Tuesday, June 09, 2015
Bounce TV Acquires Bernie Mac, Cosby; Remembering Reynaldo Rey, Jim Bailey and Mary Ellen Trainor
Bounce TV -- the nation's first and only broadcast television network designed for African American audiences -- has licensed the broadcast television rights to all five seasons and 104 episodes of the Peabody and EMMY award-winning sitcom The Bernie Mac Show in a multi-year agreement with Twentieth Television. Bounce TV is airing the The Bernie Mac Show Monday-Friday with back-to-back episodes from 8:00-9:00 pm (ET) as of June 1. The sitcom joins The Hughleys (7:00-8:00pm) and The Parent 'Hood (6:00-7:00 pm) in Bounce TV's early evening line-up. Bounce also of course airs A Different World (9-10am) and Roc (10-11am). Bounce TV has also quietly acquired the rights to the '90s comedy Cosby, which aired on CBS from 1996-2000 and starred Bill Cosby. Cosby is airing weekdays from 5-6pm as of June 1.
In The Bernie Mac Show, Bernie Mac stars as a famous stand-up comedian living large in Los Angeles with his beautiful wife Wanda (Kellita Smith). However, their world changes when they suddenly must take custody of his sister's three children when she is ordered into rehab. The critically-acclaimed show, loosely based on Mac's stand-up comedy act, was a mainstay on FOX from 2001-2006. Mac's character being a celebrity allowed for a who's who of stars to make guest appearances on the show including Chris Rock, Halle Berry, Don Cheadle, Charles Barkley, Snoop Dog and Ice Cube. The series was created by Larry Wilmore, now the host of The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore on Comedy Central.
Actor and comedian Reynaldo Rey, who appeared as Ray the Mailman in 227, has died. He died in Los Angeles on May 28 from complications due to a stroke he suffered last year. Mr. Rey was 75.
Rey played the recurring role of Ray the Mailman in 18 episodes of 227 from 1986-1990. He also worked as a writer for two episodes. His other sitcom guest appearances included Sanford, The Royal Family, The Parent 'Hood, The Wayans Bros., Sister, Sister, The Bernie Mac Show and Everybody Hates Chris.
He was the co-host of BET's ComicView in 1998–1999 and 2000–2001. Some of his film credits included Harlem Nights, A Rage in Harlem, White Men Can't Jump, House Party 3, Friday and For Da Love of Money.
Actor, singer and female impersonator Jim Bailey, who appeared in over 70 television and movie roles, has died. He died at his home in Los Angeles on May 30 from complications due to pneumonia. Mr. Bailey was 77.
Bailey appeared as Phyllis Diller in the 1972 Here's Lucy episode "Lucy and Jim Bailey." In 1985, he guest starred in the Night Court episode "Best of Friends" as Chip/Charlene, a college friend of Dan's (John Larroquette) who had undergone a sex change.
Some of his other television guest appearances included Switch, The Rockford Files, Vega$ and Ally McBeal. His many talk show/variety appearances included The Ed Sullivan Show, The Carol Burnett Show, The Dean Martin Show, The Mike Douglas Show, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Merv Griffin Show, Late Night with David Letterman and The Joan Rivers Show.
Actress Mary Ellen Trainor, who appeared as Parker Lewis' mother in Parker Lewis Can't Lose, has died. She died on May 20 at her home in Montecito, California from complications of pancreatic cancer. Ms. Trainor was 62.
Trainor played the role of Judy Lewis, the mother of Parker Lewis, in the Fox comedy Parker Lewis Can't Lose from 1989-1991. She appeared in the pilot episode and seasons 2-3, replacing Anne Bloom after the first season.
She starred as Eve Lukens in the ABC dramedy Relativity in 1996-1997. She played Diane Evans in the WB/UPN sci-fi drama Roswell from 1999-2002. Her television guest appearances included Cheers, Crazy Like a Fox, Remington Steele, Amazing Stories, Tales from the Crypt and The Outsiders.
Some of her film credits included Romancing the Stone, The Goonies, all four Lethal Weapon films, The Monster Squad, Die Hard, Scrooged, Ghostbusters II, Back to the Future Part II, Ricochet, Death Becomes Her, Little Giants, Congo and Freaky Friday. She was married to director Robert Zemeckis from 1980-2000. They had a son, Alex.
We thank them for the entertainment they brought us over the years. They will be greatly missed.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Thursday, May 29
Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "A Tire Convention and the Moral High Ground" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Georgie discovers that Jim’s annual tire convention trip isn’t what he says it is. Meanwhile, Mandy has doubts about the strength of her and Georgie’s marriage.
Ghosts - "The Not-So-Silent Partner" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Sam and Jay are forced to cover when Mark demands to meet the silent investor in Jay’s restaurant who has been holding up construction.
Bob's Burgers - "Like a Candle in the Gym" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Linda forces everyone to go on a family walk; the kids stumble onto a bizarre conspiracy theory.
Grimsburg - "Blue Light District" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Roles get reversed in Flute and Summers' partnership after male sex workers start turning up dead.
Family Guy - "Cool Hand Lois" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Peter suspects Lois of betraying his trust with Quagmire at a swanky vacation resort.
The Great North - "Sunset Beeflevard Adventure" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Judy joins the cast of a dinner theater production; Wolf and Honeybee help Moon sell jerky door-to-door.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 26)
Thursday, May 29
- Ricky Gervais (After Life/The Office) - Catch Ricky on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Kaitlyn Dever (Last Man Standing) - Kaitlyn appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Bill Burr (F Is for Family/Townies) - Bill is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Glenn Howerton (Sirens/It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia/A.P. Bio/The Mindy Project/That '80s Show) - Glenn appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Thomas Lennon (The Odd Couple/Sean Saves the World/Reno 911!), Paul F. Tompkins (The Great North/BoJack Horseman/DAG) and Joe Manganiello (How I Met Your Mother) - Thomas, Paul and Joe are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- The Cast of And Just Like That... - E! News has an interview with the cast at 11pm on E!.
- Tia Mowry (Family Reunion/The Game/Sister, Sister) - Tia has a big announcement to help you plan your summer vacation on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings. Plus, she catches us up on family and her hit TV show Tia Mowry: My Next Act.
- Megan Hilty (Sean Saves the World) - Megan joins the hosts for a chat about Death Becomes Her on Broadway on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Sarah Silverman (The Sarah Silverman Program) - Sarah chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Chloe Fineman (Big Mouth/Search Party) - Featured host Vlad Duthiers attends an acting class and partners with Chloe Fineman, actor and comedian, in an attempt to land a film role on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am and on CBS Mornings Plus in the 9am hour.
- Justina Machado (One Day at a Time) - Justina talks about the Broadway musical Real Women Have Curve on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
- Paul Scheer (Black Monday/Fresh Off the Boat/The League) - Paul is telling Drew all about his new memoir and answering questions from his wife June Diane Raphael on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Jack Innanen and Malik Elassal (Adults) - Jack and Malik talk about Adults on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/08 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
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