Actor Roger E. Mosley, best known for his role as the helicopter pilot Theodore “TC” Calvin on the 1980s hit show “Magnum P.I.,” died Aug. 7, his daughter announced. He was 83. Mosely was involved in a car crash on July 28 that had left him paralyzed from the shoulders down and in critical condition. A friend of mine posted on social media that he spoke to Mosely right after the accident, and even though the actor was paralyzed, he was in good spirits making jokes that he couldn’t pick up a penny or bust a grape. My friend says they laughed and Roger seemed hopeful to come through it with a full recovery. A few days later, Roger’s daughter, Ch-a Mosley told my friend her dad’s condition had worsened and to pray for him. Ch-a posted on social media that her dad passed away. “He was surrounded by family as he transcended peacefully.” RIP!
The 2022 Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival kicked off Aug. 5 with great pomp and circumstance—and a few bars of “Hail to the Chief”—as Barack and Michelle Obama made a special appearance for the opening night with the screening of the Netflix documentary, “Descended,” according to multiple reports. The Obamas’ production company Higher Ground is presenting the feature film about residents of Africatown, a small community in Alabama, who are descendants of the Clotilda, the last known ship carrying enslaved Africans to the United States. The film’s executive producer is Questlove. On Aug. 6, Tyler Perry made an appearance at the festival to discuss his upcoming film, “A Jazzman’s Blues,” which as usual he wrote, directed and produced. “A Jazzman’s Blues” follows 40 years of secrets and lies with music from juke joint blues in the deep south. A private party followed at the Harbor View Hotel in Edgartown which was attended by Perry, Tamron Hall, the Rev. Al Sharpton, James Hester, Marvet Britto and more.
Singer-songwriter Mashonda, who has worked with Kanye West, Raphael Saadiq, and her ex-husband, Swizz Beatz, will release the perfect soothing summer jam “Positive Distraction” Aug. 12, via her label Tifrere Music. “Positive Distraction” is the second single from Mashonda’s Note to Self EP out this fall. The romantic song celebrates finding your person. The New York/Los Angeles-based artist sings, “When we kiss I heal, you take me there, a place I didn’t think was real.” Co-written and produced by Mashonda and The Millenials, the emotional contemporary R&B track flutters with soft, palpitating percussions.
According to reports, John Legend and wife Chrissy Teigen are expecting a new baby after the model suffered a pregnancy loss nearly two years ago. On Aug. 3, Teigen announced on Instagram that she is pregnant with the couple’s fourth child after undergoing IVF treatments next to photos of her baby bump. In the picture, Teigen is wearing a crop top and Gucci lace panties. She captioned the photos, “The last few years have been a blur of emotions to say the least, but joy has filled our home and hearts again.”