BET'S GROUNDBREAKING HIT-SERIES "TWENTIES" EXTENDS ITS VIEWERSHIP EXPERIENCE WITH NEW CONVERSATION-IGNITING AFTER SHOW HOSTED AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCED BY B. SCOTT
B. SCOTT BECOMES FIRST TRANS NON-BINARY PERSON TO HOST AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCE A SHOW AT BET
JOIN THE ULTIMATE PARTY CELEBRATING THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY AND GET THE INSIDE SCOOP OF EACH WEEK'S EPISODE WITH SPECIAL CELEBRITY GUESTS
FROM CREATOR, WRITER, AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER LENA WAITHE AND HILLMAN GRAD PRODUCTIONS, THE GLAAD MEDIA AWARD-NOMINATED SERIES BEGINS PRODUCTION OF SEASON TWO THIS SPRING IN LOS ANGELES
NEW YORK, March 9, 2021 - What happens after your "TWENTIES"? The "After Show," of course! Today, BET announced the greenlight of "TWENTIES THE AFTER SHOW" hosted by B. Scott, for season two of the critically acclaimed hit-series "TWENTIES," from the creator, writer, and Executive Producer Lena Waithe and Hillman Grad Productions. The GLAAD Media Award-nominated series will continue to, as hailed by Deadline, 'redefine the queer Black narrative' with a new companion conversation show. The half-hour series will touch on key themes explored in each week's episode and highlight an esteemed roster of Black LGBTQ+ voices that haven't always been given a platform to share their personal experiences. The conversations will be led by B. Scott, who will provide candid commentary and insights into some of the characters' mishaps and successes. The after show also marks B. Scott's return to BET, a homecoming, eight years in the making. "TWENTIES'' and the "TWENTIES THE AFTER SHOW" will begin production this spring in Los Angeles.
"Twenties The After Show" is Executive Produced by Lena Waithe and Rishi Rajani under their Hillman Grad Productions Banner, alongside B. Scott under their Ahoskie Productions Banner and producer Alberlynne "Abby" Woods.
"At BET, we aim to be a home for all Black people, and we have a duty to ensure everyone is able to see themselves fully reflected in quality content," said BET President Scott Mills. "The success of 'Twenties' is part of our evolution of inclusivity on all of our platforms and productions, and we are always seeking to do more. In that spirit, we're excited to continue our partnership with Lena Waithe and work with B. Scott to continue creating spaces for diverse voices to be seen, heard, and celebrated. We look forward to doing more and are thrilled for B. Scott's captivating voice to be back home at BET."
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.
"B. Scott is so much more than a personality. They're a lifeline for those that feel invisible, they brought me joy when I was a struggling writer trying to find my way in LA, in a word - they're legendary. I've always known there should be a space for B. Scott on BET, and now the time has come for us to make that space. Not only are we excited to announce Season 2 of 'Twenties' will now have an after show, but we are so grateful that B. Scott has agreed to be our host. I'm honored I get to be a part of B. Scott's return to BET," said Lena Waithe.
"I am proud to make history as the first trans non-binary person to host and executive produce a show at BET. I am in a place of forgiveness and I am honored to help turn the page on the past and be a part of the network's move toward a more inclusive future for everyone. Thank you Scott Mills, Lena Waithe and Rishi Rajani for making this historic moment happen," said B. Scott.
"BET's groundbreaking announcement that B. Scott will host and executive produce 'Twenties The After Show' is an exciting move forward at a time when all networks should be creating opportunities for talented transgender people both in front of and behind the camera. With this show, B. Scott will create compelling and necessary conversations about Black and LGBTQ people in this critical cultural moment," said Nick Adams, GLAAD's Director of Transgender Representation.
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
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.
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 "Twenties":
"TWENTIES" ranked as the #1 new comedy series on cable for African Americans 18-49 in 2020* and 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 ("Insecure") and Gabrielle Graham ("Possessor") 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,
Season one guest stars included Jenifer Lewis (Black-ish), Sean "Big Sean" Anderson (debut role), Rick Fox, Vanessa Williams, Seth Green, Iman Shumpert, Kym Whitley, Chuey Martinez, Marsha Thomason, and Nazanin Mandi. "Twenties" is Executive Produced by Lena Waithe, Susan Fales-Hill, who serves as showrunner, Rishi Rajani, Andrew Coles, and Justin Tipping, who directed the pilot episode.
For more information on "Twenties," please visit BET.com/Twenties and join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #TwentiesOnBET.
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.
|