Gran Coramino® Tequila, co-founded by comedian Kevin Hart and tequila maker Juan Domingo Beckmann, has reached a significant milestone by disbursing over $1,000,000 USD in grant funds to support over 100 Black and Latinx small business owners and entrepreneurs through the Coramino Fund. This initiative, in partnership with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), aims to empower underrepresented entrepreneurs across the U.S. and Mexico.
Since its inception in 2022, Gran Coramino Tequila has donated $1 from every bottle sold to fuel the growth of small businesses. The Coramino Fund in the U.S. has provided $10,000 grants to over 100 entrepreneurs from various industries, including retail, transportation, food services, and education. Notably, 52% of the selected businesses are Black-owned, 36% are Latinx-owned, and 12% are Black and Latinx-owned, with 66% being women-owned.
“As an entrepreneur myself, I’ve seen how early financial support can impact the long-term success of the business,” Hart said. “The Coramino Fund was created to provide support to some of the hardest working people out there — entrepreneurs and small business owners.”
“Small businesses are the economic backbone of communities,” said Michael T. Pugh, LISC president and CEO, “but many owners lack fair access to the capital and services they need to grow. We are grateful to Gran Coramino for recognizing the systemic barriers that impact the success of underrepresented entrepreneurs and developing a give-back strategy to help address them. When we invest in these businesses,” he added, “we are also investing in the well-being of the communities where they operate.”
Chef Frances Roman, owner of Cocotazo restaurant in New York City, expressed gratitude for the Coramino Fund grant, highlighting its transformative impact on her business. “As a business owner, you face ups and downs, and the Coramino Fund grant came at a time when we needed it most,” she remarked. “Since then, we’ve hired three more women and are outgrowing the space!”
Gran Coramino Tequila’s philanthropic efforts extend beyond the U.S., supporting entrepreneurs in Tequila, Mexico, where its Cristalino Reposado and Añejo are crafted, through the Beckmann Foundation. Additionally, the brand plans to expand its Coramino Fund programming to entrepreneurs throughout Mexico later this year in collaboration with strategic partners.
Founded with a vision to celebrate life’s hard-earned moments, Gran Coramino Tequila embodies Hart and Beckmann’s commitment to creating a tequila worthy of celebration while giving back to communities through impactful initiatives like the Coramino Fund.
Get ready for the ultimate roast showdown as Netflix gears up to livestream The Roast of Tom Brady on May 5th at 5pm PT, as part of Netflix is a Joke Fest. Hosted by Kevin Hart, this event promises to be the “Greatest Roast of All Time.”
Breaking new ground, this will be the first-ever roast broadcast live and unedited. No holds barred, no interference. The Kia Forum in Los Angeles will be the epicenter of comedic warfare as Brady faces a surprise team of roasters from the worlds of comedy, sports, and entertainment.
Executive-produced by Tom Brady himself, alongside Casey Patterson, Jeff Ross, Kevin Hart, and Jeff Clanagan for Heartbeat, this historic event is set to redefine the genre.
Fans can expect an evening filled with laughter, jabs, and unforgettable moments as Brady, one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, enters the comedic ring to face his roasters head-on.
Kevin Hart is the 2024 recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Comedy is certainly subjective. However, Hart has been putting in the work for years, and those who won the award before him did too. Their work includes movies, shows, stand-up, and other platforms where they display their comedic skills. In this list, we’re looking back at some of the past winners. We’re sure you’ll recognize all the names and hopefully, see a personal favorite of yours too. You might even learn something new about them.
NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 8: Richard Pryor is photographed at ‘Night of 100 Stars’ event March 8, 1982 in New York City. (Photo by Yvonne Hemsey/Getty Images)
Richard Pryor was not only the first Black person to win the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, he was the first person to win the award ever. Many people across generations have high praise for Richard Pryor’s influential comedian chops. For many people, he was among the first comedians to capture their attention. Pryor also made his way into several movies. These include Lady Sings The Blues, The Mack, Car Wash, The Wiz, and The Muppets Movie. In terms of television, he found bittersweet success. He was the first black host of Saturday Night Live and also received his own variety show in 1977. However, the show was canceled after four episodes due to its content which Pryor refused to change despite censorship laws.
Richard Pryor was also the first Black actor to earn a million dollars for a movie role with Stir Crazy. Pryor continued to appear in films and television until his last role in 1999. He continues to be celebrated by comedians of all generations today.
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg accepts awards; “On Stage at the Kennedy Center: The Mark Twain Prize” will air November 21, at 9 p.m. on PBS. (Photo by KMazur/WireImage/Getty Images)
In 2001, Whoopi Goldberg was the first Black woman to win the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. This is one of several awards she’s earned which all culminate in her EGOT status. For some people, Whoopi is known as the calm voice of reason on The View. However, she had a long and eventful career before making her way to that panel. She’s starred in several classic films including The Color Purple, Ghost, both Sister Act movies, and The Lion King. Whoopi’s distinct voice has given her a lot of opportunities, too. She has done narration for a variety of programs, appeared in person and via clips at theme parks, hosted award shows, become a spokesperson for ad campaigns, and more.
Whoopi’s career has not been without controversy. She’s commented on a variety of topics which sometimes resulted in her issuing an apology. However, people still admire her consistency in sharing her opinions, even if they don’t agree with them. Still, this doesn’t take away from any of her accomplishments and the trailblazing she did.
WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 18: Eddie Murphy arrives at the Kennedy Center for the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor ceremony that honored Eddie Murphy on Sunday October 18, 2015 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Matt McClain/ The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Eddie Murphy’s 2015 win of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor comes as no surprise. Many people hail Eddie Murphy as one of the best comedians of all time. His stand-up special, Delirious, from 1983, is hailed as one of the greatest stand-up shows of all time. Before becoming a movie star, he was a part of the cast of Saturday Night Live from 1980 to 1984. This is where he solidified his status as a top-tier comedian. His initial movie roles were quite successful, starring in the Beverly Hills Cop movies, Trading Places and 48 Hrs. He gained even more praise for his comedic acting skills in Coming To America and The Nutty Professor movies, where he took on multiple roles. Murphy’s voice has also become iconic with him voicing Mushu in Mulan and Donkey in the Shrek franchise.
While Murphy’s overall career is critically acclaimed, not all of his movies have performed well critically or commercially. Still, he pushed through and bounced back from the less-than-stellar ones with the universally acclaimed Dolomite is My Name in 2019. And, in 2023, he starred in Kenya Barris’ You People and the family-friendly Candy Cane Lane. Both movies got favorable reviews from viewers with many saying the latter would be a yearly watch.
Dave Chappelle
Comedian Dave Chappelle arrives on stage at the Kennedy Center for the Mark Twain Award for American Humor on October 27, 2019 in Washington, DC. – This years’ award recipient is comedian Dave Chappelle. (Photo by Alex Edelman / AFP) (Photo by ALEX EDELMAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Dave Chappelle’s win of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor is a unique one. Typically, the ceremony for the award features various comedians talking about their connection to the winner, giving them praise, and sharing stories. Chapelle’s ceremony still included these moments but also footage from his stand-up routines in various locations. Most audiences know him for his sketch comedy series Chappelle’s Show. The show is still referenced today through memes and various catchphrases. Even considering this, stand-up comedy remained his bread and butter. However, as the years have gone by, a variety of backlash arose from his material. Controversy seems to follow him as he hosted Saturday Night Live after a Presidential election twice and naturally spoke unfiltered about it both times.
In a huge deal with Netflix in 2016, Chappelle did three comedy specials for them and was paid $20 million for each. However, several of his jokes resulted in corporate backlash for Netflix with employees attempting to push back against the anti-LGBTQ+ material in his specials. Dave Chappelle has always been unfiltered but these days, more and more people have been responding to what he says.
WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 23: Actor comedian Will Ferrell joking gives the thumbs down sign during his introduction as the Mark Twain Prize for Humor honoree at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC on October 20, 2011. At left is his wife, Viveca Paulson. (Photo by Linda Davidson / The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Will Ferrel won the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2011 and has been celebrated by many people for his absurd and visual based humor. Like some of our other entries, his career began on Saturday Night Live in 1995 and he’s hosted the show before too. The movies he’s starred in, such as Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, Elf, Anchorman and The Other Guys are regarded as comedy classics of the modern era. However, one of his most surprising television appearances was as a minor character on Living Single – this happened before he joined the Saturday Night Live cast. Will Ferrell is also one of the co-founders of the comedy website and production company Funny or Die. Since beginning in 2007, the site has featured a myriad of actors in their online content and most recently produced the movie Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.
Adam Sandler
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 19: Adam Sandler onstage during the 24th Annual Mark Twain Prize For American Humor at The Kennedy Center on March 19, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images)
Adam Sandler’s dramatic performance in Uncut Gems might be what most people associate with him now but his comedic ventures earned him the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2023 – years after that movie took over the timelines in 2019. He’s yet another Saturday Night Live alumni and was on the show from 1990 to 1995. Sandler’s career contains some well-received comedies, some less than well-received ones, and some romantic comedies.
In recent years, Sandler entered a deal with Netflix which was renewed in 2020. His movies on the platform actually broke a record or two for viewership, validating his success with them. Naturally, he did some comedic movies which got mixed fractions. However, his more dramatic roles in 2017’s The Meyerowitz Stories and 2022’s Hustle, were met with critical acclaim. Sandler’s Netflix deal also included a stand-up special in 2018, his first one in over 20 years. He announced another one in 2024. Most recently, he voiced the lead character in their 2023 animated movie Leo.
Kevin Hart
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 24: Kevin Hart speaks on stage during the 25th Annual Mark Twain Prize For American Humor at The Kennedy Center on March 24, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images)
Kevin Hart is the most recent recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. His career has been elevating since his stand-up specials I’m A Grown Little Man, Seriously Funny and Laugh At My Pain brought him in front of new audiences from 2009 to 2011. Since then he’s had multiple starring roles in movies, gotten an interview series on YouTube and Peacock and truly become a household name. He’s even expanded beyond comedic roles and starred most recently in Netflix’s Lift and before that, a Netflix drama series called True Story with co-star Wesley Snipes.
Hart’s production Laugh Out Loud productions are also quite successful. They’ve made partnership deals with a variety of streaming platforms and produced multiple types of video-based content. This content has earned multiple award nominations and wins. Hart’s career continues to expand as he does more and more roles in a variety of places. His journey as a comedian has been one of elevation that many of his supporters have watched in real-time.
Kevin Hart says that Katt Williams’ criticism of him is just for “entertainment.” Hart reflected on his feud with the veteran comic during an interview with WSJ Magazine for its spring 2024 men’s fashion issue on Wednesday.
“It’s just that. It’s entertainment,” Hart told the outlet. “If that’s what he fuels himself off, God bless him. Good for him. I hope he gets all that he needs and he wants, and I’m here cheering for him from afar. That’s my real energy. I really mean it! That’s how happy and secure I am with my career and my life.”
LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 11: Kevin Hart attends a photocall for “LIFT” at Corinthia London on January 11, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/WireImage)
Williams originally criticized Hart for taking the roles he had turned down during an interview with Shannon Sharpe on his Club Shay Shay podcast. “For a five year period, every single movie that Kevin Hart did was a movie that had been on my desk that all I had said was ‘Just can we take some of this step and fetching s— out and then I can do it?’” Williams said at the time. “And me saying that and them going ‘oh yeah, no problem’ and then going to give it to this other guy and having him do it just like it was and acting like I’m a bad person because I keep standing on my standards. It’s interesting, but I wouldn’t change it for the world – again, I’m on the winning side of these decisions.”
Hart initially responded to Williams’ comments in a post on Twitter. “Gotta get that anger up outcha champ,” he wrote. “It’s honestly sad.” Be on the lookout for further updates on Kevin Hart and Katt Williams on HotNewHipHop.
Move over, The Last of Us fans, because the long-awaited film adaptation of the popular video game Borderlands is coming soon. Starring superstar funnyman Kevin Hart, Ariana Greenblatt, Edgar Ramirez, Cate Blanchett, and none other than Jack Black lead the way in the star-studded big-budget film coming to theaters.
Now get this: Borderlands is a title from Gearbox and 2K and has become one of the top-selling games ever. The trailer top lined by Kevin Hart, gets the ball rolling in the film adaptation. Eli Roth is directing, and he knows how to keep genre fans on the edge of their seats with plenty of action mixed with in-your-face laughs.
Here’s the official synopsis:
Two-time Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett teams up with Kevin Hart in director Eli Roth’s BORDERLANDS. Lilith (Blanchett), an infamous outlaw with a mysterious past, reluctantly returns to her home planet of Pandora to find the missing daughter of the universe’s most powerful S.O.B., Atlas (Ramirez). Lilith forms an alliance with an unexpected team – Roland (Hart), a former elite mercenary, now desperate for redemption; Tiny Tina (Greenblatt), a feral pre-teen demolitionist; Krieg, Tina’s musclebound, rhetorically challenged protector; Tannis (Curtis), the scientist with a tenuous grip on sanity; and Claptrap (Black), a persistently wiseass robot. These unlikely heroes must battle alien monsters and dangerous bandits to find and protect the missing girl, who may hold the key to unimaginable power. The fate of the universe could be in their hands – but they’ll be fighting for something more: each other.
Borderlands is hitting theaters on Aug. 9 but check out the trailer here.
Tia Kemp went in on Kevin Hart over his lawsuit against Tasha K. “You short n-gga. Sit your hobbit a– down. Tryna sue someone trying to call out your sh-t. Sit your a– down,” Kemp said in a scathing livestream on Instagram. Kemp also said that Tasha K had been “sued enough”, referring to the controversial blogger’s legal defeats against Nicki Minaj and Cardi B. Recently, Tasha reportedly sought to have the defamation suit filed against her by Kevin Hart dismissed. Per a statement from Tasha K’s company, “Hart failed to plea specifically which statements they contend are false and defamatory or which facts they contend are true and an invasion of privacy.” In short, Tasha is arguing that Hart’s lawsuit is too vague to be considered valid.
The whole situation stems from an interview Tasha K conducted with Hart’s former assistant. The woman made a number of bombshell claims, such as Hart engaging in an affair and being unable to pay staff members due to gambling debts. Hart’s suit claims defamation, violation of an NDA, and that Tasha tried to “extort” $250K from him in exchange for not publishing the interview. A judge has yet to rule on the dismissal motion.
Read More:
Kevin Hart Clowned After Katt Williams 40-Yard Dash
However, Tasha K isn’t the only person that Hart is currently feuding with. Hart and Katt Williams have traded blows back and forth after the latter’s Club Shay Shay interview last month. Things continued to spread long after the interview, especially after gym footage of Williams emerged. Footage has emerged appearing to back up Williams’ claim on Club Shay Shay suggesting that he can run a sub-4.50 40-yard dash. In the video, Williams is seen running the 40-yard dash in 4.47. That’s the same time that first-round pick Sauce Gardner ran in 2022. It appears that Williams wasn’t kidding about keeping himself in good shape.
However, fans used the video to further the beef between Williams and Kevin Hart. The actor and comedian took to social media in August 2023 to post a few videos of himself rolling around in a wheelchair. According to Hart’s video, he tore his torn lower abdomen and torn abductors while attempting to outpace former NFL star Stevan Ridley in a 40-yard dash. Ridley played eight seasons in the NFL between 2011 and 2018. Hart was reportedly sidelined for about six weeks thanks to the injury.
Tasha K is reportedly seeking to have the defamation suit filed against her by Kevin Hart dismissed. Per a statement from Tasha K’s company, “Hart failed to plea specifically which statements they contend are false and defamatory or which facts they contend are true and an invasion of privacy.” In short, Tasha is arguing that Hart’s lawsuit is too vague to be considered valid.
The whole situation stems from an interview Tasha K conducted with Hart’s former assistant. The woman made a number of bombshell claims, such as Hart engaging in an affair and being unable to pay staff members due to gambling debts. Hart’s suit claims defamation, violation of an NDA, and that Tasha tried to “extort” $250K from him in exchange for not publishing the interview. A judge has yet to rule on the dismissal motion.
However, Tasha K isn’t the only person that Hart is currently feuding with. Hart and Katt Williams have traded blows back and forth after the latter’s Club Shay Shay interview last month. Things continued to spread long after the interview, especially after gym footage of Williams emerged. Footage has emerged appearing to back up Williams’ claim on Club Shay Shay suggesting that he can run a sub-4.50 40-yard dash. In the video, Williams is seen running the 40-yard dash in 4.47. That’s the same time that first-round pick Sauce Gardner ran in 2022. It appears that Williams wasn’t kidding about keeping himself in good shape.
However, fans used the video to further the beef between Williams and Kevin Hart. The actor and comedian took to social media in August 2023 to post a few videos of himself rolling around in a wheelchair. According to Hart’s video, he tore his torn lower abdomen and torn abductors while attempting to outpace former NFL star Stevan Ridley in a 40-yard dash. Ridley played eight seasons in the NFL between 2011 and 2018. Hart was reportedly sidelined for about six weeks thanks to the injury.
YouTube vlogger Tasha K, known by her real name Latasha Kebe, scored a legal victory this week as a judge ruled in her favor in a legal battle with comic actor Kevin Hart. The ruling pertains to an interview Kebe conducted with Hart’s former personal assistant Miesha Shakes, which Hart sought to have removed from Kebe’s pay-per-view platform.
According to court documents obtained by Rolling Stone, Hart filed an emergency petition for a restraining order against Kebe on Jan. 19. The petition was based on Kebe’s interview with Shakes, which Hart claimed contained defamatory statements and invasion of privacy.
During the court proceedings, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff expressed concerns about the lack of direct quotes from the interview in Hart’s petition. Beckloff emphasized that the petition was vague and failed to address actual malice.
The judge questioned Hart’s lawyers about the absence of a transcript of the interview in their petition. Despite claims by Hart’s lawyer, Donte Mills, that they possessed the transcript, they opted not to submit it due to privacy concerns. Mills argued that the transcript’s inclusion would invade Hart’s privacy.
Hart previously sued Kebe and Shakes for defamation, breach of contract, invasion of privacy, and extortion. The lawsuit stemmed from Kebe’s alleged demand of $250,000 from Hart to prevent the interview’s release. Hart did not comply, and the interview was subsequently published on Kebe’s pay-per-view website.
In the interview, Shakes made allegations regarding Hart’s personal life, including infidelity. Mills argued that while adultery may be morally objectionable, it is not illegal, and therefore, the claims were defamatory and demonstrated malice on Kebe and Shakes’ part.
Judge Beckloff rejected Mills’ arguments and denied Hart’s request for a temporary restraining order. Instead, he advised Hart’s attorneys to file a separate motion to submit the transcript under seal or pursue a preliminary injunction through the existing lawsuit against Kebe and Shakes.
The ruling represents a legal victory for Tasha K as she retains the right to keep her interview with Kevin Hart’s former assistant Miesha Shakes online.
Torrei Hart says she means “no shade” to Kevin Hart by embarking on a comedy tour with Katt Williams. Kevin and Williams have been feuding since the latter’s viral appearance on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast. She discussed the beef and her upcoming tour during a chat with TMZ published on Wednesday.
“Why wouldn’t he? I mean, I’m funny as f*ck,” she joked when asked why Katt chose her. “That’s my boy. We’ve known each other for years and it’s only right. I’ve opened up for Katt before. He’s given me plenty of opportunities. We’ve shot a movie together. We’re just close. We’re so close Katt has watched my dog before, like we’re friends. We’ve known each other for 20 years. This isn’t something that just happened.” As for Williams’ feud with Kevin, she added: “I have no shade at all to Kevin. Even the stuff that’s going on between him and Katt, that’s not my beef. That is not my beef. I have beef with no one.”
Torrei Hart With Kevin Hart & His Star On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame
HOLLYWOOD, CA – OCTOBER 10: (L-R) Torrei Hart, Hendrix Hart, Eniko Parrish, Heaven Hart and honoree Kevin Hart pose for a photo as Kevin Hart is honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on October 10, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
The drama began when Williams accused Kevin of being an industry plant while speaking with Sharpe. “In 15 years in Hollywood, no one in Hollywood has a memory of going to a sold-out Kevin Hart show, there being a line for him, ever getting a standing ovation at any comedy club,” Williams said. Later in the interview, he added: “For a five-year period, every single movie that Kevin Hart did was a movie that had been on my desk that all I had said was just, ‘Can we take some of this Stepin Fetchit sh*t out and then I can do it.” Kevin eventually responded on Twitter, writing: “Gotta get that anger up outcha champ….It’s honestly sad.”
Torrei Hart On Touring With Katt Williams
Soon after, Torrei revealed she’d be performing with Williams. “My success is my success. I want everybody to win, I love everybody,” Kevin told TMZ in response to that news. “I want everybody to win, I hope the tour is great.” Be on the lookout for further updates on Torrei Hart as well as the feud between Katt Williams and Kevin Hart on HotNewHipHop.
Comedian Kevin Hart has escalated legal action against his former personal assistant, Miesha Shakes, and blogger Tasha K, following a contentious interview that led to a defamation of character lawsuit. In the latest development, Hart has submitted a crucial piece of evidence to the court: the non-disclosure agreement signed by his ex-assistant, Miesha Shakes.
Radar Online reports that this evidence is a part of Hart’s plea for a restraining order and injunction against the duo. The legal dispute stems from an interview Miesha Shakes did with gossip vlogger Tasha K, in which Hart claims she made several false statements about him. This interview prompted Hart to take legal action last month, alleging defamation.
Miesha Shakes was employed by Hart from August 2017 to October 2020. The lawsuit details an alleged attempt by an associate of Tasha K to extort $250,000 from Hart in exchange for not publishing the interview. Hart refused to pay the sum and instead chose to contact the police. His team also issued a cease and desist letter to Tasha K, demanding she not post the interview due to the existing non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and the alleged false claims made by Miesha.
Despite the cease and desist, Tasha K published the interview. In response, Hart has now attached to his motion the NDA signed by Miesha. This agreement, executed on October 22, 2020, after her employment ended, stipulates that Kevin Hart agreed to pay Miesha $30,000 per year for three years and provide health insurance for 36 months. In return, Miesha agreed not to disclose any confidential information learned during her employment and not to exploit Hart’s name without his advance written consent.
