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

Latest From The Los Angeles Post

Arts

Prosecutors weigh second gun analysis in fatal shooting of cinematographer by Alec Baldwin

Prosecutors have received a second expert analysis of the revolver fired in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer by Alec Baldwin on the set of a Western film in New Mexico, as they weigh whether to refile charges against the actor. Baldwin has said the gun fired accidentally after he followed instructions to point it toward cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who was behind the camera in rehearsal. Baldwin said he pulled back the hammer — but not the trigger — and the gun fired, fatally wounding Hutchins on Oct. 21, 2021, at a movie ranch on

Prosecutors weigh second gun analysis in fatal shooting of cinematographer by Alec Baldwin
Arts

DeSantis' appointees ask judge to rule against Disney without need for trial

A Florida judge should rule without trial against Disney as the company fights Gov. Ron DeSantis’ takeover of a board that oversees Walt Disney World, the Republican governor’s appointees said in a Tuesday court filing. Members of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District asked the state judge in Orlando for a summary judgment that would rule in their favor on five of the nine counts in their case. The case is one of two lawsuits stemming from the takeover, which was retaliation for Disney’s public opposition to the “Don’t Say Gay” legislation championed by DeSantis and Republican lawmakers. In the

DeSantis' appointees ask judge to rule against Disney without need for trial
Arts

Tuohys call Michael Oher's filing 'hurtful' and part of a shakedown attempt

Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy are calling Michael Oher’s claims that they enriched themselves at his expense “outlandish,” “hurtful and absurd” and part of a “shakedown” by the former NFL offensive tackle, whose relationship with the family was the inspiration for the movie “The Blind Side.” In the statement first issued Tuesday by attorney Martin Singer to TMZ.com and later obtained by The Associated Press, Singer said the Tuohys are heartbroken and accused Oher of threatening to plant a negative story about them unless they paid him $15 million. Singer said the Tuohys hope Oher regrets his recent decisions and

Tuohys call Michael Oher's filing 'hurtful' and part of a shakedown attempt
Arts

Oprah, Meryl Streep, Michael B. Jordan to be honored at Academy Museum Gala

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will pay tribute to Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey, Michael B. Jordan and Sofia Coppola in its annual fundraising gala on Oct. 14, the museum announced Tuesday. The Academy Museum Gala has become a key fundraising event for the Los Angeles movie museum since its opening in 2021. This year’s event, the third such gala, received a greenlight from the striking actors and writers guilds. SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild have limited what promotion activities their members can do during the ongoing work stoppages. Streep, Winfrey, Jordan and Coppola will each

Oprah, Meryl Streep, Michael B. Jordan to be honored at Academy Museum Gala
Arts

'Wounded Indian' sculpture given in 1800s to group founded by Paul Revere is returning to Boston

A marble statue that depicts a felled Native American pulling an arrow from his torso is being returned to the Boston-area organization cofounded by Paul Revere that thought it had been destroyed decades ago. “Wounded Indian,” sculpted in 1850 by Peter Stephenson and modeled on the ancient Roman statue “Dying Gaul,” was a gift to the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association in 1893 and was displayed in its exhibition hall, according to Cultural Heritage Partners, the law firm that represented the Boston organization during negotiations. That hall was sold in 1958, and the association was told that during

'Wounded Indian' sculpture given in 1800s to group founded by Paul Revere is returning to Boston
Arts

Accounts of 'body checks' at Miss Universe Indonesia shock the nation as contestants speak out

Their dreams of representing Indonesia in the 2023 Miss Universe pageant turned to nightmares when they were forced to undergo “body checks” in front of local organizers. Now seven contestants have filed complaints with the police, accusing the organizers of sexual harassment, their lawyer said Tuesday. During the July 29-Aug. 3 Miss Universe Indonesia contest in the capital of Jakarta — and ahead of the show’s Grand Final event — the contestants were told to strip to their underwear for “body checks” for scars or cellulite, said lawyer Melissa Anggraini. The checks took place in a

Accounts of 'body checks' at Miss Universe Indonesia shock the nation as contestants speak out
Arts

Madonna reschedules tour after ICU stay, North American dates kick off this December

Madonna ‘s rescheduled Celebration Tour will kick off in Brooklyn, New York, in a matter of months. In June, Madonna suffered what her manager called a “serious bacterial infection” that led to her hospitalization in an intensive care unit for several days. The North American leg of her Celebration Tour was originally scheduled to start July 15 in Vancouver, British Columbia, and to run through October 8 in Las Vegas. It was postponed as she recovered. Her tour will now start on October 14, at London’s O2 Arena. On Tuesday, Live Nation announced that the majority

Madonna reschedules tour after ICU stay, North American dates kick off this December
Arts

US-focused Opera News, to cease publication in November after 87 years

Opera News, an 87-year-old publication focused on the Metropolitan Opera and spotlighting the art form in the U.S., will print its final issue in November and be incorporated into Britain-based Opera magazine. The Met announced Tuesday that the Metropolitan Opera Guild, a separate company formed in 1935 by Eleanor Belmont to aid the opera house, will scale back operations and become a supporting organization of the Met. The opera company will take over the education program that allows about 12,000 school children each year to attend dress rehearsals. Opera News has a 43,000 circulation, including 32,000

US-focused Opera News, to cease publication in November after 87 years
Arts

Sage Steele leaves ESPN after settling her lawsuit over COVID-19 vaccine comments

ESPN and host Sage Steele have settled a lawsuit she filed after being disciplined for comments she made about the company’s policy requiring employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Steele posted on social media Tuesday that she is leaving the Bristol, Connecticut-based company, where she has worked since 2007. “Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely,” she wrote. “I am grateful for so many wonderful experiences over the past 16 years and am excited for my next chapter!” Steele was taken off the air for

Sage Steele leaves ESPN after settling her lawsuit over COVID-19 vaccine comments
Arts

Algeria bans 'Barbie' almost a month after movie's local release

The “Barbie” movie was pulled from theaters in Algeria this week almost one month after its release in the North African country. Online news outlet 24H Algerie said Algeria’s Ministry of Culture and Arts notified cinemas in Algiers, Oran and Constantine to “immediately” pull the movie. Neither the ministry nor the Algerian Audiovisual Regulatory Authority commented on the reported directive or provided a rationale for it. “Barbie” opened in some some Algerian cinemas last month. The film’s distributors removed the Hollywood blockbuster from their screening schedules starting this week.. The move comes after authorities in Kuwait

Algeria bans 'Barbie' almost a month after movie's local release
Arts

Wendy McMahon and Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews take lead news executive roles at CBS

CBS on Monday appointed executive Wendy McMahon to an expanded role that puts her in charge of the network’s news division, its locally owned stations and its syndication business. For slightly more than two years, McMahan has worked in tandem with Neeraj Khemlani, leading the network’s storied news division and the news operations at the 14 network affiliates it owns, in cities like New York and Los Angeles. Khemlani said on Sunday that he was stepping down as co-president of CBS News and Stations. The impending retirement of Steve LoCascio, president of CBS Media Ventures, will

Wendy McMahon and Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews take lead news executive roles at CBS
Arts

Prague government opposes local performance by Russian soprano Anna Netrebko

The local government in Prague said Monday that it “unequivocally” opposes a scheduled performance by Russian opera singer Anna Netrebko in the Czech capital while Russia wages war on Ukraine. Deputy Mayor Jiri Pospisil, who oversees culture in the city, said that all the members of Prague’s governing coalition shared the same view. “All the parties perceive that at a time when the war (in Ukraine) has been ongoing and we read every day about the victims of the Russian attacks in the media, it is insensitive for such a singer to perform here in Prague,” Pospisil

Prague government opposes local performance by Russian soprano Anna Netrebko
Arts

CNN revamps schedule, with new roles for Phillip, Coates, Wallace and Amanpour

CNN is making dramatic changes to its lineup, announcing Monday that it was giving Abby Phillip and Laura Coates new weeknight shows and launching new weekend programs with Christiane Amanpour and Chris Wallace. Virtually no daypart goes unchanged in the revamp, as the network struggles with ratings challenges worsened by the quickening pulse of people cutting the cord on cable television. The changes were a swift move from CNN’s new leadership team of Amy Entelis, David Leavy, Virginia Moseley and Eric Sherling. They replaced former CNN chief executive Chris Licht, who was fired this spring. Phillip,

CNN revamps schedule, with new roles for Phillip, Coates, Wallace and Amanpour
Arts

Clarence Avant, ‘Godfather of Black Music' and benefactor of athletes and politicians, dies at 92

Clarence Avant, the judicious manager, entrepreneur, facilitator and adviser who helped launch or guide the careers of Quincy Jones, Bill Withers and many others and came to be known as “The Godfather of Black Music,” has died. He was 92. Avant, inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021, died Sunday at his home in Los Angeles, according to a family statement released Monday morning. Avant’s achievements were both public and behind the scenes, as a name in the credits, or a name behind the names. Born in a segregated hospital in North

Clarence Avant, ‘Godfather of Black Music' and benefactor of athletes and politicians, dies at 92
Arts

Author-illustrator Loren Long, who has worked with Barack Obama among others, has 6-figure book deal

The illustrator of bestselling children’s books by former President Barack Obama, Madonna and poet Amanda Gorman has a six-figure deal with a Macmillan imprint for two of his own projects. Loren Long’s first book under his new contract is “The Yellow Bus,” scheduled for June 2024. “Noticing a rusted and abandoned school bus sitting in a field with goats climbing in and out of it got me thinking about purpose and the passage of time. I thought ‘Surely that yellow bus started it’s life in a grand fashion, bright and shiny, carrying children from one important

Author-illustrator Loren Long, who has worked with Barack Obama among others, has 6-figure book deal
Arts

Chance the Rapper will discuss his career and the impact of hip-hop at an Apple store in Chicago

Chance the Rapper will take Apple store customers in Chicago on his hip-hop journey as part of an audio series celebrating the genre’s 50th anniversary. Chance the Rapper will discuss becoming a rap star, the technology company announced Monday, at the Apple Michigan Avenue location in his hometown. He’ll make the appearance at the retail store Wednesday during an event hosted by Today at Apple, which offers free in-store educational sessions for devices and programs. The Grammy winner expects to discuss the impact hip-hop had on his life, including his venture as an independent artist and

Chance the Rapper will discuss his career and the impact of hip-hop at an Apple store in Chicago
Arts

Beloved 2000s Irish boy band Westlife set to embark on first-ever North American tour

Irish boy band Westlife are set to perform in North America for the first time in their 20-plus year history. Westlife has sold more than 55 million records, released 36 No. 1 albums, and earned over one billion streams on YouTube. And now, they’re headed to a few major cities in the U.S. and Canada around St. Patrick’s Day next year. The stint is short, but it is a long time coming. Westlife will kick off their four-date North American tour on Thursday, March 13, at Toronto’s Meridian Hall, followed by Boston’s MGM Music Hall at

Beloved 2000s Irish boy band Westlife set to embark on first-ever North American tour
Arts

Broadway-bound revival of 'The Wiz' finds its next Dorothy, thanks in part to TikTok

A 24-year-old triple threat who toured in “Hairspray,” competed on “American Idol” and came to the attention of casting agents with her TikTok videos has landed the plum role of Dorothy in the Broadway-bound production of “The Wiz.” Nichelle Lewis will star in the national touring show this fall and then make her Broadway debut next year as the show’s heel-clicking heroine, following in the footsteps of such icons as Stephanie Mills and Diana Ross. “It’s been a pretty crazy journey,” she told The Associated Press before her official unveiling Monday. “I’m honored to be making

Broadway-bound revival of 'The Wiz' finds its next Dorothy, thanks in part to TikTok
Arts

3 ways AI is transforming music

Musicians and producers can already utilize AI to realistically reproduce the sound of any instrument or voice imaginable. Paul Campbell/iStock via Getty Images Each fall, I begin my course on the intersection of music and artificial intelligence by asking my students if they’re concerned about AI’s role in composing or producing music. So far, the question has always elicited a resounding “yes.” Their fears can be summed up in a sentence: AI will create a world where music is plentiful, but musicians get cast aside. In the upcoming semester, I’m anticipating a discussion about Paul McCartney, who in June 2023

3 ways AI is transforming music
Arts

Men alleging abuse at Japanese talent agency are interviewed by company investigators

Two men who say they were sexually abused as teenagers by a Japanese entertainment mogul were interviewed Monday by a special team set up by the talent agency to look into the allegations. Junya Hiramoto and Shimon Ishimaru, both former members of a boys’ dance-and-song group called Johnny’s Junior, said they still want an apology and compensation from Johnny & Associates. “They haven’t admitted anything, and they haven’t apologized,” Hiramoto told reporters after the interviews. “We desire a peaceful resolution. There is no point in taking the bloody, contentious route of fighting it out with hatred.” The

Men alleging abuse at Japanese talent agency are interviewed by company investigators
Arts

"Barbie" has legs: Greta Gerwig's film tops the box office again and surpasses $500 million

“Barbie” has legs. Director Greta Gerwig ‘s film phenomenon remained a runaway No. 1 at the box office in its fourth week, bringing in $33.7 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. The Margot Robbie-led and produced film from Warner Bros., still in 4,137 theaters, refused to drop off as most box-office toppers have this year, surpassing $500 million in North America overall a week after it crossed the $1 billion mark globally, a record for a female director. The second half of the “Barbenheimer” duo, “Oppenheimer,” returned to the No. 2 spot in its own fourth

"Barbie" has legs: Greta Gerwig's film tops the box office again and surpasses $500 million
Arts

Fiction writers fear the rise of AI, but also see it as a story to tell

For a vast number of book writers, artificial intelligence is a threat to their livelihood and the very idea of creativity. More than 10,000 of them endorsed an open letter from the Authors Guild this summer, urging AI companies not to use copyrighted work without permission or compensation. At the same time, AI is a story to tell, and no longer just in science fiction. As present in the imagination as politics, the pandemic or climate change, AI has become part of the narrative for a growing number of novelists and short story writers who only

Fiction writers fear the rise of AI, but also see it as a story to tell
Arts

Tom Jones, creator of the longest-running musical ‘The Fantasticks,' dies at 95

Tom Jones, the lyricist, director and writer of “The Fantasticks,” the longest-running musical in history, has died. He was 95. Jones died Friday at his home in Sharon, Connecticut, according to Dan Shaheen, a co-producer of “The Fantasticks,” who worked with Jones since the 1980s. The cause was cancer. Jones, who teamed up with composer Harvey Schmidt on “The Fantasticks” and the Broadway shows “110 in the Shade” and “I Do! I Do!,” was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 1998. “The Fantasticks,” based on an obscure play by Edmond Rostand, doesn’t necessarily

Tom Jones, creator of the longest-running musical ‘The Fantasticks,' dies at 95
Arts

Q-Pop: Peru’s social media phenomenon Lenin Tamayo fuses Quechua and K-pop

What happens when you take Quechua, the most widely spoken Indigenous language in the Americas, and fuse it with K-pop, the global musical sensation with roots in South Korea? Ask Lenin Tamayo, who has become a social media phenomenon with “Q-pop” and released his first digital album this week. Tamayo grew up listening to his mother, a Peruvian folk artist who sings in Spanish and Quechua, a language shared by 10 million speakers in countries including Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile. As a teenager, K-pop became his passion and helped him find a

Q-Pop: Peru’s social media phenomenon Lenin Tamayo fuses Quechua and K-pop
Arts

Salzburg Festival nearly sold out while others in classical music struggle to regain audience

People fill the cobblestone streets of the city where Mozart was born, rushing to 213 performances over six weeks. While many classical music institutions struggle to regain audience, the Salzburg Festival is on track to draw people from over 75 nations to opera, concerts and drama. “We played through the pandemic,” said Kristina Hammer, who took over as the festival’s president in 2022. “That made us not only a spotlight in Europe for culture, but we didn’t lose our customers.” There are 179 performances over 43 days through Aug. 31 at 15 venues plus 34 youth

Salzburg Festival nearly sold out while others in classical music struggle to regain audience

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