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The much anticipated, perhaps for any spectacle that might have emerged, 88th Academy Awards has come and gone! Chris Rock had the hosting duties for the second time, Rock hosted the 2005 Oscars , and we were more interested in Rock's opening monologue than who won what award. Especially after calls for the 2016 Oscars to be boycotted, led by some prominent actors, over the lack of diversity. Boycotting The Oscars 2016 Tricky Business for Black Performers  How Rock opened the show was going to be crucial. Well, Chris Rock wasted no time addressing #OscarsSoWhite and the calls to boycott the 88th Academy Awards. As for those who suggested he skip the Oscars, (Rock said he thought about not doing the show and wondered why it's always the unemployed suggesting boycotting) in the end rationalized his decision noting "They gonna have the Oscars anyway. The last thing I need is to lose another job to   Kevin Hart ." As for Jada Pinkett , who may have started the ...

Two days after an email Melissa Harris-Perry wrote to her staff, that was made public, Harris-Perry is out at MSNBC . According to media accounts, an MSNBC spokesperson confirmed they are "parting ways" with Harris-Perry.  There was little doubt that MSNBC executives Andy Lack and Phil Griffin would take being held up to ridicule, over what they deemed a programming decision, without taking action against Harris-Perry. Melissa Harris-Perry Reacts to 'M.H.P'' Show Pre-Emption  The former host didn't seem to buy the "M.H.P" show was pre-empted solely for presidential campaign coverage. Harris-Perry seemed to suggest the larger motive was to effect "dramatic change.... ", "editorial tone and racial composition of MSNBC's on-air coverage". MSNBC has been in the process of retooling and moving away from opinion programming to hard news to compete with CNN for higher ratings. In Harris-Perry's tweet to her fans she ackno...

The presidential primary season has become a ratings and financial boon for the cable news networks as they increase coverage to levels that are nearly exhaustive. Most viewers cannot tune into CNN, MSNBC or FOX with being bombarded with some kind of primary related coverage or excessive Donald Trump references. Well it seems Melissa Harris-Perry , host of MSNBC's "Melissa Harris-Perry " a morning discussion show which airs at 10am on Saturdays and Sundays, is finding her show's continuous  pre-emption  "... painful and difficult". Harris-Perry, who said she had spent "four years building an audience" shot off an email  to her staffers that more or less accused Andy Lack or Phil Griffin of planning to cancel the show without notice. NBC News for its part indicated that the pre-emptions, for breaking news and primary coverage, was temporary. MSNBC has been in the process of retooling and moving away from opinion programming to hard news t...

We generally enjoyed the  58th Annual Grammy Awards . The performance by the "Hamilton the Musical" cast was impressive and probably made tickets even harder to get! Lady Gaga's  tribute to David Bowie was impressive, but we felt it was a little hurried (perhaps we wanted to linger with the memories the songs provoked a little longer) and frantic in areas, but was that Gaga or the direction she received? However, it seems Bowie's son, Duncan Jones a film director, producer and writer, took aim  at Gaga's Grammy tribute. Yikes! We were just happy to hear his music again. Related: What does 'Hamilton the Musical' and Presidents' Day Have in Common?

Today is Presidents' Day, and tonight a rare treat for those who will be watching the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, airing live on CBS and streaming online, the Hamilton cast will perform the show's opening act. We love the idea and concept of " Hamilton the Musical ". We hope an audience who might never see a musical, in addition to be drawn the material the play is based on, will want to see the musical on Broadway after the performance.  The Grammy Awards will air tonight on CBS at 8pm. We can't wait!

From the Conversation Circle

As the new season of Netflix's " House of Cards " premieres, Francis Underwood ( Kevin Spacey ) and Claire Underwood ( Robin Wright ) are no longer each other's strongest ally and it's an election year. It will be interesting to see if reality is stranger than fiction! Season 4 premieres March 4th.

Everybody was talking about Lady Gaga's powerful rendition of the National Anthem at Super Bowl 2016. She gave us chills!