Today in Entertainment: Twitter has a field day over Anthony Scaramucci's exit; Celebrities mourn the loss of Sam Shepard

Jan 15, 2024

CBS’ ‘S.W.A.T.’ reboot ‘will take on the Trump years,’ #BlackLivesMatter, says Shemar Moore

By Meredith Blake

Don't let the funky theme song or the ‘70s origins fool you.

While technically a remake — of both the original series and the subsequent 2003 film based on it — CBS’ upcoming cop drama "S.W.A.T." is very plugged into the current moment, according to its cast and creators.

In the series, former "Criminal Minds" star Shemar Moore plays a native Angeleno who runs a tactical unit for the LAPD and finds his loyalty torn between his fellow officers and the community in which he was raised.

As co-creator Aaron Rahsaan Thomas told reporters Tuesday at the Television Critics Assn. press tour, the series was inspired by his experiences growing up in Kansas City, which have helped him understand both sides of the raging debate over police violence.

"I grew up in a neighborhood that had a very complicated view towards police officers," said Thomas, who created the series with veteran showrunner Shawn Ryan. "On one hand, a 12-year-old kid who was a neighbor of mine was shot and killed by a police officer. On the other hand, another neighbor of mine was an actual police officer."

Moore, best known for his long run on the CBS procedural "Criminal Minds," noted the diversity of the cast and creative team and added that, while the show is primarily designed to entertain, it will also resonate politically.

"We’re taking on the Trump years," he said. "I don't care who you voted for. It's just what's happening today. It's Black Lives Matter. As much as some people don't want to hear it, it's All Lives Matter. It's not just black versus blue or black versus white. It's every ethnicity. It's fear. It's racism. It's terrorism. It's subject matter of today."

Ryan, who created the groundbreaking drama "The Shield," about corrupt Los Angeles police officers, said he was excited about the chance to examine the often charged relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

"Los Angeles is such a diverse, amazing community, and seeing an officer who kind of lives in the city and sort of sees the people that are being policed as humans and as neighbors and as friends was really important to me."

Netflix getting ‘A Little Help’ from Carol Burnett

By Libby Hill

What do you get when you pair up a living legend with a bunch of little kids? Comedy gold, if Netflix has its way.

The online streaming service announced Monday that comedy icon Carol Burnett will be returning to television with "A Little Help With Carol Burnett," an original unscripted series that pairs Burnett with children to tackle life's dilemmas.

"Someone once asked me how old I am inside," Burnett said in a statement Monday. "I thought about it and came up with, ‘I’m about 8.’ So it's going to be a lot of fun playing with kids my age."

Kids ages 4 to 8 will join Burnett as celebrities and everyday folks bring their real-life problems to the show to get advice in front of a live studio audience.

"We’re thrilled Carol is bringing her unique sensibilities to Netflix," Bela Bajaria, the service's vice president of content acquisition, said in Monday's announcement. "Carol is truly a legend in the entertainment industry with unprecedented success and fandom across TV, film and the stage, and we are both honored and excited to work with her."

"A Little Help With Carol Burnett" will be produced by Dick Clark Productions and is the company's first Netflix project.

This is the second television project announced this year for Burnett, 84. In February, ABC ordered a pilot for the multi-camera comedy "Household Name," starring Burnett, though the series has not been picked up in its current iteration.

Debuting in 2018, "A Little Help With Carol Burnett" will feature 12 half-hour episodes.

Anthony Scaramucci is out and Twitter is having a field day

By Libby Hill

To lift a line from the pop song "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye," go ahead and kiss Anthony Scaramucci goodbye.

It's been a robust 10 days since the former Goldman Sachs investment banker, affectionately known as "the Mooch," started his new job as White House communications director. And what a whirlwind 10 days they were.

During that time, Scaramucci's estranged wife, Deirdre Ball, gave birth to their second child. Scaramucci was not present for the birth, busy as he was at his new job in Washington, D.C.

On Wednesday, Scaramucci lashed out on Twitter at then White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, seemingly implying that Priebus had leaked a publicly available financial disclosure form to Politico, tagging both the FBI and Justice Department in the tweet.

On Thursday, Scaramucci took to the CNN morning show "New Day" to continue his attack on Priebus. Later that day, New Yorker magazine writer Ryan Lizza confirmed that Scaramucci had spoken to him via phone Wednesday night and called Priebus a "paranoid schizophrenic" and had, somehow, even worse (vulgar) things to say about White House strategist Stephen K. Bannon.

All of which led to Priebus’ unceremonious dismissal from his position on Friday, with the White House announcing that former general and current Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly would be replacing him.

Hopefully, Scaramucci enjoyed his weekend because it took only a few hours Monday before it was announced that he was the latest ouster in the revolving door that is the Trump administration.

In a statement released Monday, the White House said it "felt it was best to give Chief of Staff Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team."

Twitter, unsurprisingly, is beside itself.

Here are a few choice takes from social media. Fare thee well, Mooch. We hardly knew ye.

You blazed across our skies like a comet, but you flew too close to the sun, dear Mooch.

I can't stop laughing about Scaramucci doing that crazy speech about Donald Trump sinking foul shots. FOR WHAT? FOR WHAT MOOCH?

Unfortunately for the Mooch, the minimum tenure to get invited to the annual WH Comms Directors Reunion is 3 weeks

Don't think The Mooch isn't about clap back. #Mooch pic.twitter.com/ShPnv0AmXK

The Mooch is out! Let's go live to Reince Priebus and Sean Spicer for a reaction. pic.twitter.com/ILS8mCV0jd

Somehow, Scaramucci managed to miss his child's birth AND force his wife to divorce him in his ONLY week on the job. That takes talent.

gotta add "scaramucci" to the dictionary as a measure of time

Is someone gently holding Scaramucci's ex by the shoulders because a week postpartum is a tough time to laugh so hard

I need Scaramucci's wife to text him "My condolences on the loss of your job. I will pray for you." If she hasn't already

For the Record

1:45 a.m.: In a previous version of this post, Deirdre Ball's first name was misspelled as Diedre.

Ken Burns explains why his Vietnam War documentary is more relevant than ever

By Libby Hill

"History doesn't repeat itself," Ken Burns told a room of journalists gathered Sunday at the Television Critics Assn. summer press tour in Beverly Hills

"We’re not condemned to repeat what we don't remember," Burns explained. "It's that human nature never changes."

It's a curious statement from the storied documentarian, particularly given his latest project, the 18-hour, 10-part documentary series "The Vietnam War," directed with Lynn Novick.

But just because humanity isn't trapped in a constantly repeating cycle doesn't mean that the echoes of modern strife aren't plentiful throughout the upcoming PBS series.

"This is a story about mass demonstrations all across the country against the current administration," Burns said in response to a question about what the youth of America will find relevant in "The Vietnam War." "About a White House obsessed with leaks and in disarray because of those leaks, about a president railing against you, the news media, for making up news.

"It's about asymmetrical warfare, which even the mighty might of the United States Army can't figure out the correct strategy to take, and it's about big document drops of classified material that's been hacked, that suddenly is dumped into the public sphere, destabilizing the conventional wisdom about really important topics and accusations that a political campaign reached out to a foreign power at the time of a national election to influence that election.

"This is the film we started in 2006, and every single one of those points are points about the Vietnam War having nothing to do with today," Burns concluded.

By creating a fully-formed picture of Vietnam, Burns hopes to shed light on the rancor and alienation defining this present moment, he explained.

For Novick, the thematic relevance only serves to help teachers who have long struggled in tackling the Vietnam War.

"We’ve had great response from teachers already that the Vietnam War is difficult to teach because it's controversial and unsettled history and they’re looking forward to using the film in the classroom," Novick said. "Those resonances that Ken is talking about, those will be assignments for students. We’re not going to have to work very hard with teachers to come up with those themes, and students are curious about what's happening now."

"The Vietnam War" premieres Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. PDT

Goodbye, MTV Moonman trophy. Hello, ‘Moon Person’

By Emily Mae Czachor

MTV's token space cadet just scored an identity revamp — and gender didn't make the cut.

In a recent interview with the New York Times, MTV President Chris McCarthy said the network's iconic Moonman trophy has been discontinued. From now on, the metallic figurine — whose impenetrably opaque helmet has become the unofficial "face" of MTV's Video Music Awards — will go by "Moon Person" instead. Because who knows what's really going on beneath that lacquered astronaut getup, anyway.

"Why should it be a man?" McCarthy told the Times. "It could be a man, it could be a woman, it could be transgender, it could be nonconformist."

This new development is just the latest installment in MTV's string of efforts to do away with gender norms during its awards proceedings. The network eliminated gender-specific categories at its MTV Movie & TV Awards earlier this year, where all nominees were placed in neutral categories (i.e. best actor in a show, best actor in a movie).

And the network isn't going to stop there. McCarthy also announced a new MTV reality series — still in development —called "We Are They" about a group of gender-nonconforming young adults coming of age.

With Katy Perry hosting, the VMAs will broadcast from the Forum in Inglewood on Aug. 27. Here's the full list of nominees.

Sam Shepard: Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, actor and ... avant-garde drummer?

By Randall Roberts

Sam Shepard, whose death at 73 was announced on Monday, will be remembered for his cross-discipline versatility. As a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, he penned classic off-Broadway plays including "True West," "Buried Child" and "Fool for Love."

An Oscar-nominated actor, he starred in films including "Days of Heaven," "The Right Stuff," "Crimes of the Heart" and "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford."

To fans of underground music, however, Shepard served a lesser-known role as the drummer for seminal New York avant-garde folk band the Holy Modal Rounders, with whom he performed on the crucial late 1960s albums "Indian War Whoop" and "The Moray Eels Eat the Holy Modal Rounders."

The band is best known for its song "If You Want to Be a Bird," which plays during the classic scene in "Easy Rider" in which Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda and Jack Nicholson roar down the highway on their motorcycles. That's Shepard playing drums as Rounders founders Peter Stampfel and Steve Weber whoop and yowl.

It was in his capacity as a percussionist, in fact, that he drew the attention of a young Patti Smith, who, in her 2010 memoir "Just Kids," recounted their first early ‘70s meeting at seminal music club the Village Gate.

Escorted to the club by Todd Rundgren, who had just issued his album "Runt," Smith described the Holy Modal Rounders’ set as "like being at an Arabian hoedown with a band of psychedelic hillbillies. I was fixed on the drummer, who seemed as if he was on the lam and had slid behind the drums while cops looked elsewhere."

Smith, who at the time was freelancing for Crawdaddy magazine, introduced herself to this drummer, who said his name was Slim Shadow.

The two started hanging out, wrote Smith, describing his tales as being "even taller than mine. He had an infectious laugh and was rugged, smart, and intuitive. In my mind, he was the fellow with the cowboy mouth."

Only later did she learn Slim's real identity when a friend pulled her aside after seeing them at a restaurant together. As recounted in "Just Kids," Smith wrote that her friend asked, "What are you doing with Sam Shepard?"

"Sam Shepard?" I said. "Oh, no, this guy's name is Slim."

"Honey, don't you know who he is?"

"He's the drummer for the Holy Modal Rounders."

No, corrected her friend, "He's the biggest playwright off-Broadway. He had a play at Lincoln Center. He won five Obies!"

Once she learned of his reputation and acclaim, Smith and Shepard continued to see each other -- despite his being married at the time -- and eventually collaborated on a play called "Cowboy Mouth."

Smith described telling him of nervousness at writing for the stage, which she had never done. But Shepard urged her on, Smith wrote, telling her that "you can't make a mistake when you improvise."

Replied Smith: "What if I screw up the rhythm?"

"You can't," Shepard explained. "It's like drumming. If you miss a beat, you create another."

7:15 a.m. Updated to correct the title of Smith's memoir, "Just Kids," and to identify the Holy Modal Rounders’ co-founders, Stampfel and Weber.

Lady Gaga subpoenaed in producer Dr. Luke's lawsuit against pop singer Kesha

By Randall Roberts

The ongoing offstage drama between the pop singer Kesha and her former producer Dr. Luke has entangled another platinum superstar: Lady Gaga.

On Saturday, attorneys for Dr. Luke, whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald, issued a statement regarding their attempt to depose Lady Gaga about relevant conversations she may have had with Kesha.

The artist, who was born Kesha Sebert, is the subject of a defamation suit filed in New York by Dr. Luke stemming from allegations of sexual misconduct, which the producer vigorously denies.

The statement reads:

"Dr. Luke's counsel served a subpoena on Lady Gaga because she has relevant information regarding, among other things, false statements about Dr. Luke made to her by Kesha. This motion has become necessary because Dr. Luke's counsel has not been able to obtain, despite repeated request [sic], a deposition date from Lady Gaga."

Representatives for Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, said in a statement issued to The Times on Monday morning: "As Lady Gaga's legal team will present to the court, she has provided all of the relevant information in her possession and is at most an ancillary witness in this process. Dr. Luke's team is attempting to manipulate the truth and draw press attention to their case by exaggerating Lady Gaga's role and falsely accusing her of dodging reasonable requests."

Among the information Lady Gaga has provided are copies of text messages that were, according to a report on TMZ, heavily redacted.

Lady Gaga has been a vocal Kesha supporter. Last year, Gaga wrote about her peer's plight in an Instagram post: "The very reason women don't speak up for years is the fear that no one will believe them or their abuser has threatened their life or life of their loved ones/livelihood in order to keep their victim quiet and under control. What happened to Kesha has happened to many female artists, including myself, and it will affect her for the rest of her life."

The news comes at a particularly crucial moment for Kesha's career. On Aug. 11, she will release her highly anticipated new album, "Rainbow." The record, featuring songs such as "Learn to Let Go," will arrive via Dr. Luke's imprint, Kemosabe, a situation Kesha sought to avoid in a 2014 lawsuit of her own, which she later dropped.

‘Ride on, genius’: Celebrities mourn the loss of Sam Shepard

By Emily Mae Czachor

Sam Shepard — Oscar-nominated actor and critically acclaimed playwright, author, screenwriter and director — died on July 27 after suffering complications from ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). When news of his death broke Monday morning, Twitter erupted with posts to mourn, honor and remember one of show business’ beloved renaissance men.

This story was updated with additional reactions.

Macaulay Culkin got his first tattoo with goddaughter Paris Jackson, and it's a match

By Emily Mae Czachor

For Paris Jackson, getting inked is nothing out of the ordinary. With more than 50 tattoos already under her belt, the 19-year-old daughter of late pop king Michael Jackson collects body art like postage stamps.

According to E! News, the budding actress got her latest over the weekend: an understated sketch of a red spoon, just below the crook of her left arm.

A new tattoo might be old-hat for Jackson, but it wasn't for Macaulay Culkin, Jackson's 36-year-old godfather -- and first-time tattoo patron -- who emerged from West Hollywood's Tattoo Mania with a matching spoon on his own forearm.

Though neither Jackson nor Culkin spoke to the meaning of the double-inking, the design is supposedly meant to represent a kind of chronic struggle.

And that's not the only news that Culkin made recently. The Internet nearly lost its collective mind last week when a new photo emerged of the "Home Alone" actor looking healthy and happy. E! News even declared that Culkin "definitely just won 2017's greatest makeover."

Your eyes aren't deceiving you. Macaulay Culkin definitely just won 2017's greatest makeover (thus far, at least). https://t.co/IdKjxii5KZ pic.twitter.com/SOAuSx57oU

Alex Jones’ products are almost as bad as his conspiracy theories, says John Oliver

By Meredith Blake

Over the last year, conspiracy theorist and influential radio host Alex Jones has come under intense scrutiny for his fringe beliefs, most notably his claim that the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School was a hoax perpetrated by the government.

On Sunday's "Last Week Tonight," John Oliver noted that Jones’ status as a Sandy Hook "truther" qualified him for an Easy Pass to "hell's version of the champagne room." But he spent most of his time on a relatively overlooked aspect of Jones’ conspiracy empire -- the wide range of products that he sells in order to fund it.

According to Oliver, Jones spends nearly a quarter of his airtime plugging InfoWars-branded merchandise, including Wake Up America Patriot coffee to Combat One Tactical Bath Wipes and a powder called Caveman True Paleo (made from "chocolate and domesticated bird corpses," Oliver joked).

As the comedian pointed out, it just so happens that many of the products Jones sells, often at a significant markup, purport to address the conspiracy theories with equally wild-eyed zeal. Think: water filters to remove chemicals that supposedly turn frogs gay or vitamins to boost your immunity and ward off germs from allegedly disease-ridden refugees.

Jones even has his own in-house "expert," Dr. Edward Group, with dubious qualifications (and equally questionable hair) to back up his various outlandish claims.

InfoWars is essentially a "QVC for conspiracy," Oliver argued.

So in the spirit of InfoWars, Oliver decided to introduce his own personal care product, John Oliver Moisture-Armored Tactical Assault Wipes, available via Infowipes.com. The price? A mere $1 million. Worth every penny, we’re sure.

You can watch the complete segment here.

A Star Is Born: J.K. Rowling turns 52 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

One of my strengths, I think, is that I am able to know when I haven't done my best. I think I’m generally able to see where I fall short.

— J.K. Rowling, 2000

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Upward and Onward Toward Book Seven -- Her Way

Vintage ‘Casablanca’ poster sells for $478,000

By Tre’vell Anderson

How much would someone pay for a vintage movie poster? Well, if that film is "Casablanca," one person's answer is $478,000.

That's how much a bidder coughed up Saturday for the only known surviving Italian-issue poster for the 1942 film starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. The poster sold through Heritage Auctions of Dallas.

"The buyer has just set a world record and acquired what we in the poster collecting world would equate to a masterpiece," said Grey Smith, Heritage's director of vintage posters. "The stunning artistry put into this poster makes it stand head and shoulders above any paper produced for the film."

The poster, measuring 55.5 inches by 78.25 inches, was produced in 1946. The film opened in Italy on Nov. 21 that year, almost four years after its U.S. premiere. Featuring artwork by Luigi Martinati, the poster is considered the best of the picture's numerous advertisements, Smith said.

Previous Italian-issue posters for the film have sold for as much as $203,000. A U.S.-issue of the poster has fetched $191,200.

The auction featured other rare posters for the film, with a half-sheet going for $65,725, and a postwar Spanish-release poster selling for $35,850.

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For the Record

An earlier version of this article misstated the purchase price of the "Casablanca" poster sold Saturday as $487,000.

Why people are tweeting #NoConfederate during tonight's ‘Game of Thrones’

By Greg Braxton

"Confederate," HBO's controversial alternate history series, which will include dramatizations of modern-day slavery and has come under fire since its announcement earlier this month, will be the target of a social media protest during Sunday's episode of "Game of Thrones."

April Reign, the activist behind #OscarsSoWhite is one of the organizers of the protest which is asking people to tweet to @hbo using the hashtag #NoConfederate during the 9 p.m. East Coast and West Coast broadcasts of "Game of Thrones." The series is being developed by "Game of Thrones" creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, who are white. The pair invited husband and wife writer-producers Malcolm Spellman ("Empire") and Nichelle Tramble Spellman ("The Good Wife"), who are black, to join the creative team for the show.

"We want to show HBO the power of social media of those who are against this show, and demonstrate that there is a unified voice against ‘Confederate," Reign said in a phone interview. "Our objective is for HBO to cancel this idea and spend no more money on it."

We know we have the power to make change. Let's show @hbo how many people are against #Confederate. Please join us Sunday w/ #NoConfederate.

This Sunday at 9pm ET, during @GameOfThrones, we ask you to stand with us. We want to send a message to @hbo using hashtag #NoConfederate.

Reign said she and others are tired of the pain of African Americans "being commodified for others’ enjoyment." Author Roxane Gay echoed this exhaustion in a recent opinion piece for the New York Times headlined "I Don't Want to Watch Slavery Fan Fiction."

Reign stressed that the protest was not a boycott of HBO, which airs the critically-acclaimed comedy "Insecure," co-created by and starring African American actress and writer Issa Rae, a half hour after "Game of Thrones."

Said Reign, "We feel that HBO's money, time and energy can be better placed on a different idea."

The sci-fi-tinged series revolves around events that lead to the "Third American Civil War" and examines an alternate reality in which the South seceded from the Union and thus, slavery is still legal in part of the country.

Last week Benioff, Weiss and the Spellmans responded to the criticisms in an article in Vulture, explaining the genesis of the idea and saying they expected initial reactions to be negative.

"It's an ugly and a painful history," said Weiss, who called slavery America's "original sin."

"But we all think this is a reason to talk about it, not a reason to run from it. And this feels like a potentially valuable way to talk about it."

In discussing how they came aboard Malcolm Spellman said that he and his wife felt a sense of urgency in furthering a discussion about race in America. "As people of color and minorities in general are starting to get a voice, I think there's a duty to force this discussion."

Tramble Spellman said she understands people's concerns about such volatile subject matter, but noted that she wished they’d reserved judgment on "whether or not we succeeded in what we set out to do" until they had seen the show, which is still in development.

Earlier this week, Casey Bloys, spresident of HBO programming, echoed that sentiment during the premium network's session at the summer edition of the Television Critics Assn. gathering at the Beverly Hilton.

"My hope is people will judge the actual material instead of what it could be or should be or might be."

But Reign said Bloys’ defense of "Confederate" fell short: "‘’Wait and see’ is what we were told about the Trump administration."

She also repeated criticisms of "Game of Thrones," saying that Benioff and Weiss had been negligent in including blacks and other people of color in key roles both in front of and behind the camera on that show.

"We’re still living in a time where there are protests about Confederate monuments coming down," Reign said. "How much history are we talking about? These are living concerns today."

‘There is no Plan B’ for public broadcasting without federal funding, PBS president says

By Libby Hill

PBS President and Chief Executive Paula Kerger wasn't pulling any punches Sunday at the Television Critics Assn. summer press tour in Beverly Hills.

"When people say, ‘What is the Plan B for [loss of federal funding]?’ There is no Plan B for that," Kerger said of the potential budget crisis public broadcasting faces under the Trump administration.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has been under fire for months, with President Trump's proposed budget axing the institution's $450-million budget.

Though it's easy to suggest that budget cuts would threaten Big Bird's livelihood, the true victims of defunding would be far more human.

Kerger explained that of PBS’ $450-million budget, one-third goes to radio. Of the television budget, most goes to community service grants that local stations use for up to 50% of their operating budgets.

"PBS itself will not go away. But a number of our stations will. If you are a station for whom 30 or 40 or 50% of your funding is suddenly pulled away, there's no way you can make up that money," Kerger said. "You will find big parts of the country that will suddenly be without public broadcasting."

The fate of public broadcasting is currently in flux, waiting for the end of Congress’ August recess for resolution. Currently, the House Appropriations Committee has approved the bulk of the PBS budget, while the House Budget Committee recommended doing away with funding altogether.

Budget concerns aside, Kerger also addressed other unresolved PBS matters.

The second seat of "PBS NewsHour" has been vacant since the untimely death of co-host Gwen Ifill in November 2016, leaving Judy Woodruff as the show's sole anchor.

"We have encouraged [executive producer] Sara Just and Judy Woodruff and the team at ‘NewsHour’ to take their time and think very carefully about who that right person [to replace Ifill] is," Kerger said. "I’m hopeful that they will be making an announcement sometime over the next few months of a new anchor."

Kerger also announced an upcoming project aimed at inspiring the country to come together in celebration of literature.

"The Great American Read" is an eight-part series launching in spring 2018 that explores the nation's 100 best-loved books, chosen by the American people and culminating in the first-ever national vote to choose "America's Best-Loved Book."

‘AMC Visionaries’ adds Eli Roth, Roots, Gibney for new docu-series

By Meredith Woerner

AMC announced several additions to its upcoming "Visionaries" docu-series Saturday at the Television Critics Assn. summer press tour in Beverly Hills.

Writer-director-actor Eli Roth ("Cabin Fever," "Hostel") will be offering a deeper look into his signature style of genre filmmaking with "Eli Roth's History of Horror" (working title) and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter (founding members of The Roots) and Alex Gibney (‘Going Clear," "History of the Eagles") will executive produce a series called "Rap Yearbook" (another working title). The cable network also has three other installments in development: "History of Video Games," "Outlaws of the Internet," and "History of Martial Arts."

The new "Visionaries" members join the previously announced programs "Robert Kirkman's Secret History of Comics" and "James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction."

Kirkman and Roth were present at the AMC panel with Cameron appearing via satellite to show sneak peeks from the comics and sci-fi iterations of the series.

A sizzle reel for the "Secret History of Comics" utilized plenty of classic panel pages and a sort of motion comic-like animation to illustrate the early days of Marvel Comics, going all the way back to the Stan Lee and Jack Kirby days. But the real treat was a collection of cameos, famous faces opining about their love of the form including Lee himself, J.K. Simmons, Kevin Smith, and Method Man, who earnestly revealed, "You have to be born a comic book fan, I think." And there are plenty more talking heads to come, the AMC press release promised Patty Jenkins, Lynda Carter, Famke Janssen, Michelle Rodriguez, and Todd McFarlane.

The second clip shared a look at Cameron's love letter to science fiction. "Today, science fiction is mainstream but it didn't used to be that way," the director explained. "When I was a kid science fiction wasn't cool, but I thought it was cool." Cameron wants to focus on closing the gap between current fans’ knowledge of modern day sci-fi to the pioneering works of literature that inspired the blockbuster offerings of today. The "Terminator" and "Avatar" director noted that without Jules Verne and H.G. Wells there would be no Avengers, "Star Wars" or his own works. The series will be divided by theme -- space travel, time travel etc.-- and include appearances from Paul W. Anderson, Roland Emmerich, Paul Verhoeven, Bryan Singer, Keanu Reeves, Jonathan Nolan, David Gerrold and D.C. Fontana.

When asked how their respective series would showcase diversity -- the footage screened was very male-centric -- Kirkman responded that "History of Comics" would have two episodes devoted to diversity. One will focus on the women who helped Wonder Woman creator William Moulton Marston steer the course of the hugely famous female superhero, and another highlighting people of color titled "The Color of Comics."

The episode "explores the history of black characters, and the lack of black characters in the comic book industry," said Kirkman. "which touches on the creation of Black Panther — the Marvel character — and does a really cool focus on this company called Milestone Comics that was founded by a group of African American comic book creators to create characters that appealed to them and represented them, because there was a huge lack of representation in comics even in the ‘90s."

"You wouldn't have horror without Mary Shelley and ‘Frankenstein,’" Roth added. He cited the late George Romero as an example of how he wants to break down the themes within the horror genre. "At the height of the civil rights movement [Romero] puts an African American as the lead of ‘Night of the Living Dead’ and at the end of the movie he's shot by a bunch of rednecks. Not because of the color of his skin, but because they think he's a zombie. But you can read into the implications of that. What [Romero] was doing with using genre to explore racism was so ahead of its time. it's just as potent today as it was 50 years ago. It's absolutely something we’re going to be discussing."

Roth's urgency to document the horror masters was apparent. It was the death of "Scream" moviemaker Wes Craven that inspired Roth to get involved in "Visionaries."

The panel then took a turn for the analytical when the creators were asked how their series would reflect the world today.

"The fact that dystopian science fiction has come back, especially in television and in movies, is very important," said Cameron. "It means that in the age that we live in right now the challenges that face us are technological. They’re science challenges: climate change, genetics, artificial intelligence, things like that. These are really on our horizon as major, existential threats."

"The best horror reflects what's going on in our times," said Roth. He used Jordan Peele's "Get Out" — which addressed modern day racial tensions— as a reference. "It's no accident that movie coming out right now is making over $200 million at the box office. You can tell it's really resonating with people."

Bouncing off Cameron's dystopia revelation, Roth then turned his lens onto the current political climate, "I don't think we’ve ever seen a cast of characters like this in our White House that's straight out of WWF wrestling in the ‘80s. When [Anthony Scaramucci] is coming out with things that would make ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper in his heyday blush. This is a farce, is this actually happening?"

When will we start seeing this dystopian outlook on the current political climate in the movies? Possibly before Roth's series, which will air sometime in 2018, after "History of Comics" and the "Story of Science Fiction" in 2017.

A Star Is Born: Arnold Schwarzenegger turns 70 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

Imagine getting off the boat. Someone calls and says, ‘I hear you’re Mr. Universe. Do you want to be in a movie?’ I say, ‘Sure.’ And all of a sudden I am running with the chariots through Central Park. Of course, no one can expect much of one's performance but it was on-the-job training.

— Arnold Schwarzenegger, 1991

FROM THE ARCHIVES: REAL HOLLYWOOD MUSCLE: No Star Makes More Money, Wields More Power or Has More Fun

President Trump got a fan letter from a young boy this week. Stephen Colbert introduced another young ‘fan’ Friday

By Greg Braxton

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders took time during a White House briefing this week to read a fan letter to President Trump from a 9-year-old boy named Dylan who has the nickname of "Pickle."

Sanders read part of the letter to reporters: "You’re my favorite President ... I don't know why people don't like you." Sanders interjected, "Neither do I, Dylan."

The letter continued, "You seem really nice. Can we be friends?" Sanders assured Pickle that she had spoken directly to Trump about him, and the president would "be more than happy to be your friend."

Stephen Colbert on Friday brought another young "fan" of Trump's onstage Friday night to read her own letter during his CBS "Late Show."

"Dear President, my name is Norah, but everybody calls me ‘Mustard,’" the little girl recited. She continued, "You’re my favorite current president."

Norah then presented some probing questions to Trump: "I was wondering, does the attorney general enjoy your full support? And how do you plan to implement the ban on transgender people currently serving in the military? Will those on active duty be called home? Sounds like a logistical nightmare."

She continued, "One more thing: Are you a puppet of Vladimir Putin? I love puppets! I made one at camp! Love, Mustard."

The "Late Show" audience cheered.

Broadway's ‘Great Comet’ producer apologizes for controversial Mandy Patinkin casting

By Nardine Saad

The producer behind Broadway's struggling musical "Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812" has joined the apologetic refrain for the diversity uproar that followed the decision to bring in Mandy Patinkin to replace departing star Okieriete "Oak" Onaodowan, who is black.

The production came under fire this week following its move to replace Onaodowan, who was in the original cast of "Hamilton," with Tony Award winner Patinkin in a titular role.

"As part of our sincere efforts to keep ‘Comet’ running for the benefit of its cast, creative team, crew, investors and everyone else involved, we arranged for Mandy Patinkin to play Pierre," co-producer Howard Kagan said in an official statement posted Friday on Twitter.

Kagan said they had the wrong impression of how Onaodowan felt about Patinkin's casting and how it would be received by members of the theater community, "which we appreciate is deeply invested in the success of actors of color – as are we – and to whom we are grateful for bringing this to our attention."

"We regret our mistake deeply, and wish to express our apologies to everyone who felt hurt and betrayed by these actions," he said.

The legendary Broadway star dropped out of the musical on Friday after the announcement that he would be replacing the African American star was met with disdain. Patinkin was to join the cast for a limited run from Aug. 15 through Sept. 3, but declined the part because he "would never accept a role knowing it would harm another actor."

"I hear what members of the community have said and I agree with them. I am a huge fan of Oak and I will, therefore, not be appearing in the show," the "Homeland" alum tweeted.

Another tweet on the show's account included an apology to Patinkin "for any misunderstanding" and said they understood his decision to withdraw from the show.

Our deepest apologies. pic.twitter.com/Mks7XLGxbq

pic.twitter.com/vSZk6K2KOV

Onaodowan, who had replaced recording artist Josh Groban in the role of Pierre earlier this month, is scheduled to continue to perform through Aug. 13, after which, he stated Friday on Twitter, he will not return to the show. It is unclear if his decision to leave the production was his own or prompted by other factors.

Show creator Dave Malloy, whose musical was inspired by a portion of Leo Tolstoy's "War and Peace," also apologized Friday on Twitter for "how everything went down" and missing the "racial optics" of their casting decision.

They had previously asked actress Brittain Ashford to step aside for the casting of better-known singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson during the summer months and they didn't anticipate that Patinkin's casting would be viewed differently, Malloy said.

Despite 12 Tony Award nominations, "Comet" only received two wins -- for set and lighting -- at the June ceremony and ticket sales ebbed when Groban departed.

Malloy said that sales for shows after Aug. 13, when Michaelson's run would also end, were "catastrophically low." So they decided to cast Patinkin, hoping that his star power would help boost sales, because the "weird show" was in "desperate shape" and on the brink of closing.

A Star Is Born: Ken Burns turns 64 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

I’m asking, ‘Who are we? Who am I?’ It's an obvious question for any artist. For me, it's intensely personal and psychological.

— Ken Burns, 2000

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Documentary Maker Follows His Own Path in Celebrating History

Eagles, Doobie Brothers will play Classic Northwest show Sept. 30 in Seattle

By Randy Lewis

The Eagles’"Classic" music festival series will continue with at least one more stop, this time in Seattle.

But unlike the inaugural Classic West bill July 15-16 at Dodger Stadium, which is having a Classic East encore this weekend in New York, the added Classic Northwest show on Sept. 30 will be just a single day and feature the Eagles and Doobie Brothers only.

The Classic West and East shows teamed the Eagles, Steely Dan and Doobie Brothers on one day, with Fleetwood Mac, Journey and Earth, Wind & Fire on the second day of each.

Tickets for the Classic Northwest bill go on sale Aug. 5 at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster.

At the outset of the Eagles’ portion of Classic West on July 15, co-founder Don Henley indicated it was still uncertain how much of a future his long-running band might have absent co-founder Glenn Frey, who died last year at 67.

To make the Classic West and East shows possible, the group tapped Frey's son, singer-guitarist Deacon Frey, and country music star Vince Gill to handle the lead vocals on the many Eagles songs that were originally sung by Glenn Frey.

"In case this is our last dance," Henley told the crowd at Dodger Stadium, where he was joined by longtime bandmates Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit, "we want to thank all of you in Southern California for all your support."

In her new Hulu series, Sarah Silverman wants to love America -- seriously

By Greg Braxton

From her stand-up act to her Comedy Central series to her Twitter account, comic-actress Sarah Silverman has a long history of courting laughs and controversy. Her outspokenness and sometimes absurd, sometimes acerbic views on everything from celebrity to culture to politics, particularly President Trump and his administration, have raised eyebrows.

On her upcoming Hulu series, "I Love You, America," Silverman is focused more on forming bonds than being provocative. In surveying the current political landscape and the comedy shows that skewer it, Silverman says she wants to reach out to all on the political spectrum.

"For me, [those shows are] great, but they really connect with more like-minded people. They’re brilliant. They’re funny. But I’m hoping to, with this show, connect with un-like-minded people," Silverman said Thursday during a panel at the Television Critics Assn.'s summer press tour in Beverly Hills. "The mission of the show is that we’re all the same. But what's important is that it's funny."

Although the exact format of the show is still being refined, Silverman did reveal some elements, including a monologue, a focus group in the studio and field pieces in which she travels around the country talking to people. For example, Silverman says she plans to go to Slidell, La., to meet a family that says they have never met a Jewish person.

"I can't help but have preconceived notions. They can't help but have preconceived notions," said Silverman. "All I can do is just try to be open and brave and go into the situation. And same for them."

Although Silverman and executive producer Adam McKay didn't make any sharp criticisms about Trump at Thursday's session, they did take exception to his attacks against so-called entertainment liberals or "the Hollywood elite."

"What is he talking about?" said Silverman. "I’m from ... New Hampshire. Everybody out here is from somewhere else."

The goal of the show will be to seek common ground and understanding, she said: "Ultimately we’re all the same. The thesis of the show is that everybody just wants to be loved."

Jerry Seinfeld is Forbes’ highest-paid comedian; Amy Schumer still only woman to crack the top 10

By Nardine Saad

If Jerry Seinfeld is this year's king of comedy, then Amy Schumer is the queen.

The Comedy Central star once again landed on Forbes’ list of highest-paid comedians, the financial magazine announced Thursday. She was the first woman comic to crack the top 10 last year and remains the only woman on the list this year.

The "Trainwreck" and "Snatched" star made an estimated $37.5 million between June 2016 and June 2017 thanks to her Netflix show "The Leather Special," her memoir "The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo" and endorsement deals with Bud Light and Old Navy. That ranked the raunchy comic No. 5 on the list filled with veteran comedy heavyweights.

Meanwhile, the "Seinfeld" and "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" star shot back to the top of the list this year, earning an estimated $69 million. Seinfeld was eclipsed last year by Kevin Hart, who this year dropped to the No. 6 spot with $32.5 million.

Chris Rock trailed Seinfeld for the second spot on Forbes’ list, earning $57 million. His record-breaking $20 million-per-special contract with Netflix paved the way for several comics, including Seinfeld, to cut lucrative deals with the streaming service, which is poised to become the go-to-destination for comedy specials. In addition to touring, those deals significantly padded the incomes of several stars on Forbes’ list.

In the third and fourth spots, funnymen Louis C.K. and Dave Chappelle, who earned $52 million and $47 million, respectively, also made expensive deals with the streaming service to make their millions.

To see Forbes’ complete list, click here.

For the record, 10:40 a.m.: A previous headline and version of this story said that Schumer was the first woman to make the top 10 list this year. Schumer was the first woman to make the top 10 last year.

‘American Horror Story: Cult’ gets sickeningly sweet in official poster

By Libby Hill

We're just beneath the surface... #AHSCult pic.twitter.com/GvnMD1KieQ

What exactly is beneath the surface in "American Horror Story: Cult"?

Bees, apparently.

The seventh season of FX's hit horror anthology series is slowly revealing itself via its official Twitter account. On Thursday, the series shared the official poster for the series, and it is super messed up.

The poster features a deathly pale woman who happens to be missing the top of her head and, for that matter, her brain. Instead, the inside of her head is a honeycomb, replete with bees and, of course, honey.

This is creepy for so many reasons. Here are a few:

This poor woman has had the top of her skull removed, bringing to mind that particularly gruesome dinner scene featuring Anthony Hopkins and Ray Liotta in the 2001 film "Hannibal."

Even more horrifying is that this poor, sweet woman is definitely dressed like a clown.

The white makeup, lines through the eyes and exaggerated ruby red lips suggest that "AHS: Cult" is drawing inspiration from traditional grotesque whiteface clown makeup. Think more Pennywise, less juggalo. (And if none of that is enough to scare you, please enjoy this clown dating site I stumbled across while researching all of this.)

FX's "American Horror Story: Cult" premieres on Sept. 5.

A Star Is Born: Sally Struthers turns 70 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

I’ve never understood acting awards. Calling somebody ‘best actor’ is a really crazy concept. If we wanted trophies, we should have joined a bowling team.

— Sally Struthers, 1998

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Road-Tested; Sally Struthers Sings the Praises of Touring With ‘Grease’ and ‘Annie’

Stephen Colbert had some [bleeped] thoughts on Anthony Scaramucci's NSFW rant

By Yvonne Villarreal

Stephen Colbert took a cue from incoming White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci -- or the Mooch, as he's called -- by giving Thursday's episode of "The Late Show’" a decidedly NSFW vibe.

"We got an incredible taste of unfiltered Mooch today," Colbert said during his monologue.

He was, of course, referring to Scaramucci's disapproving -- and often vulgar -- comments about White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and chief strategist Steve Bannon in a New Yorker article that sent social media tongues wagging Thursday.

But to even discuss the matter, Colbert had to issue a warning to CBS censors: "You’re going to want to break out the extra bleeps for this one," he said before diving in. (If only we could get our ellipses to put in some overtime!)

In his colorful conversation with New Yorker correspondent Ryan Lizza, which took place Wednesday night,Scaramucci was trying to get to the bottom of who leaked that he had dinner at the White House with President Trump, the first lady, Sean Hannity and the former Fox News executive Bill Shine.

Scaramucci described Priebus as a " ... paranoid schizophrenic" who had blocked him from the White House for six months -- prompting Colbert to break out an impression of Scaramucci.

"Yes, the guy's paranoid, OK? He thinks his own communications director is gonna stab him in the back again," Colbert said with an exaggerated Italian accent.

"Front stab!" he added with a knifing gesture.

The New Yorker article also detailed how Scaramucci accused Bannon of seeking to "build [his] own brand off the … strength of the president" and made some other inflammatory remarks that we can't fully detail. So we’ll let Colbert take it from here.

Longtime Disney imagineer Martin Sklar dies at 83

By Richard Verrier

Martin "Marty" Sklar, the pioneering Walt Disney Co. imagineer who played an instrumental role in the design of Disney theme parks, has died, the company announced Thursday night. He was 83.

During his 54 years at Disney, Sklar worked closely with Walt Disney and led the creative development of the Burbank company's theme parks, attractions and resorts around the world, including the company's ventures in the cruise business, housing development and the redesign of Times Square in New York.

"Everything about Marty was legendary – his achievements, his spirit, his career," Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger said in a statement. "He embodied the very best of Disney, from his bold originality to his joyful optimism and relentless drive for excellence. He was also a powerful connection to Walt himself. No one was more passionate about Disney than Marty and we’ll miss his enthusiasm, his grace, and his indomitable spirit."

Sklar was born in New Brunswick, N.J., and attended UCLA, where he was editor of the Daily Bruin newspaper when he was recruited to create the Disneyland News for Walt Disney's new Anaheim theme park in 1955.

After graduating in 1956, he joined Disney full-time and would become Disney's lieutenant. He wrote speeches, marketing materials and a film showcasing Walt's vision for Walt Disney World and the Epcot theme park in Florida.

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‘My Friend Dahmer’ trailer chronicles the serial killer's high school years

By Nardine Saad

Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer's tumultuous high school years get a close-up in the first teaser for "My Friend Dahmer," which was released over the weekend.

"I’m just like anybody else," says Dahmer, played by Disney Channel alum Ross Lynch, in the teaser.

The biopic, which played at the Tribeca and Los Angeles film festivals earlier this year, chronicles Dahmer's early days leading-up to his killing rampage of 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991.

"This is the story before that story," reads the trailer's log line.

Lynch plays severely against type as the 17-year-old Dahmer during a time when the alienated teen dissolved roadkill in acid and talked of his fascination with bones. (Dahmer, whose later crimes included rape, necrophilia and dismemberment, was sentenced to 16 life terms in prison before he was beaten to death by a fellow inmate in 1995 at age 34.)

"My Friend Dahmer" writer-director Marc Meyers based the film on John Derf Backderf's graphic novel, an account of Backderf's own high school experiences with the future serial killer.

Dahmer's quirky antics in high school gave rise to the Jeffrey Dahmer Fan Club headed up by Backderf. The film focuses on the various internal and external factors that bred the serial killer when he was a disengaged, alcoholic teen struggling with his parents’ marital tension and understanding his sexual proclivities.

Dahmer's odd behavior, including outbursts at school, creepy lab procedures and voyeurism, visits with his doctor, and his father's plea for him to be more normal are emotional moments showcased in the trailer.

Dallas Roberts plays his father; Anne Heche plays Dahmer's mother; and Vincent Kartheiser plays his doctor. Derf is played by "In Treatment" actor Alex Wolff.

FilmRise acquired the crime drama in May and will release the film in the fall.

Kehlani, once on edge, proves at FYF that she is now a festival powerhouse

By August Brown

A few years ago, it wasn't certain when -- or if -- Kehlani would tour again. The singer's mental health troubles (and scars from an extremely tough childhood) threatened her burgeoning career, and one of R&B's most promising young voices was clearly in deep, deep pain.

But in less than a year she's already played three knockout sets at three of SoCal's most important festivals -- Flog Gnaw, Coachella and now a barn-burner at FYF Fest on Sunday night. That would take stamina for any act, but for one who has been through all that she has, it may be the most laudable comeback in recent pop music.

With fiery red hair extensions and a small, nimble band of drummers and dancers, Kehlani danced with physical grace and sang with outsized passion. Nine Inch Nails was just about her only competition at the end of the night, so the Trees stage was packed out to every inch of the lawn with fans who wanted something breezier to listen to.

Kehlani delivered, but there was always an edge of pain and hard-learned truths to her songs. Tunes like "Distraction" and "Gangsta" weren't nearly as despondent as Trent Reznor's over at the Main Stage. But her fans knew that Kehlani's been through just as much, and came out the other side at the absolute top of her game.

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We talked to Issa Rae about that scene from the ‘Insecure’ Season 2 premiere — you know which one

By Yvonne Villarreal

It's safe to say that the last couple of minutes of Sunday night's Season 2 premiere of "Insecure" had viewers saying a variation of: "OMG … what … uh, did he just leave with his mail?"

(Warning: The rest of this post breaks down a major spoiler from the episode.)

The second season picks up a couple of months after Season 1 left off. Issa Dee (Issa Rae), in her effort to move on from Lawrence (Jay Ellis), has reluctantly plunged into the dating scene. Her real goal, though, is to find a way to connect with Lawrence — using his mail as bait. But he has been dodging her attempts. At least for a while.

In the last few minutes of the episode, titled "Hella Great," Lawrence knocks on Issa's door under the guise that he's there to pick up the mail. But the two end up having quickie sex on the couch.

With the return of ‘Insecure,’ Issa Rae looks to loosen her character's inhibitions »

"That was something we discussed early on in the writers room — we knew that Lawrence and Issa were going to have sex again," Rae said. "We were thinking about having it happen later in the season, just because we ended the last season in a place where there was no charge. We thought we needed space. But, given that we start the episode about 2½, three months later, it just felt like once you do that, you get it out of the way, you don't know where things are going to go after that."

We spoke about the scene with Rae, as well as showrunner Prentice Penny and episode director Melina Matsoukas.

Michael Phelps raced that shark on TV Sunday night. Well, sort of

By Emily Mae Czachor

In an odd battle of man-versus-wild, Michael Phelps was going to swim a 100-meter race against a great white shark during Sunday night's "Shark Week" kickoff. At least that's what fans were expecting.

Of course, the Olympian was never going to risk damaging his gold medal-winning physique for a Discovery Channel-sponsored race with a shark. But the event's lead-up, which the network billed as "Phelps vs. Shark: Great Gold vs. Great White," had viewers convinced otherwise.

Last week, in an interview with "Good Morning America," Phelps clarified some misconceptions about the event.

"We’re not in the water at the same exact time," he said. "I think that's the one thing we all — we want everyone to know — I was safe, which was No. 1."

But as it turns out, Phelps’ safety wasn't too high on anyone else's list of concerns.

Phelps hopped into a 100-meter stretch of water off the coast of Mossel Bay, South Africa, and took off down the makeshift lanes.

Much to viewers’ dismay, Phelps swam the "race" solo, time-trial style. His great white competitor was actually a CGI version of a shark, which supposedly imitated what would have been a real-life shark's speed.

Some viewers noted the program's convenient use of simulated imaging, which suggested that humans and sharks swim at comparable speeds. In reality, even a seemingly herculean swimmer like Phelps can't swim more than 6 mph, compared with the great white's 26 mph.

Let's just say that many "Shark Week" aficionados were less than enthused.

And the winner was? Phelps lost the race to his gilled, computer-generated opponent -- but only by two seconds. And, in typical Phelps fashion, the hyper-competitive Olympian proposed a rematch.

In ‘Dear Chester’ letter, Linkin Park says ‘demons’ that haunted Bennington ‘were always part of the deal’

By Nardine Saad

Chester Bennington's Linkin Park bandmates wrote an open letter to their late vocalist on Monday that touched on his inner demons and their uncertain future.

Bennington, who also fronted Dead by Sunrise and later joined Stone Temple Pilots, died by hanging at his Palos Verdes Estates home last week, the Los Angeles County coroner confirmed Friday. He was 41.

"Our hearts are broken. The shockwaves of grief and denial are still sweeping through our family as we come to grips with what has happened," said the letter, which was addressed to "Dear Chester" and posted on Facebook on Monday morning along with a new suicide-prevention website.

The grunge rock group, which barreled out of Southern California in 2000 with its smash hit album "Hybrid Theory," reassured the late singer that he touched more lives than he realized, as shown by the "outpouring of love and support, both public and private, from around the world" over the last few days. It also reminded Bennington and readers that he was the best husband to his wife, Talinda, and father to their son.

"The family will never be whole without you," the letter said.

The most poignant part of the note came when the band recalled Bennington's dynamic personality and how his inner struggles brought a humanity to his music.

Bennington's excitement about their years to come was infectious, the band said, and his absence "leaves a void that can never be filled — a boisterous, funny, ambitious, creative, kind, generous voice in the room is missing."

We’re trying to remind ourselves that the demons who took you away from us were always part of the deal. After all, it was the way you sang about those demons that made everyone fall in love with you in the first place. You fearlessly put them on display, and in doing so, brought us together and taught us to be more human.

— Linkin Park in an open letter to Chester Bennington

However, the Grammy-winning act seemed determined to carry on, noting that its love for making and performing music "is inextinguishable."

"While we don't know what path our future may take, we know that each of our lives was made better by you. Thank you for that gift. We love you, and miss you so much," they said.

The end of the letter urged readers to visit Chester.LinkinPark.com, which housed tribute tweets from fans and suicide-prevention resources.

Read Linkin Park's full letter below.

A Star Is Born: Lynda Carter turns 66 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

I have lived with [Wonder Woman] a long time. I always loved her. People are always surprised that I am not trying to get away from her. She is so cool.

— Lynda Carter, 2005

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Superhero redux: Lynda Carter soars in ‘Sky High,’ but she takes roles as normal people too

Techno takes the late shift at FYF

By August Brown

After two days of circling the FYF grounds at Exposition Park (and with, as one's hamstrings will surely remind you, one full day left to go), an after-party is probably the last thing on anyone's mind.

But as downtown L.A.'s underground club music scene has grown into a stable, choice-packed circuit every weekend, FYF has risen to the occasion.

This year, a range of excellent and challenging producers played long sets that took fans from a daytime idyll into nighttime ambience. For a few, that even meant sneaking off to a late-night warehouse for one more round.

As the sun went down over the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the producers Avalon Emerson and Daniel Avery brought mercurial, alien moods to the Woods stage. Each can fit neatly into a traditional techno environment, but they’re album artists at heart, and think hard about how long sets can find a plot line.

Around the corner at the Outer Space, a triple-team of DJ Harvey, Horse Meat Disco and Young Marco had brighter, major-key vibes on their decks, and played off each other's sensibilities.

Coupled with Nicolas Jaar's sous-vide approach to live club music (a very slow boil, perfect execution, a mighty payoff at the end) on the Trees stage outside, FYF's growing adeptness with edgy dance music could be a promising direction going forward, maybe even part of a push to transform more of the city's nightlife.

Frank Ocean was the story of the night, to be sure. But as the day's margaritas turned into night's strobe-lit abandon, some fans weren't quite ready to go home.

At a Skid Row warehouse very early on Sunday morning, Emerson and Young Marco played another sort-of-sanctioned late-night gig. It was packed and smoky and maybe a little overwhelming after a long day, but watching their music transition from Goldenvoice-approved professionalism back into downtown grit was like going back in time to when FYF felt a little on edge.

It was a very fond memory.

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A mighty Perfume Genius veers from delicate to visceral at FYF

By James Reed

Mike Hadreas knows how to make an entrance. A grand one. The artist, who performs as Perfume Genius, slinked onstage at FYF Fest Saturday night to the twinkling piano notes of "Otherside," the opening track from his new album, "No Shape."

He sang each note with quiet precision until the song suddenly cracked wide open in a kaleidoscope of swirling rhythms. With stage lights pulsing blues and yellows, Hadreas struck pose after pose, head lifted to the heavens and microphone cord dangling as if he were Kylie Minogue on the album cover of "Fever." (That's high praise.)

"I’m all revved up," Hadreas said at one point, instructing his two-piece band to launch into the next song.

Long gone are the days of Hadreas shrinking onstage, shyly emoting with a quiver and awkward stage banter. At FYF, he was a monster, by turns delicate and visceral as he crouched and swiveled his hips in slow motion.

His voice, a tremulous tenor, pierced the songs with shrieks (a jarring reimagining of Mary Margaret O’Hara's "Body's in Trouble"), coos (the Sade-evoking "Die 4 You") and crescendos that drifted into the stratosphere ("Fool" from 2014's "Too Bright").

Blake Mills, the ace guitarist and songwriter who produced "No Shape," joined in on a handful of songs, and Weyes Blood's Natalie Mering reprised her duet with Hadreas, "Sides," from his new album.

Ending the performance with "Slip Away," Hadreas went out the way he came in: with arms outstretched in an ecstatic pose, a mirror reflection of his enraptured audience.

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A Star Is Born: Daniel Radcliffe turns 28 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

I don't have a sense of which parts of my life are just for me and which parts are kind of owned by everybody.

— Daniel Radcliffe, 2014

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Daniel Radcliffe hopes the magic is gone and he’ll be taken seriously

Frank Ocean resurfaces in the U.S. at FYF Fest

By Gerrick Kennedy

Frank Ocean's long-awaited return to a local stage is over.

Anchoring the second night of FYF Fest, Ocean performed for the first time in the States since the summer of 2014.   Opening with an extended take on his single "Solo," Ocean's set began with a lengthy overture and the singer asking for the audience to be patient with him as he caught his groove.

"I’m just finding my moment, y’all are gonna have to wait a minute," he said after slowly emerging via a catwalk that extended to a secondary stage deep into the Exposition Park crowd a little over 10 minutes after his set was to start . 

 During his three-year absence, the anticipation for his comeback turned into frustration -- so much so fans wondered if Ocean would even show for Saturday night's engagement.

In 2015 he was booked for a headlining slot at FYF, inciting rumors that the follow-up to his Grammy-winning 2012 major label debut, "Channel Orange," was imminent.

It was buzz he had created earlier that year when he took to his Tumblr to post a picture of himself looking down at a stack of magazines called Boys Don't Cry. His reps confirmed the arrival of a new album and an accompanying publication. 

 But days before the 2015 festival, he pulled out, leaving organizers to turn to Kanye West as an eleventh-hour replacement.

  In summer 2016, after years of whispers, Ocean returned with not one but two projects: visual album "Endless" and his official album "Blonde," but both records were almost overshadowed by label drama and his lack of conventional promotion.

Fans, understandably, were on edge leading into Saturday's performance.

Even recently, Ocean has proven to be unpredictable. The experimental R&B singer had earlier this year pulled out of Alabama's Hangout Music Festival and Washington's Sasquatch! Music Festival.

As Ocean was running a few minutes behind, a male fan was heard wondering, "Is he even gonna show?"

But he did, and even early in his set he proved to be unconventional. Near the beginning of his performance, during a rendition of "Good Guy," Ocean halted the show.

"This is my disclaimer," he said. "This is my fourth show since coming back. We are gonna try things over if they get (messed) up and this is one of those instances."

Princess Nokia, Cap’n Jazz showed FYF Fest's future and its past

By August Brown

FYF Fest's past and future had a quick changeover in the venue's Club tent on Saturday afternoon at Exposition Park.

First, the future.

New York rapper Princess Nokia soaked up every ounce of her packed crowd's adulation, noting how exceptional it is for a young woman rapping about being a "normal teenager" to end up on a stage like this. Her talent, however, is far beyond normal.

On songs such as "Bart Simpson" and "Green Line," she commanded the stage and rapped with a lucid, urgent vision. She's at the vanguard of a young-millennial music world where intersectionality pairs well with bass-rattling bangers, and when coupled with her undeniable charisma and the imagination of her productions, it was easy to imagine her moving up the ranks at this fest very quickly.

Her set-closer, a tenderly-sung jungle tune called "Dragons," recalled "Bombs Over Baghdad" in its drum patterns, but the searching melody was all Nokia's. "My Moon, my life / My stars, my sun / You are the sweetest song," she sang. It’ll likely take her beyond what most normal teenagers would ever dream.

Cap’n Jazz, however, saw a turnover from young women in crop-tops and semi-ironic raver pants into gently-aging dudes in Converge and Hot Water Music T-shirts.

Cap’n Jazz too, was the product of teenage minds, albeit young punks in college-town Illinois in the early ‘90s. But the Kinsella brothers’ reunited emo act was one of the weekend's few nods back to the old guard of FYF Fest, when ear gauges and lip rings were everywhere.

Singer Tim Kinsella crowd-surfed, haphazardly honked a French horn, took his shirt off for effect, and led the crowd in a reverie of punky adolescent noise.

The band knew this set was a throwback. "We wrote this song in 1994, so it's our newest one," Kinsella riffed.

Were the actual kids today into it? Sure looked like it.

Built to Spill keeps the guitar alive at FYF Fest

By Mikael Wood

Distorted electric guitars are in relatively short supply at FYF Fest, which this year is dominated by stylish hip-hop and R&B acts such as Solange and Frank Ocean rather than the indie-rock and punk bands that once defined the festival.

But that didn't stop Doug Martsch and the rest of Idaho's long-running Built to Spill from laying down some serious Neil Young vibes during its set Saturday evening on the festival's bucolic Trees Stage.

Leading his bandmates through a fuzzed-out "Time Trap" (from the group's beloved 1999 album, "Keep It Like a Secret"), Martsch seemed happily oblivious to what's going on in pop right now — as did the guy in the crowd wearing the faded Meat Puppets shirt.

Vans, Frank Ocean lure fans with pop up shops at FYF Fest

By Gerrick Kennedy

The House of Vans store was one of a handful of pop-up shops that brought exclusive goodies — and, more importantly, amid Saturday's scorching temperatures, cool relief — to attendees to the FYF Fest at Exposition Park.

Tucked inside an air conditioned tent behind the Club stage on the far southern end of the festival grounds, the lounge was fostering both creativity and relaxation.

Guests curled up and napped on lush bean bag chairs and a large projector screen beamed skate films curated by Thrasher Magazine.

Nearby, a half dozen work stations staged DIY craft projects. People scrapbooked, made bracelets and painted fanny packs — one of three giveaway items fans lined up to score.

At the FYF outpost of Long Beach's Fingerprints Music, fans awaited signing sessions with festival performers the Drums and Homeshake.

But the biggest draw was the Blonded tent, which boasted limited items from the night's headliner, Frank Ocean.

There were hundreds of fans queued in a line that stretched far beyond the white tent.

Fans tried bartering with people ahead of them as everyone tried getting their hands on the custom-made T-shirts featuring the singer's likeness being pressed inside.

A veteran on the FYF Fest bill, Jonathan Richman displays eternally boyish charms

By Mikael Wood

"We have no sense of time," Jonathan Richman said near the end of his set Saturday afternoon at FYF Fest. "Can we do another one?"

His audience was small in size but enormous in enthusiasm: Yes, fans made clear, he should do another one.

Anyone familiar with Richman's idiosyncratic music knows he's never cared much about time. At 66 years old, the eternally boyish cult favorite (who reportedly lives these days in Chico) is still doing the same act he's been doing for years, strumming and singing his sly, funny songs about women and music, accompanied only by his trusty drummer, Tommy Larkins.

At FYF, he encored with one of his signature numbers, "I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar," which the crowd sang along with so heartily that he offered to keep playing beyond his allotted 45 minutes.

But then a stagehand appeared and murmured in Richman's ear.

"We gotta go," said Richman, a man from before the age of tightly scheduled live streams. "See you another time."

Even a foggy sound mix couldn't dull Slowdive's dreamy set at FYF

By James Reed

Not even two songs into Slowdive's performance at FYF Fest on Friday, a distinctly "Californian scent," shall we say, wafted over the crowd: smoke from both pot and palo santo.

"It smells quite green, if you know what I mean," singer-guitarist Rachel Goswell noted.

Sweet and heady, it was a lot like the music emanating from the stage as white strobe lights swirled overhead.

After a 20-year hiatus in which admiration for the English shoegaze band only grew, Slowdive is touring behind a terrific new self-titled album. And FYF, which the band first played in 2014, proved that the five-piece, even after all these years, has neither a speck of age nor an ounce of fat on it.

"More reverb!" someone called out early on, perhaps a cheeky acknowledgment that the band was already drowning in gauzy effects.

"More reverb? Is there ever enough?" Goswell shot back.

Well, in this case, yes. Her ghostly vocals, along with those of powerhouse guitarist Neil Halstead, often evaporated before they ever made an impression. Mystique has always been part of the band's allure, but at FYF, the sound mix should have been much sharper.

Otherwise, Slowdive was in peak form, interspersing new tracks ("Slomo," "Star Roving") with classics ("Catch the Breeze," "When the Sun Hits") that rippled over a swaying sea of fans with eyes shut and heads bobbing. They were on a different plane – pot and palo santo weren't even needed.

MORE from FYF:

Bjork shows the humanity in machinery at FYF Fest

After a long absence, Missy Elliott returns — and turns FYF Fest into a dance party

In impressive 3-D set, Flying Lotus breaks the fourth wall at FYF Fest

From serene to savage, Angel Olsen goes in for the kill at Friday's FYF Fest

FYF Fest day-by-day guide: The 15 must-see acts

After a long absence, Missy Elliott returns — and turns FYF Fest into a dance party

By Gerrick Kennedy

Twenty-five minutes into her headlining set on Friday's opening night of FYF Fest, Missy Elliott had a request to the packed audience — a demand, actually.

"Put your phone down. Put it down for one record," Elliott ordered.

Already by this point Elliott had literally danced herself out of one of her shoes, and her in-ear monitors had forsaken her, but she came with a mission for her first full-length performance in the U.S. in about a decade: "To make sure everybody in the building jump[s]."

She was introducing "Get Ur Freak On," one of the litany of era-defining entries in her lengthy catalog of wildly imaginative hits anchored in sticky hooks and exuberant beats. All of them always came paired with a quirky, left-of-center video (if you remember this particular clip, it was the one in which she dangled from a chandelier).

She wanted the crowd at Exposition Park completely lost in the music — the way we are in the car or the club or the gym. And she commanded her DJ to repeat the song's famous opening line — "Head banga, hit me" — to make her point.

And that's how she spent much of Friday's set, relentlessly hitting an audience over the head with song after song. It helped that she had attracted a massive crowd that came ready to dance early into Saturday morning.

Elliott tore through a dizzying selection of her slickest work — cocky anthem "She's A Bitch," saucy romp "One Minute Man" and the frenetic "I’m Really Hot" — while making time for deep cuts, rarely performed entries and fan favorites in her hourlong set.

Dressed in ripped, white jeans and a white jacket adorned with seemingly thousands of crystals, Elliott wasn't about festival frills — there were no special guests and no trippy production during her set.

Still, she did arrive and depart via a box outlined in pink neon — a magical time capsule, perhaps? Or maybe a teleportation device? Nevertheless, it only added to her mysterious and reclusive nature, especially when the show ended and an Elliott marionette was left in her absence.

Backed throughout by a cadre of dancers, Elliott tackled an impressive assortment of her 20-year deep catalog in the night's most attended set. Beyoncé, Solange, Katy Perry, Janet Jackson, Bjork and Tyler the Creator were some of Elliott's famous fans spotted in the crowd.

Nearly a dozen years have passed since Elliott last released an album, but this wasn't a nostalgia play. Music this otherworldly and imaginative doesn't belong to any particular era.

"The music we created was so ahead, it couldn't be dated," she waxed in a video interlude that traced her achievements.

Indeed, "Pass That Dutch" is as potent a dance anthem in 2017 as it was 14 years ago, "Hot Boyz" and "All in My Grill" pairs nicely with the bass rattling, trap R&B being spun now and the futuristic bounce of her breakout single, "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)," still sticks — all of which the crowd chanted in unison without missing a beat.

And despite Elliott's orders, many tried to balance cellphone snaps with feverish dancing.

MORE from FYF:

Bjork shows the humanity in machinery at FYF Fest

In impressive 3-D set, Flying Lotus breaks the fourth wall at FYF Fest

From serene to savage, Angel Olsen goes in for the kill at Friday's FYF Fest

FYF Fest day-by-day guide: The 15 must-see acts

From serene to savage, Angel Olsen goes in for the kill at Friday's FYF Fest

By James Reed

Angel Olsen's voice — with its bewitching sweep one minute and jagged edges the next — was tailor-made for a festival setting. It's the kind of instrument that fills the air and lures in even those who have no idea who she is.

At sundown Friday, FYF Fest's opening day, the North Carolina-based singer-songwriter was holding court with an intense set that answered the never-asked question, "What would happen if Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris had brought PJ Harvey instead of Linda Ronstadt into that fabled trio?"

Since surfacing with 2012's "Half Way Home," Olsen has evolved into an arresting live performer, slippery with her notes and occasionally aloof in her banter but blunt in how she relays the emotion of her songs.

At FYF, her five-piece band, sharp in their matching charcoal suits and Western ties, built a wall of clanging sounds behind her. In particular, Heather McEntire on harmonies and keys (and on loan from the band Mount Moriah) locked into a trance with Olsen, the wailing Phil to Olsen's Don Everly.

And yet Olsen cut right through the cacophony, commanding her bandmates as they transitioned from the onslaught of "Not Gonna Kill You" (from last year's acclaimed "My Woman") into the slow burn of "Acrobat." They stripped that early fan favorite of its … well, its vocal acrobatics, instead turning it into an incantation.

Olsen capped her hourlong performance with "Woman," another new song, sending the audience into the night with a final challenge: "I dare you to understand / What makes me a woman."

MORE from FYF:

Bjork shows the humanity in machinery at FYF Fest

In impressive 3-D set, Flying Lotus breaks the fourth wall at FYF Fest

FYF Fest day-by-day guide: The 15 must-see acts

In impressive 3-D set, Flying Lotus breaks the fourth wall at FYF Fest

By August Brown

It would be hard for Flying Lotus to make anything as terrifyingly visceral on a stage as he did in his movie "Kuso." That film almost defies description in its litany of body horrors. But he did his best to reach out and mangle audience's minds during his night-closing set at FYF Fest on Friday.

When FYF-goers opened their ticket packages, a pair of FlyLo-branded 3-D goggles suggested that the Los Angeles-based producer had something big in store. For an artist whose musical work is always inseparable from his visual identity, this was a natural next step.

But the show was a testament to his increasing ambitions as an all-around artist -- and the ambitions of FYF Fest to push its talent to create bigger, bolder sets.

With the glasses on, the audience saw laser fans sweeping out overhead like a false ceiling. Sleek digital objects popped out of nowhere to tower over his gear rig. Fields of stars blossomed behind him, making it look like Lotus was performing before infinite depths.

The music was dancier and clubbier than usual, as if he knew that the retina-bending setup required some kick-drum grounding. But L.A. is lucky to have an artist who never ceases to push his talents into strange new realms like this.

Meanwhile, a little earlier, Anderson .Paak gave FYF fans whiplash, as anyone who walked by his set had no choice but to watch, gape-jawed, as his played Sheila E.-worthy drums while rapping, singing, bandleading and utterly commanding his stage. His is a once-in-a-generation talent, and after years of struggle he's finally playing the kinds of stages where he belongs.

Lotus’ pal Hannibal Buress played the night's lone big-stage comedy set, and it was just as giddily unnerving. He talked through a Bon Iver-style vocal harmonizer, lamented that he didn't have a trademark terminal disease of his own ("Alzheimer's, Hodgkins’, Buress’ disease.") and imagined the gory details of his own funeral. Maybe contemporary American politics has led our artists and comedians to go ahead and assume the worst is inevitable. At least they’re trying to wring some life out of it all.

A Star Is Born: Selena Gomez turns 25 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

I’m fully aware of where I started, and that is Disney Channel. They’re what gave me everything, in a way. And I love my fans. They mean the absolute world to me. So whenever I make my music or go with my clothing line or pick roles, it's all about making sure that they can go see it.

— Selena Gomez, 2010

FROM THE ARCHIVES: The Performance: Selena Gomez

Bjork shows the humanity in machinery at FYF Fest

By Mikael Wood

Nature met technology in Bjork's performance Friday night at FYF Fest, which had the Icelandic singer flexing her remarkable voice — a one-of-a-kind marvel no algorithm could devise — against a backing of live strings and clattering machine beats.

Wearing a lime-green face mask and a dress that made her look like a living party streamer, Bjork sang material from throughout her expansive catalog — including hits like "Joga" and "Bachelorette" as well as material from her 2015 album "Vulnicura" — while behind her, a giant video screen showed images of birds dancing and a moth laying eggs.

Occasionally, Arca, the Venezuelan producer with whom Bjork made "Vulnicura," would unload a fusillade of harsh digital noise. But then the singer would reach for a high note and remind you of the flesh and blood onstage and in her songs.

No early headaches as a newly expanded FYF Fest begins

By Gerrick Kennedy

"Thank you, FYF, for letting us play your open mic night," Beach Fossils frontman Dustin Payseur joked late into his band's set at FYF Fest on Friday afternoon.

It was a lighthearted acknowledgment of the challenge that awaits acts facing the tough task of opening a multiday festival.

And in the case of the Brooklyn indie rockers, it meant playing to a crowded, but mostly idle, audience.

When gates for the Goldenvoice-produced event opened — this year marks the first time FYF Fest has expanded to three days — early birds had it relatively easy. Whether it was the heat or the rush-hour start time, this was the smoothest entry we’ve ever had in getting into an FYF Fest, which is spread over six stages. Gone, for instance, were the multi-hour waits to reach the Exposition Park grounds.

What's more, the sounds of a saxophone player sheepishly moving through a cover of Drake's "Passionfruit" set the tone for a relatively chill first few hours at FYF.

Inside, many sought refuge as the sun stung most of the festival's acreage — for many that meant lounging under trees or taking selfies in front of art installations such as a giant replica of a boombox.

At the Lawn Stage, Beach Fossils delivered a peppy set, and elsewhere, the freewheeling hip-hop-inflected jazz of BadBadNotGood enraptured what was the largest crowd we noticed early into the day.

People danced under trees and stretched out on blankets as the tail end of magic hour brought a much-needed breeze.

Responding to backlash, producers of HBO's ‘Confederate’ promise it's not a typical slavery story

By Emily Mae Czachor

HBO is developing a modern-day slavery drama with a sci-fi spin -- and the Internet is not having it.

The new show, titled "Confederate," will be helmed by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss -- the famed showrunner duo behind "Game of Thrones," both of whom are white men.

Gearing up for what HBO's Wednesday announcement called the Third American Civil War, "Confederate" takes place in a grisly dystopia wherein America's Southern states successfully seceded from the union, "giving rise to a nation in which slavery remains legal and has evolved into a modern institution."

The announcement received loads of immediate backlash from fans and critics alike, many of whom recognized the potentially pernicious irony of two white men creating a television series about slavery. (Benioff and Weiss are no strangers to this sort of pushback; the team has been criticized in the past for the lack of diversity on "GoT.")

"Give me the confidence of white showrunners telling HBO they wanna write slavery fanfic," tweeted journalist Pilot Viruet. Author Roxane Gay felt similarly exasperated, writing, "It is exhausting to think of how many people at HBO said yes to letting two white men envision modern day slavery. And offensive."

As for the inspiration behind "Confederate," Benioff said he had always wondered what might have become of America had the South won the Civil War. "That just always fascinated me," he said.

Benioff and Weiss -- as well as their creative partners, the husband-and-wife team of writer-producers Malcolm Spellman and Nichelle Tramble Spellman -- spoke with Vulture to explain themselves. The negative reaction, they said, was exactly what they had expected.

"Oh, yeah. We all knew it was coming in one form or another," said Benioff. "I remember the very first time we talked about this, one of the first things that came up was … Malcolm said, what was it?"

"You’re dealing with weapons-grade material here," Spellman chimed in.

And perhaps that's why the Spellmans’ involvement is so crucial. Though their presence on the show's creative team might have been partially eclipsed by the arguably more famous Benioff and Weiss, their partnership is quite notable. The Spellmans, who are black, have firmly expressed their intentions to avoid the typical exploitative, damaging slave narrative.

Malcolm Spellman took to Twitter earlier this week, assuring concerned critics that "Confederate" will not be about "whips and plantations." Instead, he told Vulture, they’ll focus on the fact that the show is rooted in science fiction.

"I think what was interesting to all of us was that we were going to handle this show, and handle the content of the show, without using typical antebellum imagery," Tramble Spellman said. "This is present day, or close to present day, and how the world would have evolved if the South had been successful seceding from the union."

Malcolm Spellman echoed his wife's point:

"[W]hat people have to understand is, and what we are obligated to repeat in every interview is: We’ve got black aunties. We’ve got black nephews, uncles. Black parents and black grandparents. We deal with them every single day. We deal with the struggle every single day. And people don't have to get on board with what we’re doing based on a press release.

"But when they’re writing about us, and commenting about us, they should be mindful of the fact that there are no sellouts involved in this show," he added. "Me and Nichelle are not props being used to protect someone else. We are people who feel a need to address issues the same way they do, and they should at least humanize the other end of those tweets and articles."

Maria Menounos laughed in disbelief at brain-tumor diagnosis

By Christie D’Zurilla

When Maria Menounos’ doctor told her she had a brain tumor, the former E! News host just laughed.

Because, of course.

"[The doctor said,] ‘I’m so sorry I have to tell you this. Because I know you’re going through a lot with your mom. But you have a brain tumor. It's called a meningioma. And you need to schedule an appointment with a neurosurgeon right away,’" Menounos says in a preview of an upcoming "Sunday Night With Megyn Kelly" interview. "And so I was like, ‘OK.’ And I started kind of chuckling. ...

"Because at that point," she continues, "it's like, ‘This is a joke.’ Like, how does this happen?"

"This" would be Menounos being diagnosed with a brain tumor at the same time her mother battles Stage 4 glioblastoma, the same brain cancer Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is facing. The TV personality has said she thought she was crazy for thinking a tumor was the cause of her symptoms.

The 39-year-old's meningioma was benign, and there's only a slight chance it will recur. Her mom's situation is stable, but much more serious.

In the interview, with long hair intact, Menounos doesn't look at all like a person who had brain surgery in June. But, as Kelly explained on the "Today" show Friday, there's a "super thin" scar on the back of Menounos’ head, and the surgery put her facial nerves — and therefore her career — at risk.

Of course, after walking away from E!, Menounos’ career isn't a primary focus. Her mom's cancer is stable, but the idea of losing her mother brings her to tears.

"I think that this was a gift, because I needed to change my life," she says. "I needed to change the way — I did everything."

See the full interview at 7 p.m. PDT Sunday on NBC.

Stephen Colbert visits the Moscow hotel room where alleged Trump ‘pee pee tape’ was recorded

By Yvonne Villarreal

With "The Late Show" nearing the end of its Russia Week, host Stephen Colbert finally got to the real reason for the trip: investigating the storied video that he has dubbed "the pee pee tape."

On Thursday's episode, viewers watched as Colbert visited the presidential suite of the Moscow Ritz-Carlton to find the recording that allegedly shows President Trump watching two prostitutes urinate on a bed. The recording by Russian spies had been detailed in the now-infamous dossier that was leaked in January, but it was never confirmed.

"Back in January, 10 days before Donald Trump was inaugurated, a document was leaked containing allegations that Trump has deep financial ties to Russia, that his campaign was being supported by the Russian government and that the Russians had compromising videos of Donald Trump watching prostitutes urinate on a bed in the Moscow Ritz-Carlton presidential suite," Colbert said. "It was a bombshell."

Trump has denied the tape is real, but that didn't deter Colbert from looking into it.

After unsuccessfully trying to bait Moscow citizens, Colbert sat down with Andrei Soldatov, a Russian surveillance expert and Kremlin critic who admitted that he has heard the rumors of the recording but couldn't confirm its existence.

So the investigation continued, with Colbert revealing that he rented the suite where the alleged extracurricular activities occurred.

"The room we’ve heard so much about, yet no one has come to check it out. I don't know why," Colbert said. "When you’re in this room, I don't know how to describe it; it's soaked in history. It just washes over you. It's not even like it's in the past; you’re in history. You’re in it."

In the end, no evidence of the tape was found.

Justin Bieber banned: In China, he's performer non grata

By Christie D’Zurilla

Justin Bieber, your bad-boy reputation is not welcome in China.

Its culture bureau has banned the "Love Yourself" singer from performing in the country, citing his "controversial" nature and "bad behavior," both foreign and domestic, as inappropriate imports.

Guess Beijing didn't buy into the Biebs’ image-rehabilitation campaign?

The comments come from a translation of a memo posted this week on the culture bureau's website in response to a fan who demanded an explanation for Bieber's unwelcome status.

While not citing specific examples of unacceptable behavior, a person could safely assume that Beijing had in mind some headline-making incidents like the pee-in-a-bucket thing in London, the loud-fun-in-a-Ferrari thing in Miami and the $81,000-egging thing in Calabasas.

Or maybe the 2013 thing where he was photographed being toted up the Great Wall of China on the shoulders of a pair of bodyguards on its own was enough to brand him persona non grata.

Quick, someone send ‘em footage from the Comedy Central roast, and maybe a few of the better cuts from his "Purpose" album. After all, he said he was "Sorry," and in America, that's what reputation rehab looks like.

Until then, Beijing hopes Bieber is, according to the Guardian, "able to improve his conduct as he grows up and will once again find public favor."

Anyway, while Bieber's current world tour won't be available to fans in mainland China, he still has lots of Asia at his disposal in late September and early October. The show will go on — for now, at least — in Tokyo, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore and Jakarta, Indonesia.

A Star Is Born: Charlotte Gainsbourg turns 46 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

After a while, just thinking about your health is so boring, being so self-conscious and scared. That's the thing: I spent a whole year being scared about having been close to death, maybe dying, so I was just wanting to work, just to do something that would be stronger than my own preoccupations.

— Charlotte Gainsbourg, 2009

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Charlotte Gainsbourg takes on Lars von Trier's ‘Antichrist’

First trailer for Charlie Sheen's ‘9/11’ movie is ... well, you decide

By Mark Olsen

The curious story of the movie "9/11" has gotten a little more clarity. When a promotional poster first appeared earlier this month it raised more than a few eyebrows for more than a few reasons. A drama about the collapse of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, starring Charlie Sheen?

A Japanese trailer for the movie has now appeared online, providing the first glimpses of the movie. Directed and co-written by Martin Guigui, the movie is based on Patrick Carson's fact-based play "Elevator" and also stars Whoopi Goldberg, Gina Gershon, Luiz Guzman, Wood Harris and Jacqueline Bisset.

In the trailer, Sheen and Gershon are a married couple on the brink of divorce. They are in an elevator at the WTC when the towers are attacked and find themselves stuck with three strangers. As they figure out what is really happening, they attempt to escape. At one point, after seeming to have already helped Gershon out of the elevator car, Sheen says, "The building is coming down."

Aside from the fact that seeing troubled star Sheen in any movie at all is notable at this point, his appearance in a movie specifically about 9/11 is of particular interest. Sheen has spoken often about the attacks and voiced doubts about the official version of those events.

Sheen, as a guest on the radio show of right-wing pundit Alex Jones in 2006, said, "It seems to me like 19 amateurs with box cutters taking over four commercial airlines and hitting 75% of their targets -- that feels like a conspiracy theory."

"9/11" is scheduled for a U.S. theatrical release on Sept. 8 via Atlas Distribution Co., best known for putting out the three-part screen adaptation of Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged."

On Friday, an English-language trailer for the movie arrived as well, with additional footage. The newest trailer opens with title cards asking "Where were you... September 11, 2001."

Update:

11:45 a.m., July 21: This post was updated with the English-language trailer for "9/11."

Samantha Bee pokes holes in Trump's Voter Integrity Commission

By Emily Mae Czachor

Samantha Bee took aim at President Trump's Voter Integrity Commission on Wednesday night's iteration of "Full Frontal."

Trump launched the commission to sniff out the 2 million to 5 million Americans he claims voted illegally during the November election. Bee scrutinized each of the commission's chief representatives and and what she said were their longtime efforts on voter suppression.

Bee pointed out that Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, the commission's vice chairman, poured a decent chunk of his collegiate education into an anti-divestment thesis, for a thesis advisor who consulted for the white South African apartheid regime.

As secretary of state, Kobach introduced a Kansas law that requires all voters to provide proof of citizenship, which critics say is blocking many from registering. Kobach suggested a nationwide expansion of the state law immediately following the election.

"Guys like this have been playing the long game, methodically chipping away at the Voting Rights Act since LBJ signed it and left the room to expose himself to the steno pool," Bee quipped. "And now this president has handed them the keys to the candy shop so they can run in and purge all the chocolates."

Watch Bee's full segment here.

Take a peek at the Pirelli Calendar's all-black ‘Alice in Wonderland’ fantasy photos

By Christie D’Zurilla

The 45th Pirelli Calendar has a bold look for 2018: It's an "Alice in Wonderland" theme cast entirely with black performers and models.

Famous names Djimon Hounsou, Lil Yachty, Lupita Nyong’o, RuPaul, Sasha Lane, Sean "Diddy" Combs and Whoopi Goldberg posed for photographer Tim Walker's project, alongside models Adut Akech, Adwoa Aboah, Alpha Dia, Duckie Thot, King Owusu, Naomi Campbell, Slick Woods, Thando Hopa and Wilson Oryema, plus stylist-designer-singer Zoe Bedeaux.

"Now we have Alice looking different. Alice can be anyone," Walker told stylist Chriselle Lim, who was present for the shoot. "It's an essence. ... You don't have to be confined. Focus on what it represents. It's important for cultural development."

Here are some behind-the-scenes photos from that shoot, where phones and use of social media were prohibited.

Lena Dunham will join election-themed season of ‘American Horror Story’

By Emily Mae Czachor

Lena Dunham will join the cast of "American Horror Story," per an announcement by the series’ showrunner, Ryan Murphy.

Ahead of the spooky FX drama's upcoming seventh season, Murphy tweeted Wednesday:

Dunham will receive a one-episode story arc, her reps disclosed to the Hollywood Reporter.

Over the past several months, Murphy has periodically rolled out teasers for the next iteration of "AHS." But he's kept a lid on what is perhaps fans’ most persistent question: What is the title?

In February, Murphy divulged a tidbit to Andy Cohen -- though, in characteristic Murphy fashion, he played it pretty vague. The next season, he said, "is going to be about the election that we just went through, so I think that will be interesting for a lot of people."

Murphy has yet to unveil the new season's title (though "American Horror Story: Election" seems chilling enough), but previously teased that it would be revealed Thursday.

Dunham will join the cast alongside series regulars Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters, as well as fellow "AHS" newbies Colton Haynes ("Teen Wolf"), Leslie Grossman ("Popular") and Billie Lourd ("Scream Queens").

The "AHS" Season 7 premiere date has not yet been announced. But the big title reveal comes in conjunction with the show's pop-up activation at San Diego Comic-Con this week, which has promised to tease the season in a whole new way.

Music therapy program for children established in Chris Cornell's name

By Randy Lewis

On what would have been Chris Cornell's 53rd birthday, the late Soundgarden singer's family foundation announced Thursday a $100,000 donation to a music therapy program for children in Seattle that will bear Cornell's name.

Childhaven, a Seattle-based nonprofit, will use the donation to establish the Chris Cornell Music Therapy Program at Childhaven, described as "a therapeutic early learning model for trauma-affected children."

"The Chris and Vicky Cornell Foundation is excited to join Childhaven to support its extraordinary work impacting the lives of those in need," said Vicky Cornell, widow of the musician, who died May 17 of what was ruled to be a suicide.

"Chris and I always shared a strong belief in the healing and inspiring power of music, and through Childhaven's establishment of this program, we are able to keep the promise for Chris by continuing to protect the world's most vulnerable children," Vicky Cornell's statement said.

The program uses music to treat children from birth to age 5 who have been affected by abuse, neglect, domestic violence, substance abuse and other issues.

"Because of what they’ve experienced, a lot of children come to Childhaven struggling with anger and other overwhelming emotions," said Seattle musician Brian Vogan, who works in music therapy at Childhaven. "Being able to beat on drums is really helpful for them. Other kids are very shy, and music helps to bring them out of their shell."

Watch a live stream of O.J. Simpson's parole hearing

By Christie D’Zurilla

O.J. Simpson is up for parole for the second time since 2008, and because of high interest in all things O.J., whose murder trial launched a new era in court coverage, the hearing will be broadcast by numerous outlets starting at 10 a.m. PDT Thursday.

The Los Angeles Times will stream the parole hearing live online (below). A slew of news stations and even ESPN will broadcast coverage as well.

The 70-year-old former football star will testify via video conference for 30 to 45 minutes. Four members of the parole board will vote on his fate, with two other members joining in if there is 2-2 tie. A 3-3 tie would lead to another hearing in January. Typically the parole board has seven members, but Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval's seventh appointee is not available until after the hearing.

EDITORIAL: What O.J. Simpson can teach us about parole>>

The victim of the botched robbery Simpson was convicted for is expected to testify on Simpson's behalf, and a decision on parole is anticipated to come Thursday.

Simpson, who was acquitted in 1995 of the slayings of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, was sentenced in 2008 to nine to 33 years in prison for a 2007 kidnapping and armed robbery in a Las Vegas hotel. Simpson was granted parole on five of the 12 charges in 2013; now he is seeking parole on the other seven. Because he was facing a minimum sentence of nine years, this is the first time he is eligible for release.

Simpson has reportedly been a model prisoner.

Times staff writer David Montero contributed to this report.

Jada Pinkett Smith was a drug dealer when she met Tupac Shakur, she says

By Christie D’Zurilla

"When I first met Pac, when we first met, I was a drug dealer."

So said — Jada Pinkett Smith? Yep, she addressed her relationship with the late Tupac Shakur on Wednesday on Sirius XM's Sway's World, dropping in that little tidbit about her past, but not much more, ‘cause she says she's going to write a book.

Pinkett Smith, now 46, met Shakur on the first day of high school at Baltimore School of the Arts, and they became fast friends. With the Shakur biopic "All Eyez on Me" now in theaters, she's been on fire about the movie's "reimagining" of their relationship, last month calling it "very hurtful."

The actress, who is married to Will Smith, told Sway it was "kind of hard" to describe her relationship with the fallen rapper "because I haven't really told the whole story."

The drug-dealer angle, being "in the life," is something she hasn't shared before. Something "very bad" happened to her around that time, and she got out, she said.

"I’ve been having kind of an existential crisis around Pac because I was coming out, he was coming in, and there was a point at which we met. And then we kinda were going our separate ways. And I just felt like, ‘OK, God, one day you’re going to do for Pac what you did for me, which is, you saved me.’ And that just never happened for him."

Shakur was fatally shot in a 1996 drive-by in Las Vegas.

"Pac and I's relationship was about survival," Pinkett Smith said. "That's how it started. And I know most people want to always connect it in this romance thing, and that's just because they don't have the story."

She said the drug-dealer detail was important to share, finally, because it gives insight to who they were together.

"It wasn't just about, oh, you have this cute girl, and this cool guy, they must have been in this — nah, it wasn't that at all. It was about survival, and it had always been about survival between us."

But that's it, for now, despite how upset she's been about "Eyez."

"It's not for me to try to protect his legacy, and ... whatever Pac's fate has been around his life, around his story, around his legacy, God's got it, and I just got to really lay down my feelings and trust that God's got it."

Something God doesn't have, but that Pinkett Smith is seeing progress around, is diversity in Hollywood, which she took a notable stand on when she boycotted the Oscars in 2016. That was the year her husband, Will Smith, was not nominated for his work in "Concussion" and the #OscarsSoWhite campaign took hold. Next time around, Pinkett Smith said, she’d consider attending once again, because progress has been made.

The Will & Jada Smith Family Foundation's Careers in Entertainment outreach program, which gets information about careers in Hollywood out to underserved communities, is merging with the motion picture academy's efforts, she said.

"There's so much consciousness" now about diversity in Hollywood, she said. "We have a long way to go, let's be clear about that. But there is a lot more conversation about it."

It's official: Ryan Seacrest to return as host of ‘American Idol’

By Libby Hill

The hardest-working man in Hollywood is returning to his roots. ABC announced Thursday morning that Ryan Seacrest will indeed return as host of the rebooted "American Idol."

"We are thrilled to be ushering in this new era of ‘American Idol’ with Ryan at the helm," Channing Dungey, president of ABC Entertainment, said in a statement released by the network. "So much of ‘American Idol's’ overwhelming success can be attributed to Ryan, whose larger-than-life personality and laudable dedication to creating quality entertainment has made him a true master of his craft."

The original iteration of "American Idol" debuted in 2002 on Fox, with Seacrest serving as co-host with Brian Dunkleman, now best known for being the answer to the trivia question, "Who was Ryan Seacrest's first-season ‘American Idol’ co-host?" The show ran for 15 seasons and 555 episodes before being canceled in 2016.

ABC's announcement that it's rebooting the series in 2018 — with Katy Perry on the judges’ panel — came just 13 months after the "American Idol" series finale aired.

"It's genuinely hard to put into words what ‘American Idol’ means to me," Seacrest said in the same ABC statement. "I’m so grateful for the show and all the career and life opportunities it's allowed me to experience. It's been an incredible journey from day one.

"To be asked to return this year, at my new home at Disney|ABC, is an honor, if not a bit surreal," he added.

Despite picking up his new (old) "American Idol" gig, Seacrest will continue as co-host and executive producer of "Live With Kelly and Ryan" alongside Kelly Ripa, as well as host and executive producer of "On Air With Ryan Seacrest," his L.A.-based radio show.

Seacrest also will maintain his role as executive producer and host of ABC's annual New Year's Eve bash, "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest."

Ripa excitedly confirmed the news on Thursday's episode of "Live With Kelly and Ryan."

Reuniting with an old flame. So excited to see u again :) @AmericanIdol pic.twitter.com/sFhgMWxMH7

Open auditions for the first season of the new "American Idol" begin Aug. 17 in Orlando, Fla. and Portland, Ore. Expect more announcements of the "American Idol" judges’ panel in coming weeks.

A Star Is Born: Carlos Santana turns 70 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

No borders, no flags. When people cry and laugh at the same time in our concerts, then I know we’ve touched them. I’ve learned that the best music you can play is when you’re channeling. It has nothing to do with you, your mama or your ancestors. You become a host: Music is the water, people are flowers.

— Carlos Santana, 1992

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Santana: Blues, beliefs and beyond

CBS signs three performers to main ‘Hawaii Five-0’ cast, replacing Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park

By Greg Braxton

CBS announced Wednesday that it would promote a recurring cast member and add two new performers to "Hawaii Five-0" in the wake of the recent controversial departures of Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park from the successful reboot of the popular ‘60s cop show.

Ian Anthony Dale, Meaghan Rath and Beulah Koale have been signed to join stars Alex O’Loughlin and Scott Caan when the series returns for its eighth season on Sept. 29.

Dale has played a recurring role on the show as Adam Noshimuri, a trusted confidant and resource since Season 2. He is being promoted to series regular as his character is recruited by detective Steve McGarrett (O’Loughlin) to work for the police unit.

Rath ("Being Human") will play Tani Rey, whom McGarrett recruits from her job as a hotel pool lifeguard after being kicked out of the police academy, despite being a first-rate candidate.

Koale will play Junior Reigns, a former Navy SEAL who asks McGarrett, a fellow SEAL, for a job, hoping to utilize his skills as a member of Five-0.

Kim and Park, who had been with the show since its debut, were reportedly paid less than O’Loughlin and Caan. In a statement to fans, Kim said that he and CBS "weren't able to agree to terms on a new contract." Executives for the network and the series said Kim and Park, whom they considered to be supporting characters, had turned down substantial raises to remain with the show.

Monica Lewinsky lauds Jay-Z for owning up to his infidelity on ‘4:44’

By Emily Mae Czachor

Monica Lewinsky is no stranger to the woes of infidelity. She's also privy to the ways in which powerful men manage to dodge accountability when they’re caught fooling around.

So when a high-profile male celebrity such as Jay-Z opens up about his marital transgressions, Lewinsky is clearly the person to weigh in.

In a new op-ed piece titled "Jay-Z, Prince Harry, Brad Pitt, and the New Frontiers of Male Vulnerability," which the former White House intern penned for Vanity Fair, she lauded the rapper and mogul for his honesty when addressing his past infidelities on his new album, "4:44." He didn't have to be quite so candid, she said.

"Jay-Z had a choice," Lewinsky wrote. "Having been called out publicly by his wife in her fierce 2016 album and video, ‘Lemonade,’ Jay-Z knew that his fans wouldn't have blinked if his next album skimmed past the allegations. That's not uncommon for men to do.

"And it's not as if we hadn't seen Beyoncé and Jay-Z out in the world together since then — not to mention, welcoming their twins to planet Earth. Jay-Z could have ignored it all. But, instead, he chose a path of candor that will move the conversation forward and help others."

Jay-Z's "4:44" is probably best described as acutely personal. In "Footnotes for 4:44," he exposed the intimate details of his once-tenuous marriage.

"This is my real life," he said in the video. "I just ran into this place and we built this big, beautiful mansion of a relationship that wasn't totally built on the 100% truth and it starts cracking. Things start happening that the public can see. Then we had to get to a point of ‘OK, tear this down and let's start from the beginning’ ... It's the hardest thing I’ve ever done."

Lewinsky feels that Jay-Z's vulnerability marks a critical step away from the traditional idea of "masculinity" often prescribed to men, especially those in positions of influence.

"It is a refreshing and bracing antidote to see male icons convey vulnerability in an age when Washington's new power elite and our coarsening culture are busy projecting an outmoded caricature of manhood, 24/7," she wrote.

Read Lewinsky's full Vanity Fair essay here.

‘Thrones’ creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss land ‘Confederate’ on HBO

By Christie D’Zurilla

"Game of Thrones" creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have another HBO gig on tap, the premium channel announced Wednesday.

Never mind the King of the North — this drama series will center on what's going on in an alternate-reality American South.

"Confederate," which will begin filming after the final season of "GoT" wraps, is about civil wars, but not the Civil War. Set in a reality where the Confederacy seceded successfully and turned into a modern nation with legal, institutionalized slavery, the series will feature what looks to be a sprawling cast of characters who operate on either side of the "Mason-Dixon Demilitarized Zone."

The big bad looming in "Confederate"? Not an army of White Walkers, but rather a Third American Civil War (and, we presume, an explanation of how the second one went down).

"We are thrilled to be able to continue our relationship with Dan and David, knowing that any subject they take on will result in a unique and ambitious series," HBO Programming President Casey Bloys said in a statement.

"Their intelligent, wry and visually stunning approach to storytelling has a way of engaging an audience and taking them on an unforgettable journey. ‘Confederate’ promises to be no exception, and we are honored to be adding the talented [husband and wife] team of Nichelle and Malcolm Spellman."

Benioff and Weiss said that for years they had considered the story as a feature film, but cut a deal with HBO in the wake of their "GoT" experience.

"There won't be dragons or White Walkers in this series," the duo said in a statement, "but we are creating a world, and we couldn't imagine better partners in world-building than Nichelle and Malcolm, who have impressed us for a long time with their wit, their imagination and their Scrabble-playing skills."

Creators Benioff and Weiss will write and serve as showrunners. The Spellmans — she's written for "The Good Wife" and "Justified," he's done "Empire" and the upcoming series "Foxy Brown" — will serve as executive producers and writers.

Julia Roberts continues to cozy up to TV after Amazon picks up ‘Homecoming’

By Libby Hill

Star of the silver screen (and People magazine's World's Most Beautiful Woman) Julia Roberts is making herself at home on the small screen.

Roberts is set to headline "Homecoming," a series based on the fictional podcast of the same name, which centers around a group of individuals working at a secret government facility.

Amazon confirmed to The Times the acquisition of the half-hour drama, directed and executive produced by "Mr. Robot" creator Sam Esmail, with a two-season, straight-to-series order. Eli Horowitz and Micah Bloomberg, writers of the podcast, will also serve as writers on the series.

Deadline first reported the series order

The "Homecoming" podcast is no stranger to big-name stars, featuring the voice work of Catherine Keener, Oscar Isaac, Amy Sedaris and David Cross.

The first season of the podcast was a finalist for the 2016 Peabody Award, and Season 2 debuted today.

This marks the second television project Roberts has secured this summer. In June, HBO announced that it had picked up Roberts’ limited series based on Maria Semple's book "Today Will Be Different."

FYF Fest will be livestreamed for first time

By Gerrick Kennedy

With a stacked lineup featuring Bjork, Frank Ocean, Missy Elliott, Solange and Nine Inch Nails, this year's FYF Fest looks to be a can't-miss entry in the summer festival season.

To soothe the widespread case of FOMO for those unable to get a ticket to the Goldenvoice-produced event, organizers will offer a livestream of the weekend's action for the first time.

Two of the three days of this year's expanded festival will be streamed exclusively on Twitter, making it the first U.S. festival to be broadcast on the social platform, organizers announced Wednesday morning.

The stream will be active from 6 p.m. to midnight Saturday and Sunday, meaning folks can catch sets from acts like A Tribe Called Quest, MGMT, Iggy Pop and Run The Jewels.

Aside from performances, the stream will feature interviews and behind-the-scenes footage from the weekend.

Fans will be able to access the livestream at twitter.com/FYFFEST.

Fleetwood Mac becomes first band to be honored as MusiCares Person of the Year

By Randy Lewis

Fleetwood Mac will be feted next year as the Recording Academy's 2018 MusiCares Person of the Year, an honor that will be extended to the veteran group in conjunction with the 60th Grammy Awards ceremony.

Fleetwood Mac is the first group to be recognized at the annual event that singles out musicians both for their artistry and their philanthropic contributions. Previous honorees include Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon, Bonnie Raitt, Quincy Jones, Luciano Pavarotti and Stevie Wonder.

The Person of the Year dinner is a fundraiser that generates support for MusiCares programs assisting musicians in need of housing, transportation, instrument or equipment issues, medical treatment, food and other services.

"It's a tremendous honor to be the first band to receive the MusiCares Person of the Year award," founding member and drummer Mick Fleetwood said in a statement. "Independently and together, we all set off on a journey to spend our lives as artists, songwriters, and musicians.

"None of us did it alone and there were plenty of helping hands along the way," Fleetwood said, "so we applaud and celebrate MusiCares’ guiding principles of giving musicians a helping hand and a place to turn in times of need. We are very appreciative of this recognition."

Recording Academy President and CEO Neil Portnow, in the same statement, said, "Our 2018 MusiCares Person of the Year tribute is a celebration of firsts — the first time our annual signature gala will be held in New York City in 15 years, and the first time in the benefit's history that we will honor a band. This excitement is only matched by the genuine thrill and privilege of paying tribute to Fleetwood Mac."

The tribute typically incorporates performance and testimonials from other musicians, although no participants for the Fleetwood Mac ceremony have been announced yet. In recent years, the annual event has raised in excess of $7 million for the MusiCares Foundation.

Jimmy Kimmel ‘apologizes’ for jokes about Caitlyn Jenner's transition

By Emily Mae Czachor

Caitlyn Jenner is calling out late-night TV hosts for their "jokes" about her gender identity.

Although the 67-year-old reality star made her first-ever "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" appearance on Tuesday night, Kimmel has been cracking jokes at her expense for years.

Long before Jenner publicly announced her gender transition in 2015, the topic of Bruce Jenner's decidedly "feminine" cosmetic preferences (i.e., plastic surgery, hairstyle, etc.) were punch lines to many a late-night one-liner.

"It had been hammered all over the media for the longest time," Jenner said during Tuesday's taping. "In fact, guys like you, making some jokes."

She raised an eyebrow to Kimmel.

"Right, but we didn't know what was happening! We thought you were just vain," Kimmel quipped, adding as an aside, "Sorry about that, by the way."

"No, it's quite all right," Jenner replied, before lobbing a zinger of her own.

"Now he's gonna apologize!" she said to the audience. "But I accept your apology. I don't know if you saw it, but when I was on Jimmy Fallon, I gave him a really hard time."

"Well, he deserves it," Kimmel cracked. "He said some really terrible things about you."

Jenner agreed but let Kimmel know where he stands with her: "You’ve always been my favorite."

Who earns the most at the BBC? White men, a new salary report reveals

By Emily Mae Czachor

The BBC is funneling loads of taxpayer dollars into the pockets of its highest-paid stars -- its white male stars, to be exact.

Under the terms of its new charter, the U.K. public broadcast powerhouse was compelled to release the names and salaries of its top-line earners, unearthing an international controversy about its glaring wage gaps.

The salary report reveals that 96 of the BBC's leading on-air personalities earn at least $195,000 every year. And radio host Chris Evans, the broadcast network's chief earner, takes home more than $2.9 million -- about 20 times the salary of the U.K. prime minister.

The BBC's payroll docket is a sensitive issue, which is why the network has kept its contents under wraps until now. In the U.K., there is a $190 annual fee exacted on every television-owning household, as well as those who watch BBC programs online. That means that multimillionaire stars, like Evans, are essentially profiting from BBC-consuming taxpayer bills.

The salaries, which were published in ranked clusters rather than specific figures, reveal a stark wage gap along gender and race lines. Two-thirds of the BBC's highest earners are men. Its top-earning woman -- "Strictly Come Dancing" host Claudia Winkleman -- makes less than a quarter of Evans’ salary. This is an apparent pattern throughout the report, which revealed stark wage rifts between male and female personalities who basically fulfill the same job function.

The report also raised issues about race, as the BBC's elite band of earners are overwhelmingly white in addition to overwhelmingly male. None of its nonwhite stars earn more than about $391,000 a year.

While BBC chief Tony Hall conceded that the report did expose "the need to go further and faster on issues of gender and diversity," he defended the astronomical salaries.

"The BBC does not exist in a market on its own where it can set the market rates," he said in a speech to his staff on Tuesday. "If we are to give the public what they want, then we have to pay for those great presenters and stars."

Blac Chyna says she's glad to be ‘relieved’ of Rob Kardashian

By Christie D’Zurilla

Blac Chyna is happy to put Rob Kardashian in her rearview mirror after he posted naked pictures of her online in a profane, ill-conceived rant — but not before she does a sit-down interview about how she's putting him in said rearview.

"I’m glad I’m relieved of [Rob], but damn, why did I have to get relief in this way?" she told People.

Moving forward, she said, she's all about being happy, so that King Cairo, her son with Tyga, and Dream, her daughter with Kardashian, can be happy as well.

The woman born Angela White also wants to speak up, she said, for other women who might find themselves in a similar ugly-split situation.

The 29-year-old was granted a restraining order against baby daddy No. 2 on July 10, five days after he went off at her on social media, posting nude pictures she’d sent him and accusing her of cheating on him and using drugs.

The couple split in December but stayed in each other's lives until the rant, which it appears was prompted when Chyna, Kardashian claims, sent him a video of her cuddling up in bed with another man.

They have an unwritten 50-50 agreement regarding custody of Dream, according to TMZ, and she told People there's "no turning back" when it comes to a romantic relationship. As in, no way is that ever happening again between them.

Chyna has been hard at work in recent days and appears to have taken career pages from fellow estranged Kardashian-clan member Scott Disick and onetime would-be in-laws Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian.

A la Disick, she hosted a party Saturday at a strip club in Atlanta and reportedly was paid $10,000 to host at the Ace of Diamonds club in West Hollywood on Monday night (and enjoyed a lap dance while she was there). She also is promoting a makeup collection, Lashed Cosmetics, which echoes the reality-TV ladies’ beauty businesses.

Chyna told People she had found strength in the alleged revenge-porn drama.

"If I was to go and do a very artsy, high-end photo shoot exposing my breasts, that's my choice," she said. "This is my body. It's my right."

Watch the first trailer for Guillermo del Toro's dark fairy tale ‘The Shape of Water’

By Josh Rottenberg

Fans of director Guillermo del Toro have learned to expect the unexpected. Over the course of his career, the filmmaker has put his unique stamp on everything from vampires ("Cronos") to superheroes ("Hellboy") to giant robots ("Pacific Rim") to gothic horror ("Crimson Peak").

The just-released first trailer for del Toro's latest film, "The Shape of Water," finds him back in the realm of dark, unsettling fairy tales, a la his 2006 film, "Pan's Labyrinth" — this time with a suitably twisted romantic spin.

Set against the backdrop of the Cold War, the film centers on a mute janitor (Sally Hawkins) at a top-secret government laboratory who develops a relationship with an aquatic humanoid creature (Doug Jones) — the last of his species — who is being held in a tank and subjected to experiments.

"The Shape of Water," which co-stars Octavia Spencer, Michael Shannon and Richard Jenkins, hits theaters Dec. 8.

Watch the trailer here:

‘Hire a polygraph person’: Aaron Carter swears he doesn't drink, despite recent DUI arrest

By Emily Mae Czachor

Aaron Carter does not drink alcohol. At all.

That was the 29-year-old singer's story during a weepy interview Tuesday with "Entertainment Tonight." Following his recent DUI arrest outside an AutoZone in rural Georgia, Carter wanted to set the record straight about his rumored substance abuse issues.

"I do not drink," he insisted, explaining that a longstanding medical condition prevents him from doing so. "Hire a polygraph person, a professional. Strap me up."

On Saturday night, Habersham County authorities charged Carter with DUI and possession of marijuana and drug-related objects.

A tearful Carter told "ET" that car problems were to blame.

"Somebody said I was driving recklessly on the road. That's what the police report said, but the alignment was off on my car, so I went to AutoZone to see if I could do anything about it," Carter said.

Although a motorcyclist reported that Carter was "swerving all over the road," the singer vowed that the issue was a problem with the tire's alignment -- and nothing more. Because, he reiterated, "I do not drink alcohol at all." Or, rather, he doesn't drink hard liquor at all?

"I’ll occasionally have a sip of beer or something like that, but I can't even drink IPAs," he clarified. "I can't drink anything like that. I have to drink the lightest beer possible that's not hoppy. I don't drink any hard liquor."

As for the marijuana charges, Carter told "ET" that he obtains the drug legally and uses it only to treat his anxiety, chronic pain and suppressed appetite. He steadfastly contended that he does not use any other drugs -- except for Xanax, propranolol for his high blood pressure and Oxycodone for a recent jaw injury.

Carter responded to claims that he is actually in the throes of perhaps a much more dire drug addiction. He stamped out those rumors too, denying that he has ever smoked meth, crack cocaine or heroin (and he experimented with Ecstasy only "a couple of times" as a teenager).

"I don't need help," he said. "What I need is for people to understand that I’m human and I make mistakes just like every other human in this world."

Keegan-Michael Key resurrects Luther, Obama's ‘anger translator,’ for Stephen Colbert

By Robert Lloyd

The news from Washington was the death of the Republican healthcare bill, and it was duly noted around the late-night dial.

On NBC's "Late Night," host Seth Meyers said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had announced that the new Republican strategy was to repeal and not replace the Affordable Care Act, "the same way we got rid of Obama without a good plan to replace him."

Jimmy Fallon, on "The Tonight Show," had more or less the same joke from a different angle: "Republicans said that they’re just going to let Obamacare fail while they regroup and figure out a new plan and Democrats said, ‘Hey, that's the same thing we’re doing with Trump.’"

Passing a bill "was always a long shot," said "Late Show" host Stephen Colbert, "because the Republicans control only all three branches of government." He likened the proposal to repeal and not replace to "how when your car gets a flat tire, you remove the tire, then cut the brake cables and push the car into a crowd of uninsured old people."

Still, the biggest late-night news was the return of Luther, the "anger translator" for President Obama played by "Late Show" guest Keegan-Michael Key.

"There's something probably brewing up in Luther," said Key, when asked if we might get a another glimpse of him.

Colbert read a statement from Obama, published in June on Facebook, also regarding the Republican healthcare bill: "If there's a chance you might get sick, get old, or start a family, this bill will do you harm."

Keys’ eyes widened, as if he were possessed, and Luther broke it down.

He began with an incredulous squeak of a scream, as if six months of pent-up rage were finding its way into the world through a hairline crack.

"Come on, people! Trump Care? More Like Trump Don't Care. I’m talking about Don T Care Don't Care." He was on his feet by then, jumping in place.

"I fought for the ACA to help people! I also spent a full year in open bipartisan sessions and everybody had a say. All the Republicans! All the Democrats! So what y’all hidin? … Why would you do that? … Maybe because you don't want anyone to see that y’all just cooped up in a dungeon over a kettle just makin’ a potion!"

He flapped his hands, he made stirring motions.

"Y’all goin’ to kill some people," he continued, but "most of the folks in America want this country to still have people living in it! I would say you people make me sick, but I can't afford that, ‘cause I wouldn't have no damn insurance!"

Momentarily himself again, Key returned for a sip of tea. Colbert, asking if Luther were still there, offered another Obama quote, from a May meeting with Angela Merkel: "In this new world we live in, we can't isolate ourselves. We can't hide behind a wall."

Luther was back in the blink of an eye. "I spent eight years tearin’ down walls. And this …. want to put them all up!"

He paced, grabbed the railing of the set's spiral staircase and did a kind of balletic kick.

"Now he want to make the wall see through … so when people throw 60-pound bags of drugs over the wall, you can see it so you won't get hit on the head ...," Key, as Luther, said.

"I seen a lot of movies from the ‘80s, and I ain't never seen nobody die from no … head injury," he went on. "I mean, lelelelemme see now, lemme see. ‘Scarface’? No. ‘Less than Zero’? No. ‘Cheech and Chong’? Drugs, yes. But head injuries — no, no and no!"

He did a backward somersault into a standing position.

"I’ma gonna tell you one last thing," Key as Luther concluded. "I thought I was on a forced retirement, y’all. But it look like Obama still need me. So I am back!"

Madonna blocks auction of Tupac Shakur letter, ‘personally worn’ panties

By Christie D’Zurilla

A collectibles outfit in New York City has plenty of Madonna gear up for auction today — but you won't find the singer's "personally worn" panties, her DNA or a letter to her from the late Tupac Shakur on the block.

The pop star succeeded in her effort Tuesday to keep Gotta Have Rock and Roll from selling 22 items, including those three, when a judge hit the pause button on her behalf. Apparently, Madonna had no idea the items weren't in her possession anymore.

"The fact that I have attained celebrity status as a result of success in my career does not obviate my right to maintain my privacy, including with regard to highly personal items," Madonna said in court papers obtained by the Associated Press. "I understand that my DNA could be extracted from a piece of my hair. It is outrageous and grossly offensive that my DNA could be auctioned for sale to the general public."

According to the New York Daily News, which first reported the development, the items up for sale came from Darlene Lutz, a former friend who helped Madonna pack up her Miami home, and also included a letter in which the Material Girl snarked on Whitney Houston and Sharon Stone.

"Maybe this is what black people felt like when Elvis Presley got huge," she wrote in the letter, according to the auction site, as reported by the Daily News. "It's so unequivocally frustrating to read that Whitney Houston has the music career I wish I had and Sharon Stone has the film career I’ll never have. Not because I want to be these women because I’d rather die but they’re so horribly mediocre."

Shakur and Madonna dated for a while starting in 1993, she confirmed in 2015. In his letter to her, which the collectibles auction house expected to sell for $400,000, he apologized for previous behavior. "Please," he wrote, "understand my previous position as that of a young man with limited experience with a extremely famous sex symbol."

In the same letter, Shakur talked about how it wouldn't hurt her career — and would likely enhance it — if she were seen with a black man. But for him, because of his "image," he felt that being seen with her would be "letting down half of the people who made me what I thought I was."

The "Hit Em Up" rapper started serving a prison sentence for sexual assault a month after writing the letter and was released in October 1995. He was fatally shot on Sept. 13, 1996, at age 25 in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas. The "Borderline" singer was 38 at the time of his death.

The judge's ruling Tuesday is not final. "Madonna's allegations will be vigorously challenged and refuted in a court of law in due course," a spokesman for the auction house and Lutz told the New York Post. "We are confident that the Madonna memorabilia will be back."

The balance of the 120 items in the auction are currently up for bid.

Nothing slow about it: ‘Despacito’ is now the most-streamed song ever

By Randy Lewis

Just six months after its release, Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's summer hit "Despacito" has become the most-streamed song ever, logging 4.6 billion streams to date.

That figure includes streams of the Fonsi-Yankee track as well as a remix featuring Justin Bieber.

In taking over the top spot, the Spanish-language "Despacito" (which translates to "slowly"), surpasses the previous record holder, Bieber's "Sorry," which has tallied 4.38 billion streams for the original song and associated remixes.

"Luis Fonsi already had the undisputed, biggest song of the year – and now he's setting even bigger records," Universal Music Group Chairman and Chief Executive Lucian Grainge said in a statement. "Streaming has opened up the possibility of a song with a different beat, from a different culture and in a different language to become a juggernaut of success around the world."

Another Universal executive, Jesus Lopez, chairman and CEO of Universal Music Latin America & Iberian Peninsula, added, "Streaming has democratized music consumption, it has made Latin music increasingly relevant on the charts and it has amplified our songs and videos to a world stage."

The official video for "Despacito" now shows 2.66 billion views on YouTube.

‘Teen Wolf’ might be howling a different tune on MTV

By Libby Hill

As the final days of MTV's "Teen Wolf" loom, the cable network is looking ahead to what could fill the hunky, teenage wolf-boy-sized hole in its schedule.

The answer? More "Teen Wolf," maybe.

MTV already has plans to continue the Season 6 narrative in podcast form, after airing the final episodes later this summer, The Times confirmed Tuesday.

First reported in the Hollywood Reporter, the cable programmer has also started kicking around the idea of transforming the show into an anthology and rebooting it in a different location with a largely new cast.

"These characters and these stories have hit a peak," Chris McCarthy, president of MTV, told THR. "We are talking with Jeff [Davis, creator of "Teen Wolf"] about how do we actually keep that franchise alive. And the beauty of the evolution of media is you can see the series going on through a series of podcasts and then see a resurrection of a new class in a couple years."

"Teen Wolf" was MTV's first scripted drama when it debuted in 2011. The final 10 episodes will play out over the next few months, when the back half of Season 6 begins July 30.

A Star Is Born: Benedict Cumberbatch turns 41 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

I think [being surprised by what's in a film is] a rare thing in our day and age where you have a super-saturation of media over-publicizing every detail or spoilers in adverts or trailers. That's what it should be about, going to the movies. It shouldn't be about ticking off a list of, ‘Yeah, I heard that was going to happen.’

— Benedict Cumberbatch, 2013

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Benedict Cumberbatch, the thinking man's alpha wolf

Los Angeles Times’ Carolina A. Miranda wins Rabkin Prize for arts writers

By Libby Hill

Los Angeles Times staff writer Carolina A. Miranda is among eight winners of the Rabkin Prize for Visual Arts Journalism, which the Dorothea and Leo Rabkin Foundation announced Monday.

This is the inaugural cycle of grants, which awards $50,000 to winners and aims to identify and celebrate the country's most vital visual-arts journalists.

Sixteen writers were nominated for consideration and narrowed down to eight by a jury of three, including Lisa Gabrielle Mark, publisher at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Paul Ha, director of the List Visual Arts Center at Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Walter Robinson, the New York-based artist and art critic.

The eight winners are:

Phong Bui, co-founder and artistic director of the Brooklyn Rail (Brooklyn, N.Y.)Charles Desmarais, art critic for the San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco)Bob Keyes, writer for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram (Portland, Maine)Jason Farago, art critic for the New York Times (New York)Jeff Huebner, arts journalist and freelance writer (Chicago)Carolina Miranda, Los Angeles Times staff writer (Los Angeles)Christina Rees, Glasstire editor-in-chief (Dallas)Chris Vitiello, writer, curator and organizer (Durham, N.C.)

"These are the brave ones, the writers who live by their work and say what they think," Mark said of the winners in Monday's announcement.

The creation of the Rabkin Prize comes at the behest of the late Leo Rabkin, who "wanted to create a program that would encourage writers to stay in the profession and be supported and appreciated," Susan C. Larsen, executive director of the Rabkin Foundation, said in a statement.

During her tenure at The Times, Miranda has specialized in covering culture both high and low, including recent stories featuring a lowrider piñata, the controversy surrounding Sam Durant's "Scaffold" sculpture and the last porn theaters in Los Angeles.

"I’m thrilled and humbled and just a little bit dazed," Miranda said, adding that she's not sure how she’ll spend the prize money. "The award came as a big surprise. In fact, when they first reached out, my first thought was that someone was pulling my leg — and then I was worried they might change their mind!"

Miranda continued, "But I’m incredibly grateful that an organization like the Rabkin Foundation is supporting arts writers, especially the independent ones. And I’m grateful that The Times is committed to coverage of fine arts — because without that, we wouldn't be talking about any of this."

Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton announce their final duet performance as he closes out his career

By Christie D’Zurilla

Kenny Rogers’ longtime duet partner and friend Dolly Parton will be among those helping the Gambler close out his career with a star-packed October show in Nashville.

The two have worked together since 1983, when they collaborated on "Islands in the Stream," which became a No. 1 hit.

"We’ve enjoyed a special friendship for decades, and I’ll forever look back fondly on the many collaborations, performances, and laughs we’ve shared as some of the most extraordinary moments of my career," 78-year-old Rogers said of Parton in a Tuesday statement. "I know it will be a moving experience for us standing on that stage together for one last time."

Their final "Islands in the Stream" duet will happen Oct. 25 in Nashville during the "All in for the Gambler: Kenny Rogers’ Farewell Concert Celebration." Other acts so far include Little Big Town, Alison Krauss, the Flaming Lips, Idina Menzel, Jamey Johnson and Elle King, with more names expected as the date approaches. The show will be taped for broadcast at a later date.

"This is all I’ve done for 60 years, but my mobility has gotten kind of strange, and I don't like to go on stage and have to apologize," Rogers told Rolling Stone. "It's one of those things — you make decisions based on what life gives you. I’ve had a great life, I can't complain, but it's time for me to hang it up, I think."

Parton said in a statement that since 1983, "everyone has had an expectation to see Kenny everywhere I go and me with him wherever he goes," even though, according to Rolling Stone, they’ve performed together only three times in the last 27 years.

"Well, I guess for many of those fans that wanted to see us together, this will be that night," she said.

Rogers’ farewell tour, which started last year, has him in California and Nevada between now and the end of the month, including a Temecula show Sunday and a Costa Mesa concert July 30.

Ed Sheeran, fresh from deleting his Twitter account, will make a ‘Simpsons’ cameo

By Randy Lewis

Fresh off his cameo role on "Game of Thrones" -- after which he just quit Twitter, but more on that momentarily -- English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran will lend his voice and cartoon caricature to a new episode of "The Simpsons" that will parody "La La Land."

Titled "Haw Haw Land," the episode will be part of the show's upcoming 29th season. It casts Sheeran as the Ryan Gosling-esque love interest to jazz-loving, saxophone-playing Lisa Simpson -- to the consternation of her long-suffering unrequited-love interest, Milhouse.

No air date for the episode has been announced. Sheeran is described as a longtime "Simpsons" fan who sports a tattoo of the show's nuclear-irradiated, three-eyed fish, Blinky.

Meanwhile, Sheeran deleted his Twitter account following his performance as a singing soldier on the "Game of Thrones" season opener Sunday after his performance was criticized by some viewers online.

Sheeran offered no explanation for shutting down his account, but fans were quick to speculate that it was the result of online barbs hurled his way after the "GoT" appearance. And this isn't the first time Sheeran has voiced his frustrations with social media.

Is ‘The Disaster Artist’ James Franco's next shot at Oscar gold?

By Amy Kaufman

If you’re a James Franco fan who felt the actor was snubbed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences when his performance as an eccentric drug dealer in "Spring Breakers" failed to earn an Oscar nod -- rejoice. The actor's next shot at a gold statuette may have just arrived.

On Tuesday, A24 debuted a teaser trailer (warning, adult language) for "The Disaster Artist," a dark comedy that sparked early awards talk for Franco when it premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival in March.

The movie, which the 39-year-old both directed and stars in, tells the story of "The Room" -- a 2003 low-budget indie dubbed the "worst movie ever" by numerous critics. Created by Tommy Wiseau, "The Room" was filled with such bad acting and dialogue that it became a surprise cult hit and even a popular local midnight screening selection.

At SXSW, Franco told the crowd -- who gave him multiple standing ovations -- that he related to Wiseau in "ways that I don't want to admit."

"What we talked about more than anything else while we were putting the movie together was, ‘Why do we love this movie?’" added Seth Rogen, who co-stars in the movie and produced it. "Not, ‘Why do we make fun of this movie?’ Or, ‘Why do we laugh at this movie?’ But, ‘What is great about that movie?’ And at the end of the day, it was the earnestness of a guy who put himself out there."

As for Franco, the actor said he devoted serious time to perfecting Wiseau's affect, even continuing to speak in the filmmaker's voice while directing "The Disaster Artist."

Even though Franco was Oscar-nominated for best actor for his turn in the 2010 survival drama "127 Hours," many fans felt his more unconventional performance three years later in "Spring Breakers" was overlooked.

A24, which also distributed that 2013 party flick, even mounted a tongue-in-cheek awards campaign for Franco's role in "Spring Breakers."

Disney says Kermit the Frog puppeteer fired over ‘unacceptable business conduct’

By Libby Hill

The war of words rages on, but none of them are coming from the little green frog.

The Muppets Studio released a statement Monday revealing a bit more about its decision to part ways with longtime Kermit the Frog puppeteer Steve Whitmire.

"The role of Kermit the Frog is an iconic one that is beloved by fans and we take our responsibility to protect the integrity of that character very seriously," a spokesperson for Muppets Studio said in a statement. "We raised concerns about Steve's repeated unacceptable business conduct over a period of many years and he consistently failed to address the feedback.

"The decision to part ways was a difficult one which was made in consultation with the Henson family and has their full support," the statement concluded.

Whitmire had been performing with the Muppets since 1978 and took on the role of Kermit after the untimely death of Muppets creator Jim Henson in 1990.

In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter Monday, Whitmire acknowledged that his opinionated communication style was unacceptable for Disney.

"They felt I had been ‘disrespectful’ in being outspoken on character issues with the small group of top creative people during the ABC series [‘The Muppets’]," Whitmire told THR.

"I have been outspoken about what's best for the Muppets since the Muppets came to Disney [in 2004], but the fact is I have respect for everyone who was involved in the creation of that series for their own particular contributions. At the same time, I also have insight into their limitations with respect to how well they know the Muppets," Whitmire said.

The Henson family chose Whitmire to replace Jim Henson as Kermit in 1990, but it has no current involvement with the Muppets. Disney purchased Kermit and the gang from the Jim Henson Co. in 2004 in a deal valued at $90 million.

In an interview with the New York Times on Monday, Lisa Henson, president of Jim Henson Co. and Jim Henson's daughter, had her own take on Whitmire's behavior.

"He played brinkmanship very aggressively in contract negotiations," Henson said, going on to explain that Whitmire also refused to have an understudy.

"He blackballed young performers," Henson said of Whitmire's relationships with new talent.

Jim Henson Co. Chairman Brian Henson, Jim Henson's son, said that Whitmire's Kermit was "sometimes excellent, and always pretty good," but it was what happened once the cameras were off that became a problem.

"He’d send emails and letters attacking everyone, attacking the writing and attacking the director," Brian Henson said.

What happened in the past with Whitmire and Disney remains muddy, but the future looks clear for Kermit.

Matt Vogel, veteran Muppet puppeteer, will make his debut as the new Kermit the Frog on this week's installment of "Muppet Thought of the Week."

Jessica Alba is pregnant again, about to be ‘outnumbered’

By Christie D’Zurilla

Jessica Alba and husband Cash Warren are expecting a third child, the actress announced with a little help from her two daughters and social media.

"@cash_warren and I are officially going to be outnumbered #babyonboard #herewegoagain #blessed," she wrote Monday night, captioning a video of herself with eldest child, Honor, and second daughter, Haven, 5, all flashing big number balloons.

The "Dark Angel" actress, 36, and producer Warren, 38, met on the set of "Fantastic Four" in 2005 and have been married since May 2008.

The Honest Co. co-founder — let's not talk about that now — announced her second pregnancy via Facebook in 2011, and Warren marked Honor's ninth birthday last month with a sweet Instagram post that hinted at the kind of dad he is.

"My baby girl - You turn 9 today. How do I have a 9 year old??! The time is flying by but you know what ... I wouldn't have it any other way. Having you has taught me how to appreciate the here and now. I can't afford to wish for tomorrow because I know I’ll miss today," he wrote.

"You are kind, thoughtful and fair. You are smart, creative and driven. You’re not afraid to lead but more importantly you’re not afraid to listen. Keep it up my champ! You’re doing great.

"I love you. I’m so proud of you. Happy Birthday!! ... Now let's go make some slime."

Make that slime for three, please.

A Star Is Born: Wendy Williams turns 53 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

When I think of myself doing well in radio, I don't think of myself as the most celebrated black woman. No, I’m the most celebrated woman in radio. And my achievements rival all the boys.

— Wendy Williams, 2008

FROM THE ARCHIVES: A lot to say, naturally

R. Kelly denies new sexual misconduct allegations

By Christie D’Zurilla

R. Kelly on Monday denied allegations that he is holding several women over the age of consent as sex slaves.

"Mr. Robert Kelly is both alarmed and disturbed at the recent revelations attributed to him," his attorney, Linda S. Mensch, said in a statement obtained by The Times. "Mr. Kelly unequivocally denies such allegations and will work diligently and forcibly to pursue his accusers and clear his name."

The allegations, published Monday by BuzzFeed, come from the parents of several women alleged to be under Kelly's sway. Writer Jim DeRogatis — the former Chicago Sun-Times pop music critic who has extensively reported on allegations that Kelly was involved sexually with numerous underage girls — also interviewed three people identified as former members of the singer's inner circle.

According to the story, a half-dozen women live in properties the singer rents and do what he tells them to do, including engaging "in sexual encounters that he records."

DeRogatis notes in the BuzzFeed story that "the law says that consenting adults may take part in any relationship they want, no matter how nontraditional. Welfare checks by police in both Illinois and Georgia in the past year didn't lead to any charges; in January, the aspiring singer from Georgia told Cook County police she was ‘fine and did not want to be bothered.’"

In 2008, the "I Believe I Can Fly" crooner was acquitted on child-pornography charges stemming from a leaked videotape. Now 50, he has settled multiple lawsuits involving sexual misconduct allegations.

Times staff writer Randy Lewis contributed to this report.

Mindy Kaling reportedly expecting first child

By Libby Hill

Forget Mrs. Who. Mindy Kaling already has her next role lined up: Mommy.

Kaling has her hands full, starring in Ava DuVernay's $100-million adaptation of Madeleine L’Engle's fantasy novel "A Wrinkle in Time," but E! News reported Monday that motherhood is imminent for the star.

Sources told the entertainment outlet that the pregnancy comes as an "unexpected surprise" to the star of "The Office" and "The Mindy Project," but Kaling has never shied away from the idea of having children.

"I think I’ve decided that unlike everything else in my life, I’m going to be fast and loose about kids. I’m going to not actively plan, but if it happens, it would happen," Kaling told Yahoo Style in October 2015, tacking on a "maybe imminently" at the end of her thought.

Nothing is yet known about who Kaling's partner in pregnancy may be, so let the rampant speculation begin!

Here, we’ll start: In March, Kaling and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker had a very flirty exchange on Twitter that seemed to end in the pair agreeing to go on a date, though Booker later tried to strip the romantic overtones from the arrangement later.

yes. Now let me get the PATH train schedule.

"I want to sort of take the romantic aspect out of it and talk more about how she's amazing," Booker told Vanity Fair in April. It's still unclear whether Kaling and Booker ever had their enchanted evening, but wouldn't it be delightful (if completely baseless) if today's announcement were proof?

Alternate theory: Kaling and former beau and bestie BJ Novak ("The Office") are working on a book together that was originally announced in May 2015. Two years is a long time, and while there's absolutely nothing to suggest this is the case, wouldn't it be lovely if the two got distracted by another side project that was actually a baby?

Representatives for Kaling did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Monday afternoon.

Ryan Phillippe was ‘victim of a freak accident,’ with a broken leg to show for it

By Christie D’Zurilla

Ryan Phillippe has broken his leg badly, he says, but the "freak accident" didn't happen while he was on the job.

Late Sunday, the "Shooter" star posted a photo of himself laid up in a hospital bed with obvious damage to his right leg. On Monday morning, he provided more details.

"[H]ey, guys. i didn't injure myself doing a stunt or anywhere near the set of shooter. i was the victim of a freak accident during a family outing on sunday," he said in a series of tweets. "[M]y leg is badly broken & required surgical attention, but i will make a full recovery, am in good hands, and will be back in action soon."

Phillippe continued: "[T]hank you for all the well wishes, support, & concern. also a special thanks to the paramedics & first responders who helped me at the scene & to the medical staff caring for me now. i will keep you updated on my progress."

To pass the time while he's laid up, the 42-year-old actor said, he’ll be live-tweeting the East Coast and West Coast feeds of "Shooter" on Tuesday night, when the show's second season premieres on USA Network.

Fans, take note: Phillippe also plans to do a nice long Twitter Q&A ahead of show time.

"[C]ome up w good q's for my a," he urged.

Aaron Carter, arrested on suspicion of DUI, slams brother Nick Carter for supportive tweet

By Christie D’Zurilla

Singer Aaron Carter is blaming it all on fame — except for the part where he's blaming it all on poor wheel alignment.

He's not too happy with his Backstreet Boys brother Nick Carter, either.

The younger Carter, who was arrested Saturday in Georgia on suspicion of DUI and drug possession, said in a statement Sunday on Twitter that he "feels his ‘celebrity’ was targeted" and plans to get an attorney.

"His automobile had a new tire put on it and it went out of alignment," so Carter and girlfriend Madison Parker, who have been traveling together as he tours, drove to an Auto Zone, the statement said. "After being at the store and requesting help to get his alignment fixed, he was arrested inside by several officers with aggression. The police also revoked his rights to have an attorney."

The statement said video from the store would show Carter was not in a moving vehicle when he was arrested and noted that "Aaron holds a medical license for medical marijuana for his long standing anxiety."

A sheriff's deputy on Monday described the situation differently, saying officers had responded to a motorist's 911 call.

"He was driving all over the road and driving into the median," Habersham County Sheriff's Capt. Floyd Canup told the Associated Press. A deputy saw Carter behind the wheel before the 29-year-old pulled into the auto-parts store parking lot, Canup said.

While the "I Want Candy" singer on Monday was retweeting comments about medical marijuana being legal in Georgia, Canup told the AP that the kind Carter had didn't fall into the state's legal category. "It's not the green, leafy type, which he had," the captain said.

Nick Carter, 37, reached out to his little bro Sunday on Twitter, saying, "To my brother: I love u no matter what & if u feel the need to reach for help, I am here and willing to help you get better."

Aaron Carter, who spent a month in rehab in 2011 for Xanax dependency, wasn't pleased with the offer.

"If my own blood (Nick) truly cared about my well-being, why wouldn't he call me directly and have a conversation instead of making this about him through a very public forum," he said in his Sunday statement. "That's not cool at all to use me for his PR and kick me while I am down. I love my family despite it through thick and thin."

The 2009 "Dancing With the Stars" alum, who's been performing since he was 7, has had drama bubbling up in his life recently. A week ago he tempted fate — or so it seems, in hindsight — when a videographer asked him for his thoughts on Shia LaBeouf's arrest in Georgia on a public drunkenness charge.

"You won't catch me getting any DUIs. I don't have any DUIs," Carter bragged in footage published Sunday by TMZ.

In June, he was hospitalized for exhaustion shortly after he called out fans who criticized his thin frame.

"No I don't do drugs, yes I feel pain, I haven't stopped working since I was 7 years old 22 years later and I still won't give up," Carter tweeted in April (via People) in a since-deleted series of posts talking about his hiatal hernia diagnosis, which he called a "terrible stress condition" and likened to an eating disorder.

"I’m sorry, sometimes I really wish I did look better, or I eat more like y’all say, this life doesn't come w much stability...," he wrote.

Amazon Studios releases trailer for Sundance favorite ‘Crown Heights’

By Libby Hill

Amazon Studios on Monday released a trailer for "Crown Heights," offering a sneek peek at the movie that won the Audience Award for U.S. Dramatic Film at the Sundance Film Festival.

"Crown Heights" is a biographical drama centered around the real-life plight of Colin Warner, who was 18 years old in 1980 when he was arrested and convicted of a killing he did not commit.

Warner was eventually exonerated, after spending 21 years in prison, through the work of Carl King, an acquaintance turned friend.

Breakout star Lakeith Stanfield ("Atlanta," "Get Out") stars as Warner opposite former NFL cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha (perhaps best known as Kerry Washington's husband) playing King.

After a positive showing at Sundance, Amazon Studios purchased world rights to the film for more than $2 million.

"Crown Heights" is scheduled for release Aug. 25.

R. Kelly is the subject of new round of sexual misconduct allegations

By Randy Lewis

Singer R. Kelly is facing a new round of accusations of sexual misconduct by parents of several women over the age of consent who contend that he is holding their daughters as sex slaves, according to a BuzzFeed report by veteran Chicago journalist Jim DeRogatis.

The women's parents have enlisted the help of local police and the FBI in attempts to regain contact with their children, but have largely been unable to proceed because law enforcement officials say the women are legally free to engage in consensual relationships.

A representative for Kelly's record label, RCA Records, did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment on Monday.

UPDATE: R. Kelly denies new sexual misconduct allegations

The lengthy BuzzFeed report is written by DeRogatis, the former Chicago Sun-Times reporter who in 2000 co-bylined a story with Abdon Pallasch that outlined Kelly's history of alleged sexual abuse, citing court records and interviews that contended the star had a history of preying on teenaged women, some believed to be as young as 15. Two years later the Sun-Times reported that Chicago police we investigating a videotape that allegedly showed Kelly having sex with an underage girl.

Kelly was subsequently acquitted on charges of child pornography. He has settled multiple lawsuits involving sexual misconduct allegations.

In the BuzzFeed story, Kelly is accused of holding several women against their will at homes he owns in Illinois, where the age of consent is 17, and in Georgia, where the age of consent is reached at age 16.

DeRogatis interviewed several of the parents as well as three women identified as former members of Kelly's inner circle --Cheryl Mack, Kitti Jones and Asante McGee -- who accuse Kelly of exerting "mind control" over the women who are staying in those residences.

The story alleges that Kelly imposes strict rules of conduct on young women mostly in their late teens and early to mid-20s, limiting their ability to contact anyone but him and his entourage and punishing those who violate any of those rules.

According to Mack, Jones and McGee, Kelly "controls every aspect of their lives: dictating what they eat, how they dress, when they bathe, when they sleep, and how they engage in sexual encounters that he records," DeRogatis writes.

He also notes that "the law says that consenting adults may take part in any relationship they want, no matter how nontraditional. Welfare checks by police in both Illinois and Georgia in the past year didn't lead to any charges; in January, the aspiring singer from Georgia told Cook County police she was ‘fine and did not want to be bothered.’"

ALSO

Aaron Carter, arrested on suspicion of DUI, slams brother Nick Carter for supportive tweet

Mel B ordered to pay $40,000 per month to ex Stephen Belafonte, despite abuse claims

Rapper DMX pleads not guilty to tax fraud, facing allegations he owes $1.7 million to the IRS

For the Record (July 17, 2017, 6 p.m.): An earlier version of this story misreported numerous details regarding the past allegations against R. Kelly. The post stated that Kelly was acquitted on charges of having sex with a minor. He was acquitted on charges of child pornography. Additionally, the post wrongly characterized a 2000 Chicago Sun-Times story, which outlined years of alleged sexual abuse by Kelly. The subjects of that story were not connected to a videotape later sent to the Sun-Times that allegedly showed Kelly having sex with an underage girl.

Dark world of ‘Blade Runner 2049’ gets even darker in trailer No. 2

By Christie D’Zurilla

A second "Blade Runner 2049" trailer is out, and the forecast for California in the future remains — no surprise — dark.

Harrison Ford's long-missing Rick Deckard has more presence in this clip, which Ryan Gosling teased on social media Sunday and "Good Morning America" debuted Monday.

"You’re a cop. I did your job once," Deckard tells Gosling's Officer K, who replies, "Things were simpler then."

Deckard gives some hints about his disappearance 30 years prior: "I covered my tracks. Scrambled the records. We were being hunted."

Whoever's hunting whom in director Denis Villeneuve's 2049, it's all still terribly, terribly intense.

One more ominous note in a sea of ominous notes: Since the first trailer, Jared Leto's line, "Every civilization was built off the back of a disposable work force," has morphed into the more direct, "Every leap of civilization was built off the back of slaves."

Alas, Leto's creepy Neander Wallace "can only make so many."

"Blade Runner 2049" hits theaters worldwide Oct. 6.

New @bladerunner trailer tomorrow on @GMA. #BladeRunner2049 pic.twitter.com/WcKMb4ZA3t

Ann Coulter wages a Twitter war on Delta -- and the airline dishes it right back to her

By Libby Hill

Ann Coulter exercised her freedom of speech all weekend, putting Delta Air Lines on blast after a mix-up over a pre-selected seat.

The conservative commentator took to her Twitter feed Saturday afternoon to lambaste the airline: "Just when you think it's safe to fly them again, the worst airline in America is STILL: @Delta."

Just when you think it's safe to fly them again, the worst airline in America is STILL: @Delta

Those are harsh words for Delta, especially given that its competitors are literally dragging customers from their seats.

So what, exactly, set Coulter off?

She didn't get the seat she picked.

Granted, that's pretty annoying. Airline travel is full of little indignities, not the least of which is having to sit next to boorish strangers with no sense of basic civility. But enough about what the rest of the passengers suffered. If you pay for a seat, you should get the seat!

According to a statement released by Delta, Coulter had originally selected an exit-row window seat, 15F, before switching it to 15D, an aisle seat. During boarding, Coulter was inadvertently moved to seat 15A, a window seat.

That's it.

That's the whole thing.

But Coulter was just getting started with being mad online, going on to post photos, not just of Delta employees, but of strangers whom she accused of taking her seat. (Emphasis ours.)

Instead of focusing solely on Delta, Coulter also let loose on the woman who had the misfortune of sitting in Coulter's original seat, as if part of a nefarious plot to ruin her day.

"So glad I took time [to] investigate the aircraft & PRE-BOOK a specific seat on @Delta, so some woman could waltz at the last min & take my seat," Coulter fumed Saturday.

Most egregious to Coulter seems to be that the "other woman" in this case was short, as compared to her own 6-foot frame.

"Hey @Delta, if it was so important for the dachshund-legged woman to take my seat, she should have BOOKED THE SEAT IN ADVANCE. Like I did," she continued Sunday morning.

So glad I took time investigate the aircraft & PRE-BOOK a specific seat on @Delta, so some woman could waltz at the last min & take my seat.

Hey @Delta, if it was so important for the dachshund-legged woman to take my seat, she should have BOOKED THE SEAT IN ADVANCE. Like I did.

Delta finally responded to Coulter's extensive complaints with a statement Sunday night.

"We are sorry that the customer did not receive the seat she reserved and paid for. More importantly, we are disappointed that the customer has chosen to publicly attack our employees and other customers by posting derogatory and slanderous comments and photos in social media. Her actions are unnecessary and unacceptable.

"Each of our employees is charged with treating each other as well as our customers with dignity and respect. And we hold each other accountable when that does not happen.

"Delta expects mutual civility throughout the entire travel experience.

"We will refund Ms. Coulter's $30 for the preferred seat on the exit row that she purchased," the statement read.

Oh, dang, that's cold.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Coulter had little interest in being shamed by the airline, at which point she dropped the F-bomb.

Not that one; the political one.

"But I love @Delta declaring my tweets unacceptable. @Delta now dictating acceptable conduct off the plane. NOT fascist at all. #Resist," Coulter fumed in response to Delta's response.

But I love @Delta declaring my tweets unacceptable. @Delta now dictating acceptable conduct off the plane. NOT fascist at all. #Resist https://t.co/w3fpEmu3z8

However, it's important to keep in mind what truly matters in all this: Coulter claims that it cost $10,000 of her time to choose the perfect seat for this flight.

Ann. Come on. Just check SeatGuru like the rest of us and call it a day. Or hire an assistant. Or book first class.

Otherwise, welcome to the little indignities of economy-class air travel.

As of Monday morning, Coulter was still tweeting about the incident.

ALSO

United Airlines considers reselling seats to travelers who will pay more

Ann Coulter, free speech and UC Berkeley: How a talk became a political bombshell

An airplane video, an unhappy family: How confusing rules put Delta in the hot seat

A new look at another bad landing: How Harrison Ford missed a runway

A Star Is Born: Donald Sutherland turns 82 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

Before, I was so emotionally involved and crippled by my relationship with [directors]. It is a curious word, crippled. But it's true. You open every single thing out to this man or woman who is directing you. You divest yourself of basically any self-control and you give it to them.

— Donald Sutherland, 1992

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Sutherland's ‘Station’

For the record: A previous version of this post incorrectly listed Sutherland's age as 85. He is 82 today.

‘Game of Thrones’ cast reveals who they’re rooting for... and it's anyone but Arya Stark

By Meredith Woerner

Game of Thrones: Who do you cheer for while watching?

"Game of Thrones" may have dragons, white walkers and smog-baby assassins (or whatever that thing was that Melisandre sent to kill Renly Baratheon), but it's short on heroes, at least in the classic Will-Get-Things-Done-While-Never-Killing-in-Cold-Blood sense.

With the possible exception of Sam Tarly, no character in this HBO series is truly good or truly bad (and though Sam may be heroic in his own way, he is far from a classic hero).

Instead, the activities of the citizens of Westeros (and the surrounding lands) fall more on a sliding scale of morality — we may be rooting for Arya Stark as she moves her way down her list, but morally, she is not so far from Cersei, who also has a to-kill list.

On the plus side, the absence of a one-note champion makes it a bit more fun to pick a person (or house) to cheer on toward victory atop the Iron Throne. Who should reign supreme over the seven kingdoms? The Stark kids? Daenerys Targaryen?

We asked the actors playing the fictional inhabitants of George R.R. Martin's world to reveal whom they’ve been rooting for this whole time. And Liam Cunningham has some serious thoughts on Arya Stark.

A Star Is Born: Will Ferrell turns 50 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

I’m in that category of, ‘Oh, he's funny.’

— Will Ferrell, 2002

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Will's ‘Strategery’

‘Doctor Who's’ future is Jodie Whittaker, the first woman in the lead role

By Tre’vell Anderson

History has been made: BBC and BBC America announced Sunday that the new Doctor Who will be Jodie Whittaker, the first woman in the role.

"I’m beyond excited to begin this epic journey — with [producer] Chris [Chibnall] and with every Whovian on this planet," Whitaker said in the announcement, which made her the 13th person to lead the series. "It's more than an honor to play the Doctor. It means remembering everyone I used to be, while stepping forward to embrace everything the Doctor stands for: hope. I can't wait."

Meet the Thirteenth Doctor #DoctorWho #Doctor13 pic.twitter.com/wycdcneZ7o

Whittaker will replace Peter Capaldi as the Time Lord when he leaves the global hit at Christmas. New head writer and executive producer Chibnall, who takes over from Steven Moffat, made the decision to cast Whitaker.

"I always knew I wanted the 13th Doctor to be a woman, and we’re thrilled to have secured our No. 1 choice," Chibnall said. "Her audition for the Doctor simply blew us all away. Jodie is an in-demand, funny, inspiring, super-smart force of nature and will bring loads of wit, strength and warmth to the role."

Fans have been demanding a female Doctor for years. Reaction so far? The Internets are celebrating:

She's not a woman doctor! SHE IS THE DOCTOR!! #Doctor13 #jodiewhittacker . Great choice x

B O O M 🙌 Change isn't a dirty word!!!! 🦋 #Doctor13 https://t.co/TNmw2qnD1W

I'll be able to buy my 5 year old niece Doctor Who merchandise where the woman is at the front. In charge. Not a companion. The Doctor. Fab.

Behind-the-scenes footage of ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ shows new aliens, lightsaber battles and lots of Carrie Fisher

By Meredith Woerner

Director Rian Johnson joined the cast of the next episodic "Star Wars" flick on stage at D23 in Anaheim to drop some major intel from a galaxy far, far away. But first take a look at this lovely behind-the-scenes glimpse at the film (and help us parse what all the new scenes could possibly mean for the new heroes).

A whopping collection of castmates from "Episode VIII" made an appearance, as well, including Daisy Ridley (Rey), John Boyega (Finn), Gwendoline Christie (Captain Phasma), Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) and new faces Kelly Marie Tran (Rose Tico ... technically Tran's character was introduced at Star Wars Celebration earlier this year, but she's still new), Benicio Del Toro (DJ) and Laura Dern (Vice Adm. Amilyn Holdo).

Noticeably absent but very present in the reel screened for fans was Carrie Fisher (Gen. Leia), who was quoted in the tease saying, " [‘Star Wars’ is] about family, and that's what's so powerful about it."

"The Last Jedi" hits theaters Dec. 15.

Ava DuVernay unveils the first trailer for ‘A Wrinkle in Time’ at D23 Expo

By Carolina A. Miranda

A movie trailer was one of the star attractions at D23, the Disney fan expo in Anaheim, as attendees got their first look at Disney's "A Wrinkle in Time," the science-fiction tale of a girl's adventures in a parallel universe.

The film's director, Ava DuVernay, presented the nearly two-minute clip at the event. And for the legions of diehard fans of the book on which the film is based — the Newbery Medal-winning novel of the same name by Madeleine L’Engle — it likely will not disappoint.

The trailer shows Storm Reid as the smart and fierce young Meg, the girl who must venture into otherworldly realms to save her father. Oprah Winfrey plays Mrs. Which, her supernatural guide, who tells the young Meg: "Be a warrior." Scenes of fantasy, time travel and unsettling suburban settings were featured.

DuVernay told the crowd at D23 she was drawn to L’Engle's beloved 1963 novel for a variety of reasons.

"The thing that attracted me to the project is that I saw myself in it, and I saw so many different kinds of people in it," she said. "It's a family story wrapped in an epic adventure, where you see worlds you’ve never seen before."

Winfrey, who also was in attendance at the event, said she hadn't read the book when DuVernay first approached her about the role.

"When Ava mentioned it to me and told me it was a character who is one of the wisest women in the universe," she said, "and is an angelic, celestial being who is going to get to wear amazing costumes and get to work with Reese [Witherspoon] and Mindy [Kaling] as part of the Mrs. team — who wouldn't say yes to that?"

Expect it to be a trending topic on social media in three, two ...

The film debuts March 9.

Times staff writer Josh Rottenberg contributed to this report.

A Star Is Born: Linda Ronstadt turns 71 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

I’ve never made records with any consideration for what the market was. I have a track record, and I think it speaks for itself pretty loudly.

— Linda Ronstadt, 1987

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Ronstadt Sings Her Mexican Heritage in ‘Canciones’

Best of the week: French military band plays Daft Punk hits to a delighted President Macron and unamused President Trump

By August Brown

If we can't have an actual Daft Punk stadium tour yet, the next best place to hear their songs might be a French military marching band's performance of the dance duo's hits. All while under the amused eye of French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as a perplexed glare from President Trump.

On Friday, a French military marching band celebrated Bastille Day with arrangements of the group's hits, including the Grammy-winning 2013 single "Get Lucky."

Macron, who at 39 was surely at least a little familiar with Daft Punk's music, grinned in recognition at the rearranged club hits. To judge from the reactions in the video, it's safe to say that his U.S. counterpart did not quite share in that feeling.

However, Macron may also have been smiling at the sheer improbability of one day finding himself the president of France, standing at a Bastille Day parade hearing dance club hits performed by an army band, next to a U.S. President Donald Trump.

Mel B ordered to pay $40,000 per month to ex Stephen Belafonte, despite abuse claims

By Emily Mae Czachor

In the latest installment of Melanie "Mel B" Brown and Stephen Belafonte's sordid divorce drama, the "America's Got Talent" judge is now reportedly required to pay her estranged husband $40,000 a month.

Following Belafonte's request for emergency spousal support (to which Brown staunchly replied that he should "get a job"), a judge in Los Angeles recently filed a court-ordered mandate that backs his appeal, TMZ said Friday.

Per the judge's order, Brown must temporarily subsidize a number of Belafonte's living expenses — food, housing, phone, etc. — plus pay him an additional $140,000 to cover his legal fees. She must pay the temporary monthly stipend until the divorce settlement is finalized.

After nearly 10 years of marriage, Brown filed for divorce from Belafonte in March, launching an ugly, high-profile series of legal brawls between the former couple. When Brown's allegations of physical and emotional abuse surfaced in early April, she filed for a temporary restraining order against Belafonte.

Rapper DMX pleads not guilty to tax fraud, facing allegations he owes $1.7 million to the IRS

By Emily Mae Czachor

Hip-hop icon DMX's own lyrics may have caught up with him Thursday when he was arrested on suspicion of tax evasion.

The rapper, 46, pleaded not guilty Friday in federal court in New York to 14 charges related to tax fraud. He was to be released after posting $500,000 bond.

"It's allowed me to not be scared of the situation and face it head-on, you know what I’m saying?" the multi-platinum hip-hop artist, whose real name is Earl Simmons, told reporters outside the courthouse. "My life is in God's hands."

In 2003, DMX penned the second verse of his chart-topping single, "X Gon’ Give It to Ya," with a gripe about those who tried to bum off his success.

"Every time I turn around, cats got they hands out wanting something from me," he rapped. "I ain't got it, so you can't get it."

The track's abidingly catchy lyrics ostensibly referred to X's scrappy ascendance to rap stardom. Still, a pair of federal prosecutors from New York think they make for a pretty ironic double entendre: While DMX raked in millions from the song's success, he neglected to give any of the money to the IRS, they said in a 14-count tax fraud indictment.

"X Gon’ Give It to Ya" was specifically called out by Joon H. Kim, the acting U.S. attorney for New York who will preside over the case, in a statement about the indictment.

Per Kim, the rapper "went out of his way" to evade his tax obligations and attempted to conceal hefty portions of his income through an elaborate (and enduring — he's supposedly been at it for years) smoke-and-mirrors act that included avoiding personal bank accounts, opening accounts under false identities and paying for personal expenses exclusively in cash.

DMX managed to skirt some $1.7 million in federal tax obligations, the prosecution said.

In addition to tax evasion, he faces charges of failing to file a tax return and corruptly trying to obstruct and impede the due administration of IRS laws.

"Celebrity rapper or not, all Americans must pay their taxes," Kim said in the statement. "Together, with our partners at the IRS, we will pursue those who deliberately and criminally evade this basic obligation of citizenship."

Though this isn't DMX's first confrontation with the law, it is a potentially formidable one. If found guilty, he could face up to 44 years in federal prison.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Updated, 3:23 p.m.: This article was updated with a quote from DMX as well as plea and bond information.

This story was first published at 11:22 a.m.

Kid Rock for U.S. Senate? ‘It's not a hoax,’ he says. ‘It's a strategy.’

By Emily Mae Czachor

Kid Rock dropped two new songs and their corresponding music videos overnight as Thursday turned into Friday — the clincher to a week of bold statements in which the Detroit singer appeared to declare he's running for the Senate.

After teasing an imminent "major announcement" on Wednesday, Rock tweeted a picture of a campaign yard sign reading "Kid Rock for U.S. Senate," accompanied by a link to a campaign-style website offering merchandise for sale and flashing slogans such as "Pimp of the Nation" and "Party to the People." And while there was skepticism, the 46-year-old singer born Robert James Ritchie is insisting he means what he says.

"It's not a hoax," he wrote in a post on his personal website Thursday evening. "It's a strategy."

"Like politicians write books during their campaigns, I’m planning on putting out music during mine and IT ALL STARTS TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT," he continued.

He also responded to incumbent Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow, who’d tweeted, "I know we both share a love of music. I concede he's better at playing guitar and I’ll keep doing what I do best: fighting for Michigan."

His take? "I concede she is better at playing politics than I am, so I’ll keep doing what I do best, which is being a voice for tax paying, hardworking AMERICANS," said Rock, who hasn't kept his Trump-supporting ideology under wraps.

He became politicized, according to Rolling Stone, after his hometown of Detroit filed for bankruptcy.

But until he files with the Federal Election Commission, the Internet is likely to keep wondering whether it's all a Trump-style marketing campaign for songs "Po-Dunk" and "Greatest Show on Earth"

The "Kid Rock for U.S. Senate" website diverts from the typical parameters associated with campaign-affiliated sites in a number of ways. For example, campaign sites must confirm that potential donors are U.S. citizens before completing any transactions. The Kid Rock site redirects visitors to a third-party webpage, hosted by the Warner Bros. record label, to seal its sales.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, for one, is taking Kid Rock seriously. She's already addressed her supporters with a fundraising email titled "Senator Kid Rock (R-MI.)"

"Well, maybe this is all a joke — but we all thought Donald Trump was joking when he rode down the escalator at Trump Tower and announced his campaign, too," Warren said, as reported by the Boston Herald.

"And sure," she added, "maybe this is just a marketing gimmick for a new album or tour — but we all thought Donald Trump was just promoting his reality TV show, too."

Having a Moment: Amelia Earhart may be dead, but her mystique lives on

By Libby Hill

"Having a Moment" is a new weekly feature that spotlights the people and trends we all seem to be talking about.

The year is 1937, and a plane equipped with all of the latest equipment — relying on both radio and celestial navigation and flown by one of the most famous aviators in the world — goes missing in the Pacific Ocean.

This is the story of Amelia Earhart, whose untimely death 80 years ago continues to spawn obsessive theories as to what really happened to her.

But despite all the theories, one fact remains: Amelia Earhart, born in 1897, is super dead.

First look at Disney's new ‘Star Wars land’

By Meredith Woerner

The galaxy far, far away got a little bit closer Thursday night in Anaheim when the Walt Disney Co. provided the first-ever look at its upcoming "Star Wars"-themed attraction, or "Star Wars land," as it's being referred to by fans.

The attraction is under construction at Disneyland in Anaheim and at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Fla. Each will have two anchor attractions: one that will allow guests to pilot the Millennium Falcon, and another that puts visitors in the center of a battle between the First Order and the Resistance.

MORE: ‘Star Wars’ land won't be recreating favorite fan scenes, but what does that mean for the cantina?

CHECK OUT THE FULL GALLERY OF STAR WARS LAND PICTURES HERE. FIRST PERSON TO SPOT A BANTHA WINS A GLASS OF AUNT BERU’S BLUE MILK.

‘The Walking Dead’ stuntman Jon Bernecker dead after on-set accident

By Libby Hill

John Bernecker, a stuntman on AMC's "The Walking Dead," has died from injuries suffered on the show's set in Georgia. He was 33.

After the Wednesday afternoon fall, Bernecker was flown to the Atlanta Medical Center, where he died at 6:30 p.m., Coweta County Coroner Richard Hawk told The Times on Friday.

Variety reported that Bernecker fell more than 20 feet from a balcony onto a concrete floor, suffering a head injury, and immediately was transported by helicopter to the hospital. An assistant director told police the stuntman missed a safety cushion "just by inches" and tried to stop his fall "by grabbing onto the railing with both hands" right after he began falling, TMZ reported Friday.

The death, from blunt force trauma, was ruled accidental, said Hawk, who added that the coroner's office and sheriff's department both had closed their cases.

"We are saddened to report that John Bernecker, a talented stuntman for ‘The Walking Dead’ and numerous other television shows and films, suffered serious injuries from a tragic accident on set," AMC said in a statement to several outlets Thursday, before news of Bernecker's death was made public.

"He was immediately transported to an Atlanta hospital, and we have temporarily shut down production. We are keeping John and his family in our thoughts and prayers."

Bernecker had an extensive career as a stunt performer, appearing in recent films including "Get Out,’ "Logan" and "The Fate of the Furious."

His death is the latest tragedy to strike a film set mid-project.

During the filming of "Resident Evil: The Final Chapter" in September 2015, stuntwoman Olivia Jackson suffered extensive injuries after a motorcycle accident involving a metal camera arm. Jackson's injuries included a severed artery in her neck, a degloved face, several nerves torn from her spinal column and arm injuries so severe it led to eventual amputation. She spent two weeks in a medically induced coma.

In December, several months after Jackson's accident on set, another crew member on "Resident Evil" was killed during filming. Ricardo Cornelius died from injuries suffered when a U.S. Army Hummer slipped while a team was manually rotating it and pinned Cornelius beneath it.

A 2015 story from The Times examined the circumstances surrounding the increased number of fatalities during filming in recent years, with some industry experts blaming the need to get increasingly dramatic footage in order to stay competitive.

"It's truly remarkable to me that production companies can use ultra-advanced technology to make spectacular films but too often they won't spend the modest resources necessary to make sure their workers are not injured or killed on the job," David Michaels, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's assistant secretary of labor said in 2015.

Deadline reported Friday morning that both OSHA and SAG-AFTRA have opened investigations into the circumstances surrounding Bernecker's death.

"The Walking Dead" has filmed in Georgia since the show's inception in 2010. The state's generous tax incentives have sparked an influx of movie and television productions opting to film in Georgia.

There are over three dozen projects currently filming in Georgia, according to the state website, including television series "The Gospel of Kevin" and "Halt and Catch Fire," as well as 2019 feature film "Godzilla: King of the Monsters."

The Gregg Allman biopic "Midnight Rider" also was filming in Georgia when a tragic 2014 train accident killed crew member Sarah Jones, resulting in involuntary manslaughter charges against the film's director, Randall Miller.

Jones’ parents are embroiled in a civil trial with railroad company CSX over charges of negligence in her death. Proceedings are underway at the Chatham County Courthouse in Savanna, Ga.

SAG-AFTRA, OSHA and AMC did not immediately respond to The Times’ requests for comment on Bernecker's death Friday morning.

UPDATES

11:28 a.m.: This article was updated to include information regarding film industry deaths.

Jon Stewart confronts kid who threw a Jimmy Kimmel-themed bar mitzvah

By Meredith Blake

Will Rubin decided to celebrate his journey into adolescence the way any 13-year-old would: by throwing an elaborate, Jimmy Kimmel-themed bar mitzvah. The party was complete with an ice sculpture of Guillermo's head and a video monologue from Kimmel himself in which the host threatened to sue for damages.

On Thursday, the precocious teenager from Media, Penn., returned the favor by appearing on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" via satellite.

Will explained that Kimmel's show has captivated his interest for the past six months or so. A funny thing for a middle-schooler to be obsessed with, maybe, but it almost certainly made for a better party than his previous interest in cleaning — yes, cleaning — would have.

It was all very charming, but at least one person was mystified by Will's idolization of Kimmel: Jon Stewart.

As Will and Kimmel yukked it up, the former "Daily Show" host appeared, wearing his off-duty ensemble of jeans, faded T-shirt and stubble, and confronted Will about throwing a bar mitzvah inspired by a gentile. (Kimmel is Catholic.)

"Don't be fooled by his learned-looking beard and his puffy, sad eyes," Stewart warned. "He's not rabbinical, he's just unhealthy."

He ventured into riskier territory by asking Will, "Would you rather idolize a talk show host that is also circumcised? He's still wearing his hoodie. Do you see what I’m saying?"

Will was a good sport and even told Kimmel he was donating some of his bar mitzvah loot to Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

Said Kimmel: "You’re a real mensch."

A Star Is Born: Harry Dean Stanton turns 91 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

There's always a stigma attached to those terms -- character actor, supporting player. It bothers every actor, whether they admit it or not. I guess I’ve always resented the fact that you have your humanity taken away by only playing a sidekick role. Look at Smiley Burnette -- he never got a girl in those Gene Autry movies. That would have never happened!

— Harry Dean Stanton, 1986

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Stanton: From Killer To Angel

Ford Theatres to debut $72.2 million renovation Friday; opening weekend to feature Savion Glover and Culture Clash

By Deborah Vankin

On Friday, the newly renovated Ford Theatres will swing open its doors after a multiyear, $72.2-million makeover. The 97-year-old outdoor amphitheater in the Hollywood Hills will hold a ribbon-cutting and civic dedication ceremony.

Artists featured in the Ford's summer season are scheduled to be there, including members of the dance troupe Viver Brasil, along with Los Angeles County officials such as 3rd District Supervisor Sheila Kuehl.

Former county Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, for whom the Ford's new dining terrace is named ("The Zev"), also is set to attend.

The Ford's renovation broke ground in fall 2014, and the venue was out of operation for nearly two years. Its programming continued off-site, resuming in the amphitheater for a partial summer season in 2016. The renovation was the design project of Levin & Associates Architects; Mia Lehrer + Associates served as the landscape architect.

The Ford's physical transformation — including new sound and lighting for the 1,200-seat amphitheater and a performance terrace that's part of a new, three-story building housing administrative offices — comes with expanded programming. The venue will still feature local artists through its Artists Partnership Series, but it also will partner with cultural institutions from Southern California and from New York through a new series, "Ignite @ the Ford!" It will present diverse and experimental programming in more intimate spaces.

"The Ford has undergone its most significant transformation in more than 75 years," Kuehl said in a statement.

"This is the summer to visit the Ford — to listen, to enjoy a meal on the new Terrace, and to take advantage of this marvelous Amphitheatre under the stars."

The opening weekend is to include dancer and choreographer Savion Glover and Chicano/Latino performance trio Culture Clash.

Behold Beyoncé's babies! Singer shares first photo of Sir Carter and Rumi

By Libby Hill

All hail the Queen mother!

Beyoncé gave the world its first look at month-old twins Rumi and Sir Carter, sharing an Instagram photo of herself and the babies Thursday night.

The photo featuring Queen Bey wearing a veil and holding the twins in front of an elaborate floral arch is thematically of a piece with the whole of her pregnancy, which often harked back to imagery of a Renaissance Madonna.

"Sir Carter and Rumi 1 month today. 🙏🏽❤️👨🏽👩🏽👧🏽👶🏾👶🏾," Beyoncé captioned the photo, complete with emojis representing Jay-Z, Blue Ivy, Sir Carter, Rumi and herself.

The snap had already garnered over 1 million likes just 30 minutes after it was posted, just a hint of the world's eagerness to welcome the newest heirs to the future of music.

This is the first confirmation of the twins’ names despite Internet sleuthing that revealed the Carter/Knowles family applying for trademarks on the monikers last month.

Kesha gives you something ‘to yell about’ on spirited new song, ‘Woman’

By Emily Mae Czachor

If there was ever a shred of doubt about Kesha's fierce autonomy, she stomps it out with "Woman," the funky new single off her upcoming album, "Rainbow."

The track, which dropped Thursday morning, touts a markedly self-empowered Kesha, who dubbed it "an anthem to yell about being self-sufficient and strong."

"I buy my own things/ I pay my own bills/ These diamond rings, my automobiles/ Everything I got I bought it/ Boys can't buy my love," she sings on the chorus over a bouncy piano line and hand-clap beat.

Kesha also unveiled a glitzy, carefree music video, which she co-directed with her older brother, Lagan. And in a poignant essay for Rolling Stone, the tell-it-like-it-is singer offered a glimpse into the personal and artistic journey that led to "Woman."

"It was such a beautiful experience to write such a strong female empowerment song with two men … because it reinforces how supportive men can be of women AND feminism," she wrote, referencing her collaboration with the Dap-Kings’ horn section, which grounds the track with brassy rhythm.

Read Kesha's full essay here. Her new album, "Rainbow," will be released Aug. 11.

Steve Whitmire, fired Kermit puppeteer, says he is ‘devastated to have failed in my duty’ to Jim Henson

By Christie D’Zurilla

Steve Whitmire, the puppeteer entrusted with Kermit the Frog after the death of Muppets creator Jim Henson, says he was cut by Disney last October.

"I feel that I am at the top of my game, and I want all of you who love the Muppets to know that I would never consider abandoning Kermit or any of the others," Whitmire wrote Tuesday in his inaugural blog post, "because to do so would be to forsake the assignment entrusted to me by Jim Henson, my friend and mentor, but even more, my hero."

Whitmire joined the Muppets team in 1978, at age 19, and worked to realize Henson's vision with people such as Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt and Dave Goelz.

After Henson's death, the Muppets creators brother, Brian Henson, and widow, Jane Henson, gave Whitmire the opportunity to audition for the Kermit role, according to a spokesperson for the Henson Co.

Jim Henson had talked to Frank Oz about the possibility of Whitmire playing Kermit down the line, Whitmire told CNN in 2005.

"I have experienced every possible emotion since October 2016, when I received a phone call from the Muppets Studio's executives to say they were recasting," Whitmire said. "Through a new business representative, I have offered multiple remedies to their two stated issues, which had never been mentioned to me prior to that phone call."

Whitmire didn't elaborate on what those issues were, but said he had stayed mum for nine months hoping Disney would change its mind.

The confirmation Tuesday that Matt Vogel will take over from Whitmire as Kermit — which came after fan site Tough Pigs broke the news — was the first casting change for the little green guy since Henson died in 1990.

"I just want you all to know that I am sorry if I have disappointed any of you at any point throughout our journey," Whitmore wrote, "and to let everyone know that I am devastated to have failed in my duty to my hero."

For the Record, 4:50 p.m. July 14: This story originally said Jim Henson gave the role of Kermit the Frog to Steve Whitmire. Whitmire was given the opportunity to audition for the part by Henson's brother and his widow.

Paid Dues hip-hop festival to return, with Lil Wayne and Ab-Soul headlining

By Gerrick Kennedy

After a four-year hiatus, Paid Dues is back.

The independent hip-hop festival founded by South Central rapper Murs announced Wednesday it will return to Los Angeles in September.

Lil Wayne and Ab-Soul will headline the two-day festival that also will feature Raekwon & Ghostface, Freddie Gibbs, Prhyme, Nipsey Hussle, Rapsody and the Cool Kids.

Launched in 2006 at the Shrine Expo Center, the hip-hop festival moved to the Inland Empire and toured the country annually until 2013. The resurrected event will take place Sept. 16-17 at Pershing Square.

Tickets go on sale Saturday through Eventbrite, with a pre-sale set for Friday morning.

#PaidDuesFestival pic.twitter.com/zfEV6hPvfI

Donnie Wahlberg leaves $2,000 tip for Waffle House ‘queens’

By Christie D’Zurilla

Donnie Wahlberg proved how much he loves Waffle House on Wednesday night, leaving a $2,000 tip on an $82.60 meal in Charlotte, N.C.

"My mom waited tables, and my dad tended bars -- for years!," said the "Blue Bloods" actor and boy-band singer, who will perform Thursday night in Charlotte with New Kids on the Block.

"So, when I walk into a #WaffleHouse, and the staff treats me like a king," he continued, "you better believe I treat them like queens! Thanks to the team at @wafflehouseofficial Charlotte, NC!"

Of course, in the spirit of Pics or It Didn't Happen, Wahlberg posed for a selfie with the Waffle House crew, showing off his signed receipt.

Is it still doing a cool thing if you brag about it later? This time around, let's say, um, maybe.

2017 Emmy nominations: Did your favorite TV show make the list?

By Los Angeles Times Staff

"Westworld" and "Saturday Night Live" led the the 2017 Emmy nominations with 22 nods apiece. This is the most nominations that the long-running NBC late-night sketch show has received in a single season.

Among those getting nods were Alec Baldwin for his impression of President Donald Trump for supporting actor in a comedy series and Melissa McCarthy‘s take on White House spokesman Sean Spicer for guest actress in a comedy series. "SNL" increased its record for total nominations to 231.

FULL COVERAGE: Emmy nominations 2017 >>

Carrie Fisher received a posthumous nomination for guest actress in a comedy series for Amazon's "Catastrophe."

HERE ARE THE NOMINEES:

Drama series

"Better Call Saul"

"The Crown"

"The Handmaid's Tale"

"House of Cards"

"Stranger Things"

"This Is Us"

"Westworld"

Comedy series

"Atlanta"

"black-ish"

"Master of None"

"Modern Family"

"Silicon Valley"

"Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"

"Veep"

MORE: This year's Emmy nominations finally reflect the changing nature of television

Limited series

"Big Little Lies" (HBO)

"Fargo" (FX)

"Feud: Bette and Joan" (FX)

"Genius" (National Geographic)

"The Night Of" (HBO)

TV movie

"Black Mirror" (Netflix)

"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" (HBO)

"Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love" (NBC)

"Sherlock: The Lying Detective" (PBS)

"Wizard of Lies" (HBO)

From low blows to tender speeches, watch the 5 must-see moments from the ESPY Awards

By Emily Mae Czachor

The ESPY Awards celebrated their 25th anniversary on Wednesday night with a ceremony for the history books, hosted by everyone's favorite NFL goofball and quarterback, Peyton Manning.

The evening's headliners delivered a whole spectrum's worth of emotions: They laughed, they cried, they shot one another dirty looks from across the interior of the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

Here are five must-see recaps:

1. Manning cracked a joke about Kevin Durant (who was clearly not amused)

Manning kicked off this year's awards show with a series of thinly veiled digs masquerading as punchlines. But in his most contentious quip, he targeted newly designated NBA champion Kevin Durant. Despite uproarious cackles from the audience (including Durant's mother), Durant remained staunchly unamused.

Referencing the success of the U.S. Women's Gymnastics team at the Rio Olympics, Manning said: "Our gymnastics team was so dominant that Kevin Durant told me he wants to play for them next year."

(For context: In an unprecedented career move last summer, Durant dumped the Oklahoma City Thunder — his team of two years — for the Golden State Warriors. His decision was met with a whole lot of criticism because Durant was pretty clearly just angling for his first championship ring.)

True to form, the fast-acting people of Twitter swiftly recognized Durant's solemn-faced reaction as prime meme material.

2. Julian Edelman fired back at Manning's quips

Manning roasted several folks throughout the night, but in his acceptance speech for best game, New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman served the multi-champion quarterback his due comeuppance.

"You know, I never thought I’d say this, but Peyton Manning is kind of killing it," Edelman paused. "We are indoors, though."

It was a particularly egregious jab, playing off the semi-farcical remark that Manning plays better under a dome than he does outdoors.

3. Michelle Obama paid her respects to Eunice Kennedy Shriver's memory

The former first lady was presenting the prestigious Arthur Ashe Courage Award, which was given posthumously to Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who founded the Special Olympics in 1968. The award reflected the tone of the entire evening, which, in large part, paid homage to individuals living with disabilities.

In lieu of Shriver's physical presence, Obama delivered a speech in her memory — and it was a tearjerker.

"[She was] a woman who believed that everyone has something to contribute and everyone deserves a chance to push themselves, to find out what they’re made of and to compete and win," Obama said. "She knew that when we give others the chance to fulfill their greatest potential, we all win."

4. Jarrius "JJ" Robertson, 15, wowed the audience with his moving acceptance speech

Robertson, known to some as the official "hype man" for the New Orleans Saints, was the evening's recipient of the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance — an acknowledgment of his strength amid a lifelong battle with a chronic liver disease.

He exuded a wise-beyond-his-years understanding of the world around him, and he certainly knows how to command a stage.

5. Manning showed his comedic chops

In a pre-recorded comedy sketch (think "SNL" by way of ESPN), Manning ditched his title of "ESPY host" for "Super Bowl party host" — as well as 18-layer-dip aficionado. As on-screen Manning relived the Patriots’ famed Super Bowl comeback, he delivered a flustered performance as a peeved football enthusiast.

Shia LaBeouf says behavior during Georgia arrest is ‘a new low’

By Nardine Saad

Shia LaBeouf made a "sincere apology" to Savannah, Ga., police officers he railed against when he was arrested for public drunkenness over the weekend, saying that he is taking active steps to secure his sobriety.

The actor, whose racist, expletive-laden exchanges were caught on officers’ body cameras and published online by TMZ, posted his statement on Twitter on Wednesday following his latest brush with law enforcement. LaBeouf said he was "deeply ashamed" of his behavior.

"I don't know if these statements are too frequent, or not shared often enough, but I am certain that my actions warrant a very sincere apology to the arresting officers, and I am grateful for their restraint. The severity of my behavior is not lost on me," he said.

pic.twitter.com/OoUpBpr9vg

The 31-year-old was was arrested at his hotel Saturday morning by Savannah police after the situation escalated when he tried to bum a cigarette from an officer. LaBeouf unleashed a verbal assault during the arrest and taunted the officers during the booking process, claiming he was an American who paid his taxes and called the officers "cowards," "pirates," "slimy" and the type "who put their own kind in the pen."

He also told a black officer that he would be going to hell because of his skin color and taunted a white officer about his wife's sexual preferences. (And that's about all we’re allowed to say in this family-friendly newspaper.)

"My outright disrespect for authority is problematic to say the least, and completely destructive to say the worst. It is a new low," LaBeouf continued in his apology. "A low I hope is a bottom."

The actor hoped to be forgiven for his mistakes and admitted to "struggling with addiction publicly for far too long."

"I am actively taking steps toward securing my sobriety," he said, though he did not elaborate on what that would mean.

In addition to the public drunkenness allegation, LaBeouf was also arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct and obstruction. He was released from jail after posting $7,000 bond on charges of public drunkenness and appeared back on the set of his film "The Peanut Butter Falcon" on Monday, TMZ said.

A Star Is Born: Patrick Stewart turns 77 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

I spent the first season [of ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’] in a state of perpetual terror. I had never done anything where there were always so many lines to be learned and more lines to be learned. And I had never worked those hours before. People complain about life in the theater but you know, really we have it pretty good insofar as rehearsals and performance.

— Patrick Stewart, 2012

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Patrick Stewart: ‘Next Generation,’ ‘X-Men’ and Hollywood history

Gendry's back! The lost son of King Baratheon will return during the 7th season of ‘Game of Thrones’

By Sarah Rodman

For "Game of Thrones" fans scavenging the Internet for spoilers about Season 7, the return of one particular, potentially pivotal, character from the past has been an open secret for some time.

But with Joe Dempsie's appearance at the world premiere of the first episode of the acclaimed HBO drama in Los Angeles on Wednesday, it is official: Gendry is coming back.

While Dempsie was mum on the details of what his blacksmithing-secret son of Robert Baratheon character has been up to since we last saw him rowing away from Dragonstone in the third season finale, he was excited about rejoining the acclaimed drama.

PHOTOS: "Game of Thrones" Season 7 premiere >>

We won't spoil at what point Gendry pops up in the season but in a chat with The Times a few hours before the premiere, Dempsie said he was relieved by the reaction from the diehard fans who sleuthed it out. "Very fortunately, from what I’ve seen it's been nothing but interest and excitement and some quite witty memes."

Winter has arrived at the #GoTPremiereLA. #WinterIsHere and so is @joedempsie. #GoTS7 pic.twitter.com/pLkW4buxhZ

Loretta Lynn postpones album release after stroke: ‘It deserves me at my best’

By Christie D’Zurilla

Country queen Loretta Lynn, who suffered a stroke in early May, is postponing the release of her new album, "Wouldn't It Be Great," until after she recovers fully.

"I now want to wait to release it next year because this record is so special for me," Lynn said in a statement Wednesday. "It deserves me at my best and I can't wait to share it."

The 85-year-old performer was moved from a hospital to a rehab facility on May 15 and said Wednesday that she's now "getting better by the day" at home with her family.

"Wouldn't It Be Great," which will include some new songs as well as reinterpretations of old ones, was to have come out Aug. 18. Lynn released "Full Circle" — her first new studio effort in more than a decade — in 2016.

"I’m just letting everybody know that Willie ain't dead yet and neither am I, and I can't wait to see all of you on the road!" Lynn concluded, presumably cracking a joke about Nelson's new song, "Still Not Dead."

A Note From Loretta - https://t.co/RvR6V9XR8f pic.twitter.com/VOdEXl0Eco

‘America's Got Talent’ pays tribute to late contestant with never-before-seen audition

By Emily Mae Czachor

Brandon Rogers didn't get a chance to show America the full scope of his musical potential. But "America's Got Talent" is offering viewers a glimpse of what might have been.

In March, Rogers auditioned for the NBC reality competition with a staggering rendition of Stevie Wonder's "Ribbon in the Sky." And while the 29-year-old Virginia native had previously suspended his musical aspirations to pursue a career in medicine, Rogers’ performance eclipsed his day job. A quadruple-nod from the judges panel and an ebullient standing ovation confirmed that this physician could sing.

Rogers earned a ticket through to the next round of "AGT," but he never made it there. On June 11, Rogers died after a freak car accident the day before.

One month after his death, the show aired Rogers’ audition footage in a tribute segment during Tuesday night's episode. The video clip opened with a statement: "On June 11th, one of our contestants, Brandon Rogers, tragically passed away in a car accident. At the request of his family, we would like to honor his memory by sharing his audition with you."

Watch Rogers’ full audition above.

Woody Harrelson on Han Solo film: ‘I wouldn't worry. The Force is still very much with it’

By Nardine Saad

Woody Harrelson has faith in the "Star Wars" franchise's upcoming Han Solo spinoff, which was recently dropped in the lap of director Ron Howard.

"I think I read some stuff where people were worried about the fate of this movie. I wouldn't worry. The Force is still very much with it," Harrelson, who plays a young Han Solo's mentor in the movie, recently told the Hollywood Reporter.

In his interview published online on Wednesday, the "Cheers" alum explained how he turned down the role twice, just as he did with the part of Katniss Everdeen's mentor, Haymitch Abernathy, in the blockbuster "Hunger Games" franchise.

"I didn't have any idea it would be that big, but I didn't think it was a good part. I was wrong. It was a terrific part, and it was a terrific thing, but thank God ["Hunger Games" director] Gary Ross called me," Harrelson said. "And [executive producer] Alli Shearmur too. I turned [the Han Solo movie] down twice too, and the same person, Alli, wouldn't take no for an answer."

The genre-jumping star, who plays a villain in 20th Century Fox's "War for the Planet of the Apes," teased some of the tight-lipped secrecy around the "Star Wars" project — "You get an e-reader; you don't get a script. They give it to you, and you give it back after you read it" — and his experience with ousted directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who were abruptly fired before being replaced by Howard.

"I met with [Lord and Miller] one night, and we hung out and we went over to Matthew Freud's and played ping-pong and just had a great time. They were really good guys," he said. "I’ve been enjoying it [since then], especially because we just went to [shoot at] the Dolomites in Italy. [Co-star] Thandie Newton said, ‘It's like being at camp ‘cause you got everybody together,’ and we had a couple of epic parties."

The actor said he was tipped off by Shearmur that Howard would take over for the co-directors. Harrelson said he had shot one day with him and called him "a wonderful guy."

He also talked about how he's still 14 months weed-free, and shed light on the infamous 2002 incident in which he was photographed by a British paparazzo who caught him in bed with three women — none of whom were his wife, Laura Louie.

"How did I apologize? You know, just your standard Texan grovel. But she forgave me, and we’re still together," he said.

The same week of the tabloid incident, Harrelson went to jail after a kerfuffle with a taxi driver. He said it was one of the worst nights of his life and that he worked hard to repress it. But he and Louie drafted it into a screenplay that was eventually streamed into theaters.

"I would’ve paid a large sum to just excise that week from my life — the tabloid thing, the incident with the cops. It all happened around the same time. It does happen to me in spurts, trouble," he said. "But I started thinking, there is some merit to this story. Thematically, you have a guy who has it all, doesn't realize he has it all, gets reminded how lucky he is and then has a shot at redemption. There's something about that theme that really resonates with me."

Topless protesters disrupt Woody Allen jazz concert over abuse allegations

By Josh Rottenberg

Two bare-breasted activists rushed the stage during a performance of Woody Allen's New Orleans Jazz Band in Hamburg, Germany, on Tuesday night in an effort to bring fresh attention to allegations of past sexual abuse against the 81-year-old filmmaker.

The protesters — bearing quotes on their torsos from a 2014 open letter by Allen's daughter Dylan Farrow, in which she alleged he had sexually abused her as a child — yelled, "Stop the culture of silence!" before being pulled off the stage by security.

The two women were members of an international women's rights collective called Femen, according to its Facebook page. The group — which describes itself on its website as "a special force of feminism, its spearhead militant unit, modern incarnation of fearless and free Amazons" — has staged similar high-profile public protests over abortion rights and female genital mutilation, among other issues.

Allen did not respond to the disruption, and the concert soon resumed. Later, the director — who has stated that he will not comment any further about the child-abuse charges — issued a statement calling the protest "stupid," according to a German news outlet, SHZ.

Allen has been the focus of controversy since 1992, when his relationship with actress Mia Farrow exploded in a conflagration of tabloid headlines after it was revealed that he had become romantically involved with her adoptive daughter, Soon Yi-Previn, whom he later married.

At the time, authorities investigated allegations that Allen had sexually abused the couple's adoptive daughter, Dylan, who was then 7, but no charges were brought.

Dylan Farrow revived those allegations three years ago in an open letter to Allen published by the New York Times, calling him "a living testament to the way our society fails the survivors of sexual assault and abuse."

Allen vehemently denied the claims in his own New York Times op-ed, saying that Farrow had "been cheated out of having a loving father and exploited by a mother more interested in her own festering anger than her daughter's well-being."

Donald Trump Jr. gets his moment in the glare of late-night TV

By Robert Lloyd

Tuesday was Donald Trump Jr.'s day in the glare of comedy. In advance of the New York Times’ plan to publish a series of emails he exchanged with Rob Goldstone detailing a Russian offer for dirt on Hillary Clinton and Trump's delighted willingness to receive it, the president's son released them himself.

It was news late-night hosts were themselves visibly delighted to receive – the jokes didn't even need to write themselves. It was enough merely to recount the facts in detail. (But there were jokes, too.)

"Do you guys realize how bigly that is?" asked an obviously amused Trevor Noah on "The Daily Show." "This is the best comedy show ever .… This two-legged brain foreclosure thought that the best way to get out of this mess would be to jump into it himself.

"I can sort of see his reasoning here," said Noah. "Trump Jr. thought if he could be transparent, unlike ‘Crooked Hillary,’ ... people would be like, ‘Huh, what an honest guy.’ The only problem is, once you read the emails ... they prove the collusion that Junior's been denying all along."

"Today was one of those days," said Jimmy Kimmel on "Jimmy Kimmel Live. "I woke up, I cracked my neck, I brushed my teeth, I looked in the mirror and I thought, ‘Boy, am I glad I’m not Donald Trump Jr.’ I have that thought about three times a week, but today I said it out loud."

Kimmel compared the younger Donald to "the guy at work who opens the obviously fake document and now everyone in the office has a virus on their computer.

"If there's any lesson to be learned from this," Kimmel concluded, "it's that no one should use email for anything, ever, at all."

Noting that a lawyer hired by Trump Jr. had "in the past represented members of the Mafia," he compared the Trumps to "the Corleone family, if all of them were Fredo." Poor Fredo, fated to be forever mocked.

There was fun to be had, too, across the networks, with Goldstone's unappealing array of social media selfies showing him in various strange hats. (He appears comical enough without them.)

"Look at this person, he's a real Snapchat filter," Noah called him. "He looks like one of those character actors with a bunch of different looks on his head shot – ‘I’m a beauty queen!’ or ‘I’m a sea captain!’"

It was an unusually big night for Stephen Colbert, who had not only this news to play with, but POTUS Twitter targets Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough as guests. ("What the what?" was Brzezinski's reaction to the day's big story).

Also on the show: "Lord of the Rings" actor Andy Serkis – Colbert loves him some "LOTR" – who read Trump tweets in the voice of Gollum.

In his opening monologue, Colbert brought out "The Late Show Figure-It-Out-a-Tron" (it's a chalkboard) to graph the situation.

"All we have to do is connect the dots to see where this is going," he said, arriving at a cartoon of Trump Jr. behind bars. And he mocked the father's brief defense of his son as a "high-quality person."

"Top-shelf son," he said in the president's voice. "Thinking of having him gold-leafed. Paid for the undercoating. Tremendous."

Quentin Tarantino could bring the Manson family murders to the big screen

By Nardine Saad

Quentin Tarantino is reportedly developing a film about the Manson family murders.

Because conspiracy theories and mass slayings sound like perfect fodder for a Tarantino film, no?

The unique take on L.A.'s grisly 1969 murders is said to be written by Tarantino, who is putting the finishing touches on the script and is talking to Brad Pitt and Jennifer Lawrence to fill out the cast, the Hollywood Reporter said.

Weinstein Co. producers Harvey and Bob Weinstein, who have produced several of the director's films, are also involved, THR reported. The schedule is expected to come together before Labor Day with plans to shoot in 2018.

It's not clear what part of the Manson saga the genre-blending filmmaker is focusing on, or whether it's a historical account or an interpretation in the vein of his 2009 World War II drama "Inglourious Basterds."

If the project comes to fruition, it would be the "Hateful Eight" director's ninth feature film and his first movie to be based on true events. However, the two-time Oscar-winning screenwriter has a storied history of unfinished projects.

Cult leader Charles Manson and several of his followers were convicted of killing "Valley of the Dolls" actress Sharon Tate, who was married to filmmaker Roman Polanski and eight months pregnant at the time, and six other people during a brutal rampage over two nights in August 1969. Prosecutors said Manson was trying to incite a race war that he believed was prophesied in the Beatles song "Helter Skelter."

Manson is serving a life sentence in California State Prison in Corcoran. He was initially sentenced to death, but a 1972 ruling by the California Supreme Court found the state's death penalty law at the time unconstitutional, and his sentence was changed to life in prison with the possibility of parole. As of January, he has been denied parole 12 times.

Want to buy an unreleased Michael Jackson album? It’ll cost you at least $50,000

By Gerrick Kennedy

An album of vaulted, mostly unheard Michael Jackson recordings will be auctioned off by New York auction house Gotta Have Rock and Roll later this month, along with a host of items from the personal collection of the late King of Pop.

Appearing as a blank, Sony CD-R with the word "Bible" written in blue sharpie, the album features 12 mastered tracks, all with completed vocals from Jackson.

A handful of the songs — "Monster," "Breaking News" and "Keep Your Head Up" — appeared on "Michael," a collection of unreleased material cobbled from tracks the singer was crafting in his final years and released a year after his 2009 death by Sony Records and Jackson's estate.

"Michael" was marred by controversy as critics, fans and even family members questioned the project, some going as far as to suggest that some of the tracks had been completed by a Jackson impersonator.

"Unbeknownst to many fans around the world, [Jackson] was writing and recording songs continuously everywhere from a friend's home in New Jersey to studios in Las Vegas and Los Angeles with a small group of handpicked collaborators," the label said amid the backlash.

The album was in the possession of a "personal friend and personal assistant to Michael whose family was very close to Michael for many years, traveling all over the world with him" who wishes to remain anonymous, according to the auction house.

Other tracks on the album are "Black Widow," "Water," "Soldier Boy," "Everything's Just Fine," "Let Me Fall in Love," "All I Need," "Stay" and "Ready to Win."

The starting bid on the unreleased album is $50,000. There is a catch, though. The winning bidder won't have the rights to the music and therefore won't be able to distribute it. But what's a better way to impress friends at a party than by playing an unreleased MJ album?

Gotta Have Rock and Roll's online auction opens July 19 and includes clothing Jackson wore (a ball-cap from Trump Plaza, socks and surgical scrubs are among the oddities), drawings, his personal cassette player and a "Best Daddy in the World" Oscar statuette given to him by his kids.

Joe Scarborough announces breakup... with the Republican Party

By Libby Hill

Joe Scarborough might be lucky in love, but it appears his relationship with the Republican Party is on the rocks.

After a very public fallout with President Trump, the "Morning Joe" co-host and the GOP seem to be on the precipice of a very messy breakup.

Scarborough appeared on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" on Tuesday night, and with Mika Brzezinski, his fiancée and "Morning Joe" co-host at his side, explained his disillusionment with the party he once represented in the House.

After ripping into Republicans for looking the other way on Trump's self-proclaimed Muslim ban and his claims not to know what the Ku Klux Klan did, Scarborough cut to the heart of the issue.

"It's actually disgusting," Scarborough said of the lack of GOP action against Trump's alleged racism. "You have to ask yourself: What exactly is the Republican Party willing to do? How far are they willing to go? How much of this country and its values are they willing to sell out?"

At which juncture Colbert pointed out the obvious: "But aren't you a Republican?"

Scarborough conceded the point, saying, "I am a Republican, but I’m not going to be a Republican anymore. I’ve gotta become an Independent."

Scarborough and Brzezinski have found themselves in Trump's crosshairs several times since he took office in January.

Last month, the pair were under fire in a series of tweets from the president in which he called Scarborough "psycho" and Brzezinski "low I.Q. crazy." Most shockingly, Trump claimed Brzezinski was "bleeding badly from a face-lift."

The two had once considered Trump a friend, but the relationship has clearly soured throughout his candidacy and election.

Colbert wanted to know what had changed because, even before his political career, the businessman had always been something of a "primo tool."

"He used to know he was a tool," Brzezinski offered.

Scarborough then shared a story from "The Apprentice" days when it seemed as if Trump was aware and amused by his own over-the-top image.

"He at least had more of a concept of what he was doing, the game he was playing," Scarborough said.

"He's in way over his head now," concluded Brzezinski, who recently snagged a six-figure book deal.

ALSO

White House threatened Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski with a National Enquirer story, the two allege

After new Russia revelations, Trump praises his son

Did Donald Trump Jr. break the law by meeting with Russians to gain dirt on Clinton?

Republicans in Congress still don't want to talk about possible collusion between Trump and Russia

A Star Is Born: Richard Simmons turns 69 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

It's nice to be liked, ‘cause growing up, I didn't particularly like myself. And if you don't like yourself, I don't think other people like you that much either.

— Richard Simmons, 1991

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Richard Simmons has made thousands of followers and millions of dollars with his cheerful spin on mainstream ideas of weight loss

Jay-Z's marriage to Beyoncé ‘wasn't totally built on the 100 percent truth,’ he says

By Christie D’Zurilla

Further proof that Jay-Z is a very savvy man? "Wasn't totally built on the 100 percent truth" sounds so much better than "lots of lies."

The first phrase is part of what the "4:44" artist cops to in the just-out "Footnotes for ‘4:44,’" a Tidal video accompaniment to the album he released last month.

"This is my real life," the man born Shawn Carter says in the video, which features him with other famous men talking about relationships (via People) .

"I just ran into this place and we built this big, beautiful mansion of a relationship that wasn't totally built on the 100% truth and it starts cracking," he says. "Things start happening that the public can see."

Yes. Yes, they can.

Two things that were very visible: The infamous elevator fight between Jay-Z and his wife Beyoncé's sister, Solange Knowles, which went down after the 2014 Met Gala. Sure, they all made nice shortly afterward, but it was a bell that couldn't be unrung.

Then, in shock-and-awe style, Beyoncé released "Lemonade" a "visual album" that now has elements of a companion piece to "4:44." Queen Bey's title track shredded Jay-Z for infidelity. (Remember "Becky with the good hair"? Yeah, that.)

On the "4:44" title track, Jay-Z came clean and admitted he had strayed and hadn't handled it well when he was called on it, spitting lyrics like, "Look, I apologize, often womanize / Took for my child to be born / See through a woman's eyes / Took for these natural twins to believe in miracles / Took me too long for this song / I don't deserve you." (Music critic Mikael Wood's "4:44" review includes more raw revelations from the recording.)

In "Footnotes," Jay-Z compares fighting to keep his relationship alive to being shot at while growing up in the projects, according to Rolling Stone. Hanging on to Bey was scarier, he says.

"We just got to a place where in order for this to work, this can't be fake," he says. "Not one ounce."

Other men chiming in during the "Footnotes" conversation include Mahershala Ali, Aziz Ansari, Kendrick Lamar, Meek Mill, Chris Paul, Chris Rock, Will Smith and Jesse Williams.

Per Complex, Jay-Z talks about playing "4:44" for Beyoncé early in the creative process.

"I’m not saying it wasn't uncomfortable," he tells his fellow men, "because obviously it was."

Charlie Sheen's 9/11 drama set for September release

By Amy Kaufman

For more than a decade, Charlie Sheen has publicly questioned that Islamic terrorists were behind the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center.

"It seems to me like 19 amateurs with box cutters taking over four commercial airlines and hitting 75% of their targets -- that feels like a conspiracy theory," he told Alex Jones on the right-wing pundit's radio show in 2006.

Now the actor -- who said he thought the towers may have gone down after a "controlled explosion" -- is starring in a film about the tragedy that took thousands of lives. On Tuesday, Atlas Distribution Co. announced it will release "9/11" in theaters on Sept. 8.

The R-rated drama -- which also stars Whoopi Goldberg, Luis Guzman and Gina Gershon -- follows five individuals who are trapped in an elevator in the North Tower. The group immediately form a bond in an effort to escape before the building collapses.

Written and directed by Martin Guigui, "9/11" is based on a play called "Elevator." Patrick Carson, the playwright, has described his production as "fact-based" and said he used witness and survivor accounts to craft his story.

Meanwhile, Sheen -- whose FX show, "Anger Management," wrapped in 2014 after a two-year run -- has not appeared in a film since Robert Rodriguez's "Machete Kills" in 2013. Most of the "Two and a Half Men" star's acting work in recent years has been comedic, including numerous turns in the spoof franchise "Scary Movie."

Vic Mensa, Joey Bada$$ to headline new Spaceland Block Party festival downtown

By Gerrick Kennedy

Vic Mensa, Joey Bada$$, Highly Suspect, Betty Who and Big Wild are among the acts tapped for the first Spaceland Block Party, a two-day festival coming to L.A.'s Arts District this fall.

Promoted by Spaceland, the block party will be anchored at Row DTLA, the 30-acre, multi-use complex formerly known as Alameda Square that features more than 100 shops and restaurants. The festival is set for Sept. 16-17.

Spaceland Block Party will mix hip-hop, pop, punk, rock and dance music with street art and food. The event will take over rooftops and surrounding parking lots for what promoters promise will be "L.A.'s biggest end of summer blowout party."

Amelia Airhorn, the Horrors, Snow tha Product, Black Kids, Wavves, Preoccupations, They, Jesse Boykins III, Oddisee & Good Compny and Tijuana Panthers also appear on the lineup. More artists are expected to be announced.

Tickets go on sale Friday through the festival's site. General admission weekend passes start at $50, with VIP weekend passes starting at $285.

Single-day passes will also be available, but won't go on sale until Aug. 10. Single-day tickets start at $75.

Take a look at the festival's official poster, which made its debut with Tuesday's announcement:

Say hello to your new neighborhood music festival 👋🏽 @SpacelandBP is takin' over @rowdtla on Sep 16+17! Tix + Info: https://t.co/GYFpaPcHSu pic.twitter.com/vZLukOWPCA

Kim Kardashian does not have time for your cocaine foolishness

By Libby Hill

Say what you will about the Kardashian clan, but they know how to make headlines. On Tuesday morning Kim Kardashian was not about that "all publicity is good publicity" life.

The non-troversy began with a Snapchat selfie video Kardashian posted Monday, featuring new items from the Kids Supply, her children's clothing line with husband Kanye West.

After watching, one eagle-eyed viewer spied what appeared to be white powder on the table behind Kardashian and tweeted their theory about the substance Tuesday morning at 9:58 a.m.

"Ohhhhhh @KimKardashian caught out with cocaine .. durtayyyyy," the user posted, tagging Kardashian, a mogul with more than 54 million Twitter followers.

Ohhhhhh @KimKardashian caught out with cocaine .. durtayyyyy pic.twitter.com/ZCnRcpmLSA

Just 18 minutes later, the mother of two shot back on Twitter and squashed the controversy before it could even get started.

"I do not play with rumors like this so I’m gonna shut it down real quick," Kardashian fired off in her tweet. "That's sugar from our candy mess from dylan's candy shop," referring to the sweets store with a location in L.A.

I do not play with rumors like this so I'm gonna shut it down real quick. That's sugar from our candy mess from dylan's candy shop https://t.co/oICdPQVi8d

But has the shapeliest Kardashian ever even been to a candy store before?

Ah. Well then. Everything seems on the up and up here. Keep on living that candy-coated life, Kim K.

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Blac Chyna says Rob Kardashian attacked her, threatened to kill himself

‘Devastated’ Blac Chyna wins temporary restraining order against Rob Kardashian

Deadpool gives props to Wonder Woman in his own sweet (and sour) way

By Nardine Saad

Deadpool ❤️ Wonder Woman too!

Alas, that fan fiction won't be making it to the big screen anytime soon. However, "Deadpool" star Ryan Reynolds and the minds behind Marvel's foul-mouthed anti-hero did show some love to DC's Amazonian princess by responding to news that "Wonder Woman" had surpassed their film's box-office standing.

The official Twitter account for "Deadpool" on Monday evening shared a photo featuring the titular star's hands forming a heart around a necklace bearing Wonder Woman's logo — a throwback to the irreverent mercenary's original movie poster.

"The Merc may be filthier, but her B.O. is stronger. Congrats #WonderWoman," the tweet said.

The image was retweeted by Reynolds himself, who starred in and produced the 2016 comic-book flick. (The actor is now shooting "Deadpool 2" slated for a summer 2018 release.)

The Merc may be filthier, but her B.O. is stronger. Congrats #WonderWoman. pic.twitter.com/jhP1hRAKlY

Warner Bros.’ "Wonder Woman," starring Gal Gadot as Diana Prince, has proved to be a summer blockbuster, earning more than $368 million at the domestic box office since its release on June 2, becoming the most successful domestic release in the DC Extended Universe.

Gadot thanked fans on Twitter on Monday "for making #WonderWoman a success."

Wow 🙏 A huge thank u to all for making #WonderWoman a success ❤️ thx @ScottMendelson for this piece https://t.co/PrE7wKcub8

Twentieth Century Fox's "Deadpool" made $363 million at the domestic box office, but it still leads "Wonder Woman" with $783 million worldwide. The DC film has made $745 million worldwide, though it's poised to keep earning over the summer.

Gadot will reprise her role as the indomitable goddess in DC's "Justice League" team-up flick in November.

According to Screenrant, "Wonder Woman 2" reportedly will remain a prequel and be set in the final days of the Cold War, with Diana taking on Soviet forces. The main plot of "Wonder Woman" focused on Diana's origin story and took place during World War I, decades before the main action in DC's "Man of Steel" and "Batman v Superman."

It's happening again: ‘Stranger Things’ announces release date with a creepy new teaser

By Emily Mae Czachor

The rattled, bleary-eyed residents of Hawkins, Ind., are gearing up for a second go-round -- and this year, things only get stranger.

On Tuesday, Netflix announced that Season 2 of "Stranger Things" will officially be ready for binge-watching on Oct. 27 (a fittingly hair-raising release date, given that the season will take place around Halloween 1984).

In conjunction with the announcement, Netflix released a new, 25-second teaser that reveals almost nothing about the upcoming season.

But its customary vintage-horror feel and eerie-retro aesthetic confirm that, in its second iteration, "Stranger Things" will probably still be that show you can't stop watching, even though you’re a little bit afraid of it.

In a press release, Netflix offered a bit more context: "It's 1984 and the citizens of Hawkins, Ind., are still reeling from the horrors of the Demogorgon and the secrets of Hawkins Lab. Will Byers has been rescued from the Upside Down but a bigger, sinister entity still threatens those who survived."

Joining the beloved original cast (minus Barb -- R.I.P.) for Season 2 will be Paul Reiser, Sean Astin, Will Chase and Brett Gelman.

Watch the teaser below.

Van Morrison will salute his blues heroes on new album, ‘Roll With the Punches’

By Randy Lewis

Van Morrison will release his 37th studio album on Sept. 22 in conjunction with a handful of U.S. concert dates this fall, including two shows in Southern California.

The Irish singer-songwriter pays homage to the profound effect American blues music had on forming his own musical vision on "Roll With the Punches," a 15-track collection blending Morrison originals with songs associated with several of his musical heroes.

Those include Sam Cooke, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Bo Diddley, blues-jazz artist Mose Allison, Chicago blues harmonica master Little Walter, Texas guitarist-singer T-Bone Walker, gospel singer-guitarist Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Louisiana songwriter Rudy Toombs and jazz musicians Count Basie and Jimmy Rushing.

"From a very early age, I connected with the blues," the 71-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member said in a statement. "The thing about the blues is you don't dissect it -- you just do it. I’ve never over-analyzed what I do; I just do it. Music has to be about just doing it and that's the way the blues works -- it's an attitude.

"I was lucky to have met people who were the real thing -- people like John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Witherspoon, Bo Diddley, Little Walter and Mose Allison," he added. "I got to hang out with them and absorb what they did. They were people with no ego whatsoever and they helped me learn a lot."

The connective thread between those songs and the new material Morrison has written, he said, is that "they’re performance oriented. Each song is like a story and I’m performing that story. That's been forgotten over years because people over-analyze things. I was a performer before I started writing songs and I’ve always felt like that's what I do."

His latest round of U.S. shows opens Sept. 10 with his appearance with Willie Nelson at the Outlaw Music Festival in Hershey, Pa., and brings him back to the Southland for stops Oct. 13-14 at the Show theater at Agua Caliente Resort in Rancho Mirage, near Palm Springs.

After 27 years, Kermit the Frog is getting a new voice

By Libby Hill

Forgive Kermit if he has a frog in his throat.

The Associated Press reported Tuesday that the head of the Muppet brood will be getting a new puppeteer and voice actor, the first Kermit-related change since the death of creator Jim Henson in 1990.

Steve Whitmire, who began work on "The Muppet Show" in 1978 and inherited the role of Kermit when Henson died, no longer will be working with Muppets.

Replacing the veteran voice actor is Matt Vogel, only the third puppeteer to take on the full-time mantle of Kermit the Frog since the character's creation in 1955.

The changing of the frog guard starts immediately, with Vogel's first performance as Kermit to be released next week on the official "Muppet Thought of the Week" video.

There's no word on what will become of the other characters Whitmire portrayed within the Muppets, including Rizzo the Rat, which he created, and Beaker, which he inherited.

Representatives for Disney, which owns Muppets Studio, did not immediately respond Tuesday morning to The Times’ request for comment about Whitmire's departure.

Wiz Khalifa's ‘See You Again’ ends ‘Gangnam Style's’ streak as most-viewed YouTube video

By Nardine Saad

YouTube viewers have been seeing Wiz Khalifa's "See You Again" again and again. The music video has ousted Psy's "Gangnam Style" as the most-watched video on YouTube.

Featuring Charlie Puth, "See You Again" edged out the viral 2012 hit by more than 2 million views, ending the K-pop sensation's five-year streak as the most viewed, the video-sharing site told the Associated Press in a statement.

"See You Again" broke the record on the Google-owned service Monday and has been viewed nearly 2.9 billion times (yes, billion) as of Tuesday morning.

The video was first uploaded in April 2015 and pegged to the much-anticipated release of "Furious 7" following the death of the muscle-car franchise's star Paul Walker.

Meanwhile, the dance-move spawning, Auto-tuned "Gangnam Style" has notched 2.894 billion views since it was uploaded in July 2012. Trailing more than 250 million views behind it is the video for Justin Bieber's "Sorry."

Wiz Khalifa, the Pittsburgh rapper known for the hits "Black and Yellow" and "Work Hard Play Hard," was pleased that the song has been able to "inspire and impact so many lives," AP said.

Puth was also pleasantly surprised by the news, tweeting that he joined YouTube in 2007 hoping to make a video that could hit 10,000 views: "Just heard about See You Again...wow."

A Star Is Born: Tab Hunter turns 86 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

When you’ve been a product of Hollywood and been subjected to as much crap as I have, it's not conducive to your own development ... it's see-through plastic of the worst kind.

— Tab Hunter, 1976

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Hollywood Name but Country Life for Tab Hunter

Nelsan Ellis died from complications of alcohol withdrawal, his family says

By Christie D’Zurilla

"True Blood" actor Nelsan Ellis died from complications of alcohol withdrawal following years of drug and alcohol abuse, his family revealed Monday.

"After many stints in rehab, Nelsan attempted to withdraw from alcohol on his own," manager Emily Gerson Saines said, with the family's permission, in an exclusive statement to the Hollywood Reporter.

"According to his father, during his withdrawal from alcohol he had a blood infection, his kidneys shut down, his liver was swollen, his blood pressure plummeted, and his dear sweet heart raced out of control."

The "Elementary" and "Get on Up" actor was in the hospital for four days before being pronounced dead, the statement said. The family reportedly explained his death in an effort to help others who might be struggling with addiction.

Ellis, who was 39 when he died Saturday, played gay short-order cook Lafayette Reynolds through the seven-season run of HBO's sexy vampires-and-werewolves show. His cause of death was first given only as heart failure.

His fellow cast members from "The Help" were among those on social media who remembered him fondly, with Octavia Spencer — who also worked with him on "The Soloist" — saying that her heart broke for his family.

"Needless to say he was gorgeous, sexy," she continued. "But his talent had me speechless. We became instant friends after that. He was sooooo funny. I miss him."

"We didn't even scratch the surface of seeing what this artist was capable of," Jessica Chastain said. "My love to the family of this spectacular man."

Said Viola Davis: "He was like my son. Heartbroken. You took a piece of my heart with you."

"The instant I met @OfficialNelsan, I was awestruck. A true artistic genius. This man was one of the greats. We have lost a hero," Bryce Dallas Howard wrote.

And in a tribute on Instagram, "True Blood" star Stephen Moyer remembered Ellis with a ribald example of his work that prevents embedding the post here. Here's the gist of it, however.

"Nelsan Ellis was the only actor in the 7 years of True Blood whom Alan [Ball, showrunner] allowed to improvise. Actually, I’m going to take that back. It wasn't that Alan allowed him to do it, it was more that when Nelsan inhabited the world of Lafayette, he quite literally COULDN’T STOP himself. It was like he was possessed," Moyer wrote.

"In actuality Nelsan was quiet, smart, thoughtful, warm and kind. A published playwright himself.

"I think it would be fair to say that he taught all of us that intent and courage and fearlessness and freedom are the aspects of playing make-believe that spark the corners of the room where the dark is most impenetrable; to shine a light on those corners within ourselves is the very reason we go back time and again to Movies, TV shows and Theatre. To see that spark ignited.

"Nelsan had that electricity in an abundance I have rarely seen."

‘Marvel's New Warriors’ casts Milana Vayntrub as Squirrel Girl

By Tracy Brown

Marvel has found its live-action Squirrel Girl. Milana Vayntrub has been cast to play Doreen Green in "Marvel's New Warriors."

Joining Vayntrub in the Freeform TV comedy series is Derek Theler as Mister Immortal (who cannot die), Jeremy Tardy as Night Thrasher (a local celebrity), Calum Worthy as Speedball (who can throw balls of kinetic energy), Matthew Moy as Microbe (a hypochondriac who can talk to germs) and Kate Comer as Debrii (an out, proud, low-level telekinetic).

The show will follow these six super-powered young adults as they learn to cope with their abilities while navigating adulthood.

"I am thrilled beyond belief to be working with this incredible group of actors," said "New Warriors" executive producer and showrunner Kevin Biegel in a press release. "They are funny, sincere, eager, charming and perfectly embody these characters. It’ll be a blast and an honor to create this show with each of them."

Vayntrub, who has portrayed Sloane Sandburg on NBC's "This Is Us," is perhaps best known for portraying the cheery and helpful AT&T employee Lily Adams in the carrier's commercials.

A fan-favorite comic book character, Squirrel Girl (a.k.a. Doreen) eats nuts, kicks butts and possesses all the powers of a squirrel. She has saved the world from villains including Doctor Doom and Galactus, and actresses including Anna Kendrick, Mae Whitman and Shannon Purser have all previously expressed interest in playing the character.

No word on who will portray Doreen's best friend (and actual squirrel) Tippy Toe.

"Marvel's New Warriors" is slated for a 2018 debut.

Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner sued by man who took Tupac photos they used on ‘vintage’ shirts

By Christie D’Zurilla

Kendall and Kylie Jenner's ill-fated foray into cross-breeding their brand with classic images of rock and rap icons is now more than an adventure in questionable taste.

The photographer behind the Tupac Shakur pictures used on a couple of shirts sold in the sisters’ online store has sued them.

The complaint by Michael Miller was filed Friday in U.S. District Court and alleges copyright infringement by the Jenner sisters and their company for using his images without properly licensing them.

A Jenner family representative said in a statement to Rolling Stone that the lawsuit was akin to "suing an actor for being in a movie," because Kendall and Kylie had nothing to do with the creation of the shirts.

Miller's suit alleges that the Jenners and their company "had the right and ability to supervise the infringing conduct and ... had a direct financial interest in the infringing conduct."

It's in the interest of the person who created an image "to have it associated with an artist and not a third party," Scott Burroughs, an attorney representing Miller, told The Times on Monday. "That may impact further opportunities to license the work or the value of the work that can be licensed."

Burroughs gave Kendall Jenner's recent associations with a controversial Pepsi commercial and the ill-fated Fyre Festival as the type of third-party connections his client would want to avoid.

A statement that Sky News got from the sisters’ clothing company called the allegations "completely false" and the lawsuit "baseless."

The company said Canada Inc., the authorized licensee for the sisters’ images, bought old shirts previously produced by another company that was authorized to use the rock and rap images, the company said. Apparently the K+K logo and images of the Jenners were later superimposed on the "vintage" shirts.

Talk about doing the laundry!

The $125 shirts, which featured social media shots of the Jenners superimposed on pics of Tupac, the Notorious B.I.G., Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" logo and more, lasted for less than a day in the Kendall + Kylie online store at the end of June before they were yanked under a small avalanche of criticism.

Voletta Wallace, Biggie's mom, slammed the effort solidly as disrespectful and threatened to sue.

"I am not sure who told @kyliejenner and @kendalljenner that they had the right to do this ...," Wallace said on Instagram. "I have no idea why they feel they can exploit the deaths of 2pac and my Son Christopher to sell a t-shirt. This is disrespectful, disgusting, and exploitation at its worst!!!"

Sharon Osbourne, whose husband Ozzy's image was used on a shirt, told the Jenners to "stick to what you know ... lip gloss."

"The superimposing of a selfie of Kendall Jenner over the iconic ‘Lion’ portrait of the late Jim Morrison is offensive and remarkable for its failure to recognize the rights of the estate of Mr. Morrison to control the use of his likeness," read a cease-and-desist letter (obtained by Rolling Stone) sent to the sisters’ company on behalf of the late singer's estate.

Jeff Jampol, who manages the estate and the surviving members of the Doors, slammed the Jenner sisters as an example of "people who fashion themselves as celebrities who are famous for being well-known but don't actually do anything."

Kylie Jenner, 19, told WWD in an interview published Friday, "We have learned what the customer wants and what she gravitates towards through trial and error.

"We love to push the envelope with adding statement and novelty styles that in the past we would have shied away from and seeing how our customer has loved those items has been amazing."

Or not?

The vintage T-shirt experiment has shaken out as an error, as Kendall Jenner, 21, acknowledged in June. Whether they anticipated the possibility of a trial? Whole ‘nother thing.

💜 pic.twitter.com/wfcNyNBgVe

‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ finally has a return date

By Christie D’Zurilla

"Curb Your Enthusiasm" fans can mark their calendars now: The HBO show will reappear Oct. 1.

Or they can do nothing, as a new promo announcing the series’ return date says star Larry David did exactly that during a nearly six-year break from new episodes.

The news comes more than a year after HBO announced the show would be back and echoes the network's detail-free June 2016 statement in which David said, "In the immortal words of Julius Caesar, ‘I left, I did nothing, I returned.’"

Of course, his version of "nothing" included writing, acting and a Broadway debut.

The fate of the half-hour comedy has been in limbo since its Season 8 finale — blame it on an "indecisive" creator? — which premiered on Sept. 11, 2011, and featured Michael J. Fox.

"I don't think it's out of his system," said Michael Lombardo, HBO's former programming chief, speaking about David and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" in June 2015. "I think he wants to have something to say."

‘Moonlight’ director Barry Jenkins will take on James Baldwin novel for his next film

By Jen Yamato

After an awards season filled with kudos and the most dramatic Oscars night victory in history, just about any project "Moonlight" director Barry Jenkins would choose to direct next would be the subject of high anticipation.

Now, hot off the triumph of his best picture Oscar win, Jenkins has set his follow-up project: "If Beale Street Could Talk," adapted from the 1974 novel of the same name by influential writer and social critic James Baldwin.

The original story follows Tish, a young Harlem woman pregnant with her first child, on a mission to prove her wrongfully accused lover's innocence in 1950s New York City.

"It is so vividly human and so obviously based upon reality, that it strikes us as timeless," Joyce Carol Oates wrote in the New York Times in 1974.

"It is a celebration of love told through the story of a young couple, their families and their lives, trying to bring about justice through love, for love and the promise of the American dream," described a joint announcement from Annapurna, PASTEL, and Plan B.

Jenkins took home the Academy Award for best adapted screenplay in February with co-writer Tarell Alvin McCraney for "Moonlight," their sublime and sensitively wrought coming-of-age tale of a black gay teenager growing up in Miami.

The film was nominated for eight Oscars and took home three, including best picture and best supporting actor for Mahershala Ali.

Jenkins’ film and Baldwin's legacy both had an effect the cinematic landscape last year when Raoul Peck's searing Oscar-nominated documentary. "I Am Not Your Negro" propelled Baldwin's writings on African American life back into the spotlight.

The "Moonlight" and "Medicine for Melancholy" helmer won the blessing of Baldwin's estate to bring "If Beale Street Could Talk" to the big screen after adapting it to script in 2013. Filming is set to begin in October.

"James Baldwin is a man of and ahead of his time; his interrogations of the American consciousness have remained relevant to this day," Jenkins said in a statement. "To translate the power of Tish and Fonny's love to the screen in Baldwin's image is a dream I’ve long held dear. Working alongside the Baldwin estate, I’m excited to finally make that dream come true."

The Beatles’ ‘Yellow Submarine’ film to be adapted as a comic book

By Nardine Saad

The Beatles are reuniting with Captain Fred and heading back to Pepperland.

To mark the 50th anniversary of the band's beloved 1968 animated movie "Yellow Submarine," Apple Corps Ltd. has authorized a comic book adaptation of the film, according to the Hollywood Reporter's website

"We’re thrilled to be publishing ‘The Beatles: Yellow Submarine’ for the 50th anniversary of this fantastic movie," Chris Teather, publishing director at Titan Comics, told the publication. "We can't wait for Beatles fans to experience this official adaptation."

The Fab Four's inter-dimensional battle against the music-loathing Blue Meanies are to unfold in pages written and illustrated by Bongo Comics founder and incoming Mad magazine editor Bill Morrison, who the Hollywood Reporter said is fulfilling a long-held dream of adapting the animated film. The comic is slated for 2018 release.

Incidentally, the Beatles themselves had little to do with the animated film. Aside from performing the musical numbers and appearing briefly at the end, the Liverpool lads were simply fulfilling a contractual obligation to United Artists for another film in the wake of their 1964 Oscar-nominated comedy "A Hard Day's Night," 1965's "Help!" and 1967's TV movie "Magical Mystery Tour." Their characters’ speaking voices in "Yellow Submarine" were actually provided by actors John Clive, Geoffrey Hughes, Peter Batten and Paul Angelis.

The well-received animated film, which revolved around Beatles songs, earned a Grammy Award nomination in 1970 for best original score and won the National Board of Review's Top 10 Films honor in 1969. Director George Dunning also won a special award from the National Society of Film Critics.

The film was restored in 1999, shown in theaters and released on DVD with a stereo remix. The "Hey, Bulldog!" scene that was deleted in the original American version was also reinstated.

In 2011, Disney canceled plans for a big-budget CGI remake helmed by Robert Zemeckis, but the following year, the animated original was released again on DVD and Blu-ray, transferred from a more thorough restoration and enhanced for widescreen televisions.

With ‘Despacito,’ Daddy Yankee becomes first Latino artist to top Spotify

By Nardine Saad

Despacito means "slowly" in Spanish, but the indisputable song of the summer has been anything but in its race up the charts.

"Despacito" co-writer and rapper Daddy Yankee has unseated Ed Sheeran as the top artist on Spotify, making him the first Latino artist to lead the platform.

The song, which he co-wrote with fellow Puerto Rican artist Luis Fonsi and features additional vocals by Justin Bieber on the remix, has surpassed 44,735,586 monthly listeners, according to Spotify, which made the announcement Sunday via the Associated Press. The remix is also No. 1 on Spotify's global charts.

"Being the first Latin artist to reach No. 1 on Spotify marks a precedent not only for my career but for the industry in general," Daddy Yankee said in an email to the AP. "The musical digital revolution has unified the world and this is the proof. We are all in the same boat with no labels or stereotypes."

The reggaetón superstar, 40, whose real name is Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez, got his start in the 1990s and said he "never stopped" working despite naysayers maligning the reggaetón genre and saying he wouldn't last in the industry. He exploded on the global music scene with his 2004 single "Gasolina" and bestselling album "Barrio Fino."

"I had to keep fighting. I had to make big sacrifices, to miss important moments with my family, to feel the prejudice of many people that didn't open the doors for me," he said.

El artista más escuchado del mundo increíble! Momento histórico en la música, gracias a ustedes familia. Thank you @Spotify I ❤️ Reggaeton pic.twitter.com/d8PRYJCjhl

The artist marked the moment with a video posted on Twitter, addressing has fans in English and Spanish.

"Also thank you to all our brothers around the world who have embraced our culture," he said in the video. "You guys [are] definitely a part of it. We’ve been on this wave for a long time. Now it feels good that the whole world gets to surf with us."

His "Despacito" collaborator Fonsi also gave him props via Instagram: "Said it once, I’ll say it again.. They don't call you The Big Boss for nothing!!"

The smash hit, which made headlines last month when Bieber admitted to not knowing the lyrics, has been breaking other records too.

The Latin dance track also hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and is the first primarily Spanish-language track to reach that spot since 1996's "Macarena." As of July 8, the song has been charting for 24 weeks and is in its eighth week at No. 1.

‘He doesn't respect me’: Blac Chyna defends herself against Rob Kardashian

By Emily Mae Czachor

After a forewarning on Friday, Blac Chyna has officially taken Rob Kardashian to court.

On Monday morning, Chyna, backed by her lawyer — high-profile attorney Lisa Bloom — arrived in Los Angeles Court Superior Court for the first leg of civil proceedings in a revenge-porn suit against her ex-fiance.

A feud between the couple — whose relationship grew out of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and then landed them their own E! reality show — made headlines last week when Kardashian posted graphic photos of Chyna on social media. The photos were accompanied by a series of defamatory, profane statements about his ex — punishment, he claimed, for Chyna's alleged unfaithfulness.

"He doesn't respect me," Chyna said during an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America" on Monday. "So, if you can't respect me, you have to respect the law."

In a statement she tweeted Friday, Bloom laid out Chyna's legal game plan: a temporary restraining order that will "require Mr. Kardashian to behave like a grownup toward the mother of his baby." (Chyna and Kardashian have an 8-month-old daughter, Dream.)

"Cyberbullying your ex is harassment," the statement read. "It stops now. Your attempts to shame and control her are hereby rejected. Her body, her choice. Her life, her choice. Back off."

Chyna used her "Good Morning America" appearance to try to clear her name.

"I was devastated, of course," she said of Kardashian's social media rampage. "Like, this is a person I trusted. I just felt ... betrayed."

In response to Kardashian's claims last week that she used him as a means to fame, wealth and recognition, Chyna said: "I was already Blac Chyna before the Kardashians."

According to TMZ, Kardashian does not intend to challenge Chyna's request in court. His lawyer, Robert Shapiro, described Kardashian's behavior last week as "a spontaneous reaction that he regrets."

Shapiro added, "Rob's only concern is for the well-being of baby Dream."

Jon Hamm riffs on karaoke jams and why ‘Baby Driver’ is such a musical film

By Jen Yamato

Music was everywhere during the making of the new film "Baby Driver," both on set and off. Star Ansel Elgort makes EDM dance tunes in his second career under the DJ moniker Ansølo. Oscar winner Jamie Foxx, who menaces Elgort mercilessly as the unhinged Bats, also has two Grammys and four R&B albums under his belt.

Eiza Gonzalez, who steals scenes in her biggest American film to date as the tough-as-nails Darling, has released two albums in her native Mexico. Lily James even sings in the movie, warbling Carla Thomas's 1966 pop single "B-A-B-Y" in her first scene.

Not everyone on the Atlanta set, however, self-identified as a musician. Just ask Jon Hamm. (Warning: Mild spoilers follow.)

"I’m not musical in any way," the "Mad Men" star demurred to The Times, despite recorded evidence to the contrary. "But," he said with a grin, reclining on a Four Seasons couch on a recent summer day, "I’ll karaoke!"

Karaoke, says Hamm, was a favorite pastime for the cast and crew during filming on "Baby Driver," where every car chase and action sequence – and many of the dialogue scenes – were meticulously scripted by celebrity choreographer Ryan Heffington, to the beats of Wright's playlist.

"Eiza always wanted to do karaoke," said Hamm, who revealed that his co-star's go-to song is "Pony" by Ginuwine. His own jam: "Under Pressure," by Queen and David Bowie.

"I’ve seen Jamie Foxx, who is an amazing musician, just walk up to a piano and start playing it," he sighed. "I am not musical in any way, although I like music. But I stopped playing violin in 4th grade. I’m like, ‘Well… I’m good at baseball!’"

His favorite moments to watch in "Baby Driver"? That angsty junkyard scene set to "Easy" by the Commodores – Elgort's own No. 1 karaoke song -- and "Never Gonna Give You Up," by Barry White.

"I like that scene. It's normally a baby-making song, but in this it's really, really sinister," Hamm said.

Hamm wasn't the only non-musical star on set in an action-musical filled with cameos by musicians including Killer Mike, Big Boi (in the restaurant scene), Paul Williams (as "the Butcher") and Sky Ferreira.

I asked Wright about the surprising appearance in the film by Atlanta personalities Sidney and Thurman Sewell, better known collectively as the ATL Twins.

The siblings, who made their film debut as James Franco's sidekicks in Harmony Korine's "Spring Breakers," show up in a surprise encounter with Baby that leaves them carjacked, their phone still plugged in blasting Young MC's "Know How."

Wright's face lit up at the mention of their name. "I have to give Sidney and Thurman credit," he said, laughing. "There's not that much improv in the movie, but the line, ‘More like Bonnie and Bonnie’ was their line, and when they said it, I thought, ‘That's great – that's going in the movie.’"

I’ve had one question ever since I first saw "Baby Driver" in March at SXSW, where it received the same enthusiasm it's been receiving from audiences and critics alike: Would the ATL Twins really be driving around modern-day Atlanta listening to a 1988 track by Young MC?

"Let me put it this way," said Wright. "I think they should."

READ MORE: The musical, millennial life of ‘Baby Driver's’ Ansel Elgort

Daniel Craig reported to sign on for ‘Bond 25’ despite disdain for 007 franchise

By Nardine Saad

Apparently playing James Bond is still better than slashing one's wrists.

It's still Craig. Daniel Craig.

The British actor has reportedly signed on for the 25th Bond film despite his notorious disdain for playing the super spy. Craig said in 2015 that he would "rather slash [his] wrists" than return to the role — and if he did play 007 again, "it would be for the money."

The U.K.'s Mirror reported that Craig decided to stay on for Bond 25 after hearing of the wealth of British talent eyed to replace him. Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, James Norton and Aidan Turner were among the rumored contenders.

This would be Craig's fifth Bond flick since embodying Ian Fleming's secret service agent in the 2006 installment, "Casino Royale." He's the sixth actor to play the master spy since the first Bond film, "Dr. No," debuted in 1962.

Other big names swirling around Bond 25 are singer Adele and director Christopher Nolan.

The Mirror reported that producer Barbara Broccoli is "determined" to bring the English songbird back after her performance of "Skyfall," the theme song to the 2012 Bond film of the same name, earned her Oscar, Grammy, Golden Globe and Brit awards. Broccoli is said to be "talking the singer round" and insiders believe Craig and Adele are the franchise's "winning team."

According to the Telegraph, Nolan is also being eyed to direct the next film. The Academy Award-winning director, who also helmed Warner Bros.’ "Dark Knight" trilogy, has been in talks with producers but sounded reluctant to step in for Sam Mendes, who directed "Skyfall" and "Spectre."

"I’ve spoken to the producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson over the years," Nolan recently told Playboy. "I deeply love the character, and I’m always excited to see what they do with it. Maybe one day that would work out. You’d have to be needed, if you know what I mean. It has to need reinvention; it has to need you. And they’re getting along very well."

"Skyfall" and "Spectre" screenwriter John Logan is also said to be involved in the upcoming project, and reports suggest that Bond 25 will start filming next year.

Jay-Z to take ‘4:44’ on the road this fall

By Gerrick Kennedy

It's official: Jay-Z is going on the road.

After months of speculation, the rap mogul announced his first solo tour in four years on Monday in support of his comeback album, "4:44."

The 4:44 Tour will take Jay to North American arenas this fall. Kicking off Oct. 27 in Anaheim, the hit 31-city, Live Nation-produced trek wraps in L.A. with a show at the Forum on Dec. 21.

Earlier this year, Jay signed a new 10-year touring deal with Live Nation for a reported $200 million.

Before the tour launches, the rap star will hit the festival circuit. Jay is set to headline his own Made in America Festival this Labor Day, as well as top-lining the Meadows Music and Arts Festival and Austin City Limits — his first major shows since he co-headlined 2014's On the Run stadium trek with wife Beyoncé.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday at 10 a.m. through Live Nation. A special presale for Tidal subscribers and Citi cardholders begins today.

A Star Is Born: Sofia Vergara turns 45 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

When they told me to lose weight, I was like, are they playing a joke on me? I’ve always been known for my body! . . . . The thing is I did lose a little weight because I understand that standing next to the stick figures, I don't look as good in pictures. My friend says that the other actresses look better than me on TV because they’re skinny. And I’m like, ‘Yeah, but I look better naked!’

— Sofia Vergara, 2009

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Sofia Vergara's American ‘Modern Family’

A Star Is Born: Courtney Love turns 53 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

People are offering a million dollars to these scruffy little dirty stoner bands. And I can just see it's going to be like new wave: ‘Get that kid into an old sweater!’ What's going to happen is that these underripe bands are going to put out these underripe records that nobody is going to buy, and it will ruin it for the rest of us.

— Courtney Love, 1992

FROM THE ARCHIVES: In Love With Courtney

Donal Logue's missing daughter is home again

By Mary McNamara

Donal Logue's daughter Jade is alive, well and back home in Brooklyn.

It's been a frantic two weeks for the "Gotham" star after the 16-year-old went missing from Barclay's Center in Brooklyn.

In addition to working with police, the FBI and missing children groups, Logue and his ex-wife, Kasey Smith, blanketed social media with requests for help and calls for Jade to return home.

So it was only fitting that news of a happy ending was made public via Twitter.

Thank you ALL for the love and support. We are good. Kasey and I wish to thank the NYPD. FBI, @MissingKids and countless others.

Jade, who is transgender, went missing one week after her 16th birthday. TMZ reports that an NYPD-FBI task force found her at a friend's house in North Carolina on Saturday morning; According to Logue's representatives, Jade is now reunited with her family.

Nelsan Ellis, who played Lafayette Reynolds on ‘True Blood,’ is dead at 39

By Jessica Gelt

Nelsan Ellis, the actor best known for his portrayal of Lafayette Reynolds on HBO's "True Blood," has died. He was 39. The reported cause was from complications due to heart failure.

Ellis burst into popular consciousness in 2008 when he was cast in "True Blood" as Reynolds, a flamboyant and outspoken gay short order cook at Merlotte's in the fictional town of Bon Temps, Louisiana. Lafayette brought pointed humor to Alan Ball's acclaimed vampire drama that many considered an analogy for the gay rights struggle.

As news of Ellis’ passing quickly spread, a scene where he marches out from behind the griddle to confront a trio of homophobic diners was widely circulated on Twitter.

In a statement, Ball called Ellis "a singular talent whose creativity never ceased to amaze me. Working with him was a privilege."

HBO echoed Ball's sentiments in its own statement, "We were extremely saddened to hear of the passing of Nelsan Ellis. Nelsan was a long-time member of the HBO family whose groundbreaking portrayal of Lafayette will be remembered fondly within the overall legacy of True Blood. Nelsan will be dearly missed by his fans and all of us at HBO."

Most recently, Ellis joined the season five cast of "Elementary," playing Shinwell Johnson, a former drug dealer (and former patient of Lucy Liu's Watson) trying to make up for his life of crime. Shinwell, who was named for a character that appeared in the original Sherlock Holmes story "The Illustrious Client," died this season after infiltrating a gang known as the South Bronx Killas.

Aerial dancer falls to his death before Green Day performance in Madrid

By Craig Nakano

An aerial dancer performing before a Green Day concert Friday night in Spain fell an estimated 100 feet to his death, the BBC has reported.

Pedro Aunión Monroy died at the Mad Cool festival in Madrid, his fall from a lighted cage over the stage captured in video posted on YouTube.

Festival organizers told neither the audience nor the night's bands that Monroy had died, the BBC said. Green Day tweeted that it did not know of the death until after the band had performed.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends

Shia LaBeouf arrested in Georgia on public drunkenness charge

By Associated Press

Actor Shia LaBeouf has been released from a Georgia jail after posting $7,000 bond on charges of public drunkenness.

The Chatham County Sheriff's Office says the 31-year-old was arrested at 4 a.m. Saturday by the Savannah Police Department and released.

In addition to the public drunkenness allegation, he was also arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct and obstruction. Further details surrounding the arrest were not immediately available.

LaBeouf has faced similar charges in the past. He is in the Savannah area filming his new movie, "The Peanut Butter Falcon," which also stars Dakota Johnson.

A Star Is Born: Beck turns 47 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

I like chaos . . . taking yourself and the audience into the unknown, so no one is quite sure of what's going on. I love the kind of abandon that you feel onstage when your own will has been removed and you are completely vulnerable and no longer in control. You may look vulnerable. You may even look idiotic, but there's something honest and revealing going on.

— Beck, 1999

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Beck's Got a Brand New Bag

Having a Moment: From Trump vs. CNN to Netflix's ‘GLOW,’ we can't get enough pro wrestling

By Libby Hill

"Having a Moment" is a new weekly feature that spotlights the people and trends we all seem to be talking about.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Two guys wearing flamboyant costumes and makeup attempt to tear each other to shreds in an attempt to win a fancy accessory.

No, it's not "RuPaul's Drag Race." It's that other high melodrama that's all the rage these days: professional wrestling.

What's that, you say? Professional wrestling isn't real? Well, neither is the news if you believe certain people, so why not give the pop culture pariah its moment in the sun?

President Trump's recent tweet featuring an appearance at Wrestlemania 23 remade into a brutal attack on CNN has pro wrestling back in the headlines, but that's only the most recent example of the sport's comeback.

Blac Chyna seeking restraining order after Rob Kardashian posted sexually explicit photos

By Richard Winton

An attorney for Blac Chyna said Friday she will seek a restraining order against reality star Rob Kardashian after he posted sexually explicit images of the model on Instagram and Twitter.

Lisa Bloom, a well-known celebrity attorney, said on Twitter: "I represent Blac Chyna. I just gave Rob Kardashian notice that we’ll be in court Monday seeking restraining orders against him."

Kardashian, 30, posted the images Wednesday while accusing Chyna, the mother of his child, of cheating on him.

Some legal experts have said the posts could be problematic because in 2013, California lawmakers passed a law penalizing what is known as "nonconsensual pornography."

A violation of the law is a misdemeanor resulting in up to six months in jail.

Minus Bette Midler, ‘Hello, Dolly!’ breaks down at Broadway box office

By Libby Hill

It's more like "Hell no, Dolly!," am I right?

That's the message Broadway audiences are sending at the prospect of seeing the most recent revival of "Hello, Dolly!" sans Bette Midler in the title role.

In the midst of a two-week vacation from the role that recently won her a Tony Award, Midler is set to return to the stage July 9 and has left Dolly in the capable hands of her understudy, two-time Tony winner Donna Murphy.

In the absence of the Divine Miss M, the "Hello, Dolly!" box-office receipts for last week totaled $936,603, after two consecutive weeks of earning more than $2 million, thanks to post-Tony ticket demand.

The deflation of the show's box office is a real concern for later this year, when Midler is expected to relinquish the role for good. Midler, 71, has not yet announced her departure from the show.

At 5, Blue Ivy Carter makes her rap debut on Jay Z's new album. And yes, it's adorable

By Emily Mae Czachor

Within weeks of her birth in 2012, Blue Ivy Carter was already starting to be expertly groomed for musical greatness. (Or perhaps when your parents are Beyoncé and Jay Z, it's already in your DNA.)

We’ve heard her wail on Jay Z's "Glory" -- a 2012 tribute anthem to infant Blue Ivy herself -- and babble in the background of Beyoncé's 2013 track "Blue" (another homage to you-know-who).

But now, at the ripe old age of 5, Blue Ivy is making her official rap debut -- and the Internet is calling her a sensation.

The pint-sized prodigy raps for 45 seconds, sandwiched between her father's verses, on "Blue's Freestyle/We Family" -- one of three bonus tracks featured on the physical edition of "4:44," which was released Friday after nearly a week-long exclusive on the streaming service Tidal.

Her remarkably arresting (even if a bit obscure) verse kicks off: "Everything, everything is my only single thing/ Everything I hear is my answer...I never hear that/ I be in the posse/ Never seen a ceiling in my whole life."

And while it is periodically difficult to decipher Blue Ivy's words (again, she's 5), the freestyle refrain is crystal-clear: "Boom shakalaka/ Boom shakalaka/ Everything in shaka/ Everything in faka."

Jay Z's acclaimed 13th studio album had its initial release last week on Tidal and has already earned platinum certification. But despite its wide success, the rapper was recently criticized by the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish organization dedicated to identifying and combating anti-Semitism. The group has taken issue with certain lyrics on Jay Z's new song "The Story of O.J.":

"You wanna know what's more important than throwin’ away money at a strip club? Credit / You ever wonder why the Jewish people own all the property in America? This how they did it."

In an interview with Rolling Stone, a representative for the ADL said that while the organization believes Jay Z meant no harm, those lyrics are problematic.

"We know that Jay Z is someone who has used his celebrity in the past to speak out responsibly and forcefully against the evils of racism and anti-Semitism," the rep said.

"The lyric does seem to play into deep-seated anti-Semitic stereotypes about Jews and money," the rep added. "The idea that Jews ‘own all the property’ in this country and have used credit to financially get ahead are odious and false. Yet, such notions have lingered in society for decades, and we are concerned that this lyric could feed into preconceived notions about Jews and alleged Jewish ‘control’ of the banks and finance."

"4:44" is now available to stream on Apple Music, iTunes and Amazon -- most everywhere, that is, except for Spotify.

Ben Affleck reportedly dating ‘Saturday Night Live’ producer Lindsay Shookus

By Nardine Saad

Ben Affleck might have a new leading lady in his life.

The "Justice League" star is rumored to be dating "Saturday Night Live" producer Lindsay Shookus, according to several reports out Friday.

Per E! News, which was first with a report of the romance, the Oscar winner and Shookus are "in the early stages" of their relationship. They met up in London for work and reportedly attended Sam Mendes’ play "Ferryman" last week.

"It's more than a summer fling," according to a person E! called an insider. "They are having fun and care for each other. It's early and they are taking it slow."

Though Affleck and Shookus have not publicly addressed the relationship, People also reported the nascent coupling following a sighting of the two having dinner in Los Angeles on Thursday.

"They are spending time together in L.A. Lindsay is staying at Ben's new house," a source told the magazine. "They had dinner at Giorgio Baldi last night. They arrived in a limo. They looked happy. They had a quick dinner and then returned to Ben's house."

Following the actor's rehab stint for alcohol abuse in March, he and actress Jennifer Garner officially filed for divorce in April after nearly 10 years of marriage. They cited irreconcilable differences and are seeking joint physical and legal custody of their three young children, daughters Violet and Seraphina and son Samuel.

Days after the filing, a report surfaced saying that Affleck was moving out of the family guesthouse and into a new home and that he was dating someone, though not seriously.

The parents have remained pretty amicable (save for Garner's incendiary 2016 Vanity Fair interview) and committed to co-parenting their kids since first announcing their separation in 2015. On the heels of a recent family trip to the Bahamas, Affleck and Garner were spotted together on Tuesday celebrating the Fourth of July with their brood at the Pacific Palisades parade, TMZ reported.

With new album on the way, all Ringo Starr wants for his birthday today is peace and love

By Randall Roberts

Without the beat, there was no Beatles, and since Pete Best was born in the fall, today fans are celebrating the birthday of the expert drummer who replaced him, Ringo Starr.

The child born in Liverpool as Richard Starkey in 1940 is celebrating his 77th birthday today by announcing the release date and title of his forthcoming album.

"Give More Love" will be his first record since 2015's "Postcards From Paradise" and will arrive Sept. 15 via Universal Music Enterprises.

Joining him in the studio on various songs are fellow Beatle Paul McCartney, singer-guitarists Joe Walsh and Peter Frampton and keyboard ace Benmont Tench, among others.

As previously reported by the Los Angeles Times’ Randy Lewis in May, Starr will celebrate today as he has for the last three years: by swinging by the Capitol Records Tower in Hollywood to greet fans and flash the peace sign.

At noon he’ll ask his tribe around the world to do the same while reciting a mantra of "peace and love."

At the Capitol event, he’ll be getting, ahem, a touch of aid from director David Lynch, legendary Texas blues rocker Edgar Winter, the Animals’ Eric Burdon, E Street Band guitarist Nils Lofgren, L.A. singer-songwriter Jenny Lewis and drummers Jim Keltner and Matt Sorum, among others.

The day will also include renditions of Starr songs by musicians, including Lewis, Van Dyke Parks and Don Was.

"I can't think of a better way to celebrate my birthday, or a better gift I could ask for, than peace and love," Starr said in May in a statement. "How great that this idea keeps growing and spreading. Thanks to everyone supporting it."

The drummer isn't slowing down on the road, either. In October, he’ll set up shop in Las Vegas for an extended stay at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, followed by concerts across Texas and in Oklahoma, Florida, Georgia and up the East Coast.

He’ll cap the tour in mid-November with gigs at the Beacon Theatre in New York City and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark.

Here's the track list for "Give More Love":

1. "We’re on the Road Again"2. "Laughable"3. "Show Me the Way"4. "Speed of Sound"5. "Standing Still"6. "King of the Kingdom"7. "Electricity"8. "So Wrong for So Long"9. "Shake It Up"10. "Give More Love"11. "Back Off Boogaloo (Re-do)"12. "Don't Pass Me Buy (Re-do)"13. "You Can't Fight Lighting (Re-do)"14. "Photograph (Re-do)"

Angela Lansbury and Emily Watson to star in BBC/PBS production of ‘Little Women’

By Libby Hill

An upcoming production of "Little Women" has found its titular women -- and a couple Hollywood living legends to boot.

BBC One and "Masterpiece" on PBS announced Thursday the cast for their co-production of Louisa May Alcott's classic novel, introducing a new generation to the wonderful world of the March family.

Two-time Academy Award nominee Emily Watson ("Hilary and Jackie," "Breaking the Waves") will play Marmee, beloved family matriarch, while honorary Academy Award winner Dame Angela Lansbury will star as irascible Aunt March.

The production is looking to a new crop of fresh-faced actresses to fill the ranks of the March girls, including Willa Fitzgerald ("Scream: The TV Series") as eldest sister Meg; Maya Hawke (daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke) as headstrong Jo; Annes Elwy ("Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams") as sweet sister Beth; and Kathryn Newton ("Big Little Lies," "Halt and Catch Fire") as troublesome youngest sister Amy.

Michael Gambon will be posted next door to the March family playing gracious neighbor Mr. Laurence, with newcomer Jonah Hauer-King playing his nephew and March girls love interest Laurie.

Originally published in 1868, Alcott's story tells of a family ravaged by the Civil War, struggling to survive and thrive as its four daughters seek to become strong women.

The BBC/PBS adaptation will be a three-part series from "Call the Midwife" creator Heidi Thomas and directed by Vanessa Caswill ("My Mad Fat Diary").

Principal photography begins this month in Ireland. A release date for the series has yet to be announced.

A Star Is Born: Shelley Duvall turns 68 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

When I turned 18, I felt I was grown up. Then when I was 21, I reflected, ‘Boy, I was just a kid then; now I’m grown up.’ The same thing happened when I was 27. It wasn't until I was in my early 30s that I realized it was a futile goal to have. You’re never grown up. We’re all still dealing with the same hopes, same fears, same dreams that we had as children.

— Shelley Duvall, 1991

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Shelley Duvall grows up

Patton Oswalt engaged to new love Meredith Salenger

By Libby Hill

This is shaping up to be quite the year for comedian Patton Oswalt. The funnyman took home the Grammy for comedy album in February, and on Thursday he confirmed he was newly engaged to actress Meredith Salenger.

"I put the ring in a marzipan Slave I replica and said, ‘Will you be my Padawan of Love?’ She maced me but said yes later," Oswald joked on Twitter of his proposal, a jest rooted both in his own embrace of nerd culture and in Salenger's extensive voicework in the "Star Wars" universe.

I put the ring in a marzipan Slave I replica and said, "Will you be my Padawan of Love?" She maced me but said yes later. https://t.co/9gIr2yxfP5

Salenger, who broke into Hollywood with her starring role in the 1985 Disney film "The Journey of Natty Gann," shared her own joyous reaction to the engagement on social media.

"It's official," Salenger wrote. "I’m the luckiest girl in the universe!!!!"

The caption accompanied a photo collage of the happy couple, a shot of the big question and Salenger's dazzling ring, and a photo of the actress with Oswalt's 8-year-old daughter, Alice.

It's official. I'm the luckiest happiest girl in the universe!!!!💖 I love you @pattonoswalt I love you Alice Oswalt! pic.twitter.com/6V6JnQ0XKJ

The announcement is a lovely turn of events for Oswalt, whose first wife, writer Michelle McNamara, died suddenly in her sleep in April 2016 due to a previously undiagnosed heart condition, coupled with prescribed medication.

McNamara and Oswalt had been married 10 years and had one daughter, Alice.

Oswalt, whose stand-up comedy never shied away from his struggles with depression, was equally transparent with his battles with bereavement.

"Thanks, grief," Oswalt wrote in a Facebook post in August. "Thanks for making depression look like the buzzing little bully it always was," before going on to compare depression to a fourth-grade bully and grief to Jason Statham.

Salenger, 47, and Oswalt, 48, made their love connection common knowledge when they appeared on the red carpet for Edgar Wright's "Baby Driver" in June.

People reports that the pair were introduced through mutual friend Martha Plimpton.

Grant Gershon renews contract with L.A. Opera

By Deborah Vankin

The Los Angeles Opera announced Thursday that Grant Gershon, who has held the title resident conductor for the last five years, has renewed his contract through the 2019-20 season.

Gershon made his conducting debut with the company in 2009 with Verdi's "La Traviata." He previously served as chorus master and then chorus director.

Gershon is also artistic director of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, which he has steered for 17 seasons. Last year he became the first conductor to lead performances of the Music Center's three classical music resident companies: the L.A. Opera, the Master Chorale and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, all within a two-week period.

"Grant has made a profound impact on L.A. Opera's artistic profile over the past decade, and I could not be happier that he will continue his extraordinary work here in the seasons to come," General Director Plácido Domingo said in the announcement. "Whether he's conducting a production or preparing our chorus, we have been fortunate to have Grant take part in virtually every mainstage production since 2007."

FYF Fest publishes set times

By Randall Roberts

Missy Elliott or John Talabot? Motor City Drum Ensemble, Perfume Genius or King Krule? Frank Ocean or [insert would-be replacement headliner here]?

The annual FYF Fest has announced the set times for its upcoming event, which takes place at Exposition Park on the weekend of July 21-23, and fans will have to start wrestling with such first-world concerns as whether to check out Solange or Blonde Redhead.

The 14th annual event, which got its start as a DIY punk festival in Echo Park, continues to expand its range. This year's roster will include performances across six stages by artists including Missy Elliott, Bjork, Solange, Frank Ocean, Nine Inch Nails, Erykah Badu and dozens more.

Promoted by FYF and Goldenvoice, the festival is known for its prescience. Over the years it's helped bring to prominence artists including Mac DeMarco, the Head and the Heart, Joyce Manor and Future Islands, among others.

The biggest question mark? Frank Ocean's confirmed set. The singer and songwriter has been booked at other festivals this year, but has so far canceled both Sasquatch in Washington and Hangout in Gulf Shores, Ala. Hangout is also co-produced by Goldenvoice.

Whether Ocean will indeed land on FYF's main stage remains an open question. Although there are no indications that the soul singer is wavering, his track record is spotty. In 2015, Ocean canceled his FYF headlining appearance on less than a week's notice; Kanye West jumped in to fill the slot.

The good news is that regardless of Ocean's ways -- to repeat, he's given no indication that he’ll be a no-show -- the influential rap goddess Missy Elliott hasn't been known to flake on short notice. Her highly anticipated set will be her first U.S. concert since 2008 (not including her social-media-busting Super Bowl cameo with Katy Perry in 2015), and her only scheduled concert of 2017.

Below: The clickable set times for the three-day event.

Andrew Garfield joked that he's a gay man and some people are upset — or are they?

By Christie D’Zurilla

Andrew Garfield Reveals! Andrew Garfield Admits! Andrew Garfield Confesses! Andrew Garfield Won't Rule Out!

Yep, that's how the headlines are reading in reaction to what appears to be a bit of light-heartedness that the "Angels in America" actor delivered during a recent panel discussion at the National Theatre in London, where he's portraying Prior Walter in Tony Kushner's AIDS-themed play.

The actor's revelatory confession/admission was that he "wouldn't rule out" a same-sex relationship. Well, that and he watched a lot of "RuPaul's Drag Race" while researching the role of a gay man.

"As far as I know, I am not a gay man," Garfield told an audience member at the chat, according to Gay Times, which attended. "Maybe I’ll have an awakening later in my life, which I’m sure will be wonderful and I’ll get to explore that part of the garden, but right now I’m secluded to my area, which is wonderful as well. I adore it, but a big concern was what right do I have to play this wonderful gay role."

The 33-year-old, who has been known to get very geeky when promoting his projects, shared his commitment to the grueling gig — and his secret weapon.

"My only time off during rehearsals — every Sunday I would have eight friends over and we would just watch Ru," he said of "RuPaul's Drag Race." "This is my life outside of this play. I am a gay man right now just without the physical act — that's all."

Of course, the inevitable followed: Andrew Garfield Faces Backlash! Because watching reality TV doesn't help a person understand oppression.

This article grosses me out.Ur a talented guy,but seem to be completely oblivious to what is coming out of ur mouth. https://t.co/td9DPhVRmP

Andrew Garfield: I'm a gay man without the physical act because I watch Rupaul's Drag Race pic.twitter.com/5AknYcOXl5

Or maybe it was more of a discussion than a backlash?

Look I'm not going to say if Andrew Garfield is bi or not, but like.Sex doesn't make you gay or straight, guys.

can't believe ppl have the AUDACITY to tweet right now. please respect the 48hr mourning period for andrew garfield's status as a gay icon x

At any rate, we now present this awesome video clip of Garfield lip-syncing to "I’m Every Woman," because — well, like we said, awesome. (Hat tip to People for unearthing it.)

Oh, yeah, there's also a tweet or two below the video, offering up an alternate reality in which headlines about What Andrew Garfield Said don't scream quite so loud.

Hi everyone, Andrew Garfield is an ally who said something a tiny bit silly about enjoying watching a very good programme that is very gay.

The Andrew Garfield Gay Drama in a nutshell: pic.twitter.com/4ObXbOWGLD

‘Kevin Hart Day’ in Philadelphia honors hometown comic on his birthday

By Nardine Saad

Move over, Fresh Prince: Philadelphia is the city of Brotherly Love, cheesesteaks and, now, Kevin Hart.

The Philadelphia-bred comic was regaled in his hometown on Thursday with "Kevin Hart Day," a newly minted honor coinciding with the comedian's 38th birthday.

Philadelphia stand up....It's "Kevin Hart day" & it's my B Day....I just hit y'all with what I call my Combo Pack 😂😂😂😂

The city made an official resolution that July 6 would be dedicated to the comic as "a simple way to show [Hart] gratitude" for being a "fantastic ambassador for the City of Philadelphia," Councilman David Oh, who introduced the measure earlier this year, told Philly.com.

Oh welcomed Hart back to his hometown during the free public celebration, which featured musical performances and the unveiling of a mural on the wall of Max's Steaks in north Philly, just a block away from the actor's childhood home.

Hart was joined onstage by his extended family and thanked the crowds gathered in the rain for allowing them to see "this amazing day."

.@ChillMoody warming up the #KevinhartDay crowd in #northphilly pic.twitter.com/JzojIrghEt

The prolific comic got his start as a stand-up comedian in Philadelphia's Laff House in the late 1990s. His career took off in the early 2000s, and he has since headlined five stand-up specials and starred in scores of films and TV shows. The always-working entertainer is next slated to appear in the "Jumanji" reboot alongside his "Central Intelligence" co-star Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black and Karen Gillan.

The "I Can't Make This Up" author was recently named 2016's highest-paid comedian by Forbes magazine, dethroning sitcom star Jerry Seinfeld by earning nearly $90 million from June 2015 to June 2016.

.@KevinHart4real giving thanks for the love on his bday! He gets a mural too! #KevinHartDay @KYWNewsradio @muralarts pic.twitter.com/s583LICPRC

Kesha bounces back on triumphant new song, ‘Praying,’ and announces next album

By Randall Roberts

The pop star Kesha, who since 2014 has been embroiled in a nasty legal battle with her former producer and current label head, Dr. Luke, has issued her first new song in nearly five years. Called "Praying," it's a defiant ballad about overcoming adversity that opens with a haunting spoken-word intro.

"Am I dead," she wonders, "or is this one of those dreams, those horrible dreams that seem like they last forever?"

She continues: "If there is a God or whatever, something, somewhere, why have I been abandoned by everyone and everything I’ve ever known, I’ve ever loved?"

It's the first track from her just-announced new album, "Rainbow," which is to arrive on Aug. 11.

The album is being released on Kemosabe Records, the Dr. Luke-owned imprint that was at the center of lawsuits for the last three years. Kemosabe is distributed by Sony Music Entertainment.

Among those who collaborate with Kesha (born Kesha Sebert) for "Rainbow" are Dolly Parton, who duets with her on the 1980 Pepe Sebert song "Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You." Sebert, who, not coincidentally, is Kesha's mom, also helped write the Ben Folds-produced title track.

The chart-topping producer-songwriter Ricky Reed (Wallpaper) also contributed. Kesha drafted members of Palm Desert rock band Eagles of Death Metal for a few songs, as well.

Dr. Luke (Lukasz Gottwald), who helped propel Kesha to stardom through his co-production on songs including "Tik Tok," "Your Love Is My Drug" and "Die Young," is notably absent from the credits.

That stands to reason. In October 2014, Kesha sued Gottwald in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleging that he "sexually, physically, verbally and emotionally" abused her starting when she was 18. Gottwald denied the charges and counter-sued her in New York, alleging defamation and breach of contract.

In 2016, Kesha dropped her suit, stating in an Instagram post, "I need to get my music out. I have so much to say. This lawsuit is so heavy on my once free spirit, and I can only pray to one day feel that happiness again."

"Praying" is her first musical endeavor in support of that goal.

The video for the song alludes to past turmoil but embeds it within lyrics that address a spurned lover. "Well, you almost had me fooled / Told me that I was nothing without you," she sings to open.

"You brought the flames and you put me through hell," she adds later, and it's hard not to think that Dr. Luke is in her cross hairs: "I had to learn how to fight for myself / And we both know all the truth I could tell / I’ll just say this is I wish you farewell."

In a note to fans published on Lena Dunham's Lenny Letter, Kesha explained the genesis of "Praying":

"I have channeled my feelings of severe hopelessness and depression, I’ve overcome obstacles, and I have found strength in myself even when it felt out of reach. I’ve found what I had thought was an unobtainable place of peace.

"This song is about coming to feel empathy for someone else even if they hurt you or scare you. It's a song about learning to be proud of the person you are even during low moments when you feel alone. It's also about hoping everyone, even someone who hurt you, can heal."

Viceland drops trailer for James Van Der Beek's ‘What Would Diplo Do?’

By Chris Barton

Viceland released a trailer for its first scripted series on Wednesday, and it seems the EDM world may be getting its very own "This Is Spinal Tap" this summer.

Written and produced by James Van Der Beek, who also stars as the titlular character, "What Would Diplo Do?" offers a mockumentary-style look at the life of Diplo, the superstar producer and member of EDM (electronic dance music) groups Jack Ü and Major Lazer.

Diplo, born Thomas Wesley Pence, also executive produces the series, which rose out of Van Der Beek's role in a particularly tongue-in-cheek promo for the 2016 Mad Decent Block Party.

The trailer also teases appearances by fellow DJ Dillon Francis and Dora Madison from "Friday Night Lights" as well as some comedy veterans in one-time "MADtv" star Bobby Lee and Groundlings fixture H Michael Croner.

The series debuts on Viceland on Aug. 3. Watch the new trailer here.

‘And then there were 5’: Lauren Conrad and William Tell welcome baby Liam

By Libby Hill

Fashion designer and former reality television star Lauren Conrad and husband William Tell welcomed a baby boy on Wednesday, the new mom shared on her website.

Liam James Tell weighed 6 pounds, 14 ounces and was 20 inches long upon his entrance into the world.

"He's here!" Conrad wrote in an Instagram post, sharing a precious cross-stitch representing her newly expanded family.

Conrad, 31, and Tell, 37, have been an item since a Valentine's Day blind date organized by mutual friends in 2012 and married Sept. 13, 2014, at a vineyard in Santa Ynez.

Since making her name on MTV's "Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County," and later "The Hills," Conrad has built her own fashion and lifestyle brand, in addition to publishing several books.

The addition of a son is exactly what Conrad was hoping for, according to the July cover story of Fit Pregnancy and Baby.

"I really wanted a boy. My husband kept saying, ‘We just want a healthy baby.’ And I’d say, ‘But a boy would be nice!’ "Conrad said, explaining that growing up as a tomboy made her feel as though she understood boys.

Though Liam is the first child for both Conrad and Tell, he is not the first addition to their family. Conrad noted in her birth announcement (and cross-stitch) that her family had now grown to five, including rescue pups Chloe and Fitz.

Sorry, puppers. Expect lots of competition for cuddles and cuteness in the future.

A Star Is Born: Sylvester Stallone turns 71 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

Think about what it means to be a destitute actor who refuses to sell a script and molds his own inadequacies into the figure of a boxer. Then look what happened. Rocky entered the fabric of the American subconscious. When you cheer Rocky, you cheer someone fighting an uphill struggle. He had no money, but he had ethics. He had no skill, but he had courage. He touched a nerve that translated into an international myth.

— Sylvester Stallone, 1990

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Can Sly Get Serious?

Reading a new poem, Chance the Rapper chokes up on NPR

By Emily Mae Czachor

NPR's Tiny Desk concert series is beloved for giving superstar musicians an intimate setting to translate their songs into rather bare-bones live performances.

But when Chance the Rapper showed up to perform, he took "stripped down" one step further.

In the latest Tiny Desk iteration, which NPR released Wednesday morning, the Chicago-bred rapper delivered a particularly heartrending set amid the Technicolor bookshelves of the NPR music office.

"I didn't know this was actually actually in an office," he said with the same easygoing candor that has typified much of his charm. "So, this is ... very uncouth."

Surrounded by a seven-piece crew — including his Social Experiment collaborators Nico Segal and Greg Landfair Jr. — he moseyed through a soft, stark rendition of "Juke Jam" from his "Coloring Book" mixtape. He also debuted a brand-new poem, which he called "The Other Side."

"Forgive me, I haven't written a poem in a long time," Chance said, adjusting his T-shirt as he glanced down at his notes scrawled in black marker across several sheets of paper. He had just written the poem on the car ride over from his Washington, D.C., hotel, he said.

"I still have all the keys that are of no use to me," the poem began. "They used to, though. On the other side was a mansion on a hill, complete with L.A. pools and fireplaces and a rim made specifically for people that lie about being 6 feet to dunk on."

The poem, though unrehearsed, was gripping — so much so that, halfway through, Chance himself choked up.

He closed out the set with a cover of Stevie Wonder's "They Won't Go When I Go," a poignant song from 1974.

Watch Chance the Rapper's Tiny Desk concert above.

Daniel Dae Kim explains ‘Hawaii Five-0’ exit over CBS contract dispute

By Nardine Saad

Daniel Dae Kim has shed light on his abrupt departure from CBS’ "Hawaii Five-0" reboot.

"I’m sad to say it is true. I will not be returning to Hawaii Five-0 when production starts next week. Though I made myself available to come back, CBS and I weren't able to agree to terms on a new contract, so I made the difficult choice not to continue," the actor wrote in a Facebook post early Wednesday morning.

Executive producer Peter Lenkov confirmed last week that Kim and co-star Grace Park, who play supporting roles as cousins Chin Ho Kelly and Kono Kalakaua, respectively, will not be returning for the eighth season of the CBS procedural. At the time, neither Lenkov nor the network revealed what led to the exits.

In addition to the contract dispute, Kim indicated that "equality" also was a factor following a report that he was not paid as much as the show's leads, Alex O’Loughlin and Scott Caan.

"Daniel and Grace have been important and valued members of ‘Hawaii Five-0’ for seven seasons," CBS said in a statement Wednesday regarding Kim's post. "We did not want to lose them and tried very hard to keep them with offers for large and significant salary increases. While we could not reach an agreement, we part ways with tremendous respect for their talents on screen, as well as their roles as ambassadors for the show off screen, and with hopes to work with them again in the near future."

Kim, 48, said that his fellow cast members have "been nothing but supportive through this entire process" and regarded them and the crew as his second family. He also was gracious to Lenkov, CBS and the execs behind the series.

"I will always be grateful for their faith in me to bring Chin Ho Kelly to life. As an Asian American actor, I know first-hand how difficult it is to find opportunities at all, let alone play a well developed, three dimensional character like Chin Ho. I will miss him sincerely," he said.

"What made him even more special is that he was a representative of a place my family and I so dearly love. It has been nothing short of an honor to be able to showcase the beauty and people of Hawaii every week, and I couldn't be prouder to call these islands home. To my local community, mahalo nui loa."

The "Lost" and "24" alum concluded his message by encouraging fans "to look beyond the disappointment of this moment to the bigger picture."

"The path to equality is rarely easy. But I hope you can be excited for the future. I am," he said.

Kim won't be taking an acting hiatus for long. He said he has new projects on the horizon and is serving as a producer on ABC's rookie drama "The Good Doctor," which premieres in the fall.

Viewers will be updated on Kim and Park's characters’ fates during the Sept. 29 season premiere, according to previous reports.

Update 6:02 p.m.: This story has been updated with a statement from CBS.

Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna throw down (and dirty) on social media

By Christie D’Zurilla

Rob Kardashian saved the fireworks for July 5th, lighting up Blac Chyna on Instagram with a slew of posts accusing her of cheating on him, taking advantage of him financially and using drugs. He also reportedly posted, then deleted, X-rated photos he said she sent to him.

In response, on Snapchat, she reportedly accused him of beating her up, then deleted that snap.

Thing is, he says she started it all by sending him a video of herself sucking face with another guy.

Did we mention Kardashian and Chyna, who are parents to daughter Dream, supposedly broke up months ago? Yeah, that. Also, revenge porn doesn't go over too well in California.

Blac Chyna to seek restraining order against Rob Kardashian after he posted sexually explicit images, attorney says >>

Naked pictures also don't play well with Instagram. According to Kardashian — who in the noon hour moved to Twitter, where he reposted X-rated photos of Chyna — Instagram shut him down. Kardashian, however, has a history of capping social-media storms by making his accounts private or taking them down entirely and then starting fresh after a while, so maybe Instagram simply beat him to the punch.

"At Instagram we value maintaining a safe and supportive space for our community and we work to remove reported content that violates our guidelines," a spokesman for the company told The Times.

"Rob u did all this but u beat me up and try act it never happen!!!!! U put hand on me I swear on god!!!! On my kids but I’m supposed to be quiet because you’re a Kardashian," Chyna said (via People), adding later that "The light will come to the light."

Kardashian's posts were peppered with accusations and profanity. He said she slept with multiple people, including him, in a short stretch of time in the bed they shared in the house he bought. He shared explicit text exchanges in which he begged her for a suggestive photo and she obliged.

Revenge porn? Rob Kardashian posts sexually explicit images supposedly of Blac Chyna on social media >>

"All u may think my daughter may see this one day and I hope she does cuz this isn't love," the reality TV veteran said on Instagram. "I never want my daughter to be raised by a woman like Chyna who cheats and does drugs and alcohol with my baby in the house. Chyna been like this long before me but I chose to love all of her cuz I don't judge. But second the baby was born she got body surgery I paid for and was gone from me and dreams life."

Yup, that's the mild stuff. He also blamed everything she’d done on his sister Kylie Jenner connecting with Tyga, the father of Chyna's first child.

"My daughter is the best thing that happened to me," Kardashian wrote, "and she will know that Chyna did this out of spite not love cuz she mad my little sister took her baby daddy."

Love, American style?

1 p.m.: This article was updated to include news that Instagram had shut down Kardashian's Instagram page and he had moved to Twitter to post nude photos.

5:25 p.m.: This article was updated with a comment from Instagram.

This article was originally published at 12:35 p.m.

ALSO

Rob Kardashian's Calabasas home sells for $2.44 million

Blac Chyna won't be trademarking ‘Angela Kardashian’ name

Report: Kanye West ditches Jay-Z's Tidal service over money disputes

Ed Sheeran says trolls drove him off Twitter; Lady Gaga sends her love

John Blackwell Jr., Prince's former drummer with the New Power Generation, has died at 43

By Randall Roberts

John Blackwell Jr., who was best known for his work with Prince starting in the early 2000s, has died at age 43, according to an Instagram post from his wife, Yaritza.

She wrote: "My husband incredible drummer John Blackwell Jr. passed [away] peacefully in my company today. Thanks God for his life and thanks everyone for their support."

Blackwell had battled brain cancer for more than a year, according to his wife, who regularly updated his fans via social media. In a June 30 post on Instagram and Twitter, she wrote that her husband had been diagnosed with brain cancer while touring in Japan.

Blackwell was the drummer for Prince's post-Revolution band, the New Power Generation, and played on the artist's albums going back to "The Rainbow Children" in 2001. He also toured as Patti Labelle's drummer, and recorded with former Prince sax player Candy Dulfer.

Meet Zeerak, a new muppet on Afghanistan's ‘Sesame Street’ who promotes gender equality

By Emily Mae Czachor

Afghan television executives are taking innovative strides to prompt a change of heart about gender equality, particularly among the nation's youngsters.

Say hello to Zeerak, a goofy-grinned, bespectacled marionette donning a traditional shalwar kameez and a waistcoat embroidered with Afghanistan's national colors.

Zeerak is the most recent addition to the cast of "Baghch-e-Simsim" — Afghanistan's hugely successful, localized version of "Sesame Street" — and only the second Afghan muppet to join the ranks of internationally beloved favorites such as Big Bird and Elmo.

The masterminds behind "Sesame Street" crafted Zeerak's character for a joint purpose: to teach viewers the value of an education, as well as the value of an educated woman.

The show's official Twitter account introduced the "Sesame Street" newbie with a tweet that read: "Zeerak is a friendly 4-year-old who admires his big sister, Zari!" (Zari made her "Sesame Street" debut last year as the show's first-ever Afghan character.)

The TV show's producers hope that Zeerak's reverence for Zari — a sharp, sweet young girl who is largely characterized by her enthusiasm for learning and career-focused ambition — will instill in young boys the idea that women's place in society extends beyond the home.

Massood Sanjer, who heads the television network that broadcasts "Baghch-e-Simsim," believes that introducing a boy character who not only respects his school-going older sister, but actually wants to be like her, will "indirectly teach the kids to love their sisters."

That’ll be a lofty feat in Afghanistan, where 85% of the female population receives no formal education and the literacy rate among women is one of the lowest in the world.

But as the only Afghan television program dedicated to children, "Baghch-e-Simsim" wields the potential for enormous influence. And the show intends to use it.

"People ... who have access to TV are watching and know the brand of the character," Sanjer said in an interview with AFP. "So it is a very good sign that people love to learn and it is great to use media as an education tool for kids."

Music streaming shatters records, according to Nielsen Music report

By Randall Roberts

The music industry continues to move headlong into a streaming future, according to Nielsen Music's annual midyear report of listening habits.

The report, which was published Wednesday, shows that music streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal and others delivered a total of 184.3 billion on-demand audio streams, up from 113.5 billion during the same period a year ago, for an increase of 62%.

Buoyed by the success of superstars such as Drake, Future, Ed Sheeran and the return of Taylor Swift's back catalog to major streaming platforms, the services surpassed a milestone in March, when more than 7 billion songs were accessed.

But music streaming's success came at a cost: total album sales (purchased downloads and physical albums) declined by 18%, which was hastened by a 24% drop in digital track sales and a 20% drop in digital album sales. That number stands to reason: Why download a song when you can stream it for free on YouTube or as part of a platform subscription?

Among the winners in the first half of 2017 were the British pop sensation Sheeran, Compton-bred rapper Kendrick Lamar and Puerto Rican pop star Luis Fonsi. Lamar's recent album, "Damn," was at the top of the total album consumption chart, which calculates success based on a formula involving sales and streaming numbers.

Sheeran's song "The Shape of You" has earned the most on-demand audio streams, accumulating 354 million this year. Lamar's song "Humble" followed with 345 million streams. Fonsi's collaboration with Justin Bieber and Daddy Yankee, "Despacito," and Migos’ "Bad and Boujee" also tallied huge numbers.

Vinyl was another winner in the first half of the year. According to music tracking company BuzzAngle, which also just released its midyear report, sales of the resurgent format increased by 20% over 2016, and accounted for 4.9% of all physical album sales. CD sales dropped by nearly 4%.

Vinyl fans couldn't get enough of the Beatles, according to Nielsen Music's report. Their album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" was the top seller on LP, racking up a relatively meager 39,000 hard copies.

The soundtrack to "La La Land" was second, with 33,000 copies sold. Also earning sales in the category were the indie pop band Tennis’ "Yours Conditionally," Prince's "Purple Rain" and Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black."

Other notable calculations from BuzzAngle's report included a breakdown of which genres are most popular across streaming platforms.

Hip-hop tracks constitute nearly 25% of all on-demand audio consumption, followed by pop (12.8%), R&B (9.3%) and country (7.2%).

Drake is the most popular streaming artist in the U.S., with a tally of 3.7 billion spins (including audio and video). Coming in second is Future (2.65 billion), followed by Lamar (2.35 billion).

When fans listen to albums, though, they continue to look to the past for the majority of their music. According to BuzzAngle's report, 51% of streams in 2017 have been for deep catalog titles, compared with 12% for brand new music.

UPDATES

11:44 a.m. This article was updated with new data from BuzzAngle's midyear report.

This article was originally published at 10:51 a.m.

Disability organization condemns ‘Blind’ film for casting Alec Baldwin in lead role

By Tre’vell Anderson

The Ruderman Family Foundation, a leading organization advocating on behalf of disabled people, has come out against the forthcoming film "Blind." The group accuses the movie of "crip-face" — akin to blackface — in its casting of the able-bodied Alec Baldwin as the blind lead.

"Alec Baldwin in ‘Blind’ is just the latest example of treating disability as a costume," Jay Ruderman, the foundation's president, said in a statement. "We no longer find it acceptable for white actors to portray black characters. Disability as a costume needs to also become universally unacceptable."

"Blind," which Vertical Entertainment will release July 14, stars Baldwin as a novelist who lost his wife and his sight in a car crash. Years later, he comes into contact with a married socialite, played by Demi Moore, who is forced to read to him as part of a plea bargain. The two begin a love affair forcing Moore's character to choose between the novelist and her husband.

The trailer for the film "Blind," starring Alec Baldwin, Demi Moore and Dylan McDermott.

Last July, the foundation released its Ruderman White Paper on Employment of Actors With Disabilities in Television. The study found that despite those with disabilities representing nearly 20% of the country's population, about 95% of characters with disabilities on television are played by able-bodied actors.

Months later, in November, the organization hosted its first Studio-Wide Roundtable on Disability Inclusion. At that event, Marlee Matlin, perhaps the most visible and acclaimed disabled actress, spoke about the need for Hollywood to give disabled actors a chance.

"There is something wrong with this picture," said Matlin, who 30 years ago won an Oscar for her leading role in "Children of a Lesser God." "We as an industry keep talking about diversity — we know we have a problem. But, sadly, when we start speaking about diversity, disability seems to be left out far too often."

Marlee Matlin remains a champion for disabled actors, 30 years after winning her Oscar

Disabled actors and advocates plead to Hollywood: ‘Give us a chance, please!’

Why are we OK with disability drag in Hollywood?

The gang's all here in new ‘Will & Grace’ teaser

By Nardine Saad

11 years and a few 🍸🍸 later, they're back! #WillAndGrace, Thursdays this Fall on @NBC. https://t.co/lcQvNeAscv

OK, Honey! Let's just pretend "Will & Grace" is renamed "Will & Grace & Jack & Karen" for the reboot, shall we? Because everyone's up to their old ways in a new promo spot.

The groundbreaking sitcom stars and their iconic ampersand are back in the spotlight in NBC's latest teaser for the show, which returns this fall more than a decade after the 2006 series finale.

Clad in the same costumes as their meta reboot trailer, Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Megan Mullally and Sean Hayes dance around and slap one another just like old times in the revival teaser above.

The Emmy-winning comedy — about a co-dependent woman, her gay best friend, martini-swilling assistant and wacky neighbor — became a cultural touchstone during its eight-season run. It returns to NBC on Sept. 28 with director James Burrows, who directed every episode of Max Mutchnick and David Kohan's series, back at the helm.

And if you’re feeling especially nostalgic, here's that trailer we mentioned with the cast promising (and singing) that "everything's as if we never said goodbye."

Ed Sheeran says trolls drove him off Twitter; Lady Gaga sends her love

By Libby Hill

Sorry, Twitter, but you won't have Ed Sheeran to kick around anymore.

At least that's what he told British tabloid the Sun on Monday, stating that he had abandoned the platform wholesale.

"I go on it, and there's nothing but people saying mean things. Twitter's a platform for that," Sheeran said. "One comment ruins your day. But that's why I’ve come off it."

The British pop star said some of that abuse came from the rabid fan base of Lady Gaga, whose so-called "little monsters" targeted Sheeran after a January interview they perceived as disrespectful to the "Born This Way" singer.

In response to news that Sheeran had abandoned Twitter, Lady Gaga herself took to Instagram to share a photo of the two and expressed her love for the soulful singer, imploring Internet denizens to be more positive and loving.

"No reason to tear down an artist simply because they are on top," Gaga wrote in her message posted Tuesday. "Work harder to be kinder everybody. That should be your first duty to humanity."

Ironically, Sheeran's widespread popularity has partly made him a target for online haters.

Upon release of his new album, "÷," in March, Sheeran had 16 songs on the UK Top 20 chart. That's a feat so astounding that the Britain's Official Charts Company had to change its structure, allowing only three songs per artist on the charts in a given week.

Sheeran's "Shape of You" also has garnered 184 million streams in the U.K. since its release in January, making it the most streamed song of all time in Britain.

All is not lost for Sheeran's fans, however. The "Galway Girl" singer still retains his Twitter account, and images from his Instagram account continue to be cross-posted there.

If nothing else, perhaps Sheeran will return to Twitter to continue to educate the masses on the functionality (and existence) of loopers.

Never thought I'd have to explain it, but everything I do in my live show is live, it's a loop station, not a backing track. Please google x

Annette Bening named Venice Film Festival's jury president

By Nardine Saad

Four-time Oscar nominee Annette Bening has been named the president of the jury for the 74th Venice Film Festival.

The "American Beauty" actress, whose other credits include "The Kids Are All Right," "20th Century Women" and "Bugsy," is among the few women to serve as chair for the Italian festival — and the first in more than a decade.

"It was time to break with a long list of male presidents and invite a brilliant talented and inspiring woman to chair our international competition jury," said festival director Alberto Barbera, who recommended Bening for the post to the board of directors.

Catherine Deneuve, Jane Campion and Gong Li were the other female presidents, serving in 2006, 2002 and 1997, respectively. Bening's "American Beauty" director Sam Mendes was last year's chair.

Barbera praised Bening's character, saying she will carry out the role "by virtue of her stature, her intellect and the talents she has manifested over the course of her career, in Hollywood, Europe and on the stage."

"Hers is a career marked by always interesting, often daring choices. A sophisticated and instinctive actress, able to portray complex shadings of character, Annette Bening brings to her roles an understating, a warmth and a natural elegance that makes watching her films a wonderful and ever enriching experience. I welcome her to Venice," Barbera said.

Bening and eight other international celebrity jurors will hand out the awards at the festival, including the Golden Lion for best film and Silver Lion for best director and the grand jury prize.

"I’m honored to be asked to serve as the president of the jury for this year's Venice Film Festival," Bening said in a statement. "I look forward to seeing the movies and working with my fellow jury members to celebrate the best of this year's cinema from all over the world."

The festival runs from Aug. 30 to Sept. 9, and the official lineup of films will be announced in Rome on July 27.

A Star Is Born: RZA turns 48 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

Every time I make a new album, I get better and better. I make the sounds more audible. The weird sounds in the background -- before, they used to be foggy, but now they’re much clearer. I may do all programmed beats for about a month straight. Then I might do purely sampled tracks for a while. Then you’ll catch me in the studio with nothing but live instruments.

— RZA, 2000

FROM THE ARCHIVES: The Head and Heart of a Hip-Hop Clan

Sony drops viral teaser for ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ re-release

By Josh Rottenberg

In case you forgot to mark your calendar, Monday was World UFO Day – and to celebrate, Sony Pictures dropped a little treat for film buffs and flying-saucer buffs alike.

The studio uploaded a video entitled "This Means Something" to its YouTube page, interspersing imagery from Steven Spielberg's 1977 classic "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" with audio from an early scene in which air traffic controllers track a plane that suddenly vanishes. The video included a link to a website, www.WeAreStillNotAlone.com, with a sign-up form for "updates on UFO sightings."

So what did it mean?

Some speculated that the cryptic piece of marketing could be the studio's coy way of hinting at a reboot or sequel to "Close Encounters," which starred Richard Dreyfuss as a suburban dad who becomes caught up in a mystery involving alien visitors.

In fact, according to Variety, the video is a teaser for a planned one-week theatrical re-release of the film slated for September in honor of its 40th anniversary.

Released Nov. 16, 1977 – just months after another little sci-fi film called "Star Wars" – "Close Encounters" grossed more than $300 million and was nominated for eight Academy Awards.

Watch the teaser here:

From the Archives: Five American movies to watch on Independence Day

By Justin Chang

What to watch this Fourth of July? There are, of course, those obvious holiday-title perennials, "Born on the Fourth of July" and "Independence Day" (the misbegotten "Independence Day: Resurgence," not so much).

The five films I’m recommending here offer tougher, more conflicted visions, and some are patriotic precisely because they subject the very notion of patriotism to critical scrutiny.

"25th Hour." A hilariously profane diatribe attacking every class and color in America's melting pot is the scalding, ultimately bracing centerpiece of this wrenching New York elegy. It's the most cathartic of post-9/11 movies, and an "Hour" that may well be Spike Lee's finest.

A Star Is Born: Eva Marie Saint turns 93 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

Now my yardstick is: ‘Would I be proud for my grandchildren to see this?’ I’m serious. I guess I want to go down with respect. I don't have to make every dollar in the world. I don't have to live like a very rich person. I have all the things I need, starting with my beautiful family and my grandchildren.

— Eva Marie Saint, 1995

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Eva Marie Saint: Her Independence Is Blessed

‘Tedious.’ ‘Stale.’ ‘Ugly croaks’: All the times L.A. Times got Jim Morrison and the Doors all wrong

By James Reed

Even if hindsight is 20/20, it's fair to say the Los Angeles Times was never too keen on the Doors, at least not during the band's explosive rise out of L.A. in the mid-1960s.

In honor of today's anniversary of frontman Jim Morrison's death in 1971, we revisited our archives to see how we reviewed the hometown heroes’ local live performances in the ‘60s and ‘70s. It wasn't pretty.

"Perhaps Morrison should give up performing, which seems to be an effort for him, and concentrate on reciting and writing poetry," Donna Chick wrote in The Times in 1968.

Ouch.

Here are all the times we got the Doors wrong (or right, depending on your perspective).

John Mendelson, reviewing a show at Aquarius Theatre, July 21, 1969:

Linda Matthews, reviewing a show at Shrine Auditorium, Dec. 23, 1967:

Pete Johnson, reviewing a show at Hollywood Bowl, July 5, 1968:

(Note: The Doors’ July 5 date at the Bowl was released on record as "Live at the Hollywood Bowl" in 1987 and reissued in its entirety in 2012.)

Tom Paegel, reviewing a show at Anaheim Convention Center, July 15, 1967:

Robert Hilburn, reviewing a show at Long Beach Arena, Feb. 7, 1970:

Donna Chick, reviewing a show at the Forum, Dec. 14, 1968:

Report: Kanye West ditches Jay-Z's Tidal service over money disputes

By Nardine Saad

Kanye West has reportedly cut ties with Jay-Z's Tidal over money matters and long-simmering unrest.

The "Famous" rapper, who was among the first artists to join Jay's streaming service when it launched in 2015, appears to be embroiled in a messy battle with Tidal, according to TMZ, which first reported the rift.

Mr. Kim Kardashian has reportedly been unhappy with the company for a while and says it owes him more than $3 million. He purports that Tidal breached his contract, and his legal team declared an end to their deal several times despite efforts to reconcile, TMZ said.

West, a Chicago-bred rapper, also contends that his 2016 album, "The Life of Pablo," attracted 1.5 million new subscribers to the streaming service and that should have earned him a bonus. But Tidal reportedly hasn't paid up, nor did it reimburse him for music videos he made -- ones that he appears to be holding hostage until he gets the money he's owed.

Incidentally, Jay-Z's new album, "4:44," features a diss track trashing his "Watch the Throne" collaborator. However, according to TMZ, West's decision to sever ties predates that song and West had no knowledge of the lyrics before that. (Jay-Z's lyrics are said to be fueled by West's November 2016 concert rant in which he went after the Brooklyn rapper and his wife, Beyoncé.)

Tidal reportedly insists that West still has an exclusive contract with the company, and if he tried to shop his wares to another service, it would sue him. West will allegedly counter-sue.

Update, 1:15 p.m.: A previous version of this story included tweets from an unverified Twitter account. The tweets have been removed.

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Warner Bros., Tolkien estate end legal scuffle over ‘Lord of the Rings’ merchandising

By Jen Yamato

A five-year battle between the estate of "Lord of the Rings" author J.R.R. Tolkien and Warner Bros. over whether Frodo, Gandalf and their pals can be used to push online gambling, among other assorted digital products, has come to an end.

In 2012, the author's estate and publisher HarperCollins filed an $80 million lawsuit against Warner Bros., its New Line subsidiary and the Saul Zaentz Co., over merchandising rights granted in an initial 1969 agreement. Warner Bros. turned the "Lord of the Rings" books into a $5.8-billion global box-office giant.

The deal struck nearly 50 years ago gave its licensees rights to use details from Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" novels to sell "articles of tangible personal property," excluding books and printed published material.

It did not, the estate and publisher argued in their initial filing, extend rights to market the world of Middle-earth beyond "tangible" goods.

Enter: The Internet, social media, downloadable goods, apps and a whole new world of digital moneymaking.

At the center of the 2012 beef were several intangible ways Warner Bros. was allegedly circumventing the restrictions of the agreement to milk the "Lord of the Rings" franchise digitally and online, via downloadable video games and particularly in the arena of online gambling.

Lawyers for the estate identified an online slot game based on 2001's "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" and argued that the studio's additional licensing of the property for use in physical casino games harmed the legacy and reputation of Tolkien, who died in 1973.

They also called out Warner Bros. for registering trademarks or intent to use applications to extend licensing to "hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, ringtones, online/downloadable games and housing developments."

Attorneys for both parties gave no details of their settlement agreement in a June 29 filing but issued a joint statement declaring an end to the long-running lawsuit.

"The parties are pleased that they have amicably resolved this matter and look forward to working together in the future."

John Oliver, four Oscar nominees and a wax Warren G. Harding revisit the president's life and loves

By Christie D’Zurilla

John Oliver and the folks at HBO's "Last Week Tonight" have some "horrifying new friends," and in the spirit of Hollywood nepotism, they’ve promptly cast one of said pals in a movie.

We’re talking about President Warren G. Harding, whose wax-figure approximation was one of five "dubiously lifelike" former presidents the show — like a few other late-night programs — purchased at auction last January from the now-shuttered Hall of Presidents and First Ladies in Gettysburg, Pa.

"We’ve talked a lot about Harding on this program before," Oliver said Sunday. "He was our nation's 29th president, and his administration was nearly brought down by the Teapot Dome scandal. But he's perhaps most famous for his sexual exploits."

As for what we think of the movie, which ostensibly features Campbell Scott, Anna Kendrick, Michael McKean, James Cromwell and Laura Linney? Well ...

There are four Oscar nominees in it. Seriously.

Click below to see for yourself, but be forewarned: The video contains a substantial amount of profanity and innuendo. The short starts around the 4:30 mark.

Maria Menounos reveals brain tumor, steps down from E! News

By Christie D’Zurilla

Maria Menounos is recovering from surgery to remove a tumor the size of a golf ball from her brain. She's also stepping down from E! News, her TV home since 2014, while her mom fights Stage 4 brain cancer.

With her seven-hour surgery nearly a month in the rearview mirror, Menounos went public about her benign meningioma in an interview with People.

"I’d been getting lightheaded on set and having headaches," she told the magazine, which features her on its cover this week. "My speech had gotten slurred and I was having difficulty reading the teleprompter."

She thanked her doctor via Twitter, saying Monday to Dr. Ryan Aronin, "You were so thorough&thank u for ... not making me feel like I was crazy to think I had a Brain tumor."

A HUGE HUGE thank you to someone who didn't get mentioned but literally saved my life @DrRyanAronin. You were so thorough&thank u for...

For not making me feel like I was crazy to think I had a Brain tumor. You are an outstanding dr & I'm so thankful 4 u sending me 4 the MRI

News that she would step down from "E! News" also came Monday, in a statement from E! Entertainment obtained by The Times.

"I had such an amazing time co-hosting with Jason Kennedy and working everyday with the wonderful roster of talent on the show including producers, staff and crew," Menounos said. "It was such a special, good-hearted group and one I’ll always consider family."

But her real family is taking precedence. The 39-year-old said she actually laughed when she heard her diagnosis — because her mother, Litsa, has been battling Stage 4 brain cancer.

"It's so surreal and crazy and unbelievable that my mom has a brain tumor — and now I have one too?" Menounos said. Surgery on June 8 removed 99.9% of the benign tumor, she said, but she's still recovering motor functions. There's a 6% to 7% the tumor could recur, she said. Her mom's cancer is stable, she said.

Mary Tyler Moore, Sheryl Crow and Scott Baio's wife, Renee, have also had surgery to remove a meningioma, 90% of which are benign. Benign or not, they can cause ancillary problems — like Menounos experienced — depending on their size and location.

"I don't have my balance fully yet. ... My face is still numb," Menounos told People. "This is something that takes at least a month of healing, but I’m getting stronger and stronger every day and I’ll be back to normal very soon."

E! Entertainment President Adam Stotsky wished her well on behalf of the company.

"Our thoughts and support go out to Maria and her family and we wish them all the best knowing that Maria will tackle this with the same fierce dedication she is known for," Stotsky said in a statement.

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A Star Is Born: Tom Cruise turns 55 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

Film is about capturing moments that will never happen again. You can't say, ‘Give me that moment.’ It has to happen by itself.

— Tom Cruise, 1999

FROM THE ARCHIVES: ‘Eyes’ in focus

On her first visit to Israel, Britney Spears is mobbed by fans in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem

By Nardine Saad

Tel Aviv wants a piece of Britney Spears.

Make that several pieces.

The pop star arrived in Israel on Sunday and is scheduled to perform at Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park on Monday night. But her first time in Israel led to a brouhaha as her pre-show tour of the city was met with overeager fans practically mobbing her.

While Spears visited holy sites, including the Western Wall, she and her dense security detail attracted throngs of fans who instantly recognized her as she walked the streets dressed in a white T-shirt and sarong.

"Hundreds of people jumped on her, and she decided to cancel it all," a Spears source told Israel's Ynet. "It was a huge mess, with hundreds of fans and photographers gathered around her. It was a real ‘Israeli celebration’; she didn't stop an excursion during any other part of her latest tour. This could only happen here."

The commotion reportedly prompted her team to also cancel a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu -- a meeting that was never confirmed, the prime minister's office later said. Spears was supposed to meet with pediatric cancer patients during her summit with Netanyahu, but the meet-and-greet was rescheduled and the children were invited to the concert, her sources told Ynet.

The prime minister's office also denied reports that it issued a statement saying Spears had canceled it, according to Haaretz.

The Tel Aviv performance is the singer's final stop on her short global tour. She’ll return to Las Vegas for the final shows in her "Piece of Me" residency at Planet Hollywood.

Swedish music festival cancels 2018 event amid sexual assault allegations

By Tre’vell Anderson

Organizers of Bravalla, one of Sweden's largest music festivals, have canceled their 2018 event following reports of sexual assault.

The festival, which hosted nearly 45,000 people over four days ending Saturday in the southern city of Norrkoping, made the decision after a young woman reported being raped Friday, the Associated Press reported. Eleven other reports of sexual abuse were made during the event.

Prime Minister Stefan Lofven told a news conference Sunday that he was upset that young women who wanted to listen to music should be "exposed to this." He said "these are disgusting acts. We must stop this."

Lofven said Sweden needed better policing, more video surveillance and swifter justice for perpetrators.

Sexual assault at music festivals has grown as a concern worldwide. In a Times report, noting how activists are holding festival promoters accountable, one past visitor to the Bonnaroo festival in Tennessee said:

"One time a guy even lifted up my shirt in the crowd. There's a sense of community and ‘we’re all in this together’ that gets misconstrued at festivals. I remember being younger and not understanding that kind of thing as sexual assault. Society raises everyone to think ‘boys will be boys’ and it gets excused."

A Star Is Born: Lindsay Lohan turns 31 today

I’m not out to be liked by everyone. I’m here to get my job done and do what I love to do.

— Lindsay Lohan, 2004

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Lohan comes of age in the limelight

Tom Cruise's ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ scheduled for takeoff with ‘Oblivion’ director at the helm

By Libby Hill

It's been a month since Tom Cruise confirmed the news that a "Top Gun" sequel was finally in the works, and Paramount released more details about the upcoming release Friday.

"Top Gun: Maverick" has been cleared for landing on July 12, 2019, and a familiar face has signed on to helm the film with "The Mummy" star, Deadline reported.

Joseph Kosinski, who worked with Cruise on post-apocalyptic sci-fi film "Oblivion" in 2013, will direct the sequel featuring Cruise reprising the role of Maverick.

Deadline also reported that there are four credited screenwriters on the script for "Top Gun: Maverick": Peter Craig, Justin Marks, Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz.

Scheduled for release more than 33 years after the original film's debut, little is known about the plot of the sequel beyond Cruise's character serving as a flight instructor for hot-shot pilots.

Cruise did excitedly confirm in an interview last month that the film would include aircraft carriers and jets, so fans have those to look forward to.

Quentin Tarantino and Daniela Pick reportedly engaged

By Libby Hill

Move over, Uma Thurman -- there's about to be a new Bride in Quentin Tarantino's life.

According to English-language Israeli news site Ynetnews, the iconic director of "Pulp Fiction" and "Inglorious Basterds" popped the question Friday night in Los Angeles.

"It's true, we’re very happy and very excited," Daniela Pick told Ynetnews.

It will be the first marriage for both Tarantino, 54, and Pick, 33.

Quentin Tarantino engaged to Israeli Daniela Pick 💍 https://t.co/DcFqyIVZxo via @timesofisrael

Though Pick and Tarantino first met and dated in 2009, they reconnected sometime last year -- though its unclear when, as Tarantino was still dating "The Hateful Eight" costume designer Courtney Hoffman in December 2015 -- and were seen together in Tel Aviv in January.

News of the engagement first made the rounds on Israeli news sites, including The Times of Israel, whose tweet on the announcement was retweeted by New Beverly Cinema, the Los Angeles theater owned by Tarantino.

Representatives for Tarantino did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Saturday afternoon.

‘Wonder Woman’ is officially DC's domestic box office goddess

By Libby Hill

"Wonder Woman" continued its impressive box office run this week and proved itself the most successful domestic release in the DC Extended Universe.

The film's Thursday night box office take of $2.68 million brought its domestic box office totals to $330.5 million, topping the $330.3 million earned domestically by "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice."

The achievement comes after "Wonder Woman" opened with a significantly slower start than any of its DC Extended Universe brethren. Its $103 million opening weekend was less than the $116 million of "Man of Steel" (2013), $166 million of "Batman v Superman" (2016) and $133 million of "Suicide Squad" (2016). However the she-ro retained an impressive percentage of moviegoers between its debut and the following weekend. "Wonder Woman" had a 45% drop off in audience attendance, much lower than "Batman v Superman's" whopping 69% decline.

Its significant box office total comes after just 28 days in theaters and heading into the Fourth of July holiday, which could prove extremely lucrative for the indomitable superhero.

Adele cancels final London shows due to vocal cord damage. Will she ever tour again?

By Libby Hill

A heartbroken Adele took to Twitter on Friday afternoon to inform fans of the cancellation of the final two shows of her current tour.

"To not complete this milestone in my career is something I’m struggling to get my head around and I wish that I wasn't having to write this," the 15-time Grammy winner said in a statement posted on her Twitter feed. "I have changed my life drastically in every way to make sure I got through this tour that started at the beginning of last year. To not be able to finish it is something I’m really struggling to come to terms with."

The singer-songwriter was wrapping up her Adele Live 2016 (2017) tour with a final four shows at Wembley Stadium in London, when vocal strain forced her to seek medical advice.

"I’ve struggled vocally both nights," Adele said of her first two shows at Wembley. "I had to push a lot harder than I normally do."

Upon the medical advice of her doctor, Adele said she is unable to complete the final two shows of her tour.

Though the news of the show cancellations is devastating to fans, there is an even bigger question lurking beneath the surface: Will Adele ever tour again?

As referenced in her Twitter note (which includes profanity), Adele made extensive changes in her life to make this tour work, likely a reference to the fact that the singer really, really does not enjoy touring.

"Touring isn't something I’m good at," the 29-year-old from London remarked during a New Zealand concert this year. "Applause makes me feel a bit vulnerable."

"I don't know if I will ever tour again," she continued. "The only reason I’ve toured is you. I’m not sure if touring is my bag."

Those same sentiments were echoed in a handwritten letter from Adele included in the program for her final shows in London.

"Touring is a peculiar thing, it doesn't suit me particularly well. I’m a real homebody and I get so much joy in the small things," Adele wrote, going on to share that her fans were the only reason she toured in the first place.

"I wanted my final shows to be in London," she wrote, "because I don't know if I’ll ever tour again and so I want my last time to be at home."

A Star Is Born: Olivia de Havilland turns 101 today

By Los Angeles Times Staff

When [Errol Flynn's] autobiography came out I couldn't resist checking the index and going to the page where he mentioned me. He said he thought he loved me. ’Thought!’ That meant he didn't! I didn't read another word! Then several years ago when I was returning for the release of the DVD version of ‘Gone With the Wind,’ I was determined to read more. I began with his second sentence about me in which he said that he decided that he did love me. To think of all those years I didn't believe he did.

— Olivia de Havilland, 2006

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Her return engagement

READ MORE: Olivia de Havilland 101: Everything you need to know as the movie legend celebrates her 101st birthday

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