::THE SLICE REPORT WITH MONA AUSTIN

The Miss America Organization and ABC have announced the celebrity judges for the final night of “The 2019 Miss America Competition” airing live on ABC from Atlantic City’s Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall on SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 (9:00 – 11:00p.m. ET/PT). This year’s judge panel includes a diverse group of artists and entrepreneurs from various fields, including music, television, radio and health & wellness.  Featuring former boxer, author and television personality Laila Ali; nationally syndicated on-air personality and author Bobby Bones; country music singer/songwriter Jessie James Decker; award-winning music producer and television host Randy Jackson; news anchor Soledad O’Brien; entrepreneur and founder of Dry Bar Alli Webb and singer, songwriter, author and television host Carnie Wilson, these judges will evaluate the candidates during the “The 2019 Miss America Competition” when 51 exceptional women take center stage showcasing intellect and talent while representing their ...

   Dwell: A Live Worship Experience Features Special Guests Tasha Cobbs Leonard, William McDowell, Travis Greene, BJ Putnam, MDSN     Integrity Music announces the August 3 global release of David & Nicole Binion ’s Dwell: A Live Worship Experience , a 14-track immersion in Spirit-sensitive, multi-cultural and multi-generational worship.   Recorded live at TBN’s Dallas studios where the Binions serve as guest hosts for the network’s “Praise!” program, Dwell invites worshipers to do just that: put aside distractions and dwell in the presence of God. The project is, as the Binions’ music and ministry have always been, a product of collaboration, creative excellence and decades of servant-leadership. And that is what listeners will hear woven through every track on Dwell , which features guest artists Tasha Cobbs Leonard, William McDowell, Travis Greene, BJ Putnam and the Binions’ 17-year-old daughter and fellow Integrity artist, MDSN ...

NEW YORK, NY  – BET Networks and Beverly Bond, CEO, founder and creator of “ BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™ ” are excited to announce this year’s BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™ Awards taping on Sunday, August 26, 2018 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center’s Prudential Hall in Newark, NJ. The broadcast will premiere on Sunday, September 9, 2018 at 8:00 P.M. ET/PT on BET . The 2018 BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™ celebrants are Academy Award®-nominated actress and GRAMMY® Award winning singer Mary J. Blige (Star Power Award); World renowned dancer/choreographer and Artistic Director Emerita of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Judith Jamison (Living Legend Award); International Supermodel and Philanthropist Naomi Campbell (Black Girl Magic Award); Emmy Award winning writer, creator, actress and dedicated LGBTQ advocate Lena Waithe (Shot Caller Award); and founder of the groundbreaking ‘Me Too’ movement Tarana Burke (Community Change Agent Award). The dynamic, three-time NAACP Award winning “ BLA...

It was hard to say goodbye to the Queen of Soul in a funeral that ran hours pass schedule.  On Friday morning at his Detroit Church, Greater Grace Temple, Bishop Charles Ellis said from the start that is was not possible to do Aretha Franklin's funeral in a couple of hours. We all no why.  It would be  less than honorable to sprint through the homegoing  of "The People's Queen."  So, she had a marathon of a service that lasted 8 plus hours.  One would have had to literally take a vacation day to either attend or watch the celebration of life in it's entirety. While the who's who of entertainment filled the pulpit and front row seats at the service organizers opened up 1,000 seats to the public, who has started gathering at 2:00 a.m  Many stations that carried it dropped the broadcast after 3 or 4 hours, but those providing the live stream online were in it for the long haul so fans from around the world could have a part in giving the Queen o Soul ...

By Mona Austin The fall television premieres will begin  next week. We have the schedule for your planning purposes with  a few assists with what's new and highly anticipated whether it is viewable on the tube or your digital device. At the top of the month BET brings a new mini series, the  Bobby Brown Story  to its programming line up on of September 5 at 9/8 Central and of course Sunday Night Football is back on September 13. LIST OF UPCMING FALL 2018 TV PREMIERE  DATES College Gameday  (ESPN, new season) The Last Defense  (Investigation Discovery, new true-crime series) Baked  (Food Network, new docuseries) Twisted Sisters  (Investigation Discovery, new docuseries) Dr. Phil  (syndication, Season 17) The People’s Court  (syndication, Season 22) Judge Mathis  (syndication, Season 20) The View  ( ABC , Season 22) Mayans M.C.  (FX, new drama series) The Purge  (USA/Syfy, new drama series) Model Squad...

Arizona Senator John McCain was an outlier.  Fellow Republicans often criticized his independent thoughts.   Staunch Conservatives viewed him as  President Barack Obama's "lap dog" on foreign policy.  McCain was one of few swing votes in the Senate with a Conservative majority got its way most of the time.  He was his own man yet he kept the needs of others at heart and that quality led him to establishing a relationship with Pres. Barack Obama.  Obama's office released the following statement upon McCain's passing: John McCain and I were members of different generations, came from completely different backgrounds, and competed at the highest level of politics. But we shared, for all our differences, a fidelity to something higher – the ideals for which generations of Americans and immigrants alike have fought, marched, and sacrificed. We saw our political battles, even, as a privilege, something noble, an opportunity to serve a...

(Jersey City, NJ) --   Anthony Ponder & Ministry's Desire (APMD)  are a collective of singers in the New Jersey area who focus on authentic music ministry.  Founder Anthony Ponder directs these young but seasoned singers who released their Billboard charting  single  "Favor"   earlier this year.  APMD's "Favor" single features popular choir director  Natalie Wilson  and boasts vocal production by multiple award winning singer, songwriter  Vashawn Mitchell .   APMD has developed their powerful and poignant artistry in part by gleaning from many of Gospel music's greatest artists.  As they continue to develop and elevate their craft artistically and broaden their brand notoriety, APMD feels it is important to acknowledge and honor some of the pillars of the Gospel music genre.  Anthony has launched a series of videos called  The Tribute Sessions  in which APMD performs classic hits by Gospel's bigge...