Today on NewsOne Now, host and managing editor Roland S. Martin spoke with high school senior Taiylar Ball about being banned from prom for using a racially-charged term.  The 18 year-old honor student was denied entry to her prom following the use of the N-word in a spoken word poem during her senior talent show. “I used the N-word in a positive connotation. I never had any type of malicious intent,” said Ball. Although graduation is just four days away, Ball’s graduation status is still pending. Washington Post Assistant Editor and panelist David Swerdlick believes that banning an honor student from prom and graduation was an excessive disciplinary action and believed that other forms of punishment should have been pursued.
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Swerdlick said, “Even if there was a reason to punish, which I think punishment was excessive either way, as a principal you’ve got to exercise some discretion and say, look, I’ve got to do something because we have a rule. I’ll give you detention or suspension, but to take kids who are succeeding out of the prom, out of graduation is ludicrous.” 

​Also on NewsOne Now, a mother of a young Texas girl is furious to have found severe rope burns around her daughter’s neck after an overnight school trip. Martin spoke with the young girl’s attorney who is investigating the alleged racially motivated incident

ABOUT NEWS ONE NOW:
Emanating from the heart of Washington D.C. in a state-of-the-art studio that offers a stunning view of the Capitol building,News One Now airs Monday through Friday on TV One from 7-8 a.m. ET.  News One Now is hosted by Roland S. Martin,the 2013 National Association of Black Journalists’ Journalist of the Year and former host of TV One’s long-running, award-winning weekly news program, Washington Watch with Roland Martin.  Each morning, Martin – who also serves as the program’s managing editor – sifts through the headlines of the day to spotlight matters that greatly impact the African American community. In addition to television, News One Now reaches audiences 24/7 with exclusive program content and extended editorial on NewsOne.com and the NewsOne mobile app.  News One Now is an evolution of Interactive One’s award-winning digital brand NewsOne.com that launched in 2008 and reaches millions of African Americans each month.Susan Henry is executive producer of News One Now. D’Angela Proctor is TV One’s head of original programming and production.
 
ABOUT TV ONE:
Launched in January 2004, TV One (www.tvone.tv) serves 57 million households, offering a broad range of real-life and entertainment-focused original programming, classic series, movies and music designed to entertain and inform a diverse audience of adult Black viewers. The network is the exclusive home of News One Now, the only live daily news program targeting Black viewers.  In December 2008, the company launched TV One High Def, which now serves 14 million households. TV One is solely owned by Radio One [NASDAQ: ROIA and ROIAK, www.radio-one.com], the largest radio company that primarily targets Black and urban listeners. 
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Mann & Wife is the one of the best shows on television you've probably never seen! You may think you've seen it all on television, but with Bounce TV's lineup, there's another side to urban television you have yet to experience. After a successful initial season, the Mann's have returned for Season 2. Tyler Perry alumni - and real-life husband and wife team -  David Mann (Meet The Browns) and Tamela Mann (Madea’s Big Happy Family) star and serve as executive producers of Mann & Wife, the Bounce TV comedy series that’s been called the “Black Brady Bunch.” The popular stars play newlyweds Daniel and Toni Mann who laugh and love their way through the ups and downs of blending two families together. If you would like more info about the show or catch up on previous hilarious episodes, visit the Mann & Wife site here. 

With so many options for viewing today, shows like Mann & Wife seem to get swept into the pile with other sitcoms. This show goes beyond the broad typification of sitcoms and is actually one of the strongest family units on television. When castmates are tight, the show is tight and the Mann family, JoMarie Payton and Roger Bobb all agree that this show is by family and for family! 

Far removed from her days as Harriet Winslow on the outrageously hilarious "Family Matters", JoMarie Payton said of her newest tv son David Mann: "I love the way he calls me mama...I've played a bunch of mothers but this is my favorite role as a mama". Speaking to the overall experience, she also said: "I'm at a good space!" Not many shows can say that. Even the hit series "Empire" made news with its dealings with unhappy cast member Trai Byers. Mann & Wife enjoy a great working atmosphere that has resonated strongly with its fan base and fueled record numbers with its debut season.

Co-star David Mann said of his television mom, that having JoMarie Payton aboard is like having a player coach on the team. Mrs. Payton has a long list of television and film credits and it's easily understandable the value she brings to any cast and project. In fact when asked why she chose to go with Mann& Wife, she said "I do what feels right...If I don't think it's right, I don't do it!" 

Co-star Tamela Mann said of shows like Mann & Wife "some people want the basics and it's all about family with me! If my kids and grandkids can't be a part of it, I don't want to be a part of it!" 

Roger Bobb is a hot name in Hollywood these days, his other production Rickey Smiley for Real has also returned for its second season on TV One. Bobb said of shows like Rickey Smiley for Real and Mann & Wife: "I respect African American individuality, I respect the culture and family unity. Faith and family are the litmus test...would my mother watch the show?" 

In addition to the show's incredible cast, numerous guest stars have graced the set of Mann & Wife. To date, Elise Neal, Goapele, Cocoa Brown, Kim Coles and Vivica A. Fox makes regular guest appearances as the ex-wife of David's character "Daniel". 

Mann & Wife airs on Bounce TV each Tuesday night at 8 pm CST. For market information and to view past shows, visit Bounce TV today and don't forget the popcorn!

​David Mann is an actor, stand-up comedian and gospel singer. Mann won over audiences with is portrayal of Madea’s nephew, Leroy Brown, in many of Tyler Perry’s biggest movie hits. His character was so popular it led Perry to develop the feature film Meet the Browns (2008) and the subsequent series of the same name. Mann’s portrayal of Mr. Brown in the TV version of Meet the Browns (2009) resulted in his 2011 NAACP Image Awards win for “Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series.”

​TAMELA MANN – Singer and actress Tamela Mann began her career as a gospel singer with the multi-Grammy Award-winning and double platinum gospel phenomenon Kirk Franklin and the Family. Her musical talents have led to additional collaborations with such stars as Mary J. Blige, Al Green and Celine Dion. Discovered by Tyler Perry, she starred in his early stage plays and was later cast alongside husband David in many of Perry’s feature films, including roles in Madea Goes to Jail (2009), Meet the Browns (2008), and Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2007).

Actor/comedian Tony Rock has served as host, star, writer & producer for some of the entertainment industry’s biggest programs and movies. Tony has appeared in such hits as Think Like a Man (2012) and TV series Real Husbands of Hollywood (2015), Single Ladies(2012) and Everybody Hates Chris (2008). In 2012, he parlayed his comedic success to hosting the revamped Apollo Live where he works alongside some of the musical greats Gladys Knight, Doug E. Fresh and Michael Bivins.

 

​Jo Marie’s big break came when she was cast as the elevator operator on the ABC sitcom Perfect Strangers in 1987. Her performance was so well received by audiences that she was given her own sitcom, Family Matters, in 1989. Following the successful 200 episode run, Payton left Family Matters and was cast in numerous noteworthy series over the years, including roles in The Proud Family (2001), Will and Grace (1999) and Moesha (1996). In addition to her acting career, Payton has also enjoyed success in the music industry, recording a solo jazz album in 2000.

​With three hit shows recently on the air and 11 films having been released in the last six years, all opening at #1 or #2 on their opening weekends, Roger Bobb is one of the most successful producers working in the film and television industry today. Roger is the President and CEO of Bobbcat Films, a film and television production company based in Atlanta, Georgia. Prior to creating Bobbcat films, Roger served as Executive Vice President of Tyler Perry Studios.

​Bounce TV is the fastest-growing African-American (AA) network on television and airs on the broadcast signals of local television stations and corresponding cable carriage. The network features a programming mix of original and off-network series, theatrical motion pictures, specials, live sports and more. Bounce TV has grown to be available in more than 93.5 million homes across the United States and 93% of all African American television homes, including all of the top AA television markets.

About REACH Media, Inc.
REACH Media, Inc. is the leading cross-platform media company with networks and syndicated talent REACHing a predominately adult African-American audience of 12 million on a weekly basis, through broadcasts, digital media, events and initiatives. The company syndicates highly popular radio shows including The Tom Joyner Morning Show, The Rickey Smiley Morning Show, The Russ Parr Morning Show, Get Up! Mornings with Erica Campbell, The D. L. Hughley Show, The Ed Lover Show, The Willie Moore Jr. Show, The Nightly Spirit with Darlene McCoy, Gospel Traxx with Walt ‘Baby’ Love, and Keepin’ It Real with Al Sharpton. REACH Media Inc., founded in 2003 by Tom Joyner and CEO David Kantor, is a subsidiary of Radio One.