The Pulse of Entertainment - March 10, 2026

The eZWay Awards Golden Gala event celebrates Hollywood's excellence, and at the same time, it gives back to the community by donating proceeds. This year proceeds go to benefit the Better Vision for Children organization. Hosting alongside Brian Hooks is actress/model Nadia Dawn ("The Bold and the Beautiful"). The "eZWay Awards," launched in 2019, will honor Kate Linder with the Lifetime Achievement Award for 44 years acting on "The Young and the Restless."

The eZWay Awards Golden Gala will be televised live via eZWay IVOD on over 100 channels that include eZWay TV, Bill Duke TV, The Women's Channel, MARC TV, ROKU and others. In attendance will be Tony Award nominated actress Starletta DuPois ("The Mighty Gents"); Olympic Golden Medalist boxer Henry Tillman; the ABC's "Claim to Fame" actor Gabriel Cannon (Nick Cannon's brother); James Cannon (Nick Cannon's father); actor/producer Johnny Venokur ("Lord of Illusions"); rapper James Darius, who is also eZWay's Universal Peace Ambassador; actor Trae Ireland (ABC's "911"); host on Your America TV on ROKU Rick Amato; founder of MARC TV on ROKU Marc Beilin; Tina D. Lewis (Women Global Speakers); actor Al Whiting ("Jerry Maguire"); founder of eZWay Network, eZWay Awards, eZWay TV and Wealth XO Dr. Eric Zuley; president of Better Vision for Children Dr. James Zuley; actor Sean Riggs ("S.W.A.T."); actress Melissa Heathers (Pet Sematary); bestselling author Deb Drummond; scriptwriter Satie Gossett (Star Wars); creator of The Matrix and Terminator franchise; Harlem Globetrotter Harold ‘Lefty' Williams; Johnny Venokur (Paramount+); Kathey Kolla (Fox's "Arrested Development"); actor/director Bill Duke; fashion designer Charlie Fashion; Moon Miller, and singer/songwriter John Michael Ferrari.

"It's going to be an amazing event," said the Bakersfield, California native about the eZWay Awards Golden Gala event. "I co-host with...Nadia Dawn...so Orange County come out!"

Partnering with eZWay Awards Golden Gala are Dr. Dante Sears, Dee Drummond, Eva Patterson (BET's ‘Raw Uncut Experience'), and Steven Byron. Legendary publicist and public relations specialist Dr. Edna Sims (ESP PR) will host the red (gold) carpet arrivals.

"I just dropped a romantic comedy called ‘Second Time Around' (he directed) it's a family movie," Hooks told me when I asked about other work that he has going on. "One film is in the can...'Proposition' (he directed). It's a drama/thriller. I stay busy...always pushing forward. Independent films are my foundation. The industry is changing."

Brian Hooks, continued about independent films, "There is no gatekeepers. It has been a blessing. You can control how, where and when."

"I have been doing this for a while now," Brian pointed out as we continued talking about his career. "My buddy and I made a film for $30,000. It was absolutely horrible! A 90-minute film. But we found a niche and made $800,000."

Hooks credits are long; he has been at it since 1996. You have seen him in the comedy "3 Strikes;" UPN's "Eve" with DMX; the 2004 film Soul Plane with Kevin Hart, Snoop Dogg, Tom Arnold, and Method Man; the film Phat Beach with Coolio; the film Bulworth with Warren Beatty, and TV series "NYPD Blue", "ER," "Cold Cases" and "The Parkers."  www.eZWayAwards.com www.TheBrianHooks.com

SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: Dr. Eunice Moseley has an estimated weekly readership of over one million for her column The Pulse of Entertainment. She is the publisher of the digital magazine www.ThePulseofEntertainment.com, which has an estimated 160,000 visitors a month. An entrepreneur, Dr. Moseley’s company, Freelance Associates, is a business management/public relations strategic planning and consulting firm that is celebrating 32 years in 2025. Dr. Eunice also serves as professor for the School of Business at Stanton University in Anaheim, California and serves as promotions director (at-large)/journalist and business consultant for The Baltimore Times. Dr. Moseley founded the Uplifting Minds II Foundation (www.UpliftingMinds.com) in 2023, a 501 C3 with a mission to empower the underserved through three major programs – One Stop Business Shop, the ULMII Professional Conference and the ULMII Academy (business management and public relations). EVENTS: "Uplifting Minds II" Entertainment Conference (ULMII), was launched by Dr. Eunice in 1999, to educate aspiring artists/musicians about the business of entertainment – www.UpliftingMinds2.com. Next ULMII Entertainment Conferences for Baltimore on Saturday April 18, 2026, presented by Security Square Mall and The Baltimore Times, and for Los Angeles on Saturday, November 7, 2026, presented by The Pulse of Entertainment and the ULMII Foundation. The ULMII conferences are free with virtual access via Zoom. ULMII entertainment conference offers a Professional Panel Q&A Session, a Professional Talent Showcase and International Talent Competition where the top three scored acts receive the ULMII Best Act Award and over $20,000 valued in prizes/product/services and cash!