Ah, yes! The Season of Giving is upon us. And African American celebs are out in numbers as thick as thieves to help us spread and share the love. Prince, Beyonce, Kimora Lee Simmons, Jennifer Hudson, Mariah Carey, Michael Jordan, Naomi Campbell, Patti LaBelle, Ashanti, Sean “Diddy” Combs, and Usher all have one particular thought in common. I’d like to phrase that thought as a question: For the least amount of materials and manufacturing what product will yield the highest profit?    

In my estimation television’s best interviewer is Charlie Rose. Last week or so he led a discussion on the fall television season with critics Tom Shales, Matt Roush, Bill Carter, and Ken Tucker. Oddly, or predictably, the focus of adulation tended to steer primarily toward white male lead performers. Now you realize that I blog for balance, not the money. However, his Jay-Z interview was quite captivating. 

Entertainment Weekly countdowns on how many episodes remain for your favorite television shows. Happy Holidays to NetFlix. 

ABC has picked up a full season of Blair Underwood’s Dirty Sexy Money. Have I ever mentioned this show on this blog before? 

Los Angeles Times writer Greg Braxton informs us on the minimal levels of diversity in television. We all realize that there is a problem on camera, but Mr. Braxton also clues us on the lack of inclusion on the creative teams. 

Star Cedric the Entertainer, Regina Hall, and Charles Malik Whitfield, have been signed for a new “edgy” domestic comedy pilot for ABC. Good for Ceddy! 

“This project reminded me a lot of my own life growing up. Coming from a different environment where we stuck out for having abilities that we later learned, after attending a school like this, were actually gifts and talents.” This is Pharrell Williams expressing himself with regards to consulting producer role for Limelight, an up-coming television drama. As all good ideas go, NBC is developing a similar project with Laurence Mark and Bill Condon, the producer and director, respectively, of the box office hit Dreamgirls. 

Lionsgate, the leading independent filmed entertainment studio, is growing its business with filmmaking phenomenon Tyler Perry and has acquired the rights to the writer/actor/director’s next two films, The Family That Preys Together and Madea Goes To Jail. These titles will mark the sixth and seventh motion pictures in Lionsgate’s Tyler Perry franchise, which in October notched its third #1 box office hit with Why Did I Get Married.  

Rap superstar Nelly has yet to convince Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson to join him in the studio, but still refuses to take no for an answer. My kind of guy! 

“Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” [Henry Ford]