FIFTY FIFTY and Kaliii sample Janet Jackson on “Barbie Dreams”

EXCLUSIVE: The UK box office is booming thanks to Barbenheimer.

Nothing Compares 2 U” — the unparalleled breakup ballad that turned Sinéad O’Connor’s tears into a chart-topping triumph — in an even more heartbreaking way today.Indeed — after the Irish icon’s shocking passing on Wednesday at just 56 — nothing can take away these blues right now.But while all those flowers planted in the backyard may have died, “Nothing Compares 2 U” signaled the bloom of a new era in rock after it went to No. 1 in the spring of 1990.Following the ’80s domination of pop superstars including Michael Jackson, Madonna, Whitney Houston and Prince — who wrote “Nothing Compares 2 U” for the Family, his side project that originally released the song in 1985 — rising alt-rock star O’Connor represented a game change when her definitive version dropped in the first days of January 1990.After becoming a darling of the MTV “120 Minutes” crowd with her 1987 debut “The Lion and the Cobra,” O’Connor traded the more rocking, dance-driven attack of “Mandinka” and “I Want Your (Hands on Me)” for something totally different and surprising: an emotionally bare ballad, dripping in strings and sorrow, that revealed a striking vulnerability.No doubt — it cut even closer to the bone than her shaved head.And then there was that iconic video with O’Connor in crushing close-up, shedding that single tear.

The Barbenheimer phenomenon just keeps going. To wit: there is so much energy happening at international box office turnstiles that Tuesday’s grosses on Warner Bros’ Greta Gerwig-directed Barbie and Universal’s Christopher Nolan opus Oppenheimer were down just 1% from Monday. The offshore gross through Tuesday on Barbie is now $258.5M with global at $472.6M.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic If you came into the “Barbie” film cold, expecting that if any song was going to get the most play, it might be Aqua’s “Barbie World,” you had a surprise coming. Turns out Barbie is a huge Indigo Girls fan — or, at least like a million women and some men before her, she likes to belt along with the 1989 folk-rock smash “Closer to Fine” in the car. The song pops up three times over the course of the blockbuster film, guaranteeing that there is going to be a huge resurgence in the real world of people singing about going “to see the doctor of philosophy,” even if they’re actually on their way to the beach.

Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer handed UK cinema chain Vue its second biggest weekend in history as cinemagoers flocked in record numbers to catch the Barbenheimer double bill.  

Greta Gerwig is clearing some things up about the speculation that Barbara Handler appears in the Barbie movie.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor There’s a moment in “Barbie” where Ryan Gosling, who plays the wickedly funny and insecure manchild, Ken, steps off the screen and yells, “Sublime!” It might be the most extraordinary Oscar-worthy clip of a person not to be seen on screen. “Barbie,” the new meta-comedy from Warner Bros, which also acts as an infomercial for Mattel, finally lands for audiences and could be one of the leading comedy films seeking Oscar recognition by year’s end if Academy members can take it seriously. Gosling’s iconic turn, at least, is worthy of best supporting actor recognition. Commercial comedies, particularly those without the added “dramedy” sub-qualifier, have faced difficulty landing Academy recognition for decades (i.e., Vince Vaughn in “Wedding Crashers”). However, a promising trend has been seen in the last few years with acting nominees like Robert Downey Jr in “Tropic Thunder” (2008), Melissa McCarthy in “Bridesmaids” (2011) and Maria Bakalova in “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” (2020) landing comfortably in their respective fields. Gosling could join the ranks.

The new Barbie movie features a mention of the doll’s inspiration, Barbara Handler, and the real-life woman actually makes a cameo in the film!

Scheana Shay and Lala Kent are sending a message to Vanderpump Rules fans who don’t understand why they are spending time with Tom Sandoval following his affair with Raquel Leviss.

Ariana Madix has been taking inspiration from Taylor Swift’s “Vigilante S—t” following her breakup from Tom Sandoval — and is dressing for revenge.

The Barbie movie is fast approaching — but titular star Margot Robbie didn’t know if it would ever come to fruition.  

K.J. Yossman The world’s best known fashion doll is bringing some of her trademark pink vibes to London ahead of the “Barbie” movie’s European premiere on Wednesday. Warner Bros. Pictures have “pinkified” London’s iconic buses and black cabs with full wraps advertising the film, which stars Margot Robbie as the eponymous doll and Ryan Gosling as her on-screen boyfriend Ken, as well as displaying posters on billboards and at subway stations. The cast of the film are also set to light up London’s landmarks in pink on Wednesday evening at 9.30pm local time following the film’s premiere in the city in what Warner and tourist body Visit London promise to be “Barbie’s best day ever.”

Janet Jackson brought in the big bucks!

Keke Palmer and Darius Jackson.Though has wavered over how much to share of their relationship with the public, the Hollywood triple threat has shown nothing but respect and adoration for on social media. “It’s so cringy writing a birthday post for you because the love is so sacred,” Palmer of Jackson in January. “It almost feels asinine to try to share or give a glimpse into something that only we could understand.

Fifty Fifty has teamed up with rapper Kaliiii for the latest single from the “Barbie” soundtrack.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director When Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie’s “Barbie” finally opens in theaters later this month, it will mark the end of a long, long journey to get the iconic Mattel doll to the big screen. Sony Pictures originally had the rights to Barbie and spent years trying to get a movie off the ground. Actors such as Amy Schumer and Anne Hathaway came and went. Schumer said last month that she exited her “Barbie” movie because the script wasn’t “feminist and cool” enough. Another talent that left “Barbie” during the film’s development at Sony was Diablo Cody, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of “Juno.” She exited the film in 2018 and told ScreenCrush at the time, “I was literally incapable of turning in a ‘Barbie’ draft. God knows I tried.”

BreAnna Bell Janet Hubert is making her way from Belair to Serenity, SC (or, more accurately Tampa, Florida) as she joins “Sweet Magnolias” for Season 3. Variety has learned Hubert will guest star as Bev Decatur, Helen’s (Heather Headley) mother. In a moment of crisis, Helen goes to Tampa to visit her mother, needing Bev’s unique blend of humor, compassion, and tough love. “Following the brawl at Sullivan’s, Maddie wrestles with the best way to help Cal and works to clear her own emotional path. Helen faces difficult decisions about the men in her life. And Dana Sue searches for a way to use Miss Frances’ check to help the community, without upending her family. The identity of the tire slasher sends shockwaves through Serenity, the recall causes unexpected consequences, and there are romantic surprises in every generation. Throughout the season, the ladies tackle these problems — and all the complications they cause — with their trademark warmth, humor, and devotion to each other and those they love. And margaritas,” reads the Season 3 logline, per Netflix.

Peter Caranicas Deputy Editor Law firm Granderson Des Rochers (GDR) has announced that Jackson Abbeduto, formerly an exec at Google’s YouTube and Universal Music Publishing, has joined the firm’s New Media Practice as senior counsel. Abbeduto joins a collective of former in-house attorneys, led by Elizabeth Moody, working in the arena of digital music and tapping into opportunities to create new revenue streams for artists and songwriters. In addition to licensing deals on behalf of tech companies including Roblox, Hydrow, Styngr and Wave XR, GDR has been at the forefront of the legal implications of the current AI-generated music trend – helping creators and tech companies navigate the emerging landscape and ensuring that the artists and creators are appropriately compensated.

Life in plastic is fantastic for the Kardashian-Jenner girls!

Chrissy Teigen has hilariously recreated that foot scene from the “Barbie” trailer.