See what we’re talking about over coffee:
• Arsenio Hall will open up to Oprah about his long-awaited return to late-night television in an upcoming episode of Oprah’s Next Chapter. The intimate sit-down will focus on Hall’s journey back into the spotlight after a 20-year absence. Hall will also share what it’s like being one of very few African Americans currently on late-night television. The personality, who is a single father, will get even more personal and discuss what it’s like being a dad and will talk about his relationship with his son. Hall will appear on Oprah’s Next Chapter Sunday, October 20th at 9 p.m. on OWN. [eurweb]
• Ava DuVernay is one of the newest members of the Sundance Institute Board of Trustees. DuVernay initially made a name for herself with the release of her riveting film Middle of Nowhere, which won her the Best Director award at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. She joins three other members on the board, which includes Sundance founder Robert Redford, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, George Lucas’ wife Mellody Hobson, and actress Christine Lahti. [BET]
• Comedian Jay Pharaoh is pushing for Saturday Night Live to add more African American actresses to the cast and he says he knows exactly who the show should bring on board. “They need to pay attention,” says Pharaoh. “Her name is Darmirra Brunson… Why do I think she should be on the show? Because she’s Black first of all, and she’s really talented. She needs to be on SNL. I said it and I believe they need to follow up with it like they said they were going to do last year.” Saturday Night Live, which currently only has three African American actors on the show, has faced continuous criticism for its lack of diversity throughout the years and Pharaoh hopes to help change that. [The Grio]
