Columbia Showbiz Latest News and Updates

EXCLUSIVE: ABC News is hiring The Economist’s G. Elliott Morris to be the editorial director of data analytics for the news division, a post that also oversees FiveThirtyEight.

As the region’s major theaters rebound from the dark nights of the pandemic, it’s nothing short of miraculous that its fringe scene — under-recognized and under-funded at the best of times — has found a way to keep the curtains rising. Operating on a wing and a prayer, these tiny theater troupes may be labors of semi-volunteer love, but they are, without doubt, the crazy, tinkling bells that keep a city’s culture alive, vibrant and just a whole lot more fun to explore.

A24’s Julia Louis-Dreyfus-starrer You Hurt My Feelings will top an estimated $1.7 million in limited nationwide release for the four-day holiday weekend, at the high end of expectations on 912 screens. That puts it at no. 8 at a domestic box office where Little Mermaid is making all the waves.

If Sebastian Maniscalco really is the most popular comic in the country at the moment, you’d never know why from his film debut in About My Father. So unfunny it’s embarrassing, this is an over-the-top, under-achieving generational comedy that feels like it was written in the mid- to late-1960s and has been moldering in a drawer ever since.

The ladies of Aespa just made their Cannes Film Festival debut!

Asake has announced details of a new album and shared the first single. Work of Art will be released on June 16 and is preceded by "Amapiano," a collaboration with fellow Nigerian artist Olamide.

Christopher Vourlias U.S. writer and political advocate Dane Waters and “Superpower” co-director Aaron Kaufman announced the launch of a new global nonprofit group, Humanity for Freedom, Monday in Cannes. The organization is dedicated to the fight against authoritarian governments through educational and advocacy work. The group’s global kick-off event, 72 Hours for Freedom, will feature screenings around the world of “Superpower,” the documentary about Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, co-directed by Kaufman and Sean Penn. The event will take place in over a dozen countries on six continents, starting in London on June 6 and wrapping in Washington, D.C., June 8, including stops in Rome; Tbilisi, Georgia; Sofia, Bulgaria; Abuja, Nigeria; Tokyo; Sydney; and Buenos Aires.

FBI director Christopher Wray, U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves, Attorney General Merrick Garland and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas.“Remember when Republicans would just impeach the president of the United States and leave it there? Now they have to impeach nearly the whole cabinet, too, which makes this particularly odious for speaker McCarthy, particularly bonkers for his conference, because Marjorie Taylor Greene is not some fringe lunatic — not anymore, anyway,” Wagner said.

Please Don’t Destroy trio will release their first feature film on Peacock about three childhood friends that seek treasure supposedly buried in a nearby mountain. That’s six long months away though.In the meantime, the group will keep fans entertained all summer long with their 25-show ‘Please Don’t Destroy Live Tour.’From June 23 through Aug.

Barack Obama’s former Washington, D.C. home.

George and Amal Clooney stepped out in style for  the 2023 Prince's Trust Awards, put on by and TKMaxx & Homesense, at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London, England.The 62-year-old Oscar-winning actor and the 45-year-old barrister walked the red carpet hand-in-hand as they smiled for the cameras. Amal looked stunning in a chic jumpsuit that she paired with a black belt.

Peter Nicks’ Anthem and Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough’s The Body Politic are among the non-fiction highlights in this year’s DC/DOX documentary film festival in Washington, D.C. next month.

Kamala Harris showed off her new vinyl records earlier this week and shared some of her favourite artists.The politician had been shopping in Home Rule Records in Washington, D.C.

Dave Chappelle slammed San Francisco during a surprise show at the SF Masonic Auditorium on Thursday night. The 49-year-old comedian took aim at the homelessness crisis in the Golden City, which he referred to during the set as his "second home," according to a report by SFGate.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor NBCUniversal is swinging its suite of free NBC and Telemundo 24-hour local news channels in major markets to Amazon’s Fire TV. Under the deal, U.S.-based customers with Fire TV and Amazon Echo Show devices can now access local breaking news coverage and original content on the free, ad-supported TV (FAST) channels of NBCU’s 15 NBC- and Telemundo-owned stations in top markets The agreement builds on NBCU’s existing deals to distribute Peacock on Fire TV, as well as Today All Day and Dateline 24/7 FAST channels. In addition, NBCU network apps including NBC, Bravo, E!, Oxygen, Syfy, USA, Universal Kids, MSNBC, NBC News, CNBC, NBC Sports and Telemundo are available on Fire TV.

series of budget recommendations, including a proposed cut of $1.5 million from the Festival Fund, also known as the Special Event Relief Fund.The fund, which is made possible by the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, allows organizers of festivals or outdoor special events to apply for financial assistance to cover the costs of street closings, security, and other city agency support services. The recommendations are slated to be voted upon by the full council on Tuesday, May 16, and if approved, will become part of the District of Columbia’s fiscal year 2024 budget. Ryan Bos, the executive director of Capital Pride Alliance, told Metro Weekly in an interview that the costs of various city agency fees needed to carry out the Capital Pride Parade and Festival, as well as other Pride Weekend events, can cost between $550,000 and $750,000 per year.

saw Beyoncé in that hat, I was immediately obsessed with it and knew I wanted to wear it for the tour,” Leila Ostria, 27, told The Post.“But when I saw that the hat [retailed] online for, like, $350, I decided to just make it myself.” The 27-year-old from Gaithersburg, Maryland, shelled out around $7,000 for prime seats at six of the “Alien Superstar” singer’s shows in multiple cities, including two performances in Washington, D.C., as well as gigs in Minneapolis, Atlanta, Miami and Pittsburgh.  But when it came to wowing in her chic chapeau, Ostria was decidedly more thrifty. She bought five packs of self-adhesive, 5-millimeter-by-5-millimeter disco-tiles for $10 each, as well as a $14.99 white cowboy hat made of firm felt, from Amazon.

Ariana Madix is having major regrets over her relationship with Tom Sandoval amid Scandoval.

Ariana Madix is having major regrets over her relationship with Tom Sandoval amid Scandoval.A 52-second trailer promoting the season 10 finale dropped Tuesday, and shows the dramatic aftermath of Sandoval and Raquel Leviss' affair.«I was going to break up with Ariana regardless,» Sandoval is seen telling Scheana Shay, who fires back, «But you didn't. You f**ked her best friend instead.» The reality star then discusses his affair with best friend Tom Schwartz, telling him he «felt something I hadn't felt in a very long time.»Things heat up when Sandoval comes face to face with Madix over his actions and when he mentions Leviss' name, that's the last straw for Madix, who gets angry and screams that she «doesn't give a f**k about f**king Raquel!»«Your friendship is f**king bulls**t!» she yells, which causes Sandoval to scream back, «No it's not!»«Yes it is,» Madix stands firm, amid scenes of Sandoval telling the inner circle that «there was one other time» he slept with Leviss to everyone's horror. «I regret ever loving you,» Madix coldly tells her ex, as we see her having a heart-to-heart with Lisa Vanderpump looking very worried.In another scene, Leviss and Sandoval download all the chaos that's gone down since their affair came to light.

Shalini Dore Features News Editor As the second season of Hulu’s “Taste the Nation” starts streaming May 5, executive producer and host Padma Lakshmi again takes viewers among the immigrant communities in the U.S. via their taste buds. Lakshmi spoke with Variety for AAPI Month ahead of the show’s season premiere. She says she and her team get lots of invitations from around the country asking them to visit and highlight the communities. This season they visit Puerto Rico, the Appalachians, the Afghan community in Washington, D.C., as well as Filipinos in the Bay Area. “We don’t just go into a community, visit them and we’re out and then rinse and repeat in the next town,” she says. “We’re looking at the larger issue of immigration in the country that is so integral to the foundation of our modern republic but also through the ever-evolving thing that is America. Immigration is so uniquely important to this country out of all the countries in the world and it’s what has made it its superpower.”

Chrissy Teigen won’t be shamed! The TV personality clapped back at Rep. George Santos for dissing her White House Correspondents’ Dinner dress.   

For Ariana Madix, the drama and turmoil of the past few months have actually taught her something very important about her own emotional endurance and inner strength.

Ariana Madix, the drama and turmoil of the past few months have actually taught her something very important about her own emotional endurance and inner strength.Madix was joined by Lisa Vanderpump at the White House Correspondents Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, and the reality stars spoke with ET about being at the gala, and the rollercoaster year thus far.«I'm just so excited to be here! This is such a thrill to be invited by the and Lisa,» Madix marveled. «To be able to experience this is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and a moment that I've honestly dreamed of.»Madix added, «I've watched this correspondents dinner on television the coverage every year so to be able to be here is really incredible.»Madix's tumultuous love life has been front and center of entertainment news coverage over the past two months amind "Scandoval" — the popular term for the cheating scandal that emerged when it was revealed that Madix's longtime boyfriend, Tom Sandoval, had been cheating on her for months with fellow co-star Raquel Leviss.Scandoval has rocked the show itself, with many fans both captivated and angered by the situation and has led to serious turmoil among the cast.«Normally, the magic of this show is the ups and the downs...  the authenticity of the show,» Vanderpump shared with ET.

President Joe Biden showed he can take a joke or two aimed at him, and dish them out as well, while honoring the media Saturday night at the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C. Some of the celebs making their way down the red carpet at the event included actor Jerry O’Connell and wife Rebecca Romijn, WNBA star Brittney Griner and wife Cherelle Griner, model Winnie Harlow, actress Angelica Ross, actor Liev Schreiber and singer John Legend.Marvel screenwriter and actor Clark Gregg was there, along with actor Phil Coulson, John Leguizamo and wife Justine Maurer, “The View” co-host Sunny Hostin, along with “Game of Thrones” actress Lena Headey and her actor husband Marc Menchaca.Addressing the room of journalists, politicians and entertainers, Biden pulled no punches while talking about Donald Trump or Fox News and while expressing his reverence for press freedom, the 80-year-old president even poked fun at his own age.“I believe in the First Amendment – not just because my good friend Jimmy Madison wrote it,” Biden said, referring to James Madison, the fourth U.S. president and a primary author of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.Biden also tossed some ageist trash-talk at Rupert Murdoch, 92-year-old owner of Fox News, saying, “You think that I don’t like Rupert Murdoch.

A political party! The annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner is almost upon Us and some of the biggest names in Hollywood and government are expected to attend. 

EXCLUSIVE: Tobias Truvillion (The Best Man: The Final Chapters), Leon (City on a Hill) and Jessica “Jess Hilarious” Moore (Hip Hop Family Christmas) are among the new additions to First Lady of BMF: The Tonesa Welch Story, a new biopic starring Michelle Mitchenor (First Wives Club), which is set to debut on BET+ later this year.

A Fugees rapper was convicted on Wednesday after a multimillion-dollar political conspiracies trial, which included testimony from Leonardo DiCaprio. Prakazrel "Pras" Michel was accused of funneling money to Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign through a now-fugitive Malaysian financier, Jho Low – one of the primary financiers of his film "Wolf of Wall Street."  Michel was also accused of attempting to stop a Justice Department investigation and influence an extradition case on behalf of China under the Trump administration. Michel is known as a founder of the 1990s hip-hop group The Fugees.

Michael Huppe Michael Huppe is president-CEO of SoundExchange, a non-profit rights- management organization that provides products and services to collect royalties for more than 650,000 artists, labels and publishers. At the National Association of Broadcasters’ (NAB) annual convention in Las Vegas this past week, the organization celebrated 100 years of representing big broadcasters’ interests in Washington, D.C. But for the music community, the moment served as a different centennial marker: 100 years of failing to pay artists for the use of their music on AM/FM radio.  It doesn’t matter if the artist is a Grammy Award-winning pop star known around the world, an everyday musician, or an up-and-coming local artist – if their work has been played on U.S. radio airwaves, that performer has never been compensated for that usage. [Editor’s note: While the more than 8,300 AM and FM terrestrial radio stations across the country pay royalties to songwriters and publishers, they have never paid performers or copyright holders, although streaming services and satellite radio do.]

Palm Springs Pride has designated the theme for 2023 Pride Week as “Drag Now. Drag Forever.” Organizers said the move is a way to take a stand against anti-drag bills that have been proposed or passed around the country and the increase in anti-LGBTQ+ extremism as well as an effort to support the historic form of artistic expression and advocacy. Photo: City of Palm Springs

Noah’s Arc has just been announced!The groundbreaking show’s creator, Patrik-Ian Polk, confirmed during his Lifetime Achievement Award acceptance speech at the second annual SpeakOut “I AM” Awards in Washington, D.C., that the show will be returning very soon.“I am very pleased to announce that there is more Noah’s Arc coming,” Polk declared. “And it is coming this year.”After the speech, Polk shared a clip of his moment on stage on his Instagram for all to see the joyous announcement.A post shared by Patrik-Ian Polk (@patrikianpolk)Gayle Magazine reported the big news.

Nigerian Afrobeats star Rema has announced a summer 2023 North American tour, kick off just two days after his previously announced European tour ends. Starting on July 15 at Washington, D.C.’s Broccoli City festival and ending in Los Angeles the following month, the 17-date run crosses the United States and Canada.

EXCLUSIVE: Mary Bruce has been named chief White House correspondent for ABC News.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor The Match Factory has boarded Sean Price Williams’s “The Sweet East,” which has its world premiere in the Directors’ Fortnight sidebar of the Cannes Film Festival in May. It is the first feature film directed by Price Williams, the cinematographer of Owen Kline’s “Funny Pages” (2022), Abel Ferrara’s “Zeros and Ones” (2021), Michael Almereyda’s “Tesla” (2020), Alex Ross Perry’s “Her Smell” (2018) and the Safdies’ “Good Time” (2017). The screenplay is by film critic and programmer Nick Pinkerton. “The Sweet East” is a picaresque journey through the cities and woods of the Eastern seaboard of the U.S. undertaken by Lillian, a high school senior from South Carolina, who gets her first glimpse of the wider world on a class trip to Washington, D.C.

The Match Factory has acquired international sales rights on U.S. cinematographer and filmmaker Sean Price Williams’s feature directorial debut The Sweet East ahead of its world premiere in Directors’ Fortnight in May.

K.J. Yossman Lana Del Rey is set to headline London’s Hyde Park music festival this summer. The “Born to Die” singer will play BST Hyde Park in central London, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary, on July 9. BST Hyde Park is a concert series that takes place over two or three weekends every summer with a variety of headliners. BST (not to be confused with K-pop band BTS) stands for British Summertime. Del Rey will be joined by special guests at the gig, who are yet to be announced. She recently returned to music with her latest album, “Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd,” which she will include in her Hyde Park set.

Malina Saval Associate Editor, Features Growing up in Australia, civil rights in the U.S. were not part of Craig Emanuel’s school curriculum. So when the future power attorney moved to Los Angeles in the 1980s, he “read everything” he could get his hands on.  “I was fascinated,” says Emanuel. “And when it was the 50th anniversary of the marches on the Edmund Pettus Bridge [in 2015], I turned to [my wife] and said, ‘I want to go to Selma.’”  An avid photographer, Emanuel has “saved every negative [he’s] shot” from the age of 6. He’d photographed historic events like President Barack Obama’s inauguration and wanted to do the same in Selma, Ala. Upon the suggestion of a colleague, Emanuel reached out to the Faith & Politics Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded in 1991 to bridge racial, religious and political schisms among politicians. Rep. John Lewis, who died in 2020, organized the group’s annual civil rights pilgrimage to Selma. Emanuel and his wife made plans to join the organization there.