FAREWELL FREE & AJ

F.A.T.A.L wrote:

MeganJerai wrote:

UPDATED INFO: Stephen Hill, BET's Executive Vice President for Music and Entertainment Programming, issued this column a statement regarding the whereabouts of vee-jay Free that said, "We look forward to her return shortly as she is on vacation." Well it looks like Free's "vacation" is going to be a permanent one and her co-host A.J. Calloway is following suit. Last Thursday, July 28, Calloway sported a t-shirt that said "Still Free" and announced that he and Free were leaving BET. "This is my last show over here at '106 & Park,' and me and Free will no longer be here at BET. It takes a bigger man to walk away from a situation," said a tearful Calloway. He even phoned Free on his cell phone so that she could hear the audience cheer for her. BET's Hill says that the network learned of Calloway's plans to quit the day he announced it. "We did not know he was going to quit. He announced it to some people internally prior to the show, but the external announcement was not something we knew about until it happened," he explained. Rumors have been abuzz since the BET Awards that Free had bolted the network. Several reports had the Boston-bred part-time rapper having a verbal altercation with Hill during the ceremony that caused her to quit on the spot, thus explaining her absence from presenting the Viewer's Choice Award alongside Calloway. Hill says the rumors are not true. "There was no argument and no quitting on the spot. Free was on vacation like I previously stated but apparently decided during her time off to move on," he clarified. So why didn't Free present the Viewer's Choice Award? "That's something I am not at liberty to discuss," Hill confessed. It was just over a year ago that Calloway had problems with BET over moonlighting for the news magazine show 'Extra!' and skipping out on '106 & Park' tapings. Calloway was rumored to have been fired by '106 & Park,' while he was adamant that he quit the show and even gave an "I Quit" party in Los Angeles following last year's BET Awards. Whatever the situation was, it was reconciled, and Calloway returned to the show several months later. "You never know when you're going to see the last of something," said Calloway during his final live broadcast. But Hill assures us that '106 & Park' will live on without its former hosts. Tigger ('BET Style') and Julissa ('The Center') will host this week, but Hill says that move is only temporary. "They are not the permanent hosts and people will have to stay tuned to see what happens next," he reminded. Expect other BET personalities like Ray J ('BET.com Countdown'), Melissa Ford ('BET Style') and Mad Linx ('Rap City'); in addition to a bevy of celebrity guest hosts to hold down the show in the weeks to come.

As long as they dont have Ray J and Julissa up there permanently...its all good, lol

SC_Shawty wrote:

F.A.T.A.L wrote:

MeganJerai wrote:

UPDATED INFO: Stephen Hill, BET's Executive Vice President for Music and Entertainment Programming, issued this column a statement regarding the whereabouts of vee-jay Free that said, "We look forward to her return shortly as she is on vacation." Well it looks like Free's "vacation" is going to be a permanent one and her co-host A.J. Calloway is following suit. Last Thursday, July 28, Calloway sported a t-shirt that said "Still Free" and announced that he and Free were leaving BET. "This is my last show over here at '106 & Park,' and me and Free will no longer be here at BET. It takes a bigger man to walk away from a situation," said a tearful Calloway. He even phoned Free on his cell phone so that she could hear the audience cheer for her. BET's Hill says that the network learned of Calloway's plans to quit the day he announced it. "We did not know he was going to quit. He announced it to some people internally prior to the show, but the external announcement was not something we knew about until it happened," he explained. Rumors have been abuzz since the BET Awards that Free had bolted the network. Several reports had the Boston-bred part-time rapper having a verbal altercation with Hill during the ceremony that caused her to quit on the spot, thus explaining her absence from presenting the Viewer's Choice Award alongside Calloway. Hill says the rumors are not true. "There was no argument and no quitting on the spot. Free was on vacation like I previously stated but apparently decided during her time off to move on," he clarified. So why didn't Free present the Viewer's Choice Award? "That's something I am not at liberty to discuss," Hill confessed. It was just over a year ago that Calloway had problems with BET over moonlighting for the news magazine show 'Extra!' and skipping out on '106 & Park' tapings. Calloway was rumored to have been fired by '106 & Park,' while he was adamant that he quit the show and even gave an "I Quit" party in Los Angeles following last year's BET Awards. Whatever the situation was, it was reconciled, and Calloway returned to the show several months later. "You never know when you're going to see the last of something," said Calloway during his final live broadcast. But Hill assures us that '106 & Park' will live on without its former hosts. Tigger ('BET Style') and Julissa ('The Center') will host this week, but Hill says that move is only temporary. "They are not the permanent hosts and people will have to stay tuned to see what happens next," he reminded. Expect other BET personalities like Ray J ('BET.com Countdown'), Melissa Ford ('BET Style') and Mad Linx ('Rap City'); in addition to a bevy of celebrity guest hosts to hold down the show in the weeks to come.

As long as they dont have Ray J and Julissa up there permanently...its all good, lol

¿NDECISIVE? wrote:

i think they should jus rotate various celebrities to host the show thats the only way i think they could keep there ratings...

Quote:

'106 & Park' hosts let go Fans are furious Wednesday, August 3, 2005; Posted: 8:41 a.m. EDT (12:41 GMT) NEW YORK (AP) -- The hosts of "106 & Park" are both out after five years with BET's most popular series, with one suggesting he was pushed out the door. A.J. and Free had their last shows last week, and their exits prompted an "overwhelming" number of calls and e-mails from fans, a network spokeswoman said Monday. The popular music video and interview show, which airs weekdays for 90 minutes at 6 p.m. EST, is a cousin to fellow Viacom network MTV's "Total Request Live." A.J. Calloway said he was told by BET executive Stephen Hill that the network's new head of programming, Reginald Hudlin, was looking to change the face of the network. With his contract up, Calloway said he was offered a very brief extension -- no more than three months. He felt he was being given a message. "After five years of growing the show to what it is today, it was basically a no-brainer situation," he said. Hill, BET's executive vice president for music and entertainment programming, said Calloway was never told he wasn't wanted. He would not discuss specifics of contract talks. "His announcement to leave was a surprise because we were in the process of negotiations to retain him, as we were with Free," Hill said. Said Calloway: "If you're trying to aggressively keep someone, you don't offer them a month-to-month contract." Free, whose given name is Marie Wright, did not immediately respond to an e-mail message for comment. The move prompted an outcry from fans of "106 & Park," which is continuing and may soon audition replacement VJs. "I assumed we were going to get a number of calls, but we've actually gotten an overwhelming amount of phone calls and e-mail," said BET spokeswoman Marcy Polanco. "A lot of them have been from parents." Hill said the two hosts "gave an amazing face to our video programming and our programming in general. A.J. and Free are stars, absolutely are stars." Calloway said he's looking to stay in show business. He's opening a restaurant in Brooklyn this fall. "I love and respect them for the opportunity they have given me," he said. "It's just it's a hard exit. Nothing lasts forever."