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BET BREAKOUT HIT "TWENTIES" FROM CREATIVE FORCE LENA WAITHE OF HILLMAN GRAD PRODUCTIONS RETURNS FOR SEASON 2 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, ALONG WITH A NEW ORIGINAL AFTER-SHOW HOSTED AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCED BY B. SCOTT
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STARRING JONICA T. GIBBS, CHRISTINA ELMORE AND GABRIELLE GRAHAM, "TWENTIES" SEASON TWO, PREMIERES WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13,
AT 10 PM ET/PT ON BET AND BET HER
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B. SCOTT, THE FIRST TRANS NON-BINARY PERSON TO HOST AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCE A SHOW AT BET, CONTINUES THE CELEBRATION WITH
NEW ORIGINAL SERIES "TWENTIES AFTER-SHOW WITH B. SCOTT"
AT 10:30 PM ET/PT ON BET AND BET HER
NEW YORK, September X, 2021 - Today, BET announces premiere date for hit series, "TWENTIES" and new companion after-show, "TWENTIES AFTER-SHOW WITH B. SCOTT," Wednesday, October 13 starting at 10 PM ET/PT on BET and BET Her. From creator, writer, and executive producer Lena Waithe and Hillman Grad Productions, the GLAAD Media Award-nominated series, follows 'Hattie,' a masculine-presenting queer Black woman in her twenties, played by Jonica T. Gibbs ("Good Trouble") and her two straight best friends, 'Marie' played by Christina Elmore ("Insecure") and 'Nia' played by Gabrielle Graham ("Possessor"), as they try to find their footing in life, love, and the professional world in Los Angeles. BET will premiere a new half-hour series touching on key themes explored in "Twenties" titled "Twenties After-Show With B. Scott." The after-show will provide candid commentary and insights into some of the characters' mishaps and successes. B. Scott will be joined by the cast and an esteemed roster of guests including voices from the Black LGBTQ+ community that haven't always been given a platform to share their personal experiences.
The success of 'Twenties" reflects an evolution at BET: championing inclusivity on all platforms and in all productions. In the spirit of expanding opportunities to do more, the network is excited to continue its partnership with Lena Waithe and work with B. Scott in creating spaces for diverse voices to be seen, heard, and celebrated. The after-show also marks B. Scott's return to BET, a homecoming, eight years in the making. B. Scott is widely considered to be one of the pioneers of the blogging business -- known for dropping industry-shaking exclusives featured in publications such as Variety, US Weekly, People, and Essence. B. Scott and their work are often cited in noted media outlets including 'The Wendy Williams Show,' 'The Real,' TMZ, and 'The Breakfast Club.'
In the season opener, episode #201 "One Night Only?" 'Hattie' juggles working on her script, settling into a new place, and trying to make it work with 'Ida B.' played by Sophina Brown. Meanwhile, 'Nia' starts her first day on Cocoa's Butter, and 'Marie' questions her relationship with 'Chuck,' played by Jevon McFerrin.
The dynamic ensemble cast includes Jonica T. Gibbs, Christina Elmore, Gabrielle Graham, Sophina Brown, and Jevon McFerrin. Along with a recurring guest cast including Alex Akpobome, Louie Anderson, Madeline Byrne, Rick Fox, Ashli Haynes, Kiki Haynes, Donell Rawlings, Nia Jervier, Bernard David Jones, Lea Robinson, Big Sean, Shylo Shaner, Iman Shumpert, Marsha Thomason, Kym E. Whitley, Vanessa L. Williams, and Parker Young. "Twenties" is executive produced by Lena Waithe, Susan Fales-Hill, who serves as showrunner, Rishi Rajani, and Andrew Coles.
In the premiere episode B. Scott sits down with Lena Waithe and Jonica T. Gibbs where they will take a deep dive into the new season discussing, Why Lena took a chance on newcomer Jonica T. Gibbs? Why it is so significant to have a Queer, Black woman as a lead character on TV? How did "Twenties" find its home on BET? And a lot more!
Additional guests will include Amber Whittingham (@amberscloset), Christina Elmore ('Marie,' Twenties), Crystal Anderson (Dear, Black Love), David Bernard Jones ('Jason,' Twenties), Derica Cole Washington (Costume Designer), Donnell Rawling (Comedian, Actor and 'Dwayne,' Twenties), Estelle (Singer) Gabrielle Graham ('Nia,' Twenties), Iman Shumpert (NBA Player and 'Quintrell,' Twenties), JessHilarious (comedian), Jevon McFerrin ('Chuck,' Twenties), Kenya Moore (TV and Media Personality), Lea Robinson ('Rev Ty,' Twenties), Nia Jervier ('Vanessa,' Twenties), Parker Young ('Zach,' Twenties), Rich Fresh (Designer), Shylo Shaner ('Idina,' Twenties) Sophina Brown ('Ida B.,' Twenties) and Xavier Watson ('Chance,' Twenties).
"Twenties After-Show With B. Scott" is executive produced by Lena Waithe and Rishi Rajani, under their Hillman Grad Productions banner; B. Scott under their Ahoskie Productions banner; Sergio Alfaro, Michael Weinberg, Fernita Wynn, Ray Giuliani for Invent TV.
About "Twenties" season two:
"TWENTIES" premiered to critical acclaim with its first-time portrayal of a masculine-presenting Queer woman of color as the lead in a primetime show. The scripted series created and written by Waithe and Hillman Grad Productions stars Jonica T. Gibbs as Hattie, a queer Black girl who is chasing her dreams of being a screenwriter in Los Angeles alongside her two best friends, Marie and Nia, played by Christina Elmore and Gabrielle Graham respectively. While they live separate lives, the girls lean on each other for guidance as they navigate their twenties and test the limits of diversity, love, and inclusion. "Twenties" marks the first time the network has been nominated for a GLAAD Media Awards for a series.
For more information on "Twenties" and "Twenties After-Show With B. Scott," please visit BET.com/Twenties and join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #TwentiesOnBET
About B. Scott:
B. Scott is more than just a celebrity blogger. B. Scott (them/they) is a brand. USA Today proclaimed them as 'The Queen of Tea.' Fans, followers, and the media industry count on B. Scott to serve up pop culture, entertainment news, and gossip that is hot, cold, with honey, sugar, or spiked.
B. Scott became the first Black trans non-binary YouTube celebrity in 2007 along with the launch of lovebscott.com, making them the first trans non-binary person to have a prominent Black media site. Continuing their career-spanning run of historic firsts, in 2008, B. Scott became the first Black trans non-binary person to appear on 'Extra.' In 2009, B. Scott became the first trans non-binary person to appear on TV One Access. B. Scott became the first trans non-binary person to have a show -- 'The B. Scott Show' -- on Jamie Foxx's The Foxxhole on Sirius XM Satellite Radio in 2010.
In 2012, B. Scott became the first trans non-binary person to have an advice column for Ebony Magazine. Also, in 2012, B. Scott became the first trans non-binary person to appear on BET's '106 and Park' and judge the Rip the Runway competition. In 2013, B. Scott became the first trans non-binary person to host the Style Stage Red Carpet at the BET Awards in Los Angeles. To read more about B. Scott's experiences as a trans non-binary person, in their own words, visit [https://www.glaad.org/blog/guest-post-b-scott-not-coming-out-letter; sneak preview here]
B. Scott is widely considered to be one of the pioneers of the blogging business -- known for dropping industry-shaking exclusives featured in publications such as Variety, US Weekly, People, and Essence. B. Scott and their work are often cited in noted media outlets including 'The Wendy Williams Show', 'The Real,' TMZ, and 'The Breakfast Club.' Already the most talked about blogger among other bloggers, Black millennials, and television shows like Bravo's 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta,' B. Scott's lovebscott.com has become one of the most trusted websites in Black media reaching millions daily.
ABOUT BET
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in 125 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET's growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.
ABOUT HILLMAN GRAD PRODUCTIONS
Hillman Grad Productions is a development and production company committed to creating art that goes against the status quo and gives opportunity to marginalized peoples by providing a platform for diverse voices across all mediums. Founded by Emmy-Award winning writer Lena Waithe and Rishi Rajani, the company currently has projects at Netflix, Disney, BET, Showtime, HBO, Universal, MGM and Amazon. Their comprehensive slate includes the Sundance Film Festival 2020 award-winner The 40-Year-Old Version, Radha Blank's groundbreaking film, which blends real life and fiction to follow its protagonist, a down-on-her luck New York playwright, who decides to reinvent herself and salvage her artistic voice by becoming a rapper at age 40. Netflix released the film globally on October 9th to rave reviews and it won Best Screenplay and was nominated for the Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award at the 2021 IFP Gotham Awards, received the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best First Film, won Best First Feature from the Toronto Film Critics Circle, received Directors to Watch" at PSIFF, won the "Next Generation Award" at LAFCA Awards, was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature along with a Best Comedy Nomination from Critics Choice, and received 3 NAACP Nominations for Outstanding Directing, Outstanding Writing and Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture). Their first film released under this banner was Queen & Slim, which Waithe wrote and was directed by Melina Matsoukas; Universal Pictures released the film in November of 2019. Current projects includeBET's hit comedy series Twenties, which was picked up for a second season and recently nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series by GLAAD. Currently in development is a Sammy Davis Jr biopic based on his daughter Tracey Davis' book Sammy Davis Jr.: My Father. The screenplay will be written by David Matthews with Waithe & Rajani producing alongside Sight Unseen Pictures. Additionally, it was recently announced Waithe penned the script for Universal's forthcoming Talent Show. Cynthia Erivo is set to star in the drama with Waithe serving as an executive producer alongside State Street Pictures and Rajani will oversee for Hillman Grad Productions. Focus Features just announced it has teamed with Sight Unseen, Makeready and Hillman Grad Productions on the feature directorial debut of A.V. Rockwell, A Thousand and One. Other projects currently in various stages of production and/or development include: Them for Amazon; Untitled Kid Fury Project for HBO and Reawakening, Neil Paik's Six by Eight Press short story for Amazon Studios.
ABOUT INVENT TV
InventTV is a full-service production company that specializes in producing scripted and unscripted television series, specials and live events. As original content creators, we have an excellent track record for getting things done.
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