ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Donald Glover Welcomes Baby No. 2 With Girlfriend Michelle. Donald Glover's 2018 is off to a pretty great start. The Atlanta star and girlfriend Michelle recently welcomed their second child together, E! News has learned. He confirmed the exciting news at FX's TCA, and when asked how fatherhood has changed him said, "It hasn't. I think my partner, she takes all the hard stuff to be honest. That's not even bulls--t... I haven't really had to change anything." Glover told Entertainment Tonight, who was first to report the news, "[Michelle's] great. She's good. Baby's born, so she's happier now." Glover, who also raps under the pseudonym Childish Gambino, let it slip at the 2017 Emmys that his longtime partner was pregnant with baby No. 2. "I want to thank Michelle, my partner, you love me even with how crazy I get," he said while accepting the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series award. "I want to thank my baby, my son, for just being the joy in my life. I want to thank my unborn son, we're listening to Stevie tonight." In 2016, E! News confirmed that the couple had welcomed a son named Legend. In an interview with E! News the multi hyphenate celeb said he loved to play music for his baby-to-be. "I put it on the headphones and then put it on the belly, and just listen up," Glover explained. "It's a good feeling!" Both personally and professionally, it's been a pretty exciting time for Glover. He made Emmys history as the first black star to win the Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series category last September, and will voice the role of Simba in the upcoming Lion King remake. Fans will also see Childish Gambino take the stage for a performance at this month's 2018 Grammy Awards. Glover is nominated for five awards, including Album of the Year for Awaken! My Love and Record of the Year for "Redbone." Congratulations to the entire family! (Eonline)

Matt Lanter and Wife Angela Welcome First Baby MacKenlee Faire. Matt Lanter is a dad! The 34-year-old 90210 alum and Pitch Perfect 3 star and his wife Angela Lanter welcomed their first child, a baby girl named MacKenlee Faire Lanter, just before the New Year. The two announced the news on Friday on Instagram alongside sweet photos of the couple cradling their daughter at the hospital. "Welcome to the world my little angel," wrote Matt, whose middle name is Mackendree. "I never knew how much I loved your daddy until I saw how much he loves you," said his wife. "@mattlanter and I are thrilled to introduce you to our new bundle of joy!" she wrote. "MacKenlee Faire Lanter was born on December 30th and weighed in at 6 lbs 11 oz and 20" long. She's the sweetest little angel baby ever." Angela wrote on her blog that she gave birth to baby MacKenlee via C-section because the baby was in a frank breech position. Angela said she was in labor for more than 13 hours beforehand. "Our sweet baby girl is so perfect with her head full of spikey, dark hair and the most beautiful skin tone I've ever seen," she wrote. "Mama and MacKenlee are doing so well. We have a house full of family in town visiting and taking good care of us. Daddy is so in love with his new baby girl. It melts my heart when I see them together. Matt is already the best daddy, pitching in however he can. Thank you for following along on this pregnancy journey with us. The past nine months have flown by and now our sweet little angel baby is already here in our arms." Angela had documented her pregnancy online and she and Matt had also hosted a podcast about it called Hello Bump. They had revealed in August they are expecting their first child and said on the podcast a month later that Angela is pregnant with a baby girl. "Thank you for all your love, support and prayers throughout this sweet journey to become a mama," she wrote on Instagram on Friday. "This week has been filled so much love, happy tears and, yes, sleepless nights, but we're blissfully in love with this sweet girl of ours. (Eonline)

HGTV Stars Ben and Erin Napier Welcome Baby Girl Helen. Ben and Erin Napier have a whole new reason to love their Home Town! The HGTV stars welcomed their first child together, a baby girl named Helen, according to an Instagram post shared on Thursday. Erin shared multiple photos of their little bundle of joy snuggled next to mom and dad in the hospital. "Helen," the home renovation guru lovingly captioned the snapshot. It was in October that the Home Town pair first announced they were expecting with a heartfelt dedication to the woman who inspired Helen's moniker. "She's a girl and we will name her after my grandmother," Erin wrote on her blog. "My prayer for Helen is that she will be brave and kind. I pray that she will not be bullied the way I was, and that she will be a protector of the ones who are. I pray that she will learn that from her father, the protector who loves the people in his life so well," she added. So when can viewers at home expect to meet little Helen on Home Town? In a recent conversation with E! News, the new 'rents shared they plan to take things slow when it comes to her television debut. "We're still new to this TV thing but we're more experienced at being on television than we are at being parents, so we're going to see how it goes," Ben explained. "Helen will be our priority and we'll wanna always protect her privacy and let her have the most normal childhood possible. She'll probably spend a lot of time behind the camera and not a lot of time in front of it." Erin and Ben also revealed their ideas for the nursery of Helen's dreams, which at the time hadn't progressed too far. "We're not prepared at all," Erin admitted. "It's hard to design for yourself. Luckily I have my best friend as a second set of eyes and she has a daughter so she's in the know about the things that I need and the things that I don't." Safe to say Elen will be one loved newborn. Congratulations to the entire family! (Eonline)

Reid Scott and Wife Elspeth Keller Welcome Baby No. 2. UPDATE: Reid Scott and wife Elspeth Keller are parents once more! A rep for the Veep star confirms to E! News that the couple welcomed their second child, son Damon Leif Scott, on January 4. The newborn weighed 9-lbs., 5-oz. ______ Reid Scott's family is growing! The actor told People exclusively that he and his wife Elspeth Keller are expecting their second child while walking the red carpet at Los Angeles premiere of his new film, Home Again. "We're very excited," Scott told the magazine. "She's about halfway, so I guess we're about almost five months pregnant. We're having another little boy." Baby number two will be the little brother to the couple's two-year-old son, Conrad, who was born in April 2015. So, how does Scott think his little man will adjust to being a big brother? "He's a chubby little guy, so he keeps seeing mommy's belly and then he looks at his belly and says, 'I have a baby, too,'" Scott shared. "He's going to be a great big brother. If he doesn't kill his little brother within the first six weeks, then we're going to be great." Scott had hinted to People that he and his wife were looking to expand their family back in May. "We definitely want more [kids]," he said at the time, "so should we be so lucky, yeah. I hope so." Although, he noted that Conrad was "going to be hard to top." "Number two is going to have some big, little shoes to fill," he said. The Veep star married Keller in June 2014 after getting engaged in April 2013. He told E! News that he popped the question during a trip to Palm Springs. "Neither one of us had ever been there before," Scott told E! News at the time. "But God, they just treated us right. It was great...I couldn't wait to get that ring off me and onto her." Congratulations to the growing family! (Eonline)

Haylie Duff Pregnant With Baby No. 2 Haylie Duff is pregnant! The 32-year-old actress is expecting her second child with Matt Rosenberg, she announced on Instagram Friday. "Round 2! Ryan thinks our new baby is growing in HER belly! #FamilyOf4," she captioned a photo of her daughter. Baby No. 2 means that they will now be a family of four! The couple welcomed a daughter named Ryan on May 11, 2015. "Haylie Duff and fiance Matt Rosenberg welcomed their first child, a baby girl, on Monday, May 11 in Los Angeles, CA," Duff's rep told us at the time. "Both mom and baby are doing great! Haylie and Matt are thrilled to finally meet their baby girl and become a family of three." Just over a year before welcoming their first child together, Duff and Rosenberg announced their engagement in April 2014. Duff shared with her fans on her website at the time, "This week has seriously just become the best week of my life! As if announcing The Real Girl's Kitchen tv show wasn't enough, Matt just took me by total surprise and proposed... on April Fool's Day of all days! The moment was genuine and sweet (like him!) and I couldn't wait to say yes!" Three years later and they're is expecting their second child! Congratulations to the couple! (Eonline)

Good Morning America's Lara Spencer Engaged to Rick McVey. Good Morning America co-host Lara Spencer is engaged to tech guru Rick McVey. Her rep confirmed the engagement to E! News on Friday. According to People, which broke the news, the morning-show host met her husband-to-be two years ago after being set up on a blind date by a friend. This will be the second time Spencer will say "I do." The Flea Market Flip star was previously married to CNN reporter turned real estate broker David Haffenreffer for 15 years. The two finalized their divorce in June 2015 after announcing their split that March. They share two children together. People reports that McVey is also divorced and has three adult children. He is the CEO of electronic trader company MarketAxess. Congratulations to the happy couple! (Eonline)

The Mindy Project's Fortune Feimster Is Engaged. The Mindy Project star and comedienne Fortune Feimster is engaged to her partner, Jacquelyn Smith. The two announced the news on Instagram on Friday. Feinster recently proposed to Smith during a trip to Big Sur, California. And The Mindy Project creator and star Mindy Kaling has offered to officiate their wedding! "After two and a half years with my beautiful lady, she's officially my feyonce," Feimster wrote, alongside a photo of the two on their trip, with Smith sporting a diamond engagement ring. "A few days ago Fortune asked me to join her on a magical adventure to Big Sur....yes, yes, a thousand times yes. #engaged," Smith wrote, alongside a pic showing her kissing her new fiancee. Kaling commented, "This is exciting!! I will officiate." Fortune replied, "YES PLEASE!!!!!" Actress Olivia Munn, who starred with Feimster in the 2016 comedy film Office Christmas Party, wrote, "Omg!! I call dibs on walking you down the aisle!!!" (Eonline)

Khloe Kardashian Plans to Give Birth in Cleveland. Khloe Kardashian plans to give birth to her first child in Cleveland. The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star revealed the planned delivery location on Thursday's episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!. The city makes complete sense considering Khloe's boyfriend Tristan Thompson plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers. In fact, it looks like several members of the Kardashian clan will be making the trip to Ohio. During the show, Khloe told Jimmy Kimmel she'd been in the delivery room for the birth of all of her sisters' babies and that she even witnessed mom Kris Jenner give birth to Kylie Jenner. However, not every family member may make Khloe's cut. The Revenge Body star said she wanted to consult her basketball beau first because having her whole family in the delivery room could be "overwhelming." Still, it looks like Kris is at the top of the list of family members Khloe wants to have by her side. After that, she's happy to have "whoever won't annoy me." "Whoever is going to be the calmest, I can deal with," she said. It looks like a family trip is in the works! "Watch out, Ohio!," Khloe teased. In addition to talking about the birth of her child, Khloe revealed she's received some "unwanted" baby advice from her family. For instance, she said Kourtney Kardashian discouraged her from having plastic toys or a TV in the nursery. While Khloe said her sister's helpfulness is "sweet," she doesn't necessarily want to follow the same parenting guidelines. "Let me experience things. It's either her way or no way" Khloe said. "It's not what you say, it's how you say it. 'Cause we've been fighting a lot lately and we never fight." While rumors of Khloe's pregnancy first started spreading in September, she didn't confirm a baby was on the way until December. In fact, Khloe told Kimmel the Keeping Up With the Kardashians crew knew about her pregnancy before her family members did. Khloe recalled taking a pregnancy test while Tristan was traveling out of the country and telling him the good news. "I was like screaming," she told Kimmel, remembering the excitement. "It's so weird. It's surreal." Considering Khloe is six months into her pregnancy, it won't be long now until her first child arrives. (Eonline)

Is Emily VanCamp Marrying Her Former Co-Star Josh Bowman This Year? They're in no rush! While attending the FOX All-Star Party during the 2018 Winter TCA Tour on Friday, Emily VanCamp revealed that she and her fiance, Revenge co-star Josh Bowman, whom she got engaged to May 2017 and has been dating since 2011, have yet to plan their impending nuptials. "We haven't had any time," The Resident star admitted. "We've been working in different countries. We're just taking our time with it." When asked whether or not she and Josh had any plans on getting hitched in 2018, the actress coyly said, "Maybe." After seven years together, these two are certainly not rushing to the altar anytime soon. In May, Emily posed for a picture with her hands covering her face. Followers, however, quickly spotted a brand-new ring on that finger. "?," she wrote on Instagram. While the couple has maintained a relatively private relationship, Emily has gushed about her main man on a few occasions. In an interview with InStyle Australia, the Revenge star spoke about her hunky British beau by stating, "I have a wonderful love in my life." "Trust is the most important thing in any relationship, because everything falls into place after that," she added. While the couple may have worked together on the former ABC drama, Emily explained in an interview at the time that she tries to keep her professional life apart from her personal life. "Josh and I keep it all very separate. I barely talk about him in interviews, to be honest," she explained to Elle Canada. "It's just really funny in the moments when we're playing these absolutely absurd things. I call him 'wife-beater Daniel.' It's hard for my family to watch -- it's also hard for them to see me in that light. But we're actors. None of that lives in any of us. Thank God!" (Eonline)

Meghan Trainor Dishes on 20-Pound Weight Loss and Wedding Plans. Between getting engaged and becoming a judge on Fox's new show The Four: Battle For Stardom, Meghan Trainor is already rockin' it in 2018. E! News talked to the "All About That Bass" singer at the Fox Winter TCA red carpet in Pasadena on Thursday. Trainor gushed, "I'm engaged!" She then pointed to her fiance Daryl Sabara and continued to say, "This is my guy, he's right there! He's so cute and he made all my dreams come true. I felt like a true princess... I'm so happy." Now that Sabara popped the question, everyone is curious to know when the couple will set their big day. "I'm like, were just going to enjoy this for a long time and work and just plan it out so it's perfect," Trainor told E! News. Even though she wants to take her time planning, she's already given the dress a bit of thought. "I'm in a white dress, that's what I see," Trainor described. "And it's gorgeous!" Until she says "I do," she's content focusing on her health and fitness. Trainor shared that she's lost 20 pounds "the healthy way." What pushes her to keep up with a routine? "One day we'll have kids," she explained to us. "I want to be the healthiest I can be for those kids." The Four: Battle For Stardom airs Thursday nights at 8/7c on FOX. (Eonline)

At 95, Betty White swears by vodka and hot dogs. Betty White is making it to her 96th birthday with the help of booze and a barbecue staple. The actress told Parade that her secret to a long, happy and healthy life is vodka and hot dogs, "probably in that order." "Enjoy life," she added. "Accentuate the positive, not the negative. It sounds so trite, but a lot of people will pick out something to complain about, rather than say, 'Hey, that was great!' It's not hard to find great stuff if you look." White's rep didn't get back to us on how she plans to ring in her birthday on Jan. 17. (PageSix)

Ashley Wagner "Furious" After Not Making 2018 Winter Olympics Team. Ashley Wagner says she is "absolutely furious" at the judges' scoring but is "going home proud" after failing to make the Winter Olympics figure skating team. The three-time national champion and 2016 world silver medalist finished in fourth place at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships on Friday, effectively crushing her dream of representing the United States in the Olympics at the 2018 games in Pyeongchang, South Korea next month. "I'm furious, I am absolutely furious," Wagner, who has competed in the Olympics before, told reporters. "I know when I go and I lay it down and I absolutely left one jump on the table, but for me to put out two programs that I did at this competition as solid as I skated and to get those scores, I am furious, and I think deservedly so." "I am a performer and that second mark is just not there," she said. "I am absolutely OK with them being strict on my rotations. That's what I think that U.S. Figure Skating should demand of their judges but it needs to be across the board. I don't necessarily feel like it's been that way at this event, so we'll see how things pan out." She later tweeted on Saturday morning, "As an athlete, I'm allowed to be mad. As a senior competitor with over 10 years of experience, I'm allowed to question things. At the end of the day, I laid out my best and I'm going home proud! Congrats to the lovely ladies of the team, you've got me in your cheering squad now! Lastly Twitter, before you eat me alive, don't forget there is a real person on the other end of your tweets." Wagner had competed in the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. There, she finished seventh in the women's singles competition and won a bronze medal with her team. At Friday's U.S. Figure Skating Championships, she had skated to music from La La Land for her free skate routine and had scored a total of 196.19. 2017 national champion Karen Chen came in third place with 198.59 -- less than three points more. In addition to Chen, first place winner Bradie Tennell and Mirai Nagasu, who won the silver medal, will also represent the United States at the Olympics. Wagner, who received a pewter medal at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, is the first alternate. (Eonline)

Khloe Kardashian Says Her Family Told Her to Lose Weight Because She Was 'Hurting the Brand'. Khloe Kardashian understands firsthand that words can be hurtful, especially when it comes to remarks about someone's weight. The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star and author of Strong Looks Better Naked has lost about 40 lbs. since adopting a take-no-prisoners attitude to the gym and her diet, but she didn't always feel as healthy as she does now. In in a preview clip of Sunday's upcoming episode of Revenge Body -- her reality series focused on helping people gain confidence and control over their lives -- Kardashian, 33, opens up to a participant and tells her that she was told to lose weight by members of her famous family. "I'm a huge believer of it's not what you say, it's how you say it," Kardashian explains. "You know, for a long time I was told, 'Khloe, you've got to lose weight because you're really hurting the brand' or this or that," she admits. "I understood that was coming from my management side of my family, but it does hurt and there's a way to say things," she shares. "I totally get how you feel." As a teen, Kardashian -- who is 5'10" -- used to compare herself to her petite sisters (Kim Kardashian is 5'2? and Kourtney Kardashian is 5 feet tall) before realizing it was pointless. "They'd always be like, 'Oh, I weigh 102 lbs.,' and whatever, and that's good for them, but I would look at the scale and be like 'Oh god' because I weigh 140 or something. As a teenager, you're not understanding and knowing that difference," Kardashian, the new face of fitness supplement Protein World, told PEOPLE. "There's so many different elements to why I weigh more. And I do think that really hinders children and those numbers are not good to focus on." And even when she was heavier, Kardashian didn't lack self-esteem. While she now she feels 10 times healthier than before, she has long enjoyed a body-positive outlook. "I've always been very confident," Kardashian said. "I was definitely at a place of good self-esteem to begin with, thank god. But I definitely feel more confident now, I feel sexier in my body. I'm not as embarrassed if my girlfriends have a pool party, and I say I left my suit at home." As a teen, Kardashian -- who is 5'10" -- used to compare herself to her petite sisters (Kim Kardashian is 5'2? and Kourtney Kardashian is 5 feet tall) before realizing it was pointless. "They'd always be like, 'Oh, I weigh 102 lbs.,' and whatever, and that's good for them, but I would look at the scale and be like 'Oh god' because I weigh 140 or something. As a teenager, you're not understanding and knowing that difference," Kardashian, the new face of fitness supplement Protein World, told PEOPLE. "There's so many different elements to why I weigh more. And I do think that really hinders children and those numbers are not good to focus on." And even when she was heavier, Kardashian didn't lack self-esteem. While she now she feels 10 times healthier than before, she has long enjoyed a body-positive outlook. "I've always been very confident," Kardashian said. "I was definitely at a place of good self-esteem to begin with, thank god. But I definitely feel more confident now, I feel sexier in my body. I'm not as embarrassed if my girlfriends have a pool party, and I say I left my suit at home." Now that the Revenge Body host is going to be a mom -- she's pregnant with her first child, a son, with NBA star boyfriend Tristan Thompson -- she is more determined than ever to stay healthy. "For me, health and wellness resolutions are especially important this year," Kardashian wrote on her site this week. "Being pregnant, it's a whole different type of self-care. I still exercise to maintain my sanity and also to feel good about myself, but my workouts are not as intense as they once were." "I'm also eating differently -- of course, I have cravings, but I want to make sure I'm supplying my baby with the proper nutrients," she explains. "I'm focused on being healthy mind, body and soul for myself and the baby. But, man, I can't wait to be a beast in the gym already, LOL!" She writes, "Still, as active as I have been during my pregnancy, I feel great. So my New Year's resolution will be to stay as mentally and physically healthy as I can!" (Eonline)

Serena Williams Withdraws From Australian Open. Serena Williams will not compete at the Australian Open after all. The tennis professional announced her decision to withdraw from the tournament, which is set to begin January 15, on social media. Williams gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Alexis Olympia Ohanian, in early September and she suffered a loss during last week's exhibition match at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi. "After performing in my first match after giving birth I realized that although I am super close I'm not where I personally want to be," Williams wrote in a statement posted to her Snapchat. "My coach and team always said 'Only go to tournaments when you are prepared to go all the way.' With that being said I am disappointed to say I've decided not to compete in the Australian Open this year." The all-star athlete famously won her record 23rd Grand Slam title at the 2017 Australian Open -- when she was nine weeks pregnant. Serena's note concluded, "However, the memory of last year's Open is one that I will carry with me and Olympia and I look forward to coming back again. I appreciate the support and understanding of my fans and everyone at the Australian Open." After confirming her pregnancy, the 36-year-old announced her decision to sit out the remainder of the 2017 tennis season and return to the court in 2018. Similarly, Serena's husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, took maternity leave to bond with their little girl. Since tying the knot in November, the couple has not shied away from documenting major milestones and special memories alongside their daughter with fans. Most recently, Serena reflected on her top 10 moments of 2017 with a heartfelt video slideshow starring the 4-month-old. Alexis also shared a message dedicated to his leading ladies, which read, "These two women are my everything. And the duty I have to them as a husband and a father is the greatest responsibility I'll have in my life; I'm honored to bear it. And I know I'll always find new ways to keep making you, laugh, @serenawilliams. 2018 is going to be a phenomenal year. And may there be many, many more to come." Williams has yet to announce when she'll formally return to competing, but there's no doubt she'll have at least two cheerleaders in the stands! (Eonline)

Ellen Pompeo Slams Woody Allen as a "Fool" on Twitter. Ellen Pompeo took to Twitter on Friday to slam Woody Allen over his controversial relationship as public discourse over alleged sexual misconduct by powerful men continues to rise. The Oscar-winning director, who famously married Soon Yi Previn, who he had helped raise after his ex Mia Farrow adopted her as a child, has not responded. Pompeo had made her comments days after Woody's estranged adoptive daughter Dylan Farrow, who has accused him of past sexual abuse, criticized Blake Lively for working with the director, in a response tweet to the actress' endorsement of the anti-sexual harassment Time's Up fundraising campaign. On Friday, Ellen tweeted she was "shocked" by the "people that work with this man." She also wrote that "he married his daughter...people see what they want to see or don't...Kind of hard not to see who this fool is." When a user voiced criticism about how some people "separate the professional from the person," the actress responded, "You know what I call that?? Ducking predators and chasing trophies...it's WEAK AF." Woody has defended his relationship with his wife and has denied Dylan's claims of abuse. He has never been charged with a sex crime. Woody and Mia split in 1992, when she discovered nude photos of then-21-year-old Soon Yi, her adopted daughter, at his apartment. They were presented in court during the former couple's custody battle over Dylan and sons Moses and Satchel, now known as Ronan Farrow, who has also spoken out against the director. Woody testified that he took the nude photos of Soon Yi at his home about two weeks after he first had sex with her, the New York Times reported. He also said she was the one who suggested that he take the pictures and said he did not consider them to be pornographic, but rather "graphically erotic," according to UPI. Allen wed Soon Yi in 1997. In 1992, she told Time magazine and Newsweek that she never considered him a father figure. She told Time her relationship with Woody changed "when I was 20 and he had no one to go to a basketball game with and I wanted to see one" and that by that time, he and Mia were "long done, and they were going through the motions." In 2011, when asked if he thinks America is ready to forgive him for his "past scandals," Woody told Reuters, "What was the scandal? I fell in love with this girl, married her...There was no scandal, but people refer to it all the time as a scandal and I kind of like that in way because when I go I would like to say I had one real juicy scandal in my life." During her Twitter spree, Ellen also criticized Woody over the casts of his films. "And while we're on the subject & I'm fired up has this fool ever put one poc in any of his movies ever?" tweeted Ellen, whose show Grey's Anatomy is known for its diverse cast. "I wouldn't know because I don't watch that bougie s--t." "What about Hispanic or Asian actors? Or are Asians only for him to molest? You know me when I get started," Ellen continued. A Twitter user then pointed out to Ellen that Spanish actress Penelope Cruz won an Oscar for her role in Woody's movie Vicky Cristina Barcelona. "Wow okay one... good for him," Ellen replied. On Saturday, after her tweets went viral, many pondered if Ellen posted them while drunk. "I was 100 percent sober clear as a bell," she wrote on Saturday. Dylan retweeted several of Ellen's tweets. "Ellen, thank you," she wrote. (Eonline)

Jeopardy host Alex Trebek recovering from surgery to remove blood clots on brain. Alex Trebek has provided fans with an update on his health, and though he didn't answer in the form of a question, he says his "prognosis is excellent." In a video shared via the Jeopardy YouTube page, Trebek revealed he had surgery over the holiday break to remove blood clots on his brain caused by a fall he suffered in October. Wearing a Jeopardy hat, Trebek appeared in good health and good spirits, saying, "I expect to be back in the studio taping more Jeopardy programs very, very soon." This is not the first time Trebek has suffered a health setback. In 2011, he tore his Achilles tendon while chasing a burglar from his hotel room, and in 2012, he suffered a mild heart attack. More recently, in 2015, he had to host while seated due to a full knee replacement. However, none of these setbacks have deterred the longtime Jeopardy host, even if they occasionally cause postponements in taping the game show. Trebek has hosted Jeopardy for 33 years and counting, and just extended his contract through the 2019-2020 season (which will be the show's 36th year on air). For $1,000, what is longevity? (Entertainment Weekly)

Morena Baccarin won a big victory in her custody war ... she's settled up with her ex-husband after a nasty fight, and he's agreed to move to New York rather than fight to keep their child in L.A. Director Austin Chick filed for divorce in 2015, this after Morena began dating actor Ben McKenzie. She became pregnant around the same time divorce docs were filed. The couple divorced, but were not able to resolve their custody and property issues. Austin wanted to stay in L.A. with their 4-year-old son but she wanted to live in New York for professional reasons. She had been filming "Gotham" which was shot in NYC. According to the new settlement, Morena can stay in New York with their son and Austin will move there. They will share custody. We've learned Morena agreed to pay 1 more year of support to Austin at a rate of $5,000 a month. She'll also pay him $3,500 a month in child support. (TMZ)

Louis C.K. did not commit any acts of sexual misconduct during his time at FX ... according to the network's own investigation, anyway. FX CEO John Landgraf told reporters Friday they "did not find any issues, complaints or incidents of misconduct of any kind in the 8 years we worked together." FX quickly cut ties with C.K. in November right after his accusers came forward to The New York Times, and the comic copped to the allegations. FX yanked his production deals on "Better Things," "Baskets," "One Mississippi" and "The Cops." Landgraf was speaking at the Television Critics Association's conference when he added his network "had no awareness" of C.K.'s pattern of sexual harassment before the Times article. Considering C.K. admitted the claims were true, it seems FX's investigation was more to protect itself legally. (TMZ)

The investigation into how Stan Lee's bank account got swindled out of $300k has gotten even more bizarre -- it appears someone also used the comic book legend's money to buy a freakin' condo. Sources close to the Marvel Comics legend tell TMZ ... someone recently plunked down $850k of Stan's dough to buy a condo in WeHo. Neither Stan nor his financial team approved it. We're told the revelation came to light after his team rolled out a full audit following a recent check forgery for $300k. As we reported ... Stan filed a report with Beverly Hills PD claiming someone forged the check as a loan from Stan's bank account to the merchandising company, Hands of Respect. We're told the condo purchase smells a lot like the check forgery. Cops are continuing to investigate. (TMZ)

Chris Soules' Motion to Dismiss Fatal Crash Case Denied by Judge. A judge has denied a motion to dismiss a legal case against Chris Soules. The former Bachelor and Dancing With the Stars contestant is charged with leaving the scene of a fatal car crash. Investigations say Chris' truck ran into the back of a tractor driven by Kenneth Mosher who ultimately died from the accident. In court, Judge Andrea Dryer denied the reality star's arguments that the laws he is accused of violating are unconstitutionally vague. "It has been clear since the beginning of this case that Mr. Soules did everything in his power to assist the injured tractor driver, Kenneth Mosher, in the aftermath of the terrible accident on April 24, 1017," Chris' attorney said in a statement to E! News after the ruling. "The 911 recording from that night shows Mr. Soules kept his wits about him and attempted CPR on Mr. Mosher with the assistance of other first responders." Chris' attorneys argue that their client "indisputably called 911, identified himself, explained his role in this tragic accident, and tried to save Mr. Mosher." While the trial was supposed to begin January 18, USA Today reports that both parties agreed to continue the trial. A new start date will be determined by both parties later. If convicted, Chris could be sentenced to as long as five years in prison. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Back in November, a source shared with E! News that Chris is working hard at his home on the farm. And despite the looming trial, the reality star is hopeful of his future. "He's staying positive, all things considered," our insider added. "He's always been the type of guy to see the good in everything and for the most part since things have quieted down publicly with the accident, he's been as positive as he can about it all." (Eonline)

Paul Haggis -- the Oscar-winning director and writer of "Crash" -- is being accused of sexual misconduct by 4 different women ... including 2 rapes. Haggis was sued in December for allegedly raping film publicist Haleigh Breest in 2013 at his apartment after a movie premiere. Haggis denied the claims and countersued ... alleging she tried to score a $9 million settlement out of it. Still, Breest's suit reportedly led to 3 new women coming forward with their own claims of sexual misconduct -- one similarly accusing Haggis of forcing her to perform oral sex then raping her. Haggis had previously said he's used to defending himself against 'false allegations' because he's a notable critic of Scientology. He famously left the church in 2009 ... and appeared in the 2015 documentary 'Going Clear' about his experience. We've reached out to Haggis' team ... so far no word back. (TMZ)

O.J. Simpson and his legal team are gearing up for a massive lawsuit against The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas for permanently booting him from the premises. Simpson's attorney, Malcolm LaVergne, said in a letter Friday O.J. will seek at least $100 million after he says the casino, "singled out Mr. Simpson amongst his non-African American friends and subsequently expelled him for what turned out to be a fake reason while he peacefully visited the Cosmopolitan." TMZ broke the story, The Cosmo announced the ban in November after Simpson visited the property and allegedly got wasted and acted unruly. (TMZ)

Jerry Van Dyke -- the famed younger brother of Dick Van Dyke -- has died ... TMZ has learned. Jerry's wife, Shirley, tells us ... he died Friday afternoon at their Arkansas ranch with her by his side. She says they were involved in a car accident over 2 years ago ... and Jerry's health had deteriorated since. We're told Dick visited them at the ranch over the Christmas holiday. A beloved comedian just like his brother, Jerry pursued stand-up as a young man and performed at military bases around the world. He made his acting debut on "The Dick Van Dyke" show and followed that up with appearances on "The Ed Sullivan Show" before becoming a regular on "The Judy Garland Show." Jerry's best known for his role on "Coach" ... where he earned 4 Emmy nominations playing Asst. Coach Luther Van Dam alongside Craig T. Nelson. He also had major roles on "Yes, Dear" and most recently, "The Middle." He's survived by his wife and 2 children. Jerry was 86. RIP. (TMZ)

'90s Child Star Jon Paul Steuer Dead at Age 33. Jon Paul Steuer, a musician and '90s child star who once starred on Star Trek: The Next Generation and the show Grace Under Fire, has died. He was 33. His death was announced on Thursday on the Facebook pages of his band, P.R.O.B.L.E.M.S., and Portland vegan restaurant, Harvest At The Bindery. The cause of Steuer's death was not made public. He is survived by his parents, Paula and Tom. "It is with heavy hearts and saddened minds that we announce the passing of our dear friend and singer Jonny Jewels, AKA Jon Paul Steuer," the band's post read. "The addition of Jonny to our dysfunctional band family was one of the best choices that we have ever made, and he brought a much-needed sense of fun and lightheartedness to everything we did." "He was only with us for a little more than a year, but we managed to cram a lifetime of great experiences into his tenure as our singer: dozens shows at home in Portland and across several states, an amazing European tour, and our best full-length release yet," the group continued. "We've lost our singer, but far, far more than that we've lost a friend. Rest in peace, Jonny...we love you. Jon Paul Steuer March 27, 1984 - January 1." In 1990, Steuer became the first actor to play Worf's son Alexander Rozhenko on the cult series Star Trek: The Next Generation. He appeared on one episode. "The show called me back a just a few months later to play Alexander again, but I'd only grown half an inch or something," he told the A.V. Club in 2015. "The line of questioning was, "How tall are you now? How much do you weigh?" Klingons are this powerful warrior race, so they wanted me to be dramatically larger. They also wanted a deeper voice out of me. But I was still 6. Brian Bonsall was a couple years older than me, so that's basically why he got the part. But they kept bringing the character back, and they went through a few different actors as he got progressively older. I absolutely would have gone back in a heartbeat, but that was the reality of the situation." Steuer later appeared on an episode of the show The Wonder Years and the movie Little Giants before landing his biggest acting job, the role of Quentin Kelly on the ABC sitcom Grace Under Fire. He left the show at age 12 after three years, in 1996, and retired from acting. He has occasionally been spotted at Star Trek conventions. "They [my former co-stars] all remembered me," Steuer told the A.V. Club. "They joked about working with me, and how after I left the show they didn't have as good of an experience with some of the other kids who played Alexander. They really are a good bunch of people. Patrick Stewart is an incredibly kind man, very down-to-earth." After leaving the acting world, Steuer performed in rock bands and a few years ago, he launched Harvest At The Bindery in Portland. The eatery announced on Facebook on Thursday it will shut down in wake of Steuer's death. "Due to an unexpected tragedy, Harvest will be permanently closing our doors," the post read. "We thank you for your support and understanding. Jon Paul Steuer R.I.P. There will be a memorial gathering for Jonny at Harvest on Sunday 1/7 beginning at 1:00. You can donate to help cover Funeral and Memorial costs here." (Eonline)

THE OTHER STUFF . . .

Queen Elizabeth II's Granddaughter Zara Tindall Is Pregnant With Baby No. 2. Another little one is joining the royal family! Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter Zara Tindall is pregnant, a spokeswoman confirmed to the U.K.'s Press Association. Tindall and her husband of six years, rugby player Mike Tindall, also have a 3-year-old daughter, Mia Tindall, who will celebrate a birthday this month. Zara, who is 16th in line to the British throne, is the only daughter of the queen's only daughter, Princess Anne. Meanwhile, the monarch is gearing up to welcome not one, but two new great-grandchildren into the royal kin. In addition to the Tindalls' baby on the way, Prince William and Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton are also expecting their third child in April. It has been reported that Zara's expected due date falls in the summer, leaving some room in between the births. The accomplished equestrian unfortunately suffered a miscarriage in December 2016, a month after they publicly confirmed the pregnancy. It's shaping up to be quite a big year for the royals as not only are two babies on the way, but also a wedding! As most are well aware at this point, Prince Harry and his American leading lady, Meghan Markle, will tie the knot on May 19. Congratulations to the expectant parents! (Eonline)

Mary J. Blige to receive star on Hollywood Walk of Fame. Mary J. Blige will be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the recording category. The ceremony will take place on Jan. 11 at 6201 Hollywood Blvd. in front of Eastown. "Mary J. Blige is one of the most popular singers of our generation. Fans will be thrilled to see her star on the Boulevard as her career milestones are celebrated on this very famous sidewalk," said Ana Martinez, producer of the Walk of Fame ceremonies. The Grammy Award-winning artist has recently been recognized for her acting work. Blige received Golden Globe Award, SAG Award, and Critics' Choice Award nominations for her role in Dee Rees' period drama "Mudbound," as well as a Golden Globe nom for best original song for "Mighty River." Born in the Bronx, Blige got her start in music by signing with Uptown Records in 1989. At 18 years old, she was the label's youngest and first female artist. Her debut album, "What's the 411?," was executive produced by Sean "Diddy" Combs and spun off hits including, "You Remind Me" and "Real Love." Since then, she's released 12 additional albums that have garnered nine Grammy Award wins from her 31 nominations. Among her most popular songs are "Family Affair," "No More Drama," "Be Without You," "Not Gon' Cry," "Love Is All We Need" and "Seven Days." Her film debut was in 2001's "Prison Song," followed by Tyler Perry's "I Can Do Bad All by Myself." She also starred alongside Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, and Russell Brand in 2012's "Rock of Ages," and appeared in 2013's musical drama "Black Nativity." On the TV front, Blige has guest starred on "How to Get Away With Murder," "Empire" and "30 Rock." She also played Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West, on NBC's musical "The Wiz Live!" (PageSix)

Brad Pitt is on the verge of becoming single again, so it's no surprise he's looking for some companionship. But really ... $120,000 for a few hours? Truth is ... it was all done in the name of charity. Brad hit up Sean Penn's annual relief event in Hollywood, and one of the items up for silent auction was watching an episode of "Game of Thrones" ... with Emilia Clarke!!! It was pretty hysterical ... because John Snow -- Kit Harrington -- was looking on and seemingly either jealous or intent on getting in on the action if Brad ended up the highest bidder. The bidding started -- as Emilia watched -- at a modest $20k but quickly soared at the hands of Brad to $80k. Harrington had been in the bathroom when the bidding began, but when he returned to the room Brad outbid HIMSELF and upped the ante to $90k. Kit apparently quipped he'd sit in for the "GOT" viewing and Brad then upped his bid again ... to $120k!!! But this story does not have a happy ending for Brad ... he lost out to someone less famous who snagged the prize for $160k. BTW ... good for Kit that he made it. The night before he was thrown out of a NYC bar after becoming out of control wasted. (TMZ)

Paris Hilton holds no grudges, because she says inviting Kim Kardashian to her wedding is a no-brainer. We got Paris and fiance Chris Zylka Saturday night in WeHo at Craig's restaurant, and she didn't miss a beat when our photog asked about Kim. They've had an interesting relationship ... going from close friends to mortal enemies and then a grey area for years. We're told when they sorted it all out they realized they were good for each other and now get along just fine. As for wedding planning ... that chapter begins this week. (TMZ)

Diddy's son lands deal with Dolce & Gabbana. Sean "Diddy" Combs' son Christian Combs will be the face of Dolce & Gabbana's spring/summer 2018 advertising campaign, Page Six has learned. Photographers Luca and Alessandro Morelli shot the Italian-holiday-themed campaign, which is aimed at millennials. Christian -- who is also a hip-hop artist -- first walked for the Italian designers' menswear line last summer, and appeared again last fall. He released a single called "Feeling Savage" in late December and is expected in Milan next week for men's fashion week. We hear that Diddy's kid is also working on another fashion project which will incorporate his music. (PageSix)

Justin Bieber museum exhibit to open in Ontario hometown. Mementos from Justin Bieber's formative years as an aspiring singer will go on display next month at a museum in his Canadian hometown of Stratford, Ontario. "Steps to Stardom" opens at the Stratford Perth Museum on Feb. 18. The title is a reference to the young singer's busking shows on the steps outside the local Avon Theatre. The exhibit was put together by the museum's curators in cooperation with Bieber's grandparents, Diane and Bruce Dale, who gave them access to an extensive trove of items from the 23-year-old's childhood and career. Among the pieces set for display are Bieber's Grammy Award, microphones, a hockey bag and personal letters including one from Michelle Obama. Seeing Bieber's childhood stomping grounds has been a highlight for many visitors to the small city for years. (PageSix)

Meghan Markle's Future Sister-in-Law Arrested For Allegedly Assaulting Fiance. Meghan Markle's future sister-in-law, Darlene Blount, has been arrested for an alleged assault, Us Weekly can confirm. Blount, who is engaged to Meghan's half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr., was charged with fourth-degree assault on New Year's Day for an altercation with her fiance in Oregon. Thomas Markle Jr. previously made headlines when he spoke with The Daily Mail in December about his sister's future royal wedding, telling them, "I don't know if [Meghan] gets to invite who she wants. But she'll reach out if she wants me there. She'll call me. She knows where to find me. But that's up to her, there's no pressure. I wouldn't mind seeing my little sister have the biggest wedding in the world. That would be incredible." Other family members of the Suits alum have been making headlines on their own since it was announced that Markle, 36, would marry Prince Harry in May. As previously reported, Markle's estranged half-sister Samantha Markle responded to the 33-year-old royal's December 27 comment about Markle getting acquainted with "the family that I suppose she's never had." Despite family drama, a source exclusively told Us that the future royal wants her mother, Doria Ragland, to walk her down the aisle. However, Samantha exclusively told Us that their father, Thomas Markle, hopes to be the one to give her away.Samantha later took to Twitter and wrote, "She has a large family. She always did. Our dad is amazing and completely self sacrificing. We made it so that she had two houses. How fun it was!" On Christmas, Samantha also insinuated that she would be writing about the Markles' "home life." (MSN)

Gretchen Carlson: Changes Coming to Miss America After Email Scandal. Gretchen Carlson, a former beauty queen-turned TV personality who was elected chairwoman of the Miss America Organization after an email scandal prompted the resignation of its CEO, says "potentially big changes" are coming to the group. But the big question looms: Will the pageant still contain the popular -- and potentially outdated -- swimsuit competition? Last month, she and 48 other former Miss America winners penned a letter calling on Sam Haskell to resign as CEO of the Miss America Organization and for other top leaders to also step down amid a report he had allegedly sent and received internal emails that attacked and mocked former beauty queens. Haskell, who called the allegations "so unkind and untrue," was later suspended and he did soon resign his post. Carlson and Miss America 1998 Kate Shindle said they would continue to demand that every "implicated board member" resign. On January 1, the Miss America Organization Board of Directors announced that Carlson had been elected the group's new chairwoman. Carlson talked about the email scandal, her new position and the future of the Miss America pageant on Good Morning America on Friday. On the show, she was asked if the "idea of a successful young woman parading around in a swimsuit onstage to be judged by her physical appearance" is "outdated." "I have so many great ideas for this organization, and I will be talking about those with all the other board members and the eventual CEO of Miss America and staff of Miss America," she said. "So what I would love to say about that is, please stay tuned, because I plan to make this organization 100 person about empowering women. Changes are coming -- potentially big changes." Carlson said she sees her new position as chairwoman of the Miss America Organization's board as "call of duty." "I had no intention of ever having this position," she said. "It's a volunteer job and it's a huge undertaking. But for me, in being a former Miss America, I felt compelled to come back to help the program. Carlson said that currently, the Miss America Organization's board is "very small" and growing and is mostly made up of former Miss America pageant winners. "I find that incredibly empowering in this #MeToo movement, that some of the women who were allegedly maligned in those appalling emails are now running the place," she said, calling it a "a form of justice." (Eonline)

Pippa Middleton Reveals Which Breakfast Foods She Avoids. Sweet and savory breakfasts aren't everyone's cup of tea. In support of Magic Breakfast, which provides healthy school breakfasts to hungry and malnourished children in disadvantaged areas of the U.K., iNews asked Pippa Middleton and eight other famous foodies -- Miguel Barclay, Will Beckett, Joel Braham, Laura Jackson, Jeremy Lee, Alice Levine, Naved Nasir and Jamie Oliver -- to each reveal their breakfast preferences. Middleton, who published a party planning book in 2012, won't eat one famously American meal in the morning. "Pancakes with bacon and maple syrup -- that certainly doesn't do it for me," she said. But Middleton "always" eats breakfast. "I can't start the day properly without it." "My usual breakfast is either plain yogurt with chopped fruit and toasted seeds, oats and nuts, or toasted rye bread with eggs or avocado," she said. For a quick and healthy breakfast, she recommended eating Bircher muesli topped with fresh berries. Best of all, she said, "You can even make a batch for the whole week." When she was young, Middleton would eat "almost everything," and she'd enjoy "lots of porridge or boiled eggs with soldiers [thinly sliced toast]." Oliver, co-host of Channel 4's Jamie & Jimmy's Friday Night Feast, would no doubt approve of Middleton's diet. "I'm pretty healthy most of the time unless it's the weekend. So, [I'll eat] yogurts, fruit, compotes, Bircher muesli," he said. "I love porridge, or simple things on toast." (Eonline)

Danny Masterson no longer with UTA. Danny Masterson, fired last month from his starring role on Netflix's comedy series "The Ranch" amid ongoing sexual assault claims against him, is no longer with his agency UTA. The company did not comment beyond confirming that it no longer repped the actor. We're hearing though from sources that the two parted ways some time ago. Past sexual assault allegations against Masterson, which he has repeatedly denied, have been referenced of late amid the #MeToo movement. One of Masterson's accusers filed a police report in 2004 saying that she was raped in 2003, but the case didn't move forward. The Los Angeles Police Department started an investigation in late 2016 after "three women have come forward and disclosed that they were sexually assaulted by Masterson during the early 2000's," LAPD said in a statement last spring. The police referred the case to the district attorney in April 2016 but no charges have been filed. That eventually cost Masterson his job last month on "The Ranch," which is in the middle of production on its 20-episode third season. The 10-episode second half of Season 2 with Masterson in it was released by Netflix on Dec. 15. He also will be featured in the Season 3 episodes that he had filmed before his dismissal. News of Masterson's UTA exit was first reported by The Huffington Post. (PageSix)

Barstool Sports host's wife catches him cheating. Barstool Sports fixture Kevin Clancy has humiliated his wife Caitlin Nugent Clancy by cheating on her with a mistress -- who he's already "trashed" -- she claims. "Last night after I put my 2-year-old daughter and 6-month-old son to bed, I caught my husband sending messages to his mistress who he's apparently been seeing since I was 8 months pregnant. Days before I gave birth, he was at a hotel in Manhattan with her. Days after I gave birth, he was then, too. The [rug's] been pulled out from underneath me," she wrote on her private Instagram account on Friday. "The kind, funny, relatable family man I thought I married is clearly lower, more insecure and more disrespectful than I ever imagined ... he's already trashed her and dropped her like a hot potato behind her back so she'll receive the same treatment I did. I never asked for my life and family to be so public, but since I know this is going to come out anyway, I wanted to set the truth [straight] before the public humiliation begins." The writer, editor and podcast host tweeted an opaque response to his wife's post. "My wife and I are going through a hard time, I'm choosing to handle it privately for the sake of my kids," he wrote. The couple wed in 2014 on the Jersey Shore, where Caitlin vacationed as a child. Just last summer, Kevin's topic of the day on his podcast was "relationship reparations." "How much money would you need your ex to pay you to make up for them cheating on you," he tweeted in July. (PageSix)

Terrell Owens' old quarterback says it's about damn time he gets his gold jacket ... saying the controversial receiver is more than deserving to get in the Hall of Fame this year. TMZ Sports spoke with Jeff Garcia -- who played 5 seasons with T.O. on the 49ers -- and while it wasn't always smooth sailin' between the guys, Garcia says the off-field drama should NOT keep Owens out of Canton. "With what he was able to accomplish statistically, being a top 5, top 2 guy in many categories. Stop beating around it, the guy deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. Put him in the Hall of Fame." Critics have labeled T.O. as a QB killer and bad teammate ... and that's been the knock against him making the Hall. So, Garcia having his back is a big deal. Owens -- who didn't get enough votes the last 2 years -- finds out if 3rd time's a charm on February 3 ... the day before the Super Bowl. (TMZ)

Pats' owner Robert Kraft was chattin' with TMZ Sports and hanging with fans hours before ESPN published a report about alleged issues with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick ... but Kraft didn't seem worried. In fact, he was smiling and letting a hotel valet take pics with his Super Bowl ring at Chateau Marmont on the Sunset Strip ... and endorsing Steph Curry and Diddy as future NFL owners. Of course, over in Bristol, ESPN was finalizing a report alleging a fractured relationship between Brady, Belichick and Kraft ... and questioning if the legendary dynasty has reached "the beginning of the end." As for the report, ESPN essentially says the 3 are having major disagreements over Tom Brady's personal trainer, Belichick's coaching style and the future of the Patriots franchise. Kraft obviously knew the report was coming ... but didn't seem fazed one bit. (TMZ)

Music

Justin Timberlake Drops "Filthy" Video, Channels Steve Jobs. Justin Timberlake is back, baby! The 36-year-old singer had announced on Instagram on Tuesday that he set to release a new album, Man of the Woods, and a new single, "Filthy." He released the track and an accompanying futuristic-looking music video late on Thursday. It shows him playing an inventor and channeling the late Steve Jobs at a product reveal event. "This song should be played VERY loud," read one of his posts. Mark Romanek directed the video. He had previously worked with Timberlake on the 2016 video for "Can't Stop the Feeling!" Man of the Woods, Timberlake's fourth studio album and first in more than three years, is set for release on February 2. The record will be made available for pre-order alongside the release of "Filthy." And the single and video won't be the only new release from Timberlake until February 2. He is set to drop three additional music videos on a weekly basis, starting on January 18, until Man of the Woods hit stores. The album combines "the sounds of traditional American rock with the modern influences of collaborators The Neptunes, Timbaland, Chris Stapleton and Alicia Keys," and "explores storytelling inspired by his son [Silas], his wife [Jessica Biel], and his personal journey from Memphis to where he is today," according to a statement from RCA Records. In his initial announcement, Timberlake shared a video montage of himself exploring the outdoors, with cameos from Biel and their son. "This album is really inspired by my son, my wife, my family, but more so than any other album I've ever written, where I'm from and it's personal," the singer says. Target will carry an exclusive version of Man of the Woods, which features different cover art, a poster and a digital download code, and will also release the record on Vinyl. On February 4, two days after the album is released, Timberlake will take the stage as the headlining performer of the Pepsi Super Bowl LII Halftime Show. (Eonline)

'The Greatest Showman' Soundtrack Set for No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart. The soundtrack to the musical drama film The Greatest Showman is on track to hit No. 1 on next week's Billboard 200 albums chart. According to industry forecasters, the album -- which was released on Dec. 8 through Atlantic Records -- may earn over 80,000 equivalent album units in the week ending Jan. 4. The album would mark the first chart-topping soundtrack since the list dated March 4, 2017, when Fifty Shades Darker spent a week at No. 1. The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). The top 10 of the new Jan. 13, 2018-dated Billboard 200 chart (where The Greatest Showman may reach No. 1) is scheduled to be revealed on Billboard's websites on Sunday, Jan. 7. The Greatest Showman soundtrack debuted at No. 71 on the Billboard 200 dated Dec. 30, 2017, jumped to No. 63 the following week, and then zoomed to No. 5 (following the movie's U.S. theatrical release on Dec. 20). The soundtrack includes music by the film's stars Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zac Efron and Zendaya. According to Box Office Mojo, the movie has earned over $58 million at the U.S. and Canada box office through Jan. 2. The Greatest Showman is also currently nominated for three Golden Globe awards: best motion picture-musical or comedy, best performance by an actor in a motion picture-musical or comedy (Jackman), and best original song-motion picture ("This Is Me," written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul). The 75th Golden Globe Awards will be presented live on an NBC TV special at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET on Jan. 7. The rest of next week's Billboard top 10 will likely contain familiar faces, including previous No. 1s like Ed Sheeran's (Divide) and Taylor Swift's Reputation, which would take the Nos. 2 and 3 slots, respectively. (Billboard)

Alesso, The Chainsmokers, Diplo & More to Play Wynn Las Vegas in 2018. Pack your bags, dance fans, you're going to Vegas. At least, you're going to want to when you see Wynn Nightlife's exclusive 2018 DJ roster. A bunch of Wynn family favorites are returning. Alesso, The Chainsmokers, David Guetta, Dillon Francis, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Diplo, DJ Snake, Flosstradamus, Kygo, Lost Kings, Major Lazer, Marshmello, Nicky Romero, RL Grime, Robin Schulz, SLANDER, Yellow Claw and Zen Freeman all come back after successful 2017 stints with the brand. Afrojack is back after a four-year hiatus too. A ton of new talent comes through the door in 2018 as well. Wynn welcomes newcomers Black Coffee, Cheat Codes, Galantis, Jamie Jones, Jauz, Slushii, Solomun and Valentino Khan. "We are proud to present such a strong and diverse lineup of artists for 2018," Wynn Nightlife Managing Partner Alex Cordova is quoted in a press release. "With so many superstar long-term resident artists returning, and exciting newly-signed artists joining the Wynn family, we will continue to provide the best night- and dayclub entertainment experience available on the Strip." Visit Wynn Nightlife online to learn more and for tickets and reservations. (Billboard)

Rascal Flatts has allegedly violated the law on the most hallowed ground in Hollywood ... the site of the Oscars!!! An owner of retail space at the Hollywood and Highland complex -- which includes the Dolby Theatre where the movie shindig has been thrown -- is suing the band's restaurant company for double-crossing him. According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, R.F. signed the lease for 7,960 square feet of empty space and the owner of the space agreed to give R.F. $1 million to build it out. The owner says he gave R.F. a $102k advance, but believes none of the money was spent on improvements. It looks like the whole deal went to hell ... the owner also says R.F. is behind around $300k in rent. We reached out to Rascal Flatts ... so far, no word back. (TMZ)

Movies

Josh Brolin's shedding some light on how scary it can be for film and TV crews working on projects about drug cartels ... saying it often gets way too real. We got the "Only the Brave" actor at LAX on Friday and asked him about the dangers of making shows like "Narcos" and movies like 2015's "Sicario," which he starred in, in crime-ridden cities. Josh tells us you have to take precautions because those places are definitely NOT like the U.S. ... and that a guy on the 'Sicario' crew was kidnapped in Mexico. He also reveals the 'Narcos' location scout killed in September worked on the film too. So is it worth it? Brolin has a very interesting take on that, and as with many walks of life ... it comes down to risk vs. reward. (TMZ)

Ed Westwick's Ordeal by Innocence Role Recast After Sexual Assault Allegations. The BBC's upcoming adaptation of Agatha Christie's Ordeal by Innocence has dropped Ed Westwick and his role has been recast in wake of the recent sexual assault allegations made against him. The corporation announced the news on Friday. Witches of East End alum Christian Cooke will take over the actor's role of Mickey Argyll and reshoot his scenes for the three-part special this month, the BBC said. Westwick has not commented. In November, former Greek and Hung actress Kristina Cohen claimed the Gossip Girl alum raped her. He said he did not know her and never committed rape or forced himself on a woman. The LAPD said at the time it was investigating her claims. Days later, another woman, Aurelie Wynn, also accused Westwick of rape. He called both claims "unverified and provably untrue" and said, "I am cooperating with the authorities so that they can clear my name as soon as possible." A third woman, Rachel Eck, then also accused Westwick of sexual assault. He has not commented. After the first two accusations were made public, the BBC removed Ordeal by Innocence from its Christmas schedule and also halted filming of season two of White Gold, another series starring Westwick. A new premiere date for Ordeal by Innocence has yet to be announced. In November, Kevin Spacey was removed from the film All the Money in the World amid sexual harassment allegations made against him by a number of men. Christopher Plummer replaced him in the role of late U.S. oil tycoon Jean Paul Getty and reshot his scenes. The movie was released in December. (Eonline)

Stephen Fry Steps Down as BAFTA Film Awards Host. Stephen Fry is stepping down as host of the BAFTA Film Awards. Fry said in a statement Friday it was "only right to stand down and let others take the BAFTAs on to new heights and greater glories." The 60-year-old British comedian added, "What fun it will be to watch BAFTA 2018 without my heart hammering, mouth drying and knees trembling." While the Academy Awards changes its hosts almost yearly, Fry has hosted the annual award show 12 times since 2001. He had a break between 2007-2011, when Jonathan Ross took over. "The mixture of glamour, glory, drama and -- occasionally -- embarrassment and hiccup holds a unique place in the British film calendar," he said. "Over the last two decades I have especially loved watching the emergence of new young film talent behind and in front of the camera." Fry's replacement will be named Tuesday, when this year's nominees are revealed. Amanda Berry, BAFTA's chief executive, said in a statement Friday, "On behalf of everyone at BAFTA, I would like to sincerely thank Stephen Fry for making each and every one of the Film Awards that he's presented such memorable and joyous occasions. We will miss him tremendously." Fry added, "I want to thank all the production staff, Amanda Berry and her wonderful BAFTA colleagues, the BBC and all those who helped make every year so enjoyable." "I reserve especial gratitude and imagination for Ivor Baddiel and Phil Kerr," the comedian said, "whose work on the scripts was so skillful it made people think I'd written every line myself." This year's ceremony will take place Feb. 18 at London's Royal Albert Hall. (Eonline)

TV

Is The Big Bang Theory Ending After Season 12? Johnny Galecki Says... If it all started with the big bang, what does it end with? Fans of The Big Bang Theory might soon find out. As TV's No. 1 sitcom continues its reign, it's been plagued with concern over when the stars of the CBS series might finally decide its time to throw in the towel. Currently in its 11th season, The Big Bang Theory has been already been renewed for a 12th season, but according to star Johnny Galecki, that just might be the end of the road for him and his co-workers. The actor spoke with journalists at the 2018 TCA Winter Press Tour following a panel for the network's upcoming comedy Living Biblically, which counts Galecki as an executive producer, and he got very real about the eventual end. "The only manner in which the cast has discussed wrapping [the show] has been that we're all going to be very sad when that day comes," Galecki said. "But I think at this point everyone's very comfortable with 12 seasons being a good time to go home and see our families." CBS seems to have already found its successor to the popular sitcom with the single-camera prequel series Young Sheldon, which premiered this fall as TV's No. 1 new comedy and has already been renewed for a second season. The series, with stars Big Little Lies breakout Iain Armitage as the titular character, focuses on the rural Texas upbringing of the persnickity scientist and counts TBBT star Jim Parsons as both exec producer and narrator. Along with Galecki and Parsons, The Big Bang Theory has made household names out of Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rouch. Are you hoping The Big Bang Theory lives on past season 12 or do you think it's the right time for the show to go out on top? Take the conversation to Twitter and let us know your thoughts at @eonlineTV and @billynillesduh! The Big Bang Theory airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on CBS. (Eonline)

Sons of Anarchy spinoff Mayans MC picked up to series by FX. Finally, some good news for SAMCRO lovers everywhere. FX has ordered 10 episodes of Mayans MC, the Sons of Anarchy spinoff focused on the pivotal Mayans gang that was featured during the drama's seven-year run. The new series is from SOA mastermind Kurt Sutter and Elgin James. It's expected to premiere sometime later this summer or in early fall to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the 2008 premiere of SOA. "Kurt Sutter is a master storyteller and Mayans MC has the raw energy and intensity that are hallmarks of his signature style," said Nick Grad, FX's president of original programming, in a statement. "Thanks to Kurt, co-creator Elgin James and this amazing cast, Mayans MC builds on the legacy of Sons of Anarchy, taking it in a thrilling new direction that we can't wait for the world to see." The new drama moves beyond Charming and the late, great Jax Teller to tell the story of EZ Reyes, a parolee who becomes a prospect for a Mayan MC charter on the California/Mexico border. EZ will be played by JD Pardo, best known for his work in The Messengers and Revolution. The drama will also star Edward James Olmos, Sarah Bolger, Clayton Cardenas, Richard Cabral, Michael Irby, Raoul Trujillo, Antonio Jaramillo, and Carla Baratta. Mayans MC has quite a legacy to uphold; its SOA predecessor was FX's highest-rated ongoing drama series. The spinoff has been in the works since 2015, when Sutter hinted about the idea at Comic-Con. The pilot was green-lit in December of 2016 but weathered some change last summer, when it was revealed that new director and executive producer Norberto Barba would join Sutter and James in revamping the pilot. In SOA, the Mayans was a club of Hispanic men who controlled northern California and all of Nevada, and the president of the Oakland Chapter was Marcus Alvarez, played by Emilio Rivera. Their cuts bore the phrase "Los Asesinos de Dios" which meant Assassins of God. (Entertainment Weekly)

Megan Morrison Is Taking Control of Her Story on The Arrangement: "No One Can Stop Me." Watch out Kyle West (Josh Henderson), Megan Morrison (Christine Evangelista) is taking the reigns now! In the new preview from the upcoming second season of The Arrangement, Megan speaks to a group at The Institute for The Higher Mind about her transformative journey, from her whirlwind romance with Kyle to becoming her very own woman. "When I became involved with The Institute for The Higher Mind, I knew I could leave my old life behind," Megan muses in the video. "I feel like a whole new Megan. I feel free." With the control in Megan's hands, the possibilities are endless. "Now that I'm learning to control my own narrative, no one can stop me," Megan declares. But will she get revenge on Kyle, Terence (Michael Vartan) and IHM? (Eonline)

American Horror Story shock: Season 8 is set in the future. American Horror Story is going sci-fi for season 8. Creator Ryan Murphy just revealed the FX horror anthology's next edition will be set ... in the future! The surprise revelation was made the Television Critics Association's semi-annual press tour in Pasadena late Friday. But is it "future" as in a Black Mirror-like near future where it's pretty much the same as now only with slightly better phones? Or is it like Blade Runner rainy dystopia future? Or Planet of the Apes human-race-has-been-enslaved future? "All I'll say about it is I want to go to the future -- still topical, but the future, which I've never done," Murphy said. Is AHS season 8 in ... Ryan, is it in outer space? "Not space," he clarified. Whew. Because that would be, like, crazy. Not as crazy as AHS: Freak Show, but still pretty odd. "I pitched it to [FX chief] John Landgraf today right after his TCA panel, and he loved it, but he's asked me not to say what it is," Murphy added. "I told him and he fell out of his chair with joy. I think people will like it, it's different from what we've done before, but I always try and do the opposite of what I've done on that show." There's been no casting yet, but we used a photo of Sarah Paulson because, you know, those odds are always pretty good. EW also pressed Murphy on whether Evan Peters' role on Murphy's new FX drama Pose -- which he was promoting Friday at TCA -- would prevent him from returning to AHS next season. "We haven't talked about that," Murphy said. "I literally just pitched Landgraf what the next season was going to be about, and the writers' room on that show doesn't start until February. It's conceivable that they could overlap. I mean, Sarah Paulson has done two shows for me that were shooting at the same time. Usually, with the actors, I think of a role and then go to them and they either want to do it or not, so I haven't even talked to Evan about what the role might be, but I would hope so. I think so." While it's very early stages for the eighth season of AHS, Murphy reveals they're much further along on planning the ninth season, which will like be the crossover between Murder House (season 1) and Coven (season 3). "We're working on it, but it's not going to be the next season," Murphy said. "Next season is season 8, and it'll probably be the one after that. "We've already met about it and outlined it, but it won't be next, because some of the people are not available." Murphy is optimistic that many of the original AHS stars will return for the crossover, including Dylan McDermott and Connie Britton, the latter of whom currently stars on Murphy's Fox drama 9-1-1. "I want all of them," he said. "I want Dylan, and Connie and Jessica [Lange]. They've all said -- Kathy Bates, too -- everybody who is involved in the show has always said, 'Yeah, that sounds like fun, let's get the band back together again.' So that is one of the reasons why the writing process of that season is taking longer because it's literally 25 people's schedules. But I'm hopeful they will all be back." (Entertainment Weekly)

Game of Thrones returns in 2019, HBO confirms for first time. At last, HBO has confirmed the long-speculated news that its flagship hit series Game of Thrones is taking a year off. The Emmy-winning sensation won't be back for its final season until 2019. The revelation means fans will have to wait longer than ever for the fantasy drama, which has grown its ratings year after year into one of the most popular shows in the world and HBO's biggest hit of all time. Last summer, EW was first to report that GoT might skip 2018, after the show's showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss explained they planned to spend a year and a half crafting the show's final episodes in an effort to make the final hours as spectacular and satisfying as possible (the eighth season, currently in production, is expected to film until this summer). Later, HBO programming chief Casey Bloys confirmed to us that a 2019 date was indeed possible. Since then, star Sophie Turner let slip in a recent interview that she didn't expect the show to come back until next year either. The delay makes sense for non-creative reasons, as well. As the biggest hit in HBO's history, one the subscription service hoped to continue for additional seasons, keeping the show around awhile long isn't a bad thing. Also, with season 7 contending for Emmy awards in 2018 due to its summer launch last year, HBO can focus its GoT promotional efforts on its Emmy campaign rather than launching a new season. The move also clears a path for the network's other lavishly produced and acclaimed genre hit, Westworld, which returns for its second season this year after taking its own lengthy break. (Westworld season 1 ended in late 2016.) But the question on fans' minds is when, exactly, will GoT return? After all, a final season airing Jan. 1, 2019 is a rather different for fans than one airing Dec. 31, 2019. HBO is silent on that front. But given that the network opted to air GoT in the spring every year until a longer-than-usual production schedule pushed season 7 to last summer, a return to a spring launch seems logical. The final season will also definitely be only six episodes as previously reported. While some episodes may be longer than usual, once again we're hearing not to expect feature-length episodes throughout the season. The GoT pushback also gives author George R.R. Martin more runway to potentially release the next book in his A Song of Ice and Fire series, The Winds of Winter, which he teased last summer might be ready in 2018. Given that Martin plans one final book in the series, A Dream of Spring, the HBO series is still expected to reveal its ending of the series before Martin's version hits bookstores. Martin is also involved with the five Thrones prequels in development. None have yet been greenlit. Here's all we know about those. As for the final season's content, so far the GoT team has managed to keep a lid on spoilers with unprecedented behind-the-scenes security. Yet former Thrones actor Jason Momoa was recently visiting the set and teased to EW: "It's going to be the greatest thing that's ever aired on TV. It's going to be unbelievable. It's going to f -- up a lot of people." (Entertainment Weekly)

Why the True Focus of The Assassination of Gianni Versace Just May Surprise You. His name may be in the one in the title, but when The Assassination of Gianni Versace premieres on FX next week, the famed fashion designer, gunned down in his prime, will share the spotlight. In fact, much like The People v O.J. Simpson before it, the second installment of American Crime Story will use the crime involving the bold-named individual in the title to explore greater themes, as well as tell the stories of the lesser-known victims of serial killer Andrew Cunanan. And as executive producer Brad Simpson told E! News ahead of the show's panel at the 2018 TCA Winter Press Tour, that's exactly how the creative team wanted it. "Andrew Cunanan was a spree killer and he murdered five people, the most famous being Gianni Versace. Versace was his obsession. He was everything he wanted and couldn't have. The series tracks through those victims," Simpson explained. "We thought it was important to spend the same amount of time with the less-known victims as it was with the most famous victims. Versace weaves his way in and out of this story, I think, in a great way, but the journey itself is the journey of this killer across the country as he murders people." In other words, just because Edgar Ramirez and Penelope Cruz dominate the show's key art as Gianni and his legendary sister Donatella Versace, don't expect this to be a Versace family biography. While Gianni's name may be in the title, it's the word "Assassination" that's the real focus here. "His obsession with Gianni Versace and the dance of creator and destroyer is the spine... that holds this together," Simpson elaborated upon duing the show's panel. "But ultimately, we felt it was really important for us, along this journey, to not only tell the story of Versace, but use that as fabric to tell the story of David Madson and Jeff Trail and the other victims." "This was a person who targeted people specifically to shame them and to out them and to have some payback for the life that he didn't get to live," Ryan Murphy added. "I just feel like anytime that you methodically plot to kill someone with pain and murder in your heart, to expose them for something, that is an assassination. It felt like the title was important for us, politically, to say." For executive producer Tom Rob Smith, who penned all nine episodes of the season, this installment of American Crime Story was an opportunity to explore issues that transcend one man's crimes. "I think this is a story people don't know. They know there was a murder in Miami. I kind of think of it as an iceberg. People just know the tip, and we're taking them on the journey all the way down," he told E! News. "And it's an incredible story across the whole of America... It touches on this enormous issue of the American dream. How do you grow up and try and be successful? One of the elements that crushes him is homophobia. So we're touching on the prejudices and preoccupations of society. It's a crime that really has soaked up a lot of America." And for star Darren Criss, who turns in a career-making performance as Cunanan, it was the opportunity to explore the tragic undercurrent of the murderer's actions that drove him to the role. "That's what made this such a joy for me, trying to find this common denominators between Andrew and the person watching, so much so that when he does something horrible, you're really almost heartbroken that they're doing this," he told E! News. "That it is not only sad because of the actions, but sad because of the things that made those things happen." American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace premieres Wednesday, Jan. 17 at 10 p.m. on FX. (Eonline)

The Royals Season 4 Sneak Peek: Prince Liam Pulls a Gun on the King, a Royal Wedding & More OMG Moments! S--t is getting real regal! In a drama-filled new sneak peek at season four of The Royals, which premieres Mar. 11, Prince Liam and King Robert are at each other's throats. "You're thick as thieve you two. You killed the king so you could be the king," Liam accuses Robert. "Brother, you are not well," Robert replies before Liam pulls a gun on his big bro. "Shut up!" Liam yells. "This is where it all ends." Luckily, Princess Eleanor steps in to whack Liam over the head with a heavy object. "This is why we don't spend any family time together," Eleanor tells her brood. But Liam's gun stunt is just the tip of the iceberg. The new promo also promises a royal wedding, major cat fights, another assassination attempt against King Robert and the return of fan-favorite guest stars Joan Collins and Elizabeth Hurley's real-life son Damian Hurley. Oh, and let's not forget about that hot a steamy make out scene between Princess Eleanor and Jasper! Get excited, Loyals. Season four picks up after Prince Robert (Max Brown) is crowned King of England, forcing his brother Prince Liam (William Moseley) and recently dethroned uncle Cyrus (Jake Maskall) to form an unlikely alliance. Queen Helena (Elizabeth Hurley) searches for her role in the palace and bodyguard Jasper (Tom Austen) tries to capture Princess Eleanor's (Alexandra Park) heart one more time just as they are about to face their biggest obstacle yet. (Eonline)

New Girl's final season: Fox releases time-jump details, finale date. If you want to bid farewell to New Girl, save seven Tuesdays in a row starting in April. Fox announced on Thursday that it will uncork the season 7 premiere of the Zooey Deschanel sitcom on April 10 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT, while the two-part, one-hour series finale will air on May 15 at 9 p.m. The comedy about a quintet of friends, which also stars Max Greenfield, Jake Johnson, Lamorne Morris, and Hannah Simone, will say goodbye in the future: The long-rumored time jump is true, and the final season kicks off three years down the road. The season 6 finale saw Jess (Deschanel) once again revealing her feelings to her friend-turned-ex-turned-friend Nick (Johnson), Cece (Simone) and Schmidt (Greenfield) learning that she is pregnant, and Winston (Morris) getting engaged to Aly (Nasim Pedrad). In the future, Jess and Nick, still together, return from a European book tour, Schmidt is staying at home with daughter Ruth while CeCe is a working mom, and the now-married Winston and Aly are expecting a child. Season 7 will welcome back a fair amount of guest stars, including original cast member Damon Wayans, Jr., Dermot Mulroney, David Walton, Nelson Franklin, Sam Richardson, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Rob Reiner. Want some new faces, too? JB Smoove and Tig Notaro also will pop up in the final batch of episodes. (Entertainment Weekly)

Netflix Finds Sabrina: Kiernan Shipka Will Star in Adaptation of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. There's a new teenage witch on the block. Kiernan Shipka will play the role of Sabrina Spellman in Netflix's Sabrina reboot based on The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. "We're all such huge fans of Kiernan's work that when we started talking about who this new incarnation of Sabrina could be, her name was on everyone's wish list," said executive producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa This is a darker, more macabre version of Sabrina, and we're incredibly excited for people to see Kiernan make this iconic character her own." The character description reads, "an empowered young woman, half-human, half-witch, Sabrina is just beginning her dark education as a sorceress, even as she tries to maintain a normal life as a sophomore at Baxter High. Intelligent, compassionate and brave to the point of recklessness, Sabrina is all that stands between us and the forces of darkness that threaten our world." Although initially developed at The CW, Netflix swooped in and ordered two seasons, 20 episodes, of the Sabrina reboot. The show will live in the same universe as Riverdale, The CW's Archie Comics adaptation. Riverdale's Aguirre-Sacasa will write and executive produce. Lee Toland Krieger will direct and executive produce with Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Jon Goldwater also serving as executive producer. The series, which is untitled at the moment, "imagines the origin and adventures of Sabrina the Teenage Witch as a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror, the occult and, of course, witchcraft," Netflix said in a release. The show is also described "tonally in the vein of Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist," with "Sabrina wrestling to reconcile her dual nature -- half-witch, half-mortal -- while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family and the daylight world humans inhabit. Melissa Joan Hart starred in Sabrina, the Teenage Witch from 1996-2003 on ABC and The WB. Caroline Rhea and Beth Broderick played her aunts, Nick Bakay voiced the talking cat Salem. The show also starred Lindsay Sloane, Nate Richert, David Lascher, Elisa Donovan and Soleil Moon Frye, among others, over the years. Shipka, 18, is best known for playing Sally Draper on AMC's Mad Men. She also recently appeared in a few episodes of Feud: Bette and Joan, and guest-voiced an episode of Family Guy. (Eonline)

Donald Glover Found Inspiration for Atlanta's Second Season in the Unlikliest of Places. It's been a long time since we last visited Donald Glover's specific, surreal vision of Atlanta. But the highly-anticipated second season of the Emmy-winning FX comedy, officially titled Atlanta Robbin' Season (more on that later), finally has a premiere date of March 1. And because the return is right around the corner, the multi-hyphenate (Seriously, not only does he star in the series he created, but he is also credited as executive producer, director, writer and executive music producer. Whew.) and his co-stars were on hand during FX's day at the 2018 TCA Winter Press Tour to give the world some insight into what it's like to return to something that was so rapturously received the first time around, as well as what to expect once it's back. "What we liked about the first season was we just looked at it as 30 minutes on television. We weren't trying to think about it in terms of sitcom tropes and what has come before. We really tried to just devolve what television was. We just had 30 minutes to do whatever we want," Donald explained. "So we just went into this being like 'Why are we going to do seasons? Everybody does seasons.' I felt like the theme that we really wanted to go for was this. I think in the writer's room we talked a lot about How I Spent My Summer Vacation by the Tiny Toons which is a show we really liked. That was kind of the inspiration for season two." Now, before you start thinking that Earn, Van (Zazie Beets), Paper Boi (Brian Tyree Henry) and the rest of the gang are going to suddenly get animated or spend some time with some animals or something like that (though, with this show, that might still be possible), Donald's brother Stephen Glover, who writes and serves as executive producer on Atlanta, explained how that early '90s animated classic truly inspired this new batch of episodes. "Summer Vacation Tiny Toons episodes were broken up into a bunch of episodes, like eight or nine, but if you watched them all together, it was a movie," he explained. "We had this idea like, yeah, a whole story, but being told in a bunch of little parts." "You enjoy them more when they're all together, but you also enjoy them in little bit," Donald added. As for the interesting new title, Stephen also kindly explained to the room what it was all about. "Robbin' Season, for most of you that don't know, is a time in Atlanta before Christmastime and New Year's, but it's basically a bunch of crime happens in the city because people have their Christmas gifts," he said. "It's just a time where robberies go up, like all times...It's just a very tense and desperate time, so we kind of wanted to make that the backdrop of the season... Robbin' Season's kind of a metaphor for all of our characters." When the conversation turned to the pressure felt trying to capitalize on the first season's success in the face of fan expectations, Donald admitted that he's wary of giving people what they think they want. "It just feels like everybody wants you to do the thing that they like again," he said. "At one point you talked about how last season, the 'B.A.M.' episode was sort of the anomaly or the one that completely unboxed what the TV format could be and you saying, 'We can't do another one like that,'" Zazie added. "So, like, not copying yourself." Something tells us that for the endlessly creative artist at the helm, not copying himself shouldn't be much of a problem. Atlanta Robbin' Season kicks off on Thursday, March 1 at 10 p.m. on FX. (Eonline)

Megyn Kelly refuses to have Trump-bashing author on her show. President Donald Trump isn't the only person who columnist and author Michael Wolff has recently left in a shaking rage. "Today" anchor Megyn Kelly refused to host Wolff on her show when he was promoting his book "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House" last week. Kelly is apparently still peeved about a Newsweek piece Wolff penned about her NBC deal, in which he wrote: "There is at any given time in the television news business invariably one person more mistrusted and reviled by all the other mistrusted and reviled people in the business .?.?. At Fox, for star colleagues down to makeup artists and, seemingly, by common agreement throughout the television news business, Megyn Kelly is the era's most hardcore Eve Harrington case -- soulless, heartless, shameless, avaricious, etc." An insider told us, "Wolff was OK with doing her show, but Megyn said absolutely not." Savannah Guthrie interviewed Wolff on "Today" on Friday. He is also promoting the book on "Meet the Press" and on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Monday. NBC News didn't comment. (PageSix)

Seth MacFarlane Addresses Family Guy's 2005 Kevin Spacey Joke. Seth MacFarlane is sharing his thoughts on Family Guy's joke about Kevin Spacey. In Oct. 2017 Spacey issued an apology to Anthony Rapp, who, in an interview with Buzzfeed News, accused the House of Cards star of behaving inappropriately with him when he was just 14. That same month, a Twitter user discovered a 2005 episode of Family Guy which made a joke about Spacey. @NumbersMuncher shared a clip from the episode on Twitter, writing, "Family Guy with the Kevin Spacey reference twelve years ago... creepy." In the clip from the episode, Stewie runs through a store yelling, "Help! I've escaped from Kevin Spacey's basement! Help me!" While at Fox's day at the Winter TCA Press Tour, the animated show's creator and star, MacFarlane, was asked about the show's Spacey joke and how it made them look like they knew something a long time ago. "I don't remember who pitched the joke," MacFarlane said. "I remember when it got pitched, that was a rumor I had not heard, but people in the writer's room had. And it had to be sort of explained to me." Social media has also found other episodes of the show that reference people in Hollywood who have recently been at the center of harassment allegations. "I think that the myth that Family Guy is this Kreskin-like prognosticator is a little sensationalized," MacFarlane said Thursday. "It's interesting that the narrative that's been decided by others, the idea that Family Guy is this cartoon Ouija Board that predicts these things." He continued, "I was just watching this all happen from afar. I don't know that there's a lot of research against it. I think it's sort of the modern thing where it's more important to be first than it is to be right. And it gets out there and somebody else picks it up and somebody else picks it up and then it just becomes viral. It's a strange thing to observe. Again, we plan our show the same as anybody else and we make the same topical jokes that The Simpsons does, that South Park does. And you work with what you have, whether that be swirling rumor or... fact." (Eonline)

CBS Can't Dodge $750M Defamation Suit From JonBenet Ramsey's Brother. Burke Ramsey says his reputation has been ruined after a CBS show's experts concluded he killed his sister. Burke Ramsey's $750 million defamation lawsuit against CBS over the limited series The Case Of: JonBenet Ramsey will proceed after a Michigan judge on Friday denied the network's motion to dismiss the matter. Ramsey sued CBS in December 2016, claiming that the network falsely conveyed to millions of viewers that he killed his sister. A panel of law enforcement specialists interviewed for the series, who are each named as a defendant in the suit, concluded after reviewing evidence from the case that Burke, then 9 years old, killed 6-year-old JonBenet by accident in 1996. The investigators also believed the children's parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, faked their daughter's kidnapping to cover for their son. CBS asked Judge David Groner to dismiss the case, arguing its show didn't state as fact that Burke killed his sister and the statements relayed were either opinion or theory. It also noted that a disclaimer aired at the beginning and end of the program explaining that the crime is unsolved and the conclusions of investigators on the series "represent just some of a number of possible scenarios." Groner watched the program and found "the statements at issue and the docuseries as a whole could reasonably be understood as stating actual facts" about Burke Ramsey. He further found that the disclaimer didn't negate the show's potentially defamatory meaning. "The rejection of CBS's opinion defense is likely the most significant ruling that will be issued in the case," said Ramsey's attorney L. Lin Wood in a Friday email statement. "Now the case moves to factual discovery. The facts were thoroughly reviewed by law enforcement investigators 20 years ago. Burke is innocent. Committing a knowing fraud on the viewing public in a fake documentary cannot not change that fact." CBS also issued a statement in response to the ruling: "This very preliminary procedural ruling was issued prior to any evidence being presented. It is based solely on the plaintiff's complaint. Should the case move forward, we look forward to defending it on its merits." Burke Ramsey filed a separate $150 million suit against a pathologist who participated in the series, Werner Spitz, over statements he made to the press about the case. The court also on Friday declined to dismiss that matter. (Hollywood Reporter)

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