‘Tasty Clips’ reflects on week of music, TV and Oscars

Author: William Vaughn, Entertainment Writer
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WRAPPING UP OSCARS: Best Supporting Actress (and darling) Lupita Nyong'o (“12 Years a Slave”) was truly on top of the world as well as the box-office as her only other film, “Non-Stop,” opened as the highest grossing movie of the week…

Star Chiwetel Ejiofor's next effort, “Half of a Yellow Sun” hits the theatres July 14. The Nigeria-based drama also features Thandie Newton, Anika Noni Rose and “Attack The Block” star John Boyega.  Ejiofor is currently shooting sci-fi film “Z for Zachariah” before moving on to join “Fruitvale Station” star Michael B. Jordan in “Triple Nine.” Jordan may literally be one of Hollywood's hottest young actors having nailed (in a case of bold casting) the Human Torch part in the “Fantastic Four” reboot... 

“20 Feet From Stardom” star Darlene Love, not only pleased a rapt audience with her a cappella acceptance speech, but certainly Oprah Winfrey who is making the life of The Ronettes singer the subject of OWN's first original movie! It will be interesting to see who they cast as some of the prominent men in her life: Phil Spector and Elvis Presley…

Meanwhile, Will Smith and Tyler Perry had more in common than being Oscar presenters.  The two were also winners at The Razzies!  Smith won worst supporting actor for “After Earth” (which also earned similar "honors" for Movie and Actor for son Jaden Smith. Perry won Worst Actress for “A Medea Christmas.” Kim Kardashian kept it in the house by nabbing Worst Supporting Actress for “Tyler Perry's Temptation.”

THE SNUB (AND HOW TO DEAL):  Like many an industry observer, TASTY CLIPS was amazed that “The Butler” was totally shut out in Oscar nominations. After all, it boasted a number of big stars, a history based story and was easily the most accessible film of Lee Daniels' works…

The best way to rebound is probably getting back to work.  He's headed to do some television work producing and directing the pilot for the aforementioned music industry series, “Empire.” Then he is set to tackle one of “The Ten Commandments” for a WGN America mini-series.

BACK TOGETHER (AGAIN): Terrence Howard & Taraji P. Henson (“Hustle & Flow”) will be playing marrieds in Fox's upcoming hip hop drama series, “Empire.”…

OutKast is making music again for the first time in 10 years at over 40 festivals across the country…

Della Reese is guest starring on "Touched by an Angel" creator Martha Williamson's new Hallmark series, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” on April 20…

Comedy Central's Key & Peele will play a pair of cops on FX's upcoming Fargo reboot premiering April 15…

Quincy Jones and ex-wife Peggy Lipton (“The Mod Squad”) have consented to act as the parents of daughter, Rashida Jones' character on her upcoming TBS show, “Tribeca.”…

The Doobie Brothers and Michael McDonald are reuniting to do a country tribute album.

Lisa Bonet has returned to TV in her man Jason Momoa's limited series, “The Red Road,” which airs Thursdays on SUNDANCETV.

TASTY CLIPS’ ON MUSIC:  With a number of release date delays, observers are wondering if American Idol set up its latest winner, Candice Glover, to fail!  Or is this a sign of the show's falling popularity?  Her debut album, MUSIC SPEAKS, has the weakest sales of any of the previous victors with the exception of Lee DeWyze!...

Tickets are now on sale for Lionel Richie's "All The Hits All Night Long" tour with special guest, CeeLo Green. It hits Concord and Anaheim on June 1 and June 3, respectively…

In celebration of its milestone anniversary, the Newport Jazz Festival: Now 60 Tour makes a stop at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on March 15.  Guitarist Mark Whitfield and trumpeter Randy Brecker lead the all-star band that has been receiving critical acclaim across the U.S.

TASTY CLIPS’ TOP CDs:  Pharrell Williams - GIRL; Regina Carter - SOUTHERN COMFORT; Ashanti - BRAVEHEART; Rick Ross - MASTERMIND; Aloe Blacc (who is enjoying heavy rotation on ESPN) - LIFT YOUR SPIRIT.  March 11: Ledisi - THE TRUTH; and young Blue Note trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire's second album, IMAGINED SAVIOR IS FAR EASIER TO PRINT.

HIRING THE HELP: When creator-sensation Shonda Rimes (“Scandal,” “Grey's Anatomy”) calls, even film actresses listen!  And so Oscar nominee Viola Davis has jumped aboard her latest ABC project, “How to Get Away” as a “brilliant criminal defense attorney."…

Things didn't go so smoothly for her Academy Award-winning cast mate Octavia Spencer.  When word got out about her starring in a “Murder, She Wrote” update, fans of the old show and its former star voiced their disapproval, causing a cancellation.  Now Spencer will star as a no-nonsense nurse in Fox TV's “Red Band Society.”

ACTING ROYALTY:  Last year's Broadway smash revival The Trip to Bountiful has been faithfully filmed for LIFETIME and premieres on Saturday at 8 pm. Cicely Tyson, recreates this year's Tony Award winning performance with original cast member Vanessa Wiliams (Ugly Betty), and new additions Blair Underwood (Ironside) and Keke Palmer (CrazySexyCool).  Last week, it had the honor of being the Black History Month selection at The White House by The Obamas. 

TASTY CLIPS’ ON TV: Jada Pinkett Smith is joining the young Batman inspired CW series “Gotham” as a crime boss…

Say goodbye to VH1's “Single Ladies.” It's a wrap! However, renewals came through for “The Arsenio Hall Show,” Oxygen's “Preachers of L.A.” (which will spinoff to New York, Atlanta, Detroit and Dallas); Fuse's “Big Freedia: Queen of Bounce,” and America's “Court with Judge Ross,” which got two extra years ...

Kevin Hart is so large The Humor Mill is reporting he's about to launch his own digital comedy network...

Treme's Wendell Pierce is headed to Showtime's Ray Donovan...

Given the 2 million viewer boost Bravo's “Watch What Happens” got when the spouses of The Real Housewives of Atlanta appeared, could there be a spin-off in the works?... 

The Feb. 27 “Jimmy Kimmel Live” was the second most watched episode in its 11 years on the air.  The guests? Kerry Washington, Michael Strahan, and Juicy J with Wiz Khalifa!  Looks like Scandal's "Gladiators" represented...

Machete director Robert Rodriquez' network, El Rey is premiering the TV version of his cult film “From Dusk Till Dawn” on March 11. He then starts working with super producer Mark Barnett in reviving the wrestling show, Lucha Libre! ... 

AfroPop: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange, the public television series consisting of documentaries about contemporary life, art and culture across the African Diaspora, can now be seen online at www.blackpublicmedia.org.  Season 6, hosted by actor Anthony Mackie is presented by the National Black Programming Consortium and American Public Television...

Billy Dee Williams and NeNe Leakes were announced as new competitors on “Dancing With The Stars”...

‘90s recording artist Gerardo is the lead of an upcoming VH1 family reality show named after his biggest hit, “Rico Suave.”...

Sci-Fact infotainment revival “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey” premieres Sunday on Fox with hip professor Neil deGrasse Tyson filling the hosting shoes of the late Dr. Carl Sagan…

IJS: You mean to say they opened a movie with Forest Whittaker, Sanaa Lathan and Mike Epps and nobody went? #repentance. 

THE GRAMMY FOUNDATION is looking for five students to receive financial assistance for Grammy Camp though the generous support of the Bruno Mars Scholarship Fund.  To be eligible, U.S. high school applicants must complete an online application, video audition and a financial assistance form at www.grammyintheschools.com. The application deadline is March 31. Scholarship recipients will be notified this May. 

GRAMMY Camp offers selected high school students an interactive residential summer music experience. Focusing on all aspects of commercial music, this opportunity provides instruction by industry professionals in an immersive creative environment with cutting-edge technology in professional facilities.

The program offers seven music career tracks: audio engineering; electronic music production; music business; music journalism; a performance track for bass, drums, guitar, keyboard, vocal, winds and strings, video production and songwriting. This real world, hands-on environment will involve an in-depth look at the entire creative process from the first spark of original material through the promotion of a finished product. It will culminate in a launch party.

ENDQUOTE:  "It doesn’t escape me for one moment that so much joy in my life is thanks to so much pain in someone else’s." – Lupita Nyong’o