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Mika Brzezinski apologizes for homophobic insult of Pompeo

"Morning Joe" co-hosts Mika Brzezinski, left, and Joe Scarborough.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

“Morning Joe” co-host Mika Brzezinski has apologized for referring to Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo as “wannabe dictator” President Trump’s “butt boy.”

During a segment discussing the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi on the MSNBC show Wednesday morning, Brzezinski questioned whether Pompeo’s comments were “the words of a patriot.”

“I understand that Donald Trump doesn’t care. … He doesn’t care,” said Brzezinski. “But why doesn’t Mike Pompeo care right now? Are the pathetic deflections that we just heard when he appeared on ‘Fox & Friends,’ is that a patriot speaking? Or a wannabe dictator’s butt boy?”

Critics were quick to point out the homophobic nature of the insult, and Brzezinski promptly apologized on Twitter for her “super bad choice of words.” (While sometimes referring to a person eager to please for personal gain, a “butt boy” is also understood as a derogatory term for gay men.)

“I should have said ‘water boy’ like for football teams or something like that,” tweeted Brzezinski. “So Sorry!”

And it’s not the first time Trump’s critics have been called out for relying on homophobic jokes in their efforts to mock the president.

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‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’ bites back as fans embrace embattled holiday song

Fans are pushing back against the "Baby, It's Cold Outside" backlash, driving the song to surge in both sales and streaming.
(Eric Risberg / Associated Press)

“Baby, It’s Cold Outside” got a chilly reception on some airwaves earlier this year, but the seasonal favorite is heating up the charts, thanks to loyal fans who are pushing back against, well, the backlash.

The tune has grown controversial in recent years, due to a changing cultural climate and conversations cropping up in the wake of #MeToo, prompting some radio stations to remove the song from airplay.

But the tide appears to be turning for “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.”

On Monday, San Francisco-area radio station KOIT-FM (96.5) announced that it had returned the song to its rotation after a vast majority of listeners in an online poll voted to have it reinstated.

“KOIT’s listeners have spoken, and the overwhelming message is they do want to hear ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’ on our station, as they have throughout the years,” KOIT program director Brian Figula said in Monday’s statement.

The radio station was one of several that had excised the song from their playlists, is now among those that reversed their original decision after fan outrage.

And it’s not just on the radio where “Baby” is gaining ground.

Billboard’s Holiday Digital Song Sales chart for the week of Dec. 15 feature three different versions of the song, with Dean Martin’s 1959 rendition at No. 2, Idina Menzel and Michael Bublé’s 2014 duet reentering the chart at No. 29, and Leon Redbone and Zooey Deschanel’s 2003 duet from the “Elf” soundtrack debuting at No. 41.

As for radio stations, they remain dedicated to giving the audience what it wants.

“More than seven out of every ten listeners who responded said although some lyrics of the song may reflect a different era and a different sensibility than today, still they love the tradition and history of the song, and want to hear it as part of their holiday season,” Figula’s statement added.

“At KOIT, we always listen carefully when our listeners take time to comment. In this case, it was very obvious what they wanted us to do.”

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A Star Is Born: Lucas Hedges turns 22 today

(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

If a character is not well rounded, he’s not really a character at all, or a genuine depiction of a human being because the light can’t exist without the dark.

— Lucas Hedges, 2016

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Lucas Hedges finds the lightness within the dark drama of ‘Manchester by the Sea’

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‘Selena’ series based on the life of the Tejano singer ordered at Netflix

The late Tejano singer Selena was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2021 Grammys.
(Photo by Rick Corrales)

Netflix is ready to “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom.”

The streaming platform has ordered a new scripted series about the life of famed Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla.

“Selena: The Series” will follow the coming-of-age of a young Selena as her dreams of becoming a professional singer come to fruition, forcing her and her family to make life-changing personal and professional choices.

The family of the late singer is involved with the project and will serve as executive producers. Moises Zamora (“Star,” “American Crime”) is attached to write and executive-produce the series, which hails from Campanario Entertainment.

“Selena will always have a lasting place in music history and we feel great responsibility to do justice to her memory. With this series, viewers will finally get the full history of Selena, our family, and the impact she has had on all of our lives,” Suzette Quintanilla, Selena’s sister, said in a statement. “We are excited to partner with Campanario and Netflix to give fans a never-before-seen glimpse at our story and highlight why Selena will remain a legend for generations to come.”

Selena rose to fame in the late ’80s and early ’90s with hits like “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” and “Como La Flor.” She was shot and killed in 1995 at the age of 25 by her former fan club manager. Her death came months before she was slated to release her first crossover English-language album, which featured the hit singles “I Could Fall in Love” and “Dreaming of You.”

Jennifer Lopez famously played the singer in a 1997 biopic, which marked one of Lopez’s early breakout roles.

More recently, Selena served as the inspiration for a posthumous makeup line for MAC cosmetics that launched in 2016.

There is no premiere date yet for the series.

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Here’s how to watch the SAG Award nominations on Wednesday

Hump day might be a lot more enjoyable this week thanks to Awkwafina, Laverne Cox and the Screen Actors Guild.

Cox (“Orange Is the New Black” and “Bad Hair”) and Awkwafina (“Ocean’s 8” and “Crazy Rich Asians”) are teaming up to announce the nominations for the 25th SAG Awards on Wednesday and will hopefully enliven the typical awards-show announcements with their sass and comedic chops.

The acting nominees will be revealed at 7 a.m. Pacific time at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood.

The announcement — being made on TNT, TBS and truTV — will also be carried live on each outlet’s website and social media pages, as well as the SAG Awards site.

Here’s when and how to watch:

Actresses Awkwafina, left, and Laverne Cox will announce the Screen Actors Guild Award nominees on Wednesday.
(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris will introduce Awkwafina and Cox.

Before that — at 6:50 a.m. Pacific — nominees in the the stunt ensemble categories will be announced by SAG Awards Committee chair JoBeth Williams and committee member Elizabeth McLaughlin during a live webcast on TNT and the SAG Awards’ websites.

The 25th SAG Awards ceremony will be simulcast live on Jan. 27 at 5 p.m. Pacific on TNT and TBS and on the networks’ mobile and smart TV apps.

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Hoda Kotb in tears after Kathie Lee Gifford announces ‘Today’ exit

Kathie Lee Gifford’s announcement that she’s leaving NBC’s “Today” show reduced her on-air BFF Hoda Kotb to a sea of tears on Tuesday, and their life preserver was the box of tissues that a prop master dropped from the ceiling.

Kotb, who knew about Gifford’s departure before the live announcement, was still emotional afterward, telling her longtime co-host that she had changed her life.

“The minute you stepped into my life with both feet, everything changed,” Kotb said through tears, prompting the tissue-box drop.

“You chose me and that’s how it started,” she added. “I was thinking about everything good that’s happened in my life has happened since you came.”

Kotb, who has become a fan favorite since co-hosting the freewheeling 10 a.m. hour of the program with Gifford since 2008, said Gifford hiring her enabled her to meet husband Joel Schiffman and adopt their daughter, Haley Joy Kotb. Gifford also invited Kotb to meet her family when she first joined the “Today” team.

“Everything happened. … How does one person step in your life and change it like that? And you did that for me,” Kotb said.

Gifford, who will officially sign off the show in April, referred to Kotb as “a beautiful Egyptian goddess” and thanked their viewers for sticking with them from their disastrous early days as a “nothing burger” outside on the plaza.

“You start sharing life, and your friendship shows up on the air,” Gifford said. “We weren’t colleagues very long. We became friends and now we’re going to be friends for the rest of our lives.

“I’m grateful to God for you,” Gifford added. “God’s used you in my life every bit as much as he’s used me in yours, sweetie. That’s the way it goes. No crumbs on his table.”

Gifford has co-anchored “Today’s” fourth hour with Kotb for the last decade and is retiring from the program to pursue other creative endeavors.

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A Star Is Born: Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) turns 45 today

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

It’s not bad artists that’s the problem, because they’re not gonna be around for very long. The tragedy is with good artists who don’t believe in themselves.

— Mos Def, 2004

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Try telling him he can’t do it all

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Time’s Person of the Year? Four journalists and a newspaper, ‘guardians’ in ‘the war on truth’

Time’s Person of the Year recognition for 2018 is shining a collective spotlight on “guardians” in what the magazine calls “the war on truth.”

The group is made up of four journalists and a newspaper that Time says “are representatives of a broader fight by countless others around the world.”

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Carol Burnett to receive inaugural Golden Globe award for TV achievement

Carol Burnett will need to clear some space on her crowded mantel: At next month’s Golden Globes ceremony, she will pick up yet another award honoring her long and distinguished career in television.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. announced Tuesday morning that Burnett will receive the inaugural Carol Burnett Award, a new prize honoring lifetime achievement in television.

The award was teased at last week’s nominations announcement for the Globes; it’s meant to be a bookend prize to the HFPA’s Cecil B. DeMille Award for film achievement. A five-time Golden Globe winner, Burnett is also the most decorated honoree of all time in the TV category, according to the organization.

“For more than 50 years, comedy trailblazer Carol Burnett has been breaking barriers while making us laugh,” HFPA President Meher Tatna said in a statement Tuesday. “She was the first woman to host a variety sketch show, ‘The Carol Burnett Show.’ She was also the first woman to win both the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor and Kennedy Center Honors.

“And now we add another first to her running list: the first recipient — and namesake — of the new Golden Globe top honor for achievement in television, the Carol Burnett Award.”

Burnett, 85, will receive the award at the Golden Globes ceremony, which NBC will broadcast live from coast to coast on Jan. 6 from the Beverly Hilton hotel.

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Andy Serkis revives Gollum as a Brexit-obsessed Theresa May

As if British Prime Minister Theresa May weren’t in enough of a Brexit bind, now she has to deal with a biting Andy Serkis impersonation that’s making the digital rounds.

Literally biting because it’s Serkis via his immortal rendition of Gollum.

The “Lord of the Rings” actor reprised a version of the One Ring-obsessed character in a new video posted by We Wants It. Much like the Gollum of the film series, Serkis’ May has her own fixation: the Brexit withdrawal agreement.

“Oh, Precious, our agreement,” says a blue-suit clad Serkis. “This is it. Our deal … We takes back control: Money, borders, laws, blue passportses.”

But another May personality quickly rebuts: “No. It hurts the people. Makes them poorer.”

The parody features the two sides of May arguing with herself and it’s somehow both hilarious and terrifying. One personality only cares about how much she wants the “juicy and sweet” deal, while the other recognizes that there are plenty of people opposed to the idea.

“They hates the deal, all of them hates it. They wants a people’s vote,” Gollum/May says to herself.

The People’s Vote refers to the efforts of those in the U.K. calling for a public vote on whether Britain will leave or remain in the EU based on the terms of the final exit agreement.

On Monday, the real May delayed the parliamentary vote for the Brexit plan because she feared it did not have enough support to pass. The vote had been scheduled for Tuesday.

While May has defended the deal (that EU leaders have said is the only one on the table), it has been slammed by both Brexit-backers and “remainers” who oppose leaving the 28-nation bloc. As of now Britain is scheduled to leave the EU on March 29, 2019.

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Sarah Hyland of ‘Modern Family’ opens up about second kidney transplant

Sarah Hyland
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

After her body rejected her first kidney transplant, “Modern Family” star Sarah Hyland underwent dialysis last year and had to have a second transplant, she revealed Monday in an interview.

Recovery from that surgery has been relatively smooth, but the 28-year-old has contended with a spate of other medical issues that resulted in additional procedures.

After the second transplant, she had surgery to mitigate her endometriosis and another to repair a hernia. The chronic illnesses have resulted in six surgeries in the past 16 months, she told Self magazine, where she opened up about her tumultuous medical journey.

“I’m stable. I’m thriving. I’m super happy with life,” the 28-year-old actress said.

Hyland was born with kidney dysplasia, which causes the organs to grow debilitating cysts. She had a kidney transplant in 2012, with her father giving one of his kidneys to his daughter.

But in October 2016, her body began rejecting the transplant and — under the scrutiny of social media and the public eye — Hyland’s weight dropped, her face swelled due to immunosuppressant drugs and fluid retention and her blood pressure spiked, damaging her vision, the mag said.

The candid star said she began dialysis in February 2017 to filter her blood because her kidneys couldn’t. However, the treatment fell short and the transplanted kidney had to come out. Doctors removed it that May, then in September of that year transplanted a kidney donated by her younger brother, Ian.

“I was very depressed,” she told the magazine. “When a family member gives you a second chance at life, and it fails, it almost feels like it’s your fault. It’s not. But it does.”

Hyland felt completely helpless, she said, and for a long time contemplated suicide.

“I didn’t want to fail my little brother like I failed my dad,” she said. “I had gone through [my whole life] of always being a burden, of always having to be looked after, having to be cared for.”

The thoughts subsided after she reached out to a friend, and she encouraged others to do the same.

“It’s not shameful,” she said. “For anybody that wants to reach out to somebody but doesn’t really know how because they’re too proud or they think that they’ll be looked upon as weak, it’s not a shameful thing to say. It’s not a shameful thing to share.”

Hyland said on Instagram on Monday that she shared her story so others might “feel like they’re not alone.”

“Hopefully those that are lucky enough not to experience this will learn about something new and take a moment to appreciate their health,” she wrote.

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Prince’s estate announces first wave of titles in catalog re-release project

Prince's estate announced its first crop of re-releases Monday.
Prince’s estate announced its first crop of re-releases Monday.
(Chris O’Meara / Associated Press)

Three albums from late music legend Prince are about to see new life in vinyl, according to a Monday announcement from the artist’s estate.

Sony’s Legacy Recordings, in conjunction with Prince’s estate, announced the first wave of physical media re-released from the artist’s catalog, making it the first time that albums “Musicology,” “3121” and “Planet Earth” have been released on vinyl.

First announced in August, the deal between Legacy Recordings and the estate aims to make more of Prince’s catalog available to fans, including rare and out-of-print materials.

“The album trilogy … celebrates a sustained period of renewed creative energy and commercial triumph in Prince’s multi-faceted career,” Legacy said in a statement.

“These three albums marked Prince’s return to the top of the popular mainstream, a position he maintained while simultaneously pushing the envelope and breaking industry norms pertaining to marketing, distribution and live performance,” the release continued.

The era encapsulated by the albums — released in 2004 (“Musicology”), 2006 (“3121”) and 2007 (“Planet Earth”) — feature several of Prince’s most iconic live performances, including with Beyoncé at the 2004 Grammys, at his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2004 and from his Super Bowl halftime show in 2007.

The albums will be re-released on Feb. 8. In the meantime, new Prince music videos are released weekly to streaming services.

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New ‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters’ trailer features the titan fights you’re craving

When the first trailer for “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” was released in July, it delved deep into the lives of its human characters — which was fine — and was accompanied by Debussy’s “Clair de Lune” — which was awesome — and everyone seemed happy to see that the titular titan seemed to be doing OK for himself. It was arty and magnificent.

But there wasn’t any fighting. And there was barely any destruction.

And if you’re coming in here to sell me a Godzilla film, then by gosh, it had better be apocalyptic.

Luckily, most of that appears to be rectified in the second trailer for “Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” which was released Monday morning.

While the humans are still hanging out in the background, wringing their hands and staring in mute disbelief, far more of the footage is given over to the wrath of the titans.

Heck, Godzilla even takes on King Ghidorah head-to-head(-to-head-to-head) and it looks amazing.

See what it looks like when the world burns, but this time the old gods are to blame.

“Godzilla: King of the Monsters” is scheduled to stomp its way into theaters May 31.

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New ‘Stranger Things’ teaser reveals totally ‘80s episode titles

It’s summer 1985 and things are still pretty strange in Hawkins, Ind.

Netflix on Sunday unveiled a teaser for Season 3 of “Stranger Things,” giving fans a list of eight episode titles to mine for clues about the sci-fi series’ new season.

The new season will reunite viewers with Chief Hopper (David Harbour), Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Mike (Finn Wolfhard) and their gang of middle-school outcasts, who find themselves at the center of the peculiar happenings in their small town.

The streaming giant also confirmed a 2019 release for the new season, which will center on the already announced arrival of the Starcourt shopping mall, which makes the finale episode title all the more foreboding. (Check out that earlier teaser below.)

Here’s the title list:

“Suzie, Do you Copy?”
“The Mall Rats”
“The Case of the Missing Lifeguard”
“The Sauna Test”
“The Source”
“The Birthday”
“The Bite”
“The Battle of Starcourt”

In March, Netflix announced that Priah Ferguson would return as Lucas Sinclair’s (Caleb McLaughlin) younger sister Erica, and Maya Hawke was cast in the new role of Robin.

Last week, the Emmy-winning show earned a Golden Globe nomination for dramatic television series and a supporting actor nod for Harbour, who in addition to playing the town sheriff is now Eleven’s adoptive father.

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‘Americans,’ ‘Gianni Versace’ and ‘Dannemora’ lead Critics’ Choice TV nominees

The Broadcast Film Critics Assn. clearly has a thing for crime, with Monday’s announcement of the TV nominees for the 24th annual Critics’ Choice Awards revealing lots of love for shows about skirting the law.

“The Americans,” famous for its super sneaky Russian spies; “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” and its depiction of the murder and aftermath; and “Escape at Dannemora,” with its tale of a real life jailbreak, lead all television nominees with five mentions apiece.

“Gianni Versace” and “Dannemora” are competing in limited series, with “Americans” in drama, but all four projects were buoyed by their performances, which got four nominations each.

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‘The Favourite’ and ‘Black Panther’ lead film nominees for Critics’ Choice Awards

The Broadcast Film Critics Assn. announced its film nominees for the 24th Critics’ Choice Awards on Monday, with period black comedy “The Favourite” earning 14 nominations, just ahead of box office blockbuster “Black Panther,” which scored 12.

Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz all garnered nominations for their performances in “The Favourite,” with Yorgos Lanthimos also nominated for direction and editing.

Nipping at the heels of the two front runners are Damien Chazelle’s “First Man” with 10, “Mary Poppins Returns,” “A Star is Born” and “Vice” all nabbing nine nominations each and “Roma” with eight notices.

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Time’s Person of the Year shortlist includes Meghan Markle, director Ryan Coogler, President Trump and separated families

Actress-turned-duchess Meghan Markle is on Time magazine's short list for 2018 Person of the Year.
(Gareth Fuller / Associated Press)

Actress-turned-duchess Meghan Markle and “Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler joined Donald Trump, separated families, Robert S. Mueller III and Christine Blasey Ford on Time magazine’s shortlist for the 2018 Person of the Year.

Selected by the magazine’s editors since 1927, the title is bestowed on a person — or people — who most influenced the news and the world, for better or for worse, during the last year. On Monday, the magazine revealed the top 10 candidates on NBC’s “Today” show, which will also name the titleholder on Tuesday’s show. Markle and Coogler were the only entertainment figures represented during another contentious news year.

Last year, the “Silence Breakers” who spoke out against sexual assault and misconduct earned the magazine’s cover spot.

Here’s who made the shortlist this year:

Donald Trump: The tweet-happy U.S. president was named the 2016 Person of the Year when he was president-elect. Last year, when he also made the shortlist, Trump tweeted he had passed on the nominal title, though Time disagreed

Separated families: Despite weathering the fallout of putting a crying Honduran child who had not been separated from her family on its magazine cover earlier this year, Time still selected migrant families at the U.S.-Mexico border as candidates for its Person of the Year, again highlighting the battle over immigration in the U.S.

Vladimir Putin: The Russian president was named Person of the Year in 2007 and has continued to make headlines due to Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election, and his relationship with Trump. Which brings us to ...

Robert Mueller: The special counsel appointed by the Justice Department, who has been investigating allegations of Russian meddling in the election and Trump’s ties to Russia, has become a foil to the bombastic leader. Though the investigation has ensnared Trump’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen, his former campaign Chairman Paul Manafort and several others, Trump has repeatedly decried it as a “witch hunt” for evidence of collusion with Russia.

Ryan Coogler: The “Black Panther” director and screenwriter turned a lesser-known superhero into a cultural phenomenon with his groundbreaking film, which became a critical darling and broke a bevy of box-office records while boasting a predominantly black cast.

Christine Blasey Ford: The university professor who accused U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were teenagers brought the nation to a standstill with her emotional testimony in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee in September, throwing Kavanaugh’s shoo-in appointment into question for weeks.

Jamal Khashoggi: The Saudi journalist was killed soon after he entered the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, and his disappearance led to widespread criticism of the Arab nation, particularly Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is believed to have ordered Khashoggi’s murder.

March for Our Lives activists: The teenagers who survived the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Fla., assembled to take on gun control and march on Washington, D.C., to speak out against gun violence.

Moon Jae-in: The South Korean president, who helped host the Olympic Games this year, mounted a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, officially bringing about an end to the war between the two countries.

Meghan Markle: The “Suits” actress who hails from California became the Duchess of Sussex when she married Britain’s Prince Harry in May, offering a fairy-tale reprieve from pressing conflicts around the world. In October, the couple announced that they were expecting their first child, who would be seventh in line to the British throne.

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‘Saturday Night Live’ finds DeNiro’s Robert Mueller in Eric Trump’s closet

After a week full of new revelations from the Robert Mueller investigation, it was probably no surprise that Robert De Niro got the call to reprise his role as the special counsel for this week’s Saturday Night Live, which was hosted by Jason Mamoa with the musical guest Mumford and Sons.

With the always-on news cycle of 2018, the cold open is typically a feast-or-famine affair that benefits from standout, vaguely surreal moments — Kanye West in the White House, for example.

With so much news this week surrounding the legal affairs of the president’s inner circle, “SNL” imagined the FBI’s special counsel as the boogeyman in Eric Trump’s closet.

“Don’t be scared, it’s just me,” De Niro assured him, “your dad’s friend from work.”

Alex Moffat as a clueless Eric and Mikey Day as Don Jr. has been a solid pairing on Weekend Update, and they were natural choices given the news cycle.

Still, the segment lacked the sort of standout snap that makes the cold open the usual talking point for the episode, apart from its closing exchange. “People say you’re the worst thing that happened to my dad,” Moffat’s Eric Trump told De Niro. “No, getting elected president was the worst thing to happen to your dad,” he countered.

Watch a clip below.

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Time’s Up congratulates ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ star Constance Wu on Golden Globes nomination

Approaching the one-year anniversary of the movement’s birth, Time’s Up congratulated the women who earned 2019 Golden Globe nominations, including “Crazy Rich Asians” star and activist Constance Wu.

“We celebrate all of our sisters who were nominated for Golden Globe awards this year, including Constance Wu who became the first Asian woman to be nominated for best actress in more than 40 years,” the organization said in a statement to The Times.

(While few women of Asian descent been nominated for best actress in the awards’ 75-year history, Hailee Steinfeld, who is part Filipino, was nominated in 2017 for “Edge of Seventeen.”)

“As far as Asian Americans go, not Asian-Asians, there have been two others [in the comedy/musical category],” Wu told The Times on Thursday morning, reacting to her nomination for “Crazy Rich Asians,” the first contemporary-set all-Asian studio film in 25 years.

It is especially meaningful to receive a nomination for a leading role in an Asian American-centered story, Wu added.

In its Globes nominations kudos, Time’s Up also called out the lack of female filmmakers among this year’s all-male directing nominees.

“We are thrilled to see some progress in the diversity of artists recognized, but, once again, the best director category lacks a single woman nominee,” the statement read. “The body of work directed by women this year deserves acknowledgement.”

The Time’s Up movement was first announced Jan. 1, unveiling an initiative to battle sexual harassment in industries including Hollywood, which included a legal defense fund to help underprivileged women.

The movement called for supporters to wear all black to the glitzy 2018 Globes ceremony and speak out against harassment and gender inequality.

As of Thursday, Wu was not yet sure if there will be a repeat of last year’s red carpet call to action or similar coordinated show of solidarity.

“I don’t know if it’s going to be a clothing statement, but the solidarity and the sisterhood that we have is always there and is growing every day — so it will 100% be there at the Golden Globes,” she said. “Maybe not in terms of wardrobe, but in terms of passion? For sure.”

Read the full Time’s Up statement below:

Statement from TIME’S UP on the 2019 Golden Globe Nominations

We celebrate all of our sisters who were nominated for Golden Globe awards this year, including Constance Wu who became the first Asian woman to be nominated for best actress in more than 40 years. We are thrilled to see some progress in the diversity of artists recognized, but once again the best director category lacks a single woman nominee. The body of work directed by women this year deserves acknowledgement. While we greatly admire the excellent work honored yesterday, we are also reminded of the vast imbalances that still exist across our industry and many other industries, and remain committed to our collective work.

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A Star Is Born: Sinead O’Connor turns 52 today

A world full of people, and an awful lot of people are lonely. I identify with those people.

— Sinéad O’Connor, 2012

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Sinéad O’Connor is singing a new tune these days

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Kevin Hart shouldn’t have stepped down from Oscars gig, GLAAD chief says: ‘He should have stepped up’

Comedian Kevin Hart decided not to host February's Academy Awards.
(Willy Sanjuan / Associated Press)

GLAAD would rather Kevin Hart hadn’t quit as Oscars host, with its leader expressing disappointment Friday morning on social media and on CNN.

“Kevin Hart shouldn’t have stepped down; he should have stepped up,” tweeted Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of the LGBTQ advocacy group. “Hart’s apology to LGBTQ people is an important step forward, but he missed a real opportunity to use his platform and the Oscars stage to build unity and awareness.”

Ellis said the group “would still welcome that conversation” with the 39-year-old comic.

Hart, who got the job only Tuesday, walked away Thursday night rather than cave to “internet trolls” for old anti-gay tweets that had resurfaced after he deleted them. He later did an about-face and offered an apology to those he had hurt, saying he was stepping down because he didn’t want to distract from the awards themselves.

“We were hoping that this was going to turn into a teachable moment,” Ellis told CNN on Friday morning.

Ellis said Hart could have become an ally of the community if he had faced it, explained he had evolved and was willing to lead moving forward.

“It wasn’t the conclusion that I think everybody would have liked,” Ellis said.

The academy has yet to respond to Hart’s public exit or announce a replacement host. (But we have some ideas about who should get the gig.)

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A Star Is Born: Nicholas Hoult turns 29 today

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

I quite like feeling [crappy] sometimes and then putting on a record and wallowing in self-pity for the day. You’ve got to have the lows to have the highs.

— Nicholas Hoult, 2016

FROM THE ARCHIVES: ‘I was terrified’: Kristen Stewart on working with Nicholas Hoult on their new movie ‘Equals’

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Marvel drops ‘Avengers 4’ trailer, reveals title

The end is near. Or more precisely, the “endgame.”

On Friday, Marvel Studios unveiled the official first trailer for the latest “Avengers” film. The clip also confirmed the title for the project, “Avengers: Endgame,” and an April 26 release.

“Endgame” picks up where the events of “Avengers: Infinity War,” released in April, left off.

The beginning of the trailer focuses largely on Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) in solitude before moving the focus to Captain America (Chris Evans) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson).

The new footage also shows the return of Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye, who did not appear in “Infinity War.” He was last seen in “Captain America: Civil War.”

Watch the trailer below.

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Kevin Hart refuses to apologize for his old homophobic tweets

(Jordan Strauss / Invision)

Kevin Hart is not going to apologize even if it costs him his Oscars gig.

The comedian took to social media multiple times on Thursday to address the backlash around his past homophobic comments that have resurfaced since it was announced Hart will host the Academy Awards in 2019.

[UPDATE: Kevin Hart steps down as 2019 Oscars host after backlash over past homophobic comments]

“I just got a call from the Academy and that call basically said, ‘Kevin, apologize for your tweets of old or we’re going to have to move on and find another host,’” said Hart in a video posted on Instagram. “I chose to pass. I passed on the apology.”

The tweets in question were those that resurfaced after it was announced Tuesday that Hart would host the 2019 Oscars by critics who pointed out the comedian has a history of making homophobic remarks (which he reportedly started deleting after the Oscars announcement).

In this latest post, Hart insisted that he had already “addressed this several times” and that he has “moved on.” He added that he was refusing to bow to any “internet trolls.”

“I’m not going to do it, man. I’m going to be me. I’m going to stand my ground,” said Hart. “Regardless, Academy, I’m thankful and appreciative of the opportunity. If it goes away, no harm, no foul.”

Hart had urged people to “stop searching for reasons to be angry” in an earlier post on Thursday.

“Our world is becoming beyond crazy. I’m not going to let the craziness frustrate me or anger me especially when I worked hard to get to the mental space that I’m at now,” Hart said in the earlier Instagram video. “I’m almost 40 years old. If you don’t believe that people change, grow, evolve as they get older, I don’t know what to tell you.”

He added in the caption: “If you want to search my history or past and anger yourselves with what you find that is fine with me.”

In addition to the comments made on Twitter, Hart was getting backlash for a joke featured in his 2010 stand-up special.

“One of my biggest fears is my son growing up and being gay,” Hart said in the special. “I’m not homophobic, I have nothing against gay people … But me, being a heterosexual male, if I can prevent my son from being gay, I will.”

As in, Hart would interject whenever his son exhibited any behavior that could be even vaguely perceived as “gay.”

When asked about the segment by Rolling Stone in 2015, Hart explained that the joke was supposed to be about his worries as a dad. He admitted it was not a joke he would make anymore, but not necessarily because he considered the joke or his attitude problematic.

“I wouldn’t tell that joke today, because when I said it, the times weren’t as sensitive as they are now,” said Hart.

More recently, GLAAD specifically called out Hart by name in their 2016 “studio responsibility index,” which examined LGBTQ representation in films released by the major studios the year prior.

“This year, there was a noticeable resurgence of outright offensive depictions of LGBT people, which relied on gay panic and defamatory stereotypes for cheap laughs,” said the LGBTQ media advocacy group in their study. “Among the worst were the Kevin Hart-starring films ‘Get Hard’ and ‘The Wedding Ringer,’ which contain more blatant and incessant gay panic humor than we have seen in a Hollywood film in years.”

In his Thursday statement, Hart chose to emphasize how people “live” and “learn” and “grow” and “mature” over the years rather than directly address any of his past comments.

“I’m in a great place,” said Hart. “A great mature place where all I do is spread positivity.”

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Justin Timberlake postpones Man of the Woods tour, citing ‘bruised vocal cords’

Justin Timberlake.
(Amy Harris / Invision/Associated Press)

Justin Timberlake is sorry that the remainder of his Man of the Woods tour has now been postponed to next year while the singer recovers from bruised vocal cords, a problem that has dogged him since October.

“My vocal cords are healing but they are not all the way back to normal yet, so my doctors want me to continue to rest my voice,” the 37-year-old wrote on Instagram Wednesday night.

That means he’ll hold off on singing until next month.

“I’m really sorry,” Timberlake wrote. “I want to be back on the stage and I am doing all I can to get there quickly.”

Live Nation, the producer of the tour, confirmed on Thursday that the tour would resume in January, and tickets for the originally scheduled shows will be honored at the 2019 events.

Timberlake, whose tour accompanies his folksy fifth studio album, “Man of the Woods,” first canceled his Madison Square Garden show in New York in late October and had since postponed a slew of dates. (Though that didn’t derail his “silent interview” on “The Tonight Show” to promote his memoir “Hindsight” shortly after.)

The North American tour will now resume in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 4, according to Live Nation.

Timberlake’s Los Angeles stop at the Staples Center — originally set for Nov. 27 — is now slated for March 10, Live Nation said. He’s also been rescheduled to play the Honda Center in Anaheim on Feb. 22.

Additional appearances in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Fresno and Oakland have also been pushed back to March, and tickets for the previously scheduled concerts are valid at the respective new dates in each city. Refunds are also available at point of purchase. (A full list of the rescheduled shows can be seen here.)

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Faye Dunaway returning to Broadway to play Katharine Hepburn in ‘Tea at Five’

(Lionel Cironneau / Associated Press)

Oscar winner Faye Dunaway is returning to Broadway to play four-time Oscar winner Katharine Hepburn.

The “Bonnie and Clyde” star will embody the legendary actress with a devil-may-care personality in Matthew Lombardo’s “Tea at Five,” marking the show’s Broadway debut and Dunaway’s return to the Great White Way after 35 years, producer Ben Feldman said in a statement on Thursday.

Lombardo has created a new version of the one-woman-show, which took audiences to 1938 as Hepburn awaited word on the final casting for the role of Scarlett O’Hara to 1983, where they witness the sunset of her health and career.

The new show will be directed by Tony Award nominee John Tillinger and will have a limited engagement in summer 2019.

Additional information, including the complete creative team, dates and theater, will be announced early next year.

Dunaway made her Broadway debut in 1961 with “A Man for All Seasons” and followed it up with appearances in “After the Fall” and “The Changeling.” However, her breakthrough happened off-Broadway when she appeared in “Hogan’s Goat,” which led to her casting in 1967’s “Bonnie and Clyde.” (She later earned her Academy Award for the 1976 drama “Network.”)

The 77-year-old actress last appeared on Broadway in 1982 in the original play “The Curse of an Aching Heart.”

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Father John Misty rallies musician friends for wildfire benefit concert

Father John Misty announced that he will host a benefit concert for victims of California's recent wildfires.
(Suzanne Cordeiro / AFP/Getty Images)

Father John Misty, the singer, songwriter and occasional Chateau Marmont pianist, announced Thursday morning the California Wildfire Benefit Concert, an evening of music to benefit victims of the recent fires.

Misty, the stage name of Josh Tillman, is teaming up with Los Angeles-based concert promoter Goldenvoice and has scrolled through his contacts for a coterie of special guests, including Haim, Mac DeMarco, Lucius, Tim Heidecker, Rostam, Jonathan Wilson, Rivers Cuomo and Weyes Blood, among others.

Set for Dec. 18 at the Theatre at Ace Hotel in L.A., the night promises to be an intimate affair: an all-acoustic session of songs from some of the area’s most accomplished songwriters, with a Steinway & Sons-donated piano to add some class.

The benefit is the latest to raise money for those affected by the devastating fires. Over the weekend, Katy Perry, Gwen Stefani and Robin Thicke raised a reported $1 million as part of the One Love Malibu Benefit Concert. Last week, garage rocker Ty Segall and friends took over Zebulon in Frogtown to make money for those in need.

Proceeds from Tillman & Co.’s event will go to the Southern California Disaster Relief Fund, created by the United Way of Greater Los Angeles in partnership with United Way of Ventura County.

In a statement Thursday morning, organizers explained that “the fund is directed at low-income families whose lives and livelihoods are affected by the current wildfires in Southern California.” Specifically, the fund focuses on longer-term support to help individuals and families in need to rebuild their lives.

Bonus opportunity: Fans will be able to bid on front-row tickets to the concert through CharityBuzz. The high-bidder will also get a commemorative poster signed by participating artists and a room at the Ace Hotel.

Tickets for the all-ages concert range from $59.50-$199.50 and go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. Pacific.

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A Star Is Born: Peter Buck turns 62 today

(Joe Pugliese / Los Angeles Times)

Everyone I know has enough bad times and struggles in their lives to draw upon for a lifetime.

— Peter Buck, 1996

FROM THE ARCHIVES: The Lowdown on ‘Hi-Fi’

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Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg to co-host 2019 Golden Globes

Andy Samberg, left, and Sandra Oh will co-host the 2019 Golden Globes.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times; Micha Theiner / Los Angeles Times)

“Killing Eve” will meet “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” at the 76th Golden Globe Awards next month now that Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg have been announced as co-hosts of the annual show.

“They bring wit, charm and style to a room filled with the very best of film and television. It’s sure to be another unforgettable fun-filled night,” said NBC co-chairmen Paul Telegdy and George Cheeks in a statement on Wednesday.

The party-like ceremony, hosted by the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. at the Beverly Hilton hotel, will honor the best in film and television and marks the official kickoff of the 2019 awards-show season.

The three-hour telecast will air live, coast to coast, on NBC on Jan. 6 at 5 p.m. Pacific time.

Golden Globes nominations preview: 5 things to watch for, including ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ vs. ‘Roma’ »

The nominees will be announced early Thursday across 25 categories — 14 in film and 11 in television — and the winners are voted on by members of the HFPA.

“We’re excited to welcome Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg as co-hosts of Hollywood’s Party of the Year,” said HFPA President Meher Tatna in a statement. “Both Golden Globe Award recipients have continually showcased their talents in film and television, and we can’t wait see what their undeniable chemistry will bring to the Golden Globes stage.”

Oh, who famously starred as Dr. Cristina Yang on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” won a 2006 Golden Globe for performance by an actress in a supporting role in a series, limited series or motion picture made for television; a Screen Actors Guild Award for the role and five Emmy nominations for supporting actress in a drama.

Her role as an MI5 officer hunting down a female assassin on BBC America’s “Killing Eve” earned her another Emmy nomination earlier this year.

As for Samberg, the “Saturday Night Live” alum won two Golden Globes in 2014 for his work on the cop comedy “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” which recently landed at NBC after being canceled on Fox.

It won’t be the first time for him to host a major awards show either: The comedian previously emceed the Primetime Emmy Awards as well as the Film Independent Spirit Awards.

The duo take over hosting duties from recent hosts Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, and Ricky Gervais.

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Natalie Portman apologizes to Jessica Simpson for bikini-shaming her

Actress Natalie Portman, left, in a recent interview alluded to a bikini photo of Jessica Simpson.
Actress Natalie Portman, left, in a recent interview alluded to a bikini photo of Jessica Simpson.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times, left; Evan Agostini / Invision/Associated Press, right))

Oscar winner Natalie Portman hears you, Jessica Simpson, and agrees that women should dress and behave however they like without judgment.

That’s a different tune than the one Portman appeared to sing in a USA Today profile published on Tuesday — one that prompted a lengthy statement from Simpson calling out Portman for shaming her, particularly amid the Time’s Up era that Portman helped usher in.

Portman plays a pop star in the upcoming film “Vox Lux,” which explores the underbelly of the music industry, and in discussing the topic, she lauded Madonna but appeared to throw shade at Simpson and the industry that touted “the virgin/vixen paradigms” around the millennium.

“I remember being a teenager, and there was Jessica Simpson on the cover of a magazine saying ‘I’m a virgin’ while wearing a bikini, and I was confused. Like, I don’t know what this is trying to tell me as a woman, as a girl,” Portman, 37, told the publication.

Simpson. 38, read those words Wednesday morning and, in a missive posted on Instagram and Twitter, said she was “disappointed,” but did not indicate what magazine cover Portman was referring to.

“As public figures, we both know our image is not totally in our control at all times, and that the industry we work in often tries to define us and box us in,” the fashion designer wrote.

“However, I was taught to be myself and honor the different ways all women express themselves, which is why I believed then — and I believe now — that being sexy in a bikini and being proud of my body are not synonymous with having sex,” Simpson added.

Simpson, who made no secret of losing her virginity after she wed 98 Degrees singer Nick Lachey in 2002, had said that she’s always embraced being a role model to women by letting them know they can look and wear whatever they want and choose to have or not have sex whenever they want.

“The power lies within us as individuals,” Simpson wrote.

Addressing Simpson directly (and publicly) in the comments section of the post, Portman thanked her and said she she completely agrees with her.

“I only meant to say I was confused — as a girl coming of age in the public eye around the same time — by the media’s mixed messages about how girls and women were supposed to behave,” Portman wrote.

The actress said she didn’t mean to shame Simpson and is sorry for any hurt her words might have caused.

“I have nothing but respect for your talent and your voice that you use to encourage and empower women all over the globe,” Portman said.

UPDATE

2:21 p.m.: This story was updated with Portman’s apology.

This story was originally published at 11:52 a.m.

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‘Surviving R. Kelly’ screening evacuated after anonymous threats

Singer R. Kelly.
Singer R. Kelly.
(Noam Galai / Getty Images)

Phoned-in threats cleared the house at a screening of the “Surviving R. Kelly” documentary Tuesday night in New York City, leaving the singer’s ex-wife Drea Kelly more fired up than deterred.

“[S]everal anonymous threats were called in,” Lifetime said in a statement to The Times. “As a precaution, the network elected to evacuate the building.”

The incident was investigated and concern about a gunman in the house was determined to be unfounded, a New York Police Department spokeswoman told The Times.

The R&B singer has been accused of abusive and controlling behavior toward women, especially younger ones, allegations R. Kelly has denied. Those allegations are detailed in the three-part documentary series.

Tuesday’s screening was attended by alleged victims Jerhonda Pace, Kitti Jones, Assante McGee, Lisa Van Allen and Lizzette Martinez, in addition to Drea Kelly. Also there were #MeToo activist Tarana Burke, radio host Angela Yee and former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson. Burke and Yee were to have been part of a panel with Lifetime executive producer Brie Miranda Bryant.

“They thought they were putting us out; they just put gasoline on a fire and now we’re just gonna burn longer and stronger. You actually helped us when it was meant to harm us [because] this did nothing but unite us even more,” Drea Kelly told Rolling Stone.

The incident “lets me know we’re on the right track. We’re causing people to listen. We’re getting people’s attention and we’re getting attention from the one who thought that he was invincible and untouchable,” she said.

“Surviving R. Kelly” airs Jan. 3-5 on Lifetime.

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Cardi B announces split from Offset a year after they wed

Offset, left, and Cardi B arrive at the American Music Awards in October.
(Jordan Strauss / Invision / Associated Press)

A little more than a year after they secretly wed, rappers Cardi B and Offset have split, according to Cardi B, who announced the break-up in an Instagram video on Tuesday night.

“Things just haven’t been working out between us for a long time. And it’s nobody’s fault, it’s just like I guess, we grew out of love,” the Okurr-trilling, “I Like It” rapper said.

“We’re not together anymore. It might take time to get a divorce, but I’m always gonna have a lot of love for him because he is my daughter’s father,” she added.

Cardi and Offset, a member of the rap trio Migos, secretly wed in Georgia in September 2017 before the arrival of their daughter, Kulture, who’s now nearly 5 months old.

Cardi, 26, real name Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar, said that they remain good friends and business partners “who got a lot of love for each other.”

Offset, also 26, real name Kiari Kendrall Cephus, very publicly proposed to the “Bodak Yellow” MC in October and the two often discussed their plans for a blowout celebration. Then news of their actual marriage — and marriage certificate — leaked in June and the two welcomed their baby girl in July.

Reps for Cardi and Offset did not immediately respond to additional requests for comment.

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A Star Is Born: Joan Didion turns 84 today

(Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times)

Nonfiction is more personal for me. I could talk more directly in a nonfiction voice than I could in fiction.

— Joan Didion, 2011

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Joan Didion writes through ‘Blue Nights’

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Kevin Hart to host the 2019 Academy Awards

Kevin Hart will be hosting the Oscars next year.
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Stepping into what is often considered one of the most difficult – and at times thankless — gigs in Hollywood, Kevin Hart is set to host the 91st Academy Awards.

The stand-up comedian and actor made the announcement himself Tuesday on Instagram, promising, “I will be sure to make this years Oscars a special one.”

“For years I have been asked if I would ever Host the Oscars and my answer was always the same,” Hart wrote. “I said that it would be the opportunity of a lifetime for me as a comedian and that it will happen when it’s suppose to.”

In tapping Hart, who has starred in box-office hits like “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” and “Central Intelligence” and who boasts a massive social media following and large base of young fans, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is hoping to stem a steady decline in ratings for the telecast. In each of the past two years, under host Jimmy Kimmel, the ratings dipped, with March’s show reaching a record-low audience of 26.5 million viewers.

Facing perennial criticism over what many have decried as the sometimes tedious length of the Oscars, the academy has vowed that this coming year’s show, which is being produced by Donna Gigliotti and Glenn Weiss, will not run over three hours. To trim the proceedings down, some awards will be given out during commercial breaks rather than live on air.

In an ultimately fizzled gambit to bring in a wider audience for the all-important telecast, the academy earlier this year announced the creation of a new award recognizing “outstanding achievement in popular film.” But after weeks of blowback, the academy’s board of governors reversed itself and decided to shelve the idea, at least for the time being.

Hart has previously served as emcee of the “MTV Movie Awards” along with his “Central Intelligence” co-star Dwayne Johnson.

The Oscars will air on ABC on Sunday, Feb. 24.

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2018 AFI Awards honorees include ‘Black Panther,’ ‘Atlanta,’ ‘Roma’ and ‘The Americans’

The American Film Institute announced 10 films and 10 television shows as honorees of the 2018 AFI Awards this morning.

“BlacKkKlansman,” “Black Panther,” “Eighth Grade,” “If Beale Street Could Talk,” “The Favorite,” “First Reformed,” “Green Book,” “Mary Poppins Returns,” “A Quiet Place,” and “A Star Is Born” were recognized as “culturally and artistically significant” films by the institute.

Netflix’s “Roma,” a Spanish-language film not eligible for the main list, was also recognized with an AFI Special Award which honors films outside the Institute’s criteria for American film.

On the television side, FX’s “The Americans,” “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story,” “Atlanta” and “Pose,” HBO’s “Barry” and “Succession,” AMC’s “Better Call Saul,” Netflix’s “The Kominsky Method,” Amazon Prime’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” and NBC’s “This Is Us” were all recognized.

The AFI Awards will be presented at an annual private luncheon on Jan. 4, 2019, in Los Angeles.

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Terry Crews, Danai Gurira, Leslie Mann and Christian Slater to announce Golden Globe nominees

Terry Crews, left, Danai Gurira, Leslie Mann and Christian Slater will announce the Golden Globe nominees on Thursday morning.
(Ricardo DeAratanha, left, Carolyn Cole, Michael Nagle, Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

There are four Hollywood stars who are guaranteed to be awake bright and early for this year’s Golden Globe Awards announcement, regardless of whether they have a nomination in the offing.

Terry Crews, Danai Gurira, Leslie Mann and Christian Slater have been tasked with presenting the Golden Globe nominees at Thursday’s annual news conference, the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. announced Tuesday.

The HFPA also said a major announcement regarding the Golden Globes schedule would be made prior to this year’s nominees.

Joining Crews, Gurira, Mann and Slater will be newly minted Golden Globe Ambassador Isan Elba (also the daughter of actor Idris Elba), HFPA President Meher Tetna and Golden Globe executive producer Barry Adelman.

The Golden Globe nominations announcement will take place on Thursday at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills.

Live-stream coverage of the event begins at 5:05 a.m., with the first categories announced at 5:15 a.m. and a second and final group of categories revealed shortly thereafter.

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‘SNL’ star Pete Davidson says he won’t give in to online bullying; Ariana Grande chimes in

Pete Davidson
Pete Davidson
(Angela Weiss / AFP/Getty Images)

Pete Davidson says no matter what you do to him, he’s not going to kill himself.

Wait, what? Yes, exactly what you just read. Online trolls can’t bully him to death, he says. And he wonders why they’re getting away with such abusive behavior.

“I’ve been getting online bullied and in public by people for 9 months. I’ve spoken about BPD and being suicidal publicly only in the hopes that it will help bring awareness and help kids like myself who don’t want to be on this earth,” the “Saturday Night Live” actor said bluntly Monday on Instagram.

“I just want you guys to know. No matter how hard the internet or anyone tries to make me kill myself. I won’t.”

The “Saturday Night Live” actor, who has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, was presumably referring to his break from pop star Ariana Grande. The two met in March and became an item toward the end of May, got engaged just weeks into the relationship and then split up in October.

She has got around 137 million Instagram followers, some of whom have apparently been talking to — or at — Davidson online. He has no verified Twitter or Facebook accounts.

He said he has kept his mouth shut about the online bullying to this point and hasn’t mentioned any names — nor does he drop any names in the post.

“I’m trying to understand how when something happens to a guy the whole entire world just trashes him without any facts or frame of reference,” Davidson wrote. “Especially in today’s climate where everyone loves to be offended and upset it truly is mind boggling.”

Davidson’s missive comes on the heels of the new video for Grande’s hit song “thank u, next,” whose title echoes a Twitter comment involving the actor.

The singer put Davidson’s statement and a comment of her own on her Instagram story around midnight, urging her many fans to change their behavior.

“[I] really don’t endorse anything but forgiveness and positivity. i care deeply about pete and his health. i’m asking you to please be gentler with others, even on the internet,” Grande said, in part.

Later in the statement, she got a bit more specific.

“[P]lease let whatever point you’re trying to make go. I will always have irrevocable love for him and if you’ve gotten any other impression from my recent work, you might have missed the point,” she said.

Here’s Grande’s statement in full:

“i know u already know this but i feel i need to remind my fans to please be gentler with others. i really don’t endorse anything but forgiveness and positivity. i care deeply about pete and his health. i’m asking you to please be gentler with others, even on the internet. i’ve learned thru my own mistakes not to be reactive on socials so i do understand. but you truly don’t know what anybody is experiencing ever. regardless of what they choose to display on social media or how they may appear in public. i can promise u that. so please let whatever point you’re trying to make go. I will always have irrevocable love for him and if you’ve gotten any other impression from my recent work, you might have missed the point.”

Borderline personality disorder is “marked by an ongoing pattern of varying moods, self-image and behavior,” according to the National Institute of Mental Health website. Symptoms can often result in impulsive actions and relationship problems, with people experiencing intense episodes of anger, depression and anxiety that last for hours or days.

People with BPD tend to experience things as all good or all bad, and according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the risk of self-harming behavior or suicide is an extreme risk.

UPDATE

Dec. 4, 10:18 a.m.: This post was updated with the statement from Grande.

This post was originally published on Dec. 3 at 12:37 p.m.

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Kanye West apologizes after being called out for his behavior at ‘The Cher Show’

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian West at the opening night of "The Cher Show" on Monday.
(Evan Agostini / Associated Press)

Kanye West really, really liked “The Cher Show’s” opening night on Broadway. But at least one performer couldn’t tell, ’cause Ye apparently was messing with his phone the whole time.

“Hey @kanyewest so cool that you’re here at @TheCherShow!,” cast member Jarrod Spector tweeted at the rapper shortly after things got rolling on Monday night. “If you look up from your cell phone you’ll see we’re doing a show up here. It’s opening night. Kind of a big deal for us. Thanks so much.”

West might as well have taken a flash photograph — he was so busted.

West must actually read his mentions — at least the ones that blow up — because he replied with an apology a few hours later. And he apparently really did dig the show.

“The dynamics of Cher and Sonny’s relationship made Kim and I grab each other’s hand and sing ‘I got you babe,’” he wrote. “Please pardon my lack of etiquette. We have so much appreciation for the energy you guys put into making this master piece.”

But West might not have behaved as awful as all that. A Kanye source told TMZ that the rapper loved the show so much he was actually taking notes on his phone.

Still rude, but at least he didn’t tweet that apology halfway through the show.

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Red Bull Music Festival sets 2019 lineup, including ‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ live gig

Swae Lee of Rae Sremmurd in October.
Swae Lee of Rae Sremmurd in October.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times )

Liquid adrenaline manufacturer Red Bull has announced the lineup for the 2019 Red Bull Music Festival Los Angeles, which will focus nearly as much on sight as on sound.

Most notably, the multi-event program will feature the first live performance of music from the blockbuster action-adventure game “Red Dead Redemption 2.” It will be the centerpiece of a festival that aims to explore how music intersects with gaming, film and photography.

Attendees will experience live “Red Dead Redemption 2” performances by composer Woody Jackson, Indonesian duo Senyawa and others featured in the game in what’s billed as a reimagining of the score “as a unique auditory installation.”

The festival, happening at various locations across multiple February dates, will also present the first U.S. stops on Swedish pop powerhouse Robyn’s upcoming North American tour. Hitting the States to promote her new album, “Honey,” Robyn will perform her first Los Angeles shows in eight years on Feb. 22 and 23 at the Hollywood Palladium.

The festival’s Feb. 7 opening event will aim a much-deserved spotlight on the performer San Cha. She’ll be introducing a new original piece, according the notes, “based around the telenovela programs of her childhood,” and will feature artists from a range of L.A.’s creative disciplines.

On Valentine’s Day, the Tupelo, Miss., rap team Rae Sremmurd will host an event described in release notes as “an eclectic show inspired by the golden age of Hollywood.” Along with surprise guests, hosts Slim Jxmmi and Swae Lee will marry their hits with covers of “iconic love songs of past and present, putting a contemporary slant on classic silver screen romance.” The party will take place at the Reserve, which is in a historic bank vault in downtown Los Angeles.

On Feb. 16, the skate, film and art collective Illegal Civilization will take over the Pink Motel in Sun Valley — most visible these days as a setting in the Netflix show “GLOW” — for a daylong installment called Illegal Civ Movie Motel. The group is headed by Mikey Alfred, best known for his work with Jonah Hill on “Mid90s,” and Alfred and his peers will entangle skating, film screenings and a swap meet with music performances by affiliates including Show Me the Body, Tierra Whack and Tommy Genesis.

Throughout February the festival will take over the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Koreatown to present “Center Channel,” a film series with a mission to explore “the most compelling intersections of sound and film.” In conjunction with Los Angeles curators and tastemakers, programmers have scheduled not-yet-announced premieres, screenings, panels and live performances.

Tickets for all events go on sale Wednesday at noon.

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A Star Is Born: Tyra Banks turns 45 today

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

I go in and out of insecurity like everyone else.

— Tyra Banks, 2005

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Tyra Banks culls real from fake in fab life Phase 2

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New ‘Captain Marvel’ trailer teases Carol Danvers’ backstory and cosmic fights

The new trailer for “Captain Marvel” features a little something for everyone: additional details about the story, fight scenes in outer space and a cute cat.

The second trailer for the Marvel Studios film debuted Monday night, and it sends a clear message that Carol Danvers, a.k.a. Captain Marvel, is the hero everyone has been waiting for. At least according to Disney.

While the first trailer hinted that Carol (played by Brie Larson) is trying to piece together what seems to be her forgotten past on Earth, this new promo provides more information about who she has become.

Carol explains to Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) that she is Kree, an alien race of “noble warrior heroes.” But then the trailer immediately reveals that wasn’t always the case.

It turns out that after somehow stumbling upon an injured and memory-less Carol, the Kree turned her into one of them. This gave her enhanced strength, a prolonged lifespan and various other superpowers.

And these powers appear to be no joke. The trailer shows Captain Marvel handle everything from hand-to-hand combat against what appears to be an elderly woman (but is likely an enemy in disguise) to flying around in space while taking out spaceships with energy blasts she shoots from her hands.

Looks like there is definitely hope for the remaining Avengers to save the universe following the events of “Avengers: Infinity War” after all.

“Captain Marvel” is scheduled to hit theaters March 8, 2019.

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Queen announces Rhapsody Tour with Adam Lambert

Brian May, left, and Adam Lambert perform at the Forum in 2014.
Brian May, left, and Adam Lambert perform at the Forum in 2014.
(Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

Bolstered by the success of the new biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Queen is going back on tour in North America next summer. And Adam Lambert will take the mic once again in place of the late Freddie Mercury, the band announced Monday.

The Rhapsody Tour will take place from mid-July to late August 2019 and feature (in the band’s words) 23 “giant shows.” They’ll play the Forum in Inglewood on July 19.

Tickets go on sale Friday, with pre-sale codes sent to fan club members and QueenOnline.com subscribers on Tuesday.

“The soaring success of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ — the Freddie Mercury/Queen movie that is set to become the biggest-grossing music biopic of all time — has proven that the public’s love for Queen remains as strong as ever,” the band said in a release.

“We are ready for America and raring to get back in the saddle,” drummer Roger Taylor said in the statement, with lead guitarist Brian May adding: “This is a great opportunity. Our last tour featured our most ambitious production ever and got us our best notices ever. So we decided to rip it apart and get even more ambitious!”

Lambert has been touring with the band since 2012 after sharing the stage with them during the 2009 “American Idol” finale. Completing the tour lineup are longtime collaborator Spike Edney on keyboards, Neil Fairclough on bass and Tyler Warren on percussion.

See the full list of dates here.

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‘Lindsay Lohan’s Beach Club’ on MTV gets a January premiere date

Lindsay Lohan at the European MTV Awards in Bilbao, Spain, on Nov. 4.
(Vianney Le Caer / Associated Press)

The docuseries “Lindsay Lohan’s Beach Club” will debut in early January, MTV announced Monday.

The show chronicles Lohan — MTV labels her an “actress, influencer and entrepreneur” — in her efforts to launch her new Lohan Beach House in Mykonos. (She already has a nightclub in Athens and a beach club in Rhodes, Greece, and then there’s the thing where she’s taking over two islands off Dubai.)

“[W]hen the lines between romance, friendship, and work get blurred, the staff will quickly learn they’ll have to prove themselves to their toughest boss yet,” MTV said in its release, better than we ever could.

Based on what’s bubbled up so far in real life, we can expect details like staffers being told to wear matching shoes or they’re fired.

“I want to build an empire here,” Lohan says in a trailer you can watch below. The show itself was announced in July.

The show, which debuts on Jan. 8, promises viewers will see “a new side of Lohan” — previously known as a party girl and avid club-goer/train wreck — as she and her handpicked team of VIP hosts aim to put the place on the list of luxury destinations.

A week before the docuseries launches, the special “Lindsay Lohan: Welcome to the Beach Club” will air on Jan. 1, featuring a sneak peek at the show and its cast.

Also, at 10 p.m. the night before the premiere, “Lindsay Lohan: Most Memorable Moments” — yes, folks, there are a few to be sure — will be hosted by Aliana and Dakota Lohan, Lindsay’s younger sister and brother, respectively.

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Halsey calls out Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show over trans exclusion

Halsey, left, performed at the 2018 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, recorded last month.
(Timothy A. Clary / AFP/Getty Images)

Halsey, who performed at the 2018 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show that aired Sunday night on ABC, posted a lengthy note on social media at the same time regarding the show’s perceived lack of trans inclusivity.

“I have adored the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show since I was young. Performing this year alongside other amazing artists, and hardworking models/friends was supposed to be the best night of my year. However, after I filmed the performance some comments were made regarding the show that I simply cannot ignore,” she wrote.

“As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I have no tolerance for a lack of inclusivity. Especially not one motivated by stereotype,” continued the 24-year-old singer, who is out as bisexual. She then directed followers to the GLSEN website and said she had made a big donation to the organization, which champions LGBTQ issues in K-12 education.

The show featured 49 female models of various races and skin colors from at least 14 countries and six continents. However, a comment from a Victoria’s Secret executive in a Nov. 8 Vogue article — which ran the same day the show was taped — upset some transgender people and their allies, and appears to have sparked Halsey’s post. There was also discussion in the article about the absence of plus-size models on the VS catwalk.

“It’s like, why doesn’t your show do this? Shouldn’t you have transsexuals in the show? No. No, I don’t think we should,” Ed Razek, chief marketing officer for Victoria’s Secret owner, L Brands, told the magazine.

“Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy. It’s a 42-minute entertainment special. That’s what it is. It is the only one of its kind in the world, and any other fashion brand in the world would take it in a minute, including the competitors that are carping at us. And they carp at us because we’re the leader.”

Victoria’s Secret did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

The quote was in the context of a larger discussion about criticism of the show on social media, which had ramped up ahead of the show. Halsey, for one, wasn’t having it.

“If you are a trans person reading this, and these comments have made you feel alienated or invalidated please know that you have allies. We stand in solidarity, and complete and total acceptance is the only ‘fantasy’ that I support,” she said in her Sunday post.

Also performing at the fashion show were Shawn Mendes, Rita Ora, the Chainsmokers, Bebe Rexha, Leela James, Kelsea Ballerini, and the Struts, most of whom posted generic social-media reminders to watch the show. None of them talked about trans exclusion.

Rexha, however, had a bit more to say, and added a video of her performance Monday on Twitter so followers could see it — in some cases, again.

“It has always been a big dream of mine to perform at @victoriassecret Fashion Show and it’s finally happening tomorrow!! So don’t you miss it!!!,” she posted Saturday on Instagram. “Watch me strutting my curvy ass body unapologetically down that runway.”

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Kennedy Center Honors celebrate Cher, Wayne Shorter, Reba McEntire and Philip Glass — plus the creators of ‘Hamilton’

Wayne Shorter, front left, Cher, Reba McEntire, Philip Glass; back, Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Andy Blankenbuehler, Alex Lacamoire.
(Greg Allen / Associated Press)

The Kennedy Center Honors, which once again were not attended by President Trump, included tributes Sunday night to the late former President George H.W. Bush, who died Friday at age 94.

“I think it’s appropriate to recognize the passing of a wonderful man who dedicated his life to service and who graciously attended this event many times during his administration, laughing, applauding, singing along and even shedding a tear from right up there in the presidential box,” host Gloria Estefan said to kick off the evening at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington.

She recalled being invited to the White House and how Bush “literally spent 45 minutes patiently talking to my 8-year-old son” about how government worked.

Estefan was recognized last year; this year, the lifetime artistic-achievement honors went to jazz great Wayne Shorter, pop diva Cher, country star Reba McEntire and composer Philip Glass, with a unique award of distinction going to the team behind “Hamilton”: Andrew Blankenbuehler, Thomas Kail, Alex Lacamoire and star Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Their names, like the other nominees’, were first announced this summer.

“In recognizing ‘Hamilton’ and its co-creators,” Kennedy Center President Deborah F. Rutter said in a statement at the time, “the Kennedy Center is making an unprecedented statement about an unprecedented work — a work that transcends cultural boundaries and tells America’s story in a powerful and contemporary way.”

On Sunday, comic Whoopi Goldberg introduced Cher and friend Cyndi Lauper sang “If I Could Turn Back Time.” Kelly Clarkson paid tribute to McEntire with a version of “Fancy,” the Bobbie Gentry song McEntire turned into a hit in 1990.

Jason Moran, the Kennedy Center’s artistic director for jazz, said Shorter’s sound over a six-decade career “holds a special place in the galaxy,” adding that he could safely say that “somewhere in the galaxy right now, a band is playing one of his pieces.”

And previous award winner Paul Simon did the honors for Glass, whom he praised for “never settling into one particular style, always developing and exploring.”

Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, who also missed last year’s event after several honorees threatened a boycott, returned in the wee hours Sunday from the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires.

Though Bush attended most years and continued to do so after his presidency, he — like other heads of state, including Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton — missed a year due to major events. Trump is the first president to decline an invitation twice.

You can watch the Kennedy Center Honors when they are broadcast on CBS on Dec. 26.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Grammy Awards nominations delayed over Bush’s memorial services

(Julio Cortez / Associated Press)

The Recording Academy said Monday morning it would delay its announcement of the 61st Grammy Award nominees to avoid competing with memorial services and public viewings for former President George H. W. Bush, who died Friday.

The organization had planned to announce nominees early Wednesday morning but will now share nominees in select categories on Friday at 5:30 a.m. PST via “CBS This Morning” and Apple Music.

A full nominations list across 84 categories will follow at 5:45 a.m. PST on Friday at Grammy.com — the academy’s website — as well as all of its social-media platforms.

Nominations cover recordings released between Oct. 1, 2017, and Sept. 30, 2018.

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A Star Is Born: Tiffany Haddish turns 39 today

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

When it comes to how funny I might be, as long as it makes me giggle a little bit, I know it’s going to make somebody else laugh real hard.

— Tiffany Haddish, 2017

FROM THE ARCHIVES: How black women are breaking out of their dramatic safe spaces and shaking up the comedy world

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A Star Is Born: Lucy Liu turns 50 today

(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

For me, I want to be the best person for the job — not the best color for the job. That to me would be the most ideal thing.

— Lucy Liu, 2006

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Versatility in action

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Alec Baldwin, Ben Stiller open a ‘Saturday Night Live’ that features a Kendrick cameo and a Robert Mueller holiday jingle

After a few weeks off for some legal trouble involving a parking dispute, Alec Baldwin was back in the pursed-lip saddle as President Donald Trump this week on “Saturday Night Live.”

Playing off the G20 summit in Argentina and recent revelations surrounding the Russia investigation, “SNL” found Baldwin’s Trump isolated and calling his “Mikey Coco Puffs” in attorney Michael Cohen, who was again played by Ben Stiller. Nostalgic for the late-night talks with Cohen and “vacations to Moscow,” the sketch found Trump sad to see his lawyer going to prison, and told him he was “like a son to me.”

“Then why’d you make me do such much illegal stuff?” Stiller’s Cohen asked. “That’s ’cause you were like a son to me,” Baldwin’s Trump countered. The sketch went on to nod toward Baldwin’s troubles as Trump hung up and Baldwin said he hadn’t been so mad since he “flipped out over that parking space.”

Fred Armisen also appeared in the sketch as Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman, Cecily Strong as Melania Trump and Kate McKinnon as a wild-eyed Rudy Giuliani.

The Russia investigation received another callback at the end of the episode with McKinnon and Strong joined by Aidy Bryant, Leslie Jones, Melissa Villaseñor, Heidi Gardner, and newest cast member Ego Nwodim for a performance of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” dedicated to Robert Mueller in the hopes of an indictment for the president.

Still, that’s unlikely to be the night’s most talked about musical moment. Those honors likely go to Oxnard native Anderson .Paak, whose third album (which is named after his hometown) was released in November.

.Paak performed “Who R U” along with his single “Tints,” which featured an assist from Kendrick Lamar, who performed a few verses next to .Paak’s drum riser. It wasn’t a recast of a Christmas song, but it made a strong impression nonetheless.

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A Star Is Born: Bette Midler turns 73 today

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

I thought I was going to be a dramatic actor. In the back of my mind, it was something I didn’t want to admit to myself, because I was on another path.

— Bette Midler, 2013

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Bette Midler eats up her turn as Mengers, heading to the L.A. stage

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Ariana Grande amps up the nostalgia in new ‘thank u, next’ video

Ariana Grande’s “thank u, next” has already nabbed the singer her first No. 1 single on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, and now it has a video burning up social media.

The video dropped Friday afternoon and is rife with references to classic comedies from the early 2000s, including “Mean Girls,” “Legally Blonde” and “Bring It On.”

The buzzed-about video for “thank u, next” is in keeping with the song’s profile thus far. Grande released the song as a surprise earlier in the month, in the wake of the sudden end to her whirlwind romance with former fiance Pete Davidson.

Throughout the song, Grande recounts several of her exes and struggles from her past, grateful for all of it because it made her who she is today.

Those who need a Grande fix can check out the video here, but be aware that some colorful language is featured throughout. Also, be on the lookout for a few very special guest stars, including Troye Sivan, Jennifer Coolidge and “cool mom” Kris Jenner.

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Miley Cyrus and Mark Ronson make beautiful music together on ‘Nothing Breaks Like a Heart’

It’s been a minute since Miley Cyrus released new music, but much like Los Angeles, the drought is over.

Cyrus, in collaboration with British DJ and producer Mark Ronson, released “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart” on Thursday, the first single from Ronson’s upcoming album, his first solo effort since 2015.

It’s the first new music from Cyrus in more than a year.

Cyrus brings her huskiest growl to the tale of love gone wrong, singing, “This world can hurt you, it cuts you deep and leaves a scar / Things fall apart, but nothing breaks like a heart.”

The accompanying video features Cyrus in a low-speed chase with a bevy of cop cars, smashing through walls as if she were a wrecking ball – or the Kool-Aid Man.

In the world outside, cultural references play out in disconnected fashion, as football players kneel and children visit a gun range, all while Cyrus looks on. Also, she goes to a strip club, so watch the video at your own risk.

However, the video does end with a stunning sequence of a car wreck that features Cyrus still inside the vehicle singing, as gold and glass float through the air around her, in what appears to be an obvious homage to Julie Taymor’s gold dust bus crash in 2002’s “Frida.”

The video is worth watching for those stylish seconds alone.

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A Star Is Born: Steve Aoki turns 41 today

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

I want to help the empowerment of whatever I’m doing. I never want to be watching on the sidelines.

— Steve Aoki, 2014

FROM THE ARCHIVES: DJ Steve Aoki balances decadent party image with business dreams

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Alfonso Cuarón’s ‘Roma’ named best film of the year by New York Film Critics Circle

Alfonso Cuarón’s “Roma” was named the best film of 2018 by the New York Film Critics Circle on Thursday, giving the much-lauded movie another awards-season laurel and furthering Netflix’s momentum toward what many expect to be its first best picture Oscar nomination.

The critics’ group also named Cuarón best director for his work on the black-and-white, Spanish-language film, which is currently in limited release and will be available for streaming on Netflix starting Dec. 14. Following a year in the life of a middle-class Mexican family and their beloved live-in nanny, “Roma” — which draws from Cuarón’s own childhood memories — has earned rapturous reviews since in its initial outings at the Venice and Telluride film festivals earlier this fall.

In the acting categories, Ethan Hawke earned the best actor award for his performance as a pastor undergoing a spiritual crisis in the drama “First Reformed,” Regina Hall was named best actress for the comedy “Support the Girls.” Regina King drew the best supporting actress award for “If Beale Street Could Talk,” and Richard E. Grant was named best supporting actor for “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”

Other films getting a boost in the awards season derby were “Eighth Grade,” whose director, Bo Burnham, earned the honor for best first film; “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” which was named best animated film; Hulu release “Minding the Gap,” selected as best documentary; and Pavel Pawlikowski’s “Cold War,” which won best foreign language film.

The awards will be handed out in a ceremony on Jan. 7 in New York.

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Hugh Jackman is hitting the road — and the Hollywood Bowl — with 2019 world tour

Hugh Jackman starred in “The Greatest Showman” last year and is now taking to the stage to see if he can match the hype.

The “Logan” actor appeared on “Today” on Thursday to announce his 2019 world tour, “The Man. The Music. The Show.” The tour will feature Jackman performing hits from “The Greatest Showman,” “Les Miserables” and other stage and screen roles.

“I’m on the back nine of my life right now,” Jackman said on “Today,” explaining the impetus for the show, “and this is about the best parts of the front nine.”

The tour launches with a 12-date European leg in May, beginning in Hamburg, Germany, and concluding with two shows in London.

The U.S. tour begins June 18 in Houston and wraps up with two shows at the Hollywood Bowl on July 19 and 20.

Fans of comic-book culture will notice that those Los Angeles dates coincide with San Diego Comic-Con, leaving Jackman either plenty of time for a jaunt south for a guest appearance at SDCC or a built-in excuse for the “Wolverine” actor to skip out altogether.

Tickets for a handful of Jackman’s tour dates go on sale Dec. 7 at 9 a.m. PST on HughJackmanTheShow.com. Tickets for the Hollywood Bowl appearances do not yet have an announced sale date.

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Quentin Tarantino marries singer-model Daniella Pick in L.A.

Quentin Tarantino and Daniella Pick in 2016.
Quentin Tarantino and Daniella Pick in 2016.
(Jean-Philippe Ksiazek / AFP/Getty Images)

Once upon a time in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino married Daniella Pick, the Israeli singer-model he’s been engaged to since last year.

The two tied the knot in Los Angeles in an “intimate” ceremony, People reported exclusively Wednesday, ahead of a larger gathering that was planned for that night.

Tarantino, 55, and Pick, 35, met in 2009 when he visited Israel to promote “Inglourious Basterds,” but they had been dating steadily only for about a year when he popped the question in summer 2017. They’d been on and off before that.

It’s a first marriage for the director, who explained his take on marriage to GQ in 2009.

“When I’m doing a movie, I’m not doing anything else. It’s all about the movie,” he said. “I don’t have a wife. I don’t have a kid. Nothing can get in my way. … I’m not saying that I’ll never get married or have a kid before I’m 60. But I’ve made a choice, so far, to go on this road alone. Because this is my time. This is my time to make movies.”

Tarantino said at a conference in 2016 that he was going to retire after he had directed 10 movies.

His “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is in post-production now, while an untitled “Star Trek” project looms. That latter one would be his 10th full-length effort.

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A Star Is Born: Gemma Chan turns 36 today

(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

I feel that Hollywood is finally waking up to the fact that audiences want to see diverse and authentic storytelling.

— Gemma Chan, 2018

READ MORE: Gemma Chan was on a legal track, now she’s a movie star

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‘SpongeBob’ fan lobbies for Empire State Building to glow yellow to honor Stephen Hillenburg

A "SpongeBob SquarePants" balloon floats over Central Park West last week during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
(Eduardo Munoz Alvarez / Associated Press)

A fan of the Nickelodeon show “SpongeBob SquarePants” has started an online petition asking that the Empire State Building be lit up in yellow to remember series creator Stephen Hillenburg, who died Monday of ALS at age 57.

“As Nickelodeon Studios is based in New York, I felt it fitting to ask the Big Apple to show its love for Stephen by embracing SpongeBob’s classic yellow glow,” fan Alison P. said in her petition on the Care2 website.

She said she started the petition as a way to honor Hillenburg and also to drive awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a degenerative neurological condition also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

The petition had closed in on its 3,000-signature goal by early Wednesday afternoon.

Stephen Hillenburg at the world premiere of "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water" in 2015.
(Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images)

“SpongeBob SquarePants has taught his audience not only about friendship but helped to drive awareness around the importance of ocean conservation,” Alison P. said. “It was Stephen’s genius that was able to invent a character who could connect with kids and adults to deliver such an important message in a fun and charming way.”

Though Hillenburg left the series in 2002 after about 60 episodes, it has continued on through 12 seasons so far and amassed a loyal fan base that includes both young and old. There have been two “SpongeBob” movies, with one more on tap for 2020.

Hillenburg went public with his ALS diagnosis in March 2017.

READ MORE: Stephen Hillenburg, creator of ‘SpongeBob SquarePants,’ dies at 57

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Bobby Brown sues ‘Whitney: Can I Be Me’ distributors, including Showtime and the BBC

Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown in 1997.
(Rene Macura / Associated Press)

Bobby Brown and the estate of Bobbi Kristina Brown are suing Showtime and other distributors of the unauthorized 2017 biopic “Whitney: Can I Be Me,” alleging the defendants used more than half an hour of old footage of both Browns, plus his other children, without permission.

The suit, which seeks at least $2 million in damages, was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York, where defendants Showtime, the BBC and Passion Pictures all have offices.

The named defendants — which also include Tracey Baker-Simmons, Wanda Shelley, B2 Entertainment and Simmons Shelley Entertainment, based in Atlanta — are accused of distributing footage including some shot for the 2005 reality show “Being Bobby Brown,” thereby violating the Browns’ privacy rights in pursuit of financial gain.

Though Brown was contacted by the filmmakers, the suit says, to be interviewed for “Can I Be Me,” he declined. A mention in the film’s credits suggests Brown’s production company OK’d the use of the “Being Bobby Brown” footage, including footage of Bobbi Kristina Brown, but the complaint says no such permission was given.

“The footage was actually recorded prior to the divorce in 2007 between Brown and Houston. Brown never signed or executed a release for the material that appears in the film,” the lawsuit says. “The footage of Brown is approximately fifteen (15) years old.”

The Los Angeles Times’ review of “Can I Be Me” noted that some voices were absent from the film, which was co-directed by Nick Broomfield and Rudi Dolezal. (Neither director is named as a defendant in the lawsuit.)

“Broomfield, for his part, was hampered by the fact that he was not able to interview key people in Houston’s life, including ex-husband Bobby Brown, her closest friend Robyn Crawford, and Clive Davis, the Svengali who began her career,” Times critic Kenneth Turan wrote.

Showtime and the BBC declined to comment on Wednesday. And an email sent to Tracey Baker-Simmons was not immediately returned.

Bobbi Kristina Brown died in July 2015 from undetermined causes.

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Sundance 2019: Get an inside look at the feature film lineup and the festival’s early trends

People walk past the Egyptian Theatre, a landmark venue showing films during the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.
People walk past the Egyptian Theatre, a landmark venue showing films during the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Mindy Kaling. Alec Baldwin. Naomi Watts. Pete Davidson. Awkwafina. Emma Thompson. Shia LaBeouf .

Those are just a few of the many names headed to Park City, Utah, in January for the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. On Wednesday, the Sundance Institute unveiled the full lineup of feature films from all over the world set to premiere at the annual festival.

To mark the official lineup reveal, festival director John Cooper and programming director Kim Yutani visited the Times’ video studio for a livestream discussion. Joined by Times film reporter and The Reel host Mark Olsen, the two offered their instant analysis on the lineup and what trends to watch for come January.

Read our full report on the titles selected, and press play on the video below to watch a replay of the livestream.

The 2019 Sundance Film Festival runs Jan. 24 to Feb. 3. For full coverage, make sure to bookmark latimes.com/entertainment and follow @latimesent on Twitter, @latimesent on Facebook and @latimes_entertainment on Instagram.

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Mac Miller singles released posthumously on Spotify

Rapper Mac Miller died Sept. 7 of an accidental overdose.
Rapper Mac Miller died Sept. 7 of an accidental overdose.
(Owen Sweeney / Associated Press)

Spotify has released a couple of new tunes from the late rapper Mac Miller.

A recording of his song “Dunno” and a cover of Billy Preston’s 1974 hit “Nothing From Nothing” are part of a Spotify Singles playlist that came out Tuesday on the streaming platform. They were recorded live in New York City before Miller’s death on Sept. 7.

Miller appears to get emotional about an ex-girlfriend — perhaps Ariana Grande? — in the wistful “Dunno,” from his 2018 album “Swimming.” And he puts a smoky, introspective spin on “Nothing From Nothing.” Listen to songs below.

Miller, who was 26, died from an accidental overdose of alcohol, cocaine and fentanyl, the Los Angeles County coroner’s office concluded.

The unexpected nature of his death left many strings untied, including a Halloween concert date at the Greek Theatre that became the peer-loaded tribute concert “Mac Miller: A Celebration of Life.”

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Margaret Atwood announces ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ sequel to be released in 2019

Margaret Atwood announced Wednesday that a sequel to her iconic 1985 novel, "The Handmaid's Tale," is coming next year.
(Patrick T. Fallon / Los Angeles Times)

In the surest sign yet that we are living in the age of reboots, revivals and sequels, Margaret Atwood announced Wednesday that a sequel to “The Handmaid’s Tale,” her prescient 1985 novel, is in the works.

Titled “The Testaments,” the new novel is set 15 years after the protagonist’s final scene in “The Handmaid’s Tale,” and is narrated by three female characters. Atwood revealed the news in a tweet Wednesday morning and said the book is set to be published next year.

“The Handmaid’s Tale” and its dystopian tale of life in Gilead, a patriarchal society overseen by fundamentalist zealots with a singular obsession with women’s reproductive rights has seen renewed cultural significance in recent days. The book’s continued relevance is thanks in part to the high-profile Hulu adaptation, along with plenty of other contributing factors.

“Dear Readers: Everything you’ve ever asked me about Gilead and its inner workings is the inspiration for this book. Well, almost everything!” Atwood wrote in her tweet. “The other inspiration is the world we’ve been living in.”

“I have published Margaret Atwood’s work since 1976 – her poetry, fiction and nonfiction,” publisher Nan A. Talese said in a statement Wednesday. “A manuscript from her is always a reason for joy. She writes wonderfully and has a mind like a steel trap. This new book is no exception.”

Beyond the timeline and the narrators, little else has been revealed about the sequel. The book is not, however, in any way connected to Hulu’s current adaptation.

“The Testaments” is scheduled for release on Sept. 10, 2019, by Nan A. Talese/Doubleday with a first printing of 500,000 copies.

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A Star Is Born: Alfonso Cuarón turns 57 today

(Anacleto Rapping / Los Angeles Times)

I think it is vital for filmmakers to have their feet firmly planted in their country’s cultures. ... But the theme must be universal.

— Alfonso Cuarón, 2002

FROM THE ARCHIVES: A New Mexican Revolution

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Amanda Bynes makes triumphant return on cover of Paper magazine

Actress Amanda Bynes, pictured in 2013, battled several problems that played out in public for a few years.
(Neilson Barnard / Getty Images)

Former child star turned cautionary tale Amanda Bynes has resurfaced on the cover of Paper magazine looking happy, healthy and ready for a comeback.

Bynes broke through on Nickelodeon’s sketch comedy show “All That” before scoring a series of her own at age 13 with “The Amanda Show.” Her star continued to rise through the early 2000s with movie roles aplenty, including “What a Girl Wants,” “She’s the Man” and “Hairspray.”

But eventually, Bynes said in a new sit-down interview with Paper, self-image issues fueled her burgeoning drug habit and led to her abandoning acting altogether.

The actress recounted a moment on the set of “Hall Pass,” when, after seeing herself on a monitor, “literally tripping out and thinking my arm looked so fat because it was in the foreground or whatever and I remember rushing off set and thinking, ‘Oh, my god, I look so bad.’”

According to Bynes, it was a combination of image issues and Adderall abuse that resulted in her eventually leaving “Hall Pass.” Shortly thereafter, she found herself in a similar situation while watching her performance in “Easy A.”

Amanda Bynes on the cover of Paper magazine's "Break the Internet" issue.
(Danielle Levitt / Paper)

“I literally couldn’t stand my appearance in that movie, and I didn’t like my performance,” she said. “I was absolutely convinced I needed to stop acting after seeing it.”

Bynes is clear that any bad behavior in previous years was spurred by drug use and not by psychological issues, saying that once she quit acting, her days were filled with little beyond getting high and self-destructing online.

“I’m really ashamed and embarrassed with the things I said. I can’t turn back time, but if I could, I would,” Bynes said. “And I’m so sorry to whoever I hurt and whoever I lied about because it truly eats away at me. It makes me feel so horrible and sick to my stomach and sad.

“Everything I worked my whole life to achieve, I kind of ruined it all through Twitter,” she said.

In the interview, Bynes also discusses her four years of sobriety and educational pursuit at Los Angeles’ Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, as well as her potential return to acting.

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Aubrey Plaza to host 2019 Spirit Awards

Aubrey Plaza, a Spirit Award winner herself, will host the 2019 Spirit Awards ceremony.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Film Independent announced on Tuesday that Aubrey Plaza will host the 2019 Spirit Awards.

“The search for a great Spirit Awards host is never easy,” Film Independent’s president, Josh Welsh, said in a release. “This year we said, ‘Let’s find someone funny, smart, a cinephile … being a great actor wouldn’t hurt and it would be an added bonus if they’ve previously won a Spirit Award.’ Then we realized, ‘Oh wait, that’s Aubrey Plaza!’”

“I am truly honored and delighted to host the Spirit Awards this year,” said Plaza in the release. “It is a dream come true to host a show that celebrates my greatest loves: independent film, the people that make them possible and live television.”

Plaza starred opposite Elizabeth Olsen in last year’s “Ingrid Goes West,” which she also produced. As a producer, she received a Spirit Award for best first feature for that film. She currently stars in FX’s “Legion” series, which is based on a Marvel comic of the same name. Season 3 of the show will premiere in 2019.

She is also well known for her role on the Emmy-nominated series “Parks and Recreation” and will next appear in Lars Klevberg’s “Child’s Play” remake with Brian Tyree Henry, scheduled for release on June 21, 2019.

The Spirit Awards are the primary fundraiser for Film Independent’s year-round programs. Nominees were announced on Nov. 16. Among this year’s best feature nominees are “Eighth Grade,” “First Reformed,” “If Beale Street Could Talk,” “Leave No Trace” and “You Were Never Really Here.”

The 34th Independent Spirit Awards will broadcast live on IFC on Feb. 23, 2019. The ceremony will be held on the beach in Santa Monica.

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Bruce Springsteen teases Netflix’s ‘Springsteen on Broadway’ with a new trailer

One step up and two steps back? More like one door closing and another one opening.

So it is with Bruce Springsteen, who’s bringing “Springsteen on Broadway” to small screens the day after his autobiographical show closes following more than a year at New York City’s Walter Kerr Theatre.

“This is what I’ve presented to you all these years as my long and noisy prayer, as my magic trick,” Springsteen says to kick off the trailer released by Netflix on Tuesday, not quite three weeks ahead of the special’s debut on the streaming service.

Think of it as a two-hour reward for resisting the urge to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a ticket to the gig, which opened in October 2017.

Heavy on serious theatricality, the trailer offers a low-key taste of the nearly solo show — staged in a theater that seats fewer than a thousand — which on most nights has included Springsteen’s wife, Patti Scialfa, on a couple of songs.

It’s a hybrid, but clearly not a Bruce concert. Far from it.

Unlike his raucous arena shows, there are no massive singalongs by the crowd. It doesn’t stretch to 3½ or four hours, though it’s apparently grown longer with time.

“It’s a coming-of-age story, and I want to show how this — one’s coming of age — has to be earned,” Springsteen told Esquire magazine this month. “It’s not given to anyone. It takes a certain single-minded purpose. It takes self-awareness, a desire to go there.

“And a willingness to confront all the very fearsome and dangerous elements of your life — your past, your history — that you need to confront to become as much of a free agent as you can. This is what the show is about.”

“Springsteen on Broadway” premieres Dec. 16 on Netflix.

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Sesame Street Records is reborn, with classic children’s hits headed to streaming

Tell your kids to break out the Casio keyboard, because Sesame Street Records is back.

Warner Music Group’s Arts Music division and Sesame Workshop announced a joint effort on Tuesday to relaunch Sesame Street Records in the United States and Canada. The move will bring a wealth of “Sesame Street” recordings to both online streaming and purchasing platforms.

“‘Sesame Street’ and music have had a longstanding harmony that began nearly 50 years ago,” Kevin Gore, president of Warner Music’s Arts Music division, said in a statement Tuesday. “I’m thrilled this partnership with Sesame Workshop is our first initiative for Arts Music in the kids’ music space.”

“I watched the first [‘Sesame Street’] episode, owned their first album, shared this music with my kids, and I can’t think of a better brand or mission as our foundation in this space,” Gore continued.

Sesame Street Records will comb through the extensive back catalog of the series to repackage material in new CD, vinyl, download and streaming series, targeted at a new generation of listeners.

“Music has always been a vital way for audiences to connect with ‘Sesame Street’ as we work toward our mission of helping kids everywhere grow smarter, stronger and kinder,” said Steve Youngwood, Sesame Workshop’s president of media and education and chief operating officer in Tuesday’s press release.

“In Arts Music, we’ve found a passionate and forward-thinking partner who understands what our timeless songs mean to generations of families.”

In September, Sesame Records released a “Letters” series of albums from the archives, including “F is for Fun” and “G is for Grover.” Fans can also expect new albums on Friday, Nov. 30 with the release of “All-time Favorites 1” and “All-time Favorites 2.”

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Robert De Niro confirms split from Grace Hightower

Robert De Niro and Grace Hightower at the Tribeca Film Festival in April.
(Nicholas Hunt / Getty Images)

Actor Robert De Niro has confirmed his split from wife Grace Hightower, issuing a statement Tuesday that puts his stamp on breakup news that slipped out just before Thanksgiving.

“Grace and I have two beautiful children together. We are entering a period of transition in our relationship which is a difficult but constructive process,” the Oscar winner said in a statement.

“I honor Grace as a wonderful mother and ask for privacy and respect from all as we proceed to develop our roles as partners in parenting.”

De Niro, 75, and actress-singer-philanthropist Hightower, 63, have been married for 21 years and dated for 10 years before that. They have two children together, 20-year-old Elliot and 6-year-old Helen.

Last Wednesday, it was reported that they were no longer living together and hadn’t been seen as a couple at events since the end of summer.

“Sometimes things don’t work out the way you hope or want them to,” an insider told People magazine last week.

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A Star Is Born: Robin Givens turns 54 today

(Clarence Williams / Los Angeles Times)

I’m a person that has extreme principles and I will fight to make things happen. Things like making people aware that black people are people.

— Robin Givens, 1991

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Givens KOs Her Image : Actress Beats 250 Others for ‘Rage in Harlem’ Role

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Justin Timberlake postpones Tuesday show at Staples Center

(Christopher Polk / Getty Images)

The man of the woods needs some more quiet time at home.

Justin Timberlake will not perform a concert scheduled for Tuesday night at Staples Center, according to the pop singer’s representative, who blamed “bruised vocal cords” for the postponement.

The show in downtown Los Angeles was supposed to have marked the resumption of Timberlake’s tour behind this year’s “Man of the Woods” album following a string of dates he called off for the same reason before a Thanksgiving break.

But evidently the star’s vocal rest — as demonstrated this month in a so-called silent interview on his friend Jimmy Fallon’s late-night show — hasn’t yet healed the problem.

Timberlake’s rep said tickets for the Staples gig will be honored when the concert is rescheduled for a later date.

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‘The Rider’ beats higher-profile Oscar contenders to take top prize at 28th Gotham Awards

"The Rider" producers Mollye Asher and Bert Hamelinck.
(Jemal Countess / Getty Images)

The 28th Independent Filmmaker Project’s Gotham Awards kicked off awards season by crowning the story of a Midwestern cowboy as the top feature film.

“The Rider” won the the best feature award at the Gotham Awards on Monday night, edging out a number of movies widely considered to be major contenders for Oscar nominations including “If Beale Street Could Talk” and “The Favourite.”

Directed by Chloé Zhao, “The Rider” follows a Lakota rodeo rider who was once a rising star on the circuit. But his hopes are sidelined when a riding accident causes brain damage and affects his motor skills. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017 and Sony Pictures Classics released it in the U.S. in April.

Other top winners of the night include “Eighth Grade” and “First Reformed,” which took home two awards a piece.

Elsie Fisher, who stars in “Eighth Grade” as a shy middle schooler whose struggles with social anxiety leave her motivational YouTube videos as one of the only places she is able to express herself, won the breakout actor award. Breakout director went to Bo Burnham.

Regina Hall and Elsie Fisher.
(Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images)

Veteran filmmaker Paul Schrader won the screenplay award for “First Reformed,” while Ethan Hawke took the best actor prize for his work portraying a protestant minister of a dwindling church faced with questions of faith and his own mortality.

Toni Collette was recognized in the best actress category for her work as an artist and matriarch of a family haunted after the death of her secretive mother in the horror film “Hereditary.”

The special jury prize for ensemble performance went to Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone for their work in “The Favourite.”

On the nonfiction side, RaMell Ross’s “Hale County This Morning, This Evening,” about the everyday lives of African Americans in Alabama, won the top documentary prize.

The Mr. Rogers doc “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” — which was also among the documentary nominees — took home the audience award.

In the breakthrough series categories, critical darling “Killing Eve” won the award for long-form series, while “195 Lewis” was the winner in the short-form category.

PHOTOS: Gotham Independent Film Awards 2018 Red carpet arrivals >>

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‘Shrek’ screenwriter Terry Rossio apologizes for using racist slur in tweet

Screenwriter Terry Rossio at the "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" premiere in 2017.
(Jesse Grant / Getty Images )

Oscar-nominated screenwriter Terry Rossio has apologized for using a racist slur in a tweet defending people who are opposed to vaccinations.

“In a recent Twitter post arguing against stereotyping and hate speech, I referenced the ‘n-word’ (the actual word) as an example of what not to do,” Rossio tweeted Saturday. “That was a mistake. I am sorry.

“I now understand that the word has no place in any conversation, ever,” he added.

Last week, the “Shrek” and “Pirates of the Caribbean” screenwriter argued that using the term “anti-vax” was the equivalent of calling someone a specific racist slur that is inappropriate to reproduce in this family-friendly news publication.

“My heart goes out to all the parents of vaccine damaged children, who have to not only endure the sadness of their loss, but also the vitriol of ill-informed and insensitive people (such as those here),” Rossio said in a now-deleted tweet. “Anti-Vax is equivalent to calling someone a ... and makes as little sense.”

And yes, he used the actual slur in the tweet.

Plenty of people across social media responded to Rossio’s claim by pointing out that his use of the slur was inappropriate and that the word “anti-vax” was not at all the same as the racist slur in question.

In his apology Rossio does not back down from his initial argument that using the term “anti-vax” is a form of “hate speech.”

“You can’t make a point against hate speech and reference actual words of hate speech,” Rossio tweeted. “I continue to stand against hate speech and dehumanizing labels in any form.”

Read Rossio’s full apology below.

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Watch our exclusive livestream to find out which films are premiering at Sundance 2019

People walk past the Egyptian Theatre, a landmark venue showing films during the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Awards season is well underway but the Sundance Institute is already looking to start the conversation on the next group of potential critical darlings.

The lineup of feature films set to compete at the annual film festival will be announced Wednesday, Nov. 28, at 1 p.m. PT and The Times will be home to the exclusive livestream analysis with festival director John Cooper and programming director Kim Yutani. The two will be joined by Times film reporter and The Reel host Mark Olsen to discuss the big picture trends from this year’s lineup, what to watch for and what else to expect from new director Yutani. The 2019 Sundance Film Festival runs Jan. 24-Feb. 3, 2019 in Park City.

Be sure to bookmark latimes.com/entertainment and follow the Los Angeles Times on YouTube and Facebook for Wednesday’s livestream as well as full analysis of the feature film lineup.

In the meantime, check out our Sundance 2018 coverage, including film critic Justin Chang’s daily diary, The Times’ celebrity portraits and our full festival recap from The Reel.

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Oprah Winfrey’s mother, Vernita Lee, died on Thanksgiving, family says

Vernita Lee, left, with daughter Oprah Winfrey.
(George Burns / Harpo Inc. via Associated Press)

Vernita Lee, Oprah Winfrey’s mother, has died at age 83, the family confirmed Monday.

Lee died on Thanksgiving Day at home in Milwaukee and has already been laid to rest in a private funeral, the family said in a statement.

She is survived by daughters Winfrey and Patricia Amanda Faye Lee, the latter of whom she put up for adoption and later reconnected with, as well as her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her two other children, son Jeffrey Lee, who died in 1989, and daughter Patricia Lee Lloyd, who died in 2003.

Vernita Lee, who worked as a maid, was 18 and not married when Winfrey was born in rural Mississippi in 1954. Winfrey was reportedly raised by her grandmother until age 6, when she reunited with Lee and moved to Milwaukee.

No other details about Lee’s passing were provided, and a spokeswoman for the Oprah Winfrey Network said the TV host would have no statement of her own at this time.

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Fox announces date for 2019 Emmy Awards

The 2019 Emmy Awards are scheduled for September.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

The Emmy Awards will return to Fox — and to Sunday night — in 2019.

The 71st Primetime Emmy Awards will air live Sept. 22, 2019, the Television Academy and Fox announced Monday. The ceremony will take place at the Microsoft Theater at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles.

Fox, along with fellow broadcasters CBS, ABC and NBC, share broadcasting rights for the ceremony, with each network hosting the awards once every four years.

In 2018, however, NBC opted to move the Emmys to a Monday night, so as not to disrupt its regularly scheduled “Sunday Night Football” programming.

Producers and host(s) for the 2019 ceremony will be announced at a later date.

The question of who will host next year’s awards is generating more curiosity than ever with a network that recently rebranded itself New Fox. When the broadcaster last presented the ceremony in 2015, Andy Samberg hosted. He has since taken his talents – and his canceled TV show, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” – to NBC, leaving Fox’s comedy roster a little lacking.

Maybe the network can look to its newsier counterpart for talent and turn the show over to Fox News host Tucker Carlson. It would be memorable at least.

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Alec Baldwin appears in court for arraignment in parking-dispute arrest

Alec Baldwin leaves a New York Supreme Court on Monday after his arraignment in connection with harassment and attempted assault charges.
Alec Baldwin leaves a New York Supreme Court on Monday after his arraignment in connection with harassment and attempted assault charges.
(Richard Drew / Associated Press)

Alec Baldwin appeared in a New York court Monday for a hearing related to his November arrest on suspicion of assault and harassment over a parking dispute.

The actor, 60, said nothing as he was arraigned on violation- and misdemeanor-level charges that prosecutors had reduced to harassment and attempted assault, the Associated Press reported.

He did not enter a plea.

The arrest stemmed from a Nov. 2 dispute over a parking space that a friend was allegedly holding for Baldwin in Manhattan’s West Village, a police spokeswoman told The Times at the time. After another man pulled into the spot, a verbal dispute turned physical, she said.

Baldwin “punched a complainant, 49 years old, and was arrested” on charges of assault and harassment, she said. The actor’s representative had no comment at the time.

Baldwin has said he did nothing wrong, and his attorney argued the same on Monday.

“Mr. Baldwin is a public figure whose reputation has been damaged by media reports that claim that he punched a man on a New York City street,” said his lawyer, Alan Abramson, according to the AP.

“There is incontrovertible video evidence that has been turned over to the district attorney’s office that proves beyond all doubt that Mr. Baldwin never punched anyone.”

Abramson predicted that Baldwin would be cleared once the matter was “fully investigated.”

According to a police report obtained by the Blast, the actor told officers at the scene, “He stole my spot,” and then admitted, “I did push him.” The other man said Baldwin hit him on the left side of his face with a closed hand, according to the report.

Baldwin was released on his own recognizance with a court date set for next year, the Blast said.

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Jerry Springer to join illustrious rank of fake TV judges with ‘Judge Jerry’

In news that only 2018 could provide, Jerry Springer has landed a new television gig, this time as a fake judge.

Springer’s “Judge Jerry” is scheduled to debut in national syndication in fall 2019 and has already been sold to 75% of the U.S. via major station groups, according to the announcement made by NBCUniversal Television Distribution on Monday.

“ ‘Judge Jerry’ will merge Jerry’s talent for connecting with people, his incredibly relatable and funny personality and his legal training and governing experience to bring viewers a more entertaining court show,” Tracie Wilson, executive vice president of creative affairs at NBCUniversal TV, said in a statement.

“We are so happy to continue our fantastic partnership with Jerry, who is a proven TV icon with a dedicated and broad fan base,” she continued.

Before he became synonymous with chair-throwing and animal weddings courtesy of “The Jerry Springer Show,” Springer was a practicing lawyer for more than 15 years. The eventual TV host then served five terms on the Cincinnati City Council — despite an incident involving paying for sexual services via check — before being elected mayor.

“For the first time in my life, I am going to be called honorable,” said Springer in Monday’s statement. “My career is coming full circle and I finally get to put my law degree to use after all these years.”

Who better, really, to decide whether you or your ex-boyfriend really owns your dog?

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Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough get married at National Archives in D.C.

Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski.
(Evan Agostini / Associated Press)

“Morning Joe” co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski are finally married, MSNBC reported Monday.

The ceremony was a small one, held Saturday in Washington, Willie Geist said in announcing that the regular hosts would be taking the week off from their show.

The secret event was held at the National Archives, home of the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. The couple’s families and their children from previous marriages attended, plus some friends, and Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) officiated. Cummings conducted a ceremony that he and Scarborough wrote together, Geist said.

“We wanted it to be really small and simple and not what you expected from Mika and Joe,” Brzezinski told Vanity Fair on Saturday for an article published Sunday. “Everything we do is exposed, and everything felt exposed every step of the way, so we want this to be private until it’s over.”

There had been no formal invitations, just phone calls to friends and family, the magazine said. With reservations made under another name, vendors didn’t know who was getting hitched.

The bride, 51, wore a tea-length white dress and heels, and her now-husband, 55, wore a suit and tie.

“Everybody deserves happiness and they were a very happy couple. It was a nice time,” columnist and “Morning Joe” contributor Mike Barnicle told Geist, speaking of the dinner reception he attended at a French bistro afterward.

“I kissed the frog,” the daughter of the late Zbigniew Brzezinski said Sunday amid laughing emojis on Instagram, posting a photo of herself doing just that with a real frog.

Scarborough and Brzezinski have been co-hosting “Morning Joe” since 2007, when they were both married to other people. He divorced his second wife in 2013, while she divorced her first husband in 2016.

They got engaged in France in spring 2017.

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A Star Is Born: Peter Facinelli turns 45 today

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

I don’t consider myself slick at all. Sometimes I’m like, ‘How the hell did I run around in those leather pants?’

— Peter Facinelli, 2008

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Peter Facinelli: He’s veered out of ‘Fastlane’ and into the role of loser boyfriend in ‘Finding Amanda.’

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A Star Is Born: Ben Stein turns 74 today

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

I love being thought of as funny, but I also have something meaningful to say.

— Ben Stein, 2003

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Ben Stein Puts His Money on Planning

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A Star Is Born: Katherine Heigl turns 40 today

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

You get so used to being fussed over that when it stops, you feel naked just going to the supermarket. You end up obsessed with your looks.

— Katherine Heigl, 2008

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Pretty outspoken

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A Star Is Born: Robin Roberts turns 58 today

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

For me, sports never felt like work. I just felt like I was stealing money, it was such a joy and such a passion.

— Robin Roberts, 2005

FROM THE ARCHIVES: ABC’s good sport

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A Star Is Born: Jamie Lee Curtis turns 60 today

Jamie Lee Curtis with dog J.J. at her Santa Monica home in 2015.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

In horror movies, I play intelligent, thoughtful, brave women. It’s such an irony that someone would consider that a step back for me.

— Jamie Lee Curtis, 1998

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Horror Comes Full Circle in ‘H20’

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Aerosmith’s Joe Perry cancels solo shows following recent medical issues

Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry has “regrettably” canceled his imminent solo tour in the wake of recent medical issues.

The co-founding member and songwriter nixed the dates — set to begin Nov. 30 and run through Dec. 16 — and is taking the rest of the year off, according to a Tuesday press release.

“Perry again would like to apologize to the fans who were planning on coming to the shows and looks forward to seeing them again in 2019,” the statement said, adding that refunds are available at point of purchase.

The 68-year-old also thanked those fans on social media, where he announced that he’s “home and doing well,” and was really looking forward to playing the shows alongside Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford and Extreme’s Gary Cherone.

The guitarist said that his doctor “recommends a bit more downtime before getting out to rock again.”

The entertainer called off the shows after he collapsed backstage earlier this month following a duet with Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden.

Perry experienced shortness of breath and paramedics administered oxygen and used a tracheal tube to clear his airways, Rolling Stone reported at the time. The guitarist was then taken to a hospital, where he was reportedly treated for breathing issues that involved congestion in the lungs, TMZ said.

Perry should probably take advantage of his time off because Aerosmith is set to launch “Deuces Are Wild,” its Las Vegas residency, at Park MGM in April.

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Katy Perry unseats Taylor Swift and Beyoncé as Forbes’ highest-paid woman in music

Singer Katy Perry at the 2018 Met Gala in May.
(Charles Sykes / Invision)

Katy Perry has roared back to the top of Forbes’ highest-paid women in music list.

The pop star earned an estimated $83 million before taxes between June 2017 and June 2018, largely due to her 80-date Witness tour and judging duties on ABC’s “American Idol” reboot, the financial magazine said.

Perry reclaims the spot from 2015, when she earned $135 million during Forbes’ scoring period.

Perry was followed by Taylor Swift, who rose from last year’s No. 3 spot by earning $80 million thanks to her Reputation tour, which launched in Phoenix in May. Swift might have unseated Perry this year had most of her tour dates fallen inside the scoring period.

Beyoncé, who topped the list last year, came in at No. 3 with $60 million. After welcoming twins Rumi and Sir with husband Jay-Z in June 2017, Bey laid low until her acclaimed “Beychella” performance at the Coachella music festival in April.

The power couple embarked on their On the Run II stadium tour — a follow-up to their widely successful 2014 joint tour — in Cardiff, Wales, in June, so much of the tour’s earnings fall into next year’s scoring period. That means Beyoncé and Swift will likely vie for Forbes’ nominal title next year.

Rounding out the top 10 are Pink ($52 million), Lady Gaga ($50 million), Jennifer Lopez ($47 million), Rihanna ($37.5 million), European superstar Helene Fischer ($32 million), Celine Dion ($31 million) and Britney Spears ($30 million).

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Robert De Niro and Grace Hightower are splitting up after 20-plus years of marriage

Robert De Niro gets a kiss from wife Grace Hightower after a handprint ceremony in Hollywood in 2013.
(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Robert De Niro and Grace Hightower appear to be splitting up after what seems like an eternity in the entertainment industry.

The couple, who’ve been married for 21 years and dated for a decade before that, are no longer living together, according to Page Six. The actor has been riding solo at events since the end of the summer, the paper reported.

“Sometimes things don’t work out the way you hope or want them to,” an insider told People magazine.

“[T]hey are done,” a Page Six source said. The paper said an official announcement would be coming soon.

De Niro previously bailed on the actress-singer-philanthropist just two years after their 1997 marriage, filing for divorce, and there was a custody battle over their son Elliott, who’s now 20. They pulled the plug on that breakup, however, and wound up staying together and renewed their vows in 2004.

Two judges officiated “so they can make sure this one sticks,” De Niro said at the time.

The actor, 75, and Hightower, 63, met at a restaurant in London in 1987 when she was a TWA flight attendant. They also have a second child, 6-year-old Helen.

It was a second marriage for De Niro, who was previously hitched to Diahnne Abbott from 1976-88. He has a son, Raphael, with Abbott and adopted her daughter, Drena. He was in a years-long relationship with model Toukie Smith between Abbott and Hightower, and they have twin sons, Aaron and Julian.

“I like the kids to be around,” the “Goodfellas” actor told the Los Angeles Times in 2009, when he was promoting “Everybody’s Fine.” “Last weekend, they were away and it was just my wife and I, and I don’t know ... it was a weird thing, in a way. I missed them.”

A rep for De Niro had no comment Wednesday.

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A Star Is Born: Dr. John turns 78 today

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

If you keep good people around you, good things happen — surround yourself with lames, and something lame is gonna happen.

— Dr. John, 1994

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Finally in the Right Place, the Right Time: Dr. John, Who Admits ‘Oh Man, I Had Problems,’ Is on a Tear With Superb New Album

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John C. Reilly is proud of Disney’s stereotype-breaking princess scene

Disney has princess problems, but “Ralph Breaks the Internet” ain’t one. At least not according to actor John C. Reilly, who plays the titular hulking hero in the animated film.

Reilly recently commended the studio for addressing — if not correcting — female stereotypes the studio perpetuated for decades.

“It couldn’t be more timely than right now in terms of women finding their voices and wanting to be heard and feeling like the stereotypes that the world applies to women are unfair,” Reilly said in a recent interview with IGN.

In a memorable scene, Ralph’s partner Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman) reluctantly encounters a throng of Disney’s iconic royals, who try to size her up according to their standards.

“Do people assume all your problems got solved because a big strong man showed up?” Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) asks Vanellope, getting meta and self-aware all in one scene.

“We are satirizing sort of the crown jewel...,” co-director Phil Johnston recently told The Times. “But they loved it. They were like, ‘Keep going, go farther.’”

Co-director Rich Moore added that Disney executives responded positively to the satire: “They said, ‘Everyone else has fun at our expense. Why can’t we?’ It’s almost like we could do the best satire of our characters because we know them so well.”

As for Reilly, he thought it was “a really cool, brave, forward-thinking thing for the company to do.”

“To take responsibility for some of these stereotypes that they created — some of these unattainable female stereotypes — and look at them head on and say like, ‘OK, maybe it was unfair to make people feel like they had to have a waistline that’s 17 inches or something,” he said.

Recurring fairy-tale tropes involving unattainable beauty, romance, consent and paternalism have been contentious for years. However, the studio has been moving away from them with more recent, female-led films such as “Brave,” “Frozen” and “Moana.”

Still, the company faced a backlash in 2015 for Lily James’ tiny waistline in the live-action “Cinderella,” a controversy that prompted self-proclaimed feminist Emma Watson’s refusal to wear a corset in the 2017 “Beauty and the Beast” live-action film.

Even “Ralph Breaks the Internet” wasn’t without controversy.

Earlier this year, the studio was accused of white-washing “The Princess and the Frog’s” Tiana in a trailer teasing Vanellope’s princess scene. After racial justice groups and Anika Noni Rose, the actress who voiced Tiana, protested the character’s depiction, Disney and Pixar animators went back to the drawing board to recast the African American princess.

The “Wreck-It Ralph” sequel opens in theaters on Wednesday.

Times staff writer Josh Rottenberg contributed to this report.

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Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine faces a possible life sentence after arrest in connection with federal charges

Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine at an unrelated court hearing this summer.
Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine at an unrelated court hearing this summer.
(Jefferson Siegel / New York Daily News)

After being denied bail Monday, Tekashi 6ix9ine was reportedly awaiting a bail hearing after being arrested over the weekend in connection with a slew of federal racketeering and weapons charges.

The “Fefe” rapper, notable for his rapid rise this year, was arrested in New York on Sunday along with four others who were taken into custody Sunday and Monday. A sixth man was already in custody.

“As alleged in the indictment, this gang, which included platinum-selling rap artist Tekashi 6ix 9ine, wreaked havoc on New York City, engaging in brazen acts of violence,” U.S. Atty. Geoffrey S. Berman said in a statement Monday.

“Showing reckless indifference to others’ safety, members of the gang were allegedly involved in robberies and shootings, including a shooting inside the crowded Barclay’s Center, and a shooting in which an innocent bystander was hit,” Berman added.

TMZ said Tuesday that 6ix9ine, whose legal name is Daniel Hernandez, was being shown no special treatment — read, no segregation — in Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center.

“The defendant is quite violent,” said Assistant U.S. Atty. Michael Longyear, according to the New York Daily News, at a Monday arraignment hearing where the rapper was denied bail on the grounds that he was a flight risk and a danger to the community. “He’s facing a significant term of incarceration.”

He’s looking at a minimum of 32 years in prison if convicted, up to a life sentence.

The indictment listed several incidents in the past seven months allegedly involving Hernandez in some way, including a robbery at gunpoint, which he allegedly filmed from a vehicle nearby, and an unsuccessful conspiracy to kill an individual in which a bystander was shot in the foot.

The 22-year-old has publicly identified himself as a member of the 9 Trey Bloods gang.

Attorney Lance Lazzaro, who represents Hernandez, told the Associated Press that his client denies directing or playing any other role in violence.

The rapper was offered protection by the feds on Saturday after some of his co-defendants were heard on wiretaps threatening his life, Lazzaro told the AP, but he refused the offer. He was arrested the next day.

Hernandez is charged along with ex-manager Kifano “Shotti” Jordan, Jensel “Ish” Butler, Faheem “Crippy” Walter, Fuguan “Fu Banga” Lovick and Jamel “Mel Murda” Jones.

The investigation was a joint effort by the New York Police Department, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

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A Star Is Born: Bo Derek turns 62 today

(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

No complaints. The business has been good to me.

— Bo Derek, 2015

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Bo Derek is in the path of a ‘Sharknado’

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Norah Jones, Shawn Mendes among artists to salute Dolly Parton at MusiCares gala

(Evan Agostini / Associated Press)

In September, Dolly Parton was named the 2019 MusiCares Person of the Year, and the first round of performers who will honor the country-music luminary at next year’s ceremony was announced Tuesday morning.

The 72-year-old entertainer will be lauded by an all-star lineup during the event’s tribute concert: Grammy winners Norah Jones, Pink, Mark Ronson and Chris Stapleton; past Grammy-Award nominees Leon Bridges and Lauren Daigle and singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes are slated to perform. Greg Phillinganes will serve as musical director and additional performers will be named at a later time, organizers said.

Parton, whose career spans more than five decades and hits such as “9 to 5” and “Jolene,” is being recognized for her “creative accomplishments and longtime support of many charitable causes.” The singer/actress already has eight Grammy wins under her rhinestone belt and was the recipient of the Recording Academy’s 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award.

The award caps a banner year for the iconic country star, who in 2018 earned two Guinness World Records, signed on to produce an anthology series for Netflix and created new songs for the streamer’s forthcoming musical “Dumplin’,” starring Jennifer Aniston.

Parton joins an impressive list of past Person of the Year title-holders: Tony Bennett, Bob Dylan, Gloria Estefan, Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Elton John, Carole King, Paul McCartney, Lionel Richie, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Barbra Streisand, James Taylor, Brian Wilson, Stevie Wonder and Neil Young, among many others. (Last year, Fleetwood Mac was the first group to be given the honor.)

The gala, now in its 29th year, is one of the many festivities held ahead of the Recording Academy’s annual Grammy Awards. It will begin with a reception and silent auction, followed by a gala dinner, a live auction and the tribute concert. Parton will close out the evening by performing as well.

Proceeds go to support MusiCares, the academy’s charitable arm, to provide health and human services programs to those in the music industry.

The “I Will Always Love You” songwriter will be saluted at a gala at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Feb. 8, 2019.

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Paris Hilton and actor Chris Zylka have broken up, reports say

Paris Hilton and Chris Zylka at an L.A. gallery opening on Oct. 11.
(Gregg DeGuire / Getty Images)

Heiress and entrepreneur Paris Hilton and actor Chris Zylka have called off their engagement, according to reports out Monday.

The breakup happened “a few weeks ago,” according to a People magazine source who said the speed of the relationship was a factor in Hilton’s decision. “[S]he realized it wasn’t right for her.”

Hilton, 37, and “The Leftovers” actor, 33, went public with their relationship in February 2017. They were photographed at an event together in L.A. as recently as last month.

In July, Hilton told E! News they were “really excited” about wedding planning and said she couldn’t wait to have a baby. “I’m gonna be the best mom,” she said at the time.

Hilton had confirmed the engagement in January, posting a picture of the proposal with the caption, “I said Yas! So happy & excited to be engaged to the love of my life. My best friend & soulmate. Perfect for me in every way. So dedicated, loyal, loving & kindhearted. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world! You are my dream come true!”

The Times has reached out to Hilton’s reps.

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Diddy pays emotional tribute to ex Kim Porter following her unexpected death

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Sean “Diddy” Combs publicly addressed the death of his ex girlfriend Kim Porter on Sunday with emotional tributes that looked back on their love story.

The tributes were posted online on the same day the hip-hop mogul hosted a private memorial service for Porter at his Bel-Air home.

Porter, an actress model and the mother of three of Diddy’s children, died unexpectedly last week at age 47, and no official cause of death has been announced yet.

In his posts, Diddy said she was more than his best friend and soulmate.

“For the last three days I’ve been trying to wake up out of this nightmare. But I haven’t,” the producer wrote in one post, sharing images from an Essence magazine photo shoot they did together.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you baby. I miss you so much. Today I’m going to pay tribute to you, I’m going to try and find the words to explain our unexplainable relationship. We were more than best friends, we were more than soulmates.”

Other posts followed, featuring glamorous shots of the model with Diddy voicing his grief in captions and declaring his love for Porter, whom he dated on and off for about 13 years.

The final missive played alongside a slideshow of big moments in their relationship. The video included family portraits, affectionate red-carpet photos and pictures following the birth of Diddy and Porter’s twin girls, D’Lila Star and Jessie James. The couple also has an older son, Christian.

“I’ll raise our family just like you taught me to. Love you forever!!!! I CANT BELIEVE THIS ...” he captioned the video.

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‘This Is Us’ star Mandy Moore marries Dawes frontman Taylor Goldsmith

Actress-singer Mandy Moore.
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

“This Is Us” star Mandy Moore is married once again.

The actress married Dawes singer Taylor Goldsmith on Sunday, her spokeswoman confirmed to The Times on Monday.

Moore wed the folk rocker during an intimate ceremony with family and friends at her Los Angeles home.

A reception afterward took place at the Fig House in Highland Park, with several celebrity guests in attendance, including Moore’s “This Is Us” costars Milo Ventimiglia, Chrissy Metz, Sterling K. Brown and Chris Sullivan, as well as musician Jackson Browne, actor Wilmer Valderrama and actress Minka Kelly.

People reported that Moore wore a pink Rodarte gown and veil for the wedding ceremony, but for the party, she donned a custom Roxanne Assoulin gown.

Goldsmith and his band performed at the reception, where a small stage was set up and different guests joined in. The couple also sang a duet, The Times has learned.

It’s the second marriage for Moore, who was previously married to musician Ryan Adams from 2009 to 2016.

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Taylor Swift leaves longtime label Big Machine for leap to Republic Records

Taylor Swift performs at the American Music Awards on Oct. 9.
(Matt Sayles / Associated Press)

Taylor Swift has signed with Republic Records, shifting from her longtime label home, Nashville’s Big Machine, but still staying in the Universal Music Group family.

The multiyear label deal was announced by UMG Chairman and Chief Executive Lucian Grainge. The Big Machine Label Group is allied with New York-based Republic and focuses only on country artists.

“My new home,” Swift said Monday on Instagram, posting a picture of herself with Grainge and Republic founder and Chief Executive Monte Lipman.

“[N]ot only did she want to partner with a company that understood her creative vision and had the resources and expertise to execute globally on her behalf, she also sought a partner whose approach to artists was aligned with hers,” Grainge said in a statement.

Lipman said in the same statement that he was “beyond thrilled” by the deal, saying that Swift had “redefined the paradigm of the modern music industry.”

Swift’s move could be seen as further proof that she has solidified her shift from country to pop music. At Republic she joins a roster of fellow pop and hip-hop stars including Ariana Grande, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Post Malone and Jessie J, among many others.

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A Star Is Born: Allison Janney turns 59 today

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

I love playing characters that people want to root for, whom life has been kind of unfair to. You just want to see them rise above it and go on and be brave.

— Allison Janney, 2014

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Allison Janney softly speaks of her high-volume career

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A Star Is Born: Damon Wayans Jr. turns 36 today

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

In my mind, all these networks are white. Like, all of them are too white to me, as far as what the United States looks like.

— Damon Wayans Jr., 2018

READ MORE: Damon Wayans Jr., pilot season’s most in-demand actor, on his ‘Living Color’ childhood — plus, a ‘Happy Endings’ movie?

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Steve Carell teases ‘Office’ fans about a reboot on ‘Saturday Night Live’

Once the cold open has passed, most episodes of “Saturday Night Live” of late have begun with the week’s host taking some kind of musical number. This week, Steve Carell tweaked fans of the hit NBC show “The Office” and their hopes for a reboot.

After Kate McKinnon took on Laura Ingraham in the show’s opening — a sketch that included a call back to the Fox News host booking someone called a “Vape God” — Carell took the stage and began taking questions from the audience.

It’s a familiar bit for an “SNL” host, and one that usually involves the cast interspersed with the crowd. This week, it involved the cast of “The Office” as they encouraged Carell to sign on for a reunion.

“Let’s get that money, Steve,” demanded “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” star Ellie Kemper, who played Erin from “The Office.” Upon Carell’s refusal, she called him a jerk.

“You wouldn’t have to do those sad movies any more,” encouraged Ed Helms. Still, Carell was unconvinced.

Helms was followed Jenna Fischer and even Carell’s wife, Nancy Walls, and their kids to demand a reboot, which doesn’t actually exist. But the idea was still dismissed by the show’s former star in a recent interview in Esquire. “I just don’t know how that would fly now,” Carell said, in reference to the behavior of his character, Michael Scott.

So, an onstage reunion at 30 Rock will probably have to do. Watch the sketch below.

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A Star Is Born: RuPaul turns 58 today

(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

I’m the first drag queen you can take home to meet your mom and pop. I’m more threatening to our society as [an African American man] than I am as a drag queen.

— RuPaul, 1995

FROM THE ARCHIVES: To RuPaul, Drag’s Just a Role He Plays

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Olivia de Havilland’s attorney urges Supreme Court to hear ‘Feud’ case

Oliva de Havilland’s ongoing legal battle with FX over her depiction in the 2017 docudrama “Feud: Bette and Joan” rages on.

The 102-year-old actress’ attorney urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to hear the case.

On Tuesday, FX Networks and Pacific 2.1 Entertainment Group filed an opposition to de Havilland’s request for the Supreme Court to review a lower court’s dismissal of the case.

The defendants argued that the case is not “cert-worthy,” or worthy of a writ of certiorari, which is a request that the Supreme Court order a lower court to send up the record of the case for review.

In a statement Friday, de Havilland’s counsel, Suzelle M. Smith, said: “This is another way of saying FX does not want the U.S. Supreme Court to take a good look at the Court of Appeal Opinion, written by a state justice with an extremist view that the 1st Amendment should protect knowing falsehoods about living persons in profitable docudramas.”

The ongoing case, which landed in a California court in 2017 on the eve of de Havilland’s 101st birthday, stemmed from the actress’ portrayal in the Emmy-nominated anthology.

The legendary “Gone With the Wind” star claims that FX and showrunner Ryan Murphy’s use of her identity in the series “Feud” was unauthorized and inaccurate. (Actress Catherine Zeta-Jones played de Havilland in the series about the rivalry between actresses Bette Davis and Joan Crawford.)

After losing her appeal in the California court system over the summer, de Havilland’s legal team petitioned the Supreme Court in October.

“Like the Colorado baker whose 1st Amendment rights allowed him to refuse to design a cake that expressed a message he did not believe, Miss de Havilland has a right to prevent false words being put into her mouth in a docudrama, just as with any other form of publication,” Smith said Friday.

Smith added that de Havilland’s 1st Amendment rights “to control her own expression must be balanced against FX’s rights.” She argued that the California appellate court that dismissed the case “ignored her rights entirely,” she added.

“As the guardian of the 1st Amendment, the U.S. Supreme Court should review this important case,” Smith said.

The Supreme Court is expected to consider de Havilland’s petition on Jan. 4, Smith said.

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Zayn Malik says he’s not Muslim: ‘I don’t believe any of it’

Zayn Malik at the 60th Grammy Awards in January.
(Evan Agostini / Associated Press)

Pop singer Zayn, who was raised by a Muslim father and a converted Muslim mother and has popped up on many a list as a famous Muslim entertainer, wouldn’t label himself that way at all.

“I’ve never spoken publicly about what my religious beliefs are,” he said in a new interview in British Vogue. “I’m not professed to be a Muslim.”

Zayn, who ditched the last name Malik around the same time he left One Direction in early 2015, said he believes that people’s religious beliefs are between them and “whoever or whatever they’re practicing.”

Yes, the guy who’s dating model Gigi Hadid did go to mosque and study Islam as a child, he said. But his parents gave him the option of what to believe.

“For me, I have a spiritual belief of there is a god. Do I believe there’s a hell? No,” he said. And he’d like to keep his religious sentiment in that personal place.

Now 25, he figures if he behaves well, he’ll be treated well.

“That’s it. I don’t believe you need to eat a certain meat that’s been prayed over a certain way, I don’t believe you need to read a prayer in a certain language five times a day,” he said. “I don’t believe any of it. I just believe if you’re a good person everything is going to go right for you.”

Reaction has been mixed, with cross-chat on social media as some fans unfollow him while others simply express hurt feelings over his disavowal of the faith. Some folks have been pointing out that it was never 100% clear whether he was a practicing Muslim, especially because he wasn’t behaving as a Muslim should. And some folks were just angry.

“I just read Zayn’s statement about leaving Islam and it’s a nice piece BUT like did he need to mock muslims and their practices while doing it? Gross,” wrote one woman on Twitter.

Others were more charitable.

“As #muslims we are not to make judgement upon another human. Only god can. We are thought to love and be peaceful towards everyone no matter what they choose in life. We are the people of Prophet Mohammed PBUH So let’s act like it #ZaynMalik @zaynmalik leave the guy alone,” tweeted one man.

“I just saw that Zayn Malik doesn’t consider himself a Muslim.. hey, man. That’s cool. Whatever you wanna do is fine,” one woman tweeted.

As for his time in One Direction, Zayn remembered it with mixed feelings. He didn’t make friends with anyone else in the group, which was created from five solo competitors to form a five-man band during the U.K. version of “The X Factor.”

“I’m able to look on it as something that was an amazing experience, which I was never even able to say until just recently. …,” Zayn said. “I think back to the performances towards the end, when we were in stadiums, I wasn’t really ever able to enjoy the experience.

“The machine had gone too fast.”

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Michelle Obama reveals Trump’s ‘Access Hollywood’ tape sparked her to speak out

Tracee Ellis Ross, left, introduces former First Lady Michelle Obama at the "Becoming" event at the Forum in Inglewood on Thursday.
(Willy Sanjuan / Invision/Associated Press)

Former First Lady Michelle Obama was sitting in a waiting room while her mother underwent back surgery when she wrote the outline for her 2016 New Hampshire speech condemning President Donald Trump’s “Access Hollywood” tape.

“When I’m telling the truth, I’m not afraid,” Obama said during an event at the Forum in Inglewood on Thursday night to promote her bestselling new memoir, “Becoming,” according to the Associated Press.

“I was anxious about giving [the speech]. I know how I feel, and what I wanted to do at that time was take women to that place where we know how we feel when we are demeaned,” she said. “We have all experienced that at some point in time. Women don’t have the platform to say it out loud.”

Plus, Obama added, it was well into her husband’s second term in office.

“I was like, ‘I’m done with caring what people think.’ It’s time to put some truth out there,” she said.

Obama’s memoir and accompanying book tour have offered a wealth of insight into the lives of the former first family, while also cementing her as a cultural icon who exists beyond the realm of politics.

In recent weeks, she has shared myriad details from her past, including her courtship with future President Barack Obama, reproductive struggles and concerns for her family’s safety during the presidency.

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Rebel Wilson remains upbeat after losing appeal to keep full award in defamation case

Rebel Wilson arrives at the fourth annual InStyle Awards in October.
Rebel Wilson arrives at the fourth annual InStyle Awards in October.
(Jordan Strauss / Associated Press)

Rebel Wilson might not be able to donate millions to the charity of her choice, but she was still relishing her $600,000 final defamation win Friday against Bauer Media.

“It’s been a long journey in the Australian courts these past few years and I am glad the matter is now at a definite end,” Wilson said in a series of tweets Friday after a high court rejected her appeal to keep the entirety of her original $3.6-million award.

“I have been determined to stand up to a bully and I am proud of myself for doing so.”

Wilson sat in the front row of the public gallery during the brief hearing, according to the Associated Press.

Back in 2015, Bauer lied about Wilson’s age, name and childhood, printing in part in several of its magazines — Woman’s Day and the Australian Women’s Weekly included — that rather than growing up rags-to-riches, the actress had gone to an elite boarding school.

Wilson’s legal team, which she thanked Friday, argued that the stories had damaged Wilson’s career and health.

The “Pitch Perfect 3” star won the case in 2017 and was awarded, in U.S. dollars, about $3.6 million in damages plus legal costs, which was an astronomical amount for an Aussie decision.

This past June, Wilson was ordered by the Supreme Court of Victoria’s Court of Appeals to repay the equivalent of about $3 million to the publisher, plus about 80% of Bauer’s legal costs.

Though her appeal Friday was rejected, she still clearly felt good about the outcome in general.

“To win such a huge case and receive $600 000 in damages from Bauer Media is extremely significant and close to an Australian record!” the actress tweeted Friday.

“The clear jury verdict vindicated my reputation, and now everybody knows the truth about the disgusting behaviour of this media company, who have been found guilty of malicious defamation.”

Wilson had planned to donate her award to “less fortunate Australians.”

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Frank Scherma elected chairman and CEO of Television Academy

Frank Scherma has been named the new chairman and CEO of the Television Academy Board of Governors, the organization announced Friday.

Scherma will begin his two-year term on Jan. 1 and succeeds Hayma Washington, who has led the organization since January 2017.

“As our industry continues to evolve faster than ever, I am committed to ensuring that the Television Academy is at the forefront of this growth,” Scherma said in a statement the academy released Friday.

“Television is more exciting than ever, and I look forward to the new adventures and challenges we will face. I’m excited and humbled to take up this mantle.”

Washington, the first African American to serve as the academy’s chairman, announced in October that he would not seek a second term as chairman and CEO, opting instead to return to producing and focusing on diversity.

Scherma has been a longtime volunteer within the Television Academy, previously serving on the Creative Arts Emmy Awards Show Committee, the Membership Committee and the Governors Award Selection Committee, among other positions. Most recently, he served as vice chairman for the Board of Governors.

As president and co-founder of RadicalMedia, Scherma has overseen the company’s production of many lauded projects, including commercials, feature films, television and virtual reality projects.

Other officers elected by the board include Steve Venezia, vice chairman; Tim Gibbons, second vice chairman; Sharon Lieblein, secretary; Allison Binder, treasurer; and Mitch Waldow, Los Angeles-area vice chairman.

Thirty new governors were also elected to serve from Jan. 1, 2019 through Dec. 31, 2020. They’ll join 30 existing governors whose terms started in 2018 and run through 2019. A full list of names can be seen on the TV Academy’s website.

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A Star Is Born: Diana Krall turns 54 today

(Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

I don’t want to cling to something that I know works. But I’m not going to rebel against it, either.

— Diana Krall, 2004

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Girl next door is now girl in the other room

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Kim Porter, former model and Diddy’s ex and mother of their three kids, has died at 47

Kim Porter, center, and her twin daughters at "The Holiday Calendar" screening in Los Angeles on Oct. 30, 2018.
Kim Porter, center, and her twin daughters at “The Holiday Calendar” screening in Los Angeles on Oct. 30, 2018.
(Charley Gallay / Getty Images for Netflix)

Kim Porter, the actress-model who was Diddy’s partner off and on for 13 years and mother to three of his children, has died at age 47, The Times confirmed Thursday.

“Sadly, I can confirm the passing of Kim Porter,” a rep for Diddy said in a statement. “I ask that you give the families privacy at this time.”

There has been no further reaction from the hip-hop mogul on social media.

Porter’s body was found by law enforcement officials around midday Thursday at her Toluca Lake home, according to TMZ, which first reported the news. A source allegedly linked to Porter told TMZ she’d been suffering from pneumonia recently.

The cause of death was still unknown. Police could not be reached immediately.

Diddy and Porter, who dated on and off starting in 1994, finally called it quits in 2007. In addition to twin girls and a boy with Diddy, Porter has one other son from a previous relationship with Al B. Sure.

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HFPA donates $300,000 to fire and other relief efforts in California

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

The Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. is contributing to relief efforts following last week’s Thousand Oaks shooting and while the deadly wildfires scorching swaths of California still burn.

The HFPA, which hosts the annual Golden Globe Awards, will donate $300,000 to organizations helping those affected by the tragedies, organizers announced Thursday.

“From a devastating massacre in Thousand Oaks a week ago, to blazing wildfires that are still tearing through our state, it is times like this when the community needs to come together and support one another,” association president Meher Tatna said in a statement to The Times.

“This is why the HFPA is making donations to help the victims and their loved ones who have been impacted, and to support the selfless work of our first responders,” Tatna added.

The HFPA is allotting $100,000 to the Ventura County Community Foundation, which itself has two funds to help Hill and Woolsey fire victims and the families of victims of the Thousand Oaks mass shooting.

Another $100,000 will go to California Fire Foundation’s Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency (SAVE) program to enable firefighters to distribute prepaid debit cards to those who are affected, helping them get through the first few hours after losing their homes and possessions.

The HFPA will also give $50,000 apiece to the California Fire Foundation and the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Relief Fund.

The Woolsey fire burning in Los Angeles and Ventura counties so far has left three dead, destroyed 504 structures and threatened 57,000 other buildings. The Camp fire burning in Northern California has killed 56 people with hundreds still missing, destroyed 8,650 homes and 260 commercial structures, and threatened 15,500. The latter has become the deadliest and most destructive fire in state history.

Out of respect for victims of the Woolsey fire and mass shooting, several Hollywood events have been subdued or canceled this week and donations have been made to relief organizations instead.

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Isan Elba, daughter of Idris Elba, chosen as 2019 Golden Globe ambassador

Isan Elba at her introduction as the 2019 Golden Globe ambassador.
(Jordan Strauss / Invision/Associated Press)

Isan Elba, daughter of actor Idris Elba and makeup artist and businesswoman Kim Elba, has been named the Golden Globe ambassador heading into the awards ceremony’s 76th year.

Elba is just the second ambassador in the organization’s history, after the role once known as Miss Golden Globe was updated and rechristened last year.

“Last year, the HFPA renamed the title to represent a more inclusive role that was not only gender-neutral but also spoke to the HFPA’s commitment to philanthropy,” Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. President Meher Tatna said upon announcing Elba as ambassador on Wednesday.

In addition to transporting trophies and escorting winners offstage during the ceremony, Elba will align herself with a nonprofit organization and work to raise awareness for a cause of her own choosing.

For Elba, that’s mental health.

Idris Elba with daughter Isan Elba at the 2016 Screen Actors Guild Awards.
(Frazer Harrison / Getty Images)

“I feel honored to hold this title and use this role to not only further educate people on the work of the HFPA, but also shine a light on issues that I care about,” Isan said at Wednesday’s announcement. “Mental health, specifically among African Americans and my peers, in particular, is something I really want to be more vocal about.

“There’s this perceived stigma and I’ve seen friends struggle,” she said. “We need to empower young people to not be afraid to ask for help.”

The HFPA announcement comes after Tuesday’s news that the organization had canceled its Golden Globe Ambassador Party that was to accompany the announcement due to the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

The 76th Golden Globe Awards will take place Jan. 6, 2019, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The nominations announcement is scheduled for Dec. 6.

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Zayn Malik and Nicki Minaj debut long-awaited ‘No Candle No Light’ duet

Musician Zayn Malik and rapper Nicki Minaj marked their first collaboration on Wednesday with the release of “No Candle No Light.”

Minaj opens the sensual dance track with the former One Direction star, and the two sing about a relationship that lost its spark.

“I woke up on the wrong side of ya / You don’t even know that I left, do ya? / Give in to my love, give in to your lies / No friend zone to my love / Quit burning all of my time / I woke up on the wrong side of ya / No candle no light for you,” the two sing.

According to Billboard, news of the collaboration surfaced at a listening party in March 2017 when fans reportedly heard a bit of the track.

The song is the latest in a string of singles Malik has debuted since his 2016 album, “Mind of Mine.” It’s the fifth the RCA Records artist has released since last April and presumably joins “Too Much” featuring Timbaland, “Sour Diesel,” “Entertainer” and “Let Me” on his upcoming second album.

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A Star Is Born: Shailene Woodley turns 27 today

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. If not, I’ll be a third-grade teacher.

— Shailene Woodley, 2011

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Shailene Woodley makes leap to big screen in ‘Descendants’

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The newest ‘Dumbo’ trailer will make you cry

The new trailer for the live-action adaptation of Disney’s “Dumbo” is not pulling any emotional punches.

One of the most heartbreaking moments in the animated 1941 original was when Dumbo’s mother reaches out to him with her trunk through the bars of her cage.

The latest trailer for Tim Burton’s adaptation, which debuted Wednesday night during the CMA Awards, plays up the elephant family’s separation.

The trailer includes scenes of Dumbo’s mother being taken away from the young elephant, as well as a re-creation of that memorable “Baby Mine” scene from the animated original.

Written by Ehren Kruger, “Dumbo” stars Colin Farrell, Nico Parker, Finley Hobbins, Eva Green, Danny DeVito and Michael Keaton.

The film is slated to hit theaters March 29.

Watch the full trailer above.

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The CMA Awards open with a moment of silence for the 12 people killed in Thousand Oaks shooting

Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood arrive at the 52nd CMA Awards.
(Evan Agostini / Associated Press)

In what has become a sad tradition, the 2018 CMA Awards included a tribute to the people slain by a gunman in a Thousand Oaks bar this month.

Garth Brooks opened Wednesday night’s ceremony with a moment of silence for the 12 people killed Nov. 7 at the Borderline Bar and Grill, which was hosting a line-dancing event for college students that night.

“Tonight let’s celebrate their lives,” Brooks said before the screen cut to the names of the victims displayed on a black background.

Last year’s CMAs included a moment of silence for the 58 people killed in the mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas. The Borderline is a popular Ventura County spot for country music fans; regular patrons include survivors of the Vegas shooting, one of whom escaped that horror to be killed in this one.

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Ennio Morricone was right: German Playboy published false quotes about Quentin Tarantino

Ennio Morricone is shown in September.
(Claudio Onorati / ANSA via Associated Press)

Playboy Germany has just thrown Marcel Anders, the freelancer on its new profile of famed Italian film composer Ennio Morricone, under the bus. Way under the bus.

With comments like “deliberate falsifications” and “intentional deceit” in the mix, it’s starting to look like Morricone is coming out a big winner.

The publication and its editor in chief had been on the ropes since the weekend, when Morricone took issue with quotes, attributed to him, allegedly saying harshly negative things in Playboy Germany about “The Hateful Eight” director Quentin Tarantino and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Morricone flat out denied making the statements published in the interview.

By Tuesday, Playboy Germany’s editor in chief, Florian Boitin, was backtracking on the story, expressing regret “should Mr. Morricone have been portrayed in a false light.”

Then on Wednesday things got real. Boitin issued a scathing statement explaining what the magazine had found as it investigated its previously trustworthy freelancer’s handling of the story, which was based on an interview done this summer at the 90-year-old composer’s Rome estate.

“To our dismay, we have now established that sections of the interview published by us do not accurately reflect the words spoken by Mr. Morricone,” Boitin wrote.

“Mr. Anders has now addressed the accusations himself, and admits to making ‘terrible mistakes,’” he added. “In a letter made available to the editorial team, he apologizes to Mr. Morricone for his failure to adhere to the statements given when writing the interview for Playboy and for adding statements made at other times and in other media.”

Boitin said the publication would continue to work quickly to clarify the matter “in its entirety” and would file a criminal complaint against Anders on the grounds of deception.

Also, Boitin promised: “We will do everything we can to ensure that German Playboy will never again be tarnished by such a deplorable episode.”

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Jennifer Aniston’s pageant queen meets her match —  and it’s her daughter — in ‘Dumplin’’ trailer

Jennifer Aniston is the veteran beauty queen in Netflix’s “Dumplin’,” but it’s her onscreen daughter who’s trying to steal the show.

The trailer for Netflix’s country musical dropped on Wednesday, and it’s heavy on the sequin-clad queens, self-esteem building and Dolly Parton references, basically laying the groundwork for a feel-good family film to get you through the holiday season.

The comedy, which tapped Parton for its soundtrack, follows over-the-top pageant star Rosie Dixon (Aniston) and her daughter Willowdean (Danielle Macdonald) — a plus-size teenager nicknamed Dumplin’ who obsessively listens to Parton’s music.

But the two clash when Dumplin’ boldly signs up for her mother’s beauty contest, declaring that “it’s gonna be like a protest in heels.”

That protest, which involves coaching from Dolly-inspired drag queens, sees others follow suit as it upends the small Texas town’s Miss Teen Blue Bonnet pageant.

“Pageants are harder than you think,” Rosie warns her defiant daughter.

“I’m Rosie Dixon’s daughter. It runs in my blood,” Dumplin’ replies.

The Anne Fletcher-directed film, an adaptation of Julie Murphy’s eponymous bestselling novel, will appear in select theaters and begin streaming on Dec. 7.

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Lisa Vanderpump’s ‘Real Housewives’ future is in question

Lisa Vanderpump arrives at the Miss Universe Pageant in 2015.
Lisa Vanderpump arrives at the Miss Universe Pageant in 2015.
(Timothy A. Clary / AFP/Getty Images)

Reports that Lisa Vanderpump is leaving “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” appear to be a bit off the mark. Or are they? It might be a matter of semantics.

While Vanderpump hasn’t been filmed at every Season 9 event, she will appear in the majority of episodes this season, the Los Angeles Times has learned. So fans can expect to see her throughout Season 9, which returns to Bravo in early 2019. Vanderpump has been on the show since its 2010 inception.

But an E! News report Wednesday confirmed that she’s off the show after the next season. So “she’s leaving” and “she’ll be seen throughout the season” aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive.

“She has been refusing to film and … her interactions with the ladies have been solely negative,” a source told E!. “Lisa has still not returned to filming and as of now has no plan to. It’s too far gone, and Lisa agrees that she shouldn’t return at this point” to the show that made her famous.

“Let’s just focus on the important things right now,” Vanderpump tweeted late Wednesday morning, shortly before the accounts were published. Her Villa Blanca restaurant has been working to feed Woolsey fire first responders and volunteers, she said, and emergency supplies are being collected at the Vanderpump Dog Rescue Center in L.A.

A report from gossip site Radar Online published Wednesday shortly after E!’s story had an insider saying Vanderpump couldn’t deal with the requirements of the show as she grieved the May death of her brother, filmed “Vanderpump Rules,” fought with costars, opened a new restaurant and ran an animal shelter. She was, according to the report, “no longer” filming for “RHOBH” this year and was out after “eight years” on the show.

A call to the company that produces “RHOBH” was not immediately returned.

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‘Mary Queen of Scots,’ ‘First Man’ events are latest to be canceled due to wildfires

“Mary Queen of Scots,” the star-studded period drama set to close out the AFI Festival on Thursday, is the latest production to subdue its premiere celebrations out of respect for victims of last week’s Thousand Oaks mass shooting and the deadly wildfires raging across the state.

“With the ongoing disasters and devastating wild fires in California, Focus, along with our filmmakers and cast, have chosen to cancel the red carpet at tomorrow’s premiere of ‘Mary Queen of Scots,’” Focus Features announced in a statement on Wednesday.

Separate of AFI Fest, Universal Pictures canceled an awards-season reception for Damien Chazelle’s “First Man,” which was slated to take place at the Griffith Park Observatory on Thursday, “in light of the ongoing emergencies around Los Angeles,” a spokeswoman for NBCUniversal said, adding that the company “made a significant donation to relief efforts in the surrounding communities.”

And Bravo on Tuesday did away with its red carpet for its upcoming “Dirty John” series, based on the hugely successful Los Angeles Times podcast, and showrunner Alexandra Cunningham addressed the tragedies while introducing the show at the Hollywood screening that night.

“We shot it here in Southern California, in Agoura Hills and Calabasas and a lot of places that are burning right now,” she said onstage. “I know we’re all thinking of them and remembering how lucky we are to all be here together right now.”

Meanwhile, AFI Fest, which runs through Thursday and was planned months in advance, has been the victim of bad timing as it coincided with the local tragedies. However, the festival has supported the numerous studios’ decisions to cancel the galas, a spokeswoman for the festival told The Times.

Tuesday’s red-carpet premiere for “Destroyer,” the Los Angeles crime drama starring Nicole Kidman, was canceled so that the filmmakers, cast and crew could “express their deepest condolences to the victims and those who have been affected,” Annapurna said in a statement, adding that it is “extremely grateful to all who have risked their lives in responding to both tragedies.”

Steve McQueen’s heist thriller “Widows,” which screens at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Wednesday, plans to “match the cost of its post-screening event with a donation to the United Way of Greater Los Angeles Disaster Relief Fund,” 20th Century Fox said.

“Our hearts are with all those impacted, and our thanks go out to all the first responders working tirelessly to help everyone in need,” the studio added.

Though the glitzy galas have been canceled, the theater screenings for the festival films have proceeded.

Each of the companies encouraged support for specific organizations, including the American Red Cross, Direct Relief, Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, California Community Foundation Wildfire Relief Fund and Everytown for Gun Safety, among others.

Earlier this week, Netflix canceled red-carpet premieres for its Sandra Bullock-starrer “Bird Box,” and the Coen brothers’ latest film, “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,” and Paramount canned the weekend red-carpet premiere and after-party for its comedy “Instant Family,” all of which were part of AFI Fest.

UPDATE

12:13 p.m.: This story has been updated with a statement from NBCUniversal regarding “First Man.”

This article was originally published at 10:23 a.m.

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‘The Bachelor’ sets premiere date for Season 23 with Colton Underwood

Colton Underwood smiling in a suit
Colton Underwood is the 23rd guy to lead “The Bachelor.”
(Nina Prommer / EPA-EFE / Rex / Shutterstock )

“The Bachelor” has a return date for its 843th — er, 23rd — season, and this time around bachelor Colton Underwood is holding those roses.

The season premiere will air on Jan. 7, 2019, ABC Entertainment announced Wednesday.

Underwood, 26, who came up on Season 14 of “The Bachelorette” courting Becca Kufrin, was sent home right before the final three got their nights in the Fantasy Suite. That night could have been a big plot point, had it happened, given the fact that Underwood has gone into detail publicly about his choice to remain a virgin.

He also appeared on “Bachelor in Paradise” over the summer, where he got his mind right — “found closure” and “found clarity” is how the show put it —with Kufrin, and Kufrin’s pal Tia Booth. At the end of the summer, the former NFL player was still flying solo, so now it’s “The Bachelor.”

Incidentally, the condition of the Bachelor Mansion, a.k.a. Villa de la Vina in Agoura Hills, is still unknown as the Woolsey fire continues to burn northwest of Los Angeles. One of the three structures on the property had burned down, but the main mansion might have survived, “Entertainment Tonight” reported Sunday.

Colton, soon to be known to jillions by only his first name, kicked off filming his season in September and production has since moved around the country and internationally, “ET” said. Showrunner Mike Fleiss tweeted Saturday that he still didn’t know the condition of the house.

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‘Bachelor’ couple Arie Luyendyk Jr. and Lauren Burnham are expecting a baby

Here we’ve been waiting on a reality-TV wedding while “The Bachelor” couple Arie Luyendyk Jr. and Lauren Burnham were busy working on a reality-TV baby.

“I’m going to be a Dad!!!!!,” the former race-car driver said Wednesday on Twitter.

“Our greatest adventure begins June 2019!,” Burnham said Wednesday on Instagram, captioning a picture of the couple kissing and holding sonogram pictures.

Lauren B., as she was known on the show, officially made the announcement with Luyendyk Jr. in this week’s Us Weekly, where she describes getting a little help from a friend, as well as her fiance.

“I kind of had a feeling that I might be pregnant. So my friend insisted on bringing a pregnancy test over,” Burnham said. And she couldn’t read the results herself — Arie had to do it.

Luyendyk, 37, “had the test in his hand and tears in his eyes” when he delivered the good news, she told the magazine.

Burnham then took six more tests, just to be sure, she said. And until recently, the morning sickness has been terrible.

The couple met on 2016’s Season 20 of “The Bachelor,” where she wound up the first runner-up rather than winning. In a scandalous move that juiced up an otherwise bland season, Arie dumped “winner” Becca Kufrin and begged his way back into Lauren B.’s life even before the “After the Final Rose” special aired.

In April they bought a house together in Phoenix, where he works as a real estate agent. They’re on track to be married in Hawaii in January.

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Cynthia Nixon, Emma Gonzalez and the cast of ‘Queer Eye’ honored by Out magazine

Out magazine announced its annual OUT100 list on Wednesday, honoring the most influential LGBTQ individuals of the last year.

The magazine is being printed with four distinct covers featuring four different special award winners, including the cast of “Queer Eye” (Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Tan France, Antoni Porowski and Jonathan Van Ness), hailed as entertainers of the year; “Pose” actor Billy Porter, for performance of the year; musician Sophie, artist of the year; and Parkland, Fla., gun-control advocate Emma Gonzalez, newsmaker of the year.

The theme of this year’s list is Generations, which executive editor R. Kurt Osenlund reflected on in his editor’s letter for the magazine.

“Young queer people embody the progress no one can stop,” Osenlund wrote. “They are inflexibly done with systemic ugliness and toxic traditions. Unaccepting of anything that centers around a single, tired narrative, they are forcing change in the way society views normalcy, uses pronouns, embraces intersectionality, and creates media.”

Osenlund went on to emphasize the importance of intergenerational queer dialogue moving forward.

According to the magazine, this year’s list of 100 honorees is the most diverse in its history, including trans actress Daniela Vega, WNBA star Layshia Clarendon and “Dear White People” creator Justin Simien.

Other special award recipients include actress-turned-political candidate Cynthia Nixon (hero of the year), fashion designer Jeremy Scott (stylemaker of the year), groundbreaking trans athlete Renée Richards (legend) and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” executive producers Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey (media pioneers).

The full collection of OUT100 honorees can be found on the magazine’s website.

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A Star Is Born: Patrick Warburton turns 54 today

(Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

I feel the need to be proud of my work. I want people to enjoy what I do. I guess most importantly, I do want and need the acceptance from my peers.

— Patrick Warburton, 2001

FROM THE ARCHIVES: A life beyond Puddy

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Cardi B, Chance the Rapper, T.I. will judge ‘Rhythm + Flow,’ Netflix’s first music competition series

Step aside, “The Voice” and “American Idol.” There’s a new music competition heading to Hollywood (and your favorite streaming device).

Hip-hop stars Cardi B, Chance the Rapper and T.I. have signed on to judge Netflix’s forthcoming series “Rhythm + Flow,” marking the streaming giant’s first foray into original, music-competition programming.

“With us as judges, the authenticity is gonna be through the roof,” T.I. said in a video announcing the show Tuesday on Twitter.

“Rhythm + Flow” will unfold over 10 hour-long episodes and will begin streaming in fall 2019. But first, producers will hold a multi-city talent search in the judges’ hometowns of Atlanta, Chicago and New York, with established rappers from each city serving as guest judges.

The series “will bring together the biggest names in music to find fresh talent and help undiscovered hip-hop artists pursue their dreams,” Netflix said.

John Legend, Jeff Gaspin, Jesse Collins, Nikki Boella, Jeff Pollack, Mike Jackson and Ty Stiklorius will produce the series through Get Lifted Film Co., Gaspin Media and Jesse Collins Entertainment.

Also on Tuesday, MGM announced that Chance and his frequent collaborator Nick Segal will develop “Hope,” a new feature musical for the studio.

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How John Mayer went from a six-day hangover to being stoked every morning

John Mayer performs on Halloween at a memorial concert for the late Mac Miller.
John Mayer performs on Halloween at a memorial concert for the late Mac Miller.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

John Mayer would like to tell you about the last day he drank.

It was a little over two years ago. In fact, it was Drake’s 30th birthday party, he told Complex magazine, “and I made quite a fool of myself.”

So the singer-songwriter had a big conversation with himself.

“I was in my sixth day of the hangover. That’s how big the hangover was,” he said in a new interview. “I looked out the window and I went, ‘OK, John, what percentage of your potential would you like to have? Because if you say you’d like 60, and you’d like to spend the other 40 having fun, that’s fine. But what percentage of what is available to you would you like to make happen? There’s no wrong answer. What is it?’ I went, ‘100.’”

At that point, he said, the voice announced it didn’t need to talk to him anymore. And it was done.

“That next year, I did four tours, I was in two bands, I was happy on airplanes ...,” said the 41-year-old. He got used to having a straight-line life, with fewer “high highs.”

“[I]f you work, you can bring the whole line up,” Mayer said, adding later, “Every morning I wake up, I go, ‘I get another one of these.’ And most people figure that out much later on in life.”

Unfortunately, not people like the late Mac Miller, whom Mayer worked with only briefly before the rapper-producer overdosed on a mix of cocaine, alcohol and fentanyl in September.

“When Mac Miller passed away,” Mayer said, “my first thought was, ‘You don’t get to stay here.’ You don’t get to keep riding this ride, this beautiful ride that, if you’re lucky enough to have the talent, you get to just keep.”

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German Playboy backtracks on Ennio Morricone interview as composer denies dissing Tarantino

Ennio Morricone has disputed quotes featured in a new interview with Playboy Germany.
(Angelo Carconi / EPA/Shutterstock)

Film composer Ennio Morricone’s allegedly harsh words about Quentin Tarantino might have been “reproduced incorrectly” in a recent article for German Playboy, the magazine’s editor-in-chief said Tuesday, hinting at new information he had obtained.

“Up to now, we have considered the freelancer who conducted the Ennio Morricone interview on our behalf to be a renowned print and radio journalist,” editor Florian Boitin said in a statement. In the past, he added, they’d had “no reason” to doubt the writer’s journalistic integrity or skills.

However, Boitin said, “Based on the information now at our disposal, we must unfortunately assume that the words spoken in the interview have, in part, been reproduced incorrectly.”

In the article, which is featured in the December edition of German Playboy and touted online on a teaser page, Morricone allegedly insulted Tarantino and disparaged his skill as a director. He was also quoted dismissing the Academy Awards as frivolous.

The 90-year-old Italian composer strongly denied the quotes.

“I have never expressed any negative statements about the Academy, Quentin, or his films — and certainly do not consider his films garbage,” Morricone said Sunday in a statement on his website. “I consider Tarantino a great director. I am very fond of my collaboration with him and the relationship we have developed during the time we have spent together.”

Morricone, who worked with Tarantino on 2015’s “The Hateful Eight,” said he was asking his Italian attorney to pursue legal action against the magazine.

“We would like to express our regret should Mr. Morricone have been portrayed in a false light,” Playboy’s Boitan said. “We are working to clarify this matter and are exploring legal measures.”

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Audioslave, Soundgarden and stars align for a Chris Cornell tribute concert at the Forum

Chris Cornell's legacy will be honored at a tribute concert early next year.
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Chris Cornell’s former bandmates will pay their respects to the late grunge pioneer with a tribute concert in January.

“I Am the Highway: A Tribute to Chris Cornell” is set for Jan. 16 at the Forum in Inglewood, according to a Tuesday announcement made on Cornell’s official Twitter account.

The concert, benefiting the Chris and Vicky Cornell Foundation and the Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical Research Foundation, will feature members of Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog and Audioslave — acts the rocker was previously associated with.

The Foo Fighters, Metallica and Ryan Adams are also on the lineup, and the show will be hosted by late-night star Jimmy Kimmel. Tickets go on sale Friday through Ticketmaster and will include a copy of Cornell’s self-titled career retrospective album.

“We are honored to have all these amazing artists and friends come together to pay tribute to and show their love and appreciation for Chris, his music and the mark he’s left on the world,” Cornell’s widow, Vicky Cornell, said in a statement.

Vicky Cornell is serving on a star-studded host committee along with Cornell’s peers Tom Morello and Matt Cameron and celebrities and executives such as Josh and Kathryn Brolin, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Courteney Cox, Kaley Cuoco, David Spade, John Carter Cash, Linda Ramone, Peter Berg, Sam and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Marc Gurvitz and Julianne Phillips, Ron Laffitte, Michael Rapino, Michele Bernstein, Patrick Whitesell and Scott Sartiano, among others.

Tuesday’s announcement comes just ahead of Friday’s release of Cornell’s retrospective album and a four-disc box set commemorating his career.

The Grammy-winning artist was found dead in a Detroit hotel room in May 2017. Toxicology findings on his death later indicated that the singer had several prescription drugs in his system when he was found hanged.

Last month, his widow and the Seattle Museum of Pop Culture paid tribute to the Seattle-born rocker by commissioning and unveiling a life-size bronze statue of him.

UPDATE

12:13 p.m.: This article has been updated to include a statement from Vicky Cornell and other details.

This story was originally published at 11:14 a.m.

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David Schwimmer’s beer-looting lookalike has been arrested, British police say

Surveillance camera image provided by police shows a man taking items from a restaurant in Blackpool, England.
(Blackpool Police / Associated Press)

It must be that “unagi”: British police have found a man whose striking resemblance to Ross Geller of “Friends” made him go viral last month and elicited a reaction from actor David Schwimmer himself.

Blackpool and Metropolitan police arrested a 36-year-old man in the London suburb of Southall on Monday on suspicion of theft, Blackpool police announced on Twitter on Tuesday. The Ross doppelgänger was wanted for allegedly looting beer and other items from a Blackpool eatery in September.

The police department thanked Schwimmer for his support and sleuthing, too.

Last month, when law enforcement shared surveillance footage to help identify the suspect, Facebook users flooded the police department’s comments section comparing the lookalike to Schwimmer’s iconic “Friends” character.

The viral response eventually prompted the sitcom star to gamely step forward to exonerate himself with his own parody video — beer and all — shot in a New York grocery store.

“Officers, I swear it wasn’t me,” Schwimmer wrote on Facebook and Twitter. “As you can see, I was in New York.”

Schwimmer has not yet responded to news of the arrest.

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Hugh Jackman and Stephen Colbert bid fond farewell to Marvel legend Stan Lee

The world was rendered a little less super on Monday after Marvel patriarch Stan Lee died at age 95.

Among those mourning the loss of Lee, who had a hand in creating so many comics legends — including Hulk, Thor, the X-Men and the Avengers — were super fans Hugh Jackman and Stephen Colbert on Monday night’s edition of “The Late Show.”

“Lee had a hand in creating all your favorite comic book characters: Spider-Man, Iron Man, Black Panther,” Colbert said of the visionary, adding that Lee was also a World Ward II veteran and screenwriter.

Colbert also shared that Lee had been “married to his wife, Joanie, for 70 years after they dated for two weeks and flew to Reno so she could get a quickie divorce and then marry Stan the same day.”

“That’s a story,” the host said. “So thanks for all the stories, Stan. And I know you’re hearing this a lot today, but, excelsior!”

Fortuitously, Colbert had an alum of the greater Lee universe already scheduled as a guest for Monday’s episode.

Hugh Jackman, who’s promoting his latest film, “The Front Runner,” got his big break in Hollywood with his portrayal of Wolverine in the X-Men franchise and shared his thoughts on Lee’s passing.

“I remember Stan as a true gentleman who had this glint in his eye,” Jackman said. “He’s a creative genius. He thought outside the box. He created a whole universe that changed the lives of many people, mine included.”

Also:

Stan Lee’s ‘X-Men’ made it OK — heroic, even — to be different

Three ways Stan Lee helped create the modern superhero movie

An illustrated tribute to Stan Lee and his career

The wisdom and wisecracks of Stan Lee: What he told The Times over the years

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Bundle up! ‘Game of Thrones’ to return April 2019

Don’t even think about packing away your mittens early next spring because winter is scheduled to land in full force come April.

HBO is slowly circling a potential release date for the final season of “Game of Thrones,” announcing Tuesday that it’ll be in April 2019.

The premium cable provider shared the news with a 30-second video featuring a montage of the show’s greatest hits — in some cases literally — before announcing the release month.

It’s great news for fans always desperate for the slightest bit of intel about the sprawling fantasy series. Previously HBO had only let on that the six-episode eighth season would air sometime in 2019.

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Watch the new global trailer for Alfonso Cuarón’s ‘Roma’

Since Alfonso Cuarón’s “Roma” first started generating buzz on the film festival circuit, audiences have known the film was in black-and-white and beautifully shot.

Released Tuesday, a new official trailer for the film delivers an extended look at the Mexican filmmaker’s masterfully shot, tender autobiographical drama.

Set in the early 1970s, “Roma” follows a year in the life of a middle-class family of four children and its nanny, Cleo. The film was inspired by Cuarón’s memories growing up in the Roma neighborhood of Mexico City and features a cast of professional actors as well as non-actors.

Cuarón previously told The Times that making “Roma” was “a matter of coming to terms with the conflict between my present and the past.”

He added: “In the process there was a constant tension: I’m trying to portray those memories but through the prism of my understanding of today.”

“It’s a vision of grit and grace,” wrote Times film critic Justin Chang after the movie’s screening at the Toronto International Film Festival. “‘Roma’ pulses with life and energy, but it also feels becalmed, elevated, pristine.”

Last month, “Roma” distributor Netflix broke from its traditional streaming-centric model when it announced the film will be one of three titles to have brief, exclusive theatrical runs. “Roma’s” exclusive theatrical engagements will begin Nov. 21 in New York, Los Angeles and Mexico, with additional locations to follow.

“Roma” will then be available to stream on Netflix starting Dec. 14, along with an expanded theatrical release.

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A Star Is Born: Jimmy Kimmel turns 51 today

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

I’m a funny guy. I don’t have much common sense when it comes to weighing what I say. I will oftentimes say things that I shouldn’t.

— Jimmy Kimmel, 2003

FROM THE ARCHIVES: It’s a man’s man’s world

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Wildfires and Thousand Oaks shooting prompt AFI Fest to cancel events

Out of respect for the victims of last week’s Thousand Oaks shooting and those affected by the wildfires raging across California, another AFI Fest event has been canceled.

Netflix on Monday announced it had jettisoned that evening’s red carpet festivities for Sandra Bullock’s horror-drama “Bird Box,” marking the platform’s second cancellation “in light of these tragedies,” the streaming giant said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times.

“Our hearts are with the victims, families and brave first responders for both the Borderline shooting and California wildfires,” the statement said.

“The screening will continue as planned. We thank you in advance for understanding and encourage you to support one of the many organizations who are helping those impacted.”

On Sunday, the streaming platform pulled out of the red carpet event celebrating the Coen brothers’ latest film, “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,” and issued a similar statement.

Paramount also canceled Sunday’s red carpet and premiere after-party for Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne’s comedy “Instant Family,” but will move forward with the screening on Tuesday because “a number of foster youths and organizations working in the foster community will be in attendance,” the studio said in a statement.

Food intended for the after-party will be donated to the American Red Cross, which is providing aid to victims of the fires, the studio said. It will also screen the film at an evacuation center for victims of the fires, though a location has not yet been announced.

The festival, which runs through Thursday, still has a few high-profile galas scheduled for the films “Widows,” “Destroyer” and “Mary Queen of Scots.” It is unclear how those events might also be affected.

Times staff writer Jen Yamato contributed to this report.

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Sheriff Woody and Buzz Lightyear are back in new ‘Toy Story 4’ teaser trailer

Oh, sure, “Toy Story 4,” set your new teaser trailer to a Joni Mitchell tune, then tell us we have to wait till next summer to see the fourth installment of the animated Pixar series.

The trailer, which was released Monday, has old friends including Sheriff Woody and Buzz Lightyear floating happily through space to the sound of “Both Sides, Now” — until, of course, disaster strikes.

“I don’t belong here!,” a poorly drawn spork screams as it jumps from the circle, causing a chain reaction that sends the characters and their parts flying. Lips, shoes, corks, you name it.

Is it a hint at the plot, or simply Pixar setting up a totally cute sight gag involving Slinky Dog’s hind end? Does it even matter? The news is that the toys are coming back.

Pass the tissues, please. Because you know the feels will be coming next summer, too.

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Composer Ennio Morricone denies scathing comments about Quentin Tarantino, threatens legal action

Ennio Morricone, left, and Quentin Tarantino at a 2015 London recording of the soundtrack to "The Hateful Eight."
Ennio Morricone, left, and Quentin Tarantino at a 2015 London recording of the soundtrack to “The Hateful Eight.”
(Kevin Mazur / Getty Images)

Ennio Morricone says Quentin Tarantino is “a great director” and maintains that he never said bad things about Tarantino to the German edition of Playboy, which is quoting him as insulting and generally shredding the American director.

The Italian composer said Sunday in a statement on his website that he has instructed his team in Italy to take “civil and penal” legal action against the magazine.

“I have never expressed any negative statements about the Academy, Quentin, or his films — and certainly do not consider his films garbage,” Morricone said.

“I consider Tarantino a great director. I am very fond of my collaboration with him and the relationship we have developed during the time we have spent together,” he continued. “He is courageous and has an enormous personality.”

Morricone told Variety in a statement on Sunday that he had not given an interview to German Playboy at all.

The composer said on his website that he has publicly praised Tarantino at a press conference in London, with the director present, and would never speak ill of the organization behind the Oscars.

Morricone, who turned 90 on Saturday, scored Tarantino’s 2015 film, “The Hateful Eight,” and in 2016 took home his second Academy Award for his efforts (after a lifetime achievement award in 2007).

The magazine quoted the composer heavily about Tarantino in an online tease to a print story running in its December issue, and it was all very negative. Among the alleged criticisms are some pointed comments about Tarantino not being a real director but rather someone who simply steals and recycles from the greats.

Morricone was also quoted by German Playboy as slamming America as a dreadful country and the Academy Awards as frivolous.

Playboy Enterprises licenses the name to a European publisher, a rep for the U.S. company said Monday.

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A Star Is Born: Anne Hathaway turns 36 today

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

I don’t expect all this to last — the good, the bad, the scrutiny. It’s just a moment. I’m not going to hold on too tight in any respect.

— Anne Hathaway, 2008

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Anne Getting Serious

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Check out the full list of E! People’s Choice Awards winners

The E! People’s Choice Awards lit up Santa Monica’s Barker Hangar Sunday night with a revamped show for a modern era, honoring not just Hollywood’s biggest stars but standouts in podcasting, beauty influencing and Canadians. Really.

Many winners showed up to the ceremony with a message to send, including Kim Kardashian West, who spoke of victims of the Thousand Oaks shooting and the still-raging wildfires ravaging California.

Read more about Sunday night’s ceremony and check out the full list of winners below.

THE MOVIE OF 2018: “Avengers: Infinity War”

THE COMEDY MOVIE OF 2018: “The Spy Who Dumped Me”

THE ACTION MOVIE OF 2018: “Avengers: Infinity War”

THE DRAMA MOVIE OF 2018: “Fifty Shades Freed”

THE FAMILY MOVIE OF 2018: “Incredibles 2”

THE DRAMA MOVIE STAR OF 2018: Jamie Dornan, “Fifty Shades Freed”

THE MALE MOVIE STAR OF 2018: Chadwick Boseman, “Black Panther”

THE FEMALE MOVIE STAR OF 2018: Scarlett Johansson, “Avengers: Infinity War”

THE COMEDY MOVIE STAR OF 2018: Melissa McCarthy, “Life of the Party”

THE ACTION MOVIE STAR OF 2018: Danai Gurira, “Black Panther”

THE SHOW OF 2018: “Shadowhunters”

THE DRAMA SHOW OF 2018: “Riverdale”

THE COMEDY SHOW OF 2018: “Orange Is The New Black”

THE REVIVAL SHOW OF 2018: “Dynasty”

THE REALITY SHOW OF 2018: “Keeping Up With the Kardashians”

THE COMPETITION SHOW OF 2018: “The Voice”

THE MALE TV STAR OF 2018: Harry Shum Jr., “Shadowhunters”

THE FEMALE TV STAR OF 2018: Katherine McNamara, “Shadowhunters”

THE DRAMA TV STAR OF 2018: Mariska Hargitay, “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”

THE COMEDY TV STAR OF 2018: Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory”

THE DAYTIME TALK SHOW OF 2018: “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”

THE NIGHTTIME TALK SHOW OF 2018: “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”

THE COMPETITION CONTESTANT OF 2018: Maddie Poppe, “American Idol”

THE REALITY TV STAR OF 2018: Khloe Kardashian, “Keeping Up With the Kardashians”

THE BINGEWORTHY SHOW OF 2018: “Shadowhunters”

THE SCI-FI/FANTASY SHOW OF 2018: “Wynonna Earp”

THE MALE ARTIST OF 2018: Shawn Mendes

THE FEMALE ARTIST OF 2018: Nicki Minaj

THE GROUP OF 2018: BTS

THE SONG OF 2018: “Idol,” BTS

THE ALBUM OF 2018: “Queen,” Nicki Minaj

THE COUNTRY ARTIST OF 2018: Blake Shelton

THE LATIN ARTIST OF 2018: CNCO

THE MUSIC VIDEO OF 2018: “Idol,” BTS

THE CONCERT TOUR OF 2018: Taylor Swift: Reputation

THE SOCIAL STAR OF 2018: Shane Dawson

THE BEAUTY INFLUENCER OF 2018: James Charles

THE SOCIAL CELEBRITY OF 2018: BTS

THE ANIMAL STAR OF 2018: Crusoe the Celebrity Dachshund

THE COMEDY ACT OF 2018: Kevin Hart

THE STYLE STAR OF 2018: Harry Styles

THE GAME CHANGER OF 2018: Serena Williams

THE POP PODCAST OF 2018: Scrubbing In with Becca Tilley and Tanya Rad

THE MOST HYPE-WORTHY CANADIAN OF 2018: Tessa Virture and Scott Moir

L’INFLUENCEUR POP CULTURE FRANÇAIS DE 2018: Lufy

HONORARY ICON AWARD RECIPIENTS:

THE PEOPLE’S ICON OF 2018: Melissa McCarthy

THE PEOPLE’S CHAMPION OF 2018: Bryan Stevenson, social activist and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative

THE FASHION ICON OF 2018: Victoria Beckham

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‘SNL’ bids farewell to Jeff Sessions with Robert De Niro as Mueller, and Dan Crenshaw has his say with Pete Davidson

With apologies to another controversy-prone administration from decades past, we won’t have Jeff Sessions to kick around anymore after the U.S. attorney general resigned earlier this week.

The move ended months of speculation after Sessions had run afoul of President Trump, and with it ended (for the foreseeable future, anyway) his run on “Saturday Night Live” as portrayed by star Kate McKinnon.

In the cold open of Saturday’s episode, which was to feature host Liev Schreiber and musical guest Lil Wayne, “SNL” bid its own farewell to Sessions. McKinnon, in her now-familiar combover wig and elvish prosthetic ears, popped out from under Sessions’ desk to be escorted out of the White House by Sarah Huckabee Sanders (Aidy Bryant), who pointed out the desk now belonged to acting Atty. Gen. Matthew Whitaker.

McKinnon’s Sessions at first was mystified as to how Whitaker wound up in the job. “He’s a shady businessman with no experience who’s blindly loyal to Donald Trump,” she said. “OK, hearing it out loud, it makes sense.”

The sketch also featured Vice President Mike Pence (Beck Bennett) and the Trump sons Eric and Don Jr. (Alex Moffat and Mikey Day) to see Sessions off, but with Alec Baldwin still dealing with legal troubles, the sketch did not feature the president (apart from a photograph). “After all we’d been through I thought you’d at least say goodbye,” said McKinnon’s wistful Sessions, who then launched into Adele’s “Someone Like You” as a montage was shown of their various adventures.

That’s roughly when DeNiro returned as FBI investigator Robert Mueller, who the actor (and, notably, critic of the president) first appeared as back in April. “You can’t arrest me, I quit,” McKinnon told him. DeNiro’s Mueller said he returned to thank him, and after a little back-and-forth about what could be his report, the two briefly broke into song.

Watch a clip below.

Later in the episode during the “Weekend Update” segment, Lt. Commander Dan Crenshaw appeared alongside Pete Davidson, who became a target of outrage after he joked about a photograph of the congressman-elect, who wears an eye patch.

Crenshaw, for his part, claimed no offense was taken with the joke, and as the segment began he initially appeared reluctant to indulge Davidson’s desire to let him have payback by making fun of him.

“This is Pete Davidson,” he began. “He looks like if the meth from ‘Breaking Bad’ was a person.” Then Crenshaw appeared to get a taste for the idea. Watch more below.

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Review: Rufus Wainwright’s return to his roots honors the magic of his early albums

Rufus Wainwright performed at Joni Mitchell's 75th-birthday celebration on Nov. 7 at L.A.'s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
Rufus Wainwright performed at Joni Mitchell’s 75th-birthday celebration on Nov. 7 at L.A.’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
(Vivien Killilea / Getty Images for the Music Center)

Rufus Wainwright still remembers what a weirdo he was when he surfaced in the early 1990s. Back when he left Montreal to “peddle his wares” in New York City, as he put it Friday night, he wasn’t an obvious pop star gunning for radio hits. Not quite “nihilistic or straight enough” in his estimation.

But Los Angeles embraced him, particularly its fellow oddballs such as the musician and composer Van Dyke Parks, music executive Lenny Waronker and producer Jon Brion. In 1998, a few months shy of turning 25, Wainwright released his self-titled debut on DreamWorks Records, proving his early champions right: Wainwright was a visionary artist out of sync with his peers.

And he still is. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of his auspicious start, Wainwright reminded the audience of that when he kicked off his new “All These Poses” tour at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown L.A. on Friday.

Zeroing in on his first two albums, including 2001’s “Poses,” Wainwright went back to the basics as a songwriter of incredible depth and craft. That was before his ambitious forays into symphonic art songs, Judy Garland’s pathos and opera turned him into a capital-A artist hell-bent on chasing his muse to dizzying heights.

“Rufus Wainwright” and “Poses” were more direct and urgent, aiming squarely at the head and heart with its maker’s tales of addiction, longing and lovesick blues. For the LGBT community, and especially gay men of a certain age, Wainwright was a startling and vital new voice.

It was a relief, then, to realize his first two records are holding up so well, and I’m wagering right here and now that “Poses” is on its way into the pantheon of seminal singer-songwriter portraits. It so masterfully captured Wainwright at his most exposed and stripped of the extravagance of his later work.

Wainwright seemed attuned to those albums’ easy charms at the Orpheum. He joined the crowd in relishing a chance to reconvene with the songs – from “April Fools” and “Beauty Mark” to “Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk” and “California” – that initially made him so beloved.

Taking its cues from Wainwright on piano and occasionally acoustic guitar, his intuitive five-piece band gave the songs the space they needed to unfurl, with the original arrangements seemingly intact. Wainwright’s voice, too, has remained elastic, its timbre still lustrous and untouched by time.

Rufus Wainwright photograhed in West Hollywood in July 1998, around the time he released his debut.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

He fleshed out the set list with a piano-driven take on Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides, Now” — he had saluted Mitchell earlier in the week at her 75th-birthday celebrations at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

(For the record, Wainwright has since shaved off the Orson Welles-esque beard he was sporting then, once again radiating the boyish innocence he projected on the cover of “Poses.”)

“Going to a Town,” Wainwright’s searing indictment of George W. Bush’s administration under the veil of a love song (from 2007’s “Release the Stars”), felt more relevant than ever. When Wainwright got to the refrain – “I’m so tired of America” – the crowd cheered knowingly and Wainwright added a comic aside: “No shit.”

Less subtle was the fan who yelled an expletive about President Trump, which prompted laughter from the audience and wide-eye wonder from Wainwright.

“So with that lovely message, let’s do this next song,” he cracked.

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Martin Sheen found safe by news crew on Malibu beach after fleeing Woolsey fire

Actor Charlie Sheen pleaded on social media for help finding his parents Friday night among the 200,000 people fleeing the devastating Woolsey fire. Hours later, Martin and Janet Sheen were found safe on a Malibu beach by a local news crew.

“I cannot get ahold of my parents,” Charlie Sheen tweeted as the Woolsey fire raged from Thousand Oaks to Malibu, packing Pacific Coast Highway and surrounding areas with panicked evacuees. “If anyone has eyes on them, please let me know that they are safe and sound in the middle of this horrific scenario.”

A KTTV-TV news crew found the “West Wing” actor on the beach where many local evacuees had gathered. Many had trouble contacting loved ones due to poor cellphone reception.

“We evacuated early this morning from Point Dume around 9:30, and we’ve been here ever since,” Martin Sheen told the station. He also relayed an on-air message to his family: “Emilio, Ramon, Renee, Charlie, we’re fine, we’re at Zuma Beach and we’re probably going to sleep in the car tonight,” he said.

The Sheens have called Malibu home for more than 40 years.

“There’s little chance that our house survived,” said Sheen. “But we haven’t lost any lives, so we’ve got that to be grateful for.”

As raging fires consumed more than 70,000 acres and swept across Southern California communities including Malibu, Calabasas and Thousand Oaks, more than 250,000 homes were evacuated affecting hundreds of thousands of residents.

“At least 100” structures have been destroyed by the Woolsey fire, L.A. County Fire Chief Daryl Osby told The Times. As of Saturday morning, at least two people have died, according to officials. (Read more on the Woolsey fire and the deadly Northern California fires.)

Lady Gaga, Alyssa Milano, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, Rainn Wilson, and Guillermo del Toro fled the fires along with hundreds of thousands of fellow Southern Californians, leaving their homes behind.

“Bleak House and the collection may be endangered but the gift of life remains,” del Toro Tweeted on Friday, referring to the home whose vast collection of monsters and oddities inspired its own LACMA exhibit in 2016.

Caitlin Jenner and “Doctor Strange” director Scott Derrickson were among those whose homes were damaged or destroyed by the fire, which also burned down the historic Western Town set at Paramount Ranch featured on HBO’s “Westworld.”

“We lost our home, but we are all safe,” Derrickson tweeted early Friday morning, “and that’s the important thing.”

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A Star Is Born: Film composer Ennio Morricone turns 90 today

(Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

[Awards] are important for composers. ... But the music can be actually appreciated and duly recognized only if the director makes good use of the music.

— Ennio Morricone, 2016

FROM THE ARCHIVE: Ennio Morricone Says a Hands-off Quentin Tarantino Let His ‘Hateful Eight’ Music Flow

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BMI tells Trump campaign Rihanna’s work has been removed from their license agreement

Rihanna is not happy that President Trump has played her music at his rallies.
(Evan Agostini / Invision/Associated Press)

Rihanna is strengthening her resolve against President Trump and now has the backing of performing rights company Broadcast Music Inc., which has notified the Trump campaign that it should discontinue use of her music at events.

BMI has removed the Barbadian songstress’ work from a blanket license agreement used for campaigns. In this case, the so-called “political entities license” was an agreement with Donald J. Trump for President Inc., giving the campaign license to play her work.

The move comes just after RiRi’s lawyer sent the White House a cease-and-desist letter earlier this week upon learning that Trump played her 2007 hit “Don’t Stop the Music” at a rally in Chattanooga, Tenn., over the weekend.

“BMI has received a communication from Robyn Fenty, professionally known as ‘Rihanna,’ objecting to the Trump Campaign’s use of Rihanna’s musical works,” said BMI’s Nov. 6 letter, obtained by The Times on Friday.

“As such … this letter serves as notice that Rihanna’s musical works are excluded from the [political entities] Agreement, and any performance of Rihanna’s musical works by the Trump Campaign from this date forward is not authorized by BMI.”

The letter was addressed to the Trump campaign’s associate vice-president, Jason Young; director of operations, Sean Dollman; and Bradley T. Crate of Red Curve Solutions, a treasurer for the campaign.

The BMI Music License for Political Entities or Organizations has been around for about a decade and covers music played at political campaign events wherever they occur. However, it contains a provision that if a BMI songwriter or publisher objects to the use of her or his song, the publisher may exclude that song from the license.

And it isn’t the first time that an artist has been asked to be removed from the agreement, either. Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler previously requested that BMI pull Aerosmith’s “Dream On” from use by the Trump campaign.

Rihanna is among a number of artists who have recently asked the president not to play their music at his campaign events and rallies. That list includes Pharrell Williams, the Prince estate and, more recently, Axl Rose of Guns N Roses.

This week, Rose accused the Trump campaign of “using loopholes in the various venues’ blanket performance licenses which were not intended for such craven political purposes, without the songwriters’ consent.”

The battles have raged on since before Trump hit the campaign trail, and campaign officials usually argue that by acquiring blanket licenses through performing rights organizations such as BMI or the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), they have complied with requirements of constitutional protections for copyrighted works.

However, as The Times has previously reported, the presence of such licenses at a convention hall hasn’t mollified musicians, their publishers or managers, even though they receive royalty payments for their music.

Meanwhile, social media has allowed artists to go public with their grievances and promptly decry what they believe is the unauthorized use of their work, rather than or in addition to seeking legal remedies.

Reps for the Trump campaign and Red Curve Solutions did not immediately respond to The Times’ requests for comment.

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Meg Ryan and John Mellencamp are engaged after a roller-coaster relationship

Meg Ryan and John Mellencamp
(Darron Cummings / Associated Press)

Meg Ryan and John Mellencamp are engaged after years of on-and-off dating, the actress announced Thursday on social media.

“ENGAGED!,” she said simply on Instagram, captioning a line drawing meant to be herself holding hands with the rocker and his guitar.

The two started dating at the very end of 2010, going public on New Year’s 2011, around the time the demise of Mellencamp’s 18-year marriage to third wife Elaine Mellencamp was made public.

Ryan and Mellencamp broke up and got back together again a couple of times in the middle of the decade — blaming distance because she was living in New York and he in Indiana — then reunited for real last year. They’ve been seen out in the Big Apple repeatedly since then.

It’s the fourth marriage for Mellencamp, 67, and the second for Ryan, who turns 57 later this month.

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A Star Is Born: Susan Tedeschi turns 48 today

(Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Anything with a good tune and some soul sounds good to me.

— Susan Tedeschi, 1998

FROM THE ARCHIVE: Passion for the Blues

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Kathy Griffin announces a friendly split from boyfriend Randy Bick

Randy Bick and Kathy Griffin in 2016.
(Larry Busacca / Getty Images)

After seven years as a couple, Kathy Griffin and boyfriend Randy Bick are done — this news brought to you by Griffin herself.

Apparently, she didn’t want anyone else getting to it first.

“God help me, but I’m gonna be one of those people who announces a break up,” the comic tweeted Thursday. “After 7 years, Randy and I have decided to part ways. It’s not acrimonious and I will always adore him.”

And she couldn’t resist pushing the celeb-news envelope, addressing an insult specifically to nemesis and TMZ honcho Harvey Levin. “There, now those jerks at TMZ wont get the story first,” she wrote.

Bick and Griffin met at a food-and-wine festival in 2011 and wound up having what she anticipated would be a one-night stand, she told People in 2016.

“[W]e’ve been together five years now, and we have a great time, and he’s very sweet and very mellow,” she told the magazine. “He’s like a regular guy, you know, he’s like a real guy. He’s not like a Hollywood guy.”

The couple made headlines last year as a noise dispute between them and a Bel-Air neighbor escalated, with Bick reportedly calling the Los Angeles Police Department on the CEO of KB Homes, which sparked a profane rant from the executive.

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George Clooney is auctioning his Harley: ‘Amal has told him he’s off two wheels for good’

Score one for the family: George Clooney is auctioning off his Harley Davidson motorcycle only a few months after getting into a crash in Italy.

“Ever since George Clooney’s motorcycle accident, his wife Amal has told him he’s off two wheels for good,” reads the eBay listing for the 2017 Dresser Touring Ultra Limited FLHTK Harley Davidson.

“George just bought a brand new dresser Harley with only 25 MILES ON THE ODOMETER!— all yours if you win the bidding. You’re responsible for pickup in Los Angeles. George will even sign it for you!!!”

Guess that’s what happens if you and your bike get popped by a car when your twins are only a year old?

But Clooney’s misfortune is veterans’ good luck. The motorcycle is part of the Homes For Our Troops Veterans Day celebrity auction, which includes items such as Knicks tickets from Ben Stiller, a guitar signed by Kenny Chesney, a tennis match with Owen Wilson and lots of late-night show tickets and TV and movie set visits.

Note: Potential buyers who want to roll like Clooney must be preapproved through eBay before bidding. As of this post’s publication time, bids for the slightly used bike were at $26,100, a little under the retail value of $28,000.

Plus, you know, the autograph.

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Netflix, like its ‘Mowgli’ trailer, looking for its place in theatrical jungle

Mowgli adjusting to life in the jungle appears to parallel Netflix’s attempts to adjust to life in movie theaters.

The streaming giant on Wednesday unveiled a new trailer for Andy Serkis’ reboot of Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book,” just as it announced that the latest live-action/CG retelling will be released in limited theaters on Nov. 29 ahead of its streaming debut on Dec. 7.

“Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle,” Serkis’ directorial debut, has already seen a number of production delays since it was announced in 2012. Finally, in July, Netflix acquired the rights to the film from Warner Bros. in a deal that marked the platform’s biggest acquisition of a finished film to date.

Unlike Disney’s 2016 reboot, Serkis’ motion-capture film is a “slightly darker take,” and Netflix’s acquisition came as a relief to the star-director, who was excited about the platform’s “forward thinking.”

The latest trailer focuses on man-cub Mowgli (Rohan Chand) — a human baby raised by a pack of wolves — looking for his place among the inhabitants of the jungle, despite being drawn to the humans of a nearby village.

“My whole life I’ve always wanted to belong,” he says in the trailer.

But the jungle denizens — Serkis as Baloo the bear, Cate Blanchett as Kaa the snake, Christian Bale as Bagheera the black panther and Benedict Cumberbatch as the villainous tiger Shere Khan — size him up as much more: their hope for survival among humans.

And maybe it’s an all-too-perfect metaphor for Netflix? The company continues to vie for its place among major studios as it continues its latest evolution from a streaming service to a film distributor in an ever-changing Hollywood landscape that it helped disrupt.

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Missy Elliott makes history as first female rapper nominated for Songwriters Hall of Fame

Missy Elliott is the first female rapper nominated for the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
(Amy Harris / Invision)

Voters in the Songwriters Hall of Fame will have a chance to get their freak on next month, with Missy Elliott scoring an opportunity to join the 2019 class.

The organization announced its complete slate of nominees on Thursday, featuring a bevy of big names, including Mariah Carey, John Prine, Chrissie Hynde and Vince Gill.

Elliott, who has written and produced songs for Whitney Houston, Aaliyah and Beyoncé, is the first female rapper to be nominated for the Songwriters Hall of Fame. If inducted, she will become just the third rapper — after Jay-Z and Jermaine Dupri — in the hall.

“I am humbly grateful to be nominated with so many other AMAZING writers,” the “Work It” rapper tweeted on Wednesday, in advance of the official announcement.

In order to be considered for the honor, artists must have at least 20 years of experience as a published writer and a notable catalog of hit songs. Voting members of the Hall of Fame will have until Dec. 17 to vote for three artists each in the songwriter and performing songwriter categories.

Nominees garnering the most votes will be honored at the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s induction gala on June 13, 2019, in New York City.

Here’s the full list of 2019’s Hall of Fame nominees:

Songwriters:

Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (“Ragtime,” “My Favorite Year”)

Dallas Austin (“Creep,” “Motownphilly”)

Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart (“Come A Little Bit Closer,” “Last Train To Clarksville”)

Irwin Levine and L. Russell Brown (“Tie A Yellow Ribbon,” “Knock Three Times”)

Dean Dillon (“The Chair,” “Easy Come Easy Go”)

Jerry Fuller (“Young Girl,” “Travelin’ Man”)

Tom T. Hall (“Harper Valley P.T.A.,” “Little Bitty”)

Roger Nichols (“We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Rainy Days and Mondays”)

Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham (“I’m Your Puppet,” “It Tears Me Up”)

Dean Pitchford and Michael Gore (“Fame,” “Footloose”)

P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri (“Secret Agent Man,” “Eve of Destruction”)

Jack Tempchin (“Peaceful Easy Feeling,” “Already Gone”)

Mariah Carey at the 2018 American Music Awards.
(Jordan Strauss / Invision/Associated Press)

Performing Songwriters:

Mariah Carey (“Vision Of Love,” “One Sweet Day”)

Jimmy Cliff (“The Harder They Come,” “Many Rivers To Cross “)

Missy Elliott (“Get Ur Freak On,” “Work It”)

Vince Gill (“Don’t Let Our Love Start Slippin’ Away,” “I Still Believe In You”)

Chrissie Hynde (“Brass in Pocket,” “I’ll Stand By You”)

Tommy James (“Crimson And Clover,” “Crystal Blue Persuasion”)

Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart (“Here Comes The Rain Again,” “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)”)

Mike Love (“California Girls,” “Good Vibrations”)

Jeff Lynne (“Evil Woman,” “Mr. Blue Sky”)

Lloyd Price (“Personality,” “I’m Gonna Get Married”)

John Prine (“Angel From Montgomery,” “Paradise”)

Cat Stevens a.k.a. Yusuf Islam (“The First Cut Is The Deepest,” “Wild World”)

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‘Breaking Bad’ movie in the works, Bryan Cranston says — but who’ll be in it?

“Breaking Bad” star Bryan Cranston has confirmed that a movie based on the hit series is in the works, though he’s not sure he’ll be a part of it.

“There appears to be a movie version of ‘Breaking Bad,’ but I honestly have not even read the script. ... I have not gotten the script, I have not read the script,” he said Wednesday on “The Dan Patrick Show.”

“So there’s a question of whether or not we would even see Walter White in this movie. ... Think about that one!” Cranston told the sports-talk host, dissolving into faux-maniacal laughter.

Calling show creator Vince Gilligan a “genius,” the 62-year-old actor said he’d “absolutely” be willing to participate in such a project.

“I don’t know if there’s an appearance or ... what kind of appearance, flashbacks, flash forward, I have no clue,” Cranston said. “But I’m excited about it because it’s ‘Breaking Bad.’ It was the most exciting professional period of my life, and I can’t wait to see all of those people again, even if I just come by to visit.”

“Breaking Bad,” he said, is “a great story and there’s a lot of people who felt that they wanted to see some kind of completion to a lot of the story lines that were left open” when the AMC series concluded in 2013. Those story lines might revolve around Jesse Pinkman, played by Aaron Paul, and Saul Goodman, played by actor Bob Odenkirk and subject of the “Better Call Saul” prequel.

Sources told the Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday that Gilligan would write, executive produce and possibly direct the two-hour film, rumored to be in the works under the title “Greenbrier.”

“Greenbrier” tracks the story of a kidnapped man and his quest for freedom, according to the Las Cruces Sun News, which said the New Mexico Film Office had confirmed that a film with that name would be shooting in Albuquerque from mid-November through early February. The office would not confirm whether it was a “Breaking Bad” film.

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A Star Is Born: Sza turns 28 today

(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

I worry so much. Like, ‘Damn, how can I be excellent?’ But it’s a journey. I have to decide what’s excellent to me.

— Sza, 2017

FROM THE ARCHIVES: With ‘Ctrl,’ Sza is in the midst of a breakout year

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Joni Mitchell gave fans the ultimate gift on her birthday. She graced them with her presence

Joni Mitchell blew out birthday cake candles as the crowd serenaded her at Wednesday's "Joni 75" celebration.
(Richard Shotwell / Invision/Associated Press)

Will she or won’t she?

There were rumors — and fingers crossed — that she might appear, but nothing had been officially announced.

So when Joni Mitchell attended Wednesday night’s “Joni 75,” a birthday celebration in her honor, she gave the star-studded tribute concert an immediate jolt of excitement and poignancy. (The two-night affair kicked off Tuesday, but Mitchell did not publicly attend that performance.)

“Ladies and gentlemen, the guest of honor has arrived and is taking her seat,” an announcer informed the audience at the start of Wednesday’s show at Los Angeles’ Dorothy Chandler Pavilion as part of the Music Center’s festivities.

A swell of cheers rippled through the room and then grew even louder when the iconic singer-songwriter eventually entered the venue and was assisted getting to her seat.

A Joni Mitchell appearance is rare these days as she recovers from a string of health problems, including a brain aneurysm in 2015. To commune with the artist on the day of her 75th birthday felt like a gift for her devoted flock.

Joni Mitchell watched as performers saluted her legacy.
(Vivien Killilea / Getty Images for the Music Center)

Some of the kinks that had irked The Times’ Mikael Wood at Tuesday’s performance had been smoothed over on Wednesday. Mitchell’s attendance cast a long shadow over the evening, with the performers — Emmylou Harris, James Taylor, Chaka Khan, Graham Nash, Rufus Wainwright and Diana Krall among them — notably humbled by her presence.

“Hi, Joni,” Krall said shyly as she settled in at her piano for a deep reading of “For the Roses.”

“Joni was an inspiration for any girl who ever wanted to pick up a guitar,” Harris recalled.

Khan made Mitchell’s legacy personal: “I want you to know … how many times you’ve saved my life.”

“I love you so much,” Norah Jones confessed to her hero in her preface to “Borderline.”

And Brandi Carlile, who sweetly helped Kris Kristofferson through “A Case of You,” reminded the audience that Kristofferson had famously advised Mitchell to “save something” of herself after she played her heartsick album “Blue” for him back in the day.

“Thank you, Joni, for not saving anything for yourself,” Carlile said.

Joni Mitchell, flanked by Graham Nash (far left) and James Taylor (second from right), was the guest of honor Wednesday.
(Vivien Killilea / Getty Images for the Music Center)

After the entire cast blasted through a closing rendition of “Big Yellow Taxi,” the curtain dropped for a little longer than usual. When it rose, there was Mitchell: a vision in scarlet red, wearing a black bolero hat similar to the one she sported on the performance program, with a blond braid draped over her shoulder.

A collective gasp morphed into rapturous applause as Mitchell stood center stage, propped up by a cane and a companion on either side. Right on cue, the crowd serenaded her — “happy birthday, dear Joni” — as a cake was brought over. Mitchell blew out the candles to more cheers.

The performers gave “Big Yellow Taxi” another spin, and Mitchell smiled and swayed while others sang one of her signature hits.

As fans waved and she did the same, Mitchell slowly exited stage right just as the final curtain fell. She never said a word — her songs had already spoken volumes.

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Emma Thompson becomes a dame but doesn’t get to kiss Prince William

Prolific actress Emma Thompson became a dame on Wednesday and promptly used her new title to ask for a kiss from Britain’s Prince William. Alas, her hopes were dashed.

“I love Prince William. I’ve known him since he was little, and we just sniggered at each other,” the 59-year-old English star told the Associated Press. “I said, ‘I can’t kiss you, can I?’ And he said, ‘No, don’t!’”

Though the two-time Oscar winner has known the honor was coming since seeing her name on Queen Elizabeth II’s Birthday Honors List last June, she was presented with her investiture pin at Buckingham Palace by the prince on Wednesday. The ceremony officially made her a Dame Commander of the British Empire — the female equivalent of a knighthood — for her services to drama.

Actors Tom Hardy and Keira Knightley, soccer star Kenny Dalglish, boxer Anthony Joshua and documentary filmmaker Stacey Dooley were also on the queen’s annual list.

Thompson, a three-time BAFTA Award winner, wore sneakers and an equal-pay pin to the ceremony and was accompanied by husband Greg Wise and her children, Gaia Wise and Tindy Agaba. She plans to use the honor to bring attention to poor children who don’t get adequate food during school holidays, AP said.

The irreverent star joked about the honor on “Late Night With Seth Meyers” in September, choosing to ignore that the award is a token of the once-sprawling British Empire and fully accepting that the honor had effectively gone to her head.

“They send you a letter saying, ‘Will you accept it?’ You can choose not to,” Thompson told Meyers. “You can choose to say, ‘Well, of course, we don’t have an empire anymore. Thank God, because it was ghastly, colonial, racist, dreadful, dreadful undertaking on every level,’ and actually have some moral principle about it.

“Or you can be like me and think, ‘Hm, it’s going to be a really nice badge,” she quipped. “It’s hard to say no to a badge.”

The “Saving Mr. Banks” and “Sense and Sensibility” star will next appear in Mindy Kaling’s comedy “Late Night” and the upcoming “Men in Black” spinoff film.

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A Star Is Born: Morgan Spurlock turns 48 today

(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

The one thing I know is that I don’t know everything. Far from it.

— Morgan Spurlock, 2008

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Morgan Spurlock in hot pursuit in ‘Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden?’

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Demi Lovato is out of rehab and returns to Instagram just in time to vote

(Angela Weiss / AFP/Getty Images)

Demi Lovato is out of rehab just in time to cast her ballot for the midterm elections.

The “Confident” singer returned to Instagram on Tuesday to share a photo of herself at her polling place — an appearance that came on the heels of several Lovato sightings in and around L.A. over the weekend.

“I am so grateful to be home in time to vote! One vote can make a difference, so make sure your voice is heard!” the 26-year-old wrote.

Tuesday’s post was Lovato’s first since August, when she released a statement following her hospitalization for an apparent drug overdose in July. (That post has since been removed.)

“I have always been transparent about my journey with addiction,” Lovato wrote at the time. “What I’ve learned is that this illness is not something that disappears or fades with time. It is something I must continue to overcome and have not done yet.”

In late October, the “Confident” singer’s mother announced that Lovato was 90 days sober.

“I couldn’t be more thankful or more proud of her because addiction being a disease, it’s work…It’s very hard. It’s not easy, and there are no shortcuts,” Dianna De La Garza said on Maria Menounos’ Sirius XM show.

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Frank Ocean rewards fans who voted with free merch

Frank Ocean is getting out the vote.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

Frank Ocean is hoping to get out the vote in three key states: The neo-R&B star has set up pop-up shops in Miami, Atlanta, Houston and Dallas, and fans who bring in proof that they voted on Tuesday will get free merchandise, including T-shirts, stickers and printed matter.

Ocean announced the pop-ups on Tuesday through his Tumblr page, with a flier that prominently featured the number “42%” and a note that explained, “The largest political group in America is the 42% non-voters.”

Simultaneously, Ocean released a new installment of his occasional radio show on Apple’s Beats One platform. Called “Blondedradio,” the show’s newest episode features politically charged songs by Gil Scott Heron (“We Almost Lost Detroit”) and the Honeydrippers (“Impeach the President”).

Merch-wise, those in Southern California are out of luck, but that doesn’t mean you can’t call in a favor from far-flung friends and relatives. If they’re not Ocean fans, offer another incentive. Ocean’s devoted tribe will be desperate to secure one of these shirts — and the secondary market will likely be active in the weeks to come.

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Moby, Oprah Winfrey, Chelsea Handler and more celebs hit the pavement for midterms

Musician Moby is performing a few pop-up concerts on Tuesday.
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Celebrities aren’t just paying lip service to getting out the vote. They’re pounding the pavement too.

Musician Moby is embarking on a “One Day Tour” Tuesday afternoon, during which he’ll be performing pop-up concerts at a handful of locations in Orange County where several congressional races are expected to be tight.

Moby is expected to appear alongside Democratic candidates Gil Cisneros (noon in Buena Park), Katie Porter and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) (2 p.m. in Tustin) and Harley Rouda (3 p.m. in Costa Mesa). The Times will have a full report from those events later on Tuesday.

Comedian-turned-activist Chelsea Handler also rallied canvassers for Cisneros, a candidate in California’s heated 39th Congressional District race, over the weekend.

Likewise, numerous liberal celebrities and outspoken Trump critics such as Dave Chappelle, Oprah Winfrey, Judd Apatow, Common and John Legend canvassed or appeared at campaign events for Democratic candidates in recent days.

Winfrey and Common showed their support for Atlanta gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. If Abrams wins, she would be the first Democrat elected to lead the Deep South state in two decades, reversing a long era of Republican rule.

Abrams would also make history as the nation’s first black female governor. (Common and singer Rihanna also voiced their support for Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum, who could become the first Democrat since 1998 to win the nation’s largest swing state.)

Last month, “Black Panther” star Michael B. Jordan went door-to-door in Atlanta to bolster crucial black voter turnout in Tuesday’s elections.

On Saturday, Latina actresses America Ferrera, Eva Longoria, Rosario Dawson, Zoe Saldana and Gina Rodriguez converged in Florida at #LatinasEnMarcha events, calling for an “end [to] Trump’s agenda against the Latino community” and also showing their support for gubernatorial candidate Gillum and two U.S. representatives of Puerto Rican heritage.

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Rihanna sends Trump a cease-and-desist letter after he played her song at a rally

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Rihanna also wants President Trump to stop playing her music at his events.

After learning that Trump played her 2007 hit “Don’t Stop the Music” at a rally in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Sunday, the hitmaker’s legal team sent a cease-and-desist letter to Trump’s White House counsel Emmet Flood saying as much — and accusing POTUS of copyright infringement.

“It has come to our attention that President Donald Trump has utilized Ms. Fenty’s musical compositions and master recordings, including her hit track ‘Don’t Stop the Music,’ in connection with a number of political events held across the United States,” according to Monday’s letter, which The Times has obtained.

The Barbadian artist, real name Robyn Fenty, has “not provided her consent” for Trump to use her music and “such use is therefore improper,” the letter added. It also said that Rihanna “will not grant” Trump the requisite authorization or permission to publicly perform or otherwise broadcast or disseminate any of her music.

RiRi’s attorney, Jordan M. Siev, argued that Trump’s unauthorized use of her music “has created the false impression” that she supports and endorses him and that she provided her consent for him to use her work. The use has also “caused confusion among her fan base as to her political support and affiliation,” Siev wrote.

The nine-time Grammy winner is the latest artist attempting to bar the Republican president from using her music at his events. Pharrell Williams, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and the Prince estate have also issued similar warnings to the Trump administration.

On Tuesday, Rihanna, who endorsed Democrat Andrew Gillum in the Florida gubernatorial race, tweeted about the midterm elections, calling election day “the most important day for the rest of your lives.”

“If you’re tired of complaining about the state of the country and government, get up and #VOTE!!!” the 30-year-old tweeted.

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Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s custody fight is set for trial next month

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt at the Venice Film Festival in 2007.
(Andrew Medichini / Associated Press)

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie will reportedly take their custody battle to court: They’re looking at a Dec. 4 court date to settle their differences over custody of their six children.

The news comes via court documents filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Monday and obtained by various media outlets.

Jolie and Pitt have been rumored to be worlds apart, according to TMZ, as to what they want out of the situation, with Angelina seeking full custody while Brad asks for a 50-50 split.

But that rumor might be overstated or out of date, with a source telling E! News that the couple is still working toward an out-of-court settlement.

“Angelina is not seeking sole custody of the kids, she still supports the reconciliation of the children with their father,” the E! source said Monday.

At any rate, retired L.A. Judge John W. Odenkirk has been assigned as the jurist on the case through June 30, 2019, so the couple still has time to figure things out.

Jolie filed for divorce in September 2016 after an alleged incident on a plane involving Pitt and eldest son Maddox Jolie-Pitt. An investigation found no evidence of abusive behavior, though Pitt apparently agreed to drug and alcohol testing, and the presence of a psychologist during his visits with the kids.

Through the end of that year, the couple traded public jabs before finally agreeing in early January 2017 to keep the negotiations on the down low with a private divorce. In March, Pitt revealed he had backed off the booze.

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A Star Is Born: Sally Field turns 72 today

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

I’ve never been in it for any other reason than I just flat out love acting. Bottom line, I’d rather act than eat.

— Sally Field, 1996

FROM THE ARCHIVES: The Best Revenge: Sally Field takes the law into her own hands in ‘Eye for an Eye.’ But her ultimate payback? Being able to keep reinventing her career.

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Idris Elba is named People’s Sexiest Man Alive for 2018

Idris Elba has been named 2018’s Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine.

The actor picks up the title from country star and “The Voice” judge Blake Shelton, who last year was widely mocked for the honor.

The magazine announced this year’s pulchritudinous pick on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” on Monday, with Elba making an appearance.

“It’s amazing,” he told host Fallon. “It’s an honor. My mum is going to be very, very proud.”

Elba is the 33rd Sexiest Man Alive title-holder. The People cover refers to him as a “sweet, smoldering superstar,” and the actor played up this description after encouragement from Fallon.

The inaugural honor began back in 1985 with Mel Gibson, then 29, earning the top spot. Since then, Shelton, his costar Adam Levine, Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson, Channing Tatum and David Beckham have been among those who’ve earned the title.

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Aretha Franklin documentary 46 years in the making finally eyes a release date

Aretha Franklin in 1972.
(Dave Pickoff / Associated Press file)

Almost 50 years after it was filmed, a documentary on the late soul singer Aretha Franklin is finally eyeing a release date.

“Amazing Grace,” a gospel concert film directed by the late Sydney Pollack and produced by Alan Elliott, is planned for a general release in 2019 with no distribution deal yet in place.

After years of legal battles, the film received the green light from Franklin’s estate and will screen just in time for Oscars consideration. It’s set to premiere next week at the Doc NYC film festival in Manhattan before a weeklong Oscar-qualifying run at the Laemmle Monica Nov. 20 through 27.

The film features footage from Franklin’s 1972 church sessions that gave way to a Grammy-winning album of the same name. Recorded with Atlantic Records musicians and the Rev. James Cleveland’s choir at a South L.A. church, the ensuing double album went on to become the bestselling gospel album of all time.

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Victoria Beckham confirms she won’t join Spice Girls reunion tour but marks ‘special day’ for the band

Five become four: Victoria Beckham has opted out of the just-announced Spice Girls reunion tour but still voiced support Monday for her former bandmates.

The fashion designer, a.k.a. Posh Spice, broke her silence on Instagram to mark the “special day” — but also to say she won’t be along for the ride.

“I won’t be joining my girls on stage again but being in the Spice Girls was a hugely important part of my life and I wish them so much love and fun as they go back on tour next year,” Beckham wrote. “I know they will put on an amazing show and the fantastic fans past and present are going to have a wonderful time! X vb #spicegirls #friendshipneverends”

Though she did not say why she isn’t participating, some speculated that it was so she could focus on her struggling fashion line.

After many a tease, the “Wannabe” singers — Ginger Spice Geri Horner, 46; Sporty Spice Mel C., 44; Baby Spice Emma Bunton, 42; and Scary Spice Mel B., 43 — announced their U.K. arena tour in a mock-newsflash on Monday. The reveal featured Horner breaking from the quartet’s “tuxedo” dress code with a glam sequin dress. Mel C. later donned a track jacket to remain on brand.

The six-stop tour will also feature singer-songwriter Jess Glynne as a special guest. The 2019 showcase kicks off on June 1 at Etihad Stadium in Manchester and wraps on June 15 at Wembley Stadium in London.

It’s been a decade since the chart-topping girl group toured and six years since all five reunited to close the London Olympics in 2012. Their hits include 1990s music fixtures “Spice Up Your Life,” “2 Become 1” and “Say You’ll Be There.”

Tickets will go on sale this weekend, in case you were planning a trip overseas.

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Rapper Mac Miller died of accidental overdose of fentanyl, cocaine and alcohol

Mac Miller, a well-known producer and rapper, died from accidentally overdosing on a mixture of fentanyl, cocaine and alcohol in September, the Los Angeles County coroner said Monday.

Miller, 26, whose real name was Malcolm James McCormick, was found Sept. 7 in the bedroom of his Studio City home and pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. A friend of Miller’s who called authorities told paramedics that the artist seemed to go into cardiac arrest, a source involved in the investigation told The Times in September.

Los Angeles police officials quickly determined there were no signs of foul play and turned the investigation over to coroner’s officials. Authorities at the time suspected he had overdosed but waited to make an announcement until toxicology tests had been completed.

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Victoria’s Secret’s million-dollar bra is here, made with diamonds grown in a lab

Supermodel Elsa Hosk will wear the million-dollar bra at the 2018 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
(Tristan Fewings / Getty Images)

Model Elsa Hosk and the minds at Victoria’s Secret have unveiled the latest in unattainable beauty: the 2018 Dream Angels Fantasy Bra.

Hosk will wear the million-dollar bra down the runway when the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show airs next month.

This year’s glittering confection was designed by Atelier Swarovski and boasts 2,100 Swarovski-created diamonds, which are grown in a lab, and responsibly sourced topaz, according to the lingerie giant, which unveils the bra ahead of its annual holiday fashion show each year.

The piece involved 930 hours of handicraft, features 71 carats and bears the usual million-dollar price tag. Its Swarovski-created diamonds have the same optical, chemical and physical attributes as mined diamonds, but are responsibly produced in line with the highest environmental, safety and labor standards, the jeweler said.

This year, the retailer will sell a consumer version of the bra (read: cheaper) inspired by Hosk’s that will be available for purchase on Nov. 29 — and it’s a relative steal at $250.

Lais Ribeiro wears the $2-million Champagne Nights fantasy bra at the 2017 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai.
(Lintao Zhang / Getty Images)

Last year’s $2-million Champagne Nights bra, worn by Victoria’s Secret Angel Lais Ribeiro, bore 6,000 diamonds, yellow sapphires and blue topaz and was designed by jeweler Mouawad, which had been commissioned to create the high-profile showpiece for several years prior.

The annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show returns to New York this year after taking place in London, Paris and Shanghai. It is expected to be seen in more than 190 countries after its broadcast premiere Dec. 2 on ABC. (The show previously aired on CBS.)

“The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show Holiday Special” has a long roster of musical guests that includes Bebe Rexha, the Chainsmokers, Halsey, Kelsea Ballerini, Rita Ora, Shawn Mendes and the Struts.

The supermodels and Angels slated to participate are Hosk, Adriana Lima, Behati Prinsloo (back after a three-year hiatus), Candice Swanepoel, Jasmine Tookes, Josephine Skriver, Lais Ribeiro, Martha Hunt, Romee Strijd, Sara Sampaio, Stella Maxwell, sisters Gigi Hadid and Bella Hadid, and Kendall Jenner.

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AMC’s ‘Walking Dead’ team plans original films to continue Rick’s story

“The Walking Dead” is using Rick Grimes’ final episode Sunday night to explode into a larger universe.

The character, played by Andrew Lincoln, will be the main focus of a series of AMC Studios original films written by Scott M. Gimple, the network announced Sunday night.

The first film, expected to start production “as early as 2019,” will pick up where Lincoln’s final episode of “TWD” left off. It will explore where the seemingly mortally wounded Rick is helicoptered off to and what he faces in new territory.

READ MORE: Andrew Lincoln signs off from ‘TWD’ in an episode typical of TV’s most vexing drama

“It’s not the beginning of the end, it’s the end of the beginning,” Lincoln said during Sunday’s episode of “Talking Dead.” “And I like the idea that we get to tell a bigger story, maybe with a sort of wider vista. And I’ve always been interested in what’s going on out there, you know, whether or not there is contact with the wider world. I want to know the meta of it all.”

Gimple, who executive produces “TWD” and is now chief content officer of the franchise, said he wants to break new ground with the zombie-apocalypse concept.

“These films are going to be big evolutions of what we’ve been doing on the show, with the scope and scale of features,” Gimple said, teasing to “faces from the show’s past, as well as new characters.”

“We’re starting with the first part of the continuing story of Rick Grimes, and there is much more on the way,” he said.

The announcement was made shortly after Lincoln’s final episode of “The Walking Dead” premiered. The ninth season continues next Sunday, and a just-released trailer for upcoming episodes, above, indicates a jump in time and hints at an evolution among the walkers.

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Pete Davidson faces fallout over war-wound joke, but he need not apologize to Dan Crenshaw

“Saturday Night Live” cast member Pete Davidson laughed through his “Weekend Update” segment about midterm candidates Saturday night, which included a joke about a war veteran that landed with a thud.

However, the GOP candidate he insulted said he doesn’t want an apology for what he called a “mean-spirited” comment.

Ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections, Davidson took aim at the appearance of a series of “gross” congressional candidates. In particular, his joke about Dan Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL who wears an eye patch after losing an eye in Afghanistan, was viewed as insensitive to war veterans.

“You may be surprised to hear that he’s a congressional candidate from Texas, not a hit man in a porno movie,” Davidson said during “Update,” laughing through his lines and then trailing off. “I know he lost his eye in war or whatever ... whatever.”

Davidson acknowledged that he shouldn’t be making fun of people’s looks (“I’m not insane ... I look like I make vape juice in a bathtub. I look like a Dr. Seuss character went to prison”), but he still garnered a reaction from Crenshaw, who didn’t want an apology.

“Good rule in life: I try hard not to offend; I try harder not to be offended. That being said, I hope @nbcsnl recognizes that vets don’t deserve to see their wounds used as punchlines for bad jokes,” the Republican candidate tweeted on Sunday.

Speaking with TMZ, Crenshaw said that he wants the nation “to get away from this culture where we demand apologies every time someone misspeaks” and said “SNL” can do what it wants because it’s “feeling the heat from around the country right now.”

He thought the show could take a lesson, however.

“Veterans across the country probably don’t feel as though their wounds they received in battle should be the subject of a bad punchline for a bad joke,” Crenshaw said. “Here’s the real atrocity in all this: It wasn’t even funny. It was not original. It was not funny, it was just mean-spirited.”

“SNL” colleague Kenan Thompson also addressed the “unfortunate outcome” on Monday, saying that Davidson “definitely missed the mark.” But he tried to defend his cast mate too.

“I think he was more so commenting on the fact that the joke maybe didn’t land as hard as he wanted to as opposed to being like, ‘I don’t care about veterans,’” Thompson said on NBC’s “Today” show.

“My father’s a veteran, Vietnam, and I personally would never necessarily go there, but it’s tough when you’re fishing for jokes — like that’s how stand-ups feel, like there’s no real filters out there in the world when they’re trying to go for a great joke or whatever, and we try to respect that but at the same time, when you miss the mark, you’re offending people so you have to really be a little more aware in my opinion.”

It’s been a rough few weeks for Davidson, who has been mostly making headlines for his breakup with pop star Ariana Grande.

He addressed that during the “Weekend Update” segment as well.

“I know some of you are curious about the breakup. But the truth is it’s nobody business and sometimes things just don’t work out and that’s OK,” he said. “She’s a wonderful, strong person and I genuinely wish her all the happiness in the world. Now, please, go vote on Tuesday.”

One of Davidson’s barbs last week about the split appeared to contribute to Grande’s new diss track, “Thank U, Next,” which dropped just before “SNL” aired on Saturday. It takes aim at a quartet of Grande’s exes, including Davidson.

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A Star Is Born: Sam Rockwell turns 50 today

(Carlos Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

I have a constant sort of melancholy approach to acting that fuels me. I want to do everything.

— Sam Rockwell, 1999

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Rockwell is a craftsman in any genre

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Despite last-minute cancellations, Tropicália festival opens on a high note with Morrissey and Kali Uchis

Morrissey performs Saturday night at the Tropicália festival in Long Beach.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

This year’s Tropicália Music & Taco Fest began behind the eight ball.

Late Friday night, less than 24 hours before showtime, organizers announced that no fewer than four acts on the bill had dropped out — including one of the festival’s headliners, Cardi B, along with Ronnie Spector, Cuco and BadBadNotGood. (Explanations were frustratingly vague, though a venue in North Carolina said that Cardi B had canceled a performance scheduled there for Friday night due to illness.)

But if fans were angry at the concert’s promoter, Goldenvoice, you couldn’t tell as folks milled around happily sipping cocktails under a blue-and-pink sky on the first night of this annual two-day event.

Held as it was last year at Long Beach’s Queen Mary Park, Tropicália was about as pleasant as could be Saturday, with perfect weather, a not-too-big crowd and diverse musical acts that covered the very broad spectrum of Latin pop.

Natalia Lafourcade sang intricate ballads backed by a large band with horn players and percussionists. Mazzy Star doled out slow-motion acoustic music suffused with desert iconography.

And Kali Uchis spun in circles as she moved through her rubbery funk-pop tunes — at least until she split her shimmery gold pants, at which point she laughingly told the audience she no longer planned to turn around.

Saturday’s headliner, British post-punk veteran Morrissey, wasn’t a Latin pop act, strictly speaking. But he’s famously beloved by Mexican Americans in Southern California, and here he took the stage with a message clearly meant for them.

Estoy en casa!” Morrissey bellowed — “I am home!”

Tropicália is set to continue Sunday with performances by acts such as Chicano Batman, Mac DeMarco and Nina Sky.

SZA will close the show as a last-minute replacement for Cardi B.

The Times will publish a full report on Monday here.

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A Star Is Born: Matthew McConaughey turns 49 today

(Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

“I always thought I was going to do criminal defense law for a living. It’s actually close to the job of an actor or an artist.

— Matthew McConaughey, 2011

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Matthew McConaughey, Michael Connelly talk ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ over beers

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A Star Is Born: Courtney Barnett turns 31 today

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

I don’t write my songs with the idea of connecting to other people, but I’m glad that’s happened.

— Courtney Barnett, 2015

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett lets her lyrics do the talking

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Alec Baldwin arrested for allegedly punching a man in the face over parking dispute

Alec Baldwin was arrested on suspicion of assault Friday in Manhattan.
(Jordan Strauss / Associated Press)

Alec Baldwin was arrested in New York City and charged with assault and harassment after allegedly punching a man over a parking dispute, police said Friday.

Baldwin was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor assault after a verbal dispute turned into a physical one, a police spokesperson said.

“He punched a complainant, 49 years old, and was arrested,” the spokesperson told The Times. The charges are both misdemeanors.

At issue, according to a Page Six witness, was a parking space in Manhattan’s West Village.

Baldwin might have had a friend holding a parking spot for him, then the other man swooped in and took it, TMZ said.

“What do you think you’re doing?” the actor allegedly yelled, according to a witness who spoke to Page Six. Baldwin screamed profanities at the man, then hit him in the face when he got out of the car, police sources said.

The “30 Rock” alum was last arrested in 2014 after he argued with cops and could not produce ID when they pulled him over for riding his bike the wrong way on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.

And Baldwin’s gotten a lot of attention in recent years for parodying President Trump on “Saturday Night Live,” so naturally a reporter had to ask the president about the actor’s arrest Friday.

“I wish him luck,” POTUS replied on the South Lawn of the White House, according to the Hill.

A Baldwin rep had no comment when reached Friday afternoon.

UPDATE

2:42 p.m. This story was updated after Baldwin’s representative was contacted.

This story was originally published at 1:11 p.m.

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‘The Brady Bunch’ kids reunite at the Brady house — which they had never set foot in before

HGTV is getting ready for “A Very Brady Renovation,” and the network has managed to get just the people it needed to seal the deal.

All six “siblings” from “The Brady Bunch” — Barry Williams (Greg), Maureen McCormick (Marcia), Christopher Knight (Peter), Eve Plumb (Jan), Mike Lookinland (Bobby) and Susan Olsen (Cindy) — reunited Thursday for the first time in 14 years for a pre-remodel tour of the Studio City house that was their home in the classic five-season TV series.

Well, kind of.

The house was used in exterior shots to indicate the location at various points during each show. Interior and backyard scenes were shot on a set on a sound stage.

HGTV bought the 2,500-square-foot house in August, winning out over seven other bidders, including ‘N Sync member Lance Bass. It was originally listed for $1.885 million. The network paid $3.5 million, ultimately, according to “Entertainment Tonight.”

Listing agent Ernie Caswell told the Los Angeles Times that consideration was given to those who wanted to preserve the home rather than tear it down and build over.

McCormick told “ET” on Thursday that she had wanted to buy the place. “I feel like no one could love it the way I could just because of the memories,” she said.

“When we would go upstairs on the show, we would all huddle ... and so we’d like flirt up there, it was our own Brady time,” she added — but now she was talking about the set where they acted.

“None of us knew or worked at this house,” said Williams. “It literally doesn’t resemble the set,” he told “ET” in a separate conversation.

In what it called a “’70s-inspired renovation,” HGTV will add 2,000 square feet to the home’s original footprint and plans to remodel the inside to match how the Brady interior appeared on “The Brady Bunch.”

“A Very Brady Renovation” will air in September 2019, around the 50th anniversary of the original “Brady Bunch” series.

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‘Game of Thrones’ cast and HBO aren’t amused by Trump’s tweet that they say ‘misappropriated’ the series

President Trump might have the backing of the GOP, but he’s not exactly in good graces with “Game of Thrones” and HBO.

The premium cable provider cried misappropriation after the president tweeted an image of himself Friday declaring that “Sanctions Are Coming” to Iran — in the vein of “Game of Thrones’” key art declaring that “Winter is Coming” to the Seven Kingdoms.

“We were not aware of this messaging and would prefer our trademark not be misappropriated for political purposes,” a spokesperson for HBO said in a statement to The Times on Friday.

“How do you say trademark misuse in Dothraki?” the network tweeted from its official account, referring to one of the fictional languages spoken on the hit show.

Incidentally, Trump not only used the fantasy series’ distinctive font, but also appeared to flip the “November is Coming” narrative that began circulating by opposition groups. That slogan touted how the political climate might change if Democrats take back majority control of Congress in the critical midterm election next week.

The Trump administration announced plans Friday to reimpose sanctions aimed at crippling Iran’s vital oil industry, a move that has roiled relations with U.S. allies. His “GoT”-like poster says that sanctions are coming Monday, a day before the midterm election and six months after the president withdrew from the landmark Iran nuclear deal.

Meanwhile, “Game of Thrones” stars Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams responded to the poster with a terse “Ew” and “Not today” on Twitter, respectively. “Full Frontal With Samantha Bee,” which has never exactly been pro-Trump, replied to the tweet with “Joffrey grew up,” recalling the Emmy-winning series’ long-loathed, tyrannical boy king.

“Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling weighed in with, “He who lives by the meme, dies by the meme,” and shared an alternate take on Trump’s art.

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Ariana Grande is so over her breakup with Pete Davidson

Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson have moved relatively slowly to the snark and lashing-out portion of their breakup, which is a surprise to all who were getting used to the breakneck pace they’d set in the earlier stages of their five-month couplehood.

Davidson, you see, dared to introduce himself and then immediately “propose” to musical guest Maggie Rogers in a new promo for tomorrow’s “Saturday Night Live,” wistfully lamenting his lack of success with women after she bluntly said no.

The promo (see above) came a little over two weeks after Davidson and the “God Is a Woman” singer called it quits. And the previously engaged Grande was not happy about it.

After retweeting a suggestion that someone tag themself “I’m maggie,” Grande replied “thank u, next” and then, “For somebody who claims to hate relevancy u sure love clinging to it huh.” She later deleted the tweets.

Clinging to relevancy. Ouch.

So much for the true love the two found after they started to date in May, got matching tattoos in the days and weeks that followed and in June announced their engagement and moved into a $16-million apartment together as she released the song “Pete” from her August album “Sweetener.” Then in October, it was all over.

Davidson had joked about their split briefly on a much smaller scale a couple of weeks ago during a standup set at Largo at the Coronet in West Hollywood.

“Well, as you could tell, I don’t want to be here,” he reportedly quipped. “There’s a lot going on. Does anybody have any open rooms? Looking for a roommate?”

He also joked about getting tattoos covered up, something Grande’s been doing on a regular basis since they split. “I’m afraid to get my mom tattooed on me, that’s how bad it is,” he said.

Too bad, so sad. It was a lot funnier in September, when they were still together. Watch, and remember the good old days:

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Barbra Streisand takes the wheel and shows James Corden how ‘Carpool Karaoke’ should be done

In Thursday night’s installment of “Carpool Karaoke,” James Corden got a lift to work from his pal Barbra Streisand — and perhaps a little bit of a surprise when it came to the singer’s spotty driving skills.

The 76-year-old film, theater and music icon only belatedly mentioned that she went on a driving hiatus after she once steered onto the “upramp” of a highway. And last year she had to retake a written exam to renew her driver’s license.

She failed three times.

“If this Is how I go out, I’ll take it,” the genial “Late Late Show” host quipped. “‘He died at the hands of Barbra Streisand.’”

MORE: Barbra Streisand needs you to read this interview right now

The two sang duets of Streisand’s hits — new and old — such as “Enough Is Enough,” “Memories,” “Don’t Lie to Me,” “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” as well as John Lennon’s “Imagine” and Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World.”

And while Corden was his usual starry-eyed self, Streisand seemed unfazed and tried to show him she was down to earth. But it was all for naught, as Corden reminded her that she once called Apple CEO Tim Cook to get the company to change how Siri pronounces her name on Apple products.

“It would be so helpful if Siri said my name right. Is that possible?” Streisand recalled to Corden.

The duo also discussed her new, politically charged album, “Walls,” which Streisand said is a direct response to the Trump administration.

“Every song relates to something about what’s going on in these difficult times. The only thing I can do is write about it and tweet,” she said. “People deserve the truth.”

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A Star Is Born: Jon M. Chu turns 39 today

(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

I’m growing up, and when you grow up, your tastes change. What you feel is important changes; your priorities change.

— Jon M. Chu, 2018

READ MORE: As ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ soars, director Jon M. Chu sets his sights on Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical and the Thai cave rescue

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Jillian Barberie has breast cancer, plans ‘super aggressive’ treatment

Jillian Barberie poses for a photograph with her kids, Rocco and Ruby, at a "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween" screening on Oct. 7.
Jillian Barberie poses for a photograph with her kids, Rocco and Ruby, at a “Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween” screening on Oct. 7.
(David Livingston / Getty Images)

Jillian Barberie said she was going to be public about her breast biopsy results, and sure enough, she’s followed through so far: She has cancer, she announced Thursday, and has an aggressive plan to treat it.

“Results back,” the former “Good Day L.A.” and “Good Day Live” fixture and Fox Sports personality tweeted. “It’s cancer in my right breast but also it has spread to my lymph node.”

She also shared what she called her “super aggressive” treatment plan:

“Double mastectomy and they said I need chemo for the lymph,” the 52-year-old continued in her Thursday tweet. “Thanks for coming on this journey with me!”

Barberie, who now hosts a podcast for KABC-AM (790) and has a lifestyle blog, had given a heads-up on her plans to share her experiences the day before the biopsy.

“Biopsy in the a.m. ...... Will share the events as they unfold,” she tweeted Monday after mentioning the upcoming biopsy over the weekend. “Millions of women go through this daily. I’ve got a plan for the results either way. So many women keep this a secret for their own personal reasons. I have decided to document it all and make it public.”

She updated as promised on Tuesday with a tweet that said, in part: “My doctor was pretty frank.” Her biopsy involved 12 samples taken from three areas on the same breast. We can no doubt expect more updates as her treatment progresses.

Jillian Barberie, right, hosts "Good Day Live" with Dorothy Lucey, left, and Steve Edwards in 2001.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
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Karen and Richard Carpenter will get the orchestral treatment with upcoming ‘Carpenters With the Royal Philharmonic’

The Carpenters, now more than ever?

In this year of the never-ending news cycle and social media rage, might the soft, comforting pop music that the brother-and-sister team of the Carpenters released starting in the late 1960s be the salve to soothe the nerves?

A&M/UMe announced Thursday the official release date of “Carpenters With the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra,” which will feature the original vocals of the late Karen Carpenter, along with her brother Richard Carpenter’s new orchestral arrangements of the hitmaking duo’s songs.

With Q-tip softness, records featuring Karen’s exquisite voice and Richard’s song craft and instrumental skills are among the best-selling of all time and have resonated around the world.

For the release, Carpenter conducted the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios in London, and the results will come out on Dec. 7, with a double-LP set arriving Feb. 8. It’s the fifth project in a Universal Music initiative that pairs its recordings with the Royal Philharmonic.

Unlike earlier releases with Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Roy Orbison and the Beach Boys, though, “Carpenters With the Royal Philharmonic” will be the first to feature the original artist immersed in the process. In addition to arranging and conducting, Carpenter also produced the album.

Carpenter, who rarely gives interviews, described in a statement his desire to augment classics such as “Superstar,” “Top of the World” and “(They Long to Be) Close to You.”

“‘Close To You’ called for a sparse string arrangement,” Carpenter said, adding that the original lacked a certain heft. “In the second and third verses, it sounded a bit thin, because there are only 10 violins playing it. Now we’ve quadrupled that. So anyone with the ear for it will hear it immediately. It’s the same line, but it’s richer because there are so many more players.”

Added Carpenter of the opportunity the new project afforded him:

“There have been more than a few times when I have thought, ‘I wish I could have a second crack at that,’” he said. “And there were places where things could be augmented without overdoing it. That’s the trick.”

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Mac Miller tribute concert draws a powerful lineup of his peers

Ty Dolla Sign performs at the Mac Miller tribute concert Wednesday at the Greek Theatre.
Ty Dolla Sign performs at the Mac Miller tribute concert Wednesday at the Greek Theatre.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times )

Before he died of a suspected overdose in September, Mac Miller was slated to headline the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on Halloween.

Instead, that show became “Mac Miller: A Celebration of Life,” a tribute to the 26-year-old rapper with a star-studded cast of fellow musicians and admirers. The 3½-hour show was replayed Thursday morning with a live YouTube chat for fans who missed out the night before.

Chance the Rapper, SZA, Travis Scott, John Mayer, Anderson.Paak and Miguel were among the bigger names paying homage to Miller. Earl Sweatshirt, Schoolboy Q and Vince Staples were among his collaborators who took the stage as well to play Miller’s songs or songs about the “Small Worlds” rapper.

The show introduced and benefited the Mac Miller Circles Fund, a charity in his memory that promises to provide programs, resources and opportunities to youth from underserved communities.

If you’re interested in more from the show, the Los Angeles Times will have a report up shortly.

UPDATE

11:32 a.m. This post was updated after the video livestream was taken down.

This story was originally published at 10:36 a.m.

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‘Mac Miller gets it’: Fans and artists salute the late rapper at the Greek

Chance the Rapper performs during a memorial concert for Mac Miller.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

In the thick of the crowd at the Greek Theatre on Wednesday night, a whole row of young men finally sat down after the longest drive of their lives. They’d made it to L.A. in a caravan from their college in North Dakota, on a madcap impulse trip to see a memorial to the most important musician in all of their young lives: the rapper Mac Miller, who died in September of a suspected drug overdose at his home in the San Fernando Valley.

“We had planned this months ago, but we couldn’t find tickets. But on Monday we got a [direct message] from a guy selling them, and we immediately drove 30 hours here,” said Mason Thompson, 20. “I’ve been a fan since I was in seventh grade.”

That’s the kind of devotion that Miller stirred up in a whole generation of young fans, many of whom had listened to Miller for almost as long as they’d been aware of music. For this crowd, they grew up with Miller as he matured from a wisecracking “frat-rap” prodigy into an introspective, ambitious musician beloved by everyone from jazz-fusion experimentalist Thundercat and blues-rocker John Mayer to rappers as esteemed as Vince Staples, Chance the Rapper and Travis Scott.

On Wednesday night, all of them took the stage at the Greek to play selections from Miller’s songs, their collaborations with him and a few of their own hits. Miller was a passionate music fan who, as the R&B singer SZA put it, “gave half the people up here our first shot.” To have everyone who felt that way in one place, fans and artists alike, did feel like a worthy way to say goodbye.

“Mac’s been a part of all of our lives. I’ve listened to him since I was in fifth grade,” said 20-year-old Eva Wagoner, who flew in from Hawaii for the show. “He was a big part of growing up. Like, when I was mad at my mom as a teenager, I’d go upstairs and listen to his records, like ‘Mac Miller gets it.’”

“For people in our age range, a whole lot of us listened to him and were affected by him,” added her friend Skye Partridge, 21. “We’re never going to forget this show. It’s so important that we’re here.”

The Times will have a full recap of the event later today.

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Neil Young makes it official: He’s married to Daryl Hannah

Neil Young finally — finally! — confirmed his marriage to actress and activist Daryl Hannah on Wednesday, about two months after a friend of a wedding guest essentially did it for them.

The veteran rocker also got a lot of bang for the buck with the not-quite-an-announcement, weaving it into the introductory text of a new gun-control video on his website. The video features a recent live performance of “Ohio,” which he wrote in 1970 after four student protesters were killed at Kent State University.

“Today’s students are brave, demanding change in violent times,” Young wrote after briefly discussing the state of U.S. gun-control laws and the political influence of the National Rifle Assn.

The video features historical footage from Kent State and the ensuing protests, which then cuts to modern-day demonstrations with signs advocating to “Stop the gun violence please” and “Listen to the kids.”

“We stand with them. They are us. We are them. This has been going on for far too long,” Young writes on his website. “My wife Daryl and I put this video together for you to reflect on. Support the students. Support our children. They want protection, not more guns.” He then called for “common sense gun laws.”

Daryl Hannah and Neil Young are married, the rocker confirmed Wednesday.
(Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images)

At the end of August, guitarist Mark Miller had wished the couple well on Facebook, having heard from a pal that Young and Hannah tied the knot.

Then various wedding stories said they had gotten married on a yacht in Washington’s San Juan Islands, then beat it down to Atascadero, Calif., where they did it all over again for a small group of friends and family who were told to keep it a secret from hotels in the area. Because hotels, well, they talk.

So think whatever you want about Young’s gun-control stance: The important thing is, he said “wife.” And that means they’re married. Mystery solved.

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A Star Is Born: David Foster turns 69 today

(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

The prospect of reaching people though performing is exciting to me. I don’t want to leave producing entirely. I just want success as a performer.

— David Foster, 1986

FROM THE ARCHIVES: David Foster — time to change hats again?

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Kathy Griffin and Tomi Lahren scare up a nasty feud over Halloween costume

Tomi Lahren, left, and Kathy Griffin.
(Colin Young-Wolff, Associated Press; Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Just in time to scare us all on Halloween, Kathy Griffin and Tomi Lahren threw down Wednesday on social media over the latter’s provocative costume.

Lahren’s outfit mimicked Griffin in the infamous photo of her holding a bloody replica of President Trump’s head, a stunt that nearly torpedoed her career last year.

The comic didn’t find it funny. At all.

“Trump Derangement Syndrome. Happy Halloween @kathygriffin,” the Fox Nation host tweeted Wednesday morning along with a kissy-face emoji and a shot of herself in a red wig and a blue blouse, holding a bloodless severed head of a scary clown.

“Gosh you are just so original @TomiLahren! I thought images like this one incite violence!” Griffin replied, neglecting to comment on the fact that a severed clown’s head had replaced the presidential noggin she had used.

“At least that’s what you and your colleagues at @FoxNews have told me for the past year and a half. I’m busy on tour right now or I’d dress up as you: a dumb, racist, and talentless hack,” Griffin shot back.

Lahren couldn’t resist replying, parrying with a sweet, “You’re right Kathy, if I was trying to impersonate you I should have worn the clown mask instead. That’s my bad! Happy Halloween! Xoxo.”

Thanksgiving, anyone?

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Megyn Kelly expresses frustration with paparazzi while her attorney and NBC News trade insults

Megyn Kelly is shown on the set of "Megyn Kelly Today" in 2017.
(Charles Sykes / Associated Press)

Megyn Kelly appears to be tiring of the fallout over her departure from NBC News last week, criticizing at least one media outlet for invading her family’s privacy.

Tweeting on Wednesday about paparazzi that had been “lurking” outside her house for a week, Kelly called out the Daily Mail for bad behavior.

“The DailyMail 1st published photos of my husb IN OUR HOME & then *did* photog my kids, trailed us to my daughter’s school, & secretly videotaped my 7-yr-old child (her classmates too) & posted it. THIS IS NOT RIGHT,” she tweeted.

Looks like they didn’t get the memo on the #NoKidsPolicy from a few years back? (It appears the Daily Mail has since taken down the story with the photos of Kelly’s children.)

Kelly has remained silent to this point since leaving “Megyn Kelly Today” after backlash over comments about blackface and Halloween costumes.

Meanwhile, as talks between the network and its departing anchor presumably continue, her lawyer and NBC News have taken their contempt for each other public, perhaps also in reaction to the Daily Mail’s speculative coverage.

“Any suggestion that Megyn is looking for more than her contract is untrue. This is clearly planted by NBC News to continue its mission to harm Megyn and gain some sort of leverage,” Kelly’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, said in a statement to the Daily Mail that went on to criticize the head of NBC News. “It won’t work. Andy Lack[, chairman of NBC News and MSNBC,] needs to stop.”

Saying he was trying to handle the process confidentially, Freedman told The Times, “NBC News is allowing the media to run with completely false and irresponsible reports that disparage Megyn by erroneously claiming she has ever asked for more money than her contract requires.”

Freedman added: “If NBC News is not the source, then they have a responsibility as a news division to correct these false claims. Or are they somehow attempting to use these fabrications for some fictitious advantage in the discussions we’re having?

If Andy Lack has lost control, my hope would be that [NBC president and CEO] Steve Burke can step in and not permit blatant lies about our discussions to remain uncorrected.”

On Tuesday, the Daily Mail reported Kelly was “looking to get” numbers far beyond the $48 million that’s reportedly in her contract.

“It’s all out war in negotiations between Megyn and NBC,” a source allegedly close to Kelly told the Daily Mail. Citing unnamed NBC insiders as its source, it alleged that she also asked for an additional chunk of cash to sign a confidentiality agreement.

NBC News disagreed with Kelly’s attorney’s statement.

“Unlike Mr. Freedman, who has repeatedly commented to the media throughout the negotiations,” the network said in a statement of its own, “we respect the confidentiality of the process, and will have no comment until it reaches its conclusion.”

UPDATE

2 p.m.: This post was updated with Freedman’s statement to The Times.

This post was first published at 11:25 a.m.

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Watch Tyra Banks break free of plastic in new ‘Life-Size 2’ teaser

Eve’s great — and she’s back!

Tyra Banks is reprising her beloved role as Eve, a plastic doll that magically comes to life, in “Life-Size 2.”

A new teaser that debuted Wednesday morning reintroduces her character from the 2000 television movie that starred Lindsay Lohan.

“It’s me, Eve! And I’m your special friend,” Banks says in the teaser after a familiar enchanted spell.

The sequel sees Eve in the flesh to assist Grace Manning (Francia Raisa), the 20-something CEO of the toy company that manufactures the Eve doll, who is in the midst of a quarter-life crisis.

As seen in the first-look photos (such as the one below), the follow-up will have a holiday hue.

Banks is also an executive producer on the movie along with Stephanie Allain. And though Lohan does not appear in the sequel’s major scenes, “there’s something beautiful we do with Lindsay in this movie that’ll speak to die-hard fans,” Banks previously told Entertainment Weekly.

“Life-Size 2” premieres Dec. 2 on Freeform as part of its “25 Days of Christmas” event.

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Police investigating actress Sarah Scott’s allegations of sexual misconduct against Kip Pardue

Actress Sarah Scott.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Hermosa Beach police are investigating a report of sexual misconduct filed by “True Blood” actress Sarah Scott, who alleged she was “sexually violated while at work” in May by former costar Kip Pardue.

“I can confirm that she filed a crime report and that our detectives are currently investigating the incident,” police Sgt. Mick Gaglia told The Times.

Scott, 35, accused Pardue of placing her hand on his genitals while they were shooting a post-coital scene for a TV pilot and alleged that he later masturbated in front of her in his dressing room, an incident first reported by The Times over the weekend.

She filed the police report in August, just months after the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements captured the attention of the nation and led to the professional demise of many in Hollywood and beyond.

Scott told The Times that, even though she had followed all the protocols for reporting misconduct that had been touted by the entertainment industry, including filing a member-to-member complaint with SAG-AFTRA in June, she felt stymied and believed she had “very little control in truly preventing this from happening to anyone else.”

Pardue’s representative, David Shane, declined to comment on the investigation when reached by The Times on Wednesday.

The actor, who stars in Marvel’s Hulu series “The Runaways,” previously apologized for placing Scott’s hand on his penis during their scene together. But he denied everything that the actress alleged happened after the scene was completed.

“I clearly misread the situation during a sex scene on set and have apologized to Sarah,” Pardue, 43, said in an earlier statement from Shane. “I never intended to offend her in any way and deeply regret my actions and have learned from my behavior.”

Marvel and Hulu declined to comment on the investigation.

UPDATE

2 p.m.: This story has been updated to reflect Pardue had no comment on the investigation.

The Times staff reporters Amy Kaufman and Richard Winton contributed to this report.

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Bette Midler’s in love with ‘Hocus Pocus’ all over again

Bette Midler gave herself an early Halloween treat this year: She rewatched “Hocus Pocus,” the kid-oriented dark comedy and cult classic that just turned 25 and starred the Divine Miss M as the leader of a trio of witches.

“The first time I watched it I was only watching myself. But this time I saw everybody,” she told People on Monday night at her annual Hulaween party in New York City, where the theme was “Hulaween in the Cosmos.”

“And I tell ya, those girls in the back — they were going full blast! They were giving me a run for my money. The kids were great, everybody was great!

“I loved it!” Midler added.

The film, originally released in July 1993, also starred Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy as reawakened witches (who were whacked in Salem, Mass., in the 17th century) now bent on doing what they have to do to become immortal.

Hint: They’re after the “life force” of the children, who in turn are after the sister-witches’ book of spells.

You can check out “Hocus Pocus” rescreening in theaters around the Los Angeles area on Halloween, or catch it on TV as pay channel Freeform caps its celebration of “31 Nights of Hocus Pocus.” There are also some costume ideas below.

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A Star Is Born: Sally Kirkland turns 77 today

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

I think of myself as a clown.

— Sally Kirkland, 2002

FROM THE ARCHIVE: A Woman of Meditation and a Million Words

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‘This Is Us’ pays tribute to Pittsburgh after synagogue shooting

“This Is Us” struck an emotional cord at the end of Tuesday’s episode.

The NBC family drama paid tribute to the victims of Saturday’s shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue, which left 11 dead.

Series creator Dan Fogelman shared the end card, which included a link directing viewers to visit everytown.org, on Twitter shortly after the episode ended on the East Coast.

“This Is Us” is set in Pittsburgh (as most evidenced by the family’s love of the Pittsburgh Steelers).

Tuesday also marked the first funerals for the victims of Saturday’s attack, which is the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in U.S. history.

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Michelle Obama announces arena tour with star-studded guest list

Michelle Obama will take her book tour to arenas around the country.
(Charles Sykes / Associated Press)

Former First Lady Michelle Obama is billing her “Becoming” book tour as “an intimate conversation” with her — at least as intimate as you can get in a stadium setting like the Forum in Inglewood.

Now we learn that some famous friends, announced Tuesday, will keep her company along the way, starting with Oprah Winfrey moderating the event in Chicago on Nov. 13, the day the book goes on sale.

Obama will spend a little more than a month hitting 10 cities in 12 appearances — she’ll stop twice in Brooklyn and Washington, D.C. — in cozy spots like the Barclays Center in New York, Capitol One Arena in D.C. and American Airlines Center in Dallas.

The tour comes to the Los Angeles area on Nov. 15 with Tracee Ellis Ross on hand at the Forum. It’ll wrap up with its final “conversation” on Dec. 19 in Brooklyn with Sarah Jessica Parker moderating.

Valerie Jarrett will be in D.C. on Nov. 17 and Dallas on Dec. 17; Michele Norris has Boston on Nov. 24 and San Jose on Dec. 14; Elizabeth Alexander will moderate in D.C. on Nov. 25 and Brooklyn on Dec. 1; Phoebe Robinson takes the reins in Philadelphia on Nov. 29 and Detroit on Dec. 11, and Reese Witherspoon is at the helm in Dallas on Dec. 13.

Tickets aren’t cheap and vary by venue, but 10% of available seats have been reserved and donated free to charities, schools and other organizations in the various cities. A limited number of people can purchase different VIP “meet and greet” packages and packages that include a signed copy of the book, to be shipped later. Select online ticket purchases include a copy of the book.

The memoir covers the time from Obama’s childhood on Chicago’s South Side through life as an executive and mother balancing the demands of both worlds to her stint at the White House.

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Tyler Perry is killing off Madea next year — but ‘don’t tell her’

What drives a man to kill off his grandma? Well, Tyler Perry has a pretty basic reason for taking his prolific Madea character out of circulation.

“I just don’t want to be her age, playing her. Come on, there’s more there,” he said Monday on SiriusXM, where he announced that his cross-dressing character’s days are numbered.

After, you know, a farewell stage tour around the country and a final movie in 2019.

“We’re gonna say goodbye to her. Don’t tell her,” Perry joked on Radio Andy.

The final flick will be “Tyler Perry’s A Madea Family Funeral,” which he said has been in the can for two years. It will come out March 1.

REVIEW: Tyler Perry’s over-the-top ‘Acrimony’ is the Taraji P. Henson performance you’ve been waiting for

“I didn’t want to go from ‘Boo!’ to ‘Boo 2!’ to another ‘Madea,’” he said by way of explaining the delay. “So I put ‘Acrimony’ in front of it — which, I love that movie, man — and then I wanted to do this one [‘Nobody’s Fool,’ out Friday] and then that one.”

“Time for me to kill that old bitch,” he said, laughing. “I’m tired, I’m tired.”

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Lena Dunham’s Klonopin detox was ‘the most hellacious acid trip you’ve ever had’

Lena Dunham
Lena Dunham arrives at a Golden Globes after-party in January.
(Richard Shotwell / Associated Press)

Emboldened by the safe space she found on Dax Shepard’s podcast, Lena Dunham made a big reveal Monday: She’s six months sober after a years-long addiction to benzodiazepines.

“There was a solid three years where I was, to put it lightly, misusing benzos,” Dunham said on Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast Monday, “even though it was all, quote-unquote, doctor prescribed and I had convinced someone to tell me that this is the way.”

Dunham, who’s been dealing with anxiety since childhood, called benzodiazepines the biggest epidemic nobody’s talking about. She quoted her mother, who said she didn’t need to be a hero about things. With medication, there was no reason to ever suffer, her mom said.

However, she said, “I really took that to heart, and when I was having crazy anxiety, and having to show up for things that I didn’t feel equipped to show up for, I was like, there’s no reason for me to ever suffer.”

Klonopin was Dunham’s drug of choice. Benzo use is something that’s normalized in her industry in the face of anxiety, she said. “It is a rough hang, Klonopin.”

And coming off it, when it’s no longer working to quell the anxiety, is even rougher.

“I was taking Klonopin, and at that point it wasn’t making it better,” she said, “but I just thought, if I don’t take this, how much worse will it get?”

Shepard, who’s been sober himself for years, empathized. “It quiets the monster upstairs enough that you can be your best self,” he said.

Every doctor Dunham saw believed she was suffering from anxiety and needed medication — and none of them told her how horrible it would be to detox when she stopped medicating.

“When you try to get off this, it’s going to be like the most hellacious acid trip you’ve ever had, where you’re ... clutching the walls and your hair is blowing off your head and you can’t believe you found yourself in this situation,” she explained.

“Now the literal smell of the inside of pill bottles makes me want to throw up.”

She said she’s realized that her work in life will be to “give a voice to that story” of what women experience at the intersection of trauma, mental health and addiction.

And on Dunham’s plate most recently? The “Girls” creator has been tapped by J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg to adapt the true story of a Syrian refugee mother of two who flees Egypt by boat, headed for Sweden, only to be shipwrecked along the way. Her tale, per Variety, is one of survival in open water for two days, holding her two children, with only a life ring for assistance.

“Very lucky to have this job, to tell this story, to support this truth with these people,” Dunham tweeted Monday.

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Ava DuVernay plans to make Prince film with ‘love and great care’

Filmmaker Ava DuVernay will direct a documentary about Prince.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Ava DuVernay will direct a multipart documentary about late pop legend Prince for Netflix.

The “Selma” and “A Wrinkle In Time” director will be supported by the musician’s estate on the project, using archival footage and previously unreleased material from the singer-songwriter’s archives spanning his entire life, The Times has confirmed.

“Prince was a genius, a joy and a jolt to the senses. He was like no other. He shattered preconceived notions, smashed boundaries, and shared his heart through his music,” the filmmaker tweeted on Tuesday, confirming earlier reports that she had signed on to the project.

“The only way I know how to make this film is with love and great care. I’m honored to do so and grateful,” she added.

According to Deadline, Prince reached out to the “Queen Sugar” creator about working together before his unexpected death in 2016. Over the past several months, DuVernay, editor Spencer Averick and other members of her production team have visited the late artist’s Paisley Park home in Minnesota and studios repeatedly, the website said.

The project marks DuVernay’s second documentary for the streaming giant, following her Oscar-nominated 2016 doc, “The 13th,” about how modern-day prison overpopulation has its roots in the Constitution. The film won two Primetime Emmy Awards.

DuVernay is also working on the Netflix miniseries “Central Park Five,” a four-part drama about the Harlem teenagers who were wrongly convicted of raping a jogger, and a big-screen adaptation of Jack Kirby’s “The New Gods” for Warner Bros. and DC.

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A Star Is Born: Henry Winkler turns 73 today

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

When I first started doing interviews I would say when you are 55 you finally put it all together. And it turned out that was absolutely true about me.

— Henry Winkler, 2010

FROM THE ARCHIVE: Classic Hollywood: Henry Winkler Finds a Lot More Happy Days

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Fox’s live ‘Rent’ casts Vanessa Hudgens, Brandon Victor Dixon, Tinashe and Mario

Fox has collected a crowd-pleasing lead cast for “Rent.”

Not surprisingly, the broadcast network’s live presentation of the Broadway smash will star standout performers from Fox’s “Grease: Live” and NBC’s “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert” — Vanessa Hudgens, Jordan Fisher and Brandon Victor Dixon — as well as actress Kiersey Clemons (“Hearts Beat Loud”). Fisher and Dixon have “Hamilton!” cred as well.

Hudgens and Clemons will play girlfriends Maureen Johnson and Joanne Jefferson, respectively. Dixon will portray computer scientist Tom Collins, and Fisher will play aspiring filmmaker Mark Cohen, who also serves as the rock musical’s narrator.

Singer Tinashe will take on the meaty role of Mimi Marquez, a dancer who struggles with addiction, and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alum Valentina will play Angel Dumon Schunard, a young drag queen and street performer.

The show, which is set to air live on the East Coast on Jan. 27, will also star singer/songwriter Brennin Hunt as Mark’s roommate Roger Davis, and R&B star Mario as their former roommate-turned-landlord.

“The Greatest Showman” actress Keala Settle has also joined the ensemble to perform the show’s show-stopper “Seasons of Love.”

Writer-composer Jonathan Larson’s award-winning musical is a modern reimagining of Puccini’s “La Bohème,” setting the action in New York’s gritty East Village. It revolves around seven struggling artists during the social and political unrest at the time of the AIDS epidemic

“Rent” earned four Tony Awards when it mounted its original run in 1996 with Anthony Rapp, Adam Pascal, Jesse L. Martin, Taye Diggs, Idina Menzel and Wilson Jermaine Heredia starring. Chris Columbus directed the big-screen adaptation in 2006 with those actors reprising their roles.

The show also won the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for drama.

The television adaptation will be broadcast from Fox Studios in Los Angeles and executive produced by the Larson’s estate along with two-time Tony Award winner Marc Platt (“Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert,” “Grease: Live,” “La La Land,” “Wicked”).

“Dear Evan Hansen” director Michael Greif, who helmed the original New York Theatre Workshop and Broadway productions of “Rent,” will oversee the stage direction. Alex Rudzinski (“Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert,”“Grease: Live,” “Dancing with the Stars”) will serve as the live-television director.

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‘Today’ hosts declare a ‘new chapter’ as they fill in after Megyn Kelly cancellation

“Today” hosts Hoda Kotb, Al Roker, Craig Melvin and Savannah Guthrie stayed on-air for the third hour of the morning show on Monday following the network’s Friday announcement that “Megyn Kelly Today” had been canceled.

“Today, as you know, we are starting a new chapter in the third hour of our show,” Kotb said at the top of that hour. “As it evolves, we want you to know the entire ‘Today’ family will continue to bring you informative and important stories, just as we always have.”

Kelly was booted after she commented on Tuesday’s show that it was not inappropriate for white people to darken their skin tone as part of a Halloween costume. The comments triggered a public backlash and criticism from her colleagues at the network.

“What is racist? You do get in trouble if you are a white person who puts on blackface for Halloween, or a black person who puts on whiteface for Halloween,” she said. “Back when I was a kid, that was OK just as long as you were dressing as a character.”

Kelly, who previously insisted that Santa Claus had to be white, joined NBC News in April 2017 after becoming a breakout star as a prime-time host on Fox News, where she spent 12 years and demonstrated an independent streak among the mostly conservative lineup on the Rupert Murdoch-owned cable network.

However, the converted-to-daytime host lost about a quarter of the audience of 25- to 54-year-olds who had been watching the 9 a.m. hour of “Today” when it was co-hosted by Roker and Tamron Hall. Sources told The Times that Kelly will not appear again as a “Today” host, and that a deal for her exit from NBC News was in the works.

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Demi Lovato marks 90 days sober, mom says

Demi Lovato posing in hoop earrings
Singer-songwriter Demi Lovato attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards.
(Jordan Strauss / Associated Press)

Demi Lovato is 90 days sober, according to her mom, Dianna De La Garza.

“She has 90 days,” De La Garza said on Maria Menounos’ Sirius XM show on Friday. “I couldn’t be more thankful or more proud of her because addiction being a disease, it’s work…It’s very hard. It’s not easy, and there are no shortcuts.”

The milestone comes after the 26-year-old was hospitalized in July for an apparent overdose. Sources told The Times that firefighters treated Lovato with Narcan to reverse the effects of an overdose. TMZ initially reported that the “Confident” singer appeared to be suffering from a heroin overdose, and the website’s report was among the first tips Lovato’s mom had about the incident.

“I was shocked. I was looking at my phone and I saw all these text messages coming in from all over,” she told Menounos. “And the one text message that clued me in on what was going on said, ‘I just saw on TMZ and I’m so sorry,’ I was terrified to look at my phone.

“Before I could get to TMZ, I got the phone call from her assistant and she said, ‘We’re at the hospital.’ So then I knew, OK, she’s not gone. She’s here. And I said, ‘What’s going on?’ And the words that I heard are just a nightmare for any parent: ‘Demi overdosed.’”

At the time, De La Garza knew her daughter wasn’t sober but she didn’t know the extent of her use because they didn’t live together, she said.

But a month before, the singer had released the single “Sober,” detailing her relapse after six years of sobriety and essentially issuing an apology to her mother about it. It was a “heartbreaking song,” De La Garza said.

Lovato was conscious by the time her mother arrived at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, but it was a “rough two days,” she said.

She’s still unsure what led to the singer’s relapse, but mentioned that it had been an emotional year that involved the deaths of five close family members.

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Jimmy Kimmel and Matt Damon’s rivalry takes a ‘stupid’ turn at the World Series

Matt Damon and Jimmy Kimmel at the final game of the 2018 World Series.
Matt Damon and Jimmy Kimmel at the final game of the 2018 World Series.
(Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)

Longtime frenemies Jimmy Kimmel and Matt Damon went to Game 5 of the World Series and all they got were these stupid T-shirts.

The rivaling “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” host and the Oscar winner were among the many famous faces in the stands at Dodger Stadium for the 2018 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox at Dodger Stadium on Sunday.

On brand with their protracted feud, which began in Kimmel’s early days on ABC when he tried to lure bigger talent to his fledgling talk show, these two sat together and wore novelty “I’m With Stupid” shirts to highlight their mutual love-loathe relationship. Kimmel’s was Dodger blue, while Damon’s was red for the Sox, who ultimately won the series 4-1.

It’s unclear if the sight gag was just for fun or for a later segment of Kimmel’s show. Reps for “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment on Monday,

Damon, a Boston native, was also joined by longtime pal and writing partner Ben Affleck. Affleck also cheered for his hometown team at Game 4 on Saturday, when he was spotted in the stands with his ex-wife, actress Jennifer Garner.

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A Star Is Born: Tracee Ellis Ross turns 46 today

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

I don’t consider myself funny. I consider myself silly. I just tell the truth and my truth comes out in a way that makes people laugh.

— Tracee Ellis Ross, 2017

FROM THE ARCHIVES: When Tracee Ellis Ross looks to the future, she’s encouraged

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Roger Waters risks arrest by making political statement before Brazil elections during Curitiba concert

Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters performs last week in Rio de Janeiro.
Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters performs last week in Rio de Janeiro.
(Photo by Mauro Pimentel / AFP/ Getty Images)

Despite the threat of arrest, Pink Floyd legend Roger Waters made a political statement during a concert on the eve of Brazil’s presidential election, advocating against the country’s right-wing front-runner Jair Bolsonaro.

During his “Us+Them” show in Curitiba, Brazil, Saturday night, Waters urged concertgoers not to vote for Bolsonaro, the candidate from the Social Liberal Party.

Before the concert, the Electoral Court of Parana, the Brazilian state where Waters was performing, warned the musician that if he failed to comply with the law, which strictly forbids all campaigning past 10 p.m., he could face arrest and jail time.

Despite the notice, two minutes before the deadline, the stage went dark and a message appeared on the screen in Portuguese.

“They told us we cannot talk about the election after ten o’clock,” it read. “We have 30 seconds. This is our last chance to resist fascism before Sunday. Not him.”

The hashtag #EleNão, or #NotHim, was started by Brazilians objecting to Bolsonaro’s language and proposed policies against women, but has gained traction on social media for broader expressions of protest against the candidate in Brazil and beyond.

Waters’ declaration was greeted with an eruption of boos and cheers.

At 10 p.m. the message changed to “It’s ten o’clock. Obey the law.”

As Brazilians began voting Sunday to determine the country’s next president, polls suggested that Bolsonaro, who is sometimes called the “Tropical Trump,” had a substantial lead over his left-wing rival Fernando Haddad.

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A Star Is Born: Joaquin Phoenix turns 44 today

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

I am abhorrently selfish when it comes to making movies.... I can’t recall when I did see a movie I was in, I can’t recall it being a pleasurable experience.

— Joaquin Phoenix, 2007

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Acting is about the moment for Joaquin Phoenix

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A Star Is Born: Roberto Benigni turns 66 today

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

My mother and father had never been to a movie until they went to see my first film. They stayed all day and watched it over and over.

— Roberto Benigni, 1992

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Bravo, Benigni!

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Hulu casts Jessica Williams in Mindy Kaling’s ‘Four Weddings’ reboot

Mindy Kaling and Matt Warburton’s reboot of “Four Weddings and a Funeral” has cast its lead roles.

Jessica Williams (“2 Dope Queens,” “Fantastic Beasts”), Nikesh Patel (“London Has Fallen”), Rebecca Rittenhouse (“The Mindy Project”) and John Reynolds (“Stranger Things”) round out the cast of Hulu’s upcoming romantic comedy series, set to debut in 2019, the subscription service announced Friday.

Inspired by Mike Newell’s eponymous 1994 feature film starring Hugh Grant and Andie MacDowell, the actors will play characters named Jess, Kash, Ainsley and Duffy, respectively, in the new adaptation, which is also set in England.

According to Hulu, Jess is a young communications director for a New York senatorial campaign and heads to London after being invited to a college classmate’s wedding, leaving her professional and personal life behind in favor of reconnecting with old friends. There, she ends up in the midst of their personal crises that revolve around four weddings and a funeral.

The pilot script was written by Kaling and Warburton, who also serve as executive producers alongside Tracey Wigfield, Jonathan Prince, Howard Klein, Charlie Grandy, Tristram Shapeero and Charles McDougall.

The series marks Kaling’s second series for Hulu, building on the multihyphenate’s relationship with the platform, which revived her sitcom “The Mindy Project” after it was canceled by Fox in 2015.

News of the “Four Weddings” reboot was announced during Hulu’s upfront presentation in May.

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Megyn Kelly’s ‘Today’ show predecessors reunite hours ahead of her show cancellation

Well, how’s that for timing?

Hours before NBC News officially gave Megyn Kelly’s morning show the ax, her “Today” show predecessors, Tamron Hall and Al Roker, reunited Thursday night.

Hall tweeted a photo with Roker on the set of the Broadway production of “Waitress,” where Roker is in the midst of a limited engagement playing diner owner Joe.

Hall and Roker were two of the most frequent cohosts during the 9 a.m. hour of “Today” (along with Willie Geist, who now hosts the Sunday edition, and Natalie Morales, who is now the show’s West Coast anchor.)

However, when NBC News lured Kelly away from Fox News with a lucrative multi-year contract in January 2017, talks soon began about her taking over the 9 a.m. hour of the “Today” show. Less than a month later, Hall exited after a decade at NBC News.

“The last ten years have been beyond anything I could have imagined, and I’m grateful,” Hall said in a statement at the time. “I’m also very excited about the next chapter. To all my great colleagues, I will miss you and I will be rooting for you.”

Her exit, and its connections to Kelly’s arrival, drew uproar from viewers as well as the National Assn. for Black Journalists, which accused NBC of “whitewashing” in a statement the day after Hall’s departure.

“NBC has been a leader for diversity in broadcasting, but recent reports that Hall and Roker will be replaced by former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly are being seen by industry professionals as whitewashing,” the organization said at the time.

(And yes, considering the racially insensitive remarks that got Kelly in hot water this week, that term is particularly, uh, interesting.)

Since then, Hall has been working on launching her own talk show — albeit hitting some unexpected bumps along the way. She signed a TV deal with the Weinstein Co. in July 2017 to develop her own daytime talk show — three months before co-chairman Harvey Weinstein was accused of sexual harassment, assault and rape in reports by the New York Times and the New Yorker.

Hall more recently signed a deal with Disney/ABC in August to develop a daytime syndicated series to launch as early as fall 2019.

Meanwhile, Roker has continued his long run on the “Today” show (albeit in the earlier hours). The day after Kelly’s controversial on-air comments about blackface, made during a segment on Halloween costumes, Roker voiced his tough take on air.

Roker has also continued to tweet about his issues with the segment.

Meanwhile, on Friday “Megyn Kelly Today” was officially canceled as talks about her exit from the network continue.

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Robert De Niro reacts to bomb incident with a message: Go vote

Robert De Niro at the Tony Awards in May 2018.
Robert De Niro at the Tony Awards in May 2018.
(Michael Zorn / Associated Press)

Among the dozen-plus critics of President Trump targeted by someone mailing bombs this week, Robert De Niro stood alone as the sole celebrity on the list. On Friday he took advantage of that dubious distinction to send a message.

“There’s something more powerful than bombs, and that’s your vote,” the Oscar-winning actor said in a statement. “People must vote!”

An envelope with a pipe-and-wires device was received at his TriBeCa Studios this week. Similar packages turned up that were directed toward prominent figures including former President Obama, Hillary Clinton, former Vice President Joe Biden, former CIA director John Brennan, former Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr., Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) and businessman/investor/activist George Soros.

None of the devices detonated.

“I thank God no one’s been hurt,” De Niro said, thanking “the brave and resourceful security and law enforcement people for protecting us.”

The “Raging Bull” and “Godfather” star has been publicly critical of the current administration, notably hurling an expletive at Trump during the televised Tony Awards ceremony in June.

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Sinéad O’Connor converts to Islam and changes her name again

Irish singer Sinead O'Connor announced her conversion to Islam.
(Antonio Calanni / Associated Press)

Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor, who last year changed her name to Magda Davitt, has renounced Catholicism and converted to Islam.

The firebrand musician, who infamously ripped up a picture of the pope on “Saturday Night Live” in 1992 at the peak of her popularity, made the announcement via Twitter on Oct. 19. The “Nothing Compares 2 U” singer also noted that she had changed her name again, to Shuhada’ Davitt. (Shuhada’ means “martyr” or “witness” in Arabic.)

“This is the natural conclusion of any intelligent theologian’s journey. All scripture study leads to Islam. Which makes all other scriptures redundant,” wrote the 51-year-old, a longtime critic of the Catholic Church.

Replies to her announcement varied from congratulatory to critical, but the musician was unfazed and has continued posting religious sayings and updates about her transition to the faith.

The buzz-cut singer also shared a few photos of herself wearing the women’s traditional head cover, the hijab, and spiritedly reciting the call to prayer, azan.

The announcement came on the heels of the singer alleging that she had been sexually assaulted. However, when she tried to report it, she claimed she was mistreated by police in Ireland, whom she lambasted for stigmatizing those “mistakenly or otherwise perceived as mentally ill.”

The singer’s turbulent mental health struggles have been documented in the media for years. Later, she said she filed a sexual assault report.

On Thursday, the singer thanked those who supported her and welcomed her to the Muslim community online.

“Thank you so much to all my Muslim brothers and sisters who have been so kind as to welcome me to Ummah today on this page. You can’t begin to imagine how much your tenderness means to me,” she wrote.

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A Star Is Born: Rosemarie DeWitt turns 47 today

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

I’m always surprised how old I am. Someone will call to ask me to play the mother of a 22-year-old and I think, ‘I have a 2-year-old.’

— Rosemarie DeWitt, 2015

FROM THE ARCHIVES: ‘Digging for Fire’s’ Rosemarie DeWitt: ‘I Wasn’t a Good Ingenue’

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Tom Arnold’s battery case against Mark Burnett dropped; actor says he’ll pursue a claim

Tom Arnold’s criminal battery case against Mark Burnett, much like his search for the alleged Donald Trump tapes, has gone nowhere.

The Los Angeles City Attorney’s office has declined to file criminal charges against “The Apprentice” creator “due to insufficient evidence,” a spokesman said Thursday.

Arnold went public on Twitter last month with allegations that Burnett had “choked” him at a pre-Emmys party during what started as a verbal dispute over the recordings. He cited Kevin and Sosie Bacon as reliable witnesses. Actress Alyson Hannigan tweeted that she witnessed a scuffle but thought it was a joke initially.

Burnett’s wife, Roma Downey, countered Arnold’s claim, tweeting that the “True Lies” actor had bruised her hand when he “tried to ambush” them at the event.

Arnold filed his police report Sept. 17, the day after the party, and said Thursday in a statement that he intends to “proceed with a claim” against Burnett for assault and battery.

“There were several witnesses who corroborated what he did to me that evening,” Arnold said through his attorney, adding that he’d heard from law enforcement that witnesses were reluctant to come forward.

“[H]e is a powerful man, but that won’t stop me from making sure that Mr. Burnett is held accountable for his conduct,” Arnold said.

As for those tapes? The Viceland show “The Hunt for the Trump Tapes With Tom Arnold” followed its namesake’s search for allegedly damaging recordings of Trump to no avail. By the time the eighth episode aired Oct. 15, they still hadn’t been found.

The series wasn’t renewed.

UPDATED

4:42 p.m.: This post was updated with a statement from Tom Arnold.

This post was originally published at 9:02 a.m.

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‘Broad City’ teases end of five-season run with a whole lot of running

Comedy Central’s “Broad City” will debut its final season on Jan. 24, closing out a five-season run that saw its two protagonists do a lot of, well, running — among other things.

In a trailer announcing the swan song Thursday, stars Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson sprint in a montage of clips from the odd-couple comedy series, which is about two best friends living out their 20s in New York City, experiencing several all-too-real awkward encounters and hatching plenty of harebrained schemes.

Glazer and Jacobson, the show’s creators, directors and showrunners, likely won’t be off Comedy Central for long, however. The comedic duo has inked a comprehensive development deal giving the cable network and its parent company, Viacom, a first look at all content they create for television, together and independently.

Three of those projects include: “Mall Town USA,” “Platinum Status” and “Young Professionals.” The deal excludes some existing projects, such as Jacobson’s Amazon reboot of “A League of Their Own.”

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Natalie Portman transforms into a troubled pop star in new ‘Vox Lux’ trailer

Natalie Portman transforms into a global pop superstar in the upcoming film “Vox Lux.”

On Thursday, Neon released an official trailer for the music drama, in which Portman plays Celeste, a successful musician whose meteoric rise to fame came at a young age (and upon surviving a violent tragedy). As an adult, and after a scandalous incident almost derailed her career, she is now trying to make a comeback with her sixth album.

“This is a culmination of my life’s work so far,” Portman says as the gum-chewing, foul-mouthed musician in the trailer. “I was under a lot of stress after my accident. But that’s what the show is about. It’s about rebirth.”

Jude Law, Raffey Cassidy, Jennifer Ehle and Willem Dafoe are also among the cast of the film, written and directed by Brady Corbet. Early reviews of the movie, which features original songs penned by Sia, have praised Portman’s bold performance as the troubled star.

“Vox Lux” hits theaters in Los Angeles and New York on Dec. 7, and expands nationwide on Dec. 14.

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David Schwimmer swears he wasn’t the thief who stole beer from an English restaurant

"Friends" star David Schwimmer.
(Tibrina Hobson / Getty Images)

David Schwimmer says he has an alibi after a recent viral video jokingly compared him to a suspect accused of stealing from a U.K. restaurant.

The “Friends” alum was on the case after police in Blackpool in northwest England posted a video this week asking for help identifying a suspect who pilfered beer and other items from a Blackpool eatery last month.

The video has since been removed, and police now say they’ve zeroed in on the suspect.

Surveillance camera image provided by police shows a man taking items from a restaurant in Blackpool, England.
(Blackpool Police / Associated Press)

The tousle-haired suspect looked identical to the world-famous TV star and his “Friends” character, Ross Geller. And the similarity wasn’t lost on Schwimmer, who was keen to exonerate himself after Facebook users went to town identifying the suspect as the actor.

The star gamely shot a spoof video in which he re-created the crime — beer and all — at a New York grocery store.

“Officers, I swear it wasn’t me,” he wrote on Facebook and Twitter on Wednesday. “As you can see, I was in New York.”

The “Will & Grace” guest star wished law enforcement good luck with their investigation. And all the international attention to the matter paid off.

“We really appreciate your support and thank you for sharing the post with all your Friends. On a serious note, as a result of the international attention, we received a number of positive lines of enquiry,” the Blackpool police said in a Facebook statement Thursday.

“We are now satisfied we have identified the man in the picture and our enquiries are continuing.”

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A Star Is Born: Katy Perry turns 34 today

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Some people are going to see [‘Roar’] as a song about cats. But it’s not just a song about cats.

— Katy Perry, 2013

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Katy Perry Grows Up a Little on ‘Prism’: ‘I’m Ready for My 30s’

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John Legend and Chrissy Teigen will host ‘A Legendary Christmas With John and Chrissy’ for NBC

John Legend and Chrissy Teigen are putting the happy back in the holidays this Christmas by co-hosting a holiday music special for NBC.

After the success of “Jesus Chris Superstar Live in Concert,” which recently elevated multi-hyphenate Legend to rarefied EGOT status, NBC announced Wednesday that the beloved celebrity couple will be joined by family and friends for “A Legendary Christmas With John and Chrissy.”

The hour-long special is set to air on Nov. 28 and will come on the heels of Legend’s first Christmas album, “A Legendary Christmas,” which drops Friday. That Columbia Records album, executive produced by Raphael Saadiq, features Stevie Wonder and Esperanza Spalding.

The special also coincides with Legend’s 25-date holiday tour, which kicks off in Clearwater, Fla., on Nov. 15 and concludes in San Diego on Dec. 30.

No word yet on who will join the couple on TV, but here’s hoping their young kiddos Luna and Miles make an appearance. Ever-pithy supermodel-turned-author Teigen will surely provide her brand of humor.

“What John has accomplished over his career is simply remarkable and we’re thrilled to have both he and Chrissy host our holiday special,” said Doug Vaughan, NBC’s executive vice president of Special Programs and Late Night Programming. “It will be a truly memorable telecast filled with wonderful performances that will have something for everyone.”

“A Legendary Christmas With John and Chrissy” will be produced by Universal Television, Done + Dusted and Friends at Work.

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‘Incredibles 2,’ ‘Isle of Dogs’ and more submitted for 2018 animated feature Oscar race

Heavy hitters including “Incredibles 2” and “Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation” will be taking on smaller, foreign projects including Japan’s “Fireworks” and Taiwan’s “On Happiness Road” in the Oscar race for 2018 animated feature film.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released a list of the 25 films in consideration for this years animated feature award. The announcement from the Academy mentioned that not all of the films included had completed their Los Angeles qualifying run yet, but did not clarify which movies had not yet complied.

At least sixteen films must meet the stated eligibility requirements in order for the category to feature the established five-film nomination maximum.

Animated feature film has not had fewer than five nominees since the movie offerings of 2010 saw only “Toy Story 3,” “How to Train Your Dragon” and “The Illusionist” score nominations.

The submitted features, listed in alphabetical order, are:

“Ana y Bruno”
“Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch”
“Early Man”
“Fireworks”
“Have a Nice Day”
“Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation”
“Incredibles 2”
“Isle of Dogs”
“The Laws of the Universe – Part I”
“Liz and the Blue Bird”
“Lu over the Wall”
“MFKZ”
“Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms”
“Mirai”
“The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl”
“On Happiness Road”
“Ralph Breaks the Internet”
“Ruben Brandt, Collector”
“Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero”
“Sherlock Gnomes”
“Smallfoot”
“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”
“Tall Tales”
“Teen Titans Go! To the Movies”
“Tito and the Birds”

Nominations for the 91st Academy Awards will be announced Jan. 22.

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Dates set for 2020 and 2021 Grammy Award ceremonies

Bruno Mars took home seven awards at the 2018 Grammys.
(Charles Sykes / Associated Press)

The Recording Academy and CBS have announced the dates of the 2020 and 2021 Grammy Awards ceremonies.

The 62nd Grammys will take place on Jan. 26, 2020, and the 63rd iteration of the event will follow on Jan. 31, 2021, they said in a statement. As previously announced, both shows will be broadcast live on CBS from the show’s regular venue, Los Angeles’ Staples Center. (This year’s ceremony was held in New York for the first time since 2003.)

“Los Angeles loves the Grammys — a celebration of the artists who transform how we think about music, and the behind-the-boards talent that makes their excellence possible,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said in the announcement. “The music industry is integral to L.A.’s economy, and reflects the spirit of the city itself: diverse, imaginative, and always ready to break new ground. We are thrilled to welcome the Grammys back to the creative capital of the world, and look forward to hosting the awards for years to come.”

The upcoming 61st Grammy Awards is set for Staples Center on Feb. 10, 2019, airing live on both coasts on CBS and repeating on the West Coast. Nominations are to be announced on Dec. 5., lauding the best in recordings released between Oct. 1, 2017, and Sept. 30, 2018.

Key dates and deadlines for the awards process and Grammy Week events are below:

Oct. 17-31: First round of voting
Dec. 5: Nominations announced
Dec. 13-Jan. 9: Final round of voting
Feb. 6: Producers and Engineers Wing Grammy Week Celebration
Feb. 7: Music Educator Award presentation, Grammy In The Schools Live!
Feb. 8: Entertainment Law Initiative event and scholarship presentation, MusiCares Person of the Year
Feb. 9: Grammy nominees reception, Clive Davis’ and the Recording Academy’s Pre-Grammy Gala

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Kesha’s ‘Here Comes the Change’ video features new clips from RBG biopic

Even though Kesha’s music video for “Here Comes the Change” starts off like a silent film, the empowering ballad is anything but quiet.

The song, billed as “her rallying cry for social justice,” hails from the soundtrack of “On the Basis of Sex,” the Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic about the now-85-year-old Supreme Court justice’s early life as a lawyer, her battle to overcome gender discrimination and her confirmation hearing.

Kesha, who in recent years has faced her own personal battles in the public eye, reteams with “Praying” director Jonas Åkerlund for the black-and-white video. In it, she sets the scene in an abandoned attic as she transforms into a sort of one-woman band, playing guitar, harmonica and the occasional drum. She belts out lyrics describing a positive legacy, equality and being “the right inside the wrong.”

New clips from the movie featuring Felicity Jones as Ginsburg, fighting for her position and the advancement of women’s and civil rights, are intercut with the 31-year-old’s emotional performance.

Kesha debuted the single last month alongside an essay for Refinery29 about equality and empowerment that encouraged young people to register to vote ahead of the midterm elections.

“On the Basis of Sex” director Mimi Leder said in a Focus Features statement that she wanted Kesha to write and perform the song “because her passionate voice and immense talent magnify the social justice imperatives Ruth Bader Ginsburg continues to fight for every day.”

The justice, who marked her 25th anniversary on the Supreme Court in August, has become an unexpected pop culture icon. She was celebrated this year with the documentary “RBG” and a “Notorious RBG” exhibit at the Skirball Cultural Center.

“On the Basis of Sex,” which opens the 32nd AFI Fest next month, hits theaters in limited release on Dec. 25.

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Watch Sandra Bullock get caught blind in the apocalypse in new ‘Bird Box’ trailer

Sandra Bullock is trying to save her children’s lives in the upcoming movie “Bird Box.” And she’s doing it with a major handicap.

A mysterious force is killing the world’s population at rapid rates, we learning in an official trailer for the apocalyptic nightmare that was released Wednesday by Netflix. All that is known about the entity: It takes on the form of your worst fear, and if you see it, you take your own life.

Bullock stars as Malorie, who wants to travel with her two children to safety — a task they all attempt without their sense of sight.

“Every single decision I have made has been for them,” she says angrily in the trailer, talking about her kids. She gives them strict instructions for their journey: “If you hear something in the woods, you tell me. If you hear something in the water, you tell me. But under no circumstance are you allowed to take off your blindfold.”

Sarah Paulson, John Malkovich, Trevante Rhodes, Lil Rel Howery, BD Wong, Jacki Weaver and Rosa Salazar are also part of the cast. Susanne Bier, who helmed AMC’s acclaimed series “The Night Manager,” directs the adaptation of Josh Malerman’s 2014 novel.

“Bird Box” debuts on Dec. 21 on Netflix after making its world premiere Nov. 12 at AFI Fest in Los Angeles.

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NBC Olympics chief Jim Bell named executive in charge of ‘The Tonight Show’

Veteran producer Jim Bell, currently the executive in charge of Olympics coverage for NBC, will take on the top producing role at “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” the network announced Wednesday.

Bell will have the title of executive in charge for the late-night franchise, which has been running behind CBS’ “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” in the ratings in the last year.

Bell, 51, has been president of production and programming for NBC Olympics since January 2017, a role that has put him in charge of all of the network’s editorial content related to the Olympic Games. Before rejoining NBC Sports in 2012, he spent seven years as executive producer of NBC’s early morning news franchise “Today.”

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Megyn Kelly gives on-air apology for blackface comments after condemnation from NBC News colleagues

Megyn Kelly has been fearless in using her daily NBC morning program to call out her employer over its handling of sexual harassment allegations of fired “Today” co-anchor Matt Lauer.

But on Wednesday, it was Kelly who was getting a grilling from her own colleagues the day after major social media backlash over her Tuesday comments on “Megyn Kelly Today,” in which she questioned why the use of blackface on Halloween was inappropriate.

Kelly issued an email apology to colleagues later on Tuesday, saying she was wrong about the issue, adding that it was “a time for more understanding and love.”

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‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ trailer is here to remind you that women are funny

“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” returns for a second season on Dec. 5, and the ever-chic Midge Maisel has quite a bit of catching up to do.

In the new trailer for the period comedy, the former housewife played by Rachel Brosnahan is again trying her hand as a stand-up comic in 1950s New York.

(Spoilers follow, so stop reading if you haven’t watched the show.)

After a vicious takedown of a vaudeville star last season, which damaged her fledgling career, the persistent comic gets back to work on the stand-up circuit with the help of her “spittoon” partner/manager Susie (Alex Borstein).

“I wanna be big. The biggest thing out there,” the impeccably well-heeled comedienne says. (The trailer being set to “I’m the Greatest Star” from “Funny Girl” helps drive that notion home.)

(Amazon Prime Video / YouTube)

But the late-night grind is wearing on Midge, who still keeps it a secret from her overbearing parents (Marin Hinkle and Tony Shalhoub). And they’re starting to notice.

But her ex, Joel Maisel (Michael Zegen), is in on her shenanigans and, as teased in the trailer, that might bring the once golden couple closer together.

The feminist comedy still packs in a few punch lines about marriage and Jell-O molds, and this one about women in comedy that’s presented amid a montage of Midge’s less-refined moments:

“Men in general run around telling everyone that only men are funny,” she says. “Comedy is fueled by disappointment and humiliation. Now who the hell does that describe more than women?”

The Amazon Prime series won eight Emmys in September, including for comedy series, lead actress in a comedy (Brosnahan), supporting actress (Borstein) and writing and directing (creator Amy Sherman-Palladino). It has been renewed for a third season.

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Jamie Lee Curtis reveals history of opioid addiction: ‘Stealing, conniving. No one knew’

Jamie Lee Curtis is talking about her history of opioid addiction.
Jamie Lee Curtis is talking about her history of opioid addiction.
(Jay L. Clenenin / Los Angeles Times)

As Laurie Strode in “Halloween,” Jamie Lee Curtis found the will to beat back the boogeyman, but in reality, Curtis faced an even tougher foe.

“I was ahead of the curve of the opiate epidemic,” she said in a recent interview with People. “I had a 10-year run, stealing, conniving. No one knew. No one.”

The 59-year-old actress opened up to the magazine about her history of opioid addiction, which began after a minor plastic surgery procedure on her eyes in 1989.

She went on to share that she had stolen drugs from family and friends, even her sister Kelly, who was the first person to discover the actress’ addiction in 1998.

In February 1999, Curtis began attending recovery meetings and told her longtime husband, director Christopher Guest, of her dependency. Nearly 20 years later, she continues to attend meetings and offer support to those who are struggling.

Addiction runs in the family for Curtis: It’s a demon they’ve struggled with for years. Her father, Tony Curtis, abused alcohol, cocaine and heroin, while her half-brother Nicholas Curtis died of a heroin overdose in 1994.

“I’m breaking the cycle that has basically destroyed the lives of generations in my family,” Curtis told the magazine. “Getting sober remains my single greatest accomplishment … bigger than my husband, bigger than both of my children and bigger than any work, success, failure. Anything.”

The actress has plenty to celebrate as of late, however, starring in the most recent film in the “Halloween” franchise, which scored a huge box-office victory over the weekend, raking in over $77 million.

Representatives for Curtis did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Wednesday morning.

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Canadian rapper dies in stunt while rapping on plane wing

A Canadian rapper died while performing a stunt that involved rapping while walking on the wing of a plane.

British Columbia’s Coroners Service said that 34-year-old Jon James McMurray died Saturday while working with a team making videos of airplane stunts and parachuting.

McMurray’s manager, Ryan Desrochers, said the rapper had trained “intensively” for the stunt but as he moved farther out onto a wing of the small Cessna, the plane went into a downward spiral. He said McMurray held on to the wing too long and that by the time he let go he didn’t have time to open his parachute.

The plane and pilot later landed safely.

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Tracy Chapman sues Nicki Minaj for alleged copyright infringement

Nicki Minaj is being sued by Tracy Chapman, who says the rapper sampled one of her songs without permission.

Chapman filed a copyright infringement lawsuit Monday in federal court in Los Angeles. The Grammy-winning singer says Minaj’s unreleased track “Sorry” incorporates the lyrics and vocal melody from her 1988 single “Baby Can I Hold You.”

The lawsuit states the “Fast Car” singer repeatedly denied multiple requests to sample her song for Minaj’s fourth album, “Queen.”

Minaj’s representatives did not respond to emails seeking comment.

“Sorry” was not included on Minaj’s album but Chapman alleges the rapper gave it to a popular New York disc jockey who played the song on the radio and posted it to his social media accounts in August.

Chapman is suing for unspecified damages and wants to prevent Minaj from releasing “Sorry” commercially.

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A Star Is Born: B.D. Wong turns 58 today

(Jennifer S. Altman / For The Times)

The really gratifying and important work comes from those who write and direct and are able to employ their vision in something.

— B.D. Wong, 1994

FROM THE ARCHIVES: B.D. Wong Declares His ‘All-American Girl’ as a Stereotype-Free Zone

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Steve Carell to join Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon in Apple’s upcoming drama series about morning TV

Steve Carell arrives at the U.K. premiere of "Beautiful Boy" during the London Film Festival in October.
(Andy Rain/EPA)

Apple continues to pad the roster for its new streaming drama about morning television, adding the Oscar-nominated Steve Carell to a cast led by Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston.

Centered around the goings on at a TV morning show, the as-yet-untitled series will feature “Daily Show” alumni Carell as a TV anchor struggling to stay relevant in a rapidly changing media landscape. Witherspoon and Aniston will also star in the show as part of the fictionalized morning show’s orbit. The duo are also both executive producers on the project.

The series is scheduled to begin production in Los Angeles next week with Kerry Ehrin of “Bates Motel” and “Friday Night Lights” as showrunner. The show is part of Apple’s continued investment to join an already crowded streaming TV market and complete against Netflix, Hulu and Amazon. In addition to recent Emmy winner (and “Late Late Show” spinoff) “Carpool Karaoke: The Series” and “Planet of the Apps,” Apple’s upcoming series include the Octavia Spencer-led “Are You Sleeping?” and an “Amazing Stories” reboot.

For Carell, this marks his first series regular role since he left “The Office” in 2011. He earned six Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe award for his performance in that show. He has since gone on to dramatic parts in films like “Foxcatcher,” for which he was nominated for an Oscar, “The Big Short” and recent release “Beautiful Boy.”

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Megyn Kelly issues apology to co-workers over blackface flap

Megyn Kelly has apologized to her co-workers over blackface comments.
Megyn Kelly has apologized to her co-workers over blackface comments.
(Charles Sykes / Associated Press)

Just hours after issuing a hot take on “Megyn Kelly Today,” arguing that blackface on Halloween wasn’t such a big deal, host Megyn Kelly has reversed course.

Kelly issued an apology to her colleagues, stating that she’d reconsidered her views and saying she was sorry for her original sentiments.

“One of the wonderful things about my job is that I get the chance to express and hear a lot of opinions,” the former Fox News anchor wrote in a statement obtained by CNN. “Today is one of those days where listening carefully to other points of view, including from friends and colleagues, is leading me to rethink my own views.”

“When we had the roundtable discussion earlier today about the controversy of making your face look like a different race as part of a Halloween costume, I suggested that this seemed okay if done as part of this holiday where people have the chance to make themselves look like others,” she wrote.

“I realize now that such behavior is indeed wrong, and I am sorry,” Kelly continued. “The history of blackface in our culture is abhorrent; the wounds too deep.”

Kelly’s words were a far cry from her original thoughts as aired Tuesday morning.

“What is racist? You truly do get in trouble if you are a white person who puts on blackface at Halloween or a black person who puts on whiteface for Halloween,” the host bemoaned. “When I was a kid, that was OK as long as you were dressing up as, like, a character.”

The internet was more than happy to fact-check Kelly on her misguided views on blackface, including celebrities such as Patton Oswalt, Padma Lakshmi and W. Kamau Bell.

No word yet on whether Kelly has reconsidered her positions on the ethnicity of Jesus and Santa Claus, however.

ALSO

Halloween: Is your costume racist? Where’s the line?

Drake explains blackface photo amid a Pusha-T diss fest

Asian American celebrities take on Hollywood whitewashing with viral T-shirt

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Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan’s baby may be postponing their rumored U.S. tour

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle might delay a visit to the U.S. because of the duchess’ pregnancy and subsequent arrival of the royal baby, according to a report out on Tuesday.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex — currently on a 16-day tour of Commonwealth countries Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga — are believed to be pushing back their U.S. tour next year from spring to fall, TMZ reported.

However, a Kensington Palace spokesperson declined to comment on the report when reached by The Times on Tuesday.

No official announcement about a U.S. visit has been made, but reports from the summer indicated they would be hitting the duchess’ homeland in spring.

However, now they’re expecting their first child around that time — and about one year after they wed in May — and that could foil their travel plans.

The child will be the seventh in line for the British throne, following Harry’s father Prince Charles, brother Prince William, William’s three children and Harry himself.

The couple’s baby announcement came earlier this month as the British prince and the former “Suits” actress arrived in Sydney, Australia, ahead of the paralympic Invictus Games. The duchess has cut back on some of her expected appearances due to the pregnancy.

But the Los Angeles native was back in top form Monday when the two visited Australia’s Fraser Island. Then on Tuesday, she wowed in a cream Zimmermann dress and matching fascinator by Stephen Jones upon arriving in Suva, Fiji. Later, she cradled her modest baby bump in a show-stopping Fijian-blue caped gown by London-based label Safiyaa for a state reception and dinner hosted by the president of Fiji.

The couple’s baby announcement came earlier this month as the British prince and the former “Suits” actress arrived in Sydney, Australia, ahead of the paralympic Invictus Games. The duchess has cut back on some of her expected appearances due to the pregnancy.

But the Los Angeles native was back in top form Monday when the two visited Australia’s Fraser Island. Then on Tuesday, she wowed in a cream Zimmermann dress and matching fascinator by Stephen Jones upon arriving in Suva, Fiji. Later, she cradled her modest baby bump in a show-stopping Fijian-blue caped gown by London-based label Safiyaa for a state reception and dinner hosted by the president of Fiji.

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Drake surpasses the Beatles for most top 10 hits in a year

Drake, seen performing in 2016, has a new album, "Scorpion."
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

By any measure, Drake is an inescapable force in pop music. But now one can credibly argue that he’s having one of the best years on the charts of any artist or group in modern history.

With his new cameo on Bad Bunny’s smash hit “Mia,” the rapper notched his 12th appearance on a Billboard top 10 single in 2018. That sets a new record over the prior landmark set by the Beatles in their world-conquering year of 1964.

Drake’s remarkable 2018 run includes solo staples such as “God’s Plan,” “Nice for What” and “In My Feelings,” each of which spent significant time at No. 1, often on the back of extremely meme-able videos.

His collaborations with Migos on “Walk It Talk It,” Lil Baby on “Yes Indeed” and BlocBoy JB on “Look Alive” helped push him past the Beatles’ previous record of 11 singles that made the top 10. So now when he wants to stare up at the stars and put the Beatles on, he can do so with an extra little glimmer of triumph.

The Beatles shouldn’t feel too bad about their old record being shattered, however.

Any year that saw the release of “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” Can’t Buy Me Love” and “A Hard Day’s Night” is one you can walk away from with your head high. The band still holds the record for most No. 1 hits in a single year, notching six in that very transformative year. Drake has three No. 1 songs this year.

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Sarah Silverman apologizes for Louis C.K. masturbation story after rebuke from accuser

Sarah Silverman, pictured here with old friend Louis C.K. in 2016, came under fire this week for an unsavory anecdote from the pair's past.
(Angela Weiss / AFP / Getty Images)

Comedian Sarah Silverman is apologizing for an anecdote she shared about Louis C.K. masturbating, after facing criticism from a woman who accused C.K. of sexual misconduct.

On Monday, Silverman was interviewed by Howard Stern and revealed that in her long friendship with C.K. she occasionally gave him consent to masturbate in her presence, stating that as young comics they would sometimes let their “freak flags fly.”

The story comes in the wake of C.K.’s 2017 admission that he had repeatedly propositioned women for permission to masturbate in front of them, disregarding the power imbalance that may have existed between them because of his fame.

Silverman said she didn’t share the story as an excuse for C.K.’s behavior and attempted to clarify that her situation was entirely different from those of the women who accused C.K. of inappropriate behavior last year.

“We are peers. We’re equals,” Silverman said of herself and C.K. “It’s not analogous to the other women that are talking about what he did to them. Because he could offer me nothing. We were only just friends.”

Not everyone was satisfied by Silverman’s explanation, including comedian Rebecca Corry, one of the women who went on the record last year about her experience with C.K.

“To be real clear, CK had ‘nothing to offer me’ as I too was his equal on the set the day he decided to sexually harass me,” Corry tweeted in response to Silverman’s statement. “He took away a day I worked years for and still has no remorse. He’s a predator who victimized women for decades and lied about it.”

Silverman quickly responded to Corry with an apology.

“Rebecca I’m sorry,” she tweeted. “Ugh this is why I don’t like weighing in. I can’t seem to do press 4 my show w/out being asked about it. But you’re right- you were equals and he [messed] with you and it’s not ok.”

“I’m sorry, friend,” Silverman continued. “You are so talented and so kind.”

“Thank you. I know exactly how you feel. I can’t seem to live my life without getting rape & death threats, harassed & called a … regularly for simply telling the truth,” Corry replied. “I’m sorry your friend created this situation. We deserve to do our art without having to deal with this ...”

In recent weeks, C.K. has been seen performing comedy sets in what appears to be an attempt to return to the public eye.

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Ryan Murphy reveals young son’s cancer battle and a $10-million donation

Producer Ryan Murphy.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Producer Ryan Murphy donated $10 million to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, where his son Ford Theodore Miller Murphy has been treated for pediatric cancer over the last two years.

“Today at the hospital we are donating a wing in tribute to Ford and our family is making a gift of $10 million dollars so that other children can experience the love and care of this exceptional facility,” Murphy wrote Monday on Instagram.

The “American Horror Story” and “Glee” producer made the announcement as he marked Ford’s 4th birthday. The post, which featured a photo of the youngster riding a pony, revealed the child’s history with neuroblastoma and detailed the life-saving care he’d received at the children’s hospital.

The disease, which develops from immature nerve cells found in several areas of the body, was diagnosed after Ford’s pediatrician found an abdominal tumor the size of a tennis ball during a regular checkup, Murphy said.

In honor of the family’s donation, CHLA will name the fifth floor of the Marion and John E. Anderson Pavilion the “Ford Theodore Miller Murphy Floor,” the hospital said. It is a floor dedicated to caring for medically and surgically acute patients of all ages.

“Two years ago, this sweet little innocent boy with a deep belly laugh and an obsession with Monster Trucks was diagnosed with neuroblastoma…an often fatal pediatric cancer,” Murphy wrote.

Since then, his toddler underwent a major surgery and several difficult procedures, an ordeal that reduced the Emmy-winning producer to “a trembling wreck.”

Neuroblastoma is the third most common cancer in children and the second most common solid tumor in children, besides brain tumors, according to CHLA.

But now Ford is strong and thriving: “He just celebrated his fourth birthday, a milestone we are all so thrilled about,” Murphy said.

Murphy thanked his photographer husband David Miller, Ford’s pediatrician Dr. Lauren Crosby and the staff at CHLA.

“No child is turned away at Children’s Hospital. We are so honored and lucky to contribute, and encourage everybody who can to do the same,” he wrote.

“The Miller Murphy family’s generosity will help us continue to provide world-class, lifesaving care to the patients we treat,” CHLA President and CEO Paul S. Viviano said in a statement. “This gift reflects the family’s dedication to enhancing the care of children throughout the Los Angeles community.”

Murphy’s gift will be used to support CHLA’s efforts in surgical oncology, neuroblastoma treatment and research in the hospital’s Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases.

Portions of the donation will be used to appoint Dr. James Stein, the hospital’s chief medical officer, as inaugural chairman of Surgical Oncology, and another will be used to support an endowment in neuroblastoma care, the hospital said.

“David and I, as well as Logan, [their older child], are immensely grateful for the care that CHLA provided not only to Ford, but to us as well,” Murphy said in a statement from CHLA. “His cancer diagnosis was one of life’s unexpected moments and the team at the hospital provided a comforting atmosphere in the midst of a trying situation.”

“CHLA was an obvious choice for us when we learned of Ford’s diagnosis,” Miller added. “We needed a support system and their experience with children and parents proved invaluable.”

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Rosie O’Donnell announces engagement to Elizabeth Rooney

Elizabeth Rooney, left, and Rosie O'Donnell.
(Astrid Stawiarz / Getty Images)

Rosie O’Donnell has a new love in her life and is ready to take the next step.

The Times can confirm that the actress and former co-host of “The View” is engaged to Army veteran Elizabeth Rooney.

O’Donnell, 56, gushed to People on Monday about her fiancee, who is 23 years her junior.

“She’s very much an equal, she’s very much her own person and loves what she does,” O’Donnell told the magazine. “She’s a pretty unbelievable young woman.”

This will be O’Donnell’s third trip down the aisle. The “SMILF” star married Kelli Carpenter in 2004 and the pair had four children — Parker, 23; Chelsea, 21; Blake, 18; and Vivienne 15.

After her split with Carpenter, O’Donnell married Michelle Rounds in 2012. The couple had one child, Dakota, 5, and divorced in 2015.

As of yet, there’s no wedding date set for O’Donnell and Rooney, though the star told People that they won’t be rushing to the altar.

“This is a long time in the future,” O’Donnell said of the pending nuptials. “We both decided that that would be best.”

Check out Rooney’s blinged-out ring below.

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A Star Is Born: Emilia Clarke turns 32 today

(Christina House / For The Times)

Everything that I’m doing right now is because I feel like doing it. It’s pretty dope.

— Emilia Clarke, 2016

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Emilia Clarke Trades Dragons for Tragedy in the Romantic Weepie ‘Me Before You’

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Sarah Silverman says Louis C.K. occasionally masturbated in front of her, with her consent

(Richard Shotwell / Invision)

Sarah Silverman said Louis C.K. used to masturbate in front of her, but only when she gave him permission.

In an interview with Howard Stern on his SiriusXM radio show on Monday, Silverman discussed her friendship with C.K. and how as young comics they sometimes let their “freak flags fly” together.

“When we were kids and he asked if he could masturbate in front of me, sometimes I’d go ‘… yeah, I want to see that! It’s like science!’” said Silverman. But “sometimes I’d be like ‘… no, gross’ and we’d get pizza.”

Silverman wanted to be clear that she was not making excuses for C.K.’s behavior and that her situation was completely different from those of women who accused C.K. of sexual misconduct last year.

“We are peers. We’re equals,” said Silverman. “It’s not analogous to the other women that are talking about what he did to them. Because he could offer me nothing. We were only just friends.”

Later, in an interview with Andy Cohen on his SiriusXM channel, Silverman was asked about her thoughts on the “outrage” about Louis C.K.’s recent return to the stand-up stage.

“I get it,” said Silverman. “I am not in the business of telling people how to feel.”

And, she told Cohen, she may not be the best person to ask for insight on the situation.

“He’s my brother and I love him,” said Silverman. “I think I’m too close to see the big picture, so I feel like I’m not the one to really shed any light on this.”

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Amy Schumer announces pregnancy on a list of midterm endorsements

Comedian Amy Schumer.
(Jordan Strauss / Associated Press)

Amy Schumer is pregnant with her first child — but she’d rather you focus on the midterm election.

The “I Feel Pretty” star, 37, who married chef Chris Fischer in February, announced the pregnancy on journalist Jessica Yellin’s Instagram page Monday by burying the lead at the end of her list of voting recommendations for the website News Not Noise.

“I’m pregnant,” she wrote at the bottom of a list of nearly two dozen candidates.

Moments before making the announcement, the comedian teased the news with a photo of her and Fischer’s heads superimposed on the bodies of Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who recently announced they were expecting a child.

“Chris and I are thrilled and almost positive he’s the father. I look forward to competing with Markle every step of the way,” Schumer quipped in a statement to The Times on Monday.

It should be noted that Fischer is indeed the father, she added. No word yet on Schumer’s due date.

The Emmy Award-winning actress-activist, cousin of Senate minority leader Charles E. Schumer, has been vociferous in her campaigning for Democrats, women’s and transgender rights and was arrested earlier this month after protesting the nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Over the weekend, she applauded singer Rihanna for backing out of the Super Bowl LIII halftime show in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick.

Times staff writer Amy Kaufman contributed to this report.

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Jamie Lee Curtis indulges in a ‘BOAST post’ after successful ‘Halloween’ opening

Jamie Lee Curtis slayed on the red carpet and at box office as "Halloween" pulled in record numbers over the weekend.
(Chris Pizzello / Associated Press)

Once a scream queen, always a scream queen.

Jamie Lee Curtis wasn’t just slaying on the red carpet last week as the actress’ return to the “Halloween” franchise also raked in big bucks at the box office over the weekend.

Revisiting her role of Laurie Strode for the first time since 2002’s “Halloween: Resurrection,” Curtis wasn’t above a little bragging about how well her latest film performed with an allegedly (we’ve seen pictures and are skeptical) 59-year-old actress in the lead role.

“OK. I’m going for one BOAST post,” Curtis tweeted on Sunday after box office returns came out.

“Biggest horror movie opening with a female lead. Biggest movie opening with a female lead over 55. Second biggest October movie opening ever. Biggest ‘Halloween’ opening ever,” she continued, and adding the hashtag #womengetthingsdone.

In potentially unrelated — or maybe tangentially related news — Deadline reported Monday that Roy Lee’s Vertigo Entertainment and LeBron James’ SpringHill Entertainment are in talks to bring “Friday the 13th” back from the dead. The news comes just a day after the $76.2-million weekend haul for “Halloween.”

No word yet on plans to reboot “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” but it feels like a safe bet at this point.

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Pete Davidson makes light of Ariana Grande breakup at a stand-up gig

Pete Davidson
(Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images)

It was only a matter of time before Pete Davidson turned his breakup with singer Ariana Grande into stand-up fodder.

The “Saturday Night Live” star appeared at Largo at the Coronet in West Hollywood on Saturday for Judd Apatow’s Judd & Pete for America event, a voter benefit for Swing Left. There, the comedian quickly addressed the elephant in the room: him.

Davidson, who has previous joked about his father’s death on 9/11, confirmed and somewhat elaborated on the split, poking fun at his current living situation and his much-maligned Grande-inspired tattoos.

The appearance came after the young couple ended a whirlwind romance — and engagement — earlier this month. The breakup, which came almost as quickly as the relationship had started, made headlines last week with tidbits about the details and the couple’s current status. And Davidson, who backed out of a Temple University appearance last week, addressed some of the gossip head on.

“Well, as you could tell, I don’t want to be here,” he quipped, according to several outlets. “There’s a lot going on. Does anybody have any open rooms? Looking for a roommate?”

Davidson, 24, and Grande, 25, reportedly bought a $16-million apartment in New York together, and their living arrangement became fodder for “SNL’s” season opener last month.

The comedian also said he’s “been covering a bunch of tattoos” and is “0 for 2 in the tattoo [department],” according to E! News. “Yeah, I’m afraid to get my mom tattooed on me, that’s how bad it is.”

Grande, who named a track on her “Sweetener” album after Davidson, covered up her love-inspired “Pete” tattoo with a Band-Aid when she taped NBC’s “Wicked” Halloween special last week.

Since then, the singer said she would be taking a break from the internet, though she’s posted a few selfies on Instagram. On Monday, she broke her seven-day hiatus from Twitter to toss some adoration at her fans and share details about arrangements for her Sweetener tour. She also shut down those making fun of her forehead.

Also Monday, TMZ reported that the couple had not made any significant wedding plans after Davidson popped the question over the summer.

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Willie Nelson seems to have picked a side in the World Series

With a new single called “Vote ’Em Out,” Willie Nelson has made no secret of his preference for Beto O’Rourke over Ted Cruz in next month’s Senate race in his home state of Texas.

But who is the country music legend rooting for in the World Series?

Nelson provided an answer Sunday night when he shuffled onstage at the Hollywood Bowl wearing a blue-and-white Justin Turner jersey and asked, “How ’bout them Dodgers?”

Headlining the final date of the touring Outlaw Music Festival, the 85-year-old singer and guitarist soaked in the resulting cheers from his audience for a minute before opening, as always, with “Whiskey River.”

From there he played a typical — and typically delightful — set with customary nods to his late pals Waylon Jennings (with “Good Hearted Woman”) and Merle Haggard (“It’s All Going to Pot”) and classics including “On the Road Again” and “Always on My Mind.”

Near the end Nelson did “Vote ’Em Out,” which got many in this crowd of coastal progressives pumping their fists as eagerly as they had at the mention of the Dodgers.

Also on Sunday’s bill were Margo Price, who introduced her cover of Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” by telling us to “remember the patriarchy,” and Sturgill Simpson, who said he expected this show to be his last for a while, as his wife just gave birth to their third son the other day. (In other baseball-apparel news, Simpson wore a T-shirt replicating one famously worn in the mid-1970s by Dave Parker of the Pittsburgh Pirates: “IF YOU HEAR ANY NOISE IT’S JUST ME AND THE BOYS BOPPIN,” the shirt read.)

Two of Nelson’s sons opened the show with brief performances, including an impressive set by Lukas Nelson, who worked on the music for Bradley Cooper’s “A Star Is Born” and here was rocking the Jackson Maine-style hat to prove it.

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Chris Hemsworth picks up a hitchhiker in Australia —  with a helicopter

Chris Hemsworth.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Actor Chris Hemsworth showcased his brand of Aussie hospitality this weekend — and perhaps the perks of being a loaded celebrity.

The “Bad Times at the El Royale” star used a private helicopter for some good when he and trainer pal Luke Zocchi picked up a street-side hitchhiker and dropped him off in Byron Bay, where they were heading to surf. (Hemsworth is also building a gargantuan home there.)

“Picked up a hitchhiker, wasn’t a serial killer which we were stoked about,” Hemsworth wrote Sunday on Instagram, sharing a video detailing the fortunate sequence of events.

The hitchhiker was musician Scott Hildebrand, who had just arrived in Brisbane from Mexico with his instruments in tow. According to his website, the Chicago native is on tour in Australia.

Footage from the trio’s journey showed the surprised singer boarding the “Thor: Ragnarok” star’s car. It then cut to an airfield where Hemsworth gave him a headset to prepare for the flight, then arriving in Byron Bay — where Hemsworth was photographed this weekend enjoying a day trip with his family.

On his Instagram page, Hildebrand later posted a clip of him singing “Ready to Fly,” the song Hemsworth and Zocchi’s video was set to.

“When hitchhiking leads to a helicopter ride with Thor… So grateful for this crazy experience and the opportunity to share my music with so many beautiful people. Thanks guys!” Hildebrand wrote.

No doubt he’s reveling in the high-profile exposure.

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Selma Blair reveals MS diagnosis in moving Instagram post

Selma Blair took to Instagram on Saturday to reveal her multiple sclerosis diagnosis.
(Rachel Murray / Getty Images )

“Hellboy” actress Selma Blair turned to Instagram on Saturday to reveal to the world that she has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

What began as a caption lauding costume designer Allisa Swanson on Netflix’s upcoming sci-fi series “Another Life” quickly revealed itself to be so much more as Blair expounded on all the ways that Swanson assists her with the minutiae of getting dressed.

“She carefully gets my legs in my pants, pulls my tops over my head, buttons my coats and offers her shoulder to steady myself,” Blair explains before revealing why. “I have #multiplesclerosis.”

Blair went on to share that she is currently suffering from an exacerbation — or flare-up — of the disease, which she was diagnosed with on Aug. 16.

Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system that sparks the immune system to attack the protective myelin sheath covering the nerves. The resultant damage disrupts the body’s ability to communicate with itself.

An exacerbation can last for days, weeks or months in the relapsing-remitting form of MS. Blair said she’s had symptoms of the currently incurable condition for 15 years.

“I am disabled,” the actress stated. “I fall sometimes. I drop things. My memory is foggy. And my left side is asking for directions from a broken GPS.”

“But we are doing it,” Blair continued. “And I laugh and I don’t know exactly what I will do precisely but I will do my best.”

The post from the “Cruel Intentions” actress, captioning a selfie from a costume fitting earlier in the week, spurred an outpouring of support from friends and fans alike, garnering more than 90,000 likes and almost 7,500 comments.

Representatives for Blair did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Monday morning.

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‘Pinocchio’ will be a stop-motion animated musical, thanks to Guillermo del Toro

Guillermo del Toro will create a new version of "Pinocchio" as a stop-motion animated musical.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

It’s not a lie: “Pinocchio” is becoming a stop-motion animated musical, written and directed by Guillermo del Toro.

Netflix announced Monday that the Oscar-winning director of “The Shape of Water” has found a home for his lifelong passion project on the streaming platform. The film also marks the animated feature directorial debut for Del Toro, who has served as an executive producer on DreamWorks Animation films including “Puss in Boots,” “Kung Fu Panda 3” and “Rise of the Guardians,” and as a producer on “The Book of Life.”

The re-imagining of the classic tale will be set in Italy during the 1930s, a period that saw the rise of fascism under Benito Mussolini. Production is expected to begin this fall.

“No art form has influenced my life and my work more than animation and no single character in history has had as deep of a personal connection to me as ‘Pinocchio,’” Del Toro said in a statement.

“In our story, Pinocchio is an innocent soul with an uncaring father who gets lost in a world he cannot comprehend. He embarks on an extraordinary journey that leaves him with a deep understanding of his father and the real world. I’ve wanted to make this movie,” he said, “for as long as I can remember.”

Guillermo del Toro won the best director Oscar earlier this year for "The Shape of Water."
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

The new adaptation expands Netflix’s existing relationship with Del Toro, who created the Emmy-winning Dreamworks television series “Trollhunters.” The next installment of the DreamWorks “Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia” trilogy, titled “3Below,” is set to debut on Dec. 21, followed by “Wizards” in 2019. He is also the creator of the upcoming Netflix series “Guillermo del Toro Presents 10 After Midnight.”

“After the incredible experience we have had on ‘Trollhunters,’ I am grateful that the talented team at Netflix is giving me the opportunity of a lifetime to introduce audiences everywhere to my version of this strange puppet-turned-real-boy,” Del Toro continued in the statement.

Del Toro — who also helmed “Pan’s Labyrinth,” “Hellboy,” “Hellboy II” and “The Devil’s Backbone” — will write the script with Patrick McHale and direct with Mark Gustafson. He will also produce with the Jim Henson Co. and ShadowMachine, which will house the stop-motion animation production. The film’s puppets will be built by Mackinnon and Saunders and take inspiration from Gris Grimly’s original 2002 illustrations for the Pinocchio character.

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Julia Louis-Dreyfus accepts Mark Twain Prize, finding humor in cancer — and the current administration

During her 35-year career on television, Julia Louis-Dreyfus developed a reputation for fearlessness, with nothing being off limits.

She stayed true to that reputation on Sunday when she was honored with the the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the John F. Kennedy Center For the Performing Arts in Washington, allowing her recent battle with stage two breast cancer to became a source of comic material for the night.

“Last year I was lucky enough to get an Emmy Award for my performance on ‘Veep,’ which was an incredible thrill and it set some kind of a record for the most Emmys for doing something or other, and 12 hours later I was diagnosed with cancer — another hilarious turn of events,” Louis-Dreyfus said in her speech when accepting the award. “I’m only half kidding, of course. Cancer isn’t at all funny, but a big part of dealing with it has been finding the funny parts. The old cliché about laughter is the best medicine is true, which is good because that’s what the current administration is trying to replace Obamacare with.”

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A Star Is Born: Jeff Goldblum turns 66 today

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

I don’t know what people think of me. What do I care? I don’t even know what I think of myself. I like being nothing in particular.

— Jeff Goldblum, 2010

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Jeff Goldblum Is In It for the ‘Glory’ If Not the Glory

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What’s going on with Netflix and Marvel? ‘Luke Cage’ and ‘Iron Fist’ canceled after two seasons

Marvel’s “Luke Cage” will not return for a third season, Netflix announced Friday.

The announcement came a week after the studio and streaming service announced the cancellation of fellow “Defenders” series “Iron Fist” and on the day the long-awaited third season of “Daredevil” premiered.

“Unfortunately, Marvel’s ‘Luke Cage’ will not return for a third season,” Marvel and Netflix said on Friday. “Everyone at Marvel Television and Netflix is grateful to the dedicated showrunner, writers, cast and crew who brought Harlem’s Hero to life for the past two seasons, and to all the fans who have supported the series.”

Deadline, which broke the story, noted the news came as a surprise. The generally well-reviewed series’ writers room had been working on producing scripts for around six months and the show’s stars, including lead Mike Colter, remain under contract. According to Deadline, a dispute involving the creative direction and number of episodes for Season 3 ultimately led to the show’s demise.

Although Marvel parent company Disney has plans to launch its own standalone streaming service in 2019 and is already developing fresh comic book-inspired content, it’s still unclear how deeply the rivalry will affect the preexisting Marvel titles on Netflix.

At least two other Marvel series, “Jessica Jones” and “The Punisher,” will return for their respective third and second seasons on Netflix in 2019.

“A lot [of] memories,” tweeted “Luke Cage” showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker on Saturday. “A lot of individual thank you calls to make. Just want to say thank you to Marvel, Netflix, the best Writer’s room, cast, crew, the Midnight Hour, all those who graced the stage at Harlem’s Paradise and the most incredible fan base in the world. Forward always...”

So far there are no plans for Marvel to resurrect “Luke Cage” on the upcoming Disney service, with Deadline suggesting that prospect seems unlikely.

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A Star Is Born: Kim Kardashian turns 38 today

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

My dad taught us, ‘Family is everything. Always know your heritage.’

— Kim Kardashian, 2017

FROM THE ARCHIVES: How Kim Kardashian’s Armenian roots are helping ‘The Promise’

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A Star Is Born: Wanda Jackson turns 81 today

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

What I did was take the songs the guys were singing, and I sang ‘em, too. They weren’t ready for it, a girl with that much freedom. All I did was growl.

— Wanda Jackson, 1998

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Holding Court for the King

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Disney delays ‘Jungle Cruise,’ starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, to summer 2020

Dwayne Johnson stars in the Disney adventure movie "Jungle Cruise."
(Richard Shotwell / Associated Press)

“Jungle Cruise” is pushing back its launch date.

Disney’s film adaptation of its classic theme park ride, starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, will hit theaters July 24, 2020, the studio announced Friday morning. It was previously set to be released Oct. 11, 2019.

“Ladies and gentlemen and children of all ages. My partner in crime, Emily Blunt and I, lovingly invite you to join us for THE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME,” Johnson said on social media, as part of the announcement. “What could possibly go wrong? All aboard...”

The actor stars in the live-action adventure movie as a boat captain who brings his sister (Blunt) and brother (Jack Whitehall) on an expedition through the jungles of the the Amazon. While attempting to locate a magical, healing tree, they come face-to-face with wild animals and competing explorers.

Paul Giamatti, Jesse Plemons and Edgar Ramirez are also among the cast of the movie, directed by “The Shallows” filmmaker Jaume Collet-Serra.

The new “Jungle Cruise” release date replaces that of an as-yet-unannounced Marvel movie, which is now unset. A Sony animated film is also currently set to open on that date.

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Karlie Kloss and Joshua Kushner are married

Karlie Kloss and Joshua Kushner attend the U.S. Open tennis finals on Sept. 6 in New York.
(Greg Allen / Associated Press)

Karlie Kloss and Joshua Kushner were married Thursday in upstate New York, reportedly exchanging vows in front of about 80 friends and family.

The supermodel sent out a heart and the “10.18.2018” date with a wedding picture of the newlyweds Thursday on social media, confirming the deed had been done.

Kloss wore a custom Dior gown, according to People, which had some details from what a friend called an “intimate and moving” ceremony. “They’re excited to build their future together,” the friend said.

The former Victoria’s Secret model, 26, and the businessman, 33, had been quietly dating since 2012, Marie Claire said.

Kushner is, of course, the brother of Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump’s husband and a senior adviser to the president. He proposed to Kloss this summer.

“So much love for you both as you begin forever together,” the first daughter wrote Friday.

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Lena Dunham’s Lenny Letter website shut down Friday

Lenny Letter, the feminist content site founded by Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner, is shutting down.

Subscribers were notified Friday that the site, which began as a newsletter in 2015, will close that day, confirming reports that emerged Thursday from Digiday and the New York Post. Staff and contributors were informed days before. Dunham, Konner and reps for Lenny Letter and Condé Nast have not yet responded to a request for comment.

“When we began plotting Lenny almost four years ago, we were casually referring to this venture as our cool older sister — someone who’s been there, done that, someone who’s learned from her successes and her failures,” read the final send to subscribers on Friday.

“But this newsletter has grown way beyond that dream. It was our dearest hope that we could create a space where new voices were safe to speak, and speak loudly. But we didn’t create that. You did. What you have created — a fiercely passionate community of dedicated readers, writers, and artists — is more than we ever could have asked for.”

Lenny Letter launched on the heels of the producing duo’s hit HBO series “Girls” and discussed topics such as entertainment, fashion and politics through a contemporary feminist lens.

The twice-weekly offering was one of the first to experiment with email-only content, which has included headline-making features such as Jennifer Lawrence’s pay disparity essay, Alicia Keys’ decision to wean off makeup and Michelle Obama’s plea to prioritize global education, as well as conversations with Hillary Clinton and Janet Mock.

The initiative previously partnered with Hearst for ad sales, and then Condé Nast. It branched out into a content site with podcasts and videos, as well as a book imprint under Random House. At a high point, the newsletter boasted a base of 500,000 subscribers.

However, wider interest has since dwindled; the site was also clouded by controversy last year when writer Zinzi Clemmons publicized her decision to cease working with Dunham, accusing her of racism.

Jenni Konner co-founded Lenny Letter in 2015.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

“While there’s no one reason for our closure, this change allows for growth and a shift in perspectives — ours and yours,” continues the last letter. “Please, continue to push forward the voices that need a platform, the untold stories that deserve to be heard, the diversity that the publishing industry claims to value but has never mastered.”

The farewell address, which can be read in full here, also encouraged readers to be vigilant in their demands for quality content and honorable politicians.

“As powerful as storytelling is, it’s only half the work. What comes after is equally important. Real change-making takes work, and part of that work will come this November,” Friday’s message read. “There is nothing more critical to counteracting the daily devastation of the current regime than the midterm elections. Knock on strangers’ doors, drive people who can’t drive themselves to the polls, host a postcard-writing party to encourage unlikely voters, canvas at Taylor Swift concerts. Do whatever it takes.”

The news that Lenny Letter will close comes only days after Dunham and Konner’s limited series “Camping” debuted on HBO. The Jennifer Garner vehicle is their final collaboration for the time being, as they announced their indefinite split as producers earlier this year.

After working together on six seasons of “Girls,” the documentary “Suited” and the short film “Tokyo Project,” Dunham and Konner are now opting to pursue projects independently.

“We feel super lucky to have had eight amazing years together. We just want to do different things,” Konner said while promoting “Camping” over the summer. “There’s no drama to be found there. It’s just about the creative process.”

The report caps a tough week already for Dunham, who just slammed critics for second-guessing her decision not to fully promote “Camping” because of her ongoing battle with endometriosis. The disorder causes the tissue that typically serves as the uterine lining to grow outside of the uterus, which she has since had removed, along with her cervix and left ovary.

Dunham has been open about her health struggles for years; it also spurred the cancellation of last year’s six-city Lenny Letter tour.

8:42 a.m.: This story was updated with confirmation that Lenny Letter shut down on Friday, along with quotes from the official announcement.

Story was originally published at 2:55 p.m., Oct. 18.

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A Star Is Born: Jennifer Holliday turns 58 today

(Jennifer S. Altman / For The Times)

The voice has never failed me. It’s always been there.

— Jennifer Holliday, 2006

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Out of the picture

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Elle’s fake news about Kim Kardashian and Kanye West breaking up backfires

A questionable Elle magazine tweet that directed people to a voter-registration page when they thought they were getting dishy gossip on Kim Kardashian and Kanye West splitting up had members of the media and others talking Thursday afternoon.

Commentary on the tweet was mixed, technically — “This is brilliant,” said CNN political pundit Chris Cillizza — though it seemed to fall more heavily on the side of condemnation.

New York magazine and HuffPo writer Yashar Ali pointed out that a random tweeter had pulled the same stunt days earlier with the lure of news on Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson’s breakup.

Other commenters suggested the tweet insulted Elle readers by implying that the only way they’d be interested in registering to vote was if they were tricked into it with the promise of outrageous gossip.

But Elle’s biggest error? Being a real media organization tweeting out fake news.

“When a random tweeter did this it was clever but now you’re just stealing their tweet and also spreading fake news,” Ali said.

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Lin-Manuel Miranda, Idina Menzel and Josh Groban sing lullabies on benefit album for migrant children

Composer-actor Lin-Manuel Miranda.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Laura Benanti has tapped Lin-Manuel Miranda, Audra McDonald, Idina Menzel and several other Broadway stars for a bilingual kids’ album benefiting migrant children and those who have been separated from their families at the border.

“Singing You Home — Children’s Songs for Family Reunification” will feature tracks and duets sung by them, as well as Josh Groban, Kristin Chenoweth and Ingrid Michaelson. Broadway Baby Mamas, an ensemble of working mothers in theater, provides backup vocals, Ghostlight Records announced Thursday.

The English- and Spanish-language album, which goes on sale Oct. 26, enlisted artists, musicians, technicians and recording studios to donate their time and talents.

According to the record label, that was done to ensure that a substantial portion of the proceeds from the album could go directly to nonprofit organizations working to reunite and support separated families and recently arrived unaccompanied minors.

Singer and actress Laura Benanti.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Tony Award-winning actress Benanti, who on Wednesday again spoofed First Lady Melania Trump on “The Late Show,” spearheaded the project and produced it alongside Broadway director Mary-Mitchell Campbell, founder and co-executive director of Artists Striving to End Poverty, and Lynn Pinto.

“Watching children be ripped from their families is obviously very upsetting, and I felt completely helpless,” Benanti said in a statement. “Then I realized that I have a lot of really talented, wonderful friends, and together, we’ve put together this beautiful album. We hope the music we have created can bring love and empathy into the hearts of everyone who hears it, and that the money raised will aid in reuniting children with their loved ones.”

“RAICES is humbled to be chosen as the recipient of this tremendous push of support. Every day we fight to put ourselves out of business, for a world where our clients feel safe and welcome,” said Jonathan Ryan, executive director of the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services.

Here’s the complete track list:

  1. “Arrorró Mi Niño” – Laura Benanti & Isabella Preston
  2. “Singing You Home” – Audra McDonald & Jason Robert Brown
  3. “Cielito Lindo” – Lin-Manuel Miranda & Mandy Gonzalez
  4. “Lullaby” – Josh Groban & Idina Menzel
  5. “Beautiful Dreamer” – Kristin Chenoweth
  6. “Si Pudiera Leer Tus Sueños” – Cynthia Erivo
  7. “Twinkle Twinkle” – Ingrid Michaelson & Ana Villafañe
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Patty Jenkins’ limited series ‘I Am the Night,’ starring Chris Pine, will have world premiere at AFI Fest

In another sign of the increasing importance of TV content to film festivals, the AFI Fest announced Thursday that it will host the world premiere of the first episode of TNT’s “I Am the Night,” an upcoming limited series directed by Patty Jenkins and starring Chris Pine.

The “Wonder Woman” collaborators are switching gears for a noirish tale inspired by true events of unsolved crime, twisted secrets and Hollywood debauchery. The six-episode event will air on the cable network starting in January.

AFI Fest will also preview Jed Rothstein’s four-part Showtime documentary series “Enemies: The President, Justice & the FBI,” executive produced by Alex Gibney, which “examines the complex history of conflict between the FBI and U.S. presidents.”

Both series will screen in AFI Fest’s special screenings section, alongside several newly announced films that have previously premiered at other festivals. Those include two titles with heavy Oscar buzz: Alfonso Cuarón’s family drama “Roma” and Yorgos Lanthimos’ ribald period comedy “The Favourite.”

Also in the AFI lineup are the Natalie Portman-as-a-pop-star vehicle “Vox Lux”; David Robert Mitchell’s L.A.-set “Under the Silver Lake”; Asghar Farhadi’s “Everybody Knows,” starring Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz; and Paweł Pawlikowski’s “Cold War,” which represents Poland in this year’s foreign-language Oscar race.

This year’s AFI Fest runs Nov. 8-15 in Hollywood, and additional information can be found at AFIFest.com.

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‘Halloween’ producer Jason Blum apologizes for dismissing female horror directors

"Halloween" producer Jason Blum at the film's Hollywood premiere on Wednesday.
(Chris Pizzello / Associated Press)

“Halloween” producer Jason Blum is apologizing for off-target comments he made about his company’s failure to hire female directors for its signature horror genre — and his perception of their unavailability — in a recent magazine interview.

Blum seemed “jolted” when asked about Blumhouse Productions’ failure to hire any female directors since its creation in 2006, Polygon writer Matt Patches wrote in an article published Wednesday.

“We’re always trying to [do] that,” Blum said. “We’re not trying to do it because of recent events. We’ve always been trying.”

40 years later, the original ‘Halloween’ haunts still scare up a crowd in South Pasadena

The producer then called an assistant to try to help him remember the name of another women he said he’d met with “a bunch of times” on a movie the company is working on with Sony Pictures. No luck there.

“There are not a lot of female directors period, and even less who are inclined to do horror. I’m a massive admirer of [‘The Babadook’ director] Jennifer Kent,” he continued. “I’ve offered her every movie we’ve had available. She’s turned me down every time.”

People on social media were quick to criticize, and the AV Club jumped unto the breach by suggesting 10 female horror directors who could use a break from big-time Hollywood.

“Thank you everyone for calling me out on my dumb comments in that interview. I made a stupid mistake. I spoke too quickly about a serious issue — an issue I am passionate about,” the producer tweeted late Wednesday.

He noted that more than half of his movies’ audiences, as well as more than half of his company’s execs, are women, and acknowledged that women have anchored many of Blumhouse’s most successful franchises.

“[W]e have not done a good enough job working with female directors and it is not because they don’t exist. I heard from many today. The way my passion came out was dumb. And for that I am sorry. I will do better.”

Or maybe he should revisit a piece of advice he gave aspiring producers in a 2011 interview with The Times:

“Don’t keep your eye on what gets you the most money,” he said, “keep your eye on what gets your movie made.”

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Tony Awards set date and venue for next year’s ceremony

Josh Groban and Sara Bareilles host the 2018 Tony Awards.
(Theo Wargo / Getty Images)

The Tony Awards are getting ready for their 2019 ceremony.

Announced Thursday, the 73rd annual awards show, celebrating the best of the Broadway season, will take place on June 9, 2019. It will again be broadcast live on CBS from Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

The 2019 edition of the telecast should be a star-studded one, as the current season includes plays starring Bryan Cranston, Kerry Washington, Armie Hammer, Daniel Radcliffe, Bobby Cannavale, John Lithgow, Laurie Metcalf, Ethan Hawke, Mike Birbiglia and Janet McTeer, to name just a few. The host(s) will be announced at a later date.

The season also includes musical adaptations of “Pretty Woman,” “King Kong,” “Tootsie,” “Moulin Rouge!” and “Beetlejuice,” plus productions that feature the lively catalogs of Cher, the Go-Go’s and the Temptations.

Productions that open on or before April 25, 2019, will be considered eligible. The nominations will be announced on April 30.

Last season’s ceremony was hosted by Josh Groban and Sara Bareilles. “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two” and “Angels in America” dominated the play categories, while “The Band’s Visit” and “Once on This Island” took home the top musical nods.

The Tony Awards are presented by the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.

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Banksy says self-destructing painting didn’t go as planned

The surprise self-destruction of a Banksy painting didn’t go 100% as planned; according to the artist, the work was supposed to be fully shredded when the stunt was over.

The street artist posted video on his website Wednesday apparently revealing the plan behind the performance-art stunt.

The spray-painted work sold at a Sotheby’s auction in London earlier this month for about $1.4 million. The buyer, a woman who bid via telephone, helped set a sales record for the artist. Then things unraveled as the work self-destructed live at the auction.

In the new video “Shred the Love: The Director’s Cut,” Banksy shows a shredder being built into the frame of his 2006 work “The Girl and Balloon.” Then comes a pre-auction event, the art sells and a hand is seen pressing a button on a hand-held device.

The shredder kicks into action, and the rest is history.

“In rehearsals it worked every time …,” a card in the video reads ahead of a scene that shows a copy of the work going all the way through the shredder in the studio. Its pieces plop onto the floor, eliciting chuckles from those in the room.

By shredding the work only a bit more than halfway — can anything but a paper jam be blamed, people? — an odd, partial-image creation remained, the ruined remains dangling from the heavy gold frame. It was quickly hustled from the Sotheby’s floor and days later was renamed “Love Is in the Bin.”

The buyer went through with her purchase, saying in a statement days later, “When the hammer came down last week and the work was shredded, I was at first shocked, but gradually I began to realize that I would end up with my own piece of art history.”

“Going, going, gone ...” Banksy had posted on Instagram right after the sale.

The former “Girl and Balloon” had previously played second fiddle to another public stunt. The painting debuted at a show that featured an elaborately painted elephant among its works.

A real one.

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A Star Is Born: Ne-Yo turns 39 today

(Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

I say things guys don’t know how or have the guts to say. They don’t have to sweat it; they can just put the song on.

— Ne-Yo, 2007

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Go ahead, talk; see if he cares

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‘Orange Is the New Black’ to air its final season in 2019

Steady yourselves, “Orange Is the New Black” fans: Netflix has revealed that the upcoming seventh season of the prison drama will be its last.

“After seven seasons, it’s time to be released from prison,” said series creator Jenji Kohan in a statement. “I will miss all the badass ladies of Litchfield and the incredible crew we’ve worked with. My heart is orange but fade to black.”

The final look at the goings-on at Litchfield Penitentiary will air in summer 2019, according to an announcement by Netflix posted Wednesday afternoon on Twitter, which looks about as grim as to be expected with the cast aboard a prison bus. But for a warmer, slightly wistful response, various members of the cast appeared in a second tweet for the show that expressed gratitude to fans.

“Warning,” the tweet reads, “this might make you cry.”

Starring Taylor Schilling and featuring a diverse ensemble cast, the series created by Kohan and based on Piper Kerman’s 2010 memoir “Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Woman’s Prison” debuted on Netflix in 2013.

Along with “House of Cards” and “Hemlock Grove,” the series was among the first original shows produced by the streaming service. “OITNB” has gone on to earn 19 Emmy nominations and four wins along with six nominations at the Golden Globes.

“During production of Season 1, everyone involved with ‘Orange Is the New Black’ felt like we knew a special secret we couldn’t wait to share with the world,” said Netflix’s vice president of original content Cindy Holland in a statement. “Since then, we have laughed, cried, raged, and roared with the women of Litchfield, and every moment spent with them felt like borrowed time -- too good to last forever.”

“We will be sad to say goodbye but we will definitely be going out on a high,” she added.

A premiere date for the final season has not yet been set.

4:19 p.m.: This story was updated with statements from Jenji Kohan and Cindy Holland.

This article was originally published at 3:19 p.m.

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‘Disappointed’ Kobe Bryant removed from animation fest jury after petition cites old rape allegation

Kobe Bryant walks the red carpet at the Academy Awards ceremony in March.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Retired NBA star Kobe Bryant has been removed from this weekend’s Animation Is Film Festival days after an online petition protesting his appointment over his 2003 rape allegation surfaced online.

“After discussions with the various stakeholders of Animation Is Film, the decision has been made to remove Kobe Bryant from the 2018 jury,” Eric Beckman, founder of the Animation Is Film Festival and CEO of GKIDS, said in a statement to The Times on Wednesday.

“We are a young organization and it is important to keep our collective energies focused on the films, the participating filmmakers, and our festival attendees.”

The festival, now in its second year, is set to begin Friday at the TCL Chinese Theatres in Los Angeles and run throughout the weekend.

Bryant earned an Academy Award with animator Glen Keane earlier this year for adapting the superstar’s farewell poem into an animated short film called “Dear Basketball.”

Bryant’s ouster came after a Change.org petition from women and allies of the animation community began circulating last week and called on festival organizers and the AIF sponsors (GKIDS, Variety and Annecy) to drop the star and producer of “Dear Basketball.”

Petitioners argued that keeping Bryant on the jury “sets a precedent of lenience for sexual criminals and further undermines the visibility and respect that victims of harassment and assault deserve.”

As of Wednesday, more than 140 people had signed the petition (the goal was set for 200 signatures).

Kobe Bryant and Glen Keane accept the Academy Award for animated short on March 4.
(Chris Pizzello / Invision / Associated Press)

The former Lakers star expressed his disappointment in a statement issued to festival sponsor Variety, but vowed to stay focused on “changing the world in positive ways.”

“I was honored to have been originally invited by Animation is Film to serve on the 2018 Jury, and am disappointed to no longer serve in that capacity,” Bryant said. “This decision further motivates me and my commitment to building a studio that focuses on diversity and inclusion in storytelling for the animation industry.”

Bryant was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a woman in 2003, but the following year, just days before his trial was set to begin, the charges were dropped when the woman refused to testify. Bryant issued a public apology to her.

The allegation has loomed over the NBA star’s legacy and called into question his worthiness of an Academy Award earlier this year when many in and out of Hollywood reassessed their values following the Harvey Weinstein scandal and the ascent of the #MeToo movement.

A representative for Bryant did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.

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Lena Dunham slams critics for second-guessing her health choices

Lena Dunham, shown at a Golden Globes after party in January, revealed in a selfie posted from the hospital that she her left ovary removed.
(Richard Shotwell / Invision/Associated Press)

Even when hospitalized — especially when hospitalized — Lena Dunham continues to practice radical transparency with her life.

On Wednesday, the “Girls” creator shared a selfie on Instagram displaying incisions and mesh underwear, evidence of her latest surgery in her ongoing battle with endometriosis. The disorder causes the tissue that typically serves as the uterine lining to grow outside of the uterus and is often accompanied by intense pain.

“Yesterday I had a two hour surgery to remove my left ovary, which was encased in scar tissue & fibrosis, attached to my bowel and pressing on nerves that made it kinda hard to walk/pee/vamp,” Dunham wrote in the photo’s caption.

The actress has been very open about her health struggles. In 2015, she wrote an expansive essay about her endometriosis for her feminist newsletter, Lenny Letter. The years since have been filled with hospital room selfies as Dunham has continued to seek treatment for her condition.

Last year, Dunham made the controversial decision to have a hysterectomy, removing her uterus and cervix, in an attempt to battle her pain.

In her latest Instagram post, Dunham addressed some of the criticisms she’s gotten for not fully participating in the publicity push for her new HBO show, “Camping,” because of illness.

“A lot of people commented on my last post about being too sick to finish promoting my show by saying my hysterectomy should have fixed it,” Dunham wrote. By “it,” she appears to mean her endometriosis. (Some of the comments leveled at Dunham could come from the assumption that a hysterectomy includes removal of the ovaries and fallopian tubes, which is not always the case.)

As with most of her health updates, Dunham acknowledged how fortunate she is to have health insurance and, beyond that, the funds to pay out of pocket when necessary.

“I’m simultaneously shocked by what my body is and isn’t doing for me and red with rage that access to medical care is a privilege and not a right in this country,” she wrote, “and that women have to work extra hard just to prove what we already know about our own bodies and beg for what we need to be well.

“It’s humiliating,” Dunham added.

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Taylor Swift stays political by encouraging fans to vote early

(Jordan Strauss / Associated Press)

Taylor Swift speaking up about the upcoming midterm election wasn’t just a blip in last week’s news cycle — the music superstar continued her social-media-fueled voter outreach on Wednesday with another politically charged Instagram post.

The “Reputation” singer-songwriter urged fans and followers — many of whom hail from a younger demographic — to take advantage of early voting options in their respective states. And that’s likely because early voting in her home state of Tennessee, where she endorsed Democratic candidates and slammed Republicans, began Wednesday.

“Something I wish I knew about when I was 18 and voting for the first time: ✨EARLY VOTING✨,” the 28-year-old wrote. “It makes it so quick and easy to go and cast your vote before November 6.”

Ignoring the fact that her reminder was accompanied by a photo of her patriotic pedicure (and another selfie), Swift again encouraged her fans to be politically active and directed their attention to Vote.org’s early voting calendar.

According to that website, new voter registrations spiked after the pop star waded into political waters last week ahead of the voter registration deadline in numerous states.

Swift promptly followed up on that at the American Music Awards last week when she swept the evening.

“I just wanted to make a mention at the fact that this award and every single award given out tonight were voted on by the people, and you know what else is voted on by the people is the midterm elections on Nov. 6,” she said as she accepted the artist of the year honor.

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‘Sesame Street’ puppeteer Caroll Spinney retires after 49 years as Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch

For the first time in nearly 49 years, Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch just won’t be the same: Lifelong puppeteer Caroll Spinney has announced his retirement.

“I plan to be an ambassador for Sesame Workshop for many years to come. After all, we’re a family!” the 84-year-old said Wednesday in an announcement from the workshop, the nonprofit behind “Sesame Street.”

“But now it’s time for two performers that I have worked with and respected — and actually hand-picked for the guardianship of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch — to take my alter-egos into their hands and continue to give them life,” he continued.

Spinney’s been the guy in the big yellow suit since “Sesame Street” premiered in 1969, notching seven Emmys, including an Lifetime Achievement Award, two gold records and two Grammys along the way. He also met wife Debra on the show, and they’ve been married for 45 years.

I feel I will always be Big Bird. And even Oscar, once in a while!

— Caroll Spinney, ‘Sesame Street’ puppeteer

The two men stepping into Spinney’s yellow and green shoes are Matt Vogel as Big Bird and Eric Jacobson as Oscar. Vogel is the show’s “Puppet Captain” and also performs Count von Count. Jacobson does Grover, Bert and Guy Smiley for “Sesame Street” and Fozzie Bear and Miss Piggy for Disney’s Muppets.

“Before I came to ‘Sesame Street,’ I didn’t feel like what I was doing was very important. Big Bird helped me find my purpose,” Spinney said in the release.

“Even as I step down from my roles, I feel I will always be Big Bird. And even Oscar, once in a while! They have given me great joy, led me to my true calling — and my wonderful wife! — and created a lifetime of memories that I will cherish forever.”

READ MORE: Are Bert and Ernie gay? Who gets to say?

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Late-night hosts horse around after Trump’s attack on Stormy Daniels

Late-night hosts didn’t look a gift horse in the mouth Tuesday night after President Trump’s insult of Stormy Daniels.

Trump had taken to Twitter earlier in the day to celebrate a judge’s dismissal of Daniels’ defamation lawsuit against the president and, in the process, called his alleged ex-affair partner “horseface.”

The lovely lads of late night were more than willing to use Trump’s comments as ammunition against him, breaking out their pointiest jabs for the man with a long history of disparaging women.

Warning: The content gets a little spicy.

“Yes, horseface,” Stephen Colbert said after reading Trump’s tweet aloud to his audience. “You heard it straight from the horse’s ass.

“But on Twitter, just like in real life, Stormy quickly spanked the president,” Colbert quipped before reading Daniels’ Twitter response to Trump, which included several diminutive insults about the presidential anatomy.

“...he has demonstrated his incompetence, hatred of women and lack of self control on Twitter AGAIN!” Daniels wrote. “Game on, Tiny.”

“That is the most devastating presidential putdown since John Wilkes Booth shouted, ‘Sic semper small-penis!’” the “Daily Show” alum added.

James Corden was also unimpressed by Trump’s Twitter antics, pointing out that the president didn’t even spell Daniels’ name correctly.

“That’s her last name misspelled,” Corden showed his audience, with the error highlighted. “It should be I-E-L-S. And Trump should know that from the time he wrote her a check for $130,000.”

Beyond the tweets, the “Late Late Show” host suspected something more was happening behind the scenes.

“As you may recall, Stormy Daniels recently said that Trump has a Toad penis. Now Trump says she has a horseface,” Corden elaborated. “Now is it just me, or are there still sparks there?”

Jimmy Kimmel seemed slightly bemused by the entire affair, reading Trump’s tweet aloud.

“Well, that’s not a very nice thing to say about a lady you made brief, sputtering love to after being spanked by a magazine with your face on it, is it?” he queried.

“All kidding aside,” Kimmel added seriously, “are we 100% sure he knows he’s the president of the United States?”

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Watch Nicole Kidman go after a gang in new ‘Destroyer’ trailer

Nicole Kidman tries to demolish the most dangerous parts of her past in the upcoming film “Destroyer.”

On Wednesday, Annapurna released an official trailer for the gritty crime drama, which stars Kidman as LAPD Det. Erin Bell, who reluctantly revisits a previous undercover assignment that yielded tragic results. She must reconnect with the remaining members of a gang, as well as her own sordid memories of the entire experience.

“I’ve spent my whole life scrappin’ — jealous, hungry, scared,” she says in the trailer while slogging through the snow. “I’m gonna find something decent, something good.”

Sebastian Stan, Toby Kebbell, Tatiana Maslany, Bradley Whitford, Jade Pettyjohn and Scoot McNairy are also among the cast of the movie, directed by Karyn Kusama. Early reviews have praised Kidman’s notably raw performance in the uncompromising crime thriller, a genre rarely centered on a female protagonist.

“Destroyer” hits theaters on Dec. 25.

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Lady Gaga’s $400,000 engagement ring is as flashy as her persona

Lady Gaga at Elle's 25th annual Women in Hollywood event, where she confirmed her engagement to Christian Carino.
(Michael Kovac / Getty Images)

Lady Gaga’s engagement ring is enough to make you forget Ariana Grande gave her nearly $100,000 bling back to Pete Davidson after those two young lovers reportedly broke up over the weekend.

In addition to publicly acknowledging her engagement to talent agent Christian Carino on Monday night, the singer and “A Star Is Born” actress flashed what an E! News expert was betting is a pink sapphire surrounded by diamonds.

So what’s it like? In a word: huge.

Gaga has been sporting the ring since late 2017, according to Us Weekly, but had yet to confirm its purpose until she called Carino “my fiancé” during an acceptance speech at Elle’s 25th annual Women in Hollywood event near Beverly Hills on Monday.

“It looks like it may be a padparadscha sapphire, in which case this ring would easily retail between $300,000 and $400,000,” WP Diamonds President Andrew Brown told E! News.

He guessed that the main stone was 6 to 7 carats, surrounded by a total weight of 3 to 4 carats of diamonds.

Grande’s $93,000 ring was just over 3 carats. But at least Ariana got to keep the pig.

Lady Gaga's engagement ring.
Lady Gaga’s engagement ring.
(Michael Kovac / Getty Images)
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Ariana Grande is breaking up with the internet after reported split from Pete Davidson

Ariana Grande says it's time to take a break from social media.
(Charles Sykes / Associated Press)

Ariana Grande’s reported split with Pete Davidson is now accompanied by a split from the internet.

The pop star broke her silence on Tuesday in the wake of reports over the weekend that she and the “Saturday Night Live” actor called off their whirlwind engagement.

After spending the day filming the NBC special “A Very Wicked Halloween” for which she performed “The Wizard and I,” Grande posted brief missives on her Instagram Stories that gave fans a glimpse into her personal life.

“Can’t believe I almost let my anxiety ruin this for me today !!! not today satan not tomorrow or the next day etiher not no more,” the
”No Tears Left to Cry” singer wrote, promising to sing her “heart out and be a big walking vessel of love.”

Another post, which has since been deleted from Instagram and Twitter, appeared to address her break-up a little more directly. According to People, Grande wrote that Tuesday was very special and she was grateful to be part of the “Wicked” celebration. Then came her adieu to the worldwide web.

“Time to say bye bye to the internet for just a lil bit. It’s hard not to bump news n stuff that I’m not tryna to see rn. It’s very sad and we’re all tryin very hard to keep goin. Love u. And thank u for bein here always,” she wrote.

Meanwhile, Davidson dropped out of a comedy gig at Temple University in Philadelphia on Wednesday, according to TMZ, and was replaced by Adam DeVine.

The erstwhile couple have yet to issue official statements on their split, but there has been speculation that their relationship was a case of “too much too soon.” The fallout from the unexpected death of Grande’s ex-boyfriend Mac Miller last month has also been mentioned as a contributing factor.

Grande reportedly returned the massive $100,000 engagement ring Davidson gave her but is said to be keeping their teacup pig, Piggy Smallz, TMZ said.

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A Star Is Born: Ziggy Marley turns 50 today

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

I love the people. It’s the system that I don’t like in America. I didn’t like the cowboy idea, what they did to the Indians and the black people there.

— Ziggy Marley, 1996

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Ziggy’s Reggae Is Eclectic, but in a Family Way

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Keira Knightley and Alexander Skarsgård steam up the screen in new ‘The Aftermath’ trailer

The sexual tension between Keira Knightley’s and Alexander Skarsgård’s characters smolders in the upcoming postwar drama “The Aftermath.”

Fox Searchlight and BBC Films unveiled the first trailer — and presumably the whole plot — for the emotional thriller on Tuesday, setting the scene in 1946 Germany without stopping short of revealing the inevitable affair between the two lead characters.

In her latest period piece, Knightley is Rachael, the wife of a British army officer (Jason Clarke) who moves into a stately Hamburg home requisitioned by the British government. And Skarsgård is Stefan, a German widower who, instead of relocating to a camp with his daughter, is allowed to stay in his home with the couple.

What could go wrong? Well, Rachael’s uneasiness in her marriage is clear from the awkward reunion with her husband we initially see in the trailer, not to mention her startled first meeting with Stefan.

But her reaction has little to do with the culture clash and a lot to do with her attraction to Stefan, which not surprisingly leads to a tryst and a proposition to run away with him.

“This isn’t how it’s supposed to be,” Rachael pleads with Lewis before duty calls him away. Then, a few moments later she tells Stefan — bedside — “I never thought I could be happy like this.”

James Kent directs the film, which is based on Rhidian Brook’s novel, and Ridley Scott serves as an executive producer.

“The Aftermath” is set to hit theaters on April 26, 2019.

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See Gina Rodriguez as a gun-toting action star in new ‘Miss Bala’ trailer

The first trailer for the crime thriller “Miss Bala” dropped on Tuesday, and it features “Jane the Virgin” star Gina Rodriguez as a gun-wielding action star.

“Thank you all for the support on my first lead in a studio film. Feels on feels,” Rodriguez wrote on Instagram.

Rodriguez, who previously co-starred in “Annihilation” and “Deepwater Horizon,” now stars in Sony Pictures’ remake of the 2011 Mexican film about a beauty pageant winner enlisted by a local gang to do its bidding — based in part on a real-life story.

After her parents die, Gloria (Rodriguez) returns to Tijuana where she reunites with a friend, only to be separated from her during a gunfight at a cross-border club.

From there, her well-being and that of her friend are threatened by the violent thug Lino (Ismael Cruz Córdova) and his gang. Under duress, Gloria is forced to blow up a DEA safehouse and drive getaway cars to keep her friend from being harmed.

But when she’s captured by federal agents (led by Matt Lauria), she embeds deeper with the gang as a mole in their operation (with an assist from Anthony Mackie, who also stars in the film).

Bala, of course, is the Spanish word for bullet.

“Miss Bala,” directed by Catherine Hardwicke (“Twilight,” “Vanilla Sky”), hits theaters on Feb. 1, 2019.

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Lady Gaga confirms engagement to agent Christian Carino

Lady Gaga attends the Elle Women in Hollywood event on Monday in Los Angeles.
(Chris Pizzello / Associated Press)

Lady Gaga is engaged to talent agent Christian Carino, she revealed slyly Monday night at Elle magazine’s 25th annual Women in Hollywood event, where she was one of the honorees.

The “Star Is Born” headliner tucked the confirmation at the end of a speech that touched on sexual assault, mental health and her own physical health.

“Thank you, Nina Garcia,” she said (via Elle) as she closed out her speech, thanking the magazine’s editor. “Thank you Stephen Gan. I was an outcast and you believed in me, and I wouldn’t be here without you. Thank you, Elle. Thank you all the loved ones in my life. Bobby, I love you. Everybody at table 5. My fiancé Christian.

“All the loved ones in my life who take care of me every day,” she went on. “And Ryan Murphy. Thanks for giving me my first leading role. You know that Golden Globe belongs to you. Thank you to all of you, everybody in this room, who has supported me in having a voice.”

The woman born Stefani Germanotta, 32, and Carino, 50, who is Gaga’s agent at CAA, sparked dating rumors in February 2017. Industry insiders were buzzing that summer that they’d gotten engaged, Us Weekly reported last November.

Gaga also took a moment in her speech Monday to recognize men in general.

“It is my personal dream that there would be a mental health expert teacher or therapist in every school in this nation and hopefully one day around the world,” she said, per the Elle transcript. “Let’s lift our voices. I know we are, but let’s get louder. And not just as women. But as humans. And see that there are great men in the world. And ask them to hold our hands. For justice.”

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Nicole Kidman says being Mrs. Tom Cruise shielded her from sexual harassment

Nicole Kidman at the "Destroyer" premiere Sunday at the BFI London Film Festival.
(Vianney Le Caer / Associated Press)

Nicole Kidman got “protection” from her marriage to Tom Cruise in the 1990s, she says — protection from the sexual harassment experienced by many of her Hollywood peers.

The “Big Little Lies” actress spoke up about her 1990 marriage to Cruise at age 22 in a Women and Power column written for New York magazine’s the Cut. Their 11 years together isn’t something she likes to talk about publicly, she said, out of respect for her marriage now to musician Keith Urban.

“I married for love, but being married to an extremely powerful man kept me from being sexually harassed. I would work, but I was still very much cocooned. So when I came out of it at 32, 33, it’s almost like I had to grow up,” Kidman said.

The marriage “definitely wasn’t power for me — it was protection,” she said.

But that protection didn’t shield her completely from the realities of being female.

“Of course I’ve had #MeToo moments — since I was little! But do I want to expose them in an article? No,” she said. “Do they come out in my work? Absolutely.”

And there is a lot of work coming.

Kidman’s next movie, “Boy Erased,” is due Nov. 2, followed by the big-budget film “Aquaman” and the Karyn Kusama-directed project “Destroyer,” which hit theaters on Dec. 21 and Dec. 25, respectively.

Then in 2019, expect the return of “Big Little Lies” on HBO and the premiere of “The Goldfinch,” a film based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Donna Tartt.

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Stephen Colbert torches Trump’s latest ’60 Minutes’ interview

“The Late Show” host Stephen Colbert added his voice — and body — to President Trump’s recent “60 Minutes” interview, spoofing POTUS’ Sunday appearance on CBS’ news magazine.

It’s unlikely the CBS late-night host, a scathing critic of Trump and his administration, would get a sit-down with the president any time soon, so on Monday he gave viewers a taste of how it could go.

“I’m Stephen Colbert. Tonight, my interview of Lesley Stahl’s interview of President Trump,” he said.

From there, the host was superimposed on Stahl’s seat across from Trump and asked the president different questions, such as how he’d sum up his administration and whom he’d choose to replace Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions.

Those questions, however, yielded answers cut from other parts of Trump’s interview. And they were: “It is vicious. It is full of lies, deceit and deception” and “pillows and blankets,” respectively.

(In actuality, the president had been summing up his 20 months’ experience at the White House, and the bedding answer stemmed from what he believed his predecessor, Barack Obama, sent to aid Ukraine in its standoff with Russia.)

Colbert then asked the president to discuss the nation’s relationships with the leaders of North Korea and Saudi Arabia, then proceeded to call the president out on his lies. By the end, he covered the president with a baby blanket.

You can watch a segment of the real “60 Minutes” interview below.

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Pip Pip Hooray: Pippa Middleton gives birth to baby boy

Pippa Middleton, pictured here in green dress, has given birth to a baby boy.
(Adrian Dennis / Associated Press)

Pippa Middleton, the sister of Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, has given birth to a baby boy.

A spokeswoman for Middleton and husband James Matthews said Tuesday that their first baby had been born the day before.

Kensington Palace said Prince William and Kate are “thrilled for Pippa and James.”

The new baby will be a cousin to William and Kate’s three children — George, 5, Charlotte, 3, and 5-month-old Louis.

The baby was born on the day the palace announced that Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, are expecting their first child.

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A Star Is Born: John Mayer turns 41 today

(Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

I took the low-expectations route. I’m glad I didn’t have a deal with so much money that every move is scrutinized.

— John Mayer, 2002

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Flying Into the Radar

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Britney Spears, Laverne Cox and more join GLAAD’s Spirit Day for LGBTQ youth

The stars are out in full force to support GLAAD’s 2018 Spirit Day, an effort to take a stand against bullying while also standing in support of LGBTQ youths on Thursday.

On Monday, GLAAD released an initial list of participants for this year’s Spirit Day festivities, including many prominent actors, musicians, athletes, social-media stars and more.

Participation includes wearing purple and posting messages of hope and awareness on social media and TV networks sporting purple logos for the day.

Among them are Tyra Banks, Sterling K. Brown, Stephen Colbert, Laverne Cox, Rosario Dawson, Alyssa Milano, MJ Rodriguez and Britney Spears.

Founded in 2010 by Canadian teenager Brittany McMillan, Spirit Day was in response to several suicides by LGBTQ and LGBTQ-perceived young people.

“Spirit Day is a day of national importance that highlights the serious issue of bullying and its disproportionate impact on LGBTQ youth,” GLAAD CEO and President Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement Monday.

“It also sends powerful messages of support, letting LGBTQ and other marginalized youth know that they are not alone — something sorely needed in our culture today.”

Bullying is a pressing issue among LGBTQ students, according to the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network’s most recent National School Climate Survey. More than 57% of LGBTQ students felt unsafe because of their sexual orientation, and more than 85% experienced verbal harassment based on a personal characteristic.

Beyond celebrities, the NBA, WNBA and Major League Baseball will share Spirit Day messages on social media. GLAAD announced last week that Finn Bálor and other WWE stars will go purple Thursday.

A full list of Spirit Day participants can be found on the GLAAD website, with more names to be announced on Thursday.

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Kanye West and Charlamagne Tha God cancel discussion about mental health

Rapper Kanye West, left, and radio host Charlamagne Tha God had been scheduled to discuss mental health this week.
(Saul Loeb / AFP/Getty Images, left; Paras Griffin / Getty Images for BET, right)

A conversation about mental health between rapper Kanye West and radio host Charlamagne Tha God has been canceled.

Charlamagne broke the news on Instagram on Monday, sharing a poster promoting the TimesTalks event, which was set for Wednesday in New York, with the word “cancelled” superimposed on it.

“Normalizing being mentally healthy is a conversation that I really wanted to have with Kanye because he’s been so vocal about his own mental health struggles,” Charlamagne wrote.

“Unfortunately I think to have that conversation with him right now would not be productive and a total distraction from the point of the convo which is to eradicate the stigma of mental health especially in the black community.”

Reps for the New York Times’ TimesTalks event issued the following statement on the cancellation on Monday.

“We informed ticket holders earlier today that Charlamagne Tha God and Kanye West have cancelled their appearance for the TimesTalks scheduled for October 17. Full refunds are being issued.”

Charlamagne Tha God, co-host of the nationally syndicated “The Breakfast Club,” and West were set to discuss Charlamagne’s upcoming book, “Shook One: Anxiety Playing Tricks on Me,” a memoir about his lifelong battle with anxiety.

The event was announced after West, who has become notorious for his stream-of-consciousness orations, went on a pro-President Trump rant after performing on “Saturday Night Live” late last month. But the cancellation comes on the heels of his bizarre summit with the president in the Oval Office last week, which raised an array of questions about the rapper’s state of mind.

The Grammy winner told Trump that he was misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder, explaining that instead he had just been sleep-deprived. (He also recently announced that he’s off his medications.)

The meeting became the butt of late-night jokes and furthered criticism of both West and Trump, who were lampooned on “SNL” last weekend during the sketch show’s cold open.

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Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson reportedly end engagement

Pete Davidson and Ariana Grande have reportedly broken up.
(Jason Szenes / EPA-EFE/REX/Shutter)

The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long. And so ends the whirlwind romance of Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson.

The pop star and “Saturday Night Live” actor reportedly ended their relationship and engagement over the weekend, according to TMZ, after five months of highly publicized bliss.

Davidson, 24, and Grande, 25, began dating in May, before quickly becoming engaged the following month. They put on quite a show: The pair got matching tattoos, practiced continuous oversharing and acquired a tiny pig over the course of the five-month relationship.

As for why the couple broke up, several rumors abound. People magazine reported that it was just a case of “too much too soon” for the pair, while TMZ cited the unexpected death of Grande’s ex-boyfriend Mac Miller, last month as a tipping point.

Grande has shied away from the public eye in the weeks since Miller’s death from a suspected overdose.

“Given the events of the past couple of years, Ariana is going to take some much needed time to heal and mend,” Grande’s representatives told People last month, after announcing that the singer would not be attending the Emmy Awards.

In addition to Miller’s death, Grande continues to struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety after the May 2017 Manchester, England, terrorist attack outside of her concert.

As of Monday, no evidence of a change in relationship status had appeared on Grande’s social-media accounts, though the “Dangerous Woman” singer has kept a low profile online in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, Davidson’s Instagram was deleted as of Monday morning.

Representatives for Grande and for Davidson did not immediately respond to The Times’ requests for comment Monday.

There is no word yet of what will become of Piggy Smalls, the couple’s pet pig and star of Grande’s “Breathin” video.

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Bryan Singer tries to bat down ‘reckless’ allegations set to be published in Esquire

Bryan Singer is denying allegations in an Esquire story reportedly in the works.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Director Bryan Singer on Monday accused Esquire of dredging up old allegations about him in an upcoming article for the magazine.

The “X-Men” franchise director issued a statement via Instagram saying that he’s known for some time that the magazine “may publish a negative article” about him and he preemptively denied some of its details.

He said the article, which has yet to be published, repeats the same allegations, presumably about sexual assault, which have dogged him for years.

A representative for Esquire did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment on Monday.

“They have contacted my friends, colleagues, and people I don’t even know,” Singer wrote in his Instagram post. “In today’s climate where people’s careers are being harmed by mere accusations, what Esquire is attempting to do is a reckless disregard for the truth, making assumptions that are fictional and irresponsible.”

He said he believes the Esquire article will “attempt to rehash false accusations and bogus lawsuits,” misuse quotes from unreliable sources and “attempt to establish guilt by association.”

“They will be attempting to tarnish a career I’ve spent 25 years to build,” the 53-year-old said.

He also believes the article is “conveniently timed” to the November release of the Queen biopic, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which he was fired from in December but will still bear his directing credit. (20th Century Fox replaced Singer with Dexter Fletcher.)

Following reports of Singer feuding with the film’s star, Rami Malek, and the director taking extended absences from the picture, the filmmaker was removed from the project, citing “unexpected availability.”

Days later, Singer was sued over a 2003 allegation that he raped a 17-year-old boy — a charge he has denied. And his production company, Bad Hat Harry, was booted from the Fox lot.

Despite all that, the director last month reportedly closed in on directing Millennium’s “Red Sonja,” a cinematic adaptation of the 1970s “Conan the Barbarian” comic book spinoff.

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Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, expecting a child in spring

Kensington Palace said Monday tht Prince Harry and his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, are expecting a child in the spring.

The palace said the couple has “appreciated all of the support they have received from people around the world since their wedding in May and are delighted to be able to share this happy news with the public.”

The announcement came as Harry and the former Meghan Markle arrived in Sydney at the start of a 16-day visit to Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand.

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A Star Is Born: Mira Nair turns 61 today

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

I like to make movies that have you go on a journey. Like an accordion, they are expansive and then squeeze your heart and then let you go.

— Mira Nair, 2016

FROM THE ARCHIVES: In ‘Queen of Katwe,’ Mira Nair considers chess, poverty and the vibrancy of life

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A Star Is Born: Natalie Maines turns 44 today

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

We like it that people get a kick out of the idea that we’re blond and we can really play instruments. People find that humorous, and that’s OK with us.

— Natalie Maines, 1998

FROM THE ARCHIVES: It’s a Chick Thing

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Where else would ‘Saturday Night Live’ begin this week than with Kanye West’s Oval Office visit?

If there was one moment from last week’s typically turbulent news cycle that stood out as one in which you could imagine the “Saturday Night Live” writers room leaning forward in attention, it was Kanye West’s White House visit with President Trump.

It was a frequently surreal moment that befitted the administration’s oft-repeated reputation for providing a meeting point between reality TV and politics, and “Saturday Night Live” indeed could not resist.

As expected, Alec Baldwin donned the presidential power tie and comb-over wig for the first time this season for a sit-down with Chris Redd’s MAGA-hat wearing West. “Thank you for joining us all today for this important discussion. It’s in no way a publicity stunt.”

“First let me begin with the idea that time is a myth,” Redd began, “and I’m a prisoner in another dimension. Have I lost anyone so far?”

Baldwin’s Trump for his part retreated to an internal monologue. “I’ve been in a room with Dennis Rodman and Kim Jong-Un and they made a lot more sense than him.”

Redd’s West was undeterred, which led to Trump thinking: “He doesn’t stop. He doesn’t listen to anyone but himself. Who does he remind me of?” Later, a bit more flattered by the unhinged antics, he took comfort in lyrics from West’s song “Lift Yourself” (maybe better known as the “poopity scoop” song).

While the real-life meeting this week had no shortage of moments bizarre enough to defy parody, one can’t blame “SNL” for trying.

The episode was hosted by former “SNL” head writer turned “Late Night” host Seth Meyers, who was also in this news this week after a former castmate, Taran Killam, appeared on a podcast to talk about his time on the show. In it he cited Meyers’ tenure the last time the show took a more collaborative approach with creator Lorne Michaels rather than doing whatever he said, and said Michaels encouraged the show to go easier on Trump.

While the show didn’t seem to show any more than its usual bite, Meyers did return to the Weekend Update desk to reprise his “Really?” segment with Colin Jost and Michael Che. The topic? Kanye West in the Oval Office, of course. “Don’t you have better things to do?” Meyers asked. “And, by the way, when I say that I’m really not sure which of you I’m talking to.”

Watch a clip below.

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A Star Is Born: Shirley Caesar turns 80 today

(Christine Cotter / Los Angeles Times)

As soon as I open my mouth, from the time I get on the stage to the time I sit down, I’m not pushing me; I’m not pushing my voice. I’m pushing Jesus.

— Shirley Caesar, 1998

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Gospel of Caesar Gets a Revival

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First ‘Aladdin’ teaser trailer introduces the beloved street rat

Aladdin touches nothing but the lamp in the first teaser trailer for Disney’s new eponymous live-action film.

The “Aladdin” teaser, released Thursday, does quite a bit of scene-setting in Agrabah to the tune of the 1992 animated film’s “Arabian Nights” and “Friend Like Me” before offering a glimpse of Aladdin, who is played by Mena Massoud of “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan.”

Alas, there’s nary a whiff of Will Smith’s blue Genie or any of the other beloved characters despite Smith’s tease earlier this week. Instead, the trailer flies on the wings of the parrot Iago — or what appears to be him — through the arid desert before landing in front of the mysterious Cave of Wonders, filled with mountains of treasure and the sought-after magic lamp.

“Only one may enter here,” warns the tiger-mouthed cave, “one whose worth lies far within: The diamond in the rough.”

Spoiler alert: It’s Aladdin.

The film, reviving the Oscar-winning box-office smash and the successful Broadway adaptation, will too tell the tale of the charming street rat, the courageous and self-determined Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott) and the Genie (Smith) who may be the key to their future, according to Disney.

Director Guy Ritchie (“Sherlock Holmes,” “Snatch”) also co-wrote the film with John August and was tapped by the House of Mouse to bring his “flair for fast-paced, visceral action to the fictitious port city of Agrabah,” the studio said.

“Aladdin” hits theaters May 24, 2019. It also stars Marwan Kenzari as Jafar, Navid Negahban as the Sultan, Nasim Pedrad as Jasmine’s friend Dalia, Billy Magnussen as Prince Anders and Numan Acar as Jafar’s right-hand man. Here’s a glimpse of a few of them on the first day of filming last September.

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A Star Is Born: Chris Botti turns 56 today

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

In many ways, the way I play is much more closely linked to classical. I am making records that I want to hear.

— Chris Botti, 2012

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Jazz impressions with Chris Botti

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Marvel officially signs Ryan Coogler to write and direct ‘Black Panther 2’

Ryan Coogler co-wrote and directed "Black Panther." He'll return to both roles for its sequel.
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Ryan Coogler, who directed and co-wrote this year’s Marvel blockbuster “Black Panther,” has signed on to write and direct a sequel to the film, a source close to the project has confirmed.

It’s little surprise that Marvel was eager to bring Coogler back for a follow-up given the massive success of “Black Panther,” which has hauled in $1.3 billion worldwide, making it the second-highest-grossing film of the year behind Marvel’s “Avengers: Infinity War.” The film is considered a strong contender for a best picture Oscar nomination, which would be a first for the superhero genre.

The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news of Coogler’s official return to the franchise.

Before “Black Panther” even opened, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige was already saying he hoped that Coogler would return to helm a sequel. “Panther has been around for more than half a century in the comic books, and there are many, many stories to tell,” he told Variety in February, days before the movie’s debut.

Production on “Black Panther 2” is likely a year or more away, as Coogler juggles development of the sequel with a planned drama called “Wrong Answer” and “Space Jam 2,” which he is set to produce, with LeBron James starring.

In an interview February with The Times, Coogler — whose earlier credits include “Fruitvale Station” and “Creed” – said that “Black Panther,” which is set in the fictional African nation of Wakanda, was the most personal film he had ever made.

“A big thing for me is the question of ‘What does it mean to be African?’ ” he said. “As a result of this thing that you are and have no control over, you’re gonna have to deal with certain situations in a certain way — and sometimes those situations can cost you your life. When I found myself asking that question, I hadn’t even been to the place.”

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Fyre Festival promoter Billy McFarland sentenced to six years in prison

Billy McFarland, the promoter of the failed Fyre Festival in the Bahamas, was sentenced to six years in prison.
(Mark Lennihan / Associated Press)

A federal judge in Manhattan has sentenced Fyre Festival founder Billy McFarland to six years in prison after he pleaded guilty to multiple counts of fraud in connection with the event, which promised music and opulence but instead went viral over its sensational collapse.

“The remorse I feel is crushing. I’ve lived every day with the weight of knowing that I literally destroyed the lives of my friends and family,” the 26-year-old reportedly said during Thursday’s hearing.

Hyped as “the cultural experience of the decade,” the first-ever Fyre Festival was set for two consecutive weekends last spring on a remote island in the Bahamas that was once home to drug lord Pablo Escobar.

The young entrepreneur tapped rapper Ja Rule to craft the perfect event to lure millennials with lots of disposable income — ticket packages ranged from $1,500 to $250,000 — and active Instagram feeds.

Blink-182, Disclosure, Kaytranada, Migos, Rae Sremmurd, Tyga, Desiigner, Pusha T., Major Lazer and two dozen other acts were booked; more than $1 million in jewelry, cash and other goodies would be up for grabs in a treasure hunt; and organizers got Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid and a bevy of supermodels to promote the festival.

Yet guests arrived to find facilities unfinished, mass disorganization, no luggage, no beer, food better suited for a children’s sleep-away camp and the cancellation of Blink-182’s appearance. Other artists — some of whom hadn’t been paid — pulled out right after.

The plush villas that had been promised were actually the same type of tents that the Federal Emergency Management Agency uses to provide shelter in disaster areas. Shipping containers were strewn about the property and there wasn’t a single item for purchase at the on-site general store. Inbound flights were canceled because there were too many people on the island, and many guests trying to leave found themselves stranded and sought aid from the U.S. Embassy.

“It looked like the set of ‘Outbreak.’ There were hundreds of tents. Beds everywhere. Nothing was finished,” attendee William Finley, whose real-time documentation of the chaos went viral, told The Times. “We figured it was for [general-admission ticket holders]. It would be crazy to treat people who paid the most like this.”

Shortly after Fyre’s collapse last year, McFarland was arrested on charges that he defrauded investors who sank $1.2 million into two companies associated with the ill-fated event, and more than a dozen lawsuits alleging fraud, breach of contract and other claims were filed against him.

In March, he pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud over the Fyre scheme, which resulted in $24 million in losses, and in July he pleaded guilty to two more counts of fraud related to a different company he ran that sold counterfeit tickets to concerts and events like Coachella, Burning Man and the Super Bowl.

The fake ticket company, NYC VIP Access, sold $150,000 worth of tickets to 30 people, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

McFarland was facing a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

The judge, who called McFarland a “serial fraudster,” ruled the promoter may serve his sentences concurrently. He will face an additional three years of supervised release and has been ordered to forfeit more than $26 million.

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Lindsey Buckingham sues Fleetwood Mac after blaming Stevie Nicks for getting him fired

Stevie Nicks, left, and Lindsey Buckingham performing with Fleetwood Mac in 2014.
(Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Lindsey Buckingham is suing his former Fleetwood Mac bandmates for breach of contract for going on tour without him. And he’s also blaming Stevie Nicks for getting him booted from the iconic rock group.

Buckingham and Nicks, who joined Fleetwood Mac as a couple in 1975, have a complicated history, on and off stage. Their latest disagreement played out in a new Rolling Stone story published Wednesday. Buckingham claimed Nicks gave the band an ultimatum: Either he goes or she does.

Then, on Thursday, Buckingham sued Fleetwood Mac for breach of contract, according to RadarOnline, after the group “secretly, and unceremoniously, moved on without him” ahead of its North American tour. Buckingham asked to postpone that tour so he could promote his solo projects.

“It’s impossible for the band to offer comment on a legal complaint they have not seen,” a spokesperson for Fleetwood Mac told The Times on Thursday. “It’s fairly standard legal procedure to service the complaint to the parties involved, something that neither Mr. Buckingham nor his legal counsel have done.

“Which makes one wonder what the true motivations are when servicing press first with a legal complaint before the parties in dispute,” the statement added.

News of the lawsuit came on the heels of Buckingham’s Rolling Stone profile. In it, he said that two nights after Fleetwood Mac performed at the MusiCares tribute event honoring the band in January, manager Irving Azoff called to tell him that “Stevie never wants to be on a stage with you again” — at least that was the gist of it.

Nicks apparently “took issue” with the prickly guitarist’s behavior during their performance, accusing him of smirking as she made her thank-you speech and having an outburst about introduction music, which was the band’s studio recording of “Rhiannon.”

“It wasn’t about it being ‘Rhiannon,’” said Buckingham, who wrote and sang many of the band’s biggest hits. “It just undermined the impact of our entrance. That’s me being very specific about the right and wrong way to do something.”

Fleetwood Mac take their bows at the 2018 MusiCares tribute honoring the band in January.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

He contextualized the alleged smirk with the band’s “standing joke that Stevie, when she talks, goes on a long time.”

“I may or may not have smirked. But I look over and Christine [McVie] and Mick [Fleetwood] are doing the waltz behind her as a joke,” he said.

Buckingham’s official departure from Fleetwood Mac came in April when the band announced Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Neil Finn of Crowded House were joining the Grammy-winning group. Shortly after that, the band announced a new tour and Buckingham announced his own solo tour.

Mick Fleetwood told Rolling Stone that there were factions within the band “that had lost their perspective” and said Buckingham left over an “impasse” about the amount of time he wanted to take off for solo work.

Nicks said that their relationship “has always been volatile.”

“We were never married, but we might as well have been. Some couples get divorced after 40 years. They break their kids’ hearts and destroy everyone around them because it’s just hard,” Nicks said.

Even though he was “completely hurt,” Buckingham said he wasn’t heartbroken about not touring with the band.

“I can see that there are many other areas to look into,” he said. “The one thing that does bother me and breaks my heart is we spent 43 years always finding a way to rise above our personal differences and our difficulties to pursue and articulate a higher truth. That is our legacy. That is what the songs are about. This is not the way you end something like this.”

UPDATE

1:28 p.m.: This story was updated to include news of Buckingham’s lawsuit and a statement from the band.

This story was originally published at 9:57 a.m.

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Kanye West and President Trump hug it out in surreal White House meeting

Kanye West met with President Trump at the White House on Thursday, and the meeting turned into the kind of long-winded, high-profile rant that West has become infamous for. At one point he even rushed over to hug the president.

The rapper, wearing the red Make America Great Again hat he’s been sporting in recent appearances, addressed the president sitting on the other side of his executive desk in the Oval Office.

Joining them were Trump advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner and NFL Hall of Famer Jim Brown, a civil-rights leader who has previously met with Trump.

West encouraged the president to abolish the slavery-ending 13th Amendment, which the rapper called “a trap door” for beleaguered African Americans that sends them back to prison.

Except he didn’t put it in those exact words.

“I did say abolish [the 13th Amendment] with the hat on because why would you keep something around that’s a trap door … if you mess up you, you fall and you end up somewhere next to the Unabomber,” West said.

Kanye West visits President Trump at the White House.

During the surreal sit-down — which was arranged to discuss manufacturing, prison reform, gang-violence prevention and effort to reduce violence in West’s hometown of Chicago — the entertainer stayed on brand if not on topic.

He praised the president, telling him he looked to him as a father figure and repeatedly said, “I love this guy” before hugging Trump.

Wearing the MAGA hat, West said, makes him “feel like Superman.” He also told the president that he redesigned his hat and removed “Again” from the slogan. He hoped that one day both Trump and outspoken NFL star Colin Kaepernick could wear the reconfigured hat in solidarity.

Pop culture is the new politics as Taylor Swift calls out to new voters and Kanye West greets the president »

The Grammy Award winner recited a heated monologue on an array of personal and domestic issues. This time, however, the world was watching, as was a room full of reporters.

West touched on his recent bipolar “misdiagnosis” and why he walked away from a deal with Adidas, and told the president that he grew up in a home — and married into a family — that doesn’t have a lot of “male energy.” He also likened the bipartisan rivalries between Democrats and Republican to being “like a gang again.”

And in a bit of unintentional comic relief, West also unlocked his iPhone for the president with a surprisingly simple passcode. Then, while responding to reporters, West said he doesn’t “answer questions in simple soundbites. You are tasting a fine wine. It has multiple notes to it.”

West also urged Trump to bring jobs into America and improve transitional services for ex-cons, including job training, mental-health initiatives and a variety of educational tools.

“I tell you what, that was pretty impressive,” Trump said of West’s presentation.

Kanye West at the White House on Oct. 11.
(Evan Vucci / Associated Press)

On “Fox & Friends” prior to the meeting, Trump raved about his poll numbers soaring after West voiced his support for him.

The meet-up came on the heels of West supporting Trump during a post-show rant about politics on “Saturday Night Live.” Months earlier, West’s wife, reality TV star Kim Kardashian, met with Trump to help successfully secure a presidential pardon for Alice Marie Johnson, who was serving a life sentence on nonviolent drug charges.

In other news on Thursday, Trump welcomed musicians Kid Rock, country star John Rich, Mike Love of the Beach Boys, R&B singer Sam Moore and the Christian group MercyMe to the White House for the signing of the Orrin B. Hatch Music Modernization Act. The legislation overhauls the way music is licensed and songwriters are compensated.

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Country queen Loretta Lynn on all-female CMT lineup: ‘It’s about dadgum time that we recognize women’

Loretta Lynn praised the all-female lineup at this year's CMT Artists of the Year gala.
(Rich Fury / Invision/Associated Press)

Country music icon Loretta Lynn thinks it’s about dang time that women get their due.

Speaking to the Associated Press, the singer expressed her appreciation for the CMT opting to honor all female musicians at next week’s Artists of the Year gala.

“It’s about dadgum time that we recognize women and not just country music but all music,” Lynn told the AP in a statement about the ceremony. “A big yee haw to CMT for doing so.”

The all-woman lineup is the first in the ceremony’s history and honors Kelsea Ballerini, Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, Carrie Underwood, Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman, and Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott.

“This year, we’re evolving the special to reflect what’s happening right now in culture and in the lives of our fans,” Leslie Fram, CMT’s senior vice president of music and talent, said in a statement last month.

“In this monumental year for women, dedicating one of the biggest nights in the genre to applaud female country artists not only solidifies our commitment, but we hope will spark a much-needed change in the industry,” Fram continued.

Lynn, 86, will receive Artist of a Lifetime honors at the live ceremony, airing Oct. 17 on CMT. Longtime friend Sissy Spacek, who won an Academy Award for her portrayal of Lynn in 1980’s “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” will present the award.

The show will also boast a number of performances from the honorees and feature cross-genre collaborations: Ballerini with Alison Krauss, Gladys Knight with Fairchild and Schlapman, and a tribute to Aretha Franklin from Morris and Brandi Carlile.

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America Ferrera says she has considered running for office — ‘and you should too’

America Ferrera says she has considered running for office.
(Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images)

While Taylor Swift is working hard to get out the vote, America Ferrera is taking things to the next level.

Ferrera, an actress and activist, says she has thought about running for office and thinks we should all consider doing the same.

The “Superstore” star appeared with Time’s Up CEO and President Lisa Borders at the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit on Wednesday and discussed the direction of the movement a year after the Harvey Weinstein scandal broke.

“Women in particular are afraid to say they could run for office because women who have sought power have not been treated well,” Ferrera said on a panel moderated by Katie Couric.

“If I say I’m going to run, it’s going to make me seem like a power-hungry shrew,” Ferrera added. “So I’ll say for the first time in a public setting that yes, I have thought about it, and you should too.”

She said the contentious confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was representative of the times we’re living in.

“So much of what has happened, starting with the announcement of Trump running for president, was a painful awakening and illumination of what people have known has existed forever,” the actress said.

“Things like the confirmation are telling us exactly where we are, and we can no longer kid ourselves about what is happening and how it has been allowed to happen for so long.”

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A Star Is Born: M.C. Lyte turns 48 today

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

I think that’s why the rap audience likes me. I don’t try to copy men. But I do have this tough attitude. I won’t take anything from anybody.

— M.C. Lyte, 1990

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Female Rappers Diss and Tell

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‘Late Night With Seth Meyers’ to air live election-night coverage

"Late Night" host Seth Meyers.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Seth Meyers’ “Late Night” will also be going live on Nov. 6 to weigh in on the results of the midterm elections.

The NBC star will offer real-time commentary and analysis during his usual East Coast time slot of 12:35 a.m., NBC announced on Wednesday. West Coast viewers will see a tape-delayed version of the same show when it airs here at its usual time.

On CBS, “The Late Show” star Stephen Colbert will also be hosting a live telecast to keep up with election results. His show airs earlier than “Late Night” (at 11:35 p.m. Eastern) and will also be tape-delayed for West Coast viewers.

“Late Night’s” lead-in, “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” which airs at the same time as “The Late Show,” will be preempted by news coverage of the election in the Eastern and Central time zones, NBC said.

Meyers will be joined by MSNBC’s Chris Hayes and “Late Night’s” Amber Ruffin, who will deliver a live version of her pop culture segment, “Amber Says What.”

Meyers, the former “Saturday Night Live” head writer and “Weekend Update” host, will return to his old stomping grounds this weekend to host “SNL.”

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#MeToo leaders pen love letter to Christine Blasey Ford: ‘Even if we shake: we will tell our stories’

Christine Blasey Ford is thanked in a new open letter written by leaders of the #MeToo movement.
(Win McNamee / Associated Press)

Nearly two weeks after Christine Blasey Ford testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee about her alleged sexual assault at the hands of future Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, leaders of the #MeToo movement have penned a love letter expressing their support and appreciation for the California research psychologist.

Released by #MeToo founder Tarana Burke alongside photographer Amanda de Cadenet, author Glennon Doyle and actresses Tracee Ellis Ross and America Ferrera on Wednesday morning, “A Love Letter to Dr. Christine Blasey Ford” pledges that the organization will continue to fight for Ford and all survivors of sexual assault.

Published on a #MeToo website, the missive is described as a ”love offering to [Ford] so that she has a constant reminder that there is enormous support for her and other survivors like her.”

“We heard her. We saw her. And we believed her,” the letter reads, before inviting readers to add their signature to it.

The letter details how women came together in solidarity, both physically and spiritually, as Ford testified and that by telling her story, Ford will forever be remembered as a pillar of strength.

“We witnessed you show up for duty, not as a superhero, but as a fully human woman,” the letter notes. “You showed us that the new hero — the kind of heroism called for in this moment — is a woman facing the patriarchy with no weapons other than her voice, her body, and the truth.”

#MeToo founder and activist Tarana Burke is among those lending their support to Christine Blasey Ford in a new open letter.
(Paul Sancya / Associated Press)

“Dr. Blasey Ford’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee in September was one of the most courageous acts we have ever witnessed,” Burke said in a statement released Wednesday. “Despite the harassment, maligning and ridicule she has endured, she remains a hero for so many survivors, allies and supporters around the world.”

Ford accused Kavanaugh of assaulting her in a bedroom during a house party while they were both in high school. Despite her allegations, Kavanaugh was confirmed by the Senate to the Supreme Court.

However, the love letter encouraged Ford not to feel as though her efforts were for nothing.

“Your sacrifice was not made in vain. Like you did, we will continue to show up for ourselves and each other,” it reads. “We will bring all of ourselves — our pain, fear, and anger — and we will stand in front of power and we will tell the truth. Even if we shake: we will tell our stories.”

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Maggie Gyllenhaal defends ‘The Deuce’ in the wake of James Franco allegations

“The Deuce” star and producer Maggie Gyllenhaal defended resuming production on the HBO series despite costar James Franco being accused by several women of sexually inappropriate and exploitative behavior.

“It would’ve been the wrong consequence to those accusations to shut our show down,” she said Tuesday on SiriusXM’s “Sway in the Morning” when she was promoting her Netflix film, “The Kindergarten Teacher.”

“It would’ve been like actually the opposite of the right thing to do. And yet, you know, look, I believe that there should be consequences for disrespecting or assaulting women. Of course I do,” she added.

The topic came up when the host asked the actress about the latest scandal looming around Franco: Actress Busy Philipps had just contended Franco allegedly assaulted her in 1999 while they were working on the TV series “Freaks and Geeks.” (Franco allegedly broke character and pushed her, she said, then he later apologized.)

From there, Gyllenhaal segued into how “The Deuce” team handled the accusations against Franco when they were published in the Los Angeles Times in January. Franco has vehemently denied those allegations.

“Of course, as a producer, although I think I would’ve felt similarly as an actor, but I felt it was my responsibility to do the opposite of ignore [the allegations],” Gyllenhaal said. “At the time that the accusations against James came out in the L.A. Times, we read them all. We took them very seriously. We spoke to every woman on the crew and in the cast to find out if they felt respected and what their experience of working with James was and everyone said that they had been totally respected by him.”

HBO and co-showrunner David Simon also defended the actor, saying no complaints about him were made and his behavior on the show was entirely professional. Last month, HBO announced that it was renewing “The Deuce” for a third and final season.

The Oscar-nominated actress also discussed her role in the cultural context, particularly how she asserted creative control as a producer on the show, which is a 1970s drama that revolves around sex workers and the porn industry. Hear her thoughts in the interview above.

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The right to vote was one of the real winners at the American Music Awards

Cardi B stole the show with her colorful rendition of "I Like It" at Tuesday's American Music Awards.
(Kevin Winter / Getty Images)

The American Music Awards didn’t offer up a particularly surprising crop of winners during its ceremony Tuesday night, but the show itself had its moments.

Even though Gladys Knight honored the late Aretha Franklin’s gospel music career, resurgent divas Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez both performed, and Panic! at the Disco covered Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” nothing could compare to the night’s big winners.

Cardi B

Not only did the brash, brilliant rapper take home three awards, including the trophy for rap/hip-hop artist, but she also stole the show with an absolutely bananas performance of her smash “I Like It.”

Colorful and chaotic, Cardi B brought Bad Bunny and J Balvin out to help her blow the doors off the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. We could say more, but instead, we’ll let former “Saturday Night Live” star Taran Killam’s reaction to the performance do the talking for us.

Check out the video of Cardi B’s bonkers display above.

Taylor Swift accepts one of her many American Music Awards trophies.
(Matt Sayles / Invision/Associated Press)

Taylor Swift

In the wake of her newfound political activism, Taylor Swift could do no wrong at Tuesday’s ceremony.

Swift opened the show with a fiery rendition of her song “I Did Something Bad,” which included a giant (fake) snake. The singer-songwriter went on to win four trophies, including artist of the year, and unseated Whitney Houston as the AMA’s most decorated woman ever.

Host Tracee Ellis Ross rocks a shirt touting her voter status.
(Matt Sayles / Invision/Associated Press)

Get out the vote!

But in reality, the real winner of Tuesday night’s ceremony was voting.

During her acceptance speech for artist of the year, Swift pointed out how each award of the evening had been voted on by the people.

“And you know what else is voted on by the people is the midterm elections on Nov. 6,” Swift added. “Get out and vote.”

It was a logical follow-up statement considering Swift had waded into political waters over the weekend with an Instagram post — and prompted a surge in voter registrations.

But it wasn’t just Swift beating the voter registration drum.

One of host Tracee Ellis Ross’ 13 outfits included a white T-shirt proudly announcing, “I’m a voter,” which she reiterated to viewers by asking, “I am a voter, are you?”

Presenter and comedian Billy Eichner also went off script and gave an impassioned speech about the importance of voting.

“Young people of America, the biggest election of our lifetime is happening. That’s right. Tonight is the final night to register in 20 states in this country,” the “Billy on the Street” star said.

“Please grab your friends. Tell them to vote,” he went on. “If you believe in equality for women, for people of color, for the LGBTQ community. If you believe that climate change is real and that we need to do something about it, don’t let anyone tell you your vote won’t count.”

Eichner concluded by telling young people to register and vote — “just like Taylor Swift told you.”

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Chairman of Television Academy stepping down after two years

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Hayma Washington is stepping down as chairman and CEO of the Television Academy Board of Governors when his term expires at the end of the year.

Washington will not seek a second term in order for him to return to producing and focusing on diversity, The Times has confirmed.

“It just felt for me as a professional and personally it was time to move on,” he told Variety on Tuesday. “I’m an independent producer and as you sit in that position, you really are limited in some of the things you can do with your agendas.”

Washington, a seven-time Emmy Award winner, said that if he could get back into independent producing, he could be “so much more effective” in what was personally important to him, such as inclusion and diversity efforts.

“The Amazing Race” executive producer became the first African American chairman of the organization when he was elected in November 2016. He succeeded Bruce Rosenblum, who served for five years.

During his tenure, Washington secured a new eight-year contract with the four major TV networks to rotate hosting the academy’s marquee event, the Primetime Emmy Awards, though viewership of last month’s telecast hit a record low.

He also established a new code of conduct for members and updated the organization’s bylaws.

“His service and dedication have been appreciated during a time of both great challenges and great strides in our industry,” Maury McIntyre, president and COO of the Television Academy, said Wednesday in a statement to The Times. “The Academy is wonderfully positioned for the path ahead”

Washington’s replacement will be selected at upcoming elections for new officers and governors, the Associated Press reported.

UPDATE

9:11 a.m.: This story has been updated to include confirmation of Washington’s departure and Maury McIntyre’s statement.

This story was originally published at 8:32 a.m.

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A Star Is Born: John Prine turns 72 today

(Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

My music has been called so many different things over the years. I figure as long as it’s selling, call it what you want.

— John Prine, 2018

READ MORE: John Prine is still singing about heaven and mortality — and sounding as vital as ever

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Taylor Swift makes American Music Awards history, encourages fans to vote

Taylor Swift has now broken the record for most American Music Awards won by a female artist.

During Tuesday’s ceremony the pop star, who opened the night with a fiery performance of “I Did Something Bad” (her first awards show performance in three years), eclipsed Whitney Houston’s longstanding position as the most decorated female performer on the AMA stage.

Swift swept the evening, taking home trophies for tour of the year, pop/rock album and the night’s biggest award, artist of the year. Tuesday’s wins brought Swift’s career total past the 21 Houston collected in her lifetime. Swift has won 23 AMA trophies.

PHOTOS: See highlights from the 2018 American Music Awards

While accepting the prize for artist of the year Swift, like many artists in the evening, used her moment onstage to urge fans to “get out and vote” at the midterm elections next month.

“I just wanted to make a mention at the fact that this award and every single award given out tonight were voted on by the people, and you know what else is voted on by the people is the midterm elections on Nov. 6,” she said to applause.

Her artist of the year win was the fourth time she’s taken the honor, beating her own record.

COMMENTARY: The American Music Awards play like an exercise in not trying hard

Swift’s sweep at Tuesday’s AMAs, while historic, now places her behind Michael Jackson for the highest overall trophy count. The late pop icon earned 24 trophies in his lifetime.

Khalid, Camila Cabello, Cardi B, XXXTentacion, Migos and Kane Brown also were among the night’s winners at the Microsoft Theater in L.A. See the full list of winners.

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Richard Linklater directs an anti-Ted Cruz ad calling for Texas senator’s firing

Richard Linklater directed a new political ad that calls for Sen. Ted Cruz to be fired.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Oscar-nominated director Richard Linklater has directed a political ad calling for the firing of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, featuring a scene-stealing character from Linklater’s 2011 film, “Bernie.”

The Austin filmmaker’s 30-second spot features Sonny Carl reprising his role of a Texas townsperson, this time mocking the Republican incumbent’s “Tough as Texas” slogan.

Instead of breaking down “the five states of Texas,” Sonny says he doesn’t think the senator is tough enough on President Trump, who repeatedly insulted Cruz and his family in the lead-up to the 2016 presidential campaign.

(Warning: The ad features some coarse language.)

“Come on, if somebody called my wife a dog and said my daddy was in on the Kennedy assassination, I wouldn’t be kissin’ their ass,” Sonny says.

In fact, he suggests quite the opposite.

During a debate with Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke last month, the incumbent said he made a conscious decision to put aside any personal hurt feelings from Trump’s remarks “for the good of Texans,” according to the Texas Tribune.

The ad was paid for by organizers of the Fire Ted Cruz PAC, who partnered with Linklater to make it. A voice-over at the end notes that the ad was “not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.”

Nor does the ad mention Cruz’s opponent, Democratic Congressman O’Rourke, who has campaigned on rejecting money from outside groups.

Cruz’s challenge from O’Rourke has stoked pop-culture interest in the tightening race. On Monday, Cruz laughed off an attack meme that featured the lawmaker as a member of the rock band KISS. He was also the butt of a joke about how uncool he is on a “Saturday Night Live” skit over the weekend.

Linklater, whose critically acclaimed works include “Boyhood” and “Dazed and Confused,” is among a slew of celebrities to weigh in on the tight U.S. Senate race ahead of November’s critical midterm elections. Last month, country music legend Willie Nelson held a concert for O’Rourke in Austin.

Political ads such as Linklater’s have been credited with helping bolster support for so-called underling candidates. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who in June defeated 10-term incumbent Democrat Joe Crowley in New York’s 14th Congressional District race, is among the marquee examples.

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Busy Philipps accuses James Franco of assault in upcoming memoir

In an excerpt from her upcoming memoir, Busy Philipps alleges that James Franco assaulted her on the set of "Freaks and Geeks."
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times; Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Actress Busy Philipps has been unafraid to speak her mind in recent years, particularly as she prepares to release her first memoir and launch a new late-night talk show later this month.

In “This Will Only Hurt a Little,” which will be published next week, Philipps alleges that James Franco, her costar on “Freaks and Geeks,” physically assaulted her in 1999 on the set of that short-lived but beloved NBC TV show.

According to Philipps, she was shooting a scene with Franco that required her to gently hit him on the chest as she delivered her line. The actress alleges that Franco immediately broke character after she made contact.

“He grabbed both my arms and screamed in my face, ‘DON’T EVER TOUCH ME AGAIN!’” Philipps wrote, according to Radar Online, which first reported on the excerpt. “And he threw me to the ground. Flat on my back. Wind knocked out of me.”

Though Franco reportedly apologized the next day, at the direction of producers, Philipps claimed that the actor was never reprimanded for his behavior.

But that doesn’t mean that the pair haven’t discussed the incident since.

In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter published Tuesday, Philipps said, “James and I have talked about it over the years. At one point he apologized to me.”

“I was always acutely aware of my expendability,” the actress told THR, referring to why she hadn’t made more of a fuss about the incident. “And so I felt I needed to never complain, always show up on time and not be difficult. If someone else was being difficult, it was my job to be the easy one or figure out a way to soothe the situation.”

This is not the first time that Franco has faced accusations of misconduct within the industry.

In January, The Times reported that five women, including acting students of Franco’s, accused him of behavior they found to be inappropriate or sexually exploitative.

Representatives for Philipps and Franco did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Tuesday morning.

Touchstone, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, will release Philipps’s memoir on Oct. 16, ahead of the Oct. 28 premiere of her new talk show, “Busy Tonight,” on the E! network.

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Kanye West to meet with President Trump at White House on Thursday

Donald Trump and rapper Kanye West at Trump Tower in New York on Dec. 13, 2016.
(Seth Wenig / Associated Press)

Rapper Kanye West will make a house call to President Trump on Thursday.

West will have lunch with Trump and advisor (and son-in-law) Jared Kushner at the White House. They are set to discuss prison reform, manufacturing, preventing gang violence and reducing violence in West’s hometown of Chicago, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed to the Associated Press on Tuesday after a New York Times report about the meeting.

The meet-up comes on the heels of West again publicly supporting Trump during a post-show rant about politics on “Saturday Night Live” earlier this month. West has also been wearing a version of Trump’s red “Make America Great Again” hats recently.

“It’s so many times that I talk to a white person about this, and they say, ‘How could you support Trump? He’s racist.’ Well if I was concerned about racism, I would have moved out of America a long time ago,” West said after the show. “We don’t just make our decisions off of racism. I’ma break it down to you right now: If someone inspires me and I connect with them, I don’t have to believe in all they policies.”

On Twitter, Trump heaped praise on the Grammy-winning provocateur after the performance: “Word is that Kanye West, who put on a MAGA hat after the show (despite being told ‘no’), was great. He’s leading the charge!”

West’s wife, reality star Kim Kardashian West, met with Trump and Kushner over the summer and facilitated the presidential pardon of Alice Marie Johnson, who had been serving a life sentence for non-violent drug charges.

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Taylor Swift talked about the importance of voting, and registration spiked

New voter registration jumped after Taylor Swift made a political plea on Instagram.
(Jordan Strauss / Invision/Associated Press)

It’s been only two days since her impassioned Instagram post encouraged fans to become politically active, but Taylor Swift is already rocking the vote. And rankling President Trump in the process.

New voter registrations spiked after the pop star waded into political waters on Sunday, Vote.org director of communications Kamari Guthrie told BuzzFeed News.

“We are up to 65,000 registrations in a single 24-hour period since T. Swift’s post,” Guthrie told the outlet, compared to 190,178 new voters registered nationwide in September, while 56,669 registered in August.

“Thank God for Taylor Swift,” Guthrie added.

Vote.org is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that, according to its website, “uses technology to simplify political engagement, increase voter turnout, and strengthen American democracy.”

Beyond getting out the vote, Swift also endorsed Democratic candidates Phil Bredesen for Senate and Jim Cooper for Congress in the state of Tennessee, despite being pained by not supporting a female candidate.

“As much as I have in the past and would like to continue voting for women in office, I cannot support Marsha Blackburn,” Swift said of the Tennessee congresswoman running for Senate, citing Blackburn’s voting record.

“She voted against the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which attempts to protect women from domestic violence, stalking, and date rape,” Swift detailed. “She believes businesses have a right to refuse service to gay couples. She also believes they should not have the right to marry.”

“These are not MY Tennessee values,” the singer emphasized.

But according to CNN, not everyone was taken with Swift’s partisan politicking.

When asked about the singer’s stance, Trump dismissed Swift’s comments, saying, “I’m sure Taylor Swift doesn’t know anything about” Blackburn.

“Let’s say that I like Taylor’s music about 25% less now, OK?” Trump joked.

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A Star Is Born: Steve McQueen turns 49 today

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

I so hope that the studios understand that people want to see challenging films — films that are not sort of blockbusters. ... And that will be so healthy.

— Steve McQueen, 2014

FROM THE ARCHIVES: ‘12 Years a Slave’ has meant sacrifice and rewards for director Steve McQueen

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John Oliver blasts Trump and supporters after Kavanaugh confirmation

After an entire episode dedicated to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings, John Oliver opened Sunday’s “Last Week Tonight” with a screed criticizing the Senate’s decision to promote the embattled judge to the highest court in the land.

“Look, what became painfully clear this week was that no step in this process had a chance of altering Republicans’ course,” Oliver stated. “Not [Christine] Blasey Ford’s testimony. Not the wildly inadequate FBI investigation. Not a letter signed by 2,400-plus law professors saying they opposed his appointment. Not even retired Justice [John Paul] Stevens arguing that after watching Kavanaugh’s testimony, he no longer felt he was fit to sit on the court.”

Oliver singled out some senators whom he thought had behaved badly during the confirmation process. He criticized Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch for his dismissive treatment of sexual assault survivors after telling them to “grow up.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Oliver pointed out, called Democrats obstructionist, after previously bragging about his move to block Merrick Garland’s Supreme Court bid for 293 days during President Obama’s final year in office.

Even Iowa Sen. Charles E. Grassley appeared on TV agreeing that protesters of Kavanaugh’s nomination were probably paid off by philanthropist and political activist George Soros.

“George Soros isn’t paying people to yell at Jeff Flake in an elevator,” Oliver exclaimed. “It’s completely unnecessary. People will happily do that for free. In fact, people would pay to yell at Jeff Flake in an elevator. If Disney World had a ride called Yell at Jeff Flake in an Elevator, the line would be longer than Space … Mountain.”

But the heart of the GOP’s disingenuous arguments, Oliver claimed, lay with President Trump.

“This entire process wasn’t about principle. It was just about getting what you want, no matter how you have to do it or what damage it does to Dr. Ford, to other survivors or to our fundamental trust in the Supreme Court,” he said. “It was borderline pathological, which, naturally brings us back to the president.”

Oliver pointed out that last week, Trump had laid bare his “win at all costs” philosophy.

At a rally in Minnesota, the president mocked former Sen. Al Franken, who resigned after accusations of sexual misconduct.

“Trump mocked him not for what he had done, but for being dumb enough to take responsibility for it,” Oliver explained. In a video from the rally, the president derided Franken for leaving his position so quickly after the allegations surfaced.

“What exactly are you making fun of there?” the former “Daily Show” correspondent asked. “’Oh, I did something wrong and I got caught, so now I have to leave!’ Yes! That’s how it’s supposed to go!”

Oliver summed up his argument on a sobering note: “Trump has gotten away with so much in his life, for so long, that he mocks the very idea of accountability.”

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Meghan McCain returns to ‘The View’ and salutes her late father, John McCain

Meghan McCain on Monday returned to her hosting duties on “The View” and continued to tout the legacy of her father, Sen. John McCain, who died in August.

The conservative co-host was absent from the show since its 22nd season premiere last month and started off her segment by thanking her co-hosts, viewers and fellow Americans “for being so kind” to her and her family in the wake of the Arizona lawmaker’s death.

“It made me so inspired that the ideals my father espoused through his career are the ideals of America. There was a lot of talk about what died with him, and I’m here today to tell you: It didn’t. It is alive and well,” she said.

“I need us to remember that he believed in American exceptionalism. He believed America is the greatest country in the history of the world. He believed that when your candidates [or] opponents say something racist in a rally, you push back. That is John McCain, that is what America is,” she added.

When it came time to thank her co-hosts, McCain choked up, particularly when addressing Whoopi Goldberg, who stepped down from her perch to give McCain a hug. The gesture was more than symbolic for the panelists, who often feud over their partisan views.

“My father loved you, he really loved you,” McCain said through tears. “And I love you. This woman has let me cry in her dressing room all year last year.”

McCain, who joined the ABC talk-show a year ago, went on to thank each of her co-hosts individually for their shows of support during her father’s cancer diagnosis, treatment and death. She also spoke about her eulogy at her father’s funeral, which her cast mates had previously applauded.

“None of us agree at this table at very much when it comes to politics and the world. But we are all sisters here, supporting each other, and this is what America should be,” she said.

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Bravo’s adaptation of L.A. Times’ ‘Dirty John’ series gets November premiere

Bravo announced that its upcoming scripted series “Dirty John,” based on the Los Angeles Times’ popular serialized print series and podcast, will premiere in November.

The launch date for the eight-episode adaptation is set for Nov. 25 at 10 p.m., the network revealed Monday.

The season is based on the true-crime saga from Times reporter Christopher Goffard — a sordid tale of manipulation and deception revolving around a handsome con man, John Meehan, and his romance with a woman named Debra Newell.

In the Bravo series, Eric Bana will portray the titular John, while Connie Britton stars as Newell. (Both actors also serve as executive producers.)

The network also released a two-minute trailer for the series — in case you want to see how your imagination of the events stacks up with Hollywood’s.

When talking about the adaption earlier this summer at the Television Critics Assn. press tour, executive producer and showrunner Alexandra Cunningham told reporters the show was taking a page from John Meehan in its storytelling approach.

“The podcast is a fantastic work of investigative journalism,” Cunningham said. “What we’re trying to do is cast the spell that John cast over Debra. We’re trying to sweep the audience off their feet the way John swept Debra off her feet.”

The series hails from NBCUniversal studio Universal Cable Productions in association with Los Angeles Times Studios and Atlas Entertainment.

“Dirty John” is set up at Bravo as an anthology drama with a two-season order. The second season will be based on an entirely new and close-ended story that has not yet been announced.

For Bravo, which has established itself as a reality TV hub with franchises such as “Real Housewives” and “Below Deck,” “Dirty John” is another attempt by the network to build its reputation in the scripted arena following series “Odd Mom Out” and “Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce.”

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Tina Turner reveals her husband donated his kidney to her

Singer Tina Turner poses with her husband, Erwin Bach.
(Stuart C. Wilson / Getty Images)

Iconic singer Tina Turner underwent a kidney transplant in 2017, and love’s got everything to do with it.

Her second husband, Erwin Bach, donated a kidney to her when her kidney health was declining and she was exploring dialysis and assisted suicide as alternatives, she writes in her forthcoming memoir, “Tina Turner: My Love Story.”

In excerpts published Saturday in the Daily Mail newspaper, the rock queen, 78, said that in 2016 her kidneys were at “20% and plunging rapidly.”

It was the latest in a series of medical blows that began with a stroke in 2013, early-stage intestinal cancer and years of mismanaged blood pressure that accelerated the kidney damage. The prospect of losing Turner was grim for her husband, a German-born record producer whom she married in 2013.

“He said he didn’t want another woman, or another life; we were happy and he’d do anything to keep us together,” the “What’s Love Got to Do With It” singer wrote. “Then he shocked me. He said that he wanted to give me one of his kidneys.”

Though she was “overwhelmed by the enormity of his offer,” Turner said that she first declined because he was a younger man, 62, risking his life to save an older woman for “a few extra years.” But they eventually agreed to make it work.

“His offer to give me his kidney was a gift of love, and he remained unflappable and relaxed,” she said.

The dual surgeries were successful, and both Turner and Bach recovered from them relatively quickly. She said they are “happy, overwhelmed and relieved that we’d come through this alive.”

These days, though, Turner, who encouraged people to sign up to be organ donors, undergoes immunosuppressant treatments to prevent her antibodies from attacking the new organ. The side effects include dizziness, forgetfulness, anxiety and spending more time in the hospital.

“I know that my medical adventure is far from over. After a transplant, it seems that there’s always another test, another doctor’s appointment or biopsy to get through,” she wrote. “But I’m still here. We’re both still here, closer than we ever imagined — and that’s cause for celebration.”

Turner’s life story and tumultuous marriage to musician Ike Turner will also be explored in the memoir, which publisher Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, bills as “an explosive and inspiring story of a woman who dared to break any barriers put in her way.”

The singer’s life will also be showcased in the Broadway-bound musical “Tina” next fall.

“Tina Turner: My Love Story” goes on sale on Oct. 16.

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A Star Is Born: Sigourney Weaver turns 69 today

(Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

I think [my daughter] just prefers to think of me as good ol’ mom, you know, not some person running around a spaceship with a flamethrower.

— Sigourney Weaver, 2009

FROM THE ARCHIVES: ‘Avatar’ star Sigourney Weaver as queen of sci-fi: ‘Outer space has been good to me’

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A Star Is Born: Thom Yorke turns 50 today

(Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

To me, electronic music is the new folk music ‘cause it’s that easy to use and generate.

— Thom Yorke, 2001

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Operating on His Own Frequency

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A Star Is Born: David Hidalgo turns 64 today

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Having to tour and play as much as we do has really loosened us up. We throw away the set list and just have a ball.

— David Hidalgo, 1998

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Los Lobos: Keeping the Revolution Alive

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Bette Midler apologizes for tweet claiming ‘women are the N-word of the world’

Bette Midler
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Bette Midler has apologized for a tweet evoking John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s lyrics from a contentious 1972 song.

The singer and actress, known for being outspoken on social media, was airing her grievances over Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination in the wake of sexual assault allegations brought against him — and what she later said was a “too brief investigation” into them.

It was because of that that she tweeted Thursday that “women are the n-word of the world,” adding, “They are the most disrespected creatures on earth.”

The tweet, which has since been deleted, quoted Lennon and Ono’s firebrand anthem “Woman Is the … of the World,” a song whose history is fraught with controversy despite its pro-feminist message.

The Divine Miss M, a fierce critic of President Trump, sparked a backlash for equating the struggle of women to the history of racism, particularly for discounting the experiences of black women.

Later Thursday, Midler walked back her words with an apology.

“Angrily I tweeted w/o thinking my choice of words would be enraging to black women who doubly suffer, both by being women and by being black,” the “Hello, Dolly!” star wrote on Twitter. “I am an ally and stand with you; always have. And I apologize.”

The inflammatory song, from Lennon and Ono’s album “Some Time in New York City,” was released as a single in 1972. It was laced with derogatory language and was received back then much like Midler’s tweet was, largely for the same reason. Many U.S. radio stations refused to play it, but Lennon defended the song by saying he used the epithet to refer to any oppressed person.

Ono reportedly coined the phrase in question during a 1969 interview with Nova magazine. She and Lennon are said to have drawn inspiration for the song from the London music scene, Zora Neale Hurston’s novel “Their Eyes Were Watching God” and revolutionary Irishman James Connolly.

Later that decade, another rocker put the offending word in a song title. Patti Smith evoked a similar sentiment — the idea of the artist as an outsider — in her 1978 song “Rock N Roll …,” which has since been covered by several artists.

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Chance the Rapper pledges $1M for mental-health initiatives

Chance the Rapper donates $1 million toward mental-health resources in Chicago.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Chance the Rapper is giving a whole lot more to his hometown of Chicago.

The rapper on Thursday pledged $1 million to help improve mental-health services in the Windy City through his nonprofit organization SocialWorks, which aims to empower Chicago youth through the arts, education, civic engagement and job opportunities.

Its goal is to “change the way that mental-health resources are being accessed,” the rapper said when he announced the donation during the SocialWorks summit. “We need a new space to get information on how they feel and where they can go.”

The three-time Grammy winner, who recently bought the Chicagoist website, was joined by representatives from the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Chicago Department of Public Health, the Associated Press reported.

The artist-philanthropist has the backing of celebrities including “black-ish” star Tracee Ellis Ross, “Black Panther” star Chadwick Boseman, singer Shawn Mendes, DJ Khaled, actress Gabrielle Union and TV queen Oprah Winfrey, all of whom recorded video testimonials about getting mental-health treatment, which were played at the summit.

Through the donation, six mental-wellness providers in Cook County will each receive $100,000 grants. SocialWorks is also launching the “My State of Mind” initiative to connect people with treatment options.

“This new initiative is for you,” Chance told the audience. “To help you find that inner peace that each of us seek, and find someone to talk to who actually looks like you in your neighborhood and tell others what services you’re offering if you’re [a provider].”

The “No Problem” emcee, real name Chancelor Bennett, also announced plans to give $100,000 to 20 additional Chicago public schools, to which he has donated millions of dollars over the years.

“This year, 20 more schools will get $100K,” he announced to an auditorium of cheers, according to Chicago’s local ABC news affiliate. “We will be upping the game in terms of equity, in terms of what is rightfully yours. Principals, teachers, we got your back.”

The application window for the mental-health grants opens in January, ABC said.

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#MeToo activist Alyssa Milano says Bill Clinton shouldn’t have received benefit of the doubt

Actress-activist Alyssa Milano appeared on CNN’s “Cuomo Prime Time” on Thursday where she detailed her experience sitting in on Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s Senate hearing on sexual assault allegations last week and drew parallels to sexual misconduct allegations that dogged former President Bill Clinton.

Milano, who was invited to the Senate Judiciary hearing as a guest of ranking member Sen. Dianne Feinstein, has been an outspoken critic of Kavanaugh, particularly in the wake of allegations of sexual assault made by psychologist Christine Blasey Ford and other women.

“I am not OK with his temperament,” the “Charmed” actress said. “I sat in the room, so I actually could feel his rage throughout his testimony. I felt he was acting as though he was a political operative. He was very volatile. I said numerous times if a woman had acted like that during a line of questioning, she would have been considered unhinged … the double standard is unbelievable.”

Host Chris Cuomo then turned Milano’s attention to Clinton, of whom Milano is a fan, and who weathered his own misconduct allegations dating back to the 1970s. He asked her if Kavanaugh should get the same benefit of the doubt Clinton received during the Monica Lewinsky scandals and when four other women accused him of sexual assault and harassment.

“No,” she asserted.” And I don’t think Bill Clinton should have gotten that benefit of the doubt in hindsight.”

“As a nation we were in a different time,” Milano added. “I think that women were continually being silenced. We gave him the benefit of the doubt, and we probably should have investigated the allegations against him as well.”

On Wednesday, the “Who’s the Boss?” alum shared her own story of sexual assault with a group of constituents gathered at Sen. Susan Collins’ office. Milano claimed the Maine politician hid during their demonstration.

Milano recounted her experience through a “human microphone,” meaning every line she said out loud was repeated by those around her. She shared footage of the emotional moment on Twitter with the caveat that “I’ll never know if she heard me.”

The actress said that while at a famous pop star’s concert when she was 19, the star told the crowd “ to get closer to her, which resulted in a stampede that made her feel as if she were going to die.

“From behind me, I felt a hand up my skirt and I was punched repeatedly in the vagina,” she said, getting choked up. “I couldn’t turn around. I looked to the stage, and I looked to the security guards, and I said, ‘Please help me’ and they couldn’t help me. They shook their heads.”

After managing to break free, she climbed up the stage but when she turned around to identify who assaulted her, she couldn’t.

“I didn’t know which one it was,” she said, crying. “And I looked to the sea of people and I couldn’t find him. And I couldn’t report because I didn’t know who it was to report and I didn’t tell anybody because I didn’t know who it was to tell on. And I kept this secret just like Dr. Ford kept her secret for decades.”

Milano, who is credited with publicizing Tamara Burke’s #MeToo campaign in the wake of last year’s Harvey Weinstein scandal, tweeted that this was “one of my #MeToo stories.”

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Amy Schumer and Emily Ratajkowski arrested on Capitol Hill during Kavanaugh protests

Comedian Amy Schumer gestures after being detained along with hundreds of other demonstrators at Hart Senate Office Building on Thursday.
(Erik S. Lesser / EPA-EFE / REX )

Actresses Amy Schumer and Emily Ratajkowski were among the 300 demonstrators arrested on Capitol Hill on Thursday while protesting the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh.

“Today I was arrested protesting the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh, a man who has been accused by multiple women of sexual assault. Men who hurt women can no longer be placed in positions of power,” Ratajkowski tweeted.

“I Feel Pretty” star Schumer shared a series of photos from the protest on Instagram late Thursday in which she was photographed holding up her fist while being escorted out by a police officer.

Police arrested the demonstrators as they were emptying the Hart Senate Office Building’s atrium on Thursday while senators huddled around the closely guarded FBI report on Kavanaugh. Some protesters who were willing to be arrested sat down in the atrium and began loudly chanting, according to the Associated Press.

A Twitter user shared video of the protesters being escorted out.

The women, who are proponents of women’s rights issues and participated in the Women’s March protests, have been among those vehemently opposing Kavanaugh’s confirmation, more rigorously so in the wake of professor Christine Blasey Ford’s allegations of sexual assault against the judge.

Kavanaugh has denied her allegations.

Schumer is the cousin of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the New York senator who on Friday delivered a speech to the Senate discouraging his colleagues from moving forward with Kavanaugh’s confirmation.

A rep for Schumer did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment on Friday.

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A Star Is Born: Jesse Eisenberg turns 35 today

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

I think there’s a misconception that all people who have chosen to act in movies are eager to see themselves in the thing. You’re eager for the experience.

— Jesse Eisenberg, 2010

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Friending Jesse Eisenberg

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Laurie Metcalf and John Lithgow will play Hillary and Bill Clinton on Broadway

Laurie Metcalf, left, and John Lithgow will play Hillary and Bill Clinton in the upcoming Broadway play "Hillary and Clinton."
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times, left; Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Laurie Metcalf and John Lithgow are bringing Hillary and Bill Clinton to a Broadway stage in April.

The Tony- and Emmy-winning actors will play the political power couple in the play “Hillary and Clinton,” producer Scott Rudin said in a statement Thursday.

The new play by Lucas Hnath, who was nominated for a Tony Award for “A Doll’s House — Part 2,” is set in New Hampshire during the early days of 2008 and “examines the politics of marriage, gender roles and the limitations of experience and inevitability,” according to a press statement.

“A former First Lady named Hillary (Metcalf) is in a desperate bid to save her troubled campaign for President of the United States,” the statement said. “Her husband, Bill (Lithgow), sees things one way; her campaign manager, Mark, sees things another. If any of this sounds familiar, don’t be fooled; in a universe of infinite possibilities, anything that can happen, will.”

The show will be directed by two-time Tony winner Joe Mantello, whose creative team includes Chloe Lamford (set design), Ann Roth (costume design) and Hugh Vanstone (lighting design).

Previews begin March 16, but the theater housing the production has yet to be announced.

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After 40 days in rehab, Ben Affleck says ‘getting help is a sign of courage’

Ben Affleck is out of rehab and in outpatient care for alcohol addiction.
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Ben Affleck has completed a 40-day stay in a rehab facility to treat his alcohol addiction and confirmed Thursday that he remains in outpatient care.

The two-time Oscar winner shared the development on Instagram in a post that thanked his family, colleagues and fans for their support.

“It’s given me the strength and support to speak about my illness with others,” the 46-year-old actor wrote.

“Battling any addiction is a lifelong and difficult struggle. Because of that, one is never really in or out of treatment,” he added. “It is a full-time commitment. I am fighting for myself and my family.”

Reports that Affleck re-entered rehab began circulating in late August when his estranged wife, Jennifer Garner, with whom he shares three young children, was photographed driving the actor to a facility after reportedly staging an intervention at his home.

On Thursday, Affleck, who said he hoped he could be an example to others who are struggling, also thanked those who reached out to him with their own journeys involving addiction. He said their strength “is inspiring and is supporting me in ways I didn’t think was possible.”

“It helps to know I am not alone,” he continued. “As I’ve had to remind myself, if you have a problem, getting help is a sign of courage, not weakness or failure.”

The “Justice League” star previously entered rehab in 2001 and 2017. Following the last stint, Affleck penned a similar missive about his struggle on Facebook, calling it something he “dealt with in the past and will continue to confront.”

Affleck’s rep added no further comment on the post when reached by the Los Angeles Times on Thursday.

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Ellen DeGeneres on abuse survivors’ testimony: ‘I am furious at people who don’t believe it’

With the upcoming anniversary of the #MeToo movement and the testimony of Christine Blasey Ford dominating the cultural conversation, daytime host Ellen DeGeneres has opened up about sexual abuse she experienced when she was younger.

DeGeneres turned into an interview subject on her own show when her guest, the “Today” show’s Savannah Guthrie, recently asked how she felt about this moment in history.

“As a victim of sexual abuse, I am furious at people who don’t believe it and who say, ‘how do you not remember exactly what day it was…?’” DeGeneres said in an interview recorded on Wednesday and scheduled to air on Friday.

“What you remember is what happened to you and where you were and how you feel. That’s what you remember. I think anybody who has gone through it, right now is watching this so angry because you know, how dare you not believe us?” the host asserted in a clip showed on “Today.”

The talk-show host’s words come on the heels of President Trump mocking the testimony given by Ford during Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Count nomination hearings last week, as well as journalist Connie Chung’s powerful Washington Post essay detailing her own experience with abuse.

DeGeneres in 2005 shared allegations of abuse at the hands of her stepfather, and during a recent episode of her show, she recounted that the incident happened when she was 15 and voiced her frustration that young girls are “taught not to say anything and go along with it.”

On a lighter note, DeGeneres had Guthrie on her show to promote the anchor’s upcoming children’s book and to discuss developments with Guthrie’s crush on tennis star Roger Federer and her chemistry with “Today” co-anchor Hoda Kotb following Matt Lauer’s firing over misconduct allegations last year.

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‘MASH’ star Alan Alda to receive SAG Life Achievement Award

Alan Alda
Alan Alda
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Veteran film and television star Alan Alda is slated to be the next recipient of the Screen Actors Guild’s Life Achievement Award.

SAG-AFTRA, Hollywood’s largest labor union, will present the award to the “MASH” star during the 25th Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremony on Jan. 27, the organization announced Thursday.

Alda, 82, is an Oscar-nominated actor, writer, director, producer and long-time advocate for science communication. He’s to be the 55th recipient of the union’s highest tribute, joining recent honorees such as Morgan Freeman, Lily Tomlin, Carol Burnett, Debbie Reynolds and Rita Moreno.

The award is given annually to an actor who fosters the “finest ideals of the acting profession,” the guild said.

“He is an artist whose body of work is a testament to the craft and the magic of our business,” SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris said in a statement. “His ability to make us laugh, to think and to feel is extraordinary. From theater to television, movies, and new media Alan’s dedication and talent are exceeded only by his contributions to a just and caring society.”

Though Alda is best known for his 11-season run as Dr. “Hawkeye” Pierce on “MASH,” he got his start in improvisational theater in Cleveland before moving to Broadway, which eventually earned him three Tony Award nominations.

He has since been inducted into the Television Hall of Fame, won six Emmy Awards, racked up four SAG Award nominations, six Golden Globe Awards, four DGA Awards (including the D.W. Griffith Award) and the WGA’s Valentine Davis Award. He earned his supporting actor Oscar nomination for Martin Scorsese’s 2004 Howard Hughes biopic, “The Aviator,” playing Sen. Ralph Owen Brewster.

Alda is one of only six people to be nominated for an Oscar, Tony and Emmy Award in the same year (2005), SAG noted.

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Late-night hosts issue their own versions of Trump’s Presidential Alert text message

No presidential alert was needed to inform late-night viewers about what the hosts really thought of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s new emergency alert text message, which allows the president to issue a warning about a crisis, such as a missile launch or tsunami.

“Is there really an emergency so big that everyone in America … [has] to hear about it at the same time? What is that big?” Stephen Colbert asked on “The Late Show.” “Is it the death asteroid? Is it Thanos? If it’s Thanos, please, no spoilers.”

Colbert devoted a segment of his CBS show to breaking down how to opt out of the reportedly not opt-outable alert system, which appeared on mobile phones across the nation at 11:18 a.m. Pacific time on Wednesday.

His opt-out workaround, by the way, involves banging vigorously on your device with a hammer.

On NBC, “The Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon joked that President Trump said whoever responded to the text first “will officially become the next Supreme Court justice.”

“It’s a historic moment because it’s the first time Eric Trump ever got a text from his dad,” he added.

On ABC, “Jimmy Kimmel Live” took the Hollywood approach to a bad idea: Make a major motion picture out of it. He treated fans to a trailer for the apocalyptic “The Textening,” a movie that involves inescapable cellphones, constantly ringing iPads, a knife attack on a smartwatch and gun violence toward a cellphone.

Trevor Noah of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” quipped that having an alert system like this in place “is Trump’s dream.”

“You realize it’s a tweet he can force everyone to read,” Noah said.

Back on NBC, “Late Night’s” Seth Meyers informed his viewers that: “Everyone in America received a text alert from President Trump today. ‘How did he get my number?!’ yelled Melania.”

“The Late Late Show” host James Corden apologized to those who muted Trump on Twitter.

“I’m afraid there’s just no escape,” he said, later adding: “Like most things, there were some glitches the first time around. A lot of people ended up getting this on their phones: ‘TWO BIG MACS, LARGE FRY, FISH FILLET, HURRY BACK.”

Samantha Bee of TBS’ “Full Frontal” sent her own text alert to fans because her show also “wanted to be part of the action.”

“We value your patronage and we promise to hit up your phone only with absolutely petty notifications,” the “Full Frontal” account said in response to a fan tweet.

Several hosts also provided their own takes on the alert, which you can see below.

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A Star Is Born: Dakota Johnson turns 29 today

(Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

Being on a film set is the most comforting thing in the world to me. Seeing a catering truck feels like home.

— Dakota Johnson, 2015

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Dakota Johnson: ‘Fifty Shades’ movie hype ‘terrifying’ and ‘exciting’

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Free screenings of Ruth Bader Ginsburg documentary ‘RBG’ slated for Oct. 29

“RBG,” the hit documentary about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, is heading back to theaters this month for free screenings in select cities.

Magnolia Pictures, Participant Media, the American Civil Liberties Union and Rock the Vote will host free screenings in California, Florida and Texas cities on Oct. 29, a little more than a week before the critical midterm elections on Nov. 6.

Southern California residents can see the film at the Regal Irvine Spectrum 21 in Irvine.

Ginsburg’s personal journey, legal legacy and unexpected pop-culture influence are among the documentary’s themes, as well as her commitment to gender equality and contributions to the women’s rights movement. The 85-year-old justice marked her 25th anniversary on the Supreme Court in August.

REVIEW: ‘RBG’ shows the formidable soft power of Ruth Bader Ginsburg

The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year and held its own at the box office over the summer, earning $14 million worldwide. Another Ginsburg film, “On the Basis of Sex,” starring Felicity Jones as the young justice, hits theaters this Christmas after it opens AFI Fest next month.

“As Ruth Bader Ginsburg co-founded the ACLU Women’s Rights Project in 1972, it seems appropriate that we are able to join together to help make it possible for everyone to know how hard she worked for equality — and how important it is to continue that work today,” Eamonn Bowles, president of Magnolia Pictures, said in a statement Wednesday.

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Exclusive: Daniel Henney is excited for Tadashi’s return in new ‘Big Hero 6’ featurette

In the world of “Big Hero 6,” nothing’s impossible. At least according to Tadashi Hamada, who seems to be back and checking up on his younger brother Hiro in the show’s special Halloween episode.

“It’s been really, really satisfying and incredible voicing Tadashi again,” said Daniel Henney in an exclusive new featurette that The Times is debuting. The actor notes that Hiro’s bond with his older brother was so strong that even after Tadashi’s death, his presence has still been felt throughout the series.

“It’s so much fun to play him,” Henney added. “He’s an amazing character.”

Tadashi, who created Baymax, died trying to save his professor in the 2014 film “Big Hero 6.” He has briefly been seen in recordings and flashbacks during the first season of “Big Hero 6: The Series.”

In the Halloween episode, titled “Obake Yashiki,” Hiro keeps seeing Tadashi around San Fransokyo after the Big Hero 6 team visits a haunted house together. The clip teases Hiro catching a glimpse of Tadashi during some Big Hero 6 hero business, as well as the younger Hamada’s disbelief as he has a conversation with his supposedly deceased older brother.

One possible hint for Tadashi’s appearance? Obake yashiki is Japanese for haunted house. Of course, the show’s mysterious villain is also named Obake, so curious fans will just have to check out the episode to see if the Tadashi visiting Hiro is truly a friendly apparition.

The Halloween episode of “Big Hero 6: The Series” premieres Saturday on the Disney Channel. Watch the featurette below.

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‘The Conners’ stars talk life after ‘Roseanne’

“The Conners” will be trudging along without matriarch and star Roseanne Barr.

The remaining cast members of the “Roseanne” spinoff have been leaning on one another in the wake of ABC’s firing of Barr in May after she made a racist remark on Twitter.

Nary a whiff of Barr or her titular character, who will likely be killed off the show when it premieres later this month, was seen in the first promo for “The Conners” on Tuesday. The promo instead shows the blue-collar Conner family moving on in her absence — much like the rest of the ensemble.

“Any sadness that we feel over what we’ve lost we’re hopefully channeling in an honest way into the show,” said actress Sara Gilbert, who also serves as a producer on the sitcom, in a People story published Wednesday.

“And our show has always been able to deal with heavy topics, particularly for a sitcom. It’s been kind of built into the mix,” she added.

The outspoken Barr, who has said she plans to retreat to Jerusalem due to the controversy, also agreed to have no creative or financial ties to the new series. (She previously served as star, executive producer and a writer on the highly rated “Roseanne.”)

The cast was hesitant about moving forward with a spinoff after the May cancellation, but for actress Laurie Metcalf, who was nominated for an Emmy playing Roseanne’s sister Jackie, it seemed to be worth the gamble.

“There was a lot of risk involved,” Metcalf told the mag. “But we all decided as a group to take the risk, knowing that we could be judged by deciding to come back.”

Costar John Goodman said he didn’t want the show — already a revival of the hit 1990s sitcom — to end “until we were ready.”

“There was a debt owed to this fictional family. We want to finish telling this story,” he said.

Come Oct. 16, when “The Conners” premieres, all eyes will be on ABC’s ratings and whether the show’s decision to sever ties with Barr was also worth the risk.

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Yes, that’s really Christian Bale as Dick Cheney in new ‘Vice’ trailer

To say that Christian Bale devoured the role of former Vice President Dick Cheney in “Vice” would be understating it.

The usually svelte British actor, who reportedly ate “a lot of pies” to transform into the political figure, is unrecognizable as former President George W. Bush’s veep in the first trailer for “Vice,” which dropped Wednesday.

“I’m a CEO of a large company. And I have been secretary of Defense and I have been White House chief of staff,” Bale as Cheney says to Sam Rockwell’s Bush in the trailer.

“The vice presidency is a mostly symbolic job,” he continues. “However, if we came to a different understanding, I can handle the more mundane jobs overseeing bureaucracy, military, energy and foreign policy.”

“Yeah, right. I like that,” Rockwell responds.

The film “explores the epic story about how a bureaucratic Washington insider quietly became the most powerful man in the world,” according to Annapurna Pictures.

Glimpses of Cheney’s reported ruthlessness and diplomatic prowess, his struggle with heart disease and the time he infamously shot his hunting buddy in the face are just a few of many moments teased in the trailer.

The comedic biopic is directed and co-written by Adam McKay, who won an Oscar for co-writing the 2015 financial comedy “The Big Short.” McKay reteams on “Vice” with bale, as well as Steve Carell, who plays Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

Amy Adams also reunites with her frequent collaborator Bale, this time playing his onscreen wife as Lynne Cheney. Jesse Plemons, Alison Pill, Lily Rabe and Tyler Perry also star.

“Vice,” which lists McKay, Brad Pitt and Will Ferrell among the producers, opens on Christmas Day.

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CBS fires former ‘NCIS: New Orleans’ showrunner Brad Kern

Producer Brad Kern has been fired by CBS Television Studios.
(Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images)

CBS Television Studios has fired veteran producer Brad Kern.

The studio confirmed that it terminated its relationship with the “NCIS: New Orleans” showrunner on Tuesday, which came after a series of allegations of misconduct in recent years.

“We have ended Brad Kern’s role as consulting producer on ‘NCIS: New Orleans’ and his overall deal with the Studio,” a spokesperson for CBS Television Studios said in a statement.

Kern, whose career credits include series such as “Charmed,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Remington Steele,” previously served as the executive producer and showrunner of “NCIS: New Orleans.”

He remained on the crime procedural as a consulting producer despite the company’s 2016 investigation of allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior on the set of the program.

The Hollywood Reporter reported Tuesday that Kern was ousted after a third investigation began in June that looked into allegations of harassment, unprofessional conduct and vindictive behavior by Kern.

However, the studio declined to comment on whether that was why it ended Kern’s deal on Tuesday. A rep for Kern did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.

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Tina Turner’s biographical musical, ‘Tina,’ will hit Broadway next year

“Tina,” the musical based on Tina Turner’s tumultuous life story, is crossing the pond and moving to Broadway.

The show, which debuted on London’s West End in April, will hit the Great White Way in New York in the fall of 2019, the iconic singer announced Wednesday.

“Bringing the musical to life on stage and working with this team has meant so much to me. And now, I’m happy to share that we will next come to Broadway in Fall 2019,” the rock legend tweeted.

“I’m very excited to share this beautiful musical with New York audiences. Can’t wait to see you there!” she added.

The show revisits Turner’s modest Tennessee beginnings and rise to international stardom. It includes her hits “Private Dancer,” “River Deep, Mountain High,” “Better Be Good to Me” and “Proud Mary.”

The Grammy Award winner, whose combative romance with late musician Ike Turner is intertwined with her professional career, has previously said that the musical is not about her stardom, but the journey she took to get there.

“Each night I want audiences to take away from the theater that you can turn poison into medicine,” Turner said in a statement on the show’s website.

Playwright Katori Hall wrote the book with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins and the critically acclaimed West End show was directed by Phyllida Lloyd. That show has extended its run to July 2019.

Broadway performance dates, casting and further details will be announced later.

Turner’s is the latest jukebox musical to hit Broadway, following in the recent wake of Gloria and Emilio Estefan’s “On Your Feet!,” the Four Seasons’ musical “Jersey Boys” and productions about the lives of Donna Summer, Carole King and Cher.

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A Star Is Born: Tessa Thompson turns 35 today

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

My favorite thing to do is get a phone call that I have a job and feel like I have to have a panic attack thinking about how to do the job.

— Tessa Thompson, 2015

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Tessa Thompson welcomed the challenges of playing a hearing-impaired musician in ‘Creed’

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Brett Ratner drops defamation lawsuit against rape accuser Melanie Kohler

(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Director Brett Ratner has dropped his defamation lawsuit against Melanie Kohler, the woman who last year posted on her Facebook account that he had raped her.

“This is a win for women everywhere. We are proud of our client, who stood by her statement and stood up for herself in court, and appreciate Mr. Ratner dismissing this case,” Kohler’s lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, said in an updated statement on Tuesday evening.

Early reports of the news from Deadline included a statement from Ratner’s lawyer, Marty Singer, saying the resolution had come as a result of Kohler’s memories being “cloudy and unclear about alleged events from more than a decade ago.” Within hours, however, Singer’s original statement had been removed from the Deadline story, replaced with one from Ratner in which the filmmaker said he was “pleased that this matter is resolved.”

Ratner also gave the same statement to The Times on Tuesday evening.

In a Facebook post last fall, Kohler accused the “Rush Hour” director of raping her more than a decade ago — an account that came just days before The Times published allegations made by six other women accusing the producer of sexual misconduct.

Ratner then sued the former marketing executive for defamation in federal court in Hawaii. Kohler was the first woman to be sued by her accuser during the #MeToo movement that consumed Hollywood in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal. She continued to stand by her story in interviews in many outlets including The Times.

On her Facebook page Tuesday evening, Kohler, whose profile photo is a shot of her posing beside a #TimesUp logo, expressed relief that the legal charges had been dropped and the statements amended.

“Today was insane but the truth finally made it out,” she wrote. “I am very grateful to move on with my life.”

Kohler did not respond to a request for comment.

UPDATE

9:46 p.m.: This post has been updated to include new statements from Kaplan and Ratner.

The article was originally published at 2:50 p.m.

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UB40’s Ali Campbell speaks up about Brett Kavanaugh bar-fight allegation: ‘It wasn’t me!’

Ali Campbell, founding member and former lead singer of UB40, in 2007.
(Themba Hadebe / Associated Press)

After being pulled into the scrum surrounding Brett Kavanaugh, Ali Campbell of reggae band UB40 has distanced himself from the Supreme Court nominee.

Campbell was dragged into the ongoing saga surrounding Kavanaugh’s confirmation this week. One of the judge’s former Yale classmates shared his account of a 1985 altercation between a young Kavanaugh and a man Kavanaugh thought might be Campbell, then the lead singer of UB40 before leaving the group in 2008.

It was then that a fellow patron at the bar accused Kavanaugh of throwing ice at him.

“It wasn’t me! But I do know that nobody bumped me on the head with a block of ice in a bar, I would remember that, wouldn’t I?” the singer said in a statement to The Times on Tuesday, elaborating on what had been reported about the altercation.

“I don’t remember the gig in question [in Connecticut], but we did more than 1,000 shows in the U.S. in the ’80s. They blur into one another, but the last thing I would do is go to the bar over the road after a show — I jump straight into a car and go back to the hotel,” Campbell said.

His brother, Robin Campbell, also issued a statement on behalf of the English reggae band, summing up the bar fight as a case of mistaken identity.

“Obviously, there must have been an assault because the police were called and a report was filed, but this is a case of mistaken identity and has nothing to do with UB40,” a spokesperson for Robin Campbell told Billboard.

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See a sneak peek of LeBron James’ Showtime docuseries ‘Shut Up and Dribble’

LeBron James’ docuseries “Shut Up and Dribble” has set its premiere date, and on Tuesday, Showtime offered up a preview of the politically charged sports project.

The first of three installments of the series, executive produced by the NBA superstar alongside Maverick Carter and director Gotham Chopra, will premiere on Nov. 3, the premium cable provider announced Tuesday.

The remaining two episodes will air over the following two weeks, on Nov. 10 and Nov. 17.

Tuesday’s first look revisits the 1991 Chicago Bulls’ trip to the White House. It was then that veteran athlete Craig Hodges, wearing a traditional African dashiki, emerged on the national stage as an activist athlete.

In the preview, Hodges recites a letter he slipped to President George H.W. Bush at the time, expressing his discontent with the Bush administration and also referring to “the young black man” as an endangered species.

“Shut Up and Dribble,” a title coined from Fox News pundit Laura Ingraham’s dismissive remarks about basketball players, is narrated by sports journalist and commentator Jemele Hill.

Hodges, former Lakers head coach Byron Scott and rapper Common are just a few of the interview subjects who weigh in during the series, which promises “a powerful inside look at the changing role of NBA athletes through the lens of our shifting cultural and political environment,” Showtime said in a statement on Tuesday.

The series also features commentary from musicians Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, LL Cool J, Kendrick Lamar, player Isaiah Thomas, journalist Bob Costas and former NBA commissioner David Stern, among others.

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Tom Petty musical tributes commemorate first anniversary of rocker’s death

Tom Petty was photographed at his Malibu home in late September 2017, not long before he died on Oct. 2.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

A year after the music world was knocked back on its heels by the sudden death of Tom Petty, a few bands have released cover songs to commemorate Tuesday’s anniversary.

The Lumineers (of “Hey Ho” fame) released their cover of Petty’s “Walls,” with all proceeds from the song donated to MusiCares, a charity of the Recording Academy.

“Tom Petty is a musical hero of mine, and ‘Walls’ is such an incredible song,” Lumineers guitarist and lead vocalist Wesley Schultz said in a statement Tuesday. “When I got married, my wife walked down the aisle to the song.”

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart also announced Tuesday that the band is recording a full album cover of Tom Petty’s “Full Moon Fever,” his 1989 solo debut album, which featured signature songs such as “Free Fallin’” and “I Won’t Back Down.”

Though the cover album won’t be released until Oct. 26, the band released its version of Petty’s classic “Runnin’ Down a Dream.” The song is available to stream on SoundCloud.

“[Petty’s] greatness was that he didn’t seem to be too bothered if people thought he was great or not,” guitarist Kip Berman said in a statement. “What mattered to him was being part of a lineage of timeless rock songwriting.”

For more traditional fans, there is also new music from Petty and his longtime band, the Heartbreakers.

Monday saw the premiere of the video for Petty’s previously unreleased song “Gainesville.” The song debuted in September on “An American Treasure,” a 60-song compilation of previously unreleased recordings, alternate versions of classic songs, rarities, historic live performances and deep tracks from the artist’s archives.

“We can’t wait to share with Tom’s fans this musical portrait of an artist who deeply affected our culture and indelibly touched the lives of fans the world over,” Adria and Dana Petty, Tom’s daughter and wife, respectively, said of the collection in a statement on Monday.

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On the anniversary of Tom Petty’s death, read (and hear) his last interview

Late rocker Tom Petty at his home in Malibu on Sept. 27, 2017, days before his death at age 66.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

(A handful of days before Tom Petty died on Oct. 2, 2017, the celebrated rock musician invited The Times’ Randy Lewis into his Malibu home for what would become Petty’s last interview. On the one-year anniversary of Petty’s death at age 66, read (and hear) what he told Lewis just after a string of triumphant shows at the Hollywood Bowl with his longtime band, the Heartbreakers.)

This is not the Tom Petty story that I intended to write.

Though I was more than thrilled to catch up with Petty, whom I had interviewed before, I had no clue that this would turn out to be the last, for me and for him — that he would die just a few days later after going into cardiac arrest at age 66.

This is not the way things were supposed to happen.

When I sat down with Petty in the outer room of the cozy but fully equipped recording studio at his home above Malibu beach, the idea was for him to reflect on the wildly successful 40th anniversary tour he and the Heartbreakers had wrapped less than 48 hours earlier at the end of three sold-out nights at the Hollywood Bowl.

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A Star Is Born: Sting turns 67 today

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

The thing is, you can’t equate success with invulnerability. That’s nonsense.

— Sting, 1985

FROM THE ARCHIVES: The Sweet Sting of Success

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Kenan Thompson (happily) skipped out on Kanye West’s pro-Trump rant on ‘SNL’

Sometimes you’re just in the right place at the right time.

That’s apparently how Kenan Thompson felt on Saturday when he ducked out of “Saturday Night Live” early and missed Kanye West’s third performance/political rant.

Thompson recounted the evening to “SNL” alum Seth Meyers on Monday’s “Late Night” and described how he felt watching helplessly on TV as his colleagues witnessed West’s words.

“We’re all entitled to our opinion,” Thompson deadpanned. “I don’t know if that’s the moment necessarily to hold people hostage like that.”

West was the musical guest for the “SNL” season premiere and closed the show with an ultra-rare third performance, after which he invited the cast members back on stage and began espousing his views on President Trump (for) and the 13th Amendment (against).

“When I share my opinion, one thing I try not to do is say, ‘Come on up, everyone. Come join me,’” Meyers joked.

“’You all disagree with me, right?’” Thompson added. “’Come up here. Join me while I do this.’”

Thompson had left the show early on Saturday because he often preferred to watch the musical performances on TV, rather than in-studio.

“And then when you saw what happened, were you so happy with the choice you’d made?” Meyers asked.

“For sure. Yes,” Thompson replied. “As soon as he said, ‘Hey, join me up on stage, everybody,’ I was like, ‘Oh, there goes the little cheese in the mousetrap. It’s goin’ down.’”

Check out all of Thompson’s thoughts in the video above, as well as how it felt losing the Emmy for supporting actor in a comedy to Henry Winkler.

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Taylor Swift will open 2018 American Music Awards

(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

Taylor Swift is returning to an awards-show stage for the first time in three years: The pop star is set to open the 2018 American Music Awards next week.

The 19-time AMA winner will perform her synth anthem “I Did Something Bad” from her 2017 “Reputation” album, which has earned her four AMA nominations this year, ABC and Dick Clark Productions announced Tuesday.

Swift is up for awards including artist of the year, tour of the year, female pop/rock artist and pop/rock album.

Cardi B, Drake lead 2018 American Music Awards nominees

The 28-year-old singer-songwriter is also poised to break a few records: She could surpass Whitney Houston’s tally for most AMA wins by a female artist (21) if Swift clinches three of the four awards she’s nominated for.

She could also break her own record for the most wins in the artist of the year category if she wins that award for the fourth time, organizers previously said.

Swift’s curtain-raiser will kick off a show that includes performances by Mariah Carey; Ciara featuring Missy Elliott; Dua Lipa, Panic! At the Disco; Carrie Underwood; Benny Blanco with Halsey and Khalid; Cardi B with Bad Bunny and J Balvin; Post Malone with Ty Dolla Sign; and an all-star tribute to the late Aretha Franklin, featuring Gladys Knight, Ledisi, Mary Mary, Donnie McClurkin and CeCe Winans.

The fan-voted show, hosted by “black-ish” star Tracee Ellis Ross, will take place at L.A.’s Microsoft Theater on Oct. 9 and will air on ABC.

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Why the reggae band UB40 is making headlines

Former UB40 lead singer and founding member Ali Campbell in 2007.
(Themba Hadebe / Associated Press)

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh allegedly once got into a bar fight with a man he thought might be the lead singer of UB40. But what exactly is UB40?

According to news reports Monday, Kavanaugh was questioned by the New Haven, Conn., Police Department in September 1985 for an altercation at a bar where a fellow patron accused him of throwing ice at him. (Kavanaugh was not arrested in the incident.)

A number of Kavanaugh’s former Yale University classmates have spoken up about the judge’s past drinking habits since his testimony in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee last week. One of the former classmates, Chad Ludington, recalled a visit to a bar after a UB40 concert.

Ludington says the 1985 fight happened because Kavanaugh and his friends kept staring at a man sitting near them trying to figure out if he was Ali Campbell, the lead singer of UB40. He wasn’t.

For those who may not be familiar with what may have been on playlists (er, mix tapes) of college-aged men in the 1980s, UB40 is an English pop reggae band that formed in 1978. Their hits included covers for the Neil Diamond tune “Red Red Wine” and Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love” (which appears on the soundtrack for the 1993 movie “Sliver”). The group also made an appearance in the 1997 film “Speed 2: Cruise Control.”

Early on in its career, the band tried to distance itself from the Two-tone ska that was popular at the time, claiming it strictly played reggae music.

In a 1988 review of a UB40 concert, Times music writer Richard Cromelin noted the band “rarely cut a groove deep enough to release the rich, dank vapors of great reggae, and it lacked the hyperactive verve of its English ska brethren like the Specials and the Beat.”

In the same review, Cromelin also questioned why “UB40 [is] so popular with the white-bread, KROQ-bred audience.”

Over its long career, the band has notched four Grammy Award nominations in the reggae album category. Among UB40’s most recent releases are the 2013 album “Getting Over the Storm” and “A Real Labour of Love,” released in March (from another branch of the band, known as “UB40 featuring Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue”).

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See Taron Egerton take flight as Elton John in ‘Rocketman’ teaser

Move over, “Bohemian Rhapsody.” A new music biopic about a flamboyant British rocker is upon us.

Paramount Pictures released on Monday its first look at “Rocketman,” a film based on the life of Elton John, featuring “Kingsman” star Taron Egerton as the legendary musician.

Egerton dons John’s signature oversized glasses and elaborate costumes as he traverses the singer’s struggles with fame in the teaser.

However, in a May interview with Collider, Egerton insisted that the film is far from a run-of-the-mill biopic.

“Everyone thinks it’s a biopic. It isn’t,” he explained. “It’s a fantasy musical, so it’s actually his songs used to express important beats in his life at emotional moments.”

The actor said that he’s not the only one who will perform in the film, which also boasts Jamie Bell as Bernie Taupin and Richard Madden as John Reid, both influential figures in John’s career.

There’s also some carryover from “Bohemian Rhapsody,” the upcoming biopic about Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, which is scheduled to premiere in the U.S. next month.

“Rocketman” is helmed by “Eddie the Eagle” director Dexter Fletcher, who finished directing “Bohemian Rhapsody” after 20th Century Fox parted ways with Bryan Singer. However, the Directors Guild of America determined that Singer would retain sole credit for directing the film.

“Rocketman” is scheduled to blast off May 31.

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Stephen Colbert will broadcast ‘The Late Show’ live during midterm elections

(Richard Shotwell / Associated Press)

Stephen Colbert will again host a live edition of “The Late Show” during next month’s midterm elections, bringing his charged brand of comedy to election day coverage.

The late-night star, whose show is recorded at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York, will broadcast live on Nov. 6 at 11:35 p.m. Eastern time, CBS announced on Monday.

West Coast fans will see a tape-delayed version of the show when it airs during its usual time slot at 11:35 p.m. Pacific time.

Colbert notably hosted a live edition of the show during the 2016 presidential election and was gobsmacked as the results declaring Donald Trump the winner rolled in. He’s gone live a few more times since, including in January following President Trump’s State of the Union address.

Next month’s show will mark the 18th time “The Late Show” has done a live broadcast.

Guests joining Colbert will be announced at a later date, CBS said in a statement.

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Cardi B arrested and charged in connection with strip-club dispute

Rapper Cardi B is assisted by security guards as she leaves a New York police precinct in Queens on Monday.
(Mark Lennihan / Associated Press)

Hip-hop star Cardi B, who was wanted following a dispute she was involved in at a Queens strip club in August, was arrested and released on Monday after voluntarily turning herself over to New York authorities.

She faces charges that include two counts of second-degree reckless endangerment and one count of third-degree assault, according to Sgt. Brendan Ryan, a spokesman for the New York Police Department.

All three charges are considered misdemeanors in New York.

The former reality star, who was photographed leaving a police station in Queens shortly after she arrived, was cooperating in an ongoing investigation into a fight involving two female bartenders at Angels Gentlemen’s Club in Queens on Aug. 29.

The rapper, whose real name is Belcalis Almanzar, was accompanied by her attorney and nine other suspects, who also turned themselves over to authorities at the 109th Precinct at 10 a.m. EDT, NYPD officials said.

Upon arrival, Cardi was placed under arrest, taken to a holding cell, processed and then released. She has to appear in Queens Criminal Court on Oct. 29.

“Miss Almanzar was very compliant during her arrest process and answered all questions,” Ryan said.

The musician will be formally charged at her Oct. 29 court appearance, a spokesperson for the Queens District Attorney’s office said Monday, adding that changes to the charges could be made then.

Police officials had been called to the gentlemen’s club about 3 a.m. Aug. 29 after the rapper and nine others were suspected of “a reckless endangerment act” that involved throwing bottles, the NYPD said. Two female bartenders were injured.

According to the police report, Cardi and her posse were “recklessly throwing chairs, hookahs and glass bottles” at the bartenders. Several bottles broke and others ricocheted on the floor resulting in one bartender’s foot getting cut and other minor injuries.

TMZ reported that the 25-year-old was at the club because Migos, her husband Offset’s rap trio, was performing. There, she came face to face with the bartenders, one of whom she believed slept with Offset, and allegedly told members of her posse to attack them.

“We are aware of no evidence that she caused anybody any harm from that night,” her lawyer, Jeff Kern, told reporters, according to the Associated Press. “We expect the matter to be resolved expeditiously.”

A spokesperson for Cardi B did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment on Monday.

UPDATE

11:09 a.m.: This story has been updated with information about Cardi B’s charges, court appearance date and details from the police report.

This article was originally published at 8:52 a.m.

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With a simple photo, Gwyneth Paltrow confirms marriage to producer Brad Falchuk

Producer Brad Falchuk and actress Gwyneth Paltrow.
Producer Brad Falchuk and actress Gwyneth Paltrow.
(Chris Pizzello / Associated Press, left; Jordan Strauss / Associated Press, right)

Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Falchuk have consciously coupled — with rings and everything.

The Oscar-winning actress married the “Glee” producer over the weekend, which she appeared to confirm Sunday in an Instagram photo showcasing their matching gilded wedding bands.

The captionless photo, presumably showing her hand on top of Falchuk’s, was the only official confirmation of the nuptials, which had been widely speculated for days.

Reps for Paltrow and Falchuk did not immediately respond to The Times’ requests for comment on Monday.

According to People, the couple wed during a private ceremony Saturday in the Hamptons, and the guest list was heavy on star power.

Paparazzi images showed several celebrity friends arriving for the celebration, including comedian Jerry Seinfeld, who reportedly hosted the couple’s rehearsal dinner at his nearby home; Paltrow’s “Avengers” costar Robert Downey Jr.; actor Rob Lowe, pal Cameron Diaz and husband Benji Madden.

Director Steven Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, attended too, as well as Paltrow’s mother, Blythe Danner, who mentioned the “gorgeous” wedding to photographers the next day.

It’s the second marriage for Paltrow, who announced her famous “conscious uncoupling” from Coldplay’s Chris Martin in March 2014. The chummy exes, who wed in 2003, are still frequently seen together as they co-parent their two kids, Apple and Moses.

It’s the second marriage for Falchuk as well, who also has two kids from his previous, 10-year marriage.

The Goop founder, who turned 46 on Thursday, and Falchuk met in 2010 on the set of “Glee” when Paltrow was guest starring. They sparked dating rumors back in August 2014 and officially announced their engagement on the cover of Goop Magazine’s Sex & Love issue in January.

Falchuk’s longtime producing partner Ryan Murphy, who thanked him and Paltrow during his recent Emmy Awards speech, threw the couple a ritzy engagement party in April that many believed was a secret wedding ceremony.

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Ava DuVernay, Chris Evans, Lana Del Rey and others scrutinize Kanye West’s pro-Trump rant

Kanye West is again making waves among celebrities after touting his Trump-supporting MAGA hat and ranting about politics on "SNL."
Kanye West is again making waves among celebrities after touting his Trump-supporting MAGA hat and ranting about politics on “SNL.”
(Brent N. Clarke / Invision/Associated Press)

And to think, at one point it seemed the most controversial part of Kanye West’s “Saturday Night Live” performance was going to be him dressed as a Perrier bottle.

As previously reported, West closed the most recent episode of “SNL” with a political rant about Democrats and racism, Trump and the sunken place from “Get Out.” Though the show ended before West finished his speech, comedian Chris Rock happened to be in the audience and captured much of it on an Instagram story that has since expired.

After the show, West took to social media to continue his thoughts, which included abolishing — then amending — the 13th Amendment.

“This represents good and America becoming whole again,” West captioned a photo of himself in his infamous red hat. “We will no longer outsource to other countries. We build factories here in America and create jobs.

“We will provide jobs for all who are free from prisons as we abolish the 13th amendment,” he continued.

(West later clarified that he wanted that amendment, which abolished slavery, to be amended, probably to do away with language that allows for prison labor. Probably.)

In the wake of West’s proclamations, people had thoughts.

At least the president is still supporting Ye.

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Matt Damon as Brett Kavanaugh on ‘SNL’ season opener: ‘I’m a keg-is-half-full kind of guy’

“Saturday Night Live” kicked off its 44th season by offering its take on the divisive Senate Judiciary hearing for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and his accuser Christine Blasey Ford.

Saturday’s premiere of the NBC sketch comedy show used Kavanaugh’s portion of Thursday’s hearing as fodder for its cold open — complete with a cardboard cutout of hearing attendee Alyssa Milano and mock renderings of Kavanaugh’s ”beautiful, creepy calendars.”

The sketch featured Matt Damon as Kavanaugh, while “SNL” alum Rachel Dratch portrayed Sen. Amy Klobuchar. Cast member Aidy Bryant appeared as attorney Rachel Mitchell, while Cecily Strong and Alex Moffat played Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Chuck Grassley. And adding yet another impression to her roster, Kate McKinnon channeled the fury of Sen. Lindsey Graham.

“I’m here tonight because of a sham — a political con job orchestrated by the Clintons, and George Soros, and Kathy Griffin and Mr. Ronan Sinatra,” Damon’s Kavanaugh shouted during the sketch, contorting his face at times and angrily turning pages.

“I am usually an optimist: I’m a keg-is-half-filled kind of guy,” Damon’s Kavanaugh continued, referring to the role beer played in the Thursday questioning.

The sketch also spoofed the optics surrounding attorney Mitchell. Bryant’s Mitchell was referred to as a “human shield” and “female assistant” during the sketch.

“I’m here mostly for Twitter,” Bryant’s Mitchell says. Before she even begins, she’s interrupted and sidelined.

And there was McKinnon’s turn as Graham, launching into Graham’s fiery defense of Kavanaugh before declaring: “This is my audition for Mr. Trump’s Cabinet and also for a regional production of ‘The Crucible.’”

When Strong’s Feinstein asked Damon’s Kavanaugh whether he has the right temperament to be on the U.S. Supreme Court, the response was charged.

“I went to Yale!” Damon’s Kavanuagh shouted. “I worked my butt off to get here. I busted my buns. I lifted weights … if you think I’m angry now, you just wait till I get on that Supreme Court — ‘cause then you’re all going to pay.” He then reaches for a “can of water,” shotgunning it before signaling the start of the show.

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A Star Is Born: Jerry Lee Lewis turns 83 today

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

It surprises me every time I get to go onstage and do my job.

— Jerry Lee Lewis, 2014

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Jerry Lee Lewis a ball of promotional fire with new book, albums

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L.A. Film Festival announces award winners

The Los Angeles Film Festival announced its competition winners on Friday during a reception at the W Hotel in Hollywood.

The festival gave juried awards in numerous categories, including U.S. fiction, world fiction, documentary, LA Muse, Nightfall and others, along with audience awards in seven categories.

“These awards honor the wide range of exceptional storytelling we’ve been sincerely delighted to present,” said festival director Jennifer Cochis in a statement. “All of us are looking forward to wider audiences discovering these stories in the year ahead.”

The U.S. fiction award went to the drama “This Teacher,” directed by Mark Jackson and starring Hafsia Herzi in the story of a young Arab French woman on a journey of self-discovery that takes her from New York City to a remote cabin in the woods.

The world fiction prize went to Ali Abbasi’s “Border,” an offbeat story of modern-day trolls, which was also recently chosen by Sweden as its submission for the foreign-language Academy Award.

The documentary award went to “Hillbilly,” directed by Sally Rubin and Ashley York. The film is an exploration of identity and stereotypes among Appalachian communities.

The LA Muse award went to “Staycation,” directed by Tanuj Chopra and starring Anthony Ma and Grace Su as a couple figuring out their relationship status in downtown Los Angeles. The LA Muse documentary prize went to Brett Fallentine’s “Fire on the Hill,” about African American cowboys in South L.A.

The audience award for fiction feature film went to Tom Shadyac’s drama “Brian Banks,” while the audience award for documentary feature was given to Kurt Mattila’s portrait “Stuntman.”

A complete list of winners will be posted on the festival’s website.

This year’s event opened on Sept. 20 with Andrew Slater’s documentary “Echo in the Canyon,” about the Laurel Canyon music scene in Los Angeles. The festival concludes Friday night with the world premiere of the thriller “Nomis,” directed by David Raymond and starring Henry Cavill, Ben Kingsley, Alexandra Daddario and Stanley Tucci.

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Marc Anthony and Will Smith team up on bilingual ‘Está Rico’ track

Marc Anthony and Will Smith are two compadres enjoying the finer things in life on the new dance track “Está Rico,” which they dropped Thursday with reggaetón star Bad Bunny.

The song, alluding to the trappings of a rich lifestyle and rich romance, is laced with Anthony’s sensual Latin lyrics and beats, with Smith rapping verses in English and Spanish and Bad Bunny weighing in with trap rhymes.

Meanwhile, the video is heavy on the swagger and the scantily clad.

The “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” alum traipses around in a white suit and tiger-print coat, rapping about “an unmarked car with the tints,” “Ferragamo on the collar” and the draw of Latina women.

Puerto Rican supermodel Joan Smalls and Anthony essentially get a room for a NSFW romp of their own and Bad Bunny is surrounded by a harem of women sprinkled with lingerie and animal ears.

(Hey, it’s Miami, and we’ll just ignore how they probably missed the memo about the Year of the Woman as well as the news cycle consumed with the hearings on U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and its implications for women.)

Will Smith has a full plate these days.
(Will Oliver / EPA/Shutterstock)

Smith celebrated turning 50 this week by bungee jumping and teased to the song’s release as part of the birthday festivities. He shared a behind-the-scenes video of him and Anthony recording the song, and Anthony also showcased their budding bromance on his own Twitter feed.

“Está Rico” is the latest in a few tracks Smith has dropped since promising new music in May. The actor, ever the multi-hyphenate, has also promised a forthcoming book and made his stand-up comedy debut with Dave Chappelle last week.

Both the bungee jump and the comedy gig were filmed for Smith’s new show, “The Bucket List.”

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Federal appeals court orders new trial over claim that Led Zeppelin stole ‘Stairway to Heaven’

A federal appeals court decided unanimously Friday to overturn a jury’s decision that Led Zeppelin did not copy another band in making the iconic hit “Stairway to Heaven.”

A three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decided a new trial was needed because the judge in the case had given erroneous and prejudicial instructions to the jury.

The ruling stemmed from a lawsuit that charged Led Zeppelin stole portions of “Stairway to Heaven” from a song called “Taurus,” which was written by Randy Wolfe of the Los Angeles-based band Spirit.

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Late-night TV lampoons Brett Kavanaugh after Thursday hearing

After a day in which the entire country appeared transfixed by the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., the hosts of late-night TV all took it upon themselves to attempt to lighten the mood.

Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh’s dueling appearances were the furthest thing from entertaining, but that didn’t mean there weren’t plenty of moments ripe for mockery.

On “Late Night,” Seth Meyers bemoaned Republicans’ single-mindedness about who pulls the strings in Washington and the world beyond, sparked by Kavanaugh’s blistering Democrat-blaming speech.

“You think this is a revenge plot by the Clintons? That’s insane,” Meyers remarked. “Republicans always act like they’re in a slasher film and the killer around every corner is Hillary Clinton.”

Over on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” the host couldn’t fathom why Republicans – and Kavanaugh himself – were so resistant to hearing from Mark Judge, the only other alleged witness to the events Ford described.

“They refuse to call him in to testify. How do you not call the other guy she said was in the room?” Kimmel pondered. “It’s like questioning Beavis and not Butthead. It doesn’t make sense.”

Meanwhile, Jimmy Fallon voiced the feelings of the rest of America as the Kavanaugh controversy continued to unfurl.

“It’s not good. Judge Kavanaugh has been accused of sexual misconduct by several women, and many Republicans are still defending him,” he explained. “Americans were like, ‘Here’s an idea – just pick a different judge.’”

Fallon went on to suggest several fine replacement judges, including Judge Judy, Judge Joe Brown and Simon Cowell.

And though Trevor Noah had a lot to say about Thursday’s events – many of them NSFW – he did take particular issue with Sen. Lindsey Graham’s meltdown in which he called the hearing a “sham.”

“Really, Lindsey? The most unethical sham that you’ve ever seen in politics? Uh, phone call coming in. Merrick Garland says hi,’” Noah needled Graham, referencing the Democrats’ long-lost Supreme Court nominee.

Meanwhile, James Corden tweaked the Supreme Court nominee’s self-professed love of beer.

“As Dr. Ford was speaking, Brett Kavanaugh was reportedly preparing for his own testimony in Vice President Mike Pence’s office,” Corden said. “Out of habit, Kavanaugh brought a keg.

“Probably a mistake in retrospect,” he added.

But it was Stephen Colbert’s monologue that really set the tone for Thursday evening, ditching the jokes and embracing the anger felt by many Americans.

In response to Kavanaugh accusing Democrats of “sowing the wind,” Colbert had a few choice words.

“The wind was sown when Donald Trump had 19 credible allegations of sexual assault against him, bragged about sexual assault on tape and your Republican buddies up on that committee said, ‘Yeah, but we want our guy on the Supreme Court,’” Colbert said.

“And that’s you, Brett,” he continued. “That doesn’t mean you’re guilty, but please save your indignation that finally someone is taking one woman’s accusation of sexual assault seriously.”

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Fans walk out of Wanda Sykes show over Trump jabs

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Wanda Sykes’ jokes about President Trump led to patrons walking out of her New Jersey show on Thursday.

“Some audience members objected to the performance content and left,” said Jonathan E. Vena, a spokesman for the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, N.J.

Vena estimated around 20 people left the gig, but could not confirm if they asked for refunds.

The politically charged comic, who opened her show by teasing the president for being laughed at during his address to the United Nations this week, was also heckled by audience members, according to the Associated Press and the Asbury Park Press.

It is unclear if the hecklers walked out or were removed by theater staff.

A rep for Sykes did not immediately respond to the Los Angeles Times’ request for comment.

Her barbs about the current political climate and Trump were countered with audience members shouting “do some comedy” and “too political,” according to reports.

The “black-ish” star responded with: “What do you expect? I’m a black lesbian,” tweeted a local journalist.

Footage obtained by the Asbury Park Press showed patrons complaining in the lobby about having paid for a comedy show, not a political one, and voiced their distaste at Sykes “bashing our president.”

It’s not the first time the outspoken comedian has landed in hot water over her anti-Trump material. The Emmy Award winner was booed by audience members at a charity event in Boston in November 2016 for ranting about then-President-elect Trump. She reportedly flipped off the audience when she left the stage.

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A Star Is Born: Mira Sorvino turns 51 today

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

In acting class, I would always get the role of Joan of Arc or these [people] who are suicidal or seeing visions. It’s nice to break out of that.

— Mira Sorvino, 1993

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Success Has Mira Sorvino Maxed Out

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Fox News contributor Kevin Jackson fired after calling Kavanaugh accusers ‘lying skanks’ on Twitter

Kevin Jackson has been fired from his role as a contributor on Fox News on Thursday after referring to the three women accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct as “lying skanks.”

“Feminists are their own worst enemies,” Jackson also wrote in his post from Thursday morning. “To hell with the notion that women must be believed no matter what.”

Hours later, Fox News announced it was severing ties with Jackson, who is not an employee of the network but is also a syndicated radio host and author.

“Kevin Jackson has been terminated as a contributor,” a representative from the network said in a statement released Thursday afternoon. “His comments on today’s hearings were reprehensible and do not reflect the values of Fox News.”

Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, one of three women who have come forward to accuse Kavanaugh of misconduct, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday morning that the Supreme Court nominee attempted to rape her at a party in the early 1980s.

A second woman, Deborah Ramirez, outlined sexual misconduct by Kavanaugh that occurred while both were freshmen at Yale University in a story reported by the New Yorker magazine on Sunday. A third woman, Julie Swetnick, outlined allegations of misconduct in a statement released on Twitter by her attorney, Michael Avenatti.

Kavanaugh has denied the allegations.

Fox News has weathered its own sexual misconduct scandals in recent years. Former employee Gretchen Carlson filed a suit against the network in 2016 with allegations of sexual harassment, which led to the resignation of former chairman Roger Ailes. Longtime host Bill O’Reilly was also forced to leave the network in 2017 after similar reports.

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Rose McGowan apologizes to Asia Argento, who accepts, but not without a grievance

Actress Rose McGowan has apologized to Asia Argento for misstatements she made about her and Jimmy Bennett.
(Grant Pollard / Associated Press)

Actress Rose McGowan has issued a public apology to Asia Argento. And though Argento, who is embroiled in her own sexual assault scandal, accepted, she implied that it came too late.

“Although I am grateful to @rosemcgowan for her full apology following her groundless allegations about me, if she had issued it earlier, I may have kept my job on X-Factor and avoided the constant accusations of paedophilia which I have been subjected to in real-life and online,” the Italian actress tweeted on Thursday.

Argento was fired as a judge on “X-Factor Italy” in late August just after compromising photos of her and her former costar Jimmy Bennett surfaced.

She added: “Now go on, live your life and stop hurting other people, will you Rose? Best wishes.”

Argento and McGowan fostered a friendship this year as outspoken voices of the #MeToo movement. But the women, who both accused disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct, have been at odds in recent weeks over accusations by Bennett alleging that Argento sexually assaulted him when he was 17 and paying him $380,000 in hush money. (The payments were reportedly made by Argento’s boyfriend, the late chef Anthony Bourdain.)

Argento threatened McGowan with legal action earlier this month if the “Charmed” star did not retract and apologize for what Argento called the“horrendous lies” McGowan leveled against her in an Aug. 27 statement.

In those alleged “lies,” McGowan contended that her partner, model Rain Dove, told her that in a series of text messages that Argento admitted to having sex with Bennett, 20 years her junior, in 2013.

Argento has repeatedly denied Bennett’s allegation of assault, which resurfaced this week when the young actor shared his story on Italian television.

But on Thursday, McGowan, issued her apology on Twitter and appeared to recuse herself from the scandal.

“I deeply regret not correcting my mistake sooner and apologize to Asia for not doing so,” she wrote.

McGowan said she realized that her Aug. 27 statement “contained a number of facts that were not correct,” then proceeded to explain what she got wrong.

“I said that the unsolicited nude text messages Asia received from Jimmy had been sent since Jimmy was 12 years old,” McGowan said. “In fact, I had misunderstood the messages that Asia exchanged with my partner Rain Dove, which made clear that Jimmy had sent Asia inappropriate text messages only after they met up again when he was 17 (still legally a minor in California, but notably different from a 12-year-old.”

McGowan said she challenged why Argento had not acted as “a responsible adult would” if they received sexually explicit messages from a 12-year-old.

And she realized that does not apply in the same way when the situation involves a 17-year-old, “who had admitted harboring misguided fantasies about their mentor since they were 12,” she added.

McGowan also said she would not comment further on what allegedly transpired between Argento and Bennett.

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First ‘Dark Phoenix’ trailer pits Jean Grey against the X-Men

Watch the first trailer for “Dark Phoenix.” 

Jean Grey may not be broken, but she’s definitely going through some changes.

Released Wednesday night, the first trailer for “Dark Phoenix” offers a glimpse of Jean’s past, including her first meeting with Charles Xavier, as well as the solar flare that helps her unleash greater powers and apparently tap into some painful memories.

As the trailer explains, “she’s all rage, pain, and it’s all coming out at once.”

The footage also gives fans a look at Smith, the mysterious villain played by Jessica Chastain, and hints that one of the X-Men may not make it through the events of the movie alive.

A follow-up to 2016’s “X-Men: Apocalypse,” “Dark Phoenix” is an adaptation of the fan-favorite comic book storyline “The Dark Phoenix Saga,” which follows Jean’s ascension and eventual demise as the all-powerful Phoenix.

The film sees the return of Sophie Turner as Jean, James McAvoy as Xavier, Michael Fassbender as Magneto, Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique and Nicholas Hoult as Hank McCoy. Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp, Kodi Smit-McPhee and Evan Peters also return as Scott Summers, Storm, Kurt Wagner and Peter Maximoff, respectively.

“Dark Phoenix” was written by veteran “X-Men” movie scribe Simon Kinberg, who makes his directorial debut with the film. Kinberg also co-wrote the franchise’s previous attempt at adapting “The Dark Phoenix Saga,” 2006’s “X-Men: The Last Stand.”

“Dark Phoenix” is slated to hit theaters Feb. 14.

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Aretha Franklin tribute at American Music Awards includes Gladys Knight, Ledisi and more

Aretha Franklin will be saluted at next month's American Music Awards.
(Charles Sykes / Invision)

The 2018 American Music Awards will pay tribute to late Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin with a little help from her friends.

Soul and gospel legends Gladys Knight, Ledisi, Mary Mary, Donnie McClurkin and CeCe Winans will lead the special performance when the show takes place on Oct. 9, Dick Clark Productions and ABC announced Thursday.

“It’s a blessing to be a part of this moving musical tribute to honor our late queen and sister, Aretha,” Knight said in a statement. “She was an icon and visionary, radiated light and love through all of her life’s work, and touched all of us through her incredible gift of music.”

The tribute will honor Franklin’s gospel roots and iconic gospel album, “Amazing Grace.” Former “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” band leader Rickey Minor will serve as the musical director.

Sabrina Owens, Franklin’s niece and executor of her estate, thanked show producers for honoring the music titan during the broadcast.

“When I heard some of the initial ideas for the tribute, I knew without a doubt that this tribute will go down as one of the best in American music,” Owens said.

Aretha Franklin was a winner at the 10th American Music Awards in 1983.
(Reed Saxon / Associated Press)

In addition to her 18 Grammy Awards, Franklin, who died in August at 76, accumulated six American Music Awards between 1976 and 1983. She hosted the show in 1976 and performed on the AMAs in 1983 and 1986.

The show will include a bevy of other live performances. The previously announced musical acts include Mariah Carey; Benny Blanco with Halsey and Khalid; Cardi B with Bad Bunny and J Balvin; and Post Malone with Ty Dolla $ign and Carrie Underwood.

Hip-hop stars Cardi B and Drake lead the nominations with eight nods each, and the winners are still being voted on by fans.

“black-ish” star Tracee Ellis Ross will host the ceremony, which will air on ABC.

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Barbra Streisand tackles Trump on new album: ‘I just went ballistic’

Never one to shy away from the political, Barbra Streisand has a potent message for President Trump in a new song from her upcoming album: “Don’t Lie to Me.”

“I just can’t stand what’s going on,” the music legend told the Associated Press in an interview. “His assault on our democracy, our institutions, our founders — I think we’re in a fight. We’re in a war for the soul of America.”

Released Thursday morning, “Don’t Lie to Me” is the first preview of Streisand’s next album, “Walls,” and its lyrics directly address Trump: “Why can’t you just tell me the truth?” and “How can you win if we all lose?”

Even though those words could just as easily be found in a lovelorn torch song, Streisand assured Vogue that her new song is indeed about Trump.

The “Funny Girl” actress has been outspoken about her distaste for Trump for years.

During the run-up to the 2016 election, Streisand performed a parody version of Stephen Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns,” recast to mock Trump, at a Hillary Clinton fundraiser.

In January 2017, she penned an essay for Huffington Post titled “Clueless, Reckless, Graceless, Mindless and Heartless: Our President-Elect.” Shocker: It was not complimentary.

In her music, however, Streisand, 76, was initially attempting to be a little more subtle with her criticisms of the president.

She was unsuccessful. “I just went ballistic,” she admitted to AP.

Streisand’s album “Walls” will be released Nov. 2.

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Actress Alyssa Milano attends Ford-Kavanaugh hearing as a guest of Sen. Dianne Feinstein

Actress Alyssa Milano talks to media before attending the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.
(Michael Reynolds / EPA-EFE)

Actress Alyssa Milano is attending the hearing on Christine Blasey Ford’s sex assault allegations against Judge Brett Kavanaugh as a guest of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.).

Milano has been an outspoken activist in the #MeToo era, including protesting on Capitol Hill in recent days. She said she wanted to be in the room Thursday as moral support for Ford.

“Any time people are talking about issues of sexual harassment, assault and abuse, it helps,” Milano said. “Progress often lives in the gray areas, and I do think that this is helpful.”

She said the 1991 hearings in which now-Justice Clarence Thomas was accused of sexual harassment by professor Anita Hill were “the foundation of my learning about what sexual harassment was.” This hearing will be different, she predicted.

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A Star Is Born: Carrie Brownstein turns 44 today

(Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

Feeling like an outsider is more about intent and how I feel and point of view.

— Carrie Brownstein, 2015

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Carrie Brownstein bounces between ‘Portlandia’ and punk rock

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‘Birds of Prey’ casts Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Huntress and Black Canary

Mary Elizabeth Winstead, left, and Jurnee Smollett-Bell.
(Patrick T. Fallon/ For The Times; Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

“Birds of Prey” has found its Huntress and Black Canary.

Actresses Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Jurnee Smollett-Bell have been tapped to join Margot Robbie in the upcoming DC superhero film. Winstead, from “10 Cloverfield Lane” and “Fargo,” will play Huntress, while Smollett-Bell, from “Friday Night Lights” and “Underground,” is set to portray Black Canary.

Robbie, who will be reprising her 2016 “Suicide Squad” role as Harley Quinn, is also one of the film’s producers, along with Sue Kroll of Kroll & Co. Entertainment and Bryan Unkeless of Clubhouse Pictures.

According to reports, “Birds of Prey” will be set in a Gotham unprotected by Batman, with the superhero team facing off against a yet-to-be-revealed crime lord. In addition to Harley Quinn, Huntress and Black Canary, “Birds of Prey” will also reportedly feature Cassandra Cain and Renee Montoya.

In the comics, the core members of the Birds of Prey team often include Huntress and Black Canary, along with Batgirl (or Oracle). There is no indication that any iteration of Barbara Gordon will be appear in the movie.

A number of incarnations of Huntress have been portrayed in comic books, but the “Birds of Prey” version of Helena Bertinelli’s back story will reportedly involve being a former mafia princess who saw her whole family killed when she was younger.

Black Canary, a.k.a. Dinah Lance, is an expert fighter known for her ultrasonic scream called the canary cry in the comics.

“Birds of Prey” will be directed by Cathy Yan, the first Asian woman tapped to helm a big-budget superhero film in the DC universe. The screenplay is by “Bumblebee” writer Christina Hodson, who is also writing the “Batgirl” script for Warner Bros.

“Birds of Prey” is scheduled for a Feb. 7, 2020, release.

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Childish Gambino postpones remaining tour dates

(John Salangsang / Invision)

Childish Gambino has postponed the remaining dates of a North American tour that was due to stop at the Forum for two shows, the first scheduled for Wednesday night.

The rapper, also known as actor Donald Glover, recently suffered an unspecified injury, according to promoter Live Nation, which said in a statement that he was rescheduling a handful of concerts for December.

TMZ earlier reported that Childish Gambino — known for hits including “Redbone” and “This Is America” — cut short a show in Dallas over the weekend after breaking his foot.

The newly scheduled dates are set to begin Dec. 2 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. Childish Gambino will stop at the Forum on Dec. 16 and 17. Live Nation said existing tickets will be honored at those shows.

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New ‘Venom’ clip shows Eddie Brock call on symbiote to take down a SWAT team

A new clip for the upcoming Spider-Man spinoff “Venom” shows the symbiote taking out some SWAT officers. But not before poking some fun at them.

The video released by Sony Pictures on Wednesday gives fans a glimpse of the dynamic between Eddie Brock and Venom. It starts off with Brock, played by Tom Hardy, seemingly in a bit of a predicament against a SWAT team. Of course, none of the weapons they have ready are a match for a powerful, bloodthirsty alien.

Brock imitates the SWAT leader’s command to call out for an assist from the symbiote, and Venom playfully responds in a manner mimicking the SWAT team. Then he goes on a bit of a rampage against them.

Directed by Ruben Fleischer, “Venom” follows Brock, a journalist who has been obsessed with trying to take down the genius founder of the Life Corporation, Carlton Drake (Riz Ahmed). During the course of his investigation, Brock encounters Venom, an alien symbiote, and becomes its host.

“The symbiote bonds early on with Eddie and it’s kind of like ‘The Odd Couple,’ but instead of sharing an apartment, they share a body,” Fleischer previously told The Times. “The fun of the movie is the dynamic between them, with Eddie trying to rein in this basically unbridled id and find a balance with him. That theme of duality and trying to control your id — I think that’s what Tom and I responded to in terms of why this character is unique and special.”

“Venom” is scheduled to hit theaters Oct. 5.

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Nicki Minaj donates $25,000 to ‘Cosby Show’ actor Geoffrey Owens

Nicki Minaj made a sizable donation to actor Geoffrey Owens.
(Charles Sykes / Invision/Associated Press, left; Elizabeth Pantaleo / Abaca USA/TNS)

Hip-hop star Nicki Minaj has made good on her promise to donate $25,000 to “The Cosby Show” actor Geoffrey Owens after he was photographed — and job-shamed online — while working at a Trader Joe’s store last month.

And Owens paid it forward.

The actor, best known for playing optimist Elvin Tibideaux, donated the money to the Actors Fund in memory of screen and stage veteran Earle Hyman, who played Cliff Huxtable’s father, Russell, on the 1980s sitcom.

Hyman, who died in 2017, “lived his last many years and died at the Actors Home, funded and run by the Actors Fund,” Owens said in a statement to The Times on Wednesday.

“I am extremely grateful to Nicki Minaj for enabling struggling actors to continue pursuing their dreams,” Owens, 57, said.

“I’m happy to be a part of a great cause,” Minaj said in a statement issued through Owens’ team. “I wish Geoffrey much success and want him to know how loved he is. Rest in Peace to Earle Hyman.”

The Actors Fund will use the donation to “provide essential programs and services to thousands of entertainment and performing arts professionals in need across the country,” according to Brian Stokes Mitchell, chairman of the Actors Fund.

Mitchell also said he was “greatly humbled and truly inspired that Geoffrey and Nicki would take action to help their colleagues when they need it most.”

Owens, who has previously appeared on “The Affair” and “Elementary,” has been privy to that struggle. Notably, he was criticized late last month after a photo of him working as a cashier at a New Jersey Trader Joe’s went viral.

The actor, who has also taught classes at Yale University, was trolled for having the side gig, which he maintained for about 15 months and quit after the subsequent publicity blitz.

But many in Hollywood came to his defense, including actors Terry Crews, Blair Underwood, actress Patricia Heaton and producers Judd Apatow and Tyler Perry.

Perry also made good on a promise of his own: He cast Owens in his OWN crime series, “The Haves and Have Nots,” after the photo caused such a commotion.

Owens will also guest star on “NCIS: New Orleans,” according to TMZ.

Appearing on “Good Morning America” earlier this month, the actor said he hasn’t had an acting job that lasted more than 10 weeks in 26 years, but jobs like his Trader Joe’s gig allowed him the flexibility to go on auditions and pick up other means of employment.

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‘Dancing With the Stars: Juniors’ casts Honey Boo Boo, Tripp Palin and Sophia Pippen

Honey Boo Boo will be dancing the salsa, Tripp Palin will attempt the foxtrot and Sophia Pippen will do the jive on the inaugural season of ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars: Juniors.”

The network Wednesday announced that trio among the 12 celebrities competing for the coveted Mirror Ball Trophy when the new series kicks off on Oct. 7.

Each pint-sized star has been partnered with a professional junior ballroom dancer and will be mentored by adult pros and troupe members along their ballroom journey.

The youth-centric spinoff will be hosted by “DWTS” finalist Frankie Muniz and Season 25 champion Jordan Fisher. The competitors will be judged by Olympic skater and “DWTS: Athletes” champion Adam Rippon; professional dancer and “DWTS” pro Val Chmerkovskiy; and Emmy-winning choreographer Mandy Moore, whose credits include “DWTS,” “So You Think You Can Dance” and “La La Land.”

The judges’ scores will be combined with the studio audience vote to determine who goes home at the end of each episode. And a double elimination awaits them at the end of the first night of competition, which was pre-recorded.

The full list of competitors includes:

“MasterChef Junior” champ Addison Osta Smith, 13, paired with Lev Khmelev (mentored by Keo Motsepe). They’ll be dancing the cha cha to “Burnin’ Up” by Jessie J featuring 2 Chainz.

“Toddlers and Tiaras” alum Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson, 12, is teamed with Tristan Ianiero (mentored by Artem Chigvintsev). They’ll salsa to “Conga” by Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine.

Akash Vukoti, 9, the youngest boy to compete in the National Spelling Bee, is paired with Kamri Peterson (mentored by Witney Carson). They’ll do the foxtrot to “L-O-V-E” by Nat “King” Cole.

“A Bad Moms Christmas” and “Stuck in the Middle” actress Ariana Greenblatt, 10, is partnered with Artyon Celestine (mentored by Brandon Armstrong). They’ll do the cha cha to “Cut to the Feeling” by Carly Rae Jepsen.

“General Hospital” and “I’m Dying Up Here” actor Hudson West, 10, is paired with Kameron Couch (mentored by Hayley Erbert). They’ll also do the cha cha to “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back” by Shawn Mendes.

Disney Channel star Jason Maybaum, 10, is competing alongside Elliana Walmsley (mentored by Emma Slater). They too will do the cha cha, but to “Bills” by Lunchmoney Lewis.

“Dance Moms” star Mackenzie Ziegler, 14, the younger sister of professional dancer Maddie Ziegler, is paired with Sage Rosen (mentored by Gleb Savchenko). That couple will do the foxtrot to “New York, New York” by Ray Quinn featuring Ultra Love.

Mandla Morris, 13, the son of music icon Stevie Wonder, is competing alongside Brightyn Brems (mentored by Cheryl Burke). They’ll do the jive to “Land of 1000 Dances” by Wilson Pickett.

“black-ish” actor Miles Brown. 13, is dancing with Rylee Arnold (mentored by Lindsay Arnold). They will do a salsa number to “Who Let the Dogs Out” by Baha Men.

Professional skateboarder Sky Brown, 10, and JT Church (mentored by Alan Bersten) is doing the salsa to “Light It Up” by Major Lazer featuring Nyla & Fuse ODG.

Sophia Pippen, 9, the daughter of NBA veteran Scottie Pippen, is paired with Jake Monreal (mentored by Sasha Farber). They’ll jive to “Do You Love Me” by the Contours.

And Tripp Palin, 9, the grandson of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, is paired with Hailey Bills (mentored by Jenna Johnson). They’ll do the foxtrot to “Mama Said” by the Shirelles.

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Prince is getting a posthumous honorary degree from the University of Minnesota

Prince performs during the halftime show at the Super Bowl XLI in 2007.
(David J. Phillip / Associated Press)

Even in death, pop icon Prince is still racking up the awards.

The University of Minnesota on Wednesday will award the late musician with a posthumous honorary degree that recognizes his “remarkable talent, enduring influence in music, and his role in shaping the city of Minneapolis,” the university said.

The school’s highest honor, the doctorate of humane letters, will be presented by university President Eric Kaler and Regent Darrin Rosha to the Purple One’s younger sister, Tyka Nelson.

The university planned to award Prince with the degree prior to his unexpected death in 2016 due to an accidental painkiller overdose.

The ceremony will take place on campus at the Ted Mann Concert Hall in Minneapolis on Wednesday night, and though it’s a free event, it is already booked to capacity, according to a notice posted on the university’s website.

Artists Kirk Johnson, Jellybean Johnson, St. Paul Peterson, Cameron Kinghorn and a surprise guest will pay tribute to the late musician by performing his work. They will be joined by students from the university’s school of music.

The honor comes mere days after the Prince estate released “Piano and a Microphone 1983,” the first album of previously unreleased material to be assembled from the artist’s vast archive since his death.

During his luminous career, the Minneapolis native earned seven Grammy Awards, an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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A Star Is Born: Olivia Newton-John turns 70 today

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Country music is where pop is these days. It’s more about the song and the singer today than pop, which places so much attention on production.

— Olivia Newton-John, 1998

FROM THE ARCHIVES: She’s Had Hard Knocks, but Now Life’s Honestly Sweet

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Padma Lakshmi writes op-ed about being raped at 16 and why she stayed silent for years

Padma Lakshmi at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Author and TV personality Padma Lakshmi has written an essay for the New York Times to shed light on why women remain silent about sexual assault, sometimes for many years.

Prompted by President Trump’s dismissal of the sexual misconduct allegations made by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez against Judge Brett Kavanaugh, Lakshmi revealed in her Tuesday op-ed that she was raped when she was 16 by a guy she had been dating for a few months.

“I understand why both women would keep this information to themselves for so many years, without involving the police. For years, I did the same thing,” wrote Lakshmi.

She explained that after her rape, she didn’t report it to her mother, friends or to the police because “at first I was in shock. … Soon I began to feel that it was my fault.”

Lakshmi said some of this had to do with the lack of discourse around “date rape” in the 1980s, but she added that by the time she was 16 she had already absorbed the repercussions of reporting sexual assault from an incident when she was even younger.

“The lesson was: If you speak up, you will be cast out,” Lakshmi said.

In her essay Lakshmi also directly addressed those who have spoken up in defense of Kavanaugh and his alleged actions.

“Some say a man shouldn’t pay a price for an act he committed as a teenager. But the woman pays the price for the rest of her life, and so do the people who love her,” she wrote.

Lakshmi explained she spoke up about her experiences now because she wants to make sure that there isn’t a time limit placed on when survivors of sexual assault can tell their story. She said silence is what enables these offenses to continue.

“I want us all to fight so that our daughters never know this fear and shame and our sons know that girls’ bodies do not exist for their pleasure and that abuse has grave consequences,” she said.

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Childish Gambino calls off Sept. 26 concert at the Forum

(John Salangsang / Invision)

Childish Gambino will not perform at the Forum as scheduled on Wednesday night, according to a spokesperson for the Inglewood venue, who didn’t immediately provide further details.

The rap alter ego of actor Donald Glover, Childish Gambino — known for hits including “Redbone” and “This Is America” — reportedly cut short a concert in Dallas over the weekend after suffering what TMZ described as a foot injury.

Promoter Live Nation said the Sept. 26 show would be rescheduled for a date yet to be announced. (Existing tickets will be honored at the later date.)

The Forum spokesperson had no new information regarding Childish Gambino’s concert scheduled for Oct. 3 at the arena.

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Television Critics Assn. rescinds Bill Cosby’s Career Achievement Award

The Television Critics Assn. rescinded Bill Cosby's Career Achievement Award on Tuesday.
The Television Critics Assn. rescinded Bill Cosby’s Career Achievement Award on Tuesday.
(Mark Makela / Associated Press)

On Tuesday, the Television Critics Assn. announced that it had rescinded Cosby’s 2002 Career Achievement Award, the first time the organization has revoked an award.

“Since the inaugural TCA Award for Lifetime Achievement was presented to Grant Tinker in 1985, this is the first time there has been a groundswell to vacate an honor,” TCA President Daniel Fienberg said in a statement.

“It was essential that the entire membership have the opportunity to vote and the results were decisive.”

The news came just before Cosby was sentenced to prison for aggravated indecent assault for drugging and molesting Andrea Constand.

Conversely, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce issued a statement Tuesday morning announcing its decision not to remove Cosby’s star from the Walk of Fame.

“The stars only commemorate the recipient’s professional accomplishments,” the organization’s statement read. “It is regrettable when the personal lives of inductees do not measure up to public standards and expectations; however, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce does not remove stars from the Walk of Fame.”

Fallout from Cosby’s actions has grown in recent years, with a number of universities rescinding honorary degrees given to Cosby, including Yale, Boston College, Notre Dame and Temple, the comedian’s alma mater.

After Cosby’s April conviction, the comedian’s name was removed from the online annals of the Television Academy’s Hall of Fame.

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Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic ‘On the Basis of Sex’ to open AFI Fest

American Film Institute announced Tuesday that it will kick off this year’s 32nd AFI Fest with the world premiere of the Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic “On the Basis of Sex.”

Directed by Mimi Leder and slated for release Dec. 25, the film chronicles Ginsburg’s early law career that would lead eventually to her becoming a Supreme Court justice.

Felicity Jones, who earned a lead actress Oscar nomination for her performance in 2014’s “The Theory of Everything,” stars as Ginsburg opposite a supporting cast that includes Armie Hammer, Justin Theroux, Sam Waterston and Kathy Bates.

Coming in the wake of the heated battle over the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and amid the reckoning of the #MeToo movement, “On the Basis of Sex” carries a timely political resonance, Leder said in a statement.

“The origin story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, in this 25th anniversary year of her appointment to the Supreme Court, couldn’t come at a more important moment in our history nor be shown at a more relevant place than AFI Fest, a symbol of artistic integrity and the enduring power of cinema,” Leder said.

“I hope girls and young women in particular will see the film and find inspiration to realize their own unlimited potential.”

The film’s opening night gala screening will take place Nov. 8 at the TCL Chinese Theatre.

Bookending the festival with films centered on strong female characters and directed by women, AFI further announced that its closing night film will be “Mary Queen of Scots.”

Directed by Josie Rourke, the historical drama film chronicles the rivalry between Mary Stuart (Saoirse Ronan) and Elizabeth I (Margot Robbie) over the throne of England.

AFI Fest will run through Nov. 15. The full festival lineup will be unveiled next month.

3:48 p.m.: This story was updated with additional information about the closing-night film.

This story was originally published at 11 a.m.

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Jimmy Bennett gives first TV interview since Asia Argento sexual assault allegations

Actor Jimmy Bennett appeared in his first TV interview to detail his alleged relationship with Italian actress Asia Argento, whom he accused of sexually assaulting him when he was 17.

Argento has repeatedly denied Bennett’s allegation.

Appearing on Italian TV’s “Non è l’Arena” (“Outside the Arena”) program on Sunday, Bennett spoke about the day of the alleged incident back in 2013.

Having worked together on a film in 2004, when Bennett was 7 years old, the actor said that he and Argento kept in sporadic touch for 10 years. But eventually the Italian director and actress reached out to Bennett to “talk about a film.”

“The first thing that happened was her offering me champagne. And she went to play music on a record player that she had and she smoked a cigarette. And she told me about a film she had in mind. She wanted me to be in it,” Bennett said.

“It had started when I first got into the room. There was a lot of kissing and her grabbing my face and kind of inspecting me and saying, ‘Oh, my son, how I’ve missed you.’ My interpretation was that maybe it was a way of her showing me affection,” he continued, saying he wondered if perhaps there was a cultural divide he was missing.

Asia Argento
(Frank Franklin II / Associated Press)

Bennett continued his version of events, growing more hesitant as descriptions became more explicit.

“It’s hard for me to talk about this in front of strangers and people I don’t know, but I do want to get the benefit of the doubt in telling the truth,” he said.

According to the New York Times, host Massimo Giletti was skeptical of Bennett’s tale and about the possibility that men could be raped by women.

“A woman’s violence against a man or a boy is technically difficult to understand,” Giletti said. “Do you understand what I mean? A man has to take an active role, even if he is subjected to it.”

The actor pushed back against the idea, though admitted that the criticism was one he’d heard before.

“The comments I have received were all like, ‘Why wouldn’t you want to have sex with that person? What’s wrong with you?’” he said. “But that’s not really what it’s about. A woman can be attractive in some ways, and still abuse a man.”

Bennett’s interview can be seen in full (in Italian) on the official website for Italian TV channel La7.

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Seth Meyers lays into cable news and Monday’s Rod Rosenstein mystery

Monday was a whirlwind of speculation on cable news, thanks to the nebulous employment status of Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein.

He resigned. He refused to resign. He was fired. He was still employed.

And the confusion was all thanks to a stupid joke.

On “Late Night,” Seth Meyers was particularly perturbed by the ridiculousness of Monday’s news cycle, which began the week before with reports that Rosenstein had spoken about potentially recording President Trump.

“Is there anyone in this administration that isn’t secretly recording Donald Trump?” Meyers asked.

But wait! Reports quickly followed that, in fact, Rosenstein had been sarcastic with his remarks about recording the president and this was all a great big misunderstanding.

Meyers wasn’t having it.

“So we’re on the brink of a constitutional crisis because no one could tell if Rod Rosenstein was joking or not,” he said.

“Can I just make a suggestion to all civil servants in our justice system?” Meyers continued, picking up steam. “Don’t make jokes. Jokes are broken now.

“We made so many jokes about how hilarious it would be if Donald Trump was president that it came true,” he deadpanned.

All of which led to Monday’s mess regarding Rosenstein’s continued employment.

“Oh, my God, we can’t even figure out if the most senior law enforcement official overseeing the most high-profile investigation in the country resigned or was fired,” Meyers said.

As it turns out, it was neither.

On the bright side, Meyers came up with a spiffy new chyron for CNN: “Breaking News: Something is happening (Or is it?)”

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A Star Is Born: Donald Glover turns 35 today

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

It’s not about what you represent anymore — it’s about what you do and what you have to offer.

— Donald Glover, 2018

READ MORE: ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ duo Alden Ehrenreich and Donald Glover breathe new life into beloved characters

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In new ‘Bumblebee’ trailer, Optimus Prime tasks the Transformer with a special mission

“Bumblebee” may be a spin-off solo movie about the yellow Transformer, but it doesn’t mean there’s not another Autobot — or Decepticon — in the film.

The newest trailer for “Bumblebee,” released Monday, shows plenty of other Cybertronians will show up in the movie, including fan favorites Soundwave and Optimus Prime.

“Bumblebee, there is only one way to end this war,” the Autobot leader says in the trailer. “You must protect Earth and its people.”

Set in 1987, “Bumblebee” stars Hailee Steinfeld as Charlie Watson. The trailer reveals just how the teen befriends the small (for a Transformer) Autobot: She buys what she thinks is a plain, secondhand VW bug and ends up with more than just a car.

With a script by Christina Hodson, the film is directed by “Kubo and the Two Strings’” Travis Knight.

“Bumblebee” is scheduled to arrive in theaters Dec. 21. Watch the full trailer above.

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Why Princess Tiana’s look was modified — again — in the ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ sequel

A revised Princess Tiana from "Ralph Breaks the Internet," left, looks more like her original "Princess and the Frog" incarnation.
(Disney / YouTube, left; Disney, right.)

Princess Tiana got another makeover in Disney’s “Wreck-It Ralph” sequel after early images from the video game-inspired feature were decried for whitewashing the studio’s first and to date its only black princess.

The controversial “Ralph Breaks the Internet” stills showed Ralph’s partner, the rebellious Princess Vanellope, socializing with Tiana and others from Disney’s princess cohort, all in plainclothes.

However, Tiana, the protagonist of Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog,” had been animated with a slimmer nose, loose curly hair and significantly lighter skin than she’d had in her 2009 animated feature — a makeover that racial justice groups said “shocked and hurt” the black community.

So last week, in its latest “Ralph Breaks the Internet” trailer, Disney unveiled a darker-skinned Tiana with a wider nose and darker hair.

“Disney’s decision to restore Princess Tiana’s image to that of an unapologetically Black princess with full lips, dark skin and dark hair in ‘Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2’ is a victory for Color of Change members, Black children and their parents, and Black audiences who want to see the variety of shades, shapes and sizes of Black characters accurately represented in the arts,” said Brandi Collins-Dexter, senior campaign director for Color of Change, the nation’s largest online racial justice organization.

The studio consulted with people and organizations involved in the protest, such as Color of Change and actress Anika Noni Rose, who voices the princess, after the second trailer for the film was released in June.

From ‘colorblind’ to ‘color conscious,’ new casting rules are anything but black and white

In that version, Tiana and other princesses of color were restored to their most recognizable iterations and shown in their iconic costumes. (It is unclear if the plainclothes versions of the princesses with Vanellope will be in the final version of “Ralph Breaks the Internet.”)

Reps for Disney declined to comment on the changes when reached by The Times on Monday. Rose’s rep did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The modifications come as Hollywood grapples with issues of representative casting. Disney has addressed the issue with recent inclusive casting choices in upcoming films such as its live-action “Mulan” and “The Lion King” adaptations and appeared to get ahead of further acrimony in those cases.

The changes can be seen in full when “Ralph Breaks the Internet” hits theaters on Nov. 21.

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James Woods is furious over Twitter suspension

The Twitter account of actor James Woods has been suspended over a controversial tweet that Woods refuses to delete.
(Chris Pizzello / Associated Press)

James Woods has no Twitter, and he’s not happy about it.

The “Ghosts of Mississippi” actor, known for being a conservative voice on the social media platform, was suspended over a controversial tweet from July 20.

The tweet in question featured a hoax meme that claimed origins with a Democratic organization and encouraged men to skip out on voting in the upcoming midterm elections.

Woods included a sarcastic comment: “”Pretty scary that there is a distinct possibility this could be real. Not likely, but in this day and age of absolute liberal insanity, it is at least possible …,” he wrote.

On Thursday, Twitter emailed the actor to inform him that after an investigation, they found that the tweet “has the potential to be misleading in a way that could impact an election,” according to the Associated Press.

Woods would be allowed to rejoin the platform if he deleted the tweet in question.

At present the actor has no plans to acquiesce. After the ban, singer Kaya Jones, a fellow conservative, posted a statement from Woods that included the tweet in question. In his email, the actor likened the ban to “a cancer that, if allowed to metastasize, will destroy the nation and everything it stands for.”

“The irony is, Twitter accused me of affecting the political process, when in fact, their banning of me is the truly egregious interference,” Woods told AP.

“Because now, having your voice smothered is much more disturbing than having your vocal cords slit,” he continued. “If you want to kill my free speech, man up and slit my throat with a knife, don’t smother me with a pillow.”

Woods alleged that he was targeted because of his 1.7 million Twitter followers, while other individuals who shared the tweet went unpunished.

“I wish this were about an unknown Twitter user so that I could be even more passionate about it,” Woods told AP. “This is not about a celebrity being muzzled. This is about an American being silenced — one tweet at a time.”

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A Star Is Born: Nia Vardalos turns 56 today

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

The white hot publicity that came from ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ was appreciated but not sought, so I was happy to walk away from it and then write.

— Nia Vardalos, 2016

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Nia Vardalos is finally back as Toula in ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2’

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A Star Is Born: Mary Kay Place turns 71 today

(Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

When you’re acting, you’re inside the head of your character. When you’re directing, it’s about everything.

— Mary Kay Place, 2007

FROM THE ARCHIVES: A big-love career without a big chill

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A Star Is Born: Tatiana Maslany turns 33 today

(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

People ask me a lot if I wish I had my own clone to get through the days. It would be nice. It would be super nice. But I wouldn’t want to share the fun.

— Tatiana Maslany, 2014

FROM THE ARCHIVES: ‘Orphan Black’s’ Tatiana Maslany is no longer just faces in the crowd

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See a glimpse of Joaquin Phoenix in his creepy ‘Joker’ film disguise

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

The “Joker” film could very well cross over into the horror genre, judging from a tease director Todd Phillips shared on Friday

The short Instagram video, below, begins with Joaquin Phoenix in his plainclothes character as the DC Comics villain — a.k.a. Arthur Fleck — gazing into the camera lens.

Building on last weekend’s headshot tease, the so-called camera test is set to the haunting tune of the Guess Who’s “Laughing.” While the music plays, Arthur’s mouth eventually ticks into a smile and Phillips’ take on the Joker’s iconic disguise is projected across the actor’s face.

The clown-like makeup and the clip’s abrupt finish perhaps set the tone for Warner Bros. standalone origin film, which is believed to be about the Batman foe’s failed attempt at a career in comedy that leads him to a life of crime.

Phoenix is the latest actor to take on the deranged villain’s role: Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger and, most recently, Jared Leto have famously played the Gotham City baddie, among others. Leto, who played the character in “Suicide Squad,” is still slated to reprise the role in a separate standalone project for the DC Extended Universe.

Phillips’ take on the villain is not expected to be in continuity with that storyline, which has been building and spinning off Warner Bros.’ current iteration of the “Justice League” franchise.

“Joker” is expected to open in theaters on Oct. 4, 2019. Martin Scorsese is executive producing the film, which also stars Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy and Marc Maron.

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William Shatner teams with Henry Rollins for a ridiculous take on ‘Jingle Bells’

It’s a glorious day for musical futurists who never imagined a second William Shatner and Henry Rollins collaboration would occur in their lifetimes — a moment further enhanced by the news that the two have reconvened in service of a Christmas song.

Shatner, never one to shy away from an opportunity to confuse, has announced the arrival of his first holiday album, “Shatner Claus,” with a raucous rendition of “Jingle Bells.” The album arrives Oct. 26.

Typically ridiculous, the version features Shatner working through adapted verses and Rollins moving through the chorus. Rollins does his part with the same gym-shorted energy he employed while belting out his old band Black Flag’s “My War” — except he’s celebrating a one-horse open sleigh instead of annihilation.

Shatner-Rollins enthusiasts know that the two haven’t been together on a record for 14 years, since they collaborated with pianist Ben Folds and former King Crimson guitarist Adrian Belew on “I Can’t Get Behind That.”

As for solo Shatner, the forthcoming “Shatner Claus” finds him teaming with a cast of musicians seemingly drawn at random. Folk singer Judy Collins eases into “White Christmas” after Shatner talk-sings the opening verse. Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson weaves his flute through Shatner’s breathy delivery and joins for the chorus of “Silver Bells.”

In the introduction to “Blue Christmas,” Shatner narrates getting snowed in with Brad Paisley at a bar, and then they sing the song together. The Stooges’ Iggy Pop joins in for a piano-driven “Silent Night,” singing the second verse with an earnestness that belies the general irony within. And there certainly is irony within.

The track listing is below:

1. “Jingle Bells” feat. Henry Rollins

2. “Blue Christmas” feat. Brad Paisley

3. “Little Drummer Boy” feat. Joe Louis Walker

4. “Winter Wonderland” feat. Todd Rundgren & Artimus Pyle (Lynyrd Skynyrd)

5. “Twas the Night Before Christmas” feat. Mel Collins (King Crimson)

6. “Run Rudolph Run” feat. Elliot Easton (The Cars)

7. “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” feat. Rick Wakeman (Yes)

8. “Silver Bells” feat. Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull)

9. “One for You, One for Me”

10. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” feat. Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top)

11. “Silent Night” feat. Iggy Pop

12. “White Christmas” feat. Judy Collins

13. Feliz Navidad feat. Dani Bender

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‘Saturday Night Live’ adds L.A.’s Ego Nwodim as featured player

Ego Nwodim, center, in 2016 with her fellow performers at CBS' diversity showcase, a theatrical event in the Los Angeles area.
Ego Nwodim, center, in 2016 with her fellow performers at CBS’ diversity showcase, a theatrical event in the Los Angeles area.
(Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

“Saturday Night Live” has added Ego Nwodim as a featured cast member, NBC announced on Friday.

The move was among the few changes made to the durable sketch-comedy series, which is entering its 44th season this year. Luke Null, a featured player last year, will not be returning, while Alan Linic, Alison Gates, Eli Mandel and Bowen Yang will join the “SNL” writing staff.

Originally from Baltimore, Nwodim is a graduate of USC and has been a fixture around L.A.’s improv incubator the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, where she staged a one-woman show, “Great Black Women… And Then There’s Me.” She appeared on the “Comedy Bang Bang” podcast and in 2016 was part of a diversity showcase staged by CBS

She’ll be the second woman of color in the cast of the upcoming season of “SNL,” which has been criticized in years past for its lack of diversity. Since joining the cast in 2014, Leslie Jones has been nominated for two Emmys in the supporting actress in a comedy category. Comic Sasheer Zamata left the show in 2017 after three years.

The show returns Sept. 29 with host Adam Driver and musical guest Kanye West.

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Alec Baldwin’s lampooning of Donald Trump will continue on ‘Saturday Night Live’

Alec Baldwin as President Trump on "Saturday Night Live."
(Will Heath / Associated Press)

Alec Baldwin will bring back his puckering lampoon of President Trump to “Saturday Night Live” once again.

“I have fun doing it, there’s no doubt about that,” the “30 Rock” star said of portraying the reality star-turned-president.

Baldwin has already earned a supporting actor Emmy Award for his repeat appearances as the 45th president. He spoke at length about the role on the Origins With James Andrew Miller” podcast on Friday and confirmed he will don the blond wig and orange makeup again on the 44th season of the NBC sketch comedy.

“They are all old and dear friends of mine, and I love going there,” Baldwin said of the cast. “When the show is good, there is nothing like it. But for me, I think I’m going to do some of it, but not a whole lot. Because I also think, and this is critical, there is a lot of fatigue.”

Despite the fun he has on set, the show’s unorthodox shooting schedule and ripped-from-the-headlines edits conflict with his personal life, particularly because “SNL” takes over his weekend and family time. “It’s not great,” he said.

The premiere episode, which airs Sept. 29, will be hosted by Adam Driver and feature Kanye West as the musical guest. It is unclear if Baldwin will reprise the role during the season opener, but it sure sounds as if he will.

“SNL” creator Lorne Michaels gave Baldwin his blessing on the same podcast, adding that “no other actor is looking to follow Alec” into the Trump role.

“I think with Alec, I’ve known him and worked with him for so long, that needless to say I trust him,” Michaels said. “And the audience connects to him in that role … he is somebody you know you can always count on.”

The return comes despite comments the actor made last season about the “agony” he felt playing Trump. Those remarks also drew the anger of the president on Twitter last March, to which Baldwin responded: “Agony though it may be, I’d like to hang in there for the impeachment hearings, the resignation speech, the farewell helicopter ride.”

Elsewhere in the podcast, Baldwin, an unabashed Trump critic, gamely described the commander in chief as “two-dimensional” and “insane.”

“In my mind he’s really not that much different from what I’m doing and what we’re doing. I think people respond to that,” the actor said. “You almost can’t parody him because he’s so self-parodying. I think he’s funny.”

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A sexy ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ costume is pulled from the market — for many reasons

Because sexy cat, sexy nurse and sexy schoolgirl weren’t enough, now there is, or shall we say “was,” a sexy costume that riffs off the victims of sexual slavery and oppression at the center of Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale.”

We now pause for you to reflect on what it took to come up with that idea in the first place.

Now let’s let the people behind it explain:

“Our initial inspiration to create the piece was through witnessing its use in recent months as a powerful protest image,” U.S. lingerie company Yandy said in an apologetic statement Thursday night on Twitter as it announced it was pulling the getup from the market.

Negative reaction on Twitter included comments like “Today: Slutty Handmaid’s Tale Costume. Tomorrow: Slutty Global Warming,” “I am honestly surprised it took until the 2nd season of Handmaid’s Tale for this to happen” and “You know this is what Trump would pick if he ruled the world of The Handmaid’s Tale.”

Others saw the retraction as a reaction to manufactured outrage, a move to dictate free speech or an attempt to tell women what they could and couldn’t wear. Since handmaid costumes were used recently to protest the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, some saw the pressure as a reactionary political move.

One journalist was plain old confused, tweeting, “I can’t decide if this misses the point of The Handmaid’s Tale, or encapsulates it completely.”

“Over the last few hours, it has become obvious that our ‘Yandy Brave Red Maiden Costume’ is being seen as a symbol of women’s oppression, rather than an expression of women’s empowerment. This is unfortunate, as it was not our intention on any level,” the company said.

Brave Red Maiden actually featured quite a bit more fabric than the rest of the brand’s nearly 250 skimpy costumes, essentially all of which are unsuitable for wearing out of the house in polite company, including on Halloween.

“An upsetting dystopian future has emerged where women no longer have a say. However, we say be bold and speak your mind in this exclusive Brave Red Maiden costume featuring a mini dress and a matching cloak with an attached hood, and a white bonnet headpiece. (Pantyhose not included.),” read the description on the Yandy website.

There was nothing mildly approximating the vision-, speech- and general freedom-limiting headgear that Elisabeth Moss’ character and fellow handmaids are forced to wear outside the home in the Emmy-winning streaming series.

The costume now joins the ill-fated line of “Handmaid’s Tale” wine that crashed and burned with the public in July. However, marginally less frivolous items — think wineglasses, T-shirts and coffee mugs, to name a few — are available for purchase in various corners of the interwebs.

Blessed be.

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Mister Rogers gets a Google Doodle video tribute

Google on Friday honored the late Fred Rogers, the gentle giant of public television, with a Google Doodle paying tribute to the man best known as Mister Rogers.

The Google Doodle marked the day Rogers taped the first episode of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” a program that would convey messages of kindness, inclusion and self-worth to preschoolers for decades to come. It happened 51 years ago, after he quit his NBC job to launch the first community-sponsored public television station, WQED in Pittsburgh.

The children’s series premiered nationally on PBS in February 1968 and ran until 2001.

Friday’s accompanying animated video follows the cardigan-wearing host as he makes his way through the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, riding the town’s iconic red trolley, greeting his neighbors and singing the show’s beloved opening-credits tune, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”

The trolley, a tiger drawing and a king and queen also feature in the video and are subtle nods to PBS’ spin-off, “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” an animated series for preschoolers that’s based on Rogers’ show and features a character named Daniel as host. The show, which is a staple of the public broadcaster’s contemporary children’s programming, is also produced by the Fred Rogers Co.

“I’m so thrilled that Google is celebrating Fred and Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood with this charming tribute,” his wife, Joanne Rogers, said in a statement. “This stroll through the Neighborhood is delightful, and Fred’s gentle kindness is beautifully captured in the Doodle.”

Fred Rogers earned two Peabody Awards, four Emmys, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and the Presidential Medal of Freedom before he died in 2003. But the former minister’s name has been back in the news this year because of Morgan Neville’s feel-good documentary about him, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”

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A Star Is Born: Ricki Lake turns 50 today

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

I have always been easygoing. I don’t think things through too much. With my talk show, I did very little homework.

— Ricki Lake, 2008

FROM THE ARCHIVES: A natural alternative

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Rihanna, pop star and fashion icon, now has an even fancier title

Rihanna.
(Evan Agostini / Associated Press)

Rihanna — a.k.a. Robyn Fenty — has a fancy new title courtesy of her home island of Barbados: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.

Announced Thursday, the new distinction means she now has official power to promote education, tourism and investment in the 21-mile-long country. Rihanna has been a cultural ambassador since 2008 and told Barbados Today that she’s looking forward to working with the prime minister and other officials to “reimagine Barbados.”

“Rihanna has a deep love for this country and this is reflected in her philanthropy, especially in the areas of health and education,” Prime Minister Mia Mottley told Barbados Today. “She also shows her patriotism in the way she gives back to this country and continues to treasure the island as her home.”

The singer’s love of home was evident in this Condé Nast Traveller interview.

“I have the best memories of spending long days at the beach with my two younger brothers,” she said. “I knew I had to leave to further my career — but it will always be home.”

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Hey, marshmallows: ‘Veronica Mars’ is coming to Hulu as a limited series

“Veronica Mars” is coming back — again — this time by way of Hulu.

The streaming service and Warner Bros. have revived the Kristen Bell-starring mystery series about a teenage private eye, making it the latest cult favorite to get new life during the current TV-revival craze.

The subscription streaming service made the announcement Thursday and confirmed that it has also acquired the rights to the old episodes of the young-adult series, which, according to its star Thursday on Instagram “is great because you’ll need to brush up since we’re making another one.”

Seasons 1 through 3 of the original “Veronica Mars” will begin streaming next summer, along with the 2014 feature film.

Hulu has ordered eight one-hour episodes direct to series, and the show will join Hulu’s 2019 original programming slate, which includes “Ramy,” “Shrill,” “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Catch-22.”

Original showrunner Rob Thomas has re-teamed with Bell on the revival, which will work around the indefatigable actress’ obligations to NBC’s “The Good Place,” The Times has confirmed.

Thomas, Diane Ruggiero-Wright and Dan Etheridge will produce and Bell will serve as an executive producer.

The new season will see Veronica return to the seaside town of Neptune where spring breakers have been murdered, decimating her hometown’s lifeblood tourist industry, Hulu said.

“After Mars Investigations is hired by the parents of one of the victims to find their son’s killer, Veronica is drawn into an epic eight-episode mystery that pits the enclave’s wealthy elites, who would rather put an end to the month-long bacchanalia, against a working class that relies on the cash influx that comes with being the West Coast’s answer to Daytona Beach,” the official logline said.

The original series ran on UPN and the CW from 2004 to 2007. It was revived for the first time in 2014 by a Kickstarter campaign that saw fans crowdfund the feature film with $5.7 million. Veronica, by then a law-school grad, got back together with her Neptune gang for their 10-year high school reunion.

Despite the fan-driven narrative, the movie, which had a limited big-screen run and was downloadable by its Kickstarter financiers, earned a meager $3.3 million at the box office and became a cautionary tale for crowd-funded Hollywood efforts.

Reports that the deal was being finalized began circulating last month.

Times staff writer Yvonne Villarreal contributed to this report.

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Cary Joji Fukunaga replaces Danny Boyle as director of next James Bond film

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

American filmmaker Cary Joji Fukunaga has replaced Danny Boyle as director of the next James Bond film.

“Bond 25” — what appears to be the working title for the 25th film in the spy series — will begin filming at Pinewood Studios on March 4, 2019, under the auspices of Fukunaga, producers Michael G. Wilson, Barbara Broccoli and the franchise’s star, Daniel Craig, announced Thursday.

The film, Craig’s fifth and likely final go-around as the British super-spy, also had its worldwide release date pushed back to Feb. 14, 2020.

“We are delighted to be working with Cary. His versatility and innovation make him an excellent choice for our next James Bond adventure,” Wilson and Broccoli said through the official 007 Twitter account.

Fukunaga, whose ascent is relatively new, is the first American filmmaker to helm the traditionally British franchise. The Oakland native rose to fame in 2014 with the phenomenal success of “True Detective.” He directed and produced the debut season of HBO’s mystery series, which earned him a Primetime Emmy Award.

He also wrote and directed 2015’s “Beasts of No Nation,” the gut-wrenching war drama starring Idris Elba, for Netflix and helmed the streamer’s upcoming mini-series “Maniac.”

His other credits include 2009’s “Sin Nombre,” 2011’s “Jane Eyre” and the 2018 series “The Alienist.”

Boyle, of “Slumdog Millionaire” fame, left “Bond 25” in August “due to creative differences.” The move derailed the production’s December start date as well as the original November 2019 release.

Several other directors, including Denis Villeneuve, Jean-Marc Vallee, Yann Demange, David Mackenzie and Edgar Wright, were reportedly considered.

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A Star Is Born: Jon Bernthal turns 42 today

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

I saw that people who were getting the roles I wanted to play all had been on TV. So I thought, ‘I gotta get out to L.A. and get on TV so I can do theater.’

— Jon Bernthal, 2012

FROM THE ARCHIVES: ‘Walking Dead’: Jon Bernthal’s Shane adopts zombie ‘new world order’

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LeBron James and Ryan Coogler confirmed for ‘Space Jam 2’

LeBron James of the Lakers is teaming with Ryan Coogler of “Black Panther” on “Space Jam 2,” confirming a rumor that the basketball star will take on the role originated by sports legend Michael Jordan in the original 1996 movie.

SpringHill Entertainment, James’ production company, made the announcement with a visual Wednesday on Twitter, revealing that James will join Bugs Bunny in the cast of the partially animated film, to be directed by Terence Nance of HBO’s “Random Acts of Flyness.”

Coogler will produce.

James co-founded SpringHill with businessman Maverick Carter about five years ago, and the company signed with Warner Bros. in 2015. James’ involvement with “Space Jam 2” has been rumored for years.

“Ton of star power here. King Coogler. King James. And so excited that folks who don’t currently know and fawn over King Nance soon will,” “Selma” director Ava DuVernay tweeted Wednesday in reaction to the news.

For the record

3:14 p.m.: An earlier version of this post flipped Coogler and Nance’s roles on the film.

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‘Downton Abbey’ movie sets 2019 release date

Maggie Smith as the Dowager Countess in the "Downton Abbey" series.
(Matthew Lloyd / For The Times)

Good news for “Downton Abbey” fans. Focus Features will release the big-screen installment of the British television drama in North America on Sept. 20, 2019, the distributor announced on Wednesday.

Universal Pictures International will debut the film internationally a week earlier on Sept. 13, 2019.

The movie, set in Edwardian England at the turn of the 20th century, began filming last week and boasts much of the ITV show’s principal cast, including Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle, Michelle Dockery, Kevin Doyle, Joanne Froggatt, Matthew Goode, Harry Hadden-Paton, Robert James-Collier, Allen Leech, Phyllis Logan, Elizabeth McGovern, Sophie McShera, Lesley Nicol, Penelope Wilton and Oscar and Emmy winner Maggie Smith.

New additions for the film include Oscar-nominated actress Imelda Staunton, Geraldine James, Simon Jones, David Haig, Tuppence Middleton, Kate Phillips and Stephen Campbell Moore.

Plot details for specific characters have been sparse thus far and haven’t alluded at all to the finale’s tidy and “English version of a happy ending.” (Let’s all say a little prayer for Smith’s Dowager Countess, please.)

Carnival Films, the film’s producer, has only said that the movie will follow the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and the servants who work in their Edwardian country estate, which, as fans of the show know, is precisely the most all-encompassing description of the drama series.

“Since the series ended, fans of Downton have long been waiting for the Crawley family’s next chapter,” Focus Chairman Peter Kujawski said in a statement Wednesday. “We’re thrilled to join this incredible group of filmmakers, actors and craftspeople, led by Julian Fellowes and Gareth Neame, in bringing back the world of Downton to the big screen next September.”

Michael Engler will return to direct the film and Brian Percival, who directed the series’ pilot, will executive produce the movie alongside Nigel Marchant.

Oscar- and Emmy-winning Fellowes, who created the ITV series and wrote the film’s screenplay, is producing the film with Neame and Liz Trubridge.

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After Emmys proposal, couple continue to share their love story on TV

Producer Glenn Weiss proposes to his girlfriend, Jan Svendsen, onstage during Monday's Emmy Awards.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Glenn Weiss knows what makes good TV, and his Emmy Awards proposal on Monday definitely did just that.

The Oscars telecast director, who unexpectedly popped the question to girlfriend Jan Svendsen that night, stole the show with a tribute to his mom that led to a tear-jerking marriage proposal to his girlfriend.

Since then, the newly affianced pair have been doing the rounds and keeping TV viewers rapt with their romance.

Weiss’ proposal came during his acceptance speech for best director of a variety special. But his bold move, seen by at least 10 million live TV viewers, also won Emmy night and the approval of many of his peers.

Camera cutaways showed Benedict Cumberbatch, Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem and Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel applauding and Claire Foy wiping away tears while an awestruck Leslie Jones stood up with her mouth agape. (“SNL” star Jones later took to Twitter to advise anyone who proposes to her to do so on Emmy night.)

“He did an amazing, crazy thing and here we are, and it’s really nice that love is trending,” Svendsen said Wednesday on NBC’s “Today” show.

She said that she expected “a very private proposal if there ever were to be one,” and was blown away by Weiss, who dropped down to one knee after placing his late mother’s ring on her finger.

Weiss and Svendsen met in 2001 in New York at the Tony Awards, he told reporters backstage after the Emmys. Svendsen had worked for the Broadway League and had been chief marketing officer for the Tonys at the time. Altogether, they have five daughters from previous relationships.

The golden band, though not a diamond ring, was worn by his mother for 67 years until she died Aug. 31. Weiss got choked up on “Today” describing what his mother and the ring meant to him, prompting his future wife to finish his thought.

“The fact that I have been able to wear this ring and get engaged with this ring is so meaningful for both of us,” she said.

The wedding, however, will be “a little more private.”

The couple also appeared on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on Tuesday night to talk about their newfound fame.

“It’s been a rough couple of weeks and I think maybe I got a little more perspective on life,” Weiss told Kimmel. “It just became clear about a week or two ago that I wanted to do something. ... I didn’t think it would happen this quickly, but an opportunity arose.”

Weiss said that if he didn’t win the Emmy, he still planned to propose in the next few months.

And, yes, he was very worried that the Emmys house band would play him offstage for his speech going too long.

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Demi Lovato’s mom reveals details from the day her daughter overdosed

Dianna De La Garza, mother of Demi Lovato, in New York City in March.
(RW / MediaPunch/IPX)

Demi Lovato’s mother, Dianna De La Garza, found out about her daughter’s overdose from the news online before she got it firsthand. Then it was a rough couple of days waiting to find out if she was going to pull through completely.

“We just didn’t know for two days if she was going to make it or not,” De La Garza said in an interview Wednesday with Newsmax.

Her phone started blowing up in June with notes from friends saying they were praying for Demi and for their family.

“The first lines of these texts were saying, ‘I just heard the news, I’m so sorry, I’m praying for your family, I’m praying for Demi,’ and I was in shock. I thought, what is going on?”

De La Garza went online to the TMZ post that first reported the news that Lovato had overdosed — and then Demi’s assistant at the time called.

“The next words that came out of her mouth ... are words that are so difficult to hear as a parent. She said, ‘Demi overdosed.’ I was in shock. I didn’t know what to say. It was something I never, ever expected to hear as a parent,” De La Garza said. Lovato was conscious but not talking, the assistant said.

It would come out that responding paramedics had administered Narcan to counteract the OD.

With daughter Dallas taking over driving duties — De La Garza was too shaken — the family got to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center as fast as they could and ran to the emergency room.

Her daughter, De La Garza said, “was in bad shape.”

But by that time Lovato was talking. The mother and daughter exchanged “I love yous,” and “from that point on I never allowed myself to ever think that things weren’t going to be OK,” De La Garza said.

It would be two days, while Lovato was in critical condition, before they knew she was going to come through. De La Garza credited two things.

“I just feel like the reason she’s alive today is because of the millions of prayers that went up that day when everybody found out what was happening,” she said.

“I don’t think she would be here if it hadn’t been for those prayers and the good doctors at Cedars-Sinai; they were the best. I couldn’t have asked for a better team of people to save her life.”

Now Lovato is doing well, her mom said.

“She’s happy, she’s healthy,” De La Garza said. “She’s working on her sobriety, and she’s getting the help she needs.”

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Frank Oz, creator of ‘Sesame Street’s’ Bert, weighs in on sexuality debate

Director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer Frank Oz.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Veteran puppeteer Frank Oz was pulled into the brewing Bert and Ernie debate on Tuesday. And though he declared that the “Sesame Street” characters are not gay, he softened his stance on the perception of the puppets and what they mean to LGBTQ individuals.

The 74-year-old Oz, one of “Muppets” creator Jim Henson’s early collaborators and the voice of many of the characters (as well as Yoda from “Star Wars”), also said Tuesday that the roommates are not a gay couple, even though they have long been perceived as such.

Nor does it matter.

Addressing former “Sesame Street” writer Mark Saltzman’s recent Queerty remarks about the pair — and Sesame Workshop’s subsequent denial — Oz said that “it’s fine” that Saltzman feels they are gay.

“But why that question? Does it really matter? Why the need to define people as only gay? There’s much more to a human being than just straightness or gayness,” Oz tweeted, replying to fans that, “I created Bert. I know what and who he is.”

He later clarified the latter part of that comment, tweeting that while he didn’t create the tangible Bert puppet, he said that “with input from the writers, I created the character of Bert.”

Prior to that, the commentary swept the voice actor up into a heated discourse that lasted into the wee hours of Wednesday morning, during which Oz shared his takeaways.

“Although it doesn’t matter to me if someone is gay or viewed as gay, I learned it does matter to a great many people who feel they are not represented enough,” he wrote. “The Tweet discussion was worth it for me to just learn that.”

Sesame Workshop reiterated that the Muppets are simply that and have no discernible sexual preferences.
(Beth A. Keiser / Associated Press)

He’s also pleased people see in Bert “something that gives them comfort and recognition. But that does not change the fact that he is not gay.”

One Twitter user, citing the long-running issue of representation, told him that it’s “important for characters to be explicitly declared queer, because the mainstream will code them straight by default,” and Oz agreed.

“When a character is created to be queer it is indeed important that the character be known as such. It is also important when a character who was not created queer, be accepted as such,” Oz wrote.

Oz said that he and Henson “never created them to be gay,” but that doesn’t mean they created them to be “straight like everyone else,” either.

He was clear that he wasn’t targeting Saltzman with his remarks, but rather the question of whether Bert and Ernie are gay.

“He sounds like a caring person. He never said B & E were gay. But when others took that leap from his interview I felt I had to question the need for the question,” Oz added.

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Kelly Clarkson is getting her own daytime TV talk show

Has daytime TV been waiting for a moment like this?

Singer Kelly Clarkson is getting her own syndicated daytime talk show. Eyeing a fall 2019 launch, “The Kelly Clarkson Show” will be produced and distributed by NBCUniversal Domestic Television Distribution.

The new talker helmed by the “American Idol” alum will feature a mix of celebrity guests, “remarkable” stories, and — hello — music. If that doesn’t make you catch your breath, Clarkson talked more about it during her appearance Tuesday on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” declaring that it’s “going to be a little different than anything that’s been on.”

In an official statement announcing the news, Clarkson said: “I love connecting with people, playing games, music and finding ways to help or give back to communities/organizations. Having my own talk show where I get to do all of these things is pretty much a dream job!”

The show has been picked up by 11 NBC-owned television stations in major markets, including KNBC Los Angeles, and will serve as a lead-in to stalwart “Ellen” on nearly all of them.

In addition to her talk show hosting duties, Clarkson will serve as an executive producer of the L.A.-based show, along with her husband, Brandon Blackstock.

But this doesn’t mean Clarkson is walking away from her music projects. She recently announced the 2019 U.S. tour for her eighth studio album, “Meaning of Life.” And she’ll return as a coach for season 15 of NBC’s music competition series “The Voice.”

Clarkson becomes the latest star hoping to find success in the daytime TV market that has proven to be a tough space for big names including Katie Couric, Meredith Vieira and, most recently, Harry Connick Jr.

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A Star Is Born: Nile Rodgers turns 66 today

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

All artists I’ve ever encountered, the one through-line is they just want to be heard.

— Nile Rodgers, 2018

READ MORE: Nile Rodgers’ influence stretches all over Coachella, beaming the sound of a better future

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‘Sesame Street’ scribe reveals LGBTQ inspiration for writing Bert and Ernie

Bert and Ernie are the most famous roommates on "Sesame Street." But could they finally be revealed as something more?
(Beth A. Keiser / Associated Press)

It’s a question that’s been bandied about for decades: Are “Sesame Street” dynamic duo Bert and Ernie more than just roommates? Or are they instead engaged in a lifelong love affair?

A recent interview with Mark Saltzman, a playwright and former writer for “Sesame Street,” has finally offered some insight into the issue, even as Sesame Workshop feels otherwise.

Saltzman revealed to Queerty that even though Bert and Ernie were never officially gay, he was often inspired by his longtime relationship with film editor Arnold Glassman when writing the roommates’ dynamic.

“And I always felt that without a huge agenda, when I was writing Bert and Ernie, they were [lovers],” said Saltzman, who wrote for “Sesame Street” from 1985 to 1998.

After explaining that between his own personality as a jokester and his partner’s organizational obsessive-compulsive disorder, he could write only what he knew.

“I don’t think I’d know how else to write them, but as a loving couple,” the seven-time Emmy Award winner said.

When asked for comment by The Times, Sesame Workshop, the parent company of “Sesame Street,” reiterated that the Muppets are simply that and have no discernible sexual preferences.

“As we have always said, Bert and Ernie are best friends. They were created to teach preschoolers that people can be good friends with those who are very different from themselves,” the statement read.

“Even though they are identified as male characters and possess many human traits and characteristics (as most “Sesame Street” Muppets do), they remain puppets, and do not have a sexual orientation.”

In thinking back to his time on the series, Saltzman recalled a singular disappointment.

“It was always diversity, diversity,” he said. “It’s a shame [“Sesame Street”] wasn’t leading the [LGBTQ] charge.”

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Roseanne Barr reveals how her ‘Roseanne’ character might be killed off for ‘The Conners’

Though Roseanne Barr doesn’t have a television home to call her own, she never seems to stray very far from TV.

Barr will appear on “Dr. Oz” Tuesday to discuss the fallout of her racist tweet about former President Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett, the subsequent cancellation of the “Roseanne” reboot and what’s next for the actress.

In a clip from the interview released by the talk show Tuesday morning, Barr remarks on where she plans to be when the “Roseanne” spinoff series, “The Conners,” which she has no part in, debuts next month.

“Oh, yeah, I don’t want to be around, because I’ll get drawn into a negative thing of defending myself or being angry for being mischaracterized,” Barr says. “I want to stay away from it. I want to stay in a joyous, positive, happy place that I’ve worked my way to again in my life.”

On Monday night, Barr appeared with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills for an event titled “Is America a Forgiving Nation?” — tied to Yom Kippur — wherein the comedian spoke extensively about the events of the last year.

“It physically defeated me, and I was just leveled,” Barr said. “It was so depressing, like a death.”

Barr wasn’t so emotional that she couldn’t speculate about the demise of her iconic character Roseanne Conner, however.

The actress suggested that Conner will be killed off by an opioid overdose, and said while she wasn’t 100% sure, that was what her “spies” had told her.

Last month, “The Conners” star John Goodman speculated that his TV wife would be killed off and his character would be depressed and dealing with that when the series premiered. Roseanne Conner’s opioid addiction also played a pivotal role in the “Roseanne” reboot this year.

Representatives for ABC declined to comment on Barr’s theories.

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Alec Baldwin doesn’t ‘know what the deal is’ with Hailey Baldwin and Justin Bieber

Alec Baldwin had a few things to say Monday night at the Emmy Awards about his niece Hailey Baldwin and her beau Justin Bieber — but don’t expect clarity on the did-they-or-didn’t-they front.

“They went off and got married,” the “SNL” guest star told “Access” on the gold carpet, where he was hanging out with wife Hilaria Baldwin and apparently out of the loop that says the two kids did not exchange vows. “And I don’t know what the deal is.”

Clearly. Along with the rest of us.

Justin, 24, and Hailey, 21, who were thought to have tied the knot last Thursday but apparently have not done any such thing, have known each other since 2009. Bieber talked about someday marrying her back in 2016, when they ditched one another so he could go on tour.

But while Alec Baldwin doesn’t know much about his brother’s betrothed daughter’s wedding plans, as they only text once in a while, he did express his thoughts about making it work as a married couple. And that whole tour thing would be a big no-no in his book.

“When you get married, I think it works best if you can really be together,” Baldwin said. “You hook your schedules up where you can really be with each other.”

There are jobs that he and Hilaria could take, he said, and things they could go do professionally, but they don’t, because they want to stay home with each other and the kids and those gigs would separate them for weeks or months.

And surprisingly, or perhaps not, Alec had nothing to say to Bieber about taking care of the bride-to-be.

“That’s not my job,” Baldwin said, shuffling the responsibility off on brother Stephen Baldwin, who’s been essentially mum on social media.

“She has a dad, and I’m sure he has a few paragraphs about that himself.”

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‘Captain Marvel’ trailer plays up ‘90s nostalgia and new hero’s electrifying powers

Carol Danvers has crash-landed — on a Blockbuster Video store — in the first trailer for Marvel’s “Captain Marvel.”

Touted by the comics-based studio as “one of the universe’s most powerful heroes,” Brie Larson’s embodiment of the electrifying heroine came to life on Tuesday, arriving on Earth, where she tries to make sense of her past.

“I keep having these memories,” Larson’s Carol says. “I see flashes. I think I have a life here. But I can’t tell if it’s real.”

We can tell you what’s real: In the trailer, Carol totally punches an old lady — or what appears to be one — on the subway.

As if Blockbuster weren’t enough of an indication, the film is set in the 1990s — a previously unexplored time period in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and long before Thanos wiped out half of it with a snap in “Avengers: Infinity War.”

When “Captain Marvel” starts, the former Air Force pilot already has her Kree-infused super powers, and the trailer shows her at work as a renegade soldier in an elite military team called Starforce, led by her mentor Mar-Vell (Jude Law).

“While a galactic war between two alien races reaches Earth, Danvers finds herself and a small cadre of allies at the center of the maelstrom,” according to the studio.

There’s still plenty of tech to geek out over — including a beeper! — otherworldly environs, space invasions, car chases, a young Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) and a two-eyed Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), whom Marvel fans glimpsed earlier this month.

When we last saw Fury on the big screen, he was disintegrating while sending Captain Marvel a post-snap distress call via beeper. The new film will likely explore their relationship and hopefully hint at what’s to come when the MCU closes out Phase Three of its franchise with a fourth “Avengers” film due a few months after Captain Marvel hits theaters on March 8, 2019.

But who’s to say? Marvel trailers have been purposely deceptive in the past.

The film, directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, is the first female-led MCU offering and also stars Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Rune Temte, Algenis Perez Soto, Mckenna Grace and Annette Bening.

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A Star Is Born: Anna Deavere Smith turns 68 today

(Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

My goal is to bring people to the theater who normally wouldn’t be in the same room together. It’s using theater to create a kind of community.

— Anna Deavere Smith, 1993

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Anna Deavere Smith: Finding a voice for the cacophony that is Los Angeles

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Richard Gere, 69, is expecting a second child, his first with wife Alejandra

Alejandra and Richard Gere are expecting a child.
(Carlos Alvarez / Getty Images)

Richard Gere, at 69, is about to gear up again for the grueling, newborn-baby phase of life.

The “Pretty Woman” actor is expecting his second child, which will be the first he’s had with his new wife, Alejandra Gere (née Silva), who is 35.

Alejandra made the reveal Sunday on Instagram, sharing a photo from the Netherlands that showed none other than the Dalai Lama blessing her belly while Gere, a practicing Buddhist, stood by her side.

His wife’s Spanish-language caption expressed her pleasure about the benediction, saying that she was very happy about the blessing of their forthcoming “precious treasure,” which she wouldn’t mention publicly without first telling the Dalai Lama.

The “Chicago” and “An Officer and a Gentleman” actor was in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, this weekend to host a lecture with the 83-year-old spiritual leader about the International Campaign for Tibet.

Gere secretly wed in April and the couple sparked pregnancy rumors last month.

They both have children from previous marriages: Gere is already dad to son Homer, 18, whom he had during his marriage to his second wife, Carey Lowell. His new wife is mom to a young son from her marriage to businessman Govind Friedland.

While confirming the accuracy of Alejandra’s post, a Gere rep declined to comment further.

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Asia Argento threatens Rose McGowan with legal action

Italian actress Asia Argento.
(Frank Franklin II / Associated Press)

Two of the loudest voices in the #MeToo movement remain at odds — and now a threat of legal action looms over one of them.

Asia Argento and Rose McGowan, the actresses who bonded over shared allegations against producer Harvey Weinstein but later fell out over allegations that Argento sexually assaulted a minor, continued to spar Monday morning on Twitter.

In a tweet addressing McGowan, Argento wrote that she’s giving the “Charmed” star 24 hours to retract and apologize for what Argento called “the horrendous lies” McGowan leveled against her in a statement in recent weeks.

“If you fail to address this libel I will have no option other than to take immediate legal action,” Argento warned.

The alleged “lies” to which Argento is referring came by way of McGowan’s lengthy Aug. 27 statement. In the statement, she alleged that her partner, model Rain Dove, told her that in a series of text messages, Argento admitted to having sex with her costar Jimmy Bennett, 20 years her junior, in 2013, when he was underage.

McGowan, whose rep did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment on Monday, also claimed she was instrumental in encouraging Dove to turn over damning text messages to police and attempted to clarify her role in Argento’s life and association with the scandal.

“Asia you were my friend. I loved you. You’ve spent and risked a lot to stand with the MeToo movement,” McGowan said. “I really hope you find your way through this process to rehabilitation and betterment. Anyone can be be better — I hope you can be, too. Do the right thing. Be honest. Be fair. Let justice stay its course. Be the person you wish Harvey could have been.”

Argento has denied accusations first detailed in a New York Times report that marred her credibility as a champion of the #MeToo movement.

The Italian actress paid Bennett $380,000 to keep quiet about their encounter and later claimed that Bennett sexually assaulted her. She also said that her ex-boyfriend, the late chef Anthony Bourdain, made the payment to Bennett to avoid bad press.

Bennett will cooperate with a Los Angeles County sheriff’s investigation into Argento, his lawyer told The Times earlier this month.

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Sean Penn fires again at #MeToo: Its spirit is ‘to divide men and women,’ he says

Sean Penn courted controversy yet again Monday with another round of remarks about the #MeToo movement.

Penn’s highly anticipated TV debut in Hulu’s “The First” was quickly eclipsed when he broached the hot-button topic with Natalie Morales on the “Today” show.

“The First” touts a cast filled with woman as they embark on a dangerous mission to Mars. But Penn said he doesn’t think the prevalence of women nor their stories in the series had anything to do with trends coming out of the post-Weinstein era.

“I’d like to think that none of it was influenced by what they would call the movement of #MeToo,” Penn said. “I think it’s influenced by the things that are developing in terms of the empowerment of women acknowledging each other and being acknowledged by men.”

The movement is “largely shouldered by a kind of receptacle of the salacious,” the two-time Oscar winner said.

“We don’t know what’s a fact in many of the cases,” he clarified. “‘Salacious’ is as soon as you call something a movement that is really a series of many individual accusers, victims, accusations, some of which are unfounded...

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

“The spirit of much of what has been the MeToo movement is to divide men and women,” he said.

The #MeToo campaign sprang up nearly a year ago in the wake of bombshell sexual-misconduct allegations levied against film mogul Harvey Weinstein.

Penn echoed remarks he’d made in March to the Guardian Weekend when he slammed the social-media campaign as not being “intellectually honest,” calling it filled with “self-aggrandizement and venting.”

Co-star Natascha McElhone, who was by his side during Monday’s interview, appeared blank-faced in the clips of his latest diatribe — even as Penn said that many women have told him that the media discussion of #MeToo hasn’t represented common sense.

“I don’t want it to be a trend,” he said. “I’m very suspicious of a movement that gets glommed on to — in great stridency and rage — without nuance. And even when people try to discuss it in a nuanced way, the nuance itself is attacked.”

“I think it’s too black and white,” he added.

(Penn is no stranger to being vilified in the media over unfounded allegations, notably those that accused him of domestic violence against ex-wife Madonna, which both parties have denied.)

McElhone eventually weighed in on his remarks and tried to help clarify them.

“I think what Sean was maybe alluding to is this bubble of actors or people who are in magazines that have gotten a lot of attention from this,” she said.

“Of course it’s terrific that they’ve put a spotlight on it. But now we need to go into the places where this is happening behind closed doors and it’s not exposed and those voices aren’t being heard,” she added.

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Emily Blunt sings — briefly — in new, full ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ trailer

Mary Poppins is still looking after the Banks children in the upbeat trailer for “Mary Poppins Returns.”

This time around, actress Emily Blunt carries the practically perfect nanny’s levitating umbrella and bottomless carpetbag. Blunt inherits the musical role — and the whimsical items that come along with it — from the original film’s star, Julie Andrews, who made her big-screen debut and earned her first Oscar in the 1964 musical.

“Nothing’s gone forever, only out of place,” Mary sings to the youngest Banks children.

The sequel is set in 1930s Depression-era London — the setting of P.L. Travers’ original seven novels — and focuses on the adult Michael and Jane Banks (Ben Whishaw and Emily Mortimer) after the family suffers the loss of Michael’s wife.

In the full trailer, which follows March’s slow-burn tease, we learn a little more about what happens when lamplighter Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda) and Michael’s son “caught a nanny” while flying the family’s derelict kite.

“What brings you here after all this time?” a grown-up Jane asks Mary when the iconic caregiver arrives on Cherry Tree Lane.

“The same thing that brought me the first time,” she says. “I have come to look after the Banks children.”

“Us?” says Michael’s daughter.

“Oh, yes. You too,” Mary replies.

Song, dance, animation and “stuff and nonsense” abound in the Rob Marshall-directed film. And so does a very familiar face: Dick Van Dyke returns to the franchise as a tap-dancing and aged Mr. Dawes Jr.

The star-studded cast is rounded out by Meryl Streep playing Mary’s eccentric cousin Topsy, Colin Firth as the president of Fidelity Fiduciary Bank, Angela Lansbury as the books’ Balloon Lady and Julie Walters as the Banks’ housekeeper, Ellen.

“Mary Poppins Returns” floats into theaters on Dec. 19.

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Soon-Yi Previn defends Woody Allen; Ronan Farrow calls it a ‘hit job’ on Mia Farrow

Woody Allen in a tuxedo and glasses with Soon-Yi Previn in a blue and black dress
Woody Allen and Soon-Yi Previn.
(Alberto Pizzoli / AFP / Getty Images)

Soon-Yi Previn, the wife of Woody Allen and the estranged adopted daughter of Mia Farrow, defended her husband against what she contends is unfair treatment in the #MeToo era and attacked her adoptive mother in her first public comments about the relationships in decades.

New York magazine posted on its website Sunday night an in-depth article about Previn in which she talks of a troubled relationship with her mother and tells how she fell in love in 1992 with Allen, who was Farrow’s boyfriend at the time.

The 47-year-old said she and her mother clashed soon after Farrow adopted her and that her mother many times treated her like a maid. She denies being manipulated into a relationship by Allen.

Previn told the magazine that she decided to speak out now because Dylan Farrow, who is an adopted daughter of Allen, is, in her view, unfairly accusing her husband of sexually abusing Farrow when she was a child.

“I was never interested in writing a ‘Mommie Dearest,’ getting even with Mia — none of that,” Previn told the magazine. “But what’s happened to Woody is so upsetting, so unjust. (Mia) has taken advantage of the #MeToo movement and paraded Dylan as a victim. And a whole new generation is hearing about it when they shouldn’t.”

She also said of Farrow: “Mia wasn’t maternal to me from the get-go.”

In separate statements posted Sunday night on Twitter, Dylan Farrow and Ronan Farrow say their mother is a good parent and that the New York magazine article is inaccurate and unfair. Dylan Farrow also noted that the New York magazine piece’s author, Daphne Merkin, calls herself a longtime friend of Allen’s.

The director, who faced a wave of backlash earlier this year including several prominent actors vowing not to work with him again, is also quoted in the New York magazine piece. “I am a pariah,” Merkin quotes the director as saying during a lunch. “People think that I was Soon-Yi’s father, that I raped and married my underaged, retarded daughter.”

An email sent to Mia Farrow’s agent Sunday night was not immediately returned.

The Associated Press does not typically name victims of sexual abuse, but Dylan Farrow has commented extensively on her allegations that Allen abused her in 1992 when she was 7 years old.

Allen was investigated but wasn’t charged, and he has long denied inappropriately touching Farrow. In a statement in January after Dylan Farrow’s allegations resurfaced, Allen reiterated his denial and accused her and her family of using the Time’s Up movement “to repeat this discredited allegation.”

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A Star Is Born: Paul Feig turns 56 today

(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

It’s very much a conscious decision. I just love working with women.

— Paul Feig, 2015

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Director Paul Feig shows women can carry comedies

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Trump-tape hunter Tom Arnold scuffles with ‘Apprentice’ producer Mark Burnett

A scuffle between Tom Arnold and a producer of “The Apprentice” has led to an exchange on social media.

Arnold tweeted that producer Mark Burnett choked him at a pre-Emmys party Sunday in Los Angeles. Burnett’s wife, actress Roma Downey, tweeted that Arnold “tried to ambush” the couple, and she posted a photo of what she says is her bruised hand. Arnold then insinuated that Downey was lying about a “days-old bruise” and called her names.

The Los Angeles Police Department told The Times early Monday that officers had not been called to the incident and no report had been filed.

Arnold’s lawyer, Marty Singer, told the Hollywood Reporter that Burnett “attacked” Arnold.

Actress Alyson Hannigan tweeted that she witnessed the confrontation and thought it was a joke until security jumped in, and Arnold cited Kevin Bacon as a “solid reliable” witness.

Emails to the celebrities’ representatives were not immediately returned.

Arnold and Burnett are likely not on the best of terms as the comic-actor has hounded the longtime reality show producer, now president of MGM Entertainment, over outtakes and off-camera comments made by President Trump when he was star of the NBC series “The Apprentice.”

Arnold’s four-episode series for cable network Viceland premieres Tuesday. “The Hunt for the Trump Tapes” shows him searching for video and audio recordings that the actor-comedian said would demonstrate that Trump is not fit to be president.

The recordings allegedly have off-camera conversations by Trump during the “The Apprentice” production in which he is heard making racist, sexist and homophobic comments. Burnett, who was the executive producer of “The Apprentice,” has said that he legally cannot release the tapes. Burnett is currently the president of MGM Entertainment.

Arnold has repeatedly called on Burnett to release the recordings, which have never been made public or leaked to the news media.

On one episode of the series, Arnold is seen protesting outside Burnett’s Los Angeles office, chanting, “Give up the tapes.” The program also shows Arnold attempting to get “Apprentice” crew members to speak on camera about Trump’s alleged behavior. The producers said all of the interview subjects cancelled out of fear of legal retribution.

Arnold, who was once married to Roseanne Barr and co-starred with Arnold Schwarzenegger in “True Lies,” appeared as a contestant on “The Apprentice.” He has admitted to having an obsession with finding the Trump tapes since the former reality host has occupied the White House.

“I’m going to do this until he resigns,” Arnold said of Trump during a July news conference. “He is a crazy person. He is putting our country on the precipice of a war right now. There are things going on right now that affect our world that are scary, and I, for some reason, am in a position to do something that’s working.”

UPDATE:

7:30 p.m.: This story was updated with a comment from the LAPD, background details and more information from Twitter.

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See the first look at Joaquin Phoenix as ‘Joker’

Director Todd Phillips shared a sneak peek at Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker from DC Films’ upcoming movie about the Batman villain.

Phillips shared a headshot-style portrait of Phoenix, simply captioned “Arthur,” confirming previous reports that Arthur Fleck would be the Joker’s real name in this interpretation of the character.

The film is expected to be an origin story about the Joker’s failed attempt at a career in comedy that leads him into a life of crime, which explains why Phoenix’s Joker appears to be more pared down than we’ve ever seen the character onscreen.

Stepping into the role of the Joker, Phoenix follows in the footsteps of Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger and most recently Jared Leto, who played the famed character in the 2016 film “Suicide Squad.”

“Joker” is expected to open in theaters on Oct. 4, 2019. Martin Scorsese is onboard as an executive producer and Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy and Marc Maron star. Upcoming DC Extended Universe films include “Aquaman” on Dec. 21, “Shazam” on Apr. 5, 2019 and “Wonder Woman 1984” on Nov. 1, 2019.

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A Star Is Born: Molly Shannon turns 54 today

(Christina House / For The Times)

It’s not easy to break out when people only know you for one thing and they only want to see you in that one thing... [They] don’t know you can do other stuff.

— Molly Shannon, 2016

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Death is complicated, says Molly Shannon, who finds its nuances in ‘Other People’

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A Star Is Born: Tom Hardy turns 41 today

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

I’m just doing a bit of acting now and then. It’s like I came to deliver a pizza and I got really lucky.

— Tom Hardy, 2015

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Tom Hardy’s characters frighten him too — but he can’t stay away

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Dolly Parton and Sia’s duet, ‘Here I Am,’ gives us a taste of ‘Dumplin’’

Dolly Parton and Sia gave us a taste of the forthcoming film “Dumplin’” on Thursday night by debuting their powerhouse duet of “Here I Am.”

The song, which the iconic country star originally wrote and recorded for her 1971 album, “Coat of Many Colors,” is the first single from the movie’s soundtrack, for which Parton and songwriter/producer Linda Perry contributed six new songs.

With cover art nodding to Parton’s emblematic hair, this version of “Here I Am” is a stripped-down take on the original, showcasing Sia’s signature howl and Parton’s stalwart vocals as they sing together: “Here I am, I’m reaching out / To give you love that you’re without.”

The affectionate anthem might be setting up the climax for the musical comedy, an adaptation of Julie Murphy’s bestselling novel of the same.

The film stars Jennifer Aniston and Danielle Macdonald as a mother and daughter at odds when Macdonald’s character — a plus-size teenager — upends her mother’s beauty pageant by signing up and encouraging others to follow suit.

The Anne Fletcher-directed film will begin streaming and appear in select theaters later this year, but the accompanying soundtrack will be released on Nov. 30.

In addition to the new songs with Perry, Parton recorded several collaborations of her classics. Sia, Miranda Lambert, Mavis Staples, Elle King, Alison Krauss, Rhonda Vincent, Macdonald and Aniston are among the featured vocalists.

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A Star Is Born: Bong Joon Ho turns 49 today

(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

I love the conventions of genre cinema, and I also love to destroy those conventions, to create my own unique genres within the genres.

— Bong Joon Ho, 2014

FROM THE ARCHIVES: ‘Snowpiercer’ director Bong Joon Ho conducts the sci-fi train his way

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Julie Chen signals support for husband Les Moonves in return to ‘Big Brother’

In the wake of further sexual misconduct allegations against Les Moonves that culminated with the network head’s resignation from CBS on Monday, spouse Julie Chen has primarily been silent since taking to Twitter in July to express her unwavering support.

This week, Chen has also taken leave from her role on the daytime chat show “The Talk” since the reports about Moonves from a New Yorker piece by Ronan Farrow were followed in a second story last weekend that outlined additional allegations.

In a statement this week announcing her break from the show, Chen said, “I am taking a few days off from ‘The Talk’ to be with my family. I will be back soon and will see you Thursday night on ‘Big Brother.’”

Returning to her longtime post as host on the CBS reality series, Chen was her typically steady, stoic presence. But near the show’s conclusion, she expressed a form of continued support for her husband, signing off for the first time as “Julie Chen Moonves.”

The subtle shift appears to be a continuation of Chen’s initial statement in July, which at the time she said would stand “today, tomorrow, forever.”

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Olivia Munn praises former Jane Doe in ‘Predator’ controversy: ‘I’m just blown away’

Olivia Munn has been outspoken about director Shane Black’s decision to cast a friend and registered sex offender in “The Predator,” but today someone else’s voice has left her without words.

“I’m just blown away, honestly,” Munn told the co-hosts of “The Talk” during her Thursday appearance on the CBS show.

The actress was talking about Paige Carnes’ statement printed by the Los Angeles Times on Thursday. Carnes was a teen when she was victimized by Steven Wilder Striegel, the sex offender who was cast in “The Predator.”

Now 24, Carnes revealed herself in Thursday’s Times story and reclaimed her identity beyond that of an anonymous victim.

“The title Jane Doe is there to protect victims, especially minors,” Munn continued, noting that Carnes was just 14 when targeted and that she was awestruck at the young woman’s choice to throw off the Doe anonymity.

“When she said, ‘My name is Paige Carnes, former Jane Doe,” the actress said, “that just broke me. I’m so proud of her. She should be so proud of herself.”

Munn tweeted similar sentiments before Thursday’s appearance on “The Talk.”

For Carnes, the admiration goes both ways.

“I am also eternally grateful for Olivia Munn’s action,” she said in her Thursday statement. “She spoke up for me. She took a stance for me.

“In turn she stood for all who have suffered like I have,” Carnes continued. “To be acknowledged by a stranger, on a public platform about this issue is incredibly empowering. The positive feedback from social media towards Olivia Munn is uplifting and feels incredibly supportive for me personally.”

Thursday’s events are just the latest chapter of “The Predator” sex offender scandal that began to unfold last week.

Last Thursday, The Times reported that 20th Century Fox had pulled a scene featuring Striegel from the final cut of “The Predator” after learning of his sex offender status from Munn.

Though Black originally brushed off criticisms of his casting choice, he later issued an apology for his actions, stating that he had been misinformed about the charges and evidence against Striegel.

Over the weekend, while promoting the film at TIFF, Munn spoke about how lonely being a whistle-blower can be. Wednesday night, at the film’s red-carpet premiere, Black again apologized for his decision.

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‘The Voice’ adds John Legend as coach for Season 16

He mastered “Jesus Christ Superstar,” but is John Legend ready to tackle “John Legend ‘Voice’ Coach?”

That’s the question as NBC announced Wednesday that Legend, a newly crowned EGOT winner, will be joining “The Voice” as a coach in spring 2019 for the show’s 16th season.

“I’m thrilled to join the coaches of ‘The Voice,’” Legend said in a statement the network released. “I’ve been a guest and mentor on the show multiple times, and I’m so excited to discover talented singers and help them make the most of their gift. I hope the world is ready for #TeamJL.”

Legend is joining a lineup of coaches boasting Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton. The “All of Me” singer is replacing Jennifer Hudson, who served as a coach in Season 13 and will return for Season 15, which will premiere Sept. 24.

Legend is one of the most decorated artists to serve as a coach in the show’s history. Legend won an Emmy on Sunday as a producer on “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert,” a Tony in 2017 for co-producing a revival of August Wilson’s “Jitney,” an Oscar in 2015 for co-writing best song “Glory,” as well as amassing an astounding 10 Grammys throughout his career thus far.

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Shane Black takes responsibility for ‘Predator’ sex offender casting controversy

Shane Black
(Nina Prommer / EPA/Shutterstock)

In an emotional moment at the red-carpet premiere of “The Predator,” director Shane Black took responsibility for casting a registered sex offender in a bit part in the film.

“I made an error in judgment that is irresponsible, you know?” he told the Associated Press. “I am not just a kid who can say, ‘Hey, we’re making movies in college, put your buddy in the movie.’ This is an adult decision with real responsibilities, and I didn’t vet somebody.”

First reported by the Los Angeles Times last week, 20th Century Fox was about to lock the final print of “The Predator” when studio officials were informed by actress Olivia Munn that Black had cast Steven Wilder Striegel, an old friend (and registered sex offender), in the film.

Originally Black defended his choice to cast Striegel in a small role, playing down the charges of risk of injury to a child and enticing a minor by computer to which Striegel pleaded guilty in 2010. Black said he believed that the actor was “caught up in a bad situation versus something lecherous.”

Black quickly issued an apology, stating that he had been misled by his friend regarding the charges.

“I believe strongly in giving people second chances,” he said, “but sometimes you discover that chance is not as warranted as you may have hoped.”

For Munn, who brought the matter to light, the ensuing uproar was difficult to weather.

“I felt the support from online and the news,” Munn said during an interview Saturday at The Times’ studio at the Toronto International Film Festival. “Everybody was very encouraging and made me feel really good, but it was a very lonely, lonely time for me that day.”

Black told “Entertainment Tonight” that he had since reached out to Munn to apologize.

“I felt that I owed her that call, that apology and I’m very sorry for any pain that she’s felt, but I reached out privately,” the “Lethal Weapon” creator said.

For her part, Munn told “ET” that her publicist informed her that Black had reached out but they had yet to speak.

In a story published Thursday, the young woman victimized by Striegel spoke to The Times about the controversy and her appreciation of Munn’s advocacy.

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Norm Macdonald apologizes again, this time for his previous apology

Norm Macdonald on Thursday issued his latest in a string of apologies for continuing to put his foot in his mouth.

The “Saturday Night Live” veteran, whose promotional appearances for his upcoming Netflix talk show have turned into an apology tour, expressed regret on “The View” on Thursday morning for the Down syndrome comment he made on “The Howard Stern Show” the day before.

That ill-timed comment, of course, came as Macdonald was elaborating on his earlier apology regarding statements he made about the #MeToo movement and victims of sexual misconduct.

“It’s always bad when you have to apologize for the apology,” Macdonald said Thursday.

Addressing his comments from Wednesday’s Stern interview — when he said “You’d have to have Down syndrome to not feel sorry” for harassment victims — the comedian told “The View” panelists he realized that he had done “something unforgivable.”

“There is a thing on Howard where there’s a recklessness in the studio,” Macdonald said. “Stupidly, I was about to say that word and then I stopped and said, ‘What’s the right word to say?’ And then I said a different word that was equally offensive. I realized in that moment that was something unforgivable.

“The remark I made about people with Down syndrome was just a terrible, terrible thing for me to say.”

During the exchange with Stern, the “Roseanne” writer said he regretted agreeing to the Hollywood Reporter’s interview, which touched off the backlash on Tuesday.

Madconald’s comments in that interview — about his former boss Roseanne Barr, disgraced comedian Louis C.K. and TV personality Chris Hardwick — led to him being bumped from Tuesday’s episode of “The Tonight Show.”

NBC said it canceled his appearance “out of sensitivity to our audience.”

Macdonald clarified those comments again on “The View” on Thursday, explaining that Barr and C.K had gone through similar professional experiences of “having everything taken from [them],” which he didn’t mean to equate to the hardships that the victims went through.

“Of course the victims have gone through worse than that,” he told co-host Joy Behar.

During Stern’s show, Macdonald said he wished he never had to do interviews, especially for print publications.

“They ask you questions that maybe you don’t want to answer,” Macdonald told Stern. “I’m a … dumb guy, I get confused a lot.”

The fate of his Netflix series, “Norm Macdonald Has a Show,” which debuts Friday, appears to be unaffected. Macdonald told Stern he spoke with Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s chief content officer, about the interview and “he knows I’m a good guy.”

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Stephen Colbert roasts Ted Cruz for buying ‘Late Show’ ads during Beto O’Rourke interview

As Ted Cruz remains locked in an ever-tightening Texas Senate race with Rep. Beto O’Rourke, the incumbent took extreme measures to counter his opponent’s scheduled interview on Stephen Colbert’s show Wednesday night.

Cruz bought ad time.

The Houston Chronicle reported Tuesday that the Cruz campaign had purchased ad time during Colbert’s show in several Texas markets, including El Paso, Amarillo, Waco and San Antonio, as part of a statewide ad campaign.

The news delighted Colbert and allowed the “Late Show” host to tee off on Cruz in hilarious fashion, including mocking Texas Republicans who are panicking over the race and begging Trump for help.

“You know it’s bad when you need backup from a man with a 36% approval rating,” Colbert said. “Their backup plan to that is a celebrity endorsement from the herpes virus.”

But he wasn’t completely sure what Cruz’s ad buy was for.

“I assume it’s for Cruz’s campaign and not for his patented line of reptile moisturizers,” he joked. “Cruz’s Oozes: No more dry leg, Johnny Iguana!”

Colbert also found the desperation of Texas GOP ads to be counterproductive, pointing to a tweet from August needling O’Rourke for not debating Cruz — it featured a photo of O’Rourke from his punk-band days and suggested he couldn’t debate “because he already had plans.”

“Yes, his plans were being smoking hot in a naughty, but approachable kind of way,” Colbert opined. “Like your best friend’s older brother who smells like weed and listens to Radiohead. Read us your poems, Beto!”

More offensive to Cruz than O’Rourke’s punk-rock past, however, is apparently the fact that apparently O’Rourke sometimes says a cuss word.

Oh, my.

Cruz’s campaign shared a hand-wringing video last week featuring O’Rourke on the campaign trail and occasionally swearing, suggesting that the Democrat is not suitable for children.

“Beto is a dirty-minded potty mouth,” Colbert said with faux solemnity. “You must protect the values of Texas and vote for the man who likes threesome porn on Twitter.”

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A Star Is Born: Jacqueline Bisset turns 74 today

(Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

If you want a career that doesn’t date badly, you have to find things that aren’t too trendy. If you want to get hot, you do things that are trendy.

— Jacqueline Bisset, 1997

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Following Trends Is Not Bisset’s Style

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Owners of Ripped Bodice bookstore sign a first-look deal with Sony TV

Sisters Bea, left, and Leah Koch in 2017 at the Ripped Bodice in Culver City.
(Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

The owners of the Ripped Bodice Bookstore said last year that they refused to see romance as a side show — and now they get to develop their own romance shows.

Sisters Leah Koch, 26, and Bea Koch, 28, have signed an overall first-look development deal with Culver City neighbor Sony Pictures Television, a spokeswoman for the studio said Wednesday.

The deal is based on their exclusive relationships with romance novel authors and writers as the only romance-only bookstore in the country.

“So happy and proud to be in business with our new friends Leah and Bea of @TheRippedBodice to develop and produce new romance series!,” Sony TV co-president Chris Parnell tweeted.

“No other genre has to defend itself as much as we do,” Leah Koch told The Times last year (and also noted that their goal was “world domination”).

Bea Koch joined in, saying, “It extends beyond just what romance novelists are writing. It’s also about how they present themselves and how they’re seen in the larger literary world as this kind of side show.”

The Ripped Bodice was conceived of as a safe space where fans of the romance genre could hang out and browse.

“Romance is hidden a lot, and this store is not hiding anything,” Bea Koch said at the time, talking about their pink storefront with its high ceiling, where the genre is broken down into very specific categories, such as “bikers and tats” stories or historical romances organized by period.

One of the store’s goals has been to offer a great diversity to readers who may be looking for something that is both familiar and unexpected — an inclusivity that publishers have been slow to deliver.

“It’s some variation of the question: Do you have a romance about someone like me?” Leah Koch said last year. “Whether that is, I’m Jewish, or I’m in a wheelchair, or I’m black, or I’m Muslim, or I’m a lesbian, or I’m pansexual, or I’m transgendered or I’m whatever.”

That seems to be part of what attracted Sony TV’s attention.

“When we met Leah and Bea, who focus on voices of women and diversity, it was a no-brainer for us to make a deal with them,” Lauren Stein, Sony TV’s executive vice president of drama development, said Wednesday in a statement.

“They have fantastic taste and a distinctive perspective on the romance genre.”

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Roseanne Barr to participate in ‘Is America a Forgiving Nation?’ discussion

Roseanne Barr during a podcast taping with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach in July.
(Craig Ruttle / Associated Press)

Disgraced sitcom star Roseanne Barr will participate in a public conversation about atonement and repentance on the same night she could have been honored at the Primetime Emmy Awards.

“Is America a Forgiving Nation?” is the title of the discussion set to take place on Sept. 17, which also lands on the eve of Yom Kippur, the Jewish high holiday of atonement. The event will be held across town from the Emmys at the Saban Theatre — Temple of the Arts in Beverly Hills at 7 p.m.

The Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning comedian will be joined by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach onstage, and the discussion will be moderated by David Suissa, editor in chief of the Jewish Journal. (The publication is co-hosting the event with Boteach’s World Values Network.)

“Repentance is crucial to this process, and at this event we will dig deep with two figures who are at the center of our national conversation on atonement, relationships and connecting with God,” Suissa said in a statement on Wednesday.

The “Roseanne” star has been on an apology tour since her racist tweet about former President Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett last May swiftly shuttered her ABC reboot and derailed its potential run at this year’s Emmys.

“It’s time for America to forgive Roseanne and I ask Valerie Jarrett to embrace this critical, teachable moment,” Shmuley said in a statement about the event.

The actress, who is Jewish, recently appeared on Boteach’s podcast where she announced that she would move to Israel for a few months “to study with my favorite teachers over there.”

“I said to God, ‘I am willing to accept whatever consequences…because I know I’ve done wrong. I’m going to accept what the consequences are,’ and I do, and I have,” she said at the time.

The move will also keep her out of Hollywood when ABC’s Barr-free “Roseanne” spinoff, “The Conners,” premieres on Oct. 16.

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Cardi B, Drake lead 2018 American Music Awards nominees

Cardi B, left, and Drake scored eight AMA nominations apiece on Wednesday.
(Brent N. Clarke / Invision/Associated Press; Evan Agostini / Invision/Associated Press)

Hip-hop stars Cardi B and Drake led the 2018 American Music Awards nominations Wednesday, setting the stage to potentially win eight awards apiece.

Cardi B, whose inescapable hit “Bodak Yellow” has made her a ubiquitous star this year, is a first-time AMA nominee. She is up for honors in the following categories: new artist, collaboration, music video, pop/rock female artist, rap/hip-hop artist, rap/hip-hop song, soul/R&B song and social artist.

The new artist of the year nominees are Cardi B, Camila Cabello, Khalid, Dua Lipa and a posthumous nod for rapper XXXTentacion, who died in June.

Drake is joined by Imagine Dragons, Post Malone, Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift in the category of artist of the year — the AMA’s top honor.

He’s also up for awards in the music video, male pop/rock artist, pop/rock album, pop/rock song, rap/hip-hop artist, rap/hip-hop album and rap/hip-hop song categories.

Sheeran and Malone each earned six nominations, and Fifth Harmony alum Cabello, who is up for five AMAs, could win her first as a solo artist.

The music genres in contention include pop/rock, country, rap/hip-hop, soul/R&B, alternative rock, adult contemporary, Latin, contemporary inspirational and EDM.

The ceremony also doles out awards for collaboration, music video, tour of the year and film soundtrack. (See the list of nominees below.)

Meanwhile, Swift is poised to break a few records herself. The “Delicate” singer could surpass Whitney Houston’s record for most AMA wins by a female artist (21) if she clinches three of the four awards she’s nominated for.

She could also break her own record for the most wins in the artist of the year category if she wins that award for the fourth time, organizers said in a statement.

Nominees are selected based on key fan interactions as reflected on Billboard.com, including streaming, album and digital song sales; radio airplay; social activity; and touring. The measurements are tracked by Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen Music and Next Big Sound, for the period between Sept. 15, 2017, and Aug. 9, 2018, organizers said.

Fans vote for the winners and began doing so on Wednesday in all categories except for the new artist, social artist and collaboration categories. Voting in those categories will open Sept. 24.

The 2018 American Music Awards will broadcast live on ABC from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Oct. 9.

Tracee Ellis Ross, star of TV’s “black-ish,” will host the festivities.

Artist of the year
Drake
Imagine Dragons
Post Malone
Ed Sheeran
Taylor Swift

New artist
Camila Cabello
Cardi B
Khalid
Dua Lipa
XXXTENTACION

Music video
Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug, “Havana”
Cardi B, “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)”
Drake, “God’s Plan”

For the complete list of nominees, click here.

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Henry Cavill might be out as Warner Bros.’ Superman

Henry Cavill
Henry Cavill in 2017.
(Matthew Lloyd / For The Times)

Henry Cavill might be out as Superman, Warner Bros.’ Man of Steel, according to a report out Wednesday.

As Warner Bros. turns its focus to a “Supergirl” movie — with any standalone “Superman” flicks on the back burner for a few years — scheduling conflicts appear to have scuttled plans for a Cavill cameo as the caped crusader in the upcoming “Shazam!” film, sources told the Hollywood Reporter.

A source said that the studio is trying to hit a “reset” button on its DC Universe and head slowly in a different direction.

“Superman is like James Bond, and after a certain run you have to look at new actors,” a studio source told the trade publication.

Reps for the studio and the actor did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday morning, but Warner Bros. told THR that no decisions have been made yet and that it has “always had great respect for and a great relationship with Henry Cavill, and that remains unchanged.”

Cavill’s Superman was resurrected in the 2017 “Justice League” movie after sacrificing himself to save the world in 2016’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.”

The actor told The Times in December that he was contracted to do another Superman movie and felt hopeful about the role.

“There’s a wonderful opportunity to tell the Superman story,” he said at the time. “Now there is a fantastic chance to show Superman in his full colors and tell a very complex, character-driven movie that is based on story and have that wonderful sensation of hope and happiness.”

Cavill saw “Justice League” as a transformation from the previous film.

“I feel like this is the natural progression from the end of ‘Man of Steel’ into what he is now. This is a rebirth of the character, to coin the D.C. comics franchise right now: It’s a refresh.”

At that point, he had already signed up to be in the eight-episode Netflix series “The Witcher.”

UPDATES:

10:55 a.m.: This post was updated with a statement from Warner Bros.

This post was originally published at 8:39 a.m.

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Stormy Daniels promises ‘Full Disclosure’ in new book detailing alleged Trump encounter

(Ringo H.W. Chiu / Associated Press)

Another week in the Trump administration, another tell-all book.

The latest tome targeting President Trump is by adult film star Stormy Daniels, who says she had a sexual relationship with the reality star-turned-commander-in-chief and will detail it in the book.

“Full Disclosure” will be released Oct. 2, Daniels announced on ABC’s “The View” Wednesday morning.

“You were only with Donald Trump like, for what, two times?” asked co-host Joy Behar. “How much can you disclose?”

“There’s a lot in the book,” replied Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. “But the book isn’t just about that. That doesn’t define me… Everybody who knows me, and has known me for a long time, knows that I’ve been working on a book for about 10 years. So I just sort of melded everything together. I’ve kept notebooks. The adventures I’ve had on the road and in strip clubs and stuff. It’ll blow your mind.

Daniels, who said that she had sex with Trump once in 2006 and was paid $130,000 as part of a hush agreement made days before the 2016 election, said she’ll also share details of the night she says she spent with Trump.

As for Daniels’ reaction to Trump’s ex-lawyer, Michael Cohen, admitting in court that he made a payment to her in coordination with Trump, Daniels said she felt vindicated.

“I was so overwhelmed I just broke down into sobs... I just felt like all this weight came off my shoulders,” she told the panelists.

Daniels’ book is the latest blow to the White House, which has already weathered the fallout from books by author Michael Wolff, former Press Secretary Sean Spicer, former aide Omarosa Manigault, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Bob Woodward and an anonymous “resistance” op-ed in the New York Times last week.

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Norm Macdonald booted from ‘Tonight Show’ and apologizes for #MeToo comments

“Saturday Night Live” veteran Norm Macdonald was dropped from the guest lineup for Tuesday’s episode of “The Tonight Show” after making controversial comments this week regarding the #MeToo movement, Roseanne Barr and Louis C.K.

In a statement to The Times on Wednesday, NBC said it decided to cancel his appearance “out of sensitivity to our audience and in light of Norm Macdonald’s comments in the press [Tuesday].”

The comedian had been slated to plug his Netflix talk show, “Norm Macdonald Has a Show,” which debuts Friday. But his commentary in the Hollywood Reporter published earlier that day derailed the promotional stop.

In a Q&A, Macdonald said he was “happy the #MeToo movement has slowed down a little bit.”

“It used to be, ‘One hundred women can’t be lying.’ And then it became, ‘One woman can’t lie.’ And that became, ‘I believe all women.’ And then you’re like, ‘What?’ Like, that Chris Hardwick guy I really thought got the blunt end of the stick there,” he said.

Macdonald, 58, who worked on the original “Roseanne” sitcom and was a writer on the ABC reboot, spoke at length about his former boss and her reaction to the show’s abrupt cancellation in May.

“Roseanne was so broken up [after her show’s reboot was canceled] that I got Louis [C.K.] to call her, even though Roseanne was very hard on Louis before that,” he said. “But she was just so broken and just crying constantly. There are very few people that have gone through what they have, losing everything in a day. Of course, people will go, ‘What about the victims?’ But you know what? The victims didn’t have to go through that.”

Macdonald also said people used to receive a second chance, but, “now it’s admit wrongdoing and you’re finished. And so the only way to survive is to deny, deny, deny. That’s not healthy — that there is no forgiveness.”

Hours after the interview was published online and the backlash ensued, Macdonald tweeted an apology, saying Barr and C.K “both made terrible mistakes” and he would never defend their actions.

“If my words sounded like I was minimizing the pain that their victims feel to this day, I am deeply sorry,” he tweeted.

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Mary Lou Retton, Tinashe and DeMarcus Ware join cast of ‘Dancing With the Stars’

The kids are back in school, the days are getting longer, Los Angeles temperatures have settled into the low 80s, and it all can mean only one thing: It’s fall!

And with it comes the return of ABC’s reality-show mainstay, “Dancing With the Stars,” which announced Wednesday morning the new cast for Season 27.

The forthcoming season will feature its traditional mix of entertainment and sports stars, including:

  • Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton
  • “Dukes of Hazzard” star John Schneider
  • Pop/R&B singer Tinashe
  • “Bachelorette” alum Joe “Grocery Store Joe” Amabile
  • Country radio personality Bobby Bones
  • Actor Juan Pablo DiPace
  • Comedian Nikki Glaser
  • “Harry Potter” actress Evanna Lynch
  • Disney Channel star Milo Manheim
  • “Facts of Life” actress Nancy McKeon
  • Model Alexis Ren
  • Former Paralympic adaptive skier Danelle Umstead (the series’ first blind contestant)
  • NFL player DeMarcus Ware

Pick a favorite, start a pool, and ready yourself for Season 27 of “Dancing With the Stars,” which premieres Sept. 24 on ABC.

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A Star Is Born: Jennifer Nettles turns 44 today

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

It’s wonderful to be accepted in country music — that is our home. But it’s also nice to reach out beyond boundaries.

— Jennifer Nettles, 2008

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Sugarland Is Having a Sweet Time

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Sally Field reveals sexual abuse and details of her high-profile romances in new memoir

Actress Sally Field will release her memoir on Sept. 18.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Sally Field is opening up about her history with sexual abuse and her high-profile romances with the late Burt Reynolds and singer-songwriter Jimmy Webb ahead of the release of her memoir “In Pieces.”

In an interview with New York Times published Tuesday, the two-time Oscar winner says she was sexually abused as a child by her stepfather, stuntman and actor Jock Mahoney.

Field alleges the abuse went on throughout her adolescence, during which Mahoney would frequently summon her to his bedroom, and stopped after she turned 14. (Her mother divorced Mahoney in 1968 and he died in 1989.)

“It would have been so much easier if I’d only felt one thing, if Jocko had been nothing but cruel and frightening. But he wasn’t. He could be magical, the Pied Piper with our family as his entranced followers,” she wrote.

The 71-year-old actress added that she later realized she was trying to recreate her relationship with her stepfather while dating Reynolds, her “Smokey and the Bandit” costar who died last week. Of Reynolds, Field said their time together was “confusing and complicated, and not without loving and caring, but really complicated and hurtful to me.”

Field also revealed she had an abortion in Tijuana at age 17, just before becoming a household name with the TV shows “Gidget” and “The Flying Nun.” She also shared a 1968 encounter with musician Webb, saying that after they both smoked a hash-filled joint, she woke up to find Webb on top of her “grinding away to another melody.”

She believes his actions weren’t malicious and “felt he was stoned out of his mind,” she told the newspaper.

Webb, who told the New York Times he hadn’t read the passages about him, responded through a lawyer saying “we dated and did what 22-year-olds did in the late 60s — we hung out, we smoked pot, we had sex.”

He also said that, out of respect for her, he didn’t write about her in his book as not to “tarnish her Gidget image with our stories of drugs and sex.”

Field’s book, which will be released on Sept. 18, is being billed as an “intimate, haunting literary memoir” that details the actress’ “challenging and lonely childhood, the craft that helped her find her voice, and a powerful emotional legacy that shaped her journey as a daughter and a mother,” according to publisher Grand Central Publishing.

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Study shows only 1% of TV regulars are played by actors of Middle Eastern or North African descent

Rami Malek, who stars in "Mr. Robot," is one of the few actors of MENA descent seen on TV.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Minority representation may slowly be on the rise, but a new study has revealed that actors and characters of Middle Eastern or North African descent are nearly non-existent on TV.

Despite making up 3.2% of the U.S. population, only 1% of series regulars on TV are played by MENA actors. The report also found that when MENA characters are featured on scripted TV, they are usually portrayed as terrorists or tyrants.

Researchers for the university-funded study presented by the MENA Arts Advocacy Coalition, examined 242 first-run prime-time shows on broadcast, basic cable, premium cable and streaming platforms during the 2015-2016 TV season. After breaking down the racial, ethnic and gender demographic information for 2,052 series regulars on TV, the researchers found that overall, 92% of all shows had no MENA series regulars.

According to the report, 20 shows accounted for the 23 MENA actors who were series regulars during the 2015-2016 season. Just one MENA series regular was featured on 90% of these shows.

Seventy-eight percent of MENA characters featured on TV were terrorists, soldiers or tyrants. 67% of the characters spoke with pronounced foreign accents. The study warned that such depictions feed into the stereotype that Middle Eastern and North African people are foreigners and threats.

“Hollywood needs to move beyond tyrants and terrorists when portraying MENAs,” said Nancy Wang Yuen, co-author of the report, in a statement. “Such stereotypes can have harmful effects on audience perceptions. More complex and relatable MENA characters can counter anti-Muslim and anti-MENA sentiment and policies.”

The study did point out three instances that stood out as “exemplary”: Iranian-American actress Necar Zadegan’s portrayal of a divorce attorney on “Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce,” Turkish American actor Ennis Esmer’s portrayal of a tennis pro on “Red Oaks,” and Egyptian American actor Rami Malek’s Emmy-winning turn as a hacker and cybersecurity engineer on “Mr. Robot.”

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Gayle King says CBS ‘must have transparency’ after Moonves’ departure

“CBS This Morning” co-host Gayle King called for transparency at the network Tuesday in the wake of CBS Chief Executive Les Moonves’ departure and gained support later in the day from the women of “The Talk.”

“I am so sorry again that it hits so close to home for us,” King said Tuesday morning, likely referring to co-host Charlie Rose’s ouster this year in the throes of the #MeToo movement. “I’m sick and sick of the story and sickened by everything that we keep hearing.”

Moonves, who was already under investigation over sexual misconduct allegations, resigned Sunday after a Ronan Farrow report in the New Yorker detailed allegations by six additional women.

OPINION: The two lessons from Les Moonves’ ouster

King said she was disturbed that CBS did not release the findings of its probe of the allegations and that she believed it would be in Moonves’ best interest to learn what the report finds.

“How can we have this investigation and not know what comes out?” she said. “It’s been my experience that women don’t come out and speak this way for no reason. The just don’t. They just don’t do it.… I don’t know how we move forward if we at CBS don’t have full transparency about what we find.”

King isn’t the first CBS personality to address the scandal head-on. On Monday, “The Talk” co-hosts discussed Moonves departure, which was an unavoidable topic for the series’ Season 9 opener given that the scandal led Julie Chen, his wife, to take a few days off from co-hosting the show. Then on Monday night, “The Late Show” host Stephen Colbert kicked off his monologue with jabs at his former boss and said he was “not surprised.”

“In our own house we must have transparency,” King said. “And I certainly feel for Julie Chen today. She’s in a very difficult position. Les Moonves has done some wonderful things for this company and we can’t forget that either. So it’s just a bad situation all the way around. But I’m glad that we’re covering this story and it’s important that we cover it and get to the bottom of it, whatever it is.”

On Tuesday afternoon, “The Talk” co-hosts did not end the Moonves discussion. In fact, they agreed with King’s call for transparency.

“Secrecy causes more questions,” Sheryl Underwood said. Added Sharon Osbourne: “How are women ever going to feel comfortable in the workplace if they still think that power and money will be held over their heads? … It’s never going to end. It shouldn’t be allowed for anybody to have the verdict kept sealed.”

“If things go wrong … you want to feel like it’s going to become public,” co-host Sara Gilbert said.

The women were brave to come forward, Gilbert said, “so if the stories are true, they deserve to be corroborated. Les is saying they’re not true, so I would think, in equal measure, he would want the results put out.”

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Halle Berry to make her directorial debut with MMA drama ‘Bruised,’ report says

Halle Berry is making her feature directorial debut with MMA action drama "Bruised." Berry is also set to star in the film.
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

It turns out, what Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry has always wanted to do is direct.

At least that’s allegedly Berry’s next move, as Deadline Hollywood reported Tuesday that the “X-Men” star is planning to make her feature directorial debut with the mixed martial arts action drama “Bruised.”

Berry will also star in the project as a disgraced MMA fighter forced to rehabilitate herself and her career to provide for her son.

The “Monster’s Ball” actress is currently filming “John Wick 3” opposite Keanu Reeves and will be taking several of her Wick universe connections along into her next project.

“John Wick” producer Basil Iwanyk of Thunder Road Pictures has joined “Bruised” as a producer, along with Entertainment 360 and Linda Gottlieb, Deadline said. Additionally, the fight choreography team from “Wick” will join Berry on the film.

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Shooting begins on ‘Downton Abbey’ movie, Michelle Dockery says

Shooting on the “Downton Abbey feature film has begun, according to actress Michelle Dockery, who played Lady Mary in the critically acclaimed series and does so in the movie as well.

Dockery shared the news Monday on Instagram, posting an image of the movie’s clapboard with actors’ silhouettes in the background. (Might that be Carson we see?)

“And … we’re off,” the English star wrote.

But it appears not all members of the the ensemble cast were on Monday’s call sheet — at least a couple of them were out on the town.

Her costars Hugh Bonneville and Allen Leech said they skipped the first day of filming to catch Elizabeth McGovern’s performance in “God of Carnage” at the Theatre Royal in Bath, and posted photos on social media pages corroborating their absences.

Bonneville and McGovern play Mary’s parents, the Earl and Countess of Grantham, and Leech plays her brother-in-law Tom Branson in the series and the film, which reunites the aristocratic Crawley family and the other denizens of their sprawling English manor.

In July, Focus Features and Carnival Films announced production of the film, with the principal cast members set to return along with Emmy- and Oscar-winning creator Julian Fellowes, who wrote the screenplay and is producing the project with Gareth Neame and Liz Trubridge.

Director Michael Engler, who directed several episodes of the ITV series, is helming the film and Nigel Marchant has also returned as an executive producer.

During its six-season run from 2010 to 2015, “Downton Abbey” aired in at least 150 countries and set a record for non-U.S. television shows with 69 Emmy nominations.

The period drama, a smash hit stateside and across the pond, followed the English family and their servants as they adapted to the rapid changes of the early 20th century.

There’s still no specific word on the film’s release date, which will be in 2019.

FOR THE RECORD

Sept. 14, 12:20 p.m.: A previous version of this post reported that Brian Percival is directing the film. Michael Engler is the director.

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‘Smokey and the Bandit’ returning to theaters in memory of Burt Reynolds

AMC Theaters is bringing 'Bandit' back to theaters in tribute to the late Burt Reynolds.
(Silver Screen Collection / Getty Images)

Bandit is again headed eastbound and down, loaded up and truckin’, courtesy of an AMC theater near you.

The theater chain announced last week that it would be featuring “Smokey and the Bandit” at 240 locations, with tickets selling for $5, Variety reported. The film will screen Sept. 12-20.

Star Burt Reynolds died Sept. 6 of cardiopulmonary arrest at the age of 82.

“Bandit” features Reynolds in one of his most iconic roles, as a Coors beer bootlegger who knows his way around a Pontiac Trans-Am.

The 1977 comedy was the directorial debut for stuntman Hal Needham and was replete with enough car chases, car crashes and ridiculously entertaining stunts to land it at No. 2 at the box office for the year, behind only “Star Wars.”

Tickets and showtimes are currently available on the AMC website, with several viewing options throughout Southern California.

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Stephen Colbert kicks Les Moonves to the curb on ‘The Late Show’

Stephen Colbert is finished with Les Moonves.

That appeared to be the message Monday night during the comedian’s “Late Show” monologue, which addressed the CBS chief executive’s departure from the network after repeated accusations of sexual misconduct.

“This came after a second Ronan Farrow exposé featured more women accusing [Moonves] of sexual harassment and assault,” Colbert said of his former boss.

“It’s never a good sign when you’re the subject of a Ronan Farrow double-dip,” he added.

Colbert, who had previously advocated for “accountability” in Moonves’ case, didn’t shy away from specifics. Well, specifics and jokes.

“In total, Moonves is accused of harassing or assaulting 13 women,” the host said. “And that’s not even counting the thousands of innocent Americans who’ve walked past this actual poster for ‘Bull.’”

To be fair, it’s a pretty upsetting poster.

The midst of all his jokes about Moonves’ fate, Colbert turned serious for a moment.

“Anyway, the article is extremely disturbing,” he said, looking grim. “And that’s it. I’m not surprised.”

But he couldn’t resist getting one last jab in, invoking Louis C.K.’s recent tentative attempted comeback.

“Les Moonves is gone,” Colbert quipped. “For at least nine months, until he does a set at the Comedy Cellar.”

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A Star Is Born: Virginia Madsen turns 57 today

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

I certainly found better roles when I was older, because younger girls may have the abundance of work, but we have the stronger characters to play.

— Virginia Madsen, 2010

FROM THE ARCHIVES: The Sunday Conversation: Virginia Madsen

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Boyd Holbrook makes public statement of support for ‘Predator’ co-star Olivia Munn

Boyd Holbrook
Boyd Holbrook
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Boyd Holbrook does not want his “Predator” co-star Olivia Munn to feel “abandoned or alone” for speaking out after discovering that a registered sex offender had been cast in the film.

“I have stated before, and I will state it again, I am proud of Olivia for the way that she handled a difficult and alarming situation, and I am grateful that Fox took the information seriously and took action swiftly,” said Holbrook in a statement posted to his Instagram on Monday.

In his statement, the actor also confirmed that the situation led him to pull out of some press commitments to promote “The Predator” at the Toronto International Film Festival.

“It is true that I pulled out of a small amount of press on Saturday, as this type of social commentary is new to me and given the nature of the originating crime, I felt further discussion could cause unwanted trauma and pain, neither of which I wanted to incite to the anonymous young woman,” said Holbrook.

He added: “I now realize that my understanding of the situation was not the full picture and the last thing I want is for Olivia to ever feel abandoned or alone. We are in the midst of a very crucial and important time, and it is imperative that we keep listening.”

Last week, in advance of the film’s TIFF premiere, the Los Angeles Times reported that Twentieth Century Fox deleted a scene from “The Predator” featuring Steven Wilder Striegel after Munn discovered he was a registered sex offender. In 2010, Striegel had pleaded guilty to felony charges that he attempted to lure a 14-year-old female relative into a sexual relationship over email.

“The Predator” director Shane Black was the only person aware of his background and cast Striegel “to help a friend.”

Following the report, Black apologized, saying “it has sadly become clear to me that I was misled by a friend I really wanted to believe was telling me the truth when he described the circumstances of his conviction.”

Holbrook had also demonstrated support for Munn during a video interview at Variety’s TIFF studio.

Read Holbrook’s full statement below.

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‘She-Ra and the Princesses of Power’ teaser trailer shows Adora discovering her magic sword and destiny

The time has come for Adora to learn her destiny.

The first teaser trailer for “She-Ra and the Princesses of Power” was released Monday, and it shows the long-lost princess discovering the magical sword that transforms her into She-Ra.

Or, as the mysterious voiceover puts it, it’s time for balance to be restored to the world, and Adora has a major part to play.

Much like her backstory in the classic ’80s cartoon, in this reboot Adora does not know her true heritage because she is an orphan who was raised by the evil Horde. She leaves that life behind when she finds her magic sword, then has to navigate a new life as a hero, befriending other magical princesses as they fight against evil as part of the Rebellion.

The show’s voice cast includes Aimee Carrero (“Elena of Avalor”) as Adora aka. She-Ra, Karen Fukuhara (“Suicide Squad”) as Glimmer, AJ Michalka (“The Goldbergs”) as Catra, Marcus Scribner (“black-ish”) as Bow, Reshma Shetty (“Royal Pains”) as Angella, Lorraine Toussaint (“Orange Is the New Black”) as Shadow Weaver and Keston John (“The Good Place”) as Hordak.

“She-Ra and the Princesses of Power” was developed by Eisner Award-winner Noelle Stevenson, who serves as executive producer along with Chuck Austen.

The series is set to debut Nov. 16 on Netflix.

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Nicki Minaj says she was ‘mortified’ by Cardi B fight

Nicki Minaj.
(Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images)

Nicki Minaj says she was “mortified” by her weekend dispute during New York Fashion Week with fellow rapper Cardi B.

“I could not believe how humiliated it all felt,” Minaj said Monday on her Beats 1 Queen Radio show. “And how we ... made ourselves look.”

Despite appearing to bury the hatchet in May, the rival rappers’ latest feud came to a head on Friday, when chaos erupted during a Fashion Week bash thrown by Harper’s Bazaar.

It’s unclear what touched off the melee or what reignited the spat — popular opinion has been that Minaj disparaged Cardi’s newborn daughter, Kulture — but it resulted in Cardi throwing her shoe at Minaj and being escorted out of the party by a security detail with a bump on her head.

Cardi B, shown with a bump on her forehead, leaves a New York Fashion Week event after an altercation Friday.
(Charles Sykes / Associated Press)

The next day, Cardi B, whose hits include “Bodak Yellow” and “I Like It,” took to Instagram to call out Minaj in an expletive-laden statement on the topic, saying she had let much of it slide, but wouldn’t any longer.

“When you mention my child, you choose to like comments about me as a mother, make comments about my abilities to take care of my daughter is when all bets are … off!!!” she wrote.

The “Love & Hip Hop” alum, who has made no secret about coming up as a stripper, said she’s worked too hard and come too far to let anyone mess with her success, and ultimately summed up their beef as “entertainment.”

After posting a snippet from a purported diss track, Minaj, whose real name is Onika Tanya Maraj, said Monday on Queen Radio that the allegations about her were “all lies.”

“I would never discuss anyone’s child. And it’s so sad for someone to pin that on me because I’m the bad guy and they know people would believe them. … I would never talk about anyone’s child or parenting. … It’s so crazy to me that people always need to make Onika the bad guy. If you’re right in whatever you’re doing ... just speak your truth,” she said.

Minaj insisted that she “has never, will never … speak ill on anyone’s child. I am not a clown.”

But she also disparaged Cardi as “looking … dumb” by participating in the encounter and then putting out a “hurried” statement on the matter.

“I didn’t even feel the need to defend myself that night,” Minaj added. (Footage from the altercation prominently shows Minaj saying “I’m staying right here” while security separated her from Cardi.)

The hits just kept coming, with a high-strung Minaj adding that Cardi needs an intervention and warned that feuds like this end in death — and that seems to be when people start to care.

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Olivia Newton-John opens up about her third cancer battle, diagnosed last year

Pop music star Olivia Newton-John is opening up about her latest battle with cancer, this time located at the base of her spine.

In a sit-down interview with Australia’s “Sunday Night,” the 69-year-old singer spoke more about her latest diagnosis, which she announced in 2017 and has been treating since then.

Above all else, the “Grease” star is not alone in her fight.

“My husband’s always there, and he’s always there to support me, and I believe I will win over it and that’s my goal,” Newton-John said.

The conversation comes just weeks after rumors swirled about the singer’s health. They were sparked when two upcoming speaking appearances were canceled shortly after they were announced.

At the time, Newton-John’s publicist Michael Caprio dismissed the chatter, explaining that the cancellations were due to a scheduling conflict, not health issues.

The artist was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992, undergoing a partial mastectomy and reconstruction. In 2013, she was again diagnosed with breast cancer, though it had migrated to her shoulder.

Her latest diagnosis is again breast cancer, this time metastasized to her sacrum.

By all appearances, Newton-John is clinging fast to her typical sunny energy, committed to “treating [her cancer] naturally and doing really well.”

The “Physical” singer said that in addition to radiation treatments, she also cut sugar out of her diet and relied on cannabis oil from marijuana grown in California by her husband.

She added that she had hopes that her native Australia will consider legalizing medical marijuana.

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A Star Is Born: Guy Ritchie turns 50 today

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

The truth hurts. You are your own worst enemy. We all know these expressions. But what’s at the root of these expressions? We’re protecting our sense of self.

— Guy Ritchie, 2007

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Guy Ritchie’s years-long head trip

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Ariana Grande pays tribute to Mac Miller with touching Instagram post

One day after rapper Mac Miller was found dead, Ariana Grande paid tribute to her late ex-boyfriend Saturday with a black and white photo of the musician shared to her Instagram page.

The photo, which was posted without a caption, shows Miller sitting on the grass looking up at the camera as the photographer, presumably Grande, stands above him just out of frame.

Grande disabled comments on her Instagram page Friday after trolls flooded her feed blaming her recent engagement to “Saturday Night Live” star Pete Davidson for Miller’s death.

She and Miller, a longtime friend and frequent collaborator, dated for two years before calling it quits in April. Though the cause of the breakup was originally cited as conflicting schedules, Grande has spoken out about Miller’s struggles with substance abuse in the past. A month after the split, he was arrested on suspicion of DUI.

Miller was found dead in his Studio City home Friday morning of a suspected overdose. He was 26.

RELATED: Celebs and fellow musicians remember Mac Miller as a kind and good man

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Time’s Up and CBS talent break silence on latest Les Moonves allegations

Les Moonves, chairman and CEO of CBS Corporation, at the 2017 premiere of "Star Trek: Discovery" in Los Angeles.
Les Moonves, chairman and CEO of CBS Corporation, at the 2017 premiere of “Star Trek: Discovery” in Los Angeles.
(Chris Pizzello / Invision)

Following news that CBS Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Leslie Moonves is expected to resign in the wake of new allegations of sexual harassment and assault, Time’s Up issued a statement Sunday admonishing the “culture of toxic complicity” at CBS and urged the network to remember that “the world is watching.”

“Six more women have made bone-chilling allegations of abuse, harassment and retaliation against Les Moonves,” the statement reads. “We believe them. These new allegations are in addition to the previous six women who have already bravely spoken out and detailed horrific behavior from Moonves. Nineteen current and former CBS employees have also alleged that former CBS News Chairman Jeff Fager condoned sexual harassment in his division.

“These allegations speak to a culture of toxic complicity at CBS, where the safety of women was continuously ignored to protect the careers of powerful men and the corporation. The CBS Board of Directors has an obligation to move swiftly and decisively to create a safe work environment for all and rid the company of this toxic culture.

“CBS, as you sit in a room debating next steps to rectify the damage done, remember that the world is watching. We will accept nothing less than the full transparency of the investigation’s findings, a commitment to real change across all levels of CBS management and no reward for Les Moonves.”

Additionally, several stars and writer-producers employed by the company took to social media to voice support of his ouster.

“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” star and co-creator Rachel Bloom, whose series is produced by CBS Television Studios, shared the initial New Yorker report about the latest accusations to Twitter with the following comment: “As an employee of CBS, I would just like to say that Les Moonves should be fired without getting a … dollar. The actions described in this article are those of sexual assault and shame on anyone else in the corporation who knew about his crimes.” (“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” also airs on the CW, which is a joint venture between Warner Bros. and CBS.)

“This cannot be tolerated. Ever,” agreed Aline Brosh McKenna, who serves as co-creator and showrunner on “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.” “My heart breaks for each and every one of these women. I believe them. I stand with [Rachel Bloom].”

“Agreed. I believe them,” cosigned Jennie Snyder Urman, showrunner of the CW’s “Jane the Virgin” and executive producer on the channel’s upcoming “Charmed” reboot. Both series are also produced by CBS TV Studios. “And my heart breaks for them.”

Former “The Middle” star Charlie McDermott also took to Twitter to decry Moonves and the scandal. “The Les Moonves stuff is horrifying,” he tweeted. “I’ve worked for CBS twice now and it’s incredibly upsetting to learn the person at the top of a company I was employed by was so aggressive, manipulative and abusive, so frequently.”

“It’s especially confusing considering the most recent CBS project I’ve worked on, yet to be released, is entirely about sexual assault — largely focused on victims being regularly dismissed/abused,” he continued in a second tweet. “What felt like an important project to be a part of now feels hypocritical.”

McDermott next stars in the Netflix drama “Unbelievable,” which is produced by CBS TV Studios. The series centers on two female detectives pursuing a possible serial rapist. It’s based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning December 2015 article “An Unbelievable Story of Rape” as well as the “This American Life” radio episode about the same case, “Anatomy of Doubt.” McDermott also previously starred in a 2015 pilot for the network, “Super Clyde,” which was not picked up to series.

The actor continued, “I hope what appears to be happening happens and he is removed from his position before the project is release so it’s message doesn’t feel as muddled as it does now…Though a 100 million dollar severance package is hardly punishment for decades of targeted abuse toward female employees. It’s disgusting.”

Moonves, who has been at CBS since 1995, was first accused of sexual misconduct by six women in late July in a report published by the New Yorker. He was subsequently placed under investigation by the CBS board.

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A Star Is Born: Michael Bublé turns 43 today

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

I feel like I’ve earned the right to make the record I wanted to make. I came in as a boy, and I’m a man now.

— Michael Bublé, 2013

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Michael Bublé sings with a fresh perspective in ‘To Be Loved’

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Cardi B and Nicki Minaj in apparent altercation at New York Fashion Week

Cardi B, with a bump on her forehead, leaves the Plaza Hotel after an altercation on Friday during New York Fashion Week.
(Charles Sykes / Invision/Associated Press)

Maybe it’s time Cardi B and Nicki Minaj are no longer invited to the same events for awhile.

The ongoing feud between the rappers evidently reached a new level Friday night, with reports saying that Cardi confronted Minaj at the Plaza Hotel during the Harper’s Bazaar Icons party at New York Fashion Week.

Various shaky and profane videos surfaced afterward, showing Cardi shouting at Minaj before being restrained by security. Oh, and a red shoe might have been thrown, something Cardi B is shown holding in a video obtained by Cosmopolitan.

(And let us light a candle in the hopes future amateur videographers remember to tilt those phones into landscape mode to better document these occasions.)

Both left the party soon after, and Cardi was photographed with what looked to be a bump on her head, though it’s not clear how she got it. According to the Associated Press, she left the event barefoot.

It’s also not certain what caused the confrontation. But Cardi B took to Instagram early Saturday morning with a profanity-laden post that, while not naming Minaj outright, took issue with comments about her parenting (Cardi gave birth to her first child, a daughter, in July).

In what seems like a simpler time not so long ago, the rappers appeared together on Migos’ track “MotorSport” and were photographed chatting at the Met Gala in May.

Minaj spoke to Zane Lowe on Apple’s Beats 1 in April about her ongoing beef with Cardi B: “I have never seen her show me any genuine love during an interview. I just see how many girls wish they had been on a song with Nicki Minaj,” she said.

No further comment has been available from either side, but the Recording Academy may want to take note in figuring out seating assignments for next year’s Grammys.

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A Star Is Born: Pink turns 39 today

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

I told myself after the first record that I’d rather go back home and start over again than be trapped in a one-dimensional world any longer.

— Pink, 2003

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Her colors don’t run

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Actor Terry Crews settles groping lawsuit with WME

Actor Terry Crews.
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

“Brooklyn Nine-Nine” star Terry Crews, one of the strident male voices of the #MeToo movement, has settled a civil lawsuit with his former talent agency after accusing one of its high-powered agents of groping his genitals during a 2016 party.

The settlement closes the final chapter on the actor’s legal action against the agency, William Morris Endeavor.

“Terry Crews, Adam Venit, and WME have settled the lawsuit Mr. Crews filed last year,” a WME spokesperson said in a statement to The Times on Friday. “It will be dismissed.”

The actor, who did not immediately respond to The Times’ requests for comment, tweeted “ACCOUNTABILITY” after reports surfaced Thursday that Venit would be departing the agency.

Venit, who did not represent Crews, denied the allegations against him in court documents and said his actions toward Crews were not sexual and caused no harm, the Associated Press reported.

WME suspended Venit to investigate the claims, and he was stripped of his title as head of the agency’s Motion Picture Group, Deadline reported.

It was Venit’s decision to leave the company, The Times confirmed Friday. He previously counted heavyweight talent such as Adam Sandler, Sylvester Stallone, Dustin Hoffman, Eddie Murphy, Vince Vaughn and M. Night Shyamalan among his clients.

Crews, a former NFL star, publicized the groping allegations on Twitter in October in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, filed a police report in November and dropped WME as his talent agency over the incident. He also filed criminal and civil lawsuits. (The criminal case was also dismissed in March because the statute of limitations had expired.)

The emboldened star has continued to be a #MeToo advocate, asserting that men can be victims too.

This summer, Crews testified about sexual assault in front of a Senate Judiciary Committee and filmed a PSA with “Full Frontal” host Samantha Bee about male sexual assault jokes.

UPDATE

12:19 p.m.: This post was updated with a statement from WME.

This article was originally published at 9:16 a.m.

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More ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ episodes are in store when the show makes its NBC debut

There’s even more “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” coming to NBC.

The show’s upcoming sixth season, which marks the cop comedy’s official transition from Fox to the peacock network, will now consist of 18 episodes — five more episodes than its original order for 13 — it was announced Friday.

NBC scooped up the Andy Samberg-fronted half-hour series in May after Fox canceled it. The acquisition keeps “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” in the NBC family — the comedy is produced by Universal Television, the studio arm of the network.

While a premiere date has not yet been announced, the comedy is slated to make its debut on its new home base in midseason.

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Kanye West is serious about presidential run, John Legend says

John Legend says his friend Kanye West's presidential aspirations are probably sincere
(Grant Pollard / Associated Press)

When Kanye West says he’s running for president, he means it. At least that’s what pal John Legend thinks.

“Oh, yeah. I think he’s said it multiple times. ... I think he’s serious,” Legend told the Sun’s Dan Wootton in a podcast posted Friday.

“I don’t know how he would run … ,” the singer said regarding whether West would put himself up as a Republican. “If I were to guess, I’d think he’d probably run as an independent.”

West sees aspects of himself in President Trump and sees Trump’s election as a sign he could do it, too, said the singer, who’s been in the U.K. for British GQ’s Men of the Year awards. (He was named Hugo Boss Most Stylish Man, incidentally.)

The “All of Me” singer said he was “stunned” when West posted private texts they had exchanged after Yeezy declared his love for Trump, but the two reunited soon after at a baby shower and talked it out.

“I’m glad I said what I said [in the texts], and I’m glad people know what I said to him because I think so many people were worried that Kanye was saying the things he was saying and there weren’t people advising him differently,” Legend said.

As for his feelings about Trump, Mr. Chrissy Teigen did not mince words.

“He’s done enough to get impeached. He’s done enough to embarrass the nation, to use the office to enrich himself and to abuse his power that he should not be president anymore, if there’s any justice,” Legend said calmly on the podcast.

“That doesn’t mean it’s going to happen, because it’s a political process and legislators have to vote for it,” he continued. “But he deserves to be removed from office.”

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Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn leave ‘Project Runway’ for Amazon Prime Video project

Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn, who have been synonymous with “Project Runway” for more than a decade, are leaving the show and moving to Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Studios announced Friday.

The new offering will be a fashion reality show that includes a “shoppable experience for viewers,” Amazon said. Other than that, few details were provided.

“[W]e believe their next iteration in this space will find an even larger audience on our global Prime Video runway,” Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke said in a statement. The show, as yet unnamed, will roll out to 200 countries.

The move is a hit to Bravo, which hosted “Runway” from 2004-08 and is picking it up again for the the show’s 17th season this fall. In the interim, “Runway” had aired on Lifetime.

Bravo expects to announce a new host and mentor “very soon,” a spokesperson said Friday.

“Bravo is proud to bring Project Runway back where it all began, and Heidi and Tim will always be a huge part of the legacy,” a Bravo spokesperson said. “The series will continue its iconic impact with Bravo’s reboot for the next generation of designers and fans.”

Klum and Gunn shared their thoughts Friday in the Amazon statement.

“After 16 incredible seasons, I am saying ’Auf Wiedersehen’ to ‘Project Runway,’ a show that I was honored to host and help create. … I am incredibly proud of the show, and it will always have a special place in my heart,” the supermodel said.

Show mentor Tim Gunn, a 14-season veteran, called fans “the heart and soul” of what they do and added that he is proud to have been part of a process “that showcased talented young designers as never before.”

In addition to Klum, judges on “Runway” have included designer Michael Kors and Elle creative director Nina Garcia.

UPDATE

9:56 a.m.: This post was updated with a statement from Bravo.

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Paul McCartney and Jimmy Fallon ambush fans with surprise elevator gag

The best “Tonight Show” bits are short and sweet, and a Thursday night gag with Paul McCartney was no exception.

The set-up was simple: Host Jimmy Fallon and music legend McCartney would surprise unsuspecting people on a 30 Rock elevator.

Fallon and McCartney pulled out all the stops, with fancy robes and pipes, an impromptu duet and simple fake-outs. They shocked dozens of fans, many of whom reacted with a very Beatlemania chest clutch and squeal.

Truly, the most delightful aspect of the video – beyond McCartney’s genuine enjoyment of the gag – was seeing women of a certain age see their girlhood crush appear before their very eyes.

“I thought when I was little, I was gonna marry Paul McCartney,” one woman gushed, still teary from excitement. “So that’s the closest I ever got, and I am thrilled.”

Oh, and McCartney fans still have plenty of other reasons to rejoice. The former Wings frontman released “Egypt Station,” his newest solo effort, today.

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A Star Is Born: Diane Warren turns 62 today

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

I’ve never been married because I’m not good at relationships. Whoever I’m with is always going to be second to what I love — which is songwriting.

— Diane Warren, 1994

FROM THE ARCHIVES: The Ballad of Diane Warren, Songwriter

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Shane Black apologizes for casting registered sex offender in ‘The Predator’

Shane Black, has apologized for casting a registered sex offender in "The Predator."
(Emilio Naranjo/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

After defending his decision to cast a registered sex offender in “The Predator,” director Shane Black has released a public apology for letting down those he did not give “a voice in the decision.”

On Thursday, The Times published a story reporting that 20th Century Fox recently deleted a scene from the upcoming sci-fi thriller that featured Steven Wilder Striegel, Black’s friend of 14 years. The studio decided to excise the scene from “The Predator” after actress Olivia Munn, one of the film’s stars, learned that in 2010, Striegel pleaded guilty to allegations that he tried to lure a 14-year-old girl into a sexual relationship online.

After reading the story, Black said Thursday afternoon, “it has sadly become clear to me that I was misled by a friend I really wanted to believe was telling me the truth when he described the circumstances of his conviction.”

“I believe strongly in giving people second chances,” he continued, “but sometimes you discover that chance is not as warranted as you may have hoped.”

In The Times story, Black initially said he “personally chose to help a friend” by casting Striegel in “The Predator” and two of his other films, “Iron Man 3” and “The Nice Guys.” He said he believed that Striegel was “caught up in a bad situation versus something lecherous.”

Striegel told The Times he had entered into email correspondence with the 14-year-old, whom he described as one of his “distant relatives,” because she was troubled and he wanted to boost her self-esteem by complimenting her. But court documents revealed Striegel often used graphic sexual innuendo in exchanges with the girl.

“After learning more about the affidavit, transcripts and additional details surrounding Steve Striegel’s sentence,” Black said, “I am deeply disappointed in myself. I apologize to all of those, past and present, I’ve let down by having Steve around them without giving them a voice in the decision.”

“The Predator” is set to debut tonight on the opening day of the Toronto International Film Festival, where Black is scheduled to appear post-screening during a question-and-answer session.

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HBO renews comedies ‘Ballers’ and ‘Insecure’

HBO has renewed its Sunday-night comedies “Ballers” and “Insecure” less than a month after their latest seasons debuted.

The Dwayne Johnson-starring “Ballers,” about the fast-paced world of pro football and the business dealings behind it, will return for a fifth season, the premium cable network announced on Thursday.

The show, a dramatic comedy with a sports foundation, relocated to Los Angeles this season and continued to draw plot lines and tension from the real-life narratives of the NFL.

“Insecure,” Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore’s South L.A.-set comedy about the friendship between two black women and their endless series of uncomfortable everyday experiences, will return for a fourth season.

Rae took to Twitter on Thursday to thank “everyone who has been watching and supporting!”

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Facing criticism, film academy backs off new ‘best popular film’ category for now

Host Jimmy Kimmel, left, and Oscar winner Guillermo del Toro, center, with producer J. Miles Dale at the Academy Awards in 2018.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Facing a backlash over its recent announcement of a new category for “best popular film,” the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Thursday that it will not include the new award in the upcoming Oscars telecast and will “seek additional input” on how — or whether — to move forward with it.

“There has been a wide range of reactions to the introduction of a new award, and we recognize the need for further discussion with our members,” academy CEO Dawn Hudson said in a statement. “We have made changes to the Oscars over the years — including this year — and we will continue to evolve while also respecting the incredible legacy of the last 90 years.”

The decision comes less than a month after the academy’s board of governors announced the new category, a move that caught the film industry by surprise and was criticized by many as an act of pandering in search of ratings that would water down the significance of the awards as a whole.

In a statement, the academy said it remained “committed to celebrating a wide spectrum of movies” but that “implementing any new award nine months into the year creates challenges for films that have already been released.” The academy said the board would remain “actively engaged in discussions” regarding the category.

In recent years, the academy has faced steadily declining viewership for its Oscars telecast, which plummeted to an all-time low this year. Some within the academy’s leadership have argued that the organization should work harder to recognize broadly appealing and critically acclaimed commercial blockbusters in the Academy Awards.

In a letter announcing his resignation from the board of governors earlier this year, producer and former studio executive Bill Mechanic wrote, “[O]ver the past decade we have nominated so many smaller independent films that the Oscars feel like they should be handed out in a tent. Big is not inherently bad and small is not inherently good.”

But the creation of the new category — the criteria for which were never spelled out — sparked an immediate negative reaction on social media.

“The film business passed away today with the announcement of the ‘popular’ film Oscar,” longtime academy member Rob Lowe wrote on Twitter. “It had been in poor health for a number of years. It is survived by sequels, tent-poles, and vertical integration.”

In an effort to address the perennial criticism that the telecast has grown too bloated and tedious, the academy further announced on Thursday that six to eight of the 24 award categories will be presented during commercial breaks at the next telecast.

Winning moments from those categories, which will be rotated each year, will then be edited to air later in the broadcast in an attempt to streamline the show.

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Late-night TV hosts have a field day with Trump’s literary woes this week

Late-night TV hosts on Wednesday were at times giddy and fearful over the literary double whammy targeting President Trump this week.

The first blow came by way of Bob Woodward, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist whose forthcoming book, “Fear,” highlights the chaos in the Trump administration. And the second came from Wednesday’s resistance op-ed in the New York Times penned by an anonymous senior White House staffer.

(Did we mention that some foreboding lightning also struck above the White House on Tuesday? Because a few of the hosts sure did.)

“Between Woodward and Omarosa’s books, Trump has done something incredible. He’s made America read again,” Jimmy Fallon said during “The Tonight Show” on NBC.

Then, referring to the op-ed, Fallon added: “When Trump heard, he screamed, ‘The fake news is coming from inside the house!’… That’s right, a senior official wrote an anonymous op-ed about Trump. Even stranger, the official signed it ‘XOXO, Gossip Girl.’”

“Late Night’s” Seth Meyers took a playful guess at the writer’s identity, asserting it was “Kellyanne Conway, in the Situation Room with the laptop!”

On ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” the host was in awe over “another unprecedented day of tumult and infighting in a wild, wild West Wing.”

After rehashing the blistering allegations in the op-ed, Kimmel mused at “how good a writer Ivanka [Trump] is.” He also speculated about the staffer’s identity and capitalized on his/her use of the word “lodestar.”

“That’s not a common word — lodestar — not a lot of people use that word,” Kimmel said before implicating another White House heavyweight with a series of damning video clips: Vice President Mike Pence. (Though Pence has denied authorship.)

Stephen Colbert on CBS’ “The Late Show” zeroed in on Woodward’s book, devoting the first half of his monologue to its allegations, listing the extreme measures Trump’s Cabinet has taken to protect the country from bad decisions.

“One thing we know to be true is that when it comes to Trump, whatever you think is happening is happening,” Colbert said. “Exhibit A: An editorial that came out an hour before this taping. ‘Mr. President, they traced the resistance. It’s coming from inside the White House!’”

Colbert also took issue with the New York Times’ decision to keep the writer anonymous.

“This person works for the Trump administration. Their job is jeopardized by their job,” he said. “This piece, clearly, it’s written by someone who works for the administration, believes in its policies and goals and still thinks the president is a dangerous idiot. How many people like that could there be in the White House? I’m gonna guess: Count the people in the White House and subtract one.”

Colbert’s conclusion: “After reading this thing, I don’t know whether to be reassured or even more scared than before. So I think I’ll go with reassured that I was right to be so scared.”

Over on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” host Trevor Noah took a more critical look at the op-ed than his broadcast counterparts.

“There’s a secret group of people within the White House actively working to curb President Trump, which is wild because this means this whole time we’ve been dealing with the watered-down version of Trump. You’re telling me that this is the better version? This is diet Trump?”

Back on “The Late Show,” Colbert interviewed former Secretary of State John F. Kerry, who said that we have a president “who’s not capable of doing the job or living up to the responsibilities.”

“Let me blunt about it: You’re not supposed to have a two-track presidency,” the former Massachusetts senator said. “You’re not supposed to have people stealing things off the desk of the president. You’re not supposed to have a resistance within the White House to prevent your president from breaking the law or doing something irrational and dangerous. You’re not supposed to do that.”

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Joni Mitchell will be saluted at 75th-birthday concert celebrations in L.A.

Joni Mitchell will turn 75 in November.
(John Shearer / Invision/Associated Press)

The Music Center will fete Joni Mitchell with not one, but two star-studded concerts in Los Angeles in November, timed to honor the iconic singer-songwriter’s 75th birthday.

The performing arts center has announced plans for Joni 75: A Birthday Celebration Live at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Nov. 6-7, featuring Emmylou Harris, Norah Jones, Glen Hansard, Chaka Khan, Diana Krall, Kris Kristofferson, Los Lobos, Graham Nash, Seal and Rufus Wainwright.

They’ll be performing songs from Mitchell’s deep catalog, and drummer Brian Blade and pianist-composer Jon Cowherd will serve as co-musical directors.

“Our upcoming concerts will mark the return of Joni Mitchell’s masterful music to the Music Center, creating both an intimate ‘living room’ experience and a joyous celebration of her tremendous career,” the Music Center’s president and chief executive, Rachel Moore, said in a statement Wednesday.

But the celebration doesn’t end with the concerts. The Music Center also announced it will award Mitchell its Excellence in Performing Arts Award during its Soirée: Joni 75 gala dinner — presented in partnership with Vanity Fair — following the second concert.

According to the organization, the award commemorates Mitchell’s “pioneering spirit and timeless art and music.” The artist is only the second recipient of the honor, first awarded to Rita Moreno in 2016.

It remains unclear if the birthday girl, who turns 75 on Nov. 7, will attend the festivities. Public appearances have been rare for the music legend since she suffered a brain aneurysm in 2015. But in June she ventured to the Hollywood Bowl to take in a concert by longtime friend James Taylor.

Organizers are hopeful that Mitchell will attend, but note that nothing has been confirmed at this time, a representative for the Music Center told The Times on Thursday.

Tickets for the Joni 75 concerts, starting at $45, are available at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion box office, by calling (213) 972-0711, and at the Music Center website.

The Music Center’s Soirée: Joni 75 is Nov. 7. Tickets, which begin at $2,500 a pop, are for sale at the Music Center website.

9:50 a.m.: This article was updated to include information from the Music Center regarding Mitchell’s attendance.

This article was originally published at 9:08 a.m.

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Cranberries singer Dolores O’Riordan drowned accidentally after drinking, inquest finds

Dolores O'Riordan with the Cranberries at Irvine Meadows in September 1995.
(Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

Dolores O’Riordan, lead singer for the Irish rock band the Cranberries, drowned accidentally in a hotel bathtub in January after drinking a large quantity of alcohol, according to reports out of London on Thursday.

Her blood alcohol content was more than four times the legal amount for driving, according to toxicology tests, and five empty miniature bottles of booze and an empty Champagne bottle were found, according to an inquest done by the Westminster Coroner’s Court, the BBC reported.

“There’s no evidence that this was anything other than an accident,” coroner Shirley Radcliffe told the Associated Press.

Though prescription-drug containers with a quantity of tablets in each one were found in O’Riordan’s hotel room, only a “therapeutic” level of medication was measured in her blood, the BBC said. It was said during the inquest that O’Riordan had bipolar disorder but was responding well to medication.

Upon arriving on the scene at London’s Park Lane Hilton hotel, “I saw Mrs. O’Riordan submerged in the bath with her nose and mouth fully under the water,” Constable Natalie Smart reportedly told the inquest.

The “Zombie” singer, 46, was clad in pajamas when she was found, according to the AP. There was no sign of foul play, and she didn’t leave a note.

At the time of her Jan. 15 death, O’Riordan was planning a tour and was in town for a recording session.

The Westminster Coroner’s Court was unavailable for comment Thursday morning.

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A Star Is Born: Anika Noni Rose turns 46 today

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

I think that whenever I have the opportunity to be doing something that isn’t centered around my ethnicity, it would be very, very exciting to do.

— Anika Noni Rose, 2017

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Sunday Conversation: Anika Noni Rose wants Hollywood to look beyond the color of her skin

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‘Care Bears’ reboot headed to Boomerang

Get ready for new blasts of the Care Bear Stare.

Boomerang announced Thursday that “Care Bears: Unlock the Magic,” a new animated series featuring the familiar cuddly, color-coded bears, is headed for its subscription streaming service.

In “Unlock the Magic,” the Care Bears will hit the road and explore the areas around their home, Care-a-lot, called the Silver Lining. Their new adventures means encountering new creatures as well as landing in situations that require them to use their powers in new ways.

One of the new creatures the Care Bears will meet is Dibble, who is described as being “as eager as a puppy [and] as curious as a kitten” and definitely does not look like a bear (or even a Care Bear Cousin).

Unlike the Care Bears, Dibble communicates more using coos and sounds and can travel on her own tiny personal cloud. She joins the Care Bears team as their adorable pet and companion.

Forty-eight 11-minute episodes and two 22-minute specials of “Care Bears: Unlock the Magic” (as well as a number of shorts) are currently in production at Cloudco Entertainment (formerly known as American Greetings Entertainment, which produced the original series). Though a premiere date for the new series has not yet been announced, select episodes of the show will also air on the Boomerang TV network for a limited time following its debut.

Boomerang initially debuted as Turner’s broadcast home to classic animated shows from Cartoon Network, Warner Bros., Hanna-Barbera and MGM. In 2017, Boomerang was also launched as a standalone subscription streaming service.

The original Care Bears characters were created for greeting cards but went on to become a franchise that included toys, TV shows and films in the ’80s. Some of the original Care Bears include Cheer Bear, Grumpy Bear, Bedtime Bear, Tenderheart Bear, Funshine Bear and Wish Bear.

A new TV series is just one part of the “Care Bears” revival. Cloudco is also developing a “Care Bears” film with a major studio.

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Actress Cicely Tyson, composer Lalo Schifrin and publicist Marvin Levy to receive Governors Awards

Actress Cicely Tyson is among those receiving Governors Awards from the film academy in November.
(Richard Shotwell / Invision / Associated Press)

The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Wednesday that it will present its annual honorary Governors Awards to actress Cicely Tyson, composer Lalo Schifrin and publicist Marvin Levy, while producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall will receive the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award.

The Governors Awards are given “to honor extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy.” The Thalberg Award is presented to creative producers “whose body of work reflects a consistently high quality of motion picture production.” Once a part of the Oscar telecast, the honorary awards are now handed out in a separate ceremony.

Beginning her career as a model and an actress on the stage, Tyson, 93, came to prominence when she received an Academy Award nomination for her leading performance in the 1972 film “Sounder.” Since then, she has appeared in such films as “Fried Green Tomatoes,” “Diary of a Mad Black Woman,” “The Help” and “Last Flag Flying.” Tyson has won three Emmy Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Tony Award and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016. She is also nominated for an Emmy this year for her guest role in “How to Get Away With Murder.”

Levy — the first publicist ever to receive an honorary Oscar — started his career at MGM before moving to Columbia Pictures, where he helped craft campaigns for such films as “Kramer vs. Kramer” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” His work on the latter film began a close partnership with director Steven Spielberg that has lasted to this day. Levy has worked on publicity campaigns for Spielberg productions, including “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” “Back to the Future,” “Schindler’s List” and “Saving Private Ryan,” as well as such movies as “American Beauty” and “Gladiator.”

The Argentina-born Schifrin, 86, began his film-composing career in the mid-1950s and has written scores for more than 100 films, including ““Bullitt,” “Dirty Harry,” “Enter the Dragon” and “Rush Hour.” He has received six Oscar nominations for such films as “Cool Hand Luke,” “The Amityville Horror” and “The Sting II.” Perhaps most famously, he wrote the theme for the TV series “Mission: Impossible,” which has carried into the film franchise.

Kennedy, 65, and Marshall, 71, co-founded Amblin Productions with Spielberg and shared a best picture nomination for his 1985 film “The Color Purple.” Marshall also received a best picture nod for “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” while Kennedy was nominated in the same category for “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” “War Horse” and “Lincoln.” Since forming their production partnership in 1991, the husband-and-wife duo have also received Oscar nominations for producing the films “The Sixth Sense,” “Seabiscuit,” “Munich” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” The first woman to receive the Thalberg Award, Kennedy is currently the president of Lucasfilm.

Last year’s Governors Awards recipients were directors Charles Burnett and Agnès Varda, cinematographer Owen Roizman and actor Donald Sutherland.

The awards will be presented at the 10th Annual Governors Awards ceremony on Nov. 18.

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Fans finally get a first official look at Brie Larson in iconic Captain Marvel suit

After a Tuesday night tease, fans have finally gotten their first official look at Brie Larson as Captain Marvel.

On Wednesday, Entertainment Weekly unveiled its cover image of Larson’s take on the superhero, who will make her big-screen debut in a standalone Marvel Cinematic Universe movie due out March 8, 2019.

The red, blue and gold costume is faithful to the iconic Captain Marvel comic-book look.

“She can be aggressive, and she can have a temper, and she can be a little invasive and in your face,” Larson told EW about her character, Carol Danvers. “She’s also quick to jump to things, which makes her amazing in battle because she’s the first one out there and doesn’t always wait for orders. But the [not] waiting for orders is, to some, a character flaw.”

Previously, the only official looks at Larson’s character involved Carol’s non-super-powered persona as an Air Force pilot.

Captain Marvel’s MCU debut was also teased during the “Avengers: Infinity War” post-credits scene, in which Nick Fury sent out a distress call and his communicator flashed with Captain Marvel’s starburst and stripes as it clattered to the ground.

EW additionally debuted 10 first-look images from “Captain Marvel” on Wednesday, which included looks at Jude Law as Mar-Vell, Samuel L. Jackson as a younger Nick Fury, Gemma Chan as Minn-Erva and Lashana Lynch as Maria Rambeau.

Lynch’s character, who was previously unconfirmed, is described as “one of Carol’s oldest friends” and “a single mother to a young daughter.” Like Carol, Maria is an Air Force pilot and her call sign is “Photon.”

In the comics, Maria Rambeau is the mother of Monica Rambeau, the alter-ego of the superhero known as Spectrum, who has the power to manipulate energy. But Monica’s previous superhero names include Photon, as well as Captain Marvel.

In fact, Monica used the Captain Marvel alias long before Carol took up the mantle.

Lynch’s introduction as Maria in the 1990s-set film could pave the way for the introduction of the super-powered Monica in a future MCU film.

EW’s first-look images also reveal that when “Captain Marvel” starts, Carol already has her Kree-infused super powers. When the story picks up, Carol is in space as a part of an elite military team called Starforce, led by Law’s Mar-Vell, a mentor to Carol.

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Let’s Eat Grandma lives up to the hype at sold-out Moroccan Lounge show

Rosa Walton, left, and Jenny Hollingworth are the English rock duo Let's Eat Grandma.
(Shirlaine Forrest / WireImage)

Slapping hands in a game of “Patty Cake” doesn’t rank that high as far as rock ’n’ roll posturing goes.

But when Rosa Walton and Jenny Hollingworth stepped away from their synths and met in the middle of the stage to lock hands in a fit of giggles and broad smiles, it was as badass as anything you’ll see at a modern rock show.

And it was a reminder of not only their youth (both women are in their late teens), but of the unbridled joy lurking in the songs they make under the band name Let’s Eat Grandma.

The English duo, anchored by a dexterous drummer, headlined a sold-out show Tuesday night at the Moroccan Lounge, a cozy downtown L.A. club that barely contained the brewing buzz Let’s Eat Grandma has generated with just two albums, including this summer’s “I’m All Ears.”

You could trace the lines of their bratty take on rock and synth-pop back to ESG, Le Tigre, the Breeders and Icona Pop, but also to Frank Ocean and, um, Genesis. Their hour-long set skimmed the highlights of their brief catalog, from the jagged dance anthem “Hot Pink” to the sprawling and rather sludgy groove of “Cool & Collected.”

Childhood friends from Norwich, an English city revered for its medieval architecture and charm, Walton and Hollingworth shared a quiet, if unspoken chemistry at Moroccan Lounge, seamlessly swapping instruments and lead vocals. Their eyes rarely met – because they didn’t have to. They were innately attuned to each other.

Warning: The following video includes profane language.

And they weren’t the only self-possessed artists on the bill. In the opening slot, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Odetta Hartman beguiled the crowd with her revisionist take on American folk idioms.

Taking a cue from Johnny Cash and wielding a banjo as if it were a rifle, Hartman caromed from murder ballads to psychedelic R&B to chain-gang work songs. She had a handy descriptor for her dizzying mashup of genres: “soul-banishing” music.

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Kanye West apologizes to Drake for beef with Pusha T

Kanye West
(Evan Agostini / Associated Press)

Kanye West has apologized to Drake for some recent clashes and says he’s going to attend one of Drake’s shows in the next week.

The rapper started off a nine-tweet mea culpa early Wednesday with a picture from Drake’s “Scorpion” tour and the message: “Sending good energy and love to Drake and family and crew,” followed by purple hearts.

Primary in West’s apology was his denial that he had anything to do with diss tracks aimed at Drake by fellow rapper Pusha T a few months back.

“I never listened to either diss track that followed but I did hear quotes from both songs after they were released,” West tweeted.

The gist of the most recent episode in the Drake-Pusha T spat, which goes back years?

In late May, Pusha T released the song “Infrared,” which accused Drake of using a ghostwriter, so Drake shot back with “Duppy Freestyle,” which included a name-drop of Pusha T’s fiancée.

“All bets are off because of that. That alone causes all bets to be off and everything else is fair game,” Pusha T said on “The Breakfast Club” radio show when he released his response song, “The Story of Adidon,” notable for its send-up cover image of Drake in blackface in 2007 and an allusion to an alleged secret child.

Drake later put the image in context, but the damage was done.

West also apologized for stepping on the release date for Drake’s latest album, “Scorpion,” which landed on June 1, a week ahead of West and King Cudi’s joint album, “Kids See Ghosts.” West also had a listening party for his own album, “Ye,” the night before Drake’s dropped, and Pusha’s “Daytona” came out a week earlier.

“We were building a bond and working on music together including squashing the issues with Cudi at our office,” West tweeted Wednesday.

To sum it up, he wrote: “This is all Jedi level. I will be coming to your show within the next seven days to give love and be inspired by the art you have created.”

Drake had no reply on social media Wednesday morning.

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Paul Holes, the Golden State Killer investigator, signs true-crime TV deal with Oxygen

Former investigator Paul Holes, the forensic criminologist who helped crack the Golden State Killer case, has signed an overall development deal with Oxygen to bring more true-crime programming to the cable network.

Announced Wednesday, the deal is the latest in the network’s effort to rebrand itself as a true-crime programmer for women.

“Paul embodies what Oxygen is all about,” Rod Aissa, Oxygen’s executive vice president of original programming and development, said in a statement.

“His story is of the highest stakes, a career journey with brilliant investigation work that resulted in justice for dozens of victims and their families. He’s deservedly become a true crime icon among fans of the genre and we’re excited to develop future projects with him,” Aissa added.

The former investigator for the Contra Costa County district attorney’s office spent 24 years tracking down the so-called Golden State Killer and the investigation culminated in this year’s arrest of ex-cop Joseph James DeAngelo Jr.

DeAngelo is believed by investigators to have committed more than 50 rapes, 100 burglaries and at least 13 murders, but faces charges only for a fraction of those offenses due to statutes of limitations.

Holes continued to work on the gruesome case — one of the nation’s most notorious cold cases — through retirement. And, with the help of FBI lawyer Stephen Kramer, he used a novel technique of comparing crime-scene DNA with a genealogy website full of family histories and hereditary information to bring the 72-year-old DeAngelo in.

The breakthrough and DeAngelo’s arrest in April launched Holes into the national spotlight.

“In speaking with Rod and his team, I felt the passion Oxygen has for storytelling and showcasing the very best in true-crime content,” Holes said in the same statement. “I’m retired now, and am looking forward to this next chapter of my career where I can help shine a light on cases that deserve national exposure.”

Oxygen, a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, began its rebranding campaign last summer, developing and airing true-crime content such as “The Disappearance of Natalee Holloway,” “Dahmer on Dahmer: A Serial Killer Speaks,” “Aaron Hernandez Uncovered” and “Cold Justice.”

The mystery docuseries “Snapped” remains its flagship franchise.

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Kim Kardashian West visits the White House on behalf of another prisoner

Kim Kardashian West.
(David Livingston / Getty Images)

Kim Kardashian West was at the White House on Wednesday morning to lobby for prison reform and, possibly, for the freedom of another person sentenced to life for a nonviolent, low-level drug conviction.

The reality star flew overnight to Washington, TMZ reported.

She was set to meet with Jared Kushner and others for what deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley called “a listening session about the clemency process.”

Of particular interest to Kardashian is 30-year-old convict Chris Young, TMZ said. After rejecting a 14-year plea deal, Young picked up a mandatory life sentence at age 22 when he went to trial in Tennessee and was convicted of his third low-level drug offense, according to the Buried Alive project website.

Three months ago, Kardashian famously was involved in clemency for Alice Johnson, a 63-year-old woman who was sentenced to life without parole in 1996 for her role in a cocaine-trafficking operation in Tennessee.

Wednesday’s discussion was “mainly focused on ways to improve that process to ensure deserving cases receive a fair review,” Gidley said in a statement to Fox News.

Trump commuted Johnson’s sentence after meeting with Kardashian in May, and the reality star and beauty mogul said she was inspired to keep up the fight.

“People have been asking me, are you getting into politics? Like, no. I’m still doing me. But I enjoy this,” Kardashian said on the “Today” show in June. “This has fulfilled my heart and so since I feel so fulfilled, why would I stop that?”

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A Star Is Born: Michael Keaton turns 67 today

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Actors will say yes to anything. Then the day comes and you think, ‘What happened between the time I read it and the time when I’m dropping my pants?’

— Michael Keaton, 2015

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Michael Keaton, Alejandro Iñárritu detail bumpy flights in ‘Birdman’

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Actress Piper Perabo arrested during protest at Brett Kavanaugh’s Senate hearing

Piper Perabo.
(Willy Sanjuan / Associated Press)

Piper Perabo was among a group of protesters hustled out of a congressional hearing for Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh on Tuesday as members of the entourage shouted phrases such as, “Please vote no! Please vote no!”

“I was just arrested for civil disobedience in the Kavanaugh hearings,” the “Covert Affairs” actress tweeted Tuesday, including video showing her and others being physically removed from the room.

Kavanaugh has been nominated to fill the Supreme Court position left open by Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, who announced his retirement in June.

“Many citizens before me have fought for the equal rights of women. I can’t be silent when someone is nominated to the Supreme Court who would take our equal rights away,” Perabo continued.

That was only one of dozens of interruptions on the first day of proceedings after Democrats repeatedly tried to shut things down in the first hour and a half to allow more time for them to review more than 40,000 pages of documents released Monday night. Once the Democrats stopped, the interruptions came from people protesting Kavanaugh’s potential appointment to the court.

“I disrupted the Senate Kavanaugh hearings this morning because Trump is an unindicted co-conspirator in a felony criminal investigation & shouldn’t be allowed to nominate a Justice, til that is resolved. Esp Kavanaugh who believes a President is above the law,” Perabo said in an earlier tweet.

Tuesday was about introductions and statements; questions are scheduled to start Wednesday.

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Meghan McCain skips ‘The View’ while co-hosts praise her eulogy for father John McCain

As the 22nd season of “The View” got underway Tuesday, a mourning Meghan McCain was absent from the panel, but that didn’t stop her co-hosts from talking about her and her eulogy for her father, the late Republican Sen. John McCain, whose funeral was Saturday.

“Meghan is spending time with her family right now,” Whoopi Goldberg said, explaining Meghan’s absence.

The group, which now includes “Fox & Friends Weekend” alum Abby Huntsman, called attention to the line in Meghan McCain’s eulogy where she said, “the America of John McCain has no need to be made great again, because America was always great.”

It was a line that drew applause, even at a funeral.

“It was so moving to see our friend and our colleague rise to that occasion,” Sunny Hostin said. “We all know she’s devastated by the passing of her father ... but boy, she said during her eulogy, those of you who didn’t see it, she said John McCain told her, ‘Show them how tough you are,’ and by God, she showed everyone how tough she is.”

Joy Behar said she had been particularly moved by the moment when the gathering, which included people from both sides of the aisle, sang “God Bless America” as a group, saying she thinks the present administration doesn’t “love the country the way these people do.” While singing, she admitted, she got “a little verklempt.”

And new girl Huntsman got a bit more personal.

“Meghan is like a sister to me, and this was the hardest thing she’s ever been through.…,” Huntsman said. “Her dad was her best friend ... Listening to her in that speech, I was so proud of her because it was like her dad had passed the torch to her. She was now speaking for the family.”

Huntsman’s position on “The View” staff marks the first time in the show’s history that conservatives have filled two seats on the morning panel discussion.

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Colton Underwood, king of virgin tears, is ‘The Bachelor’ for 2019

Colton Underwood, a former NFL player who maintains he’s still a virgin, has been named the next “Bachelor” on ABC’s hit series.

“[W]hat I’m looking forward to the most is being engaged and then getting married shortly after that,” he said Tuesday on “Good Morning America.”

Underwood — or as Bachelor Nation would call him, simply Colton — is 26, which likely means a host of younger contestants on the upcoming season of “The Bachelor.” He was born and bred in the Midwest, part of a blended family with seven siblings, and now lives in Denver. Did we mention he’s still a virgin?

Colton, who was let go when only four men remained on “The Bachelorette,” beat out Jason Tartick, 29, and Blake Horstmann, 28, for the “Bachelor” job. Tartick and Horstmann both were let go after Colton on Becca Kufrin’s “Bachelorette” season.

Of the three, he was the only one to do “Bachelor in Paradise,” the franchise’s summer show.

After trying to make it work in “Paradise” with pre-Becca pal Tia Booth, he finally decided he was forcing his feelings and left the Mexican resort in tears. Tears, for the uninitiated, are one of Colton’s specialties.

“[T]hat’s one thing that I took pride in on both seasons, being true to who I am,” he said Tuesday. “I think it took all of that to get to where I am now.”

“The Bachelor” returns in January 2019 on ABC. And for Colton, perhaps the third time will be the charm.

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A Star Is Born: Damon Wayans turns 58 today

(Clarence Williams / Los Angeles Times)

When the passion’s gone, then I’m gone. They haven’t made enough money to get me to do something without passion.

— Damon Wayans, 1991

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Damon Wayans Stands Out: Comic Drops His Stage Act to Put His Passion Into New Horizons

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Roseanne Barr says she’s leaving California and will be far from Hollywood when ‘The Conners’ premieres

Roseanne Barr says she is leaving California, where she has lived for decades.
(Craig Ruttle / Associated Press)

Roseanne Barr has lived for decades in California, where she owns multiple homes. But the comedian, whose racist tweet about former President Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett got her fired from ABC and the revival of “Roseanne” canceled, says she is leaving the Golden State, at least temporarily.

Why? “I’m sure it’s going to fall into the sea soon,” she joked during a recent podcast interview with her friend Rabbi Shmuley Boteach.

Barr will spend some time in Israel, she told Boteach. One goal, she said, is be far from Hollywood when “The Conners” — ABC’s “Roseanne” spinoff — premieres without her on Oct. 16.

Barr said she was sorry for her Twitter remarks but told Boteach that she didn’t like Hollywood and that her public apology had been a mistake.

“My friends told me at the beginning, ‘Oh my God, you made a fatal mistake, and that is you apologized to the left and once you apologize they never forgive, they just try to beat you down until you don’t exist,’” she said.

Barr said she struggled with depression and the cancellation of the “Roseanne” reboot “was a death to me.”

She will go to Israel for a few months and “study with my favorite teachers over there,” she said, adding, “I have saved a few pennies and I’m so lucky I can go. It’s my great joy and privilege to be a Jewish woman.”

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A Star Is Born: Maria Bamford turns 48 today

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

I could bomb, or nobody’s there, and I could care less. I find it creatively satisfying to write material and say it out loud in a public place.

— Maria Bamford, 2012

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Maria Bamford does ‘Special Special Special’ for her parents

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A Star Is Born: Zedd turns 29 today

(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

I don’t think people are necessarily as outspoken in my world as they should be. But you have a responsibility whether you signed up for it or not.

— Zedd, 2017

FROM THE ARCHIVES: ‘I’m speaking up’: Why EDM’s Zedd organized an all-star benefit for the ACLU

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A Star Is Born: Gloria Estefan turns 61 today

(Joe Tabacca / Los Angeles Times)

This country was built by immigrants. And unless you’re a Native American, you’re an immigrant, whether it’s second or third or sixth or seventh generation.

— Gloria Estefan, 1996

FROM THE ARCHIVES: The road to ‘Destiny’

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Aretha Franklin’s funeral: Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder offer stirring final tributes

Stevie Wonder performs during the funeral service for Aretha Franklin at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit.
Stevie Wonder performs during the funeral service for Aretha Franklin at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit.
(Paul Sancya / Associated Press )

Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder capped off the momentous service that was Aretha Franklin’s homegoing at the Greater Grace Temple in her native Detroit on Friday with beautiful, understated tributes.

In the early hours of Franklin’s service, the online chatter was devoted to Knight, who told a reporter that she and her late friend “had the same disease,” sending the world into a panic that the soul great had announced she too was battling pancreatic cancer.

It turned out to be a strange misunderstanding of sorts, thankfully, which made it all the sweeter when Knight — who wasn’t on the program to perform – stepped to the pulpit to offer a searing rendition of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”

Knight’s rousing performance was a potent balm following an intense eulogy delivered by the Rev. Jasper Williams that at moments recalled the volatile indictments shouted from podiums that have turned many away from black churches.

After Knight’s performance, Wonder arrived to close out the service – which at this point was pushing the nine-hour mark.

Like many who graced the stage before he did to pay respect to Franklin, Wonder started his performance by firmly planting himself in the church with a lush rendition of “The Lord’s Prayer” on the harmonica.

“Without God’s goodness, greatness, we would have never known the Queen of Soul,” he said during his remarks. “We would have never known the joy that she brought to us, we’d have never known someone who could express in song the pain that we felt. And yes, the reason that we are here today is because of love, because of how much we love this woman.”

Wonder then delivered his signature tune “As” in which he was backed by numerous singers, including R&B star Angie Stone and actress Jenifer Lewis.

“The joy is in knowing she will have an eternal life of bliss with the most high,” Wonder concluded before singer Jennifer Holliday arrived to oversee a jubilant recessional, during which Franklin’s solid gold casket was taken out of the church.

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Aretha Franklin’s funeral: Jennifer Hudson hits the heights of ‘Amazing Grace’

Jennifer Hudson performs during the funeral service for Aretha Franklin at Greater Grace Temple on Friday in Detroit.
Jennifer Hudson performs during the funeral service for Aretha Franklin at Greater Grace Temple on Friday in Detroit.
(Paul Sancya / Associated Press)

“Amazing Grace,” was perhaps Aretha Franklin’s greatest achievement as a musician. The album, recorded live over two days at New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Watts in 1972, was a free-flowing, beyond-virtuosic showcase for not only her vocal talent (which was well-established at that point) but of the culture and tradition that incubated it.

Her read on the American-standard title track is almost not even a song — it’s more of a living document of that very room in Watts, with all the cheers, stamping and heat present in every gap between Franklin’s notes. She sings astoundingly. But it’s at her pace, her style, her personal sense of the Holy Ghost in that space.

Who could cover a thing like that? Not many, much less at the service to remember the woman who did it best. But Jennifer Hudson did her level best to live up to it.

Obviously, Franklin’s version is a north star for Hudson’s whole career. Her tone, her crescendos, her ear for holding a note or a silence just long enough to make your hair stand up — that all came from Franklin’s version.

Hudson relived it beautifully at Friday’s ceremony, using the song itself as the thinnest lattice to live in the spiritual spaces between, just like her hero.

It’s so telling that many of the day’s best performances came out of the gospel tradition of Franklin’s “Amazing Grace.” Those who knew her best knew that even her pop and soul material was grounded in this kind of singing, where sacred and secular became indistinguishable. Physical pleasure meets ethereal imagination. A song is not an end, but a start to a search for something more.

America lost its finest voice along that path in recent days. But there are others like Hudson who are looking as well.

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Neil Armstrong’s sons fire back over criticisms that the biopic ‘First Man’ is anti-American

The two sons of famed astronaut Neil Armstrong are firing back against claims that a new biopic about their father, “First Man,” is anti-American.

The drama, directed by Damien Chazelle and starring Ryan Gosling, premiered Aug. 29 at the Venice Film Festival, where it received a standing ovation. But when early viewers revealed that the narrative does not include the moment Armstrong planted an American flag on the moon when he arrived on its surface in 1969, many people, including Sen. Marco Rubio, took to social media to protest the film, whether they had seen it or not.

In response, the late Armstong’s two sons, Rick and Mark, along with “First Man” author James R. Hansen, issued a statement Friday in which they encouraged everyone to see the film first:

We’ve read a number of comments about the film today and specifically about the absence of the flag planting scene, made largely by people who haven’t seen the movie. As we’ve seen it multiple times, we thought maybe we should weigh in.

This is a film that focuses on what you don’t know about Neil Armstrong. It’s a film that focuses on things you didn’t see or may not remember about Neil’s journey to the moon. The filmmakers spent years doing extensive research to get at the man behind the myth, to get at the story behind the story. It’s a movie that gives you unique insight into the Armstrong family and fallen American Heroes like Elliot See and Ed White. It’s a very personal movie about our dad’s journey, seen through his eyes.

This story is human and it is universal. Of course, it celebrates an America achievement. It also celebrates an achievement “for all mankind,” as it says on the plaque Neil and Buzz [Aldrin] left on the moon. It is a story about an ordinary man who makes profound sacrifices and suffers through intense loss in order to achieve the impossible.

Although Neil didn’t see himself that way, he was an American hero. He was also an engineer and a pilot, a father and a friend, a man who suffered privately through great tragedies with incredible grace. This is why, though there are numerous shots of the American flag on the moon, the filmmakers chose to focus on Neil looking back at the earth, his walk to Little West Crater, his unique, personal experience of completing this journey, a journey that has seen so many incredible highs and devastating lows.

In short, we do not feel this movie is anti-American in the slightest. Quite the opposite. But don’t take our word for it. We’d encourage everyone to go see this remarkable film and see for themselves.

Gosling had already publicly defended the decision not to include the American flag scene during a news conference in Venice. According to the Telegraph, Gosling supported the omission because, he said, “I don’t think that Neil viewed himself as an American hero. From my interviews with his family and people that knew him, it was quite the opposite. And we wanted the film to reflect Neil.”

Watch the trailer for the film below:

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Aretha Franklin’s funeral: Fantasia showcases her gospel roots

Fantasia Barrino-Taylor performs at Aretha Franklin's funeral at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit on Friday.
(Angela Weiss / AFP )

The first thing Fantasia Barrino-Taylor did when she came out to sing for Aretha Franklin’s funeral in Detroit on Friday was to take her own shoes off. No pair of high heels was going to get in the way of her tribute.

Barrino-Taylor gave the service’s most intense, fiery performance so far — by a mile. Few other vocalists in that venue (save maybe Yolanda Adams and, of course, the deceased) could match her pure gospel power. So her selections from Franklin’s landmark “Amazing Grace” live album were the truest songs she could have chosen.

Opening with a reverent rendition of “Precious Lord, Take My Hand,” Barrino-Taylor continued the service’s grateful, consoling tone. “When you’re down and troubled, and you need some loving care / And nothing, nothing is going right, close your eyes and think of me.” The intended, of course, is God, but today it might well have been Franklin as well.

The song built and built, and Fantasia’s voice grew wider and more powerful as it transitioned into the jubilant “You’ve Got a Friend.” When she hit the top of her range, it uncannily evoked Franklin’s own rafter-splitting pitch and potency.

So many on Friday remembered Franklin as a person, as an activist, as a family member and a friend. But Barrino-Taylor’s performance was for everyone else who will turn to her voice in troubled times: “You just call out my name, and you know wherever I am / I’ll come running to see you again / Winter, spring, summer or fall / All you have to do is call and I’ll be there.”

Just before, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who knew Franklin for most of his life, said: “It’s a holy privilege to stand before you today. … Aretha is in that zone, once in a thousand years.”

But like the Rev. Al Sharpton before him, he used the occasion to call the congregation to action, much as Franklin did while alive. “Long lines at deaths of the icons, and short lines for voting, means that something is missing,” he said. “Registering to vote is the best way to honor Aretha.”

“I’ve worked with Dr. King, I’ve worked with [Nelson] Mandela,” he continued. “I’ve been a lot of places, but I’ve never seen the righteous forsaken. Sleep on, Aretha, see you in the morning.”

The Rev. William Barber II, who is leading a revival of King’s Poor People’s Campaign from his home base in North Carolina, deepened the connection between Franklin’s music and her sense of justice. He placed her in the pantheon of civil rights icons, and called on all listening to continue her work.

“This is why Aretha music did more to transform society in the 20th century than many realized. Before [Barack] Obama said ‘Yes we can,’ Aretha said ‘We can conquer hate together, yes we can.’ In the midst of our nation’s current moral crisis, we need Aretha’s gospel.”

“She’s singing from the sacred place … from the moans of our ancestors,” he continued. “Those who sang in order to be saved. Aretha carved out sacred space wherever she went. … It made you want to get up not only to dance, but to do something about racism, do something about poverty. Aretha’s singing made you want to fight a little while longer.”

Then he quoted her best-loved song, and drew out all the threads of self-determination within it. “We will not accept anything less than respect,” he shouted, as the crowd rose to its feet. “Aretha told us respect is nonnegotiable. That’s why we respect the queen mother of soul.”

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Gladys Knight does not have cancer, despite her remark that suggested otherwise

Gladys Knight is fine, folks. Calm down.

That’s according to her publicist, who on Friday afternoon rejected a comment the legendary singer made earlier in the day to a local Detroit TV station on her way into Aretha Franklin’s funeral.

“We shared the fact that we had the same disease,” Knight tagged onto the end of two minutes’ worth of comments to WDIV-TV about her late friend — but the 74-year-old singer apparently didn’t mean it literally.

“She’s healthy. Someone must have misinterpreted,” Knight publicist Javier Delgado told Detroit Free Press on Friday. Alas, some outlets had already run with the story.

Delgado talked to the Detroit News as well, saying, “Maybe she meant she feels her pain. But she does not have cancer.”

His clarifications came while Franklin’s funeral was still unfolding at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit, while Knight presumably sat in the audience.

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Aretha Franklin’s funeral: Chaka Khan offers a reassuring salute with ‘Going Up Yonder’

Chaka Khan performs during the funeral service for Aretha Franklin at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit on Friday.
(Paul Sancya / Associated Press)

Chaka Khan didn’t drop her microphone on the floor after her riveting performance of “Going Up Yonder” at Aretha Franklin’s funeral on Friday, but she may as well have. The soul singer, like Franklin, learned to sing at church and — it was obvious.

Performing gospel singer and songwriter Walter Hawkins’ reassuring hymn on the thrills of the afterlife, Khan eased her way into the song as if to meditate on the groove before gliding into it. With intense auburn hair, a deep blue dress and matching hand-fan, Khan seemed primed to salute her peer, and took her time working through the song.

That, however, shouldn’t be surprising to anyone who has experienced Khan in concert. As the Root hilariously noted in a post about the Queen of Soul’s unrealistically timed funeral schedule, “Chaka Khan has 5 minutes? She has runs longer than 5 minutes. On accident. Ask Rufus.”

Thankfully, that proved prescient. Khan expressed through song her faith that Franklin was headed to a place where everyone’s a diva (and Franklin’s competitive streak has been left behind).

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Bill Clinton calls himself an ‘Aretha groupie’ at Franklin’s funeral

Bill Clinton spoke at Aretha Franklin's funeral on Friday, sharing stories of the departed legend and marveling at her outfit.
(Paul Sancya / Associated Press)

Known speechifier Bill Clinton did not disappoint at the Detroit funeral of Aretha Franklin on Friday.

The former president spoke at length about his admiration for the late Queen of Soul, admitting that more often than not, being in the presence of Franklin reduced him to little more than an “Aretha groupie.”

But for all of the special performances Clinton was privy to at the White House, few touched him as much as being present for Franklin’s final public performance at Elton John’s AIDS Foundation benefit in November.

Beckoned backstage by Franklin, Clinton went to visit the Queen, who, though “gaunt,” still managed to perform for an astounding 45 minutes.

“How you doing, baby?” Franklin asked the former president.

“I’m doing better now,” Clinton replied.

And Clinton was never so human during his remarks as when he admitted that he was so happy to see that Franklin’s casket was still open when he arrived, so he could check out her outfit.

“I wonder what my friend has got on today,” he said. “I wanted to see what the girl was carrying out.”

(For the record, Franklin was decked out in a full-length gold dress, with sequined heels.)

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Aretha Franklin’s funeral: Smokey Robinson remembers his ‘longest friend’

At Aretha Franklin’s funeral in Detroit on Friday, Smokey Robinson remembered the very day he first heard Franklin sing. He’d walked into the Franklin family’s Detroit home, a young artist with no idea that the two would help define soul and civil rights activism in the decades to come.

But before he saw her, he heard her piano ringing down the hallway. Right then, he knew they would be friends.

“From then on, we’ve been so close, so tight. I didn’t know that this soon, I’d have to say goodbye,” Robinson said. “We were the two longest [friends] of all the neighborhood kids. Now my longest friend has gone to the father.”

Robinson is 78, and no stranger to saying goodbye to the giants from his genre. But even he seemed to be struggling with the loss of not just America’s greatest soul voice, but also one of his best friends.

The only thing to do then, was sing. He chose “Really Gonna Miss You,” the backbone of his “Temptations” miniseries, and performed it a cappella: “I’m really gonna miss you, it’s really gonna be different without you. For the rest of my life, I’m gonna be thinking about you.”

Then he closed. “I miss you my buddy, I miss you my friend.” Almost no one had more reason to say that to Franklin on Friday.

“You’ll be one of the featured in the choir of angels,” Robinson said. “Because you’d have to be.”

The Rev. Al Sharpton spoke just before Robinson, and he punctuated his mostly loving, lively eulogy with some inspired political fury at the end.

“Trump said that ‘She worked for me.’ No, she used to perform for you. She worked for us,” Sharpton said, gesturing to the crowd of mostly black faces in the church. It was Sharpton’s more polite equivalent of saying “get her name out of your mouth,” but the impact was the same. This was a day for music, for life, for justice and remembrance, and it was not to be sullied.

Few acts would be better to bring it all back than the Clark Sisters, the Detroit gospel/soul group and longtime peers of Franklin.

The song they performed — “Is My Living in Vain?” — spoke right to heart of Franklin’s life. “Is my living in vain? Is my praying in vain?” they asked, in perfect three-part harmony. The performance was far, far from somber: The Clarks dove in with so much conviction that it was clear they already knew the answer.

For Franklin, no, not a second of it was in vain.

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‘ER’ actress Vanessa Marquez shot and killed by South Pasadena police during wellness check at home

Actress Vanessa Marquez was identified by authorities Friday as the 49-year-old woman shot and killed by police a day earlier during a welfare check at her apartment in South Pasadena.

Marquez was best known for her recurring role as nurse Wendy Goldman on the popular medical drama “ER,” which ran for 15 seasons until 2009. Marquez appeared on the show from 1994 to 1997.

More recently, Marquez used social media to reference her struggles with celiac disease and seizures. She wrote on Facebook in March that she was “terminally ill.”

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Aretha Franklin’s funeral: Ariana Grande and a pitchy Faith Hill get the support of the room

Ariana Grande performs at funeral services for Aretha Franklin.
Ariana Grande performs at funeral services for Aretha Franklin.
(Angela Weiss / Getty Images)

During the opening hours of Aretha Franklin’s funeral at the Greater Grace Temple in Detroit, the Aretha Franklin Orchestra offered gentle, instrumental gospel soul music as VIPs and dignitaries including Diana Ross, Hillary and Bill Clinton, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Whoopi Goldberg, Tyler Perry, Patti LaBelle and dozens of others greeted friends and family.

The Aretha Franklin Celebration Choir filled the sanctuary with overwhelming power, moving through “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and classic spirituals that confirmed that hundreds of pitch-perfect gospel singers were in the house, both onstage and among the attendees.

With those opening acts, woe be the first soloist to take the microphone, as country superstar Faith Hill did after opening remarks. Backed by the orchestra and choir, Hill delivered an enthusiastic version of “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” Her inclusion sent an early signal that the late diva’s family was aiming for genre-transcending unification.

Critics might judge Hill’s pitchy performance, but this is church, and when a preacher commands the attendees to “lift every voice,” casting judgment feels misguided. (Predictably, that didn’t stop online commenters from throwing shade.)

Hill was followed by pop superstar Ariana Grande — introduced with the praise, “please welcome the music ministry of Ariana Grande” -- who seemed visibly overwhelmed by her inclusion.

Singing “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” Grande moved across the lines with a tentativeness, seemingly afraid to let loose for fear of becoming a meme. She needn’t have worried. Backed by so many powerful voices, Grande had the support of the room — even if Rev. Jackson onstage behind her seemed noticeably unmoved.

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We’re living in a post-’Roseanne’ world as ‘The Conners’ enters production at ABC

It’s the end of an era.

ABC announced the official start of production for “The Conners” on Friday, the “Roseanne” spinoff with no participation from Roseanne Barr.

The first photo from the series, featuring the cast sitting around a kitchen table, appears to be low-drama, which is probably exactly what the network was hoping for, given the controversy surrounding the show.

ABC struck gold with its revival of “Roseanne,” which ended the 2017-18 television season as the highest-rated and most watched new series of the year.

The show had already been renewed when a racist tweet from Barr, its eponymous star, scuttled plans for the series’ future and left the network in a pickle.

Just weeks after the May cancellation of “Roseanne,” ABC announced a straight-to-series order of “The Conners,” centering on the family struggling “after a sudden turn of events.”

So Roseanne Conner dies. Probably. At least that’s what John Goodman thinks.

“The Conners” is scheduled to premiere Oct. 16 at 8 p.m. Pacific on ABC.

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Watch Aretha Franklin’s funeral now as it livestreams from Detroit

Aretha Franklin’s funeral is underway in Detroit this morning, running more than an hour late even before the family had taken their seats, and you can watch it above as it unfolds almost certainly into the afternoon.

The Queen of Soul is wearing gold as family and friends gather at the traditional homegoing service, where hundreds have packed the pews at Greater Grace Temple.

Scheduled speakers include the Rev. Jesse Jackson and former President Bill Clinton and musical performances by Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Hudson, Ariana Grande and more.

The funeral comes after three days of viewing in Detroit. Franklin died Aug. 16 of pancreatic cancer at age 76.

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A Star Is Born: Richard Gere turns 69 today

(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Acting is just an illustration. We’re playing a little game here; we have a little magic show. What’s a movie? What is it really? Light and shadow.

— Richard Gere, 2003

FROM THE ARCHIVES: A seeker in Hollywood

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KPCC’s Alex Cohen departing for Charter Communications’ 24-hour L.A. news network

Alex Cohen, a veteran Los Angeles journalist who has given voice to California news for years, is leaving public radio station KPCC and joining Charter Communications’ Spectrum News, The Times has learned.

The 24-hour local news network is scheduled to launch in November, available to 1.5 million homes in greater Los Angeles that subscribe to Spectrum’s pay-TV service.

Although Cohen’s hire has not been officially announced yet, The Times obtained an email that Cohen sent to supporters Thursday morning confirming her career move to TV.

Cohen said in the message that she will be joining the network as one of its morning anchors and host of a prime-time evening public affairs program.

She also indicated that Friday will be her last day hosting “Morning Edition” on KPCC. (Cohen declined to elaborate when reached for comment Thursday.)

In filling 24 hours of news coverage, Spectrum will focus on hyper-local issues, in addition to broader Los Angeles-based subjects.

“People want to see more positive stories about their communities,” Cater Lee, Spectrum Networks’ vice president for news and content, told The Times last week.

“Sometimes when you watch the news, the reflection of Los Angeles that you see is not the experience that we live,” she added. “This is a wonderful place to live, and there is so much to celebrate.”

Cohen is a decorated journalist in Los Angeles, previously winning both Golden Mike and LA Press Club’s Best Radio Anchor awards.

She is one of 125 people whom Charter plans to hire to staff the new channel, which will be based in El Segundo, alongside the company’s two other networks, Spectrum SportsNet and SportsNet LA.

Charter Communications declined to comment on Cohen’s hire when contacted by The Times Thursday afternoon.

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So, did Neil Young and Daryl Hannah get married? We think so

Daryl Hannah and Neil Young in May.
(Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images)

Daryl Hannah and Neil Young might be married. Lots of stuff points to them being married. The general presumption is that they are, in fact, married.

But nobody official, including the presumed bride and groom themselves, will say they got hitched.

This is rather frustrating.

“I am her contact, but sorry I do not discuss Daryl’s personal life,” a Hannah rep told The Times on Wednesday. And nobody linked to Young got back to us. Sigh.

Here’s a fact: The actress and the singer-songwriter, 57 and 72, respectively, are in fact a couple and have been dating since 2014. That same year, in late July, Young filed for divorce from Pegi Young, his wife of 36 years.

Mark Miller, a guitarist, wished Young and Hannah well Saturday on Facebook, saying simply, “Congratulations to Daryl Hannah and Neil Young on their wedding today. May they have a long and happy relationship.” That appears to have kicked off the marital speculation.

“I only knew about it because one of my friends attended the ceremony in Atascadero and announced it on his page. Interesting that another person (now unfriended) called me a liar over my post, (another 1st). Oops! Cya!,” Miller wrote three days later on his Facebook page.

According to the Mirror, which had an early wedding story, Young and Hannah did the deed in front of close friends in, yes, Atascadero, Calif. That happened after they reportedly also said their vows on a yacht the Mirror said Young owns in the San Juan Islands.

People magazine backed up parts of the story in a Thursday interview with Ron Fugere, a local boat captain who appears to have peeped at the W.N. Ragland — named for Young’s grandfather — for a few days last week.

“I saw a boat down at the end of the dock that I hadn’t recognized from a distance so I thought I’d walk down and see what boat it was,” Fugere told People. He said he was with a friend and spotted Young inside the yacht’s pilot house.

A couple of days later, on Saturday, Fugere noticed people aboard the boat, thought it looked like a wedding was going on and grabbed his binoculars.

But wait — it looks like Young for 30 years used to own the 1913 yacht that was used for a supposed wedding, though it sounds like the rocker-slash-activist is still at least friends with the guy who bought it and lived on it for years.

Heck, Neil and Daryl have used it since the other guy bought it, so maybe Young bought it back. Who knows. It barely matters.

According to the New York Post’s Page Six, the California part of the nuptials went down days earlier. That paper reported Wednesday that about 100 people, among them Joni Mitchell and Stephen Stills, gathered Friday near San Luis Obispo for a top-secret party.

To avoid paparazzi, Page Six reported, party guests were told that hotels in the area didn’t know anything about the event. Guests shouldn’t mention the event, and Hannah and Young would appreciate if they left their phones and cameras at said hotels before showing up at the gathering, they were told.

Which would explain the absolute lack of anything on social media — except for Hannah’s cryptic Instagram post of a picture of a barn owl on Saturday.

“someone’s watching over us.... love & only love,” she wrote.

So, congrats, Neil and Daryl. We heard you got married. And that’s good enough.

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Gérard Depardieu reportedly denies accusations of rape

Gérard Depardieu with sunglasses resting on his head
Gérard Depardieu in 2015.
(Boris Horvat / AFP / Getty Images)

Actor Gérard Depardieu is denying a rape accusation by an actress a third his age, according to reports out Thursday.

The Paris prosecutors office said Thursday that it had opened a preliminary investigation into allegations of “rapes and sexual assaults” after the complaint was made Monday in southern Aix-en-Provence province, Agence France-Presse reported.

The 69-year-old is accused of raping the 22-year-old woman this month at one of his Paris residences, the BBC said, citing French radio. Her name has not been released. She’s reportedly also an author and knew the actor before the alleged crimes took place.

“I regret the public nature of this process which poses a major prejudice to Gérard Depardieu, whose innocence I am convinced will be recognized,” his lawyer, Hervé Termime, told AFP.

Depardieu has more than 180 films to his credit, including “Green Card,” “The Life of Pi” and “The Man in the Iron Mask.”

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A Star Is Born: Michael Chiklis turns 55 today

(Beatrice de Gea / Los Angeles Times)

Anybody who tells you they sink into a character to the extent that they lose themselves is full of baloney. And if they do, they need to be institutionalized.

— Michael Chiklis, 2012

FROM THE ARCHIVES: ‘Vegas’ actor Michael Chiklis on playing heroes and villains

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New ‘Young Justice: Outsiders’ clip and ‘Titans’ photos revealed during DC Universe livestream event

Watch a clip from “Young Justice: Outsiders.” 

DC Universe has a launch date: Batman Day.

Kevin Smith announced the news during a Facebook live event on Wednesday, which was packed full with information related to DC’s upcoming digital streaming service.

The highlights of the presentation included a brand new “Young Justice” clip as well as photos from “Titans.”

“Young Justice: Outsiders” producers Greg Weisman and Brandon Vietti were on hand to debut a first-look clip of the upcoming animated show.

The video shows Dick Grayson, a.k.a. Nightwing, breaking into a metahuman trafficking lab with the help of mysterious voice Oracle. While the first two seasons of “Young Justice” will be available at launch, “Young Justice: Outsiders” will debut in 2019.

Smith, along with DC co-publisher and chief creative officer Jim Lee, also unveiled some new character images from “Titans.” The upcoming live-action show will follow Robin, generally known as Batman’s sidekick, as he attempts to step out of the shadow of his mentor with his new superhero teammates Starfire, Raven and Beast Boy.

“Titans” will hit DC Universe on Oct. 12, following its Oct. 3 premiere event at New York Comic-Con.

See the new “Titans” images below.

DC Universe will launch Sept. 15. Subscribers will have access to new original programs such as “Titans,” “Young Justice: Outsiders,” “Doom Patrol,” “Swamp Thing” and “Stargirl” (as they are released) as well as a library of past TV shows and movies and a curated collection of comic books.

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World celebrates what would have been Michael Jackson’s 60th birthday

A fan celebrates Michael Jackson's birthday at a temporary monument constructed for the star in London.
(Nishat Ahmed / Associated Press)

The celebrations came in all shapes and sizes from all around the world on Wednesday to memorialize the life of the King of Pop on what would have been his 60th birthday.

Michael Jackson died June 25, 2009, but that hasn’t stopped fans from celebrating the artist’s legacy.

Janet Jackson, his sister and fellow pop idol, paid homage to her brother in a video collaboration with social media stars Kwaylon Rogers and Andrew Bachelor.

In the clip posted by TMZ, Janet plays a queen judging her royal entertainment, just like Iman did in Michael’s 1992 music video for “Remember the Time.”

Fans in London are celebrating Jackson’s life at a temporary monument constructed for the star. According to Reuters, a sparkling, 13-foot-tall white crown was placed by Sony Music on the south bank of the River Thames and is on display only for the day.

London also boasts “Michael Jackson: On the Wall,” a new exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery featuring the works of 48 artists as they explore the art and artistry of Jackson’s life.

In Las Vegas, the Estate of Michael Jackson and Cirque du Soleil are joining forces for the sixth year to celebrate his birthday, but this year they’re are pulling out all the stops.

Called the “Diamond Birthday Celebration,” a party will be held at Mandalay Bay and honor Jackson’s mission to aid children worldwide with support for GAIA Elizabeth Taylor Mobile Health Clinics free health care to those living in rural Malawi.

Jackson family members, including children Paris and Prince Jackson, are expected to be in attendance, in addition to DJ and producer Mark Ronson, who released a special “Diamonds Are Invincible” remix for the occasion.

The song is five minutes long and features snippets of several of Jackson’s hits, including “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” “Billie Jean,” “Smooth Criminal,” “The Way You Make Me Feel” and “Human Nature.”

Jackson’s estate also announced Wednesday that it is partnering with IMAX to release a digitally remastered version of “Thriller 3D.”

The film is scheduled for a one-week run in IMAX theaters beginning Sept. 21, airing ahead of Amblin’s upcoming film “The House With a Clock in Its Walls.”

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A Star Is Born: Elliott Gould turns 80 today

(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

To be an actor you have to know what it is to be a person. And I had to find out what it is to be a human being before [acting] could have any meaning for me.

— Elliott Gould, 1996

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Trapping an Elusive Character

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In unsealed deposition, Katy Perry says Dr. Luke never raped her

Katy Perry, left, Dr. Luke and Kesha.
Katy Perry, left, Dr. Luke and Kesha.
(Charles Sykes / Associated Press; Richard Shotwell / Associated Press; Kevin Winter / Getty Images)

A sealed deposition from Katy Perry was unsealed Monday, bringing with it good news for plaintiff Dr. Luke. The pop star says he never raped her, as had been rumored. But defendant Kesha’s team welcomed the unsealing, implying it had been a long time coming.

The documents were opened at the request of lawyers pursuing a defamation case by Dr. Luke against Kesha, with whom the record producer has legally tangled since 2014.

Dr. Luke, whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald, brought a defamation case against Kesha in October 2014, two days after she filed a lawsuit in an Los Angeles court in which she accused him of drugging her, raping her and more.

Years’ worth of court battles ensued as Kesha fought to get out of her recording contract and Dr. Luke sought to nail people for alleged defamation.

Then earlier this year, after a court decision closed the final appeal in Kesha’s New York case against her producer, his defamation case was allowed to move forward.

Perry’s February 2016 deposition, per documents obtained by Variety, included a series of “no” answers to questions about rape, roofies and a romantic relationship with Dr. Luke. When asked if Dr. Luke had ever sexually assaulted her, Perry answered, “Absolutely not.”

The rumor about rape appears to have arisen via a third party who testified in the case. Lady Gaga said in her deposition, which was also unsealed Monday and comes via Variety, that she heard the rumor from a music executive.

“He said something like, ‘I heard he raped Katy, too,’” Lady Gaga testified, according to Variety.

Dr. Luke’s suit alleged that in a private text message sent to Gaga, Kesha said that Dr. Luke had raped Perry.

“There is nothing worse than abuse and sexual assault. Dr. Luke supports any woman or man who seeks to address sexual abuse in the legal system. That is not what happened here,” the producer’s lawyers said in a statement to The Times on Monday.

“It is also horrendous to falsely accuse someone of a heinous act. That is what has happened here.”

Kesha’s legal team, meanwhile, spoke out aggressively in her defense, with attorney Leah Godesky calling Dr. Luke’s team’s strategy “straight out of the blame-the-victim playbook, intended to humiliate and intimidate Kesha into issuing a retraction.”

However, Godesky said Tuesday in a statement to The Times, “Kesha has never wavered in her account of Dr. Luke’s abuse, even in the face of mocking laughter and highly inappropriate questions by Dr. Luke’s team, who seek to call into question her credibility as a victim asking questions that most certainly would be barred by most states’ laws intended to protect victims.’

Godesky called Dr. Luke’s current defamation suit “frivolous,” pointing out that it is over what had been a private text between Kesha and Lady Gaga discussing a third-party conversation. The text became public only when it was published in 2017 as part of Dr. Luke’s claim, she said.

“Kesha has consistently requested that the evidence in the case be unsealed, while Dr. Luke has fought vigorously to keep the evidence from seeing the light of day,” Godesky said. “Kesha looks forward to defeating Dr. Luke’s meritless $40+ million damage claims at summary judgment or trial.”

UPDATED

2:25 p.m.: This post has been updated with statements from Kesha’s legal team.

This story was originally published at 1:10 p.m.

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Eddie Murphy is expecting baby No. 10

Paige Butcher and Eddie Murphy are expecting their second child together.
(Jean Baptiste Lacroix / AFP/Getty Images)

Eddie Murphy has a new baby on the way, and this kiddo will be his 10th child.

The comic and Paige Butcher, his girlfriend since 2012, are expecting their second child in December, Murphy’s rep told The Times on Tuesday.

Butcher is also mom to Murphy’s 2-year-old daughter, Izzy Oona. The 39-year-old Australian model was photographed recently sporting a bump, which resulted in the baby-on-board revelation.

The “Beverly Hills Cop” actor’s other children — most of them adults or close to it — include eldest son Eric, 29, whose mom is ex-girlfriend Paulette McNeely, and son Christian, whom he shares with ex-girlfriend Tamara Hood. He has five more kids (Bria, Myles, Shayne, Zola and Bella) with ex-wife Nicole Mitchell, whom he met in 1988 and divorced in 2006.

And Angel Iris Murphy Brown is his daughter with former Spice Girl Melanie Brown, who wound up getting a DNA test to prove Murphy was the dad. At 11, she’s the youngest except for Izzy and, of course, the baby-to-be.

For Christmas 2016, Murphy, 57, posed with the bulk of his clan for a photo that was published on Instagram by daughter Bria.

Better make a little more room in front of that fireplace, folks.

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Louis C.K. returns to stand-up for the first time since admitting to sexual misconduct

Louis C.K. performed a comedy set on Sunday in New York, his first performance in the nine months since he admitted to sexual misconduct.
(Michael Nagle / For The Times)

It’s been nearly 10 months since Louis C.K. admitted to sexual misconduct, and the comedian appears to be readying for a return to the spotlight.

The “Louie” creator performed a surprise, 15-minute stand-up set at the Comedy Cellar in Manhattan on Sunday, club owner Noam Dworman told the New York Times.

According to Dworman, C.K. didn’t touch on the scandal during his set, instead focusing primarily on topics such as racism, waitresses’ tips and parades.

Five women spoke to the New York Times last November and accused C.K. of masturbating — or asking to — in front of them, rumors of which had circled the comedy scene for years.

C.K. quickly released a lengthy statement admitting to the women’s accusations, saying, in part, “These stories are true.”

The blowback for C.K. was immediate, with HBO, Netflix, FX, his management company, his publicist and his booking agent all cutting ties with the comedian.

Film distributor the Orchard also declined to release C.K.’s “I Love You, Daddy,” about a TV writer whose teenage daughter is seduced by an older, famous director.

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A Star Is Born: Florence Welch turns 32 today

(Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

It’s like self-acceptance on a grand scale. If you’re going to put these songs into the world, you’ve got to be OK with them yourself.

— Florence Welch, 2015

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Florence Welch says no tricks on new, stripped-down Florence and the Machine album (2015)

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Former Spice Girl Melanie Brown is reportedly seeking PTSD treatment

(Willy Sanjuan / Associated Press)

Melanie Brown is reportedly seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, saying that her history with alcohol and sex has been an underlying symptom of the mental health issue.

The former Spice Girl and “America’s Got Talent” host believes the disorder was brought on by her contentious split from film producer Stephen Belafonte, according to a statement attributed to her by British paper the Sun on Sunday.

Included were details about her recent diagnosis and the “incredibly difficult” six months she has endured while reflecting on her life for her upcoming memoir, “Brutally Honest.”

It also came on the heels of a report from the same outlet that the Spice Girls would reunite next year for a tour without Victoria Beckham.

“It has been unbelievably traumatic reliving an emotionally abusive relationship and confronting so many massive issues in my life,” the statement said.

Brown’s talent agency declined to comment on Monday and said she currently does not have a publicist.

As of Monday morning the singer did not further post about any diagnosis on social media beyond tweeting a link to information about PTSD from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and retweeting an apparently related statement issued by her mother.

“I am being very honest about drinking to numb my pain but that is just a way a lot of people mask what is really going on. Sometimes it is too hard to cope with all the emotions I feel. But the problem has never been about sex or alcohol — it is underneath all that,” Brown’s statement continued.

Commentary: Four Spice Girls Reuniting? That’s One Spice Shy of a Tasty Show

The singer reached “a crisis point” and is dealing with it — and as such, she decided to enter “a proper therapy programme in the next few weeks” in the U.K., the Sun reported.

“I am very, very British and I know that will work best for me,” the statement said. “I am still struggling but if I can shine a light on the issue of pain, PTSD and the things men and women do to mask it, I will do.

Brown said her diagnosis earlier this month and a new type of therapy have made an impact, but she doesn’t want to “jinx it,” according to the report.

After nearly 10 years of marriage, the mother of three filed for divorce from Belafonte in March 2017. As the marriage unraveled in the public eye while the couple battled over custody of their daughter Madison, accusations of deception and domestic abuse came to light.

The divorce was finalized in December, and additional details of the split were reportedly hammered out earlier this month.

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Kevin Smith shows off 51-pound weight loss in new photos

Kevin Smith has lost more than 50 pounds since having a heart attack in February.
(Vivien Killilea / Getty Images)

Kevin Smith’s journey as the incredible shrinking man continued over the weekend, with the “Clerks” writer and director sharing his latest weight loss achievement via Instagram. And it’s a doozy.

“Six months ago from right now, I was in the hospital recovering from a heart attack I’d had the night before,” Smith captioned photos displaying his dramatic weight loss.

“When I went to my doctor a week later, she told me ‘The best thing you can do for yourself now is to lose 50 pounds,’” he continued. “Half a year later, I can report that I followed doctor’s orders: I started at 256 and now I weigh 205. This is the lightest I’ve been since high school!”

In February, Smith suffered a 100% artery blockage — often referred to as a “widow-maker” — in between stand-up comedy sets he was taping for a Showtime special that wound up being titled “Silent But Deadly.”

After his medical malady, Smith immediately looked to drop excess weight, even becoming an ambassador for Weight Watchers.

The artist credits his success to a variety of sources, primary among them being his decision to eat solely plant-based foods.

Smith thanked family and friends in his Instagram post, but also fans and well-wishers.

“An encouraging word can really make a difference in someone’s life and your compliments kept me going,” Smith said. “And just look where I went!”

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Man who rushed Beyoncé and Jay-Z during Atlanta concert faces more charges

Beyoncé and Jay-Z may be fine after a man rushed them during their show in Atlanta on Saturday, but that man is now facing disorderly conduct and simple battery charges, Atlanta police said Monday.

Toward the end of their On the Run II tour concert at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Anthony Charles Thomas Maxwell climbed up and ran onto the stage where the couple was performing, then appeared to follow Jay-Z backstage.

The 26-year-old was quickly stopped by people who were with the performers, the Atlanta Police Department said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times. Police issued a citation for disorderly conduct and released Maxwell. At the time, there was no evidence Maxwell had made contact with the rapper.

“Upon later investigation, officers were able to gather evidence showing Maxwell had, in fact, made contact with Jay-Z. APD subsequently secured warrants to add additional charges of simple battery,” Officer Jarius Daugherty said in the statement.

Maxwell was treated for minor injuries incurred when Jay-Z’s security and backup dancers stopped him from further contact with the rapper, but no one else was injured. Maxwell was taken into custody on Sunday night and transported to the Fulton County Jail, police said.

Reps for Beyoncé and Jay-Z declined to comment when reached by The Times on Monday. However, on Sunday, Beyoncé’s spokeswoman, Yvette Noel-Schure, posted a photo of the pair on Instagram thanking fans for their concern and saying the couple was fine and looking forward to the next show.

It is unclear whether the incident will affect security on the remainder of the couple’s joint tour, which is scheduled to run through October.

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Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner expected to finalize long-running divorce soon

Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck arriving at the 2013 Academy Awards.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

It appears Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner’s prolonged divorce will proceed with a settlement.

After years of inaction on the actors’ divorce petition — and the rumored threat of it being dismissed — the former couple will finalize their split once Affleck completes his reported stint in rehab, according to several reports from the weekend.

TMZ, which first reported the settlement agreement, said the actors, both 46, had to divvy up their fortunes without a prenuptial agreement, putting all the earnings from their 12-year union into one pot.

But the Oscar-winning writer-producer and the Golden Globe-winning actress, who have three school-aged children, have reportedly reached a property settlement and will continue co-parenting through a joint custody agreement, the site said.

Representatives for the actors did not immediately respond to The Times’ requests for comment Monday.

Affleck and Garner, who costarred in 2001’s “Pearl Harbor” and 2003’s “Daredevil,” married in June 2005 and later welcomed daughters Violet, 12, and Seraphina, 9; and son Samuel, 6. They announced their separation in 2015, but did not officially file for divorce until April 2017.

Affleck and Garner have long had a reputation as friendly exes and have been frequently spotted out together in public with their children. Most recently, Garner was photographed last week reportedly staging an intervention before presumably driving Affleck to rehab.

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New ‘True Detective’ trailer features three times as much Mahershala Ali

If you had Oscar winner Mahershala Ali times three in the “True Detective” Season 3 lottery, you’re the big winner.

The HBO series that launched a thousand memes hasn’t aired an episode in more than three years, but even a disappointing second season — how dare they waste Rachel McAdams like that — can’t stem fans’ excitement for the third installment.

Ali plays Wayne Hays, a state detective from northwest Arkansas who’s investigating a crime in the Ozarks. The first trailer reveals the character in three distinctly different eras, suggesting that the season will play fast and loose with time and memory.

Which is on brand, because time is a flat circle, after all.

Series creator Nic Pizzolatto is credited with writing the whole of the third season, with an assist on the fourth episode from “Deadwood” mastermind David Milch.

Pizzolatto will also direct several episodes of the upcoming season, trading off responsibilities with Daniel Sackheim and Jeremy Saulnier.

Stephen Dorff, Carmen Ejogo, Scoot McNairy and Mamie Gummer are among cast members joining Ali in the return of the series.

“True Detective” Season 3 is scheduled to debut in January.

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