Executive Produced by T.D. Jakes, Derrick Williams & Shaun Robinson, ‘Pride: A Seven Deadly Sins Story,’ – Coming To Lifetime April 8!

LIFETIME PRESENTS THE NEXT TITLE IN ITS SEVEN DEADLY SINS MOVIE ANTHOLOGY

Hello World,

Following the immensely popular Seven Deadly Sins movies—LustEnvyWrath and Greed—Lifetime continues the anthology with a new sin and new movie, Pride: A Seven Deadly Sins Story. Executive produced by T.D. Jakes, Derrick Williams and Shaun Robinson, and inspired by actual events, the movie centers on the story of a famous bakery owner and reality TV star Birdie Moore (Grammy-Award winner, Stephanie Mills) whose past secrets threaten the enormous success she has achieved. Joining Mills are co-stars Thomas “Nephew Tommy” Miles as Birdie’s son, Gabe Moore and Keeya King as her granddaughter, Ella Boudreaux. Pride: A Seven Deadly Sins Story premieres on Saturday, April 8 at 8/7c.

The prior 7 Deadly Sins Lifetime original movies – Lust, EnvyWrath and Greed – attracted close to 7 million total viewers in 2022.

Pride: A Seven Deadly Sins Story tells the story of reality TV star Birdie Moore (Stephanie Mills), whose carefully constructed world starts to crumble — like the baked goods that catapulted her to fame — when her family secrets are brought to light. To salvage her legacy, Birdie must let go of the pride that estranged her from her daughter. Birdie’s pride also prevents her from seeing that her son Gabe Moore (Thomas Miles) is actually a thieving opportunist and that her granddaughter Ella Boudreaux (Keeya King) is just a lost twenty-something trying to build up her life after some missteps. While pride helped drive Birdie’s success, it also made her blind to what was happening around her. Will Birdie finally be able to see and admit the truth, or face the consequences of her pride?

Pride: A Seven Deadly Sins Story is produced by Neshama Entertainment, T.D. Jakes Enterprises, DNA Media Group and RobinHood Productions in association with MarVista Entertainment. T.D. Jakes, Derrick Williams, and Shaun Robinson serve as executive producers along with Larry Grimaldi, Hannah Pillemer and Fernando Szew for MarVista Entertainment, and Arnie Zipursky and Suzanne Berger for Neshama. Pride is directed by Troy Scott from a script written by Felicia Brooker. Award-winning composer and music director, Ray Chew, is the movie’s composer.

In addition to Stephanie Mills, Thomas Miles and Keeya King, the movie also stars Grammy-Award winner Erica Campbell (of gospel duo Mary Mary fame) as pastor Trey; Lucia Walters (Virgin River) as Shanice; and Jaime M. Callica (Ruthless) as Khalil.

The Seven Deadly Sins movie anthology is inspired by novels from author Victoria Christopher Murray, who is a consulting producer on Pride.

Any thoughts?

OWN Debuts Provocative New Unscripted Series ‘All the Single Ladies’

Hello World & Happy New Year!!!

I’m BAACCCKKKK! Have you missed me? I hope so…I’m hoping you will still rock me as I attempt to get started in the new year after another long break. Why have you been away, you ask? I was working on a ginormous freelance project that took all of my extra attention outside of my job, family life and other regular responsibilities. And as I said in my blog description, “I typically blog on Sundays and Wednesdays (to coincide with Sunday Morning Church Service and Wednesday Night Bible Study), but sometimes I may post more or less depending on what is going on in my life… If God can be patient with me, I hope you can too!”

So here we go…

OWN (Oprah Winfrey, baby) never fails to captivate me with its programming and the network is starting off 2023 with a show that will keep my attention every week! Since I wrote a whole novel about single black women, it is a no brainer that I love that OWN’s new show “All The Single Ladies,” which endeavors to provide a provocative view of intimacy and dating in the modern world from the perspective of black women across the nation. The unscripted series debuted on Friday, January 6 at 9pm ET/PT, and new episodes will debut every Friday night concurrently on both OWN and Discovery+.

Each episode will feature four black women of various ages and relationship statuses sitting down to explore a different topic. The conversations will sometimes be comedic and at other times will be heartbreaking, but they will always be real, authentic and heartfelt with the common goal of finding and wanting love. Below is the trailer:

I watched the first episode entitled Side Chicks which featured Crystal, a 42-year-old healthcare industry professional; Jameela, a 42-year-old marketing executive; Nicole, a 43-year-old public health professional; and Stephanie, a 42-year-old marketing director. I loved that the women are in their 40s so they spoke with maturity in the interview format of the show. Additionally, I loved that while the women are attractive, they are not the usual “baddies” that you see on television. They are normal looking women without a lot of accoutrements, if that makes sense. And they had different body types as well. Also, I appreciated that while each of the women served drama i.e. how side chicks derailed their relationships, it was not over-the-top drama that drives much of fake reality television.

Crystal married a guy who was 10 years younger than she was and the guy kept dating like he was still still single. Scandalous! Jameela ended up dating a dude who got her and another woman pregnant at the same time and she referred to the babies as “ghetto twins!” Ha! Nicole received anonymous letters detailing her man’s cheating and till this day she doesn’t know who sent the letters to her. Scary! Stephanie was with her man for three years before he ended a marriage proposal to her with the word “Pysch!” and she kept seeing him afterward. Confusing! Another aspect of the show that I appreciated was how the women spoke about how their upbringings may have affected their dating lives AND they took responsibility for their part in the situations although these men were mostly at fault in my estimation…

Below is an official episode description followed by a few clips from the show and descriptions of the remaining episodes:

Side Chicks – Imagine being pregnant and newly married, only to find out the father of your child has been cheating? Or realizing your long-term boyfriend lives a separate life with someone else? Or seeing on social media that your boyfriend has gotten his ex-wife pregnant? After learning their partners have been unfaithful, four women must make painful choices about their relationships. Below are a few clips from the first episode…

The Swirl Life – When a study abroad trip quickly turns into an interracial, international love affair, a TV reporter discovers that being color blind is no longer the goal. After blind dating online for five years with a man from a different race, a dietician finally meets her boyfriend. A black woman from Compton dates a white man from Malibu. A writer in the coast guard lands her first kiss at 26, leading to a relationship that forces her to make hard decisions about her future.

Why Women Cheat – We often hear about men cheating, but what about women? Four women share their personal journeys from commitment to infidelity and finally, to peace of mind.

Raised By Religion – A teacher confronts her sexual identity, a stand-up comic tolerates an unfaithful husband and two preachers’ daughters rebel against their upbringings. This episode follows four women’s journeys as they break the rules, challenge their religious beliefs and search for true love.

Bad Boys – Four women — a massage therapist, a treatment counselor, a baker and a musician – talk about their past relationships with fast-talking charmers who turned out to be toxic. The women share their tough decisions in an episode that explores relationship illusions, the fear of being alone and personal self-worth.

What Just Happened? – A nurse is blindsided by her husband’s homosexuality, a court liaison reevaluates her long-term relationship with a cheating boyfriend, a writer’s world is turned upside down when the man of her dreams becomes abusive, and an entrepreneur is ghosted by the man she loves. In this emotional episode, four women tell their stories of infatuation, heartbreak and rebirth.

Sexual Awakenings – A comedian attempts to find love with a man before finally embracing her sexuality as a lesbian; a flight attendant finds her own sexual sweet spots after a sexless relationship with a preacher; a chef finds love after a Hot Girl Summer turns into an Auntie Spring; and a seasoned writer finds fulfillment through long-distance sexting.

Red Flags –  Through laughter and a few tears, an educator, a comedian, a business executive and a medical professional talk about their hard-earned lessons after ignoring the red flags in their previous relationships.

Now, what is confusing to me is that while all of the press materials have stated that the show debuted on Friday, the episode Red Flags, which is supposed to be the final episode, already aired. At any rate, if you would like to watch Side Chicks and Red Flags, you can go to oprah.com

And forgive me for going here, but it is my blog…LOL…If you ALSO like to read about single black women and drama, please check out my aforementioned novel Destination Wedding. In fact, the Griffin Area Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated (my beloved sorority) is currently reading it in a four-meeting, online Book Chat Series. The second meeting was Friday, but there are two additional meetings that will be held in February and March. In other words, there is still time to read the novel and get caught up!

To register for this open Book Chat Series, which is on Zoom, click HERE!

Finally, because I do love relationship drama (if it is not my own LOL), I will be watching Prince Harry tonight at 7:30 on “60 Minutes” on CBS! He did not just leave the monarchy. He is torching the joint! Below is a clip from the interview!

Any thoughts?

 

Lifetime to Air ‘Wrath’ & ‘Greed’ from Bishop T.D. Jakes’ Seven Deadly Sins Anthology Movie Series on April 16 & 23!

Hello World,

As a lifelong book lover, I’m always excited at the prospect of learning about a new book! And I’m equally excited to learn when books are made into films, another art form that I love! And when I learn that that an author whom I know is the author of the original book, I absolutely have to support! I’m so excited to share with you that my sorority sister and New York Times bestselling author Victoria Christopher Murray is continuing to be blessed with book-to-film projects courtesy of Bishop T.D. Jakes!!! Keep reading for the details!

On the heels of last year’s popular Lust and Envy movies seen by over 9.4 million viewers in their airings, Lifetime announces the next two Seven Deadly Sins Anthology movie installments, Wrath and Greed, from executive producers Bishop T.D. Jakes, Derrick Williams and Shaun Robinson. Based on the series of books by Victoria Christopher Murray, Wrath: A Seven Deadly Sins Story stars Michelle Williams (Destiny’s Child), Tina Knowles-Lawson (Profiled: The Black Man), Romeo Miller (Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection) and Antonio Cupo (Blood & Treasure) while Greed: A Seven Deadly Sins Story is headlined by Monique Coleman (A Christmas Dance Reunion), LisaRaye McCoy (A House Divided), Eric Benét (Real Husbands of Hollywood) and Nathan Witte (Merry Liddle Christmas Baby). Below are the movie descriptions and premiere dates.

WRATH: A SEVEN DEADLY SINS STORY

Saturday, April 16 at 8/7c

After single lawyer Chastity Jeffries (Michelle Williams) meets Xavier Collins (Antonio Cupo), he seems to be everything she is looking for in a partner—handsome, smart and a lawyer as well. As his affection turns to obsession, Chastity realizes that she has been swept up by Xavier’s passion and abandoned her principles. When Xavier’s jealousy and wrath lead to suspicious actions and dangerous threats, Chastity confides in her mother Sarah (Tina Knowles-Lawson) and turns to her former childhood boyfriend Roger Thompkins (Romeo Miller). But in the end, it is Chastity that will have to fight to save herself.

 

GREED: A SEVEN DEADLY SINS STORY

Saturday, April 23 at 8/7c

Interior decorator Zuri Maxwell (Monique Coleman) had it all – a career she adored, loving family and friends, and a good man in her life, artist Stephon Gardner (Nathan Witte). But greed threatens to destroy everything when Zuri meets handsome benefactor and entrepreneur Godfrey Anderson (Eric Benét) and his fabulously wealthy aunt Miss Viv (LisaRaye McCoy). They have everything Zuri thinks she wants. As Godfrey romances her, she compromises the values and morals that should guide her in an effort to be part of the moneyed world she so desperately wants to be part of.

And if you’re a fast reader, you still have time to read both books Wrath & Greed before the movies air!

Aside: I hope I won’t embarrass Victoria by mentioning this but she along with many other friends and loved ones contributed to my baby shower gift registry. I don’t mean to single out her contribution but since this post is about her books, her generous contribution, in particular, helped us buy our cribs for our twin girls! So please support this generous author 🙂

If you would like to keep up  with the cross section of faith, relationships and pop culture, please click on this link to subscribe to my blog 🙂! Be blessed…

Any thoughts?