Heute in der Unterhaltungsbranche: Beyoncé und Jay Z scheinen ihren Zwillingen einen Namen gegeben zu haben; Comic

James Cromwell sentenced to seven days in jail for 2015 protest

By Christie D’Zurilla

Actor James Cromwell has been sentenced to a week in a New York jail in lieu of a fine for obstructing traffic during a 2015 sit-in protesting construction of a natural gas-fired power plant in New York state.

The "Babe" and "L.A. Confidential" star, a longtime activist, was arrested in Wawayanda, N.Y., on Dec. 18, 2015, with five others who dubbed themselves the "Wawayanda Six," according to the Times Herald-Record of Middletown, N.Y.

After being found guilty of disorderly conduct earlier this year and each being fined $250 plus a $125 surcharge, half the members of the group paid up before the Thursday deadline while the other three — including Cromwell — refused, the Times Herald-Record reported.

On Thursday, the three who didn't pay got seven days in jail, though their attorney requested time to appeal, and the judge suspended the sentences until July 15, the paper said.

The 77-year-old "Young Pope" actor made up his mind a while ago not to pay, telling the paper on June 7, "I will not pay this fine. I will go to jail, and I will appeal."

The six were part of a larger group protesting the CPV power plant, which they believe will be harmful to the environment; CPV disagrees with those assertions.

"I’m not a scientist, I’m merely a concerned citizen," Cromwell told People about two weeks before his arrest, after being ejected from a celebration of local businesses in upstate New York, which he interrupted when he reportedly stood up and spoke out loudly against the plant.

"I’m concerned about this community and concerned about maintaining the quality of life for everyone here and not just for those people who make a profit out of ripping things out of the ground," he continued.

Construction has proceeded, and the plant is scheduled to go online in February 2018.

‘The Carmichael Show’ will end its run after three seasons

By Yvonne Villarreal

After three seasons, "The Carmichael Show" is ending its run.

The series, co-created and starring comedian Jerrod Carmichael, will air its series finale in August.

"For three seasons (okay 2.5), I got to make a show that I love with my friends. It's something I’ve wanted to do since I was 13," Carmichael said in a statement obtained by The Times. "Now, I’m excited to go make other things that I love. Thank you to every person who worked on or watched the Carmichael show."

The NBC sitcom, which also starred Loretta Devine, David Alan Grier, and Amber Stevens West, is currently in its third season, where it's been averaging 3.7 million viewers.

The series has drawn praise from critics for the way in which it tackles topical issues through the unfiltered conversations among family members. This season, the show aired an unedited episode with the N-word.

The show's relatively small viewership had placed its fate into question before. Its third season renewal came at the 11th hour, after NBC had already unveiled its 2016-17 schedule. And considering that the show is not owned by NBC (it's produced by 20th Century Fox Television), low ratings make a harder case for continuation.

A joint statement from 20th Century Fox Television presidents Jonnie Davis and Howard Kurtzman praised the show's socially conscious approach.

"It's a rarity that a comedy series tackles the social and political issues of the day in such a clever and hilariously funny way. This show was special, and we will miss it."

That unabashed approach sometimes fueled Carmichael's tension with NBC. Recently, he spoke out about the network's decision to pull an episode about a mass shooting that was slated to air the day of the congressional baseball practice shooting that left multiple people injured.

In a joint statement, NBC chairman Bob Greenblatt and NBC entertainment president, Jennifer Salke, thanked Carmichael for the show's run.

"We are enormously proud of The Carmichael Show and Jerrod's talent and vision to do a classic family sitcom that also taps into issues and relevant stories from the real world."

Beyoncé and Jay Z either named their twins or went on a random trademark binge

By Christie D’Zurilla

Beyoncé and Jay Z appear to have named their twins — or at least the company that trademarked Blue Ivy Carter's name has applied to trademark "Rumi Carter" and "Sir Carter," so that's a pretty big clue.

The applications were filed Monday on behalf of BGK Trademark Holdings and, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office database, are still being reviewed. They seek to identify Rumi Carter and Sir Carter in connection with a host of items including recordings of musical performances, books, flags, sports gear, clothing, hair accessories, beauty products such as cosmetics and fragrances, entertainment services and, of course, baby products.

Plus key chains and mugs. Never forget the key chains and mugs.

Maybe-Rumi and Maybe-Sir were born in mid-June, maybe on the 17th.

Beyoncé and Jay Z — the latter of whom dropped a revealing new album at midnight Friday — applied to trademark their first child's name in early 2012, shortly after Blue Ivy was born. However, later that year they wound up splitting rights with a Boston wedding planner who had been using the name for her business since 2009.

TMZ first reported the news about the potential baby names.

Comic-Con will stay in San Diego through 2021

By Meredith Woerner

Despite much speculation and worry about the future location of Comic-Con International — the comic book, television, movie and pop culture extravaganza — the convention will remain in San Diego for at least four more years, it was announced Friday.

As the popularity of the cosplayers’ paradise expands, so do the crowds. Last year the event, which kicked off in 1970 San Diego with 145 guests, attracted more than 135,000 attendees.

The spectacular growth rate has elicited interest from other cities looking to cash in on the lucrative possibility of hosting the five-day affair. (Both Los Angeles and Anaheim were courting the relocation at one time.)

And with the 2018 end date of Comic-Con's agreement to stay in San Diego looming, fans were eager to find out where the nerve center of all things nerd media would be moving to.

But for now, the (near) future of geek culture has been settled. San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced that Comic-Con will remain in the city it originated in through 2021.

"San Diegans can be excited to know that Comic-Con will continue to pump millions of dollars into our economy to support local jobs, street repair and neighborhood services," Faulconer said in a press release Friday. "It is more important than ever that we continue to push to expand the convention center so we can ensure Comic-Con and other large conventions continue to stay in San Diego for years to come."

Comic-Con spokesman David Glanzer mentioned the lengthy discussions that led to the agreement.

"While it did take more than a year in negotiations, we are pleased with this outcome," said Glanzer in the same release. "We are grateful for the leadership of Mayor Faulconer and the hard work of those at the San Diego Tourism Authority who were instrumental in securing this agreement."

The Times will have full coverage of the 2017 convention leading up to its July 19 kickoff.

KCON adds more artists to 2017 bill

By August Brown

A new slate of artists has been added to KCON, the K-Pop (otherwise known as Korean pop) and South Korean culture expo in Los Angeles.

Cosmic Girls, Heize and Seventeen will join an already-packed lineup from across the K-Pop world. They join mainstays Vixx, Astro, Girls’ Day, NCT 127 and SF9.

Cosmic Girls is a Korean-Chinese mixed group that released its debut full-length album this month. Heize is a South Korean rapper with a pair of promising mini-albums to her name. Seventeen is a boy band whose EP "Carat" made major waves stateside, followed by well-received EPs and a full-length album, "Love & Letter."

The concert takes place Aug. 18-20 at Staples Center and draws close to 120,000 fans.

Olivia de Havilland sues FX over unauthorized use of her identity in ‘Feud: Bette and Joan’

By Nardine Saad

It's "Feud: Olivia and FX."

On the eve of her 101st birthday, two-time Oscar winner Olivia de Havilland has announced she is suing FX and producer Ryan Murphy over the unauthorized use of her identity in "Feud: Bette and Joan," according to a statement released Friday morning.

The miniseries about the longtime rivalry between actresses Bette Davis and Joan Crawford featured Catherine Zeta-Jones as de Havilland — the "Gone With the Wind" star who was a confidant of Davis’ and a commentator throughout the eight-episode show.

De Havilland, who resides in France and turns 101 on Saturday, filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against FX Networks, LLC and Ryan Murphy Productions "based on the unauthorized commercial use of Dame Olivia's name and identity in the FX hit series," according to her attorneys, Suzelle M. Smith and Don Howarth of Howarth & Smith, noting that all the other real-life players who are featured in the series are dead.

Speaking on a panel at the Television Critics Assn.'s winter press tour, Zeta-Jones was asked whether she had ever met de Havilland.

"No, I didn't, unfortunately. I was going to try and get to see her. I was in the south of France this last summer. Then, unfortunately, there was the horrible tragedy that happened there in Nice, so I didn't get the chance to," Zeta-Jones said in January.

"Miss de Havilland was not asked by FX for permission to use her name and identity and was not compensated for such use," her attorneys said in a statement to The Times. "Further, the FX series puts words in the mouth of Miss de Havilland which are inaccurate and contrary to the reputation she has built over an 80-year professional life, specifically refusing to engage in gossip mongering about other actors in order to generate media attention for herself."

The suit accuses FX and its partners of appropriating de Havilland's name and identity and placing her in "a false light to sensationalize the series and to promote their own businesses" while ignoring her interests entirely.

"A living celebrity has the right to protect her name and identity from unauthorized, false, commercial exploitation under both common law and the specific ‘right to publicity’ statute in California," Smith said, asserting that, "FX was wrong to ignore Miss de Havilland and proceed without her permission for its own profit."

Her team plans to file a motion seeking an expedited trial date because of de Havilland's age.

De Havilland is no stranger to legal proceedings. In 1943, she filed a landmark lawsuit against Warner Bros. that resulted in the collapse of the binding long-term contract system and put the de Havilland Law on the books.

FX declined to comment on the lawsuit and Murphy's team did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Friday.

Update, 11:45 a.m.: This story has been updated to include FX's response.

Daniel Dae Kim, Grace Park to leave ‘Hawaii Five-0’

By Yvonne Villarreal

"Hawaii Five-0" is losing two of its main players.

Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park will not be returning for the eighth season of the CBS procedural.

The network did not reveal what led to their exits but said fans will get an update on the characters in the Sept. 29 season premiere.

"Daniel has been an instrumental part of the success of ‘Hawaii Five-0’ over the past 7 seasons and it has personally been a privilege to know him," executive producer Peter Lenkov said in a statement. "Grace's presence gave ‘Hawaii Five-0’ a beauty and serenity to each episode. She was the consummate collaborator, helping build her character from day 1. They will always be ohana to us, we will miss them and we wish them both all the best."

Kim and Park have been with the reboot since its inception, playing cousins Chin Ho Kelly and Kono Kalakaua, respectively.

While actor departures are nothing new to television, the exits of Kim and Park has an added layer of significance given the criticism of CBS in recent years for its poor showing of diversity in starring roles across its prime-time lineup.

Will Ferrell dishes on Mariah Carey's ‘House’ cameo that never was

By Nardine Saad

Pop diva Mariah Carey was supposed to make a cameo in Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler's new comedy "The House," but it never happened and it seems that Carey's comportment was to blame.

According to the comedian, a star and producer on the film, Carey showed up four hours late to start shooting, and when she arrived, she had a few notes for the writers.

"Well, one script note was like, ‘I don't want to do this scene,’ even though it was totally approved ahead of time," Ferrell told "Watch What Happens Live!" host Andy Cohen on Thursday night.

In the film, Ferrell and Poehler play a couple who lose their daughter's college fund and launch an illegal gambling operation in their basement. It's unclear what Carey's role would have been, but from the sound of it, she was supposed to play herself.

She was also supposed to sing one of her songs but changed her mind about it midstream "and it became quite a kerfuffle," Ferrell added because they had already cleared the first song for use.

The "Vision of Love" singer also demanded that stuffed lambs be placed in her trailer, so she could give them to her fans, which she calls "Lambies."

After several hours on set and quite the rigmarole, Carey's guest appearance was nixed.

"I don't remember [how long it took to determine] because at 11 p.m. there was a knock on my trailer door and they said, ‘You can go home," Ferrell said. "I got in my car and left everyone on set and [the scene] didn't happen."

‘#bandsnotbrands’: Kylie and Kendall Jenner still under fire for vintage T-shirt fiasco

By Libby Hill

They have apologized, but Kylie and Kendall Jenner are still feeling the heat from the Internet firestorm they sparked after the release of their controversial line of vintage T-shirts.

The apparel in question, since pulled from the Jenners’ Kendall + Kylie online store, featured images of the young women overlaid on classic music T-shirts. The upcycled clothing included shirts showing Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Tupac Shakur and more — and were selling for $125 apiece.

Though the Jenners issued an apology Thursday afternoon stating they didn't mean to be disrespectful, criticism continued to pour in from music fans and notably from family members of the artists in question.

Sharon and Kelly Osbourne, wife and daughter of Ozzy Osbourne, respectively, both weighed in on the debacle, with Sharon advising Kylie and Kendall to "stick to what you know ... lip gloss" and Kelly going a more obscene route.

Girls, you haven't earned the right to put your face with musical icons. Stick to what you know…lip gloss. pic.twitter.com/BhmuUVrDBn

Though her father's image wasn't included among the repurposed shirts, Paris Jackson, daughter of Michael Jackson, emphasized how music legends should be respected, not defaced. She arguably summed up the controversy best with the hashtag #bandsnotbrands.

But for all the criticisms, the Jenners should perhaps be most troubled by the complaints of Voletta Wallace, mother of the late Notorious B.I.G.

Wallace posted to Instagram on Thursday about how her son's estate was never contacted and had not authorized the use of Biggie's likeness.

Even though the shirts are no longer for sale, the Wallace estate told People, "While we appreciate that the Jenners have made an apology and pulled the unlawful and unauthorized items, this matter has yet to be resolved," perhaps raising the specter that the estate will take legal action.

‘Big Bang Theory’ star Johnny Galecki thanks firefighters after wildfire destroyed his home

By Nardine Saad

"The Big Bang Theory's" Johnny Galecki had much love for the firefighters who snuffed out the blaze that destroyed his Santa Margarita home.

The TV star, who plays Dr. Leonard Hofstadter on the CBS sitcom, returned to San Luis Obispo County where his sprawling getaway once stood and shared an image of himself hugging a firefighter, thanking him for his service.

"Thank you to the brothers and sisters of @calfire It is the profound risks that you accept and the sacrifices you and your families make that keep us safe," Galecki wrote on Instagram. "Thanks also to the many of you who have reached out in support. It is far from lost on us here. #muchlove #movingforwardstronger"

Galecki, 42, was not home when the Hill fire engulfed the hideaway on Monday.

"My heart goes out to all in the area who are also experiencing loss from this vicious fire, the threat of which we live with constantly, which may seem crazy to some but we do so because living in our beautiful, rural area makes it worthwhile," the "Roseanne" alum said in a statement to TMZ.

"It's never the structures that create a community — it's the people. And if the people of Santa Margarita have taught me anything, it's that, once the smoke has cleared, literally and figuratively, it's a time to reach out and rebuild. We’ve done it before, and will need to do it together again, and it will make our community even closer and stronger."

The blaze, one of many burning in Southern California, is 95% contained, and crews continued work on containment and hot spots Friday, Cal Fire SLO said. Four homes, including Galecki's, were burned in the wildfire, which ignited around 3:30 p.m. Monday and consumed nearly 1,600 acres.

View of the #HillIC #Hillfire burn area looking toward Huero Huero Rd in the distance. pic.twitter.com/OBH2IMw2jt

Seth Meyers thinks Trump is clueless about his own ‘cruel and vicious’ healthcare bill

By Meredith Blake

While the rest of the media were obsessing over the president's Twitter attack on "Morning Joe" co-host Mika Brzezinski, on Thursday's "Late Night" Seth Meyers decided to focus on policy. In his latest "A Closer Look" segment, he argued that Trump barely understands the widely disliked healthcare bill he's attempting to push through Congress.

The host suggested that Trump, who held a re-election fundraiser this week in Washington, "loves running for president, but he hates being president," a job that's difficult and relatively tedious compared to the campaign trail.

As evidence, Meyers pointed to Trump's reported lack of interest in or understanding of the embattled Republican healthcare bill, which failed to move forward for a Senate vote this week following a damaging assessment from the Congressional Budget Office.

Calling it "one of the most unpopular pieces of legislation in history," Meyers noted that its 12% support in one recent survey was like an iPhone running low on battery in a horror movie. "It's going to hit zero, and everyone is going to die."

Meyers blamed some of the bill's unpopularity on Trump, who in his estimation "has never been able to articulate a convincing case for it" and speaks about it in "the vaguest terms possible."

The comedian likened Trump's comments on Wednesday (he promised "a great, great form of healthcare" that will "take care of people finally for the right reasons and also at the right cost") to a high school student who not only hadn't read the assigned book — but didn't even have the book or know how to read.

Citing news reports about Trump's allegedly tenuous grasp on the details of the bill, Meyers compared the president's attempt to negotiate complex legislation to "playing ‘Call of Duty’ with your grandmother."

Meyers was a bit more confident, describing the GOP healthcare bill as "cruel and vicious, which shouldn't be surprising because it's coming from a president who's cruel and vicious."

And yes, Meyers did eventually get around to Trump's latest shocking comment regarding women and blood — a bizarre and widely condemned tweet in which he claimed "low I.Q. crazy Mika" was "bleeding badly" from a face-lift during a visit to Mar-a-Lago around New Year's Eve.

Meyers joked that perhaps the president had gone off his meds. How else to explain Twitter tirades that have "gone from confusing to ‘Mommy, why is the man on the subway yelling so loud and where are his underpants?’"

A Star Is Born: Fantasia Barrino turns 33 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

It's hard for women ... [especially] in the industry. If you look at some of the greats, they either couldn't keep a good relationship or they were in an abusive one. It was almost like the man was trying to tear that spark out of them. I went through a lot of that. I’ve been spit on. I’ve had a black eye. I’ve dumbed myself down to try to make a relationship work.

— Fantasia Barrino, 2016

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Fantasia is in control, and finally happy: ‘I’m the definition of strength’

Hey, Annie Lennox, an L.A. radio station thinks you could make it in the music biz

By Christie D’Zurilla

Good news, Annie Lennox! An L.A. radio station suspects you might have "potential"!

"I think I’m in with a chance ??!!!," the four-time Grammy Award winner and 15-time nominee said Thursday on Facebook, where she posted a letter she’d received from a new music coordinator at a station claiming "over 100,000 unique listeners each month."

"I came across your music on line and really like what I heard!," said the coordinator, who signed her name only as Kylie.

"I find artists who I think have potential and get them in rotation on our station," Kylie told the singer, who in the U.S. has had a gold and two double-platinum albums in the U.S. as a solo artist and three gold and three platinum albums, and one double-platinum album, as a member of Eurythmics.

"If you’d like, please send over the MP3 for your latest single. I’ll forward it to Glenn our program director here at [redacted] to see if he's interested in putting it in rotation."

Maybe Lennox could submit a Eurythmics single, like "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)," which went gold in the U.S., hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Or the more obscure "Would I Lie to You?," which only charted in the top five.

For obvious reasons, however, we’re pulling for "Who's That Girl?"

In comments on Facebook, one person speculated that the station involved was online KMIX Radio Los Angeles, whose program director is named Glenn Eisner. Also, though the station's call sign is redacted in Lennox's post, the last letter appears to be an X.

Eisner did not reply immediately to an email from the Los Angeles Times requesting comment.

Lennox, of course, isn't the first established artist to be sought out by someone looking for a fresh sound: In 2014, Americana singer-songwriter Jason Isbell tweeted part of a letter inviting him to audition for NBC's "The Voice."

Perhaps that was an understandable error, given that Isbell had released only seven albums by the time 2014 rolled around. And he didn't win his two Grammys until 2016.

OK, perhaps not so understandable.

Excerpt from REAL email I received today from a producer on "The Voice." He's been researching online. pic.twitter.com/OogkSs6WCh

Whoopi Goldberg, director Kimberly Peirce among winners in motion picture academy's board elections

By Josh Rottenberg

One day after announcing its largest-ever class of new members, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has released the results of its latest round of elections for the organization's board of governors.

Whoopi Goldberg, director Kimberly Peirce, screenwriter Larry Karaszewski and Participant Media CEO David Linde were among those newly elected to the 54-member board, joining existing members including Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Laura Dern and Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy.

The academy's board meets several times a year to approve new members, consider Oscars rule changes and help plan the annual Academy Awards telecast, among other responsibilities.

In addition to continuing to advance the academy's ongoing diversity push, the board will play an important role in overseeing the building of the long-delayed Academy Museum expected to open in 2019 and later this summer will select a new president to succeed Cheryl Boone Isaacs, who is nearing the end of her final term.

A full list of current board members can be found here.

Living in exile, ‘Egypt's Jon Stewart’ searches for the American dream

By Jeffrey Fleishman

He lives in exile far from the revolution and time that made him famous.

Out near La Brea, drizzle blows through jacaranda, a gardener hurries past a pool. Bassem Youssef sips coffee, craving a mango from Egypt, his homeland, where from a laundry room in his apartment he started a political satire show that captured the passion of the 2011 uprising and turned him into one of the most influential voices in the Middle East.

That's over, at least for a while. Death threats and pressure from the military-backed government of President Abdel Fattah Sisi forced him to flee Cairo. Now, at 43, Youssef, a former heart surgeon, is taking acting classes, arranging meetings with agents and producers, working on his elocution, writing scripts and seeking reinvention in a new city that is at once fantastical and cruel.

Kylie and Kendall Jenner are sorry they wanted to sell you an old Tupac shirt for $125

By Libby Hill

Stylish business moguls Kylie and Kendall Jenner have issued a mea culpa regarding their ill-conceived line of vintage music T-shirts.

The daughters of Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner and gold-medal Olympian Caitlyn Jenner debuted the T-shirts in their Kendall + Kylie online store Wednesday featuring graphics of the Jenner sisters stamped onto iconic music-related images.

But by late Thursday morning, as a backlash was brewing, the vintage shirts were removed from the site and tweets made by Kendall and Kylie were deleted.

Thursday afternoon, both Jenners tweeted a message apologizing for repurposing the images of artists for their own brand.

"These designs were not well thought out and we deeply apologize to anyone that has been upset and/or offended, especially to the families of the artists. We are huge fans of their music and it was not our intention to disrespect these cultural icons in any way. The tee shirts have been pulled from retail and all images have been removed. We will use this as an opportunity to learn from these mistakes and again, we are very sorry," both Kendall and Kylie tweeted.

💜 pic.twitter.com/wfcNyNBgVe

Further, the Kendall + Kylie brand itself issued its own apology Thursday, echoing the sentiments of its namesakes.

"The Kendall + Kylie brand apologizes for any insensitivity. When deciding to work with one-of-a-kind repurposed vintage tees, it was not the brand's intent to offend anyone. These designs were randomly selected and not well thought out. The brand would like to apologize, especially to the artists that have been featured in the series. We did not mean to disrespect these icons and understand that we missed the mark completely. The designs have been removed. We sincerely apologize to the artists, their families and estates and anyone who may have been offended," the company's statement read.

As disconcerting as it was to see a Kendall Jenner selfie emblazoned over the art for Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon," it was nothing compared with the bikini shot of Kylie Jenner plastered over a Tupac memorial T-shirt.

Not everyone was eager to open their pocketbooks for the Jenners, though.

Voletta Wallace, mother of slain rapper Christopher "Notorious B.I.G." Wallace, stated on Instagram Thursday morning that Biggie's estate had not authorized the use of his likeness on the pricey T-shirts.

"The disrespect of these girls to not even reach out to me or anyone connected to the estate baffles me," Wallace said in her post. "I have no idea why they feel they can exploit the deaths of 2pac and my Son Christopher to sell a t-shirt."

Inexplicable branding and confusing copyright issues aside, perhaps the most offensive part of the Jenners’ newest fashion foray? The costs.

These old, remade (ruined?) T-shirts were selling at a hefty $125 a pop, roughly $124 more than you’re likely to find the originals at a Goodwill.

Even worse, they appeared to be selling really well. Before disappearing from the site, vintage shirts featuring Metallica, Pink Floyd and the Doors were running low.

Update, 3:08 p.m.: This story was updated with statements from both Kylie and Kendall Jenner, as well as the Kendall + Kylie brand.

Update, 12:10 p.m.: This story was updated with comments from Voletta Wallace and news that the Jenners have removed the shirts from their website. Story was originally published at 10:29 a.m.

With new ‘Death Note’ trailer, will Netflix overcome whitewashing concerns?

By Mark Olsen

Netflix released a new trailer for the upcoming movie "Death Note" on Thursday.

An adaptation of the popular Japanese manga written by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, the film stars Nat Wolff, Margaret Qualley and Lakeith Stanfield and features Willem Dafoe as the voice of its iconic villain, Ryuk. Directed by Adam Wingard, who also made "The Guest," "Blair Witch" and the upcoming "Godzilla vs. Kong," the movie will released on August 25.

In the story, Light Turner (Wolff) is a high school student who discovers a notebook with the power to kill those whose names are written in it. Though he attempts to use the book for what he believes to be good — "It's not going to solve a few crimes," he says in the trailer, "it's going to solve all crime" — things quickly spiral out of control, putting him in a cat-and-mouse chase with the mysterious detective known as L (Stanfield).

When an earlier teaser was released in March, it garnered immediate pushback online for relocating the action from Tokyo to Seattle and showing little material with Stanfield or anyone from the cast who was not white.

That teaser came out amidst a media storm around issues of whitewashing, most specifically in the recent big-budget movie adaptation of "Ghost in the Shell," and received much of the same criticism. Whether it was done in response to such criticisms, the new trailer features more footage of Stanfield and Paul Nakauchi, both actors of color.

"Death Note" producer Roy Lee has been involved with many projects that remade Asian movies by relocating the action stateside, most famously with the "Ring" movies.

In an interview with Buzzfeed, Lee noted that he had never before received such a response to one of his adaptations, adding, "People can criticize it, but I’d say that they should see the movie first. … Then they could accuse us of not having a diverse enough cast."

Corinne Olympios closes the door on ‘Bachelor in Paradise’

By Christie D’Zurilla

Looks as if Corinne Olympios is done with "Bachelor in Paradise": Done with investigating it, done with being a victim of it, done with being on it.

Also, done talking about it.

"My team's investigation into this matter has now been completed to my satisfaction," she said Thursday in a statement to The Times via her rep, referring to a drunken, sexually charged incident involving her and fellow contestant DeMario Jackson on the first day of "Paradise" taping in Mexico.

"My intent over the past few weeks has been to learn and understand what happened on June 4," Olympios explained, reiterating that she hadn't made any complaints or accusations about the production-stopping incident or anyone associated with it.

After Warner Bros. announced June 20 that its internal investigation found no misconduct, despite complaints reportedly lodged by a couple of "Bachelor in Paradise" producers, Olympios’ attorney promised to continue an inquiry on her behalf with the help of "multiple new witnesses."

Olympios also revisited her June 14 comments about being "a victim" experiencing her "worst nightmare."

"I felt victimized by the fact that others were judging me through conflicting and unsubstantiated reports, while I myself had no recollection of the events that transpired," she said in her statement.

Olympios’ assertion that she was a victim came shortly after Jackson issued a statement that threatened legal action and said his character had been "assassinated ... with false claims and malicious accusations."

Earlier this week, Jackson sat down with E! News to give his take on what happened June 4, which he described as "probably one of the wildest nights" of his life. "The human race failed the hell out of me," he said about the aftermath, in which he was accused of sexual activity without consent.

On Thursday, after Olympios’ statement came out, Jackson tweeted a quote from "The Godfather":

"I hope they will have the decency to clear my name with the same publicity with which they now have besmirched it" -Michael Corleone

The line in the movie before that one? "I challenge this committee to produce any witness or evidence against me."

According to a People source, producers had paired Jackson and Olympios for a "villains" story line, in which he was the one who "turns good." He told E! News that he "got played."

Now that "Bachelor in Paradise" production has resumed, don't expect to see Olympios poolside — or anywhere else at Playa Escondida.

"While I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to have been a participant on ‘The Bachelor,’ and while I was invited to return to ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ when production resumed, I respectfully made the decision not to return," she said Thursday.

She also noted that she's "happy" about changes made to the show ahead of its reboot. New procedures reportedly include a drinks-per-hour speed limit (complete with snacks), a tighter drug policy and — color this awkward — a rule about contestants getting producer approval in advance of any sexual behavior.

That said, Olympios is aiming to take herself out of the conversation moving forward. "I think it is best," she said, "if I keep any further thoughts private for now."

Gillian Anderson calls out ‘X-Files’ for next season's all-male writing staff

By Tracy Brown

Agent Dana Scully has something to say about "The X-Files" and its all-male writing staff: She, too, can't wait until things are different.

Gillian Anderson, who portrays Scully on the beloved TV show, responded to reports that the writers room for the next season is comprised solely of men by shining light on an additional statistic. She pointed out Thursday on Twitter that only two episodes of "The X-Files" have been directed by women. Ever.

And 2 out of 207 eps directed by women. I too look forward to the day when the numbers are different. #TheFutureisFemale https://t.co/38SVdTfCR1

Anderson herself is one of these women. She wrote and directed the seventh-season episode "all things." The only other woman to direct an episode of the show is Michelle MacLaren (of "Breaking Bad" and more), who made her directorial debut on the Season 9 episode "John Doe."

Anderson has not shied away from calling out the truth when it comes to the sci-fi show's missteps with regard to women. The actress, who won an Emmy for her role as Scully, revealed that she initially was offered only half the salary of co-star David Duchovny to reprise her role in the revival.

"Especially in this climate of women talking about the reality of [unequal pay] in this business, I think it's important that it gets heard and voiced," Anderson told the Daily Beast last year.

This is not the first year that "The X-Files" writing staff includes only men. All episodes of the show's 10th season are credited to male writers (although the season finale gives story credits to Anne Simon and Margaret Fearon).

The 10-episode Season 11 of "The X-Files" is slated to air in 2018.

Netflix's ‘Sense8’ to get the happy ending fans have been wanting

By Libby Hill

It's been a tumultuous few weeks for fans of Netflix's sci-fi show "Sense8" after the streaming network canceled the series on June 1 and then reiterated the cancellation a week later.

The show's small but passionate fan base was vocal in its unhappiness about the network's decision, launching petitions and online movements in protest.

But fans learned Thursday there could be a happy ending after all, as Netflix posted a video on Twitter announcing a two-hour finale for the series.

There are sensates within these walls, too. #WeAreTheGlobalCluster pic.twitter.com/uU3qfY9sM3

Netflix also shared a letter from "Sense8" co-creator Lana Wachowski, who credited the existence of a final episode to the passion and tenaciousness of the show's fans.

Death doesn't let you say goodbye. 2 hour finale episode in the works. Tell your cluster. pic.twitter.com/GHZgGuHwS0

"In this world it is easy to believe that you cannot make a difference; that when a government or an institution or corporation makes a decision, there is something irrevocable about the decision; that love is always less important than the bottom line," Wachowski said in her statement.

"But here is a gift from the fans of this show that I will carry forever in my heart: while it is often true those decisions are irreversible, it is not always true."

The series, helmed by Wachowski and her sister Lily, followed a group of eight individuals who share a psychic connection and form a cluster of sensates who support one another with love and acceptance.

So what did Netflix have to say about granting the series, which filmed on four continents and cost a purported $9 million per episode, a two-hour finale?

"After seeing that the cancelation was a total cluster, we decided to give ‘Sense8’ fans the ending they totally deserve," a spokesperson for Netflix told The Times.

Public Enemy releases free new album on its 30th anniversary

By August Brown

In @PublicEnemyFTP 30th Year WE thank you & THIS is on US https://t.co/4VSrvBPnvZ pic.twitter.com/K0EPFVoZOu

It's a good time for classic rap groups making urgent statements about contemporary politics. So perhaps it's no surprise that Public Enemy has returned with a new, free record celebrating its 30th year as a group.

The group released "Nothing Is Quick in the Desert" on Thursday morning as a free download on its Bandcamp page. The record is Public Enemy's first since 2015's "Man Plans God Laughs."

Public Enemy hasn't sat out the turbulent last two years in America, though. Chuck D and DJ Lord joined with most of Rage Against the Machine and Cypress Hill as the supergroup Prophets of Rage, which toured during the election season.

You can hear (and download and stream) "Nothing Is Quick in the Desert" here:

Melanie Griffith to star as Mrs. Robinson in ‘The Graduate’ at Laguna Playhouse

By Jessica Gelt

Melanie Griffith will seduce audiences as Mrs. Robinson in "The Graduate," Laguna Playhouse announced Thursday.

The Academy Award-nominated actress will take on the role in October as part of the company's 2017-18 season. The play adaptation by Terry Johnson is based on the novel by Charles Webb and the screenplay by Buck Henry and Calder Willingham. The 1967 film starring Dustin Hoffman, with Anne Bancroft as Mrs. Robinson, won director Mike Nichols an Oscar.

Griffith most recently starred in the independent feature "Day Out of Days" directed by Zoe Cassavetes. Griffith made her Broadway debut in 2003 as Roxie Hart in "Chicago."

"The Graduate" will run Oct. 4-22 at Laguna Playhouse. Single tickets are $40 to $85, available through the box office at (949) 497-2787 or online at www.lagunaplayhouse.com.

‘Like every woman you’ve married hasn't had a face lift’: Celebs react to Trump's ‘Morning Joe’ tweets

By Emily Mae Czachor

An unamused MSNBC released an official statement Thursday morning in response to Trump's "petty personal attacks" on "Morning Joe" co-hosts (and real-life couple) Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough.

Trump tweeted early Thursday: "I heard poorly rated @Morning_Joe speaks badly of me (don't watch anymore). Then how come low I.Q. Crazy Mika, along with Psycho Joe, came to Mar-a-Lago 3 nights in a row around New Year's Eve, and insisted on joining me. She was bleeding badly from a face-lift. I said no!"

"Morning Joe" became a trending topic on Twitter almost instantaneously, with Trump's comments inciting outraged celebrities who feel like enough is enough.

Teigen's husband, John Legend, also weighed in, frankly noting the kind of leader America has elected. He also lobbed a zinger at First Lady Melania Trump's waned intentions to combat cyberbullying:

Seth Meyers on President Trump's phony Time cover: ‘The literal definition of fake news’

By Chris Barton

"Fake news" has become an inescapable catchphrase in 2017, evolving from falsehoods posted on fringe sites and Facebook to just about any report that doesn't conform to the White House's narrative. On Wednesday night, Seth Meyers unpacked another example.

Noting the doctored Time magazine cover featuring Donald Trump that the Washington Post reported hangs in several of the president's private golf clubs, Meyers called this "the literal definition of fake news."

"This would be the saddest thing I’ve ever heard if it wasn't the funniest thing I’ve ever heard," the "Late Night" host continued.

Meyers went on to describe the president's response -- a tweet threatening Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos’ other company, Amazon, with an "Internet tax" -- a threat that Meyers noted would have a lot more teeth if such a thing existed.

"The only thing we have that's close to an Internet tax is the fact when you use the Internet, you have to read Donald Trump's tweets -- that's the tax," Meyers joked.

You can watch the segment in the clip above.

‘Jumanji’ trailer turns Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart into video game avatars

By Nardine Saad

Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas and Bobby Cannavale star in Sony's "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle."

Welcome to the jungle, kids.

Four detention-bound teenagers are thrust into a mysterious game in the first "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" trailer, literally forced into the bodies of their avatars — played by Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan and Jack Black.

"I think we got sucked into Jumanji and we’ve become the avatars that we chose," Johnson's geeky Spencer observes after they land in the jungle with new identities.

Instead of a board game, however, the Sony-Columbia reboot features Jumanji as a retro video game console. Judging from the trailer, unlike its 1995 predecessor, the film appears to lean quite heavily on comedy in addition to action and adventure.

The once-scrawny Spencer finds himself as a buff world explorer, though he realizes he doesn't have his allergy medication in the pollen-filled overgrowth. Gillan's Martha points out that there's no reason her character should be "wearing half a shirt and short shorts in the jungle," and Hart's "Fridge," a rude jock, deals with missing "the top two feet" of his body.

And particularly humorous is Black, whose teenage counterpart is a pretty, blond popular girl forced into the body of "an overweight, middle-aged man" who "just can't even with this place."

The foursome discover that "you don't just play Jumanji — Jumanji plays you," according to the synopsis. "They’ll have to go on the most dangerous adventure of their lives, or they’ll be stuck in the game forever."

"Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle," which also stars Nick Jonas and Bobby Cannavale, hits theaters Dec. 20.

EXCLUSIVE: @JumanjiMovie trailer! I smolder, have cool super powers & try not to cry when I'm scared. #TheLegendContinues #Jumanji DEC 20 🎅🏾 pic.twitter.com/8W6L5ijCwj

The game has changed, but the legend continues. Watch the new trailer for #Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle now! pic.twitter.com/2BD8YNmE8V

MSNBC is not happy about President Trump's Twitter attack on ‘Morning Joe’ hosts

By Libby Hill

MSNBC has called out President Trump after his Thursday morning tweets in which he attacked "Morning Joe" hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski.

"It's a sad day for America when the president spends his time bullying, lying and spewing petty personal attacks instead of doing his job," an MSNBC spokesperson said in a statement to The Times on Thursday.

The president's early-morning tweets called Scarborough "Psycho Joe" and Brzezinski "Low I.Q. Crazy Mika" and alleged that the pair had invited themselves to Mar-a-Lago, a private club in Florida owned by Trump and dubbed the "Winter White House," over New Year's.

Most shocking of all, Trump went on to accuse Brzezinski of "bleeding badly from a face-lift."

I heard poorly rated @Morning_Joe speaks badly of me (don't watch anymore). Then how come low I.Q. Crazy Mika, along with Psycho Joe, came..

...to Mar-a-Lago 3 nights in a row around New Year's Eve, and insisted on joining me. She was bleeding badly from a face-lift. I said no!

Mark Kornblau, senior vice president of communications for NBCUniversal, tweeted his own thoughts on the matter. "Never imagined a day when I would think to myself, ‘it is beneath my dignity to respond to the President of the United States,’" he wrote Thursday morning.

Never imagined a day when I would think to myself, "it is beneath my dignity to respond to the President of the United States."

The president's disparaging comments on Brzezinski's appearance recall his GOP debate run-in with Megyn Kelly, after which he said, "You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever."

Read MoreALSO

Seth Meyers on President Trump's phony Time cover: ‘The literal definition of fake news’

Conservative activists step up attack on CNN

Three CNN journalists resign over retracted Trump-Russia story

A Star Is Born: Maria Conchita Alonso turns 62 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

When I first got started here, they suggested I change my name. Too Latin-sounding, they said. But I refused. If people could manage a name like Arnold Schwarzenegger, I decided, they could certainly cope with mine.

— Maria Conchita Alonso, 1986

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Lively Latina Is Making A Name For Herself -- Her Own

In ‘My Little Pony: The Movie’ trailer, there's drama in Equestria

By Christie D’Zurilla

"My Little Pony" trailer

Like "The Lego Movie" before it, "My Little Pony: The Movie" represents a landmark in a brand's evolution from children's toy to big-screen star.

However, though Lego and My Little Pony toys both have TV credits and hard-core adult fans in addition to kids, even under pressure Princess Twilight Sparkle is a bit less surly than, say, Lego Batman.

Friendship, flowers, ponies — you know the drill.

A trailer for the animated pony movie offers up Liev Schreiber and Emily Blunt voicing baddies the Storm King and Tempest Shadow, who descend upon Equestria and demand its residents’ total surrender. Of course, the gang isn't going to give up without a fight -- albeit a fight that has more than its fair share of incredibly bright colors.

Other big names getting their brony on for the feature include Zoe Saldana as Captain Celaeno, Kristin Chenoweth as Princess Skystar, Uzo Aduba as Queen Novo, Sia as Songbird Serenade, Michael Peña as Grubber and Taye Diggs as reformed con artist Capper.

Ashleigh Ball, Tabitha St. Germain, Andrea Libman, Tara Strong, Cathy Weseluck and Nicole Oliver from the TV series are voicing Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, Spike and Princess Celestia, respectively.

"My Little Pony: The Movie" is scheduled to hit theaters Oct. 6.

Jason Statham and Rosie Huntington-Whitely welcome baby Jack

By Christie D’Zurilla

Rosie Huntington-Whitely and Jason Statham are parents to a baby son, the new mom announced Wednesday on Instagram.

Jack Oscar Statham was born Saturday and clocked in at 8.8 pounds, according to Huntington-Whitely, who shared a black-and-white photo of the infant's hand grasping what we presume are her beautifully manicured fingers.

"Our little man arrived!" Huntington-Whitely wrote.

The former Victoria's Secret Angel, 30, and the "Expendables" actor, 49, started dating after meeting on the set of "Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon" in 2010. They got engaged over the holidays in 2015 but haven't married yet.

Conveniently, Statham might be uniquely equipped as a helpful dad, if his work in "The Fast and the Furious" is any indication. The actor reminded us of his babysitting skills Monday when he posted an uncut version of that movie's baby-fight scene on Facebook, with a shorter version — see it below — on Instagram.

Hey, Mama Rosie, looks as if you have the all-clear for a moms’ night out whenever you need one ...

Joe Mantegna on directing theater and the importance of Lenny Bruce

By Jessica Gelt

Joe Mantegna may be best known as an actor, most recently starring as FBI special agent David Rossi on the CBS crime drama "Criminal Minds."

But he's no stranger to the stage, having won a Tony Award in 1984 for David Mamet's "Glengarry Glen Ross." Now, he's taking on the role of director with the new play "I Am Not a Comedian … I’m Lenny Bruce," which opened last weekend at Theatre 68 in North Hollywood and runs through July 29.

The play chronicles the life and times of the legendarily incendiary performer. Ronnie Marmo plays the title role.

Mantegna, a native Chicagoan, took a moment to answer a few questions for our regular rapid-fire survey.

The making of the academy's largest class: CEO Dawn Hudson on the membership quotas that held back diversity

By Josh Rottenberg

The motion picture academy announced its largest class on Wednesday, topping its ground-breaking move in 2016 that at the time set a record when the institution invited 683 new members. That was a historic leap from the 322 invitations that went out in 2015.

Earlier this month, Josh Rottenberg interviewed academy CEO Dawn Hudson about a range of issues, from this year's Oscars envelope snafu to construction delays on the academy's movie museum. Here, Hudson discusses with Rottenberg how membership quotas previously hindered its diversity goals.

----------------

Last year, the academy took in its largest, most diverse class of new members ever. As the academy works toward doubling the number of women and minorities in its ranks by 2020, with the deep inequities that exist in the industry, do you feel certain you can meet that goal without changing the standards for academy membership?

There are so many artists who were not admitted in the past because we had a limit on how many new members we invited each year. So with the elimination of those [quotas] and the aggressive pursuit of excellence by all of our members, I think we will be able to expand in a more inclusive way for several years.

But the academy is not letting it go at that. We’re expanding our internship programs and our initiatives to identify young, upcoming artists and mentor them and give them opportunities to grow. And we have also focused our grants program, our Student Academy Awards, our Nicholl Fellowship [in screenwriting] — we have a lot of programs that help to support young artists, and those are more robust and popular than ever.

That commitment [to diversity] has not waned and will not wane for many years to come. Because I don't see this industry getting a lot more diverse or having more gender parity any time real soon. So this work will be ongoing for the academy. And I know that it has inspired others to follow suit.

READ the full interview >

#OscarsSoWhite creator on Academy list: ‘I will continue to push for more inclusion in entertainment’

By Tre’vell Anderson

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Wednesday its 2017 list of invitees to membership. Tallying 774 people, it's the largest class to date, a move that leaves April Reign, creator of #OscarsSoWhite, "encouraged."

"The opening of the academy to those who may not have been previously nominated or winners but are clearly deserving based on their body of work in film is gratifying," Reign told the Los Angeles Times. "There are names on the list that many may feel should’ve been on the list before."

Some of the new invitees include Janelle Monae ("Moonlight," "Hidden Figures"), Leslie Jones ("Ghostbusters), Riz Ahmed ("Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"), Jordan Peele ("Get Out") and Johnnie To ("Election"). In total, the new class comes from 57 countries and is 30% people of color and 39% female.

Here is Reign's full statement to The Times:

"I am encouraged by this year's class of invites. The opening of the academy to those who may not have been previously nominated or winners but are clearly deserving based on their body of work in film is gratifying. There are names on the list that many may feel should’ve been on the list before. Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs pledged to double the number of people of color and women by 2020. With this new and largest class ever, she is one step forward. I hope that the new incoming president continues what she has started and that we see an even more diverse class next year.

"Lastly, even with the 2017 Oscar wins and new Academy invitee class, #OscarsSoWhite is still just as relevant today as it was when it began in 2015. So, I will continue to push for more inclusion in entertainment, both of actors and actresses as well as those behind the camera, on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, ability, race and age. The American public, as moviegoers, deserve to be able to see themselves on the screen, not just during awards season but throughout the year."

Who was invited to join the film academy's largest class of all? The list of 774 names

By Josh Rottenberg

Hollywood's most exclusive club is rolling out the red carpet to 774 industry professionals – including such boldfaced names as Kristen Stewart, Gal Gadot, John Cho, Chris Pratt, Elle Fanning and Jordan Peele – in its latest and most dramatic step to diversify its overwhelmingly white and male membership.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced its newest class of members on Wednesday, the second such round of invitees since the nearly 90-year-old institution launched an initiative to double the number of women and minorities in its ranks in response to the #OscarsSoWhite controversy.

Last year's class of 683 members set a record at the time as the biggest and most diverse in the organization's history, and many industry observers were looking at this year's announcement as a sign of whether the academy can sustain the momentum of its diversity push.

Women make up 39% of the newest class – which draws from industry professionals in 57 countries – while people of color represent 30%. With the new members, the share of women and people of color in the academy now stand at 28% and 13%, respectively. 30 people have been invited in more than one branch.

The 2017 invitees are:

Actors

Riz Ahmed – "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," "Nightcrawler"

Debbie Allen – "Fame," "Ragtime"

Elena Anaya – "Wonder Woman," "The Skin I Live In"

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan – "Jodhaa Akbar," "Devdas"

Amitabh Bachchan – "The Great Gatsby," "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham…"

Monica Bellucci – "Spectre," "Bram Stoker's Dracula"

Gil Birmingham – "Hell or High Water," "Twilight" series

Nazanin Boniadi – "Ben-Hur," "Iron Man"

Daniel Brühl – "The Zookeeper's Wife," "Inglourious Basterds"

Maggie Cheung – "Hero," "In the Mood for Love"

John Cho – "Star Trek" series, "Harold & Kumar" series

Priyanka Chopra – "Baywatch," "Barfi!"

Matt Craven – "X-Men: First Class," "A Few Good Men"

Terry Crews – "The Expendables" series, "Draft Day"

Warwick Davis – "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," "Harry Potter" series

Colman Domingo – "The Birth of a Nation," "Selma"

Adam Driver – "Silence," "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"

Joel Edgerton – "It Comes at Night," "Loving"

Chris Evans – "Captain America" series, "Snowpiercer"

Luke Evans – "Beauty and the Beast," "The Girl on the Train"

Fan Bingbing – "I Am Not Madame Bovary," "Cell Phone"

Elle Fanning – "The Beguiled," "20th Century Women"

Golshifteh Farahani – "Paterson," "About Elly"

Anna Faris – "Scary Movie" series, "Brokeback Mountain"

Tom Felton – "A United Kingdom," "Harry Potter" series

Rebecca Ferguson – "The Girl on the Train," "Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation"

Lou Ferrigno – "The Incredible Hulk," "Hercules"

Grammy Awards book L.A.'s Staples Center for 2019 show and beyond

By Randy Lewis

In the bicoastal competition to host the Grammy Awards, New York City scored a major victory last month with the news that the music industry's biggest event would be held there next year.

But Los Angeles came roaring back Wednesday with the announcement that the Grammys will return to downtown's Staples Center in 2019 and stay there for at least four years.

The Recording Academy, which puts on the Grammys, reached a deal with AEG, the developer and operator of Staples, where the ceremony has been held for 17 of the last 18 years. The Grammys were held in New York in 2003 for their 45th anniversary and will be held there in 2018 for their 60th birthday.

The deal to have the Grammys in L.A. from 2019 to 2022 — and possibly longer — was a shot in the arm for both AEG and the city.

"Typically our agreements are year to year," AEG President and Chief Executive Dan Beckerman said. "That's why I think this announcement about a four-year deal is significant. It gives us that certainty, and that's important."

‘Bachelor in Paradise’ producers now have to approve sexual contact between contestants

By Emily Mae Czachor

In the aftermath of its exceedingly publicized, highly controversial assault scandal, it seems ABC's "Bachelor in Paradise" is trying to cover all of its legal bases.

TMZ reports that contestants on the reality show must now adhere to a "check-in" mandate with production executives. Before engaging in sexual activity of any kind, "Bachelor in Paradise" reportedly stipulates that both parties must approach one of the producers with their joint request. The producer then has the final say on whether the couple can safely relocate to "The Boom Boom Room."

The directive — coupled with the reality show's reported new policies to curb excessive drug and alcohol consumption — aims to ensure that all sexual encounters are consensual.

Although "Bachelor in Paradise" has returned from its brief hiatus after an internal investigation into allegations found no evidence of misconduct, DeMario Jackson, who was accused of assaulting Corinne Olympios, will not be returning.

In an effort to "come clean" amid the media frenzy, Jackson sat down with E! News in a shockingly candid, two-hour interview in which he discussed the sexual encounter in question and attempted to clear his name.

Watch Jackson's full interview here.

MTV says it doesn't condone impaired driving featured on ‘Teen Mom OG’

By Libby Hill

MTV has weighed in on the latest controversy to arise from its "Teen Mom" franchise, after a cast member appeared to drive under the influence during the Season 6 finale.

During the "Teen Mom OG" episode, Ryan Edwards was shown driving a vehicle while repeatedly nodding off. After several moments, his fiancée Mackenzie Standifer moved to turn the dash cameras off and asked Edwards, "Did you take Xanax again?"

On Monday, the day the finale aired, Edwards released a statement announcing that he had completed a stint in rehab. The announcement came after a season-long arc during which Edwards’ ex-fiancée, Maci Bookout, attempted to stage an intervention for him. Edwards and Bookout have an 8-year-old son together.

"A little over 30 days ago, I made the decision to check myself into a rehabilitation facility. I am back home now doing well, and life could not be better. Without the support of my wife and parents I would not have been able to do this. Thank you all for your well wishes," Edwards said in the statement.

After the episode aired, questions arose over why Edwards wasn't stopped from getting behind the wheel.

"MTV does not condone driving under the influence. Ryan's erratic behavior was due to actions that he took without anyone's prior knowledge," an MTV spokesperson said in a statement made to The Times.

No camera person was present during Edwards’ drive; the footage was captured by the vehicle's dash cams.

The controversy comes at a particularly fraught time for reality television shows, in the wake of the "Bachelor in Paradise" scandal that resulted in the revamping of the franchise's drug and alcohol policies.

With "Bachelor" purportedly moving toward a system that requires a producer's approval before engaging in sexual intercourse, the question remains: How much responsibility does a reality show bear when it comes to illegal or risky behavior?

2:45 p.m.: This article was updated with statements from both Ryan Edwards and MTV.

Cartoon Network sets ‘OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes’ premiere date

By Tracy Brown

Are you ready for tips on how to be a hero? Cartoon Network has announced that "OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes" will premiere Aug. 1.

"OK K.O.!" centers on the young and optimistic K.O., who dreams of becoming the greatest hero ever. Hopefully, having a super-powered mom and spending his days at Lakewood Plaza, a sort of strip mall for heroes that is repeatedly under the threat of destruction by a super villain, will help K.O. make his dream a reality.

With references to leveling up and transformation sequences, the influence of video games in the world of "OK K.O.!" is undeniable. In fact, K.O. originally made his debut in the mobile game "OK K.O.! Lakewood Plaza Turbo," and a new console game, "OK K.O.! Let's Play Heroes," is due out in the fall.

The show's voice cast includes Courtenay Taylor as K.O., Kate Flannery as his mom, Carol, Ashly Burch as Enid and David Herman as Mr. Gar. "OK K.O.!" creator Ian Jones-Quartey voices Rad.

"OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes" will have a special one-hour premiere Aug. 1 at 6:30 p.m. Watch a new clip from the show below.

Watch the first trailer for Hugh Jackman's P.T. Barnum musical ‘The Greatest Showman’

By Josh Rottenberg

If you’re looking to take your mind off the circus in Washington for a moment, Hugh Jackman is here to help.

The first trailer for Jackman's upcoming P.T. Barnum musical biopic, "The Greatest Showman," has dropped, offering an early glimpse at the story of how the down-on-his-luck dreamer created the famed Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Though that circus recently ended its 146-year run, the trailer for the film – which hits theaters Christmas Day and co-stars Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Zendaya and at least one bearded lady — promises a feel-good, inspirational take on the erstwhile "Greatest Show on Earth."

Watch it here:

President Trump singles out Irish journalist to comment on her ‘nice smile’

By Nardine Saad

An exchange in the Oval Office on Tuesday played out like a boardroom elimination on "The Celebrity Apprentice," as President Donald Trump dropped everything to comment on an Irish reporter's "nice smile."

RTÉ Washington correspondent Caitríona Perry was singled out while she and several members of the press visited the White House to cover Trump's diplomatic phone call with Ireland's new prime minister, Leo Varadkar.

During Trump's light discussion with Varadkar, he interrupted the call to summon Perry to his desk.

"Well, we have a lot of your Irish press watching us right now," Trump said in a video clip Perry posted on Twitter. "We have all of this beautiful Irish press here. Come here, come here, where are you from?"

"RTÉ News, Caitríona Perry," she said when she approached the desk.

"Caitríona Perry. She has a nice smile on her face, so I bet she treats you well," Trump said.

The reporter called the exchange a "bizarre moment" and is seen laughing awkwardly as she walks away.

Video of the bizarre moment when President @realDonaldTrump called me over during his call with Taoiseach @campaignforLeo Varadkar. @rtenews pic.twitter.com/TMl2SFQaji

The virtual replies came fast and furious after that, with Twitter users debating whether Perry was being objectified or complimented.

Perry didn't expect to be allowed inside the Oval Office that day, let alone meet the president in person.

"One minute we were outside the window and the next minute I’m meeting the president of the United States," she told RTÉ Entertainment after her encounter. "Usually we would shoot from outside the window of the White House and that's what we were expecting today, but instead we were invited inside to witness the president's call to the taoiseach. When we went in, he was already on the phone but I caught his eye and he called me over."

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Karoondinha music fest, featuring Chance the Rapper and John Legend, is canceled

By August Brown

The summer of troubled music festivals has claimed another victim.

The latest casualty is the Karoondinha Music & Arts Festival, a family-friendly event in Pennsylvania that had booked several high-profile acts, including Chance the Rapper, Paramore, John Legend, the Roots and Odesza for its July debut.

"We are deeply saddened to announce that Karoondinha Music & Arts Festival will not take place during the scheduled dates of July 20-23, 2017," organizers said in a statement.

"Our entire team has been working tirelessly to have the event take place as planned, but have found it necessary to reschedule. We are fully committed to returning and are working to confirm alternate dates and arrangements."

The widely promoted fest had hoped to draw around 25,000 to 30,000 fans for its first installment. But organizers admitted that sales were nowhere near that goal, and after needed sponsorships failed to materialize, the owners chose to cancel.

"I think what we’ve learned in all of this is that the key part of putting on a successful festival is having a sustainable business model, which we obviously didn't have going into this," organizer Paul Rallis told Billboard.

In an echo of the recent meltdown at Pemberton Festival, organizers were also tentative about how, exactly, they’d be refunding fans. Rallis added that "we are looking at that next and have to have some other discussions on what that process will turn out to be."

The cancellation comes after debacles at Fyre Festival and Pemberton, which drew social media ridicule and lawsuits from around the music industry.

Booted from KROQ, Rodney Bingenheimer will return to radio via Sirius XM

By August Brown

Rock fans who have missed Rodney Bingenheimer since his departure from KROQ won't have to wait much longer for his return to radio.

The L.A. music stalwart will return to the digital airwaves with a new weekly show for Sirius XM, hosted on Little Steven's Underground Garage channel (curated by E Street Band guitarist and Bruce Springsteen confidante Steven Van Zandt). The program premieres at 6 p.m. Pacific on July 16.

Bingenheimer spent 40 years behind the mike with his "Rodney on the ROQ" show, where he introduced KROQ listeners to the Clash, Elvis Costello, the Sex Pistols and other classic acts.

"I’m so honored to be on the same SiriusXM channel as Little Steven," Bingenheimer said in a statement from Sirius XM. "He has also championed some of the greatest music of our time, both past and future. With both of us now at the same channel we’re gonna keep great music alive."

"Rodney was one of my first calls when I started the channel," Van Zandt said in the same statement. "We are honored to have him. This is where he belongs!"

John McEnroe sets up easy shots for Stephen Colbert over his Serena Williams diss

By Robert Lloyd

John McEnroe, the tennis champion and sports commentator, famous for his on-court fits of temper and a mouth that charges ahead of his brain like an unsupervised child, was a guest Tuesday night on Stephen Colbert's "Late Show."

McEnroe has a new book to promote, "But Seriously," so that mouth has had many opportunities of late to run out into traffic. In an interview with NPR, on Sunday's "Weekend Edition," McEnroe seemed to demean the abilities of Serena Williams.

"You are known for your outbursts on the court," Colbert said, wasting no time. "People think of you as an outrageous character at times, but you have stirred the pot in a way that you rarely have in the past because this weekend you topped yourself."

"No," said McEnroe. Perhaps he meant that he had done worse.

"You topped yourself, sir," Colbert continued. "You told NPR that if Serena Williams were on the men's circuit, she’d be, like, number 700 in the world."

Boos from the house.

"It didn't go over big with my daughters, either." McEnroe said.

Laughs from the house.

It is possible that McEnroe actually believes there are 699 male tennis players who are better than Williams. (In an earlier interview with "CBS This Morning," McEnroe, 58, had hypothetically ranked himself "currently… about 1,200 in the world.") In any event, he didn't back away from the statement, only the saying of it.

"You cannot be serious," said Colbert, pulling out McEnroe's trademark line.

"Remember ‘The Honeymooners’?" asked McEnroe. "Ralph Kramden? ‘Me and my big moouuuuth.’ It's a little bit like that."

Recounting the NPR interview, which can be heard here, McEnroe said, "I said Serena is the greatest female tennis player that ever lived. And I think she's absolutely tremendous."

Cheers from the house.

"And [the interviewer] followed up with, ‘Why do you have to say female tennis player? Isn't she the greatest tennis player that ever lived?’ And I said, ‘Wait, hang on a second here.’...

"Do they say that about girl basketball players," McEnroe wondered rhetorically, "that they ‘re as good as Michael Jordan?"

"They might say ‘women's basketball players,’" Colbert pointed out. "Instead of ‘girl basketball players.’"

The host helpfully reminded his guest that after Wimbledon in 2015, he had called Williams "arguably the greatest athlete of the last 100 years."

"She's certainly one of the greatest athletes of the last 100 years," said McEnroe.

"‘Arguably the greatest athlete...,’" Colbert repeated. "That was the lifeboat I was throwing — why’d you have to stab it with a knife? There are sharks in the water around you right now."

For all the teapot tempest, McEnroe did not mind playing the clown in this story. Much of the rest of the interviewer covered mostly his own failures as a talk-show host, briefly for CNBC in 2004 and the time he filled in as host for David Letterman — on the very same "Late Show."

That night he incurred the everlasting wrath of chef Eric Ripert ("I made some type of comment that the French hadn't backed us up after 9/11 very well," McEnroe conceded). The punchline was that, interviewed some years later, Ripert named McEnroe as the one person in the world he would refuse to serve.

As for McEnroe's new book, "We’re learning that I’m hopefully growing as a person, that I’ve been able to somewhat — although you wouldn't know it by yesterday — that I’ve tried … to look at the glass more half full, despite being ridiculed mercilessly on national TV at 12 at night."

‘Gotham’ star Donal Logue tweets, then deletes, alert for his missing child

By Libby Hill

"Gotham" star Donal Logue is looking for a real-life hero, as the actor took to Twitter on Tuesday afternoon in an attempt to find his missing child.

"Missing - yesterday at 2PM Barclays Center/Fort Greene Brooklyn: my child, Jade Logue," the actor posted, going on to share with his more than 100,000 followers that Jade is 6’ 2", weighs 180 pounds and was wearing a lime-green hoodie and dark-green military parka.

(The New York Daily News reported Wednesday that Jade is Logue's transgender daughter.)

Though the tweet has since been deleted and no updates provided, the NYPD confirmed to The Times that a missing persons report had been filed for Jade Logue on Tuesday.

According to E! News, Jade is 16. Logue has another child, Finn, 18, with ex-wife Kasey Walker.

Logue has starred in several critically acclaimed television shows, including "Sons of Anarchy" and "Terriers." He now portrays Harvey Bullock on Fox's "Gotham."

Representatives for Logue shared the following information:

"The NYPD is asking for the public's help in locating the 16 year old who was last seen leaving home Monday afternoon on the way to Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

"Anyone with information in regards to this missing person is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-8477 or, for Spanish, 888-577-4782.

The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or texting their tips to 274637(CRIMES), then enter TIP577."

Update, 3:32 p.m.: This article was updated with a request for information from Logue's representatives.

Johnny Galecki's ranch home burns in San Luis Obispo's Hill fire

By Nardine Saad

"The Big Bang Theory" star Johnny Galecki has lost a home in the Hill fire burning in San Luis Obispo.

The wildfire, which scorched nearly 1,600 acres and forced residents to evacuate about 100 homes, was about 60% contained Tuesday. It burned down the actor's large ranch home and another property on the estate on Monday, according to Variety.

No one was harmed and Cal Fire San Luis Obispo tweeted that evacuation orders would be lifted after 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

The sitcom star was not home when the wildfire engulfed the hideaway. His representative told Variety that he had not yet seen the property but would return when the fire was completely contained. The cause of the fire, which ignited around 3:30 p.m. Monday, is still under investigation.

Galecki and his "Big Bang" co-stars are among the highest-paid actors in television. The CBS sitcom has already been renewed for its 11th and 12th seasons.

The actor's representatives did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.

A Star Is Born: Mel Brooks turns 91 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

A joke that works, works through the ages. It would work for Henry the VIII, and it would work tomorrow. Funny is funny.

— Mel Brooks, 2017

READ MORE: At age 91, Mel Brooks will play Vegas for the first time. Guess who talked him into it?

George Lucas’ Museum of Narrative Art gets L.A. City Council go-ahead

By Christie D’Zurilla

The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday gave its unanimous approval to George Lucas’ Museum of Narrative Art, which may break ground this year at Exposition Park.

The "Star Wars" creator addressed the council before its 14-0 vote to OK an environmental impact report and other details.

"For a very brief time I actually grew up here," said Lucas, who has a film degree from USC, which is just north of the park. "That's where I learned movies. That's where I learned my craft. Basically where I started my career was in school here."

Lucas and his wife, Mellody Hobson, the business executive who is a driving force behind the project, had also considered building the museum in his hometown, San Francisco, or hers, Chicago. Finally it came down to the two California locations, with L.A. announced as the site in January. Ma Yansong of MAD Architects will design the museum, which is expected to open in 2021.

The cost of the project, estimated at $1 billion, will be footed by the Lucas family. There also will be a $400-million Lucas endowment.

"It is the largest private gift in our city, in our state or in our nation's history," said Councilman Curren D. Price Jr., whose district includes Exposition Park.

Per the Los Angeles Times’ art critic Christopher Knight (who's not a fan of the idea), the museum will include illustrations for magazines, posters and children's books by artists including Maxfield Parrish, Arthur Rackham, Beatrix Potter, Frank Adams and Norman Rockwell; a small group of paintings by Edgar Degas, Winslow Homer, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Everett Shinn and others; and lots of movie set designs, costumes and storyboards.

Lucas’ personal collection of art and cinematic memorabilia is the foundation of the new museum's offerings, and yes, "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones" will be represented.

"With unanimous support from our City Council, the Lucas Museum is officially coming home to L.A.!" Mayor Eric Garcetti said on social media Tuesday, posting a picture of himself with the council members, Hobson and Lucas.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

With unanimous support from our City Council, the Lucas Museum is officially coming home to L.A.! Thank you, George Lucas & Mellody Hobson! pic.twitter.com/tiWx9FIYdB

Motion picture academy set to announce a bigger, more diverse membership class: Five things to watch for

By Josh Rottenberg

This week, hundreds of film professionals around the world will receive their industry's equivalent of Willy Wonka's Golden Ticket: an invitation to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

On Wednesday morning, the academy is expected to announce its newest class of members, the second such round of invitees since the nearly 90-year-old institution embarked on a concerted effort to diversify its overwhelmingly white and male ranks in the wake of the #OscarsSoWhite controversy that reached a crescendo in 2016.

Here are five things to watch for ...

Miranda Kerr parts with $8.1 million worth of jewelry in Malaysian embezzlement investigation

By Libby Hill

It's not just Leonardo DiCaprio who found himself mixed up in a Malaysian embezzlement scandal that resulted in the loss of millions of dollars in gifts.

Supermodel Miranda Kerr surrendered more than $8 million in jewelry Friday, including an 8.88 carat diamond pendant worth nearly $4 million, as part of an investigation involving her ex-boyfriend, Malaysian financier Jho Low.

Low, who dated Kerr for about a year in 2014, after her divorce from actor Orlando Bloom and before her marriage to Snapchat co-founder Evan Spiegel, allegedly misappropriated funds from a Malaysian sovereign-wealth fund called 1Malaysia Development Berhad, according to a civil forfeiture lawsuit filed last week.

"From the start of the inquiry, Miranda Kerr cooperated fully and pledged to turn over the gifts of jewelry to the government," Kerr attorney Mark Fabiani said Tuesday in a statement to USA Today. "Ms. Kerr will continue to assist with the inquiry in any way she can."

Last week, DiCaprio forfeited Marlon Brando's best-actor statuette for 1954's "On the Waterfront" and several valuable art pieces as part of the same investigation centering around a billion-dollar embezzlement scheme potentially reaching the highest levels of the Malaysian government.

Neither Kerr nor DiCaprio are being investigated for wrongdoing, as both received the forfeited items as gifts.

Representatives for Kerr did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.

Stephen Colbert is back from Russia, where intelligence agents ‘followed me everywhere’

By Emily Mae Czachor

"Man, it is good to be back in the USA," said Stephen Colbert, alluding (though not too much) to his Russian "mystery assignment" during Monday night's episode of "The Late Show."

"I don't know if you knew I was in Russia last week," Colbert joked. "You know who did know I was in Russia? Russian intelligence. Hardcore fans, evidently. Followed me everywhere."

The surge of attention was only compounded when Colbert announced his 2020 White House bid over a markedly Russian round of roulette (a vodka-pickles combo) on one of the country's late-night programs.

But, he reported, Russia was not the only nation looking to track his international reporting adventure.

"Also got some attention from American intelligence. Couple guys seemed to pop up wherever we went," he said. "But it's important to keep your eye on a comedian, while he's in Russia, doing jokes."

"I could be giving state secrets to the Russians," Colbert continued, gearing up for what seemed like an unavoidable string of Trump digs. Then: "Oh, wait, someone's already got that covered."

"The Late Show" will air an upcoming week's worth of footage unveiling the findings of the host's covert Russian trip, but Colbert offered few details.

"Like President Trump, I can neither confirm nor deny the existence of any other tapes of what I did in Russia," he said, referencing the elusive tapes, supposedly of a fateful conversation between Trump and former FBI Director James Comey, that prompted Colbert's overseas trip in the first place. "I did not personally make any such recordings – but I’m pretty sure my crew did."

Filmmakers set out to honor the gone-but-not-forgotten record store Other Music

By August Brown

Other Music was the general store for New York City's rock boom in the 2000s. That era — when bands such as the Strokes, Interpol and Yeah Yeah Yeahs thrived in downtown and Brooklyn — was recently documented in the book "Meet Me in the Bathroom."

And now it gets a fresh look in a new documentary about the compact but beloved record store that shuttered exactly a year ago.

The trailer for "Other Music: The Story of an Iconic Independent Record Store" has reams of in-store performance footage and cameos from Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend, actors Benicio Del Toro and Jason Schwartzman and members of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs all touting the importance of the store, which opened in the East Village in 1995 and closed last June.

Directors Puloma Basu and Rob Hatch-Miller have started a Kickstarter to help finish the film. As of Tuesday, the campaign had raised nearly $13,000 of its $70,000 goal. It ends July 27. Click here for more information about the documentary.

Shonda Rhimes speed-raps for Lin-Manuel Miranda's #Ham4All challenge

By Emily Mae Czachor

In February, Lin-Manuel Miranda's "Immigrants, We Get the Job Done" -- a particularly resonant track off 2016's "The Hamilton Mixtape" -- became a sort of protest anthem, with its lyrics scrawled across signs and placards in the aftermath of the announcement of President Trump's 90-day immigration ban.

Now Miranda, the mastermind behind "Hamilton," has propelled that energy one step further. On Monday, the musical powerhouse proposed a challenge to the Twitter-sphere. In honor of Immigration Heritage Month, Miranda (in partnership with Prizeo) asked participants to perform a snippet of their favorite "Hamilton" tune, post a video online with the hashtag #Ham4All and donate to Immigrants: We Get the Job Done Coalition.

A donation to the coalition earns participants the chance to win tickets to opening night of the Los Angeles run of "Hamilton" on Aug. 16 at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre, no small prize considering the musical's string of sold-out performances. (Here's everything you need to know about snagging tickets.)

#HamforAll sparked a surge of online video traffic by celebrities who took Miranda up on his challenge. So far, participants include TV creator and activist Shonda Rhimes (who rapped Jefferson's breakneck verse in "Washington on Your Side), "Jane the Virgin" star Gina Rodriguez, powerhouse pop singer Kelly Clarkson, Broadway alum Sara Ramirez and former "Hamilton" headliner Taran Killam (who, ironically, was the only participant to stumble over his lyrics), among an impressive handful of others.

Even though the high-profile contestants could likely score tickets otherwise, it's still fun to see their performances.

Paging Demi Moore: Serena Williams is nude and pregnant on the cover of Vanity Fair

By Nardine Saad

When you’re Serena Williams, you can get Annie Leibovitz to do your maternity shoot.

The pregnant tennis star, whose love story with fiancé Alexis Ohanian is Vanity Fair's August cover story, posed nude -- while about six months pregnant -- on the front of the glossy in a manner quite reminiscent of actress Demi Moore's iconic 1991 cover.

"Check out my Vanity Fair Cover," the athlete wrote, posting her striking, wind-blown portrait on Twitter Tuesday morning. "Question- what do u guys think boy or girl? I’m waiting to find out but would love to hear your thoughts."

Check out my Vanity Fair Cover. Question- what do u guys think boy or girl? I'm waiting to find out but would love to hear your thoughts. pic.twitter.com/Nnq4VKCu8N

"If you would have told me last year in October or November that I would have a baby, not be pregnant but have a baby, I would have thought you were the biggest liar in the world," she told Buzz Bissinger in the piece. "This is kind of how I am right now. This is happening sooner than later, and it's going by so fast."

Williams and Ohanian, who is also featured in the accompanying intimate pictorial, met by happenstance in Rome in May 2015. He had never seen a tennis match, and she didn't know what Reddit was. They had their first date walking around aimlessly in Paris shortly after, and then he proposed in December 2016 at the hotel pool where they first met.

"I felt like a door had been opened to a person who made me want to be my best self," Ohanian, 34, said. "I find myself just wanting to be better by simply being around her because of the standard she holds."

Williams and Ohanian plan to get hitched in the fall after the baby is born. And come January, she's planning to be back on the pro tennis circuit.

"I don't think my story is over yet," Williams told Vanity Fair.

Leslie Jones slams L.A.'s Ritz-Carlton: ‘They don't like black people’

By Nardine Saad

Leslie Jones’ successful night hosting the BET Awards on Sunday took an inhospitable turn when her stay at a Los Angeles hotel was allegedly marred by racism.

The "Saturday Night Live" star tweeted to her more than 694,000 followers on Monday about having the "worst stay" at the Ritz-Carlton in downtown Los Angeles, near where the show took place, asserting that "they don't like black people."

Wow was such a great night at the BET awards. But then had THE WORST STAY @RitzCarlton DO NOT STAY THERE!! THEY DONT LIKE BLACK PEOPLE!!

The 49-year-old comic did not elaborate on her experience, and her reps did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.

In an attempt to alleviate the situation, reps for the luxury hotel responded to the "Ghostbusters" actress’ accusatory tweet with a tweet of their own, saying they pride themselves on "providing excellent service to all" and were "very sorry to hear this." The tweet also said they would look into the incident right away.

We’re very sorry to hear this. We pride ourselves on providing excellent service to all. Please DM us & we’ll look into this right away.

In a statement to The Times, the Ritz-Carlton declined to comment on Jones’ complaint but reiterated its customer service mantra.

"Diversity and inclusion are part of the fabric of The Ritz-Carlton's culture and operations," the statement said. "We remain committed to providing an environment where all feel welcome. While we do not comment publicly about individual guests, we take every guest concern seriously and work quickly to resolve issues."

In a phone interview with The Times, Amy Campbell, the hotel's director of public relations, also declined to comment on the specifics but confirmed that the incident did take place at the downtown property and that it was being investigated.

Update, 9:55 a.m.: This post has been updated to include the hotel's location and Campbell's statement.

ALSO

Leslie Jones’ website taken down after hackers post stolen nude photos and personal info

Homeland Security is investigating nude-photo cyberattack on Leslie Jones

Leslie Jones warns her 1994 self to stay off Twitter in BET Awards sketch

Alec Baldwin to continue lampooning Donald Trump on ‘Saturday Night Live’

By Libby Hill

Good news for fans of "Saturday Night Live." Alec Baldwin confirmed to CNN on Monday that he will reprise his famous impression of President Trump when the sketch-comedy series returns for Season 43 in the fall.

"Yeah, we’re going to fit that in. I think people have enjoyed it," Baldwin said during an interview promoting his upcoming film, "Blind."

Baldwin's depiction of the president did not go unnoticed by Trump, who called the actor "a disaster" and the long-running "SNL" series "a failing show" during a January interview with Sean Hannity.

Season 42 of "Saturday Night Live" boasted the show's highest ratings in 22 years.

Despite the yuuuuuge news, Baldwin cautioned that his return to "SNL" will be "a couple celery sticks" as opposed to "a whole meal."

Maybe Melissa McCarthy as Sean Spicer will be able to pick up the slack come fall.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at ‘Body Worlds: Pulse’

By Los Angeles Times Staff

Never seen a plastinated body? Then take a peek, above, at what's going on at the California Science Center, where the "Body Worlds: Pulse" exhibit has stripped away the human body's exterior to reveal its inner workings.

"You can literally feel and understand what's inside of you," Dr. Angelina Whalley, "Pulse" creative architect, told The Times’ Calvin B. Alagot, who captured images of the exhibit as it was being set up.

Plastination, a process pioneered in 1977 that stops decomposition by replacing water and fat with plastics, allows the under-the-surface look at anatomy. (It's also reminiscent of Heidi Klum's creepy costume from that one Halloween.)

At the science center, the 200 preserved specimens in "Pulse" — whole bodies, individual organs and more, all donated — take visitors on a journey through the body's nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory, locomotive, digestive and reproductive systems. That last section is restricted to visitors 17 and older, unless accompanied by an adult.

The exhibit features some healthy specimens from the likes of dancers and athletes, but other offerings might be hard to take in: a slice of an obese body and a smoker's black lung. Visitors younger than 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

"Body Worlds: Pulse" runs through Feb. 20.

A Star Is Born: J.J. Abrams turns 51 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

In this age where we all have this thing in our pockets that we feel so connected through but is also isolating, the thing that will be, for me, the most exciting and would make this [‘The Force Awakens’] feel like it was a successful enterprise would be if people in those theaters, hundreds at a time, are looking up at one thing together and getting to laugh together and scream and cry and feel exhilaration together. If that can happen and there can be a communal experience, I will feel like we did our job.

— J.J. Abrams, 2015

FROM THE ARCHIVES: J.J. Abrams on going old school and how ‘Star Wars’ differs from ‘Star Trek’

DeMario Jackson gives his take on what happened at the ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ pool

By Christie D’Zurilla

DeMario Jackson, whose name was caught up in the alleged-misconduct brouhaha that brought "Bachelor in Paradise" production to a halt two weeks ago, is starting to talk about what happened on the set of the love-in-paradise reality show.

The first night of "Paradise" filming "was probably one of the wildest nights of my entire life," he told E! News in an exclusive interview broadcast Monday night. "Like, we went for it."

After meeting at the bar, where they wound up having a number of drinks, he and Corinne Olympios "were just complimenting each other on being villains. I was like, ‘Look, I’ve accepted this role.’"

Olympios was portrayed as a villain on Nick Viall's season as "The Bachelor," while Jackson was booted by Rachel Lindsay on the current "Bachelorette" season after a woman who said she was Jackson's girlfriend showed up to confront him.

He and Olympios "were kind of just laughing, like, ‘Oh, we’re about to dominate ‘Paradise’! Like homie stuff, like really, really like friends."

The two wound up making out in the pool, he said, but then it got wild, with "her being the aggressor, which was, like, sexy." He got out and sat on the edge of the pool, dangling his legs in the water, and then, he said, "She gets up out of the pool and puts her lady parts in my face. Like, right on my face."

Did we mention that they’d gotten naked in the pool? Yeah, he vouched for that.

The full interview was airing Monday and Tuesday nights on E!

Jackson also talked about how hard it was while Warner Bros.’ investigation was going on, and he was accused of sexual behavior without consent.

"My dad, he kept me extremely strong and kept me grounded and humble but having your mom cry every day for something that you know you didn't do," he said.

Olympios has said she doesn't remember much from the first night of filming, and her attorney said that her team was continuing to investigate what happened, despite the studio's determination that there was no misconduct and its announcement that it had updated its policies in some areas.

One alleged update: When "Bachelor in Paradise" restarted production over the weekend, its contestants faced a new drill when it came the show's drug policy, according to TMZ.

In an email sent by producers and obtained by the website, cast members were advised that their bags would be "inventoried" for all drugs, legal and illegal, including prescription drugs not prescribed specifically to the contestant.

"All drugs, over the counter and prescribed, must be submitted to the Nurse to keep and dispense accordingly for your stay in Mexico," the email reportedly said. The illegal stuff would be confiscated.

Other than those statements from her and her lawyer last week — including one in which attorney Martin Singer said he wanted to make it "crystal clear" that his client had nothing to do with the allegations of misconduct — Olympios has yet to speak up in any detail about events in "Paradise."

But her boyfriend, Jordan Gielchinsky, told E! News last week that whether it's as her friend or boyfriend, she’d continue to get his "unwavering loyalty and support until I decide that there is a legitimate reason not to give it. "Gielchinsky and Olympios have known each other for 10 years, he said

ALSO

DeMario Jackson of ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ says his character has been ‘assassinated’

Corinne Olympios’ team promises ‘multiple new witnesses’ in its ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ inquiry

‘Bachelor in Paradise’ investigation finds no misconduct; production to resume

Celebrating #HarryPotter20: How Harry Potter and his blockbuster films came of age on screen

By Nardine Saad

The Boy Who Lived has cast his spell on the box office since "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," the first film in Warner Bros.’ blockbuster franchise, hit theaters in 2001.

The bestselling, seven-book series was adapted into eight record-breaking films -- and a two-part play -- as the boy wizard ventured through Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the wizarding world with his pals Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, taking on the enigmatic Lord Voldemort and his magical henchmen each school year.

As J.K. Rowling's debut novel "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" -- the first of the books from which the decade-spanning films were adapted -- marks its 20th anniversary, here's a reminder of how Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan reviewed the "Harry Potter" films. (Spoiler alert: He didn't always like them.)

1. ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone’ film is imaginative and faithful but shuns any risk-taking (2001)

As his 11th birthday approaches, orphan Harry Potter learns that he's a wizard and enrolls at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where his reputation as the Boy Who Lived precedes him during his magical training.

"The result is a remarkably faithful copy of the book that treats the text like holy writ (hence its 2-hour-and-33-minute length)," wrote The Times’ film critic Kenneth Turan. "From the gold in Gringotts, the safe-as-houses goblin-run bank, to the centaur lurking in the forbidden forest that adjoins Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, so much is presented just as written that ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone’ starts to resemble one of those fiendishly exact replicas of great works of art that Sunday painters can be seen working on in galleries of museums."

2. ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’ doesn't capture the well-balanced tone of the book (2002)

In their second year at Hogwarts, Harry and his pals Ron and Hermione contend with a celebrity author professor and a well-meaning house elf named Dobby who thwart the trio in unexpected ways.

"The darkness that invades ‘Chamber of Secrets’ underlines how well the books managed to exactly balance good and evil, dark and light, so that within their pages you seemed to be experiencing both at the same time. Not so here," Turan wrote. "Because ‘Chamber of Secrets’ can't seem to get the balance right, it ends up broadly overdoing things on both ends of the spectrum. The film's scary moments are too monstrous and its happy times have too much idiotic beaming, making the film feel like the illegitimate offspring of ‘Alien’ and ‘The Absent-Minded Professor.’"

3. ‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’ film comes close to capturing the essence of the books (2004)

The wizarding world gets markedly darker as convicted murderer Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), who is believed to have killed Harry's parents, escapes from the Azkaban prison and the soul-sucking Dementors are loosed to chase him down. Director Alfonso Cuarón takes the helm from Chris Columbus, who directed the two previous films.

"[T]he final hour of the two-hour-and-21-minute ‘Azkaban’ is the closest any of the films has gotten to capturing the enormously pleasing essence of the Potter books," wrote Turan, adding, "Those three leads (Daniel Radcliffe as Harry, Emma Watson as Hermione, Rupert Grint as Ron) play characters who are now 13, an age when anger and frustration are more publicly expressed. One of the benefits of Cuarón's direction, his expertise with younger actors, means that the constant determination and occasional fury exhibited by the characters, especially Harry and Hermione, are completely convincing."

4. ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’ finally gets Harry Potter right (2005)

Harry's surprising inclusion in the prestigious Triwizard Tournament, as a fourth-year student, raises concerns and brings danger to the Hogwarts castle.

"It's taken them long enough, but the movies have finally gotten Harry Potter right," wrote Turan. "It has fallen to the veteran [director] Mike Newell, eager, in his own words, ‘to break out of this goody-two-shoes feel,’ to make the first Harry Potter film to be wire-to-wire satisfying.

"Though memorable acting is neither called for nor delivered on the part of ‘Goblet's’ collection of juveniles, Radcliffe's Harry does get one thing exactly right. Watching him face myriad challenges, we’re convinced that Harry's heart will lead him to do the right thing. He does good in the most natural way and, like so much of ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,’ that's just how it should be."

5. ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ can't shake an episodic feeling (2007)

With the Ministry of Magic refusing to acknowledge Lord Voldemort's (Ralph Fiennes) return, fifth-year Harry is brooding at school as he contends with spooky visions and Ministry transplant Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton). His knowledge of the dark magic-fighting organization, the Order of the Phoenix, and a prophecy further complicate matters.

"[Director David] Yates and his team handle the film's visuals well, including the impressive sets for the atrium of the Ministry of Magic and its Hall of Prophecy, as well as fine flying sequences involving either broomsticks or equine creatures called Thestrals," Turan wrote. "The director also works well with the film's juvenile leads, which is important, because these are the raging hormone years at Hogwarts School, and that is especially true where Harry is concerned. Looking so disgruntled in his gray hoodie that you fear he might start rapping, Harry comes off as more Grumpy Potter than the bright light of the wizarding world."

6. ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ is well-crafted but sometimes hard to endure (2009)

As dark magic spills into the Muggle world, Harry's mentor, Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), tasks him with bringing down Lord Voldemort. But Harry's discovery of an old textbook teaches him more than he expected about his past.

"Now in its sixth episode shot over an eight-year span, with two more features still to come, this one-of-a-kind film cycle has become as comfortable and reliable as an old shoe, providing a degree of dependability that's becoming increasingly rare, Turan wrote. "As directed by David Yates, who did the previous film and is on tap for the final two, ‘Half-Blood Prince’ demonstrates the ways that the Potter pictures have become the modern exemplars of establishment moviemaking. We don't turn to these films for thrilling or original cinema, we look for a level of craft, consistency and, most of all, fidelity to the originals -- all of which we get."

7. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 1" (2010)

The penultimate film sees Harry, Hermione and Ron venturing out into the real world to locate and destroy Lord Voldemort's soul-encapsulating Horcruxes as Hogwarts and the wizarding world fall to He Who Must Not Be Named.

"Much of the plot of ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ involves the attempt to find and destroy a series of Horcruxes, and if you haven't a clue about what they are or why they’re important, you might as well stay home," Turan wrote. "There is something different, however, about this Potter movie, and that is the words ‘Part 1’ that end the title. Understandably distraught about ‘Hallows’ being the last of the phenomenally popular J.K. Rowling novels, Warner Bros. has split the final effort into two films and is likely kicking itself for not having thought of that with the earlier books."

(It should be noted that the studio reboots the wizarding world with the forthcoming "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" series. The first film hit theaters in 2016.)

8. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2" (2011)

Harry goes wand-to-wand with Lord Voldemort, concluding Harry's final year at the wizarding school with the epic Battle of Hogwarts.

"In a classic storybook finish, however, ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2’ turns out to be more than the last of its kind. Almost magically, it ends up being one of the best of the series as well," Turan wrote. "The Harry Potter films, like the boy wizard himself, have had their creative ups and downs, so it's especially satisfying that this final film, ungainly title and all, has been worth the wait. Though no expense has been spared in its production, it succeeds because it brings us back to the combination of magic, adventure and emotion that created the books’ popularity in the first place."

For more of The Times’ "Harry Potter" anniversary coverage, go here.

Harry Potter concerts return to Hollywood Bowl with ‘Chamber of Secrets,’ ‘Prisoner of Azkaban’ screenings

By Christie D’Zurilla

Harry Potter and friends are coming back to the Hollywood Bowl this summer, with the L.A. Philharmonic gearing up for live performances of music from the second and third movies in the franchise.

"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" will screen July 6, followed by "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" July 7-8. Justin Freer will conduct the Los Angeles Philharmonic both nights as the orchestra performs John Williams’ scores while the movies roll.

The Harry Potter Film Concert Series kicked off in June 2016 and brought a sold-out, philharmonic-accompanied "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" screening to the Hollywood Bowl on July 6, 2016.

"It is with great pleasure that we are bringing back this opportunity to experience the award-winning music scores played live by a symphony orchestra, all while the beloved films are simultaneously projected onto the big screen. This will be another unforgettable event," Freer said in a statement Monday.

The announcement coincides with Monday's 20th anniversary of the debut of J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series.

Tickets available on the Hollywood Bowl website Monday afternoon ranged from $14 to $147 for the July 6 "Chamber of Secrets" show and the July 7 "Azkaban" screening, and from $17 to $165 for "Azkaban" on July 8. They can be purchased online, by phone or in person at the Hollywood Bowl box office.

Here's a look at how Harry Potter came of age on screen, and for more of The Times’ "Harry Potter" anniversary coverage, go here.

Documentary ‘The Pulitzer at 100’ to premiere July 21 in NYC

By Libby Hill

First Run Features has announced the premiere date for director Kirk Simon's documentary examining the 100-year history of the Pulitzer Prize.

"The Pulitzer at 100" will bow at Lincoln Plaza Cinema July 21 in New York City, with more cities to follow.

The film explores the effect the Pulitzers have had on the country's culture in the century since their inception by way of interviews with previous winners, including authors, journalists, playwrights and musicians, as well as The Times’ own Mary McNamara, who won the 2015 Pulitzer for criticism. (She's featured at the start of the trailer above.)

The interviews appear interspersed with an examination of Joseph Pulitzer, whose funds founded Columbia University's School of Journalism in 1912 and established the prizes that bear his name in 1917.

Also featured in the film are readings of Pulitzer-winning works as presented by some of Hollywood's brightest stars, including Natalie Portman, Helen Mirren and Martin Scorsese.

Jackie Chan goes dark in new trailer for action thriller ‘The Foreigner’

By Jen Yamato

It's Jackie Chan like you’ve never seen him before: in full-on dangerous dad form, out for justice in London against the terrorists who killed his daughter.

The new trailer for the upcoming action thriller "The Foreigner" teases a surprise for fans of the 63-year-old "Rumble in the Bronx" and "Rush Hour" star who has played countless upbeat heros over the course of an eclectic, five-decade career.

The man brought two adorable stuffed pandas to the Oscars, for goodness sake! But seldom has he gone as dark as he does in STX Entertainment's Oct. 13 release, which he also produced.

"Casino Royale" helmer Martin Campbell directs Chan in "The Foreigner" as a London businessman who taps into his own brutal past when his daughter is killed in a fiery terrorist blast.

Pierce Brosnan is the government official he's convinced can lead him to those responsible. Along the way, carnage follows as Chan stalks his prey looking haggard and haunted, putting his particular set of skills to use.

"The Foreigner" doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. (How Londoners will feel about its terrorism plot given the city's recent tragedies remains to be seen.) But hey, it's an improvement on the title of the 1992 Stephen Leather novel it's based on: "The Chinaman."

Chance the Rapper, Solange Knowles and five must-see BET Awards moments

By Libby Hill

Sunday night's BET Awards weren't exactly a perfect viewing experience, but that doesn't mean the show didn't feature several moments of absolute perfection. Here are five moments even the most casual fans of music and pop culture can (and should) enjoy.

Featuring Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar spit flames during his featured verse in Future's "Mask Off (Remix)," breathing much-needed life into the ceremony. Lamar is a consistent MVP at the BET Awards, even when he's not the star of the show, as seen in his supporting role in Beyoncé's "Freedom" performance last year.

Solange gets a seat at the table

Speaking of Beyoncé, Queen Bey was absent from the ceremony, having purportedly given birth to twins recently, but sister Solange Knowles was more than ready to step up, taking home her first BET Award.

"My armpits are sweating so much right now," Knowles announced after being presented the Centric Award for "Cranes in the Sky."

Armpits aside, Knowles went on to credit BET for all the strong women of color it introduced into her life when she was young.

"I just want to thank BET for my teenage years, giving me images of queens like Missy Elliott and Lil’ Kim and Aaliyah and Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill and Kelis and Res, and the list goes on, and showing me those images and letting me know the sky's the limit," she said.

Toni who?

Sisters were doing it for themselves at Sunday night's ceremony, with Tamar Braxton — younger sister of R&B luminary Toni — tearing the house down with her performance of "My Man."

"She called me ‘bout her man," Braxton crooned, "Well, I didn't understand, she was talkin’ ‘bout my man (heifer)." It's really the heifer aside that seals the deal in the fiery torch song about a man who done her wrong.

Former FLOTUS praises Chance

Michelle Obama scored some of the evening's biggest applause when she appeared in a video to praise Chance the Rapper, who was honored for his humanitarian work.

"We have known Chance and his family since he was a wee little baby rapper," the former first lady said, going on to celebrate Chance for his contributions in both word and deed to lifting up young people in their hometown of Chicago.

Among the rapper's humanitarian efforts are a $1-million contribution to Chicago's public school system, as well as founding the New Chance Arts and Literature Fund.

Best fashion faux pas ever

Normally it would be a fashion nightmare to show up at an awards show in the same outfit as a fellow attendee, but not for rapper Gucci Mane.

A photo featured on the Instagram page of DJ Khaled's infant son revealed that Mane and Asahd Tuck Khaled just happened to arrive at the BET Awards wearing the same Gucci suit, though in slightly different sizes.

Harry Potter turns 20. Here's how J.K. Rowling and Twitter are celebrating

By Nardine Saad

You’re a wizard, Harry!

Twenty years ago today, British publisher Bloomsbury released J.K. Rowling's debut novel, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," the first in the seven-book series about a boy wizard that went on to become a global phenomenon.

The outspoken billionaire author, who was living in relative poverty when she first completed her manuscript, took to Twitter on Monday to celebrate the milestone.

20 years ago today a world that I had lived in alone was suddenly open to others. It's been wonderful. Thank you.#HarryPotter20

Also marking the occasion was Twitter, which teamed up with Bloomsbury and the series’ digital hub Pottermore to release a custom Harry Potter emoji featuring the boy wizard's iconic lightning scar and glasses. The emoji automatically generates with the bespoke hashtag #HarryPotter20.

Those using the hashtag could have their tweets and photos displayed at the King's Cross train station in London, where the 11-year-old wizard memorably began his sojourn to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. (The station has boasted an honorary Platform 9 3/4 for years.)

All the thanks to @JK_Rowling for 20 years of incredible Harry Potter Magic. #HarryPotter20 pic.twitter.com/FpXk8ovijD

"Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," the book's original title, was first published on June 26, 1997, by Bloomsbury. The initial hardback print run was only 500 copies; however, the complete seven-book series went on to sell more than 450 million copies.

The title "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" was used for U.S. audiences when Scholastic published the novel stateside in 1998. The books have also have been translated into 79 languages, including Welsh, Latin and Ancient Greek, according to data released by Bloomsbury.

We 💜 this '20 fun facts about Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' infographic! #HarryPotter20 pic.twitter.com/wA24jc4pHe

The best-selling tomes have been adapted into eight blockbuster films, starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and a who's who of British acting talent over the years. Rowling is continuing work on Warner Bros.’ "Fantastic Beasts" prequel films, while Harry's own story continued in the "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" plays that debuted in 2016.

20 years ago... #HarryPotter20 pic.twitter.com/jM0hncOVJ3

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John Oliver takes a shot at the anti-vaccine movement and the ‘opportunistic quacks’ behind it

By Meredith Blake

On Sunday's "Last Week Tonight," John Oliver became the latest late-night personality to take aim at the anti-vaccine movement.

Oliver devoted nearly a half-hour to debunking the various fears surrounding childhood immunizations, which he described as "one of humanity's most incredible accomplishments."

As seemingly everything is these days, the segment was inspired by President Trump, who has stoked unfounded fears about vaccine safety on both the debate stage and social media.

But, as Oliver noted, Trump is hardly alone in buying into these baseless theories. He's joined by prominent figures from across the political spectrum including Alex Jones, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and, um, Rob Schneider. Not to mention parents in 11 states where the unvaccinated rate continues to climb.

As Oliver explained, many of these fears stem from a study that suggested a link between autism and the vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). The study has since been retracted and its author, Andrew Wakefield, has had his license revoked and been accused of distorting his findings.

"He's basically the Lance Armstrong of doctors," said Oliver.

And yet Wakefield still gives talks around the world, including in Minneapolis, where the plummeting vaccination rate among the Somali community has led to a major outbreak of measles, a disease Oliver described as "infectious as ‘Happy’ by Pharrell." (He also cited an outbreak in France where 15,000 people became ill and six died.)

Though numerous subsequent studies have failed to find a link between vaccines and autism, the fear persists, leading to lower vaccination and also taking away resources "from studying actual causes and treatments," Oliver noted.

The host also had some harsh words for Dr. Bob Sears, the Orange County physician who's built an empire based on vaccine skepticism, while admitting that his alternative vaccination schedule is not based on any peer-reviewed studies.

"Your job is to make sure children don't get deadly diseases, not to make parents feel comfortable," he said. "You’re a pediatrician, not a flask of whiskey tucked into a Baby Bjorn."

Oliver argued that Sears likes to have it both ways, seeming to support science-based medicine while once in a while saying things like "vaccines don't cause autism except when they do."

The line inspired Oliver to fire back with this: "Don't worry, opportunist quacks writing books that fan the flames of people's unfounded fears don't cause a legitimate public health hazard, except when they do."

Oliver ended the segment on a personal note, acknowledging that parenting can be "terrifying" and that his natural inclination is to be afraid of everything — including, as he put it, "the dark, the light, heights, depths, confined spaces, wide-open spaces, intimacy, spiders and a sudden and mysterious lack of spiders."

But as Oliver explained, he is also a parent whose 19-month-old son was born prematurely.

"I’ve worried about his health, and I still worry about his health a lot," Oliver said. "We are vaccinating him fully and on schedule, and if I can overcome the temptation to listen to the irrational shouting of my terrified lizard brain, then I believe that everyone can."

While Hollywood has a reputation as a bastion of "anti-vaxx" sentiment, Oliver seems to be among the majority in late-night TV in siding with the scientific community. Several other shows — including "The Colbert Report," "The Daily Show," "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and "Conan" — have also mocked vaccine critics.

You can watch Oliver's segment here.

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MAD magazine appoints new editor, plans move to Burbank

By Nardine Saad

MAD magazine is shaking things up. The 65-year-old humor and satire publication is getting a new editor -- the fifth in its history -- and relocating from New York City to Burbank.

Illustrator Bill Morrison will take the helm as executive editor of the DC Entertainment magazine, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

"I don't know anyone who loves and respects MAD as much as I do," Morrison said in a statement to THR. "I’ll definitely have my work cut out for me, but I’m dedicated to upholding the high standards of absurd and irreverent humor that the public has come to expect from MAD. I’ve been asked if I will continue to include artist Al Jaffee in the magazine; as soon as I find out who he is, I’ll let everyone know,"

Morrison, who was a Disney illustrator for a time, co-created Bongo Comics with Matt Groening of "The Simpsons" and served as the art director for "Futurama." He is also president of the National Cartoonists Society.

The Eisner-winning illustrator will be entrusted with furthering the magazine's absurdist vision in an era saturated with satire and spoofs online and in television. He’ll be directing day-to-day operations, overseeing the editorial staff for MAD magazine and MAD books and managing the annual publishing schedule. He’ll report to Hank Kanalz, senior vice-president of editorial strategy and administration.

"The combination of his pedigree as an editor, writer and artist and his crazy sense of humor makes him the ideal person going forward to maintain MAD magazine's leading-edge position when it comes to what's funny in the world today," Kanalz said a statement.

John Ficarra, the magazine's current editor, is stepping down but will stay with MAD through the end of the year serving as a consultant to assist with the transition and the publication's move to DC's headquarters in Burbank. Ficarra co-ran the magazine with Nick Meglin from 1984 to 2004 and shepherded its transition to color in the early 2000s. He has been running it solo since Meglin retired in 2004.

A Star Is Born: Aubrey Plaza turns 33 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

I’m still trying to get parts that I’m getting rejected for. Like, I want to do a romantic comedy where I’m the lead and not a freak. That’d be good.

— Aubrey Plaza, 2013

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Aubrey Plaza has rom-com on her ‘To Do List’

Leslie Jones warns her 1994 self to stay off Twitter in BET Awards sketch

By Los Angeles Times

Twitter was not kind Sunday night during Leslie Jones’ first gig as an awards show host -- specifically, the BET Awards in Los Angeles. But we thought she had strong moments, including this prerecorded bit where she meets her 1994 self behind a local Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles.

That's where she used to waitress while she was trying to make it as a comedian and when she appeared on BET's "Comic View."

Jones says she’d sometimes have Roscoe's customers who would recognize her from "Comic View," after which she’d acknowledge their praise but quickly follow up with "Breast and wing or leg and a thigh?"

"I used to give away so much chicken," Jones confessed to the audience. "You always got two extra wings with me, but I always expected a $5 tip."

As 2017 Jones told 1994 Jones about the future -- including the wonders of pot dispensaries and legal weed -- she said, "One day you’re going to host the BET Awards.

"The what awards?" her 1994 self asked.

"That's like the black Oscars," explained 2017 Jones, who went on to tell her younger self, "You’re in movies now. and you’re on ‘Saturday Night Live.’"

"Ah," said her 1994 self, "the white people's ‘In Living Color.’"

Then, in a not-so-veiled reference to social media trolls, the hacking of her Twitter account and the leaking of her personal nude photos, 2017 Jones had some final advice for her 1994 self: "Don't get on Twitter, and stop taking those naked pictures!"

Watch the sketch here.

Chance the Rapper, in impassioned BET Awards speech, asks judges for convictions

By Todd Martens

Chicago's Chance the Rapper gave a fiery, seemingly off-the-cuff speech at the BET Awards on Sunday night in which he chastised the legal system, Chicago Public Schools and U.S. government.

Chance was receiving the gala's humanitarian award, an acknowledgement of the funds he has raised and donated for Chicago schools. When the artist born Chancelor Bennett took the stage at downtown's Microsoft Theater, he said he hadn't prepared a speech. Still, he rattled off a few talking points, all of them to rapturous applause.

He said he wanted to "tell everybody in this government that y’all need to let everybody out of jail for selling weed before y’all start making it legal," and then added, "I was going to tell the Chicago public school system to not take out a loan from Chase Bank when they know that our schools are planning on failing in our district."

Next, the artist singled out the criminal justice system, alluding no doubt to the lack of punishments given out in instances of alleged police brutality. "I was going to tell those judges that we just need a conviction," he said.

Chance stated that at age 24 it "feels a little early to get something like this," adding, "my God doesn't make mistakes, and I like to think that he's putting this enormous pressure on me to see how I react." He pledged to be a better person and father and to help those beyond his community.

Chance's speech was preceded by a clip of former first lady Michelle Obama.

Said Obama, "We are so incredibly proud of you, Chance. We have known Chance and his family since he was a wee little baby rapper. It has been a thrill watching him come into his own in so many ways. In addition to making some really amazing music, Chance has been taking that big, bright spotlight that follows him around and he's shining it on young people in our hometown of Chicago."

Watch the speech here.

Netflix cancels ‘Girlboss’ after one season and Sophia Amoruso reacts on Instagram

By Yvonne Villarreal

Netflix's latest cancelation victim: ‘Girlboss."

The streaming service will not move forward with another season of the comedy, The Times has confirmed.

The series, which was helmed by "Pitch Perfect" screenwriter Kay Cannon and starred Britt Robertson, was an adaptation of Nasty Gal founder Sophia Amoruso's memoir-self-help book that documented her rise from shoplifter to e-commerce fashion maven.

Amoruso reflected on the news in an Instagram post Saturday night: "So that Netflix series about my life got canceled," she wrote. "While I’m proud of the work we did, I’m looking forward to controlling my narrative from here on out."

"It was a good show," she continued, "and I was privileged to work with incredible talent, but living my life as a caricature was hard even if only for two months. ... It will be nice to someday tell the story of what's happened in the last few years. Ppl read the headline, not the correction, I’ve learned."

"Girlboss" is the latest series to reach its end on Netflix. Baz Luhrman's "The Get Down" and the Wachowski sisters’ "Sense8" were also canceled by the streamer in recent months.

In discussing the cancelation of those shows while at the PGA's Produced By conference earlier this month, Netflix's chief content officer, Ted Sarandos, offered this reasoning:

"Relative to what you spent, are people watching it?... A big expensive show for a huge audience is great. A big, expensive show for a tiny audience is hard even in our model to make that work very long."

A Star Is Born: Ricky Gervais turns 56 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

The point of any art, even one as lowly as TV comedy or stand-up, the point is to make a connection with a stranger. For me it's the size of that connection, not how many people it slightly connects with. When I did ‘The Office,’ I said I’d rather this was a million people's favorite show of the year than 10 million people's 10th favorite show. I’m still very conscious of that. Originality is very important to me.

— Ricky Gervais, 2010

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Ricky Gervais is here, there and everywhere

Away from the bands, it's the kids who make a racket at Pasadena's Arroyo Seco Weekend

By Randall Roberts

Amid the many practiced rhythms and melodies that echoed across the valley during the first Arroyo Seco Weekend in Pasadena, a curiously delicate, improvised jam session occurred in a little tent set to the side.

There, inside the shaded Kidspace area, a so-called musical petting zoo served to fill the air with the glorious, if disorganized, din of a dozen kids playing -- or playing with -- instruments.

The Rose Bowl-adjacent Arroyo Seco Weekend was billed as a family friendly event, and on Saturday afternoon, the free-form recital, to say nothing of the number of moms and dads carrying worn-out kids, suggested a bunch of parents took the bait.

Was it noisy in the Kidspace area? Sure, but beautifully so.

The organization, which is based in Pasadena, emphasizes interactive learning. A girl clanged bells, another drummed on a tambourine. On a long table, kids strummed a banjo and banged on a bass. An electronic theremin whinnied and moaned. A boy on a drum kit raged.

As soloists, none of the children showed much so-called promise, but as an ensemble, they crafted a work that showed an unwavering confidence.

At another table, kids were busy making punk-style pendants. Elsewhere, others decorated wooden toy instruments.

At sundown, Kidspace closed for the day and the budding talent fanned out, hearty moms and dads in tow, to further explore the grounds.

Many of the toddlers and tykes were new to the fest scene, however, and didn't know to pace themselves. Smiles turned to frowns. At least one kid whined to his brother, "It's not funny -- you hurt me!" Elsewhere, tantrums erupted.

In the distance, the Alabama Shakes delivered a blistering rendition of "Don't Wanna Fight," one if its best known songs: "Don't wanna fight no more," bellowed singer Brittany Howard.

She didn't know the half of it.

Stephen Colbert announces on Russian TV he's considering running for president in 2020

By Meredith Blake

Brace yourselves, America: Stephen Colbert is contemplating another run for the White House. Or so he says.

The host of CBS’ "The Late Show" announced his plans in a way that would make his satirical alter-ego proud: on Russian television.

"I am considering a run for president in 2020 and I thought it would be better to cut out the middleman and just tell the Russians myself," Colbert said in a vodka-soaked appearance on "Evening Urgant," a talk show inspired by American late night TV and hosted by Ivan Urgant. "If anyone would like to work on my campaign in an unofficial capacity, just let me know."

The announcement came near the end of a modified version of Russian roulette in which he and Urgant traded taking shots of vodka from a revolving platter.

"Listen, many things are happening between our two countries," Urgant said, "but we ought to be friends with each other."

Colbert was game -- if a little confused by a game in which there could only be one outcome.

"Is this all vodka?" he asked, pointing to the spinning tray. "Then why do we spin it? So every single one of them's a bullet?"

"Yes," Urgant replied. "Welcome to Russia." (Also baffling to Colbert: the bowl of pickles, served as chasers to the vodka shots.)

For his first shot, Colbert toasted "the beautiful and friendly" people of Russia. "I don't understand why no members of the Trump administration can remember meeting you," he joked.

When it was his turn, Urgant raised a glass to the United States, "which invented the Internet, thanks to which we are able to influence the presidential election." He also made a promise to Colbert that "we will do all we can to ensure that you become president."

In his final toast, Colbert struck a more sincere tone: "A strong America! A strong Russia!"

The "Evening Urgant" visit at least partially solves the mystery of Colbert's mission to Russia, which he made public on Thursday via Twitter. As for the equally pressing question of whether he's being serious about 2020, consider that Colbert has already attempted to run for president. Twice.

Staff writer Ann Simmons provided additional reporting and translation.

.@realDonaldTrump Don't worry, Mr. President. I'm in Russia. If the "tapes" exist, I'll bring you back a copy! pic.twitter.com/v5flvAMtFY

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A Star Is Born: Mindy Kaling turns 38 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

The fact is, I am so proud to be an Asian American and part of the Asian American community. My connection with that community is so strong. It struck me that the show is being characterized as not celebrating that richness. I take that more personally than other things.

— Mindy Kaling on her show, ‘The Mindy Project,’ 2014

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Mindy Kaling finds herself held to a higher standard

Hogwarts Castle gets light show; Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff fans go wild

By Mary McNamara

The most surprising thing about a recent sneak preview of Universal Studios’ new Wizarding World light show, Nighttime Lights, was not the astonishingly non-pyrotechnic glory of Hogwarts Castle awash in imagery from the four houses of Hogwarts Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Last year's opening-night festivities had ended with something similar (albeit to the accompaniment of John Williams, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and fireworks), and, at the time, it seemed unthinkable that some version of it would not become a permanent, or at least seasonal attraction. Magic is no longer the exclusive property of that other park, after all.

What was surprising was the crowd's reaction, particularly when the colors and icons for Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff shot across the walls and ramparts.

For too long the female-founded houses have played second fiddle to the battle between the lion and the snake. But no more. Cheers and applause for the raven and the badger rose at near Gryffindor levels (obviously, no one cheered for Slytherin) from groups of visitors.

Playing several times each day after the summer sun goes down, Nighttime Lights, which officially debuts Friday night, is not an exact replica of the opening-night ceremonies. There are no fireworks, or L.A. Phil, but Williams’ score is omnipresent, immersing the crowd in strings as the Sorting Hat explains the possibilities and reminds visitors that "there is nothing I can't see."

Including, apparently, the long-awaited rise of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.

Janet Jackson is ‘so happy’ amid divorce proceedings, producer Jimmy Jam says

By Nardine Saad

Apparently it doesn't really matter what's going on in the courtroom because Janet Jackson is doing just fine.

The pop diva, who welcomed son Eissa in January with estranged husband Wissam Al Mana, is embroiled in a costly divorce with the wealthy Qatar businessman. But, according to longtime producer Jimmy Jam, the first-time mom is "so happy."

The producer behind several Jackson hits has been keeping up with the 51-year-old singer and her 5-month-old son via text message and video chats.

"I get FaceTime [calls] at like 2 in the morning, usually when I’m wrapping up in the studio," Jam told Entertainment Tonight on Thursday. "It's always just Eissa [on FaceTime], she's in the background somewhere. He's the cutest baby in the history of babies."

Jam noted that the Grammy winner is working on new music as she gears up for her State of the World tour in September. (Jackson abruptly truncated her Unbreakable tour in April for family-planning purposes and hasn't returned to the stage since.)

"She said she's excited to go back to her day job, and her day job is making music and getting off and touring," he said during the ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Awards ceremony Thursday in Beverly Hills, where he and business partner Terry Lewis were honored.

Still, Miss Jackson has to contend with the issues in her personal life. She and Al Mana — her third husband, to whom she was married for about five years — called it quits in April, reportedly over disputes about how they wanted to raise their son.

They began divorce proceedings last week in London, where Jackson resides, and she's said to be fighting for sole custody of Eissa, planning to take him on tour. Depending on their pre-nup, the split is expected to be quite profitable for the singer because the luxury Al Mana Group heir is reportedly worth an estimated $1 billion, according to the Daily Beast.

In comparison, Jackson's estimated worth is a meager $174 million.

Dammn, baby.

Johnny Depp apologizes for assassination joke while Donald Trump Jr. invokes Amber Heard

By Christie D’Zurilla

Johnny Depp went from snarky to sorry after joking in Britain about assassinating President Trump.

The White House was rote in its response Friday to comments the actor made Thursday night at the Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts in Somerset, England.

"President Trump has condemned violence in all forms and its sad that others like Johnny Depp have not followed his lead," the White House said in a statement obtained by ABC News and others. "I hope that some of Mr. Depp's colleagues will speak out against this type of rhetoric as strongly as they would if this was directed towards a democrat elected official."

Depp apologized via a statement to People on Friday afternoon, saying he was sorry for "the bad joke I attempted last night in poor taste about President Trump." He said it didn't come out right.

"I intended no malice. I was only trying to amuse, not to harm anyone," the actor said.

The Secret Service told the Associated Press that it was aware of the comments in question. "For security reasons, we cannot discuss specifically nor in general terms the means and methods of how we perform our protective responsibilities," it said.

Friday morning on Twitter, the president was ignoring Depp's remarks, choosing instead to focus on his regulation reductions and signed bills.

However, Donald J. Trump Jr. — who served as an attack dog during the dust-up over an image of Kathy Griffin holding a fake bloody, decapitated head in the likeness of his father — took a shot.

"Ha, Depp wants to make social commentary: Johnny Depp's team knew of alleged abuse of Amber Heard," the younger Trump tweeted Friday, invoking the rocky end of the actor's marriage to his "Rum Diary" co-star and including a link to a Daily Mail story referencing court documents related to the actor's lawsuit against his former managers.

On Thursday night, while introducing a screening of his 2004 film "The Libertine" and fielding fan questions at Glastonbury, Depp elicited boos when, according to People, he asked the crowd, "Can you bring Trump here?"

He then pivoted: "No, no, no, you misunderstood completely. I think he needs help and there are a lot of wonderful dark, dark places he could go."

The boos turned to cheers, according to the Guardian.

"It is just a question — I’m not insinuating anything," Depp said. "By the way, this is going to be in the press. It will be horrible. I like that you are all a part of it."

He continued: "When was the last time an actor assassinated a president?" referencing the death of Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth in 1865.

"I want to clarify, I am not an actor. I lie for a living," the "Pirates of the Caribbean" star said. "However, it has been a while and maybe it is time."

Seth Meyers goes after Senate's ‘breathtakingly cruel’ healthcare bill

By Yvonne Villarreal

With Senate leaders at long last unveiling a draft of their Obamacare repeal bill, "Late Night" host Seth Meyers admonished Republicans for what he considers a "breathtakingly cruel bill."

During the show's "A Closer Look" segment on Thursday, Meyers said the Senate's tightly guarded legislative outline for Trumpcare "somehow made the House bill even worse."

Meyers singled out Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) for his hypocrisy in the drafting of the bill. A montage of clips showed McConnell had opposed the process of President Obama's Affordable Care Act when it was being passed — complaining about it being written behind closed doors and the rush to push it through.

Cut to 2017 and a clip of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) asking McConnell whether the Senate would have more than 10 hours to review and amend the repeal bill before it goes to a vote. A question McConnell answered with: "I think we’ll have ample opportunity to read and amend the bill."

"You can't even guarantee 10 hours of debate?" Meyers said. "It should take longer to debate a healthcare bill than it takes to binge-watch a season of ‘Empire.’"

In actuality, Meyers noted, Obama ensured there was time for debate and even held White House summits at which Republicans could question the Affordable Care Act bill for hours. As for the secrecy surrounding this bill, compared to the ACA bill, the clips told it all.

"The process for writing this bill was so secretive that even the people who were supposed to be writing it had no idea what was in it," Meyers said, referring to the working group of 13 senators assembled to draft the bill. Meyers played a clip of Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who admitted that he hadn't seen the bill.

"What we’re seeing right now," Meyers said, "is a breathtakingly cynical process to produce a breathtakingly cruel bill."

Oasis’ Liam Gallagher to release first solo album, launch new tour this fall

By Randy Lewis

Oasis lead singer Liam Gallagher will undertake his first solo tour of the U.S. and Canada this fall, in support of his debut solo album, "As You Were," which is set for release on Oct. 6.

The tour is slated to open Nov. 13 in San Francisco, which is the closest it is scheduled to get to Southern California. So far only nine dates have been announced on the two-week run of shows that will take Gallagher to Denver, Minneapolis, Chicago, Toronto, Boston, New York, Washington and Philadelphia.

The album will be released in multiple formats, including standard and deluxe digital versions, CD and vinyl.

"I didn't want to be reinventing anything or going off on a space jazz odyssey," Gallagher said about the album in a statement. "It's the [John] Lennon ‘Cold Turkey’ vibe, The Stones, the classics. But done my way, now."

The first single from the album, "Wall of Glass," was released last month. You can hear it below.

Tickets for the tour go on sale Thursday, June 29, but can be ordered in advance starting today. More information is available at Gallagher's official website.

Dennis Rodman takes credit for Otto Warmbier's release from North Korea

By Libby Hill

Former NBA star Dennis Rodman made an appearance on Friday's "Good Morning America" and essentially took credit for North Korea's release of Otto Warmbier, an American college student imprisoned in the country for 18 months.

Warmbier returned home to Ohio on June 13 with severe neurological injuries. He died Monday.

Chris Volo, Rodman's agent, sat alongside his client during the interview with Michael Strahan and detailed what he said was their involvement with Warmbier's release.

"I asked on behalf of Dennis for [Warmbier's] release three times," Volo said, referring to the release as a "type of good faith."

Last week, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert denied that Rodman had anything to do with Warmbier's release, and when asked about his visit said, "We strongly, strongly suggest Americans not travel to North Korea."

Warmbier's father echoed the sentiment regarding Rodman in a news conference on June 15.

"Dennis Rodman had nothing to do with Otto," he said. "It's a diversion ... this is all planned."

When Strahan asked Rodman about his friendship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un — whom Rodman has called "a friend for life" — and how the basketball star could maintain that relationship in the face of Warmbier's treatment, Rodman was initially cagey.

"He's a friend of mine, OK, great. I don't look at the political side about him. I look at the friendship about him," Rodman said.

"It's the politics that's the bad thing," Rodman emphasized. "If we can try to figure something out, just open the door."

The two-time contestant of "Celebrity Apprentice" also used the interview to encourage President Trump to make more of an effort with North Korea.

"Donald, come talk to me. Let's try to work this out," Rodman said.

On Friday, North Korea denied accusations that it had mistreated Warmbier.

"The fact that Warmbier died suddenly in less than a week just after his return to the U.S. in his normal state of health indicators is a mystery to us as well," a statement from the country's official Korean Central News Agency said.

"To make it clear, we are the biggest victim of this incident and there would be no more foolish judgment than to think we do not know how to calculate gains and losses."

New Han Solo film director Ron Howard is ‘beyond grateful’ and hopes ‘to honor the great work already done’

By Nardine Saad

"Star Wars" fan Ron Howard is "beyond grateful" to add his voice to the Lucasfilm franchise and hopes "to honor the great work already done" on the upcoming Han Solo film, which he inherited from directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller.

The Oscar-winning director proclaimed his love for George Lucas’ universe and eagerness to take the helm on Twitter on Thursday following the official news that he would replace Lord and Miller on the untitled project after they were surprisingly ousted over creative differences with Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy and screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan. (The directors reportedly strayed from Kasdan's script and disagreed over tone.)

I'm beyond grateful to add my voice to the Star Wars Universe after being a fan since 5/25/77.

I hope to honor the great work already done & help deliver on the promise of a Han Solo film.

The origin story, which stars Alden Ehrenreich as a young Han Solo and Donald Glover as a young Lando Calrissian, is already six months into production. Howard, 63, referred to his involvement as "a little opportunity that came my way" during an onstage discussion at the Cannes Lions festival Friday.

"I’ve been around the ‘Star Wars’ universe from the beginning. When I was being directed by George Lucas on ‘American Graffiti’ in 1972, we were standing out in front of Mel's Drive-In in San Francisco where we were shooting," Howard said (via Deadline)."And I said, ‘Do you know what you think your next film might be?’ And he said, ‘Yeah, I want to do a science fiction movie, but a really fun one like "Flash Gordon" with the effects of Stanley Kubrick's "2001."’ I thought, ‘That sounds like a kind of crazy idea.’"

The "Happy Days" alum and his wife stood in line for two hours the day "Star Wars" was released in 1977: "It was all the things you dream you’re going to experience in the movies."

So moved by what they had seen, they immediately stood in line for another 90 minutes to watch it again.

"So many people involved with the ‘Star Wars’ franchise are friends, so it's gratifying to be able to lend my voice to the universe — coming in when it's already been in production and there is a great amount of work done," Howard said onstage.

The prequel film also stars Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Joonas Suotamo. Production is set to resume on July 10, and the film is still expected to hit its previously announced release date of May 25, 2018. Since much of the material has already been completed under Lord and Miller, it's unclear how the Directors Guild of America will handle who receives credit on the finished work.

Howard, who had been approached by Lucas to direct "Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace" but declined, said of his dozens of directorial efforts, he is "probably" most proud of his own 1995 space odyssey, "Apollo 13." And as he finally prepares to launch into a galaxy far, far away, he's just happy that he's still working.

"This is what I’ve always dreamed of. I love to work… But I’m not quite the self-starter that you think I am. I need a little push and then go into a world whether its Formula One or outer space, and now the ‘Star Wars’ universe," Howard said. "I’d like to work for a long time. There's no one thing except to do what I’ve been doing and find ways to hopefully do it better."

‘Baby Driver’ director Edgar Wright on the tough decision to leave ‘Ant-Man’

By Mark Olsen

The recent news of the departure of Phil Lord and Chris Miller from an upcoming "Star Wars" film and their subsequent replacement by Ron Howard has again focused attention on the difficulty of retaining an original voice within the confines of contemporary Hollywood.

During a recent interview about his new film "Baby Driver," Edgar Wright spoke about the tough decision to leave Marvel's "Ant-Man" in 2014 just before the movie was to begin production. Though he still retains a writing credit on it, Wright said he has never watched the film.

"I don't want to go into too much detail, and I can't go into too much detail, but the simple, hard facts of it is that there was a point right before, about eight weeks before were supposed to start shooting, where they wanted to do a draft with somebody else," Wright said. "Once you’ve been a writer-director on a movie for eight years, it's kind of tough to take.

"So it was a really tough decision that ultimately was a binary decision. If I do something like that I want to be a writer-director on it, I don't want to just be a director-for-hire, that's not what I signed up for. The positive thing that came out of it is I came into doing this film next."

As for whether the experience has turned him off to the possibility of franchise filmmaking in contemporary Hollywood, Wright answered with a mixture of diplomatic caution and hard-earned wisdom.

"I would be a fool to say no, so I will definitely say never say never," he said. He leaned in close to a reporter's recorder to add with a smile, "I will say on the record that I’ll do a Bond movie."

Click here for more from Wright on "Baby Driver" and how making original stories in franchise-focused Hollywood can seem like "lassoing a unicorn."

A Star Is Born: Randy Jackson turns 61 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

In the entertainment game, whether you’re a comedian, an actor or a musician, performing is performing. There are things you have to know to move through this jungle, and the people at the top are there because they’re really, really good.

— Randy Jackson, 2010

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Randy Jackson sounds off on all things ‘American Idol’

At Glastonbury Festival, Johnny Depp jokes about assassinating President Trump

By Christie D’Zurilla

Johnny Depp predicted this story would be written — probably because that's what happens when someone famous talks about assassinating President Trump.

"When was the last time an actor assassinated a president?" the "Pirates of the Caribbean" star asked a cheering crowd Thursday night at the Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts in Somerset, England, where he was introducing his 2004 film "The Libertine" at the fest's Cineramageddon stage.

"I want to qualify, I am not an actor," Depp added, per the Guardian. "I lie for a living. However, it has been a while and maybe it is time."

The answer to his question would be 152 years, two months and seven days since John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Lincoln on April 15, 1865.

Depp talked about Trump after taking questions from the crowd before "The Libertine" screened, the Guardian said.

"I think he needs help and there are a lot of wonderful dark, dark places he could go," he said. "It is just a question — I’m not insinuating anything. By the way, this is going to be in the press. It will be horrible. I like that you are all a part of it."

In late May, comic Kathy Griffin learned how far is too far when she published a photo, in the style of Islamic State, showing herself holding a bloody, decapitated head in the likeness of Trump.

Facing backlash from people on both sides of the aisle, she apologized and took down the image. However, days later, she held a news conference where she broke down in tears, said the Trump family had bullied her and and broken her, then vowed, "I’m going to make fun of the president, and I’m going to make fun of him more now."

Blindsided by Prince's death, a reborn Revolution works to honor his legacy

By Mikael Wood

In the years since they played with Prince in the early 1980s, Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman have become two of Hollywood's most prolific television composers, creating music for such shows as "Heroes," "Prime Suspect" and "Shades of Blue."

So it makes sense that when recalling three gigs they played last September at First Avenue in Minneapolis — the club where Prince, who died in April 2016, filmed the concert scenes for his classic "Purple Rain" movie — they described the experience in terms of a dramatic TV plot.

"You know how in a murder trial they’ll say, ‘And now the victim's going to walk through that door,’ but the murderer doesn't look because he knows she's dead?" Coleman asked on a recent afternoon. "We were sort of like the jury. We kept looking to the door, expecting him to come in." Aware of how grim the metaphor was, the women laughed.

"Sorry — gallows humor," Coleman said. "Sometimes it's the only kind you’ve got."

Fourteen months after Prince's shocking death at age 57 (from an overdose of the painkiller fentanyl), the reality has set in: The visionary musician who recruited Melvoin and Coleman as members of his band the Revolution — with whom he made "Purple Rain" and other signature hits including "Raspberry Beret" and "Kiss" — is gone forever.

Yet the Revolution is keeping Prince's memory alive.

Casey Kasem's widow files wrongful-death lawsuit against his three eldest children

By Christie D’Zurilla

Jean Kasem, the widow of Casey Kasem, has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the "American Top 40" host's three eldest children and others.

Kerri Kasem, Mike Kasem, Julie Kasem Aboulhosn, Jamil Anis Aboulhosn, attorney Troy L. Martin and Catholic Health Initiatives are named in the suit, filed June 14 in U.S. District Court in Washington state.

"After an exhaustive forensic investigation following Casey's death and autopsy, there was no other choice but to bring this lawsuit," Jean Kasem said in a statement Thursday.

In addition to wrongful death, the lawsuit accuses the defendants of negligence and fraud. It describes a "Homicidal Guardianship scam," referring to actions taken by the children on behalf of their father as he was suffering from Lewy body dementia and other ailments.

"Everything we did was court-ordered," Kerri Kasem told The Times on Thursday. She said her father's widow filed the pro se lawsuit "only to get the media going again."

"For her to say we unplugged him — we tried everything we could to save him," Kerri Kasem said. "These lies are so awful. It's so awful to hear this."

She said Jean Kasem, who in the lawsuit alleges she and her daughter, Liberty, "never saw Casey Kasem alive again" after the night of June 6, could have been there when the radio personality died.

"We’re the ones who kept calling them to say, ‘Come, be here with Dad,’" Kerri Kasem said. "She could have been there. It was court-ordered that she could be there."

Jean Kasem is seeking damages in an unspecified amount to compensate for losses including income; medical, funeral and burial expenses; destruction of the spousal relationship; and pain and suffering experienced by Casey Kasem, plus interest, court costs and attorney's fees.

"I have taken this action for my daughter Liberty and for my husband of 35 years, as I’m certain Casey would have done the same for me," Jean Kasem said in her statement.

The adult children sought court relief starting in 2013, first to be allowed more access to their father and then to take the lead in his healthcare.

In May 2014, after a dramatic series of events that saw Casey Kasem moved from a nursing home in Santa Monica to the home of friends in Washington state and at times left it unclear where he was, a judge granted Kerri Kasem expanded authority over her father's care as outlined in the radio host's 2007 health directive, rather than in a 2011 directive that gave authority to Jean Kasem.

Casey Kasem died at a hospital in Gig Harbor, Wash., on June 15, 2014, at age 82.

More than six months after his death, he was buried by Jean Kasem at a cemetery in Oslo, Norway, despite the insistence from family members and friends that he had wanted Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale to be his final resting place.

In May 2015, the Los Angeles County district attorney decided there was insufficient evidence to charge Jean Kasem with elder abuse or neglect related to her husband's death.

The three eldest adult Kasem children — whose mother is Linda Myers, the radio host's first wife — and Casey's brother, Mouner Kasem, sued Jean Kasem in November 2015, alleging she neglected his medical needs and hastened his 2014 death.

That case is still working its way through the courts.

Regarding Jean Kasem's lawsuit, a spokesperson for Catholic Health Initiatives told the Los Angeles Times that it does not comment on ongoing legal matters.

Update, 5:10 p.m.: This article was updated to include comments from Kerri Kasem.

This article was originally published at 4:04 p.m.

From our archives, here's why you should celebrate Meryl Streep on her birthday today

By Emily Mae Czachor

Since her breakthrough debut in 1979's "Kramer vs. Kramer," Meryl Streep has made one thing patently clear: She is a force to be reckoned with.

Now, in honor of the actress’ 68th birthday, we’ve compiled a brief roundup of the sharpest, pithiest one-liners she has told the Los Angeles Times over the years, complete with staff photos from our archives.

If there has been any common thread, it's that Streep has been advocating for women's rights, at almost every opportunity, for more than 30 years.

Streep on equal pay:

"We all know what the problem is. There's very little work for women. And when we do work, we get paid much less than our male counterparts." (1990)

On "Pretty Woman" and other films of the era:

"[From them, one might assume that] the chief occupation of women on Earth was hooking. And I don't mean rugs." (1990)

On women behind the scenes, and why they don't push for better representation:

"I guess because those women want to make it past the glass ceiling, maybe they think they have to say, ‘Do "Die Hard II." Now let me be vice president.’" (1990)

On her impressive repertoire of linguistic imitations:

"I don't go looking for parts with accents. But I’m drawn to what hits me in the solar plexus. I need to engage on that level, to do roles that have something to say." (1988)

And on her lack of comedic endeavors, pre-1989:

"I’m a sucker for the powerful story. I could do the easy thing and not have to go and kill myself each time. I don't know why I do, but it's the way I am." (1988)

On Sister Aloysius (her character in "Doubt"):

"Nuns are easy comedy, so we have made fun of them from Monty Python to Chris Durang, but I think there's something that's confounding to the outside world about women who reject all the things that most women build their entire lives around, which is getting a man, getting a husband and the children and looking good." (2009)

On U.K. backlash to "The Iron Lady," and why people don't want to see Margaret Thatcher's flaws:

"[Winston] Churchill could cry once a week, but you can't accept tears from a female president or prime minister because it would be seen as a sign of weakness. It's just a different set of standards." (2011)

On society's conflicted feelings about powerful women, and why they’re vilified on screen:

"There's a reason it was called ‘The Devil Wears Prada.’ That's why it was made. If it was ‘The Angel at the Head of Vogue Magazine,’ no one would go." (2008)

And here's how Streep has compartmentalized negative criticism, since at least 1989:

"It's out there in the air, like smog. You don't feel smog going into your lungs. If the day's beautiful, you don't notice."

Jennifer Lawrence, Mark Hamill, Minnie Mouse, Bernie Mac among 2018 Walk of Fame inductees

By Nardine Saad

There's a new crop of stars landing on the streets of Hollywood: Actress Jennifer Lawrence, "Star Wars" icon Mark Hamill and Minnie Mouse are among them.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced its 2018 inductees to the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Thursday. The chamber will also award posthumous stars such as Steve Irwin and Bernie Mac.

Each of the inductees -- spanning film, television, recording, live theater and radio -- will take their place on the world-famous sidewalk during a ceremony, which they are given two years to schedule.

Each inductee is nominated and has to front a $30,000 sponsorship fee to get their place on the hallowed pavement. (That bill is often footed by a recording, film or TV studio.)

After that, a selection committee votes based on this criteria: professional achievement, longevity of five or more years, contributions to the community and the guarantee that the celebrity will attend the dedication ceremony if selected, according to the chamber's website.

The 2018 class is as follows:

FILM

Actor Jack Black

Actress Kirsten Dunst

Director F. Gary Gray

Actor Jeff Goldblum

Actor Mark Hamill

Actress Jennifer Lawrence

Actress Gina Lollobrigida

Minnie Mouse

Actor Nick Nolte

Actress Zoe Saldana

TELEVISION

Actor Anthony Anderson

Actress Gillian Anderson

Actress Lynda Carter

TV personality Simon Cowell

TV personality RuPaul Charles

Actress Taraji P. Henson

Actor Eric McCormack

Producer Ryan Murphy

Actress Niecy Nash

Actor Mandy Patinkin

Producer Shonda Rhimes

TV personality Steve Irwin

RECORDING

R&B singer Mary J. Blige

Virgin Records founder Richard Branson

Singer Petula Clark

Musician Harry Connick Jr.

Country singer Carrie Underwood

Rapper Ice-T

Rapper Snoop Dogg

Singer "Weird Al" Yankovic

LIVE THEATER

Singer-songwriter Charles Aznavour

Composer-playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda

Comedian Bernie Mac

RADIO

Steve Jones

Search The Times’ database of stars here.

Grammy Museum expands forthcoming exhibit on L.A. punk band X

By Randy Lewis

Call it the X factor at play at the Grammy Museum.

The Los Angeles institution is expanding the scope of what was to be a moderate exhibition about seminal L.A. punk band X originally scheduled to open June 30.

As the pieces of the show have been coming together, however, museum officials have decided to broaden the original plan. The result will become the main exhibition taking over the museum's second floor primary exhibit space.

To accommodate the more extensive show, the opening date is being bumped back to Oct. 13.

"We are so excited to be moving this exhibit to our main exhibits gallery, giving X, one of Los Angeles’ most influential punk rock bands, the recognition they deserve," museum Executive Director Scott Goldman said in a statement. "X played such an integral role in developing the West Coast punk movement, and we are excited to tell that story, now with even more artifacts and ephemera than previously planned."

Curator Nwaka Onwusa added in the same statement, "When we were in the early stages of developing the exhibit, we knew what an important story we’d be telling, but we had no idea just how many photographs, artifacts, and other items we would have access to....we are so honored to be giving X the spotlight they deserve."

As previously reported, the show is scheduled to include instruments and other gear X members have used, handwritten lyrics and notebooks from songwriters Exene Cervenka and John Doe, concert flyers for the group's Southern California shows, clothing and other personal items, rare photos and artwork by Cerveka, a screening of the documentary "X: The Unheard Music" and more.

The show is slated to run through the spring of 2018.

‘Becks,’ ‘Everything Beautiful Is Far Away’ among L.A. Film Festival award winners

By Nardine Saad

Filmmaker Elizabeth Rohrbaugh and Daniel Powell's dramatic musical "Becks" took top honors at the L.A. Film Festival on Thursday.

The film, about a Brooklyn musician (Lena Hall) who moves back to St. Louis after her crushing breakup, debuted at Film Independent's annual fest and earned the U.S. fiction award.

Cinematographers Christian Sorensen Hansen and Pete Ohs earned the U.S. fiction cinematography prize for their sci-fi fantasy "Everything Beautiful Is Far Away," which also debuted at the festival.

Diego Ros’ "The Night Guard (El Vigilante)" won the the world fiction award, and the documentary award went to Amanda Kopp and Aaron Kopp's animated documentary "Liyana" about a young Swazi girl on a quest to save her brothers.

The LA Muse Documentary prize went to Mark Hayes for "Skid Row Marathon," and the Muse fiction award went to Savannah Bloch for "And Then There Was Eve."

The Nightfall award was given to Amanda Evans for "Serpent." The award for short fiction went to "A Funeral for Lightning," and the award for short documentary went to "Black America Again."

"Skid Row Marathon" and "The Keeping Hours" took the audience awards for documentary feature film and fiction feature film, respectively, while "Swim" took the audience award for short film and "High & Mighty" took the audience award for Web series.

The LAFF kicked off June 14 with the world premiere of Colin Trevorrow's "The Book of Henry," a comedy-drama hybrid about a family starring Naomi Watts. The fest closes Thursday with the Los Angeles premiere of Matt Spicer's "Ingrid Goes West."

Sofia Coppola's "The Beguiled," Ric Roman Waugh's "Shot Caller," Dave McCary's "Brigsby Bear" were among the special screenings.

John Green announces ‘Turtles All the Way Down,’ his first novel since ‘The Fault in Our Stars’

By Libby Hill

John Green, who's beloved for his 2012 novel, "The Fault in Our Stars," is returning to the wonderful world of books. It was announced Thursday that "Turtles All the Way Down," his first novel in more than five years, is to be published Oct. 11.

Green is acclaimed for his nuanced and empathetic depictions of teenagers. His latest work centers on Aza Holmes, a young woman looking to solve the mysterious disappearance of a fugitive billionaire, while also struggling with her own mental illness.

"I’ve been working on ‘Turtles All the Way Down’ for years, and I’m so excited to share it with readers this October," Green said via his publisher's news release. "This is my first attempt to write directly about the kind of mental illness that has affected my life since childhood, so while the story is fictional, it is also quite personal."

Green's last book, "The Fault in Our Stars," was an international bestseller, selling more than 10 million copies as of 2014.

Stephen Colbert heads to Russia on mystery assignment

By Meredith Blake

Stephen Colbert has ridden anti-Trump sentiment to the top of the late-night ratings. Now he's taking it all the way to Russia.

On Thursday "The Late Show" host tweeted a picture of himself in front of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg along with a message directed at the president, who earlier in the day announced on Twitter that he did not make any recordings of his conversations with former FBI director James Comey.

"Don't worry, Mr. President. I’m in Russia. If ‘the tapes’ exist, I’ll bring you back a copy," he said, a reference of course not to the possibly nonexistent Comey tapes but to another possibly nonexistent tape involving Trump.

In the picture he shared on Twitter, Colbert is dressed in a trench coat — making him look a bit like a spy.

So what's Colbert really doing in Russia?

A representative of "The Late Show" confirmed that Colbert was in the country on assignment, but declined to elaborate.

The Russia investigation has become a mainstay on the Trump-era "Late Show," with Colbert often suggesting — sometimes using off-color language — that Trump is doing the bidding of President Vladimir Putin.

And last week the comedian gave an especially tough interview to filmmaker Oliver Stone regarding his documentary, "The Putin Interviews," criticized by many for going soft on the Russian leader.

Trump has taken notice of the criticism, calling Colbert a "no-talent guy."

We may have to wait a few days to find out just what Colbert is up to: "The Late Show" is in reruns for the remainder of the week.

.@realDonaldTrump Don't worry, Mr. President. I'm in Russia. If the "tapes" exist, I'll bring you back a copy! pic.twitter.com/v5flvAMtFY

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A year away, the ‘Jurassic World’ sequel already has its title and poster

By Mark Olsen

In one year, life finds a way. pic.twitter.com/32Cu62xn1Y

The next entry in the venerable franchise of dinosaurs run amok got an official title Thursday. "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom" will stomp its way to theaters on June 22, 2018.

Directed by Spanish-born filmmaker J.A. Bayona, "Fallen Kingdom" will follow 2015's "Jurassic World," which grossed more than $1.6 billion worldwide. The new film is written by Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly. Trevorrow directed "World" and co-wrote that film with Connolly.

Along with the full title, a teaser poster was released with the tagline "Life Finds a Way." That's a reference to the original 1993 film, "Jurassic Park," and a line spoken by actor Jeff Goldblum, who has been announced as returning in the upcoming film.

Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard return from "World," with a cast that also includes Toby Jones, B.D. Wong, Rafe Spall, Daniella Pineda, Justice Smith, Geraldine Chaplin and James Cromwell.

Earlier this year, another early image was released from "Fallen Kingdom" of a young girl staring down a dinosaur skull in a museum.

So excited to show you this!! A first look of the new Jurassic adventure. #JW2 pic.twitter.com/U7eJRANXgg

Broadway's ‘Cats’ revival purring its last show in December

By Nardine Saad

"Cats" has come to the end of its nine lives.

The Broadway revival of the iconic 1982 musical has set its closing date and will meow its final performance at New York's Neil Simon Theatre on Dec. 30.

By then, the popular musical will have completed 16 previews and 593 regular performances since its official opening in July 2016, purring through the busy summer tourist season and the end-of-year holiday season. (The original show earned several awards, including the Tony for best musical and ran for 18 years.)

This production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber-T.S. Eliot smash hit about Jellicle cats and their quest to the Heaviside Layer was helmed by its original director, Trevor Nunn, who won the Tony for direction on the original production in 1983. Gillian Lynne's iconic choreography was adapted by two-time Tony winner Andy Blankenbuehler.

Despite early success, the current staging hasn't sustained itself at the box office, pulling in more than $750,000 last week, according to Broadway World. That's a respectable figure but not as impressive given the scale of the production.

However, the show will still go on in some form. The national tour of "Cats" will debut in Providence, R.I., in January 2019 and make stops in Chicago, Los Angeles and Durham, N.C.

The full tour schedule has yet to be announced.

With anguish and disbelief, Trevor Noah reflects on the Philando Castile verdict

By Chris Barton

On a Wednesday night that offered what's become the now-standard assortment of political recaps -- Seth Meyers’ closer look at the Senate's mysterious healthcare bill, Samantha Bee with a vaguely Germanic look at keywords in fake news on "Full Frontal" -- Trevor Noah on "The Daily Show" stood out with a segment that left comedy behind entirely.

In recent days, Noah has offered pointed commentary on the police officer who was exonerated for the shooting of Philando Castile in Minnesota during a traffic stop. On Monday, Noah called out the NRA for its curious silence on Castile, who was a licensed gun owner, and on Tuesday, he further examined what it means to be black in America while sharing his own experience with law enforcement.

After dash-cam footage of the Castile shooting was released on Wednesday, Noah went one step further.

"I thought I felt all I could feel about this story," he began, and, after warning that the video was graphic and that no one has to watch it but probably should, Noah played the new footage.

"I won't lie to you, when I watched this video, it broke me," Noah said and focused on the haunting image of Castile's daughter being led away from the car where her father had just been killed. "It broke my heart into little pieces."

With an air of resignation, Noah went on to describe the futility of the movement for more body cameras in pursuit of justice in these incidents.

"You watch that and, forget race, are we all watching the same video? The video where a law-abiding man followed the officer's instructions to the letter of the law and was killed regardless?" Noah asked.

That led to another video from the day where you hear Castile's devastated girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, saying, "You shot four bullets into him, sir."

Noah looked stunned.

"In that moment the cop has panicked," he said, "but clearly, black people never forget their training."

As Noah's voice quickened, there were no punch lines, no wacky graphic or applause break to lighten the moment. There was only his searching tone and those two clips, which for all their pervasiveness were easy to avoid, if you chose.

In this segment, Noah -- the host of a show designed for escapist laughs -- took away that choice and asked for his audience's attention toward the shooting, the jury's decision and what it said about the nation.

It was a bold decision, one that could never lead to laughs, but those were never the goal. Instead Noah found something else in a way that no other current late night host could.

Guns N’ Roses will launch new SiriusXM channel with Apollo Theater show

By Randy Lewis

As run-up to a new leg of Guns N’ Roses’ Not in This Lifetime tour this summer, the band will play a private concert July 20 at New York's Apollo Theater in Harlem for a special to air on SiriusXM satellite radio.

The invitation-only performance, representing the first time the group has played the historic venue, will be carried on SiriusXM's new Guns N’ Roses Radio Channel 14, slated to launch July 13, and it will also go out over Howard Stern's Howard 101 channel on the service.

The new channel and the forthcoming tour coincide with the 30th anniversary of the release of GNR's blockbuster 1987 album "Appetite for Destruction."

"Guns N’ Roses started off in Los Angeles in 1985 and went on to conquer the world with its swaggering, unrepentant, rebel rock and roll, and we are thrilled to have them perform," SiriusXM President and Chief Content Officer Scott Greenstein said in a statement.

Prince Harry: ‘Is there any one of the royal family who wants to be king or queen? I don't think so’

By Libby Hill

Continuing what appears to be a concerted effort in recent months to demystify the royal family, Prince Harry granted Newsweek an extensive interview, printed Thursday, detailing his attempts at normalcy and continuing the legacy of his late mother

Harry even suggested that no one in the royal family is itching to take over for Queen Elizabeth II, even as the duty looms.

"The monarchy is a force for good," the prince said, speaking specifically of his grandmother's work but emphasizing how the younger generation of royals are actively trying to modernize the monarchy.

"We are not doing this for ourselves but for the greater good of the people," Harry said. "Is there any one of the royal family who wants to be king or queen? I don't think so, but we will carry out our duties at the right time."

A sense of duty sparring with an ache for the ordinary seems to define the prince's existence, with much of it rooted in the life — and death — of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.

Harry and his brother, Prince William, have been increasingly transparent in the last year about the lasting psychological scars of their mother's tragic death when they were just children.

"My mother died when I was very young. I didn't want to be in the position I was in, but I eventually pulled my head out of the sand, started listening to people and decided to use my role for good," Harry told Newsweek, before continuing to speak about the value his mother placed on leading an ordinary life.

"Thank goodness I’m not completely cut off from reality," Harry said, explaining how Diana went to great pains to make sure her sons did not grow up sheltered and unaware of the struggles of the rest of humanity.

"I intuitively know what my mother would like me to do and want to progress with work she couldn't complete," Harry added.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Diana's death in a car crash. She was 36.

Newsweek‘s story on Prince Harry is available online and will appear in the magazine's June 30 issue.

Coal company sues HBO's John Oliver for defamation

By Associated Press

Coal company Murray Energy has sued HBO and its Sunday-night host, John Oliver, for what it says was a "false and malicious broadcast" last Sunday evening. It's seeking financial damages and a court order barring rebroadcasts of the segment's "defamatory statements."

Oliver's "Last Week Tonight" coal segment criticized the Trump administration's effort to revive the industry, saying coal jobs have dropped for decades and other energy alternatives are driving the industry's decline.

He ribbed Murray Energy's CEO Robert Murray, who blames regulatory efforts by the Obama administration for damaging the coal industry. He said the 77-year-old looked like a "geriatric Dr. Evil" and noted that the company had fought against coal safety regulations.

The Ohio company sued the comedian Wednesday afternoon in circuit court in West Virginia, saying that he tried to embarrass Murray by making fun of his age and appearance and made false statements about a 2007 collapse of a Utah mine, when nine miners died. The company said Oliver ignored information it sent the show that it says showed an earthquake caused the mine's collapse and that the show made no mention of "the efforts Mr. Murray personally made to save the trapped miners."

An HBO spokesman says the show didn't violate Murray Energy's rights or those of Murray. Oliver noted on the show that Murray Energy has a litigious past, and last month sued the New York Times for libel.

Murray Energy employs about 5,400 people, about half of those in West Virginia.

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Ron Howard to take over as director of Han Solo movie after creative shakeup

By Mark Olsen

Ron Howard will take over directing the untitled Han Solo spinoff movie for Lucasfilm and Disney after the surprising news earlier this week that directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller were leaving the project already well into production.

Hollywood trade papers first published the news of Howard's hiring Thursday morning, with an official statement posted shortly after at starwars.com. The Oscar-winning director and producer emerged almost immediately as the name most mentioned for the job.

"At Lucasfilm, we believe the highest goal of each film is to delight, carrying forward the spirit of the saga that George Lucas began forty years ago," Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm, said in the statement. "With that in mind, we’re thrilled to announce that Ron Howard will step in to direct the untitled Han Solo film. We have a wonderful script, an incredible cast and crew, and the absolute commitment to make a great movie. Filming will resume the 10th of July."

The story that has surfaced this week is that the irreverent sensibilities of Lord and Miller, known for "The Lego Movie" and the "Jump Street" pictures, clashed with those of producer Kennedy and writer Lawrence Kasdan.

The movie stars Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo and Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian, with a cast that also includes Woody Harrelson, Thandie Newton, Emilia Clarke and Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

The next picture in the revived franchise, "Star Wars: The Last Jedi," written and directed by Rian Johnson, will be released Dec. 15. The Han Solo movie is still expected to hit its previously announced release date of May 25, 2018.

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Can corporate Hollywood make peace with voice-minded directors? The fight continues with ‘Star Wars’

Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern talk sex, ‘Lies’ and a second chapter for their HBO series

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Camp Firewood counselors reunite in ‘Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later’ trailer

By Nardine Saad

Ten years older. Ten years hotter. Ten years wetter.

The counselors of Camp Firewood are doing a bit more time-jumping, reuniting in the NSFW trailer for the upcoming season of Netflix's "Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later."

The comedy, which starts streaming on Aug. 4, finally explains what became of its all-star cast as it revisits them a decade after their shenanigans in the wilderness. Of course, they return to the camp just as Beth (Janeane Garofalo) is preparing to sell it and Andy (Paul Rudd) and Katie (Marguerite Moreau) work to save it.

The eight-episode limited series is set in 1991 and stars the cast of of Michael Showalter and David Wain's 2001 cult classic movie, which took place on the last day of camp in 1981. Just to make things more confusing, the Netflix prequel series that launched in 2015 was set on the first day of camp.

With the exception of Bradley Cooper, who appears in the trailer just to set up the upcoming season, the returning cast members include Garofalo, Rudd, Moreau, Elizabeth Banks, Showalter, Lake Bell, Josh Charles, Christopher Meloni, Ken Marino, Joe Lo Truglio, Molly Shannon, Michael Ian Black, Zak Orth, Amy Poehler, Kristen Wiig, Chris Pine, David Hyde Pierce, Jason Schwartzman and numerous others.

Camp freshmen Marlo Thomas, Jai Courtney, Dax Shepard, Alyssa Milano and Adam Scott will also be featured in "Ten Years Later."

A Star Is Born: Meryl Streep turns 68 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

You have to be interested and mystified in the other person's feelings and be very, very curious about the person's heart. Not just the person you are portraying, but the person you’re communicating with and the one that is unseen — the audience. I always think that if I’ve made a connection with my character, and I’ve gotten into her heart, then they can get into yours. I always think about that invisible connection among us all, what we have in common as opposed to what divides us.

— Meryl Streep, 1990

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Meryl Acts Up

Famed D.C. mural replaces Bill Cosby with Dave Chappelle, Taraji P. Henson and Obamas

By Nardine Saad

A high-profile mural in Washington, D.C., has been updated to replace comedian Bill Cosby's visage with those of Barack and Michelle Obama as well as actress and D.C. native Taraji P. Henson, athlete Muhammad Ali, comedian Dave Chappelle and several others.

Ahead of Today's Unveiling, A Sneak Peek of the New Ben's Chili Bowl Mural https://t.co/v5TEBXZUoe pic.twitter.com/1zgGoVLY5a

Local muralist Aniekan Udofia has been seen sketching the likenesses of 16 local and historical African American icons in the U Street Corridor on the side of the decades-old Ben's Chili Bowl restaurant, which commissioned the original mural back in 2012.

The disgraced Cosby was unceremoniously removed from the original piece back in January when Ben's owners decided the mural needed a refresh, according to the Washington Post.

Cosby has had a long history with the famed restaurant and often attended its events. The Emmy-winning comic, who is accused of numerous incidents of sexual assault and whose sole criminal case ended in a mistrial last week, was replaced with temporary images of Washington Wizards’ John Wall and Bradley Beal in April. (A separate mural of Cosby in Philadelphia was also painted over in the wake of the allegations.)

The restaurant opened voting to the public to decide on six new faces, the landmark eatery said. Cosby's likeness had been accompanied by those of former President Barack Obama, former First Lady Michelle Obama, DJ Donnie Simpson and guitarist Chuck Brown, but he was the only figure not to return to the refreshed piece. The Obamas were moved to the corner of real estate Cosby's image once occupied.

In addition to Henson, Ali and Chappelle, the colorful mural also features musical luminaries Prince and Roberta Flack, rapper Wale, radio DJ Russ Parr, abolitionist Harriet Tubman and other figures with local ties, including activist-comedian Dick Gregory, TV anchor Jim Vance, former D.C. Mayor Marion Barry and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton.

Proud to support @benschilibowl new #muralsdc mural with @MayorBowser @DaveChappelle @DonnieSimpson and so many others #movegrowbegreen pic.twitter.com/IkBInjVDCP

Chappelle attended the unveiling on Wednesday, along with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Gregory, Vance and Norton, according to the local NBC affiliate.

"I just wanna say this is one of the best honors I’ve ever gotten in my career," Chappelle said. "I’m honored to be home and this means an enormous amount to me and my family. I’m very proud of it."

Virginia Ali, who runs Ben's Chili Bowl with her family, told the Post in January that those depicted on the wall should have made an impact on not only on the country, but the D.C. community.

A staffer for Murals DC, a local body devoted to graffiti prevention, told the City Paper that the mural will stay in place for at least the next five years.

Zayn Malik has been profiled by airport security — but he's not angry about it

By Christie D’Zurilla

Though he's arguably Britain's biggest Muslim entertainer, Zayn Malik has been profiled at airports, he says. But he makes it sound like no big deal.

"I understand the level of caution that needs to be taken, especially now, in the light of certain events at home," the singer told the Evening Standard. "I don't think there's any benefit to getting angry — it's something that comes with the climate. I understand why they’ve got to do it."

"It" would be the kind of thing he said happened repeatedly in his early days with One Direction, when he and the band traveled frequently to the United States.

"The first time I came to America, I had three security checks before I got on the plane; first they said that I’d been randomly selected, and then they said it was something to do with my name, it was flagging something on their system…" Malik told the publication. Then it was "like a movie" after the plane landed.

"They kept me there for three hours, questioning me about all kinds of crazy stuff. I was 17, my first time in America, jet-lagged off the plane, confused. The same thing happened the next time too."

Malik, now 24 and a solo act, said he's not currently practicing Islam and doesn't want to be "defined" by his religion or his cultural background.

However, he takes "a great sense of pride — and responsibility" in knowing that he's the first of his kind (that's his word) to have such a high profile.

"I was raised in the Islamic faith, so it will always be with me, and I identify a lot with the culture," Malik said. "But I’m just me."

Gabourey Sidibe has a message for anyone who obsesses over her weight: ‘Mind your own body’

By Emily Mae Czachor

In January 2010, Gabourey Sidibe went from office receptionist at the Fresh Air Fund to Academy Award-nominated actress, seemingly overnight.

Following her breakout film debut in Lee Daniels’ "Precious" -- the gritty screen adaptation of the 1996 novel "Push" -- the "Empire" star had found herself at the pinnacle of Hollywood fame. But with that recognition came an influx of judgment from people who felt they had the right to comment on her appearance and, specifically, her body.

"People want to feel like they have some sort of ownership over your body, even though you’re a stranger," Sidibe told "Good Morning America" anchor Robin Roberts on the Season 2 premiere of Roberts’ podcast, "Everybody's Got Something," out Wednesday.

Sidibe recapped her slingshot into the limelight, the ways in which it impacted her body image and what she's taken away from all of it. Those are all themes that the actress discussed in her inaugural book of essays, a memoir called "This Is Just My Face: Try Not to Stare," released last month. (She spoke to "Good Morning America" in May.)

And while many of the crude comments about her body came from strangers -- which Sidibe calls "misogynistic," adding, "We tell women what they need to look like, and what they don't need to look like" -- they seemed to crop up on all fronts.

Speaking to Roberts, Sidibe recalled a conversation she overheard between Daniels and then-Vogue editor Andre Leon Talley, in which Talley -- playfully, albeit stingingly -- exclaimed, "I’m going to put that fat... right on the cover of Vogue."

At 34 years old, Sidibe is sending a resounding message to her spectators: "Mind your own body," which was also the title of one of the chapters in her book.

On her recent weight loss, Sidibe noted that it's the "weirdest thing in the world" when people offer her congratulations. "You don't congratulate me when I blow my nose," she quipped.

In addition to body-centric issues, Sidibe also spoke to Roberts about feeling woefully underdressed at early red-carpet events (she had worn Payless shoes), audience responses to seeing her naked on "Empire" and her three-year stint as a phone-sex operator named Becky.

The full interview is available at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play Music, Stitcher, as well as the ESPN and ABC News mobile apps.

Forget summer. Winter is here: HBO releases new ‘Game of Thrones’ trailer

By Libby Hill

It's technically the first day of summer (in the city), but HBO and "Game of Thrones" have the perfect antidote to the back of your neck getting dirty and gritty.

Actually, strike that. People in Westeros are filthy.

The premium cable provider released its second trailer for Season 7 of the blockbuster fantasy series "Game of Thrones" on Wednesday morning, and it's chock-full of snow, fire and stirring orchestral themes.

The trailer begins with Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) striding through the snow as renowned meddler Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen) provides voice-over advising, "Don't fight in the North. Or the South. Fight every battle, everywhere, always, in your mind."

From there, the trailer is off to the races, checking in with the three would-be sovereigns of Westeros -- Jon Snow (Kit Harington), Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) and Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) -- before moving like wildfire through the rest of the enormous cast.

Though Season 7 will contain only seven episodes, unlike the 10-episode seasons that preceded it, there appears to be no shortage of action.

The rest of the trailer contains dragons and White Walkers and crows aplenty, plus a special appearance by the undead leader of the Brotherhood, Beric Dondarrion (Richard Dormer).

Season 7 of "Game of Thrones" premieres July 16.

Kim Kardashian, Kanye West reportedly hire surrogate to carry third child

By Nardine Saad

Kim Kardashian and husband Kanye West have reportedly taken the next step to expand their brood — without Kardashian getting pregnant herself.

The 36-year-old "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" star and the rapper will hire a surrogate to carry their third child, according to several reports out Wednesday.

Per TMZ, the couple has hired a gestational surrogate through an agency and agreed to pay her $45,000 in 10 monthly installments of $4,500. Stipulations about multiples, the carrier losing reproductive organs and what she is and isn't allowed to do following embryo implantation and during the pregnancy — such as refraining from smoking, drinking, drugs, restricting intercourse, avoiding hot tubs and limiting caffeine and avoiding certain food — are also in the agreement. (It should be noted that most of those recommendations are usually given to pregnant women anyway.)

The couple would "assume the legal and parental responsibilities for any child ... that may possess any congenital or other abnormalities or defects," TMZ said, and is also required to place a $68,850 deposit with the agency.

E! Online, whose E! television arm broadcasts Kardashian's reality show, and People also confirmed reports that the Wests used an agency to hire a surrogate. A rep for Kardashian did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.

The social media star, whose urgency to have more children heightened after her traumatic 2015 armed robbery, has been considering using a surrogate since doctors told her would be unsafe for her to carry another child. The mother of two — daughter North is 4 and son Saint is 1 — has been vocal about her two complicated pregnancies as she suffered from placenta accreta during the last two deliveries. A third pregnancy could potentially be life-threatening, her doctors said.

In an April episode of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians," the 36-year-old revealed that she underwent a procedure to improve her ability to carry another child, but it was unsuccessful.

"After talking to Kanye … I always knew surrogacy was an option, now it's my reality," she said. "Whatever is meant to be will be."

No matter what it takes, Kim will find a way! #KUWTK pic.twitter.com/20jpqTpUl0

Kardashian would be among numerous celebrities to pursue the increasingly common reproductive procedure, which gathers eggs from the mother, fertilizes them with sperm from the father and implants the embryos in the uterus of the gestational surrogate, who then carries the baby until birth. Model Tyra Banks and actresses Katey Sagal, Elizabeth Banks, Nicole Kidman and Sarah Jessica Parker have all used surrogates.

Incidentally, Kardashian's pal Chrissy Teigen also offered to carry a child for the reality star "in a heartbeat."

Hear Simon Cowell's all-star charity version of ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ for Grenfell Tower victims

By Randy Lewis

A new recording of Paul Simon's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" featuring 50 musicians was released Wednesday, with proceeds from sales and streaming earmarked to benefit victims of last week's Grenfell Tower fire in London that killed 79 people and left hundreds homeless.

The project was spearheaded by "America's Got Talent" judge Simon Cowell and features Rita Ora, Robbie Williams, One Direction's Liam Payne and others collectively performing as Artists for Grenfell.

The track was recorded over three days at a London studio just half a mile from the Grenfell Tower public housing project. Proceeds will be distributed through the London Community Foundation. Donations can also be made through the Artists for Grenfell website.

Cowell said he was moved to instigate the recording after being "heartbroken" by the tragedy.

Other participants include Nile Rodgers, James Blunt, Bastille and Stormzy.

On Tuesday's late-night TV, Sean Spicer and America feel the heat

By Robert Lloyd

It was hot Tuesday out West in America. How hot was it? The fact that no late-night talk show studio audience knew to ask that question -- as one, out loud -- when the subject was raised demonstrates just how far we have fallen as a nation since Johnny Carson ruled the air.

Well, how hot was it? It was so hot, said Stephen Colbert on "The Late Show," that "the cartoon sun from the weather reports is staying home in the air conditioning." It was so hot that planes were grounded in Phoenix (something about heat creating lower air density, reducing the amount of lift). "This could be the disaster that finally convinces skeptics that climate change is real. A layover in Phoenix."

It was so hot at the airport, said Jimmy Fallon on "The Tonight Show," that "United was dragging passengers down a Slip’N Slide."

"You know who's really feeling the heat?" Colbert asked. ("Who?" his audience failed to ask.) Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary. "He's feeling the spicy heat."

Spicer, whose recent absences from the press room podium may become permanent, presided Monday over a briefing at which no cameras or even audio recordings were permitted. Colbert called that a "big change from his usual press briefings, where only information is prohibited."

Spicer's explanation that "there are days where we decide that the president's voice should be the only one who speaks for the administration" prompted Colbert to point out that Spicer's "whole job is speaking for the administration. That's like Chef Boyardee saying there are days when we decide that people should make their own canned ravioli."

A Washington Post report that the White House might rotate spokespersons "in part to prevent the president from growing bored or angry at his press secretary" prompted this Colbert-as-Trump remark: "I can't stay mad at you if you’re out of my sight for a couple of minutes because I lack object permanence." Developmental psychologists everywhere must have nodded in satisfaction.

On Seth Meyers’ "Late Night," staff writer Amber Ruffin made Spicer's if-a-tree-falls-in-the-forest press briefing part of her recurring "Amber Says What" segment.

"I heard that … he didn't allow cameras or recording devices and I was, like, ‘What?’ Then I realized even when he answers on camera, I’m still, like, ‘What?’"

"I love this spin," said Jimmy Kimmel on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," regarding reports that Spicer would be moving to a more senior position. "Basically what is happening is Trump is firing Sean Spicer, but he doesn't want to fire him because it would be admitting he hired another doofus. It's the White House equivalent of telling the kids you sent Fluffy to a farm upstate to run around."

Fallon had nearly the same joke, calling it "the political version of saying someone's moving to a farm upstate. ‘Say goodbye to Rusty, Rusty's moving to a farm upstate.’"

Rusty, Fluffy, take your pick. There's something in it.

Watch Chris Cornell's final music video made before his death

By Randy Lewis

The final music video made by Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell before his death in May was released Tuesday in conjunction with his wish that it go out on World Refugee Day to highlight issues facing refugees around the globe.

"The Promise" was written for and used in the film of the same name starring Christian Bale and Oscar Isaac, detailing the final days of the Ottoman Empire and addressing the Armenian Genocide of the early 20th century.

The video, directed by Meiert Avis and Stefan Smith, intermingles footage of refugees in various parts of the world with Cornell singing and accompanying himself on guitar.

At the time the single was released in March, Cornell said, "‘The Promise’ to me is mainly about paying homage to those we lost in the Armenian Genocide, but it's also about shining a light on more recent atrocities."

"Unfortunately, the words ‘never again’ seem like just words when we recall these mass executions of the 20th century, as well as renewed racism and prejudice around the world," Cornell said. "Even in the U.S., the warning signs -- isolating groups based on race and religion -- are evident. We really need to tell these stories and keep telling them in as many different ways as we can."

Eric Esrailian, producer of "The Promise" film and co-manager for Survival Pictures, said: "Although it is bittersweet because Chris filmed his performance in Brooklyn, N.Y., shortly before his passing, he wanted his video to be released on World Refugee Day, and he was passionate about helping people through this project.

"True to Chris's charitable spirit, he made a commitment to donate all of his proceeds from ‘The Promise’ to support refugees and children, and to further the conversation about the refugee crisis the world continues to endure," Esrailian added.

Cornell died May 17 following a Soundgarden performance in Detroit. The Wayne County medical examiner initially ruled his death suicide by hanging and later concluded that "drugs did not contribute to his death."

Cornell's widow, Vicky Cornell, said she suspected prescription medication played a role in his death because he told her on the night of the performance he might have accidentally taken too much Ativan, an anti-anxiety medication.

Actress Mary-Louise Parker's nanny arrested, charged with illegally withdrawing funds

By Nardine Saad

Someone's debit card privileges have been revoked.

Mary-Louise Parker's nanny has been arrested on charges of pilfering thousands of dollars from the "Weeds" star when she was supposed to be using her boss’ debit card to shop for Parker's teenage son and young daughter, whom the actress adopted from Ethiopia in 2007, the New York Daily News reported

Brooklyn police arrested Amanda Hoston-St. Louis, 33, on Monday after Parker learned that the caregiver illegally withdrew more than $3,000 twice in April, according to the criminal complaint obtained by the newspaper. Parker was notified of the illegal transactions by her bank and reported them to police, who said it wasn't the first time Hoston-St. Louis filched from the actress, TMZ reported.

The nanny has been making withdrawals since 2016 that total more than $30,000, sources told the websites.

Hoston-St. Louis was arraigned in Brooklyn Criminal Court on Tuesday and released without bail, the Daily News said. She has reportedly been charged with several counts of identity theft, grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.

‘Downton Abbey’ movie production slated for 2018

By Libby Hill

For fans eager to return to Downton Abbey, the wait might be shorter than expected.

Rumors of a movie version have existed since the sweeping series about the Crawley family and their staff completed its run in 2015, and now a high-level executive is suggesting that production on a film could begin next year.

"There's a movie in the works. It's been in the works for some time," Michael Edelstein, president of NBCUniversal international studios, told the Associated Press on Wednesday.

"We are working on getting the script right," Edelstein continued. "And then we’ve got to figure out how to get the 20 casts together."

Edelstein made the comments during a red-carpet event for "Downton Abbey: The Exhibition," an interactive exploration of the series that debuted in Singapore last week.

As for getting the script in order, just last week "Downton Abbey" creator Julian Fellowes confessed during a web chat with the Guardian that he had already been writing the project.

"I’ve done some work on the script, because I don't want to find there's a green light and no script ready. But we’re still waiting for that green light from the studio," Fellowes told an inquiring fan. "Then the biggest difficulty will be rounding up all the cast as, compared with most series, it has such a large cast. And it needs them to feel Downtonesque."

In its original iteration, "Downton Abbey" ran for six seasons and 52 episodes. During that time, the series was nominated for 69 Primetime Emmy Awards, taking home 15.

Edelstein and Fellowes did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Wednesday morning.

A Star Is Born: Chris Pratt turns 38 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

You know, drinking and eating whatever I wanted and partying and having fun. I thought, ‘This isn't a bad niche. ... If I can get consistent work as this bumbling kind of fat guy who says funny things and falls down on roller blades and gets really sweaty, why not?’

— Chris Pratt, 2014

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Summer Sneaks: The Actors - Saddest turns baddest

‘Supernatural’ universe celebrates word of ‘Wayward Daughters’ spin-off

By Christie D’Zurilla

"Wayward Daughters," a female-focused "Supernatural" spin-off, is reportedly on its way, with Kim Rhodes the first performer attached to the series.

Four "Supernatural" writer-producers are behind the spin-off, according to Deadline, which reported Tuesday that the project is in development. The news was backed up on Twitter by Rhodes, who plays Sheriff Jody Mills in a recurring role on the long-running CW series starring Jensen Ackles and Jared Padelecki.

"Wayward Daughters" will revolve around a group of troubled young women trained and mentored by Mills to become monster hunters, Deadline said. In the world of "Supernatural," female characters historically haven't fared well. (We’re thinking of you, Charlie Bradbury.)

"YOU did this. Your voices. Your presence. Persistence. Resistance. Joy. Rage. LOVE. You ARE DOING this," Rhodes said on Twitter, addressing those in the fandom who for years advocated a spin-off that would focus on her character and fellow "Supernatural" actress Briana Buckmaster's Sheriff Donna Hanscomb.

Rhodes continued, name-checking actresses Buckmaster, Katherine Ramdeen and Kathryn Newton, writer-producers Robert Berens and Andrew Dabb : "And WE are doing this @OfficialBrianaB @katramdeen @KathrynLNewton @robertberens @andrewdabb... this is a rising tide. There will never be enough ways or words to thank you. But I promise to try as long as I have breath."

1/? YOU did this. Your voices. Your presence. Persistence. Resistance. Joy. Rage. LOVE. You ARE DOING this. #WaywardSisters

2/? And WE are doing this. @OfficialBrianaB @katramdeen @KathrynLNewton @robertberens @andrewdabb... this is a rising tide. #WaywardSisters

3/3 There will never be enough ways or words to thank you. But I promise to try as long as I have breath. #WAYWARD #WAYWARDSISTERS

Buckmaster similarly praised the fandom, tweeting, "Lesson: never underestimate the immense power of the of ‘casual female viewers.’"

In April, "Supernatural" exec producers Robert Singer and Andrew Dabb were seen as dropping a "Wayward Daughters" hint in a trailer for the "Ladies Drink Free" episode, which Singer said "very subtly tees up something that we’re gonna revisit next year, and that's as much of a teaser as I can tease." The Season 12 episode focused on Newton's character, Claire Novak.

According to Deadline, "Daughters" will be a backdoor spin-off out of the upcoming "Supernatural" season 13. No

"Finally! Congrats, @kimrhodes4real... Can't wait to see you kickass women showing us all how ‘badass hunter’ is really done!," tweeted Misha Collins, whose character Castiel, in season 4 of "Supernatural," took over Claire Novak's dad's body to use as his "vessel."

A representative for the CW did not respond to a request for comment.

Lesson: never underestimate the immense power of the of "casual female viewers" 💪🏻

‘Star Wars’ Han Solo movie loses directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller due to ‘creative differences’

By Tracy Brown

It seems everything is not quite awesome on the upcoming "Star Wars" Han Solo spinoff. Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have left the project.

"Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are talented filmmakers who have assembled an incredible cast and crew, but it's become clear that we had different creative visions on this film, and we’ve decided to part ways. A new director will be announced soon," said Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm, in a statement posted on the official "Star Wars" website.

"Unfortunately, our vision and process weren't aligned with our partners on this project. We normally aren't fans of the phrase ‘creative differences’ but for once this cliché is true. We are really proud of the amazing and world-class work of our cast and crew," added Lord and Miller.

The untitled Han Solo film, which stars Alden Ehrenreich as the younger incarnation of the famous smuggler, kicked off principal photography in February.

While not many details are known about the movie, it has been revealed that the story will span six years, following Solo from when he is 18 to age 24. Fans will learn how the young smuggler comes to own the Millennium Falcon, how he befriends Chewbacca and even how he got his name.

The cast of the standalone movie also includes Woody Harrelson ("Zombieland"), Phoebe Waller-Bridge ("Fleabag"), Emilia Clarke ("Game of Thrones"), Donald Glover ("Atlanta") and Thandie Newton ("Westworld").

Despite Miller's and Lord's departures, the movie is still scheduled for a May 2018 release.

Corinne Olympios’ team promises ‘multiple new witnesses’ in its ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ inquiry

By Christie D’Zurilla

Though Warner Bros. is satisfied with the results of its internal investigation of alleged misconduct on the set of "Bachelor in Paradise," cast member Corinne Olympios’ attorney says her team is continuing with its own inquiry.

"It comes as no surprise that Warner Bros., as a result of its own internal Investigation, would state that no wrong doing had occurred," said Martin D. Singer, the "Bachelor" alumna's attorney, in a statement issued Tuesday.

"Our own investigation will continue based on multiple new witnesses coming forward revealing what they saw and heard," Singer said.

Warner Bros. said Tuesday that it was restarting "Bachelor in Paradise" production after an investigation into alleged misconduct June 4 on location in Mexico came up empty-handed. An outside law firm assisted in the internal investigation. The studio said in a statement that it would not release the video that was key in its production shutdown.

"[T]he tape does not support any charge of misconduct by a cast member. Nor does the tape show, contrary to many press reports, that the safety of any cast member was ever in jeopardy," the studio said.

The incident that set off the complaint allegedly involved contestants Olympios and DeMario Jackson. A source told the Los Angeles Times that the two were involved in a drunken incident at the resort while cameras were rolling.

Jackson issued a statement last Wednesday saying his family name and his character had been "assassinated" after news went public that production had been suspended.

Olympios, in her own statement that same day, said, "I am a victim and have spent the last week trying to make sense of what happened ... Although I have little memory of that night, something bad obviously took place."

According to Singer, "multiple complaints" from "Paradise" producers and crew members prompted the shutdown. "It was not shut down due to any complaint filed by Corinne against anyone," he said.

Warner Bros. said Tuesday that it planned to implement "certain changes to the show's policies and procedures to enhance and further ensure the safety and security of all participants."

Three former cast members told People on Tuesday that as the series restarted, producers were scrambling to fill out the cast, which would include some new players who hadn't been part of the original contestant roster.

Sen. Kamala Harris’ Spotify playlist pays homage to pivotal black musicians

By Emily Mae Czachor

To celebrate June being African-American Music Appreciation Month, California Sen. Kamala Harris just released a Spotify playlist that pays homage to pivotal black musicians of the last century.

"Our nation has an indelible soundtrack, songs that have become anthems recognized across the world," Harris said in a statement to the Huffington Post. "Much of that soundtrack is inspired and informed by the vast contributions of African-American artists in jazz, R&B, rap, hip-hop, and beyond."

Sen. Harris’ self-curated playlist is something of a greatest-hits compilation. Titled "#AAMAM - All Time Favorites," it features 45 songs from artists both iconic (Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone, Prince, the Notorious B.I.G.) and nearly so (Chance the Rapper, Nicki Minaj, John Legend, Janelle Monáe).

Check out the full playlist below:

‘Wonder Woman's’ Gal Gadot, basketball star? The Harlem Globetrotters think so

By Tracy Brown

From Princess of Themyscira to ... basketball star?

The Harlem Globetrotters have drafted Gal Gadot as part of their 2017 class, and it makes more sense than you think.

Gadot, of course, has showcased her mastery of fight choreography playing the Amazonian superhero in "Wonder Woman." But it's not just her flair for deflecting bullets (or her box office might) that has attracted the basketball team's interest.

"She's not just Wonder Woman," explained the Globetrotters via Twitter. "At 5’10, Gadot was a standout on her high school basketball team as a defensive stopper."

Known for their fanciful showmanship, the exhibition basketball team has conducted an annual "draft" since 2007, selecting players who fit the Globetrotters’ spirit. Unlike the actual NBA draft, most people selected don't actually end up playing on the team.

This year the Globetrotters conducted their draft live on Twitter, going with 2017 College Slam Dunk Contest winner Rodney Pryor as their top pick.

Other actual basketball players selected by the Globetrotters include A.J. Merriweather, who also had a standout performance at the 2017 College Slam Dunk Contest, and Naz Mitrou-Long, formerly of Iowa State University.

The Globetrotters rounded out their 2017 class with Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge and former college football star Tim Tebow.

The 2017 #GlobiesDraft is complete!🏀Rodney Pryor🏀Aaron Judge🏀Naz Mitrou-Long🏀Gal Gadot🏀A.J. Merriweather🏀Tim Tebow pic.twitter.com/qRxtMiKUBZ

Daniel Day-Lewis is retiring from acting -- and here are 5 reasons why we wish he wouldn't

By Nardine Saad

Three-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis, the celebrated English star of films such as "Lincoln" and "There Will Be Blood," is retiring from acting.

"Daniel Day-Lewis will no longer be working as an actor," his representative said in a statement to Variety on Tuesday. "He is immensely grateful to all of his collaborators and audiences over the many years. This is a private decision and neither he nor his representatives will make any further comment on this subject."

It's unclear whether that means Day-Lewis will be leaving Hollywood altogether or pursue behind-the-scenes endeavors.

The 60-year-old star's final film will be Paul Thomas Anderson's drama "Phantom Thread," which is slated for a Christmas release. The two also worked together on "There Will Be Blood."

Day-Lewis won his first lead actor Academy Award for 1989's "My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown." He was nominated for 1993's "In the Name of the Father" and 2002's "Gangs of New York" before going on to win his next two Oscars for 2007's "There Will Be Blood" and 2012's "Lincoln."

Here's a look at five of his notable films and how The Times’ sized them up in its reviews:

"My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown" (1989)

Day-Lewis plays writer and artist Christy Brown, who has cerebral palsy.

"Day-Lewis seizes the role, and almost immediately gets us to look beyond the man in the chair to the soul inside," wrote critic Sheila Benson. "It's a performance with a fantastic trajectory; he is sly, funny, as swift as he can be with these squash-shaped syllables, wicked, mordant and openly romantic. And wait until you seem him as goalie in a street scrimmage."

"In the Name of the Father" (1993)

Day-Lewis plays Gerry Conlon, a wrongly accused suspect in the Guildford Four bombing case whose father is imprisoned as well.

"As the son whose eyes are opened, Daniel Day-Lewis gives another one of his extraordinarily convincing performances. Of Irish descent, he may have come by his character's melodic accent naturally, but more demanding were not only the chilling interrogation sequences (the actor went without sleep or food for several days to prepare) but also the transformation in personality Conlon undergoes," wrote critic Kenneth Turan.

"Starting as a callow malcontent, Conlon visibly matures during his years inside ... [and] changes along with his character, his body and even the cast of his face altering in the course of this rich, screen-owning presentation. It is a piece of acting that makes us feel we are living those harrowing years right along with him."

"Gangs of New York" (2002)

As William "Bill the Butcher" Cutting, Day-Lewis leads the foreigner-hating Native Americans in 1860s New York.

"Day-Lewis, who apparently listened to Eminem to keep his rage level up, gives an impeccable performance as the dandified, psychotic dragon Bill the Butcher. He's a self-consciously theatrical gangster, all menace and malevolence, and he has our complete attention whenever he's on screen," wrote Turan. "But as proficient as the work is, it's a performance in a vacuum, so apart from the rest of the film that it can't enlarge or feed it the way great performances classically do."

"There Will Be Blood" (2007)

Day-Lewis plays turn-of-the century oil prospector Daniel Plainview, whom the film follows from his beginnings as a silver miner to a finale nearly 30 years later.

"He has become justifiably celebrated for disappearing into his characters with a completeness that is both terrifying and an ideal match for Anderson's filmmaking approach," Turan wrote. "Day-Lewis works at such a high-wire level that many of the film's supporting cast members simply fade away."

"Lincoln" (2012)

The actor plays President Lincoln in his final four months of life as he works to emancipate the slaves.

"No one needs to be told at this late date what a consummate actor he is, but even those used to the way he disappears into roles will be startled by the marvelously relaxed way he morphs into this character and simply becomes Lincoln," Turan observed. "While his heroic qualities are visible when they’re needed, Day-Lewis’ Lincoln is a deeply human individual, stooped and weary after four years of civil war but endowed with a palpable largeness of spirit and a genuine sense of humor."

Foo Fighters unveil a new album and California music festival

By Emily Mae Czachor

Foo Fighters announced Tuesday that their ninth studio album, "Concrete and Gold," is set for Sept. 15 release via Roswell/RSA Records.

The rock band also revealed a lengthy set of fall tour dates, including Cal Jam 17, a jam-packed one-day festival taking place Oct. 7 in San Bernardino.

In addition to Foo Fighters, the lineup for Cal Jam 17 -- curated by lead singer Dave Grohl and his bandmates -- includes Queens of the Stone Age, Cage the Elephant, Liam Gallagher, the Kills, Royal Blood, Japandroids, Wolf Alice and Bob Mould, among others. The festival will also feature campgrounds, carnival rides, a water park, attractions and a mobile recording studio.

The event's name is reminiscent of the California Jam, a festival of sorts that showcased rock heavyweights such as Black Sabbath, Heart, Aerosmith and Deep Purple and was held in Southern California in 1974 and 1978.

Featuring the new song "Run," "Concrete and Gold" is the follow-up to Foo Fighters’ 2014 studio album "Sonic Highways." The album is available for pre-order in digital, CD and vinyl formats. (For the diehard fan, there's also an assortment of merchandise bundles, some of which offer Foo Fighters-themed socks and a Russian nesting doll set -- as long as you’re willing to shell out at least $150.)

Foo Fighters will begin their fall tour on Oct. 12 with a show in Washington, D.C. Capital One is handling an exclusive pre-sale for both Cal Jam and Foo Fighters’ North American tour starting June 26. Regular tour tickets will go on sale June 29, except for the band's Nov. 8 show in Champaign, Ill., which will go on sale July 13.

The band's full tour dates are here. And here's the tracking listing for "Concrete and Gold":

‘Bachelor in Paradise’ investigation finds no misconduct; production to resume

By Libby Hill

"The Bachelor" franchise is headed back to paradise.

More than a week since allegations of misconduct halted production of "Bachelor in Paradise," Warner Bros. announced Tuesday that it had concluded its investigation of the accusations, including relevant footage, and determined no wrongdoing had taken place.

Warner Bros. released a statement that read:

"As we previously stated, we recently became aware of allegations regarding an incident on the set of ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ in Mexico. We take all such allegations seriously. The safety, security and well-being of the cast and crew is our number one concern, and we suspended filming so that the allegations could be investigated immediately and thoroughly.

"Our internal investigation, conducted with the assistance of an outside law firm, has now been completed. Out of respect for the privacy interests of those involved, we do not intend to release the videotape of the incident. We can say, however, that the tape does not support any charge of misconduct by a cast member. Nor does the tape show, contrary to many press reports, that the safety of any cast member was ever in jeopardy.

"Production on this season of Bachelor in Paradise will be resuming, and we plan to implement certain changes to the show's policies and procedures to enhance and further ensure the safety and security of all participants."

The incident in question took place in a swimming pool and involved contestants Corinne Olympios, from Nick Viall's season of "The Bachelor," and DeMario Jackson, from the most recent season of "The Bachelorette," and took place on June 4, the first day of filming for the upcoming season of "Bachelor in Paraside."

The following day, a producer who witnessed the interaction filed a third-party complaint to Warner Bros., alleging workplace misconduct, a source told The Times last week.

After details of what purportedly happened on set began to surface, both Olympios and Jackson spoke out.

"I am a victim and have spent the last week trying to make sense of what happened," Olympios said in a statement last week released by publicist Stan Rosenfield.

"Although I have little memory of that night, something bad obviously took place, which I understand is why production on the show has now been suspended and a producer on the show has filed a complaint against the production," her statement continued.

Jackson fiercely defended himself to the press, suggesting that his character was being impugned.

"It's unfortunate that my character and family name has been assassinated this past week with false claims and malicious allegations," Jackson said last week in a statement released by his publicist, Eve Sarkisyan-Nunn.

ABC and members of Bachelor Nation seem eager to put the scandal behind them and resume filming on the season.

"We appreciate the swift and complete investigation by Warner Bros. into allegations of misconduct on the set of ‘Bachelor in Paradise.’ Given their results, the series will resume production, and will air this summer on ABC," a spokesperson for ABC told The Times in a statement.

Others turned to Twitter to share their thoughts on the news.

See you on the beach!!!

Thank you for your patience, trust and loyalty #BachelorNation and to our entire Bachelor family

🙌 #BachelorNation

https://t.co/Pkmtx0CKbT

The fourth season of "Bachelor in Paradise" was originally scheduled to premiere Aug. 4. There's no indication yet what effect, if any, the filming delay will have on the premiere date.

As for when production will start again, things remain unclear.

"I have no idea if the rumors are true or not, but if production does start up again, I’d be thrilled to go back," contestant Iggy Rodriguez told The Times, suggesting that the cast is not yet aware of when filming will resume.

Representatives for Olympios and Jackson did not immediately respond to The Times’ requests for comment.

Times film writer Amy Kaufman contributed to this report.

Trans actors speak out on equality in Hollywood

By Amy Kaufman

In 2016, there were 125 films released by major film studios -- and only one featured a transgender character.

On the heels of that stunning revelation -- detailed in GLAAD's Studio Responsibility Index in March -- a handful of prominent transgender actors are calling on Hollywood to diversify its ranks.

In a new video released Tuesday, featuring stars such as Alexandra Billings ("Transparent"), D’Lo ("Sense8") and Elliot Fletcher, the point is made that "for many young or closeted trans people, film and television is the first or only time that they see themselves."

The actors urge producers, filmmakers and studios to hire transgender actors for transgender roles -- first in small parts, so they can "graduate" to larger roles and become household names, like "Orange Is the New Black" standout Laverne Cox.

"Tell our stories with the creativity, dignity, humor and depth that make us real people," says the video, which is titled "Why Hollywood Needs Trans Actors."

"Let us help you tell those stories or better yet, help us tell them ourselves and then put us in them. And in everything else. In all kinds of parts. Yes, you’ll be giving us a job, and thank you for that, but you’ll also be making the world a little bit safer for an intensely maligned, underrepresented, and vulnerable population."

Written by "Nashville" star Jen Richards -- also the creator of the Emmy-nominated web series "Her Story" -- the video was made in collaboration with GLAAD and ScreenCrush.

‘Sherlock’ team to adapt ‘Dracula’ for the BBC

By Nardine Saad

"Sherlock" scribes Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss are reuniting to give "Dracula" the Holmes treatment.

The writing team, which transplanted Benedict Cumberbatch's Baker Street detective to present-day London, is getting in on the monster craze and will sink its teeth into Bram Stoker's 1897 vampire classic for the BBC, according to Variety. Moffat's wife, Sue Vertue, will also produce the series under Hartswood Films.

Talks with the BBC on broadcast rights in the U.K. are underway, but scripts for TV adaptation have not yet been written because Gatiss and Moffat are busy with solo projects, Variety said.

As with "Sherlock," which airs stateside on PBS, the mini-series is expected to use the feature-length episode format.

"Dracula" would be the writing team's first collaboration since "Sherlock," which aired its long-awaited fourth season in January. The twosome don't have any plans for the sleuth as of now, but they haven't ruled out writing additional episodes down the line either.

Moffat stepped down as showrunner of BBC's other sci-fi juggernaut, "Doctor Who," in 2016 after writing and producing six seasons of the time-traveling series. Gatiss, who played Holmes’ brother, Mycroft, in "Sherlock," has also appeared in HBO's "Game of Thrones" and FX's "Taboo."

Lorde apologizes for autoimmune disease comment when describing her friendship with Taylor Swift

By Emily Mae Czachor

Lorde took a temporary hiatus from being pop music's favorite wordsmith over the weekend when, in an interview with the Guardian, the 20-year-old singer-songwriter likened her friendship with Taylor Swift to having a friend with an autoimmune disease.

"It's like having a friend with very specific allergies. There are certain places you can't go together. Certain things you can't do," Lorde said, referring to Swift's fame. "There are these different sets of considerations within the friendship. It's like having a friend with an autoimmune disease."

Lorde's comments rankled a sizable chunk of her Twitter followers, who criticized her callousness and even pointed out that the statement reflected a certain level of ableism.

One particularly aggrieved fan condemned Lorde's "ignorant analogy," especially in light of fellow singer Selena Gomez's public battle with lupus – which means that she is, in fact, a friend of Lorde's with an autoimmune disease.

In addition to asking, "I wonder how [Selena Gomez] feels about this," the tweet underscored the crudeness of Lorde's faux pas with a screenshot of Buzzfeed's coverage, which ranks lupus at a glaring No. 2 on a list of autoimmune diseases.

Responding to the Twitter user, Lorde admitted that she regretted her "insensitive" word choice, although she maintained that the comment was not directly aimed at Taylor Swift. Rather, her remarks were meant to cite the difficulties of sustaining a friendship with anyone of superstar fame.

Tony Bennett to receive 2017 Gershwin Prize for Popular Song

By Randy Lewis

The Library of Congress has chosen singer Tony Bennett as the recipient of its 2017 Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, awarding it for the first time to a musician better known for interpreting songs written by others than writing his or her own.

"Tony Bennett is one of the most accomplished and beloved artists of our time," Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said in a statement Tuesday morning.

"His staying power is a testament to the enduring appeal of the Great American Songbook the Gershwins helped write, and his ability to collaborate with new generations of music icons has been a gift to music lovers of all ages," Hayden said.

Bennett joins a roster of previous honorees including Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Carole King, Paul McCartney, Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson, Billy Joel and the team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David.

"The prize honors living musical artists for lifetime contributions in the field of popular song, which includes those who interpret it," Sue Vita, chief of the Library's music division, told The Times. "Many great songwriters have said that the words and music need expert interpretation to reach their fullest potential.

"Tony Bennett has been in the highest echelon of song interpreters of the 20th and 21st centuries," Vita added. "He's the kind of talent songwriters write their songs for."

Bennett, 90, is scheduled to appear in November to receive the award in a ceremony that typically has drawn a bevy of pop music heavyweights who fete each recipient.

"When I was still using the stage name ‘Joe Bari,’ I made a demo record that was a two-sided 78 disc, and one of the sides I recorded was ‘Fascinating Rhythm,’ which was written by George and Ira Gershwin," Bennett said in the same statement.

"I am very proud that one of the earliest records I ever made was a song written by the Gershwins, as their songwriting mastery was so exceptional," he said. "To be receiving an award that was named in their honor is one of the greatest thrills of my career."

Bennett has recorded songs by the Gershwins throughout his decades-long career, right up to last year's "Tony Bennett Celebrates 90." Here's his take on "I Got Rhythm":

The Gershwin Prize honors living musicians "whose lifetime contributions in the field of popular song exemplify the standard of excellence associated with George and Ira Gershwin, by promoting the genre of song as a vehicle of cultural understanding; entertaining and informing audiences; and inspiring new generations," according to the library's statement.

Update, 11:45 a.m.: This story was updated with comments from the chief of the Library's music division.

Adele surprises London firefighters after deadly Grenfell Tower fire

By Nardine Saad

Superstar Adele popped in to say "Hello" to a team of Chelsea firefighters Monday.

The Grammy-winning singer made a surprise visit to the London borough's fire brigade to show her support for those battling the caustic Grenfell Tower blaze that is believed to have killed 79 people.

The London Fire Brigade shared photos of her visit on Twitter on Tuesday morning, saying that she had a cup of tea at the firehouse.

"She just turned up at the station and knocked on the window and said she has some cakes for us," station manager Ben King told the Associated Press. "So we opened the door to her and then she took her sunglasses off and said: ‘Hi, I’m Adele.’"

Firefighter Rob Petty called the singer "wonderfully grounded and caring."

Adele enjoyed a cup of tea with Chelsea firefighters yesterday and thanked them for their work. We are so humbled by everyone's support pic.twitter.com/R1Ny4pGq9i

The firefighters battled the 24-story inferno at the residential tower on June 14. Numerous residents were trapped in the flaming building, and scores are confirmed dead while others are missing and presumed dead. Service workers are continuing their recovery operations with a range of equipment and specially trained search dogs.

Queen Elizabeth II and her grandson Prince William are also among the other high-profile Londoners to show their support in the wake of the devastating fire. The royals visited victims near the site on Friday, and the future king notably broke protocol when he comforted a grieving woman who hadn't heard from her husband since the fire broke out, according to the Daily Mail. They also met with first-responders, local residents and representatives.

Britain held a moment of silence for the victims Monday, with emergency service responders bowing their heads in respect.

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Who put that mermaid on L.A.'s 10 Freeway? The artists of #binc speak

By Carolina A. Miranda

The first time I saw her, I wasn't sure if it was a figment of my imagination: a lone mermaid, casually swimming along a retaining wall on the 10 Freeway. But over the last several months, I have come to expect the sight of her on the Westbound 10 in the vicinity of Cheviot Hills — a surreptitiously installed sculpture of a half-human siren beckoning us out of our cars and into cool water.

The mermaid (she has no official title) turns out to be the work of a street art collective known as Bohemia Incorporated. For a couple of years, the group has been illicitly installing three-dimensional sculptures around Los Angeles — in the dead public spaces at freeway intersections and on freeway retaining walls.

Some last for hours (such as one that featured a paint brush and the phrase "Don't worry I pay taxes"), others run for months (such as the sculpture of a woman taking a selfie on the 5 Freeway in Silver Lake). But the mermaid has been in place for more than two years.

"CalTrans seems to like it," says one of the members of the two-man team, who asked to remain anonymous because adhering sculptures to freeway walls could be considered vandalism. "They buff that wall regularly and the mermaid is always left untouched. We are grateful to them for that."

‘This is not a publicity stunt’: Ava DuVernay is again hiring women only to direct ‘Queen Sugar.’ Why it works

By Meredith Blake

When Ava DuVernay began to think about the directors she wanted to work on "Queen Sugar," the Louisiana-set series she created for OWN, she wasn't interested in the usual suspects.

"I wanted people with my sensibility, who care about the things I care about," says DuVernay, who wrote the series pilot and directed the first two episodes of the first season. "People who make films that I love and I knew would embrace the luxurious pace and the attention to detail and the love of nuanced characters."

As it turns out, those people were all women. Among them: Tanya Hamilton ("Night Catches Us"), Victoria Mahoney ("Yelling to the Sky") and So Yong Kim ("For Ellen").

It occurred to DuVernay, a trailblazer in an industry under scrutiny in recent years for its dismal record on diversity, that hiring only women to direct the series would be "quite a radical statement."

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame plans expansion into Japan

By Randy Lewis

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will open a satellite location in Japan, with plans for the new facility in Tokyo to host both a permanent exhibit and traveling exhibits assembled by the Cleveland institution.

"Japan is the second-largest music market in the world, making it the perfect place for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's first international expansion," Hall of Fame President and CEO Greg Harris said in a statement.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Japan is slated to open in September in a temporary facility, with a permanent space to follow.

According to the project announcement, the expansion is "part of a larger initiative to expand its mission to engage, teach and inspire through the power of rock and roll."

Since opening in 1995, the Rock Hall reports drawing more than 10 million visitors.

A Star Is Born: Olympia Dukakis turns 86 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

The fun part is that people pass me on the street and yell lines from my movies: For ‘Moonstruck’ they say, ‘You’re life is going down the toilet.’ Or from ‘Dad,’ they say, ‘How much are those pork chops?’ They say, ‘Do you know who you are?’ It's real funny.

— Olympia Dukakis, 1991

FROM THE ARCHIVES: The ‘Moonstruck’ Effect

‘Handmaid's Tale,’ ‘Stranger Things’ among nominees for TCA Awards

By Chris Barton

Awards season is ramping up once again as "Stranger Things," "This Is Us" and "The Handmaid's Tale" have been announced as nominees for the Television Critics Association Awards.

With more than 200 TV critics among its members, the TCA acknowledges the strongest work in the medium for the 2016-17 season on broadcast networks and streaming services. HBO leads with 12 nominations, followed by FX (11), Netflix (10) and NBC (7).

Contenders for program of the year include FX's Emmy-winning "Atlanta" as well as HBO's "Big Little Lies" and "The Leftovers," Netflix's "Stranger Things," the NBC drama "This Is Us" and "The Handmaid's Tale," which earned the streaming service Hulu its first TCA Award nomination.

Other contenders include Carrie Coon, who was nominated both for her work in "The Leftovers" and "Fargo," "Fleabag" star and creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge and the five-part ESPN miniseries "O.J.: Made in America."

The 33rd annual TCA Awards will be announced Aug. 5 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills in an invitation-only presentation hosted by actress-singer Kristin Chenoweth.

The Slants celebrate Supreme Court victory for ‘the rights of all marginalized communities’

By Christie D’Zurilla

The Asian American band the Slants celebrated its hard-earned Supreme Court victory Monday, saying the fight to trademark its racially charged name "has always been much bigger than our band: it's been about the rights of all marginalized communities to determine what's best for ourselves."

The journey to trademark a name that has historically been a racial slur was nearly eight years in the making and "excruciating," the band said on Facebook.

MORE: Supreme Court ruling will also likely preserve the trademarked name of the Washington Redskins

"[W]e’re beyond humbled and thrilled to have won this case at the Supreme Court," wrote band frontman Simon Tam, who filed the original lawsuit against the Patent and Trademark Office.

"During the fight, we found the Trademark Office justifying the denial of rights to people based on their race, religion, sexual orientation, and political views, simply because they disagreed with the message of these groups."

Indeed, the decision — which struck down the "disparagement clause" of 1946's Lanham Act, the federal statute governing trademarks — is seen as likely to pave the way for the Washington Redskins to trademark that name.

Speaking for the 8-0 majority, Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. wrote that the provision violated "a bedrock 1st Amendment principle: Speech may not be banned on the ground that it expresses ideas that offend." The court took on the case late in September and arguments were heard in January.

Said Tam, "The establishment of an Asian American band was a political act in of itself, even though we never considered ourselves as a political group."

In addition to offering up the lyrics of its song "From the Heart" ("Sorry if you take offense / You made up rules and played pretend / We know you fear change / It's something so strange / But nothing's gonna get in our way"), the band celebrated in a way appropriate to musicians: It released an extended version of the music video for "Level Up," embedded below.

The band's most recent EP, by the way, is titled "The Band That Must Not Be Named." It was dedicated, Tam said, to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Riz Ahmed, J.K. Rowling blast media coverage of Muslims after London attacks: ‘Language matters’

By Jen Yamato

On Monday "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" star Riz Ahmed took to Twitter to decry the media's treatment of Muslims in the wake of London's Finsbury Park terror attack and Grenfell Tower tragedy.

Early Monday morning a white male assailant plowed a van into pedestrians outside a London mosque, injuring 10 and leaving a man dead during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Authorities have now labeled the fatal attack an act of terror.

Just four days earlier, the Grenfell Tower fire claimed the lives of more than 70 residents of a public housing tower block. Overlooked in the tragedy, Ahmed argued, are the Muslim Samaritans who rushed to offer aid to victims and families devastated by the tragedy.

1/ When crazy Muslim kills, it's MUSLIM TERROR. When Muslims save lives and lead relief at Grenfell where's the MUSLIM HEROES headlines?

2/ and when non-Muslims shoot American politicians and drive a van into Muslims, why isn't it called TERRORISM?

3/ where are the calls for white males or American gun-owners to answer for all others? Prejudice, extremism, supremacism is all the same

4/ Language matters. By emphasising some violence over others or focussing on one extremism over others we fail to see how they're connected

"When [a] crazy Muslim kills, it's MUSLIM TERROR," wrote the London-born actor and musician. "When Muslims save lives and lead relief at Grenfell where's the MUSLIM HEROES headlines?"

The issue is far from relegated to London's recent tragedies.

"[When] non-Muslims shoot American politicians and drive a van into Muslims, why isn't it called TERRORISM?" Ahmed continued, referencing the June 14 shooting attack on a congressional charity baseball game practice in which four people, including Republican House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, were shot by James Thomas Hodgkinson, a white man.

"Where are the calls for white males or American gun-owners to answer for all others? Prejudice, extremism, supremacism is all the same."

"Language matters," Ahmed wrote. "By emphasizing some violence over others or focusing on one extremism over others we fail to see how they’re connected. Violence is a cycle from people feeling under threat or their suffering undervalued. A first step is to use calm, and balanced language."

Those who dehumanise & stereotype muslims have no moral high ground from which to deplore demonisation of secular westerners by Islamists. https://t.co/iVloppzjrt

Authorities have identified Darren Osborne, 47, as the terror suspect in the mosque attack. After being detained by bystanders on the scene -- and reportedly protected from harm by a group of men, including Imam Mohammed Mahmoud, until police could arrive -- Osborne was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

"Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling used her social media platform to praise the efforts of those protecting the alleged terrorist from harm and to hold media responsible for stirring Islamophobic sentiment.

"Those who dehumanize and stereotype Muslims have no moral high ground from which to deplore demonization of secular westerners by Islamists," she tweeted.

"Let's talk about how the #FinsburyPark terrorist was radicalised."

Let's talk about how the #FinsburyPark terrorist was radicalised. pic.twitter.com/Lx1woEaLKL

Actor Miles Teller arrested on suspicion of public drunkenness in San Diego -- but he says he wasn't

By Nardine Saad

Miles Teller isn't doing much to alleviate his cocky bro rep. The "Fantastic Four" alum spent some time in a San Diego jail on Sunday after being arrested on suspicion of public intoxication.

The "Whiplash" and "War Dogs" star was partying with friends in Pacific Beach when an officer noticed that he was showing signs of being under the influence of alcohol, Officer Billy Hernandez of the San Diego Police Department told The Times.

Teller, 30, was swinging from side to side, slurring words and had bloodshot eyes, prompting the officer to detain him for evaluation, Hernandez said. During questioning, Teller lost his balance and almost fell in the street and was arrested "based on him not being able to care for his own safety," Hernandez said.

The actor was transported to a detox center, where he would have been provided a cot and the ability to sober up, but was uncooperative with the volunteer staff and was rejected, Hernandez said.

It was then that he was arrested on suspicion of being drunk in public -- a misdemeanor offense. Teller was booked at 2:09 a.m. and spent just under four hours in jail, Hernandez said.

He was released without bail, according to reports.

The young star took to Twitter to deny the story Monday afternoon, saying he wasn't arrested but detained.

Went down to SD to see my buddy before he deployed. I wasn't arrested I was detained bc there was no evidence to charge me with a crime.

Don't believe everything you read, especially from a third party entertainment news source trying to get clicks. Appreciate the concern.

Responding to the tweets, the Police Department asserted that Teller had indeed been arrested.

"He was arrested and he was booked. He was in jail," Hernandez told The Times in a second interview after Teller's tweets.

Reps for Teller did not respond to The Times’ request for comment.

Update, 4 p.m.: This story has been updated to include Teller's tweets and the Police Department's response to them. A previous version also reported that Teller had been charged. He has not been formally charged.

With new album on the way, LCD Soundsystem will play 5-night residency in L.A.

By Randy Lewis

In the midst of its sold-out, seven-night residency in New York, LCD Soundsystem has announced a similar sit-down in Los Angeles, with five nights scheduled for Nov. 17-21 at the Hollywood Palladium.

Monday's news coincides with the announcement that Columbia/DFA will release "American Dream," the reunited band's first album in seven years, on Sept. 1.

Following LCD's run in New York, which continues through Saturday at the new Brooklyn Steel theater, the band will resume touring on July 12 in Ottawa, Ontario, and continue into December.

"LCD were on a super, super, super shortlist of bands we wanted to open Brooklyn Steel," venue partner Jim Glancy told Brooklyn Vegan recently about the latest facility operated by Bowery Presents.

Aside from L.A., the only other West Coast stop on the tour at this point is a Nov. 14 performance at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.

Tickets for added shows on the 2017 world tour will go on sale this Friday.

Jay Z's album ‘4:44’ due June 30, teaser to single ‘Adnis’ released

By Christie D’Zurilla

Jay Z's new album, "4:44," will be a Tidal exclusive released June 30, he announced Monday along with the music service's partner, Sprint.

A 30-second video tease to the record's first single, "Adnis," was released, starring "Moonlight" actor Mahershala Ali, who (coincidentally?) is also on the cover of the July issue of GQ.

"Jay Z is a global icon," Marcelo Claure, Sprint president and CEO, said in a statement that included details on how to get six months of free Tidal access by switching mobile providers.

"Sprint shares our view of revolutionizing the creative industry to allow artists to connect directly with their fans and reach their fullest, shared potential," Jay Z said in the same statement.

It's been a busy few days for the 47-year-old music mogul. On Thursday night he was the first rapper to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and over the weekend he and wife Beyoncé welcomed twins, her father confirmed.

In January, Tidal and Sprint partnered, giving the latter's 45 million customers unlimited access to the artists-owned service. Sprint is said to have paid Tidal $200 million, and the latter benefits from Sprint's marketing as well.

Last year, prior to the partnership, Kanye West launched his "Life of Pablo" exclusively on the service, which is owned by Jay Z, West, Alicia Keys, Arcade Fire's Win Butler and Regine Chassagne, Beyoncé, Calvin Harris, Chris Martin of Coldplay, Daft Punk, Damian Marley, deadmau5, Indochine, J. Cole, Jack White, Jason Aldean, Lil Wayne, Madonna, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, T.I. and Usher. "Pablo" later got a wide release.

Caitlyn Jenner on GOP baseball shooting: ‘Liberals can't even shoot straight’

By Libby Hill

Olympic legend and longtime Republican Caitlyn Jenner raised eyebrows over the weekend with a joke at the College Republican National Committee convention on Friday.

Though the event was closed to the press, video was posted to Facebook Live by the College Republican Federation of Virginia, which has since removed the post.

"Nobody deserves what happened out there," Jenner said of Wednesday's shooting, in which four were injured by a gunman said to be targeting GOP lawmakers.

But rather than stop while she was ahead, Jenner continued commenting on the violence.

"As for the people that were injured, it's an absolute shame," Jenner remarked. "You just want them to recover. Fortunately the guy was a really bad shot ... liberals can't even shoot straight."

The joke got a hearty laugh from the assembled group of college Republicans.

Jenner's humor was less well-received online, where people found the joke to be distasteful and inappropriate.

OMG. This is Disgusting. Absolutely shameful. @Caitlyn_Jenner https://t.co/D3ja19bg2R

Wow. What a jerk. https://t.co/ElEVeMIdBe

This comment is not ok, @Caitlyn_Jenner. Key trait American shooters share isnt political party, but history of domestic violence. https://t.co/HqD6YtW24h

Representatives for Jenner did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Monday morning.

‘Star Trek: Discovery’ will launch on CBS in September

By Nardine Saad

"Star Trek" is still living long and prospering with its newest fleet landing on CBS’ streaming service in September.

"Star Trek: Discovery," a 15-episode prequel to the iconic adventures of Capt. Kirk, Spock and the Enterprise, will launch on CBS on Sept. 24. The first and second episode will be available for streaming that same night immediately following the broadcast premiere, CBS said in a statement Monday morning.

After that, new episodes of the sci-fi drama will be available to CBS All Access subscribers on demand on Sundays. The full season will be released in two chapters: The first eight episodes will run from Sept. 24 through Nov. 5, and the latter seven will resume in January.

The television series has been spun off, rebooted and adapted for the big screen, and returns to television 50 years after it first premiered.

"Discovery," CBS All Access’ second original drama series, will "follow the voyages of Starfleet on their missions to discover new worlds and new lifeforms, and one Starfleet officer who must learn that to truly understand all things alien, you must first understand yourself," according to the official synopsis.

The series boasts a cast of genre franchise veterans, including "The Mummy's" Michelle Yeoh, "Harry Potter's" Jason Isaacs, "Hellboy's" Doug Jones, "The Office's" Rainn Wilson and "The Walking Dead" and "Once Upon a Time" alum Sonequa Martin-Green.

Watch the teaser trailer below:

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John Oliver digs deep on Trump's promises to coal miners

By Meredith Blake

On Sunday's "Last Week Tonight," John Oliver dug deep on President Trump's favorite industry, coal mining.

The comedian scrutinized the president's repeated promises to bring back high-paying coal jobs to depressed areas like West Virginia and Kentucky.

Setting aside the "fact that [coal] is environmentally catastrophic," Oliver argued that Trump is less concerned with helping coal miners than in bolstering the coal industry -- two groups whose interests do not always align. With assistance from a giant talking squirrel, naturally, he focused on "the divide that can exist between a coal company's interests and those of its workers."

Oliver conceded that while coal jobs declined under President Obama, it was merely the continuation of a decades-long decline caused by a number of factors, including declining use and mechanization.

These jobs have been disappearing "at roughly the same rate as careers in the zeppelin industry and babies named Adolf."

Despite a stern cease-and-desist letter, Oliver paid special attention to coal CEO and Trump supporter Bob Murray, whom he joked "looks like a geriatric Dr. Evil" and who once blamed a fatal mine collapse on an earthquake.

The bottom line?

"Trump needs to stop lying to coal miners. We all do. Stop telling them their jobs are all coming back when they’re not," Oliver said. "Stop telling them that coal is clean when it isn't, and stop pretending this isn't an industry in the middle of a difficult and painful albeit necessary transition. An honest conversation about coal and its miners needs to be had, and we should neither cease nor desist from having it."

You can watch the whole segment here.

A Star Is Born: Phylicia Rashad turns 69 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

I can't proceed as a human being and I certainly can't proceed as an artist if I focus on racism. I learned that from my mother early on, who did everything to keep her young children from being permanently scarred. From her I learned that the spirit is much bigger than man-made law.

— Phylicia Rashad, 1997

FROM THE ARCHIVES: It's the Second Time Around for ‘Mrs. Cosby’

Mathew Knowles confirms birth of Beyoncé and Jay Z's twins

By Tre’vell Anderson

Did you feel it? The sky recently (allegedly) gave way to the ninth and 10th wonders of the world. (Blue Ivy is the eighth, obviously.)

According to reports, Beyoncé has finally given birth to a set of twins. While neither the pop culture icon nor her mogul husband, Jay Z, have made public statements about the additions to their family, Beyoncé's father did post a confirmation of sorts to his Instagram early Sunday.

"Happy birthday to the twins! Love, Granddad," it reads with the caption "They’re here!"

CNN also reports confirmation through a source close to the couple.

That being said, just a day before Beyoncé's father's post, her mother, Tina Knowles Lawson, posted an Instagram of her own from New York City with her husband, Richard.

"God lets things happen in his time not ours! Don't try to rush him!" it reads in part.

Some speculate that this is a message to world that the twins in fact have not yet descended from the heavens. After all, Mama Tina would know.

Baby watch continues.

A Star Is Born: Paul McCartney turns 75 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

I don't know what shaped my outlook. I’m grasping at straws when I try to talk about it. But a lot of it probably has to do with my family. I think I got a good grounding. I can't even remember my parents having an argument. The biggest tragedy for me is that my mom died when I was 14.

— Paul McCartney, 2006

FROM THE ARCHIVES: When he's 64

Tupac biopic ‘All Eyez on Me’ surpasses expectations at box office

By Tre’vell Anderson

On what would’ve been Tupac Shakur's 46th birthday, Lionsgate-Codeblack released the long-gestating biopic "All Eyez on Me" pulling an estimated $27.1 million in its debut weekend. Though only a third-place finish, it far surpassed analyst expectations of $17 million to $20 million, an unsurprising feat considering the industry's historical inability to properly track films targeting black audiences.

"All Eyez on Me" follows the rise of Tupac, the Harlem-born hip-hop hit maker who, in just 25 years of life, came to define a generation through his music, acting and poetry before that fateful 1996 drive-by shooting. Starring first-time actor Demetrius Shipp Jr., a doppelganger for the "California Love" rapper, the film is titled after Tupac's final album released before his death. It also stars Danai Gurira as his mother and former Black Panther Afeni Shakur, Kat Graham as Jada Pinkett (Smith) and Annie Ilonzeh as Kidada Jones.

A film that according to producer L.T. Hutton finally got made because of the massive success of 2015's "Straight Outta Compton" — despite countless biopics about black musicians doing well at the box office before the film charting N.W.A's rise — "All Eyez" is an audience favorite. Moviegoers (53% male; 62% 25 and older) gave the picture an A-minus CinemaScore. Just about every critic review however is negative, leaving the film, directed by Benny Boom and shepherded through a 20-year gestation period by former Death Row Record producer and Pac confidant Hutton, at a 24% Rotten Tomatoes rating.

READ MORE: ‘Cars 3’ revs box-office engines as Tupac fans flock to ‘All Eyez on Me’

He was a Hollywood underdog, but John G. Avildsen's ‘Rocky,’ ‘Karate Kid’ and ‘Save the Tiger’ were films of a champ

By Justin Chang

It's been noted that the director who gave us two of the most cherished underdog sagas in American movies remained, to the end, something of an underdog himself. John G. Avildsen may have secured his place in the Hollywood firmament with "Rocky" (1976) and "The Karate Kid" (1984), both fitting tributes to the importance of working hard, staying tough and keeping your eyes on the prize. But those soaring career highs stood out in a career that also encompassed high-profile duds, ill-advised sequels, Troma sexploitation flicks and a trio of Razzie nominations. It was not, to be sure, your typical Academy Award winner's résumé.

But so what? Avildsen, who died on Friday at 81, was more uneven journeyman than exacting artist, the kind of director who gamely tried his hand at any number of genres, misfired often and seemed to stumble onto his successes almost by accident. But that lack of pretension — another word for it might be subtlety — made sense for a filmmaker who was, at his best, a master of the sturdy and the sentimental, who excelled at telling scrappy, emotionally generous stories about improbable winners, perpetual losers and everyone in between.

That so many of these characters spring so vividly to mind is a reminder that Avildsen, while not always inspired in his choice of material, had an often sure-handed touch with actors. Sylvester Stallone's original appearance as Rocky Balboa, for all its endlessly imitable meathead toughness, seems all the more striking today for its delicacy. The performances given by Peter Falk in "Happy New Year" (1987), Molly Ringwald in "For Keeps?" (1988) and Morgan Freeman in "Lean on Me" (1989) rank among their personal bests.

OBIT: ‘Rocky’ director John G. Avildsen dies at 81

Despite his facility with actors, Avildsen wasn't afraid to clash with his collaborators in front of the camera or behind it. Off-screen disputes may have been at least partly to blame for the fiasco of "The Formula," his dead-on-arrival 1980 thriller starring Marlon Brando and George C. Scott. The director's battles with John Belushi on the set of the 1981 suburban comedy "Neighbors" similarly became the stuff of industry cautionary-tale legend.

‘The Daily Show’ honors the tweeter in chief with the Donald J. Trump Presidential Twitter Library

By Meredith Blake

Donald Trump has only been president for five months, but he's already got a presidential library. Sort of.

This weekend in New York, "The Daily Show With Trevor Noah" is presenting a pop-up museum, the Donald J. Trump Presidential Twitter Library, an ambitious piece of interactive political satire chronicling his social media misadventures.

"Say what you want about Donald Trump. He may not be good at presidenting or reading or geopolitics, but he is a damn fine Twitterer, probably the best that ever lived," said Noah on Thursday at an unveiling of the temporary installation, which is open through Sunday at 3 W. 57th St. in Manhattan, about 150 paces from Trump Tower.

Minutes after the museum opened to the public Friday morning, a line of visitors snaked down 57th Street. Many stopped to snap a photo of a sculpture in the entryway depicting a pair of tiny orange hands holding a smartphone before passing a welcome video in which Noah warned that the library was "not suitable for small children or people with heart conditions." Once inside, they received their new nicknames from the Trump nickname generator ("Manic Meredith" here) and wrote them on nametags.

At 11:12 a.m., an alarm sounded: The president had tweeted again. A screen at the rear of the library showed his latest 140-character-or-less missive. "Great news! #MAGA," read the tweet, which included a graphic touting a Rasmussen poll showing a 50% approval rating for Trump (most others show him at around 40% or lower).

The idea for the library emerged a few months ago during a "Daily Show" writers’ room conversation "about all the strange things it would mean to have a person like Trump in the Oval Office," says executive producer Steve Bodow. "Presidents get presidential libraries. That seems especially opposite of who Donald Trump is. Well, maybe his library would just be full of tweets."

What began as an offhand joke has resulted, four months later, in a library that works on both a comedic and scholarly level. As the opening wall text promises, the museum will "explore the history, science and art of Trump's tweets – from his earliest attempts to put stubby fingers to phone to his emergence as our era's preeminent social media revolutionary."

Throughout the library, some of Trump's most infamous tweets – including this, this and this – are displayed in gilded frames. Exhibits examine different aspects of Trump's digital musings, including his feuds with other celebrities, his tortured relationship with Diet Coke and (who could forget?) his tireless promotion of birtherism.

The library provides a stark reminder of some of Trump's interests before he launched his presidential campaign in 2015, such as his curious – and still unexplained – fixation with "Twilight" stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, circa 2012.

Even the most avid Trump-watcher might walk away from the library shocked by some of the tweets on display.

"He's been so prolific over so many years and has written so many things that you can't possibly hold them all in your head," Bodow says. "And you go, ‘Oh, yeah, these things were all written by the guy who is president of the United States,’ which is a simple declarative statement, but also astonishing.

The gallery also has a strong interactive component. Visitors can craft their own inflammatory tweets on a giant magnetic board. "The crown jewel of the library," according to executive producer Jennifer Flanz, is a mock Oval Office, where people can put on a bathrobe and Trump wig and tweet from a golden toilet.

Some nondigital artifacts are also present, including the multitiered, slightly dilapidated, plastic foam cake from Trump's inauguration – yes, the actual one – which was donated to "The Daily Show" by a mystery benefactor

Beneath the spirit of satire is a serious amount of research. A projected graphic exhaustively traces Trump's Twitter activity, from a mere 56 tweets in 2009 to a peak of 9,182 tweets in 2015.

As with any satire, the key is in getting the details just right, and "The Daily Show" has made this presidential library feel like just that. They’ve even nailed the museum-speak. A placard describes Trump's inaugural cake, an almost identical replica of President Obama's in 2013, as a "bold act of Warhol-like appropriation." A retrospective video, narrated by "The Daily Show" correspondent Jordan Klepper, plays on a loop. All that's missing is the gift shop selling tote bags

"Giving it that voice was an important part of making it feel like a real institution," Bodow says, "even if it's only up for three days." (There is talk of taking the library on the road.)

As for what the real Donald J. Trump Presidential Library might one day look like, "I am sure there will be lots of television," Bodow says.

Prosecution says it will retry Bill Cosby after deadlocked jury leads to mistrial in sexual assault case

By Steven Zeitchik

A Pennsylvania judge declared a mistrial Saturday in the case against Bill Cosby after a jury was unable to come to a unanimous decision, an inconclusive finale to one of the most high-profile sexual assault cases in years.

Cosby was charged with three counts of aggravated indecent assault in an incident involving former Temple University basketball staffer Andrea Constand at his home in suburban Philadelphia in 2004.

Over the past 10 days, jurors heard the entertainer's defense that the encounter was consensual, while Constand, taking the stand and facing Cosby for the first time, testified that Cosby drugged her and robbed her of the ability to consent.

Had he been found guilty, Cosby, 79, would have faced a maximum of 10 years in prison for each count.

Prosecutors said immediately that they would retry the case, and Judge Steve T. O’Neill said he would try to schedule a new trial within 120 days.

The judge had sent jurors back to continue deliberating Thursday after they first reported an impasse. But he finally concluded Saturday that they could not reach a verdict.

"Do you agree that there's a hopeless deadlock that cannot be resolved by further deliberations?" he asked after calling the jurors in a little after 10 a.m. All jurors said yes, and O’Neil said, "After 52 hours of deliberation, which is probably one of the most courageous, selfless acts I’ve ever seen in the criminal justice system, I’m compelled to grant a mistrial."

Victims’ rights groups had looked to the Cosby case as a milestone in a climate in which sexual violence by powerful men has historically gone unpunished. The failure to reach a verdict promises to be especially frustrating to the 60-some women who have stepped forward in the last 2½ years to accuse Cosby of similar acts.

Bruce Springsteen might be Broadway-bound

By Libby Hill

The Boss may be on his way to becoming a Broadway baby.

The New York Post reported Friday that Bruce Springsteen will make his Broadway debut with an eight-week stint at the Walter Kerr Theatre this fall.

Representatives for Springsteen had no comment for The Times when questioned about the rumor on Friday.

The 975-seat theater has been empty since "Amélie," the Broadway musical adaptation of the 2001 French film, closed in May.

According to the Post, Springsteen will perform five times a week, likely beginning the run in November.

The reports have also left fans theorizing as to the potential for a Springsteen stage musical along the lines of "Jersey Boys" or "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical."

Place your bets: Olympic champ Michael Phelps might race a great white during Shark Week

By The Baltimore Sun

Back in March, the Discovery Channel teased that Olympic gold-medal-winning swimmer Michael Phelps would participate in its Shark Week. But the outlet didn't make clear what he would do.

A news release from the Discovery Channel this week makes it sound like he’ll be swimming with — or against — a shark. The episode is scheduled to air at 8 p.m. on July 23 and is posted on Discovery's listings that night as:

PHELPS VS. SHARK: GREAT GOLD VS GREAT WHITE

Katy Perry breaks the 100 million-follower ceiling on Twitter

By Nardine Saad

Katy Perry just broke another Twitter record: The "Bon Appetit" singer is the first person on the site to hit 100 million followers.

The 32-year-old's KatyCats following has been going strong since she joined Twitter in 2009. She's tweeted more than 8,500 times, debuting music and videos and making major announcements. To mark the occasions, the site launched a custom emoji Friday, triggered by the #LoveKaty hashtag.

According to site, the singer was the most discussed when she performed during the February 2015 Super Bowl halftime show and launched a thousand memes with the #LeftShark phenomenon. Other Perry-related hashtags include #roar, #KatyCats, #Prism, #ChainedToTheRhythm and #Rise.

"Thank you, @Twitter, for always giving me an opportunity to have a voice!," the outspoken singer said Friday afternoon.

Her most retweeted posts, Twitter said, have been those about other famous folks, including One Direction, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Hillary Clinton, Demi Lovato and, presumably, Taylor Swift.

The new song Skyscraper by @ddlovato is pure perfection. Her voice is one of the BEST undiscovered beauties. Can't wait for the full record.

Time, the ultimate truth teller.

Jada Pinkett Smith shares her truth about Tupac, disputes ‘All Eyez on Me’

By Libby Hill

On what would have been rap legend Tupac Shakur's 46th birthday, childhood friend Jada Pinkett Smith is setting the record straight on her relationship with the late artist, particularly as depicted in new biopic "All Eyez on Me."

"Forgive me," Pinkett Smith wrote on Twitter, "My relationship to Pac is too precious to me for the scenes in ‘All Eyez On Me’ to stand as truth."

In a series of eight tweets on the social media platform, Pinkett Smith disputed several scenes featuring the relationship in the film about Shakur's meteoric rise.

Forgive me... my relationship to Pac is too precious to me for the scenes in All Eyez On Me to stand as truth.

Pac never read me that poem. I didn't know that poem existed until it was printed in his book.

Pac never said goodbye to me before leaving for LA. He had to leave abruptly and it wasn't to pursue his career.

I've never been to any of Pac's shows by his request. We never had an argument backstage.

"The reimagining of my relationship to Pac has been deeply hurtful," Pinkett Smith shared before going on to assure actors Demetrius Shipp Jr. and Kat Graham — who portray Shakur and Pinkett — that none of the blame was with them.

"You both did a beautiful job with what you were given. Thank you both," she wrote.

Pinkett Smith — who ended up married to a different rapper and actor, Will Smith — has spoken before about her relationship with Shakur, telling Howard Stern in a 2015 interview that though the connection the pair had was strong, it was never romantic.

"You know, it's so funny because now being older, I have more of an understanding of what that was between us," she said. "When you have two young people that have very strong feelings, but there was no physical chemistry between us at all, and it wasn't even just for me — it was him too."

The complaints Pinkett Smith lodges against "All Eyez on Me" are consistent with the Los Angeles Times’ review of the film, which praises the performances but calls the screenwriting "lazy" and the movie itself "rough going."

The actress ended her tweet storm with a missive to her lost friend.

"Happy birthday Pac, you are cradled in my heart for eternity.I love you."

Happy birthday Pac, you are cradled in my heart for eternity.I love you.

Leonardo DiCaprio hands over Brando's Oscar, a Picasso and more to the U.S. government

By Emily Mae Czachor

In November 2012, Leonardo DiCaprio — at the time, three months into filming "Wolf of Wall Street," which would later further his legacy of almost-Oscars for a fourth time — received Marlon Brando's best actor statuette for 1954's "On the Waterfront" as a 38th birthday gift.

The gift-givers were DiCaprio's business associates (and friends) at Red Granite Pictures, the production house behind "Wolf of Wall Street." Now the 42-year-old actor has voluntarily handed over Brando's Academy Award (in addition to several other pricey souvenirs from the Red Granite team) to the U.S. government as part of an ongoing investigation into a $3.5-billion Malaysian money-laundering scheme.

Authorities from the U.S. Department of Justice suspect that Red Granite co-founder Riza Aziz may have helped his stepfather, Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, embezzle $4.5 billion from a political development scheme in that part of the world. A portion of those misappropriated funds were used to bankroll the production company and subsequently back "The Wolf of Wall Street."

According to last year's federal court filing, the U.S. government also believes that the laundered funds also funded "the co-conspirators’ lavish lifestyles, including purchases of artwork and jewelry, the acquisition of luxury real estate and luxury yachts, the payment of gambling expenses, and the hiring of musicians and celebrities to attend parties."

The multimillion-dollar artworks in question include a Picasso painting, a photograph by Diane Arbus and a Jean-Michel Basquiat collage, which were supposedly gifted to DiCaprio by Jho Low, Red Granite's purported financier. The actor had accepted the art with the intention of auctioning off the pieces to raise money for his charitable foundation, his spokesperson said.

DiCaprio has already given the art and the Oscar to U.S. authorities, the spokesperson said.

And though there are no plans at this time for DiCaprio to forfeit the money he received for his work on "The Wolf of Wall Street," his spokesperson noted that the actor intends to offer the return of any "gifts or donations" under speculation with "the aid and instruction of the government."

Updated, 9:56 p.m.: This story was updated to include details about what DiCaprio had planned to do with the art he was given.

‘Wonder Woman’ director Patty Jenkins talks breaking barriers

By Yvonne Villarreal

With "Wonder Woman," Patty Jenkins became the first female director to helm a major superhero film, and the significance of that distinction has not been lost on her.

Jenkins talked Thursday on "Late Night With Seth Meyers" about recognizing the history she was making without letting it get in the way. She had, after all, been on the cusp of barrier-breaking once before, when she nearly directed a different superhero flick.

"I knew, I understood when I was hired," Jenkins said. "But I had almost done the sequel to ‘Thor,’ and so it had already happened to me where I was like, ‘Oh, I’m going to be the first woman to ... oh, not that one, but this one.’"

She said she understood, "theoretically," that she was the first woman to get this kind of gig.

"But ... you can't do anything with that information," Jenkins continued. "You only can look at it and go, can I make a great film out of this? Am I the right person to do it? That's all there's room to focus on."

She went on to become the first female director to helm a film that pulled in more than $100 million in its opening weekend. Since its June 2 release, "Wonder Woman" has grossed more than $227 million domestically, and more than $460 million worldwide. Heck, even Oprah's dog has gotten in on the action.

"Of course it's fascinating when you pull out and, like, records are being broken," Jenkins said. "I wasn't thinking about any of that. And they’ll be broken again. And I’m excited to be a part in that chain."

‘Mr. Carter and I understand each other’: Obama praises Jay Z at Songwriters Hall of Fame

By Nardine Saad

Rapper Jay Z got a presidential welcome into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on Thursday from former President Obama, a self-proclaimed fan of the Brooklyn emcee.

Thing is, Hova wasn't there in person to be inducted, further fueling speculation that his wife, Beyoncé, had given birth to their twins. More on that here.

The 47-year-old mogul, born Shawn Carter, is the first hip-hop artist to be inducted into the hall, which nominates artists who have written hit songs for at least 20 years.

The ceremony in Manhattan honored Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, producer Max Martin, Motown founder Berry Gordy, songwriting duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and Chicago members James Pankow and Robert Lamm. Relative newcomers Ed Sheeran and Pitbull were honored with the Hal David Starlight Award and Global Ambassador Award, respectively. They performed along with Jon Bon Jovi, Train's Pat Monahan, Usher and New Edition's Johnny Gill.

But it was No. 44, via video, who stole the show with praise for Jay.

"I like to think Mr. Carter and I understand each other: Nobody who met us as younger men would have expected us to be where we are today," Obama said in a clip presenting the rapper. "We know what it's like not to have a father around. We know what it's like not to come from much. And to know people who didn't get the same breaks we did. And so we try to prop open those doors of opportunity so that it's a little easier for those who come up behind us to succeed as well."

The former president's next tip of the hat to Jay Z's family led many to believe that the "Holy Grail" lyricist and Beyoncé had baby girls.

"Jay and I are also fools for our daughters, although he's going to have me beat once those two twins show up. And, let's face it, we both have wives who are significantly more popular than we are."

Obama also recounted times he sampled from the rapper in speeches and listened to him while on the job: "I’m pretty sure I’m the only president to listen to Jay Z's music in the Oval Office," he said, praising the performer for being an inspiring, true American original.

Jay Z reportedly canceled on the event at the last minute. However, when it was announced in February that he would join the ranks of songwriting heavyweights, he called it "a win for US."

"I remember when rap was said to be a fad," he tweeted at the time. "We are now alongside some of the greatest writers in history."

Incidentally, the adulation prompted the rapper to blast off a series of tweets thanking Obama and others. (Jay, who joined Twitter in 2008, claimed he wasn't drunk — just new to actively using the app — though some contend he could be sleep deprived from twin-town).

"Thank you to all the people that have inspired me," he tweeted before listing everyone he seemingly could think of from Tupac Shakur to Kendrick Lamar and adding, "salute to anybody who made a song to feed their family or just vent."

‘Preacher’ sneak peek: An exclusive look at its ‘absurd’ Season 2

By Meredith Woerner

A preacher, a thief and a vampire go on a road trip looking for God. Not in the spiritual sense but the physical because God is missing and this trio is going to either help the holiest of holy or wallop him good for abandoning his believers.

"Preacher" is back on June 25 (for a two night premiere) AMC, and we have a sneak peek at the supernatural western's second season, including new footage and behind-the-scenes commentary from the cast and crew.

From the looks of it, in Season 2 of the audacious drama things on the road are moving a lot faster for preacher Jesse (Dominic Cooper), Tulip the bazooka builder (Ruth Negga) and Cassiday the vampire (Joseph Gilgun).

"They’re thrown together on this road trip and Tulip and Cassidy, they’re so excited it's like telling kids they’re going to seaside," Negga says in the video. "They think it's going to be fun and ice cream and sand castles and splashing around. And it's the complete opposite of that."

Another exciting element for the new season is Graham McTavish ("Outlander" and "The Hobbit") as the Saint of Killers. Everyone has promised that the second season is when we’ll really get to see this scary gunslinger stretch out his wings (there's a small taste of his crack shot in the new clip).

Even Cooper is delighted about the Saint. "I’m very excited by the payoff that an audience will at last get to see the Saint of Killers operating with his full potential and what he's capable of," he said.

Take a look, above, at new footage from the series that denies being defined by only one genre.

Bob Seger finally brings ‘Night Moves’ to streaming-music services

By Libby Hill

The hits keep on coming to streaming-music services. The greatest hits, that is.

Like the Beatles and Garth Brooks before him, Bob Seger ended his standoff with new media on Friday, making 13 albums available to stream on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Napster and Slacker Radio.

"Bob Seger wrote the soundtrack for generations of music fans lives. He's a an American icon and true legend," Troy Carter, head of creator services at Spotify, said in a statement. "It's exciting for us to not only be able to share Bob's music with his existing fans, but also to introduce him to new audiences around the world."

Seger's arrival on the digital stage comes just two weeks after the Detroit native announced the dates for his "Runaway Train" tour with the Silver Bullet Band and the vinyl reissues of 1994's double LP "Greatest Hits" and the 1969 album "Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man."

The absence of Seger's music on streaming outlets has long spurred chatter over what would become of the rocker's legacy, with some albums, including "Noah," "Mongrel" and "Brand New Morning," out of print and still unavailable to stream.

As for why Seger was so reluctant to join the streaming revolution, a 2014 interview with Rolling Stone revealed the issue's roots in a conflict between Seger manager Punch Andrews and Capitol Records.

"They agreed to something many years ago about new media and they don't want to live up to it. Until that's resolved, we let very little out," the musician said before expressing frustration that fans were unable to access his music on demand.

But that was then. Now people can rock out to "Old Time Rock & Roll" whenever the mood strikes.

NOW STREAMING!! Listen Here: https://t.co/TpwiFcHlfV pic.twitter.com/LsGFoxtnVL

A Star Is Born: John Cho turns 45 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

The most powerful thing an actor can say is ‘no.’ If something is presented and it's a stereotypical role or something, you can say no to that, and that's very powerful.

— John Cho, 2016

FROM THE ARCHIVES: ‘Star Trek Beyond’ stars on ‘uncomfortable conversations,’ Sulu's sexual orientation and the future

Adam West fans mourn the loss of Batman under the Bat signal in Los Angeles

By Meredith Woerner

Holy heartfelt tribute, Batman. The citizens of Los Angeles gathered in a makeshift Gotham City on Thursday night to remember Adam West, best known for playing Batman in the 1960s TV series.

City Hall glowed under the iconic Bat signal out of respect for the actor, died June 9 at 88 after a short battle with leukemia.

The original 1966 Batmobile (complete with Bat fire extinguisher and Bat phone) was parked at the steps, along with several other Batcentric automobiles. Fans congregated around the memorabilia and recalled the actor and the hero he represented on screen.

Artemio Rangel, 34, brought his 3-year-old son Roan and wife Leslie. "I grew up with Batman, to a staggering degree." Rangel said. "I’ve been a Batman fan since. It's everywhere. It's in my house, it's all over the place — my poor wife has to deal with it."

Leslie agreed, "When we were teaching [our son] words, one of the things that he taught him to say was, ‘What does Batman say?’ And he would say ‘Justice.’"

Louis White, 50, was slightly more somber in his black-and-yellow Batman T-shirt. "A part of my childhood is done," he said.

However, he said, he would always remember something West had that no other Batman after him could muster: "Accessibility."

"It would have been a whole different thing had I been a child and it was the Christian Bale Batman right out the top. I would have been terrified. It was that and my mom would buy me the comics — it was a wonderful memory."

Mayor Eric Garcetti took the stage next to a facsimile of the red Bat phone from the TV show. He welcomed the "citizens of Gotham" along with LAPD Chief Charlie Beck, members of West's family and Burt Ward, who played Robin in the series, plus Lee Meriwether, who portrayed Catwoman in a 1966 Batman movie starring West.

"We don't gather on these steps very often at night," Garcetti said. "But when we do it's for a solemn and holy purpose. Tonight we’re going to light up your City Hall for our own ‘Bright Knight,’ the legendary Adam West."

As the night got darker, the crowd grew bigger.

When Garcetti spoke in the classic cadence describing his time in front of the TV watching at "the same Bat time, the same Bat channel," many in the crowd recited the lines with him.

But Garcetti really stuck a chord with the Bat swarm when he told them what he believed was West's personal truth.

"You don't have to wear a cape, you don't have to be a movie star, you don't have to wear a badge or get elected mayor to make a difference and to be a hero," Garcetti said. "Adam West taught us that each one of us had a heart of gold. And that we could have a fun time doing it too."

The Boy Wonder (Ward) took the stage with an exclamation of "Wowie Zowie!" and a message: "My friend Adam would want every single one of you to be incredibly happy and to be joyous because he spent his entire life as a performer making people happy, making people laugh and trying to make this world a better place."

Ward, Garcetti and Beck then flipped on the Bat signal, which was a prop, and the iconic yellow-and-black Batman logo, projected from a remote location, stretched across the upper floors of City Hall.

The crowd went wild, with smiles and cheers for a different kind of Batman: the charming, funny master of the cape and cowl — the Bright Knight.

As Garcetti said, "There will never be a Batman like Adam West, and there will never be another Adam West."

FULL GALLERY FROM THE ADAM WEST TRIBUTE HERE >>

Can Gene Simmons trademark his horns gesture? Maybe — but then there's the enforcement issue

By Nardine Saad

Gene Simmons of KISS is claiming ownership of the ubiquitous devil's horns hand gesture he flashes in photos and in front of fans.

The rocker, nicknamed the Demon, filed an application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Friday to assert himself as the owner of the the move, which is instantly recognizable to rock fans.

"The mark consists of a hand gesture with the index and small fingers extended upward and the thumb extended perpendicular," the official application explains. Simmons’ legal team also included in the application a sketch of the gesture and a photograph of Simmons using it.

A trademark typically protects brand names and logos used on goods and services. For Simmons, those goods and services are "entertainment, namely, live performances by a musical artist; personal appearances by a musical artist."

Per his signed declaration, he believes "no other person, firm, corporation or association has the right to use said mark in commerce, either in the identical form or in such near resemblance." When applied or used by another person, Simmons claims, it would likely cause confusion or be deceiving.

The guitarist also claims the gesture was first used in commerce on Nov. 14, 1974, which corresponds to Kiss’ Hotter Than Hell tour.

The problem is, the gesture has become ubiquitous and means different things to different people.

In American Sign Language, it means "I love you." Flipped upside down, it's what Spider-Man's been doing to sling his webs around in comic books, though in those instances it's outside of the realm of entertainment that Simmons is pursuing. But it has been used by other rockers: Black Sabbath's Ronnie James Dio has flashed it, and John Lennon also held it up on the album cover for the Beatles’ 1966 single "Yellow Submarine/Eleanor Rigby."

So the move may be too generic to be associated with Simmons alone — which will be considered once his case is assigned to an examiner in the next few months, according to trademark attorney Michael Cohen with Cohen IP Law Group in Beverly Hills, who deals with trademark, patent and copyright infringement cases.

"There's plenty of other trademarks that have been filed for the same symbol," Cohen explained. "He's actually trying to catch the idea or concept of the symbol [in his application]. So, to me, he's literally trying to trademark the hand gesture as opposed to the drawing of the hand gesture."

Cohen believes that it would be very difficult for Simmons’ application to be approved because the gesture has become "genericized," though the approval is not outside the realm of possibility.

"He also has to establish that that hand gesture is associated with him, that he has what's called ‘secondary meaning’ associated with him. So in the mind of consumers that go to rock performances, are they going to associate that symbol with Gene Simmons?"

If Simmons were granted federal approval, the next step would be enforcement. If someone used the horns symbol in the realm of entertainment, Simmons could have legal grounds to file a federal lawsuit or obtain an injunction to prevent others from using it too.

But even if he got the registration, it wouldn't mean he's immune from other people invalidating the trademark, Cohen said.

"You have a duty to enforce that mark. If others are using it unauthorized and he doesn't do anything about it, then that can be used against him," Cohen said. "A judge or jury will look at what Simmons has done over the decades to enforce the mark."

Failure to enforce other entertainers’ use of the horns cou ld be deemed "abandonment of the mark."

Aisha Tyler to leave ‘The Talk’ after six seasons

By Emily Mae Czachor

Aisha Tyler wept during Thursday's edition of "The Talk" as she revealed her plans to leave the CBS daytime show at the end of the season.

The cohost of six seasons explained to her fellow panelists and the studio audience that she’d simply become too busy to continue her seven-days-a-week commitment to "The Talk."

"I also have three other series," Tyler noted, in reference to her roles on "Criminal Minds" (on which she's just been upped from guest to series regular), "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" and "Archer."

"People always go ‘How to you do all that?,’ and I don't always have an answer," she continued, tears in her eyes. "I just realized I had to let something go."

Tyler also recently made her feature directorial debut with "Axis," which she said prompted a realization about the trajectory of her career and the current significance of female directors. (To this point, she cited the successes of Patty Jenkins and Ava DuVernay).

"I knew that was what I wanted to do the rest of my life, what I wanted to put my energy into," she said. "And I started to think about it and could not see how that would work."

Tyler called choosing to leave the show the "hardest decision" of her life.

This season of "The Talk" wraps at the end of July.

Dr. Dre to donate $10 million for Compton High School's new performing arts center

By Gerrick Kennedy

Dr. Dre has pledged to donate $10 million to help build a performing arts complex at the new Compton High School, the Compton Unified School District told The Times on Thursday.

"My goal is to provide kids with the kind of tools and learning they deserve," Dre said in a statement to The Times. "The performing arts center will be a place for young people to be creative in a way that will help further their education and positively define their future."

The complex will provide students with state-of-the-art equipment and technology, including digital media production facilities and a 1,200-seat theater.

The performing arts center will also be a resource for the Compton community at large, officials say.

The hip-hop mogul and Compton native will be directly involved in raising the remaining funds needed to complete the center, which is expected to break ground by 2020.

"The support that Dre has shown to Compton over the years is unwavering and we are so excited that we will now be home to one of the greatest performing arts centers in the country," said Satra Zurita, president of Compton Unified's governing board of trustees.

Micah Ali, vice chairman of the district's board of education, said the new high school will be the most modern public school complex ever built.

"We are looking forward to blending both [Dre's] vision and that of the district to provide opportunities for individuals to both explore and apply their creativity in the arts," said Darin Brawley, Compton Unified superintendent.

Yoko Ono to be credited alongside John Lennon as songwriter of ‘Imagine’

By Libby Hill

It's been 46 years since the release of John Lennon's iconic song "Imagine," and Yoko Ono may finally be receiving the credit she deserves for her part in writing it.

At the National Music Publishers Assn. annual meeting Wednesday, when Ono and son Sean Ono Lennon received the Centennial Song award for "Imagine," it was announced that steps had been taken to officially give Ono songwriting credit.

Before sharing the news, NMPA Chief Executive David Israelite shared a 1980 video clip of Lennon speaking about Ono's contributions to the song.

"There's a lot of pieces in it saying ‘imagine this’ or ‘imagine that,’" Lennon said, referring to Ono's 1964 book "Grapefruit." "I know she helped on a lot of the lyrics, but I wasn't man enough to let her have credit for it. I was still selfish enough and unaware enough to take that contribution without acknowledging it."

He continued: "I was still full of wanting my own space after being in the room with four guys and always having to share everything." The song, he said, "expresses what I learned through being with Yoko and my own feelings on it."

Though in a wheelchair due to a flulike sickness, Ono declared, "This is the best time of my life."

Though the move to credit Ono on "Imagine" may stick in the craw of those who still cling to the idea that the artist was the reason the Beatles disbanded, Paul McCartney has long been on the record as dispelling those rumors.

"She certainly didn't break the group up, the group was breaking up," he said in a 2012 interview with David Frost.

McCartney added that without Ono, later Lennon songs like "Imagine" may never have existed.

"I don't think he would have done that without Yoko," he said, "so I don't think you can blame her for anything."

For the record, 12:51 p.m. June 16: An earlier version of this article cited Variety and stated that the addition of Ono would extend the copyright on "Imagine" to 70 years after her death, as dictated by current copyright law. Because "Imagine" was published in 1971, it abides by prior law that dictates that standardizes the length of its copyright to 95 years after publication.

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‘Walking Dead's’ Michael Cudlitz explains why Abraham went the way he went

By Nardine Saad

The actor was a fan of the AMC show before joining it, so he’d seen his favorite characters get killed off. His favorite part about playing Abraham? "The fan reactions," he says.

That was him being a soldier. He knew. He had assessed this whole situation. He knew that someone in this group had to go, and he being the ultimate soldier was willing to take it for the next guy.

— Michael Cudlitz of ‘The Walking Dead,’ on how Abraham offered himself up to Negan

The Internet thinks Beyoncé had her babies, and here's why

By Emily Mae Czachor

There is not a whole lot of material evidence — none, really — to corroborate the Beyhive's speculation that their beloved Queen Mother, Beyoncé, is now a mother of twins. But they wouldn't be the most committed fans on the Internet if they didn't have their sensors on high alert for the moment any word surfaces confirming the Hive's tiniest new additions have arrived.

So, given that Beyoncé and Jay Z are masters of privacy when they want to be (remember when Beyoncé broke the Internet with a 45-minute visual album that nobody saw coming?), fans have amassed an arsenal of maybe-clues to maybe-verify that the twins’ arrival is imminent (or, alternatively, that they’ve already arrived; the jury's still out on that one).

These claims include, but are not limited to: the spotting of several black Escalade SUVs leaving Beyoncé and Jay Z's neighborhood on Tuesday, supposedly en route to an L.A. hospital; reports that Beyoncé might have (but also might not have) checked into said L.A. hospital; and an Instagram post by her hairstylist, Chuck Amos, in which he wrote, "Hang in there, Mama! You Beyonce!"

So, is Queen B in labor? Have the twins already been brought forth into this world? Does Beyoncé simply want to lie low before she gives birth to two human beings? Unclear.

But whatever's happening, one thing is certain: The Hive is there in solidarity.

Rebel Wilson wins defamation lawsuit in Australia, feels ‘stain’ on her reputation is gone

By Nardine Saad

"Pitch Perfect" and "How to Be Single" actress Rebel Wilson has triumphed in her defamation battle against Bauer Media, the publisher of Woman's Day and Australian Women's Weekly that accused her about lying about her real name, age and childhood in a series of 2015 articles.

Following the animated three-week trial in Melbourne, Australia, a Victoria state Supreme Court jury of six women handed down the unanimous verdict on Thursday, according to the Associated Press. The amount of damages has yet to be decided by a judge.

Thank you again to everyone for your support x pic.twitter.com/nRYm2f99Gq

Speaking to reporters outside the courthouse, the 37-year-old actress said she had to "stand up to a bully" and now felt the "stain" on her reputation had been removed.

"The reason I’m here is not for damages, it's to clear my name," Wilson said. "I was hoping the jury would do the right thing and send a message to these tabloids and they’ve done that, so for me, it's over in my mind."

Wilson, who claimed that the articles severely damaged her film career, also said the only way to stand up against the organization was by taking it to court publicly.

"I’m a person that's really confident in my own skin and really felt like it was the right thing to do to take this company on and prove how disgusting and disgraceful their checkbook journalism is."

The actress, who has a law degree from the University of New South Wales, told the court she never lied and that she knew the identity of a former schoolmate who gave the dubious information to journalists, the Guardian reported.

Germany-based Bauer failed to prove that the articles were substantially true or that they were unlikely to harm Wilson's career. Wilson contended that she was fired from two DreamWorks films, "Kung Fu Panda 3" and "Trolls," because she had become "too divisive," and then was not offered additional roles after that.

The media organization said it would "consider its options" following the verdict, the Guardian said.

We won!!! #legallyblonde #fightforwhatisright #justice pic.twitter.com/TJF8nfhiqQ

Los Angeles Film Festival opens big with the little stars of ‘Book of Henry’

By Los Angeles Times Staff

The 2017 edition of the Los Angeles Film Festival opened Wednesday night with the world premiere of "The Book of Henry," directed by Colin Trevorrow.

The film's stars Jaeden Lieberher, Jacob Tremblay and Maddie Ziegler, along with Trevorrow, walked the red carpet at the Arclight in Culver City, many greeting each other with hugs. The dark family film — described by its director as a "coming-of-parenthood" story — seemed to bring out a close-knit group.

The festival, produced by Film Independent, runs through June 22 at a half-dozen theaters in the Los Angeles area.

PHOTOS FROM ‘THE BOOK OF HENRY’ RED CARPET >>

Bat-signal to glow at L.A. City Hall in honor of ‘Batman’ actor Adam West

By Christie D’Zurilla

The Bat-signal will be seen in Los Angeles on Thursday night in honor of "Batman" actor Adam West, who died June 9 at age 88.

Mayor Eric Garcetti and Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck will light the signal, which will be projected onto City Hall in a ceremony beginning at 9 p.m. Guests will arrive starting at 8.

The Bat-signal, a comics version of 911 where the Caped Crusader answers the call, is employed by the Gotham City Police Department to summon Batman's help. Organizers said fans are welcome to show up at 200 N. Spring St. in downtown L.A. in costume.

West died June 9 after a short battle with leukemia.

Join us at City Hall to pay tribute to Hollywood legend Adam West & light the bat-signal for the #BrightKnight. pic.twitter.com/7USpxg70r7

See more photos from the event>>

A Star Is Born: Helen Hunt turns 54 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

You try to stay close to what you really want. You say, ‘I choose to create the following,’ which for me happens to have a lot of elements: work on the stage, work as a director, work as an actress, work as a writer. Not necessarily in that order. I wish there were six of me, because I have that much of an appetite just for the professional side of my life, not to mention the other side.

— Helen Hunt, 2000

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Talk about connected: Four films with four heavyweight actors

Stephen Colbert, Trevor Noah get serious about unity following Virginia shooting

By Yvonne Villarreal

After Wednesday's early morning shooting that wounded multiple people, including House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), and left the shooter dead, late-night hosts Stephen Colbert and Trevor Noah attempted to put the day's news into perspective.

Colbert began "The Late Show" by condemning the attack.

"Violence of any kind is never justified and is the last refuge of the incompetent," he said.

Colbert then praised and played the statements made by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca.), who said that "we will use this occasion as one that brings us together and not separates us further," and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), who expressed that "an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us."

Taking his own advice, Colbert even put aside his usual ribbing to give a hat tip to President Trump.

"Thank you to to the congressional leadership and to the president for responding to this act of terror in a way that gives us hope that no matter our differences, we will always be the United States of America," he said.

Later in the show, "Daily Show" host Trevor Noah, who was a guest, was asked by Colbert about the events of the morning. Noah too praised how politicians came together in response to the attack. (Starting about two minutes into the clip below.)

"It was great to see people from both sides seeing this and uniting under the banner of ‘human’ and ‘American’ before anything else," Noah said. "That's one of the things we’re seeing less and less of today, it feels like."

Noah referenced how Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) had a genial relationship with Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions when the latter served in the Senate as an example of politicians being able to put aside their partisan views.

"I think that's something that is lacking in American politics," Noah said. "It's almost become like wrestling where the fans don't realize that those people get along."

The comic also gave kudos to Ryan and Pelosi for their message of harmony but said more could be done to urge peace.

"I feel like they could do a better job of saying that to Americans," Noah said. "Saying that, ‘Hey, we fight, you can fight. But don't forget, at your core, you are Americans. Don't ever forget that.’"

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DeMario Jackson of ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ says his character has been ‘assassinated’

By Christie D’Zurilla

"Bachelor in Paradise" cast member DeMario Jackson says he's been falsely and maliciously accused since news went public that production on the show had been suspending pending results of an internal investigation.

"It's unfortunate that my character and family name has been assassinated this past week with false claims and malicious allegations," Jackson said Wednesday in a statement released by his publicist, Eve Sarkisyan-Nunn.

"I will be taking swift and appropriate legal action until my name is cleared and, per the advice of legal counsel, will be seeking all available remedies entitled to me under the laws."

Jackson and fellow "Paradise" cast member Corinne Olympios were involved in an incident June 4 at the Playa Escondida resort in Mexico that prompted a third-party complaint of misconduct — though who was accused of misconduct was not made public. While Warner Bros. has released no details about what happened beyond acknowledging production had been stopped and an investigation was underway, sources have come forward to various outlets to describe a drunken incident involving sexual behavior in the resort pool.

Olympios, who also has retained a publicist and legal counsel, came out with her own statement Wednesday, labeling herself "a victim" and saying she didn't remember much of what happened at the resort June 4.

"Although I have little memory of that night," she said, "something bad obviously took place, which I understand is why production on the show has now been suspended and a producer on the show has filed a complaint against the production."

Jackson had been silent regarding the situation except for telling TMZ on Tuesday that he was "all good."

Warner Bros. and ABC have not commented officially on the fate of "Bachelor in Paradise" season 4, which had an Aug. 8 premiere date, or about the show's future in general.

Corinne Olympios of ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ says she's ‘a victim’ experiencing her ‘worst nightmare’

By Christie D’Zurilla

"Bachelor in Paradise" cast member Corinne Olympios is calling what happened June 4 during filming for the show in Mexico her "worst nightmare."

A drunken sexual encounter between Olympios and DeMario Jackson shut down production on the summer series for an internal investigation after a producer filed a complaint alleging workplace misconduct.

"I am a victim and have spent the last week trying to make sense of what happened ...," Olympios said Wednesday in a statement released by publicist Stan Rosenfield, who also represents the likes of George Clooney and Robert De Niro and, for seven years, worked with Charlie Sheen.

What Warner Bros. referred to as "misconduct" has been described as a drunken encounter in which the two disrobed in the Playa Escondida pool and allegedly engaged in sexual acts that didn't include intercourse. A major issue is whether all parties were capable of granting consent to sexual contact.

Jackson — who was portrayed as a "villain" who already had a girlfriend during his recent stint on "The Bachelorette" — has been silent so far about what happened during filming except to tell TMZ on Tuesday, before Olympios’ statement came out, that he was "all good" with what she might be saying.

But a source close to him told People on Wednesday that he "certainly isn't the man he's being portrayed to be. It's hard for his loved ones to sit and watch most of the slanderous accusations and comments from individuals who don't know anything about who he is."

According to a source close to Olympios, she has not seen footage from the night in question.

"As a woman, this is my worst nightmare and it has now become my reality," Olympios said. "As I pursue the details and facts surrounding that night and the immediate days after, I have retained a group of professionals to ensure that what happened on June 4 comes to light and I can continue my life, including hiring an attorney to obtain justice and seeking therapy to begin dealing with the physical and emotional trauma stemming from that evening."

Olympios has hired high-profile attorney Martin Singer, according to TMZ. Singer's clients have included Sheen, Jim Carrey, a dozen A-list actresses whose photos were stolen from their phones and, until 2015, Bill Cosby.

A veteran TV producer who has not worked on any shows in the "Bachelor" franchise spoke to Variety under condition of anonymity about the industry-standard release that is typically signed by reality-show contestants.

"We’re talking about a document that is thick and weighty, that releases the production company and the network from almost every conceivable possibility. It is encompassing. I can't even think of enough words to describe how in-depth that release is....," the producer said.

"The language in the document basically outlines the fact that you will be presented with every type of environment, people, and compromising situations by volunteering to be on the show," the producer continued. "Now, there is nothing in there that would constitute your willingness to be in an illegal act."

On Tuesday, "Bachelor in Paradise" host Chris Harrison issued a statement about the controversy.

"There are a lot of competing details in the various press accounts of the incident. And there's a lot of misinformation out there too," Harrison said. "We urge everyone to be patient until the investigation is complete."

Selena Gomez flaunts her acting chops in new ‘Bad Liar’ video

By Emily Mae Czachor

Nearly a month after the release of Selena Gomez's latest single, "Bad Liar," the 24-year-old singer finally dropped a much-anticipated video for the sultry lovesick anthem — and it doesn't disappoint.

Billed as a "film" in its promotional poster, the video sees Gomez seamlessly juggling four characters, all of whom interact with one another — a quiet teenager, her stay-at-home mother, schoolteacher father and even the coquettish woman who may or may not be the object of Dad's affections.

With a melody that borrows its bass line from Talking Heads’ "Psycho Killer" and a directorial vision by Lemonheads bassist (and, more recently, TV director) Jesse Peretz, the video fuses a retro ‘70s aesthetic (Farrah Fawcett wigs and all) with an eerie, seductive atmosphere.

The video closes with a brief teaser for Gomez's next project, called "Fetish," coming soon. The last thing we see is a fleeting clip of Gomez, with an expression somewhere between vacant and austere, staring solemnly into the camera before tearfully mouthing "fetish" in a close-up of her lips.

Watch Gomez's "Bad Liar" video above.

Internet singer Austin Jones charged with felony child-pornography production

By Christie D’Zurilla

Austin Jones, a 24-year-old singer popular on YouTube and social media, has been charged with two felony counts of production of child pornography for allegedly persuading underage fans to prove their devotion to him by sending graphic videos shot to his specifications.

Jones, of Bloomingdale, Ill., was arrested Monday at O’Hare International Airport and charged in federal court Tuesday in Chicago, the Chicago Tribune reported. The singer's videos have been viewed millions of times on YouTube, and he has more than 200,000 followers on Twitter. He was returning to O’Hare after an international tour.

According to a charging document unsealed Tuesday and posted online, Jones’ home was searched Monday and he was interviewed by Homeland Security Investigations.

"He admitted that he had used Facebook to have sexually explicit chats with the girls," the document said, "that he directed them to make videos of themselves dancing in a sexually explicit way and instructed them on what to wear, say, and do in the videos, including performing sexual acts, knowing that they were 14 to 15 years old; that he requested that they send the sexually explicit videos to him, either via Facebook or Apple's iMessage service; and that he received the videos, viewed them, and masturbated while watching them."

The victims were encouraged to state their accurate ages multiple times in the videos while "clapping" the cheeks of their buttocks, the document said. In 10 of 15 videos sent by Victim A and eight of 25 videos sent by Victim B, the victims were sexually exposed, the document said.

"[Do] you realize how lucky you are?!?!," Jones told Victim B in a Facebook chat, the document said. "I seriously shouldn't even be talking to you...."

Jones’ Facebook account was shut down May 15, according to the document.

This isn't the first time videos the singer solicited from fans have been problematic for him.

Two years ago, a petition on change.org sought to have Jones removed from a concert tour because he asked his young fans to send him videos of themselves twerking. In an apology video that year, Jones admitted asking for the videos and said he was "embarrassed" by the accusations that he had young fans do the suggestive dance.

"I’d have conversations online with girls that would involve me asking them to create a video of themselves twerking," Jones said. "Sometimes I’d make videos of myself doing some twerk moves in return. Here's the truth: I NEVER asked them to do anything more than send a twerking video. Nothing EVER went beyond that."

In explaining why he had asked for the earlier videos, he also talked about considering killing himself, said he had been hospitalized for "suicidal tendencies" after that scandal broke, and spoke extensively about his troubled childhood.

"Asking fans for those things, it was because I was desperate for attention," Jones said in the 2015 video, embedded below. "I was desperate for reassurance. I wanted to feel good about myself. At the time, I thought it was just fun and goofy. I was young. I was stupid. I wasn't thinking clearly.

"Over time, I’ve began to see it was wrong and I shouldn't have done it."

FOR THE RECORD

June 22, 12:35 p.m.: An earlier version of this article stated that Jones was from Bloomington, Ill. He is from Bloomingdale, Ill.

Justin Bieber dodges projectile onstage after admitting he doesn't know the words to ‘Despacito’

By Nardine Saad

Justin Bieber's español isn't so good, and his recollection of lyrics appears to be getting worse.

The pop star, who is the featured vocalist on the remix of Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi's summer chart-topper "Despacito," admitted to fans that he doesn't know the words and can't sing the hit by himself.

"I can't do ‘Despacito,’" Bieber told the crowd at Sweden's Summerburst Festival over the weekend. "I don't even know it… I can't do it."

But the concert-goers weren't having it. One was captured on video throwing an object at the 23-year-old singer, just missing his head. (Several reports claimed it was a water bottle.)

"Don't throw things at me, please," he said.

The Latin dance track has been sitting pretty at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and is the first primarily Spanish-language track to reach that spot since 1996's "Macarena."

But Bieber's admissions are surprising given that the "Sorry" singer was the one who approached Fonsi to appear on the track, which was originally recorded with Daddy Yankee, and to sing his parts in Spanish.

"He hears the song and he loves it — he sees how people react — and says, ‘I need to be a part of this movement,’" the Latin Grammy-winning Fonsi told Entertainment Weekly earlier this month. "But then, to my surprise, I hear the first chorus and it's him singing in Spanish! I definitely didn't tell him to do that."

However, it's not the first time the Biebs has admitted to not knowing the words. At another concert in May, he said he sings "Dorito" and "burrito" in place of the titular lyric, which sparked a backlash about racial insensitivity.

Ben Stiller reunites with his ‘Dodgeball’ team for charity

By Tracy Brown

Don't dodge this wrench. Ben Stiller has reassembled his "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" teammates and he wants you to join them — for charity.

In a video to promote an Omaze campaign, White Goodman (Stiller) appears in his familiar Globo Gym uniform to lament the changing times as he challenges viewers to test their dodgeball skills with him.

Fans of the 2004 film will recall that Goodman was the smarmy bully CEO of a fitness empire taken down at a dodgeball tournament (televised on "the Ocho") by Peter LaFleur (Vince Vaughn) and his Average Joes team.

It only makes sense that the Average Joes are back to knock Goodman down a peg again in his charity efforts. Peter, Kate (Christine Taylor) and Justin (Justin Long) interrupt Goodman's pitch with a counter offer: Join the Average Joes instead.

The campaign supports the Stiller Foundation, which provides children around the world with educational opportunities.

Watch the video (which contains some adult language) below. For more details on how you can join Globo Gym or the Average Joes to test your mastery of the five Ds of dodgeball, head over to the Omaze campaign's website.

Judd Apatow and the Directors Guild blast Sony plan to release ‘clean’ versions of films

By Josh Rottenberg

For comedy luminaries Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment's recent announcement that it will release "clean" versions of some of its films is no laughing matter. Now the Directors Guild of America has joined their outcry – and Sony has said it has heard them loud and clear.

In a statement Tuesday, the DGA objected to Sony's recently launched Clean Version initiative, which allows viewers to screen versions of 24 of the studio's films that have been edited to remove offensive language, sexual innuendo or graphic violence, saying that such "unauthorized alternation" violates the guild's master contract with the studios.

"Directors have the right to edit their feature films for every nontheatrical platform, plain and simple," the DGA said. "Taking a director's edit for one platform, and then releasing it on another — without giving the director the opportunity to edit — violates our agreement. Throughout the years, the DGA has achieved hard-fought creative rights gains protecting our members from such practices.

"As creators of their films, directors often dedicate years of hard work to realize their full vision, and they rightfully have a vested interest in protecting that work. We are committed to vigorously defending against the unauthorized alteration of films."

Apatow — who produced two films on the list, "Step Brothers" and "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" — took to Twitter to protest the idea in decidedly less clean language, saying the studio could "shove the clean versions" where the proverbial sun doesn't shine.

On June 7, Sony announced that the broadcast TV or airline versions of two dozen films, including all five "Spider-Man" films, dramas such as "Captain Phillips" and "Moneyball," and comedies such as "Big Daddy," "Easy A" and "Ghostbusters," will be made available alongside the original versions when a consumer purchases the original versions on iTunes, Vudu and FandangoNow.

Sony has defended the program, which it plans to expand, by asserting that the pre-existing clean versions are not being sold separately but only as extra features when viewers purchase the uncut theatrical versions of the films.

But in a statement on Wednesday in response to the growing controversy, the studio said it will allow directors to opt out of the program if they want.

"Our directors are of paramount importance to us and we want to respect those relationships to the utmost," said Man Jit Singh, president of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. "We believed we had obtained approvals from the filmmakers involved for use of their previously supervised television versions as a value added extra on sales of the full version. But if any of them are unhappy or have reconsidered, we will discontinue it for their films."

Rogen, who has made several R-rated comedies at the studio, including "This Is the End" and "Sausage Party," was the first to publicly voice opposition to the Clean Version initiative, tweeting last week, "please don't do this to our movies" — with an expletive added for emphasis.

Update, 1:34 p.m.: This story was updated with a statement from Sony.

Bob Dylan accused of lifting parts of his Nobel lecture from a study-guide website

By Christie D’Zurilla

Bob Dylan has been accused of stealing a number of sentences about the novel "Moby-Dick" from an online study guide and dropping them into his recent Nobel Prize lecture.

Inspired by commentary by writer Ben Greenman, who noted that Dylan appeared to have invented a quote from the sizable book, Slate's Andrea Pitzer analyzed the portion of the lecture pertaining to Herman Melville's book and found that "more than a dozen" of Dylan's 78 sentences about it "appear to closely resemble lines from the SparkNotes site."

"[M]ost of the key shared phrases in these passages (such as ‘Ahab's lust for vengeance’ ... ) do not appear in the novel ‘Moby-Dick’ at all," Pitzer said Tuesday.

In his lecture, Dylan also named "All Quiet on the Western Front" and "The Odyssey" as books that had stuck with him since childhood.

Greenman, in noticing the apparently invented "Moby-Dick" quote ("Some men who receive injuries are led to God, others are led to bitterness") seemed to chalk it up to Dylan being Dylan and had no problem with it.

"It appears, from all available evidence, that Dylan invented the quote and inserted it into his reading of ‘Moby-Dick,’ " he wrote. "Was it on purpose? Was it the result of a faulty memory? Was it an egg, left in the lawn to be discovered in case it's Eastertime too? Answering these questions would be drilling into the American Sphinx, and beside the point anyway. As it stands, it's very much in the spirit of his entire enterprise: to take various American masterworks and absorb and transform them. The mystery of it makes a wonderful lecture even more wonderful."

Dylan, who won the Nobel in Literature prize last year, didn't travel to Stockholm to accept the honor and its nearly $1-million prize on Dec. 10 but instead recorded the customary lecture in Los Angeles on June 4 and uploaded it to YouTube on June 5, just beating a six-month deadline to deliver it. The Nobel Foundation posted a transcript as well.

"Triplicate," the 76-year-old's newest release — a three-album set covering songs from the Great American Songbook, which followed two other albums of songs written by other people —came out at the end of March.

In his review, The Times’ Randy Lewis noted:

"[Th]e vast majority of the songs Dylan included on 2015's ‘Shadows in the Night,’ last year's ‘Fallen Angels’ and now this follow-up were popularized by Frank Sinatra.

"It's therefore probably no coincidence that in form, content and title, ‘Triplicate’ echoes Sinatra's latter-years magnum opus, ‘Trilogy,’ a three-album 1980 release organized with a different theme for each disc: ‘The Past,’ ‘The Present’ and ‘The Future.’

"In Dylan's case, the separate discs are individually themed ‘ ‘Til the Sun Goes Down,’ ‘Devil Dolls’ and ‘Comin’ Home Late.’ "

In his Nobel lecture, Dylan summarized his takeaway from "Moby-Dick" thusly:

"Ishmael survives," he wrote. "He's in the sea floating on a coffin. And that's about it. That's the whole story. That theme and all that it implies would work its way into more than a few of my songs."

Southern, small and ‘Looney’: Late-night TV takes on Jeff Sessions

By Robert Lloyd

Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions appeared before Congress on Tuesday in what "Late Show" host Stephen Colbert called "America's favorite new reality TV show, ‘So You Think You Can Testify About Russia.’ " By the evening, inevitably, Sessions was fodder for comedy.

The Sessions session had not been a particularly revealing one. If anything, it was characterized by an unwillingness to comment and claims of bad memory.

And so there were jokes about his size. Colbert called him "attorney general and last surviving Little Rascal Jeff Sessions," and cracked, "As soon as Sessions sat down, everyone had the same question, ‘Are you now or have you ever hidden any pots of gold?’ " "The Late Late Show" host James Corden showed a picture of the Keebler Elf.

On Comedy Central's "The Daily Show," host Trevor Noah made the old "Oh, I didn't realize you were standing" joke about Sessions’ standing to take the oath. Backed by a graphic picturing the AG as "The D.C. Hobbit," Noah said, "If there's one thing we know about magical creatures, if you ask them a question they don't like, they’ll just make up rules to why they can't answer."

"Jimmy Kimmel Live" improved Sessions’ dull testimony by making it the soundtrack to a Bugs-and-Daffy exchange in an old "Looney Tunes" cartoon to produce "testimony the whole family can enjoy."

Sessions’ remarks about "secret innuendo" regarding his actions — and his declaration that, although he recused himself from any investigation into the presidential campaign, he would not recuse himself from "defending my honor against scurrilous and false allegations" — brought forth a variety of portrayals of offended Southerness, in an appropriate accent.

"I say, ‘Pistols at dawn, sir! Pistols at dawn!’ " said Colbert, adding, "which is not a great idea because the committee chairman is named Burr." (That would be Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina.)

"Oh, well, I do declare," said Noah, "Jefferson Beauregard defending his honor." He called Sessions’ defense of his self-defense "a slick line" and imagined that it was something he said regularly: "I recuse myself from this investigation, but I will not recuse myself from these nachos. Wait, $5 for guacamole? I recuse myself."

"There's nothing more Southern than scurrilous innuendo," said Meyers, offering an example: "His sister never got married. She prefers to tend to her pussy willow."

Later, guest Kate McKinnon described her process for imitating Sessions on "Saturday Night Live" and offered an impression of his testimony: "Now with [Russian Ambassador] Sergey Kislyak, I only met him two times. OK, three times. But the third time was in a men's restroom, and we was just talking about what a trial it is to get soap out of those electric soap dispensers."

Meanwhile, on the less overtly political talk shows, games were played. "Tonight Show" host Jimmy Fallon, who is growing a beard in order to lose the beard and leave the mustache, played "Dance Battle" with Heidi Klum. They had to invent "randomly selected, never-before-seen" dances on the spot, including "Invisible Hulu Hoop," "Fork in the Garbage Disposal" and "Speed Bowling." This is Fallon's happy place, and Klum, too, proved adept.

On " The Late Late Show," Corden enlisted Lily James, Kate Mara, Iggy Azalea and Jane Krakowski in a round of "Flinch," in which the contestants stood behind a glass barrier and tried not to spill a martini when Corden unexpectedly fired a sort of water balloon at each in turn. "Don't get shaken; don't get stirred," said the host. All flinched, but held onto their drinks.

Drinking, oddly — or perhaps not oddly — was a minor theme of the night. Colbert took a sip of what purportedly was whiskey, saying, "Oh, sweet darkness, cover me. Ready to watch the Senate." Meyers joked that one of his possible reactions to the daily news was to "secretly pour whiskey into my mug while no one's looking." He took a drink, and made a face.

"That's good water," Meyers said.

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Ariana Grande will become Manchester's first honorary citizen

By Emily Mae Czachor

Ariana Grande is set to become Manchester, England's, first-ever honorary citizen, following what its city council has deemed a "great many selfless acts and demonstrations of community spirit" in the aftermath of the May 22 terror attack at Manchester Arena.

Just 13 days after a suicide bomber killed 22 concertgoers -- many of them young girls -- outside of Grande's "Dangerous Woman" show, the singer returned to the city, where she hosted the "One Love" benefit concert. The event raised more than $3 million for the Red Cross. She also visited a number of injured children in the hospital earlier this month.

Manchester city council leader Sir Richard Leese told BBC News that the grace and benevolence with which Grande responded to the attack led the city to "update the way we recognize those who make noteworthy contributions to the life and success of our city."

Leese continued:

"We’ve all had cause to be incredibly proud of Manchester and the resilient and compassionate way in which the city, and all those associated with it, have responded to the terrible events of 22 May, with love and courage rather than hatred and fear," he said. "Ariana Grande exemplified this response. I think many people would already consider her an honorary Mancunian and we would be delighted, if the council approves the proposal, to make it official."

Honorary citizenship is the highest civilian honor that a city can offer any non-citizen, aside from the "freedom of the city" designation, which has been awarded only four times since 2000.

Shannen Doherty's husband settles case with actress’ former managers

By Nardine Saad

Kurt Iswarienko, the husband of actress Shannen Doherty, has appeared to reach a settlement in his case against Doherty's former management team.

The photographer filed a separate lawsuit against the "Beverly Hills, 90210" alum's ex-managers in December, claiming that the firm mismanaged his funds and ruined their sex life following Doherty's breast cancer diagnosis.

Per TMZ, Iswarienko requested to dismiss his entire case against Tanner Mainstain Glynn & Johnson, according to legal documents, which suggests that a settlement has been reached. No dollar amount was specified.

Doherty had filed her own $15-million suit against her former management team in 2015. She claimed that its failure to pay her insurance premiums made her health insurance lapse, and her lack of medical care resulted in her cancer going undiagnosed.

The actress settled the case in August 2016 and announced last month that her cancer had gone into remission.

A Star Is Born: Boy George turns 56 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

The difference between me and a lot of artists is that I’ve never tried to be anything else than what I am. What you see is what you get. I’d rather be a schmuck than be schmaltzy.

— Boy George, 1989

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Against All Odds: Fallen superstar fights heroin scandal, old image in latest comeback try

Tinashe sparks debate with ‘colorism’ comment: ‘If you’re a black woman, you’re either Beyoncé or Rihanna’

By Emily Mae Czachor

Tinashe sparked a whole Twitter feed's worth of backlash on Tuesday morning with a markedly frank (or whiny, depending on your perspective) interview with the Guardian. The R&B singer and songwriter spoke about the ways that "colorism" (discrimination based on skin color) has dampened her success as a black female musician.

"There's colorism involved in the black community, which is very apparent," Tinashe said. "It's about trying to find a balance where I’m a mixed woman, and sometimes I feel like I don't fully fit into the black community; they don't fully accept me, even though I see myself as a black woman. That disconnect is confusing sometimes. I am what I am."

And while the 24-year-old has caught the eye of her peers -- Janet Jackson personally invited her to perform at the star's tribute concert in 2015, and she was the opening act on Nicki Minaj's "Pinkprint" tour -- Tinashe feels the music business levies an unspoken cap on women of color. And it's holding her back.

"There are hundreds of [male] rappers that all look the same, that sound the same. But if you’re a black woman, you’re either Beyoncé or Rihanna. It's very, very strange."

The interview ignited fierce debate on Twitter, with users arguing whether her critique held any weight.

Some people chalked up her statements to bitterness.

But many Twitter users urged readers to look deeper.

Hollywood's obsession with the afterlife continues with ‘Flatliners’

By Amy Kaufman

Ellen Page, Nina Dobrev, Diego Luna and Kiefer Sutherland star in "Flatliners."

First there was the television series "The OA." Then came Charlie McDowell's film "The Discovery."

And this fall, "Flatliners" will become the third Hollywood project in the span of a year to explore what happens to humans after we die.

The movie, whose trailer debuted Tuesday, follows a group of medical students who conduct secret experiments in which they temporarily stop their hearts in an attempt to get a glimpse at the afterlife. As you might imagine, it's a risky endeavor, and the near-death experiences start having an effect on the students’ psyches.

Though afterlife stories seem to be all the rage at the moment, "Flatliners" is actually a remake of a 1990 film of the same name starring Kiefer Sutherland, Julia Roberts and Kevin Bacon. That picture grossed more than $61 million domestically but earned middling reviews from critics.

The remake, out Sept. 29 and directed by Niels Arden Oplev, stars Ellen Page, Diego Luna, Nina Dobrev, James Norton, and Kiersey Clemons.

Katy Perry says she’ll stop ripping on Taylor Swift, then rips apart at the seams

By Christie D’Zurilla

Katy Perry has taken a step toward moving past her feud with Taylor Swift.

At a concert Monday in downtown L.A., she changed the words in her tune "Swish, Swish" to something that could be seen as a more positive comment about her fellow pop star.

"God bless you on your journey, oh baby girl," Perry sang (via E! News), instead of the words "Don't you come for me / No, not today."

The "Chained to the Rhythm" singer told Arianna Huffington on Saturday — in a podcast that, like the concert, was also part of a four-day livestream to promote her new album, "Witness" — that she was "ready to let it go" with Swift after a 2013 incident involving backup dancers.

"I think it's time. There are bigger fish to fry, and there are real problems in the world. You know what I’m saying? And I love her, and I want the best for her," Perry said.

She praised Swift as a songwriter and said she thought they could be good examples of strong women who, despite their differences, come together.

On Monday, however, Perry was more about coming apart — at least her pants were. During a downtown L.A. concert, dressed in a sequined silver pantsuit, she suffered a wardrobe malfunction.

"I’ve had an unfortunate incident near my hoo-ha," she told the crowd. "But I’m wearing underwear, don't you worry. I just want to warn those watching to brace themselves. I probably shouldn't have said anything, but I just know the Internet sees everything. Especially when it comes out in pictures."

(Don't worry, Katy, the pics aren't that bad because the rip wasn't that big -- and we kindly cropped it out of the photo above.)

"I was trying to be cool," she said, "and then I did that dance, and now I realize I wasn't that cool."

Go inside Carrie Fisher's home to see what will soon be up for auction

By Christie D’Zurilla

Carrie Fisher's brother has given fans a sneak preview of a September auction in which personal items belonging to the "Star Wars" actress as well as her mother, Debbie Reynolds, will be offered for sale.

"The whole house is filled with her life," Todd Fisher said, giving "Good Morning America" a tour of his late sister's Beverly Hills house alongside Joe Maddalena, chief executive of Profiles in History, the Calabasas-based auction house handling the sale. "It's kind of like being in her head."

Todd Fisher pointed out the Christmas tree and fireplaces his sister kept going year ‘round in her eclectic home, which was part of a compound that included Reynolds’ house. He solicited fans’ input on a name for the newest painting in the collection, which he and his mom had purchased as a holiday gift for Carrie but were not able to give her because, he said, "she never made it home for Christmas."

"She collected what she called ‘ugly children,’" he said, pointing to old portraits of kids who had been nicknamed for actors including Kevin Spacey and Shia LaBeouf.

Carrie Fisher never regained consciousness after falling ill on a flight home from London on Dec. 23, 2016. She died Dec. 27, and Reynolds passed away the next day.

Other highlights of the tour: Carrie's director's chair from "Return of the Jedi" and a statue of Yoda, its head polished from being touched by guests over the years.

The auction, being held in advance of the property being put on the market, is Sept. 23 and includes costumes, movie memorabilia and many other items from the two actresses. Portions of the proceeds will benefit two charities, the Reynolds-founded Thalians and the Jed Foundation, selected by Carrie Fisher's daughter, Billie Lourd.

"The size and scope of their collection rivals most museums," Todd Fisher said in a statement on his website. "So in keeping with my mother's wishes we have decided to share part of their magnificent collection with all their friends and fans."

Watch Nathaniel Rateliff team with Chuck Berry's offspring and the Roots on Jimmy Fallon

By Randall Roberts

The father of rock ‘n’ roll, Chuck Berry, might be gone, but his energy and DNA live on. The evidence? Singer, guitarist and firebrand Nathaniel Rateliff, who took the stage on "The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon" on Monday to perform a song from Berry's new album, "Chuck."

Joined by Berry's offspring, son Charles Berry Jr. and grandson Charles Berry III, Rateliff performed "Big Boys" with "Tonight Show" house band the Roots. Rateliff, who was born in Missouri and collaborated with Chuck Berry on the studio version of the song, played rhythm guitar and sang while the Berry boys flanked him and tore through dueling solos.

"This was his next chapter," Charles Jr. recently told The Times of his father's final album. "He worked very, very, very long and hard to get it released."

Stephen Colbert and Oliver Stone spar over Vladimir Putin

By Sarah Rodman

"Let's talk about Vladimir Putin."

And thus began what ultimately became a sometimes tense conversation between Stephen Colbert and Oliver Stone on Monday's "The Late Show."

The "JFK" and "Platoon" filmmaker was on to discuss his new Showtime series, "The Putin Interviews," which began airing Monday night. The four-episode series distills more than 20 hours of conversations that Stone had with the Russian president over the course of two years.

Colbert noted that Stone has gotten some criticism for being too "cozy" with his subject. Stone demurred that it was politeness to an extremely busy man and curiosity about such a captivating figure. It was important, Stone said, that Putin "believed I would give him a fair hearing."

But when it appeared in a clip from the series that Stone was taking at face value Putin's dismissal of the notion that the Russians interfered with the presidential election, Colbert pushed him on the point, wondering why he didn't ask any follow-up questions.

Stone said that later in the series, which continues the next three nights, that he did ask about the hacking specifically and cyberwarfare in general.

But as Stone went on to talk about how he was surprised that Putin didn't seem angry given how he has been "abused" in the press, the audience began to react with groans and laughter. Colbert wondered if it was possible for Stone to be critical of Putin or "does he have your dog in a cage some place?"

Given the director's ardent support of free speech, Colbert appeared genuinely befuddled by Stone's seemingly uncritical take on Putin. Stone stressed that watching the entire series would be illuminating.

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A month after sexual-misconduct allegations, PWR BTTM's music returns to streaming services

By Randall Roberts

A month after an acquaintance made explosive allegations about the band's behavior, accusing member Ben Hopkins of "inappropriate sexual contact with people despite several ‘nos’ and without warning or consent," queer punk band PWR BTTM's debut album, "Ugly Cherries," has returned to streaming services. The band is also consulting with a high-profile manager and a lawyer to reclaim its music.

In a strongly worded news release issued Tuesday, the duo detailed the events that led to "Ugly Cherries" and "Pageant," their highly anticipated and acclaimed sophomore album released on May 12, being removed from Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal and other services.

They described a scenario in which "the band's current and past record labels dropped them as a result of an anonymous allegation of sexual misconduct." The respected indie label Polyvinyl dropped PWR BTTM almost immediately after the allegations surfaced.

The band, which also includes Liv Bruce, has contested the claims but stressed that its philosophy has been to "ensure that a survivor of abuse has a voice, that their story should be heard and that people who cross the line should be held accountable." Ultimately, PWR BTTM's 36-city tour was canceled and its management quit.

A month later, the musicians are working with Lisa Barbaris, a longtime industry executive who manages Cyndi Lauper. Over the course of her career in publicity and artist relations, Barbaris has worked with acts including Metallica, Cher and 10,000 Maniacs.

According to the news release, "Barbaris was appalled at the response of the band's labels in withdrawing music and support so hastily."

PWR BTTM has also retained attorney Jeffrey Koenig to untangle the group's issues with Polyvinyl, which issued -- and then pulled -- "Pageant." Calling the label's response an "unprecedented move," PWR BTTM stated that "as of now, Polyvinyl has not presented any viable plan to the band to make the music on ‘Pageant’ available to their fans."

‘Bachelor in Paradise’ host Chris Harrison asks for patience, respect during investigation

By Christie D’Zurilla

Chris Harrison, host of "Bachelor in Paradise" as well as the other shows in ABC's looking-for-love franchise, urged people to "be patient" until an investigation into alleged misconduct on the reality program is completed.

"I know in this day and age we want — and even expect — immediate answers, but in this case, it's just not possible," Harrison said in a statement. "So again, I urge you to please be patient and respect the privacy of the parties involved."

The host was referencing Warner Bros.’ investigation into a workplace misconduct complaint reportedly filed by a producer on the show about a week ago, one day into three weeks of filming Season 4 of "Paradise" at a Mexican resort. The show brings together alumni from the "Bachelor" and "Bachelorette" series for another chance at finding love in a less rigid — read, more opportunities for hookups — setting.

Harrison said Warner Bros. was "moving quickly to gather all the facts" in a situation where two contestants, after drinking alcohol, got involved physically in the resort pool while cameras were running. The issue of consent to sexual contact has been raised. Contestants who were not involved in the incident were initially kept in the dark about what had gone on, then were sent home when shooting was suspended.

"There are a lot of competing details in the various press accounts of the incident. And there's a lot of misinformation out there too," Harrison said in the statement. "We urge everyone to be patient until the investigation is complete."

He apologized for "any inconvenience and disappointment this may have caused the cast, the crew and our loyal fans" and said he hoped there would be a quick resolution that would allow everyone to "get back to work very soon."

Neither ABC, the network that airs the "Bachelor" franchise shows, nor Warner Bros., whose Warner Horizon Television division produces "Paradise," has officially addressed the fate of the summer show's season, scheduled to start Aug. 8.

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A Star Is Born: Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen turn 31 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

We’ve been raised by so many women, from teachers to nannies to executives. ... We’ve always been surrounded by incredible, chic, strong women, and I’m sure that's rubbed off.

— Ashley Olsen, 2014

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Mary-Kate, Ashley Olsen open first flagship for the Row

Lionsgate developing 2 Live Crew biopic: ‘Straight Outta Compton’ meets ‘Larry Flynt’

By Jen Yamato

Hip-hop certainly has no shortage of screen-ready melodrama. Can Lionsgate do for Miami booty bass legends 2 Live Crew what Universal's "Straight Outta Compton" did for L.A.'s own N.W.A?

Deadline reports that Lionsgate is "moving quickly" on a rap biopic based on the life of Luther "Luke" Campbell, the 2 Live Crew producer and frontman well remembered for laying down such iconic lyrics as, "You ain't nothing but a hoochie mama -- hood rat, hood rat, hoochie mama."

The musician signed the group to his own record label in the late 1980s before becoming their hype man, manager and eventually the face of 2 Live Crew. He led them to victory in a 1994 Supreme Court parody case waged over their use of Roy Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman," a fight that has Deadline calling the biopic "Straight Outta Compton" meets "The People vs. Larry Flynt."

Much more salacious -- and R-rated, and arguably historically significant -- were the federal obscenity charges lobbed against the group over their sexually explicit 1989 album "As Nasty As They Wanna Be." Thanks to songs like "Me So Horny," 2 Live Crew earned a sales ban in Florida that was later overturned, and sealed their place as one of the (legally) dirtiest rap groups in history.

"What this does is let black folks know that the 1st Amendment really does apply to us," Campbell said at the time, according to the Times archives. "It says we can speak our minds the same way that white people do. This isn't just a victory for 2 Live Crew. The entire music industry won big on this one."

According to Deadline, Craig A. Williams is scripting the biopic based on Campbell's memoir "The Book of Luke: My Fight for Truth, Justice and Liberty City," with "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" actor RJ Cyler, 22, set to play a young Luke in the film.

Cyler was most recently seen on multiplex screens as the Blue Ranger in "Power Rangers." The film is produced by Temple Hill's Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey and John Fischer and executive produced by Mike Epps and Industry Entertainment.

The post-"Straight Outta Compton" thirst for hip-hop biopics will be tested this weekend when Lionsgate-owned Summit Entertainment releases its Tupac Shakur biopic, "All Eyez On Me," on 2,400 screens nationwide.

Handmaids spotted randomly in and around L.A. (thanks, Hulu Emmys campaign)

By Christie D’Zurilla

A host of women clad as handmaids, a la "The Handmaid's Tale," were spotted walking in Los Angeles, West Hollywood and Beverly Hills ahead of the series’ season finale Wednesday.

The unmistakable red dresses and white "wings" hats were irresistible social-media bait as the women, apparently part of an Emmys "for your consideration" campaign by Hulu, strolled stoically through distinctly non-dystopian SoCal territory.

"Looks like some handmaids are having lunch at the Beverly Wilshire," real estate agent Heather T. Roy wrote in a caption on a video of a few handmaids walking past the awnings of the famous hotel (and movie location). "It makes sense that they’d be big Pretty Woman fans."

Hulu's handmaids have appeared elsewhere previously, including in April at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, where author Margaret Atwood spoke. According to the Hollywood Reporter, some of the handmaids — in total this time around there were 38, split into half a dozen groups — were asked to leave the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Hollywood Forever Cemetery because those facilities were not affiliated with the streaming network or the show.

"It was fun to creep people out for the #HULUFYC," actress Gabriela Ortega said on Instagram. She definitely wasn't the only one having fun.

Amanda Seales explains America to Caitlyn Jenner, hopes the exchange was inspirational

By Christie D’Zurilla

Caitlyn Jenner likely had a case of indigestion after a Sunday dinner party thrown by Katy Perry, where actress-comedian Amanda Seales decided to explain their different American experiences.

"The reason I am so passionate — and I’m not hostile, I’m passionate — the reason I am so passionate is because I’ve had such a different experience in this country than you," Seales told the former "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" fixture.

Jenner had apparently been keeping rather quiet Sunday seated at a table where other invitees included Democratic activist and commentator Van Jones, comic Margaret Cho, activist and commentator Sally Kohn, Republican strategist and commentator Ana Navarro and DJ-producer Yung Skeeter, a.k.a. Trevor McFedries.

The gathering was part of Perry's days-long "World Wide Witness" livestream to promote her new album, and while Seales posted only a snippet from it Monday that did not include the setup, additional bits could be found elsewhere on social media.

Watch Amanda Seales GATHER Caitlyn Jenner about growing up black in America pic.twitter.com/JMmrGSRbHX

"For me, it's an insult to me that you don't want to speak, because you’re not listening to what I’m saying," said the "Insecure" actress, who’d declared on Twitter in 2015 that she was "still not interested in anything Katy Perry is doing."

"As a black woman, the government is so much in my life, and it always has been," the 31-year-old explained to Jenner, 67. "The government literally said that black men could not even be in the house or else women couldn't get welfare.

"That's a big reason why there's such a chasm between black women and black men in this generation," she added.

(Seales appeared to be referring to the so-called man-in-the-house rule, which was struck down by the Supreme Court in 1968.)

However, she said she understood why Jenner was talking "the way" she was talking — a statement the latter didn't understand.

"I just said I believe in this country," Jenner said, trying to figure out what had just happened.

Seales wasn't buying it.

"You can say that in a way that I cannot," the comic said. "Because you had a different experience. Because this country is here for you. This country ain't here for me in the same way, sis. It isn't."

The way Seales saw it, Jenner was failing on another level as well.

"You, as a trans person, have to also identify that this country hasn't been here for trans until" — she paused to look at her wrist — "maybe 2 o’clock today."

"Made my momma proud last night," Seales wrote Monday on Instagram as a caption to her clip, saying that she took being in conversations like the one at the dinner party very seriously.

"As a black woman they will far too often consider your intellect a threat and your passion a problem," she wrote. "I hope I inspired others last night to live in your truth no matter who is at the table."

‘Julius Caesar’ has sparked controversy. But where was corporate outrage when a movie killed President Obama?

By Jen Yamato

On Sunday, Delta Air Lines’ and Bank of America's decision to pull funding for the New York Public Theater over a production of "Julius Caesar" which featured a titular character resembling President Trump sparked debate over the role of corporate sponsors in the arts.

"House of Cards" creator and playwright Beau Willimon tweeted a call to action to boycott the companies. "Now I know where not to bank & who not to fly with," he wrote. "Actions like this create a culture of fear. We must support free expression, not punish."

"Freedom of expression," tweeted "The Leftovers" star and Tony-nominated actress Carrie Coon. "Also, try reading the play."

We're shunning Shakespeare? Guys, when do the book burning parties start? #JuliusCaesar @PublicTheaterNY #SeeYaMonday #CantWait https://t.co/eAb2cAFq2b

Now I know where not to bank & who not to fly with. Actions like this create a culture of fear. We must support free expression, not punish. https://t.co/GYYs4Fw8TG

As my former Daily Beast colleague Asawin Suebsaeng reminded me Monday morning, nary a corporate suit batted an eye in 2015 when a Hollywood blockbuster blew the head off of an Obama-esque POTUS in even more spectacular fashion.

I wrote then of the historic cinematic killing of President Obama in 20th Century Fox's "Kingsman: The Secret Service," the first film to depict the then-POTUS's death onscreen. In it, an Obama look-alike, one of several world leaders in cahoots with Samuel L. Jackson's bad guy Valentine, gets his head blown up in the film's bombastic denouement.

"The White House and Obama-ish president — there's no other symbol about a global power than the White House," director Matthew Vaughn said of the depiction months before its release. Later he backpedaled, insisting that the onscreen president bearing an unmistakable resemblance to Barack Obama was not officially supposed to be Obama.

"First of all, it's not Obama," he told Entertainment Weekly. "I just want to be clear. This is not an attack on Obama at all. This is an attack on all politicians, but the easiest way to making the point where people knew that Valentine was in power was to have the White House. We needed someone who was reminiscent of Obama, so that people got the point."

The point of "Kingsman" was much less pointed than fitting Julius Caesar (played by actor Gregg Henry) with a familiar blond coif and a business suit. But no corporate partners distanced themselves from "Kingsman." It opened in wide release, grossing $414 million worldwide, and now has a sequel set for release in September.

The Trumpius Caesar-disapproving Delta Air Lines even extended its partnership with 20th Century Fox post-"Kingsman," launching a big cross-branded campaign for the studio's "Snoopy" movie later that year.

The difference between "Kingsman" and the production of "Julius Caesar"? Pressure from right-wing outlets such as Breitbart and Fox News and tweets from Donald Trump Jr., which led Delta and then Bank of America to withdraw their support of the production. One which was not, in fact, financed by the National Endowment for the Arts, as Donald Jr. had asked on social media, the NEA clarified.

I wonder how much of this "art" is funded by taxpayers? Serious question, when does "art" become political speech & does that change things? https://t.co/JfOmLLBJCn

Los Angeles Times columnist Michael Hiltzik points out that a similarly contemporary production of "Julius Caesar," Shakespeare's masterwork about perceived tyranny and its consequences, was staged by Minneapolis’ Guthrie Theater in 2012 featuring an Obama-esque protagonist. "Delta, which was a sponsor of the Guthrie though not of this particular production, wasn't heard to object," Hiltzik wrote. (Read more on the Delta issue here.)

Perhaps a celebrity-led boycott will nudge Delta and BofA into reconsidering their de-patronage. We’ll find out in September if the "Kingsman: The Golden Circle" sequel will take similar aim at President Trump -- and if any corporations care then too.

.@Delta doesn't support free speech? @PublicTheaterNY has provided free Shakespeare since 1954. I won't fly with @Delta anymore. 🇺🇸❤️ https://t.co/0xneKqTtKW

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Fate of ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ in limbo as details emerge about alleged sexual misconduct

By Christie D’Zurilla

With the fate of Season 4 of "Bachelor in Paradise" still officially up in the air, details of alleged sexual misconduct and what happened last week before and after production was suspended began to emerge Monday afternoon.

The alleged incident occurred in Mexico on the first day of filming, June 4, and involved contestants Corinne Olympios, from Nick Viall's season of "The Bachelor," and DeMario Jackson, recently cut by Rachel Lindsay on the current "Bachelorette" cycle.

"We knew something bad had happened," a cast member told People, speaking on condition of anonymity. "[W]e weren't even there a week. The game hadn't even really begun yet."

A source told a Los Angeles Times reporter Sunday that a producer who witnessed what reportedly went down in the pool between the two didn't show up for work the next day and then filed a third-party complaint to Warner Bros., alleging workplace misconduct.

Production was halted and contestants were reportedly "locked down" — reality-TV speak for being separated from one another and kept under the watchful eye of the production staff.

"[W]e were just kind of there, waiting in limbo," the contestant told People. "We couldn't talk to each other about what we knew." On Thursday, the contestant heard from a crew member that production might be suspended for good. "I didn't realize that it was that serious until then," the person said.

"After the incident with DeMario and Corinne, some producers were gone the next day and nobody knew why," a source told "Entertainment Tonight."

The Times’ source said Jackson and Olympios had gotten "extremely drunk" at the poolside bar on the first day cameras rolled, then both got naked in the pool. What came next didn't include intercourse, the source said, but was very raunchy.

In the days that followed, that source said, the two were shown video of what happened between them.

On Monday, sources described as close to Olympios told TMZ that she said she didn't remember anything she did that first day but had been told that other cast members had expressed concerns to the production staff about her ability to consent.

Olympios has retained an attorney, TMZ reported. Her manager did not immediately respond to a Times inquiry.

Both contestants — who had been portrayed as "villains" in their respective seasons — were allegedly told by producers that one of the summer's story lines would be them hooking up, sources described as close to Jackson told TMZ on Sunday.

Jackson and Olympios were getting along fine Monday, the Jackson-related sources said, but on Tuesday they were advised by an executive producer that another producer had seen the footage and was "uncomfortable" with it, and the two were released from the show.

The Times was unable to contact Jackson or a representative.

"Cast members were given the option at first, a few days ago, on whether they wanted to stay or try to finish out filming — most chose to stay," ET's source said. "But then they were sent home."

A source connected to the show told People that "the show absolutely values the primacy of consent, and this instance it appears as though conduct allegedly occurred without the proper consent having been given."

"Bachelor in Paradise" — which puts former contestants from "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" in close quarters with one another and a lot of alcohol at the Playa Escondida resort in Mexico — is set to premiere Aug. 4.

Warner Bros. said in its statement that it was "conducting a thorough investigation" and would "take appropriate responsive action" once the investigation is complete. The company didn't give any details as to the nature of the situation, referring only to "misconduct."

Steve Carbone of the well-sourced "Bachelor"-franchise spoiler site Reality Steve cautioned Monday on Twitter that various "narratives" were being promoted in the media and that "we might never know" the real story of what happened, but he spoke with certainty about the fate of the season.

"For the record, one thing I can report to be 100% true: This season of Bachelor in Paradise isn't happening. It's been cancelled."

Warner Bros. and ABC have yet to confirm a cancellation.

For the record, one thing I can report to be 100% true: This season of Bachelor in Paradise isn't happening. It's been cancelled.

Diddy edges out Beyoncé as highest-paid entertainer on Forbes’ Celebrity 100 list

By Nardine Saad

It's still all about the Benjamins for entertainer Sean Combs, who has been named the highest-paid entertainer of 2017 by Forbes magazine.

Diddy, the veteran multi-hyphenate, earned a cool $130 million pretax in the financial magazine's 12-month scoring period and edged out singer Beyoncé for the top spot in the annual rankings.

The 47-year-old mogul's earnings hail from the sale of his Sean John clothing label, which reportedly fetched an estimated $70 million. Additionally, the Ciroc-peddling rapper-producer also banked hefty sums from his vodka partnership and the star-studded Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour, which sold out arenas across the country.

Meanwhile, Bey reportedly earned an estimated $105 million with the help of her Formation World Tour and the release of her "Lemonade" visual album.

"Harry Potter" scribe J.K. Rowling returned to the rankings in the No. 3 spot with $95 million, Toronto-bred rapper Drake earned $94 million and Real Madrid soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo earned $93 million, the magazine reported.

To calculate the Celebrity 100, Forbes evaluates front-of-the-camera talent and reported earnings from June 2016 to June 2017, basing the figures on reports from Nielsen, NPD Bookscan, Pollstar, Box Office Mojo, Songkick, D’Marie and IMDB, as well as interviews with industry insiders and sometimes the stars themselves. Fees for agents, managers and lawyers are not deducted from the totals.

See Forbes’ complete list here.

Thanking his mother, a humble Ice Cube gets his star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

By Emily Mae Czachor

For 47-year-old O’Shea Jackson -- the rapper, actor and producer better known as Ice Cube (or just "Cube," as his friends call him) -- receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was more than a testament to the hip-hop icon's fruitful career.

The star, which was unveiled Monday morning outside the Musicians Institute on Hollywood Boulevard, caps the better part of a lifetime making music that not only reflects his experiences but also has had an impact on the broader culture.

"It's about damn time," said rapper WC, a close friend of Ice Cube, who spoke during the unveiling ceremony. "Because this is long overdue."

The ceremony took place just three days after the release of the 25th-anniversary edition of Ice Cube's politically charged album "Death Certificate," and just three days before his 48th birthday (the news of which sparked an audience call-and-response: "When I say ‘happy,’ you say ‘birthday!’").

Ice Cube first rose to fame in the late ‘80s as a rapper and lyricist with the West Coast "gangsta rap" group N.W.A, alongside fellow South Central natives Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, MC Ren (all of whom were present during Monday's ceremony) and Eazy-E. Ice Cube penned the lyrics to several of N.W.A's most resonant songs, including "Straight Outta Compton," "Gangsta Gangsta" and "Express Yourself."

"He utilized his lyrics to wake up spirits," WC said of Ice Cube's repertoire, the great majority of which is infused with sociopolitical commentary.

But while the rapper's roots lie predominantly in gritty, G-funk anthems -- several particularly enthusiastic members of the crowd rapped along to "You Know How We Do It," Ice Cube's 1994 hit, which pulsed through a set of speakers on the outskirts of the ceremony -- he's become something of a renaissance man. Post-N.W.A, Ice Cube went on to launch a solo rap career and ventured into acting and record-producing.

No matter how his career has evolved, he has remained an active "call out" source for racial transgressions (most recently, in a forthright conversation with Bill Maher). And John Singleton -- best known for directing "Boyz N the Hood," Ice Cube's first foray onto the big screen -- believes that quality speaks volumes about Ice Cube's character.

"The mark of a true man is how many people he influences in his lifetime," Singleton said at the ceremony. "That's how I see Cube."

But despite the back-to-back exclamations of praise, Ice Cube spoke with a degree of humility. In his acceptance speech -- which ran more than three times his designated two-minute interval -- he thanked everyone, including his mother and his longtime lawyer, Lee Young.

"You don't get here by yourself," the rapper said, sporting a pair of thick-rimmed rectangular shades and his characteristic black snapback with the L.A. Dodgers symbol sewn into its crown.

"Today is not really about Ice Cube," he said. "It's about all the people that helped me get here."

Jessica Chastain weds Italian count Gian Luca Passi di Preposulo

By Nardine Saad

Jessica Chastain is a married lady.

The Oscar-nominated actress wed her Italian beau, Gian Luca Passi di Preposulo, in his native country over the weekend.

The bride and groom tied the knot outdoors Saturday at the di Preposulo family's 17th century estate, Villa Tiepolo Passi, in Treviso, just north of Venice, as seen in photos obtained by The Daily Mail. The property has been in his family since the 1800s.

The guest list boasted several celebrities, including Chastain's "Interstellar" co-star Anne Hathaway and husband Adam Shulman, "The Huntsman: Winter's War" co-star Emily Blunt, "Zero Dark Thirty" actor Edgar Ramirez and several Italian socialites who were spotted at pre-wedding festivities, E! News reported.

Chastain's "The Help" co-star Octavia Spencer sent her congratulations via Instagram, posting a photo of the redheaded actress in her bridal regalia and writing that she hated missing the big day "but know I couldn't be more thrilled for you!!!!"

According to People, the ultra-private actress, 40, has been dating the Moncler executive, who is of noble Italian ancestry and is a real-life count, since 2012.

Ivanka Trump says she's surprised by ‘viciousness’ surrounding father's presidency

By Nardine Saad

President Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump went to bat for her dad Monday, adroitly sidestepping the burning questions about the White House's latest scandals and promoting its infrastructure and workforce initiatives.

The White House special advisor, who said she was in New York for her sister-in-law's baby shower and is currently promoting her book "Women Who Work," defended husband Jared Kushner's role in the administration and scolded the media for its "viciousness" and "ferocity" in covering her father's presidency during her Monday appearance on "Fox & Friends." (She’ll appear on the show again on Thursday.)

When co-host Brian Kilmeade asked about the outcome of last week's revelatory hearings with ousted FBI Director James B. Comey, Trump declined to share her own thoughts about the topic. She instead rehashed her father's tweet about Comey's incendiary testimony and spun her response to get back on message.

"My father felt very vindicated in all the statements that he's been making and feels incredibly optimistic," she said. "But at the White House, and through the administration, we’re incredibly focused on the reason we all went to Washington and what we’re fighting for."

Trump said it was hard to focus on the tasks at hand because of detractors and the many scandals that have erupted during the months-long presidency, which has garnered calls for impeachment.

"There's a level of viciousness that I was not expecting," she said. "I was not expecting the intensity of this experience. But this isn't supposed to be easy. My father, and this administration, intends to be transformative and we want to do big bold things, and we’re looking to change the status quo.

"I didn't expect it to be easy. Some of the distractions and some of the ferocity, I was a little blindsided by on a personal level," the fashion designer added. "But for me I’m trying to keep my head down, not listen to the noise and just work really hard to make a positive impact in the lives of many people."

Of Kushner, who is the subject of congressional inquiries regarding his meetings with Russian bankers and officials, Trump said he "loves" his job and touted his role as her father's counsel. But she avoided discussing the rumors of infighting -- notably with her father's chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon.

"There is a 24-hour news cycle that gets fed by and is encouraged by lots of salacious details," she said. "But, at the end of the day, we’re all focused on the work, and that's very true for Jared. So, he's somebody who just likes to get things done. So, he doesn't get involved in, sort of, all of that."

From Bette to Colbert, watch the 5 most buzzed-about Tony Awards moments

By Emily Mae Czachor

Even without a musical steamroller such as "Hamilton," Sunday night's 71st Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York City still made headlines.

From Kevin Spacey's musical ventures to Bette Midler's wacky acceptance filibuster, here are five of the most buzzed-about moments from the ceremony.

1. Bette Midler's show-stopping (literally) acceptance speech

The iconic singer and actress, who made a Broadway comeback in the "Hello, Dolly!" revival, took home the penultimate award for lead actress in a musical (her first-ever competitive Tony Award win). Even though Midler did not perform a song from the equally legendary musical, she still managed to hijack the spotlight with an epic filibuster of an acceptance speech that clocked in at approximately 4 minutes and 15 seconds.

"I’d like to thank all the Tony voters, many of whom I’ve actually dated," Midler cracked.

When the orchestra cut in mid-oration in a classic attempt to play her off stage, Midler didn't miss a beat.

"Shut that crap off," she quipped. And they did.

2. Stephen Colbert threw some creative jabs at President Trump

Announcing the nominees for best musical revival (which "Hello, Dolly!" won), "The Late Show" host lobbed some barbed digs at the president.

"It's been a great year for revivals in general, especially that one they revived down in Washington, D.C.," said Colbert. "It started off-Broadway in the ‘80s. Way off Broadway, over on 5th Avenue, huge production values. A couple of problems: The main character is totally unbelievable, and the hair and makeup: yeesh. This D.C. production is supposed to have a four-year run, but reviews have not been kind. Could close early. We don't know, we don't know. Best of luck to everyone involved."

3. Kevin Spacey's not-so-same-old song and dance

Having made his Broadway debut 35 years ago and snagging a Tony of his own in 1991, Spacey is certainly no stranger to the stage. He is, however, somewhat of a stranger to the art of song and dance. But that didn't stop him from singing and dancing his way through the broadcast's first 10 minutes in a medley of parody numbers based on current Broadway musicals.

4. "Dear Evan Hansen" won big

"Dear Evan Hansen," the gritty new musical by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul and Steven Levenson, picked up six awards, including the coveted Tony for best new musical and best leading actor, which went to 23-year-old Ben Platt for his performance in the show's titular role.

"To all young people watching at home, don't waste any time trying to be like anybody but yourself, because the things that make you strange are the things that make you powerful," Platt said while accepting the award.

5. Spacey closed the show alongside Patti LuPone

"Thank you so much, how was that show?" Spacey asked the audience before the final number. He brought out Patti LuPone to perform a rendition of "The Curtain Falls," which was written for the entertainer Bobby Darin, whom Spacey portrayed in 2004's "Beyond the Sea."

"As they say in this biz, that's all there is, there isn't any more," the pair sang, while the rest of the evening's winners swayed in unison behind them.

Three things we learned from Katy Perry's weekend live stream, including ‘the one that got away’

By Randall Roberts

This weekend while you cleaned the bathroom, checked your bank balance, got a parking ticket, waited an hour for a mediocre brunch, wondered about the future of the country, double-checked your bank balance and/or downed a few bottles of $10 Pinot, the pop star Katy Perry moved into an apartment outfitted with dozens of cameras and live-streamed her every movement.

As part of the rollout for her new album, "Witness," which came out Friday, Perry has granted fans access to her world across four nonstop days that started on Thursday evening and will continue until a Monday afternoon performance in Los Angeles. That set will be live-streamed, of course.

So far, the multiplatinum pop star has documented moments including a therapy session in which she discussed suicide and Taylor Swift; a conversation with Sia, Mia Moretti and Dita Von Teese; an intimate interview with James Corden about her love life; rehearsals for her afternoon performance; and healthy nights of sleep.

What? You haven't seen any of it?? Here are three highlights.

Katy Perry sometimes wishes she weren't Katy Perry, which is one reason why she cut her hair.In an emotional live therapy session with Siri Sat Nam Singh, star of the Viceland series "The Therapist," Perry confessed to having suicidal thoughts, wishing she weren't famous and feeling exhausted by her public feud with Taylor Swift.

Comparing her confident public persona with the woman born Katheryn Hudson, she said, "I’m very strong as Katy Perry. I’m not as strong as Katheryn Hudson."

After being assured by Singh that "Katheryn doesn't have to be strong," the pop star tried to explain: "People talk about my hair, right? And they don't like it, or they wish it was longer. And, like, I so badly want to be Katheryn Hudson that I don't even want to look like Katy Perry anymore."

Later in the session, Perry opened up about her falling out with Swift. "I forgive her, and I’m sorry for anything I ever did, and I hope the same from her," Perry said, adding, "I love her, and I want the best for her -- and I think she's a fantastic songwriter."

Katy Perry ranked the sexual prowess of her former boyfriends -- and regrets not pursuing Josh Groban.When late-night host James Corden stopped by to play a game he called "Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts," Perry, wearing starred and polka-dotted pajamas and matching eye-mask, talked about her love life.

The challenge: If she didn't answer straight, Corden would make her eat from a buffet that included scorpions, pigs feet, bird saliva and cow tongue.

Corden: "From best to worst in bed, rank John Mayer, Diplo and Orlando Bloom."

Perry (swatting her napkin on the table): "No! No! No! They’re all amazing lovers, and I want to have sex with all of them when I get out of this place."

She then mentioned singer-actor Groban, throwing Corden into a gossipy tizzy. Perry clarified: "No, no, no. He's not in there. But I do want to say, people are like, ‘Who's the one that got away?’ That's Groban."

Duly noted.

Katy Perry loves her dogs Muffin and Nugget, but not their breath.Amid all the earth-shattering revelations that Perry fans have so far witnessed, the love she's shown for her dogs has been heart-warming. During one posed moment while sprawled out on her daybed, Perry beckoned Muffin.

As the tiny pup licked her face, Perry gushed, "I love you so much. I love you so much," before adding, "Now my face smells like trash."

Again, duly noted.

‘Bachelor in Paradise’ halts production over ‘allegations of misconduct’

By Nardine Saad

"Bachelor in Paradise" has halted production over "allegations of misconduct" on the set.

"We have become aware of allegations of misconduct on the set of ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ in Mexico," Warner Bros. said in a statement. "We have suspended production and we are conducting a thorough investigation of these allegations. Once the investigation is complete, we will take appropriate responsive action."

The incident is rumored to have involved contestants DeMario Jackson and Corinne Olympios, who became inebriated during the first day of production in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. A producer is said to have witnessed their escalating raunchy encounter in a pool and is believed to have filed a third-party complaint about it.

The show, which brings together previous contestants from its marquee reality series "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette," is currently in its fourth season.

It is still unclear how the allegations will affect the Aug. 8 premiere of the show.

John Oliver and Lord Buckethead recap the British election and what it means for ‘Brexit’

By Meredith Blake

Last year, John Oliver urged the good people of the United Kingdom to stay in the European Union. As we all know, his efforts didn't exactly pan out.

Sunday's episode of "Last Week Tonight" came days after a another shocking election. As Oliver recapped, Prime Minister Theresa May and the Conservative party were unexpectedly dealt a major setback, thanks to a "campaign full of mistakes, flip-flops and uninspiring moments."

The election results complicate the negotiations surrounding Britain's pending exit from the EU, which as Oliver noted, are already proving to be a logistical, legal and political nightmare.

One of the key questions is whether May, weakened by the election results, will proceed with a "hard" or "soft" version of Brexit -- a dilemma the British news media have chosen to illustrate using goofy metaphors involving cheese.

As Oliver explained, a hard exit could deal a blow to British products, such as "pork pies, Marmite, mushy peas and undiagnosed clinical depression," which would face heavy tariffs.

And that's just one of the thousands of complex issues -- pet passports, anyone? -- that need to be negotiated before the U.K. reaches the so-called "cliff edge" in its divorce negotiations with the EU.

While Oliver was critical of May's vague promise to make Brexit "red, white and blue" -- whatever that means -- he was more impressed by one of her opponents, Lord Buckethead, who suggested using colorful language that Brexit was a mess.

The comedian was so impressed by Lord Buckethead's candor, he flew him to New York for an appearance on the show -- and suggested maybe May should hire the intergalactic space lord to negotiate on behalf of Britain.

"I implore you: Send the dark lord to Brussels," he said. "Is it an absurd idea? Yes, but it would not even be close to the stupidest thing that you have ever done."

You can watch the entire segment, complete with offensive language, here.

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A Star Is Born: Chick Corea turns 76 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

The studio's done so well that we’re thinking of building a second one. But it's all really just a kind of support system for playing. Because, when you get right down to it, this is where my heart is right now — getting out on stage with this group and making music.

— Chick Corea, 1990

FROM THE ARCHIVES: What makes Chick tick?

Halsey tops Billboard 200 album chart, making her first female to accomplish that in 2017

By August Brown

The pop singer Halsey has scored her first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

"Hopeless Fountain Kingdom," the second LP from the 22-year-old singer born Ashley Nicolette Frangipane, sold 106,000 equivalent album units in the week since its June 2 release, a figure that includes streaming-equivalent sales. Of that total figure, 76,000 were traditional album sales.

In between "Hopeless" and her 2015 debut, "Badlands," Halsey sang on the Chainsmokers’ hit single "Closer," which led Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart for 12 weeks beginning in September.

"Hopeless Fountain Kingdom" is also the first album by a woman to lead the Billboard 200 in 2017 (a feat last accomplished by Lady Gaga's "Joanne" last November).

A Star Is Born: Peter Dinklage turns 48 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

I love fairy tales, but dwarves are always these asexual, sage-like creatures. I want to play well-rounded, real characters because that's who I am ... But as far as being sexy, that's not up to me to decide.

— Peter Dinklage, 2003

FROM THE ARCHIVES: When size is irrelevant

‘And what a magnificent cape it is!’ Watch Adam West talk about ‘Batman’ guest villains Liberace and Tallulah Bankhead

By Los Angeles Times

Adam West, who died Friday night at age 88, famously took time to come to terms with being forever identified as TV's Batman. He eventually embraced the fame he achieved as the Caped Crusader on the 1960s series, which aired for three seasons on ABC and for years after on reruns.

In this video clip released in 2014, West talked about acting with some of the famous guest stars who appeared as villains on the TV series, including Liberace and husky-voiced theater and film star Tallulah Bankhead.

In "The Devil's Fingers," Liberace played dual roles — a sequin-wearing pianist named Chandell who tried to seduce Robin's Aunt Harriet in order to steal Bruce Wayne's fortune, and Chandell's less flamboyantly dressed evil twin brother, Harry, who blackmails his pianist sibling into a life of crime.

"Everything set up for tonight's caper?" Harry asks.

"Of course!" Chandell responds with a typical Liberace eye roll.

"Tiny radio transmitter hooked up inside your criminal piano?" Harry asks, with one of those trademark let's-over-explain-everything "Batman" lines.

"Naturally!" Chandell confirms.

In "Batman's" second season, Bankhead, known for her dramatic, deep-throated line readings, was the star villain Black Widow in back-to-back episodes. As West notes in the clip, it was Bankhead's last role before her death in 1968.

"Ah," West's Batman says, leaping into the frame during the characters’ first encounter, "Black Widow. We finally meet."

"How perfectly thrilling. The Caped Crusader! And what a magnificent cape it is too! Oooh. I really must have one of those for my wardrobe!

In the clip, West described what Bankhead was like on the set.

"She’d sit in the shadows and she was ill, and I went over and talked to her a lot. And I think she really appreciated that," he said. "And she was lovely. ... But you see, we got all these people. Tallulah. Rudy Vallee. All these old-timers who wanted to do the show. And as a young actor, it gave me the chance to stand toe to toe with them."

‘Alias’ writers don't rule out a revival

By Yvonne Villarreal

It's been just over a decade since the spy drama "Alias" went off the air, so, naturally, the burning question is whether it’ll be the next series to make a comeback during this era of flashback TV.

Several writers from the ABC series -- Ken Olin, Sarah Caplan, Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec and Monica Owusu-Breen -- gathered Saturday at the ATX Television Festival to reminisce about the fan-favorite drama that starred Jennifer Garner as butt-kicking double agent Sydney Bristow. And they didn't rule out the possibility of reviving the series, which ended its five-season run in 2006.

"It would be amazing to do it," Appelbaum said. "But the right idea would have to come. We wouldn't want to do it unless it was absolutely perfect."

Here are some other tidbits from the panel:

The perfect shade of red hair from the pilot was thanks to a UCLA trip: Finding the right red wig for Sydney to wear in the pilot was more work than anticipated.

"We had three red hair wigs and none of them were good enough," Caplan said. "[J.J.] was like, ‘It's not the right red, it's not the right red."

But while scouting locations at UCLA, Caplan and Abrams came upon a math student with hair dyed just the right shade. So, she boldy asked the student if she could snip a small portion of it. Yes, really.

"I went up to the girl, I said, ‘Do you mind if I take a little snippet of your hair?’" At first, the student refused. But with some patience and some cajoling, she relented ... for a price. But Caplan, without cash, had to wrangle $39 from various crew members to make the deal.

That memorable post-Super Bowl episode, "Phase Out," was originally supposed to be a different one: The series landed the plum spot in Season 2, which went on to become one of the series’ most buzzed-about episodes. But the original plan was to air the episode that featured Ethan Hawke,

"We shot another show that was going to be that show," Caplan said. "And when we were making it, I said, ‘J.J., this is a really dark show. He took it home to his wife ... then came back and was like, ‘OK, we’re going to do a different one.’"

The writers had to go back to the drawing board and craft a new episode.

"Suddenly, we’re racing to do this show. I think that the post-production lady somehow she made it, she had about four days to turn the visual effects around on that," Caplan said. "It was unbelievably stressful to get that episode out in time."

A scene that never came to be: The idea for the Season 3 finale originally put Sydney in a position where she was climbing a mountain with Jack and Vaughn. At some point during the hike, the ropes were supposed to get tangled and Sydney was going to have to cut one of them, saving one of her companions, while the other would perish. The episode was going to fade to black. But when news of the scene leaked, the writers had to go back and write a new ending.

"It would have been awesome," Appelbaum said. The writers didn't exactly reveal who would have been the loser in that situation, but Owusu-Breen teased: "You’re not killing your dad."

Seth Green on ‘Family Guy’ co-star Adam West: ‘He was a true hero of mine’

By Gerrick Kennedy

For many, Adam West is best remembered as the star of the campy "Batman" TV series, but it was his voice role as the corrupt, crackpot Mayor Adam West on the animated comedy series "Family Guy" that saw him embraced by a new generation.

West, who died Friday night at 88, voiced the mayor of Quahog, the fictional city in Rhode Island where the series is set. His zany, foul-mouthed Mayor Adam West first appeared during the second season of the hit Fox show and has been recurring ever since. The series just wrapped its 15th season.

The Times reached out to "Family Guy" star and "Robot Chicken" creator Seth Green for his thoughts on West, who also worked on both animated series:

He was a true hero of mine -- grew up watching him as Batman, and got the privilege of both working with and directing him. He's generous and always classy. Very sad to think of the world without our beloved Mayor. How lucky we are he left so much behind.

— Seth Green, on Adam West

Julie Newmar pays tribute to friend and ‘Batman’ co-star Adam West: ‘A king to the end’

By Gerrick Kennedy

As arguably the greatest on-screen Catwoman of them all, Julie Newmar co-starred with Adam West on the campy "Batman" TV series in the ‘60s, and the two were friends since.

The Times reached out to Newmar for her thoughts on West, whom she saw a few weeks ago at the Hollywood Show, an autograph signing experience for fans:

Stellar, exemplar, a king to the end. He was bright, witty and fun to work with. I will miss him in the physical world and savor him always in the world of imagination and creativity. He meant so much to people. A friend said: ‘The father that we wanted.’ That is a great gift, no matter how you live it.

Bill Maher is the issue of the day on this week's ‘Real Time’

By Chris Barton

Going back as far as his days on "Politically Incorrect," Bill Maher has been a provocation-embracing ringmaster of sorts, leading conversations on hot-button issues while ensuring that he had the last word.

Friday, in the wake of a controversy that sprung out of his use of a racial slur to describe himself in a joke gone wrong during a segment with Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse the week before, a somewhat more subdued Maher found himself at the center of this conversation. For much of the episode, he and his guests picked further at a moment that had many calling for his job at HBO, where his series "Real Time" is enjoying a successful year under President Trump.

"Thank you for letting a sinner in your midst," Maher said after a warm reception from his studio audience and before launching into his usual opening monologue on the week in politics. Not long after, writer and frequent "Real Time" guest Michael Eric Dyson (filling in for Sen. Al Franken, who canceled his scheduled appearance this week) took him to task in a segment that at times looked as if he were conducting the interview with the late-night host.

"For black folks, that word -- I don't care who you are -- has caused pain. And I’m not here to do that," a contrite Maher said after Dyson asked him about his apology last week, something Maher has said was too common in American political discourse. "It doesn't matter that it wasn't said in malice," he went on after attributing the wording to a comic mind gone awry. "That's why I apologize freely and I reiterate it tonight."

Dyson talked about the form of privilege that arises among white people who believe they have earned a pass with the N-word. "Do you truly understand the need to name and to challenge that unconscious white privilege that exists and how it hurts black people, even unintentionally?"

Maher for his part took what often felt like a long-form act of contrition well, though he defended his slip as an aberration. "This happened once. A guy said a weird thing, I made a bad joke," Maher said, referencing Sen. Sasse's accidental set-up on last week's show that triggered his response. "But it's not like I made a career of this. It's not like I went out there last Friday and said, ‘Ooh, I’m going to break some new ground tonight.’"

Maher went on to explain his transgression as the knee-jerk result of the anything-for-a-laugh comic mind. He mentioned the recent controversy surrounding Kathy Griffin -- "who, by the way, owes me a fruit basket for getting her off the front page," Maher joked -- as a product of that as well. He went on to say that what she did was wrong, but he understood, and he assured Griffin that her career was not over. "Kathy Griffin should not go away," he said.

The show returned to its more familiar form in a panel with David Gregory, Symone Sanders and David Jolly talking about James Comey and President Trump, but the addition of Ice Cube returned Maher to the center for what occasionally felt like an admonishment. "Sometimes you sound like a redneck trucker," he told Maher of his occasional black joke, which echoed a line Ice Cube told The Times in an interview earlier this week. It was a point Maher contested.

"What made you think that it was cool to say that?" asked the hip-hop star, who has pointedly used a colloquial form of the word in his lyrics as a solo artist and with the landmark group N.W.A. "It's a word that's been used against us, it's like a knife. ... It's been used as a weapon against us by white people, and we’re not going to let that happen again."

Cube went on and addressed the audience as much as Maher, taking a similar tack as Dyson, "I know you heard, it's in the lexicon, everybody's talking," he said. "But that's our word now. And you can't have it back."

"I like your show and I like you. But I think this is a teachable moment, not just to you but to the people who are watching." -@icecube pic.twitter.com/qscEBqAu4H

Adam West, TV's Batman, dies at 88 after bout with leukemia

By Dennis McLellan

Adam West, who donned a cape, cowl and tights to became an overnight sensation in 1966 as the star of the campy "Batman" TV series, has died, according to a family statement. He was 88.

West, who later lamented being typecast as the iconic Caped Crusader but eventually embraced having been part of American pop culture, died Friday in Los Angeles after a short battle with leukemia, according to multiple reports.

A former Warner Bros. contract player, West was appearing in TV commercials in the mid-1960s to help pay the rent. But several commercials he did for Nestle's Quik chocolate powder — parodies of the popular James Bond movies in which West played a dry-witted character called Captain Q — had an unexpected outcome.

They caught the attention of 20th Century Fox TV producer William Dozier, who was looking for someone to star as Gotham City millionaire Bruce Wayne and his crime-fighting alter-ego, Batman, in a farcical new series for ABC.

Based on the DC character created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger in 1939, "Batman" debuted in January 1966 as a twice-weekly half-hour program — 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and, with the Wednesday episode ending on a cliffhanger.

West knew his life would never be the same the night the heavily promoted first episode aired.

"I stopped at the market on the way home," he told Esquire magazine in 2004. "I thought, ‘Tonight, I just want to be alone. I’ll stop, get a steak and a six pack, whatever, then go home and watch the debut of the show.’

"As I walked through the checkout line, I heard people saying, ‘C’mon, c’mon, hurry up. "Batman" is coming on!’ And I said to myself, ‘Goodbye, anonymity.’ "

A Star Is Born: Faith Evans turns 44 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

I’ve gone through everything that every normal person goes through. I’m no different than anybody. I don't think I’m a heroine because tragedy . . . or the loss of love . . . didn't [destroy] me.

— Faith Evans, 1998

FROM THE ARCHIVES: The spotlight becomes her

First ‘Black Panther’ trailer brings Wakanda (and Run the Jewels) to the Marvel Cinematic Universe

By Meredith Woerner

Behold the first ever footage from director Ryan Coogler's Marvel debut, "Black Panther."

While the teaser only offers a glimpse into the new world of Wakanda, the two minutes is absolutely jam-packed with new faces including a first look at Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger, Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia, and Angela Bassett as Ramonda.

We’ve seen actor Chadwick Boseman, who plays the main character, T’Challa, also known as Black Panther. However, this movie is his chance to "step into the spotlight" as the Run the Jewels track in the trailer suggests.

Earlier today Marvel also unveiled the first "Black Panther" teaser poster, showing T’Challa on his throne.

The official release date for "Black Panther" is Feb. 16, 2018.

Enjoy ‘Fargo’ while you can — Season 3 might be the end for the FX series

By Sarah Rodman

FX's wintry drama "Fargo" wraps up its third season June 21 and the season finale could be the series’ swan song.

Network CEO John Landgraf recently told the Hollywood Reporter that unless creator Noah Hawley had an idea for Season 4, he didn't see the show continuing.

Hawley confirmed at a panel at ATX Television Festival in Austin, Texas, on Friday that, as of now, he doesn't have an idea. Although he said he loves telling stories in this world, he noted that there were only so many to be told — with the attendant accents, crimes and settings — and didn't want the show to repeat itself. He told the audience to enjoy that final hour "because it might be the last."

Also appearing on the panel were Season 3 actors Michael Stuhlbarg and Mary McDonnell, who both effusively praised the writing on the series.

McDonnell, who will also be taking part in a "Battlestar Galactica" reunion at the festival Saturday, said she was attracted to her role as widow Ruby Goldfarb because the writing "popped right off the page." And Stuhlbarg — who portrays Sy Feltz, the right-hand man to Ewan McGregor's "Parking Lot King" Emmit Stussy — called the scripts "exquisite." And of the famous "Fargo" accent, he said with a smile, "once you learn it, it's really hard to let it go."

Milo Ventimiglia says it was a ‘logical decision’ to keep ‘This Is Us’ on Tuesdays

By Yvonne Villarreal

Uprooting a family to a new home is no easy task. For NBC, the decision to move its breakout family drama "This Is Us" from Tuesdays to Thursdays proved not to be the best move story-wise.

"We all had to look each other and say, ‘This is not in the best interest of the show," NBC entertainment president Jennifer Salke said Friday at the ATX Television Festival panel for the series.

Salke was joined by Milo Ventimiglia, who plays patriarch Jack on the series, and executive producer and director Ken Olin.

When the network originally announced the time slot back in May, the move was being minted as NBC's return to the glory of its "Must See TV" branded Thursdays--"This Is Us" was going to be paired with "Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Brothers" and the revival of "Will & Grace." But less than a month later, the network decided to keep "This Is Us" in its Tuesday at 9 p.m. slot.

Salke said that although the network felt "some pressure to build another night" and had faith that viewers would follow "This Is Us" to a new time slot, the reversal was a matter of story flow.

Show creator Dan Fogelman, Salke said, had informed her of where he wanted to take the series in its second season. Had it pursued its new home later in the week, Thursday Night Football would have stunted the show's narrative after the first six episodes of the season aired.

"We would have hit a wall with football on NBC and we would be off the air almost for two months," she said. "We have to do what's right for a show...It would be a disservice to not treat it that way."

Fogelman had to cancel his panel appearance because he was working on writing new episodes in Los Angeles. The second season will consist of 18 episodes, 10 of which will air in a row with no repeats.

When the Times caught up with Ventimiglia after the panel, the actor said

"I like to believe there are people who are much more intelligent than me and know the right things to do with the show," he said. "I just show up and do the job. I understand that 10 weeks on in a row is better than six and off. It just seems like the logical decision to keep the show where we’re at. People don't necessarily like change."

‘Carmichael Show’ star Jerrod Carmichael jokes that his dad's opinions would destroy his political aspirations

By Nardine Saad

The comedy's creator-star explains why that cameo didn't happen. He also discusses Bill Maher, and making Loretta Devine say "heinous" things.

The great thing about my family is that nothing can stop them from sharing their viewpoints. If I ran for office, my biggest fear would be my father to have a camera in front of his face. Or my mom, because they’re very honest. It would destroy my campaign. It would destroy everything. It would be insane."

— "The Carmichael Show" star Jerrod Carmichael on his parents’ outlandish opinions

Netflix to ‘Sense8’ fans: ‘We wish we could #BringBackSense8 for you’

By Libby Hill

Take heart, fans of Netflix's recently canceled "Sense8": The streaming service provider feels your pain.

In a statement posted on the show's official Facebook page Thursday, Netflix responded to social media campaigns pleading for Netflix to reverse its cancellation plans.

"To our Sense8 family," the message stated. "We’ve seen the petitions. We’ve read the messages. We know you want to #RenewSense8, and we wish we could #BringBackSense8 for you."

The message goes on to explain why Netflix hadn't responded sooner to fan outrage since the cancellation was announced June 1.

"The reason we’ve taken so long to get back to you is because we’ve thought long and hard here at Netflix to try to make it work, but unfortunately we can't," Netflix said. "Thank you for watching and hope you’ll stay close with your cluster around the world."

Netflix's message suggests that its decision came down to a numbers game, unsurprising for a show with an estimated budget of $9 million per episode and filmed on four different continents.

Brian J. Smith, who starred as Will Gorski, one of the titular sensates on the series, posted a letter of his own to fans Friday morning. Smith thanked them for their love and support and reiterated that there is no secret nefarious reason behind Netflix's decision.

"I’ve been given the same reason for the cancellation that you have: viewership," Smith wrote.

"Please know that the fight you all put up in trying to save something that you loved will forever be the ‘final season’ of ‘Sense8,’" Smith continued. "YOU have given the show the ending it deserved. Even if that fight didn't have a happy ending, it meant something. Don't ever forget that."

Smith also defended Netflix for its decision, acknowledging that as a relatively young enterprise in the content creation game, these types of growing pains are unfortunate, but inevitable.

He also credited Netflix for taking a risk on making two seasons of the series, assuring fans, "the show would have continued if only the viewership justified the expense."

Read his full letter here:

Dear Sense8 FamilyRead: https://t.co/mOmNYMmxP0

CNN dumps Reza Aslan just days after inflammatory Trump tweet

By Libby Hill

CNN is parting ways with yet another contributor for reasons that again might involve President Trump.

The cable news network announced Friday that it would not be moving forward with a second season of "Believer With Reza Aslan," a series hosted by the religious scholar that explored faith and religion worldwide.

Though the statement provided by a CNN spokesperson didn't elaborate on why the network had reached that decision, it did state, "We wish Reza and his production team all the best."

The news comes just days after Aslan's now-deleted tweet saying, "This piece of [crap] is not just an embarrassment to America and a stain on the presidency. He's an embarrassment to humankind."

Aslan's remarks were tweeted June 3, shortly after London terrorist attacks sparked Trump's tweets about the importance of a "travel ban."

A day later, Aslan apologized for his choice of words in a statement shared on Twitter.

"When in the first few minutes of the terror attack in London, the President of the United states tweeted about his travel ban, I lost my cool and responded to him in a derogatory fashion," Aslan said. "That's not like me. I should have used better language to express my shock and frustration at the president's lack of decorum and sympathy for the victims of London. I apologize for my choice of words."

I should not have used a profanity to describe the President when responding to his shocking reaction to the #LondonAttacks. My statement: pic.twitter.com/pW69jjpoZy

Aslan released a statement Friday regarding the cancellation of "Believer," in which he implied that the nonrenewal was indeed connected to his criticism of the president.

"In these politically charged times, the tenor of our nation's discourse has become complicated," Aslan wrote, "and I recognize that CNN needs to protect its brand as an unbiased news outlet. Similarly, I need to honor my voice."

Aslan went on to clarify that he is not a journalist, but a social commentator and scholar, and agrees that it was time for him to part ways with CNN.

My statement about the cancellation of #Believer pic.twitter.com/ITtXAyQwd5

Last week, CNN removed Kathy Griffin from its New Year's Eve lineup after public outcry over the comedian's photo shoot with a bloodied likeness of Trump's head.

Amanda Bynes says she's sober and ready to return to acting

By Nardine Saad

Embattled actress Amanda Bynes is three years sober and is looking to relaunch her acting career.

"I do miss acting and I actually have something surprising to tell you, I’m going to start acting again," the former child star said in an interview with Hollyscoop that was previewed on "Good Morning America" on Friday.

"I want to do TV. Maybe a few guests spots on some shows that I’m a fan of and maybe another TV show where I’m the star of it," she said. (Bynes had announced her retirement from acting quite clearly on Twitter in 2010.)

Hollyscoop's Diana Madison, who interviewed Bynes, said the actress missed being in front of the camera but was "very realistic" about her acting goals.

Bynes last appeared in 2010's "Easy A" and starred in the sitcom "What I Like About You" from 2002 to 2006. She retired from acting and soon attracted attention with high-profile erratic behavior and run-ins with the law, which resulted in a hospitalization and psychiatric hold in 2014.

"I was on drugs and trying to be hilarious," she said of some of her eye-popping tweets from that period.

After that, she retreated from the spotlight and has since changed up her lifestyle and is "doing great."

"I hike, I go spinning — take spinning classes — and I feed the homeless," the "All That" alum said.

Bynes is still enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, and said she wants to start her own clothing line.

Woody Allen joins Warren Beatty, Meryl Streep and Al Pacino in celebrating Diane Keaton

By Libby Hill

It was a star-studded affair Thursday night when much of Hollywood turned out to see legendary actress Diane Keaton receive the AFI Life Achievement Award.

But the most noteworthy moment in an evening that included glowing speeches from Meryl Streep, Al Pacino and Warren Beatty, was a rare Los Angeles appearance by longtime Keaton pal Woody Allen.

The ever-embattled, notoriously private director paid tribute to his early muse and "Annie Hall" co-star by lovingly roasting her before presenting her with the award.

"Her beauty is not conventional," Allen said of Keaton during his remarks. "Again, by ‘conventional’ I mean ‘pleasing to the eye.’ "

But Allen turned serious toward the end of his speech: "From the minute I met her, she was a great, great inspiration to me. Much of what I have accomplished in my life I owe for sure to her."

Keaton appeared thrilled by Allen's presence, clasping the director in an exuberant embrace upon accepting her prize.

The actress eschewed delivering a traditional speech, choosing instead to sing an a cappella version of "Seems Like Old Times," a tune she famously delivered in "Annie Hall."

TNT will air the AFI Life Achievement Award tribute to Diane Keaton at 10 p.m. Pacific on June 15, with an encore presentation airing on TCM June 31, accompanied by a night of Keaton-themed films.

Listen to Miley Cyrus’ new single, ‘Inspired,’ released in honor of LGBTQ Pride Month

By Gerrick Kennedy

Miley Cyrus has issued a new single in celebration of LGBTQ Pride Month.

Recorded in her hometown of Nashville, "Inspired" doesn't stray far from the rootsy vibe the singer is now exploring.

"How can we escape / All the fear and all the hate," she sings. "Is anyone watching us down here?"

Cyrus first performed the song on the "Today" show last month and at Ariana Grande's recent One Love Manchester benefit concert.

The official release of the single will be accompanied by a donation to the Happy Hippie Foundation, the nonprofit organization she founded in 2014 to rally young people to fight injustice facing homeless youth, LGBTQ youth and other vulnerable populations.

Hear "Inspired" below:

Beau Willimon, Julie Plec and other TV producers on how the Trump administration has influenced their storytelling

By Yvonne Villarreal

Washington these days often rivals — or surpasses, some may argue — the theatrics of even the most action-packed Hollywood movie or television show.

A day after the much talked about congressional testimony by former FBI Director James B. Comey, the annual ATX TV Festival here hosted a "Trumped Up America" panel.

The hour-plus conversation featured a group of writer/producers — Liz Tigelaar ("Casual"), Javier Grillo-Marxuach ("The Middleman"), Paul Garnes ("Queen Sugar"), Michael Rauch ("Royal Pains"), Julie Plec ("The Vampire Diaries"), Beau Willimon ("House of Cards") — discussing how the current administration, particularly reality TV star turned president Donald Trump, has them thinking about the narratives they craft each week. (A topic we’ve been following.)

For Plec, the election and the issues it has raised has recontextualized her outlook on story choices. She referenced a decision to break up a central love story on one of her series after a script draft had the female character being beaten up by the male character in an "alternate universe flashback."

"We all decided on that day, those two can't be together anymore and we killed the love story that day," she said. "That's a really weird feeling to know that narratively you’ve been going down this path but your conscience can't advocate that kind of violence and lean into that."

Willimon said that for his new Hulu series, "The First," which is set 15 to 20 years in the future, he's had to think deeply about what the current political climate means long term when it comes to crafting the world his show will exist in.

"You have to speculate and imagine what the world will look like 20 years from now," he said. "Prior to November 8, 2016, what the world looked like was a lot different. Whether you support Trump or not, it's still a traumatic event for the country one way or another in terms of the schism and the divisiveness and the polarization. And we will be contending with those consequences and ripple effects for decades to come. I believe all stories are political. Every single story is political."

Chadwick Boseman's T’Challa takes his seat on Wakandan throne in ‘Black Panther’ teaser

By Nardine Saad

Welcome to Wakanda! Chadwick Boseman's Prince T’Challa is unmasked, seated for a royal audience in the latest "Black Panther" teaser.

The stern comic book hero takes his place on the Wakandan throne (that is giving us serious Asgard vibes) in Marvel's new teaser poster, which landed ahead of the full teaser trailer's debut during Friday night's Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

"Thankful... #TChalla #BlackPanther [And tune into game 4 of the #NBAFinals tonight. ]," Boseman wrote on Twitter.

"Witness the legend," Marvel tweeted, and "Welcome to Wakanda!" wrote co-star Lupita Nyong’o in their versions of the announcement.

T’Challa's alter ego, Black Panther, a formidable fighter and noted tactician, made his big-screen debut in the 2016 installment of the Avengers’ franchise "Captain America: Civil War," to fight alongside Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man.

His standalone film follows T’Challa's return to his African home after the death of his father. The heir apparent is to succeed to the throne of the isolated, technologically advanced African nation and take his rightful place as king, according to a Marvel news release.

In addition to Boseman and Nyong’o, the cast includes Michael B. Jordan, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker and Andy Serkis. The film is directed by "Creed's" Ryan Coogler, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Joe Robert Cole.

"Black Panther" hits theaters on Feb. 16.

Radiohead is not exactly eager to join the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

By Gerrick Kennedy

Next year Radiohead will be eligible to enter the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the first time, and it's very likely the English rock band will be up for the honor when nominations are announced in December.

For a ton of bands it's a milestone worth celebrating, but Radiohead isn't entirely pumped about the idea.

During an interview with Rolling Stone for the 20th anniversary of the band's seminal "OK Computer," its members were asked to weigh in on the prospect of being elected to the Rock Hall — and not everyone in the band appeared enthusiastic.

"I don't care. Maybe it's a cultural thing that I really don't understand," said Jonny Greenwood. "I mean, from the outside it looks like ... it's quite a self-regarding profession anyway. And anything that heightens that just makes me feel even more uncomfortable."

Ed O’Brien added: "I don't want to be rude about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame because for a lot of people it means something, but culturally I don't understand it. I think it might be a quintessential American thing. Brits are not very good at slapping ourselves on the back. It seems very showbiz and I’m not very showbiz."

O’Brien went on to say he’d rather be sitting at home in front of a fire or going to a gig. "I realized years ago that I didn't like award ceremonies. You walk in there and you feel self-conscious," he said. "It's just really uncomfortable."

The band tackled a wide range of topics in the interview -- including the technical glitches that marred its set at this year's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, wanting to work with Dr. Dre and thoughts on playing "Creep" -- and the magazine posted a list of highlights to tease the issue.

With Taylor Swift's music streaming again, is she trying to take down Katy Perry?

By Nardine Saad

Taylor Swift's music has been restored to streaming services in celebration of her "1989" album selling more than 10 million copies worldwide. But the timing wasn't lost on fans.

Twitter, bless its soul, was rife with fan enthusiasm as well as theories postulating that the singer's rerelease was actually timed to eclipse frenemy Katy Perry's latest album, "Witness," which landed online the same day.

"Taylor Swift releasing her full back catalog on Spotify the same day Katy Perry drops her new album is the level of petty I aspire to be," wrote one Twitter user.

Pop vixen Perry recently addressed her long-term feud with Swift and confirmed that she was the subject of Swifty's catty hit song "Bad Blood."

"I’m not Buddha – things irritate me," she told NME. "I wish that I could turn the other cheek every single time, but I’m also not a pushover, you know? Especially when someone tries to assassinate my character with little girls. That's so messed up!"

Following the Thursday announcement that the "Shake It Off" singer was bringing back her music, the memes and pith were as plentiful as Perry's off-the-wall costumes and Swift's mini-skirts. Here's a sampling:

Taylor Swift: "My team and I don't work our butts off for our music to be free"*Katy Perry releases #WITNESS*Taylor Swift: pic.twitter.com/OmenrH9fe0

taylor swift puts her discography back on spotify and discounts all her albums on katy perry's album release day pic.twitter.com/8io7TPjnni

In other news: Taylor Swift putting all her music back on Spotify on Katy Perry release day? SHAAAAAADE.

Katy Perry and Taylor Swift on @Spotify today? #HappyFriday #TGIF pic.twitter.com/jpT9ddRUef

Katy Perry: Here's my new album, stream it on Spotif-Taylor Swift: Here's my ENTIRE album catalog on Spotify pic.twitter.com/fvUezTj71V

Late-night TV goes Comey crazy: ‘Like listening to a clean version of a hip-hop song’

By Meredith Blake

Lordy, what a day!

On Thursday morning, millions of Americans ignored their work emails for a few hours in order to watch former FBI Director James Comey testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee about his interactions with Presiden Trump.

For the country's late-night comics, so-called "Comey Day" offered a smorgasbord of goodies, and they feasted on it like, well, seagulls at the beach.

While reactions varied somewhat from show to show, several key themes emerged, including: 1) Trump's dishonest? No duh. 2) Seriously, how much crazier can things get? and 3) That closed session must have been pretty juicy.

Here's a look at late night's hottest takes.

‘The Daily Show With Trevor Noah’

Host Trevor Noah observed that "Republicans basically wanted Comey to exonerate Trump and he didn't. Democrats wanted Comey to personally impeach and convict and jail Trump. He didn't do that either. Or at least we think he didn't. Clearly the senators kept all the juicy details for themselves."

As Noah pointed out, Comedy declined to answer most of the questions viewers are really interested in -- like did Trump collude with Russia? -- deferring them until a closed session Thursday afternoon.

"Today's hearing was cool and everything, but basically it was like listening to a clean version of a hip-hop song. It felt like we missed all the explicit parts," he quipped, launching into an edited rap.

He also made another musical analogy in criticizing Idaho Sen. Jim Risch, a Republican who seemed to suggest that Trump's "hope" that Comey would drop the Flynn investigation was entirely innocent.

"He makes it sound like Trump was a Disney character, standing out on a balcony singing" -- here he affected a high-pitched cartoon voice -- "‘I hope Mike Flynn will be free some day. I hope he’ll get away.’"

‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’

On CBS, Stephen Colbert was celebrating "St. Comey's Day." He joked that Comey's memos were being gathered for a children's book called "James and the Guilty Orange."

In one of the most pointed moments of his testimony, Comey accused the White House of spreading "lies, plain and simple" -- a phrase that doubled as a name for the Trump family law firm, Colbert suggested.

And, like some of late-night colleagues, the "Late Show" host was not exactly shocked by the rationale behind Comey's compulsive note-taking -- because he thought Trump might misrepresent their conversations.

"He thought Trump might lie? That's that razor-sharp FBI instinct in action right there," Colbert said.

Colbert also delighted in some of Comey's folksy metaphors, including his contention that there was "no fuzz" on the evidence that Russia intervened in the 2016 election.

"The only way there could be less fuzz on that is if the Brazilians hacked us," Colbert joked.

But Colbert saved most of his venom for a segment on Eric Trump, whose children's cancer charity has been accused of siphoning money to the for-profit Trump Organization. He called Trump's middle son "Voldemort with hair" and "Beavis plus Butthead." Ouch.

‘Late Night With Seth Meyers’

For Seth Meyers, the biggest takeaway was just how unbelievable the Trump-Comey-Flynn-Russia affair has gotten.

"If it feels like there were no new bombshells today, that's because we are already surrounded by previous bombshells," he said. "Our capacity to be shocked has already been so worn down by the Trump presidency. He's like your druggie cousin who can no longer surprise you: ‘Kevin traded Aunt Janet's cat for Robitussin?’"

Case in point: Comey's claim that Trump called him out of the blue to say he "had nothing to do with Russia, had not been involved with hookers in Russia."

"Can you imagine any other president saying that? And yet it's almost shrug-inducing," said Meyers, who was also tickled by the fact that the testimony led so many straitlaced TV journalists to use the word "hookers" on the air.

Silver lining?

A Star Is Born: Natalie Portman turns 36 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

As I got older, the part that became more resonant to me was the idea that the stories we tell ourselves over and over as children create the expectations for the life we’re going to live. Then when those things start happening — you move to a new country, get married, have a kid and then the reality of that ... it's not what you expect, not necessarily in a negative way, just different.

— Natalie Portman, 2016

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Natalie Portman on how ‘A Tale of Love and Darkness’ is set in a time she's thought about her whole life

Taylor Swift's music is returning to all streaming services

By Christie D’Zurilla

Taylor Swift's back catalog will return to all streaming services at midnight, her management team announced Thursday evening.

"In celebration of 1989 selling over 10 Million Albums Worldwide and the RIAA's 100 Million Song Certification announcement, Taylor wants to thank her fans by making her entire back catalog available to all streaming services tonight at midnight," Team TSwift said via the @taylornation Instagram account.

Swift, currently the world's highest-paid musician, split with Spotify in 2014, around the time she announced her "1989" tour, and threw down with Apple in mid-2015 over its initial decision against paying writers, producers or artists during then-new Apple Music's three-month free trial period. (The result of Swift's open letter to Apple? The company quickly caved.)

In other news, Swift's not-even-a-frenemy Katy Perry just released a new album ...

Jerry Seinfeld and Kesha talked after his hug-snub (but they still didn't hug)

By Christie D’Zurilla

Hey, Kesha fans: It wasn't her, it was him.

Jerry Seinfeld's amusing refusal to hug Kesha when she approached him with open arms — while he was doing an on-camera red-carpet interview Monday night — wasn't personal. He just had no clue who the 30-year-old pop star was.

"When you get to be my age, and you’ve done a couple things, you have your own reality. And my reality, I don't hug a total stranger," he told "Extra" in a lighthearted interview at a lunch event Thursday in New York. "I have to meet someone, say hello. I gotta start somewhere."

" ‘Hug’ is not first moment of a human, two humans," the 63-year-old small-screen veteran said.

Seinfeld had a related pro tip: The TV only works one way, and he can't see out. In addition to not knowing "everyone," he doesn't know every pop star (even the ones who have very devoted fans).

"I’m sure I would have liked her," he said, "but I need to know, who are you?"

However, Seinfeld told "Extra's" A.J. Calloway, Kesha "was very nice about it. We laughed about it."

"Did you?" asked Calloway, who actually did snag a hug or two along the way.

"Yes!" the comic confirmed.

"Did you hug her afterwards?"

"No!" said Seinfeld. "No."

Ryan Lochte and Kayla Rae Reid welcome a baby boy

By Christie D’Zurilla

Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte has welcomed a baby boy with fianceé Kayla Rae Reid, he announced Thursday on social media.

Caiden Zane Lochte was born at 5:46 a.m. Thursday. He clocked in at 22 inches long, weighing 7 pounds, 14 ounces, his dad said on Instagram.

"Never seen a miracle happen before. Until this morning ... can't stop crying from tears of joy," tweeted the 12-time medal winner. "Dream come true!"

Not a bad flip turn from a guy who, as he told ESPN this week, was "probably the most hated person in the world" after the gas station incident at the Rio Olympics last summer.

"After Rio I could have thrown in the towel," he told The Times in April. "But what would I be teaching my kid? That it's OK to give up?"

Never seen a miracle happen before. Until this morning at 5:46 am when CAIDEN ZANE LOCHTE was born. can't stop crying from tears of joy

Lochte, 32, proposed to former Playboy model Reid, 25, last October and told "Entertainment Tonight" in January that they might get married around that time this year.

On Monday, Reid said on social media she felt like she’d been pregnant "for 3 years." The new daddy has sounded similarly ready for the kiddo to make his appearance.

"I’m prepared for a lot of stinky diapers," the onetime "Dancing With the Stars" contestant told USA Today in January. "I have nieces and nephews, so I know what it's going to be like."

Ice Cube won't sidestep controversy when he visits ‘Real Time With Bill Maher’

By Gerrick Kennedy

Ahead of his planned visit to HBO's "Real Time With Bill Maher" on Friday, Ice Cube had some real talk of his own when asked about the controversy surrounding the host's casual usage of a racial epithet on last week's episode.

We can't always be the go-to joke, you know. It's like slapping the weakling in the group doesn't make you cool. It doesn't make you funny — it makes you nothing but a bully.

Jesse Ventura heads back to TV by way of Russia

By Libby Hill

Years after honing his stage presence in the wild world of professional wrestling, former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura is returning to television, this time by way of Russian TV.

The Associated Press reported Thursday that Ventura had assurances from Russian President Vladimir Putin that his series, "The World According to Jesse," will not be censored by RT, a TV network funded by the Russian government.

Times have been tough for Ventura, who told the AP that he struggled to find work after filing a high-profile lawsuit against "American Sniper" author Chris Kyle in 2012.

In fact, Ventura explained that because of his lack of work in the industry, he lost his health insurance through the Screen Actors Guild, a benefit that will be replaced through his contract with RT.

Ventura made a name for himself as professional wrestler Jesse "The Body" Ventura from 1975 to 1986. He served as the mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minn., from 1991 to 1995 before being elected governor in 1999.

This is not Ventura's first gig with Russian television. His 2015 series "Off the Grid" was carried by RT America.

The first of 32 episodes of "The World According to Jesse" will air in the next few weeks, according to Ventura.

Harry Styles expands world tour, will play the Forum in summer 2018

By Gerrick Kennedy

Harry Styles is expanding his world tour due to ticket demand in the wake of his debut solo record hitting No. 1 around the world.

The former One Direction frontman added 56 dates across five continents to his already sold-out world tour. The new dates will keep him on the road through July 2018.

Styles’ new dates begin in March in Basel, Switzerland, and will conclude in Los Angeles with a show at the Forum on July 13, 2018.

Country superstar Kacey Musgraves will support him on the North American leg of the tour, while soul crooner Leon Bridges will guest in South America and Mexico, and L.A.-based indie-rock outfit Warpaint are featured on the Asian leg.

His first dates, announced before he even released his self-titled debut, sold out in seconds. Those dates start in September, and will see him at more intimate venues like the Greek Theatre, which he plays on Sep. 20. MUNA will support him on those first dates.

Last month Styles’ self-titled debut album opened atop the charts around the world. The record topped the Billboard 200 album chart and made history as the biggest debut sales week for a U.K. male artist's first full-length album since Nielsen Music began tracking sales in 1991.

Tickets for Styles’ new dates go on sale June 16. Fans are encouraged to sign up to Ticketmaster's Verified Fan program for the best shot at tickets.

Stephen Colbert and Lin-Manuel Miranda are slated to perform at Sunday's Tony Awards

By Emily Mae Czachor

The upcoming 71st annual Tony Awards has gotten considerably less pre-show hype than last year's "Hamilton"-fronted ceremony. But after recently emerging from a record-breaking season, Broadway certainly has reason to celebrate.

Joining Sunday evening's festivities will be a stacked lineup of talent, including several big names (both on and off-Broadway). Stephen Colbert of "The Late Show" and Lin-Manuel Miranda, the mastermind behind last year's "Hamilton" sweep, have now joined the roster of performers.

In addition to Miranda and Colbert, the awards show will feature a number of performances from nominees from the casts of "Bandstand," "Come From Away," "Dear Evan Hansen," "Falsettos," "Groundhog Day the Musical," "Hello, Dolly!," "Miss Saigon," "Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812" and "War Paint."

The Radio City Music Hall Rockettes also are set to perform, along with past Tony winners Cynthia Erivo ("The Color Purple") and Leslie Odom Jr. ("Hamilton").

There is also a bit of hopeful chatter about a potential one-man spectacle by this year's host, Kevin Spacey (for whom the gig is a first), though the "House of Cards" actor has remained tight-lipped on any details.

Broadway's most anticipated night kicks off Sunday at New York City's Radio City Music Hall, and CBS will broadcast the ceremony at 8 p.m. Pacific.

Def Jam CEO confirms Kanye West prepping new music

By Gerrick Kennedy

For weeks there have been rumors that Kanye West is holed up in a mountaintop retreat in either Wyoming or Utah recording a new album.

Now the CEO of his label, Def Jam, is confirming the rapper is indeed working on music — just don't ask him where, because he doesn't know.

"I don't know if that's real or not, I read the same things you do," Steve Bartels told Variety in reference to the remote recording sessions. "When we talk, we don't really get down to the granular of where he's going and how he's flying there, we keep it much more on a broader level.

"Kanye is working," he added. "He's always very focused, and our relationship with him is that we always have great respect for him and when he's ready to do something or talk about something, we’re there for him, we totally support his vision and his focus, and that's where we leave it."

Bartels was't definite when asked if he thought West would release new music this year: "What's great about our relationship is that I always know when it's go time — because he wakes me up."

West has largely remained out of the public eye following his hospitalization late last year due to exhaustion and sleep deprivation. The episode happened amid his Saint Pablo tour following onstage rants about Jay Z, Beyoncé and Donald Trump. He canceled the remainder of the tour, and earlier this year he shuttered his social media accounts.

Leonardo DiCaprio, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto commit to saving endangered porpoise

By Nardine Saad

Oscar winner and conservationist Leonardo DiCaprio has joined Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto's commitment to save the vaquita porpoise from imminent extinction and to major environmental conservation goals in the Gulf of California.

Peña Nieto, who in 2015 announced a sweeping plan to expand the nation's vaquita reserve, signed a memorandum of understanding with the actor's Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation and Carlos Slim Foundation to implement major conservation efforts in the region and to place a temporary ban on gill nets that have been contributing to the vaquita's depletion.

"Now more than ever, the world is looking for bold leadership at every level to tackle climate change and environmental conservation issues," DiCaprio said in a statement. "I am honored to work with President Peña Nieto, who has been a leader in ecosystem conservation, to ensure the future viability of marine life in the Gulf. This action is a critical step towards ensuring that the Gulf of California continues to be both vibrant and productive, especially for species like the critically endangered Vaquita."

Today, fewer than 30 vaquita, nicknamed the "panda of the sea," remain. Hundreds have died in recent years after becoming entangled in nets set for the totoaba, a large white fish whose swim bladder can fetch thousands of dollars on the black market in China, according to a recent Times report. The Chinese consider the totoaba swim bladder a delicacy, and the illegal trade has soared, becoming more lucrative than cocaine trafficking.

Honored to work w/ President Nieto (@EPN) & Carlos Slim to ensure the future viability of marine life in the Gulf. https://t.co/QxRoL08Nd8

The memorandum sets out specific objectives to stem illegal fishing and protect marine life in the region. It represents "a collaboration between the government, NGOs, and the local communities working to ensure the ongoing vitality of the region's waters – which have been under increasing pressure from overfishing," the foundation's statement said.

The agreement aims to improve enforcement of the ban and increase prosecution of illegal fishing and totoaba poaching. It aims to prohibit nighttime fishing in the upper Gulf of California and the Vaquita Reserve and implement and enforce limited entry and exit points throughout the region for all fishing through certified inspectors, and promote adoptions of more sustainable fishing practices in the area.

Grab the popcorn: Celebs are celebrating #ComeyDay in full force

By Los Angeles Times Staff

It's not every day that a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing preempts daytime programming, and former FBI Director James B. Comey's testimony is drawing just as much social media shock and awe as one might expect.

All ears are on Washington, but eyes are on Twitter, where some celebrities were anxious to weigh in on the latest political spectacle.

I've never wanted Trump to tweet so badly in my entire life. Pick your phone up! Do it!! DO IT!!!!

(donald sits on the steps of the white house in golf clothes, waiting for a "big special golf surprise" that has yet to arrive) pic.twitter.com/6HOLkVwxbh

Somewhere, Jared is letting Donald beat him at Mario Kart.

Waiting for Trump to find his phone like… pic.twitter.com/VHXGNBLw10

Let me just host the freaking reunion show so we can GET ON WITH IT!!! #ComeyHearings

📈 Another current lookup spike @MerriamWebster: "defame." #ComeyTestimony

I feel bad that he got fired, but I think Comey's going to have a good pilot season.

This whole thing WOW

DON'T TRY TO BE FUNNY AT THE SENATE INTELLIGENCE HEARING

Someone said there are more people lined up to watch Comey's testimony than there were at the inauguration. 😂💀

This is fascinating and disturbing. Your thoughts? #comeytestimony

"Not a question I can answer in open settings" is my new go to

People are having drinking parties for #JamesComey's testimony. They'll be Comeytose by 11am....

Rubio should have ended his questioning with "the defense rests."

Today is the day where the TVs in the CNN bathrooms really pay off

New ‘Hellboy’ will be a lot darker than previous films, star David Harbour says

By Nardine Saad

In an Emmy Live Chat that turned into a bit of a comedy show, David Harbour shares his ‘sophisticated’ neuroses while discussing ‘Stranger Things’

The original comics are a little darker in terms of the character of Hellboy. He certainly has that bravado but he's also neurotic and messed up. We want to make him a little darker I think and of course I have my own brand on whatever Hellboy's psychology is that you’ll see. I love what Ron [Perlman] did and I’m not going to try to compete with it in any way. I’m just going to try to bring my own thing and my own take on who this messed-up demon boy who is fated to end the world and really doesn't want to and where that's going to go. I hope it will be interesting, I really do."

— "Stranger Things" star David Harbour, who will play the the demonic antihero in the upcoming reboot

For late-night TV, Comey's looming hearing was like Christmas Eve

By Chris Barton

For the comics of late-night TV, the night before former FBI Director James Comey's testimony before Congress had to feel a little like Christmas Eve.

Naturally, it was the topic of choice Wednesday night. In addition to digging into Comey's opening statement, which was released on Wednesday, Stephen Colbert offered a promo for the hearings worthy of a weekend motocross event, and Jimmy Kimmel looked at Thursday's hearings as a sort of wish fulfillment for Comey: "Can you imagine getting fired, and then, next thing you know, you get to trash-talk your boss in front of the whole world?"

"Late Night" host Seth Meyers went deeper into events surrounding the Trump administration on his "A Closer Look" segment. After touching on Trump staging memo signings as if they were bill signings and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's harsh reception in New Zealand, Meyers switched focus to Comey and his opening remarks, which detailed private meetings with the president.

"This is starting to sound less like ‘All the President's Men’ and more like a Lifetime original movie," Meyers joked. "James Comey and Donald Trump star in ‘Suspicious Attraction.’"

Meyers then recounted some of Trump's vague, Mafia-esque dialogue with Comey surrounding issues of loyalty and looked at the prospects of live commentary on Thursday's testimony from the Twitter-account-in-chief. After a clip showing Trump advisor Sebastian Gorka calling the media obsessed with Trump's unhinged remarks on social media, Meyer defended the interest in the president's statements.

"Social media wasn't around during the Civil War, but if Abraham Lincoln opened his window and shouted nonsense every 20 minutes, the press would’ve covered it," he said. "‘Little does the South know I have big plans to defeat them. Robert E. Lee is a loser #MakeAmericaWholeAgain.’"

Watch the whole segment above.

Phil Collins hospitalized after fall, postpones tour

By Libby Hill

Pop music legend Phil Collins was hospitalized Thursday after a late-night fall left him with a "severe gash" near his eye and required stitches.

A statement posted on the artist's official Facebook page Thursday detailed Collins’ injury and also announced the postponement of the next two dates of his "Not Dead Yet" tour.

The tour, Collins’ first in more than 10 years, launched earlier this week with two dates at London's Royal Albert Hall, the same venue as Thursday and Friday's postponed shows.

Collins suffers from "drop foot" -- a condition that makes it difficult to lift the front portion of the foot -- as a result of back surgery, which contributed to the fall.

"He rose in the middle of the night to go to the toilet and slipped in his hotel room, hitting his head in the fall on a chair," the Facebook statement read.

The "Against All Odds" singer is under 24-hour observation but plans to resume touring Sunday in Cologne, Germany.

"Phil sends his sincere apologies and thanks to fans. He has had a fantastic week at his first shows in 10 years," the statement read. "[He] cannot thank people enough for their warm reaction and is excited to return."

The Royal Albert Hall dates Thursday and Friday have been rescheduled for Nov. 26 and 27.

A Star Is Born: Nancy Sinatra turns 77 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

It all begins with the written word and the written note. These songs survive in spite of the fact that generations have come along that ignore them. We have a lot of young people who are just learning about the music. ... All that has to happen is they have to hear it once. They hear it, they latch onto it.

— Nancy Sinatra, 2003

FROM THE ARCHIVES: The enduring appeal of Frank Sinatra

On World Oceans Day, ‘Chasing Coral’ trailer shows devastating effects of global warming

By Amy Kaufman

Just one week ago, President Trump declared he would pull the U.S. out of the Paris climate accord -- an agreement signed by 195 nations devoted to curbing greenhouse gas emissions.

The move was blasted by everyone from Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger to former Vice President Al Gore, with critics arguing the withdrawal will only accelerate global warming.

In the wake of the president's decision, a new documentary about how the Earth's rising temperature is affecting coral reefs feels more timely than ever. The film, "Chasing Coral," which will launch on Netflix on July 14, debuted its first trailer on Thursday to coincide with World Oceans Day.

The movie was directed by Jeff Orlowski, the filmmaker behind 2012's "Chasing Ice," which documented how quickly the world's glaciers are melting. His new film follows a team of divers from Hawaii to Australia as they set up underwater cameras to capture the bleaching of coral reefs in real time.

The movie -- which premiered and was subsequently acquired by Netflix at the Sundance Film Festival in January -- focuses heavily on the damage being done to the Great Barrier Reef. Just this month, a new report published in the journal Nature said that two-thirds of the northern section of the reef had perished over the past 18 months.

As the film explains, bright, fluorescent-colored coral often shown in beautiful underwater photography is actually the first sign that a coral reef is getting too hot. Quickly after the vivid colors emerge, the stressed coral turns bright white and can no longer sustain life.

"Our oceans are dramatically changing and we are losing coral reefs on a global scale," Orlowski said in an email to the Los Angeles Times this week. "We spent three years with divers, underwater photographers, and experts to reveal the majesty of our oceans, and the rapidly changing reality of our world. What we witnessed while making this film reshaped my understanding of the world."

"Chasing Coral" is just one of the films about the state of our planet that's set to for release this year. A couple of weeks after the movie hits Netflix, Gore's climate change documentary "An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power" will hit theaters. And in September, "Trophy," a nonfiction film about hunters who kill exotic animals for sport, will premiere.

Where are my stories? James Comey's testimony will preempt network programming Thursday

By Libby Hill

Regular viewers of daytime talk shows and "The Price Is Right" alike will find their Thursday schedules disrupted as ABC, CBS and NBC carry James Comey's appearance before the Senate Intelligence Committee live when it begins at 7 a.m. PDT.

ABC's coverage will be anchored by George Stephanopoulos, while CBS will lean on "CBS This Morning" hosts Gayle King, Charlie Rose and Norah O’Donnell, as well as "Face the Nation" anchor John Dickerson and chief legal correspondent Jan Crawford. On NBC, chief legal correspondent Savannah Guthrie, Lester Holt and Chuck Todd will anchor coverage.

The former FBI director's testimony has sparked incredible intrigue, with viewers wanting to know whether President Trump attempted to apply undue influence over the FBI investigation into Russia and the 2016 election.

In a prepared statement given to the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday, Comey said that the president told him, "I need loyalty, I expect loyalty."

In reaction to Comey's statement, Marc Kasowitz, the president's attorney, released a missive Wednesday afternoon saying that Trump was pleased that Comey had publicly confirmed "that the President was not under investigation in any Russian probe."

"The President feels completely and totally vindicated," he continued. "[The President] is eager to continue to move forward with his agenda."

Cher confirms her Broadway musical is coming in 2018

By Nardine Saad

Broadway is Cher's world now. Though, arguably, it may have already been.

She of the mermaid hair, siren voice, feathered headdresses, Grammys and Oscars is bringing her life story to Broadway in 2018, the 71-year-old actress-singer confirmed Wednesday on Twitter.

Just got off phone w/Writer & Director of musical. There Will 🐝 performance in THEATRE WITH ACTORS,DANCERS,SINGERS‼️IT'll 🐝ON BROADWAY 2018

"The Cher Show," according to Playbill, will be a musical based on the dynamic entertainer's life and six-decade career.

A casting notice posted back in November dropped a few hints about the show.

"In this production, the characters of Babe, Lady, and Star represent Cher at different moments of her life -- starting as a teenager who falls for Sonny Bono (Babe), a successful music star navigating the challenges of the entertainment industry (Lady) and the lady we know today with a fascinating wealth of life experience, successes, and failures (Star)," the notice said. "Aside from Babe, Lady, Star, Sonny Bono, and Georgia, other roles may be paired together to have the actors double or triple up on the roles."

Other notable figures to look out for are designer Bob Mackie, her exes David Geffen, musician Gregg Allman and Rob Camilletti, director Robert Altman and Sigmund Freud.

Cher's iconic hits "I Got You Babe," "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves," "Believe" and "If I Could Turn Back Time" are expected to be in the show, according to previous reports.

Tony Award winner Rick Elice of "Jersey Boys" and "Peter the Starcatcher" fame will write the book, Jason Moore of "Avenue Q" and "Pitch Perfect" will direct, Jeffrey Seller of "Hamilton" and Flody Suarez will produce the musical and Tony Award winner Daryl Waters will be the musical supervisor.

The Oscar-winning "Moonstruck" actress is no stranger to Broadway. She starred in the short-lived production "Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean" in 1982 before reprising the role on film that same year.

The pop goddess recently wrapped the first leg of "Classic Cher," her Las Vegas residency at the Monte Carlo, and is scheduled to return in August and November.

Hasan Minhaj was ready to go ‘Def-Con Orange’ at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner

By Emily Mae Czachor

For Hasan Minhaj, 2017's rollout of back-to-back career milestones (see: "The Daily Show," his emcee gig at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, the debut of his brazenly heart-wrenching Netflix special) has been something of a professional relay race.

"Are you pacing yourself?" asked fellow "Daily Show" veteran Stephen Colbert on Tuesday night's episode of "The Late Show."

"I stretched," Minhaj quipped, without missing a beat.

If viewers could siphon one major takeaway from Minhaj's recent comedic upsurge, it probably would have something to do with the 31-year-old Indian American's way of turning nightmarish political happenings into springboards for really funny jokes.

But, as Minhaj revealed to Colbert, the world might have actually missed out on some of the comedian's best material at last month's chaotic White House Correspondents’ Dinner, sans President Trump. Minhaj — who noted in his opening remarks, "No one else wanted to do this, so, of course, it falls in the hands of an immigrant" — kept a provisional comedy bit on file just in case Trump showed up.

"I was getting ready for him to burst through the double doors like a professional wrestler," Minhaj said, comparing Trump to former WWE performer X-Pac.

Minhaj told Colbert that the emergency cue card was aptly dubbed "Def-Con Orange." Watch the whole segment above.

‘Feud's’ Alfred Molina explains how actresses suffer from their beauty the same way Joan Crawford did

By Nardine Saad

"Feud's" Alfred Molina talks about the FX series’ welcoming atmosphere; his character, director Robert Aldrich; and more.

Joan Crawford has always been somewhat underestimated as an actor. She suffered probably in the same way that young actresses do now where they become, in a sense, victims of their beauty — kind of trapped in this beautiful ghetto where no one's going to take you seriously outside of that because the way you look is so much the part of what makes you interesting or what people perceive is the best part of you.

— "Feud: Bette and Joan" star Alfred Molina

In latest flare-up in distribution battle, South Korea's largest exhibitor boycotts Netflix's ‘Okja’

By Josh Rottenberg

Bong Joon-ho is one of South Korea's most successful directors, but his latest film is running into major obstacles in his home country.

South Korea's largest cinema chain, CJ CGV, is refusing to screen Bong's Netflix-produced sci-fi drama "Okja" over Netflix's plan to stream the film online simultaneously with its theatrical release, according to the Korea Times. The country's second- and third-largest chains are also weighing boycotts.

The moves come just weeks after "Okja" premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, where its inclusion in the lineup, along with Noah Baumbach's Netflix-produced "The Meyerowitz Stories," stirred controversy among some cinephiles who view the rise of streaming services as an existential threat to the traditional movie business.

Should the majority of South Korean theaters refuse to screen "Okja," which is set to open June 29, it would deliver a significant blow to its overall box office. Bong's last film, the 2014 dystopian sci-fi thriller "Snowpiercer," was a major hit in South Korea, pulling in roughly $60 million there while earning less than $5 million in its limited U.S. release. His 2006 monster movie, "The Host," was an even bigger smash in his home country, pulling in more than $64 million.

But despite the pressures to create a window between theatrical and online releases, as Amazon typically does with its films, Netflix seems unlikely to budge from its distribution model.

In an interview with The Times last year, Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos insisted that the company's streaming-centered approach offers films like "Okja" the chance to reach the widest possible worldwide audience.

"I think movies are special because of how well they’re crafted, how well they’re acted and shot – not because of the room that you saw them in first," he said, adding, "I don't believe it's sensible to hold back 81 million people from watching a movie so that a couple of hundred people can see it in a theater."

Iman remembers her late husband David Bowie on their 25th anniversary

By Libby Hill

It's been more than a year since David Bowie died of liver cancer, but the music icon is anything but forgotten.

This is particularly true for the late singer's wife -- model and philanthropist Iman -- who took to the Internet on Tuesday to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the pair's marriage.

June 6th #BowieForever pic.twitter.com/RgjT6y8VaD

Though Bowie and Iman were officially married in April of 1992, it was solemnized -- rather, the ceremony took place -- on June 6.

"I would walk forever, just to be in your arms again," Iman posted alongside a black-and-white photo of them standing beneath an umbrella, her husband kissing her forehead.

Iman posted a similar memorial on April 24, with a photo of the pair dancing and the comment, "With you went so much of me. #BowieForever."

April 24th #BowieForever pic.twitter.com/yqEiGLPGGc

On Jan. 10, the first anniversary of Bowie's death, Iman shared a photo of a double rainbow arching over the New York skyline from 2016 with the hashtags #ForeverAndEver, #ForeverLove and #BowieForever.

Iman and Bowie have one daughter, Alexandria Zahra Jones, born Aug.15, 2000.

Olivia Newton-John is ‘totally confident’ following cancer diagnosis

By Nardine Saad

Olivia Newton-John is feeling good despite her latest cancer diagnosis.

The "Grease" actress "reluctantly" postponed her May and June concert engagements after learning that her recent back pain was caused by breast cancer that has metastasized to her sacrum, a bone in the lower back.

"I am feeling good and enjoying total support from my family and friends, along with a team of wellness and medical practitioners both here in the U.S. and at my Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre in Melbourne, Australia," the 68-year-old actress-singer wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.

"I’m totally confident that my new journey will have a positive success story to inspire others! Love and light, Olivia."

The "Physical" singer, who battled breast cancer 25 years ago, is undergoing a short course of photon radiation therapy supplemented with other natural wellness therapies, according to People magazine. She's living her life at a slower place on her Southern California ranch, too.

After two weeks of treatment, her pain "has gone from [level] 8 to about a 2," her husband, John Easterling, told the magazine, adding that they have "an absolute knowingness that we can turn this around."

When she was treated for the disease in 1992, she underwent chemotherapy after a modified radical mastectomy with reconstruction. Her treatment also included acupuncture, which she said helped her with nausea, as well as yoga, meditation and massage.

Kristin Chenoweth to host Television Critics Assn. Awards

By Yvonne Villarreal

Emmy and Tony-winning actress Kristen Chenoweth will host the Television Critics Assn. Awards this summer.

The nontelevised ceremony will take place Aug. 5 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, capping off the organization's semi-annual press tour where TV networks and streaming services present new and returning shows for the new TV season.

Although Chenoweth is known for her performances in Broadway shows such as "Wicked" and "You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown," her television presence is just as bountiful. She recently re-teamed with her "Pushing Daisies" boss Bryan Fuller for the Starz fantasy drama "American Gods," based on Neil Gaiman's 2001 novel. Last year, she took part in NBC's live musical staging of "Hairspray."

"I hope the TCA Awards are ready, because I’m about to bring a whole lot of flair and fun to the evening's proceedings," Chenoweth said in a statement. "As a performer, I know how important collaboration is when it comes to crafting something that will entertain people, and make them laugh, and cry, and think. I’m so honored to be hosting this great event that celebrates those talented folks who work so hard to make the great shows that we all love to watch."

James Corden and Jimmy Fallon fight terrorism with ... pop music and plays written by children

By Robert Lloyd

The world is ending (choose your method). But all is not darkness in late-night television.

Briton James Corden, who has the gift of going from silly to serious in a second, has taken his "Late Show," in the immediate wake of the latest terrorist attacks, back home to not-reeling London for the week.

"I’m so sad when I think about all the times since I took this job I’ve had to open this show talking about such atrocities," Corden said Tuesday night in a moving preamble from outside the venue, a Methodist hall where Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr. and Winston Churchill had all spoken. "Despite all that, they’ve still allowed me to come and make a television show."

Some might find a variety show inappropriate in such circumstances. Corden demurred: "We’re going to bring you the silliest, stupidest, most fun-packed shows we’ve ever made for you to celebrate London and Britain and everything it has to offer," he promised. "And you know what? The people who carried out the attack, they would hate that, too."

Still, the evening's made-to-go-viral segment was a gift brought from Los Angeles, an episode of Carpool Karaoke, featuring Ed Sheeran, who is also English.

They sang Sheeran's "Shape of You," "Thinking Out Loud" and "Sing," One Direction's "You Don't Know You’re Beautiful" and Justin Bieber's "Love Yourself" (a recording on which Sheeran features). Some of the time, Sheeran played a little white parlor guitar, which he supposedly had left behind the night before at Corden's place. Maybe he had.

At one point, driver and passenger had a contest to see who could fit more malted milk balls in their mouth. (Sheeran did, beating his own record with 55.) Thankfully, Corden pulled out of traffic for this.

"I couldn't see what was funny about me singing my songs in a car," said Sheeran, who obviously quite enjoyed himself in the end, though he was glad to have the guitar for protection.

But Carpool Karaoke is not about being funny. It's about the deceptive depth and the transformative power of pop music. When you stop singing – or laughing – the terrorists win.

Meanwhile, on "The Tonight Show," host Jimmy Fallon, whose eroding late-night dominance has been blamed by some on his lack of political gravitas, had Tom Cruise on for a "Mummy"-themed session of "Kid Theater," the segment in which Fallon and a guest perform plays written by small children. (Cruise's "The Mummy" opened in theaters last weekend.) In each of three works, Cruise played the Mummy, and Fallon somebody else.

Fallon (as "Charlie"): "Mummy, you look weird."

Mummy: "I know I look weird, I’m 2,000 years old."

It turns out that that both can eat 10,000 hot dogs, but while Charlie likes his with ketchup, Mummy, who hasn't eaten in two millenniums, likes his with dust. This sort of thing is right in Fallon's sweet spot, and it gave Cruise a chance to stretch.

‘I was frozen’: Bill Cosby accuser Andrea Constand's dramatic day in court

By Steven Zeitchik

In the nearly three years since women began stepping forward en masse to accuse Bill Cosby of sexual assault, none ever achieved what most abuse victims wish for: a day in court.

No longer.

Andrea Constand took the witness stand at the Cosby trial Tuesday and faced off against her alleged attacker in a dramatic moment that has long been called for by survivors of sexual violence.

"There, wearing a dark-colored coat, brown tie and white shirt," Constand said, gesturing, when asked to point out the entertainer who is accused of violating her at his Philadelphia-area mansion. He glanced down quickly at his clothing, then sat stoically.

A Star Is Born: Fetty Wap turns 26 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

To be where I’m at and have all these experiences and go to new places and meet new faces … I never thought I was going to leave the trap. I even told my mother, ‘I’m gonna be the trap God.’

— Fetty Wap, 2015

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Fetty Wap, meet Beverly Hills: An afternoon with the ‘Trap Queen’ star

In London, James Corden says, ‘This is not a country that feels afraid’

By Christie D’Zurilla

Ahead of broadcasting on-location episodes of "The Late Late Show" from London, host James Corden shared his thoughts on why, in the wake of Saturday's London Bridge terrorist attack, this was a great time to do a variety show from his hometown.

"This is not a country that feels afraid," he said.

Corden, who recently got serious about the May 22 terrorist attack at Ariana Grande's concert in Manchester, England, said he was sad thinking about all the times he's had to address similar events on the show.

But, he said, "A lot's going to happen here in the next few days. We’re going to elect a prime minister in Great Britain," Corden said. "And just behind that building there is the Houses of Parliament, a building that represents democracy, something the people who carried out this attack hate."

Walking in the damp, dark "British summertime," Corden promised shows that celebrate London's beauty, diversity and "stoic determination to let nothing or anybody" stand in its way.

"And you know what, the people who carried out that attack, they would hate that too," he said.

Need more convincing that London isn't "reeling"? Keep an eye out for the U.K. incarnation of the show's "Crosswalk the Musical" segment, complete with a very familiar nanny.

Tonight's #LateLateLondon premiere is going to be poppin.Mary Poppins. pic.twitter.com/xLSwjfgd79

‘Working Girl’ is Broadway-bound with music by Cyndi Lauper, book by Kim Rosenstock

By Christie D’Zurilla

"Working Girl" is taking the ferry ride from the late-1980s big screen to early 21st century Broadway, fueled by girl power from "Kinky Boots" Tony winner Cyndi Lauper and "New Girl" writer-producer Kim Rosenstock, the musical's producers announced Tuesday.

"I’m excited to get my Broadway creative juices flowing again. ... There really is nothing quite like the feeling of the theatre!" Lauper, who wrote the music and lyrics for 2013's best musical, said Tuesday on Facebook.

In addition to her TV work, Rosenstock's stage projects include "Tigers Be Still," "Bride*Widow*Hag" and the musical "Fly by Night."

The 1988 movie starring Melanie Griffith, Harrison Ford and Sigourney Weaver was written by Kevin Wade and won an Oscar for Carly Simon, who wrote the theme song "Let the River Run."

"‘Working Girl’ was a groundbreaking depiction of a working-class woman determined to succeed in the cutthroat, male-dominated corporate world of the 1980s," Robyn Goodman of Aged in Wood Productions and Bob Cohen of Fox Stage Productions said in a joint statement. "Funny and smart, this now-iconic tale is just as relevant today."

A production schedule will be announced later, the statement said.

Cyndi Lauper and "Working Girl" — dare we say, they go together like Trask and radio?

Evan Rachel Wood talks ‘Westworld’ fan theories -- and which one she got right

By Nardine Saad

The HBO sci-fi western's revelations led the actress to understand why she was cast: "Because you needed a Disney princess, but she needed to be able to hold an Uzi." For Season 2, she wants to see Dolores take over.

I think I had about 100 theories and four were right. The running joke on set was that everyone thought they were Anthony Hopkins. ‘No, guys, I’m Dr. Ford.’

— "Westworld" star Evan Rachel Wood

Kesha learns the hard way: Jerry Seinfeld is not a hugger

By Christie D’Zurilla

Kesha loves Jerry Seinfeld, but Jerry Seinfeld doesn't love getting a hug from Kesha.

So he didn't accept a hug. Not even a little one.

The pop star hug-jacked the comic Monday night in the middle of an interview on the red carpet at the National Night of Laughter and Song in Washington, D.C. First she expressed her love for him, then asked for a hug, then almost pleaded for "a little one" as she stepped toward him before giving up. For his part, Seinfeld was really polite — right up to the point where he tried to flee.

Way to break Kesha's heart, Jerry.

LAST NIGHT @KeshaRose found out @JerrySeinfeld is not a #Hugger -- Is it hard to be a non-hugger in 2017? pic.twitter.com/92OoMFCNkd

"I don't know who that was," he told 94.7 Fresh FM interviewer Tommy McFly, who clued him in about his would-be hugger's identity.

"Oh, OK," Seinfeld said. "Well, I wish her the best."

Guess the "Seinfeld" star still takes Larry David's "no hugging, no learning" policy seriously — but at least he acknowledged Kesha's existence, which is more than Jessica Lange did when Lea Michele tried to greet her on the "American Horror Story: Freak Show" red carpet back in 2014. (Skip to the 1-minute mark.)

Incidentally, both Seinfeld and Kesha later took the stage at Monday night's event. Maybe now he knows who she is.

Larry King launches new web series exploring successful people

By Libby Hill

There are plenty of things Larry King doesn't understand, including why airplane bathrooms are so small, but when it comes to success, King is an expert.

Fans are about to benefit from King's expertise as the veteran newsman launches a new web series focused on the habits of highly successful people.

"It's a program unlike anything I’ve done before in my 60 years of broadcasting. These candid conversations we’ll present to you are all dedicated to achieving a higher life performance," the 83-year-old TV and radio host said in a statement.

"Every month I sit across the room with some of the world's top achievers in their respective fields. I’ll take you into the inner workings of their minds so you can learn exactly what makes them tick," King's statement read.

"Growth Habits" debuts June 14, and the first episode features 10-time Pro Bowl NFL wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.

The career-long Arizona Cardinal enters his 14th season this fall, after leading the league in receptions last year with 107 for 1,023 receiving yards.

The meeting of the minds (of famous Larrys) will delve into Fitzgerald's achievements and the habits that helped him along the way.

"Growth Habits" will livestream on Growth.com, a site founded by entrepreneurs to aid people in their search for individual success.

Regardless of whether "Growth Habits" succeeds, if it is half as entertaining as King's Twitter feed, it will be in good shape.

It's fun to see Nicole Kidman become a hockey fan...#ItsMy2Cents

I don't know why but I've never liked Ferris wheels…#ItsMy2Cents

I don't think I'd want to work in an airport control tower...#ItsMy2Cents

Mischa Barton wins ‘victory’ in battle over sex tapes

By Libby Hill

Actress Mischa Barton emerged from the Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday happy after reaching an agreement with ex-boyfriend Jon Zacharias that he will not release explicit videos or photos of the former "O.C." star.

"Today we have won an important agreement, which permanently blocks the dissemination of these images," Barton's lawyer, Lisa Bloom, said in a statement. "All explicit photos and videos of Mischa must be handed over to me immediately. Her ex must stay 100 yards away from her today, tomorrow and forever. And the court will retain jurisdiction over the case in case we need further enforcement."

Rumors about a potential Barton sex tape began circulating in March, at which point the actress retained Bloom and sought to block the dissemination of any explicit material.

"I am proud to declare victory for Mischa," Bloom's statement continued. "She did this not just for herself, but for all women and girls. Mischa wants everyone to know that we have the right to control our own bodies and decide whether or not to have explicit photos out there for the world to see. If a woman wants to do that, fine. If she doesn't, fine. The choice is hers and hers alone."

This has already proved to be a tumultuous year for Barton. In January, she was hospitalized after being found wandering in a West Hollywood neighborhood. In April, Barton appeared on "Dr. Phil" to discuss revenge porn and her brief hospitalization.

George Clooney and wife Amal welcome twins Ella and Alexander

By Nardine Saad

Welcome, Ella and Alexander Clooney! We’ve been waiting for you.

Actor George Clooney and his wife, Amal Clooney, announced the arrival of their twin babies Tuesday.

"This morning Amal and George welcomed Ella and Alexander Clooney into their lives," the Clooneys said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times.

"Ella, Alexander and Amal are all healthy, happy and doing fine," the statement said, joking that "George is sedated and should recover in a few days."

The twins were born in London. No further birth details were given.

News that the power couple were expecting surfaced in February. These are the first children for the Oscar-winning producer, 56, and his wife, 39, an international human rights attorney who has represented the Armenian people, the king of Bahrain and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

The couple wed in Venice, Italy, in 2014 despite several proclamations that the actor, a perennial bachelor, would never again wed or have kids.

The family is reportedly residing at their home in Sonning, England.

Update, 1:16 p.m.: This story was updated with information about where the twins were born.

James Corden's ‘The Late Late Show’ goes on in London following attacks — with minor modification

By Nardine Saad

"The Late Late Show" host James Corden is retooling his opening monologue in the wake of the recent London Bridge attacks when he broadcasts his CBS show from London this week.

"This is not an afraid place," producer Ben Winston told Deadline, noting that headlines about London "reeling" from the weekend attacks were exaggerated. ("Last Week Tonight" host John Oliver made a similar point.)

Winston and producer Rob Crabbe said that Corden's intro change "is no big deal and sounds more impressive in print than it actually is."

The host, who will be broadcasting across the pond Tuesday through Thursday, is set to address "how proud we are to be in a city we all love so much."

Other than that modification, the show will go on as planned and will feature Carpool Karaoke with singer Ed Sheeran and a "Mary Poppins" adaptation of "Crosswalk the Musical." His guests will include Kit Harington, Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise, Jennifer Hudson, Russell Brand, Anthony Joshua, David Beckham and Emily Blunt, with musical guests Kings of Leon and Harry Styles.

The show has set up its studio in Central Hall Westminster, near Westminster Abbey, which was being used as a polling place during a snap election.

From this to this in 3 days. Well done team! #LateLateLondon @CBS 12.30 tomorrow and on @sky1 Wednesday at 10pm! Hope you can join us! x x x pic.twitter.com/YUguW6aSoo

Next week.... pic.twitter.com/zuEZFdpKZt

Ice Cube to appear on first episode of ‘Real Time With Bill Maher’ in wake of racial slur

By Libby Hill

Bill Maher continues to be embroiled in controversy after his use of a racial slur last week, and Ice Cube is prepared to give him some "Real Talk" about it.

The rapper was already scheduled to appear on the June 9 episode of HBO's "Real Talk With Bill Maher" and has no intention of backing out now.

"Ice Cube will still appear on Bill Maher this Friday as scheduled to talk about the release of ‘Death Certificate: 25th Anniversary edition,’ an album that was recorded in the wake of the Rodney King beating in 1991, which sadly, speaks to many of the same race issues that we as a society are still dealing with today," a representative for Ice Cube told The Times in a statement Tuesday morning.

Maher made headlines last week when, during a conversation with Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska, he used a racial slur to refer to himself as a house slave.

Both HBO and Maher issued apologies shortly after the episode aired, but the conversation surrounding the word continues.

Democratic Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota was also scheduled to appear on this week's episode of "Real Talk" but announced Monday that he was now declining the invitation.

"What Bill Maher said was inappropriate and offensive, which is why he made the decision not to appear on the next episode of ‘Real Time.’ He was glad to see Bill, who the senator considers to be a good friend, apologize and express sincere regret for his comment," a spokesperson for Franken said in a statement.

Ice Cube is scheduled to be the mid-show interview guest, while Michael Eric Dyson -- who had a notably mixed response to Maher's use of the slur -- will be the top-of-show interview.

pic.twitter.com/589mHQ1bys

Also scheduled to be on Friday's episode are CNN political analyst David Gregory, former Republican Rep. David Jolly of Florida and activist Symone Sanders.

A Star Is Born: Robert Englund turns 70 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

I can't sit through ‘In Cold Blood.’ I think it's a brilliant piece of filmmaking, but that's reality-based and I think a reality-based catharsis is a lot more frightening because of the society we live in than the boogeyman, which is what Freddy [Krueger in ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’] essentially is.

— Robert Englund, 1990

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Dream Stalker of the Horror Flicks Turns Into a Laid-Back Lagunan Who Likes to Surf

It's official: Hollywood loves ‘Wonder Woman’

By Meredith Woerner

Like the beginning of a Helen Reddy song, Hollywood let "Wonder Woman" roar this weekend. Celebrities from Constance Wu to Kerry Washington showed their support for Diana Prince and her historic debut weekend.

Behold the glory of so many cute celebrity babies (specifically Viola Davis’ throwback picture of her daughter Genesis) and plenty of women re-creating the Wonder Woman arm cross.

Genesis at 2 almost 3. She wanted to keep her fro. #WonderWomanWe're ready!!! #TBT pic.twitter.com/AHzuDMPgA0

Ok ladies, now let's get in formation #WONDERWOMEN @GalGadot @PattyJenks pic.twitter.com/Fp04ubfWmf

See Noomi Rapace -- seven of her -- as identical septuplets in new trailer for ‘Seven Sisters’

By Jen Yamato

Love you some Noomi Rapace? How about seven Noomis for the price of one?

In a dystopian future ruled by a strict one-child policy, only Noomi Rapace -- and Noomi Rapace, Noomi Rapace, Noomi Rapace, Noomi Rapace, Noomi Rapace and Noomi Rapace -- can take on the fascist government in the first trailer for sci-fi thriller "Seven Sisters."

The "Prometheus" actress plays identical siblings named Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, who have been raised in secret by Willem Dafoe's character in a cold, cruel, overpopulated world controlled by reproductive laws.

Each woman is allowed to venture out one day a week under a shared alias. When Monday goes missing, her sisters must rally to find her before the authorities close in, led by Glenn Close in a Margaret Thatcher ‘do.

The first trailer is a treat for fans of the versatile Swedish actress, who burst onto Hollywood's radar in 2009 as cyberpunk heroine Lisbeth Salander in the original "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" movies. She plays each identical twin with a distinct look and personality, a high-concept conceit that's already drawn comparisons to Tatiana Maslany's work playing clones on "Orphan Black."

Originally titled "What Happened to Monday?" the film scripted by Kerry Williamson and Max Botkin and directed by Norwegian Tommy Wirkola, who broke out with his 2009 Nazi zombie flick, "Dead Snow," and made his studio directing debut with "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters."

Netflix snapped up rights last fall and has yet to set a release date.

Holy Wars debut ‘I Can't Feel A Thing’ video

By August Brown

Holy Wars is a new, noise-drenched electro-pop band from L.A. With only a forthcoming EP ("Mother") to its name, the combo already has a distinctly heavy synth-rock sound that's somewhere between Siouxsie and Suicide with a modern production sheen.

Also, a rarity for a young band, Holy Wars already has an arresting visual aesthetic that should cut through the din of other goth-inclined local rock and electronic acts.

"Mother" comes out June 30, and the band will celebrate with a set at the Hi-Hat on June 29. In the meantime, you can watch its debut new video for "I Can't Feel A Thing" above.

Watch Chris Hemsworth play with ‘Avengers’ action figures (Thor not included)

By Nardine Saad

In a video he posted on his Instagram account Monday, "Thor" star Chris Hemsworth appears to have walked in on some "Avengers: Infinity War" story-boarding that yet again excluded him and the Norse god he plays in the movies.

"Just stumbled across a little secret Avengers rehearsal by the @therussobrothers," he captioned the video.

The teaser featured the life-sized action hero facing off with pint-sized versions of his comic compatriots -- action figures of nearly all the superheroes introduced in Marvel's Cinematic Universe. All but the mighty Thor.

"Oh, this is cute. What are you guys [doing], just playing with your dolls here?" he asks Anthony and Joe Russo, who are directing 2018's "Infinity War" and currently in their 63rd day of filming the unprecedented team-up flick. "Interesting there's no Thor toy in here. Is that on purpose?"

It turns out Hemsworth doesn't appreciate being left out of the franchise's epic fight scenes, which was noted in 2016's blockbuster "Captain America: Civil War."

Left to his own devices, the Aussie star wields his alter ego's hammer Mjolnir and shows the directors how he’d pick off each of the characters one by one as if they were, well, toys. That is, all except the Hulk, who will be appearing in November's "Thor" three-quel, "Thor Ragnarok."

"You can come with me because we’re now mates," he says before toting off the diminutive green rage monster.

Listen to Bob Dylan's Nobel Prize acceptance speech in its entirety -- with piano accompaniment!

By Randall Roberts

As with most things involving Bob Dylan, the publication of his Nobel Prize acceptance speech came out of the blue and minus much fanfare. It was uploaded to YouTube -- with piano accompaniment! -- and that's pretty much it.

The musician, who won the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature "for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition," upended tradition last year when he coyly avoided the spotlight that most winners take for granted.

Dylan declined to travel to Stockholm for the official ceremony, opting instead for a closed-door session during a recent tour stop.

But he made a speech, one that Dylan recorded on Sunday in Los Angeles and published Monday morning, according to the 27-minute video upload.

"When I received the Nobel Prize for literature," Dylan says in his opening remark, "I got to wondering exactly how my songs related to literature. I wanted to reflect on it, and see where the connection was."

Dylan then proceeds to do just that, admitting that, "most likely I will go in a roundabout way, but I hope what I say will be worthwhile and purposeful."

What follows is an ode to his heroes and their recordings, including Buddy Holly, Leadbelly, Woody Guthrie and others. He cites as inspiration the many "work songs, Georgia sea-shanties, Appalachian ballads and cowboy songs" that came to define folk music in America.

He then honors three books -- "Moby-Dick," "All Quiet on the Western Front" and "The Odyssey" -- by offering his extended thoughts on their themes and their import to his own work.

After focusing on Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick," Dylan moves to Erich Maria Remarque's wartime classic.

"‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ is a horror story," Dylan says. "This is a book where you lose your childhood, your faith in a meaningful world and your concern for individuals. You’re stuck in a nightmare, sucked up into a mysterious whirlpool of death and pain. You’re defending yourself from elimination."

(Happy Monday!)

Dylan then moves to Homer's "The Odyssey."

"What does it all mean?" he wonders after exploring the epic poem's themes, before answering his own question.

"If a song moves you, that's all that's important. I don't have to know what a song means," Dylan says. "I’ve written all kinds of things into my songs and I’m not going to worry about it, what it all means."

He closes with the hope that people continue to listen to and perform powerful music, "in concert or on record, or however how people are listening to music these days."

"I’ll return once again to Homer," Dylan says in conclusion, "who says, ‘Sing in me, o muse, and through me tell the story.’"

Listen to the speech in its entirety above.

The 5 duets you need to see from Ariana Grande's Manchester concert (plus one good cry)

By Christie D’Zurilla

Was it One Love Manchester or the Grammy Awards?

Sunday's benefit show, assembled quickly in reaction to the deadly suicide bombing at Ariana Grande's May 22 Manchester Arena concert, brought a mix of talents together in combinations that would be right at home on the annual music awards broadcast. (The Times’ Mikael Wood called the concert "a moving expression of resilience.")

There were solo performances from Katy Perry and Justin Bieber, and Oasis’ Liam Gallagher took the mike with the backing of Coldplay (and without brother Noel). But a number of artists teamed up on duets designed to strike emotional chords with the crowd at the Old Trafford cricket ground in Manchester, England, and those worldwide via multiple outlets.

Grande took it down a notch in sit-down songs with Miley Cyrus and Victoria Monet, asked "Where Is the Love?" with the Black Eyed Peas and delivered "The Way" with boyfriend Mac Miller in the one traditional pairing (they had recorded the tune together). Meanwhile, Cyrus got "Happy" with Pharrell Williams.

Watch the concert in full above or select duets below. And go all the way to the bottom for a good cry as the petite Grande, alone on stage with nothing but her high pony tail and her lyrics, commands the crowd with an emotional rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."

Chuck Berry's final studio album, ‘Chuck,’ is streaming at NPR Music

By Randall Roberts

Rock ‘n’ roll icon Chuck Berry, who died in March at age 90, left behind a legacy that includes seminal American songs including "Roll Over Beethoven," "Maybellene" and "Brown-Eyed Handsome Man." He also left behind a final musical testament called "Chuck," which NPR Music is now previewing ahead of the album's release on June 9.

Berry's 20th studio album is his first since 1979's "Rock It" and sees him employing his longtime St. Louis backing band as support.

In addition to accompaniment by two of his children, Ingrid and Charles Berry Jr., the record also features guest appearances from guitarists Gary Clark Jr., Tom Morello and Nathaniel Rateliff.

Needless to say, Berry didn't hire Diplo or Skrillex to update his sound -- nor did any of the album's 10 songs get the Rick Rubin or T Bone Burnett treatment. Just Berry and some compadres holed up in his studio combining riffs and rhythm. There's even a sequel to "Johnny B. Goode" called "Lady B. Goode."

You can listen to the record at NPR Music.

ESPN hopes you’re ready for some football, brings back Hank Williams Jr.

By Libby Hill

There's hope yet for Kathy Griffin. She might just need to wait for a new presidential administration.

That seems to be the situation for Hank Williams Jr., whose rollicking "All My Rowdy Friends Are Here on Monday Night" will return to Monday Night Football this fall after a six-year hiatus.

The cause of the original split from ESPN? A 2011 interview with "Fox & Friends" where Williams compared then-President Obama to Adolf Hitler after a golf outing with then-House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio).

"They’re the enemy," Williams said, referring to Obama and Vice President Joe Biden when asked to explain.

But ESPN is reportedly ready for any backlash it might receive for the decision.

"I’m sure there’ll be some [backlash], but I’m not concerned," said ESPN's senior vice president of events and studio production, Stephanie Druley, in an interview with the Tennessean. "It was the right time. We discussed it internally and it was just the right time to bring him back."

Williams himself is happy to return to Monday nights, telling the Tennessean, "I hope there will be some happy people on Monday night again. It feels natural, fulfilling and satisfying at this point when you’ve kind of done it all."

The announcement comes just weeks after ESPN entered a round of layoffs that resulted in around 100 writers and on-air talent losing their jobs.

Still, there's plenty to be excited about at ESPN. Like the new version of Williams’ song.

"In listening to the recent cuts that I’ve gotten, it's phenomenal," Druley said. "It just immediately gets you psyched for the game you’re going to watch, and for football fans, that's a big deal. I think people will be really, really excited about it."

With all due respect to Druley, fans of Monday Night Football shouldn't need anything other than "Heavy Action" to get psyched.

The only MNF song...https://t.co/NRkqf5tISz

Here's what Rodney Bingenheimer played -- and who called in -- during the last installment of ‘Rodney on the ROQ’

By Randall Roberts

A little before 4 a.m. Monday, the disc jockey who will forever be known as Rodney on the ROQ bid farewell to his long-running radio station home, KROQ-FM, with a song by the Monkees.

At the end of a four-hour final edition of a show he has curated for nearly 40 years -- which included archival interviews with Van Halen and Elvis Costello and on-air well wishes from Joan Jett, Debbie Harry and others -- the DJ born Rodney Bingenheimer played one last piece of music: "Porpoise Song."

The song, written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, concludes with an eerie refrain.

Wanting to feelTo know what is realLiving is a, is a lieThe porpoise is waitingGoodbye, goodbyeGoodbye, goodbye, goodbye ...

Despite the string of goodbyes, in an interview last week with The Times Bingenheimer stressed that he's not retiring from doing a radio show. Rather, after KROQ gave him his walking papers in late May, he has been looking for a new home.

"There's been a couple offers from various stations and stuff. I have a manager now, so he's taking care of that," Bingenheimer told The Times. (It's pure speculation, but SiriusXM's garage-rock station Little Steven's Underground Garage would seem a natural fit.)

No matter where he lands, it’ll be a better fit than KROQ in 2017. The station, which Bingenheimer helped put on the map, has downplayed his departure, declining to offer an explanation other than a polite, and gracious, statement from program director Kevin Weatherly.

KROQ's website has already scrubbed Bingenheimer from its roster of on-air personalities, and its playlist page shows an absence of tracks during Bingenheimer's final slot. (We’ve reached out to KROQ representatives to ask about a stream of the show, but have yet to hear back.)

Thankfully, Bingenheimer has posted his last playlist, along with photos, on his official Facebook page.

Here's what he played for the final installment of "Rodney on the ROQ":

Usher explains why he was a no-show for Ariana Grande's Manchester benefit concert

By Nardine Saad

Despite a spate of promotion on social media, Usher was a no-show at Ariana Grande's One Love Manchester benefit concert on Sunday.

The "Yeah" singer was scheduled to join the star-studded show but never took the stage. Instead, he took to Instagram on Monday to explain his absence.

"So happy to see that last night's concert in Manchester proved that love always prevails," the "Voice" alum wrote. "I would have loved to be there but It was my son's first day at Camp Kudzu, one of the few summer camps for kids living with diabetes. This was an important day for him and for myself as a proud father. Stay strong UK."

The Grammy-winning crooner's son Usher V (a.ka. "Cinco") with ex-wife Tameka Foster was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2014 and the singer has been an advocate for a cure to the disease ever since.

Grande's concert featured performances by Justin Bieber, Coldplay, Miley Cyrus, Niall Horan, Katy Perry, Take That and Pharrell Williams as well as surprise appearances from Imogen Heap and Noel Gallagher.

Tom Cruise announces wholly unsurprising name for ‘Top Gun’ sequel

By Libby Hill

The upcoming "Top Gun" sequel has a title, and it could not be less inspired.

Tom Cruise revealed in an interview with Access Hollywood on Friday that the upcoming film will be named "Top Gun: Maverick" because of course it will.

Cruise, who played Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in the original, spoke about eschewing "Top Gun 2" as an option, saying, "You don't want a number."

Perhaps Cruise is attempting to distance himself and the series from the "Hot Shots!" franchise, a spoof of "Top Gun" that first premiered in 1991, with its sequel, "Hot Shots! Part Deux" released two years later.

Of course, "Top Gun: Maverick" is already a completely different animal, since it will be released more than 30 years after the original.

"It's going to be a competition film, like the first one," Cruise said in the interview, while sharing only sparse information about the project.

Other things that will be similar to the original movie, according to Cruise: tone, style, score, sunglasses.

Cruise declined to reveal any specifics about the plot or who of the original cast might return -- Val Kilmer, for one, has expressed interest publicly -- but he was excited to share other juicy tidbits.

"There's going to be aircraft carriers," Cruise said before sweetening the deal with, "There's going to be jets."

There you go, folks. "Top Gun: Maverick" will definitely have planes.

A Star Is Born: Kenny G turns 61 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

On the good nights, when the sax feels like it's not a saxophone and it's just like your mouth talking, there's no better feeling. That's when the communication with the audience can really happen.

— Kenny G, 1993

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Gee, Kenny, Why All the Ruckus?

John Oliver scolds American media over tone of London attack coverage

By Yvonne Villarreal

#ThingsThatHaveJohnOliverRollingHisEyes: American media coverage of Saturday's attack on London Bridge that left seven people dead and dozens of people injured

Sunday's installment of "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" began with Oliver rebuking the tone of news reports that developed following the terrorist strike.

"Obviously, our thoughts go out to everyone affected, but as a British person living in America, I feel compelled to address a certain theme that emerged through American coverage of this tragedy," the comedian said at the start of the program.

A clip was shown of TV news reports from CNN and Fox News (and later the New York Times) that described Britain as "reeling" and/or "under seige."

"For the record, in no way is Britain under siege. Is it upset? Yes. ... But to say it's under siege and its people are reeling is to somehow imply that it's weak enough to be brought to its knees. ... And that, as an idea, is insulting."

Oliver wasn't the only one irritated, noting that people took to Twitter to deride the tone of coverage using the hashtag #ThingsThatLeaveBritainReeling. Hint: "When people make tea in the microwave" was one of the satirical suggestions of things, unlike terrorists, that actually rock British folks to their core.

"Honestly, it was an uplifting demonstration of quintessentially British defiance," Oliver said of the hashtag offerings, "because the British people are never going to let terror change their way of life."

You can watch the clip here. Warning: It contains some profane language.

How the Golden Age of the multiplex is evolving into something new ... and old

By Los Angeles Times

The golden age of the multiplex is in the past. Or is it? Theater owners are luring a new generation with upgraded screens, seats and snacks. Even with rising prices — not to mention tech distractions and rude patrons — we still fall for that old cinema magic. Join us as our reporters and critics explore the past, present and future of moviegoing.

Watch live: Ariana Grande's ‘One Love Manchester’ benefit concert

Ariana Grande & Friends: One Love Manchester show today is set to feature Justin Bieber, the Black Eyed Peas, Coldplay, Miley Cyrus, Niall Horan, Little Mix, Katy Perry, Take That, Usher, Robbie Williams and Pharrell Williams.

ABC will air a one-hour highlight special of the concert Sunday night after the NBA Finals, while its companion cable network, Freeform, will air the show in full.

CONCERT GALLERY: SCENES FROM MANCHESTER

The singer's company, Grandaritour Inc., will donate the net proceeds from the concert to the British Red Cross Society for its Manchester Emergency.

"Music is meant to heal us, to bring us together, to make us happy. So that is what it will continue to do for us. We will continue to honor the ones we lost, their loved ones, my fans and all affected by this tragedy," Grande said in an open letter to her fans.

The Times will post a recap of the concert later today.

A Star Is Born: Angelina Jolie turns 42 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

The best thing about my time [on ‘Tomb Raider’] has been that I’m now able to look at the world differently. I’ve realized Hollywood is such a tiny place, and there are things in the rest of the world that are much more important. You’re in somewhere like Cambodia and see the things that are held up as important -- the temples, the monks, the sense of family. We went there and we changed, we were humbled and thankful they let us be there.

— Angelina Jolie, 2001

FROM THE ARCHIVES: She's Game for the Adventure of Her Career

With $100 million, ‘Wonder Woman’ is the first female-fronted superhero blockbuster

By Tre’vell Anderson

The summer box office needed a hero after the worst Memorial Day weekend performance in 18 years. This weekend, she came in like a flood, in a way only a wondrous woman can.

Warner Bros.’ "Wonder Woman" grossed an estimated $100.5 million in the U.S and Canada in its debut weekend. It came in well above analyst projections of $80 million to $90 million and the studio's more modest expectations of $65 million to $70 million, officially making the feature the first female-fronted superhero blockbuster.

Diana, princess of the Amazons, better known as Wonder Woman, has spent 75 years saving the world in DC comic books and TV shows. She has fought alongside Batman and Superman with her sword and Lasso of Truth. Still, her male counterparts have hogged the big-screen glory. Until now.

With Gal Gadot in the lead role, it can be said that "Wonder Woman" has finally claimed her place in the pantheon of superheroes. And the $150-million production of "Wonder Woman" was directed by a woman, the Emmy-nominated Patty Jenkins, yet another feat in the ongoing conversation about diversity and representation in Hollywood.

Such a performance was anticipated considering the overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. The flick has a formidable 93% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Audiences (52% female; 53% under 35) appear to agree, giving the picture an A CinemaScore.

Bill Maher apologizes for using racial slur during HBO show

By Associated Press

Bill Maher apologized Saturday for using of a racial slur to describe himself as a house slave during a live segment for his HBO talk show.

Maher's comment during his discussion with Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Nebraska, was quickly and broadly criticized after it aired on the comedian's "Real Time with Bill Maher" show Friday night.

HBO said the remark was "completely inexcusable and tasteless" and the segment would not be re-aired.

"Friday nights are always my worst night of sleep because I’m up reflecting on the things I should or shouldn't have said on my live show," Maher said in a statement Saturday. "Last night was a particularly long night as I regret the word I used in the banter of a live moment. The word was offensive and I regret saying it and am very sorry."

During Maher's discussion with Sasse, the senator joked that he would like to have Maher visit Nebraska and work in the fields. The comedian responded by using a slur in a joke that he was a house slave.

The comedian immediately waved off audience groans. "It's a joke," he said on the show.

Activists including the Rev. Al Sharpton quickly criticized Maher, and it remained a top-ranked topic on Twitter on Saturday morning.

NAN wants to meet w/ HBO asap about the normalizing of the use of the N word. I know and love Bill Maher but this is unacceptable. I will

address this Bill Maher issue and our move on HBO at this morning's NAN Saturday Action Rally. My address is live at 10 am/et on Impact TV.

Sasse wrote Saturday that he wished he had immediately criticized Maher for using the term.

Am walking off a redeye from LAX.3 reflections on @billmaher1. I’m a 1st Amendment absolutist. Comedians get latitude to cross hard lines.

2. But free speech comes with a responsibility to speak up when folks use that word. Me just cringing last night wasn't good enough.(2of4?) https://t.co/e4Bw8s8tV2

3. Here's what I wish I’d been quick enough to say in the moment: "Hold up, why would you think it's OK to use that word?...(3of4?) https://t.co/mQL6wMEd7W

(4of4)"...The history of the n-word is an attack on universal human dignity. It's therefore an attack on the American Creed. Don't use it." https://t.co/kEZm5vPFHK

12:25 p.m.: Updated with a statement from Bill Maher

This post was originally published at 8:09 a.m.

A Star Is Born: Anderson Cooper turns 50 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

I’m just not interested as a viewer in listening to anchors’ opinions. It seems like there's an awful lot of yelling, and this year, yelling's been replaced by sarcasm and snarkiness.

— Anderson Cooper, 2008

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Going all a-Twitter

Ariana Grande's record label donates $500,000 to Manchester fund ahead of benefit concert

By Gerrick Kennedy

Ahead of Ariana Grande's benefit concert in Manchester, England, this weekend, the artist's label has made a substantial donation to the fund set up for victims and families affected by the terrorist attack at her concert late last month.

Universal Music Group, the parent company to Grande's label Republic Records, donated $500,000 to the "We Love Manchester Memorial Fund," which was established in the wake of the May 22 attack during her Dangerous Woman tour stop in England, in which 22 people died and dozens more were injured in a suicide bombing.

"The Universal Music Group global family is proud to stand with Ariana Grande and its other performing artists in their support for the victims and families affected by the Manchester attack," the company said in a statement.

Universal's chairman and chief executive officer, Lucian Grainge, is a U.K. native and has been knighted.

Ariana Grande & Friends: One Love Manchester show on Sunday will feature Justin Bieber, the Black Eyed Peas, Coldplay, Miley Cyrus, Niall Horan, Little Mix, Katy Perry, Take That, Usher, Robbie Williams and Pharrell Williams.

ABC will air a one-hour highlight special of the concert Sunday night after the NBA Finals, while its companion cable network, Freeform, will air the show in full. The three-hour show will also be livestreamed on the singer's official YouTube channel.

The singer's company, Grandaritour Inc., will donate the net proceeds from the concert to the British Red Cross Society for its Manchester Emergency Fund.

Brandy released from hospital after collapse on plane at LAX

By Gerrick Kennedy

Brandy has been released from a hospital after falling ill on a flight at Los Angeles International Airport early Friday morning.

The R&B singer, whose full name is Brandy Norwood, was in the midst of touring when she collapsed on a Delta Air Lines flight headed to New York's JFK International Airport.

"The stress of all of the traveling and working so incessantly has exhausted her," the singer's longtime publicist, Courtney Barnes, said in a statement. "She will be relaxing for the next few days."

The Grammy winner's schedule has been arduous lately, with the singer on more than 10 flights in recent days and juggling late nights in the studio.

She was in the studio late Thursday before arriving at LAX for a 5:45 a.m. flight to New York. She fell ill before the plane departed, with the aircraft returning to the gate, where emergency responders transported the singer to the hospital.

Brandy was slated to appear in Atlanta with her mother on Saturday to speak at a women's expo. Her brother, singer and reality star Ray J, will now fill in for her.

The singer is still slated to headline the LA Pride Festival in West Hollywood on June 11.

KCON announces first slate of L.A. artists for 2017 festival

By August Brown

The South Korean pop culture festival KCON has announced the first round of artists for its 2017 edition.

The festival, which hits Staples Center and the L.A. Convention Center from Aug. 18-20, will host the L.A. debut of SF9, the boy band whose mini-album, "Breaking Sensation," cracked the top five on Billboard's World Album charts upon its April release.

The second confirmed act, Girl's Day, will make its U.S. debut at the festival. The well-established group broke out amid the first wave of K-pop's crossover into the United States in 2013 and had a successful comeback in 2017 with the EP "Everyday #5."

Additional acts will be announced on Thursdays leading up to the festival. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. July 7.

Toxicology results shed more light on Chris Cornell's death

By Nardine Saad

The toxicology findings on the death of Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell indicate that the singer had several prescription drugs in his system when he was found hanged in his Detroit hotel room, a report said Friday.

Hours after his May 18 death, the Wayne County medical examiner's office initially declared that the ‘90s grunge icon had committed suicide by hanging, which his family has disputed.

According to TMZ, Cornell, 52, had the barbiturates butalbital and lorazepam as well as the decongestant pseudoephedrine in his system when he died.

Four fresh track marks found on Cornell's arms were reportedly a result of medics administering another drug -- naloxone -- which is used to counteract narcotics overdoses, the site said.

Vicky Karayiannis, Cornell's widow, who was the first to realize something was amiss with her husband before bodyguards broke down his hotel room door and found him, contended that his death was accidental. She said she hoped the full toxicology report would clear up "unanswered questions."

Following the report, Karayiannis said in a statement that Cornell "was not himself" before he died.

"After so many years of sobriety, this moment of terrible judgement seems to have completely impaired and altered his state of mind. Something clearly went terribly wrong and my children and I are heartbroken and are devastated that this moment can never be taken back," she told People in a statement.

"We very much appreciate all of the love we have received during this extremely difficult time and are dedicated to helping others in preventing this type of tragedy," she added.

Venues cancel Kathy Griffin appearances in wake of Trump photo dust-up

By Nardine Saad

Several venues have canceled shows featuring comic Kathy Griffin in the wake of her presidential beheading controversy.

In addition to being fired from CNN and dropped as spokeswoman for footstool maker Squatty Potty, the two-time Emmy- and Grammy-winning comedian has had five gigs in her Celebrity Run-Ins Tour axed following her inflammatory Tyler Shields pictorial that showcased her holding up a bloody likeness of President Trump's decapitated head.

Route 66 Casino in Albuquerque canceled her July 22 performance, and the Center for the Arts in Grass Valley, Nev., and Uptown Theatre in Napa canceled two June shows. Then, her Nov. 2 appearance at St. George Theatre in Staten Island and her Nov. 3 show at the State Theatre in New Jersey also were nixed.

Organizers at the Grass Valley theater said their decision to cancel was not a reflection of judgment on Griffin, but they couldn't afford to provide security for the event following recent complaints and threats.

"Ms. Griffin's recent actions have severely inhibited our ability to fulfill our mission as a non-profit theatre serving the Staten Island community," St. George said in an online statement.

The State Theatre said it canceled the Nov. 3 show "after careful consideration of recent events and for the safety of our patrons."

Additionally, Democratic Sen. Al Franken, who previously had said that Griffin could bounce back from the controversy, said that "it would be best" for Griffin not to attend a book event that the Minnesota senator had scheduled with her on July 7 at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills.

"I believe what Kathy Griffin did was inappropriate and not something that should be anywhere in our national discourse. I consider her a friend, and I’m glad she realized she crossed the line and apologized," the "Giant of the Senate" author and former comedian told Politico on Thursday night.

"After hearing from many Minnesotans who were rightfully offended, I’ve come to the conclusion that it would be best for her not to participate in the event we had previously scheduled," Franken added. "I understand why Minnesotans were upset by this, and I take that very seriously."

At a news conference Friday, Griffin said the pictorial was "absurdist" art that went over the top. She and her team acknowledged that it was a "bad joke" and confirmed that she is under investigation by the Secret Service.

The 56-year-old said that she had "everybody turn on me" and that Trump mobilized America to ruin her career.

"I don't think I will have a career after this. I’m going to be honest. He broke me. And this isn't right. I apologized because that was the right thing to do, and I meant it," she said, adding, "There's a bunch of old white guys trying to silence me, and I’m just here to say that's wrong. You don't have to like me, but you shouldn't silence a comic."

Thom Yorke responds to criticism of Israel show: ‘It's really upsetting’

By August Brown

Over the last few weeks, a number of artists in Britain and elsewhere signed an open letter urging Radiohead to cancel a planned concert in Tel Aviv.

Those artists -- including Roger Waters, director Ken Loach, author Geoff Dyer and others -- are aligned with the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement that views the Israeli treatment of Palestinians as equivalent to apartheid.

Radiohead singer Thom Yorke responded to the criticism in a new interview with Rolling Stone.

"It's really upsetting that artists I respect think we are not capable of making a moral decision ourselves after all these years," Yorke said. "They talk down to us and I just find it mind-boggling that they think they have the right to do that."

Yorke also plans to give a lecture at an Israeli university and said that, to him, the protests implied that "you can't go talk to other people who want to learn stuff in another country? Really? The one place where you need to be free to express everything you possibly can. You want to tell these people you can't do that? And you think that's gonna help?"

"[If] you create division, what do you get?" he added. "You get... Theresa May. You get Netanyahu, you get... Trump. That's divisive."

Yorke also said that, in particular, the criticism from Waters, who is a longtime advocate for the BDS movement, had started to complicate his personal relationship with Nigel Godrich, Yorke's longtime producer who worked on Waters’ new album.

"Imagine how this has affected me and Nigel's relationship. Thanks, Roger," he said. "I mean, [Nigel and I are] best mates for life, but it's like... really?"

Here's what a defiant Kathy Griffin said at her Trump news conference. (Spoiler: She's not backing down)

By Christie D’Zurilla

If Kathy Griffin wanted people to leave her alone after the photo of her holding a decapitated head in the likeness of President Trump blew up in her face earlier this week, she did little to accomplish that at a news conference she held Friday with the help of two attorneys.

Stating up front that she was extremely nervous and therefore likely to crack jokes, the 56-year-old comic talked about getting death threats, a call from the Secret Service and losing work over her "artistic statement." She flipped from fighting for her rights to fighting tears, and back again, as she accused the Trump family of bullying her.

Here are a few of the more scintillating quotes from the conference, which streamed live on Facebook.

And from attorney Lisa Bloom:

Kathy Griffin on Trump photo controversy: ‘He picked the wrong redhead’

By Nardine Saad

He picked the wrong redhead. ... I’m going to make fun of the president, and I’m going to make fun of him more now. I’m under a Secret Service investigation, and I get what I am. I’m the shiny object. I’m the shiny object so that nobody's talking about his FBI investigation. ... I screwed up, [but] I’m not laying down for this.

— Comedian Kathy Griffin during Friday's news conference

From comic short to movie lead: Here's what Wonder Woman has been up to since her 1941 debut

By Tracy Brown

First introduced in a short comic story in 1941, it took less than a year for Wonder Woman to become the first female superhero to land her own solo comic-book series.

Then it took her 35 years until she was the lead in her own TV show. Seventy-five years after her debut, the Amazonian princess has finally landed her own live-action movie.

Coinciding with "Wonder Woman" soaring into wide theatrical release today, check out our timeline to see what Diana Prince and all her incarnations have been up to all these years.

ABC, Freeform to air Ariana Grande's Manchester benefit concert for U.S. audiences

By Nardine Saad

Ariana Grande's benefit concert in Manchester, England, this weekend will be viewable to U.S. audiences.

Disney's ABC will air a one-hour highlight special of the Ariana Grande & Friends: One Love Manchester Show on Sunday night following the NBA Finals, while its young adult cable network, Freeform, will air the full benefit concert live at 2 p.m. Eastern/Pacific.

The star-studded show — which will benefit victims and families of the May 22 bombing that killed 22 people outside of Grande's Manchester Arena concert — will feature performances by Grande, Justin Bieber, Coldplay, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Pharrell Williams, Take That, Niall Horan, Little Mix, Robbie Williams and the Black Eyed Peas.

The event will take place at the Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester and will air in Britain on BBC, which is producing the show for television.

"This Sunday, when Ariana Grande and her friends return to the stage, the world will stand united with families in Manchester and across the United Kingdom," Ben Sherwood, president of Disney/ABC Television Group and co-chairman of Disney Media Networks, said in a statement. "ABC and Freeform look forward to sharing the music community's message of love, hope and resilience."

Tickets went on sale Thursday and sold out within minutes. Net ticket proceeds will benefit the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund set up by the Manchester City Council in partnership with the British Red Cross.

Kathy Griffin to speak today about Trump pictorial, ‘bullying’ from first family

By Nardine Saad

Comedian Kathy Griffin is set to explain the true motivation behind her gory pictorial that sparked national controversy and got her ousted from CNN this week.

Griffin and her attorney will hold a news conference today at 9 a.m. in Woodland Hills to "respond to the bullying from the Trump family she has endured," she said in a statement.

The sharp-tongued comic has already apologized for the video and photos that showed her toting a likeness of President Trump's bloody, severed head. The president and his wife denounced the graphic images, saying Griffin "should be ashamed of herself" and declaring "a photo opportunity like this is simply wrong."

The Times will be reporting from Griffin's news conference. Stay tuned for more updates.

A Star Is Born: B-Real of Cypress Hill turns 47 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

We’re trying to tell our stories -- in a funky, lively way to make it appealing. We’re real -- that's our biggest asset. We’re a product of the streets. We point out that the life is fast and loose and it can be fun -- in a dark sort of way. But it can kill you too.

— B-Real, 1992

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Cypress Hill - Rap Trio Takes Pro-Pot, Pro-Life Stance

What are your earliest memories of going to the movies? Here are ours

By Los Angeles Times Staff

Times film writers talk about their first movie experiences.

The Golden Age of the multiplex is in the past. Or is it? Theater owners are luring a new generation with upgraded screens and snacks. And even with rising prices, tech distractions and rude patrons, there are still many pleasures to be had at the cinema.

The L.A. Times film staff reminisced about their buttered-popcorn-scented memories and how the theater-going experience (sticky floors and all) made them fall for that old cinematic magic.

Tomorrow, as a sneak preview of Sunday's print section, we’ll unveil online our tribute to the movie house: a look at the past, present and future of moviegoing.

Lorde tells of graceless nights in new party track ‘Perfect Places’

By Nardine Saad

Lorde is taking listeners to "Perfect Places" in the perfectly imperfect way she's known to do.

The Grammy-winning "Royals" singer released the third track from her long-awaited sophomore album, "Melodrama," on Thursday. Lorde writes herself into the hauntingly dark party anthem as it tells of her nightly vaunts and excesses with pals at home in New Zealand.

Every night, I live and dieFeel the party to my bonesWatch the wasters blow the speakersSpill my guts beneath the outdoor lightIt's just another graceless night

That's how the first verse begins, before Lorde confesses:

I hate the headlines and the weatherI’m 19 and I’m on fireBut when we’re dancing I’m all rightIt's just another graceless night.

The artist says "Perfect Places" is one of her favorite tracks from the album and follows the debut single "Green Light" and, more recently, "Liability," both of which she performed on "Saturday Night Live" in March.

Lorde co-produced the entirety of "Melodrama," the follow-up to her 2013 breakout album, "Pure Heroine," with Jack Antonoff.

Now 20, she has said that the record was inspired by her transition into adulthood over the past year.

"I moved out of home and all of a sudden I was kind of figuring out. ‘Who am I when I’m alone? Who am I when I’m doing things just for myself?’ And I feel like you can really hear that on this record," she told Apple Music's Beats 1 radio. "There's definitely moments where it's like, ‘Oh, she really went there.’"

She also told Rolling Stone that "everything written about on the album, give or take a couple of lines, all took place in New Zealand, is about me and my friends."

"Melodrama" is due June 16.

Netflix cancels big-budget sci-fi series ‘Sense8’ after two seasons

By Libby Hill

Netflix continues to clean house, announcing Thursday that it would not be renewing the sci-fi series "Sense8" for a third season.

"After 23 episodes, 16 cities and 13 countries, the story of the ‘Sense8’ cluster is coming to an end," Netflix's vice president of original content, Cindy Holland, said in a statement. "It is everything we and the fans dreamed it would be: bold, emotional, stunning ... and outright unforgettable."

"Never has there been a more truly global show with an equally diverse and international cast and crew, which is only mirrored by the connected community of deeply passionate fans all around the world," the statement added.

This is the most recent cancellation of a high-profile production for the streaming content provider, after last week's announcement that it would not be ordering a second season of the late-’70s period piece "The Get Down."

The canceled series’ share several prominent similarities, including being the first television efforts from visually stunning filmmakers, with Lana and Lilly Wachowski ("The Matrix" trilogy) fueling "Sense8" and Baz Luhrmann ("Moulin Rouge," "Romeo + Juliet") helming "The Get Down."

Perhaps more importantly, however, are the hefty budgets each series required.

"From a budget standpoint and a running time, it's every bit as big, if not bigger, than their feature films," Netflix's chief content officer, Ted Sarandos, said of the Wachowskis’ series in 2015, and estimates placed the show's per-episode budget at $9 million.

In 2016, Variety reported that because of production troubles "The Get Down" overspent its original budget of $7.5 million per episode and ended up costing somewhere north of $120 million.

Despite the cancellations, Netflix continues to have plenty of original content for subscribers, with the final season of "Bloodline" having debuted on Friday, the fifth season of "House of Cards" making its bow Tuesday and Season 5 of "Orange Is the New Black" on the clock for a June 9 release.

Feel like the world is ending? The latest trailer for ‘It Comes at Night’ suggests what is to come

By Mark Olsen

"Paranoia is just a kind of awareness, and awareness is just another form of love."

Not many films would want to cite a quotation from Charles Manson as part of their ad campaign, but "It Comes at Night" is apparently an unusual film. Its latest trailer includes onscreen quotations attributed to Manson, Sylvia Plath, Aristotle and T.S. Eliot.

Joel Edgerton, Carmen Ejogo and Kelvin Harrison Jr. portray a family struggling to adapt to life in the aftermath of some cataclysmic event. Gas masks, ammunition and a mounting dread have become part of their routine when they cross paths with another family, played by Christopher Abbott and Riley Keough, looking to protect their own infant son. A small experiment in sharing and mutual understanding soon gives way to something much darker.

"It Comes at Night" is written and directed by Trey Edward Shults, who won the grand jury prize at the South by Southwest Film Festival for his 2015 debut, "Krisha." Like that film, "It Comes at Night" makes the most of limited means, as the new flick takes place in essentially one location and draws much of its suspense from what is not seen rather than what is.

Having premiered to raves at the recent Overlook Film Festival, "It Comes at Night" may prove to be the movie for anyone recently feeling as if the end of the world is here and wondering what comes next.

A24 will release "It Comes at Night" on June 9.

Ariana Grande's star-studded Manchester benefit concert sells out in minutes

By Nardine Saad

Ariana Grande's benefit concert for Manchester bombing victims has sold out in minutes.

Tickets for Sunday's Ariana Grande & Friends: One Love Manchester show, which features a star-studded lineup, went on sale on Thursday and were bought up with haste. The rush prompted Ticketmaster to reopen registration to accommodate fans who were at Grande's ill-fated May 22 concert in which 22 people died and dozens more were injured in a suicide bombing.

A fake Twitter account for the event incorrectly tweeted that tickets were gone in 6 minutes, a rep for Ticketmaster said. The ticket seller set aside 14,200 tickets for people who were at the May 22 concert, and more than 25,000 people applied for them — 10,000 of which were unscrupulous applications.

So the online retailer is extending Thursday's deadline "to ensure that tickets go to the actual fans and not the opportunists or touts who have also been applying for free tickets."

"We want to give all fans who were at the show, regardless of where they bought their tickets, every opportunity to register for One Love Manchester, so we have opened up the registration again today, until 2 pm," a Ticketmaster rep said in the statement.

Those who attended the May 22 show have been offered free tickets upon verification of their original tickets. Otherwise, the price is $52.

"Ticketmaster was unsurprisingly met with remarkable demand for One Love Manchester tickets we had on sale this morning – 140,000 fans were on the website and our call center was buzzing," Ticketmaster said. "With over 450,000 searches on our site for One Love Manchester over the last 24 hours, demand was always going to be extremely high. We are happy to report that there are thousands of fans who successfully purchased tickets during the general onsale."

The pop star's Grandaritour, Inc. will donate the net proceeds from the concert to the British Red Cross Society for its Manchester Emergency Fund supporting the families of the attack. The amount is expected to exceed $2.5 million, Ticketmaster said.

The show will take place at the Emirates Old Trafford cricket ground, which accommodates 50,000 when configured for a music event. Manchester Arena, where the bombing took place, seated 22,000.

Grande assembled an impressive slate of musicians for the concert, which features Justin Bieber, the Black Eyed Peas, Coldplay, Miley Cyrus, Niall Horan, Little Mix, Katy Perry, Take That, Usher, Robbie Williams and Pharrell Williams. Those who can't make it to the show can view it on a livestream, details of which will be announced later.

The former Nickelodeon star had promised a swift return to Manchester to spend time with fans and put on the benefit. Almost immediately after the attack, she returned home to Florida and suspended her Dangerous Woman tour through June 5, which affected seven shows. She is expected to resume the tour June 7 in Paris.

Big day for Arcade Fire fans: Band unveils new album, tour and video

By August Brown

After a week of dropping mysterious clues, including an eerily uneventful video stream claiming it's "Live From Death Valley," Arcade Fire announced a new album and tour on Thursday, coinciding with the release of a new video, too.

Now signed to Columbia Records, after leaving longtime label Merge Records, the beloved indie rockers revealed that "Everything Now," the follow-up to 2013's "Reflektor," will be released on July 28. The band also unveiled a massive tour that will roll into the Forum in Inglewood on Oct. 20. Full tour itinerary is here.

Arcade Fire's website offers a pre-order for the new album. In the meantime, the disco-driven title track will have to hold over fans eager to hear new music. Watch and hear "Everything Now" above.

Update, 2:45 p.m.: This story was updated with information about the band announcing a new album and tour dates.

Watch Kenneth Branagh as Poirot in first trailer for ‘Murder on the Orient Express’

By Mark Olsen

The first trailer has been released for the upcoming adaptation of Agatha Christie's classic whodunit mystery "Murder on the Orient Express." Kenneth Branagh is directing the film and stars as the fastidious Belgian detective Hercule Poirot.

The screenplay is credited to Michael Green, who is having quite a year, having also worked on "Logan," "Alien: Covenant," "Blade Runner 2049" and the TV series "American Gods."

In the "Murder" story, a group of passengers are all stranded on a snowbound train and soon everyone is a suspect following the mysterious death of a fellow traveler. The cast includes Penelope Cruz. Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley, Josh Gad, Olivia Colman, Leslie Odom Jr., Lucy Boynton and Derek Jacobi.

Sidney Lumet directed a 1974 adaptation of the book that featured a similar all-star cast. Albert Finney played Poirot alongside Ingrid Bergman, Vanessa Redgrave, Lauren Bacall, Sean Connery, John Gielgud, Martin Balsam, Jacqueline Bisset, Michael York, Anthony Perkins and Richard Widmark. Bergman won her third Oscar with the film.

"Murder on the Orient Express" is in theaters Nov. 10. The film recently unveiled its first poster.

Get ready to board the train this Fall! #murderontheorientexpress🚊 #orientexpressmovie pic.twitter.com/KUKqnFVo89

‘Covfefe’ reminds Samantha Bee that President Trump really does have the best words

By Chris Barton

It was the typo heard ‘round the world.

"Covfefe," a simple goof of the fingers or, if you believe the White House press secretary, a message President Trump and "a small group of people" understood perfectly, transformed all of Twitter into an over-caffeinated writer's room on Tuesday night. So why wouldn't the people paid to do exactly that have a turn as well?

Samantha Bee and her "Full Frontal" staff acquitted themselves nicely during a segment on Wednesday night. "Trump is right, he really does have the best words," Bee enthused, a reference to a line from the campaign trail. "And he spelled it right!"

But Bee primarily celebrated the ridiculousness surrounding the errant message for its unifying effect in the face of recent political turmoil. "For that glorious interlude between midnight and 5 a.m., we were like passengers on the Titanic who decided to say ... it and rock out to the band," she said.

Bee then proceeded to recap the recent presidential trip abroad mixed with footage from "Mad Max: Fury Road" and a stunt from "Jackass," which both make a lot more sense once you see the video.

The segment features actual writer's room profanity as well instead of those three dots above, so we can't embed the clip. But you can watch it here. And may we never speak of covfefe again.

Al Gore on climate change battle: ‘The task is to summon political will’

By Kenneth Turan

Late last month, Times film critic Kenneth Turan talked with Al Gore about his upcoming documentary "An Inconvenient Sequel." Much of the film's action centers on the signing of the 2015 Paris climate accord. Later today, President Trump is expected to announce his decision on whether to reverse the U.S. commitment to the the agreement.

IT HAS NOT BEEN a very good year for those concerned with climate change. The U.S. is considering leaving the landmark Paris climate pact, a hostile appointee leads the Environmental Protection Agency and right-wing websites chortle, "Trump's Latest Move Will Make Al Gore Fry."

But is Al Gore himself despondent or depressed about it all? Not in the slightest.

"I’ve been inoculated in the year 2000," he says, combining a burst of genial good humor with a reference to his presidential election loss to George W. Bush. "I now have a resistance to being disheartened, the antibodies are still thriving in my bloodstream.

"As we all learn, one of the hidden secrets of the human condition is we learn the most from our most painful experiences."

To spend time with Al Gore is to meet a man enough at ease with himself to dress as if for a Senate hearing in white shirt, suit and tie even though he's in the south of France; a warm, engaged, surprisingly funny individual whose innate courtesy has him personally hang a reporter's sport coat on a nearby hotel room hanger.

Yes, he does tend to stay on message when he talks (how could he not) and he likes to draw graphs in the air with his hands ("I’m going to get a little geeky for a moment," he apologizes with a smile, "I’m sorry, it's a failing").

But he combines this with good humored self-awareness and a fiercely committed intelligence.

"If you think I’m earnest now, you should have seen me earlier," he says. "You can't change who you are. At times I’ve tried, but I’m old enough to stop worrying." ...

Gore perseveres because of "the sense of mission, if you’ll forgive an overly lofty word," he says. "It's a privilege to have a task that justifies pouring every ounce of energy into it, that creates a sense of joy, that gives energy back. This may come off wrong, but it's like the line one of the runners says in ‘Chariots of Fire.’ ‘When I run I feel God's pleasure.’ "

Not that it always makes the battle easier. Given that "it can be difficult for people to wrap their minds around the existential threat we’re facing," he says, the result is "those of us who work on climate crisis have an internal struggle between hope and despair.

"But the German economist Rudi Dornbusch said, ‘Things take longer to happen than you think they will and then they happen faster than you thought they could.’

"We still have the ability to avoid catastrophic consequences," Gore insists. "The task is to summon political will."

Jennifer Garner takes issue with People cover story

By Libby Hill

A People magazine cover story has raised the ire of Jennifer Garner, spurring the "Wakefield" actress to "set the record straight" via her Facebook page.

"It has been brought to my attention that there is a People magazine cover and article out today that appear to be coming from me," Garner wrote Wednesday, referring to a story in the magazine's June 12 issue about her transition to life as a single mother.

"I did not pose for this cover. I did not participate in or authorize this article," Garner wrote.

The portion of the People story published online Wednesday cited "an insider" and "a source close to both" Garner and soon-to-be ex-husband Ben Affleck when speculating as to when Garner might begin dating again.

Garner and Affleck separated in June 2015 and filed officially for divorce last month, seeking joint physical and legal custody of their three children: Violet, 11, Seraphina, 9, and Samuel, 5.

In her Facebook post, Garner took a breezy tone, citing previous experiences with celebrity journalism that resulted in loved ones thinking she had neglected to tell them she was pregnant. ("Geez Louise," the actress exclaimed.)

Garner went on to explain that her action this time was to ensure that her mother's garden club didn't start calling her to demand details for a story the actress states she had no part in.

Geez Louise indeed, Jen.

A spokesperson for People stood behind their story when contacted for comment by The Times.

"People covers Hollywood stars beloved by our audience, and our story on Jennifer Garner is fair and truthful. To be clear, it does not include rumors and does not say she's pregnant. We wish her well."

Update, 10:40 a.m.: This article was updated with a statement from People.

Megyn Kelly scores one-on-one interview with Vladimir Putin for debut of new NBC show

By Nardine Saad

Megyn Kelly already has a major exclusive for NBC: She’ll be interviewing Russian President Vladimir Putin one-on-one this week.

The former Fox News anchor, who has repeatedly drawn the ire of President Trump and parted ways with Fox this year after 12 years with the network, is already set to moderate a forum with Putin in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Friday as part of the International Economic Forum. Kelly will sit down with the controversial leader afterward.

"So we just got word this morning that President Putin has agreed to sit with yours truly for a one-on-one interview at the conclusion of tomorrow's forum and I’ll get the chance to ask him directly about these allegations of meddling and the prospect of our two countries working together, and beyond. So, that oughta be fun," she said on NBC's "Today" show on Thursday.

Just learned this morning Vladimir Putin will sit down one-on-one with me tomorrow after the forum. Exclusive interview Sunday 7/6c on NBC pic.twitter.com/a4NydtzcSc

The confab will be part of Kelly's debut on her NBC newsmagazine show, "Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly," which launches this Sunday and will be go against CBS’ "60 Minutes."

"I’ve never done one of these [newsmagazines] before and I will submit to you that I have my own irreverent style of covering the news," she told The Times in a recent interview. "I think the whole nature of the show feels a little more cutting edge, a little more dynamic. I think it's going to take a few more risks. Not risks with the facts but where we go and how we cover these people."

A Star Is Born: Morgan Freeman turns 80 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

I like to play characters who are the absolute opposite of me. I think the farther you get from yourself, the more fun you have because the real you is hidden away. Those are the kind of parts where you can become totally empty and let the character fill you up. That's what I look for -- a role that gives me a chance to be someone completely different.

— Morgan Freeman, 1993

FROM THE ARCHIVES: No Sweat: Morgan Freeman Slides Into the Director's Chair