Did You Hear ... ? ‘Wonder Woman’ saves the day, Kathy Griffin goes ‘too far,’ and more from this week in entertainment
A superhero got a heroine’s welcome, a comic crossed a line, a pop star stepped up to help and a high-profile journalist landed a key interview. Here’s all that news and more from this week in entertainment.
Who da man? ‘Wonder Woman’ is da man!
Turns out the right man for the job this summer is a woman: “Wonder Woman” arrived this week to rescue the DC Comics universe, not to mention movie audiences worldwide — well, worldwide except for Lebanon. Director Patty Jenkins said she let Wonder Woman “be every glorious thing that she is. Including hot and beautiful and sexy and loving and great and kind.” Consider the film’s early numbers (it’s predicted to hit $100 million this weekend, the biggest opening ever for a female director) a sign of grace under pressure? It’s amazing what Gal Gadot, a few more Amazons and 75 years of experience can do for a superhero.
In a world gone covfefe, comic says Trump is bullying her
Talk about covfefe: While “Wonder Woman” was saving the box office, Kathy Griffin looked to a news conference to save her from what she called bullying from the Trump family. Quick refresher: Griffin made an “artistic statement” Tuesday involving a bloody likeness of the president’s severed head. It didn’t go over well. She apologized. It still didn’t go over well. She lost work. Then more work. “I don’t think I will have a career after this. I’m gonna be honest, he broke me,” the comic said Friday, flanked by two attorneys. “Cut the crap,” she told reporters. “This wouldn’t be happening to a guy. This is a woman thing.”
Ariana Grande shows ‘One Love’ to Manchester victims
A week after the deadly Manchester suicide bombing, Ariana Grande on Tuesday revealed details of a benefit concert to be held Sunday in the U.K. Those who attended her ill-fated show could register for free tickets, which was a good thing, because the event — with a lineup chock-full of A-list talent — sold out in minutes. In the U.S., catch “Ariana Grande & Friends: One Love Manchester” Sunday afternoon on ABC, after the NBA Finals.
Megyn Kelly will interview some big-deal Russian dude
Well, someone’s getting her new job started in Trump-taunting fashion: Megyn Kelly, the former Fox News star who jumped ship to NBC in January, will interview Russian President Vladimir Putin for tomorrow’s debut of “Sunday Night With Megyn Kelly,” her weekly newsmagazine show. The one-on-one sit-down “oughta be fun,” she said, though she doesn’t expect to outperform “60 Minutes.” Putin already had a little fun with Kelly at a panel discussion she moderated Friday in St. Petersburg, Russia; when she asked him about whether his country had meddled in the U.S. presidential election, he replied, “It’s just some kind of hysteria, and just doesn’t stop! Someone needs to give you a pill or something!”
Domestic Goods — and Bads: Olivia Newton-John has a new cancer diagnosis. … Jennifer Garner says she didn’t talk to People for its cover story about her life after splitting from Ben Affleck.
Trumped: If President Trump’s got the whole world in his hands, we’re in trouble, Trevor Noah says. … Samantha Bee says POTUS’ “covfefe” tweet is proof that he really does have the best words.
RIP: Joe Hyams, studio executive who worked with Eastwood, Streisand and Fellini, died at 90. Gregg Allman, Southern rock trailblazer who co-founded a band marked by tragedy, died at 69.
New Trailers:
Bonus Links: Can America’s moviegoing habit be saved? The past, present and future of the multiplex. … People who hate the summer heat have come to the right place — we’ve got a line on all the summer TV. … “Snowfall” is John Singleton’s take on how cocaine changed L.A. … What would happen if a hemophiliac became a vampire? Alas, nothing good.
Did You Hear …? runs Saturday in Entertainment at latimes.com.
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