The Show
Stan Lathan
Steve Zuckerman
John Ridley
Bill Freiberger
Larry Wilmore
Also Directed by Stan Lathan
Def Poetry, also known as Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry or Def Poetry Jam, which was co-founded by Bruce George, Danny Simmons and Deborah Pointer, is an HBO television series produced by hip-hop music entrepreneur Russell Simmons. The series presents performances by established spoken word poets, as well as up-and-coming ones. Well-known actors and musicians will often surprise the audience by showing up to recite their own original poems. The show is hosted by Mos Def. Def Poetry is a spin-off of Def Comedy Jam. As he did on Def Comedy, Simmons appears at the end of every episode to thank the audience. The series included historical legendary poets such as, The Last Poets, Nikki Giovanni, Amiri Baraka and Sonya Sanchez. It also featured poets, Saul Williams, Grammy Award Winning J. Ivy, Jessica Care-Moore and Lemon. Though technically not a poetry slam, Def Poetry has become heavily associated with the poetry slam movement, and utilizes many of poetry slam's best known poets, including National Poetry Slam champions such as Beau Sia, Taylor Mali, Big Poppa E, Mayda del Valle, Mike Mcgee, Alix Olson and Rives, among others. Even poets who are critical of the poetry slam, such as John S. Hall, have acknowledged slam's influence on the show. In a 2005 interview, Hall was quoted as saying,
Roc is an American comedy-drama television series which ran on Fox from August 1991 to May 1994. The series stars Charles S. Dutton as Baltimore garbage collector Roc Emerson and Ella Joyce as his wife Eleanor.
Comedy icon Dave Chappelle makes his triumphant return to the screen with a pair of blistering, fresh stand-up specials. Filmed at the Moody Theater in Austin, Texas, in April 2015.
Dave Chappelle takes on gun culture, the opioid crisis and the tidal wave of celebrity scandals in this defiant stand-up special.
He launched a host of today’s comedy superstars in the ‘90s on the HBO series Russell Simmons’ Def Comedy Jam. Now, Russell Simmons returns to the network for All Def Comedy, taped before a live audience Sept. 7 at the Avalon Theatre in Los Angeles. Hosted by Tony Rock, with DJ Drama, the uncensored special features stand-up performances in a variety of styles from up-and-coming comics, discovered at ADD’s weekly comedy showcase: Chris Powell, Zainab Johnson, Kevin Tate, and Robert Powell, as well as HBO’s Def Comedy Jam veteran Tony Roberts.
A comedy series about what really happens behind the scenes of a massive stand-up comedy tour.
Def Comedy Jam played host to some of the greatest comedians of the 1990s, many of whom went on to greater fame, due in part to the exposure they received on the program. Here, Mark Curry and Steve Harvey both show off some comic chops that that could never air on their respective network TV shows, though Harvey has shown this side of himself in Spike Lee's excellent THE ORIGINAL KINGS OF COMEDY. Rounding out the performers are Don "D.C." Curry (NEXT FRIDAY) and Arnez J. Contains two episodes.
Behind the scenes and Q&A from the audience following the Sticks and Stones special.
Amazing Grace is a 1974 light comedy featuring black comedienne Moms Mabley as a widow who tries to influence the local mayoral election in Baltimore, Maryland, after she discovers that a black candidate is being used by the incumbent mayor to further his own reelection efforts. Mabley appeared in the film, along with veteran actors Butterfly McQueen and Stepin Fetchit, only a year before her death at the age of 81. The film does not deal with the popular Christian hymn (with words by John Newton) but is a play on Mabley's character, who happens to be named Grace. It has been released on home video.
Set in the 1860's South, Booker is the impassioned story of the boy who struggled through slavery to found the Tuskegee Institute. Through the eyes of nine-year-old Booker T. Washington, viewers witness the end of the Civil War, the cruelties that endured after slavery was abolished, and the hard work that led Booker to education and true freedom. Booker is a one-hour drama based on the childhood of Booker T. Washington and his quest for education in the chaotic aftermath of the Civil War. Booker was shown nationally on PBS by the series, WONDERWORKS and subsequently on the Disney Channel, the BBC, and throughout the world. Booker continues to be broadcast and used in thousands of schools in America and abroad. The film was chosen as among the top 10 best home video release for children by Parenting Magazine and best script for a children's drama by the Writer's Guild of America.
Also Directed by Steve Zuckerman
Throb is an American television sitcom broadcast in syndication from 1986 to 1988, created by Fredi Towbin. It revolved around thirty-something divorcee Sandy Beatty who gets a job at a small New Wave record label, Throb. Beatty's boss is Zach Armstrong, who looks like Michael J. Fox but dresses like Don Johnson. Beatty also has a 12-year old son named Jeremy. Beatty's best friend was Meredith, a single teacher who lived in her building, and her co-workers included hip business manager Phil Gaines, and Prudence Anne Bartlett, nicknamed Blue. During the second season, Sandy moved from her original apartment to the recently vacated penthouse in her building. She took in her co-worker, Blue, to help with rent, but the differences between straitlaced Sandy and the very free-spirited Blue became more pronounced as they both lived and worked together. Notably, it was the first time much of the American TV audience saw Jane Leeves, who later gained fame as Daphne Moon on Frasier. Also notable is the casting of a young Paul Walker, who played Jeremy Beatty for the first season. Walker became a leading man in Hollywood some 15 years later, particularly after his breakthrough role in The Fast and the Furious.
Duet is an American sitcom that aired on Fox from April 19, 1987 to August 20, 1989. The series stars Matthew Laurance as Ben Coleman, Mary Page Keller as Laura Kelly, Chris Lemmon as Richard Phillips, and Alison LaPlaca as Linda Phillips. The series was created by Ruth Bennett and Susan Seeger, and was produced by Paramount Television.
Southern belle with a teenage son lands a radio advice show in Philadelphia after she arrives in the city in search of her runaway husband.
Built to Last is an American sitcom that aired on NBC on Wednesday from September 24, 1997, to October 15, 1997.
Committed is a television sitcom that aired on NBC as a midseason replacement from January 4 to March 15, 2005. Although originally broadcast twice a week the series eventually settled in a regular timeslot on Tuesdays at 9:30PM EST after Scrubs. The show starred Josh Cooke and Jennifer Finnigan and costarred Darius McCrary, Tammy Lynn Michaels and Tom Poston. Cooke and Finnigan played two single and extremely eccentric New Yorkers who are subject to constant interference when they begin dating from their equally eccentric friends and Finnigan's roommate, known only as "Dying Clown" or "Clown" who was actually a clown, played by Tom Poston. The show ran for 13 episodes. Clips and fan-generated montages can still be found online, but no official DVDs have been produced.
Chicago Sons is an American sitcom that aired from January 8 until July 2, 1997.
Life with Roger is an American sitcom that aired on the WB as part of its 1996-97 schedule.
Eric and Donny are roommates working in an investment firm so they can do the things they love: Eric wants to be a writer, while Donny’s a budding photographer.
Shaky Ground is a TV sitcom created by Bob Keyes, Chip Keyes & Doug Keyes, which starred Matt Frewer as Bob Moody, a hapless, but supportive and caring father. Robin Riker played his wife and Matthew Brooks, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Bradley Pierce played their children. The show aired on FOX for the 1992-1993 season.
Three Sisters is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC for two seasons from January 9, 2001, to February 5, 2002.