WEATHER ALERT
Comedian Kevin Hart joins an elite group honored with the Mark Twain Prize for American humor
Read full article: Comedian Kevin Hart joins an elite group honored with the Mark Twain Prize for American humorKevin Hart rose from the open mics and comedy clubs of his native Philadelphia to become one of his country’s most recognizable performers.
'Palm Royale' features Carol Burnett, Kristen Wiig, Allison Janney and new-to-comedy Ricky Martin
Read full article: 'Palm Royale' features Carol Burnett, Kristen Wiig, Allison Janney and new-to-comedy Ricky MartinThe new Apple TV+ series “Palm Royale" set in 1969 takes a satirical look at the lengths a woman takes for acceptance into high society.
Billy Crystal and Queen Latifah look marvelous as they headline this year's Kennedy Center Honors
Read full article: Billy Crystal and Queen Latifah look marvelous as they headline this year's Kennedy Center HonorsYou know you’ve made a cultural impact when Henry Kissinger quotes your own joke back to you.
Jon Stewart: Authoritarian governments a threat, not comedy
Read full article: Jon Stewart: Authoritarian governments a threat, not comedyComedian Jon Stewart says speculation about the future of comedy amid increased audience cultural sensitivity is ignoring a true and enduring threat: authoritarian governments around the world.
New this week: Plenty of Dolly Parton and 'Lucy and Desi'
Read full article: New this week: Plenty of Dolly Parton and 'Lucy and Desi'This week’s new entertainment releases include an album and companion book by Dolly Parton, the comedy-thriller “Fresh” starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Roger Allam playing a French crime-buster in “Murder in Provence.”.
TV legend Norman Lear credits journey to laughter, family
Read full article: TV legend Norman Lear credits journey to laughter, familyIn this video grab issued Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, by NBC, Norman Lear accepts the Carol Burnett television achievement award at the Golden Globe Awards. (NBC via AP)LOS ANGELES – Norman Lear made TV relevant with “All in the Family” and more 20th-century sitcoms, and he's accomplished the same for himself as a working producer who's nearing his 99th birthday. But Lear was modest as he accepted the Carol Burnett Award for his decades of achievement — and the decades themselves — at Sunday's virtual Golden Globes ceremony. “I've had a lifetime of partners, performers, associations and creative talents for which I am eternally grateful,” Lear said, adding there would be “an entirely different Norman Lear here with you tonight” without them. The Carol Burnett Award is an honorary Golden Globe given by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for outstanding contributions to television.
'Nomadland,' 'Borat' win at a socially distant Golden Globes
Read full article: 'Nomadland,' 'Borat' win at a socially distant Golden GlobesShe’s only the second woman in the history of the Globes to win, and the first since Barbra Streisand won for “Yentl” in 1984. Its star, guerilla comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, also won best actor in a comedy. “The Queen's Gambit” won best limited series, and best actress in the category for Anya Taylor-Joy. “Schitt's Creek,” the Pop TV series that found a wider audience on Netflix, won best comedy series for its final season. Catherine O'Hara also took best actress in a comedy series.
Phoenix, Erivo and ‘Barb and Star’ among Globes presenters
Read full article: Phoenix, Erivo and ‘Barb and Star’ among Globes presentersThis combination photo shows, from left, Awkwafina, Cynthia Erivo, Joaquin Phoenix, Kristen Wiig and Renee Zellweger, who are among the first presenters announced for the Golden Globes awards ceremony. (AP Photo)LOS ANGELES – “Barb and Star” are headed to the Golden Globes — actors Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo will be among the presenters at the upcoming ceremony. Wiig and Mumolo's latest film, “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar,” was released last week and some are already calling the campy film a cult classic. She’s won Golden Globes for her acting “Klute,” “Julia” and “Coming Home.”Norman Lear will be honored with the Carol Burnett Award, a counterpart to the DeMille Award that focuses on life achievement in television. Netflix dominated the nominations earlier this month, with its film “Mank” and its television series “The Crown” the leading nominees.
Golden Globes to honor legendary TV producer Norman Lear
Read full article: Golden Globes to honor legendary TV producer Norman LearThe Golden Globes will bestow the Carol Burnett Award to Lear during the 78th annual awards ceremony next month. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)LOS ANGELES – Norman Lear made his mark as a television producer who strived to explore race relation issues through his famed sitcoms “All in the Family” and “Good Times.” And now, the Golden Globes will honor Lear with its TV special achievement trophy. Nominations for the upcoming Golden Globes are scheduled to be announced Feb. 3. As a social activist, Lear founded advocacy organization People for the American Way. He also founded several other non-profits to promote thoughtful citizenship, including the Norman Lear Center at the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication.
Tony Award-winning choreographer Bob Avian dies at 83
Read full article: Tony Award-winning choreographer Bob Avian dies at 83FILE - In this Sept. 29, 2006 file photo, Tony Award-winning choreographer Bob Avian poses in front of the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, home of the revival of " A Chorus Line," in New York. Avian died Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021 of cardiac arrest at Holy Cross Hospital in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, He was 83. (AP Photo/Shiho Fukada, File)NEW YORK – Bob Avian, a Tony Award-winning choreographer who had a role in some of the most beloved and influential shows on Broadway, including “Dreamgirls,” “A Chorus Line,” “Follies” and “Miss Saigon,” has died. Avian earned six Tony nominations and won twice, for choreographing “Ballroom” and co-choreographing “A Chorus Line.” He won an Oliver Award for choreographing Boublil and Schonberg's musical “Martin Guerre” in London. Avian's association with “A Chorus Line” continued when he directed the 2006 revival on Broadway and the London revival at the Palladium in 2013.
Final goodbye: Recalling influential people who died in 2020
Read full article: Final goodbye: Recalling influential people who died in 2020The world also said goodbye to U.S. Rep. John Lewis, a lion of the civil rights movement who died in July. Other former political figures who died this year include Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, New York Mayor David Dinkins, Arizona Gov. Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2020 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available):___JANUARY___David Stern, 77. The guitarist who supplied the scratching, seething sound that fueled the highly influential British punk band Gang of Four. He fused African rhythms with funk to become one of the most influential musicians in world dance music.
Carol Burnett puts variety, and music, back in her show
Read full article: Carol Burnett puts variety, and music, back in her showFILE - Carol Burnett arrives at the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards on Jan. 6, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif.. Sixty-five episodes of The Carol Burnett Show have been restored and expanded and are streaming for the first time on services including Hulu and Tubi. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)LOS ANGELES – Carol Burnett is so glad we had this time together, as she sang in her signature song. And of course in television the “v” of vaudeville became the “v” of variety show," Burnett told The Associated Press this week. One restored episode from the show’s first season ends with Burnett, Lawrence, comic Phyllis Diller and dancer Gwen Verdon wearing psychedelic “Sgt. “It’s just me and Vicki now,” Burnett said with a sigh.
Carol Burnett granted temporary custody of teenage grandson
Read full article: Carol Burnett granted temporary custody of teenage grandsonLOS ANGELES A court has granted Carol Burnett temporary custody of her teenage grandson as the boy's mother struggles with substance abuse. A Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday judge granted the 87-year-old Burnett and her husband, Brian Miller, custody of her 14-year-old grandson Dylan West until Jan. 8. The move came two weeks after Burnett and Miller had filed for custody, saying that her daughter, Erin Hamilton, had been struggling with addiction issues. Burnett has been married to Miller, a musician, since 2001. An email seeking comment sent to a representative for Erin Hamilton was not immediately returned.