In the words of Steve Harvey, "Your career is what you're paid for. Your calling is what you're made for." And with that said, Mr. Terrence "J" Jenkins, is humbly on to the next!
Last month while everyone was announcing their 2016 plans, former BET host turned E! News correspondent, Terrence J, had a "new year, new moves" announcement too-- he was ditching his gig as a media personality to pursue acting and production full time!
The announcement came as somewhat of a shock to fans, who felt as though Terrence was already successfully balancing both roles; not only did he star in the Steve Harvey productions Think Like a Man and Think Like a Man Too, he was also on our TV screens as our favorite E! News host weekly. Needless to say, the man who once couch-surfed his way onto that "106 and Park" stage was collecting checks and setting the standard for other dream chasers.
However, back in December, Terrence J took his final walk across that E! News room to confirm his departure from the series, while going over his history as a host:
"I started hosting when I was 16 years old back in North Carolina, and I've been now on national television for over 10 years. "Seventeen years [in total], that's a long time, and I think in order for someone to grow it's important that you try new things and you create new challenges, create new dreams for yourself."
Terrence also went on to discuss his new movie, The Perfect Match, which, unlike his past projects, he not only starrs in, but also helped produce!
Terrence J and Draya on the Set of 'The Perfect Match'
"I took some time off this summer and I produced and I starred in my first feature film, and I'm really excited about it and it's coming out at the top of the year. It's called The Perfect Match. I knew I would have to leave to go on a promo run for that...I've had a lot of opportunities come in in the acting space, both behind the camera and in front of the camera. And so, with all of that said, I wanted to announce today that I'll be leaving E! News."
Ok young Harvey!
Now a month later, striking the iron while it's hot (can't stop, won't stop!), Terrence has kept true to his consistent hustler's ambition and released the official trailer for The Perfect Match. The Perfect Match is a romantic comedy centered around Terrence's character "Charlie," a ritz, raunchy Hollywood agent and bachelor who also narrates the film. Charlie makes a bet with his close friends that he will court a woman and find a date (not a fling) in time to bring to his best friend's wedding. According to the synopsis:
"Charlie (Terrence) who is doubtful of love and relationships, even after his sister (Paula Patton) tries to tell him otherwise. He then takes on a bet with his friends, testing his success on finding one woman and dating her for a month without falling in love. All seems smooth until he meets a woman named Eva (Cassie) who throws him off his game..."
It's safe to say, Charlie is the exact-polar opposite of "Michael," Terrence's marriage-ready, sweet mama's boy character from the Think Like a Man franchise.
The Queen Latifah Flavor Unit executive-produced film snagged an all-star cast which not only boasts the likes of Lauren London, Cassie, Dascha Polanco (OITNB) and Donald Faison, but also includes both Terrence J and Hit the Floor’s Rob Riley, who will serve as producers alongside director Billie Woodruff. Cameos will include Brandy, Robin Givens, French Montana and Draya. This should be interesting!
Sometimes it is difficult to let go of what you know to pursue what you don't. Hosting was once Terrence's "in" to Hollywood, and a solid guaranteed gig for years. Although he has had success with acting and managed to do both jobs as a media personality and entertainer for years, sometimes spreading yourself thin can have long-lasting effects on both the work you produce and your mental and physical health. Cheers to Terrence for taking a leap of faith and focusing his energy in one thing, in an effort to produce his absolute best work.
Onwards and upwards!
Check out the full trailer below. The Perfect Match hits theaters March 11.
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Okay, but what if you’re someone who, for whatever the reason, can’t stand traditional vitamins? Maybe they’re too hard to swallow. Maybe they taste nasty. Maybe you’ve never really seen how they can truly benefit you. Well, for the first two issues, in just a moment, you’re going to see why gummy vitamins might be the best alternative for you. As for the last point, as I get into some of the benefits of taking gummy supplements, you may see why taking vitamins can be a really good practice overall.
Gummy vitamins have been all the rage for a few years now. If you’re wondering if they’re more hype than anything else, please read on.
Why You Should Feel Good About Enjoying Gummy Vitamins
Photo by Maria Kozyr on UnsplashEven though I don’t have a problem with swallowing vitamins, I must say that about half of the supplements that I take are gummies at this point. I mean, let’s not act like they’re not sweeter, easier to consume, and, all around more fun (I mean, if vitamin taking can be considered an enjoyable activity).
And so yeah, when it comes to the top reason why you shouldn’t think twice — or feel bad — about taking the gummies route for your supplemental health, it’s because gummies make it easier to take vitamins in the first place. Thankfully, there are other reasons, though.
- Depending on the brand (more on that in a bit), vitamin gummies have basically the same nutritional value as traditional vitamins
- Your system is able to process/digest them more easily than traditional vitamins
- They’re super convenient (because you don’t need a beverage in order to take them)
- They oftentimes are branded for specific needs like hair/skin/nails, feminine pH, and others
- Although there are vitamins that also come in liquid form and chewable tablets, gummies tend to taste much better than them all
A deliciously convenient way to get the vitamins and minerals that you need. If that’s not an awesome reason to take gummy supplements, what is, y’all? What is?
What You Should Be Aware of on the “Downside” As Well
Okay, so what if you’ve heard somewhere that vitamin gummies are something that you should do your best to avoid? Is there any kind of truth to that? The short answer (based on the “pros” that I just provided) is “no.” However, before you decide to go vitamin gummies shopping, there are a few other things to keep in mind:
- Vitamin gummies taste good because they have a good amount of sugar in them (oftentimes 2-8 grams per serving) which can lead to tooth decay or, if there are sugar substitutes in the gummies, that could lead to intestinal issues
- Vitamin gummies need additives and preservatives in order to have a decent shelf life and sometimes those aren’t the best for you overall (although the FDA did recently ban red dye in food which makes this less of an issue)
- Although vitamins don’t technically expire, many of them do lose potency after about two years — faster when they are in gummy form; that’s because gummies are more susceptible to moisture and moisture can ruin supplements faster
- Since vitamin gummies taste so good, that makes it easier to take more than the daily recommended amount (which is on the label) — and that can lead to things like vomiting and/or diarrhea
- Minerals like iron are missing from vitamin gummies; mostly because they create a metallic taste that prevents gummies from being as appealing to the palate
So, you know what all of this means, right? Although, for the most part, vitamin gummies can be beneficial for you, 1) you shouldn’t expect them to be total health life-changers and 2) you definitely need to be wise when it comes to selecting the ones that will be best for you.
And that brings me to my final point about vitamin gummies today…
5 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Supplement Gummies
When I first started getting vitamin gummies, I didn’t have this checklist. I wish that I had, though, because it took me a minute to figure out which gummies were going to not just taste good to me but actually be good for me. After a bit of trial and error, this is how I finally got to a brand that I am happy with.
1. Do some branding homework. Honestly, this should apply to both traditional and gummy vitamins because, as far as supplements go, they DEFINITELY are not all created equal. As far as my favorite gummy brand is concerned, it’s probably Nature Made, although OLLY, Honibe, and Smarty Pants are other ones that come highly recommended by health experts.
2. Make sure that the gummies are third-party tested. Basically, what this means is that the product has some sort of certification stamp on it. Speaking of stamps, be sure to check the expiration date on your gummies too. You’d be surprised by how many stores try to pull fast ones when it comes to not staying on top of that.
3. Pay close attention to what the label says. When you’re looking at the back of the label of any edible product, the nutrition is listed by what it has the most of. For instance, if you see vitamin C first, then it has more of that than anything else. And so, please, make sure that the additives and preservatives are very low. In fact, you’d be better off with a gummy that has none of them or has natural flavors and coloring instead.
4. Prefer what’s low in sugar. It’s not that we shouldn’t have ANY sugar in our life, it’s that we shouldn’t have more than 36 grams as a man and 25 grams as a woman on a daily basis. That said, if a gummy contains more than a third of what you should be consuming every day…can you see how that is already potentially problematic? Moral to the story: definitely look at the label for the sugar content too. Because it doesn’t make a lot of sense to take something for nutrition reasons if a ton of sugar is going to jack it up.
5. (Probably) go with bottles. Although gummy vitamins come in different types of packaging, you probably should go with bottles. Why? Because they typically have a seal that lets you know, beforehand, if the bottle has been tampered with or not. Pouches and jars don’t typically give you that kind of reassurance.
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Even if it wasn’t on your bingo card to learn about gummy vitamins today (LOL), I’m hoping that you can feel more confident about them, the next time you see a bottle at Target or your favorite pharmacy. Shoot, being able to consume something that tastes great that is actually good for you — how can that not make reading all of this totally worth your time?
I’m sayin’.
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