ESPN's 'College GameDay' is facing changes and increased competition from Fox

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Dynasties have come and gone at Miami, Florida State, Florida and Oklahoma while “College GameDay” has reigned as the preeminent Saturday morning pregame show.

But the ESPN franchise heads into its 37th year having undergone the most change ever going into a new season while also facing competition from Fox and its upstart “Big Noon Kickoff.”

While the core of the “GameDay” lineup is back with host Rece Davis and analysts Kirk Herbstreit, Pat McAfee, Desmond Howard and Lee Corso, it will have a different look.

Analyst David Pollack, reporter Gene Wojciechowski, and Senior VP of Production Lee Fitting were let go while research producer Chris “The Bear” Fallica left for Fox.

Fallica had the longest tenure with “GameDay” at 29 years. Fitting had been a producer since 2004, while Pollack (11 years) and Wojciechowski (12) were longtime veterans.

“We’ll see how it unfolds. I think ‘GameDay’ will always be ‘GameDay,’ but I think it will come across different this year,” Fallica said.

Corso has been with the program since it started in 1987, while Herbstreit goes into his 27th season. Howard is in his 18th year.

Davis, entering his ninth season as host, knows change is a constant, but he also thinks the show has evolved over the years, as evidenced by McAfee coming aboard last year.

McAfee will do “GameDay” with his popular talk show moving to ESPN in September.

“I think we have maybe the most dynamic force in sports media right now,” Davis said. “He’s been unbelievable to me. He’s got a great connection with people and the audience. His addition last year sort of exemplified what this show has done in sort of always trying to stay ahead and making sure that you maintain your roots and don’t let it get complacent.”

Even though fans primarily tune in for the on-set debates and the signs in the crowd, whoever picks up feature reporting, which has always been one of the staples, remains a crucial question. Going into her eighth season, Jen Lada will have some segments, while Marty Smith and other veteran reporters will contribute.

Davis noted there will also be times when he, Herbstreit or Howard might do a segment.

“Stanford Steve” Coughlin moves into Fallica’s spot for analysis and picks against the point spread.

“I don’t think we look at it as a transition at all. It is an evolution of the show, which has been on top for 30 years,” said ESPN Vice President/Executive Producer Seth Markman, who oversees all college football and NFL studio programming.

“GameDay” averaged 2.1 million viewers across its three hours last season, the second-most watched year in program history. This year' marks the 30th season that “GameDay” has originated from game sites. The show will be in Charlotte on Saturday as No. 21 North Carolina takes on South Carolina.

The Sept. 9 location has not been announced, but it would be a surprise if it isn’t Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for No. 11 Texas at the fourth-ranked Crimson Tide.

Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff” has added Fallica and Mark Ingram II to a crew that includes host Rob Stone and analysts Matt Leinart, Urban Meyer and Brady Quinn. The pregame show has become a solid lead-in to the 12 p.m. Eastern game and will be on site for the second straight year.

Stone, who worked at ESPN before joining Fox in 2011, has appreciated some of the gains Fox’s pregame show has made in a short time.

“Gap isn’t even a fair word. The head start our competition had was mammoth. They have built a legendary product, and we were just jumping in literally five years ago,” he said. “I admire everything that they have done and the people in front and behind the camera that have created that institution. But boy, it is fun to be that competition lurking out there and continually eating away at their crowd and pulling more and more people into what we like to do.”

Fox also has an advantage because its pregame show leads into its marquee game at noon, while at “College GameDay,” the game isn’t until late afternoon or at night.

When matched up for the final hour (11 a.m. to 12 p.m.), “GameDay” still has a significant lead. According to Nielsen, “GameDay” averaged 2.69 million viewers to “Big Noon Kickoff’s” 1.58 million. But Fox has seen gains of 30% in that hour since 2019.

“Big Noon Kickoff” will be on site for coach Deion Sanders’ first two Colorado games. The Buffaloes are at No. 17 TCU on Saturday before hosting Nebraska next week.

Brad Zager, Fox Sports executive producer and president of production & operations, has also been pleased with what has been accomplished in a short time.

“Last year, we committed to be on the road every single week, which adds that whole band and tailgate aspect that those shows thrive on. And over time, we’ve added pieces that make the show more complete for the viewer,” he said. “We’re excited about the schedule and what’s to come this year.”

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September 01, 2023 at 08:11AM

Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne Johnson launch fund with $10 million for displaced Maui residents

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Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne Johnson have committed $10 million to make direct payments to people on Maui who are unable to return to their homes because of the wildfires, through a new fund they announced Thursday.

The People's Fund of Maui will give $1,200 a month to adults who are not able to return to their primary residences because of the recent wildfires, including people who owned and rented their homes, according to the fund's website. The fund will also seek donations to extend the length of time it can provide the support.

“How do we help?" the “Young Rock” star said he and Winfrey asked each other during the wildfires, saying in a video released along with the announcement that they grappled with how to best direct their efforts. “You want to take care of the greatest need of the people, and that's giving them money."

They are looking forward to the help of “every person who called me and said, ‘What can I do?’” Winfrey said in the video. “This is what you can do.”

The pair were inspired by a similar fund set up by Dolly Parton after wildfires swept through Gatlinburg, Tennessee in December 2016, killing 14 people and destroying 2,400 structures.

Jeff Conyers, president of The Dollywood Foundation, said he consulted with Winfrey's team multiple times in the past weeks to share the lessons that they'd learned from administrating the fund, which eventually granted $11 million to families who had lost their homes.

“Dolly’s idea was that, ‘Hey, look, these are my people and I want to take care of them and we trust them to know what recovery looks like for themselves and their families in the days and weeks following this immediate catastrophe here,’” Conyers said.

Parton's fund, called My People Fund, worked with first responders and a local utility company and asked residents to help them determine which structures were destroyed and who lived in those homes, Conyers said. Around 1,000 families eventually received assistance from the fund, according to an evaluation from the University of Tennessee Knoxville College of Social Work. That included a final $5,000 lump sum transfer at the end of six months.

To qualify for the People's Fund of Maui, applicants must show a government ID and a utility bill in their name for a lost or uninhabitable residence, the fund’s website said.

Winfrey, who lives on Maui part-time, visited an emergency shelter on Maui in the days after the wildfire hit and worried about effectively getting resources to residents. At least 115 people were killed in the fires, though an unknown number are still missing. The fire that ripped through the historic town of Lahaina on Aug. 8 was the deadliest in the U.S. in more than a century.

Forecasters warned Wednesday that gusty winds and low humidity increased the risk that fires could spread rapidly in the western parts of each Hawaiian island, though they were not as powerful as the winds that helped fuel the deadly blaze three weeks ago.

In the announcement, Winfrey and Johnson said they consulted with “community elders, leaders and residents including Hōkūlani Holt-Padilla, Keali’i Reichel, Archie Kalepa, Ekolu Lindsey, Kimo Falconer, Tiare Lawrence, Kaimana Brummel, Kaleikoa Ka’eo, Brian Keaulana, Kaimi Kaneholani, Henohea Kāne, Paele Kiakona, Ed Suwanjindar, Shep Gordon and Jason Momoa.”

The Entertainment Industry Fund, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that helps celebrities administer their charitable work, is sponsoring the fund, the announcement said.

Johnson and Winfrey hope the fund will continue to make transfers to qualifying residents for at least six months, but Winfrey said it would be up to the American public to determine how long the fund extends, based on their support and donations.

When setting up a direct cash transfer program, it’s important to define the objective, said Holly Welcome Radice, the regional representative for the Americas at CALP Network, a collective of organizations that studies cash assistance programs. In this case, $1,200 should correspond to the price of housing or the living costs for an adult in the area or whatever the need is the fund is seeking to meet, she said.

“The objective will be difficult to meet if your transfer value is not connected to the reality of the people,” she said, adding the fund should consider if the local economy can respond to the influx of money and map out what other services people may need.

“If it’s feasible and appropriate, then cash is a very direct way for people to benefit and have agency,” Radice said.

The fund should also spend time communicating the parameters of the program clearly, she said, "so people understand who qualifies and why they qualify and making sure that there is some type of feedback mechanism where people can place grievances.”

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Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://ift.tt/iQDhkjd.

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September 01, 2023 at 04:43AM

In ‘Equalizer 3,’ Denzel Washington’s assassin goes to Italy

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Filmmaker Antoine Fuqua has been dreaming about taking the Equalizer abroad for years. The action franchise (very loosely based on a 1980s television series) starring Denzel Washington as the reluctant assassin Robert McCall had rooted itself in humble domestic beginnings, in Boston. But after two films and $382.7 million in box-office receipts in the past decade, the time seemed ripe to travel.

“Denzel is an international movie star,” Fuqua told The Associated Press. “We thought it would be nice to see a man of color in a story that’s more international. Why not take this character around the world? Luckily, Sony loved the idea.”

And there was only one place that was ever seriously on the list: Italy. Washington, Fuqua said, goes every summer and has since his kids were babies. He loves the culture, the people, the food. He even speaks some Italian.

“He just feels right there,” Fuqua said.

And for Fuqua, it was the stuff of filmmaking dreams to get to shoot in Cinecittà Studios in Rome and bump up against cinema history walking where Fellini and so many other greats have before him. In Naples, they found an authentically 1970s New York grittiness that required little to no production design for a pivotal showdown. And on the Amalfi coast, they stumbled on the small village of their, and McCall’s, fantasies in the picturesque Atrani.

It’s the kind of place you’d believe someone like McCall (or anyone really) might feel immediately tied to and protective of, which is what happens in “Equalizer 3,” debuting in theaters nationwide Friday. The difference is McCall is more uniquely suited to take on the Camorra. Single-handedly, of course.

“When we went to that small town, we knew that was the place,” Fuqua said. “The people were so beautiful, we were sitting around and they would just bring us coffee and espresso. We didn’t even ask for it. Or big giant lemons because it was so hot. You fall in love with the people in a town like that.”

The only complaint, which isn’t even really a complaint, was about the steps. One of the jewels of Atrani is a medieval church perched on the mountainside high above the beach that they decided would be perfect for an important scene between McCall and Dakota Fanning’s CIA analyst. But the only way to get there is to climb up over 700 steps. It wasn't a pleasant journey with all the equipment necessary to shoot a scene, but it was a good reminder of purpose for Fuqua and his cinematographer, three-time Oscar winner Robert Richardson. They wanted to show a real place, not a vacation destination.

“It’s not a travelogue,” Fuqua said. “It’s beautiful in the Mediterranean, but for the people who live there it’s real life. The fisherman live off what they catch. They live in small houses. They walk up those steps every day.”

The film brings together a core team with decades of history, including producers Todd Black and Jason Blumenthal. In addition to the “Equalizer” films Fuqua directed Washington in “Training Day,” which would win him his first lead actor Oscar, as well as in the recent remake of “The Magnificent Seven.”

And Black has produced all of the films Washington has directed as well as several others. It was Washington who introduced Black and Fuqua for the first “Equalizer”, which all assumed would just be one film, not a franchise.

“You can’t think about franchises, or awards, when you’re making a movie. If you’re making a movie to win an award, or even to get nominated, or have a franchise, you’re dead in the water going in probably,” Black said. “Not 100% of the time, but you shouldn't think that way.”

Instead, they took it one script at a time and “let the audience decide." The audience, it seemed, liked seeing Washington as McCall more than once. Both the first and second film made over $190 million each against production budgets that didn’t exceed $65 million and Sony was interested in a third. It helped also that Black and Fuqua had become friends, with the priceless trust that comes along with it. Both know that on their films, everything will be safe and controlled, whether that’s handling an unexpected fan situation for their star or making sure that it’s not too dangerous to shoot in Naples at night.

“We’ve never had an incident at our movies because we are so vigilant,” Black said. “And Antoine really protects actors.”

Now Black and Fuqua have found themselves in the unusual situation of having to be the primary voices promoting “Equalizer 3” in lieu of their movie stars, who along with Hollywood writers, are deep into a long strike. But while some films released without the help of a star’s late-night anecdotes and red carpet appearances have faltered at the box office over the past month, Black feels confident in “Equalizer 3.”

“I have other movies coming out that definitely need my actors to promote them, but everyone knows Denzel Washington is the ‘Equalizer,’” Black said. “We’re very, very confident, thanks to Antoine for making a gorgeous film that works and that audiences love so far. We’re in really good shape.”

Both just mostly miss having Washington by their side for the press tour. The 68-year-old star, Black said, is much “mellower” now than years ago and is fun to do publicity with. Fuqua also observed that McCall in “Equalizer 3” might even mirror a bit where Washington is in his life too. Both are a little more quiet and a little more patient.

“He’ll call me and Todd at 4 in the morning to look at the sunrise,” Fuqua said. “That wasn’t Denzel before. It's nice to see him really stopping and appreciating life."

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September 01, 2023 at 01:49AM

Conductor John Eliot Gardiner pulls out of future engagements after allegedly hitting a singer

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Prominent classical music conductor John Eliot Gardiner is pulling out of all engagements until next year after allegedly hitting a singer backstage following a concert

ByThe Associated Press

August 31, 2023, 5:28 AM

LONDON -- Prominent classical music conductor John Eliot Gardiner is pulling out of all engagements until next year after allegedly hitting a singer backstage following a concert.

The British conductor said in a statement Thursday that he was stepping back to get "the specialist help I recognize that I have needed for some time.” His agency, Intermusica, said he “deeply regrets his behavior” and intends to get counseling.

“I want to apologize to colleagues who have felt badly treated and anyone who may feel let down by my decision to take time out to address my issues. I am heartbroken to have caused so much distress, and I am determined to learn from my mistakes,” he said.

Gardiner, 80, allegedly hit William Thomas after the bass singer left the podium on the wrong side after a performance of Berlioz's opera “Les Troyens” at the Festival Berlioz in La Cote-Saint-Andre, southeastern France.

U.K. newspaper The Times reported that the conductor confronted Thomas after the show and slapped him in the face. The report said Gardiner also punched Thomas in the mouth and threatened to throw a glass of beer over his head.

Thomas' management company, Askonas Holt, confirmed last week that “an incident” took place. “All musicians deserve the right to practice their art in an environment free from abuse or physical harm,” it said in a statement.

Gardiner is a Grammy-winning baroque music conductor who led his Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists in a performance for guests at King Charles III's coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey in May. He was knighted for his services to music in 1998.

He has made more than 60 appearances at the BBC Proms, an annual summer classical music extravaganza. It was announced last week that Gardiner will be replaced at a Proms performance on Sept. 3.

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August 31, 2023 at 07:19PM

Visual artists fight back against AI companies for repurposing their work

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NEW YORK -- Kelly McKernan’s acrylic and watercolor paintings are bold and vibrant, often featuring feminine figures rendered in bright greens, blues, pinks and purples. The style, in the artist’s words, is “surreal, ethereal … dealing with discomfort in the human journey.”

The word “human” has a special resonance for McKernan these days. Although it’s always been a challenge to eke out a living as a visual artist — and the pandemic made it worse — McKernan now sees an existential threat from a medium that's decidedly not human: artificial intelligence.

It’s been about a year since McKernan, who uses the pronoun they, began noticing online images eerily similar to their own distinctive style that were apparently generated by entering their name into an AI engine.

The Nashville-based McKernan, 37, who creates both fine art and digital illustrations, soon learned that companies were feeding artwork into AI systems used to “train” image-generators — something that once sounded like a weird sci-fi movie but now threatens the livelihood of artists worldwide.

“People were tagging me on Twitter, and I would respond, ’Hey, this makes me uncomfortable. I didn’t give my consent for my name or work to be used this way,'” the artist said in a recent interview, their bright blue-green hair mirroring their artwork. “I even reached out to some of these companies to say ‘Hey, little artist here, I know you’re not thinking of me at all, but it would be really cool if you didn’t use my work like this.’ And, crickets, absolutely nothing.”

McKernan is now one of three artists who are seeking to protect their copyrights and careers by suing makers of AI tools that can generate new imagery on command.

The case awaits a decision from a San Francisco federal judge, who has voiced some doubt about whether AI companies are infringing on copyrights when they analyze billions of images and spit out something different.

“We’re David against Goliath here,” McKernan says. "At the end of the day, someone’s profiting from my work. I had rent due yesterday, and I’m $200 short. That’s how desperate things are right now. And it just doesn’t feel right.”

The lawsuit may serve as an early bellwether of how hard it will be for all kinds of creators — Hollywood actors, novelists, musicians and computer programmers — to stop AI developers from profiting off what humans have made.

The case was filed in January by McKernan and fellow artists Karla Ortiz and Sarah Andersen, on behalf of others like them, against Stability AI, the London-based maker of text-to-image generator Stable Diffusion. The complaint also named another popular image-generator, Midjourney, and the online gallery DeviantArt.

The suit alleges that the AI image-generators violate the rights of millions of artists by ingesting huge troves of digital images and then producing derivative works that compete against the originals.

The artists say they are not inherently opposed to AI, but they don't want to be exploited by it. They are seeking class-action damages and a court order to stop companies from exploiting artistic works without consent.

Stability AI declined to comment. In a court filing, the company said it creates "entirely new and unique images” using simple word prompts, and that its images don’t or rarely resemble the images in the training data.

“Stability AI enables creation; it is not a copyright infringer,” it said.

Midjourney and DeviantArt didn't return emailed requests for comment.

Much of the sudden proliferation of image-generators can be traced to a single, enormous research database, known as the Large-scale Artificial Intelligence Open Network, or LAION, run by a schoolteacher in Hamburg, Germany.

The teacher, Christoph Schuhmann, said he has no regrets about the nonprofit project, which is not a defendant in the lawsuit and has largely escaped copyright challenges by creating an index of links to publicly accessible images without storing them. But the educator said he understands why artists are concerned.

“In a few years, everyone can generate anything — video, images, text. Anything that you can describe, you can generate it in such a way that no human can tell the difference between AI-generated content and professional human-generated content,” Schuhmann said in an interview.

The idea that such a development is inevitable — that it is, essentially, the future — was at the heart of a U.S. Senate hearing in July in which Ben Brooks, head of public policy for Stability AI, acknowledged that artists are not paid for their images.

“There is no arrangement in place,” Brooks said, at which point Hawaii Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono asked Ortiz whether she had ever been compensated by AI makers.

“I have never been asked. I have never been credited. I have never been compensated one penny, and that’s for the use of almost the entirety of my work, both personal and commercial, senator," she replied.

You could hear the fury in the voice of Ortiz, also 37, of San Francisco, a concept artist and illustrator in the entertainment industry. Her work has been used in movies including “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” “Loki,” “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” “Jurassic World" and “Doctor Strange” She was responsible for the design of Doctor Strange’s costume.

“We’re kind of the blue-collar workers within the art world,” Ortiz said in an interview. “We provide visuals for movies or games. We’re the first people to take a stab at, what does a visual look like? And that provides a blueprint for the rest of the production.”

But it’s easy to see how AI-generated images can compete, Ortiz says. And it’s not merely a hypothetical possibility. She said she has personally been part of several productions that have used AI imagery.

“It’s overnight an almost billion-dollar industry. They just took our work, and suddenly we’re seeing our names being used thousands of times, even hundreds of thousands of times."

In at least a temporary win for human artists, another federal judge in August upheld a decision by the U.S. Copyright Office to deny someone’s attempt to copyright an AI-generated artwork.

Ortiz fears that artists will soon be deemed too expensive. Why, she asks, would employers pay artists' salaries if they can buy “a subscription for a month for $30" and generate anything?

And if the technology is this good now, what will it be like in a few years?

“My fear is that our industry will be diminished to such a point that very few of us can make a living,” Ortiz says, anticipating that artists will be tasked with simply editing AI-generated images, rather than creating. “The fun parts of my job, the things that make artists live and breathe — all of that is outsourced to a machine.”

McKernan, too, fears what is yet to come: "Will I even have work a year from now?”

For now, both artists are throwing themselves into the legal fight — a fight that centers on preserving what makes people human, says McKernan, whose Instagram profile reads: “Advocating for human artists.”

“I mean, that’s what makes me want to be alive,” says the artist, referring to the process of artistic creation. The battle is worth fighting "because that’s what being human is to me.”

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O'Brien reported from Providence, Rhode Island.

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August 31, 2023 at 03:19PM

Late-night hosts team up for 'Strike Force Five' podcast to benefit their out-of-work staff

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Something interesting: Stephen Colbert has in his possession a pair of pants belonging to the late Nicaraguan dictator, Anastasio Somoza. It's a long story but his mom dated Somoza when she was younger (before he became a dictator, says Colbert).

Speaking of pants, Jimmy Kimmel once bought a pair of Gary Coleman's pants off eBay.

These are just two of the wonderfully weird factoids shared by late-night hosts Colbert, Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, John Oliver and Seth Meyers, in a new podcast called “Strike Force Five" — named after their personal text chain — which debuted Wednesday on Spotify.

Because their respective shows have been dark since the Writers Guild of America went on strike in May, all profits from the podcast will go to their respective staffs. The show is sponsored by Mint Mobile and liquor company Diageo, and Kimmel said the money will “largely” come from them. Kimmel served as the inaugural moderator and that responsibility will be shared among the hosts.

“What would happen if five of America's Top 11 most-beloathed talk show hosts all talked on top of each other for an hour? You're about to find out," said Kimmel at the beginning of the episode.

“There wasn't a lot of communication during the last WGA strike between late-night hosts and as a result there was a lot of nonsense that went on,” he added, "so Stephen suggested we get together and we talk through our issues or whatever we're dealing with."

Oliver asked, “Would it be fair to say that in 2008 the hosts didn't along quite as well as we do? I know it's an incredibly low bar but that was a sequence of dying marriages that they were."

The late-night hosts in 2008 were Kimmel, Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Dave Letterman, Craig Ferguson and Colbert and Oliver. Kimmel said their shows were all dark but eventually Letterman and Ferguson went back on the air first “and we were all mad,” he said.

A lightning sound effect would play each time the words “Strike Force Five” were said and the hosts spent the hour-long episode sharing basically whatever they wanted. Meyers said their unpolished delivery was a tribute to why they really need a staff, including writers and researchers.

More wonderfully weird anecdotes included how Fallon went fishing with Kimmel over the summer in Idaho where Kimmel has a home. It was Fallon's first time fishing.

“If you think it’s confusing to talk to two Jimmys in a podcast, imagine to talking to two Jimmys in a boat. Imagine being a guy just like, 'Jimmy over here on your left,' and we both throw it left and we both end up tangling," said Kimmel.

This is when Meyers asked Kimmel about his A-list pals (including Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman and Kristen Bell,) who have been photographed visiting him in Idaho. “Kimmel, is there any truth to the rumor that you have scuba divers under the water who hook the fish to the rods of the A-listers?”

"Most celebrities don’t fish, they just kind of hang around which enrages me," said Kimmel.

Oliver and Meyers performed a few comedy dates together where they took to the stage for a Q&A with the audience. Oliver, said Meyers, mocks the people who don't properly execute their opportunity to ask a question, by taking too long or they fumbling their words. Oliver did not refute this observation.

Kimmel said he usually has summers off — a fact that annoys the other hosts who normally have shows during the summer months — and he prefers being on vacation knowing the other hosts are working.

“I enjoy the fact that you don’t get them that makes it all the more sweeter. I like getting the summer off better when I’m getting paid to get the summer off,” said Kimmel. “You’re not getting paid to not work when normally you are paid to not work," Colbert responded.

Other facts included how Fallon's mom tried being a nun for a week but it wasn't for her. He says there is photo evidence of his mother wearing a habit, possibly holding a doll of a nun to which Meyers replied, “I have a picture of my dad holding a GI Joe, but I don’t think he was in the army.”

It was agreed that if Fallon finds the nun photos, Colbert will dig up Somoza's pants.

Colbert also said he's created “code names” for the others in case he loses his cell phone. Kimmel is Crank Yanker, Fallon is Steve Allen, Meyers is Boom Chicago, John Oliver is Joliver.

“You’d have to be a pretty dumb guy who stole Stephen’s phone to not figure out Joliver," quipped Meyers.

They ended the podcast with a promise to drop another episode “this week.” They plan to do at least 12 episodes.

Sarah Kobos, who worked as a photo research coordinator at “The Tonight Show” said, “There hasn't been any info or communication given internally about how this works. ... That said, we are extremely grateful that the podcast says it will go towards helping staff. It is much needed!”

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August 31, 2023 at 11:18AM

Harry says in Netflix series he lacked support when he returned home from Afghanistan

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Britain’s Prince Harry says he didn’t have the support he needed when he returned home from combat in Afghanistan

ByDANICA KIRKA Associated Press

August 30, 2023, 11:41 AM

FILE - Britain's Prince Harry salutes media as he arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, on March 30, 2023. Prince Harry is expected to return to the U.K. next month to attend a charity awards ceremony on the eve of the first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)

The Associated Press

LONDON -- Britain’s Prince Harry says he didn’t have the support he needed when he returned home from combat in Afghanistan as he reached out to other veterans in a new Netflix series about the Invictus Games for injured soldiers.

The new series launched on Wednesday on the streaming service.

In talking about post-traumatic stress disorder, Harry said that his return from Afghanistan in 2012 triggered emotions that he suppressed after the death of his mother, Princess Diana, when he was just 12 years old. The prince, whose troubles with the royal family have been chronicled in the past, said the impact of Diana’s death was never discussed.

“The biggest struggle for me was no one around me really could help; I didn’t have that support structure, that network or that expert advice to identify what was actually going on with me,” Harry said. “Unfortunately, like most of us, the first time you consider therapy is when you are lying on the floor in the fetal position probably wishing you had dealt with some of this stuff previously.”

“Heart of Invictus” features a group of injured soldiers as they prepared for last year’s Invictus Games in The Netherlands.

Modeled after the Warrior Games in the United States, Harry founded the Invictus Games in 2014 as a Paralympic-style event designed to inspire military veterans around the world as they work to overcome battlefield injuries.

Harry and his wife, the former Meghan Markle, signed a lucrative contract to produce content for Netflix after they stepped away from royal duties in 2020 and moved to Southern California. “Harry & Meghan,” a six-part series detailing the couple’s split from the royal family, premiered last year.

Harry, who is also known as the Duke of Sussex, appeared at a preview screening of the new series in California on Tuesday, telling the audience about the sacrifices veterans and their families make while serving their countries.

“You guys get to watch it tonight — or at least two episodes — to whet the appetite for the rest of it,” Harry said in a video circulated on social media.

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August 31, 2023 at 01:28AM

Movie Review: Denzel Washington's vigilante battles the Italian mafia in 'Equalizer 3'

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There's an awful lot of talk about the end of movie stars considering Denzel Washington is right over here, walking around.

Antoine Fuqua's “Equalizer 3," a taut and textured sequel to Washington's vigilante series, isn't one of the actor's best films. It wouldn't crack his top 10. But it vividly encapsulates Washington's formidable on-screen potency.

You might think this would be in the movie's brutal action sequences, but no. It's the scenes of Washington fastidiously having a cup of tea at a sidewalk cafe or strolling the streets of a Sicilian town. This is a movie stitched together less by its plot mechanics than the pleasure of watching Denzel smirk, scowl and smile, in leisurely scenes mixed in with all the murder.

In that way, the “Equalizer” movies (the third of which is certainly the best of a so-so bunch), remind me of those great Walter Matthau thrillers like “Charley Varrick” and “Hopscotch” — movies about old men with expressive eyebrows who are set in their ways but have plenty of tricks left up their sleeve. (Washington, now 68, also took over Matthau's role in the remake of “Pelham One Two Three.” )

There's no shortage these days of older stars plying their special sets of skills in action thrillers. Throw a stone in a movie theater and you're likely to hit (and risk drawing the lethal ire of) Liam Neeson, Harrison Ford or Tom Cruise. “Equalizer 3,” an all-in-all good entry in the genre, is on the bloodier end of the spectrum.

Yet curiously neither the fight sequences (rapid and grotesque) nor the film's sense of suspense (perfunctory) are much of a selling point. The film, scripted by Richard Wenk, opens with a trail of bodies through the main house of an Sicily vineyard. In the wine cellar calmly sits Robert McCall (Washington), who shrugs, “Wouldn't let me in, so...”

“The Equalizer” is loosely based on an 1980s TV series about a former intelligence service agent who spends his retirement bringing the scales of justice back in balance for regular folks he happens to encounter. And there's a pleasantly episodic quality to the third film in the series.

A bullet in the back leaves McCall laid up in recovery after he's taken in by a kindly village doctor named Enzo (Remo Girone). We're in Southern Italy; most of the film was shot along the Amalfi coast, specifically the enchanting medieval fishing village of Atrani.

If there's one truly implausible thing about “Equalizer 3,” it's the fact that there isn't a tourist in sight. McCall, who once out of bed strolls the village's cobbled steps with a cane, seems to be the only American in town. He's quickly charmed by the people who warmly welcome the “Americano.”

And the same time, the Camorra mafia is pushing harder into the village, with intentions of driving out locals to make room for hotels and casinos. They make a small army of designer-dressed, tattoo-covered thugs, and they descend on the village, unaware of the lurking elite vigilante quietly sipping tea across the street from their shakedowns or eating pasta at the next table.

The well-traveled Fuqua, who helmed both prior “Equalizer” movies and first directed Washington in “Training Day,” is in his genre wheelhouse here. He trails McCall patiently and soaks up the local color, with a few touches of Christian imagery from the church above the town. There's a sinister, ominous sense of evil scourges — a heinous drug from Syria, sold by the mafia is funding terrorists cells — seeping into a society of “good people.”

The clear dichotomy of good and bad is cozy, and so, too, is Washington's savage, untroubled dispatching of the mafia ring. There are CIA officials in the mix, too, including Dakota Johnson's desk clerk turned operative. But they are mostly following McCall's lead. He — Washington really — is in a league of his own, and “Equalizer 3," smartly, doesn't even try to suggest it's a close race. No more movie stars? Cue the Denzel laugh.

“Equalizer 3,” a Sony Pictures release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for strong bloody violence and some language. Running time: 109 minutes. Three stars out of four.

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August 30, 2023 at 07:49PM

'Breaking Bad' stars reunite on picket line to call for studios to resume negotiations with actors

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CULVER CITY, Calif. -- The cast of “Breaking Bad” has reunited to call upon Hollywood studios to resume negotiations with striking screen actors.

“We want you to come back to the table with us,” Bryan Cranston said in a plea to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers outside Sony Pictures Studios on Tuesday.

Cranston was joined by Aaron Paul, Jesse Plemons and other members of the “Breaking Bad” universe in an effort to energize picket lines more than a month after SAG-AFTRA joined striking Hollywood writers.

Both guilds are seeking to address issues brought about by the dominance of streaming services, which have changed all aspects of production and pay in the industry.

“The way things were structured 10 years ago made a lot of sense and it made it more possible for journeymen-type actors, actors in the middle that are working just as a hard or harder,” Plemons said.

By its final season, which aired more than a decade ago, “Breaking Bad” was one of the most watched and highest rated cable TV shows ever.

The AMC hit series has achieved enduring popularity on Netflix, but its stars say that has not been reflected in their pay.

“I don’t get a piece from Netflix on ‘Breaking Bad’ to be totally honest and that’s insane to me,” Paul said. “I think a lot of these streamers know that they have been getting away with not paying people a fair wage and now it’s time to pony up.”

Cranston said they chose Sony for their reunion as the studio behind the Emmy-winning hit, along with its spinoff projects, the AMC prequel series “Better Call Saul” and the Netflix film, “El Camino.”

“We’re not making them the enemy. They are not villains. These are people that we all will be working with once again at some point,” Cranston said. “We just want them to see reality.”

Several other casts have joined picket lines during the strike, including actors from “Parks and Recreation” and the cult hit “Jury Duty," drawing a link between popular shows and the actors' strike goals.

Cranston also affirmed SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher’s recent comments to The Associated Press that these dual Hollywood strikes are galvanizing a broader movement throughout the country.

“Without organized labor, management will just keep stuffing their pockets. They don’t and will not ever just go, ‘You know what? I don’t think this is being fair to those people. I’m going to pay them more.’ It’s just not what they do,” he said.

Cast members of “Better Call Saul” were also on the picket lines, including Rhea Seehorn and Patrick Fabian, along with the series co-creator, Peter Gould, who has been on strike with the Writers Guild of America since May.

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August 30, 2023 at 09:18AM

Rapper 50 Cent cancels Phoenix concert due to extreme heat that has plagued the region

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The extreme heat that has plagued metro Phoenix this summer has led to another concert cancellation

ByThe Associated Press

August 29, 2023, 5:04 PM

FILE - 50 Cent, left, and Tony Yayo perform at the Wireless Music Festival in Finsbury Park, July 9, 2023, in London. Rapper 50 Cent said Monday, Aug. 28, that his scheduled show Tuesday night, Aug. 29, at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, an outdoor venue in west Phoenix, was postponed because of the sweltering weather. (Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP, File)

The Associated Press

PHOENIX -- Sweltering heat in Phoenix that has routinely broken records this summer led to yet another canceled concert, with rapper 50 Cent calling the triple-digit temperatures “dangerous.”

Rapper 50 Cent said Monday that his scheduled show Tuesday night at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, an outdoor venue in west Phoenix, was postponed because of the sweltering weather.

“I’ll be back in Arizona soon! 116 degrees is dangerous for everyone,” the rapper, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, wrote on social media.

National Weather Service meteorologists in Phoenix said Monday’s high topped off at 117 degrees Fahrenheit (47 degrees Celsius). Tuesday’s temperature also is expected to reach 117 degrees, which would break the previous record of 113 degrees (45 degrees Celsius) for Aug. 29, set in 1981.

50 Cent joins the likes of other musicians whose shows have been impacted by the area's scorching temperatures this summer.

In July, heavy metal band Disturbed postponed its concert, saying equipment wouldn't work in metro Phoenix's excessive heat. That outdoor show at the Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre has been rescheduled for March 2, 2024.

And at country singer Morgan Wallen’s July 19 concert in Phoenix, some fans complained on social media that some concession stands at Chase Field ran out of water. Others said they left the venue early because of the hot conditions despite the baseball stadium’s retractable roof being closed.

Phoenix is closing in on the record for most 110-degree (43 degrees Celsius) days in a year — 53 days, set in 2020. Weather Service meteorologists said Tuesday marked the 51st day.

There was no immediate word on when 50 Cent’s Phoenix show on his “The Final Lap Tour” will be rescheduled.

Millions of people across the Southwest experienced a historic heat wave in July, including in Phoenix, which had a streak of 31 consecutive days with temperatures over 110 degrees.

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August 30, 2023 at 05:49AM

CBS honoring late game show host Bob Barker with prime-time special

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CBS is giving the late game show host Bob Barker one last run on prime-time television

ByThe Associated Press

August 29, 2023, 1:00 PM

FILE - Television host Bob Barker appears on the set of his show, "The Price is Right" in Los Angeles on July 25, 1985. CBS says it will air a tribute on Thursday to Barker, who died at age 99 last weekend at his home in Los Angeles. “The Price is Right: A Tribute to Bob Barker,” scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, will be replayed Labor Day in the game show's regular daytime slot. (AP Photo/Lennox McLendon, File)

The Associated Press

NEW YORK -- CBS is giving the late game show host Bob Barker a last run on television with a prime-time tribute special that will air on the network Thursday night.

“The Price is Right: A Tribute to Bob Barker,” scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, will be replayed Labor Day in the game show's regular daytime slot, which is 11 a.m. Eastern and 10 a.m. Pacific.

The smooth-talking host, who urged participants to “come on down” and play the enduring game that required them to guess the price of consumer goods, died at age 99 Saturday at his home in Los Angeles.

With his signature long, thin microphone, Barker commanded the show's stage from 1972 to 2007. His tribute will be hosted by Drew Carey, his replacement and still the show's host now.

The show of highlights from Barker's 50-year television career will feature clips from his first and last days on “The Price is Right.” Barker hosted the game show “Truth or Consequences” before that.

It will illustrate Barker's ability to make the most out of every moment, said Margot Wain, senior vice president of daytime television at CBS.

“Bob was one-of-a-kind,” Wain said. “He'll be remembered as an extraordinary host, a devoted animal activist and, as he would put it, ‘a loyal friend and true.'"

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August 30, 2023 at 03:13AM

When it comes to the Hollywood strikes, it's not just the entertainment industry that's being hurt

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LOS ANGELES -- The company had struggled for years, tossed around by pandemic-induced production shutdowns that began in March 2020. Last year, though, business for Valentino’s Costume Group had finally picked back up.

Hoping to capitalize on that good fortune, the shop moved in January to a North Hollywood space twice the size of its old building.

Then Hollywood's screenwriters and actors went on strike. Now, says co-owner Shon LeBlanc, Valentino’s can no longer afford to pay its rent.

“My chest is tightening because the money is so tight,” says LeBlanc, bemoaning the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers’ apparent lack of urgency to try to reach an agreement with the unions. “When is the mayor going to step in and say, ‘I’m ordering you guys to figure something out because you’re about to collapse the economy in Los Angeles?’”

It has been well over 100 days since members of the Writers Guild of America stopped working, and more than a month since the actors union joined them. LeBlanc’s is just one story of many detailing the financial ripple effects.

Few corners of the entertainment industry have been left unscathed

From studio rentals and set construction to dry cleaning for costumes and transportation to sets, it’s hard to find a corner of the Los Angeles economy that has entirely escaped the reverberations.

“A movie set in one day can generate tens of thousands of dollars," says Kevin Klowden, chief strategist with the Milken Institute, a think tank that researches social and economic issues. “Depending on the level of activity, it can be hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

The last writers strike, more than 15 years ago, took three months to resolve and is conservatively estimated to have cost $2.1 billion in lost output. This time around, the number will be harder to measure given how much production costs, locations and timelines have changed in recent years thanks to technological improvements and increased globalization.

“We tend to think of productions as sort of a self-contained thing,” Klowden says, while in reality, a production often spans companies and even countries. Projects are often “shipped off” to New Zealand for the addition of visual effects, he cites as an example. “The larger a production is, the more likely you are to see a whole bunch of different tax credit mentions at the end.”

Both guilds are seeking to address issues brought about by the dominance of streaming services, which have changed all aspects of production, from how projects are written to when they’re released.

For the writers, the guild has said the use of small staffs, known as “mini rooms” (a riff on the notion of the “writers' room”), for shorter time periods has made a living income hard to achieve. Actors' concerns include protections on the use of artificial intelligence.

Although talks between the WGA and the AMPTP have resumed, there are no plans between the actors and studios to return to the bargaining table.

“I’m not really understanding what the silent treatment is,” SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher told The Associated Press last week. “It could be a tactical strategy to see if we they can wait us out until we lose our resolve and then they can make a better deal for themselves.”

In an earnings call at the beginning of August, Hudson Pacific executives tried to assuage concerns about the financial impact that the strikes are having on their businesses, while still conceding the reality behind those fears. The company owns both Quixote and Sunset Studios, two major equipment and studio rental companies in the entertainment industry.

“We’re all hugely aware of the shrapnel around the industry in general and all of the residual businesses that are getting affected. It will start to feel fairly painful,” warned its chair and CEO Victor Coleman in response to questions of how long the strikes may last. “It will be damaging. And I think everybody is very cognizant of that.”

The fallout reaches beyond entertainment, into all corners of LA

The uncertain duration of the strikes looms large over every business feeling the financial effects, with fallout spreading well beyond the entertainment industry. Restaurants, coffee shops, even nail salons that neighbor major studios — they're all desperate for a quick resolution.

Patys Restaurant, a Toluca Lake staple that boasts regulars including Steve Carell and Adam Sandler, has seen a major slump in business from diners and catering orders, according to owner George Metsos. He cites lost businesses from obvious patrons — actors, writers, crew members — but also speaks of other regulars who aren’t coming in: electricians, set carpenters and the drivers who stop in for breakfast on their way to work at the nearby valley studios.

Emmanuel Pelargos, who owns Astro Burger across the street from Paramount Studios in Hollywood, says the regular presence of writers and actors on the picket lines has not offset the decline in business from halted productions.

“They come in sometimes," he says of the picketers, “but it’s mostly to use the bathroom.”

Corrie Sommers, vice president of the Toluca Lake Chamber of Commerce, says the timing of the strikes — on the heels of financial recovery from the pandemic — hits small businesses particularly hard.

“The strike ... has just set everybody backwards again. Only this time, there’s not the aid that is needed,” Sommers says. “No one’s saying, ‘Here’s some free money to bail you out. Here’s some money to float you through.’ That’s not there anymore. And it’s affecting everybody.”

Sommers, also a real estate agent in the area, cites multiple clients who were interested in buying homes but changed their minds.

“I’ve personally had about five buyers in the last three months say, ‘I’m going to have to wait until next year because I don’t know what’s happening,’” she says.

While many on strike acknowledge the financial burdens on both peers in the industry and their neighbors outside of it, the writers are standing by their decision with renewed vigor on the picket lines after the much larger actors guild joined them.

Luvh Rakhe, a member of the WGA negotiating committee who has written for hit shows like “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and “New Girl,” is acutely aware of the financial costs. But he believes people across industries and professions know it is necessary.

“I don’t think anyone is, like, blase and happy about the momentary disruption to their lives," Rakhe says, “but they understand why it happened and what it is hoping to achieve.”

Despite the burdens being placed on people in peripheral lines of work, many of them say there is a general sense of solidarity. LeBlanc, the Valentino's co-owner, continues to underscore his support, even amid the uncertain future of his 25-year-old business. (To answer his question, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass hasn't indicated she will intervene, but did say in a statement in early August that she is “ready to personally engage with all the stakeholders in any way possible to help get this done.”)

To keep the shop afloat, Valentino's has started a GoFundMe to pay the rent for now. LeBlanc is hopeful that if they can raise enough money for the next month or so, Halloween and school productions starting back up will get them through the rest of the year.

“We do have things coming up,” he has assured the landlord. “We just need to get some money in here to get us over the hump.”

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August 29, 2023 at 10:12PM

Sonny Seiler of Georgia football mascots and "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" dies at 90

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Frank “Sonny” Seiler, an attorney who owned the University of Georgia's famed line of “Uga” bulldog mascots and served as lead defense counsel in a notorious case that was chronicled in the book “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” died Monday. He was 90.

The university announced that Seiler died in his hometown of Savannah, Georgia, after a short illness.

The “Uga” tradition began in 1956 when Seiler and his wife, Cecelia, brought their English bulldog to the season-opening game at the request of then-coach Wally Butts.

Since then, Seiler and his family have raised a continual line of mascots for the Georgia program, including the present “Uga XI.” The burly dogs have received widespread acclaim, including an appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

“Mr. Seiler was a dear friend who I cherished and will miss very much," Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks said in a statement. “He was an iconic figure at the University of Georgia for the past almost 70 years. Because of his generosity, Uga is the most beloved and recognizable mascot in all of college athletics. We owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude for building a legacy that will continue for years to come.”

Seiler's fame extended beyond the gridiron, most notably when he served as lead defense attorney for Savannah antiques dealer Jim Williams, who was tried four times in the 1981 slaying of his lover before he was finally acquitted.

The case served as the centerpiece of John Berendt’s 1994 bestselling book “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” which introduced the world to a wide range of eclectic characters in Georgia's historic coastal city. The book was later adapted into a 1997 movie directed by Clint Eastwood, in which Seiler portrayed the trial judge.

A member of the Screen Actors Guild, Seiler also appeared in the the 1998 film “The Gingerbread Man” and 2000's “The Legend of Bagger Vance.” In addition, he co-authored the book “Damn Good Dogs!”

After receiving both his bachelor's and law degree from the University of Georgia, Seiler joined the Savannah firm Bouhan Falligant in 1960 and became a senior partner. He also served on the Georgia Athletic Association's board of directors and several other organizations associated with his alma mater.

“Sonny’s contributions to the University of Georgia as a student and alumnus were innumerable, and his loyalty to his alma mater was unmatched," university President Jere Morehead said. “His legacy will live on forever in the history and traditions of this great institution.”

Seiler is survived by four children, seven grandchildren and a great-grandchild. Cecelia, his wife of 59 years, died in 2014.

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August 29, 2023 at 01:27PM

For ‘Last of Us’ composer Gustavo Santaolalla, silence is key to drawing the audience in

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LOS ANGELES -- When composer Gustavo Santaolalla sits with a new script, the words on the page often trigger visual elements, allowing him to hear the musical journey as the story travels from scene to scene.

It’s a trait that’s served “The Last of Us” composer well in creating the music for both the acclaimed video game and its Emmy-nominated HBO adaptation, including a nod for Santaolalla’s music.

Santaolalla was never formally trained to read or write music, but his instinctual method has led him to create Academy-award winning compositions for Ang Lee’s “Brokeback Mountain” and Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “Babel.” His first Emmy nod was for AMC’s “Hell on Wheels” in 2012, a year before the release of the first “Last of Us” video game.

Santaolalla says he never felt like he was “just writing music” for a video game. From the very beginning he said he knew that “The Last of Us” “felt like a great story” that could easily be retold through any medium.

“The music translated so perfectly to the series,” said Santaolalla who brought a sense of nostalgia to fans by reusing the game's beloved theme song.

The video game is set in the aftermath of a global pandemic that has turned civilians into zombie-like creatures. It follows the story of a smuggler named Joel who finds himself escorting an immune teenage girl named Ellie across the United States. The television series stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey and received 24 Emmy nominations this year.

Santaolalla transports the audience into the dystopian nightmare with one constant sound: the warm twang of his ronroco —a stringed mandolin that he calls “this wonderful little instrument from the Andes Mountains.” It can be heard throughout the “Last of Us” theme song and in almost all of the composer’s projects.

“One thing that I really felt was very rewarding was that (writers) Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin, they have said that my music, somehow, it’s part of the DNA of ‘The Last of Us,’ he said. “It’s like a character in the story.”

Santaolalla’s Emmy nomination is for the third episode where the show expanded on the relationship between two characters named Bill and Frank — portrayed by Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett. Bill’s sexual orientation was only implied in the original video game, without much explanation about his partnership with Frank. In the series, Mazin and Druckmann create a romantic backstory for the two characters, creating one of the series' most talked about tearjerker episodes.

“I knew the impact that that episode had in the audience,” said Santaolalla. “I was surprised (about the nomination), but at the same time, it was something that I got the feeling that it could happen,” he said. “I’m so grateful.”

Santaolalla says that he took into consideration the way that silence “played a big role” in the soundtrack of Bill and Frank’s story.

“Bill is a guy that has been inside of him, you know for years. You can’t get a word out of this guy or that demonstrative feelings. So there is already a silence in the reality of those characters. It is a very important part of the music of those characters.”

Santaolalla says silence is an element he loves to play with when writing music and was significant when composing “Brokeback Mountain” — a love story between two American cowboys.

“Silence sometimes can be louder than the note,” he said. “There’s an element where the silence works great in both of those cases, because the characters are not very talkative. Those silences when you’re watching something, it sucks people into the screen … you move to the front of your seat.”

Santaolalla first stepped into music as a young boy after his mother bought him his first guitar. He started making records as a teenager in Argentina. The producer turned composer would later flee the South American country during the 70s and make his way to Los Angeles where he soon became a notable figure in the rock en Español scene, producing over 100 albums for other Latin American icons like Juanes, Molotov and Julieta Venegas. He’s won BAFTAs, Golden Globes and both Grammys and Latin Grammys.

At 72, the musician has no plans of taking a break. He is the frontman of the critically acclaimed Argentine/Uruguayan band, Bajofondo, and is gearing up to perform at Eric Clapton’s upcoming 2023 Crossroads Festival in Los Angeles. Later this year, Santaolalla will travel to Sevilla, Spain, to receive the Latin Grammys’ Trustees Award honoring his musical legacy.

“This is far beyond anything that I could have imagined,” he said. “But being aware of that since an early age and now being in the position that I am now, I feel a responsibility to use this gift because I feel that is something that was given to me.”

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August 29, 2023 at 09:48AM

'Gran Turismo' takes weekend box office crown over 'Barbie' after all

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The box office results are in and Sony’s racing movie “Gran Turismo” won the weekend over “Barbie” after all

ByLINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer

August 28, 2023, 12:28 PM

This image released by Columbia Pictures shows a scene from "Gran Turismo." (Gordon Timpen/Columbia Pictures/Sony Entertainment via AP)

The Associated Press

The box office results are in and Sony’s racing movie “Gran Turismo” won the weekend over “Barbie,” after all.

On Sunday, “ Gran Turismo” appeared to be neck-and-neck with Warner Bros.' “Barbie,” now in its sixth weekend, with both hovering just over $17 million. But Monday actuals reported by the studios provided a clear winner: “Gran Turismo” ended up with $17.4 million from North American theaters against “Barbie’s” $15.1 million.

As is usually the case with new wide releases, “Gran Turismo’s” total also included earnings from Thursday night pre-shows ($1.4 million). More unconventionally, however, Sony also factored in $3.9 million from other preview screenings (or “sneaks”) held before Thursday — a less commonly used but still standard practice.

“Gran Turismo” was originally set for a wide release on Aug. 11, but with actors unable to help promote the film as the actors strike stretches on, Sony pivoted and instead opted for limited preview screenings and fan events for two weeks, leading up to a national rollout this past weekend.

It was an unusual weekend in multiplexes. U.S. movie theaters held the second annual National Cinema Day on Sunday, offering $4 tickets to all films and showtimes at nearly all of the country’s theaters. This might have been part of the reason why the Sunday estimate for “Barbie” was perhaps a bit too bullish at $7.75 million, compared to its actual Sunday total of $5.7 million.

“Barbie” may have technically sold more tickets this weekend, but studios do not report on individual admissions in North America. The day-to-day tallies show “Barbie” with the edge on Saturday and Sunday, however. On Saturday, “Barbie” made $5.4 million against “Gran Turismo” at $4.1 million. Sunday, “Barbie” also made more ($5.7 million versus compared to $4.7 million for “Gran Turismo”).

The main difference was Friday, which for “Gran Turismo” was reported to be $8.6 million (again, including the pre-show and preview totals) versus $4 million for “Barbie” on Friday (which does not include Thursday night earnings).

It's a reminder that Sunday box office estimates are just estimates and that the movies pitted against each other in weekend “races” aren't always operating under the same rules.

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August 29, 2023 at 01:49AM

Celebrity birthdays for the week of Sept. 3-9

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Celebrities having birthdays during the week of Sept. 3-9 include comedian Jeff Foxworthy, singer Beyonce’ and actor Idris Elba

ByThe Associated Press

August 28, 2023, 9:57 AM

FILE - Michael Keaton arrives at the 28th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022, in Santa Monica, Calif. Keaton turns 72 on Sept. 5. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

The Associated Press

Celebrity birthdays for the week of Sept. 3-9:

Sept. 3: Actor Pauline Collins is 83. Singer-guitarist Al Jardine of The Beach Boys is 81. Actor Valerie Perrine is 80. Drummer Don Brewer of Grand Funk Railroad is 75. Guitarist Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols is 68. Actor Steve Schirripa (“The Sopranos”) is 66. Actor Holt McCallany (“Lights Out,” ″CSI: Miami”) is 59. Guitarist Todd Lewis of The Toadies is 58. Actor Costas Mandylor (“Picket Fences”) is 58. Actor Charlie Sheen is 58. Singer Jennifer Paige is 50. Musician Redfoo of LMFAO is 48. Actor Ashley Jones (“True Blood”) is 47. Actor Nichole Hiltz (“In Plain Sight”) is 45. Actor Joel Johnstone (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) is 45. Actor Nick Wechsler (“Revenge,” ″Roswell”) is 45. Guitarist Tomo Milicevic of 30 Seconds To Mars is 44. Actor Garrett Hedlund (“Tron”) is 39. Singer August Alsina is 31.

Sept. 4: Actor Mitzi Gaynor is 92. Singer Sonny Charles of the Checkmates, Ltd. Is 83. Actor Kenneth Kimmins (“Coach”) is 82. Singer Merald “Bubba” Knight of Gladys Knight and the Pips is 81. TV personality Dr. Jan Pol (“The Incredible Dr. Pol”) is 81. Actor Jennifer Salt (“Soap”) is 79. Bassist Ronald LaPread (The Commodores) is 73. Actor Judith Ivey is 72. Drummer Martin Chambers of The Pretenders is 72. Actor Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs (“Welcome Back, Kotter”) is 70. Actor Khandi Alexander (“ER,” ″NewsRadio”) is 66. Guitarist Kim Thayil of Soundgarden is 63. Actor-comedian Damon Wayans is 63. Actor Richard Speight Jr. (“The Agency”) is 54. Actor Noah Taylor (2005′s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” ″Game of Thrones”) is 54. Actor Ione Skye is 53. DJ-music producer Mark Ronson is 48. Singer Richard Wingo of Jagged Edge is 48. Bassist Ian Grushka of New Found Glory is 46. Actor Wes Bentley (“American Beauty”) is 45. Actor Max Greenfield (“New Girl”) is 44. Country singer Granger Smith is 44. Singer Dan Miller of O-Town is 43. Singer Beyonce’ is 42. Singer-guitarist Tom Gossin of Gloriana is 42. Actor Whitney Cummings (“Whitney”) is 41. Comedian Kyle Mooney (“Saturday Night Live”) is 39. Multi-instrumentalist Neyla Pekarek (The Lumineers) is 37. Singer James Bay is 33. Actor Trevor Gagnon (“The New Adventures of Old Christine”) is 28.

Sept. 5: Comedian-actor Bob Newhart is 94. Broadway actor Carol Lawrence is 91. Actor Lucille Soong (“Fresh Off the Boat”) is 88. Actor William Devane (“Jessie Stone,” “Knots Landing”) is 84. Actor George Lazenby is 84. Singer Al Stewart is 78. Actor-director Dennis Dugan (“Big Daddy,” “Happy Gilmore”) is 77. Singer Loudon Wainwright III is 77. Saxophonist Mel Collins of King Crimson and of Kokomo is 76. Cartoonist Cathy Guisewite (“Cathy”) is 73. Actor Michael Keaton is 72. Drummer Jamie Oldaker of The Tractors is 72. Actor Debbie Turner (“The Sound of Music”) is 67. Actor Kristian Alfonso (“Days of Our Lives”) is 60. Singer Terry Ellis of En Vogue is 60. Drummer Brad Wilk of Rage Against The Machine (and of Audioslave) is 55. TV personality-musician Dweezil Zappa is 54. Actor Rose McGowan is 50. Actor Carice Van Houten (“Game of Thrones”) is 47. Keyboardist Kyle O’Quin of Portugal. The Man is 38. Actor Andrew Ducote (“Dave’s World”) is 37. Actor Skandar Keynes (“The Chronicles of Narnia”) is 32.

Sept. 6: Comedian JoAnne Worley is 87. Country singer David Allan Coe is 84. Singer-bassist Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) is 80. Actor Swoosie Kurtz is 79. Comedian-actor Jane Curtin is 76. Country singer Buddy Miller is 71. Actor James Martin Kelly (“Mob City,” ″Magic Mike”) is 69. Drummer Joe Smyth of Sawyer Brown is 66. Actor-comedian Jeff Foxworthy is 65. Actor-comedian Michael Winslow (“Police Academy”) is 65. Guitarist Pal Waaktaar of A-ha is 62. News correspondent Elizabeth Vargas is 61. Country singer Mark Chesnutt is 60. Actor Betsy Russell (“Saw”) is 60. Actor Rosie Perez is 59. Singer Macy Gray is 56. Singer Darryl Anthony (Az Yet) is 54. Singer CeCe Peniston is 54. Actor Daniele Gaither (“MADtv”) is 53. Actor Dylan Bruno (“Numb3ers”) is 51. Actor Idris Elba is 51. Actor Justina Machado (Netflix’s “One Day at a Time,” “Jane the Virgin”) is 51. Actor Anika Noni Rose (“The Princess and the Frog,” “Dreamgirls”) is 51. Singer Nina Persson (The Cardigans) is 49. Actor Justin Whalin (“Lois and Clark”) is 49. Actor Naomie Harris (“Moonlight,” “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies) is 47. Rapper Noreaga is 46. Rapper Foxy Brown is 45. Actor Deborah Joy Winans (“Greenleaf”) is 40. Actor Lauren Lapkus (“Orange Is the New Black”) is 38. Singer Max George of The Wanted is 35.

Sept. 7: Jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins is 93. Singer Gloria Gaynor is 80. Singer Alfa Anderson of Chic is 77. Actor Susan Blakely (“The Towering Inferno,” ″The Concorde: Airport ’79″) is 75. Drummer Dennis Thompson of MC5 is 75. Actor Julie Kavner (“The Simpsons”) is 73. Singer Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders is 72. Keyboardist Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers is 70. Actor Corbin Bernsen is 69. Actor Michael Emerson (“Lost”) is 69. Pianist Michael Feinstein is 67. Songwriter Diane Warren is 67. Singer Margot Chapman (Starland Vocal Band) is 66. Actor W. Earl Brown (“Deadwood”) is 60. Comedian Leslie Jones (“Supermarket Sweep,” ″Saturday Night Live”) is 56. Model Angie Everhart is 54. Actor Diane Farr (“Numb3rs,” “Rescue Me”) is 54. Actor Monique Gabriela Curnen (“The Dark Knight”) is 53. Actor Tom Everett Scott (“Southland,” ″That Thing You Do!”) is 53. Drummer Chad Sexton of 311 is 53. Actor Shannon Elizabeth (“American Pie”) is 50. Actor Oliver Hudson (“Nashville”) is 47. Actor Devon Sawa (“Slackers,” ″Final Destination”) is 45. Actor Benjamin Hollingsworth (“Code Black”) is 39. Actor Alyssa Diaz (“The Rookie”) is 38. Contemporary Christian musician Wes Willis of Rush of Fools is 37. Actor Evan Rachel Wood (“Westworld,” ″Thirteen”) is 36. Actor Jonathan Majors (“Lovecraft Country”) is 34. Actor Ian Chen (“Fresh Off the Boat”) is 17.

Sept. 8: Ventriloquist Willie Tyler (with Lester) is 83. Actor Alan Feinstein is 82. Singer Sal Valentino of The Beau Brummels is 81. Bassist Will Lee of the CBS Orchestra (“Late Show with David Letterman”) is 71. Actor Heather Thomas (“The Fall Guy”) is 66. Singer Aimee Mann is 63. Bassist David Steele of Fine Young Cannibals is 63. Actor Thomas Kretschmann (“The Pianist”) is 61. Singer Marc Gordon of Levert is 59. Gospel singer Darlene Zschech is 58. Singer Neko Case is 53. Actor David Arquette is 52. TV personality Brooke Burke is 52. Actor Martin Freeman (“Black Panther,” ″The Hobbit”) is 52. TV personality Kennedy is 51. Drummer Richard Hughes of Keane is 48. Actor Larenz Tate is 48. Actor Nathan Corddry (“Mom”) is 46. Singer Pink is 44. Singer-songwriter Eric Hutchinson is 43. Actor Jonathan Taylor Thomas (“Home Improvement”) is 42. Rapper Wiz Khalifa is 36. Actor Gaten Matarazzo (“Stranger Things”) is 21.

Sept. 9: Singer Dee Dee Sharp is 78. Guitarist John McFee of The Doobie Brothers is 73. Actor Tom Wopat is 72. Actor Angela Cartwright (“The Danny Thomas Show,” ″Lost In Space”) is 71. Musician-producer Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) is 71. Actor Hugh Grant is 63. Actor Charles Esten (“Nashville”) is 58. Actor Constance Marie (“George Lopez”) is 58. Actor-comedian Adam Sandler is 57. Model Rachel Hunter is 54. Actor Eric Stonestreet (“Modern Family”) is 52. Actor Henry Thomas (“E.T.”) is 52. Actor Goran Visnjic (“ER”) is 51. Jazz singer Michael Bublé is 48. Actor Michelle Williams (“Brokeback Mountain,” ″Dawson’s Creek”) is 43. Singer Paul Janeway of St. Paul and the Broken Bones is 40. Actor Kelsey Asbille (“One Tree Hill,” “Teen Wolf”) is 32. Contemporary Christian singer Lauren Daigle is 32. Country singer Hunter Hayes is 32.

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Celebrity birthdays for the week of Sept. 3-9
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August 28, 2023 at 09:49PM