Inside, the party is equal parts community and showbiz. As preshow entertainment for the premiere of his film No Joke: The Fifty Funniest Black Movie Comedies Ever, Shawn Edwards, the nationally known film critic for Kansas City's Fox 4 News, has lined up a dancer and a marching band as well as quick testimonials from City Council reps, comedians, Fox 4 management and black entrepreneurs.
Several presenters mention that Edwards and his Fox 4 partner, Russ Simmons, were recently honored by the Los Angeles Press Club as "Best Critics" in the television category of its first National Entertainment Journalism Awards. This stirs applause from the mostly African-American crowd. But the real excitement comes when Edwards' biggest coup strides out onto the stage: Nick Cannon, star of Drumline and host for the evening. Riffing about doing stand-up at a white club down south, Cannon scores big laughs; when he mentions that he's proud to be wearing an Obama pin, he brings down the house.
Next up is Edwards' film. Throughout it, the Gem shakes with laughter. Between clips from Edwards' one-on-one interviews with celebrities such as Will Smith and Denzel Washington, scenes from Stir Crazy, Coming to America and Madea's Family Reunion have the crowd laughing, cheering and — especially in the case of the Tyler Perry movies — speaking the punch lines along with the characters.
Shawn Edwards is a film critic, but he prefers the term "reviewer." At a screening like this, he seems something else: a film celebrant, a champion of movies unchampioned. He's responsible for two documentaries: this and last year's The 100 Best Black Movies Ever (click play below for the trailer). They were inspired by those American Film Institute lists of American movies — lists Edwards considers exclusive. The AFI's comedy list particularly incenses him.
"Are you really telling me that this entire list doesn't have one representation from Richard Pryor or Eddie Murphy?" he asks. "They're arguably not only the most entertaining and popular but also the most influential comedians ever! Are you really trying to tell me that Friday couldn't make that list? Friday's universally loved!"
Edwards can get worked up talking about movies. "When Blockbuster stores were big, people would check out Friday and never bring it back. For that alone, it goes on the list — it's the most stolen DVD ever! It's the most never-brought-back DVD in the history of DVDs!"
This is Edwards, who often hears he might be a first. He tells The Pitch, "A lot of people are like, 'Oh, my God! He's the first black movie critic!' When I talk to older African-Americans, anyone 60-plus, it's like, 'We're so proud!'" He shakes his head, thinking: a black film critic. "When I was a kid, it was all Siskel and Ebert. I never even saw one, either."
A first. He chats with the stars, finds his name on full-page movie ads in The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times. He raises money for scholarships, inspires standing-room-only crowds to show up at 18th and Vine. Why in the world would anybody not like Shawn Edwards?
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I bought a DVD of Lucky#Sleven, because it said "THE BEST CRIME THRILLER IN YEARS." -Shawn Edwards, FOX-TV (Kansas city)
Wow! What a fucking liar! That movie stunk on ice! One of the worst films I've ever seen. Josh Hartnett can't act his way out of a paper bag, and 3 monkeys and a type-writer could have written a better screenplay.
I bought a DVD of Lucky#Sleven, because it said "THE BEST CRIME THRILLER IN YEARS." -Shawn Edwards, FOX-TV (Kansas city) Wow! What a fucking liar! That movie stunk on ice! One of the worst films I've ever seen. Josh Hartnett can't act his way out of a paper bag, and 3 monkeys and a type-writer could have written a better screenplay.
Hey KC! Me an Joy just got into town to do some sightseeing along the Blue River and check out the concrete vistas.
What do you know, but on a promotional visit to Fox 4, we ran into Shawn Edwards! He gave Joy and me five bags of popcorn each, then turned to me and announced that I was, "This Year's Best!". Of course I was pretty thrilled about that until he turned to Joy and told her that she was, "This Year's Best!". We both kinda chuckled about it, and I asked Shawn, "Is that your final answer?". He never responded, and just wandered off into the Fox 4 studios, handing out popcorn bags in lots of five and telling everyone he came across that they were, "This Year's Best!". You guys here in Kansas City sure are a wacky bunch!
Well, I gotta go. I'm meeting up with the Pope later this week, and we're going to exchange fruitcake recipes. Stay wierd, KC.
Hey KC! Me an Joy just got into town to do some sightseeing along the Blue River and check out the concrete vistas. What do you know, but on a promotional visit to Fox 4, we ran into Shawn Edwards! He gave Joy and me five bags of popcorn each, then turned to me and announced that I was, "This Year's Best!". Of course I was pretty thrilled about that until he turned to Joy and told her that she was, "This Year's Best!". We both kinda chuckled about it, and I asked Shawn, "Is that your final answer?". He never responded, and just wandered off into the Fox 4 studios, handing out popcorn bags in lots of five and telling everyone he came across that they were, "This Year's Best!". You guys here in Kansas City sure are a wacky bunch! Well, I gotta go. I'm meeting up with the Pope later this week, and we're going to exchange fruitcake recipes. Stay wierd, KC.
I'm updating my resume to see if I can get a national gig.
Can anyone advise me on where "blurb whore" should go on my resume? Is it a job qualification? An award for industry achievement? A special skill? An endorsement from my peers?
Help me out, folks. I don't want to spend the rest of my life stuck here in Kansas City.
I'm updating my resume to see if I can get a national gig. Can anyone advise me on where "blurb whore" should go on my resume? Is it a job qualification? An award for industry achievement? A special skill? An endorsement from my peers? Help me out, folks. I don't want to spend the rest of my life stuck here in Kansas City.
I was the best actor that year, but even I want to know how popcorn bags are a measure of anything other than a chance of adult onset diabetes.
I was the best actor that year, but even I want to know how popcorn bags are a measure of anything other than a chance of adult onset diabetes.
Nuts, I missed Shawn's broadcast on Friday. Can anyone tell me what this week's "The Year's Best! Five bags!!" whoredown pick is?
Nuts, I missed Shawn's broadcast on Friday. Can anyone tell me what this week's "The Year's Best! Five bags!!" whoredown pick is?
So, about that headline. He isn't "just" a blurb whore? Meaning he is one but he's more than that? Or meaning that he isn't one at all even if other people say he is? I'm not used to Pitch trying to be all nuanced.
So, about that headline. He isn't "just" a blurb whore? Meaning he is one but he's more than that? Or meaning that he isn't one at all even if other people say he is? I'm not used to Pitch trying to be all nuanced.
I love how the interviewer is always trying to give Edwards a break but Edwards keeps screwing it up and looking worse. How many times does he not answer the Britney Spears question? Christ, the interviewer was helping him by the end, and Edwards still couldn't come up with an answer.
I love how the interviewer is always trying to give Edwards a break but Edwards keeps screwing it up and looking worse. How many times does he not answer the Britney Spears question? Christ, the interviewer was helping him by the end, and Edwards still couldn't come up with an answer.
say what you will about Shawn, but he's dead right about the Hulk. GET MAD, TURN GREEN, TEAR STUFF UP!
To answer your question, Gus: Yes, we do monitor the comments here at The Pitch. But we don't censor them. So even though some of these comments sound written by the same person (is that you, A.O. Scott?), we don't take them down.
say what you will about Shawn, but he's dead right about the Hulk. GET MAD, TURN GREEN, TEAR STUFF UP!
To answer your question, Gus: Yes, we do monitor the comments here at The Pitch. But we don't censor them. So even though some of these comments sound written by the same person (is that you, A.O. Scott?), we don't take them down.
Blurb Whores? On My Fox 4? It's more likely than you think!
Congrats, KC! And to think that we have been honored by the attentions of Queen Elizabeth II, Britney Spears, gus, Colin Ferrell's colon, a gen-u-wine KC crack whore, gus, A Real Person, Britney's Mom, gus, Regis Philbin (coming soon!), and last but not least, ladies and gentlemen, I give you...Shawn Edwards hisself!
"I give it five popcorn bags out of a possible five!"
"Kansas City's Finest Hour!"
"A cross between the style of Britney Spears and the class of Will Ferrell!"
"KC Proud!"
"Shawn Edwards is KC's Perez Hilton!"
Lemme see...That is your third post gus, and this makes two for me. That makes me 2/3 as sad as you. Sad gus is sad.
Tell me gus, are you able to look inside the soul of QE2 and divulge if she is really real, gus?
Tell me, Queenie, are you really the Queen of England and are you also Britney's Mom and Farrell's Colon and the illegitimate offspring of Jack Nickel? Who are you really, and what does your therapist say about your scepter fetish?
Or are you really gus? Or is this the last reel of this vintage motion picture, "High School Madness"? Shawn sez, "It's the Year's Best! Five bags full!"
Don't Crush that Dwarf, Hand Me the Pliers.
Blurb Whores? On My Fox 4? It's more likely than you think! Congrats, KC! And to think that we have been honored by the attentions of Queen Elizabeth II, Britney Spears, gus, Colin Ferrell's colon, a gen-u-wine KC crack whore, gus, A Real Person, Britney's Mom, gus, Regis Philbin (coming soon!), and last but not least, ladies and gentlemen, I give you...Shawn Edwards hisself! "I give it five popcorn bags out of a possible five!" "Kansas City's Finest Hour!" "A cross between the style of Britney Spears and the class of Will Ferrell!" "KC Proud!" "Shawn Edwards is KC's Perez Hilton!"
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