Posted on Sunday, January 24, 2016

Oprah Winfrey’s New Megachurch Drama ‘Greenleaf’ to Have a Two-Night Premiere May 24 and May 25!!!

Will You Be Watching?

Grace Greenleaf (Merle Dandridge) and her father Bishop James Greenleaf (Keith David)
Photo by Eli Ade; Courtesy of OWN

Hello World,

The new original series “Greenleaf,” featuring Oprah Winfrey’s first recurring scripted television role in two decades, will launch with a two-night premiere on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network on Tuesday, May 24 at 10 p.m. ET/PT and Wednesday, May 25 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The megachurch drama from Emmy nominated writer/producer Craig Wright (“Lost,” “Six Feet Under”) and Lionsgate Television will regularly air on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT for the remainder of its 13-episode first season.

“Greenleaf” centers on the journey of estranged daughter and disillusioned preacher Grace Greenleaf (Merle Dandridge, “The Night Shift”) who has returned home after 20 years on the occasion of the mysterious death of her sister, Faith. As she reenters the world of Calvary Fellowship World Ministries, the Memphis megachurch run by her powerful parents Bishop James Greenleaf (Keith David, “Enlisted” and “Community”) and Lady Mae Greenleaf (Lynn Whitfield, “The Josephine Baker Story”), it becomes evident that things are not as virtuous as they seem and that the family’s outward display of faith hides sin and misdeeds.

In the season premiere, directed by Clement Virgo (“Book of Negroes”), Grace and her teenage daughter Sophia (Desiree Ross, “Falling Skies”) are warmly welcomed home by Grace’s father, Bishop James Greenleaf, but tensions quickly rise soon thereafter at a family dinner in the Greenleaf mansion. Grace’s mother is cold and hostile; her sister-in-law Kerissa (Kim Hawthorne, “Rake”) questions her about her faith; and sister Charity (Deborah Joy Winans, “Whitney”) erupts with jealousy at the suggestion that Grace might preach at Calvary.

Later, blues club owner and Grace’s aunt Mavis (Oprah Winfrey, “Selma”) discuss the circumstances of Faith’s death and Mavis reveals some shocking information about Grace’s uncle “Mac” (Gregory Alan Williams, “Terminator Genisys”). Mavis is still estranged from the Greenleaf family and it starts to become evident that she intends to use Grace to sow the seeds of its destruction.

The new original drama series “Greenleaf” from award-winning writer/producer Craig Wright (“Lost,” “Six Feet Under”) takes viewers into the unscrupulous world of the Greenleaf family and their sprawling Memphis megachurch, where scandalous secrets and lies are as numerous as the faithful. Like so many megachurches in America, Calvary Fellowship World Ministries is more than just a house of worship. It’s a home. It’s the center of the community for the thousands of predominantly African-American members who attend services there. But beneath its steeple lies a den of iniquity — greed, adultery, sibling rivalry and conflicting values — a multigenerational matrix of deception that involves the church’s founding family, but also extends to the congregation and prominent members of the Memphis community and beyond. Yet, amidst all of the mayhem and deception, the power of something greater persists, calling everyone to conscience for their sins.

“Greenleaf” stars Merle Dandridge (“The Night Shift”) as Grace Greenleaf; Keith David (“Community”) as Bishop James Greenleaf; Lynn Whitfield (“The Josephine Baker Story”) as Lady Mae Greenleaf; Kim Hawthorne (“Rake”) as Kerissa Greenleaf; Lamman Rucker (“Meet the Browns”) as Jacob Greenleaf; Tye White (“The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”) as Kevin Satterlee; Deborah Joy Winans (“Whitney”) as Charity Greenleaf-Satterlee; Desiree Ross (“Falling Skies”) as Sophia; and Oprah Winfrey (“Selma”) in a recurring role as Mavis McCready.

“Greenleaf” is produced for OWN by Lionsgate Television. Executive producers are Oprah Winfrey, Craig Wright and Clement Virgo.

I’ll be watching this new show, but I wonder why novelists such as ReShonda Tate Billingsley (whose movie “Let The Church Say Amen” debuted on BET last August), Victoria Christopher Murray, Kimberla Lawson Roby and Tiffany L. Warren, who have written books about similar themes, aren’t consulted for projects like these…

Any thoughts?

Posted on Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Donald Trump is Twice as Duplicitous For Saying Two Corinthians Instead of 2nd Corinthians at a Christian University

This Post is Brought To You By the Number 2...

Hello World,

It was already insulting that presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has already proven to have very little respect for black pastors, (see Why Black Pastors Cozying Up to the Donald (Trump) Is the Wrong Thing for the Black Church…), was invited to speak to a Christian school, Liberty University, on the federal holiday of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., one of the greatest black pastors to have ever lived. But I’m doubly insulted that he is trying to pass himself as protector of Christianity and incorrectly quoting the Bible while doing so. In his attempt to quote the school’s verse, he says, “Two Corinthians 3:17″ rather than “2nd Corinthians.” To be fair, the Bible is not known for having easy-to-pronounce words, and people get things wrong all of the time when it comes to quoting the Bible. During my speech on racial reconciliation at my church on Sunday (it went well by the way 🙂 ), I made a note to pronounce Philemon correctly because it is one of those obscure books in the Bible that few people talk about so I’m not as familiar with it. And people are always saying “Revelations” when the book is actually “Revelation.” Mistakes like that when you are not a Biblical scholar are to be expected, but if you are quoting a school’s Bible verse in front of the school while trying to present yourself as a champion of Christianity, you come off like a duplicitous dullard…

His disastrous attempt to dupe Liberty University comes a day after his revealing interview with Jake Tapper was aired on CNN. Tapper asks him about a crazy statement he made last year when he said he has never asked God for forgiveness! Instead of cleaning up his statement, he claims he is above forgiveness again by stating, “I like to be good. I don’t like to have to ask for forgiveness, and I am good. I don’t do a lot of things that are bad. I try to do nothing that’s bad. I live a very different life than probably a lot of people would think. I have a very great relationship with God, and I have a very great relationship with evangelicals.”

Christianity is all about forgiveness! Jesus’ death was in vain if we didn’t need forgiveness! His couplet of statements back to back should show that he doesn’t deserve to come up on Christians which is what he is trying to do. In fact, comeuppance should be in order. And this post better be a warning to Christians who have been supporting his supposed Christian coup d’état.

Any thoughts?

Posted on Saturday, January 16, 2016

BMI to Honor Sibling Duos BeBe & CeCe Winans and Mary Mary at Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards in Atlanta TONIGHT!!!

Gospel Music Legend and 2011 BMI Trailblazer Award Recipient Yolanda Adams to Host the Inspirational Event...

Hello World,

Gospel music superstar sibling acts, BeBe & CeCe Winans and Mary Mary, will be honored at the 17th annual BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards at the Rialto Center for the Arts in Atlanta, GA, on January 16, 2016. Hosted by former Trailblazer recipient and renowned gospel singer-songwriter, Yolanda Adams, this special night will pay tribute to the best in the gospel music community.

“BMI is thrilled and privileged to once again bring the leaders in gospel music together for one of the most unique and moving celebrations in music today,” said BMI Vice President, Writer-Publisher Relations in Atlanta, Catherine Brewton. “The ability to honor superstars BeBe & CeCe Winans and Mary Mary, as well as other gospel trailblazers in a city as steeped in musical history as Atlanta, will make for a truly inspirational night filled with incredible performances.”

BeBe & CeCe Winans were born for musical greatness as members of the Winans family, a dynasty in the world of gospel music. Though they each have impressive solo careers and have taken the time to focus on their individual talents, as a pair they have made musical magic. Their legacy, spanning more than 25 years, has granted them many accolades, including five GRAMMY Awards, eight Dove Awards and a Soul Train Award. Together they have sold more than five million records worldwide, and in May 2015 were inducted into the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Additionally, a new stage musical, Born For This: The BeBe Winans Story, will premiere in January 2016 at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta.

Legendary sister act Mary Mary, featuring the soul-stirring vocals of Erica and Tina Campbell, has successfully crossed genres by blending gospel and contemporary music with the smoothness of R&B. Since the duo began more than 15 years ago, the sisters have proven their star power with five studio albums, two of which reached No.1 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums. Now a household name in the industry, Mary Mary has also conquered the world of television with their own self-titled series on WE tv (Season 5 is scheduled to start on March 3), and as judges for more than five seasons on BET’s gospel singing competition show, Sunday’s Best. Some of their many accolades include four GRAMMY Awards, four BET Awards, seven Dove Awards and two American Music Awards. In addition, they have graced the covers of Ebony, Jet, and Sister 2 Sister Magazine, to name a few. And here is a link to Mary Mary’s BMI Trailblazer’s Playlist.

The invitation-only event, which is part industry celebration and part awe-inspiring worship service, will be attended by gospel music’s premier songwriters, brightest stars and leading industry executives. In addition to honoring BeBe & CeCe and Mary Mary, BMI will also announce the Most Performed Gospel Song of the Year at this memorable ceremony. Also, congratulations to my sorority sister Sheryl Merritt, who is one of the writers for the show!

Any thoughts?