Jamie Foxx is back to work and giving away money to average “Jane and John Doe America” and he “loves giving away the networks’ money!” A Grammy, Golden Globe, and Academy Award winning actor and musician, Foxx’s new show, “Beat Shazam” is produced by Mark Burnett (“Survivor,” “The Voice”) and Jeff Apploff (“Don’t Forget the Lyrics!”).
Foxx was recently interviewed by Michael Strahan in New York, as part of the 92Y talk series, and he kept the packed house on the edge of their seats with his stories about his new game show, Hollywood, life, money — and why he’s going back to his stand-up comic roots..
A classically trained musician and singer, Foxx felt that “Beat Shazam” suited his personality.
The talk series was part of his publicity tour for his new show; Foxx made it clear to the audience that his Robin Hood-esque personality is giving away “big brothers’” money to hard-working people, who like him, love music. But expressed that the “Beat Shazam” game show isn’t easy.
On the surface, “Beat Shazam” seems like an easy game; the press notes describe the show as a fun interactive game show that pits teams of two against the clock and each other as they attempt to identify the biggest hit songs of all time. But can the human brain beat the algorithm-based app?
In the end, the team with the most money banked will outlast the competition and go against the world’s most popular song identification app, Shazam, for the chance to win a huge cash prize.
In each round, Foxx will present a choice of two music categories, ranging from ‘80s Favorites to Beyoncé Hits. Teams will hear a song and try to identify its correct title before the other teams. As the rounds progress, the quickest pairs will continue building their banks, while players with the lowest dollar amount will be eliminated until only one team remains. That winning team will play man-versus-machine and attempt to Beat Shazam.
Here is a brief excerpt of the conversation with Jamie Foxx:
L.A. Watts Times (LAWT): Why did you want to come back to TV?
Jamie Foxx: Kevin Hart has a show on TV, I’m jealous. J-Lo (Jennifer Lopez) has a show on TV, I’m jealous. Steve Harvey has a show on TV, I’m jealous. Everybody has a show on TV, I’m jealous. This show, [“Beat Shazam”] is perfect for me because it’s music and it’s giving out money and that’s always a cool thing!
LAWT: What do you love about your new show?
JF: For real? I love giving away the networks’ money! There is a million dollars on the line.
The contestants are everyday, working class American people. When you think about, I mean, If I had not made it …. I remember thinking, how could I ever rustle up two-hundred bucks? A hundred dollars — you know — my alternator went out and I was like … ‘Oh no, what am I going to do? You know? I go to Pep Boys [I remember] and [I] try to bargain… Please just give me one that somebody used!’
It’s touching when people win because most said that the money was going to be used to help people that they love. Isn’t that something? One winner said the money was going to help his mother and another man, it really touched me, he’s going to be able to send his kids to college—debt free. Handing student loans — that was a big one.
LAWT: What was one of the biggest life lessons that you’ve learned and how did you learn it?
JF: Wow. That is a big one. I learned how to act when things were going my way. After I was nominated for an Oscar® for “Ray” I was wilding out a little too much. The Oscars were in February [2005] but in November I was acting the fool. I was like — “We’re nominated, dog,” and I went to clubs and just really making it sort of bad. I remember, I went to an award show and I was messed up, doing all these crazy poses on the red carpet [laughter]. I was really not representing myself right and my publicist said, “Do you want to take a look at yourself on the red carpet?’ He asked me, “Is this really what you want to do because you are going to blow it.” I said [to my publicist] ‘Come on man, I am just trying to have a good time. We ain’t gonna win that shit, know way better, just have a good time.’ I’m all in Miami, partying, fighting and my publicist said, “I do not think that you understand, you are going to mess around and lose this.” And I said to him, “Does it really matter?” Then I get a call from Oprah Winfrey. (Mimicking the iconic voice of Oprah Winfrey): “Hi Jamie Foxx, It’s Oprah Winfrey … Jamie Foxx, what are you doing Jamie Foxx? You’re blowing it Jamie Foxx. Listen. You are blowing it. I want you to understand why it’s important for you to win because ‘Ray’ is a decent character, a redemptive character and we need you to understand how important it is. Listen, I am going to take you somewhere. I will have you picked up in a week, I’ll take you somewhere so you understand the significance.”
And she took me to Quincy Jones’ house. When I walked into Quincy Jones’ house every Black actor — from the ’60s and ’70s — was there to greet me and make me understand how important the moment was. As actors, some had not been performing in 20 years. They all said [to me] I’m counting on you.
Then Oprah grabbed my hand and asked, “Do you want to see the person that you’ve come here to see? He’s right there…” [and I turned] and standing there, in a tuxedo, was Sidney Poitier.
And this is what [Sidney] said, “When I saw your performance [in “Ray”] I grew two inches. It’s important.” And after that night, I got myself together. My little daughter came with me [to the Oscars] and once again, there was Oprah, but her arms were around the whole situation and made it right. I am sitting there with my daughter and just about when they’re going to say my name, my daughter says: “Even if you don’t win dad, you are still a great actor” and they call my name, y’all remember, and Oprah was like “Congratulations, Jamie Foxx!”
LAWT: What’s next? We know about musical game show “Beat Shazam”. What’s next for Jamie Foxx?
JF: I am going back out [to the comedy clubs] for stand up. That’s why I am so on right now. I’ve been in the [comedy] gym so any chance that I get, I share. The stand up performance is being called — “I Got Stories” — and it’s basically all of the stories of [events] that’s happened to me along with some topical stuff that’s going on in my life.
This summer I am going to all of the comedy clubs that I hit when I first started and any pop-ups. I do not know how you are in your social media but if you follow me on @iamjamiefoxx. I will say — boom — I will be here in the next two weeks or boom on this day, so I can do this organically.
“Beat Shazam” on FOX Thursdays, 8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT.
Courtney Kemp Agboh makes being a television show runner look effortless but any veteran in the industry—a white male, dominated and lucrative field—will tell you the honest and raw truth and that it’s not an easy task and those who excel must approach the job with measured passion.
It’s not news to anyone that women and non-white writers continue to be grossly underrepresented, in television, as compared with their numbers in the general public. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) release yearly reports tracking such sad factual numbers. On recent findings female writers, African Americans, Latino, Asian-Americans and Native Americans were underrepresented, respectively by a factor of 2-to-1, African-Americans by 6-1, Latinos by 9-1, Asian-Americans by 4-1 and Native Americans by 12-1.
To help bridge the glaring gap many solid writer programs have taken root and produced some of the finest writers/show creators, of color, which has begun to change the color of a writers room. To become a show-runner — the next step out of the writers’ room — is not a job made to be filled by many. To that end, the WGA created the Show-runner Training Program (SRTP) to address the delicate skills needed to even be considered and even then, for people of color and women, the numbers that actual hold that post is rare.
SRTP is conducted in partnership with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, and the extensive training program is designed to help senior-level writer-producers and recent creators hone the skills necessary to become successful show-runners in today’s television landscape. To qualify a candidate must be an active WGAW or WGAE member in good standing with “Producer” level credit or above on a current, dramatic (comedy or drama) television series and/or an active studio or network pilot or pilot script commitment. A recommandation must be submitted on the writer’s behalf by a current or recent (2013-2016) show-runner, or executive producer, or a network or studio executive (from the development or current departments).
Hopefully, you get a glimpse on how high the mountain top is from the bottom. To climb this terrain, reach the top and thrive requires the strength and skill.
Some of the alumni that has been benefited from SRTP include Cheo Hodari Coker (Luke Cage), Malcolm Spellman and, Courtney Kemp.
On June 25 Starz’s Power, created by Courtney A. Kemp serves as showrunner and executive producer of Power. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Mark Canton, Randall Emmett and Gary Lennon serve as executive producers.
Starting their 4th year, Power follows James “Ghost” St. Patrick (Omari Hardwick), a drug kingpin living a double life who in season 4 seeks to find redemption. The 10-episode fourth season picks up on the heels of James’ highly publicized arrest by his ex-girlfriend, Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Valdes (Lela Loren), for the murder of FBI Agent Greg Knox—a crime he did not commit. Ghost can’t outrun his past choices and mounting enemies this season, which threaten his freedom and his family’s safety at every turn. His fight for redemption brings him face-to-face with the Feds, the media, new allies, and old foes. But the biggest obstacle for Ghost remains himself and his internal struggle between the man he wants to be and the one he really is.
Since the launch of Starz’s Power the main stream media chatter, comparing the series to Fox’s Empire, has been kicked up to provide all the necessary ingredients for a “cat fight”
offering up a ridiculous question on how “can the market place maintain interest in following the lives of complex African-American characters with two different shows?” Incredulous and infuriating at which Courtney Kemp Agboh spoke the truth: “This would never have been asked to a white producer” and she’s absolutely correct.
In 2015, when I had the opportunity to ask Kemp Agboh about her day, this is what she offered to share:
“A typical day in the writers room is like an improv performance, because we are all talking all the time, shooting out ideas — this that and the other,” reveled Agboh who, underscoring her point, snapped her slender fingers in a fast, syncopated beat. “In order to write for television, you must be able to come up with an idea, really fast, have a conversation and understand why it works, or doesn’t work (and) understand its’ greater implications.”
Case in point, Agboh brought up the second episode, of the first season, which she wrote, where she placed a key chain into the story, she added that this series is “very well plotted and for an audience that pays attention, it’s [the key chain] a gift, to be appreciated and understood later.”
Looking back over three seasons of Power, it’s easy to, now, fully appreciate her level of detail: hindsight being 20/20. She continued, “It’s a little thing for them [Ghost and Angela, played by Lela Loren] stealing something, together, as kids, but then we ask [creatively] ‘what does that mean later?’ — I learned a lot of lessons, while writing for the Good Wife — when you drop, some little tiny hint, you always try to connect that later. It’s a gift for an audience, that’s paying attention, but it’s also about the fact that the whole show is about the domino effect, how one decision — made over here — will carry over here.”
More with Courtney Kemp Agboh and the 4th season of Power in June.
“Think of your assembly as the California version of Congress,” said California Assemblymember Sebastian Ridley-Thomas, who visited the Sentinel recently to talk about his role in the state’s economic development, health care, his job description and the legacy he hopes to leave.
“If you’re more oriented to the private sector, we’re the board of directors for the 176 billion dollar corporation known as the state of California. We make decisions at the policy level to guide where money, where administration and where resources go to impact the lives of Californians in health care, welfare, transportation, management of natural resources including parks, mineral resources, the ocean, trees, water, etc., as well as public safety with our state prison system and any number of economic activities that help make the state golden.”
Ridley-Thomas began his work in the State Assembly in 2013 at age 26. Before that, he had been the public policy director for then State Senator Curren Price, advising him on things like workforce development, transportation and housing. Ridley- Thomas, the son of L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, was reelected to the Assembly in 2014.
Currently, the assemblymember serves on four Assembly Standing Committees. He is chair of the Revenue & Taxation Committee and a member of the Health, Banking and Finance, and Local Government committees. He previously served on the Appropriations, Elections, Public Safety, Labor, Rules, and Water Committees. In public advocacy, the young Ridley-Thomas said he is focused on creating a more just and fair society, championing inclusiveness in a variety of realms: increasing access to high-quality public education; millennial empowerment; protection of seniors; creating equal access to health resources; supporting and promoting the inclusion of minority businesses in private and public sector contracting and procurement; and eliminating homelessness in this legislative session.
“I came as child of South Los Angeles in the Crenshaw District to consciousness as one who believed in positive economic growth,” Ridley Thomas explained to the Sentinel.
“When I was born in the late 1980s, L.A. was the murder capital of the world and our cities were in urban decline. Nobody wanted to live downtown, nobody wanted to live in then South Central…”
Seeing these issues as an adolescent led him to focus improving economic opportunities for the underserved as a way to continue the Civil Rights Movement for his generation.
“The people who held [Los Angeles] together were the homeowners, the religious leaders, the community members, the activists, the newspapers, the community developers,” he said.
“And, it was from that, that I realized the importance of economics. That’s what led me to pursue my studies, that’s what led me to be focused on the heroes of economic enterprising opportunities [like] A. Phillip Randolph, Roy Wilkins… civil rights and economic opportunity go hand in hand in my mind. That’s what the modern civil rights movement has meant to me.
“If the movement is to continue, it has to be through making sure the people can earn a decent wage, to start and maintain a business and that we can have black dollars work for us in our community for the better.”
Ridley-Thomas said undertakings like the developing transit system in L.A. County for instance will be instrumental in accomplishing that by creating jobs and a variety of other opportunities. But there are also matters like the immigration/ sanctuary city issue and health care that can affect the economy here. These are the things that he and the other assemblymembers are keeping close watch over and communication with the Federal Government for.
Washington’s recent, albeit failed efforts to repeal and replace the Obama administration’s Affordable Care Act, is not something California takes lightly, he said.
“Here’s the whole point about health care that often gets lost,” Ridley Thomas explained.
“If people don’t have insurance, they go to the emergency room to receive care or they die early. That means two things: One, if you die early that’s lost economic productivity and unnecessary distress to your family. Second of all, if you go to the emergency room, that’s the most expensive care. When California was living the pre-Affordable Care Act life, we had double digit uninsured, somewhere in the range of 20 percent. Right now, we’re at 7 percent uninsured. That means we save a lot of money on hospital visits, we save a lot of money on the management of chronic conditions which means if you look like you’re pre diabetic or look like you got heart problems or look like you got high blood pressure, you can start treating it early in your thirties rather than your sixties when you’re near end stage renal failure and you’re not in the best of health.
“If everybody is in the health care system, the risk and the cost is spread as opposed to the sick and the low income not being in the system and then everybody pays more through higher premiums because they can’t afford the ER costs. The ER is so expensive that a moderately wealthy person could not afford the actual cost of care.
“Not being able to accomplish [repeal and replace] has forced [the Trump Administration’s] hand. So, what we anticipate they’re going to try to do, the president and those who do not care about health care in the Republican party, are going to try to cut it through subterfuge and sabotage.”
“We will not let that happen in California.”
The Assemblymember also talked about the importance of California maintaining its sanctuary cities.
“The reason why [immigration] is so important to appreciate in California is because undocumented immigrants contribute billions of dollars to the economy,” he explained. “They are part of families with mixed documented status. Many of them are working. Many of them put more in than they receive.”
“Immigrants are business owners, they are in the health care sector, they work in all facets of life in California. They pay into Social Security and are unable to receive it.”
During his career, Ridley-Thomas has focused on delivering results for the communities he serves through issues such as infrastructure improvements and public safety initiatives. He advanced public protection by extending the law to evict tenants who engage in gang activity and violent crimes with the use of firearms, and by fighting to make sure the state’s Department of Justice keeps guns from dangerous criminals, for instance.
He has promoted the modernization of the Los Angeles International Airport through sound financing options and inclusion of local/minority/veteran/women-owned businesses on LA Metro projects, he said. Also, education and workforce development have prominent roles in the assemblymember’s agenda.
“My great grandmother said one of her favorite songs said ‘if I could help somebody as I pass along, my living shall not be in vain,’” Ridley Thomas said.
“My help, I think would be in bringing state resources, money, policy changes, people and opportunities. It would be, being able to respond to the concerns of my constituents… jobs, quality economic opportunities and business opportunities, economic development, housing challenges, being relevant and engaged in the questions of today so that they can say, ‘here lies someone who helped somebody.’ That is the greatest value that I derive from public service. That is what it means to me.”
Boyd’s Life Reflections
Chief Jerome Anthony Boyd was the second born to the union of Joe Willis Boyd and June Champion Boyd, on September 18, 1961 in Los Angeles, California. He died on April 28th, 2017 unexpectedly, after suffering a medical emergency at the age of 55.
Jerome attended Marvin Avenue and Hyde Park Elementary Schools, Orville Wright Jr. High and Crenshaw High School. After graduating from high school, he attended Santa Monica City College, where he later transferred to Oregon State University. He was offered a scholarship to play linebacker for the “Vicious” Beavers football team.
In 1982, Jerome’s talents led him to the NFL to play with the Seattle Seahawks. In 1983, he was one of the key contributors in helping the Seahawks earn a wild-card playoff berth, taking them to their first playoffs in franchise history. Jerome played his entire NFL career with the Seattle Seahawks.
In 1986, Jerome joined the Los Angeles City Fire Department, accomplishing yet another life long dream. He regularly challenged himself at every level. His promotions included, Apparatus Operator, Captain I, Captain II and Battalion Chief, a position he would serve for 10 years. This was one of many examples of his tenacity and dedication to success.
On September 17, 1999, Jerome married Caroline Boyd one day before the birthday they share. The couple was happily married for 17 years and shared a common interest in teamwork, live music and travel. Jerome was a generous individual to all, especially the people he cared about and loved. He was passionate about ensuring people worked to meet their full potential and regularly offered time, encouragement and resources.
Jerome was at LAX for several years and one of the major responsibilities was to ensure the safe landing and takeoff of Air Force One. As a result, in 2012 President Barack Obama honored Jerome for successfully accomplishing this goal. He would later transfer to the Public Safety Section. A position he had planned to retire in. In his role he ensured the public’s safety during large events such as the LA Marathon, Taste of Soul Family Festival, The Academy Awards, The Grammy Awards and various concerts.
Jerome leaves to cherish his memory, his mother, June Boyd; wife, Caroline Boyd; daughter, Cherrelle Hanes (husband, Christopher); son, Jerome A. Boyd II (wife, Jamesha); bonus sons, Justin Hull (wife, Kenya) and Corey Lowe; brother Michael Johnson; sisters, Julienne and JoAnnne Boyd; nephew James-Michael Johnson; niece, Shanique Powell; grandchildren Ahmaurie, Aniaha, Ryan, Jayla and Mason; great nieces, Milan, Ayana, and Katherine Powell; great-nephew, Danny Shell; and a host of other family and friends.
Jerome’s Story
By June Boyd
Jerome Anthony Boyd was the second child born to the union of Joe Willis Boyd and June Champion Boyd on September 18, 1961. By the time Jerome was 3 years old he had made plans for the rest of his life. He said he was going to be a football player, a fire truck and own his own business. His father told him that he could not be a fire truck because a fire truck was motor vehicle. Later, we found out he wanted to be one of the men who drove or road on the truck.
At age 5 he taught himself how to swim by watching his brother in swimming lessons. At age 13, he made a job for himself finding swimming pools in the neighborhood that needed cleaning. My husband and I just thought he was outside playing with his friends in the “hood,” but all along he was earning money with the job that he created for himself. This continued to the age of 16. This marked the age when he was able to get a regular job at Pupp’n Taco. At the age of 18, he had saved enough money to purchase his first car. A Sunbird with the license plate JRATEDX.
Jerome went to Santa Monica City Collgee while his late brother, Jeffrey attended Los Angeles City College. At one point the brothers had to play against each other and Jerome told the family to go sit on his brother’s side because he was going to need the support after Jerome’s team won and they did. Several colleges recruited Jerome to play football as well a his brother Jeffrey. They decided instead of playing against each other, they would play together at Oregon State University, (the Beavers).
While attending Santa Monica City College, Jerome met Ruth Murdock from there they transferred to Oregon and were later married. To this union produced my grandchildren Cherrelle and Jerome Boyd II.
Domino’s was Jerome’s favorite hobby. He was so passionate about the game he even wrote an instruction book on how to play and later sold them. He and his lifelong friends from the “hood,” played fearlessly. Skating was another passion, one of Jerome’s passions where her met, Caroline Hull and they were later married.
Jerome was preceded in death by his father Joe Willis Boyd and his brother Jeffrey Alonzo Boyd. As his mother I witnessed a true gem. He made a proud mother.
My Story
By Caroline J. Boyd
I first laid my eyes on Jerome A. Boyd at a skating rink called World on Wheels. Being the smooth talker he was, he approached me and told me I was too young to be there on a night designated for 25 and older skaters. I sassed him and said I would be 25 years old in one month. This is when we realized we shared the same birthday. From that day forward we were inseparable.
We dated for eight years before deciding to get married. Once married, I vowed to make him the happiest husband ever. Not realizing the challenge I was taking on, I was up for it and took on the challenge no questions asked. The more I took care of him the more he loved and pampered me. He treated me like a Queen, regularly paying me attention and filling my every need. His saying for me was, “your happiness is my main priority.” He made our marriage so special.
Early in our marriage I wanted to express how happy he made me, so I wrote him a “certificate of my love” letter. I felt every word in my heart (a bit corny, but true). He kept it in our home office next to the computer, a place he visited often.
Jerome was my best friend and always had my best interest at heart. Although, we won’t grow old together as we’d planned I am grateful for the times we shared and the memories that will forever be embedded in my heart.
Certificate of my Love
I love you not only for what you are,
but what I am when I am with you.
I love you not only for what you
have made of yourself,
but for what you helped make of me.
I love you not only for the care
in your heart, but for the tender care
you share for both of us.
I love you not only for your sexy body,
but for your handsome smile.