People: Celebs, college fund team up for students
Anthony Anderson can recall when he worried about scrounging up money to pay for the rest of his college tuition, food and housing while attending Howard University.
Now the star of the ABC sitcom “Black-ish” wants to help students avoid the same struggle. The actor-comedian and other celebrities, through their foundations, teamed up with the United Negro College Fund to donate scholarships to worthy students who are earning their college degrees.
“My parents couldn’t afford sending me to school, so I understand firsthand,” said Anderson, who went to Howard on a partial scholarship until his junior year in 1991. He returns to host the UNCF’s 36th annual “An Evening of Stars,” which airs tonight on BET.
More than $500,000 in scholarships were collectively given to 20 students by Anderson, Usher, Toni Braxton, Pharrell Williams, Kevin Hart, Big Sean and Los Angeles Clipper Chris Paul. The scholarships on the show were funded by the celebs except for two that were matched by the UNCF.
“We’re here to help alleviate the burden off their shoulders,” Anderson said. “Students won’t have to worry about their next meal, or pay for next semester or housing. The only thing they have to do is open a book and study.”
Scholarship recipients were selected from different criteria, ranging from their GPA status and how they expressed the need for financial assistance.
Jenner pulls biggest nonsport viewing
Former Olympian Bruce Jenner reached an audience of just under 17 million people for his declaration in an ABC News interview that he identifies as a woman. The Nielsen company said Saturday 16.9 million viewers watched the interview on ABC’s “20/20” newscast Friday night.
The audience was the biggest for a nonsports show on a Friday night since 2003. Friday is generally a light night for television viewing because so many people have plans outside the home. It was also the biggest audience for ABC’s “20/20” newscast on a Friday night in 15 years.
Dispute over ‘Mockingbird’ resolved
“To Kill a Mockingbird” author Harper Lee has started a nonprofit company that will produce a play about the book, ending a dispute that threatened to derail the long-running performance, a publishing group said Saturday.
Dramatic Publishing Co. had refused to extend the performance rights for the production in Lee’s hometown of Monroeville, Alabama, but the Illinois-based publishing company said Saturday on its Facebook page that Lee has founded a new, nonprofit group called the Mockingbird Company. The organization will produce the play beginning next year.
The birthday bunch
Actress-comedian Carol Burnett is 82. Songwriter-musician Duane Eddy is 77. Singer Bobby Rydell is 73. Actor Jet Li is 52. Actor-comedian Kevin James is 50. Rapper T-Boz (TLC) is 45. Country musician Jay DeMarcus (Rascal Flatts) is 44. Actor Channing Tatum is 35.