Issa Rae Condemns Hollywood’s Efforts to Save ‘The Flash’ and Ezra Miller to ‘Save Itself and to Protect Offenders’

UPDATED with afternoon session: A Los Angeles police officer testified Thursday during Danny Masterson’s rape trial that while didn’t remember the specifics of an initial meeting with Jane Doe #1 in 2004 at the LAPD Hollywood station, he did take her claims about being attacked by Masterson in his Hollywood Hills home in April 2003 “to be a sexual assault.”

Determined to expunge almost any mention of Scientology from Danny Masterson’s rape trial, defense attorney Phillip Cohen told the jury from the beginning that consistency would be core of his client’s case. That vow was very much on display Thursday as the lawyer sought to spotlight the supposed inconsistencies in the testimony of Jane Doe #3.  

Jules Bass, whose work as a producer and director of stop-motion and animated television specials such as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town and The Year Without A Santa Claus has become an integral part of the holiday season for generations, died today in Rye, New York, of age-related illnesses. He was 87.

Not easy! Blake Shelton “really agonized” over his decision to leave The Voice following season 23, a source exclusively reveals in the latest issue of Us Weekly.

Lily Moayeri “Protest art arises when the society is full of anger and the artist is part of the angry society.” That’s a statement made by Justina, an Iranian rapper, singer and songwriter, on the Oct. 15 episode of BBC program “The Cultural Frontline.” Justina and Iranian singer-songwriter and activist FarAvaz Farvardin were guests on the show, speaking about protest songs in Iran. Experts of sorts, their 2020 song, “Fatva,” was a protest song ahead of its time. Perhaps the most notable of the recent Iran protest songs is Shervin Hajipour’s “Baraye,” which was written in the wake of Mahsa Amini’s death after being arrested and beaten by Iran’s notorious morality police for not wearing a proper head covering. After receiving nearly 100,000 submissions, it is now the frontrunner for the Recording Academy’s new song for social change Grammy award.

"Insecure" star Issa Rae is criticizing Hollywood for defending Ezra Miller after their "atrocious" behavior.  "I’m gonna be real, the stuff that’s happening with Ezra Miller is, to me, a microcosm of Hollywood," Rae said, according to Elle Magazine. "There’s this person who’s a repeat offender, who’s been behaving atrociously, and as opposed to shutting them down and shutting the production down, there’s an effort to save the movie and them." The actress’ comments come on the heels of Miller’s series of arrests and abuse allegations over the past year.  The "Rap Sh!t" creator continued to speak out about the #MeToo movement and how Hollywood treats women.  "Insecure" star Issa Rae is criticizing Hollywood for defending Ezra Miller after their "atrocious" behavior.

Ethan Shanfeld At the inaugural The Gotham + Variety Audio Honors, presented by Wondery, leading podcast creators discussed their top tips for building an audience, and how the entertainment industry can do better to spotlight underrepresented voices. The event took place on Friday, Oct. 14, at Second Floor NYC in Midtown Manhattan. The 10 podcast honorees were selected for their innovations in audio storytelling by a committee of industry professionals chaired by Brittany Luse, new host of NPR’s “It’s Been a Minute.” Variety executive editor Brent Lang hosted the panel and delivered opening remarks alongside Gotham Executive Director Jeffrey Sharp.

. This one—which, we must say, looked a lot like a second Prime Day—officially wrapped up on Wednesday, October 12.While many of the best discounts have disappeared for good, you can still find plenty of unbeatable deals across every category imaginable.

Dame Angela Lansbury, best known to a generation for the series Murder, She Wrote, and who won children's hearts as the voice of Mrs. Potts in the animated movie Beauty and the Beast, has died aged 96.  In a statement to the BBC, Lansbury's children confirmed that she died in her sleep just five days before turning 97.

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. There’s a good chance that you’ve been spending more time than ever in front of your T.V. the last few months as straight-to-streamer movie releases become the norm (we’re prepping for “Barbarian” which hits HBO Max on Oct. 25). And thanks to Amazon’s second Prime Day, which runs from Oct.11 -12, there are dozens of home entertainment devices to choose from right now. If you’re looking to enhance your home theater, you’ll want to check out the slew of deals going live this week. In addition to discounted TVs, there are also dozens of sound bar deals for those looking to upgrade their audio.To help you narrow it down, we’ve rounded up the best sound bars deals to shop this week. At an ultra-affordable price, this straightforward soundbar does the job when it comes to providing immersive sound to whatever you’re watching. The slim bar comes with a wireless subwoofer with five full-power range drivers that deliver rich sound and a deep bass. Plus, at just over two inches tall, its slim build fits easily on any wall or mount space without getting in the way of remote sensors.

do love a good glass of red wine (or two) while you’re cooking. (And doesn’t that have some health benefits? That’s right, you’re in it for the !) Likewise, getting to bed earlier is a forever goal for just about everyone we know, but something always gets in the way–I mean, you’re midway through season two of Indian Matchmaking, and who can watch just one episode at a time? And, of course, there’s healthy eating and physical activity.

Shawn Mendes opened up about his mental health this week after the sudden cancellation of his Wonder World tour this summer, telling ET he now feels more relaxed ahead of the premiere of his new movie, “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile”. 

Shawn Mendes opened up about his mental health this week after the sudden cancellation of his tour this summer, telling ET he now feels more relaxed ahead of the premiere of his new movie, «It doesn't feel like such high pressure,» Mendes told ET's Rachel Smith about the film. The movie will be the first time fans hear his singing voice after announcing canceling the tour dates.

Anna Tingley The furry friends of the Justice League can now be enjoyed on 4K. After arriving on HBO Max last month, “DC League of Super-Pets” will finally be released on 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD on Oct. 4. The superhero comedy smashed the box office in July, beating out Jordan Peele’s “Nope” with an impressive $25 million debut. Based on the DC Comic of the same name, the film follows Superman’s dog Krypto the Super-Dog, played by Dwayne Johnson, as he teams up with the rest of the Justice League critters to rescue their kidnapped owners. Krypto’s main ally is Ace the Bat-Hound (Batman’s dog, voiced by Kevin Hart), alongside a group of sheltered animals voiced by Natasha Lyonne, Vanessa Bayer, Diego Luna, Thomas Middleditch and Ben Schwartz, among others. The main villain of the film is Lula, a silky-voiced guinea pig played by Kate McKinnon who attempts to foil Krypto’s grand plans. “Though very much a comedy about a scruffy team of critter heroes, it’s also a movie that makes room for the famed demigods of the DC universe; it’s a full-on superhero extravaganza,” writes Variety film critic Owen Gleiberman in his review. “Watching it, what you realize — it’s something we all know but don’t think about too often — is that the gargantuan comic-book movie spectacles that our culture is fatally addicted to are all, in essence, cartoons.” So, how can you watch “DC: League of Super-Pets” online? You can stream the film with an HBO Max account, with plans starting at $9.99/month. Or, starting Oct. 4, you can purchase the film digitally on Amazon Prime and order the Blu-ray version in 4k below: Courtesy of Amazon