ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
Robert Griffin III went straight from the altar to the beach with his new wife for a little volleyball ... and a major love tap. Newlyweds RGIII and Grete Sadeiko hit up Miami Beach Sunday, a day after tying the knot in town. They seemed to be kickin' ass as a team on the sand ... Grete was showing off a lot of ass, too, which didn't go unnoticed by her NFL star hubby. This is RG's second marriage. Grete gave birth to their daughter last summer -- he's got another kid with his ex-wife, Rebecca Liddicoat. They finalized their divorce last year. The ceremony was super romantic, with RG3 and Grete sharing a dance to Ed Sheeran's "Perfect." Griffin was decked out in a light blue tux, and Grete went with a traditional bride's dress. He shouted out his spouse afterward, calling her his hero all along. (TMZ)
Two more Laguna Beach babies! Former costars Alex Murrel and Dieter Schmitz are each expecting a baby this year with their partners. Coincidentally, they both announced their family updates over the weekend. "Baby brother on his way this July #JulyBabies," Murrel captioned a series of baby bump photos via Instagram on Sunday, March 11. The star is already mom of son Levi with husband Kyle Johnson. Murrel's BFF Taylor Cole was the one that snapped the adorable pics. "When your bestie makes you cry when you get the photos back," she wrote on Instagram Stories. "Thank you @taylorcolephoto. There's no one else I'd want to capture this special family moment." Schmitz, meanwhile, is going to be a first-time dad. "Some exciting news from the Schmitz's!!! Our family is growing!!!" he captioned an Instagram pic of his dog wearing a sign that read "Mom & Dad are getting me a human." The parents-to-be also shared a sonogram pic and a sign that read "our greatest adventure begins September 2018." Schmitz and his wife, Isabell Hiebl, tied the knot in August 2016. Former costars Lauren Conrad, Trey Phillips, Stephen Colletti and Loren Polster were all in attendance. (US Weekly)
If this isn't proof that Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom are back together, we don't know what is. Katy is bringing on the extra-ness and we love it. Is it official? It seems that Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom are back together for good this time. Why? Well, if Katy Perry's latest outfit is anything to go off, they're well and truly back on. The songstress stepped out this weekend while in Chile for a concert, wearing a onesie covered in images of Orlando Bloom's face - then posed for fans' and paps' pictures. Wondering what the hell an Orlando Bloom onesie looks like? Well, here you have it: It's the same onesie that Orlando Bloom AND his mum have, so our guess is that Katy got one too. If this isn't enough proof that they are back together, we don't know what is! After calling it quits on their relationship back in March 2017, a source confirmed to is Sun that the couple are giving their relationship another shot: "They're back on. Katy wants to make things work this time around. She tried, but she couldn't cut him off. She cares too much about him. This time, they're keeping things low key but they're back together." Rumors that Katy and Orlando were back on started last month after they were spotted by a fan having breakfast at a luxury resort, Amilla Fushi, in the Maldives... We're so glad their time at taking "respectful, loving space" is over... back to #couplegoals, Katy and Orlando. (British Glamour)
Cameron Diaz has decided to retire from acting. If you were hoping to see Cameron Diaz in another film anytime soon, we have some bad news - it looks like the actress has called time on her acting career. The 45-year-old has a career spanning two decades with some of her biggest hits including The Mask, There's Something About Mary, My Best Friend's Wedding, Charlie's Angels, The Holiday and Shrek, but it seems she's had enough of the big screen. According to her pal Selma Blair who Cameron starred in The Sweetest Thing with in 2002, she's just taking it easy and enjoying life. "I had lunch with Cameron the other day. We were reminiscing about the film. I would have liked to do a sequel but Cameron's retired from acting. She's like 'I'm done'. "I mean, she doesn't need to make any more films. She has a pretty great life, I don't know what it would take to bring her back. She's happy." So what's she doing with all her spare time? Reports suggest she's happy hanging out with her hubby, Good Charlotte frontman Benji Madden, and of course she's the author of two books The Longevity Book: The Science of Aging, the Biology of Strength, and the Privilege of Time and The Body Book: The Law of Hunger, the Science of Strength, and Other Ways to Love Your Amazing Body. We think she deserves some TLC, to be honest. Cameron has yet to deny or confirm Selma's comments, but given that her last film was in 2014 and according to IMDB there are no upcoming projects, she doesn't seem to be in any rush. (British Glamour)
Isabella Rossellini faints during daughter's labor. Isabella Rossellini had her own medical emergency when daughter Elettra Wiedemann gave birth in January to son Ronin Hendrick Lane with her boyfriend, actor Caleb Lane. "I fainted," Rossellini told Scandinavian talk show "Skavlan." "I accompanied my daughter at the hospital, it was a very long 24-hour delivery. Within the first two hours, I fainted, so my daughter said, paraphrasing Trump, 'Mama, you're fired.'" Rossellini added, "I had to leave the hospital." (PageSix)
Kate Upton has refused to be interviewed by a lawyer who was hired by the Special Committee of the Board Directors of Guess to investigate her claim Chief Creative Officer Paul Marciano sexually assaulted her. Upton had said publicly she would cooperate with the Guess investigation, but then changed her position when she learned the law firm that was involved in the probe was Marciano's personal law firm. She called it "smoke and mirrors" and a "PR stunt to impress shareholders." TMZ has learned the Special Committee hired Glaser and Glaser, a high-powered L.A. law firm that has no ties to Guess or Marciano, to conduct the investigation. Marciano's personal firm is now out of the picture. Our sources say attorney Patty Glaser contacted Upton's lawyer and asked if Upton would now sit for an interview. We're told Upton's lawyer said his client would not do the interview with Glaser because some of the information in the probe was already gathered by Marciano's law firm, so the investigation was tainted. We're told Glaser assured the lawyer she was the only one in charge of the investigation, she had no preconceptions and wanted to be fair to both sides. Her lawyer didn't budge ... at least not so far. Upton has claimed Marciano grabbed her breasts and forcibly kissed her neck and face, among other things, during a photo shoot in 2010. Marciano is currently on hiatus from Guess after a number of other women lodged complaints. (TMZ)
U2 rocker Bono has apologized for the "toxic" work environment at his charity's Johannesburg, South Africa, offices, where workers had been allegedly harassed and humiliated for years. "We are all deeply sorry. I hate bullying, can't stand it," Bono reportedly told the Mail on Sunday after it published an account of allegations against The One Campaign, which the singer founded in 2004 with Kennedy clan member Bobby Shriver. Complaints from The One office includes one from a married female worker who said she was pressured to sleep with an elderly Tanzanian politician and when she didn't, was demoted to receptionist and had her salary slashed, the site reported. The mission and name of the charity created with the intent of lessening poverty and preventable diseases, especially in Africa began being tainted in November when employees first came forward with claims of abuse and bullying. CEO Gayle Smith, who joined the company a year ago, admitted in a letter Friday there was an "institutional failure" between 2011 and 2015. Examples of abuse included name-calling and forced labor, with one manager said to have forced junior staffers to clean her house. Smith said another staff member complained about a manager who made "sexist and suggestive comments" about her to a government official from a different country and demoted her for not sleeping with the official. Smith would not confirm if the official was from Tanzania, as the Mail reported. "The overall evidence from our investigation was sufficient for me to conclude that we needed to own an institutional failure and ensure that our organization has in place the systems, policies and practices needed so that this never happens again," she wrote in the letter. One released the statement after learning several employees were planning to sue over the allegations. Bono said he was "reeling and furious" when he learned of the abuse and hopes to meet the victims in person. "My team and I heard concerns about low morale and poor management in this office but nothing along the lines of what emerged recently. I was assured that those concerns were being dealt with -- clearly, they were not," he said. "The head office failed to protect those employees and I need to take some responsibility for that." (Page Six)
"S.W.A.T." star Page Kennedy has been arrested for felony domestic violence ... TMZ has learned. The 41-year-old actor, whose credits include "Bones" and "Cold Case," was allegedly in a fight at his home Saturday night with a woman. Law enforcement tells TMZ the verbal argument turned physical and someone called 911. When cops arrived they discovered the alleged victim had minor injuries, and that was enough for cops to cuff Kennedy and take him to the station. He was held on $50,000 bail. He was released Sunday. (TMZ)
WWE superstar Jeff Hardy -- one half of the Hardy Boyz -- was arrested Saturday night after cops say he drunkenly crashed his car in North Carolina while THREE TIMES the legal limit. According to the police report, obtained by TMZ Sports, the 40-year-old was involved in a single-car crash and admitted to being the driver of the 2016 Cadillac CTS-V sedan. Cops say he submitted to a breath test and blew a .25 -- more than three times the legal limit. He was immediately booked for misdemeanor Driving While Intoxicated and is due back in court in April. WWE addressed the arrest, saying ... "Jeff Hardy is responsible for his own personal actions. We are investigating the matter and awaiting information from local law enforcement officials." Hardy has a history with the law ... back in 2011, he served time in jail stemming from a 2009 cocaine and prescription pill arrest. (TMZ)
As if being accused of domestic violence isn't bad enough ... the wife of NFL lineman Roy Miller now claims he's a vindictive alcoholic who's trying to drain the family's bank account to leave her high and dry. 30-year-old Miller was cut by the Kansas City Chiefs back in November following a domestic violence arrest in Florida -- despite signing a 1-year, $1.4 million deal before the season. Now, Miller's wife has hit Roy with divorce papers -- and also got a temporary restraining order against him claiming the Nov. attack, in which he ripped hair out of her head, occurred in front of one of their kids. Miller's wife also claims he's been drinking excessively and it's impaired his ability to parent. But, on top of all that ... Miller's wife claims she noticed the NFL player has been taking HUGE amounts of money out of their joint bank account -- more than $400,000 -- and she's concerned he's trying to hide the cash before she gets her cut in the divorce. Miller has reportedly made more than $17 mil in his NFL career. Roy has filed court docs of his own denying the allegations. The case is due back in court later this year. (TMZ)
Hubert de Givenchy -- the legendary fashion designer to celebs like Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Kennedy -- has died at his home near Paris. Givenchy died in his sleep Saturday night, according to his longtime partner, designer Philippe Venet. Hepburn famously wore Givenchy's designs in several of her movies, including "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and "Sabrina" -- and she went on to become an ambassador for his brand. Jackie, Iman, Candice Swanepoel and even Cam Newton rocked G's threads over the years. He might not brag about this one, but Lindsay Lohan famously wore Givenchy back in 2012 ... during one of her many, many, many court appearances. Givenchy founded his design house in 1952, and it's now owned by the luxury fashion company LVMH. He was 91. RIP. (TMZ)
THE OTHER STUFF . . .
Serena Williams wants to serve an ace on yo face ... with a new cosmetics line. The tennis great filed legal docs to trademark "Aneres" (spells Serena backwards, btw). Serena had already locked down the name a while back, but it was for her clothing line. It looks like she now plans to slap her backwards name on a variety of beauty products. Boss move. Serena's cosmetics vision includes skin care prep and makeup removing products, colognes and perfumes. There are also makeup kits, bath soaps, lipstick, lip gloss, eye shadow, eyeliner and mascara. Kylie, your competition has arrived. (TMZ)
There ain't gonna be any lil' Steve-Os scaling cranes or lighting themselves on fire anytime soon, or ever for that matter, according to Steve-O who is on his way to Puerto Rico to get a vasectomy, but he's not doing it alone. We got Steve-O and his pooch, Wendy, at LAX about to board a flight to Puerto Rico where he'll not only be helping with ongoing hurricane relief, but also spaying and neutering 1,000 dogs and cats. Steve-O says he believes in the cause so much he's doing it to himself, although it sounds like he's got another agenda. (TMZ)
Khloe Kardashian's baby girl will be born with several silver spoons, dripping in Versace and other designer names ... TMZ has learned. As we showed you, Khloe and Kris Jenner went shopping last week in WeHo, and one of the high-end boutiques they hit up was Couture Kids. We did some digging and found out Khloe's registered there, and her wish list totals over $90,000 ... and counting! So, what does that kinda dough get ya? How about a $10k crib, or a Versace baby blanket for $365 and, because ya gotta have it ... the $600 Versace changing bag! Fit for only the finest baby deuces. Khloe and Tristan Thompson's little one will also be decked out in a Givenchy Kids leather jacket for a mere $1,450. And that's just a taste. Our sources tell us most of the items in Khloe's registry are pink, but another source says they think Khloe came close to picking out one of everything in the store. The baby shower's gonna be off the chain. Cartier, of course. (TMZ)
Internet billionaire Michael Rubin is putting together an audacious bid to buy the NFL's Carolina Panthers, and has landed an incredibly powerful ally -- the co-founder of Chinese web giant Alibaba Joseph Tsai, sources exclusively tell Page Six. Sources say Rubin, who owns $4.5 billion online sportswear retailer Fanatics, is set on buying the Panthers, which was put up for sale in December after the team's owner Jerry Richardson was accused of workplace misconduct. Rubin -- a close friend of Patriots owner Bob Kraft and many pro-athletes -- is set to submit a bid for the Panthers, we're told, and Tsai is on board to join an impressive ownership consortium, which they hope could yet include sports figures such as Steph Curry and music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs. Tsai is already a 49 percent owner of the Brooklyn Nets. A source told Page Six, "Rubin is putting a powerful bid for the Carolina Panthers. Under the bid, Rubin, would be the majority owner, with Tsai just behind. But Rubin also hopes to put together an incredibly diverse minority ownership team as part of his bid. He has been talking to Steph Curry and Diddy as minority owners. The initial bids are due tomorrow, the ownership structure can be declared at a later date." Reps for Rubin and Diddy didn't comment. But a source close to Combs -- who is said to be worth more than $820 million thanks to deals with Diageo's Ciroc and a partnership with DeLeon tequila -- told us, "Sean is absolutely serious about being in on the deal to buy the Panthers. This team is something he truly believes in." Forbes has valued the Panthers at $2.3 billion and sources confirmed to Page Six that initial bids for the team were due on Monday. We revealed earlier this year that hedge fund billionaire David Tepper made a $2.3 billion play for the Carolina Panthers. Appaloosa Management founder Tepper is also a minority owner in the Pittsburgh Steelers. Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, the owners of Station Casinos and Red Rock Resorts, were also considering a Panthers bid, we reported. It is believed the NFL hopes to approve a deal at a meeting in May in Atlanta. (Page Six)
O.J. Simpson no longer has black America's backing because they all know now what they refused to believe then -- O.J. is guilty of double murder ... so says 'People v. O.J.' star Keesha Sharp. We got the actress who played Dale Cochran, Johnnie's wife, outside The Jeremy Hotel in WeHo and asked if she was gonna be watching FOX's special, "O.J. Simpson: The Lost Confession?" She seemed iffy about it, but regardless had some strong feelings about O.J. Keesha's adamant people didn't need to watch the special to know what they've ultimately come to realize -- O.J. killed Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman on the night of June 12, 1994. At the time, Keesha says, black America was ecstatic he got off ... but that's not the case now thanks to the power of information. (TMZ)
Olivia Wilde's Dog Paco Dies on Her 34th Birthday. It wasn't a happy birthday for Olivia Wilde. The actress revealed her lovable dog Paco died on her 34th birthday. "Lost my best friend last night," she wrote on Instagram Mar. 11 along with a series of photos of her and her pet. "Paco was a kind, wise, gentle, loving soul. I could post a thousand photos of so many adventures. These pics remind me of how peaceful he made me. My heart feels broken right now. All I can ask is that you consider adopting a pup and loving them with all you've got. Here's to all the incredible friends of Paco who've been so kind to him over the years. I am forever grateful." Wilde turned 34 on Mar. 10. In a separate post, the House star shared a picture of her cuddling next to partner Jason Sudeikis and their two kids Otis, 3, and Daisy, 1. "What could I possibly ask for on this 34th birthday?" she wrote next to the family photo. "Just endless health and happiness for these magical maniacs. Thank you thank you thank you, a million times, thank you." Paco lived a long life. On Feb. 8, the actress revealed she'd had her dog for almost 16 years. "Been with this handsome man almost 16 years," she wrote on Instagram. "What's our secret? Same as most true lovers. Bacon." The family of four also has another dog named Elvis. The family adopted the pooch in 2017. (Eonline)
Arnold Schwarzenegger is wondering what the rest of the world is wondering -- what's taking Elon Musk so long to get that Model 3 going?! We got Arnold at SXSW in Austin (yup, we're everywhere) and our guy wanted to know if Arnold would ever volunteer for Elon's Mars trip. Arnold quickly fired back and went after Elon's Model 3. Tesla has struggled to produce the sought-after car with yet another production halt. What's more ... Elon's missed nearly every goal and his target of producing 5,000 Model 3s per week has been pushed back to June. But it sounds like Arnold's ready to help. We think. (TMZ)
Music
Tim McGraw Collapses Onstage in Ireland. Tim McGraw collapsed onstage Sunday night during a concert in Dublin, Ireland. The 50-year-old country music superstar had just finished singing "Humble & Kind" when he dropped to his knees and took a seat. McGraw's wife, Faith Hill, later addressed the crowd on his behalf, saying it was her decision to stop his performance. "He's been super dehydrated," Hill told their fans. "I apologize, but I made the decision that he cannot come back out onstage." In response, the crowd chanted "We love Tim," and Hill performed an a capella rendition of "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." Then the lights came on and the audience was ushered out. McGraw's collapse came as "a bit of a shock, audience member Del Crooks told the BBC. "I thought he was taking in the applause while sitting down after singing 'Humble and Kind.' But when a spotlight was switched on him, he was slumped on his knees on the left-hand side of the stage. The light was quickly turned off and you could see his crew helping him off -- and the band ran over as well," he said, adding that it took about 20 minutes for Hill to end the concert. Thankfully, the "Live Like You Were Dying" singer is feeling fine. "Tim McGraw was suffering from dehydration in Dublin this evening at the C2C show. He was attended to by local medical staff on-site and will be fine," his rep told Rolling Stone in a statement. "He and Faith thank everyone for their love and support and look forward to seeing their Irish fans again soon." McGraw's next concert is scheduled for May 31 in Richmond, Va., as part of the Soul2Soul Tour. (Eonline)
Harry Styles World Tour Kick Off Includes Debut of Two New Songs, 'Anna' & 'Medicine'. It's been almost a year since Harry Styles released his self-titled solo debut, so you'd think he would have some new songs written by now. Turns out he does and he rolled two of them out during the kick-off of his global tour on Sunday night (March 11) in Basel, Switzerland. In video caught by fans at the show, Styles -- wearing a black suit with sparkly accents -- strummed an acoustic guitar while singing the catchy chorus to a song fans have dubbed "Anna." In it, he sings, "I don't want you sympathy, but you don't know what you do to me/ Oh, Anna!/ Every time I see your face, there's only so much I can take/ Oh, Anna!" The song, which appears to be called "Anna" (or "Oh Anna") also included brief snippets of the iconic strummy acoustic guitar hook from George Michaels' "Faith.". Styles also appeared to unleash another fresh track, the intense "Medicine," with the chorus "Can I take my medicine, take my medicine/ Rest it on your fingertips/ Up to your mouth, feeling it out/ Feeling it out." And the full setlist according to a fan, which includes versions of One Direction's "Stockholm Syndrome," "If I Could Fly" and "What Makes You Beautiful," a bit of Ariana Grande's "Just a Little Bit of Your Heart," a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain" and another new song, "Medicine." Styles' tour continues in Europe through mid-April, then jumps to Australia and Asia and looping to South and Central America and finally hitting the U.S. on June 5 with a show at American Airlines Arena in Dallas. (Billboard)
Taylor Swift's "Delicate" Music Video Decoded: All the Hidden Easter Eggs. Taylor Swift's new "Delicate" music video is here, and fans are already dissecting it for hidden messages. In the video, the 28-year-old pop star breaks free from the scrutiny of the spotlight by becoming invisible -- allowing her to dance like nobody's watching. One of the most overt Easter eggs in the short film is the "Track 5" graffiti written inside of a subway station. "Delicate" is the fifth song on the Reputation album. Fans also spotted the words "It's Delicate" and "Reputation" spray painted on garage doors as Swift dances down an alleyway. In fact, there are a few nods to the song's lyrics in this scene. For instance, the words "echoes of your footsteps" appear on the side of another garage. In the song, the artist sings, "Long night with your hands up in my hair/Echoes of your footsteps on the stairs/Stay here, honey, I don't wanna share." In addition, there's another lyric where Swift sings "Dive bar on the East Side, where you at?" Swift walks into a dive bar called the Golden Gopher near the end of the video. There's even a slight nod to her boyfriend Joe Alwyn in the video. When Swift is dancing in the rain down the alleyway, she passes a sign that reads "Joe's Deli." Some fans even suspect Swift incorporated a throwback moment to her song "Fearless." In the 2008 hit, Swift sings "And I don't know why but with you'd I dance in a storm in my best dress Fearless." The singer does exactly that in her new music video. A few Swifties also noticed the "Fearless" Taylor is fifth in line in the series of Taylors in her "Look What You Made Me Do" music video. Again, "Delicate" is the fifth song on Swift's Reputation album. So, how does Swift determine which hidden messages go into her videos? "It always starts with the original concept and what I'm trying to accomplish," Joseph Kahn, her longtime video director, exclusively told E! News while promoting his new "Live Grand" campaign for Grand Marnier. "I'm a very big person that thinks about theme. Theme is very very important, and messaging is very important." Swift debuted the music video shortly after she won Female Artist of the Year at the 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards. Did you spot any other hidden messages? (Eonline)
Honoring Christina Grimmie: A Look Back on the Young Star's Life. Monday marked what would have been Christina Grimmie's 24th birthday. The singer died June 10, 2016 after a man shot her inside the Orlando Plaza Live Theater in Orlando, Fla. Grimmie had performed there earlier in the night with the pop rock band Before You Exit and was signing autographs when the man opened fire. Fans first fell in love with Grimmie on YouTube. She joined the platform in 2009 under the name zeldaxlove64 and won the internet over with her powerful voice and amazing cover performances. She eventually built a fan base of 3.9 million subscribers. Grimmie skyrocketed into fame quickly. She started to open for popular artists -- including Selena Gomez and the Jonas Brothers. In 2011, she launched her first EP Find Me and won the American Music Award for Best Female New Media. Then, in 2013, she released her second album With Love. However, Grimmie's fame took on a whole new level when she appeared on season six of The Voice. The artist wowed the judges with her performance of Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball" -- causing all four judges (Adam Levine, Usher, Shakira, and Blake Shelton) to turn their chairs around and offer to be her coach. Grimmie ended up choosing Levine. She made it to the finals and won third place. Host Carson Daly later said he was "shocked" she didn't win. Still, Grimmie's star continued to burn bright. She went on to win the 2015 Macy's iHeartRadio Rising Star competition, release her second EP Side A and star in the film The Matchbreaker. Even after her death, the star received the 2016 Teen Choice Award for Choice Web Star: Music. In honor of her birthday, here's a gallery of some of her major milestones. Grimmie is survived by her parents, Tina Grimmie and Bud Grimmie, as well as her brother Marcus Grimmie. The Christina Grimmie Foundation -- which offers support to individuals and families affected by gun violence or breast cancer -- also lives on. (Eonline)
Bon Jovi Rocks the 2018 iHeart Radio Music Awards With First-Ever Icon Award. They give music...a good name! Whether you want them on a bed of roses or livin' on a prayer, Bon Jovi hit up The Forum in true rock 'n' roll style when they were honored with the first-ever Icon Award at the 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards on Sunday night. After being introduced by Olympian Shaun White, the '80s rockers took the stage at the fun-filled award show, hosted Hailey Baldwin and DJ Khaled and rocked out with a medley of "It's My Life" and "You Give Love a Bad Name." After their performance, frontman Jon Bon Jovi said, "I want to thank the three and a half decades of fans that have been listening to Bon Jovi fans. We've been at this game a long time and the only advice I'll tell this incredible talent is stay true to who you are and then they are going to make you icons too someday." It's been an exciting time for the longtime rockers, the band will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next month. In addition to the Jersey boys' honor, Camila Cabello was presented with the iHeartRadio Fangirls Award by L'Oreal Paris for demonstrating ambition, passion and a strong sense of self-worth," according to a press release. iHeartRadio also honored Chance the Rapper with the Innovator Award for his accomplishments in the music industry and dedication to social activism. The night's performance lineup included Camila Cabello, Cardi B, Sheeran, Maroon, Charlie Puth and Eminem. As for the nominees, Justin Bieber's remix of Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's smash hit "Despacito" dominated with seven nods, followed by Rihanna, Bruno Mars, The Chainsmokers, Ed Sheeran and DJ Khaled with five each. (Eonline)
Eminem and Kehlani Light Up the Stage at 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards. Slim Shady fans got quite the treat when Eminem hit the stage with Kehlani at the 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards on Sunday night. The two brought the heat -- literally. Things got hot during their performance of "Nowhere Fast" during the high-octane award show at The Forum in Los Angeles. During the collab, music couple Halsey and G-Eazy were caught standing up and mouthing the words during the performance. Clearly loving every minute of it! On March 8, iHeartRadio announced that the rapper had been added to the list of performers, which also includes Maroon 5, Camila Cabello, Cardi B, and Charlie Puth. At the award show, hosted by Hailey Baldwin and DJ Khaled live, the biggest and brightest recording artists from every genre came together under one roof. Going into the night, Justin Bieber's remix of Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's smash hit "Despacito" dominated with seven nominations, followed by Rihanna, Bruno Mars, The Chainsmokers, Ed Sheeran and DJ Khaled with five each. The nominees were announced on January 11. In addition to the performances, Bon Jovi, Camila Cabello and Chance the Rapper were honored with previously announced awards during the night. Camila was presented with the iHeartRadio Fangirls Award by L'Oreal Paris for demonstrating ambition, passion and a strong sense of self-worth," according to a press release. Bon Jovi given the first-ever Icon Award at the award show. Chance the Rapper honored with the Innovator Award for his accomplishments in the music industry and dedication to social activism. The 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards aired live on Sunday, March 11, on TBS, TNT and truTV. (Eonline)
Cardi B Has the Best Message for Her Haters After iHeartRadio Music Awards Win. Haters better listen up, okay?! During Sunday night's 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards, Cardi B received the trophy for Best New Artist. While on stage at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., the rapper couldn't help but give thanks to her fans and critics. "Oh my God! I am going to thank a lot of people because a lot of people helped me with my success so here it goes," she shared. "I want to thank my publicist, my team, I want to thank Atlantic, my family. Who else? I want to thank my man." She continued, "I want to thank my fans because even when I'm wrong they be like she's still right." And in true Cardi B fashion, the Love & Hip Hop New York alumna had a message for all those who don't have nice things to say about her talents. "And I want to thank my haters too. Because, ha-ha-ha, because, they be downloading my stuff so they can hear it and talk crap about it. But it benefits me. Ha-ha-ha," she shared. "My album will be coming in April. Okay? Yes, sir. April. Stay tuned mother f--kers owwww." Cardi B's big award comes after the rapper opened the show with a medley of hits including "Bodak Yellow." If you didn't like it, chances are Cardi B doesn't give a hoot! (Eonline)
Chance the Rapper Inspires With Innovator Award at iHeartRadio Music Awards 2018. He's more than a rapper, he's an inspiration! Sunday night at the iHeartRadio awards at The Forum in Los Angeles, Chance the Rapper was honored with the Innovator Award for his accomplishments in the music industry and dedication to social activism. Introducing the award, Pharrell said, "To call Chance the Rapper an innovator sounds like an understatement." In addition to talking about his musical accomplishments and his charitable gift of $1 million to Chicago public schools, Pharrell brought up the 24-year-old's accomplishments as a father to daughter Kensli Bennett. "We also need to make some noise for him being an amazing dad. He completely breaks the stereotype of young dads," praised the "Happy" singer. When accepting the award, the humble performer said to the crowd at The Forum, "Well thank you first of all...I found out I was getting this Innovator Award and I still -- with everything that comes my way, I still feel very young and undeserving and very overwhelmed by this stuff." The rapper, who arrived wearing a Barack Obama hoodie, also gave his gratitude and paid tribute to the innovative artists that came before him. "I want to thank James Brown for his musical endeavors; I want to thank Ray Charles for his musical insight in this business; I want to thank the late great Prince," said the music man. "And the women! The contemporary women -- Nicki Minaj, you don't know what she's done for streaming, Taylor Swift and Beyonce." At the award show, hosted by Hailey Baldwin and DJ Khaled, the biggest and brightest recording artists from every genre came together under one roof. The night's performance lineup includes Camila Cabello, Cardi B, Ed Sheeran, Maroon 5, Charlie Puth and Eminem. As for the nominees, Justin Bieber's remix of Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's smash hit "Despacito" dominated with seven nods, followed by Rihanna, Bruno Mars, The Chainsmokers, Ed Sheeran and DJ Khaled with five each. Meanwhile, Camila Cabello was honored with the iHeartRadio Fangirls Award presented by L'Oreal Paris for demonstrating ambition, passion and a strong sense of self-worth," according to a press release. Bon Jovi will be presented with the first-ever Icon Award at the award show. Fans can watch the iHeartRadio Music Awards live on TBS, TNT and truTV. (Eonline)
Movies
Mark Wahlberg's $1.5M payout to Time's Up confirmed. The yawning pay disparity between Mark Wahlberg and his female co-star on "All the Money in the World," Michelle Williams, took center stage in a discussion about the changing nature of American workplace and the challenges that still confront women and minorities. Wahlberg got paid $1.5 million for reshoots on the film while Williams received about one-tenth of one percent of that sum: an $80 per diem totaling less than $1,000. After the lopsided payday was exposed, the male actor pledged to donate his wage windfall to the Times Up legal defense fund for sexual harassment and abuse victims. "Did the check from Mark Wahlberg clear yet?" Hearst Magazines Chief Content Officer Joanna Coles asked one of the prominent entertainment figures to launch the legal defense fund, lawyer Nina Shaw. "Yes, Mark has written that check," Shaw responded during a South by Southwest panel examining the changing workforce that featuring philanthropist Melinda Gates and TaskRabbit CEO Stacy Brown-Philpot. "You're right to raise the issue of pay disparity," Shaw said to an overflow crowd at SXSW in Austin, Texas. "Pay disparity is in the entertainment industry and where all women work." Shaw offered more details, which seemed to inflame, rather than contextualize, the pay-gap. "Men often get paid more, not because they're better actors, but they're in stories where they drive the narrative," Shaw said. "The reason they drive the narrative is they're in stories that are picked by men." Shaw said Wahlberg used the leverage of contract language that allowed him to approve lead actors in the film to demand additional compensation when director Ridley Scott opted to reshoot scenes in the film, replacing the disgraced Kevin Spacey with Christopher Plummer in the role of J. Paul Getty. It didn't help matters that Wahlberg and Williams were represented by the same talent agency, William Morris Endeavor. "It was a huge embarrassment," Shaw said. "And out of it the Time's Up legal defense fund did very well." The high-profile case shed a light on the entertainment industry's lopsided-compensation. That heightened awareness, together with changes in employment law in California and New York City, is starting to tip the scales for women. "With negotiations we're just concluding now, with the new TV pilot season, and changes in the law in New York and California that don't allow you to ask for past salary history, women are being paid more," Shaw said. The session touched on a range of workplace issues, from underrepresentation of people of color in the technology industry to the lack of venture capital investment in female-led startups. "Today less than 2% of all venture capital funding goes to women-led startups. women of color get less than 1% of VC funding," said Gates, who has helped make global issues such as access to birth control and women's empowerment a top priority for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "Your chance of getting investment is minuscule." Gates said Silicon Valley's venture capital firms tend to invest in what they know: guys from Stanford or Harvard. She's chosen to break that cycle, investing in Aspect Ventures, venture capital firm founded by two women, Theresia Gouw and Jennifer Fonstad. Forty percent of its startups include female co-founders. "They're disproportionately funding women-led businesses with the goal of making money," said Gates. Brown-Philpot worked to change the conversation about diversity and inclusion. She actively recruited people of color in the decade she worked at Google, and now, as chief executive of her own tech startup, she strives to achieve gender parity. "Our product is used by women," said Brown-Philpot of TaskRabbit, which creates a marketplace for household services such as cleaning or repairs. "It would be silly not to have women in executive positions." (PageSix)
Dwayne Johnson Reveals 'Rampage' China Release Date. "Ni hao China!" the global action star posted to Twitter and Weibo in a special message for his Chinese fans. Dwayne Johnson took to Twitter late Sunday to issue a very special message for his Chinese fans. "Ni hao China!" the global action star wrote. "Obviously your boy is still working on perfecting his Mandarin, but I'm excited to be the first to share the big news that our new movie Rampage is coming to your theaters April 13th." Given that Twitter is blocked in China, Johnson also made sure to send the message out over Weibo, the Twitter-like Chinese social media platform. Attached to the posts was a video message from Johnson, followed by a new Chinese-language trailer for Rampage. The release date means Rampage will roll out simultaneously in the world's two largest film markets, North America and the Middle Kingdom. Originally, Rampage was set to open stateside on April 20, but New Line moved it up one week to get some space between Avengers: Infinity War, which is now going out on April 27, a weekend earlier than originally planned. Based on the hit 1980s video game, Rampage follows Davis Okoye and his best friend George, an albino gorilla, as they battle monsters in a big city. Brad Peyton (San Andreas) directs the Warner Bros. feature, which also stars Naomie Harris, Malin Akerman, Jake Lacy, Joe Manganiello and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. (Hollywood Reporter)
Specialty Box Office: Russian-Banned Satire 'Death of Stalin' Strikes Chord in U.S. Armando Iannucci's film enjoys one of the best starts ever for veteran indie distributor IFC. As Special Counsel Robert Mueller continues to investigate Russia's possible interference in the 2016 presidential election and Donald Trump's involvement in such meddling, along comes a political satire about the former Soviet Union that is striking a chord at the specialty box office. Over the weekend, Armando Iannucci's critically acclaimed The Death of Stalin did impressive business upon launching in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles, grossing $181,308 for a per-screen average of $45,327 -- the second-best average of the year to date behind Black Panther. Iannucci is best known in the U.S. for Veep and In the Loop. Moreover, the comedy scored the second-best opening average ever for veteran indie distributor IFC behind the specialty hit Boyhood, which posted an average of $77,524 when it bowed in five theaters in July 2014. (That excludes IFC films that opened on only one screen). Generally speaking, the post-Oscar corridor can be a quiet time at the specialty box office, making Death of Stalin's performance all the more impressive. Set in 1953, The Death of Stalin is based on a French graphic novel about the chaos and power struggles that ensue following the death of Joseph Stalin. Steve Buscemi, Olga Kurylenko, Adrian McLoughlin, Jeffrey Tambor, Michael Palin, Simon Russell Beale, Paddy Considine, Andrea Riseborough, Rupert Friend and Jason Isaacs star. The British-French film, which screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, was originally supposed to play in Russian theaters but was banned in January after members of the government said it was part of an effort in an anti-Russian information war. The movie will be listed on the marquee in a total of nine cities next weekend -- including Washington -- on its way to rolling out nationwide at the end of the month, according to IFC. The Death of Stalin was released by eOne in the U.K., where it has earned more than $7 million. Elsewhere at the specialty box office, Focus Features debuted Thoroughbreds in 549 theaters. The drama, starring Olivia Cooke and Anya Taylor-Joy alongside the late Anton Yelchin in his final performance, took in $1.2 million for a screen average of $2,228. The Lesiure Seeker, starring Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland, opened in 28 theaters, grossing $119,573 for a per-screen average of $4,270 for Sony Pictures Classics. Alison Chernick's Itzhak, a documentary about famed violinist Itzhak Perlman, posted a screen average of $3,611 as it debuted in two theaters. The doc is slated to be broadcast on PBS' American Masters. (Hollywood Reporter)
TV
OMG! Someone Just Got Shot on The Royals' Shocking Season Four Premiere and We're Freaking Out. Long live the king...or maybe not! On Sunday night's season four premiere of The Royals, sides were taken and alliances were tested. Bad blood is threatening to tear apart the monarchy and King Robert (Max Brown) is being challenged from all sides. We picked up right where we left off with Prince Liam (William Moseley) and Cyrus (Jake Maskall) teaming up to dethrone King Robert. Well, actually, Cyrus needs a bit of convincing, but once Liam tells him his theory about Robert killing King Simon (Vincent Regan), Cyrus is intrigued. "Do you understand how insidious this is? To pay a madman to kill your father, then willingly have your plane shot down, stranding yourself on a deserted island for months," Cyrus informs his naive nephew. "If he actually did it, maybe he deserves to be king." Liam understands that his theory may be crazy, but he's certain he must do something to stop Robert. Meanwhile, Princess Eleanor (Alexandra Park) is headed across the globe with Sebastian (Toby Sandeman) to do complete a few projects. Oh, and to forget about Jasper (Tom Austen) breaking her heart. Which proved a lot more difficult than she thought. Especially considering Sebastian -- and the press -- is trying very hard to make their platonic relationship into something more. But they're not the only one's with a new relationship on the horizon. This week, King Robert is attempting to mix business with pleasure. Willow (Genevieve Gaunt), the king's social media adviser, is on the top of his list of potential brides, which Liam isn't happy about. "He put you on his list to mess with me. We're friends, he knows that. You're just another thing he can take from me," Liam tells her. Naturally, that didn't sit well with Willow. "I see. I'm a thing," Willow tells Liam. "I'm an unattractive thing that has no business being on any reasonable list." Well, that didn't go as planned and Liam has now has two major issues to deal with. Whether Willow is on board or not, Robert is already setting his plans into motion by getting the best wedding planner he can find -- Queen Helena (Elizabeth Hurley)! Even though it's going to tear her apart from her reality TV binge watching session, she agrees to help plan his wedding to his mystery bride. Fresh off of her humanitarian trip, Eleanor returns to the palace and is ready to rekindle her romance with Jasper. "I'm home and I can't wait to see you," she texts him. Unfortunately, he may never get to read it. At the end of the episode, Robert escapes an assassination attempt made during a public appearance, but it's all thanks to Jasper taking the bullet. He's left on the stage gasping for breath with the text from Eleanor still unopened on his phone. Is this the end of Jaspnor? The Royals Sunday, on E! (Eonline)
The "American Idol" reboot saw its first train wreck of an audition this weekend, but there was no real Simon Cowell to be found among any of the judges ... try as Katy Perry did. A woman named Koby -- who's a theater performer -- was the first 'no' Sunday night on the premiere of the new 'AI,' with Katy, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan in the judges' chairs. No offense to the aspiring singer, but her audition was terrible -- and it was the first opportunity for the judges to show their true colors ... and to see if anyone would fill in Cowell's "mean judge" shoes. Katy did kinda take a crack at it, but she's no Simon Cowell. Katy is direct and slightly harsh, telling Koby "You're not a pop star. It's not right." But aside from that, the criticism was relatively mild compared to the good ol' days. Lionel and Luke also did their best Randy and Paula impressions, but it ain't the real McCoy. (TMZ)
American Idol Returns on ABC: Does the New Version Have Your Vote? American Idol is back! Yes, already! You've seen the headlines, heard all the gossip, and now, as of March 11, watched the new American Idol on ABC. Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan are your new judges with Ryan Seacrest once again hosting the festivities. Gone are the embarrassingly bad auditions that would go viral on Fox's American Idol and increased are the inspirational stories the Disney-owned network is hoping will go viral in a more positive way. Even when the new judges denied a contestant a ticket to Hollywood, they were positive and constructive. There are no Simon Cowell moments of "that was dreadful." The season premiere offered redemption for a viral video star, what could be the first-ever (at least it was the first for the new iteration) decision reversal, lots of wig talk and many heartwarming moments. No William Hung here, but there is a Nico Bones. So what did you think of the new version of American Idol? Did the nearly 2-year-long break make your heart grow fonder? Do Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan have what it takes? American Idol airs Sundays on ABC. (Eonline)
ABC News has maintained a stony silence amid increased pressure for its star Joy Behar to apologize on-air to the "millions of Christians" who watch "The View," leaving Disney boss Bob Iger to fend for himself when an angry shareholder asked him about the brouhaha at a recent shareholder meeting. On Feb. 13, Behar criticized Vice President Pence's faith by saying that hearing from Jesus is actually called "mental illness." The resulting public outrage led scores of angry viewers to call or write ABC News demanding an apology. It wasn't until late last week that Iger, CEO of ABC parent Disney, finally revealed when questioned by a concerned shareholder that Behar had privately called the vice president to apologize. "ABC is doing absolutely nothing about this," an ABC source told Fox News. Multiple ABC sources told Fox News that ABC despite tens of thousands of formal viewer complaints has not subjected Behar's comments to review by the news division's Editorial Standards and Practices department. The unit normally would rule on whether a public apology was required, and whether Behar and much-feared "The View" boss Hilary Estey McLoughlin should be subjected to discipline for Behar's offensive remarks. "Joy Behar apologized to Vice President Pence directly. She made a call to him and apologized, which I thought was absolutely appropriate," Iger said at the shareholder meeting. Audio reveals that Iger appeared irritated and dismissive of the shareholder, sharply cutting off the exchange. A White House source described to Fox News the conversation between Pence and the ABC News star. "She apologized to the vice president, he accepted and said he wasn't offended by her comment for his own sake but on behalf of the millions of Christians who watch ABC and her show," the source told Fox News. "He encouraged her to make the same apology publicly on the show that she did privately to him." But Behar has yet to publicly apologize and it appears that she has no plans to do so. Media Research Center President Brent Bozell issued a statement declaring that Behar's private apology is "not nearly enough" and promised to continue his campaign against "anti-Christian bigotry" at the network. Bozell's watchdog group is presently running a campaign on behalf of aggrieved Christians, urging that viewers contact "View" advertisers about Behar's "hateful, anti-Christian remarks." As a result, more than 30,000 calls have been placed to ABC News and the show's advertisers have received more than 10,000 calls of angry viewers complaining about the "anti-Christian" remarks. "Behar and ABC need to publicly apologize for the bigoted slurs on 'The View.' The bigoted statements made about the vice president's Christian faith offended hundreds of millions of Christians across the country, the largest faith group in the United States. Their apology should therefore be as public as their insult," Bozell said. The MRC, which bills itself as "America's media watchdog," has published the contact information of 14 advertisers of "The View," including Clorox, Dove, Pampers, Downy, Oreo and Gerber. Disney has not responded to multiple requests for comment, while ABC News pointed Fox News to an on-air comment that Behar made last month as her public statement on the matter. "I don't mean to offend people but apparently I keep doing it," she said during the non-apology. "It was a joke." A representative of ABC News declined to comment when asked directly if Behar would apologize based on the latest MRC attack on its advertisers. An ABC source said that the news division does not expect "The View" to abide by the editorial standards and practices of the rest of its "news" programming. Standard procedure at ABC News is that when a piece of content becomes the object of heated viewer complaints, executives in its Standards and Practices Department, which has several staffers despite ABC News' small size, review it and determine a course of action. These actions can include mandating an apology or imposing some manner of discipline on personnel involved. Recently, ABC News suspended for a month without pay its chief investigative correspondent, Brian Ross, after he broadcast an incorrect report about former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn's guilty plea. Ross was later demoted to a sinecure at ABC's beleaguered Lincoln Square Productions. In 2015, ABC News compelled George Stephanopoulos to recuse himself from moderating presidential debates after it was revealed the "Good Morning America" star had been secretly giving tens of thousands of dollars to the Clinton Foundation. ABC continues to pay Stephanopoulos in the range of $15 million dollars a year despite his diminished clout and social cache now that the Clintons are out of power. Fox News contacted spokespeople for ABC News, ABC Television Network and Disney none of whom would comment on Behar. Among those not commenting is ABC News Senior Vice President for Talent and Business Barbara Fedida, who is believed to have executive oversight of "The View." According to a number of reports in the Daily Mail, ABC News' and particularly Fedida's stewardship of "The View" has rankled producers at the longtime chat show. ABC News assumed control of "The View" from ABC Daytime in 2014. Increasing incursions by "the View" into news territory have made the program more controversial. Only on Friday, Behar and "View" guest Valerie Jarrett, who is Barack and Michelle Obama's best friend, both made excuses for a co-founder of the Women's March who has ties to the anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan. "Everybody has baggage," Behar said. "Unless you're in utero, you have baggage." (Page Six)
Two more Laguna Beach babies! Former costars Alex Murrel and Dieter Schmitz are each expecting a baby this year with their partners. Coincidentally, they both announced their family updates over the weekend. "Baby brother on his way this July #JulyBabies," Murrel captioned a series of baby bump photos via Instagram on Sunday, March 11. The star is already mom of son Levi with husband Kyle Johnson. Murrel's BFF Taylor Cole was the one that snapped the adorable pics. "When your bestie makes you cry when you get the photos back," she wrote on Instagram Stories. "Thank you @taylorcolephoto. There's no one else I'd want to capture this special family moment." Schmitz, meanwhile, is going to be a first-time dad. "Some exciting news from the Schmitz's!!! Our family is growing!!!" he captioned an Instagram pic of his dog wearing a sign that read "Mom & Dad are getting me a human." The parents-to-be also shared a sonogram pic and a sign that read "our greatest adventure begins September 2018." Schmitz and his wife, Isabell Hiebl, tied the knot in August 2016. Former costars Lauren Conrad, Trey Phillips, Stephen Colletti and Loren Polster were all in attendance. (US Weekly)
If this isn't proof that Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom are back together, we don't know what is. Katy is bringing on the extra-ness and we love it. Is it official? It seems that Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom are back together for good this time. Why? Well, if Katy Perry's latest outfit is anything to go off, they're well and truly back on. The songstress stepped out this weekend while in Chile for a concert, wearing a onesie covered in images of Orlando Bloom's face - then posed for fans' and paps' pictures. Wondering what the hell an Orlando Bloom onesie looks like? Well, here you have it: It's the same onesie that Orlando Bloom AND his mum have, so our guess is that Katy got one too. If this isn't enough proof that they are back together, we don't know what is! After calling it quits on their relationship back in March 2017, a source confirmed to is Sun that the couple are giving their relationship another shot: "They're back on. Katy wants to make things work this time around. She tried, but she couldn't cut him off. She cares too much about him. This time, they're keeping things low key but they're back together." Rumors that Katy and Orlando were back on started last month after they were spotted by a fan having breakfast at a luxury resort, Amilla Fushi, in the Maldives... We're so glad their time at taking "respectful, loving space" is over... back to #couplegoals, Katy and Orlando. (British Glamour)
Cameron Diaz has decided to retire from acting. If you were hoping to see Cameron Diaz in another film anytime soon, we have some bad news - it looks like the actress has called time on her acting career. The 45-year-old has a career spanning two decades with some of her biggest hits including The Mask, There's Something About Mary, My Best Friend's Wedding, Charlie's Angels, The Holiday and Shrek, but it seems she's had enough of the big screen. According to her pal Selma Blair who Cameron starred in The Sweetest Thing with in 2002, she's just taking it easy and enjoying life. "I had lunch with Cameron the other day. We were reminiscing about the film. I would have liked to do a sequel but Cameron's retired from acting. She's like 'I'm done'. "I mean, she doesn't need to make any more films. She has a pretty great life, I don't know what it would take to bring her back. She's happy." So what's she doing with all her spare time? Reports suggest she's happy hanging out with her hubby, Good Charlotte frontman Benji Madden, and of course she's the author of two books The Longevity Book: The Science of Aging, the Biology of Strength, and the Privilege of Time and The Body Book: The Law of Hunger, the Science of Strength, and Other Ways to Love Your Amazing Body. We think she deserves some TLC, to be honest. Cameron has yet to deny or confirm Selma's comments, but given that her last film was in 2014 and according to IMDB there are no upcoming projects, she doesn't seem to be in any rush. (British Glamour)
Isabella Rossellini faints during daughter's labor. Isabella Rossellini had her own medical emergency when daughter Elettra Wiedemann gave birth in January to son Ronin Hendrick Lane with her boyfriend, actor Caleb Lane. "I fainted," Rossellini told Scandinavian talk show "Skavlan." "I accompanied my daughter at the hospital, it was a very long 24-hour delivery. Within the first two hours, I fainted, so my daughter said, paraphrasing Trump, 'Mama, you're fired.'" Rossellini added, "I had to leave the hospital." (PageSix)
Kate Upton has refused to be interviewed by a lawyer who was hired by the Special Committee of the Board Directors of Guess to investigate her claim Chief Creative Officer Paul Marciano sexually assaulted her. Upton had said publicly she would cooperate with the Guess investigation, but then changed her position when she learned the law firm that was involved in the probe was Marciano's personal law firm. She called it "smoke and mirrors" and a "PR stunt to impress shareholders." TMZ has learned the Special Committee hired Glaser and Glaser, a high-powered L.A. law firm that has no ties to Guess or Marciano, to conduct the investigation. Marciano's personal firm is now out of the picture. Our sources say attorney Patty Glaser contacted Upton's lawyer and asked if Upton would now sit for an interview. We're told Upton's lawyer said his client would not do the interview with Glaser because some of the information in the probe was already gathered by Marciano's law firm, so the investigation was tainted. We're told Glaser assured the lawyer she was the only one in charge of the investigation, she had no preconceptions and wanted to be fair to both sides. Her lawyer didn't budge ... at least not so far. Upton has claimed Marciano grabbed her breasts and forcibly kissed her neck and face, among other things, during a photo shoot in 2010. Marciano is currently on hiatus from Guess after a number of other women lodged complaints. (TMZ)
U2 rocker Bono has apologized for the "toxic" work environment at his charity's Johannesburg, South Africa, offices, where workers had been allegedly harassed and humiliated for years. "We are all deeply sorry. I hate bullying, can't stand it," Bono reportedly told the Mail on Sunday after it published an account of allegations against The One Campaign, which the singer founded in 2004 with Kennedy clan member Bobby Shriver. Complaints from The One office includes one from a married female worker who said she was pressured to sleep with an elderly Tanzanian politician and when she didn't, was demoted to receptionist and had her salary slashed, the site reported. The mission and name of the charity created with the intent of lessening poverty and preventable diseases, especially in Africa began being tainted in November when employees first came forward with claims of abuse and bullying. CEO Gayle Smith, who joined the company a year ago, admitted in a letter Friday there was an "institutional failure" between 2011 and 2015. Examples of abuse included name-calling and forced labor, with one manager said to have forced junior staffers to clean her house. Smith said another staff member complained about a manager who made "sexist and suggestive comments" about her to a government official from a different country and demoted her for not sleeping with the official. Smith would not confirm if the official was from Tanzania, as the Mail reported. "The overall evidence from our investigation was sufficient for me to conclude that we needed to own an institutional failure and ensure that our organization has in place the systems, policies and practices needed so that this never happens again," she wrote in the letter. One released the statement after learning several employees were planning to sue over the allegations. Bono said he was "reeling and furious" when he learned of the abuse and hopes to meet the victims in person. "My team and I heard concerns about low morale and poor management in this office but nothing along the lines of what emerged recently. I was assured that those concerns were being dealt with -- clearly, they were not," he said. "The head office failed to protect those employees and I need to take some responsibility for that." (Page Six)
"S.W.A.T." star Page Kennedy has been arrested for felony domestic violence ... TMZ has learned. The 41-year-old actor, whose credits include "Bones" and "Cold Case," was allegedly in a fight at his home Saturday night with a woman. Law enforcement tells TMZ the verbal argument turned physical and someone called 911. When cops arrived they discovered the alleged victim had minor injuries, and that was enough for cops to cuff Kennedy and take him to the station. He was held on $50,000 bail. He was released Sunday. (TMZ)
WWE superstar Jeff Hardy -- one half of the Hardy Boyz -- was arrested Saturday night after cops say he drunkenly crashed his car in North Carolina while THREE TIMES the legal limit. According to the police report, obtained by TMZ Sports, the 40-year-old was involved in a single-car crash and admitted to being the driver of the 2016 Cadillac CTS-V sedan. Cops say he submitted to a breath test and blew a .25 -- more than three times the legal limit. He was immediately booked for misdemeanor Driving While Intoxicated and is due back in court in April. WWE addressed the arrest, saying ... "Jeff Hardy is responsible for his own personal actions. We are investigating the matter and awaiting information from local law enforcement officials." Hardy has a history with the law ... back in 2011, he served time in jail stemming from a 2009 cocaine and prescription pill arrest. (TMZ)
As if being accused of domestic violence isn't bad enough ... the wife of NFL lineman Roy Miller now claims he's a vindictive alcoholic who's trying to drain the family's bank account to leave her high and dry. 30-year-old Miller was cut by the Kansas City Chiefs back in November following a domestic violence arrest in Florida -- despite signing a 1-year, $1.4 million deal before the season. Now, Miller's wife has hit Roy with divorce papers -- and also got a temporary restraining order against him claiming the Nov. attack, in which he ripped hair out of her head, occurred in front of one of their kids. Miller's wife also claims he's been drinking excessively and it's impaired his ability to parent. But, on top of all that ... Miller's wife claims she noticed the NFL player has been taking HUGE amounts of money out of their joint bank account -- more than $400,000 -- and she's concerned he's trying to hide the cash before she gets her cut in the divorce. Miller has reportedly made more than $17 mil in his NFL career. Roy has filed court docs of his own denying the allegations. The case is due back in court later this year. (TMZ)
Hubert de Givenchy -- the legendary fashion designer to celebs like Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Kennedy -- has died at his home near Paris. Givenchy died in his sleep Saturday night, according to his longtime partner, designer Philippe Venet. Hepburn famously wore Givenchy's designs in several of her movies, including "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and "Sabrina" -- and she went on to become an ambassador for his brand. Jackie, Iman, Candice Swanepoel and even Cam Newton rocked G's threads over the years. He might not brag about this one, but Lindsay Lohan famously wore Givenchy back in 2012 ... during one of her many, many, many court appearances. Givenchy founded his design house in 1952, and it's now owned by the luxury fashion company LVMH. He was 91. RIP. (TMZ)
THE OTHER STUFF . . .
Serena Williams wants to serve an ace on yo face ... with a new cosmetics line. The tennis great filed legal docs to trademark "Aneres" (spells Serena backwards, btw). Serena had already locked down the name a while back, but it was for her clothing line. It looks like she now plans to slap her backwards name on a variety of beauty products. Boss move. Serena's cosmetics vision includes skin care prep and makeup removing products, colognes and perfumes. There are also makeup kits, bath soaps, lipstick, lip gloss, eye shadow, eyeliner and mascara. Kylie, your competition has arrived. (TMZ)
There ain't gonna be any lil' Steve-Os scaling cranes or lighting themselves on fire anytime soon, or ever for that matter, according to Steve-O who is on his way to Puerto Rico to get a vasectomy, but he's not doing it alone. We got Steve-O and his pooch, Wendy, at LAX about to board a flight to Puerto Rico where he'll not only be helping with ongoing hurricane relief, but also spaying and neutering 1,000 dogs and cats. Steve-O says he believes in the cause so much he's doing it to himself, although it sounds like he's got another agenda. (TMZ)
Khloe Kardashian's baby girl will be born with several silver spoons, dripping in Versace and other designer names ... TMZ has learned. As we showed you, Khloe and Kris Jenner went shopping last week in WeHo, and one of the high-end boutiques they hit up was Couture Kids. We did some digging and found out Khloe's registered there, and her wish list totals over $90,000 ... and counting! So, what does that kinda dough get ya? How about a $10k crib, or a Versace baby blanket for $365 and, because ya gotta have it ... the $600 Versace changing bag! Fit for only the finest baby deuces. Khloe and Tristan Thompson's little one will also be decked out in a Givenchy Kids leather jacket for a mere $1,450. And that's just a taste. Our sources tell us most of the items in Khloe's registry are pink, but another source says they think Khloe came close to picking out one of everything in the store. The baby shower's gonna be off the chain. Cartier, of course. (TMZ)
Internet billionaire Michael Rubin is putting together an audacious bid to buy the NFL's Carolina Panthers, and has landed an incredibly powerful ally -- the co-founder of Chinese web giant Alibaba Joseph Tsai, sources exclusively tell Page Six. Sources say Rubin, who owns $4.5 billion online sportswear retailer Fanatics, is set on buying the Panthers, which was put up for sale in December after the team's owner Jerry Richardson was accused of workplace misconduct. Rubin -- a close friend of Patriots owner Bob Kraft and many pro-athletes -- is set to submit a bid for the Panthers, we're told, and Tsai is on board to join an impressive ownership consortium, which they hope could yet include sports figures such as Steph Curry and music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs. Tsai is already a 49 percent owner of the Brooklyn Nets. A source told Page Six, "Rubin is putting a powerful bid for the Carolina Panthers. Under the bid, Rubin, would be the majority owner, with Tsai just behind. But Rubin also hopes to put together an incredibly diverse minority ownership team as part of his bid. He has been talking to Steph Curry and Diddy as minority owners. The initial bids are due tomorrow, the ownership structure can be declared at a later date." Reps for Rubin and Diddy didn't comment. But a source close to Combs -- who is said to be worth more than $820 million thanks to deals with Diageo's Ciroc and a partnership with DeLeon tequila -- told us, "Sean is absolutely serious about being in on the deal to buy the Panthers. This team is something he truly believes in." Forbes has valued the Panthers at $2.3 billion and sources confirmed to Page Six that initial bids for the team were due on Monday. We revealed earlier this year that hedge fund billionaire David Tepper made a $2.3 billion play for the Carolina Panthers. Appaloosa Management founder Tepper is also a minority owner in the Pittsburgh Steelers. Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, the owners of Station Casinos and Red Rock Resorts, were also considering a Panthers bid, we reported. It is believed the NFL hopes to approve a deal at a meeting in May in Atlanta. (Page Six)
O.J. Simpson no longer has black America's backing because they all know now what they refused to believe then -- O.J. is guilty of double murder ... so says 'People v. O.J.' star Keesha Sharp. We got the actress who played Dale Cochran, Johnnie's wife, outside The Jeremy Hotel in WeHo and asked if she was gonna be watching FOX's special, "O.J. Simpson: The Lost Confession?" She seemed iffy about it, but regardless had some strong feelings about O.J. Keesha's adamant people didn't need to watch the special to know what they've ultimately come to realize -- O.J. killed Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman on the night of June 12, 1994. At the time, Keesha says, black America was ecstatic he got off ... but that's not the case now thanks to the power of information. (TMZ)
Olivia Wilde's Dog Paco Dies on Her 34th Birthday. It wasn't a happy birthday for Olivia Wilde. The actress revealed her lovable dog Paco died on her 34th birthday. "Lost my best friend last night," she wrote on Instagram Mar. 11 along with a series of photos of her and her pet. "Paco was a kind, wise, gentle, loving soul. I could post a thousand photos of so many adventures. These pics remind me of how peaceful he made me. My heart feels broken right now. All I can ask is that you consider adopting a pup and loving them with all you've got. Here's to all the incredible friends of Paco who've been so kind to him over the years. I am forever grateful." Wilde turned 34 on Mar. 10. In a separate post, the House star shared a picture of her cuddling next to partner Jason Sudeikis and their two kids Otis, 3, and Daisy, 1. "What could I possibly ask for on this 34th birthday?" she wrote next to the family photo. "Just endless health and happiness for these magical maniacs. Thank you thank you thank you, a million times, thank you." Paco lived a long life. On Feb. 8, the actress revealed she'd had her dog for almost 16 years. "Been with this handsome man almost 16 years," she wrote on Instagram. "What's our secret? Same as most true lovers. Bacon." The family of four also has another dog named Elvis. The family adopted the pooch in 2017. (Eonline)
Arnold Schwarzenegger is wondering what the rest of the world is wondering -- what's taking Elon Musk so long to get that Model 3 going?! We got Arnold at SXSW in Austin (yup, we're everywhere) and our guy wanted to know if Arnold would ever volunteer for Elon's Mars trip. Arnold quickly fired back and went after Elon's Model 3. Tesla has struggled to produce the sought-after car with yet another production halt. What's more ... Elon's missed nearly every goal and his target of producing 5,000 Model 3s per week has been pushed back to June. But it sounds like Arnold's ready to help. We think. (TMZ)
Music
Tim McGraw Collapses Onstage in Ireland. Tim McGraw collapsed onstage Sunday night during a concert in Dublin, Ireland. The 50-year-old country music superstar had just finished singing "Humble & Kind" when he dropped to his knees and took a seat. McGraw's wife, Faith Hill, later addressed the crowd on his behalf, saying it was her decision to stop his performance. "He's been super dehydrated," Hill told their fans. "I apologize, but I made the decision that he cannot come back out onstage." In response, the crowd chanted "We love Tim," and Hill performed an a capella rendition of "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." Then the lights came on and the audience was ushered out. McGraw's collapse came as "a bit of a shock, audience member Del Crooks told the BBC. "I thought he was taking in the applause while sitting down after singing 'Humble and Kind.' But when a spotlight was switched on him, he was slumped on his knees on the left-hand side of the stage. The light was quickly turned off and you could see his crew helping him off -- and the band ran over as well," he said, adding that it took about 20 minutes for Hill to end the concert. Thankfully, the "Live Like You Were Dying" singer is feeling fine. "Tim McGraw was suffering from dehydration in Dublin this evening at the C2C show. He was attended to by local medical staff on-site and will be fine," his rep told Rolling Stone in a statement. "He and Faith thank everyone for their love and support and look forward to seeing their Irish fans again soon." McGraw's next concert is scheduled for May 31 in Richmond, Va., as part of the Soul2Soul Tour. (Eonline)
Harry Styles World Tour Kick Off Includes Debut of Two New Songs, 'Anna' & 'Medicine'. It's been almost a year since Harry Styles released his self-titled solo debut, so you'd think he would have some new songs written by now. Turns out he does and he rolled two of them out during the kick-off of his global tour on Sunday night (March 11) in Basel, Switzerland. In video caught by fans at the show, Styles -- wearing a black suit with sparkly accents -- strummed an acoustic guitar while singing the catchy chorus to a song fans have dubbed "Anna." In it, he sings, "I don't want you sympathy, but you don't know what you do to me/ Oh, Anna!/ Every time I see your face, there's only so much I can take/ Oh, Anna!" The song, which appears to be called "Anna" (or "Oh Anna") also included brief snippets of the iconic strummy acoustic guitar hook from George Michaels' "Faith.". Styles also appeared to unleash another fresh track, the intense "Medicine," with the chorus "Can I take my medicine, take my medicine/ Rest it on your fingertips/ Up to your mouth, feeling it out/ Feeling it out." And the full setlist according to a fan, which includes versions of One Direction's "Stockholm Syndrome," "If I Could Fly" and "What Makes You Beautiful," a bit of Ariana Grande's "Just a Little Bit of Your Heart," a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain" and another new song, "Medicine." Styles' tour continues in Europe through mid-April, then jumps to Australia and Asia and looping to South and Central America and finally hitting the U.S. on June 5 with a show at American Airlines Arena in Dallas. (Billboard)
Taylor Swift's "Delicate" Music Video Decoded: All the Hidden Easter Eggs. Taylor Swift's new "Delicate" music video is here, and fans are already dissecting it for hidden messages. In the video, the 28-year-old pop star breaks free from the scrutiny of the spotlight by becoming invisible -- allowing her to dance like nobody's watching. One of the most overt Easter eggs in the short film is the "Track 5" graffiti written inside of a subway station. "Delicate" is the fifth song on the Reputation album. Fans also spotted the words "It's Delicate" and "Reputation" spray painted on garage doors as Swift dances down an alleyway. In fact, there are a few nods to the song's lyrics in this scene. For instance, the words "echoes of your footsteps" appear on the side of another garage. In the song, the artist sings, "Long night with your hands up in my hair/Echoes of your footsteps on the stairs/Stay here, honey, I don't wanna share." In addition, there's another lyric where Swift sings "Dive bar on the East Side, where you at?" Swift walks into a dive bar called the Golden Gopher near the end of the video. There's even a slight nod to her boyfriend Joe Alwyn in the video. When Swift is dancing in the rain down the alleyway, she passes a sign that reads "Joe's Deli." Some fans even suspect Swift incorporated a throwback moment to her song "Fearless." In the 2008 hit, Swift sings "And I don't know why but with you'd I dance in a storm in my best dress Fearless." The singer does exactly that in her new music video. A few Swifties also noticed the "Fearless" Taylor is fifth in line in the series of Taylors in her "Look What You Made Me Do" music video. Again, "Delicate" is the fifth song on Swift's Reputation album. So, how does Swift determine which hidden messages go into her videos? "It always starts with the original concept and what I'm trying to accomplish," Joseph Kahn, her longtime video director, exclusively told E! News while promoting his new "Live Grand" campaign for Grand Marnier. "I'm a very big person that thinks about theme. Theme is very very important, and messaging is very important." Swift debuted the music video shortly after she won Female Artist of the Year at the 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards. Did you spot any other hidden messages? (Eonline)
Honoring Christina Grimmie: A Look Back on the Young Star's Life. Monday marked what would have been Christina Grimmie's 24th birthday. The singer died June 10, 2016 after a man shot her inside the Orlando Plaza Live Theater in Orlando, Fla. Grimmie had performed there earlier in the night with the pop rock band Before You Exit and was signing autographs when the man opened fire. Fans first fell in love with Grimmie on YouTube. She joined the platform in 2009 under the name zeldaxlove64 and won the internet over with her powerful voice and amazing cover performances. She eventually built a fan base of 3.9 million subscribers. Grimmie skyrocketed into fame quickly. She started to open for popular artists -- including Selena Gomez and the Jonas Brothers. In 2011, she launched her first EP Find Me and won the American Music Award for Best Female New Media. Then, in 2013, she released her second album With Love. However, Grimmie's fame took on a whole new level when she appeared on season six of The Voice. The artist wowed the judges with her performance of Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball" -- causing all four judges (Adam Levine, Usher, Shakira, and Blake Shelton) to turn their chairs around and offer to be her coach. Grimmie ended up choosing Levine. She made it to the finals and won third place. Host Carson Daly later said he was "shocked" she didn't win. Still, Grimmie's star continued to burn bright. She went on to win the 2015 Macy's iHeartRadio Rising Star competition, release her second EP Side A and star in the film The Matchbreaker. Even after her death, the star received the 2016 Teen Choice Award for Choice Web Star: Music. In honor of her birthday, here's a gallery of some of her major milestones. Grimmie is survived by her parents, Tina Grimmie and Bud Grimmie, as well as her brother Marcus Grimmie. The Christina Grimmie Foundation -- which offers support to individuals and families affected by gun violence or breast cancer -- also lives on. (Eonline)
Bon Jovi Rocks the 2018 iHeart Radio Music Awards With First-Ever Icon Award. They give music...a good name! Whether you want them on a bed of roses or livin' on a prayer, Bon Jovi hit up The Forum in true rock 'n' roll style when they were honored with the first-ever Icon Award at the 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards on Sunday night. After being introduced by Olympian Shaun White, the '80s rockers took the stage at the fun-filled award show, hosted Hailey Baldwin and DJ Khaled and rocked out with a medley of "It's My Life" and "You Give Love a Bad Name." After their performance, frontman Jon Bon Jovi said, "I want to thank the three and a half decades of fans that have been listening to Bon Jovi fans. We've been at this game a long time and the only advice I'll tell this incredible talent is stay true to who you are and then they are going to make you icons too someday." It's been an exciting time for the longtime rockers, the band will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next month. In addition to the Jersey boys' honor, Camila Cabello was presented with the iHeartRadio Fangirls Award by L'Oreal Paris for demonstrating ambition, passion and a strong sense of self-worth," according to a press release. iHeartRadio also honored Chance the Rapper with the Innovator Award for his accomplishments in the music industry and dedication to social activism. The night's performance lineup included Camila Cabello, Cardi B, Sheeran, Maroon, Charlie Puth and Eminem. As for the nominees, Justin Bieber's remix of Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's smash hit "Despacito" dominated with seven nods, followed by Rihanna, Bruno Mars, The Chainsmokers, Ed Sheeran and DJ Khaled with five each. (Eonline)
Eminem and Kehlani Light Up the Stage at 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards. Slim Shady fans got quite the treat when Eminem hit the stage with Kehlani at the 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards on Sunday night. The two brought the heat -- literally. Things got hot during their performance of "Nowhere Fast" during the high-octane award show at The Forum in Los Angeles. During the collab, music couple Halsey and G-Eazy were caught standing up and mouthing the words during the performance. Clearly loving every minute of it! On March 8, iHeartRadio announced that the rapper had been added to the list of performers, which also includes Maroon 5, Camila Cabello, Cardi B, and Charlie Puth. At the award show, hosted by Hailey Baldwin and DJ Khaled live, the biggest and brightest recording artists from every genre came together under one roof. Going into the night, Justin Bieber's remix of Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's smash hit "Despacito" dominated with seven nominations, followed by Rihanna, Bruno Mars, The Chainsmokers, Ed Sheeran and DJ Khaled with five each. The nominees were announced on January 11. In addition to the performances, Bon Jovi, Camila Cabello and Chance the Rapper were honored with previously announced awards during the night. Camila was presented with the iHeartRadio Fangirls Award by L'Oreal Paris for demonstrating ambition, passion and a strong sense of self-worth," according to a press release. Bon Jovi given the first-ever Icon Award at the award show. Chance the Rapper honored with the Innovator Award for his accomplishments in the music industry and dedication to social activism. The 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards aired live on Sunday, March 11, on TBS, TNT and truTV. (Eonline)
Cardi B Has the Best Message for Her Haters After iHeartRadio Music Awards Win. Haters better listen up, okay?! During Sunday night's 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards, Cardi B received the trophy for Best New Artist. While on stage at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., the rapper couldn't help but give thanks to her fans and critics. "Oh my God! I am going to thank a lot of people because a lot of people helped me with my success so here it goes," she shared. "I want to thank my publicist, my team, I want to thank Atlantic, my family. Who else? I want to thank my man." She continued, "I want to thank my fans because even when I'm wrong they be like she's still right." And in true Cardi B fashion, the Love & Hip Hop New York alumna had a message for all those who don't have nice things to say about her talents. "And I want to thank my haters too. Because, ha-ha-ha, because, they be downloading my stuff so they can hear it and talk crap about it. But it benefits me. Ha-ha-ha," she shared. "My album will be coming in April. Okay? Yes, sir. April. Stay tuned mother f--kers owwww." Cardi B's big award comes after the rapper opened the show with a medley of hits including "Bodak Yellow." If you didn't like it, chances are Cardi B doesn't give a hoot! (Eonline)
Chance the Rapper Inspires With Innovator Award at iHeartRadio Music Awards 2018. He's more than a rapper, he's an inspiration! Sunday night at the iHeartRadio awards at The Forum in Los Angeles, Chance the Rapper was honored with the Innovator Award for his accomplishments in the music industry and dedication to social activism. Introducing the award, Pharrell said, "To call Chance the Rapper an innovator sounds like an understatement." In addition to talking about his musical accomplishments and his charitable gift of $1 million to Chicago public schools, Pharrell brought up the 24-year-old's accomplishments as a father to daughter Kensli Bennett. "We also need to make some noise for him being an amazing dad. He completely breaks the stereotype of young dads," praised the "Happy" singer. When accepting the award, the humble performer said to the crowd at The Forum, "Well thank you first of all...I found out I was getting this Innovator Award and I still -- with everything that comes my way, I still feel very young and undeserving and very overwhelmed by this stuff." The rapper, who arrived wearing a Barack Obama hoodie, also gave his gratitude and paid tribute to the innovative artists that came before him. "I want to thank James Brown for his musical endeavors; I want to thank Ray Charles for his musical insight in this business; I want to thank the late great Prince," said the music man. "And the women! The contemporary women -- Nicki Minaj, you don't know what she's done for streaming, Taylor Swift and Beyonce." At the award show, hosted by Hailey Baldwin and DJ Khaled, the biggest and brightest recording artists from every genre came together under one roof. The night's performance lineup includes Camila Cabello, Cardi B, Ed Sheeran, Maroon 5, Charlie Puth and Eminem. As for the nominees, Justin Bieber's remix of Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's smash hit "Despacito" dominated with seven nods, followed by Rihanna, Bruno Mars, The Chainsmokers, Ed Sheeran and DJ Khaled with five each. Meanwhile, Camila Cabello was honored with the iHeartRadio Fangirls Award presented by L'Oreal Paris for demonstrating ambition, passion and a strong sense of self-worth," according to a press release. Bon Jovi will be presented with the first-ever Icon Award at the award show. Fans can watch the iHeartRadio Music Awards live on TBS, TNT and truTV. (Eonline)
Movies
Mark Wahlberg's $1.5M payout to Time's Up confirmed. The yawning pay disparity between Mark Wahlberg and his female co-star on "All the Money in the World," Michelle Williams, took center stage in a discussion about the changing nature of American workplace and the challenges that still confront women and minorities. Wahlberg got paid $1.5 million for reshoots on the film while Williams received about one-tenth of one percent of that sum: an $80 per diem totaling less than $1,000. After the lopsided payday was exposed, the male actor pledged to donate his wage windfall to the Times Up legal defense fund for sexual harassment and abuse victims. "Did the check from Mark Wahlberg clear yet?" Hearst Magazines Chief Content Officer Joanna Coles asked one of the prominent entertainment figures to launch the legal defense fund, lawyer Nina Shaw. "Yes, Mark has written that check," Shaw responded during a South by Southwest panel examining the changing workforce that featuring philanthropist Melinda Gates and TaskRabbit CEO Stacy Brown-Philpot. "You're right to raise the issue of pay disparity," Shaw said to an overflow crowd at SXSW in Austin, Texas. "Pay disparity is in the entertainment industry and where all women work." Shaw offered more details, which seemed to inflame, rather than contextualize, the pay-gap. "Men often get paid more, not because they're better actors, but they're in stories where they drive the narrative," Shaw said. "The reason they drive the narrative is they're in stories that are picked by men." Shaw said Wahlberg used the leverage of contract language that allowed him to approve lead actors in the film to demand additional compensation when director Ridley Scott opted to reshoot scenes in the film, replacing the disgraced Kevin Spacey with Christopher Plummer in the role of J. Paul Getty. It didn't help matters that Wahlberg and Williams were represented by the same talent agency, William Morris Endeavor. "It was a huge embarrassment," Shaw said. "And out of it the Time's Up legal defense fund did very well." The high-profile case shed a light on the entertainment industry's lopsided-compensation. That heightened awareness, together with changes in employment law in California and New York City, is starting to tip the scales for women. "With negotiations we're just concluding now, with the new TV pilot season, and changes in the law in New York and California that don't allow you to ask for past salary history, women are being paid more," Shaw said. The session touched on a range of workplace issues, from underrepresentation of people of color in the technology industry to the lack of venture capital investment in female-led startups. "Today less than 2% of all venture capital funding goes to women-led startups. women of color get less than 1% of VC funding," said Gates, who has helped make global issues such as access to birth control and women's empowerment a top priority for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "Your chance of getting investment is minuscule." Gates said Silicon Valley's venture capital firms tend to invest in what they know: guys from Stanford or Harvard. She's chosen to break that cycle, investing in Aspect Ventures, venture capital firm founded by two women, Theresia Gouw and Jennifer Fonstad. Forty percent of its startups include female co-founders. "They're disproportionately funding women-led businesses with the goal of making money," said Gates. Brown-Philpot worked to change the conversation about diversity and inclusion. She actively recruited people of color in the decade she worked at Google, and now, as chief executive of her own tech startup, she strives to achieve gender parity. "Our product is used by women," said Brown-Philpot of TaskRabbit, which creates a marketplace for household services such as cleaning or repairs. "It would be silly not to have women in executive positions." (PageSix)
Dwayne Johnson Reveals 'Rampage' China Release Date. "Ni hao China!" the global action star posted to Twitter and Weibo in a special message for his Chinese fans. Dwayne Johnson took to Twitter late Sunday to issue a very special message for his Chinese fans. "Ni hao China!" the global action star wrote. "Obviously your boy is still working on perfecting his Mandarin, but I'm excited to be the first to share the big news that our new movie Rampage is coming to your theaters April 13th." Given that Twitter is blocked in China, Johnson also made sure to send the message out over Weibo, the Twitter-like Chinese social media platform. Attached to the posts was a video message from Johnson, followed by a new Chinese-language trailer for Rampage. The release date means Rampage will roll out simultaneously in the world's two largest film markets, North America and the Middle Kingdom. Originally, Rampage was set to open stateside on April 20, but New Line moved it up one week to get some space between Avengers: Infinity War, which is now going out on April 27, a weekend earlier than originally planned. Based on the hit 1980s video game, Rampage follows Davis Okoye and his best friend George, an albino gorilla, as they battle monsters in a big city. Brad Peyton (San Andreas) directs the Warner Bros. feature, which also stars Naomie Harris, Malin Akerman, Jake Lacy, Joe Manganiello and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. (Hollywood Reporter)
Specialty Box Office: Russian-Banned Satire 'Death of Stalin' Strikes Chord in U.S. Armando Iannucci's film enjoys one of the best starts ever for veteran indie distributor IFC. As Special Counsel Robert Mueller continues to investigate Russia's possible interference in the 2016 presidential election and Donald Trump's involvement in such meddling, along comes a political satire about the former Soviet Union that is striking a chord at the specialty box office. Over the weekend, Armando Iannucci's critically acclaimed The Death of Stalin did impressive business upon launching in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles, grossing $181,308 for a per-screen average of $45,327 -- the second-best average of the year to date behind Black Panther. Iannucci is best known in the U.S. for Veep and In the Loop. Moreover, the comedy scored the second-best opening average ever for veteran indie distributor IFC behind the specialty hit Boyhood, which posted an average of $77,524 when it bowed in five theaters in July 2014. (That excludes IFC films that opened on only one screen). Generally speaking, the post-Oscar corridor can be a quiet time at the specialty box office, making Death of Stalin's performance all the more impressive. Set in 1953, The Death of Stalin is based on a French graphic novel about the chaos and power struggles that ensue following the death of Joseph Stalin. Steve Buscemi, Olga Kurylenko, Adrian McLoughlin, Jeffrey Tambor, Michael Palin, Simon Russell Beale, Paddy Considine, Andrea Riseborough, Rupert Friend and Jason Isaacs star. The British-French film, which screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, was originally supposed to play in Russian theaters but was banned in January after members of the government said it was part of an effort in an anti-Russian information war. The movie will be listed on the marquee in a total of nine cities next weekend -- including Washington -- on its way to rolling out nationwide at the end of the month, according to IFC. The Death of Stalin was released by eOne in the U.K., where it has earned more than $7 million. Elsewhere at the specialty box office, Focus Features debuted Thoroughbreds in 549 theaters. The drama, starring Olivia Cooke and Anya Taylor-Joy alongside the late Anton Yelchin in his final performance, took in $1.2 million for a screen average of $2,228. The Lesiure Seeker, starring Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland, opened in 28 theaters, grossing $119,573 for a per-screen average of $4,270 for Sony Pictures Classics. Alison Chernick's Itzhak, a documentary about famed violinist Itzhak Perlman, posted a screen average of $3,611 as it debuted in two theaters. The doc is slated to be broadcast on PBS' American Masters. (Hollywood Reporter)
TV
OMG! Someone Just Got Shot on The Royals' Shocking Season Four Premiere and We're Freaking Out. Long live the king...or maybe not! On Sunday night's season four premiere of The Royals, sides were taken and alliances were tested. Bad blood is threatening to tear apart the monarchy and King Robert (Max Brown) is being challenged from all sides. We picked up right where we left off with Prince Liam (William Moseley) and Cyrus (Jake Maskall) teaming up to dethrone King Robert. Well, actually, Cyrus needs a bit of convincing, but once Liam tells him his theory about Robert killing King Simon (Vincent Regan), Cyrus is intrigued. "Do you understand how insidious this is? To pay a madman to kill your father, then willingly have your plane shot down, stranding yourself on a deserted island for months," Cyrus informs his naive nephew. "If he actually did it, maybe he deserves to be king." Liam understands that his theory may be crazy, but he's certain he must do something to stop Robert. Meanwhile, Princess Eleanor (Alexandra Park) is headed across the globe with Sebastian (Toby Sandeman) to do complete a few projects. Oh, and to forget about Jasper (Tom Austen) breaking her heart. Which proved a lot more difficult than she thought. Especially considering Sebastian -- and the press -- is trying very hard to make their platonic relationship into something more. But they're not the only one's with a new relationship on the horizon. This week, King Robert is attempting to mix business with pleasure. Willow (Genevieve Gaunt), the king's social media adviser, is on the top of his list of potential brides, which Liam isn't happy about. "He put you on his list to mess with me. We're friends, he knows that. You're just another thing he can take from me," Liam tells her. Naturally, that didn't sit well with Willow. "I see. I'm a thing," Willow tells Liam. "I'm an unattractive thing that has no business being on any reasonable list." Well, that didn't go as planned and Liam has now has two major issues to deal with. Whether Willow is on board or not, Robert is already setting his plans into motion by getting the best wedding planner he can find -- Queen Helena (Elizabeth Hurley)! Even though it's going to tear her apart from her reality TV binge watching session, she agrees to help plan his wedding to his mystery bride. Fresh off of her humanitarian trip, Eleanor returns to the palace and is ready to rekindle her romance with Jasper. "I'm home and I can't wait to see you," she texts him. Unfortunately, he may never get to read it. At the end of the episode, Robert escapes an assassination attempt made during a public appearance, but it's all thanks to Jasper taking the bullet. He's left on the stage gasping for breath with the text from Eleanor still unopened on his phone. Is this the end of Jaspnor? The Royals Sunday, on E! (Eonline)
The "American Idol" reboot saw its first train wreck of an audition this weekend, but there was no real Simon Cowell to be found among any of the judges ... try as Katy Perry did. A woman named Koby -- who's a theater performer -- was the first 'no' Sunday night on the premiere of the new 'AI,' with Katy, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan in the judges' chairs. No offense to the aspiring singer, but her audition was terrible -- and it was the first opportunity for the judges to show their true colors ... and to see if anyone would fill in Cowell's "mean judge" shoes. Katy did kinda take a crack at it, but she's no Simon Cowell. Katy is direct and slightly harsh, telling Koby "You're not a pop star. It's not right." But aside from that, the criticism was relatively mild compared to the good ol' days. Lionel and Luke also did their best Randy and Paula impressions, but it ain't the real McCoy. (TMZ)
American Idol Returns on ABC: Does the New Version Have Your Vote? American Idol is back! Yes, already! You've seen the headlines, heard all the gossip, and now, as of March 11, watched the new American Idol on ABC. Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan are your new judges with Ryan Seacrest once again hosting the festivities. Gone are the embarrassingly bad auditions that would go viral on Fox's American Idol and increased are the inspirational stories the Disney-owned network is hoping will go viral in a more positive way. Even when the new judges denied a contestant a ticket to Hollywood, they were positive and constructive. There are no Simon Cowell moments of "that was dreadful." The season premiere offered redemption for a viral video star, what could be the first-ever (at least it was the first for the new iteration) decision reversal, lots of wig talk and many heartwarming moments. No William Hung here, but there is a Nico Bones. So what did you think of the new version of American Idol? Did the nearly 2-year-long break make your heart grow fonder? Do Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan have what it takes? American Idol airs Sundays on ABC. (Eonline)
ABC News has maintained a stony silence amid increased pressure for its star Joy Behar to apologize on-air to the "millions of Christians" who watch "The View," leaving Disney boss Bob Iger to fend for himself when an angry shareholder asked him about the brouhaha at a recent shareholder meeting. On Feb. 13, Behar criticized Vice President Pence's faith by saying that hearing from Jesus is actually called "mental illness." The resulting public outrage led scores of angry viewers to call or write ABC News demanding an apology. It wasn't until late last week that Iger, CEO of ABC parent Disney, finally revealed when questioned by a concerned shareholder that Behar had privately called the vice president to apologize. "ABC is doing absolutely nothing about this," an ABC source told Fox News. Multiple ABC sources told Fox News that ABC despite tens of thousands of formal viewer complaints has not subjected Behar's comments to review by the news division's Editorial Standards and Practices department. The unit normally would rule on whether a public apology was required, and whether Behar and much-feared "The View" boss Hilary Estey McLoughlin should be subjected to discipline for Behar's offensive remarks. "Joy Behar apologized to Vice President Pence directly. She made a call to him and apologized, which I thought was absolutely appropriate," Iger said at the shareholder meeting. Audio reveals that Iger appeared irritated and dismissive of the shareholder, sharply cutting off the exchange. A White House source described to Fox News the conversation between Pence and the ABC News star. "She apologized to the vice president, he accepted and said he wasn't offended by her comment for his own sake but on behalf of the millions of Christians who watch ABC and her show," the source told Fox News. "He encouraged her to make the same apology publicly on the show that she did privately to him." But Behar has yet to publicly apologize and it appears that she has no plans to do so. Media Research Center President Brent Bozell issued a statement declaring that Behar's private apology is "not nearly enough" and promised to continue his campaign against "anti-Christian bigotry" at the network. Bozell's watchdog group is presently running a campaign on behalf of aggrieved Christians, urging that viewers contact "View" advertisers about Behar's "hateful, anti-Christian remarks." As a result, more than 30,000 calls have been placed to ABC News and the show's advertisers have received more than 10,000 calls of angry viewers complaining about the "anti-Christian" remarks. "Behar and ABC need to publicly apologize for the bigoted slurs on 'The View.' The bigoted statements made about the vice president's Christian faith offended hundreds of millions of Christians across the country, the largest faith group in the United States. Their apology should therefore be as public as their insult," Bozell said. The MRC, which bills itself as "America's media watchdog," has published the contact information of 14 advertisers of "The View," including Clorox, Dove, Pampers, Downy, Oreo and Gerber. Disney has not responded to multiple requests for comment, while ABC News pointed Fox News to an on-air comment that Behar made last month as her public statement on the matter. "I don't mean to offend people but apparently I keep doing it," she said during the non-apology. "It was a joke." A representative of ABC News declined to comment when asked directly if Behar would apologize based on the latest MRC attack on its advertisers. An ABC source said that the news division does not expect "The View" to abide by the editorial standards and practices of the rest of its "news" programming. Standard procedure at ABC News is that when a piece of content becomes the object of heated viewer complaints, executives in its Standards and Practices Department, which has several staffers despite ABC News' small size, review it and determine a course of action. These actions can include mandating an apology or imposing some manner of discipline on personnel involved. Recently, ABC News suspended for a month without pay its chief investigative correspondent, Brian Ross, after he broadcast an incorrect report about former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn's guilty plea. Ross was later demoted to a sinecure at ABC's beleaguered Lincoln Square Productions. In 2015, ABC News compelled George Stephanopoulos to recuse himself from moderating presidential debates after it was revealed the "Good Morning America" star had been secretly giving tens of thousands of dollars to the Clinton Foundation. ABC continues to pay Stephanopoulos in the range of $15 million dollars a year despite his diminished clout and social cache now that the Clintons are out of power. Fox News contacted spokespeople for ABC News, ABC Television Network and Disney none of whom would comment on Behar. Among those not commenting is ABC News Senior Vice President for Talent and Business Barbara Fedida, who is believed to have executive oversight of "The View." According to a number of reports in the Daily Mail, ABC News' and particularly Fedida's stewardship of "The View" has rankled producers at the longtime chat show. ABC News assumed control of "The View" from ABC Daytime in 2014. Increasing incursions by "the View" into news territory have made the program more controversial. Only on Friday, Behar and "View" guest Valerie Jarrett, who is Barack and Michelle Obama's best friend, both made excuses for a co-founder of the Women's March who has ties to the anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan. "Everybody has baggage," Behar said. "Unless you're in utero, you have baggage." (Page Six)
Comments
Post a Comment