Source: tumblr.com

Who didn’t love the show “Martin”? It was awesome. In addition to the comedic genius that was Martin Lawrence, “Martin Payne,” there was “Gina Waters” (Tisha Campbell), who was a comedienne in her own right. The show has been regarded as such a classic because of the almost palpable chemistry between Martin and Gina. In all of those laughs, you might have failed to realize how strong of a character Gina was and how much she’s just like the rest of us.

Relationships on television shows and in movies can be like a gift and a curse. Sometimes they can be so outlandish that you’re glad it’s not real. But then there are the times that you see a couple with issues you’ve seen in your own relationships and you instantly love them.  These are some of our favorite onscreen couples in television and movies. Who is your favorite?

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Quality shows  featuring positive African Americans just aren’t made like they used to be. They’re enjoyed now through re-runs on TV One and rewound for laughs on DVD/Blu Ray players. Most shows have special reunions to find out what favorite characters are up to but these six sitcoms could use more than just an hour of screen time to catch up. I’m thinking if the Sex and the City chicks could get TWO (count ‘em) movies, why not some of our favorite black comedies from back in the day?

In fact, we even created storylines for the shows to help make them more dramatic. Would you check these out on the big screen?

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Source: BlackEnterprise.com

From BlackEnterprise.com

Actress Tichina Arnold has a knack for landing roles on TV shows that become cult favorites. Most people probably remember her as “Pam,” the sassy, wisecracking best friend on Martin or from playing “Rochelle,” the no nonsense mother who worked hard to keep her family together onEverybody Hates Chris. After a brief hiatus, she’s back on the small screen, co-starring in Fran Drescher’s semi-autobiographical TV show, Happily Divorced (Weds, 10/9c), which debuted on TV Land last year to over 4.4 million viewers and is currently in the midst of a successful second season.

Arnold plays “Judy,” a character based on Drescher’s best friend in real life. The twist, though, is that the real Judy is a White woman, but Drescher was so impressed by Arnold that she just had to cast the multi-talented actress in the role.BlackEnterprise.com caught up with Arnold at a busy Manhattan restaurant and experienced her infectious charm that keeps fans coming back for more. Here, the busy mom and soon-to-be wife chats about her new show, her cover band and how she remains humble.

Martin is now a cult favorite and it looks like Happily Divorced is headed in that direction, too. What’s your secret to landing roles on successful series?

I don’t choose the shows. I think the shows choose me. It’s a blessing. I’ve felt what it feels like to not have money, to not have any prospects of a job and then you get a job. Like, you have to be able to turn stuff down and say no and I’ve done that all my life. If it doesn’t feel right or if I feel like a certain job compromises my morality or I’ll be wasting my time doing something that doesn’t feel good to me, then I won’t do it.

Talk about Happily Divorced, for those who might not be familiar with the show.

It’s based on a true story with Fran’s life and what happened to her. She was married to a man who woke up and told her he was gay. Fran’s ex-husband is the executive producer of the show, so they came up with this idea for the show and I play Judy, her best friend.

It speaks volumes to your talent that you got this role considering that Judy wasn’t a Black woman.

I tell my agent all the time to send me out for roles that are written for White women, green women—I don’t care, because you know, I may bring something different to the role.

And it must be cool that you character actually gets to sing, how did that happen?

Fran had a talk show called The Tawk and by me going on that show it allowed us to meet each other, and I actually sang. When I went up for audition [for Happily Ever After], she was like, “Ooh, I want your character to sing, I love your singing!” So, that helps me getting roles, but it also helps me trust her in delegating the role and bringing another asset to me because Judy is a real woman, which is what I like about her. Judy is a Jewish redhead girl, who’s really her best friend. On my first day at work, I met Judy and she was like, “I’m so glad you’re playing me. You’re the best me I ever saw.” [Laughs]

Read the rest of the story at BlackEnterprise.com. 

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Source: tyesonm26.wordpress.com

I dare you to try and think of one, just one, episode of “Martin” that you could classify as your favorite. It’s hard, right? The Fox show was probably what brought folks home on Thursday nights, and is also one of the few TV sitcoms that many people actually own on DVD, even though it often appears on TV through syndication. It was just THAT funny. Maybe it was crazy Martin Lawrence and his many characters, the silly stories, or just how well the cast meshed together, but this show was THE bomb. Time to take a walk down memory lane, and also look to the present to see what our favorite cast members and characters from the iconic black comedy are up to now. And as always, be prepared to click (so don’t complain).

Source: celebrityworthlist.com

Martin Lawrence

Martin Lawrence did a lot of film and TV work before he landed his own show. He was on “What’s Happening Now,” in Do The Right Thing, and of course, House Party. But it wasn’t until he played insane Martin Payne that he blew up. We loved his penchant for throwing people out when they tried to play him, his hilarious dancing skills, and his back and forth banter with Pam.  He was everyone from Sheneneh Jenkins and old Otis, to Jerome and King Beef (“But first, I must dance!”). Of course, Martin had success during and after the show, appearing in the film, Bad Boys and A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, and then doing a lot of family friendly and crazy movies: Big Momma’s House, Rebound, and Death at a Funeral. It was recently announced that a possible Bad Boys 3 will be brought to theaters in the future. *Excited face*

Source: zimbio.com

The population of the United States is more diverse than ever, but you wouldn’t know it by the TV guide. The number of roles for African-Americans has improved…slightly. There were over 30 Black actors and actresses on the primetime pilots scheduled for last Fall, and sprinkled throughout ensemble casts like Grey’s Anatomy. However, predominately minority casts are few, and largely regulated to cable channels like BET and TBS. For better or for worse, reality television is leading the way for diversity on TV. And that may not be such a bad thing.

Thanks to attractive economics, the reality format has come to rule the airwaves. Reality programming is cheaper than traditional programming in every way imaginable. It requires less equipment, a smaller crew, and fewer paid performers. Networks see reality television as a saving grace to balance the price of programming across their schedule.

Viewers and critics often lament the Black sitcoms of yesterday, complaining that shows like The Jeffersons, Martin, and Girlfriends are nonexistent. But, sitcoms are in decline overall. The popularity of reality television has come at the expense of the sitcom. In 2002-03, reality’s share of the top 10 prime time show audience almost tripled to 63%, while sitcoms’ share declined by more than half to 17%, according to historical data from The Nielsen Company. The television business and viewers’ taste has changed. It’s a safe bet that we will never see the amount of scripted Black sitcoms we had in the 90’s again.

Admittedly, most of reality television relies on well-worn stereotypes of women and minorities to shape its characters. Basketball Wives is not doing the image of Black women any favors. Even in showslike Survivor, minorities aren’t cast positively. Diversity means differences. Differences often stoke conflict, and conflict equals ratings.  Watching Bad Girls Club can give one the urge to weep for the careers of talented out of work Black actors; however, is it possible that reality television can uplift, as well as tear us down?

Maybe it’s a look he gives you. Maybe it’s a touch. MAYBE it’s what you see in him when he’s not looking at you that makes you think, “He got this.” Well, here are some of the celebrity couples that we don’t always see and what the husbands have said about their wives or marriage that might make us say, “He LOVES that woman.” Oh and they better not split up within the next two weeks after we give them these props, lol…

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Many of us know Tichina Arnold from her role as Gina Waters’ best friend, “Pam” on the hit show Martin. And then she reemerged as Rochelle, the take no mess mother of Chris in Everybody Hates Chris. Just because Tichina has starred in some of the best black shows doesn’t mean she doesn’t know her history. We tested Tichina’s knowledge of black sitcoms, with some pretty tricky trivia questions. Check out the video to see if the actress, singer and mother soared or flopped.

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Let’s be as real as possible: not every mother out in these streets is as clean cut, loving, and wholesome as a Clair Huxtable or a Florida Evans. And while the folks behind some of our favorite television shows have done a great job of providing pretty positive (if not smothering at times) mothers, we’ve also seen our share of straight up terrible ones. Some are funny terrible, others have been just straight up bad with a lack of their own home training. Here’s a list of a few that entertained us by being so trifling.

Ashanti once sang, “I wanna be like those girls in the movies, to have a man so in love it makes him drop to his knees.”  And who can really blame the girl?  Unless you’ve lucked up and snagged yourself a die-hard romantic man, for many of us, the big screen is the only place where we’ll get to experience flamboyant, over-the-top and maybe even a tad bit cheesy declarations of affection.  The next time your man gets into a habit of forgetting that you’re a female with feelings who likes to be treated as such, pop in one of these flicks to be reminded how it’s done.  And for the fellas, just take notes: