LOS ANGELES — The 56th NAACP Image Awards kicked off Saturday at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, with host Deon Cole honoring Altadena residents who were affected by a recent Los Angeles-area wildfire. Cole then shifted tone and brightened the mood with a comedic prayer for Kanye West's wife to find more clothes after her barely-there Grammys look and for Shannon Sharpe to finally size up his T-shirts. The opening act was a lead-up to the evening's first award: Queen Latifah as best actress in a drama series, for her role in “The Equalizer.
” The ceremony took place in Pasadena, just south of the Altadena area, and video of last month's fire devastation played before actor Morris Chestnut took the stage. “Homes were lost, stores destroyed, countless lives shattered and over two dozens souls gone forever,” said Chestnut, a Los Angeles native who referenced impacted areas such as Altadena, the Pacific Palisades and Malibu. He said 22 Altadena residents attended the show, panning towards them as many in the audience stood up and applauded.
“But what was not lost is the spirit of our community,” Chestnut said. Former Vice President Kamala Harris was to be honored during the ceremony, receiving the prestigious Chairman’s Award, and the Wayans family was to be inducted into the NAACP Awards Hall of Fame. Here is what you need to know about the awards show, including how to watch or stream live, entertainer of the year nominees and more details on featured honorees.
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