"That's So Raven" BHM Storyline

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A SPECIAL BLACK HISTORY MONTH STORYLINE, GUEST STARS KATHIE LEE GIFFORD AND CYNDI LAUPER HIGHLIGHT NEW EPISODES OF  "THAT'S SO RAVEN" IN FEBRUARY ON DISNEY CHANNEL

BURBANK, CA (January 12, 2005) – Disney Channel presents new episodes of its #1 series "That's So Raven" every Friday (7:30 p.m., ET/PT) in February, including a noteworthy Black History Month storyline and celebrity guest stars Kathie Lee and Cassidy Gifford and Cyndi Lauper.  Also, super star Raven hosts a "That's So Raven" Valentine's Day marathon.

The episode "True Colors," premiering FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4 (7:30 p.m., ET/PT), commemorates Black History Month with a frank storyline about racism and job discrimination.  To expose unfair hiring practices at a local retailer, Raven Baxter dons another of her hilarious disguises (after many zhours of prosthetic make-up, the 19-year-old actress plays a balding middle age man).  Comedy and costumes aside, young viewers will see Raven and her best friends Chelsea and Eddie taking a stand against bigotry and, with guidance from Raven's parents, learning to appreciate the strides made by African-American pioneers.  Dr. Gordon Berry, Professor Emeritus at UCLA, a psychologist who is widely published on issues in children's TV and multiculturalism, consulted on the script.  Starring are Raven as Raven Baxter, Anneliese van der Pol as Chelsea Daniels, Orlando Brown as Eddie Thomas, Kyle Massey as Cory Baxter, Rondell Sheridan as Victor Baxter and T'Keyah Crystal Keymah as Tonya Baxter.

Kathie Lee Gifford and her 12-year-old daughter Cassidy guest star in an episode entitled "Dog Day Aftergroom" premiering FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11 (7:30 p.m., ET/PT).  In the episode, Chelsea helps Raven and Eddie land a part-time job at a posh doggie daycare center owned by the canine fanatic Claire (Kathie Lee).  Cassidy Gifford, in her first on-screen acting role, plays Jamie, a demanding client, but the tension really mounts after Raven accidentally dyes Claire's champion Bichon Frise bright pink... on the day of the annual Best in Show competition.  Madcap comedy follows when Raven glides into the dog show with three things:  Claire's pink pooch under wraps, a pocket full of cocktail weenies and a harebrained scheme to fool both Claire and the judges.

Disney Channel megastar Raven hosts a marathon with ten love-themed episodes of "That's So Raven," featuring a special Valentine's Day episode where Raven asks Eddie to teach Cory how to rap when she has a vision of him not receiving any cards on Valentine's Day, on FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14 (3:00–8:00 p.m., ET/PT).  The ten-hour marathon will be followed by the Disney Channel premiere of the animated movie "Aladdin" (8:00 p.m., ET/PT).
 
In an episode called "The Royal Treatment," premiering FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18 (7:30 p.m., ET/PT), Raven befriends a new exchange student from Shakobi but it's only after she accepts what she thinks are token gifts from him, that Eddie and Chelsea realize she has inadvertently accepted his marriage proposal too.  Dempsey Pappion ("The Red Sneakers"), Reginald VelJohnson ("Family Matters") and Jim Wise ("Even Stevens") guest star.

Grammy winning Cyndi Lauper guest stars in an episode entitled "Art Breakers" premiering FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25 (7:30 p.m., ET/PT).  Lauper plays Chelsea's art teacher Miss Petuto and Raven (the character and the actress) once again shows the lengths she'll go to for the sake of a friend and for the sake of comedy.