By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — The fifth year is often a make or break season for television shows, whether on traditional broadcast, cable or streaming outlets. That’s the usual yardstick needed for syndication, and it’s also an indicator whether stars are still very much interested in the project or growing weary of it. Evidently the cast and crew of Showtime’s “The Chi” remain heavily invested in it, and Showtime has rewarded it with a renewal for a sixth sseason. The announcement was made over last weekend, as the show is now preparing for the fifth season finale. It’s become…
Author: Ron Wynn
One of the greatest athletes in any sport is about to call it quits, though she shies away from the word “retirement.” But for Serena Williams, soon to turn 41 (September), the end of her time in professional tennis represents the conclusion of arguably the greatest career in that sport. She announced this week that the U.S. Open, which begins later this month, would be her final professional tournament. “I have never liked the word ‘retirement,‘” Williams wrote in a statement first published in Vogue. “Maybe the best word to describe what I’m up to is ‘evolution.’ I’m here to…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — As they prepare for their home preseason opener Saturday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Titans are looking for improvement in a number of areas. No one is really taking their opening 23-10 preseason loss to the Baltimore Ravens that seriously other than Baltimore, which has now won 21 straight preseason games and obviously approaches them a lot differently than anyone else. In a game where the Titans didn’t play most of their starters and none of their key offensive members, it was a night where the focus was on key backups and…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — There is lots of anticipation and interest in the upcoming Netflix film “Rustin.” A key figure in the Civil Rights Movement, Bayard Rustin was often kept in the background simply due to his being Gay. But his importance as a strategist and advisor was paramount, and in recent years there’s been the realization that his role had not been properly presented. That should change judging by the buzz being stirred by Colman Domingo. He has the featured role in “Rustin.”’ Though it won’t be released until next year, there’s still plenty of discussion about…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Rap star Kendrick Lamar has already won a Pulitzer in addition to being a hugely successful and influential recording artist. Now he’s among a handful of celebrities who’ve qualified for Oscar consideration in a very special category. There are three Oscar categories that recognize films which run 40 minutes or shorter — best live action short, best documentary short and best animated short. The Hollywood Reporter was first to announce that Lamar was among nominees in these categories. Lamar’s “We Cry Together,” a six-minute film starring himself and Zola’s Taylour Paige as a quarreling…
College football season is right around the corner, but for HBCU schools they face a decision that reflects their unique position. They are being totally ignored in all the talk about superconferences and mergers by the predominantly white institutions. When you read columns in various publications or see shows on sports networks, the conversation is exclusively about the power 5 schools. While the Ivy League, Patriot League and other small conferences are also left out of the discussion, it’s a very different situation for HBCUs. With many major conferences either going to or considering 10-game in-conference schedules, the days of…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — It’s been quite a while since the Titans had more questions on the offensive side than the defensive side, but that’s certainly the case this season. As they prepare to open the preseason with a road game against the Baltimore Ravens, most fans memories of their final game last season was disappointment. Despite a nine sack performance, the Titans went down to defeat at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals, the second straight season their playoff hopes fizzled out at. home. There was widespread disenchantment and disappointment expressed at the performance of QB Ryan…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — President and Michelle Obama chose a special location to debut their production company’s upcoming film “Descendant.” It was the 20th annual Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (MVAAFF), founded by Stephanie and Floyd Rance, which opened Friday evening. It’s a powerful documentary from filmmaker Margaret Brown. It’follows the residents of Africatown, Alabama, the descendants of the Clotilda, the last known slave ship to hit American shores long after the transatlantic slave trade had been outlawed. The Netflix film is produced by the Obamas’ Higher Ground Productions, and the former POTUS and First Lady surprised…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — It was long awaited and anticipated, so it’s no surprise that Beyonce’s “Renaissance” would have immediate commercial impact. The album debuts this week in the number one spot on the Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Aug. 13) with 2022’s biggest week by a woman – and the second-largest week of the year overall. It sold 332,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Aug. 4, according to Luminate. “Renaissance,” Beyoncé’s seventh solo No. 1 album – is the first album released by a woman in 2022 to top the Billboard…
Although he was the greatest winner in American team sports history, Bill Russell’s impact and importance extended far beyond the basketball court. Russell, who died over the weekend at 88, was a pioneer and outspoken force for social justice in an era when athletes were not just encouraged to be silent, but expected to keep their mouths shut about everything except who won and what they did in a particular game. Russell spoke out for Civil Rights, marched with Dr. King and openly defended Muhammad Ali when many others shied away from comment. As a player, he led the Celtics…