Paul Haggis Rape Accuser Wants to Raise Italy Case at New York Trial

As we are seeing this film festival season return to what we all knew and loved pre-pandemic, we are so excited to have one of the longest-running U.S.-based film festivals return for its 60th year (yes, 60!!).

Emanuel Okusanya It hardly seems possible that, more than three years after the blockbuster success of “Old Town Road” — which became the longest-charting single in Billboard history and the most-platinum-certified single, with 15 at last count — and many, sometimes-controversial videos and television performances, Lil Nas X is only now on his first major tour. The artist’s 29-date “Long Live Montero” tour made two sold-out stops at New York’s prestigious Radio City Music Hall this week, and he didn’t disappoint in terms of music or visuals (although he did keep things relatively PG, apart from kissing one of his male dancers behind a curtain).

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer A judge ruled on Friday that director Paul Haggis will be allowed to argue at his upcoming civil trial that the Church of Scientology is behind a rape allegation against him. Haggis is accused of raping publicist Haleigh Breest after a premiere in New York in January 2013. She sued him in 2017, and the case is set to go to trial next month. Haggis has claimed that the encounter was consensual, and that rape charge came in retaliation for his decision to leave the church and to become a vocal critic of it. Breest’s attorneys sought to block Haggis from pursuing that defense at the trial, saying it is nothing more than “speculative fantasy,” and that Breest and her other witnesses have no connection to the church. But her ruling on Friday, Judge Sabrina Kraus allowed Haggis to raise the theory.

Cardi B has taken a plea deal in her 2018 strip club brawl case, and as a result, the rapper will serve community service.The «I Like It» rapper appeared in New York court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to third-degree assault and second-degree reckless endangerment, both misdemeanors. Cardi had initially been indicted on 12 charges, including two felonies.

The Strokes played an intimate gig at The Glasshouse in Chelsea last night (September 8), as part of a New York Fashion Week kick-off event for designer Heron Preston and Bose. Watch moments from the show and view the setlist below.Following a DJ set by Preston, the Manhattan band started their performance with a quick jam session as frontman Julian Casablancas told the crowd “this is our sound check right here” before launching into ‘The Modern Age’.“I didn’t know about fashion week,” Casablancas also joked during the set.

Harry Styles is breaking his silence after a viral video had fans convinced that Styles spit on his co-star, Chris Pine, at the Venice Film Festival premiere of their upcoming film.A clip started circulating online Monday of 28-year-old Styles taking his seat next to 42-year-old Pine at the film's premiere in Italy. In the clip, the «As It Was» singer appears to do something with his mouth at the exact moment that Pine stops clapping, smiles and shakes his head.Soon after the clip began making the rounds, many fans were convinced that Styles had, in fact, spit on Pine in front of hundreds of attendees at the premiere. Styles addressed the incident while speaking to fans at his concert at New York's Madison Square Concert Wednesday.«This is our tenth show at Madison Square Garden,» Styles began.

US Open-dominating Serena Williams to a baseball signed by not only Babe Ruth but Jackie Robinson, too, a jaw-dropping selection of sports equipment and apparel — each with an opening bid that makes season-ticket prices look like chump change — will hit the auction block at Sotheby’s starting Tuesday. The auction is Part II of Sotheby’s “Invictus” event, the first of which, running simultaneously, is dedicated solely to selling off Michael Jordan’s jersey from Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals — his last-ever season with the Chicago Bulls.

Image: Bexter IX, Philadelphia, 2018 © Zanele Muholi

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer A Vanity Fair staffer who is portrayed in the Netflix show “Inventing Anna” filed a lawsuit on Monday, claiming she was falsely depicted in the series as “unethical,” “greedy,” “snobbish” and “disloyal.” Rachel Williams was a friend of Anna Sorokin, the convicted con artist at the center of the show. Williams was defrauded out of $62,000 and wrote a Vanity Fair article and a book about the experience.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer A judge on Monday denied a defense request to postpone Harvey Weinstein’s trial in Los Angeles in order to avoid publicity for “She Said,” a feature film about the exposure of sex abuse allegations against him. Weinstein is set to go on trial on 11 counts of rape and sexual assault on Oct. 10, and the case is expected to last at least through the end of November. “She Said,” a film based on the book by New York Times reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, is due out from Universal on Nov. 18. The film is also expected to have its world premiere at the New York Film Festival, which runs from Sept. 30 to Oct. 16.

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EXCLUSIVE: Start spreading the news! A new musical loosely based on Martin Scorsese’s 1977 film New York, New York will begin performances on Broadway, theater to be announced, in March 2023. Opening night will be in April, with Tony and Olivier Award winner Susan Stroman on board to direct and choreograph.