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THE PULSE OF ENTERTAINMENT: ‘Supreme Court of Comedy’ premier; Ernie Singleton takes business of music to college
DIRECT TV premiers, “Supreme Court of Comedy”
*The owner of the Laugh Factory, Jamie Masada, brought his idea of a court television series with a cast of comedians as judge and attorneys to Direct TV. The cast he chose from some 3,000 comedians that have performed on a regular bases at his legendary comedy club.
“He came to us with the idea and we laughed at the thought,” Direct TV executive producer Ronit Larome states about how Jamie Masada sold his idea to them. “It has a lot of potential. He got all these comedians together and shot it right here (in the Laugh Factory).”
The 10 episode series is, “Supreme Court of Comedy.” It’s a spin-off of the current court TV reality shows only with a twist; the judge is comedian Dom Irrera. Comedians represent the shows’ real people who are bringing their small claims to court.
“I had 3,000 comedians in my head,” Jamie Masada said about casting.
When talking about his comedy club Jamie practically brags, “It has been some crazy stuff going on here. Just a couple weeks ago Katt Williams gave everyone in the audience $100!”
The Laugh Factory is also the place where Michael Richards was caught using the “N” word and where Dave Cappelle broke Dane Cooks record f or the longest comedic performance (before Dane recaptured the title back again).
The “Supreme Court of Comedy” show premiered March 3rd on Direct TV’s entertainment channel 101. Some shows you need to see is on March 10th when comedic/lawyers Jamie Kennedy and Paul Rodriguez go toe-to-toe on the “cross-dressing crossed-lover” case; March 24th Joe Piscopo and Elon Gold battles on the “I think you wet my pants” case; March 31st Tom Arnold verses Sinbad on “the Beemer that got away” case; April 21st Paul Rodriguez verses Tommy Davidson on the “roller derby duke out” case, and on April 28th Thea Vidale verses Gerry Bednob on the “shattered windows, shattered hearts” case.
“I’ve been a stand-up comedian for 25 years playing at the Laugh Factory,” said Thea Vidale, who starred in her own Castle Rock television series years ago when Brandy played her young daughter. “Jamie called me and ask if I would do it, be a lawyer.”
Bunim/MurrayProductions produced the show, with Jamie Masada as executive producer. Direct TV currently has 16.6 million customers in the United States. The Laugh Factory has launched the careers of such comedians as Richard Pryor, Jim Carrey, Eddie Murphy, Robin Williams and Chris Tucker, just to name a few. Bunim/Murray Productions also produces “The Real World,” “The Simple Life,” and “Keeping up with the Kadashians.”
Ernie Singleton, former head of MCA Records takes the business of music to colleges
“To assist people in the entertainment industry and try to help them better focus…and maximize the money they spend,” former president of MCA Records Urban Music division said about the goal of his consulting company, Singleton Entertainment Consulting firm, and his Te Business of the Music Business panel series. “People spend a lot of money and make a lot of mistakes. People say, ‘its who you know,’ but I say its what you know.”
It was what he knew that helped him take Eazy E’s Ruthless Records label, after his death, from having 50,000 in the bank when he was asked to come on board to a company with 16,000,000 in their account. Ernie also took Warner Brothers from ranking number seven to being number one in three years.
“I had to redefine the company,” Ernie says of that assignment. “It was a lot of work. I don’t embrace any of my companies to hire me for life, they were a client, you always have to factor an exit so there is no bad blood.”
All these lessons and more Singleton has learned in his 30 years in the business is shared during his, The Business of Music Business college tour, that will commence on March 29th when the tour travels to Spelman, then on to Morehouse and then Clark Atlanta Colleges.
“It’s about empowering young people, educating,” Ernie Singleton says about the panel series. “The panel series help young people bridge the gap.”
For more on The Business of Music Business Panel Series log onto www.myspace.com/bizofmusicbiz.
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