Rom-Com Webseries 12 STEPS TO RECOVERY, Still Going Strong

Tony Clomax's webseries, 12 Steps to Recovery, has taken the internet by storm since late summer. No, it's not a drug tale, but a romantic comedy set in NYC about a lovetorn actor named Parrish (played by Kaleber Soze - who also co-stars in my coming-of-age short A Little bit of More) who after being dumped by his long-time girlfriend is set up on 12 dates by his best friends Dani and Blue (Erika Myers & Stephen Hill).

Often described as 'Sex and The City meets Curb Your Enthusiasm with some cinnamon and spice', Parrish's journey back to the land of dating and love is a laugh out loud, sexy jaunt, filmed with beautiful precision by director Clomax, who also serves as Executive Producer. The series also guest stars a veritable who's-who of local New York actors, musicians, personalities, etc. which aside from the series entertainment value also helped propel it's success.

Having resumed it's new set of episodes with #7 this past Monday, read my article from the latest Film & Festivals magazine (of which I'm a recurring writer) to find out more about the genesis and future of the series; it's on pages 26 & 27.


To see 12 Steps to Recovery go to VisionTube.tv or YouTube.com/12stepswebseries

Here's the second, outrageous episode, just to wet your whistle - 12 Steps to Recovery - episode 2: Spoken Word

Exclusive Interview w/ Carmen Madden, Director of “Everyday Black Man”

While at this year’s Urbanworld Film Festival, I was blessed enough to meet Carmen Madden, the upbeat Writer/Producer/Director of the film festival favorite Everyday Black Man. Since its 2009 debut, Everyday Black Man has made the rounds at Oakland Int’l Film Festival, San Diego Black Film Festival, San Francisco Women’s Int’l Film Festival, American Black Film Festival and became the Best Narrative Winner at the Tallahassee Film Festival, Best Narrative Winner/Programmers Award at the Pan African Film Festival and the Best Feature Winner at the Peach Tree Village Best Int’l Film Festival. And I’m proud to announce it will soon appear on DVD and VOD!

The trailer and story have been covered here on S&A before, but for those unaware it’s the tale of Moses Stanton (Henry Brown), a quiet and thoughtful man who since closing the door to his violent past, runs a small neighborhood store while watching over his daughter Claire (Tessa Thompson) who doesn't know he exists. When a young man, Malik, comes in claiming to be a black Muslim that is doing good for the neighborhood, Moses takes him on as a partner but soon realizes that Malik (Omari Hardwick) is nothing but a drug dealer seeking to destroy the neighborhood and Claire. Does Moses stand back and accept things the way they’re going or does he become the man he used to be in order to save his beloved neighborhood and his daughter? That’s the essence of the story.

I spoke via telephone with Carmen at her CLM Productions office to discuss the movie, her career, and her new distribution deal.

Naturi Naughton on "Mad Men" a bust, just as predicted

Well, whoever saw the episode that just aired a few hours ago realizes what I said weeks ago about Naturi Naughton appearing on AMC's Mad Men: her role was a big nothing.

**SPOILERS WITHIN**

Naturi, who for the record I enjoy as a singer and actress, played Lane Pryce's (Jared Harris) new squeeze, a somewhat shock to Don Draper (who can give an ef and has his own problems) and to Pryce's stuffy dad who meet her on a visit to the Playboy Club (or restaurant, or whatever that spot officially was) wherein we get to see her resplendent as a 'bunny', outfit and all. Later in the episode, she's officially introduced (sans bunny ears & tail) as Pryce's new lady and is dismissed as quickly. About in all, sis had about 5 lines total.

I'm still unsure why her appearance was so heavily touted (truth be told, I forgot) since basically she plays the same role another sister played as former cast member Michael Gladis' shocking girlfriend (wha? ...a Black!) - and this sis was the first non-servant featured on the show. I wanted to expect differently for Naturi, but you know what they say about wishes and horses. Considering that Pryce won't be in next week's episode (the character is taking a leave of absence) and that Mad Men only has about three more episodes left for the season, I doubt she'll appear in more than one more episode for the year. Guess headlines about her feature role were overblown and that advertising in 1965 remains as lily as it almost does today.

Still, she was good in what they gave her so I suppose she should be recognized for that.

I'd rather see Carla the maid (Deborah Lacey) brought back. At least her role had some substance and created a somewhat foil to chickenhead wife Betty Draper/Francis' January Jones.

Feel free to chime in.


(originally posted on www.ShadowandAct.com)

Eva Mendes Sex Tape

Eva Mendes Sex Tape from Eva Mendes

The sex tape everyone has been waiting for with Eva Mendes is finally here and you won't believe what kinds of positions she gets into.

The Brothers of Summer

With the new tv show Undercovers premiering next month, starring the already oft-mentioned Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who I know best at Freema Agyeman’s (#1 on my ‘Wifey List’) sister on Dr. Who, and pretty-boy extraordinaire Boris Kodjoe, I thought I’d focus on what seems to be, in a good way, a proliferation of Black men on tv shows lately. Although these guys are supporting characters, they’re playing some pretty intense roles and putting forth some great comedic and dramatic performances. Though none of these are network shows like Undercovers, they are often better (and sometimes better performing) than those.

ZEMIRA short screening a big success!

Just wanted to let my readers (all 15!) know that our August 12th screening of the short version of my film Zemira, entitled A little bit Of More was a success. We had two back to back showings and the room was packed each time. The feedback was instrumental in our getting to the next step as a wide range of film fans, friends, family and other industry folks (actors, producers, programmers, etc) really expressed what they liked and didn't like about it. Thankfully, the latter was a bare minimum.

So Mecca and our D.P. Cisco and I and the rest of the team are going full steam ahead still in trying to make the Zemira feature happen. It's all about the getting the $$$ to finance this now.

film screening - W.A.R. Stories - Walter Anthony Rodney documentary

On Monday, February 8th at the Brecht Forum (451 West Street btw. Bank & Bethune Streets, New York, NY) filmmaker Clairmont Chung will be screening what looks to be a fantastic new documentary on Guyanese scholar, activist and author Walter Rodney, best known as the author of How Europe Underdeveloped Africa (1972), who was assassinated in 1980 for his wide-reaching and popular political beliefs of post-independence Guyana and other countries in the West Indies.



Educated at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica and the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, Rodney was awarded his PhD with honors in African History. An advocate for the downtrodden in the Caribbean, Rodney was among the many who fought for the empowerment of Black folks of the region and publicly rejected the authoritarian role of the middle-class political elite, making him especially poplular among Rastafarians in Jamaica with whom he shared his vast knowledge of African history. When the Jamaican government banned Rodney in October 1968 from ever returning to the country, riots broke out because of his advocacy for the working poor in that country, eventually claiming the lives of several people and causing millions of dollars in damages. These riots, which started on October 16, 1968, are now known as the Rodney Riots, and they triggered an increase in political awareness across the Caribbean. This is documented in his book, The groundings with my brothers.

Walter Rodney is a personal hero of mine. I always said that eventually I would do a doc on him but I'm glad that Chung beat me to the punch. Come out and support it if you can.

For more info on Walter Rodney, go to the website for The Guyana and Caribbean Political & Cultural Center for Popular Education website or to Wikipedia, from which I compiled many of the facts above.

(this is also posted on Shadow And Act's website)

trailer - W.A.R. Stories: Walter Anthony Rodney doc