Major award shows such as the Grammys and the Oscars are right around the corner, but much of the arts and entertainment world is spending more time reacting to the new presidency of Donald Trump and his recent executive order on immigration. Here’s what’s new and interesting in entertainment and the arts:
Maybe Tony Bennett should’ve shown up after all.
When rumors began circulating last week that Lady Gaga had arranged for her 90-year-old duet partner to appear during the halftime show at Super Bowl LI, the prospect rang alarm bells for anyone hoping that the outspoken pop star would address the tumult that’s spread through America in the two weeks since Donald Trump was sworn in as president.
What was she planning? To turn the Super Bowl into a supper club?
Well, Bennett didn’t materialize Sunday — but neither did the kind of bold, banner-waving performance for which Lady Gaga is known (and loved).
Read more
PHOTOS: Super Bowl 51 halftime show with Lady Gaga
We did not expect to be face-to-face with a “Stranger Things” trailer at the 2017 Super Bowl, and yet the biker gang of adorable children prove there is no large media event that they can’t wrangle a cameo in.
So what did we learn from the sneak peek of the second season of the Netflix series? Well, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) is definitely alive, so there’s that. The little boy who was lost in the Upside Down, Will Byers (Noah Schnapp), has graduated from puking up “pollywog” creatures to full-blown creepy visions.
Oh and if there was ever any doubt that this show was still angling after for that sweet, sweet nostalgia, they put the whole cast in “Ghostbusters” costumes.
The second season will debut on Halloween. Perfect timing.
Blockbusters were the play of the day for the Super Bowl as sequels in the “Fast and Furious,” “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” franchises made their mark during the Big Game.
Here are just a few of the offerings:
“Logan”
Hugh Jackman is back as an older version of the Wolverine character that we’ve known from the “X-Men” franchise. Patrick Stewart is also back as Professor Xavier as he and Logan aim to protect a little girl (Dafne Keen as Laura Kinney or X-23) who seems to have the same types of powers as Wolverine.
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales”
Johnny Depp is back as Capt. Jack Sparrow in the 5th iteration of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise. In it, Sparrow is pursued by an old rival, Capitán Salazar (Javier Bardem) along with a crew of ghost pirates. Orlando Bloom is also back for more swashbuckling action.
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”
Set two months after the first film, the Guardians of the Galaxy are out to help Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) find out more about his parentage. Suffice it to say, there’s a cosmic connection with an interplanetary entity. Returning are Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Groot (Vin Diesel) and Rocket (Bradley Cooper), with some new members joining in.
“Ghost in the Shell”
Cyborg counter-cyberterrorist field commander The Major (played by Scarlett Johansson) commands a task force called Section 9 that fights cyber criminals and hackers. But they are something more than soldiers.
“Life”
“Life” is a sci-fi thriller about a team of scientists aboard the International Space Station whose mission of discovery turns to horror when they find an evolving life form that caused extinction on Mars.
“The Fate and the Furious”
Charlize Theron joins the cast, which includes the familiar crew of Dwayne Johnson as Hobbs, Jordana Brewster as Mia, Michelle Rodriguez as Letty “Ortiz” Toretto, Tyrese Gibson as Roman Pearce, Ludacris as Tej Parker and newer family member Nathalie Emmanuel as Ramsey. Of course, it’s Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto who is the star — and possible turn to the dark side is the shocking event.
“Baywatch”
Everything old is new again, and now it’s “Baywatch’s” turn. Dwayne Johnson is Mitch Buchannon and he just hates new recruit Matt Brody (Zac Efron). Too bad they’ll have to work together to solve the crime of pirates bay or something nautical themed, we’re sure.
“A Cure For Wellness”
Gore Verbinski asks what if a spa… was evil?
Abdullah, the 19-year-old nephew of Times writer Lorraine Ali, had been among those affected by the executive order signed by President Trump barring citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. — even if they’ve already been vetted and have a valid visa.
But no longer.
Read the full story: “This visa-holding, pop culture-loving Muslim college kid is who Trump’s travel ban is keeping out.”
Sure, presidential advisor Kellyanne Conway corrected herself after referencing a “Bowling Green Massacre” that never happened, but it didn’t matter one bit to the online crowd, which had a massive field day with her gaffe on Friday.
Who was it that said, “What doesn’t kill me makes me funnier”? In times like these, that probably doesn’t matter either. Enjoy the jokes, folks:
And yes, a terrorism-related thing did happen in Bowling Green, Ky., in May 2011, but for those who were cracking wise, that was hardly the point. Click here for our fact check — or just keep laughing …
Even Chelsea Clinton chimed in, though she wasn’t very much of a troll at all. Still, it was enough to get a rise out of Conway.
Finally, someone set up a convincing memorial website at bowlinggreenmassacrefund.com . Clicking the “donate” button redirects to a website for the ACLU.
Fact check: A ‘Bowling Green Massacre’? Nope — here’s what actually happened >>
Comedy queen Carol Burnett’s return to the small screen looks imminent now that ABC has ordered a pilot for “Household Name.”
The multi-camera sitcom will be written and executive produced by Michael Saltzman and executive produced by Amy Poehler, Representatives for Poehler confirmed to The Times on Friday that the pilot has been picked up.
The series will feature a family with the opportunity to buy the home of their dreams, but with a catch: They must live with the home’s current owner — an eccentric aging actress played by Burnett — until she dies.
ABC acquired the project in October via a put-pilot commitment , meaning the network had to air the pilot as a series or special, or face steep financial penalties.
If ordered to become a series, “Household Name” would be the first non-variety/sketch show to feature Burnett as a regular.
The Super Bowl teaser for “Transformers: The Last Knight” has been released, offering fans a quick, action-packed look at the upcoming film.
“You want to know, don’t you?” asks Sir Edmund Burton (Anthony Hopkins) in the teaser. “Why they keep coming here. To Earth.”
The preview includes action scenes and explosions, as well as a battle between Optimus Prime and Bumblebee.
The fifth film in the “Transformers” franchise, “The Last Knight” stars Mark Wahlberg, John Goodman, Laura Haddock and Stanley Tucci, and is helmed by “Transformers” veteran director Michael Bay.
Fans can look forward to seeing an extended “Transformers” teaser during Sunday’s main event.
The show must go on, but who’s to say if it’ll be any fun?
Two high-profile publications have pulled out of planning their typical White House Correspondents’ Dinner-related activities, just a day after it was confirmed the dinner is indeed still happening.
Natalie Raabe, director of communications for the New Yorker, confirmed to The Times that it was canceling its usual kickoff party held at the W Hotel.
Vanity Fair is also pulling its participation in an exclusive after-party co-sponsored by Bloomberg L.P.
“We’ve taken a break from the dinner in the past,” Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter told the New York Times before indicating that he personally would be spending the weekend fishing.
Vanity Fair has opted not to sponsor the party in previous years,and when asked about this year’s event, Carter, who has been locked in a war of words with President Trump for years, cited the sitting president.
“And the fish,” Carter quipped.
The hullabaloo around this year’s dinner coincides with the new president’s contentious and often openly hostile relationship with press outlets, some of which he has deemed “fake news,” “very dishonest” and “lying, bad people.”
White House Correspondents’ Assn. President and Reuters White House correspondent Jeff Mason released a statement Thursday confirming that the dinner would take place as planned.
“We’ve received some queries about the 2017 White House Correspondents’ Dinner, which will be the first since the new administration took office,” Mason said. “The White House Correspondents’ Association will hold its annual dinner on April 29 at the Washington Hilton.”
“This year, as we do every year, we will celebrate the First Amendment and the role an independent press plays in a healthy republic,” Mason continued. “We will also reward some of the finest political reporting of the past year while using our scholarship program to highlight and support up-and-coming journalists who are the future of our profession.”
The dinner will already face stiff competition as far as entertainment goes, with Samantha Bee announcing Monday that she would be hosting the ” Not the White House Correspondents’ Dinner ” the same night, with proceeds going to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
There is further the question of whether President Trump will even attend this year’s dinner, which typically includes a celebrity host roasting the president and his administration.
Biggie is back … posthumously, that is.
The rapper Notorious B.I.G. is returning in the form of a duets album, “ The King & I ,” with R&B; songstress Faith Evans, out May 19. Evans, who was married to B.I.G., first mentioned the project in 2014.
“I remember telling Ms. Wallace years ago that one day it would be really dope if I could do something similar to Natalie & Nat King Cole’s ‘Unforgettable,’ ” Evans said in a statement. “Knowing the love that B.I.G. had for [his children] Tyanna & Ceejay, I feel it’s my duty to uphold & extend his legacy, especially his musical contributions.”
The 25-track album features vocals by Evans and Biggie’s raps (some well-known, others unreleased). Hip-hop royalty Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes and Lil’ Kim make guest appearances.
On Friday, Evans released two singles from the album, “NYC” and “When We Party.”
“I’m a skipper/ Like a captain/ Rapping is my specialty/ And the best is me,” Biggie raps on “ NYC ,” a ’90s throwback. The verse comes from an early track called “Mumbling and Whispering.”
In “ When We Party ,” Evans’ singing blends perfectly with a Biggie rhyme lifted from the 1990 hit “Going Back to Cali.”
Of course, this news also means that we must be getting pretty close to that Biggie hologram performance.
2017 has so far been a pretty big year for “1984.”
After a jump in sales prompted the publisher of the George Orwell novel to order a 75,000 copy reprint , a stage adaptation of “1984” is headed to Broadway.
Orwell’s 1949 novel presents a dystopian future in which a fascist regime uses “Newspeak,” or ideologically pure propaganda, to control its subjects. Independent thinking, especially any thoughts questioning or opposing the ruling party, are punished as “thoughtcrime.”
After four successful runs in Britain, the “1984” adaptation created by Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan will kick off June 22 at the Hudson Theatre in New York City for a limited engagement.
“The play is in doublethink,” co-writer and co-director Macmillan told The Times early last year . “You follow a really coherent story, but almost like a magician’s trick, you may have seen a very different story than the person you came along with.”
The production will be produced by Sonia Friedman and Scott Rudin with a creative team that includes Chloe Lamford (set and costume), Natasha Chivers (lighting), Tom Gibbons (sound) and Tim Reid (video).
Hulu is ready for its close-up, having released the 30-second teaser for “The Handmaid’s Tale” on Friday morning that will play during Sunday’s Super Bowl.
This is the streaming content provider’s first Super Bowl spot for an original series.
“I had another name, but it’s forbidden now,” Elisabeth Moss narrates at the beginning of the preview for the highly anticipated adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel.
The book is set in the Republic of Gilead, a territory that crops up after the U.S. Constitution is suspended and religious extremists strip away women’s rights in an attempt to prop up failing birthrates.
The teaser quickly crosscuts between stark imagery of bloodstained walls, swinging nooses and women in crimson dresses swarming together violently.
“My name is Offred — and I intend to survive,” Moss concludes.
“The Handmaid’s Tale,” produced by MGM Television, will premiere on Hulu on April 26.
At a White House breakfast honoring the start of Black History Month, President Trump gave a speech that some have described as “awkward,” “unusual” and a “dire forecast” for the community .
However, at least one person “enjoyed it” and believes the black-lash is just a misunderstanding.
“I stand before you a changed woman,” said “Late Night With Seth Meyers” writer Amber Ruffin during Wednesday night’s episode.
“Now, I heard all the criticisms,” Ruffin continued. “People said his speech was awkward and disconnected. But I think you just have to know how to listen to it, really listen to it, and you will see it rivals the famous ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.”
Ruffin then went on to read Trump’s speech line by line, adding commentary to help shed light on specific moments.
When Trump commented that during the campaign he visited “a lot of different places I wasn’t so familiar with,” Ruffin explained, “He’s talking about, like, where black people live.”
However, like many people, Ruffin had no idea who Trump was referring to when he mentioned “Paris,” who “has done an amazing job in a very hostile CNN community.” (Of course, this Paris would be Trump supporter and CNN commentator Paris Dennard).
Watch the full segment above.
Sure, the world is full of various uncertainties, but SyFy has proved that there is at least one thing people can count on: an annual sharkpocalypse.
SyFy and the Asylum have announced that production has begun for “Sharknado 5,” a follow-up to 2016’s “Sharknado: The 4th Awakens.” The franchise’s original “Sharknado” debuted in 2013.
Ian Ziering and Tara Reid are back as shark-fighting married couple Fin Shepard and April Wexler. Original “Sharknado” cast member Cassie Scerbo will also reprise her role as Nova.
As the ending of the fourth film implied, the whirling, shark-infused weather disaster has escaped the borders of the United States. “Sharknado 5” will see Shepard and his family venture to save Earth from a global sharknado.
“Sharknado 5,” which kicked off production in Bulgaria, will film in more than five countries, including Britain and Australia.
Written by Scotty Mullen, “Sharknado 5” will be directed by Anthony C. Ferrante, who helmed the previous four films.
Donald Trump has been likened to Voldemort, Emperor Palpatine and more than one Batman villain, but leave it to Samantha Bee to notice that his behavior is also reminiscent of a certain “Gilmore Girls” character.
On Wednesday’s episode of “Full Frontal,” Bee tore into President Trump’s fixation on loyalty and betrayal as she dissected the recent firing of acting Atty. Gen. Sally Yates .
After a montage of clips highlighting how much Trump values loyalty, Bee noted that his approach to selecting his senior staff is similar to that of a certain TV character.
“Remember on ‘Gilmore Girls’ when Paris Geller staffed the school newspaper with her most loyal friends with no regard for talent level?” asked Bee. “It’s like that, but with the leader of the free world. And nukes.”
(Then again, Paris would likely take offense to that comparison.)
But Trump’s actions, guided by what he considers loyalty and betrayal, are exactly the reason it is up to protesters to keep the President in check, according to Bee.
“I’m not so sure we can count on the DOJ to push back against Trump,” she said. “Which means it’s up to us.”
Beyoncé is pregnant again, and this time it’s twins, she and Jay Z announced Wednesday on Instagram.
“We would like to share our love and happiness,” Mr. and Mrs. Carter wrote, captioning a diva-esque baby-bump photo of Queen Bey. “We have been blessed two times over. We are incredibly grateful that our family will be growing by two, and we thank you for your well wishes.”
So get ready, Blue Ivy: You’re about to get some competition in the cuteness department.
Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine has definitely got the moves like Jagger. The singer, musician and songwriter will receive the 2,601st star in the Recording category on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in a Feb. 10 ceremony .
Bolstered by hits such as “This Love,” “Moves Like Jagger” and “One More Night,” Maroon 5 has been a consistent force in pop music, winning multiple Grammy Awards. Since 2011, Levine has also been a judge on NBC’s reality show “The Voice.”
Fellow “Voice” judge Blake Shelton and rock musician Sammy Hagar will also speak at the ceremony and help unveil the star.
“Adam Levine fans have been patiently waiting for this day. Fans from around the world have been constantly checking with us saying when, when… Now is the time, and we invite all of Adam’s fans to join us and enjoy Levine’s ‘moves like Jagger!’ and hear his voice,” Walk of Fame producer Ana Martinez said in a statement.
Levine fans can live stream the ceremony next week at www.walkoffame.com .
Jon Stewart returned to “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” Tuesday night to share inside information about President Trump’s upcoming executive orders.
It was Stewart’s first appearance on the show since the eve of the 2016 election, when he participated in an elaborate musical number to get out the vote.
For Tuesday’s show, Stewart appeared in attire inspired by the inauguration, with a red tie so long it dragged the floor, and a dead animal strapped to his head.
Stewart shared upcoming executive orders with Colbert: a scheme that involved China shipping the U.S. the Great Wall C.O.D. and tricking Mexico into signing for it, and a second order introducing an official, if offensive, language for the country.
Stewart couldn’t help but deliver an aside to his old friend Colbert.
“It has been 11 days, Stephen. Eleven [expletive] days. The presidency is supposed to age the president, not the public,” said Stewart.
Stewart then returned to his presidential character, reading one final executive order.
“The reason I, Donald J. Trump, am exhausting is because every instinct and fiber of my pathological self-regard calls me to abuse of power,” he said. “I want — no, deserve — not just your respect, but your adoration. Parades with the tanks and the synchronized dancing, and why can’t they train 10,000 doves to spell out ‘Trump’ in the clouds? How hard can it be, they’re already flying?”
“It is going to take relentless stamina, vigilance and every institutional check and balance this great country can muster to keep me, Donald J. Trump, from going full Palpatine with the lightning coming out of the fingertips,” Stewart said, referencing the villainous emperor from the “Star Wars” movies.
“We have never faced this before. Purposeful, vindictive chaos,” Stewart said pointedly. “But perhaps therein lies the saving grace of I, Donald J. Trump’s presidency.”
“No one action will be adequate. All action will be necessary. And if we do not allow Donald Trump to exhaust our fight, and somehow come through this presidency calamity-less and constitutionally partially intact, then I, Donald J. Trump, will have demonstrated the greatness of America, just not the way I thought I was gonna.”
Watch all of Stewart’s impassioned and amusing antics below.
Univision Communications Inc.’s tense standoff over carriage fees paid by cable operator Charter Communications shifted into high gear late Tuesday when several million homes in the U.S. with Charter-Spectrum service abruptly lost access to Univision’s popular Spanish-language television channels.
Charter no longer had legal authorization to distribute the channels — Univision, UniMas, Galavision and the Univision Deportes Network — as of 9 p.m. Pacific time, and was forced to drop the networks from its lineup.
“We have a contract with Univision and we expect them to honor it,” Charter said in a statement.
The blackout, which came just as Univision viewers were poised to watch a fresh episode of the telenovela “Vino el Amor,” included more than 1.6 million homes in the Los Angeles region with Charter-Spectrum television service.
Read more
Drew Barrymore was in the middle of chaperoning a clamorous kiddie play-date — theme: Disney princess — at her Los Angeles home when the subject of vomit came up.
Fake vomit, to be clear.
It was a Friday afternoon and Barrymore was childlike in her enthusiastic description of the artificial puke she became intimately acquainted with during production of “Santa Clarita Diet,” her TV series headlining debut.
”Oh my God, you should have smelled it,” she said in her signature vocal cadence. “It smelled worse than vomit. Like something in the mixture was spoiled. It was so disgusting, but also so cool and fun. I wanted more of it on me!”
She realizes this is an odd thing to say. But not any more bizarre than learning her first lead TV series role is in a quirky comedy in which she plays a suburban wife and mom who becomes a zombie.
Read more
Jaimie Milner was a post-production intern at Disney when the studio was making its first film with a black princess, 2009’s “The Princess and the Frog.”
Using Milner and actress Anika Noni Rose as references, animator Mark Henn designed the movie’s main character, Tiana. But later, when Milner asked a production manager about the film’s racially ambiguous prince, she was taken aback by the response.
“I asked why isn’t the prince black,” Milner said, and the question prompted her to further contemplate how black men are portrayed in the media.
Read more
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.
