icons. *The younger readers may need to google those name to get a better understanding! It is quite obvious that the apple did not fall far from the tree, most black comics come from funny families and Pastor Baker always encouraged Ron and his brother to hone their skills around the house. Much like the Elder Ron in the 70s, Ron Jr. is famous for his imitations well—Ron does a great Steve Harvey and Bishop Noel Jones (Preachers of LA) Ron did a Bishop Jones reprise during our interview and I could not stop laughing.

Ron B: “I bring conscious-comedy to the stage, my act goes from family, to work, to relationships, and even politics.”

Ron Baker Jr. does not use the title Christian Comedian, he states “I am a Christian who happens to be a Comedian….” Ron has appeared with Gospel artists like Fred Hammond, BeBe & CeCe Winans and a host of others. Ron has appeared on an episode of the smash hit Empire, Chicago P.D., and Chicago Fire. Ron is a seasoned professional who has the support of his wife Kimberly as well as his two children. You can Facebook Ron Baker Jr. and keep yourself abreast of his live events and comedy-quips about our world. One of my recent favorites was a few Sundays ago when he wished Bruce Jenner a Happy Mother’s Day! You should book Ron Baker Jr. not only for your church event, but also your college, venue, or private function. You will get a hilarious memorable show that will allow you to repeat everything at work the next day without being escorted to HR.

C.C.C: How did you get started in stand-up?

I always ask my comics for a quote for our Humor Mill family…..

Ron B: “It was 1983 and my father asked me to do what I had been doing around the house at his upcoming church banquet.”

Ron Baker Jr: “The reason preacher’s kids are the baddest kids on the block—because they play with YOUR kids!”

*There was a Pastor in attendance who enjoyed Ron Jr’s performance and asked him to come to his church banquet and do the same thing.

Thanks to Comedian Ron Baker Jr. and the publisher of the Humor Mill Magazine Frank Holder

GOD’S BEST!

Pictured here is Joe Torry and Affion Crockett backstage at The Comedy Store in Hollywood after the Martin Lawrence Comedy Show. Photo: Frank Holder

By Julian Kimble Over the course of two decades, Snoop Dogg’s adaptability has allowed him to move from the G-funk of "Gin and Juice" to the sweaty club anthems of "Down 4 My N’s" to the reggae of Snoop Lion. His voice sounds good over all kinds of production, but some of his best late-period work has come when collaborating with the Neptunes. The success of "Beautiful" established Snoop, the Neptunes, and Charlie Wilson as a powerful team, and led to the Virginia producers contributing several tracks (including the chart-topping "Drop It Like It’s Hot") to his 2004 album, R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece. With Bush, fans who might have yearned for a Snoop album produced entirely by the Neptunes at the time (almost) get their wish: Pharrell Williams handles the boards here, with occasional assistance from his former production partner Chad Hugo. Bush was conceived as a tribute to the funk and R&B of the 1970s, and the familiar wail of Stevie Wonder’s harmonica on the stand-out opener, "California Roll", establishes the mood. Over an instrumental as smooth as a ride down Rodeo Drive on an 85-degree day, Snoop's croon is convincing enough to sell lines like “So if you wanna go to Melrose/ Let’s hit Adidas, girl, we got our own shell toes." Pharrell positions L.A. as the nucleus of luxury and vice ("Baby you can be a movie star/ Get yourself a medical card, yeah/ ‘Cause that’s how California rolls") on the sticky hook, and Wonder accents P’s trademark falsetto with background vocals. Both Snoop and Pharrell are products of the '70s, so it makes sense that they'd embrace the ambiance of the music they grew up listening to, and that they'd be pretty good at it. The mood holds from the bubbly disco of "R U A Freak" to the Nile Rodgers-inspired guitar work on "Awake", a song that brings to mind the second wind you get during a party’s final 20 minutes. On "Peaches N Cream", Snoop, Pharrell, and Wilson combine once again for an infectious retro-funk fusion. From start to finish, Bush is a feel-good record. Snoop has said that he tapped Pharrell for creative guidance because he wanted a cohesive sound for the album. At just 41 minutes long, Bush is indeed an easy listen, but the songs also bleed together. "I Knew That", for example, opens with the same motif as the one used on the superior "Peaches N Cream". And although the album features just 10 songs, it feels like there are only about six. Bush is designed to function as an old funk record that you can let run for an entire party’s duration, but its uniformity might make it less appealing over the long haul. Still, it makes sense for Snoop to be making this type of music at this stage of his career, as he approaches his mid-forties and rap recedes into his past. The music puts past images of him grooving to Bootsy Collins while stoned in Baby Boy or dancing to Funkadelic in The Wash in perspective—funk has long been his lifeblood. So while Bush is strong enough musically, you can’t help but wonder what would’ve happened if this crew had followed R&G with a full-length a decade ago, when everyone involved was still in his prime.

By Tony “Phruishun” Spires The Comedy Doctor I tend to go hard in everything to which I put my mind. Chances are if my mind is in it, it means my heart is, too. It's my natural zeal. That's just how I've gotten/still continue to "get down." I guess you could say, “I’m about that life," as it were. Call it passion. That same passion and the grace of God is what has sustained me for these three decades in show business. That's what first put me on the map in the early 80's. It's what has kept me relevant (even if only modestly, in the larger scheme of things) in my industries of endeavor. It's also what has provided me with some of the most fun and rewarding experiences of my life. At the end of the day, it's the passion, my spirit of adventure, who I love, along with my creativity and my faith that define me. It's like that old European guy in the beer ads telling us, his friends, to "stay thirsty." I know the term "thirsty" in an urban vernacular has a negative connotation. I'm not referring to that limited usage of the word. I'm talking about a lust for life. I know, I know, "lust" has a negative association, as well. But what I'm talking about is an emotion akin to extreme excitement, artistic fervor, passion. Okay. All right, already! Can I get a pass on the word "passion?" (Evocative images of illicit love affairs and the like notwithstanding?) I use it way too often. Thank you. I’m in love with the arts - the performing arts in particular. I enjoy instructing in the arts and advocating for youth arts education. I enjoy patronizing the arts and supporting my fellow artists.

Mostly, I love creating art. Film, music, poetry, theatre, literature - I love them all. The arts make me feel alive - really alive! When I wake up bright and early in the morning full of inspiration for telling a new story, or when an exciting idea for a project or plot twist or even a powerful lyric overtakes me during my morning run, that's the genesis. That's when the hard work and the love affair begin. Why? Because, since I fully love my work, the arts are a labor of love. Take my 2013 film "Joke Thief." It was a labor of love. Consider Nate Jackson's 2014 crime webseries pilot - turned short film, "Marvin Road," which I also directed. It was a labor of love, too. And then there was/still is BT Kingsley's 2015 romantic comedy, "She Wins," which I directed, as well. We just wrapped principal photography on it two weeks ago! (By the way, it is an incredibly funny movie!) All three projects were big labors of love - not just for me, Nate and BT but also for everybody involved. With modest budgets, scarce resources and crazy Hollywood schedules for both actors and crew, it had to be all love! The behind-the-scenes story of the making of She Wins is a movie in and of itself. The story is too long to tell you right now. Let it suffice to say, it was a great challenge, and an even greater adventure! We may not do a movie exactly like that again (it took 10 months to shoot) but I'd do that project again and would gladly get back in the trenches with those actors and that crew in a heartbeat! "She Wins" had many more perks than mere adventure and a great crew. A bevy of beautiful

actresses, a chance to work with DC Curry on our third feature, along with working again with BT, Nate and Tanjareen Martin made it real cool. I also got an opportunity to finally work with my friend, actor/producer Rick Irvin, DP Jamaal Williams and comedian/actor/writer Clayton Thomas. All of which added big time points to the fun score total. There was other good company on both sides of the camera and some very cool locations, too. Those things make the experience a permanent keeper on my "internal hard drive." I was very pleased with the efforts of everyone. When I think about it, that film shoot may've been the definition of "Labor of love." It was hard work and I loved it! I think we captured something special on film!

### Tony Spires is a filmmaker (writer/director/producer/actor), spoken word recording artist, musician, playwright, event producer, manager, and featured columnist for Humor Mill Magazine. He’s Producing Artistic Director of Full Vision Arts Foundation. Known as The Comedy Doctor in comedy circles, and “Coach Tony” to teens from The Bay to LA, he is perhaps best known as the founder of the nationally reputed Bay Area Black Comedy Competition & Festival: http://www.BlackComedyCompetition.com. Join him on Facebook at: http://www.Facebook.com/TonySpires and follow him on Instagram and Twitter: @phruishun.

If She Wins wasn't enough, next up in the queue is my teen crime drama, "A Hot Day In The Valley." It's an action-drama and a story within a story that came out of our summer youth arts program in LA's San Fernando Valley. It has evolved into a full-length feature film. It will be an incredible ride! Everybody is pitching in. The kids are fired up! The grown folks are too - because everyone's life is being enhanced. We all learn something on these cinematic journeys. The resources may once again be scarce but the talent, passion and the effort will be plentiful. The high adventure and overall experience will be life changing. This project promises to be the supreme labor of love! A lot of you out there definitely know what I'm talking about when I say "Labor of love." Others of you have inklings but have yet to find that passion. You see at least a glimpse into where mine is. Music is one of mine, too! Find yours. Having trouble? Then put yourself in a safe place where your passion can find you. It will alter your perspective, give you another reason to crawl out of bed in the morning and it'll change your life! Try it and get back to me.