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TV BITS: Richardson on ‘Knights’; ‘Class of 3000’ airdate; ‘Mandrill’ on BETJ; ‘Ray,’ ‘Phil’ ratings;
*Actor Kevin Michael Richardson has been cast in the new ABC sitcom, “The Knights of Prosperity,” which has its season premiere on Tuesday Oct. 17 at 9 p.m. The series stars Donal Logue as the leader of a loose-knit crew who scheme to rob the posh Central Park West apartment of Mick Jagger. The Rolling Stones legend will also appear in the series. Richardson has done extensive voiceover work and starred opposite Holly Robinson Peete in WB's “Like Family.”
*Andre 3000,’s Cartoon Network series “Class of 3000” will premiere in November, the network announced. Andre voices the lead character of Sunny Bridges, a superstar who returns to his performing arts school alma mater and teaches music to inner city kids. As previously reported, each episode features original music from Andre and an animated music video.
*BET’s new channel BETJ will premiere a 45-minute performance segment from the new DVD “Mandrill Live at Montreux 2002” this weekend. The piece will run on the cable channel’s “Club J Concerts” program Friday (9/22) at 11 a.m., 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. the following morning; and Sunday (9/24) at 2 p.m. and 3 a.m. the following morning. The CD/DVD was released on Tuesday via Wilson Bros. Records and Kindred Rhythm.
*Oprah Winfrey’s latest Harpo enterprise, a morning talk show hosted by food network queen Rachel Ray, earned the highest rated debut for any first-run syndicated show premiere since the Sept. 2002 launch of "Dr. Phil," also a Harpo product. “Rachel Ray’s” Monday premiere drew a healthy 2.8 household rating/9 share in 55 top metered markets, according to Nielsen Media Research. "Dr. Phil’s" fifth-season premiere Monday earned a 4.9/12 average in 54 overnight metered markets.
*NBC’s Monday premiere of "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," co-starring D.L. Hughley, delivered 13.4 million viewers and a 5.0/13 in adults, according to Nielsen. While it was up from what "Medium" did last year in the time period, it also showed a significant erosion in its last half-hour: down 15% between 10-10:30 p.m.
*Former “West Wing” star Anna Deavere Smith and opera diva Jessye Norman were among the celebrities participating in a private memorial service Monday for former Texas governor Ann Richards. According to columnist Liz Smith, the veteran stage actress “channeled Ann and offered up a dramatic celebratory performance.” The service in Austin, Texas also included “fabulous music from the great Jessye Norman and the incredible African-American Wesley United Methodist Church choir,” wrote Smith.
THE LA BLACK BUSINESS EXPO
The finals of the Urban Idol vocal competition,
sponsored by the L.A. Black Business Expo and
Trade Show and Club Hall of Fame, will be held
Friday, September 22 at the Expo. (L.A. Convention
Center) The winner will perform at the Expo's West
Coast Black Music Festival on Saturday. Admission
is $5 each day. For further info, see www.blackbusinessexpo.com.
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