Larry Wilmore

Larry Wilmore's act is the comedy equivalent of adding two and two--and getting five. In developing a certain bit, Wilmore often strings together jokes that individually may not be particularly strong but cumulatively yield a strong piece--and a big laugh. He's also an enormously animated comic whose breezy manner of verbally punctuating certain bits (his acting work includes appearances on ABC-TV's detective-spoof "Sledgehammer") also tends to boost their impact a notch or three.

Larry Wilmore, creator and executive producer of "The Bernie Mac Show" and the winner of an Emmy for outstanding comedy writing last year for the series pilot, has left the Fox comedy. Fox Television declined to renew Wilmore's contract, which was about to expire. Insiders said the decision was prompted by the show's declining ratings and its creative direction during its second season.

He may have grown up in Philadelphia, but comedian Todd Glass has become the ultimate Southern California comic. The Fountain Valley-based comedian has outfitted his Jeep with a folding stage, complete with sound system and simulated comedy-club brick-wall backdrop. He's done impromptu shows at the beach, and, he says, he has even performed in front of 500 people at a party in San Diego. He calls himself the "Mobile Comedian." "It's just sort of like a toy," says Glass of his comedy-on-wheels.

Larry Wilmore's set jaw and focused eyes illustrated his resolve. He had too much to do and too little time. "The Bernie Mac Show," the hit offbeat Fox family sitcom that Wilmore created for Mac, the volcanic comedian who came to mainstream prominence with 2000's "The Original Kings of Comedy" movie and tour, was breaking for lunch after a long morning of shooting on its Studio City set, and Wilmore had numerous details to attend to.

Larry Wilmore's set jaw and focused eyes illustrated his resolve. He had too much to do and too little time. "The Bernie Mac Show," the hit offbeat Fox family sitcom that Wilmore created for Mac, the volcanic comedian who came to mainstream prominence with 2000's "The Original Kings of Comedy" movie and tour, was breaking for lunch after a long morning of shooting on its Studio City set, and Wilmore had numerous details to attend to.

Larry Wilmore, creator and executive producer of "The Bernie Mac Show" and the winner of an Emmy for outstanding comedy writing last year for the series pilot, has left the Fox comedy. Fox Television declined to renew Wilmore's contract, which was about to expire. Insiders said the decision was prompted by the show's declining ratings and its creative direction during its second season.

The cleaning crew, security guards and parking lot attendants were overwhelming favorites to win this honor at The Times. So I can't tell you how blown away I was to learn that of all those nominated to write this review of the Jiminy Glick of TV awards shows--otherwise known as the 54th annual Emmys on NBC--this paper chose... Moi? Get out! Words fail me.

The Museum of Television & Radio will hold a series of discussions between TV writer-producers and the people who helped inspire them. The Comedy Conversations series kicks off Wednesday with Mitchell Hurwitz ("Arrested Development") and Larry Wilmore ("The Bernie Mac Show") playing host to early TV icon Sid Caesar. The series continues Nov. 13 with Steve Levitan ("Just Shoot Me") talking to the creators of "Cheers," James Burrows and brothers Glen and Les Charles, and Nov.

"God knows that ['Six Feet Under'] and all the other shows in the category deserve this every bit as much as we do.... It's just a terrific time to be in television." AARON SORKIN, creator of "The West Wing," which won as best drama series * "This is one more step in my journey in the 13 years since I've been sober. Everything after that I like to call extra innings."

In a break from rancorous contract talks, negotiators with the Writers Guild of America on Wednesday sought to portray themselves and their contract proposals as reasonable while accusing their employers of being overly pessimistic about the industry's outlook. "There's always an attempt to characterize us as bellicose," said John F. Bowman, who chairs the guild's negotiating committee. "We're reasonable .... I have a Harvard MBA."

The cleaning crew, security guards and parking lot attendants were overwhelming favorites to win this honor at The Times. So I can't tell you how blown away I was to learn that of all those nominated to write this review of the Jiminy Glick of TV awards shows--otherwise known as the 54th annual Emmys on NBC--this paper chose... Moi? Get out! Words fail me.

He may have grown up in Philadelphia, but comedian Todd Glass has become the ultimate Southern California comic. The Fountain Valley-based comedian has outfitted his Jeep with a folding stage, complete with sound system and simulated comedy-club brick-wall backdrop. He's done impromptu shows at the beach, and, he says, he has even performed in front of 500 people at a party in San Diego. He calls himself the "Mobile Comedian." "It's just sort of like a toy," says Glass of his comedy-on-wheels.

Larry Wilmore's act is the comedy equivalent of adding two and two--and getting five. In developing a certain bit, Wilmore often strings together jokes that individually may not be particularly strong but cumulatively yield a strong piece--and a big laugh. He's also an enormously animated comic whose breezy manner of verbally punctuating certain bits (his acting work includes appearances on ABC-TV's detective-spoof "Sledgehammer") also tends to boost their impact a notch or three.

"The Bernie Mac Show" lights as many laughs as its star does fat cigars. And that's a bunch. Bold, creative and ferociously witty, Fox's new Wednesday night sitcom pours it on in opening back-to-back episodes that find Bernie (a popular stand-up comic playing a version of himself) being tormented by his nephew and two nieces whom he and his wife, Wanda (Kellita Smith), take in after their mother gets busted for drugs. "What does Bernie Mac know about raising children?"

Click here to download TV listings for the week of Aug. 26 - Sept. 1 in PDF format This week's TV Movies   SERIES Home by Novogratz: Courtney and Bob head to Mammoth to meet Tony Hawk, whose 1970s ski lodge is severely outdated and in desperate need of their designer's touch in this new episode (7 p.m. HGTV). Redneck Island: The unscripted competition with a Southern flair wraps its first season (10 p.m. CMT). SPECIALS Katt Williams: Kattpacalypse: Doomsday prophecies, President Obama and other hot-button topics are in the comic's sights in this stand-up special, taped on New Year's Eve at the Nokia Theatre (10 p.m. Showtime)