'SNL' Alum Cheri Oteri Revives Her Barbara Walters Impression to Ring in 2020

By Pete Hammond

Variety hosted its sixth annual Artisans Awards on Jan. 20 at the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara, where eleven artists were honored for their contributions to the best in film this year — including “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” production designer Barbara Ling, “The Irishman” costume designers Sandy Powell and Christopher Peterson and “Frozen 2” songwriters Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez — each sharing insight into their collaborations and filmmaking processes.

On the mend. Scarlett Johansson stepped out on the red carpet at the 2020 SAG awards with her fiancé, Colin Jost, on Sunday, January 19 — just two days after canceling her appearance at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival due to a “violent illness.”

Under the weather. Scarlett Johansson abruptly cancelled her appearance at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Saturday, January 18, due to a “violent illness.”

The 2020 Songwriters Hall of Fame class has been revealed, and it includes several big names in the music industry. Mariah Carey will join the hall this year, as will The Neptunes (aka Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo). They join songwriter Rick Nowels, ‘80s duo Eurythmics, foundational group The Isley Brothers, and rock icon Steve Miller.

Above all the titles screening at the 35th Santa Barbara Intl. Film Festival, a 13-minute world premiere short stands as perhaps the ultimate example of the event’s goal of presenting films that balance local interests and global perspectives. Titled “Santa Barbara,” the short is about director Diana Markosian’s mother, who came to the coastal California town as a Russian mail-order bride after seeing the NBC soap opera of the same name.

It may only be the second week of 2020, but we feel confident in saying we've already gotten to witness the first truly great show of the year: Cheer, a Netflix docuseries about a junior college cheerleading team. The six-episode series had little hype or promotion leading into its premiere on Jan.

Scarlett Johansson has gotten herself in trouble once again, this time for declaring her love for director Woody Allen in a Vanity Fair cover story.

By Diane Haithman

A Slimming World consultant from East Kilbride topped off a great year for her group by meeting comedian Alan Carr.

Sergio Mendes is set to perform after the world premiere of “Sergio Mendes: In the Key of Joy” at the Santa Barbara Film Festival on Jan. 18. The Grammy award-winning Brazilian musician will perform three songs and participate in a Q&A at the Lobero Theater with director John Scheinfeld.

Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn just had an epic date night!