It’s is Wednesday, June 3rd and NOT Thursday, June 4th, despite the fact that I thought it was Thursday, June 4th and this morning took my car to the service place for its appointment which is scheduled for Thursday, June 4th because time is meaningless.
Anyway.
Here’s a little joy before we get into all the bullshit:
Here’s the greatest tiktok I’ll ever make. pic.twitter.com/PdTouxopny
— Hart (@HartYT_) February 14, 2020
Things are still bad. People are still protesting, the police are still overreacting and this was not actually a scene from the Handmaid’s Tale but a real picture taken at the Lincoln Memorial yesterday:
And I’ve avoided talking about the ostensible subject of this blog, television and entertainment that is TV-adjacent, because it hasn’t felt exactly IMPORTANT right now. But the truth is, for days now, the entertainment business has been reacting to this moment in history in some remarkable ways (there’s A LOT, and I’m not going to be able to get to it all today, but this is a start):
For instance, a recent survey shows that crime shows distort the viewing public’s perception of criminal justice: “It reported that crime shows, which often enlist police departments and retired officers as consultants, overwhelmingly presents a complimentary depiction of police officers as complex, nuanced, and valorized characters. The result is a dishonest cycle that miseducates the public about the criminal justice system by advancing distorted representations of crime, race, and gender.”
The producers and writers of S.W.A.T. have pledged to DO BETTER:
Frustrated, angry, but determined to do better. Onscreen and off. https://t.co/TAMRh7R1pb
— Aaron Rahsaan Thomas (@ARThomasTV) June 2, 2020
And Stephanie Beatriz who plays Detective Rosa Diaz on Brooklyn Nine-Nine seemed to recognize her role in all of this (despite the fact that her show is actually pretty damn sensitive) and announced that she was making a donation to the #FreeThemAll Emergency Fund:
I’m an actor who plays a detective on tv.
If you currently play a cop?
If you make tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in residuals from playing a cop?
I’ll let you do the math. (Thanks @GriffLightning for leading the way). pic.twitter.com/Xxf3dU0urF
— Stephanie Beatriz (@iamstephbeatz) June 2, 2020
And I can’t say for certain that Beatriz was the first actor to play a cop to respond to this crisis in this way, but I can say that she inspired others to do too, including her entire cast:
#justiceforGeorgeFloydhttps://t.co/0k1VlQtP1o pic.twitter.com/D8vOh9cS8D
— Stephanie Beatriz (@iamstephbeatz) June 3, 2020
I’m an out-of-work actor who (improbably) played a detective on two episodes of BLUE BLOODS almost a decade ago.
If you currently play a cop?
If you make tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in residuals from playing a cop?
I’ll let you do the math. pic.twitter.com/En4ww2OSjP
— Griffin Newman (@GriffLightning) June 2, 2020
Writers on Law & Order, Castle Rock, and Medical Police have also followed suit.
Speaking of Law & Order, the showrunner for the upcoming Detective Stabler spinoff posted on Facebook a picture of himself with a VERY big gun threatening imagined looters:
Whew imagine being on this dude’s writing staff and having to dial into the next Zoom meeting 😳 pic.twitter.com/LCDRuMugAK
— Eric Haywood (@EricHaywood) June 2, 2020
And Dick Wolff fired his ass immediately. I’m sure he can find a job at Fox News.
Plenty of celebrities have been putting their bodies on the line and protesting. Keke Palmer went viral in this video in which she passionately and beautifully urged National Guard members to march with the protestors. Watch until the very end:
Watch all of this. pic.twitter.com/YHq0QhXrnw
— Gadi Schwartz (@GadiNBC) June 2, 2020
John Boyega has been VERY vocal on the issue of racism, shutting down Star Wars fans who he has made uncomfortable when speaking his truth. Here he is speaking at a protest in London:
Outside parliament @JohnBoyega tells everyone to take a knee and says black people “I love you” pic.twitter.com/2egDZwmBzE
— SymeonBrown (@symeonbrown) June 3, 2020
Michael B. Jordan joined the protests:
Michael B. Jordan out here protesting! pic.twitter.com/mSGEPwB1Pb
— now why i thought this was jorja (@0v0Mani) May 30, 2020
As did Ellen Page:
Protest happening now at #BarclaysCenter #BlackLivesMatter #NYCPROTEST pic.twitter.com/qP4UYYdnzu
— Ellen Page (@EllenPage) May 31, 2020
Also protesting: Paris Jackson, Halsey, Machine Gun Kelly, and Sophia Bush. Ben Affleck, Kristen Stewart, Fiona Apple, Ariana Grande, and Timothee Chalamet.
John Cusack was attacked by cops in Chicago:
Cops didn’t like me filming the burning car so they came at me with batons. Hitting my bike.
Ahhm here’s the audio pic.twitter.com/tfaOoVCw5v”— John Cusack (@johncusack) May 31, 2020
Insecure actor Kendrick Sampson was hit by rubber bullets in a protest in Los Angeles:
And Cole Sprouse was arrested:
Jimmy Fallon addressed his blackface issue on The Tonight Show on Monday:
Elsewhere, black actors are using this moment to speak up about abuse and discrimination they have had to deal with in their careers. This started when Lea Michelle of Glee fame tweeted out an innocuous tweet in support of Black Lives Matter:
George Floyd did not deserve this. This was not an isolated incident and it must end. #BlackLivesMatter
— Lea Michele (@LeaMichele) May 29, 2020
But her former co-star, Samantha Ware was NOT HAVING IT:
LMAO REMEMBER WHEN YOU MADE MY FIRST TELEVISON GIG A LIVING HELL?!?! CAUSE ILL NEVER FORGET. I BELIEVE YOU TOLD EVERYONE THAT IF TOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY YOU WOULD “SHIT IN MY WIG!” AMONGST OTHER TRAUMATIC MICROAGRESSIONS THAT MADE ME QUESTION A CAREER IN HOLLYWOOD… https://t.co/RkcaMBmtDA
— SAMEYAAAAAA (@Sammie_Ware) June 2, 2020
And Ware was backed up by fellow Gleeks:
— Amber Patrice Riley (@MsAmberPRiley) June 2, 2020
https://t.co/80ohlWM4Yd pic.twitter.com/tcfQyhgiGP
— Alex Newell (@thealexnewell) June 2, 2020
did somebody say cockroaches? because that’s what she used to refer to the background as on the set of glee. but we grow up and we don’t stay background forever sooooo…
— Jeanté Godlock (@jeantegodlock) June 2, 2020
GIRL YOU WOULDNT LET ME SIT AT THE TABLE WITH THE OTHER CAST MEMBERS CAUSE “I DIDNT BELONG THERE” FUCK YOU LEA https://t.co/s4NoLdtqRs
— Dabier (@OfficialDabier) June 2, 2020
Lea treated me so subhuman i left the set of Glee. Pass the 🍿 https://t.co/LKCHadWLqI
— Willam (@willam) June 2, 2020
Melissa Benoist joined the "Let's expose Lea Michele" party💀 pic.twitter.com/OACenIS3m4
— does he like women though? (@rivaigaychou) June 2, 2020
And her Broadway co-stars also piled on. Michele promptly lost her sponsorship deal with Hello Fresh and put out an insincere apology via Instagram for any behavior that “caused [her] to be perceived as insensitive.”
LOL, OK. The days of performative social justice are over — or they should be.
Over on Riverdale, Vanessa Morgan had some criticisms for how people of color are treated on her show:
https://twitter.com/VanessaMorgan/status/1267086887535153152/
Lmao too bad I’m the only black series regular but also paid the least 😂👏🏽 girl i could go on for days 🐸
— Vanessa Morgan (@VanessaMorgan) June 2, 2020
Late Night with Seth Meyers opened Monday’s show by allowing Amber Ruffin to tell her own story of an encounter with the police:
Not Fun Fact: Ruffin was the FIRST African-American female staff writer on a late-night show. EVER. She was hired six years ago. Six Years Ago.
And The Late Late Show’s James Corden spoke to his bandleader Reggie Watts about his experience. He broke down discussing the discrimination he’s faced in a heart-breaking moment:
And Jimmy Kimmel did a public service by explaining to white people what white privilege is:
3 Brothers-Radio Raheem, Eric Garner And George Floyd. pic.twitter.com/EB0cXQELzE
— Spike Lee (@SpikeLeeJoint) June 1, 2020
Finally, like the headline hinted at, Carole Baskin just won the G.W. Exotic Zoo from Joe Exotic in a 7-year-long trademark case. It is unclear what, exactly, will happen to the animals currently at the zoo, however.
And somehow, Joe Exotic managed to compare his loss to the losses black people suffer under systemic racism and tied it to #blackouttuesday?
Carole Baskin taking my zoo is a tragedy. And we'll get to that. But today is a day to stand in solidarity with those that have been hurt, killed, and worse because they're standing up for what they believe in. Stay strong. #blackouttuesday pic.twitter.com/IB0hMVDl5c
— Joe Exotic (@joe_exotic) June 2, 2020
YEAH, THAT’S NOT IT, MY DUDE. MAYBE JUST SIT THIS ONE OUT, FRIEND.
And in other Carole Baskin news: Hillsborough County, Florida, sheriff Chad Chronister is now saying that two handwriting experts have determined that her husband’s will was forged. You know, the husband she ALLEGEDLY fed to tigers. However, the statute of limitations for the forgery have already expired, so there is nothing the police can do about it, so Carole Baskin can breathe easy. FOR NOW.
Going Viral
The Industry-Wide Safety Committee, comprised of various Hollywood studios and guilds, has submitted a white paper of recommendations of safety procedures for productions to New York and California’s governors. The various guilds will make their own guidelines specific to their members’ areas.
The Good Lord Bird will have a sneak preview at the ATX Festival … From the Couch.
John McCormack, an off-Broadway artistic director, has passed away from COVID-19.
Steven Avery, the subject of Making a Murderer, has tested positive for the virus.
Mission Impossible: 7 is going to resume filming in September.
Oh cool, some movie theaters won’t require masks when they reopen.
Universal Studios would like to reopen in California, please.
Wait, suicides are DOWN during the quarantine? That can’t be right. President FAKE NEWS and Meghan McCain assured me that they were up!
President Virus is moving the Republican National Convention to another city because North Carolina is demanding a scaled-down event, social distancing, and face masks because they don’t want their citizens to die of a deadly virus. So, GOOD LUCK, NASHVILLE!
All Other TV News
It sounds like Batwoman is not going to recast Kate Kane, but rather bring in a whole different character to be Batwoman. Here are some potential problems with this plan.
Speaking of Batwoman, here are 30 great LGBTQ moments from the past television year.
If you’re an AT&T customer, watching HBO Max won’t make you hit your data cap, but Netflix and Disney+ and Hulu and whatever else will.
Renewals
- The Capture has been renewed for a second season on BBC.
Cancellations
- Reprisal has been canceled at Hulu.
- Astronomy Club: The Sketch Show has been canceled after one season on Netflix.
Casting News
- Maisie Richardson-Sellers is not returning on Legends of Tomorrow next season.
- Josina Anderson is out at ESPN.
Mark Your Calendars
R.I.P.
Patricia Reed Scott, Director of New York City’s Mayor’s Office of Film, Theater, and Broadcasting; Emmy-award winning TV host, singer, agent, and first wife of George C. Scott
Peggy Pope, Actress in many TV series, including Soap and movies including 9 to 5 and on Broadway
WATCH THIS
CMT Celebrates Our Heroes: A two-hour tribute to our frontline workers during this crisis. 7 p.m., CMT, Paramount, Pop and TV Land
Spelling the Dream: This documentary looks at the success of Indian-Americans in the country’s top spelling contest. Netflix
Free Solo: To celebrate the third anniversary of Alex Honnold’s record-breaking three-hour and 56-minute ascent of the daunting face of El Capitan Peak without rope or safety gear. 2 p.m., Nat Geo
Late Night:
- Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Rachel McAdams, Rob Gronkowski, Sia
- Late Night with Seth Meyers: Amanda Peet, Ramy Youssef
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Kristen Bell, TV on the Radio
- The Late Late Show with James Corden: Dakota Johnson, Eric Garcetti
- Jimmy Kimmel Live: Regina King
- The Daily Show: The Daily Social Distancing Show
- Conan: Tracee Ellis Ross
WEDS. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
ABC | Up | Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (new) |
CBS | Game On! (new) |
SEAL Team (repeat) |
S.W.A.T. (repeat) |
CW | The 100 (new) |
Bulletproof (repeat) |
Local |
FOX | MasterChef/b> (repeat) |
Ultimate Tag (new) |
News/Local |
NBC | Chicago Med (repeat) |
Chicago Fire (repeat) |
Chicago P.D. (repeat) |