Tag: Lena Waithe

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Must-See TV: Powerful New DocuSeries ‘Visible: Out On Television’

Ellen DeGeneres (screen capture)
Apple TV+ will debut a powerful, new five-part documentary-series titled Visible: Out On Television on February 14 that will explore how the LGBTQ movement made its way onto the television landscape. Executive produced by out actors Wanda Sykes and Wilson Cruz, the docu-series will feature archival footage as well as interviews with prominent players from the screen and LGBTQ movement. Each hour-long episode will focus on a specific theme such as coming out in Hollywood, homophobia, invisibility and the evolution of LGBTQ characters on TV.
Wilson Cruz, Neil Patrick Harris, Andy Cohen
Narrated by Neil Patrick Harris, Lena Waithe, Janet Mock, Margaret Cho, and Asia Kate Dillon, Visible: Out On Television will also feature interviews with out actors and television personalities including Ellen DeGeneres, Anderson Cooper, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Billy Porter, Rachel Maddow, Don Lemon, Andy Cohen and more.

The trailer opens with DeGeneres explaining how she wanted to come out on her 1990s sitcom and the effect that had on so many lives: “It became bigger than any of us ever anticipated.” “The earliest representations were always people to be mocked,” recalls Cooper. Andy Cohen adds, “The truth is there was no LGBT presence on TV that I can remember.” On the importance of seeing LGBTQ people on TV, iconic talk show queen Oprah Winfrey drops, “When you see images that are reflective of your own life, it is a reminder that your own life matters.” And Lena Waithe shares this compelling epiphany, “I didn’t realize that I was the revolution that I was waiting for.” Boom. Visible: Out On Television premieres February 14 on Apple TV+.

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Lena Waithe To Be Honored With MTV’s “Trailblazer Award”

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Lena Waithe (image via Instagram)

Actress/writer/producer Lena Waithe will be honored with this year’s Trailblazer Award at the MTV Movie & TV Awards.

Waithe made history earlier this year as the first woman of color to be awarded the Emmy Award for ‘Best Writing in a Comedy Series’ for her work on HBOs Master of None. The episode that won her the Emmy Award was based on her own coming out story.

The award recognizes content creators that introduce fresh, fearless and unique voices within the entertainment industry.

Past recipients include Emma Stone, Emma Watson, Channing Tatum and Shailene Woodley.

“Honored,” she responded on Twitter, adding an #IWantMyMTV hashtag.

Waithe recently starred in Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One and is the creator/writer/producer of Showtime’s The Chi.

She also has the upcoming television show Twenties, based on her own early years in Los Angeles, which she is writing & producing for TBS.

Waithe pays it forward by mentoring young, diverse writers through The Black List initiative.

“Lena is shaking up Hollywood and breaking cultural boundaries through her innovative and authentic storytelling,” said Amy Doyle, general manager of MTV, VH1 and Logo, in a statement. “Her unwavering passion for equality and inclusion make her the perfect recipient for this year’s Trailblazer Award.”

The MTV Movie & TV Awards will air on Monday, June 18 at 9 p.m. ET.

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News Round-Up: March 22, 2018

(via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• First, it was Superman star Henry Cavill going all clean-shaven. Now, one of my favorite InstaHunks, Alex Abramov, (above) is teasing his followers writing, “Trim your scruff!” #KeepTheFur

• LGBT series EastSiders was nominated for 6 Daytime Emmy Awards including Outstanding Daytime Digital Drama Series, Outstanding Writing & Directing for creator and star Kit Williamson and Outstanding Actor in a Digital Daytime Drama Series for Van Hansis.

• San Francisco Airport plans on renaming one of the terminals after gay rights icon Harvey Milk.

• CNN president Jeff Zucker went THERE calling out competitor Fox News as “state-run TV.” He added, “It is a pure propaganda machine, and I think does incredible disservice to this country.”

• Two separate research teams believe they’re found links between genetics and being transgender.

• Emmy Award-winner Lena Waithe covers the latest Vanity Fair in style – her own style. Hit the link because if you don’t know her yet, you will love the uber-talented out writer actress after.

At the recent Black Women in Hollywood Awards, she told the crowd, “Being born gay, black and female is not a revolutionary act. Being proud to be a gay black female is.” Now, how you not gonna love that?