::THE SLICE REPORT WITH MONA AUSTIN

"BlacKKKlansman" stars Adam Driver and John David Washington. The Spike Lee directed film is nominated for a Best Picture.  Lee is nominated for Best Director. By Mona Austin The Oscars may not need a host this year based on the list of nominees that came out on Tuesday, January 22.  Would-be host Kevin Hart backed out on December 6 over a Twitter scandal that riled up the LGBTQ community and led to fellow comedian Ellen DeGeneres trying to get him back on board.  The top notch award show hasn't taken place without a host since 1989.  The Kevin Hart controversy aside , there are a number of reasons the show will speak for itself and be interesting, the most significant of which is the acknowledgement of African American works.  After years of fighting to be noticed, 3 of the 8 nominees for the top award, Best Picture are Black.  Just a few years ago Black Hollywood protested against t he Academy Awards over its lack of color.  Since Cheryl Bo...

buzzz worthy. . . By Mona Austin The SAG Awards picked up the Academy Awards' slack in its recognition of Blacks in film this year Idris Elba receives the award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role for 'Beasts of No Nation' onstage during The 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 30, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. Blacks were honored for their accomplished works in several major categories at the 22nd Annual SAG Awards last Sunday night--an  outcome that will be impossible at this year's upcoming Oscars.  As two of the earliest airing award ceremonies, the Golden Globes and SAGs usually foreshadow what is to happen at the Oscars.  That is not the case this year.  There is not even a remote possibility we'll see a similar string of actors and actresses on the Oscar red carpet, in the audience as nominees or on the stage as winners when it airs on Sunday, February 28 at 4 PM Eastern on...

82nd Annual Academy Awards filled with historic firsts for women, coinciding with women's history month Actress/Comedian/Night show host Mo'nique joined a short list of exceptional African American Academy Award winning actresses last night, becoming the fifth to do so 70 years after the first Oscar was awarded to Hattie McDaniel for her portrayal of a housekeeper in "Gone with the Wind." Award show co-host, Steve Martin joked that comedians don't win Oscars. Proving him and all others who doubted her ability wrong, in her acceptance speech Mo'nique, who played an abusive mother in "Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire", clung to the Oscar and thanked The Academy for not engaging in backroom politics and Hattie McDaniels for paving the way. Fellow comedian Robin Williams presented the award to the 42-year-old. In homage to McDaniel, Mo-Nique wore a white flower in her hair and a royal blue gown along with...

buzzz worthy. . . BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is continuing its sponsorship of the Telluride Film Festival with a series of special events including an exhibition highlighting the history of the festival at the Historic Sheridan Opera House.  Telluride, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, runs August 29 through September 2. “The Telluride Film Festival is a showcase for great films and filmmakers, and over its 40 years has figured prominently in the careers of many Academy members,” said Dawn Hudson, Academy CEO.  “We are excited to celebrate this milestone by preserving the Festival’s history and its far-reaching cultural influence.” Telluride Film Festival recently donated all media and ephemera related to the Festival to the Academy for preservation and to avail future generations of its important place in film history. “The Academy Celebrates the Show” is an installation featuring photographs, documents, vi...

By Mona Austin Tonight is the biggest night in Hollywood and we want to take you there!  I'll be blogging throughout the show, so join me for and up-to-the-minute list of Academy Award winners and highlights. Hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway opened the 83rd Academy Awards with a short monologue following their spoofs of the Best Movie nominations.  Hathaway joked about not being nominated. "Used to be, you got naked, you get nominated!" she said. 8:42 - " Alice In Wonderland " wins first award of the evening for Best Art Direction, presented by Tom Hanks. He mentioned "Gone With the Wind" won the first Academy.  For achievement in Cinematography .. .Tom Hanks again presented the prize in this category. " Inception " wins! 8: 52 Best Supporting Actress Award was presented by the dapper, elder Kirk Douglas.  He says Anne Hathaway is gorgeous and asks where were you when I was making pictures.This is a tight category.  The suspens...