Amidst an ongoing backlash that’s seen her resign from the boards of colleges and nonprofit organizations as well as being dropped by her publisher, author Linda Fairstein – the former Manhattan District Attorney’s office prosecutor who led the controversy surrounding the Central Park Five case of the late 80’s – is speaking out against Ava DuVernay, the creator of the television special that’s causing the commotion in the 72-year-old’s personal and professional life.

Titled ‘When They See Us,’ the miniseries (which premiered May 31 on Netflix) recounts the reported mishandling of the case’s evidence (or lack thereof) and the impact the unwarranted guilty verdict had on the Central Park Five’s respective lives.  In a new think piece presented in ‘Wall Street Journal,’ Fairstein asserts Duvernay’s depiction of her willfully neglecting key aspects of the investigation that led to the five’s conviction  (as portrayed by embattled actress Felicity Huffman) is defamatory.

That’s not all she said.  Look inside for more:

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Lil Kim is inviting viewers all aboard her ‘Girls Cruise.’

Set to premiere on July 15th, the VH1 series will see the rap pioneer team up with her friends (‘Lady Marmalade’ collaborator Mya, TLC’s Chilli, Pretty Vee, B. Simone, Tiffany, and Char) for a “glamorous vacation of a lifetime” that’ll provide “sisterhood and self-exploration.”

Peep the official trailer and synopsis after the jump…

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Netflix invites Mike Epps to go no holds barred in a stand-up comedy special.

Christened ‘Mike Epps: Only One Mike’ (get it?), the funnyman lets loose like only he can in the hour-long spectacle, which arrives on the streamer on June 25th.

Filmed at Washington’s Constitution Hall, the set sees Epps reflects on the perks and challenges attached to raising four daughters, overcoming childhood dyslexia. and the mysterious infinite wisdom of… old people.

Ahead of its premiere, peep the first look trailer after the jump… (more…)

Oftentimes the entertainment industry sees the names who create, inspire, and execute the spectacle go unsung. However, with a talent and personality as tall as Laurieann Gibson‘s, that couldn’t be further from the case.

First introduced to the millennial masses on MTV’s ‘Making The Band,’ the dynamic, Emmy-nominated choreographer has been a fixture on screens for over 15 years and behind them for even longer.  Now, the “Boom Kack” advocate is bringing her seasoned expertise to the judging table of FOX’s ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ 16th season.

Ahead of the premiere of tonight’s episode, That Grape Juice caught up with Gibson, who waxed honest about her storied career, the state of dance today, the YouTube takeover, and, of course, what viewers can expect from this season of the hit show.

Join us after the jump…

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Seen the video of the proud dad and his talking baby circulating online?

Of course you have.

Now find out how the fun-filled home video was made by DJ Pryor via his interview with CNN’s Chris Cuomo below…

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Taraji P. Henson and Ellen Pompeo sat down for an insightful ‘Actors on Actors’ chat and surprised viewers in more ways than one.

For, their talk saw Pompeo reveal that she hated working on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ because of the wild and truly unruly behaviour she says a number of its cast and crew displayed off-camera.

A twisted and tangled web below…

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‘Aladdin’ is making magic…commercially.

Great news below…

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Camila Cabello‘s meteoric rise to solo stardom after her departure from Pop quintet Fifth Harmony has been nothing short of a fairy tale.  As such, it seemed only fitting for Sony Pictures to cast the 22-year-old as the lead in their reboot of ‘Cinderella.’

The musical comedy, as we reported here, is penned and directed by Kay Cannon and will reportedly see its newest reimagining based on an original idea from ‘The Late Late Show with James Corden’s wildly popular segment, ‘Carpool Karaoke.’ As if that’s not enough, Cabello will also play a major role in the production of the flick’s accompanying soundtrack.

More inside:

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IFC’s tapped big names to assist with the launch of their new sketch comedy series, ‘Sherman’s Showcase,’ including the likes of John Legend, Common, Tiffany Haddish, Quincy Jones, and so many more.

The comedic brainchild of writers/actors Diallo Riddle and Bashir Salahuddin, the “show within a show” tells the fictional tale of “Sherman McDaniels” (Salahuddin) and his variety show ‘Sherman’s Showcase’ (a la ‘The Flip Wilson Show’). McDaniels acts as the ‘proprietor of the imaginary comedy archive that stretched from the ’70s on forward,’ and the show is chock full of musical, dance, and sketch performances that reference each of the eras presented.

Curious to learn more about the high concept comedy/”mockumentary”?  Its season 1 trailer awaits you inside:

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Reshaped and reimagined in various fashions over the years by the likes of Vanessa Williams, Jim Carrey, James Earl Jones, The Muppets, and more, Charles Dickens‘ classic novel, ‘A Christmas Carol,’ has seen the story of its main character – “Ebenezer Scrooge” – presented countless ways since its debut over 170 years ago.

With 1988’s ‘Scrooged’ (Bill Murray‘s classic revamp) easily standing out as one of the most memorable of the lot, Hollywood’s leading comedian, Kevin Hart, is reportedly in talks to remake the family favorite 30 years after its release.

Details inside:

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Welcome to Retro Rewind, the TGJ original feature wheeled out to examine some of Pop culture’s brightest (and more peculiar) moments.

Today, we revisit the true story of the teenager Gypsy Rose and her doting mother Dee Dee.

When Gypsy is struck down by several illnesses Dee Dee vows to fill her child’s life with the care, joy, laughter and support she needs to make it through the impossibly difficult time.

Alas, things aren’t always as they seem.

What happened when Gypsy found love in a hopeless place?

A story one must see to believe.

Take a walk down memory lane with us below…

 

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