‘Cosby Show’ alum returning to TV
Actress Tempestt Bledsoe said she’s thrilled to be returning to network television on a show that portrays “a positive black family” similar to the long-running hit sitcom she was a part of for roughly eight years – “The Cosby Show.”
“That show was my childhood,” said Bledsoe, who played middle child Vanessa. “It did so many things. It greatly influenced the kinds of projects I did. It helped form my core values, like my work ethic.”
Bledsoe and actor Anthony Anderson spoke Friday about a new show they’re starring in, “Guys with Kids,” which premieres this fall on NBC.
The co-stars told the Associated Press they were thrilled the show will spotlight a “positive black family on network television.”
“We just don’t have that right now, not on network television,” said Anderson, who has two children of his own. “Like The Cosby Show, this will be an opportunity to see the love, support, humor and beauty of a black family on TV.”
The show, produced by Jimmy Fallon, is about three 30-something dads trying to hold on to their youth. “Guys with Kids” will also star Jamie-Lynn Sigler of “The Sopranos” and actors Zach Cregger and Jesse Bradford. One of the characters is a single dad, another is a working father and Anderson’s character is a stay-at-home dad raising four young sons.
Blagojevich’s brother writing book
Imprisoned former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s brother said he’s writing a book about his own three-year-long legal ordeal that resulted in prosecutors dropping all charges against him.
Robert Blagojevich said he’s hoping to finish the book by year’s end. It is currently titled, “How I Survived the Federal Justice System.”
Both brothers were initially tried together. Jurors couldn’t reach a verdict in Robert’s case and convicted the impeached former governor on only one count.
Prosecutors dropped the case against Robert Blagojevich and retried his brother, who was then convicted on several counts including that he tried to sell or trade President Barack Obama’s former U.S. Senate seat. Rod Blagojevich is serving a 14-year prison term.
The birthday bunch
Actor Brian Dennehy is 74. Actor Richard Roundtree is 70. Actor Chris Cooper is 61. Musician John Tesh is 60. Singer Debbie Sledge (Sister Sledge) is 58. Actor Jimmy Smits is 57. Actor Tom Hanks is 56. Actress Kelly McGillis is 55. Singer Jim Kerr (Simple Minds) is 53. Singer Courtney Love is 48. Bassist Frank Bello (Anthrax) is 47. Actor Scott Grimes (“ER,” “Party of Five”) is 41. Musician Jack White is 37. Actor Fred Savage is 36. Actor Mitchel Musso (“Hannah Montana”) is 21. Actress Georgie Henley (“The Chronicles of Narnia”) is 17.