Posted on Sunday, July 10, 2016

Check Out ReShonda Tate Billingsley’s Movie ‘The Secret She Kept’ TONIGHT & Book Signing TOMORROW!

Hello World,

First of all, my prayers and condolences are with the families of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile and the Dallas police officers. Honestly, I’m still processing it all…More on that later…But if you’re home tonight and need a diversion, this is a pleasant option…

TV One is shedding light on mental health in the Black community during National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month with the premiere of its original movie, The Secret She Kept, this Sunday, July 10 at 7 p.m. ET (encore at 9 p.m. ET). Inspired by the best-selling novel of the same name by NAACP Image Award-winning author ReShonda Tate Billingsley, TV One’s original feature film, The Secret She Kept, immerses viewers in the story of a prominent family that lets shame, confusion and misunderstandings about mental illness send them down a tragic path.

Kyla Pratt (Recovery Road, One on One, The Proud Family, Dr. Doolittle) stars as beautiful, high-powered attorney Tia Jiles, who has just married the man of her dreams, successful magazine executive Lance Kingston (Gavin Houston, The Haves and the Have Nots, Guiding Light), and is on the brink of launching a major political campaign when a pattern of erratic behavior uncovers her secret: she suffers from mental illness.

“So often, we trivialize that someone is just ‘crazy’ and we don’t recognize that mental illness is real and relevant. I wanted to show not only was this something that deserved our attention, but that we shouldn’t be ashamed to seek help. If our bodies are sick, we get help. I wanted to de-stigmatize the shame that often keeps us from seeking treatment when our minds are sick,” said Billingsley. “I am grateful The Secret She Kept has been turned into a movie. While the book did exceptionally well, the platform TV One provides will hopefully get more people talking about what so many people see as a dirty little secret.“

The Secret She Kept is an exploration of the impact of mental illness on families, which is far too often closeted in the African-American community and provides a thought- provoking and inspirational story which addresses how far to go to save a loved one when they’ve kept a dangerous secret for years. It’s a question facing Lance (Houston) whose recent marriage to Tia (Pratt) seemed to promise a bright future for both of them. But under the surface, a fierce and frightening storm was brewing. That’s because Tia never revealed to Lance what she and her family, especially her mother Virginia Scroggins Jiles played by Kellita Smith (Z Nation, The Bernie Mac Show, The First Family), have known since Tia was seventeen: she has an illness that takes over her mind, transforming her into a woman struggling with bi-polar and schizoaffective disorder both privately and publicly. Determined to end the cycle of secrecy, Lance, along with his sister Beverly Kingston (Vanessa A. Williams, Soul Food, Melrose Place), set out to convince Tia to resume her medication and enter treatment.

reshonda Viewers are encouraged to participate in a nationwide Twitter Party with Billingsley during the movie’s premiere on TONIGHT July 10, 7-9 p.m. ET using the hashtag #SecretSheKept.

The Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month (July) was announced in May 2008 by the U.S. House of Representatives to enhance public awareness of mental illness and mental illness among minorities. The resolution was sponsored by Rep. Albert Wynn (D-MD) and cosponsored by a large bipartisan group, to also improve access to mental health treatment and s ervic es , and pro mo te public awarenes s o f mental illness. More information is available on the National Alliance of Mental Illness website.

Below is the trailer for the movie…

AND

If you’re in Atlanta, join ReShonda on the 3rd stop of her The Perfect Mistress/RTBWrites Book Tour! She will be at the East Point Branch of the Atlanta-Fulton County Library System, 2757 Main Street, East Point, GA 30344 (404-762-4842) from 6:30pm – 8:00pm on Monday, July 11, 2016!

book signing

Any thoughts?

Posted on Friday, September 4, 2015

Tichina Arnold to Host 2015 Triumph Awards Honoring John Legend, Rev. Joseph Lowery & More…

Hello World,

In a year defined by civil rights cases that have galvanized the country, the National Action Network (NAN) and Reverend Al Sharpton are partnering with TV One to present the first-ever television broadcast of The 2015 Triumph Awards.

Hosted by Tichina Arnold, the esteemed ceremony will be filmed on Saturday, September 12, 2015 in Atlanta, GA, and will recognize the positive impact this year’s honorees have made upon society. Among the honorees are civil rights leader Rev. Dr. Joseph Echols Lowery; award-winning singer and humanitarian John Legend; recording artist and philanthropist Tyrese Gibson; Emmy-award® winning comedienne, actress and producer Wanda Sykes; and Chief Diversity Officer and Global Director of Education and External Relations for Intel Rosalind Hudnell. Performers will include: Tyrese Gibson, Jazmine Sullivan, Estelle, Ledisi & Tasha Cobbs. Presenters include: Mayor Kasim Reed, Nicole Beharie, Soledad O¹Brien & Syleena Johnson,

The awards special will premiere exclusively on TV One this October.

The 2015 Triumph Awards presented by National Action Network and TV One recognizes distinguished individuals and corporations in civil rights, the arts, entertainment, education, business and sports. Honorees have made a positive impact on society by utilizing their talents and resources to help those within under-resourced communities.

The 2015 Triumph Awards are executive produced by Bart Phillips of Sunseeker Entertainment and Christina Norman of Gemini Entertainment. Janaye Ingram is Executive Director of National Action Network. Craig Henry is Executive in Charge of Production and D’Angela Proctor is Head of Original Programing and Production for TV One.

Any thoughts?

Posted on Monday, August 17, 2015

Bishop T.D. Jakes’ New Talk Show the ‘T.D. Jakes Show Debuts TODAY!

Hello World,

As of today, Bishop T.D. Jakes, who already has a worldwide platform as senior pastor of The Potter’s House, a global humanitarian organization and 30,000-member church located in Dallas, is expanding his platform even more as his new talk show the “T.D. Jakes Show” begins TODAY!

Below is a video snippet of today’s episode of the “T.D. Jakes Show in which Bishop Jakes will speak with parents who publicly shame their children.

The show is being broadcast in four cities:

Dallas, TX on ABC 8 at 3 P.M.

Atlanta, GA on NBC 11 at 2 P.M.

Minneapolis, MN on NBC 11 at 2 P.M.

Cleveland, OH on NBC 3 at 2 P.M.

Apparently, there are opportunities to be on the “T.D. Jakes Show” if you fit into one of the categories below:

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW IF SOMETHING YOU DO IS “NORMAL”?
Do you do something that your friends think is strange or unusual? Have you ever wondered whether other people do it, too? Maybe you combine weird foods, or only use the bathroom with the water running, or let your dog eat at the table with you. If you’re curious if something you do is out of the ordinary or even extreme, we want to hear from you.

DO YOU REGRET IGNORING YOUR GUT INSTINCT?
Did you ignore your gut feeling about something important and regret it? Did you fail to follow your intuition and the end result was tragic? Has a decision you’ve made had dire consequences because you ignored your inner voice? If you believe not listening to your gut caused you or someone you love harm or suffering, we want to hear your story.

DO YOU HAVE A GAMBLING PROBLEM?
Do you have a gambling problem and don’t know where to turn for help? If you think T.D. Jakes can help you to stop gambling, reach out to us.

HAVE YOU MADE BAD CHOICES IN YOUR LIFE AND LOST IT ALL?
Has your life been destroyed by the bad choices you’ve made? Have you lost your friends and family because of some bad decisions? T.D. Jakes wants to help.

HAVE YOU LOST YOUR FAMILY’S MONEY?
Have you lost all of your family’s money, and now you’re afraid that you’ll lose them, too? If so, T.D. Jakes wants to help.

IS YOUR MARRIAGE ON THE ROCKS?
Has your marriage turned so sour that you are considering divorce? Do you want to try to save your broken marriage but don’t know where to turn? T.D. Jakes may be able to help.

DOES YOUR BADLY BEHAVING MAN NEED TO MAN UP?
Do you have a man in your life who’s behaving badly and needs a tough lesson on how to do the right thing? Do you know a man who’s not paying child support, being abusive, cheating, ignoring his family, being a bad father or son …or engaging in any other bad behavior? T.D. Jakes may be able to help.

ARE YOU CAUGHT IN A RAGING MOTHER/DAUGHTER BATTLE?
Are you fighting wildly with your mother or daughter? Do you blame your mother or daughter for all the emotional turmoil in your life? If you are caught up in a raging mother/daughter feud and want resolution, T.D. Jakes may be able to help.

ARE YOU ANGRY WITH SOMEONE?
Are you in a dispute or conflict with someone in your life, be they a relative, partner, ex or friend? If you are in a feud and want resolution, T.D. Jakes may be able to help.

DO YOU WANT TO CONFRONT A LONG-LOST FAMILY MEMBER?
Are you estranged from a relative? Were you abandoned by a parent? Do you want to reunite with a family member in order to settle a score? T.D. Jakes may be able to help you.

ARE YOU STANDING BY YOUR MAN DESPITE THE WRONG HE’S DONE?
Do you have a man in your life who did or is doing you wrong, but you’re still standing by him? Does your family think you’re crazy for staying with the man that’s done you wrong? Has your man cheated on you, stolen your money, cruelly deceived you, been too strict with your kids or anything else that could have ended the relationship…but didn’t? T.D. Jakes may be able to help.

ARE YOU HAVING LAST MINUTE WEDDING JITTERS?
Are you planning your wedding but having doubts? Do you wonder if you and your fiancé are truly meant to be? If you want T.D. Jakes to help you decide whether or not you should walk down the aisle, please contact us!

IS YOUR TEEN OBSESSED WITH THEMSELVES?
Is your teen constantly taking selfies of themselves? Does their mood depend on the amount of LIKES they get on their photos? If you are at the point where you are ready to ban your teen from using social media, T.D. Jakes may be able to help you.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR FORGIVENESS?
Do you regret hurting someone and want to make amends? Are you afraid to ask for forgiveness on your own? If so, T.D. Jakes may be able to help you right a wrong.

IS YOUR CAREER MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR PERSONAL LIFE?
Are you interested in having a successful career before settling down BUT your family feels differently? Do your parents prefer you get married and have children instead of focusing on advancing your career? If so, T.D. Jakes may be able to help you.

DO YOU THINK YOUR DAUGHTER ACTS TOO SEXY?
Does your teenage or 20-something daughter dress provocatively or post super sexy pictures or videos of herself online? Has she maybe even talked about making a sex video? Are you worried about the kind of attention she’s getting and where she’s headed? T.D. Jakes may be able to help.

CAN’T FIGURE OUT WHY YOU’RE STILL SINGLE?
Are you a great catch who doesn’t understand while you’re still single? Have you had a lot of boyfriends or girlfriends break up with you and you don’t know why? Do your relationships start out strong only to fade after a few months? T.D. Jakes may be able to help you figure out what’s keeping you from finding – and keeping — the love of your life.

ARE YOU A MESS BEHIND THE SCENES?
Does your family seem perfect from the outside but in reality, you’re struggling with credit card debt, your marriage is on the rocks, and you’re losing control of your kids? Are you worried that if your family doesn’t get help soon, you could lose everything? T.D. Jakes wants to help counsel families in crisis.

WERE YOU BETRAYED BY A BEST FRIEND?
Did someone you considered a best friend do something terrible to you – like cheat with your spouse, steal from you, post something horrible about you on social media, or spread gossip? Do you want to confront her about what she did and find out why? T.D. Jakes might be able to help.

ARE YOU SAD ABOUT A “BREAK UP” WITH A FRIEND?
Did you have a falling out with one of your best friends and you miss the friendship? Did you used to share everything, talk all the time, and think you were true BFFs – only to have it fall apart? If you miss your friend and want her back in your life, T.D. Jakes might be able to help.

Email us at TDJakesProducers@44Blue.com and include your daytime phone number, age, city and state. And please respond ONLY if you’re willing to share your story on TV.

Will you be watching the “T.D. Jakes Show” today?

Any thoughts?