This week’s DVD releases - June 18, 2013

Top Ten DVD List for June 18, 2013

"Great Zebra Exodus"

"The Ghost Army"

"Frontline: Syria behind the Lines"

"Jack the Giant Slayer"

"Lidia Celebrates America: Freedom and Independence"

Dave Chappelle is back!

Dave Chappelle, who's generally kept a low profile since the end of "Chappelle's Show" eight years ago, is about to come back in a big way.

Chappelle is the headliner for Funny or Die's "Oddball Comedy and Curiosity Festival," which kicks off August 23 in Austin, Texas. The tour, which also includes Flight of the Conchords, Demetri Martin and Kristen Schaal, will run through 13 cities in five weeks, concluding in Mountain View, California.

Garden concert was truly elemental

The Elements of the Universe returned to Memphis on Saturday night at the Botanic Garden. If you didn't know, the Elements of which I am referring, they are none other than Earth, Wind and Fire (EWF), one of music's most successful R&B groups from the seventies and eighties. Memphis is the birthplace and childhood home to EWF member and founder Maurice White who retired from touring with the band in the mid-nineties largely due to his diagnosis and complications with Parkinson disease. Despite not touring, he remains a big part of the band behind the scenes producing and composing and certainly remains in the hearts and minds of the group members and audiences alike. Phillip Bailey now sings the lead on most of the songs that Maurice once sung while still holding down his famous high falsettos.

The band took the stage on Saturday night, opening with one of their monster hits, "Boogie Wonderland." Later on in the show the band spoke fondly about Memphis being the home of their former lead singer and founder, White who grew up in South Memphis in the Foote Homes Housing Project.

‘Sesame Street’ goes to prison

'Sesame Street' has been teaching children the ABCs and so much more for years. Now, Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind 'Sesame Street,' unveils its newest initiative, Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration, for families with young children (ages 3–8) who have an incarcerated parent. This resource will be distributed through targeted outlets in communities by organizations, partners and individuals who reach these families.

Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration is designed to:

• support, comfort, and reduce anxiety, sadness, and confusion that young children may experience during the incarceration of a parent

Mariah Carey photo causes a stir

A still from Lee Daniel's latest movie, "The Butler," is causing a bit of a ruckus on Twitter. The movie is about Eugene Allen, who retired as head butler of the White House in 1986. The photo shows Mariah Carey as a slave working in a cotton field with two other darker-skinned (assumed) slaves in the background.

The picture raised questions in some folks' minds about the historical accuracy of the film: How likely would it be that someone of Mariah's complexion would be working in the fields on a plantation?

Some Dublin residents say no to Rihanna's boobs

Apparently Rihanna is too sexy for residents of Dublin, Ireland.

Posters for the singer's "Diamonds" tour are being covered up ahead of her June 21 show at the Aviva Stadium. The images come from Rihanna's "Unapologetic" album cover which features her naked from the waist up, with her elbow and writing acting as a shield for certain body parts.

Twitter users have been posting images of the posters with Rihanna's body draped in dresses and plaid tops. There is some debate about whether or not folks should be taking part in a cover-up.

16-year journey nets local filmmaker Million Woman March documentary

Independent filmmaker and photographer George Tillman Jr. steps into the footlights next Wednesday (June 19th) for the first screening of "From Memphis To Philadelphia" – his documentary about the Million Woman March.

For Tillman, it will be the culmination of a 16-year journey.

With the support of several community-minded businesses, the final version of the documentary, narrated by Lestine Bell, will be shown at Studio On The Square at 7 p.m.

Bilal on Beale & Father’s Day weekend fun!

This Thursday night (June 13), Grammy nominated singer and songwriter Bilal comes to the New Daisy on Beale for one live show. The show is also gonna include spoken word poetry and other performances as well. You can get your tickets at bilalmemphis.eventbrite.com.

In addition to Father's Day Weekend, there's a lot happening in the city from music to comedy. The legendary elements – Earth, Wind & Fire – will make their way to Memphis as they perform live at the Botanic Gardens on Saturday evening. The show starts at 8:30 p.m.

The legacy of television dads

As far back as television goes, TV dads have been a common figure. They were prominent on older shows such as "Leave it to Beaver," "My Three Sons" and the "Dick Van Dyke Show." And no less so later on with African-American viewers, thanks to shows such as "Sanford & Son," "The Jeffersons" and "Good Times."

I'm not really sure why it took so long for shows with African-American dads to be presented to America. There have always been strong and present Dads in the African-American household.

This week’s DVD releases - June 11, 2013

Top Ten DVD list for June 11, 2013 releases.

"Masquerade"

"11 Flowers"

"Dead Man's Burden"

"Ferlinghetti: A Rebirth of Wonder"

"A Good Day to Die"

Cicely Tyson wins Tony for ‘one more great role’

Cicely Tyson's return to Broadway after three decades earned the elderly actress a Tony on Sunday night.

Tyson's acceptance speech for best actress in a play was an emotional highlight of the American Theatre Wing's 67th annual Tony Awards broadcast live from New York's Radio City Music Hall.

Pop singer Cyndi Lauper won a Tony for writing the 15-song score for "Kinky Boots," which led the night with six Tonys.

Jada Pinkett Smith defends Beyoncé’s Chime for Change concert costume

Beyoncé was criticized last summer by black entertainment legend Harry Belafonte for not doing enough to help others with her success. Her involvement in a new organization, Chime for Change, might be her answer to this critique. But some think her latest performance on behalf of the charity may have inadvertently harmed the group she seeks to uplift.

A new initiative, Chime for Change is aimed at empowering women and girls around the world, focusing on the areas of "Education, Health and Justice," according to its web site. Beyoncé has recently given greatly to the cause.

Launched with co-founders Salma Hayek, noted actress and producer, and Frida Giannini, the creative director of Gucci, Chime for Change held its first major concert on June 1 in London, "Chime For Change: The Sound Of Change Live." This star-studded concert drew megawatt power players, such as Madonna and Jennifer Lopez, who appeared before a crowd of 50,000.