- [narrator] As one of the hosts of the Soul Train Awards,
now four years in a row with Tisha Campbell,
Tichina Arnold is one of television's
most recognizable faces.
From roles as one of our favorite best friends
to a lovable, no-nonsense Mom
(musical swoosh)
we're taking a trip down memory lane
to celebrate one half of the Soul Train Awards'
most enjoyed hosting duos.
(upbeat dance music)
Tichina Arnold got her big break in 1986
as a chorus girl on Frank Oz's Little Shop of Horrors.
Coincidentally,
costarring alongside her now longtime friend,
Tisha Campbell.
The following year, Tichina landed the role of Zena Brown
on the soap opera Ryan's Hope,
for two seasons.
And then in 1988,
earned a daytime Emmy nomination.
After Ryan's Hope ended,
Tichina continued flexing her dramatic acting muscles,
playing Sharla Valentine on the soap opera,
All My Children.
While she quickly became a household name
in film and television,
Tichina Arnold's breakout role as Pam
in the sitcom "Martin,"
firmly cemented her as a comedic force to be reckoned with.
As fate would have it,
her real life best friend Tisha Campbell,
would be her own screen bestie
during the five-year run of the show.
Arnold's performance on "Martin" was favorably received,
earning her in NAACP Image Award for
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 1996.
(jazz music)
Following their hilarious at-odds relationship
as Pam and Mart-innnn,
Tichina Arnold and Martin Lawrence would team up again
for comedy hi-jinks in films,
"Big Momma's House" in 2000,
and "Wild Hogs" in 2007.
Comfortable on big and small screens,
Tichina would also use her acting skills
on the theatrical stage,
exhibiting her performative range and extensive dynamism.
(upbeat music)
In 2005, Tichina was cast as the matriarch
on a project from the mind of Chris Rock,
entitled, "Everybody Hates Chris."
The show was wildly popular
and Tichina won another NAACP Image Award in 2008.
This time for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series.
Shortly after, Tichina would showcase
her intense dramatic mastery again,
in "The Lena Baker Story,"
the non-fictional saga about the first and only woman
to be executed by an electric chair in the state of Georgia.
Despite all of her acting accomplishments,
Tichina finds time to champion for the voiceless.
While she is involved in a number of
philanthropic endeavors,
primarily focusing on children and animals,
when a close family member was diagnosed with lupus,
Tichina became a staunch patient advocate
by launching the We Win Foundation in 2013
to support families, caregivers,
and those living with the disease.
- I worry about everybody else's kids every day of my life.
- [Narrator] She led the charge
in crusading for those people,
especially of color,
who suffer in silence from the effects of lupus
and other related autoimmune diseases.
In 2018, Tichina landed a role alongside
uber funnyman Cedric the Entertainer
on CBS called, "The Neighborhood,"
now in its fourth season.
That same year,
Tichina and Tisha would combine forces,
this time on stage to host the Soul Train Awards
in Las Vegas.
Their chemistry is infectious,
their skits and routines entertaining,
and stage presence captivating,
with Tichina sharing her gift of hilarious punchlines
and impeccable comedic timing.
The pair has hosted the Soul Train Awards every year since,
and we can't wait to see
what the co-hosts have in store this year.
If the laughs and magic they've brought to the
Soul Train stage over the last three years
are any indication,
we are in for an amazing ride.
(upbeat music continues)
(musical trill)