Abdul-Jabbar narrates History doc
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is an NBA legend, but the man known for his trademark skyhook shot has also devoted his life advocating for equality and social justice.
Abdul-Jabbar is taking another step in his activism walk as an executive producer and narrator of the documentary “Fight the Power:
The Movements That Changed America,” which premieres Saturday on the History Channel. The one-hour documentary explores the history of protests that shaped the course for justice in America.
“Fight the Power” examines the labor movement of the 1880s, women’s suffrage and civil rights along with the LGBTQ+ and Black Lives Matter initiatives. It also features footage from Abdul-Jabbar’s personal experiences when he covered one of Martin Luther King Jr.’s news conferences at age 17 and attended the famous 1967 Cleveland Summit, where prominent Black athletes such as Bill Russell and Jim Brown discussed Muhammad Ali’s refusal to serve in the Vietnam War.
“(The documentary) is trying to show that what Black Americans must deal with has been experienced by other marginalized groups,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “… We must understand that all of us are in the same boat, and we have to stick up for the rights of every marginalized group, not just the ones that we’re in that causes controversy, but to look at other issues.”
Rapper launches music business program:
Rapper IDK is launching a music business program at Harvard University for students of color.
IDK’s No Label Academy, a 10-day program on the Boston campus in
August, will help students kick-start careers in the music industry. Students who are accepted will receive free tuition.
“I decided to create this program for the purpose of letting people in the BIPOC community know that a job in the arts is a lot more realistic than what society makes it seem these days,” IDK, 29, said in a statement.
IDK is partnering with Nike and other brands to launch the program.
Actor Bonner dies:
Frank Bonner, 79, who played a brash salesman with an affection for polyester plaid suits on the TV comedy “WKRP in Cincinnati,” has died.
Bonner died Wednesday from complications of Lewy body dementia, said his daughter, Desiree Boers-Kort. He had been diagnosed about three years ago.
Boers-Kort said her
father valued his time on “WKRP in Cincinnati” in part because it led him toward the career he favored over acting — directing. After taking on that job for six episodes of “WKRP,” he went on to direct for more than a dozen other 1980s and 1990s shows, including “Simon & Simon,” “Who’s the Boss” and “Saved by the Bell: The New Class.”
Bonner continued to act, including in “The
New WKRP in Cincinnati,” “Scarecrow and Mrs. King” and “Night Court.”
June 19 birthdays: Actor Gena Rowlands is 91. Actor Phylicia Rashad is 73. Singer Ann Wilson is 71. Actor Kathleen Turner is
67. Singer Mark DeBarge is 62. Singer Paula Abdul is 59. Actor Mia Sara is 54. TV host Lara Spencer is
52. Actor Zoe Saldana is 43. Actor Neil Brown Jr. is 41. Actor Chuku Modu is 31. Actor Atticus Shaffer is 23.