Virginia Showbiz Latest News and Updates

Abigail Zwerner is ready to tell her story.

Wednesday evening’s episode, contestant Karen Morris made a bad choice with her bet when it came to the final rounds of the trivia show — and she lost big time.Morris was in the lead with earnings of $21,800, while the other players had scored $7,100 and $6,400.During the Double Jeopardy segment, Morris opted for a huge bet — $10,000 — in an attempt to emerge as the victor of the game.“This artist the younger was working on yet another portrait of Henry VIII when he died in 1543,” host Ken Jennings said in giving her the clue, and the veterinary student, head shaking, struggled to come up with an answer before time ran out.“I’m sorry — Hans Holbein the Younger, the painter,” Jennings said, to which Morris responded in a whisper: “OK.”When it came down to the Final Jeopardy round, the category was “American Novelists,” and the Virginia native had just $11,400 to her name.The clue: “He served with an airman named Yohannan in World War II, and despite what readers might think, he enjoyed his service.”The correct answer was “Catch-22” author Joseph Heller, and Jennings underscored the importance of Morris’ forthcoming response, saying, “She had a big lead before tangling with that last Daily Double — she needs to get Heller her.”Unfortunately, a blank-faced Morris, who had wagered $6,001, wrote Hunter S. Thompson — the “gonzo journalist” known for “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.” With a shrug, she unceremoniously dropped to $5,399 and a third-place finish.Fans couldn’t help but scoff and roll their virtual eyes at Morris’ blunder.“Karen Morris might be the dumbest #jeopardy player in history.

The Smile have confirmed that they have been working on their second album.The supergroup – made up of Radiohead‘s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood and Sons Of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner – told fans the news at the end of an email newsletter that was announcing additional North American tour dates. “We’re deep in recording, week 7,” The Smile wrote.

On social media, writer/director Christopher McQuarrie just announced that Rolf Saxon, the actor who played unlucky CIA agent William Donloe in Brian De Palma’s 1996 masterpiece “Mission: Impossible” will be returning for the eighth film, “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part Two” (due out in the summer of 2024).If, for some reason, you don’t have an encyclopedic knowledge of the franchise, in the first movie Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his team, then comprised of Luther (Ving Rhames), Krieger (Jean Reno) and Claire (Emmanuele Béart), stage an audacious break-in at the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. This involves sneaking into the “black vault,” an ultra-secure CIA database overseen by William Donloe, an analyst at the agency.

Prince Andrew had to fork over a TON of cash to settle his sexual assault lawsuit, which was brought forth by accuser Virginia Giuffre. And for the first time since the case closed last February, we’re getting all the details that led up to the Duke of York giving up the fight!

Jack White has praised Metallica for their recent acquisition of Virginia-based vinyl pressing plant Furnace Record Pressing, while also urging the major record companies to start building their own vinyl pressing facilities as production delays continue.“Huge congratulations to the boys in Metallica for purchasing their own vinyl record pressing plant”, wrote White on Instagram. “Welcome to the cause gents! And thank you for putting your money to amazing creative use! Here’s hoping the major labels will also see this as further proof, and finally start investing in themselves.

Tisha Campbell and Yvette Nicole Brown are the leading ladies of, a new sitcom on Bounce TV. The half-hour comedy tells the story of three vibrant, successful Washington D.C.

Australian actor Peter Hardy shared some 'reasons to be cheerful' online just an hour before his sudden death while snorkeling at a West Australian beach.  The 66-year-old was pulled unresponsive from the water at about 10. 40am at  Fremantle's South Beach on Thursday, shortly after sharing a series of photos online.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Nearly a week after the Oscars, the hurt and disappointment of a missed opportunity still weighs heavily on the minds of some South Asian American dancers, who are setting out to ensure it never happens again. Many in the South Asian dance community were dismayed by the astonishing dearth of South Asian representation in the “Naatu Naatu” performance at Sunday’s Academy Awards. While singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava were on hand to perform their hit tune from Tollywood smash “RRR” — which made history for India that night by winning best original song — they were joined on stage by not a single dancer of South Asian heritage.

Jack White has responded to Metallica buying their own vinyl pressing plant, calling it an “outstanding” move.This week, the metal icons purchased a majority stake in Furnace Record Pressing in Alexandria, Virginia, one of the largest pressing plants in the United States.White, who owns the Nashville-based Third Man Records and last year, wrote an open letter to major record labels urging them to build their own vinyl pressing plants, has welcomed the news in a message directed to the band.“Welcome to the cause gents!” And thank you for putting your money to amazing creative use!” White wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of Metallica.“Here’s hoping the major labels will also see this as further proof, and finally start investing in themselves,” he added. “Outstanding.”In the comment section of the post, Metallica replied: “So unbelievable and grateful to be able to do this after all these years.

reported Friday.The inquiry began late last year after TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, admitted that employees had wrongly captured information of American users of the social app, including data from two journalists and some of their associates, the Times reported.The U.S. government as been concerned for years about the growing popularity of TikTok and the influence the authoritarian Chinese government has over the company and how the app is used.Both the Trump and Biden administrations have investigated TikTok amid these concerns, and now FBI and the U.S.

EXCLUSIVE: Acrophobia sufferers look away now, the makers of vertigo thriller Fall are plotting a sequel after the film became an unexpected hit on Netflix internationally.

Princess Beatrice is to be played by actress Charity Wakefield in the new Netflix film about Prince Andrew’s car crash BBC interview. The upcoming film - called Scoop - is based on a book by producer Sam McAlister, who negotiated and secured the explosive Newsnight booking.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent MALAGA, Spain —  “My Parents’ Great Bazar,” from “Ane is Missing” co-scribe Marina Parés, bio “Costus,” on the iconic Madrid Movida artists, and “Villa Futuro,” a queer old age drama from “Locked Up” star Alberto Velasco, all feature among eight winners of Tell Us the Stories That Nobody Tells, a diversity drive contest for movies and TV shows backed by Netflix and Dama, the Spanish audiovisual authors’ rights collection body. Announced Wednesday at an awards ceremony hosted by the Malaga Film Festival, the winners of the competition, which forms part of the partners’ Cambio de Plano initiative, will receive €6,000 ($6,348) a piece. 

After telling all nearly 22 years ago, Bebe Buell wants to set the record straight. The former model and rock star muse, who went on to become a momager to daughter Liv Tyler, first co-wrote a memoir titled "Rebel Heart" in 2001. But this time, the 69-year-old was eager to share her story on her terms.

Axios confirmed to Vanity Fair that Montgomery is no longer with the company but did not elaborate. The news website is based in Arlington, Virginia. It was launched in 2017 by former Politico journalists Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen and Roy Schwartz.Perhaps he should have considered being a journalist, not an activist or propagandist.The email sent from the Florida Department of Education Press Office billed the upcoming DeSantis-hosted event as “exposing the diversity equity and inclusion scam in higher education.” DeSantis has previously called his state “where woke goes to die.” A recent ban of more than 80 titles in Martin County schools that included works by Jodi Picoult, James Patterson and Toni Morrison went into effect earlier this month.

Sticking up for her. Hilarie Burton Morgan recalled how former costar Chad Michael Murray attempted to defend her amid an alleged assault during One Tree Hill season 4.

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Clipse (a.k.a Pusha T and No Malice), Grace Jones, Lil Wayne, Skrillex, Lil Uzi Vert, Mumford & Sons, Lil Yachty, Summer Walker and more top the lineup for Pharrell Williams’ Something in the Water festival, returning to Virginia Beach from Friday, April 28 – Sunday, April 30. Presented by Walmart and produced by IMGoing and Live Nation, the full lineup is 100 Gecs, Aminé, Ayra Starr, Babyface Ray, BadBadNotGood, Black Sherif, CHIKA, Clipse, Coi Leray, d4vd, Doechii, Feid, FLO, Flo Milli, gigi, Grace Jones, Jay Pharoah, Jazmine Sullivan, Jessie Murph, Kamasi Washington, KayCyy, Kaytranada, Kehlani, Kenny Beats, Kid Cudi, Kitty Ca$h, Latto, Lil Durk, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Wayne, Lil Yachty, Machine Gun Kelly, Maren Morris, Masego, Mumford & Sons, Nile Rodgers & Chic, NLE Choppa, Polo G, Remi Wolf, Riovaz, Saucy Santana, Skrillex, Summer Walker, SWV, The Kid Laroi, UMI, Wale, Weston Estate, Wet Leg, Wu-Tang Clan, Yendry, Yvngxchris and Pharrell’s Phriends. Tickets are available now.

We all know there are production capacity issues with vinyl right now. What can you do as an artist? How about you buy your own pressing plant? That’s what Metallica have done and I don’t see why you can’t too.The band have acquired a majority stake in the Virginia-based Furnace Record Pressing, which they have been working with since 2014 – pressing up more than five million pieces of Metallica vinyl in that time.“Building Furnace into the dedicated and experienced family of experts that it is today has been a huge effort, but immensely gratifying”, says the company’s founder Eric Astor.

Huh. A really interesting new wrinkle in the ongoing University of Idaho murder investigation almost went completely under the radar over the weekend.

Metallica have purchased a majority stake in a vinyl pressing plant in Virginia.Furnace Record Pressing in Alexandria, Virginia is one of the largest pressing plants in the United States, with 12 Pheenix Alpha presses and two Finebilt presses.In the past, it has pressed a host of reissues for Metallica, including box set vinyl of their albums ‘Kill ‘Em All’, ‘Ride The Lightning’ and ‘Master Of Puppets’.The band are now majority partners in the plant, which was founded in 1996 by Eric Astor. In a statement, Astor said: “Building Furnace into the dedicated and experienced family of experts that it is today has been a huge effort, but immensely gratifying.“Knowing our long-term future is secured while also being better able to take advantage of growth opportunities is really exciting for every member of the Furnace staff.”Metallica’s Lars Ulrich said: “We couldn’t be more happy to take our partnership with Furnace — and Eric, Ali and Mark specifically — to the next level.

Johnny Depp may be returning to the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise in its next instalment.Depp, who’s faced a number of years in the Hollywood wilderness following legal troubles with ex-wife Amber Heard, has been the face of the films as Captain Jack Sparrow. And, now it seems that the producer behind the swashbuckling blockbuster series, Jerry Bruckheimer, has hinted that Depp may return to the role in a sixth Pirates film.Bruckheimer was on the red carpet at the Oscars this week for his work on Top Gun: Maverick, and during a Q&A with Entertainment Tonight he revealed he’d “love” for Depp to return in the next Pirates movie.Asked if he could say anything about the new film in the Disney-owned series, Bruckheimer said: “We’re all working on it [the next Pirates film].

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor In a move that signals the unexpected strength of the vinyl market, Metallica has acquired a majority interest in one of the largest vinyl pressing companies in the U.S. —  Furnace Record Pressing, a leading provider of high-quality vinyl records and related services. The acquisition formalizes a long-standing relationship between the band and the company, which has produced more than five million pieces of Metallica vinyl since 2014. The projects include the deluxe boxed-set editions of Metallica’s “Kill ‘Em All,” “Ride the Lightning,” “Master of Puppets,” “…And Justice for All,” “S&M2” and self-titled albums.

Charna Flam Kristin Bjorklund, co-executive producer of “Family Feud” for 40 years died on March 5. She was 67. Bjorklund was on the kidney transplant list for years, and following her surgery on March 2, she developed an aggressive infection from the incision. After attending Dartmouth, Bjorklund started her career at Goodson-Todman Productions. By 1982, Bjorklund joined “Family Feud,” making the game show her home for 40 years. In 2019, and after producing well over 2,000 episodes, the producer won an Emmy Award for her work on the series. “Family Feud” co-executive producer, Brian Hawley wrote “Kristin Bjorklund was my coworker, my buddy, my sister from another mister. She could be feisty, strong-willed and oh-so-anal, but she had a fun, raunchy sense of humor and there was nothing better than hearing her laugh” Hawley added, “When my life was a mess or my house was falling apart, I called Kristin. Without Kristin’s friendship, my first few years working in Atlanta wouldn’t have been tolerable.”

Kenny Loggins is leaving the “Danger Zone” and heading toward the highway to retirement.The iconic rocker will play just 18 concerts on his upcoming ‘This Is It’ farewell tour and then that’s really it.“I just had my 75th birthday, and I feel like it’s time,” Loggins told the Herald-Tribune.From March 10 through Oct. 29, the “I’m Alright” singer will hit venues all over North America including stops in Jacksonville, FL on March 12, Williamsburg, VA on June 17 and his final gig ever (for now) in Highland, CA on Oct.

BreAnna Bell “Act Your Age” earns another win for Alyson Fouse and Bounce TV. The sitcom starring Kym Whitley, Tisha Campbell, and Yvette Nicole Brown opened to an audience of 2.14 million total viewers with its two-episode back-to-back premiere on March 4 on Bounce TV, according to figures from Nielsen. Thus, making it the most-watched half-hour series launch in Bounce history. The initial airing was also pushed with a special presentation on Bounce’s sister network, ION. “It’s the storytelling. It’s wonderful and I think there needs to be something said about how it really well represents black women in America today. That’s a real breath of fresh air,” said executive producer and David Hudson. “It’s fun, it’s funny, it’s engaging, it’s reflective. I think it has real broad appeal for a lot of women, men as well.”

Prince Andrew has reportedly been left feeling "furious" after finding out he could be banned from wearing Knight of the Garter robes at King Charles' upcoming coronation. Andrew, 63, may not be allowed to don the ceremonial robes, which signify his position as Knight of the Garter, at the coronation in May, with Charles, 74, said to be currently deciding what his younger brother should wear.

It's thought King Charles could ban Prince Andrew from wearing ceremonial robes at his Coronation ceremony this Spring - just days after evicting Prince Harry and Meghan Mackle from Frogmore Cottage - so he could move in. It's claimed the Duke of York is furious about being kept in the dark over the decision in whether he can dress in the grand velvet robes.

seven broad issues including schools and education, healthcare, free speech, access to accurate IDs, public accommodations, weakening of civil rights laws, marriage, and more. The number of anti-LGBTQ bills introduced has more than tripled since mid-January, and far exceeded the total number of bills introduced in all of 2022, which was 278.Oklahoma has the most anti-LGBTQ bills so far at 35, followed by Missouri (34), Texas (29 bills), Tennessee (26), Iowa (28), Mississippi (24), Indiana.

transgender athletes from competing in sports that match their gender identity; and ban gender-affirming care, not only for minors, but some legally recognized adults in their twenties.Narissa Rahaman, the executive director of Equality Virginia, told Metro Weekly that some of the “forced outing” bills were especially pernicious.One measure would have required school administrators to out students to their parents, regardless of whether trans-identifying students have discussed their identities with their parents or whether they may be living in a home with parents who are not supportive of LGBTQ identity.“There was one forced outing bill that would require a court order for a student to be able to update their name in their school record,” Rahaman said.  “And not just their official school record, like a roster, but just any sort of school document, like a library card reflecting their correct gender, would have required a court order.”Rahaman said the organization’s priority this year was primarily aimed at defeating such bills, although Equality Virginia was monitoring other pro-LGBTQ measures that were introduced, including three bills — one introduced by Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria), one introduced by Del.

A new beginning. Sarah Ferguson opened up about how her life has changed in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II’s death.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Sideshow and Janus Films have bought North American rights for “Orlando, My Political Biography,” Paul B. Preciado’s film which won four awards at the Berlinale. In “Orlando, My Political Biography,” Preciado sheds light on Virginia Woolf’s “Orlando,” the first novel in which the main character changes sex in the middle of the story.  A century later, Preciado, who is a trans writer and activist, decides to send a film letter to Woolf, telling her that Orlando has come out of her fiction and is living a life she could have never imagined. Preciado organizes a casting and gathers 26 contemporary trans and non-binary people, from 8 to 70 years old, who embody Orlando.

isn't the only royal redhead with a best-seller on his hands. Sarah “Fergie” Ferguson, the , is a writer as well, and she's set to release her second novel, , this week. The 63-year-old is currently making the rounds to promote the historical fiction book, which is the follow-up to her 2021 best-seller, .

Streaming giant Netflix has shocked and scared fans so much that they are having nightmares after watching their latest thriller flick, The Fall. Netflix is no stranger to creating stand-out shows that instantly capture the hearts of its dedicated audience, and from You to Wednesday, Sex Education to Love is Blind, there is something for everyone.

Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa have announced a massive joint tour titled ‘High School Reunion’ across North America.Snoop announced the 33-date run via a poster on Instagram on March 7. The tour will kick off on July 7 in Vancouver before wrapping up the run in Irvine, California on August 27.

Peter Debruge Chief Film Critic As a critic, I’m always looking for a fresh challenge, which is one reason I took up writing about theater: It still has the capacity to scare me. I’ve reviewed nearly 1,700 movies in my time at Variety, but how to weigh in with authority on stage productions of William Shakespeare or Samuel Beckett when I haven’t seen most of their work performed, but know it only by reputation? Last year, I was nervous going in to a fresh revival of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” at Los Angeles’ Geffen Playhouse, as I had only the Mike Nichols movie as a reference point. How to judge Calista Flockhart’s performance, and what might I compare it to, not having seen Uta Hagen play Martha on Broadway? (I did manage to track down a vinyl recording of that show, but still…