Nickelodeon has announced that the first ever NickFest has sadly been canceled.
Nickelodeon‘s first music festival, which was to take place October 22nd and October 23rd will no longer be happening. The festival’s reasoning for canceling is due to market conditions.
“Although we were very excited to bring the Nickelodeon brand experience to you through a music festival, we made the difficult decision to cancel after giving significant thought to the challenges facing families today,” they shared in a statement.
MONSTA X, Dixie D’Amelio, Joshua Bassett, That Girl Lay Lay, Young Dylan, Good NEWZ Girls, Olivia O’Brien, The Kid LAROI and more were all set to take the stage that weekend. NickFest was also going to showcase one-of-a-kind immersive experiences, rides and other interactive activities featuring the brand’s most beloved shows and characters, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Nickelodeon Slime.
Nick fans who purchased tickets already need not to worry, as “all current ticket holders will be issued a full refund at their point of purchase.”
They also note that if you have any questions about your refund, to reach out to TIXR.
There's currently no word on whether NickFest will be held in 2023.
Stream all your favorite Nickelodeon shows old and new on Paramount+. Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!
Two Nickelodeon icons will be heading to L.A. Comic Con 2022!
Los Angeles Comic Con has announced that Tom Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants, and Steve Burns, the OG host of Blue's Clues will be guests at this year's festival!
Both Kenny and Burns will both be appearing at the event on Saturday, December 3 and will be taking part in autograph sessions and photo ops. Burns will also Main Stage panel.
L.A. Comic Con 2022 will be taking place at the Los Angeles Convention Center between December 2-4, 2022. For more information and to purchase tickets, autograph session places and photo ops, visit https://comicconla.com.
Kids 6 and under can attend Los Angeles Comic Con for free. Please note that while entry is free, every kid attending still needs a ticket, and all kids tickets must be purchased with an adult ticket – Just select a “Kids Pass” at checkout. L.A. Comic Con is also offering a special Weekend Pass deal for kids age 7-12 — only $20.
Stream all your favorite Nickelodeon shows old and new on Paramount+. Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!
Avatar: The Last Airbender's Aang is a hero of true spirit and hope, and with one panel Marvel showed fans that he is also a role model for some of its youngest heroes.
Credit: ScreenRant.
The adventures of Aang in Nickelodeon's Avatar: The Last Airbender inspired a generation of kids, and Marvel Comics has confirmed that some of those kids grew up to be superheroes, including the Champions. Ms. Marvel and her team are proven to be big fans of the show, which is fitting because their upbeat and optimistic attitude perfectly emulates that of Aang himself.
Thanks to the second superhero Civil War, the public and others began to loose faith in the world's heroes and their methods. Being disillusioned themselves with the attitudes and actions of the older heroes Ms. Marvel, Miles Morales, and Nova resigned their positions with the Avengers, and along with Viv Vision and Amadeus Cho, formed a new group. Last to join was a young time displaced Scott Summers who was dealing with his own issues of disillusionment at the reality of his future self. After their first mission, the team went viral and were dubbed the Champions by the internet, with Ms. Marvel promising that their mission was to create a better tomorrow through hope and wisdom rather than through force.
In Champions #9 by Danny Lore, Vita Ayala, and Luciano Vecchio, it is revealed that in their off time the team of young heroes watches reruns of Avatar: The Last Airbender. It is a fitting show for the Champions, as their mission statement closely resembles that of the main character Aang. Die-hard fans know that Aang is an emotionally intelligent, ethically wise, and eternally optimistic role model, despite living in a world of war and morally grey characters. He is a hero worth mimicking, and with this small inclusion Marvel seems to be saying that at least some of its heroes are taking cues from the twelve-year-old Airbender. Though the name of the cartoon is never spoken it is all but implied in the panel. Nova mentions "cactus juice" and the dialogue from the TV is specifically the lyrics of the "Secret Tunnel" song from the second season episode titled, "The Cave of Two Lovers." Amadeus mentions how he "used to love this show," and Miles states honestly that he is "still learning" the lessons of honor and self-worth taught by Avatar. All of this points to the fact that Avatar: The Last Airbender is a big influence in at least some of the adolescent lives of the Champions, with one exception.
Credit: ScreenRant.
The young Cyclops is a time traveling variant of a character who has been in Marvel Comics since the 1960s. This version of Scott Summers is from a different era than the rest of his Champions teammates, and it is almost certain that he has never before seen the Nickelodeon show. His rapt attention on the screen shows how enthralled he is by the cartoon and its heroic protagonist. When the young version of Cyclops does eventually return to his own time, his older self is shown to gain all his memories, which means that the modern leader of the X-Men actually learned at least some lessons from the hopeful and big-hearted Aang.
Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of the best cartoons of the 2000s, but it's not just a kids' show. It depicts a world torn apart by war where there are no easy villains to hate or easy moral choices to make. Through it all Aang's positivity and willingness to believe in people becomes an inspiration to viewers. The Champions also exist in a world where people have become jaded by heroes and the morally ambiguity of their conflicts. Like Aang, Ms. Marvel and the Champions are outsiders trying to make a difference with hope and positivity, and now it is clear that at least some of them —including the modern version of Cyclops— have been partially inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender. Maybe Marvel Comics is admitting that more of their established heroes need to learn how to be more like Aang.
Nick News Brief: Maurice Hols, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Paramount Benelux and General Manager of Paramount Nordics and Paramount Russia, is leaving the company after eight years. Following Hols' departure, Rogier van de Paverd will take on the role of Country Manager for Paramount Benelux, which he'll serve in addition to his current role of Vice President, Ad Sales Central & Northern Europe and Asia.
Maurice Hols vertrekt bij Paramount International. Als Executive Vice President Noord Europa en General Manager Paramount Benelux (voorheen ViacomCBS) was hij sinds 2014 verantwoordelijk voor de lokale tak van de wereldwijde mediagigant.
In het continu veranderende en uitdijende medialandschap werden de merken MTV, Comedy Central, Spike en Nickelodeon dankzij zijn marketing- en contentstrategie een succes.
Hols bekleedde diverse andere functies binnen het mediabedrijf voordat hij aan het hoofd kwam te staan van destijds ViacomCBS Benelux, waarvan begin dit jaar de naam veranderde in Paramount Global. Hij startte in 2004 bij MTV Networks Nederland en ontwikkelde zich al snel tot de eindverantwoordelijke bij het snelgroeiende merk MTV.
Maurice Hols: “Dit is het einde van mijn reis bij Paramount. Het was ‘de rit van mijn leven’. Tegelijkertijd kijk ik zeer uit naar een nieuw avontuur, maar eerst ga ik van een sabbatical genieten samen met het gezin. Enorme dank aan al mijn collega’s waarmee ik de afgelopen jaren zoveel successen heb beleefd.”
Hols lanceerde in 2007 Comedy Central in Nederland en in 2009 in Zweden. Vanaf 2011 werd hij verantwoordelijk voor Comedy & Entertainment in Noord-Europa, de divisie waaronder Comedy Central, Spike, Paramount en VIVA vielen. De comedy-zender veroverde na Nederland en Zweden al snel de rest van Europa.
Hij voerde een nieuwe marketing- en contentstrategie door. De focus lag daarbij op vier duidelijk gepositioneerde merken: elk met een eigen doelgroep, multi-platform strategie en tone-of-voice. Hiermee bleef het toenmalige ViacomCBS zijn fans boeien en aan zich binden.
Zijn visie over onderscheidende, afgebakende merken en een specifieke fangroep in combinatie met 360 graden storytelling en partnerships resulteerde erin, dat de Benelux de meest toonaangevende en meest succesvolle divisie werd binnen Europa. Hols was de grondlegger van P+, de streamingdienst van Paramount Global. Ook was hij betrokken bij de vertaling van SkyShowtime, dat in september in Nederland wordt gelanceerd.
Op creatief vlak heeft een aantal van zijn producties eeuwige roem geschaard onder de jeugdige fans, zoals Ex on the beach Double Dutch en The Roast met Gordon, Giel Beelen, Johnny de Mol en Ali B. Maar Hols bracht ook de cult serie New Kids op de nationale tv, waardoor de makers een ware nationale hype werden. Met Spike en Bellator bracht hij kickboksen en MMA naar een breder publiek, met als hoogtepunt de afscheidspartij van Melvin Manhoef tegen Remy Bonjasky en de afscheidspartij van kickbokslegende Peter Aerts.
Rogier van de Paverd zal naast zijn rol als VP Ad Sales Central & Northern Europe and Asia de taak van Country Manager Benelux op zich nemen.
KENAN THOMPSON TO BE HONORED WITH STAR ON WALK OF FAME
WHO:
HONOREE: Kenan Thompson
EMCEE: Lupita Sanchez Cornejo, Chair of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce
GUEST SPEAKERS: Josh Server, JB Smoove, Leslie Jones
WHAT: Dedication of the 2,728th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
WHEN: Thursday, August 11, 2022, at 11:30 AM PT
WHERE: 6627 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, CA 90028
WATCH LIVE: The event will be streamed live exclusively at walkoffame.com
Award-winning actor and comedian Kenan Thompson will be honored with the 2,728th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on August 11th at 11:30 a.m. Star will be located at 6627 Hollywood Boulevard. Thompson will be awarded his star in the category of Television.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has proudly hosted the globally iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame since 1960. The Chamber exists to transform business and improve lives. Through the Walk of Fame, the Chamber celebrates the business that transforms us all – the business of entertainment. Entertainment is a unique blend of art and enterprise: elevating and inspiring us all.
ABOUT THE HONOREE:
“Kenan Thompson is the voice of a generation” stated Ana Martinez, Producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. “From Kenan and Kel to Saturday Night Live, Kenan has been making folks laugh for nearly 30 years.” In celebration of his upcoming 20th anniversary on SNL, we thought it would be fitting to place Kenan’s star next to the star of the man who gave him his job, Lorne Michaels,” added Martinez.
Joining emcee Lupita Sanchez Cornejo for the star unveiling will be Josh Server (All That, Good Burger), JB Smoove (Curb Your Enthusiasm, Spider-Man: No Way Home) and Leslie Jones (Ghostbusters: Answer the Call, SNL).
A native of Atlanta, Thompson made his television debut as a member of Nickelodeon’s all-kid sketch comedy series All That. He and Kel Mitchell debuted on the spinoff Kenan & Kel in 1996.
Continuing his career in sketch comedy, Thompson joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in 2003 and has now completed 19 seasons on the iconic late-night series as the longest-running cast member.
Thompson received two Emmy Award nominations in 2021 for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his NBC series Kenan and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for SNL. He previously received two Emmy nominations in 2018 and 2020 in the supporting actor category for his work on SNL as well as an Emmy for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics in 2018 for the SNL song “Come Back, Barack.”
Thompson has made numerous contributions to SNL with his slew of hilarious impressions that include Rev. Al Sharpton, Charles Barkley, Steve Harvey and David Ortiz, and by playing memorable characters such as DJ Dynasty Handbag, the scathingly fierce co-host of “Deep House Dish,” “Weekend Update” correspondent Jean K. Jean, “Black Jeopardy” host Darnell Hayes and Diondre Cole, the disruptive singing talk show host on the wildly popular sketch “What Up With That.”
He recently appeared in season two of HBO Max’s That Damn Michael Che and Prime Video’s The Kids in the Hall.
For two seasons, Thompson executive produced and starred in the NBC comedy series Kenan. In 2019 he served as producer and judge on NBC’s comedy competition series Bring the Funny. He also served as an executive producer on Nickelodeon’s 2019 All That reboot.
His past projects include Clifford the Big Red Dog, Home Sweet Home Alone, Hubie Halloween, Snakes on a Plane, Wieners, and The Magic of Belle Isle. Other film credits include Fat Albert, D2: The Mighty Ducks, Good Burger, The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, Brother Nature, Heavyweights, My Boss’s Daughter, Barbershop 2, Going in Style and They Came Together.
Thompson showcased his voice talents as Bricklebaum in The Grinch, which made history as the #1 Christmas movie of all time. Thompson has also lent his voice to the animated films Trolls World Tour, Wonder Park, The Smurfs, The Smurfs 2 and Space Chimps, the television series Sit Down, Shut Up and the Kobe Bryant/LeBron James Nike puppet campaign during the 2009 NBA playoffs. He was the voice of Austin Impresario Sullivan in the Hulu animated series The Awesomes and Riff in the film Rock Dog.
Update (8/12) - Kenan's star is next to the star of longtime Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels. It is the 2,728th star since the completion of the Walk of Fame in 1961 with the first 1,558 stars.
“This is very surreal. It’s amazing,” Thompson said. “My whole family is here. My little one is here. … I can’t thank everybody that’s here enough. I never thought any of this would be possible. I just wanted to act and entertain and have a good time and put smiles on my family members’ faces, and that grew into the world now, apparently. I don’t know man, it’s just an honor and a privilege.
“Going in next to the GOAT, Lorne Michaels, that’s really cool,” he added.
Stream all your favorite Nickelodeon shows old and new on Paramount+. Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!
Kenan Thompson Receives His Star On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame
The comedian continues to receive his flowers for years of dedicated work.
Award-winning comedian and actor Kenan Thompson reached a major career milestone as he finally received his well-deserved star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
On Thursday (August 11), Thompson, 44, was honored with a ceremony alongside his beautiful daughters, wife, family members, friends, and colleagues. Wearing an all-navy suit, Thompson delivered his acceptance speech, shared his gratitude, and even shouted out his long-time collaborator, Kel Mitchell, who couldn’t attend.
Thompson also noted that although he was asked to write a speech, he’d much rather speak from the heart. “Let the church say amen,’ Thompson hilariously started his speech. “This is very surreal, it’s amazing. My whole family’s here. My little ones are here, so I’ll make this short because she’s getting mad (laughs). I can’t thank everybody that’s here enough. I never thought any of this would be possible. I just wanted to act and entertain and have a good time and put smiles on my family members’ faces, and that grew into the world now, apparently. It’s just an honor and a privilege.”
He then went on to acknowledge that his star is ironically placed next to SNL creator Lorne Michaels’. “It’s just an honor and a privilege going in next to the G.O.A.T. Lorne Michaels. That’s really cool,” Thompson said in regards to the comedy legend.
“This is about what an artist means, and that is to provide for others,” Thompson added. “That’s been my life-long privilege to be able to hear that I’ve been doing exactly that. For families singing ‘What’s Up With That?’ as they decorate their Christmas trees and stuff like that, it’s such blessing.”
He ended with, “Here’s to the future, we keep going on. I wish y’all could give me two of these [stars] (laughs). Thank you very much.”
The comedian’s closest friends and long-time collaborators gave speeches in his honor too. SNL co-star Leslie Jones, comedian JB Smoove and former co-star from Nickelodeon, Josh Server all delivered sentiments about working alongside him.
This newest accolade follows Thompson’s recent announcement as the host of the 74th Emmy Awards, airing on Sept. 12. He’s already scored a few Emmys of his own, including being nominated six times. He two nominations last year for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Kenan and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for SNL. This year also marks Thompson’s 20th season on the late-night comedy show, making him the longest-running cast member to date.
Watch Kenan Thompson accept his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and check out images from the ceremony [here].
