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A14 PEOPLE & ARTS
Tuesday 18 april 2023
Cedric the Entertainer enjoying life in his ‘Neighborhood’

By GARY G. HAMILTON of experience; he starred
Associated Press in “The Soul Man” which
NEW YORK (AP) — “The ran from 2012 to 2016, but
Neighborhood” might for many, his role as the
be a hit sitcom now, but loveable sidekick, Cedric
needed some careful plan- Jackie Robinson on the
ning before laying down a ‘90s sitcom, “The Steve Har-
solid foundation. “We shot vey Show,” won the hearts
the pilot twice. We had to of viewers. “I really believe
recast. And so, there was that that’s kind of led to
moments where you didn’t my longevity: that idea of
think the show was going to watching Steve, being right
go,” said Cedric the Enter- there close (to him),” Ce-
tainer. “But the elements of dric said of his good friend
it, the idea that it was about and “Kings of Comedy”
gentrification, the idea that brother. “The way he hired,
it was about a Black family the way he got Black peo-
kind of staying true to their ple on the show, how he
neighborhood when they was able to negotiate his
saw white families moving deals all these things were
in … I think it just caught things that I was exposed to
legs and really resonated just by being the No. 2 guy
with people because we in the right situation.”
do it in, of course, a sitcom, Cedric the Entertainer poses for a portrait on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, in New York. It was an especially huge
lighthearted way.” “The Associated Press payoff because at the
Neighborhood,” now it its time, Cedric had a deal in
fifth season on CBS, follows cial justice, pregnancy loss We just raise a question.” ed an episode last season. place to lead his own show.
the Butlers, a Black family and white privilege. But as The milestone episode was The St. Louis-area native But after seeing Harvey’s
led by Calvin (Cedric) and more issues emerge like at- directed by Cedric, who began his career in stand- early sitcom, “The Boys,”
Tina ( Tichina Arnold ) as tempts to ban books and also serves as an executive up comedy, although later last only one season, he
they coexist with their white critical race theory, Cedric producer. He said sitting than most; after graduat- chose learn and observe,
neighbors, Dave (Max believes his show is more in the big chair has been ing from Southeast Missouri rather than jumping into
Greenfield) and Gemma than capable of exploring the next progression of his State University, he worked leading a show head-first.
Johnson (Beth Behrs), who them. “One of the great show responsibilities. “It was for State Farm before diving “It’s hard to knock that
moved from the Midwest testaments to the show is only natural for me to kind into professional comedy in down when someone is
to a predominately Black that we try not to preach it, of really morph into direct- his mid-20s. After making a kind of saying, ‘Hey, you’re
neighborhood in Pasa- but we also aren’t afraid to ing because I can see the name for himself locally, he the man!’ … I kind of saw
dena, California. The show kind of just dive in,” said the show; when I’m reading the eventually secured host- him fail once. And I was
celebrated its 100th epi- former Emmys host. “We scripts, I kind of know where ing stints for HBO’s legend- like, I don’t want to run out
sode this week. While not try to … deal with all those people are going to be. ary “Def Comedy Jam” as there and get one season,”
every episode deals with kind of subject matters on And so, that was something well BET’s popular “Com- said the “Barbershop” star.
heavy topics, the show our show without just say- that I’ve been wanting to icView.” While his sitcom “I kind of felt like that was
has unpacked topics like ing, ‘Hey, this is the line and grow into,” explained the star is brighter than ever, the right thing for me to do,
Black Lives Matter and so- this is what we believe in.’ funnyman, who also direct- it’s a culmination of years and it worked out great.”q

Malala Yousafzai working on new book, her ‘most personal’

NEW YORK (AP) — Nobel in 2013, the year before she from Oxford University and Her production company, in the public spotlight, and
laureate Malala Yousafzai won the Nobel Peace Prize married Asser Malik, a Extracurricular, has a deal an intimate look at her life
is working on a new mem- at age 17. manager with the Pakistan with Apple TV+ for a wide today.”
oir, the latest book by the She has since graduated Cricket Board. range of film and television Young readers and pic-
young activist from Paki- projects. ture book editions are also
stan known for her advo- “The last few years of my planned.
cacy for education for girls life have been marked by Yousafzai was targeted by
and for surviving an assas- extraordinary transforma- the Taliban for her relentless
sination attempt by the Tal- tion, and all the anguish objections to the group’s
iban when she was in her and joy that accompanies regressive interpretation of
teens. growth,” Yousafzai, 25, said Islam that limits girls’ access
Atria Books, an imprint in a statement released by to education. She was shot
of Simon & Schuster, an- Atria. while returning home from
nounced the memoir Mon- “This is my most personal school in Pakistan’s Swat
day. It is currently untitled book yet and I hope that Valley in 2012.
and has no scheduled re- readers will find recogni- The TTP, or Pakistani Taliban,
lease date. tion, reassurance, and in- is separate from but a close
Yousafzai’s previous works sight in my story.” ally of the Afghan Taliban,
include the million-selling Atria is calling the new and that group’s takeover
“I Am Malala: The Story of book a “breathtaking story of Afghanistan in August
the Girl Who Stood Up for Malala Yousafzai arrives at HISTORYTalks on Sept. 24, 2022, at of recovery and search for 2021 emboldened the TTP,
Education and Was Shot DAR Constitution Hall in Washington. identity, a candid explora- which shares the group’s
by the Taliban,” published Associated Press tion of her coming-of-age ideology.q