Today: October 12, 2024
Today: October 12, 2024

Latest From The Los Angeles Post

Arts

Hollywood's working class turns to nonprofit funds to make ends meet during the strike

Shawn Batey was sweating in the August sun on the 100th day of the writers strike, carrying her “IATSE Solidarity” sign on the picket line outside Netflix’s New York offices, but she was glad to be there. A props assistant and documentary filmmaker, Batey is a member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, the union that represents most Hollywood crew members, and has recently worked on “Pose” and “Russian Doll.” But since the writers strike began in May and the actors joined them on July 14, Batey has had trouble covering her expenses —

Hollywood's working class turns to nonprofit funds to make ends meet during the strike
Arts

Iran's street art shows defiance, resistance and resilience

‘While the teachers are detained, the classrooms will be closed,’ reads one artist’s painting on a wall. Khiaban Tribune via Instagram A recent rise in activism in Iran has added a new chapter to the country’s long-standing history of murals and other public art. But as the sentiments being expressed in those works have changed, the government’s view of them has shifted, too. The ancient Persians, who lived in what is now Iran, adorned their palaces, temples and tombs with intricate wall paintings, showcasing scenes of royal court life, religious rituals and epic tales. Following the 1979 revolution and the

Iran's street art shows defiance, resistance and resilience
Arts

'Breaking Bad' stars reunite on picket line to call for studios to resume negotiations with actors

The cast of “Breaking Bad” has reunited to call upon Hollywood studios to resume negotiations with striking screen actors. “We want you to come back to the table with us,” Bryan Cranston said in a plea to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers outside Sony Pictures Studios on Tuesday. Cranston was joined by Aaron Paul, Jesse Plemons and other members of the “Breaking Bad” universe in an effort to energize picket lines more than a month after SAG-AFTRA joined striking Hollywood writers. Both guilds are seeking to address issues brought about by the

'Breaking Bad' stars reunite on picket line to call for studios to resume negotiations with actors
Arts

John McEnroe says he tested positive for COVID and will miss US Open TV coverage

John McEnroe has COVID-19 and is missing time as ESPN’s lead tennis analyst for its U.S. Open television coverage. “Unfortunately, after feeling a bit under the weather, I tested positive for COVID,” McEnroe said in a statement released by the network on Tuesday, the second day of the Grand Slam tournament. “I’m watching the U.S. Open from home and can’t wait to get back to work soon.” ESPN said it wishes McEnroe well and looks forward “to welcoming him back when he’s ready.” McEnroe won four of his seven Grand Slam singles titles at the U.S.

John McEnroe says he tested positive for COVID and will miss US Open TV coverage
Arts

Rapper 50 Cent cancels Phoenix concert due to extreme heat that has plagued the region

Sweltering heat in Phoenix that has routinely broken records this summer led to yet another canceled concert, with rapper 50 Cent calling the triple-digit temperatures “dangerous.” Rapper 50 Cent said Monday that his scheduled show Tuesday night at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, an outdoor venue in west Phoenix, was postponed because of the sweltering weather. “I’ll be back in Arizona soon! 116 degrees is dangerous for everyone,” the rapper, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, wrote on social media. National Weather Service meteorologists in Phoenix said Monday’s high topped off at 117 degrees Fahrenheit (47 degrees Celsius).

Rapper 50 Cent cancels Phoenix concert due to extreme heat that has plagued the region
Arts

CBS honoring late game show host Bob Barker with prime-time special

CBS is giving the late game show host Bob Barker a last run on television with a prime-time tribute special that will air on the network Thursday night. “The Price is Right: A Tribute to Bob Barker,” scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, will be replayed Labor Day in the game show’s regular daytime slot, which is 11 a.m. Eastern and 10 a.m. Pacific. The smooth-talking host, who urged participants to “come on down” and play the enduring game that required them to guess the price of consumer goods, died at age 99 Saturday at

CBS honoring late game show host Bob Barker with prime-time special
Arts

Why you can't get 'Planet of the Bass,' the playful '90s Eurodance parody, out of your head

The year is 2023, but it might as well be 1997. One of the great viral hits of the moment is DJ Crazy Times and Ms. Biljana Electronica’s “Planet of the Bass,” a parody song pulled straight from the absurdity of late ‘90s, early ’00s Eurodance music. Think Eiffel 65’s “Blue (Da Ba Dee),” or Crazy Frog’s “Axel F.” At the time of writing, the various versions of his song have surpassed over 250 million combined views across social platforms. Confused? You’re not alone. Who are DJ Crazy Times and Ms. Biljana Electronica? A clip of

Why you can't get 'Planet of the Bass,' the playful '90s Eurodance parody, out of your head
Arts

When it comes to the Hollywood strikes, it's not just the entertainment industry that's being hurt

The company had struggled for years, tossed around by pandemic-induced production shutdowns that began in March 2020. Last year, though, business for Valentino’s Costume Group had finally picked back up. Hoping to capitalize on that good fortune, the shop moved in January to a North Hollywood space twice the size of its old building. Then Hollywood’s screenwriters and actors went on strike. Now, says co-owner Shon LeBlanc, Valentino’s can no longer afford to pay its rent. “My chest is tightening because the money is so tight,” says LeBlanc, bemoaning the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television

When it comes to the Hollywood strikes, it's not just the entertainment industry that's being hurt
Arts

Jean Dawson is introducing fans to 3 new characters in his latest musical trilogy

Jean Dawson is an open book. Onstage, the eccentric performer takes control as he bounces around, full of energy with vulnerable lyricism and experimental sound. In person, he’s charming and introspective, sitting across with a tight sweatshirt hoodie pulled over his head and his hair falling over his eyes as he speaks in metaphors and long anecdotes about his latest projects, fame, cultural identity and more. Since the release of his 2019 mixtape, “Bad Sports,” Dawson has created music that seamlessly ebbs and flows from one genre to the next, ranging from rap to punk to

Jean Dawson is introducing fans to 3 new characters in his latest musical trilogy
Arts

For ‘Last of Us’ composer Gustavo Santaolalla, silence is key to drawing the audience in

When composer Gustavo Santaolalla sits with a new script, the words on the page often trigger visual elements, allowing him to hear the musical journey as the story travels from scene to scene. It’s a trait that’s served “The Last of Us” composer well in creating the music for both the acclaimed video game and its Emmy-nominated HBO adaptation, including a nod for Santaolalla’s music. Santaolalla was never formally trained to read or write music, but his instinctual method has led him to create Academy-award winning compositions for Ang Lee’s “Brokeback Mountain” and Alejandro González Iñárritu’s

For ‘Last of Us’ composer Gustavo Santaolalla, silence is key to drawing the audience in
Arts

SNL's Heidi Gardner, Kelce's mother to take part in 'World Largest Tailgate' before NFL kickoff game

“Saturday Night Live” star Heidi Gardner will be among several entertainers expected to take part in a virtual tailgate and concert experience before the NFL’s kickoff game in Kansas City next month. The show dubbed as the “World’s Largest Tailgate” looks to celebrate the start of the football season as the Super Bowl defending champion Chiefs host the Detroit Lions on Sept. 7, the team announced Monday. The event will be held live outside GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Along with Gardner’s appearances during segments, the 90-minute show will be hosted by YouTube stars the Merrell

SNL's Heidi Gardner, Kelce's mother to take part in 'World Largest Tailgate' before NFL kickoff game
Arts

‘Gran Turismo’ takes weekend box office crown over ‘Barbie’ after all

The box office results are in and Sony’s racing movie “Gran Turismo” won the weekend over “Barbie,” after all. On Sunday, “ Gran Turismo” appeared to be neck-and-neck with Warner Bros.’ “Barbie,” now in its sixth weekend, with both hovering just over $17 million. But Monday actuals reported by the studios provided a clear winner: “Gran Turismo” ended up with $17.4 million from North American theaters against “Barbie’s” $15.1 million. As is usually the case with new wide releases, “Gran Turismo’s” total also included earnings from Thursday night pre-shows ($1.4 million). More unconventionally, however, Sony also factored in $3.9 million

‘Gran Turismo’ takes weekend box office crown over ‘Barbie’ after all
Arts

Revelers pack London streets as Notting Hill Carnival celebrates Caribbean culture

Hundreds of thousands of revelers packed the streets of west London on Monday for the climax of the Notting Hill Carnival, one of the world’s biggest celebrations of Caribbean music and culture. Organizers say up to 2 million people are expected to take in the music, parades, dancing and food over the two days of Europe’s largest street party, which began Sunday with a children’s parade. The carnival traces its history back to 1958, when Trinidadian human rights activist Claudia Jones began organizing a gathering to unify the community after a series of racist attacks on Black

Revelers pack London streets as Notting Hill Carnival celebrates Caribbean culture
Arts

Trans-Siberian Orchestra will return with a heavy metal holiday tour, 'The Ghosts of Christmas Eve'

Trans-Siberian Orchestra — the heavy metal, classical music, theater production, pyrotechnics and laser lightshow hybrid — will return this winter. “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve — the Best of TSO & More,” will hit 62 cities and deliver 104 performances in both matinee and evening sets. It kicks off on Nov. 15 at the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and runs through Dec. 30, concluding at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Al Pitrelli, TSO’s guitarist and music director, says that since the band started 28 years ago, their winter tours have become

Trans-Siberian Orchestra will return with a heavy metal holiday tour, 'The Ghosts of Christmas Eve'
Arts

Shakira to be given the Video Vanguard Award at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards

Shakira will receive the Video Vanguard Award at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards next month. Previous recipients include Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, and Missy Elliott. She will also perform on the VMA stage for the first time in 17 years. The Colombian singer has won four VMAs across her career, starting with her win in the International Viewer’s Choice (Latin America North) back in 2000. This year, she is nominated for four awards: artist of the year, best collaboration (for “XQG,” with Karol G ) and two noms in the

Shakira to be given the Video Vanguard Award at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards
Arts

‘Gran Turismo' and ‘Barbie’ are neck-and-neck at the box office

“Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story” and “Barbie” are in a dead heat for the box office crown, with the video game adaptation just edging Greta Gerwig’s pop sensation, according to studio estimates Sunday. Sony Pictures reported that “Gran Turismo” opened with $17.3 million over the weekend, while Warner Bros. estimated that “Barbie,” in its sixth week of release, took in $17.1 million. Those totals could change when final ticket sales are counted Monday. The weekend was also an usual one in multiplexes. U.S. movie theaters held the second annual National Cinema Day on Sunday,

‘Gran Turismo' and ‘Barbie’ are neck-and-neck at the box office
Arts

Riders in various states of undress cruise Philadelphia streets in 14th naked bike ride

Hundreds of people in various states of dress — or undress – set out Saturday for a ride through some of Philadelphia’s main streets and sights for the 14th Philly Naked Bike Ride. The annual ride, which started in 2009, is billed as promoting cycling as a key form of transportation and fuel-conscious consumption. It is also meant to encourage body positivity. Organizers stress, however, that participants aren’t required to ride completely in the buff, telling them to get “as bare as you dare.” The course, roughly 13 miles (21 kilometers) this year, changes annually but generally

Riders in various states of undress cruise Philadelphia streets in 14th naked bike ride
Arts

Publicist says popular game show host Bob Barker has died

A publicist says popular game show host Bob Barker, a household name for a half-century as host of “Truth or Consequences” and “The Price Is Right,” has died at his home in Los Angeles. Barker was 99. Barker — also a longtime animal rights activist — died Saturday morning, according to publicist Roger Neal. “I am so proud of the trailblazing work Barker and I did together to expose the cruelty to animals in the entertainment industry and including working to improve the plight of abused and exploited animals in the United States and internationally,” said Nancy Burnet, his longtime

Publicist says popular game show host Bob Barker has died
Arts

Touring North America, singer-songwriter Maisie Peters comes of age

With British pop singer Maisie Peters’ tour across North America underway, there’s one city she’s particularly looking forward to playing: Sacramento, California. Why? The Greta Gerwig effect. “That’s like a ‘Lady Bird,’ Greta Gerwig pilgrimage,” Peters told The Associated Press in a recent interview. “So I’m excited for that.” Peters’ tour in the U.S. and Canada follows the June release of her sophomore album “The Good Witch.” Interwoven are five dates opening for Ed Sheeran, who signed Peters to his Gingerbread Man Records in 2021, and whom she has already opened for in Europe and Australia.

Touring North America, singer-songwriter Maisie Peters comes of age
Arts

Far-right Israeli security minister lashes out at supermodel Bella Hadid over her criticism of him

Israel’s far-right national security minister lashed out at supermodel Bella Hadid on Friday for criticizing his recent fiery televised remarks about Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. In an interview earlier this week with Israel’s Channel 12 following two deadly Palestinian attacks against Israelis in the occupied territory, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir argued that his right to freedom of movement as a Jewish settler outweighs the same right for Palestinians. “My right, the right of my wife and my children to move around Judea and Samaria, is more important than freedom of movement for

Far-right Israeli security minister lashes out at supermodel Bella Hadid over her criticism of him
Arts

Jason Mraz is feeling free and curious — in music and in love

Jason Mraz is freer than ever, and that liberation has allowed his curiosity to get the best of him — in the most optimistic ways. Musically, the two-time Grammy winner released his latest album, “Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride,” in June, a pop record that’s a turn from his balladeering, acoustic persona. Like many other current dance projects, it was conceived during the pandemic, and the 46-year-old says his fans helped shape its direction. “I’d been noticing this for years — on the setlist (when performing), we were missing the songs that kept the audience on

Jason Mraz is feeling free and curious — in music and in love
Arts

AI scores in the top percentile of creative thinking

Creativity involves generating something new — a product or solution that didn’t previously exist. Maestria_diz/iStock via Getty Images Of all the forms of human intellect that one might expect artificial intelligence to emulate, few people would likely place creativity at the top of their list. Creativity is wonderfully mysterious – and frustratingly fleeting. It defines us as human beings – and seemingly defies the cold logic that lies behind the silicon curtain of machines. Yet, the use of AI for creative endeavors is now growing. New AI tools like DALL-E and Midjourney are increasingly part of creative production, and some

AI scores in the top percentile of creative thinking
Arts

Jets rookie Jerome Kapp gets social media salute from Eminem for 'Hard Knocks' performance

Jerome Kapp went from undrafted rookie wide receiver to social media sensation after doing his best Eminem impression. And the New York Jets wide receiver’s performance on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” even got the rap superstar’s attention. Eminem posted a “salute” emoji on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday night while quote-tweeting Kapp’s performance of the rapper’s freestyle from the 2002 film “8 Mile.” Kapp, a former standout at Division II Kutztown University in Pennsylvania, participated in the Jets’ rookie talent show during training camp, which was included in the “Hard Knocks” episode

Jets rookie Jerome Kapp gets social media salute from Eminem for 'Hard Knocks' performance
Arts

'Dune: Part 2' release postponed to 2024 as actors strike lingers

The release of “Dune: Part Two,” one of the fall’s most anticipated films, has been postponed from November until next near, Warner Bros. confirmed Thursday. Denis Villeneuve’s science-fiction sequel had been set to open Nov. 3, but will instead land in theaters March 15 next year. With the actors strike entering its second month, “Dune: Part Two” had been rumored to be eyeing a move. Variety earlier this month reported Warner Bros.’ was mulling the delay. Warner Bros. is opting to wait until its starry cast can promote the follow-up to the 2021 Oscar-winning “Dune.” “Part

'Dune: Part 2' release postponed to 2024 as actors strike lingers
Arts

Q&A: 'Golda' director Guy Nattiv seeks to soften, deepen the memory of Golda Meir

One of the more famous quips attributed to Golda Meir, Israel’s first and only female prime minister, was her response to how it felt being a woman in an overwhelmingly male political arena. “I don’t know,” she was oft quoted as saying. “I’ve never tried being a man.” Meir indisputably broke a glass ceiling — one that hasn’t been broken since — but she had a prickly relationship with feminism, a label she certainly didn’t embrace. Still, argues director Guy Nattiv, the trajectory of Meir’s career — especially the nature of the public blame she received

Q&A: 'Golda' director Guy Nattiv seeks to soften, deepen the memory of Golda Meir

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