ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
HGTV's Flip or Flop Stars Tarek and Christina El Moussa Separate. Tarek El Moussa and Christina El Moussa are putting their house in order. The El Moussas, who host the popular HGTV series Flip or Flop, announced their split early Monday morning. "Like many couples, we have had challenges in our marriage. We had an unfortunate misunderstanding about six months ago and the police were called to our house in an abundance of caution," they told People. "There was no violence and no charges were filed." The couple tied the knot in 2009 have two children: Taylor, 6, and Brayden, 1. The HGTV stars' announcement came after TMZ first reported that police had responded to "call of a possibly suicidal male with a gun" from the couple's Orange County home in May. Eleven officers and a helicopter showed up and located Tarek, who had fled the family home with a firearm. After the helicopter spotted Tarek, police ordered him to do drop his weapon. Tarek complied and, according to TMZ, told the police he had only wanted to "blow off some steam." Afterward, police searched the family's home and seized five guns, including an AR-15. The El Moussas told People they began counseling to "sort out" their relationship after the incident. The two have since decided to separate as they evaluate "the future of our marriage." Flip or Flop will continue as planned, according to the El Moussas. The network, however, has not commented on the show's current status. "During the process, we are committed to our kids and being the best parents we can be," the exec said. "We will continue to work through this process civilly and cooperatively, and plan to continue our professional life together." E! News has reached out to the El Moussas and HGTV for further comment. (Eonline)
Ronnie Magro and Malika Haqq-- the hookup that finally merged "Jersey Shore" with the 'Kardashians' -- have already jumped to making high-profile Hollywood couple stops. Khloe's BFF and her new man hit the L.A. Coliseum Sunday for the Rams game. The games have become the new place for celebs to be seen, even though the team's sucked. As we told you ... Malika and Ronnie hooked up while shooting "Famously Single." Not everyone's buying they're a real deal couple just yet -- but if they sat through the 42-14 shellacking the Falcons dropped on the Rams ... that's real enough. (TMZ)
How Selena Gomez Is Settling Back Into the Public Eye After Her Long Hollywood Hiatus. Sometimes, slowing down can be nothing but good for you. It's no secret that Selena Gomez has spent part of 2016 taking care of herself. Back in August, the pop superstar revealed that she wanted to focus on her lupus-related side effects after her Revival world tour wrapped. What came next, was a serious break from the spotlight. "As many of you know, around a year ago I revealed that I have lupus, an illness that can affect people in different ways," the "Come and Get It" singer shared with People. "I've discovered that anxiety, panic attacks and depression can be side effects of lupus, which can present their own challenges." She added, "I want to be proactive and focus on maintaining my health and happiness and have decided that the best way forward is to take some time off. Thank you to all my fans for your support." But after spending a few months away from social media, red carpets, and the Hollywood lights, Selena delighted her fans when stepping onto the red carpet for the 2016 American Music Awards. Not only did she earn "best dressed" praise for her red ensemble styled by Kate Young, the singer also picked up one of the biggest awards of the evening. Instead of focusing on the trophy, however, Selena took the opportunity to speak to her millions of fans who may be experiencing struggles of their own. "I think it's safe to say most of you know my life whether I liked it or not. And I had to stop. Because I had everything. And I was absolutely broken inside," she shared with the audience. "I kept it all together enough to where I would never let you down, but I kept it too much together to where I let myself down." She continued, "If you are broken, you do not have to stay broken. That's one thing you should know about me: I care about people. And this is for you." If you thought her big public appearance signified the start of a red carpet spree or press tour, so far, it's just not the case. Instead, the 24-year-old is simply living life on her own terms. Perhaps that's a casual night out for dinner with friends at El Cholo in Santa Monica. Maybe that's a visit to the Nine Zero One salon in West Hollywood for a simple haircut. It also could be a workout session with trainer Amy Rosoff Davis. Or could it just be taking time to focus on herself? While participating in Thrive Global's questionnaire, Selena said she uses "self-affirmations in cooking or napping" to fill in her free time. She also has a strict morning routine consisting of drinking water, stretching and taking a deep breath. One thing Selena has tried to do less of is be glued to her cell phone. After going 90-days free, the "Hands to Myself" singer realized the addictive devise isn't a necessity. "It was the most refreshing, calming, rejuvenating feeling," she shared with Thrive Global. "Now I rarely pick up my phone, and only limited people have access to me." While her holiday plans remain tight-lip for now, there is one thing fans know. The actress is filled with gratitude while ending 2016 on a high note. "I have a lot to be thankful for this year. My year has been the hardest yet most rewarding one yet. I've finally fought the fight of not 'being enough'. I have only wanted to reflect the love you guys have given me for years and show how important it is to take care of YOU," she shared on Instagram. "By grace through faith. Kindness always wins. I love you guys. God bless." (Eonline)
Meghan Markle Gets Real About What It Means to Be Biracial in Today's World. Meghan Markle is an actress, a writer, a cook and many other things (including Prince Harry's girlfriend), but for some reason the fact that she's biracial seems to be the one thing everyone has become fixated on. The 35-year-old actress penned an essay for Elle U.K. in which she opens up about being half black and half white in today's society and how that's affected her self-identity. "To describe something as being black and white means it is clearly defined," she explained. "Yet when your ethnicity is black and white, the dichotomy is not that clear. In fact, it creates a grey area." She continued, "Being biracial paints a blurred line that is equal parts staggering and illuminating." Markle went on to explain how her mother (who is black) and her father (who is white) tried to make her childhood as normal as possible, despite confused stares from neighbors or Barbie families that were sold with either two white parents or two black parents (one Christmas, her father bought each and simply combined the two for a customized gift to give to his daughter). She explained the heartache she felt when asked to fill in a box during a test at school about her ethnicity. When she couldn't pick either Caucasian or African American, she decided to live it blank. Later, her dad told her to "draw in her own box." "He wanted me to see beyond that census placed in front of me," she wrote. "He wanted me to find my own truth." Markle went on to explain how she found it's either "ironic or apropos" that she eventually ended up becoming an actress in such a label-driven industry driven by roles based upon specific races and physical characteristics. "I wasn't black enough for the black roles and I wasn't white enough for the white ones," she explained. "Leaving me somewhere in the middle as the ethnic chameleon who couldn't book a job." However, that all changed when Suits producers were looking for the "dream girl" to play Rachel Zane -- a character who had not been visualized as any race in particular. "The show's producers weren't looking for someone mixed, nor someone white or black for that matter," Markle wrote. "They were simply looking for Rachel. In making a choice like that, the Suits producers helped shift the way pop culture defines beauty." Today, Markle is proud that she's grown to accept her mixed heritage and understand her purpose in this world: "To say who I am, to share where I'm from, to voice my pride in being a strong, confident mixed-race woman." Instead of letting the "murkiness" of being biracial allow her to continue feeling misunderstood, she found her identity independent of those realms. "You push for color-blind casting, you draw your own box. You introduce yourself as who you are, not what color your parents happen to be," she explained of moving forward. "You create the identity you want for yourself, just as my ancestors did when they were given their freedom." She concluded, "When slavery was abolished in the United States, former slaves had to choose a name...Perhaps the closest thing to connecting me to my ever-complex family tree, my longing to know where I come from, and the commonality that links me to my bloodline, is the choice that my great-great-great grandfather made to start anew. He chose the last name Wisdom. He drew his own box." (Eonline)
Patriots' star receiver Julian Edelman dropped the ball when it came to his brand new daughter's birth certificate. TMZ Sports has obtained a copy of Lily's birth certificate which lists her full name -- Lily Rose Mary Edelman, and model Ella Rose's name is in the "Mother" box. The "Father" box is blank. Seems weird since Julian already posted a proud papa shot -- and Ella always maintained he's the dad, even when he wasn't admitting it. We did some checking and the explanation is simple. When the parents aren't married, they both have to be present when their names are put on the certificate. Julian was already on a flight back to Boston when it was submitted. Sources close to the parents tell us Julian will be added as soon as possible. (TMZ)
Brady Brunch Star Susan Olsen Fired From Radio Host Gig After Homophobic Message. Cindy Brady is at the center of controversy. Child star Susan Olsen, who was working as a co-host for LA Talk Radio's Two Chicks Talkin' Politics, first came under fire on Wednesday when actor Leon Acord-Whiting accused the Brady Brunch actress of spreading "outrageous information" following their on-air interview. "It is wildly irresponsible for LA Talk Radio to allow a Trump fanatic to co-host one of their programs, where she can spew her idiotic lies unchecked. (Being a liberal and a patriot are mutually exclusive? Hillary is causing the protests & hate crimes? The Koran is a political tract?) As much as I love Sheena Metal, I think LA Talk Radio needs to give 'Cindy Brady' her walking papers," he wrote on Instagram. "I will not listen to or appear on any shows there from this point forward until she's gone. This isn't just disagreeing on, say, tax plans or foreign policy. Susan Olsen spreads outrageous misinformation & it is dangerous and unprofessional." Olsen did not take kindly to the statement and fired back on her own Facebook page, calling Acord-Whiting a "little piece of human waste." "This is the little piece of human waste. He blocked himself from me before I could even get one hit in. If you can find him, please send him my love," she wrote to her fans. According to reports, Acord-Whiting subsequently shared a screenshot of a private message Olsen sent him. Though the post has since been taken down, Olsen allegedly called the openly gay actor in part "the biggest f----t in the world." By Friday, LA Talk Radio announced that it had severed ties with "a host that veered off [their] direction." "LA Talk Radio takes pride in its close and collaborative relationship with the LGBT community, and will continue to provide a home for those who have hopeful and positive messages of togetherness and tolerance to share with our listeners," the company wrote in a statement on Facebook. "We will not tolerate hateful speech by anyone associated with our radio station and have severed our ties with a host that veered off the direction in which we are going." (Eonline)
Sherri Shepherd's ex-husband and baby daddy says the comedian is making a lot more cash, and he's asking for a bigger chunk of that change for child support payments. Lamar Sally -- who has a 2-year-old son with Shepherd -- just filed docs in L.A. saying Sherri's $4,100 a month just ain't cuttin' it. Sally says when their deal was first made, it was under the belief Sherri raked in just over $1 mil a year ... but now he says he believes her income's closer to $3 mil. Lamar claims their son has a medical condition that requires plenty of expensive medical treatment. He claims Sherri's acting gigs, stand-up career and 3% profit grab in a wig company are her main money makers. Sally's also asking for $75k to cover legal expenses from their nasty divorce. You'll remember -- the two went back and forth for over a year regarding the surrogate child -- with Sherri asking to be broken off all ties to the kid. Looks like that battle still ain't over yet. (TMZ)
THE OTHER STUFF . . .
Meryl Streep Makes History With 30th Golden Globe Nomination. The 2017 Golden Globes wouldn't be complete without Meryl Streep. At Monday's nominations ceremony, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced that the Florence Foster Jenkins star is up for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy. 20th Century Women's Annette Bening, Rules Don't Apply's Lily Collins, The Edge of Seventeen's Hailee Steinfeld and La Land's Emma Stone are also up for the award. With 30 nominations to her name, Streep is the most nominated star in the show's history. Streep, 67, summed up her excitement in a statement to E! News, saying, "AAAAGGGGHHHH!" Hugh Grant, who stars as Streep's husband and manager, also received a nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy. "It's extremely nice of the HFPA to nominate me, and I'm very grateful and touched. I'm forever indebted to [director] Stephen Frears for offering me such a juicy role in such a classy film," the actor, 56, told E! News in a statement. "I'm also thrilled to see that my co-stars -- up and comer Meryl Streep and the always peerless Simon Helberg -- have also been nominated. My thanks again to the HFPA for their support." Helberg earned a Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture nomination for his role as pianist Cosme McMoon. Florence Foster Jenkins is up for Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy. Streep received her first Golden Globe nomination in 1978 for The Deer Hunter. She won her first Golden Globe in 1979 (Best Supporting Actress) for her work in Kramer vs. Kramer. In 2009, Streep became the most-nominated performer in Golden Globes history when her double lead actress nominations for Doubt and Mamma Mia! gave her 23 nominations in total. Since then, she's racked up seven more nominations, thanks to Into the Woods and other films. Streep also holds the records for most Golden Globe wins thanks to her roles in Kramer vs. Karmer (1979), The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981), Sophie's Choice (1982), Adaptation (2002), Angels in America (2003), The Devil Wears Prada (2006), Julie & Julia (2009) and The Iron Lady (2010). She will also receive the Cecil B. Demille Award at the 74th Golden Globes. Will Florence Foster Jenkins result in Streep's ninth Golden Globe victory? The winners will be announced Jan. 8, 2017 starting at 8 p.m., when Jimmy Fallon hosts the big event live on NBC. (Eonline)
Selena Gomez has signed a huge $10 million deal with Coach to design her own line and become the face of the luxury accessory brand. Despite taking some time out of the spotlight, Gomez was just named the most popular celebrity on Instagram for the second year running, with 104 million followers. A source told us that, as part of the deal, Gomez would design her own line for Coach and star in ad campaigns. Meanwhile, on Thursday night, Coach capped off their yearlong 75th-anniversary celebration with a fashion show and star-studded party at Pier 94. The party kicked off with models walking through a desert-like -- motel-parking-lot set, with several parked vintage cars. A children's gospel choir performed Jay Z and Alicia Keys' "Empire State of Mind" as fake snow fell onto trees at the Fiji-sponsored bash. A large disco ball dropped after the choir serenaded the crowd, and DJ Mark Ronson started spinning for guests including Drew Barrymore, Dree Hemingway, Zoë Kravitz, Michael B. Jordan and Diplo. (Page Six)
Why Mark Wahlberg Says He's ''Optimistic'' About Donald Trump Presidency. Mark Wahlberg can't help but think the United States will be OK when Donald Trump becomes president. "Being the positive person that I am, I have to hope so," Wahlberg says. "I have to remain optimistic that the future will get better." I chatted with Wahlberg and director Peter Berg over the weekend at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills, where they were promoting Patriots Day, their new drama about the Boston Marathon bombings. Wahlberg, 45, credits his Catholic faith for helping him remain positive about the future. "Peter and I have had endless conversations about this," the actor said. "I think he's always convinced I'm trying to convert him to Catholicism, which I'm not, but life is short. If we live to be 100, it's still a short amount of time. I want to live forever. I want to be with my loved ones forever and my faith allows me to deal with loss, disappointment, failure, all of those things, sickness. It reminds me that things can always be worse and how lucky I am, how blessed I am, how fortunate I am and I want to encourage people to have the ability to look at things in a positive way." Even when he has to explain terrorism to his four children, Ella, 13, Michael, 10, Brendan, 8 and Grace, 6. "My oldest kids want to see the movie," Wahlberg said. "I think the oldest two are ready for it. This is the reality of the world that we live in and I think it's important for them to understand that but I think they'll take away what I'm taking away and what everybody else who sees the movie takes away -- that these things will happen, but we can't go and run and hide. We have to stand up and fight back and do that with love and I think that ultimately that will make them better and stronger as people." In the movie, Wahlberg plays a cop (a fictionalized composite of real-life officers) who was on duty at the marathon finish line when the bombs went off. Rounding out the cast are Michelle Monaghan, Kevin Bacon, Melissa Benoist, John Goodman, Michael Beach and J.K. Simmons. Alex Wolff and newcomer Themo Melikidze play the terrorist brothers whose attack killed three people and injured more than 260. In one scene, Wahlberg's character breaks down in his wife's arms after he comes home from the marathon. "I went in the back and looked at some of the footage that certain people weren't even exposed to," he recalled of filming the scene. "And, you know, I just realized this happened to my neighbors and to my fellow Bostonians and that was enough." Patriots Day is in theaters on Dec. 21. (Eonline)
John Travolta "Not Interested" in Watching Leah Remini's Scientology Docu-Series. It's a good year to be John Travolta. The movie star's TV turn earned him a nomination at the 22nd Critics' Choice Awards for his portrayal of attorney Robert Shapiro in The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story. "When this happens," the 62-year-old told E! News' Marc Malkin Sunday, "you kind of savor it." Indeed, television has been good to Travolta -- but it hasn't always been so good to his faith. Late last month, A&E premiered Leah Remini's docu-series, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. In it, Remini accuses the Church of Scientology of abuse, lies, and sexual misconduct. (A rep for the religion has repeatedly dismissed Remini's claims and criticized her "revisionist history.") Travolta has not watched any of the episodes, telling E! News he's "not interested" in what Remini or other former members of the Church of Scientology have to say. "It's been nothing but helpful to me for 40 years, through all my losses of my mother, my girlfriend, my son," he said. "They never left my side, so why would I want buy into something that's not what I feel?" While he was "kind of" surprised Remini decided to do the docu-series, Travolta wishes Remini no ill will. "As long as I get to still do it and my family gets to do it," the actor said, "I'm happy." Late last month, Remini told E! News she didn't expect to hear from Travolta or Tom Cruise, another prominent member in the Church of Scientology, regarding the docu-series. "They will not reach out to me. They are not allowed to reach out to me," the King of Queens actress said. "John Travolta, by the way, is one of the nicest, sweetest people you're ever going to meet." And as Travolta said, he has plenty to be happy about. Though he lost the Critics' Choice Award to his co-star Sterling K. Brown, the actor will get a shot a redemption when the 2017 Golden Globes air in January. The pals will go head-to-head again in the Best Supporting Performance by an Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Television Film category, this time against The Night Manager's Hugh Laurie, The Crown's John Lithgow and Mr. Robot's Christian Slater. (Eonline)
If you've been anywhere near social media this weekend, you'll know that supermodel pals Bella Hadid and Hailey Baldwin have been enjoying a sun, sea and selfie filled getaway with a host of other models including Emily Ratajkowski and Elsa Hosk. But unlike your average girls' holiday which consists of lounging around the pool with a cocktail in hand and gossiping about the night before while you hide your sweaty face behind a pair of shades, the supermodels took the opportunity to capture some pretty flawless holiday snaps of each other. From sandy belfries to posting in group pics, the ladies (most of whom walked in the Victoria Secret Fashion Show a couple of weeks ago) looked as though they were enjoying a photo shoot of their own. I mean, who's got time to soak up the sun when you can get an epic bikini shot on a jet-ski for the gram, aye? It is believed that the girls, who are currently in the Bahamas, are there for a secret shoot, but they've no doubt squeezed some play time into their tight working schedules judging by their Snap chat stories. (British Glamour)
Call off the dogs -- Hugh Hefner looks to be alive and well ... based on what his wife posted Sunday night. Crystal Hefner -- Hugh's 3rd wife -- uploaded a Snapchat video of herself and hubby having dinner at the Playboy Mansion ... rocking the ever popular dog filter. From what we can see, Hef looks pretty good for a guy who's 630 in canine years -- despite rumors he went to the big doghouse in the sky. Side note: Snapchat does let you post old vids, but it also marks them with a frame, so this looks to be genuine up to date footage of Hef. (TMZ)
Atlanta Star Keith Stanfield Storms Stage After Losing to Silicon Valley at 22nd Annual Critics' Choice Awards. Just when we thought the 22nd Critics' Choice Awards was sailing along smoothly... Leslie Mann and Christian Slater presented the award for Best Comedy Series to HBO's Silicon Valley, but before an acceptance speech could even be given, Atlanta star Keith Stanfield rushed the stage with a few choice words of his own. "I want to thank everybody for honoring us in this way," the actor, wearing a white button down t-shirt and sailor hat, told an admittedly stunned CCAs audience. Stanfield added, "We worked very hard on Silicon Valley and here are we. Thank you." Meanwhile, executive producer Tom Lassally awkwardly paced behind Stanfield until ultimately making a quick exit. "I have no idea who that was," Lassally initially responded. He continued, "Unfortunately, Alec Berg was sick tonight so he and I are both last minute substitutions for this. So on behalf of Alec and Mike Judge and the cast, just want to thank the critics for supporting the show again and thank all of our friends and partners at HBO." Silicon Valley beat out Atlanta, Black-ish, Fleabag, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Modern Family and Veep in the Best Comedy category. Keith's co-star Donald Glover won the award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his work on the FX show. (Eonline)
Music
Drake Has Nothing But Heart Eyes for Jennifer Lopez: Plus, More Times They've Supported Each Other. Drake and Jennifer Lopez might just be each other's biggest fans. The "Fake Love" rapper stopped by the pop singer's All I Have concert residency in Las Vegas, and let's just say Drake couldn't get enough of J. Lo's killer performance. (Not that we blame the guy or anything...) Following the star-studded event, which also saw appearances from Kevin Hart and Kristin Chenoweth, Drake took to Instagram with a super smiley selfie of the duo captioned, "Lotta those" pointing to a heart eyes emoji. Yup, that about sums it up. Drizzy also shared another snapshot holding Lopez's baseball hat. "Sure I'll hold your diamond encrusted fitted while you catch this Vegas body #Jenny," he captioned the moment. You better believe these two are on a nickname basis. The "Ain't Your Mama" songstress reciprocated the love, captioning the same shot, "Look who rolled up to my show tonight to say hi!!" So when did Drake and Jennifer's friendship first blossom? All signs point to the very moment he saw Lopez strut across the stage at the 2013 Grammys, and his reaction was well, priceless. Two words: Damn. Girl. Then at the 2015 American Music Awards, Jennifer kicked off her hosting duties with an unforgettable dance performance to a medley of the year's biggest jams. Any music buff would know that Drake's "Hotline Bling" spent weeks at the top of the charts that year, so it's no wonder the stunner put her own spin on the artist's now-viral dance moves. Lopez gave Drake yet another shout out during an appearance on The Tonight Show earlier this year, in which she starred opposite Jimmy Fallon for the fan-favorite "Ew!" skit. Jennifer wasted no time twerking it out to Rihanna and Drizzy's "Work" collab, and we can't help but imagine J.Lo jamming out to all of Drake's smash hits in the privacy of her own home. Talk about friendship goals. (Eonline)
Beyonce is a lamb! Queen Bey took to Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" show at New York City's Beacon Theater on Sunday -- and snapped a selfie with the star backstage. "I love you @Beyonce thank you sooooo much for coming out tonight," Carey wrote alongside a photo of herself with the "Hold Up" singer, including a slew of emojis. In the photo, Carey sported a shining, cleavage-baring top while Beyonce opted for a black jacket with a matching hat and top. The selfie is rare for low-key Beyonce. But with Carey's stint at the famous theater lasting just a few more days, it seems the "Daddy Lessons" singer just had to catch the show before it ended. Beyonce wasn't the only star to head to Carey's holiday concert. On Saturday, Andy Cohen uploaded an Instagram video of the star singing her famous track, "All I Want For Christmas is You," while wearing a sparkling, red leotard. "Ok, Mariah!" Cohen captioned the photo, including Christmas tree and snowman emojis. The show will head out of town on Dec. 17. While many have showed up to the theater for a glimpse of the legendary singer, all eyes have been on Carey and her new beau Bryan Tanaka in recent weeks. The pair's chemistry has been visible as they've danced alongside each other, holding hands on stage at the show. They've fueled romance rumors in recent weeks with a Thanksgiving weekend getaway and date nights in Los Angeles. The new romance comes on the heels of Carey's split from her Australian businessman James Packer. The pair broke off their engagement in October. (People)
Get ready to party all night long with Lionel Richie and Mariah Carey. The singers announced Monday they are joining forces for the All The Hits Tour, which kicks off in Baltimore on March 15, 2017. Tickets for the 35-date tour, starring Richie with Carey as a special guest, go on sale Saturday. Both Richie and Carey have a string of hits that remain popular today. Richie's catalog includes "All Night Long (All Night)," "Hello" and "Stuck on You." In addition to Grammy wins, he's won an Oscar and Golden Globe. Carey is only behind Elvis Presley for most No. 1 songs on Billboard's Hot 100 chart with 18. Her hits include "Vision of Love," "Hero" and "We Belong Together." The tour will wrap in Fort Lauderdale on May 27. (Page Six)
Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj's 'Side to Side' Tops Pop Songs Chart. The song is Grande's second No. 1 on the radio airplay tally & Minaj's first. Ariana Grande ascends to No. 1 on Billboard's Pop Songs radio airplay chart (dated Dec. 24) with "Side to Side," featuring Nicki Minaj. As the song climbs 2-1, it becomes Grande's second Pop Songs leader and Minaj's first. Grande had previously topped Pop Songs with "Problem," featuring Iggy Azalea, for two weeks in 2014. "Side" is the third single from her album Dangerous Woman, following the title cut and "Into You," which reached Nos. 4 and 7, respectively, on Pop Songs. Minaj had previously reached a No. 2 Pop Songs high with features on four hits: David Guetta's "Turn Me On" (2012), Justin Bieber's "Beauty and a Beat" (2013), "Bang Bang" with Grande, and Jessie J in 2014, and another Guetta collab, "Hey Mama," with Bebe Rexha and Afrojack, in 2015. Notably, Minaj reigns with her 30th Pop Songs entry, the most titles that an act has logged before finally topping the tally. Drake set the prior mark when "One Dance" (featuring WizKid and Kyla), his 16th entry, led the July 30 list. (Drake passed Bieber, whose 15th charted Pop Songs title, "What Do You Mean?," ruled for two weeks in October 2015.) All charts will update Tuesday (Dec. 13) on Billboard.com. (Billboard)
Frank Ocean 'Blonde' Full Liner Notes Reveal Extent of Kanye West, Beyonce, James Blake Contributions. The full liner notes for Frank Ocean's Blonde have been revealed thanks to a Reddit user who uploaded the full details from a physical copy, including Kanye listed as a co-writer on "White Ferrari" and Beyonce as a backup singer on "Pink + White," which also features a keyboards, bass, co-writing and production credits for Pharrell Williams and string arrangements from producer Jon Brion. (Some of the contributions were previously known, but the full notes reveal a larger picture.) The notes also show that James Blake pitched in on production, arrangement, and keyboards on "Solo" (with backing vocals from Jazmine Sullivan), "Solo (Reprise)" and "Godspeed." Blake is also credited with keyboards on "Skyline To" and arrangement and production on "Godspeed." Also pitching in: Yung Lean and Kim Burrell as featured vocalists on "Godspeed," the Dirty Projectors' Amber Coffman with additional vocals on "Nikes," former Vampire Weekend member Rostam Batmanglij adding production and arrangements on "Ivy" and keyboards on "Seigfried" (which also has string arrangements by Radiohead's Johnny Greenwood) and composer/producer Brion with production and arrangement credits on a number of other tracks ("Self Control," "Night.s"). (Billboard)
Movies
How Sing Brings Back All the American Idol Feels. We all remember tuning in every Wednesday night with our phones at the ready anxiously awaiting the time to call and vote for our favorite contestants. We remember watching Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell as they judged (and sometimes relentlessly criticized) some of our favorites after they sang their hearts out for America to see. We remember watching Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Jordin Sparks, and Phillip Phillips become overwhelmed with emotion when they were declared their season's winners. And we all remember the sadness we felt when the show came to an end for good earlier this year. But fear not, American Idol fans, because the new movie Sing is bringing back all of those feelings in two hours packed with nostalgia. Hitting theaters on December 21, Sing follows the story of one koala named Buster Moon (voiced by Matthew McConaughey) as he struggles to save his decaying theater. After realizing that nobody cares for his attempts at success, Buster must come up with a new and creative way to bring in an audience and save his business. Then, in a moment of brilliance, Buster realizes that the best way to get his theater back into the spotlight and to potentially save it from being shut down would be to hold a singing competition. Almost instantly his local town goes wild, as everyone rushes prepares for their moment in the spotlight - all hoping for their chance at stardom and a shot at the $10,000 prize. (Sound familiar?) Among those auditioning are Rosita (voiced by Reese Witherspoon), a stay at home pig who hopes to win the competition to help out her family; Meena (voiced by Tori Kelly), an elephant who struggles with stage freight but has the voice of an angel; Johnny (voiced by Taran Egerton), a gorilla who hopes to escape his family's criminal past and make a new path for himself; Ash (voiced by Scarlett Johansson), a porcupine who must fight to keep her voice heard as she wants it to be; and Nick (voiced by Seth MacFarlane), a crooning mouse who has difficulty fitting in. Also featured are the flamboyant Gunter (voiced by Nick Kroll), Rosita's husband Norman (voiced by Nick Offerman), Ash's boyfriend Lance (voiced by Beck Bennett) and Buster's assistant Karen (voiced by the film's writer and director Garth Jennings). And if you think the singing competition in itself isn't enough of a similarity to American Idol, the animals also face similar fates of those who auditioned for the real show- including public embarrassment, lack of family support and the heartbreaking reality of auditioning as a duo and only one member making it through (a moment of silence for all of those sibling/couple auditions we witnessed over the show's 15 years). While the film hasn't been released to national audiences yet, people are already buzzing about it and rooting for their (soon-to-be) favorite characters, as they shared on Twitter wish the hashtag #SingSaturday. If you're now wondering "who will win?" you're not alone. And if you're still crying over the loss of American Idol, you're not alone either- and don't worry! We've made sure to help you keep the memory alive. Sing is in theaters on Dec. 21. (Eonline)
The Fate of the Furious Trailer Released: Charlize Theron Looks Super Fierce in 8th Fast & Furious Film. What is the fate of the furious? You can find out in the new Fast & Furious film, the eighth in the series. The trailer for the movie, which is officially titled The Fate of the Furious, was released Sunday amid a special premiere event with the cast at New York City's Time Square that was streamed on Facebook Live. The movie, the first in the franchise without the late Paul Walker, stars returning actors such as Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris and Dwayne Johnson, as well as newcomers who are bringing in more girl power: Charlize Theron and Helen Mirren. Theron appeared in some epic action sequences of her own in Mad Max: Fury Road with now she gets to play with Dom and the gang, as the villain Cipher. The actress looks super fierce in the trailer for The Fate of the Furious, which, according to the trailer, contains a Mad Max-like, explosive chase scene. A sneak peek photo of Theron is character was released in May and shows her standing near a display of machine guns and sporting some badass hair extensions tied up in a ponytail and a black leather jacket over a black Metallica T-shirt that reads, "Metal Up Your Ass." A poster for The Fate of the Furious was recently released and shows Vin and Johnson with their heads bowed, under the tag line "Family no more." They and other cast members, including newcomer Scott Eastwood, promoted the trailer on Instagram, including Vin, who revealed that the premiere event marked a special occasion. "What an emotional day... when a dream comes true," he said. "F8 trailer will launch in seven hours in the very city that my love and passion for film began as a child. I was 5 years old when my father first took us to the movies in Times Square and from that moment I knew what I would dedicate my life to... the art of making film. We are seven hours away from making history!" The Fate of the Furious is set for release on April 14, 2017. (Eonline)
In a Shakespearean twist, a hot theater production of "Othello" could be the ticket that finally convinces fickle star Daniel Craig to sign on to another James Bond blockbuster. Craig opens in "Othello" on Monday at the New York Theatre Workshop opposite "Selma" star David Oyelowo, and the production sold out in just hours back in October. But looking closer at the credits, the show's producer is Barbara Broccoli, scion of the 007 franchise who brought in Craig in 2006 for the string of hits "Casino Royale," "Quantum of Solace," "Skyfall" and "Spectre." But curmudgeonly Craig has publicly pitched to exit the films, sniping in October 2015 that he'd rather "slash [his]wrists" than revisit the role. "I'm over it at the moment .?.?. All I want to do is move on," he huffed. Of others who might take over, he charmingly added, "Look, I don't give a f?-?-?k." A week later it was announced Craig was cast with Oyelowo in "Othello." This year, as "Othello" approached, Craig changed his tune and said in October of playing Bond: "I would miss it terribly." (He's also allegedly been offered $150 million for two movies, which can't hurt.) Either way, a source told Page Six of "Othello" and Bond, "Daniel thinks of himself as a 'serious actor,' and he wants to stretch his artistic muscles. And Barbara really believes in his talent. For her to do this [play] for him is a gift -- of course she wants him back -- this is going to entice him to make another Bond movie." The insider said Broccoli would ask Craig back for the next 007 film, "Bond 25," sometime after the play's run. Other insiders add that Craig is amenable to a return to Bond after a hiatus of a few years when he'll tackle "more serious roles." Of the heated speculation over actors who could take over the role -- from Idris Elba and Tom Hiddleston to Michael Fassbender and Jack Huston -- a source said, "All those people are not in the running." Making "Othello" has been a shrewd business decision for Broccoli. "It's a limited run," the source said. "She's not doing this to lose money." (Page Six)
Screen Junkies' 'Roast of Darth Vader' Proves the Sith Lord Has a Sense of Humor. Well, this is awkward. Darth Vader is not the type of person who knows how to take a joke, so he's the last person you'd expect to submit himself to a comedy roast. But the team at Screen Junkies is making it happen, with The Roast of Darth Vader bringing Star Wars fan favorite characters together to share their best zingers about the Sith Lord. Heat Vision is debuting an exclusive look, which shows Obi-Wan Kenobi proving there's no hard feelings about that time he left Anakin Skywalker in an active volcano. "Let's just stay focused on the roast," says Kenobi, continuing to make heat-based jokes, calling them "friendly burns" and using other references to their final battle from Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith. The full roast will be available Tuesday on Screen Junkies Plus. (Hollywood Reporter)
Golden Globes: Mel Gibson Lands Best Picture, Director Nominations for 'Hacksaw Ridge'. The film's star Andrew Garfield also scored a best actor mention for the film about a conscientious objector in World War II. After a decade in Hollywood purgatory, Mel Gibson is officially back this awards season. The Hacksaw Ridge director landed a Golden Globe nomination for best director, while the film was hailed in the best motion picture drama category. The film's star Andrew Garfield also scored a best actor mention for the film about a conscientious objector in World War II, a coup for Gibson given that the actor also was being considered for the same category for his role in Martin Scorsese's Silence. Gibson had become a Hollywood pariah following a DUI arrest in July 2006, when the Oscar-winning Braveheart director hurled statements about "f -- ing Jews" at an officer. Within hours, the arrest report was leaked, and the industry turned a cold shoulder on Gibson's awards-season contender Apocalypto. But Hacksaw Ridge has been garnering Oscar-level praise (THR's David Rooney called the movie a "forceful comeback ... that succeeds in combining horror with grace"), and the once-embattled star is poised for a resurgence. At the time of the arrest, Gibson publicly denounced his words and asked for forgiveness. Hacksaw Ridge marks his first foray behind the camera since Apocalypto. Gibson, who beat out such veteran directors this year for the nom including Scorsese and Clint Eastwood (Sully) will complete for the best director Golden Globe against La La Land's Damien Chazelle, Nocturnal Animals' Tom Ford, Moonlight's Barry Jenkins and Manchester by the Sea's Kenneth Lonergan. Gibson last nabbed a Golden Globe director nomination in 1996 for Braveheart, which he went on to win. He received actor nominations from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association in 1997 (Ransom) and 2001 (What Women Want). Hacksaw Ridge is making waves at the box office as well, having earned $83 million worldwide to date. (Hollywood Reporter)
Disney's Bob Iger on 'Rogue One': "There Are No Political Statements In It". Alt-right online protesters were calling for a boycott of the 'Star Wars' movie using the hashtag #DumpStarWars in response to a writer's tweet connecting the Empire to Donald Trump. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story doesn't hit theaters until Dec. 16, but this week alt-right protesters were calling for a boycott of Disney's Star Wars standalone film. In early November, Rogue One writer Chris Weitz tweeted comments against president-elect Donald Trump, at one point alluding to possible political parallels to the Star Wars universe, writing, "Please note that the Empire is a white supremacist (human) organization." Weitz has since deleted the tweet and has apologized. But last week a hashtag was created, #DumpStarWars, that suggested a boycott of the movie, with some calling the feature "anti-Donald Trump" and "feminist propaganda." "I think the whole story has been overblown and, quite frankly, it's silly," Disney CEO Bob Iger told THR on the red carpet of the world premiere of Rogue One on Saturday. Continued Iger: "I have no reaction to [this] story at all. Frankly, this is a film that the world should enjoy. It is not a film that is, in any way, a political film. There are no political statements in it, at all." Rogue One, directed by Gareth Edwards, stars Felicity Jones as a rebel fighter that leads a group in a plot to steal the plans to the Death Star from the evil Empire. Diego Luna, Riz Ahmed and Forest Whitaker also star in the movie, which acts as a prequel to George Lucas' original 1977 film. "[Rogue One] has one of the greatest and most diverse casts of any film we have ever made and we are very proud of that, and that is not a political statement, at all," said Iger. Interest in Rogue One is high. Fandango reported that the day tickets became available was its highest presale day of the year, and its second highest presale day ever, behind last year's The Force Awakens. Moreover, the film is tracking for a massive $130 million-plus box office debut, which would mark the second-biggest December opening of all time, following (once again) The Force Awakens. "I have seen the film a number of times and only a few other people have gotten to see it. So, now we get to share it with the world," said Iger. "We know it's great and we can't wait for other people to discover that." (Hollywood Reporter)
TV
The Walking Dead's New Poster Gives Us Serious Hope for the Rest of Season 7. Still reeling from The Walking Dead's midseason finale on Sunday night? We're here to offer up some hope. While the season seven midseason finale delivered even more deaths, it still managed to end on a slightly hopeful note. And now, the first key art for the second half of the season is also providing us a little solace as the wait for the AMC zombie's hit return on Feb. 12 begins. In the poster, Rick (Andrew Lincoln), Daryl (Norman Reedus), Michonne (Danai Gurira), Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and the rest of the gang (even Carol!) are standing together in front of the words "Rise Up." (In blood red, no less!) We can only hope this means they will all unite to take down Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), aka one of the worst TV villains to ever villain in the history of villainy. This poster, along with the midseason finale's final scene, which found most of our team assembling at The Hilltop to tell Maggie they were ready fight, is definitely a light at the end of a long, dark tunnel for fans of the show, who had to process a slew of huge deaths this season. In the premiere, we were dealt the devastating losses of Glenn (Steven Yeun) and Abraham (Michael Cudlitz), while the finale saw the deaths of Spencer (Austin Nichols) and Olivia (Ann Mahoney). (OK, so the latter weren't exactly as sad as the former. Sorry, we're not sorry!) Fingers crossed this Alexandria-Hilltop-Kingdom mega-team is just what we need to end Negan's reign of handsomeness terror. The Walking Dead returns Deb. 12 on AMC. (Eonline)
The Walking Dead Midseason Finale Surprisingly Turns Tragedy Into Hope. Warning: The following contains spoilers from the midseason finale of The Walking Dead. If you haven't watched yet, you may want to bookmark this page and return once you have. Proceed with caution. After following up their bloody bonkers season seven premiere with a series of meandering, disconnected episodes that tested our patience beyond belief, The Walking Dead finally snapped back into focus during Sunday night midseason finale. And if you'd forgotten just what level of misery Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is capable of inflicting on our heroes, Sunday night's episode was here to remind you in full. Negan's little trip to Alexandria was full of surprises and, of course, death. Did you expect any less? After making full use of the domestic niceties Rick's home had to offer (including a fresh shave) and enjoying a cocktail with a weasely Spencer (Austin Nichols), the uber-villain got down to business and started dispatching of people. First to go, the aforementioned weasel, who's inflated sense of self-led to his own disemboweling. Deanna would've been so disappointed in her lame son for trying to sell Rick (Andrew Lincoln) out like that. Adios, Spence. And good riddance. Horrified by the scene, Rosita (Christian Serratos) couldn't contain herself, firing off her shiny new bullet and, well, wasting her shot. In return, she got Olivia (Ann Mahoney) killed (who will keep count of the cans now?!) and Eugene (Josh McDermitt) taken as Negan's next captive. So, solid work all around. In the end, it was the kick in the pants that Rick needed to remember that he's a fighter, not a quitter. The sight of him arriving at the Hilltop with Michonne (Danai Gurira), Carl (Chandler Riggs), Tara (Alanna Masterson), and Rosita in tow, to reunite with Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) just as Jesus (Tom Payne) returned with Daryl (Norman Reedus) was certainly a welcome one. But will they all manage to make it out of the coming war with Negan and the Saviors alive? That remains to be seen. Are you as psyched for the upcoming Alexandria-Hilltop-Kingdom team up as we are? Bummed about the deaths? The Walking Dead returns to AMC Sunday, Feb. 12. (Eonline)
New Sherlock Trailer Teases Dark Secrets and Perhaps a New Romance. We love you too, Sherlock! 2017 is coming in with a bang according to this new trailer for season four of the PBS and BBC drama, and probably the biggest surprise is that Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) is in love -- or at least he's saying "I love you" to some unknown person. Sure, this trailer is filled with lots of references to tricks, plans, and games (which this isn't anymore, apparently), but it's the fact that Sherlock is letting out a little emotion for once that's sending the fans into a tizzy. Of course, knowing this show, that "I love you" probably is a trick, a plan, or a game, but we'll take it anyway. As star Amanda Abbington teased at San Diego Comic-Con this year, season four of Sherlock is its darkest yet. Toby Jones is joining the show as its darkest villain yet, Culverton Smith, a classic Arthur Conan Doyle villain who was introduced in the story "The Dying Detective." That tale found Holmes faking a deadly illness to get Smith to admit he killed his own nephew (by infecting him with that same deadly illness). That doesn't sound too far off from something our Sherlock would do, but something about this trailer tells us that we're in for something a lot more sinister. Sherlock, which also stars Martin Freeman and Mark Gatiss, will return Sunday, January 1 on PBS. (Eonline)
TV Ratings: 'Sunday Night Football' Climbs 43 Percent to Season High. The Cowboys-Giants game also ranks as the biggest regular season primetime NFL showing for 2016. For NBC and the NFL, it's better late than never. After middling season of Sunday Night Football ratings, at least by its own incredibly high standards, the primetime franchise surged to season highs in week 14. The Giants-Cowboys game averaged an overnight 16.5 rating among metered market households. Not only is that a 43 percent surge from the previous week, it out rates every primetime NFL showing this season. Excluding kick-off weekends, it's actually the best in-season primetime football game since 2013. An incredibly tight game, with the Giants ultimately winning 10-7, the biggest showing came from Dallas. The Cowboys' home market recorded its largest Sunday Night Football tune-in on record with a 42.3 local rating. Let Sunday's showdown be further evidence that there is still a formidable NFL audience out there, it just hasn't been serviced by the most enticing match-ups this season. (Hollywood Reporter)
Ronnie Magro and Malika Haqq-- the hookup that finally merged "Jersey Shore" with the 'Kardashians' -- have already jumped to making high-profile Hollywood couple stops. Khloe's BFF and her new man hit the L.A. Coliseum Sunday for the Rams game. The games have become the new place for celebs to be seen, even though the team's sucked. As we told you ... Malika and Ronnie hooked up while shooting "Famously Single." Not everyone's buying they're a real deal couple just yet -- but if they sat through the 42-14 shellacking the Falcons dropped on the Rams ... that's real enough. (TMZ)
How Selena Gomez Is Settling Back Into the Public Eye After Her Long Hollywood Hiatus. Sometimes, slowing down can be nothing but good for you. It's no secret that Selena Gomez has spent part of 2016 taking care of herself. Back in August, the pop superstar revealed that she wanted to focus on her lupus-related side effects after her Revival world tour wrapped. What came next, was a serious break from the spotlight. "As many of you know, around a year ago I revealed that I have lupus, an illness that can affect people in different ways," the "Come and Get It" singer shared with People. "I've discovered that anxiety, panic attacks and depression can be side effects of lupus, which can present their own challenges." She added, "I want to be proactive and focus on maintaining my health and happiness and have decided that the best way forward is to take some time off. Thank you to all my fans for your support." But after spending a few months away from social media, red carpets, and the Hollywood lights, Selena delighted her fans when stepping onto the red carpet for the 2016 American Music Awards. Not only did she earn "best dressed" praise for her red ensemble styled by Kate Young, the singer also picked up one of the biggest awards of the evening. Instead of focusing on the trophy, however, Selena took the opportunity to speak to her millions of fans who may be experiencing struggles of their own. "I think it's safe to say most of you know my life whether I liked it or not. And I had to stop. Because I had everything. And I was absolutely broken inside," she shared with the audience. "I kept it all together enough to where I would never let you down, but I kept it too much together to where I let myself down." She continued, "If you are broken, you do not have to stay broken. That's one thing you should know about me: I care about people. And this is for you." If you thought her big public appearance signified the start of a red carpet spree or press tour, so far, it's just not the case. Instead, the 24-year-old is simply living life on her own terms. Perhaps that's a casual night out for dinner with friends at El Cholo in Santa Monica. Maybe that's a visit to the Nine Zero One salon in West Hollywood for a simple haircut. It also could be a workout session with trainer Amy Rosoff Davis. Or could it just be taking time to focus on herself? While participating in Thrive Global's questionnaire, Selena said she uses "self-affirmations in cooking or napping" to fill in her free time. She also has a strict morning routine consisting of drinking water, stretching and taking a deep breath. One thing Selena has tried to do less of is be glued to her cell phone. After going 90-days free, the "Hands to Myself" singer realized the addictive devise isn't a necessity. "It was the most refreshing, calming, rejuvenating feeling," she shared with Thrive Global. "Now I rarely pick up my phone, and only limited people have access to me." While her holiday plans remain tight-lip for now, there is one thing fans know. The actress is filled with gratitude while ending 2016 on a high note. "I have a lot to be thankful for this year. My year has been the hardest yet most rewarding one yet. I've finally fought the fight of not 'being enough'. I have only wanted to reflect the love you guys have given me for years and show how important it is to take care of YOU," she shared on Instagram. "By grace through faith. Kindness always wins. I love you guys. God bless." (Eonline)
Meghan Markle Gets Real About What It Means to Be Biracial in Today's World. Meghan Markle is an actress, a writer, a cook and many other things (including Prince Harry's girlfriend), but for some reason the fact that she's biracial seems to be the one thing everyone has become fixated on. The 35-year-old actress penned an essay for Elle U.K. in which she opens up about being half black and half white in today's society and how that's affected her self-identity. "To describe something as being black and white means it is clearly defined," she explained. "Yet when your ethnicity is black and white, the dichotomy is not that clear. In fact, it creates a grey area." She continued, "Being biracial paints a blurred line that is equal parts staggering and illuminating." Markle went on to explain how her mother (who is black) and her father (who is white) tried to make her childhood as normal as possible, despite confused stares from neighbors or Barbie families that were sold with either two white parents or two black parents (one Christmas, her father bought each and simply combined the two for a customized gift to give to his daughter). She explained the heartache she felt when asked to fill in a box during a test at school about her ethnicity. When she couldn't pick either Caucasian or African American, she decided to live it blank. Later, her dad told her to "draw in her own box." "He wanted me to see beyond that census placed in front of me," she wrote. "He wanted me to find my own truth." Markle went on to explain how she found it's either "ironic or apropos" that she eventually ended up becoming an actress in such a label-driven industry driven by roles based upon specific races and physical characteristics. "I wasn't black enough for the black roles and I wasn't white enough for the white ones," she explained. "Leaving me somewhere in the middle as the ethnic chameleon who couldn't book a job." However, that all changed when Suits producers were looking for the "dream girl" to play Rachel Zane -- a character who had not been visualized as any race in particular. "The show's producers weren't looking for someone mixed, nor someone white or black for that matter," Markle wrote. "They were simply looking for Rachel. In making a choice like that, the Suits producers helped shift the way pop culture defines beauty." Today, Markle is proud that she's grown to accept her mixed heritage and understand her purpose in this world: "To say who I am, to share where I'm from, to voice my pride in being a strong, confident mixed-race woman." Instead of letting the "murkiness" of being biracial allow her to continue feeling misunderstood, she found her identity independent of those realms. "You push for color-blind casting, you draw your own box. You introduce yourself as who you are, not what color your parents happen to be," she explained of moving forward. "You create the identity you want for yourself, just as my ancestors did when they were given their freedom." She concluded, "When slavery was abolished in the United States, former slaves had to choose a name...Perhaps the closest thing to connecting me to my ever-complex family tree, my longing to know where I come from, and the commonality that links me to my bloodline, is the choice that my great-great-great grandfather made to start anew. He chose the last name Wisdom. He drew his own box." (Eonline)
Patriots' star receiver Julian Edelman dropped the ball when it came to his brand new daughter's birth certificate. TMZ Sports has obtained a copy of Lily's birth certificate which lists her full name -- Lily Rose Mary Edelman, and model Ella Rose's name is in the "Mother" box. The "Father" box is blank. Seems weird since Julian already posted a proud papa shot -- and Ella always maintained he's the dad, even when he wasn't admitting it. We did some checking and the explanation is simple. When the parents aren't married, they both have to be present when their names are put on the certificate. Julian was already on a flight back to Boston when it was submitted. Sources close to the parents tell us Julian will be added as soon as possible. (TMZ)
Brady Brunch Star Susan Olsen Fired From Radio Host Gig After Homophobic Message. Cindy Brady is at the center of controversy. Child star Susan Olsen, who was working as a co-host for LA Talk Radio's Two Chicks Talkin' Politics, first came under fire on Wednesday when actor Leon Acord-Whiting accused the Brady Brunch actress of spreading "outrageous information" following their on-air interview. "It is wildly irresponsible for LA Talk Radio to allow a Trump fanatic to co-host one of their programs, where she can spew her idiotic lies unchecked. (Being a liberal and a patriot are mutually exclusive? Hillary is causing the protests & hate crimes? The Koran is a political tract?) As much as I love Sheena Metal, I think LA Talk Radio needs to give 'Cindy Brady' her walking papers," he wrote on Instagram. "I will not listen to or appear on any shows there from this point forward until she's gone. This isn't just disagreeing on, say, tax plans or foreign policy. Susan Olsen spreads outrageous misinformation & it is dangerous and unprofessional." Olsen did not take kindly to the statement and fired back on her own Facebook page, calling Acord-Whiting a "little piece of human waste." "This is the little piece of human waste. He blocked himself from me before I could even get one hit in. If you can find him, please send him my love," she wrote to her fans. According to reports, Acord-Whiting subsequently shared a screenshot of a private message Olsen sent him. Though the post has since been taken down, Olsen allegedly called the openly gay actor in part "the biggest f----t in the world." By Friday, LA Talk Radio announced that it had severed ties with "a host that veered off [their] direction." "LA Talk Radio takes pride in its close and collaborative relationship with the LGBT community, and will continue to provide a home for those who have hopeful and positive messages of togetherness and tolerance to share with our listeners," the company wrote in a statement on Facebook. "We will not tolerate hateful speech by anyone associated with our radio station and have severed our ties with a host that veered off the direction in which we are going." (Eonline)
Sherri Shepherd's ex-husband and baby daddy says the comedian is making a lot more cash, and he's asking for a bigger chunk of that change for child support payments. Lamar Sally -- who has a 2-year-old son with Shepherd -- just filed docs in L.A. saying Sherri's $4,100 a month just ain't cuttin' it. Sally says when their deal was first made, it was under the belief Sherri raked in just over $1 mil a year ... but now he says he believes her income's closer to $3 mil. Lamar claims their son has a medical condition that requires plenty of expensive medical treatment. He claims Sherri's acting gigs, stand-up career and 3% profit grab in a wig company are her main money makers. Sally's also asking for $75k to cover legal expenses from their nasty divorce. You'll remember -- the two went back and forth for over a year regarding the surrogate child -- with Sherri asking to be broken off all ties to the kid. Looks like that battle still ain't over yet. (TMZ)
THE OTHER STUFF . . .
Meryl Streep Makes History With 30th Golden Globe Nomination. The 2017 Golden Globes wouldn't be complete without Meryl Streep. At Monday's nominations ceremony, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced that the Florence Foster Jenkins star is up for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy. 20th Century Women's Annette Bening, Rules Don't Apply's Lily Collins, The Edge of Seventeen's Hailee Steinfeld and La Land's Emma Stone are also up for the award. With 30 nominations to her name, Streep is the most nominated star in the show's history. Streep, 67, summed up her excitement in a statement to E! News, saying, "AAAAGGGGHHHH!" Hugh Grant, who stars as Streep's husband and manager, also received a nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy. "It's extremely nice of the HFPA to nominate me, and I'm very grateful and touched. I'm forever indebted to [director] Stephen Frears for offering me such a juicy role in such a classy film," the actor, 56, told E! News in a statement. "I'm also thrilled to see that my co-stars -- up and comer Meryl Streep and the always peerless Simon Helberg -- have also been nominated. My thanks again to the HFPA for their support." Helberg earned a Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture nomination for his role as pianist Cosme McMoon. Florence Foster Jenkins is up for Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy. Streep received her first Golden Globe nomination in 1978 for The Deer Hunter. She won her first Golden Globe in 1979 (Best Supporting Actress) for her work in Kramer vs. Kramer. In 2009, Streep became the most-nominated performer in Golden Globes history when her double lead actress nominations for Doubt and Mamma Mia! gave her 23 nominations in total. Since then, she's racked up seven more nominations, thanks to Into the Woods and other films. Streep also holds the records for most Golden Globe wins thanks to her roles in Kramer vs. Karmer (1979), The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981), Sophie's Choice (1982), Adaptation (2002), Angels in America (2003), The Devil Wears Prada (2006), Julie & Julia (2009) and The Iron Lady (2010). She will also receive the Cecil B. Demille Award at the 74th Golden Globes. Will Florence Foster Jenkins result in Streep's ninth Golden Globe victory? The winners will be announced Jan. 8, 2017 starting at 8 p.m., when Jimmy Fallon hosts the big event live on NBC. (Eonline)
Selena Gomez has signed a huge $10 million deal with Coach to design her own line and become the face of the luxury accessory brand. Despite taking some time out of the spotlight, Gomez was just named the most popular celebrity on Instagram for the second year running, with 104 million followers. A source told us that, as part of the deal, Gomez would design her own line for Coach and star in ad campaigns. Meanwhile, on Thursday night, Coach capped off their yearlong 75th-anniversary celebration with a fashion show and star-studded party at Pier 94. The party kicked off with models walking through a desert-like -- motel-parking-lot set, with several parked vintage cars. A children's gospel choir performed Jay Z and Alicia Keys' "Empire State of Mind" as fake snow fell onto trees at the Fiji-sponsored bash. A large disco ball dropped after the choir serenaded the crowd, and DJ Mark Ronson started spinning for guests including Drew Barrymore, Dree Hemingway, Zoë Kravitz, Michael B. Jordan and Diplo. (Page Six)
Why Mark Wahlberg Says He's ''Optimistic'' About Donald Trump Presidency. Mark Wahlberg can't help but think the United States will be OK when Donald Trump becomes president. "Being the positive person that I am, I have to hope so," Wahlberg says. "I have to remain optimistic that the future will get better." I chatted with Wahlberg and director Peter Berg over the weekend at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills, where they were promoting Patriots Day, their new drama about the Boston Marathon bombings. Wahlberg, 45, credits his Catholic faith for helping him remain positive about the future. "Peter and I have had endless conversations about this," the actor said. "I think he's always convinced I'm trying to convert him to Catholicism, which I'm not, but life is short. If we live to be 100, it's still a short amount of time. I want to live forever. I want to be with my loved ones forever and my faith allows me to deal with loss, disappointment, failure, all of those things, sickness. It reminds me that things can always be worse and how lucky I am, how blessed I am, how fortunate I am and I want to encourage people to have the ability to look at things in a positive way." Even when he has to explain terrorism to his four children, Ella, 13, Michael, 10, Brendan, 8 and Grace, 6. "My oldest kids want to see the movie," Wahlberg said. "I think the oldest two are ready for it. This is the reality of the world that we live in and I think it's important for them to understand that but I think they'll take away what I'm taking away and what everybody else who sees the movie takes away -- that these things will happen, but we can't go and run and hide. We have to stand up and fight back and do that with love and I think that ultimately that will make them better and stronger as people." In the movie, Wahlberg plays a cop (a fictionalized composite of real-life officers) who was on duty at the marathon finish line when the bombs went off. Rounding out the cast are Michelle Monaghan, Kevin Bacon, Melissa Benoist, John Goodman, Michael Beach and J.K. Simmons. Alex Wolff and newcomer Themo Melikidze play the terrorist brothers whose attack killed three people and injured more than 260. In one scene, Wahlberg's character breaks down in his wife's arms after he comes home from the marathon. "I went in the back and looked at some of the footage that certain people weren't even exposed to," he recalled of filming the scene. "And, you know, I just realized this happened to my neighbors and to my fellow Bostonians and that was enough." Patriots Day is in theaters on Dec. 21. (Eonline)
John Travolta "Not Interested" in Watching Leah Remini's Scientology Docu-Series. It's a good year to be John Travolta. The movie star's TV turn earned him a nomination at the 22nd Critics' Choice Awards for his portrayal of attorney Robert Shapiro in The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story. "When this happens," the 62-year-old told E! News' Marc Malkin Sunday, "you kind of savor it." Indeed, television has been good to Travolta -- but it hasn't always been so good to his faith. Late last month, A&E premiered Leah Remini's docu-series, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. In it, Remini accuses the Church of Scientology of abuse, lies, and sexual misconduct. (A rep for the religion has repeatedly dismissed Remini's claims and criticized her "revisionist history.") Travolta has not watched any of the episodes, telling E! News he's "not interested" in what Remini or other former members of the Church of Scientology have to say. "It's been nothing but helpful to me for 40 years, through all my losses of my mother, my girlfriend, my son," he said. "They never left my side, so why would I want buy into something that's not what I feel?" While he was "kind of" surprised Remini decided to do the docu-series, Travolta wishes Remini no ill will. "As long as I get to still do it and my family gets to do it," the actor said, "I'm happy." Late last month, Remini told E! News she didn't expect to hear from Travolta or Tom Cruise, another prominent member in the Church of Scientology, regarding the docu-series. "They will not reach out to me. They are not allowed to reach out to me," the King of Queens actress said. "John Travolta, by the way, is one of the nicest, sweetest people you're ever going to meet." And as Travolta said, he has plenty to be happy about. Though he lost the Critics' Choice Award to his co-star Sterling K. Brown, the actor will get a shot a redemption when the 2017 Golden Globes air in January. The pals will go head-to-head again in the Best Supporting Performance by an Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Television Film category, this time against The Night Manager's Hugh Laurie, The Crown's John Lithgow and Mr. Robot's Christian Slater. (Eonline)
If you've been anywhere near social media this weekend, you'll know that supermodel pals Bella Hadid and Hailey Baldwin have been enjoying a sun, sea and selfie filled getaway with a host of other models including Emily Ratajkowski and Elsa Hosk. But unlike your average girls' holiday which consists of lounging around the pool with a cocktail in hand and gossiping about the night before while you hide your sweaty face behind a pair of shades, the supermodels took the opportunity to capture some pretty flawless holiday snaps of each other. From sandy belfries to posting in group pics, the ladies (most of whom walked in the Victoria Secret Fashion Show a couple of weeks ago) looked as though they were enjoying a photo shoot of their own. I mean, who's got time to soak up the sun when you can get an epic bikini shot on a jet-ski for the gram, aye? It is believed that the girls, who are currently in the Bahamas, are there for a secret shoot, but they've no doubt squeezed some play time into their tight working schedules judging by their Snap chat stories. (British Glamour)
Call off the dogs -- Hugh Hefner looks to be alive and well ... based on what his wife posted Sunday night. Crystal Hefner -- Hugh's 3rd wife -- uploaded a Snapchat video of herself and hubby having dinner at the Playboy Mansion ... rocking the ever popular dog filter. From what we can see, Hef looks pretty good for a guy who's 630 in canine years -- despite rumors he went to the big doghouse in the sky. Side note: Snapchat does let you post old vids, but it also marks them with a frame, so this looks to be genuine up to date footage of Hef. (TMZ)
Atlanta Star Keith Stanfield Storms Stage After Losing to Silicon Valley at 22nd Annual Critics' Choice Awards. Just when we thought the 22nd Critics' Choice Awards was sailing along smoothly... Leslie Mann and Christian Slater presented the award for Best Comedy Series to HBO's Silicon Valley, but before an acceptance speech could even be given, Atlanta star Keith Stanfield rushed the stage with a few choice words of his own. "I want to thank everybody for honoring us in this way," the actor, wearing a white button down t-shirt and sailor hat, told an admittedly stunned CCAs audience. Stanfield added, "We worked very hard on Silicon Valley and here are we. Thank you." Meanwhile, executive producer Tom Lassally awkwardly paced behind Stanfield until ultimately making a quick exit. "I have no idea who that was," Lassally initially responded. He continued, "Unfortunately, Alec Berg was sick tonight so he and I are both last minute substitutions for this. So on behalf of Alec and Mike Judge and the cast, just want to thank the critics for supporting the show again and thank all of our friends and partners at HBO." Silicon Valley beat out Atlanta, Black-ish, Fleabag, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Modern Family and Veep in the Best Comedy category. Keith's co-star Donald Glover won the award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his work on the FX show. (Eonline)
Music
Drake Has Nothing But Heart Eyes for Jennifer Lopez: Plus, More Times They've Supported Each Other. Drake and Jennifer Lopez might just be each other's biggest fans. The "Fake Love" rapper stopped by the pop singer's All I Have concert residency in Las Vegas, and let's just say Drake couldn't get enough of J. Lo's killer performance. (Not that we blame the guy or anything...) Following the star-studded event, which also saw appearances from Kevin Hart and Kristin Chenoweth, Drake took to Instagram with a super smiley selfie of the duo captioned, "Lotta those" pointing to a heart eyes emoji. Yup, that about sums it up. Drizzy also shared another snapshot holding Lopez's baseball hat. "Sure I'll hold your diamond encrusted fitted while you catch this Vegas body #Jenny," he captioned the moment. You better believe these two are on a nickname basis. The "Ain't Your Mama" songstress reciprocated the love, captioning the same shot, "Look who rolled up to my show tonight to say hi!!" So when did Drake and Jennifer's friendship first blossom? All signs point to the very moment he saw Lopez strut across the stage at the 2013 Grammys, and his reaction was well, priceless. Two words: Damn. Girl. Then at the 2015 American Music Awards, Jennifer kicked off her hosting duties with an unforgettable dance performance to a medley of the year's biggest jams. Any music buff would know that Drake's "Hotline Bling" spent weeks at the top of the charts that year, so it's no wonder the stunner put her own spin on the artist's now-viral dance moves. Lopez gave Drake yet another shout out during an appearance on The Tonight Show earlier this year, in which she starred opposite Jimmy Fallon for the fan-favorite "Ew!" skit. Jennifer wasted no time twerking it out to Rihanna and Drizzy's "Work" collab, and we can't help but imagine J.Lo jamming out to all of Drake's smash hits in the privacy of her own home. Talk about friendship goals. (Eonline)
Beyonce is a lamb! Queen Bey took to Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" show at New York City's Beacon Theater on Sunday -- and snapped a selfie with the star backstage. "I love you @Beyonce thank you sooooo much for coming out tonight," Carey wrote alongside a photo of herself with the "Hold Up" singer, including a slew of emojis. In the photo, Carey sported a shining, cleavage-baring top while Beyonce opted for a black jacket with a matching hat and top. The selfie is rare for low-key Beyonce. But with Carey's stint at the famous theater lasting just a few more days, it seems the "Daddy Lessons" singer just had to catch the show before it ended. Beyonce wasn't the only star to head to Carey's holiday concert. On Saturday, Andy Cohen uploaded an Instagram video of the star singing her famous track, "All I Want For Christmas is You," while wearing a sparkling, red leotard. "Ok, Mariah!" Cohen captioned the photo, including Christmas tree and snowman emojis. The show will head out of town on Dec. 17. While many have showed up to the theater for a glimpse of the legendary singer, all eyes have been on Carey and her new beau Bryan Tanaka in recent weeks. The pair's chemistry has been visible as they've danced alongside each other, holding hands on stage at the show. They've fueled romance rumors in recent weeks with a Thanksgiving weekend getaway and date nights in Los Angeles. The new romance comes on the heels of Carey's split from her Australian businessman James Packer. The pair broke off their engagement in October. (People)
Get ready to party all night long with Lionel Richie and Mariah Carey. The singers announced Monday they are joining forces for the All The Hits Tour, which kicks off in Baltimore on March 15, 2017. Tickets for the 35-date tour, starring Richie with Carey as a special guest, go on sale Saturday. Both Richie and Carey have a string of hits that remain popular today. Richie's catalog includes "All Night Long (All Night)," "Hello" and "Stuck on You." In addition to Grammy wins, he's won an Oscar and Golden Globe. Carey is only behind Elvis Presley for most No. 1 songs on Billboard's Hot 100 chart with 18. Her hits include "Vision of Love," "Hero" and "We Belong Together." The tour will wrap in Fort Lauderdale on May 27. (Page Six)
Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj's 'Side to Side' Tops Pop Songs Chart. The song is Grande's second No. 1 on the radio airplay tally & Minaj's first. Ariana Grande ascends to No. 1 on Billboard's Pop Songs radio airplay chart (dated Dec. 24) with "Side to Side," featuring Nicki Minaj. As the song climbs 2-1, it becomes Grande's second Pop Songs leader and Minaj's first. Grande had previously topped Pop Songs with "Problem," featuring Iggy Azalea, for two weeks in 2014. "Side" is the third single from her album Dangerous Woman, following the title cut and "Into You," which reached Nos. 4 and 7, respectively, on Pop Songs. Minaj had previously reached a No. 2 Pop Songs high with features on four hits: David Guetta's "Turn Me On" (2012), Justin Bieber's "Beauty and a Beat" (2013), "Bang Bang" with Grande, and Jessie J in 2014, and another Guetta collab, "Hey Mama," with Bebe Rexha and Afrojack, in 2015. Notably, Minaj reigns with her 30th Pop Songs entry, the most titles that an act has logged before finally topping the tally. Drake set the prior mark when "One Dance" (featuring WizKid and Kyla), his 16th entry, led the July 30 list. (Drake passed Bieber, whose 15th charted Pop Songs title, "What Do You Mean?," ruled for two weeks in October 2015.) All charts will update Tuesday (Dec. 13) on Billboard.com. (Billboard)
Frank Ocean 'Blonde' Full Liner Notes Reveal Extent of Kanye West, Beyonce, James Blake Contributions. The full liner notes for Frank Ocean's Blonde have been revealed thanks to a Reddit user who uploaded the full details from a physical copy, including Kanye listed as a co-writer on "White Ferrari" and Beyonce as a backup singer on "Pink + White," which also features a keyboards, bass, co-writing and production credits for Pharrell Williams and string arrangements from producer Jon Brion. (Some of the contributions were previously known, but the full notes reveal a larger picture.) The notes also show that James Blake pitched in on production, arrangement, and keyboards on "Solo" (with backing vocals from Jazmine Sullivan), "Solo (Reprise)" and "Godspeed." Blake is also credited with keyboards on "Skyline To" and arrangement and production on "Godspeed." Also pitching in: Yung Lean and Kim Burrell as featured vocalists on "Godspeed," the Dirty Projectors' Amber Coffman with additional vocals on "Nikes," former Vampire Weekend member Rostam Batmanglij adding production and arrangements on "Ivy" and keyboards on "Seigfried" (which also has string arrangements by Radiohead's Johnny Greenwood) and composer/producer Brion with production and arrangement credits on a number of other tracks ("Self Control," "Night.s"). (Billboard)
Movies
How Sing Brings Back All the American Idol Feels. We all remember tuning in every Wednesday night with our phones at the ready anxiously awaiting the time to call and vote for our favorite contestants. We remember watching Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell as they judged (and sometimes relentlessly criticized) some of our favorites after they sang their hearts out for America to see. We remember watching Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Jordin Sparks, and Phillip Phillips become overwhelmed with emotion when they were declared their season's winners. And we all remember the sadness we felt when the show came to an end for good earlier this year. But fear not, American Idol fans, because the new movie Sing is bringing back all of those feelings in two hours packed with nostalgia. Hitting theaters on December 21, Sing follows the story of one koala named Buster Moon (voiced by Matthew McConaughey) as he struggles to save his decaying theater. After realizing that nobody cares for his attempts at success, Buster must come up with a new and creative way to bring in an audience and save his business. Then, in a moment of brilliance, Buster realizes that the best way to get his theater back into the spotlight and to potentially save it from being shut down would be to hold a singing competition. Almost instantly his local town goes wild, as everyone rushes prepares for their moment in the spotlight - all hoping for their chance at stardom and a shot at the $10,000 prize. (Sound familiar?) Among those auditioning are Rosita (voiced by Reese Witherspoon), a stay at home pig who hopes to win the competition to help out her family; Meena (voiced by Tori Kelly), an elephant who struggles with stage freight but has the voice of an angel; Johnny (voiced by Taran Egerton), a gorilla who hopes to escape his family's criminal past and make a new path for himself; Ash (voiced by Scarlett Johansson), a porcupine who must fight to keep her voice heard as she wants it to be; and Nick (voiced by Seth MacFarlane), a crooning mouse who has difficulty fitting in. Also featured are the flamboyant Gunter (voiced by Nick Kroll), Rosita's husband Norman (voiced by Nick Offerman), Ash's boyfriend Lance (voiced by Beck Bennett) and Buster's assistant Karen (voiced by the film's writer and director Garth Jennings). And if you think the singing competition in itself isn't enough of a similarity to American Idol, the animals also face similar fates of those who auditioned for the real show- including public embarrassment, lack of family support and the heartbreaking reality of auditioning as a duo and only one member making it through (a moment of silence for all of those sibling/couple auditions we witnessed over the show's 15 years). While the film hasn't been released to national audiences yet, people are already buzzing about it and rooting for their (soon-to-be) favorite characters, as they shared on Twitter wish the hashtag #SingSaturday. If you're now wondering "who will win?" you're not alone. And if you're still crying over the loss of American Idol, you're not alone either- and don't worry! We've made sure to help you keep the memory alive. Sing is in theaters on Dec. 21. (Eonline)
The Fate of the Furious Trailer Released: Charlize Theron Looks Super Fierce in 8th Fast & Furious Film. What is the fate of the furious? You can find out in the new Fast & Furious film, the eighth in the series. The trailer for the movie, which is officially titled The Fate of the Furious, was released Sunday amid a special premiere event with the cast at New York City's Time Square that was streamed on Facebook Live. The movie, the first in the franchise without the late Paul Walker, stars returning actors such as Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris and Dwayne Johnson, as well as newcomers who are bringing in more girl power: Charlize Theron and Helen Mirren. Theron appeared in some epic action sequences of her own in Mad Max: Fury Road with now she gets to play with Dom and the gang, as the villain Cipher. The actress looks super fierce in the trailer for The Fate of the Furious, which, according to the trailer, contains a Mad Max-like, explosive chase scene. A sneak peek photo of Theron is character was released in May and shows her standing near a display of machine guns and sporting some badass hair extensions tied up in a ponytail and a black leather jacket over a black Metallica T-shirt that reads, "Metal Up Your Ass." A poster for The Fate of the Furious was recently released and shows Vin and Johnson with their heads bowed, under the tag line "Family no more." They and other cast members, including newcomer Scott Eastwood, promoted the trailer on Instagram, including Vin, who revealed that the premiere event marked a special occasion. "What an emotional day... when a dream comes true," he said. "F8 trailer will launch in seven hours in the very city that my love and passion for film began as a child. I was 5 years old when my father first took us to the movies in Times Square and from that moment I knew what I would dedicate my life to... the art of making film. We are seven hours away from making history!" The Fate of the Furious is set for release on April 14, 2017. (Eonline)
In a Shakespearean twist, a hot theater production of "Othello" could be the ticket that finally convinces fickle star Daniel Craig to sign on to another James Bond blockbuster. Craig opens in "Othello" on Monday at the New York Theatre Workshop opposite "Selma" star David Oyelowo, and the production sold out in just hours back in October. But looking closer at the credits, the show's producer is Barbara Broccoli, scion of the 007 franchise who brought in Craig in 2006 for the string of hits "Casino Royale," "Quantum of Solace," "Skyfall" and "Spectre." But curmudgeonly Craig has publicly pitched to exit the films, sniping in October 2015 that he'd rather "slash [his]wrists" than revisit the role. "I'm over it at the moment .?.?. All I want to do is move on," he huffed. Of others who might take over, he charmingly added, "Look, I don't give a f?-?-?k." A week later it was announced Craig was cast with Oyelowo in "Othello." This year, as "Othello" approached, Craig changed his tune and said in October of playing Bond: "I would miss it terribly." (He's also allegedly been offered $150 million for two movies, which can't hurt.) Either way, a source told Page Six of "Othello" and Bond, "Daniel thinks of himself as a 'serious actor,' and he wants to stretch his artistic muscles. And Barbara really believes in his talent. For her to do this [play] for him is a gift -- of course she wants him back -- this is going to entice him to make another Bond movie." The insider said Broccoli would ask Craig back for the next 007 film, "Bond 25," sometime after the play's run. Other insiders add that Craig is amenable to a return to Bond after a hiatus of a few years when he'll tackle "more serious roles." Of the heated speculation over actors who could take over the role -- from Idris Elba and Tom Hiddleston to Michael Fassbender and Jack Huston -- a source said, "All those people are not in the running." Making "Othello" has been a shrewd business decision for Broccoli. "It's a limited run," the source said. "She's not doing this to lose money." (Page Six)
Screen Junkies' 'Roast of Darth Vader' Proves the Sith Lord Has a Sense of Humor. Well, this is awkward. Darth Vader is not the type of person who knows how to take a joke, so he's the last person you'd expect to submit himself to a comedy roast. But the team at Screen Junkies is making it happen, with The Roast of Darth Vader bringing Star Wars fan favorite characters together to share their best zingers about the Sith Lord. Heat Vision is debuting an exclusive look, which shows Obi-Wan Kenobi proving there's no hard feelings about that time he left Anakin Skywalker in an active volcano. "Let's just stay focused on the roast," says Kenobi, continuing to make heat-based jokes, calling them "friendly burns" and using other references to their final battle from Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith. The full roast will be available Tuesday on Screen Junkies Plus. (Hollywood Reporter)
Golden Globes: Mel Gibson Lands Best Picture, Director Nominations for 'Hacksaw Ridge'. The film's star Andrew Garfield also scored a best actor mention for the film about a conscientious objector in World War II. After a decade in Hollywood purgatory, Mel Gibson is officially back this awards season. The Hacksaw Ridge director landed a Golden Globe nomination for best director, while the film was hailed in the best motion picture drama category. The film's star Andrew Garfield also scored a best actor mention for the film about a conscientious objector in World War II, a coup for Gibson given that the actor also was being considered for the same category for his role in Martin Scorsese's Silence. Gibson had become a Hollywood pariah following a DUI arrest in July 2006, when the Oscar-winning Braveheart director hurled statements about "f -- ing Jews" at an officer. Within hours, the arrest report was leaked, and the industry turned a cold shoulder on Gibson's awards-season contender Apocalypto. But Hacksaw Ridge has been garnering Oscar-level praise (THR's David Rooney called the movie a "forceful comeback ... that succeeds in combining horror with grace"), and the once-embattled star is poised for a resurgence. At the time of the arrest, Gibson publicly denounced his words and asked for forgiveness. Hacksaw Ridge marks his first foray behind the camera since Apocalypto. Gibson, who beat out such veteran directors this year for the nom including Scorsese and Clint Eastwood (Sully) will complete for the best director Golden Globe against La La Land's Damien Chazelle, Nocturnal Animals' Tom Ford, Moonlight's Barry Jenkins and Manchester by the Sea's Kenneth Lonergan. Gibson last nabbed a Golden Globe director nomination in 1996 for Braveheart, which he went on to win. He received actor nominations from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association in 1997 (Ransom) and 2001 (What Women Want). Hacksaw Ridge is making waves at the box office as well, having earned $83 million worldwide to date. (Hollywood Reporter)
Disney's Bob Iger on 'Rogue One': "There Are No Political Statements In It". Alt-right online protesters were calling for a boycott of the 'Star Wars' movie using the hashtag #DumpStarWars in response to a writer's tweet connecting the Empire to Donald Trump. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story doesn't hit theaters until Dec. 16, but this week alt-right protesters were calling for a boycott of Disney's Star Wars standalone film. In early November, Rogue One writer Chris Weitz tweeted comments against president-elect Donald Trump, at one point alluding to possible political parallels to the Star Wars universe, writing, "Please note that the Empire is a white supremacist (human) organization." Weitz has since deleted the tweet and has apologized. But last week a hashtag was created, #DumpStarWars, that suggested a boycott of the movie, with some calling the feature "anti-Donald Trump" and "feminist propaganda." "I think the whole story has been overblown and, quite frankly, it's silly," Disney CEO Bob Iger told THR on the red carpet of the world premiere of Rogue One on Saturday. Continued Iger: "I have no reaction to [this] story at all. Frankly, this is a film that the world should enjoy. It is not a film that is, in any way, a political film. There are no political statements in it, at all." Rogue One, directed by Gareth Edwards, stars Felicity Jones as a rebel fighter that leads a group in a plot to steal the plans to the Death Star from the evil Empire. Diego Luna, Riz Ahmed and Forest Whitaker also star in the movie, which acts as a prequel to George Lucas' original 1977 film. "[Rogue One] has one of the greatest and most diverse casts of any film we have ever made and we are very proud of that, and that is not a political statement, at all," said Iger. Interest in Rogue One is high. Fandango reported that the day tickets became available was its highest presale day of the year, and its second highest presale day ever, behind last year's The Force Awakens. Moreover, the film is tracking for a massive $130 million-plus box office debut, which would mark the second-biggest December opening of all time, following (once again) The Force Awakens. "I have seen the film a number of times and only a few other people have gotten to see it. So, now we get to share it with the world," said Iger. "We know it's great and we can't wait for other people to discover that." (Hollywood Reporter)
TV
The Walking Dead's New Poster Gives Us Serious Hope for the Rest of Season 7. Still reeling from The Walking Dead's midseason finale on Sunday night? We're here to offer up some hope. While the season seven midseason finale delivered even more deaths, it still managed to end on a slightly hopeful note. And now, the first key art for the second half of the season is also providing us a little solace as the wait for the AMC zombie's hit return on Feb. 12 begins. In the poster, Rick (Andrew Lincoln), Daryl (Norman Reedus), Michonne (Danai Gurira), Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and the rest of the gang (even Carol!) are standing together in front of the words "Rise Up." (In blood red, no less!) We can only hope this means they will all unite to take down Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), aka one of the worst TV villains to ever villain in the history of villainy. This poster, along with the midseason finale's final scene, which found most of our team assembling at The Hilltop to tell Maggie they were ready fight, is definitely a light at the end of a long, dark tunnel for fans of the show, who had to process a slew of huge deaths this season. In the premiere, we were dealt the devastating losses of Glenn (Steven Yeun) and Abraham (Michael Cudlitz), while the finale saw the deaths of Spencer (Austin Nichols) and Olivia (Ann Mahoney). (OK, so the latter weren't exactly as sad as the former. Sorry, we're not sorry!) Fingers crossed this Alexandria-Hilltop-Kingdom mega-team is just what we need to end Negan's reign of handsomeness terror. The Walking Dead returns Deb. 12 on AMC. (Eonline)
The Walking Dead Midseason Finale Surprisingly Turns Tragedy Into Hope. Warning: The following contains spoilers from the midseason finale of The Walking Dead. If you haven't watched yet, you may want to bookmark this page and return once you have. Proceed with caution. After following up their bloody bonkers season seven premiere with a series of meandering, disconnected episodes that tested our patience beyond belief, The Walking Dead finally snapped back into focus during Sunday night midseason finale. And if you'd forgotten just what level of misery Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is capable of inflicting on our heroes, Sunday night's episode was here to remind you in full. Negan's little trip to Alexandria was full of surprises and, of course, death. Did you expect any less? After making full use of the domestic niceties Rick's home had to offer (including a fresh shave) and enjoying a cocktail with a weasely Spencer (Austin Nichols), the uber-villain got down to business and started dispatching of people. First to go, the aforementioned weasel, who's inflated sense of self-led to his own disemboweling. Deanna would've been so disappointed in her lame son for trying to sell Rick (Andrew Lincoln) out like that. Adios, Spence. And good riddance. Horrified by the scene, Rosita (Christian Serratos) couldn't contain herself, firing off her shiny new bullet and, well, wasting her shot. In return, she got Olivia (Ann Mahoney) killed (who will keep count of the cans now?!) and Eugene (Josh McDermitt) taken as Negan's next captive. So, solid work all around. In the end, it was the kick in the pants that Rick needed to remember that he's a fighter, not a quitter. The sight of him arriving at the Hilltop with Michonne (Danai Gurira), Carl (Chandler Riggs), Tara (Alanna Masterson), and Rosita in tow, to reunite with Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) just as Jesus (Tom Payne) returned with Daryl (Norman Reedus) was certainly a welcome one. But will they all manage to make it out of the coming war with Negan and the Saviors alive? That remains to be seen. Are you as psyched for the upcoming Alexandria-Hilltop-Kingdom team up as we are? Bummed about the deaths? The Walking Dead returns to AMC Sunday, Feb. 12. (Eonline)
New Sherlock Trailer Teases Dark Secrets and Perhaps a New Romance. We love you too, Sherlock! 2017 is coming in with a bang according to this new trailer for season four of the PBS and BBC drama, and probably the biggest surprise is that Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) is in love -- or at least he's saying "I love you" to some unknown person. Sure, this trailer is filled with lots of references to tricks, plans, and games (which this isn't anymore, apparently), but it's the fact that Sherlock is letting out a little emotion for once that's sending the fans into a tizzy. Of course, knowing this show, that "I love you" probably is a trick, a plan, or a game, but we'll take it anyway. As star Amanda Abbington teased at San Diego Comic-Con this year, season four of Sherlock is its darkest yet. Toby Jones is joining the show as its darkest villain yet, Culverton Smith, a classic Arthur Conan Doyle villain who was introduced in the story "The Dying Detective." That tale found Holmes faking a deadly illness to get Smith to admit he killed his own nephew (by infecting him with that same deadly illness). That doesn't sound too far off from something our Sherlock would do, but something about this trailer tells us that we're in for something a lot more sinister. Sherlock, which also stars Martin Freeman and Mark Gatiss, will return Sunday, January 1 on PBS. (Eonline)
TV Ratings: 'Sunday Night Football' Climbs 43 Percent to Season High. The Cowboys-Giants game also ranks as the biggest regular season primetime NFL showing for 2016. For NBC and the NFL, it's better late than never. After middling season of Sunday Night Football ratings, at least by its own incredibly high standards, the primetime franchise surged to season highs in week 14. The Giants-Cowboys game averaged an overnight 16.5 rating among metered market households. Not only is that a 43 percent surge from the previous week, it out rates every primetime NFL showing this season. Excluding kick-off weekends, it's actually the best in-season primetime football game since 2013. An incredibly tight game, with the Giants ultimately winning 10-7, the biggest showing came from Dallas. The Cowboys' home market recorded its largest Sunday Night Football tune-in on record with a 42.3 local rating. Let Sunday's showdown be further evidence that there is still a formidable NFL audience out there, it just hasn't been serviced by the most enticing match-ups this season. (Hollywood Reporter)
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