Vice Media Is Prepping for Bankruptcy Filing, Seeks Buyer, Says New York Times

Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, arriving at the Ms Foundation awards ceremony for Women shortly before a “near catastrophic” paparazzi car chase. A spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex said on Wednesday 17 May that the “relentless pursuit” lasted over two hours and “resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road”.

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor New York’s Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment has announced the full schedule of free programming for the sixth annual New York Music Month, taking place in June with concerts, performances, industry talks and workshops, and the community-sourced calendar for users to upload free and ticketed music events happening across the five boroughs — see the full schedule at NYMusicMonth.NYC.  “This New York Music Month, with a calendar jam-packed with celebrations — like the city’s 50 th anniversary of hip-hop — the beat of New York City will be heard around the world,” said Mayor Eric Adams. “Between the free rehearsal spaces, workshops, master classes, songwriting camps, and more, there is something for everyone sprinkled throughout the five boroughs, which, as music always does, will serve to unite, educate, and entertain us.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are calling out the paparazzi.

The Duchess of Sussex is being celebrated for her vision.

Ethan Shanfeld Andy Grammer, Walk the Moon, Moby, Mike Shinoda and Grace VanderWaal are among 150 artists and songwriters participating in New York City’s Anti Social Camp, taking place June 12-17. The biggest songwriting camp in the world, Anti Social Camp is free of charge and will feature 100 recording sessions, as well as a calendar of shows and parties. The goal is for artists, songwriters and producers to gather and create hit songs in a limited timeframe. Select songs will be curated for the inaugural Anti Social Camp compilation album, which will be distributed exclusively through music company Amuse.

McKinley Franklin editor NBCU has officially shifted the format of its “The Real Housewives of New York: Legacy” to an “Ultimate Girls Trip” format to stream on Peacocok, featuring former Housewives Kelly Killoren Bensimon, Luann de Lesseps, Dorinda Medley, Sonja Morgan, Ramona Singer and Kristen Taekman. After a low-rated 13th season and an influx of conflict, Variety broke the news that the “RHONY” would be revamping its format in a two-part strategy. First, Andy Cohen revealed that Bravo was focused on rebooting the flagship show with a brand-new cast, and the network would eventually launch a spin-off “Legacy” series that would cast original and former New York Housewives. 

Despite a sizable outcry from devoted fans, East New York ended its one-season run on CBS Sunday.

GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) announced recipients for 18 of this year’s 33 categories for the 34th Annual GLAAD Media Awards. Maren Morris received the Excellence in Media Award, introduced by Cynthia Lee Fontaine and Alyssa Edwards, and Jonathan Van Ness received the Vito Russo Award, presented by ALOK at the star-studded ceremony at the Hilton Midtown in New York.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor Trace Lysette is in a hotel room on 8th Street in New York City when she jumps on a Zoom video call with Variety to talk about her new movie, “Monica.” In just a couple of hours, she’s set to walk the red carpet at the indie drama’s premiere at the IFC Center. “I used to turn tricks a few blocks from there,” Lysette says. Like so many trans women, Lysette once turned to sex work as a means of survival. “I was a young person alone in New York doing God knows what to survive,” says Lysette, who was raised in Ohio. “Last night we had a screening at The [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community] Center here. That was so heavy for me because I got my gender identity therapy there 20 years ago.”

is joining a long list of suitors hoping to cash in on the gambling market after New York City was recently approved for a gaming license. The hip-hop artist and entrepreneur released a long-winded statement on Instagram Thursday from his entertainment company Roc Nation with the headline: “It’s Time, Times Square.” In an open letter to New York, Jay-Z makes his case for why he should be the one applicant granted the license, stating that others in the running have “spread misinformation.” He’s vying for what is predicted to be a single license to open a legal casino in the city.

Susan Sarandon is always willing to put herself on the line for a good cause.

It was good news-bad news day for CBS drama viewers yesterday. Fans of S.W.A.T. rejoiced when the network reversed its cancellation decision and renewed the veteran procedural for a 13-episode seventh and final season. But that tipped the scale for another CBS cop drama, freshman East New York, which was canceled shortly after. And in a case of bad timing, by being axed during a writers strike, East New York is far less likely to get a reprieve.

Selome Hailu CBS has canceled both the police procedural “East New York” and “True Lies” after just one season. According to sources, the decision to cancel the series came down to CBS haggling with the series’ studio Warner Bros. Television over the show’s budget, which included CBS asking that the cast of the show not get the customary pay increases going into the second season. It has previously been reported that CBS has renewed other shows on its lineup, like the comedy “Bob Hearts Abishola,” after asking the cast to take pay cuts or by shifting series regulars to recurring status. The drama series starred Amanda Warren as deputy inspector Regina Haywood, the newly promoted boss of the 74th Precinct in East New York, a working-class neighborhood on the edge of Brooklyn in the midst of social upheaval and the early seeds of gentrification. With family ties to the area, Haywood is determined to deploy creative methods to protect her beloved community with the help of her officers and detectives. But first, she has the daunting task of getting them on board, as some are skeptical of her promotion, and others resist the changes she is desperate to make.

“The Kelly Clarkson Show” is moving production to New York from Los Angeles.The Daytime Emmy-winning talk show is set to begin filming Season 5 at NBC Studios in the 30 Rockefeller Plaza in front of a live studio audience for a fall premiere. The show’s current season has finished filming, with new episodes set to roll out for at least the next two weeks.

a glowing profile of Elizabeth Holmes, which painted the Theranos founder, who was found guilty of defrauding investors out of more than $100 million, as a “devoted mother” who volunteered for a rape crisis hotline.The profile, written by former writer at large Amy Chozick, opens with a flowery description of Holmes as “blend[ing] in with the other moms” at the San Diego Zoo as she cares for a newborn strapped to her chest and “swathed in a Baby Yoda nursing blanket,” as Chozick noted that Holmes has ditched her black turtlenecks for a new maternal persona.As people reacted to the profile, which documented several ocean-side meetings between Holmes and Chozick, many Twitter users were taken aback that the author was clearly charmed by Holmes, whose company’s historic downfall was portrayed in “The Dropout.”Former CNN host Soledad O’Brien remarked, “nice to be a pretty white lady working your charm on a NYT reporter.”“My Friend Bernie Madoff: Cold-Blooded Crook Who Defrauded 37,000 People or Affable Schnorrer Who Made Mistakes?” writer Joyce Carol Oates added while another user commented that Chozick “spent a lot of time with Elizabeth Holmes and got conned just like her board, her investors, her employees.”“For every glowing puff piece you see trying to rehabilitate Elizabeth Holmes’s image, I want you to remember something,” another user wrote.

the Wall Street Journal.The journal cited people familiar with the matter who it did not name. Vice did not immediately respond Friday to a request for comment.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Struggling media company Vice Media Group is gearing up to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection — and then sell itself to some of its backers for about $400 million, according to a new report. The Brooklyn-based company post-bankruptcy arrangement to sell to investors including Fortress Investment Group and Soros Fund Management would value it at $400 million, the Wall Street Journal reported. That would be less than 10% of its once high-flying $5.7 billion valuation back in 2017. The New York Times last week reported that Vice was prepping a bankruptcy filing. A spokesman for Vice Media declined to comment. Representatives for Fortress and Soros Fund Management did not respond to requests for comment.

Rihanna is sporting some New York pride with her latest fashion moment.The 35-year-old singer, who is currently pregnant with her and A$AP Rocky's second child, stepped out with her best friend, Melissa Forde, for a Thursday night out on the town in a stylish white miniskirt and jacket with a bright red New York Yankees logo on the front. Rihanna paired the outfit with matching, slouchy white boots and silver-and-ruby earrings. Rihanna has clearly been taking as many chances to go out before baby number two arrives -- the pregnant singer was just seen with boyfriend A$AP Rocky on a date night Wednesday, two days after the couple closed out the red carpet at the 2023 Met Gala on Monday.The new parents made their grand entrance in style, with Rihanna wearing a custom design by Valentino that stunned her fellow stars still on the carpet.

Rihanna is showing some New York pride!

New York Times report that cited more than 30 women who worked for the league who described “a stifling, deeply ingrained corporate culture that demoralized some female employees, drove some to quit in frustration and left many feeling brushed aside.”James and six other state’s attorneys general sent a letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to express concerns about that report and called on the league to address allegations of workplace inequity, the AG’s announcement said. The NFL said it responded to that letter and was apparently surprised at the escalated investigation.