ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Did Adele Just Confirm She's Married? Singer Calls Simon Konecki Her "Husband" During 2017 Grammys Acceptance Speech. Surprise! Adele may be one of the most famous faces in the music industry, but the "Hello" singer made sure to keep her top-secret wedding to longtime boyfriend Simon Konecki under wraps. The "Hello" songstress appeared to confirm her relationship status as married during Sunday night's 2017 Grammys. While accepting the award for Album of the Year, she thanked many close to her including "husband" Simon. Both the singer and Simon were also sporting rings on that finger while inside the Staples Center. Shortly after the show, however, Adele referred to Simon as her "partner" while in the press room. Her rep had no comment Sunday evening. While very few details are known about Adele and Simon's special day, one guest of the couples' nuptials is for certain... their son Angelo. The 28-year-old British star has recently completed her sold-out world tour and she took to the stage to joke about what she was planning to do on her time off. "My son is about to turn 4 very, very soon. I'm starting to get very emotional about it because I feel like once they turn 4, they're not really your actual baby anymore. So my womb is starting to ache a little bit. 'Baby, baby, baby, need a baby, need a baby.'" She later clarified to the audience at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena, "I'm not pregnant. I won't get pregnant until the end of the tour." And speaking of the end of the tour, Adele hopped on social media to thank everyone for all of their hard work during the grueling months on the road. "I just finished my 107 shows in 10 months. 100 percent live every night. I bloody smashed it, even if I do say so myself. You lot have been incredible, every night you've been so beautiful, loving and engaged," she wrote back in November. "My band and my crew you made the whole thing turn and my beautiful family made it easy for me to do." Congratulations to the newlyweds on the exciting family news! (Eonline)

Hannah Jeter Is Pregnant! Model Expecting Baby Girl With Derek Jeter. Derek Jeter and Hannah Jeter are about to hit parenthood out of the park. The former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover girl is expecting the couple's first child, the 26-year-old model announced on The Players' Tribune Monday, recalling how she fell in love with the athlete without knowing about his famous baseball career at first. "Now, pregnant with our first child, Derek and I are looking to the future," the model wrote. "He already has a name in mind -- he's set on it. (We'll see.) He'll say when he calls me during the day: 'So, how are you and so-and-so doing?' 'That's not the name yet, sweetie.' Whatever her name is, I know she'll run circles around him." While they prepare for this little one to arrive, the mom-to-be is looking to the future with several kids in mind. "Derek and I will want our children to understand that the lives they've been given are so fortunate, in so many ways. We'll want them to learn to help others, and to care for others, and to give back to the world. We'll let them know that they are strong and smart, and that they can do anything they put their minds to. I hope they'll be honest like their father. I hope they'll be stubborn like me. I hope that they know what they want and won't settle for less," she continued. "And if they want to play baseball, well, we're gonna have a little talk first." She and the retired New York Yankees shortstop married in July 2016 after dating for three years. "They are extremely excited and in love!" a source told E! News. "They can't wait to spend their lives together." Now, they are fulfilling another lifetime wish to start a family -- something the athlete has been looking forward to since before he finished his iconic baseball career in 2014. "I look forward to having a family. I just don't think personally I would have been able to juggle family and my career at the same time...I have the utmost respect for these guys that are able to do it -- you know, missing their kids' birthdays and not being able to see them play tee ball or summer ball and missing a lot of time," a then-single Jeter told Brian Williams days before he played his final game on the team. "So, it's another reason why I feel as though now's the time. I mean, I want to have a family. Who knows when it's gonna be? But I look forward to it." Just three years later, the star athlete is now a married man with his first child on the way. As for his 26-year-old right-hand woman, Davis wanted a partner that valued family above all else. "Trying to impress you with material things? I think that's lame," the Project Runway: Junior host previously told Maxim. "I wanted someone whose family is a big, important part of their life." Congratulations to the mom and dad-to-be on their home run news! (Eonline)

Madonna had multiple good reasons to end her custody war over Rocco ... if she didn't, her bid to adopt two kids from Malawi would have come to a grinding halt. The judge who green lit Madonna's adoption last week spent a long time understanding the circumstances surrounding her custody dispute with ex-hubby Guy Ritchie ... so says an official from the Malawi courts. We're told the dispute was of "paramount concern" because the judge didn't want the adopted kids thrown into a "toxic" family environment. Since the case settled and all seemed copacetic with Guy, the judge gave the thumbs-up. As we reported, Rocco bailed on Madonna a year ago during her tour and moved to London to be with Guy. Rocco now spends the school year in London and summers in NYC. A court-appointed guardian will travel to the U.S. and evaluate the family dynamic before the adoption's finalized. (TMZ)

Nick Cannon doesn't see himself shooting the next season of "America's Got Talent" ... after NBC execs considered firing him over a racial joke he told in his comedy special. TMZ broke the story ... NBC and 'AGT' honchos felt Nick had disparaged them and breached his contract by joking the network doesn't want him using the n-word, and insinuating it generally crushes his swagger while hosting 'AGT.' The special aired Friday night on Showtime. THE NBC JOKE That news pissed off Nick ... who now says he's loved hosting 'AGT' but "my soul won't allow me to be in business with corporations that attempt to frown on freedom of speech, censor artists, and question cultural choices." He also says he doesn't care about the millions they pay him. He adds, "I cannot see myself returning." He told Howard Stern last week that he'd sue if they ever fired him over a joke. As we told you, NBC decided to let the whole joke slide, but Nick clearly isn't forgiving. He ended his FB post with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King -- "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter." (TMZ)

Actor Don Cheadle had a lot to be thankful for on Grammy night. The Miles Ahead writer, director, and star won his first Grammy for best compilation soundtrack for visual media for the film. "It's great to have it come full circle," Cheadle, 52, told reporters at Universal Music Group's 2017 Grammy afterparty in Los Angeles on Sunday night. "It started with the music, and to be able to really honor [Miles Davis] in that way and kind of put the music back in front, that was the goal from the beginning, so I'm glad that we could do that." Something that wasn't as surprising as his Grammy win was news breaking that his pal George Clooney is expecting twins with wife Amal. "I heard it some time ago, but I'm very happy for him. I'm going to have to raise them," he joked. When asked if it was a difficult secret to keep one of the most high-profile pregnancies a secret, Cheadle didn't hesitate: "We keep each other's secrets." But he did have some thoughts on his Ocean's costar's parenting skills. "He's going to be a terrible parent, and we're going to have to handle that for him," he joked. "We're going to take the kids." His advice for his friend is pretty much the same -- send them to him. "As soon as the kids come out, send them to us or they're going to be ruined," he reiterated. "That was the advice." Cheadle knows a thing or two about raising kids. The actor has two children -- Imani Cheadle and Ayana Tai Cheadle -- with longtime love Brigid Coulter. (Page Six)

THE OTHER STUFF . . .

Rihanna and Her Grammys Flask Are the New Leonardo DiCaprio and His Vape Pen. They said it was a love that couldn't be topped. They said they were a match made in heaven. They said no two people (or person and thing, rather) were ever more perfect for each other. Well move over, Leonardo DiCaprio and Leonardo DiCaprio's vape pen, because there's a new It Couple in town. We give you: Rihanna and Rihanna's flask. The happy twosome arrived to the 2017 Grammys arm-in-arm, first hitting the red carpet. The flask took a backseat from the attention for the occasion, preferring to let Rihanna shine in her element for the photographers. It takes a very confident couple to understand when it's one person's moment, ya know? But they were together soon enough, and have stuck by each other's side throughout the entirety of the show. The lovers were first spotted together as the camera panned by: You can see Rihanna here giving a coy eye to whoever decided to out them. She would clearly rather be left alone to enjoy her flask than have to endure any type of fake smiling or laughing just for the television audience's sake. When next she appeared alongside her flask, during that Carpool Karaoke bit (which she was having none of), she decided to take a sassier approach and look the camera directly in the eye as if to say, I know you see me with my flask, but I don't care. I'm in love, I'm in love, and I don't care who knows it! But Rihanna is not a selfish person. Sure, she is having a great time with her flask and occasionally forgets that she is even at the Grammys in the first place, but she does not need to be the only person reaping the benefits of this beautiful relationship. If somebody else wants to take her flask for a spin, who is she to stand in the way? The answer is nobody. She'll gladly pass her flask around for anyone who needs a little help making it through the extra-long telecast. Of course, we still have a few questions. Mainly, what is in that flask? Is it vodka? Whiskey? What if she's trolling all of us and it's just Diet Coke? Just kidding -- that concept is more absurd than asking Leo to part with his vape pen. Live long and prosper, Rihanna's flask. (Eonline)

John Legend Hilariously Compares Chrissy Teigen to a "Toddler" at Grammys 2017 After Her "Fun Dip Incident." John Legend just called out Chrissy Teigen! The couple stopped by E!'s Live From the Red Carpet at the Grammy Awards 2017 and dished to host Ryan Seacrest about Chrissy's recent "Fun Dip incident" which caused her fingers to turn green just hours before the award show. "I had a Fun Dip incident and I ate them with my fingers," Chrissy explained. "I know you're supposed to use the stick, but I used the stick as an appetizer." Chrissy tried to explain herself, but John couldn't help but call out her eating style. "She uh...eats like a toddler," John laughed. Chrissy then showed off the remaining green Fun Dip on her hands. After discussing Chrissy's Fun Dip incident, John dished on his upcoming performance at the Oscars. (Eonline)

What a mess! Chrissy Teigen and John Legend couldn't wait to ditch the glamor of the Grammys and get home for a round of "Toilet Trouble." The Sports Illustrated supermodel posted a series of videos to Snapchat on Sunday, February 12, showing her attempting to assemble the hilarious game. Still wearing the long, black gown and heels she wore to the star-studded award show, Teigen was slumped on the ground giggling as the miniature toilet flushed and sprayed water. "I'm going to die," she captioned one of videos that she also shared on Twitter. Teigen, 31 and her hubby, 38, were also joined by Legend's brother Ron Stephens, who joined in with the childish fun. Although Teigen looked amazing on the red carpet, the day before the music event she accidentally dyed her fingers bright green. The down-to-earth star took to social media to get some advice on what to do with her discolored digits. "I ate fun dip with my fingers last night and I'm stained and Grammys are tomorrow," she wrote. "I've tried everything please help." Fortunately it looked like someone gave her a winning remedy, because she looked stunning on the big day. (US Weekly)

Teyana Taylor -- the star of Kanye West's "Fade" video who is now working on her own album -- tells Page Six that she and her husband, basketball star Iman Shumpert, like to keep things fun in the bedroom. "I'm someone who likes to role play [sexually], so I am into dressing up," the singer-dancer told us before Naomi Campbell and Kendall Jenner walked the runway in the La Perla show on Thursday. "La Perla is perfect for me. The robes, the bras, the panties. Good cops, student, teacher's pet. Like, I'm the bad student, [Iman's] the college professor who tells me I have to stay to get extra credit... We kind of do it all." Also there was Gwyneth Paltrow. (Page Six)

Carol Alt is glad she made it as a model in the '80s. "It seems like in order to be a model [now] you have to have a big following on social media or have a reality show. Thank goodness I came up when I did. I am the daughter of a fireman. Who would put me on a cover?" she told Page Six as she sat front row at the Nicole Miller show. "I remember having to take language classes and walking classes before I could do interviews in public. I remember learning to read a teleprompter and speaking properly." (Page Six)

Debbie Reynolds' memorabilia and costume collection has found a home ... her North Hollywood dance studio, which is being turned into a museum. Todd Fisher, Debbie's son, tells us the studio has 6 rooms for dancing, and now 2 of them will house her collection. Renovations are underway. Some of the items ... Debbie's SAG Life Achievement Award and Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, along with costumes from 'Molly Brown' and "Singin' in the Rain." Todd says they'll consider transferring some items to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures when it eventually opens, but for now it'll all live in the studio. Debbie opened the place in 1979 and a bunch of celebs, including Lucille Ball, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Bette Midler, Cher, Usher and Mariah Carey, rehearsed there. TMZ broke the story ... Debbie died of a stroke in December just days after her daughter, Carrie Fisher, passed away from cardiac arrest. Debbie was 84. (TMZ)

Chris Evans is a bachelor again after his split from Jenny Slate ... and he looks a lot like a bro on the prowl. Chris was partying in Houston Saturday night with some childhood friends, where we're told he invited a few ladies from a bar back to his buddy's private mansion shindig nearby. Sources tell us one of the girls looked dead-on like his ex, Jenny, but with red hair. What followed next was nothing short of a good old fashioned bro fest ... backward hats, SOLO cups and all. We're told Chris was raging pretty hard -- along with the other guests, who left behind underwear in the pool -- and even jumped over a couch just 'cause ... albeit, it was off camera. Return of the Cap? (TMZ)

Music

Attention Music Lovers: DJ Khaled Just Dropped a Brand New Song With Beyonce and Jay Z. The 2017 Grammy Awards just wouldn't be complete without new music! As the curtains closed following an incredible Sunday evening of show-stopping performances and surprise moments, DJ Khaled released a brand new single featuring the king and queen of music -- Beyonce and Jay Z. The track, called "Shining," dropped exclusively on Tidal (because, duh) and features Bey's iconic vocals and her rapper hubby's signature rhymes. Safe to say it won't take any time at all for "Shining" to dominate the top of the charts. The single's cover art is pretty darn cute as well, as Khaled's son Asahd Tuck Khaled, who he welcomed last October with fiance Nicole Tuck, poses in a black and white tuxedo under a spotlight. Meanwhile, Queen Bey experienced quite a night at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards. Between making her baby bump debut with a stunning performance dedicated to the Knowles-Carter fam's soon-to-be bundles of joy, two wins for Best Music Video and Best Contemporary Album, and daughter Blue Ivy Carter's can't-miss cameos, the night belonged to the Lemonade artist. Beyonce broke down in tears as Adele accepted the award for Album of the Year, an incredibly competitive category she was also nominated in. The 25 performer praised Bey for her limitless accomplishments in the music biz, telling her directly onstage, "The Lemonade album was so monumental and so well thought out and so beautiful and soul-baring. We got to see a side of you that you don't always let us see." As for DJ Khaled, he received two nominations of his own for Best Rap Album and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. (Eonline)

Adele Makes History After Winning Album of the Year at 2017 Grammy Awards. Congratulations, Adele! The British superstar has yet another reason to celebrate at the 2017 Grammy Awards because she just won Album of the Year for her third studio album, 25. She officially makes history as the only artist in Grammys history to sweep the Album, Record and Song of the Year twice. Adele, who brought the entire Staples Center to its feet after a stunning performance dedicated to late music icon George Michael, beat out Beyonce (Lemonade), Drake (Views), Justin Bieber (Purpose) and Sturgill Simpson (A Sailor's Guide to the Earth). During her acceptance speech, the "Hello" songstress -- looking gorgeous in the forest green-colored gown she rocked on the red carpet -- opened up about motherhood and gushed about who else? Queen Bey. "It took an army to make me strong and willing again to do it," Adele shared, breaking down in tears. "Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Five years ago when I was last here, I also was pregnant and I didn't know and I was awarded that shortly after... In my pregnancy and through becoming a mother I lost apart of myself. I struggled, and I still do struggle being a mom. It's really hard." Adele called the unforgettable win a "full circle" moment, adding that a "bit of me has come back to myself." She also thanked the "artist of her life," Beyonce, who also started crying while watching from the front row. "The Lemonade album was so monumental and so well thought out and so beautiful and soul-baring," she explained. "We got to see a side of you that you don't always let us see." 25 skyrocketed to the top of the charts directly after its release in November 2015. Music critics praised the album, which went on to sell 8.03 million copies. Adele leaves the 59th Annual Grammy Awards with all five of the awards she was nominated for -- Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Pop Solo Performance and Best Pop Vocal Album. Here's to a night Adele won't soon forget! (Eonline)

David Bowie Wins All 5 Posthumous 2017 Grammys He Was Nominated for and Receives Moving Tribute From Son. David Bowie won all the awards he was nominated for at the 2017 Grammys -- five, marking more than the number he received when he was alive. The late iconic rock star won Best Alternative Rock Album, Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical and Best Recording Package for his 25th and final album, Blackstar, and Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song for the lead single "Blackstar" at Sunday's ceremony. "So proud of you dad! Would hold you up forever. ? #grammys2017," his only son, Duncan Jones, 45, tweeted alongside a throwback photo of him as a teen or young adult, carrying his father. Blackstar was released on Jan. 8, 2016 -- Bowie's 69th birthday. He died two days later after a long cancer battle, which he never revealed publicly while alive. A month after his death, Lady Gaga gave a tribute performance to Bowie onstage at the 2016 Grammys. He had previously won Best Video, Short Form in 1984 for his clip "Jazzin' for Blue Jean" and also received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2006 Grammys. Bowie's 2017 Grammy Awards mark the first he was nominated for and won in musical categories. Bowie was nominated for a total of 11 Grammy Awards from 1984 to 2014, including one nod for Album of the Year for his 1984 record Let's Dance and five nods for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance for songs such as his 2001 hit "Thursday's Child." The singer attended the Grammys once in the years he was nominated -- the 2014 ceremony, during which he performed with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. He rarely attended award ceremonies. The Who's anthem "Baba O'Riley" played as Bowie's Blackstar band members accepted his Grammy for Best Rock Performance on his behalf. "Working with him on Blackstar introduced me to an artistic genius, a kind man and a funny as hell guy," said saxophonist Donny McCaslin. "In one email, during the early stages of recording Blackstar, he sent me the following message: 'Donny. The structure of the song is sound but now we need to throw a pen light beam on the rest, like a PI scouting a motel room. I'm so excited, I just vomited up a 1967 Mercedes.' That's how it was with him! Collaborative, funny and always ready to try new things." "I'm a better artist and a better person for having known him," he added. After Bowie was announced the winner in the Best Rock Song category, presenter Katharine McPhee said, "We accept the award on behalf of David bowie, like all our musical heroes, his music is forever." (Eonline)

Prince Honored By Bruno Mars and The Time During Electrifying 2017 Grammys Tribute. Gone, but certainly never forgotten. And how could we, with a performance as flashy as that?! Prince's presence was definitely felt during the 2017 Grammy Awards, as Bruno Mars and The Time took the Staples Center stage to perform a medley of the late music icon's greatest hits. The Time, who worked closely with the legendary pop artist during his heyday, kicked off the funk with electrifying performances of Prince's "Jungle Love" and "The Bird" on Sunday evening. Mars, who The Recording Academy announced would perform in mid-January, brought the house down with his own rendition of "Let's Go Crazy." He channeled Prince's signature style in a purple sequined suit, ruffled white blouse and black eyeliner. Prince's unexpected passing rocked the music world when he died suddenly from an opioid overdose on April 21, 2016, at his famous Paisley Park home at the age of 57. The Grammy Awards is synonymous with Prince's lasting legacy, as he received seven awards and more than 30 nominations across his decades-spanning career. This year, he received a posthumous nomination for Hit N Run Phase Two in the Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical category. Ahead of their tribute performance, The Time teased in a pre-Grammys interview they would "rip it up" and make it "funky, nasty." "Prince is living through all of us," Jimmy Jam explained, adding, "There's not a day that goes by that his influence on us isn't out there. So this is for him. Our performance is something we know he would enjoy and we know he's going to have a good time because he's going to have a good time. That's just a reminder about how important he is in everybody's life, but certainly in our lives." Since his death, fellow musicians including Stevie Wonder, Madonna, Sheila E., Erykah Baduh, The Roots, Maxwell, Janelle Monáe and Jennifer Hudson have all dedicated emotional performances to Prince at various award shows across the past year. Also at the 2017 Grammys, Blue Ivy Carter channeled the Purple Rain star's signature style in a hot pink pant suit and ruffled blouse. (Eonline)

Katy Perry has come a long way since her "I Kissed a Girl" days. The pop star's new single "Chained to the Rhythm" made its live debut at the Grammy Awards on Sunday and broke Spotify's streaming record -- and according to her, there's plenty more where that came from. "I'm ready to ride 2017," Perry, 32, told the People/Entertainment Weekly Network on the red carpet, noting that her new single is just "the first taste of a lot of different flavors" on her upcoming new album. "Obviously, you're going to get all that fun, kind of 'me,' fluffy stuff that you love. There are songs that are like 'California Girls' and 'Teenage Dream,' " she said. "But I think there's definitely another angle that you have yet to see because I just feel something totally different." As for what sparked the evolution? "I don't know it's because I'm 32 or I've been doing this for a minute or I just decided to like, wake up a little bit more, but the voice that I feel like I've found in the past year, I think "Chained to the Rhythm" is a good example of that -- and then some other songs that are coming!" she explained. "So I'm very excited, I'm just going to let them roll out one by one and hopefully the people will love them." And of course, with Perry, new music also means a new hair color. "Honestly, it was kind of the last hair color I haven't done," Perry said of her new platinum blonde locks. "So I was like: 'I guess I'll be blonde now!' I guess this is it." (People)

Chance The Rapper's 'Coloring Book' Is First Streaming-Only Album To Win a Grammy. Chance the Rapper's handful of Grammy wins (Best New Artist, Best Rap Album, Best Rap Performance) at the 59th annual awards represent just how far an independent artist -- who gives away his music for free -- can go. Chance merely being nominated for Best Rap Album is a win in and of itself as Coloring Book kicked open the door for streaming-only releases. Though the Recording Academy has been adamant about the fact that the mixtape's success had nothing to do with the eligibility revision that allows records released through streaming platforms to be eligible for Grammy consideration, the timing of the revision in conjunction with Chance's release set the rapper up for a groundbreaking win -- which is exactly what he got. Considering Chance is the only artist to have submit a streaming-only album for Grammy consideration, it makes sense he has since become the first artist to win with such, though the win wasn't a guarantee. Drake, Kanye West, De La Soul, ScHoolboy Q and DJ Khaled were all nominated in the same category, stiff competition that led Chance to remark during his acceptance speech, "I didn't think we were going to get this one." Best Rap Album is just one of three Grammys Chano walked away with Sunday night; he also took home Best Rap Performance ("No Problem") and Best New Artist -- accolades which are all agreeably well deserved. In addition to appearing on stage to accept his awards, Chance also delivered one of the evening's last performances of the night with a Coloring Book medley of hits starting with "How Great" and ending with "Alll We Got." (Billboard)

Carpool Karaoke: The Series: Where Can You Find Ariana Grande, Wedding Surprises, Will Smith and Helicopter Rides. Carpool Karaoke: The Series is coming. The Late Late Show segment is getting its own spinoff on Apple Music and the series' first sneak peek was shown during the 2017 Grammys, naturally, which were hosted by Late Late Show's James Corden. In the trailer, get a glimpse at what it's like when other celebrities are in the driver's seat -- but don't fret because Corden, who is an executive producer on the series, will also appear. Corden's episode at the wheel is with Will Smith. "We couldn't be more excited to be partnering with Apple Music on this exciting new series of Carpool Karaoke," Ben Winston, executive producer of The Late Late Show With James Corden and Carpool Karaoke, said in a statement when the show was announced. "The joy of Carpool is both the intimacy it creates, while seeing the love our passengers have for music. Where better to showcase that than with Apple Music." And the action leaves the car too -- the show will take the celebrities to meaningful places from their past and to surprise fans. There's a wedding surprise, laundromat stop, helicopter ride, basketball court shenanigans and more. Season one of Carpool Karaoke: The Series features Smith, Corden, Billy Eichner, Alicia Keys, Metallica, John Legend, Ariana Grande, Seth MacFarlane, Chelsea Handler, Blake Shelton, Michael Strahan, John Cena, Jeff Gordon, Shaquille O'Neal and more. And don't worry, Carpool Karaoke will also remain a Late Late Show segment. New episodes will debut on Apple Music soon. "We love music, and Carpool Karaoke celebrates it in a fun and unique way that is a hit with audiences of all ages," Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of internet software and services, said in a statement. "It's a perfect fit for Apple Music -- bringing subscribers exclusive access to their favorite artists and celebrities who come along for the ride." (Eonline)

Why Adele Refused to Let the Grammys Ruin Another Performance. Adele wasn't about to let history repeat itself. At the 2016 Grammys, she suffered technical difficulties while singing "All I Ask." At the time, Adele's microphone fell onto the piano keys. Producers switched to a backup sound system, which caused a momentary audio drop. "We had the most complicated show on television," Academy President Neil Portnow said last year. "Period. End of story." Portnow praised the singer for being a "professional" and said Adele did a "great job" in spite of the mishap. "We certainly don't like when those things happen," he said, "but those things happen sometimes." Try explaining that to Adele, who said she "cried pretty much all day" after the televised disaster. "It threw the whole thing off," she later told Ellen DeGeneres. "Next time I have any sound issues, I am going to start over. [I'll say,] 'Sorry, that's not working for me.' Otherwise, bye! In fairness, I would have cried if it went really well. If it was a standout performance, I would have cried as well. I always cry. I was so embarrassed...It can't get much worse than the Grammys." Surely things couldn't go wrong again, right? Adele opened the 2017 Grammys with "Hello," and it went off without a hitch. But when the time came to pay tribute to George Michael, she was challenged by technical difficulties again. James Corden set the somber scene. "On Christmas day, the world woke up to the tragic news that George Michael had sadly passed away. George was an artist like no other -- a true original, one of the finest male vocalists of his generation," the host said. "His music had an honesty and openness that excluded no one. In times of sorrow or joy, his music was a partner and friend." "He had an incredible ability to make you feel that whatever you were feeling, you weren't alone. If he's here tonight, somewhere looking in on us, I know he'd smile and be so proud tonight that this artist is performing this song," Corden said, "To George -- who we love and will always miss -- this is for you. Here with a new arrangement of his song 'Fastlove,' it's Adele." All eyes were on Adele as she paid tribute to the music legend. But, about a minute into Michael's 1996 classic, Adele stopped the music. "I know it's live TV. I can't do it again like last year," the singer said. "I'm sorry for swearing and I'm sorry for starting again. Can we please start it again? I'm sorry, I can't mess this up for him. I'm sorry. I can't." "I'm sorry for swearing," she added. "I'm really sorry." Adele restarted her performance, and when it was over, she received a standing ovation. With tears in her eyes, the British singer mouthed "thank you" several times before exiting the stage. Metallica suffered technical issues moments after Adele. According to an eyewitness, James Hetfield "chucked his guitar" to his tech and looked "very mad" about his band's sound issues. The Recording Academy has not commented on Adele or Metallica's technical issues. The organization did, however, encourage Adele to keep singing: "You got this, girl! #GRAMMYS." (Eonline)

Lady Gaga and Metallica Are the Latest Victims of the Grammys Equipment Curse. How do you follow up a critically (and social media) acclaimed performance at the Super Bowl? You go to the Grammys, of course. And that's exactly what Lady Gaga did. Just one week after she wowed the crowds in Houston, she dominated the Staples Center, too. The singer wasn't up for any actual awards this time around (her most recent album, Joanne, wasn't eligible because of its release date), which made for all the more reason to have some fun during the time she did have onstage. Introduced by Laverne Cox, she started her performance in true rock n' roll fashion: Wearing a Metallica tank top and jumping around on the stage with none other than the band itself. It may seem like a random pairing, especially given Gaga's recent stripped-down musical aesthetic on Joanne, but true Gaga stans will recall that the singer used to be a go-go dancer to Metallica and other hard rock groups. She got right into the swing of things -- or should we say head bang of things. Gaga did it all: She rocked, she rolled, she swung around without a care in the world. And, in true rock n' roll fashion, there was a major equipment malfunction. Maybe Mercury is in retrograde, or maybe the Grammys tech guys are just trying to make things interesting, but either way we know one thing: Lead singer James Hetfield's microphone didn't work at all. For the first few bars of the performance the audience was treated to simply Gaga's voice and Metallica's instrumentals. But, ever the pioneering professionals, they made do: Gaga and James simply shared a microphone. They didn't let it get them down, and Gaga in particular didn't let it get in the way of her desire to crowd surf. The singer threw herself into the arms of her adoring public, and if we didn't know better we would have thought it was 1985. Long live rock n' roll, and Lady Gaga. (Eonline)

She ain't sorry. Solange Knowles threw shade at the 2017 Grammy Awards after her older sister, Beyonce, lost to Adele for Album of the Year on Sunday, February 12. Following the star-studded show, the "Weary" singer, 30, retweeted a link to Frank Ocean's post recent post criticizing producers Ken Ehrlich and writer David Wild for giving the top honor to Taylor Swift's 1989 and not to Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly last year. "wuddup frank," Solange tweeted. Solange presented at the Grammys and won for Best R&B Performance for her song "Cranes in the Sky." Ocean published his post via Tumblr on Saturday after Ehrlich and Wild alluded he didn't submit his universally acclaimed 2016 albums Endless and Blonde for consideration this year because of his "faulty" 2013 performance. "Yea yea my 2013 performance at the Grammys was absolute shit. Technical difficulties, blah blah. F--k that performance though. You think that's why I kept my work out of the Grammy process this year? Don't you think I would've wanted to play the show to 'redeem' myself if I felt that way?" Ocean, 29, responded. "I've actually been tuning into CBS around this time of year for a while to see who gets the top honor and you know what's really not 'great TV' guys? 1989 getting album of the year over To Pimp A Butterfly." Ocean also decided not to attend the Staples Center event. "That institution certainly has nostalgic importance," he said in a 2016 New York Times interview. "It just doesn't seem to be representing very well for people who come from where I come from, and hold down what I hold down." (Justin Bieber and Kanye West also were no shows.) Adele's 25 also beat Queen Bey's Lemonade for Record of the Year and she took home Song of the Year for "Hello." This is the first time ever that an artist has won all three categories twice. The British star, 28, previously won all three for her second studio album, 21, in 2012. Adele didn't think she deserved to win the biggest award of the night. She praised Beyonce, 35, for her "monumental" Lemonade album during her acceptance speech. "I can't possibly accept this award, and I'm very humbled and very grateful and gracious, but my life is Beyonce. And the album to me, the Lemonade album, Beyonce, was so monumental and so well thought out. And so beautiful and soul bearing and we all got to see another side of you that you don't always let us see, and we appreciate that," she said. "And all us artists adore you. You are our light. And the way that you make me and my friends feel, the way you make my black friends feel is empowering, and you make them stand up for themselves. And I love you. I always have." Beyonce, for her part, led the pack with nine nominations and won Best Urban Contemporary Album and Best Music Video for "Formation." (US Weekly)

Laverne Cox Apologizes to Metallica Failing to Mention Them During Grammys Intro. Laverne Cox apologized to Metallica Sunday night after she failed to mention them in the introduction to their 2017 Grammy Awards performance. Lady Gaga and the heavy metal group were set to take the stage together, but the Orange Is the New Black star only said Mother Monster's name. "Ladies and gentleman, all my gender non-binary people watching tonight, eight-time Grammy award winners and six-time Grammy winner, Lady Gaga," Cox said onstage. Metallica fans immediately turned to social media to call out the 32-year-old actress for her flub. "Metallica thing is pissing me off. Laverne Cox doesn't intro, then mic doesn't work. That's a legendary band. No respect paid by Grammys," one user tweeted. "Worst intro EVER @Lavernecox, you forgot to even SAY @Metallica cuz you were too caught up in your own crap. #GRAMMYS," wrote another. Eventually Cox apologized to the band. But Cox's faux pas wasn't the only misfortune Metallica endured Sunday night. During the band's performance with Lady Gaga, Metallica lead singer James Hetfield's microphone didn't work at all. For the first few bars of the rock 'n' roll performance the audience was treated to simply Gaga's voice and Metallica's instrumentals. The combination of errors made fans feel that the Grammys disrespected the legendary heavy metal band, but both Gaga and Hetfield pushed forward and shared a microphone. (Eonline)

Twenty-One Pilots Goes Pantsless to Accept the Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 2017 Grammys. There really is no dress code at the 2017 Grammys. Just ask Twenty One Pilots. After winning the award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for their hit song "Stressed Out," Twenty One Pilots members Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun immediately got up and removed their pants, choosing to walk up to the podium in their underwear. (Briefs > boxers, for this duo, BTW.) Yes, they really did drop trou on music's biggest night. But before you think it was a stunt, Tyler used the duo's acceptance speech to explain the OMG moment. "This story, it starts in Columbus, Ohio, it was a few years ago and it was before Josh and I were able to make money playing music," he explained. "I called him up, and I said, 'Hey Josh, want to come over to my rental house and watch the Grammys? As we were watching, we noticed every single one of us was in our underwear, and seriously, Josh said to me, and we were no one at the time, he turned to me and he said, 'If we ever go to the Grammys, if we ever win a Grammy, we should receive it just like this.'" His speech earned laughs and applause from many members of the audience, including Rihanna and Halsey, who were also nominated in the category. (Even host James Corden later felt inspired to drop trou!) He finished his speech with an inspirational message, saying, "I want everyone at home whose watching to know that you can be next. So watch out, OK, because anyone from anywhere can do anything." And they can do it without wearing pants. To take home the award, Twenty One Pilots beat out The Chainsmokers and Halsey's "Closer," Lukas Graham's "7 Years," Rihanna and Drake's "Work," and Sia and Sean Paul's "Cheap Thrills." (Eonline)

Maren Morris Beats Grammy Veterans Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood for Best Country Solo Performance. Watch out Nashville, because there's a new country music star at the 2017 Grammys. During Sunday night's award show, all eyes were on the Best Country Solo Performance category where veterans including Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Brandy Clark and Keith Urban were nominated. In a surprise turn of events, however, newcomer Maren Morris defied expectations and took home the prize for her song "My Church." "Oh, my goodness. This is so crazy," she shared with the audience during her acceptance speech. "Thank you to the recording academy." The 26-year-old continued, "11 years ago, I went to the first-ever Grammy camp. It was the first time I ever flew on a plane by myself to L.A. and it's crazy to be here a decade later." In addition to being nominated for four awards including Best New Artist, Maren was also scheduled to sing with Alicia Keys in a once-in-a-lifetime performance. "We're singing the last song on my record called 'Once.' I've never performed it on TV. So this is the first time we're doing it," Maren explained to Giuliana Rancic on Live From the Red Carpet. "I love her so much. We met on CMT's Crossroads a couple months ago and just sort of bonded. So this is a really organic way to come back together for my first Grammys." Before she takes to the stage again, however, Maren will simply take a moment to enjoy her new title as Grammy winner. "Thank you so much. This is amazing," she shared during her speech while trying to hold back tears. "And the fans. Thank you for giving me the most incredible year of my life." (Eonline)

2017 Grammy Awards: Katy Perry Reveals She Was "Taking Care" of Her Mental Health During Hiatus From Music. Let's welcome Katy Perry back to the music world! As the pop star prepares to take the Staples Center stage to perform her brand new single, "Chained to the Rhythm," at the 2017 Grammy Awards, E! News' Ryan Seacrest learned what she's been up to in the three years since releasing her last album. "It's called taking care of your mental health," Perry revealed, rocking a fresh platinum blond 'do and champagne feathered gown by Tom Ford, revealed. She called the hiatus "fantastic," adding, "and I haven't shaved my head yet!" As for what Katy Perry fans can expect from her upcoming fifth studio album, the songstress teased she's offering a bit of everything... with an edge unlike anything we've ever heard before. "I'm so proud of it. I think it's definitely a new era for me. I call it an era of purposeful pop," Katy shared. She explained, "All of my songs have always had layers to them, never one-dimensional. I think I used to be the queen of innuendo and I woke up a little bit more, educated myself a little bit more. Obviously I don't know all the answers, and maybe I'm a little bit more the queen of subtext." Not to fret, KatyCats! Perry also revealed, "You're going to have some of that good 'ol Katy Perry, fluffy stuff that you love so much," including a "pretty sexual" song called Bon Appetit. Ooh la la! "It's got a wide range of feelings and emotions and I just feel a little bit more conscious than I ever have," Perry added before trailing off into an expletive-filled response she instantly regretted. Ah, the beauty of live television. (Eonline)

CeeLo Green Debuts Gold Alter Ego at 2017 Grammys and the Internet Responds Accordingly. CeeLo Green is back and he's....gold! On Sunday, he made a surprise appearance on the red carpet at the 2017 Grammys while decked in gold from head to toe -- he sported a golden full-length tunic and a golden mask. He arrived on a motorcycle with a group bikers. He walked the red carpet, posed for photos and mugged the E! News camera for a bit before speeding off in a yes, a Batmobile. But not before flipping the bird. Twice. Naturally, the Internet was full of jokes. Some people pondered whether he came dressed like an actual Grammy -- even though the trophy is a gramophone, not a statuette -- while others wondered if he thought that going gold was his way of trying to win one. Actually, CeeLo just debuted a new alter-ego. The Gnarls Barkley singer and former The Voice coach has stayed away from the spotlight over the past few years amid legal issues and controversial tweets. He made headlines again two months ago over a viral video showing a phone exploding in his face. He later said he was okay and explained it was a clip for a new project called Gnarly Davidson, adding, "It's supposed to set up and introduce the new character identity." And on Sunday, he did just that, even promoting a new Twitter account for him. CeeLo had given a sneak peek of his alter-ego while dressed in a similar black outfit at the Primary Wave 11th Annual Pre-2017 Grammys party at The London hotel in West Hollywood Saturday. Welcome, Gnarly Davidson. (Eonline)

Halsey Had to Change Her Hair For "The Feeling" Because She Looked Too Much Like Justin Bieber. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices for your art, and sometimes those sacrifices are your hairdo, because it makes you look too much like Justin Bieber. Halsey hit the red carpet at the 2017 Grammy Awards Sunday night and revealed to Giuliana Rancic that for her duet with Justin Bieber on "The Feeling," she had to make a couple changes. "I had to change my hair because we looked too much alike while we were filming," she says of the music video. "I look just like him. If you catch me in the right light, I look a little bit like Bieber, especially from the back. So that was a little complicated, but we made it work." Halsey, along with Bieber and the rest of his team, is nominated for Album of the Year for Purpose. She's also nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance as a feature on The Chainsmokers' "Closer." When nominations were announced back in December, Halsey wasn't even aware that any of her work was eligible. "I didn't even realize that we could potentially have gotten a nomination, so I was just checking out what my friends were getting," she says of how she found out about the nominations. "I was eating, like, pretzel chips and all of a sudden I see our name, and everyone's texting me and texting me, and I was like, I'm in a dream! This can't be real." The singer decided to pay a little homage to '90s R&B on the carpet Sunday night with a Christian Wijnants tracksuit-inspired look. "I didn't want to wear a dress, so I figured, why not hit it with a silk number?" she says. "It's a little TLC, a little Aaliyah, kinda '90s R&B. I wanted to do something that was really sexy and androgynous." (Eonline)

Demi Lovato's Reaction to Being Nominated at the 2017 Grammys Was NSFW: "I Can't Say It on TV!" Warning: Demi Lovato is getting a little NSFW at the 2017 Grammys. OK, not really, but Lovato did admit to possibly dropping an F-bomb because of the awards show. Up for her first Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album for her fifth album, Confident, Lovato admitted her initial reaction to the nomination was NSFW. "Um, I can't say it on TV! But it was shut the [blank] up," Lovato told E! News' Ryan Seacrest on the red carpet. "That was the first thing that went through my mind." Making the nomination even more meaningful for Lovato? How personal Confident was for her. "When I was making the album, I wanted it to be something that sounded older and embraced all that I've been through and I feel like I accomplished that with this album." During the awards ceremony, Lovato will join Andra Day, Tori Kelly and Little Big Town for a special collaborative performance honoring the Bee Gees on the 40th anniversary of Saturday Night Fever. But Lovato, who rocked a gorgeous Julien McDonald gown, is already working on her next album, and teased what fans can expect. "I'm in the studio now. The progression from here is basically just keep doing what I'm doing, just grow with my music," the 24-year-old teased. "I'm going to try new things, new sounds. I'm going for a more soulful vibe rather than focusing on pop music and hopefully that'll be more authentic to myself and I can't wait to see what comes out of it." We can't either. (Eonline)

Here's Why Taylor Swift, Drake, Kanye West and More Stars Were Missing at the 2017 Grammy Awards. While the 2017 Grammy Awards definitely made history with some of music's biggest names -- like Beyonce, Adele, Lady Gaga and so on -- there's no denying a few famous faces were definitely missing from the audience. For example, we were looking forward to seeing what would happen when Drake attended the show among his previous flings, Jennifer Lopez and Rihanna. Needless to say, we were a little let down (admittedly) to find out he wasn't attending. Not to mention, The Weeknd performed, so we expected to see Selena Gomez in the audience supporting him. However, she, too, was missing as was Taylor Swift , Justin Bieber and Kanye West. These are some of music's biggest names, so where were they on music's biggest night? Let's start with Mr. Champagne Papi. The rapper was nominated for five different awards, so it's a bit surprising he wouldn't make an appearance. But, worry not, he wasn't just snubbing the show. Rather, he's in the middle of his world tour, and on Grammys night, he happened to be performing at the Manchester Arena in England. Still, he rooted for Rihanna and "Work," which saw a couple nominations. Kanye also saw five nominations but was absent from the show as he's been busy in New York City for Fashion Week. He is set to debut designs from his new Yeezy Season 5 line during on Wednesday, all the while rocking new, platinum blonde hair. T.Swift, on the other hand, was not nominated at all this year, which is likely the reason she was not in attendance. Luckily, J.Lo channeled her dancing spirit throughout the evening. This most puzzling of them all, however, is Gomez and (interestingly enough) Bieber. Like we stated before, SelGo's beau performed "I Feel It Coming," but, despite being spotted in Los Angeles this weekend, she wasn't in the audience singing along. Bieber saw four nominations this year and is set to perform at a Grammys after-party, but he was also no-show, seemingly without any reasoning. Perhaps Gomez, Bieber and T.Swift are all having a viewing party together, wearing pajamas and eating popcorn while fangirling over Beyonce's performance from the comfort of their own home! One can certainly dream, right?! (Eonline)

Waka Flocka Flame wants to make one thing clear ... Gucci Mane did not launch his career and Gucci's disrespecting Waka's mom. Waka talked to us Friday, days after he dropped the Gucci diss track, "Was My Dawg," where he clearly accused Guwop of stealing credit. Waka says his mom, Debra Antney -- a huge music manager who once repped Gucci, Nicki Minaj, French Montana, OJ da Juiceman and many others -- is getting the short end of the stick. (TMZ)

Movies

'Ghost In the Shell' Trailer: Scarlett Johansson Faces the New Villain in Town. The film hits theaters March 31. Scarlett Johansson is unraveling a mystery in the new trailer for Ghost in the Shell. A terrorist threat emerges, someone who is everywhere and nowhere -- but perhaps he's not as bad as he seems. The film is a reimagining of Mamoru Oshii's 1995 anime, and sees Johansson star as Major, a cyborg who leads Section 9, an elite task force. Rupert Sanders is directing the Paramount film, with Ghost in the Shell also starring Takeshi Kitano, Daisuke Aramaki and Michael Pitt is as the villain Kuze. Ghost in the Shell hits theaters March 31. (Hollywood Reporter)

Berlin: Canadian Producers Eye Bollywood as Chinese Film Financing Dries Up. Chinese attempts to curb capital spending abroad are seeing co-production partners suddenly scramble to replace lost equity commitments. Canadian film producers in Berlin this week are busily eyeing Bollywood for co-production opportunities after they were sideswiped by China looking to curb massive spending of money leaving the country. "We've met with producers [in Berlin] who had Chinese equity commitments in the eight figures, and now they have to figure out whether they will be able to get that money out of China, or not, to make their films," Jason Moring, of Double Dutch International, told the Hollywood Reporter. The Chinese government is making it harder to get Chinese money out of the country for any foreign investment, not just film. In early December, Beijing announced it was monitoring a pattern of "irrational" overseas investments in several sectors, particularly film, real estate and sports. In an effort to stem capital flight, which was seen as contributing to a devaluation of China's currency, regulators signaled that stricter oversight is on the way. China's concerns are understood to be twofold: that some companies are disguising capital flight as foreign investment, while others are using high-profile entertainment purchases -- a trendy sector among Chinese investors -- as a short-term strategy to boost stock prices. Difficulty getting film equity out of China comes at a time when Hollywood is increasingly shooting its studio movies in Canada, but local producers are having to look to two-partner and three-partner co-productions with Hollywood names to finance their films. Indian and Chinese producers have emerged as the Canucks' preferred foreign partners after European players, not least because the Chinese movie market is set to surpass North America's as the world's largest market, and Canada signed a first-time co-production treaty with Bollywood two years ago, which is only now kicking into high gear with a pipeline of projects. David Miller, a producer with A71 Productions who has produced two India-shot films by Canadian-Indian director Richie Mehta, Amal and Siddarth, said now is the right time to collaborate with Bollywood. "We're a multicultural country and there's an appetite for the exotic and social-issue films made in India," Miller told the Hollywood Reporter while attending the European Film Market. Canadian filmmakers like Deepa Mehta, Sturla Gunnarsson and Mehta have long made films in India, and large Indo-Canadian communities in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal are considered key overseas markets for Bollywood. The official co-production treaties with China and India enable producers from respective countries to share production coin and risk on film and TV projects. And Bollywood and Chollywood are looking to shoot more movies in Canada, as well as get more of their movies in front of the growing Indo-Canadian and Chinese-Canadian markets here. Canadian film sales rep and producer Marina Cordoni is in Berlin shopping Khoya, a drama by Sami Khan about an Canadian-Indian man who was adopted and returns to an India entirely foreign to him to search for his birth parents. She said movies that speak to both the Indian market and the Indian diaspora in Canada and elsewhere are hot properties. "Canada has so many diverse cultures, immigrants from Asian countries that might want to see a co-production, films about their lives in Canada, or Canadians in Asia. That's what Khoya does for the Indian community in Canada, and in India," Cordoni said. The hope in Berlin is that film producers in Mumbai and Beijing will use co-productions with Canada to bridge their audience gap with Hollywood movies. "For Canadian producers, we're open to helping them find any partner, in India or China, to make their movies," said Karen Thorne-Stone, president and CEO of the Ontario Media Development Corp., a key government financier for local producers, while in Berlin. At the same time, Canadians in Berlin are weighing whether India and China are a fad or future for their film industry, given the time and commitment necessary to make inroads into those markets, and which could be spent elsewhere, including in traditional markets like the U.S. and Europe. Thorne-Stone points to bigger challenges than China imposing capital controls. "There's questions of quotas limiting the number of foreign films, less control of your own release and certain topics being off limits for story-telling," she said. The uphill challenges aren't deterring Canadian producers, however. Mike McMillan, a producer with Toronto-based Lithium Productions, is screening Bruce McDonald's Molly Parker-starrer Weirdos in Berlin as he develops Canada-China co-productions with Chinese producing partners he met while completing a producing program at UCLA in 2011. "They do $50 million movies by day, and by night they work on $5 million passion projects," he said, which is where he comes in. McMillan agrees Canada-China co-productions with too few Chinese elements are unlikely to work. "Projects tend to die on the vine if they don't have a cultural fit," he insisted. Knowing what cultural elements to include, and what to leave out, is tricky. Colin Geddes, a veteran of Asian actioners after programming the Midnight Madness sidebar at the Toronto Film Festival for 20 years, and this week drumming up movie co-productions in Berlin, said Canada is an exotic and appealing locale for Chinese cinemagoers. "The Chinese like travelogue comedies, fish-out-of-water road movies so they can see what's around in the world they can go to," Geddes said. (Hollywood Reporter)

Berlin: Umedia Signs First-Look Deal With Egoli Tossell Pictures. The Belgian production-distributor will have first access to new films from the Berlin-based producer of 'The Last Station' and 'Filth.' Belgian film group Umedia has signed a development and first-look deal with Berlin-based production company Egoli Tossell Pictures, whose slate includes Michael Hoffman's Oscar-nominated The Last Station, Olivier Assayas' Golden Globe-winning miniseries Carlos and Jon S. Baird's Filth, featuring Split star James McAvoy. Under the terms of the deal, Umedia will co-finance Egoli Tossell's film development slate and have first-look rights to co-produce any projects developed. "This is a key part of our group's growth strategy and an important step forward as we continue to expand our catalog and production capability," said Umedia CEO Adrian Politowski. "Umedia and Egoli Tossell have worked together on a number of projects, most recently The Exception with Lily James and Christopher Plummer, and this deal is a natural extension of our ongoing collaboration." The deal follows Umedia's expansion into TV: The company recently announced the acquisition of Belgian TV production company Be FILMS and the independent production company Nexus Factory. Umedia also just opened new offices in Vancouver, adding to those it has in Brussels, Paris, London and Los Angeles. "We are excited about expanding our business relationship with Umedia," said Egoli Tossell's Judy Tossell. "Our partnership is tried and tested and gives us a strong European base for increasing our development capabilities while pooling our talent relationships with Umedias's network and clout." (Hollywood Reporter)

TV

This Is Us Fans Might Not Like Milo Ventimiglia's Message About a New Revelation. Milo Ventimiglia has a message for This Is Us fans. You may not like it. "Miguel [Jon Huertas] is aces," he told us about his TV best friend/step-dad to his TV kids at the NAACP awards. "First of all, I think we've got to remember Miguel is Jack's best friend, so already, if you love Jack, you should love Miguel." Ventimiglia looked right into the camera and your heart for this, guys. "And then, secondarily, you will learn something very, very good about Miguel's approach on life. He's a really, really great guy and I think people need to give him a chance," he said. You heard Jack Pearson. But will you do it? Ventimiglia, who ditched his Jack Pearson mustache for a scene in the This Is Us season one finale, also spilled to us that viewers are tweeting their addresses to have him come over after he posted a video surprising a fan who was watching the series as the cast and crew filmed next door. "It was pretty fun," he said. Ventimiglia made viewers swoon on not only This Is Us, but also Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life when he returned as (reformed) bad boy Jess. If he got the call from executive producers Daniel Palladino and Amy Sherman-Palladino to return to Stars Hollow -- and he was free -- he would, of course, do more Gilmore Girls. "I love to speak their beautiful words," he said. "I don't know if they're doing anymore. I think fans should just take it easy and be happy they got a couple more and live with that for the moment." This Is Us airs Tuesdays, 9 p.m. on NBC. (Eonline)

The Walking Dead's Midseason Premiere Just Showed Us One of the Coolest Zombie Kills Ever. The Walking Dead is finally back, and already we've got a ton of questions. Like: What will it take for King Ezekiel to come around and join Rick and the gang on the quest to destroy Negan? And: How long until Tara gives up that all-female community she came across so that the Alexandria camp can once again arm themselves in their fight? Also: What's the deal with Gabriel taking all the food? Plus: Who the heck are these people closing in on Rick, earning one weird grin from the beleaguered leader? But one thing we aren't asking one -- one thing we're absolutely certain on -- is that this episode had one of the most badass group zombie kills the show has ever pulled off. We're talking about, of course, that awesome set piece that saw Rick (Andrew Lincoln) in one car, Michonne (Danai Gurira) in another, a massive horde of zombies in between them, and one long string of wire connecting car to car that enabled the pair to drive at full speed as they literally cut every walker off at the knees. Executive producer and episode director Greg Nicotero promised a "stupendous" action sequence in the premiere and boy, he wasn't kidding. Seriously, we're hard-pressed to think of another sequence that comes close. Well done, The Walking Dead. Now, if we could only get some answers to our myriad questions above... What did you think of the big midseason premiere? The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on AMC. (Eonline)

'Girls' Team Previews Final Season's Focus on Friendship, Riz Ahmed's Return. Allison Williams explains what's behind her character's "tryst" with her bandmate-turned-husband. [Warning: The following story contains spoilers about Girls' sixth-season premiere, "All I Ever Wanted."] Girls returned for its sixth and final season on Sunday, ending its premiere with Hannah basking in the laid-back vibes of Riz Ahmed's surf teacher Paul-Louis and the other staffers at the Hamptons surf camp she visits as part of a writing assignment. Hannah and Paul-Louis' fling ends abruptly, just as she seems to be absorbing some of his peaceful, judgment-free vibes, when he casually tells her he has a girlfriend. But speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Dunham says Girls viewers haven't seen the last of Paul-Louis. "Riz's character comes back in a meaningful way later that I hope will be satisfying for people and you kind of get a sense of what she's gotten from him and what that relationship's meant," Dunham says, adding that she hopes Paul-Louis' brief return in the show's 10-episode final season "is emotionally resonant." As for the immediate impact of his chill mentality on Hannah, Dunham says, "That can be hard to carry back to New York with you but I do hope that she's holding onto that sense of releasing judgment. I think that's a lot of what the episode is about -- releasing judgment and embracing experience." Elsewhere, Marnie (Allison Williams), who's still in a relationship with Ray (Alex Karpovsky), begins having the affair with Desi (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) teased in the trailer for the season. The divorcing couple begins making out after Desi consoles her when Marnie expresses some insecurity about her musical abilities. During their pre-makeout chat, Marnie also reveals that her and Desi's tour "was a total shitshow" and that she's not inspired to make music now. Speaking to THR, Williams says at the start of season six, roughly six months after the events of the fifth season finale, Marnie's "in a freefall." The actress explains there's a connection between Marnie's insecurity and her infidelity. "When Marnie first started her ways, Lena explained to me that this is her blind spot in terms of mistakes she makes most frequently and won't learn until something happens, some real introspection. So Marnie's infidelity, which always comes from a place of insecurity and wanting to ground herself with someone rather than just herself just shows itself in a new iteration," Williams said. "She's sleeping with Ray, who she's feeling a bit detached from because of his attention to and connection with Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet). And I think that Desi reminds her of a version of herself that she was really happy about. Inspired, musically active, creative. And so I think dipping back with him and the illicitness of it is something that appeals to her." So how genuine are Marnie's concerns about her talent and future as a musician? "I think it's just a moment when she feels really at sea, because I think she feels like she doesn't have a real partner in the game and she finds out, over the course of their weekend getaway, why it feels like he's not all there," Williams says. "But also I think she feels like she's not being herself to the fullest. So I think she's caught in this weird grey area where she doesn't have a partner but she's also not sticking up for and being the individual that she wants to be. So she's just floating, and when Marnie's floating she tries to tether herself to the nearest dick." As for Ray's side of the relationship, Karpovsky says his character things are going "swimmingly" but might also be ignoring signs of trouble. "He's not a guy that picks up on even the most explicit social cues. I also don't think he wants to see the writing on the wall, see the little hints that things aren't correct between them. He thinks it's going pretty well," he says. And when asked how Ray would react if he finds out about Marnie's infidelity, Karpovsky says, "A part of him is very angry and disappointed, but a part of him is relieved because he sees a way out." While all four girls weren't together in the episode, viewers did see Marnie and Hannah having a friendly chat as the latter was packing for her beach assignment. And some tension between Marnie and Shosh became evident as Marnie seemed uncomfortable about Ray's lingering closeness to his ex-girlfriend. Although the fifth season ended with Hannah indicating she'd made her peace with Jessa (Jemima Kirke) and Adam's (Adam Driver) relationship, viewers have yet to see Hannah and Jessa interact again but a preview for the season indicated that things were still a bit rocky between the two. The same preview also suggested that there would be other tensions among the four friends, with Marnie calling them together for a bathroom group meeting. While Dunham admits that "there's a lot of spoilers in the bathroom fight," she and the other Girls cast members as well as co-showrunner Jenni Konner and executive producer Judd Apatow have indicated that the future of the four girls' friendships is a central theme in the final season. "It's always been the central question of the show: Do you stay friends with the people you were friends with because you were roommates with them or cousins with them?," Konner says. "When we first started, people compared us to Sex and the City all the time and I was like, 'Those women made friends as adults once they had jobs and lives. They are staying friends.' I can guarantee you they are still friends because they were their chosen family, whereas with our girls, you just never know." She adds that the tension in the group has been building since the fifth season if not longer, with Jessa and Adam's relationship contributing to that. "It's hard to make those friendships [last] as people grow and change and that felt like the real version of that to us of what life is," Konner says. Going back to the bathroom fight, Dunham and Williams say the scene represents Marnie trying to fix the reality of the girls growing apart. "Marnie's frustrated because what the audience has seen for so long, which is six years of characters who were at one point best friends growing further and further and further apart, she's finally becoming cognizant of and I think she in her type A way thinks that if she can gather everyone together she can fix it. But she realizes she doesn't actually have control over them," Dunham says. Williams adds: "I think what she sees are four individuals who have grown apart. But there's no reason, since they're intelligent women with so much shared history, there's no reason why they shouldn't be friends now. But it's a very real moment to realize that a phenomenon of friendship is that as people grow up, occasionally, they grow up into versions of themselves that no longer fit as perfectly together or can't pretend any longer or are just tired of pretending that it like works in that way. ... After you've all lived with each other in various permutations, how can you declaratively say, I don't know if this works and I don't know how worth it is? How much are we all getting out of this? And Marnie's hoping dialogue will save all." (Hollywood Reporter)

Princess Diana Documentary in the Works at ABC. The two-night, four-part event will air in August to coincide with the 20th anniversary of her death. Princess Diana is getting the documentary treatment. A new four-hour telecast looking at the life of the late princess will air in August on ABC, it was announced Monday. Made in partnership with People magazine, the project will air over two nights and coincide with the 20th anniversary of her death. Princess Diana died Aug. 31, 1997, at the age of 36 from injuries sustained in a car crash. The documentary will include interviews with those who knew her best as well as leading Diana experts, which will be interwoven with archival footage of the Princess of Wales, who later became known as "the People's Princess." The broadcast will also examine how Diana and her legacy have remained relevant in the years since her tragic passing. Emmy winner Maura Mandt will executive produce the project, which will be produced for ABC by Time Inc. Productions. Time Inc. will also handle international distribution. The two-night special is the latest venture into television for Time Inc., joining People Magazine Investigates for Investigation Discovery; Netflix's The Mars Generation, PBS' Beyond a Year in Space, The Making of SI Swimsuit 2017 for DirecTV Now; and Puppy Bowl: Where Are They Now on Animal Planet. "Princess Diana has appeared on the cover of People 57 times -- more than anyone in the history of the People brand," said People's Editor-in-Chief Jess Cagle. "Our audience has an insatiable appetite for news about the royal family; in fact, they are just as fascinated today as they were when Lady Diana was first introduced to the world back in 1981." ABC has found success with similar news-driven unscripted fare, most recently with last month's ABC News special, Truth and Lies: The Menendez Brothers. "Even 20 years after her untimely death, Princess Diana's legacy continues to impact our world," said Robert Mills, ABC's senior vp alternate series, specials and late night. "Our special will honor her memory and all the good that she did in her tragically brief life. Our partners at People are perfect to tell this story as they've extensively covered her life throughout the years." Born Diana Spencer, she came into the public eye when she married Charles, Prince of Wales, the son of Queen Elizabeth, in 1981. The couple divorced in 1996 and she left behind two children, Prince William and Prince Harry. (Hollywood Reporter)

HBO Europe Promotes Three Executives in Rejig of Original Productions Team. The company promotes three executive producers to vice president posts, reporting to Antony Root, executive vp original programming and production. HBO Europe said Monday that it has restructured its senior original production team and promoted three executive producers to vp posts as it continues to push into originals in Scandinavia and Spain. "The promotions recognize their achievements in drama series and documentaries and create wider areas of responsibility for the executive producers," it said. HBO Europe has focused on original dramas, miniseries and documentaries. In the reorganization, HBO Europe elevated Johnathan Young to vp original programming and production, HBO Central Europe. He assumes responsibility for the company's teams in Warsaw, Prague, Budapest and Bucharest. Steve Matthews becomes vp and executive producer, drama development at HBO Europe, with a brief covering Central Europe, the Nordics and Spain. And Hanka Kastelicova was promoted to the role of vp and executive producer, documentaries, with the company lauding "the wide-ranging success of HBO Europe's documentary output under her leadership." All three report directly to Antony Root, executive vp original programming and production, HBO Europe. "These promotions recognize our senior team's outstanding achievements over the last few years," he said. "The original productions they have overseen have been successful with local audiences, sold internationally, selected for major festivals and have received many awards." He added: "We are immensely proud of our programming achievements and that HBO Europe series and documentaries are now being seen and recognized internationally. This has only been made possible by the exceptional quality of our production executives. We look forward to continued success in central and eastern Europe and to building our original programming presence in the Nordic region and Spain." (Hollywood Reporter)