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Remembering WDAS News & Public Affairs Director Tamlin Henry
The death of George Floyd at the hands of police has inspired renewed action against racism worldwide, but it has also resulted in some celebrities not quite getting the words right on social media. Actors Terry Crews and Mark Wahlberg are catching it on social media. First, Terry Crews warned about black supremacy resulting in trying to defeat white supremacy without white people because we’re all in this together. That didn’t work out well and social media came for him. Plus, the America’s Got Talent (AGT) host is still catching it for not backing up Gabrielle Union and her AGT toxic atmosphere claims of racism and sexism. Then there was Actor Mark Wahlberg, a.k.a. Rapper Marky Mark back in the day, who called George Floyd’s death heartbreaking and called for everyone to work together. Then his social media timelines became flooded with reminders the 45 days he served of a two year sentence for beating a Vietnamese shopkeeper while hurling racial slurs at him. And, another incident where he stood accused of harassing black fourth graders. Wahlberg had been seeking a pardon from the conviction of beating the shopkeeper.
Meanwhile, the movement continues as a March On Washington will both commemorate the 57th anniversary of the 1963 March On Washington and demand new legislation on police reform with an August 28th, 2020 march. The 2020 march will be lead by members of George Floyd’s family and other surviving family members of those slain by police brutality. Also at press time, all four officers are now charged in the death of George Floyd with Officer Derek Chauvin’s charges upgraded to second degree murder and second degree manslaughter as the cop charged with having his knee on Floyd’s neck.
Actress Gabrielle Union, who was let go amidst much controversy from America’s Got Talent (AGT), fights back. The actress has filed a complaint against the NBC Network, Fremantle Media, Syco Entertainment and Simon Cowell with the California Department of Fair Housing and Employment. Last week, NBC issued a report that despite Union’s earlier complaints directly to the network,no one associated with the AGT made any insensitive or derogatory remarks toward Union. However, there will be sensitive training implemented on the show. Remember, after Union was let go, she claimed a toxic racial and sexist environment on the set of AGT. The actress alleged being told to leave her hair alone, that she was too black and that Executive Producer and fellow Judge Simon Cowell would smoke around her and in the studio. In this new complaint filed with the state, the ante just got upped. Reportedly, Union’s complaint also claims that NBC Entertainment Chairman Paul Telegdy tried to silence and intimidate the actress. Legal experts note these complaints with the state are usually the prelude to a lawsuit. Union’s husband, former NBA Champ Dwyane Wade, chimed in with his support that all this time Union has been telling the truth to make the workplace for other people of color equitable despite his wife’s falsely being branded a liar. At press time, no response from NBC or Simon Cowell.
Who pushed Actress/Comedienne Amanda Seales out of the daytime talker The Real? She only lasted six months!!! So what happened? Seales refused to renew her contract. She says her soul was crushed. Apparently, they wouldn’t let her be herself. Was there friction between Amanda and her co-hosts? She and Jeannie Mai particularly seemed to be at odds, at least politically. Plus, Seales got caught making a face on the zoom edition of The Real when Mai announced she was engaged to Rapper Jeezy. Seales posted a statement on social media denying her leaving has anything to do with her co-hosts.
NeNe Leakes: Let Me And My Husband Cheat In Peace. The Real Housewives Of Atlanta star has alluded in previous interviews to an open marriage. Now, she just wants folks to leave her and her husband, Gregg Leakes, alone. They want to live and let live. If you see them with others, the Leakes just want you to let them pass. Open marriages have been around since the dawn of time. So if that works for the Leakes, groove on.
The NBA is emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are some conditions. The abbreviated season will begin Friday, July 31st with all games taking place at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The season will feature 22 teams and no fans. 13 teams on the western conference and 9 on the eastern conference and the season will end October 12th.
Speaking of the NBA, King James bought the rights to a famous movie franchise. We already knew LeBron James was rebooting Space Jam. Now there’s word he’s taking on a tried and true iconic movie series. James is bringing back the Friday The 13th horror/slasher movies. How will this work? Who is going to be in it? All answers will come in due time. Congratulations King James.
Russell Simmons speaks out! The hip hop impresario has been the target of numerous sexual assault and rape allegations. The stories of some of Simmons accusers have been made into a controversial documentary called On The Record. At first, Oprah Winfrey was to bring the documentary to her platform with her Apple Streaming deal, but then withdrew her support. Then HBO, the outlet that for many years aired Simmons’ Def Comedy Jam, acquired the rights to stream On The Record on HBO Max. Simmons had release statements denying wrongdoing in the past. This week, he visited the Breakfast Club in a virtual interview from Bali and addressed the accusations. Simmons says he passed 9 polygraph tests. He says he feels terrible about the women who may have felt victimized, but he’s not a monster or a victimizer. Simmons also says any investigative reporter will tell you those stories never should have been printed much less made into a movie. Stay tuned for more reaction on this.
Tyrone “The Bone” Proctor has died. Proctor was a Philly native who became famous as a dancer on Soul Train. Proctor along with Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniels of Shalamar found themselves on the brink of stardom thanks to the fan base they built on Soul Train with their ground breaking choreography. Proctor would parlay that reputation into a professional choreographer for music videos by The Isley Brothers, Keith Sweat and even picked up an MTV Music Award nomination for his work with New Kids On The Block. Proctor’s Philly roots include his being a graduate of Olney High. Jeffrey Daniels says Proctor also earned the nickname The Waack Doctor because Proctor told him you’ve got to wack your head and arms to that beat. Tyrone “The Bone” Proctor was 67-years old.
Singer/Songwriter Bonnie Pointer has passed away from cardiac arrest. Bonnie enjoyed success as a solo artist and as a member of the legendary Pointer Sisters. Ruth, June, Anita and Bonnie all performed together beginning in church and then it was Bonnie who was the catalyst to form the professional singing phase of the sisters’ lives. In the 1970’s, The Pointer Sisters legendary performances on Soul Train with their hits Yes We Can Can, Fairytale, which Bonnie co-wrote with Anita winning her and her sisters a Grammy, and How Long (Betcha’ Gotta Chick On The Side). When Bonnie left the group, she signed a deal with Motown Records, and had a hit with her disco flavored remake of The Holland-Dozier-Holland/Elgins’ classic Heaven Must Have Sent You. After three more solo albums, Bonnie retired from recording and did occasional studio work. Bonnie also did some appearances with her sisters, who carried on a trio and had hits in the 80’s like Jump (For My Love), I’m So Excited and Automatic. The Pointer Sisters were one of the few groups where all members were featured as leads. Younger sister June passed in 2006, and Bonnie Pointer was 69-years old.
Tamlin Henry, one of our beloved WDAS/Philadelphia icons best known as Uncle Tamlin, has passed away. Just about half of Uncle Tamlin’s five decade radio career was spent here in Philadelphia at WDAS-AM & FM as news & public affairs director. Walking down any street in the city with him was like walking with a beloved mayor. That’s because he couldn’t go ten feet without receiving love from someone he supported through his legendary work in community service, public affairs and mentoring. I LOVE IT was his favorite phrase, particularly when he was working. I’ve done countless broadcasts with Uncle Tam like the Broad Street Run, March Of Dimes, Breast Cancer, Kidney Disease, Diabetes, Lupus Loop and Philly AIDS walks. Then there were those summer festivals like Odunde, Neighborhood 2 Neighborhood, Wadsworth Day, Susquehanna Day and the Village Family Reunion. And can’t leave out those live broadcasts from the African American Children’s Book Fair, October Gallery, National Association of Black Journalists, The NAACP & Urban League Conventions and Louise Williams Bishop’s Martin Luther King Holiday Broadcasts, just to name a few, and all leading up to WDAS-AM &FM’s Unity Day. All the time there was Uncle Tam as an integral member of the programming team executing all these events. Past all the huge events, there was Uncle Tamlin, the man, mentoring interns, speaking at schools, fundraising for non-profits who were trying to get on their feet. Before we were texting, skyping, emailing and transmitting, Uncle Tam was on the ground and out on the street to talk to the man and woman on the block or at work to learn what was happening. There wasn’t a situation we encountered at WDAS that Uncle Tam couldn’t help with by picking up the phone and making the connections to solve the problem. Uncle Tamlin also advocated for Philly landmarks like the Uptown Theater, The Clef Club, The Dell Music Center (then the Dell East) and we even hosted a radiothon for Philly’s Freedom Theater. He was there for HBCU’s like Cheyney and Lincoln Universities. Remember Uncle Tamlin and E. Steven Collins in their tuxedos co-hosting the local portions of Lou Rawls’ Parade Of Stars telethon for the United Negro College Fund. How about his “Tiger” Henry times at the Days Of Unity Charity Golf Classic? But the real story of Uncle Tamlin are the countless number of people he’s mentored in and out of radio and guided to great educational goals, family stability and even prominent careers internationally. Uncle Tamlin left huge shoes to fill and a mark on Philly that still echoes to this day. Tamlin Henry was 77 years old.
Comedian George Lopez is coming to Netflix in June. It’s his first special for the streaming network. We’ll Do It For Half will cover everything from politics and race to gender reveal parties and life lessons to be learned from the Latino community. Perfect timing for Lopez because ordinarily in June, he’d be hosting the Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl, and has been doing it since he took over from Bill Cosby in 2013. The June 6th festival was cancelled amid the COVID-19 outbreak. So now you can catch Lopez on Netflix when We’ll Do It For Half begins streaming Tuesday, June 30th.
Naomi Campbell and Essence magazine mark two golden anniversaries in the new normal as both turn 50 in the month of May.
If you would like more info please email me at PattyJackson@iHeartMedia.com or check me out with my midday reports at 10:30am, 12:30pm and 2:30pm during the day.