Tag Archives: Black Girl Magic

03Feb/23

Actress Lacretta Talks Night Court and Her Love For Gaming

Culture, FIlm, , , , , , ,
NIGHT COURT — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: Lacretta as Gurgs — (Photo by: Jordin Althaus/NBC/Warner Bros. Television)

Back in the 90s, I remember this show and especially its distinctive theme song with its upbeat tempo and saxophone-laced tune, it was Night Court. It usually meant it was almost bedtime for me. It featured a cast of colorful characters: a judge who performed magic tricks (Judge Harry, played by Harry Anderson); a bald, physically imposing but friendly bailiff (Bull, played by Richard Moll); and a no-nonsense, quick-witted bailiff named Roz (played by Marsha Warfield). Now the 2023 Night Court features a host of new characters besides prosecutor Dan Fielding (played by John Larroquette). The show has a new bailiff, Donna “Gurgs” Gurganous (played by actress Lacretta). The actress took time from her busy schedule to talk with Taji Mag about her role on the show, her castmates, and even her love for gaming.

Dapper Dr. Feel (DDF):  I wanted to start by asking, how in the heck did you fall out of your hammock on New Year’s Eve? 

Lacretta: So, I’m still kind of in shock with everything happening, right? Even though I’d been part of the Night Court project this whole time, I was trying to talk to my viewers about it. So I was like, “You know, let me just go upstairs to the roof and just kind of chill out for the night.” I got a little bit ahead of myself and instead of putting one leg into the hammock first and then the other leg, I decided to put both legs into the hammock and promptly tipped myself out of it. I scraped my toe on the wall, which was not a pretty picture. After I got myself all cleaned up, I went back up to the roof with a cocktail, and then I sat in a chair like a proper lady. 

DDF: Bet you won’t make that mistake again. Tell me, what was your reaction when you got the role and how did you prepare for it? 

Lacretta: I gravitated to and responded to the weirdest moments in cinema because I wanted to capture a little bit of Richard Mall. I felt I had to pay homage to him and the other bailiffs on the show.

I know altogether there were four different bailiffs. The first two, unfortunately, passed away at the end of their season. The other two were the most iconic for me (Richard Mall as “Bull” and Marsha Warfield as “Roz”). I had to pay homage to both of them.

Um, so as I was saying, for certain parts in the script, weird moments in cinema like from Orient Express and from Are You Being Served and Keeping Up Appearances (both British comedies) just kind of popped into my head and I just allowed myself to release. And then when I got the call that I had booked it, I was actually laying on the floor with my feet up because my ankle was a little puffy and I was trying to recirculate that blood. I got a text message…”oh my God, congratulations on Night Court being picked up” and I was like “What do you mean?” And my friend said “You guys got picked up!”  I sat up so fast that I saw stars and got a little dizzy. I just had to text all my friends the good news.

I continued with the person that gave me the good news and said, “Well, did you check the date on the article?” He was like “yeah, it came out in Hollywood Reporter 10 minutes ago. Y’all got picked up by NBC!” Tears started rolling down my face and snot was coming out of my nose, I started hyperventilating. It was really bad. But I love that the person who called me and let me know was actually one of the writers/creators for Disaster, which is where I made my Broadway debut.

DDF: “Gurgs” seem to have the best chemistry with “Olivia” (India de Beaufort). Who do you think your character has the best chemistry with? 

Lacretta: Yeah, I think it’s all different, but I spend a lot more time with India de Beaufort and Kapil Talwalkar who play “Olivia” and “Neil” [respectively] in the series. 

Outside of work, I definitely spend a lot more time with Kapil because we’re both gamers. So we call each other and check on each other more often, but it just kind of trickles down. What I love about it is that we’re very much a family. And with family, you don’t always talk to your cousins, you don’t always talk to your aunties, but when you do get together, you know that this is blood…this is family. 

DDF: When I first heard about you getting this role as the new bailiff, automatically the character “Roz” popped into my head. How would you say “Roz” and “Gurgs” are similar and how are they different? 

Lacretta: We’re both very grounded. We both have our moments, she more so than I. Where we differ: my character is a lot more playful than “Roz”, but she did have her moments. I was telling someone before that there’s a beautiful episode that I just kind of stumbled upon of “Roz” teaching “Dan” how to ballroom dance. There’s a moment where they’re sitting at a table in the cafeteria. They’re just kind of chatting when he says something along the lines of “You know, I came to your apartment and I stood outside your door” and she replied “Yeah, I know. But you know, there could never be anything between us right?” It was just a lovely episode and I loved to see that interaction between the two of them because they are such polar opposites. It’s just such smart writing on this show from then until now that I’m just…I can’t wait to see what happens with it. 

DDF: Now, since you are a gamer, if you can make “Gurgs” a downloadable content character, what game would you put her on? 

Lacretta: Oh, Saints Row! What!? Especially in this new incarnation which I still haven’t finished. But in the new incarnation of Saints Row, my character very much looks like her except for the piercings. That’s the only difference. What else would I put her in? I would put her in High On Life, which is a new game with a lot of the voices from Rick and Morty. That would be kinda interesting. That game’s crazy and so funny. That was a good one. And then I mean everybody wants to be a Fortnite avatar. I wanna be on Fortnite.

DDF: What do you think people will get from this revamped version of the 80s/90s classic?

Lacretta: I hope that they get a sense of nostalgia. I hope that they find joy while watching this new Night Court and find a moment to escape from the stress that’s going on in the world right now. In a world of uncertainty, what’s for sure is that for at least 20 minutes out of our half-hour slot, you’re going to be laughing and you’re gonna be able to step away from what you’re dealing with. 
Watch Lucretta as the charismatic bailiff “Gurgs” and her castmates on Night Court on NBC. The sitcom has just been renewed for a second season.

21Jun/22

DeWanda Wise and Dr.Rebecca Hall Discuss Audio Drama, “Wake”

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Wake

I found myself intrigued with the history of women-led revolts during times of enslavement, mostly because it is barely mentioned when it comes to Black History. With the new audio drama, Wake, the audience is taken on a journey with Dr. Rebecca Hall as she learns more about these fierce and inspiring women while facing her own obstacles, including resistance from the educational system. With Dr. Hall’s story of perseverance and the captivating voice acting of DeWanda Wise, Wake is an audio project you’ll definitely have to check out. Dr. Hall and Wise were able to take the time to discuss the journey of the project with Taji Mag. 

Dapper Dr.Feel (DDF): What inspired you to turn your graphic novel into the audio version that has just been released? 

Dr. Rebecca Hall (DRH): The Podium, who produced the audiobook, swooped right in and was like, “We wanna make an audio drama” and I’m like, “Awesome!”

DDF: Ms. Wise, how did you get involved with this project? 

DeWanda Wise (DW): My TV agent sent it to me. They know that I love information. I need as much information as humanly possible, so they sent it all at once. I just devoured it all, honestly. I read the graphic novel and I was a real creep and really dug into Dr. Rebecca Hall’s whole life, as much as [was] available online. I was really struck by it and it was one of those things that I could automatically recognize as kindred, both in ideological point of view and the approach to the project. Something that we talked about quite a bit was my approach as an actor, it was quite anthropological. I was also an Urban Studies major, so I’m just deeply invested in how we carry our lives and the lives of our ancestors.

I prefer to be hit [with projects that grab my attention], which is, like, deep, you know. It’s just, it struck me really deep. Yeah. Yeah.

DDF:  So how was your preparation different from your acting roles or your theater roles? 

DW: Not much to be honest with you. I think my approach is my approach. I’m like super research-centric. It was mainly kind of balancing and matching her (Dr. Rebecca Hall’s) very iconic voice. Very specific. 

DRH: My voice is iconic? 

DW: As soon as someone hears your voice, they’re like, “I know who that is”. Now you know this about yourself. 

DRH: I don’t know this about myself at all. 

DW: Now you do.

DDF: Dr. Hall, you’ve been through a lot during your career…being fired and taking jobs you were over qualified for. How did you continue to press on? 

DRH: Yeah, it was a nightmare. There’s actually so much that’s not even in the story, but I actually kept track of how many jobs I applied for. At one point, this was actually during the recession. I had 184 cover letters that I created over a two-year period. I was a mess. I mean, the last time I got fired, I got in the car and drove down to Moab, which is about four hours from my house. Then checked into some fancy place and stayed for a few days. I was already overwhelmed and doing all of this. I had a lot of legal support from protestors. My partner was very supportive and kept motivating me to move forward.

My father was really influential: he helped shape this, this determination I have. He was born in 1898, and never finished eighth grade. He lived in Chicago, working weird jobs like shoe shining and waiting tables. He kept getting fired because he wouldn’t be deferential to white people. Like, he wasn’t doing the Jim Crow thing and he just kept getting fired. I guess that’s in my DNA.

DDF: DeWanda, what was one of the obstacles you faced while recording? 

DW: There weren’t really any obstacles. It was a really lovely week, honestly. I’d just finished a job that was very lovely, but also very white. So the experience on Wake was so nice. These are some of my favorite actors. I get there and Chante Adams is there, it was so lovely! [There] was a Black woman Playwright, Black woman Director… Podium really lets us do our thing. 

DeWanda Wise (Middle), Chanté Adams (Right), and other castmates reading WAKE.

DDF:  Dr. Hall, so which one was worse, reading the painful stories of Black women in the past or revisiting your past while developing this project?

DRH: It’s interesting. I was just thinking about that. So, in the book, where I talk about how difficult it was…my emotional journey dealing with a lot of racism obstacles at Archives…it was all almost 20 years ago, so I have a kind of distance from it. Whereas, Wake is very present. So in a way, it was kind of more painful to write this. 

DDF: DeWanda, what historical figure would you portray in a movie? 

DW: I would play Assata Shakur in a second! We were talking about getting the rights to that book and it is impossible because she’s a fugitive in Cuba. I’ve asked and am really trying to figure out a loophole, but yeah. 

DDF: Would you write that movie? 

DRH: I don’t think so, but I don’t know. Shakur’s autobiography helped me survive law school at Berkeley. Like, it was, you know, it was one of those reads where, at different moments of my life, I read it when I needed it. 

Make sure to purchase your copy of Wake, available exclusively on Audible now.

Wake

Wake is an imaginative tour-de-force that tells the powerful story of women-led slave revolts, and chronicles scholar Dr. Rebecca Hall’s efforts to uncover the truth about these women warriors who, until now, have been left out of the historical record. 

Cast: DeWanda Wise, Chanté Adams, Jerrie Johnson, Fọlákẹ́ Olówófôyekù, Katherine McNamara, Bahni Turpin, Rhian Rees, Karen Malina White, Román Zaragoza, Alex Ubokudom, John Clarence Stewart, Blake Cooper Griffin, Tim DeKay, Kate Steele, André Sogliuzzo, and Matthew Wolf.

Originally published as a part graphic novel and part memoir, Podium Audio acquired the exclusive global audio rights to Wake, the graphic novel named one of the Best Books of 2021 by NPR. Over the last year, Podium Audio has developed this work into a feature-length audio play in partnership with critically acclaimed playwright and television writer Tyler English-Beckwith.

28Apr/21

Black Luxury Brands to Frequent: Adele Dejak

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Attention all accessorizing and glamorizing sistas!! The sistas who love a beautiful statement piece. The sistas who love good, quality accessories. Adele Dejak is the brand for you. Eponymously named after its Nigerian creator Adele Dejak in 2008, the brand creates the most beautiful afro-futuristic jewelry ranging from rings to chokers and they also carry an array of rustic calfskin clutches. 

Although I am not an avid accessorizer, the ÁMI I & II collections of chokers are truly a masterclass of metalwork and craftsmanship. The pendants are either hammered brass or aluminum and are paired with a smooth black leather cord or are attached to a large brass ring. I would not be a reliable fashion contributor if I did not tell you how wonderfully brass and gold hues compliment melanated skin. 

Adele Dejak Accessories Nigerian Afro-futurism
Models wearing the ÁMI II collection of neckpieces; Photo Credit | @adeledejak on Instagram

Aside from being wonderfully and carefully crafted by African artisans, Adele Dejak has been endorsed by the Queen Bee herself!! Flaunting the Afrika Comb in the Black Is King film and, on another occasion, wearing the Margret Aluminum Statement Bracelet in tandem with the Dhamani Kanini bracelet in the music video for My Power from the soundtrack of the 2019 remake of the Lion King. 

Adele Dejak Accessories Nigerian Afro-futurism Beyonce
Beyonce wearing the Afrika Comb necklace from Adele Dejak; Photo Credit | @beyonce on Instagram

AD is also big on sustainability, according to their website, only using recycled and upcycled brass and aluminum for their jewelry. They also have a partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Australia to train people in the Dadaab and Kakuma camps to produce goods using upcycled materials to sell to provide for their families.

The pieces may be a little pricey for some (150$+), but the cost of supporting a black business is priceless. Besides, who doesn’t want to step into their next board meeting looking like they stepped off the first flight back from Wakanda? Go check out Adele Dejak and tell them I sent you ♥!

This is the second piece in a 5 part series about my favorite Black Luxury Brands, check out the first part here!

10Mar/20

Santia Deck: The Face of the Women’s Football League Associaton

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If Black Girl Magic was a person, Santia Deck would definitely be one of the women to use as the face of BGM. With her career goals redirected from Olympic hopeful to the highest-paid female football player, she is the embodiment of “When one door closes, another one will open.” I am pretty sure her football deal is a door she’s glad to have opened. In honor of women’s month, Taji Mag decided to catch up with the busy star athlete to get an update on her new success. 

Dapper Dr Feel (DDF): What were your thoughts when you signed that huge football deal?

Santia Deck (SD): I knew I would be a pioneer for women’s football. I am just more excited that I can be an influence to little girls who want to play sports and give those girls something to strive for. 

It’s still a lot for me to take in, but as for not making the Olympic team and instead being given this huge opportunity, it really showed me the power of God. I am a very spiritual person and I was taught that God is doing great things for you, even when it doesn’t seem like it. To see this manifest was validation and testimony that he can do great things in your life. 

DDF: What position are you looking to play? Any chance you become the Lamar Jackson of the league? Would you train with Lamar Jackson?

NFL MVP Lamar Jackson and Santia Deck

SD: I can throw, but I don’t have an arm like Lamar Jackson. My position by nature is Running Back, so I won’t be playing Quarterback. I would love to train with Lamar Jackson, who wouldn’t? He could probably teach me a few things. He’s an amazing athlete.

(NFL MVP Lamar Jackson and Santia Deck were both at NFL Pro Bowl weekend.)

DDF: What has been one of your newest challenges since your new success?

SD: I think it’s the same problem everyone has when they elevate in their career. Not knowing people’s intentions…random people saying “hey, I’m your family” or “I know you from back in elementary school”. These people don’t have good intentions and they can be crazy. Luckily I have a good team around me. My mom is my manager and she really looks out for me.

DDF: Describe 2019 in two words?

SA: I would say “New Beginnings” are the two words I would choose to describe my 2019. 

DDF: In the Santia Deck biopic, who would you select to play you in the film? What actor would play your love interest in the film? 

SA: That’s a good question. I would want Tianna Taylor to play me in a biopic because we have the same hair and body type. She has good abs, like me. As for my love interest, I would want Micheal B. Jordan to take on that role. He’s such a beautiful man.  

DDF: How was it being on Kelly Clarkson? 

SA: It was great! She made me feel really comfortable. I think it’s because we are both from Texas so that familiarity made the interview easy.  She is a very nice person.

DDF: What are your goals for 2020? 

SA: To have an amazing exhibition and show my talent this year. I would also like to take my brand to the next level, solidify generational wealth for my future kids, and travel to as many countries as I can this year. 

Many young women everywhere now have another example of chasing the dream and getting positive results. From the field to television, Santia is working hard to become one premiere athlete and who knows, one day she may be mentioned in the same breath as Serena Williams. You can follow Santia on Instagram for upcoming events. 

Santia Deck will play for the LA Flames in the Women’s Football League Association. The season starts 2021. Will you be watching?

06Sep/18

Black Girls Rock Shows-off This Sunday

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Fate allowed me to attend the taping of the 2018 Black Girls Rock awards show, which took place at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark this past Sunday. This year, awards are given to Dancer & Choreographer Judith Jamison, Queen Mother Janet Jackson, Writer Lena Waithe, and Queen of R&B Mary J. Blige, to name a few. Believe you me, the stars presenting the awards are of the same fan-moment inspiring caliber as the honorees. The likes of the incomparable Phylicia Rashad, Ava DuVernay, Ciara, and Misty Copeland are far more superior than anything else likely to grace your screen. Yes, ever.

Photo Credits: FashionSizzle.com

I refuse to ruin anything for you dear reader, especially regarding the opening, but I definitely suggest that you prop yourself up before the show begins. I pretty much keeled over in my seat watching it live. You have been warned. With the door having been immediately blown off its hinges, you will soon realize that it was just to make way. Behold, the mogul MC and Black royalty, Host Queen Latifah. Black Girls Rock and we get to rock with the Queen for the entire evening. Stunning and attention demanding, suited in an almost tangible coolness, the Queen commands the stage just as you would expect.

With praiseworthy performances (plural, yes) from Yolanda Adams, a goose-bump raising ballad full of swagger soul by H.E.R., and the dipped-in-honey vocals of none other than Tamia, the announced performers will give you the show you are expecting. The soul-stirring performances will leave you with more to say than ‘Great gowns– beautiful gowns’. Okurrr? But what you’re NOT expecting though? The sheer force of the performances that WEREN’T announced. While there are no spoilers here, the good news is that you don’t have to wait long in order to experience it for yourself. ‘ Black Girls Rock ‘ premieres on BET this Sunday, September 9th, at 8pm ET/PT. Check your local listings.

26Mar/18

The Asa! Movement with Akosua Akoto

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If Wakanda were real, Akosua Akoto (@akosua_asa) would no doubt lead the Dora Milage. Her peak physique, intelligence, and passion make her one of the talented leaders of the exercise world. Her motivation is not money or fame but to improve the quality of health for her clients. With Asa!, she is able to do just that, providing services that are beneficial to the health and well being of our community. The low impact workout that is a hybrid of fitness endurance and energetic dance movements allow participants to get fit, attack all body parts, and have fun in the process.

Akosua ’s love for fitness started at the age of 3 when she began to learn about dance. Her gift in dance granted her opportunities to perform in many of the highly praised programs around the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Akosua showed her ability to not only excel as a great student but also as a great teacher leading dance classes by the age of 15. She would continue her growth as a dancer through the choreography of different dance companies and events.

As her dance career continued to grow, so did her interest in health and fitness. Akosua’s interest led her to attend Howard University, where she completed her Bachelor’s in Sports Medicine followed by her Master’s in Human Performance & Injury Rehabilitation at the California University of Pennsylvania. Her intention was to use her degree to train and educate clients about health working for an organization, but life had better plans for her gifts, leading her into the extraordinary fitness entrepreneur that she is today.

Akosua in one her designed costume’s from the FUZE collection.

Not only is she a boss in the fitness and dance worlds, she is also the boss of her own businesses including Asa! and FUZE, where she serves as co-founder and designer. FUZE is not only a great company influenced by African and Antiguan culture, it is also a movement that is meant to encourage wellness, homemade body products, and dazzling costumes that can be worn for festival activities. In addition to Akosua running her many companies, she also finds time to train clients on-one-one. With her education and background, she is able to set up goals with her clients for them to achieve. Her training methods are effective because her focus is less based on the aesthetics. Akosua’s goal in fitness training is based on improving health through proper body mechanics and nutrition. 

Although Akosua has the moves and looks to lure audiences, she prefers to be behind the scenes developing choreography but is often asked to be in front of the camera to perform. Her latest work was in the video “Boomerang” by Jidenna where she and a long-time friend artfully dance through the whole video.  She has also performed on many huge platforms like the BET awards pre-show.

Although Akosua isn’t a protector of the King of Wakanda or can provide her clients the with heart-shaped herb from Black Panther, she can protect her clients from unhealthy habits, informative health/exercise education, and supportive nutrition advice. Her passion that she pours into her work will only lead her to greater success and improve any that are a part of her journey.

Be on the lookout for Asa and FUZE events near you!

 

04Jan/17

Why I Cut My Hair: Black Girl Magic

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Why I Cut My HairWhy I Cut My Hair: Black Girl Magic

When I decided to cut my hair two years ago, on October 3, 2014, the shortest I’d ever gone at the time, it was due to the excessive shedding I was experiencing. I was also looking forward to having a new look. I’d had the same style for the last decade and desperately wanted a change. I also wasn’t happy with the growing, and visible, specks of gray at the crown of my head.

Since cutting my hair, however, the versatility and self-awareness that came with it, gave me a sense Why I Cut My Hairof confidence that I’d never known before.

With the cut went the notion that a Black woman with little to no hair couldn’t still be beautiful and feminine at the same time. I know not everyone believes that, but growing up in a world where your beauty is defined by European standards, your sense of self can be non-existent.

Cutting my hair freed me of such a notion. For the first time, I began to see ME! The real me, what was under the hair. As my confidence grew, I became more playful and experimental with makeup and various short crops, highlights, whether curly, straight, natural and everything in between to accentuate my natural features. The standards that I’d grown to know as normal began to subside. I felt beautiful. Authentically beautiful. Just as I am and there was/is beauty in that.

I recently shared the above image with my Instagram followers with this statement:

“I use to think that having long hair was a beauty feature. Especially as a Black girl seeing perpetuated ideals of what it means to be beautiful. And to be considered a beautiful Black woman. Ironically I’ve never felt more beautiful after cutting all my hair off and going nearly bald. The best thing you can do for yourself is reject society’s definition of what’s beauty and find it in you. You already have everything in you. Imo short hair gives you versatility. And a big chop normally represents new birth/a new phase in your life. I’m ready ❤️”

To my surprise, there were many brown faces on my feed sharing their own thoughts on the matter, and expressing much of the same sentiments.

When I re-read that message, I recall the days in elementary school wanting my hair to be long and down my back like some of the other girls in my class. And along with it, lighter features: fairer skin and a straighter nose.

I don’t know how young or at what age I began to acquire these standards, and internalizing them as my own, but I am sure that they are the same ideals passed down from my mother, sister, grandmother, aunts, cousins, and friends. And it’s important for me now to break that cycle, so that I can pass down better messaging to my future daughter. To own her beauty and feel confident and enjoy every bit of this black girl magic.

What I also hope this message does for others, like myself, is help them in eradicating beauty standards that aren’t ideal or natural or maintainable. It’s important to understand that beauty comes in all forms, shapes, sizes and colors and, honestly, it starts with each one of us.

They say a woman who cuts her hair is getting ready to change her life. For me, that is exactly what happened. I changed my perspective and it reflected externally.

You won’t begin to see your physical beauty until you’ve tapped into your inner beauty, what makes you so unique, different and special. Loving you trumps any social standard of what you should look like and who you should be.

By: Antoinette “Ms. Toni” Warren
Ms. Toni is a Digital Media Influencer, Content Marketer and Founder of cottenkandi.com.
Twitter: @i_am_mstoni
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